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

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

"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

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

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

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

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

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

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

UFC 126: Anderson Silva Tries To Set Example For Younger Fighters, Build A Legacy

For UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva, he’s not concerned that Vitor Belfort will be the man standing across the Octagon from him at UFC 126. He’s more concerned with setting an example for younger fighters and building a legacy of what he has been able to accomplish in mixed martial arts.

Check out the UFC’s promotional interview with Anderson Silva below…

Mark Hominick on UFC Champion Jose Aldo: He’s Never Faced Anybody Like Me

Mike Brown. Urijah Faber. Manny Gamburyan.

The list of Jose Aldo’s victims is well documented, but one fighter he hasn’t faced yet with a whole different skill set will challenge the champion at UFC 129 with the featherweight title on the line.

Mark Hominick proved at Saturday night’s UFC Fight For The Troops 2 that not only is he the real deal, but he could be the first striker that Aldo has faced with equally dangerous hands and feet.

Match-up wise, Hominick respects all of the work that Aldo has done to become one of the top pound-for-pound fighters in the sport, but he believes it’s all been against a different level of striker than he will be in Toronto on April 30.

“He’s been making wrestlers look like poor strikers, and a lot of times that’s not too hard, but he’s not going to do that to me,” Hominick said about Aldo’s run of late. “I know he’s the best in the world, but he’s never faced anybody like me.”

The confidence that Hominick shows is a big part of his swagger leading into the title fight. Everyone has approached Aldo with a certain level of awe of what he’s able to do in the cage. Hominick respects him, but will not back down from him.

“One thing against Jose Aldo, I think he’s the best pound-for-pound fighter, fantastic striker, but he’s never faced anyone with my striking capability. We’ll see how he does against that,” Hominick stated with confidence.

Throughout his career, Hominick has been known as one of the most dangerous strikers in the world. A phenomenal kickboxing background built up on a daily basis by famed coach Shawn Tompkins, and Hominick has become a well oiled machine over his last several fights.

The win Hominick picked up over George Roop was the 20th of his career, and as far as experience goes, he’s got the edge over Aldo in that department.

On April 30 at the Rogers Centre in Toronto, Hominick is looking to pick up No. 21.

“This is huge, but the thing with me I’ve been fighting professionally for 10 years and I’ve went through the bottom and I’m finally getting the chance to go against the top, the best of the best. Those are the guys I’ve always wanted to face,” Hominick said.

The Aldo vs. Hominick match-up is expected to co-headline the UFC 129 fight card in Canada, alongside welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre against Jake Shields in the main event.

Source: mmaweekly.com

Pat Barry: 'I want to see a picture of Joey Beltran's leg on Monday'

"(Joey Beltran) is a zombie man, a real life zombie. In my fight I can already tell what I need to go back and work on. From the first round I know exactly what it is I need to work on; things I need to get better at. I’ve still got a bad kickboxing habit that I have that is getting better. It’s getting a lot better than it was in the beginning, my first six MMA fights. I’m growing from it, but I already know what it is. You know what, honestly, I’m curious to see - not Sunday, but Monday – I’d love to see a picture of Joey Beltran's leg."

While Pat Barry walked away with a unanimous decision win at UFC Fight Night 23: "Fight for the Troops 2," opponent Joey Beltran didn't walk away with anything (because he couldn't walk) thanks to the devastating leg kicks of the stocky-and-cocky ex-kickboxer. "HD" has some "bad habits" he needs to work on, but should that learning process stop him from taking on Matt Mitrione, another hard-hitting heavyweight who claimed victory on Jan. 22? What are your thoughts on that fantasy match-up?

Source: mmamania.com

Melvin Guillard, Yves Edwards, Cody McKenzie Win UFC Troops Bonuses

FORT HOOD, Texas – On a night the UFC set out to help raise funds for the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund, it also handed out its customary fight night bonuses to the top performers on Saturday's Fight for the Troops show at Fort Hood.

Yves Edwards, Cody McKenzie and Melvin Guillard took home bonus awards of $30,000 – and Edwards picked up a pair for a total of $60,000.

Edwards put a stop to McKenzie's unprecedented 10-fight streak of guillotine victories to win the Submission of the Night bonus for his rear naked choke tapout. And the lightweights also brought home the Fight of the Night award. Guillard won Knockout of the Night for his barrage of knees against Evan Dunham in the main event.

The event's first four bouts went to decisions. But the last two preliminary fights ended in submissions, and the last three fights on the main card ended with knockouts.

Guillard's win was his fourth straight. He said at the post-fight press conference he believes he should be next in line for the UFC's lightweight title – but is prepared to fight whoever and whenever the UFC asks.

Dunham was coming off a controversial split decision loss to Sean Sherk at UFC 119 in September – a loss that UFC president Dana White said he only acknowledged as a loss on paper. But with the loss to Guillard, he has two straight setbacks after being one of the most touted prospects in the 155-pound division.


Source: mmafighting.com

Dana White: Lyoto Machida, Tito Ortiz in 'Must-Win' Fights

FORT HOOD, Texas – The UFC's light heavyweight division has long been considered by many to be the promotion's most competitive. And Dana White believes that is the case – and that some of his most notable fighters at 205 have crucial bouts coming up.

The UFC president, speaking Friday at a Q&A session for enlisted military personnel on the Fort Hood base, noted that former champions Lyoto Machida and Tito Ortiz are both in must-win situations in their next fights.

Machida beat Rashad Evans to win the light heavyweight title at UFC 98. He defended the belt with a controversial decision win over Mauricio "Shogun" Rua at UFC 104, but lost it to him in their rematch at UFC 113 last May – his first career loss. Machida followed up that knockout setback with a split decision loss to Quinton "Rampage" Jackson at UFC 123 in November.

Machida will fight UFC Hall of Famer Randy Couture, a former two-division champion, at UFC 129 in Toronto in April. A loss to Couture would be three straight for the Brazilian – which often signals a quick release from the UFC.

"He's had two losses in a row," White told the troops. "Right after he won the title, (UFC on-air analyst Joe) Rogan said this is 'The Machida Era,' and I thought so too. Then Shogun beat him, and then he just lost to Rampage. Now he's fighting Randy Couture in Toronto – and this is a must-win for him."

In addition, White said Ortiz, once one of the most dominant champions in UFC history, could be reaching the end of his career. Ortiz is scheduled for a main event fight on the UFC's Fight Night 24 card in Seattle in March against Antonio Rogerio Nogueira.

"Tito's got to win this fight to stay in the UFC," White said. "If he loses this fight, he'll probably retire."

Ortiz has not won a fight since 2006, when he won a split decision over Forrest Griffin. Earlier that year, he had a pair of TKOs against Ken Shamrock. At UFC 66, Ortiz lost to Chuck Liddell in an attempt to reclaim the light heavyweight title he held and defended five times in the early 2000s. A draw against Evans followed, his only fight in 2007. Then came a loss to Machida, his only fight in 2008. That fight was thought to be his last in the UFC courtesy of a highly public feud with White.

But Ortiz returned at UFC 106 after he and White settled their differences. He lost a split decision, though, to Griffin, his only fight in 2009. And in his only fight in 2010, Ortiz lost to his former pupil on "The Ultimate Fighter," Matt Hamill, at UFC 121. He has been plagued by back injuries, including surgeries in an attempt to alleviate the problems.

White also said the injury to current light heavyweight champion Rua has helped create a bit of a cluster in the division. Rua defends his title for the first time when he takes on Evans at UFC 128 in Newark, N.J., on March 19.

But White said it may be one of his former champions who is next up, despite many who believe a UFC 126 fight between Jon Jones and Ryan Bader will determine the top contender. Bader is unbeaten; Jones' only loss was a disqualification against Hamill for illegal elbows, a fight he was dominating.

"(The light heavyweight) division is interesting," White said. "There's so many guys at 205, (but) Rampage is probably next in line. Rampage is still in the mix. You've got Jon Jones fighting Bader, which is going to be a great fight that catapults one of those guys into the top five. The big problem with the 205-pound division has been, Shogun's injury has been clogging up the division. So now he's healthy and gonna fight, and we're getting everything rolling here."

Jackson is scheduled to meet Thiago Silva at UFC 130 in May. Silva beat Brandon Vera in a unanimous decision at UFC 125 earlier this month, chasing him from the UFC in the process.

In another potentially important fight in the UFC's light heavyweight division, Griffin and former middleweight champion Rich Franklin fight as the co-main event at UFC 126.


Source: mmafighting.com

Dana White: Georges St-Pierre vs. Anderson Silva Could Happen in 2011

FORT HOOD, TEXAS – UFC president Dana White on Friday told a small group of troops at the Fort Hood military post in Killeen, Texas, that a long-discussed superfight could come to fruition this year.

Speaking at a question-and-answer session that was closed to the public and attended only by enlisted military personnel, White said a fight between welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre and middleweight champion Anderson Silva might take place in 2011.

Both fighters' dominance in their respective divisions would lead to the matchup, though White cautioned that both need to win their upcoming title defenses.

"If (Silva) wins that fight (against Vitor Belfort at UFC 126), then Georges St-Pierre needs to beat Jake Shields in Toronto (at UFC 129)," White said. "If that happens, then we're probably going to do that fight (between St-Pierre and Silva). If they both win, that fight makes all the sense in the world."

White also said in that scenario, he believes St-Pierre would move up from welterweight – and possibly even make that his new home. White did not elaborate on what would happen with St-Pierre's 170-pound title if that scenario indeed played out.

"Georges St-Pierre – he would move to 185 (to fight Silva) and stay at that weight and not go back to 170," White said. "Should (they) win (their next) fights, that fight will probably happen this year."

On most pound-for-pound rankings lists, Silva and St-Pierre alternate between the No. 1 and No. 2 positions and both have been at the top of most lists for years.

White has said on many occasions he believes Silva is the best fighter in the world. He has defended his middleweight title seven consecutive times, plus a win over Travis Lutter that was a non-title fight when Lutter couldn't make weight. In addition, he has two wins at light heavyweight against James Irvin and Forrest Griffin.

With a record 11 consecutive wins in the UFC, Silva (27-4, 11-0 UFC) was never truly tested until his title defense in August against Chael Sonnen. Sonnen dominated the first four rounds and the first half of the final round and was on his way to what would surely have been a unanimous decision victory. But Silva was able to work from his back for a submission, the only chance he had to win the fight, and forced Sonnen to tap with a triangle-armbar combination.

After the fight, Silva and manager Ed Soares said the champion was fighting with a bad rib injury, which they said explained Sonnen's dominance throughout the fight. In September, it was announced Sonnen had tested positive for performance enhancing drugs. He was suspended by the California State Athletic Commission, effectively nixing a likely rematch between the two. Silva next defends his title against Belfort at UFC 126 on Feb. 5 in Las Vegas.

St-Pierre (21-2, 15-2 UFC) has not lost since a TKO against Matt Serra at UFC 69, regarded as one of the biggest upsets in the history of MMA. That was St-Pierre's first defense of the welterweight title he had taken from Matt Hughes at UFC 65, ending Hughes' long reign in the division. St-Pierre got his belt back at UFC 83 in his home city of Montreal and has gone on to defend it five straight times – winning every round in the process with four unanimous decisions and a TKO against former lightweight and welterweight champ BJ Penn from a corner stoppage before the fifth round.

St-Pierre is scheduled to defend his title against former Strikeforce middleweight champion and recent UFC signee Shields at UFC 129 in Toronto, the promotion's debut in Ontario, on April 30. Shields beat Martin Kampmann by split decision at UFC 121 in his UFC debut to earn the title shot.


Source: mmafighting.com

Edwards: Don’t Expect Another Guillotine from McKenzie

Yves Edwards is aware of Cody McKenzie’s guillotine. When the two fight Saturday at UFC “Fight for the Troops 2” Edwards plans on staying away from the submission that McKenzie has used to finish 10 straight fights. 

“A couple of those, I think guys went in there with the attitude of, ‘This guy’s not going to guillotine me no matter what he does. I don’t care.’ And then they got proved wrong,” Edwards said recently during a “Savage Dog Show” interview on the Sherdog Radio Network. “He’s got a really, really wicked guillotine. I’m sure he’s got other things in his game that are solid also, but his biggest strength is his guillotine. I’m definitely going to be aware of that and avoid that.” 

Edwards has not been impressed with McKenzie’s standup, but he’s also not putting too much stock into the footage he’s seen. He believes McKenzie has likely improved since his time on “The Ultimate Fighter 12.” 

“I just have to assume he’s gotten a whole lot better in a lot of other areas and be prepared for that,” Edwards said. “… I think his standup doesn’t look that great, but I’m sure it’s gotten better since the show. I’m sure he’s been working on that. I’m sure the rest of his ground game is pretty solid too.” 

All the more reason for Edwards to turn the fight into a striking battle. 

“Of course that’s a big part of the game plan -- keep it away from the ground, wrestle defensively and try to bang him out,” Edwards said. “But the kid has some natural things working for him. … He’s tall, he’s long. And I don’t know what he’s been doing.” 

While the 23-year-old McKenzie’s learning curve renders him something of a question mark, Edwards has focused on his own progression. He’s been in the game for more than a decade but said he is still improving. Once considered the top lightweight in the UFC, Edwards also believes he can climb the ladder again. 

“I’m going to do everything I can to do that,” he said. “The division’s a lot deeper now than it was six years ago … but I feel good. I don’t feel old by any means. I don’t feel beat-up. I feel like I’m still learning. I really feel like I’ve picked up a lot just over the past few months.” 

Against McKenzie, Edwards will be looking for his second straight win in the UFC and sixth win in seven fights. 

“Expect to see a flurry of punches, kicks and takedown defense,” he said. “Just don’t expect to see any guillotines.”


Source: sherdog.com