MMA-URLS

Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) President Dana White has had it up to here (my fingers are stretching to the sky) with the steroid scofflaws fouling up his beloved mixed martial arts (MMA). And he's looking long and hard at Alistair Overeem. "Demolition Man" screwed up White's upcoming UFC 146 main event after he destroyed the dial on the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) testosterone meter, registering an astounding T/E ratio of 14:1, which he unsuccessfully blamed on a laced anti-inflammatory injectable cocktail that he used to treat an injured rib. NSAC wasn't having it, denying Overeem a license to fight in "Sin City" until early 2013, at which time the horse meat-eating mammoth will be eligible to once again entertain the application process. The entire fiasco, unsurprisingly, didn't sit very well with White, who revealed shortly after the NSAC ruling that Overeem "lied to his face" about his use of performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs). White now plans to escalate the situation, telling the Los Angeles Times that he and his mixed martial arts promotion are going to take matters into their own hands to ensure an extra layer of protection. Check it out: "The steroid, [performance-enhancing drug] thing affects the whole sport. The key is to make sure these guys never get on it, because once they do, they change. The problem with Overeem is that I want to sit in a room with him man to man and believe him. He told me before he ever fought for us, 'Don't worry, I'm the most tested athlete in sports.' But I think we have about 42 fights a year ... you have a guy or two popping [positive tests] here and there, that's a pretty good ratio.... Yes, we're going to do our own testing, order these guys into [a lab]; we're sorting it out now. You have to do this to save the sport. You can't have these guys fighting on this stuff." Frank Mir stepped into replace Overeem and will challenge UFC Heavyweight Champion Junior dos Santos in the featured fight of the night at the MGM Grand Garden Arena this Saturday night (May 26, 2012). However, after White removed Overeem from the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix and inserted him into a number one contender bout against Brock Lesnar late last year, which he won via technical knockout, it was pretty clear that fight fans -- even White -- were eager to witness the colossal clash between him and "Cigano." But, a surprise drug test administered by the NSAC nullified that possibility, as well as triggered an entire fight card shake up. One that may have never existed if Overeem, and the UFC, had a an out of competition testing program in place that kept fighters honest most (if not all) of the time. It's pretty certain that some fighters will still look to cheat whatever testing system the promotion ultimately implements, but dangling it over their heads and threatening their livelihoods could be an effective first line of defense. Hopefully, it' got some teeth and isn't riddled with "exemptions."

Posted in: ufc, fight, overeem, guy, testing

Read the full article at MMA Mania

Good things come to those who wait. The timeless proverb especially holds true for fans of Team Oyama member, Shane Del Rosario, who have waited well over a year to see him in the cage again. After a fantastic, first round submission victory over Lavar Johnson last February, Shane was involved in a car accident in which a female drunk driver hit his car from behind. He suffered a serious back injury that kept him sidelined for the rest of 2011. Now signed with the UFC, Shane's first fight back since his injury is against super tough Croation, Stipe Miocic at UFC 146. In a recent TapouT Radio interview, Shane discussed the impact he hopes to make in the UFC, training with Giva Santana and future plans for his career. UFC Debut This is the biggest fight of my career. I'm finally in the UFC, and since it's been 14 months since I last fought, I've been really training my ass off. They took over my Strikeforce contract in December, but I was still working through my injury from the car accident. They told me to let them know when I was recovered, and it just worked out well for the May 26th card. I was originally signed to fight Gabriel Gonzaga, but the thing with Overeem happened, and they switched me around to fight Miocic. It's probably a blessing that the fight got switched, because now Gonzaga is injured too. It's a bummer that he can't fight. Training For Miocic I'm doing all my normal training; my pads, mitts and sparring. Originally, when I thought I was fighting Gonzaga, I was training for a big heavyweight, and a black belt in jiu-jitsu. Now I've got a guy that's more my size, who is more of a boxer and wrestler type. Not to underestimate his ground game, but I don't think he'll be the same level as Gonzaga. I think it's going to be more of a boxing fight. I know he likes to throw because he was a Golden Gloves boxer. From what I've seen from his fights, he's an athletic guy, and he has great cardio. When we get in there, I think we're going to go hard for all 15 minutes. I don't see him going straight to the ground. He's a boxer, and us stand up guys take pride in our striking, so we want to showcase that. I think the fans want to see that as well. Two big heavyweights throwing with each other. I think we're both athletic guys, and we're both fast. I mean, if he does take me down, I'm fine with that. I've been training really hard with Giva Santana, my jiu-jitsu coach, and I feel real comfortable on the ground. I think if it goes there, my jiu-jitsu skills will be better than his. Training With Giva Santana It's great training with Giva. He's obviously a lot lighter than me, but we've been teammates and he's been my coach for four years now. Before, when it was stand up and muay thai, I was in there all day long, but when it was time to roll, I was the first one making a break for the door [laughs]. Over the past two or three years, I've seen the importance of having a good ground game and wrestling technique, so I really focused myself on that, and I've accomplished three submissions because of it. He;s a really great guy all around. He;s been like a father figure to me, and has pretty much taught me most of what I know in jiu-jitsu. He's 40 years old and still fights. He;s the kind of guy that I wish we could have seen him fight years ago, because I know he could have done a lot of things. He's the reason I train hard, and hopefully I can get either a knockout or a submission for him. I started out as primarily a muay thai guy, and all I wanted to do was try to look for that knockout, but my last few fights, I've gotten submissions. It's nice to know that I've improved my jiu-jitsu game to that level. I don't mind going to the ground, and looking for that submission. I feel very comfortable both off my back or in top control. Thoughts On Heavyweight Division I think it's finally a full division now. Before it was always, 'The UFC guys are the best' or 'The Strikeforce guys are the best', but now, everyone is pooled in the same place. Now everyone is fighting each other. There are so many great guys. I think Dos Santos is a great champion. There's Cain Velasquez and Frank Mir, who is not only a great fighter, but is a seasoned veteran. I think with all of us being in the same place, it's going to make for some great fights over the next couple years. Plans For The Future I've sparred with the likes of Junior dos Santos, Brock Lesnar and Pat Barry, and I was able to hold my own with those guys. I think my game is up there, and obviously, with some more fights to get back into the swing of things, I think I'm definitely going to be a force in the UFC. I think after three fights, I'll definitely be looking to be a contender. I think I've paid my dues, and now it's my time to shine. I'm looking forward to showing everyone that I'm the real deal. Follow Shane via his Twitter, @DelRosarioMMA

Posted in: ufc, fight, guy, he, ive

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Clay Guida lives in an RV and travels the country while occasionally parking his ride in New Mexico to train at Greg Jackson's camp. In short, that makes him an infinitely cooler human being than any of us. The last time I saw Clay Guida, the guy was scooping cold shrimp in a buffet line at the MGM Grand. We talked about how the pineapples were 'rocking' and he told me that was up all night trying to find his brother on the strip of Las Vegas. Clay Guida is the type of guy that would be willing to repair a keg tap at any given moment at a house party. He's the guy that would lock the door and shut the blinds just before the cops knock on the front door. While Clay Guida (and Melvin Guillard) may be the easiest caricatures to identify in this piece by Scadilla, we're almost certain that no one will be able to provide the names of the other ten lightweights -- and if you do, you're the world champion of the world for today only.

Posted in: guy, clay guida, time i, guida, clay

Read the full article at Middle Easy

Sorry, "Bones," but fame doesn't adhere to the unified rules of mixed martial arts (MMA). Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones is finding out the hard way, following his arrest for suspicion of driving under the influence (DUI) back on May 19, 2012 in Binghamton, NY, what happens when you make a mistake under the scrutiny of the public microscope. Especially when that mistake can have potentially life-threatening consequences. Jones, who admits he "screwed up" and "gave leeway" to the haters, took to his official Facebook page earlier today (May 21) to apologize for "embarrassing" and "letting down" the people who have supported him before, during and after his recent run-in with the law. Those comments (transcribed by Middle Easy) after the jump. "Man I haven't added anyone new to my Facebook page in like three years and right now I'm so glad that I haven't. It has literally been sickening to have so many people try to kick me while I'm down. At the same time, I totally understand, I gave them the leeway to. I screwed up, big time. Just needed to say thank you to all you guys for being amazing friends/supporters. Always having to deal with so many critics, haters and fickle mma fans, I almost forgot how strong of a home base I had (607 and people that knew me before I was a champion fighter). Although the hell that will come with this hasn't even started yet, I want you guys to know how much better you've all made me feel, not only about this situation but about life, everything. It's good to feel that people are there and care. With that being said, I felt I should apologize to you first. I'm truly sorry to those of you that I may have embarrassed in any way, to those of you with kids that I may have let down. I will prove to them as well as to myself, that no matter what is happening in life, we can always work our way back and make things even better than before. Reading you guys uplifting comments was a great reminder for me to not give up on who I am or all the hateful people. I'm not gonna allow this situation to outweigh the positive. I love you guys right back and I promise to make things right. PS sorry about the terrible grammar :)" While Jones had his fair share of haters prior to last weekend's arrest, part of the overwhelming backlash stems from his recent UFC sponsorship, where he told media members his new sponsorship deal was attributed to his squeaky-clean image, because he's not the type of person to get popped for driving while intoxicated (DWI). Whoops. In any event, Jones will have to work his way back into the good graces of the UFC brass and passionate fan base, which he can do starting with the build to his fight against Dan Henderson at the UFC 151 pay-per-view event on Sept. 1 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Well, the champ said he's sorry. Do you accept his apology? More on his DUI arrest right here.

Posted in: ufc, guy, jone, right, people

Read the full article at MMA Mania

UFC light heavyweight Jon Jones has released a detailed statement on his recent arrest for suspicion of DUI, shedding some light on his mindset in the wake of his one-car accident from this past weekend instead of leaving things up to interpretation. While the 24-year old champion did not speak about the specifics surrounding the actual crash his tone was certainly apologetic and laced with humility based on the support his fanbase has shown thus far throughout the ordeal. “Man I haven’t added anyone new to my Facebook page in like three years and right now I’m so glad that I haven’t,” wrote Jones on the popular social networking outlet. “It has literally been sickening to have so many people try to kick me while I’m down. At the same time, I totally understand – I gave them the leeway to. I screwed up, big time. Just needed to say thank you to all you guys for being amazing friends/supporters.” “Always having to deal with so many critics, haters and fickle MMA fans, I almost forgot how strong of a home base I had (607 and people that knew me before I was a champion fighter),” he continued. “Although the hell that will come with this hasn’t even started yet, I want you guys to know how much better you’ve all made me feel, not only about this situation but about life, everything. It’s good to feel that people are there and care. With that being said, I felt I should apologize to you first.” “I’m truly sorry to those of you that I may have embarrassed in any way, to those of you with kids that I may have let down. I will prove to them as well as to myself that no matter what is happening in life, we can always work our way back and make things even better than before,” Jones concluded. “Reading you guys’ uplifting comments was a great reminder for me to not give up on who I am or all the hateful people. I’m not gonna allow this situation to outweigh the positive. I love you guys right back and I promise to make things right.” Jones was booked Saturday morning at approximately 5:00 AM EST in an area near his New York home after crashing his Bentley into a utility pole and showing signs of intoxication at the scene. Little is known at this point regarding future punishment from the State or his bosses at the UFC. Currently “Bones” is scheduled to defend his divisional title against Dan Henderson at UFC 151. PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Posted in: ufc, time, guy, jone, people

Read the full article at Five Ounces of Pain

Light heavyweight champion Jon Jones has broken the relative silence surrounding his arrest this past Saturday for suspicion of driving under the influence. The UFC star was picked up by police near his home in New York after driving his Bentley into a utility pole. He is not believed to have suffered any serious injuries in the wreck. Jones surfaced with a message on Twitter over the weekend praising God before addressing things in more detail today by way of Facebook where he admitted he “screwed up, big time” and expressed appreciation to fans who have offered their support in the wake of his troubles. The 24-year old also apologized to those he’d embarrassed as well as to children who look up to him as a role model. Jones Booked for Driving Under the Influence The full statement from Jones can be found below: “Man I haven’t added anyone new to my Facebook page in like three years and right now I’m so glad that I haven’t. It has literally been sickening to have so many people try to kick me while I’m down. At the same time, I totally understand – I gave them the leeway to. I screwed up, big time. Just needed to say thank you to all you guys for being amazing friends/supporters.” Always having to deal with so many critics, haters and fickle MMA fans, I almost forgot how strong of a home base I had (607 and people that knew me before I was a champion fighter). Although the hell that will come with this hasn’t even started yet, I want you guys to know how much better you’ve all made me feel, not only about this situation but about life, everything. It’s good to feel that people are there and care. With that being said, I felt I should apologize to you first.” I’m truly sorry to those of you that I may have embarrassed in any way, to those of you with kids that I may have let down. I will prove to them as well as to myself that no matter what is happening in life, we can always work our way back and make things even better than before. Reading you guys’ uplifting comments was a great reminder for me to not give up on who I am or all the hateful people. I’m not gonna allow this situation to outweigh the positive. I love you guys right back and I promise to make things right.” PHOTO CREDIT – UFC Tweet

Posted in: guy, jone, i ’m, people, ’m

Read the full article at Fighters.com

UFC Light Heavyweight Jon Jones was arrested Saturday morning in Binghamton, New York on suspicion of Driving Under the Influence. He drove his Bentley into a telephone pole. Jones' mother bailed him out a few hours after the incident. His manager Malki Kawa issued a statement in the immediate aftermath of the arrest: "I can confirm that Jon Jones was arrested early this morning on suspicion of DUI. While the facts of this situation are still being gathered and situated, First Round Management fully supports Jon and we are asking for fans and media to respect the privacy of Jon and his family during this time." Related Stories: Video: UFC Champ Jon Jones' Bentley After The DUI Wreck |Jon Jones Arrested on Suspicion of DUI, Suffers Minor Injuries Jones has also issued a statement on his Facebook page and that's after the jump: From Jones' Facebook page via MiddleEasy: "Man I haven't added anyone new to my Facebook page in like three years and right now I'm so glad that I haven't. It has literally been sickening to have so many people try to kick me while I'm down. At the same time, I totally understand, I gave them the leeway to. I screwed up, big time. Just needed to say thank you to all you guys for being amazing friends/supporters. Always having to deal with so many critics, haters and fickle mma fans, I almost forgot how strong of a home base I had (607 and people that knew me before I was a champion fighter). Although the hell that will come with this hasn't even started yet, I want you guys to know how much better you've all made me feel, not only about this situation but about life, everything. It's good to feel that people are there and care. With that being said, I felt I should apologize to you first. I'm truly sorry to those of you that I may have embarrassed in any way, to those of you with kids that I may have let down. I will prove to them as well as to myself, that no matter what is happening in life, we can always work our way back and make things even better than before. Reading you guys uplifting comments was a great reminder for me to not give up on who I am or all the hateful people. I'm not gonna allow this situation to outweigh the positive. I love you guys right back and I promise to make things right. PS sorry about the terrible grammar :)"

Posted in: guy, jon, jone, facebook, facebook page

Read the full article at Bloody Elbow

After a weekend full of tweet jokes, photoshopped gifs and caustic hate filled messages there's nothing I can say about this Jon Jones DUI incident that hasn't already been said 1437 times over via twitter, facebook, or any of the multitude of MMA forums on the Interwebz. Until this morning there had been no official word released by the champ regarding his weekend brush with the law and brush with a very dangerous situation. Today at around 9am Jones issued an apology to his friends and fans via his facebook page. Here's the text: "Man I haven't added anyone new to my Facebook page in like three years and right now I'm so glad that I haven't. It has literally been sickening to have so many people try to kick me while I'm down. At the same time, I totally understand, I gave them the leeway to. I screwed up, big time. Just needed to say thank you to all you guys for being amazing friends/supporters. Always having to deal with so many critics, haters and fickle mma fans, I almost forgot how strong of a home base I had (607 and people that knew me before I was a champion fighter). Although the hell that will come with this hasn't even started yet, I want you guys to know how much better you've all made me feel, not only about this situation but about life, everything. It's good to feel that people are there and care. With that being said, I felt I should apologize to you first.I'm truly sorry to those of you that I may have embarrassed in any way, to those of you with kids that I may have let down. I will prove to them as well as to myself, that no matter what is happening in life, we can always work our way back and make things even better than before. Reading you guys uplifting comments was a great reminder for me to not give up on who I am or all the hateful people. I'm not gonna allow this situation to outweigh the positive. I love you guys right back and I promise to make things right. PS sorry about the terrible grammar :)" Whether you love him or hate him-or whether you call it a mistake, a lack of good judgement, or an absolute **** up-this is definitely going to be a huge life lesson for the very young champ and the most important thing to note is thankfully no one was hurt in this accident. Things could have turned out much worse than they did.

Posted in: guy, facebook, people, thing, facebook page

Read the full article at Middle Easy

After a weekend full of tweet jokes, photoshopped gifs and caustic hate filled messages there's nothing I can say about this Jon Jones DUI incident that hasn't already been said 1437 times over via twitter, Facebook, or any of the multitude of MMA forums on the Interwebz. Until this morning there had been no official word released by the champ regarding his weekend brush with the law and brush with a very dangerous situation. Today at around 9am Jones issued an apology to his friends and fans via his Facebook page. Here's the text: "Man I haven't added anyone new to my Facebook page in like three years and right now I'm so glad that I haven't. It has literally been sickening to have so many people try to kick me while I'm down. At the same time, I totally understand, I gave them the leeway to. I screwed up, big time. Just needed to say thank you to all you guys for being amazing friends/supporters. Always having to deal with so many critics, haters and fickle mma fans, I almost forgot how strong of a home base I had (607 and people that knew me before I was a champion fighter). Although the hell that will come with this hasn't even started yet, I want you guys to know how much better you've all made me feel, not only about this situation but about life, everything. It's good to feel that people are there and care. With that being said, I felt I should apologize to you first.I'm truly sorry to those of you that I may have embarrassed in any way, to those of you with kids that I may have let down. I will prove to them as well as to myself, that no matter what is happening in life, we can always work our way back and make things even better than before. Reading you guys uplifting comments was a great reminder for me to not give up on who I am or all the hateful people. I'm not gonna allow this situation to outweigh the positive. I love you guys right back and I promise to make things right. PS sorry about the terrible grammar :)" Whether you love him or hate him-or whether you call it a mistake, a lack of good judgement, or an absolute **** up-this is definitely going to be a huge life lesson for the very young champ and the most important thing to note is thankfully no one was hurt in this accident. Things could have turned out much worse than they did.

Posted in: guy, facebook, people, thing, facebook page

Read the full article at Middle Easy

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I'm sure you've heard by now that UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones was arrested for suspicion of DUI early this morning in upstate New York. UFC president Dana White has not commented on the matter yet other than a text to TMZ in reference to him not having a good week. But Jones isn't the first UFC fighter to get hit with a DUI arrest this year. Late last month, UFC featherweight Ross Pearson was arrested on suspicion of DUI in Las Vegas. A few days later, White spoke to the media (via MMA Diehards) in regards to the incident and was quite clear how he feels about his fighters getting themselves into these sorts of situations. Let's get one thing straight right now - the following video is NOT Dana White talking about Jon Jones getting a DUI. This is from two weeks ago, and it's about Ross Pearson. Dana's opinion of what his light heavyweight champion did might be very different from what he thinks about the Pearson incident. I'm just posting this so people can get a glimpse into White's line of thinking in regards to incidents like this. Here's the video, and you can read some of the choice quotes from it below the jump. It is what it is. We're human beings. Don't jump in your f**king car and drive when you'be been drinking. You know, you have a couple of drinks and you're like 'I'm fine'. You start driving and you get pulled over and you blow in that breathalyzer, and if it goes over a .8, you're in trouble man. Let me tell you man, they don't mess around with DUI's. DUI's are serious." When asked if Pearson would lose his fight (with Cub Swanson on June 22nd at UFC on FX 4), Dana said no: The guy made a mistake. The guy jumped in his car...I think everyone standing here, unless you don't drink, has had a couple of drinks and jumped in their car and tried to drive home. It's stupid. There's no need for it. He's got 50 guys out there that he's training with that he could've called. He's got money, he could have taken a taxi. You know, it's just one of those bad choices you make at that moment. And everybody that I've ever known that's got a DUI, unless you're a stone cold alcoholic lunatic, no one gets a second one man. You lose your license, you go through all that sh*t you gotta go through. So, he's a good guy and I like him and respect him, and we're gonna help him get through this. A reporter says that he's seems to be a lot more understanding than David Stern (commissioner of the NBA) or Roger Goddell (commissioner of the NFL), and he makes it clear why he thinks he's different in that regard: I'm a realist. You know, you can't expect all these people to be perfect. You put these athletes on this...you know, I understand that they're role models and all these other things. They're human beings man. They're all gonna make mistakes. I'm one of those guys that believes that we're all gonna make mistakes, and it's how you handle it, handle yourself after you mad that mistake, tells who you really are.

Posted in: ufc, guy, pearson, he, dui

Read the full article at Bloody Elbow

Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Middleweight number one contender Chael Sonnen took time out of his busy schedule training for his fight against Anderson Silva at UFC 148 on July 7 in Las Vegas, Nevada, to drop in on Jim Rome's radio show as an entrant in the 2012 Smack Off competition. If you're unfamiliar with the Smack Off, here's a synopsis via Wikipedia: The Smack-Off is an annual competition on The Jim Rome Show, in which select listeners are invited to provide their best "smack talk", with Rome and his show personnel determining the winner. It is held in mid-to-late spring and takes up the entire program on a Friday. The contest is a way to recognize the best callers to the show, as well as a means of determining the best caller of the year. Show host Jim Rome has referred to the Smack-Off as the most important show of the entire year. And today marked the crowning of the biggest mouth in mixed martial arts (MMA). Rome announced as much on his Twitter account before going on to defend his decision against his legion of clones who felt the fix was in, seeing as Rome has been a longtime fan of both the UFC and MMA and has had a history with Sonnen. #Smackoff 2012 champ....CHAEL FREAKING SONNEN. ... Some of you: "Fix was in. Rome wanted a celebrity to win." Right. Jay Mohr has never won. Jim Harbaugh was hammered for his appearance. ... I did what I've done 18 times now: given it to the best caller. There were a half dozen incredible calls. Sonnen's was the best. #Smackoff Listen to the audio above and give us your thoughts on Sonnen's smack talk, the highlight of which may have been his declaration that "basketball used to be about great athletes. Now it's about who's taking their turn on a Kardashian next." After the jump, read a complete transcript of Sonnen's rant. "Enough of amateur hour and rookies calling in on bad cell phones. What a boring waste of our time, Jim. Me and the listeners would have rather looked at racy photos of Wayne Gretzky's daughter on Twitter than to have to listen to that again. Fans would be more entertained watching John Travolta practice rough trade than by some of these rants I've heard today. I've been in the presence of silent films that had better vocals than these guys that have got on. "Hey Jay Mohr, I know you're out there listening, buddy. Loved you in Suicide Kings. It's an apt title for your career, by the way. "Football, America's past time. Look guys, nobody cares what you do with the ball out on the gridiron for 11 minutes of action in a four hour game. It's about the beer people; take the beer out of the stadiums and you'll take the people out as well. I wish I could wear 40 pounds of Kevlar body armor, run 10 yards, then rest for two minutes. Hey guys, that's what I do before practice. "Basketball. It used to be about great athletes. Now it's about who's taking their turn on a Kardashian next. I was going to work Kobe into this whole rant but what can I do to Kobe that god hasn't already done. "Baseball. It's America's sport because Americans are obese, the end. "Golf. That's the sport where Dancing With the Stars rejects go to die. The best thing Tiger Woods ever did was that hot Norwegian wife of his. "NASCAR. Wow, I just love it. A bunch of guys with a tooth missing for every decade of their life thinking they're Vin Diesel or the Dukes of Hazzard. It just kills me. You know what else chases each other in circles, Jim? Headless chickens. The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and getting a different result. Yet every Sunday, they take the same white privileged males, put them in the same car doing the same thing and we get a different result. FIXED. Let's not forget, NASCAR plays to the same uneducated, southern white males professional wrestling got its licks from in the 1970s. How many of your listeners have a car? How many of you listeners if you raced your neighbor today and beat him would expect to not also win tomorrow and the next day. Look guys, the only way the results change if you're in the same car doing the same thing is if you let the results change. WAKE UP, KENTUCKY. "I should probably go off on my own sport for a minute but here's a question for you guys. I heard the winner gets UFC tickets, right? That's what I heard. I've heard you're all pandering, gabbering and whoring out for chuckles for a glimpse of yours truly. Well shucks, guys, I can understand and I'm flattered. "Still undefeated Jim, still undisputed, you're listening to Chael 'Perfection' Sonnen and that, ladies and gentlemen, what you just heard, was the 'Voice of Reason.'"

Posted in: guy, show, sonnen, jim, rome

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Following his second straight UFC loss, MMA veteran Jeff Curran is afraid he is going to lose to his job. The 14-year veteran of the sport lost a unanimous decision to Johnny Eduardo on Tuesday night at UFC on FUEL TV 3, and following the bout, he opened up to MMAFighting.com about the harsh reality every fighter in his position faces."I am at a huge fear for my job and career with UFC," he said. "Knowing that they don't like to sign older guys past 35 years old due to athletic commission complications, and me nearing 35 in September, being dropped from UFC would mean the end of my career."Curran said that win or lose on Tuesday night, he had planned to drop down to flyweight. Now, he is afraid he won't get the opportunity to do that following his second straight loss."I am determined to get a fight at 125," he said. "I feel the weight cut to 135 isn't even a cut at all. I am a smaller boned guy who has had to stay big over the years and now I can finally see that a lower weight is a chance for me and my time is running short. "There is a few guys I would like to fight at 125 to have a final shot at proving at the end of the day that I am just a little guy but capable of doing bigger things than I have been able to display. Yasuhiro Urushitani, John Lineker, or even a rematch with KID Yamamoto at 125 would be a perfect fit, if either one of them coming off losses has the (expletive) to test themselves against me these days. Japan, Brazil, USA ... doesn't matter to me. I pray UFC can recognize this and call my management. UFC will at least end up with a war once again. Nothing to lose. I hope the fans get behind me here. I planned on dropping down after a win over Eduardo. I lost the fight but here I am." Tuesday's loss dropped Curran's record to 33-15-1. His career started in Jan. 1998, and since then he has competed in virtually every major promotion: UFC, WEC, PRIDE, IFL, Strikeforce, and everything in between. His last six losses. dating back to 2008, have come via either split or unanimous decision. "I gave my life to the sport," he said, "and feel I have had a curse hanging over me and losing decisions has become the norm on beating me. I know that 125 is stiff competition, but nobody has a reach advantage, and that's one of my worst body types to fight: tall and lanky." The UFC has yet to inform Curran what they'll do with him next.

Posted in: ufc, guy, loss, curran, tuesday night

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A lot can change in a year. Just ask Daniel Cormier. Half of the main event for Saturday’s Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix Championship was just a blip on the radar at this time last year. Now, not only does he have the opportunity to win the tournament, but he is also enjoying more success at home and in the gym as a coach. The former Olympic wrestler was set to face Shane del Rosario in June of last year. But a car accident forced del Rosario to withdraw from the bout, and Cormier went on to face off against Jeff Monson. It was there where Cormier displayed his vastly improved striking, earning a unanimous decision victory, and a spot as an alternate in the Heavyweight Grand Prix. After Alistair Overeem pulled out of the tournament, Cormier was named his replacement, taking on Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva in September. He famously knocked out the significantly larger Brazilian, breaking his hand in the process. Because of that injury, the tournament final was put on hold. Now the tournament that began over a year ago finally comes to an end, as Cormier takes on former UFC heavyweight champion Josh Barnett. “It’s crazy how much everything has changed,” Cormier admitted to MMAFrenzy.com. “This time last year, I had just had my son in February, and Shane and I were going to decide who was going to move forward in the division. Shane got hurt, and I just continued to move forward. Fast forward a year, and I beat Jeff and Antonio, and then I had another child, my daughter. In one year, I went from a guy barely in the top 25 to a guy in the top 10. And now I have two kids. My mind is actually blown just how much my life has changed in such a short period of time.” Unfortunately for Cormier, it has not been a short period of time between his last fight and his next one, as he has not fought since that win over Silva in September. The eight month layoff is the longest break of his career. Having fought for only two and a half years, Cormier has averaged four fights a year. In fact, he fought six times in 2010, including three times in a three week span during the summer. As a man accustomed to remaining active even when not in competition, the layoff has been even tougher for Cormier, who grew up maintaining a busy schedule as he developed his wrestling career. “I’m a guy that always likes to stay busy,” said Cormier. “It’s difficult to sit back and not fight. But not only that, I wasn’t able to do much in training. A lot of my improvements come between fights, so to not be able to train as hard as I want to, it was very hard.” That inactivity in training came due to the broken hand that he suffered in his fight against Silva. What did not help matters was that Cormier suffered a setback just three months later, delaying his return to full-time training even longer. “I actually broke my hand again in December,” said Cormier. “I was starting to heal, and I pushed it a little too much. I took a step back in training, and just did a lot of wrestling and jiu-jitsu through January. In February, I started to hit a little bit. Then two weeks before the Miesha Tate vs. Ronda Rousey fight(which took place March 3rd), I got clearance from a doctor, and the matchup with Barnett was announced to the public. I’ve been hitting pretty good with my hand since then.” Aside from the striking aspect of his training, Cormier has had to face the challenge of Barnett calling him out and stating that he will be able to take the former Olympic wrestler down. Cormier certainly is not shying away from that, embracing the friendly challenge from his opponent. “I’m not a guy that turns away from a challenge,” Cormier said. “Honestly, I have prepared harder for this fight than I have in my entire life. Not only during my fighting career, but I have trained harder than for any of my high-level wrestling matches.” For Cormier, he will not only be fighting for pride and the opportunity to win the tournament, but he will be fighting in front of his hometown crowd for the first time. Despite fighting for Strikeforce for nearly three years, this will be his first match in Strikeforce and American Kickboxing Academy’s hometown of San Jose, California. “I am super excited to be fighting at home,” said Cormier. “HP Pavillion is only a ten minute drive from my house, so I can stay at my house during fight week. I get to be around my kids the entire time. So things can stay normal. Plus, San Jose has great fight fans. They come out in numbers and show support for their local guys. They adopt fighters. Even though a lot of guys are not originally from here, they adopt us into their family.” Another family that Cormier is a part of is American Kickboxing Academy, which will have the opportunity to earn not only the Grand Prix Championship, but also the Strikeforce lightweight title, as Josh Thomson will take on Gilbert Melendez in the co-main event. Despite Josh Koscheck leaving the team earlier this year, Cormier and the rest of the team still feel the entire group is continually improving every day. “The atmosphere at AKA is stronger than ever,” admitted Cormier. “It is going to show in this next month with all of the big fights we have. You will notice the changes in our gym in these fights. Obviously we miss Josh, but it was time for him to move on. Any time that you have a guy that is that unhappy with a situation, you want him to get out of it. It means a lot to our guys to be able to contend for titles. It would be great to be like Cesar Gracie and his camp when Jake Shields, Gilbert Melendez, and Nick Diaz were all champions. We could have a lot of hardware in our gym by the end of the year.” MMAFrenzy.com

Posted in: fight, time, guy, year, cormier

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In the dawning hours of arguably the biggest Strikeforce card this year, rumors have flown around regarding possible injuries to one of the athletes fighting in the lightweight title match. About a week ago, rumblings that Josh Thomson had suffered a serious knee injury started making their way across Twitter feeds, bringing to mind the question, 'Will The Punk be fighting on Saturday?' In a quick TapouT Radio interview, Josh discussed his feelings on how the MMA media handles rumors, and gave some insight to these final days leading into his third outing with lightweight champion, Gilbert Melendez. Frustration With MMA Media There's no injury, everything is good. I tweaked my wrist and I tweaked some of my other body, but nothing bad. There's always little injuries going into a fight, but nothing that is going to take me out of it. The thing that upsets me the most, is when the media, or whoever they are, come online, and let's just say a guy did have an injury, but the media guy guessed wrong. He's like 'Oh yeah, he hurt his wrist'. and let's just say his wrist was kind of bugging him, but he guessed wrong, and it wasn't anything too bad. Now that puts out a little bit of a target, and could end up basically affecting the guy's fight. At least verify with the camp, or just say, 'Hey, is there an injury?' Maybe the media will learn that if you do things like that for the fighters, you'll end up getting more interviews and coverage later on down the road. Maybe you'll get the inside scoop on something later on versus just throwing something out there. It kind of rubbed me the wrong way. It's just typical of the low level of MMA media stuff, where they automatically just jump the gun because they want to release this story, without ever verifying anything. It's just kind of gotten old, and after years and years of dealing with it, it kind of boiled over for me. You know, I'm always injured, so when am I not hurt is something that's always just bugging me [laughs]. Seriously though, if something had happened to my knee, and somebody just went and threw that out there, now I've got my opponent knowing something is hurt. That kind of rubs people the wrong way, I think. The big majority of MMA media are not journalists. They're just fans that picked up a pen and started writing. That's the problem with it. A lot of these guys haven't gone to journalism school, and a lot of them haven't developed any real relationships with the fighters. They take the most negative things in the article, I mean, the guy could have said a thousand nice things about his opponent, but they pick the one negative comment to post. Maybe that sells, but later on, I'll be thinking, 'No matter what I say, this guy is just going to write whatever the hell he wants.' The thing that was written about me said, 'Oh he has a torn PCL', but if you have anything torn, you wouldn't even be contemplating the fight. Even if there was an injury, at least give the fighter a chance to pull out of the fight, or at least confirm that there is an injury. I understand that it's up to the media people to break the news first, but the best part about it all, was how some of the media guys, especially this idiot that was on there. He gets on there (Twitter), and after I've denied it, says, 'I know I'm right. I've confirmed with three sources. I'm right and you're wrong. You're going to get your ass kicked on Saturday, anyway.' And I'm thinking, 'This is a guy that just wants to drop some information, whether it's true or not.' That's just so typical, I think, of the MMA media. These people are quick to say, 'Oh you're washed up. You're a has-been', but do they know I was fighting in the UFC back in 2000, when there was only five shows a year, and you knew you were the top fighter in the world. What does that tell you? Don't be disrespectful just because you're stuck behind a keyboard. You've got to calm down dude. Just slow down with your negative crap. It drives me insane to see guys like this just trying to slam fighters. It doesn't matter even if you're a kid on the undercard. At least that kid is trying to fulfill his dream. He's trying to do something that he really loves doing. You can't say that about 99% of the United States. Maybe the journalists are trying to fulfill their dreams, as well, but they just need to go about it a little bit differently. Thoughts On Upcoming Fight With Gilbert Melendez Really, this just comes down to me implementing my gameplan. In the second fight, I totally got away from the gameplan. I went in there pretty cocky and arrogant. After I felt like I won the first round, I felt like I could just go in there and do it again. It was going OK in the second round, but then I got clipped and dropped. From there, I felt like I was fighting from behind. When you have a fighter like Gil, with that kind of confidence, he stuck with his gameplan and was able to win. In this fight, I've got to come in with that same type confidence and arrogance, but I've just got to be smart about it. I think it has to be all about me following the gameplan, sticking with it, and making the needed adjustments here and there, from round to round. A five round fight is a long time. The two of us have fought a lot. Ten rounds is no joke, and not to mention all the rounds that we trained with each other before we fought. We know each other pretty well. I know he's got a big right hand, and there's a lot of talk that he's going to try and open up and take some risks. With all the talk about Gilbert being number one, and I do believe he is the number one guy in the world right now, especially with what's going on in the UFC. They don't really have a settled, number one guy there. They haven't really settled their championship there. That really leaves Gil to slide into that spot and be the number one guy. With that being said, he's really got to produce, with all that talk about beating all the best or fighting all the best. Now he needs to prove it. If he has a lackluster five rounds with me, it doesn't really show well for him, because I'm not ranked in the Top 10. When you look at the rankings, I really feel bad for the guy, because he knows it's going to be a tough fight. I think this is going to be different. He dominated Aoki. He dominated Masvidal. I'm the last guy he hasn't dominated. It's not going to be ab easy fight for him. Follow Josh via his Twitter, @TheRealPunk

Posted in: fight, guy, round, media, injury

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Jits, lies and videotape. There's been a lot of finger-pointing in the wake of last weekend's World Jiu-Jitsu Expo, one that was marred by a canceled "superfight" between Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) welterweight Nick Diaz and his opponent, famed grappling stud Braulio Estima. Diaz, who failed to appear in the main event, took his ball and went home after getting played by a Brazilian crony, according to his official statement. The man behind the expo, longtime mixed martial arts (MMA) veteran Renzo Gracie, wants to be the guy to take the blame for the breakdown in communication, as well as his decision to let an "amateur" deal with the fighters scheduled to attend. His comments from "The MMA Show with Mauro Ranallo" (transcribed by The Score) after the jump. "I have to be honest, if there’s someone to blame, it’s me. Even though it was my expo, I had one guy working on it and he was good at organizing it and putting it together. The only thing he’s not good at is dealing with fighters. From what I understand, Junior called Cesar Gracie’s room the night previously at midnight and said Braulio Estima would be 10 pounds overweight. You have to understand, Nick Diaz was already giving up too much fighting that caliber of fighter in BJJ. For Nick to take the match, it shows the kind of guts he has. It ended up turning out the way that it did because the guy dealing with the fighters is an amateur, and he didn’t understand the emotions the athletes go through." Weigh ins, fables and scales, oh my! While Renzo is (kind of) taking responsibility for last weekend's fiasco, there is a long list of culpable parties. Diaz's temper, Estima's weight cut, Junior's lies and Gracie's leadership make for a volatile mix. And Dana White can't believe you're even shocked! For more fallout from the World Jiu-Jitsu Expo click here.

Posted in: diaz, guy, nick, fighter, expo

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You can work for accolades and acclaim your whole life, only to have them vanish in a moment. That moment came for former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Heavyweight Champion Cain Velasquez when he was savagely knocked out by current champion, Junior dos Santos, at UFC on FOX 1, in Anaheim, Calif., on Nov. 12, 2011. After defeating Brock Lesnar to win the belt, it looked as though Velasquez would sit atop the heap of 265-pound mixed martial arts (MMA) elite for some time to come. Unfortunately, that was not to be. Velasquez sat down with HDNet's "Inside MMA" to discuss what it was like to watch his dream disappear so quickly, as well as how he plans to move forward in his upcoming bout versus "Bigfoot" Antonio Silva at UFC 146 on May 26, 2012. Check it out: "You know, at first, it was just hard. Everything you work hard for gets taken away from you, just off of that one night. It was just time for me to step back and, first of all, get my body back to 100 percent. I took some time off, rested my body, rested the little nagging injuries that were bothering me. With this training camp, I just slowly worked my way into it. That's really helped me. I took my time at the beginning of the training camp, and then, as weeks went on, just kinda picked up the intensity. I feel really good. My body feels good. I think my quickness and power is where they need to be. I'm glad that after that fight, I took that time off to relax and get my body to one hundred percent." One of the biggest criticisms Velasquez received after his loss to "JDS" was in regard to a poor strategy. He engaged dos Santos in the stand up exchanges, waiting too long to try and get the fight to the ground. Velasquez knows he is facing a dangerous opponent in "Bigfoot," but he believes speed will be his weapon of choice: "'Bigfoot's' a big guy, you know? I think he does everything well. He mixes up his punches and kicks really well. For me, I think, with his overall size, I gotta be quicker than him. So, a lot of 'in and out.' If the takedown's there, take it. Just try to beat him off the quickness." One advantage Velasquez will have is that one of his training partners, Daniel Cormier, has already fought and defeated Silva. Not only did he win, but he knocked him out in the very first round. Velasquez has used Cormier and his fight versus Silva as a resource, but he believes he'll be facing a very different fighter when the cage door closes on May 26: "The training sessions with Daniel have been great. The type of athleticism and skill that he brings to this, it's just great to be in with a guy like that, every day, to train with a guy like that, every day. As far as him, with his fight with Silva, he took him apart early. He told me what he felt out there, even though it was short. But, I'm not expecting to fight the same guy that he fought. I'm expecting to fight a better guy. He dismembered him so quickly." With both Velasquez and Silva coming into their fight against each other off first round knockout losses, there's a certain amount of desperation you could expect to see. According to Velasquez, that just makes them both all the more dangerous: "I think it's just more fuel to the fire. You know, we both are hungry for the win. We're both high competitive guys. I think it makes us more dangerous, in that aspect. I mean, it's just of, with my fight, I made a mistake, and I paid for it. That was it. Just learn from it and move on. I feel like I'm ready. I feel like I can step in there with anybody right now and come out victorious. I feel good." For all the latest news, fight line up, rumors and archived information for UFC 146: "Dos Santos vs. Mir" click here.

Posted in: ufc, fight, guy, silva, velasquez

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In a video interview with Bleacher Report, ahead of his fight with Daniel Cormier to finally finish the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix, Josh Barnett gives us a brief historical account and philosophical take on Pro Wrestling, Catch Wrestling and fighting. When a lot of interviews typically center around how a fighter has been training, their performance in their last fight and speculation on their next fight, and of course their thoughts on their upcoming opponent, this video thankfully bucks the trend. Talk of Pro Wrestling on this site is often met with scepticism and derision unless a satisfactory link to MMA can be ascertained, and while my own articles on Catch Wrestling tend to be received favourably, it becomes doubly interesting and relevant when we get to hear directly from an experienced, elite fighter on the subject. Barnett recounts his early interest in Pro Wrestling, what he liked about the 'Shoot' style of pro wrestling in Japan, what can be learned from the old legends of Catch Wrestling, how sport rules dictate the evolution (or devolution) of grappling styles, his first time working for New Japan Pro Wrestling, and more. Related stories: Strikeforce: Heavyweight Grand Prix Finale Fight Card | Dana White Open To Josh Barnett In The UFC | Interview: The Return of Catch Wrestling's Snake Pit | Judo Chop: Josh Barnett and Unorthodox Submissions | Judo Chop: Josh Barnett's Invisible Grappling | Josh Barnett and Reintroducing America to Catch Wrestling I've transcribed some choice quotes after the jump. On what attracted him to 'Shoot' style Pro Wrestling: I was a huge fan of all that was American Professional Wrestling. But at the same time I also grew up with 'Bloodsport', and Bruce Lee movies, and so on and so forth, and the idea of taking a tournament and taking the toughest guys in the world and having the fight off against each other: the Kung Fu guy versus the Karate guy, versus the Judo guy. Coming across New Japan Pro Wrestling tapes and UWFi tapes, and I just go 'Woah! Holy Crap, this is different' ... it didn't have the histrionics and the dramatics as much as the American Professional Wrestling had in terms of the promos, and the ring appeals and things like that, but the fighting -- if you would call it that -- was so intense. I really dug it. On what he can take from the legends of Catch Wrestling technique-wise for MMA: They all came from a wrestling background, just like myself. I think that you've got to start with basics with anything. I believe that basic body positioning on the feet and takedowns ... I mean, you go from there and then you can start adding all the submissions that you want, as long as your foundation is strong. And that foundation being just simple movement, control, levers. Wrestling is essentially the best building blocks and foundation I feel for developing every aspect of your game off of. On rules dictating the approach to a combat sport, and if he's had to modify Catch Wrestling techniques the originally had the goal of pinning: Rules often dictate the ways and philosophies in which you'll approach a game. It has to ... there are a good number of Jiu Jitsu guys out there that have absolutely no takedown game; because it is unnecessary for the rules of the sport to succeed, it's not a penalty, so instead of diverting energy into that it's easier and makes sense to -- let's say you're a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu guy, in that scenario -- to work more on his sweeps, on his guard passing, on maybe his lapel chokes and things like that, it's more beneficial to him. But even still, in MMA pinning is important. Knowing how to control a guy, how to put him on his back and keep him there and continue to hit him, and control him and ride him out, is very important. But there are adjustments that must be made to best incorporate Catch into the modern MMA landscape, and even the modern Grappling landscape, which is largely Jiu Jitsu based in terms of even rule set most of the time. The way I see it ... it's just like when I went to New Japan, and they go "Ohh, you never Pro Wrestled before!", I go "Moves are moves, anybody can learn moves". If you have an announce of athleticism, and a mind to conceptualise and understand what it is you're doing, you can teach me how to shoot a double on a guy with an elbow post, or you can teach me how to run ropes and hit a clothesline. A move is a move is a move. I don't see any trouble with adapting or even adding to a Catch Wrestling arsenal, even from learning from a very old school standpoint." On his first match being for the championship in New Japan Pro Wrestling: Not only was my first match against Yuji Nagata in front of 15,000 people, I was coming down with chicken pox at the same time! I went out there and I worked almost 12 minutes straight with that guy. I'd only had 2 days of Professional Wrestling training in my entire life, and I'm out there taking Exploders on the head, Wrist-Clutch Exploders, I was throwing Yuji around, you know I did my whole thing, and at the end of that 12 minutes I felt like I was on fire, fever was going and the lights were on me, but it was an amazing experience. On Tatsumi Fujinami paying him the ultimate compliment: I remember one of the coolest compliments I ever got ... the first time I showed up at an event -- just to cut a promo, against Nagata -- these guys are in the ring, working out, and so I go in there and they all want to wrestle with me. They all want to grapple with me, and so I go "Alright". So I'm tapping everybody out left and right, just tearing them up. Fujinami comes up to me and goes, "Man, you know I was watching you in the ring right there, you move really well. You reminded me a lot of when Karl Gotch was here." And I was just, woah dude On being proud about his roots and hating people that call Pro Wrestling fake: ... I feel really proud of a professional wrestling lineage, I feel pride in trying to re-connect those Amateur Wrestling roots to the combat aspects of wrestling, and also the history and the lineage of where Professional Wrestling came from. It's not fake, you know? I can't stand it when people go "Oh, but it's fake, right?" ... It's not fake! You can call it whatever you want, but don't say it's fake. I'm not joking out there, I'm not playing around, it's not a game to me. It's real, and I take it very seriously because I'm trying to show everything that we have as athletes out there in the ring, trying to show all the emotions and aspects that go into a fight and a struggle between two competitors. ... Pro Wrestlers used to be considered some of the toughest guys in the world back in the day. It didn't matter if they were out there working, their pedigree was otherwise, and anybody that wanted to step up to them learned the hard way. I remember hearing all the stories of the old school guys at New Japan, about when they used to take out ads in the newspaper saying Professional Wrestling Is The Strongest Of All Martial Arts, and Karate guys, Judo guys, you know, Aikido or whatever, would show up at their dojo and say "Hey, we don't believe in that, we think this is crap, we're going to come in and we're going to beat ya, and we're going to show you otherwise". And Gotch would just -- or Inoki -- would say, "Hey, Osamu Kido, go wrestle that dude", and he'd just tear them apart. They never lost. They beat everybody up who showed up at their gym.

Posted in: guy, josh, japan, barnett, move

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Interview by Bryan Levick Now that he has experienced losing for the first time in his professional career Brad Tavares is more focused than ever and looking to insure that the feelings that are associated with losing is not something he becomes accustomed to. At just 24 years old Tavares still has a way to go before he truly hits his physical peak. The Kaiula, Hawaii native was a contestant on season 11 of The Ultimate Fighter and was one win away from fighting on the season finale. Although he would lose to the show’s eventual winner Court McGee, Tavares had shown the UFC that he had what it took to make some noise in the UFC. Tavares is looking to bounce back from the loss to Aaron Simpson and wants to make an example of Dongi Yang this Tuesday night at UFC on Fuel TV: Korean Zombie vs. Poirier. It will not be an easy task as Yang himself is coming off of a loss and does not want to run his UFC record to 1-3. Tavares has found a home at Xtreme Couture in Las Vegas and knows that if he puts in the necessary work he has the talent to have a long, successful career. First he needs to get back in the win column and he is very confident that the loss will not linger. “It was a lot easier to deal with the loss because Aaron is a good fighter and a really good guy,” said Tavares. “I got up and got right back in the gym and started training again. I know what I needed to fix from that fight and I also knew that you are bound to lose in this sport. It’s difficult to go throughout your whole career undefeated. You’re always going to come across a fighter that’s better than you in some aspect of the sport. You can’t just be a good striker, a good wrestler or have good jiu-jitsu. You have to be able to put it all together and be well rounded. I know I’ll lose a few more times, I don’t want to and I’ll work my butt off, but it’s going to happen. When it does I’ll make the necessary adjustments and get right back on the horse.” By surrounding himself with such a high level group of fighters at Xtreme Couture, Tavares has insured that the mistakes he has made will be worked on again and again until he stops repeating them. That’s just one of the benefits of training with such a great team. Another is the fact that they will push you harder and harder day in and day out to help you realize your full potential. “Training at Xtreme Couture has been a great experience,” Tavares told Five Ounces of Pain. “I train with guys like Jay Hieron, Martin Kampmann, Evan Dunham, Vinny Magalhaes and John Alessio every day. That’s a lot of talent to help keep me prepared and on my toes. I have been taught that when you work hard and put the time in good things happen.” Tavares will take on the South Korean Yang this Tuesday night in Virginia. With both men coming off losses the fight could be very exciting or very cautious. Each fighter has only seen two of their fights go to the judge’s scorecards so fans will have a good chance at seeing one of them get finished. “I don’t know too much about him other than his record and what I’ve seen in his UFC fights,” admitted Tavares. “He’s a very tough guy who likes to go for the finish just as much as I do. I know he has a bunch of wins by TKO or knockout so hopefully he will look to keep the fight standing. I think he has a good Judo background, but he likes to brawl. It should be a really fun fight.” Being a contestant on The Ultimate Fighter can be extremely difficult both physically and mentally. Fighters are confined to a house with no contact with their family, no newspapers, television or contact with the outside world. Some fighters can’t handle the pressure, some use the time to grow as a fighter and then there are fighters who not only thrive in that type of situation, but actually enjoy it. Having a UFC Hall of Famer as your coach is one perk that you may never have again in your career. Tavares was pretty open about his time on the show and his relationship with coach Liddell. “The best part about being on The Ultimate Fighter was just being able to train for six weeks straight,” Tavares offered. “We trained practically all day every day. Getting to know Chuck Liddell and be around one of the great legends of the UFC was a great experience. Overall I would say it was a good experience for me. I actually enjoyed it. It’s the type of situation where you make the best of it and you might as well get the most out of it. I would definitely do it again, it’s not hard being away from home, but you are responsibility free and everything is 100% paid for. All you have to worry about is being ready to train and then fight.” “I really liked Chuck Liddell. He is a very approachable guy and he allowed me to pick his brain about fighting and training as well as being in the UFC. He was so helpful and to this day if I call him he answers the phone. It’s not like he pretends he doesn’t know me, I can call him just as a friend and ask him for his advice. If he’s in Vegas I will call him and see what he’s up to, he’s always made me feel really comfortable around him and I’ve never been ashamed to ask him anything. It’s something that I would have never had if I wasn’t on the show.” Tavares has handled himself in and out of the cage as a complete professional. He realizes that he has a responsibility as a UFC fighter to carry himself a certain way and that his fans will want to get his attention when he sees them. He enjoys the fact that people actually want to talk to him and he relishes the opportunity he has to help teach people that fighters aren’t animals locked inside of a cage looking for blood. “Now that the UFC and MMA have become more mainstream and we are on television all the time there are so many more eyes on us,” Tavares said. “Some people still think that we are barbarians and that all we want to do is beat each other up. It’s great to hear stories about fighters and how they are nice guys and just normal every day human beings. Most fighters I know don’t shy away from their fans, they want to sign autographs and take pictures. It trips me out that people want my autograph or that they want to take a picture with me. I find it pretty cool that someone wants me to sign a piece of paper for them.” As much as Tavares loves competing he loves watching the sport just as much if not more. He has a group of fighters that he really enjoys watching and it’s no surprise who he has at the top of the list. “One of my favorites would be Jose Aldo, I really enjoy watching him fight,” Tavares said excitedly. “The guy I really idolized growing up and I still enjoy watching compete is Wanderlei Silva. I watch that guy fight and he’s one of the reason I became a fighter. He is also one of the coolest guys in the world. I have met him and for someone who is so vicious in the ring I was really thrown for a loop by his personality. He is such a nice guy and although he is such a huge star he makes sure to make time for every single fan. I like watching Anthony Pettis, Jon Jones, Anderson Silva and BJ Penn. I hope he comes back he is one of the most talented fighters to ever compete. Of course there are the Diaz brothers, those guys always bring it.” As he matures both physically and mentally Tavares will present more and more problems for his opponents. For now he focuses on Yang and their fight on Tuesday night. Based on our conversation this is a fight everyone should be looking forward to. “The fans can expect me to put on a fun fight,” said a very confident Tavares. “I will definitely be looking for the finish no matter where it may come. It can be on the feet or if I have to take him down and submit him, I will be looking to finish the fight. I will be pushing the pace and see how hard he’s been training because I know what I have been doing in the gym and I know I will be ready for anything.” MMAFrenzy.com

Posted in: ufc, fight, guy, fighter, tavare

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It’s a brutal truth of the fight game. If you start your career with a 1-4 record, the odds of you ever making it to the UFC are slim and none. Jeff Hougland beat those odds.A day away from a UFC on FUEL TV main card bout against Yves Jabouin on Tuesday in Fairfax, Virginia, the 33-year old from Enumclaw, Washington is sitting in a good spot in his career. After losing that fourth bout against Glen Cordoza in July of 2003, he hasn’t felt the biter sting of defeat, but the outlook wasn’t so optimistic nearly nine years ago.“I was like ‘man, I’m not a good fighter,’” recalled Hougland, a young man on the fast track to a dead end life before finding mixed martial arts in 1999. But he didn’t walk into the gym that first time in order to save himself from a possible life in jail, only to prepare himself for what he was likely to face behind bars.“I really did think that I was going to prison, so I needed to learn how to fight better,” he said. “I started training really hard, but then I enjoyed the training so much that I wanted to fight and I wanted to be good at the fighting. So I had to change my lifestyle. I couldn’t hang out in the streets as much, I wasn’t with my friends and the people that were kinda putting me in these bad spots, and I eventually totally separated myself from that. I know it’s cliché, but people say ‘fighting saved my life,’ and I’d say having my wife and my daughter and fighting, if I didn’t have all three around the same time, I know I would be dead or in jail because it was bad. I was definitely heading down the wrong spot.”The Cinderella tale should have had its ending with Hougland raising his hands in victory after a stirring run through the MMA world. That’s only in the movies. In real life, Hougland was a gutsy brawler with heart, good hands, and some takedown defense, but that was it. After winning his pro debut with a submission of Rusty Simpson in July of 2002, four consecutive defeats (including one to future Strikeforce lightweight champ Gilbert Melendez) followed. The current bantamweight lost one bout at 170 pounds and the rest at 135, but he has no sour grapes. “Those guys beat me fair and square,” said Hougland, who nonetheless had a 1-4 record and few bright options. Well, maybe one. He was still hooked on the game.“I loved it so much, I just couldn’t quit,” said Hougland, a Modesto, California native. “I said if I quit, I’m giving in, and I just didn’t want to. And I felt like the reason I was losing was because I didn’t know any jiu-jitsu. So I jumped ship and I fixed the problem. I went to a jiu-jitsu school, I put on a raggedy old gi that they gave me, and I trained in a gi for like a year before I even thought about fighting again. And it made a huge difference.”Then he started winning. And he hasn’t lost since. “In hindsight, I think it was a good thing,” said Hougland. “I wish it didn’t take four losses for me to figure that out, but I was kind of a young, hard-headed guy. I figured, man, I can sprawl on these guys and I’ll hit ‘em, and…yeah. Once I got exposed, every jiu-jitsu guy wanted to fight me because they saw I had no ground game, and the losses started racking up.”But after four wins put him over the .500 mark at 5-4, sailing still wasn’t completely smooth for the man dubbed “Hellbound.” Two knee surgeries and a series of scrapped fights kept him out of action for four years, a time when he figured enough was enough.“I opened a gym and said I’m not gonna fight anymore,” said Hougland. “I was just gonna focus on coaching and doing all this stuff. But I was always training and I still had the hunger. I said I can still do this, I can still hang with these guys that are 10 years younger than me and faster and stronger.”In July of 2010, Hougland returned and submitted Roy Bradshaw in 85 seconds. One win led to another and another, and after four comeback victories, he got a late notice call to face Donny Walker at UFC 132 in July of last year.“I had only been training for maybe two weeks, and when I say training, I had been rolling in a gi,” said Hougland. “I hadn’t thrown a punch for a month. I fought a month before (in May of 2011) but I hurt my back really bad, so I took a month off to let it heal. And then I started rolling in a gi again just to get back into training, and boom, I got the call. I’m not gonna say no to a huge opportunity like that, but this sport is about being mentally tough, and you’ve got to put emotion and those feelings in their place. You can either use it for you or use it against you. And as I got older and wiser in my fight career, I’m able to deal with these things better.”He beat Walker via unanimous decision in his Octagon debut, and while an October 2011 bout fell through due to a Hougland injury to his hand, he was cleared in December and eventually scheduled for a UFC 148 match in July against top contender Renan Barao. But then Easton fell out of tomorrow’s card in Fairfax, and the UFC needed Hougland for Jabouin. He accepted the assignment, even though the Barao fight would have skyrocketed him up the 135-pound rankings if he won. “I was disappointed,” he admitted. “I didn’t ask for that fight (with Barao), and I didn’t even think I was on the radar to fight that guy. That was the name they threw out to me, and I’m here in the UFC to fight. I want to be one of the best in the world and those are the kinda guys I gotta beat to do that. It would have put me on the map, people would know who I was and this sport is about taking risks, and that was a risk I felt was worth taking and I think I can beat any guy at 135 on any given day. So that was disappointing, but Yves Jabouin is no joke. He’s a handful himself, he’s a real tough fighter, a great striker, and he comes from a great team, so I have a hard fight with him too. And anybody that the UFC has is gonna be top notch, so if you’re not here to fight the best guys, then you’re in the wrong spot.”And being nationally televised on FUEL TV means that fans are certainly going to get to see him in action, perhaps for the first time, making this just the kind of fight Hougland needs to propel himself toward a dream shot at the 135-pound title. That’s a long way from 1-4.

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UFC lightweight Jeremy Stephens (20-7) is out to make history on Tuesday night when he mixes it up with Donald Cerrone (17-4) in a co-headlining clash at UFC on Fuel 3. Stephens has earned himself a reputation as a dangerous draw for any foe over the past five years inside the Octagon with heavy-hands and an aggressive approach to competition, notching fourteen TKOs in twenty victories, while Cerrone has never been stopped with strikes in any of his 21 professional outings. According to Stephens, he’s looking forward to testing that durability, especially based on Cerrone’s willingness to stand against opponents even in situations where doing so may not be the best strategy. If “Cowboy” follows that trend next week, Stephens is confident he’ll become the first to stop Cerrone by means other than a submission. “I don’t hit like a normal ’55er. I probably knock guys out at 170 and above,” explained Stephens in an interview with USA Today. “Once he starts feeling that power, I’ve got a feeling that he’s going to try to resort to the ground game…I feel like he’s going to make the attempt. I’m going to shut that down and keep it standing and knock him out.” “Cowboy’s a guy who likes to pressure guys, like to bully them. When he has that momentum, he’s very dangerous,” Stephens continued on Cerrone. “When I come forward, we’re definitely going to collide. It’s going to be who’s coming forward and who has the lack of respect for each other’s power. I can tell you right now, I don’t really care for his kicks. I couldn’t care less about his kicks. I couldn’t care less about his punching power. And I’m going to break him.” Both men should be ready to deliver fireworks come showtime as each has recently suffered a hard-fought decision loss. Cerrone was last seen falling to Nate Diaz while Stephens came up short against Anthony Pettis this past October. PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

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The short story on UFC lightweight Jeremy Stephens is a change in training camps has brought about a reinvigorated and retooled fighter who is ready to give his best performance against arguably his biggest opponent to date: Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone. The long story regarding “Lil’ Heathen” began immediately following the split decision loss to Anthony “Showtime” Pettis at UFC 136 last October. Many expected a strikers’ duel between the young knockout artists, but instead received a wrestlers’ struggle as the pair traded takedowns instead of haymakers. It was an awkward outing that Stephens is happy to move on from and has made strides to make sure to never duplicate it. In the wake of the least inspired and least exciting Octagon appearance of his career, Stephens knew a drastic change had to be made to his fighting life, both in and out of the cage, which resulted in the Midwesterner relocating to the California coast to become the newest member of Alliance MMA. “I told the guys after my last fight I needed to mix it up,” remembers Stephens. “I said I was going to make the move out there and get a house closer to the gym, so I could be around those guys more. I'm a man of my word and I did it. I had a long talk with Coach Eric Del Fierro one night and he was like, 'What's on your mind? You didn't seem like you when you fought.' I told him there were a lot of things going on in my mind and I wasn't prepared mentally for that fight. I had a good camp, no excuses, but I didn't get my head into that fight. We had a long talk about that and what I needed to work on. I had talks with Dominick [Cruz] with him being a good friend and a good training partner for quite some time. I had some talks with him and Del Fierro, and I had to make the move. I decided it was best for me, my career, my family, and my future to make another step and that's what I did. I went from Iowa to San Diego and to training with the best team out there.”At 25 years old, “Lil’ Heathen” is making a fresh start with a new team in the lead up to his 14th bout inside the Octagon. Previously, the junior veteran has racked up seven wins in the UFC, including a Fight of the Night victory over Sam Stout and three highlight reel “Knockout of the Night” bonuses. On the flip side, Stephens has acquired six losses, which have been the momentum killers that have kept the heavy-handed battler from being listed among the 155-pound elite. Under the tutelage of a different, but highly regarded, coach and being pushed by premium training partners, Stephens is poised to break through to the top 10 of his weight class with a win at UFC on FUEL TV 3. “I feel like going over to Team Alliance is really bringing me back to my roots,” tells Stephens. “I feel like Eric Del Fierro is an awesome coach and a really good game planner. He knows what buttons to push and knows what your weaknesses are. He really is dedicated to his team and I really like that. I really like all the guys that are on the team. Iron sharpens iron and that's what I really needed. I needed a group of guys - a team - really pushing me. Being over there has helped me out a lot. It's taken me out of my comfort zone. I was getting too comfortable where I was at. I needed guys who could kick my ass and were better than me and on the same track. Guys with the same mentalities, same goals, there are a lot of different weight classes, there are guys from the UFC, guys from other countries like England and Sweden coming over, and just guys who are beasts in the gym. It's a really good team and I'm glad to be a part of it.”Don’t worry, the endearing head-hunting style of Stephens is not going anywhere, and is only looking to be evolved further with Del Fierro’s insistence. “Starting to hit pads with Eric, he makes me pressure him a lot because I'm a pressure fighter,” explains Stephens, whose third round knockouts of Marcus Davis and Rafael dos Anjos are enormous fan favorites, and serve as proof of the power and “never quit” attitude that makes him a potential force in the division. “I'm constantly moving my feet, constantly stalking him down, reacting. I'm not thinking as much as I'm reacting off of combinations that Cerrone throws. Even if I only have two seconds left, I know if I throw a combination I can knock you out.”No one has documented this physical and emotional maturation of Stephens better than himself. Besides tweets and status updates, Stephens regularly posts video blogs on Youtube  (youtube.com/lilheathenmma) that give fans an in-depth look at him in the gym working to get better or relaxing with friends trying to unwind from the grind. At the heart of it, Stephens is embracing what social media was made for, which is transparency and access. For added interest, he has also been directing and starring in his most recent entries with a spectacular “rat tail” haircut. “In life and throughout fighting, I was kind of growing up inside the Octagon,” reveals Stephens. “I had some bad managers in the past who were ripping me off and taking advantage of me because I was young and getting bonuses. I had a manager try to sue me, and that lasted forever. I had to go back to court in Iowa during the Anthony Pettis camp. That's all behind me now. I have a really good manager now, Ryan Haas. I've been with him two to three years and he's an amazing guy who is behind me and goes above and beyond what other managers do. He told me to start blogging and taking advantage of marketing myself, and he built me a website and did stuff for me that in the past managers never spoke to me about. He told me, 'You live an exciting life. You have really good character and are a really good kid and you can inspire a lot of people.' So, I started doing these blogs. First it was kind of different for me. As we went along, I had a really good friend of mine with me and we went around and were constantly blogging and it became natural to me to talk about the foods I was eating, my training, and just joking around every day. I get a lot of feedback from the fans. I enjoy doing it. It inspires people and helps people out and I like to be a part of that.”Up next for Stephens is a showdown at the Patriot Center in Fairfax, Virginia with former WEC star and current emerging UFC contender Cerrone on Tuesday. The Greg Jackson protégé cut a blue streak through the lightweight talent pool, winning four out of five fights in 2011, and netting four bonuses in the process. After nailing victories over Paul Kelly in February clear to Dennis Siver in late October, he finally tasted defeat at the hands of Nate Diaz at UFC 141. Cerrone is a long and lean kickboxer who has a penchant for using his lankiness on the ground to secure chokes. If Stephens wants to punch his ticket to the front of the weight class, then there is no one better to prove himself against than “Cowboy”.“Cerrone as a fighter - he's a beast,” admits Stephens. “He's a gangster. He comes forward a lot, he pressures a lot. He shows up to fight every time. He's from a really good camp. Probably a lot of guys don't want to fight a guy like Cerrone. For me, it's an honor to fight him. We're both awesome, we both kick ass, and we both come to fight. That's what people want to see and those are the fights I want. You wake up every day knowing that if you're fighting a guy like Donald Cerrone you have to get your ass to the gym and train as hard as you can because you know he's doing the same thing. I think we both have a lot of respect for each other, we both are coming off a loss, we're both hungry to get back to a top position, and you're going to see two warriors go at it for 15 minutes of non-stop action. 15 minutes is a short period of time, but there's going to be a lot of fireworks, a lot of exchanges, and expect to see probably one of the best fights you've ever seen.”With only a few defeats to his name, Cerrone’s resume does not provoke a lot of confidence from his would-be opponents. There is something that Stephens has in common with the losses on his opponent’s record: devastating punches. The Iowa native has an explosive element with his fists that easily rivals any in the weight class, and he is not afraid to stand in the pocket and sling leather. Stephens has the confidence that he can use those strengths of his against Cerrone and be effective against his foe’s strengths when he tries to use his technical striking and reach advantage. Lastly, Cerrone has a tendency to let his temper rise and gloves lower and exchange in a brawl, which is where Stephens’ knuckled knockout power will happily trade blows.“Honestly, overall I think I'm a bad matchup stylistically for Donald Cerrone,” says Stephens. “I think he's a good kickboxer and probably even has better kickboxing than me. But I feel like my hands are more devastating, more explosive, faster, and I have that power where I can knock you out with either hand. He has stumbled in the past with guys with good hands, boxing skills, and good explosiveness in and out. His kickboxing is really good and I don't want to stay in his range on the outside. I want to stay outside of his range and when I come in, I want to be exploding and pressuring him with my hands for the whole 15 minutes. I can expect a takedown from Cerrone. I've seen him go for takedowns on guys with good hands when he has trouble with them. His wrestling is not bad either and his ground game, he's got a couple good submissions. But I don't think he's going to be able to take me down or submit me. I think it's going to be a standup war. But I know I have to expect the unexpected. Once he gets hit, I think he's going to switch up the gameplan and try to stay on the outside or go for takedowns and try to put me up against the cage. I'm not a points-based fighter; my gameplan is always to rip your head off.”On May 15th, “Lil’ Heathen” clashes with “Cowboy” in a lightweight barnburner. “I want to show not just to the fans, but to myself as well, that when you hit a bump in the road and you get knocked down to not give up because you can dig a little deeper and come back stronger than ever,” states Stephens, who has a new team and new coaches, but still has the same goals: win fights and do it with authority. “Now after that loss, I'm starving, I'm hungry, I'm ready for a war, I'm focused, I'm out of my comfort zone, I'm training with the best people, and you guys should be ready to see the best Jeremy Stephens you've ever seen against probably the best Donald Cerrone you've ever seen. It's an exciting matchup and I'm excited everyday to wake up and train for a guy like Donald Cerrone. The fans are going to get what they deserve.”The long and short of it, if Stephens and Cerrone bring their usual heat, then the Patriot Center should expect nothing less than an MMA inferno worthy of a Fight of the Night bonus.

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This weekend, UFC contender Nick Diaz will be taking on BJJ legend, Braulio Estima in a grappling super-fight. The match will headline the World Jiu Jitsu Expo, along with 5 other matches and will be available for viewing online at $9.99. As reported earlier, the proceeds from the purse Nick Diaz will be getting, will be donated to the St. Jude's Children's Hospital. BJJ Film maker Stuart Cooper has created an in-depth preview of the match from the point of view of Braulio Estima, where the BJJ champion talked about the match against Diaz, cutting weight, and using this as a prelude to his future MMA debut. Check out the video below: Braulio Estima: "I'm not gonna go there playing easy. I'm going to play my best game, and I will try to be the first guy to submit (Nick Diaz)." "This is a once in a lifetime thing. Getting one of the top ones in MMA, and getting one of the top ones in BJJ, fighting together, for all the world to come and see. It's going to be amazing." Related: How Will Nick Diaz Vs. Braulio Estima Go This Weekend The 15-minute video is executed very well, so if you're even slightly interested in the match, I do suggest watching it. You can read the rest of the key quotes after the jump. A lot of people consider him as the underdog... But he's a very tough guy. Very flexible. He has a phenomenal gas (tank). He's a triathlon guy so you know stamina is not his problem. I'm coming back from a big break, which makes this thing even. I will be cutting a lot of weight... Which is a challenge that I want to give a go anyway, because I'll be fighting MMA in the lower weight, which is the same weight as Nick Diaz. So I want to start to feel how to fight at that lower weight class. I am the favorite, and everyone expects me to go there and annihilate him. Which, if it happens, then good. But I am not going to underestimate him. I think he's a great fighter, and this brings a lot more pressure. The guy is a special guy. It's going to be a tough match. I'm not expecting nothing easy. I'm not gonna go there playing easy. I'm going to play my best game, and I will try to be the first guy to submit him. He doesn't care about points. He cares about submissions. And I'm going to go there too. I'm going there to beat him by submission. This is a once in a lifetime thing. Getting one of the top ones in MMA, and getting one of the top ones in BJJ, fighting together, for all the world to come and see. It's going to be amazing.

Posted in: diaz, guy, nick, estima, im

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Next week top featherweights Dustin Poirier and Chan Sung Jung will clash in headlining at action at UFC on Fuel 3 with a title-shot potentially on the line. While Poirier certainly respects Jung and appreciates his style, he’s not necessarily too concerned about anything “The Korean Zombie” offers as an adversary. “I think he’s a great opponent. He’s tough. He’s got a great chin. He’s a fighter’s fighter. He goes out there and walks forward, doesn’t back down. He’s fun to watch,” began Poirier in an interview on this week’s episode of UFC Tonight. “And I’m excited about that match-up. I like to fight guys like that. I do well against guys who push the pace and walk forward and fight.” Though both men have a handful of submissions to their credit, come showtime Jung will likely be more reliant on his grappling than Poirier based on the 23-year old’s powerful, precise stand-up. After all, Jung only has three knockouts on his record and the stoppage he notched in his last outing was his first involving strikes since 2008. Unfortunately for fans of Jung, Poirier doesn’t envision any difficulties dealing with Jung’s wrestling/submissions either when they mix it up on May 15. “I really see him having a tough time of getting him down so I think that’s gonna be up to me. I think I might be able to use my wrestling a little bit better than he can to dictate where the fight takes place,” explained Poirier before referring to Jung’s memorable finish of Leonard Garcia last year. “Just because a guy does a Twister, I’m not 100% convinced that he’s a brilliant jiu-jitsu practitioner. I’ll find out when we get in there and start moving around.” Poirier Fends Off Zombies to Prepare for Fight Against Jung Watch the full interview with Poirier below: PHOTO CREDIT – UFC Tweet

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Who is the world's best 155-pound fighter? According to Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) lightweight number one contender Nate Diaz, who catapulted himself into the upper echelon of his weight class by submitting Jim Miller at UFC on FOX 3 last Saturday night (May 5, 2012) in New Jersey, it's none other than friend and training partner Gilbert Melendez. One of Stockton's finest tells Sherdog.com why the Strikeforce Lightweight Champion is the king of kings: "I've been training with Gilbert and Jake (Shields) for years. These guys are older than me, they've shown me a lot. I've followed their careers, these are guys I look up to. Me and Gil been battling it out in here for years. There's no one better than him. These guys that are champion now, Ben Henderson is the champion, he's done great too but he just got the title, he just won it. Gil's been holding it down, fighting the top contenders, he's been ready to fight for the UFC title too, forever. There's no doubt in my mind he's the best 155'er on the planet and I think he deserves to be right there in the UFC holding the UFC belt, but they got him locked down on that Strikeforce contract. People might not know but that's the best guy in the world and he's got the belt to prove it. He's the man." Hear more from Diaz on Melendez and the current UFC lightweight title picture after the jump. For more on Nate Diaz vs. Jim Miller at UFC on FOX 3 click here.

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Now that UFC On Fox 3 is in the books, and Alan Belcher has his fourth win in a row, against feared foot lock specialist, Rousimar Palhares, it's time to look forward. The once shallow middleweight division has flourished over the last couple years, and The Talent wants his shot at UFC gold. In a recent TapouT Radio interview, Alan discussed his win, and what he hopes the future will hold for him. *Note: Interviewer is either my co-host, Evan Shoman of TapouT Radio, or myself. When I don't conduct these interviews by myself, I just put "Interviewer" to eliminate having to bounce back and forth between three different names. Interviewer: Typically, when Rousimar Palhares grabs a limb, it's almost guaranteed that a submission will follow, but you not only escaped, you were challenging with your own submission attempts and ended up pounding him out. Do you feel that this was the defining moment in your career? Alan Belcher: Yeah, I'd say so. I knew that I would shock some people. It wasn't my intention to get into a grappling match with him. A lot of people thought that was my intent going in, and that the media sort of pushed me into it, trying to prove something, but that was surely not the case at all. I knew I would be able to handle myself if he got me in a situation. I was prepared, and I'd been training with some of the best guys that do that kind of thing. I was probably kind of psyching myself up a little too much, and I was expecting some kind of super powers or super strength, but it was a lot easier once I actually got in there. I knew that it was going to take some real tight mental preparation to beat somebody like this. I recognized that it was my time, not only in my career, in the title picture, but it was my time in the fight to finish him and make a big splash, and I think that's what I did. I think people will think twice about taking me down. Now they know I can grapple with the best of them. It was pretty nice watching him try to squirm out of the twister position, and out of all those submissions I was trying to throw on him. It was the highlight of the fight for me. I was pretty proud of it. Interviewer: Has any of the UFC brass let you know where you're sitting in the line of title contention? Alan Belcher: There's these four or five guys right now, that all have to fight, and they're all high level guys. Really, I think that I'm the only one that's kind of in a different class, and the one that's stopping my opponents. I feel like I might have a just a little bit of an edge on those guys, but, I think they still want to see how those play out. I did talk a little bit with Joe Silva and Dana White, and we should be talking more this week, and talking with the managers to try to get a little more of a clear picture of where I stand. I know they were very impressed, and I think they look at me a little differently now. They knew that I was getting closer and closer, and I think now, they can kind of see me not only being able to stand with Anderson Silva with confidence, and how I'm not scared of anybody, but maybe even taking him down and submitting him. Interviewer: Dana White said that you were a Top 5 guy now. Do you feel like this is your time to actively campaign for the next title shot? Alan Belcher: I don't know. I'm ready. Although I'm being patient, and I can see that patience is paying off for me. I'm fighting these fights, and I just keep getting better. Of course I'm hoping for a title shot, and if they even gave a hint of that happening, I'd jump all over it. Would I be surprised if they wanted me to fight someone else? No, probably not. I haven't gotten real lucky in my career like that yet.Maybe it's time for that luck to happen. Maybe they'll say. 'Hey, you're next', and that will be cool with me. If I have to fight someone else, well, let's do that, too. If I have to fight two more people, that's fine. I'm in this thing for the long haul. Interviewer: Would you like to fight the winner of Bisping vs. Boetsch or Munoz vs. Weidman, if you have to fight one or two more before a title shot? I think a fight with Michael Bisping makes a lot of sense. I mean, Boetsch looks like a beast at 185, and I've got to admit, he looks pretty scary. The other guys in the division, in my mind, I've already beat them so many times, and I know everything about them, and I know they don't have anything really threatening. Boetsch has got some pretty powerful tools, and is a pretty scary dude. Bisping, of course, is getting to be a professional point fighter, and he's kind of hard to beat like that. That fight would be a nice payday, and a big fight for the media, so I'm kind of leaning towards that one. It would make sense, and the fans would love it. I can almost feel the energy I would get from the fans if I put him to sleep. Interviewer: Is there a personal feeling in wanting to beat Bisping, or is it just a desire to get closer to the title? Alan Belcher: No, nothing personal. I don't know what to think about him. I can already kind of feel the kind of smack talking that he would be doing, and I think that he just honestly believes that he's better than he is. I don't think he respects me or considers me to be one of the top guys. It would feel good to beat him, but I don't want to let those type of personal emotions get in the way of what's really important, and that's competing for the world championship and winning. Interviewer: What's you general feeling at this point? Alan Belcher: I'm sitting pretty nice right now. I'm excited and anxious to see what happens. Like I said, I haven't had a lot of luck before, and now it just seems like all the cards are falling in the right place. I'm in the right place mentally and physically, and everything has just lined up for me. Being in the UFC and getting to do this has been amazing, but at some points in your career, you feel like even being in the Top 10, you're still so far away. It's hard to win three or four fights in a row, and now that I've finally done it, you can't take those away from me. I'm on a streak, and somebody is going to have to stop me. If I take one more fight, that guy's going to have to stop me, and once I beat him, the next guy is going to have to stop me. If I'm not there with a title shot by then, something is wrong. As we were closing out the interview, we gave Alan a chance to thank any of his sponsors, fans, family, etc. I'm including this because I sort of feel like it was overlooked leading into the fight. Belcher is the only other fighter besides Jon Jones that is currently sponsored by the UFC. This is what he had to say: Alan Belcher: I have one sponsor that I want to recognize, that I'm pretty proud of. I'm the second person in history to be sponsored by the UFC. I didn't know what to expect coming into this whole deal, but they have really stepped up. Their whole team has helped me out with designing me clothes, and they've put a lot of effort into everything, and really taken care of me. I just want to say thanks, and I appreciate it, because they're the best sponsor that I've ever had. Follow Alan via his Twitter, @AlanBelcherUFC

Posted in: fight, belcher, guy, im, alan

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There's a bunch of news coming out of the Asian MMA scene so let's get right to it: Former UFC middleweight champion, Rich Franklin has decided to switch things up and will be training in Asia for his his next fight against Cung Le. He's currently in Singapore and has started his UFC 148 training camp working with the Muay Thai and BJJ champs from Evolve MMA. Speaking of Evolve MMA, Bellator Welterweight Champion, Ben Askren will also be arriving today to train with them, and to conduct a few seminars. Leandro Issa, Mitch Chilson, and others are preparing for ONE FC 4, Franklin is preparing for UFC 148, and now Askren is coming in to train with everyone. Add their stacked roster of coaches and it's a crazy combination of talent there in Singapore now. One of the bigger news in Asian MMA scene is China's Ranik Ultimate Fighting Federation or RUFF announcing that they have inked several guys from top Chinese camp, Xi'an Sports University. The list of fighters announced to have signed "exclusive deals" include Wang Guan (8-0), Yang Liang (4-1), Ayideng Jumayi (2-1), Ta Yier, and surprisingly, Legend FC bantamweight champion Jumabieke Tuerxun (12-0). More after the jump, including photos of UFC and PRIDE veteran Denis Kang competing in Dancing With the Stars. Follow me on twitter -- @antontabuena The Xi'an fight camp was thought to have very strong ties with the Hong Kong-based promotion in Legend FC as multiple guys fought under their banner, and the promotion even brought in Team Quest guys such as Pat Healy and Brad Hannah to help improve the team's talent. Some politics were probably involved, but somewhere down the road things have changed, as RUFF just announced that they have signed their guys to exclusive contracts.'Bieke' is arguably the very best fighter from China, and while it was thought that he was exclusively signed with Legend after winning their bantamweight championship, it looks like RUFF has won the legal battle for his contract. The undefeated fighter still fought for RUFF last March and have followed up with signing an exclusive deal with the Chinese promotion. Move over Chuck Liddell, UFC vet, and current Road FC fighter, Denis Kang is in Korea's Dancing With the Stars. His recent bout haven't gone his way, but looks like Kang is still a big star in Korea. Here are some photos: Asian-based Canadian, Vaughn Anderson improved to 16-1 this past weekend as he defeated talented prospect 'Hungry' Hae Joon Yang this past weekend in Australia. He won by majority decision and extended his unbeaten streak to 12. Akihiro Gono has retired following that blowout KO loss to Bellator champ, Michael Chandler. Even before the fight, it was very hard to say that outcome wasn't expected though. I would've rather seen him fight up and comers in Asia, than get trucked in a complete mismatch.

Posted in: ufc, fight, mma, guy, kang

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In exactly two months from now, the long awaited rematch between current Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Middleweight champion Anderson Silva and Chael Sonnen will finally go down at UFC 148 on July 7, 2012, from the fight capitol of the world, Las Vegas, Nevada. Originally scheduled to take place in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, Silva's home country, UFC officials had no option but to relocate the massive fight to "Sin City" because of the fact the promotion simply could not lock down a suitable venue in a timely manner. The news left many Brazilians disappointed at the fact that they would not have the chance to see one of their mixed martial arts (MMA) hero's step up and defend their honor, so to speak, against the man who has spent the last few years speaking out against their country and MMA superstars. "The Spider" himself was very upset at the news. So much so, that reports surfaced the UFC President Dana White spent quite a bit of time trying to convince his 185-pound champion to take the fight in Las Vegas. However, it may come as a surprise to some, that even Sonnen himself was disappointed at the chance of fighting in Brazil and feeding off the negative energy that the hostile crowd would have certainly dished out toward the "American Gangster." Appearing on today's (May 7, 2012) episode of The MMA Hour, Sonnen explained his disappointment of the change in location of his rematch with Silva, the Brazilian fans real views toward their MMA hero's, and briefly touched on the acquisition of the promotion's newest middleweight threat, Hector Lombard. Check it out: "Yeah, I would've liked to have been part of a stadium show, a record-breaker. I would've definitely enjoyed the experience of walking into a hostile environment. I like that. I really enjoy the negative energy. So we lost that, but I want to pick my words carefully. The last thing I want to do is to be put in a great situation, something that dreams are made of, and then complain that it wasn't even better. That's not the message I want to put out, but yeah, it would have been a neat experience, and I would have liked to have had it." Chael also touched on his experience in his short visit to Brazil and also explains the Brazilian fans views of a few of today's top Brazilian fighters: "As far as the people, it was great. Look, if I want to be famous in America, I've got to go to a fight. Walking around town, I'm just not. I'm not a celebrity, as you put it earlier. But in Brazil, that's, not true man. Everybody knows the sport in Brazil. Just because I had some confusions about their Country, that doesn't mean, those aren't insults. So what? I had it wrong. It turns out they have computers, I didn't know. But as far as their hero's go, I think they were pretty refreshed when I informed them of their thinking. You know you got these guys that are Brazilian when it's convenient. You got your Vitor's and your Wanderlei's and your Anderson's that are Brazilian when the can take money from the local people. But of course, they've lived in America for over a decade in gated communities on golf courses. So the Brazilian people don't like those guys. There is a major misconception with that. Those guys are looked at for what they are, which is phony's." In true Chael fashion, he goes on to say that he will destroy Anderson once and for all on Fourth of July weekend: "I am the champion, so I will always have my belt. Will Anderson bring his fake belt? Yeah, he most likely will, and I think it's embarrassing he has to do that. I think what he's doing is he's seeing the influx of new viewers the FOX deal got us, he went out to do his level best to misinform the new viewers into believing he's champion, and he went out and got himself a fake belt. I think it's embarrassing. I would never do that. I think it's shameful. I think it's disrespectful to everything that I've done and I've earned in the sport, but he continues to do it. So I'm going to destroy him once and for all, finally, on July 7, live and only on pay-per-view." Straying away from his rematch with Anderson, Sonnen briefly touched on how title shots are given and the UFC's newest threat at 185-pounds, Hector Lomard: "I don't think there should be any set architecture. You always hear the champion that doesn't want to fight the true best guy making arguments for why he shouldn't have to fight that guy. Rich Franklin did that. He was the champion. He's living the high life. He's fighting bums left and right. And Anderson comes into the company, he has one fight, and Rich is like, 'Well, I don't think he should get it after one fight.' Well, Rich you don't get to decide. Whoever the best guy is gets the shot. And if it's Hector, then Hector will get the shot. Good for him. He's on quite a roll, he won a whole bunch of fights, he's in the UFC. If he can do it, good for him. Whoever the right guy is should get the shot, and I will not deny anybody." With only 60 days remaining until UFC 148, you can bet we will hear plenty more from Sonnen in the build up to one of the, if not the most anticipated fight in recent memory. How about it Maniacs, anyone care to give some early predictions of how this fight will go down? Or how about a future showdown between Sonnen and Lombard, is that a bout that inrigue you as a fight fan?

Posted in: ufc, fight, guy, sonnen, anderson

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When I lived in Ohio I knew this guy who would street fight anyone at any given time and you almost never knew what was going to set him off and cause it to happen. Even though you were likely to get a fist to the face from him at sometime during the duration of your friendship, everyone still loved this guy. He was the life of the party. I'll never forget some of the things he use to say, including the phrase 'like nails.' Sometimes he'd just use it as a general term to describe something that was really hardcore, other times he'd yell it out and you could be pretty sure someone was about to get football style tackled and then Judo seoinage'd to the floor for a ground and pound quick KO. Then after he beat whoever the latest victim was unconscious, he'd get up and hug the guy and share a beer with him and laugh it off. Dude was like the drunken Hector Lombard of the mean streets of East Cleveland. This guy made such an impression in my brain that the term 'like nails' has stuck with me and I use it on occassion still to this day some ten years or more later. As a matter of fact when I read an email forwarded to me via Zeus from someone known only as 'SQUISHYBOOTS', it was the first thing that came to my mind. The email included a link to a product Roger Huerta is now endorsing that is definitely, 'like nails.' It is nail polish, called Alphanail and made especially for 'alpha men.' The company has man innuendo and Roger Huerta all over the site and seems to really be targetting the combat sport community. It definitely gives new meaning to the term 'tough as nails' and its presented in a way that makes polishing nails look like the manliest thing you guys can do. There's even an instructional video and it comes in a multitude of man approved colors. After seeing pics of Roger Huerta flanked by nearly naked ladies while wearing this polish, how any of you guys can you not want to try this stuff out for yourself  I kind of want to hang all over Roger Huerta too now. Alphanail is like the Axe body spray of nail polish and from the looks of things its matte finish brings all the skanky chicks to the yard. For only about $9.95 per nail pen that's a pretty small investment to make for a little half naked chick magnetism. Thanks to SQUISHYBOOTS for the find.

Posted in: guy, huerta, roger huerta, roger, nail

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Floyd Mayweather returned to the ring last night (Sat., May 5, 2012) for an explosive showdown against Miguel Cotto on HBO pay-per-view (PPV) from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. And for 12 rounds and 36 minutes, the Puerto Rican champion gave "Money" everything he could handle. In the end, though, Mayweather reigned supreme, no different than he has 42 other times throughout his long and illustrious career fighting inside the squared circle. In a post-fight interview with ESPN, Mayweather was nothing but complimentary of Cotto: "Miguel Cotto is a tough competitor. I know I had to dedicate myself and bite down because this wasn't going to be an easy fight. I didn't look into going into this fight expecting an easy fight. To me, Miguel Cotto was an undefeated fighter. He fought one guy at a catchweight, he fought another guy who had cheated in the sport; he brought his best and made me bite down and fight hard. ... He hit me with a lot of good shots. I bit down and I fought like a true champion and a tough competitor. Like I said before, this guy's not an easy fighter." Indeed, Cotto undoubtedly presented Mayweather with the toughest test of his career. There are even those who are arguing today that Cotto should have been awarded the decision, though that's up for heavy debate. Ultimately, the big favorite ruled the night, just as he was expected to. And now talk can turn once again to whether or not we'll ever see Mayweather square off against Manny Pacquiao before the two retire from the sport. According to Floyd, Bob Arum is the guy standing in the way of making it happen. He says he wants to give the fans what they want to see. First, he's got a 90-day jail sentence to complete before anything can come of that. Hear more from Mayweather in the full entry, including his quotes on potentially fighting Pacquiao. More Mayweather-Cotto Coverage From SBNBad Left Hook | SB Nation | MMA Mania | Bloody Elbow

Posted in: mayweather, guy, miguel, miguel cotto, cotto

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submitted by Im_not_Barack_Obama [link] [2 comments]

Posted in: guy, sport, fan, perception, imnotbarackobama

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We sat on this interview for a day before we released it, solely because we have a thing for sitting on inanimate objects. Actually when we first viewed this interview of Martin Kampmann, it was completely ruined by some Steven Seagal impersonator doing his best to vocalize aikido movements in the gym. It was hilarious, actually. The dude was relentless in his attempt to break everything with his rudimentary martial art movements. In a parallel universe, LayzieTheSavage told Martin Kampmann to hold his thought just to focus the camera on the guy behind him. Unfortunately, on the timeline we inhabit, this is not the case. Not at all. In this universe, you will have to settle with trying to decipher what Martin Kampmann is saying while listening to some dude copulate with oxygen molecules. Normally we would scrap this interview and just chalk it up as a loss. However, since you guys are loyal readers, here's a fresh Martin Kampmann interview that normally wouldn't see the light of day.

Posted in: guy, interview, kampmann, martin, martin kampmann

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NEW YORK -- Former UFC, PRIDE and Pancrase fighter Ricardo Almeida will make his major-event debut as a judge at Saturday night's UFC on FOX 3 card at the Izod Center in E. Rutherford, N.J. And UFC president Dana White hopes Almeida will start a trend. Speaking to reporters Thursday at the Beacon Theatre on Manhattan's Upper West Side, the UFC boss said that having those who have experienced what it's like to be in a fight would be ideally suited to take MMA officiating to the next level. "I would like to see the fighters ref and judge," said White. "It makes all the sense in the world." He used the man he considers the best referee in the business, Herb Dean, as an example. Dean has several pro MMA fights to his credit. "The guy trains, he knows the sport," White said. "You see guys out there like [Steve] Mazzagatti, he's sitting there, he's thinking, ‘I gotta get some milk and eggs after the fight.' I don't know what the [expletive] this guy's looking at, what he's thinking. Meanwhile this fighter's getting elbows dropped on his [expletive] head for 2 1/2 minutes, the fight should have been stopped 2 1/2 minutes ago. Herb Dean knows what its like to have an elbow dropped on your head." There would, of course, be potential conflict-of-interest issues to deal with when former fighters become officials. Almeida, who is slated to judge the Josh Koscheck-Johny Hendricks co-feature bout Saturday, won't be judging any fighters with whom he trains, for example. But as far as White is concerned, the positives of involving former fighters outweigh such potential negatives. "This isn't like other sports," said White. "You have a bad call in a baseball game and they have 100 more games left. You make a bad call in this sport and it affects his entire career."

Posted in: ufc, fight, guy, fighter, dean

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"I have a lot of ulterior motives that motivate me. There are a lot of people like you out here who write all these stories and shit like, "Oh, he's old, he's this, youth versus age...." Bullshit. You guys are all fucking retards who think that. Retards. I've been hearing a lot of it -- a lot f tweets and shit. I laugh at you idiots. Man, you guys are crazy. Who's that guy, Bernard Hopkins? Didn't he just kick someone's ass the other day? And how old is he? Oh ... he lost? Well, I mean, he was the champion, right? I mean how old is that guy, 47? C'mon, he's still fighting. Let's be real. Look at Randy Couture. Is that a rare case? Dan Henderson. Look at Dan Henderson -- he's 40, right? Is that a rare case? Chuck Liddell was what, 37-38? Real rare. You guys are retards for writing that shit." -- Former number one Welterweight contender Josh Koscheck has a few choice words for the mixed martial arts (MMA) media and fans who think he's a has-been at 34-years-old: You're retarded. "Kos" might have been around long enough to collect nice cars and waterfront homes, but according to The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) alum, he's far from finished. In fact, the collegiate wrestling standout feels reborn since his departure from American Kickboxing Academy (AKA), getting new looks with new (and old) trainers and training partners as he prepares to take on Johny Hendricks in the UFC on FOX 3 co main event this weekend from the IZOD Center in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Koscheck sounds motivated more than ever to prove the doubters (sounds more like haters) wrong as he plans to work his way back to the top of the 170-pound division. He's in a good spot: "Big Rig" is guaranteed a title shot, apparently, if he can score another big win over one of the division's historically toughest outs. It's unclear, meanwhile, where a win will put Koscheck in the contender pecking order. With more than 20 fights inside the Octagon, including a five-round unanimous decision loss to UFC Welterweight Champion Georges St. Pierre, Koscheck will likely have to mow down one or two more top dogs to regain consideration. A tall task, but one that he appears to be up for ... no matter how long it takes him. For more on the upcoming bout between Josh Koscheck vs. Johny Hendricks be sure to hit up our complete fight archive right here.

Posted in: guy, koscheck, lot, he, retard

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NEW YORK -- The glare of the spotlight is getting brighter on both the UFC and its fighters. After years of little scrutiny from the major media or activist organizations, newly earned attention has brought consequences to both the promotion and its athletes.Just last week, major sponsor Anheuser-Busch issued a statement warning the UFC it would take action against the promotion if it could not halt offensive statements made by its fighters. The UFC responded with a statement saying they would mandate sensitivity training for its athletes. While that future change is still in the offing, several UFC fighters who spoke with MMA Fighting said that public conduct and language is mainly an issue of common sense, simple respect and personal accountability. "I can't speak for anyone but myself, but the way I think it should be is to carry yourself with the most professional type of attitude and spirit as possible," said middleweight Alan Belcher, who is facing Rousimar Palhares at Saturday's UFC on FOX 3. "I think that there's a lot of people that look up to all these guys. A lot of kids, obviously. At the same time, we've come a long ways. It's the fighters that helped that. If everyone works together, we can have the kind of image we need to have. Or it can go bad real fast. "Personally, it makes me mad when I see people acting dumb," he continued. "If you're a jerk, you don't have to show your true side all the time. If it makes you look bad, it makes all of us look bad. I don't want to meet someone in the grocery store and say I'm a UFC fighter, and have one of these other jerks make that bad impression on them before I ever meet them. It makes me look bad, my family, my business, everything."In Belcher's opinion, it's not necessarily that the sport is dotted by a few jerks here or there, it's that there are simply some fighters trying to gain attention for themselves but going about it the wrong way. It's a slippery slope, he acknowledged, as fighters try to toe the line of staying in touch with fans and building that base without going too far.Several issues have played out over social media, including tweets from Miguel Torres and Forrest Griffin, the first of which led to Torres' brief firing before he was brought back. While some fighters like Belcher use Twitter for personal causes -- in his case, he espouses the charitable organization March of Dimes -- heavyweight Pat Barry says there is overwhelming negativity on outlets like Twitter. "I get negative feedback when I win," Barry said. "I had a one-second knockout. My second MMA fight is a one-second knockout. The ref said, 'fight,' I threw a high kick, knocked the guy out before the clock even came on the screen, and people went on the internet and said I have a stupid haircut. People are going to be negative no matter what, even when I win."Of course, that can be a sensitive area for fighters who pride themselves on their work, only to see it reduced to a 140-or-less word insult. Lightweight Jim Miller notes that because MMA has not been in the mainstream nearly as long as established sports like football and baseball, its athletes may not be as refined across the board. While he personally tries to carry himself in a way that is an example to his children, he realizes there are others out there who grew up with the belief that MMA is a counter-culture sport, making it acceptable for fighters to have extreme views, and sometimes even offensive ones."If guys are still carrying that over, with the mainstream, FOX and all that stuff, this is the time to change it," he said. "We're in the public eye more, in a lot more houses. I personally want to be treated as a world-class athlete. That's what I want. The fact that I get inside a cage and punch somebody in the face, and get punched in the face, bleed and all this stuff? It doesn't matter. That's just my craft. We've had the pressure in the past to be sometimes a little bit absurd just to get attention, but hopefully that shifts. We need some time to make the changes."Heavyweight Lavar Johnson points to the personality types driven to fight professionally as the root cause of some of the issues that led to Anheuser-Busch warning the UFC about fighter behavior."If you hang out around them long enough, you'll see there are some wild characters, some jokers," he said. "To get in the cage is crazy enough as it is. Two grown-ass men fighting in a cage, you have to admit, is a little bit crazy. Some of these guys have screws loose."But the bottom line, all of them agreed, is that each fighter has to be responsible both to himself and the sport. As it spreads and the audience grows, the athletes must mature, too."As a professional, you do have the responsibility to conduct yourself as that, and to be a role model," Johnson said. "Even if different people have different senses of humor or different views on the world, or even if this stuff is meant to be a joke and not to offend someone, they just have to watch what they say."

Posted in: ufc, guy, fighter, sport, people

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NEW YORK -- You'd think a fresh start would mean a new sense of perspective for Josh Koscheck. After all, the veteran welterweight, who meets Johny Hendricks in the co-feature bout of Saturday night's UFC on FOX 3 event, has a new camp and a new sense of purpose. But at a career point in which many gracefully age into beloved stars, Koscheck has doubled down on his "me against the world" attitude. The fighter fans have loved to hate since "The Ultimate Fighter 1" was in rare form Wednesday at the UFC's open workouts at the famed Church Street Boxing Gym in Lower Manhattan. "They say I'm old, I'm washed up, I'm this and that," said the 34-year-old Koscheck (17-5). "I don't believe that [expletive]." In a way, it's easy to see where Koscheck is coming from. He's been through a bitter split with his former coach, Javier Mendez of the American Kickboxing Academy in San Jose, Calif, which adds to his sense that all eyes are on him. "I think a lot of people are counting me out," Koschck said. "A lot of people want to see me fail. A lot of those people are in San Jose. I've got a lot to prove, that I made the right decision to leave there." And make no mistake, there's a lot riding on Saturday night's bout at the Izod Center in E. Rutherford, N.J. In his first fight since his departure became public knowledge, the UFC will showcase Koscheck on live network television against a rising star eager to make his name. And Koscheck knows it. "Everyone's like ‘Why is he fighting Johny Hendricks, why did he take that fight?'" Koscheck said. "To me, I want to fight the best guys. The only way to get to the top is by beating whoever they put in front of me. "I have a lot more to lose. I'm 34. Look at Randy Couture, he fought ‘til he was like 50. Dan Henderson is 40 years old. I still have a lot of fight left in me." On paper, the 28-year-old Hendricks presents an interesting conundrum: He possesses knockout power, but he's also an elite wrestler, winning two NCAA titles at Oklahoma State. For his part, Hendricks pointed at Koscheck's last fight, a lackluster split-decision win over Mike Pierce at UFC 143, as his proof he can win the fight. "If you watched the Pierce fight, whenever [Pierce] started getting off, Koscheck went to his wrestling and stole the round that way," Hendricks (12-1) said. "That's not going to happen with me. If he wants to wrestle, I'll wrestle." "I hope he believes he's that good," said Koscheck, himself a former NCAA wrestling champ. "If he does, it's going to be an easy fight for me on Saturday night. He kind of does believe he's a good standup fighter and that he's better than what he is. For me, that's going to play to my advantage and I'll show you guys on Saturday. If he wants to wrestle, that's fine, because when he tries for takedowns he shoots from far away. That plays to my benefit as well." Koscheck said he realized moving on from AKA was the right decision after his unmotivated showing against Pierce. "I thought my last performance sucked, he said. "I just was flat, didn't really warm up in the back, was just kind of ‘whatever, just another fight.' [Fighting] Mike Pierce, what is there for me to gain off that? Nothing. Just a paycheck. I like the money, but I want to get in position to win a championship. Fighting Mike Pierce isn't going to get me there. Fighting Johny Hendricks? He just beat the No. 2 guy [Jon Fitch] in 12 seconds." While his new camp is based out of his gym in his adopted hometown of Fresno, Koscheck is still surrounded with familiar faces, trainers such as Bob Cook and Dave Camarillo. Koschck said the sense of familiarity has allowed him to regain his swagger. "When you're in a place and you're feeling unhappy, you don't feel you're reaching your potential," Koscheck said. "Now I'm in a place I enjoy being in, enjoy going to the gym. Part of my problem was getting out of [AKA}, putting a new chapter in my life. I feel like I re-enegerized my career." But Koscheck still doesn't need to look far find a reason to place a chip on his shoulder, taking assembled reporters to task for allegedly calling him too old to compete anymore. "Let's be real. Randy Couture, is that a rare case? Dan Henderson's 40, right? Is that a rare case? Chuck Liddell was what, 37, 38. You guys are retards if you count me out. Pisses me off. You guys are crazy. I can't wait to prove all you guys wrong. Keep counting me out. ... Every time you write about me, tell me I'm too old, too washed up, too many fights. Too many miles. I like that."

Posted in: fight, guy, koscheck, lot, hendrick

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Returning to the ring following the first loss of his career, MFC fighter Diego Bautista is ready to start putting guys away. He intends to start with Sabah Fadai. Retweet this Share on Facebook • Email • StumbleUpon • Reddit • Digg • Technorati • Instapaper • Tumblr • Google Reader • LinkedIn

Posted in: guy, loss, diego, bautista, bull

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If America is the land of the free, then why the [expletive] haven't you guys followed MiddleEasy on Twitter? Is it because you're from the UK? Well let it be known that I lived in Cardiff for four years and I'm very familiar with what a pint of cider and black is. Brains is the blandest beer, but it also is the cheapest. For that reason alone, you UKers should follow MiddleEasy on Twitter. As far as the Dutch, I spent my Christmas in the Red Light District and I noticed that there seems to be an influx of baby back ribs in the Netherlands. Every restaurant has them on sale, and I'm perfectly fine with that. Amsterdam, follow MiddleEasy on Twitter. For all you Irelanders out there, I spent St. Patty's Day in Cork, Ireland. You guys have amazing fried chicken, a talent the Irish really need to capitalize on in the future. There's a good chance that you're still reading this, so my suggestion would be to also follow Dan Hardy on Twitter. The guy can tweet about having a powerful craving for cheese and get like twelve people to retweet his innocuous thought. LayzieTheSavage caught up with the welterweight to get his take on the current Twitterverse and the Tweetaters (a non-clever blend of 'Tweet' and 'Haters').

Posted in: guy, twitter, middleeasy, light district, expletive havent

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You guys continue to blow us away with your formidable creativity when it comes to idolizing our favorite MMA fighters and their facial hair, and the official MiddleEasy reader tribute to Don Frye's mustache is proof the you guys are not to be effed with. I'll admit, this was a very difficult contest to judge, I can't just give away an entire series of Round 5 collectible dudes without being seriously impressed, but the challenge was all mine judging so many solid entries. Rap battles, limericks, epic poems, a haiku or five, tons of photoshops, a .gif from Zombie Prophet...Man, I could barely keep up with how fast the entries came in. Below are some of the best tributes to Don Frye's 'stache. I wish I could have published more, and there were a lot of great ones I had to omit due to the length of the article, but don't worry: Don's mustache is looking down on all of you, wherever you are. Thanks to everyone. Here we go. Let me tell you the legend of a man named Frye. It's the story of a unique, intimidating guy. Opponents would quiver with fear every time ol' Don would come near. They all knew he was going to kick their ass but the real fear was because of Don's epic 'stache. No cop or porn star could ever compare when it came to the most spectacular of all lip hair. Don Frye's mustache could bench 350 and that's no croc, it has 3 DUI's and 8 kids born out of wedlock. It has poorly been compared to that of Tom Sellick but let's face it, that guys facial hair is a relic.Frye's 'stache is still going strong, it has rubbed against coochies more times than Tommy Chong has hit a bong. If you don't believe me just ask Chuck Norris...his beard once battled Don's 'stache to no avail. The 'stache was victorious and Chucks beard turned from ginger to pale.So now you know it's not Brian Wilson, Uncle Creepy or ZZ Top, when it comes to facial hair...Don Frye will always be on top. D-angerousO-vulation enducingN-ever boringF-uck yeahR-awsomeY-oshirio Takayama smashingE-ntertainingS-hamrock thumpingM-anlyU-SAS-taredown masterT-estosterone filledA-ss kickingC-hampionH-eroE-pic Don Frye didn't grow the mustache, the mustache grew Don Frye. Don Fryes stache is indescribable. He'll spit more knowledge at you than the Bible will. When he steps into the cage, its a time to kill. Wrestling champion, send you in a ambulance called campion.The rawest rawesome ravager hunt meat like a scavenger. Always the champ never a challenger.His mustache is full like his dates vagina, he banged bitches from Brazil to China. If you an ugly ho, he will decline ya.His mustache is pefect, regal and respectable. Fuck with Don he'll grab yo nuts smash your testicles. End up using your girl for a semen receptacal.Don you know your my ace, you've got the best hair on your face, in a contest Magnum PI comes it second place.::Drop Mic walks off:: ::picks up mic::I don't mean to come and upstage just,That mustache is damn contagious.Didn't you see Hawtness vs The Predator?Yeah that shit was so courageous. I'm not sayin it was the stache, how could that possibly save us? Yakisoba and Wrestling? Dont Frye you're outrageous. This "Frate Trane" list must be bought off or sponsor paid.. Should read: "Don Frye's Mustache" where Alistairs names displayed. It never took roids, and grew long full and thick. His superior mustache > your inferior prick. And Don Frye, he means more to me,We were born simultaneously this metaphyisical mustachehas become quantum calamity. Does it still exist when we turn off tv?Infinitely yes no or it's a possibility. Chuck Norris has nightmares about the epic mustacheHe's scared he knows in a fight Frye would bust assThe man's an animal he hits harder than a bus crashFrye leaves grown men just crying for their mamaWho could ever forget the epic slug fest with Takayama?A brutal beatdown ref had to seperate them like a commaFrye's a true Predator those ugly aliens ain't got shitone look at his well groomed stache would make them quitsaying abort abort yo we gotta get back to the ship!2 time tournament champ back when there was no rulesmultiple fights in one night Frye was knocking out foolsyou don't want it with this guy you dont have enough family jewelsTheir is one sure way to always remember his namecan't believe it hasnt happened yet it's such a shameC'mon UFC man up and put this guy in the hall of fame! And the winner: Thanks to everyone who participated. I'm sure Don is growling with approval as well.

Posted in: guy, dont, frye, mustache, stache

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Posted in: fight, guy, dad, badas, possiblyhysterical

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WEST HOLLYWOOD, Calif. -- Many words have been used to describe Quinton "Rampage" Jackson over the years: Controversial, outspoken, hard hitting, and perhaps a few that aren’t fit to print. But when UFC president Dana White looks back on the career of the former light heavyweight champion, two words come to his mind: Wasted potential. "I think he could have been so much better if he applied himself," White said Tuesday. "He had all the tools. Incredible chin, knockout power in both hands, incredible charisma and personality. "Tell me Rampage Jackson wasn’t born to fight. Not only in his power, but his attributes, his wrestling, his chin, the list goes on and on." So why wasn't Jackson's career, which included unifying the UFC and PRIDE 205-pound titles, all it could be? White wouldn’t call Rampage’s Hollywood dalliances a distraction and even complemented him on his acting career. "If you look at the only movie he ever acted in, "The A-Team," he did a great job in that movie," White said. "If you look at all the guys who have tried to cross over into acting, Rampage is the only one who has ever done a good job at it. He’s actually a really good actor." Rather, it’s been the periods in which Jackson has gone off the rails which, well, caused him to go off the rails: The infamous Orange County car chase; the various times he’s quit; and his recent series of Twitter outbursts after his UFC 144 loss to Ryan Bader. "He’s crazy," said White. "Rampage takes losses really hard, and, I don’t know, we’ll just see what happens, see how this thing plays out." "His potential could have been so much more. This is a crazy business, you always have these guys who think they’re getting screwed and this and that and everything else that’s happening. ‘Rampage’ wants to fight one more fight on his contract, and his last fight, and he’ll never make that money ever again for the rest of his life. A lot of those guys in the UFC don’t realize that until its too late." ***** If you thought concerns for Chael Sonnen’s safety getting in and out of Brazil were overblown, think again. Sonnen and White were in Rio de Janeiro for Tuesday’s announcement that Sonnen’s rematch with Anderson Silva was being moved from the champion’s home country to the loaded UFC 148 card in Las Vegas on July 7. White detailed the level of security that was needed to get the controversial challenger out in one piece. "With the stuff he said and everything else, we made sure we had proper security," White said. "We had seven guys with us who do this for a living. We mapped out the whole route. We literally landed at the airport in Rio, went through customers, then jumped on helicopters that took us right through to the hotel. I came in the front door and we put him through the side door, had him in a holding room." Sonnen, of course, has a history of making outrageous comments about Brazil in general and Brazilian fighters in specific. Even though he was in hostile territory, Sonnen didn’t do much to defuse the situation. "You know those disguises with the mustaches and the glasses you get at a joke shop?" White asked. "He had one of those on and he said ‘you wonder how I got into this country, this was my disguise.’ He says, ‘everyone was asking me if I was one of the Nogueira brothers, and the people were asking, which Nogueira brother was I, the fat one or the bald one? The one that was good or the one that was never good?’" When a post-press conference media scrum with Sonnen starting going south, said White, they knew it was time to get the mouthy middleweight from Oregon out the door. "We did a scrum with him, the reporters were getting really aggressive. Someone got him with a shock pen, all kinds of stuff like that. He went out the side door, I went out the front door, we got back in the helicopters, got him back through customs, got him on a plane, and got him out of there." ***** White is among the many who are vocal about problems with MMA’s current 10-point must scoring system. But don’t expect him to advocate for a system which will allow the option of half-point scoring any time soon. The UFC boss was raving over the draw between Ian McCall and Demetrious Johnson at UFC 144 in the the flyweight tournament semifinals when he launched into a tangent about half-point scoring. The bout was announced in the cage as a split decision in favor of Johnson. Later, it was discovered the bout was actually a draw, which should have meant a fourth round to break the tie and determine who would go on to the finals. But since the this was discovered well after the fact, the UFC had to make a rematch, which will be held on June 8. "That fight should have gone another round," White said. "How sick would that have been? Oh my god that drives me nuts. And, what’s even crazier, that’s the way the judges had it, but the guys added it wrong. Sick fight, incredible fight. Ends up its a draw, but the guy added the scores wrong."

Posted in: ufc, fight, guy, rampage, door

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"I want to see the best fighters, I want to see who is the strongest the best! Guys should be able to do whatever it takes to be the strongest. Getting choked and kicked in the head is really bad for you, worse than pot , TRT, or steroids. I don't care who's the cleanest, I wanna' see the strongest, the fastest and the most gnarly fighters. I don't want to see who is the best at passing drug test. Overeem isn't the only guy taking shit, he just got caught. I wanna' see the baddest mother fuckers going at it. That's why PRIDE was the best -- I wanna see a 205 (ripped) Wanderlei Silva kill dudes!" -- Former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) contender Phil Baroni gives his thoughts on the always hot topic that is steroids and performance enhancing drugs (PED's) in mixed martial arts (MMA). After Alistair Overeem was suspended for nine months and denied a license to fight in the state of Nevada because of elevated testosterone levels, "The New York Badass" -- who has gone 1-4 in his last five bouts -- tells Fight Sport Asia that a professional fighter should be allowed to do whatever it takes to be his strongest. In 2007, after his loss to Frank Shamrock at Strikeforce: "Shamrock vs. Baroni," Phil tested positive for Boldenone and Stanozolol Metabolites and was suspended by the California State Athletic Commission (CSAC) for one year (it was ultimately reduced to six months). Baroni, who denied any wrongdoing at the time, goes on to say that his former employer, PRIDE FC, was the best fight organizations because "ripped" guys like Wanderlei Silva would "kill dudes." Is that what you want to see ... an unleveled playing field that puts "natural" fighters at health risks?

Posted in: guy, fighter, wanderlei silva, steroid, york badass

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You gotta pay to play. Appearing on a recent edition of The MMA Hour, former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Welterweight Champion and current Strikeforce broadcast announcer Pat Miletich says that only fans who pay their cable bills and shell out the coin to purchase the mixed martial arts (MMA) pay-per-views (PPV) have the right to criticize a fighter's performance and that media members should choose their words more carefully. Miletich was coming to the defense of current Bellator Welterweight Champion Ben Askren after the former NCAA Division-1 wrestling champion received plenty of criticism for the performance that he put on against Douglas Lima at Bellator 64 back on April 6, 2012. Askren, who upped his MMA record to 10-0 in his unanimous decision victory over "The Phenom," began his MMA career with four consecutive finishes, but his last six wins have all gone the distance and he has received criticism for his lack of finishing fights. Even UFC President Dana White gave his two cents on what he thought of Askren's performance in true Dana fashion. Now, the former High School wrestling standout, Miletich, feels that media members should have a more well-rounded view when talking about a fighter's performance and leave the criticizing to the fans. Make the jump to see what got Askren so worked up, via the The MMA Hour, that he felt the need to challenge the show’s host, Ariel Helwani, to a fight: "I made a point to watch that fight live because I was really excited about it. Douglas Lima, Ben Askren arguably the most boring title fight of the last three, four years. Boring. And what bothers me most about Ben Askren, he was on the show and he wasn't a particularly good guest, but he was on the show last week, and here's the thing, to come out there and say, 'Hey, this is MMA, if you want to go see striking go watch kickboxing or boxing,' no, actually, this isn't wrestling, Ben, that's the thing. This isn't MMA, what you're doing is wrestling. What guys like Jon Jones, even guys like Georges St. Pierre and guys like Frankie Edgar, they use MMA. But, when you're just going down there to take the guy down and to not do much, I mean, I know he is going for some submissions and he's throwing some punches, but he is really not doing much to try and finish the fight. To me, it's not exciting and Bellator, in my opinion, needs to have at least a talk, they can't do anything, but come on, you're just eliminating these guys and you're not really doing anyone any favors here." Pat's take on the whole ordeal: "The fans who pay for the right to watch, they pay their cable bills, they pay their pay-per-views have the right to criticize an athlete because they pay money, on the other hand, and I do understand your point, but at the same time, I was a fighter once and I was a coach for a long time and I understand that the media, you (Helwani) included and me included, make money off of those athletes. So at the same time, you know, I think it is important to remember you can say, and there are ways of wording things, where you can say his style is not aesthetically pleasing to me personally. Although at the same time you can give a lot of credit where credit is due. The fact that he has a limited skill set, he has been working on his striking and obviously working on his jiu-jitsu because he is able to get out of submissions with some very, very technical grapplers. And, you can also point out at the same time, that the level of wrestling in mixed martial arts needs to improve in order to stop a guy like Ben Aksren from controlling them and putting them on their back. I think there needs to be a more well-rounded view." In a country that stands by freedom of speech, it's hard-pressed to tell someone you can't express your disapproval of something, should you feel the need to do it. In Helwani's defense, he did say that the bout was a two-man game and Lima was unable to stop Ben's onslaught of takedowns. In MMA, like any other sport, commenting on a fight or fighting style is essentially part of the job, but is critiquing a particular performance, fight and or a game's level of excitement such a crime? Miletich and Askren seem to think so, how about you? To listen to the entire interview, click here.

Posted in: fight, mma, guy, ben, askren

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UFC Hall of Famer Chuck Liddell did an interview for the Fuel TV show UFC Tonight that aired last night, and he discussed a few different things including fatherhood, UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones, and why he retired. One of the most interesting quotes was in reference to what it would take for him to come out of retirement - a title shot (transcribed by MMA Mania): "The only thing that would even make me think about it is if they gave me a shot at the title. So, we'll see. For now? Yeah. Jon Jones. I don't wanna come back as a sideshow. It's just one of those things. It's not something I wanna do." He then went on to talk about the current king of the hill at 205, Jon Jones, who is coming off a win over Rashad Evans at UFC 145: "I'll never say never. Not in this sport. Anybody can lose at any time. If he keeps doing what he does, he's gonna be hard to beat if he keeps doing what he's doing. He follows his game plan. He trains hard. He keeps learning. He's young and he's athletic and a great athlete. He's a great guy. He's gonna be hard to beat, but I'm never gonna say no one's gonna beat him." You can catch a quote about retirement from the Iceman after the jump, as well as the full video of his interview. "You know, it was a hard decision to make, to retire, but it wasn't like I couldn't compete with guys. I can't quite take a punch like I used to and I didn't wanna change my style. I could start wrestling and try to control guys, but then I still got the chance of getting hit hard. It just wasn't the way I wanted to fight. I fought so many years, and I wanted to go out fighting the way I like to fight: exciting and fun."

Posted in: ufc, guy, way i, thing, he

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Former Ultimate Fighter finalist Michael Johnson is focused on moving up the lightweight rankings in 2012. If everything goes as planned, he’ll end the year on the cusp of being a contender.The 25-year-old St. Louis native, who has been a part of “The Blackzilians” for the last year, set his sights on a productive and successful year after suffering a first-round submission loss to British leg lock expert Paul Sass back in October. Frustrated with his performance, Johnson sought the silver lining in his loss.“Sometimes losing can be good,” he admitted prior to his first fight of 2012, a difficult matchup with former All-American wrestler Shane Roller. “The majority of times they’re horrible, but it’s good to have it happen early, as opposed to later on in my career. This way I actually have time to work on it, get better, and not get caught in it again.“I went back to the drawing board, spent a lot of time with my jiu-jitsu coach and the many black belts we have in our gym down here, and we work on it every day. Next time I do see something like that, I’ll know exactly what to do, and not just sit there and think about it.”That work on the mats paid off.While he wasn’t forced to fight his way out of any leg locks, Johnson’s calm when caught in a submission hold was put to the test. Closing the distance to start the third, Johnson was forced to play defense as Roller got inside, took him down, and took his back early in the final round. Three months after he panicked against Sass, Johnson had his chance to redeem himself.“Just don’t get finished,” Johnson says, chasing his recollection of what was running through his head that night in Chicago with a chuckle. “That was a huge thing — we trained that position a lot coming up to that fight, and I could hear my jiu-jitsu coach in my head, playing out every movement I had to do. I think it’s real important to stay calm in those situations because once you panic, you do something wrong, and then the fight’s over.“I don’t want to be the guy that looks back at a fight like, ‘That’s what I was supposed to do! I knew I needed to do that, but I didn’t do it.’ At that point it would have been too late, so I really focused on staying calm, working myself out of the position, and it worked out for the best.”Despite spending a healthy portion of the final round fending off Roller’s attempts to finish him, Johnson’s output in the opening two frames earned him a unanimous decision win, setting “The Year of the Menace” off right.“I didn’t get finished, I came away with a victory, and on to the next fight.” That next fight is a short notice opportunity against “El Cucuy,” Tony Ferguson.One season after Johnson’s runner-up performance on The Ultimate Fighter, Ferguson blasted his way through the competition, knocking out Ramsey Nijem in the finals to become a member of the exclusive fraternity of Ultimate Fighter winners. He’s put up another two wins since, steadily moving his way up the 155-pound division’s depth chart.“I feel real good about this fight,” says Johnson, who steps in for an injured Thiago Tavares, who in turn had replaced veteran Dennis Hallman. “Before I got the call, I was kind of getting a feeling like for some reason I was getting ready to fight; it was weird. He has been on a roll, and he’s one of the guys that I’ve been wanting to fight lately just for that matter. I want the guys in this division that are on a streak, and are looking to prove something just like myself.”Generally speaking, taking a fight on just over a month’s notice is a challenge, one that becomes a little more difficult when the man standing across from you in the cage sports a 14-2 record and has won seven consecutive contests.But the man known as “The Menace” didn’t hesitate to become Ferguson’s third scheduled opponent for this fight. Like a boy scout, this Blackzilian is always prepared to answer the call.“To me, there’s really no such thing as a short notice fight just because I’m always in shape. I’m always ready to get a call from (UFC matchmaker) Joe Silva. If they need help, I’m always here willing to help those guys, and fill that spot.“We’ve got guys fighting every month, so in order for me to help those guys, and do as much as I can for them, I have to be in shape. It’s not always about just one person on this team — these guys depend on me, and I depend on them. We’re all trying to help each other succeed in this business. It’s a huge benefit for me to always be ready to fight, and be in a position where I can take a fight on short notice, and be able to fight no problem.”One of the youngest members of “The Blackzilians,” the camaraderie and shared focus on being successful as a unit has made a serious impact on Johnson over the last year, both in terms of his skills and his outlook. Working daily with the collection of talented coaches and established stars assembled in South Florida, Johnson sees what he can achieve — how good he can become — next to him on the mats every day, and is focused on using each fight as a chance to get one step closer to reaching his goals.“Everything has changed completely,” offers Johnson, the genuine appreciation he feels for his fighting family permeating his words. “I think we’ve got the best coaches in the world, plus I’m surrounded by current champions, former champions, and future champions too, and it’s just so beneficial for me. Everything has improved and changed, and I think people are going to start noticing that in these next couple of fights.“I look around the gym, and I see guys doing big things, and I just want to be a part of that, and follow in those guys’ footsteps. I look at Rashad (Evans), and Jorge Santiago, and JZ (Cavalcante), and all the other top names in our gym, and I think I’m a lil’ pup in the game, but I’m working my way up. Having those guys around me, and training me, and gaining experience from them means a lot.”On the first Saturday in May at the IZOD Center in East Rutherford, New Jersey, Johnson is intent on putting the lessons he’s learned to good use against Ferguson, who he thinks might be looking past him a little as he prepares for this fight.“I’m kind of sensing that he might be underestimating me a little bit. His last two opponents he fought were Aaron Riley and Yves Edwards — two UFC veterans — and he beat them. He might be sitting on his high horse a little bit; that’s what I’m hoping. I want to be the guy to come in and knock him off of that.“He won his season, I got second on my season, so in some people’s eyes, they might see him as better than me, or taking a step back fighting me, but it’s the perfect opportunity for me. It’s right where I need to be.”Like every fighter, Johnson has championship ambitions, but he knows the journey to the top of the lightweight division is an incremental process; each win leading to a bigger name, a bigger fight, and a bigger opportunity, until finally there is only one man left to defeat.“I’ve never worked harder, and I’m going to keep that intensity in the gym, and finish this year off strong. I’ve got a good win over Shane Roller under my belt, but with big wins come big competition. I want to be close to the Top 10 when this year is over, and Tony Ferguson is just another guy in the way of me getting to my goal.“I was playing this through my head the other day, and it’s like a video game — like Mortal Kombat: you’ve got to get through these little guys to get up to the top level, and that’s exactly how I’m playing it out right now. This is a huge year for me, and I’m looking forward to what’s to come.”“The Menace” is ready to take that next step. Or is that Lord Raiden?

Posted in: fight, guy, i ’m, johnson, ’m

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Outside of Frank Mir’s camp there aren’t a lot of folks picking the former heavyweight champion to dethrone current UFC title-holder Junior dos Santos when the two meet on May 26 at UFC 146. After all, Dos Santos is considered to be one of the division’s elite strikers while Mir has been knocked out in all five of his career losses. However, Mir will enter the bout with a ton of confidence based on his December win over Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira. In addition to being a world-class competitor, Nogueira also happens to be one of Dos Santos’ chief jiu-jitsu instructors. “I still pose a very large threat to Dos Santos,” said Mir in an interview with The MMA Hour when asked about his status as a major underdog. “I still think it’ll be an interesting cat-and-mouse game between me and Junior, because what I want to be able to impose on him, he’s going to try to avoid, and vice versa.” Dos Santos Comments on Mir as an Opponent “I do think it has to be a little nerve-racking that the guy you roll with as a coach got submitted by the guy you’re about to face. That has to be a little bit in the back (of your head),” Mir continued, alluding to his gruesome finish of Nogueira leaving the legendary Brazilian with a broken arm. Interestingly enough, Dos Santos’ only in-ring stumble came by way of submission while he himself has not tapped an adversary out in more than five years. PHOTO CREDIT – UFC Tweet

Posted in: ufc, guy, nogueira, mir, do

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It's Monday and Degree Men wants your eyes to fest on this eloquently produced sponsored ad they created for MiddleEasy. We are the only MMA site airing this ad because they literally consider you guys the most active and engaging readers in the industry. Seriously, I'm not making this stuff up. The MiddleEasy readership is so enthralling that Degree Men sincerely believe that you will watch this video in its entirety, without hesitation. I don't think we should let them down, either. It's far from a lame video. If you're an adrenaline junkie (or pretend to be one), I'm absolutely certain you will enjoy giving up a minute of your time to make MiddleEasy a better place for you and your unborn children. Also, a lot of you guys ask me to leave the comments open on these sponsored ads, so I'll do it this one time. That is, until one of you guys ruin it for everyone else. Shame on you, maybe. {iframe}http://fw.adsafeprotected.com/rjsi/ad.viewablemedia.net/12697/376149/a/?pl=4250&rnd='+rnd+'&u='+u+'&r='+r+'&view='+view+'{/iframe}

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Former collegiate wrestling champ, and UFC star, Brock Lesnar has moved back to pro-wrestling. Since losing his UFC title, and succumbing to Alistair Overeem, Lesnar has retired from MMA, and received a lucrative offer to go back to the WWE. Related: Brock Lesnar's WWE Ring Attire Looks a Lot Like His UFC Gear | Alistair Overeem's UFC 141 Win Over Brock Lesnar Should Be Overturned Many of his detractors have been trying to discredit his accomplishments on his short, but successful MMA career, but Dana White isn't one of those people. On the UFC 145 press conference, the UFC president talked about his former champion (transcribed by MMA Weekly): "The guy came over here at thirty-whatever-years-old. When he came over here the guy was 1-0 in MMA and I was like, you’re crazy. You’re gonna get smashed over here, and he didn’t. We threw all the toughest guys at him, and he accomplished what he accomplished." More from Dana after the jump. "When he did the deal with the WWE, all the rumblings started with you guys. He never called me. He never told me. He didn’t have to. It was always up front and said in his deal, he could do the WWE," "One of the things I love about Brock is, everything we did with that guy, nothing ever leaked out of that camp." "I’m happy for him. To do what he did in the WWE, came here and did what he did, now he’s back over there. Good for him; good for them." He came into the UFC with just 1 MMA fight under his belt, and say what you want about the guy, but he faced stiff competition, won the belt in just three UFC fights, and defended it twice. He may not be the most well rounded or technical guy, but that accomplishment is unheard of. He has always hated the traveling and the grind involved with pro-wrestling, but now that he retired from MMA, he still got a great deal where he's getting paid a very large salary for just limited appearances. He got the positives from his old WWE tenure, but none of the negatives. I'm with Dana here, I can't help but be happy for the guy. Good for him.

Posted in: ufc, mma, guy, wwe, lesnar

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Another weekend of Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) dominance has come and gone, as UFC 145: "Jones vs. Evans" blew the doors off the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia, with a fight card topped off with a thrilling championship bout on Sat. April 21, 2012. Jon Jones proved that he is not only the man to beat in the UFC's light heavyweight division, but it's starting to look like he may just be the best mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter on the planet. Looking forward, it's highly likely "Bones" will be slated to take on Dan Henderson in his next title fight, as rising star Alexander Gustafsson lurks in the wings waiting for his big chance at greatness. That much appears to be inevitable, but what about the rest of the pack? After the jump, we'll talk about the matches to make for the winners from UFC 145's main card. Can we really call Rory MacDonald a prospect anymore? This kid is running through a "who's who" of fighters in the welterweight division. It's not title shot time, but it's not as far away as he made it sound in his post-fight interview. Certainly, the UFC will be careful in bringing him along, but he's got to get a big name in his next fight. No disrespect to Che Mills, who is a very serviceable fighter and a guy who was made to look worse than he actually is in his fight against MacDonald. It's just time for "Ares" to fight the upper echelon of the division. In a couple of weeks, Johny Hendricks will face Josh Koscheck at UFC on Fox 3, in East Rutherford, New Jersey. I'd love to see MacDonald get the winner. Truthfully, I think he beats either guy, but it's a test that needs to happen. If he wins and does it convincingly, he'd have to be considered a top five guy, and maybe even a fight or two away from a title shot. Ben Rothwell made his re-emergence to relevance with a very nice KO win over Brendan Schaub on Saturday night. He looked great, not just in how he fought, but his physique and conditioning were unlike we've ever seen of "Big Ben." I'd love to see him fight a fellow UFC 145 winner in Travis Browne. So much size and raw power in one cage. It would be potentially fantastic. Someone's going to sleep in that one. Michael McDonald is a guy who is causing quite a stir in the bantamweight division. His perfect mixture of speed, power and grappling make him a serious force to be reckoned with at 135 pounds. Miguel Torres is, by far, the biggest name he's fought and defeated in the UFC, so he needs an opponent who is a level up, but not too far up the ladder. Not yet, anyway. How about T.J. Dillashaw? He's coming off a nice win over Walel Watson and is continuing to improve with each outing. He's a strong wrestler, so I think it makes for an interesting stylistic match up. Truthfully, it would be nice to see the UFC to go out and grab some more talent for this somewhat thin division. With that said, I don't hate this match up. It'd be fun to watch. Eddie Yagin won a close decision victory over veteran Mark Hominick. I have to say, his toughness and the absolute bombs that he throws had me super impressed. From a well-roundedness perspective, he has plenty of room to grow, but this guy throws haymakers with bad intentions. That's the kind of thing that sells tickets and makes any fight interesting. I think Erik Koch makes for an interesting potential opponent. He's riding a four fight win streak and is also fairly new to the UFC. He is more of a submission specialist than anything else, so both fighters would be tested by each other's opposing background. Mark Bocek scored his second consecutive win with a nice decision victory over John Alessio at UFC 145. Call me lazy, but I'd like to see him in there with another fellow UFC 145 winner, Mac Danzig. They both are at similar places in their careers. Each fighter is solid on the ground, though the nod probably goes to Bocek in that category. Danzig is an explosive fighter who, when at his best, he's going to give anyone in the division a tough time. A win puts either guy in contention to land a big name opponent. A loss is not earth chattering or career ending. It makes sense to me. Okay, Maniacs, it's your turn. What matches would you make for the winners of UFC 145? Are there any undercard winners you have plans or ideas for? Hit us up in the comments section with your bets laid-out plans!

Posted in: ufc, fight, guy, division, winner

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There's a special place in my heart for the "step-up" fight, when a compelling prospect who's never really been forced into deep water is presented with the chance to show his wares against someone who will likely drag him there. That's exactly how it felt last night (Sat., April 21, 2012) at UFC 145 in Atlanta, Georgia, coming into the Stephen "Wonderboy" Thompson vs. Matt Brown fight. The results were a sobering reminder of how much work a prospect has to do to develop a complete game. Out-wrestled and sucked into a grueling fight where both men gassed badly after the first round, Thompson showed some pluck en route to losing a clear-cut decision, as Brown simply wanted it more and had way too much experience, despite at times looking like he was ready to collapse from exhaustion and Thompson's arm punches. There's a wonderful honesty to fighters like Matt Brown, who bring the ruckus every time, committing 100-percent to each fight despite often giving away athleticism, key pedigrees in various areas, going in on short notice, whatever. He is a decidedly known quantity, and is going to fight until the referee pulls someone off, every freaking time. During his run on season 7 of The Ultimate Fighter, his intensity and no-frills approach earned him the nickname "Matt Mothaf*ckin' Brown" from his teammates. Last night that intensity was on full display. Brown is the perfect exam for any prospect looking to prove he belongs in the unforgiving realm of world-class competition, and his proctoring of these has been consistently brutal. He destroyed James Wilks through sheer aggression, showing that Wilks' slick jiu-jitsu would simply melt in the face of an all-out onslaught. Brown has also logged impressive showings in bludgeoning Pete Sell and Chris Cope. If you're not at a certain level to deal with what he's bringing, he's going to run right through you. Higher levels of competition have been rough for Brown, especially after his three-fight streak of submission defeats in 2010. But after that rough patch he simply kept working on his game, taking a gritty decision win over fellow scrapper John Howard to get back in the win column. That's why the showdown with Thompson made this one of the more compelling fights on the card, at least for this writer. Thompson's credentials were otherwordly, and, frankly, worthy of a double-take for various reasons. With a record of 63-0 in kickboxing, he'd received considerable praise from fellow training partners such as welterweight champ Georges St. Pierre, and his UFC debut, a head-kick KO over Dan Stittgen, was the kind of first-look breakout performance every guy dreams of. But entering Brown's world leveled those expectations out significantly. After a punishing first round where Brown took him down and simply forced him to work to survive, Thompson's cardio and subsequently technique disintegrated. He showed some encouraging doses of pluck and heart in surviving, even landing punches in the bout that seemed to stun the tiring Brown. But the trouble with Matt Brown is that he always looks like he's in a war, so there's really nothing to notice. The guy could probably start a fight in an empty room. With Thompson, the experience is one he'll build on. His wrestling and takedown defense need a lot of work, and the much-billed striking we heard about was largely absent once he was sucked into the full spectrum of an MMA battle. That's the honesty of guys like Matt Brown and why they will always have a place in the UFC. Because at some point, the guy with the hype has to prove he belongs, and fighters like Brown will be licking their chops at the chance to prove they don't. The results are an entertaining referendum on both, which was precisely what Brown vs. Thompson was. Jason Probst can be reached at twitter.com/jasonprobst and at Jason@jasonprobst.com

Posted in: ufc, fight, guy, matt, thompson

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Since getting into the murky business of fight previews over the past decade-plus, I've learned how much I don't know. Mainly that there are endless factors to mitigate against feeling confident in most picks. But a consistent factor in recent years, and one that's probably moved to the top of the list, is what I call the Relative Importance DisparityTM. That's when a match-up shines as a potential career-defining moment for one guy while being a relatively ho-hum assignment for the star he's looking to knock off. A career-boosting opportunity was what was presented before Michael McDonald and Eddie Yagin at UFC 145 last night (Sat., April 21, 2012) in Atlanta, Georgia, and in beating Miguel Torres and Mark Hominick, respectively, they reinforced the validity of factoring RIDTM into pre-fight analysis. Don't get me wrong. I'm not suggesting that the big-name fighter in this equation is coming in overconfident and under prepared. He's usually not. But it's incredibly hard to raise your game to its highest level every time out, especially in a career where you've had ups and down aplenty and the guy you're fighting is just another opponent. Whereas for the fighter looking to either take a huge jump in the rankings with a signature win (as McDonald did with his brutal knockout of Torres), or wipe the slate clean (as Yagin did beating Hominick in a "Fight of the Night" performance after losing his UFC debut), that's a huge incentive with no substitute. I've applied RIDTM to plenty of recent bouts and it holds up very well as a mechanism for making informed picks, even though in my case they aren't always ones I've made. Nick Diaz beat B.J. Penn like a drum, in a fight that fit the RIDTM definition perfectly (and one in which I picked Diaz to win handily). I didn't pick Ryan Bader over Quinton Jackson, however, which ushers in another element that further reinforces RIDTM: over the timeline of a long career, a fighter gets plenty of experience, along with injuries, hassles in his management and/or personal life, and a general burgeoning dissatisfaction with the game itself. Jackson's weight problems were also a product of a long career and the mileage accrued from big jumps in poundage and training itself, which he is no fan of. You could also cite examples like Johnny Hendricks vs. Jon Fitch and Jake Ellenberger vs. Jake Shields. Yes, Fitch and Shields got caught and Shields was dealing with the tragic loss of his father coming into the bout, but both cases were serious letdowns from two fighters that were among the most durable and consistent in the game leading into those shocking losses. And both happened against young, motivated guys who knew they could score a huge win if they brought their "A" game, which Hendricks and Ellenberger certainly did. Shields and Fitch were "caught" in the sense that happens often in MMA, yet against Georges St. Pierre, both went five rounds, precisely because they were so keyed-up to avoid getting caught and were in the fight of their lives, one that could have altered their career trajectory considerably. Being a fighter is a lot like being married; very few people go into it with the same optimism and expectations they have several years down the road, unless you're very fortunate. I'm not sure a Ryan Bader would ever beat a 100-percent Quinton Jackson, but that's not Bader's fault. Someday, over a long enough timeline, he'll lose to a guy that couldn't have shined his shoes in his prime, either. That's why in coming fights, it's always a good move to see where one guy is in his career, what opportunities he's had and lost, and where the other guy stands. If it's the fight of his life on one end, and something that's just another day at the office at the other, you might have a betting tip on your hands. That was certainly the case the night of UFC 145, and, I suspect, will be so for many evenings to come. Jason Probst can be reached at twitter.com/jasonprobst or Jason@jasonprobst.com

Posted in: fight, guy, fighter, career, that

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Henry Cejudo is stepping away from amateur wrestling after a storied career that included a gold medal at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. Cejudo managed to accomplish all this despite skipping a collegiate career and going straight from his four high school state wrestling championships to training with USA wrestling. FloWrestling with the tweet at the moment it happened: @flowrestlingflowrestling Henry Cejudo is taking his shoes off. He has retired! Apr 22 via web Favorite Retweet Reply More after the jump... Luke Thomas did a great interview with Cejudo on his MMA Nation radio show where Henry talked about a possible future in MMA: Luke: I want to talk about your 2012 initiative with Coca-Cola in just a minute, but first let's dial back to MMA a little bit. Are you the guy who buys the pay-per-views every time they come how? How much of a fan are you? There's no right or wrong answer, I'm just curious. Henry: I'm the guy who's good friends with the guy who buys the pay-per-view events. I keep up with it pretty regularly. I'm a huge fan. Who knows? In the future, you guys may be seeing Henry Cejudo 'The American Dream' in the cage. Luke: Is that right? When can we expect a potential debut of you in mixed martial arts? After the 2012 games? Henry: After the 2012 games. Obviously I want to finish school. I'm currently or going to be a junior in college. I would definitely love to finish school. I would like to be done with it in a month and a half. That's my ultimate goal and then start [fighting MMA]. I actually started boxing for a while. I actually won the Copper Gloves in Arizona. I started competing on boxing, so I have my hands. I'm an O.K. wrestler, so why not? Cejudo would be a huge addition to the UFC flyweight division and his background could create immediate casual interest in the still developing weight class.

Posted in: mma, guy, henry, im, cejudo

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Jon Jones beating Rashad Evans and doing it with relative ease speaks to just how truly great Jones is as a professional fighter. For a fighter of his age to come into a fight against Rashad Evans, one of the greatest light heavyweights the sport has ever seen, at UFC 145 and win every round proves that he's a special kind of fighter. In fact, with wins over Evans, Lyoto Machida, Quinton Jackson and Mauricio Rua, Jones' resume is arguably the best of any 205 pound fighter in the history of the sport. But the truth is, this felt lacking. I'm not saying that to be negative, although I'm sure that's how people will take it. This felt like when MMA fans tune into a heavily hyped boxing PPV only to get something like Floyd Mayweather against Shane Mosley, a rather boring and by-the-numbers affair. It was a letdown. This was supposed to be special, instead it felt like two guys just going through the motions. Jon Jones was the better fighter coming in to the fight, I don't know that there were too many who truly doubted that. It just felt like the inevitable playing out with flashes of brilliance but mostly just the better fighter being better. It certainly didn't feel like the end to a huge grudge match and that kind of satisfaction can't be underrated. Liddell vs. Ortiz, Ortiz vs. Shamrock, the great UFC rivalries felt like they had that cathartic moment, this just happened and ended. Full card thoughts after the jump... SBN coverage of UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans The UFC delivers such a strong product that I think we've all gotten a little spoiled. The card as a whole fell flat, but this was always supposed to be about Jones vs. Evans. So the lackluster undercard not being held up by a true blowoff to this huge feud only makes the weak undercard feel worse. I thought Joe Rogan turned in one of his strongest performances in recent memory tonight, using smart analogies, delivering simple information and not getting as hung up as he tends to on minute (and unimportant) technical details that distract from the action. Goldberg on the other had? Awful. When he said that it Chris Clements was "throwing a punch like driving a car" I had no clue what the hell he meant. And that was just one of many stumbles for Mike. Che Mills is talented enough in the stand-up but he never stood a realistic chance. No matter how hard Rogan tried to prop him up as an "elite, elite fighter" the truth was that he was there to be the guy Rory MacDonald beat up. Mills landed a bit on the feet at the start of their fight, but in the end Rory got takedowns whenever he wanted and absolutely demolished the overmatched Mills. MacDonald is a rare talent and is going to make some huge waves in his career. Along with Jones and Alexander Gustafsson, he's a huge part of the future of this sport. Ben Rothwell knocked Brendan Schaub out in a fashion so violent it shut off all but the instinctual animal part of Schaub's brail as Brendan lay prone on the ground flailing his arms and legs while clearly out. It was a shocking upset, but Rothwell deserves all the credit in the world for not giving up on his career and really dedicating himself to his training. He looks like a new man and is a threat to knock out any man. Michael McDonald is a legitimate title contender at 135 pounds. He starched Miguel Torres and it really showed how good McDonald can be when he attacks and doesn't sit back fighting passively. I'd pay to watch McDonald challenge for the title tomorrow if asked. Mark Hominick's career as a title level fighter is basically over. After his brutal KO and then losing to Eddie Yagin, a guy he was supposed to run though, he just doesn't look like the guy who "has it" anymore. Mark Bocek is pretty damn good. He's not a top tier kind of guy, but he's going to beat guys like John Alessio all day, every day. Travis Browne needs to be fighting better talent. I'm still not sure what I think about him beyond that he has a lot of upside. Going from fights against Cheick Kongo and Stefan Struve to Rob Broughton and Chad Griggs isn't really allowing anyone to learn much about Browne as a fighter. Pretty much everyone's worries about Stephen Thompson came true. He fought well, but Matt Brown was just too gritty and too well rounded for Thompson at this stage in his development. A little more takedown defense and a better ground game and Thompson can run through people, but he's not there yet. Anthony Njokuani and John Makdessi didn't deliver to the extent people wanted, but I thought it was a very interesting fight. Njokuani is always interesting to watch, I wish he'd throw his jab more, he has a great one. Makdessi just had no real solution to the problems Makdessi presented.

Posted in: fight, guy, jone, fighter, evan

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Every morning while I stand groggily in my kitchen and wait for my Keurig to brew a cup of café bustelo I experience the roughest three minutes of my life. As great as the $200 piece of single mug coffee brewing kitchen machinery is-it just isn’t fast enough. Three minutes is an eternity at 5am and it is about three times longer than it would take most of you guys to accidentally release your baby making butter if Ronda Rousey ever gave you a shot at the panties title. Those three minutes I spend waiting to wrap my fist around the handle of my espresso filled mug and bicep curl that hot liquid filled mug up to my eagerly awaiting mouth...(pause) those three minutes are nothing compared to Art Davie’s XARM challenge. XARM is the roughest three minutes of life for people who are a whole lot more hardcore than you or I. If you don't know what XARM is well its a challenge created by none other than Art Davie-one of the original founders of the UFC. XARM is a cross between arm wrestling and martial arts-performed at a table. According to a press release from Art Davie,  XARM is looking for a few more people to take part in a reality type series to be featured on machinima.com. It will be a boot camp style training show that ends with the participants fighting on June 24, 2012. "I need nine more tough guys. The reality series for Machinima is being taped next month and the fighters we train will fight on June 24, 2012 at Soboba Casino in San Jacinto, California." "The 24 fighters are going to be put through an intense “boot camp” for three days in May.  The boot camp and the event will be filmed and shown on Machinima, which has become the hottest entertainment network on the Internet. Fighters who want to go to the boot camp and become a star, should call booker/matchmaker Tedd Williams today. We’re looking for guys from 145lbs. to 265lbs. And we want girls too. Williams can be reached at 760-403-6529 or teddewilliams@aol.com" Don't think that just because you spend countless hours a day working out your forearms fapping to every half naked picture of a girl (or guy?) posted on the UG that you might have what it takes to make it in the sport of XARM. It is definitely going to require a bit more athleticism and explosiveness than that. If you have no idea what it might be like, check out this intro video created last last year for a great inside look at this sports awesome brutality.   

Posted in: guy, minute, art, xarm, boot camp

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Renato Laranja has made quite a name for himself in a relatively short amount of time. With his Fruits & Vegetables infomercials, acting roles and winning the Mundials more times than they've been around, it's no wonder that he is in such high demand. After receiving numerous requests, I decided to get his UFC 145 fight picks. The translation will be a direct one, with no cleaning up of his English, to provide the full "Renatch" effect, so get out your Rosetta Stones, and try to keep up. Foreword: I'm very excite about the card, and that the reason why I'm come here, since they don't have some Brazilian fighters in the whole card. I guess you're gonna need some Brazilian fighter who's gonna say some stuff about it, because I don't know why they gone away from that, but that's some other story. Maximo Blanco vs. Marcus Brimage Are you talking about the fights they having on Myspacey? I don't concern myself those ones. It bad enough I have to talk about the undercard. Caralho! Can't we start with the Mac Danzig for Christ sakey? I'm sorry for Maximo Blanco. He has to fight the black guy and he has a bald head. The Brazilian guy gonna win that one. (I think he meant Maximo, even though he's Venezuelan) Chris Clements vs. Keith Wisniewski I'm gonna go Chris Clements because he's on the same poster as me for the TapouT promo. I'm gonna pick him because if he don't look good, then I'm don't look good. Mac Danzig vs. Efrain Escudero I likey. That's a tough fight, but I likey. I'm gonna have to go Mac Danzig, even though his brother, that guy Danzig, the guy he play hard rocky and he was knock out by security guard backstage. I saw that up there on the youtube. I think Mackey gonna be a better fighter than that guy. I think also Mac is a vegetarian, and he's been promotch fruits and vegetable. I think he's gonna be strong, have a lotta energy to take care of that guy. John Makdessi vs. Anthony Njokuani Anthony...how you say his name? It remind me in the 90's they have a, have a...his name is Kwame. He the boy king, but you don't know that guy. That was neither there nor here. He's to fight that John Makdessi. I think he's some kind of Arab guy that live in Canada that nobody ever heard. That guy. Anthony Njokukwame, he's too dark, and they say the dark the berry, is sweet for the guy to fight. Also, if you hemember, there was a movie. Wesley Snipes in that one. It's call Passenger 57. In that Wesley Snipes say, 'Always bet on black.' You can say the same thing for the fight, that one. I'm gonna say first hound or early second hound knockout for that guy. Mackeydessi gonna get knocked out. Matt Brown vs. Stephen Thompson I don't think Match Brown is gonna stay immortal for much longer. I like Stephen Thompson. He's a young guy. He's up and coming. He's bring a karatch style to the UFC and we never see like him before. A karatch man don't be showing weakness. You hemember that from Trading Places? Eddie Murphy talk about that. He also talk about a quart of blood techneeky where he take a quart of blood from that guy body. I think Wonderboy gonna touch him up the first hound, and then I think that Brown guy gonna want to wrestle. I'm thin Wonderboy gonna stop him from the takedown because he gonna kick him in the facey. Is gonna be the end for hound two. Travis Browne vs. Chad Griggs Caralho! That's a two big guys. I think Chad Griggs he more strong. It's tough because Travis Browne, he from Hawaii so that guy, he have a crew loose sometime. It can bring some bad spirit that BJ Penn have sometime. I'm on the fence that one. What's one you like for that? My mind wanna say Chad Griggs but my body wanna say Travis Browne. My mind is tell me no, but my body is say yes. Mark Bocek vs. John Alessio I'm incline to go for Mark Bochecky, because that guy, he have very good jiu jitsu. On top of that, he can look like the bully from A Christmas Story. He had yellow eyes. God help me, he have yellow eyes. John Alessio, he have a lotta fight, but I'm not sure because his name sound like a giant, but his body like a small Matt Horowitchy. He remind me of that guy. Mark Hominick vs. Eddie Yagin Mark Hominick is a tough guy. He's a good fight and have a lot of skill, but he have some bad luck lately, so I think they wanna throw to the guy a bone. That fight with Jose Aldo make Hominick like the elephant man. He gonna fight that guy nobody heard of, Eddie Yagin. I don't wanna talk too much bad stuff yet. He's like a Filipino, and I know a lot of nice looking Filipino girls. I don't wanna burn no bridges with those. Mark Hominick is gonna win that one. He has that one in the baggie. Miguel Torres vs. Michael McDonald Now you talk my language. I like Miguel Angel Torres, because I don't know if you know that he's one of my student. I train him. Even though he's a Mexican, I have decide that he can train with me. His jiu jitsu is deadly. He's very proud to be Mexican, and when he get to the ground, he call that style brown and pound. Don't ask me why. The guy he's fight, I don't know why the UFC even do stuff like this, because that guy Michael McDonald is gonna get hurt. He's too old to fight. He shoulda never left the Doobie Brothers and go solo. He should go back to sing. I think Yammo gonna get knock out. He gonna be lying there saying, 'I keep fogetch I'm not in love' but he keep forgetch that he should go back to sing. Brendan Schaub vs. Ben Rothwell We have the pretty boy, Brendan Schwab. I think sometime this business is like who you know. I think just because he's helated to Charles Schwab, and he maybe give a lotta money to the Fertitta, they gonna give him the easy fight. I think they feel sorry for him to get beat up in Brazil. That's why they give to him that chubby white guy, so he can have some hevenge. Don't get me wrong, I like Ben Hothwell. He haves a good heart, but he also have a chubby stomach, and also have some chubby cheek. I don't wanna talk bad, but Hothwell get tired and he need to sit down. They gonna throw a dog a bone on that one, and Brendan Schwab is gonna win. Rory Macdonald vs. Che Mills Hory Macdonald. I like Hory Macdonald very much. I think he tough enough in the game. I would be afraid to face that guy because when you look his eyes, it's like serial killer. I don't know where he get that name, the Waterboy. That guy he fighting, Che Mills. I see some stuff for the guy on youtube. I don't think he fought anywhere besides youtube. I know he from Glaucomashire, England. Something like that. I'm confuse, because that guy look Puerto Rican or Dominican. Those guys usually know how to fight. They can usually slapbox, and they good at play handball and stickball, so he can have some skill from that. I'm gonna take Hory Macdonald for that one. Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans The main eventch. You guys gonna think I crazy for this one, but I'm gonna go for the black guy. He's gonna win this win because he more...athletic. I think Jones is too athletic and gonna run circle around Hashad. He have a long heach, and he gonna make Evans look like Fred Sanford. That's to be kind, because it gonna get worse. Afte the first hound, he gonna look like Fred Sanford. After the second hound, he gonna look like Grady. In the third hound, Caralho! He might be look like Aunt Esther. You old heathen! I like Jones to win in the third hound. I like Hashad. I think he have the make to knock out Jon Jones if he slip up and get too cute, but I think it gonna look like Jimmy Walker verse Fred Sanford. Follow Renato via his Twitter, @Renato_Laranja More UFC 145 DissectionsHominick vs. Yagin | Bocek vs. Alessio | Preliminary Card Dissection

Posted in: fight, guy, he, im, dont

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Chuck Liddell knows a thing or two about rivalries. Over the course of his legendary fighting career, "The Iceman" staged rematches with five different men, including a UFC 66 title defense against former training partner Tito Ortiz that emerged as box-office gold for the fledging Ultimate Fighting Championship. Of course, by now Liddell has trading in all the cuts and bruises for the plushy perks of retirement. But with UFC 145 right around the corner, many, including Ortiz, have begun comparing Jon Jones and Rashad Evans' heavy-anticipated grudge match to that fabled UFC 66 clash. While the parallels are certainly there -- a title bout matching-up former friends and teammates turned enemies -- Liddell's relationship with Ortiz was vastly different than Evans' split with Jackson-Winkeljohn. In fact, the former champ says he wouldn't have had any problems if his coach brought a promising 205-pounder into camp back in the day. "If (a teammate) can beat me, they can beat me," Liddell said on Monday's edition of The MMA Hour. "It is what it is. They deserve to fight me then. I'm not going to hold back some guy that's in my camp if he wants to fight me. That's not my thing. "It's just a personal choice and a personal opinion, but I think eventually, hey you guys are going at it, then go out and have two beers together afterwards. Go out there and prove who's best that day, and go out and be friends again." Obviously, by now it's clear both Evans and Jones see the issue a little differently. An oft-repeated axiom says to always fight with a clear mind and never let emotion cloud your judgment. Yet throughout the lead-up to UFC 145, emotions have run higher than they have for any light heavyweight title defense in years, leading some to speculate if it'll ultimately be a detriment to either competitor. But Liddell had a few wars of words of his own back in day, and the way he sees it, making things personal wasn't ever a bad call. "I think that helps for me," Liddell admitted with a chuckle. "Some guys are better when they don't like the guy. For me, it helps me train. ... I say it all the time, but it makes it a lot easier when there's that back-of-your-mind motivation that ‘I do not like this guy. There's no way I want to let this guy beat me, so I'm going to be in the best shape I can be in.' I think (Jones and Evans) have got that." Still, when it comes down to it, all the verbal sparring and pre-packed sound bytes are just noise to Liddell, and he isn't much interested in that. No, for the former champ, there's a much more fascinating -- and baffling -- sub-plot to UFC 145's main event. "What's interesting about this fight is that the (betting) line is 6-to-1, which is shocking to me, because I don't think it's that kind of fight," Liddell explained. "For Rashad, you've trained with a guy. You've worked with him. There's none of that ‘oh, he's unbeatable' kind of thing that's been out there in the press about Jon Jones. "Even if it was a long time ago, if Rashad was getting the better of him in (training) ... sometimes that's in the back of your head when you go into a fight. Even if you're a different fighter now and you've gotten a lot better, it's still in the back of your head that this guy used to beat me and I haven't messed with him since." For that very reason, Liddell is hesitant to commit to an official prediction for Jones vs. Evans, instead calling the long-awaited title tilt a "pick ‘em." But regardless, you can be sure of one thing. If the grizzled veteran was a few years younger, and UFC 145 had the hypnotic surname of Jones vs. Liddell, he knows exactly how he'd approach the young phenom. "Well, you've got to take him out of his gameplan," Liddell mused. "You can't let him decide where the fight is going to be fought. You've got to make him uncomfortable. "When I'm in shape, if you let me engage when I want to, and you don't push me and make me be in situations I don't want to be in, I'll never get tired. ... You've got to put a guy in a situation he doesn't like being in, where he's not comfortable, and make him work." Only time will tell if Evans can put that advice to good use.

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By now, you're sure to have read my "What's Next?" post, where I deduced that the logical next for opponent for Alexander Gustafsson would be the loser of Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans. Those of you with a solid intellect agreed with me. However, a fair amount of dissenters postured for a match up between "The Mauler" and Ryan Bader. It's not a terrible idea, but I still think I'm right and you're wrong. Several of you suggested Gustafsson be given a date with the legendary Mauricio Rua. This intrigues me much more than a showdown with Bader. If you were one of the Maniacs who suggested this, I'm giving you a gold star and several hundred "Mania Bucks," which are, of course, absolutely worthless everywhere that accepts anything. In the same post, I also argued for Brian Stann being paired up with the winner of Mark Munoz. Several of you were quick to go against the flow and offered Chris Weidman as a more suitable opponent. Sorry, I'm not buying that as a more intriguing fight than Stann vs. Munoz. You've failed to convince me. My pick stands. After the jump, we'll talk future match ups for rest of the winners from yesterdays (Sat., April 14, 2012) UFC on FUEL TV 2 main card in Stockholm, Sweden: Brad Pickett ran all over Damacio Page en route to a first round submission win. He's now 1-1 in the UFC, and has been on the giving and receiving end of a bad beating. I'd love to see "One Punch" get an opponent who is a step up from Page, but not quite on the level of Renan Barao (who was responsible for Pickett's only UFC loss). There are several interesting match ups, but I say give him Brian Bowles. The rap on Pickett is that he needs to prove he's worked on upgrading his takedown defense. Bowles will test that theory, for sure. Plus, there's simply no way that doesn't end up being a tough fight. Hook it up, Joe Silva. John Maguire is now 2-0 in the UFC and has won seven fights in a row. He's one of those guys who doesn't look like he should be as good as he is. He's not the prototypical athlete or fighter, but he gets the job done. "The One" has a great ground game, and he's becoming a true name to look out for in the welterweight division. He's only had two fights in the Octagon though, and it's too soon to feed him to the lions (or vice versa, if it turns out that way). How about Simeon Thoresen? "The Grin" earned himself a nice win on the same card as Maguire. They both have very good jiu-jitsu. They're two up-and-comers (as far as the UFC is concerned) who'd be battling it out for a chance to get a higher profile match up with a win. I like it. Dennis Siver did enough to earn himself a decision win over Diego Nunes in his debut at 145-pounds. He looked good. Honestly, Nunes looked good too, but Siver emerged as the victor. I'll tell you who I'd love to see him fight: Maximo Blanco. The two of those guys going at it, trying to land crazy spinning attacks and off the wall kicks, would be amazing. The problem is that Blanco is engaged in a fight this Saturday night when he takes on Marcus Brimmage at UFC 145. If Blanco wins, Siver vs. Blanco could make for a very exciting brawl, don't you agree? (That was a rhetorical question. Of course you do.) We've been hearing about Siyar Bahadurzada for a while now. "Siyar the Great" has now won seven in a row, and his first round shelling of Paulo Thiago put an exclamation point at on his UFC entrance. We don't know a ton about him, but we do know he's vulnerable to submissions and prefers to stand and trade. So, it makes sense to test him with a ground guy who'd prefer to grapple, right? Or, I could go totally in the opposite direction (which I'm going to) and suggest that he fight Diego Sanchez. Look. The welterweight division is full of monsters. You either match Bahadurzada up against one of the few relative no-names, or you lock him in the cage with one of the many killers. I opt for the latter. In my mind, Sanchez is perfect. If Bahadurzada can best "The Dream," he gets a very nice-sized notch in his belt and a crack at a top 10 guy afterwards. If he loses? Well, no one will fault him too much, unless he just goes in there and gets waxed. The only fly in this ointment may be that Sanchez discussed moving back to lightweight after his loss to Jake Ellenberger at UFC on FUEL TV. But, if presented with the right fight, I think he'd stick around at 170-pounds. Got any better ideas for match ups?

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Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) concluded its first weekend campaign in a whopping seven weeks, as UFC on FUEL TV 2: "Gustafsson vs. Silva" brought a card full of mixed martial arts (MMA) excitement to Stockholm, Sweden yesterday (Sat., April 14, 2012). The main event showcased a light heavyweight battle between two men, Alexander Gustafsson and Thiago Silva, who sought to move themselves one step closer to a title shot. For Gustafsson, a win would have given him five in a row and put him "in the mix," maybe needing just one win or two more victories to earn himself a championship bout. Silva was looking to make a successful return to the Octagon after being sat down for a year for using a masking agent to disguise an illegal substance in his urine. A win would show everyone that he was back and serious about making a run in the 205-pound division. A loss would put him in a dangerous position from a career perspective. No one one wants to be in the "two-going-on-three-losses" club in the UFC. It's just bad business. Unfortunately, only one man can be left standing and last night, it was Gustafsson who proved to be the better man. It will be interesting to see who matchmaker Joe Silva pairs him up with next, though UFC President Dana White has already stated that he'll get a top five opponent next. After the jump, we'll take a look at the entire list of fighters who emerged from UFC on FUEL TV 2 as the big winners and lowly losers: WINNERS: Alexander Gustafsson -- With a huge win over Thiago Silva, Gustafsson should be one or two fights away from a title shot now. As mentioned previously, he'll certainly get a top five guy in his next contest and he deserves to. He proved that he has some of the best striking and footwork in the light heavyweight division. He's going to be a force to be reckoned with for a long time to come. Brian Stann -- I love this guy, so if I'm biased, it's going to show. There's just not much to dislike about "All American." At UFC on FUEL TV 2, he absolutely devastated Alessio Sakara and made him sorry that he chose to stand and trade with him. He's been saying for a while now that his power is unsurpassed in the middleweight division. He may be right. Siyar Bahadurzada -- This guy is for real and he showed the whole world with a nasty first round knockout over Paulo Thiago. We'd heard a lot about him leading up to this fight, and he showed his "killer" reputation is well deserved. I can't wait to see what he does next! Francis Carmont -- The 185-pound Georges St. Pierre protege is still a bit "green," but he keeps improving and looked really good -- for the most part -- in his win over Magnus Cedenbland. He has a lot of little things to work on, but he's an up and comer in the middleweight division that everyone needs to be on the lookout for. James Head -- There's nothing like taking on the hometown hero in front of his friends and family and absolutely smashing him. You know who picked Head to win this one? Nobody, that's who. But MMA fights aren't won on paper. They're fought in the cage. I'm not ready to crown the guy a top contender, but it was a big win. Brad Pickett -- "One punch" demolished Damacio Page. Simple as that. He overwhelmed him. He took his best shot, and then he returned fire with a bevy of blistering punches and an eventual submission win. We've been expecting big things from Pickett for a while now. It looks he's starting to live up to the hype. Cyrille Diabate -- I'm not going to go crazy with compliments, but I have to give credit where it's due. Diabate has taken a lot of heat for his ground game in the past, and deservedly so. Last night, he appeared to have improved enough to at least handle himself on the canvas. Not only did he show decent submission defense, but he also made use of some wicked ground and proud. Good job. Dennis Siver vs. Diego Nunes -- I have a hard time really calling either of these guys a loser after a fight like this. For Siver, it was a great first fight at featherweight. For Nunes, it showed that he's still one of the toughest guys at 145-pounds, even though he lost. This was a war, and if you missed it, you need to find the video, ASAP. LOSERS: Papy Abedi -- After starting off his career at a very impressive 8-0, Abedi is now 0-2 in the UFC and has not looked great in either loss. It just shows how big a difference there is between the minors and big show. Two times he's fought in the UFC. Two times he's been the victim of a rear-naked choke. Abedi makes Frank Trigg look like an expert at defending the "RNC." He needs to take a few months off and work on his ground game and his cardio. Maybe it's all those cigars. Damacio Page -- This loss makes three in a row. It was a bad one, too. I remember the first time I saw Page. It was on an episode of "TapOut." "Mask" and "Skrape" and "Punkass" were doing what they could to make a real pro fighter out of him. He had a great story. I was rooting for him. I still am, but it may be the end of the UFC road for him. At least for now. DaMarques Johnson -- Johnson is just one of those guys who you never know what you're gonna get out of him. He might score a vicious KO. He might get schooled on the ground and get finished. He just seems to be a real enigma in the sport. He has a lot of pondering to do. Referee Robert Sundel -- I usually leave the officials alone in these posts, but Sundel really grinded my gears on Saturday. I felt like every time I saw him, he was telling fighters to "work" or standing them up from a completely active and viable position. I understand we don't want guys to "lay and pray" in the cage, but it seemed like he had zero patience for any kind of grappling, whatsoever. Here's the weird thing: Sundel actually used to (and may still) compete in MMA and jiu-jitsu. Apparently, he's a submission specialist and former jiu-jitsu champion. I don't get it. You'd think a guy with a background like that with have a better idea of what he was looking at, but he was way too anxious to break and stand fighters up from spots that I thought should have been left alone. Anyway, that's my laundry list of big time winners and the lowliest of losers. Did I leave anybody out? Feel free to make your well-though out corrections, additions and subtractions in the comment section below! For complete UFC on FUEL TV 2: "Gustafsson vs. Silva" results, including blow-by-blow details of all the action, click here.

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STOCKHOLM -- I don’t blame UFC president Dana White for feeling a little sick and tired of hearing about drugs and drug testing. Coming off what was supposed to be a break from UFC action, he must feel like he’s heard a lifetime’s worth of questions about what happens when grown men are made to pee into a cup. Maybe that’s why he was in no mood to even entertain the idea of UFC-mandated random drug testing following the UFC on FUEL TV 2 press conference here on Sunday morning, blasting the idea as wholly unrealistic."I have 375 fighters in every country all over the world," White fumed. "The battle that I have to get these guys to get their [expletive] bout agreements back and show up for press is un[expletive]believable. The fact that I have to make personal phone calls to tell guys to talk to the [expletive] press. Now I’m going to start making personal phone calls to go show up for random drug tests? The general public and the media need to grasp some [expletive] concept of reality, okay? The reality of us doing all the [expletive] things that we’re doing, when we already have the gold standard in drug testing, and then trying to chase 375 guys all over the world to randomly test them too? It’s impossible." Impossible? Not really. Difficult? Probably. Something the UFC shouldn’t be responsible for? Arguably. But if the past few months have taught us anything, it’s that something needs to change if we want to make a serious effort at cleaning up this sport, because excuses -- even valid ones -- aren’t going to get it done.As drug testing experts will tell you, the science of cheating often tends to be one step ahead of the science of catching cheaters. Steroids used to be way that MMA fighters got an unfair advantage. At least then the state athletic commissions stood a decent chance of nabbing them with fight week testing, since all it took was a slight miscalculation in the timing of steroid cycles. Now testosterone is the performance-enhancer of choice, in part because it’s hard to detect unless you do the right tests at the right time, which are rare in MMA. That’s why it’s tough to swallow when White claims that the UFC currently has "the gold standard in drug testing" for all of pro sports. As he pointed out this weekend, fighters are tested when they sign a Zuffa contract or show up to a fight. But because fighters know that, those are tests they can plan around. Especially with short-acting agents like testosterone, any test that isn’t a surprise to the testee is practically a waste of time. At the moment, MMA has very little of that kind of testing, which is a problem that needs fixing.There are exceptions, of course. The Nevada State Athletic Commission reminded us of the effectiveness of random testing when it popped Overeem for elevated testosterone levels in a surprise test just a couple weeks ago. It’s exactly that sort of testing that commissions should be doing more of, even if they also have very valid reasons for why they aren’t.As NSAC executive director Keith Kizer explained to me this past February, it’s not just a financial issue."To me, it’s not the funding so much as the lack of other resources. We’re just one state. We’re one state, in one country, so obviously we’re going to have less ability than a national or international agency," Kizer said. "...Tell me who’s going to be fighting on the [UFC] card here [in Las Vegas] on July 7. I don’t think even Dana [White] and [UFC matchmaker] Joe [Silva] can tell me that right now."Just like White, Kizer has a point. Not all states have equal access to funds or necessary information, and they don’t feel they have the kind of ongoing jurisdiction over every fighter in MMA to effectively pull off random, out-of-competition drug testing. That makes some sense.But then, what are we supposed to do? Just give up? Throw our hands in the air and say that the testing is as good as it’s ever going to get? I guess that’s one option, but then what do we tell guys like UFC middleweight Brian Stann, who just this week told me he was glad to see the MMA media spotlighting the issue of performance-enhancing drugs in MMA."It’s frustrating for guys like me who are trying to do it completely clean when you know that there are guys out there cheating and finding a way to get away with it," Stann said. "To have your hopes and dreams stolen by someone who cheated, it’s not cool. And so what, even if they get caught afterwards, if you got knocked out by them? Every knockout in this sport knocks down your career another level, as far as how much more you can take. Fighters have mileage on us."If that doesn’t make you think twice about the importance of effective drug testing, it should. To the fighter who’s putting his brain and his dreams on the line when he steps into the cage, the argument that drug testing is just too difficult or too time-consuming doesn’t mean much. If we want guys like Stann to stay clean, don’t we owe it to them to crack down on the guys who aren’t? How do we look him in the eye and tell him that more could be done to keep him from getting hit in the head by an unfairly enhanced opponent, but man, it would really be inconvenient for us?To the UFC’s credit, it does more on this issue than any other promoter. It’s also the sport’s leader and standard-bearer, so that’s to be expected. White was right when he pointed out that there’s a reason no other promoter has been able to successfully do what he does."You know why?" he said. "Because this job is insane. It’s [expletive] crazy. I was standing in Las Vegas ten hours a guy filming a [expletive] TV show, and now I’m sitting here. And I’m going to randomly drug test 375 guys around the world. You know where I’m going in a few hours? To Abu Dhabi. Then I go back and film ‘The Ultimate Fighter,’ then I go to Atlanta, Miami, and I’m in Rio de Janeiro for three hours, then back to Las Vegas where I’ll film ‘The Ultimate Fighter’ again. And in between there somewhere I’m going to randomly drug test 375 [fighters]."The answer is no, he’s not, and I don’t think anyone is suggesting that he personally take that on himself, just like he doesn’t personally ensure that the Octagon is properly assembled for each event. White doesn’t have to convince any of us that he’s got a full schedule. We’ve all seen it in action. If I tried to run at the pace he does, I’d have died of a heart attack or complications from jet lag a long time ago. Then again, the old ‘Hey, I’m busy’ defense doesn’t fly with an issue as important as this one.For the record, I don’t think the UFC should be the one to administer random drug tests. For the same reasons that Marc Ratner is right to want to get out of the self-regulation racket, the UFC shouldn’t be responsible for being its own PED watchdog. That’s not fair to the fighters or to the UFC.But it’s clear that the athletic commission testing -- which ranges from pretty good in some states to might as well not even bother in many others -- isn’t enough. The UFC must realize that on some level. Otherwise, why would it do any of its own testing? Why wouldn’t it leave it entirely up to the commissions?The UFC has done a lot to address this issue -- more than it is legally required to, in fact. That doesn’t mean there isn’t still a lot of room for necessary improvement. I think we all understand that it’s difficult (though not impossible). We all understand that there are several good reasons why it isn’t happening right now. But who said it was supposed to be easy? Either this matters to us or it doesn’t. And if it matters, then we should find a way to do it, even when it’s hard.

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Link to tweet For those who don't know, Front Row Brian is basically the guy who tells you the ending to movies before you go and see them. He has a high rate of "prediction" and is usually the guy who breaks news before any other MMA "journalists". submitted by thelegendmanbearpig [link] [1 comment]

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STOCKHOLM -- A thesis, if you will, about Brian Stann: the man is too remarkable for his own good. I realize how that sounds. Here we go, the lazy intro to another fawning sports writer piece, but I actually mean it. After sitting down to a weight-cutting dinner (water with lemon) with the Marine war hero and UFC middleweight at the Clarion Hotel on Thursday night, I think his own extraordinariness might be an actual, genuine problem. It’s not a problem for him so much as for us, who in turn make it a problem for him because we can’t understand how any human being could really be like this. Again, I realize how that sounds, but just stay with me for a second. To understand the phenomenon that I’m referring to, first you have to understand how Stann unintentionally people feel bad about themselves. Example: before our gourmet weight-cutting meal, I get a chance to listen on Stann doing a typical pre-fight phone interview. If you’re a sportswriter, I don’t recommend this experience, if only because it reminds you how many times you’ve been on the other end of the line, asking the same inane questions that the interviewer before you just asked. But Stann is a good sport, and at one point he goes off about all the praise he received for his turn as a commentator at the last UFC on FOX event, calling his turn as a talking head one of the easiest jobs he’s ever had, "if you can even call it a job."Does he realize how this sounds, I ask him later. Does he realize what someone who’s currently in broadcasting school or pursuing a career doing just that sort of non-job might feel if they heard him -- a guy who stepped up, grabbed a headset, and nailed out so effortlessly on network television -- talking about it that way?"Well, now I feel bad," he says with a sheepish grin, which in turn only makes me feel bad for having made him feel bad. Later on, in an attempt to explain what it’s like to walk out in front of thousands of screaming fans, he’ll tell me that he sometimes gets moments of "weird perspective, where I think, man, what am I doing with my life? I’m fist-fighting for a living."Which, of course, makes me wonder what I’m doing with my life. I’m writing about guys who fist-fight for a living. I could mention to him here that now he’s made me feel bad, but then he’d just flash that sheepish grin again, at which point I’d feel even worse. You can’t win with this guy.That’s the whole problem. Unless you’re a good-looking heart surgeon reading this article on your way to deliver free toys to orphans before tomorrow’s triathlon, there’s a very good chance that Brian Stann is better than you. He’s a successful UFC fighter and commentator, a Marine officer and Silver Star recipient, a former linebacker for the Naval Academy, and on top of all that he’s not even a jerk. He’s actually a really articulate, warm, nice dude, which paradoxically makes it easier to hate him.I think this has something to do with our concepts of greatness and celebrity. We expect famous people who are really, really good at something to be really, really bad at something else. Whether that something is marriage or sobriety or money management, we like our heroes flawed, perhaps because it makes us feel like the playing field is still somehow even. If you’re good at too many things, we suspect that you must be hiding some terrible secret. And if you aren’t hiding a terrible secret, well, then we just hate you.Stann is used to this, as it turns out. As a captain of his high school football team, he admits, he wasn’t the most popular guy on the team. He took things too seriously. He yelled at guys on the sidelines when he heard them talking about where they wanted to drink beer after the game. It was like having another coach around, but one who could legally hit you if you made him angry.After high school, Stann decided to seek out others who were as serious as he was. He attended the Naval Academy, where he thought everyone would be strictly business, but even there his peers thought he was a little too intense."So I went to the place where intense people who take things very seriously are welcome: the Marine Corps," he says. "I mean, the Army calls us extremists."Being an officer in the Marines, first with seventy people and later with 140 people under his command, was, Stann says, "the coolest job in the world." Now that he’s a full-time fighter, though, people seem to only want to hear about the terrible parts, the bloody parts. They want to hear about the firefight on the bridge in Iraq. They want the same story he’s told to others, but they want him to tell it again, just like he told it before, this time for their website, their newspaper. For a guy who lived it, you can see how this would get old."I don’t know if it cheapens it, but it makes it difficult to talk about," he says. "I’ve told [manager] Robert [Roveta], I’m done going into specifics about it. When people ask me, ‘Hey, tell me about the time on the bridge...’, you know, no. I don’t want to talk about it. Those are painful memories, stuff I lose sleep over. It’s not something I thump my chest about. War sucks. Nobody likes it. No warrior who’s been in real combat wishes that the country would go to war. They don’t. They want to see things end."Still, it was his time in the military and the things he saw while at war that, at least in part, made him who he is today. When he tells a story about when he considered retiring from fighting in order to get started on "whatever’s going to be my long-term career," I mention that he seems to have a level of self-awareness that’s uncommon among fighters, or even people in general."When you’ve been around a lot of death, it gives you that perspective, unfortunately," he says.And here we are again. Me feeling bad. Him seeming like some sort of superior being, sent to earth to teach us all a lesson.He’s not, of course. I know that. The people who hate on him in internet comments sections probably know it too. At least I hope they do. I hope they know that, just because Stann’s remarkable life makes them feel bad about their own, it’s not his fault. He’s just a guy who takes things too seriously sometimes. He’s a guy who, from the outside, seems too perfect. And isn’t that a flaw, if you really need him to have one? Isn’t that enough of a problem to allow you to root for him?

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When the UFC first announced their intentions to hold an event in Sweden, Alexander Gustafsson was preparing to face Vladimir Matyushenko at UFC 141. Though he was focused on “The Janitor,” the opportunity to compete in front of his family and friends in Stockholm had certainly crossed his mind.He described the potential opportunity as “a dream come true” back in December. After earning a first-round stoppage victory over Matyushenko to extend his winning streak to four, Gustafsson’s dream is about to come true as the talented striker is set to headline this weekend’s UFC on FUEL TV event.All the elements are there to make this the most pressure-packed fight of the 25-year-old prospect’s career.The local light heavyweight stands as the star of the show, and the most accomplished and recognizable name on the highly European lineup. Originally matched up with veteran Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, Gustafsson was thrown a curveball midway through his training camp, as the man known as “Little Nog” was forced out of the bout, and replaced by the returning Thiago Silva.In addition to fighting at home for the time in almost three years, many people view this as Gustafsson’s chance step into the spotlight, and show why whispers that he might one day be a potential threat to light heavyweight champion Jon Jones have been growing louder with each subsequent victory he collects in the cage.That combination of factors could easily leave Gustafsson feeling like he’s under the gun as he gets set to step into the cage at the Ericsson Globe Arena on Saturday night. Unfortunately for Silva, the only thing the talented Swedish contender is feeling is excitement.“I’m really excited for it,” says Gustafsson. “I couldn’t believe it just a few months ago, so I’m very excited for it. It’s going to be great. It’s a huge thing for Swedish MMA, for the future, so I can’t wait. It’s going to be awesome.“I don’t feel any pressure at all. I’m just doing what I love to do, and I’m just enjoying every day. This is what I love to do, but it’s just another fight for me. Of course, it’s in my hometown, and it’s a dream come true for me, but at the end, it’s just a fight like every other fight.”Gustafsson knows that opportunities will come for him in time provided he keeps winning, and instead of focusing on where a victory in this fight will lead him, he’s more interested on the impact the UFC’s arrival in his homeland will have on the sport moving forward.“I see myself as a top 10 guy, and I want to fight the best guys in the division, but like I’ve said before, it’s just one fight at a time. I don’t have any hurry. I just have to win my fights; that’s the most important for me.“The sport is getting big in Sweden,” he continues. “There’s so much talent from the young guys, and this will be progress in the right direction. More gyms are going to pop up now, and in the near future, you’re not going to have to fly overseas (to train), so it’s on the right path.”Making the journey across the Atlantic is something Gustafsson has been doing regularly since he suffered the only loss of his career to Phil Davis at UFC 112.The former Division I National champion used his tremendous wrestling advantage to control Gustafsson on the ground, eventually forcing the lanky striker known as “The Mauler” to tap to an anaconda choke late in the first round. Looking to improve his abilities on the mat and continue to evolve his training, Gustafsson turned to the man who had just beaten him and the team at Alliance MMA for help.“Right after that fight, I talked to his coaches, and we invited Alex out — so did Phil — and we knew he’d be an asset to have as part of the team,” explains Eric Del Fierro, the head coach of the San Diego-based team that includes Davis, Brandon Vera, and UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz. “You could tell he had good rhythm in his striking, but a lot of these guys from Europe are missing the wrestling component that you need, so we invited him out.“His boxing coach Andreas (Michael) called me up and said, ‘We’d like to come out and possibly do a camp with you guys.’ They came out for Cyrille Diabate, and he did a full camp with us, which was about nine weeks, and we just worked on his weaknesses, and gave him a bit of a different look at the fight game.”The improvements were noticeable right away, as Gustfasson controlled the French veteran throughout the contest, finishing him in the second round by rear naked choke, and he’s continued to look more impressive in each successive outing.“It’s astonishing that he’s in there finishing all of his opponents and still flying under the radar, which is good for him,” says Del Fierro of Gustafsson, who has finished all five of his wins inside the Octagon, and 12 of the 13 fights he’s won overall. “I told him to enjoy it because you’re only going to be there for so long. The spotlight is going to be on you, and you’re going to have to rise and shine with that spotlight.”Saturday’s main event meeting with Silva stands as the opportunity Del Fierro speaks of.Silva, an American Top Team product with lethal striking and an underrated submission game that isn’t often utilized, has lost just twice in his career, both coming to former light heavyweight champions — Lyoto Machida at UFC 94, and Rashad Evans just under a year later at UFC 108. The 29-year-old Brazilian is returning following a one-year suspension resulting from his use of a banned substance before his UFC 125 bout with Gustafsson’s Alliance teammate Brandon Vera.Though he’s quick to give Silva credit for his accomplishments in the cage, Gustafsson admits he’s less than impressed with his opponent’s actions and attitude in his bout with Vera.“I think he’s a great fighter, no disrespect. He’s a really great fighter, and he’s beaten some tough guys, but as a sportsman, I don’t think he behaves too good. His lack of respect for his opponents and stuff, that just motivates me even more, and makes me want to fight him even more. I’ve wanted to fight him for a long time now, and I’m glad I finally get the chance.”Del Fierro is excited for the matchup as well, as he believes it will be a great opportunity to see where Gustafsson stands in the deep and talented light heavyweight division.“Thiago is a stern test; he’s a tough guy, he always brings the fight, and never goes backwards, so we’ll see how Alex deals with it.”Talk of Gustafsson being a potential challenger and threat to UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones started to get louder following his win over Matyushenko back in December. Having rattled off four consecutive victories, and dispatched a pair of durable UFC veterans in back-to-back outings, it’s understandable for people to view the 25-year-old Swede as a future championship contender in the 205-pound division.It’s a feeling Del Fierro shares, even if he doesn’t say those words exactly.“He’s literally a kid, and he’s a kid that enjoys training. He never shows up just hating his life; he loves every moment of it. He’s a phenomenal athlete, and his boxing coach, Andreas Michael, I can’t say enough about him; the guy is awesome. Together, I think we were able to give Alex a better understanding of striking for MMA —not necessarily just boxing — and the kid just has fun.“He goes in there, and enjoys going in there and implementing these new weapons. We helped him out with his kickboxing, and his wrestling and jiu-jitsu games, and he’s doing great. I’ve (worked with) him for about two years, and we’ve seen leaps and bounds in his striking, and his kickboxing, and his abilities to use knees in the clinch, and his offensive and defensive wrestling.“His jiu-jitsu game has evolved a lot around his body type, and showing him how to use his own leverage instead of the basic understanding of jiu-jitsu, and the kid’s doing great. I don’t think he’s even at fifty percent of his potential.”Gustafsson sums up his potential a little more succinctly. “For me, the last couple of years have been great. I’ve been taking the sport seriously; it’s been more like a job, not just a hobby. I train harder, I know where I train, and there is more thinking behind the training.“I’ve got my whole club in Stockholm where I’m based, and my head coach, Andreas Michael, is with me 24-7. He’s helped me a lot with everything, and with Coach Eric’s help and everyone at Alliance, it’s been a lot of progress. I’m still just young in the business, and I can be so much better, and I will be. I just want to learn and progress every day.“When it comes to how good I can be, the sky is the limit.”

Posted in: ufc, fight, guy, ’t, gustafsson

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"He could be number one. It's very possible. Barnett, not having him in the UFC is a huge disservice to MMA fans. He was great back then (in his first stint with the UFC). He beat Randy (Couture), back in the day. He's just very seasoned. One of the most seasoned guys in the heavyweight division. When you look at quality of opponents, there's really no one that's fought the type of guys that he's fought, that's at the top right now. You know, there's very talented guys, like dos Santos and Overeem, but when it comes to fighting the best MMA fighters and fighting the best heavyweight guys in the world, Josh, he's right up there with everyone, with all the elites. So, I think it's imperative that get in the UFC. I hope him and Dana become buddies. They just need one night of drinking together." -- That's what Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) color commentator Joe Rogan had to say during an appearance on HDNet's "Inside MMA" this evening (April 9, 2012). According to Rogan, Barnett -- who fights next versus Daniel Cormier for the Strikeforce heavyweight gran prix championship at Strikeforce: "Barnett vs. Cormier" in San Jose, Calif., on May 19, 2012 -- should be considered one of the top five heavyweights in the world of mixed martial arts (MMA). If he were to defeat Cormier, it seems as though his return to the Octagon would be a no-brainer. That's assuming "The Warmaster" is able to play nice with UFC President Dana White. As we've seen recently with the Alistair Overeem fiasco, it certainly never hurts to have a surplus of talented heavyweights in the UFC.

Posted in: ufc, mma, guy, heavyweight, mma fans

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The title means something, what it is I'm not exactly sure So I sat down last night/this morning around 1am to watch the new JCVD/Cung Le movie "Dragon Eyes". To say it's bad would be an understatement. I took notes while watching it. Spoiler Alert! JCVD looks like he has on Malcom X glasses, see poster above. Gilbert Melendez speaks Spanish but sounds like a teenager. Gil looks so stupid with his giant wannabe cholo jacket. Cung le was dubbed over with a white mans voice. Cung looks old as fuck, at least 400 years old. During a gang fight scene he beats Gils ass with another mans legs. Then Gil gets punched by other guy. Randomly transitions from past and present, or i think its the past. JCVD is his spiritual mentor in prison and the have a huge cell. Mister V aka Robo Cop aka Peter Weller looks like a 20's gangster. Cung Le uses rake to fight gang members Pretty good fight scenes for a $500 movie Best part of movie is two crackheads who fight a "ninja" after getting high. Robo Cop plays Russian roulette with a guys dick, suck on that Arlovski Hendo plays a dirty cop who beats the shit out of cung le, but it takes like 2-3 minutes of solid one sided beating to finally knock him out. A fat Trevor Prangley plays a Russian Gangster called Lord Devil Dog. Rich Clementi apparently plays one of his henchmen but I never spotted him. Hope I didn't ruin it with spoilers, not that you are going to watch this living aborted fetus. Anyways I was too high to figure out the plot other than Cung Le is the "good" guy. I give this 3 out of 10 thumbs up just for some decent acting by Peter Weller. Random Pics after the Jump! read more

Posted in: fight, guy, cung, cop, movie

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I've never snapped anyone's limb before, and frankly I don't know how I would personally react to snapping someone's limb, so I'm not going to judge, but this is one of the most awkward and gentle kimura arm snaps I've ever seen. This guy has his arm violently snap in the very wrong direction and he just immediately accepts it. No one would blame you if you screamed in pain or grimaced in this moment, your arm is dangling, we get it. But this guy just looks at it and kind of sighs. The guy who did the breaking seems more freaked out by the whole situation. Look at this. Notice the gentle grab of the wrist at :16. Sportsmanship. [Source]

Posted in: guy, arm, i dont, anyones limb, kimura arm

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Just kidding...Ben Askren doesn't finish. Guy has now gone 24 rounds without a finish. Someone on Twitter referred to his top game as "dirty grappling". Is this guy the most boring MMA champion ever? submitted by MattyBlayze [link] [7 comments]

Posted in: guy, mma champion, gif spoilers, quotdirty grapplingquot, bellator askrenlima

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I don't think that we need to bother with the back story here, but if you haven't heard yet, news broke yesterday that Alistair Overeem has failed a random drug test, and will almost surely be refused a license to fight at UFC 146 by the Nevada State Athletic Commission. This is what the staff had to say about it: Chris Hall:This is the perfect chance for another group discussion. What is your immediate reaction to the news? What should the UFC do with AO moving forward? And who should replace him and why? Elliot Matheny: Frank Mir is the obvious choice here. As much play as Mark Hunt is getting lately, this is a guy who has only had his shit together for a year now; his wins are over, at best, pretty mid- tier heavyweights. Mir is riding a 3 fight win streak over much better competition. I can't help but think that Alistair must have been caught with his pants down by the drug tests at the press conference. I suspect that he's perfected a cycling routine, where his levels will be at a normal level by fight time, and getting tested so far in advance must have caught him before he was able to bring his T levels down. I'm not morally incensed by the fact that Reem was using, and don't see any reason to cut him. Going forward, they just need to be clear that he can't get caught again. Patrick Wyman: My immediate reaction to this awful, terrible, life-alteringly bad yet not entirely unexpected news is disappointment. As soon as I heard of the drug test after the UFC 146 presser, I felt sure that there would be trouble ahead - seriously, these guys are heavyweights, and human beings generally aren't supposed to look like that - and this confirms it.Aside from appearance (and some will certainly argue that's enough), the fact that Overeem was able to pile on so much muscle over the last six or seven years should have made us suspicious, though perhaps not for the obvious reason. While it's entirely possible to get that much bigger and stronger (roughly thirty pounds, since he used to cut from about 230) if one focuses solely on weight training and eats a specialized diet suited to that purpose, it isn't possible to invest that much effort in a strength program while also making incredible improvements to a skill set, which Overeem did with his kickboxing. The body simply can't handle that much training, but I'd argue that's the real benefit performance-enhancing drugs offer: they aren't magic pills that automatically make you huge and strong, but allow they allow you to work much harder than any human being should. That's what makes Overeem so compelling: while he certainly has some flaws in his kickboxing, I don't think there's any question that his standup is world-class. In a division so heavily populated with grapplers trying to strike (even Cain Velasquez falls into this category), he brings something unique: explosive, powerful, and highly technical Muay Thai. The matchup with JDS - the only other pure striker with enough grappling acumen to keep it on the feet - was the most compelling the heavyweight division has seen in years. It felt like a real heavyweight title fight. Now it's almost certainly gone, and I'm highly disappointed. Where to go from here? Frank MIr is the most logical replacement, but he presents an entirely uninteresting matchup: his wrestling isn't good enough to get JDS to the ground, and there's no way he's capable of standing with him given his serious defensive issues, most notably his lack of head movement and tendency to keep his back to the cage. I'd much rather see Dan Henderson or even Mark Hunt get the shot; they at least present interesting matchups. As for Overeem, I'm sure he'll have to forfeit some pay from the Lesnar fight, accept a suspension, and then I'd imagine we'll see him back in the UFC when it's up. Pragmatically speaking, the market for top-flight heavyweights is too thin to go cutting a guy like Overeem over a positive test. Chris Hall: Mir is easily the most obvious choice. I totally agree with that. But I don't think he's the best choice by any means. His striking defense has been exposed numerous times and to put him against JDS on short notice is setting him up to fail. I feel exactly the same about Cain. I think they can both provide difficult fights against Dos Santos, but I don't think it helps either by cutting their training camp and strategy short.Hunt is the only one amongst the top tier who is available and has the striking acumen to compete with JDS on short notice. I think it's very odd that Dan Henderson keeps getting brought up into this conversation. Despite his victory over Fedor, there's absolutely no reason for the UFC to give Hendo a HW title shot. Cory Braiterman: The fact that Overeem was able to pile on so much muscle over the last six or seven years should have made us suspicious. Come on now, it's been widely speculated that Overeem has been using PEDs for years. I almost want to say that it's too late to just re-book a match for 146, but we ARE 7 weeks out. I would assume Mir gets the opportunity, since it doesn't make all that much sense for Cain to get an immediate rematch after getting KO'd in 1. I think it makes almost no sense to give it to Hendo, but my pants sure do get tight at the thought. Elliot Matheny: I disagree that Mir is an uninteresting matchup for Junior. Mir has only been beat up, standing, by Vera (in a time when everyone generally agrees that he hadn't fully recovered from that motorcycle accident), and by Nog in their rematch.Junior would rightfully be the favorite, but I think Mir presents an actual submission threat, which is much more substantial than the possibility of Mark Hunt or Dan Henderson beating Cigano to the punch. Cory Braiterman: He got stankylegged by nog with a jab and crushed by Carwin up against the fence standing. I think JDS obliterates him and would consider emptying my bank acct on Jr at anything better than -300. Elliot Matheny: I agree that Junior would likely starch Frank, but I'm a big proponent of MMA as a meritocracy. Mir deserves it more than anyone else, is a fresh matchup, and has a better chance of subbing Junior than someone like Mark Hunt has of besting Cigano on the feet. Cory Braiterman: Oh I agree on the merit point, 3 in a row, 4 out of 5, former champ, arguably the best submission HW in the history of the sport. I'm just saying I wouldn't be surprised if this gets pulled from 146 completely either. Jack Slack: Firstly, I barely care for the news that Overeem is in trouble over PEDs from an emotional standpoint, only from the viewpoint that we are losing the most entertaining prospective UFC HW match up ever. Every sensible fan had already acknowledged the likelihood of him using PEDs, along with the majority of other fighters. I was once told by a former coach of an ex-UFC LHW champion that almost every professional fighter is cycling PEDs to aid in the recovery from the sheer amount of work that they do. Until more money is spent on testing than is spent on the science of cycling, it's safer to just assume that everyone is cycling and to not get too upset about it.Heavyweight title picture? Frank Mir still hasn't done enough to justify a title shot - he beat some severely decayed old fighters, and a couple of one dimensional journeymen - which we already knew he could do, but he hasn't faced another competent wrestler - the guys who generally pound him out on his back while he is gassing, attempting a submission. From a stylistic standpoint I also can't see a man who got rocked by Big Nog (who is famously slow and pillowfisted) doing well against the premier puncher in the division. Hunt has just as weak a case, he crushed Kongo for sure, but even the UFC brass believe that Kongo isn't much - they just build him up against terrible fighters to lose to the guys they want to sell as hot prospects. That said, he'd stand a much better chance against JDS than Mir does. In addition to the still formidable chin, he has some heavy hands and great technique. Could ask Cain to step in at short notice, and get another truckload of excuses about being unprepared when his mediocre striking defense gets him knocked out. I'd honestly like to see a wild card come in - Josh Barnett or Bigfoot Silva. Both those guys could give JDS all kinds of trouble by dogging him for the takedown, as Carwin and Cain completely failed to do. Even give Werdum a rematch - he only lost last time due to overconfidence in his stand up. If he got on top of JDS I'm fairly sure he'd submit him. At any rate, the rest of this event should still be entertaining as hell. It's just ruined the main match up. Earl Montclair: So as far as the Overeem positive test is concerned, I see it as an absolute blessing. He was going to pop dirty at dome point so it is best that it happened now. I think Frank Mir had the best case for a title shot and will receive it in the next week or so. The Mark Hunt thing is fun but there is no reason that he should get one under any circumstance. I know it sounds absurd but I really wish Dan Henderson would get it. He KO'd Fedor @ HW and lets face it, Dan is old. With the MW belt tied up and 205 being ruled by Bones this might be Dan's only shot at a belt in the next year and I say give to the man. He presents a very interesting stylistic matchup for JDS and he has never been more popular as he is after the FOTY with Shogun. Dana can just say the man needs a crack at a belt and what a man Hendo is for going up in weight to get it. Luke Nelson: I'll get to Overeem in a moment but first I wanted to talk about the replacement options. So far the consensus seems to be that Frank Mir is the best option, but nobody is particularly excited about it.I think it highlights the fact that the heavyweight division is still a weak division, despite the talk about UFC 146 being the best heavyweight card in history. It wasn't before Overeem popped and it certainly isn't now. In fact, if JDS gets pulled from the card, it looks pretty weak. Could you imagine this happening in the same situation in any other division? If 10 of the top fighters in any other UFC division squared off on one main card and the title challenger got hurt or busted for PEDs, the card would be just as exciting. Even the light heavyweight division, which has been plagued for two years by injuries to the number one contender, has been able to give us exciting match-ups for their champion and has Dan Henderson available should Evans not be able to go.The division is old and the guys who are at the top of the contender list without Overeem being around are Mir and Mark Hunt, who as Jack pointed out have beaten fairly weak opposition to get themselves to where they are.At this point I think the most intriguing match up at heavyweight for JDS is Jon Jones, and I wouldn't be surprised to see this fight happen early next year. Jones will have to stop Evans and Hendo and maybe Gustafsson and if you give him four months between fights he'll be finished with them by the end of this year. Dos Santos will simply destroy Mir (if he indeed gets the shot) and now I could imagine JDS facing the winner of the SF grand prix right away later this year. If he and Jones are still champions by the end of 2012, I think that fight will be what everyone wants to see.As for Overeem, the only thing that is surprising and disappointing to me is the fact that he was busted for plain old elevated testosterone. I thought there was a real possibility that he could have been on some next level, undetectable shit. There were whispers of intriguing sounding medical procedures, things like "experimental gene therapy", (or EGT, if you are a cool guy). Now it appears as though he's just a regular old test cycler and not even a good one at that.The Reem documentary is (or was) a great public relations vehicle. It revealed Overeem to be a well spoken and kind hearted guy, a stark juxtaposition to the savage and artificially enhanced monster that he had turned himself into. And really, who could blame him? He was getting his lights shut off on a regular basis in Pride, an organization chalk full of drug abusers. In fact, he fits the Barry Bonds profile perfectly: Super talented young guy doing what he can naturally, getting surpassed (and at times knocked out) by those who have enhanced themselves. So in a way I say, good for you Alistair, go get yours. But don't get caught. Okay we've all said our piece, now lets hear from you guys. What is your reaction to this news?

Posted in: overeem, guy, mir, year, jd

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From the not so luxurious accommodations in South Florida, to the familiar comfort of Canada, Miguel Torres has been dividing his training between two elite camps. After spending several weeks with the Blackzilians, he is now at the Tristar gym, training with Firas Zahabi, Rick Hawn and many other MMA specialists. I recently caught up with Miguel, and got his thoughts on his upcoming bout with Michael McDonald at UFC 145, and what it's like to be crammed into a one bed hotel room with three other guys. Stephie Daniels: You mentioned Rick Hawn is at Tristar right now. Are you actively training with him, and incorporating some judo into your game? Miguel Torres: I'm incorporating everything. I've been working on my wrestling for the last two years. Ever since I came to Tristar, I've been making wrestling the one thing that I train every day. I'm not a true wrestler at heart, but I do train like one. There's a lot of things that don't come naturally to me, so I've had to immerse myself in wrestling. Along with wrestling, you kind of have to incorporate some judo. I just watched Rick knock somebody out seven or eight days ago, and he's already in the gym training. He's fighting in three or four weeks, and he's already been here for four days already. He's a beast. He's one of the guys that I look up to. He's a great role model. Stephie Daniels: Do you feel that you'll be McDonald's toughest challenge? Miguel Torres: 100% yes. He's a great fighter. I'm not putting anything past him. I've studied his fights. He's a good counter striker, but he hasn't fought anybody super tough yet, and I'm going to be his biggest challenge to date. He's a good person, and I have nothing negative to say about him. Stephie Daniels: Although the surrounding set of circumstances were different, you were recently in a similar situation as Mo Lawal, regarding public tweets. What are your thoughts on that whole affair, and do you have any advice for him? Miguel Torres: I don't know. Our situations are a little bit different. I like King Mo a lot. He's one of those guys that I always watch when he fights, and there's very few that I always watch. It was messed up, what happened. The situation he got stuck in, and how it went down was bad. When I got put in that situation, I manned up. I know I made a mistake, and I owned up to it. I tried to rectify it as much as possible, and learn from it and grow. I would say he'd probably need to do the same thing. He has to own up to it, and rectify it. It's a step in the right direction. If he's true to that, and he sticks to it, then good things are going to come to him. Stephie Daniels: Are you excited to be fighting in Atlanta, or does the locale not really make a difference? Miguel Torres: I'd fight in a hallway, an alley, the back of a little bar. For me, it doesn't matter. The place I fight in is just a name. For me, the only place I'm fighting in, is the octagon. I don't get to take in any scenery. I get there, I'm stuck in a hotel or a gym. I'm a little upset, and I'm cutting weight. I'm hungry and thirsty, and I'm looking to kick someone's ass. There's nothing fun about that whole situation until after the fight, and even then, it's a blur. What you guys get to enjoy, when you go to a fight, I don't get to enjoy, so for me, it's just the octagon. Stephie Daniels: What do you get that's different from the two camps you've chosen to train with? Miguel Torres: To me, the two camps are very similar. The biggest difference in the Blackzilians and Tristar is just the training partners. With the Blackzilians, I have a ton of guys that are huge. I've got Marcus Aurelio, JZ, a ton of great coaches, great workouts. Mike Van Arsdale, Tyron Spong, Mario Sperry is there...there's just a ton of great pros. For me, the big difference is the amount of training partners I have. There are like 30 guys here at Tristar that are my size that I get to train with on a daily basis. Most of those guys are pros. They're in Bellator, Strikeforce or the UFC. For me, both are great places to train. Stephie Daniels: Talk a little about being in full training mode, and your state of mind as your camp starts winding down. Miguel Torres: I don't feel like I've hit my prime yet. I'm working with so many different guys. I'm picking up things from here and there. I'm only 31. I'm still young. My body has been holding up well. I've been training a lot smarter than the way I used to. I feel like I've gotten a second chance at life. I have no stress. Before the last two or three years, I had a ton of stress from my gym, but now I have my sister helping me out. She's doing a great job. I'm in a real good place right now. Stephie Daniels: What are your thoughts on Faber and Cruz, and have you watched any of this season's TUF? Miguel Torres: I haven't been able to catch it because I'm here in Canada. I did catch a couple of the fights online though. They're both great fighters, so they've got to be great coaches. I think their fight is going to be a good one. I think if Dominick is healthy, he might have Urijah's number. I think he has the riddle of a shorter wrestler solved. Me fighting either one of those guys would be a great fight, but eventually, down the road, I think I'll end up fighting both of them. Stephie Daniels: Sharing your very modest lodgings in Florida with three other athletes had to lead to some comedic moments. Van you relate one of your funnier moments? Miguel Torres: You've got 4 dudes staying in one room. Clothes, shin pads, training gear, cups, food and garbage and haircuts...after like two or three days, we realized it was the biggest mistake ever. We had three and a half weeks like that. The funniest thing for me, was we'd get back from training. We'd be gone for eight or ten hours, and we'd get back from the gym, and the door to the room has been closed the whole time, so we'd have to open the door to air it out. We'd open the windows and open the door. People were calling to complain that there was a smell in the hallway. The security guard came up, and he was only in the room for five seconds before wanting to know what was going on in there. He was actually a fan, and talked to us for about 15 minutes, but the whole time, he was holding his nose, so that was kinda of funny. Stephie Daniels: In the course of that three and a half weeks, did you ever get used to the smell? Miguel Torres: You get used to it, but then again, you never really get used to that smell. It's like when you're using the bathroom after you ate something bad. It's your smell, but it's still a little disturbing. It's still a little off putting. Now imagine that, and you have three guys next to you, with no walls. There were other guys in the hotel, that lucked out and got their own rooms, they would stop by our room, because we're the cool guys [laughs], and the look on their face, from the beginning through about 15 minutes, was utter disgust. He'd be sitting there, with this look on his face, and I'd say, 'Well why don't you just invite us to your room. You're being a real jerk', but he didn't want to attract the smell to his room. Stephie Daniels: Make a prediction for your fight, and what round you think it will end in. Miguel Torres: I think the first round is going to start off very, very explosive. I know he's a great counter puncher, and the way you beat a counter striker is with pressure, so I think we're going to bang it out the first round. I think the second round is where it's going to end. Follow Miguel via his Twitter account @MiguelTorresMMA

Posted in: guy, torre, miguel, he, im

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If any of you guys see Overeem finally descend to earth from whatever space ship he's rocking in 2012, tell him to accept my friend's request on Xbox Live. I'm not going to bother him, nor do I want to teach him the intricacies of using armor-lock in Halo: Reach. Not at all. I just want to congratulate the guy on a rather successful K-1 Grand-Prix run, give him props on his DREAM heavyweight title, and ask him how it felt to essentially 'uberknee' Brock Lesnar back into the WWE. That's it. Unlike you guys, my bromance only extends only to Masakazu Imanari -- The Reem will have to wait to get my heterosexual appreciation. Now that Ubereem has effectively cleaned up combat sports by doing the impossible in 2010-2012 (with the exception of getting the UFC heavyweight title which will be determined at UFC 146), he has now transcended to the land of over-the-top sumo wrestling tournaments. I don't want to spoil it for you -- but Alistair Overeem is basically incapable of losing any competition that involves topless men. Check out the full tournament below.

Posted in: overeem, guy, alistair overeem, combat sports, wwe thats

Read the full article at Middle Easy

It's a small word after all. At least for Daniel Cormier, who faces what is undoubtedly the biggest test of his young mixed martial arts (MMA) career on May 19, 2012, when he tries to eliminate Josh Barnett in the final round of the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix Tournament from the HP Pavilion in San Jose, California. Despite his perfect record inside the cage, "DC" is constantly forced to defend his decision to mix it up in the land of giants, as he stands just a shade under six feet tall. Part of that decision comes from a horrific weight cut that not only cost him an Olympic wrestling bid, but almost cost him his life. The other part comes from the advantage it gives him over the other 265-pounders. Cormier talks to Stephie "Crooklyn" Daniels about his speed and low center of gravity, as well as other advantages he might have over "The Warmaster" in next month's battle, after the jump. "I'm definitely a lot shorter than (Barnett). The last person he probably fought that was my size was Jeff Monson. They had a pretty decent scrap. Josh won by decision, but Jeff is a tough guy. The guy can grapple and take a punch. He's a gamer. That can be an advantage to him, but can also be an advantage to me. My low center of gravity allows me to defend takedowns a lot better than most people. It's very hard to get to my legs. It's going to be really hard to take me down. There are a lot of positives to being my size. I'm a lot quicker, and I move around a lot better and more fluidly than some of these bigger guys. I think one of my biggest advantages is that I move around these big guys very well... Before the Bigfoot fight, everybody was talking about how he had a 12 inch reach advantage. I was like, 'Well, if he stands tall and tries to jab from the outside, I'm just going to take him down." You can't really stand tall. When we got in there, he was squatting down, and I was standing a little taller, because I'm very confident in my takedown defense, so we were close to the same height at that point. That's a big benefit to my height." Cormier was an injury replacement for the now-departed Alistair Overeem and needed only one victory to reach the tournament finals. He earned it, too, by knocking out Antonio Silva in the first round. Unfortunately he broke his hand in the process, but Barnett needed a cushion himself while he made amends with the California State Athletic Commission (CSAC). We're just over a month away Maniacs, who ya' got? Short and sassy or big and brawny?

Posted in: guy, advantage, lot, im, i move

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There were always hints about just how good Karl Amoussou could be. Here was a guy who fought at 185 pounds, just because he was 185 pounds, a relative novelty in today's era of weight cutting. Here was a guy who succeeded mostly because of raw talent, unable to offer himself to the sport full-time because he already had a full-time job as an undercover agent in his native France.But at 26, Amoussou has turned himself over to his true love of fighting. Now, he can cut weight because he has the time to do it the right way, and he can focus on training because he's left police work behind. His results over the weekend validated that decision, with Amoussou overpowering Chris Lozano in the Bellator 63 main event. The fight was so fast, so decisive, that Amoussou didn't get hit with a single strike during his submission victory. He left Lozano bloodied and lying in the middle of the cage, a scene that matched up well with his prediction two days before the fight, when he told reporters, "it's going to be a slaughter." In victory, Amoussou (14-4-2) showed himself to be a much more thoughtful fighter than his "Psycho" nickname indicates. Prior to the bout, his pre-fight knockout promises angered Lozano to the point that the Cleveland-based fighter confronted him at the weigh-in scale. At that point, Amoussou says he knew the approach had gotten into Lozano's head."I like to study my opponents," he said. "When I say study, I don’t mean watching the fights, absolutely not. I almost don’t want to watch the fights. But I like to study the person and he gave me [a lot of] information about his personality, fears or no fears. Let’s say, I just knew it."It was the type of performance that Bellator CEO Bjorn Rebney and matchmaker Sam Caplan envisioned when they signed him. It made Rebney think back to the first time he could remember seeing Amoussou, on a highlight video on Youtube a few years ago."If you saw it, you got hooked on what the potential would be if he was a full-time fighter," he said.After stints with M-1, Strikeforce and DREAM, Amoussou had gained a reputation for excitement but occasional inconsistency. The former, he promised to continue, while the latter he believes to be an extinct product of his former life.For four years, Amoussou was a cop on the undercover beat, mostly chasing down drug-dealers and thieves. With heavy demands on him from his job, he could only offer about four training sessions a week, six hours total. It was a way to indulge in a sport he loved, but it wasn't the best way. From a financial perspective, the decision was difficult to make, but his heart kept pulling him to his fight career, and he eventually gave up the job, deciding to see just how good he can be with proper diet and training.As it turns out, he can be pretty good. His six-day-a-week, multiple-session workout schedule paid immediate dividends."I'm not here to play, guys," he said after winning. "Now, you just saw the next tournament champion, OK? I'm not here to beat the guys. I'm here to destroy them."Next up for him is the previously little-known David Rickels, who knocked out Jordan Smith in just 22 seconds. Amoussou admitted that he had never seen Rickels fight before Friday night but was impressed with his performance. Because of that, he didn't have anything of substance to offer about the fight, but in some ways, his performance had spoken for him already.Beyond that, if he wins, he'll have to face either Ben Saunders or Bryan Baker in a fight that will see him at a serious height and reach disadvantage. Amoussou is generously listed at 5-foot-11, though he's probably a few inches shorter. Both Saunders and Baker are 6-foot-3. To that, Amoussou shrugs."Once a guy is laying on the floor, there's no reach advantage anymore," he said.There was some buzz backstage that Amoussou could drop to 155, but given his immediate success as a welterweight, that's not likely to happen anytime soon. For now, the welterweights have him to contend with. Amoussou used to fight crime, now he just fights."I'm going to be a real machine, so you can expect big things from me," he said.

Posted in: fight, guy, lozano, amoussou, fulltime

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Nice guys finish last. You hear it constantly. Any jerk you run into on the street will tell you they’re that way because nice guys finish last. It’s become a mantra for anyone a little rough around the edges, a way that they can justify rubbing people the wrong way...

Posted in: guy, way, champion, people, jerk

Read the full article at Low Kick

For a fighter in Eddie Alvarez’s position, the Bellator model is a system with the virtues of its faults. On the plus side, the tournament structure allowed him to fight his way to a lightweight title without pleading or begging for the shot, he explained to Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour. That system, Alvarez said, helps to maintain "the integrity of the sport" better than any other.As for the downside? Alvarez found out about that after he came out on the losing end of one of 2011’s best fights, dropping his belt to current Bellator lightweight champ Michael Chandler via fourth-round submission back in November."Before I even left the ring that night I went to [Bellator CEO] Bjorn [Rebney] and I said, ‘I know this isn’t your protocol or what you do, but I would like a rematch. I think I earned it and I think the fans would enjoy it. Let’s try to do that,’" Alvarez told Helwani. He didn’t get an answer right away, but shortly thereafter he found out via internet reports that he wouldn’t be getting his rematch against Chandler. Not unless he signed a new, lengthy contract with Bellator, which he said he "wasn’t super comfortable with" at the time.The news "disheartened" Alvarez at first, he said, and after the show he and Chandler had put on, he felt the fans would have loved to see an instant rematch."At the end of the day, the fans create this sport," Alvarez said. "It’s important to give the fans what they want. If you don’t do that, you’re basically dying."But at the same time, Alvarez said he still respects Bellator’s tournament system, even if it kept him from getting what he wanted most after the loss to Chandler."The way it’s ran, it keeps the integrity of the sport," he said. "It is a sport where a guy who works hard, who is basically an unknown can come out and be a champion. It is that. I think that a lot of promoters and promotions and even boxing does a good job in disguising that, making the champion look like someone who is immortal, someone who can’t be beaten. Bellator, more than anyone, keeps the integrity of the sport by facing guys who are unknown and could be very dangerous. In normal circumstances, some promotions may keep their champion away from a guy like that. Bellator doesn’t do that. That’s what makes it honest and true and keeps the integrity of MMA."It’s also what kept Alvarez out of a rematch with Chandler, and thrust him into a bit of a gray area. Alvarez has two fights left on his current Bellator contract, the first of which will come against Shinya Aoki at Bellator 66 on April 20. It’s a rematch Alvarez has been trying to get for over three years, he said -- ever since Aoki submitted him with a heel hook at the Dynamite!! 2008 New Year’s Eve show in Tokyo. But with his contract so close to completion, revenge isn’t the only thing on Alvarez’s mind headed into the rematch with Aoki, he said."I need to go in there and I need to perform the way I usually do, then we can talk about other things. Because, right now, I can go in there and if something doesn’t go my way that night, I don’t have much to stand on. I need to go in there and show my value."The first time he lost to Aoki, Alvarez said, he was unsure of himself. There was a huge gap between his ground game and Aoki’s, and a part of him wasn’t even sure he was ready for that level of competition."I was sort of thrown to the wolves right when I first went to 155 [pounds]. I was still battling with my own confidence and my own issues with competing with top ten guys and top five guys. Now, I don’t have those issues anymore. Even with the Aoki fight, I let it define me for a little bit. I even [told] myself that maybe I’m not as good as I thought I was."But after getting back into action and racking up a seven-fight win streak that was only recently snapped by the loss to Chandler, Alvarez got his confidence back and evolved as a fighter, he said. The latter is something he doesn’t think Aoki has managed to do, as evidenced by his loss to Gilbert Melendez in Strikeforce."I still don’t think he has the ability to adjust. He’s very good at what he does, and he’s tricky. He’s able to get people where he wants to get them, given the skill sets he has. But I don’t think he’s evolved enough."He’ll get his chance to prove it soon, and after so many years of asking for another shot at Aoki he expects to be "smiling the night of the fight," Alvarez said. As for Chandler, Alvarez still thinks he’d beat him on most nights, and still hopes to get another shot at him."It’s one of those things, if you fight ten guys in MMA, no matter how good you are, you’re going to lose to maybe one of them, no matter how good you are. I got in there with a dangerous opponent and it wasn’t my night," he said. For now, he has to focus on avenging a different loss. If he’s successful in that effort, maybe he won’t have to wait quite so long for a chance to avenge another.

Posted in: fight, bellator, guy, alvarez, aoki

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UFC on Fox released a new commercial this week featuring Anderson SIlva. In the commercial, a dubbed Silva voice explains how he’s a regular guy despite doing superhuman things. Payout Perspective: The commercial is part of the “ordinary guys” strategy that Fox is using to promote the UFC. The commercial is similar to the Frankie Edgar one where he tames a tiger at the zoo via rear naked choke and the Jon Jones commercial where he’s at the park with his kids.  Its a sign of the Fox influence on the UFC product.  Not only does it humanize these guys as normal people despite their extraordinary abilities in the octagon, it shows a humorous and approachable side of the fighters.  The new strategy should help new viewers to MMA approach the sport and tune in.

Posted in: ufc, guy, jon jones, fox influence, ufc product  

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The unbeaten record of Myles Jury denotes that he has never lost in his professional mixed martial arts career. But that wouldn’t be entirely true. The 23-year old from Michigan has tasted the sting of loss, albeit through no fault of his own, as a torn ACL took him out of season 13 of The Ultimate Fighter in 2011, putting his dream of earning a golden ticket into the UFC on hold until this year, when he was brought back to compete on the 15th edition of the hit reality show.This time, he hopes that at the very least, his fate will be in his own hands.“I come from a small town and there’s not a lot of opportunity, so being on The Ultimate Fighter is a huge opportunity for me and my career, for my personal life, my friends, my family,” said Jury. “It’s one of the best opportunities I could have.”He’s off to a good start, defeating Akbarh Arreola via decision on March 9th to earn a place in the 16-man competition, where he now represents the team of UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz. But with a stacked field all looking to make their way to the finals, every fight is like a title fight, so tonight, Jury will be in tough again when he faces Team Faber’s Al Iaquinta, whose made into the TUF house with a decision win over Jon Tuck. Iaquinta may not have the sparkling “0” at the end of his record, but at 5-1-1, the Long Islander is no slouch, and he’s just as hungry to make his mark over the next several weeks.“To make it on The Ultimate Fighter is a huge accomplishment, and one of the goals that I’ve set and finally achieved,” said Iaquinta. “It’s a step in the right direction to getting in the UFC and fighting in the premier organization in the world.”In Iaquinta’s home gym back in New York, making it to the UFC is expected, considering that he’s coached by Matt Serra and Ray Longo and calls Chris Weidman a stablemate. So despite only fighting professionally since 2009, he’s come up in the Ring of Combat promotion that was once home to UFC standouts like Frankie Edgar and Jim and Dan Miller, and he’s probably got a lot more world-class training experience on his side than many of his TUF peers. But if everything was that simple, able to be figured out by a little bit of MMA math, we wouldn’t need to fight the fights. And once you add in television lights, the whole reality TV experience, and having to live in the same house as your present and future opponents, things can change considerably. It’s a new fact of life both fighters are dealing with at the moment.“Living in the house with him (Jury) could be kinda awkward, but we’re just doing our own thing right now, worrying about ourselves,” said Iaquinta.“I talked to Al a little bit before we knew we were going to fight, but since we found out we were going to fight, it’s just business, and that’s the way I prefer it,” adds Jury. “I have nothing against the guy, but at the same time, I’m gonna go to war with a guy like that, so I don’t want to be his friend right now and I don’t want anything to do with him. I just want to be away from him and focus on myself and go to war.”Helping to keep things in perspective when it comes to being in the same room as your upcoming opponent are the opposing coaches, who have already fought twice and will do so again this July. Cruz and Faber know a little something about being cool in what could quickly become an uncomfortable situation, and with their guidance, Jury and Iaquinta are happy where they landed.“I was really pumped to be on Dominick Cruz’ team,” said Jury. “That’s where I wanted to be and I believe he’s a great coach. All the coaches are really good technically, they’re smart, and that’s where I want to be, on a smart team. We all get along really good and we’re all on the same page.”“Training with Team Faber is awesome,” adds Iaquinta. “We’ve got a bunch of great guys and our team is so diverse. We’ve got a guy from England (Andy Ogle), a guy from Brazil (Cristiano Marcello), and guys from all over the country, so there are always stories being told and it’s constantly a good time. All the coaches are very knowledgeable and they’ve been there. They’ve done it and they’ve been to the top, and that’s where we want to be, so it’s great to learn from people that we’re trying to emulate.”Yet for all the teamwork and all the bonding being done on both teams, it’s down to two lightweights when the bell rings on fight night, and whether you look at it as Team Cruz up 2-0 in the competition or Team Faber down 0-2, for Jury and Iaquinta, all that matters is winning and moving forward.“Just because I’m on a team and they dropped two fights doesn’t mean it affects me in any way,” said Iaquinta, who would nonetheless like to get Team Faber on the board tonight. “I’m gonna have to beat the best guys out there, so I might as well fight them in the beginning.”As for Jury, the normal human reaction would be for anyone to slack off a bit after jumping out to a two fight lead. But not on Team Cruz.“Being on a two fight win streak, our team is just staying to the grind right now,” he said. “We’ve got momentum on our side and a little more confidence, but the coaches ain’t laying off of us. They’re staying on top of us and they’re not gonna be satisfied until we sweep their team. So we’re staying focused, we’re staying hungry, and keeping that intensity up.”“Al Iaquinta is a very tough guy, well-rounded, he trains with a good camp, and he’s the toughest challenge that I’ll ever have,” Jury continues. “I’m not taking Al lightly and I haven’t trained lightly. This is the best I’ve ever been, so I’m ready.”

Posted in: fight, guy, team, jury, iaquinta

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Dana White has been a busy boy lately, talking to every media outlet that approaches him about any topic under the sun. Rather than chop his mighty oak of information up into smaller logs that will fuel site content for several days, we're instead cramming all the interesting things he said into one post. First off, here's Dana on testosterone replacement therapy: "On this flip side, this is legal. This you can do. Testosterone replacement therapy is something you can do and it’s for guys whose testosterone is too low, but here’s what you’re supposed to do. You’re supposed to get your levels to that of a normal guy your age and if you’re even that much over, now it becomes illegal. So again, it's based on what's legal and what's not legal. That is legal, marijuana is not legal." "But as far as me having a ... I actually think that it's good. Obviously it’s bad that these guys abused steroids earlier in their career. That’s what’s so terrible. Amongst all the other things that you find out what’s good and what’s bad about using steroids: these young, talented guys who are full of testosterone already, go in and start abusing these drugs. Now when you get up to your late 20′s, which should be your prime, early 30′s, now your all screwed up because your off the steroids and now you’ve destroyed your system forever where you can’t produce testosterone.""These guys, they now have medicine where they can replace it and get it back to normal levels. Which is good ... but we wanna stop guys from taking steroids when they're young. You shouldnt take them. It's bad. No matter what short term effects you have, the long term effects are a lot worse. Just ... it's stupid. And that's what we're trying to stop right now. But testosterone replacement therapy is legal." How whack is that. TRT is possibly the most epic loophole in the history of performance enhancing drugs and Dana White thinks it's good. This whole situation is a PR nightmare that could explode at any moment and potentially cripple the sport in the process, and Dana White thinks it's good! More apoplectic rage on the subject over at FightOpinion, and tons more of what Dana said after the jump. read more

Posted in: guy, dana, steroid, testosterone, term effects

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At the conclusion of yesterday's UFC 146 press conference in Las Vegas, the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) randomly administered drug tests on fighters who were present to participate in the festivities. Among the fighters who were tested were Antonio Silva and Alistair Overeem. "Bigfoot" was busted in 2008 for using steroids and though "The Reem" has never tested positive for any banned substances, he has constantly been under a microscope when it comes to steroid accusations. So much so, that the NSAC laid down some very strict drug testing guidelines for the former K-1 champion in order to be granted a conditional license to compete in his bout against Brock Lesnar at UFC 141. The testing may have caught everyone buy surprise, but Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) president Dana White doesn't seem to have a problem with it. Speaking to MMA Weekly after the press conference, White say the UFC and the athletic commissions do more drug testing than anyone else and also takes aim at the NFL , NBA and the MLB saying that if they got tested on a regular basis, there would be no sports to enjoy due to all of the athletes getting busted. Check it out: "Test them every time they perform. Test them every time they run out onto the field. Randomly test guys every time they run out onto the field. NFL, NBA, Major league baseball, test them. I'd love to see that happen and see, you would have guys getting popped fucking left and right. Let me put it to you this way. We got 375 guys under contract. We are doing a zillion fights a year. Right? Were traveling all over the world, all these other things were doing. Now, you really think we can crack down and just fucking chase these guys around everywhere they live all over the world and just randomly test these guys all the time? On top of all the other things were doing? You have to really sit back and you have to think and you have to use a little bit of reality and a little bit of, come on. It's unrealistic for me to chase these fucking guys all over the world and test them for marijuana, cocaine, steroids and this and that. It's impossible! We do more than any other sports organization on the planet. I want to see fucking baseball and football and all these other guys get tested the way we get tested. There would be no football, baseball or anything else if they got tested the way we get tested." A first, in the promotion's history, Dana White firmly defends the decision of the drug test immediately after the press conference, seeing that it's just another way to prove to everyone that his organization and the athletic commissions that approve the events do more in the drug testing department than any other sports organization in the world, bar none. Though there is no exact word on when the results from the testings will be made available, it is safe to assume everyone will be anxious to see whether or not anything negative (or positive) surfaces as a result. What's your take Maniacs, do you share the sentiments of the UFC's head honcho? Or are the rest of the top sports leagues doing their part to keep their respective sports drug free? Thoughts?

Posted in: ufc, guy, test, drug, testing

Read the full article at MMA Mania

On May 26 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, the UFC will host an all-heavyweight main card at UFC 146. There will be a title fight and several bouts between the division’s top competitors. The announcement of an all-heavyweight pay-per-view show set the mixed martial arts world a-buzz, much more so than would have an announcement of an all-bantamweight or all-middleweight fight card. At the press conference held to officially announce UFC 146, UFC president Dana White, along with six of the fighters competing at UFC 146, gave their best assessment as to why the heavyweight division provokes such interest. Dana White: I think because the heavyweights bring that excitement of, you know, you’re probably gonna see a knockout. But, in this heavyweight show, there could be knockouts, there could be submissions, whatever. … The main heavyweight (fight) for the belt is a very, very exciting fight. And then, as you go right back down the card, you’ve got guys that are strikers, Frank Mir – obviously, pretty scary after his last win and what he was capable of doing – this isn’t your typical ‘allure of the heavyweights’ card. These guys can do anything. Roy Nelson: I think if you just do percentages, we actually finish fights. It’s one of those things, everybody likes the home run ball in baseball and everybody likes a good dunk in NBA – we’re just the guys that you like to see us finish. It’s pretty much that simple. Cain Velasquez: Yeah, just big guys that throw exciting fights. Showing that the big guys are athletic, with punches and kicks, that move around the ring really well, or the octagon. Just the power that these guys possess. Heavyweights, we’re known for a lot of power. Junior dos Santos: Just heavyweights, too much power involved. And also, like Roy said, we finish fights. That’s why I’m here and I’m gonna prepared on the day of the fight to finish one more fight. Alistair Overeem: I would say because the heavyweight division is the biggest and baddest of all divisions. Like the other guys said, a lot of knockouts, a lot of submissions, but basically because we’re the biggest and the baddest. Frank Mir: Yeah, I think it kinda works on the fact that, when you see a 135lbs fighter fighting, he could be the baddest dude at 135 – or 145 and 155 – but I think that, a lot of people, when they’re watching the fights in the back of their mind they kind of feel that, ‘Yeah, but I’m 220. Even though he can fight, I can probably kick his ass.’ We’re the heavyweights. If you’re thinking that, you’re stupid. Antonio Silva: Heavyweights always bring fantastic fights. Everybody on this podium today is a top notch fighter. And you’re gonna see some fantastic fights on May 26, it’s gonna be a good war.

Posted in: fight, guy, heavyweight, division, heavyweight division

Read the full article at MMA Frenzy

Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) has a new "King of the Hill" in its lightweight division these days. The crowning came when Ben Henderson defeated Frankie Edgar at UFC 144 in Saitama, Japan on Feb. 25, 2012. "Smooth" didn't get to enjoy his victory for long before he was having to answer questions about who would be the challenger for his first title defense. While there were a few options, the fact that his win over Edgar came by way of decision seemed to point to an immediate rematch. Ultimately, the bout was confirmed and will be taking place some time this summer. Henderson appeared on "UFC Ultimate Insider," last night (March, 27, 2012) to talk about his newly acquired belt, as well as how he feels about having to face Edgar again: "Frankie gave two rematches. It's criminal not to give him a rematch after a decision, because, as a champ, he gave two rematches. I think it's something that has to be done sometimes. There's just no alternative. It does create a little bit of a logjam, I guess you could say, from the top, but, if you're a challenger, the idea is you have to keep winning. It doesn't matter. You have to keep on winning. So, if there's a logjam...guess what? You gotta fight. You gotta win. Oh well. That's the way life goes." Check out what "Bendo" had to say about the man that some felt should have been given the first crack at his belt, Anthony Pettis: The last time Henderson was defeated, it came at the hands of Pettis, who used a highlight reel, off-the-cage kick, to help garner a unanimous decision victory at WEC 53 in Glendale, Arizona on Dec. 16, 2010. After Pettis scored a brutal, first round knockout win over Joe Lauzon at UFC 144, it looked as though things may have been coming together for Henderson to get a chance to avenge his last loss. It obviously never came together, but it's a fight that will likely happen at some point in the future. Henderson was asked if he thought Pettis was deserving of getting a title shot at this point in time: "I would say probably not so much. He had a split decision over an unranked Jeremy Stephens. I believe Ariel Helwani had Joe Lauzon ranked number ten. Nice win. Good stoppage over a number ten guy, but I don't think that catapults you over guys like Jim Miller or Nate Diaz, who's on a nice little run. So, it's hard to say, really. Oh, absolutely. We're gonna do it. Before I retire, before I die -- he and I are gonna dance again in the Octagon. I'm gonna have the belt for a while. I'm gonna hold on to the belt. I'm not letting go of it for the next four, five years or so. It's a matter of Pettis working his way up to the top to be a number one contender and get the title shot. I'm definitely looking forward to it. I wanna get my hands on him. But, you know, it's up to Dana White, Joe Silva and those guys." Now that it's a done deal that Henderson will be facing Edgar for a second time, he's set his sights on the target and has been making preparations. First on his "to do list" was watching his UFC 144 bout again and to take some notes. Here's what he thought about his performance: "I wasn't as busy as I wanted to be. I thought, in my head, I was a lot busier and more proactive with my boxing and whatnot. As I re-watched the fight, I was like, 'Oh, wow. I wasn't nearly as busy as I thought I was.' There were a lot of openings that Frankie left that I did not take advantage of. Going into the rematch, when I see an opening, I am going to go for it." The new champion was nothing but complimentary of the man who he defeated to win the belt. He credited Edgar for his heart and his toughness, citing that he believes many lesser men would have folded under comparable pressure: "I think a lot of guys would have folded. Frankie has a great heart. He was a great champ. He's a great fighter. Tough as heck and a great chin. I think a lot of guys, going into the third round, would have been pretty sad and would have folded a little bit. But Frankie? There was no fold, no quit in him." Henderson went on to re-state his desire to not just hold the belt for a short time and be a very good fighter -- he wants to break records and be considered the best in the world: "I'm gonna get nine title defenses. Whatever Anderson Silva has, I'm gonna get plus one. That's the ultimate goal. I wanna be the best fighter on the planet, period. It's a lofty goal, but, to be a UFC champion, that was a pretty lofty goal. When I was first starting out as a fighter, when I was an amateur guy, guess what...I got it done. I think me going for Anderson Silva's records and whatnot might be kinda lofty and out there and far reaching, but guess what...those are my goals." Lofty, indeed. The event and date of Henderson's rematch versus Edgar are both currently unconfirmed, but MMAmania.com will be prompt to bring you the information as it becomes official.

Posted in: guy, henderson, rematch, edgar, frankie

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David Rickels is fearless. Maybe it's his youth (23) or the fact that he's never been bested in mixed martial arts (9-0 overall including 3-0 in Bellator), but he's marching forward into the Bellator season six welterweight tournament brimming with confidence. He's not afraid of the fact that there are three men in the tournament who were very successful middleweights before dropping down. Not even despite the fact that he, himself barely cuts any weight. He's not one for gameplans either, preferring to to scrap it out and get a feel for his opponent once the cage doors close. That's one of the reasons he earned his nickname "The Caveman," for his wild attacking style when he first got into the sport, perhaps recklessly going 100 percent against much more established kickboxing veterans and taking his licks. The Kansan native will be taking on late replacement Jordan Smith at Bellator 63 this Friday night (March 30, 2012) in the tournament quarterfinals and he spoke with MMAmania.com about his relentless fighting style, giving up his partying ways and why he dislikes gameplans in this exclusive interview. Check it out: Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): You were preparing for Brian Foster and all of a sudden he has this medical situation and he's not cleared to fight and now Jordan Smith's in. What are your thoughts on the whole opponent switch just over a week out from your fight? David Rickels: Yeah, it's definitely a curveball, the opponent switch and everything, getting ready for Brian Foster. Basically, with Brian Foster, he's a little shorter than my new opponent, also right-handed unlike my new opponent who's a lefty but stylistically, I think it's not a bad match-up for me. I'm ready to get in there. It's only a week out and there's not much I'm gonna be able to change about that. As far as getting ready, he's a lefty, he likes to stand up and trade and I like to do that also. It's definitely going to be an exciting match. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): Speaking of that, you talk about how much you love to stand up and trade and I've seen some of your fights. You have this crazy caveman, move forward, aggressive style. So why do you think it is that so many of your fights you end up on the ground with you getting a triangle choke? David Rickels: Man, I really don't know what it is. I think it's a little bit of everything. I've fought a lot of grapplers. Most of these guys have wanted to grapple and they think the're safe once they get me to the ground and that's just not the case. So officially, if this guy wants to stand and trade, one, he's going to get hit eventually and is probably gonna go down. If he wants to go to the ground, we'll end up doing that but I'm not looking, unless I get some easy takedowns, I see this fight staying standing. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): I know you've been training in Kansas, but you've also been working with Josh Neer over in Des Moines, Iowa. Is that somewhere that you've worked out often or is that new? David Rickels: No, it's definitely a new occurrence. Who I'm training with now mostly in Manhattan, Kansas is Joe Wilk. He's a pretty high level pro in the gym out there but we don't have that top level. I don't feel comfortable just hanging around my gym all the time so what I like to do is go out and find these other places we can go train. He got ahold of some friends and we talked it out and I trained with Josh Neer. That guy is badass. We got in there, we sparred and had a good time and all that and he's helping me while teaching the whole time. There was no big heads or anything. Sometimes you go into these gyms and all the pros just want to knock each other the fuck out, you know? Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): It sounds like that's a good relationship because in my opinion, I believe you and Neer have very similar styles. David Rickels: Yeah, definitely. That guy's awesome. You can hit him with any kind of combination and he'll just walk straight through you. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): Moving on to this tournament, Jordan Smith is a guy who's spent most of his career as a middleweight. Bryan Baker is a guy who made it to the finals at middleweight and has competed in two middleweight tournaments and then you've got Karl Amoussou, a fighter who's spent most of his career at 185 and is dropping down. Is that a concern at all, how big most of these guys are when I know that you've hardly cut any weight? David Rickels: Concerned? Not necessarily, but it's definitely something I'm gonna have to work with. Especially grappling-wise, you get those bigger guys, once they get on top of you, you have to carry their weight and it takes a good toll on your energy and stuff. This fight coming in with Jordan Smith, with both of us standing up and with him being a little bigger, he packs some pretty good punching power and he's not afraid to take a punch either. He's had some wars. I don't think weight will be big factor in this fight but overall, yeah it sucks carrying around bigger guys and trading with them too. I don't cut very much weight and I've expressed my thoughts of going to 155 plenty of times but if something's not broke, don't fix it. I'm 9-0 at 170. I'm in this tournament and I'm looking to win the whole thing. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): That's a great mindset to have. Jordan's style, you talked about his stand-up a bit and I had an opportunity to check out his style. He's pretty patient and he likes to work from the outside a bit. Do you think the fact that he doesn't come inside as much, is that something you can use to your advantage because you're so aggressive? David Rickels: Yeah, there's definitely gonna be some crashing in together. I'm gonna come forward and I don't think he's gonna back down. He's gonna look to trade too. One thing I noticed about his style a little bit is he kind of likes to push the pace but I don't know how he's gonna handle it when I'm pushing forward on him. It's gonna be interesting to get in there and see how it goes. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): People are just starting to learn a little more about you. You went 3-0 before getting invited into this tournament. I'm interested in telling your story a little bit. What was your background before getting into MMA? David Rickels: Before getting into MMA, I grew up in a small town outside of Wichita, Kansas, basically a suburb. I grew up there, liked to party, liked to have fun. I wrestled a couple years and basically, I never really got into it like a lot of other people did. I hated team sports because I would get so overly angry at my team whenever we lost because I always felt like it was everyone else's fault so I pretty much ruled out team sports because if I lose in the cage, I know it's my fault. That's something I did wrong and I've got no one to blame but myself. Growing up, I enjoyed wrestling and I stayed friends with the wrestling team and they ended up going to some jiu-jitsu gym outside of town and they called me and told me about it. "You've got to go check this out!" It was actually more of a kickboxing gym and I still train there today. I had kickboxing and jiu-jitsu and I loved it. I've been doing that since I was 18 and I'm 23 years old now and I still love it. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): At 23 years old, I believe you're the youngest member of this tournament. Do you feel like experience-wise, you can hang with all these guys? David Rickels: There's another 9-0 guy in the tournament but definitely these guys have been around for a long time. I remember before my last Bellator fight, I was sitting in the hotel room and I was watching Douglas Lima fight some guy on HDNet and I was like, "Damn, all these guys have been fighting forever!" and it's really cool but when that cage door closes, I don't have any other mindset other than, I don't care who you are. We're gonna fight no matter what happens so I can't let any of that other stuff bother me. A lot of times, I don't do a lot of strategizing or anything when I go into fights. I know what I'm capable of doing. I know where I want to be. I know the dangerous spots. I know where I'm good at so I just try to play off of that. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): When you picture victory, you said you don't strategize much so I don't know if you use visualization or anything but when you picture victory against Jordan Smith, what do you see? David Rickels: Knockout. (laughs) I see me raising hands in glory and then heading to the first beer I can get to. I do actually do a bit of visualization, man. I always just try to picture myself victorious in any way, shape or form. I just go through my head what could happen and what I need to do but as far as a gameplan, Jackson camps, they have really strict gameplans that they have to stick to and I don't conform to that. It's too much of a fight in my eyes to look at it like a basketball game. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): That beer joke actually reminds me that you've said you used to party a lot but did moving out and training, preparing for fights like this, did that slow you down in that department in terms of maturity? David Rickels: As far as partying, oh yeah. Huge. Honestly, I my old rule was I would always drink and do whatever I wanted to do up until like two weeks out of my fights. That is obviously a terrible idea and I would never recommend it for anyone. I'm fortunate in my career in that I've been able to do what I've been able to do but ever since I signed with Bellator, I knew I had a chance to change things around and make a career out of this, you know? That's something I really wanted to do. I have long-term goals of opening up my own gym and stuff and basically, I came to a realization that half-assing things isn't going to cut it anymore. I talked to Joe Wilk out in Manhattan, Kansas and I moved out there and lived with those guys now. We've got five fighters in the same house and we live and breathe off each other and it's such a good click that I wouldn't want to go back. David would like to thank Andy Zerger from JMTK, Jake Fox for helping with BJJ, Joe Wilk at the Combative Sports Center. He'd like to thank his sponsors Onnit Labs and Galaxy Supplements. You can follow him on Twitter @TheCaveman316. So what do you think, Maniacs? Will Rickels' heart and tenacity make up for his lack of size in this tournament? How do you like his odds against a field which includes fighters like Ben Saunders, Bryan Baker and Karl Amoussou? Sound off!

Posted in: fight, guy, he, im, dont

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LAS VEGAS - Joe Rogan will not be toning it down anytime soon. Neither will UFC president Dana White. Despite Rogan recently revealing a producer asked him to "tone it down" during the UFC's first-ever FOX broadcast, White today said things will stay as is. "Just to squash that whole thing, FOX never - the guy that was in his ear telling him to chill out, that was Bruce Connal, the guy who's our guy," White told MMAjunkie.com. "That's what we do. We scream at you. We yell at you. That's not going to change."

Posted in: ufc, guy, rogan, that, guy whos

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Posted in: mma, guy, dam, shame

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Could a mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter ever make it as a professional boxer? It's a question that has been bandied about for years, as the two combat sports are forever being compared to each other. Not only are the sports, in general, constantly being sized up next to each other, but the athletes themselves receive the same scrutiny. There's always a new conversation or report adding fuel to the fire. One week, it may be a feud between Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) President Dana White and the aging (and quickly becoming irrelevant) boxing promoter Bob Arum. The next week, it may be "Rampage" Quinton Jackson or Nick Diaz threatening to leave the sport of MMA to pursue boxing full time. Tonight (March 26, 2012), top boxing trainer Freddie Roach appeared on HDNet's "Inside MMA" to discuss who he believes are some of the top boxers who compete in MMA today. Check out his top five, after the jump: It should be noted that Roach may be approaching the whole conversation from a place of bias. Four of the five fighters he mentioned are guys who have come to train with him at some point or another in their careers. That aside, Roach is one of the top trainers in all of boxing, working with his fair share of MMA fighters who are trying to perfect their respective stand up games. The following is Roach's top five list, in reverse order (with "1" being the best, in his opinion): 5) K.J. Noons -- "K.J. is always in my gym and he's very dedicated with his work ethic. I just love his tenacity in the ring. He comes to fight and he's all about action." 4) Nick Diaz -- "Nick Diaz is one of the most exciting fighters in the world, today. He's great with his hands. He gets sidetracked a little bit, like in his last fight, but I think he'll a great comeback. I'm looking forward to facing him with "GSP" someday, 'cause there's a lot of talk about that." 3) B.J. Penn -- "You know, B.J., he's one of the best strikers I've ever faced, and that I've ever been in the ring with. It's been quite a few years ago, and I think he's close to retiring right now, but I'd call him the "James Toney of MMA," because his weight would fluctuate quite a bit. He'll fight from low weights to heavyweights. He'll fight anyone in the world. He's a good guy to be around, and he's just a hard, hard worker and a great striker." 2) Georges St. Pierre -- "'GSP's' one of the greatest guys in the world. He's a real gentleman and one of the best students I've ever had. I asked him, 'How long did you go home and practice in front of the mirror last night?' Because if I show him a move, he comes back with it the next day, and you know he practiced all night in front of the mirror. So, I love the guy. He's a good guy and a hard worker, and that's what it's all about it hard work." 1) Anderson Silva -- "I had the honor of working with Anderson Silva, when he was in our gym for about five or six days in a row. He told me, 'I'm pretty good at MMA, but I'm not too goo at boxing.' He's just a real humble guy and very talented. He is one of the best guys that really understands distance and timing. He fights off the ropes a little bit. I told him that can be a little bit dangerous sometimes and to be careful, but he'll suck you in, he'll set you up, he's one of the most intelligent fighters I've ever seen and have ever worked with." The great thing about top five lists is the controversy. And the truth is: lists are irrelevant until the respective competitors enter into the ring or cage and settle things in real life. With that said, it's fun to speculate. We know you Maniacs are students of both MMA and boxing, as a whole. Prove your knowledge by adding your own top five list (of boxers in the sport of MMA) in the comment section below. Weigh in!

Posted in: mma, guy, boxing, hell, he

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It started as a harmless joke in an unusually friendly post-fight press conference. Josh Barnett, having punched his ticket to the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix finals with a submission win over Sergei Kharitonov just moments earlier, casually mentioned his plan to score at least one takedown when he finally met fellow finalist Daniel Cormier to decide the whole thing.Not that he had any illusions of completely out-wrestling the former U.S. Olympic team captain, Barnett explained later. But if he could nab just one takedown, that would be enough to earn Cormier a lifetime’s worth of mockery from fellow wrestlers like "King" Mo Lawal, which would in turn bring a smile to the "Baby-Faced Assassin’s" face. Cormier, however, wasn’t laughing. That’s because Cormier doesn’t joke like that. Not about wrestling. Not about the prospect of getting taken down by a guy who didn’t even wrestle in college. As the undefeated heavyweight told MMA Fighting recently, there’s more at stake here than just his reputation among his training partners -- something he found out for himself when he was giving wrestling pointers to a college team recently, and the guys there giggled at the mere thought of Barnett taking him down."Right now I can still go into any wrestling room in the country and people will listen to what I say," Cormier said. "If Barnett takes me down, I won’t be able to do that. They won't look at me the same way. This is serious, man." Maybe you have to be a wrestler to understand it. Maybe you have to know what it feels like to be able to stroll into some college team's wrestling practice and be instantly respected and revered. Not only was Cormier a two-time Olympian in the sport, he's the man responsible for revamping the American Kickboxing Academy's wrestling program. He's the one telling some of MMA's best wrestlers what to do. How would it look if he got put on his back by a catch wrestler? How could he ever live it down if he surrendered a double-leg to some guy who splits his time between MMA and Japanese pro wrestling? You better believe it's serious. Of course, you could argue that it’s serious for more reasons than just wrestling room credibility. It is, after all, the Grand Prix final. Cormier began as an inexperienced reserve in Strikeforce’s ambitious heavyweight tournament, but after knocking out Antonio "Bigfoot" Silva he now finds himself one victory away from winning it all.Then again, if the fate of the tournament’s other fighters is any indication, losing might not be such a bad career move. One by one, almost all the Grand Prix heavyweights have made the move over to the UFC, and found great success there. The winner of the fight between Cormier and Barnett will stick around in Strikeforce for at least one more post-Grand Prix bout, according to Zuffa officials, though the idea of delaying his move to the Octagon doesn’t bother Cormier, he said."To me, it’s not a negative thing to be in Strikeforce. You have to remember, this is where I started. This is all I know. To be the best heavyweight in this organization, that would be a privilege to me. I just want to fight good guys, and obviously the guys in Strikeforce must be good guys because the ones who have gone over to the UFC are winning their fights. Obviously we’ve been fighting high-level competition."At the same time, you’d have a hard time finding a fighter on the Strikeforce roster who wouldn’t like a chance to test his skills in the UFC, and Cormier is no different. At 33 years old, he came to MMA relatively late in life. He’s got to make his years in the sport count, and there’s no denying that the UFC is the biggest stage in MMA."I do think that at some point in your career, it’s important to experience the show. And the UFC is the show," Cormier said. "It’s the biggest event, the brightest lights, the best there is. But right now I’ve got time. I’ve got to get through this fight with Josh, and then the one afterwards. This is a big fight, regardless of whether it’s in Strikeforce or anywhere else."For Cormier, the months since his win over Silva in the semifinals have been all about recovery. He broke his right hand early on in that fight and was only recently cleared to start using it in sparring again. That meant he got plenty of chances to work on using his left, which in turn translated to a lot of beatings in the practice room, he said. Now he’s back to full strength, and spending most of his days going head-to-head against former UFC heavyweight champ Cain Velasquez, who has a fight of his own to prepare for at UFC 146, just one week after Cormier takes on Barnett.Sparring with Velasquez might improve his conditioning, Cormier admitted, but there are days when it "just plain sucks," he said. Maybe it’s also good for him to get used to punching a friend in the head with his newly repaired right hand. That’s what he’ll have to do on May 19, when he takes on an opponent who he likes as a person, but who he knows is intent on ruining his rep in wrestling rooms all across the country."I’ve got a job," said Cormier. "For Josh, I don’t think us being friendly is going the change the way he fights in the cage. It sure won’t change the way I fight in the cage. I’ve got a job to do and a family to support, so I’m going to go out there and give it everything and let the chips fall where they may."

Posted in: ufc, fight, guy, barnett, cormier

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Before we tell you how to watch ONE FC: War of the Lions for free this Saturday, we must all mutually agree that ONE FC's next show in Malaysia should be entitled 'ONE FC: Wrath of the Lava Gods.' A title for an MMA card doesn't get any better than that. You could plug your fingers away on your keyboard for the next century and still not manifest a title that's more epic than 'Wrath of the Lava Gods.' Go ahead, try. I'll be right here eating this sugar-free snack. It's a sugar-free snack because I don't want to anger the hyperglycemic gods. That could be the name of the next show, 'ONE FC: Anger of the Hyperglycemic Gods. Diabetics will get in for free that night. Just minutes ago, ONE FC press released that ONE FC: War of the Lions going down March 31st will be aired on YouTube in HD for absolutely free. Apparently ONE FC understands that a lot of you guys are irresponsible with your finances and can't afford whatever nominal fee the organization was going to charge for the event. The CEO of ONE FC, Victor Cui, just wants you to see guys like Kawajiri, Melvin Manhoef, Imanari and Felipe Enomoto smash body parts live from Singapore -- so they're delivering it directly to your orbital sockets free of charge. You guys already know what I'm about to tell you. The MiddleEasy chatroom will be back for ONE FC: War of the Lions, and prizes will be given away (again). Also, you guys have two more days to enter our ONE FC: War of the Lions poster design contest, and the entries are already looking slick. There's your good news for this Monday morning, it's all downhill from now. Go back to bed, you've earned it.

Posted in: guy, war, fc, lion, fc war

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I'm a pretty open guy, I'm willing to try new things, but I hope I'm never involved in a scenario where I'm unarmed and being robbed by a trio of Guatemalan bandits who are waving their machetes around with a gusto only Central American's can muster. No sir, I have no problem with needles but my greatest death fears involve being eaten by a medium sized shark and being hacked to pieces by machete wielding mad men...Or just being stabbed in general. Read this scary account of Cesar Gracie fighter Caleb Mitchell's trip to Guatemala, in which he fended off his attackers with the power of the 209. This is Caleb's Facebook post from Guatemala. He might still be stuck out there without his passport. Its hard to put all in writing better story told in person, had to just post highlights I was in a car with my friend Susan, driving to san marcos la laguna Guatemala from Antigua, Guatemala The road was blocked off with rocks one town over from san marcos in san Pablo la laguna I said “this isnt right seems like a jack move”, “dont get out roll up the windows and lock the doors” · she said what do we do, I said I dont know Susan said she would get out and move the rocks, if anything happens I can get out and protect her I said no way if anyone is getting out to do anything its me, you stay in the car because if you get out there is no way I will be able to protect you, we will both be helpless I still didn't want to get out I wanted to back up and wait for another car to come She said I am going to get out and move them, she unlocked her door and motioned to open it. I said NO, ok I will get out and move the rocks, if anything happens get out of here, do NOT get out of the car! I got out, quietly and quickly moved two rocks, grabbed the third one and they came out of the brush; two with machetes one with a rock in hand I ran a couple steps, tripped, they chased I got up and ran up a little mound of sand off the side of the road they caught up with me and were grabbing all over me Susan drove a few feet forward and then they threw a rock at her car, blowing out her back left taillight, and denting the fender a little. Then Susan, knowing that getting out of the car would only make matters worse, drove up the hill into town to get help and reinforcements I struggled a little with the banditios but said ok ok I will give it to you as they demanded for my money · they knocked me to the ground · holding me and trying to force hands in my pockets when I was on the ground I gripped a large rock thinking about hitting one in the head with it and then came to the conclusion that would be the death of me so I let go of it. They continued riffling in my pockets they couldn’t get my wallet out, too fat, and I had my hand in my pocket acting like I was going to take it out for them but really I was stuffing the pocket making it difficult for them to take the wallet One guy slapped me with the side of the machete in my left side I got pretty fucking scared for my life I stood up and one guy with a machete stuck one hand in my pocket leaving the machete in his other hand, I went for it, he started telling his friends that I was trying to take the machete. The rock guy grabbed a big rock and acted like he wanted to bash my head in with it, getting very aggressive, motioning towards me and telling his friends to move so he could get me I maneuvered the other two in between us as a shield and ducked behind them a little bit When I realized I was going to get my head bashed in by the rock, I made a strong move for the machete with both hands and twisted it out of the guys grip I swung the machete over him and nailed the guy with the rock in his left side ribs as he was holding his arms up motioning to hit me with his rock, he disappeared into the night Then my head and sight went a little blurry, I didn't realize it at the time but, I got hit in the side of the head with the other machete. I swung my machete back and think I hit the guy who hit me in the side as he ran by me to get away. I was still standing Only me and the guy that had slapped me with the machete and who I had disarmed, remained I pushed him, he tried to run but fell down the mound of sand into the road, I chased and could’ve hacked him up but instead I let him get up to run He ran three feet right into another pile of sand and fell again, he turned over facing upwards and motioning his hands upwards as to block any possible machete strikes coming down from me. I stood over him with the machete motioning-fainting as to hit him with the machete but really just wanting him to get up and run away saying git tss tsss.. he got up and ran , then I ran too, I ran as fast as I could up the road slash hill where Susan had driven off into the night i was still carrying the machete I ran faster than my legs would go so I fell, got up and continued running, looked back when halfway up the hill, thought about walking but then decided I better continue running as my life depended on it. I get to the top and there are a bunch of locals in san pablo la laguna I said did you see a girl…forgetting that they prob don’t understand English but, They said si ella va ariba para recoher la policia (Yes she went up to pick up the police) I ran my hands all around my head checking for blood, my head was throbbing, I was sure that I would be bleeding, miraculously there was no blood detected, and the natives said there was no blood as well. they gave me wáter Susan returned with the police and we went back down to search the area for my phones and passport I found my local phone and baggage claim ticket but nothing else, then we told the police, ok we are going to go now and they said ok…we drove off, no police report, no interview, nothing. When I reached my grandfathers place, My Mayan friend David was at the house and he and Susan treated my wounds, using alcohol, salt water and aloe vera…..I felt amazing, thinking that somehow played out about as well as it possibly could have, despite having scrapes and bruises on my hands, knees, elbows, knuckles and a throbbing headache from a machete chop to the right side of my head just above my ear. I still have the machete I was bleeding a little and had a horrible headache all night, I did not sleep in fear of a possible concussion and due to an overwhelming amount of adrenaline. I was not struck hard, I am alright, although there was a small blood line and cut about 3 inches long but not deep I did not draw blood on my adversary, or at least the machete had no blood on it ·I think it may have been too dull to cut through his clothes but I hit him full force swing so I think I must have broken a few ribs In conclusion, Guatemala is a dangerous place, but adventure makes life interesting. “The more I train, the luckier I get”. It is great to be alive so live everyday like it could be your last while still planning for the future and don’t be afraid to love because there is no time to hold back. Have no fear, because fear clogs cognitive thinking. Don’t be afraid to die because if you fear death you will never really live. / Caleb Mitchell 3 19 2012

Posted in: guy, head, hand, rock, machete

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If The Ultimate Fighter season 9 finalist DaMarques “Darkness” Johnson is ever in need of a new nickname, he might want to consider “The Anti-Decision”. Over three years and seven fights inside the Octagon, Johnson has yet to hear a judge’s score card read to choose a victor in one of his clashes. Even more incredible, the 18-9 welterweight has only seen a third round once in his action-packed UFC career. In the never ending debate about how to properly score an MMA fight, Johnson has proven time and time again that the winners and losers in his bouts will solely be decided by him and his opponent. “Once we get in there to have a fist fight, I'm going to bring it and I'm either going to get finished or finish someone else,” asserts Johnson. “I don't like going to decisions. It takes too long. It takes forever. If you see DaMarques Johnson's name on a card, you know fists will be flying and people will be taking naps. That's it. Whether it's me or another dude taking a nap, I'm a realist that way - whatever happens happens. People will be entertained.”At 29 years old, the Utah native is arguably the unsung hero of fan friendly fisticuffs in the UFC. All seven of Johnson’s Octagon appearances have followed a similar script of the clock starting, him meeting whichever opponent in the center of the cage, and trading punches, kicks, elbows, chokes, and takedowns until the ref stops it. Plenty of fighters, from first-time curtain jerkers to long-standing champions have been criticized about boring styles or trying to win on points, but not Johnson, as each one of his performances has been about testing chins and submission defenses. And it all starts with Johnson’s unabashed love for fighting.“My job is the best job in the world,” states Johnson. “There is no feeling like hearing Burt Watson saying, ‘You've got five minutes, baby!’ It's the craziest drug high in the world. Whether I'm fighting on the undercard or fighting on TV, it's the coolest feeling ever and I wouldn't trade it for anything. Everyone should experience that feeling in whatever they are doing.”This pedal to the metal, a fighter comes to fight style netted him a 2-1 record last year. The first quarter of 2011 saw Johnson winning by a rare body-triangle sub over Mike Guymon followed by a frantically paced slugfest loss to TUF 7 winner Amir Sadollah. Johnson was originally set to tangle with Georgia striker Clay “Heavy Metal” Harvison in September, but a nagging back injury forced him to re-schedule for November on the undercard of UFC on FOX 1. “I was excited to fight Clay,” tells Johnson. “He's a tough guy and you know he's going to come and fight. He’s a scrappy guy who is skilled. No one is in the UFC because they suck. He's a tough opponent. Like it or not, no matter what the internet says, no matter what the fans think - everybody in the UFC is 100% legit. You have to take everybody seriously.”With four decisions over their combined nearly 40 fights, it was a no brainer that these two should create fireworks in the cage and they did. It took 94 seconds, half a dozen punches, and one solid uppercut for Johnson to knock Harvison out in the first round. If later that card, Junior dos Santos didn’t KO Cain Velasquez with one punch to win the UFC heavyweight championship, then Johnson would have been a shoo-in for “Knockout of the Night” honors. Previously, he earned back-to-back bonuses with a “Submission of the Night” at 107 and a “Knockout of the Night” at UFC 112.“It was good and I enjoyed it,” remarks Johnson of his win over Harvison. “I still don't feel like I've shown everything I’ve got and that's why I think I'm still under the radar, so to speak. I'm okay with being under the radar. I still really need to work on a lot of my game. I can be better equipped with my skills to be ready for any position I could be in in there. I'm not satisfied with a knockout; I'm not satisfied with a submission. I want to perfect my skills. I want to master as many of the disciplines of MMA as I can. I think I'm progressing, but I'm nowhere near where I want to be. I'm getting there. It's all about steady progress. 'Slow is smooth, smooth is fast' kind of deal.”Up next is a return to how most UFC fans were introduced to Johnson: fighting the English. On April 14th at UFC on Fuel TV 2 for an Octagon first in Stockholm, Sweden, the Utah native will meet British submission specialist John “The One” Maguire. The 17-3 Maguire made his organizational debut in a grappling heavy decision victory over Justin Edwards at UFC 138 in Birmingham, England. Although he didn’t know much about his foe when he signed the contract, Johnson is expecting Maguire to be at his best come fight night and is planning the same from himself.“John Maguire is a tough guy out of Europe - that's what I knew,” reveals Johnson. “A lot of people think they know a lot about me from my time on the TV show, but you'll never really know until you get in there. You have to keep an open mind in your approach to the fight and go from there and take it as it comes. I'm not a big fight watcher of the guys I'm going to fight. It's not about what he's going to do to me; it's about what I'm going to do to him. I would rather focus on me getting better than focus on John Maguire. As long as I do the things that I need to do, the fight will take care of itself. Whether I go in there and knock him out like my last fight or I go in there and get knocked out, that's going to happen regardless of whatever. Honestly, it's just a fist fight. It's a tough guy who is going to punch me in the face and I'm going to punch him in the face.”In preparation for Maguire, Johnson is training with his normal crew at Elite Performance in his hometown of West Jordan. The two veteran minds that have shaped Johnson as a fighter from the very beginning are still working with him to this day: MMA ironman Jeremy Horn and highly-regarded boxing coach Matt Pena. Besides helping Johnson polish his pre-existing skills, Pena and Horn are also more than capable of working with him to add new weapons to his arsenal from any number of martial arts. Even if it’s something that Johnson’s only just seen online. “I'm a Youtube researcher,” discloses Johnson. “Honestly, I love fighting. I love all the different disciplines of it. I love grappling. I love boxing. At first, I was watching a lot of Marvin Haggler. I was watching all the Marvin Haggler I could handle. Then I was watching Robson Moura, Jeff Glover and Marcelo Garcia. I've been watching a lot of wrestling online. I've been lucky enough to have worked with a lot of wrestlers like Dan Henderson, Matt Hughes, Robbie Lawler, Ryan Bader, and a lot of solid wrestlers. All the lessons I've learned from those guys get brought up and refreshed. I was watching a bunch of kickboxing too of Ernesto Hoost and Andy Hug. I just love everything about it. From old school boxing to the boxing match the other weekend between Juan Manuel Lopez and Orlando Salido. I'll go research something and if it is applicable to MMA fighting I'll go in and drill it and drill it and once it gets to the point where I can hit it and guys are getting mad at me for doing it over and over then I just abandon it and go on and try to learn something new. It's not really work if you have fun doing it.”The event in the Swedish capital will be a first time visit for both the UFC and Johnson, but the travel doesn’t bother him as he fought once before overseas. “I felt fine,” deadpans Johnson, who scored a TKO via body kick and punches in his one international UFC bout against Brad Blackburn back in April 2010 in Abu Dhabi. “At the end of the day, it is still punching a dude's face. You could fight at 100% or you could fight at 70%, but you're still fighting. It's just a fist fight.”On April 14th, his make or break cagefighting budo will be trained on England’s Maguire. “He's a tough guy and he's going to come try and whip my ass,” announces Johnson, who has keenly developed the answer for this specific dilemma. “I'm going to have to defend myself and whip his ass first or better. That's about as simple as it gets.”And that’s all UFC fans want to see, especially if it doesn’t go to a decision.

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Continuing with the series of in-depth divisional breakdowns that started earlier today with a look at the Bantamweight division (read it here), we move on to the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Featherweight division. With the world's leading mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion in the middle of one of its longest stretches of down time in months, (and with the summer season jam-packed with events), I thought now would be the perfect opportunity to take an in-depth look at all the divisions to clearly identify who is in the title picture, who isn't, who is building themselves into a contender and whose jobs are on the line. The UFC is essentially an endlessly on-going tournament, with two brackets: One for match winners and one for match losers. Just about the only time that Joe Silva and Dana White match up a guy coming off a win with a guy coming off a loss is if the guy coming off a loss was fighting for a title. Otherwise, it's almost always winner vs winner and loser vs loser. It's a pretty sensible way of doing things, ensuring that there will always be guys with a few wins in a row and others with a couple of losses in a row, opening up the chance for new blood to enter into the company. So anytime you are looking at a division and trying to see what the future will hold, it's mandatory to know who are the fighter's on win streaks and who are the fighters on losing streaks. As such, I've been organizing each division by wins and losses for a few months now and throughout today I'll be posting up my take on each division based on this data. I'm not going to be doing an in-depth feature on the flyweight division, as there has only been two fights in the division thus far. Therefore, we move on to the Featherweight division (145 pounds): (**Wins/Losses include World Extreme Cagefighting fights**) Eleven Wins: Jose AldoFive Wins: Dustin PoirierFour Wins: Erik KochThree Wins: Yuri AlcantaraTwo Wins: Chan Sung Jung, Darren Elkins, Ricardo Lamas, Jim Hettes, Hatsu Hioki, Daniel Pineda, Steven SilerOne Win: Diego Nunes, Robert Peralta, Mike Brown, Javier Vasquez, Raphael Assuncao, Felipe Arantes, Bryan Caraway, Jonathan Brookins, Diego Brandao, Marcus Brimage, Ross Pearson, Charles Oliveira, Cub Swanson, Issei TamuraRookies: Dennis Siver, Maximo Blanco, Akira CorassaniOne Loss: Chad Mendes, Tyson Griffin, Michihiro Omigawa, Rani Yahya, Vagner Rocha, Stephen Bass, Bart Palaszewski, Pablo Garza, Mackens Semerzier, Nam Phan, Cole Miller, Josh Clopton, Antonio Carvalho, Dennis Bermudez, Pat Schilling, Eddie Yagin, Max Holloway, Eric WiselyTwo Losses: Mark Hominick, Josh Grispi, Junior Assuncao, Leonard Garcia, Jason Young, George Roop, Zhang TiequanThree Losses: Manny Gamburyan Another division with a dominant champion, as Jose Aldo is way out front of his peers, having won 11 straight bouts. Dustin Poirier has the second longest streak in the division, with five straight wins. He is main eventing UFC on Fuel TV 3 against Chan Sung Jung, which suggests that the promotion is positioning him as the next challenger for Aldo. There are rumors that Aldo may fight at UFC 149 in July, and if that is the case, it's likely that Hioki gets the fight. Another guy with a good case for a title shot is Erik Koch, but he is not quite there and as he's currently without a fight he won't likely get a real look until after the summer. BOOKED FIGHTS: Dennis Siver vs Diego Nunes, UFC on FUEL TV 2 Jason Young vs Eric Wisely, UFC on FUEL TV 2 Mark Hominick vs Eddie Yagin, UFC 145 Marcus Brimage vs Maximo Blanco, UFC 145 Dennis Bermudez vs Pablo Garza, UFC on Fox 3 Chan Sung Jung vs Dustin Poirier, UFC on FUEL TV 3 Diego Brandao vs Darren Elkins, UFC 146 Mike Brown vs Daniel Pineda, UFC 146 Jimy Hettes vs Steven Siler, UFC on FX 4 The featherweight division is often accused of being the weakest in the UFC and I would agree that it has been weak in the past, but these fights are evidence that it is starting to heat up. I count no fewer than five important fights, starting with Dennis Siver's featherweight debut and ending with four fights featuring young stars. Jung vs Poirier will have a lot of eyes on it, but what about the divisional debut of TUF champion Diego Brandao? Or how about Daniel Pineda going for his third straight stoppage victory to start his UFC career? And don't forget Jimy Hettes vs Steven Siler in a battle of two young phenoms who have began their UFC careers with two straight wins. By the time the summer is over there is going to be a handful of highly regarded young fighters in this division, so don't sleep on this division anymore. UNBOOKED WINNERS: Erik Koch, Yuri Alcantara, Ricardo Lamas, Hatsu Hioki, Robert Peralta, Javier Vasquez, Raphael Assuncao, Felipe Arantes, Bryan Caraway, Jonathan Brookins, Ross Pearson, Charles Oliveira, Cub Swanson, Issei Tamura Fourteen guys still waiting for a dance card. Koch leads the pack with four straight wins, Alcantara has three under his belt and Lamas and Hioki both have a pair of consecutive wins, while the rest of the guys on the list are sitting with just one win. With Hioki looking like he's going to be the next challenger, we will probably see Koch matched up with Alcantara or Lamas. Alternatively, Koch could end up getting the winner of Jung/Poirier, leaving Alcantara and Lamas to battle each other. Of the guys sitting with one win keep an eye on Brookins, Pearson and Oliveira, as they all came down from the lightweight division and all looked pretty good in their last fights. Any one of those three would be a good match up for Alcantara and Lamas if they don't end up being paired up. UNBOOKED LOSERS: Chad Mendes, Tyson Griffin, Michihiro Omigawa, Rani Yahya, Vagner Rocha, Stephen Bass, Bart Palaszewski, Mackens Semerzier, Nam Phan, Cole Miller, Josh Clopton, Antonio Carvalho, Pat Schilling, Max Holloway, Josh Grispi, Junior Assuncao, Leonard Garcia, George Roop, Tiequan Zhang, Manny Gamburyan Many guys on the losing end of things, with 20 fighters waiting to see where they will end up. Some of these guys are likely going to be cut but there are definitely some good fighters on the list that could get right back in the hunt with a victory. Leading that pack is Mendes, who of course recently lost to Aldo for the title. Mendes could find himself getting a winner and facing say, Koch, but if he doesn't he is almost surely going to get Griffin, a long time UFC Lightweight who is 1-1 since dropping down to the featherweight division. Other decently regarded 145-pound fighters coming off losses are Omigawa, Palaszewski, Yahya, Roop and Gamburyan. I think we're probably going to see Gamburyan and Roop get together in a loser leaves town match with some name value. As for the rest of the list, Phan and Miller would be a nice fight and I wouldn't mind seeing more of Max Holloway, who was giving Poirier all he could handle on the feet before he got taken down and submitted. That wraps up the featherweights. With nine fights upcoming and a whole heap of guys waiting to be booked, this division is for sure one of the ones to keep track of. How do you think things will play out? Is anyone on the UFC roster capable of beating Aldo or are we likely to see his reign continue for a couple more years? Share your thoughts below.

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With Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) in the middle of one of its longest stretches of down time in months, (and with the summer season jam-packed with events), I thought now would be the perfect opportunity to take an in-depth look at all the divisions to clearly identify who is in the title picture, who isn't, who is building themselves into a contender and whose jobs are on the line. The UFC is essentially an endlessly on-going tournament, with two brackets: One for match winners and one for match losers. Just about the only time that Joe Silva and Dana White match up a guy coming off a win with a guy coming off a loss is if the guy coming off a loss was fighting for a title. Otherwise, it's almost always winner vs winner and loser vs loser. It's a pretty sensible way of doing things, ensuring that there will always be guys with a few wins in a row and others with a couple of losses in a row, opening up the chance for new blood to enter into the company. So anytime you are looking at a division and trying to see what the future will hold, it's mandatory to know who are the fighter's on win streaks and who are the fighters on losing streaks. As such, I've been organizing each division by wins and losses for a few months now and throughout today I'll be posting up my take on each division based on this data. I'm not going to be doing an in-depth feature on the flyweight division, as there has only been two fights in the division thus far. Therefore, we'll start with the Bantamweight division (135 pounds): (**Wins/Losses include World Extreme Cagefighting fights**) Nine Wins: Dominick CruzFive Wins: Renan BaraoFour Wins: Michael McDonaldThree Wins: Ivan MenjivarTwo Wins: Yves Jabouin, Chris Cariaso, Mike Easton, Edwin FigueroaOne Win: Urijah Faber, Miguel Torres, Raphael Assuncao, Vaughan Lee, Nick Denis, Ken Stone, Reuben Duran, Johnny Bedford, Roland Delorme, Jeff Hougland, T.J. DillashawRookies: Mitch Gagnon, Azamat GashimovOne Loss: Brian Bowles, Scott Jorgensen, Brad Pickett, Takeya Mizugaki, Alex Caceres, John Albert, Jared Papazian, Alex Soto, Dustin Pague, Josh Ferguson, Byron Bloodworth, Johnny Eduardo, Jeff CurranTwo Losses: Eddie Wineland, Damacio Page, Joseph Sandoval, Walel WatsonThree Losses: Kid Yamamoto All right, so of course the champion Cruz is at the head of the class, and Faber is booked to face him in a rubber match in the summer. Barao and McDonald would seem to be on the inside track for the shot after that. It's interesting to note that four of the divisions best guys (Faber, Torres, Bowles and Jorgensen) are sitting with either a single win or a single loss, which has opened the division up for the likes of Barao and McDonald. BOOKED FIGHTS: Brad Pickett vs Damacio Page, UFC on FUEL TV 2 Miguel Torres vs Michael McDonald, UFC 145 Nick Denis vs Johnny Bedford, UFC on FOX 3 Yves Jabouin vs Jeff Hougland, UFC on FUEL TV 3 Jeff Curran vs Johnny Eduardo, UFC on FUEL TV 3 Alex Soto vs Azamat Gashimov, UFC on FUEL TV 3 Dustin Pague vs Jared Papazian, UFC on FX 3 Renan Barao vs Ivan Menjivar, UFC 148 There is quite a bit of mixed martial arts (MMA) action coming up, with all of the top guys set to do battle in the spring and early summer. Torres/McDonald and Barao/Menjivar are the fights with the biggest title implications. I think Barao is likely to get the shot if he wins, and the winner of Torres/McDonald will likely have to get just one more win to earn themselves a title fight. Yves Jabouin has two wins in a row, so a win over Hougland could insert himself into the battle for contendership. UNBOOKED WINNERS: Edwin Figueroa, Vaughan Lee, Ken Stone, Reuben Duran, T.J. Dillashaw, Roland Delorme Out of that group of seven, Figueroa is the lone fighter with multiple wins in a row, making it pretty likely we'll see him get paired up with someone solid in the near future. Of course that isn't a sure thing, as someone like Dillashaw, with a bit of hype to him, could be a better opponent. Either way, it's likely we'll see two or three fights made out of this list. UNBOOKED LOSERS: Brian Bowles, Scott Jorgensen, Takeya Mizugaki, Eddie Wineland, John Albert, Josh Ferguson, Byron Bloodworth, Joseph Sandoval, Walel Watson, Kid Yamamoto Ten fighters in the division are on some sort of losing streak, with Bowles, Jorgensen, Mizugaki and Wineland leading the way in terms of name value. I'm pretty sure Bowles and Jorgensen are going to be paired up because they are both highly ranked and have yet to face each other. Another possible fight is Wineland vs Mizugaki, for much the same reasons. The rest of the group are pretty much on the fringe and I expect some "loser goes home" matches to be made in the near future, with Watson, Sandoval and Yamamoto all desperately in need of a victory (if they haven't already been marked for the chopping block). That wraps up the bantamweight division. What do you guys think? Is Renan Barao all but guaranteed to have the next title shot? What about the fast rising Michael McDonald? If he gets a quick and dominant victory over Torres, should he be the one to get the next crack at Cruz or Faber? Sound off maniacs!

Posted in: ufc, guy, loss, vs, division

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Rick Hawn has been successful at nearly everything he's put his mind to. The Tristar fighter made the 2004 United States Olympic team in judo so when he decided to transition to mixed martial arts (MMA), it was no surprise that he quickly found success there as well. Hawn burst out of the gate with an 11-0 record, scoring dramatic victories like his toss of Levon Maynard or his upset of former champion Lyman Good in the Bellator season four welterweight tournament. The judoka made it to the finals but came up short in controversial fashion to Jay Hieron, losing a split decision that many felt he'd deserveed to win. After a tweaked knee prevented him from competing in the season five tournament, Hawn moved out to Montreal to train with fighters like Georges St. Pierre and Rory MacDonald at Tristar Gym and he decided it would be best to make the cut to 155 pounds. The former Olympian will be making his lightweight debut tomorrow night (March 23, 2012) at Bellator 62 when he takes on Brazilian prospect Ricardo Tirloni in the quarterfinals of the Bellator season six lightweight tournament. Hawn spoke with MMAmania.com during a guest appearance on The Verbal Submission this past Sunday about dropping a weight class, preparing himself mentally and utilizing judo techniques in MMA. Check it out: Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): First thing's first, you and Brent Weedman both have a similar situation, being competitive at welterweight and now you're dropping down to lightweight, proved you could hang with the bigger guys so what was the motivation to drop down a weight class?* Rick Hawn: It's true, yeah I was able to hang with those guys even though I was undersized. My main for dropping down was probably because of my new coach, Firas Zahabi. He thought it would be a good idea and I would obviously have more success at lightweight because these guys are more my size if not smaller than I am. I wasn't sure if I could actually make the cut but the cut's going great. I'm almost there now and I've got to thank my nutritionist George Lockheart for helping me get to where I'm at now with my diet. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): You mention the new coach, Firas Zahabi at Tristar. What made you want to branch out and train up in Montreal with those guy, some of the best welterweights in the world? Rick Hawn: Well it's always been one of my best philosophies throughout my career to seek out the best trainers and coaches available and that's where the best coaches are. I had a good camp here in Boston but I was moving on to the next level and I needed to get past that group of guys and get to a new area and test the waters somewhere else. The best in the world train there and that's what I need, top notch guys and top notch coaching and it's paid off. I feel great. I'm excited. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): The guys at Tristar, they're known for their ability to mold fighters and develop their skills. Especially recently, we've seen a lot of guys out of Tristar really have a great jab. Is that something that Firas and them have been focusing with for you, establishing the jab? It seems like that it something that's really important to Tristar fighters. Rick Hawn: I think the jab sets up everything else in fighting so I think if you have a good jab, you're able to really be effective and work everything off that. It's no wonder they have the jab, guys like Firas and other boxing coaches showing them what to do and telling them what's best. All around, it's great coaching and the amount of skills that the guys have up there. I'm learning a lot. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): You were going to be in the season five welterweight tournament last year but you had the knee injury and you had to back out. I read that you just had to do rehab, so you didn't have to do surgery or anything, right? Rick Hawn: Yeah, it was just a partial tear so it was no surgery required. It was just a couple months of rehab and I was good to go after that. It hasn't bothered me since and it's feeling good so I'm excited about that. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): Going back to your judo roots, was it difficult transitioning from Olympic judo to MMA judo because of your opponents not wearing a gi? How much of a difference does the lack of a gi make things?** Rick Hawn: Well it is a big difference because of the obvious reasons that there's no gi to grab but I've been doing a lot of jiu-jitsu and wrestling leading up to the start of my MMA career so learning how to throw people without a gi and all that was a pretty simple transition for me. You've got to change a couple subtle things and you can't do every technique obviously but it was a fairly easy transition I'd have to say. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): With how often fighters spend time in the clinch in MMA fights, are you surprised that fighters don't employ more judo techniques and throws?** Rick Hawn: I'm not surprised because judo is not as well known or practiced as much as wrestling. Wrestling is that base that kind of goes with MMA. It's a great base to have but the throws and the takedown are obviously different. The judo stuff is not as common but I am seeing an increase in some types of throws as guys add more of a judo base so it's exciting. I try to do as much as I can too to kind of show the world and get the word out there about judo throws and how effective they can be in mixed martial arts. Gerry Rodriguez: Did you leave on good terms with Mark Dellagrotte? Was everything cool with you guys? Rick Hawn: Everything was cool. He was very understanding. He knew my situation and what my thought process was about relocating and getting some training partners and different competition to train with. He's a busy guy and he works for the UFC and is in a lot of movies lately, filming and stuff, so I think it was good for both of us. I'm still cool with him and the guys down at the gym so it's all good with that. Ben Thapa: What's your fight process? How do you get in the mood to compete on these tournament nights? Are you more of an open guy or are you more of a recluse a bit? Rick Hawn: I guess I would say I'm kind of a recluse. I kind of go back to my preparation from judo. I stay focused and concentrate on the task at hand and try not to get sidetracked or distracted by family and stuff. I deal with them early in the night and several hours before I have to get ready, I get in the mindset and prepared. Ben Thapa: Is this process something you built from the days you competed in judo and the OTC center? Rick Hawn: Yeah absolutely. I competed a lot all over the world and preparation is very important because you don't want to have a bad performance, especially in an MMA fight. I've definitely learned a lot from my years of training and traveling to be well-prepared and focused and get the job done. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): Back when we first talked before the season four tournament, I asked if there were any other judo Olympians to keep an eye on for MMA and you said, "Yeah, there's this girl, she's pretty good. She was on the team with me and she's starting MMA too. Her name is Ronda Rousey." I listened to your advice and followed her career but I never interviewed her before she became this big sensation and that's one of my biggest regrets. What are your thoughts on how quickly she's been able to use her judo and become a superstar in women's MMA? Rick Hawn: Well it's not a surprise for any of us that trained with her. Myself and my coach, Jimmy Pedro who coached her, we knew this would happen. She's an elite athlete going against other girls who basically are not. Her success is definitely earned. She's a great athlete. She's great for the sport. It's not surprising and I'm happy for her. It's exciting to see a judo person make that impact in women's MMA. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): When people think judo, they just think tosses but there's so much more to it. Yours was a more wrestling/throw based style and hers was more of a takedown/submission style. There's so much more to judo that people don't know. Rick Hawn: Absolutely. There's a big ground aspect like jiu-jitsu in the sport of judo. Yes, judo is primarily standing and jiu-jitsu is basically all on the ground but Ronda's made her mark. Even in judo, she won most of her matches on the ground with that armbar. That was her game and she sticks to it and that works for her and she's gonna continue to round out her game as time moves on. I've been in it a little longer and no longer have to completely rely on judo. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): Let's transition to your upcoming fight. You're facing Ricardo Tirloni who's a really dangerous Brazilian fighter. What are your expectations heading in against this guy? Rick Hawn: Well I expect him to be dangerous and aggressive. He's gonna come at me. He's a jiu-jitsu guy. If everyone's watched my fights, I don't move backwards. I move forwards and everyone runs away from me. We'll see when I lay my hands on him how much he wants to move forward and be aggressive. I'm thinking he's not going to want to be too aggressive after I catch him a couple times. It's definitely gonna be a tough fight and I'm prepared and looking forward to it. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): Tirloni, he's very well-rounded. He's almost even in the amount of knockouts and submissions. He's had head kicks, he's all over. When you're facing a guy that's that well-rounded, do you just have to focus on being ready for everything? What are you most worried about? Rick Hawn: I'm just worried about myself more than anything. I know what I have to do. He's well-rounded but I've fought well-rounded guys before. Jay Hieron was a pretty well-rounded guy in the last fight and I did okay with him. It's definitely not gonna be an easy fight but I had a great training camp and I'm feeling good so it's gonna be a good day for me. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): When you picture a perfect victory, I know Firas Zahabi is really good about the mental imagery and visualization, what do you see against Tirloni? Rick Hawn: I see myself going out there and doing exactly what the gameplan is: Go out there and just fight my game, what I've been training for an improving on and sticking with that. If I fight smart, I feel I'm unbeatable. Rick would like to thank everyone at Tristar, Renzo Gracie New Hampshire, Firas Zahabi and Jimmy Pedro and the guys at Pedro's Judo. He'd also like to thank his sponsors Zebra Mats, Fuji Sports, Skin Compression Gear, Game 7 Sports Therapy, Strong Man Security, Green Apple Cleaners and Lexani. You can follow him on twitter @RickHawnMMA. So what do you think, Maniacs? After a successful run at welterweight, will Rick Hawn be unstoppable at 155? Do you like his chances to win this whole tournament? Sound off! If you'd like to listen to the complete audio of our interview with Rick Hawn, click here (begins at 37:00 mark). * question via scarnon**question via Alfxtream

Posted in: guy, judo, im, rick, hawn

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While casually reiterating her opinion that she could take Mr Miesha Tate - Bryan Caraway - in a fight, Ronda Rousey went into detail about the time she took on four dudes and their girlfriends at a theatre: "It's happened to me a couple times. Not in, like, a sanctioned, legal way. But, it was entertaining to everybody that saw it. I got applause afterwards. I got jumped by a bunch of guys in a movie theatre and I beat 'em up and then everyone clapped. and then I was like, 'Maybe I should fight in front of people, 'cuz people tend to like it.' That was one of my first MMA experiences. It was like four couples, four guys and four girls. A couple of them headed me off in the aisle. It was like a thing. Their girlfriend was rude and I told her that she was rude and they tried to act tough in front of their girlfriend. She was like knocking me in the head with her boot and was being -- they were that group of people who were just rude and loud throughout the whole movie. And so, I took her boot off and threw it and told her to go get some manners. and then, her boyfriend didn't like that. And her boyfriend's friends didn't like that. So, they headed me off in the aisle and told me to go get the boot. They wouldn't let me leave and they pushed me. So, I was technically in the 'kidnap situation,' I learned this from my lawyer, and was fearing for my life, so I had to defend myself. So I did defend myself very well...and so they sued me. Whatever. the good thing was, it was an aisle, so I had them between the seats and the wall, so they couldn't get around me, so I had them one at a time. So, it was actually a good situation for a multi-person fighting situation."..."Well, I tried to get through, and I told them that if they didn't let me through, I'd have to do something about it. So, I tried to get through, and the guy pushed me back, and while he was pushing me, I grabbed him by his shirt and I started punching him with one hand. And, his other friend came behind me and got me by the neck and was pulling me backwards. But, I had his friend by the shirt, so I was still punching him. Then, I dropped the one guy, and the other guy had me by the neck, so I threw him over my shoulder. And my cousin and my friend Marina, they went and grabbed the other guys to keep them out of it, and the one girl was trying to get in and rash me in the face. My friend Marina pushed her out of the way. She went face first into the seats. and then they went and told the police that I punched the girl, which I never did. i just beat up the two guys. and then, um, yeah, it just turned into this big thing. And, uh, the funny thing is, my shoe came off, 'cuz I was fighting in flip flops, like ya do, so everyone was just losing shoes. I threw her shoe, I lost my shoe, everyone's looking for shoes. But, um, it was one of those things that most girls go through." As Gus Johnson would say, 'Sometimes these things happen in a girl's life.' Maybe the life of a no-nonsense-taking ass kicker like Ronda Rousey. I like how she considered being told to pick up the boot she threw a 'kidnap situation' ... there's a bunch of people down in Florida who agree completely with that assessment. Remind me never to stare at her in real life lest she shatter my pelvis over an 'eye sexing situation.'

Posted in: guy, thing, friend, girl, shoe

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If we can, let's look back a couple weeks to March 2, 2012. Miesha Tate and Ronda Rousey are doing their thing, Strikeforce weigh-ins go off without a hitch, and then Bryan Caraway says some unfortunate things about knocking Rousey's teeth in. Now, as a man, making public statements about beating women probably isn't the smartest idea. But a funny thing happens the next night. Miesha Tate's arm is nearly snapped in half. Twice. And a minor debate pops up in the MMA community: could Rousey actually defeat Caraway? Of course, the arguments were purely speculative, because sanctioned MMA matches between men and women could never happen. But, that's not entirely true. 5 MUST-READ STORIES Fort Hood Combatives tournament featured Man vs. Woman MMA matches. Recent matches at Fort Hood's U.S. Army Combative Championships featured no gender divisions, meaning men and women were pitted against each other. Anthony Pettis to undergo surgery, out eight weeks. According to intrepid journalist Chael P. Sonnen, "Showtime" will be out for eight weeks due to upcoming surgery, and when he comes back, it'll be at 155 pounds. Ian McCall vs. Demetrious Johnson rematch official. Uncle Creepy vs. Mighty Mouse for the flyweight semi-finals has been added to UFC on FX 3, which is slated for June 8, 2012. About that Mirko Cro Cop retiring thing, yeah, that may not be true. Cro Cop revealed he may be over the retirement hump and mulling a return to K-1 or MMA. The wrestling draft: which NCAA stars are headed for MMA? Luke Thomas takes a look at today's best collegiate wrestlers and graduating seniors who could possibly make the leap to MMA stardom. MEDIA STEW If you've never seen the 'Will It Blend' series, here's a quick rundown. A guy in a lab coat named Tom puts things in a blender and turns it on. Sounds simple enough. Anyway, Tom and Ecko teamed up to play a little prank on Johny Hendricks and Brendan Schaub. Schaub's slow transition from laid back guy to raging 250-pound man is impressive. Here's an example of those Fort Hood U.S. Army Combative Championships inter-gender matches we were talking about earlier. Man vs. Woman in the tournament final. (HT: Bloody Elbow) We're not really sure what the hell this is, but here you go. (HT: Reddit) Chael Sonnen, Pat Miletich, Renzo Gracie and our own Ariel Helwani explain how silly it is for New York to ban MMA. Let's be honest. Some of you out there have probably thought about smashing Justin Beiber's face. Well that's never going to happen, but you can imagine what it'd look like with this Complex photo gallery. (HT: Middle Easy) DIAZ BEING DIAZ Condit Kicks vs Real Leg Strikes: youtu.be/7VuAQaXsqsw via @youtube:( — nick diaz (@nickdiaz209) March 21, 2012 EVEN THE WOMEN IN THAT ROOM COULD BREAK YOUR FACE The brazilian verzion of the reality show The Ultimate Fighter is about to start it. Everyone is excited to see it! twitter.com/ToquinhoMMA/st… — Rousimar Palhares (@ToquinhoMMA) March 20, 2012 FIGHT ANNOUNCEMENTS Announced yesterday (Tuesday, March 20, 2012): - UFC on FX 3: Ian McCall (11-2-1) vs. Demetrious Johnson (14-2-1) - UFC on FX 3: Dustin Pague (10-5) vs. Jared Papazian (14-7) - UFC on FUEL 3: Igor Pokrajac (24-8) vs. Fabio Maldonado (18-4) confirmed as co-main event - Super Fight League 2: Todd Duffee (6-2) vs. Neil Grove (11-5-1) - Super Fight League 2: Paul Kelly (12-4) vs. Gabe Ruediger (17-8) - Super Fight League 2: Alexander Shlemenko (44-7) vs. Ikuhisa "Minowaman" Minowa (52-33-8) FANPOST OF THE DAY Today's Fanpost of the Day comes from Morning Report regular, Hobbie: Ortiz vs. Griffin: The Redheaded Step-Child of MMA Trilogies The truth is that for most fans, the Ortiz/Griffin series is the redheaded stepchild of MMA trilogies. These guys are like bad in-laws: they're old, rich, have a laundry list of injuries, and show up once every few years to make your life miserable. This lukewarm fan reaction is utterly mystifying to me, pretty much for the reasons I mentioned above. It's another strange MMA phenomenon I don't understand, like the compulsion to chant "USA! USA!" at any foreigner, or insisting on excitement>winning when it comes to liking fighters while at the same time claiming that anyone with consecutive losses is over the hill and should retire. Individually, these guys are two of the most popular fighters in the UFC today. Despite both guys being outside the title picture, they still get strong reactions from fans whenever they fight. There's really no scenario where fans wouldn't be excited to watch these two guys fight - unless it's with each other. Found something perfect for the Morning Report? Just hit me on Twitter @shaunalshatti and we'll include it in tomorrow's post.

Posted in: ufc, fight, mma, guy, vs

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Thank Michael Bisping for creating the new Jason "Mayhem" Miller. Four months after a loss to the outspoken Brit at The Ultimate Fighter 14 Finale put his UFC career on the rocks, Miller said he's a meaner guy after Bisping "killed" the old him. And that meaner guy doesn't think much of his next opponent: C.B. Dollaway, whom he meets in May at UFC 146 in Las Vegas.

Posted in: ufc, guy, ufc career, michael bisping, guy doesnt

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Further endearing herself to scores of fans everywhere, while possibly scaring the living daylights out of a smaller, shadier portion, Strikeforce bantamweight champ Ronda Rousey recently elaborated on a story that had surfaced in recent months surrounding a physical confrontation she experienced years back while watching a movie. Rousey, while as a guest on ESPN’s Highly Questionable with Dan LeBatard, brought the unsanctioned bout up while addressing earlier comments she’d made about beating up former title-holder Miesha Tate’s boyfriend Bryan Caraway, a 135-pounder on the UFC‘s roster. Highlights from Rousey’s Win Over Tate “I got jumped by a bunch of guys in a movie theater and I beat them up and then everyone clapped. and then I was like, ‘Maybe I should fight in front of people, people tend to like it.’ That was one of my first MMA experiences,” Rousey stated. “They wouldn’t let me leave and they pushed me. So, I was technically in the ‘kidnap situation,’ I learned this from my lawyer, and was fearing for my life, so I had to defend myself. So I did defend myself very well … and so they sued me. Whatever,” she continued in a ho-hum manner. “The good thing was, it was an aisle, so I had them between the seats and the wall, so they couldn’t get around me, so I had them one at a time. So, it was actually a good situation for a multi-person fighting situation.” Perhaps Caraway, who Rousey called “some average to below average MMA guy”, should watch out after all. Check out the full interview below: PHOTO CREDIT – STRIKEFORCE Tweet

Posted in: guy, situation, rousey, movie theater, dan lebatard

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Though most of the people who set attendance records at the NCAA Division I wrestling championships in St. Louis last week were fans, at least one attendee was there to look for up-and-coming talent. Ricardo Liborio, the leader of American Top Team in Florida, headed to Missouri to find the best athletes who want to make the transition from wrestling to MMA. Cagewriter spoke to Liborio, who has worked with such fighters as Thiago Alves and Tyron Woodley, about why he is looking to wrestling to find his next great star. "The endpoint is to recruit guys who are done with their careers as a wrestler. Probably senior guys who want to start their MMA career. Some guys are not making it through their careers, the guys who couldn't make the Olympic team. And, we're open. I have some offers for athletes, depending on their caliber of what they can bring to the table. Guys like Bubba [Jenkins], we're recruiting, we're negotiating, and we're willing to invest in them. We're building them from the ground up," Liborio said. He said he's been looking to wrestlers for years, but attended the NCAA championships for the first time last year. There, he watched Arizona State's Bubba Jenkins win a national title. Not long after, Jenkins joined ATT, where he's won both of his fights with a submission.

Posted in: guy, career, jenkin, ncaa, liborio

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Strikeforce Women's Bantamweight Champion Ronda Rousey recently skyrocketed to the heights of fame after defeating Miesha Tate on March 3, 2012, at Strikeforce: "Tate vs. Rousey" in Columbus, Ohio. The first round armbar submission marked the fifth time in a row that "Rowdy" has finished the fight in such a violent fashion (see grisly .gif here). But, it isn't just Rousey's fight game that has been garnering her attention. After her win over Tate, Rousey went so far as to say she could also beat up "'Takedown's" boyfriend, Bryan Caraway. Today (March 19, 2012), Rousey appeared on ESPN's "Dan Le Batard Highly Questionable" to defend her statements: "I just said that I could beat up her and boyfriend in the same day, which, he's just some average, to below average MMA guy and I'm, like, the women's world champion. It would be expected that I'd be able to beat the average MMA guy in my weight class, right? Is that such an unbelievable thing to say? No." Rousey was just getting started. Check out what else she had to say after the jump: Le Batard went on to question Rousey about how well she realistically thinks she'd do in a fight with a man. According to her, it wouldn't be the first time she'd found herself in such an encounter: "It's happened to me a couple times. Not in, like, a sanctioned, legal way. But, it was entertaining to everybody that saw it. I got applause afterwards. I got jumped by a bunch of guys in a movie theatre and I beat 'em up and then everyone clapped. and then I was like, 'Maybe I should fight in front of people, 'cuz people tend to like it.' That was one of my first MMA experiences. It was like four couples, four guys and four girls. A couple of them headed me off in the aisle. It was like a thing. Their girlfriend was rude and I told her that she was rude and they tried to act tough in front of their girlfriend. She was like knocking me in the head with her boot and was being -- they were that group of people who were just rude and loud throughout the whole movie. And so, I took her boot off and threw it and told her to go get some manners. and then, her boyfriend didn't like that. And her boyfriend's friends didn't like that. So, they headed me off in the aisle and told me to go get the boot. They wouldn't let me leave and they pushed me. So, I was technically in the 'kidnap situation,' I learned this from my lawyer, and was fearing for my life, so I had to defend myself. So I did defend myself very well...and so they sued me. Whatever. the good thing was, it was an aisle, so I had them between the seats and the wall, so they couldn't get around me, so I had them one at a time. So, it was actually a good situation for a multi-person fighting situation." Rousey continued, discussing the specific strategies she employed to take on the group of disorderlys: "Well, I tried to get through, and I told them that if they didn't let me through, I'd have to do something about it. So, I tried to get through, and the guy pushed me back, and while he was pushing me, I grabbed him by his shirt and I started punching him with one hand. And, his other friend came behind me and got me by the neck and was pulling me backwards. But, I had his friend by the shirt, so I was still punching him. Then, I dropped the one guy, and the other guy had me by the neck, so I threw him over my shoulder. And my cousin and my friend Marina, they went and grabbed the other guys to keep them out of it, and the one girl was trying to get in and rash me in the face. My friend Marina pushed her out of the way. She went face first into the seats. and then they went and told the police that I punched the girl, which I never did. i just beat up the two guys. and then, um, yeah, it just turned into this big thing. And, uh, the funny thing is, my shoe came off, 'cuz I was fighting in flip flops, like ya do, so everyone was just losing shoes. I threw her shoe, I lost my shoe, everyone's looking for shoes. But, um, it was one of those things that most girls go through." Talk about one tough chick. Check out the rest of Rousey's interview with ESPN's Dan Le Batard below:

Posted in: guy, thing, friend, rousey, espns dan

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Winning 14 out of his last 15 bouts, including his five round battle with Frankie Edgar at UFC 144 from the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan, late last month, it's safe to say that newly minted Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Lightweight champion Ben Henderson is one of the hottest fighters in the sport today. But is he cocky? After defeating the former 155-pound kingpin in the "Land of the Rising Sun," Henderson stated that he would defeat any and all of the challenges ahead of him in the mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion's crowded Lightweight division. Known for being one of the nicest and most humble guys in the sport today and never been one to come off as arrogant, perhaps his comments of proclaiming he can and will defeat all challengers over and over again were interpreted as arrogance by a select few people. At least that's what "Smooth" told UFC.com. Check it out: Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0in; mso-para-margin-right:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0in; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} "I definitely don't want to get too far ahead of myself. People seem to think that I'm arrogant or cocky, and I don't want to come across like that. I've said it from the very beginning that I want to be the best fighter and I want to fight and beat everybody. It's not me looking ahead and being cocky all of a sudden like, oh, I beat Frankie Edgar and now all of a sudden I'm gonna smash everybody. I was saying this from the beginning. I'm as confident as any other fighter on the UFC roster. I'm a very confident fighter and all fighters are, or they should be. I want to fight everybody on the roster at 155, I want to beat ‘em all, and I want to have a nice long reign at 155. I'll do a Bernard Hopkins or Joe Louis. I want to make 155 my weight class and I want my name to be synonymous with it. I think that would be something special." "Smooth" simply feels he is a confident fighter, as is the rest of the promotion's roster. Henderson will have the chance to put that confidence into play real soon as he is slated to rematch Edgar sometime this summer: "Let's run that back, let's do it again. In my eyes, I don't really see myself as one of those primadonna wide receivers: 'I want this, and this has gotta happen.' I represent the UFC, I'm the 155-pound guy right now, and even if you don't have the belt, it's not about you calling some guys out. To me, that's kinda tacky and disrespectful. It's Sean Shelby, Joe Silva, and Dana White's job to put somebody in front of you. Whoever they put in front of me, I will beat up. It doesn't matter. My job is not to match myself up and call this guy or that guy out. I'm not gonna go on Twitter and make my own match. Some guys are into that and that's the way they want to pursue their career, and they can go right ahead. My job is to beat people up." With a bevy of challengers lining up who are all looking to dethrone Henderson, he will have plenty of opportunities to prove he can defeat the best of the best at 155 pounds. First things first, however, as he will have to prove to the MMA world once again that his win over Edgar was indeed legit, by attempting to defeat him in back-to-back fights. Can he do it? Or will "The Answer" reclaim his title when the two lock horns later this year?

Posted in: guy, fighter, henderson, frankie edgar, im

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   There's about a million ways to use the phrase 'Don't be that guy' and plenty of ways we can apply the phrase in MMA. things like, don't be the guy that wears an Affliction shirt and rhinestone studded pocket jeans with Pauly D spikey hair. Don't be the guy that chants 'USA' anytime someone of a different nationality is fighting an American. Don't be the guy that claims he is an MMA fighter after taking two classes at Tiger Schulman's. I could go on and on with the 'Don't be that guy' stuff in relation to the sport we love, but I'm just going to stop right here with the guy in this video. This guy really does not like Rampage Jackson. If this guy ever gets the chance to hang out with Rampage Jackson, he is really not going to want to be the guy that did this video. Check it out:   

Posted in: guy, rampage, jackson, dont, video check

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It's been a long time since Brendan Schaub was last fighting inside the Octagon, having taken some time off after suffering a particularly devastating knockout defeat at the hands of Brazilian legend Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira last August at UFC 134 in Brazil. But he's back now and ready to return to form at UFC 145 on April 21 in Atlanta. But it won't be easy, especially considering his opponent, Ben Rothwell, is one of the toughest guys in the heavyweight division. According to Schaub at least: "These guys know when they fight me, it's going to be one hell of a fight. I expect the best Ben Rothwell. And I know it's cliche to say and everyone says, 'Oh, that's something fighters say all the time,' but when I say it, it's obviously true. The previous guys he's fought, when they rocked Ben, they don't have the cardio, they rock Ben, they use it as a way to recover themselves. I'm not like that. It's going to be 15 minutes of me in his face. I can do it all. You want to strike? Let's do that. It's going to be a short night, though. I think if you have to list a top three toughest guys in the heavyweight division, he's right up there. Everyone's tough in the UFC but he's a different caliber of tough. But just being tough isn't going to get you the belt. I guarantee people walk away from this fight talking about my performance rather than the main event or anyone else on the card." The main event of UFC 145 features the highly anticipated showdown for the light heavyweight championship between Jon Jones and Rashad Evans so "The Hybrid" has his work cut out for him. But if he can turn in the kind of performance he's promising, it would certainly go a long way in putting him back "in the mix" at heavyweight. We'll see.

Posted in: ufc, guy, ben, ben rothwell, he

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The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 15: "Live" got into full swing with the second episode last night (March 16, 2012), as coaches Urijah Faber and Dominick Cruz picked their teams, set up the first fight and got the training underway. This week's show was capped off by a brutal knee knockout by James Vick over Daron Cruickshank that surprised most people, including me. For a detailed account of how it all went down be sure to hit up out TUF 15: "Live" results post right here. Nonetheless, several things became evident in episode number two: Cruz is super uncomfortable in front of the cameras. We pretty much knew that based on his past on-camera appearances for fight-hyping press ventures, but it became overwhelmingly evident on the show, especially when he is seen talking to his guys. One-on-one, he seems to do okay, but in front of a big group, he seizes up. Maybe he'll get better and relax. We'll see. As much as Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) President Dana White takes a bad wrap from time to time for being so outspoken, I thought this episode showed a side of him that we do see every now and then, but doesn't get publicized often. After Michael Chiesa experienced the loss of his father, White paid for him to fly home, take a day to be with friends and family, then allowed him to come back to the show. I'm not trying to give the guy a Nobel Peace Prize, I just thought it was good to see a more "human" side of Dana. It's still a little awkward how they're balancing the "LIVE" action with the canned/production stuff. The episode went About 40 minutes in before we heard from sometimes-host Jon Anik for the second time. It was brief and felt forced, almost like they're trying to find something for him to do. I don't hate the FX production quality of TUF, but it definitely still feels like they're figuring it out. Without further ado (which, I believe is Latin for: "jibber jabber"), here are the TUF 15 Power Rankings for episode two: For this week's power rankings, I deferred to the coaches. Call that a cop-out, if you will, but I figure guys who get paid to fight and have been training in mixed martial arts (MMA) their whole lives know better than I do. Cruickshank was, of course, left off the rankings, reflecting that he lost his fight and is out of the competition (barring a wild card scenario). (Note: The numbers in parenthesis indicate each fighter's ranking from the previous week.) 1) Justin Lawrence: (7)2) Al Iaquinta: (11)3) Sam Sicilia (3)4) Cristiano Marcello (1)5) Myles Jury (13)6) Mike Rio (8)7) Joe Proctor (9)8) James Vick (14)9) Michael Chiesa (2)10) Vinc Pichel (5)11) John Cofer (15)12) Chris Tickle (6)13) Andy Ogle (16)14) Jeremy Larsen (10)15) Chris Saunders (12) It's still early, so it's hard to make a lot of predictions yet, but these are the things I'm going to be watching for as the season unfolds: In my opinion, Michael Chiesa is still one of the guys to watch for, but how will he respond to the loss of his father? Sometimes, that kind of setback can be a huge motivator. Sometimes, it can cause the heart to get in front of the head and bring about big losses (see: Jake Shields, Mark Hominick and Sam Stout). I'm pulling for him, and I hope he's able to overcome this obstacle, but it's with reservations that I believe it's going to happen. For now, anyway. Vick may very well be a sleeper here. I liked Cruickshank a lot. Vick has now beat two established MMA fighters in back-to-back appearances. He seems to be learning quickly and has the build and frame to be a potentially very good fighter. His length may pose a problem for many of the guys in the house. It will be interesting to see how Faber handles the first loss. Can he rebound and shake it off, or will he follow in the footsteps of other coaches like "Rampage" Quinton Jackson, Ken Shamrock, Frank Mir and Josh Koscheck, who talked a good talk, but didn't end up being able to back it up in the coaching category. Now's the part where you get to beat me up. In the comment section below, leave us a note (or 15) to tell us what we got wrong, your predictions, as well as any other things that stand out to you thus far, in regard to TUF 15. Sound off! Miss the show last night? No problem, we've got you covered. Check out a compete recap of TUF 15: "Live" Episode 2 right here.

Posted in: guy, show, fighter, tuf, episode

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While everyone may be filling out their last-minute March Madness basketball brackets, it would be more than an oversight to not mention today also kicks off the beginning of the 2012 NCAA Division I National Wrestling Championships. The sport of wrestling has given so much to mixed martial arts, so why not return the favor with a little bit of coverage? Besides, tomorrow's MMA champions are today's wrestling standouts. Do yourself a favor and scout them before they become big sensations. To help us make predictions for the field: Bellator welterweight champion Ben Askren. Who better to break down this year's tournament than a man who is not only one of MMA's champions, but also won the tournament in 2006 and 2007? For a full primer on this year's tourney (including brackets, betting odds and how to watch), SB Nation has you covered. For now, let's get right to Mr. Askren's predictions: Preparation Most teams go two days early. It's kind of weird for me because it's the first time that I haven't been involved in years. I'm just going as a fan this year which should be fun. They get there two days early, get their practices in, get their weight down and get ready to rumble. The Field This Year There are a lot of number ones that stand out and haven't really been touched this year. I would venture to say, I haven't looked up stats, but I would venture to say that there is more undefeated wrestlers in the tournament this year than any in recent past. The Top Teams Who to watch: Oklahoma State, Penn State University, University of Minnesota I would say [Penn State]. I would like to see Minnesota win it. I cheer for them, I like those guys but Penn State I would say would be the definite favorite. 125lbs Who to watch: Matt McDonough, Iowa University; Zachary Sanders, University of Minnesota [Matt] McDonough is the clear leader. He's won it before, was a close second to Anthony Robles last year. I would like to see Alan Waters come through and pull it out from my alma mater of Mizzou. The problem is he lost to Zach Sanders of Minnesota twice and Zach Sanders has lost to Matt McDonough twice so I'm just not sure that it's gonna happen but that's what I'm cheering for. Dark horse at 125lbs It does happen every once in a while, but the majority of the time, a lot of these guys wrestle each other so I would say no. Maybe [Ryan] Mango, I don't know, I forgot where he's seeded but he might be the dark horse because he dropped from 133. He's definitely got the tricks in the bag but I don't know if he can put it all together or not. 133lbs Who to watch: Jordan Oliver, Oklahoma State; Tony Ramos, Iowa University; Logan Stieber, Ohio State University Ramos beat him on a one hour weigh-in. Oliver cuts a lot of weight, everyone knows that. If he does, if Ramos does face Oliver which is a big question mark because he'd have to end up beating Logan Stieber, Oliver will have the whole day to recover and he'll be ready to go. Oliver looked dominant in his win over Stiever so I would be shocked to see anyone beat Jordan Oliver so I would say he's a big favorite. Can Jordan Oliver wrestle internationally? Definitely. I'm kind of disappointed to see him not do any summer wrestling these past two years. I thought he would have kind of mixed it up with some of the guys. I think he would do pretty well but I haven't seen him in the summers the last couple of years so I don't know where to put him at right now with all those other guys. 141lbs Who to watch: Kellen Russell, University of Michigan; Montel Marion, Iowa University; Michael Mangrum, Oregon State University You know what? Russell, he wrestled a lot of people close last year but I definitely watched the Big 12 tournament and he looked better this year than last year that's for sure. I think that could have been a criticism of him last year but he looked really solid at the tournament. 141 pounds is a good weight for me because we had two former Arrowhead Warhawks in the tournament at 141 pounds. That's my high school. Nick Hucke's got Kellen Russell first round and then Jake Sueflohn, I think he's a 10 seed or something so I would actually say, I would venture to say that 141 pounds is one of the more open brackets in the tournament. A lot of these guys have beaten each other before, even all the way down to Hunter Stieber at number 5, he's the one who's been coming up this year and a lot of these guys went back and forth. I would say this is definitely one of the more open weights in the tournament. I think anyone, even down to [Borislav] Novachkov at 6, I think even he could pull it off. 149lbs Who to watch: Frank Molinaro, Penn State University; Jamal Parks, Oklahoma State University He's definitely the clear cut favorite but like you said, the favorite doesn't always win. I think Jamal Parks at number two could give him a run for his money and then Cole Von Ohlen at number three, he was coached by one of my old college coaches and he's tough as nails on top and that's where Molinaro struggles, in the bottom position so that could be someone who could give him a good run for his money. 157lbs Who to watch: Kyle Dake, Cornell University Not that [Kyle Dake] can't get beat, but I'd say it's highly unlikely that he gets beat. I want to say [the rest of the field] are a step down below Dake. [Derek] St. John has some bright spots, [Jason] Welch has had some bright spots, but I don't think any of them got anything for Dake. He's just really strong everywhere. Dake won the title at 141lbs as a freshman and 149 as a sophomore. Could he move to 165lbs next year? I think it'd be very unwise of him to do that. 165lbs Who to watch: David Taylor, Penn State University 165 is just a really tough weight class. Well, ok, sorry, it's not a tough weight class this year. This year it's actually an easy weight class. David Taylor is dominating everyone and none of the other guys are standouts by any means. I don't think you've even got a handful of All-Americans in the bunch behind him. [Robert] Kokesh, never an All-American. [Michael] Evans, never an All-American. [Bezkod] Abdurakhmonov, never an All-American, [Andrew] Sorensen, never an All-American. So, all these guys they're not that good, right? But then next year you got Andrew Howe - a champ and finalist coming back - and you got Tyler Caldwell, NCAA finalist coming in from red shirt. So, 165 between Taylor, Howe and Caldwell will probably be the toughest weight next year. 174lbs Who to watch: Ed Ruth, Penn State University; Nick Amuchastegui, Stanford University; Chris Perry, Oklahoma State [Ed Ruth] has been as dominant as Taylor this year, but this is more where I think the seeding committee messed up. [Nick] Amuchestegui is undefeated and Amuchastegui beat Ed Ruth and placed higher than Ruth in the NCAA tournament last year. There's no reason Amuchastegui shouldn't have been number one. And that would've put Ruth and [Chris] Perry at 2 and 3 and Chris Perry's beaten Ed Ruth many times through their youth and high school and early in college stuff, so I would be shocked if Perry beat him again, but it wouldn't be too much a stretch of the imagination. Like I said, Amuchastegui, he kind of put the hammer on Ruth last year - obviously Ruth's a year older, a year wiser - so we'll see what happens. 184lbs Who to watch: Quentin Wright, Penn State University; Steve Bosack, Cornell University; Robert Hamlin, Lehigh University I say along with 141lbs this is the real toss-up weight. I would say everyone [seeded] 1 through 7 has a decent chance. Obviously 6 is Quentin Wright, he's a returning national champ. At number 2 is Robert Hamlin, he won it last year. 7 is [Josh] Ihnen, he beat Quentin Wright. Bosack was third last year, so you got a lot of really tough guys here. That's a tough one to pick. I don't know how it's going to shake out. One guy that's hot right now is Kevin Steinhaus. Like I said, it's a tough one to pick. 197lbs Who to watch: Cam Simaz, Cornell University People gave [Simaz] too much of a hard time. He didn't fall apart [at last year's national tournament]. [Ed] Kilgore was just that good. Kilgore's a stud. He's an Olympic red shirt, he's coming back next year. But this is one of those weights also where it's kinda Simaz at top and I think everyone else below him. I think after number 1 any of those guys can go in any order. I would be shocked if anyone beats Cam Simaz. Askren's thoughts on Edinboro's Chris Honeycutt, who has expressed interest in MMA: Yeah, Honeycutt, I don't think he's got the mat wrestling to go with Simaz. Simaz can wrestle everywhere: top, bottom, neutral. He's got the whole package. Honeycutt's got some holes in his game, so I would be surprised by that result if Honeycutt makes out with a win. That being said, Honeycutt's going to be an outstanding mixed martial arts prospect. 285lbs Who to watch: Ryan Flores, American University; Zach Rey (defending national champion), Lehigh University Flores beat Rey twice this year, so obviously he's got the upper hand there. And then Tony Nelson coming through on the bottom. He's tough also, so he's only got two losses. He can come through there. Number 9 is a guy I coached last year, Levi Cooper. He pulled some huge upsets at the tournament last year. He actually beat Zach Rey earlier this year, so maybe he can pull some more upsets and sneak in there as a dark horse. Askren on what differentiates wrestling at 285lbs vs. the other weight classes: 285 is different that everywhere. It's just a different kind of match. There's not as much going. There's obviously not as much athleticism. The thing I tell guys is 'get as big as you can' because the bigger you get, the more athletes that are in other sports. I wrestled 174lbs, so I say once you get above 174lbs all the great athletes are playing football, basketball and baseball. I think that's what you see in the heavyweight weight classes. You do have some great wrestlers, but most of the really outstanding athletes are playing other sports.

Posted in: guy, year, lb, he, university

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Rampage Jackson's strange UFC saga hit a snag and tonight's Bellator 61 card underwent a late shake-up. But you want to know yesterday's sneaky-important MMA story? It doesn't even involve MMA. Day one of the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships. Brock Lesnar, Phil Davis, Johny Hendricks -- these guys were all D-1 champs, and with the diverging paths of today's wrestling and MMA scenes, more and more blue-chip prospects are forgoing the mat for the more lucrative call of mixed martial arts. If you've never seen combat sports' version of March Madness, give it a shot and check out some of today's matches. You could be seeing the guys again real soon. 5 MUST-READ STORIES NCAA Division I wrestling championship session 1 results. Penn State University took the early lead at the opening day of the NCAA Division I Wrestling Championships. Check out the all the day one results. Rampage Jackson to have double knee surgery. Rampage revealed via Twitter that he will undergo surgery on both of his knees, delaying his recently announced farewell bout against Shogun. The hurt business: highs and lows in the brick city. Ben Fowlkes offers the second installment of his hit multi-part series that examines the hidden lives of pro fighters within Colorado's Grudge Training Center. Bellator 61 weigh-in results. Official weigh-ins for tonight's Bellator 61 fight card were held at The Orleans Room at Horseshoe Riverdome in Bossier City, Louisiana. All main card fighters met their required weight. Eric Prindle scratched from Bellator 61. Tonight's planned Bellator 61 headliner, Eric Prindle vs. Thiago Santos, has been rescheduled for Bellator 62 after Prindle was unable to overcome flu-like symptoms on Thursday. COUNTDOWN TO A SLIMMER ROY NELSON Started (on March 4th): 32,000 likes.Yesterday's mark: 102,094 likes.As of this writing: 102,242Goal (by March 18th): 132,000 likes. And that's a wrap, folks. At least we tried. MEDIA STEW I'd be lying if I said watching Forrest Griffin and Stephan Bonnar ham it up with little teacups didn't make my day better. 2011 was all about keepin' it real for Donald Cerrone. Fight as often as possible and watch the bonus checks rain in. No worries about rankings or title shots. 2012, on the other hand, is going to be a little bit different. Now "Cowboy" wants that belt. We're officially entering the summer of MMA documentaries. With Dustin Poirier's Fightville and Mark Hominick's Fight, Spirit, Pride already in the works, Eddie Alvarez has decided to throw his hat into the ring. Check out the trailer for Alvarez's No Plan B, which chronicles his 2010 bout with Roger Huerta. When you're in slow times like these, sometimes it feels right to dust off the old classics, and this Shinya Aoki vs. David Gardner clip fits the bill perfectly. One of the most absurd finishes in MMA history. Makes it better: his nickname is "Hello Japan" now. SO SHOGUN'S BACK ON THE SHELF TOO 2 keep it real,the Shogun fight will have 2 wait,I just found out that I have 2 get surgery on both knees,but I heal fast don't trip — Quinton Jackson (@Rampage4real) March 15, 2012 CHECKING IN ON THE CRIPPLER I just wanna thank everyone who's been sending me support and positive energy my way. I'm a positive energy whore right now — chris leben (@cripplerufc) March 15, 2012 THE PERFECT RECIPE "@XStraightEdgePK: @Unclecreepymma How do you grow that awesome mustache ?" magic with a sprinkle of stupidity — ian mccall (@Unclecreepymma) March 16, 2012 FIGHT ANNOUNCEMENTS Announced yesterday (Thursday, March 15, 2012): - Bellator 61: Eric Prindle (7-1, 1 NC) vs. Thiago Santos (10-1, 1 NC) rescheduled for Bellator 62 FANPOST OF THE DAY Today's Fanpost of the Day goes to BE's Crooklyn: Josh Rosenthal: The Invisible Man The ten point must system and judging "To me the ten point must is fine. I think definitions of the criteria need to be defined greater. I think that's where discrepancies come into play with it. The way you look at it, is you have striking, grappling, control, and then you have aggression. If you're saying striking is first, you're automatically giving an advantage to the striker, opposed to the grappler, who's category comes second. To me, grappling and striking are one thing, as far as how they should be judged. They're different systems of combat, but they should be weighed equally. You have to judge each thing in the context of where it's being done. So if a guy is in his guard, and he's throwing elbows from the bottom, and he's damaging the guy, then that's effective striking. Be it that it's on the ground, and not on the feet, it's still effective striking. When you have a fight where a guy is completely smothering the other with grappling, he's taking the back, he's mounting, he's attacking the neck, he's attacking the arm, what's to say that that's not scoring greater than the striking? They all need to be looked at in the context of what they are. Personally, I like the idea of who's trying to win the fight, like the Japanese style, which is focusing on finishing the fight, and scoring technique. By doing that, you kind of push the striking and the grappling context together, because you're now judging who's actually trying to finish the match, be it with striking or grappling. I believe damage should be a criteria, which it's not really at this point, but I believe it should be. Damage doesn't have to be acute damage of a cut or blood. You end up with fights where guys are getting a lot of body shots, or in positions where their head's not going to get banged around because it's buried in a guy's chest, or in his leg, and he's trying to take him down. You have to look at it positionally, what's happening as opposed to the traditional of ‘It's striking on the feet, and it's grappling on the ground.' You have to look at it as a whole. I think the ten point must is fine, I just think the definitions of the criteria need to be looked at a little bit, and adjusted." Found something perfect for the Morning Report? Just hit me on Twitter @shaunalshatti and we'll include it in tomorrow's post.

Posted in: fight, bellator, guy, march, he

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He beats people up in the gym, he beats people up in the cage, and he beats people up in my living room on EA Sports MMA. Tonight, Germany’s top heavyweight fighter, Andreas Kraniotakes, plans to beat up one more person when he takes on Strikeforce and Bellator veteran Mike Hayes for the vacant Cage Warriors Fighting Championship heavyweight title (which you can watch for free in a few hours). While he may be a tough man with warrior spirit, “Big Daddy” as he is known is genuinely a great guy. The eloquent and articulate fighter is known for more than just his violent striking and imposing frame. A certified social education pedagogue, Andreas also works with children who have learning disorders, studies martial arts in great detail, and is an all around cool dude. I had a chance to sit down with the fighter last weekend and discuss his upcoming fight, his career, and his opinions on various topics in MMA community. Joe Lebeau: How are you doing Andreas? Andreas Kraniotakes: I’m great man, thanks for having me. JL: How excited are you to have a chance to fight for the Cage Warriors Heavyweight Championship? It is actually a really great honor for me. I’ve always wanted to compete for a championship belt in one of the big leagues, and I consider Cage Warriors to be one of the big leagues. I think I’ve done enough in the past year or so to put myself in that position, and to earn the title shot. It’s great to be there finally, and it would be even better to actually capture the belt. JL:Is this your first shot at a title? Yeah, the first one that’s worth mentioning, you know? There’s a lot of titles out there that don’t really matter if you ask me, but this is the first one that would really matter to me. JL: Now, are you in Romania right now for your training camp? Yessir! I didn’t know that I was fighting, actually, because I fought Dmitry Poberezhets at Cage Warriors 46 two weeks ago, and I had already planned a training camp following the fight in Ukraine. I had already booked my train ticket down to Romania where a really good Greco Roman wrestler, a heavyweight guy, is training. He has a fight coming up in two weeks now, and that’s why I actually came here. I wanted to help him out with the training camp. When I found out I would be fighting for belt so soon, I changed from helping a guy out to having my own training camp again and it has worked out very good so far. JL: And how is the training camp going? Really good, man. It’s always a little bit of an adventure to train with new trainers and new training partners in completely new surroundings. I’ve never been to Romania before, and I didn’t know anything about the country before I came here. I just knew “here’s a big guy that knows something about wrestling and needs my help”, so I jumped onto a train, had a 13 hour train ride. I always try to be open-minded and don’t let myself be fooled by prejudices and I’m glad that I did that once again because the training is very nice, and people treat me very nice. It’s really wonderful to be able to see that the sport is growing over here as well. I’ve already been on Romanian national TV after one week of training here, and the appreciation of the sport is really big over here. I like it, and the training was excellent. It’s good to have good training partners. JL: That’s really good to hear. You’ve almost become well known for taking fights on short notice. Does that affect your training camp at all? Yeah.. I try to not to be too crazy about what the other guy does in the cage, so I don’t need too much time to adjust to another opponent. I think that’s what helps me when I take fights on short notice. I think that’s the kind of stuff that great stories are made of, when a guy steps up on short notice. It would be way easier to have an 8 to 10 week training camp for sure, even for me, but I try to stay sharp and I try to stay busy fighting. I won’t be in this game forever and I want to get as much experience in as possible. The fights on short notice seem to happen to me but I think I’m doing an okay job with it so far, so I’ll continue it. JL: You’ve faced some pretty tough heavyweights in your career. What challenges do you feel Mike Hayes presents to you that you may have to adjust for? He’s really an overall tough dude who knows what to do everywhere the fight goes. Usually there’s a hole in everybody’s game, you could say “Let’s take him to the ground and beat him up there” or you could say “I’ll just keep the fight standing and it’s going to be alright”, but he knows how to do damage from every position, wherever the fight goes. He has never been finished in over 20 fights. He’s a Strikeforce and Bellator vet and that means something. He fought really good submissions guys like Oleinik, or really good knockout artists like Neil Grove, and they were not able to finish him. I’m a finisher. If you look at my record, I’ve won 13 fights so far and that’s not one decision. They’ve all been finished in the first or second round. It will be more or less who will make the best of it. I’m pretty sure that he will try everything to prevent me from finishing him, and he’s done well doing that in the past. I’ll try to be the first, and let’s see who will come out on top. JL: Definitely an extremely exciting fight coming up this Friday. I’m very excited to watch. You’re pretty popular in Europe, and you had more exposure to North American fans when you fought Tim Sylvia at Pro Elite 2. How was fighting in North America different from the other fights in your career? To be honest, the major difference was that I finally was able to present myself to the American crowd. All of my Twitter followers asked me for years now “When will you fight in the U.S.?” and “We hope to see you soon in the U.S. fighting.” And that was a big thing for me, because I had promised them to make it happen as soon as possible and I was finally able to. Of course, there was exposure on news sites that only write about American events, and that was the major difference. The rest, you know, you’re getting in the cage, and there are only three people in the cage and one of them is trying to knock your head off. For me, that’s not a big difference. If the cage is in a jungle or in a garage, it doesn’t really matter. It’s always the same principle. It was a big honor for sure, I enjoyed the whole scenery. We had a weigh in at an ice hockey game in Moline which was pretty crazy. Even Greg Jackson, who was there, said he had never done that before. One of my goals is to not only be a fighter, but also enjoy every step of the way. I think I did a great job doing that over there, and I didn’t think I looked too bad in the fight. The fight was pretty boring, but that wasn’t my fault if you ask me, I tried my best to make it an exciting fight. I hope Pro Elite will have me back sometime soon. JL: You’re fighting in Dubai this weekend,. Are you looking forward to going there, and have you ever been? I have never been to Dubai, but I’ve always wanted to go so this is a bonus for me. Actually, when my trainer and I were talking about the schedule for this year, and we were checking out what Cage Warriors was doing and we both saw the Dubai date and thought that would be cool. We ended up fighting in Kiev instead, and we were not sorry because getting to know Ukraine is nice also, but Dubai has a certain swagger, and we both had hoped to experience it. Now it will happen, so it feels like everything is coming together right now. I wish to fight in Dubai, and I wish to fight for the belt, and now it’s finally going to happen on Friday. I couldn’t thank Cage Warriors more for giving me the opportunity. JL: Earlier you had mentioned Twitter, you’re pretty popular on Facebook and Twitter and not many fighters go about it the way you do. I’ve noticed you do embrace social media and speak to your fans quite often. How does that affect you in your MMA career or in general? Actually, that’s a great source of motivation for me. I get to hear a lot of stories from my fans, and that’s what I see as my reward for interacting with them. I get to hear stories about them and how I influence them with the stuff that I do in the cage or with my video blogs. It’s a great source of motivation and a great inspiration for me too because, if you do something and you know that it affects other people at the other end of the world, that’s a great feeling, at least for me. I wouldn’t be able to miss that feeling any more. I was an MMA fan before I started being a fighter, and I always wished that MMA stars or MMA fighters would be easier to get in contact with and to ask them one or two interesting questions. Just to get one step ahead in my overall understanding of MMA. I try to be the guy that I always wanted to have when I was just a fan. I’m still a big MMA fan, but, I just think that’s the right way to do it, and I get back a lot of love too, and that’s pretty cool. JL: You mentioned being a fan of MMA. Who would you say is your favorite fighter? Wow….there are so many out there it’s hard to say. Of course I have my eye on the heavyweights. If you ask for my all-time favorite fighter, I’d have to say Bas Rutten. I just like his personality so much, and he also was a great fighter. He had great performances in the ring and in the cage, and he was a pioneer of the sport, and a great ambassador of the sport. That’s why I’d take him as a role model, I want to be an ambassador for the sport also. I’m trying to place myself in the same way he did. I know that the fighting career won’t be forever, so I hope that after I quit fighting, I’ll be able to do some other media work like commentary or something like that. That’s why he’s kind of like my “idol” if you want to put it that way. JL: You mentioned the heavyweights, there are two big heavyweight fights on the horizon. Obviously we have Alistair Overeem vs. Junior dos Santos, and over in Strikeforce, the Grand Prix wraps up with Josh Barnett and Daniel Cormier. Who would you pick in those two fights? That’s a tough one. I’ve trained with Alistair a couple of times, and I’ve trained with a lot of people in my day. To be honest, I’ve never experienced anything like Alistair. He’s just a straight up monster. He’s got so much experience. People underestimate his experience. They see his record and they’re like “Oh, the guy has lost eleven times” but that means the guy has gone through hell and came back. It’s pretty hard to put him in a position that he’s never been in before. There are a couple aspects of his game that are really underrated like his cardio or his ground game. I personally think he’s the best heavyweight out there, but still Junior presents some interesting problems for him. You can’t say that this guy will win 100%. It’s always like, he will win 8 out of 10 fights. If you ask me, Alistair wins 8 out of 10 times against Junior. The Cormier and Barnett fight is really hard to predict too but I’m going with Cormier. I think Barnett would have the edge when he takes the fight to the ground, but I don’t think he’ll be able to because Cormier is such a good wrestler. He will have a good gameplan coming in, and I probably see the fight going to Cormier by decision. JL: Excellent analysis, and we’re all definitely looking forward to those bouts, as well as your own. I had done some research prior to speaking with you, and I found an interview you had done where you mentioned a thesis you were working on in regards to martial arts. Are you still working on it, and would you care to explain it? Of course, my pretty busy schedule as a fighter doesn’t allow me to work on it full-time, but I’m still working on it. It’s about martial arts and how martial artists are treated in different cultures, and about the role martial arts plays for these different societies and cultures. I strongly believe that the will to fight and aggression are parts of human nature, and most of our societies don’t allow the people living in the society to let that out. There is not really a place to be aggressive or get out all of that anger that we are equipped with naturally. I think that martial arts, or sports in general, especially combat sports, are an important way to help the society be quiet and peaceful. We can’t just ignore that aggression is part of human nature, and if we do so we will eventually get into trouble. If we accept it and give it a little space in our society, it will be way easier for us to live with each other. That’s the thesis that I am trying to prove. JL: That’s really quite interesting. I look forward to reading your work when you do complete it. Moving onto your opponent, do you have any messages for Mike Hayes? If I would tell him anything before the fight, it’s that I respect him as a fighter. I really like the puzzle he presents me, that I’ll be trying to solve when we fight. I wish us both the best of luck, hope for no injuries, and let’s get it on. JL:  It all goes down this Friday, March 16 from Dubai, and streams live on MMAJunkie.com with the preliminary card airing on Facebook. Before I let you go, would you like to give any shout-outs? Of course. All my team from San Diego, all the guys who help me prepare over there all the time. I’m really sad that I couldn’t be over there for this training camp, but it’s not always possible. Especially Jhanex Alviz and S!A, and all of my fighting friends and training partners and trainers in Germany as well at Kampfsportgym Gym. My sponsors, of course, without whom a life like this wouldn’t be possible. Thanks to my fans, I hope you all tune in and I’ll be ready to put on a show for you. JL: It’s been a real treat talking to you Andreas, and I definitely appreciate you taking time out of your day to talk about your upcoming fight. Thanks for having me. Andreas Kraniotakes takes on Mike Hayes at Cage Warriors Fight Night 4 which starts at 11:00 AM EST this morning. The preliminary card will air live on the Cage Warriors Facebook Page with the main card being broadcast live on MMAJunkie. Be sure to check out Andreas’ video blogs, as well as news on his website as well as his Facebook page and his Twitter. PHOTO CREDIT -  KRANIOTAKESMMA.COM

Posted in: fight, guy, cage, training, jl

Read the full article at Five Ounces of Pain

There are guys who flip the switch when they get in front of a microphone and a camera, and then there's Ultimate Fighting Championship Middleweight loud-mouth Chael Sonnen, who will get a title rematch when he faces Anderson Silva at UFC 147 in Brazil on June 2, 2012. Sonnen is on a whole other level. He plays the heel like a virtuoso on a violin. You can love him or hate him, but there's something about the way he fires off soundbytes that, deep down, you have to respect. Last night (March 15, 2012), Sonnen appeared on Spike TV's "MMA Uncensored" with hosts Craig Carton, Mike Straka and Nate Quarry, and aimed a few more candid shots at a few folks who have caught his ire of late. That includes Quinton "Rampage" Jackson, who has recently been bickering back and forth with the UFC. And what are Sonnen's thoughts on this? Buckle your seatbelts. We're about to hit turbulence: "I like him. Look, he's a crybaby, but I find it entertaining. I like it when he goes on his campaigns about entitlement and how he should be given easy fights. I don't agree with any of it, but, you gotta understand, everybody's gonna stumble, at times, but to miss weight at a fight poorly, when you're paid what he's paid -- he's the second highest paid fighter in the industry now that Brock Lesnar is retired -- it kind of puts him in a different ballpark. A lot of things are expected of him and he's not quite delivering. But as far as retirement talk, the guy ought to be able to have a bad performance here and there. Randy Couture, the greatest of all time, had bad performances, but he always came back." Though Sonnen may have been backhandedly critical of "Rampage," he has at least one thing in common with him in that they have both admitted to using testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) with both taking heat for doing so. Things started to heat up as Sonnen spoke his mind on the subject: "There's two things there. Hold on. If you're gonna associate the guy with TRT, make sure you also associate the fact that it's legal and it's not banned. Second thing with TRT is people are really getting confused. They look at TRT and they're missing the stuff that really is good. TRT is eight, nine or ten on the list of things they could take to help their careers. Secondly, any time a person says 'performance enhancer,' stop talking to them, because they don't have the intellect to debate with you." It was at the point that Carton interjected and challenged Sonnen to say he was not using performance enhancing drugs (PED). Here's what he had to say: "I wanna make this point. I would never take anything if I didn't think it would help my performance. That's what medicine is in 21st Century America. Imagine if you go to the doctor and say, 'Doc, I'm feeling great. You got anything that can bring me down a notch?' That's malpractice. It's all meant to help your performance." The tension reached a climax as Carton proceeded to argue with Sonnen, accusing him of taking testosterone directly before his fight against Silva at UFC 117 on Aug. 7, 2010 in Oakland, as well as testing for "obscenely high levels." Chael was not pleased: "No, no, no. Absolutely not. Not only did I not take more of it, I was never even accused of that. Josh Gross, who's incompetent beyond measure, went on ESPN and said that I did, so it became my reality and I went with it. I was never even accused of that. Is it legal or is it not legal? If a person's taking a legal substance, that's the end of the conversation. You're sounding a lot like Josh Gross." Incredibly, Sonnen was able to compose himself and did not storm off the set, as we've seen in the past when he has been confronted with a line of questioning he was unprepared for. He was asked how his training is going for his upcoming rematch against Silva. According to Sonnen, he's ready to start training, but the fight deal has still not yet been inked: "Couple of things: First off, I don't even know if I have that fight. I'm telling people I do. I'm reading about it in the media. I don't have an agreement for that bout. And, second off, I'm gonna start in April. So, we haven't even begun yet." The question was posed to Sonnen on the actual root of his hatred for "The Spider." He said his real problem isn't even with Silva but rather the people who put up with him: "Listen, here's the deal with Anderson. My beef isn't so much with him, it's with everybody else. I get real sick and tired of seeing guys in the back asking him for his autograph with him, and then when they get on camera themselves, they portray themselves like they're tough guys. If you put a microphone in somebody's face, and he calls out anybody other than the champion, he might as well just turn in his pink slip. If you're not here to be the best, get to the end of the line. You don't belong. I'm not sidestepping this guy or anybody else. You know, any time someone publicly slaps Dana White in the face, publicly spits on Lorenzo Ferttita, I don't understand that. When Anderson comes out and he publicly says, 'I disagree with you' to the decision makers, the guys who put the process in place, who say, 'Here's how we're gonna determine a number one contender,' tells these guys he's got a better idea of their business than they do, I don't really understand that. So, that's not really a slight at me when Anderson says that, but he is telling his bosses that he disagrees with them." Finally, Sonnen answered the question no one really cares about everyone wants to know: If Steven Seagal is in Silva's corner again for their next fight at UFC 147, will Sonnen make use of Chuck Norris? "No, I will not have Chuck Norris. That is not true. I'm more of a Steve Austin guy." Good to know. Be honest, Maniacs. How ready are you for this fight to finally go down? And what of the rest of this madness? Comments, please.

Posted in: fight, guy, thing, sonnen, dont

Read the full article at MMA Mania

While everyone may be filling out their last-minute March Madness basketball brackets, it would be more than an oversight to not mention today also kicks off the beginning of the 2012 NCAA Division I National Wrestling Championships. The sport of wrestling has given so much to mixed martial arts, so why not return the favor? Besides, tomorrow's MMA champions are today's wrestling standouts. Do yourself a favor and scout them before they become big sensations. To help us make predictions for the field: Bellator welterweight champion Ben Askren, Who better to break down this year's tournament than a man who is not only one of MMA's champions, but also won the tournament in 2006 and 2007? For a full primer on this year's tourney (including brackets, betting odds and how to watch), SB Nation has you covered. For now, let's get right to Mr. Askren's predictions: Preparation Most teams go two days early. It's kind of weird for me because it's the first time that I haven't been involved in years. I'm just going as a fan this year which should be fun. They get there two days early, get their practices in, get their weight down and get ready to rumble. The Field This Year There are a lot of number ones that stand out and haven't really been touched this year. I would venture to say, I haven't looked up stats, but I would venture to say that there is more undefeated wrestlers in the tournament this year than any in recent past. The Top Teams Who to watch: Oklahoma State, Penn State University, University of Minnesota I would say [Penn State]. I would like to see Minnesota win it. I cheer for them, I like those guys but Penn State I would say would be the definite favorite. 125lbs Who to watch: Matt McDonough, Iowa University; Zachary Sanders, University of Minnesota [Matt] McDonough is the clear leader. He's won it before, was a close second to Anthony Robles last year. I would like to see Alan Waters come through and pull it out from my alma mater of Mizzou. The problem is he lost to Zach Sanders of Minnesota twice and Zach Sanders has lost to Matt McDonough twice so I'm just not sure that it's gonna happen but that's what I'm cheering for. Dark horse at 125lbs It does happen every once in a while, but the majority of the time, a lot of these guys wrestle each other so I would say no. Maybe [Ryan] Mango, I don't know, I forgot where he's seeded but he might be the dark horse because he dropped from 133. He's definitely got the tricks in the bag but I don't know if he can put it all together or not. 133lbs Who to watch: Jordan Oliver, Oklahoma State; Tony Ramos, Iowa University; Logan Stieber, Ohio State University Ramos beat him on a one hour weigh-in. Oliver cuts a lot of weight, everyone knows that. If he does, if Ramos does face Oliver which is a big question mark because he'd have to end up beating Logan Stieber, Oliver will have the whole day to recover and he'll be ready to go. Oliver looked dominant in his win over Stiever so I would be shocked to see anyone beat Jordan Oliver so I would say he's a big favorite. Can Jordan Oliver wrestle internationally? Definitely. I'm kind of disappointed to see him not do any summer wrestling these past two years. I thought he would have kind of mixed it up with some of the guys. I think he would do pretty well but I haven't seen him in the summers the last couple of years so I don't know where to put him at right now with all those other guys. 141lbs Who to watch: Kellen Russell, University of Michigan; Montel Marion, Iowa University; Michael Mangrum, Oregon State University You know what? Russell, he wrestled a lot of people close last year but I definitely watched the Big 12 tournament and he looked better this year than last year that's for sure. I think that could have been a criticism of him last year but he looked really solid at the tournament. 141 pounds is a good weight for me because we had two former Arrowhead Warhawks in the tournament at 141 pounds. That's my high school. Nick Hucke's got Kellen Russell first round and then Jake Sueflohn, I think he's a 10 seed or something so I would actually say, I would venture to say that 141 pounds is one of the more open brackets in the tournament. A lot of these guys have beaten each other before, even all the way down to Hunter Stieber at number 5, he's the one who's been coming up this year and a lot of these guys went back and forth. I would say this is definitely one of the more open weights in the tournament. I think anyone, even down to [Borislav] Novachkov at 6, I think even he could pull it off. 149lbs Who to watch: Frank Molinaro, Penn State University; Jamal Parks, Oklahoma State University He's definitely the clear cut favorite but like you said, the favorite doesn't always win. I think Jamal Parks at number two could give him a run for his money and then Cole Von Ohlen at number three, he was coached by one of my old college coaches and he's tough as nails on top and that's where Molinaro struggles, in the bottom position so that could be someone who could give him a good run for his money. 157lbs Who to watch: Kyle Dake, Cornell University Not that [Kyle Dake] can't get beat, but I'd say it's highly unlikely that he gets beat. I want to say [the rest of the field] are a step down below Dake. [Derek] St. John has some bright spots, [Jason] Welch has had some bright spots, but I don't think any of them got anything for Dake. He's just really strong everywhere. Dake won the title at 141lbs as a freshman and 149 as a sophomore. Could he move to 165lbs next year? I think it'd be very unwise of him to do that. 165lbs Who to watch: David Taylor, Penn State University 165 is just a really tough weight class. Well, ok, sorry, it's not a tough weight class this year. This year it's actually an easy weight class. David Taylor is dominating everyone and none of the other guys are standouts by any means. I don't think you've even got a handful of All-Americans in the bunch behind him. [Robert] Kokesh, never an All-American. [Michael] Evans, never an All-American. [Bezkod] Abdurakhmonov, never an All-American, [Andrew] Sorensen, never an All-American. So, all these guys they're not that good, right? But then next year you got Andrew Howe - a champ and finalist coming back - and you got Tyler Caldwell, NCAA finalist coming in from red shirt. So, 165 between Taylor, Howe and Caldwell will probably be the toughest weight next year. 174lbs Who to watch: Ed Ruth, Penn State University; Nick Amuchastegui, Stanford University; Chris Perry, Oklahoma State [Ed Ruth] has been as dominant as Taylor this year, but this is more where I think the seeding committee messed up. [Nick] Amuchestegui is undefeated and Amuchastegui beat Ed Ruth and placed higher than Ruth in the NCAA tournament last year. There's no reason Amuchastegui shouldn't have been number one. And that would've put Ruth and [Chris] Perry at 2 and 3 and Chris Perry's beaten Ed Ruth many times through their youth and high school and early in college stuff, so I would be shocked if Perry beat him again, but it wouldn't be too much a stretch of the imagination. Like I said, Amuchastegui, he kind of put the hammer on Ruth last year - obviously Ruth's a year older, a year wiser - so we'll see what happens. 184lbs Who to watch: Quentin Wright, Penn State University; Steve Bosack, Cornell University; Robert Hamlin, Lehigh University I say along with 141lbs this is the real toss-up weight. I would say everyone [seeded] 1 through 7 has a decent chance. Obviously 6 is Quentin Wright, he's a returning national champ. At number 2 is Robert Hamlin, he won it last year. 7 is Eanan, he beat Quentin Wright. Bosack was third last year, so you got a lot of really tough guys here. That's a tough one to pick. I don't know how it's going to shake out. One guy that's hot right now is Kevin Steinhaus. Like I said, it's a tough one to pick. 197lbs Who to watch: Cam Simaz, Cornell University People gave [Simaz] too much of a hard time. He didn't fall apart [at last year's national tournament]. [Ed] Kilgore was just that good. Kilgore's a stud. He's an Olympic red shirt, he's coming back next year. But this is one of those weights also where it's kinda Simaz at top and I think everyone else below him. I think after number 1 any of those guys can go in any order. I would be shocked if anyone beats Cam Simaz. Askren's thoughts on Edinboro's Chris Honeycutt, who has expressed interest in MMA: Yeah, Honeycutt, I don't think he's got the mat wrestling to go with Simaz. Simaz can wrestle everywhere: top, bottom, neutral. He's got the whole package. Honeycutt's got some holes in his game, so I would be surprised by that result if Honeycutt makes out with a win. That being said, Honeycutt's going to be an outstanding mixed martial arts prospect. 285lbs Who to watch: Ryan Flores, American University; Zach Rey (defending national champion), Lehigh University Flores beat Rey twice this year, so obviously he's got the upper hand there. And then Tony Nelson coming through on the bottom. He's tough also, so he's only got two losses. He can come through there. Number 9 is a guy I coached last year, Levi Cooper. He pulled some huge upsets at the tournament last year. He actually beat Zach Rey earlier this year, so maybe he can pull some more upsets and sneak in there as a dark horse. Askren on what differentiates wrestling at 285lbs vs. the other weight classes: 285 is different that everywhere. It's just a different kind of match. There's not as much going. There's obviously not as much athleticism. The thing I tell guys is 'get as big as you can' because the bigger you get, the more athletes that are in other sports. I wrestled 174lbs, so I say once you get above 174lbs all the great athletes are playing football, basketball and baseball. I think that's what you see in the heavyweight weight classes. You do have some great wrestlers, but most of the really outstanding athletes are playing other sports.

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Everyone’s an expert when it comes to picking fights. Few really are though, especially while looking at the upcoming UFC 145 main event between light heavyweight champion Jon Jones and former titleholder Rashad Evans on April 21st in Atlanta. So whose opinion should you trust? How about someone who fought both men like Stephan Bonnar, one of three fighters (Lyoto Machida and Quinton Jackson being the other two) to have gotten a look at “Bones” and “Suga” that few can claim.“I’m sure like anyone who’s really watched them and knows them well, they can gather the same input that I have,” said Bonnar humbly, “but I definitely know their strengths, and they don’t have too many weaknesses. Yeah, I know them well.”In 2006, Evans won a three round majority decision over “The American Psycho” in his second bout after winning season two of The Ultimate Fighter. Two and a half years later, Jones scored what was at that point the biggest win of his career as he decisioned Bonnar over three rounds at UFC 94. Both fighters went on to win the light heavyweight crown, Evans losing it to Machida, Jones still holding the belt he took from Mauricio “Shogun” Rua last year, but the biggest talking point heading into UFC 145 is the former friendship between the two, one built at Greg Jackson’s gym in Albuquerque, New Mexico. This bad blood has taken on a life of its own in recent months, and it may be the only thing Bonnar, a longtime light heavyweight contender, can’t relate to from a career that began in 2001. In fact, when asked if he’s ever been in a fight that had a grudge attached to it, he has to think pretty hard about it.“Let’s see,” mused Bonnar, running through his 24 pro MMA fights before coming up with “Not really.” (Laughs) It helps not really knowing the guy. I’m sure if it was something like this (Jones-Evans), where there was someone I did train with and we had a falling out, there would be bad blood, but that never was the case.”And the way he sees it, the less baggage you bring into a fight the better, because once the bell rings, everything that happened before really doesn’t matter.“Love the guy or hate the guy, once that guy blasts you in the face, you want to beat him up,” said Bonnar. “Even like Forrest (Griffin), we always got along on the show and I always liked him, so it was kinda weird fighting him. I never fought anyone I really knew before or liked or considered a friend, but then that bell rang and he came out and he just started blasting me. And that changes everything. (With Jones and Evans) It’s not in your best interest to get too emotional. That can get in the way of their gameplan. It can be good to be emotional, but it has to be a really focused and disciplined kind of emotion. That kind of reckless emotion is where you leave yourself open for mistakes.”At the same time, Bonnar admits that in his bout with Evans, not getting that initial punch in the face kept him from getting in gear and into fight mode, causing him to lose the decision and a three fight winning streak in a bout that won’t make either fighter’s highlight reel.“I knew he (Evans) was really talented,” said Bonnar. “I was more mad at myself, and that was the perfect example of never really getting that blast in the face you needed to light that fire under your ass. I was playing a grappling match with him. But that was a really good strategy. (Greg) Jackson has really good strategies, he’s smart, and I’m sure that was part of it. Try to beat this guy with your wrestling and don’t piss him off too much because you don’t want to get him started.” Bonnar never got started, and while he obviously moved on, he was reminded of the bout while working as a FUEL TV analyst on the recent UFC card in Australia.“It’s like Court McGee in his last fight with (Costa) Philippou,” he said of the bout won by the New Yorker via three round decision. “That’s what I was thinking there too, because he reminds me a lot of me. You see that a lot of times, guys hurt him and get him in trouble and they try to get him out of there and that’s like the worst thing you can do. Philippou did his homework and fought a smart fight. He used his superior boxing to outpoint him, he never got too emotional, and never really got to trying to get him out of there, and he was just content with winning a nice, technical battle. And that was the best thing he could have done. That reminds me of the Rashad fight too.”Fast forward to January of 2009, and Bonnar is riding a two fight winning streak when he’s matched up with up and comer Jon Jones at UFC 94. At that time, Jones was just 1-0 in the Octagon, with a decision win over Andre Gusmao under his belt. And yeah, the kid showed amazing potential, but this was a huge step up for him. Bonnar didn’t listen to the pundits; he knew he was in for a fight.“Just looking at his frame and his other fights, I knew he’d be a handful,” he said. “He’s got some athletic gifts and good wrestling, so I knew he’d be good, but I thought I could handle him and that my experience would pay off.”Jones rose to the occasion, winning a three round decision punctuated by plenty of jaw-dropping moves straight out of Hollywood movies. It was the first true step on the New Yorker’s remarkable ascension to the top of the light heavyweight division, and Bonnar wasn’t surprised at the way Jones’ career has progressed since their fight.“I know talent,” he said. “I had the same feeling when I fought Machida (in 2003). After that fight, I was like this kid’s gonna be good. I know I don’t suck, and I was really impressed with him. Of course I was depressed about my loss and it was on a cut, but then in his next fight he fought Rich Franklin and knocked him out, and then I was like, “See? I knew he was good.” I had the same feeling with Jones. I was like ‘wow, the kid has some skills.’ And everyone was giving me crap, saying Bonnar lost to a newcomer and he sucks, and in the back of my head I was like ‘just wait and see.’”While Jones and Evans took care of their individual business on the way to Atlanta, Bonnar did the same, snapping a three fight losing streak that began with the defeat against Jones with consecutive victories over Krzysztof Soszynski, Igor Pokrajac, and Kyle Kingsbury. It’s been one of the organization’s feel-good stories to see Bonnar get back on track, especially considering that his first fight with Griffin in the TUF 1 finale helped kick off the MMA explosion in 2005. And if you wanted an example of just what the Munster, Indiana native brings to the table, look no further than the rematch with Soszysnki in 2010, a Pier Six brawl punctuated by a defiant and bloody Bonnar staring at the camera after his second round TKO win while standing in the middle of the Octagon.“I thought it would look pretty cool,” he laughed. “I was kinda making a statement like ‘yeah, you can hit me all you want, but I’m not going anywhere.’”It was a defining moment to be sure, but as Bonnar waits for the call to resume his three fight winning streak, he’s been enjoying a break of sorts, doing well-received commentary work on FUEL TV while also getting his “Punch Buddies” t-shirt line out to the masses. So while the work hasn’t stopped, it’s a different kind of work, and he’s embracing it. He’s also looking forward to seeing Jones and Evans do their thing on April 21st, and finding out whether “Suga” can stop the “Bones” freight train.“What makes this interesting is that Rashad is the guy who could threaten Jones with takedowns,” said Bonnar. “I really didn’t understand Rampage having a wrestling background and Jones kicking like that and him (Jackson) not even trying a takedown. He let the guy get way too comfortable and in his rhythm. At least Rashad will be threatening the takedown. He’ll take away those kicks from Jones because he’ll eat one to take him down. That makes a big difference. Even if you don’t plan on taking him down, at least make the guy think about it. At least shoot in and get back up and throw punches, and then next time tap a leg and throw an overhand. Finally someone will be able to do something like that to Jones and threaten him with a takedown and maybe put him on his back. And Rashad’s the guy who could do that.”That mental part of the game may be the most intriguing for a number of reasons. Jones has yet to show cracks in his foundation, despite a strong first round effort from Machida in their UFC 140 bout last December. Will that make Evans doubt himself? Or will Evans look to positive days in sparring with Jones back when the two were teammates as the one thing that will gain him that all important mental edge on fight night? Bonnar doesn’t believe those sparring sessions will haunt Jones in the coming month.“I don’t think that will really be a factor,” he said. “Those old gym stories really mean nothing. I don’t know how many times I’ve been in there early in training camp and having fresh guys rotate in on me and I’m just gassed and complete garbage and I’m out of shape. And I know guys go ‘oh yeah, I was whuppin’ on Bonnar today; he ain’t s**t,’ and it’s always gonna happen. It happens to all of us those first couple weeks of training camp. So I don’t think that will play into Jones’ head, especially now after he’s had all these matches and all these victories since he and Rashad stopped training together.”So what is the key to victory for the 24-year old champion? It may come down to using what’s worked in the past, but with a little tweak here and there. “He’s so much longer,” said Bonnar of Jones, who, at 6-foot-4, is five inches taller than Evans, and who also owns a ten inch reach advantage. “He was pretty much using that length against Rampage with his feet, more than his hands, keeping him at bay with his kicks. With Rashad he can use that same strategy, but using his hands a little more. You don’t want to kick as much because Rashad’s pretty good at catching kicks and taking you down. If you saw in the Phil Davis fight, he did that a couple times, and if I’m Rashad, that’s what I’m gonna want to do. So with Jones, use the hands more and be more conservative with the kicks. He uses the jab, he switches stances well, which keeps you guessing, and he can throw from both sides. So he needs to keep him at bay and stuff the takedowns, and I think that’s Jones’ best strategy.”With a little over a month away from fight night, a lot can change, and no one knows this better than Bonnar. But he does believe that his fellow light heavyweights will deliver a fight to remember.“I think it will be a good fight,” he said. “I think Jones will have a really good gameplan for Rashad because he was one of their guys. Greg Jackson will put a really good gameplan together, and another thing too is that Jones has outstanding wrestling. Look how he’s taken down (Vladimir) Matyushenko and threw Matt Hamill, so there’s a chance we could see Rashad on his back, and when’s the last time you saw that? So I’m sure that’s in the gameplan of both guys to put the other guy on his back, where they’re most out of water.”And when all the plans go out the window and you still have to find a way to win, that’s when you see who the true champions are.

Posted in: fight, guy, jone, ’t, bonnar

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No one has earned their nickname more than Giva Santana. "The Arm Collector" has one of the nastiest reputations around in mixed martial arts, having finished his opponents by armbar in 13 of his 17 career victories. This includes an incredible streak of 10 straight armbar finishes from 2005-2007 which brought him some major attention in EliteXC. On top of being a tremendously successful mixed martial artist with a 17-1 pro record, Santana also teaches Brazilian jiu-jitsu at Team Oyama with notable students like UFC fighters Shane Del Rosario and Ian McCall. He made his Bellator debut last October winning (of course) by armbar against Daryl Cobb in the first round. Santana will be competing this Friday night (March 16, 2012) at Bellator 61 in the quarterfinals of the Bellator season six middleweight tournament. The submission ace spoke with MMAmania.com during a special guest appearance on The Verbal Submission this past Sunday night, talking everything from balancing coaching and competing, getting into the fight mentality and his thoughts on fellow armbar specialist Ronda Rousey in part one of this two-part interview. Check it out: Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): You're facing Bruno Santos. He's a strong wrestler and he's more of a ground based guy that's about the top control. I know that you're really good with the armbar but do you prefer to go for the armbar from your back or from top position? Giva Santana: I don't have a preference. An armbar is just an easy way, I can't get too into it but there's so many submissions in jiu-jitsu that I love to work on that I don't have a preference. If a submission is top or bottom, I like to go wherever it is. I feel my game, I feel like my opponent, of course he's pretty strong but size don't mean much because I come from jiu-jitsu and we use that against you. Adjust weight, adjust leverage and all those things I've been doing my whole life. It's not a big issue and I'm ready for the fight in bottom or top, whether we're standing, I'm prepared for all the situations. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): I want to ask you about this upcoming tournament format. You've been fighting twice a year the past four years ever since 2008. Are you concerned at all about potentially fighting three times in three months? Giva Santana: No. I fought two times a year but it's not my will. Unfortunately, until I got a shot in Bellator and I was pretty happy with them for the opportunity, it was hard to get fights and I was fighting in small leagues and I didn't even get excited when I had fights booked because I know like two or three weeks away, some guy is gonna pull out or someone don't want to fight me or they want double my money just to face me because of my record and everything and that's what happened. I dropped one fight last year because of an injury, I think it was my elbow or something like that. I dropped one but I got dropped in two shows because there was no opponent for me. It's hard training like when you don't got nothing coming up. I fought last October in Bellator and they already told me I'm gonna be in the tournament. Since then, I've been training six months to get ready for it. My strength and conditioning coach is from Brazil and I explained to him how it would be in the tournament, three fights in three months and we started sharpening up and it's been pretty much maintaining and keeping the strength and keeping the cardio and just moving forward. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): You're a terrific Brazilian jiu-jitsu coach as well. You've had several of your students have tremendous success. Shane Del Rosario is about to make his UFC debut and Ian McCall just made his UFC debut. Is it difficult balancing being a coach and training to fight as well? Giva Santana: Yeah, it's pretty hard because some days I just want to train. Not with those guys of course, because we're all different weights but it's hard when you got someone in your own division and you're trying to work something and they stop to ask some questions, I'm like, "Come on, man, not now. Let's keep working and then I'll answer any question you want." It's hard but I love it because sometimes they bring the questions that make me think because sometimes you start getting used to one game, tapping everyone else from one position or you control that position really well and they come up with the question that make you think about it. You never stop. You never get too comfortable in one situation because they'll be like, "What if the guy do this?" or "What if the they do that?" If I don't have the answer, I've got to go to my lab and put someone in the position to start working on it to find the answers they need. The good thing is guys like Shane, they put a lot of time in jiu-jitsu right now. When you start mixed martial arts, maybe you've got a background like a wrestler and you try to get by on your background, like beat everyone with your wrestling but when you start getting better in the game and facing stronger opponents, you know the wrestling isn't gonna be enough so that's when you start working on your striking, your jiu-jitsu and everything. In the beginning, I told them, "Hey right now, I help you guys to survive if you fight a jiu-jitsu guy but I want a commitment because when you go to the ground, I want you guys finishing fights. I want you to be able to submit people, surprise them, not only be like a counter guy. Be an offensive guy." Of course, it depends who you go against and they worked pretty hard and put up some submissions and positions and I'm pretty happy with them. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): Now you're nickname is "The Arm Collector" because of your incredible ability with the armbars. I want to know, what's your opinion on Ronda Rousey? She's come out of nowhere and just taken over women's MMA and she's been crushing everyone with the armbar. I know it's different styles but I want to know what you think. Giva Santana: She's doing pretty well. She's doing pretty good. I want to give my props to her. She's been able to capitalize on the positions, the submissions and put it on. She's doing pretty good. I'm pretty impressed. The only thing I think she works more striking and be ready for all the different situations because the big test is if you get someone that pushes you through the first round and you got frustrated that you didn't pull the submission and then we'll see what you're able to do. People were doing it with Jon Jones and, "Oh I want to see him after the second round," and we see what he's able to do. He's pretty talented. She's doing pretty well, man. I'm pretty excited. I look forward to seeing her fight more and proving that she's the one. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): I want to ask you about finishing instinct. You've got this incredible finishing instinct when you're fighting. Is it something where you're capitalizing on an opponent's mistake or it's more from you're pushing the pace and trying to overwhelm your opponent? Giva Santana: I try to push the pace. I try to make him go in the directions that I want him to go. It's a combination of a lot of stuff. All those years of experience in jiu-jitsu, pushing the pace, changing a little bit, going slow, going quick, change it up because that's the thing that makes a huge difference. If you go with someone that has a jiu-jitsu background and you use one position the whole time, it's gonna be pretty hard to tap him out. If you switch to one, two, three, four positions all the time, you make him get confused and that's when he opens up for the submission. It's just like with my experience, I've been in the position so many times, I know which way the body go and which way the arm go. I think I didn't get to the big show before Bellator because people were like, "Oh, he don't strike. Good striker will hit him with a good punch and knock him out." That's the same feeling I have when I tap someone out. I stop them. Striker guys, they stop people by knocking them out and I stop people with submissions. It's the same feeling and that's what I'm always gonna try. You see me out there. The fight that I lost, people say, "He was just trying armbar," but I'm like, "No, I'll try anything. I'll try any submission. Whatever I can pull off in the fight, I'll go for. If I can get a good submission, a good punch, I want to do whatever it takes to get the win." If I have the chance to tap people out, that's what I'm gonna do. Ben Thapa: What is your process of getting down to the fight mentality? Do you include your family? Do you try to isolate yourself? What's your mentality? Giva Santana: I'm a guy that's pretty much family. Of course, working hard, it's been two years, I don't go back home to see my mom, see my brothers and everybody but we keep in touch like every other day. They support me. I'm pretty quiet and once I start getting close to the fight. I start to get, not much friends around, not much people around. It's not that I feel bad, but a lot of people talking about things, they want to talk about the fight. You already have your strategy set, your goals set and I don't want to get any distractions so I just keep watching my opponent's fights and I try to find little holes that I missed when i was watching with my coaches and everything and I try to add that on, categorize and try to make the game better. That's just pretty much what I do. Stay tuned for part two tomorrow where Santana talks his training, his origins in MMA when he won four fights in one night and even golf. You can follow him on Twitter @GivaSantana. So what do you think, Maniacs? Will see see Santana do more of the same this Friday night in Bellator with an armbar victory? Is he a legitimate threat to win this tournament? Sound off! To listen to the complete audio of our conversation with Giva Santana, click here (interview begins at 1:31:00 mark)

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The Score Fighting Series will hit the Hamilton Place Theatre in Ontario, Canada, on Friday, March 16, 2012, as it presents a hard-hitting event which will be headlined by Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) veteran John Alessio taking on Strikeforce and WEC alum, Ryan Healy. One half of the main event, Healy has been in the mixed martial arts (MMA) game for almost a decade. In fact, when he steps into the cage this Friday night, it will be exactly 10 years to the day that he made his MMA debut way back in March of 2002. Now, if you're thinking to yourself, "Didn't I just see a guy named Healy that looks just like him competing a few weeks ago at the Strikeforce: Tate vs. Rousey event?" Well, you're simply confusing him with his twin brother, current Strikeforce lightweight standout, Pat Healy. Fighting since the age of 14, professionally since 18, Healy has put in the time and is now fighting his way to the top while out to prove he belongs in the big show. "The Diamond" took the time to speak to MMAmania.com about his time in the fight game, training at Team Quest, his upcoming opponent and whether or not he would ever fight his twin brother. Check it out: "We started when we were 14, and we had a neighbor who was taking kickboxing and he wanted some people to spar. So I agreed to spar, and he actually knocked me out the first time we sparred. He kicked me right in the face. Afterwards I thought, wow, this is pretty cool." That was his first taste at fighting, and he has been hooked ever since. With an aggressive push the pace style, "Diamond" recalls his youth, where that aggression was present early on. "Me and my brother grew up playing sports, we kind of got in trouble a lot for our aggression and then we found boxing, kickboxing and jiu-jitsu we were just hooked," said Ryan. "We would go down to the basement, lock the door and scrap it out for like half an hour or 45 minutes until somebody won." It wasn't long before he sought out to look to get himself a MMA fight in a local high school before he went off to college, an event that was being run by a certain trash-talking UFC middleweight. "I had my first fight when we were still in high school at an event that Chael Sonnen ran. So we fought for him as amateurs then my brother went to Southern Illinois to wrestle and I went to the University of Nevada to box. I won an amateur Championship in boxing and he did pretty good in wrestling. I knew I was boxing to get back into MMA." After college, Healy found himself back in Oregon and reconnected with Sonnen at Team Quest. "We moved back to Oregon and hooked up with Team Quest. The atmosphere there is awesome, its electric, I love being there every day. Having guys there like Lindland, who has a Silver Medal in the Olympics, and Sonnen, guys that have been to the top pushing you is inspiring and it gives you something to work for." From 2008 to 2009, Ryan hit a rough patch, suffering five consecutive losses. Though Healy says the fights were taken on short notice, he places all the blame solely on his shoulders. "It was pretty brutal going through that losing streak and I have no one to blame but myself. I took so many fights on short notice," said Ryan. "I think the most notice I got was when I fought Jorge Masvidal, it was like a month's notice. I fought Rick Story on like seven day's notice and it was a weight class up. I wasn't taking smart fights." The streak, says Healy, was almost enough for him to rethink his career choice. "When you lose, it's a dark hole to get out of and it takes your confidence. I was ready to quit after the last loss, but my brother slapped some sense in to me." After his five fight skid, Ryan quickly turned things around and went on a five fight win streak, taking seven of his last nine bouts overall. The former WEC vet now finds himself headlining Score Fighting Series against John Alessio, a bout that was originally set for December, but was scrapped due to a partially torn MCL Healy suffered while training. "I think he's got good submissions. His ground game is his best attribute. Training with Robert Drysdale, he is one of the best Jiu-Jitsu guys in the world. So I think his submissions are his best attribute," said Healy in his assessment of Alessio. "He likes to fight a slow and controlled pitter-patter fight and looks for a submission. My strengths lie in fighting hard and pushing the pace and make him fight me. That will be my edge in the fight, is turning it into a scrap." Now that he has the chance to train full time, Healy insists it will make a huge difference in his career moving forward. "I was the guy that was taking extra shifts and he (Pat) was the guy that was cutting out early to get to the gym. And I see how it has paid off for him and he deserves everything that he has because he works his ass off for it. So it makes be a little bit jealous because I want to be in that spot. But it is also inspiring to know if I do put in that work, I think I will get to that spot." Of course, we had to touch on the subject if there would ever be a possibility of having a real life "Warrior" situation between he and his brother. "I think we probably would fight. We've said that if we can retire after the fight then we would. If it ever came to the point that we were both at the top and it made sense, I think we could put our brotherly love to the side and I think we could put on an entertaining fight." A fight Ryan believes would be truly entertaining. "Just our sparring matches alone are quite entertaining for people to watch so if it came down to it, I think we would fight each other, but it would be very hard for my mom, she would definitely have a hard time with it." When Ryan steps into the cage this Friday, it will mark the 10 year anniversary of his MMA debut. "People will see an accumulation of all the hard work I have put in over the years. You will see a great fight between two guys getting to the level to make the jump into the big time and they will see in your face and hard hitting action." As Ryan looks for his third consecutive win, he also looks for an impressive enough performance to get a call from the UFC. "I'm in this sport to be a world champion. I know I have the tools to do it and I will put in the hard work to get the wins to get there." The Score Fighting Series event will be streamed live on TheScore.com the website of leading Canadian sports TV network, The Score. For all you need to know about the Score Fighting Series, click here. Ryan would like to thank L.A. Boxing, Gamma Labs, Dirty Boxer, Float On, Deprivation Chambers, and Oregon Grown Design and all his teammates at Team Quest.

Posted in: fight, time, guy, ryan, healy

Read the full article at MMA Mania

What's the secret to losing four straight fights and not losing your job? If you're Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Welterweight Dan Hardy, it's training with ZUFFA co-owner Lorenzo Fertitta. The Brit has whisked himself away to a secret gym, dubbed "The Batcave," to train with "The Beast" and get ready for his fight against Duane Ludwig at the upcoming UFC 146 event on May 26, 2012, from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. Hardy, who managed to fight his way into a 170-pound title bout against division champion Georges St. Pierre at UFC 111 back in March 2010, failed to recover from that unanimous decision loss and went on to drop his following three contests, including a submission defeat to longtime veteran Chris Lytle last August. Following the loss, fans expected "The Outlaw" to leave town for good; however, Fertitta declared that Hardy was here to stay and would live to see another day inside the Octagon. After the jump, Stephie "Crooklyn" Daniels gets Hardy to give up the goods on the real life "Batman." "I train with Frank Mir and his guys at Suffer. It's a small gym with a great group of guys. I also train at Robert Drysdale's gym and work with his guys. The last one is the secret gym up at Redrock. We call it the Batcave. This morning it was myself, Frank Mir, Forrest Griffin, and Lorenzo Fertitta. The guy is a beast. I say this in all honesty. If there was a real life Batman, Lorenzo Fertitta is that guy. He's got everything that Batman has. If we ever had a masked avenger running around Vegas, I'd put money on it being Lorenzo. He's in the gym all the time, and he's in great shape. He's lifting every day, he's hitting pads. I tell you what, I'm glad he's not in my weight class." Ludwig was able to get himself recognized as the record holder for fastest knockout in the UFC. Unfortunately the accolades did him little good against Josh Neer, who choked him out at UFC on FX earlier this year. Anyone think Hardy can turn his career around and work his way back up the 170-pound ladder? Or will he go out with a "Bang?" More on their welterweight match-up right here.

Posted in: ufc, guy, fertitta, he, lorenzo

Read the full article at MMA Mania

News broke today that former number one middleweight contender Demian Maia has decided to cut down to welterweight for his next fight. Maia himself tweeted the news: Guys, now I ll moving down to 170 pounds. Next fight I ll be a welterwheight @ufc — Demian Maia (@demianmaia) March 14, 2012 The news comes as a bit of a surprise to me, as the upper echelon of the welterweight division is filled with power punching wrestlers, which is not exactly the type of fighter Maia excels against. Indeed, his last two losses (to Chris Weidman and Mark Munoz) have come against wrestle-boxers, so moving down to a division that is filled with guys who fit that description is a bit curious. "Curious" is perhaps the best way to describe Maia's fighting career as of late, though. After winning four submission of the night bonuses in his first five UFC fights, (all submission victories) his offensive jiu jitsu game has been noticeably absent ever since his 21 second loss to Nate Marquardt, at UFC 102. Maia has chosen to contest large portions of his subsequent fights on the feet, and he has gone to the judges in seven consecutive matches since falling to Marquardt, winning four and losing three. Of course it would be foolish to simply state that Maia has abandoned his jiu jitsu attacks in favor of the striking game. Mixed martial arts is a very complex and fast moving sport and there are probably some very reasonable explanations for why Maia has been unable to get the submission once his last seven matches have hit the mat. I'm just not sure what they are. Could it be that his opponents are prepared for his grappling attack and are ready to defend against the submission at all costs? Decision wins over far less decorated grapplers Dan Miller, Kendall Grove and Mario Miranda lend credence to this possibility.Could it be that his level of opposition is just that much higher? Of course that has come into play, but I'm not really ready to say the guys he's beaten in Miller, Grove, Miranda and Jorge Santigo are miles better than Ed Herman, Nate Quarry or Chael Sonnen were, at the time he fought and submitted them. Maybe his grappling game has suffered due to an increased focus on his stand-up game but if that's the case I would suggest that he get back to his roots in a hurry, as while his stand-up has improved over the years, it isn't at the level where he can win fights with it. No, in my opinion, Maia is much better off using his striking to help him get the fight to the mat and once there, going after submissions relentlessly. Perhaps Maia is hoping that a move to the welterweight division is going to give him a strength advantage over his opponents and that will be the difference he needs to finish with submissions. That could be, but as I mentioned above, the top of the welterweight division is full of powerful wrestlers who are practically impossible to submit, while the guys who aren't powerful wrestlers haven't been submitted in years. The last time one of the top ten guys (Georges St. Pierre, Carlos Condit, Nick Diaz, Jake Ellenberger, Johny Hendricks, Josh Koscheck, Jon Fitch, Jake Shields, Martin Kampmann and Diego Sanchez) was tapped out it was Condit way back in 2006. Of the next ten (Thiago Alves, Rory MacDonald, Rick Story, Charlie Brenneman, Paulo Thiago, Mike Pierce, Brian Ebersole, Dong Hyun Kim, John Hathaway and Mike Pyle) only Alves has been tapped out recently, with Ebersole and Pyle being the only other guys on the list who even have a loss via submission. So if Maia is expecting to come down to 170 and get back to his submission ways, he might have another thing coming. It should be interesting to watch though. Who do you think he should face in his first fight in the division? I have a feeling he could very well be matched up against Alves, as both are coming off a loss and Alves seems to represent the best chance for him to get that tap out.

Posted in: fight, guy, submission, welterweight division, maia

Read the full article at Head Kick Legend

This is a guest post by Stephie "Crooklyn" Daniels. Follow her on Twitter @CrooklynMMA There comes a time in every fighter's life when they need to question their motivation for their chosen career path. For Dan Hardy, it wasn't quite as clear as he wanted it to be over the last 2 years. With 4 tough losses, camp changes, and management shake-ups, the drive and desire to compete was still missing a vital element, anger. Dan has stated in recent interviews that he's regained that element, and is reacquainting himself with that spark growing in him, as the clocks and calendars edge closer to his UFC 146 bout with Duane Ludwig. I recently spoke with Dan about the changes he's put in place to get his name back in the win column. SD: Tell me about what led to you "getting your anger back" DH: Before I was signed with the UFC, I was pissed off because I wanted to be in the UFC, and I thought I should be in the UFC. I was having a tough run, I got disqualified in Japan, I was robbed of my belt in Ohio, so there were a lot of bad things that happened, and every day I was pissed off. That was what was getting me in the gym and making me work. When I joined the UFC, those first four fights made me feel like I'd achieved what I set out to do. That was before I'd reassessed and thought to make a run at the belt. That title fight, and everything that came with it, I had never experienced that before. It was all just kind of thrown at me, and that was exhausting. It kind of took all the fun out of it for me. Then I went into the Condit fight with too much confidence. I had no respect for the guy, and I paid for it. I'm in a position where I won my first four fights, and now I've lost my last four fights, and no one thinks I should be in the UFC, so I'm kind of back to where I was before I signed with them. Now I've got to prove to people that I belong in the UFC, and I'm pissed off that people don't think that I belong there. I want to win this fight in a big way, and show everyone that I belong. I wake up angry and I go to bed angry, and that's the way I was before. Now that I have that back, I really feel like I can go on a tear. I can do a lot of damage in the division. I could upset some people in the division. SD: How much of this newly regained fire and anger will apply in your fight with Ludwig, considering that the two of you are on very friendly terms? DH: It's not about going in there and hurting him. I'm not trying to end his career or anything. I've been a fan of his since he was with King of the Cage. For me, this is a competition of who's the best man. I have a lot of respect for him, but I think I'm the better man. I'm sure he feels the same way about me. I'm going to be hitting him to hurt him in the fight, but in the long term, I wouldn't wish anything bad against him. We know what we've gotten ourselves in for. We've got 15 minutes to get in there, and get the job done. He's going to be hunting for my chin, and I'm going to be hunting for his. It's just business. SD: With this fight being a custom made striker's match, how much focus are you directing towards your ground game? DH: I'm trying to train for the future, and not just for one fight at a time. My training camp is revolving around improving as a fighter, in general. Every training camp, from now on, will be this way. Everything will be dedicated to general improvement, because the thing with mixed martial arts is that you never know what's going to happen. You train for one thing, and something else happens, and it throws your whole game plan out the window. I need to be adaptable. I have areas that I want to improve on and different areas that I want to try out. I have the right guys around me to enable me to do that. My focus is just to be the best I can be when I step in there that night. Having said that, I'm bringing a lot of traditional Thai boxers in, and a lot of good Thai boxing coaches, as well. I'll be working with Ricky Lundell and Robert Drysdale for my clinch work and my ground game. I'll be ready for whatever comes. Obviously, I'm going to go in there and do what I always do, and try to get the big knockout, but I've still got to be ready for it all. SD: With you having the distinct size advantage, are you giving extra focus to your wrestling, just to have another weapon in your arsenal? DH: I have a full time wrestling coach now, Ricky Lundell. I've taken guys down, and I have the ability, so now I'm focusing and improving on it. If I decide that I want to put the fight on the floor, I'm confident I can do it. I'm the bigger, stronger guy, and my work rate is going to be just as high as his, if not higher. I could wear him out with wrestling if I wanted to. In my opinion, and I think MMA fans would agree, if Duane Ludwig starts shooting for my legs, he's in trouble. I'm not saying that the fight won't go to the ground, but if it does, it's going to be on my terms. SD: Duane has plans to go to Holland to train with the Golden Glory guys in preparation for this fight. Do you have plans to travel to an outside camp, or to bring anyone special in for your camp? DH: I'm in Vegas full time now. To be honest, if you can't find it in Vegas, you can't find it anywhere. I'm constantly surrounded by guys that are at the top level. Frank Mir and I are doing training camp together, so I've always got him right there to keep that level high of training, and to make sure that I'm not making any mistakes. I really feel like I've got everything I need right here. Being here in Vegas, with one phone call, I can have a bunch of sparring partners in the gym, and they're all high level guys, guys that fight for the UFC. For me, everything I need is right here in Vegas, and that's why I moved here. SD: Over the last couple of years, you've bounced around between several camps, not really finding a solid place with any of them. Have you finally found your permanent training home within Las Vegas? DH: I feel very settled here. The time I took off between the last fight and now, was basically to get everything in order, so that now, there's no big changes when training camp comes around. I will have the same guys with me all the time. I won't be traveling nearly as much as I used to. Partly because now I can afford to settle in one place, and have the right guys around me. Before, I was having to travel to get the training with the guys I wanted to train with, but I could only stay there for a limited amount of time, because of money issues. Now I'm much more settled. We've got a nice house that's right between the three gyms I train at. I'm in a much better place. SD: What are those three, primary gyms that you train at? DH: I train with Frank Mir and his guys at Suffer. It's a small gym with a great group of guys. I also train at Robert Drysdale's gym and work with his guys. The last one is the secret gym up at Redrock. We call it the Batcave. SD: Who trains at the secret gym? DH: Well, this morning it was myself, Frank Mir, Forrest Griffin, and Lorenzo Fertitta. SD: What's it like, training with Lorenzo? DH: The guy is a beast. I say this in all honesty. If there was a real life Batman, Lorenzo Fertitta is that guy. He's got everything that Batman has. If we ever had a masked avenger running around Vegas, I'd put money on it being Lorenzo. He's in the gym all the time, and he's in great shape. He's lifting every day, he's hitting pads. I tell you what, I'm glad he's not in my weight class. SD: Do you feel that when you were bouncing around from gym to gym in the past, that it contributed to your recent rough patch with your career? DH: Definitely. I do think there were a lot of good things that came out of it, as well. I made a lot of good friends, and I learned a lot of stuff. I worked with people I may have never had the chance to work with. The problem was that I was never settled in a place for long enough to really implement something into my game and get it working. Eddie (Bravo) and his guys at 10th Planet were great. I trained with them and they've helped me a lot over the years. A lot of the escapes that I do and the submission defense is from being in there with those high level guys. That's why I liked training at 10th Planet. It was a very productive environment. My main problem was that I've had a couple different striking coaches, traveled around to work with different people, and everyone's got their own style, and sometimes I was trying to pick up their style, and not really focusing on my own. Obviously, I wasn't spending enough time with them to really get a good grasp of what they were trying to teach me. I just had lots of pieces floating around. I'm here in Vegas permanently, and they've given me a structure to build around. I have a direction to move in now. SD: Do you ever find yourself distracted by the hustle and bustle of Las Vegas, with nightlife, casino gambling or anything of that nature? DH: We're coming up to March 17, and on that day, it will be 12 years since I've had a drink, so the appeal of going down to the strip is just not there for me. Hanging out with drunk people in a club, unless I'm there to do an appearance for MMA fans,well, I really don't enjoy that environment. My job is enough of a gamble, so I don't need to lose my money as well as brain cells. We live as far away from the strip as possible. We're right on the edge of town. I'm always outside, either running or riding my bike. I really don't have an issue with distractions at all. It's definitely not a problem for me. SD: With your return to the angrier side of your personality, are we going to see any of the pre-fight smack talk and hype that we've grown accustomed to? DH: I've got nothing bad to say about Duane. I'm not going to fabricate some bad blood for the sake of hype. There's no need for that. I hold him in very high regard, and I just wouldn't do that out of respect. There are a lot of guys in the division that I've got plenty to say about, and if they ever decide that they're going to take the fight against me, then I'll let them know what I think about them. If I don't like someone, I'm going to let them know. SD: Do you feel that you still have it in you to make another title run? DH: Yes, definitely. Without a doubt. I don't look at anyone in the division and think that they can beat me. I'm more mature and realistic than I was in my early days, where I would've taken on anybody, but if Lorenzo called me up today and said, 'Do you want to fight Brock Lesnar on Saturday night?' I'd be like, 'Yeah, sign me up.' I don't think there's anybody out there that I couldn't, at the very least, give them a good fight. I'm not going to lay down for anybody. If you put someone in front of me, I'm going to give them everything I've got. I feel that, on any night, I can beat anybody in the division. All I need to do is put some of these wins together, and get back to where I belong. This next win is going to be a good one for me, and that's going to get me back on track. People are going to be surprised when they see me in May. They know how I fight, and they know what to expect, and none of that's changed. The fury and intensity is still going to be there, but now I have a lot more skills at my disposal. I have a lot more options. I'm going to get hit way less, and I'm going to be landing shots that are going to make people cringe. This is a whole new level I've reached, and I'm ready to put on a show. SD: You've mentioned that you've had bad runs with shady managers. Have you found a management team that works to serve your needs in a fashion that you trust? DH: I've had a lot of experiences with bad management. I have huge trust issues with handing control over to someone. The problem is, this sport is still very much in it's infancy. You get a lot of people that think they can put a suit on and make some phone calls, but it's so much more than that. So many managers are in it just for themselves. You've got to be able to trust the guy that's managing you. You've got to trust them like a friend, and if you can't, then they're the wrong guy. People tend to want to go with these mouthy managers that go in demanding twice as much money as their fighter should be making, and they might make a little money in the short term, but the fighters get a bad reputation, and then the managers get a bad reputation. Nobody wants to work with them. I'm not going to name names, but there are two managers in the industry today that I use as tools when dealing with sponsors. I just tell them, 'Look, you can either deal with me and be fair, or I can sign with one of these dickhead managers, and you can deal with one of them.' Having somebody out there demanding a few extra dollars, but being hard-headed and being an asshole isn't really helping anybody. I would rather have a good relationship with my sponsors. If they're dealing with an asshole manager, then they're going to have that same opinion of me, and I don't want that. The guys I've had dealings with are just not good people. They're not interested in or supportive of their athletes. All they want is to say that they're the manager of that athlete. Honestly, I can't name any good managers, apart from the guys I'm working with (Spiked Athlete Management). ------------------ At the conclusion of this interview, I felt obligated to get a little something extra, so I got information from Dan's fiance, Elizabeth, about some charitable efforts he does with animal welfare organizations. Dan has recently been recognized by animal welfare organizations, for both his courageous stance against recreational hunting and his fostering of homeless cats. The East Lake Pet Orphanage in Dallas, Texas has named Dan the recipient of it's annual "Kramer Award", given in outstanding recognition for animal welfare activism. He will be receiving the award on May 5th, 2012. Elizabeth also gave us some photos of a few of the cats he's rescued recently. You can follow Dan via his Twitter account @DanHardyMMA

Posted in: fight, guy, lot, im, ive

Read the full article at Bloody Elbow

The UFC's production values aren't great because everything they touch magically turns to gold. They're great because they stick to a formula and polish it until it sparkles like a diamond. But that diamond wasn't always a diamond. On Friday night we got to see an ugly chunk of rock. The first 30 minutes were an amusing mess that looked so rough even Strikeforce's D-level producer was probably snickering a little bit. Everything settled down by halfway through the show and by the end it was pretty fluid, but this was not the standard seamless quality we're used to with the UFC. According to Wikipedia, every episode of The Ultimate Fighter has an official title. May I recommend one for S15E01? "Awkward Silence." TUF fights have always felt a little odd to watch because the gym is nearly whisper quiet, and extending this vibe from 15 minutes to 2.5 hours just made it even weirder. Just like a strip club needs an MC babbling and music like Warrant's 'Cherry Pie' to keep the sound of desperate loneliness at bay, MMA needs more than just occasional golf-whisper commentary from the coaches and Jon Anik yelling us through commercial breaks. The whole thing would have been much cooler if they'd ditched the mausoleum vibe and held the eliminator in the Pearl or something. Past the uneven production, the event was still enjoyable. The first dozen fights were fast paced and exciting. It seemed to me like the refs were stopping fights on a hair trigger, but unless some of these guys were closet Frankie Edgars I don't think they would have managed to come back anyways. Most fighters would rather taking the extra blow or three, though. Not to be all Just Bleed or anything.The unthinkable happened: both Gay Pornstar and Mustache Dude were eliminated, along with several other contestants I really wanted to see in the house: Neck Tattoo Guy, Cross-Eyed Belfast Lad, and Wily Veteran James Krause. It also seemed criminal to let Jeremy Larsen into the house after he ghost tapped his way out of a kneebar from Jeff Smith. There's still a few guys worth keeping your eyes on though: Black House prospect Justin Lawrence karate kicked his way into my heart and scramblers like Vinc Pichel are always welcome on my war wagon. All in all a fun night of fights and an interesting experience watching the UFC dive headfirst into live reality television territory. Compared to this event, the 'live-jive' shows with 45 minutes of pre-taped house footage and 15 minute fights should be a breeze.

Posted in: fight, guy, minute, house, jeremy larsen

Read the full article at Fightlinker

Hello, this is a feature that will run through the entire season and aims to recap the weekend's events and boils those events down to one admittedly superficial fact or stupid opinion about each team. Feel free to complain about it. Prior to this week's GM meetings, word started to trickle out that the 30 general managers of the NHL were doing the unthinkable: considering the reinstatement of perhaps the single worst, most pointless, counterproductive, and counterintuitive rule the sport of hockey has seen in last 30 years at least. That's right, it's the return of the red line. Nick Costonika talked about such a change at length the other day , getting some very choice quotes from guys on both sides of the issue. The reason for this proposed change, according to advocates of building a wall in the middle of the neutral zone, is that it will slow the game down and make it safer. Concussions are bad!!!!, after all, and anything the league can do to protect players from getting them is of the utmost importance — except, Jake Voracek and Kris Letang recently learned, when it's not. So the solution is to outlaw stretch passes that, in theory, make the game faster and allow guys to sail through the neutral zone at Mach 3 and get clobbered into next Sunday by 230-pound defensemen. And yes, by all means, let's do that. When and if that were to ever actually happen. In much the same way that outlawing fighting isn't going to prevent guys from getting these terrible brain injuries because so few guys actually get concussed during them, reinstating the two-line pass won't prevent concussions because two-line passes, as far as I've been able to figure out, have never actually caused one. You can say allowing stretch plays encourages players to create a faster and therefore more dangerous game, but that's like outlawing steak because a guy choked on it in a restaurant where no one knew the Heimlich. (Coming Up: Will Columbus trade top pick?; Kings are in trouble; dissecting Brian Burke; Tuukka time will wait for six weeks; Johnny Oduya is working out; Jeff Skinner's nasty snipe; Bruce Boudreau vs. refs; Chris Stewart scored a beauty; fun with Folignos; what's wrong with Alex Ovechkin?; Giroux does the Datsyuk; Grant Besse's awesome night; and a way to get Antti Niemi back to Chicago.)

Posted in: guy, game, importance —, jake voracek, beauty fun

Read the full article at Yahoo! Sports

While it may have drawn criticism from some seeking slicker production, UFC President Dana White was as pleased could be following Friday night’s debut of TUF 15. The show featured sixteen live, elimination-style bouts to determine who would make it into the house and compete on this season. “Going into this thing…you’re always nervous when you do something new and do something different,” said White in an interview with MMAJunkie. “We worked long and hard on this show to make sure this came off with no hitches. I’m very happy with how it came off. It was perfect.” Bantamweights Urijah Faber and Dominick Cruz, coaches on the season, provided commentary during the live fights with White. However, several of them didn’t last very long with finishes in half of the bouts though White clearly didn’t mind, “We’ve got a lot of guys who are very good, guys who are strong finishers,” the outspoken executive glowed. “I love that. I love guys with killer instincts.” TUF 15 will air every Friday for the next thirteen weeks with a live fight capping off highlights from the previous week of training/in-house antics. PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Posted in: guy, tuf, eliminationstyle bouts, season “, thing …you

Read the full article at Five Ounces of Pain

If Saturday did indeed mark the end of Mirko Cro Cop's iconic fighting career, it was only fitting he leave with his hands stretched upward in victory one final time. Cro Cop defeated fellow K-1 legend Ray Sefo via unanimous decision at the main event of "Final Fight," much to the delight of a hometown crowd at the Arena Zagreb in Zagreb, Croatia. The Croatian kickboxing and mixed martial arts legend had not competed inside his native country in over a decade. After retiring from MMA on the heels of three devastating knockout losses, many feared for Filipovic's safety against the heavy-handed Sefo. The public trepidation proved unnecessary, however, as Cro Cop landed solidly with combinations at various stages of the opening frame and appeared unfazed by Sefo's power shots. Filipovic carried that confidence into the second, turning the tide with a steady parade of sharp uppercuts and clinch strikes. Though action began to slow in the final round, and the referee was repeatedly forced to intervene and separate the two fading fighters. Following the decision, Cro Cop took center stage and bid farewell to the emotional crowd. Afterward, Sefo paid his own respects on the mic. "Mirko, I don't even know why this guy wants to retire, because after his performance tonight he should keep fighting. I want everybody to understand that," Sefo declared. "Mirko Cro Cop is the number-one fighter to ever have come out of Croatia. Not only is he a living legend in kickboxing and K-1, he's a living legend in MMA. So you guys are very lucky to have such a great hero like him, and he's very lucky to have great people like you guys." In the night's co-main event, It's Showtime world heavyweight champion Daniel Ghita pulverized Sergei Laschenko's lower torso for much of the opening two frames, before finding his mark with a monstrous head kick midway through the third round. Laschenko quickly darted back to his feet, but with two knockdowns already in the books, the referee ultimately called the fight, declaring Ghita the winner via TKO. Full "Final Fight" results can be seen below. Mirko Cro Cop def. Ray Sefo via unanimous decisionDaniel Ghita def. Sergei Laschenko via TKO (Head Kick) in Round 3Igor Jurkovic def. Freddy Kemayo via majority decisionMladen Brestovac def. Mourad Bouzidi via TKO (Head Kick) in Round 1Mladen Kujundzic def. Marin Dosen via decisionAgron Preteni def. Guy Pacome Assi via majority decisionMichael Duut def. Stefan Jelic via unanimous decisionSahak Parparyan def. Toni Milanovic via decisionMiran Fabjan def. Ivan Posavec via unanimous decision

Posted in: guy, sefo, mirko, cop, cro

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If you think newly crowned Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Lightweight Champion Ben Henderson is ducking anyone in the mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion's 155-pound division, well, think again. After he defeated Frankie Edgar at UFC 144 a few weeks ago in Japan, there was no shortage of opponents jumping at the chance to be the first to dethrone the new 155-pound kingpin. Specifically, the aforementioned Frankie Edgar and the last man to defeat "Smooth," Anthony Pettis. After participating in two back-to-back-rematches of his own, Edgar believes he is deserving of the promotion granting him an immediate rematch against Henderson while Pettis feels he has done enough to earn first crack at the title. "The Answer" ultimately got the nod after he stood his ground and refused to dip down to the Featherweight division. Even though an opponent is now confirmed for his first title defense in a stacked UFC lightweight division, Henderson won't have any problems whatsoever moving forward finding suitable opponents to challenge him, but as Henderson said on his appearance on "The MMA Hour," he will take on anybody who is put in front of him and defeat them, too. Check it out: "I will fight anybody that Dana White puts inside the cage against me. I want to fight every UFC 55 pounder on the roster, I want to beat all of them. I want to be that dilemma child for Joe Silva and for Sean Shelby. I want them to be like, 'Oh man, who are we going to give to Henderson next? Who is he going to fight next? He beat the entire roster, who is he going to fight next?' The fan in me feels, Frankie had a very tough situation, he had a rough road with two rematches right away, so the fan in me feels that he deserves, he had to put himself on the line and ... I don't think you guys really understand when I say this, I want to fight everybody, I'm going to beat everybody, just line them up. But they are going to have to work their way up to me." Anthony Pettis, the last man to defeat Henderson at WEC 53 two years ago, say's even though he would love nothing more than to rematch against Benson, he doesn't feel the feeling is mutual. Henderson gave his thoughts on the situation: "Do I want to face Pettis again? Absolutely, we will see each other again, before I retire, before I die I'm going to see Anthony Pettis again. But it's not my job to give him a title shot, it's not up to me to be like "Oh hey, I want to fight this guy, let's go see this guy." It's his job to work his way up to me, but we will see each other again. He will work his way up again, I know that, he is a tough kid. But is he worth of shot for beating number 10 Joe Lauzon and then and split decision over unranked Jeremy Stephens, or is he deserving because he beat me last? What makes him deserving? But it is what it is, whoever Dana White wants to put in front of me, my job is to go out there and go beat them. I don't want anyone saying I'm afraid to fight this guy or that guy." So what did we learn today? Ben Henderson will fight anybody you put in front of him. Nate Diaz and Jim Miller are also looking to throw their names in that hat as well, as they lock horns at UFC on Fox 3 on May 5, 2012 in a fight that will have major title shot implications. It's a good problem to have for the UFC and apparently Henderson, too.

Posted in: ufc, fight, guy, anthony pettis, henderson

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Though not exactly the recommended means of fending off cynical challenges, the "turn around and beat the guy senseless" method is nonetheless effective. Even if it's just during a random, meaningless indoor match. The white team had apparently been playing "dirty" before this guy snapped and started throwing knees and punches, but that style is hard to keep up when you're trying not to swallow your own teeth.

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Urijah Faber is aware there's a lot on the line as he prepares to coach against Dominick Cruz in the upcoming season of 'The Ultimate Fighter'. As he inches closer to what is arguably his last real opportunity at a UFC title, Faber's fighting career - and how it will be judged when he's done competing - feels impossible to consider beyond his strained relationship to his top rival. Faber, however, rejects the idea his rivalry with Cruz is the defining issue of his career. The questions surrounding his rivalry are necessary conditions of the show and his career right now, but they are not sufficient by themselves. Faber's got more on his mind. Can the bantamweights carry the most important show in MMA and the subsequent pay-per-view where the coaches will fight? Will they be able to honor the live format with strong coaching? How can they navigate reality television without presenting a cheap facsimile of their true personality? In this interview with MMA Fighting, Faber makes his case for why performance against Cruz does not define his career, what he views as coaching best practices, how he plans to adapt his camp to the reality show's needs, why the Dakota Cochrane situation is 'weird', and why this reality show is all a part of his plan to live a life of fulfillment and fun. Full audio and partial transcription below: Luke Thomas: I'm doing well. Urijah, you're about to embark on something that's actually never been done before in the sport. You'll be coaching a team, doing a reality show and preparing for what I think is arguably the biggest fight of your life. Is that too much to ask of a person? Urijah Faber: I don't think so. It's par for the course. I've been in the sport for a long time and this is a big opportunity for me I feel like. Luke Thomas: Do you mind having such a significant and large portion of your career in some ways, not in total obviously, but in some ways defined by your relationship to an arch rival? Urijah Faber: I don't think so. Every fight that has come up on the horizon was a biggest fight at the time. It was a huge fight when I fought Jens Pulver. It was a huge fight when I fought Mike Brown. It was a huge fight when I fought Jose Aldo. It might be the other way around for Cruz, but I think it's kind of the opposite for me. Luke Thomas: What do you believe, because you think you're a lot more notable figure than he? Urijah Faber: I'm just saying, I've been in these situations before where it's been heavily promoted and yeah, I would say more people know my name than his and I fought big names before like a guy that was a former UFC champ and the current 145 pound champ. I've had big fights before. I don't think my career has been defined by this rivalry, although it is right now in this moment. Luke Thomas: Where would you rank this rivalry in terms of the chapters of your career? What would you say were the more important ones than this rivalry? Urijah Faber: I don't think there's any that were really more important. This is the most relevant, it's the most now. It's the one that's the peak of my career right so as of right now, this is the most important one. Luke Thomas: Let's talk about who's gonna actually be there in Las Vegas with you. Can you tell me who you're bringing along as part of your team? Urijah Faber: I'm bringing my Alpha Male coaches, the guys that train our team every day along with a lot of our teammates and that's going to include Master Thong, who's one of the best stand-up trainers in the world, Fabio Prado, Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt, Dustin Akbari who's an all-around MMA guy but also a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt. I've got Lance Palmer who's a four time All-American and NCAA finalist and Chad Mendes who's a national finalist as well to help with wrestling. I've got Justin Buchholz who does a lot of our team practices and is good with a lot of the conditioning stuff in addition to being a great mind for coaching and I'll be bringing a lot of guest coaches. I've talked to Phil Nurse, Mark Dellagrotte, Duke Roufus as far as the stand-up goes, probably Mark Munoz and we'll see who else comes along. Luke Thomas: In boxing, you see a lot of the grandfather types that coach a prospect or talent, they center on one guy but in MMA, it's just more peer-based and the reality show will follow this model. Do you think that's the best model for MMA or do you think MMA could learn a little bit from the boxing way of doing things? Urijah Faber: I think the sport's so new right now and everything is on the cutting edge so we're just mapping out the blueprint for this thing now and the guys who were in it and have been in it and have helped create the best ways to train are all young. There's always a lot ot be learned and you can get it from old guys and young guys and guys who are great or guys that are not that great. You can always learn stuff. There's a little bit of both in our camp. Master Thong has trained six boxing world champs and he's trained Buakaw Por Pramuk who's a kickboxing world champ and now he's got a stable of guys who are world champs, former world champs or contenders so he's a guy who's been a lifetime coach. It's the same thing with the other guys I'm bringing in. This is what these guys do for a living. The sport's changing, evolving and getting better. Luke Thomas: What makes a good coach? And by that, I mean good principles to live by. Articulate for me what the best coaching philosophy is and the one you plan to work by. Urijah Faber: First and foremost is accountability. You want to make sure these guys are accountable and give them some structure and then providing a lot of new techniques so they can always be learning and making sure you can understand that everyone's an individual and people are different. Having an open mind. I think the guy that doesn't want any coaches around is the guy that's insecure. There's always stuff to be learned and there's so many different specialist that it's hard for me to see a great coach, someone that doesn't want anyone else around. Luke Thomas: Talk to me about something a little bit more specific, like cornering somebody. What is your philosophy on cornering somebody and in this case, a specific kind of somebody, a prospect or someone very new in his MMA career. Is less more? What are the best practices there? Urijah Faber: Everyone's different. Some guys respond well while they're fighting and other guys are going 1000 miles per hour and don't pay attention. It really depends on the individual. Some guys like to have things reminded to them. As far as the coaching standpoint while you're in the corner, I like to do "the hay is in the barn" type of approach. You have things you can remind them of and you can give them introspection or an outside point of view in between rounds of what you think they can improve on or what they're doing well. The preparation is done in practice. Luke Thomas: Let's move if we can a little bit onto Dominick Cruz. You've had two fights with him and you're about to have a reality show with him and I know you're probably sick of the guy in some ways. Have you learned everything about Dominick Cruz that you can? Is there really anything left besides minor details that you don't know about this guy? Urijah Faber: I don't really know the details of his family life or how he was raised or anything. He talked about how he lived in a trailer or something like that, a motor home. That's about the extent that I know. It seems like he comes from a supportive mother and I've seen the countdown shows and that's about all I know. Luke Thomas: Do you care to learn any more about him? By that, I mean do you think learning more about him, and not just his family life but what makes him tick I suppose, does that inform your judgement about how to prepare for him or is it strictly his technique? Urijah Faber: I'll definitely look at any way I can to have an advantage and I'll keeping my eye on him and if there is a way to learn something new and exploit it, I will. Who knows? It's gonna be such a new process for me. It's gonna be something that I can't really predict how everything is gonna go and I'm just gonna enjoy the process and do my best and look to win. Luke Thomas: Have you thought about, obviously the training camp will continue after the show is over and you'll compete at UFC 148 it's rumored at least on July 7th but you will have some training time there right next to him. Will that be awkward? Is there a way for you to shield what you're doing so he can't see it? Have you made any preparations about training there so you either do or don't interact with him? Urijah Faber: Not really made any preparations but the bottom line is the best guys in the world, you know what they've got and you're not able to stop it. A guy like Jose Aldo, it's no secret the guy has good leg kicks, right? But can you stop them and will they be affective? GSP has a great takedown. There's all these things that the great guys have so I don't worry too much about him seeing what I'm doing. If I can avoid the guy, that would be great. We don't get along and we're gonna be in each others face and we're gonna be visualizing beating the other person. I'm curious about how much we're actually gonna have to interact. I'll probably see the guy every day. We're gonna be passing each other every day so that's gonna be kind of new but other than that, I'm just gonna do my thing. Luke Thomas: Do you believe that a Rampage/Rashad type of insane animosity is ultimately distracting? Urijah Faber: I think it can be if you let it but I'm prepared for anything and I'm not gonna let being in close quarters going to affect my attitude or my training but I'm sure it's gonna be something that is a factor. We're both gonna have to deal with it. Who's it gonna get to? I don't think it'll be me. Luke Thomas: You believe you won the last fight. It was obviously very close no matter how you judge it and even though you believe you won, the performance can be improved upon even if it may be a little difficult to figure out in the eyes of the judges. I'll just ask you plainly, what do you need to do this next time that you dind't do the last time to ensure a victory against Dominick Cruz? Urijah Faber: Well, the easiest thing to do would be to finish he fight. It takes it out of the judges completely and aside from that, I need to score more points. As weird as it sounds, I think my hair being loose as it was made a little bit of an impact, my hair flopping around all the time and it made things look a little worse than others. I'll make sure to have a short haircut and he had a lot more takedown attempts so maybe try a little more takedown attempts and just get hit less and hit more. It wasn't the gameplan to throw more punches, it was to be more effective with my punches so maybe I'll have to do both. Luke Thomas: Did you see anything in his fight with Demetrious Johnson that maybe lit off a bulb in your head or gave you an idea about something different you could do? Urijah Faber: Not in particular. You're dealing with way different fighters there. Demetrious Johnson and I are not the same guy and what I saw was when Dominick's getting outstruck, he goes for takedowns. He was able to do that with Demetrious and control him but he's not going to be able to do that with me. I plan on outstriking him, outgrappling him and just beating him all the way around. Luke Thomas: The live model, you're one of the first coaches to be a part of this. It's a hell of a validation of your career and of course the bantamweight division but I guess I'll ask you what you think about it. What do you think it says that they chose you and Dominick Cruz as the first two coaches for the live format, in part obviously it is a matter of timing but there's more to it than that. What else is there to it? Urijah Faber: I think the sport is all about great performances and Dominick and I are both guys that fight to the bitter end and this is a great time to push the most exciting weight classes into the limelight. People will only know what they're exposed to and they haven't had as much time to get acquainted with the lighter weight fighters so this is gonna be a huge opportunity for them to fall in love with the weight class and I'm proud to be the guy to bring this to them and I'm gonna make sure that everybody enjoys this season and really loves the fight. Luke Thomas: Do you feel any obligation to honor that live format with extra effort or theatrics or anything else you can do to really make sure it pops on live TV? Urijah Faber: I'm just gonna be myself and I'll try to keep it interesting. That's the one thing I want to do is stay true in this whole process. You don't want to come off as somebody that you're not. I feel that I'm an interesting enough guy and I like to have fun and I don't take crap from anyone so that all makes for good stuff when you're posing against someone like Dominick who's kind of in a lot of ways, the same way. He doesn't put on a front. He is who he is and he doesn't like to take crap from anyone. It's gonna be confrontational and it's gonna be entertaining. Luke Thomas: Is there a previous coach from The Ultimate Fighter who's success you'd like to pattern yourself after? Urijah Faber: I can't remember what kind of success that the different coaches had. I don't remember who won or anything like that. There's some great guys off of there. I think GSP did a great job. I think Randy Couture did a good job. There's a couple others. Everyone I think did a good job. I think everyone generally wanted their team to win and put forth an effort and that's the best you can do in the situation. Luke Thomas: A lot has been made and I'm sure you're sick or hearing about it. A lot has been made of this Dakota Cochrane situation. Does his background particularly concern you? How do you feel about it? Urijah Faber: I think it's weird first of all. The guy supposedly was going after money but I was doing research on these guys and when you pop in his name, there's a bunch of pictures of his gay porn stuff so I don't really feel sorry for the guy. He put himself in this situation but the bottom line is this about the best fighter. If he's the best fighter, it doesn't really matter what he's done before or after or anything. I don't have to agree with what he does but the bottom line is he worked hard to become good at something that's very tough so you've got to respect that. Luke Thomas: What is your impression of this season's cast and have you had a sense to evaluate them a little more up close? Urijah Faber: I haven't had a chance to really get to know the guys yet but I've seen quite a few of them, I've seen some of their interviews and stuff like that and it sounds like there's some characters and it sounds like there's some real talent so I don't think all the guys with character are the ones with a ton of talent and vice versa. There's a good mix in there and it's gonna be interesting for sure and I'm looking forward to finding more about these guys. Luke Thomas: Obviously you want to beat Team Cruz and you want to beat Dominick Cruz this summer but more than that, do you have goals for this show, goals for your business, goals for the way you want to represent yourself, goals for your team. Are there personal goals you have in mind that you'd like to be able to check off on a list when this is all over? Urijah Faber: I haven't written out a goals list for this show yet but there are some things off the top of my head I could say. First and foremost, I want to be real. I want people to know who I am and if they want to support after that, that's up to them. I'm gonna do my best to be as candid and as real as possible and have fun in the process. I think that this whole lifestyle, the job choice, everything about my career has been at the helm of having a good time. It's about enjoying what I'm doing and enjoying the day and I want to make this process the same.

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It's already been confirmed that the UFC and FX knew about former gay pornstar Dakota Cochrane's hardcore past before they added him to the show, and Dana White has said he has no problem with it. Now here's video from the TUF media day where Dana White lays out how few f*cks he gives. He does sound like he's mentally steeling himself for the possibility of a homophobic witch hunt in the house though: "It's not like racism or things like that you have to deal with, but it's sort of a form of that, and it is what it is. The guy did it. Now he's got to live with it. He's got to handle himself in the real world. Dude is pretty tough. He made it on to the show, so any guy who has anything to say to him, he gets to kick his [expletive] ass two days later. That's the great thing about being on this reality show."..."I don't know if I have 15 homophobes here or 15 guys who could care less about it. I have no idea. No one has been talked to on the show. 'We have a very sensitive issue.' None of that has happened. We don't do that [expletive]. Whatever happens in that house happens, and then I'm going to have to deal with it. If there's some crazy [expletive] going on, you know how it works with me. I'm going to be fair and do the right thing. But if stuff crosses the line and bad things happen, I guess I'm going to be going over there a lot." All this wondering about what's gonna happen when Cochrane hits the TUF house could be moot after tonight when the elimination round goes down. It seems like half the interesting candidates for the show get axed before they even get in ... my biggest nightmare is if Saturday comes and both Epic Mustache Dude and Gay Porno Guy are gone. Oh well. No matter what, Master Thong will still be helping Urijah Faber coach, and he's more fun than a whole barrel full of gay porno guys. THONG STYLE! BOOM!

Posted in: guy, show, thing, he, heres video

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There was a time in the WEC days when Ben Henderson followed MiddleEasy on Twitter. He used to RT our stories, but for some reason we never followed him back. Perhaps it was the influx of Christian-centric tweets which emerged from his timeline that got us in the end. If we wanted to be inundated with religious tweets, we would have just followed @Scientology on Twitter. Those guys have Tom Cruise and they believe in intergalactic aliens. If you're going to believe in any religion, you might as well go for the one with the most space ships. Now that Ben Henderson is the UFC lightweight champion, it would be entirely too bandwagonish if we started following him on Twitter now. So to maintain our integrity, we will pretend like Ben Henderson is still that guy in WEC with the long hair and continue to not follow him on Twitter. We still love the guy, but we're caught in a conundrum of 'keeping it real' in the Twitterverse. However, our decision will not stop us from publishing a newly acquired Ben Henderson video on MiddleEasy. Last weekend at the 7th Arizona Brazilian Jiu JItsu International Open, the UFC lightweight champion competed in the Brown Open Division and was submitted by Daniel Grippaudo -- marking the first time anyone in combat sports has ever successfully slapped a submission on Ben Henderson. [Source]

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submitted by Rizz0 [link] [2 comments]

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UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz sure picked an interesting time to become a coach on The Ultimate Fighter. Not only does the position pit him opposite his fiercest rival -- former WEC champion Urijah Faber -- it also throws him into the reality show franchise’s first season of live television. If all that weren’t enough to think about, the show’s starting cast has already garnered headlines for including a fighter with a history as a gay porn actor.But if you ask Cruz, he’ll tell you that that’s not a particularly important piece of personal history as far as he sees it. He’s more concerned with whether guys like Dakota Cochrane can fight, he told MMA Fighting recently, and he expects the other fighters on the show to approach it the same way. "I don’t even really think about it, honestly," Cruz said. "He’s another guy on the show. I think that’s how everyone will see it."For Cruz, the goal with all the fighters who fight their way into the house on the live premiere of the show this Friday night is the same, whether they’re among the ones he knows personally from the San Diego MMA scene or whether they’re total strangers."For me, it’s a personal thing to make these guys better," he said. "It’s about seeing what I can show them, seeing what I can give them to help the rest of their careers. It’s also about hopefully helping a guy from my team win a six-figure contract with the UFC. That’s what it’s all about for me, and that’s the only thing I’m thinking about."As for his old foe and rival Faber, who he’s slated to meet for a third and, if you ask Cruz, hopefully final time, once the season is finished? They might have spent more time together lately than either would have liked, but that doesn’t mean Cruz finds the challenger’s company any more agreeable, he said."I’ve been around Faber a lot. But we’re both professionals. I don’t think we’re going to lose it and just start scrapping each other. We both know we’ve got a date July 7, and I’m prepared to fight him on that date and not before."

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The boxing career of former EliteXC and UFC "attraction" Kevin "Kimbo Slice" Ferguson keeps on rolling along when he meets mixed martial artist Mike Glenn on March 24. Predictably, Glenn is making his pro debut and, like all of Slice's prior opponents, is not actually a heavyweight. Glenn competed in MMA at 205 pounds so he will almost certainly come in the much lighter man when the two meet later this month. This is a continuing trend for Kimbo as he made his debut against then 0-1 James Wade weighing 227 to Wade's 205, took on then 2-3 Tay Bledsoe weighing 244 to Bledsoe's 206 and then beat the debuting Charles Hackmann when he weighed 235 to Hackmann's 211. The only opponent Slice has faced (or is scheduled to face in Glenn's case) who is a listed heavyweight is Hackmann, and that's only because he made his debut at heavyweight. He almost certainly could have cut down to cruiserweight. Every boxing career sees a certain kind of progression to get guys used to the kind of challenges you're going to face in the ring over your career. That is not the point here. The point is that while Jared Shaw runs around yelling about Kimbo being a much needed "injection into the heavyweight division," the reality is that Kimbo remains a sideshow who is proving nothing by beating smaller men. No heavyweight of note has kicked off their career by doing nothing but picking off cruiserweights and at 38 years old, the idea of him challenging for a title as Shaw suggested in the past becomes even more laughable as he hasn't even proven that he can hang with an actual heavyweight. Even small North American titles like the NABA, NABF and NABO are held by guys who would smoke Kimbo. We're seeing a guy with a reputation as somewhat chinny fighting against guys below his weight class. There's a reason for that.

Posted in: guy, heavyweight, kimbo, glenn, boxing career

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While most fans know Urijah Faber as a former WEC champion and one of the most popular fighters on the UFC rosters, others are aware of the bantamweight’s accomplishments off-camera as the in-gym general at Team Alpha Male where he’s helped develop a number of fighters into top-level talent. Faber will attempt a similar feat starting Friday night as one of the coaches on the Ultimate Fighter 15 opposite rival Dominick Cruz. To assist in polishing the pugilists he picks into potential winners Faber will transplant his camp from California into the UFC Training Center for the season’s taping meaning the very men who will help him prepare for an eventual title-shot against Cruz are going to be intimately involved with his TUF team as well. When asked about his assistant coaches on the show in an interview with the UFC’s website, Faber listed off a number of familiar names known in some cases for teaching and others for taking to opponents. “Master Thong, Fabio Prado, Dustin Akbari, Justin Buchholz, Lance Palmer. And then my guys, Chad Mendes and Joseph (Benavidez) and Danny Castillo and T.J. Dillashaw, they’ll be coming out to help out as well, and I’ll probably have some guests coming in, different specialists that will come in and add their two cents and give these guys some cool techniques and stuff like that,” revealed Faber. However, Faber also knows it isn’t just about his team back home over the coming season but the one he creates in Las Vegas. “For me, I get a lot of exposure for myself, my team, my guys. Three months is a long time, and every week you have a bunch of viewers watching us and seeing how we interact and who we are and stuff like that,” the 32-year old explained. “But it’s also an opportunity to help out another group of guys. I’ve been a guy who’s been able to scout talent since I got in this game before it was even really popular, and I think I’m gonna be able to help out here as well, so I’m excited about that. It’s gonna be fun to help another group of guys reach their goals and do big things.” Things kick off at 9:00 PM EST on FX with a two-and-half hour special featuring all of the qualifying fights, highlighting the fact this will be the first version of the long-running season with live action every week. PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Posted in: guy, i ’m, team, faber, urijah faber

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As the first 135-pound champion in UFC history, Dominick Cruz is an established star in the sport, far removed from those days when he wondered where the next paycheck was coming from or whether this dream of making prizefighting his career was going to pan out. That doesn’t mean he’s forgotten what it means to struggle though, and it’s that ability to put himself back in that mindset that made him the perfect choice to coach alongside his longtime rival Urijah Faber on the new season of The Ultimate Fighter, which premieres this Friday night on FX.“Fortunately, you never forget how that feels,” said the bantamweight boss. “When you forget how that feels, you kinda lose yourself and you change into somebody else. So I make it a point to never forget to be that person, and I definitely know how it feels, and that’s why I make it a big focus that these guys are gonna get a hundred percent of me. A lot of these guys put it all on the line and they’ve all sacrificed something big to be in this position. So I definitely know how they feel, and it’s gonna be a good time being able to help these guys out.”It’s been a long road for Cruz to get here, despite him being just 26 years old, but he’s paid his dues, fighting it out on the local circuit until getting called to challenge Faber for the WEC 145-pound crown in March 2007. Cruz would get submitted in 98 seconds by “The California Kid” that night, kicking off the rivalry that continues to this day. It had subsided a little, at least on Cruz’ side, considering that he evened the score with a five round win over Faber in their UFC 132 rematch last July, but tensions have started to rise again with the show and their rubber match just around the corner. And to add to matters, Cruz and Faber are likely to see each other almost every day as they prepare for battle, a different scenario to say the least.“I don’t really know how you necessarily prepare for it and I don’t really know if it’s gonna be weird or not,” said Cruz. “This is one of those things that nobody’s ever been through, so you can’t really get advice on the live portion of this thing. But at the same time, other coaches have seen the guy that they’re fighting on the show the whole time and it hasn’t been an issue. So I know that I’ll be just fine. Me and Faber are professionals, we’ll go in there and do our jobs as coaches and at the end of the day we’ll go home and get our training done on our own. The only downside to it is looking at his goofy mug all day long and hearing him talk. Other than that, it’s just another day.”To get him through those days in the gym and to aid him with the eight hopefuls that will be on his team on TUF, Cruz has brought in his coaches and teammates from San Diego’s Team Alliance: Eric Del Fierro, Phil Davis, Shannon Slack, Doug Balzarini, and Ross Pearson, and he expects to have some guest coaches in as well. As for who those eight team members might be, he has to wait with everyone else until the 32 finalists fight each other on Friday night and trim the roster down to 16. Then it’s up to him and Faber to choose their squads. Cruz has started looking at the first 32 though.“I’ve looked at some guys for sure, and I know a couple of the guys on the show, so I know what some of these guys are capable of, and some I know nothing about,” he said. “But that’s kind of the fun of this whole situation is that not only do you not know what they’re going to throw at you on that first preliminary day in terms of what the format’s going to be like, but you’re kinda taking the entire situation as it comes. I’m just gonna watch these guys throw down and see the attributes that they show in that tough situation, no pun intended, and I’m just gonna make my decisions there.”Yet whoever ends up on Team Cruz, expect the coach to do the same things he’s been doing in the Alliance Gym: not just working to make himself better, but to set a good example for his teammates, just like a true champion should. It’s a responsibility he’s taken seriously ever since putting the belt around his waist, and many of his high-profile teammates, including Davis, Brandon Vera, and Mike Easton have noted Cruz’ qualities as a leader.“The idea behind that is that most people don’t even choose to be a leader,” Cruz explains. “You become a leader by example. How do you become a leader to a guy like Brandon Vera, who has had the career he’s had in the UFC, and done the things that he’s done? Look at Phil Davis, he’s a four-time All-American at one of the most elite wrestling schools in the country, and to become a leader to somebody like that, you don’t go out and choose to be their leader; they choose you, and that happens by leading by example. And that’s what I do and that’s what I plan on doing on this TUF show. Anything I ask these guys to do, they’re gonna know I’ve done it either twice as much, twice as hard, or exactly as many times as them. And that’s exactly how you lead a group of guys like this. You show them how it’s done, and then they follow.”You also check your ego at the door. And as much as Cruz wants to get the mental jump on Faber, and Faber wants to do the same on Cruz, when it’s time to practice, you can’t be the champion in the ivory tower; you’ve got to put your gloves on, your mouthpiece in, and work just like everyone else in that gym. “The Dominator” embraces that idea, believing that it’s a return to the days before he even thought of stepping in the cage.“It might be weird for people to think about, but this is a huge learning experience for me,” said Cruz. “As you said, I am established, but I’m still young and I still have tons that I can learn. A lot of these guys that are gonna be on the show, I guarantee you that I can learn something from every single one of them. What I can show them is how to deal with the nerves, deal with the spotlight, deal with being on the UFC stage, and I can also teach them some of the greater attributes of being a full MMA fighter from head to toe in the sense of style and how to mix combinations together and punches and kicks and everything like that. But I’m looking forward to learning how to deal with people that I’ve never met in my life and coaching them from the beginning. That’s like going back to my old coaching days when I first started, so it brings me back to the beginning of my career really, and it’s almost like full circle. When I started fighting I was coaching a high school wrestling team. One of my wrestlers said ‘you’ve got to get in the gym and try this out,’ and I went with him and the next thing you know, I’m fighting. Now I’m right back at the beginning where I started, I’m coaching, I’m helping guys out, and I’ve got no problem with that. I’m looking forward to it.”

Posted in: guy, day, i ’m, ’m, cruz

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It's never a dull moment lately with former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Welterweight number one contender Josh Koscheck, who for most of his successful mixed martial arts (MMA) career honed his skills at American Kickboxing Academy (AKA) in San Jose, California. Last month, the four-time NCAA Division-1 All American wrestler, announced that he would be leaving AKA, the camp he has called home for a big part of his career, due to differences with head trainer, Javier Mendez, and what Koscheck says was Mendez’ criticism of his fighters not following through game plans. Today, in an interview with MMA Fighting, "Kos" (who on Twitter called it the worst interview ever) continued to pour it on, saying that if Mendez was a "real" coach, then his gym, which houses fighters such as former UFC Heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez, Strikeforce heavyweight Daniel Cormier, UFC Welterweight contender Jon Fitch and current Strikeforce Middleweight champion Luke Rockhold, would have produced more champions. Check out his latest comments after the jump, as well as the real reason he feels guys training at AKA are so successful: "I think the reason why everybody is so successful at the gym, over there in San Jose, is because of the training partners. I really truly believe that the training partners is why guys have fought for world titles and guys have been UFC champions like Cain, was because of the training partners. I think that is the number one reason. I think if you had real coaching, you would have seen a lot more champions out of that gym and I think that now, in my career, were going to see big improvements really quick." On Javier Mendez, head trainer at AKA: "For the record, he was never my coach. He tagged along here and there. I think I'm at a better place now. My Dethrone base camp, Fresno gyms are rocking right now and were rolling. I think that, you know, Bob Cook will always be the man over there (AKA). Bob Cook comes and trains with me a couple of times with me in Fresno when he can. It's good to be around real coaches that care and real coaches that put time in and real coaches that put the effort to make your fighter the best that they could possibly be and I have that now. I think that on May 5th, you guys are gonna see that. He (Mendez) worked with me, but, did I learn anything? It is what it is. I'm done with that chapter of my life and I prefer not to talk about it, I prefer to talk about Dethrone Base Camp Fresno. That's where it's happening right now. I got a lot of good guys over there training right now and a lot of guys coming in and out." Koscheck is coming off of a razor-thin split decision victory over Mike Pierce at UFC 143 and is now set up to take on fellow wrestling powerhouse, Johny Hendricks, at UFC on Fox 3 on May 5, 2012. Hendricks is coming off of a 12-second knockout victory over Koscheck's training partner and close friend, Jon Fitch, at UFC 141: "Lesnar vs. Overeem." Hendricks, who was also a four-time NCAA Division-1 All American wrestler at Oklahoma State University (OSU), is making some noise in a the UFC's Welterweight division, riding a three-fight win streak, having only been defeated once at the hands of Rick Story. Though both "Kos" and "Big Rigg" have outstanding collegiate wrestling credentials, they both have a preference and tendency to stand and bang. Something that Kosceck likely picked up at AKA and now intends to refine in Fresno.

Posted in: ufc, guy, coach, training, aka

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A few updates on what's been going on in the MMA & UFC Twitterverse MIGUEL TORRES VS. CHAD OCHOCINCO "Yo @UFC, @DanaWhite, set up the fight between @OchoCinco & I already." -Miguel Torres "This is why Joe Silva stays off Twitter" -UFC There's a ton of tweets after the jump, but first, don't forget to follow me on twitter: @antontabuena Oh, and these guys are probably worth following as well: The Official BloodyElbow Twitter Account, Luke Thomas, Kid Nate, Brent Brookhouse, Leland Roling, Richard Wade, Chris Barton, Damon O, Scott Broussard, Tim Burke, Matt Bishop, Fraser Coffeen, Dallas Winston, KJ Gould, Matt Roth, Ben Thapa, Josh Nason. RANDOM TWIDBITS "I think I'm winning the battle vs staph infection!!!! I not easy to finish....ask Feijao!!! Lol." -King Mo "What's up everyone im back, cleaned up my act and you'll be hearing from me regularly... Another long day at the gym. Off candy and back on the health kick. Wheat grass tastes like shit" -Chris Leben "On cheating: win and apologize don't lose and explain" -Forrest Griffin "I wonder if the commission will suspend the judges for fucking it up 1 MORE TIME! They're always suspending fighters, what about these guys?" -Vinny Magalhaes "This just happened: Guy "You an actor?" Me - "No." Guy - "A hitman or something?" Me - "Sometimes." Guy - "Alright. Cool. I never saw you" -Josh Barnett ‏ "I would like to thank @MartinKampmann for my plyometrics today when I jumped off the couch." -Amir Sadollah I DON'T SEE A SWORD HERE... "The best part of leaving the dentist is my novacaine smile. Handsome right?" -Amir Sadollah TWIDEOS "Check out my new video blog. Now on to #TUF @InsideTUF with @TheDomin8r @ufc @EricDelFierro @AllianceMMA" -Jeremy Stephens TWICTURES "Birthday diaries love u Luba!!!" -Arianny Celeste "Arianny Celeste collection for @jaideclothing coming this spring" -Arianny Celeste "One of my favorite photos :-)" -Brittney Palmer "i spy with my little eye.. @Tillys ;)" -Logan Stanton DOMINICK CRUZ LOOKS TALLER IN NASCAR "#TUFLive coach Dominick Cruz will be driving the pace car for the #SubwayFF500" -UFC ".@TheDomin8r rolled deep @NASCAR over the weekend & made some new friends: @Ndamukong_Suh & @thejaredfogle" -Inside TUF KENNY FLORIAN, SLEEPING WITH ANOTHER SPORT "ever get the feeling @KennyFlorian is cheating on us with other sports? Check out his visit to @FOXSoccer" -UFC ONLY A FEW THOUSAND FANS LEFT, AND WE'LL SEE ROY NELSON DROP TO 205 "Bet is I will try to get to 205 if I can add 100k to Facebook.com/RoyNelsonUFC in two weeks. I love to win bets. Plus he will have to give me a part in his next movie." -Roy Nelson, as of this writing, he's already above 92,000 "likes" on FB, so he's probably going to lose this bet. "Just weighed myself 264 lbs, going to gym just incase I lose this bet. And eat crow, but thanks for all the support & future pain" -Roy Nelson "This bet is getting carried away...Mark Zuckerberg called me up and said Facebook is better." -Roy Nelson "@roynelsonmma Roy, if you go to 205, I'll cut to 145 with you. Friends motivating friends. Then we'll go to Carl's Jr day after fight" -Dave Sholler

Posted in: ufc, guy, twitter, bet, roy

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He’s been the driving force that brought some of mixed martial arts’ top talents into the sport, even going as far as to buy up several houses on the same block in Northern California so the members of his Team Alpha Male squad have a place to live near the gym. So who better to start coaching the next generation of UFC hopefuls than Urijah Faber, the former WEC featherweight champ and current UFC bantamweight contender who is embracing his role on the 15th season of The Ultimate Fighter, which premieres this Friday on FX.“I think it’s kinda like that in life,” says Faber, noting that his search for talent goes beyond what a person can do with four ounce gloves on. “I’m always looking to recruit guys. I don’t know what it is. I’ve always been kind of a leader when it comes to that stuff and kinda visionary also. So when I see guys with talent, I believe in them and figure hey, you might as well go for it. And it turns out that a lot of different guys that you think would be good at something, all they really need is a nudge in the right direction and a little encouragement, and things happen.”You would be surprised how many fighters in the game today have gotten that nudge from Faber. There are the obvious ones, like Team Alpha Male standouts like Joseph Benavidez, Chad Mendes, and Danny Castillo. But Faber has also been the guy who suggested to Mark Munoz and Scott Jorgensen that they should follow up their college wrestling careers with a move to MMA. You would think that takes a pretty substantial lack of ego to do something like that, to bring in other talented people that could possibly take some of your spotlight away, but Faber disagrees.“I think it’s kind of the opposite of being humble,” admits the 32-year old Faber. “I feel like I am a humble guy, but it’s more confidence that no matter who comes in here, I’m still gonna be okay. It’s not like I’m intimidated of other guys’ talents. I’ve got a book coming out May 22nd (“The Laws of the Ring: How Passion Runs the World”), and one of the themes is called “Building a Who’s Who Network.” It’s basically looking for potential in people and helping them reach big things. And when you do that, you’re basically creating a bunch of people that are Who’s Who people, instead of looking at someone and saying ‘I want to meet that guy because he’s famous or because he’s done this or done that.’ I try to find people with talent, and we all try to help each other get there, and then it means something when you have a network of people like that that accomplish something. I’ve got a bunch of friends in this sport that have basically been there from the beginning with me. You see me, Mark Munoz, Joseph Benavidez, Chad Mendes, Scotty Jorgensen, and all these guys, and people are like ‘oh, you know him,’ and I say ‘yeah, we helped each other get to where we are today,’ and that’s my network of people and it’s a real network.”For the next three months, Faber has a chance to build that network from 32 fighters that will be whittled down to 16 this Friday night, and then to eight as he and his opposing coach, UFC bantamweight champ Dominick Cruz, select teams. “I have taken a look at the guys so far and I feel like there are some favorites in there, but you’re not really ever gonna know until they’re right there in front of you and they’re fighting each other,” said Faber of the initial 32. “So I’m gonna keep an open mind, but I’ve definitely taken a look at them to see who I think are the better guys.”To help Faber pick the right guys will be a full cast of assistant coaches and guests that, not surprisingly, call Sacramento their home base.“Master Thong, Fabio Prado, Dustin Akbari, Justin Buchholz, Lance Palmer,” said “The California Kid” when asked about his TUF coaching staff. “And then my guys, Chad Mendes and Joseph (Benavidez) and Danny Castillo and TJ Dillashaw, they’ll be coming out to help out as well, and I’ll probably have some guests coming in, different specialists that will come in and add their two cents and give these guys some cool techniques and stuff like that.”It’s the chance of a lifetime for the eight competitors who eventually end up on Team Faber, especially considering that the show has launched the careers of several UFC stars, including former champions Rashad Evans and Forrest Griffin. But what does Faber, an already established star, get out of being on the show?“For me, I get a lot of exposure for myself, my team, my guys,” he said. “Three months is a long time, and every week you have a bunch of viewers watching us and seeing how we interact and who we are and stuff like that. But it’s also an opportunity to help out another group of guys. I’ve been a guy who’s been able to scout talent since I got in this game before it was even really popular, and I think I’m gonna be able to help out here as well, so I’m excited about that. It’s gonna be fun to help another group of guys reach their goals and do big things.”The most interesting twist though, is that as Faber coaches, at the same time he will also be training for and getting a chance to get up close and personal with his old rival Cruz in preparation for their July rubber match. Now that’s something out of the ordinary for the nine year pro, but not surprisingly, he’s sure he’ll find a way to make it work for him.“I’m not sure how that’s gonna be, and I can’t say that I’m excited about it necessarily, but it’s our reality for the time being and it should be interesting,” he said. “I’ve never been a guy that’s shaken by being in contact with someone I’m gonna fight, and it should be an opportunity to get in each other’s heads a little bit and see who can get a mental edge. And I think if anyone’s gonna have the edge in that category, it’s definitely me.”

Posted in: guy, i ’m, people, ’m, faber

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As Bellator Fighting Championships gears for its sixth season, which debuts this Friday night (March 9, 2012) with Bellator 60 in Hammond, Indiana, there are plenty of things to get excited about. But it hasn't been all sunshine and roses. Of course, there's the story of undefeated heavyweight Blagoi Ivanov getting critically wounded by a knife in a bar fight, but that's recent and obvious. Others have been more subtle, like Bellator partner Spike TV counterprogramming all the free UFC events on Fuel and FX as well as The Ultimate Fighter. There's also the lingering contract situation of both current middleweight champion Hector Lombard and former lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez, who have been with the promotion since day one and are two of its biggest stars. In part one of our conversation with Bellator CEO Bjorn Rebney, we discussed the promotion's plans for the future, the upcoming season six debut and more. In the conclusion of our exclusive interview today, Rebney spoke with MMAmania.com about everything from Alvarez, Lombard, UFC pressure and much, much more. Check it out: Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): I heard a rumor. I know you are planning a light heavyweight tournament for your summer series. I heard some whispers that there might even be two tournaments during your summer series. Is there any truth to that? Bjorn Rebney: Yeah, the rumors are based on the fact that we keep talking about it. We're still considering it. As a company, we've been banging out the idea with out partners at Spike and at Viacom trying to figure out how to do it. It's incumbent on me to keep loading the barrel of the gun so that we can put ourselves into a position where every time one of our champions enters the cage, he or she has their belt on the line. The way you do that is you increase the number of tournaments. You can see that already for season six, we've got five tournaments going on simultaneously. If we can figure out a way to do it, I'd love to have two going on in the summer and another five in the fall before we break into the regular six that we're gonna be doing as part of our Spike partnership. There's no definitive final answer that we've arrived at, but we're definitely giving it though. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): I want to ask about Spike a little bit. They've got a deal going on right now where they're counterprogramming a lot of the UFC shows. It seems like they're trying to entice the UFC to buy back its fight library. Now if that happens and Spike gets its wish in the next couple months, would Bellator be able to get on Spike for say, season seven? Bjorn Rebney: Yeah, that door would be open. It would obviously be something that our television partners at Spike would have to make a determination based on programming and the like. We work with them day in and day out. I know that Spike has been open to that idea that if there were a change in the direction of the UFC mindset and they were able to work out the pending library issues, that Bellator could conceptually jump over quicker. I think at the level now of the fighters that are stepping into our cage, the level of production, the way that the show flows and works now, the live experience and the number of sellouts that we're experiencing, the timing's right for that jump. If it happens nine and a half months from now as it's currently scheduled, we're gonna blink and it's gonna be here. If circumstances were to change and it's gonna happen earlier, we're gonna be ready to rock and roll on literally a week's notice. We're excited with what's building out right now. Obviously, as a long time fan of the sport, Spike is nirvana. Spike is the crown jewel. If you think about television and mixed martial arts, I've been watching this stuff since the very first. I can remember sitting at home in west Los Angeles and watching a WWE show come to an end and watching this new crazy show that the network was gonna launch called The Ultimate Fighter and I can remember sitting there watching. I can remember the fact that they never broke for commercial. I can remember the fact that it came out of the tail end of the wrestling show and it went right into this show about guys who were gonna fight in a cage in a house. I remember it like it was yesterday. They wrote the book. They are the reason you and I are sitting on the phone today. There's a reason there's a general market crossover with MMA and there's a reason that mixed martial arts show are up on the cover pages of the sports section of USA Today. They built it. To be able to sit on the phone with you and say Bellator is moving to Spike is about as cool as it gets. It's like a six year old coming down Christmas morning and seeing a brand new red Schwinn bike underneath the Christmas tree. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): You guys officially announced Eddie Alvarez versus Shinya Aoki this past week so I was wondering your thoughts on getting that fight, getting the deal done and getting it announced. Bjorn Rebney: Yeah, it only took me three and a half years. (laughs) I felt pretty good about that. If you put in the time, I think if we billed that one out on an hourly basis, i was making like 5-6 dollars an hour for that one. I tried to live up to what I promised and Ed Alvarez asked me literally three and a half years ago, he said, "Can you give me a rematch?" and Ed's been so important to the growth of this company and he's been with us and a fantastic face of the organization along with the likes of other fighters that we've got under contract but man, Ed was the first big contract ever made and I promised I would get him the fight and based on Strikeforce coming out of the dynamic they were in and substantially changing their direction and no longer being engaged in Japan and no longer where they once were, Dream became more available to work with and that alliance didn't exist anymore. I was able to talk to the people at Dream and put things together. Moreso than anything, I was happy to be able to honor the commitment to a guy who's as good of a guy as Ed Alvarez and get that fight done for him. I've got an amazing amount of respect for his courage and his confidence. He lost his title in dramatic fashion and boy, instead of looking for an easy fight back or a soft road to get back in the mix, Ed said, "I want to get the best you can get me," and I said, "Do you still want the Aoki fight? It's close," and he said, "Absolutely." There was never a moment's hesitation in that guy's voice so he's just a class act and a great fighter and a great dude. It should be an epic fight. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): And do you think getting him this fight that he's been wanting for so long, Eddie's got a new management team as his contract's gonna run out in about eight months or so, do you think getting him this fight and making him happy could help you guys resign him? Bjorn Rebney: Well it could have one of two different impacts. It could help us resign him which would be great, or it could, coming off a win against one of the top lightweights in the world, it could very very dramatically increase his value in the marketplace and make it more difficult to sign him. But, to be honest, the guy's meant too much to our organization for me to look at it from a pure business perspective. I look at it and say to myself, "You know what? If this overture on our part, getting him this big fight makes it easier to sign Ed and if it alternatively increases his value and makes it more difficult to sign Ed, that's great too". Ed's gonna do well. If he wins this fight, it's going to be a huge step for him, his career and his family. That actually makes me pleased. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): Alexander Shlemenko came out with a video blog a couple days ago saying he was frustrated with the Hector Lombard situation and he doesn't think that the fight' seven gonna be made this spring. There was some talk that Lombard's contract ran out and you guys are in a negotiating period. I was wondering what your thoughts are on that whole situation and what's going on right now. Bjorn Rebney: Well, Hector remains our champion right now. We are in the midst of a pretty substantial negotiation relative to his future with the organization. I've said many times I think he's the best middleweight in mixed martial arts so it's not an easy negotiation by any stretch of the imagination. Alexander Shlemenko, who has earned the right to face our champion, has been prepping for that fight for over a year, has been to a certain extent caught in the crossfire and he's not the beneficiary of these negotiations. We're in a state now where we've got to negotiate with Hector and potentially resign him. People forget, Hector Lombard and Ed Alvarez have been with this organization now for four years so you lose track of it because our initial distribution platform was ESPN Deportes and Fox Sports Net and it's been a long build up but Ed and Hector have been with us from the very start. You know, all good things come to an end at some point and four years is a very long time on any kind of agreement. We've got the right to match on any deal. We're either gonna sign him before he goes out the to marketplace or he's going to go out to the marketplace and we're gonna have a determination as to whether we're gonna match or not match and we're gonna see where it ends up. I love the guy and he's an awesome talent. He's been nothing but a pure pleasure for me to work with. He's been a great guy for me to work with and he's done everything we've asked him to do and every time I've put him in a cage, he's knocked people silly. You can't really ask for more than that from a guy. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): One of my last questions, you had a really nice appearance on MMA Uncensored Live the other night and the UFC's been putting a little bit of pressure on that show, telling their fighters they don't want them to be on the show and pressuring some media, like MMA Junkie was originally going to be a part of that show. Is that frustrating at all, that they don't want anyone to have anything to do with this Spike MMA news show? Bjorn Rebney: It's a good question. I can tell you, I've been in the television business now for 25 years and it is a hyper-competitive business. I think the most competitive business is the business that goes on inside our cage when that door shuts, but the television and entertainment industry aren't very far behind. It doesn't surprise me that it is a competitive business and it doesn't surprise me that people approach it as a competitive business. None of that really kind of shocks me and it seems to be the way the industry works and it works that way in the sports arena and it also works that way in the drama arena. Counterprogramming and positioning are just part of our industry. It's just part of what occurs in the entertainment domain. There's a lot of money on the line and there's advertisers at stake and it's competition so it doesn't really shock me. There's very little in the entertainment business that shocks me at this moment. Maybe I'm a little bit jaded because I've been around it a long time and I see a lot of things happen. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): My last thing is, do you have anything you'd like to get out there about this upcoming sixth season, anything you'd like the fans to know before you make your return on March 9th? Bjorn Rebney: Just as a fan, my excitement level. To have the kinds of things locked and loaded that we do now, to be able to have a show kicking off on Friday night a 30 minute drive out of Chicago with Warren fighting Curran for hte world title and both of them are ranked in the top 10 at 145, Marlon Sandro stepping into the Bellator cage, one of the my favorite fighters that I've ever watched over the years in Japan. You've got Daniel Straus making his comeback and the last time he was in the Bellator cage, he was ranked number seven in the world at 145. You've got Popo coming in riding this unbelievable wave of the most aggressive and powerful submissions I've seen in the last couple years at that weight and then to bounce out of that and have the heavyweight tournament championship rematch the next week and then see Pitbull get back into our cage the next week with a stacked 155 tournament and Askren versus Lima. It's like event after event after event now has big fights on it. We wanted to kick off with a big, big bang. That's why we did Warren with Curran with our first event but it's just cool to see every event on that has fights that make you go, "Whooa! I don't want to miss that!" and that's the essence of building up a brand like this. If you missed part one of our interview with Mr. Rebney, you can find it here. You can follow also follow him on twitter @BjornRebney. So what do you think, Maniacs? Will Bellator be able to resign its two biggest names, Lombard and Alvarez, to new deals? Or has their time come and gone in the promotion? What are your expectations for Bellator Fighting Championships in 2012? Sound off!

Posted in: fight, bellator, guy, spike, he

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Brandon Saling made big headlines this week after his performance at this past weekend's (Mar. 3, 2012) Strikeforce: "Tate vs. Rousey" mixed martial arts (MMA) event from Columbus, Ohio, losing via technical knockout to Roger Bowling in the second round. However, It wasn't because of his what he did inside in the Hexagon, which was far from impressive, but rather for the troubling tattoos emblazoned across his body. Specifically, the "88" with accompanying lightning bolts, which means "Hail Hitler," an obvious indication of his support for Nazi beliefs. That's not all. Upon further investigation, it was discovered that Saling, who had also previously competed for Bellator in New Jersey at Bellator 59, had a sordid criminal past, one that involved two indictments of sexual misconduct, and an alleged rape of a person under 13 years of age. At the Strikeforce: "Tate vs. Rousey" post-fight press conference, Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker announced that a full investigation into how a fighter with such a violent criminal record, who is also a registered sex offender, would get licensed to compete for his organization. Today, at the UFC on Fox 3 pre-fight press conference, Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) President Dana White answered that question (via MMA Fighting): "Apparently what this guy did is he lied on his application to the athletic commission in Ohio and he lied on his application to the athletic commission in New Jersey. So to the best of my understanding, obviously this guy is never going to fight for us ever again, and me might not ever fight again. I know he has been suspended by both states and then all these other commissions follow a suspension from other states. And for this guy to ever get licensed again he'd have to go for a hearing for the athletic commissions. I find it hard to believe that this guy will ever be licensed again so he better go find another job." It has since been confirmed the Saling’s license in both the state of Ohio and New Jersey, have been revoked and has been officially suspended from competing in MMA for providing false information on his applications. As White stated, like any suspended fighter, he will have to answer to both, or any other, states' athletic commission should he ever wish to get re-licensed to compete. However the questions remains, with such a criminal history and now having another mark on his record for lying to athletic commissions, will he or should he ever get approved to fight again in MMA? Whatever happens, Saling certainly faces an uphill battle after this weekend wherever he roams.

Posted in: mma, guy, commission, state, ohio

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NEW YORK -- As he's one to do, Frankie Edgar has dug his heels in for a fight, this one about where his future lies. Is it at his longtime home at lightweight, or down one division at featherweight? That's the big question that's currently fuzzying the UFC's lightweight championship picture.There's currently a logjam near the top of 155, with several fighters jockeying for the No. 1 contender's slot. Among them are Edgar, Anthony Pettis and UFC on FOX 3 headliners Jim Miller and Nate Diaz. But UFC president Dana White said on Tuesday that nothing can be determined until Edgar makes a decision. Just last week on The MMA Hour, Edgar made his stance known, practically demanding a return bout with new champ Ben Henderson. "I'm saying it, and I'm saying it loud: I want my rematch," he said. But that alone won't ensure him that he gets it. He'll get another chance to make his case later on Tuesday, as White said he is planning to speak with Edgar. Perhaps that conversation will offer some clarity to who may have the upper hand on the No. 1 contender slot."I don't know," White said when asked of the division's plan. "I’ve got to figure out the Frankie piece before I can even figure out the other piece. I got to figure this Frankie piece before I can do anything else with all these other guys.During the post-fight press conference in Australia, White seemed to suggest Pettis may get the next slot, and at Radio City Music Hall on Tuesday, he indicated that Miller or Diaz could get elevated with a win. Diaz even threw out another name, saying he believes his Cesar Gracie teammate Gilbert Melendez "should be the champion right now."White said that his objection about an Edgar-Henderson II wasn't simply about a rematch. He said he believed that Edgar is actually deserving of one, but reiterated that his concern is for Edgar's health after taking damage for the third straight fight."When you’re as tough as he is ... the guy takes punishment that nobody else can take," White said. "I mean, he’s got to have the best chin ever and be the toughest guy other than like Big Country [Roy Nelson] that I’ve ever seen in the UFC. But that’s not why I like this kid. I respect him, I care about him. I don’t want to see him keep taking that punishment. This isn’t some big political move to try to take the guy to 145. I care about the guy, and I don’t like to see it."White promised that Edgar would earn an immediate title fight with current 145-pound champ Jose Aldo if he chooses to make the move down. But that's only if he can be convinced. And as even White himself acknowledged, he doesn't have a lot of ammunition to make his case."It's hard to argue with a guy with his record at 155," he said.

Posted in: ufc, guy, edgar, i donrsquot, frankie piece

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Ben Henderson just can't seem to get his name out of everyone's mouth. Since earning the UFC lightweight strap with a unanimous decision victory over Frankie Edgar at UFC 144, Henderson has somehow found himself within the crossfires of the MMA world, a casualty of the UFC's latest high-profile judging debate. Weeks after the controversial decision, Edgar, the former champion, has atypically embarked on a crusade for the rematch he feels he justly deserves. UFC President Dana White, on the other hand, steadfastly stands by his opinion that Edgar would be better served at featherweight, and even offered an immediate title shot against reigning 145-pound champion Jose Aldo to sweeten the deal. To no one's surprise, Henderson has thus far stayed out of the way, instead travelling to Korea in an experience he called "surreal." However, after nine days of mounting frustration, the 28-year-old fighter broke his silence on Monday's edition of The MMA Hour. "Frankie had a very tough situation," Henderson admitted. "He had a rough road with two rematches right away after his title defenses. So the fan in me feels that he deserves (the rematch). He had to put himself on the line, I don't want anybody coming back to me and saying ‘oh, Henderson didn't want to rematch Frankie because he was scared.' "I'm more than willing to give Frankie a rematch. Let's do it. Set it up for tomorrow." Henderson's logic is sound, and essentially follows the script laid out by Edgar. However, as White has voiced, yet another lightweight title rematch would clog up a division that just escaped a two-year traffic jam. And what of the odd man out of this equation -- Anthony Pettis? The electrifying fan-favorite who scored a highlight-reel knockout on very same card, and also happens to be the last person to defeat Henderson. Pettis, who was once guaranteed his own ill-fated UFC title shot, expressed disappointment through his manager last week, stating he feels disrespected by Henderson's seeming disinterest in fighting him. Though according to "Bendo," that's just par for the course. "Of course he's going to go out and say that stuff because he wants his guy to fight for the belt," Henderson tensely responded. "What did you have Jeremy Stephens ranked before the Anthony Pettis fight? Not in the top ten. What did you have Joe Lauzon ranked before his fight? "Does someone who has a split-decision over someone who is not ranked, and then has a pretty good win against the No. 10 guy, is he deserving of a title shot because of those two wins? Or is he deserving of a title shot because he beat me last?" Pettis did indeed hand Henderson his last loss, stealing away the final WEC lightweight championship at WEC 53 with a last-second off-the-cage ninja maneuver he dubbed the "Showtime Kick." It was a battle that many media outlets christened the "Fight of the Year," which adds to the perceived public interest in a rematch. But Henderson wants to make it clear, he has no problems accepting that fight, eventually. Right now there's just a few people who are ahead in line. "Do I want to face Pettis again? Absolutely," Henderson explained. "We will see each other again. Before I retire, before I die, I'm going to see Anthony Pettis again. But it's not my job to give him a title shot. It's not up to me be like, ‘oh hey, I want to fight this guy. Lets go see this guy.' It's his job to work his way up to me. "I can't jump the line and not fight the No. 1 contender, and then go fight the No. 4 guy or No. 3 guy or No. 10 guy." Such is the life of a champion. Everybody wants a piece and everybody is a critic. For someone as respectful as Henderson, the backlash has been an unexpected addendum to the belt. He's already received hundreds of messages from fans declaring him afraid of everybody from Jim Miller and Nick Diaz, to Jacob Volkmann. But like he always says, it is what it is. "Either way I go, I'm going to get crap," Henderson finally acknowledged. "Hopefully people will start to realize and understand, I will fight anybody. I don't care. I'm going to smash them."

Posted in: fight, title, guy, henderson, rematch

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“My initial thought is, ‘I’m pretty excited to see that fight again.’ It was awesome. When it ended, that’s what I thought. ‘That could be a draw. That could be a split.’ You just never know. It was a great, and it’s awesome they get to do it again. Because I think it was a draw… I definitely, 100 percent want to wait for the title shot between these guys. They picked the best four guys to compete in this tournament, and those are the two best guys. … I don’t see anyone else as deserving as them, so I’m happy to wait for them… I’m just excited to fight whoever comes out of that one because they’ll be the next best flyweight, and we’ll battle for that title.” — Joseph Benavidez talking to MMA Junkie about waiting Demetrious Johnson and Ian McCall to fight again to determine his opponent for the UFC flyweight championship Pretty classy guy that Joseph Benavidez. It really is a very unfortunate situation that Benavidez will probably have to wait another six months before he’ll get to fight for the flyweight title, but it’s not the end of the world either. Title fights get put on hold all the time, yet the UFC usually figures out a pretty good way to deal with whatever crappy situation they’re presented with. Dana White said he still has to figure out what to do with Demetrious Johnson and Ian McCall, but clearly they’re going to have to do a rematch. The only question is when? Image via Tracy Lee for Yahoo! Sports

Posted in: fight, guy, demetrious johnson, joseph benavidez, ian mccall

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Hello again, fellow Legends. We’re going to switch up this round of picks a little bit for UFC on FX 2. It seems that all of us, when we do our picks, tend to peter out a bit as we get to the bottom of the cards. Certainly part of it is that the fighters are lesser known, and as such we have less to say about them than we would, oh... Anderson Silva. There’s also the possibility that your esteemed authors’ eyes start to glaze over as they sink deeper into their alcoholic stupor as the writing progresses. So in the interest of trying to be nicer to the undercard, we’ll be starting with them first. Preliminary card Heavyweight bout: Oli Thompson vs. Shawn JordanCory - Oli is an imposing man. The former Strongman competitor, once Britains’s Strongest Man, is now a 7-2 UFC neophyte looking to gain a win over former Bellator and Strikeforce heavyweight Shawn Jordan. Jordan’s the person with the more impressive win on his record, as he submitted Lavar Johnson with a Keylock last September. Lavar, as we probably all remember, dangadadanged Joey Beltran with gravity-defying uppercuts recently. The only "name" on Oli’s record is the bottom-of-the-ladder (for the UFC) heavyweight, Rob Broughton, to whom he lost to a couple years ago. While Oli’s shown some skill beyond huge muscles (lookin’ at you, Marius Pudz) in racking up multiple submissions, I’m going to go with the slightly more seasoned Jordan here. Jordan - TKOEarl - Both of these guys are making their UFC debuts here but Jordan has fought much stiffer competition than Oli and I think that will prove very important. Shawn Jordan, TKO, Round 2.Chris - Oli Thompson is a giant of a man. Aside from that, I don’t see a lot of advantages for him in this fight. He keeps his hands low and his striking is limited at best. He uses his size and strength to get the takedown, but doesn’t really know where to go when he gets it there. Shawn Jordan is no striker himself, so no one gets the advantage there. Jordan did prove against Lavar Johnson that he is a much more talented wrestler than Oli and he’ll be able to use that to get the win. Jordan by TKO.Luke - Okay, first things first. Thompson beat Broughton in the finals of an 8 man one night tournament on January 30, 2010. Thompson had actually lost in the semi-finals to a blown up middleweight, Joe Vedepo, but for some reason Vedepo was unable to compete in the finals, so the one big win on Thompson’s resume is seriously questionable. Jordan meanwhile is a Jackson’s fighter, who has fought for Bellator and Strikeforce. He took care of Lavar Johnson with a second round submission. I imagine it’ll be a similar fate for Thompson. Jordan, Submission, Round 1. The rest are after the jump Preliminary card (Fuel TV) Featherweight bout: Mackens Semerzier vs. Daniel PinedaCory - Former Marine Mackens Semerzier has not had a good run as of late. His last fight ended in a No Contest, as they went and looked back on film and saw that he got headbutted (accidentally) and not just blasted with the punch that Robbie Peralta threw. Before that, he managed to take out Alex "Bruce Leroy" Caceres, but that seems to be before Alex’s mini career resurgence. Suffice it to say, I’m not terribly impressed with the former boxer turned submission artist Semerzier. Pineda is riding a 6-fight win streak and also holds a win over TUF competitor Johnny Bedford. I don’t see either of these guys as future champs, but I think Pineda has the higher ceiling at this point. Pineda - DecisionEarl - Pineda has bounced back from a four fight skid in 2009 to win 8 of his last 9 bouts. Mackens has really been underwhelming since the merger and I don’t really see that stopping here. Daniel Pineda, Submission, Round 3.Chris - No reason to to disagree with Earl or Cory here. PinedaLuke - I’m not sure why you guys haven’t given Semerzier more credit for his competition. He’s fought good guys and has only lost once inside the distance, to jiu jitsu ace Javier Vasquez. I think some fighters take a little while to adjust to fighting top competition on a regular basis, and Semerzier has gone through that adjustment period, while Pineda put together his 16-7 record in mostly regional promotions. In his brief stints with Elite XC and Bellator he was 0-3. He does have the in-cage experience edge, with more than twice the number of fights that Semerzier has. That being said, I’m going to go with the guy who’s been fighting Zuffa caliber fighters since 2009. Semerzier, Unanimous Decision.Welterweight bout: T.J. Waldburger vs. Jake HechtCory - Both of these under-30 prospects are looking to come into their own and this is a really good matchup to see who’s where. Hecht is 11-2 and on a 4-fight win streak, including a great come from behind win over veteran Rich Attonito. Hecht has demonstrated a wide arsenal of finishing techniques in his career, as he’s got wins by triangle, rear-naked, north-south and multiple TKO wins. He’s got decent conditioning as well. TJ’s had one loss in his last six, and it was to Johny Hendricks. Seeing as how Hendricks is knocking on the door to a title shot, there’s no shame in that whatsoever. A fine grappler - probably better than Hecht - TJ has a slightly suspect chin that makes me think that Hecht takes it. Five of his six losses have come by way of strikes, and Hecht has shown the capability of tagging someone now and again. Hecht - TKOEarl - Waldburger and Hecht are each looking to get their 2nd straight win in the UFC in this matchup. Somebody is going to get a spectacular finish here. It will either be Waldburger with another beautiful submission or Hecht using his power to put TJ out. I think TJ is just a little too slick and he will seize the first opportunity Jake gives him. TJ Waldburger, Submission, Round 1.Luke - Waldburger is another guy who, like Pineda, has a dozen losses but is super young. Usually you don’t see fighters with more than one or two losses at the highest levels of prize fighting until they get into the twilight of their careers. MMA has been seeing a lot more guys like Waldburger and Pineda lately;many young fighters choose to rack up fights, win or lose, rather than build their careers in a slow and calculated manner. In an interesting twist, Hecht is a guy who has taken the slower route, fighting just three times in his first three years as a pro (Waldburger had 13 in his first three). As for the fight, Earl sums it up pretty well. I’ll go the other way though and take Hecht, who was very impressive against Rich Attonito, to get the stoppage. Hecht, TKO, Round 2.Middleweight bout: Kyle Noke vs. Andrew CraigCory - Noke was going on a nice little streak before he ran into the rejazzed Ed Herman. He had himself a nice little 5-fight streak going, including three in the UFC. Craig comes in on semi-late notice to replace Jared Hamman. He had enough time to get most of a camp in, but I’ll just stick with a guy who I know has been around the block and is a proven winner against some decent enough names (wins against Sotripoulos, Ebersole, Camozzi and a draw with borderline top-10’er Hector Lombard). Noke - DecisionI had that whole paragraph typed out, and then I remembered that Noke is coming off of a knee injury. I can’t recall the last time I saw a guy come back from surgery and perform well. I’m changing my pick. Craig - DecisionEarl - Kyle Noke is making his second UFC appearance in his native Australia here looking to rebound from his recent near limb removal at the hands of Ed Herman. He will be taking on an undefeated fighter making his promotional debut. I am hoping for a strong showing by Craig. New blood in the Middleweight division is a very good thing. Andrew Craig, Unanimous Decision.Luke - You know Earl, I’m hoping that Andrew Craig looks good too, because you are right, we need some new guys in that division. When I wrote about age demographics a few weeks ago the middleweight division was the oldest at the top levels. Surely we’re not going to get a shot in the arm from Craig though. Undefeated fighters with less than 10 wins rarely grab my attention unless they have a string of first round knockouts or perhaps have won all their fights with the same submission. Craig has gone to the judges three times already, in over half of his fights. Add in the fact that Noke is fighting at home and this becomes a bit of a no-brainer. Noke, Submission, Round 2Featherweight bout: Cole Miller vs. Steven SilerCory - Not a whole lot to say about this fight, other than I wouldn’t be surprised if Submission of the Night came out from here. Assuming the cut doesn’t make him Mechanic like, I’ll go with Miller - SubmissionEarl - This should be an awesome bout between two very solid submission fighters. Both guys have a ton of experience and are only in their mid 20’s so this should be dynamic. Cole will be fighting at 145 for the first time in years and I think he may have a bit of trouble. "Super" Steven Siler, Unanimous Decision.Luke - Cole Miller has an awesome picture on his wikipedia page. I suspect not too many fighters would be okay with a close up of their beaten face as the first thing that many new fans see, but Miller doesn't seem to give a damn. On top of that, he was 7-3 as a lightweight in the very tough UFC lightweight division, so he’s a real talent. In Siler he’s fighting a well rounded but limited guy who isn’t the flashiest but can get the job done when the fight goes to the mat. I’ve been picking against young guys with a lot of losses this event and I’m going to do the same again with this one. Siler might have stoppage Cole’s little brother to essentially get into the UFC, but big brother is going to get sweet revenge in this one. Miller, Submission, Round 1Light Heavyweight bout: Anthony Perosh vs. Nick PennerCory - Ever since he was fed to the ghost of Cro Cop, Perosh has looked like an actual for real MMA fighter. I don’t really know much about Mr. Penner, so I’ll go say that Hippo takes it. Perosh - SubmissionEarl - I cannot help but be a fan of a guy who is nicknamed "The Hippo" because Hippos kill more humans per year than any other animal. "The Hippo" has won 2 straight via RNC and I will not bet against him getting another one here. Anthony Perosh, Submission, Round 2.Chris - Penner is a Muay Thai fighter that wants to hurt whoever is placed in front of him. He likes to set up his combos with painful leg kicks from distance, while mixing in powerful head kicks when his opponent tries to work his way in. That said, he relies very heavily on kicks, much more than punching. Against a grappler like Perosh that’s most likely to leave him open to takedowns, where Perosh is going to have the advantage. On top of that, Penner is making his UFC debut, which gives a lot of people problems. Anthony Perosh by SubmissionLuke - Heard Nick Penner on the MMA Show with Mauro Ranallo this week and I really enjoyed hearing him talk about his experiences training at ATT with Ricardo Liborio. I think Chris has this fight pretty well nailed. Perosh can take a beating in order to get the fight to the ground and once it’s there he is efficient if unspectacular. I expect we’ll see another win for Anthony Perosh, which would amazingly bring his UFC record to 3-1. Perosh, Submission, Round 2.Light Heavyweight bout: James Te Huna vs. Aaron RosaCory - James Te Huna might end up being a top 25 LHW. I don’t know if Rosa ends up in the top100. Te Huna - KOEarl - Rosa at 205 is much better than Rosa at Heavyweight. James Te Huna is a monster whose last 6 wins have come via KO/TKO. The home crowd will get another chance to erupt for their fellow countryman here. James Te Huna, KO, Round 1.Chris - Despite his win over Matt Lucas, Aaron Rosa did not look good in his return to the Light Heavyweight division. He had almost no control over distance and his punches were looping. Te Huna is going to pick him apart and most likely embarrass him en route to a KO victory. Te Huna by KOLuke - I like James Te Huna, who has really showed some crisp striking in the UFC recently. I especially thought his hand speed has been much better than his opponents. Rosa used to be a heavyweight and while he is a more natural 205 pounder like Earl mentions, the speed difference is going to be hard for him to deal with. Te Huna should end this fight early. Te Huna, TKO, Round 1. Main card Middleweight bout: Court McGee vs. Constantinos PhilippouCory - McGee is a gritty, grind you down and go-for-the-choke when it presents itself kind of fighter. Philippou is a YOU-GOT-KNOCKED-THE-FUCK-OUT-MAN kind of fighter. Good luck to Court here, I think he’s gonna need it. Philippou - TKOEarl - Court McGee has flaws in his striking defense and Costa absolutely has the power to put one on Court’s chin and put him away. Costa comes from a better camp and I think he hurts Court here real, real bad. Costa Philippou, KO, Round 2.Chris - I’ve never been overly impressed with Court McGee. He’s solid pretty much all around, but not really more than good any where. Phillippou hits like a truck and I think he’ll find his chance to land on Court. Phillippou by (T)KOLuke - Court Mcgee has never really excited me, but he won the ultimate fighter by grinding down his opponents, which isn’t an exciting style. He can deal with adversity well and he took saavy vet Jeremy Horn to a decision in his only defeat. As for Phillipou, well, it wasn’t too long ago that he was eeking out a decision over Jorge Rivera, a guy that I think Mcgee would handle with relative ease. I think my esteemed peers are a little high on Costa based on his devastating knockout of Jared Hamman in his most recent performance. Mcgee will survice the early onslaught and grind it out. Mcgee, Unanimous decision.Flyweight bout: Demetrious Johnson vs. Ian McCallCory - McCall is as dynamic as it gets at this weight. He’s fast, strong and technical. That said, he’s going to get taken down and taken down often. McCall probably isn’t going to be able to submit a guy that Miguel Torres couldn’t tap either. DJ is one of the best wrestlers in two divisions, and he’s going to grind out Uncle Creepy. Johnson - SubmissionEarl - McCall is being criminally undervalued coming into this fight purely based on not fighting in the big leagues yet. Make no mistake, "Uncle Creepy" belongs here and has all the tools to give Johnson hell in this fight. Demetrious will be fighting at his natural weight class which should add to his quickness and help him get the fight where he wants it which is on the canvas. I’m so torn but I’ll go with the man who just went 5 rounds with the best Bantamweight on earth to get the W. Demetrious Johnson, Unanimous Decision.Chris - I’ve heard nothing but good things about Ian McCall. That said I’ve never seen him fight. Mighty Mouse, on the other hand, has been competing with the best of the best at Bantamweight, a division where he’s typically well undersized. On top of that, he’s got great combinations and can transition from striking to grappling faster than pretty much anyone in the sport. Johnson by DecisionLuke - Ian McCall shares the same rocky path that brought Court Mcgee to fighting: Both had serious drug problems in their lives that they eventually would replace with mixed martial arts. It just goes to show the trans-formative power that martial arts can have. McCall and Johnson share a decision loss to current UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz, although Johnson would likely argue that he not only faced a better Cruz but performed better against him as well. I really don’t know what to expect from this fight but I just feel like it's going the distance. Johnson has the wrestling to win any kind of close match, so I'm going with him. Johnson, Unanimous Decision.Flyweight bout: Joseph Benavidez vs. Yasuhiro UrushitaniCory - Speaking of "about to get outwrestled", I really don’t need to say much more about this fight other than there’s a reason that Joe is a quadruple-digit favorite at some bookmakers. Benavidez - SubmissionEarl - Finally, Joseph Benavidez gets the showcase he has deserved since the merger. Team Alpha Male will be represented in full force here and I can’t wait to see a little "Joe-Jitsu" @ 125. Joseph Benavidez, Submission, Round 2.Chris - Again, I’m looking at another fight where I only know one fighter. And again Joe, like Mighty Mouse, has been competing with the best at BW so I’m going to favor him and Joe-Jitsu. I’ll also be hoping for another brutal guillotine in the process. Benavidez by SubmissionLuke - Alpha Male is one of the best fight camps in the world in terms of overall talent. Faber, Mendes and Benavidez are among the best two or three guys in their weight class and Danny Castillo and TJ Dillashaw are well on their way to carving out a place in the top 10 of their divisions. The fact that so many talented little guys are training together is an element that other many other gyms don’t have. The only other camp with an excess of stars in the smaller weight classes at the moment is Nova Uniao. Urushitani has an incredible 6 draws on his record, including two against the same man! I don’t really have much else to say about him, as he’s a huge underdog in this fight and is in very tough against a motivated Benavidez, who should be able to get the tap in this one. Benavidez, Submission, Round 1. Welterweight bout: Thiago Alves vs. Martin KampmannCory - Thiago Alves has four losses in his last fifteen fights. All of them came at the hands of wrestlers who pressed him hard, made him work to fend off takedowns and not let him get his striking off. I like Kampmann, but that’s not what he brings to the table at all. I’ve got a feeling that Kamp tries to trade with Alves in center ring, and that’s generally a recipe for disaster and very bruised legs. Alves - TKOEarl - I am so thrilled that this fight is happening. Two of the best strikers at Welterweight will finally face off and with serious title implications to boot. Alves has the raw power but Kampmann is so technically sound and will have a lot of opportunities to land crisp counters. Kampmann’s main problem has always been that he fights to his opponents strength and not to his own. He played that game against Jake Shields and Diego Sanchez and lost decisions (one controversial and one atrocious). I just think Kampmann is on the rise and Alves is just the same guy he has always been. Martin Kampmann, Unanimous Decision.Chris - This is great stylistic matchmaking for a striker vs. striker match. Kampmann is a great technical striker able to use his reach and distance to pick his opponents apart. Thiago Alves, on the other hand, likes to punish with power. Kampmann will have some success on his part in being able to land when Alves misses. He’ll use straight punches to try to keep Thiago at bay. However, Kampmann rarely throws a lot of power behind those punches. On top of that, Kampmann has a habit of letting himself get in to bad position. Eventually, Alves will get Kampmann’s back against the cage and be able to land a brutal combo. Thiago Alves by TKOLuke - I think this fight has all the ingredients to be the elite welterweight slug fest that we thought we were going to get from Nick Diaz and Carlos Condit. In a division that has suddenly become very wide open, the winner of this match could well find themselves in the title picture with just one more victory. It makes for quite a fight, though Alves needs a win more than Kampmann does; Martin has been denied wins in some very controversial decision losses to Jake Shields and Diego Sanchez recently and likely will have one more chance to prove himself against top competition like before becoming a gatekeeper. Alves has beaten Papy Abedi and John Howard. By comparison it’s not even close, and the fact that Kampmann knocked off Rick Story while Alves struggled with him has me convinced that Kampmann is just on another level. While I think it’ll be a close and bloody affair, I see Kampmann coming out with his hand raised. Kampmann, Unanimous decision.

Posted in: fight, guy, fighter, round, submission

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"Strikeforce does what the fans want. I've had a few tough losses in a row and the fans are still there supporting me, wanting to watch me fight and that's a great feeling. A guy like Anderson Silva has been accused of having some boring fights. Even Georges St. Pierre has had some boring fights. That's not my style, that's not how I fight, but on the other hand, I'm not a world champion like those guys too, so they're smart, they're at the top. I'm out there to fight and have fun. The way I fight is fun for me so I'm gonna keep doing it. Guys like Chris Lytle and Chris Leben, those are the guys I look up to, those are the guys I wanna fight like." Strikeforce Middleweight slugger Scott Smith, who damned near drowned while testing the waters at 170-pounds, is back in his natural weight class and ready to put on a show against Lumumba Sayers at the Strikeforce: "Tate vs. Rousey" Showtime event scheduled for tomorrow night (March 3, 2012) at the Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio. "Hands of Steel" wants to keep his fight game similar to that of UFC fan favorites Chris Leben and Chris Lytle, but does Smith have anything left in the tank at this stage of his career? Or will Saturday night be the last time we see him under the Strikeforce banner?

Posted in: fight, strikeforce, guy, chri, chris lytle

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Posted in: guy, sonnen, carlwhite, guy sonnen

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Following a close decision in the main event at UFC 144 between Frankie Edgar and Benson Henderson, UFC President Dana White has been vocal about Edgar and his future. But it has not been about Edgar receiving a rematch. Instead, it has been about White’s desire to see Edgar drop to featherweight and fight at the weight class he feels Edgar is more suited for. During the UFC on FX 2 pre-fight press conference, White spoke at length concerning his desire for Edgar to move down. “This guy’s fighting with 155 pounders, guys that are cutting from 170 pounds plus, and they’re always so much bigger than him,” White said. “The guy has absolute wars and pulls out decisions that are so controversial every time.  I don’t want him at 155 pounds. I want him to go to 145 and fight for that title. Plus if we do give him a rematch, it clogs up…there’s other guys that are in line waiting. It’s just a big mess. Controversy sucks. I like fights that are clean, clear, we know who won.” Unfortunately for White, he has not received that often enough from Edgar over the past few years. Even though he won the title against BJ Penn in April 2010, Penn was given a rematch because of how close the first fight was. Edgar then fought Gray Maynard to a draw in January 2011, which forced another rematch for Edgar. While Edgar does not see the close decisions in Edgar’s fights as mistakes, it certainly is not making it any easier for him. “Normally when there is a bad decision, I’ll be the first guy to say it,” explained White. “But then there is a case like Frankie Edgar vs. Ben Henderson, where it was split down the middle, and so many people think one guy won and many think the other guy won. That’s always gonna happen. You’re gonna have those fights that are considered controversial. Sitting there that night, I thought Frankie Edgar won the fight. Lorenzo [Fertitta] flew back to Las Vegas and texted me that he re-watched the fight and thought Ben won the fight.” Concerning a third rematch in three years for Edgar, White is conflicted, stating “I have a lot of different feelings about the rematch. First and foremost, I feel like Frankie Edgar absolutely deserves one seeing as how every fight this guy’s fought, he’s given everybody else a rematch. ” But that does not mean White is not going to talk with Edgar and try and persuade the former lightweight champion to drop to featherweight. White knows he has an exciting title fight he could have at featherweight, and he is making it obvious how badly he wants to make it. “Frankie Edgar walks straight into a title shot [at featherweight],” White declared. “If I’m going to deny him the rematch for the 155-pound title, and I’m going to make him move to 145 and say, ‘Yeah, you’re gonna have to fight a couple fights first to get the title.’ Does that sound right? No.” For now, it seems Edgar is set on staying at lightweight, and is going to tell anyone that listens that he deserves a rematch with Henderson. But looking into what White has said over the past few days, it seems Edgar has a better chance of fighting for the title at 145 pounds than at 155 pounds. “I think Jose Aldo (current UFC featherweight champion) is awesome,” White said. “I think he’s pound for pound one of the best in the world. So is Frankie Edgar, and there’s nothing more fun than when guys are both at the same weight and go in there and fight.”

Posted in: fight, title, guy, rematch, edgar

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Keep fighting the good fight! Apparently, that's the mantra former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Heavyweight Champion Tim Sylvia is living by these days. After making a video expressing his desire to return to the world's largest mixed martial arts (MMA) organization and pleading with fans to get the word out to the higher ups at Zuffa to make it happen, UFC President Dana White quickly shot down any hopes of bringing "The Maine-iac" back into the fold in his UFC on FUEL TV post-fight show remarks: "I have no beef with Tim Sylvia whatsoever, I have nothing against the guy, but I say it all the time: that was when the division was the weakest, when he was champion. And for him to make a statement like he could come back and beat 80-percent of the fighters in the UFC? The last time I saw him, he got knocked out by a 50-year-old boxer in like 10 seconds. Him and Arlovski were knocking each other out every weekend." Ouch! Now, Sylvia is back at it again, saying he busted his hump for the promotion during his heyday. He also tells Bleacher Report he can't be blamed for not having higher quality opponents during his glory days with the promotion. "Absolutely [it hurts]. It's very irritating. He never said that when I was there. I thought I had a great relationship with everybody in the UFC. It is hurtful. I busted my ass for years in his fights to become champion, not once, but twice...it's not my fault the UFC didn't bring in better guys to the division when I was there. That's got nothing to do with me. I fought who they put in front of me. I never declined anybody." Sylvia, yet again, goes on to express his displeasure at seeing "bums" fighting in the UFC, especially ones that he is positive he can defeat: "I'm sick and tired of watching a bunch of bums fight in the UFC. Guys that I know I can beat... They told [manager Monte Cox], 'Tim needs to keep winning. Keep putting wins together.' I've done that and nothing happened. And there are guys in there I think are absolutely horrible...Yeah, I've got an attitude about it. I'm tired of it. I've got to make my own destiny." One can't fault the former champ for trying to get back into the promotion, as Dana White himself stated, "The guy's just out there trying to get back into the UFC, trying to make a living, I get it." But is he fighting a losing battle? UFC higher ups obviously aren't in a hurry to bring Sylvia back into the mix and with the Strikeforce heavyweights dissolving, that makes it all but impossible for the big man to return to the big leagues. Undeterred, the former heavyweight kingpin is not giving up anytime soon and is determined to get back to where he made a name for himself as a fighter and make a run for the title one last time: "I truly believe if I was given the opportunity, I could go all the way to a title shot. There's no doubt in my mind. I could put five or six wins together in the UFC right now. But the fans need to keep doing what they are doing. Keep tweeting Dana White and Lorenzo Fertitta. They say they aren't, but I know they are seeing all these tweets. Keep supporting me, I love you guys. In the past I've told fans, 'If you don't like me, to hell with you.' But you know what? If you're a fan of MMA, I love you no matter what." Are you Maniacs doing your part to support the biggest "Maine-iac" of them all?

Posted in: ufc, guy, fan, sylvia, tim sylvia

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To rematch or not rematch? When it comes to the UFC's convoluted title triangle of Frankie Edgar, Ben Henderson, and Dana White, that does appear to be the question. Days after UFC 144's controversial lightweight championship, the proverbial lines in the sand have been drawn. For his part, Edgar made his opinion clear when he atypically demanded a rematch on Wednesday's episode of The MMA Hour. Henderson, still reveling in his victory, remains open to any option. White, however, has a different perspective on the subject. Having finally resolved a two-year traffic jam in the 155-pound division, he would prefer Edgar to drop down to his natural weight class of 145 pounds, and he's willing to sweeten the pot to get him there. "Absolutely, (Edgar) walks straight into a title shot," White declared during Wednesday's UFC on FX 2 press conference. "If I'm going to deny him the rematch for the 155-pound title, and I'm going to make him move to 145 and say, ‘Yeah, you're gonna have to fight a couple fights first to get the title.' Does that sound right? No." Of course, White's protests are nothing new. The UFC President has long desired Edgar at featherweight, but after a slew of championship performances, he ran short of visual evidence that lent credence to his claims. Even in the immediate aftermath of Saturday night, it appeared Edgar had again proven himself correct. Both White and UFC co-owner Lorenzo Fertitta said they scored the fight in favor of the former champion, though apparently that sentiment has now changed. "Sitting there that night, I thought Frankie Edgar won the fight. And then Lorenzo (Fertitta) flew back to Las Vegas. He texted me yesterday, said ‘I re-watched the fight,'" White revealed. "Ben won." Obviously Edgar vehemently disagrees, and he has steadfastly remained opposed to a fight against 145-pound kingpin Jose Aldo. So with the lightweight division seemingly at an impasse, even White is unsure about where to go next. "That weight division is so stacked, and there's so many guys in line." he hesitantly explained. "I have a lot of different feeling about the rematch. First and foremost, I feel like Frankie Edgar absolutely deserves one, seeing as how every fight this guy's fought, he's given everybody else a rematch. "Yet, I don't want him to fight at 155-pounds. I want him to go to 145 and fight for that title. Plus if we do give him a rematch, it clogs up (the division). There's other guys that are in line waiting. It's a big mess." For now, White's unwillingness to put the division on hold appears to be most telling. Though, there could also be a surprising ulterior motive behind his wishes. One that lies not in Edgar's fighting ability, but with his long-term health and longevity. "This guy's fighting with 155-pounders, guys that are cutting from 170-plus, and they're always so much bigger than him. The guy has absolute wars and pulls out decisions that are so controversial every time," White concluded. "Take the whole fighting thing out of it, this guy belongs at 145-pounds. When you're a professional fighter, you have a small window of opportunity as it is to compete and be a professional athlete. There's only so many wars you have in you. You can't have this long amazing career fighting wars all the time, so I don't know. This whole thing is a nightmare and we'll see what happens."

Posted in: fight, title, guy, rematch, edgar

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Posted in: guy, vs, grec, edgar, ii

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Steven Siler doesn’t care if you think he can’t beat Cole Miller this Friday night in Australia. He’s used to it. And he’s starting to make a career out of overturning those odds.So what if it took him four tries to beat Olly Bradstreet or three to best Kawaika Kauwe? No one was laughing when he submitted Travis Marx in a 2008 bout televised on the TapouT reality show, and everyone sat up and took notice when he submitted highly-regarded Micah Miller to earn his way into the house on season 14 of The Ultimate Fighter. So do you still underestimate the 25-year old from Ogden, Utah?“You never know,” he chuckles. “I still got the little boy look, so hopefully people will still look past me and I’ll keep on taking advantage of it.”19-9 as a pro, with a December decision win over Josh Clopton that kicked off his UFC career, Siler should be the last person viewed as an MMA neophyte, but it’s something he’s dealt with his entire career. Early on, that was no surprise, especially when you see that he started his career off a dismal 5-7, a record that included two losses to Kauwe and three to Bradstreet. You know there’s got to be a story there.“The promotion I was fighting for - Ultimate Combat Experience – they had their fights in a bar,” he recalls of his trilogy with Kauwe in 2006. “And I was unable to get into a bar. (Laughs) So we were only able to fight every so often at a place that was 21 and under. And there were only so many underage people in Utah, so we kinda got forced up against each other.”The first fight, Siler was defeated by technical submission even though he claims he never lost consciousness. The second time around, he separated his shoulder on a slam and lost by TKO. The third fight, he got it right, winning a split decision over Kauwe.As for Bradstreet, “It was like a yearly thing. I fought him when I was 18, 19, 20, and then I finally started training when I lost to him when I was 20, and once I got training and I got better, I finally beat him when I was 21. After the fourth time, he started training with me, so I spent a lot of time with that guy.”Yes, you read correctly. For the first two years of his career, Siler didn’t train for fights; he just showed up for them, happy to get the $50 or so he would pick up for the night’s work. But after the third loss to Bradstreet, Siler’s buddy (and future UFC fighter) Jorge Lopez got him to go to the gym and actually start learning his craft.Since then, Siler has gone 14-2, with the only defeats coming against former WEC champ Cole Escovedo and UFC featherweight contender Chad Mendes, both of which taught him valuable lessons in the art of humility.“The Mendes one was disappointing because I took that on a couple weeks notice and I figured he’s just some wrestler,” said Siler of the 2009 defeat. “I was on this nine fight win streak and big-headed, thinking I’m dominating everybody, and I took it for granted. Then I fought Mendes and he rocked me really quick and I never actually recovered. With Cole (in January of 2011), it was actually the same exact thing. The big head was starting to come again, and hopefully this was the one that humbled me and made sure I don’t get big headed. I was completely dominating that fight, I’m pushing him around and hitting him from all angles, and the big head came and I started getting cocky and making mistakes and the next thing you know I’m in a triangle and I can’t get out and I’m choked out cold. I definitely learned a lot from those two losses.”He took those lessons into the elimination round for TUF 14. Despite his experience, Miller was a heavy favorite, with even UFC President Dana White expecting the WEC vet to walk away with the victory. Siler didn’t go along with conventional wisdom though, submitting Miller in the third round.“You can kinda tell that Dana figured Micah was the favorite, and he told me afterwards that the reason why he doubted me so bad was because I looked like I wasn’t ready for the fight,” said Siler. “I’m a calm-looking guy and I don’t get all amped up and pumped up. I feel good when I’m in the cage and I don’t need to hype it up or anything like that. I stay quiet and do my own thing, and I think that just throws everyone off.”Siler would lose a quarterfinal TUF bout to eventual winner Diego Brandao, but his bounce back win at the finale over Clopton earned him a pretty interesting bout with Micah’s older brother Cole Miller in Sydney. But is it interesting because of the matchup and the stakes, or because Miller has a shot at avenging his family’s defeat? Or is that just another great angle for the media to play with?“It’s something more for the media to play with,” said Siler. “I just see it as a chance for me to step up and get a great matchup. It’s a great chance for me to show off my skills and kinda use him as a stepping stone.”Siler sounds confident, and he’s got the right to be given the road he took to get here. The record isn’t sexy, but the experience gained in those hard times puts him with guys like Brian Ebersole and Pat Healy as fighters whose talents may have been obscured by their records. Yet as Ebersole and Healy have shown, if you perform on fight night, all past sins are forgiven.“I really do hope so, because those are the guys who are the most dangerous because they’ve been around, and of course they can pull out any fight at any time,” said Siler. “The younger guys might buckle, and if something gets hard, they might roll over and lose, where the guys who’ve been around, they know the certain things to get out of there and the way to improve their chances so they can end up pulling out the win. So the guys who had to work and work and get some more fights, I think they’re the most dangerous people of all.”Siler counts himself in that group. Who would have thought it back when he was fighting in underage shows for fifty bucks? Not him.“When I first started, there was no way I ever expected to ever be doing this as a career,” he said. “That’s why I didn’t train. I expected to be doing this as something fun to do, and that I was always gonna be working my day job from 7 to 3:30. After I made that appearance on that TapouT reality TV show where I was the opponent but I actually beat the guy who was supposed to win, that’s when it started sinking in that maybe I could actually make big things out of this.”

Posted in: fight, guy, ’t, i ’m, siler

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Yes, I browsed through pages of gay porn just to verify that Dakota Cochrane, one of the thirty-two fighters competing on The Ultimate Fighter Live (TUF 15) is also a gay porn star. I did this for all of you, and it was brutal. I live in Hollywood, California. There's nothing wrong with homosexuality. In fact, I voted no on Prop 8, the California legislation that sought to ban same-sex marriage. Everyday I go to the gym on Sunset boulevard, I'm drowning in gayness and transsexuals. It's just the way of life out here. However, I dare any straight guy to analytically look at gay porn for the sole purpose of finding identifying marks to determine if a gay porn start is also an MMA fighter. Hell, I dare any straight guy just to look at gay porn. It's mentally confusing. You don't expect body parts to contort in that manner. It's too much. I really need to get a girlfriend or something because I think my eyes were just traumatized. If you're an above-average to mildly attractive female living in the Los Angeles area that can help me get over staring at gay porn for hours, then I may need your assistance. Alright, on to the gayness. Some of you may remember Dakota Cochrane from the beastly performance he put on against Jamie Varner last year at Titan Fighting Championships 20. He grabbed a convincing unanimous decision over the former WEC champion, which earned him a slot on The Ultimate Fighter Live premiering March 9th on FX. There's also a guy that goes by the name of 'Sean Cody' in the gay porn world, and from what I've been told by my neighbors, 'he's as impressive in bed as he is in the ring.' I'm not even making this up, guys. If you turn off 'Safe Search' and Google 'Sean Cody,' you will get an influx of pictures that are definitely NSFW. If you're still questioning if Dakota Cochrane is indeed 'Sean Cody,' check out this picture from Victory Fighting Championship. Notice the same left arm tattoo in both pictures. That's him, or an incredibly accurate imposter. The most important that you must realize is Dakota Cochrane is a bad ass fighter. Let's forget the absolute mauling Dakota placed on Jamie Varner. The fact that Dakota Cochrane has done gay porn should not deter you from watching his progression through TUF 15 next month. Not at all. In fact, we as a MMA community should embrace a current/former gay porn star into MMA. It's time to expand the fanbase of this sport that we all love. We need a guy like Dakota Cochrane in this sport. It's time for a paradigm shift.

Posted in: guy, dakota cochrane, cochrane, porn, dakota

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An approximately 17 hour flight from Texas to Australia would be torture for most. For Aaron Rosa, it’s just part of the job.“You gotta do what you gotta do,” Said the UFC light heavyweight, who faces James Te Huna on this Friday’s (Saturday in Australia) UFC on FX 2 card in Sydney. “It’s my job, so I pack it up and get ready to go. I kiss my daughter, kiss my wife, and say ‘see you next week.’”As matter of fact as that sounds, that’s the way Aaron Rosa approaches life in and out of the fight game. He wasn’t a highly recruited athlete waltzed up the ranks and placed square in the middle of the world’s premier mixed martial arts promotion. He worked for everything he got, battled through plenty of obstacles, and finally made it here in 2011. But what made the Del Rio’s native’s journey even more impressive, is that even as he was introduced to the UFC faithful last June against Joey Beltran, he was still working an 11 hour shift driving a truck and delivering Red Bull.So each of his previous 16 wins (and three losses) came while working a full-time job. That’s an impressive feat any way you slice it, but when he got stopped in the third round of the Beltran fight at UFC 131, he knew things had to change if he was going to compete at the elite level. The first was dropping back to the light heavyweight division; the second was putting his day job to the side.“I got heavy,” admits Rosa, who fluctuated between fights at heavyweight and 205. “I was working 11 hours a day, delivering Red Bull. So I was working most of the day, eating fast food while I was driving and not training like I should have been, so I really let myself go. I didn’t stick to a diet, and I was just working so much I couldn’t really do it. So after the Joey Beltran fight, I was like, man, if I’m gonna really do something with this, I need to take it seriously and just concentrate on fighting. I spoke to my wife and she said ‘yeah, this is your shot. Try it, see what happens, and God willing everything works out. If not, then you move on and do what you gotta do.’”That support from his wife Christina was all he needed. Now Rosa was going to live and train as a full-time professional mixed martial artist and see where the sport took him. Needless to say, having his wife in his corner is no small factor in his positive mindset today.“It’s the most important thing,” he said. “She suffers with me. When we’re down on our luck or barely scraping by, she picks up the slack and she really pushes me when I get down on myself. I don’t like barely making it or being barely on time with stuff. But she’s there for me and she really helps me out. She takes care of our daughter, she’s a really good supportive wife, and I can’t ask for anything more.”Rosa and his bride are also parents to a year old daughter, giving him even more motivation to succeed in a career that started off in 2004 under conditions that would give the shakes to some young fighters who only know the modern version of the MMA career path.“My very first fight, an amateur fight, was in Louisiana, and that was my opponent’s hometown,” recalled Rosa. “It was a smoker, and it was 2004, so there really weren’t regulatory bodies. I fought in a bar and his whole family showed up. And when I came out, they booed the s**t out of me.”He laughs about it now.“I drove to Louisiana. And I didn’t get paid. I drove eight hours just to get in a bar fight, basically. (Laughs) I said ‘What am I doing?’ But I guess it worked out.”And at least when he steps into the Octagon against local favorite Te Huna, he won’t be rattled by any boos.“I’m near-sighted, so I can’t see anybody except the guy inside the ring,” he laughs. “I can’t see the people in the crowd or nothing like that.”Yet all joking aside, the path traveled by Rosa is one that you see less and less of these days. In one way, that’s a good thing, because it means that fighters are being taken care of financially and in terms of regulation and safety measures. But in another, you don’t see hard-nosed scrappers like Rosa who came up the hard way and stuck with the sport when it was far from a mainstream entity.“I think it just makes you push forward and keep going,” he said. “I always tried to push myself as hard as I could when I’m training or doing anything. I keep going and keep going. If you grow up with adversity, it’s gonna show. Your life makes you or breaks you, and it translates to the cage. You either rise up or you fold. I think I rise up all the time.”Last November, in his first bout as a full-time fighter, Rosa did just that, decisioning Matt Lucas over three rounds. It wasn’t a typical Rosa barnburner, but it was a win – his first in the UFC – and as he admits, he is still a work in progress.“It was really good, but I was kinda disappointed in my performance,” he said of getting his first UFC win. “I couldn’t get the stop, and the guy just kept holding on to me all the time, and it made the fight kinda boring. I was trying to tell him ‘dude, let’s just fight.’ But he kept holding on to me the whole time and I don’t like that type of stuff. If we’re going out there to fight, and they’re paying us money, let’s fight. But I’ve got to do a better job of creating my opportunities. I just can’t wait for him to engage. The best fighters make their opportunities in the cage, so I was disappointed because I should have stopped that guy. I had the conditioning, I had everything; I just couldn’t make my opportunities. Hopefully, now I’m a lot stronger than I was for that fight.”And he won’t have to look too far to find the hard-hitting Te Huna, whose two UFC wins over Igor Pokrajac and Ricardo Romero have come via knockout. “He (Te Huna) is a strong guy, explosive, he comes at you, but he’s also a wrestler who likes to take guys down and ground and pound them, so he has a little mixture of everything and I’ve got to be ready on all fronts,” said Rosa. “Hell, I might even take him down, I really don’t know. (Laughs) I let the situation dictate what happens. I go in there, punch him in the face a couple times, maybe he backs up and I’ll take him down. But I always go into a fight thinking I’m gonna kickbox a guy all night. That’s all I think about - hitting the guy in the face.”This week, he gets his chance. He’s a long way from Texas, and an even longer way from that first amateur fight in Louisiana, but when it comes to Aaron Rosa in Sydney, a fight’s a fight.“I’m flying 17 hours to go get into a fight, so once I’m there, I’m there.”

Posted in: ufc, fight, guy, ’t, rosa

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Posted in: guy, blog, grec, guys thinkcriticisms, mma blog

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I wanted to start off by saying that I really like the 7 fights on the main card formula. The UFC has been putting a lot of main card quality fighters in the final prelim spots lately (Ryan Bader fought his last fight on the prelim card, for example) and it was great to see the UFC recognize the amount of talent they had on this card dictated a couple extra fights on the main card. The economics of putting 7 fights on the card can be discussed at a later date but I really hope this wasn't just a one shot deal. If you haven't caught up with the fight results, Cory and Earl have you covered: UFC 144 Main Card Recap UFC 144 Preliminary Card Recap I'm not going to make fights for everyone on the card, rather I'll just focus on the matches that jumped out at me in the immediate aftermath. Anthony Pettis vs Ben Henderson II The first fight was great action and the highlight package that the UFC can build around Pettis is starting to border on absurd. That kick was made for pre-fight hype videos and I get the feeling that we're going to be seeing a lot of it in the near future. The proverbial wrench in the machinery could be the close nature of Edgar/Henderson. Kenny Florian appeared to tweet in favor of Edgar and I've noticed a few media members express similar sentiments. Rematches seem to get made in the immediate aftermath of close fights, so if we are going to get Henderson/Edgar 2 instead, we'll probably know soon. Frank Edgar vs Clay Guida I know Dana probably wants Edgar to drop down to featherweight to fight Aldo. The president has been known to get in the ear of guys who he thinks are fighting in the wrong weight class and I'm sure he'll spend some time in the near future giving that same message to Edgar. When Joe Rogan asked Edgar about cutting down to featherweight, the former champion looked like he wanted to ask Rogan "Are you serious right now?". I believe that Edgar has too much pride to drop out of the division on a loss and will instead ask for a big fight. Guida and Edgar have never scrapped and a fight between them now is perfect. The winner would have a great start to another title run. Mark Hunt vs Mike Russow So Mark Hunt is on a three fight win streak. You know who is on a four fight win streak? Mike Russow. Yeah, neither of them is probably striking much fear in the heart of Junior Dos Santos or Alistair Overeem (well, maybe Hunt strikes a little bit of fear in everyone's heart) so this is a logical fight to remove one of them from the winning side of the ledger. It would also be a fight that gives big ol' boys across the world hope. Jake Shields vs Jon Fitch This one is pretty unlikely but I thought I'd include it because it could be the only way for either of these guys to be in an exciting match. Fitch is coming off a loss and Shields is coming off a win, which makes it somewhat unlikely to come to fruition but since neither of these guys are going to be getting a shot at the title any time soon I think they could make an exception and put together a couple of the better grapplers in welterweight history. Yushin Okami vs Michael Bisping Two top 10 middleweights coming off tough losses, this fight makes a world of sense for the main event of the next British card, should it be within the next five or six months. Bisping and Sonnen would have been a great five round fight and Okami has trained with Chael in the past, so there is a built in promotional angle. Bisping hasn't quite lost all hope of getting a chance at Anderson either, and a win over Okami would really help his case. What do you guys think? Which match is the most likely to be made? Do you guys have different suggestions? What about some of the other winners on the card, guys like Ryan Bader, Hatsu Hioki and Takanori Gomi? I'm not sure what the future holds for them so let's hear some ideas.

Posted in: ufc, fight, guy, card, edgar

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Close fights carry with them the inherent problem of a significant group of viewers feeling that the loser will be robbed, and that is the case with the UFC 144 main event between Frankie Edgar and Ben Henderson (or Frank Edgar and Benson Henderson). The two men put on a compelling, competitive scrap for the UFC lightweight championship with both having their moments of success and, depending on what you valued in what transpired, it is possible to make a case for either fighter to have taken the decision. I saw the fight as a narrow 48-47 win for Frankie Edgar, but I can understand the official scores that placed the UFC belt around the waist of Henderson. Henderson was the "aggressor" coming forward constantly and putting pressure on Edgar while Edgar was able to capably counter off his aggression. In the end, I'd rather not focus on the "controversy." Mainly because I don't actually think there was any controversy, just a good, close fight that someone had to win. Instead, my focus is on the fight as the capper to one of the greatest nights of fighting I've ever seen. UFC 144 was a beautiful journey through all things that make MMA great. This was a special night and that is something we should all deeply appreciate as MMA fans. Let's take a run through the night's action for some thoughts and analysis. First of all, Frankie Edgar is a beat of a man. He takes punishment and keeps coming forward at all times. Henderson landed an upkick in round 2 that came close to knocking Edgar out cold and caused blood to pour from his nose for the rest of the fight. Edgar just kept doing his thing and trying to find ways to pop Henderson. Henderson just has such a relentless pace and style. He was throwing kicks and punches and trying to keep Edgar from ever really getting comfortable. Henderson is an incredibly tough fight for any lightweight on the planet and it sounds like Anthony Pettis secured a title shot with his knockout (according to Rogan's "inside information" at the end of the PPV). That rematch is going to be nuts. Quinton Jackson looked awful tonight. He missed weight for the bout but people still expected him to be too much for Ryan Bader. Instead, Bader beat him up in the stand-up, took him down and just basically roughed him up. Jackson limped around after the fight ended so I assume he's going to claim that a knee injury kept him from being in shape for the fight. (Update: Jackson did say he hurt his knee in training and again mid-fight) For Bader, this is a great win. This is a guy who lost to Jon Jones (no shame in that) and followed that up by being the only guy in years to lose to Tito Ortiz. And he lost that fight badly. For Bader to get such a big win really should keep his career going forward instead of flaming out with the Jones fight. Much more after the jump... SBN coverage of UFC 144: Edgar vs. Henderson Mark Hunt is not only fighting in the UFC in 2012, he's got a three fight win streak. Cheick Kongo decided he wanted to have a kickboxing match with a guy that hits a lot harder and that resulted in him paying the price. Hunt hits too hard to play around with. Let's not get ahead of ourselves about Hunt though. Kongo played into his game but Hunt isn't exactly ready to take the title from Junior dos Santos. I was confused as I watched Jake Shields outwork Yoshihiro Akiyama on the feet. Not because it was happening, but because Joe Rogan seemed to be ignoring everything Shields did in favor of the fact that Akiyama's takedown defense was good. Shields has unbelievably ugly striking, but he was the one landing much more often and simply deserved the win more. Akiyama is now a guy who lost a mostly stand-up fight to Jake Shields and got submitted on the floor by Chris Leben. That's just mindblowing. Tim Boetsch is an awesome human being. Yushin Okami was simply destroying him for two rounds. Okami was landing hard strikes for the first two rounds, getting on top on the floor and putting a hurt on Boetsch and just running things. Then Boetsch came out and went for broke in round three and knocked him out with a brutal inside striking game. It was a great comeback and one of many great moments over the course of the night. Boetsch did something more fighters should do. Did he put himself at a higher risk of being finished by coming out in the third round and going for it 100%? Absolutely! But so what? The UFC has clearly shown that there is incentive to losing fights where you're going for broke. He didn't just try to survive to the cards, he went for a win like a fighter. Had he gone out on his shield, the UFC wasn't going to punish him for trying to make something happen. Hatsu Hioki looked great in running through Bart Palaszewski. Hioki crushed him in round one and then recovered from a rocky second round to dominate the third round again. His transition game on the ground is just so slick but I don't think he matches up well with Aldo. Still, that's a fight that seems like it's going to have to happen in the near future. It sounds like Anthony Pettis earned himself a shot at a rematch with Henderson after a crushing knockout of Joe Lauzon. Lauzon was not ready for the speed of Pettis at all. From the opening bell it was Pettis who was looking for the killshot and he got it when he connected with a head kick and follow up punches on the ground just 1:21 into the opening round. I can't say I'm shocked that Lauzon followed his usual career path of losing to top level guys. The Guillard fight was the exception, not the rule. Pettis simply isn't as susceptible to mistakes like Guillard makes and that meant that Lauzon would have to find a way to create his own openings, which doesn't happen with him very often against top level guys. It was harder than it probably should have been, but Takanori Gomi's great comeback win over Eiji Mitsuoka was a special moment. The Japanese crowd had just seen Kid Yamamoto lose in ugly fashion and Takeya Mizugaki lose a questionable decision. Having the hometown superstar get a beautiful and dramatic win was spectacular. Kid Yamamoto just got sloppy, he was clearly on his way to picking apart and busting up Vaughan Lee but he left himself open for a knee that allowed the fight to be flipped completely. All credit to Lee for transitioning from submission to submission to lock up the fight ending submission. Steve Cantwell should get released from the UFC after tonight's loss to Riki Fukuda. Fukuda looked great but Cantwell has just regressed so far as a fighter. From a top level prospect to a guy who is getting dominated by Fukuda...shocking. Speaking of guys who can't compete in the UFC...How about Zhang Tiequan. He got knocked out badly by a late replacement opponent. It feels like the UFC is trying to find fighters for him to beat and he just can't quite pull it off. He's clearly not at the UFC level and it's time for them to give up on him. My last note is going to be sappy and lame...but thank you to all of our readers. Tonight was such a great show and a special night that I started to feel very lucky to be able to cover this sport for a living. I get to ramble about something I truly love and I wouldn't get to do that without you guys coming here and reading it. Tonight was fantastic and reminded me of how truly lucky I am. So...thank you!

Posted in: ufc, fight, guy, henderson, edgar

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If you read Mark Hunt’s Wikipedia page -- and it’s Friday, so why wouldn’t you? -- you’ll quickly learn that he is "known for his raw strength, iron chin and knockout power." In case you’re confused about what it means to have an iron chin, Wikipedia will even provide you with a link to a helpful page that explains the concept with the help of a Rocky reference. Ah, so that’s Mark Hunt’s deal, you’ll think to yourself as you navigate away to a YouTube video of unlikely animal friends (again, it’s Friday). He’s a big strong dude who doesn’t mind getting hit in the head a bunch. Got it.What you won’t learn this way is that, honestly, Hunt kind of hates that characterization. He also kind of hates the idea that MMA fans might regard him as just another hard-headed kickboxer who entertains with his ability to absorb and return punishment. As he told me when I talked to him before his UFC 144 bout with Cheick Kongo: "I was K-1 world champion. I’m one of the best fighters in the world. I don’t want to be remembered as just some tough guy who could take punches."Which, of course, makes sense. Even if it seems completely counter-intuitive to anyone who’s followed his career in MMA, where he’s often cast as precisely the kind of character he doesn’t want to be. If you ask the 37-year-old New Zealander about the rough times and the six-fight losing streak he endured between July of 2006 through September of 2010, don’t expect much of a conversation. Hunt doesn’t like to talk about it -- not that he seems to enjoy talking about very much of anything, at least with reporters -- so he brushes it off by admitting that it’s "been hard, but I’m still here.""It’s always discouraging to lose," Hunt said, after some prodding. "You look at it and think, man, what’s going on? It’s always discouraging. But I’m a fighter. I don’t like to quit. I just thought, I’m going to get back on and keep riding until it’s time to quit."Described by his friend and training partner Steve Oliver as "a very private person," but also, at least among his friends, as a "very funny guy," Hunt will admit that he’s not a fan of public speaking. He keeps to himself. He doesn’t do a ton of interviews. The current state of his fighting career might be a great story of redemption and determination, but he’d rather not talk about it if it means being reminded of all the times he’s failed.For instance, when UFC president Dana White launched into a monologue at a recent post-fight press conference about Hunt’s refusal to take a payoff after the UFC bought PRIDE (and with it Hunt’s contract), it was "sort of embarrassing" for him, Hunt said."I didn’t really want to talk about it. I don’t feel like talking about it now, to be honest."In a way, it’s hard to blame him. If your employer started telling everyone how, at first, he thought he’d be better off just paying you to leave him alone rather than paying you to actually work, you might not like it much either. That Hunt had refused the easy money and insisted on fighting for his cash impressed White, he explained, especially in light of Hunt’s recent turnaround and current two-fight winning streak in the UFC."When we bought Pride, he came as part of the Pride deal," White said at the UFC 135 post-fight press conference. "It was back and forth and basically I was just like...we'll just pay you off. We know you're in the Pride deal. And Mark Hunt said 'No, I want to come. I want to fight.' ...The guy's got a ton of heart and I have a lot of respect for him."Even then, Hunt sat nearby looking like he just wanted someone to change the subject, to recall that he was a K-1 champion once, that he’s more than just a big guy who can take a punch."That’s not really the idea of fighting," he said of his legendary chin. "The idea is to hit people and not get hit."It’s the same with his misunderstood ground game, he explained, which too many people assume he simply doesn’t have."I’ve been training jiu-jitsu for a while. It just didn’t really click in my brain. Maybe sometimes I get a bit lazy. By the time I realize I’m in trouble I’m already caught. You can’t really think about it. You’ve got to just react as it happens. But I don’t think my ground game is too bad, you know?"And when he lost all that weight prior to his UFC debut? It wasn't a sign that he had only recently decided to take his training seriously, he said, even if that's how some people chose to interpret it. "It was never a big problem for me to lose the weight...I just didn’t have to before."According to Oliver, "a lot of people think he’s sitting around not training, but he has been doing it properly." What many fans see as a sudden reversal of fortunes is really, to Hunt and those who know him best, the natural consequence of hard work combined with great talent. But that’s the thing about legacy. You don’t necessarily get to decide how people remember you. Hunt might wish that more fans would acknowledge his skill rather than his chin and his successes rather than just his recent rise from failure, but it’s not really up to him. Or rather, it is, but not in the way he might like it to be. He can keep winning fights and put more distance between himself and the dark days of his career, but it won’t make those days disappear. Fans will still remember more for walking through a Cro Cop head kick more than they remember him for shutting down a Ben Rothwell takedown attempt. Instead of thinking of him as the technician and the professional he sees when he looks in the mirror, they might instead remember him as the guy who hit Chris Tuchscherer with a walk-off knockout punch after refusing the UFC's offer of easy walk-away money.That’s fine for fans and promoters, who love a good redemption story. Then again, they both also love a guy who can take a beating. Hunt doesn’t really want to be either. Maybe there’s still time left on the clock to change some of that. Hunt hopes so. Not that he particularly wants to talk about it.

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The beautiful thing about writing about MMA is not only do I get to talk to some of the biggest stars in the sport I am also presented with numerous opportunities to talk to guys just getting their start. For instance, when I first spoke to Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson he had yet to fight in the UFC. Then lo and behold I had five conversations with him in a month and now he could very well be on his way to becoming a future champion in the UFC. Today I spoke with 21-year-old Alex Morono, a welterweight who will be fighting this Friday night for Legacy Fighting Championships 10 on HDNet. Morono is one of those guys that doesn’t take anything for granted. Mature beyond his years, he appreciates the opportunity he has in front of him and realizes that Rome wasn’t built in a day. He’s willing to be patient and when the times right for him to fight for a bigger promotion he’ll be ready. When it’s all said and done these fighters are pretty much the same, they love to compete and are willing to do whatever it takes to be successful. Bryan Levick: Where are you currently training for your fight on Friday night? Alex Morono: I’m training at Gracie Barra up in North Houston. My coach Chad Robichaux has two schools and one of my coaches Todd Moore has fought for the WEC, DREAM, and Strikeforce. He actually fought Shinya Aoki at DREAM 6 in 2008. My striking coach Michael Chase Corley has fought some of the best strikers worldwide. We have a great group of guys here in Houston. BL: How did you get into MMA in the first place? Morono: I didn’t do much when I was young other than play soccer. I was pretty overweight, but I had a couple of friends who were boxing and training in Jiu-Jitsu. We would always get together and watch the old PRIDE fights and one year I asked for a membership to a boxing gym. I was 15 or 16 and fell in love with it; I lost a bunch of weight and had my first Muay Thai fight at sixteen. I won with a headkick knockout and the rest is history. BL: What do you know about your opponent Rashon Lewis? Morono: I know he’s a big strong guy who played college football. We have a mutual opponent and while he lost I ended up submitting the guy in under a minute. I think I’m years ahead of him on the ground and striking, but he’s real athletic and that goes a long way in MMA. Technically I think I’ll smash the guy, but I know I have to deal with his strength. BL: What area of your game would you say is your biggest strength? Morono: I think my footwork is my best attribute. I have managed to take very little damage in my fights which to me is always ideal. It was good to start out in boxing and it’s carried over to MMA. I’ve never really been hit that hard in any of my fights. I think I need to work on my wrestling and I’ve been doing a lot to improve in that area. I have noticed since I began focusing on wrestling my cardio and strength have gone up. BL: What does your family think about you fighting professionally? Morono: At first my mom wasn’t into it and my dad didn’t care. He used to come to all of my Jiu-Jitsu matches. Now they are all at every one of my fights cheering me along. I don’t think they have ever missed a fight. I know my dad is worried that I’m getting hurt, but I’ve never been injured or taken any serious punishment. BL: Where do you see yourself in the next year? Morono: I’m definitely going to take my time; I am not in any rush. My coaches are my guides and since I am only 21 I’m going to take things slow and fight guys that are at my level. This fight for Legacy is great as it’s going to be televised on HDnet. There are some UFC and Strikeforce vets on the card so I’ll be able to get some good experience fighting locally. I really enjoy fighting for Legacy and have been with them since I was amateur. Make sure to check out the 3-1 Morono’s fight out when things start at 10:00 PM EST. Other bouts include action from UFC alums Pat Audinwood and Gerald Harris. PHOTO CREDIT – ALEX MORONO/LEGACYFC

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Read the full article at Five Ounces of Pain

The time to reflect was only a moment or two. Tim Boetsch had just received the phone call fighters either embrace or dread. Manager Monte Cox was on the phone with a proposition: did he want to fight the last man to challenge for the UFC middleweight title, Yushin Okami, in a UFC 144 bout in Japan?“When I first got the call and Okami’s name came up, I had that moment of ‘holy cow, he just fought for the strap; am I ready to step up to that level?’” recalled Boetsch. “All those thoughts ran through my mind, but before the end of the conversation with Monte, we were like ‘this is the perfect fight for us, and we’re gonna take this guy out and it’s gonna jump us way up the ladder.’” It wasn’t the way Boetsch had pictured things happening for him at 185 pounds, at least not yet. A career-long light heavyweight, the former Lock Haven University wrestler made the move down to middleweight and 2011 and immediately found success, decisioning Kendall Grove and Nick Ring in successive bouts. It was a strong start for “The Barbarian,” but to go from there to fighting the former number one contender was an unexpected gift, and one he was not about to refuse.“I had been thinking I want to take it slow and ease into the middleweight division and work my way up at a slow, steady pace, but when you’re given the opportunity to fight Okami, you definitely should take it,” he said. “And I think it’s an absolutely great matchup for me, and I’m looking forward to taking him out.”Getting the fight and winning the fight are two different things though, and as soon as Boetsch agreed to meet up with “Thunder” at Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, he began his crash course in all things Okami, with graduation day scheduled for this Saturday night.“I hadn’t been thinking about him until Monte called and said they were looking for an opponent,” he said. “After I sat down and watched the video real close, it’s a great fight. Okami’s a tough guy, and the one thing that comes to mind is he’s not gonna give up in there. He’s a guy that’s gonna grind out the whole fight and he’s gonna be there bringing his best. He’s not one of these guys you can lean on a little bit and they’ll quit. So it’s gonna be a tough fight, and that’s why I trained so hard. I’m ready to get in there and put it on the line.”Boetsch sounds genuinely excited about the matchup, and after years of paying his dues, it appears that he’s found his home at middleweight. Of course, even though he’s only 31 years old, you have to wonder whether he thinks about what could have been if he made the move earlier.  “Not really,” he said. “I think life has a plan and I certainly think being a light heavyweight for the beginning of my career was part of that, and cutting weight is very difficult, so I think had I started making 185 when I first started, I might be getting burned out at this point.”3-3 in the Octagon as a 205er, Boetsch made the call to drop 20 pounds after a 2010 loss to Phil Davis. A little over a year later, it’s like he has a new lease on his career.“That was part of the decision to drop down. In my mind, it would be like a fresh start, and I’ve taken that feeling ever since,” he said. “It’s really been a change, and I feel like a completely different fighter at middleweight than I did at light heavy, and I’m able to do things better. So it’s definitely a fresh start and I consider myself undefeated and I’m looking to keep that streak alive.”He’s also dumped the reckless in-fight habits that hurt his cause early on and also caused coach Matt Hume his share of heartache. Now, Boetsch is making a concerted effort to stick to the gameplan carved out for him at the AMC Pankration gym in Washington, and everyone’s happy.“When you go in there and fight and don’t do the things you trained to do for two or three months, coach definitely gets upset (Laughs), so I want to keep coach happy and do the right things.”As for that gameplan, it’s a simple one.“My gameplan is to finish everybody,” said Boetsch. “That being said, even though I’m sticking to a gameplan and ultimately want to get a ‘W’ in the end, I’m certainly looking to take the guy out early. Against Kendall and Nick, I didn’t finish those guys, but the gameplan was to finish them and just stick to what we trained to do. And if I execute the gameplan properly, I should be finishing guys and not letting fights go to decision. And out of that comes exciting fights. My style is a high-pressure style, and I’m moving forward trying to land big shots, so I think sticking to my gameplan is exciting.”What may be even more exciting for Boetsch though is the reality that a win over Okami will propel him into the ranks of middleweight contenders sooner than most get there. Of course, that reward comes with plenty of risk, and while he’s no stranger to rolling the dice, with his 2007 IFL bout against Vladimir Matyushenko (one taken on three days’ notice) being a prime example, is there any resistance from his wife Jade when he takes on assignments like this?“She’s used to me, and her dad (longtime coach and former wrestler Wade Fatool) is a lot like me as far as thinking he’s the toughest guy in the world (Laughs), and I’m pretty sure he is one of the toughest guys in the world, so I really lucked out with my wife and she kind of expects that type of mentality and behavior out of the men in her life, I guess.”Guess that answers that, but in all seriousness, Boetsch knows that he’s in a sport where who dares wins, and despite the odds, he’s daring to be great this weekend in Japan.“For me personally, it’s just the challenge,” he said. “I’ve been the underdog in a lot of fights, and I never feel that way. I don’t take a fight unless I know I’m gonna win. And I’ve never backed down from any fight.”

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Contrary to popular belief, there is no secret formula to Benson Henderson’s otherworldly ability to take punches that would drop lesser men or survive submission attempts that would force 99% of his peers to tap out. Simply put, what it comes down to is getting beat up nearly every day for years.And just to confirm, how long has the number one lightweight contender been getting beat up?“Every day,” he said. “That’s part of training. Every single day. I got some tough as crap training partners who are some of the best in the world; people just don’t realize it yet because they haven’t got their shot in the UFC. I’ve got guys at my gym right now that will give Jose Aldo a run for his money first fight in the UFC. I’ve got some guys at 155 that I’d put up against just about anybody in the UFC right now and they’d hold their own.”Don’t be surprised. And not just by his willingness to admit that he’s not “the guy” handing out the punishment at The Lab in Glendale, Arizona. Being humble and more apt to praise teammates like Chris Gruetzemacher and Yaotzin Meza than himself is just his personality, and that egoless approach to life is what has earned him a WEC championship at 155 pounds and now a shot at the biggest prize in his division: the UFC belt currently held by Frankie Edgar.“You just can’t be that way in wrestling, or in combative sports, period, and have long-term success,” said Henderson of the notion that you have to be the toughest guy in the practice room all day every day to succeed. “You gotta get beat up. That’s how you get tougher. When I was in (Dana) College, I got the crap kicked out of me literally every single day in practice my freshman year. I left the practice room in tears every day. I am the man I am today and I’m fighting for the UFC belt today because of that. You just can’t be the best guy in the room all the time, kicking everybody’s butt. You can’t do that and be successful, and you can’t continue to grow. You have to continually get pushed.”You do that, and then when fight night comes, you’re prepared to push back, and few have done it better over the last few years than the 28-year old Arizonan. From the time he made his debut in the WEC in 2009 with a submission win over Anthony Njokuani, Henderson has produced that rare mix of winning fights and exciting fights, as he’s been a part of instant classics with Donald Cerrone, Anthony Pettis, and Clay Guida, en route to a WEC title and 3-0 UFC record. But the finish line is not in view yet for “Smooth,” whose only goal is greatness, a task he believes will begin Saturday night in Saitama Super Arena in the main event of UFC 144.“Frankie’s tough, he’s a great fighter, he’s beaten the greatest lightweight fighter of all-time (BJ Penn), and he beat him twice,” said Henderson of the champion from Toms River, New Jersey. “He has a great chin, he has a great heart, he’s proven himself to be a great champion, and he’s a great all-around guy. What can you not say about the guy? It’s gonna be fun to dance against him. For me to be where I want to be, which is to be the greatest lightweight fighter of all-time, I can’t get there unless I beat the great lightweight fighters out there.”On paper, this five rounder has the potential to meet, or even surpass, the memorable scraps both Henderson and Edgar have already donated to mixed martial arts’ 155-pound archives, and even though there is the added variable of this fight being halfway around the world in Japan, Edgar’s experience in long-distance fights (he won the title in Abu Dhabi) could be negated by the fact that Henderson is no stranger to the five round championship distance, which he has gone twice before. In a fight as evenly matched as this one, every little advantage could be a major one.“Speaking objectively, I wouldn’t say it evens things out, but I have been there before,” said Henderson. “It’s not a new experience for me. It’s not like ‘oh my goodness, what do we do here?’ I have plenty of five round fights under my belt, I’ve been the distance, been rocked, survived, been caught in some bad places, survived, so I think it just adds to the experience level. A lot of guys didn’t realize I had as much experience under Zuffa that I did, and more experience than the guys I was fighting when I came over to the UFC. So it’s definitely a factor and I want to use that to my advantage against Frankie as much as possible.”When it comes down to it, Henderson isn’t asking for any favors though. He’s not expecting an easy fight, an easy weight cut, or a (pardon the pun) smooth ride to a world championship. He’s been around this game long enough to know that nothing comes easy. So his focus shifts from expectation to hope, hope that all the work he’s done, that all the blood, sweat, and tears he’s shed, and all the beatings he’s taken in the gym will have gotten him ready for the biggest fight of his life. He knows he’s ready; now it’s just a waiting game until Saturday night.“We don’t live in a perfect world,” said Henderson. “Not everything’s gonna be the exact way you want it to be. So you just do the best you can, deal with everything as it comes, and hopefully you have one great performance on one given night. That’s all you really want. You want all your weeks, and months, and years of preparation to lead up to having one great performance on one night. I need that night to be this one against Frankie Edgar.”

Posted in: ufc, fight, guy, ’t, henderson

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Chris Cariaso couldn't have picked a more controversial nickname to be making his debut in Japan. "The Kamikaze" was given his nickname for his mean streak and competitiveness in other sports before even transitioning to MMA, and he's more than proven it in the cage by continuously taking on men much larger than himself night in and night out. Cariaso hasn't been the most consistent fighter, having alternated wins and losses throughout his WEC and UFC career, but he's hoping to end that streak this Saturday night (February 25, 2012) when he takes on former WEC bantamweight title challenger Takeya Mizugaki on Mizugaki's home turf of Japan for UFC 144. The 30 year old warrior spoke with MMAmania.com during a guest appearance on The Verbal Submission this past weekend and he talked about fighting overseas, how he matches up with Mizugaki and even dropping down to flyweight whether he wins or loses in this exclusive interview. Check it out: Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): You're flying out to Japan, so do you have to do any special preparations? I know there's gonna be a time difference and they're actually gonna be fighting at like 9-10 a.m. there when you actually step into the cage. That's gotta be weird, right? Chris Cariaso: Yeah, that's gonna be kind of weird, but I always train in the morning anyways so 9 o'clock in the morning for a fight isn't gonna be that big of a deal for me because that's when I'm always training. I pretty much train all day long, 9 o'clock, 5 o'clock, I don't care what time it is. It's all the same. (laughs) Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): That actually makes an interesting point. Most fights, the big fights are taking place at like midnight, but most fighters are usually sleeping by then when they're in training mode. This will be more into with what you deal with while actually training. Chris Cariaso: Yeah, it's gonna be interesting. I was just talking to my coach this morning and he was all like, "Oh yeah, we're gonna be fighting in the morning," but I said, "Well what time are we actually training every single day?" and he goes, "You're right! We've been training at 9 in the morning every day," so it's pretty much just an every day thing. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): Are you ready for this drastically different crowd type that they're gonna have in Japan? There could be complete silence even if you pull off something amazing. Chris Cariaso: You know, it's definitely gonna be a great experience. Everything I've heard about fighting in Japan, the crowd is crazy and then when the fight starts everything in dead quiet. I'm excited to go out there and test my skills in Japan and see what it's like. I hear it's just an awesome experience. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): You've had some tough split decisions your last two times out. You won one and you lost one. Is there anything you have been doing to try to be a little more decisive in victory? IChris Cariaso: 've actually been working on that a whole bunch. Like you said, my last couple fights have been decisions and while getting my feet wet in the UFC, I was like, "Oh, I've got to win, I've got to win!" kind of fighting more conservatively and then I don't end up fighting the way I like to fight. For this fight, I want to go out there, look for the finish and kind of go back to my old style of fighting and go out there instead of just winning, try to finish. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): And you're taking on a guy in Takeya Mizugaki who's a guy that's really durable, really aggressive and he puts on "Fight of the Night"-type performances all the time. Is that the kind of fight that you're expecting, two really aggressive stand-up fighters? Chris Cariaso: Yeah, definitely. We both like to stand up and fight and I'm excited for that because finally, someone's gonna try to bring it and fight me. My last couple fights, because I'm shorter, my opponents have just been waiting for me to wade in and then they counter which is kind of annoying in a sense. Finally, I'm gonna fight a guy who's gonna come out there and bring the fight. You've got to have fun out there. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): Another thing Mizugaki is known for is his experience against top level guys. Since he signed with Zuffa, he's fought Scott Jorgensen, Miguel Torres, Brian Bowles. He's always in there against these tough guys. Is that something you're ready for, the experience level he's faced? Chris Cariaso: Oh yeah, definitely. I've had some tough opponents too with some of the biggest up and coming fighters. I fought Renan Barao and Michael McDonald, all these guys that are just as tough as some of the guys that Mizugaki has fought and I think that right there alone is gonna help bring my experience level up and I'm definitely gonna be expecting a great fight. I know he's gonna be experienced and well-prepared. We're both gonna be ready for that hard, drawn-out fight. We're both trained for five rounds all the time and even though this is only three rounds, it's just gonna be an awesome fight. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): You've described your stand-up as unique and I know you've got some good Muay Thai skills, but what do you feel makes your stand-up so unique? Chris Cariaso: It's just because I'm such a small fighter. I've got this style where I can counter on guys really easy and I've got good kicks. I can kick high and down low and I can switch to right-handed or left-handed. I kind of pretty much, if he wants to box with me too, I can box with him. I can pretty much go anywhere as far as being unique. Me being the smaller fighter always and being able to implement my game on my opponents, I feel that makes me unique. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): You're an expert on kicks and this has nothing to do with Mizugaki, I'm just interested in your opinion. I saw a really nice video of you demonstrating how to properly throw a good body kick. In your opinion, I don't know if you watched UFC 143 or not, did you think Carlos Condit's kick were really effective? Chris Cariaso: I think they were effective kind of in a sense of keeping Nick Diaz off balance. I think that it was definitely disrupting him and not necessarily were they the most powerful kicks but he was definitely keeping him at bay and off balance and Nick wasn't able to cut the ring off and kind of get him to fight his game so I think Carlos did a good job of it. They weren't the most powerful kicks but sometimes you just have to kick to keep the guy off balance and he did a good job. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): I know you trained at Tristar for your last fight, but for this one, you spent a lot of time in Tuscon, Arizona and you're looking to set up a new gym out there. You spent a lot of time at APEX MMA with George Roop and Ed West. Can you tell me about your time out there? Chris Cariaso: Yeah, I actually moved to Tuscon because I'm in the process of opening another gym so when I'm out in Tuscon, I train with Ed West and George Roop and the APEX crew and kind of for this camp, I actually did a lot of training back home in San Francisco. I'm actually in San Francisco as we speak and I'm doing my camp up here training with some of my old coaches and working on my stand-up skills obviously because we're both gonna be banging so I'm definitely just kind of going to where the training is gonna be good. It's been kind of a blessing to train with those guys at APEX when I'm in Tuscon. I'm just trying to get out and go to where the training is great. I wish I had made it up to Tristar this trip but unfortunately I had to do a lot of stuff with the new gym opening and taking care of business here back home. You've got to do what you've got to do and I've overall had an awesome camp coming into this fight. Gerry Rodriguez: You're leaving tomorrow (Monday) for Japan. Do you think it will be enough time for your body to adjust to the time difference and is that something that you mapped out? Chris Cariaso: Probably not but it's gonna have to be. I just kind of go when the UFC tells me to go and I think a week should be enough time. Everyone tells me that going there is not bad, it's coming home that's the hard part. I think that really for me, I'm really not that worried about it too much. I'm just gonna try to listen to my body and everything. We fight on Sunday morning there so I think that five days is gonna be enough time for me to be ready. Gerry Rodriguez: Do you plan on staying there for a couple of days after your fight and taking in the city and the whole culture? Chris Cariaso: I wish I was, but you know, I've been away from my kids for about a month already as it is so I miss them, my two sons and my wife so I'm gonna make sure the night after my fight I'm gonna come home and see those guys. Gerry Rodriguez: Let's talk about the guy currently at the top of the bantamweight division, Dominick Cruz. Do you think Faber can improve enough to dethrone him or is Cruz going to be the guy to beat for everybody? Chris Cariaso: I said it last time when Urijah fought him. I thought that Cruz definitely has a super-awkward style and it's just super-hard to deal with and it's kind of up there. The third time around, I might give a slight edge to Faber but I think it's gonna be a super tough fight. Gerry Rodriguez: Has Urijah Faber peaked in the sport? Chris Cariaso: It's hard to say whether Urijah's peaked or not. It's kind of a fight-by-fight basis. That's how it is in this sport, it's a "what have you done for me lately" kind of thing. We'll see how he does in this next fight. I think that definitely he could come back. He's still a young guy so I don't think he's peaked yet. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): I know you don't like people referencing that you're smaller, so don't get offended, but you're 5'3 and the UFC is debuting the flyweight division this year. Is there any way that you could drop down to flyweight, win or lose against Mizugaki? Chris Cariaso: Yeah, 100 percent I'm dropping down actually. The 135 pound cut has never ever been a problem for me and I could always make 125. I just try to stay bigger now to fight at 135 but now that they have the 125 division, that's my plan to be dropping to that division. My plan is to have a great win here in Japan and then let all the 125-ers know that I'm coming for 'em. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): When you're visualizing success against Mizugaki, what do you see? I just see myself controlling the fight and I picture my hand being raised. I picture myself throwing a lot of combinations, kicking his legs, kicking his body and I'm visualizing myself controlling this fight and winning this fight. Chris would like to thank Crispim BJJ, his gym Fighting Fitness and all the guys over there, the guys at APEX, his sponsors Lexani, RevGear, Venum and all the guys who support him. You can follow him on twitter @ChrisCariasoMMA. So what do you think, Maniacs? Can the undersized Cariaso pull off a big win and spoil Mizugaki's homecoming? Win or lose, do you think he has what it takes to make his mark in the flyweight division afterwards? Sound off! To listen to the complete audio of our interview with Chris Cariaso, click here. (Interview starts at 7 minute mark).

Posted in: fight, guy, chri, im, cariaso

Read the full article at MMA Mania

A few updates on what's been going on in the MMA & UFC Twitterverse RANDOM TWIDBITS "Haha you can't kill me. Not even your rumors can u fucking keyboard warriors! Pound away at those letters like it'll change your life. Haha" -Scott jorgensen, isn't dead. "Yo momma's teeth are so yellow.... When she yawns, traffic just slows down." -Amir Sadollah "I use to work at a carwash so I know how far a good tip goes..however, my 1st job I was a janitor..beat that! #truestory" -Brendan Schaub "@RamseyNijem I swear if u r teaching other guys to strip and I'm not there so help me gawd I'll fly the f-word out there and ruin sundance" -Justin Edwards "Greg Jackson confirmed today he will be in my corner for UFC 145" -Jon Jones "Last year at the fighters summit Dana told everybody he wanted to keep us all busy...." -Jason High "Huge thanks to all the fans who have supported me after the Fuel broadcast, looks like I will be doing the Live Fox shows now, power of fans" -Brian Stann "Mac Danzig would be proud, I went to whole foods and yoga in the same day. And yet somehow I don't smoke weed." -Forrest Griffin "I'm thinking Tom lawer would probably be the best UFC fighter to go thrift store shopping with" -Forrest Griffin LORENZO FERTITTA VS. BOB ARUM "Bob arum said #ilovetheufc! He'll feezes over" -Lorenzo Fertitta "Just to clarify the $ for the ali gloves was for the RUVO brain institute a charity that will benefit society and fighters forever!" -Lorenzo Fertitta, who paid 1.5 million dollars to get Ali gloves, help charity, and make Arum say that he loves the UFC. There's a ton of tweets after the jump, but first, don't forget to follow me on twitter: @antontabuena Oh, and these guys are probably worth following as well: The Official BloodyElbow Twitter Account, Luke Thomas, Kid Nate, Brent Brookhouse, Leland Roling, Richard Wade, Chris Barton, Damon O, Scott Broussard, Tim Burke, Matt Bishop, Fraser Coffeen, Dallas Winston, KJ Gould, Matt Roth, Ben Thapa, Josh Nason. DANA WHITE VS. FLOYD MAYWEATHER "See the clip everyone is talking about - Dana White calls out Floyd Mayweather as a racist" -UFC RAMPAGE JACKSON VS. JOE ROGAN "I'm the 1 fighting n front of millions,I have the right 2 get mad if someone is dogging my style,non fighters won't understand. 2da lamefans" -Quinton Jackson, if you saw the videos, their "beef" also extended through twitter. "For the record I love @Rampage4real, regardless of what he said. He's a sensitive guy with the toughest job in the world." -Joe Rogan TIM SYLVIA VS. CHEICK KONGO "@iamcheickkongo u should fight me to see if your ready to fight for the belt. I think it would be a awesome fight 2 stand up guys." -Tim Sylvia, who is campaigning to get another shot with the UFC. "@timsylviamma If you say so ... I am in the UFC , still . Where u at Tim ? @ufc" -Cheick Kongo CHANDELLA POWELL VS. PORN "When you are young, you often don't realize that your actions have consequences. I made a bad decision about ten years ago, but you learn from these moments. There is nothing I can do to change the past, and believe me, if I could, I would. That decision doesn't represent who I am today. All I can do now is put the past behind me and move forward. I am sorry to disappoint any of my fans and my family at Zuffa. I love you guys :)" -Chandella Powell TWICTURES "Rampage on the Rampage! Special UFC 144 poster" -UFC, this special edition poster is already sold out though. "Champions hill! #sf#sprints ... Just finished last hard day of sparring now it's fight time!! " -Jake Shields, posing with Gilbert Melendez, and a retired fighter. "Your #UFC145 headliners. April 21st seems so far away." -UFC "The huge feature in todays Nikkan Sports on UFC 144" -Dan Herbertson "RT @LauraPrepon: At inside MMA with @forrestgriffin. I recently found out that she's my sister" -Forrest Griffin "Me and the tallest man of Holland, funny to look up to someone now ;)" -Alistair Overeem "Got my head shaved last night. Thought I'd take a page out of @AliDominance.☻ What's the word for May?" -Roger Huerta TWIDEOS "petit message pour mes fans francophones en direct de TOKYO" -Cheick Kongo, I don't understand French, but maybe someone does, so here you go: "Best part about compiling a list of my favorite fights in Japan is rewatching them. Have you seen Uno vs. Hansen?" -Josh Gross

Posted in: ufc, guy, fighter, vs, tim

Read the full article at Bloody Elbow

Fan-favorite light heavyweight Quinton Jackson may compete as a professional Mixed Martial Artist but the 33-year old UFC star is quick to distance himself from the label based on his mental approach to the sport. While his peers continually look for competitive advantages by studying countless hours of tape and refining their abilities in every available discipline, Jackson prefers to maintain the same approach he has since his younger years in Memphis. “I never claimed to be a martial artist or a guy who is good at everything. I’m a street fighter,” said Jackson in an interview with the UFC promoting his bout this weekend at UFC 144 against Ryan Bader. “There’s a lot of things I don’t care about – I don’t care to know what my opponent is doing, I don’t care to know his skills and stuff like that – cause I’m a brawler. In a street fight you walk up to the guy and you start fighting. You’ve got no tape on this guy.” “I could give a rat’s ass if I can beat Ryan Bader or not,” said the former PRIDE/UFC champion. “I just want to put on the best show the world has ever seen.” Jackson Says He’s Faced Better Wrestlers than All-American Bader Jackson-Bader will serve as co-headliners on a card featuring six other scraps including a main event between lightweight title-holder Frankie Edgar and top contender Benson Henderson. Things start on PPV at 10:00 PM EST this Saturday with preliminary pairings airing on Facebook/FX in the preceding hours. Check out the full interview with “Rampage” below: PHOTO CREDIT – UFC Tweet

Posted in: ufc, guy, jackson, artist, ’t care

Read the full article at Fighters.com

Intense, ferocious and ruthless. Those are just a few superlatives to describe The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) season 14 Featherweight winner, Diego Brandao. On the flip side, polite, appreciative and humble are also a few more words that can be used to describe the same fighter. After storming his way into the TUF house with a vicious first round knockout of Jesse Newell, Brandao showed his aggressive streak by disposing of his opponent, Steven Siler, in less than 30 seconds, connecting with a well placed left hook that advanced him to the next round. While on the show, Brandao earned the reputation of being a loose cannon during sparring sessions with his own teammates, going all out with his striking, causing tension within his own team. Diego earned his spot in the finals by defeating Bryan Caraway, setting him up against NCAA Division 1 wrestler, Dennis Bermudez, in The Ultimate Fighter 14 Finale. After surviving an early scare from Bermudez, almost losing everything he has worked for his entire career and with only nine seconds remaining in the fight, the Brazilian jiu-jitsu black-belt showed his impressive ground skills by catching Bermudez in an armbar that forced a tap and gave Diego the "six-figure" contract and the right to be called The Ultimate Fighter. Now, the jiu-jitsu ace is focused on taking his career one fight at a time and is in no hurry to rush things. Diego spoke to MMAmania.com and touched on what it was like to be locked in a house for six weeks, where his intensity stems from and whether or not he would ever consider fighting his friend, UFC Featherweight kingpin, Jose Aldo. Check it out: "Look at me right now bro, I'm happy. I'm a happy guy," he says, as he jumps around and smiles, as if he was warming up for a fight. "But, in competition, I am an energetic person and very intense. In the house, when a guy would beat my friend, I was like, "'Who is this guy that beat my friend?'" So, in my mind I am like, man, that guy is tough, and after weeks you get intense." Even though Brandao showed his intensity and often times short temperament throughout the show, he says it is only the call of battle that brings out his intensity. "During the six weeks, people thought I was crazy, but I am only aggressive when I'm going to fight. I want to destroy the guy because he wants to hurt me." That mentality, he feels, is what willed him to turn the tables on his opponent in the Finale. "In my last fight, you see he knocked me down, but I had to come back very aggressive in order to win." The victory over Bermudez not only ensured him a contract with the world's largest mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion, but also put him in the record books, becoming the first Brazilian to win TUF. Something he says he is very proud of, but won't let his accomplishments thus far go to his head. "I feel good on being the first Brazilian to win TUF, but I'm still the same person inside, but of course you feel different because the fans recognize you, but in my head I'm the same person, I make sure every day I ask God, I want to be humble, and I am excited for my next fight." A fight, he says, is close to being confirmed. "I want to tell you who, but I cannot say yet because it is not confirmed. I'm so sorry to you guys that have been waiting so long, but it is coming." With the UFC putting on two successful shows in Brandao's home land of Brazil with UFC 134 and more recently UFC 142, the young fighter, says he hopes to one day be able to fight once again in his home country, but understands if the promotion wants to give other established Brazilian fighters the first opportunity. "I already asked Dana White, but I think I am too small in the UFC right now, there are other guys who have better opportunity to fight there before me, but in time, I definitely want to fight in Brazil and one day Dana will give me the opportunity." The Jackson-WinkelJohn Mixed Martial Arts-trained fighter, is all too familiar with the eventual conflicts that arise when the day comes that you either have to face a friend or a training partner inside the Octagon, having a firsthand view of the Jon Jones and Rashad Evans fallout, and the potential clash of Carlos Condit and Georges St. Pierre, all whom Brandao trains with or has trained alongside with. Like his teammates, Brandao has the "fighting is a business" mentality when it comes to potentially matching up with current UFC Featherweight title holder, Jose Aldo, down the road. "I am too young right now in the UFC. I need to focus on my career because I am young, and I'm barely starting. Jose Aldo is my friend, I respect him, I am in the same job as him. If we have to fight one day, God is going to put us to fight, Dana White is gonna put us to fight, but we will still be friends. But right now, I am going slow, I'm like four or five wins away from a title shot ... I am going to go slow. Jose Aldo for me is the best guy in the planet." With his next fight soon to be confirmed, Brandao can start his journey in capturing a world title, something he says he is very appreciative of having the chance to do on the biggest platform of them all. "Without you guys putting our names out there and interviewing us, this isn't possible. And the fans, I love all my fans, in Brazil, Japan, Canada, Mexico, Portugal, all over the place, the fans thank you for the UFC support, I love you guys."

Posted in: ufc, fight, guy, brandao, im

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“I catch a lot of crap sometimes about gassing and cardio and things like that. But I come out and I push hard. I can be in great shape, but when you push as hard as I push, it’s tough to maintain that pace… On one hand I could … be like everyone else and have great cardio and never finish fights, but I would rather push and try to finish people. And you know what, if I get tired because I was trying to finish guys? I can deal with that. I don’t ever want to be a guy that never finishes anyone but is known for having great cardio… We’re just going to put it on [Anthony Pettis]. I’m sure his gameplan is going to be to kind of ride out the pressure, pace in the first, and then take it to me in the second. But a lot of other guys have had that same gameplan and I’ve still overwhelmed them in the first. Like I said, it’s easy to have great cardio when you’re not really doing a whole lot of work.” — Joe Lauzon on The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani talking about the correlation between finishing fights and cardio Joe Lauzon’s alright in my book. I’ll take a guy who goes for the finish any day over a guy who conserves his energy and point fights his way to a decision. That said, I’m not the guy in the cage either who’s job or a title run is on the line. There’s an incredible amount of pressure on fighters to win in the UFC, so I can see why some fighters choose to take the safer paths to victory. I’ll always have a little more respect for the guys who really go for it though. As for his fight with Anthony Pettis this weekend, there could be a title shot at stake. Lauzon explained in the interview that he and Pettis were led to believe that one of them could be a last-minute replacement for Ben Henderson in case something happened to him. “From talking to Joe Silva, he kind of led me to believe a little bit that part of the reason why me and Pettis were going out there was because if something happened with Ben, then one of us would step up and fight for the title. He didn’t completely come out and say it, but he was like, ‘it would be a really good thing to have two top-ranked guys out there in case something happened with Ben.’” Does that mean Lauzon vs. Pettis is a number one contender fight? Not necessarily, but it definitely sounds like a possibility if one of them puts on a impressive performance Saturday night. Nate Diaz and Jim Miller are also looming out there, but they don’t fight until May, so the timing is definitely in Lauzon and Pettis’ favor. Lauzon also said he was a little irritated with Melvin Guillard for telling everyone he beat himself. Joe’s response: “No, I smacked you in the face with my fist, and you went down and I choked you. I’m pretty sure I’m taking credit for that.” Nice one, J-Lau. Image via Dave Mandel for Sherdog

Posted in: fight, guy, petti, lauzon, cardio

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If you've never had a chance to speak with "The Destroyer" Sean Loeffler, he's quite the character. The veteran middleweight has been fighting for 12 years, once wrestled with Shaquille O'Neil, and is currently dating Miss November from 2011's issue of Playboy. Needless to say, he's been around the block and when he starts talking, you listen. Loeffler was slated to make his UFC debut last Wednesday against Buddy Roberts at UFC on Fuel TV before a horrific fight night ankle injury prevented him from competing. He discussed his story and emotions about missing the bout in part one of our interview with him from yesterday. In fact, he's slated to have surgery on the torn ligament in his ankle today. But there's plenty more to share. During his appearance on The Verbal Submission, Loeffler told some of the wildest and craziest stories about the early days of his MMA career when he was fighting in po-dunk promotions all around the world. We've got one for you today and it's a doozy. (Warning R-Rated language inside) We'll let Sean Loeffler take over from here: "I've got some crazy training stories that have gone on, just like the places that I've been to fight. I'll tell a funny story about a precursor to where MMA is now. I fought a fight in 2000 in Fort Wayne, Indiana. It was a tiny little production. They flew me out there and I was fighting for $200 and then in my contract when I got there, it said either A.) They would pay for the hotel room if I won, or B.) I would pay for the hotel room if I lost. I was like, "I'm fighting for $200 and a hotel room or I'm basically fighting for free." So I get to the event and it's snowing and it colder than a fucking witch's titty out there so I'm sitting there looking at the event and it's in half of a barn and half of the barn is covered with wooden roofs and they've got bleachers in that half of the barn and space heaters because they had outlets. The other half of the barn is uncovered so they've got blue tarps overhanging half the cage and then this other area where they've got bales of hay for people to sit on and there's a fuckin' poster board that says: Cage Fights Bleacher seating - $10 Bale seating - $5 So the bales are covered in snow under a tarp and the bleachers have space heaters and you're in the bleachers in half of a barn, right? It's not a huge bit of comfort but I'm looking at my coach and I go, "There's no fucking way anybody's gonna sit in the bales of hay when they can sit in heated bleachers for five bucks more." We were the main event to the show and there was four people sitting in the bleachers and about 1400 on the bales of hay just yelling like rednecks and I'm like, "You've got to be fucking kidding me. They just wanted to save their five bucks so they can buy two beers." Then the best part happens. My opponent, he goes, "I don't want to fight that guy," and I'm like, "What are you talking about?" My opponent was like 10-10. He's like, "I ain't fighting that guy. That tattoo boy there looks like he knows some hee-haw shit and I ain't gonna fucking fight." So some other guy is like, "Well I'll fight him!" and they're like, "You will?" and this other guy is like, "Yeah!" and he's got jeans on. So they bring him into the cage, they give him fucking basketball shorts and he takes his shirt off, he's got a wifebeater on and we're the main event, by the way, and I'm now fighting some guy that's never fought martial arts before in the year 2000 and he's standing across from me and the ref goes, "Are you ready? Are you ready? Fight!" and [my opponent] just goes, "Stop!" and I'm like, "What the fuck?" At this point I'm like, "What the fuck is going on? I need to knock this guy out so I don't have to pay for a hotel room." So I stop and he goes, "Ted! Ted!" and he starts yelling "Ted!" and this guy comes out of the audience and he looks at me and goes, "Sorry brother," and out of the basketball shorts they gave him he pulls out his wallet, a pocket knife and a can of dip and he goes, "I almost forgot this was in my pocket, brother!" He hands this fucking pocket knife and his wallet over the cage to his brother and he goes, "I'm good!" and then I just kicked him in the face and he goes unconscious. I just walked out of the cage and was like, "Fuck, this." That was one of the funnier cageside stories I could ever be a part of." Believe it not, the next story actually tops this one. Stay tuned, Maniacs, for part three of "The Sean Loeffler Experience." To listen to the complete audio of our interview with Sean, click here. (Interview starts at 32 minute mark).

Posted in: fight, guy, he, im, half

Read the full article at MMA Mania

"I couldn't give a rat's ass if I beat Ryan Bader or not, I just want to put on the best show the world has ever seen. I never claimed to be a martial artist or a guy who's good at everything. I'm a street fighter. There's a lot of things I don't care about. I don't care to know what my opponent's doing, I don't care to know his skills or stuff like that, because I'm a brawler. Ya know, a street fight you just walk up to the guy and start a fight. You ain't got no tape on this guy." Former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Light Heavyweight Champion Quinton Jackson doesn't care about beating Ryan Bader, can't be bothered with watching any tape on his opponent and just wants to brawl. He also wants to put on an amazing show for his Japanese fans when he returns to the "Land of the Rising Sun" at UFC 144 this Saturday night (Feb. 25, 2012) at the Saitama Super Arena in Japan. Unfortunately his approach to this fight -- and an amazing performance -- may be mutually exclusive. Anyone think "Rampage" is just talking it up for the cameras? Or is he really going into his contest against "Darth" with a street fight mentality?

Posted in: fight, guy, im, care, street

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Ask Joe Lauzon about the last time he was the favorite in a big fight and you'd probably be met with silence. At least, if it did happen, he doesn't remember. Somehow, after ripping through eight stoppage wins in over half a decade with the UFC, Lauzon remains the quintessential underdog. A congenial assassin trapped in a computer technician's frame. So ask him about facing Anthony Pettis as a 2-to-1 dog at UFC 144, and he'll tell you, any other way just wouldn't be his style. "I like flying under the radar," Lauzon said to Ariel Helwani on The MMA Hour. "I'm not really the guy that's looking to get all kinds of respect and appreciation, and all that kind of stuff. I like to go and have good fights. I like to have exciting fights. I have no problem being the underdog." Though the title of perennial dark horse comes at a price, and even in victory, a lack of respect often lets its presence be known. Lauzon discovered as much in the aftermath of the biggest, and most stunning, win of his career -- a 47-second shellacking of Melvin Guillard at UFC 136, where, by the way, he was pegged as a three-to-one dog. "I keep seeing all these interviews where (Guillard) is like, 'Oh, Joe didn't beat me. I beat myself,'" Lauzon testily said. "No, I smacked you in the face with my fist, and you went down and I choked you. I'm pretty sure I'm taking credit for that." Even now, after a triumph so dominant in its result, respect seems hard to come by. Following the upset, Guillard went on to lose to Jim Miller in bizarrely similar fashion -- "How do you lose two fights the exact same way?" Lauzon offhandedly mused -- and now Miller has a date with Nate Diaz as the headlining attraction of UFC on Fox 3. Many assume the bout will determine the lightweight division's next number-one contender, but with the help of a little inside information, "J-Lau" isn't sleeping on his own chances. "[Because of] the timing of (Miller vs. Diaz), I think that still puts me and Pettis as the No. 1 contender fight," Lauzon explained. "Just because I don't think that Frankie (Edgar) or Ben (Henderson) are going to want to wait six or seven months before they actually fight again. "From talking to Joe Silva, he kind of led me to believe a little bit that part of the reason why me and Pettis were going out there was because if something happened with Ben, then one of us would step up and fight for the title. He didn't completely come out and say it, but he was like, ‘it would be a really good thing to have two top-ranked guys out there in case something happened with Ben.'" The merit of Lauzon's statements can be left to be debated by fans, but there remains one irrefutable backer of his point. The man comes to fight. From the moment the cage doors swing shut, to the moment Bruce Buffer tallies the official results, Lauzon has never left his employers unhappy, and his ridiculous collection of eight ‘Fight Night' bonuses can attest to that. The weird thing is, no one ever suspects it either. With teenage features and a Twitter account populated with video game references, it's easy to assume the kid from Massachusetts with the funny nickname is out of his league. But underneath Lauzon's affable demeanor lies a slumbering lion just waiting to be awoken, sometimes even to a fault. "I catch a lot of crap sometimes about gassing and cardio and things like that," Lauzon said. "But I come out and I push hard. I can be in great shape, but when you push as hard as I push, it's tough to maintain that pace." "On one hand I could ... be like everyone else and have great cardio and never finish fights, but I would rather push and try to finish people. And you know what, if I get tired because I was trying to finish guys? I can deal with that. I don't ever want to be a guy that never finishes anyone but is known for having great cardio." The words are likely music to Dana White's ears, and with another decisive win it would be hard to deny Lauzon's credentials for title contention. But could history repeat itself? The 27-year-old is once again a significant long shot heading into Sunday's event, but at this point it would almost seem odd if he wasn't. The real question is, will Anthony Pettis be able to succeed where so many others have failed? "We're just going to put it on him. I'm sure his gameplan is going to be to kind of ride out the pressure, pace in the first, and then take it to me in the second. But," Lauzon finished matter-of-factly, "A lot of other guys have had that same gameplan and I've still overwhelmed them in the first." "Like I said, it's easy to have great cardio when you're not really doing a whole lot of work."

Posted in: fight, guy, kind, lauzon, im

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"You know he's got good jiu-jitsu because he's so biased against jiu-jitsu guys. You can hear it in his voice. Whenever a guy is a jiu-jitsu fighter he's playing rusty trombone. I don't think you should talk down, you should be neutral. When I used to fight in PRIDE, watch Bas Rutten and Stephen Quadros on commentary. Those guys were my good friends and you couldn't even tell when they were doing commentary. We hung out outside of work sometimes, we were good friends but when I fought they weren't biased towards me. They did their job. They weren't biased towards skills or anything like that. That's the way it should be. Sometimes you can hear him because Joe Rogan has one of those girly high-ass voices. I just wanna tell him to shut the fuck up sometimes." Quinton Jackson, who fights Ryan Bader at UFC 144 this Saturday night (Feb. 25, 2012) at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan, has strong words for UFC color commentator Joe Rogan, who "Rampage" believes is "biased" towards jiu-jitsu fighters, often at the expense of strikers or non-grappling styles of combat. Anyone think the Memphis slugger is being too hard on Rogan -- or do you side with Jackson and think the broadcasting team should make a concerted effort to remain neutral at all times? And how do you feel about his comparison to Quadros and Rutten?

Posted in: guy, joe rogan, rogan, jiujitsu, memphis slugger

Read the full article at MMA Mania

UFC on Fuel TV: After TweetsEven prettier than last night!! Lmao!! pic.twitter.com/Bwflv2NC  -Walel Watson Thank you @danawhite, @lorenzofertitta, @ufc for the privilege and honor to compete and represent the Midwest!  -Jake EllenbergerThanks so much for all the support! Feels good to get another win but shouldn't have lost the 1st round.. Hope you enjoyed it, on 2 the next   -Stefan StruveWant to thank everyone for all the support! Everyone that came and watched all around the world! Especially the Croats! Lol means a lot!  -Stipe Miocic Diego thanks Jake - "that was one of the funnest fights of my career, he was just willing to go in and scrap for three rounds"   -ufcWant to thank everybody for the support and congrats. Was trying to finish him but he was a tough guy. Hope you guys enjoyed the show @ufc  -TJ DillashawI think diego and ellenburger are gonna take my fotn bonus hahaha those guys are warriors  -John AlbertOops    -Dave HermanHey Jealousy @RamseyNijem I swear if u r teaching other guys to strip and I'm not there so help me gawd I'll fly the f-word out there and ruin sundance   -Justin EdwardsNavigating the Social Media Landscape@BryanCaraway bro you gotta teach me what #FF means on twitter and all the other slang  -John Albert@UFCPrinceAlbert smh shaking my head lol!  -Bryan CarawayI feel like if I tweet about Facebook I'm talking about my old gf to my new gf #ryanjimmo  -Ryan JimmoGoing to eat dinner And then watch the @ufc fights delayed so I'm staying off twitter till then even if it kills me! Lol   -Miesha TateIngenuity -It Doesn't Always Smell NiceYou know you're from the westside if you use a coffee bean cup to pick up your dog's poop....  -Ronda RouseyBang's Mobile Training CenterI just cleaned 4 pair of boxing gloves and 3 pair of Mma gloves from my car. Too much gear  -Duane LudwigPat Looks Like a Hipster PirateCROATIAN BANDAID!!! moby.to/8qhfw3   -Pat BarryEpic Bromance @JoeJitsu #YouCompleteMe pic.twitter.com/vT5W24gP   -Danny CastilloLittle Guy, Big AppetiteEating salads twice a day is driving me f---ing crazy haha I need to hurt some one already so I can be a fat kid again   -Ian McCall No One Can Blame YouDidn't watch the Grammys because I knew there was not going to be enough cowbell for my liking.  -Miguel Angel Torres

Posted in: ufc, guy, ufc fights, support, boxing gloves

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I'll start with the results, along with a brief sentence or two about the fight, then I'll go into the relevance of said results. Tim Means def Bernardo Magalhaes, Unanimous Decision.Means somewhat legitimized his credentials as a two division KOTC champ, dominating Magalhaes en route to a pair of 30-26 scorecards for his unanimous victory. Justin Salas def Anton Kuivanen, Unanimous Decision.Koivanen is a big bodied lightweight champion from the Finnish MMA scene but this was his first fight against an American bred wrestler. Salas is going to be in tough in the future but his conditioning got him through the first and he was able to push for take downs and wear out the Fin in the second and third rounds. Jonathan Brookins def Vagner Rocha, KO, 1:32, Round 1.Brookins is good; when he was on TUF, Georges St. Pierre said he didn't know how good he can be. If this is only a taste, look out 145, a rematch with Jose Aldo could be the golden goose at the end of the next 24 months if Brookins keeps it up. Ivan Menjivar def John Albert, Rear Naked Choke, 3:45, Round 1.The real fight of the night, these two had a war, exchanging hard on the feet, interspersed with a few spirited ground exchanges, Menjivar on top landing well, while Albert looked for an arm. In the end, Menjivar got the first dominant position, back mount, and finished. T.J. Dillashaw def Walel Watson, Unanimous Decision.Another classic case of wrestling conquers all. Dillashaw was relentless in bringing the fight to the ground and Watson had no real response. Dillashaw needs to work on his finishing but he did fight smart, which sometimes isn't the case in the Octagon, so full marks to him. Stipe Miocic def Philip De Fries, KO, :43, Round 1.De Fries punched Miocic, which angered Miocic. Miocic punched De Fries back, harder, better. De Fries fell. Cursory ground and pound. The fight was as simple as that. Ronny Markes def Aaron Simpson, Split Decision.Probably the least interesting fight of the night for me. Not to say it was a bad fight, but it was mostly clinching and on the cage grappling. I didn't think there was a clear winner and clearly the judges couldn't agree. Stefan Struve def Dave Herman, TKO, 3:52 Round 2.A good fight between two exciting young heavyweights. Struve was trailing throughout, but remained composed, eventually landing an uppercut that sent Herman to the mat and then he used what might be his most effective attack, ground and pound from the mount position, to end the fight. Jake Ellenberger def Diego Sanchez, Unanimous Decision.Sanchez proved his heart yet again, enduring a tough two and a half rounds before finally backing Ellenberger into a corner and forcing a scramble, which led to Diego getting back control. From there he landed a good 40 strikes in a bid to stop the fight and he very nearly pulled it off. Ellenberger did enough to get to the buzzer, but questions remain about his ability to fight five rounds at a high pace against one of Carlos Condit, Georges St. Pierre, and yes, Nick Diaz. The relevant storylines and potential matches after the jump Starting at the bottom, Tim Means and Justin Salas are likely going to get matched up. I've noticed that the UFC does a lot of four man tournaments on the prelims, pitting two winners from the same card together quite often. This would make sense for these guys, they both won by decision in their UFC debuts. The winner, with two straight wins to start their UFC run, would be yet another name to add to the list of lightweights to watch. Jonathan Brookins is a good story. He is a pretty soft spoken young man, who comes off as genuinely humble. After he won the Ultimate Fighter, he had a few injuries and only got one fight in, a decision loss to one of the best fighters in the division in Erik Koch. Brookins showed a complete game against Rocha, who seems destined to be one of those guys with great jiu jitsu but no way to get to it, and this knock out could be a career changer for Rocha. Will he take the Roger Gracie approach and dedicate himself further to the sport or will he decide he's had enough of it? I'll be interested in seeing what happens with him. Brookins would be a great fight for Jim Hettes, who beat housemate Nam Phan. Two lengthy grapplers coming off dominant performances sounds good to me. Ivan Menjivar and TJ Dillashaw don't quite fit the same profile as Salas and Means, as Menjivar is a bit more of a UFC veteran, but Dillashaw has royal bloodlines through Team Alpha Male. He'll be getting big fights that can move his career forward quickly. A step up like Menjivar would be ideal for him. He struggled with a quick and powerful John Dodson, and Menjivar is a similar styled fighter. Dillashaw is going to have to learn how to handle the quicker guys; why not use a Randy Couture style game plan and get them up against the cage. He also needs to work a bit on his finishing from the back mount. He had the position multiple times and couldn't sink the choke or do enough damage with strikes to force a stoppage. He's young though, and he has a lot of upside. I'll be watching for his next match up closely. It won't be the big story, but the fighter to watch off this card is Stipe Miocic. He's now 2-0 in the UFC, with a decision and a knockout win. He's 8-0 in his MMA career and he beasted Philip De Fries. He is a quick and powerful striker with wrestling credentials who could beat a ton of guys in the heavyweight division tomorrow. Jon Anik, (or was it Kenny Florian? They sound the same!) said that he didn't think guys would be lining up to fight Miocic, which is an understatement. Looking at the division, he could fight Russow or he could move right up to the winner of the Mark Hunt and Cheick Kongo fight going down at UFC 144. As the Stefan Struve vs Dave Herman fight unfolded, I thought that Struve was going to lose. He was taking a fair amount of kicks to his leg and was being forced to defend multiple punch combinations from Herman. The thing about Struve is that he's incredibly game, and he fights best when under duress. If he's going to be successful against the big boys, as he said he wanted in his show open video clip, he'll need to get off first and establish his game. His best asset is his ground game. It's uncomplicated and simple, as it should be for a man of his stature. He effortlessly achieved mount on Herman twice and also finished Sean McCorkle with the quickness from the position. I think Mike Russow is the best match for him. Russow is a guy on a four fight win streak but who hasn't been overly impressive. Struve is probably not quite ready for the Fabricio Werdum's of the world, and every other top guy is already booked. Herman looked good in defeat and I'd like to see him wait for the loser of one of the next few heavyweight fights. The loser of the Hunt/Kongo fight I mentioned earlier would fit him well. Finally, I thought Diego Sanchez did enough in the third round to give his fight with Jake Ellenberger some drama, but he's simply just not an elite welterweight anymore. Everyone knows his game and is ready for him. That being said, I'm just not sold on Ellenberger as a welterweight contender. I mentioned the three men who could give him problems in a five round match and until I see him dominate a three round fight from start to finish I am going to say that he doesn't deserve a title shot. Everyone is hot on the idea of a Condit/Ellenberger rematch and I think it will probably happen but I hope it doesn't. In fact, if I was Ellenberger, I'd push for a fight against the winner of Martin Kampmann and Thiago Alves, on a big ppv card this summer. Run up a few hills, get himself into championship shape and make some money while he's at it. Parlay a victory into a shot at the winner of Condit/St. Pierre. He'd have a great case at that point and if he takes on Condit and loses, his chance of ever fighting the true champion would be all but gone. All told it was a very good night of fighting. These smaller shows on free TV have really delivered so far this year and if Fuel TV was happy with the ratings before this event, I suspect they'll be overjoyed after it.

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No fight fan is in any danger of confusing Miguel Torres for Muhammad Ali. One's a skinny bantamweight MMA fighter with a mullet, and the other is Muhammad Ali. But even though they might be separated by a few decades and many, many pounds, both owe the genesis of their fight careers to a specific type of childhood anguish: the stolen bike. Torres' bike had been a gift from his uncle. It wasn't exactly top of the line, but it had the word 'Ambush' written across the side, which was undeniably cool for reasons Torres couldn't quite explain. He'd made it even cooler by covering much of the bike in duct tape. "You know, so it was camouflaged," he says. One Friday afternoon he rode his bike down to a local shrimp joint to get a basket of french fries to split with his friends, but the proprietor wouldn't let him bring his bike inside. Torres didn't have a lock, so he left it just outside, where he could see the front tire through the window. "But this was when [arcade game] Mortal Kombat first came out," he says with a sigh. "I came in for the food, but all I heard was 'Finish him!'" You know where this is going. Torres had some change in his pocket, and what kid in the early 90s could resist the magnetic pull of a good video game -- especially Mortal Kombat? Torres tried to keep an eye on that bike tire through the window, but he got absorbed in the game, taking on one challenger after another. When he glanced over his shoulder at the end of it all, no more bike. "It was the first time I'd ever had anything stolen from me," he says. "I was crushed. I ran around the whole block screaming, 'Where's my bike!?'" When that didn't yield the result he was hoping for, Torres went home to "lift weights." And by weights, he means bricks. It was the closest thing he could find to a weight set in his neighborhood, and all he knew was that he needed to get stronger if he was going to be ready when he finally came face to face with the bike thief. He also convinced his parents to let him take some Taekwondo lessons, "until I found out it was all bulls--t." He'd go to school and his friends on the wrestling team would taunt him, calling him 'karate boy' and challenging him to show them his stuff. "Then they'd take me down and get me in just the worst holds you can imagine. It sucked." But little by little, Torres was learning different art forms from whatever sources he could find. A little taekwondo here, some wrestling there, even a trip to a local boxing gym where they sparred on bare feet on a concrete floor. During one such session Torres so angered an older sparring partner with his frantic Jeff Speakman routine that the man threw off his gloves and double-legged him onto the concrete floor before choking the teenage Torres with his own t-shirt. Afterward, "the guy told me, 'That's jiu-jitsu.' I was like, I have to learn that." Somewhere along the way Torres became a martial arts junkie. He read all the books, held himself to a rigid diet he didn't fully understand, took challenge matches wherever he could find them. All that was left was to find a real fight, a pro fight, something that would test him. This is where Finke's came in. If you look at Torres' record, it'll tell you that his first fight was against Larry Pulliam at Finke's Full Contact Challenge in March of 2000. That sounds pretty official, at least until you realize that Finke's was the name of a local bar in Highland, Indiana, and the "Full Contact Challenge" was more or less a gimmick to try and drum up a crowd for those slow Monday nights. "I had this idea about how it would be, but I walked in that bar and it was almost empty. It was just these shady characters -- bikers, gang-bangers. They gave me this form to fill out, and it was basically a cheap contract saying I wouldn't sue if I got hurt or killed. After that, it was: real name, stage name, height, weight, and age. That was it. There was no scale to check your weight. No athletic commission. You could wrap your hands if you wanted or you could not wrap your hands. All they checked was mouthpiece and cup." Even that requirement proved difficult for some of the fighters. Some of them had brought boil-and-bite mouthpieces -- the cheap ones that you can form to your teeth after a quick dunk in hot water -- but they hadn't even bothered to take them out of the package before fight night. Maybe it was just as well, because they ended up passing the mouthpieces back and forth, among other things. "There were guys literally saying, 'Hey, if you let me use your mouthpiece, I'll let you use my cup,'" Torres says. "And they'd be there after the fights swapping mouthpieces and cups. Guys who weren't even wearing jockstraps were just shoving someone else's cup in their shorts." As Torres was warming up backstage, one of his coaches stretched him out while attempting to impart various Eastern philosophies. Ebb and flow. Yin and yang. That sort of stuff. His boxing coach had different advice, and it involved "[expletive]ing this guy up" and then befriending the strippers who'd been hired to serve as ring girls. Only maybe it wasn't quite so delicately put. "That was the last thing I heard before I went in there. And in my mind I had this idea of what a fight should be, just this war. I had images of me hitting him and him hurting me and me getting cut and bleeding, but coming back and winning the fight. Like a Rocky movie or a kung fu movie. I thought the whole 15-minute fight would be like that. I was thinking of all the Bruce Lee books I'd read, The Art of War. All that." Instead what happened was that Pulliam came forward, was backed off by a Torres head kick attempt -- "the worst kick you can imagine," he says -- and then came forward again, straight into a Torres left hook. That was all it took. Pulliam went down, attempted to get back to his feet, then collapsed again. The ref had no choice but to stop it. "I looked at my corner like, that's it?" Torres says. "I didn't want to get out of the ring. I was so upset. I wanted to fight again." The crowd loved it. So did his coaches. But Torres left the ring with a disappointed feeling in the pit of his stomach. That disappointment continued when Finke's employees explained that, while he was old enough to fight in their establishment, he wasn't old enough to drink there. "I thought at least I'd get to hang out in the bar. But no, they kicked me out because I was underage. They were all hanging out, drinking with the strippers, but I was outside in the car eating McDonald's." Torres stayed there waiting for his coaches to return for, by his estimation, "about four hours." Not exactly the victory party you imagine for yourself after your first professional win, but Torres was already hooked. Even though 'MMA fighter' wasn't much of an actual job description in the spring of 2000, Torres "knew right away that this was what I wanted to do." He'd go on to fight many more bouts at Finke's while trying to keep it a secret from his family, but word spread about the skinny Mexican kid who never lost a bout. Not long after, Torres' father was injured by a crane at a construction site where he was working. When Torres went to see him in the hospital one day he found that his father had had a visit from a work friend who told him all about seeing his son fight down at the sports bar. The secret was out. "So I told him all about it," Torres says. "He said, 'How much are they paying you?' I was like, I don't fight for money. I fight for the art, for respect. I was an idealist. And my dad, from his hospital bed, he reached out and smacked me on the back of the neck." Torres' father's friend had told him all about how the guys from the construction crew loved these fight nights, how they paid $25 a head to get in, how the young Torres was quickly becoming a major draw. "My dad said, 'You've got to get paid. This guy's making money off you, and you're the one getting hurt.' So I went back and talked to the promoter and told him I wanted to start getting paid." And he did. For his next fight, Torres made the princely sum of $100. It was enough to fill his Camaro up with gas and still have enough to take a girl out on a date. Plus, it was money he'd earned with his art, his skills. It was perfect. It was everything he thought he needed at the time, and it was just the beginning.Check out past installments of My First Fight, featuring "Mayhem" Miller, Rashad Evans, and more.

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If you've ever experienced "The Joe Rogan Experience," you know the UFC analyst, professional comic and TV host is likely to riff on any number of topics. So when Rogan stopped by Monday's edition of The MMA Hour, it was worth exploring many of the headlines making news in mixed martial arts.Among the biggest stories over the past week is Nick Diaz, his positive drug test and marijuana issues. Rogan discussed that, the UFC's support of the controversial SOPA bill, and more.The following are some of select sound bytes on the topics. On marijuana"I think it is a performance-enhancing drug. If it wasn’t, a huge majority of jiu-jitsu guys wouldn't be using it before they train. A lot of Brazilian guys use marijuana before they train. A lot of American jiu-jitsu guys use it before they train. And they don’t do it because it hurts them; they do it because it helps them."On Nick Diaz's marijuana use"I think he likes smoking weed. I think it’s that simple. I think he’s doing it whether or not he’s fighting, whether he’s training or running marathons."On how to handle Diaz"He needs like a Cus D’Amato-type character, who’s there watching everything he does and making things easy for him. All that nonsense where he couldn’t get on the plane... look, you’re not dealing with your average dude. Someone should’ve been taking care of him. They should’ve had someone pick him up at the house. Don't make him drive to the airport. Pick him up. Test him on your own. It’s not expensive. Test him in advance and make sure he’s clean. Make sure he doesn’t have issues."On exemptions for testosterone replacement therapy vs. marijuana "I think if testosterone is legal, you can easily make the argument that marijuana should be legal under a doctor’s prescription. I do believe that they’re both performance-enhancing substances. I think that testosterone is in fact, more of a performance-enhancer."On Diaz's possible retirement"Especially during his time in Strikeforce, he improved dramatically. I think he hasn’t even hit his full potential yet. He’s not even in his prime as an athlete … I think that Nick has a massive amount of potential. As a fan, I really hope he doesn’t retire, and as someone who loves to do commentary on his fights, because he’s a really exceptional athlete. He's really a one-of-a-kind guy, a complete, total original not just in his style of fighting, which is very original, but in his style and demeanor. He's a very unique guy." On Diaz's penaltyThe Nevada state athletic commission has pretty set guidelines and precedents that have already been set. I think in the situation you're dealing with, the real question is, whether or not it makes sense that some things are legal and others are not. Which ones make sense and which ones don't. The way it is now, he tested positive. You could argue that marijuana should be legal, but the bottom line is it's illegal, he tested positive, and it's up to the Nevada state athletic commission to make a judgment. On UFC's support of the controversial SOPA anti-piracy bill"The UFC wants to make sure people stop stealing pay-per-view, streaming them and collecting ad revenue. A lot of people don’t realize that a lot of these people are using Google ads and other various online ads and they’ll stream a website, take a UFC live feed and stream it, and then make money off of it on ads. It’s not as simple as they’re stopping people from downloading the UFC for free. It’s people who are actually making money off the UFC by streaming it online. It’s a criminal act. It’s not so simple as someone coming along who is a fan and doesn’t have the money and just wants to watch it.On problems with SOPA"… You get into situations where you got this bill like SOPA, and the real fear is that it will give the government sweeping legislation, sweeping power that would enable them to decide what they can go in and shut down. The real fear is that the government would have any power to censor the internet."On Dana White's view on SOPA"He’s not a guy who’s trying to go after the casual fan. The guy doesn't want to get ripped off. The company feels like they’re getting ripped off by people that are criminal. They’re trying to profit off the fact that they’re streaming illegally. That’s where the UFC stands. It’s not that they want to censor people. Dana White is the last person in the world to want censorship. If you listen to the way he talks, he would get in a lot of trouble working for almost any other major sports organization. Ninety-nine percent of sports organizations would have a big problem with a guy like that being president ... He’s just a guy that doesn’t want to get ripped off."On his first trip to Japan, for February 26's UFC 144"To me, this is an amazing opportunity to go to a place where modern martial arts, the most respected martial arts were cultivated. That’s japan. This is the birthplace of the samurai."On his long tenure with the UFC"I first worked for the UFC more than a decade ago. I still love it. I still look forward to it. It’s still one of the most exciting parts of my life."

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Reggie Warren is back with another edition of his new MiddleEasy feature: '11 Questions with Reggie Warren Jr.' this time featuring your favorite Tweeter and fighter, Phil Baroni. A lot of people said that our interview with Phil Baroni was perhaps the most depressing thing to ever be published on the site. I've always considered it a rare insight into the mind of a guy that has a strong obsession with taking showers. It's important to note that Baroni's last fight in Strikeforce, he came out wearing a bathrobe and spent the entire time yelling at a Strikeforce employee who tried to instruct the fighters to stand in front of the camera. I can't count the ways in which Phil Baroni has elevated to 'cult legend' status, so instead, check out 11 Questions with Reggie Warren Jr.: Featuring Phil Baroni and be sure to follow Reggie Warren Jr. on Twitter. You can also check out more interviews from Reggie Warren Jr. here. Thanks to Esther Lin for the wizard-like photography.   As you know, I’m not a big fan of northern Yankees who talk weird and act like they know everything with a cocky attitude. But I’ve always liked you and your fighting spirit. Do you have any redneck friends?Yeah I’m a fighter so a lot of my friends by default are rednecks. A lot of the pro fighters out there are rednecks and I need training partners so I have no choice to deal with and make nice with country bumpkins. I guess over the years they must have grown on me because my wife ended up being from Texas.   Everyone gives Nick Diaz credit for being one of the only fighters who goes after the body. Does this ever make you mad? If my memory serves me correctly, you were one of the first MMA fighters who really attacked the vital organs with hard punches.I go to the body like nobody else. I KO’d Kondo with a left hook to the body. I came up doing a lot of boxing and the “Brothas” are fast and hard to hit in the head so I learned to go to the body. They can’t move their body like they do their head. I always believed kill the body and the head will die.   You’ve had some amazing come from behind wins in your career…why so much heart, mane?I just want to win. Quitting has never been an option. I’ve never quit in a fight. I have never been broken. I never covered up and quit or looked for a soft spot. I’m willing to take damage. I’m not afraid to take punishment. And I always feel by not quitting—not breaking—you don’t really get beat. I’ve lost quite a few times but nobody has beaten me. Nobody has made me stick my tail between my legs. I want the guy I fought—win or lose—to think to himself, “FUCK I don’t want to ever fight that guy again.”   Who took your best punch during a fight and made you think, “Holy eggplant hero…this guy is a machine?”To be honest, nobody. I can crack and I’ve never hit somebody clean that I didn’t hurt. Nobody ever took a shot from me and walked through it   Who do you consider the hardest puncher you’ve ever fought?That’s a tough question. I’ve never fought someone where I said I better not exchange with this guy. I’ve always bet on myself and felt confident with my ability to absorb and deliver punishment. You know what? Amar Suloeve hit hard. That guy could crack. I’d have to say Amar. But you know what? Fuck that guy-cheap-shot-scumbag-Russian-motherfucker. I don’t like that guy and I’m glad I caved his head in.   Have you ever met someone who takes steroids? And if you have, where do they say is the best place to stick the needle to inject?No, I never met anybody who has taken steroids. But I know a few junkies that shoot heroin. They shoot it in any vein they can find—hand, arms, feet.   Are there any guys you never had a chance to fight in your career that you wish you could have?I wish I would have fought a couple of the champions in the UFC. There have been times when I felt as if I matched up well with some champs and wish I would’ve been able to fight them for the title. But nobody personally for any reason.   What is your proudest moment in the ring or cage?The proudest moment of my career so far was beating Minowa in the Pride Bushido Main Event. Minowa was a charismatic Japanese fighter who would fight anybody. He took on all comers—guys twice his size and tapped them out with leg locks. He beat top K1 kickboxer Stephan Leko, legendary UFC Heavyweight contender Kimo, super heavyweight pro boxer Butterbean. Minowa was a crowd favorite and a fan favorite and started taking on guys more his size to prove he was a legit contender at welterweight. So they brought me in to lose. They brought me in as the New York Muscle Hammer, a guy from America with a good body who would look like a tough legit opponent that Minowa would surely beat. I knew why they were bringing me in. They would show all my highlights of KO’ing guys and set it up as I’m the big tough UFC guy that Minowa would beat, proving he was legit. They figured I must have been washed up because I was just released by the UFC after losses. What they didn’t realize is, I lost close fights to top ranked guys in the division—Lindland and Tanner who went on to be the champion. To make a long story short, as the underdog with everything stacked against me, I fought hard for 14 minutes until I knocked him out with soccer kicks and head stomps. Against the odds, as the underdog brought in to lose against a local hero in a foreign country, I upset and knocked out Minowa. This was my proudest moment because I proved I was still a contender and a legit threat to anyone in the division. I proved I wasn’t washed up and I still could fight with the world’s best.   I saw a paintball gun trip you went on and you kind of pissed me off the way you were picking on that chubby kid who called you fat. If I were that kid’s dad, I would hunt you down and possibly shoot you (assuming that he couldn’t beat you up in a fight). Do you think that kid deserved the treatment you gave him?I was just messing with Cody to make the video funny. His dad was there. Everyone was in on the joke. He is a tough little wrestler and I owe him and his friends another paintball game. That reminds me… I’m supposed to call his wrestling coach and do a clinic for his team.   I think you would enjoy the documentary about Spencer Fisher and Josh Neer called ‘The Man in The Arena’…those guys have heart and like to fight. Have you watched it yet?I really liked and identified with that movie. I think it was well done. As a fighter, Spencer is easy for me to relate to. I have always been a fan of Spencer…I’ve met him a few times and he is a real good guy. I am fans of everyone featured in the documentary. I respect Neer a lot too. As a fighter who has been up and down myself, how can you not root for those guys and admire their toughness and work ethic?   It’s the year 2013, where do you see the New York Bad Ass?Fighting much more often and winning. I plan on being a contender again. I really want to fight again for ONE FC. I love everything about that show…it has a big show feel but an old school NHB aura. It inspires me. It’s like fighting in the Kumite. I feel like I’m in Blood Sport and fighting all these crazy fighters from around the world with their own exotic styles. I really am motivated to fight there and climb the ladder. I want to go back over there and resurrect my career like I did in PRIDE and win the Title in ONE FC. It’s my biggest goal in fighting right now. I want to kick the shit out of some cats over there.

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Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Lightweight Champion Frankie Edgar knows a thing or two (or three) about tough fights. His epic duo of bouts against B.J. Penn, as well as his trilogy with Gray Maynard, have cemented his status as a guy who can take a licking and keep on ticking. "The Answer" is also not so bad and dishing out punishment himself, either. And that's exactly what he plans to do when he faces Ben Henderson at UFC 144 on Feb. 26, 2012, at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan. "Bendo" has won his first three fights inside the Octagon. And he hasn't been besting slouches during that impressive stretch. With decisive wins over Mark Bocek, Jim Miller and Clay Guida (in that order), Henderson announced to the mixed martial arts (MMA) world that he means business. Edgar knows he's a tough guy and he's taking him seriously. During an interview with HDNet's "Inside MMA," the 155-pound champion talked about the challenge ahead of him: "He's been on a tear since he's been over here in the UFC. He's beat three top guys; all contenders. He's the man right now. So, he's got a lot of steam behind him. I know he brings a lot of heat. I think it'll be a very high output kind of fight and I can't wait." According to Edgar, everything is currently on schedule and going great. He's doing his best to use the resources he has at his disposal, both for this fight, but also for the international experience of fighting in Japan: "Training's going great. I'm about to ship out to Japan, next week. Obviously I have Renzo (Gracie) and Ricardo (Almeida) to talk to and bounce ideas off of. We're gonna get there like nine days in advance. I figure that should be enough time. You know, I fought in Abu Dhabi, which is a pretty significant time difference, so, you know, it's gonna be business as usual." Though Edgar has fought several tough guys, he's never really fought anyone exactly like Henderson. He's aware of the dangerous package that he brings to his fights and is doing the best he can to make preparations: "It's tough. You know, a guy like that is really tough to duplicate, as far as training partners go. You get a little mixture of this and that in different guys and you try to prepare the best you can for him. You know, I think it's just his scrambling ability. He scrambles really well and he's a great athlete. He throws good knees and stuff like that. I don't wanna get caught with one of them, for sure." In the meantime, Edgar is trying to take it easy, but not too easy. He believes the success he's experienced has been a direct result of his hard work: "Not too much relaxing. You know, if I relax too much, then the success won't continue. I've been with my wife and my kids, stuff like that. I've been trying to unwind and do it that way." One thing is for certain: MMA fans are in for quite a show when these two 155-pound warriors enter the cage later this month. There will be plenty of fireworks for the Japanese fans lucky enough to be in attendance. Will "The Answer" have what it takes to overcome this next obstacle in his career? Or will "Bendo" be able to do enough to steal the belt away and prove he is the best lightweight fighter in the world? Opinions, please.

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This should go without saying, but you should never mess with Matt Brown’s chewing tobacco.  You probably shouldn’t pour too much milk over his cereal either.  In fact, just leave Matt Brown alone to avoid getting seriously injured in the event you ever have to be in his vicinity while he’s preparing for a fight.  I’m sure that outside of training camp, he’s the kind of guy who’d make an outstanding companion on a fishing trip, perhaps he’d make a righteous wingman at the local watering hole, but that’s not the context in which we know Matt Brown, so we’ll continue to insist you remain cautious around him at all times. While most of you are still giddy about Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson’s headkick knockout of the night over Daniel Stittgen at UFC 143, Matt Brown remains unimpressed with the quality of his opponent and suggests that Wonderboy hasn't fought anyone noteworthy to even merit being in the UFC in this interview with MMAWeekly.com: “Name me one guy that he fought. I can tell you the guys I train with [have fought] Saenchai, Malaipet, and Joe Schilling; guys that are well known in the kickboxing/Muay Thai world, on a world level… I’m not too concerned with this guy’s kickboxing. I can go 100-0 beating a bunch of idiots, but that’s not my style.” He then goes on to say the only thing I agree with, about how Muay Thai beats Karate 9 times out of 10, but that’s really going to depend on how many youtube clips you base your observation on.  If you extrapolate the results, I’m willing to bet Muay Thai beats most other standing combat discipline 9.5 times out of 10 because many of them don’t train full contact.  Sort of an unfair comparison, but until we start seeing deadly Tae-Bo videos, Matt Brown’s statistics are all we have. [Source]

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Like a lot of would-be UFC fighters, Justin Salas had started to wonder if the call would ever come. The lightweight had had nibbles from the big show, vague assurances that ultimately went nowhere. After he beat former Ultimate Fighter contestant Rob Emerson on a mat so heated by arena lights that it tore a chunk of skin off the bottom of his foot, his coaches at Denver’s Grudge Training Center felt sure that he’d get his shot. When he beat Joe Ellenberger -- the undefeated brother of UFC welterweight Jake Ellenberger -- ten months later, it seemed all but certain. For the first time, conversations with the UFC brass had begun to take the form of when rather than if."Then they called us back and said, ‘Have him take another fight. We don’t know if we’ll be able to take him right now,’" Salas said. "I just thought, well, guess I’ll have to find another guy like Joe Ellenberger. ...I don’t expect anyone to hand me anything. They don’t think I’m ready? Then I guess I better keep proving it." Salas had accepted another fight in another small organization and had begun training for it when the call came. February 15, they told him. The UFC on Fuel event in Omaha. That’s when he’d get his shot. Just like that, Salas was a UFC fighter.It’s difficult for some people to understand exactly what that moment means for a young fighter. They look at a guy like Salas, who’s making his debut against fellow UFC newcomer Anton Kuivanen on the prelim portion of a mid-week fight card that’s airing on a cable channel that many fight fans don’t even get, and they don’t see what the big deal is. It’s not like he’s headlining a pay-per-view. The UFC doesn’t even have a photo of him on its website yet, so what’s he so excited about?But then, the people who think that have never been in Salas’ shoes. They’ve never had to try to explain to a stranger that, yes, they are a professional fighter, even if they’re not yet in the UFC."You tell them that, and you can see it," Salas said. "They just think of you like they’re buddy that they met at the bar who fought in some small show that they went to once. Maybe he’s not at your level, but you’re right there in the same category as him in their eyes, no matter how good you are or who you train with. I’ve been pursuing this as my job, as a professional, for a while now. But until you’re in the UFC, people don’t really picture you that way."That’s particularly true back in Salas’ hometown of Green River, Wyo. There, it’s pretty much a given that you’ll grow up to work in the region’s famous trona mines, spending your life underground in the 2,000 miles of tunnels that employ just about every man of working age in the region. Salas was headed that way himself after leaving the University of Wyoming without a degree once his wrestling career there was finished.Then one day a friend of his asked if he’d be willing to do him a small favor. Nothing major. It just involved him driving to North Platte, Neb. to do a cage fight against some guy. His friend had committed to doing it himself, but his wife was due to give birth any day, and missing an event like that just so he could fight in some small show in a small town was the kind of thing he might wind up hearing about for the next decade or two.Salas didn’t have much going on, and he missed the competition of his wrestling days, so he took it. He drove to Nebraska with no real preparation or training and got ambarred by a guy who clearly knew at least a little something about jiu-jitsu. Then he got a return bout with the same guy later that year, and this time Salas knocked him out. By then he was hooked. Salas eventually found a home in Denver at the Grudge gym, where coaches like Trevor Wittman and Leister Bowling transformed him from a haymaker-throwing wrestler to an actual mixed martial artist. And now, after nearly six years in the sport, he’s finally getting his chance to test himself on the sport’s biggest stage. That opportunity alone makes the struggle seem worth it, said Salas."In Wyoming, we don’t have any professional sports teams. Me making it to the UFC, it makes the people back in my hometown look at it and say, ‘Wow, you’re actually doing this.’ Because I could have stayed in the mines and it’s not a bad life. You can live a very comfortable life, living close to your family and making a hundred grand a year, living in a new house. But I chose to come out here and scrape by for years. It makes people look at you and wonder, how long are you going to hold out on this? How long can you keep at this?" The answer, it seems, is long enough to at least get his shot. Salas has dealt with his share of disappointment and frustration just to get the opportunity to fight in the Octagon. Now all that’s left is for him to make the most of it in Omaha next Wednesday night. And that, as many UFC rookies have discovered, is often the hardest part.

Posted in: ufc, fight, guy, sala, donrsquot

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"I've said it many times. In the evolution of this sport right now, one of the big problems we're having right now is judging and reffing. It's one of the things that drives me crazy and attention needs to be paid to scoring and reffing. First of all, it affects guys careers as far as legacies go. Jon Jones? Jon Jones should be undefeated right now but he's not, he's got a loss on his record and there's tons of guys in the UFC that have those. There's guys who've absolutely, clearly won fights and lost on the judges' scorecards. Nobody's perfect. There's always gonna be problems. But the judging and the reffing is so bad in mixed martial arts, it drives me crazy. The fans hate it too and it hurts the sport. These athletic commissions really need to tighten up and start working on educating their refs and judges." The state of officiating and judging is once again a hot topic in mixed martial arts (MMA) in the wake of UFC 143: "Diaz vs. Condit," the pay-per-view (PPV) event from last Saturday night (Feb. 4, 2012) at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. Fans and media alike are split on who the real winner was after five rounds of action, despite Carlos Condit getting the unanimous decision nod over Nick Diaz in "Sin City." A complete and utter travesty? Or a close fight that could have gone either way?

Posted in: guy, right, judge, sport, reffing

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BRAZIL’S BOUNTY TO BLOSSOM IN 2012 Just a hunch, but 2012 could see more UFC champions from the cradle of MMA. The ‘Boys from Brazil’ continue to emerge as potential UFC kings. Innate hunger and desire, and the route from poverty made possible by the wider professionalisation of MMA, has created a conveyor belt of talent. Breeding grounds for success in combat sports were ever thus. Time was when, through association football, men from the poorer nations of Africa and South America sought their fortunes abroad, notably in Europe. That is changing. The Brazilians are ploughing the same rich furrow in the USA through MMA. Look around in the UFC and we already have three notable champions, all of whom have transformed their lives by ‘escaping’ poverty through success in their sport: Anderson Silva, champion emeritus (and now extremely wealthy), looks immovable at middleweight; featherweight champion of the UFC José Aldo, the street kid who found a gym, scrubbed the floors, met the love of his life there and clambered to the top of the tree with his vicious fighting style; and, latterly, Junior dos Santos, the newly crowned heavyweight champion. At the age of 11, he was selling drinks in the streets to help his mother make ends meet. His rise and rise was told time and again in 2011, as a paean to the sport’s development. Yet look around and emerging Brazilians loom large in other divisions: Renan Barao looks like a wrecking machine at bantamweight, most likely to be joined soon by the exciting TUF 14 145lb champion Diego Brandao. At lightweight, Edson Barboza is one I strongly rate as a title contender, who could well get his opportunity in 2012. Then there’s Erik Silva, who could be the best of the newcomers, at welterweight. It’s back to Brazil in early 2012, while TUF Brazil will likely showcase even more rising stars. The future is definitely green and gold. COUTURE MAJOR HOLLYWOOD HIT Randy Couture continues to impress. He may have called time after losing a tooth (but certainly not his pride) against Lyoto Machida in Toronto last April, but has taken to Tinseltown with the same vim and vigour he brought to both his military career and his 14 years in MMA. It seems his commitment to acting has had a distinct impression on a few guys who act tough. Notably, Jason Statham and Sylvester Stallone. Stallone admitted Couture was “the toughest guy on set” during filming of The Expendables, and, by all accounts, the unflappable stuntmen don’t want to do a fight scene with him. Statham, action man in the movies and a serious MMA follower, explained: “I had the pleasure of working alongside Randy on The Expendables, and I’ve had the thrill of sitting cageside at his fights. I’ve seen him teach beginners and I’ve seen him challenge fighters decades younger in the gym. Randy is a legend, a mentor and, I’m privileged to say, a friend. And from what the ladies tell me, he’s also the guy you want as your wingman. “I’ve played a lot of tough guys on screen. On the set I throw kicks and punches, choke thugs out – ever mindful of the proper camera angle – and sometimes even get the girl. I get to be the hero on the screen and usually go home without much more than a couple of bruises for my troubles. Randy, on the other hand? Hell, he’s a 24-hour, straight-up, real-world badass. “He’s the guy running at 11pm with a 40lb weight vest on after two sparring sessions and strength and conditioning training. He’s the guy working his Olympic-level wrestling and world-famous ground ‘n’ pound for weeks on end, all to ready himself for 15–25 minutes of absolute, unadulterated war inside the Octagon. He’s the guy who has won three heavyweight titles, two light-heavyweight titles and who competed at the highest level until the age of 47. Makes you think to yourself: what did I do today? Well, probably not as much as Randy did.” Now that’s admiration. But that’s Randy, too. A one-off. MMA IN THE MILITARY Mixed martial arts is loved by military men. It has all the in-built ingredients involved in the serviceman’s daily life. The heroic lives of Brian Stann and Tim Kennedy, Marine and Special Forces soldier respectively, have been well documented. In England, Jack Marshman is cut from the same cloth. He started out on the wrong side of the tracks, spending his juvenile years in and out of jails, consistently involved in fights on the streets of South Wales. Great fighters have emerged from the tough area once populated by coal mining. However, Marshman joined the Parachute Regiment, and is rising through the ranks. Now, rather than fights in the streets, he fights in a cage and jumps out of planes over Afghanistan. Marshman became BAMMA’s first British middleweight champion in the Autumn and made a successful first defence against Leroy Barnes at BAMMA 8, coming through another war. The army boxing champion may take two shots to land with one but Marshman has fought 11 times since the start of 2010. 2012 WISHLIST My wishlist for 2012: Rashad Evans to get the light heavyweight title shot he deserves; moves to set up a much-needed ‘MMA Commission’ in the UK to get underway; New York sanctioned for MMA so that we can witness our first event at Madison Square Garden; and the realisation of the Fox deal with an identifiable impact on the mainstream, even if that means the vagaries of the sport are debated in public, even by the game’s detractors. Better off out in the open, than in the shadows.

Posted in: fight, mma, guy, champion, randy

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They call him the train-ager. It's Charlie Brenneman's nickname for his coach/trainer Mike Constantino who leads up one of the top fight teams in the world, and also manages many of its fighters...

Posted in: guy, mike, constantino, fight teams, coachtrainer

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Top Canadian mixed martial arts (MMA) prospect Sheldon Westcott lives for the challenge. That's why he took on a fighter who was on a six fight win streak in just his fourth professional bout, or someone with a 7-2 record in his fifth. Hell, by his sixth and seventh fights, he was battling former King of the Cage champion and 45 fight veteran Thomas Denny, who tested him more than anyone else in his career. Westcott takes on tough challenges because he wants to be battle-tested before he reaches his ultimate goal, the Ultimate Fighting Championship, and he's hoping that 2012 will be his year. Westcott will be battling Jay Jenson this Saturday night (February 11, 2012) at Aggression MMA 9 in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. He spoke with MMAmania.com during a guest spot on The Verbal Submission this past weekend where he discussed his fighting philosphy, realizing he wanted to be a fighter and what he plans to do to Jay Jenson this weekend in part two of this two-part interview. Check it out: Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): I also have a question about how you get into fight mode. I tend to twitter stalk my interviewees and you mentioned how you had insomnia, you just couldn't sleep. Is that something that just happens to you when you get closer to a fight? Sheldon Westcott: The weird thing is, I'm a horrible sleeper to begin with and around fight time, I'm hit or miss. I'm either sleeping like someone who just had turkey dinner or I can stay up for hours. I usually only get about 4-5 hours a night of sleep but there's certain nights where it'll be 1-2 o'clock in the morning and I'm no where near being tired and if it wasn't -40 degrees outside, I'd go for a run up here in Canada. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): I want to talk about this upcoming fight you've got, February 11th, Aggression MMA 9, you're taking on Dave Cochran, right? Sheldon Westcott: Well, after my Thomas Denny fight, i actually enjoyed fighting a guy who had a lot of experience but Dave Cochran ended up pulling out. He got got injured and now I'm fighting a guy named Jay Jenson. He's out of the United States. He's 7-5 and all of his wins come by finish. He has three TKOs, four submission victories. Almost all of his wins come in the first or early in the second round and his losses come late in the third or really early in the third. He's only been finished once in the second round but yeah, I got a new opponent. I was actually really looking forward to the Dave Cochran fight because he fought in Strikeforce and he fought all these guys. His second to last fight was against Luis Santos, who's 50-7and that interests me. I love fighting guys who have a ton of experience because if you've ever fought a guy who's been in there with everyone, like a Thomas Denny, you know for a fact there's certain guys you can intimidate but you're not going to intimidate guys who have 50 fights so you have to go in there and just fight and a lot of people, the composure that you keep over the fight, you learn so much more from the fights where you go in there and you blitz a guy and there's a lot of guys who don't have a lot of fights. They make simple mistakes when they get that much pressure put on them whereas you get a veteran guy, you put that much pressure on them and you'll see a whole different aspect and a whole different look in the fight, itself. Ben Thapa: After some of the troubles with finishing Thomas Denny, are you more hesitant to set up your submissions? Would you rather soften him up with punches, sort of punish him? Sheldon Westcott: My next fight coming up, I'm gonna set up my chokes, I'll take his neck home. That's one of the things where, even though I didn't finish it in the Denny fight, if I get a hold of his neck, it'll stay in Canada with me. Ben Thapa: In terms of going up to Canada and going all over the place to get your fights, what's your limit? How far are you willing to go, Brazil? Or would you rather want to stay in North America or even within your area in Canada? Sheldon Westcott: I love fighting at home. That's something I don't want to ever get construed that I don't. I love fighting at home. I love fighting in front of my friend. I love making an evening out of it. I sell in the neighborhood of 200-300 tickets and all my friends and family get to come out. They get to appreciate the sport and they're all learning about the sport in between all my fights so they know a little bit more to talk to me about but at the same time, me and my manager, we're trying to get a fight over in England and I've even said to myself I'd pay my way there. You guys pay my fight purse, I'll pay for my flight there. I just want to fight and that's one of the things that separates me from a lot of people is, I just want to fight. I'll fight a guy tougher than I'm supposed to. In my second fight I shouldn't be fighting a guy who's 10-4. In my third fight, I shouldn't be fighting a guy who's 9-2. I shouldn't be fighting a guy with 40 more fights than me but I wanted to fight and I wanted to challenge myself. I want to see how good I really am because, to me, I don't gain anything by fighting a guy who's 2-8 just because I need a win. I want to fight a guy who I think is another step up because my goal is the UFC and I don't want to sit there and smash cans until I get to the UFC and then there's a huge jump in the level of the guys I'm fighting. You see all these guys who go to the UFC, the reason why they have the hardest time trying to get used to the UFC, get through the jitters is because there's a huge jump in competition. They've been fighting these guys who have no business being there, they couldn't even wipe up the blood at the UFC and they're fighting there and they're almost having a panic attack because they don't know what it's like to be on their back and getting punched. They don't know what it's like to be in a bad position in a fight and for me, that's not where I want to be. I want to fight the best guys at any time and I don't care where. If it's in England, it's in Canada, it's Brazil, it's Australia, as long as I'm getting paid a little money to do it and my opponent's gonna show up, I'll fight. Ben Thapa: That's a lot of passion right there. Is there a specific moment that you knew that fighting was what you wanted to do, or that this was something you could make a professional career out of? Sheldon Westcott: It was probably back to one of my first tournaments where I fought a guy. I ended up fighting a guy in the tournament who was a black belt in jiu-jitsu but I didn't know because it was a no-gi tournament and I won the tournament. I was super happy about winning because it was my first tournament and my coach comes up to me and he's like, "Oh yeah, you beat this guy," and I'm like, "Yeah?" and they're like, "He's really good. You need to keep doing this," and then I went into my first fight and I loved it. From the amount of nerves you get to just competing on that level to just competing and being nervous, being nervous before you fight and having those jitters and knowing what you put into it is what you get out of it and you know what, when I first started, it could have been my first practice. I knew that I'm addicting. This is my new sport. This is what I'm gonna do and I just haven't turned back yet. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): What are some of your goals for 2012? You tried out for The Ultimate Fighter, I've seen you message Dana asking to fill in for an injured fighter in the UFC. What do you want to accomplish? Sheldon Westcott: 2012, in all honesty, I want to be fighting in the UFC before the end of the season I didn't make The Ultimate Fighter for. I want to be in the UFC before that season airs. It doesn't leave me a lot of time but I plan on being really active this year. I'm looking at having 4-6 fights this year so I'll be fighting on all the Aggression MMA shows which should be four this year and there's a couple other shows out of Calgary and stuff, I'll probably take a couple fights on and I might even do another boxing fight, probably not at heavyweight but I'll probably take another boxing fight as well just to get as much experience and time in the ring as I can until I win my last fight and get the right look. I got a new management company, First Round Sports Management and they represent a lot of the bigger name guys in the UFC like Jon Jones, Frank Mir, Diego Sanchez and I put myself in a great position to end up fighting for the UFC or Strikeforce sometime this year, hopefully. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): Fighting that often would be a huge leap for you because you've been fighting about once or twice a year for the past three years or so, right? Sheldon Westcott: Yeah, yeah. The thing is, I took my first fight so early that I kind of realized after my fight that, "I should probably learn some of this stuff before I go in there and fight." I took a lot of time off and that's why there's a lot of leaps and bounds in my game in between all my fights. I got to go out for UFC 108, I was in Holland and Nottingham England helping Paul Daley get ready for that fight, helping Melvin Manhoef get ready for his New Year's Eve fight. I was there with Tom Watson and I've been working with a ton of guys who fought in the UFC helping them get ready for their fights and I haven't fought as often as I probably should but the amount of stuff I'm learning in between, you know what, I think it'll be more beneficial to me when I actually fight. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): When you're thinking about your upcoming fight at Aggression MMA 9 against Jay Jenson, what do you see? How do you see yourself getting a victory? Sheldon Westcott: In all honesty, the shape I'm in right now and where I'm at in my training, the bell's gonna ring, we're gonna touch gloves, end up circling. If he gets close enough for a takedown, pick up him, slam him on his head, open him up. I'll probably be throwing punches 4-5 minutes straight and if he comes to the bell for the second round, I will finish the fight and if he gives me anything earlier in the first round or second round or if I catch him clean, he'll go to sleep either by a punch or if I get a submission, I won't let it go and if it's in there tight, he'll take a little nap. Sheldon would like to thank everyone from Avenue Boxing, Roland his boxing coach, Kyle Cardinal's Sports Gym, Arashi Do Martial Arts, Rockstar Energy Drink, Ron Hobson's Deerhunter in St. Albert, Crystal Glass, ZorBuzz and Maxim Autoworks and the Tint Factory in St. Albert. You can follow him on Twitter @SheldonWestcott. So what do you think, Maniacs? Is the 27 year old athlete a fighter to keep an eye on in 2012? What do you think of his philosophy of fighting more difficult opponents at the early stages of his career? Speak up! If you'd like to hear the audio of our interview with Sheldon, click here. (Interview starts at about the 35 minute mark). Also, if you missed part one of the interview yesterday, here's the link.

Posted in: ufc, fight, guy, im, sheldon

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I have so many questions about this Street MMA match: was this short video the entirety of the fight? Is this a Duane Ludwig situation? Are we witnessing the fastest Street MMA match in history? I hope so, this spinning back kick from this (Russian?) Street MMA fighter is absolutely spectacular. I also hope the lone, stoic audience member on the left side of the frame made that scream we hear when that other dude gets KTFO. I know it's not true, but there's something really funny to me watching the back of this guy's head have zero reaction from the knockout, aside from a chilling scream that we can't see his mouth form. I Just imagine him staring forward, chewing his gum and screaming like a girl when that guy's heel hits the other guy's dome. Man, I have an overactive imagination. I can't get over that guy on the left, it's like he knew it was coming. Thanks to Zach Lambertski for the find. [Source]

Posted in: mma, guy, street mma, street, zach lambertski

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“I think Nick will miss fighting when he’s not doing it for long enough, so I do see him coming back at some point. Not now, but maybe end of the year, 2013, something like that… He’s had breaks before. I think it was good for him. He focused on his triathlons. I think he does get antsy after a while. After about six months, the guy wants to fight. I think he’s been fighting too many times, and I don’t think he’s got that in him right now. So I think an extended layoff would be a great idea for him… What people forget is Nick is only 28 years old. He’s a young guy at the peak of his career. He’s a polarizing figure. But whether you love the guy or hate him, you want to see the guy fight. That’s the biggest thing. He’s definitely not boring. He puts people in the seats, and that’s the bottom line… So a guy like that, he’s going to be around, and I think the GSP fight will eventually happen someday.” — Cesar Gracie, via MMA Junkie, commenting on Nick Diaz’s retirement comments at UFC 143 I’m sure we’ll see Nick Diaz back one way or the other, but I think it would be a mistake to take too long of a layoff. The momentum and buzz behind Diaz was at an all-time high coming into the Condit fight. He lost, sure, but Condit didn’t exactly beat him up and smash his aura like Antonio Silva did to Fedor Emelianenko. In fact, exactly one half of the people who voted in the “Who won?” poll on UFC.com believe Nick won that fight. In other words, the Condit fight may have slowed down the Diaz bandwagon but it didn’t run it off the road. In a perfect world, I’d say Nick should fight again sometime this summer whether it be against Condit, Koscheck or someone else to keep that momentum going, but if his heart isn’t in it right now, then maybe it’s best he just lay low for awhile. Image via Esther Lin for MMA Fighting

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Top Canadian mixed martial arts (MMA) prospect Sheldon Westcott has had a rather difficult learning curve for the sport. While most fighters have a base in some sort of martial art whether it be wrestling, jiu-jitsu, judo, sambo, etc, the welterweight Westcott was a complete newbie when he first started training, having been a nationally relevant track and field athlete coming out of high school. It turns out the Edmonton native was a quick learner as within a few years of training, he was on a three fight win streak in which he finished all of his opponents within the first minute. Westcott spent all of 2011 feuding with veteran Thomas Denny, drawing in his first fight and then ending the conflict with a dominant victory in their second bout. After just missing out on being a contestant of the upcoming season of The Ultimate Fighter, the Canadian brawler has big plans for 2012. Westcott will be battling Jay Jenson this Saturday night (February 11, 2012) at Aggression MMA 9 in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. He spoke with MMAmania.com during a guest spot on The Verbal Submission this past weekend where he discussed getting into MMA, his fights with Thomas Denny and what led to him no longer being employed by MFC in part one of this two-part interview. Check it out: Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): You had some pretty good exposure in 2011, getting two fights in MFC, both against Thomas Denny, so that must have been pretty wild, right? Sheldon Westcott: Yeah. My fight with Thomas Denny, I learned a lot from the first fight. I thought I still won the first fight with Thomas Denny but it went to a draw and then the rematch, I won all three rounds. I even got a point taken away in the third round and I still ended up winning that round, i dropped him and stuff, but yeah, i had a good 2011. 2010 and 2011 were both really good years for me. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): Definitely 2010, you had a streak there where you were finishing everybody not just in the first round, but inside the first minute. Sheldon Westcott: Yeah, I had three fights. One was 51 seconds, one was 30 and one was 28. The thing was, a lot of people were like, "Oh, you beat the guys really quick," and then they'd look at the guys' records and, "This guy who you beat in 30 seconds was 10-4. This guy who you beat in 28 seconds was 9-3," and then my next fight, I'm fighting Thomas Denny in my 4th fight where people were like, "What the heck is this guy doing in his fourth fight?" I'm supposed to be fighting some guy who's like 0-3 in my fourth fight, not some guy who's got 46 fights. Ben Thapa: Going back to one of your last fights, the very first round of the first fight with Thomas Denny, you had a 10-8 round, you were dominating him and you tried a couple times to get guillotines and unfortunately they didn't work, they didn't finish Denny and he went on to kind of come back. I'm wondering, did that change your fight strategy from then on? Sheldon Westcott: The thing is, I've watched that first Denny fight probably like 30 times and you know what? All the simple mistakes I haven't made in my earlier fights, I made in that fight. Like all those guillotine chokes, if you look, if you watch any of my other fights, I didn't throw a single punch to set up that choke. I didn't even set up that choke. I just jumped on his neck. Even if I'm in training, if I don't have that choke deep, I don't waste my energy. I'm not gonna waste my time trying to rip it off and I thought, "Hey, you know what? I think I've got it enough," and I burnt my arms out in that first round. Then at the start of the second round I was like, "Holy geez, my arms are on fire!" and if you look at the second round, he went down in the second round and I had three takedown attempts and one of my takedown attempts, I had my arms underneath his legs and he jumped into guard and the thing is, I don't know if the judges were looking at that as a takedown or if it looked like him jumping into guard and the last round, he won the last round hands down but it changed it a little bit. I made a lot of mistakes in that fight where I didn't set anything up. I didn't work to finish the guillotine choke and the choke is, if you don't set it up, you don't get it deep, there's no point wasting your time and your energy trying to finish something that's not there. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): I was doing some research and I saw you were talking a couple months ago that you were preparing for December 9th. Now did you have a fight that got cancelled on December 9th that you were training for? Sheldon Westcott: Actually, it was a boxing fight. In October, I've been training at Avenue Boxing in Edmonton, Alberta Canada and the promoter of KO Boxing, they brought a guy in from Toronto, which is about five hours away. They flew him in and his opponent got sick, he had a massive infection and they're like, "Hey Sheldon, do you want to take this fight?" and I'm like, "Well, it's a boxing fight on three days' notice. Yeah, sure, why not?" and they say, "There's one catch," and I'm like, "What's that?" and they're like, "It's at heavyweight." I'm like, "Okay, let's do it." So in October, I took my very first boxing fight at heavyweight and it went really well. I won in 1:02 and then December 9th, I was looking to have another boxing fight, again it would have been at heavyweight because I was gonna fight a local guy from here in Edmonton and he had about 5-6 pro boxing fights but there was a little bit of complication with me and the gentleman who owns MFC and The Ultimate Fighter tryout is a big tangled mess so I ended up getting an injunction put against me for my boxing fight so I couldn't take my boxing fight because I went out to Las Vegas to try out for The Ultimate Fighter show. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): I heard that you bought yourself out of your MFC contract because this upcoming fight's for Aggression MMA, right? Sheldon Westcott: Yeah, absolutely. What happened was, I was with the MFC and I got the okay to do a pro boxing fight so I took the pro boxing fight of course going through all the avenues that I possibly could and I enjoyed it. I got the opportunity to take another one and I went to the MFC and I asked them if I could take a boxing fight because I need their okay because it's in Canada and the owner of the MFC said, "Yeah, sure, that's fine," and my contract with MFC was up in February and Ultimate Fighter tryouts were December the 3rd and obviously, like any athlete who's coming up, they see that avenue and they think, "Why not take that route?" So I decided, "Hey, I'm gonna go try out for The Ultimate Fighter," and once the owner of the MFC found out, he said, "If you go down there," because he wanted me to fight for the MFC and it was just Canada-wide and if I went down to the States and I made the show, I'd be leaving MFC, he said "If you go down there, I'm gonna put an injunction against your boxing fight and I won't let you box," and you know what? I had to take the leap and I had to try out for the show and I wasn't able to have the boxing fight because of it but it was a good opportunity and I've found myself in a better place now and I'm fighting in Aggression MMA February 11th and I left the MFC and now I'm with Aggression. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): That's crazy. Did you hear any feedback about your tryouts with The Ultimate Fighter? Did you get a call back or anything? Sheldon Westcott: My manager got a call. I didn't end up making the show. I made it to the very end stage but I didn't end up making the show. It happens. There's 400 guys trying out and in all honesty, I had a little bit of a cut in front of me trying to make the welterweight division. Anyone that can make a fight at heavyweight in boxing, you can understand that I cut a little bit of weight to make 170 and I think that was one of the defining factors in having to cut weight five times over the course of the show. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): Now going back to getting into mixed martial arts, most guys who get into MMA, they get into it because they've got a base in wrestling, they've got a base in karate, boxing, something, but you were a track and field guy and you had no real base in any mixed martial art. You were more of a pure athlete, right? Sheldon Westcott: I started out as a high jumped and I realized, "Hey, I'm about 6'0-6'1, I can jump high but I'm never gonna be able to compete at that level and I got into the decathlon and I competed in the decathlon nationally. I finished fifth in the country, I went as high as finishing third. I had a scholarship down to the United States for the decathlon and I ended up hurting myself in my senior year of high school and I took a year off. I came back and I went down to Washington State University for a track meet they had down there but I came back and one of the guys I worked with at the time fought in MMA and was like, "Come try, come try," and I'd always watched the sport, always been interested. I'm a guy. This is the meat and potatoes of what guys do and I'm like, "Oh, sure why not?" I went there the first day and I thought 20 minutes had went by and an hour and a half later, I'd lost six pounds of sweat. Never would I ever run on a treadmill again. I was hooked. I'm just way too competitive not too compete and I won my first jiu-jitsu tournament three months later and I was fighting six months after that. Stay tuned for the exciting conclusion of Sheldon Westcott's interview with MMAmania.com, or if you'd like to hear the rest now, click here. (Interview starts at about the 35 minute mark). So what do you think, Maniacs? Will Westcott continue to develop in 2012? Did you get a chance to see him fight in either of his tough battles with Thomas Denny last year? Speak up! You can follow Sheldon on Twitter @SheldonWestcott.

Posted in: fight, guy, boxing, im, westcott

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NELSON IS AS TOUGH AS THEY COMERoy Nelson is one bad dude. Not bad in the behavioral sense. Bad in terms of toughness. Anyone watching his last four fights knows that this guy is near the top of the food chain in terms of durability, heart and grit. He also has better than average power for a heavyweight. The problem, of course, is that Nelson isn’t a true heavyweight. Not by a mile. The six-foot mixed martial artist has the frame of a middleweight. Despite the fact that he has shed 20 pounds over his last two bouts, he still carries no less than 30 pounds of excess body fat. And I’m probably being generous with that number.Imagine how good this guy could be, if he could make 185 pounds. I know that is asking a lot. It would require a complete physical transformation. But Nelson wouldn’t be the first guy to pull that off. Former UFC fighter Joe Riggs actually began his career as a 300-pound heavyweight before dropping all the way to 170 pounds. I don’t see any reason why Nelson, with the help of a master dietician and a ton of self-discipline, couldn’t drop to middleweight.Imagine a lean, muscular Nelson competing against guys with similarly sized skeletal frames. I think he would be an absolute beast, if not a legitimate championship threat. Yes, I know that there is this guy named Anderson Silva who just so happens to rule the middleweight division. He is pretty good, though Nelson has a much better chance against Silva than he does against any of the top heavyweights. He simply gives up too much size and strength to the top heavies, in my opinion. Plus, I wonder if Silva, Vitor Belfort or any of the other middleweight bombers could stop “Big Country” with strikes. Junior dos Santos, a much bigger, more powerful champion than any middleweight, hit Nelson with everything, including the kitchen sink, and couldn’t knock him out. What makes anyone think that top middles would fare any better? I also wonder if middleweights could handle Nelson’s power, assuming it the drop in weight wouldn’t adversely impact it. Fabricio Werdum made no bones about the fact that he took lots of painful lumps in his win over Nelson. Frank Mir experienced the same result. And dos Santos ate more than one punch during his dominant win over Nelson that left him second guessing whether he wanted to fight in a phone booth versus dominating from the outside.I know Nelson is a master at using his added girth to his advantage on the ground. Yet, it is difficult for me to believe that his ground game would suffer from a significant move south on the scales. It’s not like this guy just lays on people. He is a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt under Renzo Gracie, so his ground game is a highly technical chess match that I believe would be even more effective against smaller guys.  Even if 185 pounds is a pipe dream, 205 pounds should not be a very difficult journey. He is already 20 pounds, plus a typical weight cut, away from qualifying for the land of the light heavies. Jon Jones is one of the very best in the game, but just like with Silva, I’d give Nelson a much better chance at upsetting that guy than dos Santos.KOS STILL STRUGGLING TO FIND COHESIONMake no mistake about it. Josh Koscheck remains one of the top five welterweights in the world. It is a position that the polarizing veteran has occupied for several years. Saturday’s split decision win, one that many believe was wrongly decided by the judges, does nothing to affect his lofty status. A win is a win, and Kos now has 15 of them in 20 trips to the Octagon.Nonetheless, I’m a bit surprised that Kos continues to struggle to seamlessly blend his world class wrestling skills with a standup game that has become one of the better in the division. Sure, he scored two takedowns, arguably the difference-makers in two of the three judges’ eyes. But the takedowns appeared to be more moves of necessity—dare I suggest desperation—than a natural part of his offensive attack.It seems to me that Kos prepares for a fight one way or the other—standup or wrestling—and it shows in his performance. Anyone believing that this guy can no longer dominate a bout with his wrestling should pop in the DVD of UFC 113. Kos put on a takedown, ground control and ground-and-pound clinic against Paul Daley on that night. It was a masterful performance of technique, though it was the last time we have seen Kos use his wrestling to dominate the action. That is a complete shame because this guy is wasting his biggest competitive asset.Kos has a dynamite right hand. He loves to knock people out. Knocking people out, versus holding them down and grinding out wins, tends to result in bigger paydays. All that is fine and good. But the former AKA star (more on that below) will increase his knockout opportunity by forcing opponents to constantly fear the takedown.The threat of a takedown forces an opponent to keep his hands just a little bit lower so that he can use underhooks to help avoid a trip to the ground. The threat of a takedown prevents an opponent from sitting down in his stance, which means he cannot generate the same power on his own strikes. And, of course, the threat of a takedown all but eliminates kicks, since catching a kick is one of the most effective ways to get the fight to the ground.I’ve been writing for years that Kos was a future champion. I still believe that to be the case, but only if he starts to truly reincorporate his wrestling into his off attack. Two other pieces of constructive criticism are warranted. Kos either needs to find away to stop tugging at his shorts. I don’t know if that is a nervous tick or if his thick thighs constantly pull on his fight shorts. Either way, that behavior first reared its head during his second bout with Georges St-Pierre. It has been a constant ever since. He ate several jabs from GSP, Matt Hughes and Pierce solely because his hands were on his thighs, rather than held high in a defensive position. I guarantee opponents are keying strikes off Kos grabbing his shorts. He should find a way to eliminate that hole sooner rather than later. The second item to consider is the waning use of his left hand. Kos has a very good jab and a tremendous left hook. Yet, he hardly threw either on Saturday night. One-trick strikers are easy to deal with no matter how good that one trick might be. Kos knows that. Increasing the use of his left hand will make his right that much more effective. KOS SPLITS WITH LONGTIME COACHI was taken aback when Josh Koscheck announced at the post-fight presser that he would no longer train at the San Jose headquarters for the American Kickboxing Academy. Keep in mind that this guy owns, not one, but two gyms in Fresno, California that bear the AKA name. I have no idea if the decision leave AKA San Jose will affect the licensing rights for those two gyms. That stuff will sort itself out over the coming weeks.What is interesting about the split is that it apparently isn’t a split from Team AKA. According to an interview with MMAWeekly.com's Damon Martin, it is actually only a departure from his head coach, Javier Mendez. An irreparable personal rift has apparently developed over the last few years, so Kos has opted to go in a different direction.The welterweight contender plans to continue having “Crazy” Bob Cook and Dave Camarillo, two of his longtime coaches, prepare him for battle, and both will continue to work his corner during fights, according to Kos. He also plans to provide housing and a paycheck for his close friends and AKA teammates to come up to Fresno for his training camps.This is an interesting development, for sure. It is newsworthy any time a top fighter makes a coaching change. But I’m not sure if this qualifies as a coaching change, since Cook and Camarillo will remain  constants in his camp. One has to assume that Kos will enlist the help of a new striking coach to replace Mendez, though he has not made any announcements to that effect just yet.Without getting into the details behind the rift, I think that the change will actually be good for Kos. There is no doubt that his development has become stagnant over the last couple of fights. Maybe the disconnect with Mendez is to blame. Maybe he has become too comfortable in his routine. The maybes are endless. What is certain, though, is that, if Kos really trained himself for the Pierce fight, as he is claiming, then change is an absolute must. A new voice of authority, new techniques, a change of scenery or all of the above might be just what the doctor ordered for Kos. His routine will obviously be different training out of Fresno, rather than San Jose. Just that little variation from the mundane past might be enough to jumpstart Kos back on the upswing of the developmental curve. Of course, the biggest risk is that his longtime teammates and friends won’t make the journey to Fresno to help Kos prepare. If that happens, he will need to figure out a backup plan for elite training partners. Otherwise, the departure could turn out to be disastrous.History suggests that Kos will be just fine, possibly even better off. Elite fighters who spend their entire career training with one head coach and in one location are the great exception, not the norm. Reigning or former champions GSP, Rashad Evans, Jon Jones, Anderson Silva, Randy Couture, Vitor Belfort, Rich Franklin, Quinton Jackson, BJ Penn, and a host of others have all made at least one major camp change in their respective careers. The book is still out on Evans, but the rest of them enjoyed tremendous success after making the change. I have a feeling Kos will follow suit.NEW YEAR, NEW LOOK FOR THE UFC’S TELEVISED PRODUCTIONUFC 143 was the debut for the UFC’s new pay-per-view production format. The intro was a dramatic change from the kneeling gladiator that had become the promotion’s trademark opener. The watermark time clock sported a completely different look. The regular use of on-screen, in-fight statistics appeared for the first time. And the promo for UFC 144 had a totally different feel from 2011 and earlier promos. Bottom line, I’m a big fan. I absolutely loved the way UFC 143 came across from a production standpoint.  That includes the production for the televised prelims on FX, which clearly had FOX production team written all over them and was a major step up from the 2011 and earlier televised prelims, in my opinion.What do you think of the new television look and feel? Was it as obvious to you as it was to me? Let me know your thoughts in the comment section below. I’ll be reading, as always.Watch the UFC® 143 replay

Posted in: guy, ko, ’t, nelson, change

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Nick Diaz made no secret of his unhappiness with the judges decision in his loss to Carlos Condit at UFC 143. Diaz went so far as to declare his retirement from MMA as a result of the decision. Now his coach Cesar Gracie has made it clear he agrees with Diaz, even if he's not retiring himself. Gracie spoke to Ariel Helwani on the MMA Hour today "I literally just got off my computer to watch that first round again," he said on Monday's edition of The MMA Hour. "And I thought, you'd have to be insane to think a guy chasing the other guy down, landing the significant punches, and running after a guy, trying to fight a guy who will not fight, that is scared to fight, and you lose? How do I tell my fighter what he should have done better? It takes two men to fight. If one guy doesn't fight, that should be a point deducted." Gracie said that the judges' scoring might have been personal rather than unbiased. "I don't think the judges like Nick," he said. "He comes off, he talks in the ring... Carlos was running at one point, and Nick slapped him in the face said, 'Quit running.' We were there for a dogfight. Carlos said he'd provide for the fans a dogfight, a great fight where they were going to go at it. That was not a dogfight. It takes two to make a dogfight. One guy running away is not a dogfight. "I don't know what the judges were looking at," he continued. "They've never liked Nick in Vegas. They've never voted for him in a decision. The only one was the BJ Penn fight, and he almost had to kill BJ to get that one. I don't think they like his attitude, a guy that's going to go out there and talk. I think they think he's disrespectful. They're going to find a reason to judge against him. I don't think he can get fair judging in that state at all." Mike Chiappetta has more from Gracie at MMA Fighting. I worry that Diaz isn't getting the realistic feedback he needs from his very insular camp. Like Diaz, his teammate Jake Shields thrived in the weaker Strikeforce environment but has struggled in the UFC. I wonder if broadening their horizons a bit might be helpful to the whole team. SBN coverage of UFC 143: Diaz vs. Condit

Posted in: fight, diaz, guy, judge, dogfight

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Cesar Gracie blasted the judging of the three cageside officials charged with scoring UFC 143's main event matchup between Nick Diaz and Carlos Condit, calling the trio "a perfect storm of incompetence."In the now controversial interim welterweight title bout, Gracie's longtime protege Diaz lost a unanimous decision 49-46, 49-46, 48-47 as scored by Cecil Peoples, Patricia Morse-Jarman and Junichiro Kamijo. Gracie took major exception to the scoring of the first round, which many observers scored for Diaz. "I literally just got off my computer to watch that first round again," he said on Monday's edition of The MMA Hour. "And I thought, you'd have to be insane to think a guy chasing the other guy down, landing the significant punches, and running after a guy, trying to fight a guy who will not fight, that is scared to fight, and you lose? How do I tell my fighter what he should have done better? It takes two men to fight. If one guy doesn't fight, that should be a point deducted."Gracie said that the judges' scoring might have been personal rather than unbiased. "I don't think the judges like Nick," he said. "He comes off, he talks in the ring… Carlos was running at one point, and Nick slapped him in the face said, 'Quit running.' We were there for a dogfight. Carlos said he’d provide for the fans a dogfight, a great fight where they were going to go at it. That was not a dogfight. It takes two to make a dogfight. One guy running away is not a dogfight."I don't know what the judges were looking at," he continued. "They’ve never liked Nick in Vegas. They've never voted for him in a decision. The only one was the BJ Penn fight, and he almost had to kill BJ to get that one. I don't think they like his attitude, a guy that's going to go out there and talk. I think they think he's disrespectful. They're going to find a reason to judge against him. I don't think he can get fair judging in that state at all." Judges are independently appointed by each state's athletic commission. Last Saturday night's fight marked the fifth time Diaz has fought to a decision in Nevada, and he has lost four of them. In addition to the Condit bout, he lost three-rounders to Joe Riggs, Diego Sanchez and Karo Parisyan, with all three of those bouts coming between 2004-2006.Gracie held back on criticism of Condit, except to say that he was "disappointed" in the way he fought after promising a war, but placed the blame for that on Condit's coaching staff. "It's one thing to avoid standing in the pocket, it's one thing to know how to dodge punches and kicks, and be somewhat elusive and have great defense," he said. "It’s another thing to turn your back and run from a fighter. That's completely different. You shouldn't be telling your fighter to fight like that. I think it's a disgrace and a shame. I've said this before: I don't like that camp. I'm not going to take that back."After the fight, Diaz said he might be done with mixed martial arts. Gracie has yet to speak with him in any depth about his future, but said he could understand Diaz's frustration in the moment. Some have wondered whether an instant rematch would lure Diaz back. On Monday, Condit's manager Malki Kawa told MMA Fighting that his side wasn't interested in that. That came as no surprise to Gracie. "Of course they're not interested in a rematch," he said. "They lost the first one."Gracie said he has yet to hear anything from UFC officials regarding a rematch, but that he would be on board for it. One prerequisite? A new location."The whole judging criteria is so flawed, and that these guys don't have anyone to answer to," he said. "Once they're in there, they're not getting reviewed. You're going to get fired because you're obviously an incompetent judge? That doesn't happen. It's like the Supreme Court. You're in there for life. You can do whatever you want and you can tell everybody basically to 'F off' if they don't like it. It's a position of total power. They're making decisions that are ruining the sport and are ridiculous. No one’s going to get them out of there. It's absurd if you think about it."

Posted in: fight, diaz, guy, gracie, dont

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Josh Koscheck dropped a bomb the other night after his victory over Mike Pierce at UFC 143. Following the fight Koscheck revealed that he was leaving the American Kickboxing Academy, the prestigious camp in San Jose where he had trained for nearly eight years. What he didn’t do was explain why he was leaving, but he certainly opened up about it in an interview with MMA Weekly yesterday. Koscheck said there was one simple reason why he left and that reason is lead trainer Javier Mendez. In short, Koscheck had grown sick and tired of Mendez blaming everyone but himself whenever an AKA fighter lost. “There’s one reason I’m leaving San Jose AKA and that’s because of Javier Mendez,” Koscheck stated. “He’s the only reason I’m leaving that gym. It almost hurts me because I love training with those guys, I love training with (Jon) Fitch, and (Mike) Swick and Cain (Velasquez) and (Daniel) Cormier, and (Justin) Wilcox and all those guys, they are my brothers, and it hurts me to have to make this decision for me because the fact that it’s like splitting up the family.” “This goes back from quite a bit, and history repeats itself. Whenever you have a guy for example whenever I had the loss against (Thiago) Alves and I took the fight on short notice with him, and after the fight I had a lot of friends come up to me and calling me saying ‘have you read this interview with Javier Mendez?’ and talking about me and my game plan,” Koscheck said. “So I went online and I read this interview and I started to notice after all my teammates lost, it was the same thing. They didn’t listen to the game plan, that he deferred it away from himself, and he threw us under the bus basically saying that we didn’t listen to him and he tries to make himself look good, so it doesn’t reflect on him us losing.” “I’ve lost a lot of respect for Javier Mendez as a coach, as a person, because if you go back and listen to the history of the interviews of him after AKA guys have lost, the interviews he does, go back and look at the Cain Velasquez (fight), go back and look at the Josh Koscheck (fight), the other guys on that team, and see if you can find interviews where he refers to ‘Oh I did my job’ to make himself look good and they didn’t do theirs. That’s not a coach.” Koscheck went on to say that his last few camps have been horrible and he’s basically trained himself due to the rift with Mendez, so he’s decided to stay closer to home in Fresno and train there. He still loves all of his AKA teammates like “brothers” and hopes to bring them in when he needs training partners. And no, he hasn’t changed his stance on fighting Jon Fitch. Kos says would move up in weight or even walk away before he would fight Fitch, even it was for a title shot. Image via Esther Lin for MMA Fighting

Posted in: guy, koscheck, interview, mendez, javier

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In this age of callous self promotion and cheap provocation designed to sell a few more units, it is understandable to cast a doubtful eye towards a New York Times-bestselling author talking about training in mixed martial arts. However, Tucker Max is no fake and especially not when it comes to MMA. In a recent Forbes article by Michael Ellsberg, Max very briefly credits MMA as an integral component towards his journey towards being a better, healthier person than the womanizing thrill-seeker who went out and did the things that make up the autobiographical comedies that power the book phenomenons I Hope They Serve Beer In Hell and A**holes Finish First. The relevant quote from the Forbes interview is as follows: "I've learned more about by myself from training MMA, than from any other thing in my life, except psychoanalysis." Because Ellsberg is more interested in the psychoanalysis tangents and relaying how he keeps comparing himself to Tucker, the Forbes article spends almost no time on MMA. I reached out to Tucker in hopes of getting a few quick blurbs about the positive mention of MMA in a mainstream media publication and then mashing the whole thing together as a short post here on Bloody Elbow. Tucker ruined those hopes by bouncing back and forth with me in a Q&A session that ranges from describing his discovery of the sport, the move to direct participation and the many connections he made with professionals and friends. The five-part interview is nearly 4500 words long and is interspersed with many highly passionate and profound thoughts at the positive experiences and values combat sports have for him and their applicability to others. Of course, this recent media surge is in support of his latest books, Hilarity Ensues and Sloppy Seconds, yet the interview is 100% Tucker, 100% relevant to MMA and there is no advertising or review thing going on here. Max was genuinely surprised by me reaching out and by my questions and welcomed the chance to talk about something other than his debauchery. I present his answers exactly as written (minus the bleeping out of a few cuss words). The books hit stores on Tuesday (2/7/12) and can be ordered online as well. Hit the jump for the first of five parts encompassing Tucker's experiences and views on mixed martial arts, as told in his unique voice and featuring brief glimpses of some very proment MMA fighters and figures. Ben Thapa: How did you come across mixed martial arts? What clicked you over from a viewer to a participant? Tucker Max: I got into MMA in early 2007. I hadn't watched it much on TV or anything; my impressions of it were similar to a lot of people who didn't understand it at the time, I basically thought it was just sweaty dudes rolling around hugging each other. I had moved to LA in 2007 to work on a movie, and I hated everything about LA and the entertainment business. After watching me explode about something ridiculously inconsequential, my buddy suggested I find something to help me deal with this s**t. He was rolling at Rickson Gracie's place in Santa Monica at the time, so I joined him there one day. I played football, basketball and baseball in high school, I thought I was in great shape and would just whip these losers in robes rolling around on the ground. Well, we all know what happens to people like that: I got my a** handed to me. I didn't fall in love right away. In fact, I almost never went back, but I was too arrogant and prideful to give up after one day of getting my a** kicked. So I went back and got my a** kicked again, and again, and slowly stopped getting pissed about losing, and started to engage BJJ some. The only thing was - I didn't like jiu jitsu in a gi. Everything we did, I kept thinking to myself, "I could just punch you in the f***ing face. What are you going to do then?" Of course I understand now that's kinda silly, but I didn't understand that then. I decided I wanted to try full fighting - real MMA - not just grappling, so after a few weeks as a guest at Rickson's, I went to Legends. This was when it had just opened and was at the original location, on Hollywood and La Brea, and Randy Couture and Bas Rutten were still actively teaching there. I liked BJJ, but I fell in love with MMA right away. I liked everything about it; the physicality, the intensity, learning a new skill that was applicable to real like, testing myself, all that stuff. I think the thing that really clicked with me about MMA was how much more honest and real it was than anything else I'd ever done as an athlete. It just made sense to me on a deep, primal level. Basically from the first MMA class, I thought to myself, "THIS is what sports is about. Everything else is bulls**t," and I knew this was going to be what I would do sports wise the rest of my life, and I could never go back to any other sport. Don't get me wrong, I still love to watch football and basketball, but once you get into full contact and start trading punches and submissions, you understand the raw truth of Joe Rogan's quote about sports just being "an elaborate substitute for a fight." BT: What was your first year or so of training like? How did you progress? TM: I trained at Legends for my first year, and it was great. Randy and Bas are both the coolest motherf***ers on earth, and great teachers, but the guy I learned the most from and trained the most with was Mac Danzig. Mac taught the MMA class that I took most of the time, and he was just a f***ing phenomenal teacher. He understands how MMA differs from straight BJJ and straight striking, and really stressed the fundamentals and worked my game until, in less than a year, I was good enough to train full speed with the mid-level pros there (guys like Vic Webster, Chris Brady and Chris Sepulveda), and even good enough to roll some with the bigger pros (like Mac, Dan Hardy, Amir Rahdnavardi, Scott Epstein, Conor Heun, Mayhem, guys like that). As an aside, you're going to die laughing at this: Even though Jeremie Williams was the main boxing coach at Legends then and I learned a lot from him, you know who I did the vast majority of my stand-up work with? REGGIE WARREN!! No s**t, his real name is Gary Steuber, he is a real fighter and grew up with Spencer Fisher and taught a lot of striking classes at Legends. His ground game is about the same as mine--which means its basically dogs**t--but his striking is legit. He got me from no experience to being able to get in the ring and do well against MMA guys in six months. He's a great teacher. Let me be clear: I am NOT putting myself in the league of any of those guys AT ALL. I never did anything but get my a** kicked by them. This should give you an idea of my skill level: My greatest MMA moment at Legends was--one time--I went a full round with Mac and he didn't submit me. Mind you, I didn't take him down, or land a good shot on him, or almost sink a submission, or put him in any danger at all really. I just stayed alive for five minutes, but I was ecstatic. Like an idiot, I made the mistake of bragging about it during the round break, which made Mac mad, and he submitted me approximately 50 times the next round. It was funny. Seriously though, the fact that within a year I was good enough to roll to some extent with top level pros, and go safely go full speed with mid-level pros (they all kicked my ass too, of course) is a testament to Mac's teaching ability and the other people teaching at Legends then (Gary, Jeremie, Amir, Chris, etc). I haven't been to the new location (because I left LA), but I'd still recommend that group of guys as trainers, they were great for me. End of Part One Stay tuned to Bloody Elbow as Parts Two to Five will appear daily until the end of the week (2/10/12).

Posted in: mma, guy, legend, sport, tucker

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Well I suppose this is one way to miss Madonna's Super Bowl halftime show. Break your TV. If you missed the decadent halftime show promoting world peace and sexual promiscuity, I can break it down real fast for you: it was pretty bad but the UFC gladiator found a job as one of Madonna's many, many consorts...that's about it. But more importantly; if this guy kicking his flatscreen after the welterweight title fight decision last night isn't from the 209 then we commend you, overzealous and clearly violent fan. In fact, Layzie was so moved by the video below of this gentleman bullying his TV after that he wants to help you buy a new TV somehow. Maybe by setting up a Paypal account or something. If we all pitch in like $2 we can help this passionate man get another television to abuse. You know the saying: many hands make light work. That said I can't help but feel like the TV should have been circling out more to the middle of the living room. He should have known that guy wanted him to just stand there and take his shots straight on. That wasn't smart telly, you were just broadcasting a title fight and you blew it. Should have listened to the gameplan. I mean the guy did nothing but walk the TV down and hit it. Come on. Layzie is serious about the TV if you're out there reading this, violent and passionate TV kicking guy. Contact him. [Source]

Posted in: guy, tv, guy contact, fact layzie, promiscuity i

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Part of post-fight banter is comparing scorecards, be it with other fans or journalists covering the sport. But a note to all who venture to go there: the only true and legitimate way to compare them is to score a fight precisely like judges do, by making one decision at the end of a round with no option whatsoever to change it. This puts a whole new tone on scoring fights. Anyone who says they had it "49-46, maybe 48-47" is waffling in a way that no real judge can. It's a one-and-done thing, which adds some extra element of pressure, especially in a close fight. This can be hard, especially when you're scoring a close fight where one guy seems to have a consistent edge in action where the tone and pace has few, if any wild swings. That was precisely how the UFC 143 main event bout between Nick Diaz and Carlos Condit last night (Sat., Feb. 4, 2012) in Las Vegas, Nevada, felt, but that's also why I scored the fifth for Diaz, with a final card of 49-46. The fifth could legitimately be classified as a makeup round for Diaz, who'd been close in a couple others, but without either guy getting visibly hurt, or a tempo change, Condit was simply doing too much for me to mount a big case for Diaz. Nick definitely threatened in the final moments of the fifth, which was much closer than Condit ever came to finishing him. The second round was the only one where Diaz outlanded Condit -- 30 to 25 -- and even then it was very close. I must add that it's also a lot easier to score the fifth for someone like Diaz in that situation where there's little to no question that the fight has already been decided. Would I score the fifth round of, say, Frankie Edgar-Gray Maynard II with that approach? Definitely not. There's no room for makeup round to reflect the competitiveness of the fight when the whole thing is nip-and-tuck. But Condit-Diaz didn't feel that way at all. At least not to me. You may feel otherwise. That said, I was surprised with how many fans on Twitter interacting with me on the fight felt Diaz one. I'm loath to rely too heavily on strike and other statistics, because a five-round fight is, in its essence, five separate contests independent of one another. Translation? Just because one fighter has a big edge in strikes may not accurately reflect the tone of the entire bout. You can pile up a huge edge in one round with several others that are close (Maynard-Edgar II is a perfect example of this, with Maynard landing a 44 of his 99 total strikes in that wipeout opening round). It also doesn't take into effect that's landing the more effective shots and getting a bigger reaction out of landing. Throw in takedowns and submissions attempts, both of whom have no clearly delineated equivalency in scoring compared to strikes, and it can get really murky. Does a takedown equal getting up from one? How many solid leg kicks are equal to a submission that is barely escaped? Are failed takedown attempts points for the defending fighter? The only person I know who obsesses over these more than me, and certainly more then the average fight judge, is my man Dallas Winston at Bloody Elbow. And he never sleeps. On that score, Condit vs. Diaz was remarkably simple. Save for Diaz' threatening back control in the waning seconds of the bout and two missed submission attempts, it was almost entirely striking that comprised the action Saturday night. Given that neither guy was able to visibly rock, stun or floor the other, there was little to tilt the scales in favor of either being the power puncher that should get more credit for shots landed. Condit was 146 of 273 overall, Diaz 110 of 223. Going forward and getting outlanded is a hard argument for a winner unless you're rocking the other guy (which Diaz never achieved) or landing the bigger shots (which he didn't). I think a lot of the anti-Condit sentiment came from a mixture of fans expecting a bloodbath and people just flat-out unable to accept that Diaz lost, fair and square. Tomorrow's another day, and hopefully Diaz's retirement talk is just post-fight emotion taking over. But on this one, Nick was beaten on every front, plain and simple. Jason Probst can be reached at twitter.com/jasonprobst and Jason@jasonprobst.com

Posted in: fight, diaz, guy, round, condit

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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.

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

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Here’s video of Nick Diaz’s UFC 143 post-fight interview with Joe Rogan where he sorta retires and complains about Carlos Condit running from him the whole fight. Transcription via BE: “I’m not going to accept the fact that this was a loss. I’ve lost fights before, where, uh, ya know, like, I’m not going to accept that either. That ain’t right. I pushed him back the whole fight. I walked him down. I got the take down. I’m the guy who went out on top. Had I thought I wasn’t ahead, I’d have chinned in and finished that arm lock. Hey Carlos is a great guy, I’m happy for him and his family. I think I’m done with this MMA. It’s been great out here. I’ve had a good career. You guys pay me way too much. But I don’t think I’m going to get enough to keep going in this. It’s been a good time. You know Cesar Gracie Jiu Jitsu. Good job Carlos, you’re the man, bro.” When asked if he was really going to retire by Joe Rogan he said, “You know I don’t need this s**t. You know what I mean? I pushed this guy backwards the whole fight. He ran from me the whole fight. I landed the harder shots. He ran the whole time. He kicked me in my leg a little bit. That was the way they understand to win in here, I don’t want to play this game no more. I’ll help out my team and my brother but I’m outta this s**t.” The biggest takeaway here since I seriously doubt he’ll actually retire: Now Nick thinks he’s overpaid. Love it! Video via UFC.com

Posted in: fight, guy, joe rogan, carlo, fight i

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After losing a hard-fought five round judges decision (49-46 x2, 48-47) to Carlos Condit at UFC 143, Nick Diaz appears to have retired from MMA. Talking to Joe Rogan after the bout he refused to acknowledge defeat and said he was done with the sport. "I'm not going to accept the fact that this was a loss. I've lost fights before, where, uh, ya know, like, I'm not going to accept that either. That ain't right. I pushed him back the whole fight. I walked him down. I got the take down. I'm the guy who went out on top. Had I thought I wasn't ahead, I'd have chinned in and finished that arm lock. Hey Carlos is a great guy, I'm happy for him and his family. I think I'm done with this MMA. It's been great out here. I've had a good career. You guys pay me way too much. But I don't think I'm going to get enough to keep going in this. It's been a good time. You know Cesar Gracie Jiu Jitsu. Good job Carlos, you're the man, bro." When asked if he was really going to retire by Joe Rogan he said, "You know I don't need this s**t. You know what I mean? I pushed this guy backwards the whole fight. He ran from me the whole fight. I landed the harder shots. He ran the whole time. He kicked me in my leg a little bit. That was the way they understand to win in here, I don't want to play this game no more. I'll help out my team and my brother but I'm outta this s**t." SBN coverage of UFC 143: Diaz vs. Condit

Posted in: guy, carlos condit, joe rogan, im, i dont

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UFC 143: "Diaz vs. Condit" is all set to pop off from the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, tonight (Sat., Feb. 4, 2012) and will feature former Strikeforce champion Nick Diaz taking on former WEC champion Carlos Condit in the main event of the evening. And, of course, we've got UFC Hall of Famer Randy Couture's prediction for the exciting welterweight scrap: "I think, again, the veteran in Diaz. I think both guys are amazing. A little more refined striking from Diaz but he only uses his hands, typically. Condit has a tendency to use more of his other tools, his kicking and he's long, which is unusual for Diaz to be against a guy who's longer and taller than he is. I would give Diaz the nod on the ground. His jiu-jitsu, I think, is better than Condit's, he's a better submission guy. Who knows where the fight is going to go? With Diaz, especially, they have a tendency to want to bang and be on their feet most of the time, unless he's dealing with a guy like Diego Sanchez who forced him to fight on the ground. I think Diaz is going to pull it off." "The Natural" thinks Diaz takes it but what do you Maniacs think? Anyone want to give some love to "The Natural Born Killer?"

Posted in: diaz, guy, event, ufc hall, condit

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If Carlos Condit exits UFC 143 tonight with the interim title in tow it appears he has plans to defend the belt before potentially facing linear champion Georges St. Pierre in November. Though “The Natural Born Killer” hasn’t discussed his plans publicly one way or another, his manager recently revealed the possibility of Condit taking out another top contender in a few months as a means of continuing to build up his profile until he’s a legitimate superstar in MMA. Contrarily, the man Condit faces tonight – Nick Diaz – will apparently take the opposite approach, opting to fight as a middleweight while holding on to the interim strap until GSP returns from injury. Condit Calls Diaz the “Toughest Guy He’s Fought” Entering UFC 143 Headliner “I don’t blame them,” said Malki Kawa (Condit’s manager) to MMAJunkie Radio of Diaz’s team’s decision before continuing, “But if there’s another fight that makes sense stylistically, a guy staying busy – I’ve seen – is better than a guy who takes long breaks.” “You can build a bigger fan base and get people excited,” he continued, adding, “It’d make the GSP fight even bigger…So if the right opponent steps up, I think we maybe need to take the fight.” Catch Diaz-Condit tonight to see what the future of the division holds when they meet on PPV with the broadcast starting at 10:00 PM EST. Prelims are on Facebook/FX starting three hours earlier. PHOTO CREDIT – UFC Tweet

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

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Tonight may be UFC 143, but there is never a bad time to talk about the debate over the placement of Strikeforce fighters relative to their UFC counterparts. In a recent article at Sports Illustrated, Loretta Hunt covers a variety of reasons people may underrate Strikeforce fighters and talks to guys like Luke Rockhold and Tim Kennedy about the stigma that comes with fighting in the "B promotion." From the article: UFC fighters haven't exactly helped that cause. Answering a challenge made by Strikeforce light heavyweight Mohammed "King Mo" Lawal earlier this month, former UFC champion Quinton "Rampage" Jackson said fighting in Strikeforce would be a "step down" in his career. In another interview, UFC middleweight Michael Bisping feigned ignorance when asked about critical comments Strikeforce's Kennedy had recently made about him. "Who's he?" asked Bisping. "I've never heard of him." ... "Between Jacare, Luke and myself, I think that we could take on seven out of the top 10 guys in the UFC in our respective weight class, but almost all of the media and the fans disagree with us," said Kennedy, who's won back-to-back fights in Strikeforce. "I've said it my entire career that I just want to fight the best guys. Now I add the caveat that now I want to fight the guys that everyone else thinks are the best fighters." Kennedy said it was frustrating to watch Demian Maia (15-4), who's been recognized on all three rankings lists in the past, lose to unranked newcomer Chris Weidman during the UFC's second FOX broadcast last Saturday. Weidman took the bout on 11 days notice and cut a whopping 30 pounds to make weight for it. Kennedy, who said he's been training to fight at Strikeforce's next event on March 3 should an opening arise, vigorously campaigned for the vacancy and was disappointed that he was "never seriously considered" for it. Depth is always going to be the issue that holds a fighter back from being elevated too highly in the eyes of many. When Rockhold is having to defend his title against a guy who has never fought at middleweight and has lost every fight of any note recently, it's hard to think of Strikeforce as having the depth to really elevate a fighter. That leaves fans and the media to try to judge relative abilities and we can see that a guy like Rockhold is talented. But, of course, it's difficult to consider him an absolute top tier talent until we see how he fares against other guys on that level. It is interesting to see Kennedy say that he was campaigning for the shot on Fox against Maia. I have to think he'd have put a hurting on Demian given how bad he looked that night.

Posted in: ufc, strikeforce, guy, fighter, kennedy

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You'd think someone coming back from a potentially career-ending injury would be more sympathetic towards an athlete in a similar situation, but this is Josh Koscheck we're talking about. What's the opposite of well-wishing? What Kos does here to Georges St Pierre: Koscheck: Hopefully George is out for more than 10 months and they make that interim title holder fight twice.Helwani: You're rooting against him?Koscheck: Yeah absolutely. Hopefully he never comes back. Basically ACL surgeries take a lot out of you. I've had friends who've had the surgery and they say they're never the same. Hopefully it evens out the playing field and we can get another crack at Georges.Helwani: There's still bad blood there?Koscheck: No. Me and George have always been cool. He's a respectable guy outside of the cage when we're not fighting. He's a great person. I'm sure we would probably hang out. Well maybe not, he'd probably say no but I'd be willing to kick it with him. "Oh yeah, we're totally cool. I'm just praying this injury cripples him for the rest of his career. No biggie." Nice to see a glimmer of the old Koscheck again. He's been a generally pleasant dude leading up to this fight with Mike Pierce and it's resulted in less attention than a bad Jacob Volkmann joke / assassination plot. Chael Sonnen has flooded the smacktalk market causing massive inflation, which means guys like Koscheck are gonna have to turn the volume up to 12 just so people can remember how much they hate the guy. Maybe after his fight he can dish hate against Favored Superbowl Football Team and take his dickcrown back. But I've heard that a lot of guys never come back from the kind of whupping Kos received at the hands of Georges St Pierre. They're just never the same again.

Posted in: guy, josh koscheck, koscheck, george, blood therekoscheck

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UFC 143 is now just a day away, and while the Super Bowl weekend fight card might not yet be mainstream enough to spawn its own puppy equivalent, there are still no shortage of questions, concerns, and pithy comments to sort through before Saturday night’s event. Here are nine of them, in no particular order.I. Beware the ghost of Georges St-Pierre, for he haunts this fight card. And by ghost, I mean the actual living person. And by haunts, I mean shows up with a sad attempt at facial hair and gives interviews. The point is, he’s there and it’s impossible to forget that he’s there. Nick Diaz is right to complain about about GSP casting his long shadow over these proceedings, but it’s inevitable. No one -- not even B.J. Penn or Josh Koscheck, and certainly not Carlos Condit -- provokes as interesting a reaction from the normally robotic welterweight champ. For instance, check out what GSP had to say about Diaz, via UFC.com: "I don't truly hate him as a person. I don't know that he is a bad guy, but I hate what he brings to the sport with the disrespect and the unprofessional things he says and does. It is sort of a professional hatred. He has been nothing but disrespectful and arrogant toward me. During UFC 137 (week) I felt like I had to walk around Las Vegas with my fists ready (to punch Diaz) because every time I came across him he wanted to fight there and then. Every time the elevator opened (in the hotel) I needed to be ready to fight in case he stepped in. I was on edge all week. This guy is crazy."Honestly, who but Diaz could accomplish this? Who else could make GSP feel like he needed to be ready to fight in a hotel lobby? Who could even get him to break out of his stoic superstar character long enough to admit it? Diaz might not like the fact that so many people are talking about and hoping for an eventual GSP-Diaz showdown, but he kind of has himself to blame. He’s the one who got under the champ’s skin, so now he’s got a whole new cheering section headed into the Condit bout.II. Nick Diaz is still not firmly planted in reality, but that doesn’t mean he’s not right about some stuff. That’s more or less the thesis of my Sports Illustrated column this week (be a pal and give it a click, won’t you?), and it’s one that I think is supported by the events of this week in particular. For instance, complaining about the UFC’s selective editing of pre-fight promo videos might not be the smartest thing for a fighter to do, but he’s got a point. All that obviously scripted hype we see in the opening seconds of each pay-per-view is pretty cringe-worthy. Can you imagine the Super Bowl opening with an image of Tom Brady delivering some stilted line about how he’s going to get his revenge on Eli Manning and the Giants? No way. At the same time, if there’s anyone in need of a script at times, it’s Diaz. I’ve personally done interviews with him where, once it’s over, he’s insisted that I delete it and do another one, all because he wasn’t happy with what he said. Then, when I agreed, he said almost exactly the same thing in the second interview as he did in the first. This is a guy who seems not totally in control of the things coming out of his mouth, and yet he's right about some of the UFC’s practices. It is ridiculous for a pro sports organization to literally script and edit this stuff into the kind of narrative it thinks it can sell. Diaz is somehow one of the only people reasonable and/or brave enough to point that out, even if he may be halfway out of his mind on a variety of other topics.III. Does Roy Nelson even know when he’s being ironic anymore? It started with the belly rubs, then the mullet, then what our own Shaun Al-Shatti dubbed the "dwarf beard." Now Nelson’s entire appearance seems devoted to making fun of itself. Don’t get me wrong, I love self-deprecation as much as the next guy who mostly hates himself and others, but you get to a point where a joke identity threatens to become your real identity. It’s like your friend who wears a pair of cut-off jean shorts to a party. You know, as a goof. Then everyone thinks it’s hilarious, so he does it again at the next party. And the next one. Pretty soon, he’s wearing cut-off jean shorts to the mall and being seen in public with him becomes problematic. That’s what happens when you start living your gimmick. Nelson probably does not think of himself as a gimmicky person. Not really. But when he gets up in the morning and stands in front of the mirror to brush out his mullet and clear the crumbs from his Lord of the Rings beard, what does he think? When it’s just him and the dude and the mirror who looks like a roadie for Foghat, what seems true then?IV. Heading into the fight with Mike Pierce, Josh Koscheck would be wise to consider the plight of his teammate, Jon Fitch. Like Koscheck, Fitch was also a considerable favorite to win his last fight. Most of us thought he’d wrestle his way to another plodding decision and that would be that. Then he got floored by Johny Hendricks’ left hand and suddenly he had a brand new set of problems. That can happen to anyone, but it seems more likely to happen if you go into a bout with Koscheck’s almost comically overblown hubris. In the TV drama version of life, nothing good happens to guys like that in the end. That might not matter when it comes to actual events that are dictated by people rather than screenplays, but maybe it affects how we interpret those events. When a guy like Fitch suffers an upset KO loss, it seems like bad luck. If it were to happen to Koscheck here, especially after his total dismissal of Pierce as an opponent, it might seem more like a comeuppance.V. Fun, mostly meaningless fact: when Fabricio Werdum debuted in the UFC on April 21, 2007, only one current UFC champion was then in the midst of an uninterrupted title reign. As you probably guessed, that champ is Anderson Silva, who claimed the UFC middleweight strap some six months prior and has held it ever since. GSP had dropped his welterweight belt to Matt Serra in a shocking upset just weeks earlier, and the other divisions were captained by guys like Randy Couture (heavyweight champ), Chuck Liddell (light heavyweight), and Sean Sherk (lightweight). Two of those guys are now officially retired, and the other might as well be. That tells you something about Silva’s dominance. He’s been champ long enough to see a guy like Werdum come and go and come again. The weather around it may change, but the mountaintop stays the mountaintop.VI. Matt Riddle explained his current losing streak by saying he doesn’t "do the point game," which is true. His fights tend to be exciting affairs, if only because he’s charging face-first into punches. Then again, that’s a convenient explanation when you’re losing decisions. When you’re winning them, it’s always because you’re the better, smarter fighter. That’s when you’ll hear guys talking up their own strategic brilliance, their ability to stick to a game plan, their savvy. But when the judges don’t see it their way? Ah, hell. It’s all a point game anyway. I guess fighters need to tell themselves something. It’s not like they can claim that the sun was in their eyes.VII. Could Carlos Condit be the perfect antidote to Nick Diaz’s style? If Diaz has one fatal weakness (other than his love of video blogging while driving, which is just a horrible idea), it’s that he tends to start slow. He tends to almost gleefully absorb punishment in the opening minutes of a fight, then crank up the heat until his opponent breaks. Condit, on the other hand, is a pretty fast starter. He stopped his last two opponents in the first round and, like Diaz, neither of them had ever been knocked out before Condit got after them. Diaz doesn’t seem to mind getting hit and his cardio is never an issue, so going after him early is certainly a risk. It also might be the best shot Condit has.VIII. Prelim fighter to keep an eye on: Michael Kuiper. The unbeaten Dutch middleweight is making his UFC debut against Brazilian Rafael Natal, and it should be interesting to see how he fares, for a couple reasons. Kuiper is a judo specialist who’s been knocking people out on the European scene lately, but he’s never fought a non-European opponent on non-European soil in his three-year MMA career. I’m not saying the competition is weak across the Atlantic, though we have to admit that Belgium isn’t exactly Brazil when it comes to exporting MMA talent. That’s what makes Kuiper such an interesting newcomer. It’s unfair to ask a guy to represent a continent’s worth of fighters, but if Kuiper can be anywhere near as successful here as he’s been back home, it might open the door for more European fighters. If he gets smashed by a middleweight also-ran, perhaps it’s a sign that European MMA is still lagging behind like American soccer.IX. Farewell, UFC Gladiator Man. We hardly knew ye. The UFC has put together a new intro, finally, and the early word is that it’s a) pretty sweet, and b) really expensive. Maybe the latter explains why Gladiator Man got to hang around for eight years before being sent to that great arena in the sky. Will there come a time when MMA fans attempt to big time each other on forums by insisting that they’ve been watching this sport since back in the Gladiator Man days? I kind of hope so, as stupid as that is.

Posted in: ufc, diaz, guy, hersquo, itrsquo

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UFC 143: Diaz vs. ConditNick Diaz Works Out With His Brother Nate At UFC 143 http://fb.me/1jUgmzb1x (@DiazBrothers209)  -Diaz BrothersJust picked up my crackin new custom suit from @D2Kill in downtown ABQ http://pic.twitter.com/wKEl223D (@CarlosCondit)  -Carlos ConditI'm in Las Vegas for @UFC 143! So who do you think takes it: Condit or Diaz? (@GeorgesStPierre)  -Georges St-PierrePR week almost over, and the fight actual starts tomorrow. Thanks for the supports. (@roynelsonmma)  -Roy NelsonAll I have 2 say! Enjoy the show. Feb 4 PPV don't miss it #ufc http://instagr.am/p/mbndo/ (@JoshKoscheck)  -Josh KoscheckKOS, I agree with you. You should start looking to beef up you're resume now. These guys can help: resumesplanet.com (@MikePierce170)  -Mike PierceAlmost game time! (@cliffordstarks1)  -Clifford StarksMake sure to Catch me on UFC 143 Prelims by watching it on Facebook! It's FREE and in the comfort of your own house...Time to Conquer (@dantheanvil)  -Dan StittgenI find myself relating to Diaz after watching the Primetime special. (@KCBanditMMA)  -Jason HighThat was a quick trip to LA, always get a bunch done here. Headed 2 Vegas @DiazBrothers209 & @CarlosCondit is gonna b epic! 2 bad dudes! (@UrijahFaber)  -Urijah FaberLook What You Started, Pat Barry!@DustinPoirier hitting a PLANK on our way to cut weight at the Palms!! Rep ping that UFC Brand! #ufc143 http://pic.twitter.com/wb5KBGS2  (@TimCredeur)  -Crazy Tim CredeurWWW.SkypeAMonkey.com I wish monkeys could Skype.... ... Maybe one day :-/  (@J_Brookins)  -Jonathan BrookinsRight!so this guy tells @badboygarcia and I that he fought. I asked "how'd you do?" the guy said "medium, but I felt dirty afterward" ? Wtf right (@DUANEBANGCOM)  -Duane LudwigWEC Never ForgetWe keep it #WECVintage over here, both tryin to do big thingsRT @Sholler_UFC: @jamievarner @SMOOTHone155 little WEC reunion over there?Nice!  (@SMOOTHone155)  -Benson HendersonGladiator Man Never ForgetLooking forward to seeing the new @ufc intro everyone is talking about!!! #RIPgladiatorman (@JoeB135)  -Joseph BenavidezSmile. It Makes People Wonder What You’re Up To:)   (@LouGaudinotUFC)  -Louis Gaudinot:)   (@DanaWhite)   -Dana WhitePrank the FrankFrankie Edgar gets PRANKED! http://bit.ly/xF1pfT @FrankieEdgar @Almeidabjj @mmanytt @AliDominance @RenzoGracieBJJ @ufc (@AkiraCorassani)  -Akira CorassaniEar-y TweetsI never seen cauliflower ear on a girl..@rondarousey What do u guys think hot or not? http://pic.twitter.com/XVGFJe79 (@SugaRashadEvans)  -Rashad Evans@SugaRashadEvans thanks, it was nice meeting you ... Despite you making fun of my ears ;)  (@RondaRousey)  -Ronda RouseyWhenever someone starts to tell me something I always say "I'm all ears" even though I'm technically only 40% ears (@ForrestGriffin)   -Forrest GriffinStylish Outcasts at the DogparkBeing anti social at the dog park ... We are the kids in the corner smoking cigarets http://pic.twitter.com/KGfhxUAT  (@Unclecreepymma)  -Ian McCallYou’re Not Alone, Bro.So I think @UFC_Undisputed 3 is gonna be my date for Valentines Day #imaNerd @ufc (@CubSwanson)  -Cub SwansonShowtime Fired UpCan't sleep after watching UFC fights!!! Can't wait for Japan.... #fb (@Showtimepettis)  -Anthony PettisCan’t Keep a Good Mexicutioner Down!Well when you fight the way I do stuff like that can happen. Props to @lavarjohnson for the win. Not sure what's next for me but I'll be ok. (@mexicutioner760)  -Joey Beltran

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“People try to say, ‘Oh, Nick Diaz, you know, he’s crazy,’ or ‘He’s crazy’ or ‘He’s not crazy’ or ‘He’s fake crazy’ or whatever. I’m like, hey bro, what you see is what you get. I’m not out here trying to put on an act like I’m crazy. When you see me, what you see is what you get. And you get real martial arts; you get real fighting; you get a real warrior mentality. I’m sorry if people can’t handle it. Some people aren’t mature enough to handle it… In my opinion, everybody else is crazy out of their mind. They’re the ones putting on an act for you, doing what they’re told in front of the camera. The camera gives them a line and they say it 10 times over again, and then whoever goes back in the back and picks that out. They turn these guys into these robots. I’m just not going to be that guy. So don’t tell me I’m acting crazy. I’m out here acting natural. I’m the only one being realistic about this sort of thing.” — Nick Diaz, via MMA Mania, telling reporters everyone else is crazy, not him I don’t even bother trying to make sense of the things that Nick Diaz says anymore. He sees the world from a different lens than most of us and I’ve come to the conclusion that you just have to accept it and love/hate it for what it is. What I love about it though is how Nick manages to draw people in much like Chael Sonnen, but unlike Sonnen’s schtick, it’s actually real. Sonnen has to constantly come up with new material to keep people’s attention whereas Nick just has to show up and be himself. As much as I enjoy watching Sonnen do his thing, there’s no replacement for genuine insanity. That’s my take on it at least. Georges St. Pierre, on the hand, doesn’t buy that the Nick Diaz we see on camera is the real Nick Diaz. “Nick is not crazy. Nick is a very, very smart guy. People are like, “Oh Nick is crazy,” that’s a persona he has to intimidate people. He’s like a bully at school who tries to make you believe he’s ready to kill people. That’s not true, he’s a very, very clever guy. He’s a very smart guy. He’s very smart at what he does. And one of the reasons he is where he is in life, why he’s successful, is because he’s very smart. So I don’t buy this thing that “Oh, he’s crazy,” I don’t buy it. He’s a very smart guy. The way he portrays himself sometimes isn’t the way he truly is.” What do you think? Is Nick Diaz really “crazy” or a manipulative genius who has everyone fooled? Image via Esther Lin for Strikeforce/Showtime

Posted in: diaz, nick diaz, guy, nick, people

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It's not everyday an Ivy League educated attorney turns into an MMA manager, but that's exactly where Alchemist co-founder Nima Safapour started...

Posted in: guy, ivy league, mma manager, nima, safapour

Read the full article at MMA Weekly

As a student of the martial arts since he was three years old, it’s safe to say that Stephen Thompson and his four siblings were born to throw punches and kicks under the tutelage of their father Ray. Not that it was a choice for the Thompson kids. In fact, in what may be the oddest analogy ever, like the Amish, you did what you were told and followed the rules of the road until you reached a certain age where you would decide whether to continue with life the way it was, or break free. Stephen rebelled a little early, around the age of 10. “Growing up, there was a point there when I hated karate just because I had to do it,” he said. “Living in a family of martial artists, it was something that was required until we got to a certain age. And until I saw the benefits that martial arts have given me and other people, I really started to love it. One day it was like a light bulb clicked in my head and I understood what I was doing and what my dad was doing for us.”So when his “Rumspringa” day, so to speak, came, he wasn’t about to walk away. He was going to be a lifer, as were his two brothers and two sisters.It didn’t hurt that he was one of the best in the world at the craft chosen for him. When everything was tallied up, Simpsonville, South Carolina’s Thompson was a combined (pro and amateur) 56-0 with 39 KOs as a kickboxer, a staggering record that put him in rarefied air in that neighborhood of combat sports.But being the best wasn’t enough, and so Thompson decided that he wanted to take a stab at another combat sport, mixed martial arts. It was a risky move, but “Wonderboy” believes that to be considered the best fighter in the world, you need to excel at all areas of fighting. “I just wanted to do something new, something different,” he said. “My goal was to be the best fighter. And kickboxing wasn’t as popular, and in order to be the best fighter, I was gonna have to switch to MMA. I’ve been doing this my whole life, since I was three, and it’s my life – it’s a lifestyle. I eat, sleep and breathe it, and I love it.”Turning pro in 2010, Thompson quickly compiled a 5-0 record on the local circuit, and after Mike Stumpf fell injured and was forced from this Saturday’s UFC 143 card against Justin Edwards, the 28-year old got the call to step in. Edwards would later be pulled as well due to injury, with Thompson now facing Dan Stittgen in Las Vegas. If it sounds like a whirlwind, it has been, but with years of competition behind him, adjusting shouldn’t be a problem for Thompson. What may be odd is being considered the rookie after years of being the toughest kid on the playground. But the grounded former kickboxer is embracing that part of this new journey.“I’m usually not the type of person that boasts about things, ‘yeah, I was a world champion kickboxer, blah, blah, blah,’” he said. “So I’m just going with the flow right now. Being at the top in another sport and then moving into MMA, you’re down at the bottom of the pool, and that’s what makes it interesting; that’s what makes it fun for me, to work my way back up. It’s a challenge, and that’s what I like.”What will also be a challenge is dealing with the nuts and bolts difficulties of having a reputation like his. When you’re a guy who never lost a kickboxing match, odds are pretty strong that opponents’ first thought will be to shoot for the ankles as soon as the bell rings. It’s a fact of MMA life Thompson has accepted. “It’s probably going to be like that until we get up to the higher level,” he said. “Even now, everyone I fought in MMA tried to take me down. And if I do get a guy that’s gonna strike with me, that’s a plus, but I know that just about every guy I’m gonna fight is gonna want to take me down. I’ve already got that set in my head, and we’ve been working on my wrestling and jiu-jitsu every day.”To that end, he’s got some pretty good help from his brother-in-law, who just happens to be the renowned jiu-jitsu practitioner Carlos Machado. And Thompson is more than used to getting a dose of tough love on the mat from Machado and some of his top students.“I’m used to my brother-in-law and some of his upper belts just schooling me on the ground,” he said. “But that’s the way you learn, and that’s what I did when I first started striking.”And even though he’s dialed back his striking in order to work his ground game and takedown defense, it’s a necessary process for him if he wants to avoid being dumped to the mat by his opponents.“I’m not doing my striking as much, though I fill in just to make sure everything stays sharp,” he said. “I’ve been doing wrestling and jiu-jitsu for years, but just mainly focusing on that because I know those guys want to get me on the ground. This is a big stage for me. The UFC is top-notch, and the guys that I’m fighting are gonna be on their game everywhere. So I’ve just got to make sure that my wrestling and my jiu-jitsu’s there, so I’m definitely working on that more than my striking. And actually, I like my wrestling better than my jiu-jitsu. Obviously I want to keep it on my feet, I want to keep it standing, and I’m working on my jiu-jitsu every day too, but I love my wrestling because that’s what keeps me able to keep it standing. These guys are shooting for my legs, and my wrestling defense is what’s gonna keep me on my feet so I can knock these guys out.”That’s really what everyone wants to see from Thompson, and should he find a welterweight willing to stand with him, it will certainly produce fireworks. But if not, that’s okay, because this isn’t a lark for him; it’s been his life, and in a way, it’s all been for this – to perform on the biggest stage in combat sports and show what his father Ray taught him. “I’ve been doing this since I was three years old, and I would say that everything that I’ve done in the past has been leading me up to this,” he said. “My dad knew what he was doing when he was younger and had me starting my full contact training when I was 12. Even though my striking was what I was focusing on at an earlier age, I still was doing my wrestling, and I still was doing my jiu-jitsu, because that’s what Kempo is all about.”As former UFC light heavyweight champion Lyoto Machida would say, “Karate’s back.”  

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This FanPost was edited and promoted by MMAmania.com staff. After losing three consecutive fights to Fabricio Werdum, Antonio Silva and Dan Henderson, Fedor Emelianenko seemed to have taken a fall from grace after a decade-long rung of being undefeated and consistently being at the top of the pound-for-pound list. After he suffered his three consecutive losses, which all came under the Strikeforce banner, nearly everyone -- fans and media alike -- from within the mixed martial arts (MMA) community dropped their two cents on the credibility of the Russian's resume and overall status as a legit contender in the heavyweight division. While Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) President Dana White, who has never been sold on the legitimacy of Fedor's wins and mythical aura, for that matter, isn't too high on "The Last Emperor," there is one man who has nothing but high praise for Fedor. That man is none other than the boxing legend "Iron" Mike Tyson, one of the most feared strikers in combat sports history, who says Emelianenko is his favorite MMA fighter of all time. Speaking to "Inside MMA," Tyson talks about the admiration he has for Fedor and what he feels went wrong in his career. Check it out: "Fedor Emelianenko, my favorite of all time...He's always been the underdog, he's always the smallest guy and he always comes out victorious. He just stayed around too long in the age of high performance [-enhancing] drugs, bigger athletes. I've just never seen an athlete like him, as far as a fighting athlete, that beat the odds so many times. From a guy that just loves him from a human perspective, I don't want to see him get hurt anymore, you know? He didn't get hurt, but those guys could have hurt him, the big guy that was hitting him, "Bigfoot" (Antonio Silva). I don't like to see that. A guy that's been in there so long, and he's not the same as he used to be and you see him getting beat up, oh man that's a bad feeling." At one point during Emelianenko's illustrious career, he rattled off 27 consecutive victories, before running into Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ) black belt Fabricio Werdum at Strikeforce: "Fedor vs. Werdum" in 2009. The submission wizard caught Fedor in a triangle choke early in the first round, which forced the tap a minute and nine seconds into the opening frame after being floored early by the Russian. The defeat marked the first true loss on Fedor's record.Emelianenko returned to his winning ways when he defeated multiple time Abu Dhabi Combat Club (ADCC) tournament winner Jeff Monson, in his home country of Russia on Nov. 20, 2011, via unanimous decision. Fedor followed up the impressive performance just one month later on New Year's Eve by defeating Olympic Judo Gold medalist winner Satoshi Ishii via first round knockout at Fight For Japan: Genki Desu Ka 2011. Despite his impressive MMA record of 33-4 (1 NC), and recent resurgence, some will still feel the need to place an asterisk his accomplishments because of the fact that he never competed inside the UFC's Octagon. Maybe, just maybe, he, along with the M-1 head honcho's can find common ground with UFC officials to bring him into the mix before he hangs up his gloves for good. Or, before he takes on Tyson in a Japan-based New Year's Eve weekend freakshow fight.

Posted in: mma, guy, athlete, fedor, emelianenko

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Though the pairing may not be getting anywhere near the attention UFC 143’s headliner between Nick Diaz-Carlos Condit is, similarly to the welterweight match-up there’s another fight on the card likely to determine a top divisional contender in the bantamweight bout between Scott Jorgensen and Renan Barao. Jorgensen’s only loss in his last eight outings came via decision to current champion Dominick Cruz while Barao is 27-1 and hasn’t lost since his professional debut. Even if the UFC hasn’t officially acknowledged the fight serving as a title eliminator, it appears at least one of the participants understands a victory will almost certainly guarantee a crack at the winner of Cruz’s upcoming defense against Urijah Faber. “There’s only a few guys on a tear that I think could be considered number one contender. And I’m fresh off two straight wins, Barao’s on a heater, and to me it makes sense,” Jorgensen explained in an interview with the UFC’s website. “I fully plan on beating Barao and facing the winner out of Dominick and Urijah.” Before he can worry about competing for any gold Jorgensen knows he has to defeat Barao, something that hasn’t been done in more than six years. However, the 13-4 Jorgensen embraces the challenge with open arms and expects to show the 24-year old a thing or two when it comes to facing the best of the best. “Barao’s a tough guy, he’s very well-rounded, and he’s on a streak, so he’s got a lot of confidence and he’s riding high. But there are a lot of firsts in this fight for him, and he’s gonna get his eyes opened on what it’s like to be tangling with the guys at the top of the division,” said Jorgensen. “And I’m going in there with the same mentality I’ve had in my last two fights against (Jeff) Curran and (Ken) Stone, and that’s to outwork him, put the pressure on him, and be first in everything. I’m gonna be the guy that makes him rethink whether he wants to sit through another couple rounds of this guy grinding on him, pushing him, breaking him, beating him, choking him. And that’s my gameplan. I’m gonna go in there and I’m gonna hit him, kick him, choke him, take him down, slam him, and I’m gonna do everything to make him uncomfortable. And I’m good at it.” Jorgensen-Barao is on the PPV portion of UFC 143, a broadcast set to start at 10:00 PM EST. Preliminary action begins at 7:00 PM EST on Facebook/FX. PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

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UFC 143 goes down in Las Vegas this Saturday night, but the stakes are not necessarily equal for all the fighters on the Super Bowl weekend fight card. From those who need a win in order to save their jobs to those who just need to repair their image, there are a few men with a little extra motivation to get their hands raised in Sin City. Who are they, and what are their chances? For answers, we turn to the Cut List. Fabricio Werdum (14-5-1, 2-2 UFC)Who he’s facing: Roy NelsonWhy he’s in danger: Okay, so danger probably isn’t the right word here, but this is a bit of a fork in the road for Werdum. You’ll recall that he got dropped from the UFC after getting dropped by Junior dos Santos and then getting into a bit of a contract dispute with his employers. The UFC decided he wasn’t worth the cash back then, but a brief revival in Strikeforce has helped up his stock. Or at least, it would have if he’d made the leap after beating Fedor Emelianenko. Instead, he’s coming in off an ugly decision loss to Alistair Overeem. Ordinarily, a loss to "The Reem" would be nothing to hang your head about, but it’s how he lost that makes you worry. You know how Lorenzo Fertitta justified keeping Dan Hardy on the roster by explaining that he likes "guys that WAR!!"? It’s safe to say that the UFC is not quite so enthusiastic about guys who pull guard and politely ask their opponents to join them. Werdum is a top heavyweight when he wants to be, and he’s understandably a slight favorite over Nelson in his return to the UFC. Still, if he pulls that jiu-jitsu tournament crap in the UFC and gets himself into another disagreement about what his services should be worth, he might find that it's a buyer’s market for heavyweights these days.Outlook: Bright. I have to think that the lessons of the Overeem fight -- not to mention the JDS loss -- were not completely lost on Werdum. When he fights like he’s trying to win, he’s a threat to just about anybody. When he’s simply trying to avoid getting knocked out, he becomes exactly the kind of fighter that the UFC dumps on sight. My guess is he knows that now. At least, he’d better.Matt Riddle (5-3, 5-3 UFC)Who he’s facing: Henry MartinezWhy he’s in danger: Riddle has done a lot of growing up in the Octagon over the past few years, and you have to appreciate the rarity of a guy who’s had his entire pro career take place on the big stage. Still, dude has lost two in a row, which is never a good sign. It’s not like he’s been fighting total chumps lately, but neither has he distinguished himself with a win over an opponent who really matters. He’s done just enough to hang around on the Fight Night/pay-per-view prelim level, so he probably can’t afford a three-fight losing streak just now. The thing about a young fighter with more raw ability than polish and experience is that the powers that be will often give him a little more time and space to develop. Riddle’s got a goofy charisma to him, and he’s also got some skills. Even in losing efforts he still puts on a show. Those are all good reasons to wait and see if he’ll become something other than a decent prelim fighter, but he still needs to win every now and then. In Martinez, Riddle is facing a UFC newcomer from Greg Jackson’s gym with a solid record but not much time to prepare after taking the bout on very short notice in order to fill in for an injured Jorge Lopez. At 6’1", Riddle will tower over the 5’7" Martinez, and he has the advantage of having been in the Octagon before. If all that doesn’t add up to a win for Riddle, what will?Outlook: Cautiously optimistic. There’s every reason to think that Riddle will snap his losing streak here. Most oddsmakers have him as a 3-1 favorite, and that’s no accident. If he performs up to expectations, he should smash Martinez and get back on track. If he doesn’t, well, maybe he doesn’t belong in the UFC right now.Matt Brown (12-11, 5-5 UFC)Who he’s facing: Chris CopeWhy he’s in danger: At this rate, Brown is shaping up to be the Cut List’s most frequently featured fighter, and not because it's so fun to write about him. Despite going 1-4 in his last five fights, he’s somehow still hanging on to a roster spot in the same organization that cut Gerald Harris for losing just one fight in four attempts. How is this possible? The last time he beat someone who held on to his job afterward was in November of 2009. He went through the dreaded three-fight losing streak and still got a fourth chance, which is rare even for top-tier UFC fighters. His decision win over John Howard (who was then released) likely saved him, but then he turned right around and got submitted by Seth Baczynski at UFC 139, so you’ve got to think he’s still facing desperate times here. The weird part is, he’s not a bad fighter. It’s not as if he’s getting murdered in most of these losses -- it’s just that a hyper-aggressive style and a weak submission defense is a really, really bad combo. Still, you get the sense that with a tweak here or there he could fix that and turn things around. Then again, if it were that easy he probably would have done it by now.Outlook: Slightly pessimistic. He’s a heavy favorite over Cope, who has his own problems (more on that in a moment). Chances are he’ll win this fight and avoid the axe yet again, but how much longer can this go on? He needs to win a couple in a row, preferably against quality competition, to prove he belongs here. Unless he makes some big changes soon, I don’t see it happening over the long run.Chris Cope (5-2, 1-1 UFC)Who he’s facing: Matt BrownWhy he’s in danger: The former TUF competitor got off to a good start with a decision win over castmate Chuck O’Neil (who was subsequently released), but got wrecked by UFC newcomer Che Mills in his next bout. It made for a nice addition to Mills’ highlight tape, but it didn’t do much for Cope other than expose him as a guy who might not be ready for this level of competition. You look at his record and you see a guy who could have only gotten a shot at the UFC via the reality TV route. What you don’t see is a hot prospect that you can imagine anyone at the UFC getting truly excited about. Oddsmakers expect him to get schooled by Brown, who is himself just barely holding on by the skin of his tattoos, and they’re probably right. Chances are Brown will knock him out, and that will make for some good TV. What then? In all likelihood, Cope will join the ranks of the Spike TV almost-weres, the guys who were good enough to fill out a reality TV cast but whose usefulness to the UFC was quickly exhausted. Or -- who knows? -- maybe he’ll make fools of us all and pull off an upset against a very beatable opponent.Outlook: Grim. Cope seems too one-dimensional to last long at this level, even if he does defy the odds with a win over Brown. Unless he’s gotten much, much better since the last time we saw him, he might want to use this outing as a last opportunity to collect some UFC souvenirs.

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Think performance-enhancing drugs are a problem in MMA? Not to Roy Nelson. The UFC heavyweight has fought guys who were on steroids. He knows he has. You don’t get to be a heavyweight at this level without having gone up against at least one or two opponents who came in with a little artificial help, he told MMA Fighting."If I can compete with them, and they’re using, it just means I’m a better athlete," Nelson said. "That’s all it means to me."Nelson, who takes on Fabricio Werdum at UFC 143 on Saturday night, said he was sure he’d fought juiced opponents "a couple of times" in his career, whether it showed up on the post-fight drug screening or not. "You just know," he said. "You know by straight-out asking them. You can do it that way. Or you can go through their coaches or training partners. It’s a very small world."And yes, Nelson insists that he has asked opponents to their faces if they were on some kind of performance-enhancing drug, and he claims he’s even gotten some to admit it before or after the fight."There’s some verbal combat involved," he explained. "You have to trick them into coming clean, but it does happen."You might think this is one of the benefits of walking around with Nelson’s distinctive physique. People see a mountain of muscle like Alistair Overeem, and many will never believe he’s all-natural now matter how many drug tests he takes.But Nelson, who bears a much stronger resemblance to the ‘before’ rather than the ‘after’ picture in a supplement ad, has no such problem. People can look at him and feel reasonably confident that he’s clean. Though this, too, comes with some baggage, according to "Big Country.""I’ve probably been tested for steroids probably more than any other fighter that’s ever fought," he said. "...It’s like a football program. There’s always going to be some guys where it’s like, yeah, you’re the one we’ve got to test, because then the program looks clean."The way Nelson sees it, he is that guy for the heavyweight division. What he’s not, however, is the champion -- though that’s something he thinks he could change very soon if he performs well against Werdum.Though his Brazilian counterpart is coming off a lackluster decision loss to Overeem -- a fight in which both men "fought timid," according to Nelson -- he thinks it’s not at all unreasonable to expect that the winner of this fight will get the next title shot after Overeem and champion Junior dos Santos sort out their business.That might mean he’ll have to wait a while for his chance, since, as Nelson puts it, "those guys don’t like to fight that much," but he’s willing to be patient. First he has to get past Werdum, but if he does he thinks the UFC will be more than willing to put him into a title fight "because I think I have a bigger fanbase than Overeem by far; I think I’m probably one of the top guys in the UFC that actually has a very huge fanbase."And the fact that he’s already lost once to dos Santos? The fact that he then went on to lose to Frank Mir in his very next bout? That’s all part of the learning process, according to Nelson."Any time you lose, it looks bad. But at the same time, every loss you take a fighter should make you improve and become a better fighter. The way I look at it is, I’d rather take my losses now before I have the belt, because then I’d have the belt to lose, if that makes sense."It makes sense to Nelson, anyway, and maybe that's all that matters.

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Think performance-enhancing drugs are a problem in MMA? Not to Roy Nelson. The UFC heavyweight has fought guys who were on steroids. He knows he has. You don’t get to be a heavyweight at this level without having gone up against at least one or two opponents who came in with a little artificial help, he told MMA Fighting."If I can compete with them, and they’re using, it just means I’m a better athlete," Nelson said. "That’s all it means to me."Nelson, who takes on Fabricio Werdum at UFC 143 on Saturday night, said he was sure he’d fought juiced opponents "a couple of times" in his career, whether it showed up on the post-fight drug screening or not. "You just know," he said. "You know by straight-out asking them. You can do it that way. Or you can go through their coaches or training partners. It’s a very small world."And yes, Nelson insists that he has asked opponents to their faces if they were on some kind of performance-enhancing drug, and he claims he’s even gotten some to admit it before or after the fight."There’s some verbal combat involved," he explained. "You have to trick them into coming clean, but it does happen."You might think this is one of the benefits of walking around with Nelson’s distinctive physique. People see a mountain of muscle like Alistair Overeem, and many will never believe he’s all-natural now matter how many drug tests he takes.But Nelson, who bears a much stronger resemblance to the ‘before’ rather than the ‘after’ picture in a supplement ad, has no such problem. People can look at him and feel reasonably confident that he’s clean. Though this, too, comes with some baggage, according to "Big Country.""I’ve probably been tested for steroids probably more than any other fighter that’s ever fought," he said. "...It’s like a football program. There’s always going to be some guys where it’s like, yeah, you’re the one we’ve got to test, because then the program looks clean."The way Nelson sees it, he is that guy for the heavyweight division. What he’s not, however, is the champion -- though that’s something he thinks he could change very soon if he performs well against Werdum.Though his Brazilian counterpart is coming off a lackluster decision loss to Overeem -- a fight in which both men "fought timid," according to Nelson -- he thinks it’s not at all unreasonable to expect that the winner of this fight will get the next title shot after Overeem and champion Junior dos Santos sort out their business.That might mean he’ll have to wait a while for his chance, since, as Nelson puts it, "those guys don’t like to fight that much," but he’s willing to be patient. First he has to get past Werdum, but if he does he thinks the UFC will be more than willing to put him into a title fight "because I think I have a bigger fanbase than Overeem by far; I think I’m probably one of the top guys in the UFC that actually has a very huge fanbase."And the fact that he’s already lost once to dos Santos? The fact that he then went on to lose to Frank Mir in his very next bout? Better now than later, according to Nelson."Any time you lose, it looks bad. But at the same time, every loss you take a fighter should make you improve and become a better fighter. The way I look at it is, I’d rather take my losses now before I have the belt, because then I’d have the belt to lose, if that makes sense."It makes sense to Nelson, anyway, and maybe that's all that matters.

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The old saying “diamonds are a girl’s best friend and a man’s worst enemy” goes double for the UFC’s featherweight division because it’s their most dangerous competition. The shiniest and sharpest jewel of the resident 145ers cut a three fight win streak in 2011 that announced the presence of the weight class’ newest rising star. Whether they’re from Antwerp or Africa, the only allotrope of carbon fight fans need to know about is the one born, raised, and training to get meaner in Lafayette, Louisiana: Dustin “The Diamond” Poirier. “I feel like I'm living a dream,” exudes Poirier about fighting in the UFC. “It is all happening so quick. I can feel myself getting better with every fight. It's incredible. I could not wish or want it any other way. It all unfolded perfectly this last year. I really got to show my skills and fans have gotten to see who I am and it's just amazing. It's a lot of hard work that is paying off. It really feels good at night to lie down and see it paying off.”It was only a year ago that Poirier made his Octagon debut at UFC 125 with the one-sided standup beatdown of the top ranked Josh Grispi. The decision victory, which featured a few 10-8’s in favor of “The Diamond”, shocked MMA fans because previously Poirier was a 1-1 lightweight in the WEC and Grispi was in-line for a shot at UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo. Poirier returned to the cage in June with another exciting decision win over British striker Jason “Shotgun” Young. To bookend 2011, Poirier was to set face a fellow burgeoning 2-0 inside the Octagon standout in Pablo Garza on the undercard of UFC on FOX in November. “I felt like it was going to be a step up in competition from my last fight,” admits Porier. “A real test. Pablo Garza had proven himself a couple of times with some big victories. I knew he was an unorthodox guy who was unpredictable, so I knew it was going to be a fun fight. I knew it was going to be a fast pace and I was excited to take a step up on the ladder in the weight division. I train hard always, but mentally I was prepared for as soon as the bell rang to start throwing punches. In my head, it was going to be 'Fight of the Night'. It was going to be a 15 minute war. I thought his standup was going to test mine and I thought his ground game was going to do the same. I thought it was going to be a back-and-forth great fight. I was mentally ready for 15 minutes of bleeding and battling.”All of that sounds absolutely magical to a fight fan’s ears, but the actuality of the bout was probably Poirier’s shortest and most impressive win yet: a second round victory via D’arce choke. Make no mistake, Garza is a fearsome young fighter with standup and submissions that can beat most competitors. Regardless, Poirier controlled the action on the feet and on the ground early and showed a clear strength advantage that night. The night-ending choke came a little over a minute into round two, as Poirier showed off the grappling skills he’s honed wrestling with close friend, mentor, UFC middleweight, and BJJ black belt Tim Credeur. “I've been competing in jiu-jitsu for a long time,” tells Poirier. “I've been a purple belt for over a year. I do a lot of gi jiu-jitsu. That's something I have shown in other fights, but not before in the UFC. I think in this next fight, I think I'm really going to show how well-rounded I am. I have wrestling, I have jiu-jitsu. It's just sometimes I get caught up in the battle standing. I'm a fighter and I really enjoy fighting. I enjoy getting into a slugfest sometimes. But I'm grinding those edges away and becoming more well-rounded with every fight. I'm finding the better balance between my aggression and my techniques. I think that takes a while for some guys to find that to click. I think I'm starting to come into my own there. I got lots more submissions and I know I'm capable of finishing the fight wherever it goes.”At UFC 143, Poirier will enter the Octagon for the fourth time to face the end result of a revolving door of challengers ranging from the “who’s who” to simply “who”. Originally, Poirier was set to scrap with southpaw striker Erik Koch with his similarly stunning string of UFC scores. Koch had to pull out due to injury and was replaced by 2-0 in the UFC orthodox grappler Ricardo Lamas. In another unlucky twist of fate, Lamas was forced to withdraw due to an injury and will be relieved by the debuting orthodox kickboxer Max Holloway. Some fighters play it off like a switch in opponent is not a big deal, but Poirier is candid when he notes that they are major disruptions to him. But what never wavers going into every fight is how committed he is to succeeding.“In my mind, it's real huge to me when things like that change because I am thinking about it so much,” admits Poirier. “I play the fights out in my head so many times. I think about this 24 hours a day from the time I wake up until the time I wake up again. I even dream about it. This is my life. This isn't a hobby or just a career I'm trying to be good at - this is everything. That's the fight game though. Guys are in training and they get hurt. With all the changes that are happening, the one thing that keeps my confidence up is the one thing that is consistent the whole time and that is me busting my ass and getting ready to fight. That hasn't changed. No matter who I fight, I'm out here every day grinding, getting ready to fight. At the end of the day, I'm a fighter and we're going to get into that cage, close the door and we're going to fight. That's something that hasn't changed.”As for the UFC 143 bout itself, Poirier will play the role of the savvy veteran to the rookie in 20-year old Holloway. “I feel like the old guy now (laughs) and I just turned 23 last week,” jokes Poirier, who has been scouring the internet to find out as much as he can about his new opponent. “He's 4-0 as a professional, has six or seven amateur fights I think, and I think he has some kickboxing experience. I know Jeremy Stephens flew him out to San Diego to help him get ready for Anthony Pettis. Holloway kind of resembles Pettis a little bit with his kickboxing and his length, so he's a rangy fighter.”Whether or not he knows much about his competition, Poirier’s rock is his coach, Credeur, and the gym, Gladiators Academy, where he polishes his diamond-like brilliant skills six days a week. Also, Poirier has been in this situation before with impromptu opponents, as his fight with Grispi was taken on short notice and Young was a substitute for previously scheduled Rani Yahya. On top of that, it was only twelve months ago that he was making his own debut as the underdog against a surging odds-on favorite. Where previous experience, abilities, and that fighter’s edge have helped him to victory, Poirier expects much of the same on this Super Bowl weekend.“Every fight I get into 100%, it is intimate for me,” affirms Poirier. “I study the guy. I don't care if he has one fight or 100 fights, I'm in this fight 100%. He's a dangerous guy. He's 4-0. I'm not underestimating this guy. I'm training like I'm fighting Anderson Silva. I'm over here and I'm not taking him lightly. I know how that happens to people. Just a year ago, I was in his shoes. I was getting into the cage fighting Josh Grispi, no one knew who I was and I was supposed to get destroyed by a top ten guy. I went in there and I destroyed him. Nobody knew that was going to happen. He's over there training and he's thinking he is going to do the same thing to me. Knowing that I've taken that same walk in those shoes empowers me to be ready. For me, I have to go in there and fight smart. I know what he's going to do. I think what he does good, I'm better at. I have to go in there and capitalize on his mistakes. I'm 11-1 as a professional fighter, but this is my 22nd or 23rd mixed martial arts fight. I have a little bit of experience and I have to use it to capitalize on his mistakes when he makes them.”This Saturday, “The Diamond” will meet the Hawaiian Holloway in the cage with the same seriousness reserved for a main event. “I want to show the fans that I'm coming in better with every fight and I'm growing with every fight,” states Poirier, who knows going 4-0 in the UFC by simply beating the opponents in front of him is what will get him to his ultimate goal: the UFC featherweight title. “I want to go in there and make a statement. I am for real no matter who I fight. I want to move up and take another step closer because I want to be a champion one day.”A diamond is usually set in gold, but if this year is like Poirier’s last, then “The Diamond” might be wearing the gold.

Posted in: ufc, fight, guy, im, poirier

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This gladiator guy, he gets dressed up before every event, grabs some sand from the ground and walks out of a brightly door -- but no one knows where he goes. I've never seen gladiator guy in the audience during UFC events. I'm sure his leather skirt and well-constructed tunic would undoubtedly stand out in the crowd. Maybe this brightly lit door just leads to another brightly lit door, like that Cube movie. If that's the case, then we should feel sorry for gladiator guy. He's stuck in a quantum mechanical trap that is impossible to get out of. Well, that is until Dana White kicks him out of the UFC. According to an exclusive statement made on The Underground, Dana White revealed that starting with this weekend's UFC 143 card, the gladiator intro is no more. Tonight, UFC President Dana White revealed exclusively to the Underground that the opening sequence for it's PPV broadcast has been redone and the new introduction will be revealed this Saturday for UFC 143. The event will feature Nick Diaz fighting Carlos Condit for the interim welterweight championship in the main event. In honor of the gladiator guy and his infinite battle into the land of the brightly lit unknown, let's check him out one more time and subsequently theorize where he will end up next. My guess is on the Tonight Show with David Letterman or a cameo appearance in the next Grand Theft Auto game.

Posted in: ufc, guy, event, gladiator, gladiator guy

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What is next for Henderson? His fight with shogun was in my opinion the best fight in UFC history. He deserves only top guys, and he's getting old. Maybe Lyoto Machida next? what do you guys think? submitted by morningstar114307 [link] [10 comments]

Posted in: fight, guy, lyoto machida, ufc history, mw contenders

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In a strange way the knee injury keeping Phil Davis on the sidelines for nearly a year may have actually made the 9-0 light heavyweight a better fighter. Though “Mr. Wonderful” was on a tear before going out, picking up four wins in 2010 and a fifth in March 2011, the time off also gave him a chance to work out some holes in his game rather than having to intently focus on preparing for an opponent. “When you fight four or five times in a year, you don’t really have time to get better,” said Davis in an interview with the UFC’s website. “You’re just going from fight camp to fight camp and that’s not always good for someone as inexperienced as I am. So it has been great to just fall back for a little bit, and you can’t rush an injury, so I just had to work at a slow, steady pace until I got better, I picked up skills here and there, and now I’m right where I want to be.” Now that Davis has had a chance to heal up and improve his technique he faces the biggest challenge of his career in the form of a headlining bout with Rashad Evans tonight at UFC on FOX 2. However, rather than be motivated by thoughts of a title-fight with Jon Jones or even the high profile pairing with Evans, Davis pulls inspiration from the notion of maximizing his potential. It’s a mindset he developed in his formative years allowing him to primarily be mindful of the things in his power to control. “I’ve been a champion before, and the rules change and it’s a completely different sport, but the attitude is very much the same,” the 27-year old revealed. “If you can’t master your own skillset and your own self, then it doesn’t matter who the other guy is or what the other guy is capable of doing. If you can’t be the best you, then he doesn’t even have to be the best. Sometimes you get caught up chasing this number one guy, and all of a sudden, that guy loses and you have to go against somebody else. So why have you been training to fight this guy the whole time?” “If you’re only looking to beat people, ultimately the people will continue to change,” he explained. “I want to be the best me I can be. I don’t care who I’m gonna have to face. I just want to continue to prepare myself and advance my skills.” How far his skills have advanced remains to be seen, specifically on FOX tonight at 8:00 PM EST.

Posted in: fight, guy, ’t, davi, fight camp

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Filed under: UFC, NewsUFC president Dana White believes revealing his fighters' actual salaries would be damaging to their lives. On the same day first baseman Prince Fielder finalized a nine-year deal with the Detroit Tigers worth $214 million, White says people should not be envious of Fielder's seemingly magnificent position. "You don't want to be Prince Fielder over the next three years," White told reporters on Thursday. "When people know -- his life is going to be horrible. His whole life is going to change. He thought is was bad before? With the s--t he had going in his life? Everyone and their mother is coming after that 214." Since the UFC is a privately-owned company, they are not required to make their numbers public. They have to report the fighter purses to the commission, but those numbers don't tell the actual story of a fighter's final earnings once bonuses and possible pay-per-view cuts are factored in. White recalled meeting FOX executives for the first time and telling them how much fighters actually make. FOX executives were blown away and questioned why White wouldn't discuss the salaries in public for good press. "The FOX guys were like, 'Holy s--t, these guys make this much money? Why don't you plaster this everywhere? This is the thing that will put you guys over the top. This is the thing people love to see and talk about and all.'" As the saying goes, "Mo' money, mo' problems" and White is refusing to put fighters in a position where they could attract negative attention. "I've had these conversations with Mike Tyson," White said. "Mike said when his money was reported, his f--kin' life was miserable. I'm not doing it. So just because you don't know everything. You don't have to know everything. And to be honest with you, it's not your f--kin' business. They're making a lot of money." Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Posted in: guy, fighter, fox, life, dont

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Phil Davis is fighting Rashad Evans on Saturday night. But it doesn’t really matter to Davis who stands across from him on fight night. It could be Evans, it could be “Shogun” Rua, it could be light heavyweight champion Jon Jones. He’s not concerned. They’re all just names to him.“If you’re only looking to beat people, ultimately the people will continue to change,” said Davis. “I want to be the best me I can be. I don’t care who I’m gonna have to face. I just want to continue to prepare myself and advance my skills.”It’s a philosophy grown from years in the wrestling room, a segment of his life that reached its peak in 2008 when he won the NCAA National championship for Penn State University. His next step was to attack the world of mixed martial arts, and while he hasn’t reached the peak of the mountain yet, he has not wavered in the belief system that took him to the top once already in wrestling.“I’ve been a champion before, and the rules change and it’s a completely different sport, but the attitude is very much the same,” he said. “If you can’t master your own skillset and your own self, then it doesn’t matter who the other guy is or what the other guy is capable of doing. If you can’t be the best you, then he doesn’t even have to be the best. Sometimes you get caught up chasing this number one guy, and all of a sudden, that guy loses and you have to go against somebody else. So why have you been training to fight this guy the whole time?”At this point, it’s safe to say that Davis hasn’t had a picture of Evans on his mirror ever since the two were scheduled to fight back at UFC 133 last August, a bout postponed when the Harrisburg, Pennsylvania native injured his knee and was forced to the sidelines.“Not necessarily,” he chuckles. “As soon as you don’t have a fight, I’m back to focusing on me a hundred percent, and no one else. I do try to keep an eye on the division and who’s fighting who and how guys are doing. I attended the fight in August and watched him (Evans) fight Tito (Ortiz), and I was definitely checking him out and watching how he was doing. But not too much other than that.”And as much as a knee injury and over five months on the sidelines can hurt a young fighter’s career, in this case, it may have been a blessing in disguise for the 27-year old, who was fighting at a breakneck pace since entering the UFC in 2010. Just 4-0 when he made his debut at UFC 109 against Brian Stann, Davis fought four times in 2010 and once in March of 2011 before getting injured. Yes, he was impressing fans and the media and winning all his fights as his level of competition kept getting amped up, but when he got injured, he finally had the time he needed to add some more skills to his still raw MMA game.“When you fight four or five times in a year, you don’t really have time to get better,” admits Davis. “You’re just going from fight camp to fight camp and that’s not always good for someone as inexperienced as I am. So it has been great to just fall back for a little bit, and you can’t rush an injury, so I just had to work at a slow, steady pace until I got better, I picked up skills here and there, and now I’m right where I want to be.”Yeah, as scary as it sounds, a guy who already has beaten Stann, Rogerio Nogueira, Alexander Gustafsson, and Tim Boetsch is getting even better. His timing is impeccable though, as this is without question the biggest fight of his career. Not that he’s getting caught up in all the hype of being the main event on FOX. “This is just the next fight,” he said. “This is just another challenge along the road of me becoming a champion.”Sounds convincing, and according to him, not getting rattled and not letting his ego run wild isn’t difficult at all.“That’s the easy part as long as you’re true to yourself,” said Davis. “If you start to believe that you’re the best, baddest dude ever, and it all just comes so easy to you that you don’t have to work hard for it, then it’s hard to make new goals for yourself. But I know that things don’t come easy for me. If you forgot how you got to where you are, then you won’t make it to the next level. Even if you reached the highest point, there’s something else.” Like the perfect fight? What would that entail for “Mr. Wonderful?”“Minimal damage and a perfectly executed gameplan,” he said. And what happens next?“You make a new gameplan and prepare to carry that one out.” So you can be perfect more than once?“I don’t see why not.”

Posted in: fight, time, guy, ’t, davi

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2011 was a breakout year for Douglas Lima, winning the Bellator season five welterweight tournament which included consecutive highlight-reel knockout and a selection on Jordan Breen's "All-Violence Team." His brother, Dhiego, is hoping that 2012 will be his moment to shine. After having a potential star-making fight with Terry Martin scrapped due to a rib injury, Dhiego Lima is back in action this Friday night (January 27, 2012) as he takes on Strikeforce veteran and former All-American wrestler Nathan Coy on the main card of MFC 32. The 21 year old Brazilian sports a perfect 6-0 record as a professional with all of his victories being stoppages. With the inclusion of Brian Stann to his training team at Ascension MMA in Atlanta, he feels he's more prepared than for any fight in his life. Lima spoke with MMAmania.com during a special guest appearance on The Verbal Submission this week where he spoke about recovering from his injury, how hard Brian Stann hits and what he expects against Nate Coy this Friday night. Check it out: Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): I know that you're complete healthy now, but what was the nature of your injury that prevented you from competing at MFC 31 and how long did it take you to recover? Dhiego Lima: It was cartilage man, separated cartilage on my rib and it actually took a while to heal. It took about two months to actually get back in there and go 100 percent. I had to sit out for a month without doing anything. I couldn't train, I couldn't run, I couldn't do anything. I just had to rest. It sucks because it was an injury that there's no quick cure for, you just have to sit down and wait. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): And that takes us to a couple weeks ago, you were all pumped because you were set to fight Bruno Carvalho for this upcoming MFC 32 show and then he's the one that goes and gets hurt, it wasn't even two weeks before your fight, less than that. Were you just freaking, out like, "Oh god, not again!" Dhiego Lima: Yeah, a little bit. I was at first but Mark [Pavelich] promised me he was gonna find somebody so then I relaxed a little and I was like, "Alright, we'll just wait and see," but yeah, I was kinda worried because that scouting report from Bloody Elbow came out, they said I was the number two prospect in the world so now I don't think guys want to take the fight on two weeks' notice but they found a pretty good opponent for me. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): Yeah, I was planning on asking you about that scouting report. Leland Roling, he doesn't mess around. He puts a ton of research into these scouting reports, watches a ton of film and he said you were the number two welterweight prospect in the world. Was that a huge confidence boost for you? Dhiego Lima: Yeah, man, for sure, for sure. I got really excited when I saw that and it really just keeps driving me even more because I want to keep that up. I want to be number one soon and I just want to keep fighting hard, keep winning, keep putting on a show and we'll get the recognition. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): I want to talk about your upcoming opponent, Nathan Coy, he's faced some top level competition in his career. He's got a 9-4 record and he's fought guys like Rick Story, Mike Pierce, Tyron Woodley, he has fought some great guys. Dhiego Lima: Yeah, he's fought some great guys and I'm like, man, I'm really excited. He's a great wrestler and his stand-up is getting there so he doesn't mind banging too so it's gonna be a great fight. A lot of people are probably sleeping on this fight but it's gonna be an all-out war. The guy's got great wrestling, great stand-up, I cannot wait. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): I'm excited for it too because this is gonna be a very interesting test for you because this is a guy that's gonna be, I know he'll occasionally stand and trade, but he does have really good wrestling credentials to fall back on. Dhiego Lima: Yeah, he's an All-American wrestler so he's probably gonna try to get me to bang a little bit but that's just to boost my confidence up and then he's gonna shoot so I'm ready for it. I'm ready, man. I trained really well for this fight, I only had a week to prepare for him, get the gameplan but I fought a great wrestler before and I learned a lot from that fight so I think I'll be ready, man. I'm very ready. I'm pumped. He's a great wrestler but hey, they don't like to get hit in the face and that's one thing good that I have. We'll see what happens. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): Can you talk about that last fight that you had against a great wrestler? That was in your amateur career, right? Dhiego Lima: No, that was actually an exhibition fight. He was a professional but it was an exhibition fight. I pretty much, I didn't know how good of a wrestler he was and I trained a lot of straight stand-up and I didn't train strictly wrestling like I was supposed to because I didn't know the opponent and I just got outwrestled. That was pretty much it. I locked in a triangle choke that should have choked him out, should have tapped him out but, but I look at that fight, it was all a lesson from god. It's just testing me. I know why I lost. I did a couple things wrong and I learned a lot from that fight. After that fight, it was like my wake-up call. These wrestlers will try to wrestle you and you have to prepare for a wrestler so that's one thing I learned a lot from that fight. It was great. It didn't count on my record but it's still a loss. It sucks, especially being controlled and not able to do anything. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): I heard that in some of your preparation for this fight, you worked with Brian Stann. Can you tell me about what it was like training, preparing and sparring with Stann at your gym down at Atlanta? Dhiego Lima: It's great, man, because he's actually doing his camp down here now. He's not going anymore to Albuquerque. He's a great trainer, he's a great person, man. This guy, he's got some crazy heavy hands. That guy will wobble your head even if you've got headgear on and the 16 ounce gloves, man. That guy can hit hard. He's got great wrestling. he was my main trainer for this fight a little bit because Jucao and my brother had to go to Brazil so they were out for about three weeks and he took over. He trained me really well and then Jucao and Douglas came back two weeks ago and we finalized so I'm in the best shape, man. I'm very confident. I'm ready, man. This was a great camp, a great, great camp. Ben Thapa: One of the honors given to your brother was a spot on Jordan Breen's "All-Violence Team." I was wondering if you had any ambitions of being on the 2012 rendition of that. Dhiego Lima: Oh for sure, man. That would be awesome. I saw it and I was like, "Wow!" but he was definitely deserved. He came out as a wake-up call, he got hit in the first fight of the tournament and it was pretty much a wake-up call for him and he comes back and just knocked these dudes out and he's fighting for the belt now. He's very well deserved and that's really something I'm looking forward to at the end of this year, getting more recognition. If everything goes good, I want to be on that. Following in the footsteps, you know? Ben Thapa: I was wondering about your earlier days as a fighter. You started out as an amateur, you had what, three amateur fights or did you have more than that? Dhiego Lima: I'm actually 5-1 amateur. I lost my first fight ever as a stupid decision. I was in the guy's hometown, one of those. I pretty much outwrestled him and I lost that fight. That was my biggest wake-up call. After that, I came out, I won five straight, a lot of them were quick knockouts and my last one was actually for a belt. I fought a real hard decision with this guy, his name was Mike Lail and he had like 20 amateur fights and we pretty much brawled it out and I got the unanimous decision in the end. After that fight, my coaches were like, "Dude, you're ready, man. After a fight like this, there's no way you shouldn't be getting paid for all this." That's when I decided to go pro and I'm doing okay. Ben Thapa: Were you going to school or working at this time when you started out as an amateur? Dhiego Lima: I was still working. When I was first an amateur, I had just graduated. I was a party guy. That's when I really didn't care. I was trying to fight amateur just so I could get the attention, just so I could be popular and get all the girls and just go out and have fun and after my first amateur fight that I lost, my brother came up to me and he told me, "This is not what this is all about, man. If you want to make a career out of this, you've got to put your focus into it. You've got to quit all this bullcrappin' around," and I turned my life around, finally had a baby, got married and that was it, man. That's all that's on my mind now. Ben Thapa: Are you going to get your own Genghis Khan series soon, the Fist of Fury that your gym and your brother stars in and you're in occasionally. Dhiego Lima: He lives in Florida, the guy that does all the nice videos. We told him whenever he's in town, we're gonna try to shoot one for me as well. The guy is great. He makes some great videos. It's something we're working on in the future. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): You've mentioned that you think you can knock Coy out, right? Dhiego Lima: Well, yeah. Apparently that's his weakness. He's been knocked out a few times before. I'm just gonna put my hands on this guy. I'm gonna try to stay away from his wrestling and not get in that scrambling game that wrestlers like and just, whatever happens, happens. I'm ready. I'm ready for any position. If I have to wrestle, I will but I'm very confident for this fight. I've been training for nine months for this fight so I'm just gonna let the fight come. I just feel really good for this fight. I had a great camp, I'm confident. Let's just go, man. Let's go. Let's fight. I want to put my hands on this guy. I just can't wait to fight. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): So what do you think the fans can expect when they tune in on Friday night? Dhiego Lima: I'm gonna give you guys a show. Whatever I do, it's not gonna be a boring fight. I'm not gonna let this guy take me down and hold me like they do. I'm gonna do whatever I can to make it an exciting fight. That's not what he wants, but that's what he's gonna get into. Dhiego would like to thank Brian Stann, Roan Carneiro, his brother Douglas Lima and all his training partners for giving him a great camp. He's also like to thank his management team SuckerPunch and Mark Pavelich for finding a great opponent at the last minute. You can follow him on Twitter @DHLima121. So what do you think, Maniacs? Could Lima potentially be the next big thing at 170 like his brother? Will 2012 be his breakout year or will Nathan Coy wrestle away his momentum? Sound off! To listen to the full audio of our interview with Dhiego, click here.

Posted in: fight, guy, lima, he, im

Read the full article at MMA Mania

A few updates on what's been going on in the MMA Twitterverse RANDOM TIDBITS "@Jonnybones vs @SpiderAnderson and @Rampage4real vs @wandfc with Pride rules. The @UFC_Undisputed 3 demo is out now!!! bit.ly/xMPBXw" -UFC Undisputed "19k followers!! Whoo!! I feel 19,000 times cooler than I did upon first opening a twatter account!" -Ronda Rousey "News: My brother is fighting Pedro Rizzo in Italy on 24th of March in Milan. Great fight! Two veterans with tons of experience who you got?" -Alistair Overeem "Watching basketball ... Holly sh*t these overgrown people are ugly. You think they look down on me from way up there n think the same?" -Ian McCall "If I had a nickel every time someone said they're surprised that a fighter can speak so intelligently I'd have seven cents." -Nate Quarry "Spent months training to fight Munoz and now I have to fight a guy who sounds like "PIP" from South Park." -Chael Sonnen ""I'm in the fight biz not the website biz. Who gives a ****?"" -Dana White, says he doesn't care that the website got hacked. There's a ton of tweets after the jump, but first, don't forget to follow me on twitter: @antontabuena Oh, and these guys are probably worth following as well: The Official BloodyElbow Twitter Account, Luke Thomas, Kid Nate, Brent Brookhouse, Leland Roling, Richard Wade, Chris Barton, Damon O, Scott Broussard, Tim Burke, Matt Bishop, Fraser Coffeen, Dallas Winston, KJ Gould, Matt Roth JUNIOR ASSUNCAO ISN'T PLEASED ABOUT BEING RELEASED AFTER 1 LOSS "I JUST GOT CUT FROM THE UFC!! WOW... APPARENTLY THEY DID NOT LIKE MY LAST FIGHT. THANKS @ufc FOR THE OPPORTUNITY. TO MY FANS, I'LL BE BACK! ...THX FOR THE SUPPORT! IM NOT IN CONTROL OF ALL THIS. MY MANAGER SAID IT WILL BE OK. WAS IN A GOOD WIN STREK BEFORE THE LAST FIGHT.SORRY GUYS" -Junior Assuncao "The Boss himself told me the fight was good, got a performance $, was in a good win STREAK before that last fight. I DONT UNDERSTAND! ..."If I knew I was getting cut I would got the easier fight" I told my Maneger. CAN SOMEONE HELP ME UNDERSTAND? gotta suck it Up and improve" -Junior Assuncao "Guys thanks for supporting! Please don't hate on the UFC. It's not @danawhite decision. He liked my last fight. It's politics behind scenes" -Junior Assuncao "The truth will show up soon or later! I don't know what goes on behind the scenes and no one can tell me ether. keep my mouth shut for now!!" -Junior Assuncao "Maybe it was personal, there wasn't any improper behavior. I'm not the one talking to the UFC so I'm helpless on this decision" -Junior Assuncao "messages coming all i can say is thanks guys! No leverage to argue with the UFC. Maybe my "manager" will say something @SuckerPunchEnt" -Junior Assuncao "Got people messaging saying there is something else behind the reason I got cut by the @ufc. Got no one fightng for me right now!!!" -Junior Assuncao TWICTURES "Hahahahhahahahamfkfixdhdbxjahahahahahahahhaha AMAZING!!!!!" -Travis Browne "Forgot to tweet last these last night at the boxing event!" -Alistair Overeem "Ran into my UFC buddy GSP during breakfast!" -Alistair Overeem "Party photobooth alert!" -Alistair Overeem TWIDEOS "Video: Here is my last video from @UFC on FX1. Thanks for all of the support. I hope you enjoy!" -Charlie Brenneman "Video | Metal Mulisha w Nick Diaz" -Diaz Brothers, watch how Nick tries to sell you his shirt. "Aussie fans come meet UFC fighters and talk about the new @UFC_Undisputed" -UFC MOAR TWICTURES! "Aztec face masks and football w @laurenRbear" -AriannyCeleste "Voting Ends tom at noon! So if you haven't, please vote for me ;) THANK U friends! http://lightgroup.com/topmodel/" -Natasha Wicks "bahahaha love it! My hair's so flat ;)"@sshadow3: @BrittneyPalmer here's a pic of you from UFC Undisputed 3" -Brittney Palmer "Gettin work done! :-)" -Brittney Palmer GETTING READY FOR MIESHA TATE "Hair and makeup all done for @UFC mag photoshoot today!" -Ronda Rousey "Doin' work!" -Ronda Rousey "Occupational hazard..." -Ronda Rousey

Posted in: ufc, fight, guy, assuncao, ronda

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This Saturday night won’t mark the first time UFC light heavyweight Rashad Evans has headlined a show but even he understands fighting in the main event on the first major FOX card means more than any match-up he’s been in before. It’s a distinction Evans embraces as a competitor who is not only confident in his abilities but also appreciates the opportunity he’s been given by his bosses. Evans opened up about his UFC on FOX 2 fight against Phil Davis during a video blog for the event where the camera follows him from signing the contract to training sessions and media appearances. In it the former divisional champion acknowledged the pressure to win but also plans to entertain no matter what. Evans Sees Davis as a “Boy”, Not a “Fighter “Being a main event, having to be the anchor of the show, pretty much gotta close the show…that’s always a tough position because you want to go out there and perform but at the same time you don’t wanna do nothin crazy to jeopardize the win,” Evans explained on the topic. “But you’ve gotta give just enough excitement to where it’s entertaining but at the same time you wanna win.” Beyond simply the notion of coming out victorious on network television Evans also wants to live up to the expectations of his employers, adding, “I’m excited that the UFC’s got so much faith in me. Dana (White), Lorenzo (Feritta) and those guys…Joe Silva…they put me in the main event and that’s an honor in itself. That’s something where I want to go out there and fight hard just for those guys alone. Just so they know you that you put me at the end of the show to close out a show no matter how big it’s gonna be and I’m gonna put on a good show. Whether I win, lose, or draw I’m gonna put on a good show for you guys and I’m honored they gave me that spot.” Make sure to catch Evans-Davis on FOX when the card starts at 8:00 PM EST and in the meantime watch his video blog below: PHOTO CREDIT – UFC Tweet

Posted in: guy, show, i ’m, ’m, evan

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That's according to three different guys. No one is quite sure who any of them are, but rest assured they confided to former UFC heavyweight and recent Bellator-signee Sean McCorkle that Konrad "has his way with Lesnar whether grappling or striking." From his recent post on The Underground: I thought I'd let you guys know that I have heard from 3 different guys who have trained at Death Clutch that Konrad is considerably better than Brock Lesnar in every single area of MMA. And that he has way with Lesnar whether grappling or striking. It might not have shown completely in his fights yet, but that's a scary notion if true considering how short a time he's been training. Konrad (8-0), who trains with Lesnar at DeathClutch in Minnesota, is undefeated and ruling the 265-roost under the Bellator umbrella; however, five of his eight wins have come by decision. Anyone think "The Polar Bear" is the next big thing at heavyweight?

Posted in: guy, brock lesnar, lesnar, cole konrad, konrad

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Rundown of UFC on FX 1 post-fight news and notes… — 7,728 UFC fans attended UFC on FX 1 in Nashville for a $334,860 live gate — Nick Denis picked up the $45,000 KO of the Night bonus for pounding Jospeh Sandoval into unconsciousness with a series of short standing elbows. Jim Miller earned the submission bonus for choking out Melvin Guillard. And Pat Barry and Christian Morecraft were awarded the Fight of the Night bonus for their brief but thrilling match. — Jim Miller had to weather one hell of a storm before he was able to choke out Melvin Guillard for the win Friday night. Miller said the finish came purely on instinct. “I really don’t remember much of it, to be honest,” said Miller, who earned a first-round submission victory at Bridgestone Arena after surviving some hard shots. “It just kind of went into work mode and doing what I’m comfortable doing at that point. Those punches, you don’t feel them. “That first overhand, I’m pretty sure he had to break his hand on my head. My head still hurts. With the one he dropped me with, I didn’t really feel.” “I don’t know how I took his back,” Miller said with a shrug. “I just knew I wanted to squeeze as hard as I could once I had it.” The comeback win puts Miller back “in the mix” at lightweight, according to UFC president Dana White. Some have suggested Miller fight Nate Diaz next. The fight makes sense, but it would be a tough one for Miller stylistically with Diaz’s reach and BJJ. — It was certainly a disappointing loss for Melvin Guillard, but not as crushing as the loss to Joe Lauzon, explained Guillard at the post-fight press conference. “To lose to a guy like Jim, I wasn’t emotional about this loss like I was for the Lauzon fight because I really feel in my heart the Lauzon fight was a fluke,” he said. “I had Jim hurt, and my thing was I wanted to be patient. I just backed off when I probably could have swung. It could have been a different result. “But I don’t regret anything I did tonight. I think I went in and implemented my game. I fought one of the best guys in this division, and I think I sent a message to a lot of guys. But I also understand now everyone’s going to want to take my back. Two fights in a row, two good guys took my back.” Despite losing back-to-back fights after being one win away from a title shot, Guillard is still optimistic about the future, especially in regards to his ground game. Now I have to go home, back to Florida, and grind it out with the Blackzillions, man. I have ‘JZ’ Cavalcante, I have Jorge Santiago, I have a lot of great jiu-jitsu partners now that I didn’t have before. Give me about a year, man. Just be patient with me, I’ll submit someone.” Melvin has had some setbacks recently, yes, but it’s clear that he is maturing as a person and a fighter. If Guillard ever shores up his ground game, he’s going to be one tough guy to beat. — Pat Barry showed marked improvement in his ground game last night when he escaped two submission attempts before knocking out Christian Morecraft. Barry credited Team DeathClutch for the evolution of his ground game. “I think that was the first time I was the smallest guy in the room, when I was rolling around with the big guys at Death Clutch. Wrestling is the most tiring thing in the world,” said Barry. “I never knew I was claustrophobic until I had these guys lying on top of me. Now it’s becoming a little more second nature, being on the ground and [reacting] to being in trouble instead of just panicking.” “It’s the evolution of the sport. I’m not as bad as people think. I just haven’t done it a lot. This is like third or fourth time I’ve done live groundwork [in a fight],” Barry said. “I’m going to throw heat at anybody, no matter who it is. I fought [Mirko] ‘Cro Cop’ [Filipovic], [Cheick] Kongo and Stefan Struve. Morecraft was a bigger fight to me than all of those, because every fight is the next big fight.” Barry still has a ways to go before he’s ready to take on the top tier of the heavyweight division, but last night was an important first step in getting there. — Like Jim Miller, Josh Neer faced a little adversity before eventually pulling off the submission victory against Duane “Bang” Ludwig last night. Neer explained at the post-fight press conference that his back-up plan was to take Ludwig down and submit him if he couldn’t keep up with Bang’s kickboxing. “He hurt me with a couple of shots,” Neer said at the evening’s post-fight press conference, which took place at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn. “I went in with a gameplan that if he started winning the exchanges, I was going to take it to the ground and try and submit him, try and beat him up there. That’s what I did.” Neer hopes to get back in the cage sooner than later. — Jorge Rivera didn’t change his mind about retirement after picking up the final victory of his career against Eric Schafer last night. Rivera told reporters he made up his mind when he started camp. “It was the start of the camp,” he said of his decision. “I had a school opening up, and I was cutting time between training and the school. I saw the future and what I wanted to do and how I wanted to go about it, and I had had enough.” “It wasn’t hard a decision at all,” he said. “I see some of these guys like (UFC on FX 1 headliners) Melvin (Guillard) and Jim (Miller), and they’re young, man. They’re no joke. My reflexes are slowing down. I’ve got a family to take care of, and I don’t want to suffer a serious injury that might complicate that. “I’m very happy with what I’ve done here, and I’m very happy with what it gave back to me, and it’s time to go. I’m happy to be going with a W.” Rivera isn’t walking away from the sport a millionaire like Chuck Liddell, Randy Couture or Brock Lesnar, but that’s okay. Rivera says he’s “content” with the way things worked out. — I saw some mixed reactions to Jon Anik and Kenny Florian’s UFC commentary debuts last night. I thought they actually did a pretty damn good job, but I’m not the type that nitpicks at every little thing a commentator does wrong. As long they’re not so bad it becomes distracting, you won’t hear me complain. Image via Tracy Lee for Yahoo! Sports

Posted in: fight, night, guy, miller, jim

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Filed under: UFCIs it weird to be sorting through the aftermath of a UFC event on a Saturday morning? A little, though maybe I could get used to it. The first UFC on FX show must be deemed a success, complete with exciting finishes and a solid job by the commentating duo of Jon Anik and Kenny Florian. Now on to the fighters and the fights to find out who were the biggest winners, losers, and everything in between at the UFC on FX. Biggest Winner: Jim Miller Guys who are that good on the ground shouldn't have chins that solid. It's just not fair. It allows them to take shots that should, in a just world, at least make them woozy enough to negate their ground game for a minute or two. No such luck with Miller. He can dish it out and he can take it, and if you make even one little mistake he'll be all over your back -- even if he won't remember how he got there. This win was a helpful reminder that, his loss to Ben Henderson aside, Miller has to be regarded as one of the world's best lightweights. One bad night doesn't erase the seven-fight win streak he had going into that one. It just means he might have to beat a couple more Melvin Guillards while he waits for the title picture to clear up. That's not so bad, and the wait might not even be so long if Frankie Edgar keeps knocking off challengers. When you see what Miller is capable of, it just seems unfathomable that he won't fight for a UFC title at some point in the next year or two. Biggest Loser: Melvin Guillard Same old Melvin. He rocks 'em and socks 'em early on, things start to look good for him, and then his opponents remember his weak submission defense. He says he can't really fault himself for anything he did in the fight, and he swears his ground game is improving. Both those things may be true, but they don't change the fact that he's lost two straight via submission, just like he did back in 2007. By all accounts, he's in a much better place in his life these days, and he definitely seems more mature. Still, he won't be the "Young Assassin" forever. He'll be 29 in March, which, for a fighter, is bearing down on middle-aged. The "Middle-Aged Assassin" doesn't sound like anyone that the next generation of UFC lightweights will fear, especially since speed and explosive power -- the two attributes Gulliard has leaned on his entire career -- do not age well, as a rule. Technical skill ages well. Wrestling ability ages well. Submission defense ages well. And if Guillard wants to age well in the UFC, he's got to invest in a different kind of future. I believe he's trying, and he's shown a lot of improvement in recent years. But the clock is ticking. Most Improved: Pat Barry The old "HD" would have been done the moment his opponent got him down and moved to take his back. Remember his loss to Tim Hague? Or how about when Cro Cop submitted him with a choke that wasn't exactly a model of execution? Granted, Christian Morecraft isn't exactly Demian Maia, but he has submitted an opponent or two in his day, and yet Barry had no trouble shrugging off his attempts and getting back to his feet. That's not easy when you're one of the smallest guys in the heavyweight division, but as Barry showed when he got the fight back in his pool, he still packs one of the biggest punches. Anybody who still thinks he lacks the killer instinct necessary to finish should go ask Morecraft how he's feeling this morning. Barry bounced his head off the mat like a racquetball with those right hands, then within minutes went right back to being the jovial, self-deprecating comedian we know and love. How can you not want to see this guy succeed? How can you not get caught up in his infectious enthusiasm for everything? Least Improved: Kamal Shalorus He's still basically the same fighter he was in the WEC. The difference is, back then he excited people with his raw potential. Imagine what this guy could turn into with a little experience and polish, people said. The experience has slowly accumulated, but the polish hasn't. The submission loss to Nurmagomedov (please give that man a nickname -- how about Nurmy?) was his second defeat since joining the UFC. His split decision win over Bart Palaszewski in his final WEC fight could have even gone the other way, and his draw with Jamie Varner in the fight before that could have easily been a loss. Really, he hasn't had a solid win he could hang his hat on since a decision over Dave Jansen at WEC 46. So what happened? Maybe he just failed to develop much beyond the skills he first stepped in the cage with. Maybe people figured out his game and he failed to keep them guessing. Whatever the cause, Shalorus is shaping up to be a bust in the big leagues of MMA. Most Surprising: Jared Papazian He sure didn't fight like a 3-1 underdog, and his UFC debut was not, as Mike Easton predicted, a debacle. In fact, how those two didn't get Fight of the Night is beyond me, because theirs was certainly the most competitive and entertaining bout on the whole card. From start to finish, Papazian took everything Eason had and gave it right back to him. I agree with the judges decision in the end -- it's hard to win on the scorecards with your back against the fence for so much of the fight -- but Papazian showed why he belongs in there simply by hanging tough with a guy like Easton for three rounds. Saved by the Skin of His Guillotine: Josh Neer From the way he was eating punches and asking for more early, it did not look like this was going to be a good night for Neer. Fortunately for him, Duane Ludwig is still far more of a kickboxer than he is a wrestler, and in his haste to get back up from a takedown he did like Louis XVI and left his neck open for the guillotine. Still, it's hard to see that as a great indicator of future success for Neer. He was getting easily picked apart on the feet, and he likely won't be able to take the welterweight division's better wrestlers down quite so easily. At best, his continued willingness -- one might even say eagerness -- to take a punch, combined with his all-around game and lack of any glaring weaknesss, will allow him to hang around a while longer without moving too far up or down in the rankings. In other words, he can keep getting in the cage and keep getting paid to do it, but that's about it. Then again, maybe that's enough for him. At least for now. The Chris Lytle Award for Knowing When to Walk Away: Jorge Rivera The 39-year-old brawler notched one last TKO win, then called it quits. In a sport where the self-awareness necessary to know when you're getting too old for this stuff seems to be in dangerously short supply, that's always nice to see. Rivera has always been the kind of guy who can give you a reasoned, sober analysis of his own abilities and shortcomings. Even when looking back on his first fight, he had no problem admitting that his opponent that night "beat the piss" out of him. But Rivera forged a career in this business out of determination and toughness. And sure, the natural ability to knock people silly didn't hurt either. It's sad that a gracious exit like his is rare enough to be remarkable, but it is, and it deserves to be noted. Rivera built a career he can be proud of, and there's no need to keep cranking the engine after he knows good and well that there's no gas left in the tank. Younger fighters take note. Some day it will be you. Some day you'll look at all the young bucks coming up and conclude that you're too slow and too old to compete with them. Some day you'll face the same decision that Rivera did. If you can handle it with half as much class and dignity, you'll have every reason to walk away proud.  Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Posted in: ufc, fight, guy, he, that

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Posted in: guy, warning, nsfl, mezger, year nsfl

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First it was Tim Kennedy slicing his toe off earlier this morning followed by an array of bone fragments surgically extracted from Mark Munoz's elbow. Now we have picture of the nastiest cut you will see this year, compliments of an enormous amount of cojones from MMA pioneer Guy Mezger. Mike Russell from CagePotato did an excellent job transcribing today's Guy Mezger interview with Bob Carson on 'Carson's Corner,' and Bas Rutten just capped the epic story with an equally tremendous picture of Mezger's sliced hand. Apparently a guy was shoving a lady, Mezger attempted to the diffuse the situation but was rushed by the dude -- who weighed about 155 lbs. Guy Mezger tossed him to the ground, the attacker got back to his feet and pulled a knife. Apparently Mezger didn't see, and was stabbed in the hand but thought he blocked a punch. Mezger ended up knocking the guy out a total of three times before the cops stepped in. Here's an excerpt from CagePotato regarding the altercation. I didn’t see the knife. That’s the reason I got caught the way I did. I didn’t see the knife until… I mean, he had slashed me on the hand and I didn’t feel it. It’s not because I’m a tough guy, I just really seriously, honestly didn’t feel it. This is the most amazing thing because he sliced through three of my tendons [of my hand] and it never hurt. When I went to the emergency room, I was just trying to get in there and get out because my son had a soccer game and I didn’t want to miss it and I also had my company’s — my company that I own’s Christmas party. I was the only one in the emergency room and then a guy came in with an aneurysm, so I knew that I wasn’t going to get seen, so I said the nurse, ‘Hey, could you Steri-Strip this for me and I’ll come back tomorrow and get stitches?’ So they were like, ‘Okay, let’s look at it.’ When they were looking at it I saw my tendons and I was like, ‘Oh goodness,’ and I shot a photo of it on my phone,” he explained. “I called a surgeon buddy because his partner is one of the best hand surgeons in Texas and I thought I could see my tendon hanging out, so I sent him the picture and I was like, ‘Hey, can you get me an appointment?’ So I hadn’t even seen the emergency room doctor yet and I had an appointment with the best hand surgeon in Texas, and he said to go ahead and plan for surgery on Tuesday. So I was actually taken care of really well. It happened Sunday, Monday I got to see [the surgeon], Tuesday I had the surgery and I’ve been on the mend since then and they say I can expect a one hundred percent recovery.” Alright guys, now for the picture. Keep in mind this will be the most graphic cut you see this year. If you are eating, wait until your food has digested before you look at it. Don't say I didn't warn you. Big thanks to Brian H. for the tip.

Posted in: guy, ’t, hand, surgeon, mezger

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Filed under: UFCFriday night is almost here and so is the inaugural UFC on FX event. Before you sink your teeth into another night of live MMA action, allow us to present you with a few things to think about in the long hours before fight time. I. Will the UFC's new TV deal lead to a new kind of live event? In the old days it was the Spike shows and the pay-per-views, and it was very easy to look at the fight cards and tell the difference between the event you were expected to pay for and the one you were merely expected to be home for. But now the UFC has FOX, FX, and FUEL at its disposal, and it still has a pay-per-view regimen to keep up. Judging by this first event on FX, it seems possible that a reclassification of sorts is underway. Just look at the fight poster for this one. You see two former contenders who are both coming off losses, two journeyman welterweights, and two heavyweights who are a combined 4-6 in the UFC. I point this out not to knock any of those guys -- all three of those fights are interesting for different reasons -- but rather to ask, you think these are all main card fights in a world where the UFC isn't sandwiching a cable TV event between a pay-per-view and a network TV show? It's a natural progression, really. If you put on more total fights, but without significantly expanding the roster, you're going to end up shifting the spotlight onto some guys who were toiling in the dark before. Again, that's not all bad. Fighters like Ludwig deserve a little face time with the fans. The question is, will the fans agree? Will they keep showing up and sitting down for fighters that they've been trained to view as undercard material, or will more of them decide to wait for the next one, when guys they know and care about are fighting? My guess is that 2012 is the year we find out. II. How far away from a title shot is the winner of the Jim Miller-Melvin Guillard fight, anyway? The lightweight division is so choked with talent these days, for a while there it seemed like nothing short of a Secretariat-esque winning streak would earn you a crack at the champ. But now that the Edgar-Maynard trilogy is in the books, things might be opening up a bit. That's good news for Miller and Guillard, who both seemed to be on their way to the top before one loss stopped them cold. Now that Ben Henderson is getting his shot and Gilbert Melendez seems to be staying put in Strikeforce (for now), it might not take more than a couple wins for either Miller or Guillard to make their case all over again. But then, this is a tough match-up for both of them. Whoever loses will have dropped two in a row, and will then feel miles and miles away from the top of the division. And after being so close, once upon a time, that he could have reached out and touched it. III. New voices for a new era in the UFC. It had to happen. There's only so much you can ask of longtime UFC commentators Mike Goldberg and Joe Rogan. For this event, the organization turns to its so-called "B-team" of play-by-play man Jon Anik and fighter/color commentator Kenny Florian. Neither is a rookie at this, and they had great chemistry together on ESPN's MMA Live, so expectations shouldn't be lowered just because they're not the UFC's varsity announcing squad. Watching Anik on the UFC 142 post-fight show, you'd have thought he'd been working these events for years. It should be interesting to see how well the two of them handle their first time calling a UFC event together, but I have high hopes. Both these guys are good hires, and the addition of a couple fresh faces at the broadcast table comes at just the right time. IV. Mike Easton finds himself in a tough position in what's supposed to be an easy fight. There's a definite downside to facing a late replacement who's new to the UFC. For starters, everyone expects you to smash the guy. Easton is a 4-1 favorite according to some oddsmakers, and you can take your pick of reasons. Either it's because Jared Papazian has never fought at this level, or because he took the fight on short notice after Ken Stone was forced out with injury, or just because Easton seems like the superior fighter. I can't argue with any of that, but that does create a situation where Easton has relatively little to gain and a ton to lose. You beat Papazian in his UFC debut? Good for you. You lose to him? Total disaster. V. Somewhat surprisingly, Duane Ludwig's improbable redemption saga trudges on. In March of 2010, "Bang" was 0-2 in his latest UFC stint and looking like he might be on the verge of washing out of the big time for good. He was beaten up and broken down, taking fights he shouldn't have taken and further abusing a body that had already seen a lifetime's worth of punishment in MMA cages and kickboxing rings. But what was he going to do? He had a family to support and a career to maintain. Neither could wait very long for him to feel fully healthy and ready again. It would have been very easy for this story to take a turn in the other direction. If he'd lost his third fight in a row to Nick Osipczak at UFC 122, he might have been done in the UFC. Instead he pulled out a close decision down the stretch, then surprised a lot of people by battering Amir Sadollah in his next fight. Somewhere in there he also got the UFC to recognize his knockout of Jonathan Goulet as the fastest in the organization's history, and he got Joe Rogan to sign his action figure. It's as if everything just started coming up Ludwig. It didn't happen on accident, of course. It happened because he kept coming, refusing to be slowed by injuries or discouraged by losses. Now he's enjoying a charmed second (maybe even third?) act in his MMA career, and there's no telling how far he can go if he keeps racking up the wins. It's a good lesson for the younger fighters out there: just because you're losing at the moment, that doesn't necessarily mean you've lost. VI. Prelim fighter to watch: Nick Denis. You'll have to get in front of the TV early to do it -- his bout with Joseph Sandoval is up first on the FUEL TV broadcast, beginning at 6 pm ET -- but I think you'll be glad you did. He's an interesting guy, as the nickname "Ninja of Love" suggests. Denis is a Canadian bantamweight who dropped out of a PhD program in biochemistry when the UFC absorbed the WEC and suddenly it looked as if a 135-pounder might earn a living at this MMA stuff. He finished his last fight with a brutal slam KO -- his ninth TKO finish in ten career wins. If you're late getting to the couch for this one, you may miss it. VII. Can Pat Barry put together a complete effort, from the first bell to the last? We don't know, because it's been a while since he's done it. There's no doubting the man's kickboxing ability or his power. He's one of the rare fighters who can and has finished opponents with leg kicks alone. But lately his problem has been fast starts followed by lackluster finishes. Of his four losses in the UFC, at least three came in fights where he seemed to be dominating early, only to let the victory slip through his fingers. Some of that could be inexperience in MMA -- this is just his eleventh fight with the little gloves -- or it could be simply bad luck. Whatever it is, the time to shake it off and put together a complete effort is now. But that's easier said than done when you've got a 6'6" monster like Morecraft standing across from you.  Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Posted in: ufc, fight, time, guy, event

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After going 3-2 in my UFC RIO picks (thanks to Mario for giving me that Prater call), it’s nice to have some momentum coming into this week. In fact, the only negative response to my last edition was the picture. In some circles, Photoshopping yourself into a picture with a couple women is hilarious, even high-five worthy. In others, however, it gets you a stern talking-to from one's fiancé and a restraining order from Arianny and Chandella. Yes, while once I fought in the Octagon, now it looks like I won’t even be able to get within 100 feet of it.This Friday the UFC on FX rolls into Nashville (almost three million feet away from my place). Personally, I think this is the best move FX has made since they offered Dana White the role of Detective Vic Mackey in “The Shield.” Hopefully this leads to a whole new level of UFC/FX crossovers. I think Justified’s Timothy Olyphant could be a decent fighter and maybe Matt Mitrione could get on an episode of The League (though I don’t think his two career tackles make him a viable fantasy football play).PAT BARRY VS. CHRISTIAN MORECRAFTThe night kicks off with a heavyweight contest between Pat “HD” Barry and Christian Morecraft. Both guys are coming off losses and badly need a win to stay in the organization. In the interest of full disclosure, Pat is a personal friend of mine, and not just because we’ve driven up bar bills that rival my student loan debt. He’s a great guy whose Twitter feed is vastly superior to his opponent's, and that’s why it feels terrible to pick against him.Prediction: Luckily for me, I won't have to. Morecraft has four submission victories, so if he can get “HD” to the ground, Pat could be in trouble. Pat’s footwork and athleticism, though, should help him avoid tying up while picking Morecraft apart with his superior striking. Barry gets a 1st round TKO and looks way more masculine than he does when ordering his drink of choice. Seriously, coconut rum and pineapple juice?!MIKE EASTON VS. JARED PAPAZIANNext up is a bantamweight bout between newcomer Jared “The Jackhammer” Papazian and Mike “The Hulk” Easton. Easton is making his second appearance in the Octagon after finishing Byron Bloodworth in the second round last October. I didn’t catch the fight, but with a name like Bloodworth, the guy had to be a vampire and even the Twilight ones are hard to beat.Prediction: The Jackhammer has gone to decision his last five bouts. That, compounded by the fact that he’s making his UFC debut on short notice, makes it hard to choose him against a guy who smashed his way through the local Washington D.C. circuit  --  we all know hard it is to accomplish something in that town. Easton via 2nd round TKODUANE LUDWIG VS. JOSH NEERI expect Duane “Bang” Ludwig and Josh “The Dentist” Neer to be the fight of the night. Ludwig's having a good streak - he's won his last two fights, and the UFC now officially recognizes his win against Jonathan Goulet as the fastest KO in UFC history. Tough veteran Josh Neer has finished his last five fights, most recently against Keith Wisniewski via doctor stoppage due to cuts that almost made referee Dan Miragliotta almost lose his lunch.Prediction: Ludwig has the advantage in standup, no doubt - he's one of the best in MMA. Neer, however, is much more well-rounded has a solid chin. I think that he’ll try to stand and trade with Ludwig, but then his self-preservation instincts will kick in, he’ll take Duane down and work some ground and pound. Most people hate the dentist, and Ludwig won’t be the exception after Neer takes this by decision.MELVIN GUILLARD VS. JIM MILLERThe main event has lightweight contenders Melvin “The Young Assassin” Guillard and Jim Miller jockeying for position on the 155-pound ladder. Both guys have something to prove after recent losses derailed their contender status in the division. It's a textbook style matchup: Guillard has explosive boxing and dangerous knockout power; Miller is one of the most effective grapplers in the UFC and a BJJ black belt who's won 11 of 20 by submission. Prediction: Melvin Guillard’s performances have been about as reliable as my grandma after a glass and half of Riesling. Sometimes he goes out there on point and you want to crown him the next lightweight champ; other times, you have a hard time believing that' he's the same guy who took out Shane Roller and Evan Dunham with extreme violence. Joe Lauzon showed the hole in Guillard’s game and Miller has the ability to rip it open even wider. Miller will get the takedown and secure a submission, giving Melvin his second loss in a row.That concludes the third edition of the Downes Side. Don't forget to follow me on Twitter at @DannyBoyDownes, and keep your fingers crossed that I finish my work in time to watch the fights tonight. I have to apologize to my fiancé (this should do it) and hire some legal counsel. I wonder if Volkmann has a good lawyer I could call.

Posted in: ufc, fight, guy, guillard, ludwig

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The frantic pace of UFC events and the multitude of FOX-owned cable networks on which to show those events has at least one upside: more fights means a greater demand for fighters. In turn, that might mean that some of the pressure to win, win, win just to stay in the UFC will slacken just a tad, though I wouldn't bet on it. The UFC is still in the business of rewarding winners and jettisoning losers. As we've seen lately, there is a place for guys who put on a good show even in defeat. It's just still unclear what that place is. The UFC might need guys to fill out these FX and FUEL TV fight cards, but it's not as if there's a shortage of MMA fighters who want a shot in the big leagues. When in doubt, it's best to win and keep your neck off the chopping block. So who needs a victory in a bad, bad way on Friday night's UFC on FX card, and what are their chances of getting it? For answers, we turn to the Cut List. Pat Barry (6-4, 3-4 UFC) Who he's facing: Christian Morecraft Why he's in danger: First off, let me say that I like Barry. I like him as a person, and I enjoy watching him fight. This is his eighth fight in the UFC, and he's yet to have boring or even mediocre one. That said, Pat Barry needs to win. He's lost two straight, and three of his last four. This trend simply cannot continue much longer. The tough part is, it's not like he's getting outclassed. He had Cheick Kongo all but knocked out before that one slipped away, and he seemed to be well on his way to beating Cro Cop before he broke almost every bone that he needed for that fight. I know every fighter has to deal with his share of bad luck now and then, but the way Barry's career has been going I'm started to suspect he hit a gypsy with his car or built his gym on top of an Indian burial ground. The good news is, he's well liked by fans and has the guns-a-blazing style that the UFC loves. It seems like just about everybody wants him to be successful, and how could you not? Just read this, this, and this, and then try and tell me he's not the most down-to-earth, self-aware fighter in the UFC. But if you're going to stay in the UFC, you still have to win some fights. Eventually even the nice guys run out of second chances. Outlook: Cautiously optimistic. He should beat Morecraft, who has a size but not a skill advantage over Barry. Even if he doesn't, I predict at least one more go-round for Barry. He's too much fun to have around for the UFC to cast him out before it absolutely has to. Jorge Rivera (18-9, 7-7 UFC) Who he's facing: Eric Schafer Why he's in danger: Rivera had the best run of his UFC career in 2009/10, beating a trio of guys who have since left the organization to seek their fortunes elsewhere. His current two-fight skid began with the TKO loss to Michael Bisping, which you could argue was a very raw deal in many respects, then continued with a split decision loss to Constantinos Philippou. That rough stretch has dropped him from co-main event territory to the prelim portion of a Friday night fight card. Where's the next stop if he can't halt his fall there? The 39-year-old Rivera would probably rather not find out. Outlook: Hopeful, but fading fast. It's Rivera's age more than his record that gives one pause. He'll be 40 next month, and his is not a fighting style that tends to age well. Maybe he can beat Schafer, but even then, how much time is left on the clock? Rivera's a good dude and a tough fighter, but no one gets to do this forever. Eric Schafer (12-6-2, 3-5 UFC) Who he's facing: Jorge Rivera Why he's in danger: If you're like me, you reacted to the news of this pairing by shouting out loud, 'Hold up, Eric Schafer's still in the UFC?!' Then, when the grouchy librarian came over to tell you that you had to either be quiet or leave, you used your remaining seven minutes of internet time to research Schafer's recent career stats in search of an answer. Turns out he's been victorious just three times in his eight trips inside the Octagon, and all three of those opponents were booted from the UFC immediately after losing to him. Granted, Houston Alexander was later brought back for a fight with Kimbo Slice, but that doesn't change the fact that, thus far in his MMA career, Schafer has been the guy who helps the UFC decide if you should be fired or not. Don't get me wrong, there's a place for that. But what happens when that guy loses? Better yet, what happens when that guy hasn't won a fight in the UFC in three years, and the last person he beat in the Octagon then went on to lose five of his next seven in the smaller shows? The last time Schafer lost two in a row, he got cut. Then he won one fight outside the UFC before coming back to lose to Aaron Simpson at the start of his current stay. If he can't beat Rivera, that's another two-fight skid for Schafer. He's been around this sport long enough to know what that would mean for his career. Outlook: Grim. Look, this is a winnable, though by no means easy fight for him. What it definitely isn't is a losable fight. Not if he wants to stick around. Daniel Roberts (12-3, 3-3 UFC) Who he's facing: Charlie Brenneman Why he's in danger: Roberts got off to rough start in the UFC with a brutal KO loss to John Howard, but then he rebounded with three straight victories -- two by submission. That led to a step up in competition, which in turn led to some hard times for Mr. Roberts. After losing back-to-back decisions to Claude Patrick and Rich Attonito, he now finds himself just one loss away from the dreaded three-fight skid. The worst part is, not many people expect him to win this one. Brenneman is a 3-1 favorite according to most oddsmakers, and the bout itself is stuck in the middle of the FUEL TV prelims. With his 3-3 mark in the organization, this bout feels like a fork in the road for Roberts, who has some genuine talent. You just wonder if he's good enough to stay at this level. You also wonder how many chances the UFC will give him to prove it. Outlook: Slightly pessimistic. Brenneman is a tough draw for a guy in Roberts' shoes, but that's life in the UFC. As long as there's time on the clock, he's got a chance to pull off the upset and turn this thing around. If he doesn't, he might be headed straight off a cliff. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

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Filed under: UFCThe UFC heads to Nashville this Friday night for a fight card that makes up for with easy accessibility what it lacks in star power. Sure, maybe we're not talking about the biggest names here, and maybe the big(ger) names on the card are mostly coming off losses, but what do you expect for a Friday night on FX? At least oddsmakers still care enough to handicap the action, and at least I still care enough to see if I can't make them pay for it. Jim Miller (-180) vs. Melvin Guillard (+150) When you talk about this fight, you're going to end up comparing losses. There's just no way around it. You take two lightweight contenders who had their respective rises suddenly and violently halted, and it's only natural that we'd go back and try to sort through whose loss was worse, and what it means now. Miller had a pretty thorough beating put him on by Ben Henderson, but now that Henderson's getting set to challenge for the lightweight title that doesn't look so bad. Guillard, on the other hand, lost a shocker to Joe Lauzon after getting dropped and then choked early in the first round. It's a longer fall, quality of opponent-wise, but it does have a bit of a fluke-ish quality to it, which you can attribute to Guillard's reckless overconfidence. You know, if you really want to. This is what makes picking a winner in this fight so difficult. You can kind of talk yourself into anything. It's a little surprising to see Miller this much of a favorite, but then you think about his ground game, his seven-fight win streak prior to the Henderson loss, and it makes sense. And Guillard? Guillard has the allure of pure ability. The promise of speed and power and an athletic ability that even he can't help but overestimate at times. Guillard seems like the kind of guy who can beat anybody when things fall his way, but also like the kind of guy who could lose to anybody and at any given moment. It's not hard to imagine him knocking Miller out with a flying knee, nor is it difficult to picture him missing that same flying knee, landing on his end, and getting submitted seconds later. It all depends on what you want to tell yourself. My pick: Miller. Unlike Guillard, he never beats himself. In a fight like this, don't be surprised if that turns out to be enough. Duane Ludwig (-115) vs Josh Neer (-115) Right off I'll say it: I'm surprised at this line. I would have thought that Ludwig would have been the clear favorite and Neer the obvious underdog. That's not meant as a knock on Neer, who still does a few things very well and for whom toughness is never a question. But Ludwig seems to be undergoing a sort of mini-Renaissance lately. He seems more at home in the welterweight division than he ever was in the lightweight class, and he's sharpened his defensive wrestling skills to the point where his kickboxing is even more of a problem for opponents. As long as he's fully healthy, it's hard for me to see how Neer wins this. At one point, oddsmakers agreed. He was up in the +120 range until the money started to flow in, but it's not like his chances have really improved since then. He still deserves to be a slight underdog against Ludwig. It's just that, if you jump on it now, you won't get anywhere near the value out of him. My pick: Ludwig. I wouldn't say it's a lock, but I would say this is his fight to lose. If he plays it smart, he ought to pick Neer apart on the feet for as long as it takes. Mike Easton (-400) vs. Jared Papazian (+300) You can always tell that the odds are going to be heavily in one guy's favor when his opponent doesn't even have a Wikipedia page yet. Maybe it was Wednesday's Wikipedia protest blackout, or maybe the denizens of the internet just don't care enough about a UFC newcomer until he actually does something in the Octagon. Either way we're looking at another bantamweight bout that oddsmakers expect Mike Easton to win and win easily. That makes sense. Easton's had a pretty charmed career up until this point, while Papazian has been up and down, winning some and losing some against the knowns and unknowns alike. Papazian does have a three-fight win streak going, which has to count for something. Then again, those are three wins over guys most fans probably never heard of. The UFC must have seen something in him, even if that something was a warm body for Easton to throttle on a card so lacking in big names, Christian Morecraft appears on the poster. Hey, somebody had to say it. My pick: Easton. It's a parlay pick for sure, but I can't think of a single reason to think that Dominick Cruz's personal hype man won't swarm all over Papazian. Pat Barry (-175) vs. Christian Morecraft (+145) You never know exactly what you're going to get with Barry. On paper, he looks like a mediocre heavyweight who's just barely holding on to a UFC roster spot. But those who've actually seen him in the cage know that he's probably the best 6-4 fighter in all of MMA. It's just that, lately, none of the breaks have gone his way. Morecraft is another of the big, hulking heavyweights that seem to have popped up like weeds in the UFC recently. He's in the same mold as guys like Travis Browne and Ben Rothwell, all towering heavyweights who look like they'd make great extras in a Viking movie. Morecraft will obviously have a size advantage, but that's nothing new for Barry. It would probably throw him off more to fight someone his own height at this point. On a pure skill level, Barry's on another planet. Morecraft has to know he can't win a kickboxing match against him. What he has to do is treat this like a bar fight and take technique out of the equation. He's the bigger, stronger man, with an edge on the mat. Again though, if Barry isn't used to that by now, he never will be. My pick: Barry. I know, this is usually the point where I talk myself into taking an underdog, but I can't do it here. Eventually Barry has to catch a break. He just has to. Quick picks: - Jorge Rivera (+115) over Eric Schafer (-146). If I have to choose between two fighters down on their luck, I'll take the guy who got that way by facing superior opponents. - Khabib Nurmagomedov (even) over Kamal Shalorus (-130). First of all, Nurmagomedov needs a nickname in a bad, bad way. Secondly, I have yet to be impressed with a full performance by Shalorus, who tends to look good only in short bursts. The 'For Entertainment Purposes Only' Parlay: Ludwig + Easton + Barry. Also throw in Charlie Brenneman, who's at -300 over Daniel Roberts. Because why not? Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

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Make room at the table in New Jersey for Thanksgiving dinner. The long lost brother of Jim and Dan Miller is coming home.“We’ll be triplets,” laughed lightweight contender Melvin Guillard. “My mom just left me out in the sun a little bit longer.”It’s a hearty laugh for “The Young Assassin,” one produced after he explained, in all seriousness, why he feels his opponent in the FX main event Friday – fellow 155-pound standout Jim Miller – is almost a mirror image of himself.“I’ve had my eyes on Jim Miller for around a year and a half,” said Guillard. “I watched him go and wreck guys constantly, and the reason why I admire the guy and look up to him is because he reminds me a lot of myself. He goes in there to bang, he’s got killer instinct, and he takes guys out. And that’s the kind of fighters I like. It’s like fighting myself in the mirror basically. The only difference is, I won’t be punching myself, I’ll be punching him. (Laughs) I know he’s gonna bring it, but I don’t think he’s ever fought a guy like himself. I’m gonna give him a little bit of what he likes to do, and that’s pressure him.”Guillard, 28, is in a good place these days, despite the fact that he saw his five fight winning streak snapped by Joe Lauzon last October at UFC 136. It was a shocking result to many, but Guillard sees it as just one of those things where in this game, if you make one mistake, that could be the end of your night.“Just one thing went wrong,” said Guillard, who was submitted in 47 seconds by Lauzon. “I was very impatient. I tried to rush it. I knew I was in better shape, I knew I was the better fighter, but I just happened to rush myself, and that’s the result when you rush something so delicate. You get caught with a stiff jab and then the guy takes your back and chokes you. I didn’t lose anything from that fight, but I did gain something in that I need to be more patient. It taught me to slow down and take those three deep breaths sometimes and then get a reaction.” Before the loss, Guillard was riding high, having scored back-to-back 2011 knockouts of Evan Dunham and Shane Roller, and it was expected that a win over Lauzon would have propelled the New Orleans native onto the short list for a shot at Frankie Edgar’s lightweight title. Some even suggested that Guillard was overconfident for the bout against the New Englander, a notion the fighter dismisses.“I just really felt good,” he said. “I was in good spirits and I was excited. I respect Joe and I know he has good skills. I knew that going into the fight; that was why I asked to fight him. I didn’t want no tomato can. I wanted to fight back home in front of my home crowd in Houston and actually give people a good fight. It just fell a little short. But I never underestimate anybody, not even the newcomers. And I look at it from a life perspective. You don’t know where somebody comes from, you don’t know their background, and you don’t know what they’ve been through in life or why they’re fighting. Some people come in there because they have a purpose to survive. They want to fight to survive in life, not just in the cage, and that’s the way I fight. When I step in there, I’m trying to better my life, so every fight’s important, and I treat everybody the same way. I fight every guy with the same intensity because at the end of the day, you can be one fight away from being cut in this business, and I want to make sure I keep my job for a long time to come.”That shouldn’t be a problem for Guillard, given his talent and ability to always deliver compelling fights. And that’s not even mentioning his ever-growing level of maturity, something evident in the days after the Lauzon loss. I asked him how the Melvin Guillard of 2007 would have reacted to the defeat. He laughed.“I probably would have been immature and stupid and said a lot of dumb things that I shouldn’t have said and probably would have gotten myself in trouble. But I think I handled it very well and very professionally. Am I upset with the loss? Yeah. Nobody wants to lose, and I hate losing, but it happens.”And even when it does, sometimes your professionalism and body of work will earn you a high-profile comeback bout, and that’s just what he got against Miller, who is also looking to rebound from a recent defeat, his to Benson Henderson last August. Guillard is grateful for the opportunity and doesn’t want to squander it.“The UFC must really think high of me and must really know that I’m one of the top contenders, and I get to prove it on January 20th, fighting a guy like Jim Miller,” he said. “They wouldn’t have gave me a guy like Jim Miller and a main event on FX after a loss if they didn’t think that we were top contenders and quality guys.”Now the hard work begins to build up another winning streak and get back in the title race. For this next leg of the journey, Guillard has changed his training camp scenery, going from the Jackson’s camp in Albuquerque to Boca Raton, Florida, home of the ever-growing Blackzilians squad. “It’s been great, and I take nothing away from Jackson’s,” said Guillard of the switch. “I had great training partners there and they had guys coming in and out of town, but I think what I was lacking at Jackson’s was the structure. And here I have that as far as the training. I have to be on time and everybody has to be on the same page in the gym and doing the same thing. You don’t have people over here doing one thing and people over there doing another. Everybody’s in there to work and get better. So I think it was a smart move for my career right now.”There were no hard feelings in the split either.“At first I was gonna do half my camp here, half my camp there, but when I got here, I realized how structured and how great the training was, and I realized it was making me a little bit better because now I was focusing on my wrestling and my jiu-jitsu way more. I didn’t leave on bad terms and I hope Greg (Jackson) and them see it that way. Sometimes fighters have to move on to get better, and I felt like (Mike) Winkeljohn and Jackson did their job. I went on a five fight winning streak with those guys, and it was an amazing journey, and I always want to go back and still learn from them. I hope the door doesn’t close in my face and I hope I have a chance to go back and continue to train with those guys. A lot of them mean a lot to me, like Cowboy (Cerrone), Leonard (Garcia), Clay (Guida), little John (Dodson), little Diego (Brandao), Carlos Condit, and Jon (Jones) is a good friend of mine too. So I always want to go back. I still love those coaches the same way, and they’ll always be coaches to me.”The only thing left is Friday night, and it’s the start to what is expected to be another compelling year in the life of Melvin Guillard. And while the book is yet to be written by “The Young Assassin,” he can give you a sneak preview of what he believes 2012 holds for him.“One word – champion,” he said. “I will be the champion in 2012.”

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Maybe he just doesn't like Brazilians. Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) middleweight contender Chael Sonnen, known for his quick wit and merciless trash talk, may be heading into his second straight fight with nothing bad to say about his opponent. Go figure. Sonnen was paired off with American war hero Brian Stann at UFC 136, choosing to pay his respects to the chiseled super-soldier before and after wiping the floor with him inside the cage. It was a far cry from the pro-wrestling style verbal attack fans had grown accustomed to in his rage against the 185-pound machine, calling division kingpin Anderson Silva every name in the book following a fifth round submission loss to "The Spider" at UFC 117 back in August 2010. Fans began licking their chops when it was announced that Michael Bisping, who is about as popular with Americans as Sonnen is with Brazilians, would be stepping in to replace an injured Mark Munoz at UFC on FOX 2 on Jan. 28 at the United Center in Chicago, Illinois. Battle of the big mouths? Not quite. Sonnen explains to the chaps at USA Today why he's a defender of not only Bisping, but his in-cage accomplishments. Check it out: "I'm not on the anti-Bisping bandwagon. I never have been. I think he's good. I hear a lot of negative things said about him, but I think most of it comes from frustration of maybe his personality or something like that. I think if you're real objective and you look at his skill set and his in-ring ability, you'll know that he's a talented guy. He's definitely cocky and arrogant, which is two qualities that I like in a person. I like a cocky guy and I like an arrogant guy, so he earns points with me in those regards, but I think it turns a lot of people off ... I've never even seen Bisping in trouble. I've never seen him come out of there cut and scraped and bruised. He seems to go in, take care of business and go home." Bisping was originally booked to face off against Demian Maia; however, the Munoz injury catapulted him into a title-eliminator bout, as UFC President Dana White went on record to declare the winner of Sonnen vs. Bisping the division number one contender and next in line to fight Silva. Maybe then we can get some of that good old-fashioned trash talk out of Sonnen. That's assuming he wins, of course, which early betting lines (Sonnen is -450) indicate is a very strong possibility. But who among you is ready to name Bisping as the winner on fight night? Anyone?

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Filed under: UFC, MMA Fighting Exclusive, NewsAfter a setback at UFC 136, Melvin Guillard's climb back up the UFC's 155-pound ladder begins Friday night against Jim Miller at UFC on FX Fight Night. MMAFighting.com recently spoke to "The Young Assasin" about what went wrong in his most recent loss against Joe Lauzon, why he decided to leave Greg Jackson's camp, and why he considers this upcoming fight against Miller to be a "blessing." Check out the interview below. Ariel Helwani: Why did you decide to leave Jackson's for the Blackzilians in Florida? Melvin Guillard: [There's] just some things I like about the training here and the place where it has me set mentally. I have a better mental game here. You know, I don't want to go too much into comparing both gyms, but like I said in the past, both gyms are great, just one is giving me something that the other didn't. So I have to look out for my interests and make sure what's best for me at the end of the day so I can become a world champion. Did your loss to Joe Lauzon prompt the move? Oh, no. No, no, no, no. The loss had absolutely nothing to do with it. What coach Greg [Jackson] and coach [Mike] Winklejohn have done for me, I will always be grateful for. The tools they've given me, the things they showed me while I was there ... No, the loss to Lauzon had absolutely nothing to do with my decision. This was a decision that I chose for myself because I just felt like it I had to give myself a different look. You know, coach Greg and those guys are some busy guys, they got a lot of high-profile fighters there, and they just couldn't give me the one-on-one time that I needed, at certain times, and that was part of my decision, as well. How did they react to you telling them that you were leaving their camp? Everybody is okay with everything. There's no hard feelings. If I would have to go back that way, that direction, the door's always open for me. At the end of the day, it's business. I learned the hard way, you can't get emotionally attached in this business because you see some guys get attached to certain trainers and they get stuck at a point in their life where they're not getting better. For me, that wasn't the case, but I just felt like I wanted to make this change to see if it works. It's something that I'm trying out, and if it don't work, and if I had to go back to Jackson's, I don't think they would be upset about that. Why do you think your fight against Lauzon at UFC 136 turned out the way it did? I was just impatient. I rushed myself. I rushed my attack and I ran into a stiff jab. I don't take anything away from Joe. He capitalized on my mistake. That's the thing about this level of competition, if you make a mistake and you capitalize on it, you see what happens. You can end up having a short night. So that's what happens. That's the only thing, to me, that Joe Lauzon did that I didn't do. I made the first mistake and he capitalized on it. He said after the fight that he believed you were looking past him. Is that accurate? Nah, I never look past anyone. I never look past any fighter; I take every fight serious. I wouldn't have asked to fight the guy if I didn't think he was tough. I wanted to fight in Houston, and I begged them to let me fight in Houston, and I had a minor setback. Did I ever for once think that Joe Lauzon would be a walk in the park? No. Joe Lauzon is a very tough competitor, and I take my hat off to the guy. He was the better guy that night. Did you feel as though all the talk about you being so close to a title shot put too much pressure on you? No, nothing got to me, man. I was just excited to fight in front of friends and family, which I haven't done in years, since my dad had passed. To me, that's what it was all about. It wasn't about the job itself, there was no stress there. I was just impatient. I just rushed my attack, and I got caught. Dana White's video blog showed how emotional you were after the fight. Could you describe how you felt once the moment sunk in? I walked in the back, and I was with Dr. Tripp, my judo coach, and me as a student to my craft, when I see my coaches, sometimes I feel like I let them down. At that point I felt like I let myself down because for that short period of time that you guys saw me break down and have my moment, it ran through my mind, Man, I asked for something, I failed, and now I may not get that opportunity to fight for that world title. That's what went through my mind and it hurt for a minute. But then, just instantly after it happened, I got up and was like, I can't let this beat me. No matter if I have to go back three fights, two fights, one fight, I have to go back and fight my way back to the top again because, rightfully so, when someone beats you that guy takes your place. And then I was blessed with this fight with Jim Miller. To be able to come back and fight another top contender guy, who also had a loss, that's just the way the cards were played. I don't think I lost or gained anything from the Joe Lauzon fight. I definitely didn't lose anything, and I know I didn't gain anything. The only thing that I would say I gained was I learned how to be patient because I was impatient with my attack. What was your reaction when they offered you this fight, considering it's a main event fight on FX against another top contender? I was humbled. I'm always a humble guy, but I felt like it was a blessing from above. I felt like the owners understand that sometimes we have a bad night. But I don't want to have a bad night two nights in a row. That's up to me to prevent that from happening. But as far as that goes, I'm just blessed to have understanding bosses. Some people work for Fortune 500 companies, they make a mistake and it costs their job a bunch of money, they might lose their job. In my situation, I'm not going to say I cost them any money, but I still have to go in there and prove myself. I have to prove that Melvin is going to always be a part of the elite, because in the UFC, there's no going backwards. Once you're not the top elite, you're pretty much on your way out the door because they're going to bring in other guys in. My main goal is to stay at the top of the heap. I'm not in a rush for the title. After the Lauzon fight, maybe I should go back and fight maybe two or three fights, at the most, and then that'll determine if I really belong in the position to fight for a title. I read that you said recently that the UFC told you this was a No. 1 contender fight, which raised eyebrows since you are both coming off losses. Was that taken out of context? Yeah, people take stuff out of context. A contender fight in the UFC ... you can have two, maybe three, No. 1 contenders. At one point, it was me, Jim Miller, and possibly Ben Henderson and Donald Cerrone. There were four of us that they were talking about possibly being in No. 1 contender fights. People take that No. 1 contender stuff out of context a lot. That's not my worry. My worry is to go and do my job and see what happens from there. I'm not looking past Jim Miller, like I never looked past anybody. You have to take every fight one fight at a time, and like my coach told me back in 2005, Warren Donnelly, when I fought Marcus Davis, he was like, 'Every fight from here on out is a title fight and you always have to make sure you fight to stay in.' That's been my whole goal, my whole purpose of being in the UFC the last seven years, you gotta fight to stay in. If I start worrying about chasing the title belt, I lose sight of the bigger picture, and next thing you know, I end up without a job. Because if you really look back at season 2 [of The Ultimate Fighter] alumni, it's only me and Rashad [Evans] left. Everybody else has been cut. So I focus more on that part of job, and I always go in there, win or lose, I always leave with my head up and I always give the fans a great, explosive fight. That's the way I fight. Did you watch Miller's fight against Henderson and have you been able to pinpoint why he lost that fight? Yeah, I've watched all of his fights, but I don't get caught up on trying to figure out what he's great at. I watch tape to see what he does repeatedly, like, the things a person does repeatedly are the things that when you're in the heat of battle you're going to go back to doing those things. Those are the things I look for. As far as worrying about his last fight, man, he could have been sick, he might have not been sick. He could have just gotten outworked. We don't know. The only person who knows that is Jim. So, I'm not going in there to fight Jim Miller's fight, I'm going in there to be me and that's the way I fight all my fights. What do you think about his striking? I think his striking is mediocre. I think he can knock guys out, but I don't think his striking is as sharp as mine. I honestly think it's going to be more me fighting off a wrestling match and him looking for something there. Is it safe to assume you want to keep this fight standing? I'll take the fight wherever it goes. I've been working the last seven weeks with my BJJ instructor here. I do privates here everyday. I'm working with the Dutch kickboxing coach. So I'm confident to go wherever, and I'm not saying I'm going to pull of a submission, but I know I can damn well fight him off right now. I can damn well defend the submission the way I need to because I've been taught the proper way. I'm okay with wherever this fight goes. Does it feel different to be going into a fight for the first time in a while coming off a loss? No, I feel comfortable, not cocky. People take that out of context too. I feel very confident going into this fight. I feel great; my cardio is great. I've had a great training camp. I worked my butt off for this training camp. This has been one of the toughest training camps, but coming off a loss has not played into my mind. I've already put the Joe Lauzon fight behind me, and I'm looking forward, I'm not looking back. I'm not even looking back on all the five fights I've won. I'm looking forward to what's next and that's the way it's supposed to be. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

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If it ever seems like Mike Easton is almost attacking life, armed with an enthusiasm unmatched by us mere mortals, he’s got a good reason for it. “I wasn’t supposed to make it,” said the UFC bantamweight, who was born at just two pounds, three ounces in D.C.’s George Washington Hospital nearly 28 years ago. He recalls his mother Gina telling him that some of the babies around him were blind, while others had HIV. Even a nurse that took care of him died in a fatal car accident. When all was said and done, Easton and another child were the only ones to emerge unscathed. So is it any surprise that Easton became a fighter?“My first opponent ever was death,” he said. “After that, a man is just a man. I could care less about who they put in front of me in the cage. He’s just a man. He’s never gone through what I’ve been through.”That’s usually bad news for Easton’s opponents. “The Hulk” has won 11 of 12 pro bouts, including his first UFC match last October against Byron Bloodworth in D.C.’s Verizon Center. It was the debut all fighters dream of, winning by knockout in front of your hometown fans, and Easton says that it certainly lived up to all expectations.“It was incredible,” he said. “It was a dream come true, literally. Just to fight in front of the home crowd at the Verizon Center, we packed that place out. My whole team was there, I saw a whole bunch of green and black shirts running around, and to show my support and my fan base was just incredible. A lot of people don’t know that we love MMA around here, we like to fight around here, and we love combat sports. I was just happy to see that my fan support was out there, my family was out there, and it was an awesome feeling.”It was the culmination of the first leg of a journey that began a decade earlier, when a 17-year old Easton walked into the Jiu-Jitsu academy of Lloyd Irvin and said that he wanted to fight in the UFC. It took 10 years, but Easton made it. And even more impressively, in the age where camp jumping is commonplace, he made it with Irvin by his side. And as far as Easton is concerned, that will always be the case.“Especially as an African-American, to see what he (Irvin) has done in the community is incredible,” said Easton. “He’s from this area, so he knows how all the young guys act because he was one of those young guys. And don’t get me wrong, everybody has their ups and downs with their coaches (Laughs), but he’s like a father figure. It’s like me talking to my dad; we have our ups and downs too. But I know he is the best coach in the world. He knows how to coach, he knows how to run a camp, and he always seems to find time for me. I got my black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under Master Lloyd Irvin, and to me, I’m not going nowhere. If God forbid something happened to him, who’s gonna help keep the gym running? I’m one of his black belts; I would have to do that. That’s my obligation and my job because it’s a family.” He has a tattoo of four fours to represent his commitment to his coach and his team, saying “I pledged myself to Lloyd Irvin’s mixed martial arts academy and to this team, so I have four fours on me, which represents my commitment to this team, and I ain’t going nowhere.” It’s a refreshing notion these days, not only the idea but the practice of loyalty, and while Easton had his ups and downs growing up, as an adult, he knows that without jiu-jitsu and MMA, his current path might be quite different. “I’m from Washington, D.C., and this is a rough area, it’s a rough town,” he said. “Guys do not play around here and I’ve seen a whole lot of things. I’ve witnessed friends being killed with my own eyes, I’ve got friends in prison right now, and I have to do certain things so I can prove to these guys out here that you don’t have to do anything negative to make it out here.”Easton talks about getting wrestling and boxing put into local schools, a great idea but one that is unlikely to happen anytime soon given the current culture’s resistance to anything that might involve physical contact, even though nothing builds (and reveals) character more than sports that involve putting yourself on the line in a one-on-one combat situation. But even without that dream becoming a reality, Easton can still do plenty for his community just leading by example.“My whole goal is to change people’s lives and to try my best to be a good role model,” he said. “I’m still human, I’m not perfect, but I can still teach and talk to these guys. What you do is what you do, but at some point, things have gotta change, especially for the inner city community.”His greatest example may just be his persistence. Surviving after being born at two pounds, three ounces is impressive enough, but taking the long road to the big show in MMA showed plenty of grit as well, especially considering the two years he lost due to injury.“This is always what I wanted to do, and I wasn’t gonna let anything stop me,” he said. “I had a two year layoff because I had a fractured elbow, and my last couple fights before I signed with the UFC I was fighting with a fractured elbow, but I was winning and doing my thing. But it came to a certain point in time where toughness just wasn’t gonna do it. I had to make sure I had to get my body healthy again, and now I’m back at 110 percent and I’m ready and raring to go.” Friday night, Easton looks to make it two in a row when he takes on Jared Papazian on the FX-televised main card. It’s a huge opportunity for both men to showcase their skills on television, and even though Papazian is a late replacement for original opponent Ken Stone, for Easton, his goals remain unchanged.“It doesn’t change anything up,” he said. “Nothing ever changes my gameplan. If anything, they have to worry about me. If he wants to stand up, that’s awesome. I heard this guy is more of a slugger, which kinda puts him in a bad predicament. I’m used to striking, I’m a high level striker, and it’s what I like to do. I got pinpoint accuracy, I pick people off when I have to, I slip real good, and he’s used to fighting guys that just stand there and slug with him, with no head movement or none of that. “He’s got his beliefs that he’s just gonna come in and destroy Mike Easton,” he continues. “Well, he has a whole ‘nother thing coming to him because I’m a professional. I’ve been through an eight week camp, a hard grind, battling through injuries, and no man’s gonna stop my destiny, and my destiny is to be considered one of the best guys in the UFC. And at some point in time, I’m looking at the belt; that’s the ultimate goal, to be the number one guy. So I’m taking it one fight at a time, I’m not rushing anything, and I’m gonna make a believer out of him.”Easton pauses, almost as if to reflect, and when asked if he’s ready to be “that guy” to inject a new level of energy into the bantamweight division, he answers immediately in the affirmative.“I’m probably one of the hypest dudes ever, and I get it from my dad,” he laughs. “My dad is hype like that. I’m considered the top hype man in MMA, right? Well, I learned that from my father. My dad is my number one hype man, and he has me ready to punish anyone. It doesn’t matter who you are, doesn’t matter where you’re from, I don’t care. When I talk to my dad, he makes me believe that I am the best in the world. I believe that myself, but then you have your dad telling you this, and he’s been telling me I’m the best since I started doing Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and mixed martial arts.”Can you really argue with Mike Easton Sr.? No, because his son has been training for this since he was born. Literally.

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Josh Neer doesn’t ask for much. He doesn’t have a ten deep entourage to cater to his every whim, doesn’t request that the brown M&M’s to be removed from a candy bowl. All he wants is that when you sign to fight him, you fight him.It should be a simple request, but Neer has seen his aggressive style get nullified more than once in the past, and it even cost him his UFC job in 2009 when he lost back-to-back bouts against Kurt Pellegrino and Gleison Tibau. It could have been the sign for him to make a drastic stylistic overhaul, but that’s not his style. Yet while the attitude remains unchanged, he did add a few wrinkles to his game over the last couple years to make life a little easier on himself.“I didn’t get the best matchups that I wanted to get,” said Neer of his bouts against Pellegrino and Tibau, both of which he lost via unanimous decision. “I think that I do better against the actual fighters. I think there are a lot of guys that are just athletes that are fighting, as opposed to actual fighters. I fought two good athletes and I didn’t go in there with the right gameplan. I went out there thinking that they’re gonna come out and try to fight me and beat me, and really, they went in there just with the gameplan to try to win the fight. Guys say that they’re gonna stand up and trade and get Fight of the Night and everything else, but most of the time they’re really not gonna fight that way, especially those types of fighters like the athletes. I realized that I have to go in there and defend the takedown and try to stay up and make it a more exciting fight.”Iowa’s Neer may be just 28 years old, but he’s got an old soul when it comes to fighting. When you’re estimated to have had close to 100 amateur fights, countless gym wars, and 44 “official” pro bouts, that’s probably as old school as you’re going to get, and as far as he’s concerned, when you have the gloves on, you’re not supposed to engage in a wrestling match.“In the old days, it was mainly just fighters that were in the UFC, and now, I think there are more athletes in there and it’s more of an athlete thing than an actual fighter thing,” he said. “But there are still a lot of veterans around, and a lot of them are at the top right now. Anderson Silva, Lyoto Machida, Shogun (Rua), Wanderlei (Silva). Those guys are still around.”Neer may not have the accolades of the above group just yet, but he is cut from their cloth, and he’s got the respect of his peers. What earned him even more is his route back to the UFC following his release in 2009. Unlike many cut fighters who will engage in one or two easy bouts and then light up matchmaker Joe Silva’s cell phone asking for a return, Neer did what he always did – fight. If the call came, great. If it didn’t, he still had to make a living.“I like to fight wherever,” said Neer, a pro for nearly a decade. “The UFC chose to cut me so I had to fight elsewhere.”As for those “other” guys that try to shortcut their way back?“Guys that do that kind of annoy me,” he said. “I think those guys are just looking to get noticed and get attention. I don’t really understand it, but I like to fight, and I tried to fight good competition when I was outside the UFC, just trying to earn my way back, as opposed to just winning a couple of easy fights and then try to get back in. I earned my way back in.”That he did. From 2010 to his callback to the organization for last October’s bout against Keith Wisniewski, Neer fought seven times, losing only to Eddie Alvarez. All of his victories came by way of knockout or submission, making his return an unsurprising one. It was still nice though. “It was good to get the call back and get back in there and get to fight some of the best guys.”Neer also got a willing dance partner for his first fight back, as fellow veteran Keith Wisniewski went toe-to-toe with “The Dentist” for 10 minutes and took a series of hellacious shots until the Octagonside physician called a halt to the bout at the conclusion of the second round.“I knew he was a tough guy because we fought on a couple of the same cards, and I knew it was gonna be a tough fight,” said Neer of Wisniewski. “He’s experienced, he’s well-rounded, and he’s been around forever, so it was a tough fight, but yeah, some of the shots I hit him with, I thought he was done, but then he just kept coming. He was like the Terminator.”It was precisely the fight that Neer craves, and he’s likely to get a similar scrap when he takes on Duane “Bang” Ludwig this Friday night in Nashville. Ludwig is another vet who was fighting back before fighting was cool, and when he steps into the Octagon, all the kind words and handshakes go out the door. That’s Neer’s kind of fighter.“He’s a real technical fighter, and he’s the type of fighter that I like to fight,” said Neer of Ludwig. “He’s gonna try to finish and not just win by points. I think he’s good.”But what of Josh Neer’s future in the game? He’s won big fights, earned Fight of the Night bonuses, and beaten top-level opposition, but he has never put together the kind of streak that would land him in the title picture. Is reaching the top of the welterweight division still the goal?“I think everybody that fights should want to be a world champion,” said Neer. “That’s definitely one of my goals, but I think more of a realistic thing is to be someone like Chris Lytle that has exciting fights every time I fight, and go in there and be remembered that way.”Well, “Lights Out” wouldn’t be a bad role model, as you won’t find anyone with a cross word to say about the recently retired Indiana native. Neer could live with having that type of legacy.“That definitely is a big deal for me,” he said. “You look at Wanderlei Silva and he’s never been the champion of the UFC, but he has everyone’s respect. The same thing with Chris Lytle.”And Josh Neer. 

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Filed under: UFC, MMA Fighting Exclusive, NewsAlready on Tuesday, we've heard news about former Strikeforce light-heavyweight Muhammed "King Mo" Lawal testing positive for steroids, as well as the UFC implementing a performance-enhancing drugs screening for all new fighters about to sign a contract with the promotion. Suffice it to say, finding a way to stop cheating is a big topic of the day. UFC fighter Sean McCorkle, who has always been known for his blunt honesty, has another idea, though. If it were up to him, McCorkle would level the playing field by doing away with drug testing completely. "What you end up with is a situation of where the guys who are beating the test, where the guys who can afford to get a doctor to prescribe whatever they want, where the guys who have access to stuff, they have an unfair advantage already," he said on Tuesday's edition of The MMA Hour. "I think we'd be pretty naive to think that every person who's ever taken anything was caught. So I think, to me, in all professional sports, I say, let guys do whatever they want to do and be done with it. I don't think anybody's going to make or break their career based on steroids unless you're talking about longevity, because to my understanding, the majority of them are used for recovery from injury." He noted that at least when it comes to MMA, most athletes aren't looking to gain muscle mass since most have to cut weight during the course of training camp. McCorkle (13-2) who had three fights in the UFC in a six-month stretch from Sept. 2010 to March 2011, is currently a free agent and has three fights scheduled for the future, with the first coming on January 28 on NAAFS' Caged Fury 16 card in Morgantown, West Virigina. McCorkle hopes to parlay a win streak into another job with a major MMA organization, but even if he were thrust back into a job with other elite heavyweights, he would have no issue with fighting in a league with no drug testing, noting that "most guys who test positive have lost their fights." Part of his issue with it stems from the difficulty of defining what is and isn't a PED. "There's stuff at [nutrition store] GNC that will make you pee hot for a PED, and it's not necessarily something that's going to enhance your performance at all," he said. "It's just something that's banned." As an example of the madness, he said that when he was in the UFC, he was told by company officials not to take Tylenol or aspirin during fight week. He also noted that PED problems are not simply an issue in MMA, but throughout the entire sports world, and one that will likely never be fully stopped. "I always said in the past, the only people who take steroids are the guys who like winning and money," he said. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

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Remember that one time when you were viewed across the world by tens of millions of people and you tripped and face planted directly into the HSBC arena floor in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil? Well I do, and fortunately with the wonders of technology we have the clip so that it may be played endlessly by thousands of MMA fans out there. It's like the security guy at UFC 142 was in the process of doing a karate chop but he confused his body parts and the entire physical action just sort of collapsed. Props to the security guy for playing it off though. He had a job, and he did it -- and gave us this illustrious video in the process. Thanks guy.

Posted in: guy, security, jose aldos, security guy, security dude

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While ESPN and UFC Executives have been going back and forth over the past week relating to an Outside the Lines feature from the sports’ network focused on fighter-pay in the UFC, some of the voices lost in the debate belong to the men who actually lay it all on the line inside the Octagon. While ESPN’s story featured input from Ken Shamrock and Ricco Rodriguez, neither man has fought under the Zuffa banner for more than five years and are not necessarily as in tune with the way things work in 2012 when compared to those currently calling the UFC home. On that note, the UFC has released a video addressing ESPN’s claims with input from former champions Chuck Liddell, Matt Serra, and Forrest Griffin who defended their employers’. Liddell retired in 2010 after a storied career in the infamous eight-sided cage while Griffin and Serra are still on the organization’s roster. “These guys that are just starting off in the UFC and they’re starting off with whatever number they’re starting off with, they have a good night and the next thing you know they’re getting a sick pay day,” said Serra. “And that opportunity is for a guy that’s been with them, like myself, for ten years or a guy that’s green and it’s his first time in there.” As far as Griffin’s take, the original Ultimate Fighter winner explained, “The UFC has guys that technically they lose money on; that they’re paying $10-$15,000 to fight that nobody’s really watching. Nobody bought the PPV to see that guy, maybe like 300 people in his hometown if he’s lucky. But they’re paying that guy to get better, to keep fighting, because maybe he’ll catch on and be that next thing.” “They’re putting an investment in all their guys, all of us. The UFC wants you to succeed,” he continued. “The more any fighter succeeds, they succeed. I mean even guys that aren’t making a fortune are making enough to where they don’t have another job and they can concentrate on getting better as a fighter so they can put themselves in a position to make good money.” Check out the fighters’ version of things below in addition to more behind-the-scenes footage from Lorenzo Fertitta’s interview with ESPN:

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Brent Brookhouse: There has been a long-standing debate regarding Jose Aldo and if he can be considered in the pound-for-pound debate or if the featherweight division simply isn't good enough for him to have a credible argument. With eleven straight wins on Zuffa cards and this latest dominant win over Chad Mendes, has he done enough to make a legitimate case for a top five pound for pound fighter? Tim Burke: He has absolutely made the case, and should comfortably sit in the top five. Featherweight might be thin, but he has been a lot of quality contenders, and a wide variety of opponents (wrestlers, strikers, etc). Two of the long-standing guys in the top three, Georges St. Pierre and Anderson Silva, faced stretches where they didn't have the toughest competition across the cage from them. I don't think Aldo should be left out of the discussion just because his division is a little behind in development. I mean, what else does the guy have to do? Move up to 155? Fraser Coffeen: I was one of the people who felt he was anointed top 5 too fast. But the Mendes fight finally closed it for me. Yes, he's top 5. The division is still a bit thin, but as Tim said, Anderson was fighting Cote and Leites and was widely considered #1. It's not always just who you face, it's also how impressive you look against them, and Aldo looked impressive in Rio. I guess for me what it comes down to is this - for him to not be top 5, you need to find 5 guys above him. Clearly Silva, Jones, and GSP are above. But then? Edgar is the only other really in contention I think. Brent Brookhouse: I think Jon Fitch losing kind of takes some of the teeth out of the argument against Aldo. He was one of the fighters people thought belonged above Aldo for all his accomplishments as the long-time number two guy at welterweight who seemed like he could only be beaten by one guy (St. Pierre). In a few months Aldo will be #3 in my eyes since standard ranking procedure says you remove a fighter who has been inactive for over a year (again, St. Pierre). As Fraser said, you have to have five guys above him to not be top five and I think the guys in the P4P discussion right now are (in no order): - Anderson Silva - Jon Jones - Georges St. Pierre - Frankie Edgar - Gilbert Melendez - Junior dos Santos - Dominick Cruz And I guess you could add maybe Nick Diaz and Dan Henderson to that list. But I look at those names and I feel pretty comfortable saying that Aldo is in the top 5 in the sport, maybe even top three if you want to bump GSP down for his very sporadic schedule and lack of finishing lesser men. More after the jump... KJ Gould: The lack of familiarity and establishment of the Featherweight division hurts his cause. His best name win is Kenny Florian, but it can be argued Florian was severely weakened with his drop to Featherweight which impacted the fight. In hypothetical pound for pound discussions, Anderson Silva, Frankie Edgar, Jon Jones and Georges St. Pierre rank above him in my opinion. I guess you could squeak him in at No#5 - really, who else is there except maybe Junior dos Santos? - but I would like to see him face a few other top 10 lightweights first, either by them dropping down or him going up. Not the easiest of questions as the pound for pound debate gets pretty murky after the first 5 with a lot of people having wildly varying opinions of who should be considered. T.P. Grant: Edgar is not in my P4P Top 5 right now, I think a lot hangs on his Ben Henderson fight. Edgar's run in championship fight has consisted of him spending two years having four fights with the same two guys, and he very easily could have ended up going 2-2 instead of 3-0-1. He impressed the hell out of me with his toughness and mental strength, and I love watching him fight. That said I want to see how Edgar fairs when he faces more lightweights. He gets hit a lot for how small and quick he is and there are guys at 155 lbs that can put hands on Edgar and if they hurt him have real finishing ability to end the fight. So with that off topic rant out of the way, I feel Aldo is a very solid #4, with Andy Silva #1, Bones #2, GSP #3 and I feel Dominick Cruz has earn #5. Aldo is fighting in a division that is flux right now and the talent isn't very deep because many elite featherweights are still fighting at lightweight, but Aldo's resume is just too good to ignore. Aldo has not lost a fight in 6 years, he beat Mike Thomas Brown and Urijah Faber effortlessly when both where considered P4P fighters, and has defended his belt 5 times (GSP has defended 6 times). I think Aldo's recognition is over due, his run in featherweight is as impressive as any champion's run in their division, aside from Anderson Silva. Tim Burke: 'd probably rank Frankie highly just because he's a natural featherweight that is consistently beating guys much larger than him. If it comes down to who is # 4 (behind the aforementioned Silva/GSP/Bones trio), it's a very tough call between Aldo and Edgar for me. But there's no one else that's close to stealing a top five spot away from either of them in my eyes. Dominick Cruz isn't close. Dan Henderson isn't close. Nick Diaz isn't close. T.P Grant: Why isn't Cruz close? Tim Burke: Three of his last six fights (including two title defenses) have been against bantamweights. Bowles shattered his hand and had to stop. The Faber fight was waaay closer than the scores made it. And if we're questioning whether the strength of a division should affect a fighter's P4P ranking...well, BW is behind FW in development. KJ Gould: Because like Featherweight, Bantamweight isn't developed or established yet compared to other classes. Edgar beat Penn twice at a time when many though Penn was unstoppable at Lightweight. His fights with Maynard were epic, and Maynard has a significant size advantage and beats everyone else at Lightweight. Considering he is an undersized light weight as has been mentioned, and how Aldo has been mulling going to Lightweight because the cut to Featherweight is tough, I think Edgar has to be considered above Aldo in pound for pound discussion. Edgar could be number 2 or 3 for me. T.P. Grant: My reservations about Edgar are just that outside of his rematch against BJ Penn we've not seen in go in and take firm control of fight from another elite fighter. The first fight with Penn was in and out but Penn was never in trouble and landed harder more accurate strikes. In both fights with Maynard, Edgar was in big, big trouble in the opening rounds. I need to see him go in and really dominate an elite fighter. KJ Gould: He's also beaten Sherk, by the way, and beat the at the time highly touted Tyson Griffin in his UFC debut, and has the scalps of Mark Bocek and Jim Miller (pre UFC). I think you might be underplaying how good Edgar is, considering his only loss was to Maynard and he more than made up for it in the rematches ending the last fight definitively. Fraser Coffeen: Interesting that JDS has come up a few times. I figured he would, simply because he's a champion, but no way is he in contention in my book, as every one of his impressive wins comes against an opponent with a pretty sizable hole in his game. It's going to take a lot for a heavyweight to crack that top 5 for me, just based on the shallowness and constant flux at the top of the division. Fraser Coffeen: Cruz isn't close because every time he gets inside and gets close, he runs away right after. Thanks folks, I'll be here all night. Tim Burke: Everyone meet Fraser Coffeen, the Jacob Volkmann of BE! Fraser Coffeen: Tim, call me to schedule a glassectomy. Matt Roth: You guys aren't thinking this through and that's cute. I can't put Aldo in the top 5 just because I don't think he was impressive in his wins over Hominick or Florian. In fact the Florian fight wasn't memorable to me, to the point that even though I sat cage side I kinda spaced out and lost track of how many rounds were already over. Yes, beating Mendes is huge but you guys are definitely being ridiculous saying he's top 5. Tim Burke: And Anderson's win over Sonnen was impressive? Hell a lot of people have been crapping on GSP's last few performances. Aldo still beat Hominick and Florian 49-46. And had a 10-8 round against Hominick. Matt Roth: Man I'm all but ready to drop GSP from the top 5. Pound for Pound to me means not just one of the best but also one of the most exciting. The Goddamn Sleeping Pill is the worst. If Jose is top 5 he's fringe top 5. Though I think both Edgar and Henderson are above him. Dallas Winston: I've been pretty skeptical about Aldo's hype as well but I would now put him at #4 in front of Edgar. He only has one career loss and has now blown through much of the upper end of the division in addition to the lower end. Frankie has a legit UFC loss to Gray plus the draw and all Aldo has are decision wins that weren't entirely dominant. Top-five? No question in my book.

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The UFC Lightweight division is one of the deepest divisions in the sport. Unfortunately only three men have competed for the title over the last four title fights, a span stretching back 30 numbered events, to UFC 112. As the new year begins, Head Kick Legend brings you a breakdown of the division from top to bottom, to prepare you for what is likely to be a busy year at the top of the division. As far as I can tell, the UFC matchmaking process is pretty simple: Winners face winners while loser face losers. It's a pretty good way of doing things, as it ensures that you are always have some guys who have won a few in a row and some guys who have lost a few in a row. The winning streak fighters contend for the title, while the unfortunate losers get shuffled along in favor of new blood, thus keeping the division fresh. With that in mind, I organized the division in terms of consecutive wins and losses as of UFC RIO 142: Aldo vs. Mendes. Five wins: Jacob VolkmannFour wins: Edson BarbozaThree wins: Ben Henderson, Gleison Tibau, Tony FergusonTwo wins: Nate Diaz, Joe Lauzon, Paul Sass, Danny Castillo, Thiago TavaresOne win: Frankie Edgar, Anthony Pettis, Sean Sherk, Evan Dunham, Matt Wiman, Mark Bocek, TJ Grant, Dennis Hallman, Ramsey Nijem, Paul Taylor, John Cholish Rookies: Khabib Nurmagomedov, Reza Madadi One loss: Gray Maynard, Clay Guida, Jim Miller, Donald Cerrone, Melvin Guillard, Mac Danzig, Sam Stout, Rafael Dos Anjos, Nik Lentz, Jeremy Stephens, Kamal Shalorus, Aaron Riley, Anthony Njukuani, Mitch Clarke, Yves Edwards, Terry Etim, Michael Johnson, John MakdessiTwo losses: Efrain Escudero, Spencer Fisher, Takanori Gomi, Cody Mckenzie, TJ O'Brien, Rafaello Oliveira, Shane Roller, George Sotiropoulos Looking at the division in this way illustrates the impact of the Frank Edgar/BJ Penn/Gray Maynard title fights. A handful of the top ten are on the losers side, having been forced to fight each other while Edgar worked his way through Penn and Maynard. Meanwhile, Jacob Volkmann and Edson Barboza, two guys who realistically aren't title contenders at this point in time, lead the way in terms of fight win streaks. After the jump I look at the fights that are coming up and the fights we are likely to see booked. As of this writing there are 10 lightweight matches already booked. In order of date: SBN coverage of UFC on FXJim Miller vs Melvin GuillardKamal Shalorus vs Khabib NurmagomedovSBN coverage of UFC on FXMichael Johnson vs Shane RollerEvan Dunham vs Nik LentzUFC 144Frank Edgar vs Ben Henderson (LW Championship)Joe Lauzon vs Anthony PettisTakanori Gomi vs George SotiropolousUFC 145John Makdessi vs Anthony NjukuaniMatt Wiman vs Mark BocekMac Danzig vs Efrain Escudero For the guys who do not have fights booked, there are 14 guys who are coming off at least one win. Gleison Tibau, Nate Diaz and Sean Sherk lead the way as the highest ranked fighters without a fight yet. I would like to see Nate get a chance for the title but he probably needs another big win before his shot. Sherk would be the biggest fight possible for Diaz, but Tibau would be a credible fight as well. Volkmann, Barboza,Ferguson, Castillo, Sass and Tavares are all young second tier guys with multiple fight win streaks. Add in TJ Grant, the only other top 25 guy with a recent win and whoever is left out between Sherk/Diaz/Tiabu and there are 8 guys for a nice little unofficial tournament. I'd like to see these fights: Tony Ferguson vs Edson BarbozaExciting stand up fighters. Barboza probably has the edge standing but Ferguson has the wrestling background, giving him the option of grounding the fight it need be.Thiago Tavares vs TJ GrantTJ Grant has one win and a place in the top 25. Tavares has recovered nicely from his stunning knockout loss to Shane Roller. If he were to beat Grant, he'd have a nice three fight win streak and would belong in the top 25.Danny Castillo vs Jacob VolkmannTwo wrestlers who are not very well liked by the fans. Bury this on the prelims, eliminate one from the winners bracket and pray that the winner doesn't keep winning.Paul Sass vs Gleison TibauI figure Diaz and Sherk is a little bigger of a fight than Diaz/Tibau. Sass looks like a beast of a grappler, Tibau has already proven that he is. This would really give us an idea of what Sass' true potential is.Match the winners with each other twice and by the end of this little eight man tournament there would be a surefire new top ten contender. The rest of the guys with one win are Paul Taylor, Dennis Hallman, Ramsey Nijem and John Cholish. Nijem and Cholish would be a good match, while I'd like to see something more exciting for Dennis Hallman than Paul Taylor. As for the fighters on the losing side of the roster, there are some clear matches to make. Clay Guida vs Gray MaynardUnless the UFC wanted to break protocol and give one of these guys to someone like Barboza, I really couldn't see any other options here. I'd like to see the Guida and Maynard face off with each other, as they've been at the top for awhile. I'm not sure where this would leave the winner in terms of the title, but it would cement their spot as a top 5 guy in the division. Jeremy Stephens vs Donald CerroneThe other top 10 with a recent loss, Donald Cerrone, had a nice win streak snapped by Nate Diaz. Jeremy Stephens is a fair gatekeeper who will show us whether Cerrone is a real top 10 talent, or if he was just beating up on weaker opposition. Sam Stout vs Rafael Dos AnjosThey are right next to each other in the rankings and they are both coming off close decision losses. This would be a perfect fight to headline a preliminary card, with the winner getting another crack at the upper tier, while the loser could find themselves in tough to keep their roster spot. The rest of the pack is Yves Edwards, Terry Etim, Aaron Riley, Mitch Clarke, Spencer Fisher, Cody Mckenzie, TJ O'Brien and Rafaello Oliveira. There are eight of them, which lends itself nicely to another nice little unofficial tournament, with the losers getting cut every step of the way. Of course there are going to be moving parts as we progress through the year, what with injuries and upsets, but I think this gives us a nice little picture to refer back to as the fights happen. Thanks for reading. Mopping the Mats will be back tomorrow and there are a ton of things to talk about after the incredible weekend that was UFC 142 and I'm looking forward to hearing what everyone thinks about the event.

Posted in: ufc, fight, guy, vs, division

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Jose Aldo celebrates his victory over Chad Mendes at UFC 142 | AP Photo/Felipe Dana Rundown of UFC 142 post-fight news and notes… — Edson Barboza exited the HSBC Arena last night with a six-figure payday in hand for his amazing spinning heel kick KO of Terry Etim. The UFC awarded him both the Knockout of the Night and Fight of the Night bonuses, each worth $65,000, for a total of $130,000 in bonus money. Meanwhile, Rousimar Palhares earned the Submission of the Night bonus for heel hooking Mike Massenzio. — Gray Maynard was right. Chad Mendes couldn’t take Jose Aldo down and the moment that came apparent was the moment Aldo had the fight in the bag. Moving forward, Aldo finds himself at a fork in the road. He can either stay at featherweight and continue dominating the division or he can move up to lightweight and make a run at Frankie Edgar’s title. Dana White says he’s fine with whatever Aldo decides. “People have been asking me about Jose Aldo moving up to 155 pounds to take on Frankie Edgar or some of the top guys there,” White said at Saturday night’s post-UFC 142 press conference at the HSBC Arena in Rio de Janeiro. “That’s up to him. He’s going to have to make that decision whether he wants to make that move or not. I would have no problem with him staying at his weight now and defending his title there or moving to 155 pounds – whatever he feels like he wants to do.” “Aldo looked fantastic tonight,” White said. “He was in tremendous shape. He came in, and you could tell his head was in this fight, and he came out performed against a real guy who was undefeated and came to take that belt away. I hate this pound-for-pound [expletive] now. You’ve still got to look at the year ‘Bones’ had. Anderson’s run is tough to beat. But it does make it interesting for Frankie Edgar. It’s crazy.” While I’d love to see Aldo move up and challenge Edgar since there really aren’t any obvious contenders at featherweight, it’s still a difficult decision for him. He would be risking a lot by abandoning his title to chase another. That said, there would be obvious benefits to winning a title in a more established weight class. There’s no doubt he has the talent to do it. — Erick Silva vs. Carlo Prater ended in controversial fashion last night. Silva knocked Prater down and proceeded to pound him with hammerfists. Problem was Prater’s head was down and many of the strikes appeared to hit the back his head. We’ve seen it a million times before but this time referee Mario Yamazaki decided to DQ Silva instead of awarding him the victory. It’s difficult to tell from the replay how many of the strikes were actually illegal due to the camera angles, but Dana White saw enough to believe Silva should have been the victor and planned to pay him like he was. “We’re going to pay him like he won the fight,” White told MMAjunkie.com. “I would appeal it if I was him,” White said. “The thing is that when you do it, Ratner is the guy to talk to about this. We try to run things the way that they’re supposed to be run, like the athletic commission would.” Dana didn’t blast Yamasaki like he probably would have if it was Steve Mazzagatti, but he thinks instant replay should have been in place to overturn the call. “It drives me crazy,” White said. “It drives me [expletive] crazy. Every other sport has instant replay. Listen, there are refs out there like Steve Mazzagatti that are just plain bad. He’s a bad ref. He’s got no business in the ring. But you’ve got guys like Mario Yamasaki and some of the other guys that are going to make mistakes. There’s nothing wrong with making mistakes. There’s nothing wrong. We’re [expletive] human. We’re going to do it. But you have to be able to go back and say, ‘We made a mistake. Here’s the proof. Let’s overturn it.’” What’s puzzling about this is the NSAC does have an instant replay policy in place and the UFC follows NSAC guidelines for regulating events when they visit foreign countries, so the means to review it should have been in place. I believe the referee has to make the call to review it though, so maybe that’s why nothing was done to ensure it was the right decision. — North American broadcast plans are still coming together for TUF Brazil, however Dana White says the show will most likely air on FUEL TV the same day it airs in Brazil. “It’s not done, but I’m very confident it will be on FUEL TV, and it will run real time,” he said. “When it airs here (in Brazil on Globo), [FUEL TV] will air its equivalent in the U.S. at the same time. It will air the same night, almost at the same time.” Instead of having a separate “TUF Finale” card like they’ve had with all previous seasons of TUF, the finals and the coaches fight between Vitor Belfort and Wanderlei Silva will actually take place on the big San Paulo, Brazil pay-per-view card they’re planning for June. Photo credit: Felipe Dana/AP Photo

Posted in: ufc, night, guy, silva, aldo

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A friend once told me that hard problems require hard consequences. Just kidding, my friends aren't even close to being that wise. The most philosophical statement I heard from my buds last night during UFC 142 was 'red, yellow and white is camouflage at a McDonalds.' That's the best we can do. We're not used to making existential decisions that can further determine a person's life. Leave that up to ZUFFA who has now cut Anthony Johnson from the UFC roster. MMAJunkie has confirmed earlier reports that following UFC 142, Dana White released the former welterweight fighter due to grossly not making weight for this weekend's bout. Here's what Dana White said after UFC 142 about releasing Johnson. "This is his third time. Three strikes and you're gone." "That was one of the most unprofessional things I've ever seen. The guy was at 170 pounds. He moved up to 185 pounds so this wouldn't happen anymore, and this is the worst weightcutting disaster he's ever had. He almost ruined the co-main event here in Brazil. I don't know what else to say about that one. I'm not happy about it." "I don't dislike the guy. I like him very much actually. When you talk to Anthony Johnson, he's a good guy. "I don't know who you blame in this one. Do you blame him? Do you blame his team? Do you blame his camp? I mean who takes the blame in this one? Ultimately, you're a grown man. You're responsible for your own actions." I guess we can all call him 'Humble Johnson' from now on. Look on the bright side, Anthony Johnson vs. Hector Lombard could very well be on the horizon in Bellator this year. That, my friends, is a fight I can believe in. [Source]

Posted in: ufc, guy, johnson, friend, dont

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Jose Aldo is a phenomenal fighter, there is no other way to say it. He came into UFC 142 against a guy that was supposed to be the exact guy to beat him in Chad Mendes. Mendes was fast, agile and had great MMA wrestling. But all that didn't matter because Aldo is a better fighter. Aldo was never taken down in the fight, a fact slightly tainted by a blatant fence grab to prevent from being put down once, and it seemed pretty clear from the first shot that Mendes was not going to have anything for Aldo on this night. But the result of the fight (a crushing knee and punches TKO, for those who missed it) is not as important as what happened with Aldo in his native Brazil tonight. The second he got the knockout, he sprinted from the cage and into the crowd where he was mobbed by fans in love with what he had just done. Aldo was a star to some degree in Brazil, but this was the moment where he became a superstar in the country. This was Jose Aldo becoming something more than a fighter and more than a champion. Jose Aldo is something special. Watching how quickly Anthony Johnson faded in the first round it was pretty clear that the guy wasn't healthy. I'm not saying he was sick, I'm saying he's killing himself to make weight, even at 185. When the story coming in is that doctors stepped in and told you that you must rehydrate, that's a sign that you're not doing things the healthy way. It was good to see Belfort get a big win, he's a hard guy to not root for. He was given a gift with Johnson not being active from top position and then very quick ref stand-ups. But once Johnson was clearly gassed and not able to attack, it was Vitor pouncing and showing that killer instinct. It was very interesting to hear Rogan say over and over that Johnson was at 186 and had to rehydrate on doctors orders and then push the idea that Johnson and Belfort were so close in weight on fight night that it really wasn't that unfair. Only to switch to saying how unprofessional it was multiple times during the interview with Belfort in the cage afterward. Rousimar Palhares winning by heel hook was entirely predictable. And, let's be real, that's awesome. How many other guys do you talk about rare finishing moves like a heel hook and act like it's just standard business and expected? Carlo Prater beating Erick Silva by DQ is going to be controversial either way. It looked to me like Silva landed several shots to the back of the head and I can see DQ'ing him to some extent. Given the lack of commission, I fully expect the UFC to change the result to a no contest. You can't reverse a loss into a win (you just can't, don't make me go into a long explanation of it). The real issue with the Prater/Silva fight is that there is no clear, accepted definition of back of the head. If it's the "mohawk" method, no, you don't DQ the guy. If it's the "headphone" method, then yes, you do DQ him. Until we get all referees on the same page, expect more of the same. Oh, and no, just because other incidents haven't been punished doesn't mean that no situation should be. I don't even know how to describe how awesome Edson Barboza's wheel kick knockout of Terry Etim was. It was one of the most spectacular knockouts I've ever seen in my years of watching any combat sport. It's the kind of knockout you'll never forget. Much more after the jump. SBN coverage of UFC RIO 142: Aldo vs. Mendes Thiago Tavares and Sam Stout put on a totally forgettable fight on the FX undercard. Stout was able to keep the fight standing up for much of the duration but didn't do enough work to earn the win. Tavares won, that's all there is to say really. I had a feeling that Gabriel Gonzaga would truck Ednaldo Oliveira and that's exactly what happened. Once he had a eel for Oliveira's range, he got inside, took him down and controlled him until he locked in the choke. It was a good return for Gonzaga and should temper expectations of how high Oliveira's ceiling is. Maybe it's not fair of me, but I'm hoping Michihiro Omigawa gets cut from the UFC. I find his fights pretty reliably boring and I don't think he's really good enough to hack it in the UFC. Yuri Alcantara dominated him until he ran out of gas in the third round. Alcantara has pretty good upside from what we've seen so far. Mike Pyle ran through Ricardo Funch like he was nothing. Pyle isn't going to challenge for a title in the UFC but he's going to dominate a lot of guys while being a fringe contender.

Posted in: ufc, fight, guy, aldo, mende

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When Chad Mendes and Jose Aldo meet this weekend at UFC 142 in headlining action it will mark a bout between two guys in their mid-twenties who have a combined record of 31-1. As such, Mendes is fairly certain Saturday night won’t be the last time he sees the featherweight champion inside the Octagon although, if the undefeated wrestler has his way, it will certainly be under different circumstances in that he’ll be holding the belt. “If I do go out there and beat him, I think we’re both top level guys, so we’re probably gonna end up fighting each other more than once. It’s something that’s part of the sport and something we’ve got to do, but I’ve definitely been watching intently and I’m super pumped and ready for this fight,” said Mendes in an interview with the UFC’s website. “Honestly, this is the best cardio and conditioning shape I’ve ever been in, and I can almost even say throughout my wrestling career, so I feel great, I’m very confident coming into this fight and I’m ready to get in there and showcase it.” Aldo Feels Wrestling is on Point After time with Gray Maynard While many people may not be giving Mendes much credit based on his seemingly one-dimension style of attack, the Team Alpha Male athlete reassure critics that he is evolving as should be expected when a guy comes from such a storied background in one discipline. “You have to realize that there are going to be peaks and valleys, so you need to step back, look at what you’ve been doing wrong and just fix it,” Mendes explained. “Especially in the beginning, all I had was my wrestling, and I was going in there against guys that in wrestling I would demolish, but they’re submitting me in every single thing possible because I just didn’t know what I was doing. And it was really frustrating, and I started second-guessing a little bit, but then I stepped back, figured out what I was doing wrong, and like any other sport, you just practice it and get good at it.” “Nowadays, you’ve got to be good at everything,” he continued. “I know my wrestling is my strength and it’s what I’ve been doing since I was five, but a lot of the time you’ve got to train other things and you’ve got to get out of your comfort zone. Wrestling for me is my comfort zone, so a lot of times if I’m getting hit in the standup, I automatically take the guy down, where sometimes you’ve got to force yourself not to. But wrestling is my strength and my body has grown and adapted to that because it’s something I’ve done my entire life, so it’s always gonna be my strength and always something I’m gonna go to. But I think in this day and age you’ve got to be well-rounded.” Fans can catch Mendes’ attempt at taking the 20-1 Aldo’s belt when things unfold on PPV at 10:00 PM EST. PHOTO CREDIT – UFC Tweet

Posted in: guy, i ’m, ’m, ’ve, mende

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Chael Sonnen is a man of many faces. To some, he's the trash talking gangster from the mean streets of West Linn, Oregon. To others, he's the man who has created a real life story line with the entire country of Brazil. However, to a lucky few, Sonnen is seen as much more than just a persona. To them, Sonnen is viewed as a genuine individual who is willing to share his experiences to ensure that the younger generation will dedicate themselves to a sport that he loves dearly. In some recently uncovered footage from the MMA Fan Fest, a clinic held the night before the Journeymen Duals, Flo Wrestling caught Chael Sonnen speaking to the wrestlers about intensity. In an incredibly passionate 90 seconds, Chael is able to convey a principal that is a cornerstone for all competition. And if you're in a match and the guy gets intense, you get him back right then. As hard or harder right now. He'll stop doing it. One up him. If he slaps, you punch him. If he punches, you kick him. If he kicks, you stab. If he stabs, you shoot. If he shoots, you go kill his family, okay? You guys get the point there? One up him and you do it right then. Don't let him push you around. It's a mindset. Of course I'm not talking about hurting the guy. But what I'm talking about is you got a match and we gotta do it right now. You can't go 'oh this guy slapped me on Tuesday so on Friday I'm gonna get even with him'. He clubs you, you club right back There will be some that will take his speech out of context to further an agenda or make a point about violence in MMA breeding more violence. To those people: raspberries. Chael Sonnen is a bright spot of personality in an otherwise dry sport. Whether it's the over-the-top promos targeting the Nogueiras and Anderson Silva or it's a speech with a group of young athletes, Sonnen can captivate an audience. Video and full transcript after the jump... SBN coverage of UFC on Fox 2 Guys! One thing on intensity and I hope that we're all old enough that I can tell this without people taking it for something that it's not. But when we're being intense -- when we're out there competing -- wrestling, fighting, MMA. Whatever it is, I need to match my partner's intensity. I can't come in and let him bully me. I can't come in and let him pick on me. For some of you younger guys, eventually you'll be be getting into high school as freshmen and these older guys are gonna push you around a little bit. Then you'll go back and do it to the next group. Just the way it works. You get to college and it's intimidating because their intensity is a little different. You gotta match them. They go first, you match them instantly. If a guy clubs you, you club him as hard or harder and you do it right then. You don't wait a minute and come back with him. He clubs you, you club him right then. He will stop doing it. He'll stop doing it. And if you're in a match and the guy gets intense, you get him back right then. As hard or harder right now. He'll stop doing it. One up him. If he slaps, you punch him. If he punches, you kick him. If he kicks, you stab. If he stabs, you shoot. If he shoots, you go kill his family, okay? You guys get the point there? One up him and you do it right then. Don't let him push you around. It's a mindset. Of course I'm not talking about hurting the guy. But what I'm talking about is you got a match and we gotta do it right now. You can't go 'oh this guy slapped me on Tuesday so on Friday I'm gonna get even with him'. He clubs you, you club right back. And that will keep everything level and up everyone's intensity. Watch more video of MMA Fan Fest on flowrestling.org

Posted in: guy, right, club, sonnen, intensity

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Normally I would be publishing another installment of "I Coulda Been A Contender" today, as the series runs every Thursday but I've been working on something a little bigger for my next two editions in honor of Carlos Condit and Nick Diaz, who meet for the interim welterweight title fight at UFC 143. I've been an unabashed Condit fan since his spectacular third round against Rory MacDonald back at UFC 115. As for Diaz, well, he has long been the fighter I enjoy following the most. I have a lot to say about both and didn't want to profile either of them with the attention on UFC RIO 142, so "Contender" will be back next week. I thought I'd have some fun today, inspired by the recent roster announcement of the NHL all star teams. (I'm from Vancouver and hockey was my first love. Laugh if you must, as it is suffering a little right now, but it's a fantastic sport.) I know what you are thinking: How could you even have an "all star" event in the UFC? Much like football, MMA is by nature a very violent game that you really can't play half hearted. In fact, since I've never watched the Pro Bowl, I'm not sure how they manage. Is the game any good? Do they hit each other? It wouldn't make much sense to have a UFC all star card if the fights were going to be straight MMA. It'd be too dangerous and the fights that fans would want to see are far too lucrative to be lumped together in one event. What about grappling? You wouldn't have to worry so much about the safety of the fighters, nor would you have to worry about weight classes, since almost every big grappling tournament has an open weight division. The UFC already puts on the occasional grappling super fight at the Fan Expos, so all they'd have to do is expand on the idea by lining up a bunch of cool grappling matches, add in some skills challenge type events (Apparently Bruce Lee could throw 7 kicks in one second. Anyone interested in seeing Anderson Silva try the "Bruce Lee Challenge"...? Joe Rogan is famous for hosting Fear Factor and for being a bad ass jiu jitsu brown belt. What about Rogan vs the champs? We'll get Joe to roll three minutes each with three different UFC fighters who are also BJJ black belts and see who can tap him out the most. Tell me you don't want to see Joe Rogan vs Jakob Volkmann) and voila, the makings of a perfectly entertaining All Star event. After the jump I'll play matchmaker and share my picks for the inaugural UFC All Star card. UNDERCARD John Dodson vs Stefan StruvePretty sure this would be the biggest and smallest guys on the UFC roster going at it and would be a fitting homage to the days when Pride actually put on legit MMA fights with those parameters (biggest guy vs smallest guy). Jon Fitch vs Josh KoscheckA no brainer here. Dana White has been wanting to get these guys together for a fight in front of a UFC audience for years and years. Maybe this wouldn't be what he had envisioned but it's better than not ever seeing them face off. Ronda Rousey vs Ben HendersonHenderson is quickly gaining a reputation as the most un-submittable fighter in the world. Rousey is quickly gaining a reputation as the nastiest submission fighter in the world. Since she's a girl, I'd giver her the advantage of Henderson starting in the arm-bar position. Good luck Bendo! Dave Camarillo vs Greg JacksonSure, they aren't fighters but, that is kind of the point. Neither man looks like they would be able to hold their own in an open field, much less a dark alley. Yet they are two of the most successful grappling coaches in the world and both have recently published grappling instructionals. I'd love to see these guys trade techniques on the mat. MAIN CARD Wanderlei Silva vs Chael SonnenWe can be pretty sure that this grudge match is not going to happen in the Octagon. Wanderlei is scheduled to face Vitor Belfort while Sonnen has himself a number of fights lined up before he would be free to face the "Axe Murderer". Silva doesn't have the chin that he once did, making an MMA fight between the two a little less exciting than it might have been were he in his prime. A grappling match though? Yeah, it would be sweet to see Silva teach Sonnen to have a little respect for Brazil while at the same time letting hm keep his teeth. Nick Diaz vs Nate DiazAnother one of those fights between teammates that we'd never otherwise see. Watching the Diaz brothers at the UFC 137 open workout, (footage provided by Karyn Bryant and MMAHeat) was quite cool, but they were only going about 20 percent. Unlike Kos and Fitch, who would undoubtedly have fun with the whole thing and keep it cool, there is a chance that a 5 minute grappling match between the Diaz brothers would escalate to punches. Either that or neither of them would show up. CO-MAIN-EVENT Tito Ortiz vs Chuck LiddellChuck would be fighting still if it wasn't for his concerns with his ability to take a punch. Tito is still fighting but at this point we all know he's no longer relevant. By all accounts there is still quite a bit of animosity between the two men. This would actually be an excellent match that I think both men would take pretty seriously. MAIN EVENT Anderson Silva vs Georges St. PierreThis fight is never going to happen in real life. St. Pierre has far more pressing issues to deal with in the welterweight division when he comes back from injury and Silva seems to be looking at Chael Sonnen, Michael Bisping and who knows who else before he'd be free to face Rush. Then again, this could be the moment that re-kindles the desire to see the two men face off for real. And if they never did, Dana could shrug his shoulders at the media and say "What do you want from me? They fought at the All Star card. You guys are so selfish." So what do you guys think? If you could make your own UFC All Star event, how would you do it? If you like the idea but not the matches I suggested, who would you like to see face off? As always, thanks for reading!

Posted in: ufc, fight, guy, star, vs

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A pro since 2005, Erick "Indio" Silva, the Brazilian welterweight who makes his second Octagon appearance this weekend at UFC 142 against veteran Carlo Prater, was living a typical fighter’s life when he began competing in the sport. Working at his uncle's construction supply store during the day and training at night to compete in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Silva was able to compile a respectable record in the early days of his career. He was still a purple belt with some important wins when a chance to debut in MMA was presented to him. With confidence in the gentle art and without any significant striking ability, Silva was able to use his courage and ground technique to dispatch his first opponent ever by submission in the first stanza. That was mission accomplished for the moment, but Silva realized that he needed more, as the “top of the food chain” was his goal."The first step was to stop with my other job, because I needed to dedicate myself to martial arts," he says. "The next step was starting to work as a BJJ instructor, even though I was just a purple belt. I was training during the afternoon with my professor Rodrigo Damm, and later I taught my students and this was the beginning."As a purple belt, the man who a few years later would become a UFC fighter took a lesson when he was still an amateur competitor at World Cup of BJJ."Everybody likes to talk about conquests, medals and etc, but I got very good experience being in fourth place of this competition," he says. "I fought around seven guys from all around the world: Japan, France, etc. After I beat the seventh opponent, I said to myself, 'this gold medal is mine,' so I faced a guy from Rio de Janeiro and lost to him, and ended up in place number four."Nowadays with 13 victories and just one defeat (with 1 NC), Silva - a former middleweight in his early fights and now a 170-pounder - was still a fighter looking for recognition when a chance to train with the best in business appeared. After getting to know veteran manager Alex Davis, the Vila Velha native asked him to meet guys like the UFC’s 185-pound kingpin Anderson Silva, former Pride star Rogério Nogueira, former Pride/UFC champ "Minotauro" Nogueira, and former Strikeforce light heavyweight title holder Rafael Cavalcante, almost like a fan meets his idols. But he never imagined that in time, he would be part of the team and share the mats and rings with men he considered heroes."Davis said he was a personal friend of the Nogueira brothers, so I asked him for a meeting with my idols," he said. "But I never imagined I would train in the same gym or would fight on the same card (like what happened at UFC 134 with Anderson and Minotauro). That said, the emotion I felt when we fought on the same day back in August was indescribable."With back and forth travels between the cities of Vila Velha and Rio de Janeiro, Silva used to train in his hometown until two and a half weeks before his fights. Then he took a trip to Rio de Janeiro to finish the camp with the Team Nogueira squad. The union was a success, and Silva hasn't lost a fight since 2006, dispatching nine opponents (plus one NC), including his Octagon debut as he’s become a force in Brazil."We have good sparring in my city, but since 2008 I have a friendship with Team Nogueira and X-Gym with Rogerio Camoes and Josuel Distak. I didn't look for it because I wanted to leave my region and live in Rio de Janeiro. The team and the union are the most important things. I feel like they welcomed me since then. Once I signed with UFC, I felt that I should do my whole camp here, so I'm preparing myself from the first step to the last one here with Team Nogueira and X-Gym."The outcome of this preparation? A 40 second blitz over fellow countryman Luis Ramos back in August. The quick knockout put everybody on their feet thanks to the lethal combination of capitalizing on a foe's mistake and, without mercy, scoring a KO of the Night worthy performance. "The sensation was great. It was the first ever KO of UFC 134, and with the crowd screaming - I can't describe it," he said. "I was very well prepared, more than I ever was. The punch connected like we expected it and it was game over. I didn't plan to celebrate with that spin; that was just the level of excitement I had at that moment. I went back to the times when I was a kid on the streets doing spins (laughs). I was among the big guys, great names, guys who are my inspirations, and I was performing on the undercard, so I felt like I needed to call for the attention and I think I got it. I showed the reason I was signed to the UFC."Now Silva's intention is to cement his name into the minds of fans and insiders, similar to what the most famous Silvas - Anderson and Wanderlei - have already done. To start, Erick has had to learn how to deal with opponent changes. What happened before his UFC debut (when Mike Swick was forced out of their bout) happened again, as newcomer Siyar Bahadurzada was sidelined due to an injury and replaced by WEC and Strikeforce veteran Prater. But Silva’s unbothered by the change in plans."I'm prepared for everything because I know this can happen, so I believe in what I can do and I focus 100 percent on my performance and not on what the opponent will do. The UFC is an event where the best want to stay, so good training is a key point, as we worked hard on every single aspect so we can deliver inside the Octagon," Silva said. "I had one month to work on the strategy for Carlo Prater, and it wasn't the type of change where you have less than a couple of days. I got to study him and I'm relaxed and ready to go."

Posted in: ufc, guy, nogueira, team, silva

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Rising Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) lightweight Jacob Volkmann stirred more controversial waves when he took (another) post-fight swipe at Barack Obama after a unanimous decision win over Efrain Escudero at UFC 141: Lesnar vs. Overeem, stating that the President of the United States needed a "glassectomy." The (terribly awkward) joke didn't sit too well with White Bear High School, which is where Volkmann worked part-time as an assistant wrestling coach, seeing as how the district put him on administrative leave. Taking a page out of the book that the master of trash-talk wrote, Chael Sonnen, Volkmann has stated that he is simply trying to get his name out there and trying to get people to know him. It obviously has worked for Sonnen in the past, but is it working for Volkmann? The former three-time NCAA Division II All American wrestler told MMAweekly.com that all of his comments have been taken out of context and people interpret things the way in which they choose, especially when it comes to President Barack Obama. Take a look: "I never said that Obama needed a glassectomy, I said call me so he can schedule a glassectomy. I never said it was for him. You can take out of the interview what you want, but that's not what I said. Plus they said I wanted to rip his arm off, and I never said that. I said I wanted to rip it, it's a technical term for when you roll hard and you try to submit them. Like a technical term for ‘ripping' an armbar or a Kimura, cause if they're resisting, you have to rip it. You can't rip someone's arm off, that's impossible. The thing is, you only have what 30 seconds out there on the mic? It's like a speech, like an article, you have to make it interesting so people want to follow up with you and that's what I'm trying to do. No one wants to hear who your sponsors are, no one wants to hear thank you's to your sponsors or your family or your coach cause you're already thanking those guys. They want to hear you talk trash, they want to hear you call out your next opponent, in my case, I don't know if they want to hear politics, I'm going to give them that. Whether it makes them hate me or like me, at least they know me. On who he wants to face next inside the Octagon: "I obviously want a top level guy, but the chances of getting one of those aren't very good right now because they don't like my style, so they're not going to give me one of those guys and beat one of them and make them look bad because they don't like my style, which is fine, I'm working on it. But I'm not going to be a guy that's going to switch everything like Gray Maynard did and try to stay standing with somebody that beats me up on the feet. I'm going to make a technical fight; I'm not going to be a foolish fighter out there. I'm going to stay who I am just because that's what people want to see. Just cause some turd out there across the screen wants to see a knockout or some blood cause he doesn't understand a technical fight. I'm not going to change for him." After beginning his UFC career with back-to-back losses to Paulo Thiago and Martin Kampmann at welterweight, "Christmas" made the drop to lightweight division in hopes of ending his funk. The move proved to be a wise one as he has emerged as a force to be reckoned with in the 155-pound division, reeling off five consecutive wins and zero losses. His notable victories include Antonio McKee, Danny Castillo and most recently at UFC 141, Efrain Escudero. Wanting a "top guy" next, it will be interesting to see just who he draws his next time out. He seems to have the attention of the United States Secret Service, does he have yours?

Posted in: guy, im, that, jacob volkmann, volkmann

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I will be honest, I like his show and I think he asks some good questions, but man, I have never seen a reporter of any kind get so much extreme bias from the fans, especially on mmania and sherdog. I'm just curious what you guys think, and what it is that makes him this way. submitted by PizdaMasii [link] [24 comments]

Posted in: guy, show, man i, sherdog im, bias

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Matt Hume, head trainer at the American Martial Arts Center (AMC) in Kirkland, Wash., has a different version of the diva-like bus demands that "The Voice," Michael Schiavello claims that Fedor Emelianenko made after his win over Satoshi Ishii on New Year's Eve (Dec. 21, 2011) in Saitama, Japan, at DREAM: New Year! 2011 "Genki Desu Ka!!" "The Voice" claimed that "The Last Emperor" acted like a "bus-hogging diva" by making the rest of the competitors -- along with their trainers -- get off of the bus he was on and get on to a more crowded one after waiting for more than 90 minutes because he Emelianenko allegedly wanted his own bus. However, according to Hume -- who has known Fedor since his Pride FC days and has been a main figure in Japanese mixed martial arts (MMA) as a rule director and judge for the DREAM organization -- that simply wasn't the case. Check out his account, as well as a video interview, after the jump: "What really happened is that Fedor was doing interviews and everyone was waiting on two buses and Fedor was to get on one of those buses and go back and both buses were waiting for him. Everyone else had finished their press. Of course, Fedor is very popular in Japan he had not finished his press yet they were still keeping him there so everyone was staying there waiting. So Fedor, asked if they could let the people who wanted to get back to their hotel go. So Fedor, very graciously, said, 'Hey why don't you just let those guys go home.' So they asked us to get on one bus and there was plenty of room on one bus for everybody. One bus was just going to take Fedor back later. I've known Fedor for years and years and probably would have drove the bus back for us, he is such a good nice guy." DREAM Bantamweight Grand Prix winner Bibiano Fernandes, who was one of the fighters that was allegedly booted from Fedor's bus, also chimed in on the issue: "Fedor have good heart, very good guy. Wow, believe that he would never do something like that. That's the life. It's not true, coach tell the truth to the story and that's it." Can we consider the "Fedor is a bus-hogging diva" matter closed?

Posted in: guy, year, fedor, bus, course fedor

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 UFC middleweight Chris Weidman (7-0) has shouldered lofty expectations for his MMA career aspirations since the summer of 2009. 23 months prior to his debut with the UFC, a 2-0 Weidman made headlines in the submission grappling world with a run at the Abu Dhabi Submission Wrestling World Championships as a Brazilian jiu-jitsu purple belt. As a five star middleweight prospect Weidman would compete only two more times on the regional circuit before the UFC inked him to a promotional agreement. With pressing overtures to start 2011 from both Strikeforce and Bellator, Weidman made the calculated decision to take a short notice fight with UFC in February. In a match-up with 12 time UFC vet Alessio Sakara (15-8) Weidman ran through his first Octagon opponent in route to a decision win. The New Yorker's next two fights saw him choke out both Jesse Bongfeldt (16-5-1) and Tom Lawlor (7-4) inside the first round.Along with his submission grappling credits Weidman's amateur wrestling background made his MMA prospect resume shadow over many of his contemporaries before he even signed up for formal training at Ray Longo's MMA Academy in New York. Weidman's Olympic trial attempts were boasted by two-time NJCAA All American honors and two-time NCAA Division 1 All-American honors when he wrestled at Hofstra University. With a sturdy base to guide his MMA improvements ULTMMA.com has named Weidman the 2011 prospect of the year. Weidman joins Tyron Woodley in 2009 and Phil Davis in 2010 as ULTMMA.com award recipients. ULTMMA.com spoke with Weidman to relive his journey to the UFC and what he projects his 2012 schedule will look like. ULTMMA.com: Can you compare and contrast your December 2010 to December 2011? How much has your life changed? Chris Weidman: Last December I was living in my parent's basement with my daughter and wife. Now I'm in my own house with more than one room and I'm not hitting my head on the ceiling. Other than that once I started to make a little more money and living in New York it kind of validated to my friends and family that what I was doing was for something. It all makes sense. Everyone believed in me but they didn't know where it would really go. So now it's a way for me to provide for my family and so far it's so good. More than that it's a validation; I'm proud what I do for a living. ULTMMA: What was your original plan heading into 2011 before the UFC came calling? Weidman: I was actually in talks with Bellator and Strikeforce. The UFC, I had talked to them but they wanted me to get a couple of more fights. Finally I just had enough. I needed money and I was patient for so long. I had these other organizations offering me money, signing bonuses when I had no money so any kind of signing would of just changed my whole world. I was pretty much signed with Bellator. I was going to sign with them. They offered me a bonus and a good deal. I thought I was going to sign with them and my parents and wife got dinner reservations at a nice steakhouse because we thought we were going to celebrate. Than I started to look at the contract more and more and some of the things we wanted changed so from there we didn't sign with them. Strikeforce was up in the air at the time and I was pretty much to the point where I didn't want to make any quick decisions. Let me just breathe a little bit, take some time and think about this, pray about it. Than that was when the UFC called. It was crazy. Obviously I wanted to be in one of these big organizations but I had a fractured rib and then the next day or two was when the UFC called me. They offered me to fight Alessio Sakara on something like 18 days' notice. ULTMMA: With the rib injury did you ever think about telling the UFC hold on let me fight in April or May? Weidman: I don't think that was an option at that point. If I do take that fight I get a two fight contract and at least two fights in the UFC. If I lose on short notice they will give me another fight, they are not just going to cut me. They obviously didn't know about my ribs. I had to go and I wanted to go. I was sitting in the hotel room at Strikeforce and I was getting ready for Villante's (Gian) after party. Then I got that call and I was watching MMA Live when they were talking about Alessio Sakara, it was just crazy and surreal. I had great coaches around me and I just made the phone call to them. After a few minutes I called my wife.ULTMMA: Talk about the pressure heading into your first UFC fight. You had the injury, finances and your Octagon debut all on your mind before the cage door closed. Weidman: They were definitely a lot of pressure because all three of those things were on my mind. I was just more focused on getting in shape and not getting my rib anymore hurt because it was killing me. ULTMMA: Your next fight was in June versus Jesse Bongfeldt. What was the thought process in taking your second UFC fight so quickly? Weidman: I'm young and I just want to keep fighting. I don't want to be one of those guys who fight once or twice a year, I want to fight as many times as I can. The only way to really make it is to fight. You can't just sit around and be happy you're in the UFC. I'm really only in this for one reason and that's to be the champion. ULTMMA: Five of your seven fights have ended in the first round, is that a result of game-planning or strategy? Weidman: I think the reason I finish guys in the first round is because I believe 100% in my cardio. I go as hard as I possibly can from the get go and I know I can hold that pace. My goal is to mentally break every guy I step in the Octagon with. I'm not just working to tire a guy out, I'm working for submissions or knockouts. I'm looking to finish the fight and I'm not going to be happy until I do finish the fight or until that guy is completely exhausted and won't walk over. I think the finishes come based on me constantly attacking. ULTMMA: Your final fight of 2011 was versus Tom Lawlor. In a two minute fight what can you take away from a short bout like that? Any critiques when you watch the film? Weidman: I'm always going to have my wrestling> I'm always going to look to take advantage of guys with my wrestling. I'm looking forward to fighting a guy who could stop my takedowns. I also want to show off my stand-up a little bit. I was happy. I'm always going to look for takedowns. I'm always going to look for submissions. ULTMMA: Do you missing wrestling competitions at all? Weidman: I do miss it. I wrestle at least once a week at Hofstra. I still get the true wrestling training and I get those wrestling shoes on and it feels good. I do think I could do something special when it comes to freestyle or trying out for the Olympics but it's so hard when you're fighting in the UFC. I know talent and potential wise I could be right up there with some of the best guys in the country. I'll take the UFC belt any day rather than trying out for the Olympics. ULTMMA: Any goals you have set for 2012? Weidman: I just want to keep getting better in every aspect of the game. I want to stay hungry and humble. ULTMMA: Any sponsors ore people you need to thank? Weidman: You can find me on twitter my handle is @ChrisWeidmanUFC . Facebook is Chris Weidman. Website is ChrisWeidman.com . I would like to thank my coaches. I would like to thank my last sponsor Bad Boy.

Posted in: ufc, fight, guy, weidman, im

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Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) light heavyweight contender (and former champion) Quinton Jackson has had several epic "beefs" with some well known mixed martial arts (MMA) competitors. He's locked horns with the likes of Rashad Evans. He's traded barbs with current champion Jon Jones. He's even exchanged unpleasantries with bad guys as "B.A. Baracus" in the 2010 movie remake of "The A-Team." But, his most recent verbal sparring partner is none other than Strikeforce's own Muhammed Lawal, who recently called out "Rampage" after his win over Lorenz Larkin at Strikeforce: "Rockhold vs. Jardine" in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Jan. 7, 2012. Jackson heard the comments from "King Mo." And it should come as a surprise to no one that he wasn't amused and hurled a few words of his own for his fellow loudmouthed 205-pounder. Here's what he had to say during an interview on HDNet's "Inside MMA:" "I don't like the guy. He's a hater. He's a big time hater, you know what I'm sayin'? He's been calling me out on Twitter and stuff. He's just hatin' big time. He, uh, he told me a while ago that he wanted to fight me when I'm on my way out. When I'm over the hill. Like most fighters, we get old and the time comes to retire. He said that's when he wants to fight me, years ago. Now he's comin' at me like I'm on my way out." Apparently, Jackson watched Lawal's fight against Larkin. He was not impressed by his performance: "I wasn't impressed with Mo's fight at all. He beat some guy and knocked some guy out on the ground, but the guy has no wrestling experience at all. I can look at Mo, I'm a fighter -- I could tell he was gettin' tired. If it woulda went to the next round, homeboy probably woulda come back. Cuz Mo looked like he was gettin' tired. I don't think Mo's been in the cage with the best in the world. He thinks I'm a bum now? Cuz I lost a fight with Jon Jones, one of the best light heavyweights in my weight class right now? So, I lost a fight to that guy, so now I'm a bum? Well, he can say that all he wants, but that guy has never fought anybody close to the caliber of the guys I've fought." "Rampage" went on to address comments Lawal made about Jackson coming over to the Strikeforce promotion to challenge him there, as opposed to vice versa. According to Jackson, he's insulted by the idea and would never consider it: "It's funny that he gotta talk about me after his fight and say I should move down to the Strikeforce and fight him. I'm sorry, but from where I'm sittin', that's a step down. You know what I'm sayin'? Why would I wanna step down to the Strikeforce and fight him when I'm fightin' in the biggest organization in the world?" Hard to argue otherwise ... at least for now. Strikeforce vs. UFC, loser leaves town match, anyone?

Posted in: fight, strikeforce, guy, he, im

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So, why are some cheaters in MMA 'good guys' and others 'bad guys' in the eyes of fans?

Posted in: mma, guy, fan, woman, woman sonnen

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Rundown of Strikeforce “Rockhold vs. Jardine” post-fight news and notes… — Like Gilbert Melendez and other fighters, it seems Luke Rockhold is getting restless in Strikeforce. Immediately after he crushed Keith Jardine last night, Rockhold made it crystal clear that he wants to prove himself against top competition. “I like fighting, I like getting paid, but I love competition and striving to be the best,” he said. “Right now, all the best guys are in the UFC, at least the top-10 guys. … Those are the guys I want. I want to climb to the top and fight the best in the world. I think they should bring over some top contenders. Let’s see who the true No. 1 contender is. I believe I am, and I’d love the chance to prove it.” Realistically though, that’s not going to happen anytime soon. With the exception of the heavyweights, Strikeforce fighters are going to remain Strikeforce fighters for the foreseeable future, as Scott Coker reiterated last night. “They’d just like to be in a position where they can fight anybody in any other league,” Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker said following the news conference. “But you know, it’s already been decided that these are going to be separate leagues. We’re going to provide them great fights and we’ll still have some great fights ahead of them. But these guys have a lot to prove.” With that in mind Rockhold says he’s content facing the quality opponents that are available. “If that’s the plan, that’s the plan,” Rockhold told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com). “I’ll make the most of what we’ve got here. Me and Tim Kennedy was supposed to happen quite a few times, and it doesn’t seem to come to happening. I always look to bigger and better things, and if the UFC wants to bring in some top contenders, I’m more than welcome to welcome them in our hexagon, like Gilbert would say.” “I’m more than willing to fight anybody here – Tim Kennedy or even a rematch with ‘Jacare,’” Rockhold said. “If they want to bring guys over, let’s bring guys over, but I’m content and I’m happy in Strikeforce. Eventually I think we’ll get the matchups, so I just want to fight the guys that have earned their spot in here. No offense to Keith Jardine. He’s a tough guy, and he’s a veteran opponent, but I want to fight guys that have really earned their spot. Tim Kennedy I’d say is the most valid challenger right now, no doubt. We’ll see if we can make that fight happen. I’m more than willing to take that fight.” It’s unclear if and when Rockhold and Kennedy might fight, but if it that doesn’t work out, Robbie Lawler looked pretty good last night. Considering the lack of depth in the division that’s probably a fight that will happen sooner or later. —One Strikeforce fighter who didn’t want to talk about the UFC last night was King Mo. He just re-signed with Strikeforce and knows full well that talking about fighting in the UFC is pointless, which is why he was less than pleased when someone asked him about Rampage Jackson. “Why’d you bring up that bum’s name?” Lawal said when asked about Jackson. “It’s like this: If he wants to come to Strikeforce and get beat, he can. To me, he should stick to acting and doing movies. To me, in my mind, in my eyes, he ain’t got it no more. He can hit me up on Twitter and talk trash and try to get me off my game, but we all know the truth. He’s an actor; a sub-par actor. He should be on ‘The B-Team,’ not ‘The A-Team’.” “I’m in Strikeforce,” Lawal said. “The fans who are asking me about the UFC, they’re stupid, man. I’m in Strikeforce. What can I say about the UFC? I’m in Strikeforce. The UFC has their own thing and Strikeforce has their own thing. I can’t be concerned with what they’re saying.” — Strikeforce finally confirmed their long-rumored March 3 card last night along with several fights including Miesha Tate vs. Ronda Rousey. Other fights announced include KJ Noons vs. Josh Thomson, Paul Daley vs. Kazuo Misaki and Alexis Davis vs. Sarah Kaufman. Strikeforce still hopes to headline the card with the conclusion of the heavyweight grand prix final between Josh Barnett and Daniel Cormier, however they’re still waiting for Cormier to be medically cleared before they can make it official. — Speaking of the HWGP, the winner is still expected to fight one more time on Showtime. The only problem is all the other Strikeforce heavyweights are moving over to the UFC, which doesn’t leave them many options for opponents. When asked if Fedor Emelianenko could be a possibility, Scott Coker didn’t rule it out. “That’s interesting,” Coker said. “I’m not sure what Fedor has planned. I haven’t spoken to M-1. I know (M-1 executive) Steve Bash was in the audience tonight, but we haven’t had that conversation yet.” — And last but not least, Scott Coker is much more optimistic about the future of the women’s 145 lbs weight division following Cris Cyborg’s failed steroid test than Dana White is. “The 145-pound weight class, I don’t think it’s time to throw that out to the garbage,” Coker said. “I feel we still have some great fighters at 145, and a lot of girls who maybe haven’t been around for a while are going to be motivated to come back because ‘Cyborg’ isn’t going to be there. “I heard that [White] had said something to the fact of, ‘Well, with her out, what’s the division?’ But there are girls out there … we can bring in to fight at 145. If that’s not the case, I’m sure we’ll evaluate it and make a business decision. But I don’t think that determination has been made.” Coker is still holding out hope that Gina Carano will return to action this year, but that remains to be seen. Image via Esther Lin for Strikeforce/Showtime

Posted in: ufc, fight, strikeforce, guy, rockhold

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This weekend’s Strikeforce middleweight title fight between Luke Rockhold and Keith Jardine has been flying under the radar for a variety of reasons. It seems both Rockhold and Jardine set out to change that this week though by making some rather uncharacteristically bold statements when the media finally turned their attention to this weekend’s Strikeforce show. For instance, Rockhold said he’s gunning for Anderson Silva while notorious nice guy Keith Jardine said “screw you” to anybody who thinks he doesn’t deserve a shot at Rockhold. Here’s a rundown of quotes via Yahoo! Sports, MMA Fighting, Heavy.com, LowKick, StudioMMA and USA Today: Luke Rockhold on Brock Lesnar: “Did you see him singing the rap country? When he started rapping along to the country song I was like ‘ what the hell is this guy doing?’ I almost saw his lip quivering as he was walking into the cage. He just looked like he was playing a role. He was kind of believing his own hype that people were putting in his ear. I saw true confidence out of Overeem and a true fighter… I think he brought a whole new audience to the sport. So I can’t exactly say it’s a negative. People really need to see who the true fighters are. Lesnar’s not the best in the world. He just got the right matchups and the right fights.” Rockhold on the lack of depth in the Strikeforce roster: “All the guys that are rated the highest are in the UFC right now. It’d be nice if we could get some of those guys in our division over here in Strikeforce, because it doesn’t look like we’re going anywhere. If they could bring them in to challenge, I’d be more than (willing) to welcome those guys into Strikeforce and put my belt on the line for them.” Rockhold on Anderson Silva: UFC-wise — anybody over there. I don’t care; I’d fight anybody in the top 10. They say Anderson Silva’s only got four fights left; I want to be one of those four fights. I want to get on that track. Whoever I’ve got to go through to get there, that’s what I want…. It’s always been a dream to fight the best in the world; that’s what I live for. I hate second place. I hate being second best. I want to challenge myself against the best in the world, and right now, all the highest-rated guys are in the UFC. I think me, Kennedy and Jacare are very underrated in this sport and in our divisions. I think we could possibly beat any of those guys in the top 10. I think we’re all tough. Keith Jardine on critics who say he shouldn’t be fighting for the Strikeforce middleweight title: “I say ‘Screw you, whoever says that.’ It’s been a long trip to get to this point. I’m just so thrilled and honored to be here. I’m glad that Luke took this fight. I’m grateful for that.” … “Honestly, since I knew that would happen, I haven’t looked at any MMA media, I haven’t turned on my Twitter, I haven’t done any of that stuff, because I knew there would be a lot of negative energy out there. But, you know what? To all of those people out there, we’ll see on Saturday. I’m very confident about the way it’s going to look. I’m not even worried about it. I don’t care. I know in my heart that I’m a new person at Middleweight, and I’m going to shock the world. I’m going to climb to the top of the ranks. This here is just the beginning for me. I’m confident in myself, I don’t care what anybody else says.” Rockhold’s take on Jardine fighting for the title: No. I can’t say I think he deserves a title shot, but at the same time, I think it’s a tough fight and I’m not taking him lightly. I don’t think many people could say he deserves a title shot, but given the current roster with Strikeforce and the middleweights and contenders and whatnot — Tim Kennedy says he’s having some problems with his body, from what I hear, so he’s not ready to step up. I don’t believe Jacare’s ready for a rematch; I was ready for that, if that were to come. They saw Keith Jardine — maybe he’s a big name. He’s a tough opponent. He’s been in there with all the best guys. … “I want to fight guys who have earned their spot. Keith Jardine is more of a last-minute replacement – a short-notice fight, and it is what it is. In the future, I want to fight top guys that will move me up in the divisional rankings. Most of the top-ranked guys are all in the UFC. In most of the rankings, I’m the only guy in the Top 10 who isn’t in the UFC. I hope they can bring in new blood, some new contenders, because we need to find out who the true No. 1 contender is in this sport. Anderson Silva is the best, no doubt, but I believe I can compete and beat anyone in this division.” Jardine on cutting to 185 for the first time: “I’ve never been down to 185, since my freshman year of high school probably… I’m big.” Rockhold on Jardine’s weight cut: “I think it’s going to be an issue with him coming down weight to 185 pounds. I think his cardio has been questionable, and coming down to 185 pounds I believe should hurt him a little bit. My cardio is off the charts, and I’m looking to expose him in every area. I’m going to really put the pressure on him and this fight will be in my favor the longer it goes.” Reminder: Showtime is kicking off a free preview weekend tonight, so if you’re capable of getting Showtime, you should be able to watch this weekend’s Strikeforce card for free. Image via Esther Lin for Strikeforce/Showtime

Posted in: fight, strikeforce, guy, rockhold, jardine

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Filed under: StrikeforceMo Lawal can admit it now: things didn't go the way he thought they would when he first walked though the doors of the American Kickboxing Academy in San Jose, Calif. What happened was simple, really. He came in with all the swagger you'd expect from "King" Mo, and then he found out the hard way that he wasn't the only MMA royalty on those particular mats. Or as he put it: "I got beat up." And we're not talking just normal bumps and bruises, either. We're talking good old-fashioned butt-whoopings. One right after another, after another, after another. For the former Strikeforce light heavyweight champion, a man who had racked up seven straight wins in just a year and a half of professional competition, this wasn't just a surprise -- it was a travesty. It was a challenge to everything he thought he knew about himself and his abilities. It was unacceptable. And he had his best friend and former Oklahoma State wrestling teammate, Daniel Cormier, to thank for it. Cormier convinced Lawal to come up to the Bay Area gym after he heard that his old friend wasn't totally satisfied with the training he was getting down in Orange County. Lawal had recently suffered the first loss of his career in a Strikeforce 205-pound title defense against Rafael "Feijao" Cavalcante in August of 2010, and now he was looking for a new home after rehabbing a knee injury. "I was asking him to come up here," said Cormier. "I heard he was looking to move and we talked a lot. I told him it was the best place for him." After weeks of going back and forth, Lawal finally made the move. But when set foot on the mats after being out of action for a while, he was in for a rough welcome. "I remember him struggling early on," Cormier said. "His timing was off. He hadn't fought in almost a year. He just wasn't himself." His first day of sparring, as Lawal remembered it, he went up against his buddy Cormier. He started off getting the worst of it, and things only deteriorated from there as his cardio showed the effects of his injury layoff. "I was kind of getting beat down," Lawal said. "I'm not going to lie." The next day of sparring, Lawal got matched up with a tall, lanky surfer kid by the name of Luke Rockhold -- a middleweight who Lawal took one look at before deciding that his fortunes in the gym were about to change. "I was like, yes! I'm going to smash him!" Lawal said. The way he saw it, Rockhold was a pretty boy who wasn't going to like getting hit in the face. He was, in Lawal's eyes, "a fake Ken doll." But before they strapped on the gloves, Cormier tried to warn his friend that it might not be as easy a sparring session as he thought. "I told him, Luke is a guy you have to watch out for. He goes a thousand percent all the time." Lawal wasn't convinced. This guy? The one who looks like he stepped out of an Abercrombie & Fitch catalog? He was the one who was going to give a former Strikeforce champ and NCAA All-American a hard time? Please. "I was like, I can't wait till I spar with Luke," Lawal said. "I'm going to put them thangs on him." A few rounds later, Lawal found out what Cormier was talking about. Rockhold popped right back up after Lawal took him down. He fired off kicks that seemed to come from odd angles and yet always found an open target. Lawal found himself getting punched, kneed, and kicked in places he thought he'd been defending well. "I got beat up," Lawal said. "...I got exposed. Because I came from training in Orange County, which was a good camp, some good guys out there, but the whole level of intensity, I felt like I was in Holland or something. I was like, these guys are trying to knock me out." Cormier had tried to tell him what he was in for, but maybe it was something he had to experience for himself to understand. That's how it was for Cormier when he first joined the team, he said. "Other guys may train hard and spar hard, but it's different here, where you have so many top guys and they're all there every single day. I think that's probably the biggest thing. There's a core group of guys who are here every day, and they're all mostly top ten in the world. It's a daily grind. You don't go to the gym and not have to deal with Luke Rockhold, [Josh] Koscheck, [Jon] Fitch, Cain [Velasquez] -- they're all there every time you step on the mat. There's no easy days." Cormier knew his old friend would benefit from those daily battles, but he also had selfish reasons for enlisting him, he admitted. "I just know that my best years, whether it was wrestling or whatever, Mo was right there close to me. The comfort that I have training with that dude, his ability to talk you up when you're having bad days, just having a friend around helps so much." Still, it wasn't just himself he was trying to help by bringing Lawal onto the team, Cormier said. "I knew it would be good for him, but I also knew it would be good for Luke. We didn't have that many smaller guys for him, so Luke had been sparring me and Cain. That's not a good day for any [middleweight]." With Lawal now on the AKA roster, Rockhold had a sparring partner closer to his size who could help him improve his wrestling, and Lawal had one who would force him to work on his stand-up skills. It was a symbiotic relationship that benefited them both, even if it resulted in the two of them showing up places with matching cuts and bruises when they traveled together to promote their respective fights on Saturday night's Showtime card in Las Vegas. "I'm going to be real with y'all," Lawal said while sitting next to Rockhold at a recent media Q&A at the MGM Grand. "This man right here is a top three middleweight in the world. You see my eye? I've got a little black eye, that's because of him. He kneed me in the face and punched me." Rockhold just shrugged and smiled before showing off his own battle wounds courtesy of Lawal and explaining that "iron sharpens iron." Which is kind of the whole point, as you can tell when you glance around the room at a place like AKA. The mats are crowded with UFC and Strikeforce fighters, former and current champions who make sure that there are no days off inside those walls. And that, Lawal said, is exactly what he needed. That's why unbeaten prospect Lorenz Larkin is in trouble once the cage door closes on Saturday night, he explained. "He's undefeated. He's a tough, young kid, hungry like me, but I'm starving," Lawal said. "I'm an Ethiopian right now." That's the good part about taking your beatings in the gym. There, no one's watching. No one's keeping score. There, the pounding is intended to make you better, or at the very least tougher. It's on Saturday night, when the cameras are rolling and the crowd is cheering, that you find out if it worked. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Posted in: guy, day, cormier, lawal, wasnt

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Over his last 10 fights, Keith Jardine is 3-6-1 and coming off a draw against Gegard Mousasi. He's never competed at 185-pounds, yet still landed a middleweight title fight opposite Luke Rockhold at the aptly-titled Strikeforce: "Rockhold vs. Jardine" event this Saturday night (Jan. 7, 2012) on Showtime. The champ tells Fighting Famous TV "The Dean of Mean" is a "tough guy" but "hasn't earned his shot." "It's an awkward situation. You can't really say he's earned it, but at the same time I'm not overlooking Jardine, he's a tough guy who's been in there with everybody from the top guys. He beat Chuck, hung in there with Rampage for three rounds, he's hanging in there with the best guys. I wanna fight the best guys in the world. I wanna fight top five opponents. I don't always want these random fights like Keith Jardine, I want people who have earned their spot." Hear more from Rockhold, including his future in Strikeforce, after the jump. More on Strikeforce: "Rockhold vs. Jardine" here.

Posted in: fight, guy, rockhold, jardine, he

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http://pastebin.com/bsQNg57S enjoy guys! submitted by 2WAR [link] [comment]

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With Brock Lesnar's retirement following his UFC 141 loss to Alistair Overeem, many are wondering if there's a way for the UFC to make up for the business being lost. In the second part of Luke Thomas' interview with Dave Meltzer, Luke asked if Lesnar's impact was long term or just a brief shot in the arm for UFC business. Dave's response: There are people he brought in who grew, who appreciated and became sustainable fans. The vast majority of that I would say is not the case. I'll give you a perfect example. If tomorrow, something happens and Georges St. Pierre retires and he's got all this Canadian fanbase. I would guarantee you that, some of those fans will stay, but most of those fans will also be gone because that's what happens in every sport. Just like with Ali in boxing. When Ali left, yeah, he made a ton of fans for boxing but how many of them really stayed for Larry Holmes? Not that many. I think in team sports, it's different. I think in team sports, they sustain better. In individual sports, I notice the kind of guys whether it's Tiger Woods or Ali that swell the audience for those sports, when those guys are gone, yeah, they did help the sport, but most of the audience that they swelled, they're gone when the star is gone and I think that's gonna be the same thing with Brock. I think that the vast majority of people that he brought to pay-per-view, I don't think they'll buy another pay-per-view. Some will buy every pay-per-view though. Using Ali and Holmes is a bit of a problem though. Ali was a rare superstar personality, but his career had foes like Liston, Foreman, Frazier and Norton, rivals who allowed for something more than Ali to simply be a "big mouth." Holmes never had quite that same level of big name rival other than maybe Leon Spinks. Post-Ali the overall quality of the division was down, it wasn't just that no one cared because Holmes wasn't Ali. If anything Lesnar may have been more of a Tyson, a guy who was the entire attraction for a large segment of fans. Post-Lesnar, the UFC heavyweight division isn't a wasteland. In fact, with the addition of the Strikeforce heavyweights it will be the strongest heavyweight division in the history of any promotion. But this all raises the ultimate question facing the UFC: Are they ever going to embrace really marketing guys as unique? Lesnar was something more than just "a UFC fighter" because of his background. To many fans the majority of the roster just feels like interchangeable pieces. I love the UFC and they've done things so well that it is to the point where no one can argue against Zuffa being good for MMA. But I really feel like the marketing is in a rut. I talked about it back in October when I was on Press Row with Jordan Breen, but it feels like they're reluctant to truly establish many fighters as special. They're embracing it with Jon Jones to a degree, but does it seem like the UFC sells a guy like Jose Aldo, who is the dominant featherweight force in the world with a thirteen fight win streak is sold as particularly special or unique in a way that goes beyond the same way that they marketed Mauricio Rua when he had the title? They were just both "feared Brazilian strikers" and little more other than little tidbits of their personal stories. It just feels like few men are treated like actual stars in the UFC's marketing efforts now and that transfers over into the public perception (as is the point of marketing, I suppose). When Aldo faces Chad Mendes I'm sure we'll hear a bit about how Aldo is really good, but we'll go right into the recycled "if you were going to build a fighter to beat the champ, this is the guy you would build" shtick. Going back to the start of when the UFC boom started, it was Chuck Liddell, Tito Ortiz and Randy Couture filling the superstar roles. They were each great fighters, but they were also three unique and identifiable personalities. Did the marketing of them as special go off the rails at times? Sure. The UFC 43 ring walk for Liddell was ridiculously over the top, but when the generally soft spoken Couture beat him it was the start of Randy's real rise to a star. And that's somewhat evident when you look at UFC 43 drawing a buyrate of 49,000 and then UFC 44 with the unification bout between Couture and Ortiz drawing 94,000 buys and UFC 46 with Couture against Vitor Belfort doing 80,000. If anything, that old school moment should teach the UFC that it's okay to market a guy as something more than just "really good" because his opponent can gain a lot if he pulls off the win over someone sold as truly special. Lesnar leaving means that the UFC is lacking in fighters that the public is going to find truly unique. It's time for the marketing team to open the playbook a little bit and find the willingness to start pushing the best the promotion has as more than just "wrestlers" "strikers" or "dangerous." 2011 was the first down period in a long time for the promotion (partly because of injuries to the very few mainstream stars) and they should view it as an opportunity and a challenge to do what the UFC has always done and up their game.

Posted in: ufc, guy, fan, ali, marketing

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When you look at some of the world's best prospects in MMA, you'll inevitably find yourself exploring the world of college wrestling. How intimate is the relationship between mixed martial arts, and wrestling? What does that relationship mean for the future of both sports? The management company of Team Takedown is a good example of what this revolution has meant for both sports. Although you could say they've been a mixed bag. Jake Rosholt left the UFC with a 2-2 record and is currently undefeated in his last 6 fights. Shane Roller is on a two-fight losing streak. Jared Rosholt is a HW prospect currently 4-0. And then there's Johny Hendricks who needs no introduction for the viewers of UFC 141 (or people that were never fans of Jon Fitch). Hendricks took part in the NCWA All-Star Classic, and as Sherdog's Tommy Messano reports, the event has been a hot bed for MMA talent scouts. But what makes Messano's piece stand out is that we get to see two different reactions to this merging of interests between both sports. On the one hand, you have a DIII two-time national champion from Wartburg College in Byron Tate, who is already training MMA. In Tate, we see how in MMA, wrestlers now have an outlet to make proper money. On the other hand, the silence of Oklahoma State's Jordan Oliver: Oliver is a transcendent talent, but one who has thus far shown little interested in a future MMA career. When approached by Sherdog.com on Sunday, Oliver declined to be interviewed and offered a simple "no comment," further confirming that his goal lies in acquiring multiple NCAA titles before becoming a key cog in Team USA’s Olympic medal hopes. Oklahoma State assistant coach Zack Esposito put in perspective his team’s current view towards MMA. "To tell you the truth, the guys on our team are Olympic-made and coaching-made," Esposito said. "Right now, it’s not likely [for them to transition to MMA]. We are pushing our Olympic hopes and we want them to reach that goal before they make that choice whether they want to go on or not. "We encourage our guys, ‘don’t forget your childhood dreams.’ This thing [MMA] is new and appealing, but don’t forget your dreams. And then, after that, don’t forget your decision." Oliver's silence, in its own way, speaks to what some consider a burden onto wrestling and the lack of reciprocity between the two sports. For an articulation of this position by the participants themselves, Luke Thomas at MMA Nation interviewed Jordan Burroughs (winner of the Dan Hodge Trophy), and Henry Cejudo (Olympic Gold Medalist). Cejudo gave a very nuanced answer when asked whether or not MMA is hurting or helping wrestling: Henry: Well, this is a difficult one. I would say it's probably hurting, to be quite honest with you. A lot of our best guys are going into mixed martial arts. At the same time, it's sort of pushing the sport of wrestling to increase their stipends, their winnings. So, yeah, it is a bummer because the sport is losing good guys like Daniel Cormier, Mo Lawal, Ben Askren, they almost lost me for a bit. It's happening because guys are seeing MMA, I hate to say it, but it's an easier sport than wrestling. Wrestling is a sport, just like boxing, it's been around for hundreds of years. It's easy. It's flashy. Cameras, you become famous. You become rich. And you have the best base which is wrestling. 75% I think of all fighters are wrestlers or former wrestlers. Burroughs gives a similar answer, though both seem interested in eventually venturing into the MMA world. Perhaps just as interestingly, Burroughs answers the question: 'why do some wrestlers falter at their own game against MMA fighters with very little experience?' If there's a reason to think not every wrestler can make the transition, consider their styles, Jordan argues. For some of us who know very little of wrestling itself, we often just assume that all great wrestlers can power out a double leg like nobody's business. This is obviously not the case (in response to Luke's question about Yoel Romero during a Strikeforce fight that saw an Olympic medalist struggle to find takedowns): Jordan: I'm not sure. I mean, other people excel at different positions. Maybe that wasn't a strong point, sticking on his feet. Maybe just because he was an Olympic medalist doesn't mean he's great on his feet. He might keep good positioning and be hard to score but wasn't very offensive. It's one of those things, we've got guys that are very offensive and can take down anyone and we've got guys that don't shoot at all but are very hard to take down. It's one of those things, you've got to decide what you're good at. I didn't like putting both writers in one entry, but they explore such similar themes, I couldn't avoid it. Both put up fantastic work, and I suggest you read each in full. Again, Tommy Messano's article can be read in full here. He can be reached on twitter @ULTMMA. Luke Thomas' interviews with Jordan Burroughs and Henry Cejudo can be found, here and here, respectively. You can reach him on twitter @SBNLukeThomas.

Posted in: mma, guy, sport, olympic, wrestler

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The Brock Lesnar fans saw at UFC 141 was a greatly diminished athlete according to MMA and pro wrestling business guru Dave Meltzer. Meltzer spoke to MMA Nation's Luke Thomas about Lesnar, his legacy and physical condition coming into his fight with Alistair Overeem: I think that Brock saw that athletically, he wasn't what he once was and that's all he had going for him. He was a very good athlete who's athletic ability transferred very well to fighting. He was not a great all-around fighter and he was too old to become that. If he was 27 and he goes, "I can shore up these weaknesses," he's 34 and got a lot of mileage. Those four years of pro wrestling took a lot out of his body. There's injuries everywhere and I think that illness devastated him and I think you could see the difference. I don't think Brock's nearly as quick as he was a couple years ago and that's the difference. I'm sure he can lift the same weights, he's huge but he was never that great all-around fighter. When you lose that speed, there are exceptions but you don't see a lot of freestyle wrestlers in the heavyweight division at 34 competing for Olympic gold. Karelin was done at 32, he was a Greco guy but he was done at 32 so he was even younger than Brock and Kerelin was the biggest physical freak of all physical freaks. Far more than Brock ever was. That's kind of like your prototype. Guys like that, when their bodies break down and they lose that thing, they're done at that level and like most of them, I think that when both of them in their minds thought they were done, they got out. Fans who are quick to write off Lesnar as a non-talent in MMA are deeply ignorant of the realities of injury, illness and aging on an athlete in his mid-30's. Meltzer elaborates on Lesnar's legacy and what might have been: I think he probably could have been the greatest heavyweight we've ever seen because he did have those athletic gifts and he would have been, at 22, I don't think physically just looking at him he would have been a great striker, but he had such power that I think he could have been a knockout guy and a decent enough striker to set up his wrestling and he'd have been the best wrestler if he'd kept his wrestling up. You've got to remember, he took eight years off wrestling and then he came back in the sport. You don't see a lot of guys take eight years off wrestling and come back and be what they once were as wrestlers so that Brock Lesnar, yeah, I think he could have been an all-time great. This one coming in at that age, he had a lot going against him but if he didn't have the diverticulitis and he would have been in camp year-round and he would have been learning the submissions because he probably could have been pretty good at the submission game because that comes from wrestling and I think he probably would have done pretty well with that because he is a great student and he's not a stranger to training hard. Striking, he probably never would have been great at, but I think he would have been a lot better. What was gonna hurt him was when the speed was gone because the speed made him more than the power. Power's great, it is, but this is a speed sport. You look at all of these guys, when they lose a bit of that speed, that's when they fall from the top. It's not when they lose the power. At some point, a guy of his size, 35-36, it still would be tough I would think. I think the diverticulitis, it had to take a lot out of him. Read the complete transcript of part 1 of Luke's interview with Meltzer at MMA Nation. SBN coverage of UFC 141: Lesnar vs. Overeem

Posted in: guy, lesnar, lot, brock, speed

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The welterweight division was put on notice last night at UFC 141 when 12-1 Johny Hendricks blasted Jon Fitch with a stiff left and sent the former title-contender spilling backwards to the mat. Hendricks quickly pounced on his fallen prey and pounded out the victory, finishing Fitch for the first time in the UFC despite the American Kickboxing Academy staple having faced some of the top 170ers in MMA. The 28-year old reflected on his remarkable victory at the post-event press conference where he hoped his success might even be enough to sneak into a shot at the winner of Carlos Condit-Nick Diaz. “I just beat the #2 ranked guy. GSP couldn’t do it in five rounds. B.J. Penn couldn’t do it…love the guy the death…he couldn’t do it,” said Hendricks while referring to Fitch’s previous fights with Penn and current champion Georges St. Pierre. “I just knocked the #2 guy out in twelve seconds. Where does that put me? Hopefully for a (title-shot)…but if it doesn’t, I’m gonna just have to go out there and prove it again.” The UFC President shared Hendricks’ enthusiasm and insinuated the former NCAA wrestling king was at least in the mix. “Holy sh*t,” White exclaimed about the win. “It was a quick fight. The thing about Hendricks is he’s got great wrestling…world-class wrestling…and he hits hard. He’s a tough guy to fight. It was a big, big night for Johny Hendricks.” “It puts him right in there,” White concluded. Hendricks has now won his past three fights and is 9-1 under the Zuffa banner. His only defeat came in a decision to Rick Story at the Ultimate Fighter 12 Finale. Check out the entire press conference below: PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Posted in: ufc, guy, ’t, couldn, hendrick

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Brock Lesnar's UFC career ended tonight due to the strikes of Alistair Overeem. He has looked very, very flawed in three straight fights and tonight looked as though he really didn't have much of a strategy. Lesnar only really shot for one takedown and Overeem avoided it with relative ease. Lesnar was willing to try to throw punches but we all knew what it meant if it turned into a stand-up fight. Overeem's knees to the body of Lesnar were hurting the former champion and Alistair zeroed in on the body. The liver kick that caused Overeem to step backward and crumple was beautiful. But one does have to wonder if Lesnar simply showed up for one last big paycheck. He didn't really look hard for takedowns and didn't really commit to his one attempt at getting the fight to the ground. I'm certainly not saying he threw the fight, but he didn't look like he was fully there. Nate Diaz has really improved a lot over his last few fights. Donald Cerrone was game and really didn't do that poorly, it was just that Diaz was that much better. There's not a whole lot to say about Diaz vs. Cerrone without getting into a detailed breakdown. Pressure can break guys and it really wore out Cerrone. Jon Fitch got blasted out by Johny Hendricks in twelve seconds. It almost seems a little too unceremonious an end to a Fitch's long reign as the #2 welterweight in the world. Hendricks' win is just another case of the 170 pound division shifting. With GSP on the shelf and the temporary top of the division being determined by Nick Diaz vs. Carlos Condit and now there's no Fitch. It's a new world. Alexander Gustafsson is going to be challenging for the UFC title by some point in 2013. He ran through Vladimir Matyushenko like he was nothing. Jim Hettes trucked Nam Phan, absolutely trucked him. The only failing he showed in the bout was in his endurance but that happens sometimes when you're dominating position and throwing punch after punch in round one looking to get the finish. Hettes looked great, but I worry that we're going to see a crazy overreaction to this fight. Phan is a decent stepping stone but let's not crown him yet. And no, that isn't the same thing as Gustafsson. SBN coverage of UFC 141: Lesnar vs. Overeem More after the jump... Junior Assuncao was much better than I expected. He showed good movement and bothered Ross Pearson with his range. Still, Pearson was able to work his way through the trouble and get a very close decision. I thought Anthony Njokuani did well enough to earn a decision over Danny Castillo but Castillo was physical enough with his grappling to earn a decision. It wasn't a robbery but it's a difference between a guy I love watching fight in Njokuani, a guy looking to do damage, and Castillo who often is just looking to just control positioning. I hope Dong Hyun Kim is able to make some more waves and get good card positioning in 2012. He has a load of talent and just straight wore out Sean Pierson. Jacob Volkmann beating Efrain Escudero was pretty predictable given what both men brought to the table. Volkmann is never going to be a title challenger but he's going to be a real pain for a lot of guys.

Posted in: fight, overeem, guy, lesnar, didnt

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Judging from all the people I've seen wandering throughout Las Vegas with their various MMA shirts of choice, a lot of you guys are patiently waiting to see what happens when Alistair Overeem and Brock Lesnar clash inside of a loosely reinforced steel cage. We're all curious. Realistically, what will happen to finely woven steel when nearly 600lbs of man meat is slammed into it with the force of a particle accelerator? We'll know in a few hours, but in the meantime you guys should get acquainted with the LAX nightclub in the Luxor. That's where the MiddleEasy crew (and friends) will be partying tonight. Oh, and two guys named Erik Apple and Jake Shields will be there. I heard they're fighters, but let's face it, you all want to see us. Be there at LAX nightclub just after UFC 141 to partake in all the festivities. LayzieTheSavage will be there, as well as some guy named 'Zeus.'

Posted in: guy, las vegas, erik apple, theyre fighters, people ive

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By now, I would hope you know what happened at the UFC 141 pre-fight press conference yesterday. In case you don't, the short version is that Nate Diaz and Donald Cerrone got into a minor altercation during their staredown. They exchanged words of some sort and Diaz knocked Cerrone's hat off his head before shoving him. He did so because "he's no punk" and he didn't like how "Cowboy" was getting all up in his grill. Now, Cerrone writes in his blog at MMAFighting.com that he is, in fact, punking Diaz out and he's inside the Stockton slugger's head: "What yesterday showed was that the bully is getting bullied. The Diaz brothers are bullies, all that street-thug stuff gets inside opponent's heads. They are the guys who punk everyone out and get in everyone else's heads, but what's happened now, tough guy? Now the tables have been turned on you and you are getting punked out, you are the guy freaking out and looking uncomfortable and your delusions of being this intimidating bad ass aren't working no more. It feels good to turn the tables, to see this (individual) get punked out. I'm in his head now, he looked uncomfortable when I worked out in front of him, and he freaked out yesterday." Maybe these two don't have the name value of the UFC 141 headliners, Brock Lesnar and Alistair Overeem, but they've done as good a job as anyone of selling their co-main event bout, which takes place tomorrow night (Fri., Dec. 30, 2011) at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. Hell, they've single-handedly sold the weigh-ins, which take place later tonight. What's the over/under on the number of security guards hanging around the stage when they square off for the staredown tonight? Remember, MMAmania.com will have live coverage as it goes down, so stick around and we'll find out before long. Stay tuned.

Posted in: diaz, guy, head, cerrone, donald cerrone

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There's an extremely vocal MMA fan base that's entirely against the existence of one Jon Fitch. They will do anything to bash on the guy. He can't finish opponents or sandwiches they say, but I ask you this witty fighter basher: what does it matter as long as he can only be defeated in this stage of his career by a single man? I used to be one of those fans that didn't respect what he did, dominating opponents and growling into the camera. I was a fool. 11-11-11 came and the Perdue wrestler created his twitter account: FitchSkyrimTale. That's when everything changed. It turns out Fitch is one of us. He strums his ukulele while contemplating the finer details of killing a Dragon Priest...he just happens to fight in an extremely deep division against guys that are really hard to finish. I know what you are thinking, am I really that shallow to declare my fandom for a guy because he likes a videogame? To put it simply, yes. But it's also because I believe that any logical person can see that Fitch is still the #2 in the welterweight division, and brings very scary problems to the winner of Diaz/Condit. That's if Fitch gets past Johny Hendricks that is. Ariel Helwani caught up with the 170 pound Dragon Born for an insightful and thought provoking interview. You should do Jon a favor and really watch the whole thing. If you start it, the least you could do is finish. [Source]

Posted in: guy, fitch, ariel helwani, man i, perdue wrestler

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Filed under: UFC, MMA Fighting Exclusive, NewsThis is going to be a little on the short side because I'm in murder/death/kill mode right now after what happened at the press conference. I'm done talking and ready to fight this guy. What I can say is that Nate Diaz is a little (individual) who is going to get his ass kicked at UFC 141 tomorrow night. What happened yesterday when Dana White brought us together to do a pose-down? That was all Diaz. He came towards me, he was mumbling something stupid - who knows what, you can't tell a word of it and when you do it still makes no sense - and I said "let's bring it" and he swatted my cowboy hat and acted all tough guy. That's a $1000 hat he knocked on the ground. Yeah, I am pretty damn mad. But I'm not getting paid to fight at press conferences. I get paid to fight at UFC 141 on tomorrow night, co-main event, when it counts and where it counts: in the Octagon. More Coverage: UFC 141 Fight Card | UFC 141 Results Let's see if this little (individual) is brave and such a tough guy on Friday. Let's see if he gets in my face then. Let's see if he even has the balls to even come close. I acted like a professional yesterday, and I will act like one today at the weigh-in. Tomorrow night, I'm gonna make him pay. What yesterday showed was that the bully is getting bullied. The Diaz brothers are bullies, all that street-thug stuff gets inside opponent's heads. They are the guys who punk everyone out and get in everyone else's heads, but what's happened now, tough guy? Now the tables have been turned on you and you are getting punked out, you are the guy freaking out and looking uncomfortable and your delusions of being this intimidating bad ass aren't working no more. It feels good to turn the tables, to see this (individual) get punked out. I'm in his head now, he looked uncomfortable when I worked out in front of him, and he freaked out yesterday. He's worrying about me rather than on what he's doing. But I'm not underestimating him. Like I said all week, I respect the guy as a fighter. He will bring it tomorrow night. I know he will fight with everyone he's got. But that's not enough. Nowhere even close. That same dumb hands-up tough-guy pose he did at the press conference? He does that in the Octagon too. That's going to be his ticket to a world of hurt. That's going to get his head bashed in and his ribs cracked open. UFC 141 is live on Pay-Per-View Friday night at 10ET/7PT. Follow 'Cowboy' Cerrone on twitter @Cowboycerrone. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Posted in: ufc, night, guy, head, im

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Luke Thomas was on the Fight Fix again this week and discussed UFC 141 and the main event between Brock Lesnar and Alistair Overeem. He also took time to discuss the NSAC hearing for Overeem's license. Here's the video: From the video: Well, I think it was a necessary step to see exactly what was going on here as part of a random test that had not been properly conducted. My general impression, my general takeaway - farcical. Here's a guy making claims "I bout my ticket to go back to Holland" to care for his sick mother - I'm sure that claim is true, but he said he bout his ticket 2 days before he knew about the random tests. Did the commission ask him for a receipt? No. Then he offers up some assistant who had basically botched the entire go between he & the commission, and yet this person hasn't been fired? You're talking about the most important fight of Alistair Overeem's life or one of the most important. It's hard to argue this is not a significant fight for his career. You've got an assistant who is at best a dunce and there's no reprimand? There's no accountability? No questions asked of Overeem to provide documentation of his claims? I'm sure the random tests that they offer will have some merit and some screen to them, but I think that the idea that a fighter - any fighter - can just make claims without having the veracity of those claims tested, it's a joke. You wanna know why people don't believe in athletic commission testing? There you go. More on UFC 141 including Luke's prediction after the jump... SBN coverage of UFC 141: Lesnar vs. Overeem On Overeem's distractions: For all the problems with this NSAC situation, he is a professional. I'm sure that he is going to be focused on fight night. I don't know how a mother as sick as his appears to be can not be a distraction. I know I'd be distracted getting up in the morning for mundane routines. I don't know that Alistair Overeem can avoid that/ Is that going to significantly impact his performance? Is that going to be the ultimate factor that decides the outcome? I'm not so sure about that, but I think between this testing farrago of hoops he has to jump through and this issue with his mother traveling back and forth. It's not just that his mother was sick - that's problematic enough. He was supposed to be at Xtreme Couture training there and then he had to two switch his camps. Switching camps in the middle of camp, that can't be an easy thing to do. When you add in a sick mother to it and he had this athletic commission testing, it's definitely gotta be on his mind. It's probably gonna play some kind of factor. On if Lesnar is healthy: Ordinarily, I think I would say no. I would say no because a 34-year-old guy is not probably in his athletic prime. I would say no because he had a foot of his colon removed. I mean think about that, but Brock Lesnar seems to defy every expectation, defy every odd, defy every rule of thumb. A guy who wasn't supposed to be an NCAA div-I champion because he lacked technique - he won it. A guy who has had an athletic career that was all made possible partly because he is such a dedicated worker, but he has genetics that are borderline from the planet Krypton. I've never seen a guy like this before. So, I think he seems to be motivated. Physically, he looks great. He seems to have a pep in his step. He really seems to believe that the worst of his illnesses are behind him and that he can focus. I don't see how having that kind of invasive surgery won't have some lingering effect, but I do believe come fight time, he won't lose for those reasons, or he won't win for those reasons. Lesnar's wrestling vs. Overeem's striking, what's better? That's a tough one man. First of all, if you lined up a hundred wrestlers and a hundred strikers, who's gonna win the majority of the time? On balance, probably the wrestlers. It's something equivalent to flipping a coin, maybe 51/49, 55/45, whatever. Wrestlers will win more often. In this particular case though, I believe Overeem does deserve to be the favorite. Not a huge favorite, only a slight favorite, he was at -160 which is not huge, but the guy is just an incredible striker. Duke Roufus told me Alistair Overeem is the George Foreman of MMA striking because he has this thudding, pressing power. But he also has an unbelievable, high percentage submission in his guillotine. He is not a dummy on the ground. I think his weight sort of limits him in his ability to scramble and prevent the takedown, so there are gonna be issues there. I believe Overeem is the rightful favorite. However, part of me tells me that Brock Lesnar might win this one. And the only reason why is not that Brock Lesnar won't get submitted in the first round - he could. Not that he can't get knocked out - of course he can. Alistair Overeem can knockout anybody in the world, literally. For me, the kind of striker that Lesnar has problems with more so than other ones are guys that stay on him and press it with combinations with a little bit of speed and a little bit of volume attack. That's not really who Alistair Overeem is. He fires the one shot, maybe a second shot, and then he's kinda vulnerable. And against a guy like Lesnar - yes he may take a shot to the chin, he crumbles and we'll say "Yep, that's the Lesnar we knew." But, part of me feels like he might be able to gut through a big shot, maybe a second big shot, if they're spaced out far enough. Overeem did swarm on Brett Rogers, but Brett Rogers is not Brock Lesnar. If you wanna make Overeem the favorite, I think that's fair, but I think there's a strong reason to believe whatever early storm may hit Lesnar...there is an argument to be made he can get past it given the striking style of Alistair Overeem. I think it's a vulnerability for him the longer the fight goes. Pick for the 141 main event: Very reluctantly Dustin Green, very reluctantly. I can't get over the idea that he lands a huge shot to the ribs and it hurts Lesnar, maybe he turtles up. But then, maybe he scrambles. And then maybe he gets on top of Overeem. Do I believe that an Overeem on his back can get Lesnar off of him? I do not believe that. And, once he's on top, sorry he may not be a striker, Brock Lesnar has savage ground-n-pound. I definitely believe once the fight goes to the floor, Overeem's gonna be in deep, deep trouble.

Posted in: fight, overeem, guy, alistair, lesnar

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Filed under: UFCUFC 141 promises a big bang to close out an eventful year for the UFC and its parent company Zuffa. Everywhere you look on the main card there are major draws and serious contenders. Take a look a little lower down the lineup, however, and you'll see no shortage of fighters who are facing the possibility of a very bleak 2012 if they can't notch a victory before the calendar turns its final page. Who are they, and what are their prospects on Friday night in Vegas? For answers, we turn to the Cut List. Ross Pearson (12-5, 4-2 UFC) Who he's facing: Junior Assuncao Why he's in danger: Okay, so maybe danger isn't the word. Pearson is an Ultimate Fighter winner and a nice guy to have on the roster for future U.K. events, so he's probably not going anywhere no matter what happens on Friday night. At the same time, he's lost two of his last three. Maybe his back isn't all the way against the wall yet, but it's getting there. The good news is, he has a couple things going for him here. His last loss came via a very close decision, and it was a Fight of the Night recipient, so obviously the UFC likes what it sees from him. He's also facing a much easier test this time around, at least according to the oddsmakers who have pegged him a 3-1 favorite over Assuncao. Of course, the downside to fighting a guy who you're supposed to beat is that you're supposed to beat him. A loss to Assuncao looks worse on the resume than a split decision against Edson Barboza. If Pearson wants to turn his career trajectory around, he might not get a better opportunity than this. Outlook: Good. Barring any huge screw-ups, Pearson should get back in the win column here. Even if he doesn't, he'd have to look pretty awful to risk the axe right away. Matt Riddle (5-3, 5-3 UFC) Who he's facing: Luis Ramos Why he's in danger: It's the same old story. Two losses in a row leaves him one bad night away from the dreaded three-fight skid. But how did it get to this point? Things were going so well for a time. He won his first three fights in the UFC -- which also happened to be his first three fights as a professional -- and after six he was a very respectable (and somewhat surprising) 5-1. And then the current tumble began. Riddle lost a decision to Sean Pierson at UFC 124, then another to Lance Benoist nine months later, and here we are. Is this a must-win scenario for Riddle? Probably, but the same might be true of Ramos. He's only lost one fight in the UFC, but then, he's only had one fight in the UFC. When two guys scrap with that sort of desperation hanging over them, things often get ugly. Or else one guy decides it's worth playing it safe and dull, if it nets him a job-saving win in the end. Outlook: Cautiously optimistic. Riddle may be giving up a lot of experience against Ramos, but you don't stick around in the UFC this long if you don't have some skills. Manny Gamburyan (11-6, 2-4 UFC) Who he's facing: Diego Nunes Why he's in danger: If you go back to his recent WEC stint (and it's all in the Zuffa family, so why not?), he's on a two-fight losing streak. You know what that means. Then again, his last loss in the WEC was to Jose Aldo, so he deserves a little slack. And his most recent UFC loss was a majority decision to Tyson Griffin, which, okay, doesn't look great in light of Griffin's recent stretch. The worst part is, against Nunes it would seem as though Gamburyan is really going to have his hands full. The Brazilian can be outwrestled, as we've seen, but is Gamburyan the guy to do it? Better yet, if he isn't, what will the UFC have to gain by keeping him around? Outlook: Neutral. Gamburyan has the chops to make a fight out of it against just about any featherweight in the game, but opponents seem to be figuring him out more and more lately. If he can't beat Nunes -- who's a tough draw, no matter who you are -- he's in real trouble. Efrain Escudero (18-3, 3-2 UFC) Who he's facing: Jacob Volkmann Why he's in danger: The former TUF winner is back in the big show, and he's got his work cut out for him. After being cut following a disastrous Fight Night appearance in which he failed to make weight and then got submitted by Charles Oliveira, he knocked around in the small shows and did well enough to merit a phone call when the UFC found itself in need of a quality lightweight. And Escudero is a quality lightweight. His record tells us that much. But is he an elite lightweight, and can he prove it before the UFC again loses its patience with him? Volkmann is exactly the kind of guy you don't want to face on short notice in your return to the UFC. He's methodical, patient (sometimes to the point of being boring), and can absolutely suffocate you if you don't shut him down early. In other words, he can make you look very, very bad in defeat, which is the last thing Escudero can afford right now. Outlook: Mildly pessimistic. It'll be a significant upset if he can find a way to beat Volkmann, and I don't see it happening. He'll probably get one more chance to prove himself with due notice and a full camp, but then it'll be make-or-break time for sure. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Posted in: ufc, fight, guy, loss, he

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submitted by whyyouknow [link] [3 comments]

Posted in: guy, octagon, whyyouknow

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Frank Mir has first hand experience when dealing with the mammoth wrestler in Brock Lesnar. He went 1-1 against Lesnar, and while he doesn't like the guy that much, but he still picks him to win at UFC 141. Mir suggests that Alistair Overeem won't be able to stop those takedowns. He also says that trying to time those shots with knees won't work against a guy like Lesnar: If Overeem sprawls or tries to knee, it'll do him no good. "Brock doesn't shoot that low. He'll put his forehead in your chest, and he's going to run you through. If he's not able to take you down with that initial blast, he's going to run you against the cage. Then he's going to rip your legs out from under you. Now, you should have gotten taken down in the middle of the area, but instead, you've been taken down against the cage [where it is more dangerous]. Speaking from experience, that sucks." Mir, was a high school state wrestling champ and a BJJ blackbelt, but that didn't help him avoid those takedowns, or survive on the ground. Even more accomplished wrestlers like Shane Carwin and Cain Velasquez got taken down as well. Velasquez used his wrestling and was able to get back to his feet long enough to overwhelm Lesnar standing, Mir though, isn't convinced that Overeem can repeat that feat: "Now, you have a guy who is not a black belt in jiu-jitsu and who is not a wrestling All-American who is going to be able to get back to his feet, so what does he do?" Mir said. Are you going to try to tell me he's going to wrestle with a national champion wrestler for five minutes? His cardio is going to suck [after wrestling with Lesnar for a while]. I've seen guys with muscles like that, and that's why he slows down HT: ESPN Radio via Cage Writer

Posted in: overeem, guy, mir, lesnar, he

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Between November 2004 and March 2011, UFC welterweight Jake Shields fought fifteen times and came away with fifteen victories including those over Yushin Okami, Paul Daley, Robbie Lawler, Jason Miller, and Carlos Condit. Since then he’s fought twice, losing both times and gaining a new perspective on MMA as a fighter looking up from the bottom rather than down from the top. Despite his stumbles against divisional king Georges St. Pierre and rising star Jake Ellenberger, the 32-year old isn’t looking for an easy road back to contendership and will face Yoshihiro Akiyama at UFC 144 in the world-class judoka’s proverbial backyard of Japan. Shields spoke some about the bout, as well as the futures of renowned teammates Gilbert Melendez and Nick Diaz, where the submission specialist admitted he was excited about the challenge provided by Akiyama’s grappling ability. Akiyama Drops do 170 After Successful Run at Middleweight “It’s going to be my basic training camp, but I’ll probably make some small changes, try to find a couple good judo guys, which it’s a real treat if you’re fighting top-notch judo guys like Akiyama,” said the 26-6-1 Shields in an interview with MMAFightCorner. “There (are) lots of good wrestlers, jiu-jitsu guys, and standup guys, but there (are) only a few top judo guys so I have to look around for that.” “Other than that, it’s just the same camp,” he continued. “I haven’t really put a game plan together yet. I want to go out there and come back with a big win. Coming off losses, it’s really important to get back on track, and I want to put him away. So you know, I don’t really know the game plan yet, I have to figure that out.” With two months to go until Shields squares off against Akiyama the native Californian has spent time recently helping the accomplished cast at Cesar Gracie Jiu-Jitsu get ready for their respective rumbles. “(Jorge) Masvidal, I think, is a really underrated fighter and a tough matchup for Gil, so we knew it was a tough fight going in, but he went out there and did what he had to do, and brought the fight to Masvidal,” Shields began. “Personally I would’ve liked to have seen Gil (bring) him to the ground and try to finish him on the ground. I think he had a big advantage on Masvidal there, but it just turned into a striking match instead, and Gil’s hands are really coming along. His stand-up keeps getting better and better.” As far as fellow welterweight Diaz, who fights for the interim title in February before an eventual date with St. Pierre, Shields is hoping to see his outspoken peer run the table and would consider a return to middleweight if such were to take place. “I’d love to see Nick take that belt. And then at that point I’ll try to get through Akiyama and then probably start putting on some weight.” Shields-Akiyama goes down on February 26 from Saitama Super Arena on a lineup headlined by Frankie Edgar defending his lightweight title against former WEC champ Ben Henderson. Other match-ups on the UFC 144 card include Quinton Jackson vs. Ryan Bader and Joe Lauzon vs. Anthony Pettis. PHOTO CREDIT – UFC Tweet

Posted in: ufc, shield, guy, akiyama, judo guys

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Yesterday we talked about Chael Sonnen's return to TSN's Off the Record to speak with Michael Landsberg. The first time the men talked, Sonnen stormed off after a rather smug performance by Landsberg. This time the interview actually has some length to it. Here's the full video: Again, here is the best quote from the interview: "I'm done with the guy. He and I have no business. He's cold product. He's like jheri curls and Pepsi Clear. He's yesterday's news. I destroyed this guy back when he was tough. That was years ago. He's so far over the hill and so far past his prime that it's not worth talking about. I'm going to become the No. 1 contender on January 28th and despite what you may think, I'm not going to use that voucher to fight Anderson Silva. I'll be looking at (Jon) Jones, (Junior) dos Santos and possibly (Georges) St. Pierre. I will take that voucher to Dana White and pick one of those three guys. My time with Anderson is done."

Posted in: time, guy, he, michael landsberg, product hes

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Hi guys, I want to read your opinions on this one because I think that maybe I'm missing something about the Brock vs Alistair fight. Does anyone here think that Lesnar has a chance against a so much experienced and talented fight as Overeem? Remember this is a guy with a 35-11 MMA record, K1 champion and +10 year professional fighting experience. This guy has fought Rua, Belfort, Werdum, Minotauro, Lidell... No matter if he won or lost, he fought with future Hall of Famers at their very best. In K1 he just fought the very best of the best. I have just watched the UFC 141 countdown and Lesnar is presented as a real and serious contender for this bout, but I cant't take It seriously. Give me reasons to believe this will actually be a war, please. submitted by jotaele [link] [3 comments]

Posted in: fight, guy, lesnar, i cantt, future hall

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Look at us, on the eve of Christmas Eve and we're already giving away free presents to our MiddleEasy readers, compliments of Microsoft and UFC. A few days we cranked up a contest to let three people watch UFC 141 for absolutely free on their Xbox 360, and now it's time to announce the winners. Don't worry if you didn't win. We're not handing out runner-up trophies, but there will be a multitude of times to win contests on MiddleEasy in 2012. Winners will be contacted on December 24th. Be sure to have your Xbox Live Gamertag ready. 1.) William Anyone that would spend upwards of an hour constantly misspelling 'Rawesome' just to win UFC 141 definitely get a vote in my book. We don't even know what he's talking about, really. This guy's tangent goes off on a tangent. Regardless, he's the first guy that will be able to watch UFC 141 live on his Xbox 360. Are you serious, bro? Let's take a trip to a little place called "RAWSOMEVILLE" and I'll show you what's up with this PPV. First fight of the show: Nam Phan vs. Jimmy Hettes Jimmy Hettes biggest win is Bruce [expletive] Leeroy, which isn't that big of a deal. But the guy is undefeated and he's finished all of his fights by submission, so he might just make you his bitch in about 3 different ways. Nam Phan should be 2-1 in the UFC because of dumb judges and he's willing to throw down like a honey badger. Nam will kick and punch poor 'Lil Jimmy all over until he falls down. - 3 RAWSOMES out of 5 Next fight is Vladimir Matyushenko vs. Alexander Gustafsson in epically unpronounceable battle. Vlad has been busting heads and mopping up (BAHAHAHA) the competition, but Gusty is going to ride in and fuck him in the eye with his big Swedish [expletive]. Expect a few swings, maybe a Vlad takedown and then a Gusty submission win. - 2 RAWSOMES out of 5, SOTN bonus Next is Jon Fitch vs. Johny Hendricks. WHAT THE [expletive] DO YOU THINK IS GOING TO HAPPEN, DUMBASS. JON FITCH TAKES A BREAK FROM KILLING DRAGONS AND HAVING CASUAL SEX WITH ELVES TO LAY ON JOHNY WITH ONE N FOR 3 ROUNDS, NEVER FINISHING HIM AND NEVER THREATENING TO. Then he reiterates that he only wants to fight champions and former champions, everyone laughs and he still doesn't get a title shot ever again EVER because damn are you boring, son. - NEGATIVE 14.7 RAWSOMES, not RAWSOME in any way The co-main event is Donald CERRONAY vs. Nick Diaz. Both guys will kick your ass standing up and outwork you on the ground. It's an interesting fight right up until CERRONAY catches Nick in a flurry of fucking Muay Thai anger and cowboy rage and TKO's him. That's right, [expletive]. I'm calling for a Diaz to lose a fight by (T)KO. And what are you going to do? You scared, homie? Don't worry, though. This is still going to be the best fight on the card, because both guys are going to come out swinging, have some awesome scrambles and talk mad trash to each other in the cage during the fight. COWBOY VS. GANGSTA, SON. GET OUT YOUR WHISKEY AND TOMMY GUNS. - 5 RAWSOMES out of 5, FOTN and KOTN bonuses And of course, now we come to the titanic clash between Brock Lesnar and Alistair Overeem. I'm about to tell you what the [expletive] is up with this fight and you'd better listen: If Brock Lesnar can't get a takedown and hold Reem down for all 5 rounds of this fight or TKO him on the ground, he's getting put to sleep faster than the people who had to watch his [expletive] match with Goldberg back in the day. Did you hear me, son? Reem wins this fight if they don't go to the ground. Don't say, "But wait, Will, anything can happen in MMA, herp derp." No. You are wrong, retard. Shut your dirty, rotten whore mouth. This fight will be RAWSOME because both of these men have massive dicks and balls and they are going to try and [expletive] the [expletive] out of each other with them. By the way, I know I've made a few [expletive] references in here, but that's because my [expletive] is RAWSOME and that's all that this [expletive] is about. - 4 RAWSOMES out of 5 - My [expletive]: 10 RAWSOMES out of 5 So that's why this card is RAWSOME. But you know what else is? The fact that the UFC and Microsoft have teamed up to bring the fans something that they've always wanted. MMA (and by extension, the UFC) is worldwide sport that is only growing bigger and better every day. Fighter pay is getting larger and so are the arenas the the UFC goes to. Those things are only possible because fans from the entire planet by the pay-per-views, buy the merchandise, go to the Fan Expos and take the time to spread the gospel of cage fighting to their friends and family. [expletive] all those other sports, son. You know you want to watch people punch each other in the throat and choke one another. And now the UFC/Microsoft partnership has extended that fandom one RAWSOME step further: We get to watch cards from home while talking to people from all over the planet. Those same fans that pay that same money to see the same RAWSOME sport that you enjoy. Now that spiritual connection can be realized via some bleeps and bloops going through a few cables. This is not simply an Xbox app...this is a super fan meet up lobby. This is the United Nations for MMA. This is an epiphany of customer service and brutal violence. This, my friends, is RAWSOME.   2.) Smashida Smashida's formula is simple. Write a statement, then include an unsolicited picture of Gina Carano along with a bonus .gif of Chuck Liddell reacting to a UFC fight. Score. UFC 141 will be rawesome because the Reem will Hulk-Smash [expletive] Chestnar's skull into a living death. now look at this picture of Gina Carano and now look at Chocolate Al   3.) themightymidget If we didn't pick this guy to be our third winner of UFC 141, then everyone at MiddleEasy would look like complete asshats. He guilt-tripped us, and it worked. Hope your son gets better and let's hope he enjoys UFC 141 for free. real talk ... my son was diagnosed with cancer in 2010. i'm proud and happy to say that he's doing fine, and actually kept his hair through chemo. so i think that's rawesome enough for me. one thing that i had to give up once he was diagnosed was ordering the PPVs. occasionally i'll head to a bar to catch the main card, but it would be nice to post up in the living room with my little homie and watch any UFC PPV. the fact that this is a super stacked card would just make it that much better. that's how UFC 141 could take itself from rawesome to rawesomest, in my opinion.

Posted in: ufc, fight, guy, expletive, rawsome

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"I'm done with the guy. He and I have no business. This guy is cold product, man, he's like jerry curls and Pepsi clear. He's yesterday's news. I destroyed this guy back when he was tough. That was years ago. He's so far over the hill and past his prime, it's not worth talking about. I'm going to become the number one contender on Jan. 28. But despite what you may think, I'm not going to use that voucher to fight Anderson Silva. I'll be looking at (Junior) dos Santos, (Jon) Jones, and possibly (Georges) St. Pierre. But that, I will take that voucher to Dana White and I will pick one of those three guys. My time with Anderson is done." -- Chael Sonnen took his traveling act back to the Off The Record Show with Michael Landsberg and in a preview released today, spit some hot fire in regards to reigning Middleweight Champion and longtime arch nemesis Anderson Silva. Old Uncle Chael says he's done with "The Spider" because the Brazilian is old and washed up. He's already had his way with the champ, after all, and in Sonnen's mind, Silva isn't actually a champion. Whether or not he actually believes that is up to you to decide. But if Sonnen can defeat Mark Munoz at UFC on Fox 2 on Jan. 28 in Chicago, Illinois, the win will earn him a title shot. Instead of going after Silva, though, Chael says he's got his eyes on Junior dos Santos, Jon Jones or Georges St. Pierre, the heavyweight, light heavyweight and welterweight champions, respectively. Two of those are actually rather intriguing bouts but what are the chances he's just popping off at the mouth and none of this is real talk? Anyone want to see Sonnen move up to challenge Jones for the 205-pound strap? Or maybe move down (if he could make it) to 170-pounds to battle St. Pierre?

Posted in: guy, jon jones, silva, sonnen, he

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Like everyone else, my main thought when North Korean leader Kim Jong Il died last Thursday was, “Wow, he made it 69 years without pooping.” But the inventor of the hamburger also had many other achievements which even separately would each make him the greatest person in the history of mankind. This is the type of guy who would return from a record-setting round of golf and then promptly send you and your entire family to a gulag because you used his ashtray. He spent $800,000 a year on Hennessy, but that didn’t stop him from composing six operas in two years. This guy not only made Joe Rogan look dumb for saying “you can’t stop the Internet” by successfully cutting off an entire country from all outside information, he kidnapped a South Korean director and forced him to create a domestic Godzilla ripoff. So the North Koreans really aren’t missing much anyway. Kim Jong Il also took a personal interest in the training of his bodyguards, and any one of them would put our wussy Western-hemisphere-residing MMA fighters to shame. Mike Swick posted on twitter that the footage above is newly released, but it’s been around for a while (even though it is of dubious authenticity), a fact that pays homage to Kim’s time-and-reality-distortion field as much as it does to our prior negligence. According to this indisputable video evidence, the bodyguards hit stuff from the moment they wake up, smash 11 bricks at a time with their fists, drive nails through planks with their heads, shoot eight targets per minute (all through the heart, of course, while simultaneously doing acrobatics), have two-by-fours smashed over every limb, put blocks of concrete over their faces so another guy can hit the blocks of concrete with a sledgehammer, pull a truck full of people with their bare hands, dodge flying knives, smash glass with their bare feet, and of course, do lots of tae kwon do. And they do all of this completely voluntarily, because if they don’t, Kim Jong-Il will starve their children to death. But whatever. If he produces awesome killers like these, the world needs more leaders like Kim Jong Il.

Posted in: guy, ’t, year, kim, bodyguard

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Will lightweight champion Gilbert Melendez face a Strikeforce or UFC fighter next?? What would you like Dana Claus to bring you this year for Christmas? Would you lock horns in the cage with Cristiane Santos for the right price? Who in MMA deserves a lump of coal in their stocking this year? Keyboard warrrrriors….come out to plaaaay-yay! Welcome to Grappling with Issues, our site’s regular weekly feature highlighting insight and opinion from myself and resident workhorse Jeremy Lambert whose general contributions and “Scorecard” event-breakdowns can be regularly found on Five Ounces. As always, just because we staffers get the fancy set-up, please don’t hesitate to offer your own take on the topics in the “Comments” section below. Also, Merry Christmas to all from the GWI staff or, if you don’t roll that way, have a fun-filled, safe weekend and watch out for over-nogged drivers! Who would you like to see Gilbert Melendez face next, and who will he actually mix it up with? Lambert: I’d like to see him in the UFC facing the winner of Frankie Edgar vs. Ben Henderson, but I’m not holding my breath for that happen. I’m going assume that UFC will send over one of their top lightweights, otherwise the only guys for him to fight in Strikeforce are K.J. Noons or Josh Thomson. So who will red rover, red rover, Uncle Dana send over? It shouldn’t be someone coming off a loss, because that would be doing a disservice to Melendez. So it needs to be someone coming off a win, but also well known/good enough to make the fight intriguing. With that reasoning, I’m going with the winner of Jim Miller vs. Melvin Guillard. Both guys are near the top of UFC 155 division and if Melendez can get by either guy, it’ll further prove that he belongs in the Octagon. Conlan: I too would like to see him against Edgar/Henderson but, like Jeremy, I’m also under the impression that scenario is about as realistic as Randy Couture winning an Academy Award for his work in Expendables 2. I like the thought of Miller/Guillard for the reasons Lambert listed. I think the winner of Joe Lauzon vs. Anthony Pettis could also be a possibility. However, I have a feeling the UFC won’t send one of their guys over until mid-2012 so Melendez’s next defense will come against someone from his home-promotion instead (likely Noons who Strikeforce wanted to pair him with anyways before Jorge Masvidal ruined their plans). How would Gegard Mousasi fare in the UFC’s light heavyweight division – poor, average, or excellent? Lambert: Average. He’s a good striker, solid on the ground, and his wrestling looked much improved against Ovince St. Preux, but I still don’t think it’d be good enough to stop the takedowns of guys like Rashad Evans, Jon Jones, Phil Davis, or even Quinton Jackson if he decided to wrestle. Mousasi would fall in line with guys like Rich Franklin, Forrest Griffin, Stephan Bonnar, etc. where he’d win some fights, lose some fights, but always stay “in the mix.” Conlan: Somewhere between “average” and “excellent”. I also question his ability to stop superior wrestlers and let’s face it – he fought to a Draw against Keith Jardine. He may have deserved the judges’ nod in their bout but it was still close enough to call the result into question. To be an “excellent” 205er you need to be mopping the canvas up with “The Dean of Mean”, not going the distance while occasionally being put in bad positions. I also think he’d need to bulk up some since he’s a natural middleweight and would be undersized in comparison to some of the folks in Jeremy’s response. What is one thing you’d like Dana Claus to bring you this year for Christmas? Lambert: Half his bank account would be nice. Honestly though, while Dana can’t really do anything about this, it’d be nice to have a healthy roster to use in 2012. So many fights in 2011 either fell through or had to be re-scheduled due to injury that it got tough to get excited when fights were announced because I always had that feeling that the fight would end up getting canceled. Unfortunately we’re already off to a bad start with Georges St. Pierre being out for over half the year and guys dropping like flies on UFC 142. I guess St. Dana isn’t real. Conlan: I’m sure White would be happy to give Jeremy half of his bank account…the part with the zeros that is. I’ll go with a tournament or two. The UFC has already booked a four-man competition for the company’s inaugural flyweight championship so clearly they can’t be too opposed to the idea and it would be a good way to rain some on Bellator’s parade, taking away one of the unique aspects of Bjorn Rebney’s group. Tournaments would also help in determining a clear-cut, deserving contender in divisions where there is a logjam at the top. How much money would it take for you to step into the cage with Mrs. Cyborg? Conlan: You couldn’t pay me enough money to do so on a legitimate level and not because I’m afraid but because it’s a lose/lose situation (similarly to the same reason Zuffa will never toy with the idea of having her fight a male opponent). In the end I would either be fighting a female or getting beaten up by a girl, the more likely outcome I assure you. However, for a few thousand dollars I’d gladly follow in the footsteps of another B.C. (Bo Cantrell) and instantly take a dive as though she was a beardless, Brazilian Kimbo Slice. Lambert: One million dollars……sorry……one hundred million dollars. My face is my money maker, that’s why I spend all day behind a computer. I can’t have Mrs. Cyborg ruin my face for chump change, I need Brock Lesnar money at the very least. I’d be worth it as well. Because I wouldn’t just go in there to take a dive. I’d hype up the fight better than Frank Mir against Lesnar and I’d take training super serial by working out with the likes of Gil Martinez. I guarantee I last longer than Hiroko Yamanaka because I would follow the game plan. Book a heavyweight bout featuring a UFC heavyweight and an incoming Strikeforce heavyweight. Conlan: The twisted side of me wants to go with Daniel Cormier vs. Cain Velasquez just because it’s a match-up that will never happen. On a more serious note, and avoiding any of the guys who have already been booked for UFC appearances, I’ll go with Josh Barnett vs. Mir. Both men have good stand-up plus polished ground-games. Beyond that, each knows how to promote the hell out of a show so the pre-fight trashtalk would be epic, and it would also be one of those iconic UFC vs. PRIDE pairings that fans like me have dreamed about seeing for years. Lambert: Ben Rothwell vs. Valentijn Overeem. Why? Well, why not? It probably wouldn’t last longer given Overeem’s track record, but can you imagine this thing going past the five minute mark? Oh boy, the Tweets my fellow 5 OZ writer Samer Kadi would send out! I love obscure heavyweight fights as long as they don’t involve top heavyweights and it doesn’t get much more obscure than Rothwell vs. Valentijn. Name one fighter who should get coal in his stocking this year. Conlan: Chael Sonnen. Sure, he’s as entertaining a personality as you’ll find in MMA but in the context of coal we’re talking about naughty/nice. In 2011 Sonnen was convicted of money laundering, ratted out his associates in the same case to reduce punishment, served a half-year of his suspension for performance enhancing drug use, blatantly lied to the public, made statements about smacking another man’s wife on the ass, insulted an entire country, and beat up an American hero in Brian Stann. However, I’m pretty sure Sonnen would tell you that he is Santa Claus and the reason he gave himself a lump of coal is because he has plans on transforming it into a diamond with his mere grip. Lambert: Miguel Torres. It hasn’t been a good year for the former WEC champion. He had an extremely boring with Antonio Banuelos in the first ever UFC bantamweight bout on PPV, he lost to Demetrious Johnson, and had another pretty lackluster fight against Nick Pace capped off with some wacky rolling kick. Then outside the cage, he got in trouble on twitter and was released from the company and made an example of. I like Torres but he didn’t deliver in the cage or out of it this year. PHOTO CREDIT – STRIKEFORCE

Posted in: ufc, fight, guy, vs, lambert

Read the full article at Five Ounces of Pain

"I think that Alistair obviously just uses his ground game to avoid taking punishment and that way, when he gets back up to his feet, he's very damaging. I think he does have an excellent guillotine but Lesnar doesn't really shoot with his head on the side and kind of wade right in like, Hrmm, I wonder if he's able to grab and pull it up. Another thing too, when Alistair's guillotine has been so dangerous has been at 205. I really haven't seen him and I could be wrong and people are more than welcome to correct me with how many wins he has as a heavyweight with a guillotine because I know, for me personally, the thicker your arm gets, when it comes to some chokes, like the palm from behind or the guillotine, we're using the forearm. Guys, like a Jon Jones-type, with a real long, thin forearm are way more menacing than a guy with like a Lesnar-type arm and I think that's kind of what Overeem's done to himself. He's gone from a Jon Jones-type forearm to a Lesnar so I wonder how that's affected his guillotine. You don't really see guys with really big arms pulling off guillotines. Another way I try to explain it to people is the triangle. The guys with long, thin legs are way more menacing than a guy with thick legs and it seems like when they put the choke on, it's not really like bone digging into the side of the neck, it's softer, it's across the neck and my jaw line, it's more surface area." Former UFC heavyweight champion and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt Frank Mir talks to MMA Nation about Alistair Overeem's dreaded guillotine choke, which has claimed eight victims over the course of his mixed martial arts career and three in ADCC competition. But did "Demolition Man" lose some of that submission prowess by bulking up and transitioning to heavyweight? Mir argues the increased musculature in "The Reem's" arms will make a guillotine more difficult to execute, which could be the difference maker in trying to stop a takedown from Brock Lesnar. Does this new intel change the way you look at their UFC 141 headliner? Or is it Overeem's striking -- not his submissions -- that will bring him the win on Dec. 30 in Las Vegas? A closer look at this battle of styles right here.

Posted in: guy, way, alistair, arm, guillotine

Read the full article at MMA Mania

On New Year’s Day of this year at UFC 125, several fighters truly captivated fight fans with their memorable Octagon performances. Dustin Poirier introduced himself to the featherweight division with authority in his lopsided victory over Josh Grispi, Clay Guida surprised all with his second round guillotine choke over former PRIDE champion Takanori Gomi, Brian Stann legitimized his presence as a dangerous 185er with his TKO of Chris Leben, and, least of all, Frankie Edgar and Gray Maynard battled to a draw in one of the most unforgettable title fights in UFC history. Oddly enough, what gained national attention and headlines wasn’t what transpired in the cage, but an offhand comment said backstage. The minor celebrity who emerged from UFC 125 was its first winner of that night: Jacob “Christmas” Volkmann. After a somewhat uninspiring split decision win over Antonio McKee, Volkmann was asked in an interview by MMAFighting.com’s Ariel Helwani, “who would he like to fight next?” Volkmann’s first answer was Clay Guida and his second was President Barack Obama. The following hyperbolic controversy and 15 minutes of fame for Volkmann obviously didn’t stem from calling out “The Carpenter”. The quick political soundbite was hugely popular on the internet, was featured on the Jay Leno show, got Volkmann a visit from the Secret Service and cost him his coaching job for White Bear Lake high school wrestling for two weeks. As impressive as all that is, Volkmann’s most remarkable feat in 2011 was simply dominating Danny Castillo at UFC Live in August. At the end of the day, nothing holds greater sway on a fighter’s career than whether they win or lose inside the Octagon. The three-time NCAA Division I All-American from the University of Minnesota took an up-and-coming lightweight talent who was on a three fight win streak and ran the tables on him for 15 minutes. It didn’t earn Volkmann any more time on late night talk shows, but it was another victory highlighting his imposing ground game. Also, it was arguably his best win in the UFC and one that Volkmann slightly predicted. “I was fairly confident I was going to win because his strength is my strength,” states Volkmann. “He was a Junior College wrestler, which doesn't say much to be honest. I was confident going in there that I could take him down and ground and pound him. I tried to submit him, but that didn't work. That was the submission I was working on the whole camp leading up to the fight. I assumed I could get that on him. Even on the pre-fight interview, I said I could get a D'arce on him.”For the majority of the three rounds, Castillo was underneath Volkmann and caught in a prolonged D’arce choke attempt. “I have watched the fight, but I don't know why it didn't work,” tells Volkmann, who is as baffled as the rest of us with Castillo’s ability to struggle and not tap to being in a tight choke for minutes at a time. “I couldn't submit him! He's a tough kid with a lot of grit for not tapping there. I could hear his neck cracking and everything.”At 31 years old, the Minnesotan is 4-0 at 155 pounds in the UFC since dropping down from welterweight. Volkmann was thrown to the wolves in his first two fights inside the Octagon, facing and eventually losing to Paulo Thiago and Martin Kampmann. Volkmann attributes part of those losses to more or less the culture shock of not realizing what a step-up in competition it was from smaller organizations, where Volkmann was 9-0, to the UFC. “It's just like wresting Division I wrestling,” asserts Volkmann. “You have to train twice a day at least. You have to have a coach coaching you and yelling at you every day because if you don't then you're not going to succeed. When you first start fighting in the UFC, it is kind of a shock because you don't realize how much better fighters the guys in the UFC are than in these other shows. These guys who are going 0-2 in their first two fights in the UFC, it’s is not a really good judgment of how good of a fighter they are because they are in shock. I don't think they are ready for it.”The next challenge for “Christmas” will be on December 30th at UFC 141 against returning Ultimate Fighter season 8 winner Efrain Escudero. “I met him once down at a CFA show in Florida and I did not like him at all when I met him,” remembers Volkmann, who sprinkles very little Holiday cheer on his first impression of his 19-3 opponent. “He was just an arrogant little *$%^$. He was very cocky. Seems like the world revolves around him type.”Like or dislike on a personal level, Volkmann is busy training per usual for this dangerous adversary with Greg Nelson’s team at the Minnesota Martial Arts Academy. Escudero’s record is heavy on submission victories (13 of 19), so obviously, Volkmann is preparing for the very probable ground battle with Escudero, but he has also been working extensively on improving his standup, which will help with him getting the fights to the ground.“The thing about his strength is it is wrestling too, so I’m not as concerned about that,” says Volkmann. “My main goal is to try and stay standing because I want to open up my standup game. The key to fighting a guy like Efrain, it is going to be hard as hell to take this guy down, so I'm going to have to have a better standup game to set up for better takedowns. I want to work on opening my standup to transition to takedowns better. I spar twice a week. I work on my hands three or four times a week. I do big work with the coach doing kicks with the heavy bag and he's got me hitting all types of pads. In high school, I did boxing for three years, Golden Gloves boxing. I didn't do any Muay Thai or nothing. I had three fights in boxing. I fought the sheriff's kid.”The most likely outcome in this scrap is these two trading submission attempts, and Volkmann has Escudero’s favorite techniques well scouted. “Efrain has a good front headlock and a good guillotine, so I've been working with Nik Lentz and a few other guys I work with to prevent the guillotine,” reveals Volkmann of what he expects from Escudero and offers up, like with the Castillo fight, a peek into his own playbook. “I've been working on a lot of kimuras, not so much armbars, and on top guillotines. I might go back to the D'arce. If he gives me that arm, I'm going for the D'arce.”After four consecutive wins at lightweight, Volkmann’s stint thus far in the UFC has been a lot about learning how to compete and not whether he could compete. “The thing that I think is the biggest difference of when I fought Paulo and where I am today is knowing when to stay standing and when to take a guy down,” claims Volkmann, and now that he has acclimated himself to the level of his opposition's abilities, he is ready to take them on and win. “I'm not going to stay standing with a guy like Martin Kampmann again - who I hope to fight again. I'm not going to stay standing with that guy because he has a reach advantage, experience advantage and he's a counter fighter. The biggest thing is to know when to stay standing and when to shoot to take him down.”At UFC 141, Volkmann looks to impose his strength and will on Escudero to continue his undeterred winning ways at 155 pounds. “My old teammates from college used to call it ‘Farmer's Strength,’” relates Volkmann, noting that back-to-back commanding performances inside the Octagon would send a sobering message to the lightweights that they have a new powerhouse amongst them. “I have two to three practices a day, so I don't have time to lift weights and get big muscles. I didn't lift very strong, but when I got a hold of them they felt it.”

Posted in: ufc, fight, guy, escudero, volkmann

Read the full article at UFC

Some call him the manager of champions, but Ed Soares just calls himself lucky to work with such a great group of fighters.

Posted in: guy, ed, ed soares, group, soare

Read the full article at MMA Weekly

Junie Browning's Asian adventure continues, and as you can see from the above picture the Thai news media are having a field day with the story. Junie has already shared his side of the story, saying he was basically jumped and beaten badly for no apparent reason. And now here's an article about the guy Browning alleges organized the jumping, Simon Menzies: A MAN on a flight to Darwin threatened to "smash" the captain and blow the plane up after cabin crew refused to serve him more booze.Sydney man Simon Wilson Menzies, 31, was drunk and angry when he told the female cabin crew manager on a flight this week that he could"bring the plane down if he wanted."Menzies said: "I'm half muslim, half Aboriginal and everyone else is a white a*******. I could f******blow up the plane."He then began to sing a song about the plane crashing and everyone dying.Last week in Darwin Magistrates Court the child counsellor became the first person in Australia to be charged and convicted under new Commonwealth laws relating to threatening and assaulting plane crew members. The amended laws came into effect on March 30. Magistrate Elizabeth Morris gave him a one month suspended sentence for the offence.The court heard Menzies was on Jetstar flight JQ81 from Brisbane to Darwin on Tuesday com when he became abusive after being refused a fourth beer. The court heard he was refused service because he continued to be rowdy despite repeated warnings.After he was refused service Menzies, who is 190cm and solidly built, stood over the cabin crew manager and told her to get the captain."Send the captain I will f****** smash him I'm the biggest guy on the plane," he said. Later, in the galley, Menzies confronted the captain, who feared that the drunk man was going to assault him.When a female passenger approached the pair and told Menzies that he was causing her friend to have a panic attack he said: "I don't give a f*** about your friend." He sounds like a real swell guy. How he got away with a one month suspended sentence is beyond me. If he pulled that shit in America he'd end up Guantanamo ... if an air marshall didn't blow him away first. Amazingly enough, Menzies sounds like he could be a bigger dickbag than Junie ever was, which is impressive. Junie might have washed out of the UFC, but he's a P4P top idiot. Did he finally meet his match?All in all, this is turning into a more interesting story than the time Shonie Carter got really drunk and woke up in Turkey.

Posted in: guy, junie, menzie, plane, crew

Read the full article at Fightlinker

Filed under: UFC, MMA Fighting ExclusiveIf Dan Hardy had his way he would have shaved the mohawk by now. Five minutes with some clippers, one quick swoop down the middle of his head, and the signature hairstyle that makes him so recognizable to fight fans could be gone. Maybe then he could blend in. Maybe then he could get a moment to be alone with himself and figure out just what in the hell is going on. He'd do it if he had it his way. But he doesn't. It's a UFC fight week in Toronto and Hardy has come at the request of Xyience, a sponsor of his that has him scheduled for autograph signings and fan meet-and-greets all week. And Xyience? You better believe Xyience wants the mohawk. That's because the fans want the mohawk. They expect it. You book Dan Hardy and he shows up with a shaved head, it's like having Carrot Top show up as a blonde. The fans want the guy they've seen on TV. They want the brash, cocky Brit with the punk rock swagger. But after a rough stretch of four straight losses in the UFC -- a 17-month span that dropped him from top contender to just barely employed -- he's not even sure where that guy went, or if he's ever coming back. "I don't feel like myself right now," Hardy says. You look in his eyes and you know he means it. He sits slumped in a plush leather chair in the lobby of a posh downtown Toronto hotel. He speaks so softly you have to lean in close just to hear him. The last thing he wants to do these days is draw attention to himself. He knows what people are thinking. And even if they aren't thinking it, they might as well be, since he hears their accusations in the wordless glances from across the room. It's not just the fans, either. "I start to feel like other fighters are looking at me like, why is he still in the UFC? And I don't want people looking at me like that." These days, he feels it more and more. When another fighter gets cut after two or three consecutive losses -- even when the possibility is merely mentioned, as it was when UFC president Dana White suggested that he might cut "Mayhem" Miller after one unimpressive performance -- Hardy's name gets dragged into it. "That had nothing to do with me," he says. "But I'm constantly hearing about it." Social media tools like Twitter, which is almost a job requirement for UFC fighters these days, make sure of that. Fight fans seem to think that an internet connection and a working keyboard entitle them to tell Hardy exactly how he should spend his days. It's gotten to the point where he can predict the tweets almost word for word. "If I ever tweet something that's not about training or fighting -- anything, whether it's about a movie I've seen or I'm out on the [Las Vegas] strip and see something funny and send a picture of it -- I'll always get some jackass tweet back, 'Oh, don't you think you should be working on your wrestling?'" he says. "Every. Time. That really winds me up." But he asked for his. He knows he did. He struck this bargain when he showed up on their TVs asking to be watched, judged, rooted for or against, maybe even loved. And nobody loves a loser. Least of all the one who's doing the losing. **** How does it happen? How does a winning fighter become a losing one? In Hardy's case the answer seems to be: a little bit at a time, until it seems like it's been that way forever. In March of 2010, he was the number one contender in the welterweight division. He'd won seven fights in a row -- four in the UFC -- and had earned the right to fight for Georges St-Pierre's 170-pound title. He was one step from eternal glory, already far beyond what most fighters ever achieve in their careers. Then he lost. And lost again. And again and again. Oddly enough, the first one was the easiest to live with. It was at the hands of GSP, after all. "To be honest, I went in there to give it my all," he says. "I didn't expect to totally dominate the fight or anything like that. I knew if I caught him with a good shot I could knock him out, but I also knew the chances were pretty slim on that because he wasn't going to play that game." And he didn't. Instead he schooled Hardy in a grappling match for five rounds, nearly tearing his arm off with one submission attempt after another. But Hardy took it. He went the distance with the champ and lost a decision that at least had some dignity to it. Later, GSP would tell anyone who would listen that Hardy was better than he expected, much better than people realized. It was nice to hear, but it's like getting dumped by a girl who tells you that you're going to make someone very happy some day, even if that someone isn't her. Hardy didn't need compliments; he needed a rebound. Seven months later he stepped into the cage again, this time back home in England against Carlos Condit. "I knew I was going to win. No doubt about it. Then I opened my eyes and saw the doctor standing over me and I thought, man, it finally caught up to me." Maybe it was inevitable. As much as Hardy loves to stand and slug it out, and as much as fans love to see him do it, he always knew it was a gamble. He always knew that, if he kept it up long enough, one day it would be his turn to find out what it felt like to wake up on his back. "You know sometimes how you're watching the fights and you see a guy get knocked out, and then he opens his eyes and stands up and he's asking people what happened, did he win? And I always thought to myself, if I open my eyes and the doctor's standing over me, I'll know I didn't win. And then as soon as I opened my eyes and saw I was in that situation I thought, I'm the guy. That's me." But so what? It was two fights. Anybody could lose two fights, especially if one of them was against the world's greatest welterweight. All Hardy knew was that he had to win the next one, because losing three in a row almost always means losing your job in the UFC. When he got offered the fight with Anthony Johnson, a fighter he knew and liked, he thought that at least he'd get a chance to go out on his shield in a striking war. He thought wrong. "I got in there just expecting this blaze of glory," he says. All the way through training camp he'd exchanged emails and direct messages on Twitter with Johnson, both of them talking about what a slugfest their fight would be, how they'd steal the show in Seattle. But Johnson was the superior wrestler, and he knew it. Why trade bombs with Hardy if you didn't have to? And why not let him think he was walking into a kickboxing match, since that would only make him easier to take down. "He punked me," Hardy says. "And he punked me good." After three rounds of far more wrestling than slugging, an exhausted Hardy sat back in his corner and let the disappointment wash over him. He didn't need to wait and hear how the judges had scored it. Nobody did. Three in a row, he thought. That ought to do it. When he looked up, there was Johnson strolling over to him like a kid who'd just cheated his best friend out of his lunch money. "He came over to me right after the fight was over and he hugged me and said, 'I'm sorry, man. I love you like a brother.' And I thought, dammit, he punked me. He knew he was going to do it all the way through training camp. He properly played me." What's worse, he couldn't even really stay mad at Johnson afterward. If anybody understood that desperate need for a win -- a desire so strong you'd spend weeks lying just to get it -- it was Hardy. "[Johnson] did the calculated thing. Whether you agree with it or not, he felt like he needed a win and that was the smartest way to get it. I know he got a lot of [expletive] for it, but he got the win and now he's progressing, in a good place in his career. And me? Not so much." **** He expected to be cut. Maybe he even felt like he deserved it. The UFC has few official policy stances when it comes to deciding which fighters stay and which go, but he'd seen the three-strikes-and-you're-out rule applied so consistently over the years that it might as well have been passed down through the generations on a stone tablet. When the axe didn't come for him after three straight, he almost wished it had. "It's like the ship went down and everyone else drowned, and I was the captain and I survived," he says. "You're like, how did that happen? I should be the first one to go." When the UFC decided to not only keep him around, but also give him a main event bout against veteran Chris Lytle on a cable TV fight card, he was nothing short of baffled. "I kind of felt like, I'm not sure why I'm getting this opportunity, but I've got it, I'm in the main event, and I'm going to try and make the most of it." Of all the losses in this miserable streak, this is the one he still can't watch. He's tried. The guy on the screen looks like him, has the same recognizable haircut, but there's this strange disconnect, like watching video of yourself during a blackout. That's him doing those things, throwing these blows, but he doesn't feel any particular sense of ownership over it as he watches himself shooting for a takedown and getting choked into submission. "It was just a terrible fight," he says. "I can't watch it." Four in a row. This had to be it. He just knew it. But Twitter actually brought some good news for a change, this time in the form of a tweet from UFC co-owner Lorenzo Fertitta. "Will not cut @danhardymma," it read. "I like guys that WAR!!!" That was all it took. Like getting a stay of execution via text message. "When I saw Lorenzo's tweet...I just kind of thought, well now I have to turn this around," he says. "If I don't, I'm letting him down. I'm letting the UFC's reputation down, because they're the ones that only keep the best fighters in the world." But if halting a skid like this was as simple as wanting it badly enough, he never would have found himself here in the first place. It wasn't as if he hadn't been putting in the work in the gym. If anything, maybe he'd done too much, worked himself too hard in search of a win. As the fear and the doubt piled up, it made everything worse. It would be one thing if he had a regular job that he was struggling at, he thought. If he worked in an office he could go home at night and forget about it. Whatever went wrong, he could put it away on weekends and holidays. But for Hardy, his job had become his identity. He was a pro fighter, the guy with the mohawk who knocked people out. Then pretty soon he was just the guy with the mohawk. "With a career like this, you're so invested in it that it affects everything," he says. "It causes issues with your personal relationships. I get down on myself and then I'm short-tempered, I'm angry most of the time. That's the hardest thing, is how it affects the people close to me. It affects everything. Like, my car breaks down, and it's just another thing on top of the pile of [expletive], another thing that's gone wrong. If my car had broken down after I fought Mike Swick, I could have laughed about it. But now, it's just another thing, like it's all just piling up." That's why he hasn't jumped back in the cage just yet, he says. He needs time. Time to grow as a fighter, maybe even as a person. Time to step back and figure out what in the hell has happened to him, and what he can do about it. Maybe in the spring he'll be ready. May sounds like a good month for a comeback. All he knows is that he can't keep going like this. Something has to change. "I want to be able to go to Lorenzo after my next fight and tell him that I appreciate him not cutting me and it was the right decision, you know? I want to validate that decision." If only wanting it were enough. Then you could simply decide to win. But maybe then it wouldn't feel so good when you'd done it, when it was your turn to stroll back into the locker room grinning that bloody grin with all the exhausted losers slumped over on folding chairs in your wake, watching you go by and wondering to themselves, why does it look so much easier for him? Didn't it used to be that way for me? And if so, then what happened? What happened? Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Posted in: ufc, fight, guy, fighter, im

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If and when Tyron Woodley fights for the vacant Strikeforce welterweight title, you can't tell him he didn't earn it. The undefeated former two-time All-American wrestler from Missouri has waded through a gauntlet of top Strikeforce opponents including world champion Brazilian jiu-jitsu stylist Andre Galvao, All-American wrestler Nathan Coy, top Team Quest prospect Tarec Saffiedine and even former title challenger Paul Daley. The proud Missouri native has been keeping very busy on the side, hosting the grand opening of his own satellite gym, American Top Team: Evolution in his hometown of St. Louis this past weekend. Woodley was recently announced to be fighting fellow top prospect Jordan Mein on the main card of Strikeforce: "Rockhold vs. Jardine" on January 7, 2012 in the promotion's first event with the new Showtime contract. If a victory against Mein doesn't earn him a crack at Nick Diaz's vacant title, nothing will. "T-Wood" spoke with MMAmania.com about opening up his new gym, the benefits of being able to stay home and still receive top training and what he's been doing to prepare for his next challenges in 2012 in this exclusive interview. See for yourself Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): This is crazy for you with your gym opening. You've been doing interviews with everyone talking about it, your weekend is jam-packed with events. How are you feeling right now? Tyron Woodley: I'm actually really hungry. (laughs) I'm trying to go and grab some food and it's not any more of a headache than I expected. Some things are out of your control. You've just got to have the wisdom to roll with what you can and not fluster yourself with things that are out of your control. For me, it's been a blessing man. The gym came together and I wanted to be open in October but now we're opening at the right time. We'll be putting the last finishing touches, wiping off the mirrors and everything when we open up tomorrow so we're having a great time. A lot of people that support me are coming into town. There's a lot of good guys coming in, Randy Couture, Thiago Alves, Din Thomas, Marcus Brimage so it's been a lot of support. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): You had the "Grand Opening Celebration" on Saturday. Can you tell me what was planned for it? Tyron Woodley: Yeah, Saturday was used to showcase my employees, all the trainers I have there and I want them start to increase their brand as well so we're gonna display them and give some demonstrations. My Muay Thai coach wanted to do a demonstration and we'll basically display the facility, show everyone why it's important for American Top Team to be here. A lot of people don't know what American Top Team is so we've got to educate them, bring them up to speed, gotta show them our fighteres, show them our trainers. They all see us fighting on TV and winning world titles but I want to show them that everyone is qualified. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): Is it a distraction at all? You have a fight coming up in a few weeks and you had to worry about this gym opening and everything. Have you still been able to get all the proper training that you need? Tyron Woodley: Oh yeah. My wife has been amazing through the process. She's really been holding the fort while I'm doing this. I'm bringing in Thiago Alves, Marcus Brimage and also we'll be getting Jason High so it's great. With all the people coming up, I've been getting some really good training. Several of my coaches flew in from LA so for a change, I don't have to go there. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): Yeah and that has to be important to finally have a camp at home instead of spending all that time traveling and driving around, to basically have it in your backyard. Tyron Woodley: Oh definitely, man. The holidays are coming up and normally I spend four days just traveling alone which is four days I could have been training here. My personal trainer works with me, gives me organic meals delivered to my house so I don't have to worry about how my family's doing or anything like that. I can focus on training and doing what I need to do. In LA, I go out there sometimes and there's crazy traffic in LA. I get stuck in traffic, waiting and then I have go turn around and go get stuck heading to another training place again. I think everything happens for a reason and we've got big things happening in St. Louis. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): Speaking of big things happening, they had the big Strikeforce-Showtime announcement that they've got a deal going through 2014. What does that mean to you especially because Dana White said he wants to get involved and build Strikeforce up like the UFC? Tyron Woodley: For me, personally, it makes things easier. I've just gotta keep focusing on what I'm doing, focusing on winning a world title, get to the big show at a major platform and then everything at that point is gonna solve itself. I can focus on, "Hey, I'm gonna leave Strikeforce to go the UFC," because Strikeforce gave me an opportunity when nobody else would and they believed in me. They matched me up with opponents that were good fights for me and not just easy wins. Good fights at that point in my career and they've really done a great job of letting the fans get a chance to know me so all-in-all, I've had a great experience with Showtime and Strikeforce. Obviously I want to be the number one guy in the world so basically, the UFC will be my future but right now, I'm focusing on that Strikeforce belt. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): You've got Jordan Mein coming up on January 7th, and according to my rankings, I'm the official ranking guy but I have you and Jordan as the top two ranked Strikeforce welterweights right now. Are you surprised that this fight isn't for the title or do you just Strikeforce didn't feel Jordan had that name value to make it a title fight yet? Tyron Woodley: I think there's a couple other guys that might have been there a little bit longer. Jordan has a lot of wins and he's coming off a great performance against Cyborg. I think he's a tough guy and that's why the bout interests me because I get no backlash for this fight. You hear people say, "Oh, he doesn't face tough guys, just easy fights," but I haven't had an easy fight. I wish I could get an easy fight. I fought Nathan Coy, Marcos Galvao the best grappler on the planet right now and I fought Tarec Saffiedine and then I fought Paul Daley. Several of those fights could have been a title fight so I haven't gotten involved with the title. This kid hasn't gotten the recognition in the US yet but he's definitely worthy of it. He's definitely qualified and he's a tough, dangerous person. He trains hard and I'm pretty sure he would love to switch spots with me but I won't let it go down like that. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): I don't want you to look past him or anything but who would be in a title fight, say you win or lose. Who would be the other guy on the other side? It seems to me like they've got Bobby Voelker, some other guys building up but you and Jordan are the top two guys right now. Who else do you see up there in that top realm at welterweight in Strikeforce right now? Tyron Woodley: You mean like me and Paul Daley were the top two guys? In about 6-8 months, I'm sure people will say me and Tarec Saffiedine are the top two guys. I don't know what that means anymore. I could see that this kid is the toughest kid and I said I think Tarec is one of the tougher welterweights. I think he's a tougher match than Daley, a tougher match than Diaz but I beat him and then he goes and creams, he steamrolls Scott Smith and now all of a sudden he's this amazing striker who lost every single round when he fought me so for me, I've got to do it the old fashioned way. I've got to do it the hard way. I've got to prove to everyone by winning, beating big, tough guys consistently and at the end of the day, that's what it's all about. You can be the best easy, knocking off somebody that's not that great to get the belt but if you have to work for it, you have to wait for it, you have to be patient, I think overall, all in all, it's gonna be worth it at the very end. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): You're bringing in Thiago Alves to help you prepare for this fight, Jordan Mein used some ferocious elbows to finish off Evangelista Santos in his last fight so do you feel like Thiago Alves and his awesome Muay Thai skills will really help you prepare for him? Tyron Woodley: Oh yeah, I think Thiago Alves is like 3-4 classes above Jordan Mein. I think he's in a position where he's probably the best striker in the welterweight division. He's just a superior striker with devastating power. He punches harder than Paul Daley, can take punch, give a punch, stands in the pocket and moves around well. All in all, I think he's the better striker and what I think is gonna happen is I get a chance to spar with one of the best guys. I think Cyborg got taken out because he was fatigued. He probably could have hit Cyborg 12 times in a row to finish the fight just because he was so fatigued. He was almost to the point where he has to take guys out in the first round. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): You said you're bringing in Jason High and he's the last guy to actually beat Jordan Mein. He beat him in 2010 I believe so have you actually had a chance to work with Jason and pinpoint some of the weaknesses you feel Jordan has? Tyron Woodley: Yeah, I work with Jason High quite a bit. I used to wrestle him in high school. A lot of people don't know he's from Missouri because he's been in California so long but I train with him, Antonio McKee is a great training partner. He's very smart and always in amazing shape. People think, "Oh, he's just a wrestler," but no, he takes people down over and over and over again and he throws counters. It's such a blessing to me because he beat this guy. I can formulate a good strategy. He can tell a few things Mein wasn't looking forward to and he found out during the fight. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): Do you feel Jordan Mein is vulnerable to your elite wrestling skills? Tyron Woodley: I definitely think he will be vulnerable to the wrestling but more importantly, I think he'll be vulnerable to the power. I think he's a young kid, probably got a few more growth spurts left in him and I think he just hasn't developed yet. He's gonna fight a grown man and that's what I have to go in, take that chip off my shoulder and just try to take it to the young buck. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): You've had a terrific 2011 but you have had some fights where you've slowed down at the end, usually late in the third round. Have you pinpointed what it is that kind of goes wrong there at the end of a fight? Is it a case of just going a little too hard too fast? Tyron Woodley: I always go out the same way. I usually start out hard, all over the place in the first rounds especially. That's the thing, how many guys lose the first round and then have to try to catch up losing the round. I always try to burst out, get a lead in the first round and then feel it out in the second round and then after that, I just go from the heart. For me, when I fought Paul Daley, he was definitely strong and the thing was, I was holding on too long. The last time when you hold on, breathing slowly and throwing and breathing and moving, you've got all those muscles and oxygen needs to move around. I've been doing more cardio, roadwork and putting myself out there more respiratory-wise. I've been doing a lot of sprints up hills, flipping tires and doing a lot of combat training that definitely has me ready for those explosive 30 second bursts but I definitely need five round conditioning. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): Going forward, what are you expecting to happen in 2012? What would be some of your MMA New Year's Resolutions? Tyron Woodley: I wanna fight more this year. I've been traditionally fighting twice a year and even the champions like Jon Jones and Dominick Cruz, these guys are fighting 3-4 times a year and they're champions. I think it's not a stretch to fight four times a year. I would love to do that and it would keep me active. All in all, that's what it would take for me to take the belt and keep the belt. Tyron would like everyone to check out his new gym, American Top Team Evolution in St. Louis if you're in reach of a drive or a plane flight. You can find his gym at 9751 Manchester Road, Rock Hill, MO. 63119. He's like thank his sponsors Clinch Gear, Xtreme Couture Management, American Top Team, Metobolic Meals, everyone who's put him in a position to be on top. You can follow his gym on twitter @ATTEvolution or you can follow him @TWooodley. So what do you think, Maniacs? Will the grand opening of his new gym be a distraction in the lead-up to his huge welterweight showdown with Jordan Mein? Will Tyron Woodley finally become Strikeforce welterweight champion in 2012? Sound off!

Posted in: fight, guy, he, woodley, tyron

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Luke Thomas appeared on the most recent edition of The Fight Fix for CSN Washington and gave his picks for some year end honors. While many of his picks were fairly in line with standard thinking, he did have at least one pick that will turn heads. Luke picked Eddie Alvarez vs. Michael Chandler for his fight of the year over Mauricio Rua vs. Dan Henderson. While Alvarez vs. Chandler was a great, great fight, many are now considering Rua vs. Henderson to be one of, if not the, best fights in the sport's history. Here's the video: On Fight of the Year: It was crazy that it happened this late in the year. I'm gonna actually go with Michael Chandler vs Eddie Alvarez. I had a close inclination to say Shogun Rua vs Henderson, but for what Chandler was able to do when the odds were stacked against him. He stated his claim ahead of time about what he was going to accomplish. And to do so after being in peril, after being tired, and against a fighter who was believed to be significantly better than him, I thought it was a helluva back and forth - a fight where he had to persevere. I was an incredible win for him and he's the new champion. I think for m that's a little bit better than a fight where Shogun Rua - great fight against Henderson, but a little bit sloppy, this one had a little bit more technique to it. I like hat one better. Luke's picks for fighter, KO, submission of the year and more after the jump... Fighter of the year: Jon Jones. It's pretty simple. I don't see anyway you can pick against Jon Jones. Here's a guy who had the best year of any MMA fighter irrespective of weight class. Sort of noodle that and think about how many great fighters there've been . How many great runs they've been on. This guy beat 'em all. Fought 4 times in a calendar year. Finished all 4 opponents. At the end of 2010 he had faced Vladimir Matyushenko. At the end of 2011, he had defended his title for the 2nd time by putting away Lyoto Machida with a standing guillotine. He is the best fighter of 2011 hands down. KO of the year: This one was a little more difficult for me to pick. There's been some pretty good ones. I'm gonna have to go with the front kick to the face. Anderson Silva against Vitor Belfort. We know Lyoto Machida had his own against Randy Couture. That looked kind of cool too - it was a little more Karate Kid sort of theatrics to it. I believe that the skill level/differential between Anderson Silva and Vitor Belfort was much narrower than it is between Randy Couture and Lyoto Machida. He sort of was the 1st guy. You see it in Tae Kwon Do tournaments, you see it in karate tournaments, but you never have seen it in MMA. With the stakes so high - it was the fight of the century as it was labeled in Brazil - you gotta give it to Anderson Silva. What an unbelievable way to dispatch opponents. Submission of the year: This was the toughest call I think of them all, or maybe the 2nd closest. I'm gonna say it was a tough choice between Chan Sung Jung & Leonard Garcia - the "Twister" - or more recently UFC 140 Frank Mir vs Nogueira. I think you could make a very, very compelling case for either one. In Mir' case, he broke a legend's arm. The first time this guy's been submitted - at least in MMA. He's been submitted in grappling tournaments. To do it on such a stage & after being hurt, that's pretty big. But, Chan Sung Jung - the "Twister" is such a novel submission. It's so difficult to pull of. It's never been done before in the UFC. You gotta give it to the Korean Zombie on that one. Event of the year: I think this one was the hardest one to go on and the reason why is not that there haven't been great cards. There've been a lot of card that were marred by injury, thing went wrong from the top all the way to the bottom. This was a bit of a challenging year even though the UFC had some breakthrough moments. This is gonna be super debatable and that's fine. My choice personally: UFC 129. Now I know the main event between St. Pierre & Shields didn't really deliver what people were expecting, but I was in Toronto when this went down. First of all, every aspect of this card was great. From the 1st fight tot the last there were finishes all the way through. They had a lot of Canadians on the card who stepped up in big important fights. You're very 1st of the night ended with a flying triangle! Yes, the main event not delivering hurts my argument. You could make a great case for UFC 134 in Brazil. You could make a case for UFC 139 more recently. Even 140! I think top to bottom, even with a suffering main event, you gotta go UFC 129 for me. What he expects in 2012: There's a lot to look out for. There's gonna be just an unbelievable amount of shows. 32 shows, Strikeforce is back now as well. There's gonna be a lot on the plate - Tuf Brazil I think that's pretty interesting. But for me, I got my eye on one guy. Guy named Alexander Gustafsson. He's a Light Heavyweight. He had a little bit of a rough run against Phil Davis to begin with, but I thought he was surprisingly challnging for Phil Davis and I think he's gotten way better. I think this is gonna be a year where you see some breakout performances. Note: when Jon Jones fought Andre Gusmao it was a nice win for him, but no one really knew a Jon Jones was on the rise. I'm not saying Alexander Gustafsson is on the same level, I'm just pointing out he seems to be ultra talented. He seems to be getting better. He's young. And I think he has a very bright future. LEt's see what he can do.

Posted in: ufc, fight, guy, vs, year

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There's been a great big pity party a brewin' for Gilbert Melendez and all the other guys 'stuck' in Strikeforce when we've deemed them worthy of crossing over to the UFC. Now that Zuffa and Strikeforce have come to terms, Dana White has promised he won't strip the promotion for parts any more, leaving them in what amounts to a kind of fight purgatory. Dana has declared he's going to make Strikeforce an awesome place that everyone will be happy to fight in, but you gotta figure for the guys who could actually hang in the UFC, Strikeforce will still mean less money, less exposure, and the exciting prospect of losing to someone you probably shouldn't have even been fighting in the first place.But I just don't feel bad for Gilbert Melendez. Yeah, he's probably the best guy on the roster and if he was in the UFC he'd find himself right up there in belt contention. Everyone has been all "Woe is Gil" since the portal between promotions was sealed just before he could squeak through, but not me. Because I remember that back in February his contract with Strikeforce was up, and rather than take the opportunity to move to the UFC and fight the best he decided to re-signed with Strikeforce. I don't begrudge any fighter that decides to make his coin fighting lesser competition outside the UFC, but I'm not going to cry when they get Alvarez'd doing it. It's kinda like how Nick Diaz talked endless shit about GSP and half the guys in the UFC, only to re-up with Strikeforce even though there was no one left for him to fight. Either you wanna fight the best or you don't. If you do, you go to the UFC. Otherwise, shut yer facehole.Gilbert Melendez will be fine. He's the shiniest jewel in an otherwise ratty crown. Less lucky are guys like Luke Rockhold and Tim Kennedy, dudes who will continue to toil in relative obscurity as they're unable to get the attention or competition necessary to move themselves up the rankings. (gif by Letibleu)

Posted in: ufc, fight, strikeforce, guy, gilbert melendez

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Back again with another blog after an excitement-filled week. As far as UFC 140, Chan Sung Jung’s knockout was very impressive, not only because of the time but who he knocked out. Mark Hominick is known for a great chin. He had a war against Jose Aldo and had a hematoma on his head but didn’t come close to getting knocked out. He was hurt but he was never out of it. In the fight game though, anything can happen and sometimes the shot you least expect knocks you out. I hope he shrugs it off and comes back fully confident because he’s one of the best in the division and that could happen to anyone. If they fought ten more times I don’t think that happens again and I actually favor him to win more often than not. Even though I picked Tito Ortiz to win, I said that I’m not a big fan of his striking defense because he brings his hands close and his elbows tight to his head, which opens the body. If the opponent knows to take advantage of it then body shots and knees like Antonio Rogerio Nogueira landed are going to be there for anybody. I thought Frank Mir was in trouble at first. He looked hurt and I thought “Minotauro was going to finish him but Frank showed tons of heart and why he’s one of the best. He kept his composure and stayed calm. He’s one of the best on the ground and once he had his opportunity, he locked it in and didn’t let go. I would have liked to see Nogueira tap when he was in trouble because now he’s out for a few months. I saw some X-Rays and the bone broke which could have actually relieved the pressure of his shoulder and prevented damage there. I’ve been saying this for a long time but it’s going to be hard for anybody to beat Jon Jones. He’s new at this but it doesn’t seem like anything fazes him. He’s faced top level opponents and even if it takes him a round or two, he figures them out and ends up with the win and impressively. It’s not a boring decision or anything. I’m very impressed with him and it’s not going to be easy to beat him. A Closer Look at UFC 140 I think it was just a matter of time for UFC to open their doors to the flyweight division. With as many shows as they’re having and the way the sport is growing, they’re going to need as many fighters as possible to fill the cards. Even though these guys are smaller, they put on some great fights. You’re going to see a lot of guys fighting at 135 dropping to 125, so they won’t have trouble finding talent for the weight class. It gives the UFC another great division and should make for some great fights. I just started working with welterweight Jorge Lopez and I see a lot of potential in him. It may not all show in his next fight but eventually he’ll work his way up to the top of the division. He’s very talented and hopefully we can develop a good chemistry. If so, he’ll be another guy I’ll be raving about in the near future. As far as what else is going on around Vegas, I have a couple of amateur boxers fighting Saturday night. About three weeks ago I had two guys fight and both of them stopped their opponents. The guys are training hard and we come to win. I feel good and confident about the fights. It’s a little crazy with Vitor Belfort too at the moment. He rented out a section of the TapouT gym in order to train when he wants so I find myself having to go back and forth to help him. I’m trying to figure out his schedule and work things out with him. We talked a bit about me being an assistant with him on TUF Brazil, but I have to see who is fighting first before committing. For example, if Mike Chandler is fighting, I have to be here for him. Like I said, I just started working with Lopez and he’s fighting Amir Sadollah in February so I have to be here for him also. It’s going to be a tough decision. That’s it for this week. I hope you had a great Thanksgiving yourself. Until next time, as always, make sure to keep up with me on Twitter (@mastermitter). Tweet

Posted in: ufc, fight, time, guy, ’t

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When the UFC flirted with the notion of signing Gilbert Melendez away from Strikeforce a few months ago the 29-year old lightweight champion winked back, letting the world know he was equally interested in joining their 155-pound ranks. Melendez’s motivation for doing so was in part due to establishing himself as the #1 fighter in his division but also as a means of getting his name out there on a greater scale. Melendez, who fights Jorge Masvidal tonight on Showtime, spoke recently about the way he feels he is perceived by the general public who aren’t always as informed as they should be when passing judgment. “I feel like I’ve always got respect from my peers, and I think a lot of the real fans and the journalists have known,” Melendez explained in an interview with Strikeforce’s website when asked about his profile as a top fighter. “I think it’s more of the common fan. The common fans think I’m in the minor leagues because I’m not in the UFC. The common fan thinks I’m no good because I’m not in the UFC. It’s not that I care so much, but it’s important for me to brand myself in the future and have a life outside the cage. I need to be accepted by everybody, so that does feel good, and that’s what I’m going for. I’ve had a lot of entertaining fights and I would like a lot of people to check those out.” Melendez Excited About Being the Face of Strikeforce in 2012 “El Nino” also believes the mainstream’s lack of knowledge regarding his abilities is a common characteristic he and Masvidal share. “I definitely see an underrated fighter,” said the Californian of his challenger. “He’s a 170-pounder dropping to 155, he’s got some long, straight punches, some really strong knees and kicks, and some tricks. He’s a talented guy and I think he poses some threats, so he’s definitely a great challenge for me. He’s another guy that’s capable of beating a lot of those guys in the UFC, and just because he’s not in the UFC he hasn’t gotten quite the credit he deserves. So I’m pumped about this. He’s a guy who’s even talked a little crap about kicking my butt for a long time now, so I’m kinda pumped about that as well.” As for what comes after this weekend, Melendez isn’t sure but referred to past bouts with Mitsuhiro Ishida and Shinya Aoki as examples of Strikeforce bringing in new talent to challenge him. “I just look at what’s ahead of me right now, and I can’t look past that until after this fight. I’ve got a really big task ahead of me, and once I get past that then I can start talking about any new number one contenders…I think Jorge is one of the last tough top guys out there, but who knows, maybe they’ll bring someone in, and I have faith in them for that.” Fans, common and educated, can catch Melendez vs. Masvidal tonight at 10:30 PM EST with other bouts on the card including Christiane Santos vs. Hiroko Yamanaka, Gegard Mousasi vs. Ovince St. Preux, and Billy Evangelista vs. KJ Noons. PHOTO CREDIT – STRIKEFORCE Tweet

Posted in: guy, i ’m, fan, ’m, melendez

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Tyron Woodley and MiddleEasy.com were born into the MMA world only mere months apart. T-Wood made his pro debut in February of 2009 and we wrote our first article ever in April. Since then Woodley has moved through the welterweight ranks at a blistering speed as we've looked on impressed. Now the Missouri wrestler is digging into his St Louis roots and will be opening the latest American Top Team gym this weekend: ATT Evolution. We got the chance to speak to the new gym owner and top ranked Strikeforce welterweight and he tells us all about the big fish/small pond theory and how he plans to run the welterweight division in Strikeforce and out. And yes, UFC fighters aren't making eye contact with him. You did it, you finally opened you gym. How do you feel? It's been a long journey man, it feels good. The name of the gym is ATT Evolution and it takes from the tradition of American Top Team and the things they do so well but place a lot of our spin on it and we will take MMA training even further.   Have you wanted a gym of your own for a long time? I knew for a while that it was something I wanted to do, and with all the people in my life that helped me out and made it possible for me to train all the and I've had a lot of people show me the behind the scenes and really helped me and opened my eyes...Now I want to do that and help out these fighters that need it.   So you will be offering training down their that has pretty much been previously unavailable? Yeah, oh yeah. I used to train in St Louis but then it got to the point where I was having to go out of town for a lot of my training and I was only doing strength and conditioning, maybe boxing around here. But now we can offer everything, the gym has four boxing rings, we have a BJJ area a wrestling area, cardio anything anyone needs, myself or my members need...I have a full sized training facility now to prepare for it.   Nice, so you will be spending more training camps at home I presume? Yeah it's nice. I'm going to get some favors returned, it's gonna be nice. The last five years I've been going out and helping guys like Thiago Alves and Yves Edwards and various guys and Team Quest and so now the favors are getting returned. Din Thomas and Thiago are getting in Monday. Cormier and Jason High will be in town to help me with Jordan Mein. It's just been incredible the response and how many people are behind this project. It's great, great workers, everything is great. Everyone is seeing the big picture and we are all striving towards the same goal.   You've said for a while now that your focus is on being a complete fighter and not just a wrestler, we saw some of that against Paul Daley, but is the opening of the gym effecting your development? Do you plan on standing with Jordan Mein? Well he's a Mixed Martial Artist and he does everything well. I think that him and his angles and it being an MMA fight I think he's gonna stand and I think I will stand but actually think he's going to try to take me down. I don't think you'll see the quote unquote striker Vs, wrestler thing going on. I think he's a more complete MMA fighter than that so I will do what I do best and I will show the world why i should be fighting for the title.   Anything cool in the works for your next Clinch Gear tee? Of course! Clinch Gear has always been there for me. Since I was a nobody on the undercards. They were sponsoring me then when it wasn't even televised. You look at my gym now though and it's covered in Clinch Gear. So yeah I will be definitely wearing a Clinch Gear shirt and I'm glad that you said that so I can call them about a walkout shirt design. But Eric and Dan Henderson have really helped me in every facet of the game. They have to be if not the number one brand they have to be in the top two performance brands in the sport. The quality speaks for itself, and at any event you will always see some Clinch Gear.   That and their shirts just look cool. Yeah they do a real good job with the design. They have multiple graphic designers that put a lot of thought into their work. They have a lot of guys that will be thinking of ideas and really just bouncing stuff around,. I don't know how they do it.   We just found out Strikeforce will continue to live, do you think that will lead to more fights for you? Yeah I think so man, I think they are planning for me to fight maybe after January in March or April. For me, it's not the fact that I can't fight it's just that they shuffle guys to try to keep them busy and making sure everyone gets fights. You know, with limited means and funds. Now that we have the machine behind us in Zuffa I think that will help a lot. All of these fighters that came up through Strikeforce like King Mo and myself and Cormier, maybe we can get some star power behind it. Now they can put some marketing behind of our guys.   Hypothetical question: if you moved to the UFC where do you think you would be in the mix? I should land in the top 5. I think I'm a top 10 fighter right now. Guys like Jordan Mein and Tarec and obviously Andre Galvao was better in Jiu Jitsu. So I think the guys I've fought are game opponents. I'm on the cusp right now and basically I think a win over this guy then a title will put me in the top ten when I go over there. I have no interest in working my way up from the bottom. I did that for three years in Strikeforce so now I want to fight the Jake Shields and Nick Diaz and Carlos Condits. Those are the guys I want to fight. Some of the guys in the top 20 aren't even that tough or not a great style matchup. I'm gonna put it on the line and go out there to get at the GSP's.   Speaking of style matchups, you hold the wrestling Kryptonite for a lot of people., including Nick Diaz. Do you think he jumped ship at the right time? Do you think he ducked you a bit? Nah. I think he made a good choice in his career, obviously financially and he had the belt. He has to prove it again against GSP...I've never seen the kid duck anybody and he's a pure fighter but you know what? It's not that great of a style matchup. I'm sure he would be down for the fight and go out there and give the fans what they want. I think it's a good matchup for me and if it happens in the future do I think I could beat him? Yeah. Easy fight? No. I think overall I just have to take what God has for me and get through Mein and then I will sit down and think about the title.   So Jorge Masvidal Vs. Gilbert Melendez, what is your official prediction? I want Masvidal to win man, I want him to win in the worst way. Whenever I'm on the couch and I'm watching with my wife she hates it because I'm always leaning around on the couch. Everyone knows he's a funny dude and charismatic but man that guy busts his butt working as hard as he does. I've trained with him and I know. Out of all the American Top Team fighters, all sixty some fighters, he's the one who says 'hey, I want more rounds' or 'lets do more sprints'. He is always pushing. When I was driving out to Coconut Creek I saw the work he puts in with pro boxers and strength and conditioning coaches. I want to see that pay off with him. I'm a fan of Gilbert and he's a great fighter but Jorge goes for broke every time. I mean all those guys at the Cesar Gracie camp don't even have to really use that Jiu Jitsu which they are known for. Those guys are just a different breed. It's gonna be good. We are actually showing the fight, December 17th at the gym here in St Louis. Having a viewing party at ATT Evolution, so it should b a great time in support of a teammate of mine Jorge Masvidal.   What do you think about Masvidal's addiction to Call of Duty and cheeseburger eating? That's hilarious, I didn't know you guys knew about that. I think he's with Dolce now so I'm positive he's not eating cheeseburgers anymore haha.   What would be better in your opinion: being in the deep UFC roster with possibly being lost in the mix or being one of the faces of Strikeforce? Oh I'm positive I wouldn't be lost in the mix in the UFC. I've been backstage and many locker rooms and I wont say any names but I've been there and UFC welterweights won't look me in the eye. That doesn't bother me. They know who I am and I'm not saying that I'm the man and you should know about me, but I don't think I would get lost in the shuffle over there. I've been in Strikeforce since 09 and it's been a long journey but my goal was to be Strikeforce champion. I feel like we should be finishers not only in the cage but in everything we do in our life. I'm right on the cusp of that. Right now anyway, that isn't an option so I'm gonna get my belt. After that it will work itself out. Look how Shields and Diaz went over. They went right to the top five because they went over with a belt. So it will only help my cause to have some hardware in the future. Strikeforce is a good organization and I'm glad they are going to be around. I don't liek to talk too much about the UFC and all that because I'm with Strikeforce and they are promoting me and they market me and they tell y story as a fighter. As long as my contract says Strikeforce I'm Strikeforce. If anyone wants to check me out on Twitter I'm @Twooodley or check out ATTEvolution.com. Check us out December 17th for the fights and then our grand opening is on December 19th capping it off with Randy Couture, Yves Edwards, Din Thomas, Thiago Alves and Mike Chandler so come check it out.

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Filed under: StrikeforceIt's Strikeforce time again, for better or worse, and that usually means one thing to the betting MMA fan: opportunity. I don't know if it's the built-in talent inequality on the roster or the penchant for one-sided squash matches, but it seems like Strikeforce always features fights with big favorites and hefty underdogs. If you know how to parlay the former and spot the latter, that could mean some profitable fight nights. If you don't, it's just another night of crying into the couch cushions. Let's see how oddsmakers see it going down on Saturday night's Strikeforce: Melendez vs. Masvidal card. Gilbert Melendez (-380) vs. Jorge Masvidal (+290) On any Strikeforce card, both in the pre and post-Zuffa eras, you're bound to find some long odds to go with total mismatches. But while Saturday night's main event has the long odds part down, I doubt it's quite as much of a mismatch as it looks like on paper. Masvidal doesn't have the name recognition or the big wins that Melendez does, but he's still a tough, experienced fighter who's difficult to put away. That means Melendez could be looking at five hard rounds with this guy, which is plenty of opportunity for us to find out whether he took this challenge seriously enough in training camp. This is a tricky fight for Melendez, because there's just not that much to gain. Masvidal, on the other hand, could go from solid journeyman to potential star with one good night. Skill-for-skill, the edge has to go to Melendez. He's the all-around better fighter, and he should win this. But Masvidal is the kind of guy who won't give you anything. Melendez is going to have to go out there and take it. My pick: Melendez. I can't bring myself to take the underdog risk on Masvidal, mostly because there are better options on this very same card. Speaking of which... Gegard Mousasi (-380) vs. Ovince St. Preux (+290) I get it: Mousasi's a familiar name and St. Preux is just some Challengers guy, right? Wrong. St. Preux is a genuine prospect, a gifted athlete, and maybe even a future Strikeforce champ with the right experience and adjustments. He hasn't lost a fight since 2009 and he's looking more and more comfortable in the cage of late, albeit against a series of opponents who seem as if they might have been selected for just that purpose. Mousasi, on the other hand, has looked a little uninspired in recent fights. He had that weird little draw with Keith Jardine, and he hasn't faced anyone really tough since he dropped the belt to Mo Lawal in 2010. He was the flavor of the month for a little while, but he just never progressed past a certain point and couldn't develop the appropriate sense of urgency about it, either. Maybe he deserves to be the favorite just based on the difference in experience against high-level opponents, but to give him Gilbert Melendez odds is insane. Not only does St. Preux have a chance, it's a pretty good one. I'd consider him a good bet at +190. At +290 he's a steal. My pick: St. Preux. It feels like oddsmakers are just begging me to take their money here. I'd hate to disappoint them. Cris "Cyborg" Santos (-900) vs. Hiroko Yamanaka (+550) Oh, here we go. Hide your kids. Hide your girlfriend's delicate face. Hide anything you don't want smashed to pieces by the most intimidating fighter in women's MMA. "Cyborg" is back on the scene and it's looking like another squash match for the 145-pound champ. This time you can't blame matchmakers. There simply aren't many women out there who could give Santos much of a fight. Granted, Santos hasn't fought in a year and a half, while Yamanaka's been pretty active, but come on. You look at Yamanaka's record and there's nothing to suggest that she's ready for the intensity and the force of this one-woman wrecking crew. Nothing at all. My pick: Santos. But at -900, I can't even put her in my parlay without feeling weird about it. It's like betting on a bull in a fight with an ostrich. You know you're almost certainly going to be right, but who wants to profit off something like that? KJ Noons (-190) vs. Billy Evangelista (+155) Here's one where you can actually learn something by comparing their performances against a common opponent. Both these guys dropped decisions to Masvidal in their most recent outings, though Noons' loss was the one that seemed to catch oddsmakers off-guard. This isn't one of those fights where they both do very different things, and it's a contest to see who can shut the other one down and make it into his kind of fight. Instead, it's a fight where they have similar styles and approaches, but one guy is just a little sharper at it. And who's that one guy, you ask? Easy: he's the one with the minus next to his name. My pick: Noons. I don't see him blowing two in a row where he's the favorite, but I'll save it for the parlay. Quick picks: - Justin Wilcox (-170) over Caros Fodor (+140). I'm still bitter that we didn't get a Wilcox-Cavalcante rematch after the unfortunate eye-poke ending to the last bout. This should be slightly less competitive. - Devin Cole (-155) over Gabriel Salinas-Jones (+125). I don't expect the fight of the year, but I do expect a win for Cole. The 'For Entertainment Purposes Only' Parlay: Melendez + Noons + Wilcox + Cole Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Posted in: fight, strikeforce, guy, masvidal, melendez

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Haha, great video from Kenny Florian and the guys at Tristar Gym. HT: Cage Potato

Posted in: guy, florian, kenny, kenny florian, guy haha

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'The Guy Behind the Guy' goes one on one with the top managers in MMA. Who are they? Where did they come from? What's their story? Check out the debut edition with First Round Management's Malki Kawa.

Posted in: guy, kawa, debut edition, story check, malki

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'The Guy Behind the Guy' goes one on one with the top managers in MMA. Who are they? Where did they come from? What's their story? Check out the debut edition with First Round Management's Malki Kawa.

Posted in: guy, kawa, debut edition, story check, malki

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Hot off the heels of news that Strikeforce would indeed be sticking around on Showtime through 2012 comes news that the UFC will stop stripping the promotion for parts. Here's Papa Dana: "The guys that are in Strikeforce are staying in Strikeforce. Strikeforce lives. Gilbert Melendez and all the guys that are in the Strikeforce show and with Showtime, I will make fights (for them). They will be happy to be there. Believe me, I got this thing worked out. It's going to be good for everybody. It's going to be good for the fighters, it's going to be good for Showtime, and it's going to be good for Strikeforce." I dunno how this is going to be good for guys like Gilbert Melendez, Luke Rockhold, Jacare, and Tim Kennedy. They all find themselves stuck on the smaller stage, smaller paycheck platform fighting whatever random opponents Zuffa decides they're going to stock Strikeforce with now. Be it unknown up and comers or UFC castaways too marketable to let Bellator get a hold on, they're not going to be great for the resumes of the top tier dudes now locked into the B league.

Posted in: ufc, strikeforce, guy, showtime, stock strikeforce

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UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones handily disposed of Lyoto Machida in the headlining bout of the UFC 140: "Jones vs. Machida" pay-per-view event last Saturday night (Dec. 7, 2011) at the Air Canada Centre in Toronto. His win over "The Dragon" pushed his record to 15-1 with seven straight finishes. But 'round these parts, that's still just second-best. "Number two. I mean, I don't know how you deny the guy anymore, he's literally walked through everybody. He's fought four times this year, probably the nastiest schedule in the history of the company. He's incredible, man. He's just walkin' through serious, serious guys. And bustin' 'em up bad. Stopping them, finishing them, you don't see somebody come in and wreck people like this guy." Why is Jones number two? Because White, in this UFC 140 post-fight video with MMA Weekly, still has middleweight champion Anderson Silva at number one. See for yourself. Alright Maniacs, we know they'll probably never fight, but who wants to make a case for Jones being ahead of Silva in the pound-for-pound rankings? For all the results and fallout from UFC 140: "Jones vs. Machida" click here.

Posted in: ufc, guy, jone, he, wreck people

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In the UFC 140 post-event discussions, we've had several people talk about Jon Jones' status as an elite fighter. Yesterday, I claimed that Jones is the best fighter on Earth. It seems that Dana White isn't willing to go quite that far, but he is willing to put Jones at number two. Check out the video: From the video: "Number two...I mean, I don't know how you deny the guy anymore. He's literally walked through everybody. He fought four times this year, probably the nastiest schedule in the history of the company. He's incredible, man. The guy is, I hate to talk too much about it...like nobody's gonna hear this (laughs)...because he's so young, you don't wanna put that kind of stuff in a guy's head who is that young but he's walking through serious, serious guys and bustin' 'em up bad." Of course, it's worth noting that White recently put Frankie Edgar at number two behind Anderson Silva. So it would appear that Dana White's rankings go: 1. Silva, 2. Jones, 3. Edgar. I'm curious if he would consider Cruz and/or Aldo to be ahead of Georges St. Pierre as well. SBN coverage of UFC 140: Jones vs. Machida

Posted in: guy, jone, number, frankie edgar, he

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UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones bounced back from a somewhat shaky first round to choke Lyoto Machida unconscious via standing guillotine choke. Machida was able to use his striking and range style to test Jones’ chin — but the champion got through it and remained calm. He turned things around in round two, busting Machida up with elbows before sinking in the devastating choke. Here is what UFC President Dana White had to say: “He’s the real deal, man. He’s a young guy. He’s a young guy, and he’s got a lot of things to learn in the sport still – more than just fighting. But the potential? The potential is unbelievable. If he stays on the right track, does the right things, the guy could go down as the best ever. I just don’t see anyone beating this guy soon.” Jones likely faces the winner of Rashad Evans vs. Phil Davis, or former PRIDE superstar Dan Henderson sometime in early 2012. I’m doubtful Henderson, even with his dynamite right hand and iron chin, would be able to stand toe-to-toe with Jones for a five-round fight. If Evans can get by Davis — which is expected due to Evans’ experience and skill set matching up well against Davis — the UFC could have a decent marketing matchup between the two former teammates.

Posted in: guy, jone, machida, range style, deal man

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"He has had an amazing year; he is the only guy that has defended the title since Chuck Liddell. The title has been going back and forth. He continues to prove his dominance and how amazing and talented he is, and who knows. Again, the one thing about Jon Jones, I don't like to pump it up, but he is a young guy. He's got a lot of things to learn in the sport, more than just fighting. You know, but the potential, the potential is unbelievable, if he stays on the right track, does the right things, this guy could go down as the greatest ever. I just don't see anybody beating this guy anytime soon." -- Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) President Dana White makes the bold proclamation at the UFC 140 press conference that his young light heavyweight champion, Jon Jones, may go down as the greatest ever when it's all said and done. That's quite the compliment, considering the promotion has had many great champions in the past, namely Matt Hughes and Chuck Liddell, among others. At the moment, Georges St. Pierre and Anderson Silva are neck-and-neck in the race to lay claim to the title of greatest of all time. However, a new candidate is slowly looking to make it a three man race, as Jones -- who seems unbeatable at his point of his career -- is slowly but surely creeping up behind the two long-time, established champions. "Bones" added to his ever growing legacy and put a ribbon on one of the most successful years in UFC history by defeating Lyoto Machida at UFC 140 last night (Dec. 10, 2011) at the Air Canada Center in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. What do you say Maniacs, is the UFC head honcho jumping the gun, or is he on point with his statements?

Posted in: ufc, guy, jon, jone, chuck liddell

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Filed under: UFCTORONTO -- Frank Mir would have us believe that he was never really out of it after getting rocked by Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira in the first round of their heavyweight tilt at UFC 140. Instead, he was merely "wobbled," he said. He'd also have us believe that was bound to get out of danger whether Nogueira had stopped hitting him and gone for a choke or not, even if UFC president Dana White was among those who simply wasn't buying either claim. It almost makes you wonder how seriously to take Mir's other major statement on the night, this one regarding rumors that Alistair Overeem might have to withdraw from his UFC 141 fight with Brock Lesnar on December 30. "If the rumors that you're hearing are true, I wouldn't mind having to step in for Overeem and taking on Brock," said Mir. "I'm pretty healthy and three weeks isn't bad turnaround." And why not? He may have come within one or two punches of being knocked completely out by Nogueira in a back-and-forth one-rounder, but Mir talked like a man who had hardly suffered any damage at all before getting the submission win in a wild affair. As he explained: "I only fought a three-minute fight, so I'm feeling pretty good. My wife might not be happy about Christmas but, eh, she can deal with it." As for Nogueira, his holiday season is looking especially grim. White, who denied the Overeem withdrawal rumors, revealed after the press conference that he was planning to fly Nogueira back to Las Vegas with him on Sunday morning so he could have surgery on his injured right arm as soon as possible. He also said that he knew Nogueira was headed for trouble when Mir locked up the kimura, and nothing about the Brazilian's history or posture suggested that he was ready to tap. "Nogueira's a jiu-jitsu black belt, probably the best submissions heavyweight of all time, you know when you get caught in that thing to tap," White said. "You know to tap out to that. It's what happens if you don't." Mir said he knew what the likely outcome would be when he secured the kimura, and the only thing left to do was to go ahead and finish it. "I had a strong inclination that he was not going to tap, so I took a deep breath and you guys saw what happened," he said. The injury drew pained groans from the crowd at the Air Canada Centre when it was replayed several times on the big screen. It's the latest in a serious of injuries that have piled up on Nogueira of late, and though he hasn't taken the knockouts that some of his contemporaries have, he might still have to sit down for a serious talk with the boss, White said. "You've got to look at a guy's entire career, not just how it's ending. Big Nog's been in wars, man. I was at the Pride fight when he fought Mirko 'Cro Cop' [Filipovic], and 'Cro Cop' was just blasting him with kicks to the body and shots to the head, and then he ends up pulling off that submission win in the second round. He's had a career where he's been through wars. "Big Nog is a nice guy and a guy who I respect, and I know they get pissed off at me when I say this stuff, but again, it doesn't matter. Unfortunately -- or fortunately -- I'm the one that makes these decisions. I'm going to have to sit down and talk to him. I don't want to see him get hurt, or anyone else." Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Posted in: overeem, guy, nogueira, mir, im

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Quantum physics dictate that on a long enough time span, if you were to throw a dictionary in the air and blow it up with a shotgun, the words 'don't be scared homie' will eventually emerge from the charred remains in exactly that same order. While those chances may entirely too astronomic for human comprehension, the probability of it happening is greater than your chance of fully understanding this Nick Diaz parody video. The clip comes from a guy that's notorious for stealing our videos and covering up our watermark -- something that we'll be contacting YouTube about later today. Nevertheless, this guy has made a rather intriguing Napoleon Dynamite inspired Nick Diaz video that is so senseless that we had to publish it on MiddleEasy.com. My suggestion is you better watch this video as soon as possible, before we have this guy's YouTube channel shutdown for copyright infringement. Props to Two Tree for the banner picture. Enjoy!

Posted in: diaz, guy, nick, video, watermark something

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As usual, Dana White spoke to reporters following today’s UFC 140 press conference about a variety of topics including Strikeforce’s future, Rashad Evan’s Penn State comments, fighters faking injuries, TUF 15, the GSP-Diaz-Condit situation, Mayhem Miller, the flyweight division and of course UFC 140. We have a rundown below along with Ariel Helwani’s interview with Dana White above. — Dana White confirmed today that Strikeforce is here to stay. He expects a new deal with Showtime to be wrapped up any day now and says just “watch and see” what he does with it. “It’s staying,” White said of the organization, adding that he hoped to have more information to release on it next week, hinting that big changes might be in the works. “Just sit and wait and watch what I do. Trust me, it’s going to be just fine. Like I said last time I talked to you guys about this, I’m getting into this and I’m going to handle it. Watch and see.” “We’ll see what happens,” White said. “I know I keep saying this every week, but that deal should be wrapped up any day now, and then I’ll make the decisions on who goes where and what’s going to happen. So we should know hopefully by Monday.” Dana’s plans with the organization remain a mystery, but it’s good news for women’s MMA if nothing else. — Dana White was not a fan of the controversial Jerry Sandusky reference Rashad Evans included in his pre-fight trash talk with Phil Davis at yesterday’s UFC on FOX 2 press conference, but he’s not going to reprimand him for it either. Instead, they just had a talk. “We talked.” said White, who called Evans’ remark “one of the dumbest things you could say,” in light of the child abuse allegations against former Penn State assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky. According to White, he didn’t have to convince Evans that he’d made a mistake in using the story as a topical reference point at the UFC on FOX presser in Chicago yesterday. “It’s not like I’m dealing with stupid people here,” White said. “It’s one thing when you’re dealing with dummies. When you’re dealing with people who are really stupid, it’s tough to talk to them. But when you call a guy who’s an intelligent guy, he gets it. He knows.” “The whole thing with me is people are looking to me, and I saw a couple of stupid stories that were written, people who want attention — you know who those people are,” White said. “What do you want me to do? You want me to have our lawyers draw something up and I’ll come out and read it to you guys? You know, he said something stupid. It’s probably one of the dumbest things you could say. He gets it, and he knows it was a stupid thing to say, and we’ll see what happens.” In his interview with Ariel Helwani, Dana said he was actually more upset with a tweet Miguel Torres sent out yesterday about a “rape van.” I’m not 100% sure what tweet he’s referring to but I think it’s this one and this one. Jokes on racism, pedifiles, terrorism, & other fucked up things is ok, but some are off limits. What a sensitive world we live in. If a windowless van was called a surprise van more people wouldn’t mind going for rides in them. Everyone likes surprises. Here’s an idea: If you’re a person with a public presence, how about using a little common sense about what society deems appropriate and steer clear of what isn’t whether you agree or not. It’s really not that difficult. — Dana White has weighed on the topic of fighters faking injuries following Dan Henderson’s comments about Anderson Silva earlier this week. He says it’s “impossible” to fake an injury in the UFC. “First of all, just to clear this up, and these guys – Dan Henderson knows it, Chael knows it, and every other fighter that fights in the UFC knows it – you can’t fake an injury,” White today told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) following a UFC 140 pre-event press conference in Toronto. “It’s impossible to do. You can’t do it. “When you say you are injured, we bring you to our doctors, and they check you out, and we find out if you’re injured or not injured.” Fighters may not be able to “fake” an injury per se, but what’s stopping them from milking one? It seems that’s more of what Hendo was insinuating with Silva. — Living in the TUF house is going to suck twice as much from now on since cast members will now be required to live in the house for 12 weeks instead of 6. “It’s bad for six weeks,” he said. “Six weeks is crazy. I can’t even imagine what’s going to happen with 12.” — Dana White explained their thought process in booking Nick Diaz vs. Carlos Condit for an interim title after they found out GSP blew out his ACL. “I know [Georges] is going to be out for 10 months, and it’s been however many months since he fought,” White said. “That thing’s been tied up. What happened to Carlos Condit is unfair. Diaz was the Strikeforce champion. It just made sense.” “I think what happened with Georges, first of all, was that he was diagnosed wrong,” White said. “If we knew that that was a blown ACL from the beginning, he could have already had the surgery and been recovering this whole time.” “It’s a big layoff, but what are you going to do?” White asked. “It is what it is. When a guy goes out there and blows his ACL, there’s nothing you can do about it. “I think that whoever wins that fight (between Condit and Diaz), the belt will be defended at least once before GSP is back.” — Dana blasted Mayhem Miller’s striking in the TUF 14 Finale at yesterday’s UFC on FOX 2 press conference. “It was bad. To be honest, and my Twitter’s been blowing up with Mayhem fans blasting me, but facts are facts: It was the worst standup I’ve ever seen in my life. I don’t know if I’ve ever seen standup that bad.” “I don’t even know what to call it – I’ve seen guys with some ring rust,” White said. “Some of the punches that were thrown by Mayhem Miller in this fight, you can go to a girls Tae Bo class and see better form in standup. It was embarrassing.” It seems the “Mayhem Monkeys” have come to Miller’s rescue though. Dana told Ariel Helwani that they have been terrorizing him on Twitter ever since he criticized Mayhem’s performance, and while he didn’t say Mayhem will definitely be back, he’s received the message loud and clear that people still want to see Mayhem fight in the UFC. Considering how much Dana prides himself on giving the fans what they want, chances are Mayhem will get another chance. — Dana confirmed that they are implementing a flyweight division and plans to make a more formal announcement this weekend. He’s not going to force any bantamweights to move down to help build the division, but they are free to make the move themselves if they wish.

Posted in: ufc, guy, dana, people, mayhem

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MMA Nation Senior Editor Luke Thomas is in Washington, D.C. providing media coverage for this weekend's Amir Khan vs Lamont Peterson fight. He caught up with Khan's trainer Freddie Roach at Thursday's pre-fight press conference and spoke with the Hall of Fame trainer about a few different topics. On Georges St. Pierre's injury: He'll let that heal up and then get back at it. A year and a half of anyone's prime is worrisome and being laid of that long is worrisome because as fighters, activity is really good for them. But he's a very disciplined guy and mentally very strong. He'll come back I think. The big thing is I'm sure we're inviting Nick Diaz to come out and box and give him a couple warm up fights of course. It's a shame that happened but it's part of life. On Nick Diaz' Boxing: We had a game plan. We were already working on this because the fight was supposed to happen once before so we were working on things. I was studying Diaz fights. People tell me that Nick Diaz is a good boxer. I tell them no, he's not a good boxer, he's good with his hands. Boxers use footwork. Diaz doesn't use any whatsoever. He just fights in straight lines. He's very accurate with his punches so we had a good game plan. We were working on it in the gym for about two weeks and then the fight got cancelled because Diaz didn't show up to the press conferences. Dana got mad and put somebody else in there so we went and shifted gears. It was a fight I was looking forward to because I know Diaz is a big challenge and a great warrior. He's a very resilient guy. It's hard to get him down man, he's a tough guy. On the best "Pure Boxer" in MMA: Right now, Anderson Silva. He's had six pro fights in his home country. He knows how to measure distance and time really well. He's a little ahead of the guys on that. But sometimes he only fights to his ability, you know? Or he fights as hard as he has to so sometimes he doesn't take guys out when he probably can or should. He lets them last a little longer. Video after the jump...

Posted in: fight, diaz, guy, boxer, he

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Filed under: UFCThe UFC returns to Toronto this weekend for another big pay-per-view event, though don't expect an all-star stadium show this time around. What you can expect at UFC 140 is a quality card with some big name fighters who are hungry for a win, along with a few lesser-knowns who need a victory just to make sure there are presents under the tree this Christmas. So who needs a win like Dana White needs a Saturday night off, and what are their chances for a bright future and an upbeat after-party? For answers, we turn to the Cut List. Tito Ortiz (16-9-1, 15-9-1 UFC) Who he's facing: Antonio Rogerio Nogueira Why he's in danger: Remember back before his career-salvaging victory at UFC 132, when Dana White said, "Dude, it's 2011; He's got to win"? Yeah, well I'm pretty sure he didn't mean, 'He's got to win once and then never again.' Ortiz rose from the ashes with his surprising submission of Ryan Bader, and then he further ingratiated himself to the UFC by offering to step up and fight Rashad Evans just a month later. The UFC was so grateful for that favor, it probably didn't even care that he went right back to his losing ways with a second-round TKO. A little goodwill is a fine thing to have in this business, but Ortiz is still 1-5-1 in his last seven bouts, stretching all the way back to 2006. I can see cutting him some slack after his two-month stint as unlikely hero this summer, but how long can he survive on those rapidly fading glories? If he loses to Nogueira, as oddsmakers expect him to, then what? He'll still be a marketable commodity, still one of the UFC's most famous, yet least successful fighters, and he'll still be the guy who did the UFC a solid when others wouldn't. That will buy him some time, but it won't make him untouchable. He's still got to win a few fights here and there, and he'd really help himself out if he can start with a middle-aged Brazilian. Outlook: Not good. Ortiz is in a tough spot. He's too famous and too expensive for the UFC to put him in against mid-card guys, but he's not quite well-rounded enough to handle the new generation of talented 205-pounders. I don't want to say the game has passed him by, but...okay, it probably has. I think he loses this fight, but still gets one more chance to pull off a resurrection. The more fights he drops, the more the win over Bader looks like one good night in a sea of bad ones. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (19-5, 2-2 UFC) Who he's facing: Tito Ortiz Why he's in danger: After dropping back-to-back decisions to Ryan Bader and then Phil Davis, Little Nog is now one defeat away from the dreaded three-fight losing streak. He's also 35 years old and the lesser-known of the two Nogueira brothers in the UFC, so it's not at all unfathomable that a loss here could convince the brass that they're carrying one more Nogueira than they need. Face it, it's not as if the UFC is hurting for popular Brazilian fighters at this point. They've got better and they've got younger, so what does Little Nog bring to the table? His ability to shut down strong wrestlers (which the division is positively choking with these days) is questionable at best, and he hasn't finished an opponent since his UFC debut a little over two years ago. So what's keeping him employed? Well, he's still a Nogueira, which is the Brazilian MMA equivalent of being a Baldwin brother. Even if he might be Stephen to Big Nog's Alec, it's still better than being some nobody. Plus, he's still a threat when he can stay upright. If his takedown defense is good enough to force a stand-up fight with Ortiz, you have to like his chances. Outlook: Cautiously optimistic. I think he beats Ortiz, barring another career resurrection by the "Huntington Beach Bad Boy." Even if he loses, though, I wouldn't be surprised to see him get one more go. Long-term, it's hard to see him lasting in this division with this style. Dennis Hallman (50-14-2 [1 NC], 3-5 UFC) Who he's facing: John Makdessi Why he's in danger: Did you see the man's speedos at UFC 133? Better yet, did you catch Dana White's reaction to the speedos? Personally, I thought it was kind of funny, and not too different from the stuff we see MMA fighters wear with a straight face, but apparently the boss isn't into that brand of humor. It's never a good sign for your career when the other guy gets a bonus solely for getting you and your wardrobe off TV quickly. Hallman didn't make many friends in the UFC that night, and he was already on slightly shaky ground. At 36, Hallman is the journeyman's journeyman. There were times when he would have fought on a week's notice in your living room for a hundred bucks, and he'd even help move the furniture back into place afterward. He put together a couple UFC wins over guys who have since been shown the door, but he squandered whatever good will he had with the speedo stunt. Now he needs to win just to stay viable, and Makdessi's an unbeaten prospect who could make up for what he lacks in experience (and few are as experienced as Hallman) with youth and speed. If Hallman becomes the latest Makdessi knockout victim, you just know White would take pleasure in informing Hallman that he'll soon have plenty of free time to spend sunbathing on the French Riviera. Outlook: Grim. Hallman's as grizzled a vet as they come, and if he shows up healthy he could definitely give Makdessi problems. Still, he'll need to save a kitten from a burning building to get back in White's good graces. That kitten had better be cute, too. And just adorably smudged with ash, blinking its big, innocent eyes at the new world that Hallman's heroism has allowed it see. Sorry, got carried away. Mark Bocek: (9-4, 5-4 UFC) Who he's facing: Nik Lentz Why he's in danger: Bocek has spent more than half his career quietly toiling away in the UFC, but he's yet to really distinguish himself. He doesn't have a single win over anyone who's still in the UFC, and every time he's faced a high-level opponent he's ended up on the losing end. Then again, he's been in there with some tough customers -- guys like Frankie Edgar, Ben Henderson, and Jim Miller. In fact, the only loss on his record where he hasn't been vindicated by future results is a submission loss to Mac Danzig, so cut him some slack, right? To a point, yes. But eventually he's going to start to look like a guy who'll never be really popular with the fans, will never be anything more than a mid-level truth serum for guys who don't belong in the UFC at all, and is only useful on the fight cards where the UFC needs a local boy. If he loses to Lentz, who has a way of making people look bad, things could come to a head sooner rather than later for Bocek. Outlook: Hazy. He's a skilled enough fighter that he can still beat a lot of people on the UFC roster, but will he ever beat the big boys? I doubt it, and you can only hang around the middle for so long.  Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

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Fighting is and forever will be the purest form of self-discovery. From a local amateur promotion all the way to the top tier, international competition of the UFC, all MMA fighters are universally preparing themselves to be better in all aspects of hand-to-hand combat. To be successful, one has to go through both physical transformations to be a better athletic fighter and mental transformations to be a better technically skilled fighter. In the end, the two challengers enter a ring or cage not to prove who is the fastest in 100 meters, who can lift the heaviest object or has the most accurate jump shot; MMA fighters enter a ring or cage to see who is the best. For UFC welterweight Rich Attonito, answering the most basic, but alluring of questions, “can I beat this guy?” was what initially whet his curiosity for the sport. “I had a lot of experience previously competing one-on-one in wrestling,” tells Attonito. “I had plenty experience, I guess you could say, fighting with people, which wasn't always one-on-one and wasn't always in my favor. It wasn't by far the first time I had been in a fight before. But it was the first time fighting someone who had some training. You get into a fight in college at a bar, they don't have wrestling and you do have wrestling - it is easy to take them down and beat them up. Now, what will it be like to fight someone who knows how to wrestle or has some jiu-jitsu or is a good striker? That's what really drew me into fighting to begin with. What would happen against a trained person? It is easy to beat up some jabronis at a bar, but it's not going to be so easy to fight some guy at a venue, which has been set-up beforehand, and he is preparing to fight you and he has skills.”After seven years with an overall record of 10-4, the former NCAA Division I wrestler from Hofstra University is still training to enter the Octagon to extinguish those “what ifs” in his own mind. At the same time, it is also Attonito’s job to do so as he prepares for his fifth fight in the UFC on December 10th against the debuting Jake Hecht at UFC 140. What once was a competitor’s flight of fancy has become Attonito’s path in life to not only prove he can defeat these opponents, but that he can do so professionally with money on the line and the future of a career in the balance. Actually, the added pressure has only made “The Raging Bull” enjoy MMA even more. “That initial curiosity is still there and now it’s like how far can I take it,” explains Attonito. “I'm in an organization where I'm competing against the elite level of the sport. I keep answering that question and I'm training harder and harder. I'm going to continue to answer that question of how will I do against someone who has been training as much as someone like Jake Hecht now? It is much different than the first guy I fought. I think it is the same scenario in a lot of ways, but the stakes have been raised. I have more chips in the pile and whoever I'm fighting has more chips in the pile because they have a lot more talent, skills and experience than the first guys I was fighting. It’s part of what makes it so much fun for me.”The New Jersey native is having a lot of fun in the UFC nowadays, going 3-1 since his stint on the 11th season of The Ultimate Fighter. He gave arguably his best performance inside the Octagon in his last bout against Daniel Roberts at UFC Live in June. The dominant unanimous decision over Roberts also marked Attonito’s debut at welterweight after winning 2 of 3 fights at middleweight. He controlled the action of the entire fight, from the standup to the ground, which specifically displayed how well-rounded of a threat he is for his new opposition at 170 pounds.“I think I was able to display a range of my abilities,” Attonito states. “Everything went well that night. I felt good. I was ready to go in there and compete and win. I was firing on all cylinders and I was able to have a good performance. Every time I get in there, I'm looking forward to the opportunity to continue showing people more. I still feel like I have a lot of skills that I haven't had the opportunity to put on display. I'm feeling more comfortable every time getting in there and fighting at this level and in this arena. The more I go in there, the more I'm relaxed and the more I can let my training go and really showcase my abilities.” The drop in weight had been a lingering possibility for the 5-10 former middleweight and even former light heavyweight. But he is no stranger to messing with his weight for competition’s sake, as Attonito began his wrestling days at Hofstra University at 167 pounds and ended them at 197 pounds. Facing bigger and, seemingly, stronger opponents was old hat to “The Raging Bull” when he began his career in MMA at 205 pounds. Attonito’s journey to fighting at his proper weight will only help him against opponents of his own size considering what he has been used to, which is bad news for the current roster of UFC welterweights.“I felt much better,” emphasizes Attonito about life at his new weight. “As far as my own performance, I felt much faster, more athletic, much more agile and have better endurance. All around the board I feel better at this lighter weight. Fighting against Roberts, he was probably the first guy in years, I can't remember the last guy, I fought who was my height. Height wise, size wise, I felt like I was fighting someone my size. Usually at middleweight, I'm fighting guys who are taller, longer, and a little bit bigger than me. It felt great fighting at that weight. I definitely felt like I was physically stronger. I fought at 205 and 185 and being used to those heavier and stronger guys, I feel like it is hard not to feel a strength difference in my favor at 170. But there are a lot of strong guys at 170. When I fought Dave Branch he was a big dude and could have been 25 pounds heavier than me the night of fight for all I know. Now, fighting guys that are my height, size, and weight is a real major difference in the way the fights are going to go. I'm not going to get muscled around.”His next Octagon opponent, Hecht, will be a new name and face to UFC fans, but not to Attonito. The “Hitman” has an overall record of 10-2 with his most notable victory coming last year over TUF 13 vet Charlie Rader. The current product of Fiore MMA in Illinois previously spent time training at American Top Team in Missouri, which led to Hecht making the pilgrimage to the original ATT facility in Florida where Attonito is based out of. Hecht isn’t name recognizable to the UFC faithful, but he is bringing a wealth of international fighting experience into his Octagon debut, which Attonito is familiar with and ready for. “I think he's a very tough opponent,” admits Attonito. “He's got a lot of fight in him. He's like a zombie. If you don't shoot him through the head he's going to keep coming for you. He's ready to go wherever the fight takes place, whether it is standing or the ground. I know he's worked a lot on his wrestling and utilized that in his fights. I know he's got a ground game. He's going to be a well-rounded opponent who is highly motivated to come in here and get his opportunity to fight in the UFC.”As mentioned, Attonito is preparing for Hecht at the veritable MMA factory of American Top Team in Coconut Creek. “There are great guys down here all training for big fights like Thiago Alves who had his fight a couple weeks ago and is back training, and Jorge Masvidal training for Gilbert Melendez,” says Attonito, who not only has the daily opportunity to train with some of the best fighters in the world, but to pick their brain to help out his own rise to top. “The great thing about these guys at American Top Team, they’re here to push you to get better and they also provide insight, little bits of wisdom from their experiences they can lend to get you ready to climb up the ladder to the top level of the UFC. You can see how they go about carrying themselves. Through the years they have helped me hone my own style of how I like to get prepared for my fights and I see what they do and I like to add that to my training to make me that much better.”This Saturday, the next question on Attonito’s path of answering how good of a fighter he can be is through the “Hitman” Hecht. “Each fight, I'm trying to show people more and more of what I'm capable of and give people more of a glimpse,” asserts Attonito, who is looking to establish himself as an ever evolving presence in the welterweight division to the fans and his competitors. “I'm always trying to come out with a newer, improved and better version of myself. Let people see that I should be taken serious. I'm not a flash in the pan and I'm someone people need to look out for.”

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April 30, 2011 was a night like no other for Claude Patrick. For 14 years he had trained for this moment; for nine years he fought in everybody else’s backyard but his own. Now he was in his hometown of Toronto, in front of over 55,000 fans, and it’s probably safe to say that 54,995 were cheering for him when he faced Daniel Roberts at UFC 129.“Usually if I hear a single cheer, I’m like ‘wow, what’s going on here?’” said Patrick, whose unique form of dues paying was only shared by other Ontario natives like featherweight contender Mark Hominick.  “If they’re not booing or trying to kill you, it’s a real good thing. (Laughs) So it was a trip to be at home and to have people cheering for me. I’m so used to being that darkhorse, out of town guy. You just pull up, fight and go.”And while many saw Patrick vs. Roberts to be a 50-50 matchup going in, what these people didn’t account for was the fact that being the “B-side” of the fight card for most of your career will make you tougher than most of your peers. Forget all the time spent in the gym; what separates many at the elite level of the game are the intangibles, the things that don’t show up on paper. At 31, Patrick has had a rough MMA upbringing that has given him intangibles for days, and he was ready to show them to Roberts and everyone else in Rogers Centre that night.“A lot of people don’t know what level I’m at because I haven’t done any of these big name grappling tournaments, and I don’t have seminars and things like that set up, so people think I’m just another guy happy to be there,” said Patrick, a brown belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. “While I’m super happy to be competing in the UFC, I also put in my dues and trained with a lot of the best guys and just humbly do my thing below the radar. People thought that because he (Roberts) was coming from a certain camp and because of his background that he was gonna be able to dominate me on the ground, and he was training with this Thai guy for standup, but all that doesn’t matter. When it comes down to fight time, it’s a fight, and that’s what I bring to the table.”Three rounds later, Patrick had delivered perhaps his most impressive Octagon performance to date, earning a unanimous decision victory that lifted his UFC record to 3-0 and his overall pro MMA slate to 14-1. More importantly, it extended his unbeaten streak to 13 fights and six years, and if you didn’t know who Patrick was before, you’d better start paying attention, because he’s finally ready to let the world in now.“I’m trying to step out of the shadows a little bit and that fight was a good opportunity to show my skills,” said Patrick, who may not have eight million followers on Twitter or a stack of t-shirts bearing his name, but he can fight, he’s an engaging and thoughtful personality, and he’s earned his share of the spotlight. He also doesn’t worry about what his peers are doing because he’s had his own plan of attack.“I’m not hating on the other guys,” said Patrick. “I would say don’t count my money because I’m not counting yours. Everybody has their different approaches and you can have as many people as you want on Twitter and as many t-shirts as you want, but it all boils down to the fight ultimately, and getting in there to show and prove. That’s what I’ve been really focusing on doing thus far, almost to the detriment of not caring much about the other aspects of things. So now I’m trying to step out a little bit more and get myself a bit more known and a little bit more in the spotlight. This fight should help with that significantly.”“This” fight is one that wasn’t even supposed to happen before fate stepped in last month. Originally scheduled to battle fellow up and comer Rich Attonito on Saturday’s UFC 140 card in Toronto, Patrick saw a new and even better opportunity arise when countryman Rory MacDonald was forced out of his main card bout against Brian Ebersole due to injury. “The Prince” was offered the move to the Pay-Per-View portion of the event, and while he didn’t see that coming, he did have a feeling that he wouldn’t be throwing hands with Attonito on December 10th.“I’m not like a psychic or anything like that, but I knew I wasn’t gonna be fighting Rich Attonito,” said Patrick. “For whatever reason, I just always thought that we wouldn’t be fighting. I didn’t know that Rory would get hurt and that it would be Ebersole I’d be fighting, but it is what it is. I had a gut feeling that something was gonna happen with that fight.”That gut feeling was right on target, and while the storybook tale of the local kid coming in on short notice for the big Pay-Per-View fight in his hometown is perfect for us writing it, for Patrick, it’s not really how he sees the fight. For him, he has to look at it as just another night at the office. It’s how he kept his cool in April in a situation where most would lose it.“I really zoned a lot of those things out pre-fight because you can’t be looking at the crowd or how many people are there and what they’re saying or doing,” he said. “I really focus on the task at hand, which is the opponent in front of me.”Everyone says that though. How was Patrick able to pull it off in the biggest fight of his career? “The most important thing is making sure you’re prepared, and not just in that physical element, but covering all the bases beforehand,” he explains. “When you go to fight, anything could happen. I’ve seen it many times that not always the best fighter wins the fight, and I’ve seen a lot of guys get bogged down with those questions. So I just bring everything I have to the table, and I believe in my skills and I have every reason to. I’ve been training hard and smart with the right people, improving my training camp and always trying to learn, so as long as I do everything on the back end that I should be doing, which I like to think I do, then I’m very confident going into the fight. I just have to execute.”This time around, Patrick has bolstered his camp like never before, something most fighters do after a loss, not after an impressive victory. Then again, he’s always followed his own path, so while he has supplemented his training in the past with trips to Florida, this time he had an extended stay while working with some of the sport’s best.“I hooked up with the guys at Team Jaco and the Blackzilians, among other places too,” said Patrick. “I’m training at Pablo Popovitch’s to upgrade my jiu-jitsu as well. I have a lot of friends in the South Florida area and I’ve done a camp out here in the area twice before, so I’m no stranger to the area, but I haven’t lived here for such an extended period of time, and I haven’t had a set camp with this many quality guys. I’ve worked with Rashad Evans, Tyrone Spong, JZ (Cavalcante), the Villefort brothers, Jorge Santiago, and a bunch of up and coming guys; Melvin Guillard just got here as well. So it’s a Who’s Who of talented guys and just to be in the room and be able to hang and pick these guys’ brains in different perspectives, it’s very useful and it adds to my confidence going into the cage.”Saturday, Patrick will meet one of the few fighters who can relate to his less than glamorous ascent up the ranks in Ebersole. A breakout star in 2011, Ebersole, who is five months younger than Patrick, has put together 64 documented pro fights, and he did so in some less than glamorous settings over the years.“I definitely respect that,” said Patrick. “He’s what I call one of those real old-school type guys and I’d be along the same lines as that if I had the opportunity. But given where I lived in Canada, there wasn’t that opportunity – especially in the province I was in. I was in the first UFC in Ontario, and before that it wasn’t something legal that we could do and partake in. So to be able to get to compete was something you had to leave the province for, and there wasn’t big money, so I couldn’t get all those fights in. But I was steadily training during that whole time.”Now it’s time to pick up some returns on that investment. For Claude Patrick, that means more fights, more wins, and getting a step closer to a world title. So you haven’t heard the last of him, because this ride is just beginning.“2011 was a decent year,” he said. “I’d like to be a bit more busy, and in 2012, if the world doesn’t end (Laughs), that would perfect.”

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I was just playing some Halo: Anniversary Edition and wondering what those guys who made the lovable Halo 1 comedy skits Red Vs. Blue were up to, and it turns out a lot. Rooster Teeth Productions may have jumped the shark after the very first Red Vs. Blue episode, but now they make all kinds of wildly popular videos where they pretend they are the main characters in videogames and they are saying stuff. It turns out EA MMA got the Rooster Teeth treatment lately, so we had to share it with you guys. In the video below you will see Gilbert Melendez absolutely demolish a raging 'Patrick Stewart' player in the Strikeforce cage. *Warning: Video is loud and full of cursing. The non warlock type of curse. Not voodoo...A swear word. Gosh you guys and these semantics. Although no one in Patrick Stewert's camp is making excuses, the Star Trek star didn't have any cages to train in back home and he found the entire experience with the American audience disorienting. [Source]

Posted in: guy, gilbert melendez, ea mma, patrick, warlock type

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The lessons from some fight nights are subtle -- a bit of meaning you find only after sifting through the blood, sweat, and spilled cans of Xenergy. This was not one of those fight nights. For anyone with a little bit of sense and decent vision, the takeaways from the TUF 14 Finale were like a flashing neon billboard on the Vegas strip. You couldn't miss it if you tried. Not when a phalanx of bantamweights and featherweights puts on one great fight after another, while the main event features one middleweight who gasses early and another who simply gets tired of beating on him. Contrasts like that are helpful at times. If you didn't know that the little guys were worth watching before, you do now. Or at least you should. And if an entire season worth of memorable reality TV fights on The Ultimate Fighter wasn't enough for you, they capped it off with perhaps the greatest full finale event in TUF history. It's not as if we shouldn't have seen this coming, either. Even back when featherweights and bantamweights were relegated to the WEC, putting on twice the fights for half the paychecks, the hardcore fans who consistently tuned in to the Sunday night events on Versus appreciated the quality of the performances they put on. If only these guys could get a chance in the UFC, those fans said. And then they did, only to have the UFC quickly realize that it probably didn't have enough of them. Putting 135 and 145-pounders on the Spike TV reality show was a brilliant way to both fatten up the roster and introduce the weight classes to a wider audience, and the cast wasted no time making their presence felt with a series of fantastic elimination fights in the very first episode. It went on like that more or less all season long, so maybe we shouldn't be surprised that they delivered at the finale as well. In fairness, this card was loaded with them. In recent years the TUF Finale has featured only a handful of non-finalists, but Saturday night's event was comprised almost exclusively of reality show participants, giving the smaller fighters plenty of chances to shine. Only two of the five prelim fights went the distance, and both of those that did (Steven Siler's decision win over Josh Clopton and Marcus Brimage's decision over Stephen Bass) were action-packed affairs that stayed busy and competitive all the way until the end. On the main card, John Dodson showed not only his power and quickness in a quick TKO win over T.J. Dillashaw, but also his freakish agility in a post-fight celebration that included dueling flips that looked like something out of Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. What's more, he did it all with a smile, which is equal parts creepy and impressive. Then there was the featherweight finale between Diego Brandao and Dennis Bermudez, which has to be in the conversation for best one-round fight of the year. After they took turns rocking one another in frantic exchanges, Brando nearly got his jaw knocked off his face before somehow recovering to pull off a miraculous armbar with just seconds left in the first round. Among the eight fights in either the bantamweight or featherweight division from this card, there was hardly a man who didn't seem up to UFC standards. It was a collection of well-conditioned, well-prepared athletes who gave the fans their money's worth before the main eventers even set foot in the cage. Remind me again why we didn't have these guys in the UFC years ago? It shouldn't surprise anyone that there are so many talented lighter weight fighters in MMA. I've advanced this theory several times before, but it seems pretty obvious to me that decent heavyweights are hard to come by because big guys who are gifted athletes have more options. You're 6'4" and 250 pounds with speed, agility, coordination, and a competitive fire? I can't blame you if you opt for the NFL over MMA. You'll make more on the practice squad there than most UFC fighters do from fighting, and you get part of the year off. But if you're Dodson, who is 5'3" and pushing it to fight at 135 pounds, it probably doesn't matter how gifted you are. You're going to be considered too small for most high school football teams, let alone the pros. You're genetically disqualified from most major pro sports right out of the womb, which is true of most of us for one reason or another, but shouldn't be true of this guy, as anyone who's seen what he's capable of already knows. MMA offers the rare ability to compete against someone roughly your own size every time out, and as a result there is a wealth of talent in the lighter divisions. Conventional wisdom has held that fans simply aren't interested in seeing pint-sized warriors. But then, if we adhered to that kind of thinking we never would have seen the Brandao-Bermudez fight. We never would have seen Dodson flipping around like a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle. We wouldn't have had much of a fight night at all, really, and we would have had only ourselves to blame for it. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

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I understand I am in the minority on this subreddit when I say I am fan of Michael Bisping, but I will make that clear first and foremost: I like the guy. So I feel I must defend him. That said, I would like to attempt to clear some things up. There are a lot of comments about Miller and how he gassed. Yes, he gassed. However, Bisping said it best. I will paraphrase him- when you are getting your face beaten, your gut punched, and your ribs kneed, your ability to recover (get your breath) will be tremendously affected. I know it's folly to cite personal experience on the Internet due to credibility issues, but I train and spar with fighters (I do not compete) and I have been punched, kicked, and kneed. Believe me or not, I don't care. When you get hit with a clean shot in the right area, it can take everything you have. Just one kick or punch can stop you from ever recovering during a fight. So, if there are any other fighters or guys who have been punched incredibly hard in the face or dropped by a vicious body shot, please back me up.. you know how it feels. Okay, now on Bisping as a fighter. I love reddit. This is my favorite subreddit. There are so many knowledgeable, courteous, and funny people in this forum. However, I feel a lot of people have accepted this attitude of hating on guys purely on their personality- Bisping as the clear favorite. How is it fair to fighters when we judge them on what they say, not what they do. Bisping made Miller look like a little boy in there. There's no sugar coating it. Miller's strikes were awful to look at, his shots were set up very sloppy, and his taunting during the round made him look even worse. Bisping was calm and technical. After giving up one take-down, he stuffed all the others and picked him apart the rest of the fight. He outclassed him. Now on Bisping as a person. He's brash, arrogant, and has an accent that pisses off a lot of Americans. Don't deny it, many people don't like guys they can't understand a lot of the time. Northern English are a great example. You only have to look at the media and movies/television. Northern Brits don't make it in America. Their accents are too thick and alien to American's "perception" of how English people talk. Anyway, I guess my point is- can we be more like Redditors and less like meat head douches when we talk about fighters? Talking shit is for youtube. Go do it there. Judge men - particularly fighters - on their ability to back up what they say. Remember folks, I'm not trying to call out a bunch of people here. I'm just drawing attention to an issue. If everyone could be civil that would be much appreciated. submitted by SneekyMAN [link] [8 comments]

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The myth is true: Canadians are extremely friendly. In the case of Ryan Jimmo however, Canadians are extremely friendly and dangerous. Since losing his debut fight in 2007, Jimmo has gone on to win his next sixteen fights in a row, got crowned the MFC light heavyweight champion and is now on the precipice of a promising run in the UFC. Oh, that's not all. Jimmo is also playing one of the main bad guys in the sequel to Manos the Hands of Fate. The very film that has been long considered the worst movie ever made. We talked to Ryan about his upcoming UFC debut, traditional martial arts, Skyrim, and of course the lovable character Torgo from Manos. Congratulations on making it to the UFC man. Thanks.   Was the move to the UFC always something you had in your mind to be the pinnacle of your career? Or were you just going to take it as it came and not worry about it? Yes, oh yes. This is the culmination of some long plans that I have been working on for a very, very long time.   For those that may not be familiar with you, explain the evolution of the fighter: Ryan Jimmo. Well, I started off doing karate when I was knee high to a grasshopper. My father was my Karate sensei and he competed over in Japan in '81 and '83. He placed 5th in the world in his style of Karate. So I've been training for a long, long time. So I started competing when I was 10. I won regional and state championships. I went nationals a bunch of times and then I was shown MMA and the rest is history. Can I say that?   Do you think traditional martial arts are suffering due to the boom of MMA and BJJ training? A little bit, there are two different factions. Some people just do martial arts because of spirituality and exercise. I don't think it will ever go away, but I don't think it will be the big fad it was in the 80's to go to a Karate school or a Kung Fu school because of the Karate Kid. Obviously the new thing is MMA. What Karate and Kung Fu was in the 80's I think MMA is today. I don't think you will ever see it go away though. It's alive and well, MMA is just the new kid on the block is all.   Why do Canadians love their combat sports so much? I think by nature we are sort of blue collar. We are manly men up here, we have beards, we wear flannel and drink beer. The traditional Canadian stereotype is a manly man, so that might be part of it. Also we have some good role models like GSP. He is the one who brought Canadian MMA to the forefront and he's a household name. So I think that has a lot to do with it.   Do you feel any pressure to become the next Canadian fighting star? I try not to think about that. I just want to be excellent in my fights you know? I can't think like that. I think one foot in front of the other not three feet ahead. Otherwise I might stumble. I don't want to trip and fall if I'm not paying attention to my next step. So not really...but maybe. I sorta do. I make sure my preparation is good and getting ready for my fight. I want to envision myself as a Canadian superstar but there is an old saying, make sure you pray to god but tie your camel. Which means you can pray and hope that your camel doesn't get stolen or get lose, but you should also just tie it there too. So envision stuff but you also have to put the work in.   Did it take you longer than you expected to get to the UFC? Yes...and no. I think I would be able to hold my own and compete there a while ago even if that's an untested theory. My manager and I had a plan. We didn't want to go in too school. We wanted to make sure my skills were in place, my wrestling was in place. Now my wrestling is fantastic, I'm out wrestling wrestlers. I wanted to make sure my stand up was correct and my confidence was good enough. I wanted to make sure my life was in the right place and financially I was OK. We wanted to take all of these steps and make sure all of our ducks are in a row so we don't go up there like some guys that have no wrestling or Jiu Jitsu, that are so happy to be in the UFC, but make a quick exit. That's not what I envision for myself. I'm a complete fighter and I'm going to make my mark there.   So if they had offered you a contract in the UFC 3-4 fights ago, would you have still gone? Possibly. I was pretty close to ready. I probably would have taken the opportunity, I was borderline ready a few fights ago but now I am 100% ready. I probably would have done OK and developed as I went along but now I know I'm a good enough wrestler and I know I have the stand up. I know I'm mentally ready to do what I need to do.   Is there a particular fight or moment where everything clicked and you knew that you were fully evolved into a complete fighter? This is going to sound a little contradictory but I knew the Wilson Gouveia fight, I was floating on air for that one. Everything was moving in slow motion in that fight, but on the other hand I always make sure in my mind that I tell myself that I'm just a little not ready. I was watching this Mike Tyson thing the other day, and he was saying how for months he's been scared of this guy, and this guy is coming to hurt him and I thought I was gonna get beat up. I mean this was when Mike was in his prime, and he was afraid of what was going to happen. GSP is the same way, he talks about always being a little insecure, and I feel the same way, but it makes me train ten times harder.   Tell us about Manos: The search for Valley Lodge. It's an action horror sequel to Manos: The Hands of Fate and it's one of Quentin Tarantino's favorite movies of all time. Why? Because it's considered the worst film in history. If you can sit through two hours of the whole thing people will commend you. So the director wanted someone who could fight, and he wants to make a badass movie. We have special fx guys from Hellboy and Spiderman, we have some serious people working on this film and he wants to make it completely badass. We have a lot of WWE guys in it, it's a loaded up movie, and even if it's based on the worst of all time, we are going to make it badass.   Have you personally sat through all two hours of the original? Oh yeah I have, oh yeah.   Do you agree that it is the worst movie ever made? Oh it's atrocious. But you know what? This is going to sound really strange but some of the characters are really charming in it. I know it's going to sound like it's me just trying to sell the film, but it's true. There is one character named Torgo and he's the stand up character. If you go to Youtube and look up Torgo you will see. I mean the guy who filmed it was on acid and coked up for the whole shoot and Torgo is this little awkward guy who has fetishes and it sounds weird but he;s a charming character. If you have the guts and you think you can do it, sit down and watch the original, then come 2013 watch me in the next one.   Have you ever acted before? When I was younger I did a lot of martial arts theatre and breakdancing on stage. I was an extra for a few.   Anything on your holiday wish list? I was going to go home and spend time with my family but after I got the UFC fight I decided to not go home and just stay here training. So I will spend Christmas alone so I can train. I've been wrestling in some tournaments, I've been training pretty hard. After my last fight I sat around for a few weeks and got really out of shape. I ate pizza, sat around and drank beer and played Skyrim. It's so awesome. I don't know if you're a videogame geek like me...   You have no idea who you are talking to. Yeah dude! Skyrim. It's so awesome. For a few weeks all I did was game. I'm feeling good right now though, I'm fit and motivated and competing the last two weekends in wrestling competitions.   How are you doing in those? Pretty good but you know what I do? Stupid me. I get my MMA and wrestling wires crossed, so when we go to the ground I keep going to my back. So I keep getting pinned! I'm like 'oh shit' every time I do it because I put myself in such horrible positions and I'm upset because I know I'm better than that guy but...at the end of the day I'm an MMA fighter trying to wrestle haha.   What level are you in Skyrim Haha, I think I'm level 36 right now   Very nice. See! I told you I haven't been up to much. I've only done a little of the main quest, because I keep on doing the side missions to build up my level. I just joined the Thieves Guild. There is so much to do. Are you playing it?   Dude, I'm level 44. Yeahhhhhhhh!   In my opinion Skyrim has impacted the site in a ridiculous manner. Some would construe it as negative. Make sure you just make leather bracers and steel daggers to level your smithing by the way. Just make the cheap shit huh?   Yeah, it will level you the same as anything else and it's cheap. Also train your skills then pickpocket your money back. Ahahahahahah! That's a great idea! That's amazing! I'm gonna give that a try man!

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Back on Nov. 5, 2011, at UFC 138, Mark Munoz defeated Chris Leben in the main event at the LG Arena in Birmingham, England, in the first ever five round non-title fight. But, following the event, Leben failed his drug test for prescription painkillers. So what's Munoz's response to that? He just feels bad for the guy: "You know, I don't know. I kind of feel for the guy. He's going through a lot of stuff, I think. Despite everything he did before the fight, afterwards he kind of came up to me and he was real apologetic and said, 'hey, I just want to apologize for a lot of the stuff that happened.' I'm like, 'hey, man, it's all good. You don't need to apologize. All good.' The guy is a great guy and I kind of feel for him. So when it came out, I was like, 'man, dude, he's probably going through a lot of stuff.' Cause that's some heavy duty stuff. ... I don't want to kick a guy when he's down, I want to reach out to him and say, 'hey man, if you want to come here and train and see a positive atmosphere, come on out. I'd be happy to help you.'" Classy fighter is classy.

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Tony Ferguson has come a long way in a very short time. Starting out as a cast member on The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 13, he's finished everyone who's been in his way, scoring three devastating knockouts during the filming of the show and then capping it off with a first round finish of Ramsey Nijem on the finale to win the season. It wasn't all sunshine and roses, however, as Ferguson had a drunken episode near the finale that immediately turned him into the season's villain. Instead of playing along with the "heel" status earned at the end of the show, "El Cucuy" has put a serious effort into changing his image and being more professional. He wears suits during his post-fight interviews, he's respectful and he refuses to talk poorly of any of his opponents past or present. Now just about two months removed from a spectacular jaw-breaking performance against Aaron Riley at UFC 135, Ferguson will step into the cage against another veteran in Yves Edwards this Saturday night (Dec. 3, 2011) at The Ultimate Fighter 14 Finale. He opened up to MMAmania.com about training through Thanksgiving, how he matches up against Edwards and maturing as a fighter in this exclusive interview. Check it out: Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): This is your second fight at lightweight now, but I was reading some comments of yours and you said you were a "welterweight at heart." Can you explain that? Tony Ferguson: Yeah, I like being a welterweight. Back in high school and college, I always just wrestled at my natural weight. My dad always told me, "Make sure to do it naturally, that way you don't have to worry about anything else." I did that my whole entire life and even though I dropped down to 155 now, I always know at my heart I was a 170 pounder because that's what my plaque says. That's what I won The Ultimate Fighter at and that's where my heart will always be. I love 155, don't get me wrong, either weight is awesome for me because I can fluctuate but 155 is where I'm at right now and where I'm going to continue right now. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): Understandable, also, you fought at UFC 135, which was just over two months ago. Was that your idea to get a fight so soon or did the UFC approach you because you had the TKO at the end of the first round? Tony Ferguson: Ever since I've been competing, I always go back to the gym on that following Monday and I did the interview process for those guys on The Ultimate Fighter and I think they remembered that. They saw my work ethic in the house and they saw what I can do and I really didn't take too much damage so I was pretty sure they knew I could handle it. They watched me, I'm sure they had other people watch me and say, "Hey, I think we should give this kid another chance," because I know Jonathan Brookins didn't have a fight for a long time and here they are giving me a bunch of fights. I'm not complaining at all. I love this sport. I'm active in it and I don't do anything else besides training people in this sport for the last three and a half, four years. That's as long as I've been in any sport outside of college wrestling. After I made that jump, I was like, "This is it, man." I love it. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): I also saw that you mentioned you were hoping to go back to school and get your degree this fall. Were those plans derailed when you got another fight signed so quickly? Tony Ferguson: Yeah, it did but honestly, there's no excuses. If I really wanted it, I probably should have been in there doing it again, you know what I mean? The thing is, I can take online classes. I was just kind of waiting. This year has been really, really busy and I told my coach, "I want to do it right next year," I want to make sure I've got all my ducks in a row, get all my 'T's' crossed and my 'I's' dotted and make sure we do it right. 2012 is going to be a big year, man. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): Were the temptations difficult at all in the preparation for this fight? You had to go through Halloween, you had to go through Thanksgiving and you basically couldn't fully participate with the candy and the binge eating alongside everyone else. Tony Ferguson: Well it was okay. What I did was if I wanted to eat something, I worked harder. On Thanksgiving, it wasn't that hard, but I went to three families and of course they all wanted to feed you. Everyone understood because it wasn't like it was the first time around so no one tried to pressure me or make me feel bad for not eating everything but what I did do was I ate a bit and then I worked it off. I went for a run that night on Thanksgiving and even on Halloween, I really didn't do too much. I dressed up and then I went longboarding. I don't know if you've ever seen longboarding but I got together with my friends and did that. That's just a passion of mine, I used to play guitar, I used to play video games and now when I'm longboarding, all my worries go away. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): Let's talk about your upcoming fight. Yves Edwards, that's a huge fight and this is your second fight in a row against a guy who's had more than 40 professional fights. Do you feel almost honored that they're throwing you in against guys so experienced so early in your UFC career? Tony Ferguson: Of course, man. I've had thousands of matches and they never ease you up. It's all about experience. With me, you've got a wrestler with great hands going in there against a guy who's got everything. Yves Edwards is one of those guys, I didn't follow the UFC back in the day, but Yves Edwards is one of the guys who revolutionized the lighter weights. When I fought Aaron Riley, he shook my hand in the back, you might have saw it but we were in the back, his jaw was broken and he shook my hand and he looked at me and I finally got it. It was a passing of the torch, you know? It was like, "Okay, you beat me, now do something with it," and that's what I want to do. One of the guys I fought before, he messages me and tells me, "Good luck, Tony," on my Facebook wall. What kind of former opponent does that? The guy that beat you and probably took your chance of going to The Ultimate Fighter? It's all about sportsmanship and that's what I'm trying to keep holding on to that torch. When I see Yves Edwards and Aaron Riley, they're the sport, man. They don't trash talk and they don't do anything else. They hold this sport on their shoulders very well and that's all I hope I can do. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): I know you've mentioned you watch quite a bit of film of your opponents and Yves has had some crazy highlights throughout his career. Was there anything that stuck out to you in particular when you watched him? Tony Ferguson: You know, it was just that he's so squirrely. I see myself like that but I see myself as Yves 10 years ago. Yves isn't coming up anymore, this is my time. When I fought Chuck O'Neil and afterwards, I said, "This is my time!" I wasn't lying. I feel I've worked so hard for the last 20 years I've been competing. This is the highest pinnacle and I've got to win and I'm gonna bring it to this guy. We're gonna give everybody a great show. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): The left hook is one of your favorite strikes to throw, it helped you win The Ultimate Fighter. Does that give you any confidence considering Yves was knocked out by a big left hook in one of his last fights against Sam Stout? Tony Ferguson: Oh yeah. He'll have to keep his right hand up or it'll be the same thing. Yves is a fighter who's knocked people with his right hook too so we're going to be trying to do the same thing to each other, with that left side of me and that right side of him. It's make or break, but that's where we see the film and we learn from our opponents and we benefit from it. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): Would you be confident trading blow for blow with him or would you want to be more cautious? Tony Ferguson: Oh yeah, you should see some of the guys I spar with. These guys walk around and they're really scrappy. I know a lot of guys who are willing to kick my butt and I do a lot of shell training which is I'm taking a lot of impact trauma so when this guy tries to kick me, he's gonna have a hand in his face. If these guys at 170 pounds tried to kick me, tried to hit me, tried to take me down and I still won The Ultimate Fighter? Then I feel bad for these 155-ers. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): You've talked about how you get in a zone when you're training, that's actually how you earned your nickname so can you talk about that zone you get into when you're in intense training? Tony Ferguson: I get in this intense zone and I go into a meditative state where I just go and I imagine myself digging into a hole and I see lights going past me. That's my tunnel vision. As soon as I get into my tunnel vision, there's nothing that can stop it. It's like my own little rhythm, my own beat in my head where I'm just there and you can tell in my eyes. My eyes are how you can tell what I'm feeling, where I am or if I'm focused or if I'm not there. I just tunnel everything and that's the biggest thing. I got my nickname, "El Cucuy" or "The Boogeyman" because I'm scary. I saw the thing with me on The Ultimate Fighter where I'm scary. That's what I try to bring into the cage and then leave it in there so I don't have to bring "El Cucuy" out anymore and I haven't other than that one night on the show. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): It sounds like you've really taken the maturation process seriously now that you've gotten into the UFC. Tony Ferguson: You know, you have to. This is my career. It's almost like I was in the mail room when I was six years old when I got started with wrestling. When you put in your time and you go through years and years of time and then you need to catch a break. My break was getting into the show but it's not over yet. It's like I got to the CEO level and then there was a big stack of paperwork that was left to do. You thought it was all done? Nope. That's how I feel. I'm still at the bottom and I'm still working my way up regardless of whether I won the show or not. That doesn't say nothing. I had one bad night and it gave people tons of stuff to talk about. I realized that wasn't me. It was me, but it was a different personality. The UFC, you're supposed to grow up. I wasn't employed by the UFC then. This employment with Dana White giving me an opportunity, hell no I won't risk that. I straightened up. I've got a fiance. I've got a puppy, a little french bulldog, her name is Knuckles and this is it, man. This is what we live for, the ability to compete and be able to have fans that love watching you. It gives me an opportunity to express myself as a martial artist. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): So what do you think a victory over Yves Edwards would do for you in your career right now? Tony Ferguson: I think it would help me celebrate Christmas a lot easier (laughs). I just want to enjoy the holidays. Regardless of the outcome, I hope both of us come out safe and I hope both of us can put on a great show so everybody in the world can enjoy what we do. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): When you're visualizing success, how do you see victory coming, say if you close your eyes and you think about the fight? Tony Ferguson: I see victory coming my way in a couple different areas. In my Aaron Riley fight, I saw victory coming in a different way. I didn't expect to break his jaw and have the fight stopped like that. In this fight, I just expect to go out there, throw blows and let my hands fly. I've had a couple people tell me, "Let them fly man, why are you afraid to let them fly? Just go out there and do what you do naturally which is compete and fight," so that's what you guys are gonna see. If I win or if I lose, it doesn't matter. I'm gonna go out there and fight my heart out just like you guys have always seen. Tony would like to thank his coaches Joseph Janik, his manager Brian Stegeman, his gym Knuckleheadz Boxing, Death Clutch, Dymatize Products, Everlast for the help with equipment and his fans, friends and everyone that's ever wished him good luck. So what do you think, Maniacs? Will Ferguson put some fear into Edwards with another highlight reel knockout? Does he have the potential to stand out in the crowded lightweight division? Speak up!

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The Ultimate Fighter is officially over on Spike TV. It started in January 2005, ran for fourteen seasons, and produced a number of fighters still in the UFC. It had a good run, some might say an improbable run, but now the show moves on to another network and will undergo more format changes and that will have people saying, “BRING BACK THE FIGHTER CHALLENGES!” Alright, so maybe I’m the only person that enjoyed watching Joe Stevenson rotate around Mike Whitehead 204 times only for Rich Franklin to forfeit the challenge and upset Jorge Gurgel. Without further ado, I present to you The Ultimate Fighter Awards: SpikeTV Edition. All awards are named after original shows on Spike TV, most of which aren’t very good, so this was much harder than it needed to be. The “Blue Mountain State” award for “the fighter/coach I disliked the most heading into a season but eventually turned the corner” on goes to…..Rashad Evans. Ever since UFC 88, I’ve pretty much disliked Rashad Evans for what he did on that night. But during Season 10 of TUF, I turned the corner on him. I found him to be a good coach and a likeable guy. While I’ll never forgive him for what he did on that night in Atlanta, I can honestly say I’m a fan of Rashad. The “MANswers” award for “the most useless fighter/coach in show history” goes to…..Ken Shamrock and Noah Inhofer. It’s fitting that both of these men were on the same season because they were equally useless. Shamrock’s coaching highlights consisted of calling opposing coach Tito Ortiz a “bitch monkey,” bringing in a nutritionist as one of his assistant coaches, and holding a training session that included his fighters watching highlight of, you guessed it, Ken Shamrock. He’ll forever go down as the worst coach in TUF history. As for Inhofer, well, he’s the guy who left the show because his girlfriend of six months accused him of cheating on her. How he cheated on her while he was in the house and how he found out about this since the guys in the house are cut off from the real world, I’ll never know. But he left the house and they either broke up two weeks later or he’s doing her laundry right now. The “SlamBall” award for “the most awesome coaches challenge” goes to…..BJ Penn vs. Jens Pulver in a Ping Pong contest. While I wanted to pick Chuck Liddell dominating Ortiz in dodgeball as the winner, not even I can deny how awesome Penn vs. Pulver in Ping Pong was. In fact, I’m not even going to reflect on this moment, I’m going to let undefeated Ping Pong pro Pulver tell you how things went down: “I’m undefeated and retired. That’s how you stay undefeated. Dana waving that money, it was crazy. Manny Gamburyan was freaking out and then Matt Wiman was across the table finding my faults and telling BJ and I was like, ‘Shut up over there.’ You know when you got those kids in the house and there’s nothing to do it was about the most exciting and entertaining thing they could run into and then you got the animosity we had towards each other and Dana waving the cash around. The whole time I thought we were gonna do something with that swimming pool and grappling. I kept thinking, ‘BJ is gonna drown me and submit me’ so when they said ping pong I was like, ‘Oh Lord, this might be even worse. I’ll take the drowning and submission.’ The pressure was on. Then we went to double overtime. It was crazy. I spanked that ass though.” The “Pros vs. Joes” award for “the best coach vs. fighter confrontation” goes to…..Quinton Jackson vs. Darrill Schoonover. Thanks to his altercations with coach “Rampage”, Schoonover will always be known as “Titties.” No matter what he goes on to do in MMA, he’ll never shed that label. At one point during the season, “Titties” was ready to throwdown with Jackson, but given Quinton’s motorboating reputation, I think Jackson would have enjoyed a contest with Schoonover. The “Robot Wars” award for “the best fight on the show” goes to…..Nate Diaz vs. Gray Maynard. First off, I didn’t consider any Finale fights, only fights that took place at the UFC gym. Secondly, most of the fights that took place on the show weren’t all that good. Most of them were just sloppy brawls, real quick, or extremely boring. Plus, with almost every fight only lasting two rounds and most of the fighters being relatively unknown, it was tough for the fight to tell a story or pull you in emotionally. Nate Diaz vs. Gray Maynard was an exception. It was a great grappling contest with Maynard using his wrestling and strength to stifle the active ground game of Diaz in the first round. Then, after nearly getting caught in a guillotine in the second round, Diaz turned things around and submitted Maynard with a guillotine of his own. It doesn’t hurt that both men went on to have plenty of UFC success. The “Jesse James is a Dead Man” award for “something that looked like a good idea on paper but then got screwed up when every turned on the main character” goes to….Brock Lesnar coaching and not fighting. Having Lesnar be the coach on season 13 of the show seemed like a great idea. Even if you didn’t think Brock was really qualified to coach due to his lack of MMA experience, you couldn’t deny that he would be a huge ratings draw. In fact, some people thought the season would be the highest rated season ever thanks to Lesnar’s presence. They were wrong. SpikeTV and UFC quickly found out that people don’t care about Lesnar unless he’s beating someone up. No one wanted to see the former UFC champ teach guys how to wrestle, they wanted to see him throw those guys around. It didn’t help that there was absolutely no heat between him and opposing coach Junior dos Santos. The “John Henson Project” award for “the most over hyped story that never went anywhere” goes to…..Kimbo Slice fighting again. During the tenth season, Slice was eliminated on the third episode. In the teaser for every following episode, SpikeTV wondered, “WILL KIMBO FIGHT AGAIN?!?!?!” by the third time, it became pretty clear that Kimbo would not fight again. Still, Spike continued to push the idea that Slice might step back into the cage even though we all knew better. The “Dudesons” award for “dumbest idea” goes to…..Rich Franklin for suggesting that Matt Serra begin the fight on one knee. Franklin was a guest coach during the fourth season of the show, which rubbed some people the wrong way since the winner could have ultimately faced him. Franklin really rubbed Matt Serra the wrong way when he told Serra to, “start the fight on one knee” in order to avoid the stand up game of Pete Spratt. It took five years but Jon Jones finally took that advice at UFC 135. The “Raising The Roofs” award for “being fat on television” goes to…..Jason Guida and Gabe Ruediger. We all remember Ruediger struggling to make weight, going in for a colonoscopy, and then wanting cake. To this day it haunts Ruediger every time he fights. But there was also Jason Guida, who didn’t even make it into the house because he failed to make weight during the qualifying round. Maybe these guys thought they were on one of the 100 weight loss shows on TV and that “Ultimate Fighting” meant fighting to lose the ultimate amount of weight. The “Joe Schmo Show” award for “the biggest treatment of someone as a “Joe Schmo” goes to…..Matt Serra verbally destroying Marc Laimon. Matt Serra delivered plenty of memorable quotes during his time as a fighting and coach on TUF, but no quote was more memorable that him dressing down Marc Laimon. You see, Laimon, who has never fought, criticized Royce Gracie for fighting Matt Hughes. Serra, a Gracie jiu-jitsu student, took exception to those comments and that railed against Laimon for not having the guts to actually fight. It was the second best beatdown of Serra’s career. The “Roller Jam” award for “the best fight that didn’t take place in the cage” goes to…..Marlon Sims vs. Noah Thomas. It’s been called “the most technical street fight ever” and while I’m sure 1,000 YouTube video will prove that wrong, it’s definitely the most publicized technical street fight ever. Sims vs. Thomas had mount sweeps, head fighting that Mike Goldberg would have gone crazy for, guillotine and armbar attempts, head kicks, and even some PRIDE soccer kicks. Unfortunately Dana White doesn’t like fighting on a show all about fighting, so these two never settled the score inside the cage. The “1000 Ways To Die” award for “dumbest way to lose a fight” goes to……Andy Wang. If you’ve been part of the MMA internet community for the past few years, you’ve probably heard the term “Stand and Wang.” It started because Andy Wang, who is a Brazilian jiu-jitsu expert, decided to stand the entire fight against Brandon Melendez, who is best known for his striking. Wang’s lack of game plan following upset coach BJ Penn so much that he was kicked off the team. The “Afro Samurai” award for “something that should have been awesome but failed to live up to the hype” goes to…..The Wild Card idea. I had high hopes for the Wild Card since it allowed a guy who may have been a victim of bad judging or guy who gave it his all but just came up short to get back into the competition. Then, when it was actually put to use, it turned out to be a big joke. Guys got back in the competition simply because they asked or because a coach favored them. The best example of the Wild Card idea being a joke was when Marc Stevens got choked out via guillotine in just 17 seconds but was given the Wild Card spot because he was Josh Koscheck’s buddy. Then, Stevens was once again choked out by a guillotine in the Wild Card fight. The “TNA iMPACT!” award for “SWERVE!” goes to……Franklin replacing Ortiz as the coach. It was supposed to be the unnecessary third fight between bitter rivals Liddell andOrtiz. Instead, after spending the entire season as the coach, Ortiz was replaced on the last episode of the show by Franklin, who went on to fight Liddell. It marked the first and only time that a coach was kicked off the show. The “Kill Point” award for “dumbest storyline” goes to…..Matt Brown: Killer. Everyone seemed to fear Matt Brown during his time in the TUF house. He was labeled as “a killer” with a relentless style despite his 7-6 record. It says a lot about the Season 7 cast when they all feared this guy. All I know is that if I hire a killer who only gets the job done 50% of the time, I probably shouldn’t be too shocked if it takes him five shots to take out the target and then he ends up getting caught a couple of hours later. The “Lance Krall Show” award for “the best fighter/coach spin off” goes to…..Amir Sadollah and Forrest Griffin. Griffin is known as the guy who might not have all the talent in the world but he outworks everybody in the gym. He’s also known as kind of a goof. So it only made sense that he had Sadollah instantly became BFF’s on the show. Sadollah wasn’t the most talented guy in the world either but he worked hard and, like Forrest, ended up winning the entire tournament. Also like Forrest, he’s kind of a goofy guy who likes to joke around a lot. The “Deadliest Warrior” award for “battle of the badasses” goes to…..Chris Leben vs. Josh Koscheck and Bobby Southworth. Everyone knows the story between Chris Leben, Josh Koscheck, and Bobby Southworth by now. Leben was constantly harassed by Southworth and Koscheck and torn down mentally by the two, which led him to tear down things down psychically. Things were eventually settled in the octagon when Koscheck defeated Leben by unanimous decision. There have been countless of memorable, both for good and bad reasons, moments on TUF and I barely scratched the surface with everything that has happened during the 14 seasons on SpikeTV. Feel free to share your favorite TUF moments in the comments section.

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entered the Ultimate Fighter house with a singular focus.And as Saturday night's live season 14 finale at the Pearl at The Palms in Las Vegas approaches, the up-and-comer labeled a “draft dodger” by some of his teammates is one win away from reaching his goal.  All that stands in his way is Team Mayhem’s John Dodson.“I went in there to win the competition, not just be on TV, be entertaining, and have people know me,” said the 25-year-old. “I want people to know me from past the show and what I’m going to do in the future. I went in there thinking `this is a competition; I’ve gotta think about myself a little bit here.’ There were a lot of guys there that were happy just to be there, and that’s where they made their mistake.”Viewed as one of the favorites in the bantamweight competition, Dillashaw was criticized by his teammates for lobbying to face Roland Delorme in the quarterfinal round, leaving his teammate John Albert to face Dodson. For the talented Cal State Fullerton alum, it was all about sticking to his game plan, and working his way to the finals.“I knew John Dodson was a very tough fight. He’s a very athletic, quick guy, so I knew he’d be a pretty tough fight. Looking at the other guys’ backgrounds and watching their fights, I thought some of them had some holes in their games and I wanted to take advantage of it.“Yeah, I could have fought who I thought was the toughest guy right off the bat, but that’s just not the smartest decision. My quarterfinal fight was six days before my semifinal fight, and I wanted to make sure I was healthy all the way through this tournament.“If I had a barnburner fight or I was to get cut and still win the match, I wouldn’t be able to compete any more. I learned from Melvin Guillard and Josh Burkman — two of the very best guys paired up in the first round.“Burkman was a tough guy and he was like, `I’ll fight Melvin’ when no one else wanted to do it. He won the fight but breaks his arm in the process, and they’re both out of the tournament. Dana White was pissed about it.”In addition to taking a strategic approach to his time in the house, Team Bisping’s representative in the bantamweight finals said he also benefitted from being a part of one of the top teams in the sport prior to entering the competition.Dillashaw is a part of Team Alpha Male, the Sacramento-based camp that included Urijah Faber, Chad Mendes, and Joseph Benavidez. Widely regarded as the best collection of lighter weight fighters in the sport, the undefeated TUF 14 finalist said that his teammates played a big part in his success on the show.“They’re a huge part of where I am today. I’ve always known that I’m a good athlete and that I can compete, but then coming into a gym where everybody cares about how their partners are doing, and how well we improve each other has given me all the confidence in the world.“I’m able to hang with these guys that are top of the world in my weight class,” he continued. “They’re world-class guys who are fighting for titles or have fought for titles; they know what to do to prepare for that. They prepared me for every fight I had before the house. I’ve prepared like a world champion, and that’s a huge, huge confidence boost.”Those same teammates will be helping Dillashaw prepare to face Dodson in what is easily the biggest fight of his career.Having thus far only competed at regional events in California, Saturday’s bout will be his first time stepping under the bright lights and in front of the cameras, but the confident prospect isn’t worried about Octagon jitters or getting swept up in the moment.“I think going through those situations in the UFC already is going to help me out a lot,” he said of having cornered his teammates at previous UFC events. “Obviously I haven’t experienced it yet, but from what I’ve seen, I think it’s going to be easier because I know everybody that runs the shows.“I know how everything works. I know how we’re going to get prepared, what we’re going to have to do in the locker room, and the bright lights and the crowds — obviously it’s not me out there competing, but I almost get more nervous when Urijah or one of the guys is competing than when I’m out there myself.”It’s just another way training with the likes of Faber, Mendes, and Benavidez has helped prepare him for this weekend.“Ultimately, this is entertainment; people want to see good fights and that’s what I want to bring. I want to go one hundred miles per hour the entire fight, and what happens happens. That’s why I don’t think I’m going to get nervous or too pumped up by the crowd; I’m just going to go out there and have fun.”Of course, that’s not to say Dillashaw doesn’t have a plan for completing his mission.“John Dodson has been talking a little bit of crap about me, and I just want to make him look like a fool. He wants to talk all this crap about how I’m dodging him and how I want to take the easier way and how I think that the world revolves around me; I just want to kind of put him in his place.“I’m planning on finishing him and getting one of those bonuses as well. I’m going to make a statement on Saturday.”

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Filed under: UFCWednesday night's final episode of The Ultimate Fighter will show Diego Brandao getting the fight he asked for, against Bryan Caraway, with a spot on Saturday night's Ultimate Fighter Finale at stake. In an interview with MMAFighting.com, Brandao said Caraway was the guy in the Ultimate Fighter house he most wanted to fight because he took personally some of the things Caraway had said to him. Brandao also talked about the reputation he has developed over the course of this season of The Ultimate Fighter, with both UFC President Dana White and coach Michael Bisping saying that Brandao looks like a beast whom the other fighters shouldn't want to touch. And Brandao gave his thoughts about why he couldn't always get along with the other guys in the house. The interview is below. Michael David Smith: You said you wanted to fight Bryan Caraway. Why did you want him? Diego Brandao: Because Bryan Caraway got in my face and challenged me. He'd come up to me in the house and say he wanted to fight me, and I'd just say, 'F-- you man. If you want to fight me we'll see who's the best.' I didn't come in here to make friends. I came in here to destroy everyone. As you were preparing for that fight, were you able to formulate a specific game plan for Bryan? Did you have a sense for what you would need to do to win? No, it wasn't so much planning anything. I just thought, 'This is the guy I need to beat.' And I wanted to finish him. I don't like to leave it to the judges. I like to destroy the guy. Dana White said no one should want to fight you. How does it feel to hear that? It's true that no one wanted to fight me inside the house. I feel good about it but that's not in my mind yet. I'm not the best because Dana says it. I want to show I'm the best because I can beat everybody else. That's what I'm out to prove. I feel confident that I can fight the toughest guys. You didn't really seem to fit in with the other guys in the house. Did you not get along? I didn't like when the other guys would get drunk every day while I was pushing myself. Those other guys weren't training enough for me. Even if they didn't have their own fights to train for I needed them to be ready because I needed to be training and I needed people to roll with, people to hold the pads for me. I was taking it seriously and some of them weren't. Your attitude in the house seems a lot like your attitude in the cage. You mean business and you're not in there to be nice to anybody. What I want is to be like Mike Tyson. I want to become like a Wanderlei Silva, a guy who gives a great show in every fight. The guys in the 145-pound class should be scared of me. I just go out there and do my job. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

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If you think you were the only one jumping off the couch during UFC 139’s epic battle between Dan Henderson and Mauricio “Shogun” Rua earlier this month, think again. Middleweight Jason “Mayhem” Miller was right there with you.“That fired me up,” said Miller. “I feel like that should be required viewing for every mixed martial artist. That Wanderlei (Silva)-Cung Le fight and Henderson-Shogun fight, those guys just put it all out there. It was a battle of willpower and technique, and those guys were just going for it a hundred percent. Every mixed martial artist needs to look into that and see what it really, really takes to do this sport. Henderson and Shogun, those guys had their afterparties at the hospital. You have to be willing to give everything in there, and both of those guys definitely did.”That’s the difference between professional fighters and us civilians. While you could appreciate what Henderson and Rua did over 25 minutes in San Jose, you would probably jump under the covers if asked to do it yourself. But Miller, who will be the next fighter who could go 25 minutes in the Octagon when he faces Michael Bisping in the main event of this Saturday’s Ultimate Fighter 14 finale in Las Vegas, this is exactly what he signed up for.“If you have the right mentality to go into the Octagon, you should have the mentality to never quit and to leave it all in the cage,” he said. “You can’t shy away when the going gets tough.”Miller has gone the championship distance before, losing a Strikeforce middleweight title fight to then-champion Jake Shields in 2009, and despite the fact that cardio is one of Bisping’s strong suits, Miller believes his edge – a mental one – will serve him well this weekend.“I know mentally it’s one of those things that you can just push through and do it, and since I’ve been there before and I have a better feeling of what that’s like, I definitely think it will give me an edge,” he said. “But I really don’t plan on taking advantage of those five rounds. I’m trying to finish him in the first.”So we won’t be seeing Hendo-Shogun II then?“I don’t think Bisping’s good enough to do that,” said Miller of his coaching rival on TUF 14. “I think he’s a good all-around fighter, but he doesn’t stand out in one place in particular and that’s where me and him differ. I have strong punches and I have a very good grappling game, and eventually he’s going to falter and I’ll be there to take advantage of it.”Miller’s confidence is evident leading up to his much-anticipated meeting with “The Count,” but what is also present is a focus that he admitted in a recent blog post on his website, MayhemMiller.com, wasn’t always there.“It has recently occurred to me, that in the entirety of my career, I have never been 100% focused in on a fight,” he wrote. “I mean, at the time I may have believed that I was totally focused, but in retrospect it occurs to me that I had certain extenuating circumstances that were pulling me in one direction or another, and distracting me from the task at hand.”Asked about this post, Miller elaborated.“I always thought I was (focused), but in retrospect I was kinda just goofin’ off a little bit too much and not really focusing. I was like the cool kid at school who would show up with no books and just wing it. And I did that with a lot of my career, but finally I have the right people around me and I’m doing it correctly. It was my own self realizing that I need to seize these opportunities in the best way possible and alleviating those childish things that would distract me when I was younger.”Truth be told, the 30-year old Miller never shied away from the side of him that could best be described as “zany.” But it worked for him. Despite not being in the UFC for the exception of one 2005 decision loss to future welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre, Miller used his fights and his personality to build himself into a star like few have, and his wild antics even earned him a hosting gig on MTV’s ‘Bully Beatdown.’ So when he was chosen to coach on TUF 14 against Bisping, to many newer fans, Miller wasn’t a top level fighter returning to the UFC; he was the ‘Bully Beatdown’ guy. “If somebody only watches ‘Bully Beatdown’ and sees that aspect of my personality, which is the comedian side of me, they’re not gonna realize that there are a lot of layers there,” he said. “The reason I got the ‘Bully Beatdown’ job is because I’m a funny guy, and part of my humor came from how hard you have to work to do mixed martial arts. I started being the funny guy to keep morale up in a training room that so much pain is associated with. So I keep spirits light by being the funny guy and it worked out that I got a job where I could use that creative side of myself.”And after watching him lead his fighters on the show into battle over the course of the season, it was clear that there was more to him than advertised.“I knew that people were gonna get to see what I really do and what I’ve really done and what I’m good at on The Ultimate Fighter, and that’s training and fighting,” he said. “I’ve been doing this since I was like 17 years old, and it’s the thing that I know the best. So I knew that people were gonna be in for a surprise when I signed up for The Ultimate Fighter. And that was fine with me. I didn’t change anything or have to play anything up for the cameras. I just went in, they gave me the job, and I tried to do my job as best as possible.”As a bonus, the show marked his return to the organization for the first time since the St-Pierre bout more than six years ago, a period that saw him go 12-3 with 1 NC, and that included wins over Robbie Lawler, Tim Kennedy, Hiromitsu Miura, and Kazushi Sakuraba, with his only losses coming against Shields, “Jacare” Souza, and Frank Trigg.“I knew it was a matter of time,” said Miller of ending up back in the UFC. “I’m one of the rare exceptions of mixed martial arts that have gone outside of UFC and become popular. I did my own thing and kinda built myself, and I knew that I would be back working with the biggest and best promotion in the world eventually; it was a timing thing and suddenly the timing worked out just fine.”If Miller’s focused, confident, and geared up for battle, he couldn’t be more on point when it comes to timing, and having Bisping as a foil for a little bout of trash talking that has been going on since TUF14 was announced can’t hurt. But California’s Miller admits that he really doesn’t need that kind of fuel to get up for the fight.“I didn’t need any extra motivation,” he said. “But this guy’s attitude is so funny, and I can never get away from it. He’s a bully, and if you stand up to the bully, he’s gonna break. And we saw that throughout the entire season. He would pick on other guys, and then when I got in his face, he would kinda shy away. And once we meet in the cage, there’s not gonna be anywhere for him to run. He can’t avoid fighting me.”And beating Bisping is far from the be all, end all for Miller. He’s a well-traveled veteran who has seen it all in the fight game over the years. Now that he’s found a home in the UFC, he has only one final goal in the sport.“My goal is to get a belt,” he said. “That’s why I’m in here. And I know I can beat (UFC middleweight champion) Anderson Silva; I just need to get in front of him. You put me in front of him, I’m the champion, and I say that with one hundred percent conviction. I know that styles make fights and I know I can get him on the floor and submit him. I definitely can do it, so I just need to get that chance, and whoever stands in front of me is gonna fall. That’s all that I’m thinking about at this point in my life. I have a title run in me that needs to come out, and I know I can walk out of the cage with the belt around my waist.”That’s pretty serious talk from the ‘Bully Beatdown guy,’ and maybe, just maybe, it will be all business from here on out for “Mayhem” Miller.“As far as my fighting career is concerned, that (winning a title) is the reason I go to the gym,” he said. “And I think for many years, that wasn’t the reason. Maybe it was because it seemed so far away that I didn’t have the same motivation. My motivation before was to just put on exciting fights. That was all I wanted to do – entertain everybody. Now I have a renewed interest in the fight game because I know that the way the middleweight division shakes out, I can get a belt. So I’m gonna do it.”

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The standard formula may say a 35-year old Mixed Martial Artist with nearly sixty professional fights is past his prime or “over the hill” as it were. However, UFC lightweight Yves Edwards has never fit into any mold other than those of a well-rounded fighter. Fresh off an October knockout of Rafaello Oliveira, Edwards’ next challenge comes this weekend against Ultimate Fighter 13 winner Tony Ferguson who impressed the world a few months back by breaking Aaron Riley’s jaw at UFC 135. It’s one the native Texan greets with open arms and a gas tank with more fuel left in it than people with half of his experience would have. “A few years ago, that might have made me feel old, but I’ve heard it so much lately,” explained Edwards in an interview with the UFC’s website. “I work out with so many guys that were in high school when I was fighting, and that’s the way it is now. But I don’t feel old. I still feel like I did in my first UFC fight and I keep plugging away. But when people say ‘man, I used to watch this guy when I was in high school,’ I think at this point, I guess I take it as a compliment that I’m still around.” Edwards credits the secret of longevity to a number of factors including lifestyle choices and the modern age in general. “They say 40 is the new 30, or something like that, and I don’t necessarily agree with that – I think 40 is 40,” said Edwards with a laugh. “But I think the way the world is now, people are competitive longer, people are healthy longer, and with better food, better medicine, and better things like that, guys are able to compete at a higher level for a longer amount of time. You get guys like Junior Seau, who just recently retired, and they say you can’t play 14-15 years in the NFL, but he did. And it has to do with how well you take care of yourself, the people you surround yourself with, and the way you train. You have to find that middle ground where you’re pushing yourself constantly and constantly improving, but at the same time, you’re not breaking your body down and putting yourself in harm’s way.” And, like Ferguson or any other fighter still in his twenties, Edwards has the same end-goal in mind with no timetable on giving up in terms of achieving it. “I’m trying to get to the top,” the 41-17-1 journeyman revealed. “There’s no other reason to do it. It’s like a tournament with a million guys in it, so it’s not likely that everybody’s gonna get a shot to get to the top, but I’m gonna shoot for as high as I can possibly get, and a title shot is the ultimate goal. If I fall short of that, it’s to get as high as I can possibly get before I’m all done.” Edwards and Ferguson fight on the Ultimate Fighter 14 Finale main card this Saturday night at 8:00 PM EST on Spike TV. The show is headlined by Jason Miller and Michael Bisping settling their personal differences and attempting to move into the upper-echelon of title contendership. Bisping Wants to Send Miller to the Hospital PHOTO CREDIT – UFC Tweet

Posted in: ufc, guy, i ’m, people, edward

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Maybe Bob Arum wasn't a total moron when he said MMA was full of skinheads. They just all happen to be several thousand miles away over in Moscow. Suspiciously named clothing company 'White Rex' has organized several underground MMA fight clubs in the past few months and they look delightfully illegal and unsafe. Unfortunately the whole thing seems drenched in creepy right wing nationalist imagery. I didn't see any swastikas or anything but based on all the crusader imagery I don't think these guys have progressive attitudes towards immigration. Or maybe this is all in my mind like with the Hoelzer Reich guys and I'm the one being a fascist.

Posted in: fight, guy, clothing company, fight organization, right wing

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At 35, UFC lightweight Yves Edwards can’t be considered “old,” but when you’ve been fighting professionally for more than 14 years, you do get subtle reminders here and there about just how long you’ve been around.Recently, the veteran got a jolt when arranging a flight for one of his training partners, Bubba Jenkins, to go out to Austin for some pre-training camp workouts.“I asked him for his birth date, he said 1988, and I was like ‘holy crap, I’m 13 years older than this kid,’” laughed Edwards, who also saw his opponent on this Saturday’s Ultimate Fighter 14 finale card, Tony Ferguson, respectfully note that he was in high school when the creator of “Thug-Jitsu” was making his Octagon debut.“A few years ago, that might have made me feel old, but I’ve heard it so much lately,” Said Edwards. “I work out with so many guys that were in high school when I was fighting, and that’s the way it is now. But I don’t feel old. I still feel like I did in my first UFC fight and I keep plugging away. But when people say ‘man, I used to watch this guy when I was in high school,’ I think at this point, I guess I take it as a compliment that I’m still around.”Edwards is more than just “around” though. Winner of four of his last five (three in the UFC), with the only loss coming by way of a perfect left hook from Sam Stout at UFC 131 in June, the Texas standout is on the right track to introducing himself to new fans and reminding the old ones just why he was considered one of the top 155-pounders in the world back when the UFC had the lightweight division on hiatus. And with a win over TUF13 winner Ferguson on national TV this weekend, he can also erase the last image many had of him, losing to Stout.“There’s an old saying that you’re only as good as your last fight, but I think, with the way the world works, and how visible things are now, you’re only as good as the last fight people have seen you in,” said Edwards, who bounced back from the Stout defeat with an impressive second round TKO of Rafaello Oliveira in October. “So the fact that some people haven’t seen my fight with Oliveira, even though they know the result, the last thing seared into their brain is me and Stout.”That’s the power of TV, and it’s been the curse for Edwards and the many fighters who came up with him in late 90’s and early part of the new Millennium. There weren’t fights on TV nearly every weekend back then, and certainly none on basic cable or now on the FOX network, so reputations were spread by word of mouth, with the most intrepid of fans hunting down VHS tapes or early DVD versions of fights like Edwards’ two classics with Aaron Riley (who ironically was Ferguson’s last Octagon victim). So there’s a whole new education process when it comes to reintroducing the vets, but what they may lack in exposure, they make up for with experience, savvy and talent when the bell rings. And luckily, Edwards is able to mix up old and new at the American Top Team gym in Coconut Creek, Florida.“At ATT, we’ve got a lot of veterans – myself, Thiago Alves, Mike Brown – and you get a lot of young guys like Bubba Jenkins, and Mirsad (Bektic) and Anton Kuivanen, so it’s like a tradeoff,” he explains. “The old guys bring their experience, their tricks of the trade and everything they’ve done for years and the things they’ve had success with to the room, and the young guys bring that energy and that wide-eyed innocence, and it all comes together and meshes and makes this delicious fight ratatouille thing.”Being in an era where top-level athletes can stay on top a lot longer than they used to benefits Edwards as well, and by staying disciplined, eating right, and living a clean lifestyle, he’s been able to beat younger opponents like Oliveira (29), Cody McKenzie (23), and John Gunderson (32).“Things are changing,” he said. “They say 40 is the new 30, or something like that, and I don’t necessarily agree with that – I think 40 is 40 (Laughs). But I think the way the world is now, people are competitive longer, people are healthy longer, and with better food, better medicine, and better things like that, guys are able to compete at a higher level for a longer amount of time. You get guys like Junior Seau, who just recently retired, and they say you can’t play 14-15 years in the NFL, but he did. And it has to do with how well you take care of yourself, the people you surround yourself with, and the way you train. You have to find that middle ground where you’re pushing yourself constantly and constantly improving, but at the same time, you’re not breaking your body down and putting yourself in harm’s way.”In boxing, 40-somethings Bernard Hopkins and Glen Johnson have been fighting at a world-class level far beyond what used to be the standard combat sports retirement age. Dan Henderson is currently doing the same thing in the UFC, and we all know what Hall of Famer Randy Couture was able to pull off in the Octagon. Yet it’s more than just eating and training right. When you’ve been fighting and competing for much of your adult life, you learn subtle things that younger athletes just can’t pick up until they’ve been through the wars. And in a tough fight, sometimes guile makes up for youthful energy and athletic prowess.“That’s where experience comes into play,” said Edwards. “When you do something so many times, over and over again, the little subtleties of it become things that you use to your advantage, but you also take for granted because you don’t think about them. Subconsciously you know those little details and know how to work around them or work with them.”At the same time, Edwards (41-17-1) knows that he can’t rely on experience alone, because with many young fighters coming up learning MMA from Day One and others coming into the sport with years of experience in other disciplines, it’s always going to be a race in which you’re trying to stay one step ahead of the competition.“That experience gap is smaller now because you have these guys that are coming in from college wrestling and that have had 120 matches throughout college,” he said. “Although they haven’t been punched in the face or kicked in the head, they’ve been in combat and competition, and they know the feeling. So I definitely think that those things help, but the gaps are smaller now.”And getting punched in the face always equalizes things.“That changes everything,” laughs Edwards, who has done that whole punching in the face thing better than most in his profession over the last 14-plus years. He’s not finished yet either. In fact, the only goal at this point isn’t to be a gatekeeper for the next generation, but to be the man at the top they’re all gunning for.“I’m trying to get to the top,” he said. “There’s no other reason to do it. It’s like a tournament with a million guys in it, so it’s not likely that everybody’s gonna get a shot to get to the top, but I’m gonna shoot for as high as I can possibly get, and a title shot is the ultimate goal. If I fall short of that, it’s to get as high as I can possibly get before I’m all done.”

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Video of War Machine’s first post-jail fight against Roger Huerta at UWF 1 has hit the web. It was a gritty back-and-forth battle until the third round when War manages to break Huerta’s rib with a knee during a scramble. As Huerta winced in pain from side control, War was able to reverse the position, secure mount and finish a clearly injured Huerta with punches. Huerta explained the bizarre ending on Facebook: “Hey guys, thx again for the messages. So Yeah, left the hospital earlier this morning and it’s a broken rib. Happened in the scramble when I ended up in half guard late in the 3rd round. Thought I could hold him there but it was to painful. I should of called it off there but I guess my stubbornness in not calling it got the best of me. sorry guys… You know, I’m not sure what’s going on…I was winning this fight till the rib broke(or at least I felt this). It wasn’t like he punched it and broke it. It just gave out and I couldn’t breath. Weirdest thing. My hats off to him though. It was a good fight all in all. But again thank you guys deeply for the nice messages and for your support. Hope you guys enjoyed the fight either way” Tough break for Huerta, but not the kind of performance he should hang his head on. HT: IronForgesIron, CagePotato, MiddleEasy

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So like the title said, I've been attending a local MMA gym for a while and have got to know the guys a bit more. I've been fighting for a while (kickboxing & muay thai), but these were before I came out, so there was nothing to be afraid of. Now I've been out to everybody from my family, friends, work, etc. At the gym, no one knows because the "you have a girlfriend' conversation never comes up surprisingly (this is usually where I say something like "uhh, I have a boyfriend"). The difference between MMA and a lot of the stuff I've taken before is the kickboxing/muay thai was generally stand-up...so I'm sure people wouldn't be as uncomfortable. But what bothers me (and why I'm asking you guys) is MMA involves a lot of ground game. I have ZERO interest in rolling around with anybody for some sort of sexual reason, and it pisses me off that people might think that, but how will the guys at my gym know that? How would you react, or how do you think people at your gym would react? And please be honest... submitted by mma3234 [link] [18 comments]

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If you are reading this Victor Cui, you need to get Phil Baroni behind the mic with Bas and the other gentleman whose name escapes me at the next One FC show. If The New York Badass isn't fighting that is. Sure, an exciting fight like the one you are about to see between a reformed War Machine and an always handsome Roger Huerta makes it easy for a commentator like Baroni to have a great performance, but I don't care, he's awesome. You know what? I'm changing this article midway through to address Dana White as well. Phil Baroni should, no, must be placed solo behind the mic at all future UFC shows. Seat him directly behind the octagon posts just like at this Ultimate Warrior Fighting event while void of any type of monitor. This will enable Baroni to use his natural charisma while free roaming about cage side, directing the production crew to point the cameras at the ring girls' butts just like he did on Saturday. Watch the welterweight action and the highly entertaining Baroni below. Roger Huerta took to his Facebook page to explain the strange ending to the fight. "Hey guys, thx again for the messages. So Yeah, left the hospital earlier this morning and it's a broken rib. Happened in the scramble when I ended up in half guard late in the 3rd round. Thought I could hold him there but it was to painful. I should of called it off there but I guess my stubbornness in not calling it got the best of me. sorry guys... You know, I'm not sure what's going on...I was winning this fight till the rib broke(or at least I felt this). It wasn't like he punched it and broke it. It just gave out and I couldn't breath. Weirdest thing. My hats off to him though. It was a good fight all in all. But again thank you guys deeply for the nice messages and for your support. Hope you guys enjoyed the fight either way" [Source]

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Filed under: UFCNo fight fan is in any danger of confusing Miguel Torres for Muhammad Ali. One's a skinny bantamweight MMA fighter with a mullet, and the other is Muhammad Ali. But even though they might be separated by a few decades and many, many pounds, both owe the genesis of their fight careers to a specific type of childhood anguish: the stolen bike. Torres' bike had been a gift from his uncle. It wasn't exactly top of the line, but it had the word 'Ambush' written across the side, which was undeniably cool for reasons Torres couldn't quite explain. He'd made it even cooler by covering much of the bike in duct tape. "You know, so it was camouflaged," he says. One Friday afternoon he rode his bike down to a local shrimp joint to get a basket of french fries to split with his friends, but the proprietor wouldn't let him bring his bike inside. Torres didn't have a lock, so he left it just outside, where he could see the front tire through the window. "But this was when [arcade game] Mortal Kombat first came out," he says with a sigh. "I came in for the food, but all I heard was 'Finish him!'" You know where this is going. Torres had some change in his pocket, and what kid in the early 90s could resist the magnetic pull of a good video game -- especially Mortal Kombat? Torres tried to keep an eye on that bike tire through the window, but he got absorbed in the game, taking on one challenger after another. When he glanced over his shoulder at the end of it all, no more bike. "It was the first time I'd ever had anything stolen from me," he says. "I was crushed. I ran around the whole block screaming, 'Where's my bike!?'" When that didn't yield the result he was hoping for, Torres went home to "lift weights." And by weights, he means bricks. It was the closest thing he could find to a weight set in his neighborhood, and all he knew was that he needed to get stronger if he was going to be ready when he finally came face to face with the bike thief. He also convinced his parents to let him take some Taekwondo lessons, "until I found out it was all bulls--t." He'd go to school and his friends on the wrestling team would taunt him, calling him 'karate boy' and challenging him to show them his stuff. "Then they'd take me down and get me in just the worst holds you can imagine. It sucked." But little by little, Torres was learning different art forms from whatever sources he could find. A little taekwondo here, some wrestling there, even a trip to a local boxing gym where they sparred on bare feet on a concrete floor. During one such session Torres so angered an older sparring partner with his frantic Jeff Speakman routine that the man threw off his gloves and double-legged him onto the concrete floor before choking the teenage Torres with his own t-shirt. Afterward, "the guy told me, 'That's jiu-jitsu.' I was like, I have to learn that." Somewhere along the way Torres became a martial arts junkie. He read all the books, held himself to a rigid diet he didn't fully understand, took challenge matches wherever he could find them. All that was left was to find a real fight, a pro fight, something that would test him. This is where Finke's came in. If you look at Torres' record, it'll tell you that his first fight was against Larry Pulliam at Finke's Full Contact Challenge in March of 2000. That sounds pretty official, at least until you realize that Finke's was the name of a local bar in Highland, Indiana, and the "Full Contact Challenge" was more or less a gimmick to try and drum up a crowd for those slow Monday nights. "I had this idea about how it would be, but I walked in that bar and it was almost empty. It was just these shady characters -- bikers, gang-bangers. They gave me this form to fill out, and it was basically a cheap contract saying I wouldn't sue if I got hurt or killed. After that, it was: real name, stage name, height, weight, and age. That was it. There was no scale to check your weight. No athletic commission. You could wrap your hands if you wanted or you could not wrap your hands. All they checked was mouthpiece and cup." Even that requirement proved difficult for some of the fighters. Some of them had brought boil-and-bite mouthpieces -- the cheap ones that you can form to your teeth after a quick dunk in hot water -- but they hadn't even bothered to take them out of the package before fight night. Maybe it was just as well, because they ended up passing the mouthpieces back and forth, among other things. "There were guys literally saying, 'Hey, if you let me use your mouthpiece, I'll let you use my cup,'" Torres says. "And they'd be there after the fights swapping mouthpieces and cups. Guys who weren't even wearing jockstraps were just shoving someone else's cup in their shorts." As Torres was warming up backstage, one of his coaches stretched him out while attempting to impart various Eastern philosophies. Ebb and flow. Yin and yang. That sort of stuff. His boxing coach had different advice, and it involved "[expletive]ing this guy up" and then befriending the strippers who'd been hired to serve as ring girls. Only maybe it wasn't quite so delicately put. "That was the last thing I heard before I went in there. And in my mind I had this idea of what a fight should be, just this war. I had images of me hitting him and him hurting me and me getting cut and bleeding, but coming back and winning the fight. Like a Rocky movie or a kung fu movie. I thought the whole 15-minute fight would be like that. I was thinking of all the Bruce Lee books I'd read, The Art of War. All that." Instead what happened was that Pulliam came forward, was backed off by a Torres head kick attempt -- "the worst kick you can imagine," he says -- and then came forward again, straight into a Torres left hook. That was all it took. Pulliam went down, attempted to get back to his feet, then collapsed again. The ref had no choice but to stop it. "I looked at my corner like, that's it?" Torres says. "I didn't want to get out of the ring. I was so upset. I wanted to fight again." The crowd loved it. So did his coaches. But Torres left the ring with a disappointed feeling in the pit of his stomach. That disappointment continued when Finke's employees explained that, while he was old enough to fight in their establishment, he wasn't old enough to drink there. "I thought at least I'd get to hang out in the bar. But no, they kicked me out because I was underage. They were all hanging out, drinking with the strippers, but I was outside in the car eating McDonald's." Torres stayed there waiting for his coaches to return for, by his estimation, "about four hours." Not exactly the victory party you imagine for yourself after your first professional win, but Torres was already hooked. Even though 'MMA fighter' wasn't much of an actual job description in the spring of 2000, Torres "knew right away that this was what I wanted to do." He'd go on to fight many more bouts at Finke's while trying to keep it a secret from his family, but word spread about the skinny Mexican kid who never lost a bout. Not long after, Torres' father was injured by a crane at a construction site where he was working. When Torres went to see him in the hospital one day he found that his father had had a visit from a work friend who told him all about seeing his son fight down at the sports bar. The secret was out. "So I told him all about it," Torres says. "He said, 'How much are they paying you?' I was like, I don't fight for money. I fight for the art, for respect. I was an idealist. And my dad, from his hospital bed, he reached out and smacked me on the back of the neck." Torres' father's friend had told him all about how the guys from the construction crew loved these fight nights, how they paid $25 a head to get in, how the young Torres was quickly becoming a major draw. "My dad said, 'You've got to get paid. This guy's making money off you, and you're the one getting hurt.' So I went back and talked to the promoter and told him I wanted to start getting paid." And he did. For his next fight, Torres made the princely sum of $100. It was enough to fill his Camaro up with gas and still have enough to take a girl out on a date. Plus, it was money he'd earned with his art, his skills. It was perfect. It was everything he thought he needed at the time, and it was just the beginning. Check out past installments of My First Fight, featuring "Mayhem" Miller, Rashad Evans, and more. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

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Eric Prindle is as big as they come as far as heavyweight mixed martial arts (MMA) fighters are concerned. The U.S. army veteran stands 6'5" and has to cut more than 20 pounds to make the 265-pound heavyweight division limit, packing quite a wallop in his strikes. Drawing from a vast striking background while boxing for the armed forces, Prindle has developed quickly after transitioning to MMA mainly because of the fact that he's not afraid to branch out with his training. "The American Soldier" calls Prescott, Ariz., his home, but he's traveled to the great north to train alongside Brock Lesnar at the DeathClutch gym, too. Prindle has made his name while competing in the season five Bellator heavyweight tournament, notably knocking out the previously undefeated Ron Sparks in just 40 seconds in the semifinals just one month ago. He's set to take on fearsome Brazilian Thiago Santos in the tournament finals at Bellator 59 tonight (Nov. 26, 2011), but beforehand, he spoke with me during an appearance on Bloody Elbow Radio about his history, why fighting friends is okay, as well as sharing a hard-hitting tale about the reason he lives like each day like it's his last. Check it out: Matt Bishop: You're coming off a big first round knockout of Ron Sparks at Bellator 56. How are you feeling? Eric Prindle: I'm doing okay. I can't complain, I'm alive. I got to see my family and kids so I'm loving life. Matt Bishop: That's two fights in a month now for you in this tournament. I know you've had short turnarounds in the past but these are against two very tough guys. How's your body feeling going though such a grind? Eric Prindle: Oh, I'm doing good. I love it. I think you get more and more in shape so it's not such a big haul. After you fight, a lot of guys get lazy and get out of shape but there's no time to get back out of shape. I've just had to be smart with my training unlike when I was younger. I'm trying to keep learning and I'm around a bunch of good guys and good teachers so I love life. Matt Bishop: You knocked out Ron Sparks in 40 seconds on Saturday night and he was undefeated before that. Was that a situation going in where you knew that the first guy to connect clean could go out? Eric Prindle: I think any heavyweight fight, if you connect good, it could be the end. When you've got a lot of weight behind your punch, it's basically where you hit the guy. I've hit guys in boxing hard as heck and didn't knock 'em out and I've hit guys just right with a jab and knocked 'em out. Really, it matters where the punch is and how fast it's coming in. Honestly, I didn't think I hurt him and that's why I kept punching after that. I thought he was gonna go for my knee or something. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): You showcased some compassion after that fight as well. You went from killer mode to being really concerned about his safety at the drop of a hat. It was a very quick turnaround where the second that fight was over, you were checking to make sure he was okay. I thought that was a really good thing for the sport of MMA. Eric Prindle: Oh, thank you. For me, it's like this stuff, I've been in combat and all that sort of stuff so even though this is a job and I try to force myself to look at it like they're trying to take money from my family, that way I can get some intensity, spitting vinegar somewhat in the game. I think everybody now, with the economy the way it is, everybody's hurting. I wish America wasn't like that but hopefully things will get better and everybody will be happy like in the 50s. Those were the good 'ol days.  Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): I've got to ask, you mentioned the combat experience. I want to delve into more of what makes Eric Prindle tick. I know you had a history in the armed forces and you were an amateur boxer with over 100 fights. Can you tell us a little bit about your experience in fighting before you transitioned to MMA? Eric Prindle: Yeah, well when I was young, I think around 13 years old, I started kickboxing. I was doing Muay Thai and AKA kickboxing. Basically, there was no one at my weight at my age so I was ending up fighting 18, 20, 25 year olds and I won all my fights kickboxing, usually knockout and I think I had 10 fights, got out of that, started doing the women thing. I was chasing women, started doing power lifting, got into the army. Basically, I went to my unit, did well, got top sniper and all that sort of stuff. The army does boxing smokers and the commander said to me, "Hey, if you can win this, beat this other unit, I'll give you four days off." That's a big deal when you're a private in that kind of thing and I won the boxing smoker, won 101st airborne division title, they sent me to All-Army and I won that five years in a row. I went to Armed Forces and won that. I even went to CISM which is a world military games and basically boxed all around the world. I fought in Russia, you name it, I fought there. I went back into the regular army and went into World Class Athletic Program, WCAP and we trained at the Olympic training center in Colorado Springs. Bobby Lashley was in WCAP and a bunch of kinda well-known athletes were there. I got hurt, got released from the army as 100 percent permanent total which allows me to work or do whatever I can and I was at a friend's house and we were watching some heavyweights fight and I was kinda talking smack about it and my friend owned a gym. I went to the gym the next day and sparred the heavyweights and pretty much whooped their butts standing up and loved it ever since. I love every part of MMA and I love the camaraderie, I missed that from the army, just being able to trust your friends and it's pretty much like family. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): Wonderful and to bring it back to your current run here, I want to talk about your upcoming fight with Thiago Santos. You went out and you beat Ron Sparks in 40 seconds and he goes out and he beats Neil Grove in 38. What did you think of his performance? Eric Prindle: I think it was good. He's a little wild standing up. Obviously, he's good on the ground. I think stand up-wise, he's a little wild and it's definitely gonna be a good fight when me and him get in the cage and I can't wait to do it. I'll tell you what, I'm coming with the knowledge in my head that if I win this, my life's gonna be better for my family and that's a dangerous thing. We'll see what happens on that date and I'm gonna give everything I can to do the best job. Matt Bishop: What are some of the things that you feel you need to improve on for your fight with Santos and hopefully Cole Konrad?  Eric Prindle: I'm trying to improve every aspect of MMA. From the cardio, to the ground, everything. As an MMA fighter, you need to evolve and keep learning, keep trying to get better. If you're not, win, lose or draw, you're not gonna grow as a human being. I'm just training with Busted Knuckle. A friend of mine, Chris Mack, we trained together when we were kids and he has a couple world titles. I train with him in my kickboxing. I train with Erik Paulson as well. I train with a bunch of guys and I go to different camps if they'll have me, trying to get the best work I can. One thing I pulled from the army is you need to practice how you fight. It doesn't matter, down to the smallest details, visualizing, doing everything you can in that fight. For me, it's winning every exchange, whatever it is, whether it's on the ground or stand-up, I definitely want to try to win every exchange and if you can do that, more than likely you're gonna come out on top. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): So that Erik Paulson, is that the same Paulson that works at Death Clutch with Brock Lesnar? Eric Prindle: I train with Brock Lesnar, Cole Konrad. I was in their camp for a while. The last time when he went and fought Cain Velasquez, I actually got called to go back to Iraq so I couldn't go to their camp but I've trained with all the guys from there. I think they're a bunch of great, awesome guys and if they want me back, I'll definitely come. I think, in my opinion, that's the best heavyweight camp you can get. All those guys are walking around 300 pounds and they're definitely gonna make my wrestling better. That's basically what I look for, who the training partners are gonna be and who the coaches are gonna be. I think if you do that, you're gonna be very prepared for your fight. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): What are your thoughts on potentially fighting a guy in Cole Konrad that you've worked with and trained with? Does it give you any hesitation moving forward? Eric Prindle: No, I fought Josh Burns and he was a really good friend of mine. For me, it's not anything mean or anything. I know Cole is one of the best MMA heavyweights in the world so I want to fight him and I want to try to beat him. It doesn't matter. I want to beat the best Cole Konrad I can and it's like I would be doing him a dishonor if I didn't come 100 percent and try to beat him. I think, for me, it's not anything about aggression or any of that. It's kinda like a chess match and we're doing our job and trying to win and make money and keep going forward. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): You mentioned fighting your friend Josh Burns and Thiago Santos also had to fight him in an alternate bout so you both actually share a common opponent. Is there anything also that you saw in his fight against Josh Burns that might be able to help you out? Eric Prindle: Definitely. I saw he was phenomenal on the ground. Josh Burns made a little mistake. Santos was hitting him behind the head and he kinda looked at the ref, which is kind of a mistake but maybe I would have done that too. You never know until you're in that situation but it didn't look like Santos wanted to stand up with him. Josh Burns is one of the best guys, his hand speed, he has great power so I definitely know Santos is not gonna want to stand up with me from that fight. Who knows, though? Maybe he's been working on it and he's gonna test that. We'll see when our fight comes and like I said, I'm gonna do the best and I'm gonna have the best trainers I can possibly get and the best training partners. I'll do everything I can do be in the best shape to come in there and fight. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): They've mentioned this a couple times during the broadcast of your fights, do you really cut down from 300 pounds to make the 265 pound limit? Eric Prindle: My first fight with Josh Burns I was. I was over 300 pounds and I've been trying to keep off the weight. I've been basically trying to trim off all my body fat. I've been sticking around about 284-285 and I can't get lower than that but I think that's not too bad of a cut especially when you're a large guy, you have more weight to drop so it doesn't effect you as much as these little guys that cut 30 pounds. That's phenomenal. They're machines. Matt Bishop: We'll wrap this up with one question from the listeners. What keeps Eric Prindle so humble? Eric Prindle: What keeps Eric Prindle so humble? Probably going around the world and seeing what can happen and being in situations where the next day might not be, might not wake up. Tomorrow isn't just given to us, it might not be there so every day I try to live like the next day I'm gonna die because you never know. I lost my brother not too long ago. It's kinda funny, he woke up, he died at work but he woke up, he took his keychain off and he'd had that for probably 6-8 years, took it off, gave it to his kids. My brother wasn't a real emotional guy but that day he kissed his son and went to work and died a couple hours later. We never know when we're gonna die, when we're not gonna be here so I try to always keep that in mind. Even though I'm injured a bit and I've been through some stuff, someone always has it worse so I just try to keep that in mind and I hope I never act like some people act and I don't think I will. Some stuff changes you and you change as a person and keep growing. If I die, hopefully I'll go to heaven and basically I'm making up for a lot of mistakes when I was younger. We'll see if I make it up. Eric would like to thank Busted Knuckle, all his gyms he trains at, his sponsors and Subway for helping him keep the weight off. So what do you think, Maniacs? Will Prindle's boxing be the key to victory tonight? Were you stunned like I was at the sheer brutal honesty in each of his responses?  Speak up!

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On Sat., Nov. 19, 2011, Michael Chandler made good on his guarantee by defeating highly-touted former Bellator Fighting Championships lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez for his belt at Bellator 58 in Hollywood, Fla., in truly sensational fashion. Some fans and mixed martial arts (MMA) pundits were shocked. Chandler wasn't. Beating Alvarez was always the plan. It's the reason he signed with Bellator in the first place. Earlier this week, "The Brute" sat down with Pro MMA Radio's Larry Pepe to discuss his newly acquired title, his belief in himself and the path that brought him to where he is today:  "Yeah I mean, I knew signing with Bellator was the road I wanted to walk down and I wanted to see how it all played out. Take a couple fights before the tournament. Fight in the tournament. Win the tournament. Win the title shot. Win the belt. That just kinda how I saw it playing out and the tournament was a means to an end. That was the means to my goal. I couldn't get the title shot unless I got through those three guys. I don't want people to think I'm some cocky guy who pops off at the mouth and just looks past people. I took every one of those fights very seriously, but I'm a firm believe that you can't get where you're going unless you, number one, believe that you deserve to be there and, number two, just really, really see yourself getting there. You'll never get there unless you truly see yourself getting there before it happens. Envision it. You have to believe that you deserve to accomplish what you tell people that you want to accomplish. That's why I wanted people to know that I wasn't just here to make the money from the first fight or win the money from the second fight. I wasn't there to win the $100,000 check. I was there to get the title shot. And once I got the opportunity, I worked my butt off for those six or seven months in between the tournament and the title shot. The fruits of my labor paid off. I just knew I was gonna win. That's the confidence I bring to the cage." After the jump, MMAmania.com will discuss Chandler's upset win, as well as the impact it may have on the Bellator lightweight division: Chandler was an NCAA Division I wrestler at the University of Missouri. Wrestling is his base. And it's what directed him toward pursuing a career in MMA. To make himself a more well-rounded fighter, Chandler has spent time with prominent boxing coach, Gil Martinez, to work on his punching, as well as his overall striking game. Chandler credits Martinez for helping him prepare for everything that Alvarez had to bring to the table: "Gil Martinez is my boxing coach. He started off as just a boxing coach, but now he's a big-time MMA boxing coach. And really, for me, he's my all-around coach. We talk strategy, we talk gameplan, obviously we talk boxing and we talk the whole preparation, as a whole, for the fights. I'm really blessed to have him in my corner. We went over some tape together Gil studied three or four of his fights. Even stuff like in-between rounds. Gil is one of those guys that gets the fight game. He'll pick up on little cues during the fight and he knows exactly what to say to me in the corner. I looked at some film, not a ton, because I wanted to focus more on what I was gonna do. But I knew some of Eddie's tendencies and we were able to exploit some of those. He hit with me a lot of shots, but I think we were able to see a lot of them coming as well." It was a huge win for Chandler who not only defeated the champion, but also a fighter who was ranked in the lightweight top 10 by almost every ranking system. After being upset by Chandler, there will be many who will say that Alvarez didn't deserve to be so highly ranked to begin with. Chandler disagrees: "I’m not really into the whole MMA game. I train hard and I love my training and I love my fights, but I don’t really know a lot about the rankings. I don’t know a lot of the talk and the gossip about this-and-that and statistics. Eddie’s been around for a long time. He’s beat a lot of guys. Wherever they had him, I think he deserved to be there. I think he was ranked somewhere like three, four and some places, all the way up to eight. Some had him at about five. I’d say that was about right." Regardless of how Chandler feels, people are going to talk. The loss certainly hurts Alvarez's chances of getting a call from the bigwigs at Zuffa anytime soon. Either way, the storyline has changed. Alvarez may eventually work his way back into the title picture, but for now, it's all about Chandler. The new champion doesn't see himself going anywhere for a while. He enjoys fighting for Bellator and is excited about the potential that the promotion has to offer, especially now with their new deal with Viacom: "I don't think I necessarily need to be in the UFC. I just need to be in an opportunity where I can fight those top ten guys. Who knows what's gonna happen? I think you could be seeing some things as far as Bellator signing some big name guys. Look at where Bellator is. Now with the Viacom buyout and all that kinda stuff. There's definitely some things going on. I was a true testament to Bellator's recruiting process. Bellator is here to stay, so who knows? Whatever Bellator's got for me. Whatever my management's got for me. I just wanna be the best. I'll just keep training to be that. I know nothing's gonna go wrong with my career. Everything's gonna be a step in the right direction, whatever that may might be." The question remains: Will Chandler actually see any top 10 guys if he stays with Bellator? For now, it would appear to not be the case, but only time will tell. Do you Maniacs think Chandler will be sitting atop of the Bellator pile of lightweights for a while? Do you think his win over Alvarez exposed the former champion as being overrated, or is Chandler just that good? Comments please!

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Sweep the leg! Fresh off the recent announcement that Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) welterweight prospect Rick Story signed a four-fight contract extension with the promotion, despite losing back-to-back fights, a former training partner has come forward with a chilling training tale that involved "The Horror." Mike Pierce, also a player in the UFC's loaded 170-pound division, trained alongside Story at Brave Legion Gym. That is until Pierce witnessed an incident so disturbing that he says it compelled him to train elsewhere. As a guest on Joe Show Radio, Pierce detailed an incident in training during which Story laid down a brutal beating on a mixed martial arts (MMA) amateur who apparently just wasn't doing it right. Read Pierce's detailed account after the jump (full audio is also included): "This kid drove all the way from Iowa. He was a wrestler, a wrestler looking to be an MMA guy, he hardly didn't have any experience, out to Vancouver, WA to learn how to fight. And you know, [the trainer] was getting frustrated with him because he was doing what beginners do when they get beat on by a guy that's really experienced, you know. He was covering up, backing away, putting his his head down. Typical beginner-like stuff. And he [the trainer] was getting frustrated, so he told myself and Ricky just to go in there and knock this guy out. That's not what you do to teammates, man. There's a time and a place for that, but in the training room? That's probably a little far.... I refused to do it, and I went in there and sparred like you're supposed to spar. And Ricky went in there and just starts wailing on the guy. And keep in mind that this kid had already had some sort of a head trauma anyway, where he was having vertigo issues. He would sleep and lay in his bed at night and look at the ceiling and it would spin. Okay, obviously there was some sort of a head trauma with the guy. And then, Ricky goes in there and starts wailing on this guy.... Now you know, we're just boxing. It's just boxing sparring. So the guy takes a knee after taking a few nasty shots. Takes a knee with one hand on his head and the other one waving off saying 'Hold on, hold on, my head', and then you know, [the trainer's] all over saying 'F**k it, keeping hitting him'. So Ricky grabs him by the back of the head and starts uppercutting him in the face, like that's okay?... I was just shaking my head, like, you gotta be f**king kidding me, man." Chilling to say the least if it is indeed entirely accurate. Story, who is coming off a unanimous decision loss to Martin Kampmann this past weekend at UFC 139: "Shogun vs. Henderson," or his head trainer at Brave Legion Gym in Vancouver, Wash., Pat White, have yet to comment on the incident. Either way, it probably wouldn't be the first, or the last, time an up-and-comer gets "taught a lesson" he will never forget in training. The old school famed Chute Boxe fight team, which housed fighters such as Mauricio Rua and Wanderlei Silva, had been known to have brutal training sessions and often times we here of tales of all out sparring sessions and training partners knocking each other out. The old Pat Miletich camp, which included former UFV welterweight champion Matt Hughes, were also known for their intense, relentless sessions. However, this incident appears to cross the line. Full audio below: Mike Pierce Tells about Rick Story Training Beatdown (via joeshowradio).

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UFC welterweight Mike Pierce was a guest on Joe Show Radio recently and didn't have the nicest stuff to say about his former trainer Pat White, or his former training partner Rick Story. Pierce has been quite vocal about not being a fan of his former trainer for a long time, and has stated that Story, who just signed a four-fight contract extension with the UFC, just goes along with whatever White tells him to do. Pierce wasn't about to do that, and his decision to leave White's Brave Legion gym was made up after one particular brutal incident. Basically Story beat down a rookie, one who appeared to be suffering from head trauma already, for no good reason at all. Here is Pierce's version (full audio after the jump): "This kid drove all the way from Iowa. He was a wrestler, a wrestler looking to be an MMA guy, he hardly didn't have any experience, out to Vancouver, WA to learn how to fight. And you know, Pat was getting frustrated with him because he was doing what beginners do when they get beat on by a guy that's really experienced, you know. He was covering up, backing away, putting his his head down. Typical beginner-like stuff. And he was getting frustrated, so he told my self and Ricky just to go in there and knock this guy out. That's not what you do to teammates, man. There's a time and a place for that, but in the training room? That's probably a little far. ... I refused to do it, and I went in there and sparred like you're supposed to spar. And Ricky went in there and just starts whaling on the guy. And keep in mind that this kid had already had some sort of a head trauma anyway, where he was having vertigo issues. He would sleep and lay in his bed at night and look at the ceiling and it would spin.  Okay, obviously there was some sort of a head trauma with the guy. And then, Ricky goes in there and starts whaling on this guy. Now you know, we're just boxing. It's just boxing sparring. So the guy takes a knee after taking a few nasty shots. Takes a knee with one hand on his head and the other one waving off saying 'Hold on, hold on, my head', and then you know, Pat's all over saying 'F**k it, keeping hitting him'. So Ricky grabs him by the back of the head and starts uppercutting him in the face, like that's okay?...and I was just shaking my head, like, you gotta be f**king kidding me man." There's no way to say it without being direct, so I'll just say it - if that story is legit, Rick Story is a bully and a coward in my opinion for hitting a man that is asking for time just because his coach wants to make a ridiculous point. No wonder Pierce left. I'm sure many people have heard or seen similar things in the gym, but that doesn't make it right. I considered myself a big Rick Story fan up until I heard this. I'm reconsidering that right now.

Posted in: guy, head, story, rick, head trauma

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A few updates on what's been going on in the MMA Twitterverse   CAIN VELASQUEZ VS. FEDOR EMELIANENKO? "@danawhite Fedor vs Velasquez in 2012, lets make this happen. Fedor is back, and a fight w/ Cain will prove it."  -Evgeni Kogan "hell no!!"  -Dana White, when asked about possibly signing a deal with Fedor   CHAEL SONNEN VS. ANDERSON SILVA 2 "I accept Anderson. Brazil it is. Now then, about that meal..."  -Chael Sonnen "I'll be wearing a Palmeiras jersey, and they will all be wearing one of these.. MEDIUM RARE! ...Chupa Corinthians..."  -Chael Sonnen   There's a ton of tweets after the jump, but first, don't forget to follow me on twitter: @antontabuena Oh, and these guys are probably worth following as well: The Official BloodyElbow Twitter Account, Luke Thomas, Kid Nate, Brent Brookhouse, Leland Roling, Richard Wade, Jonathan Snowden, Chris Barton, Damon O, Scott Broussard, Tim Burke, Matt Bishop, Fraser Coffeen, Dallas Winston, KJ Gould, Matt Roth QUINTON JACKSON VS. UFC JAPAN "It don't look like I'm fighting n Japan which I'm not happy about at all,I think its a big mistake by the UFC... Fuck it"  -Rampage Jackson "Guys I have the best managers n the business,this thing will work its way out,I was peed off when I 1st tweed the bad news,let's c what's up"  -Rampage Jackson   CUNG LE VS. WANDERLEI SILVA, DAN HENDERSON VS. MAURICIO RUA "@CungLe185 you are great fighter come From one of The Best teams In The world,is example to alotNew fighters we make a great fight thanks"  -Wanderlei Silva "I fought my heart out and I Just want to say thank you for all the support... I told Wandy after the fight it was an honor to fight him. I have no excuse for my lost... Here is a picture of my face you wanted to see. I felt great till I got caught. Thanks @ufc fans for the nice messages."  -Cung Le "Getting my nose fix on Friday. This is going to be my third nose surgery . I enjoy what I do for a living and feel bless to have great fans!"  -Cung Le "A little sore but pretty f*&%ing happy... Was an honor to share the octagon w/ @shogunrua -- nothing but respect for him..."  -Dan Henderson "Just got a splint for a sprained thumb--otherwise all good. Thx for all the support. 2 thumbs up!"  -Dan Henderson   POOP VS. CHOCOLATES, AND YOGURT "Hey I forgot to tell you guys a while ago, but I saw @TheDomin8r outside taking a poop!"  -Phil Davis "I'm designing my own candy bar in the Hershey factory. What should I put on it?they have a beard net ?? Who does that"  -Phil Davis "Getting ready for my FOX meeting in 30 mins!! ;)"  -Dana White   TWICTURES "Can't believe @AriannyCeleste never invited me to this party!"  -Urijah Faber "@insidemma with my little sister"  -Ronda Rousey "Hanging with the locals : )"  -Logan Stanton "love @swelldotcom :)"  -Logan Stanton "Oh, good morning, didn't hear you come in ;) #friskyfriday"  -Natasha Wicks "With @alliecohen on my bday..same dress as Xtina tonight..whatevs!! Smh... With my girl Raquel in San Fran! :)"  -Arianny Celeste   SO THESE GUYS GOT WEIRD TATTOOS "Nice breakfast and view with @Kingsbu @FilthyTomLawlor @Daisybader @Natashawicks"  -Ryan Bader "@filthytomlawlor got a Wild Turkey: giving you the bird!"  -Natasha Wicks "@kingsbu :Moose.. knuckle of the toe!"  -Natasha Wicks "@ryanbader :Moose.. on his toe knuckle"  -Natasha Wicks "Me: camel.. on my toe"  -Natasha Wicks, camel toe.

Posted in: guy, vs, fedor, wick, natasha

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"I don't know, I don't know we'll see. You know he's up there, his dream was to fight in the UFC. He got to the fight in the UFC and fight Wanderlie Silva. You think about it, Cung Le is one of these guys who comes from traditional martial arts. What this guy has accomplished in transitioning from rational martial arts into MMA, it's pretty damn amazing. I have so much respect for that guy as a fighter and as a human being." -- One and done? UFC President Dana White tells MMAFighting.com that he is unsure if the Cung Le, 39, will return for an encore performance with Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). Le, who was coming off a 17-month layoff heading into his fight with Wanderlei Silva this past weekend (Nov. 19) at UFC 139: "Shogun vs. Henderson, suffered only the second loss of his mixed martial arts (MMA) career to "The Axe Murderer." White was non committal when asked if Le would return, leading one to believe that did not sign a multi-fight contract with the promotion. Le, who has a budding acting career with 13 films already under his belt, has often taken extended breaks from the sport to focus on his duties in Hollywood. In fact, he vacated his Strikeforce middleweight title not too long ago too pursue other endeavors on the Silver Screen. Perhaps the Sanshou specialist would be more inclined to step back into the Octagon if he would have picked up the win this past weekend. Or, maybe the cool $350,000 he picked up in his losing effort at UFC 139 is enough incentive to return. Who could blame him if he didn't -- acting certainly hurts less and likely pays more.

Posted in: ufc, fight, guy, cung, art

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It's a question that many a fan has wondered ... what exactly did Josh Koscheck say to Paul Daley in Montreal right before that famous sucker punch incident? During a 45 minute Q&A with fans before UFC 139, Kos filled us in on how that whole fight played out: “I would fight with him [rather than wrestlefuck him]. You guys have got to understand the pressure I was under in Montreal. I had Javier and Dave and Bob Cook in my ear saying ‘you’d better stick to this game plan. You’re wrestling for 15 minutes if you have to’ because The Ultimate Fighter coach, fighting for the title was on the line. So for me for once in my life I listened to the coaches and I got the victory. I felt like I could have stood with him because right off the bat he threw a jab and I was like, ‘oh my god, you’re so slow’ and I told him, I yelled at him, ‘You’re so slow it’s not even funny!’ I like to talk when I fight guys. I was in his ear the whole time saying, ‘if you get up, I’m going to knock you out’. And he goes, ‘let me up then’, and I was like, ‘nah, you got to get up though’. I was in his ear the whole fight. I kept telling him how slow he was on the feet. ‘Man you’re so slow on the feet, oh and your mom *umm mmm mmm mmm mmmmm*’ and that’s when he put his finger in my eye at the end and he tried to sucker punch me.” Ah yes, the old 'Your mom' thing. You have to watch out when doing that with British guys. Their moms are all sluts so it tends to cut extra deep.

Posted in: guy, ’re, mom, ’ i, mmm

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Sort of tired of hearing this. He's getting KO'd by guys like Chris Leben, Quinton Jackson, Dan Henderson, Cro Cop, and he was TKO'd by Vitor way back in the day. A whose who list of guys that routinely knock guys out. What Silva needs to do is adjust his game and not brawl and leave himself exposed to guys who can end a fight at any time... And maybe it's past his time to adjust and learn. If you watch those fights they're either flash KO's or Wandy just left himself out there and he was gonna go out. Chuck didn't even KO him. submitted by theevildead84 [link] [comment]

Posted in: guy, wanderlei silva, chin myth, fights theyre, chuck didnt

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Miguel Torres still believes he can be a mixed martial arts (MMA) world champion again. And the former World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) 135-pound kingpin has seemingly surrounded himself with the right people to get him there. After years of running his own gym, Torres used UFC Welterweight Champion Georges St. Pierre's Tristar gym in Montreal, Canada, to help him refine his technique, add a jab and become more well-rounded in the last year. However, in preparation for his UFC 139 fight with Nick Pace, he also mixed in several weeks of work with Imperial Athletics (a.ka. "Blackzilians") to help bring back his old school, aggressive style. Torres was once the most feared bantamweight on the planet. He'd like to reclaim that title again. And it all starts tomorrow night (Nov. 19, 2011) at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, California. The Carlson Gracie Jr.-trained Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt suffered a minor setback in his last fight, a razor close decision loss to Demetrious Johnson, but a victory this weekend on the UFC 139 preliminary card against Pace should hopefully get him right back in the thick of things. Torres spoke with MMAmania.com about bringing back his aggressive style, changing up his priorities in the cage and how exactly he'd like his fight to finish against Nick Pace on tomorrow night in this exclusive interview. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): You did some training with the Blackzilians for this fight, splitting some time a bit with them and Tristar up in Canada. So how'd they let you in? Did they have to change their standards or something? Miguel Torres: Yeah, they did. They decided to be a little more inclusive, they let me in there to change up the feel a little bit. What actually ended up happening was, I had some issues with my old manager and I was talking with Glenn Robinson and he wanted me to come down and check out the gym, see what he had to offer down there. I worked with Tyrone Spong and and Van Arsdale and a couple other guys over there. It was only going to be a couple of days and I ended up staying for two weeks. They've got some really good guys up there. They've got JZ Cavalcante, Marcus Aurelio, Tyrone Spong, Van Arsdale, all good guys down there and working with those people, one of the things I liked the most was the aggressive style they had in their stand up. It was kind of like my old style, I revisited it and I was able to work on a lot of stuff and I had a great time down there. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): Yeah, and I actually saw in your announcement video of your signing with Authentic Sports Management that you talked about combining that Firas Zahabi gameplanning with that aggressive old school Miguel Torres style that you're working on with the Imperial Athletic guys. Do you feel like that can make the perfect fusion of styles for you? Miguel Torres: Yeah, I do. I think that'll be the best option for me. I understand Firas' ideals and why he wants us to fight with a gameplan, to be smart but a lot of times that I've been fighting lately I feel like I'm fighting my nature. I have that high intensity and want to go out and put on a show and just perform but he wants me to stay safe, he wants me to have a long career and he's worried about me after the fight. He says, "After the fight, you want to be healthy, you don't want to be all messed up and broken and have brain damage, you know?" and I can totally understand that. The guys at Imperial Athletics, they're more about the glory and going out there for the kill so I think the best option for me is to find the perfect fusion of the two. That's gonna come with time. I'm not gonna say that's gonna happen with two weeks but having guys like K-1 level strikers working with my stand-up and then wanting me to go out there and knock guys out, it's one of those things where I'm on my way to developing the perfect fusion. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): You had such a really close fight with Demetrious Johnson in your last bout. How did that loss affect you, if at all? Miguel Torres: Well the fight was very close and I've thought about it a lot. I've watched many interviews where Demetrious said he won the stand-up exchanges but I think 95 percent of that fight was on the ground and basically, I threw most of my strikes from the bottom and I had him defending the whole time. He was defending submission attempts that were trying, I was trying to put him away the whole time and he was laying there. They gave him the nod, he got a title shot and I think everything happens for a reason. If I would have won that fight, I never would have had the opportunity to meet and train with the Blackzilians and I would have spent the whole summer in Montreal training for that fight and I wouldn't have seen my family or my daughter. Everything happens for a reason. I got to spend a lot of quality time with my daughter and work on my home gym. A lot of stuff in my personal life got squared away and I recovered physically, mentally and emotionally. I'm in a really good place and ready to get back in title contention. I'm still upset about that fight. That fight really upset me a lot. It showed me that wrestling, I really worked on my wrestling a lot and the gameplan was to beat him with jiu-jitsu. It's a sad thing but the way I used to win a lot of my fights, that style is dying. It's dying. If guys are training to play nothing but defense, it's hard to beat wrestlers. You have to wrestle. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): Yeah, it does have to be frustrating when guys just take a top position and not take any risks, not going for much ground and pound and yet they're still winning the fight in the judges' eyes. Miguel Torres: Right, it's very frustrating because it takes away a lot from the sport but at the same time, it's gonna make fighters evolve into better wrestlers to where they're gonna be able to counter takedowns and it's going to make jiu-jitsu even more important. Guys are not going to be able to come in and throw a sloppy guillotine or a lucky armbar or triangle. Guys are gonna to have high level Brazilian jiu-jitsu and it's gonna raise the level of the game. That's what it's doing. I understand that, I don't like it but that's the way it is now. MMA is going in that direction. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): I know when you were starting in MMA, your first 10 years of fighting pretty much, you were running your own gym, you were the guy in charge. Can you tell me about making that transition to working at other gyms and kinda taking instruction from these other people and surrendering control? Miguel Torres: Well the biggest thing is the severity of my situation. I understand that in the old ways of running the gym, taking care of my family, doing my PR and training for fights, the level we're at now, that was holding me back a bit. Everybody caught up really fast. The WEC raised the stakes for all the lighter weight guys. The UFC's popularity made a lot more guys going into it where they weren't just working full time jobs on the side of training a little bit and people were dedicating themselves more to training camps and it raised the stakes. I seen it because I was training full time but I was also running a gym and I had to look for a gym where I could train full time and I had to have these other pressures taken away from my mindset. I had to evolve to get better. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): Let's talk about this upcoming fight for you. You're battling Nick Pace and he's a really creative jiu-jitsu guy. Do you feel like this is a really great matchup for you where you guys could actually be battling everywhere? Miguel Torres: I think we'll get a fight like that but it just depends on how he's gonna show up on that day. If he has a gameplan to just stall the fight on the ground, it all depends on how he looks to fight. I'm ready to take the fight anywhere. I'm not looking to use my jiu-jitsu on the ground with him. If he shoots for a takedown, I'm gonna stuff it right away and I'm gonna make him stand-up. I'm looking for a knockout. I'm not gonna play guard anymore where I'm on bottom looking for a submission. I'm sweeping the guy or I'm stuffing the takedown. I'm not playing the bottom game anymore. It's there, I have those skills to submit guys but my primary option is to stand with guys and knock them out. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): In your fight with Anthonio Banuelos, you picked him apart with your jab, just destroyed him with your reach advantage but you caught some flack because people thought you weren't being aggressive enough. Do you think with this work with Imperial, that you'll be able to follow up better if you're able to get your jab going? Miguel Torres: 100 percent. 100 percent. The biggest thing with the Banuelos fight was it was hard to get going because he wasn't coming forward. He was at that distance where he wasn't closing the distance so I couldn't use my other weapons. I was prepared for his shot and I wasn't going to surrender easy takedowns by charging in there, I was gonna make him work for it. When we worked on that fight with Firas, the whole training camp I was throwing 1000 jabs a day, popping them off and the whole mindset there was it was one of the new skills I developed and I think, for me, it went to the extreme of winning but not being too aggressive and it came back to having my other extreme because I never used my range before. I would always rush my opponents and I would kill my reach. Firas showed me how to use my reach and use that jab and I'm very happy. In that fight, I was taking no damage. It wasn't even like I was sparring. I was just picking the guy apart and when he tried to come in, I'd throw my right hand and keep him on the outside of my range and keep picking him apart. To me, that was one of those fights where you can't fight everybody the same. Some guys you've got to do something like that and some guys you've got to knock out and I think Nick Pace is the type of fight where he's tough but I can put him away. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): Does it bother you at all that this fight isn't on the main card of the event or does it give you less pressure on yourself to go out there and do your job? Miguel Torres: You know whether I'm in the main event or the first fight of the night, I never feel any pressure. For me, this is a main event fight. Every fight I have, I look at it as the main event. You can't take a fight as less important because you're on the preliminary card or you could get yourself in trouble. Every fight is important. Every fight can be your last fight in the UFC or a title shot so for me, this is a title fight and I've got to go out there and kill this guy. He's trying to take food from off my daughter's table and I'm trying to feed my daughter so we have two people coming out there trying to give it their all. That's the mindset that's carried me in the past and I lost it for a little bit but I've got it back again. I'm very eager to go out there and prove what I've been working on and show the world that I belong in the top echelon with the other 135-ers where I was at in the past. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): With Dominick Cruz having basically beaten numbers 2-7 in the bantamweight rankings, even this upcoming number one contender fight between Bowles and Cruz is between guys that have already lose to him. Do you feel like with over Nick Pace that you're right back in the thick of it in title contention? Miguel Torres: 150 percent. I think I'm very close to a title fight still. I think I'm one of the only fighters that can present a real danger to Dominick Cruz. He's an outstanding wrestler and he's a great boxer, but he doesn't have that knockout capability and yeah, he's great at taking guys down but he's not submitting guys, he's not a finisher. I can be a baller, I can take the fight to him everywhere. MMA fights are about style matchups and for him, I think I'm a bad style matchup. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): My last question, you've been visualizing success against Nick Pace for a while now so when you close your eyes and think about the fight, how do you see yourself getting a victory next Saturday night? Miguel Torres: I see a left hand and then a big uppercut. I see me finishing him with strikes. Miguel would like to thank everyone at his gym, Miguel Torres Martial Arts, all the guys who helped him train the first month and a half. He started training for this fight in August and his students dedicated their time to helping him. He'd like to thank the guys from ASM and the Blackzilians, Glenn Robinson and of course Tristar, Firas Zahabi. He didn't leave them to train with Imperial like was initially rumored. Look him up on MiguelTorresMMA.com for Miguel Torres shirts, his "Submission of the Week" videos and he's got a bunch of media content. So what do you think, Maniacs? Will Torres channel his old school self and bring back that killer aggression that made him so popular and seemingly unstoppable? Or are those days fully behind him now? Sound off!

Posted in: fight, time, guy, miguel, im

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Anaheim and UFC on FOX were great! I had a blast and it was great to enjoy the fights and not have to work. I love my job and being with the guys but it was nice to enjoy all the fights. I expected that if Cain Velasquez tried to stand with Junior dos Santos that JDS would win. I thought it was a good back and forth while it lasted, I just expected Cain to take him down and use his ground and pound but I guess they had their own game plan. It’s a fight though and anything can happen in a fight. JDS is very well-rounded. He’s a very good striker. I just thought Cain would out work him and use his cardio to his advantage but JDS is legit. He beat the champ and his record shows that he’s the best. He’s fought tough guys, good guys, and he’s beat them all. He’s big enough to handle the big guys and maybe too big for the smaller guys. Clay Guida/Ben Henderson was a hell of a fight. We had about twenty people in our suite and everyone was on their feet and jumping and it was such an enjoyable fight. Both guys are tough. Guida always comes to fight and he’s like a ball of fire. He comes forward and doesn’t stop. Both guys left it all in the cage. It was great to see. Their striking was good, they hurt each other, they traded submissions, and their transitions were great. That’s what a UFC fight is all about. It might be the fight of the year so far. I wish they would have showed it on FOX because it’s probably one of the best fights I’ve seen in a long time. I hated to see one of those guys lose because it was such a good fight. I wish it would have been a draw because having a loss in that kind of fight is tough. This weekend is definitely a busy one. Mauricio Rua vs. Dan Henderson is gonna be a great fight. I have to give the edge to Henderson because of his right hand. I think he’ll end up stopping Shogun. Shogun is a good counter puncher but I think Henderson’s right hand will land a couple of times and he’ll win. I think Cung Le is going to be too fast for Wanderlei Silva. I think he’ll keep him away with his kicks. He’s so unconventional for a MMA fighter and I don’t know if Wanderlei will be able to get inside. If Cung sits and trades with him then Wand has a good chance of catching him and knocking him out but I think Cung is too smart for that. I think he’ll use his speed and kicks to keep him away and win. I favor Brian Bowles over Urijah Faber. I like Urijah but I think Bowles is tough enough to where he can grind it out. If Urijah tries to trade with him that benefits Bowles. I don’t know if he’s the underdog but I’m going with Bowles. I also want to send out best of luck to Martin Kampmann and Ray Sefo fighting this weekend as well. It’s good to have Xtreme Couture represented at UFC 139. Sefo is a great coach and Martin will do very well. Rick Story is a very good wrestler and it’ll be up to Martin to keep the fight where he wants it and set the pace of the fight. It won’t be a good idea to try and wrestle with Rick. Wednesday was the last taper down training session with Michael Chandler who fights Eddie Alvarez this weekend for the Bellator lightweight belt at Bellator 58. We are very focused and ready. Even though Mike doesn’t have the experience of Eddie, what I love about him is that he fights up to the challenge. He’s been the underdog in all his fights and he not only beat those guys, he beat them at their game. When he fought Marcin Held, his specialty was leg locks and he caught Mike in the first round. I thought it was over but Mike got out. I think most people would have tapped because the knee was in a bad spot and then he got a deep heel hook. Mike gutted it out and submitted him though. Against Patricky Freire, he was supposed to be the better striker but Mike executed the game plan and out-struck the striker while always mixing in his wrestling and ground and pound. Against Eddie, it won’t be an easy fight but we’re not going down there to lose. I’m very confident in Mike and we’re looking forward to a tough and exciting fight. The thing I love about Mike is that he sticks to the game plan and rises to the occasion. I’m excited for this weekend. I want to wish Martin and the boys good luck and I’m looking forward to next week because hopefully I’ll be talking about my first world champion! That’s it for this week. Enjoy the fights and until next time, make sure to keep up with me on Twitter (@mastermitter). Tweet

Posted in: fight, guy, ’t, mike, ’ll

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Prior to making his UFC debut earlier this year at UFC Live: Sanchez vs Kampmann, Chris Weidman was considered one of the top American prospects in MMA. As a purple belt he competed at the 2009 ADCC and made it out of the first round before being defeated by Andre Galvao in an extremely close match. He's fought twice in the UFC and is currently 6-0 in his career.  Matthew Roth (BloodyElbow.com) - So before we get into the talk of the fight this weekend, I know that you've spent a lot of your career training with Matt Serra and Ray Longo. But this current fight, you broke out of that a bit with a trip to Alliance in San Diego. Are you just testing the waters or are you looking to travel a bit more with training? Chris Weidman - Yeah, the thing is with that. I was going to meet with one of the sponsors, Bad Boy, so that was one of the reasons I went out there. On top of that I was supposed to go out and train with Phil Davis because we wrestled in college so we stayed in touch. But Phil wasn't there when I was out there. I was training with Alexander Gustafsson when I left to go out there. I'm always open to move around a bit where ever the good guys are but my home is definitely Ray Longo's and Matt Serra's. Matthew Roth (BloodyElbow.com) - So when you started started out with Ray and Serra, you're a purple belt under Matt right? You actually competed in the Abu Dhabi's in 2009. Can you explain how you had success without really having those "credentials"? Chris Weidman - I dunno. I think I had good teaching and I was more of a technical wrestler so I went into jiu jitsu with an open mind and tried to pick it up technically. It's a real technical sport. I went in there knowing I knew nothing and just went in there with an open mind. I think that good things happen when you do that. SBN coverage of UFC 139: Henderson vs. Rua Matthew Roth (BloodyElbow.com) - You bring up something that I've always wanted to ask somebody about. You said you were a technical wrestler. Can you explain the differences between technical wrestling like yourself and Phil Davis and the power wrestling that UFC fans are used to seeing?  Chris Weidman - Yeah, it just depends on the athlete usually. Sometimes guys have one or two moves that they're really good at. I had a wide arsenal of different techniques. I always looked to do something new. I never just stuck to one move. There's a lot of wrestlers that were just good at double legs and if you take them out of that zone and put them on a single leg they don't feel comfortable. I always felt pretty comfortable everywhere because I was putting myself in those positions throughout my career. I was comfortable trying to learn techniques from all positions. There's some guys who are really good at exploding through with double legs and there are guys that are better picking up a single leg and running the pipe. I think it usually depends on the person's body type. If he's explosive he's gonna run through ya. If he's not as explosive he's gonna sweep it out and use more technique. Matthew Roth (BloodyElbow.com) - Now speaking of wrestling, there's two different opinions. The first is that Mixed Martial Arts is hurting the American international wrestling program because most college wrestlers are seeing immediate money is in MMA. They don't want to train for the international scene. But then you have guys like Jordan Boroughs that are passing on Mixed Martial Arts to train for the Olympics. Where do you stand? Do you think that MMA has hurt wrestling or do you think it's helped wrestling? Chris Weidman - I think with the international wrestling, it could hurt it. Even like me, I would be training 100% right now for the 2012 Olympics if I wasn't an MMA fighter. I'm just one case of a guy who would be wrestling and could be adding more fuel to the fire for Americans. I dunno. I think at the college level it's helping because guys want to wrestling in college and then come out and do MMA. It's tough to really say but I think overall right now as far as just speaking about international wrestling for America, it could be hurting it a little bit. A lot of those guys could be thinking there's money in MMA. I don't know. We'll see.  Matthew Roth (BloodyElbow.com) - Now changing gears a little bit. Talking about your UFC career. It's been said time and time again about the "UFC jitters", the first time nervousness when you make the UFC debut. Did you have those when you faced Alessio Sakara? Chris Weidman - I mean I was nervous just like any other fight. It was definitely pretty crazy. You're in the locker room and the sound system is blasting like I've never felt before. And you have Burt Watson yelling at you saying "This is what we're here for!" That's a little nerve wracking but when I got to the ring I treated it like any other competition. I was looking at him and we touch gloves and started fighting. I felt a little weird in the beginning. I don't know if it was the jitters or whatnot but I definitely was thinking too many things at one time. I think it go to me a little bit. I remember trying to throw a punch and take a shot at basically the same exact time and my body wasn't coordinated. My first takedown attempt slash punch in the UFC I looked ridiculous so I do think that had something to do with it.  Matthew Roth (BloodyElbow.com) - That fight, you did take it on short notice. Do you think that the nerves were from not having a full camp?  Chris Weidman - I think that was a huge part of it too. I had a rib injury so I didn't have any sparring at all. I had zero sparring in the two and a half week's notice that I had because I just didn't want to hurt my rib. I couldn't really do much so I didn't know where I'd stand. I didn't know it was not sparring on top of the UFC jitters and stuff like that. So it definitely played a factor. Matthew Roth (BloodyElbow.com) - Following up, you did go in with a rib injury and he is known for being a pretty hard puncher. Did you have a hard time not getting discouraged after the fight round? In between the first and second round you came out guns blazing and everything seemed to be running on all cylinders. Was that first round discouraging at all? Chris Weidman - Not really. Ray Longo and Matt both thought I did good in that round. I knew it was a matter of time before I was gonna get the fight to the ground. I was sticking to my game plan. The goal was to eventually get him down but both Ray and Matt know I have good stand up too and it was a good experience being on my feet in that first round with Alessio Sakara. Every judge gave me that round even though I was on the feet where it was his dominant position. Going into the second round I felt pretty confident because I felt the best that Alessio Sakara had and I wasn't going anywhere so it gave me more confidence with my stand up and eventually my takedowns.  Matthew Roth (BloodyElbow.com) - I guess the last question regarding that fight and I guess your fights in general, are you somebody who game plans and watches film or do you go out and feel out the fight and just go out from there? Chris Weidman - I pretty much just train as hard as I possibly can everyday and my attitude in wrestling and now in jiu jitsu tournaments and MMA is agressive. I'm very offensive. So I'm always going to be going forward no matter what the other guy is doing. I like to put pressure on and work a fast pace. One of the things I'm good at is my cardio. I look to get guys tired right away. Always looking to go forward and look for offensive moves.  Matthew Roth (BloodyElbow.com) - Now this weekend you fight Tom Lawlor. You seem to be joking around with him a little bit on twitter. Is it easier to focus on a fight if you don't have any anger or animosity towards your opponent? Chris Weidman - I dunno. I've never actually had any anger or animosity towards any of my opponents yet so I'm not 100% sure but I don't mind being friendly. It's a competition. I don't look at it like I'm going in there and it the street and the guy talked bad about my mom so I gotta go beat him up now. I'm not looking at it like that. Just stay calm and think of it as a competition. As much as we joke around and as much as we're friends, I'm 100% going out to win the fight anyway that I can. I'm not doing this just for myself, I'm also doing this for my family.  Matthew Roth (BloodyElbow.com) - Alright, so let's change gears a little bit. Let's talk East Coast. You and Frankie Edgar have a lot of similarities. Both from the Tri-State area. You've both fought in Ring of Combat. Do you also have that East Coast chip on your shoulder where you've gotta be better than everyone else?  Chris Weidman - Yeah, I think Frankie Edgar is huge motivation for anyone from the East Coast. That guy shows so much heart in all of his fights and he's just a regular guy just like everyone else. If you're from the East Coast...New Jersey, New York...whatever. You can easily have a conversation with him. He's gonna be talking about the same things. It's gonna be a normal conversation just like with anyone else. I've trained with him and the way he works and his work ethic, his personality is just something to strive for. It's nice to have around and bit motivation for me.  Matthew Roth (BloodyElbow.com) - Alright, so a few more questions. First one is how difficult is it for you cutting weight when you got all that great pizza around the corner?  Chris Weidman - It's definitely pretty damn hard. I always go pretty hard with my diet. I'm pretty clean pretty much my whole fight camp. But some guys are so strict with their diet and they refuse to cheat and I think it takes a toll on their body a little bit and their mentality. Before you know they're cheating like crazy and they mentally break. I always have little cheats here and there. I eat pretty healthy but if there's a cookie, I'll eat half a cookie just to keep me sane. I know it's not really gonna do anything to me so I'll have a little bit. I know I'm gonna work hard the next day. I'll have a slice of pizza here and there.  Matthew Roth (BloodyElbow.com) - So you're not gorging on Italian food with the guys from Serra/Longo? Chris Weidman - Nah. But I'll have a slice here and there just to keep that crave away from me and then I'm done. I'll have that slice and it'll taste so good but then I'll feel like crap. If you eat crap you usually feel like crap. Then I'll wonder why I ate it. So I'll have a little bit but it's enough for me to learn my lesson for a couple days before I'm going back and eating another slice.  Matthew Roth (BloodyElbow.com) - Awesome. Now as far as your fade...where do you think your fade ranks on a top 10 list of "Illest Fades" in MMA? Chris Weidman - Hahahaha that's awesome. It think it's up there. I had a tape up for my last fight that was pretty crazy. The kid who cuts my hair, he cuts the hair of the Situation from Jersey Shore so I had a true true tape up. Last time was pretty good. This time I'm not gonna go that crazy. I'm gonna be a clean cut, good looking boy.  Matthew Roth (BloodyElbow.com) - Alright so your nickname is "the All American", what's your thoughts on the U-S-A chants that everyone does? Chris Weidman - Ah yeah they did that when I fought Alessio Sakara and it was awesome. I thought I was gonna get booed being the new guy fighting a veteran like Alessio Sakara. I was prepared to get booed. So when they were chanting "USA! USA!" for me, that was awesome. I was a guest tweeter for when Brian Stann knocked out Jorge Santiago and I said on there that I'd give up my name to Brian Stann because he's a true war hero. I don't know if I'm gonna keep it. I did give up the nickname but everyone seems to want me to keep it. 

Posted in: fight, guy, chri, weidman, im

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We have our answers to the Matt Hamill Hammer biopic movie contest, and I must say I am very pleased with the results. Not only did you guys manage to submit more than 0 entries, you managed to submit over 30! If each of you guys goes out and sees The Hammer, it'll already be outperforming Warrior! Now onto the best entries:What magical gift was Matt Hamill rewarded with after saving the King of Cincinnati from bears? The ability to pour A&W Root Beer from his right pointer finger, and the ability to clean any sock in the world by just putting it on. (OnlineRehab) the ability to pleasure a woman at distance using ultronic vibration (Reverend Clint) A tomato (state fruit of ohio) (CAP) The key to the Bengals cheerleaders' locker room. (CRM) Brittany Houck's vagina and butthole (Grappo) "Thank you for saving me, Matt. From this point forward, you will see sounds as colors. This will help you cope in the world" "What the fuck is this guy saying, and why is there a rainbow pouring out of his face?" (AcadianBacon) Trick question. There is no King of Cincinnati. Only a mayor like any other city in the United States of America. In America, there is a constitution and a pledge of allegiance which states that there shall be no kings, only appointed representatives of the people. (iamphoenix) The right to escape Cincinnati by going to school in New York, while still having the right to walking out to “Hang on Sloopy” when fighting in Columbus. (vanceller) What inspirational message did Matt's great grand uncle leave on his pizza spelled out in pepperoni? The answers after the jump. read more

Posted in: guy, matt, matt hamill, ohio cap, columbus vanceller

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He has lost six of his past eight fights, yet fans still go nuts whenever they see Wanderlei Silva at the neighborhood grocery store, at his Las Vegas gym, or posing for pictures at a UFC Fan Expo. The mounting accumulation of L’s on Silva’s record are still dwarfed by his 22 highlight reel knockouts and an extraordinary unbeaten streak that once spanned 18 fights against top-shelf competition. As much as ever, the ultra-aggressive Brazilian is widely revered for the fearlessness and ferocity that define his style, which has made him one of the best in the business at making “stadiums shake” (a goal of his). But after 15 years in the fight game, and a 27-second knockout loss to Chris Leben, retirement whispers have begun to swirl around the 35-year-old MMA icon. A growing chorus of fans and reporters are wondering: “How much longer should Wanderlei Silva fight?”Silva’s performance against Cung Le (7-1) in the UFC 139 co-main event could go a long way toward answering that question. Cung Le, a San Shou master whom Silva called “the best kicker in MMA,” lives in San Jose, California, and has a huge following in the San Francisco bay area. Silva will have to beat Le in his backyard, but doesn’t seem the least bit fazed by the home field disadvantage, asserting, “I’m going to make his fans cheer for me.” I interviewed Wandy a week before the showdown and he sounded as upbeat and positive as ever while candidly addressing a host of topics including A) potential retirement; B) whether he intends to become a more defensive and cautious fighter; C) how being a terrible soccer player led him to MMA; D) why he wants to fight in Japan and Brazil “one more time” and E) the best advice he can offer to young fighters. Here are the unedited excerpts of that poignant and revealing interview with one of the sport’s most beloved figures: UFC: You’re known as an ultra-aggressive fighter. Have you ever thought about becoming a little more patient inside the cage or is that just simply impossible? Wanderlei: It’s true, after my last fight I need to change my game a little bit because this sport is changing a lot. I don’t have more space for (a) fall. I’ve trained a lot on my defense and for attacking in the right moment. I’m going to try and hold my instincts. Because sometimes my opponents touch me and I want to kill them. I need to wait a little bit more. I’m going to try. I pray a lot and I ask for God to give me the strength to help make me calm and allow me to execute my coaches’ gameplan.UFC: The Wanderlei of today versus the Wanderlei of six or seven years ago? Who wins? Wanderlei: Whichever one trains more! It’s an interesting moment for me right now. I’ve had a lot of changes in the past few years. When I moved to the UFC I changed my life and I’ve been adapting since. Right now I have a gym and we have 40 amateurs and 15 pros. I’m training with these guys. Right now I’m back to the normal things in my life. UFC: Did the loss to Leben make you think about retirement? Wanderlei: No, I didn’t think about that. I felt sad because I trained a lot for that fight. It was like an accident, no? It happens. Sometimes I have bad days, but on the bad days my fans make me feel good. UFC: You’ve defeated so many elite fighters and thrilled millions of fans. What is your proudest moment in this sport? Wanderlei: I think it’s when I won the PRIDE Grand Prix because I was champ after beating the toughest guys in the world. I’m so happy with my career. I’ve fought with the toughest guys in the world – heavyweights, light heavyweights, middleweights. I’m proud because I’ve fought the best guys and I’ve done good, and I have a lot to give to this sport in the future. UFC: When adoring strangers walk up to you and mention a fight, what fight do they bring up the most? Wanderlei: I think my two victories against Rampage. I think my second knockout over him is one of my best victories, no?UFC: You and Vitor Belfort both live and train in Las Vegas. You’re both Brazilian legends. And so many fans still talk about the first fight between you guys. What are your thoughts on a rematch with Vitor Belfort? Wanderlei: He’s a good guy but of course I’d like to fight again with him. That fight needs to happen.UFC: How much longer would you like to fight? Wanderlei: It depends how long my body allows me. But I do want to fight in Japan and Brazil before I retire. UFC: Why? Wanderlei: I made my (career) in Japan and I had the best times of my life there. I’ve had a lot of fun and I need to give one more fight there. Brazil is my hometown so I want one more there, too.UFC: You get to pick your opponents for Japan and Brazil? Who are you picking!? Wanderlei: Good question! I don’t know. That’s the boss’s decision.UFC: Let’s turn to Saturday night’s fight with Cung Le. What are your impressions of him as a fighter? Wanderlei: Before I knew nothing about him, but after the fight was made I studied his game and he’s a really good fighter. I haven’t seen anyone fight like him. I need to adapt my style for him. But I’m ready for the fight. UFC: You run a gym in Las Vegas. What’s the best advice you can give to a young fighter for their careers? Not technique-wise, but career advice? Wanderlei: I tell the guys in my gym … I have 16 years in this sport and I wish I could just be starting my career right now. Because, man, this sport is changing so much. The last event (UFC on FOX), going to the biggest channel in Brazil (Globo) … everybody is talking about it in Brazil, everybody! It’s unbelievable how big this sport is right now. UFC: What did you feel when you saw Junior dos Santos knock Cain Velasquez down with that booming overhand right? Wanderlei: He made everybody here jump out of our seats! He’s a humble guy who came from a simple family. Man, that was a really important event for us in Brazil because it was on the biggest channel in Brazil. That would be a dream for all MMA fighters. So that victory has opened a lot of doors for fighters in Brazil. UFC: MMA is growing like a wildfire in your home country, which is really the motherland of the sport. Soccer (“football” everywhere else in the world) is huge in Brazil and they always field one of the world’s best teams. Are you a big fan of soccer? Wanderlei: I watch soccer but I’m not a fanatic for it .A long time ago I wanted to play, but every time the guys chose their teams I was one of the last guys. The guys knew I didn’t play very well. I played very bad, man. After that I started to fight. 

Posted in: ufc, fight, guy, wanderlei, brazil

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I was very surprised with UFC 138. Other than Thiago Alves, Chris Leben, and Mark Munoz, it wasn’t a card with household names, yet the lesser-known guys had some great performances. Terry Etim was gone for an extended period of time and then caught the guy in a Guillotine Choke after a great combination. Terry is a big guy at lightweight and he’s someone to keep your eye on. Anthony Perosh needs to work on his stand up but his submissions are incredible. He’s great on the ground. If he works on his stand up, he’s definitely someone to look forward to. Brad Pickett and Renan Barao were great! Pickett is tough. He comes to win, he throws hands, has good power, and a great chin. Barao though, he is for real. That knee he connected with was incredible and the way he jumped to take his back was effortless. He’s well-rounded and showed a good chin as well. I’m excited to see him fight again. He should definitely be on a PPV card next. Che Mills showed very good power, knocking out Chris Cope. That was my first time seeing him fight, but you could tell that he’s there to fight. Hopefully we see him back soon. I think he’s going to be good at 170. Alves, with the help of Mike Dolce who as I always say is the best when it comes to teaching guys to cut weight, looked really good. He’s always had great stand up but I was very impressed with his stand up and he saw the opportunity to finish with a choke and he did. Papy Abedi might not be well-known but he had a good track record and it was a good win for Thiago. Leben vs. Munoz was a good fight while it lasted. I think Chris just run out of gas. Munoz with his wrestling and when you have to fight your way back up against someone as strong as Munoz, it gasses you out. Munoz is one of the best guys as far as ground and pound and he cut Leben up. Even though the cut stopped the fight, I think Leben knew he couldn’t recover before the third round while Munoz was ready to go. I won a bet with someone and now that person owes me some shots. I’m really looking forward to Junior dos Santos vs. Cain Velasquez, just like everyone else I suppose. I think the fight will depend on who can impose their will. I think JDS has a little edge in the striking. He has better technique and power and Cain has been out with a shoulder injury, which makes it hard to train stand up. Cain is the superior wrestler though and I think he can control JDS on the ground. He has great ground and pound as well. I think they both have great chins but I’m going with Cain. He has more gas in his tank then some lightweights, so the longer the fight goes, the more it favors him. JDS has never really gassed but I think Cain will out-work him. I’m headed to Anaheim for the show. I’m really excited because it’s a great card and I get to just enjoy it. I love cornering guys and helping them prepare, but it’s going to be nice to just enjoy the fights and not have to worry about anything else. Juan Manuel Marquez looks great so I’ll be interested to see how he does against Manny Pacquiao tonight. He was in the gym this week and he’s in terrific shape but I think the weight will be too much for him. I know it’ll be a great fight though. He’s not gonna lay down for anybody. If he gets dropped, everyone knows he’ll get back up. I think the weight will be too much though. Pacquiao has gradually moved up and has looked good. Marquez weighed himself on Wednesday and barely made 140.4 and the fight is at 144. He’s just much smaller. That’s it for this week. Enjoy the fights and until next time, make sure to keep up with me on Twitter (@mastermitter). Tweet

Posted in: fight, guy, i ’m, ’m, munoz

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It's wildly known that no one really likes Jim Rome. There's absolutely no scenario in which anyone can envision sharing a sandwich with the guy. He's a professional critic that has a strong ability to talk forcefully and uninterrupted for long durations -- and that seems to be the current trend amongst middle-aged sports personalities. A few years ago when MMA needed the help of someone mainstream in the sports world, Jim Rome was no where to be found. The guy absolutely disregarded the sport and now people herald him as a great mind of MMA. Wrong. Completely wrong. Pride Fanboys forgot more about MMA than Jim Rome acquired when he hopped on the now popular bandwagon about a year ago. However, enough about me painting an accurate and entirely precise depiction of a guy that Jim Everett punked on live television. Check out yesterday's Dana White interview on 'Burning with Jim Rome.' [Source]

Posted in: mma, guy, jim rome, jim, rome

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When Cain Velasquez hit the deck courtesy of Cheick Kongo’s fists at UFC 99 in June of 2009, the sound in the Lanxess Arena was a cross between the usual roar that accompanies a knockdown and impending finish in a heavyweight prizefight, and a gasp from those MMA aficionados who were aware of what was happening.This wasn’t on the levels of a Matt Serra vs. Georges St-Pierre upset, but when all you’ve heard for the last couple years was that Velasquez was the heir to the heavyweight throne, seeing him on his way to a knockout defeat was shocking.Looking back, the sequence took a second, maybe two. But after Velasquez was knocked down and expected out, he quickly shot in for a takedown, cleared his head, and got back to the business of beating his opponent. He would get rocked again, but in response he continued to press forward and shake off the cobwebs, and after three rounds, he was a clear cut winner via unanimous decision.That was the night Velasquez grew up. It may have even been the night his ascent to the championship was confirmed. For the Californian, it was simply something fighters, especially fighters with Mexican blood, did.“I’m gonna be in the fight the whole time,” said Velasquez a week before he traveled from Northern California to Southern Cali to prepare for the madness surrounding his Saturday bout on FOX against Junior dos Santos. “I’ve had that experience knowing that I can come back from adversity, but I already knew I had that in me. It is good to show it out there though.”It is good, because fighters really show their true character when faced with adversity. Anderson Silva getting beat up by Chael Sonnen for over four rounds before pulling off a submission win; Frankie Edgar shaking off a first round beating to knock out Gray Maynard three rounds later, St-Pierre avenging his loss to Serra in 2008. I could go on, but you get the picture. And for Velasquez to show that he could shake off some bombs from a legit contender and come back to win, it was a big deal, and it even diluted his response to the early bull rush from Brock Lesnar in their championship bout last October because even when Lesnar briefly had the upper hand on Velasquez, you always had the idea that the challenger was going to come back. And he did, winning the title via TKO at 4:12 of the first round.It was an emotional moment for a young man who doesn’t show much emotion to the public, the culmination of the first leg of his MMA journey, and a destiny bestowed on him early on his career by his trainer Javier Mendez.  I spoke to Velasquez after his title winning effort, and asked him how he was able to keep his cool when he was being called “The Next Big Thing,” as early as his third pro fight when he debuted in the UFC.He credited Mendez.“He (Mendez) said ‘I’m saying this kind of stuff now to get you prepared so when it all comes down to it, you’ll be ready,’” recalled Velasquez. “He’s prepared me ever since I got here and he’s talked me up, so now that I’m in this position, it’s not a shock to me. I’ve been prepared for this.”So when he’s gotten knocked down, bloodied, or banged up, the notion that he had the skill and will to survive and then thrive kept him moving. That, and the tireless work he’s put in at the American Kickboxing Academy gym in San Jose.“When we’re sparring, it’s not just one guy that we’re sparring against,” said Velasquez. “We’re having multiple guys coming in on us. So we’re sparring against three or four guys when we’re doing our rounds, so you have to go through that adversity.”He’s expecting some more this weekend in the form of Brazil’s dos Santos, a punishing puncher who has perhaps the best boxing in the heavyweight division, a talent that isn’t lost on the champion, who, when asked what concerns him the most about “Cigano,” said, “Definitely his boxing. He’s got really good boxing, a lot of power in his hands, and he’s an athletic guy too. But it’s mainly his boxing. He’s won all of his fights using his boxing, and that’s definitely his most dangerous attribute.”With eight knockout wins in nine fights, the former All-American wrestler from Arizona State is pretty adept with his hands as well, but the million dollar question is whether he will stand with dos Santos or look to take the fight to the mat. Whatever way it goes, expect Velasquez to be prepared though, because he’s been taking notes on his challenger from the time both of them were stepping into the Octagon in 2008.“I’ve watched him since his first UFC fight with (Fabricio) Werdum,” said Velasquez. “He knocked him (Werdum) out in the first round, and Werdum was one of the top guys in the world, so that definitely caught my eye. And just watching his fights after that, he’s always been really tough and we definitely kept our eyes on him. Anybody who fights in your division you kinda keep watch on because it’s doing your homework. So we always saw him and watched to see where his career would go, and we kinda knew at one time we would have to fight.”That time is fast approaching, but neither Velasquez nor dos Santos is blinking under the pressure of fighting for the heavyweight title in the first UFC bout shown on network television. In fact, despite the event being the talk of the town, in terms of dealing with the crush of media, Velasquez says that it “hasn’t been so bad.”Even if it was, you wouldn’t expect him to complain about it because this is what you sign up for when you’re the top man in the heavyweight division. I asked Velasquez what that phrase “world heavyweight champion” meant to him when he was a kid watching guys like Mike Tyson and Evander Holyfield do their thing.“It’s the biggest accomplishment that you can get to,” he said. “It’s the top of the sport, and that’s what always came to mind when I heard about those guys when they were in their prime.”Cain Velasquez is in his prime. So is Junior dos Santos. That means that it’s likely that before this one is over, there will be plenty of adversity for both fighters to overcome. Velasquez has already been there and done that. That’s why he’s the champion.

Posted in: fight, guy, round, heavyweight, velasquez

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Remember these comments, from fossilized fight promoter Bob Arum, that we posted right here on MMAmania.com back in Sept. 2009? Well, looks like they've come back to bite him in the ass in this latest UFC on FOX video promo (above). Here's a taste: "The UFC are a bunch of skinhead white guys watching people in the ring who also look like skinhead white guys. 90-percent of the people in the audience wear tattoos. For me and people like me, it is not something they ever care to see. They watched it, it's horrible, guys rolling around like homosexuals on the ground. I mean it's not a sport that shows great, great talent. The guys who throw punches can't throw a punch to save their ass, when the punches land, the guys have no chins. These guys are not like boxers." See his entire rant here, which sounds pretty foolish when you consider the biggest night in the history of the promotion, a heavyweight title fight between Cain Velasquez and Junior dos Santos at UFC on FOX on Nov. 12, is being contested between a Mexican and a Brazilian. And to be fair, at the time of his comments, we were just a few months removed from the UFC 98 headliner between Rashad Evans and Lyoto Machida. Hello, Mr. Arum? I have comeuppance on line one...

Posted in: ufc, guy, punch, arum, punches cant

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This post was supposed to be about the guy who managed to jump into the octagon during UFC 138, but that tickled my memory of another time a dude jumped into a cage in the UK. Only this guy did it in black socks and nothing else. So rather than post the boring new one (which you can still see after the jump, bonus!), I figured I'd err on the side of exciting nudity. Enjoy! read more

Posted in: guy, cage, post, jump, brits love

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It’s the rematch we’ve all been waiting for. The original bout captivated a nation and caused an indelible rift between opposing parties, which is still present to this very day. It’s the act two that the fans have clamored for and it’s the fight UFC welterweight Mike Pierce has pined for since the moment the first ended. It was inevitable and it’s now finally upon us: Chael Sonnen vs. Anderso... just kidding. Of course, I’m referring to Pierce’s own rematch with Paul “The Gentleman” Bradley on November 12th at UFC on Fox with a little overestimation of the surrounding facts. Truthfully, Pierce is excited for both fights, as he wants to get back to his own winning ways and he wants to see his longtime friend get another shot at the UFC middleweight title.The 31 year old Oregonian grew up on the same wrestling mats that Sonnen did at the Peninsula Wrestling Club in Portland. Under the watchful eye of Coach Roy Pittman, the two learned the takedowns, the scrambling, the toughness and the attitude that both still employ to this day inside the Octagon. As genuinely as he is looking forward to the possible Sonnen/Silva II, Pierce’s mind is solely focused on one thing: beating Bradley worse than he did the first time. “For this fight specifically, I want to be that guy I was in the third round versus Johny Hendricks or Jon Fitch,” asserts Pierce. “I want to be that guy who really throws caution into the wind and says I don't give a s**t and I just want to really rip this guy's head off. It doesn't mean you're going in there like a wild man and dropping your hands and throwing wild punches. It means that I want to get in there with an agenda, put pressure on this guy and break him down. That's what I want to do, and that's what I'm looking to do in this fight.”It’s a gameplan that Pierce knows very well, and he has executed it to perfection in his UFC wins over Brock Larson, Julio Paulino, Amilcar Alves, and Kenny Robertson. At 12-4, Pierce’s losses inside the Octagon have come in two tough decisions against Jon Fitch and, most recently, Johny Hendricks in August at UFC 133. But in those battles, Pierce showed tenacity and a pointed attack in the third round that possibly could have finished both fighters if Pierce had only flipped that switch on earlier. “I think when your back is against the wall you can do one of two things: lay down and give up or say screw it and give it all you've got,” states PIerce. “I'm not one of those guys who lays down and gives up. In those third rounds specifically from those two fights, I felt that I needed to do something at that point because I hadn't done enough. So, I just gave everything I had to try and win. I don't want to let it get to that point. I've been working hard in this camp to turn it on a lot sooner. You have to have faith in your conditioning because if it is not there then you can't do it. The conditioning workouts I go through are hellish, and it's just a matter of getting in there and saying I have to do this and actually doing it. My camp has been pretty focused around doing that and making sure the pace and the intensity are high from the get go, so I can break these people down.”The split decision with Hendricks was a grueling three round war between very well matched opponents. It is becoming the new UFC trend, putting strong wrestlers against each other in the Octagon and watching them slug it out with brutal, thudding standup. Pierce and Hendricks traded fists, feet, elbows, knees and dirty boxing without giving an inch, but rarely shot for a takedown. Despite the loss, it was a solid performance by Pierce, where he showed his ability to get stronger as the fight went on and, again, that he could match wrestling skill sets with vaunted former collegiate All-Americans like Hendricks.“It was hard for me to see the silver lining because I was just really pissed off after the fight,” admits Pierce. “I know I can beat him. I was just not into the game that night. Chael was in my corner and after the fight he was saying there is a small silver lining in this even though I might not see it now. He had talked to Joe Silva afterward and he said that Joe really loved that fight and he said that was 'Fight of the Night' until the Rashad Evans and Tito Ortiz fight. And I was like, 'No! That was a bonus I could have had. Thanks for making it worse (laughs).' But as long as the bosses love it and I go out there and put on a show and fight my ass off, that's what they're looking for guys to do. They're not looking for guys to lay and pray, evade or run around the Octagon. They're looking for guys to engage and fight. This is a business where people are supposed to fight and that's what I did and they're happy.”Up next for Pierce is the November 12th rematch with “The Gentleman”. Back in 2009 on the humble local MMA circuit in Pennsylvania, a relatively unknown 7-2 Pierce was scheduled to tangle with the 2x NCAA division I All-American from the University of Iowa, Bradley, who was also undefeated in his MMA career. The main event bout was set for a catchweight of 180 pounds as Bradley is typically a middleweight and Pierce a welterweight. At the time, Pierce was a heavy underdog against Bradley and it was that adversity that drove him to win. “I knew he was going to be a strong wrestler with a similar fighting style,” says Pierce. “I just wanted to go out there and do anything I could to just break this guy down. I didn't care if this was a submission, a TKO or whatever - I had one intention and that was to get my hand raised at the end of the night. It didn't turn into a wrestling match. It was definitely a striking match in that first fight we had. I landed a lot of leg kicks, I out struck him, I pushed him up against the fence, and I popped off some dirty boxing. It was one of those things I was fighting in his hometown at the time, he was undefeated, and even the promoter came up to me after the fight with his jaw dropped and was like 'You had to know that no one thought you had a prayer in Hell in beating this guy. The odds were completely stacked against you.' I was like yeah, but if I had that mentality going into it then I wouldn't have had a chance. You can't go into these things, even when it seems the cards are stacked against you, and lay down and give up. I went in there with a goal in mind and came out of it doing what I wanted to do.”Fast forward two years later, the tables have turned, the shoe is on the other foot and Pierce is the favorite. As opposed to their first fight, Bradley is the underdog, with Pierce having much more experience in the UFC with Bradley making his debut in the Octagon at middleweight at UFC 133 where he lost a decision to Rafael Natal. Now, Bradley will be cutting 15 pounds to make welterweight, where Pierce regularly fights. They’re both better fighters than they once were, but Pierce does know what it takes to beat Bradley, and this time he will have the metaphorical home-field advantage of fighting inside the Octagon.“My own personal confidence is that I beat this guy once before and I did it in a dominating fashion,” affirms Pierce. “I beat him 30-27 across the board, in his hometown and he's a 2x All-American out of Iowa. He knows that my wrestling is where it needs to be and he knows my striking is where it needs to be and I've only gotten better since then. I don't think he believes I'm going to be the same guy on the 12th that he fought two years ago. I kind of like that.”To prepare for the fight, Pierce has been training at either end of Portland with the Sports Lab and at Portland Thai Boxing with Jeremy Wijers. “My main coach is Phil Claud, who is also my conditioning coach,” says Pierce of Claud, who is most famous for his coaching at US Olympic Training Center and his own time as a professional cyclist on the USA national team. “I've been training with guys like Nate Quarry, Dave Jansen, a couple other up and coming pro guys. It has been a good camp so far and I'm ready.”On November 12th in Anaheim, California, Pierce and Bradley will throw down for the second time, but this one will be in the Octagon. “I have one goal and one particular agenda that night and that is to win,” declares Pierce, who not only wants to get back into the winning mix of the UFC welterweights, but he wants to stay undefeated against his former foe - “The Gentleman”.

Posted in: ufc, fight, guy, “ i, bradley

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You remember how your friends told you they have a friend that knows a guy that can get marijuana? Nick Diaz probably knows that same guy. Diaz has tons of fans over in Singapore, but unfortunately he can not enjoy his appreciation of the sacred planet in that corner of the planet. In Singapore, if you test positive for marijuana you receive a mandatory prison sentence and if you're caught with a drug of any type, you will be hung. Yes folks, death is automatic if authorities find any amount of an illegal substance on you. Therefore, regardless of how amazing it would be for Nick Diaz to make a trip to Evolve MMA in Singapore, perhaps it's best that he stay in the 209. Yesterday, Mike Kogan managed to track down Nick Diaz long enough get him on the live edition of Inside MMA to tell us he's almost forced to 'be the bad guy' in order to get the fights that he wants. [Source] {iframe}http://blip.tv/play/h5R0gtz2HgI.html{/iframe}

Posted in: diaz, nick diaz, guy, nick, singapore

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Dustin Poirier missed the cut for a spot on The Ultimate Fighter. He also lost his WEC debut in 2010 to Danny Castillo. If he fell short in his second Zuffa bout against Zack Micklewright three months after the Castillo fight, he was likely on his way out of the organization.Where would your head be at if you were Poirier, just 21, a local star on the Louisiana fight scene looking to break into the big time, but finding that the door to the next level was a little sturdier than you expected? Now you just had one more shot to get it right. “I had worked so hard to get here, I sacrificed so much to get my shot in the WEC, I came in and Danny Castillo spoiled it,” recalled Poirier. “He beat me and it was the first loss in my pro career. I knew that if I went in there and lost against Micklewright, it’s gonna be a long road back to Louisiana, a long road back to the big lights.”What followed on fight night at The Palms in Las Vegas on November 11, 2010, was a furious 53 second assault in which Poirier forgot that he was a professional mixed martial artist. In less than a minute, he reminded the world that for all the skill and technique involved in this sport, when necessary you have to be able to call on an inner reserve and make it a fight.That night, Poirier won the biggest fight of his career.“I went back to my roots and what won me all my amateur fights and all the fights in the beginning of my pro career, and that was just tucking my chin and brawling and just going in there and fighting,” he said. “That’s in my heart, and you can’t teach that and I haven’t learned that. I was born with that aggression and that instinct to fight. So that’s all I did, and I knew I was gonna have to do it.” Subsequent wins in the UFC over Josh Grispi and Jason Young have taken Poirier, now 22, off the bubble and into the featherweight contenders mix, and while he still brings out glimpses of the furious brawler that showed up against Micklewright, he’s also well aware that too much of that may be a bad thing for his career longevity.“It can put me in bad places,” he said. “I’m lucky I didn’t wake up looking up at the lights when I did that to Micklewright, because just as quickly as it happened to him, it could have happened to me. So as I grow as a fighter, I’m getting away from that, and I’m learning to balance it with my technique and my aggression, and when I do find that perfect balance, a lot of guys are gonna be in trouble.”The next one in the crosshairs for Poirier is fellow 145-pound prospect Pablo Garza, who has been just as impressive in his short UFC stint, nabbing post-fight bonuses for his knockout of Fredson Paixao and submission of Yves Jabouin. So when the two meet up this Saturday in Anaheim, a three round waltz isn’t on the menu, and considering that both are talented rising stars, it’s not out of the realm of possibility to think that this may not be the last time they’ll fight each other. Then again, Poirier doesn’t believe that to be the case.“He’s not gonna want to fight me again after this,” states “The Diamond,” who nonetheless does admit that the lanky Garza does pose some interesting stylistic issues.“He seems like a puzzle,” said Poirier of Garza. “I’ve only seen him fight briefly because the fights that he had were real quick, but he’s real awkward, he’s unpredictable, he’s long, and he has a weird rhythm. He’s just an awkward fighter and he fights with a weird timing, so we’ll see.”Having UFC middleweight Tim Credeur manning his corner and working with him in the gym does make prep for the 6-foot-1 Garza a little easier though.“My head trainer is Tim Credeur down here in Louisiana, and Tim’s 6-3, probably 200 pounds, a black belt in jiu-jitsu and has good striking, so preparing for a guy like Pablo Garza, who’s long, good off his back, and who has unorthodox striking, I have the perfect guy to train with,” said Poirier. “He (Credeur) is stronger and better than Pablo Garza, so I’ve got that, and I also have a group of guys down here who are good wrestlers and good kickboxers, so I got everything I need for this fight.”The only thing the Lafayette native doesn’t have is time, as he’s been on a whirlwind run since signing for the Grispi fight, which took place on New Year’s Day. “It started off full-steam,” he said. “I got the quick call at the end of November to fight Josh Grispi, so it started coming together before January was even here. It started off with that and it just hasn’t slowed down. It’s been crazy.”What’s made his 2011 even more hectic is that between and after the bouts with Grispi and Young, Poirier has been in the public eye as the focal point of the critically-acclaimed documentary “Fightville.” The positive response to the film caught Poirier off guard, but he’s not complaining.“That was another one of those things that kinda snowballed when it happened,” he said. The guy (Michael Tucker) would show up with the camera, we would record, and being in an MMA gym, you see that stuff a lot – guys with cameras trying to record stuff and saying they’re gonna do this or that. But as he kept showing up, day after day, I was like ‘wow, this might be kinda serious.’ And then he started talking and he was like ‘man, this isn’t some backyard-shot film. This is gonna be a big deal.’ Then it went to the film festivals and it just took off. And it was cool because I didn’t have to do anything other than be myself and it was an awesome time in my life. It started at the end of some of my amateur fights, so just to have those moments caught on tape and to be able to share it with the world is great.”“People who know nothing about MMA go into the theater and watch it and come out as fans of the sport, simply because they see that the guys fighting are normal guys,” Poirier continues. “Sometimes MMA gets this bad image, so when they see normal guys with families, jobs, and responsibilities outside the cage fighting, they feel like they’ve connected with them, and I think it helps the sport.”In addition, “Fightville” shows the world just what fighting means to Poirier, and even today, despite being established as one of the top young fighters in the biggest MMA organization in the world, there is no hint of him being jaded by success or him being at the point where this is simply something he does to pick up a paycheck. Fighting is more to him than that – a lot more.“Fighting has brought me an anchor,” said Poirier, whose UFC bio has him claiming a Doctorate from the School of Hard Knocks. “It’s something I fell in love with, something that grounds me. It’s all I want to do, it’s what I want to be the best at, and it’s my passion. I live, breathe and sleep fighting, and being the best fighter that I can be. I know a lot of guys probably say that stuff, but I’m genuine when I say it. I really enjoy getting in there and I enjoy the ups and the downs, everything. I enjoy the journey. I just love this so much and I feel like I’m gonna be the best in the world someday, I really do. I feel like every day I’m growing as a fighter and as a person, and fighting has helped me. It’s improved my life so much, not only as a job, but by teaching me responsibility and respect, and all the stuff that the old school martial arts teach. I’m still new myself, but I hope the new guys coming in don’t ever get away from that. When I first started, I was in a dojo on indoor / outdoor carpet, shadowboxing in a mirror and listening to my sensei, and he had a gi on with cutoff sleeves. I hope it never loses that real martial arts feeling.”You would be excused if you forget that he’s just 22 years old, but it’s funny what coming up the hard way will do for your maturity once you reach a certain level of success. Poirier, despite his youth, has proven himself to be a consummate pro in and out of the Octagon, and he realizes that he has no other choice when it comes to the way he conducts himself if he wants to one day achieve all his goals in the sport.“Nothing was given to me, so you just learn how to make things work more smoothly and how to better yourself,” he said. “I’ve been working since I was 15 years old, I moved out when I was 17, and it’s just been a crazy ride. But the maturity comes because this is my business, I want to be the best at it, and that’s a part of it. It’s an entertainment business, it’s a fighting business, and you have to be professional. This is my job, and I look at it as a job, and I know that being as professional as I can be will open more doors.”Being able to punch them down if he has to doesn’t hurt either. But he’ll save that for the Octagon, a place he truly calls home. “I’m always excited to fight,” he said. He means it too.

Posted in: fight, guy, ’t, ’m, poirier

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MMANation's Luke Thomas spoke with the United States' great wrestling talent Jordan Burroughs. There has been a lot of discussion regarding if or when Burroughs would consider making the transition to MMA. Burroughs was able to seamlessly transition from college wrestling to the international scene and is the very definition of "world class". Luke asked Jordan his thoughts on the current crop of wrestlers in MMA and if he had any intentions of becoming a fighter in the future.  Luke Thomas: Talk to me about wrestling in MMA. We had a guy who fought recently in Strikeforce. He was a little bit older, Yoel Romero, Cuban guy who won the [silver] medal in the Olympics. He couldn't take down a guy who had no wrestling background whatsoever. In your judgement, why does that happen? Jordan Burroughs: I'm not sure. I mean, other people excel at different positions. Maybe that wasn't a strong point, sticking on his feet. Maybe just because he was an Olympic medalist doesn't mean he's great on his feet. He might keep good positioning and be hard to score but wasn't very offensive. It's one of those things, we've got guys that are very offensive and can take down anyone and we've got guys that don't shoot at all but are very hard to take down. It's one of those things, you've got to decide what you're good at. Luke Thomas: I'm gonna ask you this point blank. Do you have interest in MMA? Maybe you want to win a gold medal and some Olympic world titles first. I'm not asking for a timeline. Do you have interest as a potential career move to fight in mixed martial arts? Jordan Burroughs: Yeah, definitely, I definitely want to fight after I'm done wrestling. I want to wrestle ‘til 2017. John Smith from Oklahoma State was the greatest American wrestler of all time. He was a four time world champ and two time Olympic champ so  for me, in order to catch him or surpass him, I'll have to wrestle every Olympics and every world championship from now to 2017 and that's the goal to win all of those and once I'm done with that, to try and get into MMA. If Jordan is serious and giving wrestling another five years before making the transition there will be some questions about how well he'll develop as a fighter. While wrestling is the best base to begin a MMA career, there will be a massive crop of fighters that will be extremely well rounded. He obviously has the skills to get the fight to the ground but how he'll survive with a high level grappler is unknown.

Posted in: mma, guy, jordan, im, burrough

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Posted in: ufc, guy, year, girl, unicornpower

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If you can't beat 'em, join 'em. B.J. Penn shocked the mixed martial arts world last weekend at UFC 137 by announcing his retirement after losing to former Strikeforce welterweight champion Nick Diaz. After having his right eye swollen shot by Diaz after three rounds of pure stand up action, Penn stated: "I'm done, I can't go home looking like this." Fans and media alike were not ready to see the former UFC lightweight and welterweight champion hang up his gloves for good. Among them ... Cesar Gracie, head trainer at Cesar Gracie Jiu-Jitsu. Speaking to Pedro Carrasco of BJPenn.com, Gracie talks about his history with Penn and officially makes an offer to unite Team Penn and Team Gracie into one powerful force. "I'm watching this guys fight and I'm very impressed with his abilities, number one. Not a lot of guys can stand up like that with a Nick Diaz and not a lot of guys can win a round like that.I see the heart that BJ has but I see, well, wait a minute, how come a guy with this much heart with this much technique and natural god given ability, why isn't it happening for him now." "What's wrong here is the stuff around him. I don't know his coaches or anything like that but for whatever reason it's not happening. This guy is coming into a fight and it's not that he is totally out of shape, but he is not in world class shape and that's what it takes these days to make it to the upper levels of fighting." "I've had a relationship with BJ since he was 16 years old, so I obviously always like the kid, always knew of his talent. He's a genuine person; he's a guy that fights with his heart. He's not a steroid user like a lot of these guys he's not a cheater and you know there's respect for a guy like that." "I think the joining of our camps, of our teams together, a sort of coalition would benefit him incredibly and it would benefit us too. Guys like BJ Penn, Reagan Penn, Nick and Nathan, you know, Gilbert Melendez all the guys on our team would benefit from having those guys around.  He's got too much talent to quit right now and he needs to get with some world class athletes and this is the perfect opportunity, the time is ticking and it's time to do it." "It's just a good fit, everyone is talking about BJ's cardio, Nick, Nathan and Gilbert, these guys are the kings of cardio, and they do not get tired. BJ has to change some things up, he's gotta change his diet up a little bit too. BJ has been running off talent and talent alone and that's not good enough to make it these days." "BJ' best days are in front of him. This is a wonderful opportunity to turn the page and look towards the future. He can rewrite his whole future right now, he can do it. This a formal invitation. I talked to Nathan Diaz just a few minutes ago because he is one of the guys I haven't discussed this with yet and he said ‘absolutely!' Nick Diaz told BJ not to quit after the fight because BJ was talking about quitting and that really upset Nick because this guy just gave him a war and he's thinking the same thing I am thinking, No way don't quit." "For the cause of saving MMA in the world these guys need to get together because people are inspired by that kind of fighting and if we keep having these other guys that just want to hold you and not fight it's going to destroy the sport that we love that we have been involved with our whole lives." Cesar Gracie's camp is certainly one of the best in the nation, housing talent such as former Strikeforce welterweight champion Nick Diaz, current Strikeforce lightweight champion Gilbert Melendez, former Strikeforce middleweight champion Jake Shields and Nate Diaz, among others. Would a change of scenery and an alliance between the two camps be enough to convince "The Prodigy" that indeed his best days are ahead of him -- and that he can still make a run in the UFC? Time will tell.

Posted in: diaz, guy, nick, penn, bj

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UFC 138 About to Go DownI have a great team around me right now! Feel blessed to have the guys here! @EllenbergerMMA @KSOSufc @kings_mma @OnePunchDist  -Mark MuñozThanks to all my fans. It took a little longer than we tough but like always work on brazilian time ;) ha. Time to feed the Pitbull! @ufc   -Thiago AlvesAlmost there couple pounds to go yfrog.com/nzymuzj  -Brad PickettTweet it out, BoysJust watched my last fight for the first time. Damn, I was awful.  -Dan Hardy@danhardymma if you wanna feel better about yourself watch my fight with @amirMMA lol it would be a pick me up ha ha ha   -DaMarques Johnson@DaMarques_UFC to be fair you called me dumb I think.   -Amir Sadollah@amirMMA you are tougher cooler and drive a nicer car than me. Just let me have the dumb comment lol but don't hit me k?!?  -DaMarques JohnsonWho’d’ve Thunk It?.@TheMandyMoore is pumped for @UFConFOX! bit.ly/tMKqnx  -Dana WhiteThe Weight is the Hardest PartCutting weight sucks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!   -Che MillsWho needs bacon cheese burgers when you can eat an eggwhite omelet Mmm I <3 Diets. FML #CUTTING WEIGHT @Jimmie_Rivera @ufc  @LouGaudinotUFC  -Nick PaceBest thing about being a heavyweight: no weight cutting: which equals some #paninis  -Stipe MiocicRonda Rousey –The Pretty Bill MaherJust saw a homeless guy yelling at his shadow...by groundhog standards I think we're in for 6 more weeks of recession   -Ronda RouseyNutrition Talk with the DannysDear Lady at the gas station, Im not tryna tell u how2raise ur kid, but feeding ur 3 yr old "Funyuns" is bad parenting! #ObesityInAmerica   -Danny Castillo@lastcall155 don't you get a serving of vegetables from Funyons?  -Daniel DownesCareer & Finance Talk with Big CountryJust broke up high school street fight @ bus stop.Trying educate the kids get paid 4 that $h!T Retweet @ufc @renzograciebjj @georgesstpierre  -Roy NelsonCompetitive Tweeting Most creative tweets: @ForrestGriffin @JoeLauzon @SmoothOne155 (Benson Henderson) and @JoeB135 (Joseph Benavidez). Each bonus worth 5K! -UFCBig Day. I won the UFC twitter bonus for most creative, and I am on the cover of this coming month's Fight! magazine. -Joe LauzonCub's All Growns Up@ufc What does a guy have to do to get a B-day tweet?  -Cub SwansonUFC 137 Tweet AftermathA proud @CesarGracieBJJ pic.twitter.com/pbh6HTB1  -Diaz BrothersMy legacy - 2 time UFC champion, dedicated father, bestselling author. How will you #LeaveYourLegacy? @assassinscreed  -BJ PENN@danawhite Thanks to UFC for making Diaz fight happen- it's the fight I want. Thanks to Carlos as well. See you all Super Bowl weekend.  -Georges St-Pierrelockerz.com/s/151639048 Who is this guy?? -Roy Nelson@verafied great job bro thx for the fight  -Eliot MarshallGood news everyone!Hand is good, just need to rest it till dec 15 :) so planning on getting back in the @ufc octagon feb/mar some time #fb  -Bart PalaszewskiGood thing I didn't get to talk to @joerogan after my fight, I was going to call out @MattMitrione since he called me out, let's do this!  -Ramsey NijemThank you everyone for your support. I guess it just wasn't my night. I always try to bring an exciting fight. I love fighting for @ufc  -Chris Camozzi

Posted in: ufc, fight, time, guy, fight i

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I was in Kansas City last weekend cornering Jay Hieron against Ben Askren at Bellator 56 and obviously have a thought or two about the scoring to share. Basically, I’d like to know what two of the judges were looking at. I definitely thought Jay won the first, third, and fifth rounds, and I say that not only because Jay is my fighter but because I genuinely believe it. Askren won the second and fourth although I thought the second was actually quite close as well. I honestly think that fighting in his backyard in front of his home crowd might have influenced the judges. You gotta be professional as a judge though and not be swayed by the fans. I simply don’t see how they gave him the fight. I shook his corner’s hands afterward and when I looked at them I could see it in their eyes – in Ben’s eyes – that they didn’t feel like they won. Ben is an extremely confident person and if he felt he won he would have said he did, but he wasn’t happy and he knew he lost. Needless to say it was a disappointing fight. We tried to get a rematch since Askren will probably have to be part of a super-fight before defending his title so it should be a rematch. Unfortunately, I don’t think Ben really wants that fight. If the champion is going to be fighting, he should be defending his belt. What other organization has their champion fighting but not defending the belt? Jay did enough to get a rematch and anyone who saw the fight probably agrees as well. I think officials’ inexperience and lack of MMA knowledge hurts judging. For example, should a takedown win you the round if you just got the sh*t kicked out of you? It should be considered, of course, and if you’re effective with your ground and pound then you should win the round. But if you’re getting beat up, you get a takedown, and you just hold him down, that shouldn’t be enough. You should get a point for getting the takedown but it should be scored like a strike. You can’t take away the takedowns from a wrestler and you can’t take away the strikes from a striker. It’s like saying that you can punch and kick the guy 15-20 times but if he gets the one takedown, he wins the round. I don’t think that’s fair. I think the judges need to be more knowledgeable about the ground game with a guy working for submissions because that’s controlling the fight, being aggressive, and attempting to finish. Just laying on a guy shouldn’t have much impact on the judge. Round by round judging is fine – it just needs to be more decisive. For example, Jay stuffed a lot of Askren’s takedowns. Yes he got taken down too which is bound to happen, but he stuffed more than he failed on. A fighter should be getting points for stuffing those takedowns, but unfortunately the rules aren’t very clear and I don’t think the judges have a full idea of what they’re looking for. Those kinds of decisions affect fighters and their careers because if you give a guy a loss that he doesn’t deserve it affects the amount of money he’s making or takes away from other potential opportunities in the business. Sadly I was a victim to technology over the weekend where UFC 137 was concerned as my DVR didn’t record the event so I’m still waiting to see the show. Rest assured I’ll have some opinions on I get a chance to watch it. Even though we’ve had a bunch of guys fight recently we have more with bouts on the horizon. John Alessio is making his 155 debut this weekend at SCC in Vegas against Luiz Firmino. I think he’s tougher than John’s original opponent, Rob Emerson, so it should be a good scrap. We’re continuing to work with Mike Chandler for Eddie Alvarez on November 19, plus Ulysses Gomez is fighting on December 2 at Tachi Palace. He’s fighting for the bantamweight title though it’s his first fight at bantamweight after moving up from flyweight. Lots of stuff to keep things busy around the gym! Also, relating to some news from this week, Vitor Belfort is very excited about fighting Anthony Johnson. We believe it’s a winnable fight against a top name and someone who will help Vitor climb the ladder. He wants to fight the top guys and Anthony is one of the better guys out there. He’s definitely dangerous. He’s big, his stand up is great, and his wrestling is even better. Without question it is gonna be a fun puzzle to try and solve. Plus, the fight is in Brazil and it’s going to be a huge deal with Vitor heading back to his home country. On a final note, Halloween was great! A really good friend of mine had a birthday so I got to hang out with her and everyone else. Everyone was in the spirit and after some drinks, they were REALLY in the spirit. It was a crazy three days for sure. Saturday was the fight, Sunday was the birthday party, and Monday was Halloween. I dressed up as a Storm Trooper from Star Wars and even found out how to drink through the helmet! That’s it for this week. Until then, make sure to keep up with me on Twitter (@mastermitter). Tweet

Posted in: fight, takedown, guy, round, ’t

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Nick Diaz did exactly what he needed to do take his title shot back from Carlos Condit last Saturday night. He went out and put on an epic performance against BJ Penn and sealed the deal by accusing Georges St. Pierre of faking his injuries as GSP stood watching from cageside. As fired up as Diaz was after the fight, he probably would have called out GSP no matter what, however a voice from his camp could be heard in the background yelling “call that motherf***er out!” Yeah, that was Cesar Gracie. When asked about it on The MMA Show with Mauro Ranallo, Gracie explained that he was merely talking to Nick in a language he would understand — “209ese.” Gracie also revealed that UFC matchmaker Joe Silva advised them to call out GSP if they wanted the title shot back. Transcription via MMA Mania: “Well what’s going on is unfortunately for me, I had a mic on and I didn’t realize that or else I wouldn’t have said that. Why did I say it? That’s the language these guys speak. Before the fight, after the weigh ins, we were told by Joe Silva ‘if you guys want it, you guys call people out. That’s how the fights get done, you call em out,” and I wanted to make sure that Nick knew that. I speak several languages. I’m speaking to you in English, so if I spoke Japanese or Portuguese or something, you wouldn’t understand what I’m saying. When I speak to Nick, I have to speak in ’209ese’ and that’s the language he understands. If I said ‘Hey Nick, would you like to explain your position and articulate how you would like to fight Mr. St. Pierre,’ he wouldn’t know what the hell I was talking about. That was directed at him (GSP), I didn’t think he was going to hear it obviously. This has nothing to do with GSP, I actually like the guy.” Funny guy, that Cesar Gracie. The fact of the matter is, if the timing is right, calling someone out is a very effective way to get the fight you want. Now if you pull a Roy Nelson and try to call out the champ when you’ve just won your first fight in 18 months, then no, you’re probably not going to get Joe Silva’s attention. But I think Roy Nelson already knew that.

Posted in: fight, guy, nick, gsp, gracie

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Many mixed martial arts fans and pundits had mixed reactions to Cesar Gracie screaming at Nick Diaz after his UFC 137 main event win over B.J. Penn, who told his fighter to "call that mother- f***er out!" Well, apparently Cesar had to speak that way, or Nick wouldn't have understood him. He meant no disrespect to reigning welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre, it's just that Diaz only speaks a special language, "209ese." Speaking to Mauro Ranallo on "The MMA Show," Cesar elaborated: "Well what's going on is unfortunately for me, I had a mic on and I didn't realize that or else I wouldn't have said that. Why did I say it? That's the language these guys speak. Before the fight, after the weigh ins, we were told by Joe Silva 'if you guys want it, you guys call people out. That's how the fights get done, you call em out," and I wanted to make sure that Nick knew that. I speak several languages. I'm speaking to you in English, so if I spoke Japanese or Portuguese or something, you wouldn't understand what I'm saying. When I speak to Nick, I have to speak in '209ese' and that's the language he understands. If I said 'Hey Nick, would you like to explain your position and articulate how you would like to fight Mr. St. Pierre,' he wouldn't know what the hell I was talking about. That was directed at him (GSP), I didn't think he was going to hear it obviously. This has nothing to do with GSP, I actually like the guy." Makes sense to me. "Newfanese" is a dialect only a few can understand, so I can appreciate the 209 having their own way with words. IE: "Hows ya getting on! Not bad by what ya at da weekend now den? Few beers down to the store ya know. Dont be contrary dere now and come get on er. Taker easy by!" What are your thoughts on Joe Silva apparently telling them to call people out? I wonder if the UFC matchmaker had the same chat with Chael Sonnen at UFC 136 just a few weeks ago. The plot thickens...

Posted in: guy, nick, joe silva, cesar, language

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If you've never heard of Reggie Warren Jr., then you've clearly never been exposed to the seedy underground of redneck, pajama wearing MMA fans. In the MMA world, Reggie Warren Jr. has maintained his celebrity status by convincing everyone that he's proficient in the lost art of 'badass.' You've seen his videos (and if you haven't, this one is a great primer), now Reggie Warren will be doing monthly interviews with MMA fighters exclusively for MiddleEasy. Hopefully, we'll get more than one interview a month out of him, but it's all dependent on the volume of Busch Light he consumes in any given day. Check out the first installment of '11 Questions with Reggie Warren Jr.' featuring Gray Maynard. Thanks to Esther Lin for the wizard-like photography. Be sure to follow Reggie Warren Jr. on Twitter.   First off, I consider you one of my only UFC fighter friends. I really didn’t like watching you lose that fight against that New York Yankee guy. It hurt my soul. Can you promise me that you won’t let that happen again? And is there a reason you didn’t use more of the Cat Stance technique I taught you?Yes, I promise it won't happen again. I see Maynard vs Edgar 4 in the future. That is where I'll be able to utilize the cat stance.   I wound up fighting almost every guy in the bar who cheered after you lost. I ended up running from the cops the whole weekend and hiding out in the woods. Have you ever run from the cops? (And if you’re scared to be honest in fear of repercussions, just say “That’s against the law Reggie…I would never run from the cops.”) That’s against the law Reggie… I would never run from the cops, but I have heard fear makes you run faster and jump higher. Just putting that out there.   If you weren’t an Ultimate Fighter and you could play any other sport professionally, what sport would you play? And for what team?It would probably be soccer and Brazil or Italy would do just fine. I think a lot of hot models come from those countries, so that works.   Have you ever had an emergency shit attack out in public and weren’t quite able to make it to the bathroom? It’s happened to the best of us, so don’t be shy.To be honest, I'm kind of a germaphobe. So I have an app on my phone called "Sit or Squat" that gives reviews on bathrooms in the surrounding area just in case there is an emergency. But…there's no place like home.   Do you have any friends that make you think, “Man, I’m glad this guy doesn’t wrestle or train as much as me ‘cause he’d probably be able to whoop my ass”?Yes...You!!   You’re stranded on a desert island. You can bring one album, one poster of a celebrity, and one food item for the all-you –can-eat deserted island buffet…what are you bringing? Good question. Album would have to be a greatest hits of either Pearl Jam or Sublime. Poster would be Tom Hanks. When I start going crazy he will give me advice to get off the island. Buffet would be Mexican food.   Some people get offended when you refer to Frankie Edgar as “Kid”. I tried to explain that this is no different than the word “dude” or “little Yankee F*****” or “Mane” or “Guy” or “Chicken parmigiano hero lover”, but everyone tells me that it’s disrespectful. Why are they being so sensitive? Yeah, it's just a term. I think I got the term "kid" from people in Jersey anyway. I mean we all fight for a living, it's not like we're mature bankers or something.   Was there ever a time in your life when you almost quit the wrestling team?Yes. Every time I had to cut weight.   Since you were roommates with Rashad Evans in college, did you ever tell chicks that he was Mike Tyson? That guy has hands-down the best Mike Tyson impression I’ve ever heard!Yeah. We pulled that off a couple times. Them macing us and screaming rape wasn't the reaction we were looking for.   Ok, let’s play a make believe game and pretend you’re a Dad with a 7-year-old son. You’ve just dropped him off at his first wrestling practice and you have visions of him being the greatest fighter on the planet. When you show up an hour later to check up on his progress, you find him eating donuts and playing imaginary games with the headgear in the corner of gym. The coach looks at you and says, “I don’t think this sport is for him”. What do you say to your son?Time to go to baseball practice son. You don't need to be an athlete to make millions.   Please fill in the blank: Without fighting and competition in my life, I would be __________________.Hanging out with Reggie Warren!

Posted in: guy, ’t, warren, jr, reggie

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It wasn't too long ago when Cesar Gracie called Nick Diaz the 'Rosa Parks' of MMA due to his constant persecution in his fight career. MMA, a place where a fighter can be compared to one of the greatest civil right activists of all times. I love this sport. Many of you heard Nick Diaz yell 'Joe Rogan podcast by night,' a sound bite so legendary that Rogan now uses it to open his weekly podcasts and even stated that 'it made his month.' However, we all remember what was uttered just before Nick Diaz's post-fight speech, and it came from Cesar Gracie's larynx. Try using 'Call that motherf***** out!' at some point this weekend. If you're at a restaurant with friends and the food is sub-par, jump out of your seat and scream 'Call that motherf***** out!' in the middle of the place. I will guarantee someone in there will clap and agree with you. On yesterday's episode of Mauro Ranallo's 'The MMA Show,' Cesar Gracie finally explained that he was actually speaking in '209' when he screamed the now infamous phrase. "Well what's going on is unfortunately for me, I had a mic on and I didn't realize that or else I wouldn't have said that." "Why did I say it? Well that's the language these guys speak." "Before the fight, after the weigh-ins we were told by Joe Silva 'If you guys want, you guys call people out. That's how the fights get done, you call 'em out' and I wanted to make sure Nick knew that. Now I speak several different languages, I'm speaking to you in English so if I speak in Japanese or Portuguese or something, you wouldn't understand what I'm saying. When I speak to Nick, I have to speak in '209enese' and that's the language that he understands. If I said 'Hey Nick, would you like to explain your position and articulate how you would like to fight Mr. St. Pierre, he wouldn't know what the hell I was talking about." "This wasn't directed at him [Georges St. Pierre], I didn't think he was going to hear it obviously. This has nothing to do with Georges St. Pierre, I actually like the guy." When I was in Stockton, California for a Strikeforce Challengers card this year, I was finally introduced to this elusive 209enese language. It usually began with 'Hey, look what I just grew' and was followed by 'Do you have a lighter?' 209enese is a language LayzieTheSavage could teach a Harvard linguistics class in. index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1074

Posted in: guy, nick, cesar gracie, cesar, language

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If you're off to find the hero of the day, look no further than Nick Diaz. That's according to longtime coach and manager Cesar Gracie, who reminds the haters who constantly bring up the Stockton slugger's missed media appearances that without Diaz, UFC 137 would have been doomed. Probably because "little star guy," who mixed martial arts fans may recognize by his birth name, Georges St. Pierre, blew out his knee in training camp, forcing the cancellation of his Oct. 29 headliner against Carlos Condit in Las Vegas. The promotion had little choice but to elevate "Penn vs. Diaz" to main event status after "Rush" found himself on the injured reserves until early 2012. Gracie tells Sherdog's "Rewind Show"" that Diaz, once again, delivered: "You can't pull a guy off a card and then bring him back on: ‘Oh, he's not good enough to fight. We pulled him out of the card. He can't be in the main event. Yeah, here you go. Oh, wait a minute, guess what happened? Our little star guy over here, his knee hurts. Oh my God, we need Nick Diaz. Let's put him back in the main event.' Everybody wants to see that fight. He delivers. Well, little star guy didn't fight and Nick Diaz did, but they pulled a lot of money from Nick's purse because it wasn't structured for him to make as much if it wasn't GSP, even though he was the main event now and put the people in the seats. Nick Diaz saved that card. OK? That's what people need to remember when they talk about responsibility, is that he showed up, hamstring injury, knee injury, whatever. He had the same thing. He's the guy that showed up. He's the guy that fought his heart out, him and B.J. Penn. They put on a show. They're two great warriors. They saved the UFC that night." After a close first round, Diaz pulled away from the Hawaiian "Prodigy" in rounds two and three of the UFC 137 headliner, battering and bruising the former division champion and forcing a premature declaration of retirement. The emphatic win, along with a little post-fight call out, convinced UFC President Dana White that Diaz had done enough to warrant bumping Condit from his GSP title shot and giving it back to Diaz, who actually had it earlier this year before media-gate. Alright Maniacs, let's get your thoughts on this. After an abysmal co-main event between Cheick Kongo and Matt Mitrione, do you agree that Diaz saved the UFC 137 pay-per-view? Or did he just save his 170-pound title shot? Opinions, please.

Posted in: ufc, diaz, guy, nick, star guy

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Nick Diaz and coach/manager Cesar Gracie are a treasure for the media. Any question addressed to either man might get a Quote of the Year level response. Money is always a topic that seems to get the pair going and it's no different in the wake of UFC 137. After beating B.J. Penn in a tremendous fight it was time for Diaz to complain that he doesn't make enough money despite making tens of thousands of dollars more than the median home price in Stockton for a single fight. It's simply tremendously entertaining stuff. And now Gracie is taking his turn, this time talking to Sherdog's "Rewind" show: "What happened," said Gracie, Diaz's longtime coach and manager, "is you can't pull a guy off a card and then bring him back on: ‘Oh, he's not good enough to fight. We pulled him out of the card. He can't be in the main event. Yeah, here you go. Oh, wait a minute, guess what happened? Our little star guy over here, his knee hurts. Oh my God, we need Nick Diaz. Let's put him back in the main event.' Everybody wants to see that fight. He delivers. Well, little star guy didn't fight and Nick Diaz did, but they pulled a lot of money from Nick's purse because it wasn't structured for him to make as much if it wasn't GSP, even though he was the main event now and put the people in the seats." Personally, I'll always be conflicted on Diaz. In a perfect world every card would feature a Nick Diaz fight. But the constant whining and lack of he and his team owning up to their own behavior and it's repercussions is frustrating. Diaz threw around Floyd Mayweather Jr. making $25 million for his last fight but Floyd is also undisputed as one of the two best in his sport and that fight sold close to a million more pay-per-view buys than 137 will. And Diaz was clearly rewarded for "saving the show" by the UFC going back on their word that Carlos Condit would get the title shot against Georges St. Pierre ("little star guy") and giving it to Diaz instead. Seems fair enough to me. SBN coverage of UFC 137 Results: Penn vs. Diaz

Posted in: fight, diaz, guy, nick, star

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People talk about Michael Bisping, but it may be the unheralded bantamweight Brad Pickett who's got the best shot at becoming the first British UFC champion. Training out of American Top Team, Pickett holds significant career victories over the likes of Demetrious Johnson and Ivan Menjivar and has won 10 of his last 11 fights with his only blemish being a "Fight of the Night"-winning decision loss to Scott Jorgensen in 2010. Originally scheduled to take on Miguel Torres earlier this summer with the winner potentially earning a title shot, Pickett suffered a back injury in training and was forced out of the fight. In his place stepped his former opponent Demetrious Johnson who would defeat Torres and earn a shot at the belt. Now fully recovered, Pickett will take on top bantamweight prospect Renan Barao in the co-main event of UFC 138 this Saturday night (November 5, 2011) in his home country of Great Britain. Barao has gone 27 fights without a defeat so if Pickett can hand him his first loss in over six years, he could stamp his name as one of the next top contenders for the UFC championship. Pickett took some time out of training to speak with MMAmania.com about his upcoming fight with Barao, making his UFC debut in his home country and how he plans to earn a victory this weekend. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): You're fighting at UFC 138 in Birmingham. How does it feel to be making your UFC debut in the UK? I know you haven't fought there in a couple years. Brad Pickett: Yeah, it's gonna be great for me. I haven't fought there in a while. My last fights were with the WEC in America and I've got a lot of friends and family who all love to watch me fight who couldn't really afford to pay for plane tickets to come and watch me fight in America. Obviously, my brother came out and stuff like that but now, fighting back in the UK, it gives a lot of opportunity for all my friends I went to school with to come and watch me fight and they haven't seen me fight in a long time. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): Do you kind of see this, you're the furthest up the card as a UK native. Do you almost see yourself as a main event for the die-hard fans back home? Brad Pickett: Maybe, yeah, yeah. I don't look at it too much like that but yeah, you know, it's good to, for me, I feel proud that the UFC would look at me in that way. They put me so high up the card and obviously, it makes me feel like I want to repay them with a good fight. I have to show them that this is where I belong. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): The bantamweights haven't gotten a lot of love thus far with the UFC, usually they're lower down the card. As a fighter in the co-main event, do you feel that this is an important opportunity for you to showcase the division and showcase yourself? Brad Pickett: Yeah, it means a lot to me. Fighting in the WEC was good, but obviously now back in the UFC now it's a lot higher level of exposure so it gives me a much bigger audience to show my fighting style. A lot of people who followed me before know what I'm about and people could watch me in America but some of my fights in the WEC didn't get aired in the UK so a lot of people getting into the sport if they're new in the sport wouldn't know who I am if they're just UFC fans and stuff. Part of me, I might actually have more support from Americans. There were a lot Americans watching WEC fights and they really enjoyed them and I got a nice little fanbase in America so it would be nice to build it back in the UK as well. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): You were scheduled to make your UFC debut earlier in the year against Miguel Torres but you had that bad back injury. Can you talk about how frustrating that was and, is it really difficult to recover form a back injury like that? Was recovery slow? Brad Pickett: I was really looking forward to that fight with Miguel Torres but obviously it wasn't meant to be. I got injured and it sucks being injured. Being a fighter, all you want to do is fight and being injured, you don't want time off. Your job is MMA. In theory, I haven't had any income for 11 months so taking that time off is not always good for you. You want to get back in there. I feel I'm good now. I had a great camp. I had really good treatment from a guy in England, a guy named Neil who did wonders on my back and a doctor in America when I was out there training there. In my eyes, if it wasn't for them, maybe I wouldn't be fighting today so I owe a lot to them and I'm very grateful that those men helped me out and I'm fighting. I'm very happy. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): You just celebrated your 33rd birthday. Was it more difficult to recovery from an injury at this point of your career compared to say, when you were 23? Brad Pickett: Well it's hard to say if it would be more difficult at 33 compared to 23. Science may state that that's the case but, unless I had this injury when I was 23 compared to having it now, it's hard to compare. My body actually feels in great condition. I know this might sound really cliche but I actually do feel like I'm in the best shape of my life because I've had a bad injury and now I've go to start looking after my body a lot more and eat the right food, take the right supplements and all that stuff and actually feel like I'm alright. I actually feel like, "Okay, right. I am 33, I'm not 23 and I need to do the right things. I'm an athlete and I need to start eating, sleeping, drinking and training like an athlete." I think that's working well for me. For me, I feel in phenomenal shape. I'm a lot bigger than I used to be, muscle-wise. For the weight, I feel much stronger and faster. I feel very good. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): You brought Mike Brown with you to the UK to train and when I interviewed him a while back, he was talking about how he does a ton of sparring when he's training, that's the primary thing. Is that something that you do too? Is that kind of a similar style for your training since you both train out of the same gym? Brad Pickett: Yeah, I like in theory, I like a lot of sparring but you can't do too much sparring at American Top Team, they kind of reigned me back a little bit and maybe didn't let me do as much sparring as obviously I would like to do but I did do a lot of sparring. I did nine five-minute rounds as part of my camp and then we had to start to wind down a bit, not do those long, long nine five-minute rounds because you're only fighting three fives so you don't need to do them for that long. I just made sure to tone it down a bit and I feel like my training has been perfect. It's been great and I feel like I'll peak just in time for the fight. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): Ok, let's talk about your upcoming fight against Renan Barao. He's kind of an unheralded guy, but he's coming in with a ridiculous 26-1 record. He had a decent showing in his UFC debut against Cole Escovedo. Do you feel like this guys is coming in under the radar against you? Brad Pickett: Yeah, of course he is. I think he's legit. He has a very good record but in my eyes, he hasn't really been tested. Cole Escovedo is a really good fighter, but he's a completely different style to how I fight. To be honest, I believe I would beat Cole Escovedo too. It's not like he's been fighting the likes of people I've been fighting, Scott Jorgensen, Ivan Menjivar, Demetrious Johnson, he hasn't fought those guys so I believe I've been fighting a lot higher level of competition and in saying that, you can only beat what's been put in front of you and he's been beating up what's been put in front of him and I guess we'll see how good he is when he fights me because I'm gonna be the highest ranked fighter that he's fought so we'll see how good he is after next Saturday. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): Where do you think a victory on Saturday would put you in the division? There is a dearth of title challenger at the moment. Hell, the next guy that 's expected to fight Dominick Cruz for the title is the Brian Bowles vs. Urijah Faber winner and that would be a rematch for either guy. They're looking for fresh faces. Brad Pickett: Of course, I don't like looking beyond my fight and I try not to do that but obviously winning puts us both in a great position. If you win fights, only good things happen from winning fights so you can only put yourself in a better position. If I win this fight, I'll get closer. If it is automatically afterwards or if I have another fight with another top contender, all I have to do is keep winning and if I keep winning, good things will happen for me so that's what I'm prepared to do. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): You've got big wins over Demetrious Johnson and Ivan Menjivar but you caught them during their WEC debuts so you were getting these great fighters but people didn't really know them that well yet and now since you've beat them, then they've gone on and done really well. Is that kind of frustrating that you're getting these really tough guys before people know how good they are? Brad Pickett: Yeah, a little bit. Not frustrating, just like, I didn't even know how good Demetrious Johnson was gonna be. I knew about Ivan Menjivar because he'd been around for a long time and I'd been a fan of him for a long time and I'd always been a fan since I was heading into the sport so I knew how good he was. Yeah, I'm not mad, this is a tough fight and with Demetrious Johnson, I didn't know how tough he was but you can see how well he's done since fighting me. When I fought Ivan Menjivar, I knew how tough he was and I was like, "Man, this fight sucks," during that fight because I knew it was a really tough fight and if I win, people are gonna expect me to win because they don't know too much about him and if I lose, I lost to a really tough guy that no one knows about. It wasn't really a fight that I was really excited about. It's not like if you're fighting Miguel Torres like I was supposed to earlier this summer who's such a good name that if you beat him, it's brilliant and if you lose, he's got that name so people would be like, "Oh, you lost to Miguel Torres, well he's really good." My timing hasn't been so great with my huge wins, but I've just got to keep beating the people in front of me and good things will happen. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): One of my last questions here, Renan Barao, he's typically a ground fighter and you've worked with top guys like Marcelo Garcia, Ricardo Liborio, Marcos da Matta, you've got some terrific ground guys at American Top Team. Do you feel like working with those guys has done a good job of preparing you for what you're gonna see on Saturday? Brad Pickett: About preparation for this fight, it's not just about this training camp. Just training five years at American Top Team, I've trained with a lot of good guys and a lot of high level black belts so my training has been done for a long time in preparing myself for a great ground grappler. I'm not looking at him as just a Brazilian jiu-jitsu guy even though he's got a black belt. When you look at a fighter nowadays, you'd be stupid to come in there with one angle or one game. You need to be a well-rounded athlete and that's what I'm concentrating on in my career to be a well-rounded athlete rather than just being a brawler or a boxer. I need to add wrestling to my game. I need my jiu-jitsu and he's the same. He's well-rounded and you can't go in there thinking, "Oh, it's gonna be easy. He's gonna just try to jump guard and armbar me," because he's not gonna do that. I'm well-rounded and he's well-rounded. He'll stand and try to punch me and I'm gonna stand and try to punch him. He's gonna try and take me down and I'm gonna try and take him down. He's gonna try to submit me and I'm gonna try and submit him.  Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): I know you came into MMA with a boxing background. Would it mean a lot for you to win this fight with a knockout? Brad Pickett: To be honest with you, I come from a boxing background but I actually have more submissions on my record, but frankly, a wins a win, but I always love to win by knockout. To me, that's the ultimate win. I think a win by any means, decision, submission, whatever, if the guy trips up and hurts himself, whatever, a win's a win, but if I had to choose a particular way to win, of course, knocking someone out, to me, that's the best. Especially with a nickname like "One Punch," you've got to try and get to it somehow. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): You've been sitting on the sidelines visualizing how this fight is going play out for a while now, so how are you visualizing success against Barao on Saturday? Brad Pickett: Just by being a better athlete. I think I'm more physical, I have better physical attributes than him. I think I'm stronger, faster and all that. Skill doesn't sometimes come into it. When you mix in punches and all that, sometimes it's just that the better athletes will beat each other and I'm skilled along with that. I think I hit hard and even mentally, I'm in the right place in my life for this fight and I don't think this is his time yet. He's young and I think you'll see my style of man beast will definitely come through. If you want me to say, knockout, submission, whatever, I'll be doing my best to keep my pace that I put on in the fight and I'll be in an, "I don't care, you hit me I'll hit you back," kind of attitude. You can break some people down mentally sometimes and I view this fight that way. Maybe it will be a fighter's fight, I can go in, throw a couple punches, slip over and roll into a triangle, it can happen, but if I fight like how I can fight and things go according to plan, I should definitely come away with a victory. Brad would like to thank everyone who's been supporting him for his fight, Head Rush, Training Mask, Hayabusa and VIP Services. He'd also like to thank American Top Team and all his doctors who helped him so much with his back. So what do you think Maniacs? \With a dearth of fresh challengers in the division, how close will Pickett be to a bantamweight title shot with a victory on Saturday? Does the veteran have what it takes to halt the momentum of the top prospect? Sound off!

Posted in: fight, guy, lot, he, im

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The fights are done. The dust has settled. The drama has been resolved inside the Octagon. Like so many times before, Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) successfully rolled through Las Vegas, Nevada, last night (Oct. 29, 2011) and put on a very exciting event (for the most part) and then called it a day, leaving many new storylines in its wake. If you're interested in merely knowing who the winners and losers of record were for each fight on the UFC 137 line up, that's simple -- just click HERE and read the "Quick Results." However, "a win is a win" is not always an accurate statement. Some wins are massive, catapulting men into "hero" status. Likewise, not all losses have the same effect on a fighter's career. Sometimes the wins and losses don't even happen inside the cage. Take a look at UFC 137's biggest winners and lowliest losers were, after the jump:  BIG WINNERS Nick Diaz -- Love or hate him, this guy wins big fights and wins them convincingly. He went from fighting Georges St. Pierre for the championship belt in the main event to fighting B.J. Penn in the co-main event to still fighting Penn in the actual main event. Granted, he did it to himself with some silly antics, but not a lot of fighters would be able to ride that roller coaster all the way in, while staying focused enough to put on the kind of display that he did on Saturday night. It wasn't B.J. Penn in his prime. No one is saying it was. Either way, Diaz took the best shot from one of the best mixed martial arts (MMA) fighters of all time, weathered the storm, recovered and then beat him violently. It looks as though he will now get his title shot against "GSP" on Super Bowl Weekend. If he can just stay out of trouble until then. Donald Cerrone -- "Cowboy" has now won six fights in a row. He's not beating stiffs, either. Each win has been against formidable opposition. Coming into UFC 137, not many were giving Cerrone a lot of credit or much of a chance to beat Dennis Siver, for that matter. You may not appreciate his smack talk, but listen, he backs it up. Every word of it. Cerrone took this fight as somewhat of a short notice replacement, but Siver ended up looking like the fighter who hadn't had a proper opportunity to prepare. In any other division, Cerrone would be getting a title shot. Unfortunately for Cerrone, he happens to be fighting in possibly the toughest combat division in the entire world. For now, he'll have to bide his time, keep training hard and partying with equal intensity until he gets the call from the bosses. B.J. Penn and Mirko Filipovic -- I know, I know. Both of these fighters lost and lost badly. That's a given. However, two careers came to a close. Two careers that deserve to be celebrated. B.J. Penn and Mirko Filipovic have served the MMA community well and thrilled fans for more than a decade. It would have been nice to see them both go out with a win, but the losses shouldn't tarnish the legacies they are leaving behind. Two classy guys. Two great fighters who always brought it. Ramsey Nijem -- This guy just looks better every time we see him. He's gone from the "class clown" on The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) season 13 to being a very well-rounded fighter that UFC lightweights should get to know. It would have been nice if he could have gotten the finish against Danny Downes, but that's one tough kid. Anyone else probably would have tapped. Nijem has a tremendous upside and it will be exciting to see how he continues to mature.  LOWLY LOSERS Carlos Condit -- What's that you say? Condit didn't even fight on this card? I know. That may be where he began to lose. Look, I'm not gonna hate on the guy. He gets punched in the face for the living. I'm just a keyboard warrior. I admit that freely. That aside, by sitting out, "The Natural Born Killer" may very well have cost himself a title shot. Maybe he's better than Diaz. Maybe he deserves it more. Hard to say. Fans saw Diaz put on a fantastic show on Saturday at Mandalay Bay. History has proven that waiting for your title shot hasn't worked out. Just ask Rashad Evans. Condit is a very good fighter. He'll get his name back in the mix, but fighters don't get to perform their trade forever. Bodies breakdown. Windows of opportunities close. Here's to hoping that he'll get another shot at the belt eventually. Cesar Gracie -- We all make mistakes. We all say stupid things. In the heat of the moment, sometimes we just see red and respond to adrenaline. You can make that argument for Nick Diaz. He had just spent 15 minutes in an absolute war with his MMA hero. He used some language, called out a champion and flipped off some people in the crowd. Pretty standard for Diaz, really. But Cesar Gracie should know better. He's supposed to be the steadying force in the life of a guy who, let's face it, is generally anything but steady. Instead, he gets in Diaz's ear the first chance he gets and starts yelling, "Find that mother f---- St. Pierre! Call that mother f----- out!" Really? After everything Diaz had to overcome (mostly self-imposed) to get to that point, Gracie would choose to try and instigate and push the buttons of a guy who could go off and destroy his own career, on a whim? It just looks "bush league." Let the fighters do the trash talking. You keep teaching them how to throw up armbars and make sure they get to press conferences. Cool? Tyson Griffin -- You gotta know when to hold 'em and when to fold 'em. Griffin is 27 years old, but he could pass for a man much older these days. After losing three fights in a row in the lightweight division, Griffin made the strategic move to 145 pounds, hoping to avoid being cut from the Zuffa roster. He was re-inventing himself. It was a whole new Tyson Griffin. Only, it wasn't. In his first fight at featherweight, Griffin won a very uninspired (and almost unwatchable) decision victory over Manvel Gamburyan. It certainly wasn't the jump start his career sorely needed. Saturday night, Griffin came in overweight, out of shape and was completely outclassed by Bart Palaszewski. It may be time to take a break. Maybe do some traveling. Fight a few fights on some smaller regional shows. Do a gut check. After his performance at UFC 137, the decision may no longer be up to him. So that's it. What did we miss? Fill up the comment section with your suggestions, arguments and words of fond flattery! To check out complete UFC 137 results and detailed blow-by-blow coverage click here.

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A rundown post-fight news and notes from UFC 137… — 10,313 people attended UFC 137 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas for a $3.9 million live gate. — No surprises with the bonuses. Nick Diaz and BJ Penn took home Fight of the Night honors for their epic fight in the main event. Donald Cerrone earned Submission of the Night for battering Dennis Siver and choking him out. Bart Palaszewski earned Knockout of the Night for annihilating Tyson Griffin against the cage. Each bonus was worth $75,000. — Nick Diaz may have beat BJ Penn in thrilling fashion last night, but you wouldn’t have known it by the way he talked at the press conference. Instead of realizing what he had accomplished, Nick criticized his performance up and down. “I’m not happy with my performance at all,” Diaz said of his win over Penn, which served as the main event of Saturday’s UFC 137 event in Las Vegas. “I wasn’t 100 percent today. I felt good, but just leading up to this fight, I went through a lot of hard times.” “I can look a lot better than that,” Diaz said. “I can do a lot better than that, and that’s what I would like to do. “I didn’t have any sort of workouts like I have had in the past. I would have come out 10 times better than I look tonight, that’s for sure. I don’t take punches like that when I’m working out with guys like Andre Ward and the guys even that are working out with Andre Ward. If I could have got any of the sparring that I’ve had in the past, I would have been a lot more confident just having known that I worked out with some of these guys that are at that top level.” As he touched on at the end of that quote, Diaz blamed his performance on a lack of quality sparring partners and training. “There’s not enough money in this sport,” Diaz told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com). “You’ve got Floyd Mayweather making $25 million. He can’t stop a double-leg. I had to go to school to learn how to do that [expletive]. I had to work hard, and I had to study every aspect. That’s what we’re doing out here. I think that if I was making a tiny piece of that that everybody I know would be compensated – everybody I know, including my family. “They’re not taking care of me because they’re not compensated. My team needs to be compensated, and the people around me, they’re not getting nothing out of it. They’re not getting airtime. They’re not getting paid like they should. My sparring partners, they’re not getting paid like they should. That’s why nobody wants any part of this. Nobody wants to help me train if they’re not getting anything out of it, and I don’t blame them. “It’s hard to find sparring these days. Nobody’s ready, or they have to be in the best condition before they want to come in and work out with me now because everybody is intimidated or their trainer tells them, ‘No, you can’t go. It ain’t good for you to go spar with that guy.’ People aren’t going to do this stuff. I’m not going to get the training I need unless these people are compensated for their efforts and what they’re doing to help me.” Cesar Gracie later explained that getting boxers to come spar with Nick is becoming increasingly more difficult because they don’t want a MMA fighter making them look bad. And if they are willing to do it, they’re charging their camp twice as much as they charge others. — Despite the setbacks in training, Diaz made it a point to let everyone know he still showed up to fight with the same problems and injuries GSP backed out with and a tougher life back home to boot. “I’ve never backed out of a fight in my life,” Diaz said angrily. “You show me someone else who hasn’t done that, pulled some [expletive] about an injury. I’ve been injured all these last fights, even this one. I didn’t pull out, you know? I had no reason to fight. I’m depressed about this whole not fighting [St. Pierre], not getting paid what I wanted to get paid. I could have pulled out with any of these injuries. My knee hurts. Oh, my hamstring. My hamstring … I’ve got the same issues, man. I go running all the time out of my neighborhood, out of the bad neighborhood into the good neighborhood where I like to run. I run by hundreds of these nice huge houses with these big yards, and fountains everywhere. They have their picnic-patio little side yards with a pool. All this stuff, right? “Then I take a little circle around and go back into my neighborhood, where my car gets robbed, there’s a dude out in front of my house looking for cigarette butts, hoping some friend might have left some. It’s ridiculous.” — You would think Diaz would have cheered up when Dana White announced that he would fight Georges St. Pierre next, but this is Nick Diaz. Standard logic doesn’t apply. Instead, Nick started complaining about how he has to be the bad guy to get the fight he wants. “See how I gotta come off just to get a fight. I gotta come off like that just to get a fight. I gotta be the bad guy. You gotta point the finger, make me the bad guy, I’m the bad guy, now I get a fight.” Dana’s reaction? “It worked.” That it did. — BJ Penn didn’t show up to the post-fight press conference or talk to reporters after the show. As of now, the last thing we heard from BJ Penn was his psuedo-retirement speech right after the fight. “Hats off to Nick Diaz, he’s the man. It’s probably the last time you’ll ever see me in here. I want to perform at the top level. This is the end. You know what, I’ve got another daughter on the way, I don’t want to go home looking like this.” Like many, including myself, Dana White was skeptical after the fight that this is the last we’ve seen of BJ Penn. “B.J. is a warrior,” White said. “What happened to him tonight has never happened to him in his entire career. What he’s thinking tonight he might not think eight weeks from now.” “They took B.J. right to the hospital,” White told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com). “Who knows. It might be or it might not be (Penn’s last fight). That’s up to him. I don’t know.” While Penn can certainly compete at the top level of the welterweight division, he really belongs in the lightweight division. I’d like to see him give 155 another shot, but the question is whether Penn has the motivation to do it. Right this minute, probably not, but hopefully that will change in time. — Roy Nelson didn’t show up looking like he was sculpted out of clay like Cheick Kongo does, but he definitely lost some belly fat and gained a little muscle mass. When asked about the weight loss after the fight, Nelson jokingly explained why he wore the fat suit to the weigh-ins. “I wasn’t really trying to keep it a secret,” Nelson said. “I think the biggest thing … was that the porn industry is kind of going down. If you want to see a half-naked man, you’re going to pay for it.” How did you lose the weight? “Secret ninja training,” he said. When the jokes stopped, Nelson added that he’s still the same fighter with or without the belly. “I’m the same Roy Nelson – just trying to be more active, trying to be a more complete martial artist by adding takedowns with the kicks,” he said. “I’m still 100 percent in the UFC with kicks. But it’s just one of those things – trying to be a complete martial artist and keep on adding to the repertoire and more tools to the belt. “I’ve been doing kung fu and martial arts all my life. I was just trying to change it up a little bit – just being a complete martial artist. You saw a lot of striking, a lot of groundwork today. I’m just trying to add more to the repertoire so that whoever I fight next gets to see two different looks.” In addition to the belly, Nelson also lost the beard. He shaved it after the fight and told reporters he did it to give them something to talk about on a slow news day. — It definitely seemed like we had seen the last of Mirko Cro Cop after his loss to Roy Nelson last night, but Dana White didn’t sound so sure. “Cro Cop has been a good guy since the day we signed him,” said White. “The guy’s a guy a warrior, a legend, has done tons of good things in the sport. I know he’s disappointed with his run in the UFC. I’m 42; at 38 [actually 37] to still be fighter, fighting younger, faster, more explosive guys … He came out and said, ‘I’m going to give you guys a fight; it won’t be a boring fight like with Frank Mir.’ He said he wants to retire. We’ll see how that plays out.” While it remains to be seen if Mirko calls it a career, we won’t see him back in the UFC. This was the last fight on his contract and there’s little to no reason to re-sign him. If Mirko wants to continue fighting though, I’m sure there’s an organization or two that would give him that opportunity. ProElite and M-1 Global (Fedor rematch) come to mind. — Donald Cerrone surprised a lot of people last night when he basically outclassed Dennis Siver on the feet. Perhaps the only person who wasn’t surprised though was Donald Cerrone. “I wasn’t impressed with his striking,” Cerrone told MMAjunkie.com. “I wanted to show the world what real kickboxing looks like. I was glad to go out there and be kind of technical. “I don’t want to overlook anyone, but I felt like my striking was better than his striking. He’s really flashy and did a lot of spinning and karate-type kicks. I didn’t want to say I didn’t respect his striking. I just thought mine was better.” With many of the top lightweight contenders losing recently, Cerrone may find himself in the title picture sooner than later if he keeps it up. Cerrone isn’t thinking about that now though. He just wants to fight ” anybody, anywhere, anytime,” in both the lightweight and featherweight divisions. It’s a noble approach, but now might be the time to choose his fights carefully. A couple wins over the right opponents and a little luck could land him a title shot in the next 12 months. Image via Twitter.com/LorenzoFertitta

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Filed under: UFC, NewsLAS VEGAS -- Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic didn't get the sweet swan song he had hoped for, but the heavyweight striker did accomplish one of his goals, closing out his career with a crowd-pleaser at UFC 137. Cro Cop ultimately fell to Roy Nelson in a third-round TKO. The Croatian had his moments in the fight, flooring Nelson briefly in the second round and keeping it competitive, with all three cageside judges having the bout tied 19-19 heading into the final frame. Nelson took over in the third and finished him with strikes 90 seconds in. Still, the 10,313 fans in attendance at the Mandalay Bay Events Center saw enough heart in Cro Cop's performance to send him off with a standing ovation. "Cro Cop's been a good guy since day we signed him," UFC president Dana White said. "Again, the guy is a warrior and legend, and done tons of great things in the sport. I know he's very disappointed in his run in the UFC. But I said it to you guys at the press conference before. I'm 42. At 38, to still be fighting with guys a lot younger, faster and more explosive than you, he came out and did what he said he was going to do. At the press conference he said, 'I'm going to give you guys a fight. Whether I win or I lose, it won't be a boring fight like the Frank Mir was. And it was not." Cro Cop tried to leave the cage shortly after losing, but was asked to stay for a post-fight interview with Joe Rogan. In a classy move, he thanked the promotion for treating him "like a king" and apologized for his inability to bring the same magic to the octagon that he had in the PRIDE ring earlier in his career. Upset at the outcome of the fight, did not attend the post-fight press conference, however. Nelson, who snapped a two-fight losing streak with the victory, credited the veteran's performance and skill. "He came to bang and he came to throw," said Nelson (16-6). "He's one of those guys who can still fight. He hits hard, he's very competitive. It's one of those fights that for me, I wanted to make sure I was the guy to go out there and win. It feels good to be back in the 'W.'" Cro Cop, once considered the most fearsome striker in the heavyweight division, closed out his career losing each of his last three fights by stoppage. He went just 4-6 in his 10-fight run in the octagon, but retires with a record of 27-10-2 with 1 no contest. In the end, fans won't necessarily remember the numbers. What they will remember for sure are his devastating high kicks which led to many of his 20 knockout finishes, and led him to coin the phrase, "right leg, hospital, left leg, cemetery." Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

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So remember when we promised you guys we would make it a point to have the greatest advertisements on MiddleEasy? Well our new advertiser, Columbia Sportswear, has located a dude that apparently has some mutant power in which he can produce an insane amount of internal heat in even the most frigid conditions. All of the footage below is real, we're not in the business of altering you reality unless it has to do with convincing you guys that Genki Sudo could outbox Frankie Edgar (I guess we'll never know). Check out Columbia Sportswear's new product when tested against a guy that obviously attended Professor Xavier's School for Gifted Individuals. Keep in mind, Columbia Sportswear executives visited MiddleEasy, accepted the fact that we love to photoshop the heads of fighters on the bodies of hot chicks and chose to advertise with us. For that reason alone you guys should watch this video.{jcomments off} ') //--> Please support our site by enabling javascript to view ads.

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Filed under: UFC, NewsLAS VEGAS -- With increased exposure comes increased scrutiny, as the UFC has learned through its fast rise to becoming a sports powerhouse. As the promotion continues preparation for its network television premiere on FOX on November 12, they have faced a recent, ongoing campaign led by the Culinary Workers Union Local 226, charging that the UFC is unfit for children due to abusive and bigoted language by UFC president Dana White and his fighters, a charge White denies. As part of that campaign, the union, which represents more than 50,000 workers on the Las Vegas Strip but is embroiled in bitter litigation with Fertitta-owned Station Casinos -- recently launched the website UnfitForChildren.org that details some of White's more controversial quotes. More recently, they have pressured some of the UFC's sponsors to pull advertising dollars from the promotion because of their " history of tolerating homophobic conduct that is hostile to millions of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people all over the world who struggle every day against bigotry and discrimination." Asked about the recent developments, White argued that they were based in politics more than substance, and said the UFC would gladly welcome a gay fighter. "Seriously, if you guys look at some of the stuff I said in the last 10 years, some of it stupid, some of it whatever, that's the one that bothers me. It's the only one that bothers me," White said. "The fact that these losers from the culinary union can go out and say I'm a homophobe and things like that, because It's the furthest thing from the truth. I think enough of you here know me that if I was, I'd tell you I was, and I'd tell you why I was. It's not true and it's just something these guys can throw up on a cute little website." Asked whether he should be better policing anyone in his organization, White said, "I definitely should be policing myself," but noted that he has 375 fighters on his roster and said he could not possibly police every word out of their mouths. A letter to UFC sponsor Anheuser-Busch specifically targeted several recent incidences they termed "anti-gay," that involved Joe Rogan, Quinton "Rampage" Jackson, Antonio Roridgo Nogueira, Michael Bisping and White himself. "I do what I can do for these guys," White said. "You're dealing with human beings. I love when you get these organizations that try to ... I guess I call it the holier-than-thou approach. Really? So when these guys make mistakes and things happen, bad things happen, you want to point the finger and say the whole organization is bad and these are bad people because these are things they've done? F--- you. Guess what? Everybody makes mistakes and everybody does things that are wrong sometimes. Everybody. I don't care who you are, I don't care what you do for a living and what you've done. I don't deal with the holier-than-thou b-------. We do the best we can do." White said that while a few fighters occasionally step out of line, the vast majority -- "300-something," in his view are inspirational, role- model types to kids and adults. Though there has never been an openly gay fighter in the UFC, White said there would be no problems for that individual under his watch. "I'll tell you right now, if there's a gay fighter in the UFC, I wish he would come out," he said. "I could care less if there's a gay fighter in the UFC. There probably is, and there's probably more than one. It's 2012. Give me a break." Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

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If you're gay and you fight in the UFC, Dana White doesn't care. In fact, the promotion president was kind of hoping you would come out of the closet. Just don't expect to be Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira's grappling partner if you do. That's because "Minotauro" told UOL Esporte he won't train with gay fighters, because he doesn't want to get felt up by another man if they decide to take advantage of the situation. Big Nog's sentiment came under fire from the Las Vegas chapter of the Culinary Union, who accused Zuffa of being an anti-gay organization. White told reporters during yesterday's UFC 137 press conference (via USA Today) that not only is his fight promoton not anti-gay, but that he wants any gay fighters under his employ to make their presence known. "The thing that Nogueira said down in Brazil, you know? And I'll tell you right now, if there was a gay fighter in UFC, I wish he would come out. I could care less if there's a gay fighter in the UFC. There probably is and there's probably more than one. I mean, it's 2012. Give me a break. But you're going to have guys like Nogueira who come from Brazil, who's got that macho, Latino -- doesn't want to roll with a gay guy. People are going to say stuff like this. But that's the best answer I can give you is, give me a (freaking) break and be honest. Come on. We're all human beings. We all make mistakes sometimes. It doesn't mean that the UFC is bad and we're unfit for children and all this other stuff. Tell you what: Out of the 375 guys, we've got a few lunatics; some guys that are nutty; and then we've got 300 and something that are incredible, awesome human beings who are inspirational to kids and adults and whoever else is a human being." This is the UFC in 2012. And like White said, they have guys that are lunatics, nutty and awesome. And he's probably got some that are gay, too. But is coming out of the closet really the best idea, considering the demographic mixed martial arts appeals to? And peer acceptance could be difficult, Nogueira's comments aside, because of the cliques that exist in training camps, the front office and beyond. Anyone favor a don't ask, don't tell policy? Or is this one stone better left unturned? Can of worms, you are officially opened.

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Filed under: UFCQuestions, concerns, comments, and even a little statistical analysis, sort of: UFC 137 gives us a chance to sort through it all, in no particular order. I don't know about you, but to me it sounds like a perfect way to while away the hours on a Friday. I. Has Nick Diaz ever been happy or content with any situation, ever? I don't want to call the guy a complainer, but...no, he's a complainer. It's always something with Diaz. Either he's not making enough money or he's being forced into a fight he doesn't want or he wishes he'd taken that boxing contract instead. It makes you wonder, has he ever felt like he got what he wanted in this business -- in this life! -- even once? Most fighters I know go to great lengths to avoid negative thinking, but Diaz seems to thrive on it. It's almost as if the thing motivating him to work so hard in the gym is his belief that the deck is stacked against him. As if he has to be better than everyone else, because the world wants to see him fail. In reality, it's the other way around. Plenty of people want to see Diaz succeed. That's why they keep giving him one opportunity after another, even when he torches olive branches as quickly as they are extended. But hey, whatever works. If, in order to succeed, Diaz needs to feel like he is constantly mired in misery thanks to a universe looking to cheat and crush him at every turn, then so be it. You'd just like to see the guy enjoying the ride a little more while he's on it, because it won't last forever. II. Age difference, in months, between Mirko Filipovic and Roy Nelson: 27. Believe it or not, "Cro Cop" is just a shade over two years older than Nelson, though you'd swear he had a decade on him. In fighter years, maybe he does. In addition to his kickboxing career, Filipovic is a veteran of nearly 40 pro MMA bouts, while Nelson has about half that many. Nelson also benefitted from fighting the Bo Cantrells and Vince Luceros of the world early in his career, while Cro Cop came up in the Pride heavyweight division back when it was stocked with household names. Still, when you think about this fight it seems like a contest between the old school and the (at least somewhat) new. It doesn't seem like a fight between two dudes who could have, theoretically at least, played on the same high school basketball team. More Coverage: Watch UFC 137 Live Online | UFC 137 Fight Card | UFC 137 Results III. How much did his knockout of Pat Barry really help Cheick Kongo's confidence? Without a doubt, it was one of the greatest comebacks in MMA history, but did you see his face afterward? He looked like a man who had just woken up from a terrible nightmare, and while relieved to find out it wasn't real, was still not totally convinced that there were no monsters under the bed. That's as close as you can come to getting knocked out and still win. It makes for an exciting finish, but it's the kind of excitement most fighters would like to avoid. When you get close enough to the edge to feel your wheels slipping, the temptation to slow down and play it safe after that can sometimes be overwhelming. IV. Maybe, whether he knows it or not, Nick Diaz is exactly what B.J. Penn needs right now. The last time we saw a truly terrifying Penn was when he got into the cage against Matt Hughes for the third time, muttering to himself like a crazy man at the bus stop. Jon Fitch failed to elicit such a reaction in him (or in UFC fans generally), but how about Diaz, who usually has some choice words for his opponent's mother once the fight gets started? At this point in his career, maybe Penn needs an opponent who will throw his hands in the air like he just doesn't care and taunt his family like they're from separate clans of feuding hill people. If that doesn't help Penn find the old fire, nothing will. V. Dennis Siver vs. Donald Cerrone could be the best Spike TV prelim fight in ages, and just when the UFC needs it the most. The Pettis-Stephens and Maia-Santiago bouts on the UFC 136 prelims probably didn't sell many pay-per-views. In fact, they might have even convinced some fans to turn off the TV and go see a movie instead. But the Siver-Cerrone fight looks like a can't-miss scrap, at least on paper, and this card could sure use the boost. Siver's won four straight, while Cerrone's notched five in a row. They both like to stand and mix it up, and Siver's Russo-German stoicism is perhaps the best counterweight to Cerrone's swaggering redneck routine. If this fight turns out to be even half as good as I'm expecting, it won't even matter that the night's other televised prelim -- Tyson Griffin vs. Bart Palaszewski -- seems like the perfect opportunity to get up and prepare some snacks. VI. Combined record of UFC 137's curtain-jerking newcomers: 13-0. Neither Dustin Jacoby nor Clifford Starks has lost a professional MMA bout as of yet. Just be advised that, when it comes to guys coming up off local shows, not all undefeated records are created equally. VII. Now that Jeff Curran is finally here, where can he go? It took a long time for the "Big Frog" to finally make his UFC debut. But look around at the UFC's bantamweight division right now and you'll see a list of guys who already hold wins over him. Joe Benavidez, Takeya Mizugaki, Urijah Faber, "Kid" Yamamoto -- it's almost as if beating Curran is a condition of getting your UFC bantamweight merit badge. I don't mean to be hard on Curran, who's a great guy and a legend of the sport, but it does make me think that maybe this chance has come too late in his career. Going up against a grinder like Scott Jorgensen, that doesn't help matters much. VIII. It's not hard to see what the UFC brass is thinking with the Brandon Vera-Eliot Marshall match-up. Vera they cut and more or less had to bring back when it was revealed that the last man to beat him was, in Vera's words, a "juice monkey." Marshall they cut and then brought back when they needed a warm body to throw in against Luiz Cane on short notice, and his willingness to be that body earned him the tiniest bit of slack, resulting in this fight. The UFC doesn't seem interested in keeping both of them around for long, so why not make them fight each other for the last spot on the lifeboat? The winner gets to stick around and survive on rain water and fish guts, hoping for an unlikely rescue. The loser gets thrown overboard, but at least he knows where he stands...or doesn't. You have to admit, there's a certain cruel, yet satisfying economy to it all. IX. Can Hatsu Hioki avoid the fate of other Japanese transplants to the UFC? One after another, they've come on a wave of hype only to dissipate quickly on rocky shores. From Takanori Gomi to "Kid" Yamamoto, several Japanese fighters have arrived only to appear as if they were much better when we were viewing them from across the Pacific. The big difference is that Hioki seems much closer to his prime, and sure, a UFC debut against George Roop isn't exactly the same as one against Kenny Florian. It's a slightly gentler introduction to life in the UFC than the one some of his countrymen have received. If Hioki can't make the most of it, things aren't likely to get much easier from here on out. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

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"I love when you guys say a legitimate threat. A threat to what? Like they're gonna kill us? In what way? We're the 'mom and pops' now. Viacom's sitting on five billion in cash so they're not hurting for any money. It's good for them. Good for them. I'm not looking at them like, 'Oh my god, they're a huge threat!' You guys are so out of your minds. You, all them out here and then some of these fans are nuts. You guys get all nutty like, 'Oh, this is the next thing.' These companies that folded? They went out of business. They went out of business and lost millions and millions and millions of dollars. And when you're losing that kind of money in this economy, you want to get out of this business as fast as you can and that's what happened to all these other organizations. And when you look at somebody getting on television, they were all on television. All those guy had television deals. Even if you look at these guys now that just did the deal, they were on FOX, they were on ESPN, they were NBC, they were on everywhere. Just because you get on TV doesn't mean it's gonna make you successful. These guys gotta get in there and run their business. It doesn't mean that they're not gonna be successful either." -- UFC President Dana White was asked about Viacom's purchase of Bellator today after the UFC 137 press conference in an interview with Ariel Helwani. White doesn't view Bellator as a threat, but also wasn't quick to dismiss the promotion either. Earlier this week, Viacom purchased a majority stake in Bellator and announced that the upstart promotion would debut on Spike TV -- the same network that helped UFC get on the mainstream map several years ago with The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) television series -- in 2013. That's when the television deal between Spike TV and the UFC's fight library expires. Does White have a point about the fans and media being quick to hail every upcoming promotion as "the next big thing?" Especially, considering that the UFC will hit the FOX television airwaves full force in 2012?

Posted in: ufc, guy, spike tv, theyre, television

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Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 14 featherweight contestant Akira Corassani is going to be "that guy" on this season of the Spike TV reality show. What guy? Find out in his MMA Nation blog right here.

Posted in: guy, fighter, corassani, akira, contestant

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Brandon Vera knows what it feels like, even briefly to be unemployed from the UFC. And it sucks. The former top ranked prospect had received his walking papers after three consecutive losses in the UFC light heavyweight division but received a saving grace when his last opponent, Thiago Silva, submitted inhuman urine during his drug screening. He was instantly invited back into the world's top MMA promotion. But the sting of those losses still resonates with "The Truth." The Alliance Training Center product spoke with MMAmania.com about special changes he's made for his upcoming UFC 137 fight with Eliot Marshall, getting back to his old "killer" self and what he'd do to Thiago Silva if he saw him again. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): This is basically a second chance for you and I know you've talked about how you're not even writing a new chapter, you're trying to write a whole new book for your career. Can you talk about making the most of this opportunity you've been given? Brandon Vera: Making the most of it, I can't even describe it man. Training three times a day and enjoying training again, understanding that this is my life. It was not natural to me for a while, I lost it. I lost my life even if was for 3-5 days, I don't know how long I was cut from the UFC, I really honestly don't remember how long I was cut for the UFC before I got the call back but from losing to getting it back, I understand that I don't want to be out of the UFC. I am doing every, everything, everything in my power, traveling, training, paying attention, watching tapes, listening to my coaches just to make sure that I am getting back on my path of getting that title belt. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): You mentioned the traveling part. You've talked about how you didn't feel like you had the right mindset for a while and during this most recent 8500 mile road trip where you were doing seminars, I heard you found yourself while on that trip. Can you talk about that? Brandon Vera: Yeah, you know it was just interacting with the students and other people and watching people smile, talking to me and being out with the public again I guess. It helped me grow, seeing how much people want me to win, people asking me what happened, what went wrong? I didn't really have an answer for them until it just dawned on me one day that MMA wasn't important, it stopped being important for a while. I don't know why. I don't know when. I'm pretty sure there was a time frame but I don't know why and all of a sudden it went to number three on the list instead of number one and it needs to be number one. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): I even saw something about a specific instant where you saw a kid just absorbing everything you were teaching and applying it better than the adults. Can you tell me about seeing that and the impact it had on you? Brandon Vera: I think he was 11 years old and every time I showed something, he got it before all the adults. There was maybe a couple times where some of the pro fighters got it before he did but the rest of the time he was on point, he was just enjoying the seminar so much and just watching him training and watching him learn like that made me smile so big and bright. I was like, "Man, that's what I missed! I missed learning stuff and the reason why I stopped learning stuff was because I stopped traveling." If you want to be the greatest chef in the world, you can't stay in one kitchen. You have to travel. You always have your home, you always have your stable but if you want to learn other stuff and you want to grow, you have to travel and bring it back home and show the rest of the team, figure it out and tweak it. That's what I wasn't doing so I was being a detriment to myself and to Alliance MMA. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): Obviously you are still a member of Alliance, that's your home but you've branched out for this camp. I saw you moved out to Maryland to work with Lloyd Irvin again. Can you tell me about hooking up with your original Muay Thai coach, the one that you were working with when you were laying waste to people? Brandon Vera: My very, very, very, very first Muay Thai coach, Brad, I got to work with him and just tweak a couple of things and talk to him about my style and try to change some things up. He's got some new fighters at his gym and I was getting to work with them and move around and I got to try some new stuff, add some new things and fix some old stuff. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): That's not the only thing you've been doing that's new, I saw you were working with your Alma Mater, the Old Dominion wrestling team. That's got to be a nice benefit as well, right? Brandon Vera: That was amazing. Wrestling with the OD guys? Yeah. Coach Steve Martin over there and those guys are amazing. The whole OD wrestling team, those guys aren't getting paid. They're just trying to go to school for free you know? They're just trying to make the team, they just want to get a spot on the team, the starting position so those guys were all hungry and they brought it back. They helped put stuff back in perspective for me as well. I got to hang out with them, I got to watch a UFC fight with them and it was awesome. They're a great group of guys and they also work super hard.  Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): I lastly saw some of the work you've been putting in with boxing coach Troy Fox. It looked like you were, at least from the video I saw, it looked like you were really working those body shots. Is that something you want to really add to your game or is it just one of the little things that you've been working to complete the puzzle? Brandon Vera: It was one of the little things, but I definitely for sure want to hit people in the body more. If they want to shoot in on me or be close to me, I want to make them pay so I'm gonna start tearing up people's bodies hard. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): That's what people have been trying to do to you in your last three fights. You had Randy Couture clinching you against the cage, there was Jon Jones taking you down and most recently Thiago Silva was on top of you for three rounds. Is that a focus of yours now to punish the guys that want to try to take away your striking weapons? Brandon Vera: Yeah nobody wants to stay with me on the feet no more. (laughs) I laugh about it every time I say it. Nobody wants to fight me on the feet. All these people are supposed to be murderers on the feet. What happened? What happened? I want to find out what it's like on the feet first but I get it now. I'm gonna have to stuff their takedown attempts and get them off me so that's for sure what we've been working back into my gameplan. Make people stand with you. If you want to stand with people, I can't let them do it for me, I've got to make them stand with me so that's what we're doing. I'm gonna make people stand with me. I'm gonna give them no hope for taking me down and if they do take me down, I want to go right back up, piss them off so bad like, "Oh my god, now I have to stand with this guy?" Yes, yes you do. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): Have you looked to any fighters that use that style, to keep a fight standing because they're so good at striking as an example for you? Brandon Vera: You know, honestly? Old school Chuck [Liddell]. Old school Chuck, if you took him down, he'd pop right back to his feet or if you moved while you were on top of Chuck he was for sure going to get right back to his feet. That was his whole goal, to get back to his feet and he was one of the best at it when he was in his prime, that's what he would do. Chuck was gonna beat you up on the feet and if you didn't want to stand with him, you'd take him down and before you knew it he was right back to his feet and punching you in the face. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): Going back to the last three opponents trying to take you down or put you in the clinch, Eliot Marshall is in a similar vein. He's a type of fighter that may stand for a little bit but he wants to get up close and personal just like those guys. Do you feel like all this extra work you've put in is gearing you up nearly perfectly for a fighter like Marshall? Brandon Vera: Yeah, I geared this whole camp towards the last three fighters. Everyone's gonna try to take me down now so, Eliot's gameplan is gonna be exactly like the rest of the guys and that's what we trained for. I need to get in my thick-ass head, I think it finally went through that this is the gameplan that we've been working on and this is the plan we need to stick with for a while. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): Can you talk about being on the undercard for this fight? They've promoted a couple fights from the undercard to the main card but they didn't pick yours. Do you feel less pressure, does it almost feel good that the spotlight isn't on you for this fight? Brandon Vera: Maybe, I haven't really even thought about that. I look at it like, I'm on the undercard because I put myself there. The UFC's not punishing me, this is just exactly where I ended up because I haven't been doing my job. I need to get back on the main card. That's how I look at it. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): Can you talk about what motivates you a bit? I know you wanted to be one of the best in the world. Brandon Vera: I do. I want to be the best in the world again. Every time I see Jon Jones fight, I see the top 10 guys fight, it eats at me. I'm glad it's eating at me again. Before, it didn't bother me for a while. Now it does because I want to be one of the best in the world, one of the greatest ever and I for sure have been doing my job to get there.  Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): Is there also motivation like, almost negative motivation, like you don't want to be that cautionary tale, the guy that had it all, was a top prospect and people would one day tell a prospect, "Don't be a Brandon Vera." Is that motivation to you as well? Brandon Vera: Yeah, I don't want to be that guy at all. That story would suck ass. (laughs) I for sure don't want to be that guy. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): I saw you did this exercise presentation with TRX at the UFC expo in Houston earlier this month. Is that something you've added to your training as well recently? Brandon Vera: For sure. I've been on my TRX every day, about 5-10 minutes every day and my body just feels different. I've been able to keep all my muscle, I haven't been losing my muscle with my weight cut and I feel good too. My coaches are super-excited with the results as well. Usually my coaches tell me, "Don't do this, don't do that," but they actually adjusted my workouts so I could use TRX every day. It works out all my major muscle groups and I still get my training in. It's nice man. It was nice to be able to use that this whole camp. You'll see at the weigh-ins. I'm for sure not going to be skinny. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): I think that's something people noticed at 205, you were almost drawn out a bit, like really skinny. Brandon Vera: Yeah, I was able to add some good carbohydrates to my diet this camp too. White rice, I was able to eat white rice again. All these nutritionists can kiss my ass because I'm eating white rice this camp. (laughs) Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): Do you harbor any resentment towards Thiago Silva for the way he acted in the fight and of course for the steroids? Brandon Vera: If I saw him right now I would kick him in the nuts for sure. I don't like that guy. I don't care for him.  Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): (laughs) That's the line of the interview right there. Okay, when you originally came to the UFC, you were just destroying people in a minute and you've talked about how you went to that mindset where winning was more important than just beating people up and finishing them. I know you mentioned you wanted to change that mindset, you wanted to get back to being a killer again. Can you tell me about that? Brandon Vera: I want to go in there and fight. I've gotten to watch enough fights in the UFC where people are just trying to win and they're so boring, man. I just don't want to be that guy anymore. Plus, watching and learning, I've learned that I don't want to be that guy. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): I know you've talked about how you have a post-fight speech prepared for when you're done with Eliot Marshall, but before that you've got to have the fight. How would you like to have the fight play out against Marshall on Saturday night? Brandon Vera: I want him to quit. I want him to stop. I either want to knock him out or make him stop fighting me either by tapping out or not answering the bell or just quitting. Brandon would like to thank TRX, the ODU wrestling team, coach Steve Martin, Team Lloyd Irvin, Alliance Training Center, Hybrid Academy in Virginia Beach and everybody else who's helped him along the way and helped him find himself for this fight. So what do you think Maniacs? Will the changes he's making help Vera find himself again? Or is it too little, too late for the former top heavyweight and light heavyweight prospect? Sound off!

Posted in: guy, people, brian, hemmingernbspmmamaniacom, brandon

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Major props to USA Today's Sergio Non for scooping the entire planet on this game-changing news. This is the MMA equivalent of Ernest Rutherford splitting the atom back in 1917. There, take that for an obscure reference. It's a shame you guys aren't familiar with the father of nuclear physics. And it feels like it was only just yesterday when Bellator CEO, Bjorn Rebney called everyone at MiddleEasy 'out of touch with reality' and even suggested that I ran MiddleEasy from my mother's basement. Now Bjorn just heavily pocketed on Viacom purchasing majority stake of his Bellator Fighting Championship in absolutely authentic 'raw power move.' Notorious B.I.G would be proud. Now with over $9.34 billion backing them, this undeniably cements Bellator's future in the MMA scene. They're going nowhere, well besides Spike TV in 2013. Technically, Bellator could also be shown on Showtime since Viacom also owns that media entity. Back in March I claimed Sumner Redstone was the most powerful man in MMA and no one understood how I arrived at this conclusion. With Viacom's acquisition of Bellator, some of you are finally starting to understand this guy truly owns the future of mixed martial arts. Now get the popcorn ready, Dana White's response to this purchase will undoubtedly be an interesting one. [Source]

Posted in: bellator, mma, guy, viacom, sumner redstone

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A week before his professional MMA debut on November 27, 2010, Dustin Jacoby wasn’t taking things easy in his Illinois home, keeping his conditioning on point before he faced Dan McGlasson in St. Louis. Instead, he was in Auburn Hills, Michigan, in front of an arena full of screaming fans, taking everything in before his teammate, Brian Foster, stepped into the Octagon against Matt Brown at UFC 123.But this wasn’t a trip to the UFC as a fan. This was a scouting trip, one prompted by his coach, Marc Fiore.“He said ‘I want you to come along because you’re gonna be in this position before you know it,’” said Jacoby, recalling his coach’s words. “And this is a week before my pro debut.”The Fort Morgan, Colorado native saw Foster submit Brown that night, and a week later he got his own win, stopping McGlasson via strikes at 2:09 of the first round. And less than a year later, Fiore’s words proved prophetic, as the unbeaten (6-0) Jacoby will make his UFC debut this weekend against Clifford Starks.So don’t expect him to be rattled by the bright lights of Las Vegas.“It (being around at UFC 123) makes it a lot easier and reminds me that this is just another day at the office, another opportunity to go out, perform, and do my job,” said the 23-year old middleweight. “Coach (Fiore) tells me all the time, people get into the UFC and they think that everything has to change. But as professional athletes, we should already be doing all the right things anyway. So nothing else changes. All it is is just another fight.”It’s a phrase you hear all the time from debuting UFC fighters, but many do get caught up in the first time jitters. Yet despite his age, Jacoby appears to have a mature approach not just to MMA, but to sports in general, and that may come down to his past athletic life as a high school and college quarterback, playing for four years at Culver-Stockton College and Quincy University. So he’s heard the roar of the crowd, and the boos as well.“I think it (playing quarterback) helps out tremendously,” said Jacoby. “It’s kind of a gift I was blessed with, and I think one of my biggest strengths going into a fight is just being able to stay poised and to keep my composure and to not let the excitement and the pressure take over my emotions and make me do things that I ordinarily wouldn’t do. I think it’s something that’s been instilled in me since Day One.”“Thrilled to death” about being brought into the UFC less than a year into his career, Jacoby has had a chance to see that poise tested even before arriving in Las Vegas this week. Originally scheduled to take on former Ultimate Fighter competitor Brad Tavares, Jacoby saw his fight with the Hawaiian elevated to the main card when UFC 137’s main event between Georges St-Pierre and Carlos Condit got removed due to an injury suffered by the champion. The turn of events stunned Jacoby – in a good way.“I broke out in a sweat, I was hopping up and down,” he laughs.But days later, Jacoby was back on the preliminary portion of the card, and with a new opponent, as a Tavares injury took him out of commission and opened the door for the unbeaten Starks (7-0) to step in. The Illinois product took everything in stride though, and he expects to be on top of things on Saturday night.“I’ve always showed up on gameday my entire life,” he said. “I’ve been a competitor since I was a little kid and I’ve never not showed up on gameday. I’ve always been a guy my team’s looked up to, I’ve always been considered the team leader, and everybody else around me, I make them rise to my level. I know I’m gonna go out there and rock that moment, win or lose. The reality of the sport is that two guys get in the cage and one person’s gonna come out with their hand raised. So win or lose, I have no doubt in my mind that I’m gonna put on a performance, and I’m capable of doing that each and every time I step into the Octagon. I think I’m gonna impress some people.”It’s a confident approach, one that grew from hours in the gym, not only with Fiore, but with former training partners such as Matt Hughes and Robbie Lawler. And if you survive running through that gauntlet, you’ll pretty much be ready for anything.“I’ve rolled with those guys, I’ve learned a lot from them, and Hughes was very big on the mental game,” said Jacoby. “He says mental weakness, and just weakness overall, is a disease. And he would really push us in practice. He wanted to see the guys who were weak and who wanted to give up and who were slacking and he’d make us go even harder just to get those guys off the mat. Working with those guys made me realize that I can be on this level, I can do this, and I can compete.”And if there’s anyone who knows about competing on Saturday, it’s Dustin Jacoby.

Posted in: ufc, guy, i ’m, ’ve, jacoby

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If urine therapy gives the drinker the ability to take on two combatants at once in front of a crowd of other guys dressed up like you, then sign me up. There's nothing more enjoyable on this planet than fighting guys that are rocking the exact same clothes for true martial art wardrobe supremacy. It's sort of like that scene in The Matrix Reloaded where Neo takes on hundreds of Agent Smiths in a park in Brooklyn. Granted, that park in Brooklyn never existed. It was just a construct created by the architecture to confuse the hell out of everyone that watched the movie. This video of Lyoto Machida operates on the same concept of major ass-kicking done on a large scale, so enjoy. [Source]

Posted in: guy, lyoto machida, heres video, theres nothing, agent smiths

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There is a four letter word prevalent in every conversation with Scott Jorgensen, one that has led him through his 29 years on this earth, from his time as a three-time Pac-10 champion wrestler at Boise State to his current status as one of the best bantamweight mixed martial artists in the world.Work.The way life is for “Young Guns,” nothing good happens without that word, and nothing worth having comes without it. So when he went through a flawless training camp for the biggest fight of his career last December against Dominick Cruz, he assumed that all the work was done. All he needed to do was show up on fight night and the first 135-pound championship belt in UFC history was his. He was wrong. The work wasn’t done yet.“If you want to be successful, you work for it,” said Jorgensen, who lost a lackluster five round decision to Cruz on the final WEC card in Arizona. “You want to win, you work for it. For some reason, through the security of a training camp that went fantastically great, which never happens for me, (Laughs) I honestly felt like nothing could go wrong for me that day. I had the fight, it didn’t matter what I did, I’d catch him. I honestly felt like I was gonna knock him out, and with a guy like Dominick I should have known better. I should have pulled my head out of my butt and thought back to all those days in wrestling when I thought ‘oh, I’ll go out there and walk through this guy,’ and it didn’t happen. I made the mistake of counting on one thing, and Dominick’s a guy you can’t count on luck with. You gotta put the work in, and the hardest part about that was I was embarrassed about my performance because it didn’t look great, it wasn’t a good performance, and it wasn’t a close fight.” He pauses, letting his only loss of the last two years sink in once again. Then he reveals his current status update.“It will never happen again.”And when it comes to the hard-nosed Jorgensen, that’s a statement you would feel pretty secure taking to the bank, because if you looked at his five fights before the Cruz bout and his first round knockout of Ken Stone in his lone post-Cruz match, it’s a different fighter than the one fighting for the title against the admittedly tough to decipher champion. But part of this game is making everything come together when it matters, and Jorgensen wasn’t able to do that. It was a lesson learned, and as he prepares for his Saturday bout against returning veteran Jeff Curran, he doesn’t dread taking the long road back to a title shot.“I’m gonna put my nose to the grindstone and do what I gotta do,” said Jorgensen, 12-4. “I did it before in the WEC to get to that shot with Cruz. I’ll do it again, I’m comfortable with it, and I one hundred percent know that I’m one of the best in the world. So it doesn’t matter who you put in front of me, I’m gonna knock ‘em down, beat ‘em up, and keep moving closer to that title, whether it’s three fights or five fights. And the more fights that I get, the better I become. I learn every single fight and I figure out a little bit more between the fights, and that just builds my game and builds my confidence and makes it that much harder to stop me.”“One of the best in the world.” It’s an accurate statement when it comes to Jorgensen’s place in the bantamweight pecking order, and you’ve got to wonder whether he ever sits back and lets that thought soak in, if only for a moment. Want to guess the answer?“I learned in college that if you get caught up in the rankings and all that, it’s a false sense of security because that could get taken away in a moment,” he said. “A ranking’s an opinion. The only spot that’s guaranteed is the guy that’s holding that belt. There’s only one number one, and everything else is arbitrary. So it’s just work. If I want to be recognized as one of the best, yeah, I do what I’ve been doing, but that’s not what I’m settling for, and that’s not why I started competing in sports. I’m definitely not in the UFC to fight for second place. I’m fighting in the UFC to be the world champion. It’s been work, work, work, and not paying attention to the talk and the recognition that I get. I appreciate it, but I’ll appreciate it a lot more if I’ve got a big gold belt.”There’s that “w” word again. Four times in the last paragraph to be exact. When you point it out to him, he laughs, but then explains.“That’s a wrestler’s mentality,” he said. “You look at guys like Clay Guida, Urijah (Faber), Josh Koscheck, Matt Hughes, Phil Davis, every one of us that came up through the Division I ranks in college wrestling, we knew one thing. We didn’t get the recognition, we didn’t get the interviews or the autographs, we just got that self-satisfaction of being the best, winning a tournament, or winning an NCAA title, which some of those guys did. It’s that wrestler’s work ethic, that grind, that mentality that we never started this because of the recognition or because we thought we were gonna get famous; we started wrestling because we loved the sport, the spirit of competition and just being able to go out there and beat another person at something they’ve been training for as hard as you had.”“I learned with the coaches and training partners that I’ve had that there was only one way to get better, and that was by outworking your opponent,” he continues. “And whether that comes by way of knockout or submission or a decision, you’ve got to outwork them. You’ve got to be prepared for anything and that’s a wrestler’s mentality and this is a wrestler’s sport.”With comments like that, it doesn’t sound like Scott Jorgensen is the kind of guy you want to fight, because win or lose, you’ll know you’ve been in a grueling, punishing scrap. But over 13 years into his career, Curran has seen it all in rings and cages around the world, and if the “Big Frog” knows anything, it’s that if you want to make an impression, why not take on the baddest guy you possibly could? And that’s what he’s doing with Jorgensen.“A lot of people said ‘why would he take you as a first fight,’ and there have been interviews where he said he picked me to fight over Mike Easton,” said Jorgensen. “But I’m a bigger name, and if he does get a win, great, it builds his career again. If he loses, he just lost to one of the top guys in the world again, so chalk it up to the game.”“I know after his last fight, he said ‘I’m retiring if I don’t get back in the UFC,’ and I think it was really hard to find a lot of guys that were willing to fight me,” he continues. “I’m in a position where it’s a tough fight for a lot of guys. So with Curran wanting to be back in the UFC, and from what I may have heard through the grapevine and through different avenues, it was hard to find a fight for me and he was willing to step up and take it. This was the risk he was willing to take, and if this was his way back into the UFC and back into that spotlight, he was gonna do whatever it took. But it doesn’t matter to me. I’ve got to go back in there with the same mentality as I had before.”Yeah, you guessed it – work, work, work.  

Posted in: fight, guy, ’t, work, jorgensen

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Cesar Gracie might get more mic time than any manager in MMA, and he was at it again today as a guest on The MMA Hour with Ariel Helwani. Back when Georges St. Pierre was forced off the card with a knee injury, Dana White stated that Carlos Condit would definitely get the next shot and not lose his place in line. Well, Gracie thinks a great performance from Nick Diaz at UFC 137 against B.J. Penn might change that: "This is the UFC so there's always that chance," Gracie said on Monday's edition of The MMA Hour. "There's no question about it that I will ask for that if Nick has a tremendous performance and he can finish BJ, I would ask for that. But the biggest thing is if the fans want it. If the fans all ask for that, Dana [White] is a smart guy. He knows the sport is about the fans. So who knows?" Gracie also confirmed there was some reluctance from both guys about facing each other due to their friendship, but a talk between Gracie and JD Penn got things moving: "We said, 'Hey, you know what? These guys are going to have to fight in the future, at some point in their lives. So let's just get it over with,'" Gracie said. If Diaz did finish Penn, Gracie would have a point. I believe that there would be a much stronger market for the GSP/Diaz fight than GSP/Condit if that did happen. But that's a big if. There's an angry Hawaiian guy standing between Cesar Gracie and his hopes and dreams, and we'll find out this Saturday whether any of this becomes important or not. More SBN coverage of UFC 137

Posted in: ufc, bj penn, guy, penn, gracie

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Posted in: guy, interview, people, palhare, fartingtomato

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Strikeforce light heavyweight prospect Lorenz Larkin has had a very fruitful 2011. After initially bursting onto the scene after stepping in as a late injury replacement and smashing K-1 veteran Scott Lighty this past April, Larkin has progressed up the ticket in two subsequent appearances in the Strikeforce Challengers series culminating in a headlining appearance this past September against Rick Rossborough at Strikeforce Challengers 19 in Las Vegas. "The Monsoon" continued his solid run in Strikeforce with yet another victory, this one a hard-fought decision against the bigger, stronger Rossborough. With the victory, the Riverside native may have set himself up for a shot at the big boys in either the Strikeforce or potentially the UFC light heavyweight division. Larkin spoke with MMAmania.com about what he learned about himself, his future and a hypothetical future move to the UFC in this exclusive interview. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): First thing's first, you've really been moving up. You've got from an injury replacement on a Strikeforce Challengers card earlier in the year to headlining and being on a huge billboard in Vegas. What was it like seeing that billboard for the first time? Did it hit you that you've taken it to the next level? Lorenz Larkin: I don't know. I would say that you hear about these things that kinda hit you but to me, it's just really crazy. It's just like your thing. The last time I remember I was just driving in the car and I was getting an offer to be a last minute replacement and I was just happy that I was in good shape and able to take the fight, being able to be on a big show whether alone all this hype now and headlining events on my third fight. Yeah, the whole thing is just something I never ever thought of or dreampt of. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): Let's talk about that last fight with Nick Rossborough. This was the second time they've pitted you against huge dudes, like the biggest light heavyweights possible. They're guys that have fought at heavyweights and are coming down and barely making it. Has it been difficult, getting pushed around a bit by these bigger guys? Lorenz Larkin: Yeah, it's funny because after I did my post-fight for the Gian Villante fight, I was like, "I'm not even worrying about it because Gian is probably the biggest light heavyweight I'll ever fight," and lo and behold, I didn't think this new guy would be that big. He was huge. It plays a factor, a big factor in the fight, just them putting their hands on you and pushing you around. The size makes a big difference. The cutoff is 206 and by the time the fight came I was probably about 215 and I asked him after the fight and he was 232.  Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): You always say that you want to wait until after a fight so you can evaluate your performance with your team and see what they think. Once you guys got back and looked at the tape and saw how you did, what were your thoughts on how you performed? You won a unanimous decision, you continued to move forward so what did you and your team think? Lorenz Larkin: I think that my team felt I took a little bit too much punishment against the cage. Yeah, I did get hit but that's part of the game. I felt comfortable with my back against the cage and a lot of the cage work and ground that we worked on in camp played out beautifully as far as me and my camp goes because the things that we're working on, I applied them in the fight and they worked. I'm happy with the things we worked on to go into the fight with but being it was a last minute change and how things came up, he was a physical fighter. He's really talented and tough and he came to bring it that night. I did take a bit more punishment than I would want to but that's like any fighter. We all wish that we didn't have to get punched. (laughs) Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): Yeah, you mentioned the opponent change and it happened with a little over a week notice. Rossborough was a completely different fighter than Virgil Zwicker in my opinion. He's not as much a striker, more of an "up close and personal" type of fighter. Was that difficult having to deal with a completely different fighter on such short notice? Lorenz Larkin: Yeah, because coming in we knew he was a big submission guy and he does like to strike but in my opinion, submission guys that like to strike, they only like to strike until they get hit and then they go to their ground game. I don't think it was so much that, it was just the physique difference as far as Virgil being 6'2 and this guy being 6'5 with his reach and everything. That was a big factor in the fight as far as being a last minute replacement. I think that was the toughest thing to deal with? Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): Did you learn anything about yourself from your performance? I know he really pushed you in this fight and you responded well. Lorenz Larkin: Yeah, I was happy with that. As far as everybody's outlook on the fight, I was thinking, "Oh gosh, that was a tough scrap. I really had to grind it out and I got the win," but when I look back at the fight and listen to what people were saying, a lot of people were telling me I showed a lot of heart and I think I displayed some of my ground that people say I don't have and being able to control a jiu-jitsu guy. It was things like that, proving I'm a guy that doesn't just stand up and work to not get taken down and if I get taken down I'd be a fish out of the water. I think I displayed a lot as far as showcasing different things in my skills. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): Virgil Zwicker backed out of the fight with an injury. Is that a fight that still interests you, or do you feel that you're past that now? Lorenz Larkin: You know? I think I'm really past that now. If he wants to fight me, he should have to fight somebody else first now. I think that the original fight was good for our points in our careers but with me taking that fight and winning, he should at least fight again before we would even do the fight because at this point I think that's kind of backtracking for me now. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): There's been a ton of rumors going out lately about Strikeforce, what's going to happen with them. Does that get in your head a bit, people talking about Strikeforce potentially closing its doors after their Showtime deal runs out in February? Lorenz Larkin: You know what? I stay focused on me and I just try to keep winning fights and putting on good shows. I feel like if I just keep on doing what I've been doing, there will be a spot for me somewhere and there's just so much wrapped around the whole Strikeforce thing and there's so many different rumors, it's like, if I try to get caught up in all that stuff, I'd be lost.  Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): Have you heard anything about when you're next fight will be? Lorenz Larkin: Ummm, no, not yet. Hopefully, I don't know what else they're doing for this year but hopefully for the beginning of next year they can get me in somewhere. I haven't got any calls. If they wanted me on their December show, they'd have called me by now. I'm shooting for the beginning of 2012. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): This is a completely hypothetical question, but a lot of guys from Strikeforce have been going over to the UFC. If they came calling and asked you to come over to the big show and fight, is that something you think you'd be ready for? Lorenz Larkin: Yeah, I think as long as they have the same views for my career as I do, you know? I think it would be a good match for me as long as I'm matched up evenly to the point where I can put on a good show and it would be a good fight, not just a landslide, that's not what I would want. I always want tough fights and if I feel like I could get matched up like that, it would be a great move for me.  Lorenz would like to thank all his trainers, Sam Mason, Arnold DeWitt, Tony Gianopolis, Romi Guram, his home gym Icon MMA, his sponsors Splat Hair Color, Ion Me, Python Mouth Guards, Hostility Clothing, Extreme Auto Works, Cali Life and everybody who supports him.  So what do you think Maniacs? Has Larkin earned himself a shot at the big leagues? Or does the top prospect still need a bit of seasoning before he's ready? Sound off!

Posted in: fight, strikeforce, guy, lorenz, thing

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"I've just been working out in the cemetery a lot. I've got to get ready for the left kick. I want to see what it's like. All fights are dire. I've seen guys get cut after one. I've seen guys lose three or four and still have a job. In this business, there's no rhyme or reason. It's MMA. It's like when you go into the Octagon: anything can happen." -- Oh that Roy Nelson, he's such a jokester. Speaking to MMAFighting.com, the busty big man makes light of his upcoming heavyweight clash against Mirko Filipovic by claiming he's training at the cemetery. You know, because that's where he'll be headed if "Cro Cop" lands one of those deadly left head kicks, har har. "Big Country" may be quipping at his usual rate but the laughter will come to an abrupt end if he fails to emerge victorious this upcoming Oct. 29 at UFC 137 in Las Vegas, Nevada. That's because he will have lost three fights in a row inside the Octagon and you know what that usually means. Most guys don't get a fourth strike. He knows this is a must win situation for him but he's got a favorable match-up, as "Cro Cop" has struggled even worse than Nelson as of late. Anyone think Filipovic will ride off into the sunset with a head kick knockout that sends "Big Country" out of the UFC? Or is that just wishful thinking?

Posted in: guy, nelson, cro, he, ive

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The MMA world hasn't been kind to its fans over the past week. UFC 136 did horribly, despite how awesome it was. Injuries continue to plague the UFC, except this time that plague came to what many believed was the card of the year. On top of that, K-1, is in need of a defibrillator. I'd say 'so is Strikeforce', but as we've seen with the recent signings, the hearse has already been called on Coker's organization. There's plenty more to talk about, and so Tim and I decided to do just that while holding back the tears and ice cream. UFC 136, despite a very solid card and two title fights, reportedly only drew 250,000 buys. Is the sky falling in terms of PPV? Or are the little guys just not draws in MMA? David: According to the anonymous source over at Fight Opinion, the sky is indeed falling. But I don't think that's necessarily the case either. As a reader over there pointed out, PPV buys have often fluctuated. They did in 2006 on the positive end and things didn't work out so well in 2007. Of course, that was a year, just like in 2011, that saw a plague of injuries. I think 2012 will be the year they bounce back, and FOX has them primed to do just that. If after 2012 numbers are still low,then we do have something to talk about, but not now. Although the lighter weights do have some work to do. For one, with the divisions relatively new, there's not much history. The lighter weights draw in boxing because there's a rich history, on top of the fact that that history has an international streak, with popular non-America fighters abound. It'll take some time, but I think the lighter weights will become draws eventually. So long as the UFC provides with an assist, which they were won't to do given the level of promotion 136 got. Tim: I think Zach Arnold is awesome, but 45 Huddle and the boys aren't exactly the bastion of logic for me. The injuries you mentioned brings up a question we can probably address next week or something - has the UFC insurance policy led to more guys pulling out and less money in the bank for the UFC? Overall though, I agree with what you're saying. Fox is the best platform yet to sell PPV's and if it's still tits up at this time next year, we've got something to talk about. It's all a bit premature until then. In terms of the lighter divisions, I think they need to sacrifice a bit now to gain a lot in the future. Give possible contenders some spots where they'll get some eyeballs on them. That builds an emotional connection with the challengers, the champion, and the belt itself. It saddens me that Zuffa still doesn't see this the way I do. Hire me, bitches! Are all of the UFC's issues with Nick Diaz actually good for UFC 137 in general? David: Nick Diaz is as Nick Diaz does. What's new? The guy is full on Looney Tunes unhinged. But the people around him aren't doing him any favors. Not that I buy any of his excuses, but how difficult is it for the people around to make sure he knows where the hell he's supposed to be? How difficult is it for Nick to know where he's supposed to be? Hell, I know where Nick is supposed to be at any given press conference, and I'm usually face first in a SciAm article, or in one of those Guacamole Turkey burgers at Carl's Jr. People will say yea, it's good because "people are talking about Nick Diaz". I say horse shite. Dana will offer him leeway to a point. But any more stunts, and he's gone. Dana was willing to kick him off a main event. He has only so many strikes. So no, he is not doing himself any good because if people are talking about him for the wrong reasons, and those reasons get him booted from the UFC, in what universe has it been "good publicity" for Nick? Tim: I didn't realize that you had written 1500 words about Mr. Diaz when I asked the question, and you've covered some of this already before this answer. I absolutely agree that he's not getting help from the people around him, and I think it's stupid. But counting on Dana White to draw a line as far as how much stupid poopy Nick can do before he gets a backhand? I gotta disagree. I said this last month - Nick Diaz is the most enabled fighter in MMA. He continually gets free passes on his antics because he's an earner for promoters. All the hoopla about costing Nick a million dollars by kicking him out of the main event was just face-saving rhetoric from Dana and Co. The truth is that Dana still let him fight on the card because he needed him, and it just made it even more clear that Nick Diaz is truly untouchable. And that's some bumbling bullshit. Somewhere Lindsay Lohan is saying "I need to hire that Cesar Gracie guy to manage me!" There won't be a K-1 WGP Final 16 event in China, but there's still some slight hope for a Final 8 event in December. Could it happen? Does anyone even care anymore? David: Nobody cares anymore. Not even the fighters are interested, with Hari, Saki, and Spong already talking about entering other sports (and Overeem officially gone). If the fighters aren't interested, why would fans? It sucks to think that this is the fate of K-1, but we've been expecting this for some time. Tim: I care. I'm no Ducharme (I'm waaay prettier), but I was hyped about the prospect of a WGP and still want to see it. I know it's like a Penguins fan hoping Mario Lemieux could kick that nasty lymphoma and lead the Pens to the Cup (holy 1993 hockey reference), but it's still one of the few magical events in combat sports that even casual fans discuss. It's brutal to me that all these guys are talking about being MMA fighters or boxers, because they're not. They're kickboxers, and they'll never dominate another sport at this point. Cosmo Alexandre (0-1) says hi, guys. I may be dreaming here but if K-1 can't put it together...Simon Rutz. Do it for the world. Do it for kickboxing fans. Make it happen! If you were trapped in an elevator for six hours with Michael Bisping, would he make it out alive? David: I'm not sure what the implication is here. I could be armed with a shotgun, and Billy from Predator, and I'd still lose. If this is a TUF reference, and Bisping is claustrophobic, then I don't get it as I haven't been watching the show. But I assume this is just a reflection on Bisping's personality. I never thought of him as bad guy, bit it seems like if you push the right buttons, or push his buttons at all, the guy transforms into a real four star ass. That's why I loved the idea of a Sonnen-Bisping matchup. Now put Chael Sonnen in an elevator for six hours with Bisping and you'd have one dead-as-fried-chicken Brit. Chael wouldn't even need to lay a hand on him. He's just talk for 30 minutes and every mile of blood vessel in Bisping's body would burst Cronenberg-style. Tim: I should have been more descriptive with the question for sure. I was just referring to having to deal with being in the same room as that goomba for any length of time, and wanting to commit a murder death kill regardless of any size difference. I agree that I don't think he's a bad person - I just think he doesn't quite understand how effin annoying and unfunny he is. He's from Manchester, after all. Regardless of your answer, I was going to steer my response towards an American Gangster/Goomba matchup anyway so I'm very glad you took it there. How awesome would that be? It's a PPV dream come true for the UFC. And I can almost guarantee you'll see it in 2012, even if Mayhem beats Bisping. Will Strikeforce survive past February 2012? If yes, what do you think it'd look like? If no, will Showtime still continue airing MMA? David: They still run shows? Asking Strikeforce to survive past February is like asking superglue to save Ron Paul's eyebrows. It's just not happening. All of their champions save Luke Rockhold (who is simply Dave Terrell in prospect's clothing) are gone, and so are some of their draws. Which sucks because I think female MMA is worth saving if you just gave Ronda Rousey the limelight. The fact that Ken Hirschman is gone, having moved to HBO, is probably a good indication on top of that. Showtime was never really in the MMA business in the sense that I think they were hoping to the sport could draw without them pouring money into promoting it. Though from what I understand, they were marginally profitable. I don't remember. What I do know is that Strikeforce is dead. And I'd be shocked if Showtime continued to air MMA. If they did, who would they market? Tim: Haaaate. I'm Canadian so I dunno who this Ron Paul guy is, but he sounds entertaining. He's no Herman Cain Velasquez though. Anyway, why do you need top-flight fighters for the organization to be viable for Showtime though? Ship all the champs to the UFC. Build a chariot for King Mo. 999 plan. Who cares. I think it can survive in a Challengers-style format, and Showtime would be very happy with 200k viewers per show if the rights fee was reasonable. Because that's the baseline for no-name MMA, and cheap programming with 200,000 viewers is profitable. M-1 proved that. It also gives Zufforza the ability to promote outside the bounds of the exclusive Fox deal, because it's a different org. That offers a bunch of flexibility, something that most people don't really get. Once again I'm impressed with your acumen though, bringing up Hirschman. It's like I sent you Cliff Notes on the questions but they weren't necessary I think his MMA influence was overstated though, and cheap programming overrides the influence of any one man. If SF did go under though, who would Showtime latch onto? My guess would be ProElite. Frankly, I just want Ronda Rousey on my TV a lot. She rules.

Posted in: ufc, mma, guy, nick, he

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Matt Lindland takes his coaching role very seriously. You'd have to if you've helped prepare two men to challenge UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva in the last year. On top of his other responsibilities, Lindland has been at the helm of Team Quest in Portland, Ore., since 1999 after originally founding it with fellow top grapplers Randy Couture and Dan Henderson. A former UFC middleweight title challenger himself, Lindland, now in a state of semi-retirement from fighting, has had more opportunities to focus on teaching and advising others. We discussed his role as a promoter for Sportfight and an adviser for Takedown Fight Media in part one of our interview posted yesterday. Today, in part two of our exclusive interview with MMAmania.com, Lindland talks Yushin Okami, Chael Sonnen and "keeping it real" in MMA. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): I know you've been coaching for nearly 20 years now. Matt Lindland: I started my coaching career in 1993 at Westland high school. One of my first coaching students I ever had, his name was Chael Sonnen and I started teaching him in 1993. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): Yeah that was one of the things I wanted to ask you about. Since you've gone to this next stage of everything, have you had more time to get involved with your coaching? More one on one drilling and teaching? Matt Lindland: Yeah I have. I let go of a couple guys because I wanted to take a more hands on approach. Before I was more the man behind the scenes and now I've been working with guys individually more. I've been putting a lot of time in with Ryan Healy, who's in the main event for our show on Saturday. I don't just work with our guys too, I'm in charge of the kids program. Just tonight for example, I've got a private practice with Ryan Healy, then I'm running a team practice then after that I'll coach wrestling for an hour and then submission grappling class for beginners after that. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): Yeah, and I thought it was pretty impressive what Chael Sonnen was able to do in the last fight especially after the long layoff and in listening to him during the conference call, he sounded pretty under the weather.  Matt Lindland: Yeah, actually he was. We didn't really want to let on to that but fortunately the fight went the way it did. I don't know if anybody else picked up on that but even walking into the ring he was pretty pale and feeling under the weather. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): You're a really opinionated guy, do you think that rubs off on a couple members of your gym? Guys like Pat Healy, Chael Sonnen, those guys can be brutally honest at times. Matt Lindland: Oh, I think the problem is that people aren't used to seeing guys that are honest. Honesty, integrity, real people is not the norm. That's not the norm. Men of character is kinda going the way of the dinosaur. When you see somebody that speaks boldly, you see a man that has confidence, doesn't have fear, guys like Chael that are honest, forthcoming, those are the guys that we're talking about. We're not talking about guys that are scared of saying the wrong thing because of the ramifications. Telling what's true or what's right doesn't necessarily mean it's always what's popular. Counter-cultere is counter for a reason. It's not popular culture, it's counter-culture and right now, being honest, being men of character is being counter-culture to what's going on in our society these days. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): Do you think Chael could be possibly hindering his chances at that next shot at Anderson Silva by talking about him so much and seemingly making him angry? Matt Lindland: I don't know. I don't know but I think what people want to see is people want to see real. I've knocked people that say, "I really like such and such fighter," and I say, "Oh, do you know him? Do you know him personally?" They say, "No, but I've seen his interviews." I'm like, "You know this gentleman is an entertainer, right? Those interviews are his character," but what's so refreshing about what Chael's doing is that's not a character. That's who he is, that's who he really is and it's so unique in our culture today, it's so counter to what everybody else is doing, people think that that's the act. No, that's real. That's who we really are. That's the kind of man he is, not some character. Those are the kind of guys I'm proud to work with. I'm excited to coach guys like Chael and guys like Pat Healy that aren't afraid to speak their minds and be real. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): It seems like, you've talked about it before with the way Anderson and those guys are acting lately, he's pulled this before when Dan Henderson beat Bisping, he said Hendo didn't deserve the rematch and when Marquardt beat Maia he was saying he didn't deserve the rematch. He put off a rematch with Yushin Okami for a really long time, do you think he's just got something against rematches? Matt Lindland: You know who deserves the match is if it's what the fans want to see. That's who's paying the bills. Who's spending the money on pay-per-views, who's buying the tickets, who's buying the T-shirts and the whatevers? Those are the guys who get to determine who fights who. It's the fans. You know I hear over and over and over, "Well, Dana decides," or, "This guy doesn't want to fight this guy," you know what? The fans decide. That's who's paying the bills. That's who we're fighting for.  Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): Yeah and that's who Chael's been appealing to and that's why everybody is so excited to see that fight. Matt Lindland: That's what we're in business for. We're delivering an entertainment product to the fans of this sport and that's who determines who fights who. I wasn't disappointed when Georges St. Pierre got hurt and he's not gonna fight Carlos Condit. It didn't disappoint me a bit. I get to see the fight that I wanted, the fans wanted to see, Nick Diaz versus B.J. Penn. That's the fight people want to see. That's the fight I'll pay money for. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): I've got a question or two about Yushin Okami as well. Matt Lindland: What a guy. When you talk about a man of character and integrity, that's why I've worked with him ever since he fought Chael. He's been coached at our gym, trained by me, right after he lost that fight to Chael, they contacted me and said, "How can we get out there, how can we work with you?" I just said, "Show up. Get on a plane, get to Oregon and we'll take care of ya. If you come here, we'll put you up," and I'm sure you saw some of the stuff where he's staying at Chael's mom's house, staying with one of our other coaches and we took him in, made him part of the family, made him part of the team and that's a guy that I want to work with. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): Has he taken the loss to Anderson Silva well?  Matt Lindland: No, absolutely not. Absolutely not he did not take that loss well. He took that loss very hard. He was very disappointed. He was disappointed that he didn't go out and execute his gameplan and as far as me training a guy, I've been able to work with Yushin when he didn't have a fight coming up and I've been able to work with him in preparation for a fight in the fight camp scenario and I'm telling you it's a lot more fun to get to work with Yushin when we're teaching him, we're learning, we're not so focused on one opponent, one gameplan, get him prepared for this opportunity because he's still got a lot to learn. He's still got a lot of things to work on and learn about the sport and especially about the wrestling aspect of it. He's willing to learn. He's willing to put the time in. He just needs to get back over here when he doesn't have a fight coming up and we can continue to build some of those skills and develop some of the basic fundamentals that he continues to need to work on because everybody, it doesn't matter where you're at in your career, you've always got to focus on the fundamentals. We would love to have Yushin back over here but no, he did not take the loss well, he was very disappointed, very upset with his performance and he wants another opportunity to get back in there and prove that he can work his way right back up to the top. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): If I may ask, you mentioned he didn't follow the gameplan, what was the gameplan for his fight against Silva? Matt Lindland: He was the one that said he didn't follow the gameplan. He was disappointed that he didn't. I did not say that he did not follow the gameplan. He said it. Well, it wasn't to stand on the outside against Anderson Silva I can tell you that. Fair enough? I'm training with an athlete that's gonna beat Anderson. His name's Chael Sonnen so some of the aspects of that gameplan that Yushin felt like he did not execute properly, I perceive Chael taking the ball and running with it and going ahead and executing that gameplan and finishing Mr. Silva before the end of the third round. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): Yeah I've heard you mention that before. It hit me mid-question that you might not want to reveal that Okami gameplan because Chael and Yushin might have similarities in that department. Matt Lindland: Yeah, well it's no big secret that Anderson's a fantastic striker, probably one of the best in the world but you know what? Chael's a fantastic wrestler and I'll say it right now that in MMA, he's the best wrestler we have in this sport because he uses it well for MMA. I could put Chael in the US open in wrestling for Greco or freestyle. He's been a national Olympic alternate in that sport. I don't know if he'd place top eight right now in wrestling unless we stopped MMA training and started training just as a wrestler but we're not planning on doing that. What he's done, and what we've been able to do at Team Quest is take his skill-set and we've been able to formulate a strategy and a style around what skills he already possesses and that's his wrestling background and use that to make it the most efficient style that he can make for who he is. Matt would like you to check out Sportfight.tv, tickets are on sale to his Sportfight 30 event (taking place tonight) at ticketswest.com, you can check out his writing at CoachMattLindland.com and if you need any athletic apparel, go to DirtyBoxer.com. You can follow him @MattLindland on twitter. So what do you think Maniacs? Do you agree with Lindland that Chael Sonnen is a "man of character?" Will Anderson Silva grant him his much-anticipated rematch? Sound off!

Posted in: fight, guy, matt, chael, that

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So remember when we promised you guys we would make it a point to have the greatest advertisements on MiddleEasy? Well our new advertiser, Columbia Sportswear, has located a dude that apparently has some mutant power in which he can produce an insane amount of internal heat in even the most frigid conditions. All of the footage below is real, we're not in the business of altering you reality unless it has to do with convincing you guys that Genki Sudo could outbox Frankie Edgar (I guess we'll never know). Check out Columbia Sportswear's new product when tested against a guy that obviously attended Professor Xavier's School for Gifted Individuals. Keep in mind, Columbia Sportswear executives visited MiddleEasy, accepted the fact that we love to photoshop the heads of fighters on the bodies of hot chicks and chose to advertise with us. For that reason alone you guys should watch this video.{jcomments off} ') //--> Please support our site by enabling javascript to view ads.

Posted in: guy, sportswear, columbia, genki sudo, columbia sportswears

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George Roop has been here before. In fact, he was in nearly an identical situation this past January when he took on occasional training partner and top contender Mark Hominick at UFC Fight for the Troops 2. Hominick's victory over the lanky Arizona-native secured a title shot against featherweight champion Jose Aldo. Roop does not want a repeat performance. The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) season eight veteran bounced back from his loss to "The Machine" and thrashed former divisional number one contender Josh Grispi this past June, finishing "The Fluke" with a third round TKO via a body punch. Always willing to take on the best available opposition, Roop answered the call when the UFC was looking for someone to greet promotional newcomer and current consensus number two ranked featherweight in the world Hatsu Hioki. He'll get his shot next Saturday night (October 29, 2011) on the UFC 137 main card. Roop spoke with MMAmania.com about his upcoming fight with Hioki, building off his victory against Grispi, and why he trains for grueling three round wars in this exclusive interview. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): I've got to start with your last fight against Josh Grispi. That was, in my opinion, one of the best performances of your career, going out there and withstanding a guy who was originally a number one contender in the beginning of 2011 and then finishing him in the third round. Can you talk about how your performance against him has given you confidence for this fight? George Roop: Yeah, it was definitely a good showing for me. I was able to showcase a lot of my skills and everything. Josh Grispi also made me look good because he gassed out. He probably planned on finishing me in the first round but it was a good win for me man. I was definitely happy with that win and I'll take it any day. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): Against Grispi, he was on top of you in the first round and it looked like you could have been in trouble for a bit. Is that something you're concerned about for this fight? Hioki's got that crazy-good top game so what have you been working on to prepare for that? George Roop: Hioki's best position is his top position and everybody knows that it's his best position. All these great athletes that have faced him, they know his triangle is dangerous, they were expecting his triangle but yet they still got caught in it because Hioki is that good and he's a wizard on the ground especially if he gets on top of you. I'm definitely worried if he gets me down on the ground and gets on top of me but I'm very confident in my skills. I've been training very hard and what's really nice is I trained for almost the same thing when I fought Josh Grispi so it's kind of like back to back where I can sharpen my tools even a little more. When Grispi got me down, he did throw his best submission attempts at me and he did have me in some danger at some points and times but I defended well and I think I'll be ready to go. After the first round, my cornerman Ed West told me that he just threw everything he had at me so it wasn't a problem on the ground against him and it wouldn't be a problem wherever I took the fight from then on so that's what I did. I'm not afraid to take this fight with Hioki to the ground. I think my top position is gonna be too much Hioki if I take him down and I think if he takes me down then I can change that position around and either get back to my feet or get a sweep in and get on top. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): Yeah and Ed West is a really talented Bellator fighter who's competing this weekend. Did you do your training camp in Arizona with him? That's something I'm interested in because I know you've also spent time with the Shawn Tompkins team in the past. Where did you train for this fight? George Roop: I trained for this whole fight down down in Tucson, Arizona with Ed West over at Apex Mixed Martial Arts and at Boxing Inc. out in Tucson. I have a good camp out there. Unfortunately we don't have Shawn Tompkins around anymore, that's a real unfortunate thing but I've been in Tucson and I've put together a great camp here. I'm feeling really good and I'm confident heading into this fight. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): Do you think that Hioki, he's a guy, 5'11, he's a pretty rangy featherweight, but at 6'1, you're one of the biggest featherweights in the world. Do you feel like your range could be enough to stifle his attack? George Roop: Yeah, I definitely think my range is gonna throw him off. I'm the tallest he's ever fight but vise versa, he's the tallest guy I've ever fought besides Rolando Delgado on TUF at 155. I think his range is also gonna give me some problems but I've put together a good gameplan, a good strategy to take care of that and I think the advantage standing up definitely goes to me.  Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): This is a guy, people talk about Japanese fighters, that they're not as good as advertized, they come over to the UFC and they don't do as well, but Hioki, he's literally faced some of the best fighters out there. Do you feel like this will be different, that this isn't just some guy who's overrated, he's legitimately earned his spot up there in the rankings? George Roop: He is the real deal. He's definitely legit. He's not gonna be another Japanese fighter that comes over here and doesn't do well. He's gonna do well in the UFC, he's just not gonna do well against me. He has fought some tough guys as far as the rankings go. I do think he should be ranked in the top 10, maybe even the top five but he's definitely not number two and he's definitely not number three in the world. I think Chad Mendes is the number two fighter and I think Erik Koch should be ahead of him as well, maybe a couple other fighters. I think his ranking is higher than he should be but he's still the real deal. He's definitely top ranked and he's a seasoned fighter. I don't think being in the UFC is gonna rattle him. I think he's gonna, we're gonna see the best Hatsu Hioki that you've ever seen but we'll be ready for that.  Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): People talk about the guys that Hioki's faced, but you've been in there against some really talented fighters as well, George Sotiropoulos, Eddie Wineland, Mark Hominick, all those guys. Do you feel like your level of competition for your opponents is equal to or even better than what Hioki's faced throughout his career? George Roop: Yeah I've definitely faced better opponents than he has faced. There's no doubt about that in my mind. You named 'em all and at the time when I fought every one of those guys, Sotiropoulos, Eddie Wineland, Leonard Garcia, Chan Sung Jung, Hominick, Grispi, at that time that I fought them, they were all ranked in the top 10. I don't fight turds, man. I don't ask to fight turds and I only fight the best competition that there is out there so I do believe I've fought better competition than Hioki. I believe that with big risk comes big opportunity and great reward. I want to test myself to the best of my ability. I don't want to get a couple easy wins, no cupcakes. I want to fight the best guys and you can see that on my record. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): It seems like every time you go out there it's either a Fight of the Night, Knockout of the Night, something crazy is gonna happen. Do you see yourself as one of the best representatives of the featherweight division, that you're a guy that the UFC can count on to go out there and put on a show? George Roop: They can definitely count on me when I go out there. There's one thing I do and I do well and that's I show up to the fight. I'm not one of the guys that's really good in the gym and pumps myself up. When I get in that cage, I'm ready to fight and I bring it every time.  Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): You're good buddies with Ed West. How do you see him performing on Saturday night? I know he's got a really tough fight as well against a really highly ranked prospect in Eduardo Dantas George Roop: Well if Dantas is a great prospect then Ed West is gonna become the best prospect because he's ready to go. I'm actually out here in the room with him right now and he'll be flying out to Vegas next week with me to return to the favor to be my corner. We're main training partners, we're always in each other's corner no matter what so he's ready to go man. He's on point and I think he's gonna take it to Dantas. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): Ok George, you've had this fight booked for a while now. How do you visualize yourself winning this fight against Hioki? George Roop: I don't train to knock the guy out in the first round. I don't train to submit the guy in the first round because if you train for something like that, that would just be ridiculous. I train to win a three round grueling war, a decision and that's what I train for. If the finish comes then that's great and it'll come in spectacular fashion if it's from me. I see myself winning a three round war whether it's a split decision or a unanimous decision, that's the way I see myself winning the fight so I'm mentally prepared for that long battle.  George would like to thank Apex Mixed Martial Arts, Boxing Inc. in Tucson, Team Tompkins, Ed West, his family and last but not least, himself.  So what do you think Maniacs? Can Roop pull off the upset and put a halt to Hatsu Hioki's UFC featherweight title dreams before they even get started? How do you like his chances against the Japanese grappling ace? Sound off!

Posted in: fight, guy, george, he, hioki

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People sometimes ask if I’ve noticed things on the show that have been edited out. This past week gave an example of that being the case. You may remember the drama surrounding Dustin Neace mistakenly flipping out on Akira Corassani after Josh Ferguson stole his cowboy hat. What I wish they would have showed was Ferguson relieving himself into the hat. I was like, “Why didn’t they show the sh*t?” They should have shown it. THAT was classic! After the fight Ferguson finally admitted to Neace he’d been the one to take his hat. But the damage was already done and we got our first win. On a side note, did everyone notice how Diego Brandao went and verbally attacked Steven Siler? That just goes to show everybody it wasn’t me starting things a few episodes back when we were sparring – Diego is f***ing crazy! Siler is a nice guy and he wasn’t even one of my teammates. Seriously, the only thing Siler will ever go to jail for might be income tax evasion. He doesn’t have a mean bone in his body, yet Diego was going off talking about, “I’m gonna kill you! I’m gonna eat your kids and make your mom cry,” like a little Brazilian Mike Tyson. Michael Bisping showing up to the weigh-ins was not a huge deal and for those wondering what he had in the bag, every time we fought he went and got us food like organic pasta from Whole Foods. That was actually really cool. The scuffle at the weigh-ins was actually funny. I’m not gonna lie, part of me wanted to pick up a chair and throw it in the crowd so everyone would get to fighting. That’s just a rule of life – if somebody picks up a chair and throws it, you find a person you don’t know and you punch them in the face. That’s just how it goes. We could have turned it into a bar room brawl inside the training facility. As far as Bisping and Jason Miller getting into it, Bisping was trying to break up the fight and you know how it is when something like that happens. “Mayhem” grabbed Akira and Bisping grabbed Neace, and then Ryan Parsons and the rest of the coaches came in and said, “Get your f’ing hands off him!” And Bisping started yelling back about trying to break up the fight, not escalate it, and then Miller came in and got involved. It just kind of snowballed from there. The other bit of controversy from the episode had to do with whether or not Akira tapped. I had a great vantage point, sitting at the perfect angle. What you didn’t see at home is that there was a mosquito in the cage. So when Neace got him in the Heel Hook the mosquito landed on his knee. Akira was simply killing the mosquito as a favor to Neace. That’s what everyone saw, not a tap. (wink) On a final note this week, I apparently have to do something outlandish to get noticed on the street because I’m a 5’4” black guy so I don’t really stand out. Of course, for some reason I get recognized for the time I lost that bet to John Dodson and had to run around in a thong. Apparently making a total assclown out of myself has lead to strangers going, “Oh, you’re THAT guy! You’re the guy that farted!” As always, some final shout outs. I’m back in Sweet Home Alabama making up some drill time because I’ve been in the National Guard for eight years. Much love to Blackwell’s Pub here where I watched the show this week, to my guard unit – the 117th, to my friends and family, to American Top Team, to my old gym Spartan Fitness, and to my strength and conditioning guys at T3EAthletics for helping me maintain my look as a Chocolate Adonis. And, of course, Roll Tide! Thanks for reading again. I’ll be back next week with some more insight on what went down. In the meantime check me out on Twitter (@brim205) or learn more through my video blog. Tweet

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It might go down as one of the shortest retirements in the history of the sport. One month ago, after losing a decision to late replacement Dakota Cochrane at a Titan Fighting Championships event, Jamie Varner took to his Twitter to tell fans that he'd had enough. "I gave fighting another shot I need 2 thank u guys 4 ur support! But I just don't have it anymore. Love u all but ull never c me fight again," Varner wrote. A short time later, that message was removed. Shortly after that, Varner was back in the gym, preparing to have another go at it tonight at an XFC event on HDNet. Maybe it just goes to show that you should never say never, even on Twitter. "I think, honestly, I just made an emotional decision and an emotional remark," Varner told MMA Fighting this week. "I feel like I didn't perform very well in that last fight. The guy just overpowered me. He wasn't very good. I was much better than the guy, but I just got controlled. I didn't like that feeling, and I just thought maybe it was time for me to hang it up." Of course, the former WEC lightweight champ didn't hold that opinion for very long. Once he started to think about, Varner decided that maybe his passion for the sport hadn't evaporated after all. Maybe he'd just been hit with a few bad breaks, one right after another. For starters, he said, his original opponent was pulled from the lineup just a few days before the bout. Then the replacement, Dakota Cochrane, couldn't make the lightweight limit, so Varner had to fight at welterweight despite the fact that he'd already completed the bulk of his weight cut to get down to 155 pounds. After getting overpowered by a bigger opponent, Varner said, frustration briefly got the better of him. "Then I took a week off, came home to talk to my trainers, and they were like, 'You shouldn't have even taken that fight.' It wasn't in my weight class and too many factors played into that. Maybe I was a little overtrained, too. Who knows. But I prepared for one guy, got a completely different guy, and then it wasn't even in my weight class. I'm a lightweight. I have no business fighting a welterweight." But it wasn't just a change of heart that got Varner back in the cage so fast. Before the loss to Cochrane, he'd already signed to fight Nate Jolly on tonight's XFC event, so retiring would mean backing out of his contract, which he wasn't prepared to do, he said. "XFC has been doing a lot of marketing, been doing a lot of social networking promoting this fight. The show must go on. Whether I have a good day or a bad day, the show must go on. I made a commitment, and I'm a man of my word." If that sounds like a man who's feeling a little worn down, that's not too far off. Two fights in the span of a month will take a toll on anyone, especially when one of those fights is a surprise move up in weight that you never planned on making. But for Varner, the retracted retirement proclamation was also at least partially driven by a general sense of fight fatigue. "I've been doing this sport for ten years," Varner explained. "I started training when I was 17, had my first fight when I was a senior in high school. I've been at it a long time. I started wrestling when I was 14, started boxing when I was 11. That's a long time -- 13 or 16 years -- of competition and cuts and all that." At 27 years old, an age when most people are still working on getting established in a career, Varner is feeling the effects of his. Once the fight with Jolly is in the books, win or lose, he plans to take some time away and re-evaluate things. Maybe he'll take a couple pro boxing matches, he said, or do some grappling tournaments just to get the competitive juices flowing again. Not only has his recent run of fights had him feeling like he's been "non-stop dieting," it's also left him "a little burnt out," he said. But against Jolly he sees a good opportunity to get the taste of that last defeat out of his mouth, so at least he can take some time off with a win under his belt. "I know this guy is a very, very beatable guy. I'm bigger, I'm faster, I'm better in every position. I'm not too worried about what he brings to the table. If I go in there and perform to even half what I'm capable of, I should walk away with the W." Whether he decides to stick around in the sport or just keep on walking afterwards, we'll have to wait and see.  Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

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The plan was simple, but it was the simplicity of it that made it brilliant. There wasn’t going to be some intricate series of maneuvers for Joe Lauzon to pull off if he defused Melvin Guillard’s striking in their UFC 136 bout earlier this month and got close enough to implement his grappling attack; just a few key moves that were drilled over and over again by Lauzon with a newcomer to his camp, Ricky Lundell.If the name sounds unfamiliar, that’s okay for now, because the 25-year old Utah native is used to being the secret weapon in fight camps around the mixed martial arts world. Suffice to say for now that Lundell is a two-time grappling world champion, the youngest North American to earn a Gracie Jiu-Jitsu black belt (he was 19 when Pedro Sauer awarded him the honor), as well as a two-year letterman in wrestling for Iowa State, which is even more impressive considering that he never wrestled in high school.As for his MMA credentials, to say that this secret weapon has worked with various big names over the years would be an understatement, considering that he has shared the mat with Frank Mir, Vitor Belfort, Forrest Griffin, BJ Penn, Sean Sherk, Miguel Angel Torres, Georges St-Pierre, Anderson Silva, Rogerio Nogueira and Lauzon over the years.With that out of the way, it’s back to Houston and UFC 136, and a confident Guillard came out firing his punches and kicks, looking for a highlight reel finish. But it was Lauzon who caught “The Young Assassin” with a counterpunch and rocked him. It was time for his new coach’s plan to kick into gear.“I had Joe stick to the front headlock,” said Lundell. “Front headlock, guillotine, front headlock, run around, choke. And that’s because Melvin Guillard is so athletic and explosive that had we not gone front headlock, he might have gotten away.” Lauzon worked for the front headlock, but with his arm tied up, he ran around, sunk his hooks in, and finished Guillard off with a rear naked choke. Perfect plan, perfect execution, game over. Lauzon, already sold on his new coach, couldn’t have been happier.“For pretty much all my camps, I’ve always been the main coach,” said the lightweight contender. “I have a boxing coach, I work with jiu-jitsu guys, and I work on other things, but the gameplan is usually my gameplan. I figure out what I want to do and we talk about it and figure it out. This is really the first camp where I kind of took a back seat and listened to Ricky. And we talked all about the front headlock, though we didn’t think the front headlock was gonna come off me dropping him with a punch. We worked a whole bunch of takedowns, a whole lot of keeping him on the ground and really doing our best to keep Melvin on the ground and negating all the stuff he likes to do to get up. But as a Plan B, when Melvin posts up, we’re gonna grab his head and put him in a front headlock, and then we’re gonna work. And that’s where all the stuff from Ricky came in.”Lauzon’s meeting with Lundell was a happy accident, as the most recent UFC fighter summit in May coincided with the New Englander’s training camp for his June bout with Curt Warburton. Wanting to take in the summit while still staying busy in Vegas, Lauzon arranged to hit pads with respected striking coach Jimmy Gifford, and it was Gifford – one of Frank Mir’s coaches – who recommended “J-Lau” work a bit with Lundell, who was in camp with the former heavyweight champ.“I don’t want to work out with some guy that’s here to train Mir,” said Lauzon. “He’s got to be enormous.” “He’s like 155 pounds,” responded Gifford. That response got Lauzon’s gears turning.“Mir can bring out anyone in the world, and he’s bringing out this kid Ricky Lundell,” he said. “So we just grappled and the kid was phenomenal. He made a huge impression on me, but I think I made a little bit of an impression on him too, and I’m thinking, ‘this kid’s perfect.’ He’s a jiu-jitsu guy, he has great wrestling, he’s my size and he’s a great communicator. The communication was a big thing.”That’s not surprising, considering that unlike most wrestlers who add jiu-jitsu on later, Lundell did things in reverse, studying jiu-jitsu from the age of six, getting his black belt, and then getting involved in wrestling at the behest of one of the sport’s greats, Cael Sanderson. So for jiu-jitsu based fighters like Lauzon, Mir, and Penn, Lundell not only had the wrestling tactics to add on, but he came from a jiu-jitsu background, so he spoke their language.“The communication aspect is huge, and we definitely speak the same language,” said Lauzon. “You have very, very few guys that are good at jiu-jitsu and wrestling that started as jiu-jitsu guys. BJ’s really the only guy that started with that too. Most guys are more like Jake Shields, who wrestled first and then did jiu-jitsu. So it definitely helps to have that jiu-jitsu first mindset.”“I think that’s a huge area that’s helped me, and it’s helped me in reverse the other way too,” explains Lundell. “I’ve worked with Sean Sherk and he felt like I could speak his wrestling language and teach him the right jiu-jitsu that he needed. And in reverse, Lauzon and those guys know that if I show them a shot, we both know that he won’t end up in a triangle or an armlock or a guillotine from this shot. Whereas if he went to just a wrestler or a wrestler who had trained up to purple belt or something in jiu-jitsu who wasn’t really well-versed, he may be showing you shots that are really going to get you submitted at a higher level; he just doesn’t know it yet. So it helped me a lot because I already knew the submissions, and then going to wrestling, I was already able to build a base from the ground up, rather than being a wrestler who’s standing above and has to learn the ground.”Yet given his skill and technique on the mat, it begs the question – why isn’t he fighting as well?“I thought about fighting before, but it wasn’t my first interest,” he said. “I enjoy coaching and the sport of wrestling and jiu-jitsu together. So I’ve spent my time trying to perfect those areas of the game, and I think that in order to be the best coach I can possibly be, going out and working on my boxing and striking is good, but it’s not where I should spend the majority of my time if I want to be able to coach the best guys.”And he’s obviously made the right call, as he’s become “the” guy for many of the world’s top mixed martial artists. It’s an amazing feat, considering his age and his journey to this point – come on, he graduated college, yes college, at 18 – and he’s done well for himself with his University of Grappling school in Lindon, Utah. But it’s his ability to break down the ground game in an understandable fashion that has put him where he is today.“It’s not about how many moves you know,” he said. “I think a lot of people have a hard time understanding this, but let’s say you have three five minute rounds. Well, because we have three five minute rounds, that means we only have 300 seconds to scrap per round. Let’s say it takes us 10 seconds per shot that we’re gonna do in this fight, and that’s way overexagerrating, but let’s just pretend that it only took us 10 seconds to set up every shot. That means you only have the opportunity for 30 shots in an entire five minute round. So if you know 500 shots, how is that going to help you? There’s 470 that you didn’t even get to cover yet.”As an example, he points to UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre, who has become one of the premier wrestlers in MMA despite not having a traditional background in the sport. But what he does have is a killer and nearly unstoppable shot that has been built not only from technique but from repetition. “He (St-Pierre) almost shoots the exact same shot every time,” said Lundell. “I know what GSP’s going to do, but the thing is, he’s practiced that shot 25,000 times. And then I’m like ‘hey, we know what he’s gonna do; here, do this defense.’ And you practice it 300 times. So you have the defense practiced 300 times, and GSP’s coming in with a total count of offensive shots at 25,000? You don’t have a prayer to stop that shot yet because you haven’t put in the time to be actually able to stop GSP’s go to. Just like Cael Sanderson, everybody knows he’s going to ankle pick you. He’s going to ankle pick and double leg. There’s no question, everybody knows, but you can’t stop him because he’s done it so many times and he’s so good at it that your defensive level doesn’t match up to his offensive level.”It’s that type of unglamorous, often tedious, work that most don’t want to go through on a daily basis, but that wrestlers have perfected because it’s been ingrained in them since they were competing as kids. So if you wonder why wrestling is the dominant discipline in MMA today, one that five of the seven UFC champions (Cain Velasquez, Jon Jones, GSP, Frankie Edgar, and Dominick Cruz) would probably count as the core of their style, it comes down to the years of work in wrestling rooms around the country. It’s also why you see many wrestlers picking up solid striking and jiu-jitsu games, but few strikers and jiu-jitsu players doing as well on the wrestling side.“This may offend people, but I believe that wrestling requires a lot more work ethic,” said Lundell. “It’s very difficult, it’s grueling, it’s not rewarding, it’s painful, and because of that, I think not as many people like to really work in those areas. The thing is though, a wrestler comes in, they’re already naturally strong, they’ve trained hard, they’ve built explosive power, they’re able to endure constant pressure, and they’re extremely fit, so it’s pretty easy for them to come in and already understand position for jiu-jitsu and stay in good spots and move and learn those areas. They also have super heavy hands, so they have that knockout power and learn how to strike really, really easy. But when you take (boxing champion) Floyd Mayweather, he can get punched, but he’s not structurally built to shoot under another person, lift them up and slam them down on the ground. And that’s something that’s only built through years of time and actually doing it and having it done to you. So it’s gonna take somebody years and years to do that because most guys start wrestling when they’re 15 or younger. And how are you gonna catch up to (middleweight contender) Chael Sonnen, who’s been wrestling since he was a kid? It’s gonna be almost impossible.”So how did he do it as a fresh-faced teenage jiu-jitsu black belt?“I think the transition’s difficult, no matter what you do,” said Lundell. “Wrestling’s a very difficult thing to pick up, but I think it gave me different views than everybody else has because I got to understand jiu-jitsu fully. I got my black belt and then I started wrestling, and I think it gave me different views than other people, especially because I wasn’t just wrestling with the local best junior high and high school coaches. My training partners have been Cael Sanderson and Justin Ruiz. They helped make wrestling easier for me when it came to proper technique and those types of things. I think a lot of people have a hard time learning how to wrestle because they don’t go to the right guys for answers, and they’re not necessarily learning technical wrestling; they’re learning brute force strength, just blow through somebody wrestling.”It’s almost a jiu-jitsu-esque approach to wrestling, where it’s not just about size in a fight, but who has the better technique and who the smarter combatant is. Unfortunately, dealing with high-profile MMA fighters before high-profile UFC fights doesn’t allow him to reinvent the wheel. If you’ve got a bout with a world-class wrestler like Sonnen coming up, you won’t have the time to catch up to his wrestling, so Lundell instead focuses on those few moves that will allow you to nullify his game and implement your own.“The first thing you want to do is look at that person and how they think and how they like to play the game,” he said. “Then you don’t focus on 20 moves from each spot and 30 moves from 30 setups; you focus on the right setups for the right guy. And each guy’s different. When I worked with BJ Penn, his stuff is way different from Sean Sherk’s. With Sean, it was power, explosive shots, and those types of things. When I worked with BJ, it was making sure your elbows were deep so that you could actually lift the guy up. Way different thought process. I know Sherk’s 5-foot-6 and his neck is like three feet in diameter (Laughs), so when he shoots in on somebody, I’m not super worried about things happening to him. BJ, on the other hand, he’s got a skinnier neck and a bigger head, so if he gets his head stuck in a guillotine, he might have a hard time getting out of there. So we tailor your game to you.”“Joe Lauzon, different game than what Frank Mir’s gonna have, especially with the weight and how they like to strike and how they like to move their feet,” Lundell continues. “We focus on certain aspects of their training and bring it down to the core fundamentals of what they need to do, and we give them their ‘go to’ shot and their ‘go to’ areas. This is what you’re good at. You’re not good at the scramble, so we’re gonna stay out of the scramble. You’re not good at 50-50 tying, which would be like Randy Couture’s over-under, so we’re gonna work at staying out of the 50-50 tie completely, and just work outside shots. You’re about to fight Dan Henderson, there’s no way we’re getting to the 50-50 there; it’s circle and push out, circle and push out. That’s all we’re doing. So we focus on the real core of what they need to do for that fight, while working on what they need to do to become a better fighter in the long run, which is develop their ‘go to’ areas.”Hearing Lundell break down the finer points of the ground game, you almost get the impression that he could teach anybody how to grapple. But then you look at how world-class fighters get baffled by a dominant wrestler, and you realize it’s not that easy. It’s the top disciple in the sport for a reason, yet for those who work with Lundell, he lets them in on just what that reason is.“In boxing, if you miss a punch, the guy steps away and you step away, and you both get to restart,” he said. “If you miss a shot in wrestling, you are now stuck underneath me for the next five minutes unless you can get out. So it (wrestling) is something that’s so tough because anytime you make a mistake, you pay for it. And you really find out how good you are really fast. There’s no fake stuff. It’s really self-revealing as to your actual ability. People find out real quick who’s the dominant player and who’s not. The guy on top is dominant, despite what the jiu-jitsu world wants you to believe.”

Posted in: guy, ’t, shot, ’re, jiujitsu

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v\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);} o\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);} w\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);} .shape {behavior:url(#default#VML);} Normal 0 false false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0in; mso-para-margin-right:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0in; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} Of the last nine rounds Frankie Edgar and Gray Maynard have fought, Edgar has won the significant majority of them. The rounds Gray won were obviously the most dramatic (outside of their last round to conclude their trilogy), but no so much so that we forgot Edgar's brilliant and technical acumen required to overcome the deficit. Following Edgar's success, I wrote a bit of an essay regurgitating a recent article in the New Yorker on the importance of coaching. I felt like Edgar's boxing coach, Mark Henry, was a key player in both victories, knowing how to offer the advice Edgar needed. Mark was kind enough to reach out to me via email, and was subsequently kind enough to give me several minutes of his time. Edgar's a special fighter. I don't need to list the reasons. You know the reasons. While he still doesn't get the respect he deserves on "P4P lists" (in whatever sense they're meaningful to begin with), the fact remains that he's the best fighter at 155 in the world, whether he should be fighting below LW or not. And Mark has been a big part of that. His name isn't as familiar a, say, Greg Jackson, but he deserves as much acclaim when you look at his contributions in Edgar's last two fights especially.         David: How did you get started in this business, and how did you ultimately get connected with Edgar? Mark Henry: I wasn't looking to get started in this business. My son was doing wrestling, and at the time I wasn't looking to train anybody. I had fought in the army, fought in the clubs, and to Europe a couple of times for the US Army team. After that, I was just looking to be a father, and own a pizzeria. But Steve (Rivera) asked me a couple of times, I said 'no', and then one day I did, and Edgar and I hit the pads. At first he was a mess, but I could tell he was something special, given his speed, and athleticism. In the beginning I would only train with him once a week. It wasn't until the Maynard loss that we just put a lot more time into it.   David: I think what's interesting about your approach with Edgar is that under your tutelage, he seems to have worked his way from the ground up. You seem more concerned with the fundamentals of boxing than with how to take bits and pieces, and put them in an MMA context? Is that accurate? Do you stress boxing for the sake of boxing as opposed to boxing for the sake of MMA? Mark Henry: No, I gotta tell you. Since the Sherk fight I've become more of an MMA guy. Frank got the knockout but I'm more proud of the leg kick when he grabbed Maynard in the first round. I worked on that with him. In the second Maynard fight I worked with taking Gray down off his right hand. Also kicks, also something we emphasized. I'm more into that other stuff, because I've never done it. Even with Gil (Gil Martinez, Gray's boxing coach), right before Frankie took him down, I said 'Gil, he's gonna tell him to throw a right hand when Frankie turns southpaw'. And sure enough the minute Frankie went southpaw, Gray threw a right hand, which led to the takedown, and then he threw that uppercut which knocked him down. David: I noticed what I thought were improvements in Edgar's punching, mainly in his power, and the development of his left hook. Was this- Mark Henry: Yea exactly. That's what we worked on a lot. This last camp, or two camps rather. We worked on him not moving so much, and sitting down on his punches. Then we had to get him moving again because he enjoyed rocking people so much in camp. So that's what we worked on: getting him to sit down on his punches, knowing when to step in, and when not to step in. When to shorten up your punches. Like that first round, he threw that short right hand, and he never threw that short right (he's talking about the right Edgar lands on Gray shown on replay after the first). And that's what he learned how to do this past camp.  And now it's just a matter of what to add. We also worked in switching to southpaw a lot. Sky's the limit for this kid. Especially when you consider he's only been doing this for three years. David: Speaking of boxing, is there any one particular fighter you look up to in terms of who you'd like Edgar to emulate? Is there any one fighter you and Edgar watch a lot of tape on, and study? Mark Henry: No, not really. It's basically something we have to create from scratch. Mainly because of Frankie's style. I mean I watch everybody though. I watch Marquez a lot. I love his trainer.  But for Frankie we had to come up with a different style because Frankie weighs so much less than everybody. He can't stand in front of somebody the way others do. People don't understand that Frankie basically weighs as much as Dominick Cruz. Dominick weighs 160 come fight time. Frankie weighs 158. Frankie's basically a small 145'er. Florian probably weighs about 175. Aldo weighs 170, so he's got Frankie by 12 pounds. If Frankie went to 145 he's probably the smallest 145 pounder. David: Does that kind of bother you guys? Hearing people demand Edgar move down. Isn't the gold around his waist evidence enough that he can do this, and that despite his limitations, he can still be the best? Mark Henry: Ya know, Dana comes from a boxing background. He's been in the sport a long time, in boxing as well. And he knows the sport well. And he understands Frankie's a small 145'er. He knows how hard it is. Because usually you just don't fight guys two weight classes above yours. And Dana knows you just can't stand in front of someone for too long when they outweigh you by 20 pounds with 4 ounce gloves. Honestly I think it's just that nobody really knew how much Frankie weighed. But when you look at all these other guys, in other weight classes, they're not willing to take those fights in other divisions. When Adnerson fights at 205, he weighs more than 205. When Frankie fights at 155, he doesn't. That's why I personally think he's the best. Pound for pound.   David: Which is just all the more impressive. And also I think maybe you can't really blame these guys either. Like when you look at GSP, who seems hesitant to move up to fight Anderson. The weight discrepancy is simply massive. Mark Henry: Absolutely. Absolutely.It used to be discrepancies of 10 pounds, but now we're talking discrepancies of 20 pounds and more. It never used to be that you needed an IV just to cut weight. But it's not that they're doing anything wrong. I'd be right there with them if I could. But that's what makes Edgar so special. Other guys cut 10 pounds. Now it's 25 to 30 pounds. Or now it's Anthony Johnson. You know what I'm saying? The regular guy is at least 15 pounds over his weight. George (St. Pierre) walks into the cage at 190 Firas says. If you need a more dramatic example of these bloated weight classes just consider that Frankie Edgar is only one weight class below Georges St. Pierre. But who wants to see that fight? Look at BJ. He weighs in the 160 range, and I remember seeing him in the cage against GSP and thinking, 'wow'.    David: I kind of hate asking you about Aldo because I'm not one of those that feels like Edgar needs that fight right now. You see this a lot with other fighters, like Jon Jones who's had just one title defense, and already people are talking about Anderson Silva, and a move to Heavyweight. Are you cool with this attitude, or do you think it's more interesting to see Edgar try to establish his own legacy at 155? Especially with so many fresh opponents. Mark Henry: To be honest, it's up to Dana. Whether it's a fight with Aldo, or more challengers at 155 it's really whatever the UFC wants. But Frankie doesn't back down from anyone (Mark gave a more extensive answer but my damn recorder ran out of memory).  David: One of the reasons I was so interested in getting a word with you is that I think your coaching paid real dividends for Edgar. Of the nine rounds in the last two fights he's fought with Maynard, it could be argued Gray has only won two. You made a real effort to articulate for Edgar what kind of adjustments he needed to make after the first round in their last two affairs. Why do you think other coaches have a hard time making mid-fight adjustments? Where do you get that eagle eye? Mark Henry: (again I missed a portion of Mark's answer here thanks to that godawful recorder). Practice. And doing things differently. Sometimes we'll practice what to throw in different languages. One fight we did Japanese, one fight we did Korean. In another fight we mixed the languages. I always wanted to do it because I remember BJ talking about Florian, saying how with Florian, his corner would scream (he couldn't possibly be talking about Keith could he?) what combos to throw and so BJ would listen and react to the combos before Kenny would throw them. So that's what we did when he first fought BJ. Except against BJ we'd use Frankie's sons names. So we'd have one combination named after his son, another after his wife, and things like that. And so everything is in a different language and he listens. It's like playing a video game and having a cord stuck up his butt. Whenever Frankie fights somebody, I don't know if you remember that old Mike Tyson boxing game, but you'd fight a guy with a different skill set every time. So sometimes it's the tall, skinny guy. Then it's the shorter, stocky guy. And so this gives us the chance to take out the personality of the fighter, as we did against BJ, and just focus on technique. We're not fighting Gray Maynard, we're fighting the style. And guys like Ricardo and Renzo have helped out with that as well. And that's what I think makes us so good. We have a great team. Guys like Ricardo, who has rubbed off on me especially, and of course guys like Renzo treat each other and us with respect. And it's basically a great family that we have. So it allows us to treat the fighter first. Frankie's like a brother to me. So when he gets hit, it's like my little brother getting hit. And I've gotta tell him what to do so he can hit the other guy that much harder. But he really is like a brother. We go to church together and that's important. Especially for me personally. God's always first. And I try to pay my respect to that. Ya know. I read the Bible in the octagon. Something we did in Abu Dhabi..which was a dangerous place to do it (laughing). But I try to put God first, ya know. v\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);} o\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);} w\:* {behavior:url(#default#VML);} .shape {behavior:url(#default#VML);} Normal 0 false false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0in; mso-para-margin-right:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0in; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;} Of the last nine rounds Frankie Edgar and Gray Maynard have fought, Edgar has won the significant majority of them. The rounds Gray won were obviously the most dramatic (outside of their last round to conclude their trilogy), but no so much so that we forgot Edgar's brilliant and technical acumen required to overcome the deficit. Following Edgar's success, I wrote a bit of an essay regurgitating a recent article in the New Yorker on the importance of coaching. I felt like Edgar's boxing coach, Mark Henry, was a key player in both victories, knowing how to offer the advice Edgar needed. Mark was kind enough to reach out to me via email, and was subsequently kind enough to give me several minutes of his time. Edgar's a special fighter. I don't need to list the reasons. You know the reasons. While he still doesn't get the respect he deserves on "P4P lists" (in whatever sense they're meaningful to begin with), the fact remains that he's the best fighter at 155 in the world, whether he should be fighting below LW or not. And Mark has been a big part of that. His name isn't as familiar a, say, Greg Jackson, but he deserves as much acclaim when you look at his contributions in Edgar's last two fights especially.         David: How did you get started in this business, and how did you ultimately get connected with Edgar? Mark Henry: I wasn't looking to get started in this business. My son was doing wrestling, and at the time I wasn't looking to train anybody. I had fought in the army, fought in the clubs, and to Europe a couple of times for the US Army team. After that, I was just looking to be a father, and own a pizzeria. But Steve (Rivera) asked me a couple of times, I said 'no', and then one day I did, and Edgar and I hit the pads. At first he was a mess, but I could tell he was something special, given his speed, and athleticism. In the beginning I would only train with him once a week. It wasn't until the Maynard loss that we just put a lot more time into it.   David: I think what's interesting about your approach with Edgar is that under your tutelage, he seems to have worked his way from the ground up. You seem more concerned with the fundamentals of boxing than with how to take bits and pieces, and put them in an MMA context? Is that accurate? Do you stress boxing for the sake of boxing as opposed to boxing for the sake of MMA? Mark Henry: No, I gotta tell you. Since the Sherk fight I've become more of an MMA guy. Frank got the knockout but I'm more proud of the leg kick when he grabbed Maynard in the first round. I worked on that with him. In the second Maynard fight I worked with taking Gray down off his right hand. Also kicks, also something we emphasized. I'm more into that other stuff, because I've never done it. Even with Gil (Gil Martinez, Gray's boxing coach), right before Frankie took him down, I said 'Gil, he's gonna tell him to throw a right hand when Frankie turns southpaw'. And sure enough the minute Frankie went southpaw, Gray threw a right hand, which led to the takedown, and then he threw that uppercut which knocked him down. David: I noticed what I thought were improvements in Edgar's punching, mainly in his power, and the development of his left hook. Was this- Mark Henry: Yea exactly. That's what we worked on a lot. This last camp, or two camps rather. We worked on him not moving so much, and sitting down on his punches. Then we had to get him moving again because he enjoyed rocking people so much in camp. So that's what we worked on: getting him to sit down on his punches, knowing when to step in, and when not to step in. When to shorten up your punches. Like that first round, he threw that short right hand, and he never threw that short right (he's talking about the right Edgar lands on Gray shown on replay after the first). And that's what he learned how to do this past camp.  And now it's just a matter of what to add. We also worked in switching to southpaw a lot. Sky's the limit for this kid. Especially when you consider he's only been doing this for three years. David: Speaking of boxing, is there any one particular fighter you look up to in terms of who you'd like Edgar to emulate? Is there any one fighter you and Edgar watch a lot of tape on, and study? Mark Henry: No, not really. It's basically something we have to create from scratch. Mainly because of Frankie's style. I mean I watch everybody though. I watch Marquez a lot. I love his trainer.  But for Frankie we had to come up with a different style because Frankie weighs so much less than everybody. He can't stand in front of somebody the way others do. People don't understand that Frankie basically weighs as much as Dominick Cruz. Dominick weighs 160 come fight time. Frankie weighs 158. Frankie's basically a small 145'er. Florian probably weighs about 175. Aldo weighs 170, so he's got Frankie by 12 pounds. If Frankie went to 145 he's probably the smallest 145 pounder. David: Does that kind of bother you guys? Hearing people demand Edgar move down. Isn't the gold around his waist evidence enough that he can do this, and that despite his limitations, he can still be the best? Mark Henry: Ya know, Dana comes from a boxing background. He's been in the sport a long time, in boxing as well. And he knows the sport well. And he understands Frankie's a small 145'er. He knows how hard it is. Because usually you just don't fight guys two weight classes above yours. And Dana knows you just can't stand in front of someone for too long when they outweigh you by 20 pounds with 4 ounce gloves. Honestly I think it's just that nobody really knew how much Frankie weighed. But when you look at all these other guys, in other weight classes, they're not willing to take those fights in other divisions. When Adnerson fights at 205, he weighs more than 205. When Frankie fights at 155, he doesn't. That's why I personally think he's the best. Pound for pound.   David: Which is just all the more impressive. And also I think maybe you can't really blame these guys either. Like when you look at GSP, who seems hesitant to move up to fight Anderson. The weight discrepancy is simply massive. Mark Henry: Absolutely. Absolutely.It used to be discrepancies of 10 pounds, but now we're talking discrepancies of 20 pounds and more. It never used to be that you needed an IV just to cut weight. But it's not that they're doing anything wrong. I'd be right there with them if I could. But that's what makes Edgar so special. Other guys cut 10 pounds. Now it's 25 to 30 pounds. Or now it's Anthony Johnson. You know what I'm saying? The regular guy is at least 15 pounds over his weight. George (St. Pierre) walks into the cage at 190 Firas says. If you need a more dramatic example of these bloated weight classes just consider that Frankie Edgar is only one weight class below Georges St. Pierre. But who wants to see that fight? Look at BJ. He weighs in the 160 range, and I remember seeing him in the cage against GSP and thinking, 'wow'.    David: I kind of hate asking you about Aldo because I'm not one of those that feels like Edgar needs that fight right now. You see this a lot with other fighters, like Jon Jones who's had just one title defense, and already people are talking about Anderson Silva, and a move to Heavyweight. Are you cool with this attitude, or do you think it's more interesting to see Edgar try to establish his own legacy at 155? Especially with so many fresh opponents. Mark Henry: To be honest, it's up to Dana. Whether it's a fight with Aldo, or more challengers at 155 it's really whatever the UFC wants. But Frankie doesn't back down from anyone (Mark gave a more extensive answer but my damn recorder ran out of memory).  David: One of the reasons I was so interested in getting a word with you is that I think your coaching paid real dividends for Edgar. Of the nine rounds in the last two fights he's fought with Maynard, it could be argued Gray has only won two. You made a real effort to articulate for Edgar what kind of adjustments he needed to make after the first round in their last two affairs. Why do you think other coaches have a hard time making mid-fight adjustments? Where do you get that eagle eye? Mark Henry: (again I missed a portion of Mark's answer here thanks to that godawful recorder). Practice. And doing things differently. Sometimes we'll practice what to throw in different languages. One fight we did Japanese, one fight we did Korean. In another fight we mixed the languages. I always wanted to do it because I remember BJ talking about Florian, saying how with Florian, his corner would scream (he couldn't possibly be talking about Keith could he?) what combos to throw and so BJ would listen and react to the combos before Kenny would throw them. So that's what we did when he first fought BJ. Except against BJ we'd use Frankie's sons names. So we'd have one combination named after his son, another after his wife, and things like that. And so everything is in a different language and he listens. It's like playing a video game and having a cord stuck up his butt. Whenever Frankie fights somebody, I don't know if you remember that old Mike Tyson boxing game, but you'd fight a guy with a different skill set every time. So sometimes it's the tall, skinny guy. Then it's the shorter, stocky guy. And so this gives us the chance to take out the personality of the fighter, as we did against BJ, and just focus on technique. We're not fighting Gray Maynard, we're fighting the style. And guys like Ricardo and Renzo have helped out with that as well. And that's what I think makes us so good. We have a great team. Guys like Ricardo, who has rubbed off on me especially, and of course guys like Renzo treat each other and us with respect. And it's basically a great family that we have. So it allows us to treat the fighter first. Frankie's like a brother to me. So when he gets hit, it's like my little brother getting hit. And I've gotta tell him what to do so he can hit the other guy that much harder. But he really is like a brother. We go to church together and that's important. Especially for me personally. God's always first. And I try to pay my respect to that. Ya know. I read the Bible in the octagon. Something we did in Abu Dhabi..which was a dangerous place to do it (laughing). But I try to put God first, ya know. David: That's what I found so interesting, which is that you're giving him specific advice, but despite the adrenaline going in the middle of a fight, he's still listening and responding- Mark Henry: Oh yea, yea. I mean we're the ones that are blessed. Frankie and Gray are like Ferrari's. Even a busted up old man from Jersey like me can look good in a Ferrari. And as coaches, we just gotta get in those cars and drive them. Thankfully Frankie is a fighter that listen. And that's the thing too. Which is that fighters don't get enough of that one on one. Some guys just don't listen like others. I train Frankie five times a week. And that definitely contributes. David: Do you think that's part of it? Fighters move from gym to gym, and lose a little bit of that "intimacy", you might say- Mark Henry: When I'm with Frankie, we'll do almost two hours with just pads. I don't tell him to go hit the heavy bag. Or the speed bag. I know he does his cardio with his personal trainer, but when I train him, we'll hit the pads and then go over different scenarios. We'll go over what Frankie has to do if he gets rocked, for example. If you're doing good, you have to do this. And we'll go over every potential scenario. I have a whole list of these scenarios. In the gym I'll have a huge board that'll say just jabs, and then another one will be combos to takedowns, or how to take someone down from a right hand or jab. The next board will say power punches. So we really do have it down to a real science.      David: I've gotta ask you a hokey question, so here it goes. I consider you an important part of Edgar's success, as such, I think the UFC owes you your own walkout song- Mark Henry: (laughing) Oh man. I'm just a coach. Dana doesn't owe me a thing. David: (laughing) But hypothetically, what would be your walkout song? Mark Henry: Oh man, I don't know. It'd have to be some gospel music. Like the music Evander Holyfield walked out to (laughing). I don't know...honestly I like Vitor Belfort's walkout music. He comes out to a Christian song that I like. David: So you wouldn't be coming out to Biggie like Frankie did? (laughing) Mark Henry: No man, I wouldn't. I'd have to come out to something godly (laughing). Like Vitor.  David: Not even Creedance, or Stones in your life? Mark Henry: Nah. I mean I won't lie, I listen to some of it. Not that it's bad but I try to stay away from it, and keep to my own interests. I do generally listen to everything. I mean when Frankie and I work out we listen to hip hop. It's cool I got that IPad that my wife bought me for Father's Day, and it's such a phenomenal tool. Like I remember when Ricardo and Frankie got their flip from Dana for Christmas, like 2 or 3 years ago. That's when we skyrocketed, and I just started filming everything. So for example I'd film our training on Tuesday, and then I'd call him up the next day to talk about what he did wrong and what we need to work on.  I'll watch that kind of film for two hours just to see what we need to work on, and use what we study on film. That's another thing too. Frankie spars with a fellow named Dennis Douglin, who is a phenomenal kid. And that's the thing. If you spar with someone who isn't as skilled, and say, runs away a lot, you don't learn. You can't learn what's wrong with the fighter. So when he's in there with Dennis, it's Edgar who has to back up. And we get to see if Edgar is leaning back too much, and we get to see what we need to fix. And we can look at whether or Edgar's head is down, and his shoulder his down...to where we wouldn't have saw that if he was just beating up a guy all day. So the main thing too is to find guys that can beat his butt. So we got Ronald Cruz as well, who is 16-0 as a pro. And when he trains jiu jitsu, he's up there with Renzo and those wolves. When he trains wrestling, we go down to Rutgers, just to try to get rid of all the danger points Frankie has, say if his head is leaning back, or if he's leaving his leg out there for a shot, or if he's not lowering his level enough. So we constantly bring in the absolute best. Frankie's like a diamond. A diamond looks pretty good, until you put it under the microscope and see the imperfections. And that's what we do with him. We put him in there with great talents, and see what imperfections arise that way we can fix them. And that's pretty much how we've done it. It's something I did with Frankie after the second Maynard fight. We got guys who got in there and we focused on nothing but left hooks. For example, I got a guy that used to fight for Lou Duva, was a five time Golden Gloves champ, and who just threw a million left hooks at Frankie. Getting Frankie to learn how to relax, stiffen up his hips, stiffen up his hands, and so forth. We want Edgar to be offensive and defensive at the same time.     David: Also, I hear you run your own pizzeria. For me, Jersey's a long way from Texas, but for anyone passing through your part of town, what would you recommend from the menu? Mark Henry: Probably the marinated chicken wrap. It's just marinated chicken in balsamic vinegar with roasted peppers, sun dried tomatoes, fresh mozzarella, a little balsamic on it in a fresh tortilla wrap.

Posted in: fight, mark, guy, edgar, frankie

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Filed under: UFC, NewsOn this week's episode of The Ultimate Fighter, Diego Brandao had a run-in with Steven Siler outside the Octagon, then found out that Siler would be his next opponent inside the Octagon as well. Brandao and Siler were the last two fighters to get matched up in this season's featherweight tournament, and their fight will be shown on next week's episode. MMAFighting.com caught up with Brandao to discuss his feelings toward Siler outside the cage, his views on what kind of opponent Siler would be and how he prepared for the fight. Our interview with Brandao is below. Michael David Smith: At the start of Episode 5 they showed you being very angry at Steven Siler. What was that all about? Well, I think the show wanted to show the drama, but he got in my face and challenged me and I was just like, "Why are you getting in my face?" You guys saw me punching the wall which made me look crazy, but I was just totally focused on beating everyone. In that house there were a lot of young kids, a lot of them were talented but a lot of them didn't know what to do with that opportunity. I knew I had to be focused on my opportunity to beat all of them. So when you found out that you'd be fighting Siler in the cage, did the run-in with him motivate you? No, because inside the cage it's different. Inside the cage, I'll throw down with anyone. I don't have anything to lose. I'm going out there like a pit bull. Going into the fight, how did you think you matched up with Siler? I think he thought he could beat me, but I'm a black belt in Brazilian jiu jitsu, and I also thought I could knock him out. I was feeling very good. As you prepared for the fight did you develop a specific game plan for Siler? No, before the fight I don't have a strategy like, "Oh, I have to take this guy down, I have to do this, I have to do that." To me, I don't care. I go in there and I want to destroy the guy. I don't want to think too much. I go in there, make sure my hands are up and fight hard. When you push it you win the fight. It sounds like you were confident heading into the fight. That's just my training. I train real hard. I'm not there in the house to make friends. The guy made me angry but I'm a nice guy, a happy guy. I just wanted to go in there and show I'm the best. It's 32 guys fighting for one contract so I'm not in it to be friends with anybody. Check MMAFighting.com next week when we check in with Brandao following the airing of his fight with Siler. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Posted in: fight, guy, brandao, im, siler

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THQ continues to drip feed us roster details for UFC Undisputed 3 (yes, they abandoned the annual designations after no one bought Undisputed 2010). Thus far it's been interesting not because of who's in the game - if you assumed most of the guys on the actual UFC roster, you'd be correct - but who isn't. We've already gone through the notable no-showables from the 155 and 205 divisions. Now we get to find out who's not feeling the love at heavyweight and featherweight.Most amusing is the exclusion of Chang Sung Jung and Nam Phan. But of course Leonard Garcia is included, which proves his Hypno-Garcia powers of influence work on more than just MMA judges. Tyson Griffin is also missing, which is strange considering he's been in the UFC for 5 years and is one of the better known guys fighting at 145 now. And I guess Hatsu Hioki is just too new to include, even though half the MMA universe has him pegged as the second best featherweight in the world after Jose Aldo.As for the Heavyweights, Mark Hunt, Matt Mitrione and Joey Beltran are missing and while retiree Chuck Liddell is still at 205, Randy Couture is now officially off the roster. Interestingly enough, there's a few guys listed who aren't even a part of the promotion any more. Gabriel Gonzaga is still listed and so is Sean McCorkle. There's also a video up at MiddleEasy that implies Heath Herring and Mark Coleman are included in PRIDE mode, making me wonder what use these roster lists are if they aren't even complete.

Posted in: ufc, guy, roster, drip feed, hatsu hioki

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Whatever worries Joe Lauzon has in life, finding opponents is not one of them. His most recent fight came together because Melvin Guillard called him out, and now the same has happened with Anthony Pettis. Following his win over Jeremy Stephens at UFC 136, Pettis told Cage Fanatic (via MMA Mania) that he wants J-Lau next. “I don’t know who my next opponent is but I’m going for that title shot, that title shot run, so anybody who’s a top five guy, I’m ready for them. Joe Lauzon beat Melvin Guillard, I think that would be a great fight for me.” And like he did with Guillard’s challenge, Lauzon says he’ll gladly fight Anthony Pettis if that’s what the UFC wants. “I think it would be an exciting fight,” Lauzon told the Herald today. “It doesn’t matter to me who I fight. Whoever the UFC says they want me to fight, I’ll fight. If they want it to be Anthony Pettis, I’ll fight Pettis. It doesn’t really matter to me that much. I’m up for whoever.” “I must have (ticked) off someone,” Lauzon said. “I’m not sure why people are calling me out, but I’m fine with it. I have to be doing something right if everybody wants to fight me. I definitely don’t think it’s a bad thing. It’s awesome getting called out by guys like that, that are doing really well.” The UFC hasn’t commented thus far, but if fight comes together, Lauzon can expect to see more from Pettis than crazy kicks and flashy striking. Now that he’s had a taste of the higher level of competition in the UFC, Pettis believes he needs to adjust his style if he wants to make his way back to a UFC title shot. “You look at the UFC lightweight division, the top guys are all wrestlers,” Pettis said. “Me being a striker, I don’t fit into that picture. I need to adjust my game to fit in with the top-level guys in the UFC. By no means am I only going to hold people down and try to win fights. I’m still going for my bread-and-butter, which is knockouts, but fighting a guy like Jeremy Stephens, you don’t want to stay in the pocket with that guy too long.” “I think I’m going to have to just find out how to make them work at this level,” Pettis said of his flashier moves. “It’s easy to do it when you’re fighting guys who aren’t as good at striking as you or don’t pose a threat and you can do whatever you want, but now that these guys [have] good boxing and good kicking and good defense, you’ll still see it, but it’s going to be limited. I have to be careful. I have to win fights. If I want to be a champ, I need to win fights.” As Melvin Guillard learned, calling out Joe Lauzon might not be the smartest career move, but it also provides a good barometer to see where you stand in the lightweight division. If Pettis can’t beat Lauzon, then he probably shouldn’t be fighting the Frankie Edgar’s and Gray Maynard’s of the world yet anyways. Image via Dave Mandel for Sherdog

Posted in: ufc, fight, guy, petti, lauzon

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Sometimes I sit back and arrive at the conclusion that the entire Middle East just needs to let some things go. I watched CNN today and aside a big pool of blood was a pan of french fries being cooked over the grill. I don't know if those fries were for the former alive guy for whom that pool of blood belonged to. I really wish I knew, but that's beyond the point. Now no one is going to eat that pan of french fries because they have to pick up parts of their dead friend. They lost sight of what matters most, that pan of french fries that's probably going to be thrown in the same trash bag that holds the parts of the dead guy. Damn, didn't mean to bum you guys out this evening. In reality, all I wanted to do was show you this clip of CNN's special on women in MMA which will air this Sunday. Alas, I go off talking about dead bodies in the Middle East -- again. [Source]

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Since winning the now obsolete WEC lightweight belt back in December of last year and by default earned himself a prospective shot at UFC title-holder Frankie Edgar, Anthony Pettis has not had the best of times since coming to the UFC. After beating Ben Henderson in a hotly contested and adrenaline fueled five rounds, he found himself up against stiff competition in Clay Guida, an experienced and explosive wrestler, whose main offense is purely breaking people, in a Jon Fitch manner of demoralizing his opponent with takedowns and ground ‘n pound. He lost by a Unanimous Decision because he could not stop Guida from taking him down and keeping on the ground for much of the fight. The loss most definitely cost Pettis next dibs on Edgar’s gold and instead pushed him down outside of the Top 5. In order to get back Pettis back in the title hunt, he and his camp came to a decision that he needed to slightly alter his style to accommodate the high level wrestlers which make up most of the division’s elite. Pettis Prepared to Evolve for Title Shot Pettis elaborated about a style-change in a recent interview with Sherdog where he said, “You look at the UFC lightweight division, the top guys are all wrestlers,” Pettis said. “Me being a striker, I don’t fit into that picture. I need to adjust my game to fit in with the top-level guys in the UFC.” The Roufusport product learned a lesson from the loss to Guida and used a total of six completed takedowns to narrowly out-point Jeremy Stephens, a strategy he commented on, stating, “I’m still going for my bread-and-butter, which is knockouts, but fighting a guy like Stephens, you don’t want to stay in the pocket with that guy too long.” Some of his long time fans, may be concerned that we may not see many more of his patented ‘Showtime Kick’, Pettis addressed this in the interview by explaining, “I think I’m going to have to just find out how to make them work at this level,” Pettis said of his crowd-pleasing antics. “It’s easy to do it when you’re fighting guys who aren’t as good at striking as you or don’t pose a threat and you can do whatever you want, but now that these guys (have) good boxing and good kicking and good defense, you’ll still see it, but it’s going to be limited. I have to be careful. I have to win fights. If I want to be a champ, I need to win fights.” With a new mindset and a seemingly unlimited level of potential, it seems evident he will definitely be doing just that for years to come. PHOTO CREDIT – UFC Tweet

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Former UFC middleweight champion Rich Franklin has seemingly lost his way in recent years, getting forced out of the 185-pound division thanks to two crushing losses to division champion Anderson Silva. Mixed success at light heavyweight, as well as two catchweight fights (195 pounds), have "Ace," unsurprisingly, a little unsettled as he heads into perhaps the twilight of his career. In fact, Franklin -- the promotional poster boy prior to his setbacks to the "Spider," feels as though a little love has been lost in recent years. During an appearance on the MMA Hour, Franklin, 37, said that he feels like he's been pushed to the back burner these days: "That feeling of family, it's dissipated a little bit. It's not the same as it used to be when I first starting fighting for the UFC, and I basically told Lorenzo Fertitta that. I said, ‘Hey, I feel like sometimes you guys don't really have my back,' and he told me that they'd been really busy with the FOX deal and all that kind of stuff." The consummate company man, who certainly is not known for ever rocking the boat or delivering controversial comments, had more to say about the possible genesis of the misunderstanding. It all started back at UFC 133 when Franklin's bout versus Antonio Rogerio Nogueira was pulled because an injury to "Lil' Nog." Shortly thereafter, Franklin was pulled from the card altogether. According to UFC President Dana White, the move was made at the request of Franklin, who made it known that he didn't have time to waste on lesser known opponents. "We had another opponent for Rich, but Rich didn't want to take that fight. He said, ‘You know what, man, I'm at a stage in my career where I only want to fight the top of the heap. I want to fight the top name guys.'" Not the case, according to Franklin. And in this recent interview he attempted to set the record straight, voicing his displeasure with the the way he felt White painted him with his comments: "I listened to the interview that you did with Dana, and was a bit disappointed...I'll be honest with you, I was a bit disappointed listening to that, because the tone of the interview between you and Dana almost sounded like that. I thought, first of all, I've never ducked any other opponent in my life." So where is the disconnect? Franklin said that the UFC had approached him about a potential fight against up-and-comer Alexander Gustafsson. This was his reaction: "At the time I was like, well who is this guy? I don't know. So my manager, Monte Cox, said Joe Silva's going to send you over some tapes so you can at least see this guy and check it out. I said all right." For fans who missed the fight or are unable to recall, Gustafsson went on to fight Matt Hamill instead at UFC 133. It will go down in history as the fight that ended "The Hammer's" career. In hindsight, perhaps Franklin made the right call. After losing his last fight to Forrest Griffin at UFC 126 on Feb. 5 in Las Vegas, Nevada, Franklin is looking to get back into the win column as soon as possible. Regardless of his recent trials, Franklin is adamant about the fact that he's working hard to get back on top of his game. He'll even fight at middleweight again if the need arises: "If the UFC said something to me about fighting at middleweight again, I'd be great with that... If they're not going to let me work toward a title, in the meantime as long as I can just work at putting on exciting fights and that stuff, then I'm good with doing that." Regardless of Franklin's next move, he, as well as the Ultimate Fighting Championship, will certainly have time to iron out their differences and ensure that they are on the same page moving forward. He recently underwent successful surgery to repair a torn labrum suffered in training camp and expects to return in summer 2012.

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Filed under: UFCFormer UFC middleweight champion Rich Franklin is just coming off successful shoulder surgery, but now comes the hard part, as he told Ariel Helwani on Monday's episode of The MMA Hour. Franklin, who said he was told that he wouldn't even be able to run for three more weeks, is now wondering how he's going to cope with the limited physical activity. "I had surgery six days ago, and it's already driving me crazy," he said, adding that, at least for the moment, "rehab is my job." But Franklin, who said he's hoping to return in late May or June of 2012, seems a tad unsure about where he fits in with the current UFC. The organization hasn't seemed anxious to see him return to middleweight, and yet at 205 pounds he finds himself undersized on fight night, he told Helwani. "If you look at the pictures of Forrest [Griffin] and I squaring off at the weigh-ins, we look almost the same size. And then if you look at the two of us squaring off in the middle of the Octagon, pre-fight, he outweighed me by probably about 25 pounds, and I'm going to run into this type of problem in the weight class. It's just, the weight class is full of big guys." And yet, Franklin has continued to fight wherever the UFC wants him because, as he explained, "I've been quote-unquote the company man. There have been magazine articles written about me calling me that. ...I've always been the guy that has taken whatever fight they've asked me to take." Which is why, Franklin said, he was none too pleased about hearing UFC president Dana White suggest in an interview with Helwani that he had purposely avoided a fight with Alexander Gustafsson as a replacement opponent for Antonio Rogerio Nogueira at UFC 133. According to Franklin, he found out exactly three weeks before his scheduled fight with Nogueira that the Brazilian was injured and the UFC wanted to move Gustafsson up to replace him. "At the time I was like, well who is this guy? I don't know. So my manager, Monte Cox, said Joe Silva's going to send you over some tapes so you can at least see this guy and check it out. I said all right." The following afternoon, Franklin said, he told his manager he'd take the fight, even though "there was nothing really appealing about the fight, and I basically told my manager that." But, due to what Franklin described as a "communication breakdown" brought on by the stress of an injury-riddled fight card, the UFC opted instead to pull Franklin from the event altogether. By itself, it might not have been so bad, but Franklin was irked by the implication that he'd ducked a fighter with Gustafsson, he said. "I listened to the interview that you did with Dana, and was a bit disappointed...I'll be honest with you, I was a bit disappointed listening to that, because the tone of the interview between you and Dana almost sounded like that. I thought, first of all, I've never ducked any other opponent in my life." In fact, Franklin said, the only time he's ever said no to the UFC was when he was asked to fight Reese Andy, who had recently been a training partner of his. Aside from that, he said, he always agreed to whatever the UFC offered, and at whatever weight, which is why "for that kind of stuff to come out and to question, I guess, my motives or my character or whatever, it was very upsetting to me." Following the UFC 133 incident, Franklin said he sat down with UFC co-owner Lorenzo Fertitta to discuss the fallout from the situation and his feelings on White's comments. "That feeling of family, it's dissipated a little bit," Franklin said. "It's not the same as it used to be when I first starting fighting for the UFC, and I basically told Lorenzo that. I said, 'Hey, I feel like sometimes you guys don't really have my back,' and he told me that they'd been really busy with the FOX deal and all that kind of stuff." After that conversation, Franklin said, he and the UFC "were all on the same page," and there was even talk of a bout with Tito Ortiz in November, which Franklin said he was "definitely open to and interested in." Unfortunately, his shoulder surgery scuttled those hopes, leaving him focused only on rehab and getting back to fighting shape for now. As for the weight class he'll compete in and the opponent he might face when he returns, Franklin said he's content to leave that up to the UFC. "If the UFC said something to me about fighting at middleweight again, I'd be great with that," he said, though he clarified that he's not about to request anything specific along those lines. "...If they're not going to let me work toward a title, in the meantime as long as I can just work at putting on exciting fights and that stuff, then I'm good with doing that." Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

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Masakazu Imanari - Has such an interesting and bizarre style thats always fun to watch. He beaten some good fighters like Mike Brown and Maeda but never consistent enough to be a top name. Hideo Tokoro - Always brings it, has been in so many great wars but has had a pretty up and down career. Hes looking good fighting at bantamweight though but hes still outside the top 10. Pat Barry - Funny guy and a great kickboxer but his ground game is so abysmal that it'll be hard for him to move any higher in the ufc ranks, hopefully he puts it all together in a few years. Cung Le - Has such a cool style and could of been top 10 if he started mma earlier and fought tougher guys. Not sure if he cracked the top 10 after beating shamrock but i dont believe so. The Korean Zombie - Impossible not to like this guy but hes a bit too reckless to be a top featherweight. Leonard Garcia - Gets some hate for getting gift decisions but this guy never has a boring fight. He did fight mike brown for the title at one point so he could of been top 10 then but hes fallen a fair way since that. Masaaki Satake - Got his ass consistently beat in mma but put on some great fights, his war with igor was epic. Melvin Manhoef - Plenty of potential but his ground work is so poor that it screws him over a lot but its very hard to dislike this guy as a fighter, a true beast in the standup. submitted by AbeRudder [link] [4 comments]

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"I've said it many times that this guy is the whole package. At such a young age, taking on the names and beating the guys that he has. He might not be a household name, but when he beat Matyushenko, I was blown away with how he's done it. He's dealing with a lot of stuff that puts a lot of pressure on people and at a very young age. It's unbelievable. Before the Rampage fight people were talking pound for pound but I don't want to put the pressure on this guy. You're not in your prime until you're 27, 28, 29 years old. It's really impressive. You have to respect what he's been able to do at such a young age and how he's done it. If Jon Jones can walk through Machida the way he walked through Rampage than he has arrived, he is the real deal. The sky's the limit for this kid. He's got the Rashad fight after that and Rashad claims he's getting his number. Machida is stylistically very tough and I think this is a fun fight." -- UFC President Dana White is, before anything else, a promoter. That means his word should usually be taken with a grain of salt or, at least, one must realize he'll speak with words that will make his business more successful. That means saying things like "Frankie Edgar is the number two pound-for-pound fighter in the world, I don't care if you think differently, you're wrong and I'm right." But he's taken a different approach with UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones. Instead of calling him the second coming of christ, like so many others have, White is exercising caution with his 205-pound prized possession. "Bones" is a star in the making, a potential future two-division champion who may very well go down as the greatest of all time. He's certainly got all the physical tools to make such a dream a reality, as well as the mental capacity to continue to grow into his skin. But he's still young, just 24-years-old, actually, and despite his massive success against veterans of the fight game like Vladimir Matyushenko and Quinton Jackson, there's most certainly a long road ahead. The light heavyweight surf is filled with sharks who all present a new and interesting style match-up. If Jones can navigate the waters with the skillful ease of which he's done so far, he may very well be the best ever. White just isn't ready to say as much yet. And you know what? This time he's right. Agree or disagree?

Posted in: ufc, fight, guy, jone, jon jones

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Earlier today we started a fun project to pick five fighters from each division in Strikeforce that should be brought into the UFC if Strikeforce were shut down today. We started out with the heavyweight and light heavyweight divisions, now we go through 185, 170 and 155. Again, the one rule is: you must pick no fewer, and no more, than five fighters in each division. Here are my picks. Share yours in the comments. Middleweight: In: Luke Rockhold - The Strikeforce champ, a very personable guy and possessing a whole lot of talent. Rockhold is a no brainer, but he has to be handled carefully. He is only 26 and could be one of the guys in the running to replace Anderson Silva as the top 185'er in the world in a few years, but a few fights to build him up before throwing him in against Silva or Chael Sonnen makes a lot of sense. Tim Kennedy - Sometimes we have a little fun at Tim's expense. He is overly serious sometimes ("It's JUST BLOOD!") and it makes for a laugh, but he's a good fighter and an easy guy to promote. Ronaldo Souza - There are just so many interesting fights for Jacare in the UFC. He'd be the favorite to catch Sonnen with a submission, wouldn't he? Robbie Lawler - Dana White loves Robbie Lawler. He may be 2-4 since 2009, but his style is fan friendly and I think Dana and the UFC would enjoy getting the last few wars left in him out in their cage. Plus, there aren't a lot of good 185'ers in Strikeforce. Derek Brunson - I guess I'm going on hope here. Brunson trains with good camps, has wrestling credentials and has gone 8-0 while finishing 7 of those bouts. He's better than most of the guys that get on TUF these days and may be able to make some noise. Notable cuts: Benji Radach - Fought once in 2008, once in 2009, once in 2010 and is 1-3 in his last four fights. Scott Smith - I just don't want to see Smith get punched in the head anymore. He's had enough wars in his career, there's no need for him to finish out his career getting knocked out in the UFC. Follow after the jump for welterweights and lightweights. Welterweights: In: Tyron Woodley - Welterweight in Strikeforce is a bit of a mess, but Tyron Woodley is by far the best 170 guy they have. He was still the best at 170 when Nick Diaz was still on the roster, too. Bobby Voelker - I don't think Voelker is particularly special, but he has two wins over Roger Bowling now and does enough things well to maybe get a win or two on the prelims. Nate Moore - 7-2 record with seven finishes. When he doesn't get the finish, he gets finished. At the very least, he's entertaining. Tarec Saffiedine - Saffiedine is a lot of fun and only lost to Tyron Woodley during his time in Strikeforce. I could see Tarec becoming a staple of FX shows. Jason High - High only got one shot in the UFC and that loss to Charlie Brenneman doesn't look very bad given Brenneman's defeat of Rick Story. I'd pick High to get a decision win over Dan Hardy at this point. Notable cuts: Roger Bowling - I'd take Bowling or I'd take Voelker. I'm not taking both of them. Paul Daley - I'm just assuming Paul doesn't get to return to the UFC. If he does, I'd replace Voelker with him. Lightweight: In: Jorge Masvidal - He's a fun fighter, he's young and he always comes to put on a show. Masvidal would make for very entertaining fights with a number of UFC lightweights, even if he isn't a top level fighter. KJ Noons - He looked bad against Masvidal, but he's been very good at lightweight in his career and fights in the "fan friendly" style the UFC loves. I'd pay to see Noons vs. Melvin Guillard or Noons against Nate Diaz given the Noons/Diaz family history. Justin Wilcox - Constant improvement and a solid record. Wilcox is a tough out for anyone at 155. Gilbert Melendez - This one is obvious. He's one of the top fighters in the world and holds the title. No explination needed. Caros Fodor - Grinding, hard working fighter who doesn't show signs of ever being elite, but he is just one of those scrappy guys that will work his way to wins in some fights you fully expect him to lose. Notable cuts: Billy Evangelista - He's a tough fighter but he has one stoppage win in his last ten fights, not a trait I like to see in a guy fighting mid-tier Strikeforce talent. Conor Heun - Heun is fun to watch but he's not all that good. I don't think he could last a year in the UFC without getting cut. Gesias Cavalcante - Since 2008 he is 2-3 (2 NC). Both of those wins were split decisions. That's simply not good enough. Josh Thomson - I probably could have included him, but he is 33 with limited upside and a somewhat inconsistent schedule.

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If Kimbo Slice was paid for every time he's been exploited, then he would -- oh wait, he has. Who would have known that being a guy recognized for street fighting and rocking elaborate facial/head hair combinations would force one's entire career to be pigeon holed into 'that scary guy who beats up people.' Why can't Kimbo Slice be known for the philosopher that he truly is? Let's face it, the 'inner-me, is my enemy' shows a deep appreciation for psychoanalysis, and a guy who used to sleep in a Jeep under a bridge came up with that quote. Let's focus on that stuff, Hollywood. Otherwise, you will force me to take off my MMA writing gloves and jump into the screenwriting arena. Enough of the threats, tonight I'm going to start writing a screenplay that features Kimbo as a guy that doesn't go around beating up people with his fists and various weapons in his vicinity. Once I'm done, I'll shop it around Hollywood and find a studio that will eventually pitch it to a producer that is bold enough to revolutionize the film industry. However, in the meantime, watch this clip of Kimbo Slice playing as some tribal warrior dude in the new Scorpion King 3 film. [Source]

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The third installment to the popular MMA video game, UFC Undisputed is set to be released on January, and the guys at THQ are beginning to reveal their official roster. They will also be having a PRIDE mode where you can get nostalgic as you brutally stomp and kick your over-matched opponents, although sadly, this list they have just released are for their UFC fighters only. So, who are the new additions? Who have been snubbed? Here's a complete breakdown of the official roster for the light heavyweight and lightweight divisions for UFC Undisputed 3: UFC Undisputed 3 Official Lightweight Roster Fighters from UFC 2010 Roster that were removed   UFC Undisputed 3 Official Light Heavyweight Roster Fighters from UFC 2010 Roster that were removed Donald Cerrone (New) Caol Uno    Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (New) Keith Jardine  Evan Dunham (New) Cole Miller    Brandon Vera Krzysztof Soszynski  Frankie Edgar Diego Sanchez [WW]    Chuck Liddell Luiz Cane  Takanori Gomi (New) Hermes Franca    Cyrille Diabate (New) Mark Coleman  Clay Guida Jens Pulver   Dan Henderson [MW] Stephan Bonnar  Melvin Guillard (New) Joe Lauzon    Forrest Griffin Steve Cantwell  Ben Henderson (New) Kenny Florian    Jason Brilz   Gray Maynard Kurt Pellegrino    Jon Jones   Jim Miller (New) Nate Diaz    Lyoto Machida   Ross Pearson Spencer Fisher    Matt Hamill   B.J. Penn [WW] Terry Etim    Mauricio Rua   Anthony Pettis (New) Tyson Griffin   Phil Davis (New)   Sean Sherk     Quinton "Rampage" Jackson   Dennis Siver     Rashad Evans   George Sotiropoulos (New)     Rich Franklin   Joe Stevenson     Ryan Bader         Thiago Silva         Tito Ortiz         Vladimir Matyushenko (New)     Who are the notable snubs on this latest roster? Check out after the jump. The lightweights: 8 additions from last year's roster, with the most notable ones being Jim Miller, and the guys coming from the UFC-WEC merger (Pettis, Bendo, Cerrone). 12 fighters have been removed with most of them have either been released from the promotion, or have changed divisions (Sanchez, Florian, Griffin, Diaz?) Notable snubs: Nate Diaz - Currently ranked #14 in the lightweight division. He was in last year's roster, but moved up to welterweight, and just recently dropped back down to lightweight where he drubbed Takanori Gomi. He might just be on the WW roster, but if not, Diaz is a one of the most notable snubs in the game. Rafael Dos Anjos - Currently Ranked #16 in the lightweight division, and recently knocked out George Sotiropoulos who is a new addition to the roster. Joe Lauzon - He was on last year's roster, so it doesn't make much sense why he's not in the game anymore. Now that he recently had a big win over Melvin Guillard, maybe the developers should consider putting him back in the game. Gleison Tibau and Matt Wiman - Both guys are ranked in the top 25 in the world, although they're not as popular to the casual fans as the other fighters in the roster, so it is understandable. Cole Miller - He's on last year's roster, and his only loss in the past 2 years was from fellow snubbed fighter, Matt Wiman.   The Light Heavyweights: 4 new additions from last year's roster with the most notable being Mr. Wonderful and Lil' Nog. 6 fighters from last year's roster that were removed, with most of them have either been released from the promotion (Coleman, Jardine), or is on ugly losing streaks (Cane, Cantwell). Notable Snubs: Randy Couture - The UFC Hall-of-Famer also wasn't on last year's roster, from that whole issue with his rights being signed to the guys at EA MMA. Alexander Gustafsson - He's been tearing up a bunch of light heavyweights, and recently earned his #15 ranking in the light heavyweight standings. Krzysztof Soszynski and Stephan Bonnar - Neither guy are on the top of the division, although both guys were on last year's roster, and both guys are enjoying 2-fight winning streaks. Bonnar has always been mentioned as a staple in the UFC, so it's a bit weird how they decided not to include him in the game. Stanislav Nedkov - He just recently cracked the top 25 with his win over Luiz Cane, so while the guy has talent, it is understandable that he wasn't added on the roster just yet.

Posted in: ufc, guy, year, &nbsp, roster

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Filed under: UFCComing off his Knockout of the Night performance in a win over Stefan Struve in the spring, Travis Browne came to UFC 135 surrounded by big expectations. But there would be no flashy highlights this time around. His durable opponent Rob Broughton made the fight a battle of attrition, and Browne had to settle for a workmanlike unanimous decision. With the win, Browne kept his record unbeaten at 12-0-1. And perhaps just as importantly, he showed he could win a different kind of fight, a tough, slow grind. For his long-term future, that meant just as much to Browne as a spectacular knockout. "It wasn't my most fulfilling win but it was a win nonetheless," Browne said. "And especially in the UFC, it's something you have to be grateful for. I put in some hard work. I beat a tough guy. Do I think I could have done better? Definitely. But you have to tip your hat to him. He's a tough guy who took a shot. That's his game, the grind match. I beat him at his own game, so I can't be that upset. But at the same time, I felt I could have done better." To Browne, "better" includes a finish. A powerful and athletic striker with a 6-foot-7, 255-pound frame, the native Hawaiian who now trains with Team Greg Jackson says he always enters fights with a knockout mind set. Nine of his wins have ended in that fashion. But as he progresses, he knows that there will be opponents who resist being put away. That's why to him, defeating Broughton over three rounds really meant something. Browne said that in his entire career, he's never hit someone so hard and not had them go down. On more than one occasion, he hit Broughton and felt the impact reverberate up his arms past his elbows. By the time the fight was over, his knuckles were sore and shin was bruised from all the strikes, but there was still no KO. That led to some criticism of Browne's performance. More criticism also came at him for conditioning, as the fight slowed in Denver's mile-high thin air. But Browne said any negative words will only serve to motivate him to get better and fight to a more decisive finish next time around. The win may have lacked style points, but he fought through the altitude issues, out-muscling and out-lasting Broughton. "I try to to be a pleaser, to please the fans," he said. "I don't want to just go out there and win. I want people to be like, 'Holy s---, did you see what Travis Browne did?' That's my style, that's how I like to fight. I like to please the fans. Go out, knock somebody out, choke them out, break an arm. Something. I'm trying to be on SportsCenter every single fight. So to have a fight like that? That was a learning curve." To Browne, continuing to round out his skill set is the short-term and long-term goal. Because in order to beat the top echelon fighters, he can't simply rely on his striking or ground skills or any one thing. Evolution is the key. To that end, when asked who he would like to face next, Browne doesn't name any of the division's biggest names. Instead, he names Mike Russow, a 6-foot-2, 260-pounder with a wrestling background and a propensity to turn fights into slow grinds. Though he's not a huge name in the UFC, Russow is 14-1-1 overall, and hasn't lost in three octagon fights, stopping Todd Duffee and Jon Madsen in his most recent bouts. "I think that would be a great fight for me and him," Browne said. "I respect the guy a lot for what he's done in the heavyweight division. You have to respect his power. You have to respect his wrestling and his strength. I think it'd be another grinding match, but it'd be definitely a great one." If it happens, that match could turn out to be a 15-minute struggle. But in order to move forward, these are the tests that Browne knows he has to pass. And if he can pass them in SportsCenter-fashion, well, that's all a bonus. It will mean his plan is taking shape. "Those are the guys who if you can create those moments against those guys, then you know you're ready," he said. "For me, I want to mentally know I'm ready to take the next step to go chase the title. Yeah, I want these fights where people are going to stand in front of me and I'm going to knock them out. But is that going to be best for me in the long run? Probably not. I want those situations and knockouts and submissions against guys who won't just give them to me." Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Posted in: fight, guy, name, browne, knockout

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I had the pleasure of joining Sherdog's Jordan Breen once again on his Press Row segment (listen and download here) and we spent about forty minutes talking about a variety of topics. We started off discussing Jose Aldo's performance against Kenny Florian at UFC 136 and why I was left more impressed than others with what I saw. That conversation turned into expectations versus realities as far as fighting styles: Breen: It seems like once guys get to a certain level, that there is a certain style of fighting that is demanded to go out and retain a title over and over again. I don't think it's any mistake that Anderson Silva, Georges St. Pierre, Jose Aldo and Frank Edgar who, no matter how you arrange them are the four that are going to comprise the top four fighters in the sport right now, along with Jon Jones as well...Jones is maybe the only exception who has gotten to this level who continues to finish guys time in time out for it to be expected. We've gotten Anderson Silva knockouts which have been brutal lately, but maybe the spectres of Demian Maia and Thales Leites aren't that Far behind us. Do you think that maybe That says something for what it means for elite level mixed martial artists now for all of these guys who we see as great athletes who time and time again beat great fighters to fight in a strategic such a way that, even when they're showing dominance over twenty-five minutes, we're maybe not getting bone breaking knockouts and things that make us go crazy. Is there something to be said for just what it means to face top five, top ten guys every three to four months inside the UFC Octagon? Brookhouse: Yeah, to a degree it's that you're constantly preparing for a top level opponent in a sport where there are so many different ways to lose. It's not fan friendly to go in and fight in a way that's risk averse or whatever, but it's maybe intelligent in terms of...you know, you make one mistake and you're knocked out. You make one mistake and you slip to the ground because you're throwing an ill advised headkick and all of a sudden someone is on your back. There's just so many way to lose and when you're facing the best your division has to offer every single time you go out it build maybe a bit of an aversion to risk into a fighter. I mean, you had Anthony Pettis in the wake of his fight with Jeremy Stephens that "this is how you win in the UFC, by holding guys down. And maybe that was a shot at, you know, losing his last fight and the method that Clay Guida used to beat him. But I think there is kind of a feeling among fighters and camps that this is a way that seems to work to get you to the top. And it's just as valuable to get a win this way if you do it consistently. It's hard to say if it's just the top level fights being a consistent part of your schedule or if it's just a mentality that is being built in by being in camps by training with other high level guys. After more discussion about upcoming fights we'd like to see, we settled into a discussion about if the UFC is doing a poor job of selling the champions in an era which features truly dominant fighters: Breen: One thing that came through very interestingly to me after UFC 136, I had the good fortune of watching Aldo/Florian with the sound off, but many people seemed outraged and had a significant amount of rancor for Joe Rogan who attempted to make the fight seem more competitive than it was as, outside of a good first round, Florian didn't really do a whole hell of a lot over the last 20 minutes of the fight and was basically dominated despite being competitive for certain stretches of the fight. With Rogan and, in general a very, very well traversed path of pathologically making fights sound close, in conjuction with Dana White who has now come out and said "Oh, Georges St. Pierre is slipping down my pound-for-pound list" as though he hasn't achieved immesurably fantastic things in mixed martial arts...I was thinking about an e-mail that I got recently where the person brought up the idea that...doesn't it seem weird to you that we talk now about how the UFC is in this "dominant champion era" and yet they don't really seem to be able to respond to it? Because in other sports when champions are GREAT and outstanding, they're championed for being such. And yet, in mixed martial arts and as far as the UFC's promotional focus, we never hear about, or it's not emphasized to the extent that "oh, Anderson Silva's unbeatable! Oh, Georges St. Pierre is unbeatable! These are great athletes!" It's always "this is the guy, this is the guy who can do the thing to beat this guy!" It always seems that the emphasis is on detracting from the champion to try to pump up the challengers. And, when you get into a fight like Aldo/Florian, it kind of paints an ugly and distorted picture of the champion because Jose Aldo did his job to a high degree. He took out a perenial top ten lightweight and did it with a high level of proficiency and in turn it seems a lot of people felt like "Oh, Kenny Florian...he actually did somet stuff" and they're down on Aldo as a result. Do you think there's any merit to that thought that the UFC and Zuffa process of trying so desperately to pump up and manufacture challenges ends up kind of marring their champions when they do win, if they don't win in the most superlative fashion possible? Brookhouse: Yeah, it's kind of...there's a lot of different layers to it. The first is that I think the UFC is always been very cautious to try to prevent any single star from being built up as you know "above the UFC brand." And that's not necessarily a bad thing, but it does lead to kind of the situation you were talking about where... Breen: Is that even a feasable worry anymore though? Like, what are the odds of, even if they poured all their resources into a champion to turn him into a star that that person would become such an overwhelming star that it could be contaminous to the UFC down the line? I know they're maybe trying to guard against the unknown unknowns but...what are they? What is going to threaten the UFC if they turn these guys into stars? That's what kind of bothers me. When I think a lot about that e-mail and maybe what the e-mailer was getting to. It seems to me that maybe it's an outdated kind of point of view in that, at a certain point in time I could kind of understand why maybe that was the case. But I think it's a different landscape now. And I was talking about this on radio last week, when you reach a point..because I think MMA or at least the UFC...what's ended up happening now is that you have a more boxing-like set-up where you have two or three stars, six to ten guys that people are aware of and might buy on PPV and then kind of everything else. People will buy for superstars and to a lesser extent for commodities, but in general there's just so many things happening that people have to pick and choose and they pick the highest of peaks normally to throw out their PPV dollars on. And that seems to be more in line with boxing than anything else. And with that in mind it would seem you would want to emphasize and make those things that people are banking on even stronger. We want on the boxing side, we want guys like Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao and we also want guys who are commodities but aren't stars like a Sergio Martinez maybe. We want to be able to provide them with some sort of profile so that people are able to watch great fights and they care about these things. It seems like the UFC and Zuffa maybe haven't adapted their promotional strategies to the reality of how people are rocking and getting into the UFC and mixed martial arts now. Brookhouse: Well yeah, you can even look at the boxing method. Selling Mike Tyson was never about selling his opponent's ability to beat him. Of course you want to sell enough that you're not paying your money to see "come see the dominant force knock out a bum." You want to see this guy..then when a guy like Buster Douglas comes along and knocks him out, you get a transfer of star power naturally because nobody expected it and he did it in a surprising and vicious fashion. SO there's a natural transfer that isn't just setting the champion up to fail. And when you establish that...you know, when you focus entirely on the risks present to the champion, you take away what's unique and what value there is to seeing him. If they had sold that Aldo is an explosive knockout artist with good ground skills, but he is also a technically proficient striker...then you have the framework for your commentary during the fight to explain exactly what is good about what he is doing instead of just focusing so much on what is good that Florian is doing while he's losing round after round. I think it's also a case where the UFC doesn't do a very good job, in my opinion, of differentiating between its champions. As far as really digging into what makes each guy particularly unique. I think right now Aldo is being sold as "this guy is really good, he's a Brazilian Striker" and it just doesn't feel all that much different than how...say, Shogun was sold when he had the title. That only scratches the surface of all the ground we covered as there's about twenty-two minutes more after that (plus another 6 in between the stuff I transcribed. I fully advise checking out the entire thing. I'm going to have a little bit more in an article tomorrow, expanding on some of these ideas...so look forward to that. Or don't. Whatever.

Posted in: ufc, fight, guy, champion, aldo

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Jose Aldo is not moving up to lightweight. At least, not yet. That's probably the best news Chad Mendes has gotten all week, as the undefeated featherweight patiently waits for his crack at the 145-pound crown. "Money" was hoping to cash in his expected title shot at UFC 136; however, that honor went to Kenny Florian, who pulled rank on the Team Alpha Male wrestler and took over as top contender. Not that it did him any good. After five rounds of action at the "Edgar vs. Maynard 3" pay-per-view event on Oct. 8, 2011, "KenFlo" was once again sent to the back of the line. Mendes, meanwhile, racked up another unanimous decision win (his fourth straight) by outlasting Rani Yahya at UFC 133 back on Aug. 6. And as he tells MMA Fighting, the belt is going to be his "sooner or later." "My time is going to come. I've only been doing this for three years. I've got 11 fights into my career. I've got plenty of time. That belt's going to be mine sooner or later. It's just hurry up and wait ... I think with my wrestling credentials, my strength, my athleticism, I don't think he's faced anybody like that yet. And for me to get in there, put him on his back and take him out of his comfort zone, I think that's going to be key to beating a guy like that. He's the guy that everyone looks at as unbeatable, and he's got this hype around him like no one can beat him. I want to be the guy to get in there and take that belt from him." The idea of Mendes being able to defeat Aldo, perhaps a year ago, seemed unlikely. But after back-to-back fights inside the Octagon, "Junior" looks content to ride out the clock and let the scorecards do the talking -- a far cry from the deadly finishes fans saw while he competed in the WEC. Is Aldo playing it safe? Or just fighting better competition? And does anyone think he'll have trouble fighting Mendes off his back? How do you see this potential title fight playing out?

Posted in: guy, belt, jose aldo, aldo, mende

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A few updates on what's been going on in the MMA Twitterverse   RANDOM TWIDBITS "Hats off to Frank Edgar. Great competitor and person, true champ! Its been fun, now its my turn to show I got heart and work my way back up"  -Gray Maynard "If us fighters could just have a time machine and travel forward to Post-fight when fans tell us what we "should've" done, we'd all be champ"  -Mac Danzig "Now everyone hates me... :-( Gotta find a way to be a sarcastic dick without making people upset... :-P"  -Mac Danzig "If you get married and then have a sex change in a state that outlaws gay marriage ... Does the state annul your marriage?"  -Ronda Rousey "Big announcement coming soon on the immediate future of LW champ @GilbertMelendez! Stay tuned for details... Sorry to keep you waiting folks! @GilbertMelendez WILL be defending his title vs @GamebredFighter in San Diego on Dec. 17. Tix on sale Sat!"  -Strikeforce, breaking news! He's not leaving... yet.   There's a ton of tweets after the jump, but first, don't forget to follow me on twitter: @antontabuena Oh, and these guys are probably worth following as well: The Official BloodyElbow Twitter Account, Luke Thomas, Kid Nate, Brent Brookhouse, Mike Fagan, Leland Roling, Richard Wade, Jonathan Snowden, Chris Barton, Damon O, Scott Broussard, Tim Burke, Matt Bishop, Fraser Coffeen, Dallas Winston, KJ Gould CHAEL SONNEN VS. VITOR BELFORT? "Hey Chael, if you couldn't see Nate's hands touch your face, what do you think is going to happen when we square off? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9DU1afkJfQE"  -Vitor Belfort "Hey Vitor, take my name out of your mouth until you show up for half as many fights as you pullout of."  -Chael Sonnen "Chael is a lunatic I know that I will receive a Christmas gift on the end of the year to fight him."  -Vitor Belfort "I feel like I will receive chael as a christmas gift from spider silva"  -Vitor Belfort "Guys I have to be honest chael deserve to fight against silva but if this doesn't happens I would like to chael a whip... Sorry guys I would love to give chael a whip on my last twit I mess up but here we go . I love you guys support"  -Vitor Belfort "You keep using the phrase, "pound him out." I don't think it means what you think it means, but you're a dead man either way."  -Chael Sonnen "Boy, I don't know where you are from, but you need to go back the way you came. I'm the wrong guy and I'm only gonna tell you this once..."  -Chael Sonnen   TWICTURES "Headed to airport, thanks for the love Houston. Had great time especially meeting this guy..."  -Jeremy Stephens "Hey @feliceherrig check out my new groupie"  -Amir Sadollah "This women was the first to have me sign the ESPN bodies issue, she was so embarrassed"  -Jon Jones "Bout to get sum work in"  -Kimbo Slice, preparing for his second fight as a pro-boxer. "Bumped in to @urijahfaber in Sacramento tonight."  -Ben Kenney of Incubus "@RealDForeman deal! Day of weighins lol"  -Miesha Tate, traded a photo of her abs for a vote in the World MMA Awards. "LB gets me going, everytime...Happy Weekend! and a fight one at that! #friskyfriday"  -Natasha Wicks "Hey @playboy happy #friskyfriday! :)"  -Arianny Celeste "Demented future housewife...eff u LOCKERZ U SUCK"  -Arianny Celeste   TWIDEOS "Submission of the Week - @Mark_Munoz faces his toughest opponent to date t.co/XP2JhgRN"  -UFC, they weren't talking about Chris Leben. "Third blog! t.co/if6GusLq"  -Joe Lauzon

Posted in: guy, "&nbsp, vitor, vitor belfort, chael

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"I want to fight the guys at the top. That's where I want to be. The guys at the bottom want to fight guys that are at the top. I'll fight anybody. Realistically, I want a big fight, my next fight to be a big fight. Who could it be? Maybe a Nick Diaz, maybe a B.J. Penn, Carlos Condit, maybe someone at 185-pounds. There are a lot of good guys at 185-pounds, I'd definitely like to fight some of those guys. I want big names and big fights." -- Former UFC welterweight title challenger Josh Koscheck already wants to get back on the hog and ride after knocking out Matt Hughes in his big return at the UFC 135: "Jones vs. Rampage" event this past Sept. 24 in Denver. "Kos," still just one fight removed from serious surgery to repair a broken orbital, tells MMA Nation he's looking ahead to possible names in the 170-pound division that include Nick Diaz, B.J. Penn and Carlos Condit, all of whom fight at the upcoming UFC 137 event on Oct. 29. But, if those three don't work out, he's still not averse to fighting at middleweight against a top guy there. Play matchmaker, Maniacs. Josh Koscheck's night fight should be against ...

Posted in: ufc, fight, nick diaz, guy, carlos condit

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For fans of Anthony Pettis, UFC 136 may have been difficult to watch. Gone was his usual flash, and in its place, a Clay Guida clone. To win he employed plenty of wrestling, and very little striking. Though to be fair, it was Stephens who initiated the wrestling match, and so perhaps as a middle finger, Pettis made a statement more for Jeremy Stephens than for the LW division. Much has been made of Pettis' ensuing quote with UFC.com about winning fights by "holding them down". Jon Luther, in yesterday's interview with Anthony Pettis on Sherdog radio, asked him about this, to which Anthony replied. "I wanna clear that up too. That was more of a misquote. I didn't say that's how you only win fights. That's a huge part of the game. You look at the UFC LW division, and the top guys are all wrestlers. As a striker I need to adjust my game to fit in at the top levels of the UFC. By no means am I gonna hold people down, and try to win fights. I'm still going for my bread and butter, which is knockouts." As to whether or not the "Showtime kick" has added undue pressure to his performance, Pettis added, "No, not really. In the Guida fight I was like, kind of, really focusing on my striking, and then I kind of believed in the hype and that I could try to knock everybody out. But that's not the case. Everybody's so good, you gotta be well rounded everywhere. For me if the Showtime kick happens, I'm not waiting for it to happen" But will the LW wrestle-boxer obstacles compromise the identity of the man they call Showtime?  "No I don't think so. I think I'm gonna have to find a way to make them work at this level. It's easy to do it when you're fighting guys who are not as good at striking, don't pose a threat, and you can do whatever you want. Now you have guys with good boxing, good kicking, and good defense. But you'll still see it, but it's gonna be limited. I gotta be careful. I gotta win fights. I can't throw Showtime kicks everytime." When TJ De Santis asks him point blank whether or not it's possible to win off your back in the judges' eyes, Anthony responds, "If you submit someone yea, but not if you're not active...I think it's a flaw, yea. You're attacking, and the guy is just defending the whole time, you're the aggressor. You're the one holding down cage control. But if the guy's on top, you know what it looks like. It looks like he's holding you down. and he's winning the fight." Some fighters have found success striking from their back. In fact, in perhaps the only case I can remember off the top of my head of a fighter essentially winning from his back, you have to go back to another Clay Guida fight: against Diego Sanchez, who bloodied hm up with elbows from the bottom. Pettis seems skeptical of this approach. "That's the thing. Do you want to get into that kind of detail, where it's 'how can I show these judges that I'm winning'? Or should I just get up, take him down, and hold him? That's that fine line where you've gotta decide what kind of fighter you want to be. And I want to be the fighter that wins fights. For me it's about my paycheck, and if I lose I don't get my paycheck." Pettis is still a promising prospect, but it sounds like he's having a bit of identity crisis. Has he gone from romantic to cynic? He still wants to be the guy everyone fell in love with at the final WEC show, but now he recognizes that compromises have to be made if he's to have any success. Let's hope for a Pettis fight against either Jim Miller, Joe Lauzon, or the winner of Donald Cerrone vs. Denis Siver.

Posted in: fight, guy, anthony pettis, petti, anthony

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Former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Quinton Jackson has been on a "Rampage" about opponents who "fight scared" or "turn and run" every time he tries to engage. That's why he's headed to boxing, or so he says. Unfortunately he failed to clear it with his current boss, UFC President Dana White, who was surprised to learn about Jackson's future plans in the sweet science, telling MMA Weekly the grass isn't always greener on the other side: "I had seen somewhere that he said it. I don't care. He's under contract. He's not boxing until ... I mean, if he wants to box when his contract is up, that's up to him. You hear [boxing promoter] Bob [Arum] out there: 'Yeah, they don't pay their guys anything.' Rampage got paid for his last fight, trust me. A lot of money. Bob Arum pays guys $600 on his cards. We've never paid a guy that, ever. We've only been around ten years, Bob's been promoting fights for 120 years ... He'll find out when he starts boxing that [running from opponents is] pretty much the game these days. The game is: Let's step in there and do everything we can do avoid a fight, so we can get on to the next payday. No matter where you are, no matter what you do, you're always going to have guys chirping about something. Rampage thought the movie business was the answer to all his fucking dreams and that didn't work out too good. The pay over there wasn't what he thought it was, the pay over here was a lot better. A lot better. The grass is always greener until it's not there any more, and then you realize you made a lot of mistakes and you should have done things differently." Hear more from White on Jackson's pugilistic aspirations after the jump. Though he didn't have any luck in the stand-up game back at UFC 135 in his title fight against Jon Jones, "Rampage" has always preferred to "stand and bang" throughout his mixed martial arts career, knocking out MMA stars such as Chuck Liddell, Wanderlei Silva and Kevin Randleman. He definitely has the power, but does he posses the finesse -- and can he put it all together to make it as a pro boxer? If so, does boxing have any big name boxers in his weight class to make it interesting enough to watch and sell pay-per-views? And what would his value be to a boxing promoter? Thoughts?

Posted in: fight, guy, rampage, jackson, boxing

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Filed under: UFCUFC 136 brought us two title fights, at least one colossal upset, and a post-fight interview that would have made Ric Flair stand up and say 'Woooooo!' Now that it's all over, time to sort through the wreckage in search of the biggest winners, losers, and everything in between. Biggest Winner: Frankie Edgar Dana White compared his fourth-round knockout victory to a Rocky movie, but that's not terribly accurate, since you can actually understand Edgar when he speaks. Also unlike Rocky, Edgar's series of battles with his nemesis only got more and more exciting with each installment, and without any help from Mr. T. Thanks be to Crom that this trilogy is finally over, though. Edgar's win put the final stamp on it, and hopefully also convinced the last few holdouts that he is indeed the one true lightweight champ, so they can stop waiting for the messiah that they seem to think is still out there somewhere. Between his defensive wrestling skills, his mongoose-like quickness on the feet, and now his thoroughly proven ability to get knocked around like a ping-pong ball early and still come back with a ferocity, he's not only a tough opponent but also a rarity among UFC champions. Jon Jones, Georges St. Pierre, Anderson Silva -- they're all dominant almost to the point of being predictable. That's one problem Edgar hasn't had lately, and it's refreshing for the fans even if it's not the best thing for his face. Most importantly, with the Gray Maynard chapter in his life now closed, both Edgar and the UFC lightweight division can officially move on. It's about time. Even Rocky needed fresh faces to fill the same old storylines. Biggest Loser: Melvin Guillard I'll admit that I didn't see how he might possibly lose to Joe Lauzon. From the look of it, neither did Melvin. He seemed to think this was little more than a showcase fight for him, which would explain why he attacked with reckless self-confidence right off the bat. After he jumped straight into a left hand from Lauzon all the air went out of his balloon in a hurry. It was as if you could actually see him suddenly coming around to the shocking realization that this fight wasn't won the minute he signed the bout agreement. Arguably no one at UFC 136 had as little to gain or as much to lose as Guillard did with this fight, but I still say that it was the right move to take it. If you can't beat Lauzon, you probably don't deserve to be UFC champion, and this fight showed exactly why. Despite all his physical tools -- and he has a bunch -- Guillard still doesn't have the mind of a champion. Not yet, anyway. If he can learn the appropriate lessons from this experience, there's still hope. But if he doesn't get the message this time, I fear he never will. Best Pro Wrestling Promo: Chael Sonnen Telling Anderson Silva that he "absolutely suck[s]"? That's just Sonnen doing what's expected of him at this point. Challenging him to the MMA equivalent of a loser-leaves-town match? That's him cranking up the volume to 11. You know how you can really tell that Sonnen isn't just borrowing a page or two out the pro wrestling playbook, but rather photocopying the whole thing and sleeping with it under his pillow? Go watch his post-fight interview with our own Ariel Helwani, where Sonnen not only claims to have the largest arm in West Linn, Ore. (a town known for the enormous arms of its citizenry, no doubt), but also finds reasons to say the name of the city he is currently in over and over again. For example, when talking about his challenge to Silva, Sonnen said, "If you accept, I will wait until Super Bowl weekend. But if you reject I will walk over there and whip your ass right here and right now in Houston, Texas." See what I mean? All he's missing there is a crowd to go crazy at the mere mention of their city. You have to think he'll get that rematch with Silva, whether it's on Super Bowl weekend or not, and then he'll have to deal with the real-life consequences of this fantasy-land schtick. His performances in the cage thus far have bolstered his case well. It should be interesting to see whether he can stick to that script against the champ. Most Depressing: Kenny Florian You know how when you're a kid they tell you that you can be anything you want to be, as long as you want it badly enough? Yeah, well that's all crap, and the continuing saga of KenFlo proves it. Nobody wants to be a champion more or has worked harder to make it happen than Florian, yet again he comes up short. He didn't choke. He didn't make any obvious mistakes. He was just not quite good enough to beat Jose Aldo, just like he was not quite good enough to beat B.J. Penn. There's no shame in it. Florian is still better than 95% of the guys in two weight classes. He's had a great career even without the belt, and he has a future as a commentator and analyst whenever he wants it. It's just that he'll probably never be a UFC champion, which must be hard for a guy like him to swallow. It's sad to think that, at least with some things and for some people, wanting it and working for it aren't enough, and never will be. But if your consolation prize is a lucrative career and the respect of your peers -- both of which Florian currently enjoys -- then you're doing pretty well. Even if it may not feel like it right this minute. Still Predictable, But in a Fun Way: Leonard Garcia You know what you're getting with this guy, but it just doesn't get old. In the rematch with Nam Phan he actually maintained his composure and discipline in the early going and resisted the urge to brawl. When that didn't seem to be working too well, however, he had no problem flipping the switch and going into full-scale freakout mode. If only he hadn't freaked out too much too soon, he might have managed to put Phan away. Even with the decision loss he at least reminded the UFC why he's worth keeping around, record be damned. Most Disappointing Trend: Demian Maia's Submission-less Streak Remember when Maia was the last great hope of pure jiu-jitsu in MMA? His striking was perfunctory at best, his takedowns consisted of pulling people into his half-guard, and his finishes were all GIF-worthy displays of technical superiority. What ever happened to that guy? Now that he's a proficient striker and a competent wrestler it's as if all that submissions whiz stuff was in another life. He's now gone seven straight fights without hearing the glorious sound of a dejected opponent tap, tap, tapping his way to defeat. He's gone 4-3 during that same stretch, and against some very tough opponents. I realize his jiu-jitsu isn't exactly sneaking up on anyone at this point, but it did seem like a greater threat back when it was the only one he had. Biggest Matchmaking Headache: Gray Maynard "The Bully" has had two consecutive shots at the title, yet come away empty. Now what do you do with the guy? He's still likely to beat most of the top contenders in the lightweight division, but not likely to make much of a show out of it. Whoever you put him in against had either be a good enough wrestler to force him to do something other than suffocate them from the top, and if they're that good you probably don't want to waste them in a non-title or non-contender bout. Maybe the best option is to put him up against Nate Diaz next. Those two have a history, and neither is within sniffing distance of a title shot right now. Maybe they can sort things out for themselves while the rest of the division moves toward resolving the bottleneck at the very top. Just don't expect much in the way of pre-fight interviews from those two. Jury's Still Out On...: Stipe Miocic Expectations are high for this heavyweight, and he's not doing much to lower them by showing up in a pair of Cro Cop shorts. As expected, he looked like he could do just about anything he wanted to do to Joey Beltran except put him away. That's not necessarily a knock on Miocic. Neither Pat Barry nor Matt Mitrione could find that guy's off switch, so there's no shame in letting him go the distance. Still, Miocic seemed to fade in the later rounds, and didn't have near the sense of urgency about protecting his own face that you'd like to see from fighters at this level. He could very well turn out to be the prospect of the future, but he's clearly still got some work to do. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Posted in: ufc, fight, guy, right, edgar

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I sincerely hope that Frankie Edgar has done enough to convince that he’s one of the best lightweight fighters in UFC history. One would think that he’s proven this already. If you ask any fan who the best fighter ever to compete at 155 pounds is, they’ll probably tell you B.J. Penn. Of course, Frankie beat him twice. He’s also beaten a number of guys that have been considered amongst the best lightweights in the world, and on Saturday night he avenged the only loss he’s ever had in the sport. On top of his recorded accomplishments he’s also showcased an ever-evolving understanding of the sport, as well as a true warrior spirit. His boxing has become second-to-none, and his wrestling still holds up against the strongest guys in the division. He also happens to have an iron will and an unbreakable spirit, as he once again came back from the brink of defeat to keep victory just out of Gray Maynard’s reach. So why does everyone still insist that he should fight at featherweight? Don’t get me wrong, I get it. Frankie would undoubtedly run game on a whole host of guys at 145 lbs. I wouldn’t want to pick a winner between him and Jose Aldo but I would love to see it someday. If and/or when he does lose the UFC Lightweight Championship he may want to consider dropping down in weight, but that’s his decision to make at the time he feels like making it. Frankie would make a great featherweight, but you know what? Roy Nelson would make a great light heavyweight if he decided to start dieting. Thiago Alves would make a great lightweight if he stopped lifting weights so much. Stefan Struve would make…actually I suppose he’s kind of stuck where he is, so nevermind that one. My point is this: I’m sick of people who aren’t fighters telling fighters what weight class they should be at. As Joe Rogan pointed out during commentary on Saturday, Frankie feels that his smaller size gives him an advantage. He’s quicker than most lightweights, and his conditioning has been simply outstanding in each of his five-round fights. If I was a fighter I would probably hate cutting weight too, so what’s wrong with Frankie being one of the few guys that doesn’t have to do it? The results should speak for themselves. Edgar is making a strong argument for the distinction of being the best lightweight in the sport’s relatively-brief history. Let him make his case and stop trying to tell him he’s too small, because he will just keep proving you wrong. PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

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Rundown of post-fight news and notes from UFC 136… — 16,164 fans filled the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas for a $2.2 million live gate. — Frankie Edgar was awarded the Knockout of the Night bonus for finishing off Gray Maynard in the fourth round. Joe Lauzon was given the Submission of the Night bonus for choking out Melvin Guillard in under a minute. Nam Phan and Leonard Garcia picked up Fight of the Night honors for another thrilling bout. Each bonus was worth $75,000. — Dana White made a strong push to sell Frankie Edgar as the #2 pound-for-pound fighter in the world following his come-from-behind victory over Gray Maynard in last night’s main event, telling reporters that if they don’t agree, “you’re wrong, I’m right.” “That’s movie s–t. That doesn’t happen in real life,” White said of Edgar’s performance during the event’s postfight press conference. “There are only two guys I’ve seen do that: Arturo Gatti and [Edgar]. He has a heart the size of this room, and that’s not promoter bulls–t. “He’s the No. 2 pound-for-pound fighter in the world, and the only thing keeps him from being No. 1 is Anderson Silva,” White asserted. “You can’t deny Frankie is No. 2. I don’t give a s–t what anybody else says. Tonight, he beat a guy who had him out of it — a guy who many people believe had his number — and he knocked him out. I’ve never seen s–t like that in my life.” Despite the commendation, Dana actually wants to see Edgar move down to 145 and fight Jose Aldo. “Honestly, I’d like to see [Edgar] move to 145 and fight Aldo… All these other guys that [Edgar] fights are so much bigger than him,” White said. “I think that fighting out of your weight class isn’t healthy. I don’t think it’s healthy long-term. “I don’t think that guys that fight out of their weightclass and fight a weightclass above them and take damage can have the longevity that other fighters can have. I think when you fight with guys that are your own size, you don’t take the punishment that you take when you fight bigger guys.” Dana conceded however that he can’t make Edgar do it, especially when he’s having so much success at lightweight. Plus, Edgar doesn’t seem too interested since he’s the lightweight champion, so don’t expect that anytime soon. “Here I am. I’m the champion,” he said. “It’s definitely a nice option to be able to go down and possibly fight at 145 in the future, but I’m comfortable right now. I could talk some ideas over with Dana and Lorenzo [Fertitta] and see what they think, but I’m comfortable at 155. I’m the champion. I don’t see any reason to go anywhere.” As for what we can expect, it’s looking like the Ben Henderson vs. Clay Guida winner is the most likely option for Edgar. Gilbert Melendez would be ideal if you ask me. He really wants the fight, but it sounds like talks with Showtime might prevent that from happening. — The third time was not the charm for Kenny Florian last night. Florian came up short once again in his bid for a UFC title. When asked if he knew what was next, Kenny said he wasn’t sure. “Not right now,” Florian answered when asked if he had planned his next move. “I haven’t really thought past this fight, so we’ll see what happens.” “Obviously, I’m disappointed,” Florian said. “I fought very hard. I trained extremely hard. I wasn’t successful. That’s it.” Dana White was much more complimentary following this loss than the last. It will be up to Kenny to figure out what he truly wants, but he does have other options outside of fighting if he decides he doesn’t have another run in him. — Chad Mendes will likely be Jose Aldo’s next challenger for the UFC featherweight title. —  If you haven’t seen it yet, Chael Sonnen laid down the ultimate challenge to Anderson Silva following his dominating win over Brian Stann last night. “Anderson Silva, you absolutely suck. Super Bowl weekend … the biggest rematch in the history of the sport. I’m calling you out, Silva, but we’re upping the stakes. I beat you, you leave the division. You beat me, I’ll leave the UFC forever.” It was a bold move that could ultimately backfire in a big way, but Sonnen seems intent on going through with it. “As far as Anderson goes, we’re playing for keeps this time,” Sonnen said. “I’ve had it with this guy. He’s probably had it with me, so let’s just figure this thing out once and for all. You heard what I said, and my word is good. “I’d of … shoved that microphone up his ass if he would have said that to me. You saw what he did. He sat there, and it was a good move.” “I’m after 12 pounds of gold, and as far as I’m concerned, that belt is worth nothing more than a piece of tin when it’s around [Silva's] waist,” Sonnen said. “I am the true middleweight champion.” Dana White wouldn’t commit to the rematch, but later told Ariel Helwani that he would be stupid not to book it. Dana thinks Super Bowl weekend is a great idea, but wouldn’t commit to that either. The only problem with Super Bowl weekend is that card will be in Las Vegas and Sonnen still has licensing issues to work out in Nevada. There’s no word yet on what the NSAC thinks about that, but I’m sure we’ll hear from Keith Kizer sooner rather than later. Other venue ideas floated at the press conference for the rematch included Cowboys Stadium and the 100,000 seat stadium in Brazil. Dana acknowledged Cowboys Stadium could be a possibility, but said he was worried he wouldn’t get Sonnen out alive if he took him to Brazil. Image via Esther Lin for MMA Fighting

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Dana White spoke to the press following Frankie Edgar's monumental comeback KO victory over Gray Maynard. He complimented the lightweight champion for his performance, and says that he thinks Edgar is the No. 2 pound-for-pound fighter in the sport: "If you really look at what pound-for-pound means, you cannot deny that Frankie Edgar is Number 2. The guy weighs 145 pounds and he's beating guys at 155 pounds. He beat a guy who had him out of it. A guy who many believed had his number. He knocked him out tonight... He's an amazing human being. He's an incredible athlete, and he's got a heart the size of this room." The UFC president also says that he still wants Edgar to make the drop to featherweight, and face the current champion and fellow UFC 136 winner, Jose Aldo: "Honestly, I'd like to see him move to 145 and fight Aldo" "Did you see the size difference between those two tonight? I've been telling him for a long time he should fight at 145. I'm not his dad or trainer. That's his decision. He's a grown man and knows what he's doing." "All these other guys that he fights are so much bigger than him. I think that fighting out of your weight class isn't healthy. I don't think it's healthy long-term. I don't think that guys that fight a weight class above them and take damage can have the longevity that other fighters can have. I think when you fight with guys that are your own size, you don't take the punishment that you take when you fight bigger guys. The weight classes are there for a reason." Aldo is likely set to face Chad Mendes next, and with Melendez in the works to join the stacked UFC lightweight shark tank, Edgar isn't likely to run out of challengers at 155 anytime soon. He has already proven that he is the best lightweight in the world, so it is very tough to say that he should change things up and leave the division. Although that being said, I don't think the fans would mind seeing Edgar take on the Strikeforce champ in Melendez, then try to challenge for the featherweight title regardless of the outcome.

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Filed under: UFC, NewsHOUSTON -- The doubters are falling by the wayside, and the believers continue flocking the Frankie Edgar war wagon. After Saturday night's rousing comeback win over Gray Maynard at UFC 136, Edgar received superlatives from all onlookers, but received no greater praise than that coming from UFC president Dana White, who voiced a belief that Edgar has vaulted past welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre as the No. 2 pound-for-pound fighter in the world, trailing only Anderson Silva. "if you really look at what pound-for-pound means, you cannot deny that Frankie Edgar is No. 2," White said. "The guy weighs 145 pounds and he's beating guys at 155 pounds. He beat a guy who had him out of it. A guy who many believed had his number. He knocked him out tonight. I'm telling you man, I've never seen any s--- like that in my life." White said he jumped out of his chair at Edgar's comeback, which saw him rally from a horrific start, during which he was nearly KO'd. "It's an honor," Edgar said. "Anytime you're boss thinks you're doing work and excelling in the same light as those guys, it's a big honor. But the reality is, it's opinion based. That's his opinion. Your opinion might be different. But for me, I still got to go in there and fight." Still, White made mention several times of his belief that Edgar should move down to featherweight, where he would almost certainly receive an automatic title shot. "Did you see the size difference between those two tonight?" White said. "I've been telling him for a long time he should fight at 145. I'm not his dad or trainer. That's his decision. He's a grown man and knows what he's doing." When later asked to elaborate on his opinion, White said it wasn't a question of performance but long-term health. White said he believed Edgar could have a longer career at a lower weight class because he would not be facing bigger, more powerful strikers. "I don't think the guys who don't fight out their weight class and fight a weight class above them and take damage can have longevity that other fighters have," he said. "When you fight with guys your own size, you don't take the punishment that you take when you fight bigger guys. The weight classes are there for a reason." He also said Edgar would set his own course. Before this fight, Edgar said he was sick of talking about Maynard, but he's got to be downright exhausted of this weight topic. He's been in the UFC for over four years, fought 10 times as a lightweight, and only lost once. He's the division's champion, beat BJ Penn twice and just knocked out Gray Maynard, and it still comes up. "Here I am. I'm the champion," he said. "It's definitely a nice option to be able to go down and possibly fight at 145 in the future, but I'm comfortable right now. I could talk some ideas over with Dana and Lorenzo [Fertitta] and see what they think, but I'm comfortable at 155. I'm the champion. I don't see any reason to go anywhere." Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Posted in: fight, guy, weight, edgar, weight class

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Rather than keeping cool in the air conditioning over the summer, Gray Maynard found himself consumed by a fire sparked months earlier after his title-fight against Frank Edgar at UFC 125 was named a draw by ringside judges. Now, nine months later, Maynard will finally have a chance to unleash the flames he’s internalized since coming up a hair short. Earlier this week, Maynard spoke candidly about how the outcome has affected him and why he’s supremely motivated to prove he’s the better fighter between the two later tonight in the main event at UFC 136. “At that time, I felt like I wanted to do it again,” the Xtreme Couture original explained of the draw in a conversation with the UFC’s website. “Over and over….if I had to sign a contract that I had to go up against this guy 100 times to prove to everyone that I (could) beat this guy 100 times then I would have done that. I still feel that way. I want to fight him. I’m not tired of fighting him. I want to fight him. I want to prove to everyone that I can beat him.” “For me, I’m not trying to hold onto the fact that I beat him before,” Maynard continued. “I forget about that stuff. You can ask me who I beat and I will tell you to check for yourself because I don’t remember. But if you ask me who beat me – I’ll tell you when, the date, the time, who it was, his background – I’ll tell you everything about it. I just hate to lose. I hate draws. I hate everything but a win.” Maynard Going into UFC 136 Angry The 32-year old also made it clear he knows he was handed a gift in the form of an immediate rematch though not one he feels he didn’t necessarily deserve. “I feel like I’ve earned this. I didn’t try to back door it. I didn’t drop to my knees. I didn’t think this marketing plan will have me at 300,000 Twitter followers and that’s going to get me a title shot. I just asked for the best guys every fight until I had the opportunity. I felt like I won that. The judges say it was a draw – ok. But this dude hasn’t beaten me and he’s the champ. I don’t understand how I don’t get another shot at that. I don’t understand how it’s a question. Thank God they did. I think it was Dana who called and said it was mine and I think I told him I loved him and cried a little bit because that was awesome. He could have chose whoever he wanted to because that’s his job…he chose me and I appreciate that more than anything – it’s unreal.” If people wonder why Maynard is so passionate about the chance to eliminate the doubt surrounding the situation it has to do with the level of personal investment he’s put into being a great fighter. “I just want people to know that I really do put everything I have into this sport – into my dreams,” Maynard revealed. “Whether it is cash, time, I put it ahead of a lot of things – of everything. It isn’t a game to me; it’s my life and it’s who I am. You only have a couple times to achieve your dreams and I want to make the most of it. I feel that I’m the guy who can beat him. I feel like I’m the guy who can beat everyone. I’m not trying to say I’m the best or anything, but I put a plan and camp together and I feel like I have the edge in that aspect. I believe in myself.” At 10-0-1, and with a previous win over Edgar, it’s hard to question Maynard’s self-assurance. Then again, whether or not the same will ring true tomorrow morning remains to be seen. PHOTO CREDIT – UFC Tweet

Posted in: ufc, time, guy, “ i, maynard

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The puck dropped on the NHL season this past Thursday and I hear that there is some big MMA event this weekend in Texas called UFC 136. While I usually never miss out of a big UFC event, I have to make a slight exception this weekend when the Colorado Avalanche open their season against the Detroit Red Wings. Luckily I have two TVs in my room, so I’ll be able to catch all the action in the cage and on the ice. With this being a big sports weekend in my house, as my two favorite sports going head to head, it got me thinking about fighters on the UFC 136 main card and who their NHL counterparts would be. *Frankie Edgar – Mike Richards: Both guys have a ton of heart and give it all they have with every fight/shift. I’m a big fan of Richards and he’s a guy that I would want on my hockey team. Conversely, while I’m not a huge fan of Edgar (although I have nothing against him), he’s a guy I would want in my gym because he works hard and makes his training partners better. Also, both guys are very active. We all know about Edgar’s movement and all-around activity in fights, but Richards is a guy who plays all three zones and contributes on special teams. Final Reasoning: Heart, activity. *Gray Maynard – Loui Eriksson: Many hockey fans don’t realize how good Eriksson is because of the team he plays for, just like many MMA fans don’t realize how good Maynard is because of his fighting style. Eriksson is a consistent player in the NHL and a guy you can count on to put up 50-60 points every season. While Maynard isn’t the most exciting fighter in the world, you can’t argue with results. He has wins over good lightweights, is undefeated in the sport, and is a guy you can count on to give you a tough fight. Final Reasoning: Consistent but under the radar. *Jose Aldo – Steven Stamkos: Aldo is one of the top five fighters in the sport, he’s young, and he’s exciting to watch. Stamkos is one of the top five players in the sport, he’s young, and he’s exciting to watch. I love watching both guys when they’re in action, not only because I love watching the best in their sport, but because I know they’re going to do something exciting. They can either get it done quickly or methodically and when they’re in action, they’re an absolute treat to watch. Final Reasoning: Young, talented, exciting. *Kenny Florian – Joe Thornton: After losing to Maynard at UFC 118, Dana White labeled Florian a “choker.” That’s a term that Thornton has dealt with for awhile during his NHL career. One of the best players in the regular season, Thornton rarely shows up come playoff time. Florian has that same kind of history, getting it done in lesser fights, but coming up short when a title is on the line. Sometimes they show flashes of brilliance under the brightest lights, but the end result is always the same: their hand doesn’t get raised. Final Reasoning: Doesn’t perform well under pressure. *Chael Sonnen – Jeremy Roenick: Ok, so Roenick is retired while Sonnen is still fighting, but my initial option for Sonnen, Sean Avery, has actually won a Stanley Cup while Sonnen failed to win the his sports biggest honor. Plus Avery is third line player who is now in the minors. When he played, Roenick was one of the biggest trash talkers he backed it up with his brilliant play on the ice, unless he was facing Patrick Roy. Sonnen is definitely one of the biggest trash talkers in MMA and he usually backs it up in the cage, unless someone wraps their legs around his neck. Final Reasoning: Talks trash, usually backs it up. *Brian Stann – Ryan Miller: In 2010, Miller became a hero to all the US hockey bandwagon fans who jumped on during the Olympics with his performance in Vancouver. Stann is of course a real American hero, having served time in the military. As a player, Miller struggled in his early NHL career, found himself in the minors, and has turned into one of the best netminders in the league. As a fighter, Stann struggled at light heavyweight, found himself at Greg Jacksons, and is now a top contender at middleweight. Final Reasoning: American heroes, found themselves after early struggles. *Melvin Guillard – Martin St. Louis: MMA fans know all about Guillard’s story. Blessed with the world in potential, “The Young Assassin” went through some hard times in his career before finally living up to that potential in recent years. St. Louis might not have been blessed with Guillard’s psychical talents, standing just 5’8’’ but he was a late bloomer in the sport. He was undrafted, didn’t produce in Calgary and then went to Tampa Bay where he’s gone on to win the MVP award. Like St. Louis, Guillard uses to his speed to burn his opponents. Final Reasoning: Late bloomers, speed. *Joe Lauzon – Steve Mason: In his first year in the league, Mason won the rookie of the year award as a goalie and carried the Columbus Blue Jackets to the playoffs for the first time. In his second and third seasons, Mason became a very average goaltender and hasn’t come close to bringing his team back to the playoffs. Sounds a lot like Lauzon, who starts off very fast in the 1st round and then fades in rounds two and three. At least n one calls Mason “Creepy” as a nickname. Final Reasoning: Starts fast, fades faster. *Leonard Garcia – Erik Cole: Garcia’s style isn’t pretty but it involves a lot of power and aggression, which leads him to getting decisions that maybe he doesn’t earn. Cole is the same type of player on the ice. He’s a power player who takes the puck to the net and draws penalties because of it. Granted Cole earns those calls while Garcia benefits from blindness, but the style is essentially the same. Final Reasoning: Powerful, aggressive, earns calls that maybe they shouldn’t. *Nam Phan – Patric Hornqvist: Both guys are just serviceable in their sport with the ability to surprise you. Hornqvist isn’t well known around the league but he’s the type of player who can score a hat trick in any game even if he hasn’t done anything for weeks. Phan is the type of fighter who can give anyone a solid fight, even though his record isn’t all that great. Final Reasoning: Serviceable but effective.

Posted in: guy, ’t, sport, player, reasoning

Read the full article at Five Ounces of Pain

Middleweight contender Chael Sonnen has never been one to hold back when expressing his feelings. Regardless of whether the words coming out of his mouth are fair assessments or over-the-top ridiculousness, the things he says always come from a place of unfiltered honesty. Sonnen recently addressed his gift of gab during the build up to his fight this evening against Brian Stann at UFC 136 and, true to form, he didn’t hold back in any regard. “The media has found me, I didn’t come find them,” said Sonnen in a conversation with the UFC’s website in terms of the attention his words often draw. “I didn’t create a persona or sit around and come up with things to say. I don’t have any idea what you’re gonna ask me, or the next guy or any of the fans at a Q&A. I’m just up there with a microphone and doing my level best. But I haven’t changed anything; they’ve just come to me. I was the top draw when I was with Bodog, I was the top draw when I was with the IFL, and I was the top draw when I was in the WEC, and for all these same reasons. They just didn’t have the platform that Zuffa has. So I’m not doing anything different.” “People like respect and I’m the only respectful fighter in the whole sport,” he continued. “A lot of other fighters have a real misunderstanding that lying and dishonesty is respectful. They love to bow to your face and stick a knife in your back the first chance they get. I don’t. I’ll tell you like it is to your face and then I’ll stick the knife in your back because I told you that if you turn around I’ll put a knife in your back. And that’s the difference with me. I’m honest and I’m respectful. And these guys love to say ‘Chael doesn’t have any respect.’ Well, check your dictionary at the local junior high that you flunked out of. I’m absolutely respectful and absolutely honest as well. You guys are a bunch of liars.” “People hang on every word I say,” he elaborated. “People are always disappointed when I’m not talking. I do an MMA show on ESPN and they blow a fit when I’m not on there. People are throwing a protest right now online that the UFC put out their commercial for (UFC 136) and they show the two title fights and they didn’t show me and Stann. Of course people would be upset, and I don’t blame them – I’m upset too. I like hearing myself as well.” Sonnen will trade in soundbytes for in-ring skill where talking is concerned with the streaking Stann in his way of earning a rematch against UFC middleweight champ Anderson Silva. “He’s a tough guy in front of everything else,” Sonnen explained of Stann. “He’s a real brute. He’s big and strong and he’s got a big heart, good cardio, and he can punch hard. I also think he kicks really well. He fought Jorge Santiago, who sucks, but he buckled him with a kick, and I’ve seen him use those big, powerful kicks to soften other guys up too. He used them well in the WEC back when he was kinda green. He was green in the WEC and he still won the title. So he’s absolutely a natural in there, but if I had to describe him in a word, it would probably be ‘brute.’ He’s that big, strong, tough guy that comes to fight.” Stann Says He Can KO Sonnen with Any Punch “It’s almost the opposite of the last guy I fought,” he concluded on the decorated Marine. “The last guy I fought was a little dancing chicken, and this guy’s more of a man that will come out and draw a line in the Octagon and say put your toe on it and let’s go.” Fans can watch them “go” at it during the PPV portion of tonight’s card when things fire up at 9:00 PM EST. UFC 136 is headlined by dual title-fights with Jose Aldo defending his featherweight belt against Kenny Florian and Frank Edgar putting his lightweight strap on the line against Gray Maynard for the second straight time. PHOTO CREDIT – UFC Tweet

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As a self proclaimed gamer, I was distressed to hear that J-Lau was dedicated to CoD as his shooter of choice. Today relief washed over me in a wave over pure nerdiness when Sherdog reported that Joe Lauzon will be purchasing both Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3 and Battlefield 3 this fall. Nice. When Battlefield 3 drops on October 25th, Joe will have two full weeks of Battlefield goodness to steer him to the light side of the force before COD hits November 8th. More than likely he will claim that BF3 was fun, but he will convert back to CoD. Then, slowly but surely he will realize how far superior of a shooter BF3 is and will yearn to get behind the flightstick of an F-16, and it will be good. Before Joe worries about his first person shooters he has a Young Assassin to focus on. Tonight at UFC 136 Joe will face the biggest test of his career in the Jackson trained lightweight contender Melvin Guillard. The fact that everyone expects J-Lau to lose doesn't worry him, Joe thinks Melvin's kyptonite is something he has plenty of: submissions. “All the pressure is on him from the start,” Lauzon said. “Going into this fight, he’s the betting favorite, he’s the favorite in this fight.  He’s the guy coming off five-to-six wins; he’s the guy pining away for a title shot, the guy calling himself the champ.  All the pressure is on him. “If I go out there and lose the fight, well you know what, Melvin was supposed to beat me, but there is a huge upside in the fact that I could go out there and win.  For him, it’s all downside.  He’s supposed to beat me, but I think I’m always dangerous, I’m always a submission threat, so it’s a tough fight for him too, especially when his kryptonite has always been submissions.” “There’s no better way to get knocked out than to be scared to punch and just shoot from too far away.  It’s how close can you put the hand to the flame before you get burned and that’s going to be thing with Melvin. We’re not going to shoot from a mile away; we’re going to have to make our way in and deal with him like that. “The last time that, that was the game plan was back at the Pulver fight.  A guy that was thought to have much better stand-up than me and we’re going to look to throw a couple of punches and get inside because we’re worried about the power and then we ended up knocking him out.  I did a lot of boxing, I did a lot of wrestling, and I did a lot of jiu-jitsu, so wherever the fight goes, I’m going to be ready to go.” [source]

Posted in: fight, guy, submission, i ’m, joe

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Nam Phan hasn't had it easy in the UFC. The 10-year mixed martial arts (MMA) veteran was the only member of Josh Koscheck's team to advance to the semifinals of The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 12. Because of his experience advantage, he didn't fight a fellow castmate on the show's finale; instead, the promotion fed him to former WEC title challenger and multiple time "Fight of the Night" winner, Leonard Garcia, in his Octagon debut. Despite winning all three rounds according to Fightmetric, outlanding Garcia in every round and having the only submission attempt and guard pass of the fight, Phan would drop a controversial split decision in what many considered the robbery of the year. His reward for losing? Having to face former WEC featherweight champion Mike Brown, a man who destroyed Leonard Garcia in 2009. Phan put up a hell of a fight, even clearly winning the second round, but he would drop another decision to the ex-champ. Instead of sending him his walking papers, the UFC brass decided to book a rematch with Garcia and, after shuffling up the UFC 136 main card, Phan found himself on the pay-per-view (PPV) portion of the main card. He'll get an opportunity to get that win back in front of hundreds of thousands (if not more) paying customers tonight (Oct. 8, 2011). Think he's ready? The opinionated Phan spoke with MMAmania.com earlier this week during a guest appearance on The Verbal Submission, explaining the reasons fighting "Bad Boy" is like defusing a time bomb, fighting with your back against the wall. And he has some very harsh words for "The Lawman," Steven Seagal. Check that all out and more after the jump: Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): You were originally on the undercard and then the Mike Russow / Dave Herman fight gets scrapped then Bam! you're on the main card of a big UFC pay-per-view. How does that feel to get that big bump to such an important slot? Nam Phan: Yeah it feels pretty good. I did an interview with someone else earlier this week and they asked me, "What do I do before a fight?" and I just tell them I try to relax when I can because I'm not a main event type fighter, I'm not gonna be a part of the main event. I was on the Facebook fights and now I'm on that main card which is pretty cool. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): You originally were stepping in for this fight as an injury replacement, I think you stepped in for Josh Grispi to take on Matt Grice with a little over a month notice and now Matt Grice backs out and Leonard Garcia comes in so it's injury replacement versus injury replacement. This is a fight that's really important to you because of the whole controversy the last time around. Can you talk about the importance of this bout for you? Nam Phan: Oh yeah, big time. I feel like, it's almost like my back's against the fence and I don't think it should be. I felt like I beat Leonard the first time. I should be 1-1 but I'm 0-2 and the UFC doesn't really like guys that have 0-3 records. I feel like I'm on my last pitch here and I've got to hit a home run. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): Was it any extra motivation? You originally had Matt Grice but does it light a fire under you even more because it's Leonard Garcia, a guy you definitely thought you had a victory against the last time? Nam Phan: I didn't think it would but the more I started training in my camp for Leonard Garcia instead of Matt Grice, it kinda did give me more motivation. (laughs) Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): I fully agree with that. Your last fight against Leonard, you were landing a considerably higher percentage of strikes, you landed  the better significant strikes but it just seems like the judges always seem to notice the guy that's throwing the wild strikes and being so crazy aggressive. What do you think about Leonard's style and the way he fights and how you can possibly offset that? Nam Phan: Before we fight, there's a pre-conference. I'll ask the judges and referees, "Hey, this time, if I hit the guy, do I get points for hitting the guy? Because the last time I did that I lost. I want to make sure the rules are still the same for the last 10+ years of mixed martial arts because if they got changed, I'd like to get notified because I want to win." Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): And you definitely deserve a win. Even your last fight, Mike Brown put on a gutsy performance to pull off the victory but you came back hard in that second round and really took the fight to the former champion. I know you didn't get the win, but did it give you any confidence that you were able to have such a close, tough fight against a guy that used to stand at the top of the division? Nam Phan: Yeah, I know MIke Brown is not what he was a few years ago, he's no stepping stone either. For me, to win a round against him, I thought I did well against him and delivered more points in the third round as well. It just gives me, let's me know I can hang with these guys. We're hanging out there with the big dogs now. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): I know you mentioned one of your favorite fighters right now is Chael Sonnen so how cool is it that you're on the main card with a guy you really look up to? Nam Phan: Oh yeah, it's definitely a very awesome experience. I get to meet him in person and from my experience when I got to meet him, he seemed like a very down to Earth guy, a gentleman and with the media or in front of the camera, he does a good job, puts on a show just like Koscheck. You guys need to meet Koscheck or Chael Sonnen in person, they're totally different guys. They're very down to Earth guys so I'm very excited to be on the same card as Chael Sonnen. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): From watching your style of fighting, it's obvious that the body punch is really important in your arsenal of attack. Can you talk about the importance of going to the body with your punches and mixing things up? Nam Phan: Oh yeah definitely, Mixing things up in mixed martial arts is definitely a factor and it's not just the body punch. You try to strike and mix in takedowns to work the ground, not to be so one dimensional. The same thing works with striking. You don't always want to go for the head shots. A lot of guys in MMA, they only go for the head knockout, they headhunt, get head hungry but I think it's easier to get the knockout with the head strike when you go to the body and keep them guessing whether you're going to go to the body or to the head. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): Yeah and we've seen some really nice body strikes finish fights recently. You had Rashad Evans finish Tito and we had Mike Easton stop Byron Bloodworth witha  knee at UFC on Versus 6. Why do you think, though, that it's such an underutilized technique? It just seems like a lot of guys ignore the body and just focus on the head. Nam Phan: I think it's because the body shot is a lot of muscle in the midsection and it's a very technical, you have to be pretty technical to finish someone with a midsection technique. With a head shot, you see people that don't have any technique knock guys out just by closing their eyes and throwing a haymaker that lands on the chin. I think that's what more fighters are going for, more of a lucky shot almost.  Gerry Rodriguez: You talked about having your back against the wall and having to hit one out of the park. How frustrating is it to know that if things don't go your way on Saturday that you're looking at a possible pink slip. Does it piss you off in a sense that you should have got that decision the first time around with Leonard Garcia? Nam Phan: Yeah, it is what it is and I can't do anything about it. I try not to dwell on it and stress on it but you know, I figured, "What the heck, if I'm gonna get cut, I'm either gonna lose big or I'm gonna win big. I'm gonna knock this guy out or he's gonna knock me out. I want to go out with a bang, that's it." Gerry Rodriguez: So in a sense, you're going through this with no pressure on your shoulders? Take us through your mentality for this fight. Nam Phan: My mentality right now, I'm not feeling pressure at all. I'm not even thinking about, "Hey I'm gonna get cut." I'm just thinking if I am gonna lose, I'm gonna lose big and if I'm gonna win big. I'm gonna go out there and just act like a freaking terrorist on the Fourth of July. I'm just gonna throw bombs and fireworks. I'm not greedy, I'll take any kind of finish. I feel like with Leonard Garcia, for some dang reason he gets the decision, they love to give him the decision and I feel like I'm trying to defuse a time bomb here. If I don't defuse it within 15 minutes, the bomb blows up and says, "Dude, you lost." It's almost like I've got to finish the guy. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): What is your opinion on Stevan Seagal? I've seen you've got some pretty strong feelings on him. Nam Phan: Great question, that's an awesome question. I think that guy's a freaking fraud man. What the heck is that. Oh God that guy pisses me off! That's my opinion. Did he teach martial arts at all? Even if he weight lifts or does sports, plays football or something, if a guy comes in a couple hours before your game or your match, you know it doesn't make a difference. This guy is saying, "I came into the back room and I taught him to kick and that made all the difference," as if Lyoto Machida and Anderson Silva didn't know how to do a front kick before meeting him. I remember watching Lyoto fighting Randy Couture and he knocks Randy Couture out with a front kick and he goes, "I'd like to thank Steven Seagal and my dad." I was like, if I was Lyoto dad, I'd freakin slap him. Like, what the heck dude, "I taught you karate since you were a little freakin' kid. I raised you, I fed you, I gave you clothes on your back and you thank this guy before me?!?! I should disown you!" Oh my God! Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): Are there any action stars that you are cool with, like Jackie Chan, Van Damme, Bruce Lee? Nam Phan: Of course, I like Donnie Yen. Everybody loves Donnie Yen right?  Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): In a perfect world, how would you like the fight to finish against Leonard Garcia? Nam Phan: Oh man. Either a submission or a knockout, the sooner the better. Just get in, get out and go home. Please, please, if we go to the judges, I might just pull out a grenade and kill myself. That's it, I lost. (laughs).  Nam would like to thank his boxing coach Art James, his strength and conditioning coach, and everyone from the Orange County mixed martial arts team for their support So what do you think, Maniacs? Will Phan earn his revenge tonight? Will he rise to the occasion with all the pressure to keep his job? Sound off! To listen to the complete audio of our interview with Nam Phan, please click here.

Posted in: fight, guy, &nbsp, phan, nam

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Overshadowed as usual by an extremely compelling UFC on pay-per-view Saturday night is Bellator 53, which, though lacking in lightweight trilogies and dudes returning from testosterone-induced suspensions, is actually chock full of its own brand of scrappy goodness.  The quartet of remaining Bellator Season Five welterweight tournament semifinalists are going to mix it up (and by “mix it up” I mean slaughter each other), Brit bruiser Ronnie Mann returns to take on upstart Kenny Foster, and  Brazilian monstrosity Thiago Santos – freshly smuggled into the country in the back of a pickup truck Bjorn Rebney himself drove – gets to have his moment in the MTV2 spotlight.  If none of this has convinced you to at least set your DVR to record it, then read on.  Or don’t.  Either way, I’m doing this Bellator 53 preview without you. -Ben Saunders vs. Luis Santos – We’ve been over this material before, so here’s a quick review: Saunders is a TUF veteran, jiu-jitsu brown belt and deadly clinch-fighter; Santos is a Nogueira black belt and hits hard.  The new info gleaned since last month is from how Saunders and Santos dispatched their quarterfinal opponents, Chris Cisneros and Dan Hornbuckle, respectively.  For the American, it was business as usual, as he owned Cisneros on the ground in the first two rounds, then clobbered him with strikes in the third.  Santos, on the other hand, beat on Hornbuckle all three rounds, but wasn’t able to put him away.  Where does that leave us on Saturday night?  It’s likely we won’t see much ground fighting.  Instead, these guys are going to latch on to each other and engage in the kind of dirty boxing that’s so messy, the canvas is going to need to be steam-cleaned afterwards.  Expect Saunders to emerge victorious – maybe via TKO, maybe by decision.  -Doug Lima vs. Chris Lozano – Despite all his hype, Lima still had to work hard to defeat Steve Carl in the tournament’s opener.  Lozano, meanwhile, had to wage war against Brent Weedman (which was expected) before earning the decision (which wasn’t expected going into the bout).  Therefore, this we know: these guys are tough, these guys are dangerous, and these guys might have some wear and tear going into Bellator 53.  Watch for another long, protracted stand-up battle, as that seems to be where Lima and Lozano do their best, but no way can I predict who’s going to earn himself the “W”. -Ronnie Mann vs. Kenny Foster – UK-based face-smasher Mann may have fallen to Pat Curran in the last featherweight brouhaha, but come on, it’s Pat freakin’ Curran – he’s been wrecking nearly everyone.  Foster, too, lost his shot at glory in the 145-pound tournament before that, falling to eventual finalist Daniel Straus.  So here we are.  A dangerous striker against a wrestling-heavy grappler.  Who gets to keep his job and who is forced back into the regional shows?  My money is on Mann, who wields the advantage for having faced much tougher competition, pulling out the win. -Josh Burns vs. Thiago Santos – Santos missed last week’s heavyweight tournament quarterfinals because of visa issues (I’m telling you, you have to make those monthly payments), but he gets another crack at performing before a national audience when he faces Bellator veteran Burns.  Two big guys, blah, blah, blah… the most interesting thing about this pairing is the rumor that Mike Hayes (who defeated Neil Grove at Bellator 52) might be injured and unable to move on to the semifinals.  Thus, Santos – and Burns, if he wins – might get the opportunity.  Giddyup.

Posted in: bellator, guy, tournament, wasn ’t, mann

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Matt Roth has been getting quality video from all the UFC 136 fighters over at MMA Nation. Yesterday a video went up of UFC lightweight champion Frankie Edgar with Edgar getting into his third fight with Gray Maynard (and how sick he is of talking about Maynard). Here's the video: Some highlights: "...having to fight the same guy twice has brought the best out of myself. It's forced me to come up with I wouldn't say a different style but just making sure I have a repeat performance and an even better performance." ... "Camp is what it is, man" Edgar said. "It's never easy. Whether it's a new guy or the same guy. If anything maybe the same guy is a little more challenging because you have to come up with a new game plan." ... "I think me having the belt proves I belong at lightweight. I think it definitely erased some doubt in some peoples mind. I fought one of the biggest guys in the class, took his best, and was able to bounce back."

Posted in: ufc, guy, &nbsp, edgar, game plan

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Melvin Guillard is looking to continue his quest to get a lightweight title shot when he steps into the cage to face Joe Lauzon at UFC 136. Guillard will be the heavy favorite to get the victory as he currently sits at anywhere from -350 to -440 on gambling websites. Luke Thomas had a chance to talk to Melvin on MMA Nation Radio and Guillard made it very clear that he doesn't feel like Lauzon can handle fighters who pressure him: Luke Thomas: How do you think Joe Lauzon responds to physical punishment? Melvin Guillard: Man, you know what? All I know is the guys that I did see him fight, when guys were just as scrappy or when guys get in his face, he folded under pressure. He's one of those guys that will try to impose his will early but when that doesn't work, he looks for a way out. With me, I know damn well he ain't about to come impose his will on me. That ain't happening. I'm definitely gonna impose my will and I'm gonna try to beat my record of a minute and a half this fight. I knocked Shane Roller out in a minute and a half and I'm gonna try to beat that record. I'm gonna try for the quickest knockout ever. Hopefully I can just walk and punch him in the face and he just falls. You can read the full transcript of the interview (or listen to the audio, if that's your thing) over at MMA Nation. I think Guillard is spot on though. Other than the Jeremy Stephens fight, Lauzon has not done well against pressure fighters, and as I covered the other day, the guys Joe has been beating in the UFC aren't exactly world beaters. It seems crazy to say it given what everyone thought about both men just a few years ago, but Guillard is likely just out of Lauzon's class. Don't forget to check out Dallas Winston's great breakdown of the Lauzon/Guillard fight right here on Bloody Elbow.

Posted in: guy, melvin guillard, guillard, melvin, lauzon

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Marine Corps middleweight Brian Stann is a pretty sizable underdog heading into his UFC 136 fight against Chael Sonnen on Saturday night (Oct. 8) at the Toyota Center in Houston, Texas. That's because Sonnen has the ability to out-wrestle just about anyone in the 185-pound weight class and as he's shown in recent fights, keep them there with a good degree of success. But even if he gets dominated for a majority of the fights, Stann tells MMA Nation he only needs the last five seconds to turn it around: "I think people are underestimating me. I'm a difficult guy to wrestle to the ground. I'm also a difficult guy to hold on the ground. Chael's the best at doing those things so we're gonna find out quickly. People forget that I train with the best guys in the world. Obviously, I wouldn't be confident if I was losing every single second of every day at the gym. I'm training with a lot of good guys and having success there. I feel good coming in here. The other thing I know with my heart is that any of my punches or kicks can completely turn a fight around. I don't care if I lose 14:55 seconds of the fight, I still have five seconds to knock him out and finish him. That's gonna be my mind set going in. I'm gonna focus on what I'm gonna do to him." Hear more from the decorated super soldier after the jump. How about it Maniacs, will we see a repeat of Stann vs. Phil Davis? Or Stann vs. Mike Massenzio?

Posted in: fight, guy, second, stann, stann vs

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Posted in: guy, r /funny, /funny, failedmyfinal

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Matt Roth is done in Houston covering UFC 136 for MMA Nation, and he shot this video of Frankie Edgar talking to the media following the open workouts. Frankie is candid and interesting, and it's a shame that he doesn't have a bigger profile. From Matt's post at Nation: For the past two years, Edgar has had to focus on only two opponents in B.J. Penn and Gray Maynard. There are questions regarding if there is a benefit to being able to focus on and prepare for one fighter over an extended period of time. Edgar's responded saying, "having to fight the same guy twice has brought the best out of myself. It's forced me to come up with I wouldn't say a different style but just making sure I have a repeat performance and an even better performance." "Camp is what it is, man" Edgar said. "It's never easy. Whether it's a new guy or the same guy. If anything maybe the same guy is a little more challenging because you have to come up with a new game plan." The champion also weighed-in on whether he believes Maynard would make changes to his game plan for this third and final meeting. "I'm sure he's gonna change some things up," said the champion. "I'm sure he's gonna try and hit me with a big shot. I think a little more takedowns. Who knows, man? It's a guessing games." Edgar also touches on fighting at featherweight and whether he believes we'll see him fight featherweight champ Jose Aldo at lightweight in the future.

Posted in: guy, game, edgar, game plan, &nbsp nation

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If my MMA math serves me right, Jon Jones will fight Lyoto Machida, a guy who lost to Rampage Jackson, the person Bones recently defended his belt against. However, Machida also fought Rashad Evans, the guy that beat Rampage Jackson, but was knocked out by Machida. He's also the guy that many people believed would contend for the UFC light heavyweight belt at UFC 140. Alright, so let me get out my MMA calculator and figure this one out. Let's see, carry the one...I end up getting this picture over and over again. I think something went wrong in my calculations. I need to show my work. Also, can we finally admit the phrase 'showing your work,' was the most ridiculous notion from our childhood? If I have the answer, why do I need to show you how I arrived to it? If I order a filet mignon, I don't expect the chef to 'show me his work.' Just give me the filet mignon, man, I'll take your word for it. You don't need to prove to me that my dinner is cooked correctly, it looks delicious. Just let me eat it. Some of you may remember Dana White going ravenous on a few people yesterday on Twitter while dispelling rumors that Rashad Evans would be slotted to face Jon Jones. Well, judging from his appearance at the UFC on FOX press conference a few weeks ago, it appears that Evans still has pins in his hand, preventing him from competing for the remainder of 2011. Now, we have 'the guy who people thought was impossible to beat' vs. 'the guy that people currently think is impossible to beat.' Stoked? Of course I am, and so should you. [Source]

Posted in: ufc, guy, rashad evans, lyoto machida, filet mignon

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Filed under: UFCChael Sonnen got dealt a tough hand when the UFC matched him up against Brian Stann for UFC 136. It's not necessarily the difficulty of the fight itself -- though Stann's no pushover, oddsmakers give the edge to Sonnen. No, for the Sonnen the trouble is all in the approach. How do you keep your over-the-top, pro wrestler-meets-insult comic persona going when you're fighting a war hero who's so inoffensive and wholesome that he could make a slice of apple pie feel like a dirty commie by comparison? Judging by Sonnen's demeanor at Wednesday's pre-fight press conference, you don't. You play nice. You praise instead of berate. You do everything short of writing him a letter of recommendation, and then you wait for an opportunity to go back to talking about Anderson Silva. "Nobody wants to fight Brian Stann," Sonnen said on Wednesday afternoon in Houston. "I'm not the only guy and that's not a big secret. But our paths are going to cross sooner or later. He keeps beating people up and so that's just the way it goes." Presumably Sonnen then had to rush back to the hotel for some mouthwash just to get the unfamiliar taste of compliments out of his mouth. Not that Stann was making things easy on him, mind you. He praised Sonnen's wrestling ability, his penchant for making other people fight his kind of fight, and even jogged down memory lane with his opponent, telling a story about when Sonnen served as a ringside announcer for his first pro bout. "I don't even think he remembers, but I remember meeting him there and he was very respectful to a guy who was 0-0 at the time," Stann said, to which Sonnen replied that he remembered the fight and the meeting very clearly and recalled that Stann was "very nice back." "Awwww," said UFC president Dana White, who might have been wondering what happened to the guy who once sat down at a pre-fight press conference and declared, "I don't really know what respect means. That sounds like something a kid in the street says after he's getting ready to take your coat and your shoes." Of course, that little gem came before Sonnen's bout with the UFC middleweight champ Silva, who remains his go-to target for his choicest bits of trash talk. "I'm out trying to pick a fight and I'm not making any qualms about it. I've been after Anderson for some time and that's it," said Sonnen, who added that he also had "a beef" with the other fighters in the UFC who continually ask for title shots. "I've never told Dana I want a title fight; I told him I want the title," Sonnen said. "That's a big difference between me and everybody else." You see? He's still got his gift with language when he wants it, but against a guy like Stann there just isn't much you can do with it. A man who once explained that he doesn't believe in utilizing the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu guard because that would involve lying on his back with another man between his legs and "I'm a Republican and we don't do that," probably also isn't going to make much headway trying to insult a former U.S. Marine with more boy-next-door charm than he knows what to do with. Maybe the best Sonnen can do is play the nice guy for now, or at least as nice as he can stand to be. One way or another, he acknowledged, he still has a fight on Saturday night, and what happens once the cage door slams shut is the same whether you can find something bad to say about the other guy or not. "When that guy in the shark suit gets out of the ring and the guy with the dreadlocks says 'fight,'" Sonnen said, "I will." And if things go his way, maybe soon he'll be able to get back to being the Chael Sonnen we've come to know and expect. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Posted in: ufc, fight, guy, sonnen, stann

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UFC on Versus 6 was a bizarre twilight zone episode of referee decision making. A card that saw Mario Yamasaki allow Rafaello Oliveira take gobs of punishment at the hands of Yves Edwards, but couldn't even turn to look at Charlie Brenneman after getting kicked in the head. If there's one thing you can count in this sport, if there's any axiom in the MMA world, it's the inevitable incompetence its officials shower the sport with. While I don't agree that the Brenneman stoppage was the travesty Breen paints it out to be, he raises a fair point about 'what might have been' were the same attitude present during Edgar/Maynard II, which would have surely robbed fans of one of gutsiest (if not the gutsiest) performances of all time. I didn't transcribe everything, but below is most of what Jordan Breen had to say on his show yesterday: "The Yamasaki brothers did an incredibly poor job of referring this past weekend...And then that of course filters down to the Mario Yamasaki's stoppage in the Charlie Brenneman vs. Anthony Johnson fight. That one has been a  bit more contentious...a lot of people have said 'oh Brenneman was out of the fight, he looked helpless'...I don't care. All you need to know about that stoppage is watch it again, and watch the fact that not once does Mario Yamasaki have any idea what's happening to Charlie Brenneman. He sees him get hit, and that's it. He doesn't look at his face. He doesn't look at his body language. He mkaes zero attempt to ascertain whether or not the fighter on the ground is still in possession of his faculties. The problem is, no one ever says anything because fans and media don't want to sound like psychotic barbarians calling for guys to spill blood everywhere. Everyone likes to say 'oh I'd rather see a guy take two punches too few than two punches too many'. But that's a false dilemma.  Refereeing is a tough job. It doesn't have to be that way. You can see a guy take punches and make everyone feel like this fight was concluded properly...the ultimate problem is that there's never gonna be any hard evidence for what constitutes a good stoppage because we use a standard like intelligent defense, which is abstract, baseless, and doesn't necessarily inform us of what constitutes an appropriate way to stop a fight. However, the good thing is that MMA fans have that kind of feeling. The famous example is Justice Potter saying 'I'll know it when I see it' about pornography. If Potter Stewart is the standard we have to go by, so be it. Because the sense is, in general, MMA fans tend to agree about good stoppages and bad stoppages, which tells me that somewhere, people acquire that sense of 'I know it when I see it'...you know when a guy's done...it's the same thing in boxing. A good referee is supposed to have that sense. If you don't have it, don't referee. Mario Yamasaki is a good example of someone who's been around forever and is not a good referee. Two weeks ago he refereed that Amazon Forest Combat card that was headlined by the Masakatsu Ueda vs. Royler Gracie fight and also featured the Paulo Filho vs. Satoshii Ishi debacle. In that card, he repeatedly stood people up out of side mount. Yamamsaki will get invited to Brazilian shows, and he'll go crazy all night. Repeatedly stand fights out of side mount, north south. Doesn't matter. Guys will be on the ground for 15 seconds, he'll stand them up. This guy's not a good referee.  Who says anything? No one. Because Athletic commissions don't do anything. Because no one gives a rat's ass. The standard of officiating in mixed martial arts has gotten poor. Guy's are getting four seconds when the fight hits the mat, and when dudes get knocked down the fight's over. And that's not MMA. We don't want to engender a world where in order to fight, they have to take a lot of damage that compromises their health and livelihood....I'm certainly one of those who gets off on fighters being hurt. But the fact is, MMA is a fight....it is violent in its essence and core...it is confrontational and violent in its heart...and acting like it's not is the kind of disingenuous, panty wasted, limp wristed foolishness that has permeated MMA for the last few years. We're awaiting a weekend where Frankie Edgar and Gray Maynard are gonna fight for the third time. Because the last time they fought, Gray Maynard beat Edgar within an inch of his life for 5 straight minutes within the first round, and he was able to keep going. What did he do? He put on one of the most impressive displays of toughness and fighting ability that I've ever seen. Something that defines his career."    

Posted in: fight, mma, guy, yamasaki, mario yamasaki

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When you hear Chael Sonnen describe life as a middleweight contender in the UFC, it’s almost as if every day is Groundhog Day.“In my life, nothing changes,” said Sonnen, who returns to the Octagon after an absence of more than a year to face Brian Stann at UFC 136 this Saturday night. “Every fight I do the same thing. I do the same thing on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, all my practices are the same, I work out with the same guys, and I’ve got the same coaches. Take running for example – I run the same distance and I try to beat the same time every single time. Every step I run, I try to get up those steps a little bit faster regardless of who the opponent is. I’ve never looked at opponents. I’ve had people ask me ‘what’s your strategy?’ And I’m not even looking at him. It could be anybody. I’m just looking at myself. How fast are my hands, how many punches did I throw today, did I eat the right things, how many hours of sleep did I get last night? I only look at myself. The Octagon’s the same size, Herb Dean’s hair is just as bad, Bruce Buffer’s in the shark suit either way. Nothing changes for me. The rules are the same, the rounds are the same, and my life is the exact same. My money’s the same, I wear the same t-shirt, I’ve got the same cornermen, and they can call it a title fight, they can call it a main event, they can call it an undercard – my life is no different. When that same music hits those speakers, I’ll make that same walk, put that same mouthpiece in, and do everything I can to win, regardless of what’s riding on it.”Oh yeah, the man is back, and it’s a welcome return, not just because he’s one of the top 185-pound fighters on the planet and the lone man to push champion Anderson Silva to the brink of defeat, but because he’s one of MMA’s most intriguing figures. No one sees the game through the looking glass quite like the self-proclaimed “Gangster from West Linn,” and watching his every move has been compelling viewing for a few years now. But only before his bout with Silva in August of 2010 did the rest of the world catch up.“I’m not doing anything different,” he said. “The media has found me, I didn’t come find them. I didn’t create a persona or sit around and come up with things to say. I don’t have any idea what you’re gonna ask me, or the next guy or any of the fans at a Q&A. I’m just up there with a microphone and doing my level best. But I haven’t changed anything; they’ve just come to me. I was the top draw when I was with Bodog, I was the top draw when I was with the IFL, and I was the top draw when I was in the WEC, and for all these same reasons. They just didn’t have the platform that Zuffa has. So I’m not doing anything different.”In his second stint with the UFC, Sonnen has pulled off the rare trick of being a must-see athlete in and out of the Octagon. From his trio of wins over Dan Miller, Yushin Okami, and Nate Marquardt, to his stellar effort against Silva and his incendiary comments about anyone and everyone in the fight game, if you don’t know who the 34-year old Oregonian is yet, you just haven’t been around the MMA world. Yet after a suspension by the California State Athletic Commission following the Silva fight for having elevated levels of testosterone (a result explained by his being diagnosed with hypogonadism, a condition which requires synthetic testosterone injections), and a plea bargain in a mortgage fraud case, many questioned whether he would ever fight again. Sonnen wasn’t one of that crowd.“No,” he quipped when asked if he ever thought that he had fought his last fight. “They can do all they want, but you can’t keep a good man down.”It was a trying time to say the least though, as he spent more time in a suit defending himself than in his gym clothes preparing for a fight. You could say that he needed the break after a pretty hectic fight schedule over the last couple years. Again, he wouldn’t agree.“I didn’t need any breaks, I never need a break,” said Sonnen. “You only do this three times a year anyway. It’s like you’ve got all these crybabies out there talking about ‘my wife really wants me around more.’ What a ridiculous statement. What do you mean ‘around more?’ It’s three hours a day and three weekends a year. There is no around more. You couldn’t possibly be around more. So no, I definitely don’t need a break from three hours a day and three weekends a year. I was just the opposite. I was like a good cowboy that just wants to jump back on the horse.”So when he was greenlighted to resume his career and given a fight with the streaking Stann, who has finished all three of his fights at 185 pounds, Sonnen was ecstatic to get back to his form of normal.“I like the whole process,” he said. “I don’t have any hobbies and I don’t have any friends, so all I have is practice. All I have is going in and training and looking forward to a date and a new challenge and stuff like that, and it was all gone – I didn’t have any of it. So I missed the whole process more than anything; I missed being one of the guys and having a goal and something to look forward to.”You’d be surprised at how badly you can miss your routine when it’s taken away from you. For Sonnen, every minute away from the gym was another minute the rest of the pack was catching up. So going through the daily grind – even if it is only three hours a day – was like Christmas for him. Well, maybe not, but let’s just say getting the chance to do what he has done for much of his life again was a good thing.“I don’t know if that (the routine) is the appeal, but it’s certainly the reality,” said Sonnen. “And it’s real important to keep that in mind. You’ll see so many fighters come off title fights and great performances, and in their next time out, they just look awful. You can’t get roped into any of that. I know I’m the best fighter in the world, I proved it in my last fight, and there’s nobody even close to me. The current champion isn’t even within a mile of my ability, but if I don’t do everything right, those abilities are gone overnight. The one time I quit caring about my run, the one time I quit hitting the steps, the one time I let the diet go, I’m the best, but I’m only the best by an inch. And I can go from the top of the pack to the back of it overnight. Guys do it all the time. We just saw a Hall of Famer (Matt Hughes) get destroyed in the first round by a guy with bleached hair (Josh Koscheck). Even the best guy – me – is only the best by a little bit, and you’ve got to make sure every single thing is in line every single time. That’s the hardest thing about our sport. There are so many elements and you can’t overlook any of them, and the one time you do, you gotta start all over.”14 months is a long time in this game too, and it could be easy for many to forget August of 2010 and Sonnen’s brilliant performance against the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world in Silva. For nearly five rounds, Sonnen put on the best fight of his career and dominated Silva throughout.“I expected more resistance everywhere from him,” said Sonnen of Silva. “From the grappling to his striking, his strategy, I just expected more resistance everywhere. So yeah, I was surprised at his lack of resistance.”Like all great champions though, Silva had something left in his back pocket to pull out when he needed it most, and at 3:10 of the final round, a triangle armbar ended Sonnen’s night and, for the moment, his championship quest. If not for his suspension and legal issues, an immediate rematch might have been in the cards, but for now, it’s Stann.“This is what it is,” said Sonnen. “Brian Stann is next, and that’s fine. Look, if I had won the championship, I’m not sure Brian Stann wasn’t next anyway. He’s certainly arguable. There’s several guys that can fill that spot, but he’s definitely one of them, so no, it doesn’t make a bit of difference to me.”And the goal?“There is no other goal than the championship.”Since the bout, Silva has looked to be in better than ever form in knocking out Vitor Belfort and Okami, but obviously, the marquee bout for “The Spider” is a rematch with Sonnen should the Milwaukie native get by Sonnen. And Sonnen hasn’t let up with his verbal assault on the champion as we wait.“He’s a punk and a bully, he really is, and now he’s out there trying to be me,” said Sonnen. “He’s doing everything he can to copy me. He’s wearing masks to weigh-ins and yelling at guys at press conferences, and doing everything he can do to be me. So good for him. It’s like Marshall Mathers once said: ‘they may walk like me, talk like me, dress, act, not give a dang like me, and they just might be the next best thing, but they’re not quite me.’”Sonnen has even widened his trash talking range to encompass not just one Brazilian (Silva), but a whole bunch of them, including Wanderlei Silva, Vitor Belfort, Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva, and the Nogueira brothers, among others. He makes no apologies though, and is far from shocked that fight fans have gravitated to him.“People like respect and I’m the only respectful fighter in the whole sport,” he said. “A lot of other fighters have a real misunderstanding that lying and dishonesty is respectful. They love to bow to your face and stick a knife in your back the first chance they get. I don’t. I’ll tell you like it is to your face and then I’ll stick the knife in your back because I told you that if you turn around I’ll put a knife in your back. And that’s the difference with me. I’m honest and I’m respectful. And these guys love to say ‘Chael doesn’t have any respect.’ Well, check your dictionary at the local junior high that you flunked out of. I’m absolutely respectful and absolutely honest as well. You guys are a bunch of liars.”“People hang on every word I say,” Sonnen continues. “People are always disappointed when I’m not talking. I do an MMA show on ESPN and they blow a fit when I’m not on there. People are throwing a protest right now online that the UFC put out their commercial for the next event and they show the two title fights and they didn’t show me and Stann. Of course people would be upset, and I don’t blame them – I’m upset too. I like hearing myself as well.”There has been one fighter who has escaped Sonnen’s verbal wrath though, and it’s the man he’s fighting this Saturday. That’s not surprising considering that it’s almost impossible to dislike Stann. He’s also earned his place in the spotlight with his recent performances, which include knockouts of Chris Leben and Jorge Santiago. And when you hear Sonnen assess his foe, it’s clear that he has a healthy dose of respect for the “All-American.”“He’s a tough guy in front of everything else,” said Sonnen of Stann. “He’s a real brute. He’s big and strong and he’s got a big heart, good cardio, and he can punch hard. I also think he kicks really well. He fought Santiago, who sucks, but he buckled him with a kick, and I’ve seen him use those big, powerful kicks to soften other guys up too. He used them well in the WEC back when he was kinda green. He was green in the WEC and he still won the title. So he’s absolutely a natural in there, but if I had to describe him in a word, it would probably be ‘brute.’ He’s that big, strong, tough guy that comes to fight.”Sounds like the perfect dance partner for Sonnen’s return.“It’s almost the opposite of the last guy I fought,” he said. “The last guy I fought was a little dancing chicken, and this guy’s more of a man that will come out and draw a line in the Octagon and say put your toe on it and let’s go.”Admit it, you’ve missed Chael Sonnen. Well, now he’s back, and he doesn’t plan on leaving anytime soon. “I don’t ever want to be done,” he said. “I’ll never quit this sport. I’ll never be done with this business, but at some point, this business will be done with me. I’ll be one of those last guys that hangs on past the time that he should. I like it, it’s what I want to do, I do it because I choose to do it, not because I have to do it, and there is no life after this. This is what I want to do with my life.”

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Looking over the athletic resume of heavyweight prospect Stipe Miocic, it’s pretty clear that the die was cast when it came to him eventually becoming a professional athlete.Earned eight varsity letters in high school (baseball, football, wrestling).Division I, nationally-ranked wrestler for Cleveland State. Third baseman for the Cleveland State baseball team.2009 Cleveland Golden Gloves boxing champion and National quarterfinalist.Yet when you ask him if this was something set in the stars, he laughs it off.“I didn’t think about being a professional,” he said. “I just loved competing. It’s just something fun to do and I’m a competitive person. You gotta do something. It keeps me out of trouble.”That type of modesty takes self-effacing to a new level, and there’s nothing wrong with that. But behind the humble exterior lurks a fighter, and with a 6-0 pro MMA record that includes five knockouts and one submission (due to a leg kick), the 29-year old has got plenty of buzz behind him in the lead-up to his UFC debut this Saturday against Joey Beltran.“I think I’m ready,” he said. “I’ve trained with some great guys and I hope I can produce like I have been because that’s the name of the game – winning.”One of those guys is UFC vet Forrest Petz, and he’s given Miocic some helpful hints about preparing for the bright lights of the Octagon.“He told me it’s you and another guy in a cage and yeah, there’s people there, but they’re not gonna help you in a fight,” said Miocic. “And that’s how I look at it.”A native of Euclid, Ohio, Miocic has been an athlete practically his entire life, excelling in high school and then college sports. Currently standing at 6-4, 240 pounds, he certainly looks the part of heavyweight prizefighter, but he doesn’t point to his physical gifts as being the reason for his success.“I just worked hard and it went well for me,” he said. “The harder you work the better things come out for you and that’s what happened. I worked hard in everything I did and I got lucky. I also had good coaches along the way that pedigreed me real well and helped me out as well.”Nationally ranked as a collegiate wrestler, Miocic (who roomed with UFC vet Gerald Harris) would move from the mat to the diamond once wrestling season was over, and it’s been reported that major league scouts also had interest in the 6-4 third baseman. “It was wherever I could play, that’s the way I looked at it,” said Miocic of life on the hot corner. “They stuck me there and I was like ‘sure, why not? I could stop a ball.’ (Laughs) If I couldn’t stop it, I’ll use my chest, pick it up and throw it to first.”But once he got a taste of mixed martial arts when he was asked to train with PRIDE and UFC vet Dan Bobish, that was it, and he traded one glove for two.“I love baseball, it’s a great team sport, but in MMA, it’s just you and another guy in a cage and that’s it – that’s awesome and there’s nothing better than that,” he said.In 2006, Miocic won the first of five amateur bouts, each of which ended in the first round (three in less than a minute). Ready to turn pro, Miocic instead got a little more experience in a different realm of combat sports, as he made his amateur boxing debut in the Cleveland Golden Gloves in 2009.“Me and my coach talked, and he was like ‘hey, let’s do some amateur boxing and see how that goes,’” Miocic recalled. “So I started doing a couple fights here and did the Golden Gloves and did well, and it helped me with my striking a lot. And I like boxing, but I missed MMA too much. You get to kick, knee, punch, take it to the ground and all that good stuff. (Laughs) Going to nationals was a good time though. My first two fights went well and the third one didn’t go my way, but that’s life, and I learned from it.”In the National Golden Gloves tournament, Miocic went 2-1, losing to current unbeaten pro prospect Bryant Jennings in the quarterfinals, and less than a year later, he was making his pro MMA debut with a 17 second finish of Corey Mullis.After practically clearing out the local circuit, Miocic became a favorite of fans who liked heavyweights and knockouts. Add in the fact that the Croatian-American sports trunks similar to those worn by his fistic hero Mirko Cro Cop, and it’s no surprise that people started getting antsy to see him on the big stage in the same organization as the former PRIDE star.“He’s a legend and watching him fight is awesome,” said Miocic of Cro Cop. “He’s tough and just devastating. He works hard and he’s a great guy.”But what about the shorts?“I like tights, I’ve always worn them,” he laughs. “They’re just more comfortable for me; I move better, plus I don’t want a guy to grab them if I’m in a fight.”He shouldn’t expect that to be the case this Saturday night against Beltran, a fearless brawler with an iron chin that one of Miocic’s old Louisville Sluggers probably couldn’t dent. Luckily, Miocic knows what he’s in for in Houston.“He’s a hard-nosed dude,” said Miocic of Beltran. “Heavy hands, good chin, he likes to keep coming forward, and he’s as tough as they come.”So how do you prepare for a guy you may own on paper, but in reality will be the toughest test of your young career? For starters, you don’t expect him to go the way of your previous six opponents.“You gotta do what you gotta do,” said Miocic, who still works part-time as a Firefighter / Paramedic. “A W’s a W no matter how I get it. Every fight I go into, I expect it to go three rounds.”This time he might be right. But a competitor like Miocic doesn’t mind such a prospect. When you live to compete, the longer you get to do what you love, the better.“I’m a hard-nosed guy, I’m ready to fight, and I’m ready to have some fun and show some fireworks.”

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Admit it, Brian Stann snuck up on you. That same guy who was as raw as they come at light heavyweight while losing to Krzysztof Soszynski and Phil Davis, isn’t the one stepping into the Octagon on Saturday night to face Chael Sonnen in a pivotal middleweight matchup.Not by a longshot. But the decorated veteran of the United States Marine Corps isn’t going to gloat about his 3-0 record (all finishes) at 185 pounds and say ‘I told you so.’ But ask him if he thinks he surprised some people with his new look at middleweight, and there is no hesitation in his response.“Oh yeah, and I knew I would,” said Stann, who has defeated Mike Massenzio, Chris Leben, and Jorge Santiago in succession since dropping from 205 pounds in August of 2010. In fact, he looks at the lead-up to his UFC 125 win over Leben as the moment when he and his coaches said ‘okay, it’s time to strike.’“We knew that at that point in time, through my training, that I was really turning a corner,” said Stann. “And when you train with guys who are some of the best guys in the world, you can really know what your level is and you know what your strengths are and you know what your weaknesses are. And when I made the drop to ’85, it was at the same time I really started to turn a corner. I really started to train and really focus on wrestling and the technical aspect of it. I really started to develop a sound submission game and become an all-around fighter, and I started to understand the subtleties of the sport in all realms – striking, wrestling, and grappling. So we knew what I was capable of and the thing is that fans, writers, and the media, they can’t see you in the gym. They don’t get to see those things and they have to judge you based on your fights, and you have three, four months in between fights, so you can grow an awful lot when you’re a pretty raw athlete like I was just a few years ago.”Against Leben, Stann blitzed and stopped the steel-chinned contender in a single round, but he was beginning to show signs of his development way before that. Once just a hard-hitting brawler whose tendency to leave his chin up and exposed during serious exchanges, Stann won the WEC title in just his sixth pro fight, but lost it one fight later in 2008 to Steve Cantwell, who he had already beaten in 41 seconds a year earlier. But in their rubber match in the UFC in 2009, Stann – now under the tutelage of Greg Jackson and Mike Winkeljohn – kept his chin tucked and his fists moving en route to an easy three round win. And then when he made it to middleweight in 2010, he showed off his ground game by securing his first submission win over a solid groundfighter in Massenzio. The Leben fight was the exclamation point though, and was followed by a Fight of the Night stoppage of Santiago in May. He’s making it look easy, but it’s been anything but for the 31-year old.“You have to do some things a thousand times before you can actually become proficient at it,” said Stann. “And it just becomes like second nature. Every single day I spend 35 minutes on the pads with coach Winkeljohn. I’m training three to four times a day every single day, drilling techniques over and over again, and it just takes time. This sport takes time and that’s why when you get guys like Jon Jones and Phil Davis, people really make a big deal out of them because this sport is supposed to take a long time to develop, and then you get some athletes that can come in and pick things up rather quickly. More often than not, those athletes are wrestlers that actually come from a background where they’ve already somewhat mastered one third of the game, which is obviously an advantage.” Stann had no such advantages, but in the process of learning on the job (and on the sport’s biggest stage), he’s gained an even greater appreciation for what’s happening to him now and the kind of athletes who surround him every day.“I’ve really developed an appreciation for the guys who make it to this level of the sport,” he said. “It’s not easy, and I think early in my career, while I was still active duty, I thought that while it’s obviously very much a privilege to be a professional athlete, I kinda looked at it as being a pro fighter’s easy. There’s lots of time off, you dictate your own schedule, etc. But as I’ve climbed the ranks and made it to this level, I find that you are working full-time and there is no off-season. At the top level there aren’t guys that take off two months after fights. The guys that make it to the elite level, the guys similar to Chael, the Kenny Florians, the Georges St-Pierres, the Carlos Condits – these guys are always in the gym, and I’m the same way. A week after my fight, I heal up some bruises and I’m right back out there trying to find coaches who can give me one or two moves for my arsenal or one more edge so I can continue to grow as a fighter.” “So I’ve really grown to respect the profession and my peers a lot more in the UFC because it’s a difficult way to make a living, the income is volatile, you can’t plan certain things because you never know when your career can end, and I think we all share that bond,” Stann continues. With comments like that, it’s no surprise that no one has decided to pick a trash talking battle with the Scranton, Pennsylvania native. Add in that he’s a war hero still active in helping out his fellow vets, a family man, and a good teammate, and the odds of him having one of those “bad blood” matchups is even slimmer. And that’s fine with him.“I don’t need to have a grudge match,” he said. “I can have the utmost respect for a guy, and I have no problem stepping into the cage, locking the door, and wanting to knock him out because it’s just what you do at that time.”Even the trash talking king himself, Sonnen, has had nothing but good things to say about the man dubbed “All-American” Stann. It’s a shocking development in some respects, but it’s no surprise to Stann.“When he (Sonnen) fought Dan Miller he didn’t have a whole lot to say; when he fought Nate Marquardt and Yushin Okami it was the same thing,” he said. “I just think he was so vocal for certain fights, especially the Anderson (Silva) fight, that people just expected him to be vocal on me. And I think Chael’s honest when he says if he feels a certain way and he doesn’t like somebody, he’s gonna say it. And if that’s not the case, then he’s not gonna say anything, and I think he’s being very honest with that. And we share a very important person in both of our lives in a man named John Bardis, who is one of my head coaches and one of my closest mentors that I’ve ever had in my life. And he also has a relationship with Chael, and I think their relationship has grown in the last couple years as well where Chael sought some advice from him, etc., and so in respect for John, I knew that even for entertainment purposes Chael probably wouldn’t verbally attack me, which I wouldn’t have taken personally anyway.”And there is still the reality that the two middleweights have to fight on Saturday night, so whether there was trash talk and ill feelings or not, that cage door is going to get locked in a few days and there will be bad intentioned blows thrown. Stann and Sonnen are prepared for that, and Stann, while respectful of his foe, is also confident in his chances this weekend.“You can look at his record in the UFC and all that, but if you look at his fights, you see a guy who hasn’t lost a round in the UFC,” said Stann of Sonnen. “Unless he’s been submitted in that round, he hasn’t lost a round, and he has been able to take every guy down and impose his will on him every single time. I’ve looked at earlier fights in his career, and it’s really the same everywhere. So there are a lot of different, unique challenges that I have to face in there. But the biggest thing that I see that’s different is that the fighters that he’s been fighting have really gone into the cage with their skillsets and that’s it, and they did not appear to be prepared for certain positions and certain things that Chael could do to them. Whereas I feel that I’ll be the best prepared fighter he’s fought in quite some time. I have gone into very uncomfortable positions, I’ve brought in the people I needed to bring in to learn how to compete in certain areas that he may try and put me in. And there’s the obvious biggest difference as well, in that I can knock Chael Sonnen out with any punch.”Stann’s power and Sonnen’s underrated speed (just watch him close the distance in his fights against Silva and Nate Marquardt) may be the key factors in this weekend’s fight. And while Sonnen can’t match Stann’s stopping power, Stann believes he can match his opponent’s quickness.“If you watch my last two fights, I feel I have some of the best handspeed in the middleweight division, and I’m a lot stronger than those guys, physically stronger, so he’s gonna have to really work to get me to the mat and he’s gonna have to work the entire time to keep me on the mat,” said Stann. “I’m not gonna lay there, close my guard and just hug him, hoping the ref is gonna stand us up. And I believe I can hit him harder from my back then he can hit me on top. And I’ll put my money where my mouth is on that.”Brian Stann isn’t a big talker, so when he says he’s putting his money where his mouth is, that’s something you could probably take to the bank. And though he doesn’t have the world-class experience of Sonnen or the wrestling of the former collegiate standout, he is getting better with each fight and he’s as confident as you can get without crossing the line into cocky territory. The only problem he appears to have is that he’s lost the element of surprise when it comes to opponents who definitely won’t sleep on someone who may not be the favorite, but who is certainly no underdog.“I didn’t expect to get a fighter the caliber of Chael Sonnen for another year or so, and here I have this great opportunity,” said Stann. “And the best part is, I’ve got nothing to lose. I’m the underdog coming into this fight and there’s zero pressure on me. I can fight a hundred miles an hour; he’s got to be concerned with the amount of pressure he’s put on himself. He’s the older fighter, he’s got to get back to a title fight, and I feel a lot of these things are going to play into my favor and I know I’m gonna go out there and surprise a lot of people.”

Posted in: fight, time, guy, ’t, stann

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Melvin Guillard has just one objective when he steps inside the Octagon – to defeat the man standing across from him before they’ve even exchanged a single strike. Guillard will try to do just that against Joe Lauzon this Saturday night at UFC 136, live on PPV. “The Young Assassin” has won five straight fights to improve to 29-8 in his career. He has stopped both Shane Roller and Evan Dunham by knockout this year, putting himself in position to become a top contender to the UFC title. Of those 29 wins, nineteen have come via some form of knockout/TKO. “That’s my main goal – to break a guy’s will. I know physically, I’m always going to be the better athlete. It’s rare they are going to find a better athlete than me at 155, but I think working with Greg Jackson, the team, and the trainers I have – I’m stronger mentally,” said Guillard, in a recent interview with the UFC’s website. “That’s the biggest weapon I have because I break people mentally before the fight even happens. I feel like guys don’t want to stand in front of me and trade punches.” In Lauzon (19-6), Guillard will be facing a man who’s best asset – his submission game – is Guillard’s worst. Lauzon has earned sixteen of his nineteen successful showings by tap-out including four “Submission of the Night” honors. Comparably, Guillard’s four career UFC losses have come by submission as have seven of his eight total defeats. “I think he’s a tough opponent. I wouldn’t have asked for a fight that was an easy fight. He’s going to be very tough,” Guillard said. “I know he’s a good jiu-jitsu guy, but I haven’t been submitted in over two years and him just coming in here and getting a submission – that ain’t going to happen on my watch.” Guillard’s name has been mentioned before in talks of becoming a contender to either Frankie Edgar or Gray Maynard, set to meet in the main event of UFC 136 to determine the UFC lightweight champ. Of course, that’s if Guillard takes care of the lanky Lauzon. Then again, ask Guillard and the outcome is already set in stone. “It’s not about if I beat Joe, it’s that I’m going to beat Joe,” Guillard said. “I’m going to knock him out like I knocked the other guys out. I’m blessed that Dana White is giving me the opportunity to be on that stage. I’m going to beat Joe Lauzon on October 8.” PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Posted in: ufc, guy, guillard, joe lauzon, lauzon

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There is an ever present debate concerning the thin line which separates “confidence” from “cockiness”. The truth of the matter, the division of the two depends on the source of the comments. The words are all the same: I’m stronger, I’m faster, and I’m better, so I will win. It comes down to, can you really argue with the person saying it? In terms of UFC lightweight Melvin Guillard, it has become almost impossible to disagree with him.“The more an opponent watches me, the more scared they're going to get,” states Guillard.Actions speak louder than words, and in 2011 “The Young Assassin” has scored two brutal and quick first round knockouts over upper tier opponents: Evan Dunham and Shane Roller. It is truly difficult to play Devil’s advocate against Guillard considering “The Young Assassin” has been one of the most feared strikers at 155 pounds for the past six years and he looks better than ever. Since joining Greg Jackson’s renowned team in Albuquerque, New Mexico in January of 2010, “The Young Assassin” has been a 5-0 freight train mowing down his competition, and it doesn’t appear like Guillard is slowing down until he gets a title shot.“That's my main goal - to break a guy's will,” asserts Guillard. “I know physically, I'm always going to be the better athlete. It's rare they are going to find a better athlete than me at 155, but I think working with Greg Jackson, the team, and the trainers I have - I'm stronger mentally. That's the biggest weapon I have because I break people mentally before the fight even happens. Honestly, I think when guys sign the contracts to fight me they are not sure of themselves. They're probably like 'why did Joe Silva (UFC Matchmaker) call me and ask me to fight Melvin?' That's the way I feel. It might not be like that, but in my mind that's how I feel. I feel like guys don't want to stand in front of me and trade punches.”Nor should they. Even a casual UFC fan could take a brief glimpse of Guillard’s career stats and glean that exchanging fists and feet with “The Young Assassin” is a bad idea. There’s a wealth of material for Guillard’s opponents to agonize over as “The Young Assassin” has competed in over 50 pro fights, appeared on season two of The Ultimate Fighter, and, specifically, battled in the Octagon 14 times to a 10-4 UFC record. Guillard’s opposition will learn exactly what we already know: he’s fast, he’s strong, he’s relentless and he wants to knock you out with whatever will get the job done as soon as possible.“I don't want to sound cocky, but I'm so confident in my skills and in my abilities that I would allow one of my opponents - whoever wants to, they have got an invitation - to come and watch me train to fight them,” says Guillard. “It doesn't matter what they see of me sparring or hitting mitts and all that, I don't mind it. As long as I'm confident in my abilities in that cage then it doesn't matter what they see. If you're going to win then you're going to win, if you're going to be ready to fight then you're going to be ready.”With by far the majority of the 28 year old’s UFC wins coming by KO/TKO, including two “Knockout of the Night” bonuses, the safest bet against “The Young Assassin” is taking him to the ground, which is easier said than done. Guillard’s four losses in the Octagon are all by submission, with the most recent being Nate Diaz from two years ago and before he started training with Team Jackson. All fighters evolve and get better over time, so the model to beat Guillard is woefully outdated and the real challenge is finding a new one. “I think the problem that fighters have who face me is that they sit down and spend too much time watching tape on me, trying to figure me out,” explains Guillard. “That's their Achilles heel because I'm not the same fighter, I'm always a better fighter, and none of my fights end the same. The only end result that you're going to get is that at some point I'm going to hit them and they're going to be out. As far as trying to figure me out, they think they're going to take me down and out grapple me, but I pride myself that it is going to take a lot to hold me down and half of these guys at 155 are not as strong as me anyway. I'm not saying it can't be done, but I go in very confident. I'm going in there to execute my gameplan and that's put my hands and feet on them. Even if they don't get knocked down right away, I've seen when I've hit guys that when I look them in the eye it is almost like it took the fight out of them. I've seen that in a couple fighters I've faced and I think I'm going to see that in Joe Lauzon come October 8th.”At UFC 136 in Houston, Texas, Guillard squares off with Joe Lauzon. The Ultimate Fighter season five alum will most likely use his vaunted submission skills that earned him a 19-6 record with 15 wins by sub. The 27 year old has also been awarded four “Submission of the Night” bonuses, including a first round kimura on Curt Warburton in June. Lauzon is certainly very good at forcing his fellow 155ers to tap, but Guillard doesn’t see that in the cards come fight night.“I think he's a tough opponent,” admits Guillard. “I wouldn't have asked for a fight that was an easy fight. He's going to be very tough. I know he is a good jiu-jitsu guy, but I haven't been submitted in over two years and him just coming in here and getting a submission - that ain't going to happen on my watch. I'm a way better fighter and I'm a way better person than who I was two years ago. There's nothing that he's going to throw at me that doesn't get thrown at me every day at the gym. I'm in there with guys like Carlos Condit and Donald Cerrone who are good at jiu-jitsu. I have a whole squad of guys who are phenomenal at jiu-jitsu who could probably tap Joe Lauzon at any time. This is something I stress about MMA, is that when you have a guy like me on top of you - you don't want to play that jiu-jitsu game. Then you're really going to get knocked out and it's going to be a short night. It's not a BJJ tournament - this is MMA.”Judging by Guillard’s last two appearances in the Octagon, Lauzon will need to work extremely quickly to latch a hold onto “The Young Assassin”. In January, Guillard trounced the rising star Dunham with knees for a TKO and a “Knockout of the Night” bonus in under three minutes. In July, he wasted even less time and knocked out the three-time All American wrestler Roller at 2:12 of the first round. It’s not only about the one punch power of his striking; Guillard’s strength is that he’s always attacking and he’s always on offense as soon as the cage door shuts.“I have a lot respect for Shane Roller, he's a great fighter, and Evan Dunham's a great fighter too,” tells Guillard. “They are both great fighters and they are just as equally great as I am, but I don't give guys the chance to get started and that’s why I have the advantage. That's the way I fight. I'm not a slow paced fighter. I come out of the gate very fast. I come out looking to hit a guy right out of the gate. What won me my last two fights is my aggression. Most fighters try to get that feeling out round, but I don't have a feeling out round. I come out at 100 mph and that's how it should be. Whether it's a knee, a kick, a right hand or a left jab - it doesn't matter because everything I throw is with bad intentions. I'm not trying to outpoint a guy. I'm not trying to win a judge's decision. My main thing is to go in there and try to knock guys out - I'm a finisher. ”Arguably, the most dangerous aspect of his game right now is that he’s maturing. Guillard’s had his mental lapses in the past and more than ever it appears that will all stay in the past. Guillard’s training camps in Albuquerque have progressed him as a fighter. Guillard’s marriage and life in Oklahoma has progressed him as a person. For really the first time, he is truly healthy, mentally and physically, and the benefits from that have shown in his past five fights. This weekend, he needs to keep this winning streak alive against the Brazilian jiu-jitsu specialist Lauzon. The main event of that same evening features UFC lightweight champion Frankie Edgar vs. Gray Maynard in a rematch of their UFC 125 draw. It has been mentioned by UFC President Dana White that if Guillard can score a win over Lauzon then he should be next in line for a title shot. For Guillard, there are simply no “ifs” about it. “It's not about if I beat Joe, it's that I'm going to beat Joe,” declares Guillard. “I'm going to knock him out like I knocked the other guys out. I'm not worried about anything. I know I'm going to be world champion. I'm blessed that Dana White is giving me the opportunity to be on that stage. I'm going to beat Joe Lauzon on October 8th. This is my first fight in front of my loved ones because I'm from New Orleans, but I lived in Houston for seven years - it's my second home. I am going to be fighting in front of a home crowd and I haven't fought in front of a home crowd since before my Dad passed away. This fight has a lot of emotions in it, but it's good emotions. I'm excited. There's nothing that is standing in my way. The only thing that can beat me is me.”With how good “The Young Assassin” has been looking recently, I’m not confident even Guillard could beat himself. Or does that sound too cocky?

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There is more to continued employment with Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) than just consistently winning cage fights. Former number one welterweight contender, Dan Hardy, knows this fact better than anyone. "The Outlaw" still has a job with the promotion despite a four-fight losing skid. He hasn't won a fight since earning a unanimous decision over Mike Swick at UFC 105 in Nov. 2009.  But company president Dana White likes guys that WAR!!!, which means that as long as Hardy, or any other popular fighter for that matter, continues to deliver exciting performances and puts it all on the line that he will receive the benefit of the doubt. And future fights. After losing to Stefan Struve last night via submission at UFC on Versus 6, heavyweight Pat Barry is now in the midst of a two-fight losing skid. In fact, "HD" has only won three of his seven fights inside the Octagon. For most fighters, it would likely mean a pink slip. But, Barry apparently isn't like most fighters, according to White: "We like guys like that. Guys who are exciting and come out to fight. I don't know. Pat is a guy that we do like. He's one of the guys who always brings it.... I like the Arturo Gatti-type fighters. Guys who always bring it. And that's what this is about. When you're a fight fan you tune in to see fights. And I like guys who do it." Barry, who is self-admittedly "morbidly obese," is among the division's smallest competitors (5'11"), even though he pushes its 265-pound weight limit. That essentially means the former K-1 kickboxer can rule out a move to light heavyweight anytime in the near future. He did do well last night prior to the tapout. And he essentially knocked out Cheick Kongo twice in the first round of their fight at UFC on Versus 4 earlier this year before the Parisian recorded a come-from-behind Hail Mary knockout finish.  Nonetheless, it's clear that Barry has several holes in his game that he must address quickly if he intends on winning. Then again, as long as he makes fans stand up and cheer, win, lose or draw, maybe it doesn't really matter.

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MMA Nation's Luke Thomas attended UFC on Versus 6 in his hometown of Washington, D.C. as press last night. One of the great things that comes with media credentials is the opportunity to speak with and take in the Dana White media scrum before and after the events to get the UFC head honcho's thoughts on the fights and the immediate future of the organization. In the above video White talks about Dominick Cruz's ability to overcome a broken hand and win his championship fight. Luke asks what Dana thinks it will take to build Cruz into a marketable fighter. Dana's response is pretty great regarding Cruz's future: I thought he looked great tonight. He looked like a well rounded fighter. Especially when you know he fought the entire fight with a broken hand. It's just gonna take time. Some people will love him and some people will hate him. Look at how awesome "Bones" Jones is. You have all kinds of people talking sh*t about him. It's weird.  White also speaks about the issues the UFC has faced when trying to build the sport on the East coast: The East Coast market is one that we're still cultivating. There's a lot of fans down here but it's different than the mid-West or the West coast or down South. One of the things I say traditionally about the East coast, I always use Boston as the example. But you can go Boston, New York, Chicago, Philly, all of them. These kids grow up Red Sox, Celtics, Patriots. They're into these sports and teams that they grew up on. And the UFC breaking into these East coast markets, we're still working on it.  This is an interesting point. I grew up on the East coast and I can say I was raised to be a stick&ball sport fan. I became a Knicks fan early on and fell in love with baseball and football because I had major market teams in the Tri-State area. I've never really given much thought as to why the mid-West is more open to MMA. A second video after the jump... SBN coverage of UFC on Versus 6: Cruz vs. Johnson Part two picks up where part one leaves off. Snooki was in the building but some Capital Hill senators were in the building to see the fights. The first question is pretty telling as to the UFC's opinion on fighters and if Pat Barry will have another shot in the UFC. In Dana White's words: We like guys who are exciting and guys that come out and fight. Pat is a guy that we do like. He's one of the guys that always brings it. It's like people saying "you're cutting Dan Hardy". Dan Hardy comes to fight and always puts on wars. I like those Arturo Gatti type fighters. The guys that are always bringing it. That's what this is about. When you're a fight fan you tune in to see fights and I like people that do it.  The full interview is worth a listen.

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Demetrious Johnson 's biggest failure as a bantamweight is that he isn't a bantamweight. He put on a spirited performance against bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz last night, but the size difference between the two became more and more apparent as the fight dragged on. Fortunately for "Mighty Mouse," it looks like he'll be in his natural weight class soon enough. MMA Junkie reports: Regardless, [UFC President Dana] White said the flyweight division should be added by early next year. And though White and UFC matchmakers Joe Silva and Sean Shelby will comb the world for top-level talent, he said some of it may already be under contract, either as existing bantamweights or contestants on the current 14th season of "The Ultimate Fighter." "We're going to go out and start [signing] guys and bringing in guys we want to sign, and we'll kick that thing off," White said. "I don't [know] exactly how we're going to do it yet, but we're going to do it, and we're going to do it soon. "You'll see guys from from 135 (come down) to 125. Lots of guys will drop. There are lots of guys on 'TUF' who can drop to 125." We've seen an exodus of talent from the lightweight division when Zuffa assimilated WEC into the UFC. That talent includes Kenny Florian, who had a 9-3 record at lightweight in the UFC. Florian will fight featherweight champion Jose Aldo this Saturday at UFC 136. Fighters like Johnson and Joseph Benavidez are likely to move down to flyweight when it's made available.

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Every time we end a contest I always ask Zeus if we can rent out an old VFW hall and have a ceremony to mark the occasion. He says there is no conceivable way for that to happen once, let alone up to a dozen times a year. I'm no carpenter, but I think I can throw some black tablecloth on some card tables, create a nice little centerpiece that is tasteful yet thought provoking, then construct a stage and a lighting system that works dynamically enough for everyone to enjoy. It's no big deal, and I'm sure the VFW has a podium we can borrow for the night. We will need a sound guy though, I refuse to do the sound. Until then, this is yet another contest finale without a closing ceremony, sorry guys. So without further ado, I present to you the DstryrSG, FighterXFashion, MiddleEasy.com Anderson Silva Create-a-Technique contest winner and runner up! 1st place We want to thank Rachel and her sparring partner/soulless ginger friend Liz for creating a technique that can be used not only for self defense purposes, but for fun and love. Anderson Silva would be proud. In fact, I'm sure he's reading this right now and he is nodding in agreement. Your Anderson Silva MMA Instructional Manual and Magic Beanie are in the hands of the increasingly unreliable US Postal Service. Runner up Normally we don't condone the usage of cuss words, we don't even swear in real life, but this step by step guide to "fight good" by IAMPhoenix was too good for us not to show you guys. Granted, step one of the technique is to be Anderson Silva, which may be difficult for some people, but this loophole was never even considered when we wrote our ten thousand word terms of service agreement for the contest. Clever, Phoenix. Clever.

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Hey guys, I'm fighting tonight for the 5th time after a 2+ year layoff. This is just a hobby for me but I'm nervous nonetheless so wish me luck! We're both fairly wild stand up guys so it has potential for fireworks, fans should enjoy it anyway. submitted by TheFlyingZombie [link] [3 comments]

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You don’t have to explain the sport of MMA to Pat Barry, as “HD” understands it quite well. Barry, who will meet Stefan Struve Saturday night in the co-main event of UFC Live 6, is looking to rebound from a devastating loss to Cheick Kongo in which he was winning the fight before Kongo delivered a hard punch that floored Barry. “That’s the name of the game,” said Barry, in a recent interview on the UFC website. “We’re gonna knock people out and we’re gonna get knocked out, that’s no avoiding that part of it. I was lucky enough to go a really long time without ever having to come across it, but if you can’t accept getting knocked out or losing or getting hit, then this is the wrong sport to be in.” If Barry had been a viewer of Kongo’s epic comeback, he would have been a fan, saying, “If that was two other people and not me, that would have been one of my favorite comebacks ever. That’s a cool fight, a cool comeback, and a cool highlight from the first knockdown to the end. It might be the coolest 20 seconds ever.” Even during a six-year kickboxing career, Barry was never knocked out, so this is all new territory for him. Of course, if he needs advice on how to recover from a knockout loss, he could ask any of the five men he has knocked out in his MMA career. In Struve, Barry faces a man that stands a foot taller than he does who is also a kickboxer. However, Struve is also coming off a strike-based stoppage with his defeat suffered at the hands of Travis Browne. “I’ve fought really tall guys in kickboxing and I’ve come across guys like that before,” Barry said. “But I’ve never come across an almost seven foot tall, young, energetic, athletic Dutch kickboxer who is extremely dangerous. And if you know anything about the world of fighting, then you know that Dutch kickboxers are some of the most dangerous kickboxers on Earth.” For this bout with Struve, Barry left Roufusport in Wisconsin to train with DeathClutch in Minnesota. There, he has been working with wrestlers like Brock Lesnar to get better with takedowns and takedown defense, along with training with more heavyweights. “If you’re a big guy, you need to train with big guys,” Barry said. “Ever since I made the transition to DeathClutch from Roufusport, I’ve been getting all these messages – ‘Oh, you’re a traitor,’ ‘How could you leave?’ But we need big people to train with. This is what we do, and you gotta be able to simulate it as much as possible.” PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

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It's Charlie Brenneman's time. Is he ready? Across from him Saturday is big, scary Anthony Johnson. The guy who sometimes cuts 50 pounds to make welterweight. The guy who knocks out opponents with head kicks and can wrestle, to boot. If you ask Brenneman, of course he's ready. He's been competing against those much bigger and more intimidating guys for quite some time, and this is just an extension of that.

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Hello again everyone! Another awesome Saturday of MMA behind us, another one around the corner. I’m getting ready to head to DC this weekend to corner Mac Danzig at UFC Live 6. I haven’t been working with him long for this fight. He’s training in LA and I’ve been there a couple of times but it’s tough for me to leave Vegas to work with him and equally hard for him to leave LA to train in Vegas. I leave him some stuff to work on while I’m gone but it’s still not ideal. Like most of you, I also watched UFC 135 last weekend. In fact, I had about 60 people over for it! We had a nice BBQ outside and everyone stayed to watch the fights. Even after the fights guys stayed and we just hung out. The last person to leave didn’t leave until about three in the morning. I like to drink Patron and Grey Goose, and though I try not to mix them, that night I think I mixed everything. There were all types of alcohol. It was a lot of fun though. We were just celebrating as a family. It was great to have everyone there, all the fighters with their wives or girlfriends. No fights broke out either. Everyone in our group is kind of a happy drunk. They like to drink, then get a smile on their faces and go around hugging people. As far as the actual event, I thought it was really good overall. I was a little disappointed with the main event because Quinton Jackson wasn’t able to do what I thought he was going to do, but Jon Jones is a tough guy. I think some of the advice from Jackson’s corner was good, but they didn’t explain to him how to find his range. For example, you can tell him to throw punches, but ALSO tell him what punches to throw. You have to give guys specific instruction. I’ve always said that “Rampage” needs more footwork. He’s an aggressive fighter and he needs to learn how to punch while moving forward better. Power punchers have a tough time punching while moving and when someone gives them movement, they have a hard time keeping up. He moved his head well and avoided the punches, but once he did that he didn’t get inside. Josh Koscheck vs. Matt Hughes went the way I expected it. Koscheck was too young, too fast, too strong, and too explosive. Hughes is a good fighter but the age has caught up to him and his chin isn’t what it used to be. Nate Diaz showed why he’s so tough. He’s one of the toughest guys to fight because he can out-box you, get in your head and frustrate you, and then what do you do when you take him down? He’s the type of fighter that, once he gets the upper hand, you’re in trouble because he’s a good finisher. I fully believe Nate could have stopped Takanori Gomi with strikes but he chose to submit him. We’ll have to see wait and see Tony Ferguson can do against tougher competition but based on his performance he showed what he can do right now. He’s clearly a good up-and-comer. Ferguson landed a beautiful up-jab, which broke Aaron Riley’s jaw and pretty much sealed the deal. Riley was tough and took some shots with a broken jaw but Ferguson just kept landing on him including a really nice body shot. If he keeps improving and working on his whole game, he could be one of the guys to beat. One final update on Gray Maynard before wrapping this up. Tuesday was his last hard day of training. Now it’s working on the game plan and keeping him sharp. I think he’s going to be peaking perfectly for the fight against Frank Edgar next weekend. He’s really looking forward to this fight! He’s a great person and you can see that for this fight – he’s so prepared and he can’t wait to get in there. Even the people that are close to him have noticed a difference in his character and the way he’s carrying himself for this fight. I’ve never seen him in this state of mind. I think he wants to prove a point and show the world that he is the best lightweight in the world. No disrespect to Frankie because he’s a great fighter, but he’s going to be in trouble against Gray. Catch up with me one last time before we head to Houston for the title-fight at UFC 136! Thanks, as always, for reading. Make sure to catch up with me on Twitter (@mastermitter). Tweet

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Filed under: UFCMichael Bisping made Diego Brandao the first pick among the featherweights on this season of The Ultimate Fighter, indicating that Bisping views Brandao as the most talented fighter of the bunch on this year's cast. In our weekly interview, Brandao said that's pretty much how he viewed himself as well -- he headed into The Ultimate Fighter house confident in his abilities, and after getting a look at the rest of this season's cast, he thought he was among the best fighters on the show. We talked with Brandao about his status as the first overall pick, how the training he got at the Ultimate Fighter gym compared to what he had before, and what he thought of the season's first fight, between Bryan Carraway and Marcus Brimage. The interview is below. Michael David Smith: You were the first overall pick. How did that make you feel? Diego Brandao: I feel great about it. I think it was because of my jiu jitsu, the coaches saw those skill I had, and in my first fight to get onto the show I showed that I was one of the strongest guys. I think at that time I felt more confident than the other guys. Getting picked first meant a lot and I felt great at the start of the show. Getting picked first meant that Bisping thought you were the best of the featherweights. Is that also what you thought? Yes, I always believe in myself. I always think to myself, I'm the best guy, no one is going to come to me and take my dream away. But when I saw those guys I did see there were a lot of other good guys there, too. I thought there were guys that would challenge me, but I was confident in myself. Did the coaching you got at the start of the show differ from what you were accustomed to, training with Greg Jackson and Mike Winkeljohn? I learned a lot during but before I went down there I also felt like I knew a lot from my own camp. I wasn't thinking, "Oh, my gosh, this is The Ultimate Fighter!" I was just thinking like I had already prepared myself. In the first fight of the season, Bryan Carraway beat Marcus Brimage with a rear-naked choke in the second round. Did you have any thoughts about that, as Carraway was a potential opponent for you in a later round of the season? I think Bryan is an aggressive guy who looked good, he has very good submissions and I think he has a jiu jitsu background like me. I enjoyed watching it and felt like it was a fun fight to watch. (Editor's Note: Check back every Thursday to get Brandao's thoughts on the recent TUF episode). Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

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Pat Barry got the same question everywhere he went. “It’s never been something else, ever,” admits the UFC heavyweight prospect. So once he got through telling strangers what he did for a living, the response would be, “how many times have you been knocked out?”But Barry, who seemingly has an entertaining answer for everything, couldn’t really respond with something people were looking for. He would just say “I haven’t…yet.”If you buy in to all the machismo surrounding combat sports, you could say Barry was bordering on blasphemy, but when you’re a true tough guy, you don’t have to play the role in real life as well. And Barry is as blunt as anyone when it comes to the realities of the fight game. You stick around long enough, and your time will come.“That’s the name of the game,” he said. “We’re gonna knock people out and we’re gonna get knocked out, there’s no avoiding that part of it. I was lucky enough to go a really long time without ever having to come across it, but if you can’t accept getting knocked out or losing or getting hit, then this is the wrong sport to be in.”On June 26th, after eight pro MMA bouts, 25 kickboxing matches, and countless sparring sessions, Barry’s name got called by Cheick Kongo. After dropping Kongo twice and nearly finishing him, Barry was caught by the French contender, who fired off a right uppercut that rescued victory from the jaws of defeat and put the New Orleans native out cold.“I thought I had won the fight when I was lying on my back in the center of the Octagon,” said Barry. “I said ‘What do you mean I’m out? He’s out, y’all are crazy.’ (Laughs) As a matter of fact, I didn’t even know I was lying on my back. When the doctor said, can you try to sit up for me, I remember saying how am I gonna sit up when I’m already standing? You’re the worst doctor ever. You should be fired. (Laughs) But once I realized what happened, it was almost a bit of a relief. My entire career has gone knowing that eventually I will be knocked out. And every time I step into the ring or the Octagon, there is that little bit of ‘oh s**t, is this gonna be the time?’ And that’s stressful. And every time I got out of a fight, I go ‘woo, I escaped it again.’ I had gone ten years escaping it, ten years of training and fighting and sparring at practice. And it finally happened, so it’s kinda like a big relief. Now I don’t have to worry about it anymore.”In over 15 years of covering combat sports, I don’t think I’ve ever heard a knockout loss put into perspective quite like that, but then again, few fighters are like Pat Barry. In fact, when talking about the reality that his loss to Kongo will be immortalized on year-end ‘Best of’ lists and on highlight reels way beyond 2011, he isn’t even bothered by it.“If that was two other people and not me, that would have been one of my favorite comebacks ever,” he said. “That’s a cool fight, a cool comeback, and a cool highlight from the first knockdown to the end. It might be the coolest 20 seconds ever.”He’s right. But what his reaction to a defeat that may have crushed his peers and left them gun-shy and unwilling to discuss the matter did was allow him to escape the usual emptying of the bandwagon that happens these days after a fighter loses. So even at .500 (3-3) in his UFC career thus far, you won’t find anyone that will say that Barry is a fighter they wouldn’t want to see or hear from again.“I think it’s my honesty that’s really grabbing on to people and grasping their attention,” he said. “Sometimes, you’re just gonna get hit. That’s part of the game and part of what happens. In the Kongo fight, I lost the fight, but I was definitely winning beforehand. I was winning the fight; I think I might have even won the fight twice before he came along with his win. (Laughs) But that’s what happens. And I think what it comes down to in the end is that people know that, and they know I’m gonna put on exciting fights and that I’m here to perform all the time. They keep that in mind. I don’t find myself to be a very boring fighter or a slouch fighter. People know that whenever I get in the ring that something exciting is gonna happen.”Odds are that it’s going to happen again this Saturday night in Washington D.C. when he faces fellow heavyweight action hero Stefan Struve, another fighter who is no stranger to the miracle comeback. Adding to the intrigue is the height discrepancy between the 6-11 Struve and the 5-11 Barry, and neither has shied away from poking fun at the physical matchup. But in the gym, it’s all business.“I’ve fought really tall guys in kickboxing and I’ve come across guys like that before,” said Barry. “But I’ve never come across an almost seven foot tall, young, energetic, athletic Dutch kickboxer who is extremely dangerous. And if you know anything about the world of fighting, then you know that Dutch kickboxers are some of the most dangerous kickboxers on Earth.”So how do you replicate that in the gym considering that there aren’t too many guys around who fit that description?“I brought in a guy named Maurice “The Pirate” Greene from Chicago,” said Barry. “He’s a 6-foot-9 kickboxer who formerly wrestled. He’s got two inches under Stefan, but I figure if Stefan gets into his fight stance, he might be 6-9. Other than that, every once in a while I have Marty Morgan standing on a chair and I’ll run past him and see if I can kick him in the head.”Barry’s also made a switch in camps to Minnesota’s Team DeathClutch, the training home of former UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar, mainly to get work with a steady stream of heavyweights who can help him sew up the holes in his ground game.“I definitely need heavyweights to train with,” he said. “I need wrestling, and I need jiu-jitsu. And out here is a gym that’s completely comprised of heavyweights and superstar wrestlers who all know jits. And I need to be around bigger guys, stronger guys, wrestlers, and guys who grapple. Finally, for the first time, I’m the smallest guy in the room and the weakest guy in the room, so I’ve got no choice but to get stronger.”It’s an aspect of the sport that people forget about or don’t think about at all, as getting a group of strong, athletic heavyweights together in one gym is a rarity. Barry has gotten some comments about leaving his longtime camp with Duke Roufus in Milwaukee, but when it came to adding what he needed to his arsenal, the 32-year old simply needed to make the move.“Ever since I made the transition to DeathClutch from Roufusport, I’ve been getting all these messages – ‘oh, you’re a traitor,’ ‘how could you leave?’ But we need big people to train with,” he said. “If you’re a big guy, you need to train with big guys. If you’re a little guy, you should be training with little guys, someone who can replicate the guys you’re going to be competing with. This is what we do, and you gotta be able to simulate it as much as possible. The only thing better is if you could actually train with the guy you’re gonna fight, but we can’t do that.”No, you can’t, but if someone could pull it off, be friends with a future opponent and still try to rip his head off on fight night, it would be Barry. Friends are friends, and fighting is fighting. As for getting knocked out, that chapter’s done with. It’s time to move on.“As of right now, in my heart and in my head, the way that I feel is that now, I’ll be even more comfortable,” he said. “It’s like worrying the second time you get on that rollercoaster – you know what it’s like already.”

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Top UFC lightweight contender Gray Maynard is entering his upcoming fight with champion Frank Edgar at UFC 136 an “angry,” “obsessed” individual and he’s not afraid of who knows it. Maynard recently wrote about his feelings regarding his second shot at dethroning Edgar where he made it clear his emotions are riding high for the match-up and he’s ready to snatch the respect he deserves by taking ownership of the divisional gold. A Look Back at Edgar vs. Maynard II “I am going into this fight angry,” said Maynard on his blog with SportsNet. “Not angry at Edgar — he did what he had to and is tough and a good fighter. Nothing personal with him, other than I need to beat him worse than ever to make sure everyone understands I am the best fighter at 155 pounds.” Maynard elaborated on the loss, writing, “At first my mindset was, ‘I’ve beat him twice and I still have to prove something against this guy?’ But pretty quickly my mentality changed to where I’d be happy to fight him literally twenty (or) thirty more times just until everyone on the planet gets the message I am a better fighter than Frankie Edgar.” “I beat Edgar when we fought in 2008 as contenders on the way up, and I beat him even worse on New Year’s Day for the belt, only for the judges to give it a draw,” he continued. “Even now, having beat Edgar one time and doing the most damage and nearly knocking him out in the rematch, he’s the favorite to win this third fight,” Maynard passionately concluded on his lack of respect from fans and media. “It is funny, I really don’t know how else to say it other than how I feel: I don’t think I am getting the credit I deserve. Look at my record; I got my title shot by beating five or six of the top guys in the division — really top guys and better guys than Edgar beat before he got the title shot ahead of me.” “The Bully” will get his chance to finally lay official claim to the lightweight title in less than two weeks and, clearly, it can’t come soon enough for the 32-year old. Maynard is 10-0-1 in his career with past victories over Kenny Florian, Roger Huerta, Nate Diaz, Jim Miller, and of course Edgar as well – the lone loss of the title-holder’s career. PHOTO CREDIT – UFC Tweet

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Filed under: UFCThe week of a fight, the last place UFC lightweight Yves Edwards wants to be is in his own head. It's a scary place sometimes, and also a tough place to escape from. "I obsess over the stupidest things you can imagine," Edwards said. "I will obsess over the color of towels in my bathroom, or what kind of soap they have [in the hotel]. I had this one soap this one time and that wasn't a great performance, so I can't use this soap again. It's stupid, and it's just a distraction." With nearly 60 pro fights in a career that's spanned almost 14 years, at least Edwards has had plenty of practice in dealing with his own fight week neurosis. Now he knows how to deal with it. For starters, he can bring his own soap. He can also rely on his friends, like Strikeforce welterweight Tyron Woodley, to keep him mentally occupied. Otherwise, Edwards said, it can get out of hand in a hurry. For instance, say a certain friend is coming to see the fight. Then Edwards starts to think about how he's never won a fight with that guy in the audience. Maybe he's bad luck. Maybe he's cursed. "But then, I don't want to tell my friends not to come see my fights, so I have to stay away from that stuff," said Edwards, who faces Charles Oliveira at UFC on Versus 6 this Saturday night. "I can catch myself doing it a lot. Stopping it is the hard part. Common sense and rationalization -- I'm a pretty rational person when I'm not in this mode -- that kicks in a little bit and I realize that the color of my underwear has nothing to do with how hard I've prepared for this fight or how focused I am. But it's just the irrational part of my brain, that part kicks in first. I have to talk myself down from it sometimes." At least Edwards has experience in his favor. Wednesday marks the ten-year anniversary of his UFC debut -- a losing effort against Matt Serra at UFC 33 -- and the fight itself comes just one day after his 35th birthday. To Edwards, doing the math on his career numbers and realizing just how long he's been at it comes as "kind of a surprise," he said. "I still feel like I'm 26. ...The guy that was making his debut in the UFC, he didn't know half the things I know now." But as Edwards prepares to take on Oliveira -- a Brazilian fighter who he actually trained alongside of and "traded a few secrets" with in the past -- he does so coming off a knockout loss to Sam Stout that UFC president Dana White called "one of the nastiest I've ever seen." It might not be a must-win fight for Edwards, but 35-year-old fighters can't afford to take too many steps backwards, and he knows it. "The thing is, nobody gets cut off a win," Edwards said. "Not unless you've done something and screwed up. That's my only concern, is going out there and winning, keeping my job, and keep moving up the ladder." The fact that he went from a pay-per-view card at UFC 131 to the prelim portion of a UFC on Versus card doesn't worry him, he insisted, just like it doesn't matter that he knows Oliveira to be "a pretty nice guy." "When it comes to the fight game that means absolutely nothing to me," he said. "... This fight could be behind a Wal-Mart. All I have to worry about is, that's the guy I'm fighting. That's all that matters." That, and that he remembers not to obsess about the brand of soap in his hotel. After a week of battling himself, the fight should be almost a relief. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

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When Yves Edwards starts explaining the creation of Thug-Jitsu with the words “It’s one of those things like the Big Bang theory,” you just know this is going to be good. And it is. But we’ll let the creator of this mysterious art continue.“That (the Big Bang theory) was a phrase they came up with because scientists thought the universe started through a big explosion, and some guy came along and said ‘they want to throw this Big Bang theory out there’ and he tried to use it as a diss, and it just kinda stuck,” said Edwards. “Back in Houston back in the day, it was a real jiu-jitsu town, and it still is pretty jiu-jitsu oriented. People were like ‘if you want to learn some good jiu-jitsu, you go train with this guy or this guy. But if you want to learn that Thug-Jitsu garbage, you go train with Yves and those guys, because they like to punch people.’ (Laughs) I liked it and it just stuck. It kinda hit me – Thug-Jitsu, that’s the modern art of the beatdown.”Years and years later, the 35-year old Edwards has not let up in his practice of the art, and this Saturday night in Washington, D.C., he’ll get to show it off again when he faces Rafaello Oliveira. This will be the 59th time the Bahamas-born Texan will walk up those four steps to compete in a pro mixed martial arts bout, and though he’s not the same person he was as a fresh-faced 21-year old making his debut in 1997, some things haven’t changed.“It’s a little different,” he said. “Before, as a kid, I used to be like ‘man, I’m fighting this week, I’m all excited.’ Now, I don’t think about it too much, but when I do think about it, that’s when I get really excited. I came home for a few days (before leaving for D.C.), and I walk around the house and I’m going ‘yeah, this is good.’ Then my wife starts cooking something and I’m like ‘I can’t eat that.’”Edwards laughs, knowing that in this game, you have to be able to take the good with the bad. Yet surprisingly, he says burnout has never entered the conversation.“Not a single day yet.”Is that the secret to his longevity?“I think that’s a part of it,” said Edwards, 40-17-1. “It’s been pretty good to me physically, and I’m trying to make it good for me financially also. I just love it. When I think about fighting itself, the most miserable time is when someone’s on top of me and I just can’t get them off me (Laughs), and even then, I’m having a good time.”Yet for all the good vibes around his career, everything came to a screeching halt at UFC 131 in June, when he was knocked out cold by Canadian banger Sam Stout. Edwards had been on the wrong end of knockouts before (against Jorge Masvidal and KJ Noons), but nothing like this. He accepts it as part of the game, but having to explain it to his wife and two kids is another dilemma in itself.“My wife is really understanding, so that part is easy,” said Edwards. “The kids, that’s when it gets kinda scary, because you see something like that – I’ve seen it for years – and it looks so devastating. When it happens, it sucks, but it’s not as physically bad as it looks. I think I’ve been able to explain that to everybody. They see I’m still the same guy. I guess it’s a good thing that they love me regardless.”Thankfully, Edwards bounced back quickly from the defeat, accepting a fight with a familiar face in Brazil’s Oliveira.“I trained with him for a week about two years ago,” said Edwards. “The guy’s tough, and I see some improvements in his game since the time we trained together. It’s like the evolution of the classic striker vs. grappler match where he’s a little more comfortable striking than the typical Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt five, ten years ago, and I’m a lot more comfortable on the ground than the typical striker was five, ten years ago. When I look at him, I just see a tough guy that’s just begging me to punch him in the face.”Winner of three of his last four and six of his last eight, Edwards has been going through a career resurgence that he hopes has only taken a minor detour with the loss to Stout, yet with this recent success, he’s found out that to many newer fans of the UFC, he’s just another “new guy.” That’s something incredulous to diehard fight fans who remember Edwards as one of the top 155-pounders on the planet in the early years of the new millennium. But when his crowning Octagon moment took place at UFC 49 in August of 2004, as he scored a highlight reel knockout of Josh Thomson, it was the last lightweight bout in the UFC for nearly two years. Now he’s trying to make up for lost time in a sport that is hitting the mainstream like never before.“The game has changed so much, it’s so huge right now, and if the game was the same six, seven years ago, it would be a different thing,” he said. “My name would probably be in league with a guy like Chuck (Liddell) or close to it. But that’s not when I hit my hot streak. So I’m trying to hit it now. I’m okay with it though. I do this for two reasons – the first reason I do it is because there’s nothing in the world I’d rather be doing with my own time and with my own choices because it’s the most fun thing in the world to me. And the second reason I do it is because it helps me put food on the table and be comfortable. The fame and everything else that comes with it, I don’t care. Back when PRIDE was around, I used to love going to Japan and fighting, and my reason was because I could be popular in Japan, and then I could come home and just be some guy at the mall. I don’t mind that (the popularity), and I understand that comes with success, and I do want to be successful, but it’s not something I aim for.”What Edwards does expect to hit every night are the kinds of fights that leave fans talking as they leave the arena as well as at the water cooler on Monday. And if he can keep doing that, he’ll keep spreading the Thug-Jitsu gospel to the masses. What could be better than that?“One thing I like about the current UFC is that job security comes from being entertaining and going out there and laying it on the line,” he said. “Yes, you do have to win, but there’s a benefit to being entertaining and really fighting your style. And to me, that’s my style; I cannot win a boring fight. If a fight’s boring, it’s probably because I’m losing.”

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Dhiego Lima has a very bright future. At just 21 years old, he's quickly become one of the fastest rising welterweight prospects in MMA and he's got some great genetics on his side. His older brother, Douglas Lima, was the welterweight champion of Canada's Maximum Fighting Championships before the bright lights of Bellator beckoned him, but Dhiego stayed behind to allow himself further time to develop. With a 6-0 record overall (all stoppages) and a 3-0 record in MFC, he's quickly building up some steam to potentially challenge for the vacated welterweight title that big brother left behind. But first, he'll be fighting "Dangerous" Terry Martin, a UFC veteran who most recently came up short while challenging for the elder Lima's title. Dhiego Lima spoke with MMAmania.com during an appearance on The Verbal Submission this Sunday night and discussed his upcoming fight, his relationship with MFC president Mark Pavelich and even his first fight in elementary school.  Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): How pumped are you for this upcoming fight at MFC 31? This is your fourth fight in the MFC and they're really building you as this next big guy. Dhiego Lima: I wake up smiling every morning man. To fight a guy like that [Terry Martin] who's been everywhere including the UFC, it's almost like a dream come true man. I'm so excited man. This guy is really tough and this is where I can show people what I can do. This is the fight I've been waiting for. I know my brother beat him in a minute but this guy he had a four fight winning streak and look at the guys he's beat already. I'm ready. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): That was actually something I was going to ask you about. basically, all the guys that you fought before, they were prospects or guys without a ton of experience yet and now you're stepping in there against a really experienced veteran. This is a big step up for you. Dhiego Lima: When I won the fight in Ontario, I pretty much knew that was the last least-experienced guy I was ever gonna fight  and after that when I had Jamie Toney, he was a veteran as well, he'd won against some better guys and was a brown belt so it started with that one and after I finished him quick, a guy with experience like that I was like, "Alright man! Now you know. Now I've gotta get ready for the big show because they're gonna send in experienced guys." After that fight in Ontario, I kinda knew already so I've been preparing myself, preparing extra for that. I'm more motivated than ever, I'm excited and I'm ready to go. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): Yeah, and you mentioned that your brother beat Terry Martin when they met for the MFC welterweight title a couple months ago. I've gotta know, did he give you any tips on how to beat this guy? Dhiego Lima: Yeah, for sure man. I trained with him for that fight, for Terry. We were preparing together because I was fighting a short, stocky guy too so we pretty much had the same preparation. I know how to beat him for sure. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): I've gotta ask. You and your brother probably compare your skills every once in a while. Who do you think hits harder between you and your brother? Dhiego Lima: Oh I definitely hit harder (laughs). That's no question. He's got the better ground of course but I definitely hit harder. You can ask him, he'll tell you. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): Oh, I'd believe it. I saw what you did in that last fight. It was close for the first minute or two but you just started unleashing this ground and pound assault. Dhiego Lima: Yeah, nobody can really see but it was a right hand standing that caught him. He came in and I threw a short right hand and that was the one that hurt him. The knee didn't even land and on the ground he was dazed already. It was really a right hand that nobody saw. I'm like, "Yeah, just keep thinking it was only the ground." Nobody saw that right hand that went in and that's been my favorite punch. I throw it really short and straight and it lands but people don't even see it. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): I'm interested in getting to know what makes you tick, Dhiego, what makes you who you are. I read that one of your earliest memories was beating up the school bully when you were in 5th grade. I've got to hear this story. Dhiego Lima: I'm a calm guy, I'm really calm. When you see me, nobody thinks I'm a fighter because of how nice I am. I was just heading down to lunch and this kid was always making fun of me and whatever 'cuz I used to be a fat kid. I was always a fat shit that people made fun of so this guy was pushing me down the stairs and I'm like, "Stop, stop!" and finally when we got down the stairs I had it and I just pushed him and the guy fell on his mouth and broke his two front teeth and I was like, "I'm sorry man but I told you!" That was like one of the only fights I ever had growing up. We're too nice, me and my brother. We never really got into fights or anything like that. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): I know that you didn't always take your training seriously. What really was it that kind of clicked with you that made you realize this was what you truly wanted to do? Dhiego Lima: Well, all my amateurs fights, I fought for belts and everything but I just did it to be cool. Everybody was doing it and I was like, "Yeah, I'll do it." I didn't really take it serious and then on my first pro fight was when I really saw it. My first pro fight I got taken down and just got beat up that whole first round man. The second round started the same and then in the middle of that second round something just hit me. I had a kid on the way and everything just clicked on. I was like, "Listen, this is what you're gonna do for a living," and I just came back in the third round and beat this guy up and finished him with 20 seconds left in the fight I tapped him out with a triangle. After that fight, I was like, "Alright man, this is what I've got to do. I've got to take it seriously," and that switch turned on and I haven't looked back since. Ben Thapa: With the recent debacle with Nick Diaz and the press conferences, is he still your favorite fighter? Is he still somebody you look up to? Dhiego Lima: As a fighter, yes, not as a person though. I like his fighting style. That's about all man. You can be a badass and of course we all know he's a badass but once it's on for business, then it's business. You've got to do your job. It's part of your job. That's part of your pay, showing up for all these things. You've got your fans waiting to see how your training camp is going so that's kind of stupid, man. I'm a badass too but listen, man, it's professional and I'm a professional. Like Terry Martin wanted a catchweight at 175 and I'm like, "Listen, dude. You're a veteran man. You've been in the UFC. I fight at 170. I'm not a fucking clown. I'm not gonna take a catchweight fight. You be a professional and you make your weight. It's all part of the game man. It's part of the job." I like him [Diaz] as a fighter but that is unprofessional man. It's unprofessional. Gerry Rodriguez: I know you have a contract with MFC, but say you fight through your contract with MFC and your brother wins the 170 title at Bellator. Would you listen if Bellator comes knocking? Dhiego Lima: No, not at all. For me, I already told my manager man. After my MFC contract is up, I will be 9-0 and I it's either UFC or MFC. I will either resign with them or if the UFC's looking, I'll go there. I won't go anywhere else. I will have enough experience. I'm fighting a guy like Terry and if I beat him I'll be close to a title shot which they'll probably give me somebody tougher and tougher and I know from that experience I'll be ready for the big show. It's either the MFC or the UFC. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): How's the relationship been with [MFC President] Mark Pavelich? I know he was pretty mad at first when Douglas left the MFC but he kinda softened his stance on that now. Dhiego Lima: That was kinda crazy at first because I almost got caught up in all that because me and Douglas have the same manager and I almost got caught in it. I called my manager and I called Mark and put them on the phone and I was like, "Listen, this is my career man and my brother's career is a whole different thing. I don't want you guys getting mad at each other and it's gonna affect my career," so we put that straight and then that was it man. I love Mark, man. He's a really nice guy. He texts me every week to see how training's going. He cares man. That's what I love about him, man. They take care of us. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): That's wonderful and my last question which I ask to all our guests is how do you see the fight playing out next Friday night against Terry Martin? Dhiego Lima: It's gonna be a finish. I'll tell you that. It's not gonna go the distance. I don't know what's gonna happen but I feel great, man. It's not gonna go the distance. I'm ready to go in there and throw down, man. He better be ready. I hope he's not taking me lightly because if he's taking me lightly, he's gonna pay for it in the first minute. I'm hoping he comes at his best because I don't want know, "AHHHH!!!" man I'm telling you I'm riled up already. You're gonna see a great Dhiego Lima in there. It's gonna be a finish.  Dhiego would like to thank his coach, his brother, and his family for staying with him. For the complete audio of our interview with Dhiego Lima, click here.

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As I was about to pay my 'Moons of my Hammy' bill at Dennys last night this guy storms in the front door, points out a guy sitting at a booth and yells 'Let's do this!'. The guy at the booth takes a sip of orange juice, jumps out of his seat and meets the guy at the front of the cash register. Something was about to go down and all I could think of was my phone doesnt have video. All of a sudden, the guy (formly known as 'the guy in the booth') swings at other dude catching him with a surprise right hook. Dude goes down. All of their friends jump in, headlocks are being pulled, uppercuts are being missed and out of nowhere this old biker guy, must have been like 55, hops over the table and starts methodically kicking everyone's ass without remorse. Dude was throwing guys out the door, hammer fisting guys in the jaw, choking out dudes and then slamming their limp bodies on the tile. After biker guy's wrath was done, he turns around, looks at the audience of people who are all on the edge of their seat, raises his hands above his head and screams 'That's for Michael Jackson. Rest in peace bad boy'. Dude walks out, get on his bike and leaves. He didnt even pay for his meal. How could I make that up? Moral of the story is, if you're a guy that calls out people, watch out for older guys that may knock you out (UFC 100 Hendo vs. Bisping). Love him or hate him, Bisping is in your life for the remainder of the year with The Ultimate Fighter. Our buds at StudioMMA caught up with him last week after the premiere of the show and it appears that Bisping had more than a few drinks during the event. [Source]

Posted in: guy, bisping, dude, biker guy, guy storms

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“I don’t think it’ll be that big of a deal in this fight. Everybody Stefan comes across, fights and trains with is shorter than he is. Everybody that I come across, fight and train with is taller than I am. So this fight is going to be everything normal. How often does Stefan Struve come across someone taller than him? Not very often. And I haven’t come across many heavyweights shorter than I am. So I think this is going to be pretty normal. I’m accustomed to guys being taller than I am and Stefan is accustomed to guys shorter than he is… I found a guy I call the black Struve. Maurice Green, who’s 6-foot-9, he’s a guy who came in for three weeks, a wrestler turned kickboxer out of Chicago. He was a guy I brought in in order to find my range and work my distance. And then we’d have Marty Morgan, who’s 6-foot-3, stand on a stool while I threw punches and kicks at him.” — Pat Barry on a UFC on Versus 6 conference call via MMA Fighting talking about Stefan Struve’s height and reach advantage It’s hard to imagine that Stefan Struve’s extreme height and reach advantage won’t play a factor in their fight this weekend at UFC on Versus 6. Pat Barry may not think it’s a big deal, but Stefan Struve definitely plans to prove Barry wrong. He told reporters that he plans to use his reach and “pick him apart” at range. Barry of course will have to get inside where he can actually hit Struve with his much shorter limbs. However it goes down, it will definitely be entertaining to see the UFC’s tallest heavyweight vs. its shortest.

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Friends, readers, countrymen: lend me your eyes.  Today, in my own back yard, Rampage Jackson will attempt to dethrone the recently crowned Jon Jones at UFC 135 in Denver, Colorado.  I've yet to decide whether I'll be fiscally irresponsible enough to blow 20% of my first check on some nosebleed seats, but either way, Mr Castillo and I have some thoughts on some questions leading up to this card. Oh, and the questions seem substantially better this week, it's because they are - I did them. Does Rampage Jackson have what it takes to pull off the upset, or does he become the most high profile victim of Jon Jones? David: Rampage has what it takes to not look as inept as Shogun did because he can stop Jones' takedowns. Wait...no he won't. I kind of waiver on this point actually: Jackson was always notorious for having some damn good takedown defense, but only against fighters with traditional approaches, like the double leg or the kneetap. "Bones" is a different beast, and he showed that by absolutely tooling Bader and Vera (both with respectable wrestling ability) with his unique arsenal. On the feet I don't favor Jackson either. He's good inside, with his money punch being the hook, but that's not how you beat Bones standing. So yea, he'll be the first high profile victim of Jon Jones, and then we'll get to hear more bloggers try to convince us that the guy who didn't put people's lives at risk in a fit of idiocy and rage is the real villain. My only real complaint will be fans asking that Jones move to HW, which is ridiculous right now. Will MMA fans ever warm up to the idea that a champion should defend his belt at least 3 times, or must an "era" be anointed for every fighter that looks good in victory winning a UFC belt if even just once? Derek:  Well, I wouldn't say that Rampage would be the "first high profile victim of Jon Jones," as you did - that would be a response to a flawed, inaccurate question, the type of which I don't bring to the front page of Head Kick Legend.  Shogun Rua was and remains Jon Jones' FIRST high profile victim.  No, if you had taken the time and talent needed to properly read and understand the question, you'd know that I'm asking if Rampage will be the MOST high profile victim.  And he will.  Bones' ability to get the fight to the ground from a standing position will be Rampage's downfall here - recall how easily Jon bearhugged and took down Shogun after the latter missed a single punch about 15 seconds into the first.  With Quinton's wild hooks swinging around, look for Jones to stick his shoulder into an armpit and explode.  Where David and I are in COMPLETE agreement in is our disgust with the impatience of MMA fans regarding champions.  Newsflash: lording over an entire weight class for years is good enough.  Let the man fight where he wants to fight.   Who would you rather see win a fight: Josh Koscheck or Matt Hughes? David: It's crazy to think two guys who fans have traditionally deplored have garnered sympathy recently. That's what makes this fight so boring on paper. You want to hate one guy, but Hughes is on his retirement tour having led a legendary career, and Koscheck may never be the same after GSP stuck his left jab into Josh's optic nerve. However, not to be wishy washy here, my answer is Matt Hughes. His book reads like an episode of Jerry Springer, and despite that, I'd love to see him pick up a dramatic win. The only way I care for this fight is if Koscheck looks completely rejuvenated and finally learns how to throw something other than an overhand right.   Derek:  Matt Hughes.  No need for ambiguity.  If you're going to be an unrepentant dick, then be the most dominant welterweight of all time so that people at least kind of understand why you are the way you are.  When you're just a solid contender that's 0-2 against the champ (I still remember the shock I felt when Georges St Pierre outwrestled Josh Koscheck for three rounds in their first bout.  I watched that fight like dogs watch people have sex - scared and confused, but unable to turn away) and coming off of a layoff by calling out aging veterans, then it looks like you've been a jerk since grade school.  There's no way Koscheck learned another strike during the layoff.   Is Takanori Gomi going to make Stockton's collective month even worse, or can Nate Diaz fix his brother's Honda for a few more months? David: I'm going with the former. It's nothing personal. It's just that the universe tends to unfold as it should. It's not that Nate's a bad guy: it's that Nick has engendered enough bad karma to put poor Nate in the way of a cosmically justified beatdown. I do think Nate is the better fighter, but I also think Gomi will catch him in the exchanges just like he did against Nick, except I don't expect Nate to respond to a broken orbital bone the way his brother did. Unfortunately Nick will have to keep driving that Honda. It's a funny thing about busted vehicles: you have to fix them instead of installing thousand dollar video cameras into them just so you can talk to fans and scream obscenities to other drivers on youtube. Derek: We disagree again, you magnificent bastard.  I have z-e-r-o faith in Gomi's wrestling, which means Nate can choose where the fight happens.  I can't fathom Gomi at 170, so I have a feeling that Nate is the larger man.  I'm also cognizant of the passage of time, which means that 2011 is later than 2007, 33 is older than 28, and Gomi's fight against Nick Diaz has absolutely zero bearing on the outcome of this bout.  I think Nate is going to be more serious about cutting to lightweight this time (now that the welterweight experiment has officially fizzled, thanks to Rory MacDonald's suplexes) and we'll see him embarrass Takanori with range and speed.    Is Travis Browne going to be a significant player in the heavyweight division, or are we kidding ourselves because we hate how the division is today? David: We're not kidding ourselves because the division sucks. Browne could get upset by his British opponent with an inverted omoplata, and still be considered a title contender with a comeback victory over Einemo or something. Just consider the fact that either Barry or Struve will still be relevant in a couple of weeks. Travis is a good fighter though: I just think we haven't seen him in the right fights (I'm curious to see how he handles a wrestler).     Derek: I'm intrigued by Browne.  He's got this bouncy, Dominick Cruz esque footwork going on, and he absolutely blasted my boy Struve his last time out.  That said, it's a conundrum - you have to get excited about new guys because the division stinks, but you can't get TOO excited about new guys because the division stinks.  Sigh.  As far as Rob Broughton goes... yeah.   Can Mark Hunt get back to .500? David: To be fair to Hunt, he's had an insane schedule. The guy has been in there with the absolute best, so there's no shame in that. Whether fighting a prime Fedor, an Overeem on the upsurge, or a blue chip prospect like McCorkle...wait....ok so Hunt's not exactly a contender, but beating Rothwell could put him on a serious comeback trail. We're talking a potential  2 wins since 2006, and the pink slip hasn't come in the mail, so yea, this is HW alright. He has a good chance too. Rothwell is a strange guy, and is liable to trade with Mark. It wouldn't be the most brilliant plan, but Big Ben isn't exactly a Wonderlic star. I'm legally bound to support fighters with a K-1 past, so yea, Hunt will get back to .500.   Derek:  I think I'm the only Ben Rothwell fan left in existence.  Of course, "left" presumes there were a number of us in the before time/the long long ago, which is probably inaccurate.  IFL Never Die, amirite?  If Rothwell does what he did against Yvel - shoot, sit and stay - then he'll be fine.  Despite my hatred of PRIDE, however, I've always had a certain affection for Hunt, probably due to some sick combo of his kiss against Ray Sefo and the Atomic Butt Drop he attempted during competition over there.  One moment... (sees Hunt's extensive kickboxing background) (checks out name of website) Hunt it is!

Posted in: fight, guy, nbsp, nate, nbsp ;i

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"I don't want to be the future. I don't want to be the guy who makes no mistakes and does no wrong or the guy who can't swear in interviews. I'm just me. I'm a snotty-nosed 24-year-old who got good at fighting and now everyone cares what I say. I'm starting to realize everything goes away. There's nothing you should lose sleep over, no matter how bad it seems while it's happening. It all goes away." -- Believe it or not, there was a time when Jon Jones was the young talented kid that everyone thought was the future of mixed martial arts. Fighting on the preliminary card showed how talented he was without exposing him to a microphone. That is until he got good enough to earn a title shot thanks to a timely injury to Rashad Evans, a former teammate and training partner. Once "Bones" was put under the microscope, all his traits -- both good and bad -- have come to the surface and the spotlight has been unfavorable to him. Those that supported him in his earlier days are suddenly singing a different tune. Evans himself has painted a picture of a cocky kid that thinks he's untouchable. At first, Jones denied such claims and continued to put on a front for the media and fans. It seems now he's finally growing into his skin and while he says (via The Vancouver Sun) he's still the same guy he's always been, the perception of him has undoubtedly changed. Whether that's for the better or worse is in the eye of the beholder but his feud with Quinton Jackson, who he'll defend his light heavyweight title against tonight (Sept. 24) at UFC 135 in Denver, certainly hasn't helped matters. But, as Jones himself opined, no reason for anyone's panties to get up in a bunch about it. Get in, do the job, and get out. The rest takes care of itself.

Posted in: guy, jone, quinton jackson, future, vancouver sun

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With his brutal first-round destruction of Jesse Newell in Wednesday's debut episode of "The Ultimate Fighter 14," it should probably come as no surprise after whom Brazilian featherweight Diego Brandao models his game. "I have one guy: Wanderlei Silva," Brandao told MMAjunkie.com. "I think no matter what happens in his fights, he gives a show to the UFC in every one of his fights. "I look at this guy and say, 'I'm going to step in and compete like this guy.'"

Posted in: guy, wanderlei silva, debut episode, jesse newell, first-round destruction

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"My view is only in the Octagon. Don't care [about Strikeforce]. I don't care [who else comes over to the UFC]. Whoever they put in front of me it's the same objective: Kill. Beat that guy up. You guys want me to be an animal? I will be an animal. You put a guy in front of me and I'll have to tear his head off. That's my job." Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 14 coach Jason Miller (via MMA Nation) has no interest in the leftover scraps from Strikeforce, if and when they make their eventual transition to the UFC. In fact, "Mayhem" only cares about what's in front of him so he can be an "animal" and "kill." Since Michael Bisping (his opposing coach on the Spike TV reality show) is standing front and center, "The Count" will be the first fighter to either kill -- or be killed -- when they hook 'em up at the TUF 14 live finale on Dec. 3 in Las Vegas. Who will be victorious in this battle of mouthy middleweights?

Posted in: ufc, guy, mayhem miller, front, animal

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Nick Diaz solidified his place as the MMA counterpart to the NFL's Ricky Williams and MLB's Manny Ramirez. Williams, the pot-smoking holistic healer and yoga instructor whose social anxiety has seen him give post-game interviews with his helmet on, not to mention leave and return to the NFL on more than one occasion. Ramirez became known for his "Manny being Manny" shtick, which ranges anywhere from throwing balls into the stands with less than two outs to wandering into Fenway Park's Green Monster during a pitching change. Diaz's career is littered with similar tales. He attacked Joe Riggs in a hospital building after UFC 57. The Nevada State Athletic Commission overturned his victory over Takanori Gomi at Pride 33 after testing positive for testing well more than positive for THC. After a doctor stopped his bout with K.J. Noons due to facial lacerations, Diaz left the arena immediately, flipping off the crowd and cameras in the process. He engaged in two separate post-fight brawls altercations, the first with Noons and his father, the second as part of a gang attack on Jason Miller in Strikeforce. The latest addition to Diaz's "legend" took place two weeks ago, when he skipped two separate press conference to hype his UFC 137 title fight against Georges St. Pierre. He lost that title shot to Carlos Condit, but the UFC decided against cutting him, instead inserting him in the co-main event against Condit's original opponent, B.J. Penn. Dana White spoke with the media about handling Diaz (transcription from ESPN.com): I believe, and maybe I'm a little goofy, that I have a good rapport with this kid and we can work together....Here's the thing about Nick Diaz -- he's just a different guy. I'm going to have to handle him different than I do every other guy in the UFC. But that's cool. I can do that. I can figure this out where I can work with Nick and we can make this happen. ...I told him, listen, you have to show up. If people ask you questions, don't answer them if you don't want to. But you have to show up. This is refreshing. In the past, the UFC and Dana White would have no problems tossing a guy like Diaz away, simply because he didn't fit into the UFC mold. And, to be fair, the UFC had every right to cut Diaz for his behavior. It's nice, however, to see that the UFC can step back, take a deep breath, and figure out the optimal course of action instead of making a reactive decision in the heat of the moment.

Posted in: ufc, diaz, nick diaz, guy, nick

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And according to the UFC President, he's also 102-years-old. Dana White is referring to the latest controversy surrounding boxing, a quick end to the Floyd Mayweather vs Victor Ortiz fight that wrapped after Floyd's "Money" shot, which came as Ortiz was trying to kiss and make up following an illegal headbutt, sent his foe crashing to the canvas. In his post-fight interview, boxing analyst Larry Merchant interrogated Mayweather over the incident and the situation escalated to the point where Merchant was asking for a time machine to go back and "kick his ass." White tells MMA Fighting it was an "embarrassing" moment for HBO: "It's my big beef with Merchant for years. These guys get done fighting and he jumps in the ring and just starts saying off-the-wall, weird, rude [expletive] to these guys. Who the hell would want to do an interview with him? It's probably the thing they dread worse than training and cutting weight and everything, is their interview with Larry Merchant. It's ridiculous. I actually thought that [his statement] was very embarrassing for HBO. The guy is senile, he's out of his mind. He's up there berating Floyd, but Floyd can't say anything back to you? You've been disrespecting guys your whole career, and guess what, you can go back 60 years, you're not kicking Floyd's ass, okay? Give me a break. And what's Floyd going to do? A 102-year-old guy just said that to him." Footage of the "Star Power" knockout, as well as the infamous "Mayweather vs. Merchant" video, after the jump. The controversial ending: via Iron Forges Iron Followed by the controversial post-fight interview: How about it Maniacs, did Merchant cross the line? Or stick up for the little guy? Whose side are you taking in this debate? Sound off!

Posted in: guy, larry merchant, floyd, interview, merchant

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Filed under: UFCWhile the 14th season of The Ultimate Fighter airs on Spike TV, we'll be checking in regularly with Diego Brandao, who earned his spot in the house this season with a first-round knockout victory over Jesse Newell that was shown on Wednesday night's season premiere. Brandao was born and raised in Brazil, began training in Brazilian jiu-jitsu at age 14 and became a mixed martial arts fighter shortly after that. He currently lives in Albuquerque, N.M. and trains with Team Jackson/Winkeljohn. We talked this week about Brandao's knockout of Newell, his thoughts about moving into the Ultimate Fighter house and his career goals. The interview is below. Michael David Smith: You knocked Jesse Newell out very quickly in the first round. He seemed to be out when you knocked him down with the left hand but you landed one more on the ground. What were you thinking as that happened -- was the final punch necessary? Diego Brandao: I was just thinking that this is my opportunity. I wanted to prove to the world that I'm the best. I wanted to prove it to everybody. This is my time. No one is going to take this from me. I go for knockouts -- punch him in the face and knock him out. What has training with Greg Jackson and Mike Winkeljohn been like for you? They've been very good for me. Greg Jackson and Mike Winkeljohn cornering me in my fights is great, and I feel confident training with them -- they train the best fighters in the world. They helped me get on The Ultimate Fighter, and they will continue to help me in the future. What's your background? Where did you grow up and what inspired you to become a fighter? I grew up in Brazil, I've trained with great guys there. Wanderlei Silva is the guy who inspired me the most. He's my hero. I try to fight like Wanderlei Silva. I want people to see me fight and to think I look like Wanderlei Silva in Pride. I also wanted to do it for my family -- I've been training three years without seeing my family. What does your nickname, Ceara mean? I was born in a city called Ceara and later moved to Manaus, Amazonas. In Brazil my name is Diego Ceara -- people call me that because I come from there. Were there any problems living in the house with all the other fighters? I had problems with some of the guys who were watching too much TV. A lot of the times I just wanted the guys to stay away from me, but it was cool. Six weeks living in that house is easy for me after I've been away from my family for three years. I'm willing to do all this to reach my dream. What do you want fans to know about you? I'm a very humble guy. My mom and my dad taught me that. I'm a fun guy, too. I like to play, I like to make friends, but I was in this to fight. This is my time, and this is my chance to become a champion in the UFC. (Editor's note: Check back every week for Brandao's thoughts on the latest episode of The Ultimate Fighter.) Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Posted in: guy, fighter, wanderlei silva, brandao, diego brandao

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As usual, Dana White chatted with the press about all the hot topics in MMA following today’s UFC 135 pre-fight press conference. MMA Nation has video of the chat above. Below, rundown of all the news and notes along with Dana’s interview with MMA Fighting’s Ariel Helwani. — Now that Nick Diaz, Alistair Overeem and Dan Henderson have all officially left Strikeforce, pretty much no one expects the organization to stick around in its current form when the Showtime deal ends in Feb. 2012. Dana White says however that Strikeforce’s future is completely in Showtime’s hands. “Who knows what’s going to happen? The way this thing works is, it depends on Showtime. The ball’s in their court. They need to decide whether they want to keep Strikeforce around or not.” “It depends on whether they seriously want to stay in the business, the mixed martial arts business,” White said, before hinting that he thought Strikeforce had signed a bad deal when it aligned itself with Showtime. “Everybody that comes into this business thinks that pay-per-view or free TV is the holy grail, the answer to everybody’s problems. Bulls–t. Either of those two things will put you out of business. You get into a bad deal with one of these companies, and the next thing you know you’re $30 million in the hole.” “I would classify everybody who’s done a television deal out there besides us has done a bad deal. Everyone.” Dana added that Showtime only has about a month left to decide whether or not they want to extend the contract with Showtime, but reading between the lines it doesn’t sound like Zuffa is just going to agree to the same terms that Scott Coker and Co. did even if Showtime is interested. If you ask me, the writing’s on the wall. — Nick Diaz is officially off Dana White’s shit list. Dana says he’s spent some quality time on the phone with Diaz since the press conference incident and has come to the realization that he’s just going to have deal with him differently than the other fighters. “Here’s the thing with Nick Diaz, which I’m not used to, but I’m going to get used to it: He’s just a different guy,” White today told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com). “I’m going to have to handle him and deal with him differently than I do every other guy in the UFC.” “It’s not that he has to,” he said. “But you have to play by some of the rules. I’m not asking you to not be yourself … or come up to me and say ‘hi’ to me when you see me. It doesn’t matter. But I think I can work with it, and I think we can figure this thing out. I respect him as a fighter, people like to see him fight, there’s no doubt he’s got a little nutty side to him, but we’ll figure this thing out. “What I’m more worried about are the things that he has to do, like follow the rules that the athletic commission of whatever state we’re in lays down. You’ve got to follow those rules. There’s no bending or curving on that. All the other stuff is all, who cares. The kid’s a fighter.” Dana hasn’t confirmed that Diaz will get another title shot if he beats BJ Penn, but he hasn’t ruled it out either. — Dan Henderson vs. Mauricio “Shogun” Rua and Wanderlei Silva vs. Cung Le are the official main and co-main events for UFC 139. As expected, Dana White hinted that Hendo and Shogun could very well determine who fights for the UFC light heavyweight title after Rashad Evans. “It would be tough not to give the winner of that fight the next shot after Rashad (Evans),” White said. “Rashad’s next.” Dana confirmed that the potential number one contender’s bout will be a five-rounder. — Wanderlei Silva’s future in the UFC could be on the line when he faces Cung Le at UFC 139. Dana stopped short of saying that he would definitely force Wand to retire if he loses to Le, but he definitely hinted that it’s a real possibility. “It’s one of those things,” White said. “There’s this fine line between telling a guy you’ve got to hang it up and him actually wanting to hang it up. We’ll give him this fight with Cung Le, and we’ll go from there.” “He knew going into that last fight how I felt about it,” White told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com). “The thing with me is, I love Wanderlei. Wanderlei has been awesome ever since he’s come to the UFC. You couldn’t ask for a nicer guy and a guy who goes in and gives it all. But listen, I don’t want to see a guy go in and get hurt. You guys have heard me say it a million times: I don’t want to make one dollar of that kind of money. I don’t. Otherwise, if that was the case, Chuck Liddell would still be fighting. “People get pissed off every time I say this – people are like, ‘Who are you?’ Unfortunately for people who don’t like it, I am the one who makes those decisions. Whether you like it or not, too [expletive] bad.” — Neither Dana White nor Matt Hughes knows what’s next for him after the Koscheck fight, but neither are talking like this is the end if Hughes loses. All Hughes would say is he doesn’t want to fight in his 40′s. He’s 37 now. You do the math. — Don’t tell Clay Guida and Ben Henderson, but Dana White seems to be favoring Melvin Guillard for the next lightweight title shot if he beats Joe Lauzon at UFC 136.

Posted in: ufc, guy, dana, showtime, thing

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It was July of 1997. While some of us were were eagerly anticipating the August release of Goldeneye 64 and September's Final Fantasy VII, Aaron Riley was anticipating his first professional fight. At the tender age of 16, Aaron Riley stepped into the ring at Hook n Shoot: When Worlds Collide, winning once by heel hook and then fighting later in the night only to lose via kneebar. Martial arts had always been the focal point of Aaron's life and now he was living it, coming up through the ranks old school MMA style, eventually hitting up Pride and knocking out Omigawa in between UFC visits and an IFL stint. To put it into terms set in my opening sentence: Aaron Riley was a busy dude: he was on his 17th fight by the time Perfect Dark came out. Now almost fourteen years later Aaron Riley and I sat down to discuss his time at the Jackson camp, his opponent for UFC 135 Tony Ferguson and what it was like growing up in MMA.   So I was looking through your Twitter, can you explain this "Van Damme kick" you showed Jon Bones Jones? Haha I always horse around with Jon in the gym and it was just a kick playing around but I told him if he used it in the fight he has to give me props. There is a really, really small percentage chance of that but hahaha if he does I'm going to be all over him.   Can you describe it? Haha it's an old school like hook kick and it knocks your opponent down then you stomp him again. It was so funny because we were goofing off with it in the gym and he got real serious trying to do it and all of a sudden it became this big challenge to him and he was all like "no, no, I can do this" and it was really funny so it was more of a joke than anything.   How is the Jackson camp doing right now collectively? It seems busier than ever and I know Tim Kennedy is heading out there soon... Oh it's awesome yeah Tim is awesome. He's a funny dude man, unfortunately I will be shipping out as soon as he ships in to work with Brian (Stann). We have a lot of superstars here right now. We have everyone, it's a full house. It seems like everyone on the roster is here right now. Clay and Cub are back around, Melvin, Carlos is getting ready, me and Jon are getting ready for Denver. Everything is going down.   Who are your sparring partners right now in preparation for Tony Ferguson? You know I work with a lot of guys, from the up and comers to the stars. Of course I work with a lot of 55'rs like Melvin or Clay. Isaac Vallie-Flagg is a buddy of mine who I stay with when I'm out here and he recently just got signed to Strikeforce. He was an up and comer but now he's breaking through and he's a real solid competitor, but I'm working with all kinds of guys that may have been in the gym for a long time but just aren't that well known yet but you will know pretty soon.   So you were 17 when you started pro fighting... Actually 16   Sixteen! That's insane! What was it like as a sixteen year old back in 1996-97 with the sport coming up tying to have to explain to your parents and the people around you what you were doing? Well the cool thing was that my parents always knew because I was always crazy about martial arts anyways, and so this tournament comes out, the UFC tournament and I had these visions of it being Bloodsport. So I just saw what happened and I wanted to be the striker that comes in and beats all these grapples. The funny thing is that I was doing Judo at the time and I borrowed a tape from my Judo coach and he said "Oh the Judo guy won the tournament". So I thought awesome, my style won. But then I turn it on to see that no Judo but Jiu Jitsu won and it was the Gracies who I had read an article about six or eight months prior to the UFC starting and I thought "man, these guys are really arrogant and I don't like how they come off". Now I was like twelve at the time, so you know they were all saying their style was the best and back when I was young I was all into the style thing. So I'm thinking, oh I can beat those guys. So from that moment on I was just knew I wanted to get in that tournament one day. Basically I was trying to educate everybody around me because everybody just thought it was a fight and I was saying no, it's the ultimate proving ground for martial arts. It started out as the ultimate proving ground but now it has evolved into a huge chance for an individual athlete.   Yeah that's the best part about watching the old shows, the true style vs style matchup was so pure. Yeah haha, now everybody is just a mixed martial artist they kind of do everything or they should be able to.   What is that like for someone like you, you have been in this sport for so many years and have truly grown up in it, what is it like to witness this evolution? Sometimes it's tough because I have to make sure I'm keeping up. The game has changed a lot and there are a lot of new techniques. I've also just learned a lot overall about the athleticism part of it. Lots of innovations and innovating people out there with new school training techniques. Everybody out there now has strength and conditioning coaches and they have dietitians at the UFC level. Some of the other B level shows are definitely getting a hold of that stuff too. The athleticism has shot through the roof and with more money involved that will attract more athletes and more people which will make it a tougher talent pool. But it's great because the popularity and exposure has been through the roof.   You can see the generation gaps now with the difference between the guys who start at 13 or 14 and go pro at 18 now as opposed to back 10-15 years ago. You can see the difference of training MMA through their respective careers rather than 1 art then the next and so on. Yeah exactly, the funny thing is, Greg Jackson and I were just talking about this. It's funny because those guys get to see the mistakes that the old school guys made and they get to learn from that and so the old school vets were kind of the guinea pigs and now people look at it like 'well this was a bad idea here and there so I'm gonna do this and that' so yeah, the new guys really have an opportunity to build off of us.   That's interesting and I say it a lot: the sport is so young still. Coming from someone like you who has fought in the gymnasiums in Texas against Yves Edwards with open fists to Pride rules and all over the country no holds barred to now the unified rules, how do you like how the sport as evolved? Do you think the rules are moving in the correct direction? Eh, I think they are. The only thing I wish they allowed that would alleviate a lot of stalling is knees to the head on the ground. Now I don't think that will ever be allowed in the UFC again but that would really cut down on a lot of stalling and all this jazz about someone getting caught in a front headlock and then they put their hand on the ground now their opponent can't knee them.It would get rid of a lot of stalling. That's the one rule I wish we would change but at the same time people see other people getting kneed in the head and I'm not even talking soccer kicks...but people will see that and politicians will get in an uproar again so it probably won't happen.   Coming from the Jackson's camp, it seems like you guys were getting a bad rap, even though it isn't deserved when you look at the solid numbers, for laying and praying and stalling. Do you see that as a normal gameplan or is that the uneducated fans spouting their mouths off? It's just people looking for something to complain about. Off the top of my head, Melvin has a bunch of knockouts, Stann just KO'd Jorge Santiago, Carlos had the flying knee and that's just recent. Jon Jones always does...Sometimes whenever it dies down and it gets quiet and the fans need something to jump on, I don't know. Sometimes too, Dana says something and the people gravitate towards that, because he did say something before and Dana is opinionated and maybe he felt like that at the moment and a bunch of people rallied behind it. Of course we are all trying to win fights and do you really think that we aren't going out there trying to win fight of the night, knockout of the night or submission of the night? No. They key is to win and win impressively. Coach doesn't have classes on how to be boring and stall out the fight.   You have fought TUF vets before and you are facing another in Tony Ferguson, what are your thoughts on The Ultimate Fighter as someone who had 38 fights before you got to the UFC? Well the thing is they get through the show and then when they actually get to the UFC, since those fights are considered exhibitions, if they make it to the show and beat two or three fighters then OK they belong. But if they don't they get weeded out. I think it's a faster track than it used to be with the show but you have to prove to people you belong or you won't be sticking around.   How amazing is it to see the UFC on Fox promos during football games? Man it's great to see the sport grow in such a relatively short amount of time. It's going to mean bigger things and more money for everyone allowed. I'm so proud to be part of the fastest growing sport in the world. I remember when I was younger thinking about the fights and if they were ever on TV I would watch it 24 hours a day. Now there are so many fights there is no way. I've seen enough MMA at this stage anyway, but man MMA was so hard to find trying to get bootleg videos and stuff. You know fights from Brazil. Watching UFC was like waiting for Christmas because it only came around every three or four months. I used to just wait for it to come around. So funny.   Yeah I still have my crappy Pancrase bootlegs that have been dubbed about ten times. Those tapes were so terrible.   You have fought with just about everyone, Pride, IFL, Hook n Shoot-who do you look back on most fondly? They were all great and so much fun in Texas. Hook n Shoot, that's where I grew up so that was awesome. Fighting in Japan and Pride was really a rush because that was something I had always wanted to do and somehow all of the pieces fell together and in typical Japanese style they called me two weeks before the fight and asked me if I would come over. I was like "uh OK, I'm twenty pounds overweight but I will start cutting now haha" then to go over there and get the knockout over a Japanese opponent (Omigawa), that was such a rush. All of the fights in all of the different shows it was so much fun I loved all of it.   You've spoken a lot about the Nick Diaz debacle, how do you feel about him still getting to fight and it being BJ Penn? It's really unfortunate how that worked out because I was excited to see that, I really wanted to see that fight, Diaz and GSP. But I hate it when the UFC rewards unprofessional behavior so I thought it was cool to see them finally take a stand. Yeah maybe you could say they still backed down a little because he still got a fight but at any rate it's a tough situation. It wasn't that big of a deal to me but I liked how they finally took a stand against people being unprofessional. On TUF for example, it's always about oh the guy who is the most outlandish and ridiculous gets the most TV time and gets the biggest fight after the show is over. It's unfortunate.   As a teammate of Jon Jones what do you think about Rampage's accusation that Jon sent spies into his camp? Completely fabricated to create more buzz around the fight. Jon the other day was just saying about how (Rampage) was crazy and he didn't understand where he got that information from. Yeah Jon isn't doing it. Said to create buzz.   You guys are together under the same roof once again: Yves Edwards vs Aaron Riley III. Will it happen? Hahaha Joe Silva knows the history there so it's up to him. It just is if our career happens to cross paths again.   Would you be down? Possibly. It could be built up really well if they used footage from the past.There is a way it could be approached and I'm not saying main event or anything but they could use old footage and it could be something people would be interested in.   Those fights are great, and there is that old documentary... Throwdown! Yeah!   Yeah, that's impossible to find. That would be so cool. Yeah it's rare and pretty old, Jeff Osbourne made it and I could try my best to hook you up with a copy. It's a pretty cool documentary and it's a great look at that time. That's its charm though haha.  

Posted in: ufc, fight, guy, people, lot

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It's pretty rude to address a person that took the time to analyze 12,000 MMA fights as 'some guy.' His name is Vik Singh, and his official title is 'some guy that is a glutton for data mining.' In short, he took a database of 11,886 fight records and fed them into a supercomputer to identify any trends with winning and losing an MMA bout. He extracted a gargantuan amount of information, and it seems like he will use this data to make an absurd amount of money in online betting. You can check out his scientific blog right here to see what he intends to do with this data, but check out the extraordinary facts he discovered in his arm-chair mathematical experiment. [Source] Top UFC Insights Fighters older than 32 years of age will more likely lose This was validated in 173 out of 277 (62%) fights*   Fighters who have won 3x or more decisions than their opponent will more likely win This was validated in 142 out of 235 (60%) fights*   Fighters younger than their opponents by 3 or more years in age will more likely win This was validated in 165 out of 278 (59%) fights*   Fighters who haven’t fought in more than 210 days will more likely lose This was validated in 162 out of 276 (59%) fights*   Fighters taller than their opponents by 3% will more likely win This was validated in 159 out of 274 (58%) fights*   Fighters who have lost less by submission than their opponents will more likely win This was validated in 75 out of 119 (63%) fights*   Fighters who have lost 6 or more fights will more likely lose This was validated in 172 out of 291 (60%) fights*   Fighters who have lost 2 or more KOs will more likely lose This was validated in 54 out of 84 (64%) fights*   Fighters from Japan are more likely to lose This was validated in 36 out of 51 (71%) fights*   Fighters with a wrestling background vs fighters who don’t have one more likely win This was validated in 72 out of 122 (60%) fights   Top Insights over All Fights   Fighters currently on a 3 fight (or better) winning streak will more likely win This was validated in 1172 out of 1884 (62%) fights*   Fighters with 3x or more wins than their opponents will more likely win This was validated in 1395 out of 2387 (58%) fights*   Fighters who have lost 7 or more times will more likely lose This was validated in 1305 out of 2299 (57%) fights*   Fighters with no jiu jitsu in their background versus fighters who do have it more likely lose This was validated in 334 out of 568 (59%) fights*   Fighters who have lost by submission 5 or more times will more likely lose This was validated in 580 out of 986 (59%) fights*   Fighters in the Middleweight division who fought their last fight more recently will more likely win This was validated in 272 out of 446 (61%) fights*   Fighters in the Lightweight division fighting 6 foot tall fighters (or higher) will more likely win This was validated in 50 out of 83 (60%) fights

Posted in: fight, guy, fighter, opponent,   fighters

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Back again with another round, as it were. As you may have heard by now our camp got some bad news with Eddie Alvarez having to pull out of his title-fight against Michael Chandler at Bellator 54. Mike was completely disappointed, but, as I told him, all it means is it taking a little longer to get the belt. Bellator is talking about late November for the fight so this gives us an extra month to get prepared, work on some stuff, and perfect some other things. Who knows, it might even be a blessing in disguise. The dates being looked at are November 19 or 26. As long as the fight happens this year that’s what matters. We don’t want to sit out until next year. We want to stay active. We were a few weeks out, he was about to peak, and now we have to pull back so he doesn’t over-train. If Eddie is out longer, I’d rather have Mike fight again then have him sit around for 6-7 months as long as we still get the title-shot. The more active you are, the better you get. As far as my thoughts on UFC Fight Night 25, Jason MacDonald has been in the gym a few times and is a very likable person but Alan Belcher was too strong for him. He got on top and punched him out with great ground and pound. Jonathan Brookins is not the best striker so he tried to take the fight to the ground, but Koch showed that he was the better on his feet between the two. He did what he needed to do and kept the fight standing, plus it’s always a plus to have a guy like Duke Roufus in your corner as well. Working with a guy that good is going to get Koch to the next level without a doubt. I thought Court McGee vs. Dongi Yang was a close fight in the first two rounds. Then, in the third, Court got caught and was hurt, but Yang was too tired whereas McGee showed his conditioning. People talk about Court’s fitness because he runs in high altitude based on his camp being in Utah and he showed why last Saturday night. He recovered quickly from being hurt and he finished the fight strong which broke Yang mentally. Jake Ellenberger put together an excellent fight. Is he strong or what? Great job by Mike Dolce too, very possibly the best nutritionist in MMA. Ellenberger came into the fight in great shape and didn’t have to cut much weight either. Dolce has the perfect diet for guys, and to be quite honest I love working with guys who are on the Dolce Diet. Ellenberger’s hands were very fast and in general he looked incredible as evident by the way he took out Jake Shields. Also, one of our guys was in action too – Evan Dunham. First, I want to congratulate Evan on getting married in a few weeks. Second, I want to congratulate him on winning this past weekend. I don’t work with Evan as his striking coach is Ray Sefo who did a great job for this camp. I see Dunham at the gym every day and watch him spar. It’s clear to me he’s getting better. He’s a tough kid and there’s no doubt he’s going to keep climbing the lightweight ladder. Looking ahead to this weekend and UFC 135, I think Josh Koscheck is constantly improving. I think he’ll be faster than Matt Hughes who is a little older. Hughes has power and is a great wrestler, but Koscheck is equally good on the mat and has faster hands. Plus, Hughes has been hurt with punches in the past, and for those reasons I think Koscheck will stop him. In terms of the main event, Quinton Jackson has more experience but Jon Jones is not your typical 24-year old kid. The stuff that he does is not taught – it’s natural talent. I guarantee no trainer tells him to throw those spinning and jumping strikes. He’s so athletic and just fights on instinct. That type of fighter is so hard to beat! You can’t train for something like that, and so I think Jones it going to win this fight. To beat Jones you need someone just as fast as him and someone quick enough to see things coming and counter. However, right now, I don’t see too many out there who can do that. And I would LOVE to help out “Rampage” with his boxing. It’s good and his hands are “Top 10” in MMA where striking is concerned but he could use work on his footwork, as well as punching when moving forward really and getting some speed in his hands. The power is clearly there though. That’s it for this week. Stay tuned for future blogs. Remember, on top of reading about my adventures here, you can also find me on Twitter (@mastermitter). Tweet

Posted in: fight, ellenberger, guy, ’t, hand

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Filed under: UFCDENVER -- With as fired up as UFC president Dana White gets when talking about last weekend's Floyd Mayweather-Victor Ortiz boxing match, you almost wouldn't know that his organization put on some fights of its own that same night. Following Wednesday's UFC 135 press conference, White ripped into referee Joe Cortez for "destroying" the highly-anticipated bout, but he saved his most virulent criticism for HBO commentator Larry Merchant, who found himself in a bizarre confrontation with Mayweather after the controversial ending. "It's my big beef with Merchant for years," White said. "These guys get done fighting and he jumps in the ring and just starts saying off-the-wall, weird, rude [expletive] to these guys. Who the hell would want to do an interview with him? It's probably the thing they dread worse than training and cutting weight and everything, is their interview with Larry Merchant. It's ridiculous." Merchant drew Mayweather's ire in the post-fight interview for asking about the dubious fight-ending punch combo that, while legal, seemed dirty to many. As Mayweather criticized Merchant for what he regarded as a history of bias on the part of the 80-year-old TV commentator, suggesting that HBO should fire him, Merchant retorted, "I wish I was 50 years younger and I would kick your ass." It was a lapse in professionalism that apparently didn't help to endear him to White, an avid boxing fan. "I actually thought that that was very embarrassing for HBO," the UFC president said. "The guy is senile, he's out of his mind. He's up there berating Floyd, but Floyd can't say anything back to you? You've been disrespecting guys your whole career, and guess what, you can go back 60 years, you're not kicking Floyd's ass, okay? Give me a break. And what's Floyd going to do? A 102-year-old guy just said that to him." For the 35 minutes that White spoke to reporters following the pre-fight press conference inside the Pepsi Center, no subject seemed to hold as much interest for him as the Mayweather-Ortiz bout and its aftermath. Though he claimed not to have watched the Strikeforce World Heavyweight Grand Prix event on Showtime the weekend before, Mayweather-Ortiz prompted a lengthy rant from White on all the ways Cortez had erred in his handling of the fight, and how it only proved that "something needs to be done" about the athletic commissions that handle both MMA and boxing events. "Realistically, when you look at it, boxing puts on two big fights a year," White said. "Two big fights a year. They [expletive] up one of them. The referee destroyed that fight. He destroyed it. ...That was a multi-, multi-million dollar fight that this one guy destroyed. Because I don't know about you guys, but I was watching the fight, I would have liked to have seen how that really would have ended." White added that what really scares him is the potential for an athletic commission or a referee to wreak similar havoc on a UFC bout at a juncture as critical for MMA as the Mayweather-Ortiz bout may have been for boxing. "The last thing that I want to have happen is that, to me, on FOX," White said. At least White doesn't have to worry about Merchant on any of his broadcasts. From the sound of things, the veteran boxing commentator can rule out any potential future with the UFC.  Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Posted in: fight, guy, boxing, floyd, merchant

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No fighter wants to be labeled "The Gatekeeper." The position sounds important. In a way, it is. Unfortunately, it can also be replaced with the less flattering synonymous term of "stepping stone." On Sat., Sept. 24 in Denver, Colorado, Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) lightweight Aaron Riley will welcome former Ultimate Fighter (TUF) competitor Tony Ferguson to the 155-pound division at UFC 135. Ferguson will not only be fighting to prove he belongs in the UFC, but also that he's more than just the "angry drunk" character from a reality television series. Riley had a few things to say to Heavy.com about Ferguson's antics on the show. "The thing is, what I don't like is when people go on the show, act up, and they just get put in these higher profile fights and things," clarified Riley, adding, "I just wanted to make it clear that I do think that the guys from TUF, if they get their wins in the UFC, then they do deserve to be in there." Riley went on to state his aversion to the quick rise to fame some of the TUF fighters receive, possibly less for their actual ability and more for their bravado and television persona. It's not the first time a mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter has voiced concerns of this nature. "I just seems kind of unfair when you've got guys that are boiling away in the gym, day and night - I know guys that have other jobs besides fighting, they're trying to make it into the big time. They don't have time to do all that other stuff - that acting up; they're too busy just working hard, so it's just kind of nice to see that that doesn't always work out being the bad guy." Saturday's match-up will spotlight a very interesting match-up between a veteran fighter and a rising up-and-comer. Riley has 43 MMA bouts under his belt. Ferguson has 13. Interestingly enough, there is only a three year age difference between the two athletes (Riley is 30 and Ferguson is 27).  Both fighters are coming off a win. Both have something to prove. The strategies of the respective fighters is not a secret. In all likelihood, Ferguson will want to keep things on the feet, whereas Riley will probably look for the takedown as soon as the opportunity presents itself.  "Riley vs. Ferguson" will be one of two preliminary fights featured on Spike TV, after the Facebook prelims and directly before the pay-per-view (PPV) main card begins. What say you, Maniacs? Is Ferguson just another "bad boy" getting air time for his bad behavior? Do you expect Riley to get the win and prove he's nobody's stepping stone? Weigh in!

Posted in: ufc, guy, fighter, ferguson, riley

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The fourteenth season of “The Ultimate Fighter” kicks off on Wednesday night.  That’s right, there’s been fourteen seasons of them, which translates into about ten thousand episodes and countless instances of people urinating on pillows and defiling food, all caught on camera for the world to watch and wonder about for eternity.  But the long-running reality show has given us some good things.  I’m not talking about the exposure – for sure TUF has been successful in saving the sport and bringing it to the masses.  No, I’m actually talking about fighters.  Some won the competition, some didn’t even come close, but they’ve all taken the spotlight shown upon them and shined in their own ways.  Here, then, is a list of the greatest TUF contributions of all time, in no particular order.  Just remember: let he who is without reality TV sin cast the first stone. -Forrest Griffin – Good old Griffin took top honors in the inaugural season, blazing a trail through the forest of celebrity to be spoon-fed easy opponents, climb the rankings, defeat tougher guys, coach TUF,  earn a title shot, take the belt, lose the belt, and not care at all about fighting anymore.  That’s one heck of a career!  Thanks to Griffin, we know now to what heights a TUF winner can rise to.  Also, we know how much they weep when Keith Jardine knocks them out. -Diego Sanchez – This TUF 1 winner made an impact partly because of his ability to scrap and partly because of his ability to be crazy.  Luckily for Sanchez, the gutsy wars he’s fought in the cage – against Karo Parisyan, Joe Stevenson and Clay Guida, among others – overshadows his propensity for standing in the rain trying to harness lightning. -Chris Leben – He did not win TUF, and he may never challenge for the middleweight belt, but you cannot say Leben doesn’t like to stand and bang.  And while he may not always win (remember how badly Anderson Silva mauled him?), the dude leaves it all the Octagon just about every time – which means he can be a viable main eventer or simply someone who will plug up holes in a card.  That’s versatility. -Josh Koscheck – Another TUF 1 washout, Koscheck has proven to have the kind of promotional longevity many aspire to and few achieve.  He’s won some, he’s lost some, he’s coached TUF and he’s challenged Georges St. Pierre for the belt.  That’s a pretty respectable resume. -Rashad Evans – The winner of TUF 2 has firmly established himself as a top guy in the light-heavyweight division, and he even wore the crown briefly after dethroning fellow TUF star Griffin.  Like Leben, Evans has got versatility, but his is more about being both a good guy and a bad guy, and that goes a long way toward bringing eyeballs to fights. -Michael Bisping – Bisping, who emerged victorious from TUF 3, has made a decent living being “that guy”.  You know, the one who runs his mouth, and when Dan Henderson knocks him out everyone jumps for joy.  The Brit’s skills are legit and his record isn’t bad at all (his only losses have been to Henderson, Evans and Wanderlei Silva), and this coming season of TUF will mark his second stint as a coach.  Pretty cool for a person people love to hate. -Matt Serra – Serra was far from a contender when TUF 4 rolled around, but with a title shot at stake for the competition’s top dog, the jiu-jitsu black belt made the most of the opportunity by winner the whole shebang.  Then, in what many consider one of the biggest upsets of all time, he TKO’d champ St. Pierre.  Since then Serra’s coached a season of TUF, won some fights and lost some, and eased into a leisure lifestyle of taking only big fights while eating pasta in the meantime. -Kimbo Slice – If anything, Slice’s tenure on TUF let the world see how the Bearded One truly stacks up against legitimate competition.  Because remember: prior to that, the average Joe only knew him from YouTube and CBS, where Slice came across of the best thing since sliced bread (yes, all sorts of puns intended).  For SpikeTV, the upside was monstrous ratings; true fans of the sport benefitted by the dispelling of one of MMA’s last, most enduring myths.  You want to be a f***ing fighter?  No?  Okay, then get out of here.

Posted in: time, guy, season, belt, tuf

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Ed West has been here before. In fact, outside of the current champion, Zach Makovsky, he's the only one who's been here before. West fought in the inaugural Bellator season three bantamweight tournament, surviving two tough opponents to make it to the finals where he lost the championship bout in to "Fun Size" after being put on his back for five straight rounds.  The fighter who trains out of Apex MMA in Tucson, Arizona is back again for the Bellator season five bantamweight tournament, which debuts at Bellator 51. "Wild" West is competing in a stacked tournament field that includes current featherweight champion Joe Warren and former WEC champion Chase Beebe among others. West spoke with MMAmania.com about his thoughts on his title fight with Makovsky, changes in his training and what we can expect when he faces Luiz Nogueira this Saturday night (September 24, 2011) in Canton, Ohio. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): You were a finalist in the inaugural Bellator bantamweight tournament but you came up short against Zach Makovsky. Can you talk about that fight? Ed West: Well, I lost the fight. Honestly, I just didn't perform well in that fight. Zach had a really good night that night and I just didn't have a good night. I feel like in retrospect, if hindsight's 20/20, I could have done a lot better. I didn't really have a very good game plan for Makovsky and I think the next time I fight him I will do a lot better. I really think I fought him the wrong way. Styles make fights and in this sport, the way you fight somebody makes a huge deal in the outcome. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): It seemed like in the last tournament, you were an extremely dangerous fighter with your jiu-jitsu and you were a really dangerous fighter with your stand-up and I know you consider yourself a well-rounded mixed martial artist. Wrestling seemed to be something that was troublesome, though, so does it bother you at all that this upcoming bantamweight tournament is loaded with some incredibly talented and elite wrestlers? Ed West: No, not really. I've always fought good wrestlers. Probably every dude I've ever fought has been a good wrestler and that's just the way this sport is headed right now. There are plenty of guys who will remain nameless who get their ass kicked in a fight, score a takedown at the end of a round and win the fight. That seems to be kind of the norm going on right now. I don't really have a problem with wrestlers. I think I've got really good ground skills and all the guys who I've defeated have been really good wrestlers, I just happened to have dropped a really tough 25 minute decision to a really, really good wrestler in Zach Makovsky. Zach isn't just a good wrestler though. He's a very intelligent fighter who knew exactly what to do in order to defeat me that night and he executed it rather well.  Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): How much motivation do you have coming into this tournament to get through this field and get that rematch to prove that you can be the better man? Ed West: I would love to fight Zach again. I totally dig the guy, I really do. Every time me and Zach have been on a Bellator card, we've been there together. We've cut weight together at Bellator events and I had a feeling I'd wind up fighting the guy. He's a super cool dude but don't get me wrong, I'd totally love to kick his ass because I did lose to him. I'm trying hard not to focus on Zach because I've got these guys in this tournament who are fantastic names that I would love to get on my record and that in itself will be its own reward. I'm looking at beating up Nogueira, Dantes, Joe Warren, Beebe and plenty of good names that I would love to get on my record. By the time I get to Zach it would just be a bonus. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): Let's talk about this field. You're scheduled to face Luiz Nogueira, a talented young ground fighter. What are your thoughts on this guy? Ed West: He's good, but there's really nobody in this tournament that you can point to and think, "That guy's not that good." Every dude in this tournament has potential and could possibly win it. I think Luiz Nogueira has good stand-up, tight punches, he likes to throw kicks and I'm hoping that we're gonna have a real exciting fight. I've been working really hard on my wrestling and wrestling defense and my takedowns obviously because that's one of my weaker parts of my game. That's something I've been working really hard on in this past year. I think you're gonna see me really emphasize that part of my fight more. Everyone always tells me about Luiz Nogueira, "Oh, Brazilian national wrestling champion! Brazilian national wrestling champion!" I'm like, "So what? What does that mean?" Like if I told you I was the best jiu-jitsu guy in France, would everybody go "Oooooh?" I'm sure he has good wrestling just like most guys in this sport have good wrestling. His wrestling is not gonna be on the level of a Makovsky or a Warren or anything like that. It's just not. Most of the guys I've fought have been better wrestlers than me and I've beat them so I don't think this will be any different. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): After the Makovsky fight, you went out there and got a really quick first round submission. How did it feel to get that bounce-back win and boost your confidence? Ed West: I never lost the confidence. I have the Desert Rage 135 pound title and after I got done with Bellator, I had fought three times in six weeks for them so I was looking to take a month or two off. But then after the year I was calling my manager and trying to get another fight in Bellator, hoping for a superfight or something and I heard they might not have anything until the next tournament in September. I didn't want to have that much time off so luckily for me Desert Rage called me about defending my title and I went down there and fought a very game opponent in Sam Rodriguez, another very good wrestler and he took me down but I armbarred him. I've got more armbars on my record than I know what to do with. It seems to be the submission that I catch more than anything else. I really like submitting guys and I'm always happy with the win no matter how I get it.  Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): I'd like to talk your stint in the IFL. You fought there as a lightwight, giving up 20+ pounds to these guys and while you lost all three fights there, you were a very game opponent and you went to a decision in all three fights. Can you talk about how that experience shaped you and what it was like? Ed West: The IFL was a great experience for me. It proved to me that I could get up there and compete against top level dudes, big top level dudes and that I could hang with those guys. In retrospect, it put three losses on my record that I probably did not need. I think about how much better my record would look if I hadn't gone up and tried to take on three 155 pounders but you know, my mind-set was different back then. I must have been about 9-1 as a pro and I was having trouble finding fights and I wasn't making much money. I got that invite to the IFL and I thought I'd be a fool if I didn't take this opportunity even though in the back of my head I was like, "I ain't no 155 pounder." If anybody ever watches my old IFL fights, I fought Chris Horodecki and my weight was 149 and against Savant Young I was like 150 and these guys are cutting from 170-something to come down and fight. If you look at a fight like Georges St. Pierre and B.J. Penn, those are two guys that have equally amazing skills but one guy has 15-20 pounds of extra muscle on the other and he's gonna edge it out. As much as I want to look at it just like a fight, I should been looking at it more as a sport in retrospect. The IFL did treat me well. They paid me the first substantial amount of money that I ever made in the sport. I went from making $500 and a couple tickets to all of the sudden having something to show for it. They put me on TV, gave me some good exposure and I did get a lot of confidence fighting really really tough guys at a high level. I notice that they didn't have much for me and were just muscling me around. I gained a lot of confidence in my skills even though I dropped three straight decisions. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): Bellator really loaded up this bantamweight tournament. People are talking about this tournament as the one to watch out for. Does it give you confidence that you're the only guy from the last tournament that they invited back?  Ed West: It kinda did. I thought Bjorn Rebney, the CEO of Bellator has always been super cool to me whether or not I deserved it. He always tells me that he really enjoys my fights and he gives me a lot of support and confidence. I think that my style sets me apart from a lot of the other guys in the tournament. We've got a lot of good wrestlers in this tournament and I think having a guy that can run in there and kick people in the head and roll for kneebars, I think that sets me apart. Not to offend anybody but I'm not a lay-and-prayer. I'm not gonna take people down and hug out my problems. I'm gonna try to fight, I'm gonna try to grab a limb and bend it the wrong way. I'm gonna try to choke you unconscious and I'm gonna try to kick your head off and I'll try to do it while being entertaining. My job is to fight the most effective way I can and win and I think my style is an entertaining style. My record speaks for itself. I've fought a lot of tough guys and I think that's a reason Bellator brought me back and I want to show them that they did the right thing and prove it when I beat up Nogueira. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): I believe every single fight in the last tournament, all the fights went to a decision. I believe you're the first fight of the main card. How much would it mean to you to go in there and really set the stage and get the finish? Ed West: Well if I was first fight that, that would be awesome! I've been fighting for over eight years and there's nothing I hate more than being the main event. It drives me crazy (laughs). I've got to hang out in the room and sit there and watch everybody else fight and some guys come back to the room happy and some guys come back to the room crying or upset. I hate that. I like to get my fight done so I can kick back and relax and watch the rest of the fights. As far as the finish goes, I would love to finish Nogueira but I think he may be difficult to finish. I've seen some footage on the guy and he's got a really good chin. He's a little, short, stocky guy with short arms and legs and he seems to be very cautious in his submissions and the way he moves on the ground. I think that was because his only loss is an armbar to Dantes and I think he knows that and it makes him cautious. I just try to hurt the guy. If I'm successful in hurting him and doing damage, then I don't have to worry about the finish, it'll take care of itself.  Ed would like to thank Intimidation Clothing, Dom Fight Gear, Lexani Wheels his gym APEX MMA, his management, MMA Agents and all the people who support him and want to watch him fight. So what do you think Maniacs? Can West utilize his unique talents and experience to make another run in the bantamweight tournament? Or will he be stifled by the elite wrestlers in this field?

Posted in: fight, guy, tournament, west, ed

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Filed under: UFC, Strikeforce, K1When Alistair Overeem made the decision to leave behind the two organizations in which he had won heavyweight titles -- Strikeforce and K-1 -- and sign an exclusive agreement with the UFC, one consideration is that he knew the UFC would actually pay him, something that hasn't been the case for all his fights. Overeem said on The MMA Hour that he still hasn't been paid for winning the K-1 World Grand Prix Final in 2010. "They didn't pay me," Overeem said. "It's a lot of money, I can tell you that." Overeem said he expects to take legal action against FEG, the parent company of K-1, but he's skeptical that he'll ever collect what he's owed. "We're on the verge of starting up legal action, but Japan is a hard environment to move. You have the language barrier, you have the culture barrier. Are we expecting something from it? It's hard to say. I actually think it's going to be really hard. FEG has a lot of outstanding liabilities, a lot of unpaid bills, so maybe mine is just going to be put underneath the stack of the other bills. They have a lot of debt." Overeem said he feels even worse for Peter Aerts, whom Overeem knocked out to win the K-1 World Grand Prix, and who didn't get paid anything. "You get your ass kicked and you don't get paid? That's just a shame," Overeem said. But Overeem said he's pleased with his recent business decision to sign with the UFC, where he will face Brock Lesnar in December. Overeem said that he was engaged in tough negotiations with Strikeforce, which is also owned by UFC parent company Zuffa, before finally being released by Strikeforce only to be re-signed by the UFC. He says that was a real negotiation and that it wasn't just posturing by the UFC to move him from Strikeforce to the UFC. "I don't think it all was a trick and a ploy to get me into the UFC," Overeem said. Now Overeem's focus is on Lesnar, whom Overeem views as a dangerous opponent. "I do definitely think he brings it. I do definitely think he fights to win, to destroy his opponents," Overeem said. "I expect him to come full force. I expect him to be 100 percent come Dec. 30." If Overeem beats Lesnar, he would likely face the winning of the upcoming heavyweight title fight between Cain Velasquez and Junior dos Santos. "There are a couple of guys who are interesting fights for me and those guys happen to be in the UFC," Overeem said. "That is the big show these days. There were other fights out there, there were other options, but everybody has been sending me messages, hassling me, telling me go to the UFC, Alistair, when are you going to the UFC? ... I always want to fight the best guys, the best guys are in the UFC, so of course I want to fight in the UFC." Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Posted in: ufc, fight, overeem, strikeforce, guy

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