Marquardt article

[IX_Equilibrium]

Marquardt fights outside spotlight
Middleweight hoping for le shot sometime this year


By STEVE SIEVERT
For The Chronicle

Nate Marquardt is mired in the middleweight shuffle.

Despite a 4-0 record in the Ultimate Fighting Championship and 28 pro victories in mixed martial arts, Marquardt has yet to get his ticket punched for a UFC le fight.

After his last performance in the octagon, however, the wait might finally be over.

At Ultimate Fight Night 8 in January, Marquardt dominated submission specialist Dean Lister, knocking him around the cage en route to a unanimous-decision victory. Demonstrating a potent stand-up attack, Marquardt sent Lister to the mat five times in the fight, leading two judges to score the mismatch 30-25.

"That was one of the best-executed game plans I've ever seen," said Greg Jackson, who trains Marquardt out of his Albuquerque, N.M., camp. "He went out and played his game and kept Lister from his. That's what fighting is all about."

Winning is what the 27-year-old Marquardt is all about. A pro since 1999, Marquardt owned the middleweight division of Pancrase, a Japan-based MMA organization, earlier in his career. He's the only fighter to be a seven-time King of Pancrase champion.

Marquardt jumped to the UFC in 2005 and has yet to be challenged in four fights. But while other middleweights such as Chris Leben and Mike Swick have had the bright lights of The Ultimate Fighter reality show to build a following, Marquardt's time in front of the cameras has been limited.

"I think he's underexposed but not underappreciated," Jackson said. "I know the UFC likes him, but I'm not sure why his fight (against Lister) wasn't on TV."

Marquardt is arguably the best under-the-radar talent in the UFC. He started training in jiu-jitsu as a 100-pound high school sop re and now holds a black belt in the Brazilian fighting discipline. He also has evolved his striking and wrestling skills to become one of the best-rounded fighters in MMA — one worthy of a le shot.

"I believe it's time, but I'm not going to worry about when I'm going to get my shot," said Marquardt, who lives in Denver. "I know it's going to happen."

Marquardt credits much of his continued development as a mixed martial artist to the group of fighters who constantly challenge him. Jackson has built an MMA juggernaut, with the likes of Diego Sanchez, Keith Jardine, Rashad Evans and Joey Villasenor training with Marquardt on a regular basis.

"I'm in Albuquerque about half the time, if not more," said the soft-spoken Marquardt, who talks about fighting with politeness usually reserved for dinner-table chatter. "It makes you mentally strong going into a fight knowing that you've worked with those guys. We're all pushing each other and trying to make each other better."

However, the one thing missing among "Jackson's Five" is a UFC le. Who will be the first to bring a belt back to Albuquerque is an oft-discussed topic during downtime in the gym.

Marquardt is likely to get the first crack. After the victory against Lister, UFC President Dana White said Marquardt would get a le fight. It could come later this year.


http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/4545037.html


Marquardt and Jackson's camp are a perfect fit. I'd definately like to see him in a le fight.

[LEONARD]

Nate is still recovering from his steroid suspension...

and while he's a great fighter, he's a little boring and tends to go to decisions a lot. Him being on the undercard at the last UFN is a prime example...he was the only top 10 fighter on the card, but his fight wasn't aired. Probably e TV's decision, not the UFC's...

I think he's the best matchup to beat Anderson Silva of anybody in the UFC right now....

[LEONARD]

UFC 72 - Nate vs Silva

http://ufcjunkie.com/2007/02/15/ufcj...nderson-silva/

UFC president Dana White has made good on a promise. Undefeated middleweight contender Nate Marquardt (25-6-2 MMA, 4-0 UFC) has been granted a le shot with current UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva (17-4, MMA, 3-0 UFC), according to a very reliable UFCjunkie.com source close to one of the fighters.

The le shot is expected to take place in June — possibly at UFC 72 — on a card that might also feature the much-anticipated rubber match of Georges St. Pierre vs. Matt Hughes (assuming St. Pierre successfully defends his le against Matt Serra at UFC 69).

[IX_Equilibrium]

That surprises me, because I didn't think it would be until towards the end of the year. Look out Anderson!