MMA-URLS

The California State Athletic Commission has released a list of fighters who will be undergoing medical suspensions following Strikeforce: Cormier vs. Barnett. As he mentioned in his post fight interview, Josh Barnett suffered a bad break to his left hand in his bout with Daniel Cormier, which will put him out of action for 180 days unless cleared by a physician. “The War Master” will also serve a 60-day suspension for facial lacerations. Daniel Cormier, who defeated Barnett to win the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix, ostensibly re-injured his right hand by fracturing a finger. The injury puts the Strikeforce Heavyweight Champion out of action for 180 days unless cleared by a physician. Cormier also received a 60-day suspension for a nasty cut on his left eyelid. Josh Thomson, who came up on the short end of a split decision in a highly competitive bout against reigning Strikeforce Lightweight Champion Gilbert Melendez, will also be on the shelf for at least 180 days unless cleared. Rumors of a knee injury leading into the fight now seem confirmed as “The Punk” suffered a possible left knee fracture, as well as a possible right hand fracture. A handful of suspensions were handed out to other fighters by the CSAC, below is the complete list: Daniel Cormier: suspended for 180 days unless cleared by a physician for possible right second finger fracture and 60 days unless cleared by a physician for left eyelid laceration. Josh Barnett: suspended for 180 days unless cleared by a physician for possible left hand fracture and 60 days unless cleared by a physician for multiple facial lacerations. Josh Thomson: suspended for 180 days unless cleared by a physician for possible left knee fracture and possible right hand fracture. Isaac Valle-Flagg: suspended for 60 days unless cleared by a physician for a one-inch laceration for right south orbital area. Gesias “JZ” Cavalcante: suspended for 180 days unless cleared by a physician for possible left shoulder ligament injury. Virgil Zwicker: suspended 30 days for a hard bout and 180 days unless cleared by a physician for possible left middle finger fracture. Yuri Villefort: suspended for 180 days unless cleared by a physician for possible right knee ligament injury. Bobby Green: suspended for 180 days unless cleared by a physician for possible third finger fracture on left hand. MMAFrenzy.com

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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

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30 seconds into last night's Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix final, Josh Barnett knew something wasn't right. Technically, it was his left. Retweet this Share on Facebook • Email • StumbleUpon • Reddit • Digg • Technorati • Instapaper • Tumblr • Google Reader • LinkedIn

Posted in: right, josh barnett, josh, barnett, bull

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In case you missed the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix final that crowned a new champion, along with the exciting lightweight title fight, here are highlights to get you up to date on Josh Barnett vs. Daniel Cormier and Gilbert Melendez vs. Josh Thomson. Related: Strikeforce: Barnett Vs. Cormier Results And Post-Fight Analysis Check out a recap after the jump. Here's a recap from our play-by-play of the event: Josh Barnett vs. Daniel Cormier Round 1: Barnett started out throwing jabs and slipped on a kick briefly. Barnett landed a left and looked to clinch but got sluffed off by Cormier. Cormier came forward and landed two right hooks. Both men landed big rights. Cormier landed a glancing head kick and a knee to the face. Cormier landed two more punches and a body shot. Barnett with a knee to the body. Barnett got inside and landed two punches while evading Cormier's rights. Barnett with a standing elbow. Barnett charged forward and landed a low kick. Barnett looked to clinch but Cormier pushed him off. Cormier landed four punches in a row. Cormier with a solid leg kick. Barnett with a knee to the body in the clinch. Cormier with another nice two-punch combo.Barnett caught a kick and landed a right hook. He followed it up with a knee that seemed to stun Cormier slightly. Cormier tied him up against the fence. 10-9 Cormier. Round 2: Barnier started fast with two punches and a kick, but Cormier responded with two right hooks and a combination. Barnett with a kick to the body. Barnett's counters looked crisper than in the first. Barnett landed another standing knee that backed up Cormier. Barnett with a hard kick. Cormier landed a right uppercut in the clinch, then a straight right to the body. Cormier ducked under a punch and took Barnett down halfway through the round. Cormier landed an occasional right hand in Barnett's guard, but Barnett controlled him well. Cormier landed a short elbow that hurt Barnett a bit and cut him. Barnett rolled up for a leglock then an armbar, but Cormier got out. Barnett was bleeding pretty badly. Cormier rode out the rest of the round on top. 10-9 Cormier. Round 3: Barnett came forward right away with a knee to the body. Cormier landed a right but Barnett landed a solid counter. Barnett looked for a takedown against the cage but couldn't get it. Cormier with a left hook, Barnett responded with an uppercut. Cormier went to the body again. Barnett threw a front kick and a straight right. Wow, Cormier scooped up a single leg and flipped Barnett completely upside down with a slam. Cormier worked in side control. Barnett spun out and got back to his feet. Cormier with another single right hook that got through. The pace slowed for a minute or so. Barnett landed a knee up the middle. Cormier landed a head kick that stunned Barnett and poured it on with knees against the cage. Barnett responded with a solid right hook though. Cormier with the go behind but couldn't get it to the floor. He held Josh against the cage for the rest of the round. 10-9 Cormier again. Round 4: Barnett started well with a leg kick and a right. Barnett landed a knee to the head when Cormier was leaning over a little bit. Cormier landed his left hook while Barrnett landed a leg kick. Cormier with an uppercut. Cormier went back to the head kick but it was blocked. A right head kick landed, but not solidly. Barnett rushed Cormier against the cage and landed a knee to the body. Barnett missed with a spinning backfist. Cormier took Barnett down again. Barnett looked for a kneebar and got a hold of a leg. Cormier spun out of a heel hook and worked in Barnett's closed guard.Cormier didn't do a whole lot and referee Josh Rosenthal stood the fighters up. Barnett stalked Cormier and landed another knee to the face. Barnett grinded away against the cage to end the round. This one was a lot closer. I'll go 10-9 Barnett by a hair. Round 5: The fighters shook hands to start the final stanza. Barnett threw a head kick and front kick. Cormier told the ref that there was water on the mat, and there was a brief pause to clean it up. Barnett clinched against the cage and landed a couple of weakish knees to the belly. He landed one to the chin when they separated. Barnett with a left hook. Barnett blocked a Cormier head kick. Cormier circled away from Barnett's attacks and wasn't engaging much. Cormier finally landed a two-punch combo. Barnett missed with a spinning backfist and got taken down. Cormier scooped him up for a slam but Barnett squirmed away and stayed on his feet. Cormier just grinded away against the cage, not really throwing anything, until Barnett landed a glancing elbow. Cormer continued to hold him until the 10 second warning, then circled away for the rest of the fight. 10-9 Cormier, though it was closer than the first three rounds. I've got it 49-46 Cormier. Daniel Cormier defeated Josh Barnett via unanimous decision (49-46, 50-45, 50-45) For a recap on the thrilling and controversial co-headlining bout for the lightweight title, check out our recap here, and the detailed play-by-play here.

Posted in: right, barnett, kick, knee, cormier

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Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva isn’t so big right now. During a pre-UFC 146 conference call on Thursday, Silva confirmed that he is sitting at just 270 pounds, well down from his usual pre-fight weight. “Things are going extremely well,” Silva said. “I’m very light and fast.” Silva will be looking to bounce back from a knockout [...]

Posted in: right, silva, weight, antonio, thursday silva

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So you remember that one MMA organization…Strikeforce? Yea, they have this little thing going on this weekend, you probably haven’t really heard much about it. It is really no big deal, just a former UFC heavyweight champion taking on some Olympian and one of the top lightweights in the world having a rubber match with [...]

Posted in: right, heavyweight, deal, game right, yea

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Clay Guida speaks to Dustin De La Torre about Gilbert Melendez vs. Josh Thomson and believes that Melendez is at his peak right now. He also comments on his upcoming fight with Gray Maynard.   in association with fight hub tv

Posted in: right, clay guida, melendez, game right, peak right

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Bantamweights Alex Soto and Francisca Rivera opened the UFC on Fuel TV 3 preliminary card with a kick ass bout featuring gutsy performances from both men. UFC On Fuel TV 3 Results: Francisco Rivera defeated Alex Soto by unanimous decision (30-27 x3). Rivera came out aggressive. He walked Soto down and caught him early and often. Rivera hurt Soto and dropped him with a right behind the ear. Soto bounced back with a take down and did some damage with knees as they came back up. Soto acquitted himself better after establishing a modicum of respect from Rivera. In the second Rivera continued walking down Soto but Soto held his own for a while in slow action. Towards the final minute Rivera landed a head kick that dropped Soto. But Soto popped right back up. Between rounds Rivera complained to his corner that Soto wouldn't go down. Soto came out early, landed a take down and hurt Rivera with a big right hand. Rivera came back though and again hurt Soto. Badly. Soto staggered with the crazy legs. Then he fell. Soto fell from punches this time. But again he popped right back up. Rivera was clearly dominant by the end but Soto was a very game opponent. Great fight. SBN coverage of UFC on FUEL TV 3

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What will it take for former UFC welterweight and lightweight champion B.J. Penn to return to competitive mixed martial arts? Is it a fight in Hawaii? Would it be a rematch against Nick Diaz? Maybe a big paycheck? It could be all or none of those things. The right offer matters, of course, but most important is timing. Or stated differently, time off. Time for things to change. If there's anything that becomes immediately clear in a conversation with Penn, he just isn't in a part of his life where returning to competitive fighting interests him enough to make the commitment. "I'm not really excited to jump into a training camp right now," Penn told Ariel Helwani yesterday on The MMA Hour. That isn't to say he's totally disinterested. After all, he's at least willing to entertain offers even if they ultimately don't move him into action. "Me and Dana sat down," Penn explained. "Dana said, 'I'm seeing a lot of stuff. You're saying you don't want to fight anymore.' Me and him just kind of talked and did a couple of hypotheticals back and forth and that was it. I know Dana wants me to fight again." "I'm enjoying training right now," Penn said. "You never know what the future holds. If Dana puts something together like 'hey, you want to do this?' You never know. You never know what could happen." It isn't just White that wants Penn to fight again. Legions of MMA fans are hopeful 'The Prodigy' won't retire, especially while many of his supporters believe he's still got the capacity to compete. "I don't know. I do get pumped up about it when I go different places and people are like ‘come on! You gotta fight again! You gotta fight again!" But it's a lot of work." It appears more than anything, 'a lot of work' is what's holding Penn back. After years and years the grind, the routine and uphill climb of training camp, the process is not as easy to be a part of as it once was. The toll on the body, the time away from family. Who wants that when you've accomplished so much, you're wealthy and you've got an infant daughter? Penn readily admits he thinks he still has what it takes to compete against the elite, but getting up for a training camp day after day just isn't appealing right now. "I guess being a competitor, you always have that itch. But what it is is...it's tough," Penn said with a laugh. "The training camps are tough, going through that. I've been with the UFC for ten years going through different things. All the different personalities you gotta deal with. I still look at some of the guys up there and of course being a competitor 'You know, I could beat that guy or I could do well with that guy.' It's just a tough question." Interestingly, though, Penn confirmed reports that Strikeforce lightweight champion Gilbert Melendez was offered to him and that he ultimately turned the fight down. "It was right after the Nick Diaz fight," Penn acknowledged. "[White] offered a fight against Gilbert Melendez in Strikeforce. We sat down and we thought about it for a little while. We talked back and forth. It was kind of one of those things where I guess at the end of the day we thought about it a thousand different ways and we were like 'Is that downgrading yourself fighting in Strikeforce? If you win the Strikeforce title are people going to say you did it because you couldn't win the UFC title?'" "At the end of the day, it just didn't make sense to us," Penn said. Penn noted it wasn't Melendez as an opponent he objected to ("If you decide you're going to be a fighter, you shouldn't have a problem fighting anyone"), but he just couldn't rationalize competing under a banner outside of the UFC. If it doesn't move the needle or add to his legacy, it's hard to move forward. In the wake of a serious thrashing at the hands of Nick Diaz at UFC 137, the two-division champion also confessed he's worried about departing the sport in an unceremonious exit. "That is definitely on my mind," admitted Penn. "I don't want to stick around and whether it's a lack of reflexes or a lack of motivation, whichever it may be. You end up getting laid out a few times that could've been avoided." "I would think that's on a lot of fighters' minds, but some people just do it anyway. They like the money or the attention. It's one or the other or both. We've seen that happen over the years to some of the greatest fighters of all time. That's definitely on my mind. Certain athletes like Randy Couture, they never needed the reflexes. They could've stayed around. I look at a boxer like Floyd Mayweather and think he's all reflexes. Once his reflexes go, it's probably time for him to maybe step out." As for Penn's future, there's no guarantee it could go any direction save for the one it's one now. To return to MMA, he'd need the right monetary offer against the right opponent at a time when he is willing to put himself through the rigors of training. It would all have to mean something and the day where it could may never come. Or maybe it will. For admirers of Penn, it's frustrating to live in limbo, but he simply doesn't know if and when he'll ever change his mind. Until something acts as a catalyst for change, he's content to enjoy his life away from professional competition. Yet, that doesn't mean Penn doesn't miss it or doesn't want more. He still dreams and dreams big when it comes to accomplishing goals in the sport. A fire still burns within the Hawaiian fighter. After all, Penn told Helwani he still has unfinished business in the Octagon. "You have dreams and aspirations to what you can accomplish. You never know what's going to be reality at the end of the day. No, I don't feel like I've done enough. I'd love to become a world champion again. I'm sure every fighter out there, that's all they think about all the time." "I'd love to - without a doubt - be a world champion again," Penn said.

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Should he stay or should he go now? Always tease, tease, tease ... Those are the questions that have lately surrounded former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Welterweight and Lightweight champion of the world, B.J. Penn. After calling it quits last October in the wake of his one-side loss at the hands of Nick Diaz at UFC 137, "The Prodigy" has been laying low in Hawaii, in no hurry to even attempt a comeback. That hasn't stopped UFC President Dana White to get one of the all-time great mixed martial arts (MMA) legends to reconsider his retirement and get back into the Octagon ... or even the Strikeforce Hexagon, for that matter. A few days ago, White explained that he tried to book a fight between the current Strikeforce 155-pound champion Gilbert Melendez and Penn to take place in Strikeforce. In what truly would have been a very intriguing fight, and would prove to be a step up in competition for "El Nino," the proposed bout was not to be as White stated, "The whole thing fell apart." Appearing on todays' (May 7, 2012) episode of The MMA Hour, Penn explained the reason(s) a fight between he and Melendez didn't come to pass, as well as cleared up his position on making a possible comeback once and for all. Check it out: "It was right after the Nick Diaz fight. He offered me a fight against Gilbert Melendez in Strikeforce. We sat down, we thought about it for a little while and we fought back and forth and it was kind of one of those things where I guess at the end of the day we just thought about it a thousand different ways and we were like, is it downgrading yourself fighting in Strikeforce and if you win the Strikeforce title people are going to say you did it because you couldn't win the UFC title? We just kind of thought about it a thousand different ways and at the end of the day it just didn't make sense to us." "The Prodigy" has spent the majority of his career competing for the UFC, so it wouldn't indeed make much sense for the former champion and future hall of famer to make a comeback, only to be relegated to a smaller promotion, nothing against Strikeforce, of course. However, what about a comeback into the UFC's Octagon? Penn speculates: "I'm not really excited to jump right into a training camp right now. Me and Dana sat down and Dana said, "I see a lot of stuff and you saying you don't want to fight anymore." Me and him just kind of talked and just did a bunch of kind of hypothetical back-and-forth and that was it. I know Dana wants me to fight again a when I go to a lot of different places, I think subconsciously maybe sometimes, fighters, we only seize to fight to regain energy to fight again. I do get pumped up about it when I go to different places and people say, "Come on you got to fight again, you gotta fight again." I don't know, I'm enjoying training right now and you never know what the future holds. I mean if Dana put something together and says, "Hey, you want to do this?" You never know what could happen. Being a competitor, you always have that itch. What it is, is that it's tough. The training camps are tough going and through that and going through the different things and all the different personalities you gotta deal with over time. I mean, I still look at some of the guys up there and, of course, being a competitor I think to myself, "I can beat that guy or I can do well with that guy." It's just a tough question and I can't give any solid question (answer) either way right now." After more than 11 years competing in the sport and capturing title in two weight classes (lightweight and welterweight), and competing against many of the top fighters in the world, Penn can truly say he has accomplished what many aspiring fighters may never get close to. But, is a return to action necessary? With a record of 1-3-1 in his last five bouts, are "The Prodigy's" best days behind him? Or would you like to see one of the best to ever compete return to action to see if he can still compete at the highest level against some of the toughest fighters around? Perhaps the fan in many would just like to see an MMA legend in action a few more times for mere nostalgic purposes. Either way, Penn has no immediate plans to return to a sport he dominated for many years. Let's see how long that lasts.

Posted in: ufc, fight, strikeforce, right, penn

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The New Jersey Athletic Control Board today issued its list of medical suspensions for UFC on FOX 3: "Diaz vs. Miller," which took place just last night (Sat., May 5, 2012) from the IZOD Center in East Rutherford, New Jersey. With several violent bouts on the card, there were quite a few fighters who were flagged for follow up visits to their doctors. In fact, 10 of the nights 24 competitors were suspended indefinitely. Lavar Johnson was put on the shelf pending an X-ray of his left hand. You know, the one he used to club Pat Barry with until "HD" went crashing to the mat with the referee the only thing saving him from more damage. Despite his defeat, Barry was only given a 30 days suspension. Also getting slapped with a significant vacations were co-main event fighters Johny Hendricks and Josh Koscheck, who battered and beat each other around the cage for three whole rounds spanning 15 minutes of back-and-forth action. Ultimately, "Big Rig" earned a split decision but both men will ride the pine pending eye exams. But that's not all. Here is the complete list of UFC on FOX 3 injuries and their medical instructions: Johny Hendricks: Suspended indefinitely pending an ophthalmological exam for his right eye Josh Koscheck: Suspended indefinitely pending a CT scan of his facial bones Alan Belcher: Suspended indefinitely pending an X-ray of his right hand Rousimar Palhares: Suspended 30 days for a TKO loss Lavar Johnson: Suspended indefinitely pending an X-ray of his left hand Pat Barry: Suspended 30 days for a TKO loss Anthony Ferguson: Suspended indefinitely pending an X-ray of his left forearm John Dodson: Suspended indefinitely pending an X-ray of his left hand Pascal Krauss: Suspended indefinitely pending an X-ray of his right foot Louis Gaudinot: Suspended indefinitely pending X-rays of both his left and right hands, suspended 30 days for tough fight John Lineker: Suspended 30 days for a submission loss Danny Castillo: Suspended indefinitely pending an X-ray of his right hand Dennis Bermudez: Suspended 60 days for a facial laceration Nick Denis: Suspended indefinitely pending a facial CT scan and a CT scan of his head, suspended 30 days for tough fight Just a quick reminder: Fighters often return to action much quicker once doctors give them the green light. The lengthy suspensions are just a precaution in most cases. For complete UFC on FOX 3 results and blow-by-blow coverage of all the night's action click here and here.

Posted in: right, day, hand, xray, ct scan

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The New Jersey Athletic Control board has already released the medical suspension information from last night’s UFC on Fox 3: Diaz vs. Miller fight card. Co-main event fighters Johny Hendricks and Josh Koscheck were both hit with indefinite suspensions for injuries they suffered in their three-round welterweight battle, which Hendricks took via split decision. Those two joined eight other fighters from the card who were given indefinite suspensions pending some kind of doctor/test clearance. In addition to their indefinite suspensions, Louis Gaudinot and Nick Denis were hit with thirty-day suspensions for hard battles. Rousimar Palhares, Pat Barry and John Lineker were also suspended for thirty days for being finished in their respective bouts. Dennis Bermudez was suspended for sixty days due to facial lacerations. Props to MMAJunkie for the list of suspensions, which you can view in full below. Johny Hendricks: suspended indefinitely pending opthalmological exam (right eye) Josh Koscheck: suspended indefinitely pending CT of facial bones Alan Belcher: suspended indefinitely pending X-ray of right hand Lavar Johnson: suspended indefinitely pending X-ray of left hand Tony Ferguson: suspended indefinitely pending X-ray of left forearm John Dodson: suspended indefinitely pending X-ray of left hand Pascal Krauss: suspended indefinitely pending X-ray of right foot Louis Gaudinot: suspended indefinitely pending X-rays of both left and right hands and 30 days for tough fight Danny Castillo: suspended indefinitely pending X-ray of right hand Nick Denis: suspended indefinitely pending CT facial (orbits) and CT of head and suspended 30 days for tough fight Rousimar Palhares: suspended 30 days for TKO loss Pat Barry: suspended 30 days for TKO loss John Lineker: suspended 30 days for submission loss Dennis Bermudez: suspended 60 days for facial laceration healing MMAFrenzy.com

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It wasn't an easy night for the warriors of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Following the UFC on Fox 3 bouts at the IZOD Center of East Rutherford, New Jersey, 14 fighters including both Welterweights from the Johny Hendricks vs. Josh Koscheck co-main event have been suspended by the New Jersey State Athletic Review Board pending further medical review. Both Hendricks and Koscheck came away with smarting eyes. Hendricks' right eye will require a visit to a medical specialist following being poked in the eye by Koscheck. Koscheck will need a CT scan of his right eye, no small matter following his shattered right orbital bone against champ Georges St. Pierre at UFC 124 in December, 2010. Other main card winners Alan Belcher and Lavar Johnson both will require x-rays of their hands following the beatings they dished out to Rousimar Palhares and Pat Barry respectively. SBN coverage of UFC on Fox 3 Johny Hendricks: suspended indefinitely pending opthalmological exam (right eye) Josh Koscheck: suspended indefinitely pending CT of facial bones Alan Belcher: suspended indefinitely pending X-ray of right hand Lavar Johnson: suspended indefinitely pending X-ray of left hand Rousimar Palhares - 30 days following KO loss Pat Barry - 30 days for KO following KO loss Tony Ferguson - indefinite pending X-ray of left forearm John Dodson - indefinite pending X-ray of left hand Pascal Kruass - indefinite pending X-ray of right foot Louis Gaudinot - 30 days John Lineker - 30 days Danny Castillo - indefinite pending X-ray of right hand Dennis Bermudez - 60 days for facial lacerations Nick Denis - Indefinite pending CT scans on face and head

Posted in: right, day, koscheck, hand, xray

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EAST RUTHERFORD, NJ -- Both co-main event participants found themselves medically suspended after their three-round fight at UFC on FOX 3.Winner Johny Hendricks faces an indefinite suspension, pending the outcome of an ophthalmological exam on his right eye. Hendricks after the fight told MMA Fighting he was poked in the first round and had double-vision for most of the opening five minutes, but that he was fine afterward. He expects to be cleared. Josh Koscheck left the fight with bruising and swelling on the right side of his face, and is also medically suspended by the New Jersey state athletic control board until he gets a CT scan clearing him. Afterward, he downplayed the injury's significance."It’s good, just a little swollen," he said. "Johny cracked me once and it swelled right up, but the eye's fine. I've got no blurriness or anything like that. I'm ready to fight again, so maybe we can line something up in the next couple weeks."Along with Hendricks, two of the other main card winners found themselves with indefinite suspensions. Both Alan Belcher and Lavar Johnson will need to get hand X-rays following their respective victories.Belcher will need to have his right hand looked at, while for Johnson, it's his left.Johnson, afterward, though said his hand was fine.Other suspensions include:Rousimar Palhares - 30 days following KO lossPat Barry - 30 days for KO following KO lossTony Ferguson - indefinite pending X-ray of left forearmJohn Dodson - indefinite pending X-ray of left handPascal Kruass - indefinite pending X-ray of right footLouis Gaudinot - 30 daysJohn Lineker - 30 daysDanny Castillo - indefinite pending X-ray of right handDennis Bermudez - 60 days for facial lacerationsNick Denis - Indefinite pending CT scans on face and head

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Danny Castillo didn't exactly look dominating, but a win's a win. His UFC on Fox 3 bout with John Cholish was full of ineffectual offense on the feet and boos from the crowd, but Castillo landed the harder shots and used some timely takedowns to win a unanimous decision. All three judges had it 30-27 in favor of the Team Alpha Male fighter. The fight started a tad slowly, with neither fighter really doing anything for the first minute or so. Finally Castillo tied up Cholish against the cage and threw a knee. Once they reset in the middle, Cholish landed a nice combination. Cholish caught a Castillo kick (say that five times fast), but couldn't get a takedown. The fighters reverted to a series of faints and single punches in the middle, until Castillo finally connected on a combination. They ended up in the clinch and briefly scrambled on the ground, but neither fighter could gain an advantage. Castillo landed a looping right as the last punch of the round. The second started a little faster than the first, with Cholish getting a brief takedown but not being able to do anything with it. Castillo continued to wing the right hand, but didn't connect very often. Cholish ducked under and got a takedown for about a second, but Castillo popped up with a knee. More single shots and non-commital offense defined the rest of the round, which led to more than a few boos from the crowd. Castillo did land a solid combination with about 30 seconds left though, and got a big slam right at the horn. After a few half-hearted punches to open the final stanza, Cholish latched onto Castillo's neck while he was shooting in, but Castillo slammed him down to escape. Cholish popped up right away and they spent some time in the clinch before Cholish dropped for a leg attack. Castillo shook it off and tried to put Cholish on his back, without success. Neither man gained an advantage in the striking for the last half of the round. Cholish dropped for a leglock again late, but there was nothing there. Castillo ended the fight on top. The win was Castillo's third straight, and he improved to 4-1 overall in the UFC. Cholish dropped his first UFC bout after a win over Mitch Clarke at UFC 140. SBN coverage of UFC on Fox 3

Posted in: ufc, takedown, right, castillo, cholish

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Michael Chandler does not come off as arrogant man.

Posted in: right, champion, chandler, michael, michael chandler

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UFC light heavyweight Dan Henderson is known for a lot of things but none so much as “The H-Bomb”, his brutal overhand right known for leaving opponents like Michael Bisping and Wanderlei Silva gasping for air. However, Henderson’s next opponent – champion Jon Jones – isn’t necessarily concerned about getting blasted by the former Strikeforce/PRIDE title-holder’s best weapon. “No, I’m not worried about the ‘H-Bomb,’” said Jones on this week’s edition of MMA Uncensored. “I fought Ryan Bader. He had an amazing overhand right. I think he won The Ultimate Fighter with that overhand right. Rashad Evans ended up knocking out Chuck Liddell with his overhand right. Mauricio ‘Shogun’ Rua had an awesome overhand right. I’m just not worried about it. It’s a single technique that I’m prepared for, extensively.” “’Hendo’ actually has a good left hook, as well, so, I’m not worried about single strikes,” Jones concluded, understanding Henderson is dangerous for reasons beyond his trademark blow. The 24-year old’s analytical approach to his adversaries comes from having seen some of his peers make the mistake of losing focus instead of appreciating all the possibilities at play. It was also likely influenced by eating a few stiff shots from Evans in their recent bout including one that “wobbled” him. “You know, I have this thing where I don’t like to rush. I definitely don’t want to ever lose a fight by getting caught by a wild punch,” explained Jones. “There was a scenario where, Eddie Alvarez*, I think that’s who it was, where he like body shotted this one guy, then he ran up to him to try and finish the fight, and the last thing the guy hit him with, his last shot, and it ended up knocking out Eddie Alvarez. I think that’s who it was. That haunted me. I would never want something like that to happen to me. So, what I do is, I take my time and realize that I have 25 minutes to methodically pick someone apart.” No date is set for Jones vs. Henderson though UFC President Dana White has come out to say the UFC is looking at September with a possible attachment to Labor Day Weekend. * – Editor’s Note: Sounds like Scott Smith vs. Pete Sell, not an Alvarez fight PHOTO CREDIT – UFC/STRIKEFORCE

Posted in: ufc, fight, jone, right, henderson

Read the full article at Five Ounces of Pain

Alan Belcher feels unstoppable.After a prolonged absence from the Octagon due to an eye injury, the heavy-handed, 16-5 middleweight from Jonesboro, Arkansas made a triumphant return on the UFC Fight Night card last September against Jason MacDonald. More than 16 months earlier, “The Talent” scored a Submission of the Night victory over former number one contender Patrick Cote. Between those two events, Belcher was on a character defining road to recovery, which was certainly highlighted by his first round submission stoppage of BJJ black belt MacDonald. As he looks toward his future, all Belcher sees is gold, and no one at 185 pounds is going to get in his way.“I feel like I'm right back in there,” he affirms. “I've been eating like a mad man staying on my nutrition and just changing the way I live my life. I've been working on a lot of different things. I think I do need to prove something in this fight, not to myself, but when I do fight and win it will do all the talking itself. I know what's going to happen. Losing isn't even an option right now. Everything is perfect right now. I'm going to win the fight, I'm going to get a shot at a top contender or go right to a shot at the title. My time is now, and I'm going to do really big things in the next couple years.”The 28-year old representative of Duke Roufus’ Roufusport in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and Belcher’s own gym Remix MMA in Biloxi, Mississippi, is brimming with confidence heading into a May 5th showdown with arguably the most dangerous opponent in the weight class. “I said I wanted to fight the toughest guy in the division, someone who would put me in line for a title shot, and that happened to be Rousimar Palhares,” said Belcher, whose only interest is to solidify his place among the elite, and a win over the Brazilian would do just that. “I think that most people who fight him don't really know what they're getting into. Most of the guys right now if they fought Palhares he would at some point be tapping them out or hurting them. I think I'm one of the only guys in the division with the size, the speed, the athleticism, and the jiu-jitsu skills to deal with him.”At UFC on FOX 3 in East Rutherford, New Jersey, the three fight winning streaks of both men will collide in a make or break matchup in the garden state. At 23-3, Palhares has accomplished in the UFC what many expected from the mini-Hulk with a BJJ black belt: a lot of powerful and frightening leg lock submissions. But “Toquinho” has faltered in his dust ups with top tier opponents like Dan Henderson and Nate Marquardt. Nevertheless, Palhares is a tough test for anyone in the division with his mix of incredible strength and a highly regarded ground attack. “He's very confident and aggressive with what he does,” says Belcher. “He attacks the arms and legs, mainly the legs. He took second place in Abu Dhabi, which is strictly submission grappling, and he hurt a lot of people in it and these are the best grapplers in the world. He's a very dangerous opponent. He's trying to take an arm or a leg home with him. He's very confident and he's on a nice little streak, a nice little tear, and a lot of people are scared of him.”Even a cursory fight fan can firmly estimate that Palhares wants to take this fight to the floor, and it is in that area that Belcher is the most overlooked. Don’t let his usual Muay Thai shorts fool you, as he is the proud owner of a BJJ black belt under 4th dan black belt Helio Soneca, who is one of the renowned founders of the Gracie Barra schools. Belcher has gone to great lengths to extensively train his ground game with top grapplers like Daniel Moraes (current head BJJ instructor at Belcher’s gym), Royce and Rickson Gracie, Robert Drysdale, Eric “Red” Schafer, Eddie Bravo, and tons of other black belts in the US and in Brazil. Simply put, Palhares isn’t the only one in this fight who feels comfortable on the mat.“I've felt some of the best grapplers in the world,” asserts Belcher. “I think my grappling skills get better every single week. Striking takes athleticism and it's something where I need to keep my speed up and keep my timing. Grappling you do level up. In the standup, you can only get so far and you can always be beat - it's like being in a gun fight. In jiu-jitsu, it's really about your skills and I've come a long way. As far as just grappling, I think I am if not the top guy in the division, I'm close to it.”At the time of the interview, Belcher was surrounded by a staggering amount of sports psychology books in the home of one of Roufusport’s most promising stars: Ben Askren. “He's really one of the best MMA fighters right now, and, obviously, the best wrestler in the game, in my opinion,” says Belcher, noting that Askren is a walking encyclopedia for both wrestling and winning, and he liberally cites from his training partner’s collection. “Training with Ben Askren is amazing. I've learned a lot of stuff from him physically and mentally about how to make it to those elite levels, which he has done in wrestling and he's trying to do in MMA. I'm actually at his house right now, sitting in his office and surrounded by hundreds and hundreds of books that Ben has read, and mostly they are sports psychology and he's already referenced 10 books in our conversations today.”Regardless of how even Belcher believes a potential black belt vs. black belt matchup is with Palhares, “The Talent” has a clear advantage keeping the fight standing. “I don't mean to brag or boast, but I think I'm on a different level in kickboxing and Muay Thai than most guys in the UFC,” expresses Belcher, who likes to trade fists and feet first, then reverse his opponent’s takedown attempts and ending up on top second. “‘Striker vs. grappler’ is a really raw generalization of the fight, but, really, stylistically that's how it will work out. I don't intend on getting in a grappling match with Palhares and being stupid. The thing is, I'm a lot better striker than he is and I'm a lot longer than he is and I'm a lot better at that game than he is.”This Saturday, Belcher will battle Palhares in a bout he believes will launch himself into title contention. “Last time there was a lot of pressure on me, a lot of questions, a lot of what ifs, and this time I feel like I'm back and getting better every day,” declares Belcher, who is single-minded in thinking this fight is happening at the right time in his career for only one outcome: a win. “I feel totally different and my mindset is different. I feel unstoppable right now. That's your headline.”And it was.

Posted in: fight, belcher, right, lot, im

Read the full article at UFC

If Junior dos Santos needs any extra motivation for his upcoming title defense against Frank Mir at UFC 146, it’s right here in this video clip.

Posted in: right, mir, title defense, clip, motivation

Read the full article at MMA Convert

When Bellator lost its middleweight champion Hector Lombard to the UFC last week, it was at least partially because in the UFC's offer, they monetized the deal through pay-per-view. That avenue isn't available to Bellator right now, but within two years, it might be.As Bellator grows internationally through its major deal with distribution giant Fremantle Enterprises, and makes its move domestically to Spike, new opportunities will arise. And that could mean that at some point, Bellator will try out the pay-per-view format. Organization CEO Bjorn Rebney told MMA Fighting that the promotion is considering all of its options when it comes to producing live content, but that Bellator would only make the move to pay-per-view under the right circumstances."I think what you’ll see is as this is monetized and that sector plays out, it’ll play out with the big fights on that platform," he said in a recent interview. "You need that kind of platform for what they’re doing. We may get there. I never wanted to make a firm commitment to it as far as when and if we’ll get there, though. It’s really something that we might do, but it needs the right fights and the right talent to get you there."To date, it's been a slow and steady rise for Bellator, which was founded in 2008. Its first season aired nationally only on Spanish-language ESPN Deportes. The next season, they moved to FOX Sports Net, in a deal that saw its events air at different times around the country. A lack of consistency in scheduling from one week to the next often made it hard to follow for viewers. By season four, they moved to MTV2 after inking a deal with media giant Viacom. At the start of 2013, Bellator will move to Spike, where they will essentially be replacing the UFC on the cable channel.That means that the next eight months will be pivotal as the promotion builds momentum towards its new home. As the timing worked out, two of its best fighters, Lombard and Eddie Alvarez, moved or will move into free agency during that transition.Given the UFC's business model, their offer to Lombard was unmatchable for Bellator. With Alvarez soon to take his talents on the free agent market, that not always be the case."Would this have been a potentially different decision two years from now, or one-and-a-half years from now? Conceivably," Rebney said.The difference then could be pay-per-view. If Bellator can offer its stars the same incentive that the UFC's top stars receive, the promotion will find itself in a much stronger negotiating position. But that's all in due time, and with due analysis. Rebney noted that the company's strong growth has not come by accident; Bellator's leadership team has always worked to examine all available data and make business moves based on logic rather than emotion. Even with new partner Viacom behind them, that won't change. So if that means pay-per-view projects are a profitable venture, they'll try it out; and if it doesn't, they won't. "Even as we reach different plateaus and become a billion-dollar enterprise, we’ll still be based on sound business decisions," Rebney said.

Posted in: ufc, bellator, right, deal, payperview

Read the full article at AOL Fanhouse

Randy Couture and Chuck Norris in action together? Yep, that's right, plus an A-List of 80s action superstars. Retweet this Share on Facebook • Email • StumbleUpon • Reddit • Digg • Technorati • Instapaper • Tumblr • Google Reader • LinkedIn

Posted in: right, randy, chuck norris, bull, norri

Read the full article at MMA Weekly

submitted by RMessmann [link] [10 comments]

Posted in: nick diaz, right, claim, process rights, commission claims

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Without question, from a technical standpoint, one of the fighters I've grown to appreciate and admire is Bellator featherweight champion Pat Curran. His resplendent rise to overtake the fourth slot in the USA Today consensus MMA rankings was anything but common. Initially slated as an alternate for Bellator's Season Two lightweight tournament, Curran filled in for teammate Mike Corey when he pulled out with a knee injury. Curran drew then-undefeated TriStar Gym product Mike Ricci, who was fresh off a win over young phenom and future Strikeforce welterweight Jordan Mein. If Curran was known going into the tournament, it was for being the cousin and student of WEC/UFC veteran Jeff Curran. That would change quickly. Curran cracked Ricci with a short right hook for a 1st-round knockout and, in retrospect, what was originally assumed to be a random upset now stands as the genesis of his ascension. In fact, Curran continued to play spoiler all the way to the tournament finals by knocking off the Toby Imada (split decision) and trumpeted acquisition Roger Huerta (unanimous decision), both of whom were the clear favorites to win it all. It wasn't until Curran gutted out a grueling 25-minute performance against top-ranked lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez that he started to be accepted as a genuine, high-caliber prospect. The loss to Alvarez in the lightweight finals, Curran's only flaw in his 9-fight Bellator stint, inspired a drop to featherweight and triggered Curran's race for the title. In the full entry, the stellar defense and striking tactics of Pat Curran are analyzed by myself and resident striking geeks Fraser Coffeen and Jack Slack with a heaping assortment of animated gifs. One of the aspects that makes Curran a distinctly specialized martial artist is that he's a three-dimensional fighter with legit striking, wrestling and submission grappling. This diverse foundation allows for some of the best technical defense in MMA. His exemplary takedown defense was on display against the likes of Alvarez, Imada and Greco Roman wrestling standout Joe Warren. Though this trait typically keeps him upright and moving of his own volition, the rare instances we've seen Curran's guard have been promising, as he's been able to initiate a scramble to escape back to his feet or unveil a high-caliber submission game. From a defensive perspective, where Curran really shines with subtle brilliance is with his striking defense and movement. Here's Fraser Coffeen on some of Curran's defensive striking characteristics. Fraser Coffeen: His striking defense is indeed quite good. He does a good job using a lot (seriously, a lot) of feints to get fighters to move in. When they come in, he typically takes one of two approaches: 1. If he doesn't like how things are going, he won't engage. And he has a lot of good tools to help him with this. He will use his hands to catch incoming punches, and use head movement to slip shots. But his best asset here is simply stepping out of range. When he does this watch his hands - he keeps the lead hand extended to block shots, while keeping the rear hand tight to his ear (as if he is holding a phone), to block any shots on that side. You can see this hand defense nicely in the sequence to the left at 3:15. Dallas Winston: Further to Fraser's assessment, Curran employs an excellent set of angles when disengaging, as depicted to the right. Predictability is a death sentence in MMA, and Curran uses unpredictable movement here. When Alvarez chucks out one or two probing strikes, Curran deftly shuffles back a step or two, looking for openings to counter. When Alvarez adjusts for a straight-line retreat and commits to a plunging right hand, Curran cuts a hard 9:00 o'clock pivot to avoid it smoothly. Fraser Coffeen (cont'd): 2. He will fire back on his opponent as they come in. Before the opponent can fully close the distance and begin connecting, Curran has already landed a shot of his own. In particular, he'll use the teep, the jab, and a lead hook. These shots all keep the opponent outside while also using their own forward movement against him. Dallas Winston: I would add the straight right and flying knees to Fraser's list of strikes Curran punishes advancing aggressors with. Let's examine the latter. Curran is judicious in strike selection with no wasted or excessive actions. He typically stuck to an effective set of basic boxing at lightweight but has amped up his aggression as of late. Anytime his opponent drops a level to duck a punch or shoot a takedown, Curran keys on their head position and launches a flying knee (right). Flying knees are among the riskiest of maneuvers because you're airborne with no way to adjust your balance and trajectory, plus the thrower commonly drops his hands on the way in (see: Arlovski vs. Fedor or Struve vs Buentello). Curran wisely mitigates the risk by springing into a short, controlled jump with his hands up and a strong semblance of balance despite being airborne. The aforementioned use of his opponent's forward momentum against them also shortens the distance of travel on the flying strike and catches them off-guard to prohibit quick counters. The fanbase was impressed with Curran's resiliency against Alvarez but also criticized him for being too reserved. Pat seemed to take that to heart when he dropped to featherweight, because his offensive potency has skyrocketed since. The capture above is a medley of Curran's flying knees against Ronnie Mann. Perhaps surmising that Mann's quickness was causing more problems than his punching power, Curran started vaulting into range fearlessly: first with a single flying knee, then with a double flying knee directly into a takedown attempt and, finally, closing with a flying knee-straight right combination. Though the risk inevitably increases as the moves get flashier, Curran keeps himself protected throughout and incurs no damage. To the right is another example of Curran's preference for the right hand and flying knees in succession. You're probably a connoisseur of the technical side if you're reading this, but that doesn't mean we can't enjoy a little raw brutality with it too. The guilty pleasure of some good ol' brawling is appeased by Curran to the left, when he just freaks out and sprints forward with an offensive outburst of nearly indiscernible kicks, punches and double-leg takedown attempts. This multi-faceted, Jekyll-and-Hyde mentality is why Pat Curran has become a must-see fighter. Fraser Coffeen: The negative? As pointed out by Sandro, Curran is pretty heavy on his feet. He's flat footed, which can hurt his ability to move quickly. So far, his timing has compensated for that trouble, but if he faces an opponent with a real speed advantage, that could be the difference maker. Here, against Sandro, you see Curran working these different defensive styles together. Sandro closes the distance quickly with a jumping attack. Curran at first tries to stop him with a teep, but when Sandro gets inside, he changes tactics and escapes, keeping his left hand out and his right hand tight to the ear. Once he has moved away, he fires back with a teep to the thigh to prevent Sandro charging in again. As a result, Sandro is not in great position when he goes for the takedown, and Curran is able to avoid it. Jack Slack: One of the best ways to measure the technical proficiency of a fighter is to note how his victorious opponents were able to beat him. Pat Curran has been in with some huge names, ones who on paper should have torn him apart, and his only recent loss has been to the lightweight great Eddie Alvarez. Alvarez is known as one of the best strikers at lightweight, variously described as having "pro boxing level hands" and "Frankie Edgar with power", yet despite his brutal 87% finish ratio, was unable to stop Pat Curran. Pat Curran proved to me in that fight alone that he is an exponentially hard man to hit. Alvarez, normally done with his fights inside of three rounds, was unable to land anything telling on Curran for the first two rounds. The opening exchanges of this fight really told the story of Curran's defensive savvy. As Alvarez came out to meet Curran, he circled for a while, feinting with some inconsequential punches, before stepping in behind a jab at the very upright, very square on Curran. Curran slipped and threw a counter jab which also didn't connect. A second jab saw Curran skip back away from Alvarez. About half a minute in to the fight Alvarez threw something we hadn't seen him throw often up to that point, a hopping right hand lead. For readers unfamiliar with the term "right hand lead" it is nothing to be ashamed of, in traditional boxing textbooks it is not even discussed as it is seen as the ultimate technical taboo. A right hand lead is the beginning of an attack with a right straight, rather than with the closer, faster, left jab. In boxing it is seen as a foolish risk due to it's slowness, but those who have become known for it - Roy Jones Jr, Sugar Ray Leonard, Nonito Donaire - rarely threw it with any power. It simply substituted for a jab and set up a big left hook in the same way a jab would set up a heavy right straight. (Note from Dallas Winston: the following gifs from Alvarez vs. Curran do not directly reflect Jack's commentary.) The right hand lead was just about tailor made for Curran - he stands square on with his hands on sides of his head and body, to block kicks and hooks, rather than in by his chin as most square on boxers do. Most fighters or coaches would see his square on stance and assume he'd be easy pickings for a good jab, but Curran slipped Alvarez's jabs with ease throughout the fight. Because Curran was always ready to slip to the elbow side of Alvarez's jab (the only side to which one can slip and not be in the line of fire), he was often slipping to the wrong side when Alvarez fired his right hand lead, which meant Alvarez's punch could follow Curran's head. Interestingly, as Eddie Bravo said of Jiu-Jitsu, the more advanced a technique is, the less occasions it will prove useful in. The same is true of the right hand lead. While it was a visually appealing way of winning points over the hard-to-hit Curran, it walked Eddie right in to the wild swings of much less competent striker Michael Chandler. Another lesson, if any were needed, is "styles make fights". Alvarez continued to throw right hand leads throughout the Curran fight, more in the first three rounds than he had in his entire career. They weren't powerful, and they didn't much hurt Curran, but they were the only technique which Alvarez could land with any consistency. Eventually Curran's excellent fundamental footwork slowed and in the 3rd, 4th and 5th rounds Alvarez was able to land some effective body shots while Curran reverted to blocking rather than moving, but Curran made Alvarez reach deep down inside of his bag of tricks to beat him. Dallas Winston: There's no better way to close or more befitting example of Curran's appeal than his unruly beatdown of Joe Warren to overtake Bellator's featherweight throne. Curran vs. Ricci Highlight Video via Bellator's Youtube Channel Curran vs. Mann gifs via Caposa All other gifs via Zombie Prophet of IronForgesIron.com

Posted in: right, alvarez, hand, curran, jab

Read the full article at Bloody Elbow

Mac Danzig has been suspended indefinitely pending results of an X-ray on his right ankle following his UFC 145 win on Saturday.

Posted in: ufc, right, danzig, xray, right ankle

Read the full article at sportsnet.ca

You never really know what to expect when you interview Don Frye, you kind of lob your questions like a grenade over your shoulder then grab your helmet as debris from The Predator's explosive words rain down upon your head. It's OK though, talking to Don Frye is worth taking a piece of shrapnel in the butt. Today I was tasked with talking to Don Frye about his new Round 5 special edition action figure, instead, I learned the age Don Frye started masturbating. Sometimes these things happen in MMA interviews. Enjoy Don The Predator Frye completely uncensored and hiding from his Sunday chores in this interview (for added effect read it in Don Frye's voice). Did you see the fights last night? Yeah, yeah I did. Joe Silva does a hell of a job matchmaking, that's where it all is right there. He deserves all the credit in the world.   Do you think Dan Henderson can beat Jon Jones? He doesn't have a fucking chance.   Does anyone? Don Frye if he got off his lazy ass. I said this about a year ago about the same question. He's gonna run the gamut in the light heavyweight division until he goes to the heavyweight division. He's six four and twenty three years old so he can only stay at 205 for so long, so then age and gravity will kick in and he just won't be able to stay there. So until he moves up to heavy and has a hell of a fight against Junior Dos Santos no one will touch him. Dos Santos is going to run the heavyweight division until Jones gets there. No one can challenge Dos Santos just like no one can challenge Bones at light heavyweight.   As a fan do you enjoy the dominant champions in a division or do you like the divisions where the belt changes hands often? Like a bar of soap and no one can hang onto it haha! You know what? It's six and one half dozen, it's like when Tyson was coming up, he just destroyed everyone. Just destroyed em. So everyone was all excited about Tyson at first then they got pissed off about it saying 'whaa whaa I didn't get my money's worth'. He was awesome, he destroyed everyone then they complain about that and how he didn't have a challenge, but then when he did have a challenge he was washed up you know? Everyone is an armchair quarterback but no one has the balls to get in the ring and fight. Then you have these idiots that say, well for a million dollars I'd fight Mike Tyson...No, no you wouldn't fight Mike Tyson, he would kill you. It wouldn't be a fight. There's a big difference between fighting Mike Tyson and getting killed by him. That's the thing with Jon Jones, he's a superior athlete. Anderson Silva, Jon Jones, Junior Dos Santos and GSP. These guys are so head and tails above everyone else in their division.   Do you keep up with MMA, it seems like your finger is on the pulse. Of course, if you're a great athlete, yeah. Even the girls, what's her name?   Ronda Rousey. Yeah! Ronda Rousey, dang phenomenal and my old sensei helped train her when she was a little girl, but you won't hear that. That's the thing about this game how quickly we forget. Who's that asshole, what's his name? Dominick Cruz. The guy is full of bullshit and is a lying turd. He says he learned how to fight in his garage? Bullshit. My guy Rocko taught him and then he went off by himself, that guy is a lying scumbag. Rocko trained for a couple years with this asshole, and he says something like that? I have no use for him. But I'm a fan of Urijah Faber, so I hope Urijah kills him the next time they fight.   That should be the conclusion to a good trilogy. Yeah, they are both good fighters, Dominick is an asshole but he's a good fighter. And in order to be a top fighter you've gotta be an asshole. At least be an honest asshole, give credit where credit is due.   Is that a metaphor for life? Do you have to be an asshole to get to the top? Sure, but be an honest asshole. You understand?   Believe me I do. Haha! I hear that partner, I bet you've seen it all in this sport. This whole deal is a microcosm of life and if you survive this sport and this game you will survive life.   What are your thoughts on the PED crackdown in MMA right now? The whole friggin' world is falling apart, and there is more shit going on than some athletes taking drugs. Ten years ago, a decade ago they figured 80% of currency had traces of cocaine on it. Look at the arrest records of the people in congress and the senators and so on. It's disgusting, and yet every time the administration or whoever is going to rob the people blind, they come up with a sports hero guilty of drugs. Like 'look at my right hand while I pick your pocket with my left'. There is a lot more shit going on in this planet than an athlete taking drugs. And if they do take the drugs it just puts more currency into the gross national product. I don't mean to be an asshole but look at the big picture, look at the economy, the security of the nation and everything else going instead of worrying about a guy taking drugs. It's stupid, it gives me a headache.   A few years ago Jeff Monson said all steroids and PED's should be legal. What do you think about that theory? Do you agree? Yeah you know, I do. My wife called me a hypocrite last year, but I said 'Yeah, I am, oh well'. She asked if I was fine with being a hypocrite and I said shit yeah. Jeff Monson has a point. Everything should be legal to someone who generates income. Athletes generate income and happiness for the people. The athletes distort the view of what is actually going on in the world. So politicians should legalize everything and then the dumb masses can continue to be ignorant about what's really going on.   During our conversation I was able to text someone from the site that is with Ronda Rousey right this second, and she says she loves you and your mustache. Ha! Tell her thank you, I would make a smart ass comment but I'm afraid she'd break my arm. I'd enjoy it if she did it though...   Has the mustache gotten you a lot of ladies over the years? Oh yeah, yeah. You know what? I get in the way of the mustache sometimes. That's the problem. The mustache pulls in the women but my brain and mouth get in the way then drive them away.   Do you still think Russians are the last men on earth? Hell yeah, look at the pansies we got representing us. Back to the whole drug thing. We are worried about athletes enhancing their performance? That's been going on since the age of man. Everyone in congress can use a shot of testosterone. Every one of em. They are all full of estrogen and douche bags. Male or female. I think the females in congress have more testosterone than some of the men in office. Holy shit.   Do you have an idea of who you'll be voting for this year? I'm voting Romney. If I could vote twice I would vote twice for Romney. Let's just be honest and not stack the deck and bus people in and then tell people who to vote for...They've been buying votes since voting has been around though. My God. No one thinks about the big picture or they would piss themselves.   What do you think about God in sports? I think God is God. Yahweh. You could call him Allah or Buddha. There is one God and many different names. I talked to a friend of mine years ago and said 'Hey, one day I want someone to say after the fight: 'I got my ass whooped and God turned his back on me. Hahaha. I guess God liked the other guy more tonight.' The other guy worked harder and deserved it. That's it in life and sports: work hard and you'll get something, lay on your ass and you'll get nothing. The Puritans had it right, work hard and reap what you sow.   Do you appreciate today's more evolved MMA style, more technical, over the clash of styles from the old days? Now you're insulting me? Where do you live boy?   Chicago, I just watched UFC 8 the other day... Oh yeah have you seen UFC 9?   Of course! You better watch UFC 9. Who did I fight?   Uh, you knock out the big guy to open the show? That's 8. That's 8. You're in Chicago you yankee. I'm coming for you yankee. I'm going to stomp your guts out.   Amaury Bitetti. You pronounced it wrong. You're worse than Chael Sonnen. Every Brazilian will kill you.   What are your thoughts on Chael? Bitetti, what a fighter...Chael? He's an extremely competent fighter, I like Chael. He's extremely competent because he's been beaten by the same hold four times haha. You know? Chael Sonnen is fun to listen to, but he doesn't write his own material. Some homo in Queens living in his mother's basement in his underwear is writing Chael's material for him. Chael is a good guy he just isn't smart enough to do it himself. That's why he's a felon, he wasn't smart enough to not get caught. Hoho!   So Bitetti. Did you want to continue that story? No. I wanted you to tell me how great of a fight that was. But clearly you haven't seen it.   I've seen it, just not recently. You lying son of a bitch.   No I'm serious, I've definitely seen that fight. Lies!!!   I will watch the fight again today in your honor. Lying sack of shit. You tell me about UFC 9 right now.   That was in Detroit, with the worst headliner ever - Ken Shamrock and Dan Severn. So boring. You're full of shit.   Let me see here, no I'm right. Headlined by Shamrock... You're looking it up on the internet!   I didn't look it up, but I confirmed it. I rented that tape when I was fourteen. I remember this; the UFC section was next to the porn section and... You're full of shit and if you chose the UFC over porn, there's something wrong with you.   I couldn't rent porn I was fourteen! I was masturbating when I was ten!   There were other means by which I could obtain porn, I didn't have to steal it from a video store... At fourteen watching two men fight in their underwear instead of watching porn? There is something wrong with you boy...You've lost all credibility with me.   I told you a beautiful story about a young boy watching you fight. A beautiful story about going to a porn shop, yeah right.   So you have another action figure coming out soon, another from Round 5. how does it feel to be immortalized yet again? Fuck, I've been being immortalized for a decade. I love the Round 5 one's though. Well, Pride had nice ones, the Jaks UFC ones look like shit but the Round 5 ones and the Pride action figures look the best. It's impressive what they do to capture all the different body types, the different molds for each fighter. So many different abs and legs...   Are you happy with your figure? It looks great, they helped out my hairline but put a little too much fat on me, heh, but I love it!   Well I think that about wraps it up... That's it? That's all you've got?   This is going on a half hour, by now most people can't wait to get off the phone. You call me up on a Sunday and you just want me to answer five questions? Well, I'll be honest. I'm hiding from my wife, she's mad at me for working on a Sunday and I'm supposed to be working in the garden, so lets keep this going. The longer I'm on the phone the less work I have to do.   OK Don Frye, I will chat with you on a Sunday afternoon. Who wins the UFC on Fox main event: Diaz or Miller? Ohhh shit. When is that?   Two weeks, May 5th, Cinco de Mayo. Diaz (kind of grumbles and exhales)....OK where is Miller from?   Jersey I believe, he came out to the Sopranos theme... And where is the fight?   In New Jersey. If Diaz doesn't finish him and it goes to a decision I think Miller takes it. If you're a fighter and you are in someone's hometown and it goes to those judges you deserve to lose. Never let it go to the judges.   Has MMA judging gotten better or worse over the years? It reached it's climax at UFC 1. I don't think it's improved any or decreased any. Boxing has such a big influence on the planet for the last hundred and fifty years, that it's just ruined perspective. You saw the fight last night between that Filipino kid and Hominick right?   Yes, I thought Hominick won. Right! In Pride rules he wins. The boxing is from England then transfers to America and then blah blah blah, but Pride rules is how it should work. The white kid should have won. So what? He had two knockdowns, two flash knockdowns, but it's completely different in MMA and boxing is fucking it all up. God Damn, Hominick whooped the shit out of that kid in the last round and looked like he got in a car wreck yet gets his hand raised? If you whip my ass for the first two and a half rounds but I'm standing and in the last half of the third round and you're knocked on your ass there's something wrong. In a street fight you know you don't say hey I won the first ten seconds! No, sorry kid, you lost.   Josh Barnett Vs. Daniel Cormier? When is that? Where is that? Why do I care? What does that do for anyone. I don't care.   Pedro Rizzo and Fedor? I didn't know anything about that. Same deal, when, where and who cares? What organization?   M-1. Who cares? Pedro has been on the shelf the last five years laying on the beach chasing broads and selling clothing, but all of a sudden he comes out of retirement? The Russians. this is why I say, the Russians have the most money to go out there and bring anyone out of retirement to take a fall.   A lot of people are saying Fedor is tarnishing his legacy by continuing to fight, what are your thoughts? My wife accused me of the same thing. Fighters fight. That's what they do. If I wasn't fighting, or hanging out here at the house doing nothing worrying about my legacy, I don't care. Fighters fight. If you don't understand that then I don't know what to say. Don enjoyed hiding from his wife's chores so much that he said he want's to talk to us again whenever he has work to do around the house. So expect more from Mr. Frye and his mustache.

Posted in: fight, right, year, im, that

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Jon Jones wasn't able to finish Rashad Evans, but he controlled a large portion of the bout and easily picked up a unanimous decision victory in the main event of UFC 145. Rashad was able to get his licks in on occasion, but Jones landed stiff shots that staggered Rashad multiple times in the bout and Rashad was never really in it. His elbows were particularly effective. The judges had it 49-46, 49-46, and 50-45 for Jones, who defended his UFC light heavyweight title for the third time. Both fighters gave each other props in their post-fight interviews.Jones opened the bout with a body shot. It was Bones coming forward early, and he threw a big head kick. Rashad waded inside, but ate a good knee for his troubles. Jones missed with a looping right, and Rashad responded with two straight punches. Jones landed a head kick and a looping right, along with a leg kick. Jones again went back to the head kick, and landed a nice jab. Jones landed a left hook, but Rashad responded with a leg kick. Jones was definitely the one with more offense over the first four minutes of the fight. Jones returned to the jab and left hook, and once again Rashad responded with a leg kick. Evans landed a head kick of his own, and Jones backed off. Jones looked for a flying knee but missed, and Jones ended the first stanza with a right hook. Evans landed a few punches inside early in the second, but Jones staggered him with a left. Rashad landed a nice left, and caught Jones with a kick while Jones as wading in. Jones strafed Rashad with an elbow, and another one, which briefly dropped Evans. He popped up and clinched. Jones held him against the fence and landed a knee to the thigh, then strafed him with yet another elbow. Jones threw a head kick, while Evans looked to land to the body. Jones went back to the elbows and found success. Rashad was still there though, and landed a nice right hook. Jones looked for a flying knee with 10 seconds to go, and the fighters exchanged punches to finish the second round. Rashad landed a big overhand right thirty seconds into the third, which backed Jones off for a second. He responded with a right hook of his own. Both fighters swung and missed with right hooks. Jones was finally able to connect with a flush kick. The pace of the first half of this round was a bit slower than the second. Jones wobbled Rashad again with a kick and looked for a flying knee, but Rashad responded well. The fighters traded in the pocket a bit, with neither one getting a real advantage. Jones started to land more body and leg kicks. Evans shot in for a takedown, but it was easily stuffed by Bones. Evans connected with a nice body shot near the end of the round. The pace continued to be a bit slower in the fourth, with each fighter not connecting on much over the first minute. Jones looked for a spinning elbow but Evans was well out of the way. Jones landed a few jabs and some leg kicks. Jones caught a leg kick and hit Evans with a right hook. Evans went for a takedown, but was easily rebuffed. Jones dropped his hands to see what Rashad would do, but he didn't do anything. Jones started hopping around and changed stances, and once again stuffed a takedown attempt. He briefly thought about a guillotine, but let it go. Rashad looked for the home run right hand, but couldn't connect. Jones started throwing shoulder checks in the clinch, which was odd. Rashad landed a leg kick while Jones danced around the outside to open the fifth and final round. Jones backed Evans against the cage, then landed a big right. Rashad tried to throw, but Jones was out of range before he could ever come close to connecting. Jones winged the right again, but this time Rashad ducked out of the way. Rashad went for a spinning backfist, but it wasn't close. Jones hit a jumping knee and worked Evans against the cage. They clinched up and heard some boos from the crowd. Jones landed a left hook when they finally separate. Jones went back to the clinch shoulder checks, then threw Evans to the ground. Jones couldn't capitalize though, and Evans popped up. Evans attacked in the last thirty seconds, but Jones inexplicably pulled guard with 10 seconds to go. The bout ended with Evans trying to land punches on the ground unsuccessfully. SBN coverage of UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans

Posted in: jone, right, rashad, evan, kick

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Mark Hominick and Eddie Yagin went to war, and in the end the judges sided with Yagin. Hominick used a steady pace to accumulate damage, but it was countered by huge right hands that dropped Hominick in the first and second rounds. Hominick's face was swollen and Yagin's was covered in blood by the end of the fight. It honestly could have gone either way, but the judges sided with Yagin and he picked up his first win in the UFC. The judges had it 29-28, 28-29, 29-28. Yagin opened the bout with some powerful leg kicks. Hominick tried to respond, but Yagin hit him with a solid right, then a big uppercut dropped Hominick. Yagin looked for the finish but couldn't get it. Hominick got back to his feet and looked okay. Hominick landed a slick left hook to the body. Hominick worked the body again, while Yagin looked for the kill shot. Hominick's eye was swollen at the end of the round, and Yagin looked a bit tired. Hominick entered the second with a measured approach, while Yagin landed some solid leg kicks and continued to throw big shots. Yagin landed a solid right that dropped Hominick once again. Hominick tied him up on the ground in full guard and Yagin was unable to land much. Again Hominick recovered and got back up. Hominick goes went back to the body and tried to work his jab. Yagin was backing up more, but continued to land his right hook. Hominick's tempo was going up as the round ended, while Yagin's output was dropping. Hominick's face was a mess at the start of the third, while a steady stream of blood was leaking out of Yagin's nose. Yagin continued to look for the right, but Hominick was the fresher fighter and dug to the body. Hominick landed his own solid right hook, but ate a big leg kick in return. Hominick connected on a lot more strikes, but Yagin's big right hooks staggered Hominick a couple of times once again. Yagin lost his mouthpiece and Hominick unloaded on him, seemingly hurting him, but Yagin fired back. Yagin's face was covered in blood, and the fighters chucked knuckles all the way to the final bell. Hominick came in on a two-fight losing streak, dropping a decision to UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo in their title bout at UFC 129 and getting knocked out in just seven seconds by Chan Sung Jung at UFC 140. Yagin, a former TPF and X-1 featherweight champion, was looking for his first UFC win. SBN coverage of UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans

Posted in: ufc, hominick, right, yagin, body hominick

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ATLANTA --In a massive upset, Eddie Yagin topped Mark Hominick, dropping the former featherweight No. 1 contender twice in the first two rounds and surviving a tense third to earn the most significant victory of his career. Yagin won on points, as the judges scored the three-rounder for him by tallies of 29-28, 29-28, 28-29. Hominick had been as much as a 6-to-1 favorite to win th efight. Yagin nearly knocked Hominick out in the first, flooring him with a right uppercut/left hook combo. He punished him with ground strikes that had ref Mario Yamasaki looking intently at the action, but he let it go, and Hominick held on, then got back to his feet and fought competitively for the rest of the round. By the end of the first, Yagin's nose was bloodied while Hominick had developed a mouse under his right eye. Hominick began finding his rhythm in the second, pumping out the jab while utilizing his significant reach advantage, but Yagin countered with leg kicks. About two minutes in though, Yagin dropped him again, this time with a straight right. Yagin went all-out for the finish but Hominick stayed active on the bottom. Hominick eventually got to his feet and worked his kickboxing, but Yagin's power found its mark at times, too. Likely realizing he was far behind, Hominick turned up his aggression in the final frame, letting his right hand go. He backed Yagin up repeatedly during the round and hurt him several times. Yagin's face was covered in blood by the final horn, but it still wasn't enough for Hominick. Yagin, who won in the UFC for the first time, improved to 16-5-1, while Hominick lost for the third straight time and is now 20-11.

Posted in: mark, hominick, time, right, yagin

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Bellator Fighting Championships today (April 19, 2012) held its weigh-in event for tomorrow night's (April 20) Bellator 66 event from the IX Center in Cleveland, Ohio. Bellator 66 will be headlined by a much-anticipated lightweight fight that features former Bellator 155-pound champion Eddie Alvarez and current DREAM 155-pound champion Shinya Aoki. Aoki has the bragging rights after tapping Alvarez via kneebar in just 92 seconds at Dynamite!! back in 2008 If you missed today's weigh in results be sure to check our our Bellator 66 weigh-ins post right here. This weekend's festivities also feature a quartet of Bellator tournament bouts, including two semifinals match ups in the Middleweight division, as well as two semifinal bouts at Lightweight. The middleweights seemed particularly testy, most notably tournament alternate Andreas Spang, who gave knockout artist Brian Rogers a good shove during their staredown. We've got that video and more pics after the jump: Andreas Spang decided he didn't want to stare down Brian Rogers for long (via cagefanatic) Ohio fan-favorite Jessica Eye (left) looms over Anita Rodriguez (right) Bellator lightweight Lloyd Woodard gives his best scary face (while holding a cupcake) for the cameras. Former welterweight finalist Rick Hawn looking absolutely murderous now at 155 pounds. You can find the rest of the Belaltor 66 weigh-in photo gallery here. What fight are you most looking forward to tomorrow, Maniacs?

Posted in: bellator, right, aoki, weighin, weighin event

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submitted by Like_Wild_Potato [link] [2 comments]

Posted in: right, do, body, likewildpotato, right body

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There's a woman at my job who has two degrees and a senior level position in finance with a fat (well much fatter than mine) salary that doesn't seem to be able to read the word 'Cat'. I don't know where the confusion comes in, but duringthe last two years in which she and I have been forced to communicate with one another she can't seem to get my name right-ever. She's called me everything from Connie to Karen to Christian, I think she even called me Cannolli once-but she has never, ever called me 'Cat'. I don't know why she can't get this right. She has to type my name to send me an email and when I email her back my name is listed right there in black and white for her to read. It's three simple letters and one short syllable. After enduring two years of weekly name mucking up with this woman I just want her to quit life or allow me to shaken baby syndrome her into getting it right. Maybe I shouldn't be so judgy. It's not as though things don't confuse me too. Granted they tend to be a bit more complex than three letter words-like the time space continum, loan interest rates and why people still watch American Idol, but I digress. Right now I'm most confused about what I think the potential outcome of the Jones vs Evans fight might be-and I'm not alone. The UFC sent us a bunch of quotes from former champs and fellow fighters and even a few that have fought both Jones and Evans and most of them can't call this one either. Shogun-"They are two very smart, strategic athletes. Both of them fight thinking of their opponent’s strengths and weaknesses and think about how to fight the best possible fight to win. But I think Jon Jones has an advantage, since he is very hard to reach. He is not only long (limbed) but also fast and he can react very quickly, I know this. So, I think it’s going to be Jones’ match. However, let’s not forget Rashad is also very strategic. I believe Rashad will have a good gameplan and I am very interested to see what he will try to do in this fight.” Machida-"Jones vs Evans is a big fight for the fans and a big fight for the division. It is a very interesting fight; Jones is very unorthodox and is strong in all aspects of the game, but Rashad is a great wrestler and has the hand speed to catch Jones.” Forrest Griffin-"This is a great fight. I’m glad I’m not fighting Jon Jones anytime soon, but I think Rashad has the right style to give him problems. There are so many emotions between these guys going into the fight, and I know the Atlanta fans will be getting their money’s worth. Jones looks very nasty, but I’m not going to underestimate Rashad. I kinda did that before once…” Rampage-“Rashad has to go for it right from the start, for real. Rashad can’t play on the outside, you can’t fight no Jon Jones on the outside, believe me. Rashad is fast and can surprise you. He surprised me by faking a takedown and hitting me with a right hand which kinda stunned me. I think he can do that to Jon Jones, but he has to do it right away because the more time you give Jones, the harder it is to set him up for a punch. I think Jon Jones will win, but I think Rashad has a chance.” Chuck Liddell-"“Everyone is different but, I think, for most fighters getting into the Octagon with someone they don’t like is a great motivation in training. Every time you are tired or holding a little back, you think about losing to this guy you can’t stand and it helps you give 100%. That’s how I was with Tito, I couldn’t stand the idea of losing to him and so I trained harder. I’d love to know who really got the best of it when these guys trained together. You get a feeling for someone when you spar with them. That’s why I was so confident against Tito; I’d beat him up standing, wrestling and at BJJ when we trained together years before out fights and I knew I was in his head because of that. Listening to Rashad, it seems from watching the Primetime show that he feels he’s in Jon’s head a little. He sounds very confident and I think that’s based on experiences in the gym. I’m glad he is confident, because that’s something you have to have against Jones. If you don’t go after Jon you are in for a bad night.” Vitor Belfort-"I think this fight will be great for the sport because Jones and Evans used to train together. That changes things, now they are going to fight against each other. We are in the new era of sport with these athletes like Jon Jones and the techniques they can do. Both guys have a chance to be the winner, and it could come down to who is better on that one night.  I am looking forward to seeing this huge fight." Randy Couture-“I think it is going to be very interesting, Rashad has the speed and skills to win. Rashad has to avoid his propensity for standing up and just striking, which he has done in the past. He can’t just strike with Jones; if he does he will lose because Jon has more tools in the toolbox. Rashad has to take Jones down, not just once or twice but every single time he has any opportunity. If Jones is worried about getting taken down, that’s when Rashad can put his hands on him and do some damage. But he has to keep Jon guessing if it is a takedown or a strike that’s coming. I think Jones is super-talented and he is clearly getting better in each fight. He could turn into a very special type of champion. He poses some very unique problems in the Octagon - and so far no one has solved too many of them. I think this is a huge fight for the division. “Bones” Jones is very hot right now and with the personalities and the back story, it all hypes this up into a very interesting fight.” Tito Ortiz-“Jones is looking very good. But Rashad is fast, man, and once he hurts you he’s on you. I’d like to see Rashad use his wrestling and takedowns and really mix it up. I think it will be a great fight.” Frank Shamrock-“This fight has a tremendous story behind it, with it having grown out of a friendship that went sour back when these two were teammates. The drama that’s fueling this is incredible. Fans can expect a fight that, stylistically, will be extremely challenging for Jones to overcome, and he’ll have fits with Rashad’s wrestling if he’s able to put Jon on his back. But ultimately, I see Jones being able to inflict more damage and walk away with the belt still in hand. This will be a fight that will not end as easily and devastatingly as Jones’s others have, but rather one of those moments in his career where he’ll have to pull himself up and battle until the final bell. In the end, this fight will help Jon become a better fighter and a better champion, and will endear himself to fans for years to come.” I think the only thing none of us are confused about is the potential for an amazing headlining fight this Saturday night between Jones and Evans. It has been a long time coming and we are all ready to see who comes out on top at UFC 145.

Posted in: fight, jon, jone, right, rashad

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This article is part of a series of articles detailing the striking techniques of UFC Heavyweight Champion, Junior Dos Santos. All of these, and over 70 techniques by 19 other fighters, are broken down in detailed demonstration in Jack Slack's new book Advanced Striking: Tactics of Kickboxing, Boxing and MMA Masters, which is out NOW! Junior Dos Santos and the Right Body Straight When Junior dos Santos knocked Cain Velasquez out in under two minutes with a sloppy overhand at the first UFC event on Fox, it seemed as though the most ridiculous boxing elitists had been proven right. A competent boxer was able to show all the heavyweight "Ultimate Fighters" what for, using few other skills. The success of Dos Santos has not been a flash in the pan, he is the most entertaining heavyweight champion in some time, and far more battle tested than Brock Lesnar or Cain Velasquez. What has not been examined anywhere else, is the cause of Dos Santos' success. Herein we shall dissect the style of Cigano, and not simply proclaim him to be "too fast", "too strong", or "unstoppable". Several key areas of Junior Dos Santos' mixed martial arts game will be examined through this series. The first is his right straight, which he uses both as a lead and counter, to the head and to the body. The second is his use of clubbing hooks. And then we shall turn our attention to his jab, or lack thereof, his approach to the clinch, and the chinks in his formidable armor. One of the key features of Junior Dos Santos' game is his right straight. Due to his carrying his lead hand low (for reasons to be expanded upon later), Junior's jab often lacks authority, serving more as a flicking distraction when setting up a power punch. As his jab lacks the authoritative force of a more orthodox style puncher, such as a BJ Penn, Cigano is forced to use his right hand to throw his power straights. This can be seen to ample extent in all of his fights. Dos Santos uses the right body straight in one of two ways: As an offense to set up his overhand. As a counter punch to set up his left hook. As a Lead Of the 7 significant strikes that Dos Santos scored in his fight with Cain Velasquez, two were powerful right straights to the body, and one was a probing jab to the solar plexus and one was a front kick to the midsection. This simple attacking of Velasquez's left floating rib with Dos Santos' right straight was enough to draw the inexperienced Velasquez's hand out of position. Having crouched and ducked his head twice for a right straight to the body, the third time Dos Santos dropped his weight, he was able to connect a swinging right over the top of Velasquez's lowered defense. It was far from a pefect punch, in fact it was technically hideous - connecting with the thumb and little else, at the end of a fully extended arm - but the set up was world class. Dos Santos does not often use hooks to the body, and is known somewhat as a headhunter, but his right straight to the body is an excellent way to draw opponents out of position. Arguably the hardest hitter in the heavyweight division, it will be hard for any heavyweight to ignore Dos Santos pot shotting their midriff. Furthermore, Dos Santos' head movement toward the opponent's right hand as he throws the right straight baits the opponent in to throwing a punch of his own. Notice in the above picture, of the right straight to the body that Dos Santos throws immediately before the knockout overhand, that Cain is punching to where he feels Dos Santos' head will be. This led to Dos Santos' overhand looping over the extending arm of Velasquez and landing in a "Cross Counter", assuring the knockout. As a Counter Dos Santos has also had great success with the right body straight as a counter, which was particularly visible in his destruction of Muay Thai veteran, Gilbert Yvel. As Yvel jabbed at Cigano, the latter ducked to his left and threw a right straight to Yvel's midsection. This action clearly affected Gilbert as his hands came out of position and he stood bolt upright as he followed his initial 1 - 2 with a left hook. Dos Santos, escaping the first half of the exchange untouched, exploded up out of the crouch that he had taken and decked the Dutchman. While Yvel has never had a strong jawline, he is used to being hit hard by big men and has recovered well in the past, when he hits the ground against Dos Santos Yvel seems as winded by the body blow as he is stunned by the trauma that his cranium has just experienced. His hands keep moving right up until the stoppage but he seems to have trouble rising, which leaves him in the path of perhaps the most savage left hook I have ever seen a fighter deliver from his knees. This difficulty moving while still conscious indicates a degree of winding from the right straight which Junior shocked him with before the big left hook. It should be noted that fighters do not react to body blows as they do in the movies, bending over when hurt. The discipline to stay upright has been pounded into them since day one and this often means that following a winding body shot they will stand straight up, but their hands will sag below their jaw. This is another reason that the left hook to the head works so well when following the right straight to the body. The right body straight as a counter is rare to see in boxing nowadays. It is confined almost entirely to Karate competition, where it's setting up of the left hook is completely useless. When carnival boxer and hilarious braggart, J. C. "Champ" Thomas describes the counter in his book "How to be an Ass-whipping Boxer" as far back as the 1970s, it was still against the grain of what constituted good boxing. This may be to do with the perceived lack of power that the body straight has when compared to a right hook to the body, or do to the fear of dropping one's weight towards the opponent's power hand. Whatever the reason modern boxing has largely forgotten the right straight counter to the body, it sets up the left hook counter beautifully, and Dos Santos certainly gets enough power in it to make his opponents forget where their hands should be against such a very dangerous man. Want to learn the techniques of Junior Dos Santos? These, and the techniques of 20 other elite strikers, are broken down in detailed photography in Jack Slack's new book Advanced Striking: Tactics of Kickboxing, Boxing and MMA Masters, which is out NOW!

Posted in: right, do, body, hand, hook

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If you forgot about the existence of time zones and missed the UFC's debut trip to Sweden, here are Alexander Gustafsson vs. Thiago Silva fight highlights, courtesy of FUEL TV. UFC on FUEL 2 took place April 14, 2012 at the Ericsson Globe Arena in Stockholm, Sweden. Upstart Swedish star Alexander Gustafsson (14-1) welcomed dangerous Brazilian Thiago Silva (14-3, 1 NC) back to the Octagon after a year-long suspension. Check out the video highlights below. For more on Gustafsson's impressive victory, check out the play-by-play from MMA Fighting's own Ben Fowlkes. Round 1: The crowd is going nuts for Gustafsson all through the introductions, and it carries right into the fight. Chants of ‘Alex!' are deafening inside The Globe as the first round gets underway. Silva comes charging forward with straight punches. Gustafsson catches him coming in with a right hand that drops Silva to the mat. Gustafsson jumps on him with punches from the top. When he sees Silva is still in it, he backs off rather than wear himself out. Bakc on their feet, Gustafsson batters the Brazilian with a punch combo against the fence. Silva is cut and bleeding around his eye, but still game for the fight. He comes forward swinging hard and Gustafsson gives him a deft little ole maneuver. The crowd breaks into a chant that, I'm told, translates to ‘Hit him in the mouth!' Gustafsson is dancing around Silva, fighting him from a range that Silva can't quite figure out. The crowd's chants drown out the ten-second warning completely, and nearly the horn to end the first. MMA Fighting scores it 10-8 for Gustafsson. Round 2: Silva again comes out hard, but Gustafsson steps back and counters. A nifty little foot sweep by Gustafsson plants Silva on his back, but he declines to follow the Brazilian to the mat. Gustafsson seems to be picking him apart almost at will on the feet, but everything Silva throws is a power shot. He's not out of it yet. Uppercuts and body shots by Gustafsson back Silva up, but the Swede seems reluctant to go all in for the finish just yet. A lunging left by Silva misses badly, but he connects with a right seconds later and traps Gustafsson against the fence momentarily. The crowd senses the danger, but Gustafsson spins away and brings it back to the center. Gustasson keeps Silva on the outside with a pawing jab in the final minute of the round. Good front kick by Gustafsson before time rounds out in the second. MMA Fighting scores it 10-9 for Gustafsson. Round 3: Silva is sporting a good deal of swelling around both eyes to start the third. Gustafsson still looks fresh, bouncing around on the outside and refusing to remain a stationary target. Good looping right hand by Silva. Gustafsson comes back with a right and a knee to the forehead moments later. Gustafsson dances away from Silva's strikes and comes back with a pitter-pat combo. Silva's leg kicks are working well, but it might be too late in the fight for them to make a difference. Straight right by Gustafsson finds its way through Silva's defense. Final minute now, and Silva must know he needs a finish to win. He stalks Gustafsson and eats a knee for his trouble. Silva keeps coming until the final horn, which is practically lost in the cheers and chants. MMA Fighting scores it 10-9 for Gustafsson. Alexander Gustafsson def. Thiago Silva via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)

Posted in: fight, right, round, silva, gustafsson

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Alexander Gustafsson continued his ascension in the UFC light heavyweight division with a very impressive unanimous decision win over a game Thiago Silva in the main event of UFC on Fuel 2. The story of the fight was Gustafsson playing the outside game to perfection, mostly avoiding Silva's powerful striking while hurting Silva with his own standup. Gustafsson, who dropped Silva early and opened up a cut on his forehead, cruised through the three rounds and controlled the bout. Silva did land his right hook a couple of times, but it wasn't enough. The official scores were 30-27, 30-27, and 29-28. Silva jumped in for a punch early but was caught by a Gustafsson uppercut, which crumpled Silva to the mat. Gustafsson stayed calm and landed a couple of shots on the ground, then again against the cage once Silva got up. Silva recovered, but was already cut. Gustafsson used his range well, staying away from Thiago's power but landing jabs and leg kicks himself. Silva finally got inside and landed a nice counter right, but Alexander responded with another uppercut. Silva missed with a couple of looping overhand rights, and Gustafsson continued to land jabs. Silva landed some heavy leg kicks, hoping to slow the Swede down. The first round ended with the fighters moving around a lot. Gustafsson opened the second stanza at range, landing shots while Silva missed. He tossed Silva to the floor and landed a couple of kicks, but let the black belt up. The Mauler mixed up his kicks, throwing to the head, body, and legs. He continued to trry and land the uppercut, while Silva responded with kicks of his own. Gustafsson put together a four-punch combination that backed Thiago up. Silva landed a nice counter right hand that backed off Gustafsson, and came right back with another one. Gustafsson was went back to his range game, throwing kicks. Silva covered up and tried to wade into the pocket to land the kill shot, but Gustafsson handled it well. Gustafsson landed a nice front kick at the end of the round. Gustafsson continued to move around well in the final round, landing outside kicks while Silva looked unsuccessfully for a way in. They briefly clinched, but neither could get an advantage. Gustafsson landed his big uppercut, but Silva responded with his best weapon, a right hook. Silva complained of an eye poke, but the referee didn't step in. Gustafsson grew more confident as the fight progressed, and continued to do an excellent job of staying away from Silva's power while landing solid strikes of his own. The Mauler landed a lot more knees in the third as well. Silva landed the right and an uppercut late, but Gustafsson backed off long enough for the final horn to sound. The 25-year-old Gustafsson entered the bout as one of the UFC's brightest light heavyweight prospects, and was on a four-fight winning streak. Silva hadn't competed in over 15 months due to a suspension for submitting a fake urine sample after his UFC 125 bout with Brandon Vera. He was looking for his first win in close to three years. SBN coverage of UFC on Fuel 2: Gustafsson vs. Silva

Posted in: ufc, right, silva, gustafsson, uppercut

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Siyar Bahadurzada waited a long time to make his UFC debut, but he didn't take long to make an impact. The first Afghan born fighter in UFC history knocked out Paulo Thiago, knocking the normally durable Brazilian completely unconscious in the first round of their UFC on FUEL 2 bout. He needed only 42 seconds to finish it out. Thiago opened the fight with a wild, slinging overhand right, and Bahadurzada countered with a short right while moving backwards. The punch landed right on the button, and Thiago collapsed face-first on to the mat. Bahadurzada didn't even need to follow-up on the walkaway KO. To add to the amazing finish, Bahadurzada said that he thought he broke his right hand about 10 days before the fight, but refused to see a doctor because he didn't want to hear any bad news. "I respect this guy a lot because Paulo Thiago comes out every time to fight," he said afterward. "I love those fighters who come to fight because I come to fight, and fans come to see a fight. I want to give them a fight." While it was the first octagon win for Bahadurzada, it was his seventh straight overall as he improved to 21-4-1. Meanwhile, Thiago's record fell to 14-4. The loss marked the first time in his career he's ever been stopped.

Posted in: fight, right, bahadurzada, thiago, paulo thiago

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Do you think we'll ever live to see the day when civil organizations are established in order to protect the rights of the undead? Will there ever been a global rally to grant the undead the same rights as normal humans? Sure the creators of True Blood lightly dabbled in the concept of equal rights for vampires -- but what about zombies? Those things are undead too. Could society ever get to the point in which our government quarantines a part of the city for zombies to mindlessly roam around? Perhaps it will get to that point. In fact, I don't doubt that it won't. However, at the heart of every quarantine is just another variation of segregation. The true question I'm trying to ask is can you see a future in which your little girl can sit next to a little zombie boy in elementary class and have a fruitful, lifelong relationship? That's heavy stuff to think about on a lazy Saturday. It's apparent Cheick Kongo wants none of this 'equal rights for the undead' nonsense. The dude is dressed head-to-toe in regalia that will tremendously increase his silver bullet firing accuracy. Just the hat Kongo is wearing in this interview with Germany's Ground and Pound TV adds 20 points to his treasure hunting skill tree. It's clear that Cheick Kongo is the closest thing the world has to Van Helsing, so it's about time we all just accept it as a part of our reality and watch the video below in peace.

Posted in: right, kongo, cheick kongo, undead, pound tv

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James Head picked up his first UFC win in style, going into Stockholm and defeating Sweden's Papy Abedi via rear naked choke late in the first round. Once Head got his range and avoided the Abedi counter left, he was able to land solid right hands and back Abedi against the cage where he really went to town. A big standing elbow and three solid right hands dropped "Makambo", and Head took advantage and locked in a choke. The finish came at 4:33 of the first stanza. Head took the center to begin and ate some kicks from Abedi. He responded with a solid combination and landed a nice right. The fighters clinched up against the cage, with Abedi (a judo black belt) scooping Head up and planting him on the mat. The crowd cheered for Abedi, but he couldn't do much in Head's guard for a while. He finally passed to half guard, but Head rolled to his stomach and got back to his feet. Abedi landed two nice counter right hands, while Head looked for straight punches down the middle. Head landed a few times a row, and strafed Abedi against the cage with a big elbow. Abedi went down and Head jumped onto his back, looking for the choke. Head didn't look to have it fully secured, but Abedi was still forced to tap out.Abedi was looking for his first UFC win after a submission loss to Thiago Alves in his debut. Head made his UFC debut against Nick Ring at middleweight at UFC 131, but was stopped in the third round. This was his welterweight debut. SBN coverage of UFC on Fuel 2: Gustafsson vs. Silva

Posted in: ufc, right, head, abedi, right hands

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submitted by kielfear [link] [5 comments]

Posted in: right, steven seagal, seagal, steven, kielfear

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Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is just days away from its pay-per-view (PPV) return, featuring a trip to the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia, on April 21, 2012. UFC 145: "Jones vs. Evans" will feature the highly-anticipated grudge match between Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones as he puts his 205-pound title on the line against former friend and training partner Rashad Evans. So who's going to win? The gang from MMA Interviews catches up with UFC Bantamweight Champion Dominick Cruz, Brandon Vera, Ross Pearson, Brad Tavares, John Alessio, Mike Easton, and former Light Heavyweight Champion Chuck Liddell to find out. The UFC and FX recently collaborated for a "Primetime" series in an effort dig deeper into their longstanding feud as they prepare to settle their score and (hopefully) bring some resolution to the murky 205-pound title picture. Watch episode one of "Primetime" in its entirety right here. The UFC also held a special pre-fight press conference that had a tension-filled staredown between "Bones" and "Suga," which only served to add more fuel to the raging fire. See them face off right here. It's (almost) time! For all the news and notes surrounding UFC 145 check out our comprehensive news archive right here.

Posted in: ufc, jone, right, champion, entirety right

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New proposed changes to California Assembly Bill 2100 would give Mixed Martial Arts fighters some new contractual rights that might not make the folks at UFC very happy.

Posted in: ufc, right, bill, arts fighters, assembly

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"Hate me now." UFC 145 is less than two weeks away, and former training partners and bitter rivals who are set to headline the pay-per-view (PPV) event, Jon Jones vs. Rashad Evans, at the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Ga., on April 21, 2012, continue to talk the talk prior to the championship clash. But who will walk the walk? Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and FX recently collaborated for a "Primetime" series in an effort dig deeper into their longstanding feud as they prepare to settle their score and (hopefully) bring some resolution to the murky 205-pound title picture. Watch episode one of "Primetime" in its entirety right here. The UFC also held a special pre-fight press conference that had a tension-filled staredown between "Bones" and "Suga," which only served to add more fuel to the raging fire. See them face off right here. It's (almost) time! For all the news and notes surrounding UFC 145 check out our comprehensive news archive right here.

Posted in: ufc, right, training partners, championship ufc, entirety right

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Super Fight League (SFL) came waltzing back into our lives, awesomely bad theme song and all, with its second event this morning (April 7, 2012) from the T-Box Mobile Arena in Chandigarh, India, live and free on YouTube. And free mixed martial arts (MMA) is the best MMA. Well, not really. Nonetheless, fans were treated to some relatively fun action inside the cage, even if the commentary was laughably bad outside of it. It's also still a spectacle -- can you imagine Octagon announcer Bruce Buffer stopping to tell fans "It's real, it's raw, and the blood is here for all to see" in the middle of an Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) broadcast? But when they tell you to "come for the concert and stay for the fights," what do you expect? The main event of the morning (evening?) saw former big time UFC prospect Todd Duffee pick up his first win in nearly three years when he put fist to face and had Neil Grove seeing stars. They weren't stars, it turned out, just the arena lights after Duffee dropped him with a leaping overhand right that caught "Goliath" right on the chin. The bigger they are, the harder they fall. Duffee, who was awarded "Knockout of the Night" honors for his impressive win, gave all the credit to his new camp mates at American Kickboxing Academy (AKA). Now, his name is already being bandied about as a potential opponent for Fedor Emelianenko on June 21 in Russia. Screw it. Why not? Everyone's favorite Super Hulk tournament champion, Ikuhisa Minowa, was also in action, albeit briefly. He was competing less than one month after his last fight, a submission win over Shigeki Tsuchiya in Japan back on March 11. His opponent was Russian asskicker Alexander Shlemenko, who hasn't lost a fight since Hector Lombard took him the distance way back at Bellator 34 in Oct. 2010. He's reeled off eight wins in a row since then, in fact, and the only reason he's taking fights outside of Bellator is because Lombard is stuck in a contract dispute. So to stay fresh and ready, Shlemenko is traveling the world, standing them up and knocking them down. He did the same here, besting "Minowaman" via technical knockout in the opening round. How they got there, however, was quite the goofy sequence. Shlemenko came out with his usual blitz of offense, throwing spinning backfists and kicks that clearly made Minowa uncomfortable. After landing one successfully, the Russian simply stalked his opponent around the cage. It was only a matter of time before he landed the fateful strike. But when he did, a big knee straight to the chin, Minowa fell back into the cage in a daze but generally looked okay. He even fired off a submission attempt after Shlemenko followed him down. But after that proved unsuccessful and Shlemenko stepped away so he could get back up, Minowa simply sat there clutching his midsection. Ultimately, the referee called a stop to the contest. It was a goofy ending but a strong performance from Shlemenko, who badly wants to get that rematch with Lombard in Bellator. How do I know? Here's his post-fight interview, in full: "Hey India. Hector, I kill you." Simple and to the point. Gotta love that. In other action on the card, Paul Kelly returned for the first time since leaving the UFC and found himself on the business end of a unanimous decision loss to Ryan Healy. The Englishman still has plenty of work to do with his wrestling game but at just 27-years-old, there's plenty of time left to grow. The ladies were also represented, as Colleen Schneider earned a technical knockout win over Cherie Buck. Anup Kumar earned "Submission of the Night" honors for his rear-naked choke victory over Dilanga Rathnaveera while "Fight of the Night" went to Pierre Daguzan and Chaitanya Gavali for their back and forth, action-packed featherweight affair. That's enough from me, though. Feel free to sound off with your thoughts on SFL 2 in the comments section below. Be sure to also check out our complete SFL 2 blow-by-blow coverage of the entire "Duffee vs. Grove" event right here. You can watch Duffee's knockout over Grove right here.

Posted in: fight, right, shlemenko, knockout, duffee

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Congratulations, fight fans. You've made it all the way to the final weekend of the UFC's spring hiatus. That wasn't so bad, right? We still have to find a way to get through these last few days, so we might as well pry open the Twitter Mailbag one more time and see what's in there. You know, aside from a bunch of questions about Alistair Overeem's testosterone levels. Let's start with something different and work our way up to The Reem, shall we? sonnysaggese @sonnysaggeseBen I know u r no huge Rampage fan but these attacks on him for that skit r absurd. R the MMA pundits now the new censors? Before we get to the video itself, let’s make an important distinction between censorship and commentary. Censorship involves suppressing free expression in some way, whereas commentary is free expression about free expression. It’s the difference between telling someone ‘You can’t say that’ and telling them ‘I think what you just said was stupid.’ Nobody is censoring "Rampage" Jackson’s video. It’s still there, still in its original form, still just as baffling as it was the day it was uploaded to YouTube.For those of you who haven’t seen the video yet, well, I can’t exactly recommend it, but if you want to be able to follow this discussion I guess you might as well take a look at it. Obviously, once we start talking about whether a video on YouTube was funny/entertaining/offensive/dumb, we drift into the land of subjective value judgments. What’s funny to me might be offensive or just boring to you, and vice versa. Personally? I thought the video was unwatchably bad. It is so unfunny that I can't even tell if it was supposed to be funny. It is so bizarre that I have to consider the possibility that everyone involved in making it was under the influence of powerful hallucinogens at the time.I don’t think any subject should be off-limits for humor. I think you can joke about absolutely anything, as long as you’re funny. There’s some valuable humor out there on every subject -- rape included (link is totally NSFW, by the way) -- but the more sensitive the topic, the greater the risk. You tell an unfunny joke about your parents, people might smile politely and feel embarrassed for you. Tell an unfunny joke about violent sexual assault, and you’ve just alienated everyone within the range of your voice. Tell that same joke at work, and you just might lose your job.Honestly, when I saw that video my first thought was that it must be an attempt to get fired from the UFC. Maybe I just hoped that’s what it was, since at least that made some sort of sense. After Miguel Torres was fired for making a rape joke on Twitter, who could seriously think it was a good idea to star in a how-to video about a parking garage sexual assault, even if, according to Jackson, it had some sort of convoluted anti-rape message? It’s just shockingly bad judgment. It would be like some fighter seeing what happened to Mo Lawal after he lashed out at a state athletic commission member on Twitter, and then deciding that it would be a good idea to go egg Keith Kizer’s house.Some people seem to find Jackson’s video funny. I don’t understand how or why, but I could say the same about most Adam Sandler movies. If you watched it and came to the conclusion that, yes, this is an excellent use of time for both a pro fighter and a film crew, then fine. But when other people tell you that they think you’re wrong, they’re not censoring you. They are disagreeing with you. That’s how this free expression stuff works. The traffic runs in both directions.Roger Crandy @rogercrandywhat are the odds that Frank Mir is the next heavyweight champion?Not great. Dana White recently assured a tweeter that the Mir/Velasquez fight would go down as scheduled, so Mir probably still has to get through a fellow former champ before he can get within smelling distance of UFC gold again. Even then, I don’t like his chances to beat Junior dos Santos -- assuming he still has the belt by then, and who knows with this division. In answer to your question, I say it’s 3-1 against Mir becoming a UFC champ again, and 5-1 against him becoming the very next champ. Ryan Young @YoungRyan4Great Overeem article. Should he be released by Zuffa and, more importantly, do you think will he be?History tells us that punishments for failed drug tests in the UFC vary greatly depending on the fighter and the situation. Chael Sonnen gets popped for high testosterone after a title fight? Let’s let "the government" sort it out. Vinicius Quieroz gets popped for steroids after losing his UFC debut? It was nice knowing you, kid. Typically the UFC has gone harder on fighters who get busted before a fight (see also: Nate Marquardt), and Overeem definitely falls into that category. Not only did his drug test failure put the main event in jeopardy, it messed with the entire UFC heavyweight title picture. Dana White normally prefers to leave punishment for failed drug tests up to "the government," but you know he’s got to be fuming over this one.Personally, I don’t feel right about going all torches and pitchforks on a guy for his first failed drug test. While it certainly seems possible that Overeem has dabbled in PED’s before now, officially this is still the first strike for him. Doesn’t everyone deserve a second chance? Don’t some fighters get a third and fourth chance? Overeem looks to have screwed up big time here, but he has plenty of company in the drug test doghouse. Seems only fair to give him the same chance to redeem himself.Zach Thorax @sephiroth872y is it that TRT seems to be exploding nowadays? Are fighters just now using it, or is it being caught more 4 sum reason?Testosterone use itself isn’t new, but it does seem like more and more fighters are discovering it lately, and I can see how it must be an attractive option. For one thing, you can get it legally, if you find the right doctor. The same is not true of steroids. For another, it’s the rare PED that you don’t have to make any effort to mask in your drug tests. As Dr. Johnny Benjamin points out, testosterone occurs naturally in the body, so it’s just a matter of doing the math and figuring out when your levels will come down to the acceptable range, which is relatively easy to do. I also think there’s a fad element to it. Fighters are no different than people in any other business. Of course they talk and gossip about each other. So do NASA scientists and hairdressers and carpenters. That’s just how it goes. Fighters hear through the grapevine that so-and-so has a doctor willing to play ball on TRT, and suddenly that guy’s hitting the gym harder than ever and feeling great. He doesn’t get as worn down in training camp. His nagging injuries heal faster. He has more energy, and he’s winning fights. That sounds good, right? Sure it does. And what if you have to fight that guy? Odds are you think you’re a better fighter, but if he’s getting that outside help don’t you want to level the playing field? Of course you do. That’s why you should go see this doctor. Tell him I sent you. Trust me, he’s cool.quebert X. einstein @oldskoolunchboxNobody mentions Cain Velasquez for a title shot...Why has the MMA world shunned him so?Nobody’s shunning Velasquez. It’s just that, when your last fight was a first-round knockout loss, it’s tough to make the case for an immediate title shot. You’ve got to win at least one before we can start talking about you as a top contender again.Money @Money644seeing how your gonna get a million questions about reem, I figured I would spice it up bit. Best UFC fight ever was?I appreciate you breaking up the monotony for me. My fingers were getting tired of typing the word ‘testosterone’ this week. To answer your question: the best fight in the history of the UFC, in my humble opinion, was Dan Henderson vs. "Shogun" Rua at UFC 139. Though, I guess there’s another fight where testosterone played at least some sort of role. Forget it. There is no escape.Tim Kennedy @TimKennedyMMAwho is hotter Katy Perry or me as Katy Perry?You know, I didn’t think this question would be so difficult until I really started to think about it. It’s possible that I spent entirely too much time thinking about it, in fact, but I can’t change that now. For those of you who somehow didn’t see Mr. Kennedy’s Katy Perry music video...what, parody? Homage? I don’t even know what to call it, but it doesn’t matter. Stop what you’re doing and go watch it. Then come back here and tell me that you still think "Rampage" Jackson’s video was funny. I dare you.Anyway, back to the question. While Katy Perry is an attractive woman, she’s also a terrible singer and kind of a cultural disaster. Tim Kennedy, on the other hand, is an American hero who isn’t afraid to put on a wig and dance to make his point. After crunching the numbers on this one, I declare it a tie. Katy Perry is exactly as hot as Tim Kennedy dressed up as Katy Perry.Martin Lindgren @MarreoMediaDo you think it's right to take away everything an athlete has done prior to his/hers doping conviction? #twittermailbagGood question, and one I’ve thought about a lot with regards to both Overeem and "Cyborg" Santos recently. It does seem unfair for one positive test to wipe out everything that came before it. At the same time, what are the odds that this person got caught on their first and only effort to cheat? It makes you look back at their other accomplishments and wonder. It leaves you with this nagging doubt you can’t ever get rid of, and it leaves the fighter with a suspicious public that will always look at him like it’s trying to figure out whether he’s lying right now. Maybe that punishment fits the crime.Matt Baxter @Sneaky_Scrote#1 contender for the hw strap getting popped for roids = watershed moment? does random testing HAVE to be implemented now?How do you think we got this positive test result to begin with? That was out-of-competition testing, so maybe we should take a minute to appreciate the Nevada State Athletic Commission stepping up its efforts. The UFC 146 heavyweights showed up for a press conference in the middle of their training camps, and NSAC executive director Keith Kizer wisely took the opportunity to hand them each a cup to pee in. As easy as it is to beat up on athletic commissions, let’s not forget to pat them on the back a little bit when they get it right.But yes, I agree that this should serve as a reminder that there is a huge difference between scheduled drug tests the day before a fight and surprise tests more than a month out. That doubt and fear is what will help keep fighters honest, and we need more of it. Hopefully the UFC realizes that too, and will start conducting some of its own random testing, if only to avoid this exact situation. Dana White is right when he says that it’s difficult and expensive to do. Then again, how much money do you think the UFC will lose by having Overeem pulled from this fight? How much bad press and needless headaches will result from it? How many ulcers do you think this one situation caused in Zuffa’s Las Vegas office? If I had as much money as Zuffa, I’d be willing to spend some of it to avoid weeks like that.James Alberghine @JamesAlberghineAs steroid use becomes unveiled (TRT/Otherwise) do you think it's effected the decline/legacy of clean fighters like Fedor?After spending the bulk of his career in Japan, you think Fedor knew what it was like to fight a ‘roided up opponent long before TRT became so fashionable? I’m going to say yes. He probably beat plenty of dudes who were chemically enhanced, and unless he was completely naive, he probably knew it. In general though, I think we have to be careful about assigning too much importance to the ability of PEDs to decide the outcome of a fight. When Fedor got triangle-choked by Fabricio Werdum, that had nothing to do with what was in either man’s bloodstream. The same is probably true of his loss to Antonio Silva, who would still have a tremendous size advantage over Fedor even if he was subsisting on a diet of Ritz crackers and acai shakes. That’s not to say PEDs don’t matter, or that we shouldn’t do our best to eradicate them from the sport. We should. But in the meantime, let’s be honest with ourselves and admit that Fedor’s decline probably had a lot more to do with what was going on with Fedor than what was going into the bodies of his opponents.Karim Zidan[Founder] @TheFlyingKneeTOstill didnt get your thoughts on Jake Shields as a middleweight contender? Do you think he would beat Bisping/munoz etcI think the Akiyama fight showed that Shields still has some shortcomings in his game, and I doubt they’re the type that will be fixed by going up in weight. Obviously, he’s a superb technician on the mat. He’s just not that great at getting the fight there, and not threatening enough anywhere else to make up for it. Against a guy like Mark Munoz, I think he’d be in a lot of trouble right now.sonnysaggese @sonnysaggeseBen why has Reem been so silent? And not asked for b sample test? Every second that goes by he looks ..guiltierAbsolutely. Unlike with your view on the "Rampage" rape video, here I totally agree with you. The longer a fighter in this situation says nothing, the more it seems like an admission of guilt. It’s like an episode of The First 48, when they bring a murder suspect in for an interrogation. The innocent man slams his hand on the table and demands that the police apologize for even daring to suggest that he could have killed his friend. The guilty man shakes his head and mumbles something about a lawyer or cigarettes. I can understand taking some time to form a coherent response, but if you think there’s even an outside chance that you may be innocent, you ask the NSAC to test that B sample right away. If you’re Overeem, you have to know that the whole MMA world is calling you a cheater right now. To remain silent is to tell them that they’re right.Matt Looney @RMLooneysince you are such a manly man, and for sake of comparison, what's your T/E ratio?I have no idea. It never occurred to me to go get it checked, but maybe now I will. Maybe all of us should, just so we can have some personal frame of reference for when a bunch of heavily muscled pro athletes in their late 20s and early 30s try to tell us that their own levels are chronically low. Oron L Crawford @OronLCrawfordtwitter mailbag: all four of mike russow's opponents have been cut after losing to him. Is he MMAs grim reaper?Maybe he is. And you know what else? Maybe that’s kind of awesome. If I were Russow, I’d embrace it. I’d let everybody know that the worst thing that could happen to their MMA career is a loss to me. "The Grim Reaper" seems like kind of a cliche nickname, so I might go with something like "The Contract-Shredder" or "The Harbinger of Pink Slips." If he wanted to go all Chael Sonnen with it, he could even cut post-fight promos where he referred to himself as the worst thing to happen to the unemployment rate since The Great Depression. Then again, maybe this still isn’t the right economic climate for that particular gimmick.Nate Pagano @Nate_PaganoDo you see Anderson Silva retiring with the belt? If not, who beats him for it?Chael Sonnen is the last best hope to separate Silva from that belt. If he can’t do it, then yes, I think "The Spider" will ride into the sunset with the strap still around his waist. It’s either that, or do what so many other great fighters have done and stick around way too long for no good reason. Fortunately, I don’t think he’s that type. Or maybe I just hope he isn’t.Matt Giesbrecht @MattGiesbrechtWhat do you think of Brock Lesnar's return to pro wrestling? What kind of legacy do you think his MMA career leaves? #mailbagI think Lesnar is better off in the WWE. The money there is good, or so I hear, and he no longer has to worry about people trying to hurt him on purpose (just on accident). As far as his legacy, my guess is we’ll look back on the Lesnar era in MMA and think of it as a strange period that was as exciting as it was brief. I mean, it’s pretty weird when you think about it. The guy quits pro wrestling, can’t make it in the NFL, becomes the UFC heavyweight champ in his fourth professional fight, then retires three years later, following his second consecutive loss. It was a wild ride, but I’m not even sure you can really call his time in MMA a career. Let’s think of Lesnar as a sort of visiting professor in the grand university that is the UFC. He swept in here, freaking out the undergrads and smashing his office furniture, then swept right back out again without even returning his parking pass. They’ll still be talking about him at faculty cocktail parties for years to come.

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Douglas Lima flew 700 miles just to crash a co-worker's party and steal his most prized possession. Who invited this guy, anyway? What's wrong with him? Nothing, actually. Lima earned the right to be there by zigzagging North America and punching quality MMA fighters in the face (among other things). Three of them, to be exact.

Posted in: right, possession, lima, lima hieron, coworkers party

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Please excuse Brian Green if he's not acting like himself lately. That kind of thing tends to happen when the whole internet turns on you in a split-second that you can't quite remember happening. As most fight fans know by now, Green became the latest casualty of the Kimbo Slice traveling circus last weekend, when the 26-year-old suffered a stunning knockout loss to Slice with three seconds left in the final round of the pair's boxing match. Never mind that Green, a 185-pound submission ace with a non-existent boxing background, accepted the fight on late notice as a favor when Slice's camp became overzealous in their demands, and then proceeded to dominate Slice over the ensuing 12 minutes. But those kind of details offer the context that is impossible to garner from a grainy YouTube video shot at an unforgiving crowd angle, and unfortunately for Green, that video was all we got. The clip, which has already made the internet rounds to the tune of over 1.3 million views, quickly incited furor from an MMA community already reveling in a deep-seeded grudge against Slice, leading Green to become a pariah in his own world. "I can't even put into words how bad this sucks," Green regretfully admitted on The MMA Hour. "Hindsight being 20/20, I wish I would have gone out and ran from him for the entire fourth round or clinched him the entire fourth round. Anything to just last, because I was up on the official scorecards, three rounds to one. 11 minutes and 57 seconds of a boxing match with Kimbo Slice, what Kimbo Slice is good at, and I was winning." Green can accept the loss. After all, what's one more setback in a sea of thousands? No, it's the criticisms of his heart and accusations of throwing the fight that eat away at him. The idea that he would suffer four rounds of damage from an immensely larger foe, just to give up at the last moment. "He hit me with a left uppercut, a straight right, and a left hook, and those three all landed," Green thickly explained. "Three consecutive punches from a 250-pound man is enough to knock people out. I don't understand." As for the post-fight interviews fans are pointing to as proof of a fix, Green says he was so concussed he can't even remember any them taking place. The ultimate kicker is that there was more at stake than pride here. Before Kimbo ever entered the picture, Green was just another up-and-coming middleweight, cruising after finally landing decent management and finishing seven straight opponents. Everything was coming together, and Green's biggest payday was right around the corner -- a chance to avenge his last loss inside his home state of Iowa. But when an opportunity to fight a massive name like Kimbo Slice unexpectedly walks right through the front door, how do you say no? "For anybody that thinks I got paid to do it, why would they even feel the need to pay a guy that fights at 185 (pounds) who has an 80-percent win ratio by submission?" Green vehemently asked. "They though they were going to run right through me. "What do you think this would do for my career? If I'm an MMA fighter with an 80-percent win ratio by submission, and I go out there and I last to a decision with Kimbo Slice, or had I not got freaking caught in the last three seconds, doggone it, what would that have done for my MMA career?" "After everything that's happened, I almost wish I didn't even take the fight," Green sadly concluded. Believe Green when he says that. Between tearing his left ankle, right knee, and the right side of his groin in the fall, plus some potential orbital bone damage and the automatic medical suspension that comes with a knockout, Green's big MMA payday is now out of the question. But even after the most dramatic week of his life, Green can't help but be bluntly honest when asked about his opinion of Kimbo Slice as a fighter. "He's really overrated."

Posted in: right, round, kimbo slice, slice, kimbo

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Actually watching raw right now, don't judge just bored. He is walking out right now. submitted by kah88 [link] [6 comments]

Posted in: right, lesnar, official, dont judge, official lesnar

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Chris Lytle retired from the UFC and MMA, but has hasn't stopped fighting. Yes, the former UFC welterweight retired from professional mixed martial arts competition in August of 2011 after submitting Dan Hardy in the main event of UFC on Versus 5. And sure, he isn't physically throwing punches in exchange for dollars anymore. But that doesn't mean he's not slugging it out against a new kind of opposition. If anything has come true since retirement, it's that the fight Lytle's got on his hands as he runs in the Republican primary for state Senate in Indiana is the toughest one of his career. "I'm busy as can be right now," Lytle told the SiriusXM Fight Club this week. "Right now I'm just in the middle of this campaign and it's tough." Lytle is currently vying to win the primary election for Indiana Senate District 28, a Republican stronghold in the central eastern portion of the state with approximately 130,000 residents. Lytle believes he's doing the right thing by running for office and that retiring to be around his family was the right call. What's been surprising to him, however, is just how different this fight is than the one in the Octagon. For starters, he's been forced to recognize being a UFC fighter has limits in terms of general recognition. Despite being a fan favorite in MMA, it turns out his constituency don't necessarily fit the demographics of the typical fight fan. "I used to go out there thinking everybody out here knows me," Lytle said candidly, "but when you get that list of people who I'm going to walk towards, who's going to actually vote in the primaries everybody's 60, 70, 80 years old. They don't know me. They don't watch MMA, so not really my demographic so it was a lot harder than I thought to get my name recognition out there. I gotta hustle. I gotta be out there doing it every day." And then there's the opposition. For an athlete like Lytle who is accustomed to tight regulation and efforts at fairness - weight classes, commission-approved fights, etc. - the cutthroat world of politics has been an eye opener. "The thing I don't like about the one I'm doing now, the campaigning, is that fighting is more pure," Lytle maintained. "At the end of the day you're gonna be going in there and it's gonna be one on one and you can't talk and you can't lie. The truth is gonna come out at some point." Politics doesn't offer the same guarantees and that's frustrating for the would-be public servant. "That's not the case here. The truth never comes out and that's why these people who've usually been there for so long are usually the dirtiest, the rottenest of the bunch. They're the ones who are the best at it and there's never a time when you have to prove yourself. it's just the bigger the lie, the more people want to believe in it. It's kind of a very depressing reality that I'm faced with right now. This is who's running things and this is why and that's the truth of the matter." Much to Lytle's surprise, there's also the problematic matter of his background. Despite his proud professional history as a firefighter and highly-accomplished MMA fighter - one that financially enables him to put all of his children through college - some have underscored the sport's violence to undermine his credibility. "One of the ladies that does not like me was walking around with a picture of me when I was fighting Koscheck and there's blood everywhere and she's showing this to people. 'Are you going to vote for this guy to be the next state senator? Really? Would you really want this guy to be the next state senator?' She's trying to use my fight career against me obviously." Lytle admits to being naively unaware of the rot and shocked by the shameless grabs for power. "I would say 90 percent don't care about you or me. It's all about power. It's all about being in control and very little to do with wanting to do the right thing to help anybody out and that's depressing" While that saddened the former welterweight, it's also steeled his resolve to see his campaign to victory. "That's why we're heading down this path and that's kind of one of the reasons why I wanted to run because I don't want power. I don't want to be in charge just so I have an identity so I can tell people what to do so I can feel important about myself." Lytle will know if his first efforts to fix the problems facing his home state have paid off on May 8th. That's the date of the Indiana Republican primary. Lytle is in a tough race against two other strong candidates: former Indiana Department of Natural Resources executive Mike Crider and local attorney and business owner John Merlau. Lytle initially planned to run against six-term incumbent Beverly Gard, but she now plans to retire at the end of her term. For an outsider like Lytle, politics won't be forever. He isn't built for the demands and doesn't want to be career politician. The question on every UFC fan's mind, then, is whether or not Lytle still has the itch to compete. As it turns out, the fighter-turned-candidate misses the thrill of the fist fight. "It was a never really a case of me getting tired of fighting, not wanting to compete, or anything like that," Lytle confessed. "It was just a case of me feeling like I needed to be more of a dad, so it's painful. I'm still watching the fights, I'm still wanting to train, I'm wanting to be in there still doing this." "That feeling didn't go away. It's not going to. It's just something I've done for so long. I think it's just ingrained in my mentality, so yeah, there's obviously a part of me that would enjoy that." "Right now I'm just dedicated to trying to do this thing, this campaign and I'm really trying to do that and I'm not thinking of anything besides that." Fair enough, and most of those who admire what Lytle achieved in the cage would like to see him accomplish his goals in this new chapter of his life. But Lytle admits to thinking about what's next should his electoral efforts fail. Could 'Lights Out' strap up the gloves and bite down on the mouthpiece one more time? "Call me May 9th and we'll talk."

Posted in: fight, right, lytle, im, that

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Oh Patrick Cote. You're so dreamy. Streaming right here. The lineup: Dave Menne vs Murilo BustamanteSatoshi Ishii vs SokoudjouThales Leites vs Matt HorwichGustavo "Ximú" vs Patrick CotéRonnys Torres vs Ferrid KhederDaniel Acácio vs Josh BurkmanDileno Lopes vs Javier OcampoFabiano Capoane vs Emiliano SordiRivaldo Jr. vs Marcelo RojoLuiz Fernando vs Pablo Javier Llampa

Posted in: right, vs, patrick, javier, ac

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Stream right here. Sadly, no lions will actually be fighting. FALSE ADVERTISING!

Posted in: right, stream, lion, fc chat, stream right

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Cung Le could easily retire from MMA and go into movies on a full-time basis. Instead, the former Strikeforce middleweight champion plans to continue fighting, signing up for a bout with Rich Franklin later this year at UFC 148. On the movie front, Le will be featured in at least three movies this year, including “The Man with the Iron Fists,” which stars Russell Crowe and Lucy Liu. In a recent interview with Steven Marrocco of MMA Junkie, Le revealed that he signed a six-fight contract with the UFC, and plans on holding up to all six fights. Right now, I’m taking it one fight at a time. (I’ll) see how I do in this fight, and we’ll figure it out after. But right now, I’ve got a six-fight deal with the UFC. I finished one, and we’ll see how this fight goes. I’m just glad to be part of the UFC. The crosshairs are on Rich Franklin. I’ve got tunnel vision right now. I don’t want to step outside the box right now. Le lost his UFC debut to Wanderlei Silva last year, as Silva ended the fight with knees and punches in the second round. In Franklin, Le will have another tough foe, but one that is returning from shoulder surgery.

Posted in: ufc, fight, right, ufc debut, franklin

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submitted by judokalinker [link] [2 comments]

Posted in: right, anyone, youtube, judokalinker, legend fc

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submitted by nooger [link] [3 comments]

Posted in: bellator, right, nooger, quality

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Following a great first episode of elimination round fights, the Ultimate Fighter Live on FX returned last Friday for the second episode. Captains Dominick Cruz and Urijah Faber picked their teams, the fighter's moved into the house and the first fight of the season took place. I thought I'd begin by comparing my fantasy draft to the actual draft that Cruz and Faber did. Actually, scratch that. I want to begin with the decision to have Jon Anik interview Daron Cruickshank after he was knocked out cold by James Vick in the evening's fight. Quite frankly, I thought it was a highly ignorant decision and is a practice that really needs to be abandoned going forward. I'm not sure why I need to spell this out, but when a fighter (or for that matter, any person) loses consciousness due to a blow to the head they have, by definition, suffered a concussion. Not only have they suffered a concussion, they have suffered a severe concussion, by any number of grading systems. In the recent past, I have heard a few commentators who seem to be unsure of this, remarking in individual instances that a fighter rendered unconscious due to strikes "may have suffered a concussion". This is simply not the case, and to me such statements minimize the serious nature of head injuries and sends the message that you might have nothing to worry about if you get knocked out. Of course by know most of us know that you don't even need to be knocked out to suffer a concussion, but I wanted to be clear that it does not go the other way. If you have been knocked out, you have suffered a severe concussion. Can we please remember this? And if you have been knocked out you should not be answering questions, in front of the bright lights on a television set, in the immediate moments following your return to consciousness. I understand the live nature of TUF, and Cruickshank undoubtedly wanted to get up to his feet, undoubtedly wanted to show his loved ones that he was okay, but the fact of the matter is that he had suffered serious brain trauma and the most important thing for his (and anyone who has been knocked out) health is to undergo immediate, uninterrupted treatment by the supervising medical staff. If I sound a little bit like a prude, well, get over it. I'm not the first to say this, but I will repeat it over and over again until someone listens: Get rid of the fighter interview for those who have suffered severe concussions, in TUF and on the big show. It's a relic from a past that we need to move forward from. Back to the battle after the jump. Here is the order the fighter's were drafted. The spot I picked them to go is in brackets:1. Justin Lawrence (3)2. Al Iaquinta (6)3. Sam Sicilia (2)4. Cristiano Marcello (5)5. Myles Jury (1)6. Daron Cruickshank (9)7. Mike Rio (8)8. Joe Proctor (11)9. James Vick (15)10. Michael Chiesa (4)11. Vinc Pichel (7)12. John Cofer (13)13. Chris Tickle (10)14. Andy Ogle (16)15. Jeremy Larsen (14)16. Chris Saunders (12) So I managed to get exactly zero picks correct, which I'm sure all of you are getting a good chuckle at right now, but it wasn't as bad as it looked. I had most of the guys in the right area, with only James Vick and Michael Chiesa going in far different spots than I projected them to. I was one spot away with Sam Sicilia, Cristiano Marcello, Mike Rio, John Cofer and Jeremy Larsen and I did say that I thought Justin Lawrence should be first pick but I figured he'd drop a spot or two based on some other factors. In the end, Cruz did indeed think Lawrence was the best fighter of the group and if you watched the first episode, he made it clear that he thought he was the best by a long shot. Obviously I was a little surprised to see James Vick go so high, but he is a tall kid with good stand-up, which is always dangerous with the right coaching. I felt vindicated to a degree when Faber picked Vick to face Daron Cruickshank, but of course that went right out the window when Vick shut off his lights with a well placed knee to the face early on in their match. But enough about me. Let's get to the interesting stuff, which to me was the dynamic between Cruz, Faber and their respective teams. Cruz right away showed that he was going to spend a great deal of time focusing on the mental side of things with his team. His first move was to pair his top pick, Justin Lawrence, with controversial pick Chris Tickle. Apparently Tickle wanted to be selected by Urijah Faber and both coaches knew it. Faber tried to leave Tickle on the board until the very end but Cruz was having none of it, selecting Tickle with his 7th pick, much to the surprise of everyone. Unsure of what to expect from Cruz, Tickle got to grapple against the best fighter in the group right away. As expected, he struggled with Lawrence, but Cruz was in his ear the whole time, encouraging him. Tickle seemed to understand that Cruz wasn't messing with him for the sake of it, but was pushing him in a positive way. Cruz continued to show his intelligence as he prepared James Vick for the first fight of the season. He spoke to Vick about using his length correctly, he instructed him to keep moving so that he was never a stationary target, emphasizing feints. And as he wrapped up one of the training sessions, he made sure to remind his team of the importance of avoiding a late round takedown. All in all it was some very impressive footage of Cruz in his element and it really opened my eyes as to his fighting savvy. As for Faber, he didn't come off poorly at all during his training sessions, emphasizing the wrestling that Team Alpha Male has become known for and telling his team that he hoped to give them skills that they could carry with them for the rest of their careers. He did come off poorly during the official weigh-ins, as he took the attention completely off the fighters and focused it squarely on he and Cruz, questioning Dominick about some statements that Cruz allegedly made regarding the financial backing of Faber's gym. It seemed to me that it wasn't the right time to bring up the issue, although Urijah told the camera that he was a straight shooter and if he had something to say to someone, he would say it. I have to respect that but in the context of the show it seemed a little petty. The best moment of the show was after the fight was over, with Cruz holding the right to select the next two fighters. He immediately selected Lawrence, his best fighter, and instead of choosing a sacrificial lamb from Faber's team, perhaps in retaliation for the grandstanding Faber had done at the weigh-ins, he told Dana White that "Urijah is the Alpha Male of the group, so he can pick."As the esteemed Joe Rogan might say: "Oh sh*t!! Son!!"Both Faber and Dana White were caught off-guard by the ploy and either because he didn't have time to think it through, or because he didn't feel he knew his team well enough, Urijah posed the question to them, in front of Lawrence and the entire gym:"Anyone want to take this fight?"The response couldn't have been more telling, as eight grown men mumbled to themselves and stared at their feet, no one willing to step up to the plate. Lawrence looked like he grew three inches and put on thirty pounds of muscle as the seconds passed by, until finally Urijah simply threw his hands up in the air and gave the selection back to Cruz, who went ahead and chose old dog Cristiano Marcello, a legendary brazilian jiu jitsu black belt and former training partner to Shogun Rua and Wanderlei Silva during the Chute Boxe Pride days. Wow. We'll have more reaction from this episode later on this week and throughout the season, but if this episode is any indication, you won't want to miss a second going forward, as this season is shaping up to be one of the better seasons in recent history.

Posted in: right, fighter, team, cruz, faber

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Antonio Silva wants to get off on the right foot with the UFC. Which is why, according to the former EliteXC Champion, he'll approach Roy Nelson with the same determination that he had when he defeated Fedor Emelianenko.

Posted in: ufc, right, silva, antonio silva, right foot

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submitted by AthiestBroker [link] [4 comments]

Posted in: fight, right, muay, thai, athiestbroker

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Yesterday, Rashad Evans discussed how he can defeat UFC light heavyweight champion Jon Jones in the main event of UFC 145. Today, it was Jones' turn to talk about Evans. He talks in a pre-fight video interview on UFC.com about how he just wants to win and get this over with (transcript via ESPN UK): "Jealousy fuels Rashad, to some degree. I think it's very weak emotionally on his part. That's why I can't wait for this fight to be over. I have no problem with him. Right now, I have my kids, I have my girl, we have our place together, I'm following my dreams. I'm doing the right things in life. I'm on the right track. Rashad is the one who looks at this whole story like, you know, this guy's went off and created his own team and he's left the people who were there for him in the beginning. He's the one who is going through this whirlwind in life right now. And I just can't wait to put him out of his misery and solidify me being the light-heavyweight champion and telling him to go have a seat somewhere." There is still over a month until the fight, so I'm sure there will be rhetoric spilled by both men. I hope it gets better than stuff like this though. SBN coverage of UFC 145: Jones vs. Evans

Posted in: ufc, jone, right, rashad, im

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"Jealousy fuels Rashad, to some degree. I think it's safe to say, yeah, absolutely safe to say. I think it's very weak emotionally on his part. That's why I can't wait for this fight to be over. I have no problem with him. Right now, I have my kids, I have my girl, we have our place together, I'm following my dreams. I'm doing the right things in life. I'm on the right track. Rashad is the one who looks at this whole story like, you know, this guy's went off and created his own team and he's left the people who were there for him in the beginning. He's the one who is going through this whirlwind in life right now. And I just can't wait to put him out of his misery and solidify me being the light heavyweight champion and telling him to go have a seat somewhere." -- UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Jon Jones has just about had it up to here (cue hand near head) with his ongoing feud with his former friend, teammate and training partner Rashad Evans. On top of no longer exchanging pleasantries and maintaining a decent relationship with each other, the two have needlessly bickered back and forth for months on end via Twitter, interviews, on pay-per-view; you name it, they've bickered through it. Now "Bones" tells UFC.com he's just ready to finally put Evans out of his misery. If he wins, especially in emphatic fashion, it's likely the last time he'll ever have to deal with "Suga" in any capacity. Then he can tell Rashad to go have a seat somewhere and there's nothing he can do about it. But is that the outcome we'll see at UFC 145 at the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia on April 21, 2012? Or will Evans walk out champion as he vows to do? Sound off, Maniacs.

Posted in: right, rashad, i cant, evan, life im

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Sizing up the TV coverage from the WGC-Cadillac Championship ... and away we go. NBC has apparently found a new use for the MetLife blimp, after the network took advantage of the aerials shots and tracked Tiger Woods' every move following his WD from the Cadillac Championship. We've seen some bizarre shots from the golf course over the years, but this ranked right up near the top. After NBC got word of Woods' decision to pull out of the tournament, after 11 holes, the blimp immediately started following Woods as he drove in a golf cart to his car. No big deal, right? The problem was the overhead coverage didn't stop there. Trying to give viewers at home as much Tiger coverage as possible, the blimp continued to track Woods as he received ice packs through the window of his Mercedes, to the moment his car left the parking lot ... and started down the freeway. "The MetLife blimp has got it covered," NBC's Dan Hicks said, as the blimp continued to track the car as it whizzed past other motorists. "Right above Tiger as he drives away.  ... But we still don't know the extent of the injury." What made the moment even more incredible was that we almost got the quote of the year from NBC analyst Peter Jacobsen. After returning from a commercial break, Jacobsen could be heard saying that Tiger "better not pull into a puh..." before cutting himself off right before he finished the sentence. Now, we don't like to make assumptions around here, but that "puh" sounded like he was about to say "a Perkins," but that would have been too perfect, right? I'm sure it was the "Pub"restaurant in Miami. Yeah, that's it. Regardless, I guess we found out the blimp has a place at tournaments after all. More follows ...

Posted in: right, tiger, nbc, wood, blimp

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Bubba Watson is loving life these days, especially after carding his best-ever PGA Tour round, a 62, to take over the lead at the Blue Monster at Doral. The weekend is slated for spectacular weather, so we're looking at the potential for some outstanding scores on the weekend. Keep up with it all right here.

Posted in: right, round, weekend, pga, weather

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UFC 144 might have been one of the finest fight cards I've seen in my short lifetime. From the thunderous right hand that nobody in their right mind predicted by Issei Tamura to the heck-on-wheels main event that saw Benson Henderson rip the belt from Frankie Edgar's unwilling hands, this card had it going on. The card had great knockouts, great fights, a stunning comeback submission win and Yoshihiro Akiyama hitting some sweet throws on Jake Shields. Akiyama would lose a unanimous decision with the judges giving every round to Shields, but the most exciting moments of the fight occurred when Akiyama finally decided to use his excellent judo to attack. Previously, he'd been one of the most difficult fighters to take down at middleweight and at welterweight, Yoshihiro finally looked the same size as his opponents. The time was ripe for him to go on the offense and toss his opponent around. Jake obliged him in each of the first two rounds with some very linear movement and odd shuffles, yet managed to escape any serious trouble with his excellent scrambling. Jake would go on to take Yoshihiro down two times in the third round. In this Judo Chop, we focus first on the throw that Akiyama landed in the first round, which appears to be an Osoto Gari or a Harai Goshi, and then follow up with the second throw, landed in the second round, which JudoNerd calls an Osoto Gari, but Ronda Rousey and Vinny Magalhaes call Harai Makikomi. After the jump, some great analysis by JudoNerd, the counter-balancing tweets between Vinny Magalhaes, Ronda Rousey and Rodrigo Artilheiro and some video of spectacular judo-based throws. In Judo classes, the throws have specific names and are often treated as strict doctrine. In the actual matches, throws can get fuzzy and when the matches are within MMA rulesets and without the lack of the usual kimono grips, the divisions between throws get even blurrier. At their bedrock level, all throws rest up on the attacking of the opponent's balance in such a way that creates momentary imbalances and openings to apply force in skillful manner. As a lead in to the throws, the nature of Osoto Gari, Harai Goshi, Harai Makikomi and Uchi Mata are explained below: Osoto Gari: Translated as "Large Outer Reaping". Note the grip of the thrower (tori) on the collar and the elbow of the nearly squared up opponent (uke). These allow the off-balancing of the opponent and the opening for the tori to swiftly step to the uke's right and put that right leg in to reap the leg of the uke, while using the upper thigh/hip as a pivot point. The ending point ideally leaves the uke in position for an armbar. via judoinfo.com Harai Goshi: Translates as "Sweeping Hip Throw". Again, the collar and elbow grip show up, but the back of the tori is at an angle to the front of the uke. The right foot is used to sweep the foot of the uke and the grips allow the tossing of the uke over the hip pivot. Look again at the beautiful armbar opportunity at the end of the throw. via judoinfo.com Harai Makikomi: Translates as "Sweeping wraparound". The sleeve grip is retained while the collar grip is eschewed by the tori. The tori has his or her back fully to the uke and is wrapping the uke around the hip, assisted by the bending forwards of the upper torso and the sweeping backwards of the right leg. The landing position leaves the back of the tori to the uke, which is fine in judo because once this throw is landed, the match is over. In submission grappling or MMA, this is a riskier throw - especially if an opponent is good at scrambling. via judoinfo.com Uchi Mata: Translates as "Inner thigh throw". The tori has an elbow grip and a high collar grip. Both tori and uke are squared off and the tori takes advantage of the uke stepping to the left to slam that right leg inside and sweep the left leg upwards and outwards. The upper body grips are simultaneously turning, pulling and pushing the uke into the nearly horizontal position seen in the GIF below. This is a more commonly seen throw in judo or submission grappling/MMA matches than the others. via judoinfo.com Now let's take a look at Akiyma's implementation of the throws in the environs of the octagon, sans kimono and with the tanned elan only Yoshihior can bring. Fight GIFs by Zombie Prophet over at Ironforgesiron.com When Jake comes rushing in with a left/right combo, Yoshihiro slips the right, turns side-on, shuffles into Jake, whips his left arm into Jake's right armpit, grips the crook of Jake's left elbow and sweeps his left leg into the left upper thigh of Jake. He did that essentially all at once and the spectacular cartwheeling of his opponent is a testament to how powerful a properly timed throw can be. JudoNerd: So pretty. The first throw is in that gray area between Osoto Gari and Harai Goshi, but the fact that he did it while slipping Shield's jab makes it even more impressive. I'm not sure what Shield's was expecting, but that's what you get when you run at a judoka straight-up-and-down like that. An alternate angle for those curious as to the foot placement and the gripping of Akiyama's right hand on the crook of Jake's arm. Unfortunately, Akiyama would not capitalize much from these throws, as Shields is a phenomenal grappler in his own right. The throws would have won Akiyama a judo match, but in MMA, more than pretty throws or takedowns are needed to win fights. In the second round, Akiyama did a throw that may have looked similar, but was actually much different from the first throw. JudoNerd: The second one is an Osoto Gari, but I'm not sure I've ever seen someone do the traditional shuffle step in the entry. He actually leads with his rear foot, turning almost backwards, to get the maximum distance on the entry with his attacking leg. He gets under Shields very nicely in order to displace his center of gravity, rolling him off of his thigh. This hip-to-hip contact is a great example of why a lot of people consider Osoto Gari to be a hip sweep, not a foot sweep. You wouldn't hurt too many feelings by calling the second throw an Osoto Guruma, but not too many people actually specifically train or go for that throw. Usually clipping the second leg is a bit incidental, but who knows what Akiyama intended? I would personally argue that because the main point of contact was side-hip-to-side-hip, it's a very deep Osoto Gari. Neither of these throws go anywhere near a Makikomi. If he pulled off a Makikomi somewhere else, I'd like to see the gif, because that's a throw that will get your a** killed: JudoNerd (cont'd): Makikomis (Harai, Uchimata, Soto) in general are scoring throws in Judo, but are completely not applicable to real combat because of the "winding" or wrapping (makikomi) aspect itself—you take your arm away from the back of their neck or collar and wrap over their shoulder to throw your weight into the throw. But when you land, you have completely given the other person your back. I essentially agree with JudoNerd, but there are some high-profile dissenters in Ronda Rousey, Vinny Magalhaes and Rodrigo Artilheiro. All have more grappling experience than I or JudoNerd, but even the greats can be wrong on occasion, I suppose. I'll give you readers the Tweets and leave you to figure out who is in the wrong here (probably me, but I can dream). MxdMrtlAwesome MixedMartialAwesome @VinnyMMA @joerogan The first one was an Osoto Gari, the second one was Harai Goshi, but more like Harai Makikomi ;) IMO, @RondaRousey Feb 26 Favorite Retweet Reply VinnyMMA Vinny Magalhaes @MxdMrtlAwesome @RondaRousey the one Joe called Uchi Mata was this one: http://t.co/OEQaG4xt http://t.co/lIhH2PqE Feb 26 Favorite Retweet Reply in reply to @VinnyMMA↑ @RondaRouseyRonda Rousey @VinnyMMA yeah that's a harai makikomi, but it's in the same category of hip throws as uchimata, so he was close, judo terms are tricky. Feb 26 via HootSuite Favorite Retweet Reply VinnyMMA Vinny Magalhaes @ARTILHEIROMMA Ae Fera, que queda eh essa? http://t.co/OEQaG4xt Feb 27 Favorite Retweet Reply in reply to @VinnyMMA↑ @ARTILHEIROMMARODRIGO ARTILHEIRO @VinnyMMA toooooooooooooooooooooosssa !! que harai lindo feraco !!! Feb 27 via web Favorite Retweet Reply ARTILHEIROMMA RODRIGO ARTILHEIRO @VinnyMMA toooooooooooooooooooooosssa !! que harai lindo feraco !!! Feb 27 Favorite Retweet Reply VinnyMMA Vinny Magalhaes @ARTILHEIROMMA Nego ta querendo discutir comigo que nao foi Harai. Unica queda que faco desde crianca...rs Feb 27 Favorite Retweet Reply in reply to @VinnyMMA↑ @ARTILHEIROMMARODRIGO ARTILHEIRO @VinnyMMA po ! harai-goshi rsrss Feb 27 via web Favorite Retweet Reply

Posted in: right, reply, harai, uke, osoto gari

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The first season of The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) is credited with many things. It goes from the monumental like being the sole reason the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is still around today to the smaller like skyrocketing the careers of Forrest Griffin, Stephan Bonnar, Diego Sanchez and the like. But Chuck Liddell's massive popularity was also helped along by the inaugural season of TUF. He was already one of the most popular fighters in the company but his exposure over the 12 week season helped propel him to the next level. Soon enough, "The Iceman" became synonymous with the UFC. The first event after the TUF Finale where Forrest Griffin and Stephan Bonnar unleashed a three round war on an unsuspecting world was UFC 52 which saw Liddell's second bout with fellow TUF couch Randy Couture. They met at UFC 43 and "The Natural" scored the upset, defeating Liddell in the third round. Griffin/Bonnar whet a potential fanbase's appetite for more mixed martial arts (MMA) action. A week later, fans saw Matt Hughes' incredible comeback victory over Frank Trigg and in the main event, Liddell knock out his old rival to finally win the light heavyweight title. Those potential fans were now hooked. The 15th season of TUF begins this Friday (Mar. 9) with coaches Dominick Cruz and Urijah Faber. After tweaking with the show's formula over the past seven years, a major overhaul is in store this season. The fights will be presented live for the first time in the program's history, adding even more tension to the reality show proceedings. To commemorate the premiere, let's take a look at the bout, one of the biggest highlights in Liddell's storied career. They touched gloves and immediately Couture takes the center of the Octagon, inching forward ever so slightly while LIddell circles around the perimeter. A right from "The Iceman" misses its mark as does the counter Couture throws his opponent's way. "The Natural" had the element of surprise in their first meeting, using his stand-up to batter Liddell since he -- and everyone else -- thought the former heavyweight champion would look to take the fight to the ground as soon as possible. "The Natural" wouldn't have the luxury the second time around. Couture ducks under a left hand and looks to clinch up with his opponent. A long-time practitioner of the dirty boxing style, once "The Natural" gets his hands on an opponent, he'll soon start wearing them down. Liddell immediately backs up and circles away, sticking a jab in Couture's face the entire time. "Captain America" continues to pressure his opponent, however. Staying in the center of the cage while Liddell circles around, Couture is definitely the aggressor in the opening minute of the bout, something which will eventually led to his downfall. "The Iceman" lands an inside leg kick but can't follow up with the ensuing punch combination. Couture answers back with a jab that connects on Liddell's chin and looks to move in closer. Just like he did previously, Liddell backs up and circles out, throwing out a looping left hand to keep his opponent at bay. Liddell lands a couple of good counter punches including a jab that pops Couture right in the nose. "The Iceman" seems more comfortable in attacking off of his opponent's offense, countering anything "The Natural" throws his away. In a weird reversal, it's Liddell who is picking his shots and chipping away at Couture while "Captain America" throws huge, potentially fight ending bombs. Couture lands a grazing hook and follows it up with a leg kick. Another hook finds its mark even better than the first and the crowd lights up. Liddell retreats but the champion is in hot pursuit. He finally grabs ahold of the challenger and begins to unload with uppercuts while pulling Liddell's head down. "The Iceman" struggles to break free and finally does but an errant finger has caught Couture in the eye. Immediately, memories of his UFC 46 with Vitor Belfort come flooding into the minds of everyone watching. The Brazilian's glove caught Couture's eyelid, slicing it open and forcing an end to the bout only seconds into the main event. The fight is temporarily halted so the medical staff can take a look at the champion. The crowd erupts when the doctor leaves the Octagon. The fight is back on. The two fighters meet in the center of the cage and for the next 10 seconds, begin exchanging wildly. An overhand right from Couture gets countered and the champ takes a fistful of leather on the chin. He circles around and begins walking Liddell down, throwing lefts and rights with his chin sticking straight up. It's impossible to know what Couture was thinking at that moment. Perhaps he thought he saw a hole in his opponent's gameplan he could exploit. Perhaps the counter punch he had just taken rocked him enough to warrant leaving his comfort zone to get a takedown. What we do know is that a huge right from Liddell buries itself in Couture's jaw, dropping "The Natural" to the mat and ending the fight. It was right then, right there that Liddell became the most popular MMA fighter on the planet. Will either Cruz or Faber experience anything close to this after their stint on TUF?

Posted in: ufc, right, opponent, tuf, liddell

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Ronaldo Souza defeated Bristol Marunde by submission (arm triangle). The stoppage came at 2:43 in the third round. Jacare aggressive at the start of the first round when he landed a straight right that backed Marunde against the fence. Jacare was confident in his hands throwing punches early opening up opportunities for his kicks. Jacare hit a takedown and immediately took Bristol's back with both hooks sunk in. Jacare headbutted Marunde's shoulder and then threw punches to the head. The referee stood Jacare up after some questionable punches landed to the the back of the head. As Marunda closed the distance he was dropped with a punch. Immediately Jacare swarmed and worked position for the remainder of the round. Marunde connected with a heavy right hand but Jacare responded with his own combination at the opening of the second. Jacare followed up with explosive kicks before swarming and taking Marunde's back. Marunde showing a great chin but also weak head movement and defense. Marunde walked right into a right hand and then a knee to the midsection. Jacare found a home for his overhand right hand. Jacare took Marunde to the ground and looked for a leg lock to end the round. Jacare immediately took Bristol Marunde to the mat and swarmed with heavy top control. Marunde gave up his back and Jacare sunk a hook in and looked to set up an arm-triangle choke. Bristol Marunde did little to defend and tapped almost immediately. SBN coverage of Strikeforce: Tate vs. Rousey

Posted in: right, jacare, bristol marunde, bristol, marunde

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There was controversy brewing last night (March 2, 2012) at UFC on FX 2 in the first flyweight bout in Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) history between Demetrious Johnson and Ian McCall. Both men set a blistering pace in which they flew across the cage in a blur, definitely keeping the cameramen on their toes. The crowd thought McCall won, but Johnson was announced the victor. It turns out that neither of those were true. Some scoffed at the announcement that the UFC would use a sudden death fourth round in the wake of a draw, but it turns out that's what the judges ruled when three rounds were over. Unfortunately, a commission mistake cost both men their opportunity to advance to the flyweight tournament finals. So now the big question remains, what happens next for both men? Follow me after the jump for our Ian McCall vs. Demetrious Johnson UFC on FX 2 post-fight review and analysis: Both men flew across the cage early, bouncing around on their toes and it was Johnson who scored with some swift leg kicks but McCall countered with a terrific trip takedown. In the striking, "Mighty Mouse" found a home for his right hand when he had space to lunge inside and land it, but when he did that, McCall countered in the clinch with some excellent short knees and elbows. After a failed takedown attempt of his own, Johnson landed the best strike of the fight with a sharp right hook which staggered McCall and definitely caught his attention. The AMC Pankration fighter would find a home for that right hand again as McCall would occasionally drop his left, but McCall fired back with some nice leg kicks attacking Johnson's lead leg. It was an entertaining and extremely close first round. The second round was just as close, this time McCall did not score any takedowns. In the open striking phase, Johnson was able to dart in and out with some nice right hands and both men traded powerful flurries of strikes. It was another round which was extremely difficult to score, although many impartial observers saw it for Johnson. The third round was the most decisive of the bout as after some more even striking exchanges, McCall got a trio of takedowns. While Johnson got back to his feet after the first one, McCall was all over him with big punches and advancement of position for the second and the third was the most damaging of all after "Uncle Creepy" passed to mount and dropped some serious punishment, even playing to the crowd as time expired. We all know what happened next, Johnson was announced the winner via split decision even though the judges had ruled it a draw. It all got sorted out at the post-fight press conference, but fans and both fighters were denied what would have been an amazing and decisive fourth round. For Demetrious Johnson, he was effective early in the fight with some nice leg kicks and when he had proper space, he was able to land some solid punches as well, especially that right hand which repeatedly found a home. His biggest issue was getting taken down five times throughout the fight and especially in the third round when he began to fade a bit and McCall was able to take over with his wrestling and ground and pound. In the rematch, he's going to have to stay in space a little more and really work that right hand. For Ian McCall, he definitely made a terrific UFC debut and gained a boatload of fans with his performance. He's a high energy guy who wears his heart on his sleeve and the fans appreciated what he was able to bring to the fight. He showcased some nice power in his leg kicks, some strong inside strikes in the clinch and his offensive wrestling and ground and pound was top notch. His biggest problem was dropping his hands and allowing Johnson to connect with some big right hands of his own especially in the first two rounds. There's no use speculating on who each man will fight next, it's already been announced that there will be a rematch once both men are recovered and ready to do it again. The first fight was very close and enthralling and I expect nothing less next time around. So what do you think, Maniacs? If things had been announced properly, who would have won the sudden death fourth round last night? Who do you favor heading into the rematch later this year? Can either man defeat Joseph Benavidez? Sound off! For complete UFC on FX 2 results, including blow-by-blow, fight-by-fight coverage of the entire event as well as immediate post-fight reaction click here, here and here.

Posted in: ufc, right, round, johnson, mccall

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Relive UFC on FX 2's dramatic main event with Thiago Alves vs. Martin Kampmann fight highlights, courtesy of Fox Sports. UFC on FX 2 took place March 3, 2012 at the Allphones Arena Arena in Sydney, Australia. Video can be seen below. For more on Kampmann's stunning comeback, follow the play-by-play from MMA Fighting's Shaun Al-Shatti. Round 1: Herb Dean oversees tonight's main event. Alves stalks forward and just misses a straight right. Kampmann shoots for a single but Alves fights it off and recovers back to the feet. Kampmann rockets a massive front kick that wobbles Alves. Kampmann rushes in to follow but he doesn't seem to know how hurt his opponent is. Kampmann drags the fight to the mat but by now Alves has regained his wits and stands. This time it's "Pitbull" that gets the takedown. Alves is staying busy, working his way from half guard to side control and eventually mount. Not a good spot for Kampmann. Alves is smothering, landing short shots from close range. Alves finally postures up but Kampmann bucks and gets to his feet. MMA Fighting scores it 10-9 for Alves. Round 2: Both men are staying patient. Kampmann rushes in but Alves circles and escapes. A high knee grazes for Kampmann but nothing to follow up. Alves slips a jab and finds his mark with a perfect counter left hook. Another exchange and Alves gets the better of it. Kampmann shoots for a double but he can't get it. Alves is walking forward and pressing the action. A big straight right crunches Kampmann's jaw, opening a cut on his face. Blood is dripping down Kampmann but Alves is showing patience. Kampmann pushes Alves against the fence as the horn sounds. MMA Fighting scores it 10-9 for Alves. Round 3: The crowd applauds both men for the final frame. Alves stalks forward early, planting Kampmann against the cage. Kampmann reverses and releases. Nothing significant has landed. Kampmann tosses Alves to the fence and unloads a knee right on his chin. Alves eats a counter right after missing with a flurry. Neither fighter is displaying any sort of urgency. Alves lands a hard shot and storms inside, muscling Kampmann to the mat. Kampmann somehow reverses and lands into mount! He has a guillotine and it's deep! Alves taps, it's over. What a comeback! UFC on FX 2 results: Martin Kampmann def. Thiago Alves via submission (guillotine choke) at 4:12 of round 3.

Posted in: ufc, right, fx, alve, kampmann

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A former champion in his own right, K.J. Noons is taking a backseat to the women Saturday night in Columbus, Ohio.

Posted in: right, champion, noon, kj, backseat

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"The big game is just starting. We just had the first broadcast on FOX [and Globo]. Of course, it's been good years until now, but I think that what's coming is much bigger. Everyone can get the opportunity, the sky is made with a lot of stars. You just have to make yours shine. Stay with the right people and the right trainers. Stay focused and keep training. Nowadays, when you start fighting, a lot of people come around offering you stuff. 'Let's do this! Let's go over here!' The thing is to stay focused, to study the art. To come into the gym and train. Eat well, sleep well. We depend on out bodies because on fight days, your buddies won't fight the fight for you. It will be you up there and if you lose, those guys will find someone else to suck up to." Words of encouragement at Rio's XGYM from mixed martial arts (MMA) megastar Wanderlei Silva, who travels back to his native homeland to coach an upcoming season of The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) Brazil opposite fellow countryman and longtime rival Vitor Belfort. "The Axe Murderer," who rose to prominence in PRIDE and then again in the UFC, is ready to give back to the sport that made him financially secure by taking on a team of up-and-coming fighters from the mean streets of Brazil. Anyone think Team Wandy is going to come out on top? Or will Team Phenom walk away with Brazilian bragging rights?

Posted in: fight, right, axe murderer, brazil, right trainers

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As a young fighter in PRIDE, former light heavyweight champion Quinton Jackson developed a reputation for dishing out damage with an arsenal of brutal slams, none more infamous than his power-bomb finish of Ricardo Arona. However, when it came to his bout against Ryan Bader this past weekend at UFC 144, few believed Jackson could channel the “Rampage” of old and wow the Japanese fans with another highlight reel slam given Bader’s accomplishments as an amateur wrestler. Midway through the second round Jackson proved his critics wrong, scooping Bader up against the fence and slamming him down face-first to the mat. While Bader never lost consciousness the impact clearly injured him, something he openly admitted to in an interview with the UFC shortly after making his way backstage. “I knew he was waiting for something because he was a little too relaxed right there with his head. He was just waiting for me to knee the head and he caught my leg,” explained Bader of the sequence resulting in Jackson’s biggest offense of the entire fight. “He’s a strong dude so he picked me up and slammed me right on my head, and I was out of it, honestly, for a little bit. But I recovered and that’s what it’s about, just staying in there and battling, and that’s what happened.” While the 14-2 Bader has notched some notable victories since showing up in the UFC three years ago the 28-year old has no illusions when it comes to which of the lot is the most significant in his career. “This is my favorite win of all time,” said Bader of his performance. “Coming in and winning the Ultimate Fighter, it’s not really in the UFC. You start over right when you get in the UFC. That’s what I learned, real quick. I had a couple of losses last year. Starting this year off right so getting a win over “Rampage”…he just fought for the title, Top 5 in the division…so I couldn’t have asked for more.” No word has surfaced on what might be next for Bader though, if he has his way, it will involve a little time off rather than an immediate match-up. Watch the full interview below: PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Posted in: ufc, jackson, right, ryan bader, bader

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

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

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This has always been an interesting thing to see on HBO Boxing promotions, as it shows who has the size advantage in the ring and who had the more difficult weight-cut. submitted by animeman05 [link] [6 comments]

Posted in: promotion, right, weight, mma promotion, size advantage

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Brian Stann knows exactly who he wants to fight next. He tells ESNewsReporting in this video interview that “he wants to walk right through Michael Bisping with a right hand.” What do you think? Good match-up?

Posted in: right, michael bisping, brian stann, video interview, right hand

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In fighting, you sweat the small stuff. Sixty-four seconds into a fight with rival Alexis Villa, Joe Warren was knocked out with a left hook after extending a right cross - just a little late in guarding the counter. He had never been knocked out or choked out in practice. "It was strange for me," he told MMAjunkie.com. "I didn't really remember anything until I got into the locker room."

Posted in: fight, right, joe, warren, vila

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Yesterday at Nick Diaz' preliminary hearing in front of the Nevada State Athletic Commission, the Culinary Workers Union Local 226 called on the NSAC to adopt a "Bill Of Rights" for professional Mixed Martial Artists. Their full press release is after the jump. The Culinary Workers have been trying to organize employees of Station Casinos, owned by the Fertitta Brothers who are the majority owners of the UFC, for a long time. In 2010 the U.S. Government issued a labor law complaint against Station. It was also the Culinary Workers Union who requested that the FTC investigate Zuffa and the UFC for monopolistic practices after the purchase of Strikeforce. They've also been involved in the opposition to getting MMA sanctioned in New York state. And they've launched a bunch of web sites attacking White and the UFC. Here are the key bullet points from the Culinary Workers' release outlining what they feel are the exploitative conditions of the modern MMA industry: Long-term , exclusivity contracts that bind athletes to a single promoter, in some cases indefinitely. These contracts make it more difficult for athletes to negotiate higher pay and diminish the incentive of smaller promoters to bid for talented fighters Limited control over image and likeness rights. Professional mixed-martial arts fighters must frequently forfeit future revenue streams from DVD sales, video games, clothing and other merchandise, even after retirement. Lack of financial transparency. Under the federal Muhammad Ali Boxing Reform Act (Ali Act), business promoters are required to make extensive financial disclosures to state athletic commissions. No such requirements govern MMA. As a result, fighters often have to negotiate in the dark and are unsure if they are being compensated fairly. MMA Fighting's Ariel Helwanispoke to Dana White in Japan and got him to respond to the culinary union. Video of that interview is after the jump. Here's what Dana had to say about the Culinary Workers' and the Muhammad Ali Act: The Muhammad Ali Act was put in place so that athletic commissions could have more control over sanctioning bodies, corruption, and a list of other things. There is no corruption, there's no sanctioning organizations in MMA. It's a bunch of dorks who have no idea what they're talking about. The fact that they're spending the culinary workers dues to mess with an MMA organization that brings a lot of money into your state. You guys are old-school gangsters. So far the Culinary Workers' efforts have been little more than a nuisance for White, Zuffa and the Fertittas, but if their call for a Muhammad Ali Act type of law to be passed covering MMA gain traction, that would dramatically impact the way the UFC does business. The following is a press release from the Culinary Workers Union: Culinary Workers Union, Local 226 calls on the Nevada Athletic Commission to adopt a "Bill of Rights" for professional mixed-martial arts athletes Las Vegas, NV -- Today, the Culinary Workers Union, Local 226 called on the Nevada Athletic Commission to adopt and enforce a "Bill of Rights for Professional Mixed-Martial Artists," as a vital step toward protecting these athletes from abusive business practices and coercive contracts. "Many athletes who compete in the sport of mixed-martial arts are subject to coercive contracts and exploitative business practices that are not allowed in professional boxing," said Chris Serres, a research analyst with the Culinary Workers Union, Local 226, an affiliate of UNITE HERE. "We call on the Nevada Athletic Commission to take a leadership role and push for the adoption of this `Bill of Rights" in every state where it is currently legal to hold mixed-martial arts events. If adopted and enforced, these ten rights would change the sport's most egregious business practices." In testimony today before the Nevada Athletic Commission, the Culinary Workers Union, Local 226 outlined the following exploitative business practices in the sport of mixed-martial arts: · Long-term , exclusivity contracts that bind athletes to a single promoter, in some cases indefinitely. These contracts make it more difficult for athletes to negotiate higher pay and diminish the incentive of smaller promoters to bid for talented fighters · Limited control over image and likeness rights. Professional mixed-martial arts fighters must frequently forfeit future revenue streams from DVD sales, video games, clothing and other merchandise, even after retirement. · Lack of financial transparency. Under the federal Muhammad Ali Boxing Reform Act (Ali Act), business promoters are required to make extensive financial disclosures to state athletic commissions. No such requirements govern MMA. As a result, fighters often have to negotiate in the dark and are unsure if they are being compensated fairly. The "Bill of Rights for Professional Mixed Martial Artists" would grant mixed-martial artists similar protections currently afforded to professional boxers, who are already protected by a boxers' Bill of Rights and the Ali Act. "There is no compelling reason why boxers are protected from exploitation, while mixed-martial arts athletes are not," Serres said. The Bill of Rights was inspired by conversations the Culinary Workers Union Local 226 has had with more than 50 mixed-martial arts athletes, and their agents, across North America. The Culinary Union's testimony before the Nevada Athletic Commission is available online: http://www.scribd.com/doc/82443511/Culinary-Workers-Union-Local-226-testimony-before-the-Nevada-Athletic-Commission A copy of the "Bill of Rights for Professional Mixed Martial Artists" is also available online: http://www.scribd.com/doc/82245038/MMA-Bill-of-Rights The Culinary Workers Union Local 226 is Nevada's largest union with 55,000 members. It is an affiliate of UNITE HERE, which represents 250,000 stadium, food service, hotel, airport and gaming workers in North America.

Posted in: right, union, worker, workers union, mixedmartial

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(Women are 3/5ths the fighters that men are. Wait, what???) The UFC's great buddies over at the Culinary Union are still trying to mess with the sport of MMA, and while they claim it's all for the benefit of the poor struggling fighters, it's really just shady union hardball because UFC brass own non-union casinos in Vegas. Don't pretend you give a sh*t about the sport when you're also trying to keep it banned in New York, you c*nts. That's why even if they were advocating that every fighter gets an extra 10k and a special lolly pop every time they fight, I'd still be looking at the offer a bit askance wonder what the angle is this time. Because 99.99% of the time that angle is "Screw Dana White."The Union presented a fighter 'bill of rights' to the Nevada State Athletic Commission on Wednesday. Here's some of the more interesting ones: 2. Right to work. This would allow fighters to sign non-exclusive contracts and would prohibit contracts from automatically renewing. Champions' clauses, which keep champs attached to their contract as long as they hold the belt, would be a thing of the past....4. Free market of sponsorships. This would not just allow fighters to get whoever they would like to sponsor them, but would also let them say no to their promotion's sponsor. In other words, Brock Lesnar could chug a Coors and Carlos Condit could have walked away from a Harley-Davidson if he wanted to pursue a sponsorship with Honda....9. Right to fair fights. The UFC's matchmaking system generally provides fair and evenly matched bouts, but things get murky on subjects like who deserves a title fight. Timing often decides title matches as much as an independent ranking system. This right would call for a transparent ranking of fighters....10. Professionalism. From the union: "You have the right to be treated with common courtesy and professional respect by other fighters and by promoters and managers. For mixed martial arts to become a mainstream sport accepted by the general public, participants in the sport must act in accordance with commonly accepted standards of courtesy, decency and respect in their public interactions with one another and in their interactions with the public." The thing that pisses me off about this isn't that all of the suggestions from the Culinary Union are bad, it's that they're trying to armchair general the future of the sport. What right do they have to come in and make any kind of suggestions about how the sport is run? What is their expertise in the field of MMA? Their raging hate-boner against Zuffa? Does that really qualify them to put forward sweeping regulations that turn the entire sport onto it's head?A lot of the stuff they suggest is right out of the 'How boxing was ruined' playbook too. Non-exclusive contracts are just nuts in today's business environment and would take a sport that can already be frustratingly fragmented and shatter it further into a million more little pieces. And who determines what the 'right to a fair fight' entails? Some bogus sanctioning bodies like in boxing? No thank you. MMA may not be perfect, but taking these pie in the sky suggestions and trying to force them via policy into reality would be a complete disaster for the sport. Please, Culinary Union. How about you butt out of our sport and stick to whatever it is you do when you're not constantly harassing the UFC?

Posted in: ufc, right, fighter, sport, union

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In yesterday’s Nevada State Athletic Commission hearing, the Culinary Workers Union – who have long apposed the anti-union stance of Zuffa and Station Casino owner’s Frank and Lorenzo Fertitta – proposed the MMA “Bill of Rights” to the commission. Here is the press release sent out yesterday after the hearing: Today, the Culinary Workers Union, Local 226 called on the Nevada Athletic Commission to adopt and enforce a “Bill of Rights for Professional Mixed-Martial Artists,” as a vital step toward protecting these athletes from abusive business practices and coercive contracts. “Many athletes who compete in the sport of mixed-martial arts are subject to coercive contracts and exploitative business practices that are not allowed in professional boxing,” said Chris Serres, a research analyst with the Culinary Workers Union, Local 226, an affiliate of UNITE HERE. “We call on the Nevada Athletic Commission to take a leadership role and push for the adoption of this `Bill of Rights” in every state where it is currently legal to hold mixed-martial arts events. If adopted and enforced, these ten rights would change the sport’s most egregious business practices.” In testimony today before the Nevada Athletic Commission, the Culinary Workers Union, Local 226 outlined the following exploitative business practices in the sport of mixed-martial arts: · Long-term , exclusivity contracts that bind athletes to a single promoter, in some cases indefinitely. These contracts make it more difficult for athletes to negotiate higher pay and diminish the incentive of smaller promoters to bid for talented fighters · Limited control over image and likeness rights. Professional mixed-martial arts fighters must frequently forfeit future revenue streams from DVD sales, video games, clothing and other merchandise, even after retirement. · Lack of financial transparency. Under the federal Muhammad Ali Boxing Reform Act (Ali Act), business promoters are required to make extensive financial disclosures to state athletic commissions. No such requirements govern MMA. As a result, fighters often have to negotiate in the dark and are unsure if they are being compensated fairly. The “Bill of Rights for Professional Mixed Martial Artists” would grant mixed-martial artists similar protections currently afforded to professional boxers, who are already protected by a boxers’ Bill of Rights and the Ali Act. “There is no compelling reason why boxers are protected from exploitation, while mixed-martial arts athletes are not,” Serres said. The Bill of Rights was inspired by conversations the Culinary Workers Union Local 226 has had with more than 50 mixed-martial arts athletes, and their agents, across North America. The Culinary Union’s testimony before the Nevada Athletic Commission is available online: http://www.scribd.com/doc/82443511/Culinary-Workers-Union-Local-226-testimony-before-the-Nevada-Athletic-Commission A copy of the “Bill of Rights for Professional Mixed Martial Artists” is also available online: http://www.scribd.com/doc/82245038/MMA-Bill-of-Rights MMA Bill of Rights<>   Payout Perspective: Some interesting thoughts here, especially bringing up the highly debated Muhammad Ali Boxing Reform Act (Ali Act) and how that would impact MMA if ever adopted. Others in MMA have pushed for similar rights, but none have succeeded thus far. Whether some points are credible or not, you have to wonder how effect the Culinary Union’s efforts have been in the past few months repeatedly targeting the UFC.  If you recall, the union sent an email to the FTC supporting an investigation against the UFC and their business practices after they purchased Strikeforce from Silcon Valley Sports Entertainment early in 2011.  The FTC investigation was recently closed after determining no wrong-doing on the UFC’s part.

Posted in: right, union, bill, workers union, mixedmartial

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Ryan "Darth" Bader talked to the press at Gold's Gym in Tokyo, Japan, right before his fight against Quinton "Rampage" Jackson at UFC 144.

Posted in: ufc, right, ryan, bader, golds gym

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The upcoming UFC 144 event will feature the two most resilient lightweights in recent memory at the very top of the card as Frankie Edgar defends his title against Ben Henderson. Neither man has cruised through their careers with ease and both have had to claw back victory from the jaws of defeat several times. Iron wills, nearly limitless energy and the calm retention of technical skills under pressure have allowed Edgar and Henderson to survive and thrive in the shark tank that is the lightweight division. This two-part Judo Chop takes a look at what exactly the little things are that Bendo does to work his near-miraculous escapes and to stave off defeat until he can find and exploit a route to victory. In his last bout, Edgar capped off the finest trilogy of fights in MMA with his dramatic comeback from near defeat and subsequent knockout of Gray Maynard at UFC 136. Edgar has retained his UFC title with quiet tenacity and is now one of the most respected people in the sport for his heart and desire to win. Benson Henderson, the man who will stand across from Edgar in Saitama Super Arena, took a hard lesson from his last defeat. The loss of his WEC title to Anthony Pettis at the end of the bittersweet, but great WEC 53 card ended with Benson reeling from the now-legendary Showtime Kick. After that defeat and the subsequent absorption of the WEC by the UFC, Benson roared like the lion his frizzy mane emulates throughout thrilling matches with Mark Bocek, Jim Miller and Clay Guida to claim this title shot. All four fighters have had Bendo in trouble at some point and every single time, he has escaped. This first part takes an in-depth look at the WEC 53 fight against Anthony Pettis and the UFC 129 bout with Mark Bocek. Hit the jump for the fight breakdowns combined with the GIF goodies from Grappo. The Showtime Kick was for a time the most vivid image in recent mixed martial arts history. The visual poetry of the kick was so strong that it overshadowed the actual fight itself, a back and forth battle between two closely matched competitors. Both Pettis and Henderson had the other in trouble in all phases of the game and in particular, the rear mount position figured heavily in the action. At approximately the 3:30 mark of the third round, Pettis managed to work out of an open guard position and slide around to the rear mount position with a body triangle modification. In IBJJF competitions, he would achieve no points for this particular back take, but in real grappling and in MMA, such a position is extremely powerful. Finish opportunities open up and the body triangle can slowly constrict the energy and fight out of an opponent. Pettis was on Henderson's back for over three minutes, but achieved no finish despite working constantly to generate an opportunity for the rear naked choke (RNC) or punching Henderson in the face. The lack of a finish is due to Benson's calm controlling of one hand at almost all times. In this gif, you can see Benson get a two on one grip on Anthony's right arm and stretch it out. In MMA, if one hand is controlled, the other hand can generally be allowed to wrap around the neck without fear of a choke. In submission grappling, it is possible for grappling wizards like Marcelo Garcia to do a one handed RNC on high level opponents (as demonstrated on Ryan Hall in a practice session), but that takes a certain confluence of skill, position and mastery of technique. At that point in time, Pettis does not have such a confluence, so Henderson need only disrupt the choke attempts by controlling one hand. The full fight (very much worth watching) shows that Pettis constantly attacked by alternating which arm was going for the choke and which would complete the RNC, only to be frustrated by Henderson's grips. The two on one is usually a powerful grip in grappling as very few people outside of Mark Coleman or other immensely strong individuals will be able to power a single arm through the grip of two. In an earlier interview, Dave Camarillo mentioned that he believes the kimura grip (a variant of the two on one grip) is the strongest grip possible in grappling and utilizes it heavily within his own grappling and teaching. Note that Benson also alleviates the discomfort of the body triangle and carrying Anthony's weight to some degree by struggling upright and leaning against the cage. Pettis has to fight gravity in a small way himself and cannot take the easier route of staying on top of a turtled up opponent and driving his hips forwards to create immense pressure and discomfort. Those who remember the DaMarques Johnson and Mike Guymon fight from UFC: Fight for the Troops 2 can remember the power of that particular body triangle. Benson survived three minutes of this and looked unusually placid while doing so - as if this threatening back take was merely something to tolerated and worked through until he could get free and fire off more clinch knees. Jumping forwards to the next time Henderson was in significant trouble leads us to right after the Showtime Kick. Rather than dwelling upon the already much heralded burst of violent creativity, we should focus on how a very dazed and tired Bendo weathered a full minute of Pettis trying to finish the fight. Yes, there was a minute of the fight after the kick and smart tactics combined with an unfortunately timed lack of improvisation by Pettis is what allowed Henderson to survive to the decision. Immediately after the kick, Benson knew he had to get up off his back and do something or risk taking big punches from Anthony. He glommed onto the legs of Pettis and held his head tight to the legs in an instinctual clinch that played into the rule proscribing blows to the back of the head. Pettis had to pick and choose the spots to launch his strikes and the singleminded determination of Henderson to grab a leg and stay on it makes it difficult for Pettis to do anything other than end up in a crucifix position - as the GIF shows. However, right after the kick and scramble, Pettis stalls out a bit. Here, Pettis displays positional dominance in a way that often leads to the end of fights. The legs are controlling one arm and the head looks ripe to rain down damaging blows upon. This is an MMA fight, bound by rules and regulations and thus Pettis cannot punch away at the back of the head a la Hayato Sakurai against Nick Diaz. Fortunately for Henderson, Pettis never makes the logical leap to the Gary Goodridge style crucifix hellbows that left Paul Herrera a crumpled heap on the floor of the UFC 8 cage. With this oddly hesitant pattern of strikes, Ben is never fully overwhelmed and can prevent the referee from stepping in. Eventually, time ran out on the round and on the last, most brilliant card of WEC's existence. Benson would stand ready to hear the judges' decision and watch Anthony Pettis's hand be raised in victory. After the absorption of the WEC into the UFC, Henderson was largely viewed as a mid-level entrant to the division and Pettis waited for a potential title shot. Four months after the WEC 53 battle, Henderson fought Mark Bocek as part of the general "American vs. Canadian" vibe of the UFC 129 card. Henderson won a unanimous decision, but there were moments of real trouble for him due to Bocek's grappling prowess. Three such moments will be looked at this Judo Chop: For the first, Henderson has had a takedown stuffed and is on his hands and knees below Bocek, who has established head control. After some time securing the position, Bocek shifts to an anaconda grip. The angle for the cameras unfortunately obscures the placement of Bocek's hands and the beginnings of the choke, but there have been multiple Judo Chops done on the submission before. [The first is Judo Chop: Breaking Down the Groundwork of Maia/Munoz at UFC 131 and the second is Judo Chop: Carlo Prater Uses a Novel Finish to the Anaconda Choke.] Bocek is squeezing Henderson's left carotid with the placement of his right biceps and wants to force Henderson's right arm next to his head in such a way that the right carotid will also be squeezed. By making a series of motions somewhat similar to a RNC, Bocek has his right hand in the crook of his left arm and wants to roll to his left to off-balance Henderson and create more pressure on the carotids and thereby gain the submission. However, the cage and Henderson's positioning block Bocek from really turning over to get the proper anaconda finish that the grappling gods want. For a better idea of what a real anaconda choke looks like, check out the Judo Chops mentioned above or watch the old PRIDE fights of Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira - better known as "Big Nog" or "The Really Old Looking Brazilian Who Made The Anaconda Choke Famous". The nicknames sounds better in Portuguese, trust me. Mark bails on the anaconda and gets back to his feet, while retaining the head control that keeps Ben from getting a counter-takedown or punching Mark in the face some more. While they are along the fence, Bocek repositions his hands and arms in such a way that makes for a great guillotine - if he can get in position. The angles are not quite right for a guillotine in the style of the one Jake Shields pulled on Robbie Lawler back at Strikeforce: Lawler vs. Shields, so Mark moves a bit to his right to clear his legs from Ben's control and Ben sinks to his knees as he loses the grip on the legs. When the legs are clear and Ben is fully on his elbows and knees, Bocek goes for a classic variation of the guillotine. The far side leg is swiftly thrown behind the opponent's back to prevent a move into side control, which would allow the alleviation of the pressure on the carotids and thus safety from the choke. The opponent's head is tucked into the latissimus dorsi muscles, which allow for a better, tighter squeeze and the left arm comes up to link and possibly throw the elbow over the opponent's right shoulder. Some Brazilian jiu jitsu people call this the Marcelo-tine, but a large number of grapplers from any discpline can get finishes with this move if they can hit it right. This is the second submission that Ben had to defend. Ben defended by bringing his right hand up to give some modicum of space within the choke and by simultaneously rolling - which may not always work against high level grapplers. The roll and the "not-quite-finished" status of the choke allowed Bendo to knock the left hand free and escape yet again. This might be the single closest time that Ben Henderson has come to being finished in the cage in the last several years and he reacts by storming Bocek with a flurry of punches. In the third round, Bocek ends up in an open guard position as Henderson has dominated nearly the entirety of the round by dealing out vicious punches and knees. Bocek places his left foot on a hip and leaves his right leg free (in a cautiously optimistic way). Ben walks in as if completely unconcerned about anything other than controlling the feet to prevent an upkick. Bocek uses that opportunity to grip the left leg of Henderson at the ankle and swims his right leg under and around the knee. This is a move that is banned in IBJJF competitions due to the risk of the submission Bocek initially sets up - the heel hook. [Previous Judo Chops featuring the heel hook: Rousimar Palhares and Leglocks, Shogun Rua's Fightsaving Leglock on Dan Henderson, Ed Herman Uses 50/50 Guard to Heel Hook Kyle Noke.] Ben probably realizes as soon as his leg is gripped that he has left the door wide open for a heel hook. The best way to get out of a leglock is to keep base carefully, stay calm, work the escapes techniques and to avoid panicking and ripping out the wrong way. Mark decides to control the hands of his opponent instead of going straight for the heel hook, which is a sort of judgement call in the damage versus submission opportunity debate. Henderson turns his right leg outwards to try and keep balance as if he were bullriding, but Bocek is a great grappler and uses his free left leg to kick out Henderson's base. As Ben falls over, Mark follows him and locks hands around the waist. Some of you may already know what submission Bocek has the opportunity for and have seen it broken down in an earlier Judo Chop covering how Charles Oliveira defeated Eric Wisely with the calf slicer. In contrast to Wisely, Bendo is extremely flexible, quite strong for his weight class and does not make the mistake of trying to launch vertically upwards to escape. Bocek looks like he wants the submission, but realizes that the slicer is probably not going to work as desired. Mark bails on it to go for an eventually unsuccessful back take. But for Benson's calm grappling defense and diligence in stretching, we could have seen the first UFC calf slicer in April of last year... That is all for Part 1 and stay tuned to Bloody Elbow for the next installment. Part 2 will take a look at the Jim Miller and Clay Guida battles Ben Henderson went through to reach his title shot complete with analysis and more pretty visuals.

Posted in: right, petti, henderson, leg, bocek

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We here at Fightlinker haven't always been the biggest fans of King Mo. He thinks too highly of himself! He dares soil the sacred cage canvas with energy drinks! Basic bitchy fan gripes. So while we might take a little bit more enjoyment than we should when he gets starched like he did by Rafael Cavalcante, recent news that Mo had some crazy flesh eating staph had us concerned for his health. Hey, we're still humans here at Fightlinker. Except Grappo, he is a hologram. Anyways, here's the rumor that was going around two days ago on twitter: Pretty scary sounding jazz right there. Luke Thomas got Mo on his SirusXM radio show to find out if the dill really was as pickle as it sammiched. Sorry, I'm eating lunch right now. POUR THAT MUSTARD ON US, MO: All this happened like three weeks ago but I didn't tell nobody. I was in the hospital with people texting me and I was trying to keep it like nothing was going on so there wouldn't be any red flags. But what happened was I had surgery after the fight. I had ACL and microfracture. The ACL wasn't a big deal but the microfracture was a bigger deal in my cartilage. One of the sutures got infected and I had to go to the hospital the day after the Rashad Evans/Phil Davis fight. I got blood taken out of my knee and taken to a lab. I was at my manager's crib...Mike Kogan's crib and all of the sudden my doctor's like 'hey, you've gotta come to the hospital right now'. And this is right after Chael won. So I went to the hospital before the Rashad Evans/Phil Davis fight and I watched the fight at the hospital. Then went into the surgery spot and woke up with the PICC line in my arm and they were telling me I would be in there till Monday. I figured I'd go in there and clear my knee out and I'd be out the same night or the next night but I was in there till Monday. Then they checked out my knee again and took the temperature and the knee was still hot and swelling up. They decided to take me back into surgery to do another flush procedure to get the staph infection out. In twelve days I had five procedures to remove the staph and I'm staph free now. But now they've pushed IV medicine through my PICC line that's connected to my heart through my arm every day for six weeks.This is the toughest thing I've ever experienced in my life. The harded that I've experienced in my life. Spiritually and emotionally, man I'll put it like this. I'm not religious at all. I was born to a Muslim family. Man this had me thinking I had to purchase the Quran and get back to my faith and start having more talks with Allah. Seeing my teammates come see me, it broke me down a few times man. Coach Mendez came and saw me a lot. Coach Bob, Paul Buentello, Dan Cormier...people on the team. Jermain Ramsey and Jenna...Phil. I just had so many people contact me and come through it was tough man. It pushed me. Mentally I'll be a stronger person. I know I'll be stronger and I'll be a better fighter. Anyone who's seen pictures of Kevin Randleman's staph scarred body knows how crazy staph can get, especially the super staph floating around the MMA world. I remember a few years ago there were creepy breakouts at all the major gyms and fights getting cancelled left and right (or worse, still being allowed to happen with gaping wounds exposed). Here's hoping Mo fully recovers ... I want him to be the same fighter he was before so I can continue to hate on him and cheer for him to lose.

Posted in: fight, right, mo, hospital, staph

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The doctor is in. Heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko, fresh off an unmerciful annihilation of Tomasz Adamek, will be putting his titles on the line against British contender Dereck “Del Boy” Chisora. Most recently, Chisora battered the highly-touted Robert Helenius for twelve rounds, only to be screwed out of a win by terrible hometown judging. Chisora sparked some controversy at the weigh-ins by slapping Vitali and being subsequently fined a quarter of his purse. Just now, he spit on Wladimir Klitschko’s face. The fight is set to begin at 5:30 EST; stop by after the jump for live coverage and play-by-play. Round One: Lots of movement from Del Boy early; Klitshcko potshotting with his jab. BIG right hand for Vitali forty seconds in, Chisora clinches. Left hook from Vitali, then another jab. Big one-two for Klitschko, Chisora whiffs on a winging right. Left from Chisora actually lands. Body shot from Vitali, Chisora barely lands a return right. Another whiffed right from Dereck. Jab landing all day for Vitali. Hard right from Vitali, then one to the body. Right straight again. Whiffed left from Chisora, brutal right from Vitali. Easy 10-9 for Dr. Ironfist, who is dominating so far. Round Two: Clinch on the inside. Left from Vitali, then a hard right straight. Chisora whiffs again. Jab from Klitschko and again. One-two lands again for Klitschko. Again. Jab from Vitali. Whiff again from Chisora. Left from Vitali, then a clinch. Right from Vitali, Chisora responds and actually lands. Another one-two from Vitali. BIG right hand from Vitali and again and again. Left from Klitschko. One-two from Klitschko. Target practice for Vitali. 20-18 Klitschko. Round Three: Clinch early. Body blow from Vitali and another. Chisora unable to land anything. Hard right from Klitchko gets through. Good body blow from Chisora, his first real hit of the night. Good shot from Vitali and a right. Jab and one-two from Vitali. Right hand lands for Klitschko and another. Right uppercut connects for Vitali. Both fighters miss an exchange. One-two from Klitschko again. Hard right from Vitali. AGAIN. Chisora completely misses a left and right at the bell. He has nothing for Klitschko so far. 30-27 Vitali. Round Four: Pawing from both; Chisora more active this round. One-two from Vitali. Jabs from Vitali and Chisora misses an overhand right. Good jabs from Vitali. Right from Vitali; Chisora is throwing punches but hitting air, arm, or shoulder every time. Clinch. Left from Vitali misses, Vitali avoiding Chisora’s wild shots. Left from Vitali. BIG counter right straight from Vitali. Glancing body blow from Chisora, who then gets hit by a right. Clinch. Lunging shot from Chisora misses, brutal right from Vitali doesn’t. Another easy round for Vitali; 40-36. Round Five: Hard right straight from Vitali, then another inside. Chisora in a tight shell and Vitali smacking it from all over as Dereck approaches. More wild blows from Chisora, who finally lands a decent body shot. Big right hook from Vitali, who is keeping Chisora at arm’s length easily. Good right from Vitali again. AGAIN. Short shots from Chisora in the clinch. Chisora unsuccessfully stalking Vitali, who is still potshotting. Short shots again from Chisora in the clinch and a good left to the body. Better round for Dereck, but still Vitali’s round. 50-45.

Posted in: right, round, klitschko, chisora, vitali

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Say what you will about Stefan Struve's fighting style, but his heart can never be questioned. The vertically gifted Dutchman stormed back from early adversity yet again in the co-main event of UFC on FUEL, dropping Dave Herman with a right uppercut before swarming for the second-round TKO finish to the delight of a wild crowd at the Omaha Civic Auditorium. Video highlights of Struve's seventh UFC win can be seen below. For more on Wednesday's co-headlining heavyweight scrap, follow the play-by-play by MMA Fighting's own Mike Chiappetta. Round 1: Slow start early as both measure distance. Struve fires a head kick that misses its target. Herman jumps into a knee that backs Struve against the cage. Struve grabs his leg and thinks about a takedown but lets it go. Herman is the aggressor early coming forward although the pace hasn't picked up much. Struve scores with a right hand. Herman switching stances occasionally, keeping Struve guessing. Herman thuds a right hand off Struve's chin in the closing seconds. A close round, but Herman takes it 10-9. Round 2: Struve with an early leg kick. Struve with a bodylock and takes Herman down, straight into mount. Herman gives up his back but then snakes free. They're back to their feet. Struve with a body kick that reverberated through the arena. Herman fires back an uppercut/hook combo. He's been the more creative striker of the two. Struve hurt Herman with a pair of rights near the cage. Herman's cut under the left eye now. The momentum has shifted. Struve drops Herman with a leg kick/right uppercut combo. Struve quickly moves to mount and pours it on with strikes. Herman is warned to fight back but can't escape and simply covers up until ref Josh Rosenthal stops it. UFC on FUEL results: Stefan Struve def. Dave Herman via TKO, Rd. 2 (3:52).

Posted in: ufc, right, struve, dave herman, herman

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This is the UFC on FUEL live blog for all the preliminary bouts on Facebook in support of tonight's FUEL-televised card from the Omaha Civic Auditorium in Omaha.The live blog begins below. More Coverage: UFC on FUEL Results | Latest UFC News Tim Means vs. Bernardo Magalhaes Round 1: Means taking the center of the cage early. After some slow action in the opening moments, Means lands a hard knee to the face. Magalhaes counters with an overhand right. Means with another knee to the face, this one knocks Magalhaes down. Means attacks with a D'arce but Magalhaes defends it and they go back to their feet. Means takes round 1 on damage, 10-9. Round 2: Means walks out confidently to start the second. Magalhaes dances around the outside but Means finds his target with long jabs and power punches. Magalhaes has some blood leaking from his nose now. Magalhaes shoots but Means stuffs him easily. Means stalking Magalhaes around and pressing forward. He lands a hard body shot with :20 left. Magalhaes goes down and Means lands hard strikes from the top. Another 10-9 round for Means. Round 3: Magalhaes fires off an overhand right that misses, then lands a left hook. Magalhaes shoots in for a single leg takedown, but he's rebuffed by a nice sprawl. Magalhaes' strategy of taking the fight to the ground has come up empty thus far, and he's getting tagged in the process. Means with another body shot. Magalhaes goes down, but he might be trying to lure Means down, and Means doesn't go for it, inviting him back to his feet. Means with another hard right and this time he follows Magalhaes down and punishes him with elbows. Magalhaes is in trouble but Means lets him up again. He controls the standup to the horn, 10-9. Winner: Tim Means via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-26, 30-26) Anton Kuivanen vs. Justin Salas Round 1: Both fighters are UFC newcomers. Salas walks out southpaw while Kuivanen is orthodox. Salas tries an early takedown that fails. Kuivanen landing some early kicks to the body. He backs up Salas with a right hand to the body. Kuivanen stops another takedown. Salas lands a nice lead right hook. Salas scores his first takedown with two minutes left. Salas lands one overhand right but Kuivanen sweeps and gets free and back to his feet. Kuivanen with another kick to the body. He's the one moving forward. Salas completes another takedown at the final horn. A very close round that MMA Fighting scores for Kuivanen 10-9. Sean Loeffler vs. Buddy Roberts Jonathan Brookins vs. Vagner Rocha

Posted in: right, round, magalhae, kuivanen, sala

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Stefan Struve is an exciting prospect in the heavyweight division, in many ways reminiscent of a young Alistair Overeem; Struve is gangly and lacks bulk, his record is hit and miss but he's fought some great fighters, he's always exciting, and despite constantly being credited as a kickboxer it is his submission skills that bring home the bacon when he is inevitably getting beaten up on the feet. Just as Alistair Overeem began competing with the best in the world under the PRIDE FC banner at the age of nineteen, Struve was thrown in against Junior Dos Santos (coming off a knockout over a top ten heavyweight at the time) in his UFC debut at the tender age of twenty years old. His career still very much in it's infancy, Struve has plenty of time to turn himself into a consistent winning machine as Overeem has, the question is how many hard shots he will eat along the way. Just as many other kickboxers have before him, Struve has a misplaced confidence in his stand up. It seems as though he believes that the mere fact that he has competed as a professional kickboxer will win him the striking portion of a match - and this same overconfidence has cost him greatly against Junior Dos Santos, Roy Nelson and Travis Browne. Struve's terrific ground game is not in doubt, his sweep of Sean McCorkle, a powerful top player, and his escape from Pat Barry's side control right into a triangle choke was a thing of beauty. The Dutchman's long frame enables him to sneak in chokes with his arms and legs easier than most fighters, particularly at heavyweight where a great guard game is a rare commodity. This is not to say that Struve's ground excellence is entirely a result of his frame, to say that would be to grossly under-appreciate his technique and timing. His basic hip bump sweep on Sean McCorkle, a powerful top player, completely turned the tide of their match and led to a ground and pound TKO for Struve. It is rare that you see such a basic technique used to such effect against a fighter with the size and experience of McCorkle. Despite his status as a "Dutch Kickboxer", 15 of Struve's 22 wins have come by way of submission while only 5 have come by knockout. The true hole in Struve's game and what is stopping him from achieving greatness is his refusing to fight as tall on the feet as he does on the ground. Stefan Struve is not a small target, and while he possesses the joint longest reach in the UFC, he consistently fails to use it. A drought of strong jabs is not the only ailment in Struve's striking though; he over-commits when he gets any attack going. Just look at Jon Jones - he is NOT a great striker - but he uses his reach in a way that he can attempt almost any striking technique and rarely be punished for it. Jones uses push kicks to the legs (similar to those Condit used to stifle Hardy and Diaz), biting low kicks to the inside and outside of the thigh, and long straight punches from range to keep his opponents off of him, while moving backwards much of the time. Struve's desire to constantly walk in is not the way a man with an 84 inch reach should fight, he smothers his punches and exposes himself. In the moments of offence he found against McCorkle on the feet, he backed the stockier man against the cage with a hard straight right, then ran in on top of him, exposing his hips to a massive takedown - when he should have stayed back at range so as not to muffle his punches or lose his reach advantage and looked to land another long right hand or jab. His desire to keep moving his feet forward left him right on top of McCorkle for the easiest takedown of McCorkle's life from a position where he should have been in trouble. Against better punchers, Struve's inability to use his reach has proven more costly to his career and his cognitive faculties. Now heavyweight champion, Junior dos Santos is a puncher who does not typically use his jab all that well (excluding his match with Carwin) and prefers to throw thudding straight rights, left hooks and right uppercut. He should have found a nightmare in Struve's reach and ground wizardry, but instead was allowed to walk in on the big Dutchman and throw his hands comfortably. It is one thing to excuse this loss as Junior Dos Santos is now the heavyweight champion - but there is nothing magical about Dos Santos that allows him to wade through the gulf of distance in which Struve's reach can hit him but he cannot hit Struve. Struggling under pressure in the stand up as he often does, rather than attempt to tie up, Struve made the mistake of attempting to cover up. In 4oz gloves covering up is not a great move anyway, but Struve's long arms work against him as he covers up, it is almost impossible or a man of Struve's length to put his gloves on his head without bowing his elbows out a foot in front of him and allowing punches looping around behind them. Roy Nelson, a much worse striker whose only trick on the feet is his powerful overhand right, found one of the best knockouts of his career against Struve, who on paper is a much better striker, just by crowding him and throwing the overhand repeatedly. In situations when he is being crowded Struve is still of the mindset to cover and up and weather the storm, when he is not built to do this. Instead Struve should be looking to utilize the Thai neck clinch or "Plumm" when his is backed up - he has no fear of being put on his back most of the time due to his brilliant submission game, and his length would provide him great leverage from this position. Fabricio Werdum most recently showed how Nelson's crowding style could be countered with a neck clinch. If Struve does not want to utilize the Thai Plumm, he should at least get comfortable tying opponents up in an over under clinch, then work at range once the referee has broken them. The last fault in Struve's stand up game is his seemingly unavoidable habit of leaving himself wide open when he is feeling confident. His failed flying knee against Paul Buentello is now infamous, as he was knocked down in mid-air by his much shorter opponent; yet Struve has attempted that same technique with his hands down by his waist multiple times since - most recently against Travis Browne. Browne went on to knock him out with a spectacular superman punch, but examining the replays it is quite clear that Browne's set up didn't cause the knockout. Struve is lunging for a stepping knee strike (a great technique for taller strikers) and once again has his hands nowhere near his suspect chin, it is more coincidence than anything that Browne was throwing his punch at this moment, but Stefan leaves himself open so routinely that he could have been knocked out the same way if the first one hadn't left him unconscious. Stefan Struve is not a bad fighter, in fact far from it - he possesses enough submission skills to make the few other competent guard players in the division pay attention, he has decent power in his hands, athleticism, and the perfect build for a world beating striker. It is only his technical flaws that let him down when combined with his somewhat misplaced sense of confidence on the feet based on his physical statistics and kickboxing record alone. If he can learn to maintain distance when on offence, tie his opponent up when in trouble, and keep his hands up when he is attacking, Struve will be a force in the division one day in just the same way that we never expected Overeem to. Jack Slack now blogs at his brand new website www.fightsgoneby.com He can also be found on Twitter @JackSlackMMA

Posted in: right, way, punch, struve, mccorkle

Read the full article at Head Kick Legend

A couple weeks before his pro debut in June of 2002, Diego Sanchez went to a party with his cousin. Maybe it wasn’t the best idea, he can admit now, but so what? He was 20 years old and had energy to spare. And it’s not like he was there to get crazy. Sure, he had one or two drinks, but nothing that would hinder a 20-year-old’s ability to show up at Greg Jackson’s Albuquerque-based fight gym in the morning. Everything was fine. Right up until the cops showed up."We weren’t drunk or anything, but we were underage and we’d had a couple of drinks, so we ran out the back door," Sanchez says. "We were jumping fences, just trying to get away."Like a bad dream, Sanchez just happened to jump into a backyard with three large Rottweilers in it. The dogs immediately took off after Sanchez, who knew only that he needed to jump the next fence as soon as possible. "What I didn’t realize was, the next fence that I jumped was like a 20-foot drop down to the ground. I felt like I was falling forever. I landed with my legs locked out. I had those Nike shoes with the air pockets, and when I landed one of the air pockets popped. That’s how hard I landed."He didn’t get picked up by the cops that night, but by morning Sanchez had a deep bruise on his heel. He could barely walk or put any weight on that foot, and he certainly couldn’t run. Still, he knew that staying home from the gym was not an option."Back in the old school days at Greg Jackson’s, there was no not coming to practice if you were hurt," he says. "You went to practice no matter what. If your arm was hurt, we’d tie your arm to your body and you’d go with one arm. That’s just the way we did it. It was, take some ibuprofen and let’s train."Even though he was limited in what he could do, Sanchez managed to finish up the last couple weeks of his training camp and nurse his heel almost back to full health. What he didn’t do, however, was come clean with his coach about how he’d injured it. For obvious reasons, he didn’t want to tell Jackson that he’d been running first from the cops, and then from three Rottweilers after having some drinks at a party just before his first professional fight. Instead, he claimed that he’d fallen off a ladder while at work at the Doubletree hotel. It was a harmless lie, he reasoned, and one that kept the peace well enough to justify itself.By the time fight night rolled around, the sore heel was the least of Sanchez’s concerns. He and some friends had made the seven-hour drive up to Denver for an event dubbed Ring of Fire 5: Predators. By the time they showed up at the Radisson North Graystone Castle, where the fights were being held, the nerves were starting to take their toll on Sanchez. He’d wrestled competitively and trained for around ten months in MMA, but he’d never done anything quite like this."I was extremely nervous," he says. "The only way I could think to get past the nervousness was to get crazy. I was extremely pumped up, like this is World War III. I was headbutting the wall before I went out there."His opponent that night was a guy named Michael Johnson (not the same Michael Johnson who currently fights in the UFC), and he was also making his pro debut. They knew almost nothing about one another except for a vague idea of what gym the other trained out of, though it quickly became apparent that Johnson knew a little more about striking than Sanchez did."Right away, he hit me with a straight right hand. Just, boom! I’d been in street fights, and we did sparring, but we were mainly grapplers. My punches were more like uppercuts and hooks and overhands. I’d never really learned the straight right. This guy hit me with the cleanest straight right. Bang, right on the button, right on my nose. So flush that it cut my nose right on the bridge."Sanchez recovered and managed a takedown, but Johnson reversed him and got in some good ground-and-pound before Sanchez regained top position. According to records on the internet, this is about where the fight ended, in the first round. But the way Sanchez remembers it, they scrapped back and forth in that opening frame, with his opponent likely getting the better of it, and then the round came to an end.It was a good thing, too. Bloodied and sucking wind, Sanchez needed the break. Both the ringside doctor and his coach came in to check on the state of his nose, but Jackson assured the doctor that his fighter was fine and the man left convinced."After he’s gone Greg looks at me and says, ‘He got you with a good one, huh?’ We laughed, and then I remember saying to him, ‘Greg, am I sure this is what I want to do for a living?’"It was a joke that had the sting of truth to it at that very moment. There he was, bleeding from his nose and with welts already swelling up about his face, trying to get enough of the thin Denver air to go out there and get some more punishment. Who did this? Who thought this was a good idea?"At the same time I was like, well, I can’t let this guy kick my ass," Sanchez says.In the second round they went at it some more, and again Sanchez got the takedown. This time he made the most of it, taking his opponent’s back and sinking in the rear-naked choke for the submission finish. He left the Radisson that night with a perfect 1-0 record as a professional."I remember I got paid $600 for that fight, and I went straight to the hospital. My bill was $486.24. I still remember it exactly. My friends drove up to see me fight, and they were all broke. I was the only one who had gas money, so I had to put gas in the car. I had maybe $40 by the time I got home."Okay, so maybe it wasn’t terribly profitable, but it was, in Sanchez’s words, "a life-changer." After that first fight he felt certain he’d found his passion in life."I knew it. I loved it. I loved the feeling. It was such a rush, and it made it so much better that the guy had gotten some good shots on me. He hurt me and I had to come back. It was tough, and it made it that much more rewarding for me. ...Now it’s ten years later, and I’m still doing it, still loving it. I couldn’t imagine doing anything else."Eventually, he even came clean to Jackson about how he’d injured his heel. It just took some time."It was about three years later, and I was already in the UFC. But I said, ‘Greg, I have to get something off my conscience,’" Sanchez says. "He just laughed. He probably knew all along. You can’t fool Greg." For past installments of the 'My First Fight' series on MMAFighting.com, including trips down memory lane with Rashad Evans, Mark Coleman, and more, click here.

Posted in: fight, time, right, sanchez, hersquod

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I'm on my way to eb games to pick up my preorder right now. Can't wait to fire up some pride matches. Who else is getting it? And once you have it, what are your thoughts on the new game? submitted by fruitcellar [link] [1 comment]

Posted in: right, game, eb games, preorder right, preorder

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John Koppenhaver was once considered one of the best young fighters in MMA. Having the opportunity to train with Ken Shamrock and Oleg Taktarov, Koppenhaver had coaches that most regional level fighters could only dream of having. It was on the fifth season of the Ultimate Fighter that fans became aware that Koppenhaver may have some real demons that he had to deal with in his life. After his tenure in the Ultimate Fighting Championship, Koppenhaver's life too a turn for the weird. He legally changed his name from John Koppenhaver to 'War Machine' in hopes of blocking a battle over his likeness. A series of nihilistic tweets about wanting to die in the Philippines after a knife fight and a stint as an adult actor soon followed. Koppenhaver admittedly views this as an extremely self-destructive time in his life. He was training less and partying more and was having difficulty balancing the various segments of his life. He was incarcerated for a year due to a fight in San Diego and during this time he had nothing to do but think. Fans were able to follow his life via a weekly blog and it quickly became apparent that he saw the error of his ways and was using is time in prison to better himself as a person. He wrote about opening a gym and trying to mentor at-risk fighters so they would not make the same mistakes that he once made. Once released War Machine cut a deal with the District Attorney's office about an incident that took place at a local San Diego bar called 'Thrusters Lounge'. In his deal with the DA, he agreed to pay for the victim's medical bills and serve probation. On February 2, 2012 War Machine appeared before Judge Valerie Adair of the Clark County district court in Nevada. It was intended to be a sentencing hearing with War Machine and his attorney expecting the judge to sign off on the plea bargain with the DA. A transcript of the hearing shows that this wasn't as typical of a sentencing as one would come to expect. NOTE: This is an issue where the news is being presented as news. State your opinions but try not to go overboard. Full transcript after the jump... Source DISTRICT COURTCLARK COUNTY, NEVADA STATE OF NEVADA,Plaintiff,vs.WAR MACHINE, aka, JONATHAN PAUL KOPPENHAVER,Defendant. ) CASE NO. C276252-1DEPT. XXI BEFORE THE HONORABLE VALERIE ADAIR, DISTRICT COURT JUDGETHURSDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2012RECORDER'S TRANSCRIPT OF HEARING RE:SENTENCING APPEARANCES:FOR THE STATE: SHAWN A. MORGAN, ESQ.Deputy District AttorneyFOR THE DEFENDANT: GARRETT T. OGATA, ESQ. RECORDED: LAS VEGAS, CLARK COUNTY, NV., THURS., FEB. 2, 2012THE COURT: State versus War Machine. MR. MORGAN: Court's indulgence.Steve Miller.Judge, we do have a speaker; I'd ask that he be able to speak last. THE COURT: That's fine.And, Mr. Morgan, what's the State's position? No opposition to probation but has retained the right to argue all terms and conditions, and I'm assuming the underlying sentence as well? MR. MORGAN: That's correct, Judge. I just -- I understand that we're asking for probation, and I would ask that it be on the felony given the facts of this case, the extensive damage to the victim, and I think it's appropriate given all the facts as well as when you look at the defendant's other criminal history and his two prior violent felony convictions. With that I'd submit it. THE COURT: And I'm assuming the 61,000 and change in restitution reflects the extensive medical bills that the victim had to incur as a result of this? MR. MORGAN: That's correct, Judge, workmen's comp payout. THE COURT: All right. Your true name is Koppenhaver but you've had it legally changed? THE DEFENDANT: Yeah, I had it legal -- I had to change it for legal reasons. I was getting sued for copyright infringement. It's my nickname -- THE COURT: Right, you were a fighter? THE DEFENDANT: Yeah. THE COURT: All right. What if anything would you like to state to the Court before the Court pronounces sentence against you? THE DEFENDANT: Well, I just want to say that, you know, like, my lifelong dream was to become a professional athlete and make it to the UFC, all right. I got into the UFC; I had a couple fights. And then when I lost my contract, I got, you know, I battled a lot of depression, and I got real self-destructive, and there's about -- about two and a half years, three years where I just kinda stopped caring about anything and acted like a jerk, you know. I never had gotten in trouble before, and these three years I just, you know, I went out a lot. I was drinking too much. I was getting in bar fights, and I was just, you know, acting irresponsible and acting stupid.After this case I actually got into a fight in San Diego, and I served a year straight. I just got released in July. In that year I had a long time to sit there and think, you know. Before it's like I was getting in trouble, getting in trouble, but I was never -- I never got punished, you know. Like if you touch a hot stove and it doesn't burn you, you touch it again, you know. So that year really gave me a lot of time to reflect, and a -- and it remotivated me to get back into my career and do the right things. And since then I've been married.I've been out for six months now and haven't been in any trouble. I've been doing my anger classes. I've been staying sober, and I've just been avoiding bars and avoiding alcohol, and just, you know, trying to live life correct. I made a lot of mistakes but that year -- THE COURT: What are you doing to address your alcohol problems, and do you have, like, counseling or AA or -- THE DEFENDANT: No, I didn't have an alcohol problem like that; I just had a problem with -- really it was bars. It was a combination of bars and drinking and my temper and the fact that I just didn't care about anything, you know. I mean, I was being -- I get tested every -- I'm on probation in California so I get tested, you know, once a week for alcohol. I do anger management classes, you know, and I'm just avoiding stuff. I'm staying in the gym, teaching classes, training, hanging out with my wife. I'm just not -- I've just changed my lifestyle. I'm just -- I'm not doing that anymore. THE COURT: Mr. Ogata. MR. OGATA: Thank you, Judge.Judge, I think you've heard it from him. I think it's pretty clear, and in fact, in know that in the time that I've know John it actually has changed a lot, drastically. I mean, even from the beginning, you know, there would be missed phone calls when we were supposed to talk on the phone. Now, it seems like he calls before I even get on the phone, before I even say did John call, he's already left messages. And I know that a lot of that is on the side of what's going on, but, Judge, I think he really -- that year has really set him straight.I know that he knows now when he fights he fights professionally. He fights in the gym. He fights in the ring. He gets paid for this. He does not need to do these bar fights, stupid bar fights, and I know that his priors, if you look at them, they're all bar fights.We went through the discovery of the medical bills, and that was one of the things that was concerning to me was that amount, but after reviewing it with John and going over this thing, it actually made sense, and he even told me, he says, you know what, I just want to make it right. I want to pay the guy off. I want to do what I need to do for probation. The issue I know with the State is we have no opposition to probation for the felony, but I know it's a wobbler, and I know this is a stretch, Judge, is asking the -- THE COURT: Yeah, you know, you're really stretching because here's the thing. You know, he's gotten in trouble before, and, you know, he's a professional fighter -- MR. OGATA: I understand, Judge. THE COURT: -- and he's picking on people who aren't professional fighters. I mean, it's ridiculous, and he says he wants to -- he's hurting himself. Well, he's not punching himself in the face, I mean, you know, to be blunt. He, you know, he's a professional fighter, and he needs to show, in my view, that he's a tough guy, and he gets drunk, and he picks on people who are not professional fighters. I mean, to me, it's not just some other, you know, drunken, you know, ordinary person like you or Mr. Morgan getting drunk and taking a swing in a bar. It's a guy who's trained to really hurt people -- MR. OGATA: I understand, Judge. THE COURT: -- and, you know, it's a whole different -- whole different thing than just a bar fight in my view. And so, you know, the time has come in my mind, Mr. Ogata, for a felony. And now what we're talking about is his freedom, I mean, I'll just be candid with you because, you know, it's great he learned in jail and this and that, but, you know, maybe if he does really well, and he's lucky enough to get probation, you can come see me later, but, you know, again, he, you know, I mean, I don't really know why it took him a year of sitting in jail to figure out, oh, hey, I'm a professional fighter; I really shouldn't be popping innocent people in the face, you know, because I get drunk and angry and I have a temper. You know, to me that should have been -- he should have been a little more self-aware down the road.And frankly, you know, wanting to be a professional fighter, you know, is like, kind of like wanting to be a rock star or a movie star, something like that. Not everybody gets to do it. So the fact that his career was, you know, going sideways a little bit, in my view is no justification, you know, for this kind of violence, and it's repeated violence. So, I'll just be candid with you, Mr. Ogata, that's where we are when I looked at this. MR. OGATA: So my request of reducing it down to a gross misdemeanor -- THE COURT: Well, you know, like I said he's -- MR. OGATA: I just wanted to throw it out there, Judge. I know -- THE COURT: -- if he's lucky -- if he's lucky enough to get probation and he does really well, then you can pitch that to the Court. I'm not making any commitments or promises. We'll see what direction his life takes, you know. MR. OGATA: I understand, Judge. THE COURT: But, you know, honestly, you know, he's dangerous, and he's dangerous because of his training and everything like that, and that makes it different than just some person out there getting in bar fights. MR. OGATA: I understand, Your Honor. THE COURT: In my view. MR. OGATA: I think Mr. Koppenhaver understands that too; we've discussed that. THE COURT: All right. MR. MORGAN: Judge, we do have a speaker. THE COURT: I know. Thank you. It's Mr. Miller.Is Mr. Miller here? MR. MORGAN: Yes, Your Honor. THE COURT: Sir, I need you to just follow my marshal and come up, you know, right here. Just right up here to the witness stand. And please, sir, remain standing facing our court clerk, and she will administer the oath to you.(Speaker sworn.) THE CLERK: Please be seated, and would you please state and spell your name. THE SPEAKER: Steven Edward Miller, S-t-e-v-e-n, Edward, E-d-w-a-r-d, Miller, M-i-l-l-e-r. THE COURT: All right, sir. Thank you for being here. What would you like to say today? THE SPEAKER: I'd like to say there's -- first of all there's a couple of corrections that need to be said from the opening from what I heard. First of all, it's not a worker's comp issue. The State picked it up because the company I worked for did not have valid worker's comp insurance. So therefore I went 90 days after being kicked out of a hospital and not treated and getting the surgeries that I needed to where I was supposed to go to an assisted living facility to learn how to walk again because I had a broken left knee, fractured right ankle, torn ligaments in my right knee, along with a cut and the fracture over the bottom of my right eye. None of this was done. I still can't do my duties at work properly.And to sit there and say this was a drunken bar fight, we were both at work that night. I witnessed you go out and get into a fight with a customer. I took it to management. Management had you up at the front. I was dismissed to go back to the door where I work. You waited for me to turn to the side to walk away before you punched me. Plain and simple. Preyed on somebody as a professional that wasn't even facing you. Okay.Now, when you sit there and say, okay, yeah, the year, you sat there and had a year to think about it and everything else, all I have to ask is did you hear any remorse, any at all? If you had a year knowing that this date was coming up, I would think you would come up with a better excuse than what you had, honestly.I mean, I still -- I don't know what they can do with my knee. I can't even see a doctor seeing me on a medical lien because the case was dismissed out of bankruptcy court where the company was lost. THE COURT: Oh, okay. So you did pursue a civil remedy -- THE SPEAKER: Yes. So there's nothing left. There's nothing else there. This is it. THE COURT: All right. So no doctor will take it on a lien for your civil case? THE SPEAKER: Right. I can't work properly. I can't bend. I wake up in the middle of the night. I don't sleep properly. I don't have the medications that I need, nothing. This has been going on for almost three years. THE COURT: All right, sir, and what would you like to see happen today? THE SPEAKER: Well, I sit there and I look at he was on probation from San Diego for another fight. Obviously not a drunken fight; it happened outside of a gym after training. Don't go to a gym training on alcohol. At work, once again, not alcohol related. Everything that his attorney said, none of it makes sense. None of it's the truth. It seems to me that it's all fabricated, something to make you kind of feel a little bit weepy eyed to say, oh, yeah, he can do it on his own, but I know that you see through it. THE COURT: Let me ask you this. The State in this case negotiated the case -- and in fairness, it was not Mr. Morgan who negotiated it -- and they're agreeing to probation for this defendant.Did you have an opportunity to discuss the negotiation with the State in this case before they entered -- THE SPEAKER: That was not discussed with me or with my attorney that's in the courtroom as well. That was done totally outside of us, and I would not see probation, like you said, being a professional, going out and having actions like this, knowing the consequences of your actions; I don't see where probation in my mind fits the crime. Basically, I can't do what I've done for a living since '94. THE COURT: And let me ask you this. In the PSI it's talking about just the injury because the Court, you know, we don't get everything that the State has or the defense has. We get what they put in the PSI. They're focusing on the injury to your face, but as -- there obviously was more of a fight where your leg was injured and -- THE SPEAKER: Right. I had a broken left knee to where when I went to the ground my knee twisted. The upper leg turned causing the bottom of the kneecap, the bone to split out where I was supposed to have a pin inserted and have it fixed, but since there was no insurance that never happened. So anytime I turn to my left, there's no anchor on my knee. It can pop out and just go. Other than that I had a fracture to my right ankle and torn ligaments in my right knee. So my right ankle still gets painful every once in a while because I didn't get all the physical therapy. I didn't have any surgeries that, once again, there's supposed to be a pin. They were going to go in -- or a plate, whatever it is they were going to do. I know I didn't get treated right because of the insurance thing. So, you know, it's ruined my life. THE COURT: All right. Thank you for being here.Does the State have any questions for the victim speaker? MR. MORGAN: No, Judge. THE COURT: Mr. Ogata, do you have any questions for the victim speaker? MR. OGATA: No, Your Honor. THE COURT: Sir, thank you for being here. And you can just follow my marshal and return to your seat next to your attorney who's here in court today.Here's the thing. As I said, you know, he was a professional, and the victim in this case is a large man, but he, you know, tall man is what I mean, but he's not a professional fighter, and it sounds like he -- to use a colloquialism -- kind of sucker punched him by having his head turned and then hit him. And again, you know, he obviously has issues with anger. I don't know if there's steroid abuse involved or what or it's just something psychiatrically wrong with him.I am going to follow the negotiation of probation; however, the time he spent in jail in San Diego is about that victim in San Diego. We're about today this victim. So I think he needs to do jail time for this victim not the victim in San Diego because that doesn't, you know, mean a hill of beans to the victim who's sitting here. So I will go along with the negotiation having said that because there needs to be some punishment for what he did in Nevada and what he did to this victim.All right. By virtue of your plea of guilty you are hereby adjudged guilty of the felony crime of attempt to commit battery with substantial bodily harm.In addition to the $25 administrative assessment, the $150 DNA analysis fee and the fact that you must submit to a test for genetic markers, you are sentenced to a minimum term of 18 months in the Nevada Department of Corrections and a maximum of 60 months in the -- I'm sorry, 48 months in the Nevada Department of Corrections; that's the maximum on this charge, restitution in the amount of $61,114.92.Your sentence is suspended. You are placed on probation for a period of time not to exceed 5 years. Sir, 5 years is the maximum on probation.Here are the conditions of your probation. Number 1, you're going to spend the next year for this crime in the Clark County Detention Center.Number 2, when you're released you're going to complete anger management counseling. What you're doing in San Diego may satisfy Nevada P and P, if not, you're going to have to do separate anger management counseling, and I want you in that as soon as you're released from custody.Number 2 (sic), you're not going to have the use, possession or control of alcohol, and I can see you steaming right there right now, the anger. You're trying to control yourself. You have a serious issue because the next time you wind up killing somebody, and, you know, you're going to be in prison for a minimum of 20 years. THE DEFENDANT: I'm not steaming, ma'am. THE COURT: Well, you look like you're -- THE DEFENDANT: I'm just nervous. I'm -- THE COURT: Sir, that's fine. I mean, you know, you know what you need to do. I don't want any alcohol. You can't frequent any establishments that serve alcohol as their primary function, casino bars, freestanding bars, anything like that.You're going to do -- have a substance abuse evaluation. I want that done within 30 days of your release, and you're going to do whatever counseling is deemed necessary.You're going to obtain lawful, fulltime employment to get this restitution paid. If you can make enough money as a fighter, that's fine, but again, you know, that's one of those professional athlete, model, singer, dancer, whatever, you know. Not everybody gets to do that. So you may have to get some other kind of a job to make restitution. That will be as directed by P and P.I want you tested for the use of anabolic steroids because that in my view may be what's contributing to your anger problem. Any use of anything like that will be considered a violation of your probation.And finally, your probation is contingent on your good behavior within the Clark County Detention Center. So if there's any bad behavior, that will be considered a violation, meaning beating up the other inmates, fighting with the guards, anything like that.So we're going to have a status check regarding your behavior in the detention center before I release you on your probation because again, you know, you're a professional fighter in there, and I don't want any kind of problems in the detention center.Let's status check it for six months to see how he's doing. MR. MORGAN: And, Judge, just so the record's clear, the restitution needs to be ordered to the Division of Industrial Relations not the victim. THE COURT: All right. You know -- MR. OGATA: Judge, he's requesting if he can get his things in San Diego together because he had to travel here. He's showed up for every court date for -- THE COURT: Doesn't he have a wife? MR. OGATA: He does. THE COURT: Can't she do it? THE DEFENDANT: My wife -- my wife's an immigrant from Hungary, and she doesn't have a license, none of that stuff. She doesn't have anyone here but me. It's just her and I together here. She moved here from Hungary a year ago. And, I mean, like when I did my year in San Diego, I turned myself in. I did the time. There was no problem, you know. I just want to get my stuff in order -- THE COURT: Sir, I'm not anticipating a problem. I'm anticipating that you're going to be a good inmate, but I'm looking at you; you're a professional fighter. I just want to make sure you understand that it's not going to be do whatever you do at the Detention Center and then go on your merry way and I'm not monitoring what you're doing at the Detention Center -- THE DEFENDANT: I understand. Ma'am -- THE COURT: -- ‘cause we've had other professional fighters in the Detention Center, and I just need to know that you're on your best behavior and not taking advantage of your superior training or whatever. THE DEFENDANT: Can I say one thing. When I did my year in San Diego I was never involved in one fight. THE COURT: That's good. Then there should be no problems. THE DEFENDANT: So I'm just letting you know that, you know, I haven't had any problems since then. THE COURT: Good. That's fine then. MR. OGATA: So the request, Judge, I know that he's complied -- I mean, he's been to every court date that I've ever had with him. He will comply with any requirements -- THE COURT: What is it you need to do in San Diego? THE DEFENDANT: Well, I need to get rid of my car. I want to, like, put my stuff in storage. I want to get everything done, get my wife situated. I mean, we came here thinking that we're getting probation and that was it. So this is like a shock. That's why I might look -- whatever you said I looked like. I'm just nervous. I didn't expect this, and she doesn't expect it, and, you know, my job, I want to get -- THE COURT: Mr. Ogata? MR. OGATA: Judge, the request is, I mean, if we can get some time for him to get these things together. I know that he can come back and check himself back in. THE COURT: Here's the deal. I'll give you two weeks for a surrender date. Understand this, you don't come back, you get in a fight, you get in trouble, get a DUI, anything like that, you're going to prison. There is no probation. So basically, you know, the future's in your hands, you know, and we'll modify this, you know, give you 19 months on the bottom end in prison instead of the Detention Center.So just appreciate that basically, you know, it's up to you now to come back, not get in trouble, and then we'll, you know, you'll get the opportunity at probation. THE CLERK: Surrender date is February 16 at 9:30. THE COURT: Mr. Ogata, is that for you? MR. OGATA: That's it, Your Honor. THE COURT: Thank you, sir. MR. OGATA: Thank you, Judge..

Posted in: right, year, court, mr, ogata

Read the full article at Bloody Elbow

My knowledge on court proceedings begins and ends with what's represented by Judge Judy on daytime TV. Even then, I would only watch it when I was home from school sick, so when I took the time to read (and actually get caught up in) War Machine's latest legal troubles via this court transcript, I developed a slight head cold. Kind of a weird Pavlov's Bell effect going on here. In honor of our former days of staying home from school sick and watching court shows, I present to you the transcript of Jon Koppenhaver's latest hearing via The UG. It's 100% worth the read in a daytime court sort of way. ------- DISTRICT COURT CLARK COUNTY, NEVADA STATE OF NEVADA, Plaintiff, vs. WAR MACHINE, aka, JONATHAN PAUL KOPPENHAVER, Defendant. ) CASE NO. C276252-1 DEPT. XXI BEFORE THE HONORABLE VALERIE ADAIR, DISTRICT COURT JUDGE THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2012 RECORDER’S TRANSCRIPT OF HEARING RE: SENTENCING APPEARANCES: FOR THE STATE: SHAWN A. MORGAN, ESQ. Deputy District Attorney FOR THE DEFENDANT: GARRETT T. OGATA, ESQ. RECORDED: LAS VEGAS, CLARK COUNTY, NV., THURS., FEB. 2, 2012 THE COURT: State versus War Machine. MR. MORGAN: Court’s indulgence. Steve Miller. Judge, we do have a speaker; I’d ask that he be able to speak last. THE COURT: That’s fine. And, Mr. Morgan, what’s the State’s position? No opposition to probation but has retained the right to argue all terms and conditions, and I’m assuming the underlying sentence as well? MR. MORGAN: That’s correct, Judge. I just -- I understand that we’re asking for probation, and I would ask that it be on the felony given the facts of this case, the extensive damage to the victim, and I think it’s appropriate given all the facts as well as when you look at the defendant’s other criminal history and his two prior violent felony convictions. With that I’d submit it. THE COURT: And I’m assuming the 61,000 and change in restitution reflects the extensive medical bills that the victim had to incur as a result of this? MR. MORGAN: That’s correct, Judge, workmen’s comp payout. THE COURT: All right. Your true name is Koppenhaver but you’ve had it legally changed? THE DEFENDANT: Yeah, I had it legal -- I had to change it for legal reasons. I was getting sued for copyright infringement. It’s my nickname -- THE COURT: Right, you were a fighter? THE DEFENDANT: Yeah. THE COURT: All right. What if anything would you like to state to the Court before the Court pronounces sentence against you? THE DEFENDANT: Well, I just want to say that, you know, like, my lifelong dream was to become a professional athlete and make it to the UFC, all right. I got into the UFC; I had a couple fights. And then when I lost my contract, I got, you know, I battled a lot of depression, and I got real self-destructive, and there’s about -- about two and a half years, three years where I just kinda stopped caring about anything and acted like a jerk, you know. I never had gotten in trouble before, and these three years I just, you know, I went out a lot. I was drinking too much. I was getting in bar fights, and I was just, you know, acting irresponsible and acting stupid. After this case I actually got into a fight in San Diego, and I served a year straight. I just got released in July. In that year I had a long time to sit there and think, you know. Before it’s like I was getting in trouble, getting in trouble, but I was never -- I never got punished, you know. Like if you touch a hot stove and it doesn’t burn you, you touch it again, you know. So that year really gave me a lot of time to reflect, and a -- and it remotivated me to get back into my career and do the right things. And since then I’ve been married. I’ve been out for six months now and haven’t been in any trouble. I’ve been doing my anger classes. I’ve been staying sober, and I’ve just been avoiding bars and avoiding alcohol, and just, you know, trying to live life correct. I made a lot of mistakes but that year -- THE COURT: What are you doing to address your alcohol problems, and do you have, like, counseling or AA or -- THE DEFENDANT: No, I didn’t have an alcohol problem like that; I just had a problem with -- really it was bars. It was a combination of bars and drinking and my temper and the fact that I just didn’t care about anything, you know. I mean, I was being -- I get tested every -- I’m on probation in California so I get tested, you know, once a week for alcohol. I do anger management classes, you know, and I’m just avoiding stuff. I’m staying in the gym, teaching classes, training, hanging out with my wife. I’m just not -- I’ve just changed my lifestyle. I’m just -- I’m not doing that anymore. THE COURT: Mr. Ogata. MR. OGATA: Thank you, Judge. Judge, I think you’ve heard it from him. I think it’s pretty clear, and in fact, in know that in the time that I’ve know John it actually has changed a lot, drastically. I mean, even from the beginning, you know, there would be missed phone calls when we were supposed to talk on the phone. Now, it seems like he calls before I even get on the phone, before I even say did John call, he’s already left messages. And I know that a lot of that is on the side of what’s going on, but, Judge, I think he really -- that year has really set him straight. I know that he knows now when he fights he fights professionally. He fights in the gym. He fights in the ring. He gets paid for this. He does not need to do these bar fights, stupid bar fights, and I know that his priors, if you look at them, they’re all bar fights. We went through the discovery of the medical bills, and that was one of the things that was concerning to me was that amount, but after reviewing it with John and going over this thing, it actually made sense, and he even told me, he says, you know what, I just want to make it right. I want to pay the guy off. I want to do what I need to do for probation. The issue I know with the State is we have no opposition to probation for the felony, but I know it’s a wobbler, and I know this is a stretch, Judge, is asking the -- THE COURT: Yeah, you know, you’re really stretching because here’s the thing. You know, he’s gotten in trouble before, and, you know, he’s a professional fighter -- MR. OGATA: I understand, Judge. THE COURT: -- and he’s picking on people who aren’t professional fighters. I mean, it’s ridiculous, and he says he wants to -- he’s hurting himself. Well, he’s not punching himself in the face, I mean, you know, to be blunt. He, you know, he’s a professional fighter, and he needs to show, in my view, that he’s a tough guy, and he gets drunk, and he picks on people who are not professional fighters. I mean, to me, it’s not just some other, you know, drunken, you know, ordinary person like you or Mr. Morgan getting drunk and taking a swing in a bar. It’s a guy who’s trained to really hurt people -- MR. OGATA: I understand, Judge. THE COURT: -- and, you know, it’s a whole different -- whole different thing than just a bar fight in my view. And so, you know, the time has come in my mind, Mr. Ogata, for a felony. And now what we’re talking about is his freedom, I mean, I’ll just be candid with you because, you know, it’s great he learned in jail and this and that, but, you know, maybe if he does really well, and he’s lucky enough to get probation, you can come see me later, but, you know, again, he, you know, I mean, I don’t really know why it took him a year of sitting in jail to figure out, oh, hey, I’m a professional fighter; I really shouldn’t be popping innocent people in the face, you know, because I get drunk and angry and I have a temper. You know, to me that should have been -- he should have been a little more self-aware down the road. And frankly, you know, wanting to be a professional fighter, you know, is like, kind of like wanting to be a rock star or a movie star, something like that. Not everybody gets to do it. So the fact that his career was, you know, going sideways a little bit, in my view is no justification, you know, for this kind of violence, and it’s repeated violence. So, I’ll just be candid with you, Mr. Ogata, that’s where we are when I looked at this. MR. OGATA: So my request of reducing it down to a gross misdemeanor -- THE COURT: Well, you know, like I said he’s -- MR. OGATA: I just wanted to throw it out there, Judge. I know -- THE COURT: -- if he’s lucky -- if he’s lucky enough to get probation and he does really well, then you can pitch that to the Court. I’m not making any commitments or promises. We’ll see what direction his life takes, you know. MR. OGATA: I understand, Judge. THE COURT: But, you know, honestly, you know, he’s dangerous, and he’s dangerous because of his training and everything like that, and that makes it different than just some person out there getting in bar fights. MR. OGATA: I understand, Your Honor. THE COURT: In my view. MR. OGATA: I think Mr. Koppenhaver understands that too; we’ve discussed that. THE COURT: All right. MR. MORGAN: Judge, we do have a speaker. THE COURT: I know. Thank you. It’s Mr. Miller. Is Mr. Miller here? MR. MORGAN: Yes, Your Honor. THE COURT: Sir, I need you to just follow my marshal and come up, you know, right here. Just right up here to the witness stand. And please, sir, remain standing facing our court clerk, and she will administer the oath to you. (Speaker sworn.) THE CLERK: Please be seated, and would you please state and spell your name. THE SPEAKER: Steven Edward Miller, S-t-e-v-e-n, Edward, E-d-w-a-r-d, Miller, M-i-l-l-e-r. THE COURT: All right, sir. Thank you for being here. What would you like to say today? THE SPEAKER: I’d like to say there’s -- first of all there’s a couple of corrections that need to be said from the opening from what I heard. First of all, it’s not a worker’s comp issue. The State picked it up because the company I worked for did not have valid worker’s comp insurance. So therefore I went 90 days after being kicked out of a hospital and not treated and getting the surgeries that I needed to where I was supposed to go to an assisted living facility to learn how to walk again because I had a broken left knee, fractured right ankle, torn ligaments in my right knee, along with a cut and the fracture over the bottom of my right eye. None of this was done. I still can’t do my duties at work properly. And to sit there and say this was a drunken bar fight, we were both at work that night. I witnessed you go out and get into a fight with a customer. I took it to management. Management had you up at the front. I was dismissed to go back to the door where I work. You waited for me to turn to the side to walk away before you punched me. Plain and simple. Preyed on somebody as a professional that wasn’t even facing you. Okay. Now, when you sit there and say, okay, yeah, the year, you sat there and had a year to think about it and everything else, all I have to ask is did you hear any remorse, any at all? If you had a year knowing that this date was coming up, I would think you would come up with a better excuse than what you had, honestly. I mean, I still -- I don’t know what they can do with my knee. I can’t even see a doctor seeing me on a medical lien because the case was dismissed out of bankruptcy court where the company was lost. THE COURT: Oh, okay. So you did pursue a civil remedy -- THE SPEAKER: Yes. So there’s nothing left. There’s nothing else there. This is it. THE COURT: All right. So no doctor will take it on a lien for your civil case? THE SPEAKER: Right. I can’t work properly. I can’t bend. I wake up in the middle of the night. I don’t sleep properly. I don’t have the medications that I need, nothing. This has been going on for almost three years. THE COURT: All right, sir, and what would you like to see happen today? THE SPEAKER: Well, I sit there and I look at he was on probation from San Diego for another fight. Obviously not a drunken fight; it happened outside of a gym after training. Don’t go to a gym training on alcohol. At work, once again, not alcohol related. Everything that his attorney said, none of it makes sense. None of it’s the truth. It seems to me that it’s all fabricated, something to make you kind of feel a little bit weepy eyed to say, oh, yeah, he can do it on his own, but I know that you see through it. THE COURT: Let me ask you this. The State in this case negotiated the case -- and in fairness, it was not Mr. Morgan who negotiated it -- and they’re agreeing to probation for this defendant. Did you have an opportunity to discuss the negotiation with the State in this case before they entered -- THE SPEAKER: That was not discussed with me or with my attorney that’s in the courtroom as well. That was done totally outside of us, and I would not see probation, like you said, being a professional, going out and having actions like this, knowing the consequences of your actions; I don’t see where probation in my mind fits the crime. Basically, I can’t do what I’ve done for a living since ’94. THE COURT: And let me ask you this. In the PSI it’s talking about just the injury because the Court, you know, we don’t get everything that the State has or the defense has. We get what they put in the PSI. They’re focusing on the injury to your face, but as -- there obviously was more of a fight where your leg was injured and -- THE SPEAKER: Right. I had a broken left knee to where when I went to the ground my knee twisted. The upper leg turned causing the bottom of the kneecap, the bone to split out where I was supposed to have a pin inserted and have it fixed, but since there was no insurance that never happened. So anytime I turn to my left, there’s no anchor on my knee. It can pop out and just go. Other than that I had a fracture to my right ankle and torn ligaments in my right knee. So my right ankle still gets painful every once in a while because I didn’t get all the physical therapy. I didn’t have any surgeries that, once again, there’s supposed to be a pin. They were going to go in -- or a plate, whatever it is they were going to do. I know I didn’t get treated right because of the insurance thing. So, you know, it’s ruined my life. THE COURT: All right. Thank you for being here. Does the State have any questions for the victim speaker? MR. MORGAN: No, Judge. THE COURT: Mr. Ogata, do you have any questions for the victim speaker? MR. OGATA: No, Your Honor. THE COURT: Sir, thank you for being here. And you can just follow my marshal and return to your seat next to your attorney who’s here in court today. Here’s the thing. As I said, you know, he was a professional, and the victim in this case is a large man, but he, you know, tall man is what I mean, but he’s not a professional fighter, and it sounds like he -- to use a colloquialism -- kind of sucker punched him by having his head turned and then hit him. And again, you know, he obviously has issues with anger. I don’t know if there’s steroid abuse involved or what or it’s just something psychiatrically wrong with him. I am going to follow the negotiation of probation; however, the time he spent in jail in San Diego is about that victim in San Diego. We’re about today this victim. So I think he needs to do jail time for this victim not the victim in San Diego because that doesn’t, you know, mean a hill of beans to the victim who’s sitting here. So I will go along with the negotiation having said that because there needs to be some punishment for what he did in Nevada and what he did to this victim. All right. By virtue of your plea of guilty you are hereby adjudged guilty of the felony crime of attempt to commit battery with substantial bodily harm. In addition to the $25 administrative assessment, the $150 DNA analysis fee and the fact that you must submit to a test for genetic markers, you are sentenced to a minimum term of 18 months in the Nevada Department of Corrections and a maximum of 60 months in the -- I’m sorry, 48 months in the Nevada Department of Corrections; that’s the maximum on this charge, restitution in the amount of $61,114.92. Your sentence is suspended. You are placed on probation for a period of time not to exceed 5 years. Sir, 5 years is the maximum on probation. Here are the conditions of your probation. Number 1, you’re going to spend the next year for this crime in the Clark County Detention Center. Number 2, when you’re released you’re going to complete anger management counseling. What you’re doing in San Diego may satisfy Nevada P and P, if not, you’re going to have to do separate anger management counseling, and I want you in that as soon as you’re released from custody. Number 2 (sic), you’re not going to have the use, possession or control of alcohol, and I can see you steaming right there right now, the anger. You’re trying to control yourself. You have a serious issue because the next time you wind up killing somebody, and, you know, you’re going to be in prison for a minimum of 20 years. THE DEFENDANT: I’m not steaming, ma’am. THE COURT: Well, you look like you’re -- THE DEFENDANT: I’m just nervous. I’m -- THE COURT: Sir, that’s fine. I mean, you know, you know what you need to do. I don’t want any alcohol. You can’t frequent any establishments that serve alcohol as their primary function, casino bars, freestanding bars, anything like that. You’re going to do -- have a substance abuse evaluation. I want that done within 30 days of your release, and you’re going to do whatever counseling is deemed necessary. You’re going to obtain lawful, fulltime employment to get this restitution paid. If you can make enough money as a fighter, that’s fine, but again, you know, that’s one of those professional athlete, model, singer, dancer, whatever, you know. Not everybody gets to do that. So you may have to get some other kind of a job to make restitution. That will be as directed by P and P. I want you tested for the use of anabolic steroids because that in my view may be what’s contributing to your anger problem. Any use of anything like that will be considered a violation of your probation. And finally, your probation is contingent on your good behavior within the Clark County Detention Center. So if there’s any bad behavior, that will be considered a violation, meaning beating up the other inmates, fighting with the guards, anything like that. So we’re going to have a status check regarding your behavior in the detention center before I release you on your probation because again, you know, you’re a professional fighter in there, and I don’t want any kind of problems in the detention center. Let’s status check it for six months to see how he’s doing. MR. MORGAN: And, Judge, just so the record’s clear, the restitution needs to be ordered to the Division of Industrial Relations not the victim. THE COURT: All right. You know -- MR. OGATA: Judge, he’s requesting if he can get his things in San Diego together because he had to travel here. He’s showed up for every court date for -- THE COURT: Doesn’t he have a wife? MR. OGATA: He does. THE COURT: Can’t she do it? THE DEFENDANT: My wife -- my wife’s an immigrant from Hungary, and she doesn’t have a license, none of that stuff. She doesn’t have anyone here but me. It’s just her and I together here. She moved here from Hungary a year ago. And, I mean, like when I did my year in San Diego, I turned myself in. I did the time. There was no problem, you know. I just want to get my stuff in order -- THE COURT: Sir, I’m not anticipating a problem. I’m anticipating that you’re going to be a good inmate, but I’m looking at you; you’re a professional fighter. I just want to make sure you understand that it’s not going to be do whatever you do at the Detention Center and then go on your merry way and I’m not monitoring what you’re doing at the Detention Center -- THE DEFENDANT: I understand. Ma’am -- THE COURT: -- ‘cause we’ve had other professional fighters in the Detention Center, and I just need to know that you’re on your best behavior and not taking advantage of your superior training or whatever. THE DEFENDANT: Can I say one thing. When I did my year in San Diego I was never involved in one fight. THE COURT: That’s good. Then there should be no problems. THE DEFENDANT: So I’m just letting you know that, you know, I haven’t had any problems since then. THE COURT: Good. That’s fine then. MR. OGATA: So the request, Judge, I know that he’s complied -- I mean, he’s been to every court date that I’ve ever had with him. He will comply with any requirements -- THE COURT: What is it you need to do in San Diego? THE DEFENDANT: Well, I need to get rid of my car. I want to, like, put my stuff in storage. I want to get everything done, get my wife situated. I mean, we came here thinking that we’re getting probation and that was it. So this is like a shock. That’s why I might look -- whatever you said I looked like. I’m just nervous. I didn’t expect this, and she doesn’t expect it, and, you know, my job, I want to get -- THE COURT: Mr. Ogata? MR. OGATA: Judge, the request is, I mean, if we can get some time for him to get these things together. I know that he can come back and check himself back in. THE COURT: Here’s the deal. I’ll give you two weeks for a surrender date. Understand this, you don’t come back, you get in a fight, you get in trouble, get a DUI, anything like that, you’re going to prison. There is no probation. So basically, you know, the future’s in your hands, you know, and we’ll modify this, you know, give you 19 months on the bottom end in prison instead of the Detention Center. So just appreciate that basically, you know, it’s up to you now to come back, not get in trouble, and then we’ll, you know, you’ll get the opportunity at probation. THE CLERK: Surrender date is February 16 at 9:30. THE COURT: Mr. Ogata, is that for you? MR. OGATA: That’s it, Your Honor. THE COURT: Thank you, sir. MR. OGATA: Thank you, Judge.. [Source]

Posted in: right, ’t, court, mr, ’re

Read the full article at Middle Easy

Alliteration aside, Stefan Struve's slick submission skills often get overlooked. Of his 22 career wins, 15 have come by way of tap, nap or snap, and you can safely bet he will looking to add one more name to his long list of victims when he faces fellow heavyweight Dave Herman at UFC on Fuel TV next Wednesday night (Feb. 15, 2012) in Omaha. Rightfully nicknamed "Skyscraper," the 6'11" Struve makes excellent use of his very long limbs, but not in the way you would normally expect. Usually, someone so tall would be well advised to use their exceptionally long reach to keep his opponent at bay with jabs and kicks from a distance. Struve, on the other hand, uses his limbs to tangle opponents up in various submissions. Lets take a look: Prior to Sean McCorkle talking his way into the co-main event spot opposite Struve at UFC 124, "Skyscraper" was 4-2 in the UFC with two submissions. "Big Sexy" was 1-0, with an armbar finish over Mark Hunt. Struve would make rather quick work of his opponent, stopping McCorkle with punches in the first round. Check out the GIF below to see how the lanky Dutchman used his grappling prowess to earn the technical knockout (TKO) stoppage. Thanks to campizonemma.com for the GIF. The clip starts with Struve on his back after McCorkle took him down, with his guard closed and an overhook on his opponent's left arm. Any student of the jiu-jitsu game can tell that Struve is setting up a sweep here. A rather easy sweep to execute, in theory, but much more difficult to execute in practice at the UFC level, mainly because once someone tries to set it up, the victim knows it's coming and can stop it. Usually. Struve uses his left arm to secure an overhook on McCorkle's left arm. Once Struve has it, he opens up his guard and uses his right leg to hook outside Sean McCorkle's left knee, effectively "blocking" that knee and nullifying McCorkle's ability to post out on that leg. With his right arm overhooked and his right leg blocked by the leg of "Skyscraper," McCorkle is very weak on his right side. Posting on his right forearm and elbow, Struve "hips up" and thrusts his hips into "Big Sexy," forcing all of McCorkle's weight to his weakened right side. This allows Stefan to completely reverse Sean, and is the beginning of the end. Struve finishes the sweep by landing in full mount and immediately rains down punches. It's only a matter of seconds until the referee steps in and saves McCorkle. Grappling skill plus ground-and-pound equals UFC win number five for Skyscraper. After Struve suffered a slight setback in the form of a knockout loss at the hands of Travis Browne, "Skyscraper" was pitted against Southern slugger Pat Barry for UFC on Versus 6: "Cruz vs Johnson." While the staredown at the weigh-ins was rather comical (Struve is 6'11" and Barry is 5'11"), the threat to both fighters was anything but. This was one of those odd match-ups. The much shorter, much stockier fighter had a distinct advantage in the striking department and the much taller, longer fighter had a distinct advantage on the ground. Struve would end the fight using his length to his advantage, but not in the way you might think. Thanks to ZombieProphet and Ironforgesiron.com for the GIF. The clip starts with Struve on his back and Barry on top in cross-side position. Barry has been criticized for his submission defense (or lack thereof) but in all honesty, who expects to be triangled when they have cross-mount? The submission set-up starts as Struve is on his right hip, driving his right knee in between himself and Barry. As he does this, he also puts his left knee behind Pat's head and neck. Barry, unaware what is being set up, slips his right hand out from between Struve's legs, effectively helping Struve initiate the triangle. Reaching across his body and grabbing Barry's left tricep with his right hand, Struve slips his right knee completely through and hooks his right leg over his left ankle. With the triangle completely locked in, "Skysraper" now pushes "HD's" left arm across his face and pulls down on his head. With Stefan's left knee cutting off the blood flow through Barry's right carotid artery and Barry's own left arm restricting blood flow through the left, "Get Hype" is in lots of trouble. Barry is pretty much out of options at this point, and he knows it. As a last-ditch effort, Barry picks Struve up and slams him to the ground, hoping it will break the hold Struve has on his neck. Unfortunately for Barry, this only makes the triangle choke tighter, and Barry is forced to tap out. With the victory over Barry, Struve improves to 6-3 under the Zuffa banner. He undoubtedly plans on making it 7-3 when he climbs into the cage opposite "Pee Wee" next week in Omaha. Who ya' got? For more on their titanic tilt click here.

Posted in: right, submission, barry, struve, mccorkle

Read the full article at MMA Mania

"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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UFC 143 medical suspensions have been handed down by the Nevada State Athletic Commission and 15 of the 22 fighters who were in action at the Feb. 4 event in Las Vegas have been sidelined, including newly crowned interim UFC welterweight champion Carlos Condit, who was suspended until March 6 for a left cheek laceration suffered in his win over Nick Diaz in the night’s main event. Seven fighters were suspended for six months unless their injuries are cleared sooner by doctors, including co-main event winner Fabricio Werdum and main card winner Ed Herman. The complete list of UFC 143 medical suspensions includes: Carlos Condit: Suspended until March 6 for left cheek laceration Fabricio Werdum: Must have right quadriceps contusion cleared by doctor or suspended until August 3. Minimum suspension until March 6 Roy Nelson: Suspended until April 5 for forehead laceration Mike Pierce: Suspended until March 6 for right eye laceration Scott Jorgensen: Suspended until March 6 Clifford Starks: Must have left ring finger cleared by doctor or suspended until August 3 Ed Herman: Must have both hands cleared by doctor or suspended until August 3. Minimum suspension until March 6 Max Holloway: Suspended until February 26 for right eye contusion Alex Caceres: Suspended until March 6 Edwin Figueroa: Must have right groin injury cleared by doctor or suspended until August 3. Minimum suspension until March 6 Chris Cope: Suspended until April 5 Matt Riddle: Must have broken right index fighter cleared by doctor or suspended until August 3. Minimum suspension until March 21 for left eye laceration Henry Martinez: Must have right foot cleared by doctor or suspended until August 3. Minimum suspension until March 21 for left nasal laceration Michael Kuiper: Must have left foot cleared by doctor or suspended until August 3. Minimum suspension until March 6 Dan Stittgen: Suspended until March 21 More UFC 143 coverage: UFC 143 Results: Carlos Condit Tops Nick Diaz to Win Interim Title, Shot at GSP Pictured: Carlos Condit (via UFC.com)

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The UFC 143: "Diaz vs. Condit" main card taking place tonight (Sat., Feb. 4, 2012) at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, featured a welterweight co-main event pitting bad boy Josh Koscheck against wannabe contender Mike Pierce. The story was simple heading into the bout. "Kos" is a veteran with a big name and solid resume who is looking to get paid and get some big fights before he bails on the sport while Pierce is a slightly younger guy looking to put a big name under his belt on his way to a title shot, assuming he can get there. If tonight was any indication, he's still got a ways to go. That's because he struggled mightily to handle the mediocre striking and solid wrestling of Koscheck, who himself didn't look exactly like a dominant force. This fight certainly did little to make fans believe either man is anywhere near the level of Georges St. Pierre, Carlos Condit or Nick Diaz. Right? It wasn't much of a shock when Pierce opened with a strong right hand and immediately ducked low for a takedown, leading to a clinch against the cage and a stalemate that Las Vegas was none too pleased with. Regardless, strategy is key in close match-ups like this and Pierce working dirty boxing inside the clinch was clearly something he wanted to establish early. They reset eventually but ended up right back where they started at, this time initiated by Koscheck, who looked somewhat tentative to engage. Perhaps the orbital bone break still haunts him? Any thought of that seemed to go out the window when he took a few shots to give a few himself and started leaving his hands low, showing no respect for Pierce's power. The opening frame came to a close with neither fighter having truly asserted themselves. Indeed, both corners told their fighters the round was far too close and they needed to step their game up. Again, though, neither fighter truly established himself in the second stanza either. The most exciting action actually came when Herb Dean warned Koscheck to stop striking with an open glove. He didn't heed the warning but did execute a takedown shortly after, perhaps remembering that he's a champion wrestler. Still, heading into the final round, it was far too close for comfort ... for anyone. Pierce tried to bridge the gap (or further it, depending on his thought process at the time) by earning a takedown to start the third. But he failed to do anything with it and essentially had it negated when Koscheck popped back up to his feet. Then again, points are points and in a fight when judges don't have much to score, it's all important. Speaking of which, Koscheck continued pushing his hands out with his fingers extended, leading to an eye poke that Dean very well could have used to take a point away. But he didn't and with that, "Kos" took home an uninspiring split decision victory. Don't forget to check out our complete results and blow-by-blow coverage of all the main card action, which is currently rolling right along on pay-per-view. Click here for all the coverage you need of the UFC 143 event.

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Catch all the preliminary card action from UFC 143 in Las Vegas right here at HeavyMMA with live coverage starting at 7 p.m. Eastern.

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The co-main event of UFC 143: Diaz vs. Condit will showcase two of the heavyweight division's most respected ground technicians in the Roy Nelson vs. Fabricio Werdum match. Though he'd already been bouncing around in the sport for a half-decade, Roy "Big Country" Nelson (16-6) finally made it to the UFC with a slot on the TUF 10 roster. By far the most experienced competitor on the show, Nelson went right to work, starting off by eliminating the hype surrounding backyard brawler Kimbo Slice. Nelson employed his crafty grappling and showed why he's a virtual master of position by knifing through the guard and bombing unanswered blows from the crucifix, which is the exact same method he finished James McSweeney with in his third fight. Oddly enough, that was the last bit of ground work we'd see from Big Country. Uncoiling his gargantuan overhand right would account for each of his victories inside the Octagon, beginning with Brendan Schaub at the live finale to win the show and followed by Stefan Struve in his sophomore outing. Meeting top-flight heavyweights Junior dos Santos and Frank Mir resulted in consecutive decision defeats, but Nelson's right hand retired Mirko Filipovic in his last fracas at UFC 137. More UFC 143 Dissections Barao vs. Jorgensen | Herman vs. Starks | FX Prelims | Facebook Prelims Fabricio Werdum (14-5-1) emerged in Pride FC undefeated after five fights (with one draw) and accompanied by his resounding grappling credentials as a two-time ADCC champion. He put his name on the map with his seven-fight stint in Pride, winning five overall -- punctuated by a submission (kimura) over Alistair Overeem -- and accruing two respectable defeats to Sergei Kharitonov and legend Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira. He laced another submission on Aleksander Emelianenko in the 2 Hot 2 Handle promotion before getting the call from the UFC. His Octagon debut was admittedly a bit of a dud. The uneventful three-round stand up affair with former champion Andrei Arlovski ended in a dismal decision loss and failed to raise his stock, but the two commanding TKO stoppages over Gabriel Gonzaga and Brandon Vera that followed certainly did. It was then that Werdum would welcome an unknown newcomer to the UFC by the name of Junior dos Santos, who ignited his devastating journey to becoming the UFC heavyweight champion by blasting Werdum with an uppercut jackhammer. The shocking TKO loss is still the only time Werdum has been finished in his five career defeats. Unable to come to terms on a new contract with the UFC, Werdum ended up leaving the promotion on a sour note. His remaining four fights transpired under the Strikeforce banner: he ensnared Mike Kyle in a first round guillotine, out-battled Antonio Silva to a unanimous decision, then rocked the very foundation of the sport by fitting Fedor Emelianenko with a triangle choke, handing the omnipotent Russian the first legitimate defeat of his career. Werdum's stint in Strikeforce culminated with a long awaited rematch against Overeem, and the decision loss was another unfortunately forgettable flop. Gifs and analysis in the full entry. SBN coverage of UFC 143: Diaz vs. Condit Might as well get this one out of the way, since it accounts for 100% of Nelson's offense in the UFC. This is basically an extra large impersonation of Dan Henderson's infamous H-bomb. Noticing that Schaub kept retreating in a straight line, Nelson stutter-steps forward to measure the distance and throws his right hand just like an outfielder throwing to home-plate. Good times were had and high-fives were given, but the luster has dulled now that Nelson has relied on the same strategy in each showing. Granted, Nelson pursued takedowns to no avail and has only lost to the cream of the crop in Mir and dos Santos, but the vast majority of his video bytes consist of him slinging this exact punch in between slices of covering up and absorbing counter-fire. The results, however, are indisputable and it is what it is. Simple, predictable and wholly effective when it connects -- not so much when it doesn't. It's a shame that the stellar skill of Nelson's black belt level grappling remains locked out of reach. I don't mean to give a harsh review, but doesn't the sequence to the right aptly portray what we've come to expect from Nelson? If his missile of a right hand doesn't implode, he generally holds still, covers up and waits for a pause so he can rinse and repeat. Perhaps it's his lack of a distinguished wrestling acumen that prohibits his ability to enforce what is undoubtedly a razor-sharp and elite level ground game. I'm being critical through tough love, because I'm a Big Country fan and just feel he isn't fighting to his true potential. Fabricio Werdum made history with the submission over "The Last Emperor" to the left. The Brazilian was ultra-crafty in using the fence to his advantage during the scramble leading up to the catch, which was his eighth submission overall, but easily the most prominent of his career. Werdum's grappling prowess has never been questioned, so the focus turns to his stand up, which was rather unremarkable until he dueled with Nogueira in a bout that showed signs of improvement. His stance and punching form looked better and his iron chin compensated where defense was amiss. The basic roots of his boxing sprouted into a functional Muay Thai format under the tutelage of the great Rafael Cordeiro. He started to peck away with inside low kicks and roundhouses from outside and honed his clinch into a more offensively inclined onslaught. The most frustrating aspect of his snoozer with Overeem was that Werdum was actually holding his own and pressing the action in the stand up. His desperate attempts to coax the K-1 kickboxer into a grappling match by invitation rather than force took all the sizzle out of the fragments of momentum he built with short flurries. Here Werdum goes on the attack with his best offering, which is leading with a quick one-two. Always welcoming the opportunity to clinch as one step towards implementing his ground work, Werdum draws attention by committing to a combination and then slips into contact-range to initiate a tie-up. Like Nelson, Werdum doesn't have a strong wrestling background but does hold a black belt in Judo. The lack of grips without the gi reduces his breadth of options yet he's been fairly effective in the takedown department. While Werdum might have a more versatile stand up arsenal than Nelson, his defense is far from impenetrable. Punching power is the great equalizer to superior technique and Nelson has power aplenty. They both have a high level of submission grappling, the key differences being that Werdum boasts a loftier set of sport BJJ credentials and vigorously chases after submissions and Nelson's geared more toward positional dominance and ground-and-pound. From a big picture standpoint, Nelson's chances seem to be dictated solely by landing his monster right hand. Even without Werdum's kitchen sink for a chin, that's a bleak outlook -- with it, in addition to his sophisticated grappling and more diverse striking, he deserves the nod in this one. My Prediction: Fabricio Werdum by decision. Nelson vs. Schaub gif via MMA-Core.com All others via Zombie Prophet of IronForgesIron.com Poll Roy Nelson vs. Fabricio Werdum Nelson Werdum   12 votes | Results

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

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LAS VEGAS, February 4 - Dustin Poirier ran his win streak to four in a row in UFC 143 prelim action Saturday at the Mandalay Bay Events Center, tapping out Hawaii’s Max Holloway with an armbar from a mounted triangle at 3:23 of round one. Holloway, the youngest fighter on the UFC roster at 20, was the aggressor early on the feet, but he was unable to stop a Poirier double leg slam that forced the action to the canvas. “I’m happy. You know, I’m 4-0 in the UFC now. I’m for real now,” said Poirier, who keeps inching his way into title contention against UFC featherweight kingpin Jose Aldo. “(Max Holloway) is tough. He’s a great kickboxer. A lot of people don’t know him but I trained for him like I would train for Anderson Silva.” EDWIN FIGUEROA VS. ALEX CACERESEdwin Figueroa walked away from the Octagon holding his crotch. Alex Caceres walked away wondering … well, who really knows? Surely the 23-year-old bantamweight could learn a valuable lesson after controlling Figueroa for much of their scrap – but he was unable to overcome a two-point deduction for the second of two killer low blows that made Figueroa collapse to the canvas, writhing in pain and requiring minutes to recover. Only Figueroa can say how much those devastating illegal kicks to the groin weakened him. But Texas’ Figueroa was performing early in round one – finding “Bruce Leroy’s” chin on a few occasions, even though Caceres did momentarily drop him with a shot.Then came a brutal low kick from Caceres. Upon the first infraction, referee Herb Dean warned Caceres but did not deduct a point. After taking minutes to regroup, and visibly miffed, Figueroa fought on and landed a hard kick to the face that dropped Caceres, who absorbed some ground and pound shots but later turned the tide, forcing a ground war and hanging on Figueroa like a backpack but unable to finish him with a rear naked choke. Caceres was finding his groove early in the second, scoring with a front kick and a hard right hand. Then came a second, hard blow to the crotch. Again Figueroa lay on the canvas in agony. When they resumed, referee Dean signaled for the two-point deduction, and urgency set in for Caceres to make up the deficit on the judges’ scorecards. The Miamian was impressive for the remainder of the bout against a weakened Figueroa, whom he dominated in the grappling realm. But at every turn Figueroa fought off Caceres’ choke attacks, triangles and armbars. In the end judges scored it 28-27, 28-27 and 27-28 for Figueroa, now 9-1. Caceres fell to 6-5. CHRIS COPE VS. MATT BROWNA right-hand missile from Matt Brown put Chris Cope on the deck in their welterweight bout, and four blistering ground and pound shots sealed the deal at 1:19 of the second round. The right hand that rocked Cope (5-4) caught him behind the ear. “That’s exactly what I need to be doing,” Brown said of his knockout. “I got away from who I am. I’m back. I had always been trying out new things and this ain’t really the place to be trying them out. So enough of that. I got a right hand that will knock out anybody so I believe you’ll see more of that.” MATT RIDDLE VS. HENRY MARTINEZSometimes you have to think that Matt Riddle just doesn’t give a damn about strategy and doing whatever it takes to win. Foremost for the free-spirited welterweight, is to put on a show for fans, snatch a Fight of The Night bonus and be involved in the bloodiest battle possible. The more damage, the better – even if Riddle is the punching bag. And that he was for most of the first round, when the much speedier Henry Martinez repeatedly cracked him with hard punching combinations, bloodying Riddle’s eyes, ears and nose. Interesting to note is that Riddle is the much larger fighter, 6’1” to Martinez’s 5’7”. While Riddle is eating punches – and apparently enjoying it – you can’t help but wonder, “Why not throw more kicks?” “Why not mix it up with a little Muay Thai clinch or even some wrestling?” Why not put that much bigger body on the smaller fighter and make him carry your weight and maybe get tired down the stretch?” Well, Riddle did adapt in round two, unloading with a much greater volume of hard kicks to Martinez’s body and head. Finally the Las Vegas transplant had broken the groove of Martinez, a very crisp boxer, who countered punches very well but could not stop the array of kicks coming his way. As a now-bleeding Martinez began to tire, Riddle amped up his assault and the two southpaws treated fans to toe-to-toe exchanges as the second round ended. Riddle did his best Ray Lewis impersonation on the way to his stool between rounds, screaming at the top of his lungs and imploring fans to get fired up. In the third round, Riddle suddenly employed strategy, whacking Martinez with hard kicks to the leg and liver. Then he finally decided to put that big body on Martinez, taking him down and taking his back. Riddle would score another takedown and rain down with ground and pound as time expired, earning a split decision from judges by scores of 29-28, 29-28 and 28-29. MICHAEL KUIPER VS. RAFAEL NATALThere were moments when Rafael Natal, a BJJ black belt, repeatedly outstruck newcomer Michael Kuiper, popping The Netherlands’ standup specialist with some solid right hands, scoring with leg kicks and even a spinning backfist. But it was Natal’s bread and butter – grappling – that cemented his unanimous decision victory and dealt Kuiper (11-1) his first professional loss. The first round wasn’t a barnburner, but Natal scored five takedowns. He was reversed late in the round and ate a few shots on the bottom, but seemed to have done enough to win the round. In round two, fatigue seemed to afflict both fighters in what was mostly a standup battle that saw Natal possibly get the better of the exchanges (Kuiper just kept coming forward, with little head or lateral movement, and ate quite a few right hands as a consequence). Seconds into the third, a Kuiper uppercut dropped the New York transplant to his knees. Kuiper swarmed on top but could not find the shots that would put away his woozy adversary. The second half of the round belonged to Natal, who somehow mustered the strength for an explosive slam, dominated with top position and threatened with an arm triangle as time expired. After the fight, Natal spoke of the wicked right uppercut that rocked him.“It was bad because it was the beginning of the round. I felt everything was dark,” said Natal, a Brazilian native who is now 14-3-1 and has won two straight in the UFC. “But my jiu-jitsu saved me again (when) I got him in the half-guard.” STEPHEN THOMPSON VS. DAN STITTGENFor one fight at least, Stephen Thompson was as good as advertised. The highly-touted kempo karate and kickboxing ace showed remarkable poise and grace in his UFC debut, essentially toying with Dan Stittgen before putting him out cold with a roundhouse kick to the jaw. Unorthodox throughout, the lanky South Carolinian (6-0) patiently picked Stittgen (7-2) apart with a wide variety of kicks. Most interestingly, Thompson held his hands very low, almost daring Stittgen to be aggressive so he could counterattack. Yet Stittgen maintained a low punch volume. When the Illinois fighter did attack, he threw a left hook and stepped to his left – unwittingly walking right into a perfectly placed roundhouse to the jaw. At 4:13 of round one, it was a wrap. “No words can really describe it,” said the 28-year-old Thompson, unbeaten in 50-plus kickboxing fights as well. “Those round kicks, we use them a lot in Karate. They can pack a lot of power and people don’t see ‘em.”

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LAS VEGAS, February 4 - In a battle of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belts, Fabricio Werdum brutalized and bloodied Roy Nelson in the Muay Thai clinch for most of their UFC 143 co-main event at the Mandalay Bay Events Center Saturday night, winning a unanimous decision. And yet a slimmed down “Big Country” never stopped coming forward, even briefly dropping Werdum with his signature overhand right in what was otherwise a grossly lopsided first round. The whuppin’ Werdum delivered also featured high kicks, front kicks to the face and crisp punching combinations. The world champion grappler’s unpredictability served notice to future heavyweights that Werdum, after nearly 3 and ½ years away from the Octagon, can beat opponents in so many different ways. “This was the strategy. I know Roy Nelson is a tough guy, but I do Muay Thai every day,” said Werdum, whose closest call came when Roy Nelson trapped him in a tight standing guillotine choke.Scores for Werdum were 30-27 across the board.MIKE PIERCE VS. JOSH KOSCHECK Up and coming welterweight Mike Pierce called out longtime contender Josh Koscheck and did his best to back it up, but it was “Kos” who grinded out a split decision in UFC 143 main card action Saturday.In what was predominantly a standup affair between two high-level wrestlers, a couple of Koscheck takedowns, some timely right hands and being busier down the stretch likely proved to be the difference. Koscheck bled from the mouth and Pierce from the nose by the end of the fight. As they often do, when “Voice of the Octagon” Bruce Buffer announced the winner, fans indulged the opportunity to massively boo Koscheck, which didn’t faze the welterweight contender too much. “You guys boo me all the time. I’m the most hated man in MMA,” he said nonchalantly. “Guess what? I win. Deal with it, man. I win.” Two judges scored the bout 29-28 for Koscheck (19-5); the third saw it 29-28 for Pierce (13-5).RENAN BARAO VS. SCOTT JORGENSENFast and accurate puncher? Check.Hard leg kicks. Check.Distinguished BJJ black belt? Check.Superb takedown defense? Check.Future UFC champ? Well, the verdict is still out on whether Renan Barao will reach MMA’s Promised Land, but after stretching his unbeaten streak to 30 fights (tops in the UFC) with a commanding win over Scott Jorgensen, it does not seem far-fetched to think the 24-year-old Brazilian just might follow in the footsteps of teammate and featherweight superstar Jose Aldo. Through the first two rounds, Barao virtually put on a clinic, loading up on his jabs, low kicks, and cracking Jorgensen hard with combinations that occasionally snapped the Idahoan’s head back. A lesser opponent would have folded, for sure, but Jorgensen is nothing short of a battering ram, and he just kept brushing off the carnage and charging forward (and occasionally landing some hard shots himself). Jorgensen, a decorated Division I wrestler in his day, tried in vain for takedowns but was always rebuffed. Entering the third round, this much was clear: Jorgensen would need a finish to pull it out. One of his cornermen tried to inspire that sense of urgency in Jorgensen as he stepped off his stool to begin the final round. “Win this fight right now! Come on let’s go!” he yelled. Jorgensen (13-5) remained super-aggressive and had his best round, drawing blood on Barao’s face with his punches. Yet Barao, despite losing a little bit of steam on his punches, always retaliated and usually got the better of the exchanges. Judges handed him a unanimous decision via scores of 30-27 across the board. “I came here to fight three rounds. He was a very tough opponent and I expected that,” Barao said. “We trained a lot the distance and the kicks. That was exactly the gameplan.” Before leaving his interview with commentator Joe Rogan, Barao had a message for everyone else at 135 pounds.“I want the belt!” he yelled. ED HERMAN VS. CLIFFORD STARKSEd Herman couldn’t stop the heavy right hand of Clifford Starks. And Clifford Starks couldn’t stop the Brazilian jiu-jitsu skills of Ed Herman. In the end, it was Herman’s BJJ that triumphed, knocking Starks from the ranks of the unbeaten with a rear naked choke at 1:43 of the second stanza. “He was landing some good right hands on me; luckily I got a good chin because he was hitting me hard,” said Herman, his left eye swollen and beginning to close. “I was surprised I was getting hit with them. I shouldn’t have been standing right in front of him, but I pulled it off.” Herman improved to 20-7. Starks, a former Arizona State University wrestler, fell to 8-1.

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Our videographer LayzieTheSavage is live at the UFC 143 open workouts, and we have this live stream of the event going on right now on MiddleEasy.com! Don't even read anymore of this article, just check it out! {iframe}http://www.ustream.tv/embed/9947841{/iframe}

Posted in: ufc, right, videographer layziethesavage, workouts right, middleeasycom dont

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Luke Thomas and Kid Nate discuss whether or not the UFC is making all the right moves in the new Fox TV era. Read it/watch it at MMA Nation.

Posted in: right, luke thomas, move, kid nate, right moves

Read the full article at Bloody Elbow

Wilson Gouveia proved he is on the right comeback road, while Ryan McGillivray and Nathan Coy each secured their opportunity to win the MFC welterweight title at MFC 32 on Friday night.

Posted in: right, mfc, gouveia, ryan mcgillivray, dbomb

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Whether he wins or loses, Joey Beltran is not in the business of having easy fights. If his hand is raised at the end of the night, his face can sometimes look like it was on the wrong end of a decision, not the right one. It’s a tough way to make a living, but you’ll never hear “The Mexicutioner” complain; in fact, it’s usually just the opposite as soon as he accepts his next fight and the idea that for 15 minutes or less, he’s going to be working harder than most of us could imagine.“It’s definitely something that I have to mentally prepare myself for, and just be comfortable and accept the fact that it’s gonna hurt,” said Beltran. “I get ready to embrace the war. And when I’m in the thick of it, I just know that’s where I’m comfortable and that’s where I’m doing what I’m supposed to be doing. At that time, when blood’s coming down my face and I’m trading punches, that’s my place in the world, and I’m completely at peace with that.”That’s why no UFC fan wants to miss a Joey Beltran fight. Yes, his UFC record sits at .500 (3-3), and he’s lost three of his last four, but when the bell rings, the result really doesn’t matter. Well, at least not to us watching or to his fellow heavyweights, and all who have left the Octagon after fighting him have certainly walked away with a new appreciation for the Southern California native. But that’s not enough for Beltran, who wants to right his ship this Saturday against Lavar Johnson.“It is very nice to have the respect of my peers,” he said. “It does make me feel good and it does give me a little sense of validation, but the goal is still to win. And I really feel that for this fight we’ve made the right choices, the right changes, and I’m really excited to go out there and give it another go.”That meant another grueling training camp, another trip out of town, and the possibility of another punishing brawl. Beltran’s fine with all of the above, but he also knows that it’s not so easy for his wife Helen to deal with.“I understand what she goes through a little bit more now,” he said. “It’s like the feeling I get watching my friends fight, whether it’s on TV or when I’m there live. Then I magnify that by ten times, imagining that it’s somebody that I love dearly, and not just a friend, and it would be as if I was watching her fight. Even when I’m winning, it’s painful, and taking punches from large men right in the face, I’m aware of how difficult it is for not only her, but everyone else that cares about me.”But at 30 and in his physical prime, Beltran’s not about to give up the sport he loves. More accurately, he can’t give up the feeling that fighting gives him.“In February it will be my five year anniversary,” said Beltran, referring to his pro MMA debut, not his marriage. “The feeling that I got that first night in San Jose, it comes back every time, and nothing other than competing in that cage even compares. I had some bad years growing up, and I tried other things, but nothing ever compared to that feeling, and that’s what I go back for every time.”In his debut fight, he lost a Strikeforce bout to Yohan Banks via decision. He would go on to compile a 9-2 record mainly on the California scene, earning himself a shot at Tony Lopez for the King of the Cage heavyweight title in October of 2009. The way he explains it, that was the night he really became a fighter.“Over the course of five rounds, you can learn a lot about yourself,” said Beltran. “I remember distinctly in the fourth round, there was a scramble and he ended up on my back. I lost eyes with my cornermen, and for a split second, I was like ‘maybe I’ll lose.’ And then something switched and I thought ‘no, get up, get up.’ And I learned right there that it’s gonna take a lot more than some pain or being tired or getting beat up to make me stop once I’m in there. And once I’m in there, and my wife hates when I say it, but I’ll die before I quit.”Beltran dropped a decision to Lopez in that fight, but three months later he knocked out UFC vet Houston Alexander in the second round, and in less than a month, he was called in on short notice to fight Rolles Gracie in the UFC. He halted Gracie in the second round and an Octagon career was born.Oddly enough, he thought beating fellow Californian Johnson was going to be his ticket into the UFC, but now it’s the Strikeforce and WEC vet looking to make his name in the Octagon off Beltran.“I’ve always had my eye on Lavar Johnson, even when I was on the regional circuit,” said Beltran. “I used to look at him as somebody that ‘all right, if I fight this guy and beat him, I’ll probably get a call from the big show.’ I wanted to step up to that challenge, and he’s definitely always been on the radar.”Now he gets his wish, and on a card filled with compelling matchups, this might be the most explosive.“It’s definitely a black or white situation,” said Beltran with a chuckle. “Either I’m gonna get knocked out or I’m gonna take him out, but if I could put money on any fight, it would definitely be on this one that it’s not gonna go all three rounds. If he catches me with one of those right uppercuts, who knows what will happen, but I’m definitely coming out with that mindset to hit the gas pedal and get to work right away.”And at some point, whether in the first round or the last, Joey Beltran is going to find out just who Lavar Johnson is.“My goal, in every fight, is that I’m gonna force the other man to look deep inside himself and look inside his soul and really, really decide if he wants to be a fighter and wants to be in there,” said Beltran. “And if he decides yes, then good for him, but a lot of people have broken, and in a sense I know what that man is made of and what he’s all about as a person after those 15 minutes.”

Posted in: fight, right, i ’m, ’m, beltran

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The UFC is right to be concerned about pay-per-view piracy, but PIPA isn't the answer.

Posted in: right, payperview, piracy, pipa isnt, payperview piracy

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Jim Miller might have walked out of UFC on FX 1 with a victory, but it did not come easily.

Posted in: ufc, right, fx, miller, onslaught

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Show him the money! After a short and mediocre kickboxing career in K-1, Sergei Kharitonov spent most of his mixed martial arts (MMA) career competing overseas in "The Land of the Rising Sun" in PRIDE FC before making his way stateside to tangle with the big boys in Strikeforce. The Russian heavyweight made a successful debut against Andrei Arlovski at Strikeforce: "Fedor vs. Silva" but was last seen tapping to Josh Barnett at the Strikeforce: "Heavyweight Grand Prix Semifinals" on Sept. 10, 2011, eliminating him from the heavyweight tournament. Soon after announcing the dissolution of the Strikeforce heavyweight division, it was widely considered that all, if not most of the top heavyweights would make a smooth transition in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) roster. However, there still is a small matter of coming to a financial agreement As the former Pride and Strikeforce heavyweight tells Fighters Only, he has no problems fighting inside the Octagon, but only if the money is right. See for yourself: "I don't know what the situation is right now. Strikeforce heavyweight [division] is finished very soon I think. Maybe one more fight for me, I don't know. If the UFC contract is for the right money then yes of course it's good, it's no problem. But the problem with UFC, it's exclusive. So no DREAM, no K-1, it means not so many fights and not so much money. For K-1, I am very hopeful, actually I was offered a new contract for K-1. There is some news coming soon." It's important to note that Fighting and Entertainment Group (FEG), the parent company of K-1, has been reported to be suffering from financial woes lately, as evidenced by the cancellation of this year’s K-1 World Grand Prix. With "exclusivity" always being a sticking point with fighters and the UFC, would it would be wise for the former Russian Airborne Trooper to take a decent offer from the promotion, considering the options are very slim nowadays and soon the UFC will have all of the top heavyweights in the world under its roster? DREAM is always an option, of course. Then again, they are owned and operated by FEG as well. "The Russian Mercenary" holds notable wins over Alistair Overeem, Fabricio Werdum and Pedro Rizzo. What do you say, Maniacs, can Kharitonov make a name for himself against the big boys of a revamped UFC heavyweight division should he decide to sign on the dotted line?

Posted in: ufc, strikeforce, right, heavyweight, money

Read the full article at MMA Mania

@JackSlackMMA The jab was considered the most important weapon in scientific boxing and in a striker's arsenal, yet it is often misunderstood. The jab has become for many coaches the go to advice; if in doubt, jab - but this is more hazardous than simply covering up would be as poor, predictable jabbing often leads to easy counter punching from an experienced opponent. Watch this poor sap come out of his corner and attempt to "establish the jab" and receive a Cross Counter for his troubles: First Punch Knockout (via TheMightyUnderground) The key points that make effective jabbing so important to the fight game are that it: 1) Travels the shortest route as it is closest to the opponent 2) Travels inside of the opponent's rear hand, meaning it will beat almost every punch except for the opponent's jab 3) It can be thrown moving left, right, forward or back 4) It can stun the opponent and obscure his vision for the split second needed to land a follow up punch 5) It can be used as a direct counter when combined with a slip. On offence the jab must be used extremely carefully in order to avoid eating a counter such as the one mentioned above. The brilliant boxing coach, Edwin Haislet wrote in his 1940 book "Boxing" that there are eight major counters for the jab and also listed several dozen minor counters in less detail. Clearly jabbing blindly is a minefield. Continues after the jump! The majority of modern boxers and boxing coaches jab offensively in the fashion below, holding the non-punching hand tight to the chin as demonstrated by Joshua Clottey on the left below. This is fairly ineffective in MMA however due to the lack of 10oz gloves to protect the jaw line. For those convinced by the argument that keeping a fist next to the chin in MMA gloves will protect them, I refer you to Sylvia - Emelianenko; wherein Fedor's fist looped around Tim's correctly placed hand and struck him in the neck to start the only exchange of the fight. Another scenario that routinely occurs is MMA fighters simply punching through their opponent's hand, knocking it into their head with full force. For the modern MMA fighter who seeks to improve his effectiveness with the jab it is worth looking back to the earlier days of boxing - or as many would call them, the Golden Years. Up until the 1950s boxers fought in a manner which is much more conducive with MMA style punching because they didn't have 10oz gloves to cushion blows. Jack Johnson, Joe Louis and Sugar Ray Robinson all cut out legends in an era where the majority of poor young men made a run at boxing professionally, many of whom were huge punchers, and yet Robinson, Louis and Johnson remained relatively unharmed for most of their careers. Here is a gif of Louis in his second fight with Max Schmeling, showing how jabbing is done: via gifsoup.com Louis fires a double jab and a lead left hook and Schmeling is unable to counter. What's more, this is the opening exchange of the rematch, Louis had lost the first by knockout due to the opening he routinely left by not pulling his jab back. Schmeling was actively looking to counter Louis' jab just as in the first match but couldn't - which goes to show how much Louis' jab had improved. Notice how he doesn't throw his left hand while pulling his right hand back to his chin, instead he covers Schmeling's lead hand with his right hand, preventing a counter jab, the quickest and most common counter. Louis also moves straight into an infighting position or pulls his jab right back when he uses it throughout the fight, preventing the right hand counter. Here is Louis doing the same again, half a minute later, just before finishing the German: via gifsoup.com Obviously there are a lot of variables at work in this fight - Schmeling's power hand is his right hand, he stands more side on than straight on, like most fighters. Against a fighter who is fighting almost entirely forward facing, loading up a left hook with his left hand up by his chin, it is easier to simply throw jabs and right hand leads into clinches, but the majority of fighters' money punch is their right hand, making this a great technique even in modern times. Here is a drawing from Champ Thomas' hilarious 1970s book "How to be an Ass Whippin' Boxer", illustrating that even carnival boxers were familiar with good offensive jabbing: A final point worth making is on reach. Reach is something that not all fighters are blessed with, but just as good posture will make you look taller to women, a certain fighting posture can increase your jabbing distance noticeably. By turning the lead foot inward (as Nick Diaz and his brother do) and turning almost side on when jabbing (being careful to keep the lead shoulder up to protect the chin) it is possible to add a couple of inches to ones leading distance. Here is another picture for Thomas' book to illustrate this point. Jack Slack maintains a blog on MMA, Kickboxing and Boxing technique, history and events at http://fightsgoneby.blogspot.com/ and can be found on twitter as: @JackSlackMMA

Posted in: right, hand, jab, louis, counter

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UFC.com photographer Josh Hedges was on the scene at the Nashville MMA Gym in Nashville, Tenn., today (Jan. 18, 2012) to shoot several of the notable fighters who will compete on the UFC on FX 1: "Miller vs. Guillard" main card at the event's open media workouts. Naturally, the two men who will collide in the main event, Jim Miller vs. Melvin Guillard, were on the scene to promote their lightweight clash, as well as work up one of the last few real sweats prior to fight night (Fri., Jan. 20, 2012) at the Bridgestone Arena in "Music City." Co-main event participants, Duane Ludwig vs. Josh Neer, were also in attendance prior to their welterweight scrap, which is teed up to be one knockout, dragout showdown. Check out more great pics from the UFC on FX 1 open media workout, as well as quick quotes from the various fighters, after the jump courtesy of UFC.com: Jim Miller "I’m only 28, but the thing about me is I always think I need to make things happen right now. I’ve only lost one fight in eight, but I made mistakes in that loss to Ben Henderson and I made mistakes in the wins before that, and I am in a hurry to correct those, win some fights, and get a title shot. Some people say I am more consistent than Melvin in the Octagon, but Melvin is very dangerous on the feet and with someone like that, one mistake is all it takes. I will watch out for his power, but I will be taking this fight to him right from get-go.... He doesn’t like fighting when you crowd him, but he’s a very quick puncher and will always be very dangerous on the counter. He’s a top lightweight with a lot of weapons, but I think I can beat him go on to challenge for the belt in 2012. On Saturday morning, he will know he’s been in a fight on Friday night. He won’t feel too good; that’s what I want to do in my fights, let them know right away they are in a fight." Melvin Guillard: "I am looking at making a statement on FX against another top guy in the division. He’s one of the best fighters in the world at this weight and it is a great main event.... What happened (to me) last time (first round loss against Joe Lauzon) was a mistake. I rushed in so hard and fast I was stunned with a jab and from there I lost the fight. It was kinda dumb, but I am young enough to learn as long as realize the mistake. I made the mistake, it didn’t just happen, I know that but I also know I’m still one of the best fighters in the division.... But I am ready for this fight with Miller. He’s a top guy, maybe the No3 or No4 in the division, and if I perform like I can do, I think it will be hard for people to say that I didn’t deserve a UFC title shot. I won’t be reckless, but you will see what I can do on FX Friday night. You will see the Young Assassin!" Duane Ludwig: "This is going to be a good, old-fashioned street fight right out of the 1930s, when they used to fight for food in the mean streets of New York. I’m trying to say it will be a war, without saying that because everyone says that. But this is going to be a wild fight on Friday night." Josh Neer "Right now, I am in the middle of the pack and I want to get ahead. The only way to do that is to win fight, to win big and win exciting and that's what I came here to do. I'm ready for a war. I want to climb that ladder and get right into the thick of the most talented division in the UFC. The only way to stand out in this division is to be impressive and where better to impress than on cable TV..." Pat Barry: "He’s 6' 6," and I am about 5' 10," but everyone is taller than me so this isn’t any real big deal to me. I am coming off two losses but losses in great fights. I am here to win – but I won’t fight any other way than bomb, bomb, bombs away! Whether I am 0-2 in my last two or if I was 40-0, I would fight the same. I punch and kick full power with every shot until the other guy falls or I fall. It’s what I do, it is what I am." Christian Morecraft: "Being on FX is great for me at this stage of my career. There will be a lot of people watching this and I am on the main card, which means more attention on this fight. That brings added pressure for some people, but for me that’s added excitement and added fun. Pat Barry is a good striker who goes looking for you, but then so am I. This will be a great fight for however long it lasts." Remember that MMAmania.com will deliver LIVE UFC on FX 1 results and coverage this Friday night right here. For everything you need to know about on UFC on FX 1: "Guillard vs Miller" be sure to hit up our event archive right here.

Posted in: ufc, fight, right, fx, hersquo

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We are just one show into the UFC's 2012 but already have a strong candidate for KO of the year. At UFC 142 last weekend, Edson Barboza unleashed the full power of his striking arsenal and landed a beautiful spinning wheel kick, knocking Terry Etim out cold and forever earning himself a spot on UFC highlight reels. You don't have to know much about striking to appreciate a moment like that, but in this Judo Chop, we'll try to dig a little deeper. What makes this a wheel kick, not a back kick? Why was it so damaging? And what is this "Lekobuster" people keep comparing it to? Let's sort it all out. We start with the fundamentals and an important question - what exactly is a spinning wheel kick? It's not a strike too commonly seen in MMA, and I believe this is actually the first time it has ever scored a knock out in the UFC. And the answer to this seemingly simple question is actually a matter of some debate. Depending on your martial arts background, you might call Barboza's kick a number of different things and, to be honest, there is not always a tremendous differentiation between these various names. The best simple description of a spin wheel kick that I have found comes from this brief video featuring Jeff Sidner of the South Minneapolis National Karate School. He demonstrates a basic wheel kick, followed by a spin wheel kick. Two things to note here. First, Sidner is in a southpaw stance, which means he strikes with his left leg. Since Barboza was in orthodox and struck with the right leg, the motion is reversed. Second, this is a decidedly karate based view on the kick, though the fundamental idea is the same. Video, plus much more, in the full entry. Video of the wheel kick starts at 1:04. That video calls it a wheel kick, but again, depending on your background, that could be called a hook kick or heel kick. I anticipate some good debate over this distinction in the comments. Barboza comes from a Muay Thai background, and Muay Thai tends to be much more utilitarian in their names, so rather than quibble much more over names, let's take a look at exactly what he did with the kick. Barboza starts in orthodox stance, with his right leg in the rear power position. To throw the kick, he turns in the direction of that power leg - to his right. He brings the leg up as he is turning, and throws it like a whip into the right side of Etim's face. Now, there is a lot to unpack from Barboza here, so let's work through some specifics. The left foot - Baboza's left leg is his base, providing the power for the kick, and that power starts all the way down in the foot. As Barboza throws the kick and turns, he pivots on that left foot (which, obviously, he has to do in order to turn). In that pivot you can see his Muay Thai background. Barboza comes up on the toes of his foot as he turns, which is the common method of kicking in Muay Thai, but not seen quite as much in MMA. I'm a big fan of this simple motion, and will be talking about it more in the coming weeks. The hook on the right leg - As Barboza brings the right leg around, he keeps it slightly bent at the knee. This allows him to straighten out the kick at the last second, increasing the whip-like effect and the power in the final blow. You can see the way the leg is bent through the majority of the turn, only to whip straight at the point of impact. Because of that slight bend, it would be fair to describe this as a spinning hook kick. Direction of impact - Barboza is kicking through Etim here, sending his force through Etim's head in a side to side, right to left direction. It's similar to a roundhouse kick or hook punch as opposed to a straight kick or jab. The point is to whip your opponent's head to the side, shutting off the brain momentarily. And that is exactly what happens. Barboza does a terrific job with this momentum. Watch the way his contact with Etim barely interrupts the flow of the kick - he is not simply targeting the head, he is kicking through the head. Take a look at the picture on the right to see this follow through. Point of impact - When landing a kick, especially from the side, you can use various parts of your foot as the striking point. Barboza lands with a combination of the heel and the outside edge of the foot - two of the best striking points for a kick like this. Return to stance - At the end of the kick, because he has followed through so well, Barboza's right leg lands back on his right side. Once the leg lands, he quickly switches legs to get back to orthodox stance, insuring that if Etim had not been KO'd, Barboza would be in position to keep fighting. With all those elements together - the lift on the left leg, the whipping motion of the right leg, the follow through, the edge of the foot - this is a devastating kick. What makes it such a clean KO is that these elements combine with Etim seeming to read it as a body kick, which causes him to just slightly drop his hands. This is a fatal error, as it brings his right hand down from his head, giving Barboza a clear path to the KO. Beautiful kick, executed flawlessly. So that's the idea of the wheel kick, plus why Barboza's worked so well. Which just leaves us with one point to discuss - the Lekobuster. The Lekobuster (right) is the name commonly given to a kick executed by Badr Hari on Stefan Leko in K-1 back in 2005. It's one of the greatest KO'd in the history of K-1 - and when you are talking about a kickboxing organization with 20 years of history, that's saying something indeed. For more about this legendary kick, check out this article I wrote about the entire Hari vs. Leko fight back in my Head Kick Legend days. Almost immediately after the Barboza kick, comparisons to Hari's kick began cropping up, and for good reason. Both are spinning reverse kicks to the head, and both result in spectacular KO. But Hari's kick has a fundamental difference from Barboza's - take a close look. At first glance, Hari's appears to be more of a spinning back kick (a technique I covered in this Cung Le vs. Wanderlei Silva Judo Chop). The key difference is in the direction of force on impact. In the wheel or hook kick, as we covered above, the force is traveling parallel to your opponent's body, moving through your opponent side to side like a whip. In a back kick, the force is moving perpendicular to your target, pushing through them from front to back. One indication of the force's direction is the attacker's momentum after impact. When Barboza connects, his foot keeps going, returning to its original position and leading Barboza to turn a full 360 degrees. In a spinning back kick, you connect with your back to your opponent, then turn back to return to your stance - note how Hari only turns 180 degrees, then rotates back the way he came after hitting the kick. That is more indicative of a back kick. But then there's this picture (right), which clearly shows Hari's leg coming around the side en route to Leko's jaw. If it were a true back kick, you would see the leg cocked at the hip, not whipping around. In the end, Hari's Lekobuster somewhat splits the difference. It's a hook kick, but Hari bases his body positioning more on a traditional back kick. So while it is close to the Barboza KO, I would classify them as slightly different. As to which one is better? That's a debate we may be having for some time. But for now, it's safe to say that it will take something special indeed to top Barboza's masterful strike as the KO of the year.

Posted in: right, barboza, leg, kick, wheel kick

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Now that UFC 142 is in the books, you can catch the post-fight news conference from Rio de Janeiro right here at HeavyMMA.

Posted in: ufc, right, conference, postfight, janeiro right

Read the full article at Heavy MMA

I wouldn't be surprised if years from now, middle-aged men will claim that they saw a picture of Fedor inside a tortilla or depicted on the back of a piece of toast. When it comes to demigods in combat sports, The Last Emperor resides on the same realm as Chuck Norris in some alternate universe where roundhouse kicks and overhand rights are currency. Therefore in this hypothetical universe, Fedor's signature is like a credit card -- that's only redeemable for overhand rights to the face. This universe has a lot of concussions, let's get out of here. It appears that M-1 Global and DREAM have teamed up to create a commemorative New Year's Eve 2011 shirt with a written message from The Last Emperor. The message pretty much says that it took him four years to get back to Japan, but he's still happy. If you want to drop 3,990 yen (or about $52.00) or the limited-edition t-shirt, then go right ahead. It's not my money, what do I care? [Source]

Posted in: right, combat sports, chuck norris, limitededition tshirt, middleaged men

Read the full article at Middle Easy

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

Read the full article at Bloody Elbow

"The conversations I've had with Brock Lesnar since that fight, all indications point to it's over. ... Here's what Brock said to me, he said ‘I'll tell you what after my surgery from diverticulitis, this last surgery I had, I have never felt so good in my life.' He said ‘I've had the best camp I've ever had, no injuries, I was in great shape, all the things that could go right, went right, that guy is just that much better than me and it's time for me to retire.'" -- UFC President Dana White reiterates to Jim Rome what we already knew about Brock Lesnar -- that he's gone and he's never coming back; not to MMA, at least. The former heavyweight champion battled through multiple bouts of the deadly intestinal disorder diverticulitis just to get back to 100-percent to take one last crack at winning gold while he was healthy again. Then he ran into Alistair Overeem at UFC 141 on Dec. 30 in Las Vegas, Nevada, and any hopes of making a triumphant return were dashed inside the first round. That's because "The Reem" showcased his wide array of skills en route to stopping the "Brockness Monster" by way of technical knockout. The Dutchman demolished Lesnar so bad, in fact, that Brock knew right then and there that it was simply time to hang up the gloves and move on to other endeavors. And, unlike B.J. Penn, he's not going back on his word. Don't be too sad, Maniacs, he might head over to WWE!

Posted in: right, alistair overeem, brock lesnar, lesnar, brock

Read the full article at MMA Mania

Twelve seconds. That’s all it took. Usually that’s how long it takes to drink the remaining milk left from your bowl of cereal, or untie and remove your shoes, or how long it takes for you to tune out your girlfriend. While Johny Hendricks might be able to untie his shoes rather quickly, he will certainly remember the twelve second milestone for a different reason. That is when his mixed martial arts career changed forever. Before December 30th, the last time Jon Fitch was finished in a fight was over nine years prior. Hendricks was still in high school at that time. But now, after his now infamous knockout of Fitch at UFC 141, Hendricks is ready to graduate to the top of the UFC. Going into the fight, Hendricks was seen as an underdog to the veteran. But even with the odds against him, Hendricks knew he had gotten his big break, and he did not want to let this one slip away. “I finally had my opportunity,” Hendricks told MMAFrenzy.com. “I could either crumble under the pressure, or make my move. And at the beginning of the night, something just felt good. I did a solid warmup and just tried my best to stay relaxed.” Staying relaxed can certainly be a task, especially when fighting on your first pay-per-view main card. While Hendricks was seen as a formidable opponent in the welterweight division, until UFC 141, he had not yet reached title contender status. The four time All-American wrestler made his debut at UFC 101 in similar fashion, defeating Amir Sadollah in under thirty seconds. But even with impressive wins over contenders like Charlie Brenneman and Mike Pierce, the most recognizable aspect of Hendricks’ career was his beard. But hey, there is absolutely nothing wrong with being recognized for that. That beard came into the Octagon against the former title challenger, and Hendricks knew exactly what he wanted to do as soon as he stood opposite of him. “When I saw Fitch, I couldn’t wait to fight,” Hendricks explained, and fortunately for him he did not have to wait long to fight, and for it to be over. Hendricks knocked Fitch out with the first punch he threw, a quick left straight to the jaw. Who better to explain how it happened, than Hendricks himself: “When Jon throws a straight right, which is what he started with, he wants to take you down. He expects the opponent to back up, then he attacks the legs. When he threw it, I circled away, and I threw everything. His right hand was in the right spot, to protect my counter, but I put it in the right spot. Then it all froze, and I had to tell myself to keep hitting him. Luckily the ref was there when I was going down to hit him again. “To this day, it still seems unreal.” Even though it may feel unreal, Hendricks’ quick ascent to the top of the division is absolutely real. And with the welterweight division in a state of flux, due to Georges St. Pierre’s injury, Hendricks wants to take advantage of his newly anointed contender status. “I want an interim title shot,” said Hendricks. “That is my dream. I did not want to talk that way before UFC 141 so I could protect myself in case I lost. But you’ve got to promote yourself. And I know that. The interim title holder is going to likely have to defend his title at least once. I want to be that person.” Even if he is not that person, and he has to continue moving up the ladder, Hendricks’ place in the division is confirmed with that victory. But he still knows that can all go away just as quickly as it came about. “I don’t want people thinking it was a lucky punch. I have to go out and prove that. And I will.”

Posted in: ufc, title, right, fitch, hendrick

Read the full article at MMA Frenzy

Luke Rockhold walked away from his bout against Keith Jardine with his Strikeforce middleweight title intact, but the champ did not escape unscathed.

Posted in: strikeforce, right, rockhold, champ, keith jardine

Read the full article at Sherdog

"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 then come back. He clubs you, you club him right back, right then. He'll stop doing it. If you're in a match and a guy gets intense, you get intense right back, right then, as hard or harder, right then and he'll stop doing it. One-up him. If he slaps you, you punch him. He punches you, kick him. He kicks you, stab him. He stabs you, shoot him. He shoots you, go and kill his family." UFC middleweight contender Chael Sonnen gives an interesting pep talk on intensity (via Flo Wrestling) to a group of up-and-coming athletes. I guess the lesson here is, "Try not to get shot." Sonnen is booked to square off against Mark Munoz at the UFC on FOX 2 event on Jan. 28, 2012, from the United Center in Chicago, Illinois. Hopefully the "Filipino Wrecking Machine" leaves his Glock at home or this upcoming network telecast could be the UFC's last.

Posted in: ufc, right, club, network telecast, shot sonnen

Read the full article at MMA Mania

Strikeforce middleweight champion Luke Rockhold could be out for as long as six months unless his right hand is cleared by a doctor after his win over Keith Jardine.

Posted in: strikeforce, right, rockhold, jardine, right hand

Read the full article at Heavy MMA

I have been obsessed with it for a few years now and while I have no clue where to start I was hoping someone could point me in the right direction. I'm 21 years old and my fighting experience is next to none but I just figure everyone has to start somewhere and better late than never. I am in the San Marcos area so Austin and San Antonio are within traveling distance. submitted by Coltfourty5 [link] [1 comment]

Posted in: right, year, san, figure everyone, san antonio

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With former featherweight champion Cristiane Santos already out of commission for the next twelve months due to a failed drug test there remains another immensely popular 145-pound female on the company’s roster whose future is up in the air – Gina Carano. Carano is currently busy doing press for her upcoming movie Haywire, and, though she was linked to a few fight cards in 2011 all has been quiet on the fight-front for months. Carano recently addressed the situation as a guest on Attack of the Show where she remained non-committal as far as ever stepped foot back inside the cage. “I’m somewhere floating around in the world between acting and fighting,” Carano explained. “I don’t feel like you have to make a decision right now. So I’m waiting till I definitely know the right answer in my heart.” The 29-year old kickboxer compiled a 7-0 record in MMA before running into Santos in August 2009 where she was stopped with strikes in the opening round of action. Carano was expected to fight this past June but failed a pre-fight medical for undisclosed reasons. A Closer Look at Carano’s Withdrawal from Event While Carano has not expressed the thought directly it appears reasonable to believe she may be holding out to see what opportunities arise based on the commercial/critical success of Haywire (set for January 20 release). PHOTO CREDIT – STRIKEFORCE Tweet

Posted in: right, ’m, carano, fight cards, right answer

Read the full article at Fighters.com

It was a battle of seasoned veteran versus the young gun looking to establish himself last night (January 7, 2012) in the main event of Strikeforce: Rockhold vs. Jardine in Las Vegas as Strikeforce middleweight champion Luke Rockhold looked to defend his title for the first time against "The Dean of Mean" Keith Jardine. Jardine was cutting down to 185 pounds for the first time with the assistance of Mike Dolce and he seemed ready and willing to go to war with the American Kickboxing Academy fighter. The UFC veteran had shored up one of his deficiencies, his proneness to eating big left hooks, by keeping his right hand high while still maintaining his herky-jerky fighting style. But what key mistake offset his improvements and cost him the fight? And where do both men go from here? Jardine came out very strong, bouncing on his toes and throwing a series of his patented leg kicks while pressing the action early. It definitely caught Rockhold, who may have been expecting a more cautious opponent, off guard in the early stages. After roughing each other up in the clinch, Rockhold finally landed his first truly significant strike, a beautiful spinning back kick which connected solidly in Jardine's midsection and he proceeded to follow it up with another just 10 seconds later. "The Dean of Mean" was occasionally finding a home for his looping hooks and straight punches, and he did a terrific job of keeping his right hand up to defend the left hook, but his lead left was kept dangerously low. This would come back to bite him badly as the first major punch that Rockhold landed was a simple lead left hook. Rockhold threw some head and body kicks, but his opponent responded with some heavy leg kicks, notably drawing a response from the champion, which usually means they hurt. The beginning of the end happened with about 1:17 left in the round. Jardine came in with a big wild flurry and ate a huge right hook which temporarily dropped him and he was never able to recover properly. When they reset, Jardine's right hand was at his chin, ready to defend himself fine, bu this left arm was dangling at his side, just begging for Rockhold to come back with that right hook, so he did. Jardine again pressed forward, eating a counter right hand which forced him to back off. Rockhold smelled blood and clipped him with a huge right again which sent him to the canvas. Being a tough veteran, the Greg Jackson-trained fighter ate some uncontested shots on his way back to his feet but was again dropped by a big right hook to the jaw. Inexplicably, Herb Dean allowed Jardine to eat about four or five extra punches for good measure on the ground before putting a stop to it. For Keith Jardine, he did a few things right and also several things horribly wrong. Yes, he defended against the left hook, which had been his nemesis in several fights, but in doing so, he completely ignored the right hook, which is just as dangerous if not moreso. His offensive strategy wasn't bad, at least the kicking part, but it appears he can't push forward and throw combinations without leaving his jaw completely exposed and that is a serious issue which is going to need corrected considering his ability to take a big punch has gone completely down the crapper in recent years. If Jardine is given another fight, there isn't much depth in the Strikeforce middleweight division. Perhaps fellow main card loser Adlan Amagov, although that could be too much for Amagov at this point as well. Danillo Villefort could use an experienced opponent, perhaps even Lorenz Larkin if he finally decides to drop down to middleweight. I doubt Jardine is done, but it's pretty obvious he simply cannot hang with the best in the division anymore. For Luke Rockhold, this was as good a showing as one would expect. It took him less than a round to get a feel for Jardine's unorthodox style and figure out exactly what he needed to do to secure a finish to the fight. The left hand wasn't there, so it was all about a big right and he made it count every time he threw it. Once he had Jardine hurt, he stayed on him and didn't let the UFC veteran off the hook until the fight was over. Despite the fact that he called out the entire UFC middleweight division, it's extremely unlikely the Strikeforce 185 pound champ going to be fighting anyone there for contractual reasons. There are honestly only two opponents that make sense at this point and time. The first is his originally scheduled foe, Tim Kennedy, who got hurt and forced Jardine to step in on short notice. The other is the former champion, Ronaldo Souza, who hasn't fought since losing the belt but gave Rockhold an extremely close fight in losing the title. If both of them fall through, however, they could throw Robbie Lawler into the mix, who bounced back with a big first round knockout last night as well. Either way, it appears Rockhold is stuck in Strikeforce for the time being. So what did you think, Maniacs? Did this fight go exactly as you expected? Will Luke Rockhold still be Strikeforce middleweight champion by the end of 2012? Opinion, please. For complete Strikeforce "Rockhold vs. Jardine" results, including blow-by-blow, fight-by-fight coverage of the entire event as well as immediate post-fight reaction click here, here and here.

Posted in: fight, right, rockhold, jardine, hook

Read the full article at MMA Mania

Strikeforce women’s featherweight champion Cristiane “Cyborg” Santos has tested positive for steroids following her 16-second TKO of Hiroko Yamanaka in December, resulting in a one year suspension, $2,500 fine, and the win being changed to a no decision. The California State Athletic Commission announced the positive test for stanozolol metabolites on Friday. Santos can appeal the drug test, but it’s not yet clear if she will. “Our primary concern is for the health and safety of fighters,” CSAC Executive Officer George Dodd said in a press release. “Anabolic agents and other banned substances put not only the users of those agents at risk, but their opponents as well. The commission simply will not tolerate their use.” UFC President Dana White said Santos has been stripped of the title in an appearance on ESPN Radio and the future of the 145-pound division in Strikeforce now appears to be in jeopardy. “We were going to hold that division and just do fights with ‘Cyborg’ whenever there was a new contender,” White said. “She’s getting stripped of the title. I don’t know. We’ll see what happens.” Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker said in his own statement on Strikeforce.com that the promotion has a strong stance against performance enhancing drugs, but reminded fans that Santos still has the right to appeal. “[Strikeforce has] a consistent and strong stance against any use of performance-enhancing drugs.  We also have a long history of supporting effective drug testing of athletes by authorized regulatory bodies. Therefore, we will closely monitor the matter and will work with the California State Athletic Commission regarding any information we may be asked to provide. We also recognize that Ms. Santos has administrative process rights under California law and we hope that she is not prejudged before she has the opportunity to exercise such rights,” Coker said. Cyborg (10-1) won the title with a first-round TKO of Gina Carano in 2009 and defended it over Marloes Coenen and Jan Finney in 2010 before sitting out for 18 months due to contract issues before knocking out Yamanaka in just 16-seconds on the Showtime-televised card in December. For the latest Strikeforce news stay tuned to MMAFrenzy.com.

Posted in: strikeforce, right, drug, california state, cyborg

Read the full article at MMA Frenzy

Earlier today (Fri., Jan. 6, 2012), the California State Athletic Commission (CSAC) issued a press release that stated Cristiane Santos had tested positive for anabolic steroids following her victory over Hiroko Yamanaka on Dec. 16 in San Diego, California. As a condition of her punishment, "Cyborg," who is the current Strikeforce women's featherweight champion, was fined $2,500 and suspended for one year. She was also stripped of her title, though that was a decision that came down from Zuffa. Now, Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker has released a statement (via Strikeforce.com) that plays it right down the middle: "STRIKEFORCE has not seen the test results regarding Ms. Santos. However, we have a consistent and strong stance against any use of performance-enhancing drugs. We also have a long history of supporting effective drug testing of athletes by authorized regulatory bodies. Therefore, we will closely monitor the matter and will work with the California State Athletic Commission regarding any information we may be asked to provide. We also recognize that Ms. Santos has administrative process rights under California law and we hope that she is not prejudged before she has the opportunity to exercise such rights." Indeed, Santos has the right to appeal if she so chooses. She has yet to release a statement and has not commented on her having failed her drug test. "Cyborg" has run through her competition under the Strikeforce banner since making her way over in 2009, with wins over notable women like Gina Carano and Marloes Coenen. Those victories, even if she was clean at the time, will now forever be tainted in the eyes of the public. For now, Strikeforce is staying neutral. That could change in a hurry and the state of the 145-pound division is undoubtedly in peril, as evidenced by UFC President Dana White telling ESPN that Santos getting popped "pretty much kills" the division. Stay tuned, Maniacs.

Posted in: strikeforce, right, california, california state, process rights

Read the full article at MMA Mania

Tomorrow night is Strikeforce: Rockhold vs Jardine and I know what you're thinking: What's a Rockhold? But if Luke Rockhold keeps slinging soundbytes like he has over the past few days, people might actually start caring more about him. He's thrown poop at Keith Jardine and here he is talking Brock Lesnar down: "I think he was just playing a role. I saw right through him. His confidence looked very ... it didn't appear real. 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. Lesnar's what I thought. All the media and all you guys had Lesnar taking it. The fighters had Overeem. 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." He also talked himself up for a UFC title shot against Anderson Silva, which is quite adorable: "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. I'm not saying I want him right away, but I want one of those four fights. 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." Yeah, let's wait and make sure you can paste a Keith Jardine before we get that crazy, OK? But still, bravo to Luke Rockhold for pulling some press. I don't know if it's him starting to say things or the media starting to pay attention, but by the end of this whole event people may actually know who he is.

Posted in: fight, right, rockhold, luke rockhold, keith jardine

Read the full article at Fightlinker

That's according to Strikeforce Middleweight Champion Luke Rockhold. After former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) heavyweight kingpin Brock Lesnar decided he had seen enough of the Octagon, following his first round technical knockout loss to Alistair Overeem at UFC 141: "Lesnar vs. Overeem" this past weekend (Dec. 30, 2011), the gates were left wide open for new stars to emerge and possibly take the place of the massive pay-per-view draw that was Lesnar. Though the UFC has plenty of star power on its roster with champions such as Jon Jones, Junior dos Santos and Anderson Silva, Rockhold believes a lot of fighters weren't given their proper due because Brock was always promoted as "the best." Sour grapes? Or reality check? The American Kickboxing Academy (AKA) product claims Lesnar was never really the best, rather he was just built up by the media and played a role -- all while getting the right fights at the right time, therefore creating the grand illusion that the 6' 3," 265-pound behemoth was "The Baddest Man on the Planet." Rockhold elaborates to ESPN1100/98.9 FM in Las Vegas (via Yahoo! Sports) and says now that Lesnar is gone, it's due time to start focusing on the "true fighters." Check it out: "I think he was just playing a role. I saw right through him. His confidence looked very ... it didn't appear real. 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. Lesnar's what I thought. All the media and all you guys had Lesnar taking it. The fighters had Overeem. 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." If you were asked to identify all the Strikeforce and UFC champions, you would probably have no trouble picking them out of a line-up. Most of them, some more than others, had their time to shine in the spotlight and get promoted by their respective organizations. However, some may have trouble identifying Luke Rockhold. Not because he isn't talented; he is very talented, actually, amassing an 8-1 overall mixed martial arts (MMA) record and currently holding the Strikeforce middleweight championship. Rockhold simply has not had his opportunity to shine and be promoted as a champion. Overshadowed by titleholders such as Jon Jones, Anderson Silva, Gilbert Melendez, and non-champions such as a fighter that holds the biggest shadow of them all, Brock Lesnar, Luke's star has been dimmed in the company of those men. Now, Rockhold will get his opportunity to stand out and become a breakout star of his own as he headlines his first-ever Strikeforce event as a champion when he takes on grizzled veteran Keith Jardine this Saturday night (Jan. 7, 2012) in Las Vegas, Nevada, at Strikeforce: "Rockhold vs. Jardine," live from the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino. Will Rockhold show he has what it takes to becomes one of MMA's next biggest stars? Or will Jardine slow his momentum and begin his own trail back to stardom?

Posted in: right, fighter, star, rockhold, lesnar

Read the full article at MMA Mania

There's something I feel I should get out of the way, to prepare myself for whatever criticisms, both valid and bizarre, that are sure to come. One is that this "best of" list is meant to be comprehensive, but it's meant to be comprehensive in accordance with my own tastes. In other words, it's a personal list. In addition, "writing" will not always be featured. At the time of putting together this list, I had only writing in mind, but as I went through some great features (like some of Helwani's interviews, and Jack Encarnacao's Rewind series), I felt like this series needed to represent great and interesting work regardless of category. Hence why I included Luke Thomas' interviews with Henry Cejudo and Jordan Burroughs the other day. It's true my intelligence (or lackthereof) doesn't deserve the benefit of the doubt, but I'm aware of the difference between writing and transcription. Now, to those annoyed by the inclusion of BE work I'll do you one better: I'll admit my unabashed love for this site. As a longtime reader of Bloody Elbow, I've found it to be the one place I could stomach being around MMA fans (who I typically sort of despise). The bar hasn't been set high when you contrast this place with say, Sherdog.net (a place that feels like it was created by The Onion to parody internet trolls), but BE has been a fantastic source for discussion among its educated readers (some of whom will actually be featured on this list). If there's a reason for that, you can probably trace it back to one of the staples of BE: the Judo Chop. For some of us, but especially for casual fans, it's often difficult to decipher the action in the cage. The arts themselves are complicated enough. Who actually knows that Ryo Chonan's submission win over Anderson Silva is technically a flying kesa besama into an inverted heelhook? Not I. And so it's always interesting to learn just what exactly the fighters themselves have learned, and how they use that information to create violence. Two Judo Chops that I feel stood out more than others this year were Fraser Coffeen's look at Anderson Silva at UFC 134 and his use of the "anchor punch", and Ben Thapa's begrudging analysis of Frank Mir's submission win over Antonio Nogueira at UFC 140. The inclusion of Anderson Silva in a Judo Chop seems almost formulaic. Even Silva's more bizarre performances involve incredible acts. But it's also a testament to his arsenal. While we mock (and rightfully so) the comparison of any modern athlete with zero cultural impact to Muhammad Ali, it's nonetheless worth noting that Silva bares at least a few similarities to the boxing icon from a technique standpoint. Namely, the use of the anchor punch: a strike that almost carries with it an urban legend status. For many boxing fans at the time, the punch had more sinister associations: as evidence that the fight was fixed (given the speed and seemingly delicacy with which it was thrown). Here's Fraser with the breakdown of Ali's use of it: You see Ali, hands low, dodge Liston's left with quick head movement. As he dodges, he brings the right hand up and around, connecting square on Liston. Ali also moves slightly to his right with the punch, putting himself at an angle to Liston, who is moving forward. Ali throws that punch over Liston's extended punching arm, guaranteeing Liston won't be able to defend it. The combination of Liston's forward motion and Ali's clean shot are enough to put Liston down. If there's still any doubt that the punch lands, watch the way the force of the punch ripples all down Liston's right side. Switching gears from a more graceful violence to a raw and brutal one: enter Frank Mir at UFC 140. The sequence is still fresh in everyone's minds. Mir gets rocked. Nog rolls for a guillotine. Mir escapes by rolling which leads to Nog attempting to sit-out which leads to Nog going for back control, which Mir counters with a kimura. What did Nog do wrong in this sequence? It's hard to believe a grappler of Nog's caliber would make such a mistake, but here's Thapa with the breakdown: The wrestling-style sit out allows a fighter to use the slightly askew center of gravity of the opponent on top to sprawl sitting up towards one particular side - and potentially offers avenues to rear mount or at least a bodylock on a turned away opponent. This particular sit out is nicely timed and showcases the more recent vintage of grappling the Nogueira brothers now train. However, Big Nog leaves his right arm down low, between Mir's legs. The left hand is controlling Mir's right hand nicely and the body is sprawled out in good fashion. The only weak link is that right hand. It should be up around Mir's waist and tight to the body. It's a sequence that has likely earned Mir a submission of the year, and for good reason: he submitted one of the most respected BJJ practitioners, while dazed no less. You can read Fraser's full breakdown here. He can be found on twitter @FCoffeen. Ben Thapa's piece can be read here. His twitter account: @DefGrappler.

Posted in: right, mir, punch, ali, liston

Read the full article at Bloody Elbow

This past Friday night may have marked a career-performance for Nate Diaz but it could also be the last time fans see the talented lightweight inside the Octagon again before summertime. Diaz was listed among the group of individuals who fought at UFC 141: Lesnar vs. Overeem receiving six-month suspensions for damage sustained in their respective bouts. Specifically, the 26-year old most receive clearance from an ophthalmologist or sit out until June 28, with a minimum suspension involving “no contact” until January 30, based on an undisclosed “right eye injury”. Diaz absorbed a number of shots to the face during his Fight of the Night encounter with Donald Cerrone who himself will be out until Valentine’s Day with no contact until 1/30 due to a “cut lower lip”. Other notable fighters possibly facing a mandated six-month vacation include Brock Lesnar, though the suspension means little in the wake of his retirement, as well as Vladimir Matyushenko and Manny Gamburyan. Both must receive clearance from an orthopedist with the former needing his left knee looked at and the latter his troublesome right shoulder (which will also require x-rays). Here is a complete list of UFC 141 medical suspensions: Diego Nunes – Suspended until 2/14 with no contact until 1/30 (cut left eye) Manny Gamburyan – Must have right shoulder x-rayed and cleared by an orthopedist or no contest until 6/28; minimum suspension with no contest until 1/30, no contact until 1/21 Dong Hyun Kim – Suspended until 1/30 with no contact until 1/21 (left foot contusion) Junior Assuncao – Suspended until 1/30 with no contact until 1/21 (cut right cheek) Nam Phan – Suspended until 2/29 with no contact until 2/14 (cut right eyebrow) Alexander Gustafsson – Suspended until 1/30 with no contact until 1/21 (right tibia contusion) Vladimir Matyushenko – Must have left knee cleared by an orthopedist or no contest until 6/28; minimum suspension with no contest until 2/14, no contact until 1/30 Jon Fitch – Suspended until 2/29 with no contact until 2/14 Donald Cerrone – Suspended until 2/14 with no contact until 1/30 (cut lower lip) Nate Diaz – Must be cleared by an ophthalmologist or no contest until 6/28; minimum suspension with no contest until 1/30, no contact until 1/21 (right eye injury) Alistair Overeem – Suspended until 2/14 with no contact until 1/30 (cuts on right eye) Brock Lesnar – Must have abdominal injury cleared by a doctor or no contest until 6/28 PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Posted in: right, suspension, contest, eye, contact

Read the full article at Five Ounces of Pain

Brock Lesnar retired after suffering a first-round TKO to Alistair Overeem in the main event of UFC 141 this past Friday in Las Vegas, but the former UFC heavyweight champion was still among four fighters who received six month medical suspensions from the Nevada State Athletic Commission on Tuesday. Nate Diaz, Vladimir Matyushenko, and Manny Gamburyan also received six month suspensions, but, like the rest of the card, can be cleared by a doctor to return sooner. Overeem was suspended six weeks for cuts near his right eye from the main event, which lasted less than two and a half minutes after he stopped Lesnar with a liver kick and punches. Overeem is slated to challenge UFC heavyweight champion Junior dos Santos later this year. The complete UFC 141 medical suspensions includes: Brock Lesnar: Must have abdominal injury cleared by doctor or suspended until June 28 Alistair Overeem: Suspended until Feb. 14 for cuts on right eye Nate Diaz: Must have right eye injury cleared by doctor or suspended until June 28 with minimum suspension until Jan. 30 Donald Cerrone: Suspended until Feb. 14 for cut lower lip Jon Fitch: Suspended until Feb. 29 Vladimir Matyushenko: Must have left knee cleared by doctor or suspended until June 28 with minimum suspension until Feb. 14 Nam Phan: Suspended until Feb. 29 for cut on right eyebrow Junior Assuncao: Suspended until Jan. 30 for cut on right cheek Dong Hyun Kim: Suspended until Jan. 30 for left foot contusion Manny Gamburyan: Must have right shoulder cleared by doctor or suspended until June 28 with minimum suspension until Jan. 20 Diego Nunes: Suspended until Feb. 14 for cut on left eye UFC 141 COVERAGE Brock Lesnar Retires After UFC 141 Loss to Alistair Overeem UFC 141 Results: Alistair Overeem Demolishes Brock Lesnar for First-Round TKO Reaction from the Action: “UFC 141: Lesnar vs. Overeem” Alistair Overeem Paid Full UFC 141 Salary for Win Over Brock Lesnar UFC 141 Videos: Overeem vs. Lesnar, Diaz vs. Cerrone Fight Highlights UFC 141 Fighter Salaries: Brock Lesnar Tops Payroll Despite Loss UFC 141 Bonuses: Diaz, Cerrone, and Hendricks Earn $75,000 Awards

Posted in: ufc, overeem, right, suspension, lesnar

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The Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) today issued its list of medical suspensions for UFC 141: "Lesnar vs. Overeem," which took place on Fri., Dec. 30, 2011, from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. With several violent bouts on the card, including Nate Diaz and Donald Cerrone kicking the crap out of each other for 15 minutes, there were quite a few fighters who were flagged for follow up visits to their doctors. Cheif among them is Diaz, who must be cleared by an ophthalmologist or he won't be allowed to return until June 28, 2012. And he's the guy who won. As for Cerrone, he's out until Feb. 14 due to a cut suffered to his lower lip. "Cowboy" is also under orders to avoid contact until Jan. 30. Considering his plans to go snowboarding, at least that contact won't come in training. Not that it matters much now, considering he retired immediately after losing, but Brock Lesnar was hit with a long suspension, as he'll need to be cleared by a doctor or he's out until June. 28. That means if he changes his mind, he's going to have to visit his doctor first. Alistair Overeem, the man who sent Brock into retirement, will ride the pine until Feb. 14 thanks to a small cut Lesnar opened above his eye. But that's not all. Here is the complete list of UFC 141 injuries and their medical instructions: Brock Lesnar: Suspended until 6/28/12 unless cleared by doctor for abdominal injury Alistair Overeem: Suspended until 2/14/12 for cut on right eye, no contact until 1/30/12 Nate Diaz: Suspended until 6/28/12 unless cleared by ophthalmologist; minimum suspension until 1/30/12 for right eye injury, no contact until 1/21/12 Donald Cerrone: Suspended until 2/14/12 for cut on lower lip, no contact until 1/30/12 Jon Fitch: Suspended until 2/29/12, no contact until 2/14/12 Vladimir Matyushenko: Suspended until 6/28/12 unless cleared by orthopedic doctor for left knee; minimum suspension until 2/14/12, no contact until 1/30/12 Alexander Gustafsson: Suspended until 1/30/12 for right tibia contusion, no contact until 1/21/12 Nam Phan: Suspended until 2/29/12 for cut on right eyebrow, no contact until 2/14/12 Junior Assuncao: Suspended until 1/30/12 for cut on right cheer, no contact until 1/21/12 Dong Hyun Kim: Suspended until 1/30/12 for left foot contusion, no contact until 1/21/12 Manny Gamburyan: Suspended until 6/28/12 unless cleared by orthopedic doctor for right shoulder; minimum suspension until 1/30/12, no contact until 1/21/12 Diego Nunes: Suspended until 2/12/12 for cut above left eye, no contact until 1/30/12 Just a quick reminder: Fighters often return to action much quicker once doctors give them the green light. The lengthy suspensions are just a precaution in most cases. For a complete wrap up of all the UFC 141 fight weekend festivities click here.

Posted in: right, suspension, lesnar, contact, doctor

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We told you Alistair Overeem's knees are savage, didn't we?  They can knock kickboxers flat on their faces, Japanese wrestlers right out of the ring, and when combined with a a sweet liver kick, can even knock American wrestlers right out of MMA. After the jump, the kick that broke The Cocksword. read more

Posted in: right, kick, wrestler, liver kick, didnt wenbsp

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Watch the only official UFC pre-fight show with Junior dos Santos, King Mo Lawal and Urijah Faber at 6 p.m. ET right here on HeavyMMA.com.

Posted in: ufc, show, right, pm, urijah faber

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Vowing to learn from the experience, Jason "Mayhem" Miller said Dana White was right about his performance when he said it was the worst standup he'd ever seen.

Posted in: right, dana, miller, mayhem, right ’

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Filed under: UFCThe fight wasn't even a minute old and already Mauricio "Shogun" Rua was backed against the fence, covering up like an unarmed combatant in a pillow fight as Dan Henderson directed one punch after another at the delicate spaces in his defense. "Well," I remember saying to ESPN's Brett Okamoto, who was seated next to me on press row, "this one's definitely not going five rounds." This is why you shouldn't make predictions based on about 60 seconds of action. Not unless you want to feel really, really dumb a half-hour later. But who could blame me? Just 30 seconds into the first round of the UFC 139 main event, the former light heavyweight champ walked straight into one of Henderson's famous right hands. Careers had been forever altered by the arc of that very punch. Nights had been ruined and eight-week training camps rendered meaningless by that exact same blow. Rua had to know it was possible that he might find out what it felt like for himself, but he couldn't have thought it would happen so soon. When you tiptoe right to the edge of getting knocked out in the very beginning of a 25-minute fight, what's plan B? If you're "Shogun," apparently it includes blinking away the blood and coming forward, only to get dropped a second time 15 seconds later, then unceremoniously tripped to the mat 20 seconds after that. Four and a half more rounds of this? Are you kidding? As Rua lunged for a takedown like a drunk diving into a cab at 2 a.m., he seemed as if he'd be lucky to survive the round. But therein lay the difference between this fight and most. Now matter how unsteady Rua looked at times, it was as if he was never more than one deep breath from regaining his composure. One moment his legs seemed to have stopped taking orders from his brain, and the next he was firing off jumping knees and a looping right hand that caught Hendo behind the ear, giving him a taste of the canvas. That's the pattern they followed for most of the first three rounds. Henderson attacked, Rua bled. Henderson poured it on, Rua put up just enough of a defense to stay in it. And then, as if he had some alarm in his head that woke him up in the final two minutes of each round, the Brazilian snapped to attention and started giving some of that punishment back. When the horn sounded to end the third round, both men wandered aimlessly around before heading back to their corners. You could almost hear them thinking, shouldn't this be over by now? Haven't we beaten each other up enough? But no, they still had two more rounds to go. In the fourth Rua got himself in trouble on the mat after a takedown, but again rebounded and had Henderson nearly out on his feet by the end. The fifth was all Rua. He flipped an exhausted Henderson onto his back and camped out in full mount, raining down blows with heavy, exhausted arms until the final horn sounded. Several times it seemed close to being stopped, and you almost wanted to call out to the ref and ask him to disregard the rules just this once, to let these two sort it out for themselves. They'd earned that right, it seemed, and so they continued on until the very last second, when Hendo was almost too exhausted to stand and Rua's once white shorts were now stained a dirty pink from his own blood. Fans in the crowd didn't know whether to cheer or cry when it was over. You could look around the HP Pavilion and see men standing up in their seats with their mouths hanging open, both hands on top of their heads as if trying to keep their brains from leaping out of their skulls. Some nights, when you're in the moment, you can't appreciate what's happening. It's only when you look back on them that you realize how special they were. This was not one of those nights. This was one of the nights where, at several points, you turn to your buddy or even just the stranger next to you with a stunned look that says, Are you seeing this? Can you believe what's happening here? Those looks were all over the arena that night. When Henderson got the nod from the judges, it was as if it almost didn't matter who the winner was. Hendo needed the help of his cornermen just to get out of the cage. Rua's face was so battered and bloodied, it seemed entirely possible that the immigration agents at the airport might refuse to believe he was the same person pictured on his passport. Both men had suffered. Both men had been partners in creating a masterpiece. Right away we all knew it. Fans shuffled out into the rain with the expressions of people who were already planning how to tell this story to their purely hypothetical grandchildren. Reporters stood around in the media room shrugging at one another. Something like a giddy sense of shock set in. Did we really just see that? Did that really just happen? Over at the hospital right then, Rua and Henderson didn't need to ask. They had the proof. They had paid for it. Other contenders worth noting: 2: Mike Chandler vs. Eddie Alvarez, Bellator 58 The second-best fight of the night on November 19, 2011 was a very close runner-up for fight of the year. The two lightweights went back and forth in Hollywood, Florida with the Bellator title at stake before Chandler finished it in the fourth with a rear-naked choke. They produced a classic, but one that was almost immediately overshadowed by Hendo-Rua, which took place just hours later on the opposite coast. Sometimes timing is everything. 3. Frankie Edgar vs. Gray Maynard II, UFC 125 After barely staying conscious through the first round, Edgar battled back to force a five-round seesaw fight that ended in a draw. Unsatisfying? Only if you're the kind of jerk who can't just relax enjoy the ride. 4. Nick Diaz vs. Paul Daley, Strikeforce: Diaz vs. Daley If there was an award for the best one-round fight of the year, these two would have taken it. They set a furious pace right from the start and neither man was at all interesting in slowing down or even giving the crowd a chance to blink. Not a single second went to waste, and when the dust cleared it was Diaz who was left standing. 5. Diego Brandao vs. Dennis Bermudez, TUF 14 Finale The Forrest Griffin-Stephan Bonnar finale might have done more for the UFC, but this may very well have been the most action-packed ending to a season of the UFC's reality show. After nearly getting his jaw relocated to the back of his skull, Brandao somehow rallied to secure an armbar submission in another one-round stunner. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

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To the hoopla of MMA blogs desperate for news in this holiday season, Alistair Overeem has passed the first of several drug tests surrounding his fight with Brock Lesnar. All this because he mucked up a random testing requested by the NSAC. Here he was before the results: I have had people – I will politely call them ‘haters’ – accuse me of taking steroids since I was a 185-lb. kickboxer at the age of 17. When I was 20, I’ve fought at a weight of 222 lbs. I am now aged 31, and weigh 35 lbs. more. I don’t think 35 lbs is too much to grow in 11 years from a 20-year-old to 31-year-old.Facts are, I have been tested with the commission numerous times before when I fought in the U.S. and got tested in Japan. I always passed any testing, so hopefully now with these next tests coming and the fact of me being the most tested fighter in the sport, the critics may be satisfied. And if not, well, that’s not my problem, that is their problem. What's a problem is urine testing doesn't really proove much, doubly so considering commissions aren't even running all the tests they could be. FightOpinion transcribed a Sherdog radio interview with Dr. Margaret Goodman on the subject: “The way commissions order tests now, the prices might have changed, but for example to do the regular drug screens that a commission would order, let’s say that they do the complete panel that goes through Quest labs. It could be somewhere in the neighborhood of 125 items, most of which are either drugs of abuse and a lot of other things that maybe aren’t even applicable to combat sports that’s included in the panel and then you’ve got the large amount of numbers of things that are done in the anabolic screening panel and diuretics and masking agents. That may only cost $300 but unfortunately the problem becomes is that you’re missing all these other items. You’re missing EPO, you’re missing checking the blood count which can only maybe cost you $8. But you’re missing all those other things and that’s why the process needs to be advanced and done the right way or not done at all....“I do agree that urine is better for certain things but, once again, you want to test for everything that’s important and by not testing with blood in addition you’re missing a lot of things. You’re missing every possible instance of blood doping and that can really be lethal to an individual even more so in a lot of respects than someone taking anabolic steroids. The other thing that we’re missing here is, yes, something will stay in someone’s system longer but unfortunately if you don’t do certain kinds of testing, there’s a test (Carbon Isotope Ratio) called CIR. Bottom line is if you don’t do the right test to look for synthetic testosterone, you may miss it any way!" The fun thing about doping is it's always advancing forward and cheaters are always finding new ways to cheat. If you're gonna catch anyone who's doing steroids 'right', you better be randomly testing, testing the right stuff (aka blood), and testing across the board. You don't do one of these things and you might as well not do it at all. Are the kind of steroids being done by top athletes capable of leaving the system without a trace within a few days? It's possible. So right there, that has pretty much invalidated the way the NSAC is running random testing thus far.

Posted in: testing, thing, test, ’re, right

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It should be there on the dashboard, get it before it's too late. submitted by imboss [link] [4 comments]

Posted in: ufc, right, reason, xbox, dashboard

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Strikeforce lightweight Jorge Masvidal apparently went into his bout against Gilbert Melendez on Saturday night with an already injured right hand.

Posted in: saturday night, right, title fight, jorge masvidal, gilbert melendez

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Gilbert Melendez felt validated when he heard Dana White mention his name as one of the top fighters in the sport. Now he wants to prove the UFC President was right about him.

Posted in: right, ufc president, gilbert melendez, melendez, gilbert

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It pains me to write the following, but UFC 140 may have given us the greatest submission in mixed martial arts history. In terms of the caliber of fighters involved, the comeback nature of the submission and the defiant holding on until the bitter end, can you think of a better one? Whatever your opinion on the foregoing, this kimura (or ude garami/double wristlock) submission HAS to be analyzed and the set-up explained so that we can fully appreciate the violent beauty of this UFC 140 Submission of the Night . Time to make myself useful and launch into the table-setting. In one instant, we saw Frank Mir dazed and tilting severely to the left as several stiff punches from Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira thudded into his skull. Almost in the next instant, we saw Mir sprawling atop Big Nog with a kimura that seemingly appeared out of nowhere. Mir ruthlessly cranked the submission until the visible snap of the humerus occurred, forcing Herb Dean to immediately step in and probably thousands of viewers to visibly recoil. If we can get over the initial burst of discomfort from the actual snap, we can have a productive discussion about how exactly a kimura works and why it worked so well in this particular case. The basic mechanics to operate this specific submission have been known for quite a while. Catch as catch can wrestlers call this the double wristlock. Judokas call it the reverse ude garami. Brazilian jiu jitsu players mostly call this submission the "kimura", after Masahiko Kimura famously snapped multiple bones in Helio Gracie's arm in a challenge match held in 1951. The various grappling arts know of this submission and how it forces a near-Hobson's choice of "tap or snap" upon the person within the hold by exerting extreme torque on the upper arm. Join me after the jump for a breakdown of how exactly Mir came back from the near shores of unconsciousness to submitting one of the better heavyweight grapplers in mixed martial arts history. After wobbling and dropping Mir with several strong blows, Big Nog sprawled atop his nearly motionless opponent. For whatever reasons, Nog's take upon the gestalt of the fight led him to go for an arm-in guillotine. The combination of the spatial placement of both fighters, the timing and the physical sensations of Mir's motions led Nogueira to trust his instincts and seize upon the guillotine as his preferred fight ending action over the continued sprawling and flinging of punches to Mir's noggin. Unfortunately, the submission attempt led to an improbable sweep and a truly surprising finish. Here, we see Nogueira shift from punching Mir to going for the guillotine. Mir probably is not in full control of his faculties at this point, yet when Nogueira goes for the guillotine, Mir instinctively rolls over his right shoulder and flops to his right side. Yes, this gives Big Nog the top position and a clear path to mount, but it also alleviates some of the discomfort and pressure upon the carotids and windpipe that the guillotine creates. Immediately, Mir begins to separate himself from Nogueira's hips and we see how Nog continues to go after the choke. After a brief flirtation with pulling some kind of crazy half guard, Mir wises up and uses his right hand to push Nog's right hip away from him. Once Nog is perpendicular to Mir (and thus less able to apply that specific guillotine choke), Mir rocks backwards and lifts Nogueira's right leg off the ground. Due to Nog's dogged pursuit of the guillotine, his center of gravity is too far off of Mir to resist the sweep. Nog gets spun like a dreidel, yet in the classic "make lemonade out of lemons" style of his grappling, he refuses to concede side control and shifts himself into a wrestling sit out. The wrestling-style sit out allows a fighter to use the slightly askew center of gravity of the opponent on top to sprawl sitting up towards one particular side - and potentially offers avenues to rear mount or at least a bodylock on a turned away opponent. This particular sit out is nicely timed and showcases the more recent vintage of grappling the Nogueira brothers now train. However, Big Nog leaves his right arm down low, between Mir's legs. The left hand is controlling Mir's right hand nicely and the body is sprawled out in good fashion. The only weak link is that right hand. It should be up around Mir's waist and tight to the body. Instead, Big Nog leaves the arm out there and Mir latches on to it from an inferior position. From the brief rearranging of positions here, you can tell that Big Nog wanted to take the back from here or to prevent the shift into side control. Nogueira lifts the left leg - which is a miscalculation, as it allows the right leg to be lifted up and moved over onto the proper side of Nogueira to truly being exerting in terms of sports news and reporting. Mir has backed his way into side control and Big Nog does not expect him to be where he is or to possess the static strength he does. Once that bump into side control is achieved, Mir has the correct angles to get Big Nog's arm into the right positions. He has his left hand pinning Nogueira's right wrist to the ground and his right hand snaking underneath Big Nog's upper arm and locked onto his own left wrist. This is the classic figure four double wristlock that judokas call the reverse ude garami and BJJ players the "kimura". The submission is essentially set now. Mir steps over the head - or at least tries to - and smashes his chest downwards as Nog looks like he knows exactly what is coming and wants no part of it. At this point, Frank's massive static strength is starting to take over. Big Nog's right arm is being dragged into the classic right angle required for the reverse ude garami. The pressure of Mir's bodyweight is considerable, yet the location of his body allows Nogueira to upend him in an attempt to alleviate the increasing torque on the arm. Big Nog wants to straighten that arm out and shake loose from the double wristlocks grips, but it does not work. Mir keeps his grips tightly secured and continues to extend the arm behind Nogueira's back. Even when Big Nog is briefly on top, the torque of the kimura is sufficient that the only thing Big Nog can do to not tap out right there and then is to continue rolling and hope something shakes loose. No such luck happened. Once atop Big Nog again, Mir drags the right wrist along the ground and pulls the entire arm towards him. Within a second, that arm is bending in a way that the human body cannot tolerate and SNAP! Big Nog tapped, but it was too late. His humerus had been cleanly fractured and Frank Mir had his third career technical submission victory. This was far nastier than the armbar that snapped Tim Sylvia's forearm bones and much more difficult than the guillotine that put Cheick Kongo to sleep. This was legendary, as much as I hate to say it. Frank Mir tapped out Minotauro in brutal and memorable fashion. Perhaps this kimura used quite a bit more of brute strength than most submissions we are used to seeing within mixed martial arts. Perhaps Francisco Santos Mir is not quite the lovable icon that Big Nog is. But you should be respecting his ability to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat through some of the most singularly successful desperation comebacks through submission that we have ever seen. Porra!

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At 5:00 PM on Wednesday, Georges St. Pierre held a phone conference to discuss his knee injury with members of the press. Also on the line was Georges' surgeon Dr. Sebastien Simard who explained the extent of the injury and how it occurred. St. Pierre addressed the injury as well as Below is a transcription of the call. Dr. Sebastien Simard on the specifics of the injury: "In the preparation for Carlos Condit, he injured his left knee during a sparring session. The diagnosis at that moment was a sprained MCL, a diagnosis that was confirmed by the MRI. Georges tried to continue his trainign camp even though he had the pain and while doing another sparring session, he had the little injury on the right leg at the time and the diagnosis on his right leg was a pulled hamstring. So, having injuries on both knees, we decided to cancel the fight against Mr. Condit. "Georges went on and did his physical therapy and rehab and everything went perfectly. He recovered completely from the injury to the left knee. He started back training and while doing wrestling, he tried to defend a takedown and at that time, he suffered a hyperextension on the right knee. He felt pain and he heard a crack inside his knee at that time. It was terrible to walk and there was not much swelling on the knee so he tried to continue training but in the few days after, he felt the pain and the instability was increasing so he called me, he was in Vegas and we did an MRI on Monday morning. I saw Georges yesterday with the results of the MRI and the physical exam that I did confirmed that Georges suffered a complete tear of his ACL and a small tear of his internal meniscus on the right knee, which is not the same knee that he suffered the sprained MCL in mid-October." Dr. Sebastien Simard on the surgery required: "Considering the instability and the pain, surgery for Georges is mandatory. There's no way he can compete with the problem on the right knee. We're looking at doing an ACL reconstruction with meniscal repair. The technique that's going to be used is the technique of anatomical ACL reconstruction, which is the best technique for this kind of injury." Dr. Sebastien Simard on recovery: "I'm expecting a full recovery for Georges within 6-9 months. The success rate for this surgery is above 95 percent. I've been the treating doctor for Georges for five years now and I did two surgeries on him already for elbow endoscopy. His recovery rate is completely off the charts. He has an amazing genetics and he has extraordinary physical capabilities and I know Georges has the discipline and the determination that's gonna allow him to be back to the same level of competition that he was before the injury." Georges St. Pierre on his mentality: "A few months ago I was on top of the world but now I'm in a downfall, but you recognize a champion by how he comes back from a loss, not how he is when everything goes well. Everybody that says bad stuff about me now, mark my words, I'm gonna tell you right now, right now I'm in a downfall in my life, but in a few months I'm gonna be back stronger than ever and I will be champion again. I promise." Georges St. Pierre on who's to blame: "I believe that there is only one person to blame for what happened and it's myself. I'm the kind of guy where sometimes I endure pain and go through it and that's what I do all the time. I learned a big lesson in my life and it's only gonna make me stronger, smarter and more clever. It's nobody else to blame, it's myself. It's a freak accident that happened in training. This injury I have, it's called a 'compensation injury' because I compensate because one of my legs was almost 100 percent healed but I was compensating a little bit more with the other and I think that's what happened. It's all about compensation and I learned the hard way.

Posted in: right, injury, george, knee, im

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UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre will require reconstruction of the torn ACL in his right knee, a setback that he called a "compensation injury" stemming from a previous issue to his left leg. in his first comments since the injury forced him out of UFC 143, St-Pierre detailed the circumstances that led up to it and warned those doubting his return at full strength that he would be once again rule the UFC's 170-pound class. "A few months ago I was on top of the world and I'm now I'm in a downfall," St-Pierre said. "But you recognize a champion from how he comes back from things that don't go well. Everybody that says bad things and says bad stuff about me right now, mark my words. I'm going to tell you right now, I'm in a downfall in my life, but in a few months, I'll be back stronger than ever, and I will be champion again. I promise." St-Pierre said on Wednesday that he hurt himself while wrestling. He heard a crack and felt pain but tried to continue. However, consistent instability in his right leg led him to believe something more severe than originally thought. He eventually visited his orthopedist, Dr. Sebastien Simard, and an MRI showed a complete tear of his ACL as well as a smaller tear in his meniscus. Dr. Simard, who has twice previously performed surgery on St-Pierre, said he expects the champion to return at the same level of competition as before the injury. While UFC president Dana White said on Wednesday that St-Pierre was out for 10 months, Simard lowered the estimation, saying he expected a full recovery in around 6-9 months. "His recovery rate is completely off the charts," he said. For now, St-Pierre will be faced with the surgical procedure, followed by rehabilitation and strengthening the knee, which is not the same one which forced him out of October's planned UFC 139 matchup with Carlos Condit. St-Pierre said he believed that overcompensating for that injury with his healthy leg may have led to more problems. "I believe there is only one person to blame for what happened and it's myself," he said. "I'm the kind of guy, I endure pain and go through it. I learned a big lesson in my life. It's going to make me stronger, smarter and more clever." St-Pierre said the diagnosis surprised him as he didn't suffer any common symptoms like swelling. He mentioned that he recently trained with Vitor Belfort and told him that there were positions he was unable to practice because of instability, and he finally visited his doctor to learn the full extent of the problem. He had two separate MRI's that both confirmed the damage. In the meantime, Nick Diaz and Condit will fight for the interim title, a move which he called "the right thing to do." St-Pierre said he hopes to be back by the end of 2012 to stake his claim as No. 1. "Some people will say bad stuff about me, that 'he's finished,' and stuff like that," he said. "What I'm going to tell you is t's very easy to hit a guy when he's down. We have a saying in France, 'The life goes up and down.' People will laugh because I'm in a downfall, I'm hurt, I'm not a threat to them. But I'll be back on top, mark my words."  Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Posted in: ufc, right, injury, im, stpierre

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Jason “Mayhem” Miller suffered a broken nose in a TKO loss to rival coach Michael Bisping at The Ultimate Fighter 14 Finale this past Saturday and has been sidelined for six months until June 3 unless cleared early by a doctor, according to medical suspensions handed down by the Nevada State Athletic Commission. Bisping’s one month suspension for a right eye hematoma ends on Jan. 3 before he’s scheduled to return to the Octagon to face Demian Maia at UFC on Fox 2 on Jan. 28. Six month suspensions also went to Diego Brandao (left hand and jaw), Louis Gaudinot (right hand), Stephen Bass (jaw), Bryan Caraway (right knee and left hand). T.J. Dillashaw and Dustin Pague were suspended until Jan. 18, while Dennis Bermudez, Tony Ferguson, Marsus Brimage, Stephen Siler, and Josh Clopton must sit out until Jan. 3. For complete coverage of The Ultimate Fighter 14 Finale, click here. Pictured: Jason Miller

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After a full season of The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) and several extra months to prepare for their featherweight finale, both Diego Brandao and Dennis Bermudez came out swinging fearlessly last night (December 3, 2011) on The Ultimate Fighter 14 Finale from the Pearl at the Palms in Las Vegas. Brandao had built a reputation on the show as a complete monster, laying waste to everyone in his path, but Bermudez was not intimidated with him for a second, willing to stand toe-to-toe with him and trade big strikes. The result? One of the best fights of 2011, and certainly one of the best rounds you'll ever see. Despite being known for his tremendous knockout power, it was Brandao's Brazilian jiu-jitsu that saved the day, and boy was it dramatic. So how did he pull it off to become the next "Ultimate Fighter?" And where do both talented 24 year olds go from here? Bermudez showed no fear whatsoever early on, getting in Brandao's face with punches and kicks, even throwing a flying knee for good measure and that was just in the first 30 seconds. When Brandao attempted to respond, Bermudez caught his kick, took him down briefly and dropped some big punches before attempting a guillotine as the Brazilian tried to get to his feet. Just when it appeared that "The Menace" had gained full control of the first round, Brandao showed exactly how dangerous he truly was. Watch how quickly he was able to close the distance on Bermudez, launching forward with a perfectly thrown overhand right. Bermudez also made a big mistake in backing up straight instead of using angles to avoid the blow. It completely caught him off guard. Fortunately for him, he has an incredible ability to recover and he popped to his feet almost immediately. With the momentum now on his side, Brandao took the initiative, landing big leg kicks, powerful counters and even slamming the Long Island MMA fighter to the canvas with a big takedown, but he couldn't keep the wrestler down for long. In typical Brandao fashion, he charged in recklessly looking for the knockout with a minute left in the round but this time Bermudez was ready for him. He backed up just enough to avoid the lead left hook and countered perfectly with a short straight right of his own which, while it didn't have his full body behind it, still landed right on the button. Bermudez also did a great job of planting on his back foot to put a little extra "oomph" into the blow and Brandao went down hard. His follow-up short left hook could have put a hurting on Brandao as well. From here on out, it was a race to the finish as Bermudez looked to finish Brandao with ground and pound while the Brazilian tried to remain calm on his back and throw up submissions. A heel hook attempt was quickly shrugged off and "The Menace" was smelling blood. While Bermudez was looking for the finish, he got a little careless, leaving his left hand ripe for the picking while dropping big right bombs on the ground. Watch how quickly the Brazilian latched onto his left arm, put his right leg up over Bermudez's face and then rolled him over into one of the slickest armbars you'll ever see. It's even difficult to keep up with in slow motion and Bermudez is instantly forced to tap out, although his arm may have been broken regardless. This was picture perfect technique by Brandao. Despite the fight lasting just 4:51, both young men were awarded the $40,000 "Fight of the Night" bonus with Brandao also taking home "Submission of the Night." It looks like he'll have no problem buying a new home for his mom back in Brazil now. For Dennis Bermudez, he shouldn't be disappointed with his performance one bit. He avoided getting off to a slow start and really took the fight to Brandao unlike anyone had done on the show. By forcing the Brazilian to move backwards, he gained an early upper hand and he even nearly finished Brandao after landing that beautiful straight right counter. Hopefully his arm isn't too severely damaged and we get to see him in the Octagon soon. This kid has some serious talent. When he's feeling better, I'd love to see him against someone like Jason Young, Eddie Yagin or if they feel he's up for the challenge, perhaps someone along the lines of Tyson Griffin. He's definitely got potential. For Diego Brandao, that was a tremendous showcase of his ability to perform under the most intense pressure he's ever been under. Despite nearly being finished, he was looking to end the fight from bottom and he pulled off one of the most dramatic armbars in UFC history. Training out of Greg Jackson's camp in Albuquerque, I have a feeling that this kid is going to be a force in the division for a long time, as long as he can keep that reckless attacking style slightly in check. Potential opponents for Brandao could be someone along the lines of Darren Elkins, Ricardo Lamas or potentially Javier Vazquez if he's ready for a major step up in competition. Either way, Brandao should be a welcome addition to the UFC featherweight division. So what did you think, Maniacs? Was this one of the most exciting back-and-forth battles of 2011? What did you think of Brandao's miracle armbar thrown up from the brink of defeat? Speak up! For complete Ultimate Fighter 14 Finale results, including blow-by-blow, fight-by-fight coverage of the entire pay-per-view (PPV) event as well as immediate post-fight reaction click here, here and here. All gifs by Zombie Prophet via IronForgesIron.com.

Posted in: fight, right, fighter, bermudez, brandao

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Brandao, Dodson are Ultimate Fighters LAS VEGAS, December 3 - He made a name for himself on The Ultimate Fighter 14 series because of his devastating knockout power, but Diego Brandao reminded everyone of his ground prowess Saturday at The Pearl at The Palms with a stunning armbar that forced Dennis Bermudez to tap at 4:51 of round one and crowned Brandao as featherweight winner of TUF 14.  The submission that secured a six-figure UFC contract was all the more impressive given that just moments earlier Brandao had been clobbered by a monstrous right hand counter that dropped him to the canvas. Smelling the finish, Bermudez feverishly punched away but paid dearly for his ultra-aggression as Brandao, a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt, locked in a super-tight and swift armbar and exploded on the joint. When it was all over, Bermudez, a New Yorker and former Division I wrestler, laid on the canvas, writhing in pain and holding his left arm. “I fell down and I (could) feel I was in a bad position,” said the 24-year-old Brandao (19-7), who was born and raised in Brazil and now trains under Greg Jackson in New Mexico. “I felt his punches and waited for the right moment to do an armbar. I felt him off-balance and I went the other way and it worked well. Now I’m going to be able to buy a house for my mom in Brazil, baby.”  The fight was fast and furious from beginning to end, and Brandao – a dynamite-fisted admirer of Wanderlei Silva and Mike Tyson who had knocked out all three of his previous TUF 14 foes – put Bermudez on the deck early with a sizzling right hand and suplex slammed him for good measure. Bermudez (8-3) survived and later turned the tables.  In the night’s other finale, John Dodson and T.J. Dillashaw battled for the TUF 14 bantamweight title. Dodson had accused Dillashaw of ducking him not once, but twice, during the season. But in the finale, with a six-figure UFC contract on the line, the Greg Jackson protégé finally got his long-awaited shot at Dillashaw and put him away with punches at 1:54 of the opening frame. The end was set in motion with a super explosive left hook that dropped Dillashaw. A few blows later, referee Herb Dean intervened and spared the Team Alpha Male fighter from further damage, causing a jubilant Dodson to rip off consecutive backflips.  “Words cannot describe how I feel right now,” said the animated and outspoken University of New Mexico criminology student, whom Dillashaw had called “a clown” leading up to the fight. Branded a traitor on the show because he tipped off the opposing team about his own team’s strategy, Dodson (13-5) made it abundantly clear once again that he relishes the role of villain and is unfazed by fan disapproval.  “You guys have no idea how great it is to be here,” he said. “Thank you to everybody who was booing me, cheering me – I don’t care. Just watch me please!”  Dillashaw, a former collegiate wrestling standout who punched his ticket to the finals with three straight wins on the show, fell from the ranks of the unbeaten to 5-1. He seemed unable to keep up with the lightning quickness of Dodson and, immediately after the fight had been stopped, looked up at the big screen to see a replay of what had just happened.  YVES EDWARDS VS. TONY FERGUSON The Ultimate Fighter 13 winner Tony Ferguson notched his sixth straight victory, edging UFC pioneer Yves Edwards in an entertaining kickboxing match filled with hard exchanges aplenty and technical precision. Both lightweight fighters tested the other’s chin over the course of three rounds, with Ferguson stunning the Texan late in the first but Edwards weathering the storm. Though some had wondered whether the 35-year-old Edwards might be on the downslide of his career, the Bahamas-born southpaw dispelled those suspicions, repeatedly landing high kicks and hard right hands. Both men showcased a lot of variety in their attacks, but the judges may have been swayed by Ferguson’s booming right hands as they awarded the knockout specialist a unanimous decision by scores of 30-27, 30-27 and 29-28.  “I take off my hat to Yves,” Ferguson (14-2) said afterward. “I didn’t think it would go all three but I’m glad it did. I learned a lot and I had a hell of a good time … I thought I had him a couple of times and then I went to hit him but he kind of snapped out of it.” JOHNNY BEDFORD VS. LOUIS GAUDINOT TUF 14 semi-finalist Johnny Bedford returned to his winning form, overwhelming New Jersey’s Louis Gaudinot with takedowns and a ferocious ground and pound assault en route to a third-round TKO victory. Each round seemed a carbon copy of the previous, with the 28-year-old Bedford dominating his green-haired foe on top. Gaudinot (5-2) managed to survive until the third frame, when Bedford plowed through him in the Muay Thai clinch, causing Gaudinot to retreat to the canvas and cover up in the fetal position until referee Steve Mazzagatti had seen enough the 1:58 mark.  With the win, Bedford improved to 18-10-1.

Posted in: right, bermudez, brandao, dillashaw, dodson

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In a preliminary fight to the UFC on Fox card, Darren "Bone Crusher" Uyenoyama out-grappled the favored Kid Yamamoto to win a rather exciting decision. In this Judo Chop, I examine the Ralph Gracie black belt’s inventive ways to reach the rear mount position and secure that position. Kid Yamamoto came into this bout as a heavy favorite due to his background as a higher level freestyle wrestler and several explosive knockouts in Japan. Kid has had a high profile for years in MMA and even reached a level of stardom that few people in sports enjoy in Japan. Unfortunately, due to a combination of significant injuries, sub-par outings against tough opponents and perhaps an unwillingness to adjust his training methods, he hit a rough patch in his fighting career in the last couple years. His recent loss to DJ Johnson showed a game and powerful bantamweight who experienced problems with a smaller, faster wrestling-based attack and this bout with Uyenoyama would test his improvements. Darren Uyenoyama is a Japanese-American from San Francisco and a Ralph Gracie black belt. He started training Brazilian jiu-jitsu in 1999 with the Bay Area crew that belonged to various Ralph Gracie gyms. That crowd at one time or another has included the likes of Kurt Osiander, Dave Camarillo, Luke Stewart and BJ Penn and is still churning out great grapplers known for their top game. In efforts to improve his grappling proficiency, he wrestled for years with the Skyline juco wrestling team. An uneven streak saw Uyenoyama win three Strikeforce fights and put on some good, but non-winning performances in Japan. He bounced back with a win in Shooto by knockout in late 2010 and then waited until the time was ripe to take the UFC bout with Kid Yamamoto on November 12, 2011. In this fight, we see Uyenoyama, the smaller grappling specialist, drag the fight to his comfort zone and dominate Yamamoto, the larger wrestler. Join me after the jump for many gifs and breakdowns of how Uyenoyama managed to do that and come out with the win. All gifs are courtesy of Grappo and I thank him enormously for swiftly dealing with this week's demands. The fight did not go Uyenoyama's way at first. Kid had one of the cooler tosses seen in an octagon yet, with this modified harai goshi. It’s reminiscent of Karo’s early days and lands him in a perfect side control position. The tie-up that Uyenoyama is attempting and his forwards momentum make this a fantastic time for Kid to switch hips, pull up and get below Darren. Bam! Watch Uyenoyama’s legs after the through – he is already scrambling to improve his position to half guard, which is a hint of things to come. In the first round, Uyenoyama had one of the strangest back takes I have ever seen. Kid is trying to finish a single leg and score points, while leaving an opening for him to throw punches or moveinto side control. Darren has his arms wrapped around Yamamoto’s body in a classic wrestling takedown defense position. Sensing the weight distribution of Uyenoyama, Kid decides to go for the pass into side control and kicks his left leg out and back to bring his hips around. Darren shifts his grip, as Yamamoto moves, to the seat belt position (with his right hand angling down from Yamamoto’s right shoulder and his left hand angling up from the left ribcage area). Both hands meet below Yamamoto’s chin and lock in an s-grip. Kid realizes that he’s moved himself into a danger zone and bases the arm out to prevent Uyenoyama from tossing him to his back and attempt to achieve mount or side control. Kid wants to roll to his right and work his way out of the danger zone, so he goes for it. However, Darren has the over-under grip, a hook in and Yamamoto’s right arm is stuck on the other side of Darren’s body. When Kid rolls, Darren stays glued to his back and now the space for the left hook to be placed is wide open. After some maneuvering to keep the position, Uyenoyama ends up with the classic rear mount body lock position. His left leg is placed horizontally across Kid’s belly and the back of the right leg is placed across his left leg’s shin to complete the body lock in a triangle-like fashion. This is usually not a submission in and of itself, but it compresses the abdomen in such a way that is uncomfortable and energy-draining. After being so swiftly maneuvered from a position of advantage to a sinking pit of danger, Kid needs to get out of this as soon as he can manufacture an escape. Unfortunately, Yamamoto would not construct a real mount escape during this bout. With 31 seconds left in the round, Darren decides to try and punch Kid in the face, looking both to deal damage and to annoy/bait Kid into yielding a submission opportunity. Note that the body lock is on Kid’s right side and he rolls towards that side. Uyenoyama wants to keep the body lock, but Kid manages to create a situation where it is better for Uyenoyama to let it go and move to a more conventional rear mount position. Now is the best time for Kid to escape. However, he does not block Uyenoyama from regripping the seatbelt position and even opens himself up to a short choke attempt; instead of trying for the classic mata leo choke, Uyenoyama decides to gable grip the hand across the neck and pulls backwards. Anderson Silva finished Dan Henderson with this style of rear naked choke back at UFC 82. Yamamoto is lucky that time is short and rides out the round without tapping. At 3:31 of the second round, Uyenoyama has worked a double leg takedown successfully. The years of juco wrestling and the legendary Ralph-style top game show themselves here and he is now in top half guard. Kid does not want to be here and decides to link his arms behind Uyenoyama’s back and explode to his right. In the world of MMA, this escape might work a decent chunk of the time, but Uyenoyama is able to base his left foot just as Kid explodes – which allows him to slide his hips to Kid’s back, while keeping one hook in. As Kid finishes the explosion, Darren abandons the head grip and gets his center of mass low enough on Kid’s back that the single hook stays in. As Kid turns to finish the escape, Uyenoyama is already behind him, centered on his back and gets the body lock again. Note that Darren slides his right leg in behind Kid’s right leg – this helps him control Kid further. The exploding escape attempt was a good impulse, but the specific technique of it was very open to be exploited by Uyenoyama. Kid should have realized that Darren was already adapting to his technique and looked to come back the other way in an x-guard or pushoff scramble position. 3:25 From 2:51 to 2:45,  you can see Kid defending his neck against rear naked chokes and potentially his arm against an armbar. However, he has completely failed to deal with the body lock at all – which only helps Darren control him and tire him out. The defenses to the body lock are varied, but most rely upon the breaking of the triangle. The Gracies love teaching the footlock counter, which relies upon having the flexibility to put a sneaky footlock on the body-locking opponent – which forces a "leggo or I’ll break your foot" choice upon them. Cesar Gracie demonstrates the technique in this video: This is a nice technique because it leaves both hands free to defend from chokes and Darren’s foot placement seems to encourage this specific counter. However, Kid has to know this particular counter and execute it correctly – which is hard to do. In MMA, where chokes from the back are harder (due to gloves, poorer technique and general slipperiness), simply breaking the body lock with a one handed shove may be a better idea. It should be possible for Kid to roll over to the side of the body lock (to Kid’s right) and use his hand or elbow to shove Darren’s right knee down and out. If done right, this can loosen or break the body lock and allow for more opportunities to escape. Once broken free of the body lock, a shrimp outwards and turning into the opponent with a butterfly hook at the ready keeps the opponent from mounting you immediately and dealing further damage. Often times a scramble ensues and since Kid is a wrestler, he'll usually end up in a decent position. The above image shows the kind of position is what Kid should be striving for. Kid’s right leg is underneath Darren’s foot and his right arm can shoot down and dislodge the knee. However, he has let his left arm drift upwards and cannot defend against the choke quite right – which distracts him from breaking the body triangle. Granted, it is easier to break a body lock that is hinging upon the opponent’s foot, rather than the shin, but to never try is to doom yourself to a very long and uncomfortable round. And this could happen, too. Another workable back take defense is to slump. I do not mean to simply give up and let the opponent work you over, I mean to physically slouch your body downwards and look to escape out the back door. As Cane Prevost, a black belt over at SBGi Portland demonstrates, you want to be slumping way low, protecting your neck and preventing the seatbelt grip. via caneprevost.files.wordpress.com Uyenoyama did his non-stop best to continue dealing damage and work for the finish, yet Yamamoto did a passable job of protecting his neck for most of the bout. It can be hard to submit tough opponents from the back within MMA rounds and rules. Both fighters should be credited for their willing spirit and great energy. And Kid should get some credit for some really fly fight shorts. Those things are super-awesome - and likely super-pricey too. Although his submission defense remains good, Yamamoto needs to refine the techniques of his escapes from the bottom and get back to his feet in order to drag the fight into the Liddell-style wrestlebox style that gave him so much success in Japan. As for Uyenoyama, I look forwards to seeing him against the higher echelon bantamweights in the division and how he acquits himself against this particular sharkpit. Judo Chops are some of my favorite things here on Bloody Elbow and I am truly glad I can contribute my own knowledge here in this way. Hope you readers like it and as always, you can follow me on Twitter for my random musings and updates on the grappling world, or leave comments here.

Posted in: right, body, kid, uyenoyama, position

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Shortly after losing to Patricky Freire at Bellator 59, UFC veteran Kurt Pellegrino announced he was walking away from MMA with finality in order to focus on family rather than fighting, appearing content with his decision to entertain fans in his native New Jersey one last time before calling it quits on a successful career despite having gas left in the tank. However, after the reality of the bout’s conclusion set in – a referee prematurely stopping action – it seems Pellegrino may be open to ending things on the right note rather than one filled with disappointment and controversy. A Full Rundown of Bellator 59 Results “This isn’t the way I wanted it to end,” the 32-year old explained at the post-event press conference. “Walking up the stairs today to come here I could honestly tell you, you’ll never see me fight again unless you’re watching it on YouTube…It’s just getting hard. I missed my daughter’s first words because of me fighting. That’s something I always think about. “When I tell you I did everything right, I did everything right,” Pellegrino continued. “To lose that way and have a ref jump on top of you and tell you that you were laying down, and I had to pick you up … I actually told him, ‘I’m standing up asshole.’ I remember holding his leg and trying to stand up. Nothing against the ref. He’s a really amazing guy with an amazing mustache.” While Pellegrino remained mum on what he would do next, Bellator CEO Bjorn Rebney made it clear the company is interested in seeing him compete at least one more time. “I’m going to do everything in my power to try to sit down to take him and his family and convince them that this may not be the last time we see him step into a cage. I think we’d be cheating a lot of fans,” said Rebney. If Pellegrino remains retired he will exit MMA with a 16-7 record and twelve finishes including ten submissions. “Batman” holds past victories over Rob Emerson, Thiago Tavares, Mac Danzig, and Josh Neer. PHOTO CREDIT – UFC Tweet

Posted in: bellator, right, everything, pellegrino, patricky freire

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"You know what? We still are sticking firm. I think [Pacquiao vs. Mayweather is] the fight that everybody wants to see. Here's the thing, Dana White is 100-percent absolutely correct. Bob Arum is a greedy pig. Now I see. That's exactly why Dana White has been so successful and Bob Arum sees him as such a threat, because he puts the fights together that the people want to see. It's about putting the best fights on. That's why people love the UFC so much, because the fights are so competitive. Even though he had the biggest fight with Nick Diaz and they went back and forth at each other, Dana did the right thing by the sport and he still put him and B.J. Penn together and made them fight. Arum hates Floyd Mayweather, can't stand him, doesn't want to see him make a dollar, can't stand Golden Boy, doesn't want to do business with them, but instead of doing what's best for the sport, what's best for the fans, and what's best for the fighters because they'll get the payday of a lifetime, no, it's all about him. 'I don't like him, so fuck him!' I mean, right or wrong? Unless you can tell me and convince me otherwise, because I'm thoroughly convinced and believe that Floyd really does want to have this fight. I think he really wants to have this fight. As far as he knows, he's right. He's right. Bob is the one interfering and fucking shit up." Sounds like Dana White has yet another (unlikely) ally in his beef with boxing blowhard Bob Arum. After promoter Lou DiBella took Arum to task back in August, Alex Ariza, strength and conditioning coach for Manny Pacquiao, told Fight Hype the UFC President was a "threat" to the Arum establishment because mixed martial arts fans (mostly) get the "competitive" fights they want to see. Any loyalists to the "sweet science" think Ariza is oversimplifying things? Would Pacquiao vs. Mayweather have already happened without Arum's "interference?" Or does the blame game extend far beyond just one man? Thoughts? For more on the war of words between White and Arum click here.

Posted in: fight, right, dana, arum, bob

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For a fighter once dubbed "Fainting Phillipe" by UFC President Dana White during his stint on The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) season eight, Saturday night (November 26, 2011) will be an opportunity to turn over a new leaf. That will be when Phillipe Nover makes his return to televised MMA when he battles 19 year old Polish prodigy Marcin Held in the opening bout of the Bellator 59 main card. "The Filipino Assassin" has shifted his training to a trio of world class gyms in the New York area, Renzo Gracie's gym for jiu-jitsu, Edge Wrestling for his offensive ground work and Church Street Boxing to refine his striking technique. He believes it will make all the difference. Did we mention that he still works full time at a hospital? Nover discussed getting rid of distractions in part one of his interview with MMAmania.com and in part two, he talks about his Bellator contract, still being the 'toughest nurse on the planet' and the effect that unrealistic expectations had on him. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): Is this a fight that's a potential qualifier for a lightweight tournament, or are you just trying to get some wins for a televised promotion? Phillipe Nover: I have a three fight deal with Bellator. We discussed the contract with the tournament and it didn't really fit what I wanted. This contract with Bellator, three fights separate deal, separate fights was something that I was more interested in. The Bellator tournament is great and maybe I would do that in the future but as of now, I'd rather fight now with a three fight deal and this was something that my manager was telling me about, it's more practical to fight one fight at a time and not be subject to the tournament right now.  Gerry Rodriguez: Efrain Escudero recently fought for Bellator. Was there ever any discussion to have a rematch with him inside the Bellator cage? Phillipe Nover: That would be, (laughs) lemme tell you, when I saw on the internet that he got signed there, man, I respect Efrain completely. He's a really good kid and we have obviously a history together. He took my Ultimate Fighter finale from me and definitely I would love to fight him one day. I haven't spoken publicly about it but it's something in the future that's a possibility. I don't know if he'd agree to, if he would or if he wouldn't but that definitely would be something pretty cool where it would actually be a pretty epic fight, something legendary for me to get an opportunity and maybe the winner gets a UFC contract all over again. That's something in the future that can happen. As of now, I'm eating my cake piece by piece. Actually, I'm not eating any cake right now because I'm cutting weight but little by little, that is definitely something in the future. I'd like avenging my losses, I'd love to fight the people I lost to before. I feel it would be totally different now especially in my wrestling game and my overall game is definitely improving and developing. I'd love to fight him again. Gerry Rodriguez: Are you still the toughest nurse on the planet or is that pushed to the side while you focus on MMA? Phillipe Nover: I am still the toughest nurse on the planet. I'm actually on my way to work right now. I do work 12 hour shifts at the hospital. I don't work the emergency department anymore. It was really tough balancing working in the ER and being on my feet running around like a maniac. It was super draining and adding that to your training. Now I work in a different department. I work in cardiac cath. It's a very controlled environment. We do have emergency situations but it's a lot easier on the body and on the mind. It does take a lot more skill I think, we have to learn a lot more and I have to brush up on some schooling and stuff but I feel like I'm able to train full time and go to work full time working cardiac cath so it's a great nursing gig. I'm happy that I scored this job and my co-workers and my boss, they're all supportive so I'm very glad that they are supportive of my fight career. My boss actually came to one of my fights, my Muay Thai fight in New York and she's wonderful.  Gerry Rodriguez: When you were on the show, Dana said you reminded him of a young GSP, compared you to Anderson Silva, did that have any kind of impact on your psyche as far as how you approached training and the fight? Phillipe Nover: I would say it had an impact. I was like blown away, it was huge. At the time, i was super blown away. I was like a nobody at the time and just to be thrown right into the spotlight, I didn't have any mental capacity to compare, to live up to that. It was huge and it definitely blew my head out of proportion. I wasn't gonna fit those shoes, man. It definitely kind of maybe messed me up a little in my head but as a fighter, anyone can say anything about you. You can say that he sucks, he's good. I've kind of learned how to roll with the punches. People can say whatever they want now and I'm just gonna go out there and be me. I'm not the next Anderson Silva, I'm not the next Georges St. Pierre even though I do train with Georges when he's in the city but I'm not him. I have my own type of style and I like to take things from different people. I like to take different movements and styles and stuff but I'm not trying to be the next Georges. I'm not trying to be the next Anderson, I'm the next Phillipe Nover and that's what I'm gonna live up to. That's who I want to be. That's what you can expect on the 26th too. Ben Thapa: It's interesting you mention the eclectic approach to who you pattern your game after. I think you train at three different places right now, is that right? Phillipe Nover: Lemme tell you, sometimes I'm never home. I actually go straight from work, I go straight to training. I sleep at the gyms I train at. I've got the keys. Luckily at Edge, they have a washer and a drier and a lounge and I chill there two hours, I wake up, guys are on the mat, I work with them, I take privates. I'm living on the subway system. I mean this is my life and I love every second of it. It's tough, lemme tell you. It's not a normal life at all but I'm so driven right now, it's like I have an unbelievable fire under me right now that's pushing me forward and it's pretty crazy but I love every second of it. Every day I'm on the mat training and just learning new shit. This is where I want to be and I don't have anything draining me now. I don't have to worry about my neck. I don't have to worry about some girl. It's just me and what I want to do and my dreams are in front of me. It's like so much focus and I love it. I don't care if I'm on the subway, sometimes I'm on the subway for four hours a day, just travelling from gym to gym and then I'm working 12 hours at the hospital. I know that all of this is gonna pay off, 100 percent. I can feel it. I can feel my game improving. I can feel my wrestling improving. My last fight against Jake Murphy, he was even better wrestler, if you look at his resume, his wrestling was way better than Efrain's. He was a Division I NCAA qualifier and I was able to take him down in the third round a couple times. For me to score that and when I fought Efrain I had no wrestling experience. It's just such an improvement now with my game and every place I'm training. I'm just so happy that this is happening. I don't care if I have to live like this for a few more years. I will continue living like this, working and training and living on the grind, man. This is what fighting is all about. This is what my life is about and the hard work will pay off. I know that for sure. Brian Hemminger (MMAmania.com): You've had this fight booked for quite a while now, how do you see yourself getting a victory on Saturday night? Phillipe Nover: My victory is gonna come via probably knockout. I'm not technically gonna look for the knockout like I'm gonna be eager for it. I'm gonna take my time. I'm gonna be at EKG rhythm, just pacing myself and when I start picking him apart on the feet, when I stuff some of his takedowns or I decide to take him down, I'm either gonna ground and pound him or I'm gonna knock him out. Probably in the second or third round once I get a good bead on him. Strategically, I feel good going into the fight. The biggest obstacle right now is just getting this weight off. I've been a little heavier, a little stronger but it's gonna happen. I'm not gonna miss weight. I'm gonna finish him for sure. Phillipe would like to thank his newest sponsor Underground Clown and Future Legends Team who have been really good to him. He'll be wearing some Future Legends gear when he enters the cage on the 26th and he's proud to wear it. So what do you think, Maniacs? Do you agree with Nover that he'll score a stoppage victory against Marcin Held on Saturday night? Will the ridiculous schedule he keeps come back and bite him? Sound off! To listen to the complete audio or our interview with Nover, click here.

Posted in: fight, right, work, im, phillipe

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UFC 139 main event fighters Mauricio “Shogun” Rua and Dan Henderson face extended suspensions after their epic five-round war in San Jose, California this past weekend. Henderson won the bout via unanimous decision but, like Rua, went straight to the hospital after the event’s conclusion. Both Rua and Henderson received 180 days without contact suspensions unless a doctor clears them. Rua’s is due to possible facial and skull fractures, while “Hendo” needs to be cleared due to a possible right thumb fracture. Wanderlei Silva received a 60-day suspension, while his opponent Cung Le received the same despite being stopped with strikes. Le is also out with no contact for 30 days. Here is a full list of UFC 139 medical suspensions: Shamar Bailey – Suspended for 45 days with no contact for 30 days due to TKO Gleison Tibau – Suspended for 180 days with no contact for 180 days unless receiving clearance via x-ray for possible right thumb fracture Tom Lawlor – Suspended for 45 days with no contact for 30 days due to submission Alex Soto – Suspended 45 days with no contact for 30 days due to knockout Michael McDonald – Suspended for 180 days with no contact for 180 days unless receiving clearance via x-ray for a possible third finger fracture on his right hand Jason Brilz – Suspended for 45 days with no contact for 30 days due to TKO Rick Story – Suspended for 60 days with no contact for 60 days unless receiving a clearance from a physician for a chin laceration Martin Kampmann – Suspended for 60 days with no contact for 60 days unless receiving clearance from a physician due to forehead and right eyebrow lacerations Brian Bowles – Suspended for 45 days with no contact for 30 days Cung Le – Suspended for 45 days with no contact for 30 days due to TKO; suspended 60 days with no contact for 60 days unless receiving clearance from a physician due to a possible nasal fracture Wanderlei Silva – Suspended for 60 days with no contact for 60 days unless receiving clearance from a physician for a right eyebrow laceration Mauricio Rua – Suspended for 45 days with no contact for 30 days; suspended 60 days with no contest for 60 days for an eyebrow laceration; suspended 180 days with no contact for 180 days unless receiving clearance from a physician for possible facial and skull fracture Dan Henderson – Suspended 60 days with no contact for 60 days; suspended 180 days with no contact for 180 days unless receiving clearance from a physician for a possible right thumb fracture. An MRI/CT scan is needed to be cleared PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

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Posted in: right, hendo, hand, right hand, strangersadvice

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The California State Athletic Commission (CSAC) today issued its list of medical suspensions for UFC 139: "Shogun vs. Hendo," which took place on Sat., Nov. 19, 2011, from the HP Pavilion in San Jose, California. With several violent bouts on the card, including a brutal, five-round main event between Dan Henderson vs. Mauricio Rua that wasn't fit for FOX, there were quite a few fighters who were flagged follow up visits with their doctors. Unsurprisingly, "Hendo" and "Shogun," who were both shortly hospitalized after the pay-per-view (PPV) event for their "hard bout," topped the list of walking wounded. In fact, both 205-pound warriors could be sidelined for up to 180 days each with possible broken bones. Also getting a mandatory timeout was Cung Le, whose nose was remodeled by Wanderlei Silva, who declared that the black market plastic surgery would serve him well in his movie career moving forward. But that's not all. Here is the complete list of UFC 139 injuries and their medical instructions: Dan Henderson -- Suspended 60 days (60 days no contact) because of "hard bout" and suspended 180 days (180 days no contact) for possible right thumb fracture. 
Mauricio Rua -- Suspended 45 days (30 days no contact) because of "hard bout," suspended 60 days (60 days no contact) because of right eyebrow laceration and suspended 180 days (180 days no contact) for possible facial/skull fracture. Wanderlei Silva -- Suspended 60 days (60 days no contact) because of right eyebrow laceration. 
Cung Le -- Suspended 45 days (30 days no contact) for technical knockout loss and suspended 60 days (60 days no contact) because of a possible nasal fracture. Brian Bowles -- Suspended 45 days (30 days no contact) for submission loss. Martin Kampmann -- Suspended 60 days (60 days no contact) because of forehead and right eyebrow lacerations.Rick Story -- Suspended 60 days (60 days no contact) because of chin laceration. Jason Brilz -- Suspended 45 days (30 days no contact) for technical knockout loss. Michael McDonald -- Suspended 180 days (180 days no contact) for possible right finger fracture. Tom Lawlor -- Suspended 45 days (30 days no contact) for submission loss. Rafael dos Anjos -- Suspended 180 days (180 days no contact) for possible right thumb fracture. 
Shamar Bailey -- Suspended 45 days (30 days no contact) for technical knockout loss. Just a quick reminder: Fighters often return to action much quicker once doctors give them the green light. The lengthy suspensions are just a precaution in most cases. For complete UFC 139 results and blow-by-blow coverage of the main card action click here and here.

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Filed under: Strikeforce, MMA Fighting Exclusive, NewsRonda Rousey's ascent up the women's MMA rankings can literally be timed with a stopwatch. In four professional and three amateur fights, she is unbeaten, and has never required more than one minute to put an end to an opponent's night. Her Friday night Strikeforce Challengers fight against Julia Budd lasted just 39 seconds, and like every one of her fights, it climaxed with an arm bar victory. Her abilities and charisma have forced the MMA world to take notice, and Rousey is angling to capitalize on the attention. On Monday's edition of The MMA Hour, Rousey confirmed that she is considering a drop to bantamweight and hoping to match up with that division's champion, Miesha Tate. Rousey said that while former champion Sarah Kaufman may have been promised a title shot, she would accept the chance to face her for the right to be the No. 1 contender. Or, if it was offered, she would fight Tate. "Style-wise I think I would do the best against Miesha," she said. "I think that a very good striker that has very good footwork and deals with distance well would probably give me the most trouble. But I think a girl with a grappling style like Miesha would be perfect for me, because I don't think she's better than me in any category." Any fighter with a grappling-based style would be at a disadvantage with her, she said. When asked by host Ariel Helwani if any female fighter could hang with her in terms of grappling, she was quick with her answer. "No way," she said. "Not at all." A 2008 judo Olympic bronze medalist, Rousey credited her early training for preparing her for the opportunities that are now coming her way. Her mother Ann Maria Rousey DeMars was a world-class judoka who won a world championship in 1984, and from an early age, Rousey was training. Among her daily drills: arm bars, by the dozens. Having participated in the contact sport for most of her life, Rousey spent many of her early days training with stronger boys, and many of her current hours training with bigger men, a situation which she believes benefits her when competing against female fighters. "I just think I lucked out having this background I do and having the right set of skills at this exact time," she said. "It's kind of like first-come, first-served with women's MMA right now. It's kind of like how it was with men's MMA at the beginning. If you happen to have the right skill set at the time it's getting big, you're going to do really well right away." Rousey doesn't think she would have any trouble shifting down to the lower weight class, saying she usually walks around at 150 pounds without doing any dieting. To make the move, she plans on hiring a nutritionist. And just because she's planning the move down doesn't mean there's not a chance she can't eventually match up with Cris Cyborg Santos. Rousey said that the marketing aspect of a fight with Tate could eventually help lead to that fight, and could also help women's MMA in general. "I'm not dumb, you're not dumb," she said. "Really, if we push the 'hot chicks' to fight each other for a title, it's going to get a lot of attention. That's why I'd rather fight Miesha for a title instead of Sarah Kaufman. Because she's good looking and she's marketable. More marketable than the vast majority of the girls in women's MMA. I think that'd be a huge fight and it would lead to an eventual fight between me and Cris Cyborg being an even bigger deal. I'm just trying to figure out the right way to do things so us girl fighters have some job security a few years from now." Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

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As it turns out, Danish welterweight Martin Kampmann wasn't the only one who couldn't believe judges were split on his UFC 139 performance against Rick Story. "Right before we walked in here, I said, 'Thank God. Congratulations. You finally pulled one out,'" UFC president Dana White said at Saturday's UFC 139 post-event press conference. "He's had some tight fights - really tough fights that go right down to the wire - and was on the wrong side of the scoring."

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Dan Henderson wins a close decision over Mauricio Rua in an absolute classic in the main event of UFC 139: "Shogun vs. Henderson" last night (Sat., Nov. 19, 2011) at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, California. After just missing each other in Pride, "Hendo" and "Shogun" finally got together and put on a bout that may or may not win "Fight of the Year." Really, this was a fight for the ages and one you definitely need to watch as soon as you get the chance. In the meantime, here are the highlights to satiate you. To check out the complete fight recap click here and for complete UFC 139 results and live fight coverage of all the night's action click here. Dan Henderson vs. Mauricio Rua (205-pound limit) Round one: Both men still and ready. Leg kick from Rua. HUGE right cross from Hendo and Shogun's knees buckle. Shogun shoots and Hendo locks in a choke. Hendo lets it go and unleashes of barrage of power shots that bloodies Shogun's face!!! Another big right hook and Shogun again falls to the mat and grabs Henderson's legs in desperation. Now their tied up against the cage and Hendo tosses Rua to the mat and walks away like a badass. Nice knee and right from Rua. Leg kick from Shogun. Shogun charges in and looks for a take down and he lands a good right elbow on the break. Big right from Hendo glances. Right left combo from Henderson. Body shot from Shogun and now Rua lands a good right that puts Hendo to the mat. Hendo holding onto a leg and gets up and lands a big right hand. Uppercut from Rua and then a right and then a head kick. Jab from Rua. Nice right from Hendo. Hard left from Rua and now their tied up against the cage. Good knees from Hendo to the body. That is the bell and round 1 was all Henderson. 10-9 Henderson. Round two: Shogun is cut pretty good above the left eye. Jab from Rua. Uppercut from Hendo. Jab from Henderson. Jab from Shogun. Henderson with a duck under and knee to the body as they clinch against the cage. Knee to the thigh from Henderson. Good elbow from Shogun and counter right from Hendo on the break. Right from Henderson and then an uppercut land HARD. HARD left to the body. Counter left from Rua after Henderson unloaded a powerful combo. Body sho from Rua. Right from Henderson. Good right from Rua. Henderson with a right and leg kick. Body shot from Rua and right from Hendo. Now their clinched against the cage. Good right from Rua. Good hard body shot and combo from Henderson. Henderson in the dominant position in the clinch. Knees to the thigh from Henderson. Hard right to the body from Henderson. The ref with a clean break. Jab from Rua. Jab from Rua and a good right. Henderson with a uppercut and right hook combo. That is the bell and another round for Hendo although this one was closer. 10-9 Henderson. Round three: Jab from both men. Jab from Hendo. Good uppercut from both men. Two hard uppercuts form Henderson. Counter right from Rua. Body kick from Rua. Now their clinched against the cage. Henderson with a brief take down but cannot get onto Rua and he is up. Jab fom Rua and another. Good right from Rua. Henderson lands a HUGE right hand that drops Shogun and now Henderson on top on the ground. Henderson is landing some vicious ground and pound punches!! Henderson with an uppercut and an elbow now. Rua is gushing blood! Rua now grabs a leg and is going for a heel hook! Henderson si out and now their back to the feet!!! Shogun's face looks like raw hamburger meat! Now their clinched against the cage. Hendeson with elbows to the body. Both men gasping for air. HUGE elbows to the side of Rua's head. Shogun with a take down and now he is landing some good punches! Henderson stands up and eats a right from Shogun on the way up. Their back to the clinch against the cage. Elbow from Rua. That is the bell and another round for Henderson, but both men looked gassed out. 10-9 Henderson. Round four: Shogun's face is a mess. But both men are gassed. Shogun shoots for a single and gets the take down and Hendo pops up but eats some good punches. Now hendo takes Rua's back and rolls him over in a crucifix. Henderson has a choke! Rua slips out! Now their back to the feet an uppercut from Rua. Henderson with a take down and he is into side control. Rua grabs half guard now. Henderson now has a one arm guillotine locked in! Hendo looses it though and is now on top in full guard. HUGE right from Henderson and another BOMB! Now Rua scrambles and Hendo lands a knee to the body and Rua is back to his feet. Both men are tired and they should be. Jab from Rua. Right from Hendo and uppercut from Rua. Right from Shogun. Jab from Henderson. HARD uppercut from Rua! Henderson is hurt!! Henderson shoots for a double and Rua gets out! Big right from Henderson and jab from Rua!!! Jab from Both men. Right from Both men. Rua now with a take down with 20 seconds left. Full mount for Shogun and he is raining punches!!! Shogun has the back but Henderson reveses and is on top!!!! Elbow from Henderson at the bell!!!! OH MY GOD THIS FIGHT IS AMAZING. 10-9 Henderson. Round five: Shogun's face is a bloody mess, Henderson cannot breathe, and this is the best fight i've ever seen. Both men look like theyve been through a war which they have. They engage and shogun with the take down! Knee to the body from Shogun from Side control. Henderson trying to walk the cage. Shogun gets into full mount!!! Rua landing big blows. Hendo looking to buck out of this spot. Henderson trying to stall it out. Henderson gets out of the mount now and Henderson has half guard. Shogun again with full mount!!! Henderson gives up his back!!! Henderson gets half guard and then Rua with the full mount again!!! Henderson is gassed and Shogun is landing a big shot. Henderson trying to hold down Rua and just stall out this round he is gassed. Rua with good hammer fists and punches. Henderson gets to half guard. Shogun again with the full mount!! Punches from Rua. That is the bell, wow. Rua dominated to a 10-8 round, but I have Henderson winning rounds 1-4 with maybe round 4 being a toss up. This was the best fight ive ever got the pleasure to watch. Could be a draw. 10-8 Rua. Final result: Dan Henderson defeats Mauricio Rua via Unanimous Decision

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There is an obvious need to talk about the scoring in the UFC 139 main event between Dan Henderson and Mauricio Rua, but the main emphasis should be on the bout itself. Henderson vs. Rua had every bit of drama that a fan of fight sports could ask for. It was two legends of MMA squaring off on the biggest stage the sport has to offer and giving everything they had, and possibly even leaving something of themselves in the cage. Wars like this are often not without long-term implications to the lives of the men involved, that is the risk of the game. Dan Henderson hits with an incredible amount of power, so the fact that he was landing bombs on Shogun in round three and somehow Rua not only survived to the end of that round, but to take over the fight going forward is a show of such incredible fortitude that I don't feel that I can properly express it here. There was no moment in the fight that didn't feel like something special was happening. Two men who could have (and really should have) fought years ago yet remained the equal of each other this night. This is a fight which will be talked about forever when debating the greatest fights this sport has ever seen and we now know that Henderson and Rua will forever be tied to each other for their courage and all-out styles in this clash.   On to the scoring. It's hard to understand 48-47 across the board. That means that either no judge saw round 5 as 10-8 for Shogun when it clearly was due to his absolute control and damage to Henderson merely surviving or round 4 was scored 10-10 by all three judges. I could understand 47-46 for Henderson if you scored round three as 10-8 for Dan and five as 10-8 for Shogun, but it's hard for me to believe three judges scored a round 10-10 given the rarity of such scoring in MMA. One part of me desperately wants to see a rematch, another part of me wants to see both men move on to new (and potentially less damaging) things. I have no problem with the stoppage in the Wanderlei Silva vs. Cung Le bout. Silva was blowing Le up at the end and Le was simply holding on to Silva's leg and getting hit, he wasn't attempting to defend or finish the takedown. As I asked on Twitter, do you think Le could have answered a ten-count at that point in the fight? I know it's not boxing, but that's a big measuring stick used by MMA fans for the "safety" of MMA over boxing, that guys who are badly hurt and concussed don't take extra punishment just because they could stand up and walk forward to the ref before 10. Le had Silva fighting the wrong kind of fight for the majority of the bout but couldn't really capitalize. Silva remained at too far of distance which allowed Le to extend on his kicks. When Silva got inside he was able to use his punching attack without the same fear of kicks. Eventually, Le not taking advantage of distance meant that Silva got inside and crushed him. Urijah Faber really sat down on his punches tonight against Brian Bowles. The combination of speed and actually generating power made Faber too much for Bowles to handle. Faber will have to find a way to cut off the cage and generate that same kind of power in his third fight with Dominick Cruz though, which is no small task. More thoughts after the jump. Martin Kampmann vs. Rick Story took a turn as soon as Kampmann made the adjustment of stepping inside when Story threw the right hand. That allowed Kampmann to step inside the punch and counter with his own right hand. From that point in the second round on, it was Kampmann's right that was landing with regularity. Story still did a nice job of letting his hands go but he got barely edged out in a very good fight on my card 29-28. Somehow one judge saw it 30-27 Kampmann while the others scored it 29-28 both ways for the split decision. Stephan Bonnar didn't give the exciting fight that fans wanted, but he dominated Kyle Kingsbury. Bonnar broke Kingsbury a little in round one by making him not just fight a stand-up fight but making it a gritty brawl. Kyle looked a bit uncomfortable there, and then once he started getting taken down by Bonnar he had nothing to give him. It was just a dominant performance by Bonnar in a fight where many expected the young up-and-comer to wear him out. Ryan Bader caught Jason Brilz in exactly the right spot. Overhand right behind the ear doesn't need to land hard, it just needed to land. Not much to say other than that Bader really needed to get back on the winning track. Does Joe Silva hate Alex Soto? Soto was in no way ready to deal with Michael McDonald. He got crushed by a force that was beyond his capabilities to handle. Chris Weidman is really, really good. Get him off the Facebook prelims please. People need to see the guy, he is going to be an absolute force. Miguel Torres looked pretty good. It was a controlled, professional performance. He isn't a wild brawler anymore which makes him less fun, but he was too vulnerable against the best in the world fighting in that style. Photo of the night: Photo via mmaspartan.com

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(To celebrate the release of our good buddy Matthew Polly's new book Tapped Out, we'll be sharing some choice excerpts from one of my favorite books - American Shaolin. Polly trained in China with the Shaolin monks back in 1993 - before it was cool, as the hipsters would say - and this book chronicles all the ridiculous situations he got himself into.) (excerpt from Part 2, Chapter 2)I had defied my father to come to Shaolin, because I wanted to go to the most isolated, cutoff, far-flung, off-the-map place in the Mandarin-speaking world. And like most people who are not careful of what they wish for, my dream was granted. And, after the initial thrill of success passed, I was completely miserable.No friends, no family, not even any English-speaking strangers—Shaolin was total immersion. At some point within the first month I started talking to myself, which wouldn’t have been so bad if it weren’t for the fact that I was also answering myself. I’d never imagined how crucial English was to my sense of a unified self—part good and part bad, but all of a whole. I started to experience two versions of me: one English-speaking and one Chinese-speaking.Matt was a clever, thoughtful boy. Bao Mosi was a verbally impaired dunce, always nodding his head and smiling and saying “right, right, right” when he had no idea what had just been said to him and was desperately hoping his brain would be able to translate that last comment before the speaker veered off onto another track. Bao Mosi was constantly working under a ten-second delay.“Are you [something]?” one of the monks would ask. “All of us are going to [something] [something]. Interested?”“Right, right, right . . . okay,” I would respond.The Wushu Center had the only phone in the entire village capable of making international calls. It worked in about one out of every ten tries. The price was $8 per minute. The Wushu Center also had the village’s only international fax machine. The price was $20 per page. After failing several times to reach home by phone, I sent a short fax message per my mother’s demand that I reassure her of my continued survival. Mother, your son lives still. But the natives grow restless. Please send more wampum. And some Peter Pan peanut butter. Food here is terrible. Will call when possible. Love, Little Lord Fauntleroy Any letter or package from home took about thirty days to arrive: five days from America to Beijing, seven days from Beijing to Zheng Zhou, fourteen days from Zheng Zhou to Shaolin, then about a week for the Faulknerian drunks in the Shaolin post office to get around to telling me, the only American in the village, that a package had arrived from the United States. That is, if they hadn’t developed a hankering for Peter Pan peanut butter. All my packages and letters were opened, some never made it, and if they did, the stamps were gone, because foreign stamps were collectibles.I was so lonely that for the first and last time in my life, when not under threat of being grounded, I wrote letters. And not little notes, I wrote twenty-, twenty-five-, thirty-page, single-spaced trea-tises. I sent them to everyone—my parents, my friends, my ex-girlfriend—mostly, it pains me to say, my ex. Inspired by the example of all those married convicted felons, I had hopes of rekindling her affections with the power of my words. Fortunately, I have managed to repress all of those words, because they were most likely of the desperate, heartbroken variety, which are never particularly attractive. Nor, in general, is a college dropout who joins a Buddhist monastery. She sent a single Dear John letter back. Unfortunately, I remember every single one of its I-love-you-but-I’m-not-in-love-with-you words. (the rest after the jump) read more

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There's nothing more satisfying than an arrogant loudmouth getting his comeuppance. Have to be subjected to their endless prattling is more than enough incentive to see them put in their place. Embarrassing them is great, seeing the look on their face when they realize they've been outwitted is priceless. But Dan Henderson doesn't think, he hits. And that's exactly what happened when he met Michael Bisping inside at the Octagon at UFC 100. When the former Strikeforce light heavyweight champion's right hand was sent crashing into his opponent's jaw, Bisping's body seized up and stiffened while everyone watching became the polar opposite; a symbol of kinetic energy, jumping up and cheering loudly. Before "Hendo" meets Mauricio Rua this Saturday (Nov. 19) in the main event of UFC 139, we'll take a look at the American's picture perfect knockout over the cocky Brit. If "Shogun" gets caught with an H-Bomb as powerful as the one that dropped "The Count," you can be sure it will be lights out for the Brazilian. Let's dive in. With a victory over Rich Franklin at UFC 93, Henderson earned the coaching spot opposite Bisping during The Ultimate Fighter's (TUF) ninth season, a "United States vs. United Kingdom" themed installment. Unless you scout the English mixed martial arts (MMA) regional scene for talent, chances are most -- if not all -- of the fighters fighting for UK side were unknown to you. Combine that with the way "The Count" carries himself and his arrogant attitude and you almost immediately started the season off by rooting for Henderson -- with his blue-collar, brawling style -- and the Yank team. Something funny happened during the course of the show, however. The United Kingdom side knew they were at a distinct disadvantage -- it's no secret that fighters across the pond are playing catch-up in the sport -- and as a result banded together in a way that their opponents didn't. Halfway through the season, the camaraderie displayed by the Brits made them unlikely favorites and despite all odds, three Englishman were slotted in the finals of the two weight classes. It was a feel good story that made that TUF 9 one of the last wholly entertaining seasons of the series. And for all intents and purposes, Bisping was a good coach. He cared about those guys, wanted them to succeed, and was personally motivated to help them achieve their goals unlike coaches past such as Ken Shamrock and Quinton Jackson. That sneaky Briton almost made you forget why you hated him in the first place. But in three weeks between the TUF 9 Finale and UFC 100, "The Count" of old came back right on cue. Henderson refused to get sucked into the verbal warfare as usual but there was a different air about him this time around. It was almost as if he was saying, "I know something you don't know" without actually saying anything at all. On a night that celebrated the promotion's centennial event after nearly 20 years of promoting fights, it was Dan Henderson -- not UFC posterboys Brock Lesnar or Georges St. Pierre -- that provided the defining moment. Let's take a closer look. The American immediately begins looking to land that right hand. He cuts Bisping off from moving away from it, forcing the Briton to circle towards the kill shot. Henderson throws it twice but neither finds its mark. Bisping, for his part, is landing leg kicks, duly aware of what entering into an extended exchange with "Hendo" will lead to. A little over a minute in the fight, Henderson finally lands with enough force to stagger his opponent. "The Count" pedals backwards, being stopped only by the cage, while the American unloads. The crowd begins to roar, anticipating a quick finish to the bout but Bisping offers them no such satisfaction. The Englishman then spends the round circling the outside, avoiding the power shots of his opponent while landing crisp punches of his own. These strikes don't faze the American in the slightest. Henderson has been in the ring with the likes of Wanderlei Silva, Vitor Belfort, and Anderson Silva. He's knows a thing or two about taking a hard shot and not going down. In between the first and second rounds, Bisping's cornerman is absolutely livid that his fighter keeps circling towards Henderson's right hand. Knowing what we know now, perhaps he should seek a career as a psychic rather than a trainer. In the second, Henderson continues to stalk "The Count." Walking through every punch Bisping throws, the American opts for patience, waiting for the perfect moment to end the fight. It comes over halfway through the round. Henderson lands a small leg kick and immediately follows it up with a left jab. Seconds later, he lands the same leg kick but instead comes over with a monstrous right hand that immediately forces the Briton's brain to reboot. As "The Count" crashes to the mat, "Dangerous Dan" follows suit as he flies through the air to deliver a cherry-on-top forearm to the unconscious fighter. "Hendo" caught some flack for his post-fight comments about the diving forearm being mostly to shut Bisping up. He backtracked quickly, however. Having never been in the cage myself, I will reserve judgment as I don't have the basis of comparison. I don't know what it feels like to have adrenaline pumping through every vein, having taken punch after punch, only to land one of your own that drops your opponent flat onto his back. Obviously, if what Henderson said immediately after the fight is true, it's a devastatingly poor display of sportsmanship. But it also is a warning to those fighters who think it's more important to talk before the fight than it is to actually perform well in the cage. The Team Quest wrestler bolted from the UFC after that fight after the promotion was unwilling to pay him what he felt he deserved. He quickly signed with Strikeforce and made his debut in a middleweight title fight against Jake Shields. The fight went according to plan at first. Stifle Shields on his feet and land that bomb of a right. Except somehow Shields survived and outgrappled the UFC vet to a five-round decision. A move back to 205-pounds proved more fruitful for "Hendo." A technical knockout (TKO) victory over Renato Sobral got him back in the win column while a brutal knockout against Rafael Cavalcante earned him the light heavyweight strap. After the Zuffa buyout of Strikeforce and Henderson's TKO victory over Fedor Emelianenko, it wasn't long before the American found himself signing a contract to get back inside the Octagon. His first bout back won't be as as "Shogun" is looking to put himself right back in the title hunt. But should "Hendo" win, does he stay at light heavyweight and challenge the champion there? Or head back down to middleweight? It might depend on if his teammate and long-time friend Chael Sonnen is successful in his attempt to usurp the 185-pound crown from "The Spider." What do you say, Maniacs? "Dangerous" Dan at 185-pounds or 205-pounds? Which would you prefer?

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While some say Urijah Faber has gotten his share of title shots, the former champ feels he is peaking at the right time.

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A searing bantamweight bout captains the UFC 139: Henderson vs. Rua preliminary card stream on Facebook. Once at the helm of a seventeen-fight winning streak, former WEC champion Miguel Torres (39-4) has dropped three of his last five. Brian Bowles snared his bantamweight title with a monstrous overhand right and Team Alpha Male's Joseph Benavidez mashed his forehead open with a wicked elbow for his first taste of defeat in six years. To close out his sparkling career in the WEC, the Tristar Gym juggernaut finagled a rear-naked choke on Charlie Valencia, then stabbed long jabs in the face of Antonio Banuelos for a decision win in his Octagon debut. In a bout that underwent considerable scrutiny, Torres confidently dueled with Demetrious Johnson from his back and lost a unanimous decision. While some took issue with the way the fight was scored, I think most would agree that it was far from a disappointing performance. Rising prospect Nick Pace (6-2) is coming off a debatable decision loss as well. The Tiger Schulmann bantamweight cracked Ivan Menjivar with a knee in the final round that put the veteran on his bicycle while pawing at an obviously compromised eye for the last minute of action. It was an evenly contested fight throughout and Menjivar took the unanimous decision, but Pace was seriously impressive despite the loss. Before that, Pace was also defeated by Johnson in his first WEC appearance, then garnered attention for coining his innovative "Pace Choke"; the no-arm triangle he pulled off on Will Campuzano in his UFC debut at the TUF 12 Finale. Having already demonstrated the violence of his striking in his second pro fight at Bellator 11, the creative submission over Campuzano and strong showing against Menjivar proved that the relatively inexperienced fighter could have a very bright future. Gifs and analysis in the full entry. SBN coverage of UFC 139: Henderson vs. Rua The Pace choke is shown to the right. The technique is a combination of the triangle and D'arce choke in that his leg goes over the head in standard triangle position, but without his opponent's arm trapped inside and the submission is tied with the hands instead of his other leg. Once he drapes his leg over the back of the head, Pace threads his right arm underneath Campuzano's neck and grabs his own ankle (a.k.a. "the pillory" position).  Then he brings his left hand into the mix and goes to the Gable Grip to constrict the hold and elicit the tapout. The unorthodox finish requires a lot of intelligence and on-the-fly creativity. Pace undertook martial arts at age ten under Tiger Schulmann, a renowned full-contact karate competitor in the 80's. Schulmann would become a devoted instructor at Tiger Schulmann's Karate; a succesful institution and training system that eventually became Tiger Schulmann's Mixed Martial Arts. Pace trains alongside current TUF competitor Louis Gaudinot and Bellator light-heavyweight standout Lyman Good. His striking instincts were on full display in his first spotlight fight against Collin Tebo at Bellator 11 (left). Pace has great footwork and a solid kickboxing game. His offering consists of good hand-work in the pocket, often leading with a crisp left hook, and kicks from a distance, mostly low but with roundhouses and front kicks also mixed in on occasion. As these last two animations depict, his flying knees and knees from the clinch are the strikes he's consistently the most effective with. From everything we've seen thus far, Pace is also a surprisingly competent wrestler who has even exhibited some Judo techniques during tie-ups. For a guy with a background seemingly rooted in the striking arts, Pace's scrambling and grappling skills are frightening. He carved through Menjivar's savvy guard and took his back very quickly in the opening round, which is quite a tremendous feat considering his opponent's vast experience on the mat against elite-level MMA fighters. Pace will be challenged with the outlandish reach length (76") and minor height advantage (2") of Torres, who is a feisty Thai practitioner and an aggressive submission grappler himself. I find it virtually impossible to dislike Miguel Torres. He is overloaded with offensive firepower, most of which boils down to a dangerously unpredictable striking arsenal and a silky smooth BJJ onslaught. It's not often we can get away with saying that a fighter has taken a page out of Harold Howard's book with both kicking techniques and hairdos, but that holds true for Torres. Unless you're a Russian mental patient on the lam like Viacheslev Datsik, the rolling axe-kick is amiss from your repertoire. Yet, just like with the mullet, Torres is one of the few who can pull it off. Craving a change in his training regimen after the consecutive WEC losses to Bowles and Benavidez, Torres started to work with Firas Zahabi and associate himself with Canada's TriStar Gym with fellow UFC fighters Georges St. Pierre, Rory MacDonald and Menjivar. Zahabi's influence was readily apparent in the elongated jab and fluent circling he used to derail Banuelos. The jab has long been touted as one of the most under-used fundamentals of striking in MMA and Torres treated fans to a textbook unfolding of its efficacy. Torres implemented his gangly, piston-like jab to control the range, steer Banuelos around the cage (mostly backwards) and to set up his right cross. Studying Banuelos' patterns while reacting to the irritating stream of leather he kept casting, Torres started to plant his feet more and key in his follow up right hand. When Banuelos tried to palm-block, slip the jab or counter strike, Torres would break his one-punch pace and needle a crisp right. He refused to let Banuelos settle in or find any rhythm, winning a dominant decision with extraordinary application of an ordinary technique. Torres encountered an entirely different animal in "Mighty Mouse". The AMC Pankration fighter, who travels at light speed and has some of the cleanest takedowns in the biz, circumvented the standup and forced Torres into a frenzied grappling match. Mostly with the butterfly guard, Torres was active from the bottom and consistently held his own with a library of sweeps, transitions and submission attempts. He's the first to admit that wrestling is not his strong-point and he fits the same mold as Carlos Condit and the Diaz brothers in that he compensates for this hole with a ridiculously lethal BJJ acumen. Torres is prolific off his back by pursuing any and all opportunities fearlessly and then transitioning from one threat to another at a quick pace. His idea of defense on the ground is to respond with a higher level of offense; to attack mercilessly. It's definitely been an exciting and fan-friendly tactic, but the outcome of the Johnson fight aptly symbolizes the associated risks. Since Pace is also an assertive grappler, I expect a rousing scramble-fest anytime these two tangle on the floor where either could catch the other; a theme I expect in the striking department as well. At the time of writing, Torres is a heavy favorite on the betting lines (in the -300s) which comes as a bit of a surprise. I think the match up is much closer than that even though I'm giving Miguel the nod in a barn-burner. Pace carries the stronger momentum into the bout but Torres is more experienced and proven in the two categories --striking and submissions -- that Pace specializes in. The rubbery reach advantage (8" difference) of Torres also factors into my pick, especially considering the emphasis on striking exchanges in this match up. Pace could very well keep Miguel under constant pressure and control the tempo, but only if he can penetrate into close range without eating too many punches. My Prediction: Miguel Torres by decision Poll Miguel Torres vs. Nick Pace Miguel Torres Nick Pace   16 votes | Results

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The UFC seems to have the opinion that there isn't a problem in the world that can't be solved with lawyers. And now they're taking that view (which has worked out so well for them when suing fighters, managers, and promotions) and applied it to the legalization of MMA in New York: The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and a group of plaintiffs including fighters, fans, trainers and others involved with Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) announced today that they have filed a lawsuit against New York State officials challenging the constitutionality of the state law banning live professional MMA events and associated activities (the “Ban”).  The lawsuit, filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York, challenges the Ban for violating numerous provisions of the United States Constitution, including the First Amendment, the Equal Protection Clause and the Due Process Clause.  Specifically, the lawsuit alleges the Ban infringes upon the rights of the fighters who want to publicly exhibit their skills as professionals and express themselves before a live audience, the rights of fans who would like to experience live professional MMA events, and the rights of those who train, publicize or otherwise advance MMA in New York. MMA legislation has been languishing in the New York legislature for three years now, even after the UFC applied some o dat sweet lobbyist grease to the wheels. It's nice to see that the UFC isn't afraid to take this fight wherever they need to in order to win. When all else fails, invoke your Constitutional Right™ to hold human cockfighting events! Mentioning the founding fathers might help too ... they didn't start America so a bunch of pussies could infringe upon our First Amendment right to express our fists on other people's faces.

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Seeking to overturn the long ban on mixed martial arts in the state of New York, the UFC announced Tuesday a lawsuit claiming its illegality is a violation of constitutional rights.

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Filed under: UFC, UFC on FOXYou go to enough UFC events, you get a feel for the rhythm that they usually follow. From prelims to the Spike TV undercard to the main card to the main event, it's a gradually building symphony of violence that follows a fairly predictable pattern. But Saturday night's UFC on FOX show was a completely different experience, for several reasons. It was essentially a nine-fight undercard, one right after the other, and then a main event that started at around 6:30 pm local time. By 6:45 we had our laptops packed up and press row was vacated. By 8 pm we were in the Honda Center media room, watching Pacquiao-Marquez while hammering away at our keyboards with one eye on the screen. It was, in other words, a strange night. Like Dana White, I'm mostly just glad it's over. Now we can get back to the normal fight night routine, which is at least exhausting in a familiar way. But first, the biggest winners, losers, and everything in between from the UFC on FOX debut. Biggest Winner: Junior dos Santos Say what you will about whether the quick finish was bad or simply not ideal for the UFC's FOX debut, but you can't blame JDS. Actually, I guess you could if you really wanted to, but you'd sound like a real jerk. It's not his job to make fights last; his only concern was punching his opponent in the face until the referee told him to stop, and that's exactly what he did. Right from the start dos Santos had no problem locating Velasquez's face with his fist, and he did so without opening himself up for takedowns. He got away with a short night of work thanks to that big right hand of his. Considering the knee injury that he said he came into the fight with, that quick finish was the best-case scenario for "Cigano" even if it wasn't exactly what the UFC hoped for. Now he'll get to take some time, see to his injury, and wait for Brock Lesnar and Alistair Overeem to figure out who he'll defend his brand new belt against. Who knows, maybe he'll even become the rare heavyweight champ who can hang on to it for a little while. Biggest Loser: Cain Velasquez For starters, let's ease up on the game plan criticism. The guy only got to fight for a minute. What, you thought he was going to shoot for a double-leg the moment "Big" John McCarthy got out of the way? Even if you want to get the fight to the mat, you can't go into a heavyweight title bout telling yourself that you've got no prayer on the feet. Conceding that aspect of the fight to your opponent is a psychological kiss of death, so maybe we shouldn't crucify Velasquez for daring to engage in even the briefest of striking exchanges with dos Santos. That said, the night couldn't have gone much worse for the former champ. I'm not sure if the knee injury was worse than he let on, but he didn't seem to have the intensity or the explosiveness that we've come to expect from him right out of the gates. Dana White put plenty of pressure on him to deliver the fireworks, so maybe it's unfair of the UFC prez to then criticize Velasquez for not immediately turning the bout into a wrestling match. Velasquez seemed perfectly willing to try and give us the war we were promised, whether that was a good idea or not. Unfortunately for him, he ended up on the business end of the blitzkrieg. Most Bizarre Sight: The Octagon's Fresh Paint Job Apparently the UFC and FOX felt that network TV viewers could handle seeing blood if it was coming out of a human being, but old plasma left over from the night's previous bouts was more than they could bear. So after the Guida-Henderson bout had concluded and before dos Santos and Velasquez took the cage, a small crew of workers got out the paint and heat gun and erased those bloodstains before the FOX cameras caught sight of them. The thing is, the mat wasn't even all that bloody. Sure, after nine fights some of the red stuff had spilled, but we've seen much worse inside the Octagon. Those "millions of new viewers" haven't though, and as White said in the post-fight press conference, the UFC is looking to "ease into this." Even if it means choking the poor cageside photographers with paint fumes. Most Deserving of a Title Shot: Ben Henderson Lately it's seemed like nothing short of a dozen straight wins will earn you a crack at the lightweight belt, but Henderson has made the most of his three UFC bouts. After destroying Jim Miller and edging out a very game Guida, I don't see how anyone could say he hasn't earned his shot at Frankie Edgar. And, with Henderson's all-around blend of skills, I don't see how anyone could say this won't be a thrilling bout when those two get together in Japan. At least you know that one will be televised. Least in Need of a Title Shot: Clay Guida The Duder might not like to hear it, but he's probably never going to be a UFC champion. And that's okay. Really, it is. He might not think so now, and he might not even think so ten years from now, but his legacy will be built on individual bouts rather than broad career achievements. His fights with Roger Huerta, Diego Sanchez, and this one with Henderson, those are battles that all of us (or at least those of us who actually saw them) will remember. Does it matter that he lost all three of those fights? Not really. That's because when Guida gets an opponent he can exert his will on, the outcomes tend to be less spectacular. It's when he fights superior, more gifted opponents that he's forced into a species of greatness, as are his opponents. He doesn't have to win them all to be loved by fans and admired by his peers. He doesn't need a belt, either. No matter how badly he might want one. Win Most Likely to Be Overturned: Robert Peralta over Mackens Semerzier Initially it looked like both Peralta and Semerzier landed almost simultaneous punches, but it was Semerzier who got the worst of it. Upon further review, it was clear that a clash of heads was the real culprit. Peralta didn't do it on purpose, and the lump on his forehead (which sprang up immediately) tells you that he didn't escape from it unscathed either. Still, it was pretty obvious that Semerzier got a one-way ticket to Queer Street thanks to something that was definitely not a legal strike, and that's grounds for an appeal. In a just world, the result of this fight will get changed to a no contest. Most Surprising: Alex Caceres I was starting to wonder what the UFC saw in this kid, other than personality. He lost two straight after his stint on TUF, didn't look very good in either bout, yet somehow still had a spot on the roster. But as it turns out, maybe he was just in the wrong weight class. Against Cole Escovedo in his bantamweight debut, "Bruce Leeroy" looked like an entirely different fighter. He kept Escovedo guessing on the feet, stymied his attacks all night, and had the confidence to throw some unconventional stuff out there in search of the victory. After winning the decision he showed up to the post-fight presser with an enormous grin on his face, looking like a kid who'd just been told that he was going to Disneyland (which just happened to be right down the street). I admit, it was refreshing to see a young fighter who actually seemed glad to talk to the media after a fight. Give him a couple years, though. See if he doesn't change his mind about that. Most Brutal Finish: DaMarques Johnson He may not have earned the Knockout of the Night award for starching Clay Harvison in the first round, but he probably should have. I know, I know -- there's no small amount in politics involved in those, and the main event will get it over a prelim'er every time, but still. Johnson lunged in with a beautiful left uppercut that Harvison never saw, then followed up with a right hand that was so hard I almost expected Harvison's childhood memories to come spilling out onto the mat. Granted, this was a fight Johnson was supposed to win, and win fairly easily, but it never hurts to make a memorable impression. Well, unless you're Harvison. Then it hurts a lot. Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

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Here's the controversial post-fight "analysis" from Dana White and Brock Lesnar on the monumental UFC on FOX main event bout between Cain Velasquez and Junior dos Santos. Lesnar seemed calm and composed and was able to provide good feedback on the bout. On the other hand, most people felt that Dana White may have 'buried' his former champ in Velasquez, and failed to properly market his new kingpin in Dos Santos. Maybe he was rooting for Velasquez too much, or maybe it was just nerves, but whatever the reason, that wasn't the best moment for the UFC president, who was on the spot during a critical milestone for MMA. Check out the footage below: Video: UFC on FOX: White/Lesnar recap  Listen, I'm no strategist and I'm nobody's coach but I don't understand why they didn't go for the shot early. They should have shot in on Junior Dos Santos knowing that he has the power early in the fight and tries to knock you out. But the truth is that Junior Dos Santos gets tired at the end of fights, you know? Here he is standing right in front of him trying to trade and bang with Junior Dos Santos and gets hit with that big right hand right behind the ear and down he goes. Down goes his heavyweight championship. I'll say it again, not saying that I'm some strategy coach but I don't know why they wouldn't take the shot on him and wrestle early. It's one thing to feel a fight out but when you're standing right in front of a guy that you know his biggest weapons are his hands and he can knock you out and this thing is a five round fight. Get in there and start working him. Stay busy and put him against the fence. Rough him up and tire him out a little bit and bring it into the later rounds where Junior Dos Santos is well known for getting tired.

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Five pounds and four years later, it’s time for the second verse. In preparation for this Saturday’s (Nov. 12, 2011) throwdown between Manny Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Márquez at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, which will serve as the third in a trilogy that has Pacquiao up 1-0-1, MMAMania is breaking down their first two battles. Earlier today, we took a look at their first effort, a fantastic featherweight fight fiesta that resulted in an unsatisfactory draw. Join us after the jump for a recap and review of "Unfinished Business," the second battle between the Filipino great and the Mexican warrior that took place at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, on March 15, 2008. It was a fight for the ages: After losing a decision to Érik Morales, Filipino prodigy Manny Pacquiao has taken the super featherweight division by storm, crushing six consecutive Mexican foes. Among those wins are knockouts of Morales and Jorge Solís. One Mexican warrior remains. After his draw with Pacquiao, Juan Manuel Márquez stumbled in a decision loss to Chris John, but has re-ignited his career with a move up in weight, taking out Marco Antonio Barrera and Rocky Juarez. The WBC Super Featherweight title is his. But, there is no validation there that can compare to proving himself against his Filipino foe. There is no hatred in their eyes as the referee explains his expectations for the bout, only respect. Validation hovers just out of reach as the bell rings for round 13. Though it has been only four years, a very different Manny Pacquiao flits about the ring this night. His movement is less wild, his lunges more controlled and the murderous left straight that buckled Marquez no longer compromises the Filipino’s balance. The first round, sedate by the standards these two set the first time around, sees limited damage inflicted. The best punch of the round is a right straight from the Mexican champion near the halfway mark, but Pacquiao’s ring generalship and aggression puts Márquez behind by one point at its end. Still, better than getting dropped three times. This time, Márquez decides to take control a little earlier. Though Manny’s newfound prowess with his right hand keeps Márquez on his heels in the early going, the supreme timing of the champion asserts itself soon enough. A long left hook finds regular success, and Pacquiao’s brief sojourns to the inside are met with hard rights to the face. Near the five-second mark, an ill-advised Pacquiao flurry launches him directly into three vicious blows. The capper, a vicious left hook, seems to catch the Filipino slugger in the light switch. Though he stays on his feet, he slumps and stumbles, arms limp. A decisive round for Márquez ends with the two competitors even on the cards. Pacquiao has no intention of letting Márquez establish control again, however. He continues pushing forward, his lethal left straight in full effect. While Márquez continues finding success when Pacquiao’s closing blows whiff, he is being pushed back by "Pac-Man’s" fury. With 30 seconds to go, though, Márquez lands a hard counter 1-2-3, leaving Pacquiao caught between him and the ropes. Unfortunately for him, no sequel is complete without a nod to the original. As the Mexican champ tries to press his advantage, a vicious left catches him flush on the jaw, sending him tumbling back. This is no flash knockdown. Despite getting to his feet quickly, Márquez is anything but steady on the feet. Though he manages to spark Pacquiao during his subsequent onslaught with a right hand, he eats a hard right in return seconds before the bell that, were the ropes not there to support him, would have sent him to the ground. The bell rings for quite a while, seemingly pleading with the fighters to halt their battle. A clearly-dazed Márquez goes to the wrong corner. A faint sense of déjà vu pervades the arena as Nacho Beristain, his coach, assures Márquez that he is fine. Pacquiao comes out for the fourth like a man on fire, dead-set on not letting this turn into another back-and-forth frenzy. Márquez, however, has regained his wits, and his counters are once again on point. Though Pacquiao catches him hard with a one-two with a little more than a minute left, he fires back and forces Pacquiao into the ropes. A hard left straight is met with an equally-emphatic left hook from "Dinamita". Despite going down hard three minutes earlier, the great Mexican warrior has refused to let Manny run away with the fight, and a close round ends with neither man holding a clear advantage. The middle rounds arrive, Márquez’s domain. The two begin trading tentatively, but as the fifth progresses, the right hand of Márquez begins finding a home on his foe’s jaw. Pacquiao seems unable to impose his will as he had earlier, and while it is by no means one-sided, Márquez is clawing his way back into the fight. A late-round flurry from both fighters reflects this new development. Despite his speed advantage, Pacquiao finds himself on the wrong end of more punches than he manages to land. Their output is relatively minimal, with less than 80 combined punches, which is becoming the Mexican’s type of fight, one that Pacquiao cannot afford to let himself be drawn into. The right of Márquez continues scoring in the sixth, both behind his jab and as a standalone blow. Pacquiao is cut above his left eye, and Márquez is giving him no relief. A hard uppercut-right straight at the halfway mark delivered by Márquez is the best blow of the round, and after getting thumped by it, Pacquiao seems tentative, and clearly loses the round and his momentum. At most, a point separates the two as the seventh begins. A hard left lands for Pacquiao, but Márquez pays it no mind. The jab of Márquez begins working for him, but an unlucky clash of heads at the halfway mark opens a cut beside his right eye. A right from Pacquiao ignites a brief, murderous exchange that sees the two apparently break even. Another close round comes to an end with both fighters bleeding above their eyes and scoring effectively with their power hands, but Pacquiao seems to have regained momentum. Said momentum evaporates quickly as Márquez jacks his foe with a straight right, sending Manny’s cut into overdrive. Though grinning broadly, Manny is badly bothered, and goes on the defensive as Márquez pushes him back, ripping hard to the body. Pacquiao’s constant charges leave him pinned against the ropes, and despite raising his hands in defiance, he is unable to stop the wicked straights of "Dinamita." A mean uppercut lands with 20 seconds left, capping off a fantastic round for the champ. The CompuBox numbers are astounding -- Márquez outlanded Pacquiao four to one. Manny faced similar adversity in the middle rounds of the first bout, but he does not have the massive cushion of three knockdowns this time, and the scores are too close for comfort. But Pacquiao, young though he may be, is a champion. Realizing he cannot win moving backward, he again imposes his speed and power upon Márquez, hitting him with a hard right a minute in. Márquez reopens Pacquiao’s cut halfway in, but the straight left of Pacquiao slams home once again. The two exchange furiously as the round continues, neither man getting an advantage, until a second cut opens above Márquez’s right eye, one in a far more dangerous position. Márquez forces Pacquiao back, but eats a hard counter left, leading the two to unleash a storm of blows against the ropes. Damage scores. For all his hard work, Márquez may need something dramatic to overcome this new liability. There are still three rounds to go, though, and that just may be enough time. As Harold Lederman cheerfully announces his scorecard, one that has Pacquiao up by two points, Márquez moves in with his right hand too low and collides with a stinging overhand left. The crowd erupts and Harold quiets as Márquez stumbles into the ropes. The two again flurry viciously, Pacquiao’s momentum carrying him into and off of the ropes like a pinball. Márquez’s heart is too great for Pacquiao to press his advantage, though, and despite catching another hard counter, he refuses to let his legs falter. His eye bleeds anew, however, and even though he manages to slow the pace of the fight, the blood flow is doing him no favors with the judges. The pair exchange with some trepidation, Pacquiao’s mouthpiece falling out near the endpoint, but the damage inflicted by the opening left hand leaves no question as to who won the round. Márquez’s cut is enormous at this point, easily the width of Beristain’s finger. He has two rounds to prove that it is but a flesh wound. The penultimate round begins slowly, a Márquez low blow the sole highlight of the first minute. Both fighters, realizing the tenuousness of their situations, begin to exchange emphatically, Márquez landing lead right hands but apparently unable to keep Pacquiao off of him. The round is nearly dead even, but Pacquiao jacks him hard with a 2-1 at the bell. And the judges remember nothing more clearly than the last 10 seconds. Though his face is placid, Márquez’s cut is still hard to ignore. He has to take the judges’ attention away from it. A solid uppercut followed by a 1-2 seems to do the trick as "Dinamita" pushes Pacquiao back. Márquez is avoiding the monstrous left straight effectively, landing hard uppercuts and straights. Manny’s less-dramatic blows are landing, but Márquez refuses to take a step back. The round and the fight end with a beautiful microcosm of their effort thus far. Their hands are a blur, Márquez smashing his right hand into Pacquiao’s jaw and Pacquiao’s two fists flitting in and out like angry hornets. There is no way to know what the scores will be. Only a handful of the rounds were clear-cut, but all were fantastic. Luckily, there is to be a winner tonight. With scores of 115-112, 112-115, and 114-113, Pacquiao becomes the WBC and The Ring super featherweight champion. Debate rages, and with good reason. Despite the judges declaring a victor, the fight was simply too close for either side to be satisfied. And that’s the reason, three years later, they’re going at it one last time. Join us tomorrow for full coverage of "Pacquiao vs. Márquez 3." See you then, Maniacs! Be sure to check out our retrospective of Manny Pacquiao vs Juan Manuel Marquez 1 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in 2004 right here.

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Watch the video to see if you think UFC Undisputed got Saturday's UFC on Fox main event between Cain Velasquez and Junior dos Santos right.

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Count Major League Baseball (MLB) outfielder Reed Johnson (far right) among the ever-growing number of professional athletes to adopt a mixed martial arts training regimen into their off-season, logging hours with UFC fighters like Forrest Griffin, Frank Trigg and Frank Mir. Props: Red Eye Chicago (photo via Skeletal Metal)

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BIRMINGHAM, England – A little more than a week ago at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, the...

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Bellator Fighting Championships could soon hit airwaves outside North America, as the Chicago-based promotion’s international television rights have been acquired by a London firm.

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Bellator Fighting Championships has inked a deal to give FremantleMedia Enterprises a license to negotiate its international TV rights. FremantleMedia will handle the licensing, digital and ancillary rights for the U.S. and international markets. The company has operations in 22 countries and distributes nearly 100,000 or programming, including some of the highest-rated prime-time entertainment, drama, serial drama and factual entertainment programs.

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Saturday night marks the beginning of a new era for mixed martial arts. The UFC will make its debut on broadcast television, filling the screen on the same channel that broadcasts the World Series, the Super Bowl and, of course, American Idol. It will be a game-changing moment for the sport’s spotlight promotion because millions of people who would not otherwise have access to a live UFC fight will have the opportunity to tune in and form a first impression of the sport. There will be just a single fight shown on Fox this Saturday night, so virgin viewers will have just one opportunity to react to a sport that has grown from virtual anonymity to pay-per-view juggernaut. That created incredible pressure on UFC head honcho Dana White to book a marquee fight that was sure to thrill. Enter UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez and the clear number one challenger, Junior dos Santos, a man many believe to be destined for gold. It is a marquee matchup from every angle. The sport’s biggest prize is on the line. Neither man has ever lost inside the Octagon. Their styles suggest a barnburner that should end in spectacular fashion. It is the perfect recipe for success.Suffice to say, if the fight lives up to its potential, it should catapult the UFC to never before seen heights of popularity. And the winner could very well turn into a mainstream sports superstar. Translation: fame and fortune. I know. Lots of hype. But it isn’t hyperbole. It is reality.There is little doubt that the massive stage adds to the pressure that both fighters will face heading into the fight. Pressure often leads to hesitation, which, in turn, leads to poor performance. Dos Santos will have to guard against that, if he wants to take the title, because “Cigano” needs to be active and aggressive. That and land his big right uppercut, which is the single biggest key to victory for the challenger.Dos Santos is probably the best boxer in the heavyweight division. He stands in traditional boxing style, with his legs far apart and his body almost perpendicular to his foe. That allows him to generate tremendous power in his shots because he can really lean into his right hand and fully rotate his hips with his left hook. It also gives him the proper foundation for his most effective weapon – the right uppercut.“Cigano” has a right uppercut that would make heavyweight boxing champion Wladimir Klitschko green with envy. And he uses it regularly in bouts, both as the second part of a two-piece combination and also as a lead. If he connects cleanly, it could mean good night for Velasquez.Make no mistake about it. Dos Santos can turn out the lights with a variety of strikes. But the uppercut should be particularly effective against Velasquez. The question is how to go about landing it.The first, and most obvious, way is to fire it off the heels of a left hand. The Brazilian bomber has one of the best jabs in the division. He snaps it like a professional boxer, and unlike with most boxers, it is jackhammer that causes very real damage, rather than just serving as a range finder.Dos Santos can jab and quickly fire a right uppercut up the middle. He can also double up on the jab or throw one of his slick jab-left hook combinations before immediately cleaning up with his money punch. Those combinations should be particularly effective because the champion does not retreat straight back in the face of incoming fire, like most mixed martial artists. He instead stays in the pocket and moves his head and upper body like a pendulum to slip shots. Like a pendulum, Velasquez returns to center after slipping a shot. Thus, if the jab, double jab or jab-left hook miss, he could very well be front and center by the time the uppercut arrives.But that isn’t the end of the challenger’s options with his favorite strike. He can also lead with the punch. As crazy as it sounds, dos Santos is extremely effective leading with his right uppercut. Most fighters don’t try that technique because it requires elite hand speed. Otherwise, it is fairly easy to counter by slipping and countering, particularly with a left hook, since the right side of dos Santos’ head will be completely exposed.Of course, dos Santos possesses elite hand speed, so he can effectively lead with a right uppercut without too much concern. He landed that punch several times in his last two bouts, both wins, over Shane Carwin and Roy Nelson. He can land it against Velasquez.The one time that he may want to forget the right uppercut is when he is timing a Velasquez kick.  In that instance, he is better served firing his right straight down the middle. Velasquez is an extremely slick kickboxer, with very few tell signs associated with his deep arsenal of strikes. The one notable exception is when he throws a left kick, whether to the inside of his opponent’s lead leg, body or head. The American Kickboxing Academy superstar always steps forward with his right foot before firing a kick with his left leg in order to set his hips to generate speed and power with the strike.It is a quick shuffle step. But he does it every time. He doesn’t fire any other strike, other than a left kick, when he shuffle steps forward with his right foot. Dos Santos can try to time Velasquez by stepping in and firing the right hand down the middle the second he sees the champion shuffle stepping forward. He must do it instantly in order to arrive at the target first. And he had better hope that Velasquez isn’t uncorking a high kick, because things could get ugly in that instance. Nevertheless, the risk is worth the reward. Velasquez is a very durable, high-energy fighter that can go for days. It is unlikely that dos Santos will outlast Velasquez in a grueling five-round war, so he should be thinking stoppage within the first three rounds. That is a very reasonable outcome, too. The challenger is a first-order power puncher, and some question the durability of Velasquez’s chin. Remember, Cheick Kongo dropped him repeatedly in their 2009 bout. None of those shots put Velasquez out. He popped right up and kept coming, though that doesn’t change the fact that he was dropped several times by a guy that some cognoscenti believe has vastly overrated punching power.I’m not sure if Kongo’s power is overrated. I am certain, however, that dos Santos carries at least as much dynamite in his fists. Probably more. Defensively, dos Santos needs to always be mindful of defending the takedown. Velasquez is a former two-time Division I All American collegiate wrestler. His wrestling chops are so strong that he was able to take down Brock Lesnar in his last bout, something very few people in the world can do. He can remain in good position to defend the takedown by not over committing on his power punches. Selling out with haymakers is the best way to open the door for a takedown. Dos Santos should keep a solid base with his feet and focus on throwing fast, not necessarily hard, punches. If he does that, then he can rely on his biggest strength, his boxing skills, in an attempt to win the fight.The word “attempt” was purposefully chosen to suggest that Velasquez is the rightful favorite heading into the matchup, albeit by the slightest of margins. Dos Santos is a seriously live underdog, though. It actually wouldn’t surprise me to see the betting lines swing in the other direction by fight night. He may not have more tools to use in an attempt to win the fight, but the tool he likes to use (read: his fists) might just be the best in the division.QUICK FACTSJunior “Cigano” dos Santos•    27 years old•    77-inch reach•    13-1 overall (7-0 UFC)•    8-fight winning streak•    Hasn’t lost since November 10, 2007•    69.2% of wins ended by strikes (9 of 13)•    15.4% of wins by submission, other than from strikes (2 out of 13)•    15.4% of wins by decision (2 of 13)•    Last 2 fights went the distance•    57.1% of UFC fights ended in the first round•    Current layoff is 154 days•    Career long layoff is 308 days•    Knockout of the Night twice

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In case you missed it, or if you just want to relive the action, here's ESPN's highlight video from the exciting UFC 138 main event bout between middleweight contenders Chris Leben and Mark Munoz. You can also check out the the play-by-play of the entire fight from our live blog of the event: Chris Leben vs. Mark Munoz - Round 1 - Leben coming forward and Munoz looking like he wants to counter. Munoz gets a takedown and Leben tried to grab a guillotine but couldn't finish. Munoz was briefly looking for an arm triangle. Leben manages to wall walk to his feet and Munoz has him pushed against the cage. Body shots by Munoz. Munoz tries for the takedown, can't get it and lands a right hand. Leben with a takedown! Wow! RIght hands by Leben. Munoz gets to his feet and Leben is tagging him with right hands and now a big left. Munoz pushes Leben into the cage now. Leben landing now as Munoz is against the cage. Munos with a knee and Leben catches it and slams him to the ground. Munos stands and Leben tries to finish a guillotine. Drops to the ground with it but Munoz pops his head out. Munoz with a little ground and pound. Nice lefts now by Munoz and a huge right hand. Big uppercut by Munoz now. Big punches by Munoz. Leben gets through it and is swinging back now. Leben on top briefly and they're back to standing again. Leben ends the round landing shots. Round 2 - Munoz gets a takedown about a minute into the round. Munoz working some big ground and pound. Leben gets to his feet, tries to come forward but gets taken right back down. Munoz looking to keep grinding him away. Leben is really looking gassed. Huge shots from Munoz and Leben looks frustrated more than hurt. Leben looking for a choke out of nowhere now. Leben screaming as he squeezes down on the choke with blood pouring out of his eye. After he gives up the choke, the ref stops so the doctor can check the cut. Leben says "I can see" and they restart the fight. Leben pushes forward and lands punches. Munoz dives and Lven was on top of a turtled Munoz but Munoz slid out and jumped on top of Leben. Munoz blasting to the body of Leben. Huge punches by Munoz and Leben just stands up. Crowd chants for Leben and he flails at Munoz off his back. This is so much fun. There will be no round three as Leben says he can't see and the referee and corner stop the fight. Mark Munoz wins by TKO (retirement), round 2.

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Chris Leben and Mark Munoz collided in the first-ever, five-round non-title fight in the promotion's history in the UFC 138 main event last night (Nov. 5, 2011) from the LG Arena in Birmingham, England. "Filipino Wrecking Machine," however, as you'll see in the UFC 138 video above, only needed two rounds to notch his most important victory to date inside the Octagon. To read a detailed recap on Munoz's dominant technical knockout win (doctor's stoppage) over the "Crippler" click here.  For our comprehensive Leben-Munoz fight review and analysis, which includes .gifs of the hot action and blood-letting gore, click here. To check out MMAmania.com's LIVE UFC 138 results post, which includes up-to-the-minute, blow-by-blow coverage of EVERY fight click here. The live blow-by-blow portion of our coverage from the main event between Chris Leben vs. Mark Munoz is contained in the extended entry below: Chris Leben vs. Mark Munoz (185-pound limit) Round one: Leben takes command of the center of the cage and Munoz throws a weak leg kick. Leben throws a left hook and Munoz immediately drops for a takedown and scores a takedown, passing to half guard. Leben throws an elbow off his back and Munoz throws some punches. Leben uses the fence to get back to his feet as both men clinch. Munoz throws some right hands to the body and drops for a single leg takedown attempt but Leben uses a whizzer to escape. Munoz lands a right hand but Leben scores a takedown and drops several right hands on him. Munoz gets to his feet, covers up and Leben swarms him with big bombs. Munoz turns into him and reverses the position as they separate. Leben pushes forward with a combination of hooks and throws a foot stomp in the clinch. Leben catches a knee and takes Munoz down but Munoz pops right back to his feet. Leben latches on a guillotine but Munoz takes him down. Leben might be gassing his arms out and Munoz pops his head free. Munoz drops some big right hands and blasts Leben with a right hand as he tries to get up. Munoz looks for a guillotine and lands huge right hands as Leben gets to his feet but Leben walks right through them and throws a punch of his own. Leben takes top position in a scramble and Leben stuffs a takedown, throwing elbows and hammerfists as the round concludes. 10-9 Munoz Round two: Munoz closes the distance with a right hook and backs off. Leben presses forward with a combination of winging hooks but Munoz takes inside position in the clinch. Leben fends off an inside trip but Munoz turns the corner and takes him down. Leben has full closed guard and throws some punches and elbow strikes from bottom but Munoz postures up and starts dropping some massively heavy ground and pound. Leben gets to his feet, just absorbing punishment and keeps pressing forward. They clinch and Munoz gets on top again. Big elbow from Munoz and Leben turns away trying to stand up but eats more bombs from Munoz. Leben is bleeding bu the gets to his feet. Leben latches onto Munoz's neck and he takes top position on the ground. Leben is squeezing hard, gritting his teeth but he lets it go. Munoz pops back to his feet and the ref calls time out to have Leben's cut checked out. Masuka from Dexter checks out the cut and they go back to work. Leben throws a body kick and presses forward with a combination, again taking top position. Leben latches onto Munoz's neck but Munoz sweeps him beatifully and gets on top, dropping big body punches and then more to the head. Leben again gets to his feet but Munoz drops down for a takedown. Munoz takes top position along the fence and drops some punches as both men trade strikes until the horn sounds. 10-8 Munoz Leben can't see out of his left eye and they stop the fight between rounds. Final result: Mark Munoz defeats Chris Leben via TKO (doctor stoppage) at 5:00 of round two To check out all the UFC 138: "Leben vs. Munoz" results, news notes and everything you need to get up to speed on the event that was check out our complete archive right here.

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Is it more of a 'stand here right now and let's do this thing', or a 'present your soul to me right here right now, or I will take it by force' kind of thing? Either way this was always one of the things I liked the most about JDS..it's going to give me chills when I see him do it to Cain Velasquez.. submitted by tekprodfx16 [link] [1 comment]

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Mark Munoz and Chris Leben engaged in two rounds of brutal warfare, but Leben was unable to see out of his left eye at the end of the second and his corner was forced to call the fight to an end. Leben, as usual, showed an amazing amount of heart, walking through a ton of huge Munoz punches to come right back and land brutal shots of his own. In the end, Mark's wrestling was the difference as he put Leben on his back repeatedly and brutalized him with punches. Leben popped up a bunch of times and looked for chokes in between landing shots himself, but the cut and eye damage ware too much to overcome. It didn't take long for Munoz to get the fight to the floor in the first, but Leben did a great job of not ending up flat on his back and used the cage to walk back up to his feet. Leben actually ended up on top briefly, but couldn't do much with it. Back on the feet, Munoz tried to throw a knee against the cage but Leben caught his leg and slammed him down. Munoz popped up, but ended up right in a guillotine. Leben dropped to his back looking for the finish, but it wasn't there, and Munoz was able to open up with ground and pound. Munoz landed three huge shots on Leben's chin, but he didn't even blink and came right back with some shots of his own. The round was all action. The second opened more cautiously, with each guy looking for the home run shot. Munoz ended up dragging Leben to the floor a minute in and unloaded with some huge ground and pound again, but again Leben just took it and managed to get up while throwing shots of his own. Munoz put him back down though and cut Leben open with an elbow. Leben gave up his back and ate some shots from behind, but out of nowhere he managed to get up, and immediately switched to an unsuccessful front choke. At that point, the fight was stopped by the ref to check the cut.  Leben initially said he couldn't see, but when he was asked again, he said he could. Leben came right back after the restart looking for a guillotine, but Munoz hit a beautiful reversal right into full mount. Munoz just unloaded with huge shots, and even stood up to deliver more punishment with Leben sitting up against the cage. Leben looked for a guillotine yet again, but Munoz powered out and went back to mount. The round ended with the guys exchanging punches from a seated position. Yet another amazing round. But Leben told his corner he couldn't see, so they had to stop it. Munoz entered the fight on a hot streak, picking up three wins in a row and wins in six out of his last seven. He had climbed all the way to # 4 on the USA Today/SB Nation Consensus Rankings. Leben revived his stalled career with two wins in two weeks overAaron Simpson and Yoshihiro Akiyama last year. He lost to Brian Stann at UFC 125, but rebounded with a 27-second knockout of Wanderlei Silva earlier this year at UFC 132.

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Still seeking victory in the Octagon in his second tour of duty, Yoshida Dojo product Michihiro Omigawa tangled with the tough Jason Young in a UFC 138: Leben vs. Munoz featherweight contest. Omigawa was quick to start throwing hands right after they touched gloves, initiating a clinch against the fence that the UK Thai boxer escaped from. Young blasted a few combinations that Omigawa's busy head movement allowed him to evade and Omigawa, switching stances, entered the clinch behind a flurry of strikes and scored a trip takedown. Working from half-guard, Omigawa ushered him to the fence which only allowed Young to boot him off with both feet and use the fence wall to stand back up. Young nailed Omigawa with a heavy right kick when they re-engaged, which the replay showed that Omigawa blocked effectively. Omigawa cooled him off with more clinch-work, then it was Young who pursued and succeeded with a takedown of his own. The crafty veteran immediately reversed and finished the round on top landing strikes. With some serious swelling over his right eye from an inadvertent first round headbutt, Young tried to pull the trigger but was planted on his back to start the second. Omigawa took side control, attempting to isolate an arm but settled for short forearms instead. Young executed a brilliant cage-walk to free himself and stand back up, finding the mark with a left hook and uppercut halfway through the round. Young clipped Omigawa with a clean forearm that was countered by a slick trip from the high level Judoka. Baiting Young by attacking his right arm, Omigawa advanced into full mount and kept pestering with moderate-power ground strikes, though Young got back to half guard as the horn sounded. Omigawa seemed to get the better of the first striking exchange but was unable to hit another clinch throw. Young's left hand was his weapon of choice, but the straight knee he released allowed Omigawa to ground the fight again. There, he dropped back for a heel-hook that Young defended, bringing the fight back to the standing position. Young started to mount offense with low kicks and more punches. Omigawa's clinch proved feisty again as he locked a strong front headlock position and dropped back, sweeping Young overhead for a crafty fall and posturing down in half-guard. "Shotgun" escaped albeit briefly, with Omigawa enforcing his clinch savvy and straightening out an arm to threaten with the armlock. Young reversed in the waning moments and finished out the third on top. All three judges saw this evenly matched scrap as 29-28 for Michihiro Omigawa, who picks up a much needed first win in the UFC with a unanimous decision over Jason Young.

Posted in: right, strike, side control, michihiro omigawa, omigawa

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On June 11, 2011, Mark Munoz and Demian Maia fought a very close match at UFC 131 that featured two impressive grapplers with improving stand-up skills. I bring to you yet another one of Bloody Elbow’s famous Judo Chops on two of the fine ground-game moments this fight featured. My first breakdown will focus on Munoz’s failed brabo attempt in the second round and his subsequent escape from the back take attempt by Maia. My second breakdown will analyze Maia’s crucifix-based neck crank in the third round and Munoz’s escape. Both Maia and Munoz came into MMA as grapplers first and foremost. Munoz took to the striking game much faster, yet Maia worked his way to a title shot against Anderson Silva at UFC 112. Both men lost tough battles  – Munoz to Yushin Okami and Maia to Anderson – but both soon picked up a brace of victories and faced off to determine who would get back into the title hunt again. The match-up was an interesting proposition to consider as Maia built a reputation for magical submissions and Munoz had effectively dealt with the ground game of Kendall Grove. Would Munoz be able to avoid a submission and knock out Maia? Would Demian frustrate Munoz's takedowns? Who would win the striking battle? The battle proved to be very entertaining and came down to a decision. Fraser Coffeen and Kid Nate collaborated on a striking Judo Chop for this fight back in June. Join me after the jump for many awesome gifs and technical analysis of the fun ground game moments of this UFC 131 fight before Munoz takes on Chris Leben at UFC 138 on November 5th.   First, some background on the fighters: Munoz dedicated himself to wrestling full-time in high school after an injury that prevented him from playing football. As a 197 pound senior, he won a NCAA Division I championship at Oklahoma State University. As he moved into MMA, he cross-trained in submission grappling and is now working towards his black belt under the Nogueira brothers. Over the last four years, Munoz has developed a ground game that searches for opportunities to unload his unusually powerful ground strikes from the top position. Munoz has won the Fight of the Night bonus once for his knock-out of Kendall Grove. Maia grew up as a judo player and once introduced to Brazilian jiu-jitsu at age 19, put in a truly inspiring amount of work to receive his black belt from Fabio Gurgel, the legendary Alliance trainer. His journey to black belt took him slightly over four years – and he won quite a few titles along the way. In 2007, he won the ADCC 88 kg title after placing second in the 2005 edition. His ground game within the cage has been based around his unique sense of takedown timing and constant re-adjustments to get the desired angles and openings. In the UFC, Maia’s nifty triangles and rear naked chokes have won him four Submission of the Night bonuses. Second round – Munoz’s failed brabo and escape from S-mount: (All Maia/Munoz gifs are credited to Grappo.)  After shooting one of his seven unsuccessful single leg attempts, Maia is underneath Munoz’s sprawl. Before this, Munoz’s response has generally been to block Maia’s leg on the same side and then throw punches to Maia’s opposite leg and ribs with his free hand. This time, Munoz chose to take a risk and try for a brabo/D’Arce choke. Those of you who’ve paid attention to previous Judo Chops may recall some discussion about what’s a brabo/D’Arce and what’s an anaconda. KJ Gould did a great Chop on Carlos Prater’s brabo with the special twist of the sucuri roll at Strikeforce Challengers: Beerbohm/Healy. Luke Thomas, editor emeritus of Bloody Elbow and current MMA Nation talking head, wrote a solid Chop on Terry Etim’s brabo finish of Justin Buchholz at UFC 99. Anaconda chokes look like what Phil Davis did to Alexander Gustaffson at UFC 112 in April of 2010.  via cdn0.sbnation.com Note the gable grip on the far side of the head and the snake-like roll to the finish. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira made this anaconda submission famous in the MMA world when he submitted Hirotaka Yokoi at PRIDE: Total Elimination 2004. I via cdn3.sbnation.com Big Nog would win his next fight by anaconda (Heath Herring at PRIDE: Critical Countdown 2004) and the MMA world sat up and took full notice of this arm triangle variant. To be clear, in an anaconda submission, the figure-four of the underside hand on the biceps of the topside arm is not next to the head. It is next to the farside arm. In a brabo/D’Arce, the figure-four is next to the head. Paulo Thiago had one of my favorite examples of the brabo finish against Mike Swick at UFC 109. via i47.tinypic.com The top pressure caused by Thiago's weight helps to put Swick out very quickly and the trapped leg prevents any mobility for escape. Now back to Maia/Munoz: Munoz senses the potential brabo and shifts to take advantage of the window of opportunity. It is a small adjustment for Munoz to move his left hand from blocking the leg to just under Maia’s right armpit and underneath Maia’s chin. Munoz then moves his right arm next to Maia’s head to get a gable grip and hurls himself to the side in order to better shoot his left arm even further up than it was. Munoz gets the left hand up past Maia’s left ear and next to the neck, which is good. He then tries to bring his right arm up in order to place his left hand on the biceps of his right arm. This would create the choke-applying figure-four position. However, as you can clearly see at 3:23 of the round, Munoz does not get his hand on the biceps. The left hand is instead on the right forearm. Why does this happen? A closer look at what Maia is doing shows that the grappling wizard managed to make a few subtle adjustments to prevent the finish. When Munoz dives to get better arm positioning from 3:26 to 3:25, he does not keep sprawling as per the usual brabo set-ups and his legs are within reach of his opponent. Maia moves his left arm to grasp Munoz’s right leg and shuffles forwards a bit. As Munoz falls to his back, Maia presses his right shoulder to Munoz’s body – preventing Munoz from bringing Demian’s right arm across the body. With the shoulder pressed and the legs controlled, Munoz cannot create intense pressure upon Maia’s neck. Munoz might have been able to sweep or finish the choke if every element of technique had been right otherwise, but the hand is not on the biceps and the blade of his forearm is not quite in position to choke Maia. Munoz wanted the blade of his forearm vertical in this case, to press against Maia’s carotid, and because of the adjustments Maia made, the forearm is horizontal. At 3:19, the brabo has failed and Munoz bails on it to fend off Maia as he looks to move into mount. After breaking loose from the brabo, Maia has kept Munoz down and ended up in a modified S-mount, with Munoz lying down on his side. Maia’s right foot is in place for a hook between Munoz’s thighs and his left leg is next to Munoz’s back. While aware of a possible armbar, Demian wants rear mount and threads his left arm over Munoz’s left shoulder at 3:11. Munoz already knows this and has chosen to control Maia’s right arm with his own right, preventing the seatbelt grip that many back takers prefer. Munoz starts to get up in a conventional way, basing out his left arm and seemingly working to his knees. Maia lets Munoz work that route back to the feet, thinking to seize the rear naked choke or at least a seat belt grip on the rising Munoz. That particular gamble failed here, as Munoz turns back into Maia at exactly the right time, escapes Maia's hand control and ends up in a very low single leg position popularized by John Smith, the legendary NCAA, Worlds and Olympic champion wrestler. I note Smith in particular because Munoz patterned quite a bit of his wrestling game after that style and was coached by Smith at Oklahoma State University. Interestingly, Maia chooses to go with the momentum and moves behind Munoz. Perhaps Maia was hunting a possible armbar or looking to see if Munoz would let go of the leg, but Munoz chooses to stand and shuck Maia forwards. Third round – Maia’s crucifix crank. A crucifix in Brazilian jiu-jitsu usually denotes having a position where you are behind your opponent, perpendicular to the opponent and you have control of both arms. One arm is controlled by your legs and the other arm is usually controlled by your arms or by your upper torso. It is an advantageous position that provides gi chokes, potential armbars, neck cranks and if you’re Gary Goodridge, one of the most violent elbow strikes-based finishes in mixed martial arts history.  via i39.tinypic.com Just before the following gif took place, Munoz tried to work a single leg on Maia, and Demian chose to hug Munoz and look for a kimura on Munoz’s right arm. Maia did not get the kimura, but he did get an arm in between Munoz’s arms and Munoz resting on his heels in a seiza position. As the gif kicks in at 3:28 of the third round, Maia knows he has a potential crucifix position awaiting him – if he can pull it off. Munoz is trying to keep his hands together and prevent Demian from controlling his neck. Maia starts to turn his hips into Munoz and to slip behind Munoz’s back, while retaining control of Munoz’s right arm with his hands and control of Munoz’s left arm with his legs. Demian keeps his right hand underneath Munoz’s right armpit and looks to lasso Munoz’s head with his left arm. The head lasso fails as Munoz ducks under and to the left. Maia lets his right knee sag to the mat and Munoz lifts the left leg upwards and out. Maia actually loses control of Munoz's left arm for a brief moment, but the previously sagging right leg comes up and regains control of Munoz’s left arm. Munoz brings the foot down and joins his hands to prevent whatever Maia is doing. This is alright for Demian, as he wants to work into slightly better position. The legs can be extended to control Munoz’s left arm, but Maia is not quite in position to really control Munoz’s right arm or attack the head. Maia wants to move his own torso closer to Munoz’s head, so he reaches up to grab ahold of Munoz’s head. Mark takes this opportunity to try and elbow Demian in the head. Maia slides his right hand to the crook of Munoz’s right arm to foul the strikes and gain better control of Munoz’s body. You can see that Munoz knows the danger of his position. His expression changes to one of determination and desperation throughout this gif. Munoz wants to use his upper body strength to link hands. This will prevent Maia from extending the arms and getting a possible finish in some manner. Munoz reaches with his right hand over to his more immobile left hand – and leaves his neck open. Maia moves to take advantage. The left hand slides under the neck and turns Munoz’s head towards Maia’s own face as the right hand disengages and moves up for the gable grip. This looks dangerous and impressive, but this is not a choke. It’s more of a neck/spine crank than anything else – working from the pain and potential injuries that may result from compression of the neck and spine - and it may not finish a tough or strong opponent right away. It’s a risky move and very visually impressive, but generally not an immediate finish type of submission. Note that Munoz’s right arm is now free. Since Maia has control of Munoz only at the left arm and with the crank, Munoz gets his feet back out in front of him. He is now more mobile and waiting for Demian to make a further move. Maia has set up the neck crank wants to finish the fight by twisting Munoz’s head even further to the right. This would involve getting back and to the left, underneath Munoz, and he starts to move that way. Mark chooses this moment of motion to explode downwards and to his right – turning into the crank – and sliding his left elbow out of Maia’s leg control. Sweat may have aided this escape, but this particular neck crank works better in gi-based jiu-jitsu – Maia’s specialty. The lack of a kimono and the not-quite-perfect technique prevents Maia from gaining the needed friction to keep Munoz within the neck crank. As the gif ends, Munoz is in a single leg position that Maia eventually fends off with a cagewalk/clinch mix. This was one of the cooler moments in MMA grappling yet this year and Maia’s combination of skills and unorthodox angles gave him the opportunity for one of the rarer submissions in the sport. However, his instincts and technique were not tight enough to keep Munoz from escaping and eventually winning the controversial decision*. * (I still think the fight was either a draw or a razor thin Maia victory.) As an end of Judo Chop treat, I leave you a video of John Smith teaching the low single.  

Posted in: right, arm, maia, munoz, munozrsquo

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After a year and half absence due to a broken rib, UK lightweight Terry Etim returns to the Octagon at UFC 138: Leben vs. Munoz against Edward Faaloloto, a Hawaiian product under Chris Leben. At only age twenty-six, Etim stands as a legit up-and-comer and has unfurled a promising range of skill in his Octagon performances. After wrenching a guillotine on Matt Grice in his "Submission of the Night" debut at UFC 70, Etim suffered consecutive decision losses to veteran Rich Clementi and ATT's Gleison Tibau. He rebounded with four electric victories starting with the venerable Sam Stout (decision), followed by Brian Cobb (head kick KO), Justin Buchholz and Shannon Gugerty (both via submission). This set up a confrontation with BJJ black belt Rafael Dos Anjos at UFC 112 where Etim succumbed to a second round armbar after he took the lead in the opening frame. While preparing for a match with Joe Lauzon at UFC 118, Etim suffered an injury to his rib that has sidelined him ever since. After enduring many hardships in his personal life, Edward Faaloloto began his career as a welterweight in Hawaii's X-1 promotion with two wins, one decision and one submission. He immediately graduated to the WEC to face Anthony Njokuani, where the fierce striker finished him in the second round with a vicious elbow. Faaloloto's next foray was after the WEC-UFC merger, greeting reality show finalist Michael Johnson back to competition after losing to Jonathan Brookins at the TUF 12 Finale. Johnson's striking and pace was furiously aggressive and he caught Faaloloto with a combination for a first round TKO. Gifs and analysis in the full entry. With a body type that seems to be experiencing a surge in relevance at the top level, Etim's monumental wingspan for a lightweight (73" reach) and wiry frame accent his sharp Muay Thai striking well. Though he lands with the foot instead of the shin, check out the considerable distance between him and the unfortunate Brian Cobb in the crushing head-kick KO to the right. Known mostly for his submission prowess, Etim is equally dangerous standing, often relying on a long, stiff one-two and penetrating kicks. The only aspect he doesn't shine in is wrestling, but he's still adept in that department and opponent's takedowns only open the door for his threatening submission acumen. Most of his clinch tactics are offensive, spread between his wide range of Thai-flavored striking and snaking his spidery limbs for submission attempts. The latter is generally targeted at head and neck attacks like Brabo, D'arce and guillotine style chokes from his Luta Livre submission wrestling background. In these two animations versus Justin Buchholz, Etim implements his dual pronged clinch warfare. With a strong right underhook, Etim pushes Buchholz against the fence and slices upward with a left knee to the head. Despite the knee connecting with his chin, Buchholz is savvy to snare it up on the way down and pursue an attempt at an outside trip by sweeping Etim's right leg. Showing incredible balance, Etim extends his right underhook to encircle the neck and snaps down to force Buchholz to relent on the takedown and concentrate on fending off the choke. Etim cups the head with his left hand and slithers his right arm through, still with the underhook, to do the same with both hands. After pulling Buchholz closer to trap the head, he frees his left arm and locks his right hand on his left bicep to complete the Brabo. Not only is it a slick submission, but it shows an astute transition from striking to submission. Etim capitalizes on his hand position and arm placement in the clinch and adapts the setting right into another semblance of threatening offense. It's a fitting example of how his formidable stand up has flowed naturally into a submission-oriented attack. We haven't seen much of Edward Faaloloto so it's tough to assess his true characteristics or potential. I give him a lot of credit for being inexperienced but, like Etim, being a younger fighter facing a trial by fire at the elite level that will inevitably pay dividends. You can't really knock the guy for losing by TKO to Michael Johnson and Anthony Njokuani in only his third and fourth pro fights. After a rough upbringing and mentality that changed for the better after taking up some obscure Hawaiian martial arts and joining the Navy, Faaloloto is a baby in MMA terms and still has plenty of time to polish his skills. While that bodes well for the future, I think Terry Etim is too much in the present. The UK firecracker's length, smooth sub game and devastating stand up should propel him to snaring something crafty in a clinch engagement. My Prediction: Terry Etim by submission     Edward Faaloloto gifs via Zombie Prophet of IronForgesIron.com Terry Etim vs. Brian Cobb gif via MMA-Core.com All others via Sherdog Forums       Last 3 from Sherdog forums   Poll Terry Etim vs. Edward Faaloloto Terry Etim Edward Faaloloto   0 votes | Results

Posted in: right, submission, edward, etim, faaloloto

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They own the rights to the Pride library so when will they do something with it, other than use it for vignettes?? They should do like an "Ultimate 100" but for Pride.. submitted by ThunderDomePatrol [link] [3 comments]

Posted in: right, pride, pride fc, use, pride library

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Let's hope for Mark Munoz's sake that Chris Leben isn't right in the head on Saturday night. That's because "The Philippine Wrecking Machine" will be asked to go five rounds against "The Crippler" in the main event of UFC 138 on Nov. 5 from the LG Arena at the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham, England. The middleweight headliner, which will air via same day tape delay at 8 p.m. ET on Spike TV, will be the promotion's first-ever five round non-title fight. And with it comes 185-pound title implications. Leben tells the amiable Bryan Levick that he has the tools and the heart to get it done across the pond, now all he needs is the focus: "For me I always knew what type of fighter I could be. I knew I had the physical tools and the heart, but truthfully my biggest enemy has always been me. When I am right and focused, I don’t see anyone beating me. The biggest difference has to be doing the right thing. It has to do with more of a focus on training and taking better care of myself ... As long as I am healthy, I’d like to think I can compete for another four or five years. As long as I can be competitive and enjoying myself then we’ll see where this ride takes me." Leben was pounded out by Brian Stann at UFC 125 earlier this year to bring a halt to his three-fight win streak, one that included impressive stoppages over Aaron Simpson and Yoshihiro Akiyama back in 2010. "The Crippler" rebounded by dimming the lights for Wanderlei Silva at UFC 132 in July with a vicious first round knockout, one that could easily propel him to the front of the 185-pound pack if he's able to replicate that performance on Saturday night. But don't expect Munoz to make it easy for him. Anyone agree that Leben can be best in class if he's "right and focused?" Or has he taken one too many shots to the head?

Posted in: right, wanderlei silva, spike tv, leben, round knockout

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Since beating Jessica Aguilar at Bellator 31 in one of the most controversial decisions of 2010, the fans and fighters have been clamoring for a rematch. Gurgel agreed to the fight to be held in late October on a non-title basis. However, after an injury to Aguilar booted her from the fight, Gurgel got matched up with Carina Damm at Bellator 57 in mid-November. Unfortunately, Gurgel was then forced out of the fight when she tore her ACL while training. The injury is expected to keep her on the sidelines for at least the rest of this year, as it requires surgery. After the injury, Gurgel was force to reach out to fans for financial assistance to help pay for the procedure based on the expense involved. Damm Thinks Gurgel May Be Faking Injury In a conversation with MMAWeekly, Bellator CEO Bjorn Rebney discussed Gurgel’s health and recovery, saying, “She’s had a serious injury, she’s had the kind of injury that’s going to take time to recuperate from. It’s not one of those injuries where you can get some therapy and it can kind of work itself out. It’s going to take time. But the essence of getting that situation taken care of the right way, the essence of giving her the best possible chance of getting back in the Bellator cage, is to take care of it with the right doctors, the right rehab, the right attention to detail. It’s not about rushing it and getting in the first person who agrees to cut the leg open. It’s about doing it the right way, and that’s the process that we’re trying to follow. “If Zoila follows that process she’ll be given as good an opportunity as you can possibly have with the severity of the injury she has to recuperate fully,” Rebney continued. Rebney also revealed Bellator will cover the cost of the surgery, explaining, “I’ll say the same thing to you that we said to Zoila and to (husband) Jorge Gurgel – we’re going to take care of it, we’re going to get you through this and we’re going to get it covered by insurance and all of it will be covered. All of it will be taken care of and it will be fine, it will get worked out and it will get taken care of, but those things don’t happen in the matter of a day, or 48 hours, or 72 hours.” Robney was also asked about what he would need to do help Gurgel, stating, “You have to go through a process, you have to fill out the paperwork, you have to take steps for it to get done. I understand the angst and the anxiety because as an athlete who lost half of his senior year playing as a full scholarship running back at a major college, I understand as an athlete you’re like ‘open me up, fix it, get it done right now’. But you’ve got to take a step back and a breath and say let the process work itself out. Let the insurance take care of what needs to be taken care of, and it will be taken care of. We said it from the very start and we said it to her and we said it to her husband. We’ll get it worked out.” Gurgel is Bellator’s 115-pound champion and the first (so far only) person to beat long-respected Japanese phenom Megumi “Mega Megu” Fujii. “The Warrior Princess” is 11-1 in her career and has emerged with her hand raised in six straight scraps. PHOTO CREDIT – BELLATOR Tweet

Posted in: bellator, right, injury, gurgel, care

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In case you missed it live, or just want to relive the action from the UFC 137 main event, here's a quick highlight video from ESPN on the thrilling bout between Nick Diaz and B.J. Penn. SBN coverage of UFC 137 Results: Penn vs. Diaz Here's the complete play-by-play of the bout from our live blog: B.J. Penn vs. Nick Diaz - Round 1 - Penn with a punch to the body early and Diaz pushes him into the cage. They're working against the cage. Diaz lands a few punches, BJ lands one on the way out. BJ landing solid jabs here. Overhand right by Diaz and another very quick one. Hard left hand by Penn. Penn takedown, odd scramble and now Penn has the back. B.J. landing punches and he turns to side control. Penn stands up and Diaz manages to get back to his feet. Diaz looking for a single leg and Penn landing punches. Diaz goes to the body. Right hand by Penn lands solidly. B.J. witha nice counter and a solid uppercut. Diaz tries coming in with a right hand and Penn lands a few in return. 10-9 Penn. Round 2 - Diaz talks and Penn hits him with two punches. Leg kick by Diaz and throws a right hand that misses. Diaz pushes him into the cage and throws some punches to the body. Diaz doing decent work against the cage here. Diaz getting warned for grabbing the cage. Penn ducks down looking for a single leg and Nick defends. Nice combination by Diaz. Diaz is starting to connect a little better now. Very nice combination by Diaz. Diaz is coming on now. Diaz drops down for a takedown and can't get it. Left hand lands hard for Diaz. Big combo now and he has taken the fight over. Penn is in serious trouble. Penn needs to find a takedown or something. Penn is getting tagged. Diaz just took over the second half of that round. 10-9 Diaz. Round 3 - They touch gloves and immediately start throwing. Penn lands to the body, Diaz throwing a good amount of punches already. Penn looked for a takedown and Diaz defended. Two left hands get through for Diaz and a right hand. Penn is not going to win this fight without a takedown. Great job going to the body and then they head by Diaz. Penn still throwing back but he's getting beat up here. Penn with a big right hand. Another big right by Penn. Diaz with another flurry against the cage. B.J. is trying to walk forward and keep throwing but he has to do something really impressive to take this round back in the last 90 seconds. Penn landing now and Diaz answers back. Penn lands a right, Diaz lands a left. Left hand gets through for Diaz. Both men land as the fight ends. 10-9 Diaz on my card gives him a 29-28 win. Official Scorecards: 29-28, 29-27, 29-28 all for Nick Diaz.

Posted in: diaz, right, penn, hand, land

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Nick Diaz overwhelms B.J. Penn in the main event of UFC 137 tonight (Oct. 29, 2011) in Las Vegas, Nevada, to earn a hard-fought, bloody unanimous decision victory. The Stockton slugger used his superior cardiovascular conditioning and never-say-die attitude to blast his way past "The Prodigy," who was undoubtedly the toughest match-up to date for Diaz. After the victory, he called out Georges St. Pierre. Anyone think Carlos Condit needs to take a backseat to let the original two handle their business? To check out MMAmania.com's LIVE UFC 137 results post, which includes up-to-the-minute, blow-by-blow coverage of EVERY fight click here. B.J. Penn vs. Nick Diaz Round one: Nice left from Penn to start. Body shot from BJ. Now their tied up against the cage. Short uppercuts from Penn and knees from Diaz. Good knees from Penn. Both men trading punches. Penn lands a right on the break. Jab from Penn. Jab from Diaz. Right form Diaz. Hard right from Diaz. Good hard combo from Penn. Short uppercut from Penn. Jab from Penn. Left hook from BJ. Single leg take down from Penn and DIaz tries to roll him over. Now BJ has the back!! Good punches from behind by BJ. Left from Penn who is in side control. Short punches from BJ. Diaz works his way to the feet and has a hold of a single leg. Diaz with knees to the thigh. Body punches from Diaz against the cage. Good knee and punch from Penn. Nice left from Penn. Right from Diaz. Hard right from Penn and then a good uppercut. Jab from Diaz. Right from Diaz. Jab from Penn. Left from Penn. Jab from Penn. Hard right then left from Penn. DIaz with a good right. That is the bell and BJ Penn looked amazing on the feet. 10-9 Penn. Round two: Jab from Penn. Jab from Diaz. Hard combo from Penn. Leg kick from Diaz. Nice jab and uppercut from Penn. Now their tied up against the cage as Diaz lands some body shots. Short punches from Diaz. Jab from Diaz. Both of Diaz's eyes are swelling up now. BJ goes for a single and is stuffed and DIaz lands some knees to the body. Good body shot and right hook combo from Diaz. Jab from Diaz. Good right from Diaz. Left from Penn. Good right and left from Diaz. Good body shots from Diaz. Nice left hook from Penn. Good hook to the body from Diaz. Great combo finished with a body shot from Diaz. BJ now ties things up and Diaz going for a double leg take down but is stuffed. Short punches from Diaz. Hard left from Diaz and Penn is hurt!! Diaz with a big combo and now is going to the body and the head. Hard left from Diaz. Body and head hook from Diaz. Penn is hurt. Jab from Penn. Body shots and hook from Diaz. Diaz unloading with bdoy shots and hooks. Big right from Diaz. Diaz now lands a flurry and BJ with a good counter right and left. Right hook from Diaz lands hard and more body shots and now Penn is bloody. Short punches form Diaz against the cage. That is the bell and that round was all Diaz. 10-9 Diaz. Round three: Hard body shot from BJ. Jab from Penn. Jab from Diaz. Penn shoots and is stuffed by Diaz now their tied up against the cage. Great double left hook from Diaz and now a right. Jab from Diaz and then a right. Nice right from Diaz. Body shot and double hook from Diaz. Short uppercuts from Diaz in the clinch. Great body shot hook combo from Diaz. Both men trade rights. One two combo from Diaz and a big right from Penn. HARD right from Penn. Uppercut from Penn. Both men trading hooks and good body shots from Diaz. Right from Diaz and a big left. Jab from Diaz. Big left from Diaz. Now their tied up against the cage. Good right from Penn and more body shots from Diaz. Hard right from Penn. Jab from Diaz. Right and left from Penn. Right from Diaz. Jab from Penn. Good right from Diaz and now their tied up against the cage. Good combo from Diaz and left from Penn. Penn lands a hard left and right. Uppercut from Penn. Good right from Penn. Right left from Diaz. Head kick from Diaz. Left hook from Penn. Combo from Diaz. Right hook from Diaz and now Penn with a big flurry and a huge left hook. Wow that was an awesome fight but Diaz took it. 10-9 Diaz. Final result: Nick Diaz defeats B.J. Penn via Unanimous Decision

Posted in: diaz, right, body, penn, jab

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its been a pleasure, true legend, true champion, you will always be one of the greats! so long http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M43wsiNBwmo submitted by 2WAR [link] [7 comments]

Posted in: right, champion, kick, kick cemetery, great

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Would Georges St. Pierre moving to lightweight be "awesome?" One former champion seems to think so. Find out who right here.

Posted in: right, pierre, st, champion, george

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Tyson Griffin vs. Bart Palaszewski is the second match slated for Spike TV's UFC 137: Penn vs. Diaz preliminary card on Saturday night. The action begins at 8 p.m. ET and will be featured alongside the Dennis Siver vs. Donald Cerrone lightweight bout, which was covered in an analysis earlier today. Tyson Griffin (15-5) vs. Bart Palaszewski (35-14) It's great to see a multi-talented scrapper like "Bartimus" in the Octagon. He flaunts a substantial twenty-seven stoppages (16 TKOs, 11 subs) on a record littered with names like Ivan Menjivar, Karen Darebedyan, Anthony Pettis (wins), Gesias Cavalcante, Clay Guida and Jim Miller (losses). Palaszewski returns to action with his coach and mentor, Jeff Curran, who faces Scott Jorgenson in a bantamweight fight on the main. His twelve-piece stint in the IFL saw him run through everyone but the creme of the crop (Miller, Deividas Taurosevicius and Horodecki twice), which was not unlike his following performances in the WEC. There, the adept striker and BJJ black belt won five of his eight fights (handing Anthony Pettis his first loss, which is worth repeating) but fell short against Anthony Njoukani, Ricardo Llamas, and a split decision to Kamal Shalorus. Tyson Griffin's name first resonated when he finished eventual poster boy Urijah Faber in 2005, which was only Griffin's third fight. After a first round crunching of Duane Ludwig in Strikeforce, Griffin set up shop with the UFC and launched a stellar sequence. In nine showings, Griffin vaulted up the ladder with seven monumental wins over reputable names like Clay Guida, Thiago Tavares, Gleison Tibau and Rafael dos Anjos with stalwart wrestlers Frankie Edgar and Sean Sherk being the two that out-worked him. Three consecutive defeats would result in Griffin dropping down to featherweight: Evan Dunham by split decision, eating Takanori Gomi's infamous Hadouken Punch and a razor-thin split decision to Nik Lentz. Griffin has only finished two of his eight UFC wins -- Hermes Franca by TKO and David Lee by sub -- which is typically the kiss of death for a fighter's reputation. However, despite his propensity for decisions, Griffin's been bestowed with "Fight of the Night" honors no less than five times and always maintains a frenetic and aggressive pace. Gifs and analysis in the full entry. SBN coverage of UFC 137: Penn vs. Diaz Palaszewski's preference is to handle things on his feet. He throws a high number of kicks; most low, some to the body with a head-level attempt mixed in occasionally. He's good with his hands but definitely should be categorized as more of a wide ranging kickboxer than a traditional boxer. His experience shines through in his overall grasp of fundamentals and his steely composure. To the left Palaszewski mixes up his kicks well with a body kick and low kick. Kamal Shalorus was able to find the mark with his lead low kicks, which is a trusted weapon for Griffin and something that requires a specific plan for. Griffin keys nicely off his low kicks, especially when countering with his hands. Palaszewski will have to stay out of no-man's land and avoid just checking them on the edge of range, making the choice to step back and disengage or time his straight right to land first. The clip to the right is a fitting example of the basic but effective range of skill Palaszewski can offer up. He opens the combination going to the body with a left hook and trails it with a stiff right hand. Taking a bit of a risk and leading the next exchange with a straight knee that Shalorus catches, he keeps good balance and digs an underhook while dipping his hips back to negate the takedown attempt. He greets Shalorus with the pressure of another knee and incoming punch after the sprawl. Griffin won't throw much at Palaszewski that he hasn't seen before, but his explosive quickness matched with his wrestling prowess might be a problem. Bart has excellent grappling, yet only the very elite can hope to win or even hold their own from the guard in modern day MMA. While functional, I don't think Palaszewski has the takedown defense to unfailingly repel Griffin, who is also clever in stuffing submissions and sweeps from the top and uses takedowns to gain momentum. I really enjoy a lot of the under-appreciated things that Tyson Griffin does. For starters, he's amazingly consistent. Remove the puzzling strategy against Gomi -- which was the only time he's ever been finished or made such a grievous error -- and what's left is Griffin steadily plugging away with a ridiculously high pace and work-rate for all three rounds in every UFC performance ... win or lose. Not only is he a tenacious workhorse who never lets up, he's become very technically complete, such as the feint, angle and footwork in the low kick to the right. Griffin has a sweet straight right and it's the perfect companion to his low kicks. The clip to the right is the same way he knocked Hermes Franca out, which is by setting up his cross with the low kick or his left hand. He pounces quickly but Manny Gamburyan recovers well, though Griffin sneaks in a nice punch at the end of the scramble. This is also a nice example of how he climbs ahead on the score cards with constant activity and smart bursts. Again we see the looming threat of Griffin's cracking low kick to the right. You can see Gamburyan struggling with what I mentioned Palaszewski would have to devise a solid plan for. To deal with the endless barrage of low kicks, Gamburyan tries to back off and then re-engage (but Griffin is already out of range), and twice attempts to land first by moving in with punches: he whiffs on the first and Griffin keeps his chin tucked and defends well on the second. Griffin also does a good job of changing up from his sweeping strikes (left hook, low kick) to his straight attacks (lead uppercut, right cross, straight knee, takedown attempt) to keep his opponent guessing and dictate the pace. Griffin's fight with Frankie Edgar was extremely impressive, especially in retrospect. He scored a monster slam, hung well on the feet and ended the fight wrenching a deep kneebar for forty seconds. I think Griffin should aspire to replicate the same menacing style of Frankie Edgar. He has the in-and-out footwork, head movement, explosive quickness and lightning-fast double legs to do it, and I see that as the strategy he'll overwhelm Palaszewski with. Griffin can alternate from a wide variety of offense at a furious pace, never letting his opponent do much more than defend. I'm interested in how well his speed translates in this second match, as Palaszewski should be able to match that aspect better than Gamburyan, but I think he'll be too quick, explosive and tenacious. My Prediction: Tyson Griffin by decision     All gifs via Zombie Prophet of IronForgesIron.com           Poll Tyson Griffin vs. Bart Palaszewski Tyson Griffin Bart Palaszewski   15 votes | Results

Posted in: right, vs, griffin, palaszewski, tyson

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Sandwiched between the Facebook stream and the live pay-per-view, Spike TV will feature two UFC 137: Penn vs. Diaz preliminary fights at 8 p.m. ET. With pivotal repercussions on the lightweight totem pole, German kickboxing champion Dennis Siver squares off with soaring WEC crossover Donald Cerrone. In his second featherweight foray, the stalwart Tyson Griffin welcomes Bart Palaszewski -- another staple in the WEC -- to the Octagon after a ten-month layoff. I'll cover the second fight separately to give the marquee bout the detail it deserves. Donald Cerrone (16-3) vs. Dennis Siver (19-7) Both of these offensive minded strikers have rocketed up the contender ladder with a recent resurgence. After dropping a decision to Ross Pearson at UFC Fight Night 21, Siver pegged four in a row over Spencer Fisher, Andre Winner, then-top-tenner George Sotiropoulos and a contentious decision over Matt Wiman. Since a Ben Henderson guillotine at WEC 48, "Cowboy" responded with five consecutive wins over Jamie Varner and Chris Horodecki in the WEC and Paul Kelly, Vagner Rocha and Charles Oliveira in the Octagon. For Siver, the renewed vigor was preceded by an introductory four-piece UFC run that resulted in only one victory over Naoyuki Kotani (KO) with losses to Jess Liaudin (armbar), Gray Maynard (decision) and Melvin Guillard (TKO). Along with Ben Henderson and Anthony Pettis, Cerrone cemented himself as a top lightweight in the WEC by plowing through everyone but Henderson (who beat him twice) and Jamie Varner, though avenged the latter convincingly in the rematch. Gifs and analysis in the full entry. SBN coverage of UFC 137: Penn vs. Diaz Even though Siver's kickboxing is highly dynamic, it's still the only dimension where he thrives offensively. Most of his secondary skills are support systems for his striking, such as his ornery scrambling and sprawl. The key to his evolution has been tightening up his stance and sticking to more common strikes while heavily fortifying his takedown defense, forcing opponents to battle with him where he's at his best. Easing back a little on the spinning kicks and other atypical tactics from his taekwondo background (right), Siver is now relying more on basic, head-breaking boxing combinations delivered deep in the pocket. In the sequence to the left against Sotiropoulos, the flurries he unravels for both knockdowns are indicative of his quickness and power. However, the combo in the second knockdown (at 1:08) shows Siver's distinct style of gun-slinging short and twisting hooks at close range. He keeps his elbows tight to his sides and flashes a mean set of rights and lefts while torquing hard at the waist to generate a lot of power. Every strike here travels with a subtle arc to it. With a punching style more akin to Russian or European boxing rather than the Western style, Siver rarely -- if ever -- throws a straight jab or cross. This, along with the graceful kicks he swings out with no forewarning or set up, gives everything Siver offers on the feet an odd timing that's difficult to defend. Siver also wears people down with his ever-present ability to finish or ceaselessly frustrate his opponent with sharp, stinging combinations for all fifteen minutes. In addition to the power he shows against Sotiropoulos and Winner (right), the adjustments he's made are evident here. By whittling down his stand up arsenal to simpler strikes, Siver can maintain rock-solid balance and keep his hands in a position conducive to shucking off takedowns. Built like a stocky slab of muscle, Siver has a low center of gravity and a strongly anchored base that makes for some feisty takedown defense, as depicted to the left. His game plan is pretty obvious and the variables will be how well he addresses Cerrone's quickness, length and grappling advantage. Cerrone has also evolved recently, and it sure seems that his mental game and maturity are the most noticeable. He's always had incredible talent, but this sequence to the right versus Chris Horodecki shows some of his careless lapses from the past. He opens with a telegraphed lead knee while his hands are up in the air (for balance) rather than barricaded around his chin, and Horodecki tags him for it. Based on the range he's in, his strike selection is a little curious here. He has the ideal frame and toolbox to be effective from any distance -- from outside (jabs and kicks), in the pocket (punches and elbows) and at "phone booth range" (knees and elbows) -- and Cerrone is now demonstrating an astute grasp of range by applying the proper weaponry. Contrast the Horodecki gif to the one versus Oliveira to the left: now, the plunging knee is dealt deep in the pocket after he sets up his advance with a long right hand. He wisely retreats when Oliveira tries to stick to him and charge forward for control. Again to the right, Cerrone dominates the distance game with his intelligent choice of offense. From outside, he kicks off the attack with a left hook and straight right while closing in. Then, reacting on the fly to Oliveira's consistent pattern of using the double-forearm block, Cerrone hovers low and left to bore a beautiful body shot to the exposed sternum. Cerrone is extremely rangy for the weight class; a natural attribute that complements his wicked Thai onslaught perfectly. My guess is that, in the past, Cerrone made some risky choices with his wild stand up because he could fall back on his strong chin and high level ground game. For that reason, I gave Vagner Rocha, a demon on the ground, a legit chance. Cerrone had never before executed a flawless sprawl-and-brawl and fearlessly went to the mat with anyone, which would have been a big mistake with Rocha. Not only did he follow the perfect strategy, Cerrone showed how leg kicks are great distance weapons. We often hear that leg kicks are a danger when fending off an aspiring takedown artist, but Cerrone complemented his Thai kicks in the Rocha fight with the perfect timing, technique, and, as emphasized earlier, from the perfect range. Though not known as a wrestler, Cerrone is still a threat with takedowns on account of his quickness and ability to explode at the right moment. It's not a textbook example, but even without a ton of movement or much of a set up, Cerrone drops levels at light speed to take Horodecki down to the right. Amazingly enough, Cerrone's dramatic stoppage of Oliveira was his first and only finish by TKO. This leaves Siver with the clear edge in punching power and propensity for damage in the pocket. Really, I think Cerrone deserves the nod everywhere else, except maybe with hand speed and clinch defense: overall quickness, agility and movement; chin resilience, height and length, offensive wrestling, grappling, submissions and cardio. He gets my vote for this landslide of advantages. Of course, Siver excels at nullifying all other aspects of MMA by narrowing the fight down to a jousting match on the feet, where he can hang with just about anybody. In addition to his stout takedown defense, his scrambling chops and ability to stand back up are highly formidable. No one should rule out a Siver win but, on paper, the analysis easily leans toward Cerrone's diversity and size carrying him to a win. He may very well win by decision in a straight striking match, but I envision him flustering Siver with his newfound control of distance and eventually springing for a takedown and latching a sub in a scramble. My Prediction: Donald Cerrone by submission     Siver vs. Mohr gif via MMA-Core.com All others via Zombie Prophet of IronForgesIron.com Poll Dennis Siver vs. Donald Cerrone Dennis Siver Donald Cerrone   81 votes | Results

Posted in: takedown, right, vs, cerrone, siver

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Watch the entire UFC 137 preview show, featuring B.J. Penn vs. Nick Diaz, right here on HeavyMMA.com.

Posted in: ufc, diaz, show, right, heavymmacom

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Anything a fighter has done sort of consistently and effectively enough to be considered part of their style and one of their moves to look out for whenever they are in the cage? Could be a submission, a strike, a takedown or a position they dominate from, anything really. I'll go first and say Randy's clinch game and dirty boxing submitted by toodees [link] [15 comments]

Posted in: right, fighter, anything, move, heart

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At UFC 136, we saw Frankie Edgar wrap up his trilogy with Gray Maynard with an emphatic exclamation point, knocking the undefeated Maynard out in the 4th round in order to gain a degree of closure and retain his UFC Lightweight title. But it wasn't an easy night for Edgar, who very nearly saw his title slip away during a Maynard onslaught in the opening round. Both men were able to land serious blows on their opponents, using combinations of punches to great effect. And for both men, the punch that really started it all was the same. The uppercut. Along with the hook, cross, and jab, the uppercut is one of the punches that forms the foundation of a fighter's boxing skills. At UFC 136, Edgar and Maynard both utilized this punch with great success, but they did so in different ways. In this Judo Chop, we'll break down the mechanics of the uppercut and see what these two Lightweights did in common, and where their techniques differed. Before getting to the fight, let's look at the basics of an uppercut. Here's the description, courtesy of Fight Night: The Thinking Fan's Guide to Mixed Martial Arts: The uppercut is a close-range boxing-based punch that travels in an oblique (vertically upward) trajectory. It can be delivered with either hand with the primary targets being the chin and solar plexus. The uppercut is a potent punch to use when applying the dirty boxing clinch or in conjunction with hooks... The rear uppercut to the head is the most prevalently used version of the punch in MMA. There is a lot to like about the uppercut. It can be a devastating punch, with great knockout potential, as Junior dos Santos proved in his UFC debut against Fabricio Werdum. There are a few reasons for this. First, the momentum of the fist coming up with the weight of the body behind it gives a lot of power behind the blow. Second, defenses are more geared towards blocking punches down the middle or from the side. By coming up from below, the uppercut can break through those defenses. Third, if it doesn't get the KO, the uppercut can set up a devastating hook, as an uppercut forces the victim to lift his chin and potentially expose his head. Let's see how these techniques are delivered by Edgar and Maynard in their UFC 136 title clash. Full breakdown with gifs in the complete article. Gifs by BE reader Grappo. We start with Maynard landing the first truly significant blow of the fight - an uppercut that buckles Edgar's knees. Maynard uses the rear uppercut, throwing with his right hand. He throws it with a lot of power, and is clearly looking for the big shot here. Notice how Edgar's hands are in good position to strike or to block a hook, jab, or cross, but leave a gap up the middle to his chin. Maynard finds that gap perfectly, sending Edgar's head popping up. One source of power for Maynard here is his footwork. As he throws, he steps forward with his lead leg, moving to Edgar's side. This accomplishes a few things. By moving to Edgar's side, he gets very close to the champion. That proximity allows him to keep the uppercut relatively tight, committing his power to the upwards motion, and not to closing the distance on a far-away target. While he steps with the left lead leg, Maynard also keeps his right leg planted, using that rear leg to generate more power into the punch. Here's a second angle that further shows Maynard's nice timing. As he steps in, Edgar begins to throw a right hand. But this just leaves his head further exposed, and Maynard takes excellent advantage of that opening. Notice too how Maynard sees Edgar's right hand pulled back, and after connecting with the uppercut, Gray uses his own left to block his face from Edgar's right. Because Edgar is rocked, that right hand never comes, but it's impressive to see Maynard blocking it in order to remain safe. Finally, watch Maynard's hips here. He does a good job after landing the punch of quickly rotating back towards Edgar and getting his hips squared again to continue the attack. A few seconds later, Maynard continues the assault, again utilizing uppercuts well. Here, Edgar attempts to regain his feet and back away from Maynard to create some distance. But as Edgar stands, Maynard drops his left hand onto the back of Edgar's neck, securing a dirty boxing clinch. He sneaks in a quick uppercut before Edgar ties up the right arm and Maynard transitions to a Thai clinch. That uppercut comes fast, but is delivered with good technique. Despite the scrambling going on, Maynard has his feet firmly planted when he throws the punch. Also, watch his hips again, as you can see Maynard rotate his hips to add more power from his base into the punch. As the round progresses, Maynard continues coming forward, but Edgar begins to avoid the shots. Here, Maynard throws an uppercut-hook combo. As I mentioned before, this is a common and effective combo, as the uppercut forces your opponent's head up and leaves him exposed to the left hook. Unfortunately for Maynard, this one doesn't land. Edgar throws his own left, and his arm blocks the uppercut. Maynard seems to get a bit of the hook, but without the uppercut having landed, the combo is not very effective. Throughout the round, Maynard becomes very reliant on the uppercut, beginning to use it without much of a set-up. Here we see him head-hunting with an uppercut near the end of the round. This time, Maynard is really telegraphing the punch. As he comes in, he keeps that right hand low, and his right shoulder a bit further back. He also uses a slower, and more obvious wind-up. These motions give the punch more power, but they also make it more obvious that it is coming. As Maynard throws, you can see Edgar slightly move his head back and to his right in order to avoid the blow. He's too slow to fully avoid it, but it saves him from the clean KO Maynard is going for. Contrast this with the first gif and you can see what a better job Maynard does at throwing the punch with surprise in the first gif. Despite his early success, Maynard didn't get the job done, and in round 4, Edgar came back, using his own uppercuts to gain the advantage. Here's a very quick, tight uppercut that drops Maynard. Like the second example above, Edgar throws this punch coming out of a scramble. As both men come to their feet, Edgar uses his right hand to keep Maynard's head in position, then throws a fast uppercut. One big difference you see here is speed. Frankie's hands are very fast, as is his set-up. He barely has his hand in position for the clinch before the punch comes in. He also does not wait to load up the punch, instead throwing it quickly from his side. Finally, you can see from his body movement that he does not throw as much power behind it. The punch drops Maynard because of the precision - Edgar lands it right on the chin, so that even without Maynard's big power, the damage is done. Immediately after this punch, Edgar swarms on Maynard. As Gray comes up, he is bent at the waist and his head is low. Edgar quickly connects with an uppercut, forcing Maynard to bring his head up. Watch Maynard's hands as he comes up - he keeps them low, leaving them to defend more incoming uppercuts. But with his hands low and his head high, he is a perfect target for the hook, and Edgar uses a pair of hooks to drop him again and end the fight. This is something of a variation on the more traditional uppercut-hook combo Maynard used above, but it is the same basic idea - Edgar's uppercut moves the head into position for the hooks to end it. Beautiful footwork by Frankie here as well. As he delivers the uppercuts he moves off to Maynard's right, just as Gray did in the first clip. Then, when he switches to the right hook, he totally switches his momentum and moves to Maynard's left to get more behind those hooks. Great adjustment there, and the kind of little detail that makes this a fight ending combination, and Edgar a champion. In the fight, both men have success with some very similar uppercuts, though you can see a difference in their approach. In Maynard you see an uppercut based on power and textbook technique - he's looking for the dos Santos style one punch KO. In Edgar, you see a greater reliance on speed and mixing the uppercut into combinations. And ultimately, it's Edgar's speed and accuracy that win the day.

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A mystery writer espouses the viewpoint that Dana White is not the right man for the job to lead UFC during their new era on Fox.

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UFC President Dana White isn't worried in the slightest by Bellator. Find out why right here.

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Filed under: UFC, MMA Fighting Exclusive, NewsIt's been an action-packed two-year stretch for Dominick Cruz, who won the WEC bantamweight championship, broke his left hand, avenged his sole loss, held on to his title through a UFC transition, broke his right hand, and basically ran though the division's top five in the process. In his most recent fight, he worked his way to a unanimous decision win over Demetrious Johnson despite injuring himself early in the bout. Earlier this week, the 26-year-old Cruz underwent successful surgery on his right hand that will keep him out of action for the foreseeable future. But when he returns, who will be there waiting for him? As I noted in an interview with Cruz, he's kind of gone through the division's top five. "Not kind of," Cruz told MMA Fighting. "I have. "The bottom line is it looks like I'm going to run into rematches wherever I go," he continued. "That's where I'm like, I fought everybody, so why do I really care? I'm trying to fight for the best position in the world. If they give me [Brian] Bowles, they give me Bowles. If they give me [Urijah] Faber or [Miguel] Torres or [Joseph] Benavidez, OK. I've fought everybody. I believe and I know I'm the best in the world, and anybody that's going to come challenge me for it, I'm ready for it." If we're talking rematches, perhaps Bowles would be the most interesting possibility of the group. He's the man Cruz (19-1) beat for the championship back in March 2010, a fight that was halted after the second round when Bowles broke his hand. Bowles is set to fight Faber at UFC 139, and a win might propel him to a title shot. Maybe since that was not a clear-cut win, it would be a more interesting matchup? "It wasn't conclusive to people who say he broke his hand, but I broke my hand several times in a few fights now, but I never stopped, and I finished those fights," he said. "Need I say more?" Cruz doesn't have any patience for the injury excuse because of what he himself has gone through. For his first injury, he not only suffered through it during the fight itself, but also through training camp. And his most recent injury against Johnson came in the first round of a five-round battle, meaning he fought hurt for more than 20 minutes. How headstrong is he? He even delayed meeting with a specialist until after taking care of previously scheduled commitments, including appearances at last week's UFC Fan Expo in Houston. During those appearances, Cruz simply had his middle and ring fingers taped together, and was forced to shake hands with his left. Despite that, he went five rounds, refusing to surrender his title due to pain. "It's not an option to stop," he said. "Anything wrong with your body, you ignore it. You get your minute to rest between rounds, and you try to take your instructions from your corner and make the adjustments in your mind, and then keep fighting." The performance was vintage Cruz, using his length and footwork to mix up strikes and takedowns. Cruz said it took him one round to absorb Johnson's gameplan and understand how to properly attack the speedy challenger. He grades himself an "A" for his efforts, saying that the biggest in-fight adjustment was working off of Johnson's constant stance switches and punch combinations. So the past is in clear focus, but the future is a bit more murky. Cruz declines to name anyone on his wish list of opponents. According to him, though, it's easy to stay motivated when you're defending the No. 1 spot. "If I have to fight them five times and beat them five times to prove I'm still better than them, I'll do it," he said. "That's my job and what I love to do. To compete and prove what I'm capable of." But for now, that will have to wait as he lets his hand heal. It seems that finally, he'll treat himself to the fruits of his labor. Despite being the champ for well over one year, Cruz still rides around San Diego in a Honda Civic. But he's got his eye on a significant upgrade, a Cadillac CTS-V. The car is the world's fastest production sedan, going 0-60 in 3.9 seconds. Somehow that seems fitting for Cruz. Fast-healer, fast on his feet, fast car. But he promises he won't get complacent. Though he admits he may take a small vacation, he plans to work around his injured hand, focusing on conditioning with roadwork and running bleachers. He'll build up his leg strength. He'll still be in the gym helping out his team. In short, he won't sit around being lazy. One of Cruz's goals is to the best pound-for-pound fighter on the planet. Right now, most MMA rankings have him somewhere around the top five, within shooting distance. "When you're the best pound-for-pound on the planet, rankings do matter because you can't contest the spot," he said. "Anderson Silva right now is the best on the planet and you can't contest that. That's what I like about that. I want to add to my legacy. And pound-for-pound best? That's superhero stuff right there." Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

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Paul ‘Semtex’ Daley is hoping to right his wrongs when he returns to the Bell Centre in montreal, Canada for the first time since his infamous...

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Who needs friends when a legacy is on the line? Despite both men having trained together in the past and both having ties to Greg Jackson's gym down in New Mexico, Georges St. Pierre wants you to know that Carlos Condit, his opponent at UFC 137 on Oct. 29 in Las Vegas, is not his friend. "I'm going to have to deal with a guy who has knockout power, very technical striker and a great ground game as well. Unpredictable fighter. I've seen a lot of improvement in Carlos' game but I believe I'm a more improved fighter than Carlos is. I have a game plan to take care of Carlos and I will execute it. He's not my friend and I don't put any emotion in but I believe I will have the key to victory. I do believe I will be able to knock him out or submit him. I will remain the welterweight champion." St. Pierre was originally set to battle Nick Diaz over Halloween weekend, but a series of unfortunate events prevented that highly anticipated fight from occurring.  Condit just so happened to be in the right place at the right time -- with the right resume -- to slide right into the main event slot for the opportunity of a lifetime. And, of course, become the next man who presents "Rush" with his toughest challenge to date. Video of St. Pierre talking about his upcoming title defense, which will be his seventh in a row, after the jump.

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Watch right here as sportsnet.ca brings you live coverage of the UFC 140 weigh-ins at 4 p.m. ET from the Air Canada Centre in Toronto.

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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

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After a full trilogy of fights, we've finally got some closure. And it sure as hell didn't come easy for the defending UFC lightweight champion, Frankie Edgar, as he once again had to overcome a horrible first round against "The Bully," Gray Maynard in the main event of UFC 136 last night (October 8, 2011). This time, not only did Edgar bounce back from nearly being finished, he came back and stopped "The Bully" for the first time in his professional career with a fourth round technical knockout victory. So how did the undersized lightweight champ pull it off? And who's on the horizon as the next challenger to the throne? We've got the answers inside. Things did not start well for Frankie Edgar. After a relatively even first two minutes, Gray Maynard was still testing the waters with a pawing jab, trying to find his range and keep "The Answer" at bay.  Maynard finally got his opening when Edgar unwisely began circling to his left, which is directly into Maynard's power. Maynard stepped in with a beautiful looping uppercut that Edgar never saw coming. It was a strike he must have been working on in his time off because he did not throw it in either of their previous meetings. It also caught Edgar as he was winding up to charge in for a strike of his own so the surprise factor may have increased the staggering effect of the powerful blow to the chin. For the next two minutes and 40 seconds, Frankie Edgar was in complete survival mode, just like their rematch this past July, but Maynard was much more composed, picking his spots and blasting Edgar repeatedly when he saw an opening, and there were many of them. Edgar's footwork and head movement go completely out the window when he's hurt. Perhaps the most damaging blow of them all was another attack Edgar couldn't possibly expect, the flying double knee. It was another attack Gray Maynard had never thrown in a previous bout.  Edgar, still woozy, throws a lazy jab and absolutely eats a face full of Maynard's knee. He wisely latches onto one of "The Bully's" legs with a takedown attempt to help himself clear out the cobwebs. You always hear about the "fight of flight" response, well Frankie Edgar has no idea what it means to flee from battle. Despite getting pounded repeatedly in the latter half of the first round, he never cowered, never turned away, never even winced and never once despaired.  It was an ugly sight when Edgar went back to his corner, but he came out in the second round and went right back to work. Gray Maynard? He decided to sit back on his laurels and do absolutely nothing. Maynard came out for the second round in a wrestler's stance, barely ever throwing a strike and by doing so, he allowed Edgar to find his rhythm. The pawing jab that was helping keep Edgar at bay and allowing him to find his range had completely disappeared. Instead, he was loading up with the right hand and trying to occasionally throw it with power. By the third round, Edgar had completely taken control of the fight. Maynard's footwork was atrocious and he was chasing the champion around the cage instead of cutting him off. Edgar was dancing circles around him and attacking without getting hit back.  Edgar's confidence was soaring as the fourth round began and he opened it with a big right hand, his most powerful of the fight, that connected solid. He also began landing some thudding leg kicks which staggered the challenger.  After stuffing the Maynard's second takedown attempt of the round, Edgar landed a crisp short right uppercut that hurt the Xtreme Couture product. Maynard stumbled and Edgar exploded forward for the kill. After initially landing a nice short right hand on his staggering opponent, notice how much of his body he puts into that right hook that connects with the side of Maynard's head. Maynard is all but finished after that right hook connects. Who says the little guy doesn't have power? Once Maynard dropped face-first, Edgar swarmed him with repeated huge left hands from above until referee Josh Rosenthal had seen enough and put a stop to the bout. For Gray Maynard, he once again let a golden opportunity slip through his fingers. Not only could he not secure a finish when he had Edgar hurt for over half of the first round, but he came out so passively in the second that he allowed Edgar to get back into the fight and even take control. He completely abandoned what had worked so well in the first round and went back to trying to land his big power punches instead of working the left jab and mixing things up. It's likely going to be a long time before "The Bully" ever sniffs a title shot again due to the fact that the lightweight division is absolutely loaded right now. A bout with recently defeated contenders Jim Miller or Melvin Guillard would be interesting. If not, don't be surprised to see Maynard step in against the loser of the upcoming bout between Ben Henderson and Clay Guida.  For Frankie Edgar, what a comeback. He probably gave his family back home yet another heart attack in that first round, but maybe that's what it takes to get him to wake up and get into the fight. Edgar is absolutely fearless, even in the face of adversity. Once he found his groove with about a minute left in the second round, Maynard never had a chance and major props to him for going for the finish when he had his opponent hurt. He answered a lot of his critics last night. Edgar has two options right now. He can either face the winner of the upcoming match between top contenders Clay Guida and Ben Henderson at the UFC on FOX event, or he can take on Strikeforce lightweight champion Gilbert Melendez, who's heavily rumored to be transitioning over to the UFC any day now. Either way, fans can likely expect another incredible performance from one of the gutsiest fighters in MMA history. So what did you think, Maniacs? Did Edgar "answer" all your questions last night? Has his trilogy with Maynard finally been put to rest despite the 1-1-1 record between them? Who do you think should fight for the title next? Sound off! For complete UFC 136 results, including blow-by-blow, fight-by-fight coverage of the entire pay-per-view (PPV) event as well as immediate post-fight reaction click here, here and here. All gifs by Zombie Prophet via IronForgesIron.com.    

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UFC President Dana White is pretty high on Frankie Edgar right about now.

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Jose Aldo defeats Kenny Florian via unanimous decision to retain his featherweight championship in the co-main event of UFC 136: "Edgar vs. Maynard 3" on Oct. 8 in Houston, Texas. Aldo used superior speed, striking and a far more polished ground game to befuddle "Ken Flo," who likely just lost out on his final chance of winning a major mixed marital arts title. For complete UFC 136 results and blow-by-blow coverage of all the main card action click here. After the jump is blow-by-blow from this fight from our very own Andrew Mendez: UFC Featherweight Champion Jose Aldo vs. Kenny Florian Round one: Leg kick from Florian. Another leg kick from Florian. Leg kick from Florian and another. Their landing hard from Ken Flo. Good charging right from Aldo. Left from Aldo. Leg kick from Florian. Florian goes for a take down and Aldo stuffs it and lands a HARD right that rocks Florian. RIght from Florian. Florian with a quick take down, but Aldo scrambles to his feet and now their tied up against the cage with Florian in the dominant position. Florian with a throw take down and Aldo back to his feet and then Florian with a trip take down and Aldo again right back to his feet. Now Florian has the back while standing up and Florian looses it. Florian back to the back. Now they break. Hard uppercut from Aldo. Florian goes for another take down and nothing and now a body shot from Florian. Florian is just relentless with his grappling and he lands a good knee. Elbow from Florian. Elbow at the bell from Florian. 10-9 Florian. Round two: Right from Florian. Leg kick from Florian. Good left from Aldo. Hard right from Aldo. Aldo with a good right hook and body kick from Florian. Uppercut from Aldo grazes Kenny. Inside leg kick from Florian and a double leg kick from Aldo. Good right from Aldo. Jab from Florian. Jab from Florian. Leg kick from Aldo. Leg kick from Florian. Another inside leg kick from Florian. HUGE head kick from Aldo lands HARD. Aldo tosses Florian to the mat and misses a front kick to the face. Good right from Aldo. Leg kick from Aldo. Florian with a good leg kick. Jab from Florian. Florian goes for the take down now. Right from Aldo at the bell. That round was razor close and almost impossible to score. Ill lean Aldo. 10-9 Aldo. Round three: Leg kick from Florian. Body kick from Kenny. Nice left and right hook from Aldo. Big overhand right from Aldo. Short uppercut and left hook from Aldo. Front kick from Aldo. Big right from Aldo and leg kick from Florian. Big inside leg kick and then left right combo which lands HARD from Aldo. RIght from Aldo. Jab from Florian. Nice left hook right hook combo from Aldo. Florian ducks under for a take down and Aldo reverses and is on top in full guard!!! Punches from Aldo and Florian slips out into half guard. Good right from Aldo on the top. Punches now from Aldo but Kenny is making him work hard on top. Aldo postures up and good up kicks from Florian. Aldo back on top. Florian scrambles up and eats a right for his troubles. Florian goes for the take down again, Aldo stops it. That is the bell and that is all Aldo. 10-9 Aldo. Round four: Inside leg kick from Florian. Inside leg kick from Aldo. Right from Aldo lands flush. Jab from Florian. Leg kick from Aldo. Now their tied up briefly. Aldo with a hard right. Florian goes for a take down and is stuffed and Aldo lands a BIG knee! Now their tied up against the cage. Florian going for a high single and nothing there and now their in the center of the cage. Aldo stuffs another take down. Now their tied up against the cage. Knee from Florian and Aldo reverses positions. Florian drops down for a single again. Aldo sprawling out. Right from Aldo and body shot from Aldo and then a left hook from Aldo. Florian ties things up once again. Short elbow from Florian. Hard right from Aldo and body kick at the bell. Close round, ill lean towards Florian for aggression. 10-9 Florian. Round five: This round according to my scorecard will decide the fight. Leg kick from Florian. Florian charges in for another take down and lands some knees against the cage as Aldo stuffs it. Now their tied up against the cage and Florian trying to work the position but Aldo with good defense. Aldo slips away. Aldo lands a big jab as Florian slips while throwing a knee. Now Aldo lands kicks to the legs while holding position with Kenny on his back. Florian goes for a heel hook and Aldo lands a big right. Aldo lands a big elbow. Aldo mounts now!! Nice right from Aldo. Florian goes to scoot out the back door and Aldo grabs a leg before he can get away. Aldo now on top in half guard. Aldo almost gets to the mount again, but Florian now back to his feet and their clinched up against the cage. Knees from Aldo. Knee from Florian and ref breaks themup. Florian ties it up instantly and Aldo just pushes him into the cage. Lots of grappling against the cage and Aldo seems content to ride out the round, Florian with a right and flying knee that doesnt hit. Left hook from Aldo and Aldo lands a big left hook right hook combo. Knee from Aldo and that is the bell. Round 5 was all Aldo and now well see how the judges scored the fight. In my opinion Aldo won 3 and 5 clearly, but now the other rounds could literally have gone either way so the judges will decide this one. 10-9 Aldo.

Posted in: right, florian, kick, leg kick, aldo

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Frankie Edgar knocks out Gray Maynard in the main event of UFC 136: "Edgar vs. Maynard 3" tonight (Sat., Oct. 8, 2011) in Houston, Texas, to retain his lightweight championship and bring an dazzling end to a thrilling trilogy. This one will -- or should -- go down as the greatest pair of fights in one year between two talented mixed martial artists in history. What an unbelievable night. For complete UFC 136 results and blow-by-blow coverage of all the night's action click here. After the jump is the detailed blow-by-blow from the fight from our very own Andrew Mendez: UFC Lightweight Champion Frankie Edgar vs. Gray Maynard Round one: Double jab from Edgar. Leg kick from Edgar. Leg kick from Maynard. Hard combo from Edgar finishes with a left hook. Right from Edgar. Short uppercut from Edgar. Edgar with a heel hook take down attempt and has the back of Maynard but cannot finish it off. Now their in the center of the cage again. HUGE uppercut from Maynard ROCKS EDGAR. Another uppercut from Maynard and now he lands a big knee. Edgar is HURT!!! Big right hook from Edgar. Right from Maynard lands hard. Maynard lands a short right that knocks Edgar back. Now their on the mat and Maynard lands a little and Edgar is back up and Maynard lands another big uppercut. Left from Edgar. Edgar is bleeding bad from His nose. Big right and knee from Maynard. Left from Edgar and big jump knee from Maynard. Now their on the mat and Maynard lands some punches and now their back up. Big left and then right from Maynard. Another left from Maynard. Edgar with a left hook. That is the bell and that was a creepily similar round 1 to the last fight but this time its not a 10-8 round. 10-9 Maynard. Round two: Both men dancing around feeling one another out. Nice uppercut left hook combo from Edgar. Body head combo from Edgar and then a leg kick. Nice uppercut left hook combo again. Leg kick from Edgar and a big right hook from Edgar. Left hook from Edgar. Edgar shoots and nothing there Edgar lands a left on the break. Nice uppercut and left hook from Edgar. Jab from Edgar, and nice combo with a finishing left hook from Edgar. Right from Maynard and that is the bell. That was all Edgar in that round. 10-9 Edgar. Round three: Inside leg kick from Edgar. Jab from Edgar. Leg kick from Edgar. Knee from Maynard. Left from Edgar. Hard leg kick from Edgar. Edgar ducks under for a single but is stopped. Jab from Edgar. Leg kick from Edgar and one from Maynard. Body shot from Edgar. Edgar with a duck under right hand. Left from Edgar. Jab from both men. Right from Maynard. Inside leg kick from Edgar. Short uppercut from Maynard. Big right hook from Edgar. Nice leg kick from Edgar. Hard left hook right straight combo from Edgar. Jab from Edgar. Uppercut from Edgar. Nice combo from Edgar. Nice body kick from Edgar. Jab from Maynard. That is the bell and another round goes to Edgar. 10-9 Edgar. Round four: Right from Edgar. Inside leg kick from Edgar. Edgar goes for a take down and he lands a good uppercut. HARD right hand and left from Edgar. Leg kick from Edgar. Maynard goes for a take down and Edgar stuffs it. Maynard with a knee to the body. Hard right from Edgar. Nice uppercut from Edgar now. Another good uppercut from Edgar and coutner right from Maynard. Right from Edgar and then a leg kick and another leg kick. Edgar slips out of a take down attempt. Leg kick from Edgar. Left from Edgar. Nice body head combo from Edgar. Left from Edgar. Edgar shoots for a take down and then lands a HUGE uppercut!!!! Maynard is dropped, and bounces back to his feet. Edgar now charges in and lands two uppercuts and a big right!! Maynard is hurt bad!!! Edgar lands a MONSTER right and Maynard drops to the mat!! Edgar jumps on top and is pounding away with punches and that is it the ref stops it!!! WOW, Frankie Edgar with a vicious KO win!

Posted in: right, kick, leg kick, edgar, maynard

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Still not sold on tonight's UFC 136 pay-per-view? We've got your last minute selling points right here.

Posted in: ufc, right, reason, point, points right

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honest question, it may be two totally different offenses but from what I understand they both didnt cycle off their trt...is that right? If it is, why the double standard? submitted by PinkySlayer [link] [3 comments]

Posted in: right, nate marquardt, chael, didnt cycle, pinkyslayer

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In the second rematch to straighten out a controversial decision on the UFC 136: Edgar vs. Maynard III card, Nam Phan gets another crack at Leonard Garcia in a featherweight bout. Their first meeting at The Ultimate Fighter 12 Finale last December was a contentious split decision for Garcia. Nevada State Athletic Commission judges Tony Weeks and Adalaide Byrd both saw it 29-28 Garcia while Junichiro Kamijo gave all three to Phan. Consulting with MMADecisions.com on the Garcia vs. Phan judging breakdown: all five media sources scored the fight for Phan, with three giving him every round. Past performance-wise, Adalaide Byrd turned in an unfathomable 30-27 score for Carlos Eduardo Rocha in his loss to Jake Ellenberger (to which Ellenberger responded he "thought one of the judges must be drunk") and Tony Weeks gave Chris Cariaso all three rounds in his loss to Michael MacDonald as well as Tyson Griffin a 29-28 score in his loss to Evan Dunham. The head-scratching decision was awarded Sherdog's "Robbery of the Year" for 2010. Analyzing rematches are convenient because we can jettison MMA Math entirely and simply revisit their first encounter. Gifs and analysis in the full entry. Phan came out strong early, walking Garcia back against the cage and unloading his pro-boxing level hands. Note the solid foundation Phan has underneath him before and as he flurries, as well as the impressive quantity and accuracy of strikes he gets off with his chin tucked. He also bobs away from Garcia's left hook and continues the circular head movement to dig his right hand under the arm and sneak into the clinch. Two minutes in and we see more of the same. Phan is creeping forward with a high, emphasized guard to steer Garcia backward and deflect the haymakers. He explodes with a beautiful one-two and tacks on his best punch, which is the left hook, catching Garcia square on the chin. He darts out of range to avoid the overhand counter with his right hand cocked, as it usually is. With one minute left in the first, Garcia goes on the offensive with his signature move; flicking his left out while vaulting into range to set up his overhand home-run punch. Though he dangerously retreats in a straight line, Phan blocks everything effectively. What's confusing about Garcia's wild aggression is that he's rarely punished for it, such as after he misses with the right and stumbles forward with his hands down. Let's be honest -- the left hand he throws after that is as sloppy as it gets. Phan attacks aggressively again to open up the second round, landing some of the best blows of the fight. This clip captures Phan's striking versatility: he leads with a double jab, follows with a right and left downstairs while keeping the gap tight, then prods with a long left before increasing the power with a big overhand right. Phan steps back as if to reset, but flings a nasty left high kick to counter Garcia's duck-under left. Smelling blood, Phan now applies his plentiful arsenal to prey on Garcia's wide and open style. Notice how Phan tilts his head to the left while cascading a series of one-twos. It's a simple and safe ploy against Garcia, whose boxing is devoid of a distance weapon (like Phan's kick above). In order to catch Phan with a punch, Garcia has to duck into the whirlwind of his heavy leather. After over a dozen punches, Phan's TMA roots shine through in the side kick he lands to the body when the roundhouse misses the mark. Now Nam Phan's distinct advantage is apparent. A crafty BJJ black belt with spidery scrambling skills, he deftly snakes around to take Garcia's back. Garcia, who has only been finished twice in his seven losses, shows veteran composure by staying calm and hand-fighting to prevent the rear-naked choke. Notice how, as Garcia peels off Phan's left arm and is in the perfect spot to spin into his guard, Phan immediately underhooks Garcia's right arm to trap him. Phan's dominance with more effective and the higher volume of strikes, the knockdown, dominant position and submission attempt warrant a 10-8 second round. Fans and media criticize the greats like Anderson Silva and Georges St. Pierre for playing it safe and lacking aggression, yet also cast stones at Leonard Garcia for excelling with the same traits. I have a lot of respect for Garcia's heart and spirit, and it was on full display throughout the final round. I think Nam Phan deserved the decision. I think Phan, Garcia, Greg Jackson, Joe Rogan and the crowd did as well. However, if anyone is going to get gift decisions, I have no problem with it being the fighter whose cemented a reputation for constantly attacking with endless aggression. The prime directive for Nam Phan is replicating his methodical onslaught in the second round. Though he's the smaller fighter, his assorted arsenal of kicks and footwork give him all the tools to pinpoint the openings Garcia leaves from a distance, his fierce boxing game, body shots and power can be applied in cautious increments to inflict damage at close range, and his ravenous submission acumen instills him with a landslide of advantages on paper. His poise and mental faculties will be the key to implement those advantages whilst averting the small windows of opportunity where Garcia's predictable (but formidable) style can hurt him. Garcia is a smart fighter as well and his coaching team will have him well equipped, but I don't think it can make up for Phan's broader attributes. My Prediction: Nam Phan by submission       All gifs via Zombie Prophet of IronForgesIron.com

Posted in: right, round, phan, nam phan, garcia

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Watch the full UFC 136 Countdown show, for free, right here on HeavyMMA.com

Posted in: ufc, show, right, countdown, countdown show

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submitted by faceofuzz [link] [comment]

Posted in: right, record, doesn, record doesn, faceofuzz

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People fight. And when they do, they tend to get hurt. Strikeforce Challengers 19: "Larkin vs. Rossborough" was no exception following the Showtime broadcast last Friday night (Sept. 23, 2011) from "The Pearl" at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada. The "Sin City" fight card produced a litany of banged-up fighters, including Lavar Johnson, Magno Almeida and Bobby Green, who all have a date with the X-Ray machine to make sure everything is still in proper working order. But that's not all. A complete list of injuries and medical suspensions for Strikeforce Challengers 19: "Larkin vs. Rossborough," after the jump. Nick Rossborough: Suspended until 10/24/11 with no contact until 10/15/11 (forehead laceration). Lavar Johnson: Suspended until right elbow and right knee are cleared by an orthopedic doctor or no contest until 03/23/2012. Minimum suspension until 10/15/11 with no contact until 10/08/11. Shawn Jordan: Suspended indefinitely pending left hand (third metacarpal) X-ray to rule out fracture. If results are positive, must be cleared by an orthopedic doctor. Ryan Couture: Suspended until 11/06/11 with no contact until 10/24/11 (forehead lacerations). Todd Moore: Suspended until 10/24/11 with no contact until 10/15/11 (scalp laceration). Brian Melancon: Suspended pending right hand (first finger) X-ray to rule out fracture or no contest until 03/23/2012. James Terry: Suspended until 10/24/11 with no contact until 10/15/11 (left eyebrow cut and lower right eye cut) Magno Almeida: Suspended pending left wrist X-ray to rule out fracture. If positive, must be cleared by an orthopedic doctor or no contest until 03/23/2012. Bobby Green: Suspended indefinitely pending X-rays to both hands to rule out fractures (right third metacarpal and left fourth and fifth metacarpal). If positive, needs doctor's clearance to return. Quinn Mulhern: Suspended until 11/06/11 with no contact until 10/24/11 (scalp laceration). Danny Davis: Suspended until 10/24/11 with no contact until 10/15/11 (precautionary reasons). Just a quick reminder: Fighters often return to action much quicker once doctors give them the green light. The lengthy suspensions are just a precaution in most cases. For complete Strikeforce Challengers 19 results and detailed blow-by-blow commentary of all the main card action click here and here.

Posted in: strikeforce, right, lavar johnson, contact, doctor

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"I don't think that treatment for Anderson's problems is prohibited by the UFC, even right before a match. Some medications are limited, as you know, but Anderson is in a state of medical legitimacy because I don't think that Midol is prohibited, nor are chocolate or Gerard Butler movies. I have never personally had to deal with his sort of condition, but I feel for him and I really want to see what his top fighting form actually is, since we apparently haven't seen it yet. I can't remember the last time

Posted in: time, right, chael sonnen, anderson, midol

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Former UFC two-time welterweight champion Matt Hughes was hoping to potentially go out on a high note. But recent title challenger Josh Koscheck had other plans. For the first four minutes of their UFC 135 co-main event fight last night (September 24, 2011), Hughes looked absolutely terrific. That was, until he got knocked completely unconscious by The Ultimate Fighter season one villain. So how was "Kos" able to shake off the rust and put away the UFC Hall of Famer? And more importantly, where do both men go from here? Hughes had stated before the fight that he'd been really focusing on his footwork and striking in the lead-up to this fight and it showed early. He got off with a straight lead left jab, repeatedly finding a home under Koscheck's right eye, the same eye that was smashed to pieces by Georges St. Pierre at UFC 124. As the round progressed, Hughes switched from the lead left jab to a lead left hook, adding a slight looping motion to the punch to create a little more power. He continued to find a home for it, but this was a more risky strike to throw as if left him vulnerable to Koscheck's powerful right hand.  Hughes became even more confident, mixing in a right uppercut and actually forced Koscheck to attempt a takedown but he was able to stuff it easily with a right underhook and blasted "Kos" with a knee on the exit. Just when the Denver crowd began to believe in the upset, Koscheck destroyed their dreams with some uppercuts in the clinch followed by a crisp short overhand right that wobbled the former champion. Hughes' defense went down the toilet after this and he continued to eat punches as he tried to regain his senses. Hughes fell to his back into guard after failing with a desperation knee and this set up the finish of the fight. Notice how Koscheck doesn't wade in recklessly. While standing over the Hall of Famer, he throws big overhand rights which sneak above Hughes' outstretched hands. He also holds Hughes' head in place with his right hand to create a more stationary target. Once he keeps Hughes in place, that's when he does the real damage. Hughes is hurt badly from those overhand rights and when he turns away from the punishment, Koscheck drops repeated right hammer fists until he knocks the former champ completely out cold with just one second remaining in the first round. For Matt Hughes, there's not much to fault about his performance. He looked terrific, showcasing the best stand-up he'd used in his entire career. He actually caused Koscheck's eye to swell up a bit in the first two minutes and was well on his way to winning the first round before he got clipped. His footwork was excellent and it gave him multiple angles to really sneak in his attacks without a rebuttal from the blonde-curled bomber. While many are expecting Hughes to retire, he didn't admit as much in his post-fight interview. There is likely one last fight he wants before he calls it quits and that is Dennis Hallman. Hallman is still employed by the UFC and holds two lightning-fast submissions of Hughes from early in his career. If there is any fight left for the former two-time champion, Hallman is the stain on his record he wants erased. For Josh Koscheck, he still needs to work on his evasion and striking defense. Against an opponent with more power, he could have been in some serious trouble early in that fight. Once he shook off some of the cage rust, though, he really came alive with his right uppercut and his right hook. His finishing instincts were terrific as well, putting away his foe once he had him hurt. Koscheck previously stated that he didn't have anyone interesting to challenge at welterweight, but now he most certainly does. His name is Jake Ellenberger and he just destroyed Jake Shields one week ago. Another option would be Charlie Brenneman if he can get past Anthony Johnson this Saturday night.  If he doesn't like either of those two options, "Kos" will simply have to play waiting game as the welterweight division continues to sort itself out. With his finish last night, he's absolutely earned a fight against another top 170-pounder. So what do you think Maniacs? Should Hughes call it a career after his second straight knockout defeat? What would you do if you were in his shoes? Opinions, please. For complete UFC 135 results, including blow-by-blow, fight-by-fight coverage of the entire pay-per-view (PPV) event, click here and here All gifs by Zombie Prophet via IronForgesIron.com.

Posted in: ufc, fight, right, hughe, koscheck

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UFC 135: Jones vs. Rampage will kick off with a bang. Heavyweight brawlers "Big" Ben Rothwell and Mark Hunt collide in the main card's opener. Stand and bang, don't blink, guaranteed fireworks ... every recycled cliche about two hulking ogres lumbering around and clubbing each others' heads with Porterhouse Steak-sized fists applies to this fan-friendly slobber-knocker. Still, it's hard to write this off as an unkempt slug-fest when one of the participants won the K-1 World Grand Prix in 2001, was the Australian World Kickboxing Federation (WKBF) Super-Heavyweight Champion and took the full brunt of Mirko "CroCop" Filipovic's legendary "Cemetery Kick" like he was taking a bite of a cheeseburger. Additionally, it wasn't too long ago that Ben Rothwell cleaved a gleaming nine-fight swathe through the IFL -- including two stoppages of Krzysztof Soszynski and wins over Roy Nelson and Ricco Rodriguez -- and was widely considered the best non-UFC heavyweight. In fact, Rothwell's only losses in his last seventeen fights are to former UFC heavyweight king Andrei Arlovski and current champ Cain Velasquez. Of his thirty-one career victories, Rothwell has finished a surreal twenty-eight of them (17 TKO, 11 subs). He's yet to show the true venom of his kickboxing and will surely have the opportunity against Hunt, though he'd be wise to jettison bravado and unveil the grappling acumen that once distinguished "Big Ben" as a multifarious up and comer. Gifs and analysis in the full entry. Size and specialties are the two dictating factors here. At 5'10" and barely sneaking in under the 265-pound limit, Hunt's substantial girth is no secret, nor are his glaring strengths and weaknesses. He's no Lyoto Machida, but Hunt displays deceiving agility and quickness in short bursts, as we see to the right. Hunt starts at a crawl as if he's not quite warmed up yet: clenching his fists, shuffling side to side, pawing the jab and then re-setting his stance, finding a rhythm while scanning his opponent stoically. After acclimating Chris Tuchscherer to this dawdling and uneventful pace, Hunt steps on the gas and vaults into range with a scorching combination. Despite his steep kickboxing pedigree, generally takes care of business with his hands. Here he shows his two best punches: his left hook and right uppercut. The left hook he tags Tuchscherer with is pure poetry. The snap, quickness and accuracy of the punch are phenomenal, and the force he generates from the torque of his waist is profound. He thrives at close range. If he could lean back against the ropes and go tit for tat, he'd do it all night long. Hunt's wide body and excellent balance do instill him with a decent ability to shuck off takedowns. He's also shown an inherent toughness and athleticism to repel takedowns even though his technique is not textbook. To the right, Hunt again pieces together his left hook and right uppercut, the latter delivered like a short jackhammer from his waist. Even though Tuchscherer's double leg attempt is an ugly one, Hunt is aware that he's exposed and escapes back to the center of the cage. Hunt goes back to his money punches to wrap things up in this sequence. He keys off his left hook like a jab and the uppercut is his best tool against prospective takedown artists because of its brutal trajectory up the middle of the pocket. The beauty of the knockout blow is how short and fast it is. This is almost like a six-inch punch that turns Tuchscherer's lights out. Every striker wants to react based on his opponent's movements, but tracking and hitting the target with maximum efficiency is an area Mark Hunt excels. Contemporary Rothwell gifs were scarce, so let's take a walk down memory lane to his days of dominance in the IFL. Rothwell has a distinctive snap in his left hook, as depicted to the right catching Krzysztof Soszynski's chin. Though he's now down at light-heavyweight in the UFC, Soszynski is highly experienced and can take a punch and Rothwell stopped him with strikes on two different occasions. Rothwell shows good hand speed here, especially for a huge heavyweight, and is quick to pounce after the stunning combo. Rothwell gets excellent leverage in the clinch with the Thai plum grip due to his height and strength. To end Soszynski's evening, he knifes a hard knee up the middle, then backs up and pieces together a sweet combo: his bread and butter left hook, a short uppercut, and two massive Grizzly Bear swipes with his right. I love the poise Ben shows when he circles off the ropes and resets. Even though he's going for the kill here -- it's a distance and style tailored for Mark Hunt's counters. His impulse to pounce is evident again after he floors Soszynski, cascading six consecutive right hands to elicit the stoppage. It must be at least mildly upsetting to notice the leviathan bouncing kicks and punches off your head while you're trapped in the corner is also giggling absentmindedly when you get a counter shot in. Rothwell seems maniacally overjoyed as he blasts Roy Nelson with a crisp series, cracking afterward with a high kick for good measure. Even though he laughs them off, the few punches "Big Country" does get in further convince me that Rothwell should make grounding the fight a must against Hunt. Below, Rothwell shows his diversity standing, blazing with punches, easily catching the sprawl and countering with a knee before chambering a nasty high kick. Rothwell's ability to drag Hunt down without taking damage will govern the momentum swings in this match up. He'll have to bait Hunt into committing while steering him back toward the cage or use his quickness with doubles in open space. When Hunt isn't caught off guard and has his balance, he's pretty strong in the clinch. Rothwell's height is a bonus for his striking in tie-ups but might work against him takedown-wise. Hunt's low center of gravity, footwork and toughness make him a load to wrest off his feet in the clinch. This is especially true when he can lean back into the fence and bury his hips low and out of reach. Rothwell is extremely agile for such a large athlete, so it seems that using his quickness to distract with strikes and spring for low singles and doubles in the center of the cage. Of course, that's where Hunt's unfriendly uppercut, accuracy and timing come into play. Big Ben is a substantial favorite on the betting lines. He moves well and, though outclassed on the feet and returning from an ACL surgery, definitely has the further rounded game. He's also settled in with Duke Roufus at Roufusport and polishes his wrestling with Ben Askren. I was torn on this fight initially because of the uncertainty of Rothwell's knee and his dire need for mobility to win, but Rothwell's overall diversity and elite training camp sway me in his direction. My Prediction: Ben Rothwell by submission     Hunt vs. Tuchscherer gifs via Zombie Prophet of IronForgesIron.com All Rothwell gifs via Caposa       Poll Ben Rothwell vs. Mark Hunt Ben Rothwell Mark Hunt   13 votes | Results

Posted in: hunt, right, rothwell, ben, punch

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Paul 'Semtex' Daley is hoping to right some wrongs with his next fight when he returns to the scene of the crime in Montreal.

Posted in: right, return, paul daley, daley, wrong

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Filed under: Fighting, MMA Media Watch, UFC, Bellator, News, Sports Business and MediaLost in the shuffle of a big event weekend, we may have gotten our answer about whether or not Bellator would move from MTV2 to Spike in 2012. And suffice it to say, it's not looking good. During a Wednesday interview with MMA Fighting, UFC president Dana White briefly spoke about what should be the dying days of UFC-Spike relationship. While their deal for new programming expires at the end of 2011, Spike retains use of the UFC library for an additional year. That one-year spillover clause also precludes the cable network from televising a competing MMA product. For that to happen and for both sides to be free and clear of each other, the UFC would have to buy out the remaining 2012 rights. But according to White, that's not going to happen. "UFC programming will be on Spike in 2012," White said. "It will continue there." As long as those rights stay in place, the UFC will have no concerns about a competing promotion quickly replacing it on Spike. But those rights can also work as a double-edged sword. Once UFC's live programming is exclusive to FOX-owned networks, Spike could attempt to counterprogram new UFC content with shows from its own UFC library. That exact scenario isn't unprecedented. Just a few months ago in June as negotiations between the two sides stalled out and Comcast seemed to be the frontrunner for future UFC television rights, Spike scheduled a Nate Marquardt marathon on the same night the UFC scheduled a live Versus card highlighted by a Marquardt vs. Rick Story main event. As it turned out, Marquardt was a late scratch due to the sudden "Nategate" hormone replacement therapy issue that popped up, and Story fought Charlie Brenneman instead. Surprisingly, a 9 pm Spike rebroadcast of UFC Fight Night 22: Marquardt vs. Palhares (an event that had occurred nine months earlier) out-rated the live event, drawing 793,000 viewers compared to 744,000 for the Versus show. Those numbers show that potential confusion among casual MMA viewers is a real concern. While White seemed adamant that the UFC would not buy back the '12 library rights, it is still possible that FOX will insist upon a deal to ensure they are the exclusive home of UFC content. The two sides recently inked a 7-year deal worth around $700 million, and may not be willing to risk confusion while establishing their channels as UFC headquarters for TV viewers. Meanwhile, Spike continues to expand its relationship with Bellator, recently announcing it will stream live undercard fights throughout the 12-week Bellator season that began on September 10. That development seemed to irk White, who called it "not honorable." "If you really look at what I call the spirit of the deal, it's the wrong thing to do," he said. So the waiting game continues. With three months left in the year, there is no urgency on either side to negotiate, and there is still time for UFC executives to change their minds and buy back library rights, thereby ending their obligation but also opening up the Spike airwaves to Bellator. Or, they can let the deal run its course, and make them wait. In that case, Bellator will stay on MTV2 one more year and likely move to Spike in 2013.  Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments

Posted in: ufc, bellator, right, deal, spike

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If you were unlucky like myself and were otherwise occupied when the first episode of Season 14 of The Ultimate Fighter aired, you were forced to wait. Maybe you were fortunate and have DVR. Perhaps you have TIVO or some other snazzy device or service that helps you in times like this. When I got home from work and ate dinner, I then had to sit around for a while before those evil people on the shady side of the internet uploaded the TV series for people like myself to glom onto. Then, the first two files had errors! Sunuva... I understand why they want me to watch it live, but believe me, I saw every single ad. Each and every Blue Mountain State promo and other nonsense tossed at me was watched just like everyone else live had to. So don't worry, Spike, your purpose was served, don't lock me up for downloading, Dana, no advertisers ads went unwatched. God DAMN, bringing in the bantamweights and featherweights into the UFC was a good idea. No more gassed chubby dudes flailing away tiredly. If I wanted to see that, I'd film myself at a boxercise class. Instead we saw eight (T)KO's, 5 submissions and a measly three decisions. The best was really right out of the gate, though. In the second match, Diego Brandao - AKA one of the loonies this season - goes out and within a couple minutes, hits him with a glancing right followed by a HUUUUUUUUUGE left. As his opponent, poor Jesse Newell crashes to the canvas right in front of Mayhem, Dana and Bisping, "Marlon" Brandao comes running in and Debo's the poor guy into October. It was beautiful. It brought a smile to my face and a tightness to my pants.If you're unfamiliar with the glory that is the Cracked MMA section headed up by Seanbaby, then shame on you. Henderson wasn't done dominating Bisbing and gravity, though. After the man-shaped sack of bangers and mash landed, Dan flew into the air and came down on Bisbing's head with Fistos, the forbidden punch of legend. Henderson went fully horizontal with both feet in the air like some kind of maniac skydiver. If you were the greatest warrior that ever lived, came across a sleeping enemy and had six hours to plan one ultimate punch, this is the punch you would throw. I'm rather sad that both Dana and Mayhem pass on making fun of Bisping. It would have been the great start of trash talk. "Hey Mike. You remember that? No? Fair, you weren't awake for it. HAHAHA!" You totally read that in Jason Miller's voice just now. Maybe the TUF editors were just being nice to Michael. Gifs under the cut. The original:   2011 v2.0: via ironforgesiron.com Glorious.

Posted in: right, punch, advertisers ads, boxercise class, couple minutes

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One of Quinton Jackson's main talking points heading into UFC 135 and the big Rampage vs. Jon Jones Light Heavyweight title main event has been the idea of Jones having an untested chin. Rampage has made his plan for Saturday clear - test that chin. The weapon he's most likely to use on that mission? The hook. The hook punch is one of the staples of boxing, and for Rampage, it's one of his best strikes. He's used it a number of times, most notably to win the UFC Light Heavyweight title from Chuck Liddell, and to gain a measure of revenge against his longtime rival Wanderlei Silva. In this Judo Chop, we'll break down both the basics of the hook punch, as well as Rampage's specific technique. We'll start with a look at the punch itself. Here's a nice description of the hook punch, courtesy of Fight Night: The Thinking Fan's Guide to Mixed Martial Arts: The hook punch, along with the rear cross and read overhand, is one of the core, bread-and-butter punches utilized in MMA. It's a boxing-based bent arm, horizontal, outside-in curved punch directed to the head (jaw) and body (ribs, liver, spleen). It is executed with either hand in the lead and rear positions. It is the most potent knockout punch in MMA or boxing because, when hitting the jaw, it torques the brainstem and rattles the brain. The hook punch can be thrown parallel to the ground or at a variation of angles, depending on the opponent's position. The key to the hook is that idea of torque. Like the vast majority of punches, a well executed hook draws its power not from the upper body alone, but from the entire body working together, starting at the feet. In a right hook punch, the attacker pivots on the ball of his right foot, turning his foot in the direction of the punch. This pivot leads to a slight turn of the hips, to a turn of the body and shoulder until the entire body is twisting, adding momentum to the punch. This increases the force, and when it lands on target, rattles an opponent's brain hard enough to cause a knockout.  It's also one of the tougher punches to properly execute, as it involves proper range, footwork, and defense. Rampage uses all of those aspects to deliver an excellent hook from either the right or left side. Let's take a look at the former champion's technique, starting with his right hook KO of Chuck Liddell at UFC 71. Gifs and more analysis in the full entry.   Gifs by BE reader Grappo. Here we see Rampage use the right hook to knock out Chuck Liddell and take his UFC Light Heavyweight title. One of the things that really impresses me about this particular punch is Rampage's ability to connect with it in less than ideal circumstances. Rampage has just ducked, his feet aren't firmly planted, and Chuck is moving away, but he connects perfectly anyway. At the start of the exchange, Chuck throws a right-left combo. Rampage brings his arms up to block the two punches, and also lowers his head to avoid the left. Chuck gets sloppy after that left, leaving his hand down for a moment instead of bringing it back up to his head to defend. That doesn't mean Chuck isn't using any defense though - he's using movement to quickly get out of range. Because Liddell is backing up, Rampage has to both take a small step towards him, and extend the arm more than you normally would on a hook. In an ideal hook, you keep the elbow bent at close to a 90 degree angle. Here, Liddell's movement makes that impossible. Rampage finds the range anyway, and you can see the result with Chuck's head twisting to his right. This is the torque I mentioned above, and it's enough to scramble him and put him down. One thing I like about Rampage's work here is his footwork. Since Chuck is moving away, Jackson doesn't get his feet planted, so does not pivot on his foot. He makes up for that by taking a hop step towards Liddell. As he takes that step, he maintains proper distance between his feet, while also moving in the direction of the punch to increase its effectiveness. One of the nice things about the hook is that it can generate great strength from either side. Against Chuck, it was the right hook doing the damage, but in the 3rd Wanderlei Silva fight, Rampage's left hook took center stage. In contrast to the Liddell hook where Rampage had to make some adjustments, this one is an almost textbook example of proper hook technique. It starts with the defense. Wanderlei throws his own hooks which Jackson blocks perfectly by sliding his arms up and ducking his head - using his forearms to block the incoming shots. This is great defense as it keeps you in position to quickly return fire.  With Wanderlei coming a bit wild with the hooks, Rampage takes advantage of the opening to land his own. Watch Jackson's left foot as he throws - he shifts onto the ball of the foot, and pivots his foot in the direction of the punch. This pivot moves up his body through the hip and shoulder and adds to the punch. At the same time he is pivoting, he takes a small step with his right foot to step through the punch and again add more power. Another good point about Jackson's hook here is the placement of his elbow. With Wanderlei in close, he is able to get that 90 degree bend. He also brings the elbow up so that there is a straight line from his shoulder, through the elbow, and into his fist. When he connects with the punch, that straight line travels right through Wanderlei, earning the KO. Contrast that positioning with Wanderlei's elbows when he throws hooks. He keeps his elbows very low, and so his punches do not have the same power behind them. One final point - take a look at how cleanly Rampage lands the punch, which you can see better in the above angle. He hits Wanderlei square on the chin, increasing the rotation of Silva's head and applying more strain to Silva. Rampage also connects with the middle knuckles on his hand, which both increases power and lessens his risk of breaking his hand. That kind of accuracy is a huge factor in the cleanliness of this KO. The hook is a highly dangerous punch, and few in MMA today throw it with the level of skill of Rampage Jackson. You know it's a punch that will be on the minds of both Rampage and Jon Jones Saturday night. If, during the fight, the two men are exchanging, and you see Rampage bring those arms up to block, then be ready for that chin to indeed be tested. How will Jones do if it connects? We can't know for sure - but if history is any indication, a clean Rampage hook could result in a new champion.

Posted in: rampage, right, punch, hook, chuck

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February 24, 2007.That was the night that Nick Diaz transformed into the underground icon that he is today. He did it by engaging in one of the most entertaining fights of the year with Japanese superstar Takanori Gomi. Diaz won the bout with one of the most improbable submission holds in the sport. A gogoplata is a move where a fighter uses his shin to choke out his foe from the guard. The move itself is a thing of lore, a move often practiced in the gym, particularly at Eddie Bravo’s Tenth Planet Jiu-Jitsu. But it is a move that is exceedingly difficult to pull off in competition. Diaz did it while getting punched in the face by his foe.Despite the fact that the fight result was later switched to a no contest, Diaz officially came into his own as a professional fighter on that night, racking up an 11-1 record in his next 12 fights en route to winning and defending the Strikeforce Welterweight Championship.Nick’s little brother Nate hopes to follow in his footsteps on Saturday night, when he gets his own crack at Gomi. For the younger Diaz, the fight has major career implications. He is riding a two-fight losing streak. Three in a row sometimes results in a trip to the unemployment line, so one could say that Diaz is fighting for his short-term future.Gomi also has something to prove. The former PRIDE Lightweight Champion was once the biggest name in the sport among 155-pounders. But he is only 1-2 in his three-fight UFC career. A win over Diaz on Saturday night instantly reestablishes his relevance in the lightweight division. There is no doubt how Diaz will approach the fight. He is a carbon copy of his brother. He looks to box from a southpaw stance with pawing hands disguising crisp, short punches from unorthodox angles. He drops his hands time and time again, seemingly sticking out his chin in taunting fashion, only to land a jab from his waist or a left hand thrown from the same position. Diaz does not have knockout power. Not at all. He has only a single knockout on his resume over the last five-plus years. Granted, that one knockout was a jaw-dropping display of precision striking against the bigger Rory Markham. But that isn’t his forte. He instead uses his boxing to dare an opponent to take him down, so he can utilize his brown belt in Gracie Jiu-Jitsu.Make no mistake about it: Diaz would be a black belt under just about any other BJJ master. Cesar Gracie gives out black belts like the IRS does tax exemptions. He has sick submission skills. Seriously sick. Very few fighters want to test his guard game. Diaz will pound away at Gomi on the feet, hoping to either get taken down or find an opening for an easy takedown. He knows that on the ground, he will hold a major advantage in this fight.That is not likely the case on while the fight is on the feet. Unlike Diaz, who boxes with “chip away at the mountain until it crumbles” style, Gomi is a home run hitter. He has no interest in the feeling out process. He is all about firing punches with bad intentions. Those who have long been watching the Japanese slugger know that he is the holder of the fastest knockout in PRIDE history—a six-second obliteration of Ralph Gracie in 2004.Gomi mixes his boxing with good, solid wrestling skills. He isn’t a slick submission guy. Instead, his ground game focuses on ground and pound. And he fires his strikes on the ground with the same ferocity that he does on the feet, which is why there are a string of opponents he left lying on the canvas in an unconscious heap during his PRIDE fighting career.Because of that, he won’t have any qualms taking down the younger Diaz brother on Saturday night. Gomi will be in major trouble if he tries to play the jits game with Diaz. He will be just fine if he keeps Diaz busy defending punches, rather than moving through his submission transitions. If Gomi has a weakness on the feet, it is the fact that he tends to drop his head and loop his right hand when he really wants to load up, which is pretty often. Diaz can take advantage of that by identifying the strike, stepping to his left and firing a right uppercut. That sounds counterintuitive, but by stepping to his left, he can avoid the looping right while still keeping himself in good position to effectively counter with his right hand. Diaz shouldn’t expect to score a knockout with his punches. As mentioned, he is not a true power puncher, and Gomi has a very good chin. Sure, he has been hurt several times during fights. But nobody has knocked him out in 40 professional fights, and it is unlikely that Diaz will be the first to do so on Saturday.Instead, if Diaz can land a good right uppercut, he can clean it up with a left hand down the pipe. Those shots in combination should leave Gomi either wobbly and wide open for a takedown or desperate to score a takedown of his own. Either way, Diaz should then be able to take the fight to the ground, where he can utilize his biggest strength against Gomi’s biggest weakness.Despite the fact that Gomi is a good wrestler with solid ground-and-pound game, his submission defense is less than stellar. Six of his eight professional losses (or five of seven, if you exclude Nick’s no contest) occurred by submission. That is a big hole in his game, one that Diaz can exploit.Gomi’s game plan should be to avoid fighting in a phone booth with Diaz. Even though he is the bigger puncher, his foe will be the one who is much more comfortable fighting in close quarters. Diaz trains constantly with one of the best in-fighters in the sport—his brother. Gomi needs space to land his long, looping bombs. Plus, he needs space to avoid getting overwhelmed with Diaz’s swarming, pawing, non-stop punches.Establishing space means using good lateral movement. Since Gomi is fighting a southpaw, he should circle to his own left behind the jab. The key is to position his lead left foot outside of Diaz’s lead right foot. By doing that, he creates a perfect throwing lane for his overhand right. He can lead with the punch, when the opportunity presents itself, since Diaz will have his hands at his sides most of the time.That is the fight in a nutshell. I have no idea who is going to win this one. Gomi will have tremendous motivation to try and avenge his former loss to the Diaz family. Nate will have equal motivation to follow in his brother’s footsteps. Whoever wins, this fight has “Fight of the Night” written all over it.

Posted in: fight, diaz, right, gomi, hand

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Can UFC grow their audience by attracting the same kind of mainstream sports fans that big boxing fights can attract?

Posted in: ufc, boxing fights, future expansion, kind, right

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