MMA-URLS

Bellator 65 'Prelims' finalized for April 13 in Atlantic City

CHICAGO, Ill. (April 10, 2012) - When Bellator Fighting Championships makes its first trip of the season to Atlantic City, it brings with it a loaded fight card including a Bantamweight Title Fight headlined by Bellator Bantamweight World Champion Zach Makovsky and challenger Eduardo "Dudu" Dantas, as well as a Season 6 Featherweight Tournament semifinal bout and the last two quarterfinal fights in the Season 6 Bantamweight Tournament. Also, a stacked preliminary card is official and is loaded with the best talent from the East Coast and Midwest. Tickets for the event are on sale and are available through Ticketmaster.com or at the Boardwalk Hall Box Office. Tickets are priced from $50-$150. The event will broadcast LIVE starting at 8 p.m. EST on MTV2 and in commercial-free HD on EPIX. Doors open at 6 p.m. EST, with the first fight scheduled for 7 p.m. EST. The preliminary card, featuring some of the area's top local talent will be streamed LIVE and FREE around the world on Spike.com starting at 7 p.m. EST. The night will feature the return of former Bellator Welterweight Champion Lyman Good as he takes on the always dangerous LeVon Maynard in a welterweight matchup. Good returns for the first time since dropping a decision to Season 6 Bellator Tournament semifinalist Rick Hawn and is looking to get back to the form that saw him win 10 consecutive fights to start his career. Maynard, a three-time Bellator veteran, is looking to score the biggest win of his career when he meets "Cyborg" on April 13. The hits keep coming as Philadelphia's Will Martinez takes on Andy Main in a featherweight contest. Main, a New Jersey hometown favorite, is coming off a huge win over Bellator veteran Bobby Reardanz, while Martinez will be looking to extend his winning streak to three. Bellator open tryout winner Ailton Barbosa will look to get back in the winning column when he faces off against MMA veteran Kris McCray in a welterweight contest that is sure to produce fireworks at Boardwalk Hall. Barbosa, a submission specialist, will be fighting for the third time under the Bellator banner while McCray, who owns a two-fight winning streak, will be fighting for the first time since a decision win last November. Undefeated two-time Bellator veteran E.J. Brooks returns to action to face the experienced Mikhail Malyutin in a lightweight bout. Brooks, who defeated Greg Scott and William DeSouza at Bellator 53 and 56 respectively, looks to keep his momentum going against Malyutin, who is one of the most respected fighters to come out of Russia. Newark native Plinio Cruz steps into the Bellator cage for the first time as he battles Bellator veteran Duane Bastress in middleweight action. Bastress fights for the first time since an impressive stoppage of Daniel Gracie at Boardwalk Hall in October of last year. Also, two-time Bellator fighter Lester Caslow from nearby Point Pleasant will be back in the cage as he takes on Scott "The Animal" Heckman in a featherweight contest in front of an electric New Jersey crowd. The card rounds out as Fan-favorite Bellator veteran Kenny Foster will face off against Jay Haas in a featherweight match up. Coming off a hard fought loss to Alexandre "Popo" Bezerra in March, Foster will look to get back on the winning track when he faces Haas in front of the New Jersey faithful. For more information, visit Bellator.com, follow Bellator on Twitter @BellatorMMA, follow Bellator Chairman & CEO Bjorn Rebney @BjornRebney and check out Bellator on Facebook at www.facebook.com/Bellator

Posted in: fight, bellator, time, card, veteran

UFC Veteran John Olav Einemo Retires

submitted by MattyBlayze [link] [1 comment]

Posted in: ufc, veteran, einemo, olav, mattyblayze

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Struggling UFC lightweight veteran Roger Huerta, who is just 1-5 over his last six contests, will...

Struggling UFC lightweight veteran Roger Huerta, who is just 1-5 over his last six contests, will try to snap a three-fight losing streak at the upcoming "World Series of Fighting" tournament at the Planet Hollywood Resort and Casino later this year. Props: Sherdog.com

Posted in: ufc, roger, contest, veteran, world series

Longtime mixed martial arts (MMA) veteran Kurt Pellegrino has suffered a knee injury and withdrawn...

Longtime mixed martial arts (MMA) veteran Kurt Pellegrino has suffered a knee injury and withdrawn from his planned fight against Polish prospect Marcin Held at Bellator 68, scheduled for May 11 at Caesars Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City, N.J., according to Sherdog.com. Photo courtesy of Ed Mullholland.

Posted in: veteran, art, knee injury, caesars hotel, prospect marcin

UFC Veteran John Alessio Admits to Past Use of Performance-Enhancing Drugs

Ultimate Fighting Championship, World Extreme Cagefighting and Pride Fighting Championships veteran John Alessio on Monday admitted to past use of performance-enhancing drugs

Posted in: championship, veteran, use, performanceenhancing drugs, championship world

SFL 1: 'Sapp vs Thompson' results and recap from Mumbai

This morning (March 3, 2012), India's brand-new "Super Fight League" kicked off its inaugural event from Mumbai, a card filled with Indian talent and a few recognizable names. In the main event, PRIDE veterans Bob Sapp and James Thompson collided in one of the beefiest battles in recent memory. Well, maybe "battle" is the wrong word. Right off the bat, Thompson bullied Sapp to the mat and unloaded with ground-and-pound. Surprisingly, Sapp did not take the opportunity to tap out at that point, instead reversing Thompson and ending up in top position, unleashing some offense of his own. Unfortunately, things went right back on script, as a Thompson takedown apparently injured Sapp's quad, forcing "The Beast" to tap. Sapp is now 1-9 in his last ten fights, although the legitimacy of many of those losses are in question. Disappointing from a man who knocked out Ernesto Hoost. In slightly more relevant matters, previously-unbeaten Lena Ovchynnikova was upset by Sanja Sucevic in an entertaining WMMA affair. After a hectic first round that saw several submission attempts from both women, Ovchynnikova secured full mount in the second but made a costly error when she attempted an armbar, which allowed Sucevic to escape, take her back, and force a tap with a rear-naked choke. Score one for Serbia. India went 3-0 against Sri Lanka, with lightweight Lakwinder Sekhon securing the most impressive victory of the lot, an 89 second annihilation of Madura Rathnayake. Unfortunately for the local boys, America proved a tougher nut to crack, as veterans Jimmy Ambriz and Travis Bell crushed their respective opponents. Ambriz scored a knockout just fourteen seconds into the fight, while Bell dominated Nail Natasuda with ground-and-pound before mercifully applying a forearm choke and eliciting a tap. UFC veteran Xavier Foupa-Pokam kicked off the show with an impressive defeat of Joey Guel, hurting him in the early going with a body kick before opening a cut sufficiently large for referee Herb Dean to call off the fight between rounds. He improves to 2-8 in his last ten, snapping a five-fight losing streak. It had all the glitz you'd expect from a show like this and some decent scraps; the SFL has picked up veterans like Paul Kelly and Trevor Prangley, and it'll be interesting to see where they go from here. In any case, not a bad debut, ignoring the main event. For quick results and play-by-play click here.

Posted in: fight, veteran, sapp, thompson, bat thompson

UFC Veteran Kris McCray Faces Ailton Barbosa at Bellator 65 on April 13

Three-time UFC veteran Kris McCray has signed a short-term contract to compete for Bellator Fighting Championships, Sherdog.com recently confirmed with a source close to the fighter.

Posted in: ufc, veteran, mccray, ailton barbosa, championships sherdogcom

UFC Veteran Brian Johnston Speaks Out After Koscheck’s Exit from AKA

submitted by MattyBlayze [link] [comment]

Posted in: ufc, veteran, mattyblayze, brian, mattyblayze link

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UFC Veteran Brian Johnston Speaks Out After Koscheck’s Exit from AKA

The fallout from Josh Koscheck's exit from the American Kickboxing Academy has now resulted in one of the original team members speaking out as well.

Posted in: ufc, koscheck, veteran, team members, exit

Read the full article at MMA Weekly

Veteran manager Alex Davis warns of fighting perils associated with MMA success

On the night of Jan. 14, it was nearly impossible to wipe the smile off Alex Davis' face. The veteran manager watched with joy as his clients each picked up wins at UFC 142. For Edson Barboza, the night was exceedingly special, as the 26-year-old was rewarded with two "Fight Night" honors and $130,000. Davis believes Barboza's grounded roots have him prepared to deal with the attention that will soon come, but the veteran manager warns that not everyone is ready to handle what comes after special moments in the octagon.

Posted in: veteran, davi, manager, edson barboza, veteran manager

Read the full article at MMA Junkie

UFC on FX 1 'Prelims' preview and predictions for 'Miller vs Guillard' (Part 1)

Come on, feel the noise. Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is heading down to "Music City" this Friday night (Jan. 20, 2012) for its first-ever free card on FX, and the mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion is definitely ready to rock. Lighting up the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tenn., are lightweight contenders Jim Miller and Melvin Guillard, headlining the card as they attempt to regain the momentum recently stripped from them by Ben Henderson and Joe Lauzon, respectively. In addition, MMA pioneer Duane Ludwig will try to pick up his first three-fight win streak in more than five years as he faces the dangerous Josh Neer. And that's just the main card. Once again, the UFC will show the "Prelims" on the big(ger) screen, this time on FUEL TV. Join us after the jump for the first part of our breakdown of the UFC on FX 1 "Prelims:" 145 lbs.: Daniel Pineda vs. Pat Schilling A veteran of both Bellator and Legacy Fighting Championships, Daniel Pineda (15-7) has a rather interesting statistic associated with those 15 wins of his: They’re all stoppages, with six knockouts and nine submissions, including a kneebar victory over The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) stand out Johnny Bedford. "The Pit" enters the Octagon having won seven of his last eight, including a wicked spinning backfist knockout in his most recent endeavor. The Texas-based finishing machine will look to take the next big step of his career at the age of 26 with a win over the unbeaten Schilling. With an average fight time of almost exactly two minutes, Pat Schilling (5-0) has quickly established himself as a force to be reckoned with in his young career. After debuting in Jan. 2010, "Thrilling" went on to fight three more times that year, and after just one bout in 2011, is itching for a chance to prove himself in the cage once again, this time on the biggest stage there is and against another hungry up-and-comer. Finding recent footage of these two has proven a fruitless endeavor. And I don’t trust the two- and three-year-old fights. Therefore, this is probably going to devolve into scouring their records for what I need to know. What really strikes me (aside from the obvious experience gap) is the difference in competition level. As of today, only one of Schilling’s five opponents has a winning record (4-3) and his most recent victim was winless (0-6) going in, including a submission loss to Jason Reinhardt. Pineda, on the other hand, has fought and beaten solid foes, including World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) veteran Frank Gomez and the aforementioned Bedford. In addition, four of Pineda’s losses came in sequence two years ago in an awful patch. He has not lost in his last five. While Pineda has historically struggled when trying to take the next step, but he’s proven himself far more than his opponent has, and that experience will carry the day for him. Prediction: Pineda via first-round technical knockout 135 lbs.: Nick Denis vs. Joseph Sandoval Some people call him Maurice. When it comes to absurd knockout rates below 155 pounds, they don’t come much crazier than Nick Denis (10-2), who has nine of them to his credit, with all but one coming inside two rounds. After getting wiped out by the monster that is Marlon Sandro for the first loss of his career and being guillotined by Japanese veteran Yuji Hoshino two fights later, "The Ninja of Love" roared back with a knockout of Bellator veteran Nick Mamalis, which -- were it not for Yusup Saadulaev turning Hideo Tokoro’s brains into scrambled eggs on New Year’s Eve -- would probably be the slam of the year. He’ll be gunning for another hellacious knockout for the FUEL TV audience. Joseph Sandoval (6-1), then-unbeaten, debuted against Walel Watson in the UFC’s final show on Versus. The Texas-based banger, unfortunately, found himself unable to overcome a height and reach disadvantage that bordered on unfair, suffering a technical knockout loss after eating a head kick. He can go a long way toward putting that loss behind him by quelling the rise of the dangerous Denis. Denis is undoubtedly still a work-in-progress. His takedown defense needs work, and considering how dangerous he is on the feet, he’s going to need to improve it quickly, because a good chunk of the division isn’t going to want any part of him standing. It’ll be enough on Friday, though. Sandoval has good striking and decent takedown defense, but against someone with the power of Denis, it’s not going to be enough. This is a massive step up in competition for him, and it isn’t for him, while the same can’t be said for the more experienced Denis. Expect some nice striking exchanges early before something big from the Canadian lands flush and brings some glory back to the beleaguered Tristar. Prediction: Denis via first-round knockout 155 lbs.: Fabrício Camoes vs. Tom Hayden A 14-year veteran of the sport -- who had the misfortune of facing Anderson Silva in only his second MMA bout -- Fabricio Camoes (13-6-1) got his first crack at UFC glory in 2009, going 0-1-1 with a loss and draw to Kurt Pellegrino and Caol Uno, respectively. After being cut by the promotion, "Morango" went right back to work, knocking out UFC veteran Steve Lopez in just 23 seconds with a head kick and upsetting fellow exile Efrain Escudero by decision. Now 9-1-1 in his last 11 bouts, Camoes can get right back in Zuffa's good graces with a win over late replacement Hayden. Replacing Swedish-Iranian prospect Reza Madadi on less than a week’s notice, the Jorge Gurgel-trained Tom Hayden (8-0) has only gone out of the second round once in eight bouts, owning a submission win over TUF veteran Dustin Neace. A grappling specialist, five of his victories have come via submission. Having fought just twice in the past two years, Hayden has an enormous opportunity in front of him to, at the age of 25, make an impression in the vicious UFC lightweight division. As was the annoying case in the Pineda-Schilling fight, footage of Hayden appears nonexistent, so record analysis must be utilized. To be honest, what I’m seeing doesn’t speak well of his chances. Fabricio’s record is quite deceiving -- he’s only lost once since 2006, and speaking of, he has more than three times the experience of Hayden, chronologically speaking. Camoes has faced the better opposition by far and has had a full training camp, both major advantages over Hayden. There’s always a chance that Hayden could surprise everyone and prove himself major-league material, but I don’t see it. Prediction: Camoes by decision Stop by tomorrow for a look at the three remaining fights on the UFC on FX 1 under card, featuring the likes of Charlie Brenneman and Kamal Shalorus. among others. See you then! Remember, too, that MMAmania.com will provide LIVE blow-by-blow, round-by-round coverage of UFC on FX 1, beginning with the "Prelims" bouts on FX scheduled for around 6 p.m. ET. In addition, we will also provide LIVE, real-time results of the main card action as it happens throughout the evening this upcoming weekend.

Posted in: ufc, veteran, knockout, deni, hayden

The original 'Phenom' is still kicking (Yahoo! Sports)

Vitor Belfort was MMA's first young sensation. Now he's a respected veteran.

Posted in: yahoo, vitor, veteran, sensation, phenom

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Ten Best - 2011 Newcomer of the Year

In the last few years, the top prospects in mixed martial arts, guys like Jon Jones, Junior dos Santos, Cain Velasquez, and Phil Davis, skyrocketed to success as soon as they were given their chance to shine on the sport’s biggest stage – the UFC Octagon. Will that be the case for 2011’s Unofficial UFC Newcomer of the Year? We can’t wait to find out.10 - Costa Philippou A former pro boxer, 32-year old Costa Philippou garnered a solid reputation on the east coast MMA scene, but after losing on season 11 of The Ultimate Fighter and then dropping a late notice UFC debut to Nick Catone, many questioned whether he was cut out for the big leagues. But in the second half of the year, the New Yorker defeated veteran Jorge Rivera by showing off his ground game, and then he brought the big guns out for his UFC 140 bout with Jared Hamman, knocking his foe out in the first round. Now Philippou is a player in the middleweight division, and this year he’ll get his shot to go from prospect to contender.9 - Walel Watson Too small to play Division I college football, Walel Watson instead found his niche in mixed martial arts, and after putting together a solid record in California and Mexico, he was brought to the UFC in October to see if he could hang with the best bantamweights in the sport. Well, so far he has, impressively stopping Joseph Sandoval in 77 seconds in his Octagon debut, and then going toe-to-toe with veteran Yves Jabouin in an entertaining December bout that saw “The Gazelle” lose a close split decision, but gain plenty of fans in the process.8 - Che Mills Expected to make a run for The Ultimate Fighter season nine crown, Che Mills instead lost to eventual winner James Wilks and was sent back to the local British MMA scene. Undaunted, Mills put together a solid winning streak and earned an invite to the Octagon for November’s UFC 138 card. And while it took him years to get to this point, he only needed 40 seconds to make an impression as he knocked out Chris Cope. Now it’s off to Montreal and a UFC 145 bout against Rory MacDonald, and if Mills scores his second UFC win, his road to the top may be shorter than most.7 - Dave Herman The best line of 2011 may have come from heavyweight Dave Herman, who wrote on his UFC bio form that he didn’t start training until two years ago. That was after he ran up a 15-1 pro MMA record. But that loss to Choi Mu Bae in 2009 sparked Herman to go chase after his potential, and in his UFC debut in June, he showed just what he brings to the table as he won an exciting Fight of the Night against John-Olav Einemo, stopping his foe in the second round. Now we’ll see what he can do in 2012.6 - Mike Easton A 10 year journey finally put Washington D.C. bantamweight Mike Easton in the UFC, and after a slow start, “The Hulk” erupted in front of his hometown fans in Octagon, with the Lloyd Irvin jiu-jitsu black belt showing off his striking as he halted Byron Bloodworth in the second round. In a crowded 135-pound weight class, Easton has a charismatic presence that makes you want to see him throwing hands with the best the division has to offer, and he’s likely to get that chance this year.5 - Diego Brandao / John Dodson It’s only fitting that The Ultimate Fighter season 14’s two winners (and Jackson MMA teammates) share the fifth spot, given their friendship and spectacular debut victories on December 3rd. That night, featherweight Brandao came back from almost certain defeat to submit Dennis Bermudez, and bantamweight Dodson took less than two minutes to knock out favored TJ Dillashaw, earning each a UFC contract. More importantly though, it means that we’re going to be getting even more excitement from these two standouts in the next 12 months and beyond. 4 - Jimy Hettes Jimy Hettes’ UFC debut in August (a submission win over Alex Caceres) flew under the radar a bit. But his second Octagon bout against Nam Phan last weekend on the UFC 141 main card certainly didn’t, as the world got a dose of one of the featherweight division’s top prospects in spectacular form. Going the distance for the first time in his career, the unbeaten submission ace showed off a complete MMA game in dismantling a veteran who simply doesn’t get taken apart the way he was that night in Las Vegas.3 - Tony Ferguson The Ultimate Fighter season 13 winner, Tony Ferguson won his crown by leaving no doubts in the eyes of fight fans, knocking out Ramsey Nijem in the first round. Next up was a drop to 155 pounds and back-to-back wins over two of the sport’s most respected veterans, Aaron Riley and Yves Edwards. It’s the type of old-school upbringing that bodes well for the future of “El Cucuy,” as he’s proving that he’s not afraid to earn his keep in the Octagon.2 - Brian Ebersole It’s a little odd to call a veteran of 65 pro fights a newcomer, but Brian Ebersole was new to UFC fans when he made his organizational debut in February against Chris Lytle. But by the time the UFC 127 bout was over, his unorthodox, yet entertaining style had made an indelible impression, and after 15 minutes, he had scored an upset victory over “Lights Out” and even earned a Fight of the Night bonus. Two more wins followed in succession, a TKO of Dennis Hallman and a close decision victory over Claude Patrick, and amazingly, at 31, the US native and Australia resident may just be entering his fighting prime, making the future an interesting one for the man with the most creative chest hair in MMA.1 - Chris Weidman Long Island, New York’s Chris Weidman has been saddled with the “Next Big Thing” tag from the time he turned pro in 2009, but even his staunchest supporters had to be a little concerned when he accepted a UFC fight against veteran Alessio Sakara on two weeks’ notice (and with injured ribs) in March. But Weidman proved that the high expectations for him were justified as he scored a clear-cut decision win over “Legionarius” in Louisville. Next up was a June showdown against Jesse Bongfeldt, and he delivered his first UFC finish, submitting the Canadian with six seconds left in the first round. But the biggest impression left by the unbeaten Weidman came in November, when he put fellow prospect Tom Lawlor to sleep in with a D’arce choke in a little over two minutes. If you had questions about the second Serra-Longo team member to make this list, they were likely answered that night.Honorable Mention - John Cholish, Stanislav Nedkov, Stipe Miocic, Edwin Figueroa, Erick Silva, Robbie Peralta, Darren Uyenoyama, Lance Benoist, John Maguire, Johnny Bedford, Hatsu Hioki, Vagner Rocha

Posted in: ufc, mma, year, debut, veteran

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Olympic Wrestler McMann Meets Veteran Akano at ProElite 3

Unbeaten prospect Sara McMann will lock horns with seasoned veteran Hitomi Akano at ProElite “Grove vs. Minowa,” promotion officials announced on Wednesday.

Posted in: proelite, veteran, mcmann, veteran akano, akano

Congratulations are in order for longtime mixed martial arts veteran Matt Lindland, who earned his...

Congratulations are in order for longtime mixed martial arts veteran Matt Lindland, who earned his Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) purple belt earlier this month under Fabiano Scherner. Props: Team Quest MMA (via MMA.tv)

Posted in: matt, veteran, art, congratulation, lindland

Travis Marx is final entrant in Bellator's season-six bantamweight tourney

Veteran fighter Travis Marx is the eighth and final addition to Bellator's season-six bantamweight tournament. Marx, a veteran of the Jackson's MMA Series and Jeremy Horn's Elite Fight Night organizations, is one of the field's most experienced competitors. MMAjunkie.com today confirmed his tourney participation with sources close to the fight.

Posted in: bantamweight, veteran, travis marx, tourney participation, marx

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TUF veteran Kyle Watson signs for CageWarriors

UFC veteran Kyle Watson has signed for British promotion CageWarriors and will make his debut in February 2012.He will be fighting in the Middle East as...

Posted in: veteran, february, watson, cagewarrior, kyle

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Giving Back: Chad Robichaux Retires from Fighting to Help Veterans Live a New Dream

With an 11-2 pro record, Chad Robichaux is walking away from fighting because he wants to take care of his fellow veterans, and give them a new dream when they return home.

Posted in: veteran, chad, fellow veterans, chad robichaux, robichaux

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Veteran Trevor Prangley says it's 'now or never' at Bellator 58

Longtime veteran Trevor Prangley is no stranger to big fights, but he knows that the future is never guaranteed in mixed martial arts. So as he prepares for a Bellator 58 non-title fight with middleweight champ Hector Lombard, Prangley knows he must prove he still belongs on the big stage. "It's now or never," Prangley said. "At my age and at this point in my career, I don't have a choice. I have to win. If I quit the fight I might as well quit the sport."

Posted in: fight, veteran, fight i, prangley, choice i

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ProElite's Weekend Blunder Isn't Their Only Problem Moving Forward

It's difficult to remember a time when former UFC heavyweight champion Andrei Arlovski wasn't the butt of a joke or considered a walking punchline. After suffering four consecutive losses, three of them by way of knockout, the adjectives "fierce" and "dangerous" quickly exited our mental definition of the Belarussian, replaced by phrases like "glass-jawed" or "chinny". Despite the prevalent social convention, at least among MMA fans, to add insult to injury, Arlovski still has appeal to some fans, mainly those hoping for one final glimpse at the knockout artist who was once crowned champion of the world. On Saturday night at the iWireless Center in Moline, Illinois, Arlovski gave fans that small glimpse into the past, brutally knocking out Travis Fulton with a kick to the head with one second left in the fight. Unfortunately, the preceding fourteen minutes and fifty-eight seconds of the bout proved definitively that Arlovski doesn't possess the killer instinct that once propelled him to the top. The rest of the card was bizarrely similar, featuring a bevy of boring affairs that had one man screaming at the top of his lungs "You suck!" during Tim Sylvia's clinch-ladden main event showdown with Andreas Kraniotakes. As Sylvia's hand was raised in victory, the man once again let the pipes go, adding another layer of confirmation that the bout did, in fact, suck. ProElite head T. Jay Thompson wasn't pleased with the event. There wasn't any celebratory handshaking afterwards among ProElite's brass. The event was undoubtedly one of the worst in recent memory, making a strong case for one of the worst in 2011. The obvious flub of relying on a stable of heavyweights to produce a great event is a mistake that's easy to see, but it's difficult to predict the terrible performances put forth by both Mark Ellis and Reagan Penn. Those issues aren't a part of the macro problem that ProElite needs to solve in order to succeed however. Obviously, those mistakes need to be avoided in order to succeed on an event-by-event case, but ProElite's progression, while still in its infancy, makes one cringe, mainly due to their antiquated thinking in the face of a changing environment. One trend that's becoming more prominent with the growth of the UFC and Bellator is the reduced reliance on name recognition to carry regional events. Many smaller promotions use UFC veterans to fill seats, but the unappealing scraps that the UFC is kicking to the curb these days aren't names many fans recognize or want to see. Promotions like Ringside MMA, W-1, and Championship Fighting Alliance seem to have an understanding of what it takes to succeed regionally. While main event match-ups still run parallel with the idea that a marketable name can bring eyes, there isn't a waste of time or capital trying to fill entire cards with the scraps of other organizations. Prospects are profiled, pitted against one another, and tested, and in many cases -- those prospects are eventually showcased against veteran competition, usually promoted heavily alongside their veteran opponent. In order to promote within this new environment, talent acquisition is key, and ProElite enlisted Mark Ellis and Reagan Penn as two perceived top-flight talents they could promote. It wasn't a bad beat by any stretch of the imagination as Ellis' wresting pedigree and the history of success that NCAA champions have had in MMA are good indicators that he would be a future star. Penn is the brother of former UFC lightweight champion B.J. Penn, thus he already has a name attached to a successful and popular fighter. Sounds like a recipe for success. We found out Saturday night that it isn't always the right recipe. Both Penn and Ellis lost, and it's more than likely attributed to their novice status as mixed martial artists and the learning curve of fighting. They'll have time to build themselves into better fighters. What worries me the most, however, is the heavy reliance on UFC veterans. Kendall Grove, Joe Riggs, Drew McFedries, and Andrei Arlovski all made their way on ProElite's inaugural card, and the second card this past weekend featured Arlovski and Sylvia as the main attractions. Five years ago, I could see the logic, but the amount of money that both Arlovski and Sylvia garner could have bought lower profile veterans and highly-touted prospects. A change in the aged philosophy that veterans can sell in the regional scene needs to happen with a promotion like ProElite. Titan Fighting Championships could take a hint as well, although they are doing a nice job with Anthony Gutierrez. Blowing a bunch of money on veterans nobody is interested in isn't helping the bottom line. Invest in prospects, promote in regional hotbeds, bring in worthy local talent, and spend some time scouring the landscape of the sport to find talent. If ProElite had done that, perhaps Saturday night's event in Moline wouldn't have been so unbearable to watch.

Posted in: ufc, proelite, arlovski, event, veteran

Video: UFC Veteran Andrei Arlovski KO's Travis Fulton with a head kick

Posted in: ufc, ko, veteran, travi, andrei

Veteran Penn as unpredictable as ever (Yahoo! Sports)

B.J. Penn says he’s happy and content heading into UFC 137. Or is the former champ just playing mind games?

Posted in: ufc, penn, veteran, game, veteran penn

Read the full article at Yahoo! Sports

ProElite 2: Second bracket announced for heavyweight grand prix on Nov. 5 in Moline

LOS ANGELES, Calif. (October 27, 2011) – ProElite Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) is proud to present the first round of their Heavyweight Grand Prix Tournament on November 5, 2011, from Moline, Il. This tournament consists of some of the best up and coming heavyweights in the world and the winner will be pushed into the upper tier of the heavyweight division. Tickets for "ProElite 2:Big Guns" are on sale to the general public at the i wireless Center box office, all Ticketmaster locations (800)745-3000, Ticketmaster online(www.ticketmaster.com) and www.proelite.com The second bracket of the Heavyweight Grand Prix starts with Proelite veteran Jake Heun (1-1) takes on the a proven finisher in Ed Carpenter (5-1). Standing 6-foot-2 and weighing 245 pounds, Heun’s transition from University of Hawaii Linebacker and Running Back to the sport of MMA came pretty naturally due to his athleticism. Now training out of Jeremy Horn’s Elite Performance Gym in Salt Lake City, Utah this freestyle fighter only has one thing on his mind – finish every fight. In his last win on April 23, 2011, he submitted Brandon Morgan via Keylock in the second round (2:45) of their fight in Alaska. Fighting out of Clarendon Hills, Il and training at the Midwest Training Center along side former WEC champ Chase Beebe and UFC veteran Clay Guida, Ed Carpenter really knows how to lay down the law, finishing all of his opponents before the final bell has rung. On October 15, 2011, against 50-fight veteran Miodrag Petkovic, it took Carpenter only 2 minutes and 54 seconds to submit Petkovic via arm-triangle choke. With a solid wrestling and no-gi jiu jitsu background we can be certain that Carpenter wants to drag this one to the ground and work for an exciting submission win. Two warriors go to battle in the last quarterfinal Grand Prix bout, as Richard "The Black Eagle" Odoms (5-0) faces off against Rodney Housley (4-1). Standing at an imposing 6-foot-5 and weighing 250 pounds, Odoms will look to continue his 5-fight win streak, which includes a win over UFC veteran Darrill Schoonover on November 6, 2010. This 13-year veteran of the San Antonio Police Department has sharpened his striking skills along side MMA veteran Pete Spratt, so you know he is very dangerous on his feet. Housley, fighting out of Cincinnati, Ohio, is looking to snap Odoms’ streak at 5 and make a name for himself in this tournament. As an amateur, Housley compiled a record of 9-1 and is a very dangerous standup fighter with knockout power. In Housley’s last fight, his opponent felt his wrath ending it by TKO in round 1(4:50). Look for this fight to be an exciting match up of two men that won’t back down from each other. Proelite 2: Big Guns will be televised live on HD NET at 8 P.M. CST

Posted in: fight, heavyweight, proelite, veteran, prix

Regional MMA Roundup: Strikeforce Vet Joey Villasenor Wins, Top Prospect Jimi Manuwa Impresses

Casual UFC fans didn't have to worry about plopping down a sizable sum of money this weekend as the world's premier mixed martial arts promotion remained quiet for its second straight week. As expected, a number of prominent regional shows took advantage of the lull in action and lessened focus on the UFC brand. Bellator, Ringside MMA, and XFC all put on successful shows over the weekend with well-known talent. Those aren't the only shows worth mentioning however. The regional scene was ripe with great action with everything from top prospects to UFC and Strikeforce veterans battling it out to get one notch closer to the major leagues. Here's a brief rundown of results: - Thirty-six year old Strikeforce veteran Joey Villasenor returned to the cage on Saturday night at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Albuquerque, New Mexico. It was his first fight since his controversial split decision win over Chris Camozzi in May at Shark Fights 15, which was eventually reversed in favor of Camozzi due to what was deemed a scoring error. Villasenor quickly dispatched of forty-eight fight veteran Chuck Parmlee in two minutes and forty-seven seconds in his welterweight debut. - #3-ranked World MMA Scouting Report light heavyweight Jimi Manuwa destroyed Nick Chapman at UCMMA 24 at the Troxy in London, England on Saturday, brutalizing the 2-0 rookie with knees to finish in only two minutes and fourteen seconds. The win isn't exactly an impressive resume builder for the Brit striker, but he's coming off a major injury and still relatively green himself. Surprisingly, Manuwa has turned down two UFC contract offers in order to better himself, and he's scheduled to train stateside with Alliance MMA alongside UFC vets Phil Davis, Alexander Gustafsson, and Brandon Vera. - Undefeated Brazilian Alexandre Pimentel returned to mixed martial arts after a little under two years to defeat late replacement Udi Lima at Jungle Fight 33 on Saturday. Pimentel was once considered a prospect to watch, but he suffered a debilitating knee injury that kept him out of the sport till now. Surprisingly, it isn't an uncommon problem for fighters in Brazil due to the cost of surgeries and the little money fighting brings to the table. Bantamweight prospect Iliarde Santos battled Eduardo Kiko to a no-contest after he kneed his opponent in the face while he was grounded. The strike broke Kiko's nose. Lightweight grappling whiz Neilson Gomes KO'd Elieni Silva in three minutes and thirty-four seconds. - UFC veteran Mario Miranda knocked out IFL veteran Aaron Stark in the second round at SportFight 30 in Portland, Oregon. Ryan Healy, who was scheduled to face UFC veteran Paul Kelly, narrowly edged late replacement Andrew Chapelle. Kelly had to withdraw due to visa issues. - Top-flight Northeastern prospects Joey Gambino, Aljamain Sterling, and Sean Santella all saw action this weekend at Cage Fury Fighting Championships 11 in Atlantic City. Gambino, who has been training with the likes of Georges St. Pierre at Tristar Gym, stopped Eddie Fyvie in the second round of action to remain undefeated. The win earned him the CFFC featherweight title. In what could be described as one of the best bantamweight prospect tilts outside of any major regional promotion, wrestlers Aljamain Sterling and Sean Santella went head-to-head for the CFFC bantamweight title. Impressively, Sterling dominated the AMA Fight Club team member, beating him on the scorecards (50-45, 49-46, 49-46).

Posted in: ufc, fight, mma, prospect, veteran

Bellator 55 weigh in results LIVE from Yuma for 'Vila vs Galvao'

The official weigh-in event for Bellator 55's Saturday evening fight card takes place today (October 21, 2011) at the Cocopah Casino in Yuma, Arizona. Bellator 55 will be the continuation of the promotion's season five bantamweight tournament as the promotion holds its semifinals. Season three finalist Ed West will take on highly touted Brazilian prospect Eduardo Dantas while former Olympic bronze medal winner Alexis Vila will battle gritty WEC veteran Marcos Galvao. Also on the card will be a superfight featuring the Bellator light heavyweight champion Christian M'Pumbu as he squares off with massive MMA veteran Travis Wiuff. The opening bout of the main card will be a lightweight attraction as top Brazilian prospect Ricardo Tirloni and EliteXC veteran Steve Gable. Complete Bellator 55 weigh in results after the jump: The official weigh-in event for Bellator 55's Saturday evening fight card takes place today (October 21, 2011) at the Cocopah Casino in Yuma, Arizona. Bellator 55 will be the continuation of the promotion's season five bantamweight tournament as the promotion holds its semifinals. Season three finalist Ed West will take on highly touted Brazilian prospect Eduardo Dantas while former Olympic bronze medal winner Alexis Vila will battle gritty WEC veteran Marcos Galvao. Also on the card will be a superfight featuring the Bellator light heavyweight champion Christian M'Pumbu as he squares off with massive MMA veteran Travis Wiuff. The opening bout of the main card will be a lightweight attraction as top Brazilian prospect Ricardo Tirloni and EliteXC veteran Steve Gable. Complete Bellator 55 weigh in results after the jump: Main Card 135 lbs.: Marcos Galvao (10-4-1) vs. Alexis Vila (10-0)135 lbs.: Eduardo Dantas (11-2) vs. Ed West (17-5)205 lbs.: Christian M'Pumbu (18-3-1) vs. Travis Wiuff (64-14)155 lbs.: Ricardo Tirloni (13-1) vs. Steve Gable (5-1) Undercard 155 lbs.: Cesar Avila (6-1) vs. Efrain Escudero (17-3) 205 lbs.: Carlos Flores (5-0) vs. Richard Hale (17-4-1)185 lbs.: Edgar Garcia (10-2) vs. Jacob Ortiz (10-2).155 lbs.: Erin Beach (2-1) vs. Roscoe Jackson (1-4)145 lbs.: Nick Piedmont (5-2) vs. Jade Porter (7-2)185 lbs.: Dano Moore (5-5) vs. Steve Steinbeiss (8-4) Remember that MMAMania.com will provide LIVE blow-by-blow, round-by-round coverage of Bellator 55, beginning with the MTV2 telecast starting at 9 p.m. ET tomorrow night (October 22). It's going to be a great night of fights so don't miss it, and remember to check us out for all the post-fight coverage after tomorrow night's card is wrapped up. See you then!

Posted in: bellator, vs, lb, card, veteran

UFC Veterans Pat Barry and Mirko 'Cro Cop' Filipovic Duet California Dreamin' on a Road Trip

Posted in: veteran, barry, mirko, cop, ufc veterans

Video: Brett Cooper KO's UFC Veteran Joe Doerksen

Posted in: ufc, ko, cooper, veteran, brett

Cooper Knocks Out UFC Veteran Doerksen at Score Fighting Series 2

HAMILTON, Ontario -- Brett Cooper capped of an exciting night of fights for Score Fighting Series’ second event with a first-round technical knockout of UFC veteran Joe Doerksen.

Posted in: series, cooper, veteran, series ’, brett cooper

VIDEO: UFC Veteran Patrick Cote TKO's Crafton Wallace

Coté vs Wallace by heretherhere VIDEO: UFC Veteran Patrick Cote TKO's Crafton Wallace

Posted in: veteran, wallace, crafton wallace, heretherhere video, patrick

Brett Cooper to take on MMA veteran Joe Doerksen in main event of theScore Fighting Series in Hamilton

TORONTO, September 21st, 2011 - Score Media Inc. (TSX: SCR) today announces that the main event is now set for theScore Fighting Series (SFS) October 14th card at the Hamilton Place Theatre. Canada's most experienced mixed martial artist Joe "El Dirte" Doerksen will take on hard-hitting Bellator veteran Brett Cooper in a middleweight showdown. Two other fights have also been approved with Lyndon Whitlock set to take on Tristan Johnson and Eric Moon facing Rory McDonell. Doerksen (47-15) has competed in many of the world's biggest MMA organizations and is a nine-time UFC veteran. He is coming off a win over Luigi Fioravanti in a slugfest at the June 10th SFS event in Mississauga. Cooper (14-7) is one of the middleweight division's most exciting young fighters and is the definition of a knockout artist with his last nine wins coming via KO or TKO. He trains out of California's Reign Training Center alongside Mark Munoz, Jake Ellenberger, Emanuel Newton, Jason "Mayhem" Miller and Krzysztof Soszynski. Fresh off a victory over Valdir Araujo on Saturday's Bellator 50 event, Cooper knows he will be in tough against Doerksen but will look to press the action. "Joe is a really experienced veteran with good skills," says Cooper. "But I am still going to go in there and look for the finish like I always do." The Whitlock-Johnson match-up has many buzzing about a potential "Fight of the Night" candidate. Johnson fights out of Halifax and is renowned for his slick boxing skills. He is coming off a hard fought victory over Whitlock's Iron Tiger teammate Will Romero at the last Score Fighting Series event. Whitlock (5-1) is on a three fight win streak where none of his opponents have made it out of the first round. His last victory came via TKO over Jason McKay by virtue of a series of brutal leg kicks. A Hamilton native, Whitlock has competed on the city's two previous MMA cards and is looking to keep his perfect home turf record intact. One fighter will go above .500 and one will go below when Eric "The Monster" Moon (6-6) meets Rory McDonell (5-5). Moon fights out of Detroit's Mash Fight Team and has won his last two fights. McDonell fights out of Pura BJJ in Hamilton and Mississauga's Evolution MMA. All five of his victories have come via submission. Tickets for the October 14th event at Hamilton Place Theatre will range from $30 to $65 and are on sale now through ticketmaster.ca and the Copps Coliseum box office. The event will be shown live on theScore.com and air on theScore Television Network via tape delay.

Posted in: fight, event, hamilton, cooper, veteran