Friday, January 28, 2011

Strikeforce Fighter James Terry Out To Prove He’s A Finisher

After having proven himself on many levels of the fight game, Cung Le student James Terry is ready to prove that he can succeed at the highest level of MMA.
After going toe-to-toe with top prospect Tarec Saffiedine and coming up just short, Terry rebounded with a win over Cesar Gracie fighter David Marshall to close out 2010.
“I think last year was really a growing period for me in my MMA career,” Terry told MMA Weekly. “I think that the Tarec loss was definitely frustrating for me, but at the same time I try to be positive about it and I grew from that fight and it helped me to establish that I’m a top-level fighter.
“The fight against David, I was able to utilize the confidence I built and my improved stand-up. I was able to showcase that in that fight.”
Terry intends to build off what he learned in those to fights to make the foundation for his 2011 campaign.
“Overall, I’m going to build more confidence and I’m really looking to be a finisher,” he stated. “I feel that I was really close to finishing a lot of fights with knockouts, but unfortunately I haven’t done that.
“I’m looking to be exciting. I want to knock people out in spectacular fashion or submit them. I want to dominate and I’m going to bring it because now is my time to be at my peak.”
Terry’s first test of the year comes this Saturday as he takes on Lucas Gamaza as part of Strikeforce’s return to San Jose, Calif.
“I think he’ll be similar to my last opponent,” said Terry of Gamaza. “Anybody from the Cesar Gracie/Nick Diaz camp is going to be tough. I’ve got nothing but respect for their camp, and I think this guy is going to want a little redemption (for David’s loss).
“I need to make this fight my fight. I’m just going to do what I want to do. I’m not going to worry too much about him or about what he’s going to do to me. I’ve got a solid game plan for this guy and I’m just going to show everybody where it’s at.”
As it currently stands, Terry is taking this fight on a one-off basis with hopes of parlaying it into another multi-fight contract. From there his goal is simple, keep busy and keep moving forward.
“I just want to fight, put on good shows for the crowd, please my coaches and just have fun,” he stated. “I thoroughly enjoy this sport. I love the build-up and the release and craziness that comes with all of it.
“I’m living in the moment and I’m thankful every day that I get to do this. Just line them up and I’ll knock them down.”
Having learned from both defeat and victory last year, Terry now seeks the kind of consistent success that will take him to the top of the welterweight division.
“I want to thank my sponsors: GFY Gear, BR Flooring, Clinch Gear, SCORE Clinic, Key Chiropractic, Solace Chiropractic and Morning Crane Healing Arts Center,” he said in closing. “Come check me out on Jan. 29 – I’m going to bring it.”

Source: mmaweekly.com

Joe Stevenson vs. Danny Castillo a late addition to UFC on Versus 3

A lightweight bout between former title-challenger Joe Stevenson (31-12 MMA, 8-6 UFC) and WEC import Danny Castillo (10-3 MMA, 0-0 UFC) is a late addition to March's UFC on Versus 3 event.

Sources close to the event today told MMAjunkie the bout is in the process of being finalized.

UFC on Versus 3 takes place March 3 at the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Ky., and the main card airs on Versus.

Stevenson vs. Castillo could take a televised main-card slot that opened when injured Paulo Thiago recently pulled out of a scheduled fight with Johny Hendricks.

Stevenson looks to shake out of a recent slump that's resulted in four losses in his past six fights, including recent defeats to George Sotiropoulos (decision) and Mac Danzig (knockout). "The Ultimate Fighter 2" winner won five of his first six UFC fights and then fought B.J. Penn for the organization's vacant lightweight belt. But with that submission loss, Stevenson has won just three times in his most recent eight outings.

Castillo recently concluded his WEC career with a 5-3 record following back-to-back wins over fast-rising Dustin Poirier (decision) and Will Kerr (KO). In fact, his only losses in the WEC came to the elite of the division: Donald Cerrone, Shane Roller and Anthony Pettis.

As MMAjunkie.com recently reported, Castillo recently announced he has signed a multi-fight deal with the UFC following the WEC-UFC merger.



Source: mmajunkie.com

Zuffa Adds Pieces to UFC 129 Puzzle

Two new preliminary contests have been added to the dance card at UFC 129 on April 30 at the Rogers Centre in Toronto, as Canadians Claude Patrick and Ivan Menjivar will square off with Daniel Roberts and Charlie Valencia at 170 and 135 pounds, respectively. Nine bouts are now official for the event, which will air live on pay-per-view.

UFC 129 will be headlined by a welterweight title clash between dominant champion Georges St. Pierre and top contender Jake Shields. The show is expected to host 11 fights when the final card is released, as UFC President Dana White has previously stated that two more bouts --Randy Couture vs. Lyoto Machida and Jose Aldo vs. Mark Hominick -- were in the works.

Patrick rides a 12-fight winning streak heading into UFC 129 and has gone a perfect 2-0 while competing in the Octagon. The 30-year-old Brazilian jiu-jitsu brown belt submitted Ricardo Funch in his UFC debut in June and followed that victory with a unanimous decision win over “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 9 winner James Wilks at UFC 120 in London.

In Roberts, he faces a dangerous submission artist who has won his last three fights. After suffering a brutal knockout in his UFC debut, courtesy of John Howard, Roberts edged Forrest Petz in a split decision victory at UFC 116. The Cesar Gracie product finished his next two opponents, using his jiu-jitsu skills to submit Michael Guymon with an anaconda choke and Greg Soto with a kimura at UFC 121 and 125.

A 10-year veteran of the sport, Menjivar has competed against some of the best in the world. Recently, however, the Canadian has dropped three of his last four bouts. In his last fight, Menjivar put on an exciting performance in his WEC debut against game Brit Brad Pickett, but it was not enough to earn a victory. The 28-year-old will be making his first appearance in the Octagon since UFC 48 in 2004.

Though he has won three of his last four, Valencia’s last trip inside the cage was not a pleasant one, as he was picked apart and submitted in the second round by former bantamweight champion Miguel Torres at WEC 51 in September. Valencia is a nine-time WEC veteran and holds five of his 12 career victories by submission.



Source: sherdog.com

Judge Orders Emelianenko, M-1 Global, Affliction to Resolve Disputes

Amid a recent flurry of discovery disputes between courtroom adversaries Fedor Emelianenko/M-1 Global (plaintiffs) and Affliction Entertainment (defendant), a federal magistrate judge on Monday issued an order staying discovery between the parties, ordering them to meet and confer “day to day until done” to resolve their disputes.

The litigation commenced back in October 2009, when Emelianenko and M-1 Global, a promotional/management group with which the fighter is closely aligned, filed suit to recover damages they allegedly suffered after Affliction cancelled the co-promoted “Trilogy” event, scheduled to take place on Aug. 1, 2009. “The Last Emperor” and M-1 claim that Affliction Entertainment breached the “Fight Agreement” when it refused to stage and promote a third bout for Emelianenko after his advertised opponent, Josh Barnett, was refused a license in California. Two weeks before the Affliction event, the California State Athletic Commission denied Barnett’s license application, reporting the fighter tested positive for steroids. According to M-1 and Emelianenko, Affliction did not undertake “all reasonable efforts” to find a fighter to replace Barnett. They contend that Affliction lost interest in promoting this third bout partly because it was trying to repair its soured relationship with the UFC.

On May 26, 2010, Affliction filed a countersuit against M-1, claiming one of the documents governing their relationship, a “Consulting Agreement,” was a “sham contract designed to avoid tax obligations.” Affliction asked the court to declare the Consulting Agreement unlawful and require M-1 to refund the $2.4 million it initially collected for the two events. Earlier this year, M-1 Global’s attorney, Marc S. Hines, told Sherdog.com, “We deny the allegations in the cross-claim.” Shortly after Sherdog.com first reported the news, Affliction voluntarily dismissed its counterclaim, without prejudice to re-file its claim at some later date. The court’s docket reflects that Affliction has never re-filed its counterclaim. At this stage of the proceedings, it is highly unlikely Affliction could or would do so.

Until now, the parties were moving forward toward completing discovery (e.g., written interrogatories, requests for production of documents and depositions of potential trial witnesses) before the court-imposed deadline of January 28, 2011. Several key depositions have been taken by the parties. According to M-1, among the depositions it has taken to date are Zuffa (through its President Dana White and General Counsel Lawrence Epstein), Affliction (through co-founder Todd Beard, Vice President Tom Atencio and attorney Michael Bassiri) and Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker. However, with the discovery cutoff looming, the parties have become embroiled in several discovery disputes in recent weeks, bringing issues to the court for resolution through ex parteapplications -- a special type of “emergency” motion usually reserved for matters needing urgent resolution.

The first dispute concerns the number of additional depositions M-1 is allowed to take. Relying on a previous decision by the court, Emelianenko and M-1 argue that each side can take 15 depositions, in addition to expert witness depositions. Affliction disagrees, interpreting the court’s order as permitting only 15 depositions total. The parties also disagree on the number of depositions that have already been taken. In civil litigation, where a corporate deposition is taken, the company is responsible for producing one or more corporate representatives that are qualified to testify regarding all of the subjects listed in the deposition notice. The dispute here is focused on whether certain individuals were deposed in their personal capacity or whether they were deposed as corporate representatives. The answer to that disputed question will affect the tally of how many depositions M-1 has taken and how many more it can take.

By M-1’s count, it has taken just eight depositions to date. However, under Affliction’s reasoning, some of the witnesses were deposed in their personal capacity, so it argues M-1 has taken 11 and is closer to exhausting its allotted 15 depositions. M-1 seeks urgent court intervention to resolve the dispute and force the depositions of several other third party witnesses, including Brett Rogers, an alleged potential replacement for Barnett. “The deposition is necessary to establish whether Mr. Rogers was read[y], willing and able to fight Plaintiff Fedor Emelianenko on August 1, 2009,” according to M-1.

Through a second ex parte application, M-1 seeks an order requiring Affliction to answer its written discovery questions (interrogatories) and produce a slew of documents M-1 believes it is entitled to see, including agreements and communications related to HDNet and DirecTV. It also seeks a related order forcing Affliction to submit to another deposition. According to M-1, Affliction failed to hand over documents in advance of Affliction’s corporate deposition and did not come prepared to answer questions on the topics included in the deposition notice. Affliction vehemently disagrees, arguing that it produced qualified witnesses at the deposition and produced all the requested documents in its possession.

The third discovery dispute concerns M-1’s scheduled depositions of an Australian pay-per-view broadcaster and Rogers. M-1 wants these depositions to prove damages and Rogers’ availability to fight Emelianenko at Affliction “Trilogy.” Affliction filed its own ex parte application to stop these depositions from going forward, arguing that the deposition notices were void based on procedural technicalities.

With all this back and forth over ordinarily routine discovery procedures, the judge appeared frustrated by the parties’ inability to work through at least some of their disagreements. On Monday, the judge issued an order denying all three ex parte applications and scolding the parties: “The filing of discovery requests and ex parte applications in the days before the discovery cutoff is an abuse of the judicial process.” The judge ordered a halt to everything, until the parties sit down and hash out their problems, starting on Thursday, and threatened to impose sanctions on any party or attorney that fails to engage in a good faith effort to resolve the disputes.

M-1’s counsel, Hines, told Sherdog, “Once we’re past these procedural discovery issues, we’re preparing to go to trial.”

Affliction’s counsel was contacted but declined to comment on the matter. Even though discovery has temporarily been put on hold, the June 7 trial date remains on the calendar, at least for the time being.



Source: sherdog.com

Douglas-Gonzalez Targeted for Strikeforce Challengers 14

Another matchup has surfaced for Strikeforce Challengers 14, as a lightweight scrap between David Douglas (Pictured) and Nick Gonzalez is being put together for the event on Feb. 18 at the Cedar Park Center in Austin, Texas.

Sherdog.com on Wednesday confirmed with sources close to the negotiations that while verbal agreements are in place for the bout, no contracts have yet been signed. The matchup was first reported over Twitter by MMA Supremacy.

Strikeforce Challengers 14 will be headlined by another lightweight showdown pitting the undefeated Lyle Beerbohm against Pat Healy and will also feature the return of Ryan Couture, as he takes on Lee Higgins in yet another 155-pound affair.

A Cesar Gracie product, Douglas is a veteran of both Strikeforce and the defunct EliteXC promotion. After beginning his career with a loss to former WEC featherweight title contender Jeff Curran in 2005, Douglas ran off four straight victories before running into powerful prospect Justin Wilcox in his Strikeforce debut in August 2009. After spending more than a year on the sideline, “Tarzan” returned to the cage in October, earning a technical knockout victory over Dominic Clark at Strikeforce Challengers 11. Douglas has never been to a decision and owns all five of his career victories by knockout.

Fighting out of Austin, Texas, Gonzalez will have the home-field advantage heading into the bout. A former Bellator Fighting Championships competitor, “The Ghost” has faced some stiff competition as a professional. In 2007 alone, the lightweight squared off with both UFC veteran Yves Edwards and former Strikeforce lightweight king Josh Thomson, losing both fights. Gonzalez comes into this upcoming bout riding back-to-back wins. The Alliance MMA product has finished half of his 16 career victims by either knockout or submission.

Strikeforce Challengers 14 will also likely feature a welterweight scrap between Ryan Larson and Erik Apple, as well as another 155-pound showdown between Bryan Traversand Carlo Prater. Neither bout has been officially announced by the promotion.



Source: sherdog.com

Gegard Mousasi Aiming for April Return Against Mike Kyle

Former Strikeforce light heavyweight champion Gegard Mousasi is hoping to return to action for the promotion in April against Mike Kyle. Mousasi informed MMA Fighting of his plans on Friday.

The 25-year-old Mousasi said that he was originally scheduled to fight Kyle on the March 5 card in Columbus, Ohio, but Kyle needs more time to heal from the injuries he sustained in his December loss to Antonio "Bigfoot" Silva.

ESPN reported on Thursday that Strikeforce is targeting April 9 as a possible date. A location has yet to be finalized.

Mousasi (30-3-1) hasn't fought for Strikeforce since he lost the 205-pound title to Muhammed Lawal in April. That loss snapped his 15-fight winning streak, which spanned four years. Since the loss to "King Mo," Mousasi has won the DREAM light heavyweight title after beating Jake O'Brien and Tatsuya Mizuno in a four-man tournament. He also defeated Kyotaro in a K-1 match at Dynamite!! 2010.

Kyle (18-8-1, 1 no contest) is 5-1 with 1 no contest in his last seven fights. He was very active in 2010, fighting six times in total. He holds wins in Strikeforce over current champion Rafael "Feijao" Cavalcante and Abongo Humphrey.

Source: mmafighting.com

Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Silva Prelims to Air Live on HDNet

Preliminary bouts on the Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Silva card on Feb. 12 in East Rutherford, N.J. will be televised live on HDNet.

The four undercard bouts planned for airing are Igor Gracie vs. John Salgado, John Cholish vs. Marc Stevens, Sam Oropeza vs. Don Carlo-Clauss and Anthony Leone vs. Josh LaBerge, HDNet tells MMAFighting.

HDNet will also mix up its usual broadcasting teams, placing Michael Schiavello and Bas Rutten in the booth for this event.

The HDNet broadcast of the undercard begins at 8 p.m. ET until the main card gets underway at 10 p.m. ET on Showtime. In addition, HDNet will air the weigh-ins live at 5 p.m. ET the day before the event.

The undercard will also feature Kevin Roddy vs. Jay Maclean and other bouts.



Source: mmafighting.com

Titan FC 16 Weigh-Ins: Tim Sylvia Tips Scale at 311 Pounds

Former UFC heavyweight champion Tim Sylvia weighed in at 311 pounds on Thursday prior to his Titan FC 16 fight against Abe Wagner. Wagner, a former cast member on the 10th season of The Ultimate Fighter, weighed 265.2.

Titan FC 16 takes place Friday night at Memorial Hall in Kansas City, Kan. The main card, headlined by Sylvia vs. Wagner, airs live on HDNet at 10 p.m. ET.

This marks the heaviest Sylvia has ever been prior to a fight. "The Maine-iac" weighed 310 pounds before his fight against Ray Mercer in 2009 and 305 when he fought Mariusz Pudzianowksi in 2010.

The 34-year-old Sylvia (28-6) has won his last four fights in a row against Vince Lucero, Paul Buentello, Pudzianowksi and Jason Riley.

He took this fight on short notice after Todd Duffee, who was originally scheduled to fight Wagner, accepted a fight against Alistair Overeem at Dynamitte!! 2010.

Other Titan FC fights to be televised on Friday night include Jason High vs. Rudy Bears, Gary Tapusoa vs. Drew McFedries, and Rich "No Love" Clementi vs. Aaron Derrow.

Below is a video of Sylvia tipping the scales at 311 pounds.





Source: mmafighting.com

Former Champ Mike Brown Spared Cut, Recovering From Hand Surgery

End the speculation about Mike Brown.

The former WEC featherweight champion, the rumor of a potential cut after suffering his third loss in four fights during the recent UFC Fight for the Troops 2 event, will be given another opportunity to get back into the UFC win column.

American Top Team general manager Richie Guerriero confirmed to MMA Fighting that in the days since his unanimous decision loss to Rani Yahya, Brown has been told he would remain on the roster.

The decorated former 145-pound champ lost his belt to Jose Aldo in November 2009, and has since struggled to regain the form that made him one of the best featherweights in the world. After rebounding from his title loss with a submission win over Anthony Morrison, he suffered a first-round knockout loss at the hands of Manny Gamburyan before losing two of his next three. Altogether, the talented featherweight has lost four of his last six.

Because of that, his UFC future seemed murky after his most recent loss, but the decision to keep him was likely helped by the fact that Brown (24-8) had stepped up to fight Yahya on short notice, just three weeks after a split-decision loss to Diego Nunes at UFC 125. Yahya had been scheduled to face "the Korean Zombie" Chan Sung Jung, before Jung pulled out due to injury.

Earlier this week, the 35-year-old Brown had surgery to address a torn ligament in his left hand suffered in the first round of his fight, a procedure that will have him in recovery mode for a time. While working his way through rehab, at least he knows he has a job waiting for him when he gets healthy.



Source: mmafighting.com

Wednesday, January 26, 2011

Scott Coker on Strikeforce Grand Prix: “Greatest Heavyweight Tournament in the History of MMA”

The upcoming Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix may end up being the promotion’s biggest series of events to date. According to Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker, it is the greatest heavyweight collection in MMA history.
A few weeks back, former linear No. 1 heavyweight Fedor Emelianenko said he believes the upcoming Strikeforce tournament rivals or surpasses the Pride Fighting Championships tournament he took part in some years ago.
With fighters like Emelianenko, Fabricio Werdum, Josh Barnett and of course Strikeforce heavyweight champion Alistair Overeem all involved, it’s hard to argue that point.
“Pride had some amazing shows and they set the benchmark for tournaments. I know the UFC originally started back in ’93 with the tournament format, but that was a different era, a different time,” Coker said recently on MMAWeekly Radio.
“I’m not the type of guy to sit here and boasting about it, but when you look at it on paper, I think this is honestly the greatest heavyweight tournament in the history of mixed martial arts. I think there’s a good argument about that. That’s really my position on it.”
The tournament is stacked with several heavyweights in the Top 10, along with a few former Top 10 fighters as well.
One question many fans have asked about is how stacked one side of the tournament seems to be with Emelianenko, Overeem, and Werdum all sitting together. Coker believes that side of the tournament is set up for a couple of reasons.
First, the fans are guaranteed to see a fight they’ve been asking for with Overeem vs. Werdum in the first round, and second, the Strikeforce heavyweight champion flat out asked to face the Brazilian as soon as he possibly could.
“He came to me in Japan and said ‘I want fight Fabricio Werdum and I want to avenge that fight. I want to knock him out,” Coker said about Overeem.
Of course on the other side of the tournament discussion are comments from everyone including fans and media about the set up of the Grand Prix. From Overeem not defending his title to the right side of the bracket seemingly lighter on talent, Strikeforce has taken its fair share of criticism about the mega-tournament kicking off in February.
Does Strikeforce receive harsher criticism than the UFC, the biggest MMA organization in the world? Coker says he doesn’t want opinions on his promotion to be judged by anything other than the quality of the fights they’re putting on.
“This is what I say: Judge us by what’s inside the cage and we put on some amazing fights, put on some big fights, and I think the tournament’s going to be unbelievable,” said Coker. “Why be a critic? Why don’t you just sit back and enjoy it? Because it’s going to be unbelievable and you get to watch it on Showtime for free.”
Coker even talks to his good friends at the American Kickboxing Academy as they kick around the idea of who would win in a fight between Strikeforce champion Alistair Overeem and UFC champion Cain Velasquez.
“I was sitting here with Javier Mendes and Bob Cook going ‘you know, if Fedor would take Cain and Alistair would take it to Cain’ and we had this big debate about AKA vs. Strikeforce,” Coker commented.
Fans may not get to see those particular match-ups, but they will see a lot of other great fights at the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix kicks off Feb. 12 in New Jersey.

Source: mmaweekly.com

"TUF 13" coach Junior Dos Santos: Weak-chinned Brock Lesnar can't take a punch

LAS VEGAS – Just a few short weeks ago, things really didn't seem to be working out for top UFC heavyweight contender Junior Dos Santos (12-1 MMA, 6-0 UFC).

Despite earning a shot at the UFC's heavyweight title, Dos Santos openly expressed his frustration at having that bout delayed when Cain Velasquez was forced to the sidelines following surgery to repair a torn rotator cuff.

But things have quickly changed, and Dos Santos is elated to take a role as coach on "The Ultimate Fighter 13," which debuts in on Spike TV in March. And in fact, he's downright salivating at the looming showdown with his opposing coach, Brock Lesnar (5-2 MMA, 4-2 UFC), a man he thinks provides a very favorable matchup.

"When they told me to come and make 'The Ultimate Fighter 13,' I was very happy," Dos Santos said. "It's a new opportunity for me. I was supposed to fight for the title, but Cain got hurt. When the UFC told me to come [to Las Vegas] and make this show with Brock, I was very happy."

You see, while Dos Santos was saddened to have his shot at a UFC title pulled from the table, he simply wasn't willing to sit on the shelf while waiting for the champion to heal.

"I asked for a fight," Dos Santos explained. "Cain may not fight for one year. That is too much time for me to just wait for him."

But as Dos Santos' manager, Ed Soares, explained, the opportunity had to be right. After discussing the available options with UFC president Dana White, Dos Santos and Soares believed the "TUF 13" coaching gig opposite Lesnar provided all the Brazilian contender could want.

"We just wanted to make sure it was going to be a big fight and something that made sense," Soares said. "Fortunately, Dana came back with Brock, which is definitely a fight that makes sense. It's going to be the biggest fight of Junior's career, and the exposure from the show is perfect.

"Our first choice, like always, was to fight for the title, but knowing that we weren't going to be able to fight for the title, this is obviously the best thing that could have happened outside of fighting for the title. I think in the longrun, it's going to help his career a lot."

At just 26 years old, Dos Santos is the youngest coach ever to head a team on the long-running Spike TV-broadcast reality competition series. Nevertheless, "Cigano" believes his experiences at the Black House gym will have him more than prepared.

"It's a new position for me, but I think I'm ready to do this," Dos Santos said. "I have a lot of experience to share with my team. I've trained with a lot of great champions like Anderson Silva, the Nogueira brothers and the rest of the guys on our team, and I think I can do this very well.

"I will bring (Antonio) Rodrigo Nogueira, Anderson Silva, and I will see who else I can invite to come. A lot of good fighters will be here to help support us."

With filming for "The Ultimate Fighter 13" just underway, Dos Santos knows there will be challenges. First up is the minor language barrier as the Brazilian works hard to improve his English. But perhaps more importantly, Dos Santos said he'll need to get comfortable working in front of the cameras – a role he believes his opposing coach, a former professional wrestling superstar, is well-equipped to handle.

"I think he is already almost an actor," Dos Santos said of Lesnar. "All the time he is in front of the cameras. That's different than me."

Of course, while both Dos Santos and Lesnar will be expected to help guide their team to victory in the 14-man tournament, the big prize is what awaits the winner of a season-ending matchup between the two heavyweights: a future date with Velasquez.

Dos Santos – who had never met his opposing coach in person prior to the start of filming earlier this week – admits he was a bit shocked at just how massive Lesnar really is. However, he's far from intimidated by his giant foe.

"I'm very excited to fight with him," Dos Santos said. "He's a pretty big fighter, and I think he is very dangerous. But I think the fight against him will be very good for me because I think I am faster than him, and I'm going to use my boxing, for sure. I always use my boxing to win fights. That's going to happen again.

"I think he doesn't accept punches very well. I don't know why. I guess because he's from wrestling. I am from boxing. I have no problem with punches. The guys can punch me, and I feel nothing. I just keep going. That doesn't happen with him. He's got a weak chin."

It's about as close as you'll ever get to trash talk from the always affable Dos Santos. But he doesn't mean the words as anything other than what he considers simple fact after watching Lesnar's recent fights with Velasquez and Shane Carwin.

"I think Carwin was good in his fight against Brock, but he got tired too soon," Dos Santos said. "Brock showed how dangerous he is. Against Cain, I was there in the arena. The fight was very good. Brock started 100 percent – like a truck with no driver – attacking Cain Velasquez, and Cain just waited for the right moment to change the fight and beat Brock Lesnar. Cain was perfect.

"I think once you're over 220 pounds, it's all the same thing. All the guys are huge and strong. I believe in me. I think I can knock him out."

With Lesnar's inclusion as coach, "The Ultimate Fighter 13" appears poised to score some of the highest ratings ever garnished by the six-year-old series. But while Lesnar may prove the initial draw, Dos Santos is thankful for his opportunity to appear opposite the former heavyweight champion – and he intends to let viewers know what to expect this summer when the two finally square off in the octagon.

"I want to let the American people know who I am and why I'm here and what I do to be here," Dos Santos said.



Source: mmajunkie.com

Strikeforce Challengers 14 adds Prater vs. Travers, Apple vs. Larson

Former WEC title challenger Carlo Prater (25-10-1 MMA, 0-0 SF) meets Bryan Travers (14-2 MMA, 0-1 SF), and Erik Apple (10-2 MMA, 0-1 SF) takes on fellow welterweight Ryan Larson (5-2 MMA, 0-0 SF) at next month's Strikeforce Challengers 14 event.

Featuring a lightweight main event between unbeaten Lyle Beerbohm and Pat Healy, Strikeforce Challengers 14 takes place Feb. 18 at Cedar Park Center in Cedar Park, Texas.

Prater vs. Travers and Apple vs. Larson are expected to be part of the main card, which airs live on Showtime.

Prater, who was once one of the welterweight division's most promising fighter, has lost four of his past five fights in a variety of organization. Back in September, he competed in Shine Fights' single-night lightweight grand prix. Although he lost to Rich Crunkilton via split decision in the opening round, he replaced the fighter in the semis due to an injury. Prater then scored a majority-decision victory over Charlie Brown and advanced to the finale, where he suffered a submission loss to eventual tourney winner Drew Fickett.

He now meets Travers, a longtime Gladiator Challenge fighter who debuted with Strikeforce in May. At Strikeforce Challengers 8, he suffered a decision loss to Pat Healy. It remains the only loss of his past eight fights, which included a Palace Fighting Championships victory over UFC and IFL vet John Gunderson.

Apple, meanwhile, has dropped two of his past three fights, though he hasn't compete professionally since a November 2009 TKO loss to Bobby Voelker at Strikeforce Challenger 5. The other loss came to notable Brock Larson at WEC 26.

Ryan Larson, his upcoming opponent, makes his Strikeforce debut after competing in Texas-based promotions, where he won five of his first six fights before a recent August loss to Derrick Krantz (9-2). Larson's past four wins all have come via first-round submission.



Source: mmajunkie.com

11 Bouts Official for UFC Live 3 on March 3

The Ultimate Fighting Championship has added three new contests to the official fight card for UFC Live 3 “Sanchez vs. Kampmann”.

The promotion on Wednesday updated the lineup to include a middleweight tilt between Alessio Sakara and Rafael “Sapo” Natal, a light heavyweight scrap featuring Steve Cantwell and Cyrille Diabate, and a welterweight affair pitting Johny Hendricks against Paulo Thiago. The card is now nearly complete with 11 bouts. Only an expected middleweight matchup between Rousimar Palhares and Dave Branch is yet to be confirmed.

UFC Live 3 takes place March 3 and will go down at the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Ky. The event will be headlined by a welterweight showdown between Danish striker Martin Kampmann and the resurgent Diego Sanchez.

Although poor health kept Sakara from competing in the second half of 2010, the heavy-handed Italian still rides a three-fight winning streak heading into his contest with Natal, with two of his three recent wins coming by way of knockout. “Legionarius” was initially supposed to meet Chute Boxe product Maiquel Falcao at UFC Live 3, but Natal stepped up to replace his fellow Brazilian after an injury sidelined “Big Rig.”

In Natal, Sakara faces a Renzo Gracie product with a potent ground game. A black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, “Sapo” holds seven of his 12 career victories by submission. Natal has gone 0-1-1 in his UFC career, losing to Rich Attonito in his debut and drawing with Jesse Bongfeldt in his sophomore effort in December.

Cantwell and Diabate each have their backs against the wall, as both men are looking to rebound from defeats. Cantwell has lost two straight bouts to Luis Cane and Brian Stann, while Diabate comes off a one-sided loss to Alexander Gustafsson.

Hendricks and Thiago also both tasted defeat in their previous outings, as the Brazilian was outworked by Diego Sanchez at UFC 121 and Hendricks dropped a close unanimous decision to Rick Story at “The Ultimate Fighter 12” finale. The loss marked the first defeat of Hendricks’ career.

Source: sherdog.com

Ricco Rodriguez to Face James McSweeney at BAMMA 5

One-time UFC heavyweight champion Ricco Rodriguez will meet former The Ultimate Fighter 10 contestant James McSweeney at BAMMA 5 on Feb. 26 in Manchester, England, the promotion announced Wednesday.

Rodriguez will look to extend his 10-fight win streak at the UK-based event, being headlined by Strikeforce contender Paul Daley vs. DEEP champion Yuya Shirai for the vacant BAMMA welterweight strap.

Rodriguez (45-11), who last year expressed interest in returning to the UFC as a light heavyweight, has remained unbeaten since a Reality Combat bout in July 2009. The 33-year-old's most recent fight was a unanimous decision over Daniel Tabera at Israel FC last November.

McSweeney (4-6), a British striker with all four wins via (T)KO, was released by the UFC this past fall following losses to Travis Browne and Fabio Maldonado in 2010. His lone Octagon win was against Darrill Schoonover at the TUF 10 Finale in December 2009.

Three more main card bouts will be added to BAMMA 5.



Source: mmafighting.com

Cheick Kongo Targeting June Return From Back Surgery

UFC heavyweight Cheick Kongo is still recovering from December back surgery with the hope of returning around June, a source close to the fighter tells MMA Fighting.

The 35-year-old Kongo (15-6-2) had suffered through back problems for several months, even canceling a scheduled UFC 116 bout with Roy Nelson before taking an October UFC 120 fight with Travis Browne that ended in a draw.

Afterward, the popular French heavyweight tried rehabilitation in hopes of avoiding surgery, but he underwent a procedure in early December and has been working on strengthening his back since.

The timeline of a June return could work perfectly for the UFC, which is looking for an opponent for Shane Carwin.

Ironically, Carwin is also coming off back surgery. He's already accepted a place on June's UFC 131 event in Vancouver, though his opponent is to be determined.

A Carwin-Kongo match has been rumored by some, but as of now, the UFC has not spoken to either side about a potential matchup, according to sources.



Source: mmafighting.com

Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Strikeforce in Discussions to Bring One Leg of Heavyweight Grand Prix to Japan

Strikeforce could be taking its show international, including part of its upcoming Heavyweight Grand Prix that kicks off in February.
Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker tells MMAWeekly Radio that the company has been exploring expansion into Canada and likely taking at least one leg of the Grand Prix overseas to Japan.
“We’re having a couple conversations right now and we definitely want to travel to Canada at some point, which we’re working on,” Coker said. “We’d definitely like to take one leg of the tournament at some point, it doesn’t have to be the next one or it could be the semifinals or maybe even the fights, but we’d like to eventually this year take one of those legs to Japan.”
Strikeforce hasn’t ventured to Japan before, but they do have strong ties with FEG, the company that promotes Dream and K-1 events in the country. Coker has had a relationship working with K-1 for several years, and it would seemingly make for an easy transition for his company to make it to Japan.
Several fighters on the Strikeforce roster have come to prominence through fighting in Japan including heavyweight champion Alistair Overeem, who just won the K-1 Grand Prix title in Japan, as well as former Pride champion Fedor Emelianenko.
Coker believes it’s a smart move to expand into Japan, and why not for what he calls the greatest heavyweight tournament the sport has ever seen.
“I just feel like with all the stars that we have and the fan base there for these fighters over there, I mean these fighters have a ton of fans in Japan,” said Coker. “Why not go there and bring Strikeforce to Japan some time this year?”
No plans have been finalized as to which leg of the tournament could take place there, but the quarterfinal round of the Grand Prix featuring Overeem has not been scheduled yet, but is expected to take place in early April.
Beyond that date, Strikeforce hasn’t set anything in concrete as far as when shows will take place, but it’s expected that the semifinals will happen in early to mid-summer with the finals taking place in the fall.

Source: mmaweekly.com

UFC Featherweight Champion Jose Aldo At Least a Year Away from Testing the Lightweight Division

Jose Aldo could be described as one of the most gifted fighters in the entire MMA world, and he is universally ranked among the best pound-for-pound fighters in the sport.
The current UFC featherweight champion has long talked about a potential move to 155lbs at some point to solidify his place as one of the best, but it appears those plans are further off than originally expected.
Once upon a time, Aldo was offered a fight at 155lbs against Kenny Florian in the UFC, but after discussing things with his coaches and manager he opted to stay at featherweight where he reigns as the current UFC champion.
Now with a bout on the horizon against Mark Hominick at UFC 129 in Toronto, Aldo’s team believes he has more work to do at 145lbs before taking the eventual leap to lightweight.
“I think that anything is possible. I think right now, he still has some work to be done at 145 pounds. He’s a few fights away from being able to say he’s cleaned out the division,” Aldo’s manager Ed Soares told MMAWeekly Radio. “I think he’s capable of doing that, and (moving to lightweight) is a potential thing that could happen.
“We could see that in a year, year and a half. He would definitely have to put on a little bit of weight and he would have to put on the weight gradually. I think it would be at least a year before we see him fight at 155.”
Soares’ statements are similar to what UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre said about his potential move to middleweight at some point down the road. Much like GSP, Aldo wants the chance to put on the extra weight the right way and adjust to the move, not just hop up to a different weight class with no real planning.
Always ready to fight, Aldo would of course accept a bout at lightweight today if the UFC came calling, but his team is looking out for his best interests and right now they lie at 145lbs.
“He’ll take the fight. He’ll do the fight regardless (of weight). I just think you’re at a level now, and the sport is at a level now, where you have to take these things seriously. These guys are professionals,” Soares commented.
“I think when the time is right and the opportunity presents itself, we’ll make the decision.”
Aldo is currently lined up to face fellow striker Mark Hominick at UFC 129, but if the Brazilian’s last few performances are any indicator he’s well on his way to being regarded as one of the top champions in all of MMA.
Aldo has a lot of goals to achieve, but his career is young and his management doesn’t want to push him along too fast and ruin something that is potentially great. Down the road however, Aldo’s future may very well be as a lightweight.
“If he keeps performing and keeps putting on the types of performances that he has put on, I do believe that we will see Jose Aldo at lightweight,” Soares said in closing.
The Nova Uniao product will train in Brazil as he readies for his official UFC debut in April in Toronto.

Source: mmaweekly.com

Regardless of UFC Fight Night 24 outcome, Tito Ortiz not ready to retire

Tito Ortiz laughed it off at first. Then he realized they were serious.

Not long after Matt Hamill handed him his third consecutive loss at this past October's UFC 121 event, he got a call from UFC executive Lorenzo Fertitta and UFC president Dana White.

They told him he should retire. After the initial surprise, he pleaded with them.

"I said, 'You guys have got to give me a chance, man,'" Ortiz said. "Look at my last fights. I fought Forrest Griffin last year with a ruptured disk in my neck, and I still fought to a split decision. I come back a year later after neck surgery, and I fight a guy who's on a five-fight win streak, and I lost a couple of takedowns.

"You guys think I should retire? It's just crazy."

He eventually convinced them to give him one last shot. White later called him back, and Ortiz (15-8-1 MMA, 14-8-1 UFC) asked for a fight with Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (19-4 MMA, 2-1 UFC), the twin brother of former PRIDE and UFC champ Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira. "Little Nog" had most recently lost a unanimous decision to blue-chip prospect Ryan Bader.

The two are now set to meet in the headliner of the recently announced UFC Fight Night 24 event, which takes place March 26 at Seattle's KeyArena and airs live on Spike TV.

"I probably could have gotten an easier fight, but I wanted to challenge myself," Ortiz said. "Do I fight someone who I'm supposed to beat, or do I fight someone that's supposed to beat me? I like these terms better."

This past Saturday, White said Ortiz will "probably retire" if he loses to Nogueira.

Once a dominant force in an early era of the Zuffa-owned UFC, Ortiz's back is against the wall. His family life, meanwhile, has never been better. Despite the storm around him, he's happier than ever.

During his title reign in which he defended his belt six consecutive times, he had an entourage of 15 people following him at all times. He had 15 or 16 training partners, all part of his Team Punishment MMA squad. He had that glow that surrounds a champ.

Now, he has four or five training partners. The original team has scattered to the winds. He recently has taken refuge at Kings MMA and works with Fabricio Werdum, Mark Munoz, Jake Ellenberger and former Chute Boxe patriarch Rafael Cordeiro. But he's just another guy on the team.

He has not won a fight since Oct. 10, 2006, when he railroaded Ken Shamrock a third time at "Ortiz vs. Shamrock 3: The Final Chapter," a special Spike TV event.

"If you were to look in my car right now, it's empty," Ortiz said. "There's no one behind me. I literally have four friends, and that's it."

How does that feel? It's part of the business, he shrugs. When you lose, you suck. When you win, you're the greatest. He needs a win; he needs to build himself back up. But there is no reason to retire.

"That doesn't sit well with me at all," he said. "I'm not getting knocked unconscious. I'm not getting submitted. I'm not getting dominated. I'm losing by decision; I'm losing by draws."

So when White hints at his retirement, Ortiz bristles. And regardless of the outcome of the March 26 fight, he said he'll keep going.

"One-hundred percent," Ortiz said. "I'm healthy for once. People don't understand the injuries that I've gone through. I've had some serious, serious surgeries, and I went through some serious pain over the last seven years, and I fought through it. Now that I'm healthy and I feel good, I want to compete. I want to show the best I possibly can and fight the best guys possible."

If you're a longtime MMA fan, you've heard this rap before. The injury stories, the bad circumstances, and bluntly put, the excuses that follow an Ortiz loss. Online, his name prompts a stream of abuse from fans who are tired of hearing him cry wolf.

Meanwhile, he has more than 80,000 followers on his Twitter account. He sells a ton of Team Punishment merchandise on his website. People still line up for autographs.

"I've been in the game for a long time," he said. "For anybody to criticize me and say that I make excuses, well, those are the people that haven't lived my life. Those guys are behind the computer and are the computer tough guys who eat donuts and drink coffee every single day. Those guys can't say [expletive]. Those are the people I don't pay attention to. I pay attention to the people who support me, the people that have my back whether I win, lose, or draw."

But really, a win is everything when it comes to salvaging what's left of a name that people, love him or hate him, care about. Ortiz thinks Nogueira will bring the best out of him, and he'll show people he's still a force to be reckoned with. He says that every time, and he believes it.

His back is to the wall, but he likes it that way.

"It's just a challenge God has given me, and a challenge the UFC and Dana has given me," Ortiz said.



Source: mmajunkie.com

Lawler: I’ll Force ‘Jacare’ to Stand

Robbie Lawler expects Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza to stand and trade strikes with him during their Strikeforce middleweight title fight Saturday in San Jose, Calif.

Not by choice. Lawler says the Brazilian jiu-jitsu standout will have to fight on his feet.

“He’ll have no choice but to stand,” Lawler said recently during a “Savage Dog Show” interview on the Sherdog Radio Network. “That’s what I plan on doing. I’m forcing him to stand and seeing how good his standup is.”

Despite Jacare’s submission prowess, he has shown improved striking skills. He’s also coming off three consecutive wins, including an impressive five-round unanimous decision over Tim Kennedy that earned him the middleweight gold.

Meanwhile Lawler has split his last four fights. He will enter the cage as the underdog.

“It’s kind of nice actually. I like being the underdog,” Lawler said. “I like being the guy who people think is going to lose and I want to prove them wrong.”

Lawler’s takedown defense will have to be sharp to beat the odds. To ensure he’ll be able to stay standing against Jacare, he has been training in Arizona with UFC veterans and touted wrestlers Ryan Bader, Aaron Simpson and C.B. Dollaway.

“They’re just big guys, athletic, good wrestlers and guys who are hungry and who are all bigger than me,” Lawler said. “Just drilling with guys who were All-American wrestlers, guys who implement that into their game plan, just working out with those guys has made me get better by leaps and bounds.”

Of course, Jacare could be tempted to test his striking progress against Lawler, though it seems more likely he will want to make use of his advantage on the ground.

“I believe if anyone stands, it’s just a matter of time before I catch them,” Lawler said. “I believe I’m better on standup. He’s a really good athlete. He’s explosive. His takedowns are real explosive and he’s got a judo background. I just have to keep it where I want to and not make any mistakes and take advantage of it being on the feet.”

Even standing, though, Lawler is planning on a tough bout.

“I believe it’s going to be an awesome fight,” he said. “Two guys, one guy not wanting to give up the belt and one guy going in there to take the belt. It’s going to be a battle.”



Source: sherdog.com

‘Adapted’ Walker Says MMA Has Him in Best Condition Ever

Herschel Walker has only been a professional mixed martial artist for one year, but he seems to have entered the game equipped with a fighter’s mentality.

On Nov. 22, less than two weeks before his scheduled sophomore MMA outing, the 1982 Heisman Trophy winner was sparring with fellow Strikeforce heavyweight Daniel Cormierat American Kickboxing Academy in San Jose, Calif., when a knee strike from Cormier caused a deep cut under Walker’s left eye.

Walker left the gym to get the laceration sutured. Then, he came back to resume training for his fight.

“When I went away to get my eye stitched up that day and I came back, they were looking at me, almost shaking their heads, saying, ‘You’re not gonna fight,’” Walker said during a media conference call on Monday. “I was thinking, ‘No, I’m gonna fight!’ But then, I realized that they know a lot more than I do.”

When Walker began training for his MMA debut, he joined AKA at the urging of Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker. Once there, Walker decided to implicitly trust the advice imparted to him by Javier Mendez, Bob Cook and Dave Camarillo. Under the counsel of the trainers and other fighters at AKA, Walker withdrew from his match.

“Talking with those guys, I learned about how you could get that eye reopened [or] you could go into a fight and win the whole fight, and the last 30 seconds, you could do something to your eye and the referee stops it,” Walker said.

Fast-forward two months and Walker is slated to face the same opponent, Scott Carson, on the Showtime-televised portion of Saturday’s Strikeforce “Diaz vs. Cyborg” card. Walker said that the extra time, along with all of his work at AKA since his debut, has shaped him into a higher-quality competitor.

“I went from an OK fighter to a much better fighter with a little pressure. I was learning the things that I needed to know,” said Walker, who noted that MMA training has whipped his 48-year-old frame into better shape than in his college and NFL days. “I think my body had to get adapted to it... but I think I’m a much better conditioned athlete right now than when I was playing [football].”

Coker added that, after some initial apprehension regarding Walker entering the cage, he had been stunned by the former running back’s endurance during a tryout at AKA.

“I said, ‘OK, well, Herschel, let’s have you go with a Division I wrestler and roll with a jiu-jitsu guy and spar with a kickboxer,” Coker said on Monday. “He did very well in all three disciplines, but the one thing that amazed me was that he wasn’t tired. After sparring for 15 minutes -- five minutes straight with a one-minute rest against all these guys -- he just wasn’t tired.”

According to Walker, shortly after his successful MMA debut against Greg Nagy, he ran a 4.38-second 40-yard dash -- faster than all but a handful of players at last year’s NFL scouting combine.



Source: sherdog.com

5 Fighters Suspended Following ‘Fight for the Troops 2’

Victory came with a price for heavyweight Matt Mitrione (Pictured).

In wake of his first-round technical knockout over Tim Hague at UFC “Fight for the Troops 2” on Saturday at Fort Hood in Killeen, Texas, “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 10 alum was suspended indefinitely by the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation. Mitrione received the medical suspension after he sustained an injury to the left hand he twice used to floor Hague. He must first be cleared by an orthopedist before he can return to duty.

The 31-year-old Mitrione, unbeaten in four professional outings, has emerged as an intriguing prospect in the heavyweight division. He trains under former world kickboxing champion Duke Roufus in Milwaukee.

Meanwhile, former Shooto champion Willamy “Chiquerim” Freire got more than he bargained for in his promotional debut against Waylon Lowe. The 23-year-old Nova Uniao representative received an indefinite suspension after sustaining damage to his right hand and right cheek in a unanimous decision defeat to Lowe. The setback snapped Freire’s 11-fight winning streak. He must be cleared by an orthopedist and a facial surgeon before he returns to work.

Hague, headliner Evan Dunham and “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 8 quarter-finalist George Roop were all handed matching 30-day suspensions. Dunham succumbed to first-round strikes from the resurgent Melvin Guillard in the main event. Roop was victimized in a first-round technical knockout against top featherweight contender Mark Hominick.

UFC ‘Fight for the Troops 2’ Medical Suspensions

• Matt Mitrione: Suspended indefinitely due to injured left hand and must be cleared by an orthopedist.

• Willamy Freire: Suspended indefinitely due to injuries to the right hand and right cheek and must be cleared by an orthopedist and facial surgeon.

• Evan Dunham: Suspended until Feb. 22 as a precaution.

• Tim Hague: Suspended until Feb. 22 as a precaution.

• George Roop: Suspended until Feb. 22 as a precaution.



Source: sherdog.com

Dana White Squashes One-Night Tournament Concept

Part of what made the UFC successful when it first launched in 1993 was the one-night tournament format.

But that doesn't mean UFC president Dana White has ever seriously thought about bringing that concept back, even for one event.

"My philosophy on that was, this many people want to see a crazy freak show, that many people want to see a real sport," White said at a question-and-answer session prior to the Fight for the Troops 2 weigh-ins last week. "We believe that's why the thing has grown as fast as it has and become as big as it has, because people want to see a real sport. So, no.

"Plus, we couldn't do that anymore; you could never do a one-night tournament. And to be honest with you, the one-night tournament thing never worked; it didn't make sense."

The UFC's last one-night tournament was UFC 23: Ultimate Japan 2 in 1999, won by Kenichi Yamamoto. The organization has never held another in the Zuffa era.

Recently, Shine Fights and Strikeforce have dabbled with the concept, but neither have committed to it for more than one event.

White simply doesn't believe the tournament format proves who the top fighter really is.

"Imagine going three rounds, two tough guys, and then you gotta get back in the tournament and fight again another thirty minutes. It's not fair. It doesn't really determine who the best guy is."


Source: mmafighting.com

Zuffa Targeting Japanese UFC Event in 2011

TOKYO, Japan – Zuffa Asia Executive Vice President and Managing Director Mark Fischer met with the Japanese press on Monday at Yoshihiro Akiyama's Cloud Dojo to announce two new local UFC distribution deals and ambitious plans to return to Japan.

Japanese fight enthusiasts will now be able to catch UFC content on their cell phones via TV Bank or through NTT Plala's "Hikari TV" in addition to the existing UFC WOWOW private satellite TV broadcast, and if Fischer's aspirations are met, local fans will also be able to attend an event live in Japan.

"Japan is the most advanced and important market for us in Asia so far," Fischer stated. "We definitely want to hold a major event in Japan as soon as possible. I would say that we're not ready to announce anything yet but we very much hope to have [an event] later this year or early next year in Japan."

The new distribution deals are a step forward for the UFC in Japan, but the leading fight promoter is still lacking the network television contract that is essential for expansion in a country with a limited history of pay-per-view.

"Today is a very important step in both expanding the number of Japanese fighters in the UFC as well as expanding our media platforms to bring the UFC to more fans than ever before," said Fischer. "We want to make sure that any fan who wants to watch the UFC has the best access they can and, at the same time, reach new fans."

The issue with the distribution methods that the UFC now have in Japan is that consumers will need to actively seek out the content to be exposed to it. In a country that has been saturated with fight promotions over the years, a network TV deal is critical in order to bring uniqueness and awareness to the UFC brand and to set up the promotion for long-term growth. This is a problem that Fischer is aware of.

"I think we have to create some customized content, maybe more highlight, educational- type programming rather than full-length events for terrestrial media, but I do think there are some ways to work with [network television in Japan]," Fischer explained. "In the meantime, we'll expand in other areas of media. We'd certainly like to continue working with great partners like WOWOW in the pay-TV space and expand into different platforms with new media."

Fischer's comments would indicate that Zuffa has not made any significant headway into gaining ground on network TV. If that is the case, then the UFC would need to change their promotional model if they hope to grow in Japan.

With no pay-per-view market in Japan, local promotions have had to reply heavily on sponsorships, ticket sales and TV deals. When even one of these three pieces of the puzzle is missing, history has shown that the promotion suffers badly.

With network TV seemingly out of the question at the moment (Zuffa will not be interested in paying to broadcast), the emphasis will have to be on ticket sales and that would mean a venue like the 45,000 seat Saitama Super Arena. A show at a venue like that would be more than twice as large as any other UFC event in history and shows of that magnitude are something that UFC President Dana White has consistently said that he would hope to avoid.

The UFC could easily hold a profitable event under their current model in Japan. If they wish to truly grow locally: they have a long way to go and a 2011 event, or even a 2012 event would be far-fetched. Fischer, with a 15-year history of sports marketing in Asia, is aware of the issues.

"It's a step-by-step process. It doesn't happen overnight. We want to build up a good fan base, grow our media exposure, and we want fighters from different nationalities in the UFC before marketing to that nation and bringing in the big event," Fischer admits. "That big event will be more successful then, and I think that's what we're doing here in Japan."

Then there is the persistent problem of the Japanese mafia. The yakuza.

The power and influence of the yakuza is often misunderstood and over dramaticized but the UFC has already had experience in that area.

"There are fans over there who want this, but there's some shady [expletive] people over there that keep it from happening," UFC President Dana White admitted in 2009. "They know who they are, and they don't want the UFC to come to Japan, and that's a fact."

The yakuza provided the money that saw fight industry explode in the early 2000's, but were also responsible for it's downfall. Exposed Japanese mafia relations led to Pride FC losing it's TV deal and ultimately, selling out to Zuffa in 2007.

The yakuza were also responsible for Zuffa spending a reported USD$70 million on essentially nothing more than Pride FC video rights and a handful of fighter contracts.

"They're going to have to kill me. That's where they're going to have to do. We're coming there no matter what. We're coming there. We're going to break through this thing," White said in 2009. "We're going to get past these dirty, sneaky, bad guys in Japan, and we're going to make it happen. If I don't get killed over in Japan, I'll be [expletive] amazed when I go ever there. I'll be amazed."

There are many barriers to entry for the long term growth of the UFC in Japan. Zuffa has conquered everything in their path so far so it would be foolish to bet against them here. Just don't expect it to happen in the time frame that they expect.



Source: mmafighting.com

Igor Gracie to Compete at Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Silva

Igor Gracie, the brother of one-time UFC competitor Rolles Gracie Jr. and cousin of MMA pioneer Renzo Gracie, will make his return to MMA on the undercard of Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Silva on Feb. 12 at the IZOD Center in East Rutherford N.J.

Gracie (2-2) last competed in December 2009, submitting Chris Vorano with a first-round rear-naked choke. Gracie will meet John Salgado (3-4-1), a Ring of Combat veteran coming off a loss in November to one-time UFC fighter Chris Liguori. The matchup was first reported by MMAWeekly.

Also, while not yet officially announced by Strikeforce, MMAFighting can also confirm with sources close to the fights Kevin Roddy vs. Jay Maclean, Sam Oropeza vs. Don Carlo-Clauss, Marc Stevens vs. John Cholish and Josh LaBerge vs. Anthony Leone as preliminary bouts slated for the Strikeforce event.

The current Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Silva lineup is below.

Main Card

Quarterfinals: Fedor Emelianenko vs. Antonio Silva
Quarterfinals: Andrei Arlovski vs. Sergei Kharitonov
Shane Del Rosario vs. Lavar Johnson
Chad Griggs vs. Gian Villante
Valentijn Overeem vs. Ray Sefo

Undercard
Igor Gracie vs. John Salgado
Kevin Roddy vs. Jay Maclean
Sam Oropeza vs. Don Carlo-Clauss
Marc Stevens vs. John Cholish
Josh LaBerge vs. Anthony Leone



Source: mmafighting.com

Jens Pulver Out to 'Rebuild' After Ending Six-Fight Losing Streak

There's still some fight left in "Lil' Evil."

Former UFC lightweight champ Jens Pulver (23-14-1) this past Saturday submitted Mike Lindquist with a first-round rear-naked choke at an XFO event in Woodstock, Ill., snapping a six-fight losing streak.

It was Pulver's first win in over three years and would have retired had he fallen short against the unheralded fighter (6-20), Pulver said Monday on MMAFighting's The MMA Hour.

"Not ripping on Mike or anything," Pulver told host Ariel Helwani. "But it's time to start over and if I'm getting caught in the same things, hey, well, 'You got to go.' Done."

For fighters accustomed to competing in the major organizations, it's humbling having to return to the small shows, and it's probably more so considering Pulver's credentials, but Pulver believes it was the right step for him at this point of his career.

"I love it. I know what I'm doing," Pulver said. "I'm know I'm trying to rebuild. Am I trying to rebuild for a world title? No. I'm not trying to win no title ... I need to be rebuilding. I want to earn my way back if I ever get back. If I don't, hey, at least I tried. I fought, I did everything I could."

His goals as a fighter are much different than it's been in the past. Pulver continues to compete because he wants to put a smile on his face and to make all his coaches past and present proud. And most importantly, Pulver wants to go out on a high note.

"My goal is to put 'Lil' Evil' to bed in a proper, right way," Pulver said. "That's it for me. That is my goal, and act like the person I was, a former world champion, the guy who started the weight class, the godfather of the 155-pound division."

Pulver already has a fight scheduled for March 5, but a cut suffered at Saturday's fight could potentially prevent him from participating on that Chicago Cagefighting Championship card. According to Pulver, the cut he received Saturday was the first time he's seen his own plasma in a fight.

"That's the first time I've ever seen it dripping down my face. That was pretty wild," Pulver said.

Despite not knowing if he'll compete in March, Pulver plans on returning Wednesday to the Curran Martial Arts gym in Crystal Lake where he had the "greatest" two-and-a-half month training camp leading into the Lindquist bout.

Pulver, who said his mind and spirit were broken the past few years, will be looking forward to his next camp just glad to have "this monkey off my back," having finally stepped back on the winning track and remembering how it feels to have his hand raised.

"I'm going back to the gym, staying in shape," Pulver said. "I'm just having the time of my life right now."




Source: mmafighting.com

Monday, January 24, 2011

The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 13 filming starts today (Jan. 24) for Brock Lesnar vs Junior dos Santos


Friendly reminder for all you TUF guys and gals.
Filming started today in Las Vegas for what should be the most commercially successful installment of the show to date, as Brock Lesnar will coach against Junior dos Santos for season 13 of The Ultimate Fighter.
It may have taken the UFC up to the final hour to make it happen, but they somehow managed to persuade the pasty and reclusive Lesnar to appear on the popular Spike reality television show.
They also convinced "JDS" to put his number one contender spot for the heavyweight title on the line by accepting what could be a tough match-up. No date or venue for the contest has been named but an announcement is expected in the coming weeks.
Questions abound regarding the show, including what coaches each fighter will choose, how an entire season can work with a Brazilian that speaks extremely broken English and whether or not this entire thing is a scam (Roy Nelson's words, not mine).
The season is set to debut March 30 on Spike TV, so tune in to find out.

Source: mmamania.com

Ryan Ford Signs with Aggression MMA, MFC Fires Back with Possible Court Proceedings to Follow

Jay Cutler and Josh McDaniels.
Albert Haynesworth and Mike Shanahan.
Terrell Owens and any team he’s ever played for.
Some relationships in sports were just not meant to be, and that seems to be the case between Canadian welterweight Ryan Ford and Mark Pavelich, owner of Maximum Fighting Championships.
The pair have now teamed up on two separate occasions to work together, and it seems to have soured once again as Ford has exited the MFC and signed on with another Canadian based promotion, Aggression MMA.
Ford first worked with the MFC in 2007 and went on to fight for them for a total of 8 bouts before a falling out between the fighter and the promotion saw him exit. He re-signed with MFC and buried the hatchet with Pavelich and came back for two more fights, but now he’s gone once again and this time the proceedings may end up in court.
Aggression MMA held a press conference on Friday to announce Ford’s signing with the promotion and that he would headline their March 11 card in Edmonton. Beyond anything else, Ford sounded happy that the dark cloud hanging over his head has seemingly been lifted, at least for the time being.
“My agent Steve Gavin was talking with them and set something up, and now Aggression is the future for Ryan Ford,” Ford said.
“They’re good guys, straight up and straight forward with you, and they want to take care of their fighters. Steve was dealing with my contract and stuff and things weren’t going right, and that’s why I’ve got an agent with me because before I was doing everything for myself and I was kind of getting messed around, so that’s what I pay him now to do.”
While Ford sounds confident in his fight future, it appears MFC isn’t giving up that easily. The promotion sent out a press release on Friday with Mark Pavelich talking about the relationship that had gone south with Ford, and how they anticipated court proceedings to solve the issues if need be.
“Over the past several weeks, it came to my attention that Ryan Ford, a fighter under contract to the Maximum Fighting Championship and Pavelich Sports Inc., was dissatisfied with his contract and wished to leave my organization,” Pavelich wrote in the release.
“Through repeated conversations between myself, his agent Steve Gavin, and our respective lawyers, Mr. Ford was left with three options: Complete his contract which has two fights remaining, do not compete and let his contract run out at the end of September 2011, (or) buy out his contract or have another organization buy it out for him.”
MFC also stated in the release that they had received no further communication from Ford’s agent Steve Gavin or Ford himself to reach resolution on the matter.
MMAWeekly was able to obtain several pieces of literature exchanged between the parties, and it appears a contract dispute was happening for several months between Ford and the MFC, and to this date no resolution has been reached.
Ford maintains no ill will towards Pavelich or the MFC, and says he just wants to move on with his career and concentrate on fighting.
“After my second fight, I guess Steve had been talking with Mark Pavelich and I know things weren’t going right with the contract. I guess it just wasn’t working out so, I’ve got to feed my family and I’ve got to fight, so we decided to get on board with Aggression,” said Ford.
“I don’t want to talk bad about the guy or anything. He does what he does, and I’m going to do what I do and just being there, there’s too many distractions heading up into a fight. I’m just there to fight. I’m not there to be your No. 1 ticket seller, and all this stuff. My job is to fight, not to push tickets.”
Ticket sales apparently were at the heart of the matter between Ford and the MFC, while the organization maintains that he simply wanted out of his deal and they are willing to go to arbitration to make sure everything is handled legally.
“As part of his contract, there is an arbitration clause that can be utilized, so if Mr. Ford wants to go in that direction to find a buy-out price we will oblige. However, he will not be allowed to just walk away from his contract for free,” Pavelich wrote.
Pavelich goes on to say that he notified the Edmonton Combative Sports Commission to try and prevent Ford from fighting on any other shows in the province. Ford’s agent, Steve Gavin, had a very simple message for Pavelich regarding the press release, which also stated Ford had claimed racism from the promotion during this ordeal.
“Mark in general should be much more careful about what he says to people,” Gavin said.
For the time being, Ford will train to fight in Aggression MMA on March 11, but it appears the real battle might take place in the courtroom between Ford’s representation and Mark Pavelich and company at the MFC.

Source: mmaweekly.com