Off-Topic/Minor MMA News and Notes

[dbreiden83080]

Not that its justified...but what sport or walk of life is not like that when there is money to be had? Its just the way it is and it sucks.

I understand but it's not great business to be tossing out top 5 and top 10 WW and HW fighters, for minor issues at best..

[desflood]

Confirmed on mmajunkie.

Dana White - wtf??


A bitterly angry Dana White said Wednesday the Ultimate Fighting Championship has cut highly regarded welterweight contender Jon Fitch and is not going to do business with any fighters who are part of the American Kickboxing Academy team in San Jose, Calif.

The outspoken UFC president said shortly after landing in Hawaii on Wednesday that he no longer wants to work with AKA fighters or those represented by DeWayne Zinkin and Bob Cook.

White said he excepted AKA welterweight Mike Swick from that group because he said Swick called him and told him he wants to fight for the UFC. But Fitch and heavyweight Christian Wellisch were cut on Wednesday, and heavyweight prospect Cain Velasquez and welterweight Josh Koscheck could be next.

"We're looking for guys who want to work with us and not against us, and frankly I'm just so [expletive] sick of this [expletive] it's not even funny," White said from Honolulu, where he flew Wednesday from Toronto to hold a news conference to announce the B.J. Penn-Georges St. Pierre fight for UFC 94 on Jan. 31 in Las Vegas.

"Affliction is still out there trying to build its company. Let [Fitch] go work with them. Let him see what he thinks of those [expletives]. [Expletive] him. These guys aren't partners with us. [Expletive] them. All of them, every last [expletive] one of them."

Fitch said Wednesday the dispute was over his reluctance to sign a lifetime contract to allow his name and likeness to be used in a video game the UFC is planning with THQ. He said the dispute has nothing to do with money and that he never caused a problem during his time in the UFC.

He said he simply didn't understand the need to sign a lifetime contract, particularly since it would not pay his family in the event of his death.

"Working for free and selling our rights away for lifetime, that's a little different," said Fitch, who said he hasn't spoken with White but plans to call him. "We tried to negotiate five- or 10-year deals with them, but it wasn't good enough. It was all or nothing. He wanted our lifetime. He wanted our souls forever."

White said the AKA fighters "aren't partners with us" and said they don't understand what the UFC is trying to do for the sport. White said the UFC's current success was because of long hours he and partner Lorenzo Fertitta have put in trying to build the company and the sport of mixed martial arts.

White complained that he has to make frequent sacrifices in his personal life and is away from his family for long stretches because of his commitment to growing the UFC. He said the AKA fighters don't understand the things UFC management is trying to do and said they'll learn how tough things are in the poor economy.

"There are a lot of guys who help us and work with us and are great partners with us, and they're the ones we're going to remember and take care of," White said. "Do these guys understand what is going on in this world? I'll tell you, this economy is [expletive] up. It's totally [expletive] up. It's bad, real, real bad. The [television] networks are in trouble and don't have money. The sponsors are in trouble, and they have no money. If they don't have money, they go out of business.

"It's a whole other world out there, believe me, and let these guys go out there and see what they find."

White said he took great care of Fitch and said with bonuses and purse, Fitch made $169,000 for his welterweight title fight loss to St. Pierre at UFC 87 in Minneapolis in August. Fitch (17-3 with 1 no-contest) did not dispute that salary figure. He said the UFC "has taken care of me and you've never heard me complain about money. This is a respect thing."

Fitch said he thought there should room to negotiate on these contracts but said the UFC would not budge.

He said he understood it was highly unlikely that another company would want to put him in a video game but said it was only reasonable that he not tie his rights up for life.

White said he flew to San Jose in the summer to talk with the AKA fighters, but Fitch said the discussion was about a merchandising agreement.

"He wanted us to sign that merchandising agreement, and it was not a very good agreement," Fitch said. "There was not really a reason for us to sign it. The first thing they brought to us was for us to sign all of our rights away for everything forever. It was for very small compensation, and there was no compensation for family members if we were to die.

"We could die and they could make memorial figurines and stuff and make thousands, millions of dollars, and our families wouldn't see a penny of it. The way they bring the contracts and stuff to us, I don't know, it's just not how business is done."

Zinkin also represents UFC light heavyweight Chuck Liddell, though Liddell does not fight for AKA. White said he has been "beefing with Zinkin for years" and said he had to call Liddell, one of his closest friends, and tell him to get Zinkin to back off.

According to White, Liddell said Zinkin represented him on sponsorships and he would negotiate his own deals with the UFC.

Fitch said he has been a loyal UFC employee and said, "I'd only like a little bit of respect for the blood I shed for this company."

White said he has sacrificed more than anyone to build the UFC into the powerhouse it has become and that he's tired of athletes who don't want to "get with the program."

Velasquez, one of the sport's rising stars, clearly is on the outs with White. White said Zinkin wanted standard language that is part of every UFC fighter's contract removed from Velasquez's deal.

"Can you believe that?" White said. "Chuck Liddell has that language in his contract. Randy Couture has it. Anderson Silva has it. And Cain [expletive] Velasquez, with two [expletive] fights, wants us to change it for him? That's [expletive] nuts. He can get the [expletive] out.

"I'm not a douche bag (:rolleyes) and I do a lot for these guys, a lot more than any of you will ever know. We're in a horrible time in the economy now, and every guy with two nickels to rub together is making a run at us. We've worked too hard, given too much, to let certain guys come in and [expletive] with that."

Fitch said he's not trying to mess with anything and that he simply wants to fight. He said he always has been respectful in all his dealings with the UFC and said he can't understand the position he finds himself in without ever having spoken to White.

He plans to call White to discuss the situation but wasn't sure what move to make.

"I'm more than willing to work with them, but I don't see why we have to give up our whole lives for this," Fitch said. "Why not a time limit? If we did a 10-year deal with them, is that that unreasonable? I don't understand how this happened, honestly. It's tough."

[Evan]

Here's another side to the story from the unofficial leak person from the UFC.

http://www.mixedmartialarts.com/mma.cfm?go=forum.posts&forum=1&thread=1375292&page=1

This lady is legit and has never been wrong. Cindy.

[Evan]

Follow this thread for "both sides of the story"

http://www.mixedmartialarts.com/?go=forum.posts&thread=1375320&forum=1&page=1&pc=5

[desflood]

Here's another side to the story from the unofficial leak person from the UFC.

http://www.mixedmartialarts.com/mma.cfm?go=forum.posts&forum=1&thread=1375292&page=1

This lady is legit and has never been wrong. Cindy.
She is legit, but that makes me all the more suspicious of her statements. Being so into the UFC, odds are she'll put the spin on the situation in their favor.

[Evan]

She is legit, but that makes me all the more suspicious of her statements. Being so into the UFC, odds are she'll put the spin on the situation in their favor.

Yeah

My guess is AKA was uniting as a group to change the contracts.

[desflood]

That's what it sounds like, but man - how far on the outs does this put Swick with his teammates?

[polandprzem]

wow Dana looks like a psycho with his comments

A real OWNer who if this continues can do more bad then good.

Not [expletive] good

[dbreiden83080]

Confirmed on mmajunkie.

Dana White - wtf??


A bitterly angry Dana White said Wednesday the Ultimate Fighting Championship has cut highly regarded welterweight contender Jon Fitch and is not going to do business with any fighters who are part of the American Kickboxing Academy team in San Jose, Calif.

The outspoken UFC president said shortly after landing in Hawaii on Wednesday that he no longer wants to work with AKA fighters or those represented by DeWayne Zinkin and Bob Cook.

White said he excepted AKA welterweight Mike Swick from that group because he said Swick called him and told him he wants to fight for the UFC. But Fitch and heavyweight Christian Wellisch were cut on Wednesday, and heavyweight prospect Cain Velasquez and welterweight Josh Koscheck could be next.

"We're looking for guys who want to work with us and not against us, and frankly I'm just so [expletive] sick of this [expletive] it's not even funny," White said from Honolulu, where he flew Wednesday from Toronto to hold a news conference to announce the B.J. Penn-Georges St. Pierre fight for UFC 94 on Jan. 31 in Las Vegas.

"Affliction is still out there trying to build its company. Let [Fitch] go work with them. Let him see what he thinks of those [expletives]. [Expletive] him. These guys aren't partners with us. [Expletive] them. All of them, every last [expletive] one of them."

Fitch said Wednesday the dispute was over his reluctance to sign a lifetime contract to allow his name and likeness to be used in a video game the UFC is planning with THQ. He said the dispute has nothing to do with money and that he never caused a problem during his time in the UFC.

He said he simply didn't understand the need to sign a lifetime contract, particularly since it would not pay his family in the event of his death.

"Working for free and selling our rights away for lifetime, that's a little different," said Fitch, who said he hasn't spoken with White but plans to call him. "We tried to negotiate five- or 10-year deals with them, but it wasn't good enough. It was all or nothing. He wanted our lifetime. He wanted our souls forever."

White said the AKA fighters "aren't partners with us" and said they don't understand what the UFC is trying to do for the sport. White said the UFC's current success was because of long hours he and partner Lorenzo Fertitta have put in trying to build the company and the sport of mixed martial arts.

White complained that he has to make frequent sacrifices in his personal life and is away from his family for long stretches because of his commitment to growing the UFC. He said the AKA fighters don't understand the things UFC management is trying to do and said they'll learn how tough things are in the poor economy.

"There are a lot of guys who help us and work with us and are great partners with us, and they're the ones we're going to remember and take care of," White said. "Do these guys understand what is going on in this world? I'll tell you, this economy is [expletive] up. It's totally [expletive] up. It's bad, real, real bad. The [television] networks are in trouble and don't have money. The sponsors are in trouble, and they have no money. If they don't have money, they go out of business.

"It's a whole other world out there, believe me, and let these guys go out there and see what they find."

White said he took great care of Fitch and said with bonuses and purse, Fitch made $169,000 for his welterweight title fight loss to St. Pierre at UFC 87 in Minneapolis in August. Fitch (17-3 with 1 no-contest) did not dispute that salary figure. He said the UFC "has taken care of me and you've never heard me complain about money. This is a respect thing."

Fitch said he thought there should room to negotiate on these contracts but said the UFC would not budge.

He said he understood it was highly unlikely that another company would want to put him in a video game but said it was only reasonable that he not tie his rights up for life.

White said he flew to San Jose in the summer to talk with the AKA fighters, but Fitch said the discussion was about a merchandising agreement.

"He wanted us to sign that merchandising agreement, and it was not a very good agreement," Fitch said. "There was not really a reason for us to sign it. The first thing they brought to us was for us to sign all of our rights away for everything forever. It was for very small compensation, and there was no compensation for family members if we were to die.

"We could die and they could make memorial figurines and stuff and make thousands, millions of dollars, and our families wouldn't see a penny of it. The way they bring the contracts and stuff to us, I don't know, it's just not how business is done."

Zinkin also represents UFC light heavyweight Chuck Liddell, though Liddell does not fight for AKA. White said he has been "beefing with Zinkin for years" and said he had to call Liddell, one of his closest friends, and tell him to get Zinkin to back off.

According to White, Liddell said Zinkin represented him on sponsorships and he would negotiate his own deals with the UFC.

Fitch said he has been a loyal UFC employee and said, "I'd only like a little bit of respect for the blood I shed for this company."

White said he has sacrificed more than anyone to build the UFC into the powerhouse it has become and that he's tired of athletes who don't want to "get with the program."

Velasquez, one of the sport's rising stars, clearly is on the outs with White. White said Zinkin wanted standard language that is part of every UFC fighter's contract removed from Velasquez's deal.

"Can you believe that?" White said. "Chuck Liddell has that language in his contract. Randy Couture has it. Anderson Silva has it. And Cain [expletive] Velasquez, with two [expletive] fights, wants us to change it for him? That's [expletive] nuts. He can get the [expletive] out.

"I'm not a douche bag (:rolleyes) and I do a lot for these guys, a lot more than any of you will ever know. We're in a horrible time in the economy now, and every guy with two nickels to rub together is making a run at us. We've worked too hard, given too much, to let certain guys come in and [expletive] with that."

Fitch said he's not trying to mess with anything and that he simply wants to fight. He said he always has been respectful in all his dealings with the UFC and said he can't understand the position he finds himself in without ever having spoken to White.

He plans to call White to discuss the situation but wasn't sure what move to make.

"I'm more than willing to work with them, but I don't see why we have to give up our whole lives for this," Fitch said. "Why not a time limit? If we did a 10-year deal with them, is that that unreasonable? I don't understand how this happened, honestly. It's tough."

Dana White is such a massive Asshole it is not even funny.. I can't take the UFC side on this. "So sign what we tell you or hit the road, even it if is a bullshit deal". Just keep getting rid of top guys UFC, and be arrogant enough to think it will never come back to bite you..

[dbreiden83080]

wow Dana looks like a psycho with his comments

A real OWNer who if this continues can do more bad then good.

Not [expletive] good

Ya think, he is a classless tool White.. This behavior and actions is not good for business. White talks about getting the UFC mainstream well maybe some people don't want to deal with them because of his mouth and garbage, did he ever think of that??

[Evan]

Fitch will be back….this whole thing will blow over and get worked out.

[dbreiden83080]

Fitch will be back….this whole thing will blow over and get worked out.

I would hope so but what is up with him threatening everyone at that team like they are one in the same?? I hate this attitude of "We don't like your MGT so get rid of them or we will get rid of you"

[Evan]

I would hope so but what is up with him threatening everyone at that team like they are one in the same?? I hate this attitude of "We don't like your MGT so get rid of them or we will get rid of you"

I have no idea but I honestly feel like we don't know half the story so I am trying to wait and see.

Whatever true legit news comes out will be on this site http://www.fightopinion.com/ which as I have always said is the most unbiased MMA site around IMO. The guy that runs this has an awesome memory and nails anyone who makes a hypocritical statement or changes their story. Bloodyelbow is awesome at breaking news but Zach Arnold collects the news and links it better than anyone.

Best MMA blog by a mile....

[dbreiden83080]

I have no idea but I honestly feel like we don't know half the story so I am trying to wait and see.

Whatever true legit news comes out will be on this site http://www.fightopinion.com/ which as I have always said is the most unbiased MMA site around IMO. The guy that runs this has an awesome memory and nails anyone who makes a hypocritical statement or changes their story. Bloodyelbow is awesome at breaking news but Zach Arnold collects the news and links it better than anyone.

Best MMA blog by a mile....

Fitch did an interview and he said flat out that "the UFC will dump Koscheck after his next fight as well as Cain and he is gone because they did not want to sign this agreement to hand away their life-time rights". He said "they would dump Kos right now if he was not head-lining in this upcoming show".. All i can say is i have no reason whatsoever to not believe him.. The UFC is a monopoly, he is in no position to negotiate, but the UFC is in full position to nail him to the wall on whatever the hell they want.. I believe Fitch..

[Evan]

UFC isn't a monopoly….other people can compete. They just suck at it.

[dbreiden83080]

UFC isn't a monopoly….other people can compete. They just suck at it.

You said yesterday, "There will never be competiton, it's too late" now they aren't a monopoly. If this is true are you really pro-UFC on this one??

[Evan]

You said yesterday, "There will never be competiton, it's too late" now they aren't a monopoly. If this is true are you really pro-UFC on this one??

Other people can compete, they just suck at it. There is nothing stopping anyone from trying beyond their own incompetence. Whats incorrect about that?

How that makes me "pro ufc on this one" is beyond me….

[dbreiden83080]

Other people can compete, they just suck at it. There is nothing stopping anyone from trying beyond their own incompetence. Whats incorrect about that?

Saying "it's too late to compete" is a statement indicating it is impossible to compete with the UFC. Saying "If people were smarter about it they could hang in there" is something else..



How that makes me "pro ufc on this one" is beyond me….

I'm asking you, not telling you..

[dbreiden83080]

competition...it will never happen. It's way too late.

I'm not sure who had the best chance but its long gone. There will never be competition. Ever. They would have have to get their foot in the door in 05.

^^

[Evan]

Saying "it's too late to compete" is a statement indicating it is impossible to compete with the UFC. Saying "If people were smarter about it they could hang in there" is something else....

You're seriously splitting hairs here...take what you want from it but you should look up what a monopoly is.




I'm asking you, not telling you..

I have already answered this. If true its the dumbest thing I have ever seen the UFC do by a mile.

[dbreiden83080]

You're seriously splitting hairs here...take what you want from it but you should look up what a monopoly is.


monopoly-- exists when a specific individual or enterprise has sufficient control over a particular product or service

The UFC does not fall into this category how exactly?? They can pull stunts like this all they want because they are the only consistant game in the market..

[Evan]

UFC has no control over other orgs.

UFC has control of their employees...like every other company. Thats not a monopoly.

Anyway...i'm dropping this monopoly debate. If you think its one then ok. No problem.

[dbreiden83080]

UFC has no control over other orgs.

UFC has control of their employees...like every other company. Thats not a monopoly.

Anyway...i'm dropping this monopoly debate. If you think its one then ok. No problem.

A monopoly is not defined as having control over other organizations it is defined by having a controlling share of the market, which the UFC has.. A lack of competiton, which there is.. Thus they can spank guys like Fitch whenever they want knowing, they'll likely have to come back..

[polandprzem]

A monopoly is not defined as having control over other organizations it is defined by having a controlling share of the market, which the UFC has.. A lack of competiton, which there is.. Thus they can spank guys like Fitch whenever they want knowing, they'll likely have to come back..

That is sad truth.

Now after Brock win and UFC win with having him as a HW champ Dana thinks he is not mortal and he can do whatever he wants cause he ows the sport cause he have done for the fighters so many good things.

That's the worst business conflict that can be-> who is more important - the promoter or the fighter?

[Evan]

Silva may not retire at 35 now..

http://mmajunkie.com/news/13289/maybe-anderson-silva-wont-retire-at-35-after-all.mma#comments

[Evan]

---random thought---

You know…I see a lot of talk about unions to stop this fitch thing but IMO the solution will come when UFC hits mainstream. The press pressure will put a stop to this crap. The UFC (as with every business) will get away with as much as they can if there is no public/media outcry

[polandprzem]

---random thought---

You know…I see a lot of talk about unions to stop this fitch thing but IMO the solution will come when UFC hits mainstream. The press pressure will put a stop to this crap. The UFC (as with every business) will get away with as much as they can if there is no public/media outcry

I don't know if it can stop Dana from doing what he thinks is the best.

I wonder how his conversation with Chuck looked like :)

[desflood]

Goran Reljic a hero:

The first and only report from the Croatian press I've seen of this incident was published today by this Croatian news site. Apparently two men crashed into the sea at 3 AM near the home of Reljic who jumped out of bed and rescued the two men in his underwear. The entire article is available at Fight Ticker:

When he heard the crash, Goran jumped out of bed, still in his underwear and jumped into the sea.

He swam to the car, proceeded to brake the windshield of the vehicle and pull both men to land. Several eyewitness accounts confirm the story and so does Goran himself who doesn't want any praise or recognition for the good deed.

"The only satisfaction I get is that both young men are alive and healthy. I don't need any praise. I simply did what anyone one would have done in that situation," said Reljic.

[Evan]

I don't know if it can stop Dana from doing what he thinks is the best.

I wonder how his conversation with Chuck looked like :)

It will...when it affects the bottom line he will listen and until real media get after him nothing will be done.

[dbreiden83080]

It will...when it affects the bottom line he will listen and until real media get after him nothing will be done.

And it is the sometimes shady business practices of the UFC that i have issues with.. Don't preach about treatment and loyalty to fighters Dana when you pull this stuff. It balances out and it's not good business to cut top level guys who aren't making star level cash.. This seemed like it was just message they were looking to send to everyone.. I mean if Fitch is right the UFC is going to can Kos after his up-coming fight or just do it now and get it over with..

[ATRAIN]

LOL at Leonard fighting with the clubies about Shaq vs Penn hahahah

[Evan]

LOL at Leonard fighting with the clubies about Shaq vs Penn hahahah

I lost my will for that argument after the MMA fighter Vs Navy seal thread from last year........:lol

[LEONARD]

LOL at Leonard fighting with the clubies about Shaq vs Penn hahahah

Good times!

[djohn14]

Fitch is back!

[ATRAIN]

I lost my will for that argument after the MMA fighter Vs Navy seal thread from last year........:lol

Yeah same here I was tempted to chime in but I kept my cool. I was tempted because half of the people arguing with him I argue with all the time. Most of them are arguing for the sake of arguing. Shit IronMexican talks like he has been here for a long time hahah, he has only been here 6 months.


Good times!

Yeah its pretty funny and they think we were spamming threads......I dont recall us ever going that route.

[Evan]

fightlinker :lmao :lmao :lmao

Here’s Akihiro Gono talking about the UFC sending him bonus money for his awesome dance number and his attempt to speak English UFC 89. Note that this is translated by Japanese blogger Gryphon, who also attempts to write English. I give him a spiritual bonus for trying hard … his translation made my day:

UFC send me “FIGHTER BONUS”………………..ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!

this bonus has letter too.

“Dana White and Rorenzo give you bonus for your promotion and effort”

it probably means entrance performance,but If it include my English talking,i am glad

but,to say the trush, I wanted to tell you “WINNER interview”,it is prepared paerfectly. I am sorry.

My Winnertalk could heat up house………

but,This bonus is valuable as much as WINNER bonus for me.

because not only winner or loser,

An asian fighte GONO AKIHIRO is known as totalpackage character.i feel

my motivation is up and up,

and UFC offer me!

absolutely OK!!

[polandprzem]

Me understand he says

[LEONARD]

Gono is funny...

[Evan]

The fact that Lorenzo is Rorenzo makes my heart sing....

My step mom and step brother are fresh out of Tokyo and its just so perfect with how they talk.

[BlackSwordsMan]

Is this where you faggy MMA fans discuss who to suck off first?

[dbreiden83080]

Is this where you faggy MMA fans discuss who to suck off first?

Bring Gina over here and she'll tell me what she wants sucked on... :toast

[ATRAIN]

Bring Gina over here and she'll tell me what she wants sucked on... :toast

HEY thats my future wife your talking about!!!

[dbreiden83080]

HEY thats my future wife your talking about!!!

Don't you mean your future ex-Wife?? :p:

[Evan]

awsome...haha

[ATRAIN]

Don't you mean your future ex-Wife?? :p:

Well yeah every girl I date is potentially my future ex wife. What can I say I have commitment issues. Ill prob hate Brock and AA in a few months hahaha.

[Evan]

Bunch of BS


Following a recent five-month delay in payment to lightweight contender Nick Diaz, the Japanese-based DREAM promotion has again run behind on compensating its fighters.

The participants in question this time are heavyweight Jimmy Ambriz (13-11-1) and lightweight Todd Moore (9-3). Both U.S.-based fighters participated in September's DREAM.6 event.

"As far as I'm concerned, they pretty much have stiffed us," Moore told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com). "The fight was Sept. 23, and we're going on into [late November] and they still haven't paid. That's two months. That sucks, man."

MMAjunkie.com was able to speak to Moore despite, what he said, have been his recent attempts at dodging phone calls from bill collectors awaiting the money the Texan earned in a first-round submission loss to Shinya Aoki. The three-year professional said he has never before found himself in this predicament.

"The closest thing was I had one bounced check from one promoter, but he eventually paid within the same month," Moore said. "And he informed me, 'Hey, I had a couple of bounced checks, just to give you a heads-up.' Then he was able to pay me back pretty quickly. (It was) by far quicker than DREAM has been."

Mike Kogan, the U.S. representative for DREAM's parent company Fight Entertainment Group, said the missing money was simply an oversight by the company's accounting department.

"They're not getting stiffed," Kogan said of Moore and Ambriz. "Let me put it this way: They'll get their money. There's been reports in the past that we were a little slow in paying, and to a lot of the American fighters, it might seem a little weird. Because with the commission here against how the promoters pay in the U.S. -- right after the event they get their checks -- we don't do that. But that's disclosed in the contracts."

Moore and Ambriz's agent, Ken Pavia of MMAagents.com, said he was aware of the delayed payment requirements of the Japanese-based promotion. But Pavia points out that the contract stipulated the money would be paid before the end of October, and that DREAM officials have proved difficult to deal with during the process.

"[DREAM] can't [pay at the event] anymore because of some sort of Japanese tax audit, which requires, for paper trails, them to wire the money," Pavia said. "They told us that we would have it soon thereafter. And it's been what, two months now?

"They told us it was wired twice, and it wasn't. We never received it. Once [DREAM officials said] it got kicked back, and the second time they re-wired it, and they don't know what the problem is. But it hasn't made it to us. And that was two weeks ago."

Kogan insisted the fighters would be quickly compensated once the accounting errors were corrected.

"As far as I know the contract stipulates that all fighters will get paid within the month following the month in which they fought," Kogan said. "So if they fought in September, then they would have been paid in October. If they still haven't been paid then, there's probably either some kind of accounting error or backlog or something else unrelated to any kind of a problem -- more of an administrative issue.

"I know for a fact that our accounting department issues payments -- not just for fighters, but in general -- every 15 days. So if they were backlogged in October, they might have put it onto the November roster."

Diaz's most recent appearance for DREAM was a May win at DREAM.5 over Katsuya Inoue. It took until October for Diaz to receive his purse for the bout.

Kogan explained that while that situation may seem controversial at first glance, it was again a simple mistake that was quickly addressed.

"Believe it or not -- some of this stuff sounds kind of ridiculous, but this has happened in the past," Kogan said. "In Nick Diaz's case, I don't know who, but obviously there's a lot of people that work for FEG in our accounting department. And half of them don't even know what Nick Diaz looks like. They're just paper-pushers. Well somebody apparently filed his (account) as paid. So as far as our accounting was concerned, he was paid.

"I don't know why they filed it that way. So after months and months of me bitching and bitching and bitching, they kept looking and kept looking and kept looking. Finally somebody said, 'Well wait a minute. We thought that blah, blah, blah.' And he was paid immediately. Actually he received his money right in time since he's out of a job right now."

Kogan insisted both Ambriz, who took a bout with Sergei Kharitonov at the last possible moment on the September card, and Moore would be compensated fairly and accurately -- and that the entire situation was a non-story.

"I fear for MMA if it's newsworthy that Ambriz hasn't gotten paid yet," Kogan said. "If that's what's on the mind of MMA fans, then fire away and report it.

"I think they're probably more interested in what 80 fighters being held hostage by a ProElite/CBS war, who are unemployed and unable to look for a job, they want to know. Ambriz will get his money, trust me, within the next week at the latest."

Ambriz hopes Kogan's assurances are realized, but feels the situation demands a touch more concern.

"I just really want to be paid, basically," Ambriz said. "I put the work in and it's the compensation time. I don't want this to get stretched out into a legal situation. But if that's what we have to do, that's what I'll do.

"You put your work in and contracts are signed. Live up to your end of the contract."

[Evan]

Inside MMA to Rage in the Cage Promoter, Roland.

Ron Kruck: what is the strangest thing that you have ever happen

Roland: There was fighter fighting with loose shorts and a jock strap and when you wear a jock strap it doesn't cover your behind very well.. he got hit in the stomach and a turd fell out onto the mat.

[desflood]

Good read from Sherdog:

Technical Fowl
Monday, November 24, 2008
by Jake Rossen ([email protected])


Thanksgiving: the holiday best celebrated by abusing your arteries and securing central obesity’s graduation from “health concern” to “full-blown epidemic.”

In between trips to the apple pie trough, you might feel compelled to mumble some gratitude toward family, friends or -- may God forgive these words -- the fight promoters.

Mindful that excessive carbohydrate consumption might render your brain as useful as a bowl of congealed Quaker oatmeal, here’s a handy holiday reminder of things any MMA fan should be grateful for.

UFC: The Main Course

Twenty-six live events, two weekly best-of shows, two seasons of television’s guiltiest reality-show pleasure and 95 percent of the top fighting talent in the world, all regularly cracking each other’s bones for our entertainment pleasure.

It may be de rigueur to harass management for their business practices, but there’s little merit in claiming that any other company provides the sheer quality, quantity and in-cage integrity of Zuffa’s Ultimate Fighting Championship. In a year where we’ve seen some truly heinous behavior from the me-too promoters -- who always seem a step away from either prison stripes or bankruptcy court -- the UFC’s efforts have looked positively pristine in comparison.

Unlike boxing, which has a roof audibly creaking from the weight of past transgressions, the UFC has essentially homogenized combat sports -- an accomplishment on par with Harold “Red” Grange moving from college to pro football and turning the latter from a national joke into a national phenomenon.

Champions fight rightful contenders, weight classes are kept to a minimum and big fights are the rule rather than the exception. That kind of uniformity is the major reason mainstream media outlets are running fight results alongside NBA scores.

No money? No problem. Of the 26 UFC and WEC events that will be held this year, 14 of them aired on free television; they’ve made millionaires out of guys who had previously fought for a few thousand bucks and a free Trimark VHS tape; they compensate even lower-tier talent with performance incentives, circulate back-door checks like night club flyers and make a genuine effort to determine who the Best Fighter in the World really is.

The banner isn’t perfect -- the fine print, as we’ve seen in the Jon Fitch likeness fiasco, is stubbornly one-sided -- but in the often-dirty world of pugilism, it’s the sport’s equivalent to comfort food: You know exactly what you’re going to get. And that’s a good thing.

Fighters: The Skin and Bone

Sympathetic fans know that fighters that play conservative games are only looking out for their best interests: health, career longevity and that all-important “W.”

But then there are those athletes that fight like they’re running through a burning building. Think of guys like Clay Guida, Thiago Alves, Karo Parisyan, Urijah Faber and another few dozen you’ll wind up naming yourself. Note that the announcers never have to mention how they’re catching their breath, or “conserving energy” or “looking out for their record.” These guys come to fight.

It’s awesome -- in the literal definition of that overused word -- to see someone display the results of intensive training and personal desire.

There will forever be a chicken-and-egg debate about which is more important, promoters or athletes, but keep in mind the fan following the aforementioned Mr. Slice built up with a camcorder and a patch of dry grass, with nary a strobe light in sight.

This sport -- and the motivation we derive from it to pursue our own goals -- is nothing without the personal and professional sacrifices made by its competitors. You don’t have to cheer for them, shake their hand or even necessarily like them, but you should always appreciate the blood they shed on the canvas. It really is a work of art.

HDNet: The Mixed Casserole (aka The I’m-Running-Out-of-Metaphors-for-This-Thing)

Credit Spike television for their UFC content, but it’s hardly charity work at this point: The UFC has become synonymous with their brand, and I’m sure their stockings are well stuffed.

I’m more impressed with the efforts of Mark Cuban’s obscure HDNet channel to highlight the remainder of the MMA sporting world: shows beamed in from Japan; regional events like Adrenaline, Strikeforce and Sportfight; a respectable roundtable/news program in “Inside MMA.” All of it polished and all of it presented in the cornea pornography that is 1080i.

Since HDNet falls somewhere north of C-SPAN in terms of public awareness, and since it’s assumed that live Japanese feeds probably aren’t cheap, credit should go to the network for soaking up the rest of the non-UFC MMA world and making it available to people who don’t know a “bit torrent” from a termite bite.

Affliction: The Wildly Irresponsible Dessert :lol

Depression is said to increase around the holidays. While that may be due to a number of factors, chief among them has to be the annual sideshow that Fedor Emelianenko gets sucked into overseas. What could be worse than watching a genuinely great fighter waste valuable ring time locked in amoral combat with undeserving opposition?

Any Emelianenko fan should be over the moon that Affliction is willing to meet the Russian’s price despite his underwhelming box office appeal stateside. Instead of a New Year’s contest between him and an inflatable octopus, we get to see a real test of his skills against a hungry Andrei Arlovski in January.

I’ve no idea how much longer Affliction can run at a deficit, but the fact that they’ve squeezed at least two competitive fights out of Emelianenko is an obscenely generous treat.

Thanks also go out to:

Seth Petruzelli for using a well-placed right cross to reality-check Kimbo Slice’s grossly over-manipulated career ascension … Frank Shamrock for at least offering to save EliteXC from total annihilation by telling brass he’d fight Slice after adoptive brother Ken Shamrock slipped on some errant Metamucil backstage … Shamrock, Cung Le, Scott Smith and Robbie Lawler for slugging it out with an intensity that makes me feel like I need testosterone replacement therapy … Brock Lesnar for skipping the Japanese freak circuit and getting thrown in the deep end of the UFC’s waters … Randy Couture and the UFC for realizing the futility of their legal sniping contest, even if it resulted in Lesnar beating his head like Desi Arnaz working a conga drum … B.J. Penn for finally taking the sport seriously and giving his skills the proper engine to run on … Mike Goldberg for retiring the phrase “meteoric rise” from his list of verbal go-tos. That’s one down and only 23 more to go.

[Rip-Hamilton32]

jeff joslin is at my school this week teaching self defence and it only cost me 5 bucks

[desflood]

From mmajunkie:

Despite earlier reports that a Urijah Faber (21-2 MMA, 6-1 WEC) vs. Jose Aldo (12-1 MMA, 2-0 WEC) bout was likely for the WEC's as-yet-unannounced January card, sources close to the bout have now revealed that Faber will instead take part in a rematch.

Unfortunately for Faber, that rematch is not the one he was seeking with new featherweight champion Mike Brown, but instead with former UFC lightweight champion Jens Pulver (22-10-1 MMA, 1-2 WEC).

Faber defeated Pulver by unanimous decision in their memorable first meeting at WEC 34 in June.

A nine-year veteran of MMA, Pulver has earned victories in the UFC, WEC, PRIDE, the IFL and Shooto.

The MMA legend has struggled recently, losing four of his past five fights. While his recent losses have come to elite-level talent such as Faber, Leonard Garcia, B.J. Penn, Hayato "Mach" Sakurai and Takanori Gomi, Pulver is just 4-6 in his previous 10 bouts.

Faber will be looking to rebound from his recent loss to Brown. Before the loss in the main event of "WEC 36: Faber vs. Brown" earlier this month, Faber had not tasted defeat in over three years.



Despite being a fan of Pulver's for years, I don't see this ending well for him. It was amazing that he took Faber to decision the first time, but Urijah won't let that happen again. Jens is a tough little guy, but Faber isn't going to waste any time in his bid to get the title back. And while Jens has good boxing and great wrestling, his sub defense leaves a lot to be desired.

[djohn14]

Hey, just want to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving!

[dbreiden83080]

Thanks :toast

[Rip-Hamilton32]

my thanksgiving was a while ago but happy thanksgiving to those who celebrate now

[desflood]

Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou (5-3 MMA, 1-2 UFC), a highly touted light heavyweight who joined the UFC last year, has been dropped from the organization following a recent loss to Luis Cane.

The PRIDE veteran and Team Quest fighter went 1-2 in the UFC.

News of his release comes from a variety of reports, including one from fiveouncesofpain.com.

Following high-profile victories over Antonio Rogerio Nogueira and Ricardo Arona in the Japanese-based PRIDE in 2007 -- victories that earned Sokoudjou a top-10 ranking in some major polls -- the 24-year-old Cameroonian fighter signed with the UFC.

He made his octagon debut at UFC 79 and suffered a second-round submission loss to Loyoto Machida. He rebounded for a first-round TKO of Kazuhiro Nakamura at UFC 84 before he was tagged with a TKO loss to Cane at UFC 89.

He appeared an unlikely candidate to be dropped from the UFC so quickly, but his sizable contract likely played a factor. At UFC 79 and UFC 84 -- the two events in which fight purses were disclosed -- Sokoudjou's contract called for $40,000 to show and an additional $40,000 as win bonuses.

[desflood]

Less than two weeks after earning a $60,000 bonus check for his "Fight of the Night" performance at UFC 91 -- his second such award -- lightweight Jorge Gurgel (12-5) has also received his walking papers.

Released from the organization, Gurgel has already landed with the California-based Strikeforce promotion. And while excited about his new deal, Gurgel told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) he is still disappointed with being cut from the UFC.

"It's not a happy moment," Gurgel said. "It's very humiliating, and it's a crushing of my childhood dream."

"The Ultimate Fighter 2" veteran said fighting for the UFC has long been his sole focus.

"I never [fought] for the money," Gurgel said. "If you read any of my interviews, I only did it because my childhood dream -- when I was in Brazil and 15 years old -- was to come here to fight in the UFC. I wanted to have my own school and fight in the UFC. I got there, and now I'm out of the UFC.

"One day I'll be back again. I can not be happy -- truly, truly, thoroughly happy -- about what happened. But I am excited about new opportunities and new chances and new doors that are going to open, and for me to show my skills."

Gurgel has been criticized throughout his seven-fight run in the UFC for displaying the wrong set of skills. A Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt, the 31-year-old has generally elected to slug it out on his feet.

Gurgel said he will adjust his strategy in future Strikeforce bouts.

"I'm so sick of people asking why I don't do jiu-jitsu," Gurgel said. "So I'm going to start doing it so people can shut up. 'Why don't you do jiu-jitsu?' Come on, man.

"(UFC announcer) Joe Rogan, everybody asks me. 'Why don't you do jiu-jitsu? You'd be in the top of the guys in the weight class if you would do jiu-jitsu.' But I always get caught up in not being boring."

While looking to change his style moving forward, Gurgel said he has no regrets regarding his past strategy.

"I live with no regrets," Gurgel said. "I fight the fight the way I want to fight because it's my job. And if you're not having any fun doing your job, you should do a different job so that you have fun.

"I have so much fun striking, and I love it so much. And the high that I get that I look for when I train is to be in the octagon in heated exchanges. And we're just going crazy punching each other, moving from a head kick or something. And the crowd goes from watching the fight to, 'Wow.' That's what I feed on."

Gurgel said it is his passion for toe-to-toe wars that has left him on the short end of three decisions during his UFC tenure.

"After the three rounds are over, I go, 'Oh, [expletive], maybe I was having too much fun and I didn't worry too much about winning decisively,'" Gurgel said. "Then I lose and I think, 'Oh my God. I can not believe this.'

"I don't even think about maybe losing until the end of it. That's something that I have to fix. I always think that I'm winning and not that I'm not doing good. Because I'm having so much fun, I don't think too much about it. I just get on auto-pilot, and I get out and go to war. And that's cost me in the past.

"But I have no regret not using the jiu-jitsu. I have the arsenal. I put 16 years of my life into jiu-jitsu. I know what I can do. And I'm going to use it now."

To those that have supported him through his roller-coaster ride in the UFC, a humble Gurgel promises to return to the UFC as a title contender.

"I don't know why I have such a humongous fan base," Gurgel said. "It's definitely not based on performance because my performances have been poor in my own standards. But I think they see how I fight with so much heart, and I fight for them. I fight for my fans and mostly my students, because I want to make them proud.

"Everybody that's believed in me and supported me for all these years, I want to say thank you. And I'm only getting started. I'm going to go to Strikeforce, and I'm going to win that belt. Then I'm going to come back to the UFC as a contender and not a gatekeeper."

[djohn14]

Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou (5-3 MMA, 1-2 UFC), a highly touted light heavyweight who joined the UFC last year, has been dropped from the organization following a recent loss to Luis Cane.

The PRIDE veteran and Team Quest fighter went 1-2 in the UFC.

News of his release comes from a variety of reports, including one from fiveouncesofpain.com.

Following high-profile victories over Antonio Rogerio Nogueira and Ricardo Arona in the Japanese-based PRIDE in 2007 -- victories that earned Sokoudjou a top-10 ranking in some major polls -- the 24-year-old Cameroonian fighter signed with the UFC.

He made his octagon debut at UFC 79 and suffered a second-round submission loss to Loyoto Machida. He rebounded for a first-round TKO of Kazuhiro Nakamura at UFC 84 before he was tagged with a TKO loss to Cane at UFC 89.

He appeared an unlikely candidate to be dropped from the UFC so quickly, but his sizable contract likely played a factor. At UFC 79 and UFC 84 -- the two events in which fight purses were disclosed -- Sokoudjou's contract called for $40,000 to show and an additional $40,000 as win bonuses.

Boy, this really put a damper on dallaskds' day.

[dbreiden83080]

I thought Soku would get one more crack at it in the UFC but he looked so bad in his last fight combined with the UFC trimming the fat in this economy, i guess i shouldn't be surprised he's gone.. Took them a while to make up their mind.

[djohn14]

Sucks for him. Didnt he say his mother was coming in in December. Now hes jobless.

[dbreiden83080]

Sucks for him. Didnt he say his mother was coming in in December. Now hes jobless.

Yep, she didn't even know he was a fighter, now he's canned by the UFC

[djohn14]

Hopefully Strikeforce picks him up soon or something.

[dallaskd]

Boy, this really put a damper on dallaskds' day.

It actually may be for the better. He can rack up 5 or so wins in Japan or Strikeforce and I'm sure he will be back. He's so young.

[djohn14]

It actually may be for the better. He can rack up 5 or so wins in Japan or Strikeforce and I'm sure he will be back. He's so young.
True, he does have youth on his side.

[djohn14]

Great news...Cain Velasquez said he has no intention of fighting in any promotion other than UFC!

[ATRAIN]

OK I found the Arlovski pic I was telling you guys about about a month ago PM me your email address so I can send it to you. Im not going to host it or put it up here, its too embarassing hahaha.

[desflood]

Tim Sylvia vs. Ken Shamrock? Believe it.

Got this from bloodyelbow. Left the poster's commentary in since it echoes my own thoughts anyway:

“I was supposed to fight Ken Shamrock December 20, but it’s been postponed to February now,” said Sylvia. “He’s a free agent. I was supposed to fight him in a small show called XP3 Promotions. I believe in Texas, but it’s postponed to February now.”

Cox echoed Sylvia’s position that a bout with the 44-year-old Shamrock was in the works.

However, Melissa Ingram, director of media relations for Ken Shamrock Entertainment Inc., was hesitant to describe the fight as being in “preliminary negotiations.”

Shamrock’s manager Ron Donohoo told Sherdog.com on Monday that the bout was not under consideration.

“Our organization was approached some time ago about the prospect of Ken fighting Sylvia, but it was rejected,” Donohoo wrote in an email.

Donohoo did not disclose the reason the fight was declined. XP3 Promotions, which has a Feb. 7 event scheduled at the Reliant Arena in Houston according to its Web site, was not immediately available for comment.

Despite the opposing sides, Sylvia expects to see much action in the coming months, including a fight with Shamrock.

“I love to fight and a fight’s a fight,” said Sylvia. “He’s a Hall of Famer. He’s a legend. To progress your career you always have to fight somebody like that.

“I don’t know if he’s a stepping stone or anything, but he’s been on some of the same cards I’ve been on and he’s been highlighted over me, so I want to let people that I am better than this guy and there’s no reason he should have been highlighted over me.”


Let me be unequivocally clear: any athletic commission that approves this fight should be hung by their heels with piano wire in the nearest town square and spat upon by citizens strolling by. Then fired. Then banned from ever holding a position on any athletic commission ever again in their life. Then spat on again.

I know there's a defense to be made for cashing in on star power after a fighter is long past their peak and I do not equate this to Couture vs. Liddell IV (that fight and this one are surely universes apart), but there is an obvious tipping point where age and star power can get fighters seriously, seriously hurt. Unbelievable.

[dbreiden83080]

“I don’t know if he’s a stepping stone or anything, but he’s been on some of the same cards I’ve been on and he’s been highlighted over me, so I want to let people that I am better than this guy and there’s no reason he should have been highlighted over me.”

:lmao:lmao:lmao:lmao:lmao

Tim you Suck, seriously dude, you just Suck!!

[desflood]

In a exclusive interview with Sensei SporTV via Tatame Brazil Dana White says that Machida could become the best pound for pound fighter should Anderson Silva retire.

He isn’t surprised with the possible retirement of Silva after all “Anderson Silva is rich! I’d also retire if I was him”, said Dana in jest. Though he doesn’t actually believe Anderson will retire any time soon . If it does happen, the president believes Lyoto Machida will become the 'The Spiders“ successor.

I was a bit surprised to see that Dana White holds Machida in such high regard:

"Machida has everything to be the next best pound for pound fighter in MMA" said White.



Don't anybody give me any low-brow crap about Machida being "boring". I'm feeling contentious today.

[ATRAIN]

In a exclusive interview with Sensei SporTV via Tatame Brazil Dana White says that Machida could become the best pound for pound fighter should Anderson Silva retire.

He isn’t surprised with the possible retirement of Silva after all “Anderson Silva is rich! I’d also retire if I was him”, said Dana in jest. Though he doesn’t actually believe Anderson will retire any time soon . If it does happen, the president believes Lyoto Machida will become the 'The Spiders“ successor.

I was a bit surprised to see that Dana White holds Machida in such high regard:

"Machida has everything to be the next best pound for pound fighter in MMA" said White.



Don't anybody give me any low-brow crap about Machida being "boring". I'm feeling contentious today.



Machida is boring :)

[desflood]

Don't mock me, sonny. I've got a cane and I'm not afraid to use it!

[ATRAIN]

Don't mock me, sonny. I've got a cane and I'm not afraid to use it!

Is that another movie quote?

[desflood]

No. Just joking. This is a movie quote:

"Did they look like psychos? Huh? Is that what they looked like? They were VAMPIRES. Psychos do not explode when sunlight hits them; I don't give a f*ck how crazy they are!"

[ATRAIN]

No. Just joking. This is a movie quote:

"Did they look like psychos? Huh? Is that what they looked like? They were VAMPIRES. Psychos do not explode when sunlight hits them; I don't give a f*ck how crazy they are!"

THATS AN EAAAAASY ONE!! From Dusk Till Dawn

[dbreiden83080]

In a exclusive interview with Sensei SporTV via Tatame Brazil Dana White says that Machida could become the best pound for pound fighter should Anderson Silva retire.

He isn’t surprised with the possible retirement of Silva after all “Anderson Silva is rich! I’d also retire if I was him”, said Dana in jest. Though he doesn’t actually believe Anderson will retire any time soon . If it does happen, the president believes Lyoto Machida will become the 'The Spiders“ successor.

I was a bit surprised to see that Dana White holds Machida in such high regard:

"Machida has everything to be the next best pound for pound fighter in MMA" said White.



Don't anybody give me any low-brow crap about Machida being "boring". I'm feeling contentious today.

Machida, :rolleyes

Way to leave GSP out of the conversation Dana. He only gets asked 40 times a press conference if GSP is there with Silva yet as PD for PD king and was asked when promoting the Penn/GSP 2 fight if GSP wins, would he fight Silva next and we'd find out?? and he said "Likely yes"

"Lyoto boring as Shit, i refuse to engage Machida", He'll never be big tiime, with the fans, his style just sucks..

[ATRAIN]

Machida, :rolleyes

Way to leave GSP out of the conversation Dana. He only gets asked 40 times a press conference if GSP is there with Silva yet as PD for PD king and was asked when promoting the Penn/GSP 2 fight if GSP wins, would "Lyoto boring as Shit, i refuse to engage Machida", He'll never be big tiime, with the fans, his style just sucks..

LOL GSP NUT HUGGER.........but I do agree with you. I think pound for pound best fighter GSP is number 2 after Silva.

[dbreiden83080]

LOL GSP NUT HUGGER.........but I do agree with you. I think pound for pound best fighter GSP is number 2 after Silva.

I'm a MEGA GSP Nut-Hugger and proud of it, but seriously Dana will almost never be able to sell Machida.. Dude in the Tito fight there were times, when he would hit Tito and literally run 10 steps backwards as fast as he could. If the Octagon could be made 10 feet bigger, he'd love it, more room to hit and sprint..

[ATRAIN]

I'm a MEGA GSP Nut-Hugger and proud of it, but seriously Dana will almost never be able to sell Machida.. Dude in the Tito fight there were times, when he would hit Tito and literally run 10 steps backwards as fast as he could. If the Octagon could be made 10 feet bigger, he'd love it, more room to hit and sprint..

Who would you say number 3 lb for lb is?

[dbreiden83080]

Who would you say number 3 lb for lb is?

Well i don't really agree with Dana's list, because of course he has Fedor not on it and he's still the best fighter in the world right now (Until AA KO's him right A-train):toast

So i'd say

1 Fedor

2 Anderson Silva

3 GSP

Maybe 4 Rampage if he gets through Wandy and the 205 Title back from Forrest..

BJ Penn is waaaaay down the list like 100 or so... :p:

[desflood]

LOL GSP NUT HUGGER.........but I do agree with you. I think pound for pound best fighter GSP is number 2 after Silva.
Eh... I'd have to go with Fedor on that one. I'd pick GSP for 3rd, maybe.

[ATRAIN]

Well i don't really agree with Dana's list, because of course he has Fedor not on it and he's still the best fighter in the world right now (Until AA KO's him right A-train):toast

So i'd say

1 Fedor

2 Anderson Silva

3 GSP

Maybe 4 Rampage if he gets through Wandy and the 205 Title back from Forrest..

BJ Penn is waaaaay down the list like 100 or so... :p:


Eh... I'd have to go with Fedor on that one. I'd pick GSP for 3rd, maybe.


OK im going to get flamed for this but I put Fedor after GSP and Silva. I just havent seen enough of Fedor these last few years. Yeah he beat Sylvia but come on I think he was the most over rated HW the last few years. I could kick his ass!! He beat AA twice on flukes in my opinion :). AA will put up a better fight for Fedor for sure and prove he is on top of the world in the HW div once again. LOL Rampage nah man he has dropped a bit in my eyes. BJ is up there when he wants to be. I still question his work ethic.

[ATRAIN]

Well i don't really agree with Dana's list, because of course he has Fedor not on it and he's still the best fighter in the world right now (Until AA KO's him right A-train):toast



YOU GOT THAT RIGHT!!!

[desflood]

I have to disagree with your contention that Sylvia's beating AA twice was a fluke. Maybe if it had been only once. But to do it twice assures that it wasn't a fluke the first time.

After Fedor beats AA in January, will you rank him higher then?

[dbreiden83080]

LOL Rampage nah man he has dropped a bit in my eyes. BJ is up there when he wants to be. I still question his work ethic.

Page only, lost one fight in controversial fashion, that was one of the best fights in UFC history. Prior to that, he KO'd Chuck with ease, back when Chuck was supposed to be the baddest man at 205. He then Beat Henderson convincingly by decision. He beats Wandy, and gets Forrest in the rematch and he's right back on top again..

[desflood]

We're forgetting the little guys, too. Urijah Faber, Miguel Torres...

[ATRAIN]

I have to disagree with your contention that Sylvia's beating AA twice was a fluke. Maybe if it had been only once. But to do it twice assures that it wasn't a fluke the first time.

After Fedor beats AA in January, will you rank him higher then?

Yes I will.......but when he(fedor) loses are you going to rank him lower?

I think there was something going on with AA during the times he lost to Sylvia. Shit losing to him would mess with my mind to. The fire was gone then, but its back and when the fire is there AA is number 3 or 4 top HW.......soon to be number 1 :)

[dbreiden83080]

I have to disagree with your contention that Sylvia's beating AA twice was a fluke. Maybe if it had been only once. But to do it twice assures that it wasn't a fluke the first time.

After Fedor beats AA in January, will you rank him higher then?

AA, gave the 3rd fight away. The 2nd fight TIm got kind of Lucky, because AA got too agressive and got hit with a counter shot, he should not have got nailed with. 3rd fight, that KO was in his head and he just didn't engage enough. A shame because hs is a better much more talented fighter than Sylvia.. He still looked tentative at times in his last fight. Plus on the ground, he's just no match for Fedor whatsoever..

[ATRAIN]

Page only, lost one fight in controversial fashion, that was one of the best fights in UFC history. Prior to that, he KO'd Chuck with ease, back when Chuck was supposed to be the baddest man at 205. He then Beat Henderson convincingly by decision. He beats Wandy, and gets Forrest in the rematch and he's right back on top again..

I still think he won that fight against Forrest but it was close. Could have gone either way, but if I was a judge Page got my vote. Yeah he has an impressive resume as of late (last 2 years) but I dont know there is just something about him that tells me he is too one dimensional. Dont get me wrong he is an awesome fighter but I think his ground game leaves room for improvement.

[ATRAIN]

AA, gave the 3rd fight away. The 2nd fight TIm got kind of Lucky, because AA got too agressive and got hit with a counter shot, he should not have got nailed with. 3rd fight, that KO was in his head and he just didn't engage enough. A shame because hs is a better much more talented fighter than Sylvia.. He still looked tentative at times in his last fight. Plus on the ground, he's just no match for Fedor whatsoever..

He has been cautious because his aggressive nature has made him lose to guys he shouldnt lose to (Sylvia). I think he is looking for the perfect medium (like Forest). I think he is still figuring it out and im afraid the Fedor fight is coming too soon for him. If he brings the fire Fedor is going to be in for a fight for sure.

[dbreiden83080]

I still think he won that fight against Forrest but it was close. Could have gone either way, but if I was a judge Page got my vote. Yeah he has an impressive resume as of late (last 2 years) but I dont know there is just something about him that tells me he is too one dimensional. Dont get me wrong he is an awesome fighter but I think his ground game leaves room for improvement.

He doesn't go for Subs at all, but he is good at staying out of them and he's so strong, he powers out of certain subs like Triangle chokes and what not.. Page's game is big slams, GNP and KO's on the feet, that's why he is so exciting. But i guess he could get better at sub defense, but he's tough to sub now..

[desflood]

Yes I will.......but when he(fedor) loses are you going to rank him lower?
If he lost, I'd have to. Andre's chin is suspect and Fedor (despite having the body of a brewery taste-tester) hits like a truck. He also has the better ground game. There would be no reason for him to lose to AA other than by fluke (:p:) or because he hasn't fought top competition besides Big Tim for too long and has become rusty.

[ATRAIN]

He doesn't go for Subs at all, but he is good at staying out of them and he's so strong, he powers out of certain subs like Triangle chokes and what not.. Page's game is big slams, GNP and KO's on the feet, that's why he is so exciting. But i guess he could get better at sub defense, but he's tough to sub now..

Yeah dont get me wrong his power on those slams is amazing but I think lb for lb IMO means best all around game. Thats why I dont put Page up there.

[dbreiden83080]

If he lost, I'd have to. Andre's chin is suspect and Fedor (despite having the body of a brewery taste-tester) hits like a truck. He also has the better ground game. There would be no reason for him to lose to AA other than by fluke (:p:) or because he hasn't fought top competition besides Big Tim for too long and has become rusty.

AA has tremendous hands, if he lets them go, he might be able to KO Fedor but i did not like what i saw with AA ground game in his last fight that was on CBS. It looked pretty mediocre and Fedor is a Sub Machine..

[ATRAIN]

If he lost, I'd have to. Andre's chin is suspect and Fedor (despite having the body of a brewery taste-tester) hits like a truck. He also has the better ground game. There would be no reason for him to lose to AA other than by fluke (:p:) or because he hasn't fought top competition besides Big Tim for too long and has become rusty.

THATS why I cant put him that high. You dont get better with age in any sport no matter how many times Randy and Fedor do it. Yes AA's chin is suspect but I think he will be fine if they stand up. Im more worried about him on the ground.

[desflood]

AA has tremendous hands, if he lets them go, he might be able to KO Fedor
Tim Sylvia
Mark Hunt
Mark Coleman
Mirko Filipovic Kevin Randleman
Mark Coleman Gary Goodridge
Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira
Kazuyuki Fujita
Heath Herring
Semmy Schilt

If not one of these guys could do it, I don't think AA would be the one who could.

[desflood]

Fedor's what, 32? Let's not write him up there with Randy, or even Chuck, just yet :lol

[ATRAIN]

Tim Sylvia
Mark Hunt
Mark Coleman
Mirko Filipovic Kevin Randleman
Mark Coleman Gary Goodridge
Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira
Kazuyuki Fujita
Heath Herring
Semmy Schilt

If not one of these guys could do it, I don't think AA would be the one who could.

I disagree with this :). THE AA of old was a beast and threw some bombs.

[ATRAIN]

Fedor's what, 32? Let's not write him up there with Randy, or even Chuck, just yet :lol

LOL Yeah I know but not fighting doesnt make you better. Its funny cause Fedor looks older than he is IMO thats why I always forget he is only like 3 years older than me.

[dbreiden83080]

Tim Sylvia
Mark Hunt
Mark Coleman
Mirko Filipovic Kevin Randleman
Mark Coleman Gary Goodridge
Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira
Kazuyuki Fujita
Heath Herring
Semmy Schilt

If not one of these guys could do it, I don't think AA would be the one who could.

That's why i said might, i am not disrespecting Fedor's greatness

[ATRAIN]

That's why i said might, i am not disrespecting Fedor's greatness

This is how I feel about Fedor's greatness and im sure AA feels the same way!!

http://smiley.onegreatguy.net/jackoff.gif

[desflood]

http://i34.tinypic.com/kynvp.jpg

MMA All-Star Christmas card
(stolen from Sherdog forum)

[desflood]

A good read from Sherdog on Affliction's dealings with Gilbert Yvel (for those who know who he is).


In a sport where an evening of hyperextensions and blood-faucet noses is considered getting off lightly, it should come as little surprise that some real savages occasionally enter the ring. You’ve got to have a misplaced synapse or two to eat pain for a living.

Ironically, despite the endless opportunities for mayhem in a freestyle arena, no MMA figure has really come close to the kind of brazen, prehistoric behavior of a Mike Tyson, showcasing a deficit of self-control comparable only to that of an upended turtle.

No one except Gilbert Yvel.

Yvel, a Dutch striker who seems to suffer from the same lack of proper judgment that afflicted Tyson, Andrew Golota and Shonie Carter’s tailor, has perpetuated some of the most classless, shameful and potentially damaging infractions of any combat athlete in the modern era.

Put another way: When John McCain paraded the term “human cockfighting” in the 1990s, he would’ve been ecstatic to get some footage of Yvel.

The rap sheet:

vs. Karimula Barkalaev in 1998: Yvel was disqualified for biting his opponent.

vs. Dan Henderson in 2000: Yvel landed a calculated elbow on Henderson directly behind the ear while Henderson was working for a takedown.

vs. Don Frye in 2001: Yvel repeatedly gouged Frye’s eyes, was eventually disqualified and placed his hands on the referee.

vs. Atte Backman in 2004: Yvel assaulted the referee by knocking him to the ground and then kicking his hapless frame into unconsciousness.

vs. The Nevada State Athletic Commission in 2007: Yvel was denied a fighter’s license for competing in the state after commissioners evaluated his prior behavior.

Yvel's "rap sheet" is lengthy and varied.That Yvel should now be ringing up PDAs in a Holland Best Buy, exiled from professional athletics, would seem to be a foregone conclusion. Instead, he’s slated to appear before the California State Athletic Commission in order to facilitate a new three-fight U.S. deal courtesy of Affliction, the world’s premier distributor of dragon-skeleton hoodies and pointless prizefights.

Like a criminal trial, I would hope CSAC members will be required to view footage of Yvel’s sickening indiscretions before rendering judgment on the privilege of a fighter license. This is a man clearly too emotional for the heat of the ring, a fact he’s proven beyond a shadow’s doubt on numerous occasions.

A fight license is really not far removed from paperwork securing your right to a firearm. In both cases, a sanctioning body is determining your ability to wield a weapon -- gun or flying knee -- that can do serious bodily harm.

Examined in that light, Yvel’s immaturity is shocking: It’s akin to a 5-year-old brandishing a knife. He has the tools to hurt you seriously, but lacks the self-discipline to be entrusted with them.

It’s a testament to the aimless ambition of Affliction’s promotional arm that he’d even be contacted. Yvel’s striking is formidable and exciting, granted, but that’s a fact that would be long forgotten after a trademark tantrum. He is unranked on any reputable list of heavyweight contenders; he’s also a virtual unknown in America, buzzed about only in online circles as “Mr. Yellow Card,” a scalding reference to his foul-plagued days in Pride.

Employing Yvel is the ultimate low-reward, high-risk approach that common sense warns us against. Affliction, obviously well aware of his resume, would have no spin to rely on in the event he has a meltdown.

Everyone has a right to earn a living. While Phil Baroni’s love tap on referee Larry Landless earned him a well-deserved suspension back in 2003, he was eventually free to pursue his career and was mature enough to acknowledge his error. He hasn’t repeated the mistake. Fair enough.

Yvel, in contrast, never endured similar punishment: With the offenses taking place overseas, he was docked a few “Ws” in his record and some dollars, nothing more. He’s never really been penalized for endangering Frye’s eyesight, or that referee’s health, or costing Barkalaev a (presumed) series of rabies shots.

Is what amounts to time served really a satisfying penalization for those incidents?

That Affliction is willing to wire him a healthy salary and provide U.S. exposure smacks of short-term thinking -- gotta fill this fight card! -- and an indifference to the sport’s reputation. (Mainstream reporters, ever eager for “The Story,” will quickly latch on to Yvel’s inglorious history and use it as an angle. Promise.)

Affliction stumbled here, plain and simple. The heavyweight class is notoriously the least substantial, and the UFC has locked up the majority of promising talent. But in a world where I haven’t seen Roger Gracie compete on television in two years, where Jerome LeBanner is still itching for an MMA fight and where Jeff Monson and Ricco Rodriguez are available, I’m dazed by the appearance of Yvel on a prominent card.

And if all this is too longwinded to digest, you need only to remember one thing: In a 1990s feud with a kickboxer named “Dirty” Bob Schrijber, Yvel was still considered the bad guy. If that doesn’t sum it up, I don’t know what will.

[desflood]

This has been brewing for a while and now Antonio "Bigfoot" Silva has made his decision:

Antonio Silva has accepted an offer to face Yoshihiro Nakao at World Victory Road’s upcoming Sengoku event on Jan. 4 in Saitama, Japan, confirmed his manager Alex Davis on Sunday.

The American Top Team heavyweight’s decision comes in the wake of a letter received last week from California State Athletic Commission Assistant Executive Director Bill Douglas, who said he will recommend Silva’s license be revoked if he does not adhere to a suspension imposed on him last July.

...

“Antonio has decided to fight, he really has no option,” wrote Davis in an email to Sherdog.com. “He’s innocent, he’s tried to prove it and it fell on unwilling ears, and he has financial commitments that to not meet would have serious consequences for him. In light of these, he has decided to continue his career in Japan until when and if his situation with the CSAC is resolved.”

If the CSAC hadn't been through a massive reorganization, including the ousting of former head Armando Garcia and the suspension of their drug testing program I would be more sympathetic of their hard ass stance here.

Douglas knows that Garcia's administration was running a screwed up drug testing operation or they would not have cancelled any drug tests at the last Strikeforce event.

I am in sympathy with Douglas' desire that their suspensions be respected but at the same time, when everyone agrees that the regime that suspended Silva and refused to modify his suspension at hearing was utterly corrupt and incompetent, I think it behooves them to find a compromise.

[polandprzem]

One of the best made vids of MMA I have ever seen

fTlRasx-5Tk

[dallaskd]

One of the best made vids of MMA I have ever seen

fTlRasx-5Tk

Nice. Go Andre.

[desflood]

From bloodyelbow:

On the heels of the news that Diego Sanchez is moving to 155lbs to fight as a lightweight, MMA Weekly reports that former UFC lightweight champion Sean Sherk is already calling him out:

"If he wants to drop to 155, I'd like to be the first guy that fights him," Sherk said.

...

"I think I match up great with him," Sherk said. "I think his ground game is phenomenal, but so is mine. I know his conditioning is phenomenal. So is mine. His boxing... is okay. But I think it would be a great match-up. You get two guys that are really aggressive fighters who have great conditioning who are going to go and bang it out for fifteen minutes."

I hope I'm wrong, but I think there's a very good chance that Sherk can smother Sanchez and grind out a decision. Combine that with Sherk's utter domination of #1 contender Kenny Florian in their title match and Sherk's win over Tyson Griffin and you've got an ugly situation at lightweight.

Sean Sherk could easily become the Rich Franklin of the UFC lightweights: a dangerous fighter who can snuff out the title hopes of all the top contenders and yet stands almost no chance to take the belt himself.

Sure Sherk has only lost one fight to B.J. Penn and I'd be happy to see him get a second shot if he earns it, but its pretty clear from the first fight what the outcome of a rematch would be.

Also like Franklin, Sherk is a good buddy of Dana White's and is unlikely to be cut from the organization.

Of course, if B.J. beats GSP and holds both the 155 and 170lb belts, then Sherk could help out by beating the top lightweights and B.J. could just drop back by the division once a year and beat Sherk. (:lol)

[polandprzem]

Pet5PtefOfw&NR=1

[dbreiden83080]

Pet5PtefOfw&NR=1

Well that was quite the biased interview now wasn't it??

I'm sick of the excuses as to why Fedor is not in the UFC. He had plenty of chances to sign and he never did. Whether it's him or his management that's the problem, who cares anymore??

[djohn14]

LAS VEGAS – It can hardly be a coincidence that the two men who won titles on “The Ultimate Fighter 8” were also among the few who avoided rowdy and disgusting behavior in the house.

Ryan Bader knocked out Vinnie Magalhaes in the light heavyweight final and Efrain Escudero bested Phillipe Nover via unanimous decision on Saturday in the lightweight finale at The Pearl at the Palms in what can only be described as a victory for taste and common sense.

If the best SpikeTV producers and the UFC can do is to show men urinating and ejaculating in others’ food, throwing a glass at a defenseless fighter and making a star out of someone without a whit of class, then it’s time to put a wrap on the reality series.

UFC owner Lorenzo Fertitta has called the show the company’s Trojan horse, because it enabled the UFC to gain widespread exposure at a time when it was on its deathbed. The show has been phenomenally successful in and out of the cage, not only introducing another generation of fans to mixed martial arts, but also producing two world champions (Forrest Griffin and Matt Serra) and numerous other fighters who have become main-card regulars.

But each season, it seems, the show degenerates just a little more. Season 7 will best be remembered for Jesse Taylor acting like a drunken fool and getting booted off the show after taping was completed for kicking a window out of a limousine and then terrorizing casino guests.

Season 8, despite quality performances from the likes of Bader, Escudero and Nover, will be remembered for the antics of Junie Browning, who was twice nearly thrown off the show by UFC president Dana White for antisocial behavior.

ADVERTISEMENT

It’s clearly not representative of the way MMA fighters conduct themselves, yet no one at the UFC has done a thing to halt it.

Bader, a one-time wrestling star at Arizona State, was baited by a drunken Browning in one of the season’s early episodes and was dragged into a pool.

“That sucked,” Bader said of the incident with Browning.

Bader didn’t react, because he’d seen the show before and knew White would likely kick him off if he defended himself.

“In any other situation, any other man, I would have killed him,” Bader said, grinning. “But I thought about being kicked out. Every time a guy got kicked off the show before for fighting, I’d be thinking what an idiot he was. I wasn’t about to be that person, even though it was forced upon me. You never know. People have been kicked out for less. I didn’t do anything and I’m glad I didn’t.”

Bader’s self-control also helped him to the victory over Magalhaes, a former jiu-jitsu world champion. Bader was as focused in the cage as he was on the show and refused to allow Magalhaes to take the fight to the ground.

He ended it in a flash, connected with an overhand right that, though Magalhaes managed to block it partially with his left arm, sent the Brazilian spiraling to the canvas. Bader quickly finished him on the ground at 2:18 of the first.

“I have a heavy right hand and I hit him square in the temple,” Bader said. “It doesn’t take much when you hit someone there.”

Escudero neutralized Nover’s vaunted striking power, which had prompted White to dub him the “next Anderson Silva,” but using his wrestling ability. Escudero repeatedly took Nover down throughout the three rounds and, while he didn’t inflict much damage, he prevented Nover from ever seriously mounting an attack.

Escudero stayed in the background for much of the show, even when he was antagonized, and like Bader, focused on learning from his coach, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira. Because of White’s comments about Nover, Escudero was overshadowed and overlooked going into the finale. He never, though, lost sight of what he needed to do.

It was no different from the way he carried himself during the show’s taping in the house, when he was harassed by a drunken Shane Nelson.

“The guys who were confident stayed in the background and we did our work, and the guys who had doubt, they tried to make a name for themselves by pulling pranks and drinking and doing all that other stuff,” Escudero said. “It got them some publicity, but do you think they’d trade with me? It got them a little publicity, but everyone knows who we are because (Bader and I) won the thing. That’s what it was all about.”

At least it’s what it should be about. But the show has devolved into little more than gutter behavior and the emphasis is as much on zany behavior as on mixed martial arts and the fights.

Frank Mir, who coached one of the teams, was turned off by everything that went on and called it “disgusting.”

“The Ultimate Fighter” has been a great marketing tool for the UFC and has been a boon to the sport, but it’s lately begun to portray the fighters and the sport in the wrong way.

Season 8 was as much about Junie Browning’s bizarre behavior as it was about the talent of Ryan Bader and Efrain Escudero.

If Fertitta and White don’t act soon, they’re going to turn off an entire generation of fans and attract lowlifes who think watching a couple of drunks urinate in someone’s food is funny.

It’s beyond time to act.

Yahoo Sports

[BlackSwordsMan]

anyone see the VGA awards? Rampage, wanderlei, etc were on there.

[djohn14]

anyone see the VGA awards? Rampage, wanderlei, etc were on there.

I didnt watch it, but while flipping through channels I saw Rashad.

[BlackSwordsMan]

yeah he was doing some shit with kevin james
For a guy who supposedly trains in mma kevin james is pretty fucking fat

[dbreiden83080]

yeah he was doing some shit with kevin james
For a guy who supposedly trains in mma kevin james is pretty fucking fat

If by training in MMA you mean, sitting on his couch, drinking beers and yelling at the TV when UFC events are on..

[BlackSwordsMan]

He's actually at almost every ufc event

[BlackSwordsMan]

if not all

[djohn14]

Another Wrestler Turned MMA Fighter

Bobby Lashley-Yahoo Sports


Usually when fighters make their professional debut, only friends and family know about it.

When you are Bobby Lashley and you’ve already spent two years as a pro wrestling star, quietly starting in a new sport is not an option.

He’s a little too well known and far too big to go unnoticed. And the spotlight isn’t likely to go away, because people are already talking about a match down the line with Brock Lesnar.

Lashley, the latest wrestling star to move into mixed martial arts, didn’t take long to win his first match. In the semi-main event and most talked about match on Saturday night’s Mixed Fighting Alliance show in Miami, Lashley took only 41 seconds to open a deep cut near the hairline of Joshua Franklin, who was also making his pro debut, before the match was stopped.

Lashley wasn’t sure which blow opened the cut, which reportedly needed 32 stitches to close. There were a few quick punches on the ground, and one solid shot just as Franklin was trying to get up before the match was called.

“It was a good start to get rid of some of the pressure,” said Lashley, 32. “There were some worries because it would determine my future and in MMA, anything can happen.”

Lashley, at 6-foot-1 and weighing 252 pounds for his debut fight, isn’t quite as large as Lesnar, but he is, if you can believe it, significantly more muscular. Lashley’s training, working on his boxing and jiu-jitsu defense, as well as stamina, have only slightly changed his physique from his World Wrestling Entertainment days.


But despite the modest size differences, the similarities between Lashley and Lesnar are striking.

Both grew up in families with money problems. Both gravitated toward amateur wrestling, with Lashley winning three NAIA championships from 1997-99 at Missouri Valley College, in the 177-pound weight class. Unlike Lesnar, who left amateur wrestling in 2000 to join WWE after winning the Division I title, Lashley continued on, becoming an Army champion.

Like Lesnar, Lashley had the choice of either going into pro wrestling or MMA. Lashley came heavily recommended to WWE by Kurt Angle, the 1996 Olympic gold medalist, who at the time was one of the company’s biggest stars. He was looking at doing either pro wrestling or MMA at the time.

Lashley and Lesnar ran through opponents in the first round in their MMA debuts to heavy fanfare, with Lashley’s win very similar to Lesnar’s debut win over Kim Min-soo.

In 2004, before UFC got on cable television, like with Lesnar, pro wrestling seemed the smarter career option than MMA. Lashley, like Lesnar several years earlier, chose the WWE. He may be one of the last of the generation of amateur wrestling stars who went into wrestling’s entertainment version, as from 2005 on, most college wrestling stars who would have gone to pro wrestling in the past have instead taken the MMA route because it enables them to remain active in legitimate athletic competition.

Like Lesnar, Lashley was on the fast track to entertainment stardom. Lashley signed at about the same time Lesnar quit. Lashley was even given Lesnar’s trademark ring entrance, where he would jump from the floor to the ring apron, because both men had ridiculous vertical leaps for large men. The two have never met, and Lesnar, who broke almost all ties with pro wrestling when leaving, didn’t even know who Lashley was until Lesnar started being asked about him a year ago when Lashley left the company and started hinting at doing MMA.

Lashley’s stardom was expected to skyrocket in 2007, when WWE owner Vince McMahon told the writing staff that they were going all the way with him, in an attempt to build him for a long-term run as one of the company’s signature stars.

He was put in a storyline where he was picked by Donald Trump to represent the billionaire at that year’s WrestleMania, in a match where either Trump or colorful McMahon, who doubles as a performer on his own shows, would get their head shaved upon conclusion of a wrestling match where each would pick their emissary. Lashley was scripted to win the match, and in the follow-up, Trump shaved McMahon’s head.

WrestleMania 23 before 74,687 fans at Ford Field in Detroit was the most successful event in company history, doing 1.25 million pay-per-view buys. But after taking time off for shoulder surgery, Lashley was ready to return, but he had a conflict with a member of the WWE’s writing staff and quit.

But Lashley has nothing bad to say about the company or his time there.

“I really love pro wrestling,” he said. “Some MMA fans may not want to hear that. I love to still watch. I love to perform. If an opening came, I’d consider my options. Right now I’m focusing full-time on fighting. I won’t say I’ll never go back.”

“There’s a lot of people who want to see me lose because I was a pro wrestler. There were a lot of haters.”

Lashley lives in Denver, but flew to South Florida every week for the past several months and trained Monday-Friday with the American Top Team. He regularly worked out with Elite XC heavyweight champion Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva and UFC stars Thiago Alves and Wilson Gouveia, as well as Olympic judoka Hector Lombard and former UFC fighter Carmelo Marrero.

“He’s helped me out a lot,” said Lashley of Silva, who is his main training partner. “If I do something wrong, he’ll stop and point it out. He knows the better I get, the better he gets. But when the whistle blows, it’s all out.”

Unlike some who are taught everything at once, at ATT, Lashley is being taught in stages, with most of the emphasis being on boxing and submission avoidance. In the little that could be ascertained in his first fight is he still has his wrestling skill, as he slammed Franklin early, and he’s got strong punching power.

Lashley, who was already back training two days after the fight, is looking at fighting again in February, and is entering stage two of training, where he starts focusing on kicking. He’s under contract to the American Fighting League, which isn’t currently running events, but has to get their approval in taking a date. He’s got offers for his second bout from the Palace Fighting Championships based out of Lemoore, Calif., as well as an organization in Oklahoma.

[Evan]

Chum for Cain, Carwin, Kongo, Lesnar, Mir, Nog and DeSantos

http://mmajunkie.com/news/13502/report-heavyweight-neil-grove-signs-four-fight-contract-with-ufc.mma#comments

I have seen several of this guys fights…nothing special to it. Very basic thug but he will be a good draw for the UK guys.

I expect Overeem eventually if he wins another 2 fights…and Arlovski is a free agent after he fights Fedor. He is still tossing around boxing but so do a lot of other non UFC roster guys. I'm not buying it.

Dana is going to have to get on his hands and knees for Arlovski but it will happen.

[ATRAIN]

Another Wrestler Turned MMA Fighter

Bobby Lashley-Yahoo Sports


Usually when fighters make their professional debut, only friends and family know about it.

When you are Bobby Lashley and you’ve already spent two years as a pro wrestling star, quietly starting in a new sport is not an option.

He’s a little too well known and far too big to go unnoticed. And the spotlight isn’t likely to go away, because people are already talking about a match down the line with Brock Lesnar.

Lashley, the latest wrestling star to move into mixed martial arts, didn’t take long to win his first match. In the semi-main event and most talked about match on Saturday night’s Mixed Fighting Alliance show in Miami, Lashley took only 41 seconds to open a deep cut near the hairline of Joshua Franklin, who was also making his pro debut, before the match was stopped.

Lashley wasn’t sure which blow opened the cut, which reportedly needed 32 stitches to close. There were a few quick punches on the ground, and one solid shot just as Franklin was trying to get up before the match was called.

“It was a good start to get rid of some of the pressure,” said Lashley, 32. “There were some worries because it would determine my future and in MMA, anything can happen.”

Lashley, at 6-foot-1 and weighing 252 pounds for his debut fight, isn’t quite as large as Lesnar, but he is, if you can believe it, significantly more muscular. Lashley’s training, working on his boxing and jiu-jitsu defense, as well as stamina, have only slightly changed his physique from his World Wrestling Entertainment days.


But despite the modest size differences, the similarities between Lashley and Lesnar are striking.

Both grew up in families with money problems. Both gravitated toward amateur wrestling, with Lashley winning three NAIA championships from 1997-99 at Missouri Valley College, in the 177-pound weight class. Unlike Lesnar, who left amateur wrestling in 2000 to join WWE after winning the Division I title, Lashley continued on, becoming an Army champion.

Like Lesnar, Lashley had the choice of either going into pro wrestling or MMA. Lashley came heavily recommended to WWE by Kurt Angle, the 1996 Olympic gold medalist, who at the time was one of the company’s biggest stars. He was looking at doing either pro wrestling or MMA at the time.

Lashley and Lesnar ran through opponents in the first round in their MMA debuts to heavy fanfare, with Lashley’s win very similar to Lesnar’s debut win over Kim Min-soo.

In 2004, before UFC got on cable television, like with Lesnar, pro wrestling seemed the smarter career option than MMA. Lashley, like Lesnar several years earlier, chose the WWE. He may be one of the last of the generation of amateur wrestling stars who went into wrestling’s entertainment version, as from 2005 on, most college wrestling stars who would have gone to pro wrestling in the past have instead taken the MMA route because it enables them to remain active in legitimate athletic competition.

Like Lesnar, Lashley was on the fast track to entertainment stardom. Lashley signed at about the same time Lesnar quit. Lashley was even given Lesnar’s trademark ring entrance, where he would jump from the floor to the ring apron, because both men had ridiculous vertical leaps for large men. The two have never met, and Lesnar, who broke almost all ties with pro wrestling when leaving, didn’t even know who Lashley was until Lesnar started being asked about him a year ago when Lashley left the company and started hinting at doing MMA.

Lashley’s stardom was expected to skyrocket in 2007, when WWE owner Vince McMahon told the writing staff that they were going all the way with him, in an attempt to build him for a long-term run as one of the company’s signature stars.

He was put in a storyline where he was picked by Donald Trump to represent the billionaire at that year’s WrestleMania, in a match where either Trump or colorful McMahon, who doubles as a performer on his own shows, would get their head shaved upon conclusion of a wrestling match where each would pick their emissary. Lashley was scripted to win the match, and in the follow-up, Trump shaved McMahon’s head.

WrestleMania 23 before 74,687 fans at Ford Field in Detroit was the most successful event in company history, doing 1.25 million pay-per-view buys. But after taking time off for shoulder surgery, Lashley was ready to return, but he had a conflict with a member of the WWE’s writing staff and quit.

But Lashley has nothing bad to say about the company or his time there.

“I really love pro wrestling,” he said. “Some MMA fans may not want to hear that. I love to still watch. I love to perform. If an opening came, I’d consider my options. Right now I’m focusing full-time on fighting. I won’t say I’ll never go back.”

“There’s a lot of people who want to see me lose because I was a pro wrestler. There were a lot of haters.”

Lashley lives in Denver, but flew to South Florida every week for the past several months and trained Monday-Friday with the American Top Team. He regularly worked out with Elite XC heavyweight champion Antonio “Bigfoot” Silva and UFC stars Thiago Alves and Wilson Gouveia, as well as Olympic judoka Hector Lombard and former UFC fighter Carmelo Marrero.

“He’s helped me out a lot,” said Lashley of Silva, who is his main training partner. “If I do something wrong, he’ll stop and point it out. He knows the better I get, the better he gets. But when the whistle blows, it’s all out.”

Unlike some who are taught everything at once, at ATT, Lashley is being taught in stages, with most of the emphasis being on boxing and submission avoidance. In the little that could be ascertained in his first fight is he still has his wrestling skill, as he slammed Franklin early, and he’s got strong punching power.

Lashley, who was already back training two days after the fight, is looking at fighting again in February, and is entering stage two of training, where he starts focusing on kicking. He’s under contract to the American Fighting League, which isn’t currently running events, but has to get their approval in taking a date. He’s got offers for his second bout from the Palace Fighting Championships based out of Lemoore, Calif., as well as an organization in Oklahoma.


Yeah I heard back when he left WWE that he was going to do this. However I dont see him making the same progress that Brock has. He is a beast though.

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b96/mcreckless/BobbyLashley.jpg

[ATRAIN]

http://blog-static.excite.eu/it/blogs/steccato/share/img/Bobby%20Lashley.jpg

[ATRAIN]

Chum for Cain, Carwin, Kongo, Lesnar, Mir, Nog and DeSantos

http://mmajunkie.com/news/13502/report-heavyweight-neil-grove-signs-four-fight-contract-with-ufc.mma#comments

I have seen several of this guys fights…nothing special to it. Very basic thug but he will be a good draw for the UK guys.

I expect Overeem eventually if he wins another 2 fights…and Arlovski is a free agent after he fights Fedor. He is still tossing around boxing but so do a lot of other non UFC roster guys. I'm not buying it.

Dana is going to have to get on his hands and knees for Arlovski but it will happen.

YES!!!

[dbreiden83080]

UFC needs the pit-bull back...

[djohn14]

Id love to see him back.

[ATRAIN]

Id love to see him back.

Dont get me started.

[djohn14]

haha

[djohn14]

This is good!

From UFC.com:

"UFC® Fight for the Troops" Raises Over $4 Million for Fallen Heroes Fund

"UFC® Fight for the Troops"
Raises Over $4 Million for the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund
Money Will Go Towards National Intrepid Center of Excellence for Traumatic Brain Injury (NICoE)

New York, New York – Spike TV and Ultimate Fighting Championship® today announced that its "UFC Fight for the Troops" event last week in Fayetteville, NC in front of 15,000 Ft. Bragg troops raised over $4 million for the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund's new medical center to be built in Bethesda.

According to Bill White, President of the IFHF, UFC and Spike TV should be applauded for their efforts. "We are profoundly grateful to the UFC and Spike TV for their extraordinary support of our nation's Wounded Warriors," White said. "Their efforts have moved us that much closer to complete the traumatic brain injury center in Bethesda for the service members that are fighting for our freedom overseas."

According to the ratings, 2 million viewers watched the fight live on Spike TV and was one of the most watched programs that night, highly popular with male viewers.

NICoE will be a $65 million, 75,000 sq. ft., state-of-the-art treatment and rehabilitation center to provide leading edge services and support for soldiers with traumatic brain injury (TBI). Further, the center will conduct research, test new protocols and provide comprehensive training and education to patients, providers and families while maintaining ongoing tele-health follow-up care.

The project is being funded by the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund (IFHF), which provides assistance to our nation's military heroes who have been critically injured in the performance of their duty, and their families. The IFHF previously raised more than $60 Million to support families of military personnel lost in Operations in Iraq and Afghanistan and to construct the Center for the Intrepid, an advanced physical rehabilitation facility at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio, Texas, which opened in 2007. Construction for the NICoE is scheduled to begin this summer and with its opening in late 2009.

[dallaskd]

Chum for Cain, Carwin, Kongo, Lesnar, Mir, Nog and DeSantos

http://mmajunkie.com/news/13502/report-heavyweight-neil-grove-signs-four-fight-contract-with-ufc.mma#comments

I have seen several of this guys fights…nothing special to it. Very basic thug but he will be a good draw for the UK guys.

I expect Overeem eventually if he wins another 2 fights…and Arlovski is a free agent after he fights Fedor. He is still tossing around boxing but so do a lot of other non UFC roster guys. I'm not buying it.

Dana is going to have to get on his hands and knees for Arlovski but it will happen.


He'll probably get a few easy fights on U.K. cards. He could sell seats over there. Im honestly tired of seeing the same damn fighters fighting in Europe.

[ATRAIN]

"Inside MMA" preview: Arlovski says Emelianenko is "just human"
by MMAjunkie.com Staff on Dec 18, 2008 at 4:22 pm ET On this week's edition of "Inside MMA" on HDNet, hosts Kenny Rice and Bas Rutten propose the following question: How do you go about beating a seemingly unbeatable fighter such as Fedor Emelianenko?

The show debuts Friday at 9:30 p.m. ET, and thanks to our partnership with HDNet, MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) presents a preview clip of the conversation.

A star-studded panel of Frank Shamrock, Gilbert Melendez and Emelianenko's upcoming opponent, Andrei Arlovski, all weigh in.

How would Shamrock prepare for the bout if he were in Arlovski's shoes and scheduled to fight Emelianenko at the Jan. 24 "Affliction: Day of Reckoning" main event?

"I'd lean to run backwards," he joked. "Fedor's a tough nut to crack."

Shamrock said the problem with the famed Russian fighter and longtime former PRIDE heavyweight title-holder is that he's so well-rounded. While the fight would take a certain amount of strategizing, Melendez said ultimately, "There's nothing to do but go in there and do it."

Rutten compares Emelianenko to superstars such as Mike Tyson, Kazushi Sakuraba and Wanderlei Silva -- fighters who were so dominant their opponents oftentimes felt defeated before the fight had even taken place.

But don't put Arlovski in that category. He saw a chink in Emelianenko's armor during his recent loss at the 2008 World Sambo Championships. Emelianenko was undefeated in the Russian martial art, but he suffered a loss to Blagoy Ivanov at last month's championships. It was his first sambo loss in eight years and prompted Emelianenko to cancel a U.S. press tour so he could concentrate on the Arlovski fight.

"A couple weeks ago he lost his sambo match," a confident Arlovski said. "He's just a human. Yeah, he's probably a little bit better -- he's unbeatable for like seven years. But he's a human."

[desflood]

Mmajunkie is running a four-part series on Matt Hamill. Part 1 went up today:


Here's what you already know about Matt "The Hammer" Hamill:

He's a three-time NCAA Division III national wrestling champion.

He was a contestant on "The Ultimate Fighter 3."

He owns victories over names such as Seth Petruzelli and Tim Boetsch.

Subjective, but widely popular, Hamill was stuck on the losing end of a split decision against Michael Bisping that left you wondering how two people sitting ringside saw something different than millions of others.

You may have heard this too: Hamill is hearing-impaired.

And here's something else you oughta know: Be it faulty judging or a handicap, Matt Hamill can care less about what's beyond his control. His leads a life of what the ignorant considers impossible, that of a championship contender and educator of the craft.

There's no complicated formula at work. Hamill's secret is simplicity. His philosophies are take your time, avoid lust and be satisfied. His choice of entrance music to his UFC 88 showdown with Rich Franklin, a former middleweight champion and sparring partner, was Lynard Skynard's "Simple Man," a song far from pulsating but a juxtaposition to Hamill's world.

"Simple Man is a great song and has a very deep meaning to me because it reminds me of my hero, my late grandfather Stanley," Hamill said. "We have a different song ready for UFC 92, and itis perfect for where I am in my career right now."

On Dec. 27 in Las Vegas, Hamill steps back into the octagon for a meeting with Reese Andy. The stats won't overwhelm anybody. Andy is 7-3, his last fight a languorous three-round decision loss to Brandon Vera. Hamill is 4-2 and was stopped by Franklin in the third round of a September fight.

So why should you care? It's simple: Hamill's story on how he earned a winning record in the UFC, a spot in what is annually the company's biggest show, and the focus of a biographical film make him the topic of an exclusive four-part series presented by MMAjunkie.com.

That's why.

"The interest in my life comes from overcoming my disability and never letting it get in my way," Hamill said. "I'm one of a kind in this sport, and I think many people can relate to that."

Some may relate, but most don't get it. It's impossible to fully comprehend how a hearing-impaired person can thrive in hand-to-hand combat. Months are committed into training and perfecting a game plan for each fight – and that blueprint can be crumpled and tossed away in an instant.

That's where a good corner, a group of experts who can spontaneously adjust between rounds and while being audible during the oftentimes ruckus battle, is precious. Hamill's lone communication outlet is sign language, which doesn't resonate when his opponent has side control and is thinking kimura.

"I don't think I realized how much of a step back perhaps being deaf was for him until I fought him," Franklin said. "I knew that he could never really talk to his corners, but it was kind of interesting to me to see what kind of system they were developing to try to give him the same advantage that applies to others that aren't in that situation."

Then again, fighting before 15,000 screaming fans evens the playing field. Your trainer can be begging, imploring in near panic that the end is near, and you won't hear a thing.

"You have to be on auto pilot at that point," said Boetsch, Hamill's second-round TKO victim at UFC Fight Night 13. "During the heat of battle, you're usually not going to be in a situation where somebody is going to tell you something that's going to determine the outcome of the fight. You get in there, let things go, and see how it works out."

It's worked out well for Hamill – so much so that a movie about his early life and career is in the works. Originally slated for a 2009 release, the movie received offers from major studios, but under conditions that would force Hamill's camp to compromise their true beliefs.

That may have delayed the project, but the hell with Hollywood ostentation. This was to be done one way, Matt Hamill: Raw.

"When we signed on we made sure Matt had final say on how he and his family would be portrayed," said Duff Holmes, Hamill's trainer. "Fictionalizing some of the people who made Matt the man he is was not an option for him, and Matt chose integrity over money. The bottom line is this is an amazing story of an amazing life, and it needs to be told the right way."

At one point, Hamill's career was on the right path; the loss to Bisping actually elevated his value. Then Franklin's kick smashed his liver and he keeled over, ending a dreadful performance Hamill called the worst of his life. Holmes called him out for a lack of focus, even suggesting in a published interview Hamill meet with a sports psychologist.

"When Matt first walked into my gym, going on almost four years now, he was so hungry, had so much heart and nothing would get in the way of him," Holmes said. "He kind of lost that hunger."

It was time Hamill to shed the nice-guy image. The way to do that was to go back to the beginning.

(Check out Part 2 of "Matt Hamill: Raw" on Monday.)


* * * *

[Evan]

Dana White invites Satoshi Ishii to UFC 92

Posted by Suki 12/19/08—2:27 AM


Nikkansports reported that Dana White responded to Satoshi Ishii on December 19.

Dana White released his comment regarding Satoshi Ishii through WOWOW, which broadcast the UFC in Japan, on December 19. In the comment, he admitted Ishii's potential to be a great MMA fighter and applauded his smart decision. He also invited him to UFC 92 in Las Vegas on December 27, and advised him to see light heavyweight top fighters such as Forrest Griffin, Rashad Evans, Wanderlei Silva and Quinton Jackson.

Satoshi Ishii thanked Dana White and immediately decided to go to Las Vegas to watch the event.

http://mmafighting.com/japan/2008/12/19/dana-white-invites-satoshi-ishii-ufc-92

************************************************** **

^ The Judo God


This is a pretty big deal…this dude is a man God in Japan. How it translate to MMA, who knows but if the UFC wants to break into Japan here is where it starts.

[djohn14]

Im wrong...Cain Velasquez is fighting Denis Stojnic. Thanks for the info Evan!

[djohn14]

I dont know him, but he sounds like a good investment. He is 6'8" 220lbs.




Fighters Only Magazine is reporting that the UFC has signed Stefan Struve, a heavyweight stand out, from Holland. At Just 20 years old, Struve has stopped two UFC vets in Colin Robinson by triangle choke and Mario Neto by Rear Naked Choke.
Struve (16-2) fights out the Team Schrijber camp under PRIDE veteran "Dirty Bob" Schrijber.

No opponent has been set for Struve who will be debuting at UFC 95 in London on February 22.

"I think I can beat most of the guys there. They have five or six really good heavyweights. The other guys... not so good, I think," Struve told the UK magazine.

In the past weeks, Struve has been in contact with Dream and Affliction before settling on the UFC.

[dbreiden83080]

Im wrong...Cain Velasquez is fighting Denis Stojnic. Thanks for the info Evan!

Hey DJohn, you gotta get a Cain Velasquez avvy, sig pics the works, like me and GSP. I'm a proud GSP nut-hugger, you should do the same with Cain.. :p:

[Evan]

I dont know him, but he sounds like a good investment. He is 6'8" 220lbs..

I had never heard of him until the olympics...

I imagine he ends up at LHW.

I'm utterly stunned he isn't fighting in Japan (assuming he signs with the UFC here.) When he announced he wouldn't represent Japan in 2009 on some international Judo tourney I was certain he was heading to WVR, DREAM and specifically Sengoku. Really strange he is choosing the UFC.

Lesnar aside, the UFC is such a buzz saw with match ups and while this dude is a Judo badass I am not sure its the place for him to learn.

I'm looking forward to seeing how this turns out. Remember this guys name.
Satoshi Ishii
Satoshi Ishii
Satoshi Ishii

http://cache.daylife.com/imageserve/06p0eVTbqQgd3/610x.jpg

QZq-yuTmp-0

[djohn14]

Thanks for the info Evan...and dbreiden...I think I just might

[djohn14]

Ok....Check this out!!

Even though the event has yet to be officially announced, the UFC is poised to return to the Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio for the third consecutive year with UFC 96 on Saturday, March 7.

And while no matchups have yet to formally be released to the public, FiveOuncesOfPain.com can exclusively report that a heavyweight clash between former heavyweight title challenger Gabriel Gonzaga and former NCAA Division II wrestling champion Shane Carwin is now set to take place.

Gonzaga is 10-3 and trains out of Team Link in Massachusetts. The jiu-jitsu black belt’s most high-profile fight took place at UFC 74 in August of 2007 when he lost to then-UFC heavyweight champion Randy Couture via third round TKO.

Following the loss to Couture, the native Brazilian then suffered a second round TKO defeat at the hands of Fabricio Werdum at UFC 80 last January. However, since that time, Gonzaga has once again begun to climb the championship ladder with consecutive wins.

Facing former professional wrestler Justin McCully at UFC 86, Gonzaga submitted the Team Punishment member with a Kimura at just 1:57 into the bout. He followed up dominant victory with another first round finish last month by knocking out UFC newcomer Josh Hendricks just 1:01 into the fight.

The 33-year old Carwin is not only a former D2 wrestling champion, but he is a former two-time NCAA Division II All-American in football who once went to training camp with the NFL’s Philadelphia Eagles.

The Colorado native made his pro MMA debut in 2005 and has gone 10-0 in that time with notable victories over Justice Smith of American Gladiators fame, former IFO heavyweight champion Chris Guillen, former Arena Football League star Rex Richards, and former UFC veteran Sherman Pendergarst.

After beginning his career with an 8-0 record, Carwin began to attract interest from multiple major national promotions, including EliteXC. His name had actually prematurely appeared on Showtime’s website last January in an advertised match against Antonio Silva at “Street Certified.” However, Carwin never formally signed with EliteXC and actually accepted less money to sign with the UFC, as he considered the promotion to be the NFL of mixed martial arts.

Debuting at UFC 84 in May, Carwin needed just 44 seconds to knock out Christian Wellisch of the American Kickboxing Academy. He returned at UFC 89 in October, where he took all of 1:31 of round 1 to TKO British heavyweight Neil Wain. The win over Wain marked the tenth consecutive time an opponent had failed to escape the first round against Carwin.

Since arriving in the UFC, Carwin’s punching prowess has been better than advertised. While still considered a prospect, his solid standup coupled with his tremendous wrestling base could make him a title contender sooner than initially anticipated. By taking a major step up in competition at UFC 96, it’s possible that the winner of Gonzaga vs. Carwin could find themselves in prime position for a future heavyweight title shot.



Not to sound like I dont like it, because I love the fight...but why is Cain Velasquez still fighting cans if Carwin dosent have too? Maybe they just like him better, and want to bring him along slower...Ill go with that.

[Evan]

Ok....Check this out!!

Not to sound like I dont like it, because I love the fight...but why is Cain Velasquez still fighting cans if Carwin dosent have too? Maybe they just like him better, and want to bring him along slower...Ill go with that.


Carwin and Cain are incredible blue chip prospects but Carwin is way farther ahead than Cain. I'm certain neither has even come close to reaching their potential but I think Carwin would win between the two at this time, in three fights…who knows? Carwin has fought 10 times while Cain has fought 4…that is a such a huge difference when you're a prospect. That’s basically two extra years of true fight experience but I am not sure he is ready for GG. This is a HUGE fight for Carwin. Makes me a bit nervous.

One thing I love about the UFC is how the big names get big fights time and time again with no freak show cans but one thing I don't like is I feel like the younger guys get pushed too fast.

ATT manages him and I am sure they pushing to bring him along slowly, as they should. As long as he isn't asking for stupid money the UFC should grant the time to develop.

Don't want another Vera or Soku on our hands.

[djohn14]

Carwin and Cain are incredible blue chip prospects but Carwin is way farther ahead than Cain. I'm certain neither has even come close to reaching their potential but I think Carwin would win between the two at this time, in three fights…who knows? Carwin has fought 10 times while Cain has fought 4…that is a such a huge difference when you're a prospect. That’s basically two extra years of true fight experience but I am not sure he is ready for GG. This is a HUGE fight for Carwin. Makes me a bit nervous.

One thing I love about the UFC is how the big names get big fights time and time again with no freak show cans but one thing I don't like is I feel like the younger guys get pushed too fast.

ATT manages him and I am sure they pushing to bring him along slowly, as they should. As long as he isn't asking for stupid money the UFC should grant the time to develop.

Don't want another Vera or Soku on our hands.
True...I dont know what id do if Cain turned out like Vera.

[Evan]

Won't happen.

Cain. Is a smart and well grounded guy IMO. I never miss Inside MMA and he has been on a few times….his ego seems neutral while confident.

Vera. In 1 year he had a blowout with his old gym City Boxing, lawsuit, contract hold out and was running his idiotic mouth about holding a HW and LHW belt and he hadn't done a thing against top opponents. Then he comes back and turns into a mental midget.

Cain will be fine.

[djohn14]

Won't happen.

Cain. Is a smart and well grounded guy IMO. I never miss Inside MMA and he has been on a few times….his ego seems neutral while confident.

Vera. In 1 year he had a blowout with his old gym City Boxing, lawsuit, contract hold out and was running his idiotic mouth about holding a HW and LHW belt and he hadn't done a thing against top opponents. Then he comes back and turns into a mental midget.

Cain will be fine.I hope so....not once have I seen Inside MMA...how do you watch it? Is it an internet webcast? Does it come on some station I dont have? I know what happens on it, because I look around and find out who was on and what they had to say, but Ive never watched it.

[djohn14]

Some more UFC news......


A middleweight matchup between former three-time NCAA Division I wrestling champion Jake Rosholt and former Italian professional boxer Alessio Sakara is believed to be in the works for UFC Fight Night 17 on February 7, FiveOuncesOfPain.com has learned through multiple sources.

Rosholt’s camp is believed to have agreed to the bout with Sakara expected to follow suit once he receives a formal bout agreement.

If the bout is finalized, the fight will mark Rosholt’s debut in the UFC in light of sibling promotion World Extreme Cagefighting disbanding its middleweight and light heavyweight divisions following its WEC 37 event on December 3.

Rosholt graduated from Oklahoma State University, where he won the 184-pound NCAA title in 2003 and the 197-pound title in 2005 and 2006. Additionally, he was a four-time All-American and a Big 12 conference champion in 2004 while attending OSU.

After making his pro MMA debut in 2007, Rosholt quickly amassed a 4-0 record before signing a multi-fight agreement with the WEC. Making his debut at WEC 36 on Nov. 5, Rosholt improved to 5-0 with a second round TKO over the previously undefeated Nissen Osterneck.

Sakara, a former light heavyweight competitor who currently trains out of American Top Team, is coming off a first round knockout at UFC Fight Night 15 back in September. Facing Joe Vedeop, Sakara finished the one-time Extreme Challenge fighter just 1:27 into the fight following a head kick.

UFN 17 is scheduled to air on Spike TV between 9-11 p.m. ET and will emanate from the USF Sun Dome in Tampa, Florida. Matchups for the show already officially announced include TUF 5 alum Joe Lauzon vs. former UFC lightweight title challenger Hermes Franca; TUF 6 winner Mac Danzig vs. Josh Neer; TUF 7 winner Amir Sadollah vs. UFC newcomer Nick Catone, and two-time NCAA All-American Cain Velasquez vs. UFC newcomer Denis “The Menace” Stojnic.

While not yet officially announced by the UFC, FiveOuncesOfPain.com was also the first to report that Gleison Tibau and Rich Clementi will be squaring off in a lightweight encounter.

-----------------------------------------------------------

Earlier this week FiveOuncesOfPain.com was the first to report that UFC middleweight title contender Nathan Marquardt is set to return to action at UFC 95 on Saturday, February 21 at the O2 Arena in London, England.

FiveOuncesOfPain.com has now also confirmed that a verbal agreement has been secured for Marquardt to face American Top Team middleweight Wilson Gouveia.

Gouveia just recently improved his overall record to 12-5 following a first round submission over Jason MacDonald during last Saturday’s live finale for the eighth season of The Ultimate Fighter. The win improved Gouveia’s record to 2-0 since leaving the UFC’s 205-pound division and increased his lifetime record inside the Octagon to 7-2.

If finalized, the fight will mark Marquardt’s first since bout since recording a first round TKO over Martin Kampmann at UFC 88 this past September. Prior to beating Kampmann, the former King of Pancrase had lost a controversial split decision in London against Thales Leites.

A veteran of eight UFC fights, Marquardt is 6-2 lifetime when competing inside the Octagon and is 27-8-2 overall with notable victories in his career over Yuji Hoshino, Kazuo Misaki, Shonie Carter, Yves Edwards, Jeremy Horn, Ivan Salaverry, and Joe Doerksen.

[Evan]

I hope so....not once have I seen Inside MMA...how do you watch it? Is it an internet webcast? Does it come on some station I dont have? I know what happens on it, because I look around and find out who was on and what they had to say, but Ive never watched it.

Do you have an HD Tier on your cable/Sat package? If so, HDNet.

If not, they go on youtube around Tuesday I think.

As for Rosholt....I have been waving his flag since I saw him in some NCAA DIV I wrestling finals awhile ago before his first MMA and I have seen all his fight...I was pretty excited for his WEC premier and he looked terrible. He better look 4 x better than he did in the WEC or he will be shredded.

[Evan]

I had never heard of him until the olympics...

I imagine he ends up at LHW.

I'm utterly stunned he isn't fighting in Japan (assuming he signs with the UFC here.) When he announced he wouldn't represent Japan in 2009 on some international Judo tourney I was certain he was heading to WVR, DREAM and specifically Sengoku. Really strange he is choosing the UFC.

Lesnar aside, the UFC is such a buzz saw with match ups and while this dude is a Judo badass I am not sure its the place for him to learn.

I'm looking forward to seeing how this turns out. Remember this guys name.
Satoshi Ishii
Satoshi Ishii
Satoshi Ishii

http://cache.daylife.com/imageserve/06p0eVTbqQgd3/610x.jpg

QZq-yuTmp-0

"I made up my mind finally. The UFC is where I fight." - Japanese Gold Medal Judoka Satoshi Ishii, making a legit statement or playing the UFC for more money from FEG or WVR? (MMAFighting.com)

"It's unfortunate that the man with the Japanese MMA world on his shoulders is going abroad." - FEG President Sadaharu Tanigawa, uttering what is probably a very stern condemnation of Ishii in Japanese culture. (Sherdog)

"We'd like him to become a pillar of Japanese MMA." - Tanigawa, who needs Ishii when you have pillars like Hong Man Choi and Semmy Schilt?

"I'm a white belt in MMA." - Ishii

"I plan to go next March for training at American Top Team." - Ishii, too bad he doesn't go train with Team Quest and Sokoudjou and completely remove judo from his MMA game!

[desflood]

Chuck... wants Jardine again.


Chuck Liddell recently appeared as a guest on the CBS syndicated radio program, "The Tom Leykis Show".

During the broadcast Liddell stated that he will be ready to showcase all of the skills he possesses that fans have not seen in a while.

"My next fight... I don't know, but I will come out and use all of my skills. Hopefully from here on out this style will be effective.

Liddell also steered clear of rumors that he may be facing Anderson Silva and instead appears intent on beginning a revenge tour, starting with Keith Jardine in March.

"There's been a few names. We have Jardine listed. We want him in March."

The fight makes sense for both men. The first fight was a stand up battle with Jardine getting the better of a gun shy Liddell who looked tentative coming off of his knockout loss to Rampage Jackson.

[djohn14]

Do you have an HD Tier on your cable/Sat package? If so, HDNet.

If not, they go on youtube around Tuesday I think.

As for Rosholt....I have been waving his flag since I saw him in some NCAA DIV I wrestling finals awhile ago before his first MMA and I have seen all his fight...I was pretty excited for his WEC premier and he looked terrible. He better look 4 x better than he did in the WEC or he will be shredded.

No...no HD stuff...Im not that fancy. Youtube I can do though, thanks!

[dbreiden83080]

Chuck... wants Jardine again.


Chuck Liddell recently appeared as a guest on the CBS syndicated radio program, "The Tom Leykis Show".

During the broadcast Liddell stated that he will be ready to showcase all of the skills he possesses that fans have not seen in a while.

"My next fight... I don't know, but I will come out and use all of my skills. Hopefully from here on out this style will be effective.

Liddell also steered clear of rumors that he may be facing Anderson Silva and instead appears intent on beginning a revenge tour, starting with Keith Jardine in March.

"There's been a few names. We have Jardine listed. We want him in March."

The fight makes sense for both men. The first fight was a stand up battle with Jardine getting the better of a gun shy Liddell who looked tentative coming off of his knockout loss to Rampage Jackson.

Now that's a really good fight, one i'd want to see. The first fight was great, Jardine definately won but it was certainly competitive. Both guys have styles that make for a good fight.. Who knows Chuck might win that re-match..

[djohn14]

It appears those looking to cheer on former UFC welterweight title challenge Jon Fitch in his return to the promotion at UFC 94 following a 24-hour release from the company may have to do so in person at the MGM Garden Arena — or hope his fight vs. Akihiro Gono makes the PPV telecast on a tape-delay basis.

According to the UFC’s official website, Fitch’s bout vs. Gono is currently not one of the five fights guaranteed to make the January 31 PPV event. As of now, the guaranteed televised lineup for the show consists of UFC welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre defending his title vs. UFC lightweight champion B.J. Penn, Karo Parisyan taking on Dong Hyun Kim, Lyoto Machida vs. Thiago Silva, Nate Diaz vs. Clay Guida, and Stephan Bonnar vs. Jon Jones.

It should be noted that this development is based solely off the UFC’s official listing for the card on its website and the company has yet to make an official statement. It’s also possible that a change in the televised lineup could always be made at a later date.

Fitch was released in November after being caught in the crossfire of a dispute between UFC management and his trainers at the American Kickboxing Academy and management at Zinkin Entertainment. However, after a great deal of negative publicity directed at the UFC, the issue was resolved the next day after Fitch contacted UFC CEO Lorenzo Fertitta and successfully negotiated a return to the company’s roster.

If Fitch’s UFC 94 bout is not broadcast it will be interesting to see what his reaction will be. When he initially began his career in the UFC, his early bouts were not made available during the televised portion of UFC events, a situation that he was once very outspoken about.

------------------------------------------

Well, they will show Karo and Dong and Bonnar and Jones, but not Fitch and Gono...wow. Id rather them be shown over Dong and Karo, because I sort of want to see Bonner-Jones for two reasons

1. Stephen Bonner is back

2. And most importantly!!! I got high hopes for Jones!!! Who has only been training in MMA for about a year!

[dbreiden83080]

I don't know about Bonnar deserving to be on that main card over Fitch..

[djohn14]

I don't know about Bonnar deserving to be on that main card over Fitch..

Im not saying he does....he dosent....just a preference.

[dbreiden83080]

Im not saying he does....he dosent....just a preference.

You know for 45-50 bucks the UFC can't broadcast 6 main event fights. Is that against the law or something?? UFC 94 has a mega main event, but the other fights are nothing like what we are seeing at UFC 92..

[djohn14]

UFC 92 is a rare card that I wouldnt mind seeing all the time....its a good a wish. Maybe Santa can make something happen.

[Evan]

You know for 45-50 bucks the UFC can't broadcast 6 main event fights. Is that against the law or something?? UFC 94 has a mega main event, but the other fights are nothing like what we are seeing at UFC 92..


I am not 100% but I believe they do main event line ups having to assume all 5 fights could go their max rounds to fit into their PPV slot. If you go over your initial purchased time frame, or are late to start you have to pay massive fees to In demand PPV which is the people who run everything. That’s one huge hurdle PRIDE could never overcome and why they lost so much on PPV in America. Depending on where you read you have to kick back somewhere between 45% and 55% of all sales to In Demand so there is your shrinking profit already. PRIDE was always late to start and running long over and from what I have read it killed them on pentalties. So then they tried to show the fights a few days later all edited but the die hards knew the result or where to watch it live for free so another death blow to their bottom line.

I'm rambling……..

My biggest complaint with the UFC has always been showing too few fights but they have gotton so much better with that and we now get to see most of them. However…I want to see them all so less chat and more punches please…for starters get rid of that gawdawful 5 minute intro and axe the celeb interviews….

[BlackSwordsMan]

my moms bought me a chuck liddell shirt
It looks badass has three samurais on it one riding a horse

[djohn14]

Nova União leader, André Pederneiras has confirmed to Tatame.com that an Anderson Silva vs. Thales Leites fight for the UFC Middleweight Title has been signed and will go down on April 18 at UFC 97 in Montreal:

"Thales already signed the contract and the fight happens on April 18th."

UFC 97 will mark the second time the UFC has been to Canada. UFC 83 "St Pierre vs. Serra 2" was held at the Bell Centre and the event sold-out in record time.



Do I agree with it...uh....yeah, but only because this division dosent have much going on for it. Thales is a good young fighter, and could be the future of this division. We'll have to see if he holds up.

[desflood]

Matt Hamill: Raw (Part 2 of 4)
Jon Lane, MMAjunkie.com
Dec 22, 2:40 pm EST


Matt Hamill was born October 5, 1976 in Loveland, Ohio, 15 miles northeast of Cincinnati. His biological father, Alex, and mother, Janet, were separated, but Matt quickly developed a tight bond with his stepfather, Mike Rich, who to this day he affectingly calls, “Coach.”

It was when Matt was eight months old that Janet and Mike first learned he was born deaf, but that neither crushed Mike and Janets spirit, nor prevented Matt from being a kid. He was a bundle of energy, uber-hyper and physical in nature, and the day came when fate introduced Matt to an outlet to unleash that energy. During Christmas break —- Rich’s Loveland High School wrestling team was still practicing—Janet asked Mike to give her a break and take four-year-old Matt to practice. Mike agreed and quickly learned one of his stepson’s greatest strengths.

“As Matt was very astute in doing, sitting back and observing was his best learning tool,” Rich said. “He had developed a keen sense of observation. Later on in life hed always say, ‘I soaked it up like a sponge.’”

Matt liked the concept of people physically inflicting pain on each other, which to him was like the roughhousing he was already doing with his brothers. After that initial session, Matt became a regular guest at Rich’s practices, even hollering a few instructions at the wrestlers.

“The wrestling mat was an even playing field for me, it didn’t matter if I could hear or not,” Hamill said. “The mats became my home, and it kept me busy and out of trouble.”

Hooked, Matt wondered if Loveland had any wrestling for little kids. Because of his natural born strength—his biological father was a collegiate weightlifter—Matt was advanced compared to those in his age bracket and he dominated the competition as he grew bigger and stronger. The summer before entering ninth grade, Matt enrolled in 1960 Olympic freestyle gold medalist Doug Blubaugh’s Top of the World wrestling camp in Bloomington, Ind., where he spent his next three school vacations.

Matt’s wrestling education didn’t end with the dawn of a new school year. After practices at Loveland High, he’d drive 55 minutes to Dayton and former Ohio high school champion Jeff Jordan’s camp, where one day he met Purdue assistant wrestling coach Scott Hinkel. Matt raced home to tell his parents to expect a phone call, one which Hinkel raved about skills he had never seen out of anyone at the high school level.

“Matt became his own self-made wrestling being,” Rich said. “He’s a monster in terms of eating and drinking [wrestling]; he’s so set up like a sponge. He has such a keen sense of observation, a keen sense of wanting to never be satisfied, always wanting to improve himself and never backing down from a challenge.

Matt competed at Purdue for one season (1996-97), but there were problems. The interpreting services promised by the program weren’t adequate. Once Matt dropped out and returned home, Janet called Ron Gross, the wrestling coach at the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT), the home of the National Technical Institute for the Deaf. Gross recruited Hamill out of high school but had no chance at him due to his Division I talent.

Gross left the door open if it didn’t work out at Purdue. Hamill and his parents stepped through it. During the offseason, Hamill rolled with RIT’s wrestlers during an open mat session. Gross, a member of two national championship teams at Ithaca College (1989 and 1990) and a two-time All-American inducted into school’s Hall of Fame in 2004, had to test Hamill out for himself.

“He took me down with no problem, like four our five times in a row,” Gross recalled. “His strength was second to nobody I’ve ever wrestled.”

RIT also had a full-time interpreter at every practice and competition. Hamill’s family was sold on the package, and Gross received a phone call he dreamed about for the last two years.

“I was jumping up and down in my living room because I knew he was going to be transferring in,” Gross said. “That was a good day for me.”

Competing for RIT, Hamill became a three-time NCAA Division III national champion and took part in the 2001 Summer Deaflympics, where he won a silver medal in Greco-Roman wrestling and gold in freestyle wrestling. One Fourth of July, Rich saw Hamill watching a UFC bout on television. Hamill told him, “I think I might do that.”

A month later, Hamill accepted his first MMA fight near South Bend, Ind.

“I asked Janet, ‘What has this boy gotten into now?’” Rich said.

Hamill won in the first round via multiple strikes, as well as his second fight, held in his backyard of Cincinnati. He then cooked up a story that he was traveling to Oklahoma to train with 2000 Olympic gold medalist Rulon Gardner, but Rich grew suspicious when Matt said via e-mail that Gardner had moved his camp to New Mexico.

A resource officer in Cincinnati who ran local MMA shows revealed that rumor had it Hamill was in Las Vegas being screened for the third deason of “The Ultimate Fighter.” Both parents were stunned that Matt led them on a wild goose chase, and more so when Hamill was accepted and was to train under the legendary Tito Ortiz. Right before the tapings, Hamill accepted a request for help on a mat game from the UFC’s middleweight champion, a feared striker named Rich Franklin.

Injuries forced Hamill out of the “TUF” competition before the semifinals, but he TKO’d Jesse Forbes on The Ultimate Fighter 3 Finale, a debut that lasted 4:47 into round one. His next fight was a unanimous decision win over Seth Petruzelli well before the latter’s taste of fame thanks to his 14-second KO of Kevin “Kimbo Slice” Ferguson.

“After the fight with Jesse, I was happy to get my first official win inside the octagon,” Hamill said. “I was very raw at that point and was able to use my limited skills and pull off the win. As for Seth, he and I had a war. It was the first time I faced someone so well-rounded. I was happy to get the decision.”

Hamill’s first fight since the controversial loss to Michael Bisping was to be against Stephan Bonnar at UFC Fight Night 13 in suburban Denver. When Bonner was forced to withdraw due to a serious knee injury suffered during training, another UFC newcomer anxious to impress named Tim Boetsch took the fight on 10 days’ notice. Stacked at 5-foot-11, 205 pounds and aptly nicknamed “The Barbarian,” Boetsch attacked his opponents with ferocity and brute skills in wrestling and Bruce Lee’s Jeet Kune Do.

Boetsch delivered a wicked knee to Hamill’s jaw in round one that opened a severe cut on Hamill’s lower lip, but despite eating two more, Hamill kept coming. Besides taking Boetsch’s best shots, Hamill also handled what his opponent couldn’t: Colorado’s high altitude. Winded in round two, Boetsch attempted a single-leg takedown but left himself open for a relentless pounding. With Boetsch’s head pressed against the cage, Hamill unloaded, and the fight was stopped at 1:25.

“I landed a real solid blow and I’d say if that happened to nine out of 10 guys, the fight would have been over right there,” Boetsch said. “But he can take shots, and that’s one of his attributes. He has a real strong chin and I definitely tested it that night.

Well before the battles with Bisping and Boetsch, Hamill’s story was grabbing attention. Shortly before a TKO win over Rex Holman moved his UFC record to 3-0, Hamill was contacted by writer/producer/actor Eben Kostbar and director/producer Joe McKelheer regarding their interest in making his life story into a movie. Hamill was a UFC neophyte but living a life compelling enough for someone to want to build upon it.

“I was very excited and honored,” Hamill said. “They flew to Columbus for the Rex Holman fight to meet face to face with me.”

Hamill was happy, and his confidence was at a high. His TKO of Boetsch improved his UFC record to 4-1, proved his performance against Bisping wasn’t a fluke, and justified the fan and media backlash. Without hesitation Hamill accepted a fight with Franklin, his old sparring partner and friend, at UFC 88.

It was set up perfectly. A win over a popular former middleweight champion returning to the light-heavyweight division would elevate Hamill into serious title consideration. Once during a sparring session, Hamill took Franklin down with stunning ease, so the plan was to stand with Franklin for no more than a minute and then take the fight to the mat, where Hamill ruled.

Hamill knew Franklin like a book. He also loved and respected him. That admiration was the beginning of a cycle that sent Hamill’s world crashing down.

(Check out Part 3 of “Matt Hamill: Raw” on Wednesday.)

[djohn14]

Matt Hamill is an amazing person. Not many people can do what he did and be successful. He is an idol to many, and rightfully so.

[Evan]

Matt is a good mofo.

[dbreiden83080]

Matt is a good mofo.


Matt Hamill is an amazing person. Not many people can do what he did and be successful. He is an idol to many, and rightfully so.

He sure is, i love him and am annoyed he is not on the UFC 92 main card.. :depressed


I am not 100% but I believe they do main event line ups having to assume all 5 fights could go their max rounds to fit into their PPV slot. If you go over your initial purchased time frame, or are late to start you have to pay massive fees to In demand PPV which is the people who run everything. That’s one huge hurdle PRIDE could never overcome and why they lost so much on PPV in America. Depending on where you read you have to kick back somewhere between 45% and 55% of all sales to In Demand so there is your shrinking profit already. PRIDE was always late to start and running long over and from what I have read it killed them on pentalties. So then they tried to show the fights a few days later all edited but the die hards knew the result or where to watch it live for free so another death blow to their bottom line.



Great info there Evan, was not aware of that stuff. Thanks.. :toast

So i guess the UFC is not ready to expand to 6 main event fights yet, guess that would cost more money to expand the time they are slotted for in each event.. Would really like to see a 6th fight added though, with prices the way they are..

[desflood]

Matt Hamill Raw - Part 3

Part of what drives Matt Hamill is a darker side of his childhood. Being completely deaf made him very angry. When he was 6, he'd ask his parents if he'd hear by age 7. The answer was, "I don't know Matt." He'd ask again two years later, hoping hearing would come by age 9, but the answer remained unchanged.

Hamill dealt with internal resentment through each stage of boy to man. Wrestling provided a degree of self worth in that he could be like everyone else, and his initial success helped him become an ambassador to deaf people and anyone who had any kind of a handicap. He coped with his deafness to a point. Most often, Hamill had the ability to properly channel angry emotions into winning a fight.

"I really feel that rage still exists," said stepfather Mike Rich. "He has some communication setbacks. He's not grasping the reality of everything, so sometimes we think he has that chip on his shoulder a little bit.

"I'm continually amazed that each challenge he faces, because of this innate energy and mindset that he has within, he's able to assess everything he needs to do to be successful and does it at a higher degree than the challenge he just met."

There was a time Hamill was nearly consumed by negative emotions. His senior year of high school, Hamill, seeded second, lost in the semifinals of the state tournament to his fifth-ranked opponent, who was also the defending champion. A downcast Hamill retreated to his hotel room and refused to compete in the third-place match. In his mind, nobody remembered anyone less than No. 1. Secure with a full ride to Purdue University, Hamill was telling his coach/stepfather he was quitting.

Rich's assistant pulled Hamill aside and told him how proud he was of all his students regardless of whether they finished in fourth, sixth or even last place. Most of the other athletes couldn't touch Hamill, but they were finishing. He was choosing to be a quitter.

Suddenly there was an Achilles' heel to Hamill's game. Mentally, he could short-circuit at any moment.

"When everything is going all hunky-dory, he's on top of the world," Rich said. "But in some of his matches, when he faces a little adversity, he seemed to drag his head a little bit and was like, 'Oh, the hell with it.'"

"Things are kind of easy for him," said Ron Gross, his collegiate coach. "He's such a natural athlete, and he's so strong that there were times where I think he needed that extra push. He needed to be yelled at once in awhile."


* * * *

Hamill first met Rich Franklin through Rob Radford, the latter's boxing coach and a friend of the Hamill family. Franklin was the reigning UFC middleweight champion looking for help with his wrestling. Radford referred him to Hamill, who was in training for a possible spot on the U.S. Olympic team.

"That first encounter with him, I felt completely helpless," Franklin said. "His wrestling skills were at such a higher level than mine it was difficult to deal with."

By the time a Hamill-Franklin showdown was broached years later, Hamill had stopped Tim Boetsch, and Franklin bounced back from his second TKO loss to Anderson Silva with a second-round TKO of Travis Lutter. UFC matchmaker Joe Silva called Duff Holmes about the idea of Franklin vs. Hamill at "UFC 88: Breakthrough" in Atlanta on Sept. 6. On the surface, it was a hard fight to take. The respective camps and management teams were tight with each other, and Holmes was concerned over whether Hamill could bring out his best effort against his friend. Once Hamill assured him that friendship is friendship and business is business, Holmes' eyes lit up because he fully believed his fighter could defeat Franklin.

What Holmes didn't know was a bevy of personal issues Hamill carried to Atlanta, one problem being the strain of traveling back and forth from his training headquarters in Utica, N.Y., to Ohio and his young daughter. Furthermore, not only was the movie project gaining steam, an unusually large entourage showed up at Hamill's hotel for the biggest fight of his budding career.

Determined to win and confident in his fighter's chances, Holmes implored Hamill to take the fight to the ground and neutralize Franklin's striking ability. To his horror, Hamill's head that night was not a sponge, but a sieve. His heart wasn't trained to destroy. It was lighter than your average flyweight.

Franklin ate an uppercut early in round one and was taken down two minutes into the fight. Hamill then got caught in an armbar and took a knee to the chin upon dismount. Toward the end of the round, Franklin's corner was heard yelling, "He's tired. Rich, he's tired!"

Franklin took over in round two with kicks to Hamill's legs and one to the face. Hamill failed to answer and showed none of his superior wrestling ability. He caught breaks only when referee Mario Yamasaki halted the fight to examine a huge gash over Franklin's right eye and when Hamill absorbed a low blow at the 1:53 mark.

Forget about a reprieve. The current was going against Hamill, and he was caving in.

"I think if Matt would be willing to stand there and trade with me a little bit; I kind of assumed he would have abandoned that game plan sooner than he did, but he didn't," Franklin said. "Specifically, I was not surprised by the fact he came out and wanted to throw some punches and that eventually he took me down. I was surprised that when things started not going in the direction you'd want to go for him, he didn't abandon the game plan a little sooner and try to take me down a little earlier in the match."

By round three, Hamill was winded and cut down like a tree. A left kick to the liver dropped him, and Yamasaki immediately stopped it at 39 seconds. Hamill's inspirational story was given a brutal -- and self-inflicted -- reality check.

"It was the worst performance of my life, and I was embarrassed," Hamill said. "I let everyone down, and I'm paying for it by taking a huge step backwards in the UFC. I feel like I gift-wrapped a win for Rich. I had a lot going on, and that just wasn't my night. Rich caught me getting lazy and covering up. Then he blasted me in the liver. ... It felt like a baseball bat."

The opportunity was there. A win would have elevated Hamill and enabled him to sign a new UFC contract. Instead, with a mere two fights left on his contract, he was pushed closer to the brink of UFC extinction. In an e-mail to Hamill, Gross wrote, "That was [expletive] B.S." Holmes, recalling bringing in Steve Mocco for a workout and seeing Hamill take down the 2003 NCAA Division I champion at 285 pounds, yelled, "You're telling me you can't take Rich Franklin down?" There was to be no that's-OK-we'll-get-'em-next-time speech. Holmes ripped his fighter in a published interview and was still steaming more than three months later.

"When you have a fighter who is so talented," Holmes said, "who you know deep down is hungry and has never let anyone stop him before, to go out and just basically, completely, deviate from a game plan, and in effect throw it out the window ... he didn't even acknowledge me in the corner and didn't give it anywhere near his 100 percent.

"It was not OK. He did nothing. That's not Matt Hamill. At the time, I had to figure out what was psychologically blocking him because I knew it wasn't physical."

There was only one thing for Holmes to do. He told Hamill I love you, but if you don't think like a killer, I'm not going to help you fight anymore. Since then, the duo has been together virtually 24/7 training, rolling and strategizing with the solitary purpose of creating a killer hell-bent on destroying Reese Andy.

(Check out Part 4 of "Matt Hamill: Raw" on Friday.)

[Evan]

so nice to see some good writing in MMA....MMA media is appallingly bad for the most part.

[djohn14]

The reason that the Jon Fitch vs. Akihiro Gono fight at UFC 94 will be on the prelim card instead of the televised card isn't because of the contract issues that Fitch had with the UFC a few weeks back. The feeling was that the Nate Diaz vs. Clay Guida fight had to go live due to it's potential for "Fight of the Night". The Stephan Bonnar vs. Jon Jones fight was added to the televised card due to the fact that the UFC believes Bonnar is a bigger name than either Fitch or Gono. It came down to either the Fitch/Gono fight or Karo Parisyan vs. Dong Hyun Kim and the UFC went with the Parisyan/Kim fight because they thought it had the potential to be the more exciting of the two.

Credit: f4wonline.com

[djohn14]

Merry Christmas to all!

[dallaskd]

Jake Rosholt will fight Alessio Sakara at UFC Fight Night 17!!!

[desflood]

Matt Hamill Raw - Part 4

Killer wasn't exactly what Eben Kostbar had in mind when he created the concept of "Hamill." Kostbar, an actor Maryland bred and now living in Los Angeles, and director/partner Joe McKellar, approached Matt Hamill three years ago with the idea of presenting a humble, genuine human being who overcomes being deaf to win three Division III championships at RIT. At the time, Hamill was barely getting started in the UFC, so the part of badass athlete whose job is to beat the crap out of an opponent was new to the Kostbar-McKellar group.

Hamill was sold instantly on the script and Kostbar the actor and writer. Kostbar was a high school wrestler and played football at a small Division III school called Frostburg State University before moving west to pursue an acting career. He's done alright for himself with appearances in "The Unit" and TV pilots "Wrigleyville" and "Cockblockers," but he is also building a name behind the scenes. His short film, "Karma Café," won 10 awards in nationwide film festivals. Two of those honors were bestowed by the public when the film earned Audience Awards at the Brooklyn International and Smogdance Film Festivals in 2007.

The concept of "Hamill" intrigues Kostbar because he can relate to a certain extent. He's only 5-foot-8 without perfect genetic form, but he savored the underdog role as an athlete and today as a storyteller. Once he saw Hamill on "The Ultimate Fighter 3," Kostbar saw a bit of him and the chance to bring a true story to life without the usual tear-jerking Hollywood melodrama.

"I'm a huge fan of sports underdog films, and I've always wanted to do one of him," Kostbar said. "There are a million underdog stories, but there's only one Matt Hamill.

"The movie isn't just about Matt overcoming being deaf and his achievements in wrestling. We didn't want to do a story about this poor little deaf boy. This isn't a PBS special. It's about Matt's life, and that's what really sold us on the movie."

An added bonus is Kostbar's fluency in American Sign Language, which combined with his natural athleticism made for Hamill's endorsement of Kostbar in the lead role. No sooner after that was announced, Kostbar's group was targeted by a segment of the deaf community that believed a deaf actor should play a deaf person.

This was a double standard. Jamie Foxx earned acclaim for his portrayal of Ray Charles, and he's not blind. Dustin Hoffman played autistic savant Raymond Babbitt in "Rain Man." Both won Oscars for Best Actor. Yes, Kostbar is neither Foxx nor Hoffman, but he was Hamill's choice to represent his life.

"Eben and Joe are the passion behind this project," Hamill said. "I totally believe in them and especially Eben being able to play the role of me. They want to celebrate and promote the deaf community, not disrespect it in any way."

Initially, the reaction hit Kostbar hard because deep down he knew he could pull it off. Then he thought of Marlee Matlin, the deaf actress who also won the Academy Awards' top honor for her role in "Children of a Lesser God."

"You're born in that culture, and it's what you already know," Kostbar said. "The deaf community sees the potential of this movie. They don't know me from anybody, and they wonder how is Eben going to portray our culture and our community correctly and proudly? What happens if he doesn't? It'll just set us back further."

That's when Kostbar decided to hold a casting call for the role of Hamill and seek out a deaf actor. While the controversy delayed the project, Kostbar is confident it'll be developed and filmed by the fall of 2009.

"We're not giving in," Kostbar said. "If anything, I think we're showing a lot of unselfishness."

* * * *

Nearly his entire life, Matt Hamill has overcome and done things not everyone thought he could do. He's a collegiate champion who earned a spot in the UFC -- all while fighting in silence. The way he describes it is being under water trying to hear someone yelling to you. At other times, he can see things before they happen. Somehow, he picks up on the tiniest of hints. Think of a word-class poker player measuring an opponent's breaths or twitches that give away a winning or losing hand.

"For somebody in Matt's situation, this is all he's ever known," said Rich Franklin. "He doesn't necessarily have to compensate because he's not compensating for something that he lost. It's just always been this way for him. He doesn't know any other way."

Because everything fell apart one night in Atlanta, Hamill learned to drop everything having to do with friendships and benevolence. Deep inside Hamill lays a beast. Ron Gross saw it before a finals match during Hamill's junior year. When warming up, Hamill gave off a vibe that was chilling, and Gross couldn't comprehend it. His polite and placid student, who often had to be poked, prodded and reprimanded, had the look of a killer.

"I looked him in the eye and asked him, 'Are you ready to go?'" Gross recalled. "He didn't say a word. He didn't nod. He just stared into my eye. I shook his hand and patted him on the ass, and turned to my assistant coach and I said, 'Don't get too comfortable in the corner because this isn't going to last very long.'"

Hamill locked on a "cement mixer," a vice-like grip that grabbed the neck and throat of his opponent, threw him back to the mat and pinned him in less than a minute. When that kid got up, the whites in his eyes could have blinded the room.

"It's always been in him," Gross said. "It's like a switch. If it's off, he can lose to anybody. If it's on, I wouldn't want to be on the other side of the octagon no matter who the hell it is."

Saturday night in Las Vegas, Reese Andy will either be a victim or the one who may end Hamill's UFC career. Hamill blew a chance at a new contract with his terrible loss to Franklin and has two fights left on his current deal. With another ugly effort, UFC President Dana White might ignore emotion and make a business decision. If the Hamill that wiped out Tim Boetsch -- and in the public's eyes defeated Michael Bisping -- destroys Andy, he's back in the title hunt.

As his stepfather once told him, you have a choice: You can be the hammer or the nail.

"Matt knows he has to come out like a caged animal in this one," said Mike Rich. "For his betterment and what he wants to do with his future in UFC, we're going to see the Matt Hamill we saw against Bisping: stalk, stalk, stalk and attack his prey."

In a figurative sense, it's kill or be killed. On Saturday the world will learn if fear is Hamill's finest motivator. The Hamill camp is talking about "The Ultimate Fighter 8" light-heavyweight winner Ryan Bader as their next target. Deep down, they'd also love another shot at Franklin, and Boetsch would love a chance to avenge his TKO loss anywhere except Colorado. But a loss to Andy, a bulldog who had just four-and-a-half weeks to prepare for a lackluster loss to Brandon Vera, and who now comes in completely re-focused, could prove costly.

"I picked on him, telling him if he loses he'll be fighting in someone's basement," Gross said. "He can't afford a loss against a guy that hasn't proven himself in the UFC. That would be devastating for him.

"I hope Reese Andy tries to take him down because he's going to experience something he's never experienced before. I think Matt is going to prevail and hopefully start this thing over again, like he was after ('TUF 3') -- very hungry."

Before every fight, Hamill is always the sentimental favorite. Against Andy, he returns to the role of the bettor's favorite. How he handles the pressure will either extend or abruptly terminate his journey just as it's really getting started.

"I don't know where it will take me, but I'm excited to find out," Hamill said. "Outside of the octagon, I will be the same guy I have always been."

Hamill's story may have been written, but he and his public want a lot more. Now all he has to do is find another way.

[desflood]

M-1 FINALS RESCHEDULED DUE TO WEATHER
Friday, December 26, 2008 - by MMAWeekly.com Staff

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



The upcoming M-1 Challenge finals show featuring bouts between Team Russia and Team Holland, set for Dec. 26, has been postponed due to inclement weather that prevented travel for the teams to the site in Seattle, Wash.

The announcement was made via M-1's official website.

According to the report, the participants were unable to travel from Russia and Holland to the United States, so the finals have officially been moved to a new location and time.

On Jan. 11, the Russian Red Devil Team will meet Team Holland in Amstelveen, which is north of Amsterdam in Holland, to determine the first ever M-1 team champions.

The M-1 series has been broadcast on HDNet this season although no word has come back on the rescheduled event for the television broadcast.

[dbreiden83080]

Dana is likely laughing his ass off right now..

[Evan]

I love all forms of mma but M-1 is just bad...I have tried so hard to get into it but no luck.

[dbreiden83080]

I love all forms of mma but M-1 is just bad...I have tried so hard to get into it but no luck.

I don't think i've ever seen an M-1 event..

[Evan]

I don't think i've ever seen an M-1 event..

Ever seen those small time fights on HDNet where they fight in a tiny ass cage? Basically the same thing but in a tiny ring. Its bizarre.

http://www.cdn.sherdog.com/_images/news/2008_03/11805.jpg

At times its more akin to early old school UFC where it was more about 1 discipline versus the other. Everyone only has a few fights and weird records. A 0-0 guys versus someone with a 3-7 record. And dude they all basically suck and have no cardio. I mean it would be like me getting in there....I could throw a couple kicks and a punch combo and I would crumble to the ground turtleing as my poor neglected lungs cried for oxygen....

Its basically amateur MMA and the MMA purist nerd in me is annoyed that it counts as a pro record. The guys on TUF have it 10 x harder.

[Evan]

Ishii
Ishii
Ishii

http://www.fightlinker.com/pics/satoshiishiiufc.jpg

[dbreiden83080]

Ever seen those small time fights on HDNet where they fight in a tiny ass cage? Basically the same thing but in a tiny ring. Its bizarre.

http://www.cdn.sherdog.com/_images/news/2008_03/11805.jpg

At times its more akin to early old school UFC where it was more about 1 discipline versus the other. Everyone only has a few fights and weird records. A 0-0 guys versus someone with a 3-7 record. And dude they all basically suck and have no cardio. I mean it would be like me getting in there....I could throw a couple kicks and a punch combo and I would crumble to the ground turtleing as my poor neglected lungs cried for oxygen....

Its basically amateur MMA and the MMA purist nerd in me is annoyed that it counts as a pro record. The guys on TUF have it 10 x harder.

LOL, funny anaylisis Evan, good stuff. :toast

[Evan]

From bloodyelbow

Dana "loves me some me"


"The reason I could see what was ahead for EliteXC was because nobody in this (freaking) planet knows this business better than I do. I built this (successful) business. Not from the ground up from beyond the basement up...We were so far underground and in the hole when we bought it. I brought this thing back from death. I know this business better than anybody does. I can sit back and see all the mistakes these guys make. I know exactly what they are going to do and I know exactly what is going to go wrong. I have been there and done that. I built (this) industry.

...

"I used (boxing) as the blueprint of what not to do. Boxing doesn't do what I would do if I was running one of these cards...When De La Hoya and Mayweather had their pay-per-view with over 1 million buys, he could have stacked that card with all the talent Golden Boy has. You know why he didn't? He didn't want to give up the money. Nobody in boxing is willing to invest money back into boxing's future. We do in the UFC. The money that we make we invest back into the business. We use it to help the grow the sport. Nobody in boxing is willing to do that. And because of that, in my opinion, they have no reason to sit around and (cry) their sport is dying. A lot of people love that De La Hoya is a fighter and the promoter but thing is, it leaves you short-sighted. And he only cares about himself. He knows he gets the pay-per-views when he fights but he doesn't stack the card with fights that will build future fights. You have to invest in a company and De La Hoya is not willing to do that."

While making Terrel Owens sound humble with his insane ego, he's 100% right.

[Evan]

war machine ownage of the highest order..

http://www.fightlinker.com/war-machine-is-a-gentleman-and-a-scholar-psych.mma#more-4115

wow

[djohn14]

***Off Topic***

I just flipped my truck.

[LEONARD]

Congrats! Pics?

[djohn14]

Congrats! Pics?

Thanks..thanks...yeah Ill get them up later.

[djohn14]

Oh and im fine, thanks for asking. The only thing messed up on me is my hand...and thats from punching it.

[Evan]

***Off Topic***

I just flipped my truck.

Have comp/coll?

Personal Injury Protection? If so you can claim from your insurance and the other guy (assuming there was one) and its not unethical!

[djohn14]

Have comp/coll?

Personal Injury Protection? If so you can claim from your insurance and the other guy (assuming there was one) and its not unethical!

It was just me...hit loose gravel.

[Evan]

It was just me...hit loose gravel.

soo...........?

Comp/Coll?

[djohn14]

soo...........?

Comp/Coll?
Yeah, I got everything covered...it just sucks...just get fully healed from a nasty leg injury and almost die.

[Evan]

Yeah, I got everything covered...it just sucks...just get fully healed from a nasty leg injury and almost die.

At least you have that...glad to hear you're ok.

Comp/Coll and personal injury protection only cost you a few hundred a year (unless your driving record sucks) and its an invaluable coverage.

[djohn14]

At least you have that...glad to hear you're ok.

Comp/Coll and personal injury protection only cost you a few hundred a year (unless your driving record sucks) and its an invaluable coverage.

Thanks....yeah....this is my first ever accident. Ive had my truck hit while parked at WalMart by diesel (Not Joe Riggs or Shaq) while I was inside. Imagine my surprise when I walked out to find that mess.

[Evan]

Fighters Only Magazine has a quote from everyone’s favorite former anti-terrorist squad member where he drops this bomb:

I believe that during 2009 I will fight three more times for Dream, then I hope for a farewell fight in the UFC.

we'll see....

[djohn14]

Fresh off his stunning high kick knockout victory over Kevin Burns during the live finale for the eighth season of The Ultimate Fighter, Anthony Johnson is set to return to the Octagon on February 7 during UFC Fight Night 17 against Luigi Fioravanti.

FiveOuncesOfPain.com learned of the news from Johnson’s agent, Ken Pavia, early Saturday afternoon with the story first being reported by MMAjunkie.com. Five Ounces of Pain has since confirmed with Fioravanti that he has in fact agreed to the bout as well.

Johnson’s win over Burns last month not only improved his record to 6-2, but it avenged a controversial defeat to Burns last July in which Johnson was declared the loser via TKO in spite of an illegal eye poke.

Fioravanti, a former Marine, also fought in December, defeating Brodie Farber via unanimous decision during “UFC Fight Night 16: UFC Fight for the Troops” in Fayetteville, North Carolina. The win improved Fioravanti’s overall record to 14-4 and his lifetime UFC record to 4-4.

UFN 17 will emanate from the University of South Florida’s Sun Dome in Tampa, Florida with the current card reported to be the following:

Joe Lauzon vs. Hermes Franca
Mac Danzig vs. Josh Neer
Amir Sadollah vs. Nick Catone
Cain Velasquez vs. Denis Stojnic
Anthony Johnson vs. Luigi Fioravanti
Jake Rosholt vs. Alessio Sakara
Rich Clementi vs. Gleison Tibau
Kurt Pellegrino vs. Rob Emerson
Matt Grice vs. George Sotiropoulos

[Evan]

Thats a damn good card...I really like how slow AKA is bringing along Cain's career. I truly think the UFC sends blue chips to the meat grinder too fast.

[djohn14]

Thats a damn good card...I really like how slow AKA is bringing along Cain's career. I truly think the UFC sends blue chips to the meat grinder too fast.

I know, and its free!!! I kinda like the way they bring on Cain.

I dont because---I have a man crush on that dude and I want to see him out there fighting the best

I do because---I know thats best for his career, and losing a big fight this early in his career could really hurt him.


Also...im a huge Anthony Johnson fan...just so everyone knows.

[Evan]

Jake Rosholt vs. Alessio Sakara

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh wow...nice test for Jake.

[djohn14]

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh wow...nice test for Jake.

I was looking at that. Ill be rooting for him, but Alessio might just KO him...it wouldnt shock me. Oh, and just to update you on the card. This is assuming Neer hasnt been suspended or dropped from the card due to his poor decisions.

[Evan]

Oh, and just to update you on the card. This is assuming Neer hasnt been suspended or dropped from the card due to his poor decisions.

I did not know that...thank you...its his own fault.

When you're an athlete you have so much riding on public perception...either hire a driver service for the night or effing party at home...

[djohn14]

I did not know that...thank you...its his own fault.

When you're an athlete you have so much riding on public perception...either hire a driver service for the night or effing party at home...

Seriously...a few bucks will get you a ride home. You have all the fun you want, drop a few extra bucks, and your safe.

[Evan]

Seriously...a few bucks will get you a ride home. You have all the fun you want, drop a few extra bucks, and your safe.

1 time my ex was out of state....for various reasons I had to order a taxi for her...well I didn't want some trashy cab to pull up with some scum bag so I hired a pro service...we're talking suit & tie and a new sedan....bows and opens the door for her....only cost me $90 for 1 hour. Thats nothing......

[SAtoDallas]

I love all forms of mma but M-1 is just bad...I have tried so hard to get into it but no luck.

Yeah I've tried watching but they're wierd and they suck.

[djohn14]

HELL YES!!!!

Former UFC middleweight title challenger David Loiseau appears to be on the verge of making his return to the Octagon at UFC 97 against Ed Herman on April 18. The proposed UFC homecoming would take place at the Bell Centre in Loiseau’s home city of Montreal in Quebec, Canada.

The website CagePlay.com was the first to report the possibility of the matchup and FiveOuncesOfPain.com has spoken with sources close to both fighters who confirmed the fight is indeed in the works. However, both sources were quick to add that nothing has been finalized.

If the fight becomes official, the bout would mark Loiseau’s first in the Octagon since a unanimous decision loss to Mike Swick at UFC 63 in September of 2006. Released by the UFC soon after the defeat, Loiseau has gone 4-2 outside of the promotion. His most recent victory took place this past September at XMMA 5, where he recorded a TKO over Solomon Hutcherson, a veteran from the third season of The Ultimate Fighter, at 1:56 of round 5.

Overall, Loiseau is 18-8 in his MMA career with a lifetime UFC record of 4-3 with notable wins over the late Evan Tanner, Mark Weir, Charles McCarthy and Gideon Ray. However, he might be best known for his unanimous decision loss against then-middleweight champion Rich Franklin at UFC 58 in March of 2006.

Herman, 14-7, is the middleweight runner-up from the third season of TUF having lost to Kendall Grove via unanimous decision in the finals.

A member of Team Quest in Portland, Oregon, Herman is coming off consecutive defeats inside the Octagon, first submitting to Demian Maia at UFC 83 and then losing a split decision to Alan Belcher at UFC Fight Night 15. With a lifetime record of 3-4 in the UFC, his wins in the promotion have come against Scott Smith, Chris Price, and Joe Doerksen.

[dbreiden83080]

Former UFC middleweight title challenger David Loiseau appears to be on the verge of making his return to the Octagon at UFC 97 against Ed Herman on April 18. The proposed UFC homecoming would take place at the Bell Centre in Loiseau’s home city of Montreal in Quebec, Canada.


Nice, i heard Dana White said the UFC would be back to Montreal soon at one of the UFC 94 press conferences in Canada and when he said GSP "Likely would not be on the card" he was booed loudly.. :lol

[djohn14]

I had no idea...

The Rua family has already contributed two fighters in Mauricio “Shogun” Rua and Murilo “Ninja” Rua to the sport of mixed martial arts but a third Rua is now set to make his pro debut within the next several months.

The Brazilian MMA website Tatame is reporting that Marcos “Baby” Rua will be entering the profession of mixed martial arts in March, if not sooner.

Marcos, the 22-year old younger brother of Murilo, 28, and Mauricio, 27, had been scheduled to debut at an event in January that has now been postponed until March. However, it appears that his brother’s first fight can’t come enough for Mauricio.

[We thought] he would fight at “The Glory” [and] that [it] would happen at January, but was delayed to March. [However,] want to see him fighting before,” he is quoted as telling Tatame.

Marcos trains with both of his brothers at Universidade da Luta (which translates to “University of Fighting” in English) in Curitiba, Brazil and being the biggest of the three, appears ticketed for the light heavyweight division.

The youngest of the three fighting Rua brothers received a small amount of exposure in the United States when he traveled to South Florida to corner oldest brother Murilo for his EliteXC fight against Benji Radach on CBS.

Any question as to whether Marcos shares the same undying loyalty that Mauricio and Murilo have for each other was answered soon after “Ninja’s” second round TKO loss. While it was not visible on camera, he became so overcome by emotion by the condition of his fallen brother that he had to exit the cage.

While Marcos Rua awaits his MMA debut, the next member of the Rua family that is scheduled to fight is Mauricio, who will take on Mark Coleman at UFC 93 on January 17 in Dublin, Ireland

[polandprzem]

http://www.matratz.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/01/baby-rua-530x353.jpg

[djohn14]

Thanks Poland!

[dallaskd]

Cool stuff. Ninja is kinda washed-up, but I think Shogun will eventually be a champ in the UFC. I'd love to see him in a rematch with Rampage.

[djohn14]

MMAWeekly.com is reporting that the WEC will be adding a flyweight (125) division as early as their as of yet announced March event. Recently, the WEC folded both the light heavyweight and middleweight divisions since they did not have a good depth of talent in the divisions. The WEC has become the place to be for the smaller fighters of the world, with 145'ers like Urijah Faber, Mike Brown, Leonard Garcia, and Jens Pulver along with 135'er Miguel Torres all becoming stars, especially Faber. Now with the 125 division on its way, fans will get to see the excitement the smaller fighters can bring on a larger platform than ever before. There was no word on what flyweight fighters would be making their way to WEC, but stay tuned to 411mania.com as they're announced!

[djohn14]

Ive been doing some thinking. Im pretty confident Thiago Silva will beat Lyoto Machida. If Machida wins he is going to have to finish Thiago because Silva wont let it go to a decision. I think he will take every shot Machida has to offer until he can stop "his elusiveness". I just want to know your thoughts.

[Evan]

I think he will take every shot Machida has to offer until he can stop "his elusiveness". I just want to know your thoughts.

Its amazing how those elusive fighters can out strike their opponents several times over on average...

Why isn't a fighter elusive when they are advancing and landing strikes?

Why a fighter is supposed to land a strike, stay there and take a counter strike (assuming they even bother to try) is beyond me.

[djohn14]

Its amazing how those elusive fighters can out strike their opponents several times over on average...

Why isn't a fighter elusive when they are advancing and landing strikes?

Why a fighter is supposed to land a strike, stay there and take a counter strike (assuming they even bother to try) is beyond me.

Sorry Evan...not trying to start a Machida debate. We've had several of those...but I will state where I stand. I think Machida is a very very good fighter. I also think Machida CAN beat any givin opponent...by decision. Thats not me dissing Machida, Im just saying hes not a great finisher...but then again, he wins his fights, thats his job. I think I was just venting in that last post, and in no way did I try to diss Machida. I just feel Thiago Silva is the real deal, and I feel he will KO Machida.

[Evan]

no its cool...thats what this forum is for...debate...

I'm just saying...he out strikes and out lands his opponents. Were he to stand there and check kicks/hits instead of bouncing to another direction the story would be different. I just think its a bit weird he gets so much heat.

[djohn14]

I know, and he's beaten Penn, and he's knocked out Franklin and Bonnar, so its obvious he knows what hes doing.

[polandprzem]

Once I said something that I shouldn't

About you being "UFC homers" :)


I want to sorry you for that !

[LEONARD]

Sherdog's Fight of the Year for 2008...Alvarez vs Kawajiri from DREAM...
http://www.dailymotion.com/video/x6a7a0_eddie-alvarez-vs-tatsuya-kawajiri-d_sport

[LEONARD]

Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh wow...nice test for Jake.

Sakara out, Dan Miller filling in...

http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2009/1/8/713725/sakara-out-dan-miller-in-a

Dan will stop the Rosholt train with a guillotine...

http://www.sherdog.com/thumbnail_crop.php?image=http://www.cdn.sherdog.com/_images/pictures/48/47720.jpg&width_size=600

[djohn14]

Sakara out, Dan Miller filling in...

http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2009/1/8/713725/sakara-out-dan-miller-in-a

Dan will stop the Rosholt train with a guillotine...

http://www.sherdog.com/thumbnail_crop.php?image=http://www.cdn.sherdog.com/_images/pictures/48/47720.jpg&width_size=600

I think Dan can beat him too....Thats NASTY!!!!!

[djohn14]

UFC light heavyweight's Keith Jardine and Luis Cane have verbally agreed to face off at UFC 97 which is expected to take place on April 18 in Montreal. Jardine is coming off a victory over Brandon Vera at UFC 89 and will be looking for his second straight victory in the UFC. Cane is coming off of victories over Jason Lambert and Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou. His only professional loss was a DQ loss to James Irvin back at UFC 79 where he was disqualified after an illegal knee to Irvin's head.

Credit: mmajunkie.com

Go Luiz...give him hell!

[LEONARD]

Cane will smash him...

[Evan]

Cane will smash him...

:toast

[desflood]

Huerta Passes on UFC Contract
Friday, January 09, 2009
by Loretta Hunt ([email protected])


The popular lightweight has turned down a new five-fight contract with the UFC to pursue a career in acting in 2009. Huerta has one more fight on his current contract with the UFC that will see him back in the Octagon some time before December. After that, Huerta said he’d re-evaluate his options.

“I’m not burned out [with fighting],” said Huerta. “I have one fight left with the UFC and I want to honor that. As soon as they tell me to fight, I’ll fight my last fight on the contract.”

After getting bit by the bug last summer shooting a role in the film “Tekken,” Huerta said the timing felt right to tackle a wholly different challenge.

“I saw that you have to dedicate as much as you do to training for a fight as you do for an acting role and I’m intrigued by that,” said Huerta. “I’m 25 years old. I see Chuck Liddell and Randy Couture and they didn’t really hit their primes till their thirties. I’m only going to be young so long and I know that movies and agencies and what not want the young look.”

The handsome bi-lingual fighter was pushed heavily on the press following his rousing victory over Leonard Garcia at UFC 69 in April 2007. The performance landed the Minneapolis resident the cover of Sports Illustrated that May – a first in the sport’s 15-year history. However, Huerta believes it was his gut-wrenching performance against Clay Guida at “The Ultimate Fighter 6” finale in December 2007 that brought on his popularity with fans.

“I felt naked after that fight because I gave everything I had in there, from physical abilities to my emotions,” said Huerta. “I was a little messed up in the head for the next two months. That last round took a lot out of me. I went to another level mentally.”

Though Huerta (20-2-1, 1 NC) fought and won five times in 2007 -- culminating with the Guida bout -- his schedule became muddled the next year. In 2008, he entered the cage only once and lost to Kenny Florian via unanimous decision at UFC 87 last August.

Huerta’s contract was extended for two six-month periods during that time due to his inability to commit to fights that were offered to him. Over the summer, Huerta made plans to return to Augsburg College, but the opportunity to play Miguel “The Matador” Rojo in the feature film adaptation of the popular video game “Tekken,” proved too good an opportunity to pass up. Huerta remains one class shy of his Bachelor’s Degree, while the film, in which Huerta has a small speaking role, is due out in fall 2009.

Huerta also turned down a fight with Joe Stevenson at UFC 95 on Feb. 21 in London, due to “personal family issues.” Stevenson will now face Diego Sanchez instead.

Huerta’s reps believe the fighter’s future in film looks promising. Huerta recently signed a three-movie development deal with Lion’s Gate films, whose recent projects include “The Transporter 3” and “The Spirit.”

“Roger loves fighting for the UFC, but it doesn’t make sense for him to re-sign and continually let them down when he can’t take fights due to other projects,” said Huerta’s manager Jeff Clark, of NCFC Fight Management. “They have a business to run and schedules to keep as well.”

Still, others might see a different motivation for Huerta’s decision not to sign on the dotted line this time around. Huerta caused waves last July in an interview with Fight! Magazine where he voiced discontent with the UFC’s pay scale and the public relation responsibilities placed on fighters for little to no pay.

Huerta said he was spread too thin between appearances and his first movie role at the time and misspoke.

“I was thinking like a young kid,” said Huerta of the infamous interview. “I’m young and people make mistakes.”

Huerta and his management downplayed any ill will with Zuffa LLC., which owns the UFC. In fact, Huerta says his relationship with UFC owners Lorenzo Fertitta and Dana White, the promotion’s president, has never been stronger.

“I personally look up to Lorenzo and Dana,” he said. “This sport wouldn’t be where it is without them. With the $40 million in the hole and Dana grinding it out through everything, and putting the sport on the map, we owe them a lot.”

Without his income from fighting, Huerta said he’ll supplement his bank account with appearances and seminars while he takes acting classes. He also plans to join one of his trainers in Los Angeles for auditions through a talent agent who coordinates with his NCFC fight management.

He said he had no plans to talk to other promotions once his UFC contract’s non-compete period is satisfied some time around April 2010.

“The UFC is my home and it is my family and eventually I’ll come back,” said Huerta. “Pursuing the modeling and acting thing, that’s kind of where I’m at right now. The fighting will always be there. I’ll always have that in me. The truth is I’ve been fighting my whole life for everything, and this to me, is something else.”

[dbreiden83080]

Huerta Passes on UFC Contract
Friday, January 09, 2009
by Loretta Hunt ([email protected])


The popular lightweight has turned down a new five-fight contract with the UFC to pursue a career in acting in 2009. Huerta has one more fight on his current contract with the UFC that will see him back in the Octagon some time before December. After that, Huerta said he’d re-evaluate his options.

“I’m not burned out [with fighting],” said Huerta. “I have one fight left with the UFC and I want to honor that. As soon as they tell me to fight, I’ll fight my last fight on the contract.”

After getting bit by the bug last summer shooting a role in the film “Tekken,” Huerta said the timing felt right to tackle a wholly different challenge.

“I saw that you have to dedicate as much as you do to training for a fight as you do for an acting role and I’m intrigued by that,” said Huerta. “I’m 25 years old. I see Chuck Liddell and Randy Couture and they didn’t really hit their primes till their thirties. I’m only going to be young so long and I know that movies and agencies and what not want the young look.”

The handsome bi-lingual fighter was pushed heavily on the press following his rousing victory over Leonard Garcia at UFC 69 in April 2007. The performance landed the Minneapolis resident the cover of Sports Illustrated that May – a first in the sport’s 15-year history. However, Huerta believes it was his gut-wrenching performance against Clay Guida at “The Ultimate Fighter 6” finale in December 2007 that brought on his popularity with fans.

“I felt naked after that fight because I gave everything I had in there, from physical abilities to my emotions,” said Huerta. “I was a little messed up in the head for the next two months. That last round took a lot out of me. I went to another level mentally.”

Though Huerta (20-2-1, 1 NC) fought and won five times in 2007 -- culminating with the Guida bout -- his schedule became muddled the next year. In 2008, he entered the cage only once and lost to Kenny Florian via unanimous decision at UFC 87 last August.

Huerta’s contract was extended for two six-month periods during that time due to his inability to commit to fights that were offered to him. Over the summer, Huerta made plans to return to Augsburg College, but the opportunity to play Miguel “The Matador” Rojo in the feature film adaptation of the popular video game “Tekken,” proved too good an opportunity to pass up. Huerta remains one class shy of his Bachelor’s Degree, while the film, in which Huerta has a small speaking role, is due out in fall 2009.

Huerta also turned down a fight with Joe Stevenson at UFC 95 on Feb. 21 in London, due to “personal family issues.” Stevenson will now face Diego Sanchez instead.

Huerta’s reps believe the fighter’s future in film looks promising. Huerta recently signed a three-movie development deal with Lion’s Gate films, whose recent projects include “The Transporter 3” and “The Spirit.”

“Roger loves fighting for the UFC, but it doesn’t make sense for him to re-sign and continually let them down when he can’t take fights due to other projects,” said Huerta’s manager Jeff Clark, of NCFC Fight Management. “They have a business to run and schedules to keep as well.”

Still, others might see a different motivation for Huerta’s decision not to sign on the dotted line this time around. Huerta caused waves last July in an interview with Fight! Magazine where he voiced discontent with the UFC’s pay scale and the public relation responsibilities placed on fighters for little to no pay.

Huerta said he was spread too thin between appearances and his first movie role at the time and misspoke.

“I was thinking like a young kid,” said Huerta of the infamous interview. “I’m young and people make mistakes.”

Huerta and his management downplayed any ill will with Zuffa LLC., which owns the UFC. In fact, Huerta says his relationship with UFC owners Lorenzo Fertitta and Dana White, the promotion’s president, has never been stronger.

“I personally look up to Lorenzo and Dana,” he said. “This sport wouldn’t be where it is without them. With the $40 million in the hole and Dana grinding it out through everything, and putting the sport on the map, we owe them a lot.”

Without his income from fighting, Huerta said he’ll supplement his bank account with appearances and seminars while he takes acting classes. He also plans to join one of his trainers in Los Angeles for auditions through a talent agent who coordinates with his NCFC fight management.

He said he had no plans to talk to other promotions once his UFC contract’s non-compete period is satisfied some time around April 2010.

“The UFC is my home and it is my family and eventually I’ll come back,” said Huerta. “Pursuing the modeling and acting thing, that’s kind of where I’m at right now. The fighting will always be there. I’ll always have that in me. The truth is I’ve been fighting my whole life for everything, and this to me, is something else.”


-Sighs-

Well good luck with that kid..

[Evan]

That sucks....

I hope he never stops training....I am not sure this is a sport you can simply pick up again after too long without the gym.

[dbreiden83080]

That sucks....

I hope he never stops training....I am not sure this is a sport you can simply pick up again after too long without the gym.

If he's burnt out and he has other oppurtunities in front of him then i do wish him well, but i just hope it works out and he is not trying to get back in and can't get a good deal or get back to the same level.. What a difference a fight makes. Going into his last fight he was talking title shot, now he is saying "He's done with MMA maybe for good"

[ATRAIN]

If he's burnt out and he has other oppurtunities in front of him then i do wish him well, but i just hope it works out and he is not trying to get back in and can't get a good deal or get back to the same level.. What a difference a fight makes. Going into his last fight he was talking title shot, now he is saying "He's done with MMA maybe for good"

I never liked the guy and now I hate him.

[djohn14]

The Ultimate Fighter 3 veteran Matt Hamill has been tapped to go up against Mark Munoz at UFC 96. Hamill was last seen at UFC 92 finishing Reese Andy in the second round, and has gone 2-2 in his last 4 fights in the UFC, with the losses coming to Michael Bisping and Rich Franklin. Munoz is the latest WEC fighter to join the UFC ranks after the company folded its middleweight and light heavyweight divisions. He is a former NCAA National Wrestling Champion and has an undefeated MMA record of 5-0. With this addition, the unofficial UFC 96 card now looks like this:

Gabriel Gonzaga vs. Shane Carwin
Gray Maynard vs. Jim Miller
Brandon Vera vs. Mike Patt
Dustin Hazelett vs. Ben Saunders
Kendall Grove vs. Jason Day
Tim Boetsch vs. Jason Brilz
Aaron Riley vs. Shane Nelson
Ryan Jensen vs. Steve Steinbeiss

No main event has been announced for the event, and it looks like Chuck Liddell has been moved to UFC 97 in April. With none of the current fights being near main event quality, expect a main event to be announced soon.

[Evan]

Conversation between me and Ken Pavia (who is a big time MMA agent)


Evan

Clear Chat History
Couldn't retrieve chat history
7:26pmEvan

Hi Ken

I have a question if you have a few moments.

I would like to know what you and your fellow agents are doing to stop the madness that has happened because of pro-elite...I hope these guys get taken care of soon

I am sure you're doing what you can but I would like to know what...thanks for your time.
7:53pmKen

We are working on it. Plan to be pro active in a short period of time
7:53pmEvan

cmon Ken...give me the scoop...:):)
7:53pmKen

Nothing really to report
7:54pmEvan

how can pro elite legally ignore you and consider it honoring a contract?

Ken

They say they are doing shows this year
7:55pmEvan

BS...thats is come serious scumbag actions by them

7:56pmEvan

Evan

cant you ask for proof?

Ken

I alreaady have
8:00pmEvan

did they respond?

I'll post more if he answers but I think I pissed him off....

[Evan]

Evan

sorry to bother with this but me and all the other fans have no clue whats going on and from what I read neither do the fighers
8:08pmKen

Sorry but I dont have much either...
8:10pmEvan

Are you and the other agents going to make a official statement anytime soon so we have an idea whats going on? The biggest problem with this seems to be a serious lack of information.

Ken

Hopefully this week

Evan

Ok thanks...I just want these guys to be taken care of and I am seriously disturbed by the lack of information from all parties involved. As are most fans.

[Evan]

Ken

Struggling
8:20pmEvan

if they can't provide proof of running a show and they guys are losing so much income because of it how is a contract still binding?

[djohn14]

Thanks Evan! I caint wait till we find out who goes where.

Robbie Lawler and Jake Shields-UFC
Gina Carano-WEC
Kimbo Slice-Japan for this freakshow
Brett Rogers-A few smaller orgs...but he soon will be UFC bound

just my guesses....anyone else like to guess.

[Evan]

Ken

We are arguing no
8:22pmEvan

No...sorry I am just asking questions. like I said before...I am a huge fan and nobody is telling us whats going on

[Evan]

he hates me...lol

[Evan]

he stopped talking to me...hahahah

I tried guys...it seems like the agents are fucking over the fighters as much as pro elite....they should be doing more and letting the fighters (and to a lesser extent the fans) know whats going on.

[dbreiden83080]

he stopped talking to me...hahahah

I tried guys...it seems like the agents are fucking over the fighters as much as pro elite....they should be doing more and letting the fighters (and to a lesser extent the fans) know whats going on.


he hates me...lol



:lmao Evan starting all sorts of shit.. :p:

[djohn14]

Its sad....Im ready for it to be over. Thanks for trying.

[Evan]

F*ck him....the fighters need to be treated better....

I'll try again when he gets back from Ireland

[Evan]

http://mmajunkie.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/02/ken-pavia.jpg Vs
http://photos-c.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v1980/221/98/1050246779/s1050246779_30297938_4144.jpg

Sorry long story short this is the only pic I have of me on the computer (due to a 5 year relationship break up)

I look retarded but I was testing out a new camera and I was being asked a question so my head was turning...

[Evan]

Gawd we have the same hair cut...kill me...

at least my head is shaved to a 4 guard now...

[dbreiden83080]

http://photos-c.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v1980/221/98/1050246779/s1050246779_30297938_4144.jpg

Sorry long story short this is the only pic I have of me on the computer

Evan you Stud-Muffin.. :hat

[Evan]

lol cut me some slack....its literally the only pic I have of myself until I ask for some copies of cd's I gave to her

at least I am willing to kick myself in the nuts by posting such a restarted pic....hahahaha.

[djohn14]

EVAN...you look exactly like me...but

1. My eyes are different

2. I may or may not have a goatee

3. Im thinking im a little more tan than you

Other than all that...we are the same person

[Evan]

EVAN...you look exactly like me...but

1. My eyes are different

2. I may or may not have a goatee

3. Im thinking im a little more tan than you

Other than all that...we are the same person

My hair has started heading North but you can't tell in that pic :(

[djohn14]

I got lucky with my hair....I dont know how. Dads has this big baldspot on his head and really has as far back as I can remember, and my brother is like you.

[Evan]

*sigh*

[dbreiden83080]

*sigh*

Have you tried Propecia? Stuff worked wonders for my Dad..

[Evan]

Have you tried Propecia? Stuff worked wonders for my Dad..

Oh yeah...I'm good to go...haven't lost a hair in a long time...:toast

[dbreiden83080]

Oh yeah...I'm good to go...haven't lost a hair in a long time...:toast

Oh that's good. Yeah my father was losing his bad for a while, and he actually grew some back and it halted the process. Supposedly works like 80% of the time, i read..

[Evan]

Its good cheap stuff...I convinced 3 of my buddies to hop on it. 1 listened and 2 didn't.

1 is not losing hair and 2 are.

whaddaya know...

one hell of a thread...lol

[dallaskd]

what the hell are yall talking about...

[Evan]

what the hell are yall talking about...

It was Saturday night and I am sure all of us had a few beers in the system.

[dbreiden83080]

what the hell are yall talking about...

Talking MMA, hair loss, Swapping recipes, the usual.. :hat

[Evan]

Swapping recipes, the usual.. :hat

I can make spaghetti sauce from scratch that makes old ladies from a little town in Sicily jealous.

also pretty good at chili, queso and fish tacos. :p:

[djohn14]

I can bbq some mean pork tenderloin...im good at fish...and I have a chicken and rice casserole that would make your eyes water with joy.

[Evan]

...and I have a chicken and rice casserole that would make your eyes water with joy.

I could eat chicken & rise casserole everyday and never get bored of it.

Last time I made it I took the last few scoops...made some scrambled eggs and put in in tortillas for breakfast.

[djohn14]

I could eat chicken & rise casserole everyday and never get bored of it.

Last time I made it I took the last few scoops...made some scrambled eggs and put in in tortillas for breakfast.

OMG that sounds like heaven!!! Its amazing what you can learn to cook in college, with your mom not there to make you anything.

[dbreiden83080]

I can make spaghetti sauce from scratch that makes old ladies from a little town in Sicily jealous.

also pretty good at chili, queso and fish tacos. :p:

I can order a pizza like nobody's fuckin business..... :p:

[djohn14]

lol....dbreiden knows where its at!

[desflood]

Oh, my God... the resident female is away for a weekend and you all turn into women to compensate.

[ATRAIN]

Oh, my God... the resident female is away for a weekend and you all turn into women to compensate.

Yeah no joke, i dont post on the weekend and this crap happens. LOL funny stuff though, I could just imagine the 3 of them painting each others toe nails hahha.

[dbreiden83080]

i dont post on the weekend and this crap happens.

That court appointed Anger Management, must be hell on a Sat Afternoon A-Train.. :lol

[djohn14]

Yeah no joke, i dont post on the weekend and this crap happens. LOL funny stuff though, I could just imagine the 3 of them painting each others toe nails hahha.

Fingernails only bro lol...I kid I kid!