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(All events on Oahu, unless noted)

2010

February
BJJ Tournament
(tba)

2009

11/21/09
UFC 106
(Mandalay Bay Events Center, Las Vegas)

11/14/09
UFC 105
(United Kingdom)

November
Aloha State Championship
of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

(BJJ & Sub Grappling)

10/31/09
H.A.P.A. Hawaii Amateur Pankration Association

Hit-And-Submit #4
(Pankration)
(Filcom Center, Waipahu)

10/24/09
UFC 104
(Staples Center, Los Angeles)

10/18/09
NAGA Hawaii
(BJJ/Sub Grappling)
(Pearl City H.S. Gym)

9/19/09
UFC 103
(American Airlines Center, Dallas)

9/16/09
UFC Fight Night 19
(Cox Convention Center, Oklahoma City)

9/12/09
Hawaiian Open Championship
of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

(BJJ & Sub Grappling)
(Kaiser H.S. Gym)

Up & Up
(MMA)
(Blaisdell Arena)

8/29/09
MAUI OPEN 2009
Submission Grappling Challenge
(Sub Grappling)
(Maui War Memorial Gym)

Island Assult
(Boxing)
(Blaisdell Arena)

UFC 102
(Rose Garden, Portland)

8/22/09
Destiny: Maui vs. Oahu
(MMA)
(War Memorial Gym, Maui)

8/15/09
Man Up
(Kickboxing & Triple Threat)
(Filcom Center, Waipahu)

8/9/09
WEC
(Las Vegas, NV)

8/8/09
UFC 101: Declaration
(BJ Penn vs. Kenny Florian)
(Wachovia Center, Philadelphia)

8/1/09
Affliction: Trilogy
Fedor vs. Barnett
(Honda Cetner, Anaheim, CA)

7/25/09
X-1 Scuffle On Schofield
(MMA)
(Tropics Recreation Center, Schofield Barracks)

Amateur Boxing at Palolo
(Boxing)
(Palolo Gym)

Gracie Tournament
(Kalaheo H.S. Gym)
**Cancelled**

7/23/09
JUST SCRAP
(MMA)
(Pipeline Cafe)

7/20/09
Dream 10: Welterweight GP Final
(Japan)

7/11/09
UFC 100: Lesnar vs. Mir
(Mandalay Bay Events Center, Las Vegas, NV)

7/10/09
Man up and Stand up
(Kickboxing)
(Waipahu Filcom Center)


6/27-28/09
OTM's
2009 Pac Sub
(Gi & No-Gi competition)
(Blaisdell Exhibition Hall)

6/20/09
The Ultimate Fighter 9:
Team US vs Team UK Finale


6/13/09
Destiny
(MMA)
(Waipahu Filcom)

UFC 99: Comeback
Silva vs. Franklin
(Cologne, Germany)

6/7/09
WEC: Brown vs. Faber 2
(Versus)

6/6/09
Quest for Champions 2009 Tournament
(Sport Pankration, Sub Grappling)
(Kalani HS Gym)

Strikeforce: Lawler vs. Shields
(St. Louis, MO)

6/4/09 - 6/7/09
World JJ Championships
(BJJ)
(California State University Long Beach, Long Beach, CA)

5/30/09
Event of the Champions
(Triple Threat, Kickboxing, Grappling)
(Elite Auto Group Center)

5/26/09
Dream 9

5/23/09
UFC 98: Evans vs. Machida
(PPV)

5/16/09
KTI's Scrappa Lifestylez
Scrapplers Fest
(BJJ/Submission Grappling)
(Kauai)

5/9/09 - 5/10/09 &
5/16/09 - 5/17/09
Brazilian Nationals JJ Championships
(BJJ)
(Carson, CA)

5/9/09
X-1 Kona
(MMA)
(Kekuaokalani Gym, Kona)

15th Grapplers Quest Las Vegas
(BJJ/Sub Grappling)
(Las Vegas, NV)

5/2/09
Destiny
(MMA)
(Waipahu Filcom)

Uprising MMA
(MMA)
(Maui)

May 2009
Abu Dhabi World Submission Wrestling Championships
(Sub Grappling)
(Tentative)

4/25/09
MMA Madness Water Park Extravaganza
(MMA)
(Hawaiian Waters Adventure Park, Kapolei)

4/18/08
Kingdom MMA
(MMA)
(Blaisdell Arena)

NY International JJ Championships
(BJJ)
(Rio de Janeiro, Brazil)

4/11/09
Hawaiian Championship of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
(BJJ & Sub Grappling)
(Kaiser High)

X-1: Temple of Boom
(Boxing & MMA)
(Palolo Hongwangi)

4/10/09
HFC: Stand Your Ground XII
(MMA, Kickboxing)
(Dole Cannery Ballroom)

4/4/09 - 4/5/09
NAGA World Championship
(BJJ/Sub Grappling)
(NJ, Tentative)

3/28/09
Garden Island Cage Match
(MMA)
(Hanapepe Stadium, Hanapepe, Kauai)

3/27/09 - 3/29/09
Pan Am JJ Championships
(BJJ)
(Carson, CA)

3/27/09
Tiger Muay Thai Competition
(Muay Thai)
(Tiger Muay Thai Gym, Sand Island Road)

3/21/09 - 3/22/09
$30k Grapplers Quest/Fight Expo/Make a Wish Weekend
(BJJ/Sub Grappling)
(Del Mar, CA)

NAGA US Nationals
(BJJ/Sub Grappling)
(Georgia)

3/14/09
Hawaii Amateur Pankration Association: "Hit and Submit"
(Pankration & Muay Thai)
(O-Lounge Night Club, Honolulu)

NAGA Vegas
(BJJ/Sub Grappling)

3/7/09
UFC 96
(PPV)
(Columbus, OH)

Grapplers Quest Beast of the East
(BJJ/Sub Grappling)
(Wildwood, New Jersey)

2/27/09
X-1 World Events
NEW BEGINNING"
(MMA)
(Maui War Memorial Gym, Wailuku, Maui)

2/21/09
Destiny
(MMA)
(Filcom Center, Waipahu)

UFC 95
(PPV)
(London, England)

2/15/09
X1 World Events
Temple of Boom: Fight Night III
(MMA)
(Palolo Hongwanji)

2/8/09
IWFF Submission Wrestling Tournament
(No-Gi)
(IWFF Academy, Wailuku, Maui)

2/7/09
4th Annual Clint Shelton Memorial
(Boxing)
(Palolo Gym)

Manup and Standup
(Kickboxing)
(Kapolei Rec Center, Kapolei)

UFC Fight Night
(PPV)
(Tampa, FL)

1/31/09
UFC 93 BJ vs GSP
(PPV)
(MGM Grand, Las Vegas, NV)

1/30/09
MMA Event
(MMA)
(Schofield Barracks)

1/24/09
Eddie Bravo Seminar
(BJJ)

1/17/09
UFC 93
(PPV)
(Dublin, Ireland)

1/10/09
MAT ATTACK Jiu-Jitsu & Submission Grappling Tournament
(Sub Wrestling)
(Lihikai School, Kahului, Maui)

1/3/08
Uprising - Maui
(MMA)
(Paukukalo Hawaiian Homes Gym)

Hazardous Warfare - Maui
(MMA)
(Lahaina Civic Center)
 News & Rumors
Archives
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August 2009 News Part 3

Casca Grossa Jiu-Jitsu is now the O2 Martial Arts Academy with 7 days a week training!

We are also offering Kali-Escrima (stick fighting) on Monday nights with Ian Beltran and Kickboxing Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday with Kaleo Kwan, PJ Dean, & Chris Slavens!

Kids Classes are also available!

Click here for info!

Take classes from the Onzuka brothers in a family-like environment!


Looking for a hotel room on Oahu?
Check out this reasonably priced, quality hotel in Waikiki!


For the special Onzuka.com price, click banner above!

Fighters' Club TV
The Toughest Show On Teleivision

Tuesdays at 8:00PM
***NEW TIME***
Olelo Channel 52 on Oahu
Also on Akaku on Maui

Check out the FCTV website!

Onzuka.com Hawaii Underground Forum is Online!

Chris, Mark, and I wanted to start an official Onzuka.com forum for a while now. We were searching for the best forum to go with and hit a gold mine! We have known Kirik, who heads the largest and most popular forum on the net, The Underground for years.

He offered us our own forum within the matrix know as MMA.tv. The three of us will be the moderators with of course FCTV808 being the lead since he is on there all day anyway!

We encourage everyone from Hawaii and our many readers around world to contribute to the Hawaii Underground.

If you do not have a login, it's simple and fast to get one.
Click
here to set up an account.

Don't worry about using Pidgin English in the posting. After all it is the Hawaii Underground and what is a Hawaii Underground without some Aloha and some Pidgin?

To go directly to the Onzuka.com Hawaii Underground Forum
click
here!

Want to Advertise on Onzuka.com?

Click here for pricing and more information!
Short term and long term advertising available.

More than 1 million hits and counting!

O2 Martial Arts Academy Day Classes Start May 2!
Women & Kids Kickboxing Class starts May 4!

Click here for pricing and more information!

O2MAA Relson Gracie Jiu-Jitsu Day Classes will be held on Monday, Wednesday, and Fridays from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm.

We have a Womens and Kids kickboxing class on Sunday afternoons from 5:00 pm to 6:00 pm. The class will be taught by none other than O2's Kaleo Kwan! It will be a non-competitive, fun atmosphere and allow the ladies and kids to get in a quick workout and learn some legitimate kickboxing technique before the long work week starts.

New O2MAA Kid's Jiu-Jitsu Class On Fridays from 5:30 to 6:30 PM!

Wrestling Class Starts On Fridays from 8:30 to 9:30 PM!


Want to Contact Us? Shoot us an email by Clicking Here!

Follow O2 Martial Arts news via Twitter at:
http://www.twitter.com/O2MAA


8/31/09

Quote of the Day

“In times like these, it's helpful to remember that there have always been times like these.”

Paul Harvey

UFC 102 RESULTS & LIVE PLAY-BY-PLAY

Saturday night, the Ultimate Fighting Championship makes its Pacific Northwest debut as UFC 102 hits Portland, Ore.

The main event features former UFC champions Randy Couture and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira going head-to-head in a heavyweight showdown.

UFC 102 airs live on pay-per-view at 10 p.m. ET / 7 p.m. PT on Saturday night. MMAWeekly.com is in Portland to bring you live coverage of the entire fight card. The first preliminary bout is scheduled to begin at approximately 7:45 p.m. ET / 4:45 p.m. PT.

Be sure to refresh you browser frequently for all the latest results, play-by-play and photos from the event...

UFC 102 LIVE PLAY-BY-PLAY:

-Marcus Aurelio vs. Evan Dunham

R1 – Southpaw Dunham leads with punches but gets air. Dunham connects with right hook and a smile. Aurelio returns fire. Aurelio nearly misses with an uppercut. Dunham counters nicely with straight left. So far, a boxing match. Dunham still angling for straight one-two combo, corners Aurelio and throws a combo, but Aurelio escapes. Dunham connects with a right hook that floors Aurelio. In an instant, Dunham swarms Maximus with punches, but backs away with arms to the sky, daring Aurelio to stand with him. Aurelio eats another punches in his first exchange back. Dunham gets stung with a straight right but gives a smile and a wave in. Dunham again with one-two and Aurelio shoots but Evan is having none of it. Aurelio wings a punch and misses. Dunham over and over with straight left. Aurelio almost lands straight cross of his own. Dunham pumps the audience up after the bell.

R2- Aurelio’s face is swelling. Dunham starts working leg kicks. Aurelio shoots for a takedown but gets nothing. Dunham with another nice punch combination. Dunham misses a combo and Aurelio takes it to the ground, landing in half guard against the cage. Aurelio with right hands from the top. Evan scoots out the bottom and shakes his head as the two return to their feet. Dunham lands one two combo, but eats a right hand, then another as he attempts to time his one-two. Dunham catches a finger to the eye and gets a brief pause. After restart, Dunham connects again with a combo and quickly fights off a takedown against the cage. Aurelio swings and misses after breaking contact. Aurelio is charging in and throwing punches. Dunham is hanging in the pocket, landing more accurate and powerful shots. After one exchange, he lands nice kick to body and nearly misses a flying knee. Aurelio again shoots and the cage stops his takedown. Dunham sprawls against fence and escapes. Dunham eats a stiff right hand. Aurelio charges in and gets tagged again. A nice body shot from Dunham, followed by a leg kick. Dunham lands a combination in the pocket as round ends.

R3- Dunham sits on his punch and gets taken down quickly. Aurelio tries to pass guard and is rebuffed. Aurelio working the body. Dunham attempting to control posture as Aurelio works elbows and tries to pass again. Dunham gets to his feet but is trapped in front headlock. Action stalls against cage. Aurelio works for a modified guillotine and flips Dunham over. It looks deep. Dunham somehow escapes and the two go toe-to-toe in the center of the cage. Aurelio shoots again for takedown and Dunham works a wizard, then attemps kimura. Aurelio gets into Dunham’s guard, but Dunham uses butterfly to sweep him and returns to his feet. When Aurelio shoots again, he gets underhooks and gets top position. Dunham returns to his feet and the two swing for the fences. Dunham lands a few punches, but not enough to keep Aurelio from the shot. Dunham shrugs off takedown and lands hard punches as the round comes to an end.

Two judges give Evan Dunham the fight with 29-28, 30-27 scores, while one dissents with a 29-28 score for Aurelio.

Mark Munoz vs. Nick Catone

R1- The two clash in center of cage and tie up with Munoz working knees. Catone presses to edge of cage and lands a few good punches before backing off. Munoz shoots almost immediately but Catone’s takedown defense is strong. Catone with straight right, Munoz returns with right uppercut. Munoz with a bolo. Munoz punches his way in and ties up, where the two exchange knees against cage. After breaking off, Catone catches a kick south of the border. They restart Catone gets a takedown, landing in side control. Munoz attempts to reverse. Catone with knees to the body. Action stalls. Munoz attempts to escape out the back door and the two scramble for position. Munoz ends up at Catone’s back standing against the cage. Munoz picks up Catone and slams him down, but Catone pops up and the two are back on their feet. Munoz throwing hard punches that are blocked by Catone. Another takedown attempt fails for Munoz. The two exchange knees in the clinch before Catone wrestles the action down at the bell.

R2- Catone catches a leg kick and gets an easy takedown, passing quickly to side guard. Munoz again scrambles for position and nearly gives up his back before getting to his feet and breaking off. The two tie up and Munoz lands a knee before they hit the cage. Munoz with double underhooks tries to drag the action down. Catone eats a few knees in the clinch and breaks off. The two clash with jabs. Catone lands a two-punch combination that appears to stagger Munoz. Munoz drives the action to the fence and trips Catone to the ground. Catone will not be taken down easily and scrambles back up, repaying Munoz with a punch as he gets to his feet. Munoz with straight right. Catone repays with the same. Munoz with two straight rights that prompt a shot from Catone. Catone is caught in a guillotinue and drops to one knee. Munoz cranks but can’t finish it before the bell.

R3- Munoz leads with punches then shoots in for a single leg. Catone somersaults his way out of the attempt and catches a punch when righting himself. Munoz definitely the aggressor in exchanges, but the two are landing equally. Catone lands a nice combo and stuffs a shot, almost wheeling around to Munoz’s back. The two scramble for position and return to their feet. Catone shoots and is again caught in a guillotine. Catone uses the attempt to pass to half guard. Catone rolls for a toe hold but misses and is dumped on his head by Munoz. Catone pops back up and the two are back at it. Catone eats a couple of bolos and gets an easy takedown. He scrambles to Munoz’s back, but Munoz bucks him off and takes half guard. Munoz with a few short elbows. Catone rolls for another kneebar but is pushed back down. Munoz scambles to Catone’s back and unloads with hard right hands. Catone attempts to roll away but has nowhere to go. Catone rolls again and the two end awkwardly tangled on the mat.

Munoz wins two judges' nods with 30-27 and 29-28 scores and Catone gets one nod with a 29-28 score.

Todd Duffee vs. Tim Hague

R1- Duffee drops Hague with a stiff left hand and follows it with right hands on the ground that knock the Canadian out cold. 7 seconds is all Todd Dufee needs to gain his first UFC victory.

Mike Russow vs. Justin McCully

R1- Russow ties the action up early and gets McCully’s right leg, driving him to the canvas and standing over him. McCully rolls to his knees and attempts to right himself, but Russow powers him down again and stands overhead. Russow takes McCully’s guard and unloads right hands. McCully eats a punch or two before Russow stands over him once again and tries to pass guard. Russow stands once again and lands punches overhead. Russow takes half-guard and unloads left hands against the cage. McCully stands, but it’s not long before Russow grabs a leg and takes him down again, shrugging off a kimura attempt. McCully escapes out the back door on the ground and takes Russow’s back. Russow uses hand control and reverses, again standing over McCully and working to punch. McCully grabs a leg and goes for a foot lock, but Russow powers out again. Round ends with Russow in McCully’s guard.

Ringside doc is checking on McCully in his corner between rounds. McCully looks hurt. Ringside doc pushes an upright McCully a few times to see if he can keep his balance. He can, and the doc lets the fight go on.

R2- Russow powers his way to a takedown and works from half-guard. Russow works for a kimura. Russow gives up kimura, stands up, then returns to half guard. McCully attempts to stand and Russow almost steps to his back. McCully squares up and is caught in a front headlock as he drives forward. McCully attempts to roll away from the smothering Russow but gets nowhere. Russow, at McCully’s back, unloads with punches. Ref Herb Dean stops the fight and tends to an obviously afflicted McCully. Action is restarted. McCully attempts a knee as Russow charges in but is on the mat in a flash. Russow works for a kimura from side guard and has it locked as the bell rings. McCully lingers on the mat afterwards.

R3- McCully’s left eye is almost swollen shut. McCully with a jab and a short combination. Nothing lands squarely. Russow just waiting for the takedown. McCully leaps in with a punch and is on his back once again. McCully lands an upkick, but that’s about all that’s going on as the two flounder in guard. Russow working ineffective ground and pound. Dean stands them up. Russow charges in and gets a swarm of punches and a knee. He re-invests and gets a leg, dumping McCully once again. Russow again flailing with short punches. Dean ends the stalemate and stands them up again. McCully nearly chambers a knee as Russow closes distance, but misses and is taken down once again as the round ends. Horribly uneventful fight.

All three judges give Russow the fight with 29-28, 30-26, and 30-27 scores.

R1- Gonazaga’s first leg kick lands hard south of the border, dropping the newcomer flat on his back. Chris is still writhing in pain after several moments. Ringside doctors attend to him. He writhes as doctors try to attend to him. Tuchscherer is heaving as doctors sit him up. After a few moments, he gets to a stool, then stands after a few more. He’s having a conversation with the doctor. He looks uncertain whether to continue, but decides to go again.

Gonzaga immediately catches Chris with a headkick as he tries to go for a takedown. The two fall to the mat simultaneously, and Gonzaga takes mount, threatening with anrmbard. After another short struggle, Gonzaga mounts again and lands an elbow that cuts Chris open. Chris turns to his back, where he fights off a rear naked choke. He escapes, but catches more punishment with Gonzaga at his back. Gonzaga pulls away from a feeble takedown attempt and returns to Chris’ back, where he pours on the punishment until the referee steps in to stop the mauling at 2:27.

R1- Herman jams in with a jab and peppers Simpson with combinations as he closes distance. A left hook lands for Herman. Simpson with a stiff right hand and a lighting fast takedown. Simpson stands over head and lands a straight right as Herman gets up. Herman is quickly fighting for his life. Simpson stands over again and Herman tries to vault two left kicks at his head. Simpson fighting off Herman’s legs, lands punches overhead. Herman’s kick backs Simpson off and Herman charges after with a knee. He falls on his butt and pops up, where the two resume kickboxing. Herman’s bell has been rung; he looks slow on his feet. Simpson catches him with a blistering punch that flash KO’s him and again, Herman is fighting for his life as Simpson swarms on the ground. Herman traps Simpson’s hand, looking for an armbar, but it’s no dice. Simpson stands overhead again. Simpson lets Herman up. Herman with left hook. Simpson with another right hand that fells Herman and Simpson lands shots again from up top as the bell ends. Herman hobbles back to his corner. It looks like he’s injured his left knee.

R2- Simpson circles away from an advancing Herman. Herman plants for a leg kick and catches another right hand, but it’s his knee he’s clutching as he hits the canvas. Ref Yves Lavigne quickly waves off the fight. Instant replay reveals Herman has badly popped his knee. Action is over at :17 of the round.

Krzysztof Soszynski vs. Brandon Vera

R1- Soszynski closes distance with strikes and catches a hard kick to the body that backs him off. Soszynski charges again and gets air. Vera with a straight left. The two trade jabs. Vera with hard leg kick that Soszynski acknowledges. Soszynski charges in and eats a knee to his body. Vera counters punch with leg kick. Vera barely misses with an uppercut as Soszynski closes and the two tie up against the cage. Action stalls. Vera threatens with a plumb and backs off, changing stances. Soszynski bleeding below left eye. The two tie up again against the fence, where Vera works knees to the body. They go after each other’s knees. Soszynski threatens with a plumb and Vera disengages. Soszynski lands a jab and charges in for a takedown but gets stuffed, eating a few short elbows in the process as the bell rings.

R2- Vera connects with an upward jab, then a straight to the body as round begins. Vera angles off and Soszynski charges in, landing punches. Vera angles off again and Soszynski pursues to the cage, where the two lock up. Vea gets a plumb and lands knee to Soszynski’s dome. They break shortly but are tied up again in no time. Soszynski with a few short elbows from the clinch. They disengage. Vera picking his shots while Soszynski is the aggressor. Vera’s technique is more sound, and he’s outpointing Soszynski in exchanges. Soszynski, however, charges in and fires away, getting the first takedown of the fight. Vera immediately pops up and the two wrestle for position again. The round ends with Vera looking for short elbows in the clinch. Not a decisive round for either.

R3- Vera lands a straight left and a shot to the body that sends Sozynski backwards. He follows with a kick flurry that looks better for camera than for damage. Soszynski lands a straight right and drives forward for a takedown. Vera wrestles him off and switches stance to confuse Soszynski. The two tie up against the cage and throw knees to the legs. Vera gets his first takedown. Soszynski stands up and gets a knee to the groin that prompts a break. Ref Herb Dean restarts after Soszynski walks it off. Vera with a nice right hnd. Sozynski locks up a plump as Vera closes, but Vera lands an uppercut and elbow from the clinch. They break off, where Vera lands a nice uppercut. Vera with a nice right hook. Vera with a right kick to the body. The San Diego resident is picking Soszynski apart in exchanges. A hard leg kick ends the round for Vera.

All three judges give Vera the fight with unanimous 30-27 scores.

Demian Maia vs. Nate Marquardt

R1- Southpaw Maia leads with a leg kick, then a high kick. Marquart knocks Maia out cold with a straight right hand that literally takes the jiu-jitsu expert out in mid-air as he attempts a leg kick. Marquardt considers a follow up, but thinks better of it. It’s all over in 21 seconds.

R1- Rosholt lands leg kick to open the bout. Leben returns with the same. Crowd chants Leben’s name. High kick misses for The Crippler. Rosholt with leg kick. They trade leg kicks. Both very tentative. Rosholt with stiff jab. Leben absorbs a flying knee and the two spill to the canvas with Leben in Rosholt’s guard. Leben working ground and pound. Rosholt takes advantage of space and drives forward, prompting a sprawl from Leben and a return to the feet. Leben’s nose is bloodied. Leben walks into double underhooks and Rosholt marches him across the canvas, where he lands over Leven and nearly traps him in a guillotine before retreating to his feet. Leben looks slow and out of sorts. Finally, Leben chases Rosholt across the cage with bolos, but Rosholt ducks away and taunts Leben at the bell.

R2- Rosholt lands a one-two that stuns Leben, but Rosholt slips on a kick attempt and Leben chases him down into half-guard, where he attempts ground and pound. Rosholt attempts to scoot away but is flattened out. Leben works Rosholt’s ribs. Action stalls. Yves Lavinge stands them up. Leben throws a straight left Rosholt can see for miles. Leben attempts head kick punch combo and ties Rosholt up against the fence, where he immediately stomps Rosholt’s right foot. Rosholt escapes with an elbow from the clinch. Rosholt ducks under Leben’s punches and takes the fight down, working from half guard. Rosholt attempts to pass. Rosholt stands over and allows space for Leven to get up. More bolos from Leben that get mostly blocked as the round ends.

R3- A final touch of the gloves. Leben with a kick to the body. Another kick attempt lands him on his back, where Rosholt works from half guard. Rosholt passes to mount briefly but can’t do anything before Leben gets half guard back. Rosholt takes Leben’s back in a scramble and then transitions to a head and arm choke that puts Leben out cold. The official time is 1:30.

Thiago Silva vs. Keith Jardine

R1- Jardine charges in with punches but gets nothing. His follow up leg kick, though, slaps Silva’s thigh. Silva with stiff jab. They kick at the same time and Jardine lands on the bottom with Silva working from half guard. Silva grabs for guillotine and Jardine scrambles. They’re back on their feet. Jardine’s hands are low…he comes in with an uppercut hook combo and gets dropped by a left hook. Silva stands overhead and puts Jardine stone cold out with a left and right. The official time is 1:35.

Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira vs. Randy Couture

R1- Big Nog and Randy trade punches. Nog clinches but Randy disengages. Nog with a jab. Nog lands a hook straight righ bombo. The. Rando cracks Nog with a straight right and Nog tries to pull guard, Randy says no. Randy jabs his way in and the two tie up. Nog working rabbit punches in the clinch. Randy almost connects with a sraight right and the two lock up again. Randy disengages. Randy comes in with punches and gets caught with a shot that drops him. Nog immediately cinches an anaconda choke and tries to roll Randy over. Randy escapes and backs away to the screams of the audience. Nog’s hands look sharper. Randy connects with a stiff jab but can’t follow it in close. Randy connects with a jab. The two stand in the pocket, but Bog connects with a series of body shots. Counter lands a nice combination inside that rocks Randy The two are trading punches tit for tat. Randy circles away. Randy jabs in and beats Nog up in the clinch. Randy presses to the cage and cracks Nog several more times with dirty boxing. Randy is pressing Nog against the cage and round ends to screams of audience.

R2- Randy jams in again. Randy jabs in and lands a follow up uppercut. Randy with inside leg kick. Randy catches a left hook that staggers him. Nog attempts to capitalize with a guillotine but loses it and pitches to the floor. Randy postures up in Nog’s guard and works elbows. Nog sweeps Randy into the mount in a flash and threatens an arm triangle as Randy escapes to half guard. Nog working short left hands, Randy trying to control his hands. Nog transitions to an arm triangle choke in mount and Randy struggles to defend. Nog doubling up with punches to the body. Nog lets choke go and works punches from mount. Randy escapes out the back door to the sreams of the audience. Randy with lead left hook. Te two close distance and trade punches. Both are getting tagged in the pocket. Randy has the slight edge on the feet now. Nog works in leg kicks. Randy closes again and lands a few glancing punches to end round.

R3- Randy with inside leg kick. Randy again comes in with jab uppercut combo and connects lightly. Still, he’s getting tagged with a counter right and left hook as he comes in. Nog connects with a left that drops Randy cold. Again, Randy is fighting for his life as Nog pounds away with hammerfists. Nog passes half guard and works punches from side mount. Action stalls as Randy tries to cage walk to freedom. Randy begins walking his way up, but gives up his back in transition. Randy attempts to control Nog’s hand. Nog is high on Randy’s torso. Randy reverses and works punches from Nog’s guard. Nog ties up. Randy lands a nice left elbow, then another. Nog sweeps Randy at the bell. Great fight.

All three judges give the fight to Nogueira with scores of 30-27, 30-27, and 29-28.

UFC 102 QUICK RESULTS:

Main Bouts:
-Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira def. Randy Couture by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 29-28)
-Thiago Silva def. Keith Jardine by KO (Punch) at 1:35, R1
-Jake Rosholt def. Chris Leben by Submission (Arm Triangle Choke) at 1:30, R3
-Nate Marquardt def. Demian Maia by KO at :21, R1
-Brandon Vera def. Krzystztof Soszynski by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

Preliminary Bouts:
- Aaron Simpson def. Ed Herman by TKO (Injury) at :17, R2
-Gabriel Gonzaga def. Chris Tuchscherer by TKO (Strikes) at 2:27, R1
-Mike Russow def. Justin McCully by Unanimous Decision (29-28, 30-26, 30-27)
-Todd Duffee def. Tim Hague by KO at :07, R1
-Mark Munoz def. Nick Catone by Split Decision (29-28, 28-29, 30-27)
-Evan Dunham def. Marcus Aurelio by Split Decision (29-28, 28-29, 30-27)

Source: MMA Weekly

WHITE CONFIRMS PENN VS SANCHEZ, HINTS AT NETWORK TV

PORTLAND, Ore. – UFC president Dana White on Thursday said a third UFC event was in the works for November, featuring a headlining bout between lightweight champion
B.J. Penn and Diego Sanchez.

What may really peak interest is that he said the event was neither a pay-per-view nor a Spike televised affair, lending credence to strong speculation of a long coveted network television deal.

“Wait and see boys... if I can pull this one off,” he said.

Penn last week confirmed that his next challenge would be against Sanchez, though he declined to name the time and place of the fight. Earlier this week, Penn and his representatives met with UFC officials for undisclosed contract negotiations.

Despite several reports that said UFC 105 – expected for Nov. 14 at the Manchester Evening News Arena – was the bout’s destination, White said Penn’s rumored dislike of fighting in the U.K. did not influence the decision to create a third event.

“B.J. doesn’t want to fight anywhere,” said White. “B.J. doesn’t want to fight in Las Vegas because he didn’t like the decision, and then when they called ‘The BJ Penn rule,’ now he likes Las Vegas and wants to fight. Dude, please, don’t even get me started.”

Rumors of an impending UFC deal with a major television network have been in heavy rotation this month. On a conference call announcing a deal between the promotion and the U.K. wing of ESPN, White said his company was currently fielding interest from one or possibly more network stations.

"We've never had more interest than right now," said White. "Obviously, I think all the hard work we've done over nine years and UFC 100 had a big part in it, too. I'm pretty confident we're gonna have a deal very, very soon. I like what I'm hearing now more than I ever did before."

Yet White declined to say how close a deal was.

"Once we get the right offer, we will be on network television," he stated. "We haven't had the right offer, yet."

He has recently been in Los Angeles working on the Penn/Sanchez event.

In related news, White said Dan Henderson has lobbied him for a second meeting with Anderson Silva to take place at UFC 105, but said he would wait for the outcome of Demian Maia vs. Nate Marquardt at this weekend’s UFC 102 to evaluate the middleweight title picture. He did, however, confirm that a rumored middleweight tilt between Michael Bisping and Denis Kang would serve as the co-main event of UFC 105.

Source: MMA Weekly

IS WEC ON THE COUNTDOWN TO EXTINCTION?

PORTLAND, Ore. – Perhaps Dana White has grown a little gun shy over the years, with all the media miscues on possible TV deals – The Ultimate Fighter had several before it finally came to fruition in January of 2005 – but the UFC president has all but confirmed the promotion’s intention to fold World Extreme Cagefighting into the Ultimate Fighting Championship.

White and co.’s decision appears to be more or less a timetable issue and negotiation between the sibling promotion’s television partners.

In a rather telling exchange at the pre-fight press conference for this weekend’s UFC 102 in Portland, Ore., White was asked about adding more weight classes to the UFC, to which he replied, “If we do any more weight classes, it’s gonna be lower, adding lighter weight classes.”

Asked what the chances of such additions actually were, he replied, “very good,” and indicated that a plausible timeframe for the additions was “probably real soon.”

When pressed as to whether that meant that WEC would basically fold into the UFC, White replied as a Cheshire grin spread across his face, “It doesn’t really mean that, but...”

It really means that.

The official company line, according to White: “What that means is I’ve gotta figure some (expletive) out.”

In a recent article on Yahoo! Sports, Kevin Iole suggested the UFC’s decision to keep the WEC a separate entity from the UFC – fundamentally depriving fighters such as Miguel Torres of the biggest stage in the sport – was “one of the most grievous” mistakes that White and company CEO Lorenzo Fertitta have made in their eight-and-a-half year tenure.

Sitting on the podium in front of a handful of reporters, including Iole, White said, “I don’t disagree with (the) article.”

He added later, “Even with all the things that we know how to do and the deal we have with Versus, which is a great deal, it’s still hard to make money and pay the guys what they deserve to get paid, or what they think they deserve to get paid and to run the business and make it a profitable business.”

So what’s holding him back? The complexities of TV land.

The WEC recently extended its television contract with the Versus network. The UFC, meanwhile, is under an exclusive basic cable contract with the competing Spike TV network. Add to that a potential network TV deal in the works for the UFC, which White has hinted at for months, and three entities are competing for Zuffa’s attention. Ironing out those wrinkles appears to be the likely culprit in keeping the WEC in its current bubble.

It’s an obvious challenge, but White says it’s not insurmountable.

“I’ve got some (expletive) I gotta figure out,” he stated in true Dana White fashion, “But like I said earlier, we’ve had bigger problems. I will figure this out.”

Source: MMA Weekly

UFC PRESIDENT ZEROS IN ON SHOWTIME

PORTLAND, Ore. – "(Signing Fedor Emelianenko) will put (Strikeforce) out of business. These guys have no money and they have no distribution. Four (expletive) people watch Showtime. Their last fight they put on, do you know how many people watched that fight? 245,000 people watched that fight."

This was UFC president Dana White’s proclamation immediately after Strikeforce announced the signing of coveted heavyweight Fedor Emelianenko, ending a two-week sweepstakes that put the MMA world on the edge of its seat. White, it appeared, was zeroing in on Strikeforce.

And he is, but at a Thursday press conference for UFC 102 in Portland, the brash UFC exec said the San Jose, Calif., based promotion was not the focus.

“I’m not anti-Strikeforce; I don’t dislike those guys,” he said. “I dislike Showtime. I don’t like their attitude. They think they’re better than they really are. They’ve been second rate at boxing, second rate at programming. Now they think they’re great at mixed martial arts, and my fight is with them, not with Strikeforce.”

Showtime was the first premium cable network to jump into the mixed martial arts arms race, though its original promotional partner, EliteXC, is now defunct. Strikeforce bridged the gap in February, re-establishing the premium cable channel’s MMA ties.

White said his beef with the pay-for-play channel had roots in his love of boxing and claimed the channel failed to promote combat sports.

“They got their ass kicked always by HBO at boxing, yet they tried to stay in it,” he said. “They got their ass kicked with HBO in programming, and they’re still around. Their going to get their ass kicked in mixed martial arts too. Just not by HBO.”

Showtime Networks representative Chris DeBlasio declined comment on White’s remarks.

White said plans to add a third UFC event in November – headlined by UFC lightweight champ defending against Diego Sanchez are afoot. The event isn’t intended for the usual pay-per-view or Spike TV outlets, however, leading to the belief that there is a new TV partner on the horizon.

Source: MMA Weekly

Dana White confirms Li’l Nog in the UFC

After the press conference in Portland, Dana White spoke with TATAME TV and explained his plans on bringing the UFC to Brazil in the future and confirmed that Rogério “Minotouro” Nogueira has signed with the organization, and won’t fight at Bitetti Combat.

Source: Tatame

Werdum: “To beat Fedor, just me”

After a submission victory in the Strikeforce debut, Fabrício Werdum wanted a shot against Fedor Emelianenko, but Scott Coker announced the Las Emperor’s debut against the undefeated Brett Rogers. In exclusive interview to TATAME.com, Werdum commented the fight.

“Brett is a huge guy, very heavy, but I don’t know if he has Fedor’s speed… He’s chubby, but is the best of the world, so I think Fedor bests him in explosion, even more if Brett tries to box with him. Brett has a heavy hand, everything can happen, but Fedor will knock him out”, bets the BJJ black belt, confidence in his game to beat the Russian.

To beat Fedor, just me (laughs)… It’s gonna be with me”, jokes the Chute Boxe athlete, betting in the jiu-jitsu against the best heavyweight in the MMA history. “My game doesn’t match with Fedor’s and I trust in me… This fight will happen and I feel very well, everybody saw in my last fight that I’m better, lighter, training hard and focused. It won’t be easy, he showed he’s the best in the world, but I want this opportunity”, finished Werdum.

Source: Tatame

American Nationals Sept-3 deadline approaches
American No-Gi Nationals 1st discount ends Sept 5; No-Gi Pan sign-ups open

Competitors looking to mark their presence at the American National Jiu-Jitsu Championship 2009 this coming Sept 12 and 13 better hurry, as the Sept-3 deadline to register for the tournament to take place in the CSU Dominguez Hills gymnasium is fast approaching.

The fee is US$ 77 and no exception will be made to the 11:59 pm (GMT minus 7) Sept-3 deadline. Further reason to register early is that the Federation reserves the right to close registration as soon as the competitor ceiling has been reached.

To sign up for the 2009 American National Jiu-Jitsu Championship, click here. For further information on the championship, click here.

Another impending deadline is the Sept-5 final day to receive the cheapest rate of US$ 72 for the American National No-Gi Championship, to take place Sept 26 in Las Vegas, after which the full rate of US$ 87 will apply till the final cut-off of Sept 17.

To sign up for the American National No-Gi Championship 2009, click here. For further information on the event, click here.

Yet another upcoming major Jiu-Jitsu event to be held in North America is open for registration and has a Sept-5 discount deadline looming. Anyone wishing to pay less for the No-Gi Pan-American Championship, to take place October 3 and 4 in New York City, can click here and pay only US$ 92 before Sept 5. Those to sign up between the 5th and 12th will have to pay US$ 102, after which the full rate of US$ 117 will apply till the final cut-off of Sept 23. For further information, click here.

The organizers recommend competitors register early if not to save money, to guarantee their place before the maximum-participant ceiling has been reached.

Source: Gracie Magazine

JASON DAVID FRANK: FROM POWER RANGER TO MMA

A few years ago actor Jason David Frank was used to hearing the familiar sound of fans yelling, "Go, go Power Rangers!" but now he's ready to hear the roar of a different crowd.

The former action star from the hit series "Mighty Morphin Power Rangers" has officially made the move to mixed martial arts, and while training with UFC lightweight Melvin Guillard, he hopes to make his real fighting experience as successful as he did on television.

Frank signed on with Suckerpunch Entertainment recently and hopes to make his professional debut in the very near future.

"I was supposed to fight in 2007, but it fell through. In truth, I’ve wanted to put the work in until I’m ready," Frank said in an interview from the Suckerpunch website. "I know I have a target on my back. Everyone is going to want to beat up the Green Ranger. But I am no Kimbo; I’ve been training for a very long time. I wanted to get in there before, but I got injured. But I’ll be ready when the time comes."

The actor-turned-fighter is adding a ground game to what he believes is already an impressive stand-up resume, but he knows it's a long road to not only becoming a mixed martial artist, but a successful mixed martial artist.

"My style was missing the ground fighting. I have my blue belt in BJJ from Gracie Baja now, but we needed to have that ground game integrated into Tose Kune Do. There was a blank there. So we added wrestling, BJJ, etc., to it," Frank said. "Melvin Guillard has really helped add the wrestling. I needed to get with someone who could put it all together for me, and that was Saul Soliz. And he’s done it. He’s a good, hardcore trainer."

Proud of his time as the Green Ranger on the popular television show, Frank is ready to move onto new goals, and he hopes to conquer MMA the same way he did television.

"Just to go out there and do my best, and prove that I’m a real fighter," Frank said about his goals in MMA. "I’m not looking for any titles specifically. Ultimately, I want to give my fans something to watch and be proud of."

Source: MMA Weekly

8/28/09

Quote of the Day

"In many walks of life, a conscience is a more expensive encumbrance than a wife or a carriage."

Thomas De Quincey

UFC 102 Tomorrow
August 29, 2009
Rose Garden, Portland, Oregon

Hawaii Air Times:
3:00-5:00 PM
Channel 701 (Oceanic Cable)


Main Card Bouts:
-Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (31-5-1) vs. Randy Couture (16-9)
-Keith Jardine (14-5-1) vs. Thiago Silva (13-1)
-Jake Rosholt (5-1) vs. Chris Leben (18-7)
-Nate Marquardt (28-8-2) vs. Demian Maia (10-0)
-Brandon Vera (10-3) vs. Krzysztof Soszynski

Preliminary Bouts:
-Gabriel Gonzaga (10-4) vs. Chris Tuchscherer (17-1)
-Nick Catone (6-1) vs. Mark Munoz (5-1)
-Todd Duffee (4-0) vs. Tim Hague
-Justin McCully (9-4) vs. Mike Russow
-Marcus Aurelio vs. Evan Dunham
-Ed Herman vs. Aaron Simpson

Source: The Fight Network

Professional Boxing Tomorrow

Saturday August 29, 2009
Blaisdell Arena, Honolulu, Hawaii

12 Rounds - IBF World Light Flyweight Title
Brian Viloria (25-2, Waipahu, HI) vs Jesus Iribe (16-5, Culiacan, MX)

10 Rounds
AJ Banal (19-1, Cebu, PI) vs Jose Beranza (32-15, Mexico City, MX)

10 Rounds
Dennis Laurente (31-3, Palopon, PI) vs Zaid Zavaleta (18-5. Guadalajara, MX)

10 Rounds
Alfonso Gomez (19-4, Guadalajara, MX) vs Sergio Rios (18-9. Guadalajara, MX)

4 Rounds
Justin Mercado (1-1, Honolulu, HI) vs Richard Barard (1-1, Makakilo, HI)

4 Rounds
Toby Misech (1-0, Hilo, HI) vs Mike Balasi (7-1, Honolulu, HI)

4 Rounds - Female Bout
Kuulei Kupihea (3-1, Mililani, HI) vs Shalei Padilla (Pro Debut, Kona, HI)

4 Rounds
Isaac Arasato (4-0, Honolulu, HI) vs Donald Gonzalez (0-1, Hilo, HI)

Source: X-1

TOMORROW!


6th Annual Maui Jiu-Jitsu Open
Gi and No Gi Tournament
War Memorial Gymnasium, Wailuku, Maui, Hawaii
Saturday, August 29, 2009

Registration and entry form:

Dear Friends,

It is our great pleasure to invite you and your organization to attend and compete in the 6th annual Maui Jiu-Jitsu open Tournament. The event will take place on Saturday, August 29, 2009 at the War Memorial Gymnasium in Wailuku, Maui, Hawaii. We also welcome back all who attended last year's event. We expect this year's tournament to be even larger, with bigger and better competition!

Competition will consist of matches in all belt levels and weight divisions with medals, trophies, and prizes to the winners as well as the always competitive team competition, with trophies and prizes to the top three teams. As with the growth of our sport, we at Maui Jiu-Jitsu are always striving to expand and improve on our tournament. At this time, we are planning to hold several exhibition matches between advanced level competitors. Anyone locally here who are interested - please contact us.

Please make every attempt to register as early as possible to allow us to begin the always time consuming process of setting up the brackets and matching competitors. This allows us to start the competition on time and keep the tournament flowing smoothly.

Registration and entry forms:
Registration may be done by mail, or at the Maui Jiu Jitsu Academy.
Please mail all completed entry forms to:
150 Haiku Road, Haiku, Hi. 96708.

Don't forget to include a phone number if we need to reach you and make sure you check the weight class you want to compete in, and whether you want to compete in the Gi, No Gi divisions or both.

Weigh-ins:
Weigh ins will be held at the Maui Jiu Jitsu Academy at the Haiku Cannery Center from 10am, and at the War Memorial Gymnasium from 8 am on the day of the event. We ask that all competitors try and register and weigh in as early as possible to avoid delays to the start of the event.

If you have any questions, please feel free to call Luis or Lee at the numbers listed, or email us. It is our hope that you will join us in the spirit of friendly, fun competition and to further promote the art of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Submission Grappling!

See you on the Mats!

Luis "Limao" Heredia Lee Theros
Head Instructor - Maui Jiu-Jitsu Event Coordinator
Ph. (808) 357-2009 Ph. (808) 298-7698
Email:
info@mauijiujitsu.com
Email:
leetheros@aol.com

6th Annual Maui Jiu-Jitsu Open
Gi and No Gi Tournament
War Memorial Gymnasium. Wailuku, Maui, Hawaii
Saturday, August 29, 2009

Divisions:

Adult, Kids, Women, Masters
All Weight Divisions, All Levels.
Medals for 1st and 2nd place, (All kids receive medals!)
Individual Achievement Awards, prizes and trophies
Team competition trophy and prizes

Competitor Fees: (Includes T-Shirt)

Adults: $60 Kids: $40 (Make checks payable to: LEE THEROS)

When:

Saturday, August 29, 2009

Location:

War Memorial Gymnasium
Kaahumanu Avenue, Wailuku, Maui, Hawaii

Event Schedule:

8:00 - 9:30 am Late registration and weigh ins.
9:30 - 10:00 am Opening Ceremonies and rules briefing.
10:00 am Start of Competition.

Information:

Lee Theros
(808) 298-7698
Email:
leetheros@aol.com

Luis Heredia
(808) 357-2009
Web:
info@mauijiujitsu.com

Tournament Rules and Information

Weight Divisions: (Women and kids divisions to be paired appropriately by weight and experience)

Rooster: 110 - 121 lbs.
Super Feather: 122 - 134 lbs.
Feather: 135 - 147 lbs.
Light: 148 - 160 lbs.
Middle: 161 - 173 lbs.
Light Heavy: 174 - 187 lbs.
Heavy: 1 88 - 202 lbs.
Super Heavy: 203 - 213 lbs.
Unlimited: 214 lbs. & over

No Gi Divisions:

Novice: Less than 1 year experience.
Intermediate: 1 to 3 years experience.
Advanced: 3 or more years of experience.

*Exceptions: Competitors deemed to have other experience such as substantial Mixed Martial arts or college level wrestling shall be placed automatically in the advanced division.
(Tournament committee to have final discretion).

Time Limits:

Adult Gi:
White Belt 5 Minutes
Blue Belt 6 Minutes
Purple Belt 7 Minutes
Brown Belt 8 Minutes
Black Belt 10 Minutes

Adult No Gi:
Novice 5 Minutes
Intermediate 6 Minutes
Advanced 7 7 Minutes

Children (under 16 years old, Gi & No Gi) 4 minutes

Requirements for Competition:

1. Clean Gi.
2. Rash Guard or T-Shirt in No Gi Division.
3. Sleeves no shorter than 4 inches from the wrist.
4. Four finger cuff clearance
5. Signed Waiver
6. Paid entrance fee.

Tournament Rules:

Points:

1. Throws / Takedowns 2 Points
2. Knee on Stomach 2 Points
3. Sweep 2 Points
4. Pass Guard 3 Points
5. Mount 4 Points
6. Back (2 hooks in) 4 Points
7. Submission/Tap Out End of Match

In the event of a tie at the end of regulation, the winner of the match will be determined via referee's decision (No advantages).

Rules:

1. Competitors shall shake hands at the start of, and at the end of the match.
2. Competitors shall observe and follow all of the referee's instructions at all times.

Illegal Techniques:

1. No heel hooks in any division. Toe holds allowed only in the advanced No Gi division and purple belts or higher. Straight foot lock allowed in all divisions.
2. Single Digit Toe or Finger Manipulation
3. Striking of any kind (Punching, Kicking, Shoulder)
4. Slamming opponent from takedown, inside the guard, or to escape or break any submission attempt.
5. Placing fingers in eyes, ears, or mouth
6. Neck Cranks

In the event of any dispute, the referee shall render all decisions, and judgment shall be final. Remember, we are all out to have a fun and enjoyable tournament experience, and with all tournaments, some decisions will be disputed and questioned. Ultimately we should all practice good sportsmanship and not let the pursuit of winning take precedence over all else. We will make every effort to ensure that all competitors are evenly matched and treated fairly.

Currently all airlines are charging $98 for a flight from Oahu to Maui, so book now before the rates creep up.

Source: Event Promoter



We would like to announce a seminar coming up in August of 2009 Koretoshi Maruyama Sensei will be teaching.

For further information please contact me:

James Peters
Noelani Ki Aikido Yuishinkai
(808) 256-9944
e-mail:
james@jpetersdesign.com


Isle boxers given fighting chance

By Dayton Morinaga
Advertiser Staff Writer

Eight Hawai'i boxers are hoping to cash in on a boxing stimulus package Saturday.

Thanks to a world championship bout featuring Waipahu's Brian Viloria, eight other Hawai'i boxers will get opportunities to fight on the undercard.

"I feel fortunate just to be on a pro card here," said Isaac Arasato, a fighter out of Palolo Gym who is scheduled to appear in the opening bout of the card. "I know a lot of fighters wanted to be on this card. I have to make the most of it."

Viloria will defend his IBF light flyweight world championship against Mexico's Jesus Iribe in the main event of the "Island Assault" card at the Blaisdell Center Arena.

There will be seven other bouts, and four of them will be all-Hawai'i matchups.

"Boxing is a business and it's been slow here, just like the economy," Arasato said. "This might be the jump start we need."

Boxing in Hawai'i has been in a great depression for the past decade. The last significant card in Honolulu was held six years ago, when Viloria last fought here.

Up-and-coming fighters like Arasato and Mike Balasi of Kalihi have been waiting patiently for rare opportunities to box for pay in Hawai'i.

Balasi, for example, turned professional in 2001, but has had just eight bouts since.

"Boxing is my passion, that's why I'm still in it," said Balasi, 28. "But it's hard. I work (as a truck driver) from 7 in the morning to 3:30 in the afternoon, then I train after that. It's a rigorous schedule, but that's what I have to do."

Mixed martial arts has supplanted boxing as the most popular combat sport in Hawai'i.

Balasi grudgingly learned wrestling and jiu-jitsu two years ago so he could stay active in MMA during the boxing dearth.

"I didn't like MMA, not really," he said. "I had to learn groundwork for the first time ... I basically did it because that was the only way to get fights here."

In recent months, Balasi has been able to fully focus on boxing.

"It's pretty big that Brian (Viloria) is fighting here," he said. "It's giving me a chance to fight on a pro card."

Balasi, who trains out of Kalakaua Gym, often represented Hawai'i alongside Viloria at youth boxing tournaments in the 1990s. Balasi said he understands why Viloria's career skyrocketed and his did not.

"Brian was ranked No. 1 in the country every year when we were kids," Balasi said. "The highest I got was No. 6. When you're the No. 1 guy, you're going to get way more opportunities."

Bruce Kawano, head coach at Kalakaua Gym, said the only opportunities for Hawai'i boxers in recent years have been in small shows, or on the undercard of MMA shows.

"We can not be satisfied with that," Kawano said. "Brian is our only hope right now, but there's so many others who want to follow in his footsteps."

Saturday might also turn into an opportunity to impress a professional manager — like Viloria's Gary Gittelsohn — or promoter.

"You don't know who's going to be in the crowd watching you," Arasato said. "Who knows? You might get lucky and catch that one break, catch the eye of one guy who could take you to something bigger."

Kawano said Gittelsohn has already inquired about some of the Hawai'i undercard fighters.

"Gary said he's going to keep an eye out," Kawano said. "So hopefully one of these guys puts on a good show and be the next Brian Viloria."

Arasato is scheduled to face Hilo's Donald Gonzalez; Balasi will face Hilo's Toby Misech.

In other bouts involving Hawai'i fighters, Justin Mercado will face Richard Barnard, and Ku'ulei Kupihea will meet Shalae Padilla.

The other three undercard bouts will feature boxers from the Philippines and Mexico.

One of the intriguing boxers from the Philippines is AJ Banal, who has a record of 19-1-1, including 16 knockouts. He is ranked No. 20 in the world in the flyweight division. He will face Mexico's Jose Angel Beranza (32-15-2).

An intriguing fighter from Mexico is Alfonso Gomez, who is a former semifinalist from the reality television series "The Contender." Last year, Gomez lost a world title bout to Miguel Cotto.

In 2007, Gomez defeated former world champion Arturo Gatti.

Reach Dayton Morinaga at dmorinaga@honoluluadvertiser.com.

Source: Honolulu Advertiser

Chris Leben Looks Forward to Turning The Page
by Mike Chiappetta

After a nine-month suspension for using steroids, UFC middleweight Chris Leben is soon to return to action. Usually in a situation like that, a fighter would have to worry about negative public reaction to his comeback, but in this case, Leben is likely to be hailed like a conquering hero, as the 29-year-old veteran has the good fortune of returning at UFC 102 in his hometown of Portland, Oregon.

The match itself, however will not be easy; Leben (18-6) will take on former three-time NCAA wrestling national champion Jake Rosholt as a featured bout on the televised card.

"The Crippler" recently took a few moments out of his training to talk to FanHouse about his steroids suspension, returning to the octagon, and preparing for Rosholt.
Mike Chiappetta: How much are you looking forward to getting back in the cage?
Chris Leben: I'm really excited. It's been too long and I'm excited to get back and compete. I'm a fighter. That's what I do and I miss it for sure. I fighting, I miss training, I miss preparing, I miss competing. I miss all of it.

How did you use the time you were on suspension? Did you use the time to work on any specific skills?
I opened my own gym in Hawaii, the Ultimate Fight School [in Oahu]. I've been focused on opening that and running that. I've got over 100 students now and a fight team out there. So that keeps me busy. Then also, just training is what I've done for so many years that it's second nature to me. Regardless if I have a fight or not, I'm still going to get my conditioning in the morning. I'm still going to get my team training. I'm still going to bring different people in to work with me. I'm a martial artist regardless if I'm competing in the next week or not.

How difficult have the last nine months been like for you, because you had to deal with not only the suspension, but a loss on your record?
Obviously it wasn't easy but you move on. Everyone's lost before, and losses are always hard but you get over them. Everybody takes hits in life. You just have to say, I'm going to let this ruin me or I'm going to pick myself up. It wasn't easy but that's been my focus to get over it.

What was your reaction when you were told you tested positive for steroids and would be suspended?
A little bit of disbelief. It was something that I wasn't very happy about obviously. I didn't realize it would stay in my system for so long. I'm not an expert on it. It was something I'd done months before, so I thought I was... Ultimately, I paid the price for a mistake I made.

Why did you take steroids?
It was just to help training and I wanted to lose some weight, and I guess curiosity killed the cat, so to speak. But again, I'm rehabilitated now.

Did you have any concerns the UFC would cut you after the positive test?
I didn't know. I just didn't know what they'd do.

Did you lose any sponsors as a result?
I did. My nutrition sponsor.

Did anything positive come out of your situation?
I think it's a good example for other people of what not to do.

Do you feel like you have to rebuild your credibility with the fans, and if so, how do you go about doing that?
For me, I'm just excited to get back and compete again. I've got a great team, a great group of guys at home that I'm working with and focusing on. The people that train with me in Hawaii, the people that are helping me train in Oregon are the people I care about most. I jujst want to go in there and represent them well.

Do you have any concerns about ring rust after the layoff?
No, I don't. I've been training hard. This isn't my first, second, third, or fifteenth fight. I don't think I'll have any ring rust. It'll be the opposite.

Were you happy when the UFC came to you with Rosholt as an opponent?
To be honest with you, it's the UFC's job to pick who I'm going to fight and I'll take whoever the put in front of me. I was just glad to be able to get in the cage again.

What do you think of Rosholt's game?
I think he's a phenomenal wrestler. He's a four-time All-American. He's a national champ. There's no way you can say anything bad about having a set of skills like that.

What about the rest of his game?
I know he's been with Mark Laimon for a while, so I'm sure his grappling's gotten quite a bit better. From what I've seen, he's a goer. He likes to take people down and try to beat on them. Styles make fights, so we're going to have to see how this whole thing matches up.

You must feel like you have a big advantage on the feet?
Yeah, I think so.

Did you bring in any specialists to prepare for his wrestling?
Absolutely. Carl Barton, who wrestled at Penn State and now coaches at my school, I spent a lot of time with him. Then at Team Quest, Ed Herman, Matt Lindland, Chael Sonnen, and Nate Quarry, so I had some great guys with great wrestling skills on top of me. If I can get out from under them, I could get out from under anybody.

What if he decided to stand with you? He seems to like the fact that you're a straight-ahead guy.
It'd make my day. It would definitely make my day if that's his plan. I've stood with a lot of people so, we know that I'm not worried about that.

Where do you hope your career goes after the Rosholt fight?
Right now, to be at the point that I'm at with my life and everything that's taken place, I'm just looking at this fight. I'm just focusing on this fight. I'm not looking at what's going to happen next and what's further down the road. I'll worry about that on August 30.

Fighting in front of Portland, will it feel like a home game?
Absolutely, I'm born and raised here. Team Quest is where I started and I know everybody there. My friends and family are here. Being here is great.

How many people are you expecting to come out and support you at the arena?
A lot! I know every one of my friends has called me and told me they were able to get a bunch of tickets. And I'm a pretty cool guy, so I've got a lot of friends.

Source: MMA Fighting

UFC IN-DEPTH: COUTURE VS. NOGUEIRA
by Damon Martin

It's been a dream match-up for many hardcore MMA fans for several years and on Aug. 29 former UFC heavyweight champion Randy "The Natural" Couture will finally do battle with former Pride and UFC champion Antonio Rodrigo "Minotauro" Nogueira. Both former titleholders step into this bout coming off of losses, but which heavyweight will take a step back towards the championship picture? Regardless of his age, 46, Randy Couture has already defied the odds and continues to do so by competing at the highest levels of the sport. Running his team at Xtreme Couture in Las Vegas, the former Olympic hopeful still works just as hard as anyone in the sport.

Gaining much of his success while fighting in Japan, Rodrigo Nogueira finally made the move to the United States when Pride was purchased by the UFC. Since that time he's gone 2-1 with his only loss coming by way of former champion Frank Mir last December.

Both fighters have something to prove in an ever-developing heavyweight division and this fight could solidify one fighter as a contender, while the other could spend quite some time working his way back to the top.

STRIKING

Nogueira's stand-up has been known for two things: solid boxing and having a granite chin that could sustain unbelievable amounts of punishment. The latter took a major hit in his fight with Frank Mir, as he got caught repeatedly throughout their two-round affair and eventually was toppled by strikes following two knockdowns earlier in the bout.

Nogueira has stated on several occasions since the fight that he was not physically well going into the match-up, and other reports said the Brazilian was infected with staph heading into the fight. Either way, Nogueira has taken some big shots in his day so his striking in this fight needs to include more defense to accompany his boxing or he may have another long day in the Octagon.

Couture has always been known more for his clinch work and ground attack, but he has steadily improved his striking year-over-year. Although he did drop two fights later in his career to Chuck Liddell, it was their first fight where Couture stayed aggressive and used his boxing to keep the former light heavyweight champion on his heels the entire fight.

Throughout his career, Couture has used his punching to set up the clinch where he utilizes a dirty boxing style that has been disastrous for several opponents. If he can get inside of Nogueira's jab, Couture should be able to control the stand-up, but aggression has to be the key.

GRAPPLING

Many critics believe this truly will be the category to watch when Couture and Nogueira step into the cage on Saturday night. A former Olympic level wrestler, Couture has shown tremendous ground control throughout his career, while Nogueira's Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is some of, if not the best, in the heavyweight division.

Traditionally, Couture likes to work a dirty boxing game to set up his Greco-Roman wrestling from the clinch. He's taken down some of the best fighters in the game and kept them down, and being underneath Couture's ground and pound is a difficult proposition for any fighter.

While not MMA, Couture has also competed in the grappling world and went to a draw with famed jiu-jitsu and Abu Dhabi champion Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza in a match a few years ago. Not known for his submissions, Couture does manage to keep his opponent's off balance and never puts himself in a bad position, which ultimately keeps him from being submitted.

Nogueira's ground attack is the stuff of legend. In his days with Pride, he reeled off a stunning 11 submission victories. Working from his back is what the former Pride champion does best and fighting a wrestler like Couture, that's more than likely what he'll do in this fight as well.

For his ground game to work, Nogueira has to get Couture to the mat by any means necessary, even if it means pulling guard and throwing up anything and everything he can to try and catch him.

While their styles are different, Couture and Nogueira both compete at the highest level when it comes to the ground game, but the American's wrestling could be the difference maker if the fight goes to a decision, as he will likely decide when and if the fight hits the ground.

CAGE CONTROL

This category would seemingly go to Randy Couture almost every time just based on his tremendous clinch game and ability to control where the fight takes place. It's no secret that he is the better wrestler in this fight, but he still has to be wary of Nogueira's boxing when on the feet and his aggressive submission attack on the ground.

CONDITIONING

This is again a toss-up as both fighters have competed in some of the highest-level bouts this sport has ever known. Nogueira battled for round after round and in tournaments while fighting in Pride, while Couture has fought into the "championship" rounds a few times in his career, as well as battling through the tournament format his entire wrestling career. Couture has also pushed himself physically while competing in several major sporting competitions, including endurance races, and his pace is almost unmatched in any fight.

In his last fight, Nogueira did seem very sluggish throughout, but as referenced earlier he was apparently not physically well heading into the bout. Still, the Brazilian has to know the pressure is on him to stay active for every minute in this fight. With it only being a three rounder, conditioning shouldn't be a problem for either of these athletes.

THE "X" FACTOR

The biggest "X" factor heading into this fight is the same factor that's been brought up in several categories prior to this. Was 33-year-old Nogueira's last performance brought on by sickness or has time caught up to the once great champion? Time never seems to catch up to Couture, and even though he got TKO'd by current champion Brock Lesnar in his last fight, the ageless wonder was holding his own against the hulking Minnesotan prior to the finishing flurry.

It's never been a secret that Nogueira could take punishment and like the Energizer bunny he just keeps going and going and going. With this fight only being for three rounds, and with each round only being five minutes, Nogueira simply can't wait to wear down his opponent as he's been able to do in the past, especially when that opponent is Couture.

Nogueira has to be the aggressor in this fight, keeping Couture off balance, and if the fight hits the ground, throw everything and the kitchen sink at the former UFC champion to try and submit him. Even if he doesn't catch him, making Couture work just to stay out of trouble will look better to the judges who are notorious for granting the decision to whoever happens to be on top in a ground fight.

KEYS TO VICTORY

Randy Couture:
- Use the clinch and dirty boxing
- Work his wrestling game to his advantage
- Slip inside of Nogueira's jab and stay close

Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira:
- Be the aggressor at every point
- On the ground use every submission at his disposal
- Work the jab to keep Couture away from the clinch

Source: MMA Weekly

UFC 9/19 American Airlines Center in Dallas
By Zach Arnold

Dark matches

¦Lightweights: Rob Emerson vs. Rafael Dos Anjos
¦Light Heavyweights: Vladimir Matyushenko vs. Igor Pokrajac
¦Light Heavyweights: Eliot Marshall vs. Jason Brilz
¦Middleweights: Drew McFedries vs. Tomasz Drwal
¦Welterweights: Paul “Semtex” Daley vs. Brian Foster
¦Lightweights: Dan Lauzon vs. Rafaello Oliveira
¦Lightweights: Jim Miller vs. Thiago Tavares
¦Lightweights: Efrain Escudero vs. Cole Miller
Main card

¦Lightweights: Tyson Griffin vs. Hermes Franca
¦Welterweights: Josh Koscheck vs. Frank Trigg
¦Welterweights: Mike Swick vs. Martin Kampmann
¦Heavyweights: Mirko Cro Cop vs. Junior Dos Santos
¦Catch weight (195 pounds): Rich Franklin vs. Vitor Belfort
Carlos Arias at The Orange County Register says that Spike TV will air two hours of undercard fights on Spike TV right before the show goes to PPV.

Two questions:

1.I thought Dana White kept saying that nobody wanted to see Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Juan Manuel Marquez and that he wasn’t at war with boxing. All of a sudden he’s now giving away dark matches on free TV to compete?
2.Will Spike TV air the two-hour broadcast live on all coasts or will it be a staggered feed? If it’s a staggered feed, it will lose a lot of sting. If it’s live on all coasts, it will get viewers undoubtedly.

Source: Fight Opinion

Jake Rosholt: NCAA Champ Makes the Move to the UFC
by Michael David Smith

Few collegiate wrestlers have accomplished more than Jake Rosholt, a four-time All-American and three-time NCAA champion at Oklahoma State. But now Rosholt is finding that the move from the mat to the Octagon isn't easy.

Rosholt started fighting mixed martial arts in 2007, and in February of 2009 he made his debut in the UFC. His first fight, however, lasted just over a minute, before Brazilian jiu jitsu black belt Dan Miller caught him in a guillotine choke and forced him to tap out.

Now Rosholt is preparing for his second UFC fight, against Chris Leben at UFC 102 on August 29, and in an interview with FanHouse, he said he's learned from that loss and he's ready to do the necessary work to become a champion in the UFC, just as he was a champion in the NCAA.

Michael David Smith: Would you say you're the most accomplished wrestler in the UFC?
Jake Rosholt: As far as collegiate wrestling I am. I'm the only person with three NCAA titles, and then there's one person with two, and that's (former Oklahoma State teammate) Johny Hendricks, and then I think there have been a few with two in the past, like Kevin Randleman. As far as I know I'm the only one with three, but there have also been UFC fighters who were Olympic wrestlers, and being in the Olympics is considered a greater accomplishment than being NCAA champion.

Is wrestling the best base for an MMA fighter to have?
I don't know if I could say it's better than every other martial art, but I think wrestling certainly helps. It teaches you hard work and dedication, and those are important things to have in MMA. Wrestling is a great sport and I think it's given me an advantage.

Which UFC fighters do you think are the best at using the techniques of wrestling and applying them to MMA?
That's pretty simple: Georges St. Pierre is the best out there at using wrestling to control the fight. I also think Randy Couture is outstanding with his wrestling.

It's interesting that you mention GSP because his background isn't in wrestling. How good do you think he could have been as an amateur wrestler if he had gone down that road when he was young?
I don't know because it's a completely different sport. I imagine that he, because of the kind of athlete he is, would be pretty damn good at whatever he did. But you can't really look at him in MMA and say that he would have been an Olympian, because they are different sports. In wrestling, you don't have to worry about getting submitted and you don't have to worry about getting punched, so it's just a completely different game plan.

What do you think about Brock Lesnar? He's a former NCAA wrestling champion. Does he have great wrestling skill, or is he just such a big, strong physical specimen that he doesn't need that much skill?
He's an amazing physical specimen, but his wrestling is top-notch, too.

Did you know when you were a college wrestler that you wanted to be a professional MMA fighter?
No, I had no idea. I never wanted to fight until about a year after I got done wrestling.

So what got you into it?
I had some people approach me about it, and after I heard them out, I decided I wanted to try it.

And you started out with small shows in Oklahoma?
Yeah, I did some smaller shows and did well in those, and then I won a fight on HDNet, and then the WEC gave me a contract for five fights. After I fought one fight in the WEC, the UFC picked up the rest of the contract, in kind of a whirlwind deal that I didn't really have much say in.

Did you have the sense in the WEC that they viewed you as one of the up-and-coming stars, because you had such a strong resume as an amateur wrestler?
I don't know. They said they were excited to have me, but I don't know what kinds of plans they had for me.

How did you feel about your one WEC fight, when you beat Nissen Osterneck?
Not very good. I got kind of overwhelmed at the beginning, and I got the exact fight that I was not ready for. I was able to pull out the win, but it didn't go the way I wanted it to go, that's for sure.

So after that fight did the WEC just tell you they were getting rid of your weight class so you'd be going to the UFC?
I actually knew before the fight that it would be my only WEC fight.

I assume you were happy about that because the UFC is the bigger show?
Honestly, I would have rather had a couple more fights in the WEC. But it doesn't really matter. I'm excited about being in the UFC because I can fight the best fighters out there, and this is definitely the place for me to make my name.

And when you made your UFC debut at the Ultimate Fight Night in February, Dan Miller got you to tap with a guillotine choke after just a minute. What went wrong?
I just got caught in a guillotine. There's not much else I can say about it. The fight didn't last very long. I got caught in a bad situation and got submitted.

I've seen a few fights where a guy with a wrestling background goes for a takedown and gets caught in a guillotine. Do the types of takedowns that you use as a wrestler leave you susceptible to the guillotine?
Yes, I definitely think so, but I've been doing MMA long enough and studying jiu jitsu long enough that I should know better than to get in those situations. It was just a spot where he did a really good job, and I wasn't in a good position and I got caught in a guillotine.

And Dan Miller is a guy who, if you leave yourself open, his jiu jitsu is good enough that he's going to make you pay for it.
Yeah, he is. He's a respectable opponent and he beat me.

What do you think of your next opponent, Chris Leben?
I'm excited to fight him. Leben always puts on exciting fights. He's a come-forward kind of guy who's going to try to stand in front of me and knock me out, and I'm excited about that.

Have you watched much tape of his fights to prepare?
I've watched a couple of his fights, but I don't spend too much time doing that. I don't really watch much video of my opponents, because I don't really care. I want to go out there and fight to the best of my abilities and make them worry about what I'm doing.

So you view yourself as preparing for a fight, rather than preparing specifically for Chris Leben?
Yes. I mean, obviously, I know where he's strong and my trainers have watched some of his fights and pointed things out, but I'm not going to sit there and break down every minute of every one of his fights and think that's going to help me beat him.

With your superior wrestling, would you like to take Leben to the ground?
Not necessarily. I don't really care where the fight goes. I think Leben is pretty decent on the ground, so it's not like if I take him to the ground I'm definitely going to win the fight. Where ever the fight is, I have to be ready to beat him.

Have you given much thought to what you'd like to do next, after the fight with Leben?
I'm just worried about beating Chris Leben. After I do that, I'll fight whoever they ask me to.

Where have you been training for this fight?
I've been at Cobra Kai in Las Vegas and UNLV Boxing with Chris Ben, and a couple other places in Vegas as well.

What are your long-term ambitions in this sport?
Just to keep getting better. I've only been doing this for two years now, and I know I have a lot of learning to do and a lot to get better at. I just want to keep winning fights and keep making my name bigger in MMA.

How long do you want to fight?
As long as I feel that I have the ability to be one of the best fighters in the world, I'll keep doing it. Because I love it.

Source: MMA Fighting

UFC Confirms Machida vs. Rua for Oct. 24th
Velasquez vs. Rothwell Also Announced for UFC 104

By FCF Staff

The Ultimate Fighting Championship has officially announced that, as expected, light-heavyweight champion Lyoto Machida will look to defend his belt against Mauricio “Shogun” Rua at UFC 104. The fight will take place October 24th at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California.

The bout will mark the first time that the undefeated Machida (15-0) has fought since he won the promotion’s 205lb. championship in May, by knocking out Rashad Evans in highlight reel fashion at UFC 98. The 31 year-old-champion has won 7 straight since arriving in the UFC in February, 2007.

Rua (18-3) is coming off a first round stoppage of former champion Chuck Liddell at UFC 97 in April. The win was Rua’s second in the UFC, after he stopped Mark Coleman in the third round at UFC 93 in January.

With Shane Carwin now scheduled to face Brock Lesnar at UFC 106 in November, heavyweight contender Cain Velasquez (6-0) will take on the veteran and UFC newcomer Ben Rothwell (30-6).

Velasquez earned his 4th Octagon victory in June, by working his way to a Unanimous Decision victory over Cheick Kongo at UFC 99, and it marked the first time that the American Kickboxing Academy fighter was forced to go the distance.

Rothwell has not fought since last December, when he tapped out Chris Guillen with strikes at an Adrenaline MMA event. Prior to that, Rothwell was knocked out by Andrei Arlovski at Affliction’s second event last July, handing the Miletich trained heavyweight his first loss since 2005.

Source: Full Contact Fighter

JJ reality show pilot on Youtube
Glover’s Travels to tour JJ academies around the world

With its second episode already featuring on Youtube.com as a pilot, Glover’s Travels is a reality show starring Jeff Glover, a Jiu-Jitsu and submission grappling dynamo with a nimble and lethal guard, who makes the rounds at Jiu-Jitsu academies around the world to unearth the best of what each has to offer.

The brainchild of Budo Videos’ David Contreras, the idea behind the internet broadcast is to give back to the Jiu-Jitsu community by providing exposure to the different schools it comprises. With the professional filming, editing and know-how of the Budo Videos film crew, each episode will feature a different Jiu-Jitsu academy, and the expertise of seven-time Grapplers Quest champion Glover.

Source: Gracie Magazine

Ryan 'The Lion' Couture Wins at TUFF-n-UFF Over Weekend

Las Vegas, NV Aug 25, 2009 Ryan "The Lion" Couture wins a tough and exciting fight in Las Vegas at Tuff-N-Uff "Future Stars of MMA"

"I knew from experience that generally what he does is just flurries of punches on guys, so I was quick to try to get a hold of his head and control his posture and tie his arms up. Luckily, I was able to find that angle with my hips on him and lock that armbar in and get myself out of there because I was definitely still recovering and would have needed a minute to get my bearings about me."

Source: The Fight Network

KENNY FLORIAN PLANS ON FIGHTING AGAIN THIS YEAR
by Jeff Cain

Fresh off a loss to B.J. Penn at UFC 101 in Philadelphia on Aug. 8, Kenny Florian wants to be more active and expects to fight again in 2009.

"I am going to fight before 2010. There's no doubt about it," he told MMAWeekly.com. "I have to get a fight in. I think it will happen and hopefully against someone tough."

Heading into the UFC lightweight title bout with Penn, Florian was coming off his longest layoff between fights since his appearance as a contestant on The Ultimate Fighter's debut season in early 2005. For the 33-year-old fighter, that's too much of a break.

"I have to stay more active," said Florian. "I can't be taking almost nine months off between fights and then try to fight somebody like B.J. Penn. I have to be more active than that.

"I definitely don't want to take that kind of time off again," added the lightweight contender. "I just need to stay as active as possible. I want to fight every three or four months with no more than four months off. I have to fight more often and hopefully the UFC will allow me to do that. I think that's when I'm my best."

For his next bout, Florian wants a top opponent.

"I'm looking forward to getting back in there with anyone who is tough and get back to the top," he stated. "I didn't get into this sport to just beat guys up. I got in this sport so I can face the best guys and be the best martial artist I can be. That's why I'm in this more than anything else, more than the belt, more than anything else.

"I'm in this sport to be the best fighter I can be, and you don't do that by just fighting chumps," he continued. "I've got to fight the best guys out there, and that's the way you learn best about yourself and you skills, where you're at and where you need to improve. Of course I need to get back to the top. I want to fight again for the belt, and you've got to fight the best to do that.

"I always come back stronger after a loss, and I believe it will be the same this time around. I want to get back there."

Source: MMA Weekly

Is it time for Keith Kizer to approve Big John McCarthy back into the fold?
By Zach Arnold

We know that UFC has been vocal about certain referees they like and don’t like (Steve Mazzagatti being one of them), so it’s obvious that when you’re the top promoter in your sport you have a lot of political power because of your financial clout.

We also know that Keith Kizer has not always had the most glowing opinion of Big John McCarthy, a reason perhaps as to why McCarthy isn’t officiating in Nevada. Given the shaky referee work that we’ve seen in 2009 in MMA, is it time for Keith Kizer to publicly endorse or embrace bringing back Big John McCarthy as a referee in Nevada for MMA events?

Source: Fight Opinion

8/27/09

Quote of the Day

"It is difficulties which give birth to miracles."

Rev. Dr. Sharpe

DEMIAN MAIA: GETTING BETTER ALL THE TIME

At first, jiu-jitsu phenom Demian Maia was disappointed when the UFC matched him with Nate Marquardt at UFC 102, a final test before a middleweight title shot against kingpin Anderson Silva. He wanted the title shot badly. Then, he realized he’d face Marquardt soon anyways.

"As a fighter, as an athlete, I should get these tough tests,” Maia told MMAWeekly.com. “I could go and fight for the title and maybe win, but I’d fight Nate after. So let’s fight now and see who is more prepared for the title shot.”

The 185-pound title eliminator has come in under the radar on the Aug. 29 card in Portland, Ore., but it carries serious implications for the middleweight division.

Maia took special care to prepare correctly for Marquardt, a former contender and an illustration of the well-rounded fighter. If it was to be the final step before his biggest challenge, he couldn’t falter.

By all accounts, Maia has a great setup in his home city of Sao Paulo, Brazil, meaning it’s not the hot and sweaty hell of many Brazilian dojos. He has ample training partners to draw from, including high-level wrestlers often elusive to jiu-jitsu centered schools like his own. But that comes with a price. Like other MMA stars that run their own gyms, there are many distractions to take away from training. The solution: Wand Fight Team in Las Vegas, where strength and conditioning punisher Rafael Alejarra teamed up with Wanderlei Silva to focus Maia in the final month of training.

“I just go train, go back home, and sleep and eat,” he said. “Everything’s just about the training.”

Many fans have already anointed Maia the man to beat Silva. With his ground dominance and Silva’s relative lack of camera time there, MMA mathematicians have him submitting the pound-for-pound great in a fantasy match-up. But he’s never been in a real firefight on the feet, and Marquardt could be the man to give him one.

“I can’t think about Anderson because Nate is as tough as Anderson is,” said Maia. “I have a very hard test right now. If I win, then I can think about that, but not before the fight. I forgot about Anderson.”

It may help, too, that Silva’s focus is on heavier things, hinting at a two-division jump to heavyweight recently.

Maia is not sure how the fight will play out, or if Marquardt will be his toughest challenge yet. “You never know,” he said. “It looks like it’s going to be my toughest challenge.” Apart from the general goal – submission – he’s going to take what’s given to him.

“I don’t really make a game plan,” he said. “A fight is always improvised. Everybody has a strategy; everybody has his strong and weak points, and is thinking what I’m gonna do. But during the fight, you really can’t control too much.”

Marquardt says he’s a changed man since his loss to Silva in July 2007, and looked like a terror in recent performances against Martin Kampmann and Wilson Gouveia. It’s not the first time he’s faced a jiu-jitsu ace – Ricardo Almeida submitted him in late 2003 – but perhaps the first time he’s faced someone with Maia’s level of prestige. He does, however, have a decided advantage in field experience, and he’s counting on that for the win.

If Maia is victorious, he says he'll expect a title shot. But the timing of this bout turned out to be a blessing for his title aspirations.

“I should be in the best shape on the day of the fight,” he said. “I’m always trying to get better in the stand-up, and also jiu-jitsu. Trying to be better than I was last fight. I want to submit (Marquardt).”

Source: MMA Weekly

COUTURE READY TO FACE THE BEST NOGUEIRA

Five-time UFC champion Randy Couture can empathize with Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira when critics say the former Pride and UFC champ is past his prime.

At 46, he’s made a career of bucking the trend, performing at peak ability long past the usual shelf life for combatants. At 33, Nogueira is battling his first crisis of confidence after years of come-from-behind fighting and a lackluster performance in December against Frank Mir.

Couture has been there, done that.

“Those questions have been asked of me for quite a while, and they’re being asked of him now after his last couple of performances, and not looking as sharp or as stellar as he used to look,” Couture told MMAWeekly.com. “The Mir fight has raised more permanent questions of, has he been in too many battles, is he slowing down; he doesn’t look as impressive. We obviously know he can take some punishment and stay in there and find ways to win. He’s a very impressive fighter. People are going to ask those questions, especially after you’ve had a loss.”

Couture believes it would be a mistake to buy into to that thinking.

“I have to prepare myself for the Nogueira that we all know, because that’s the potential that could be there,” he said. “I can’t count on any of this other speculation. It doesn’t make any sense.”

Couture twice turned down the opportunity to face Nogueira; first, in November of 2007, when UFC president Dana White offered the match-up a month after he resigned from the promotion; then in March, when the promotion was pinched for a main event worthy bout for UFC 96 in Columbus, Ohio. At the time, Couture’s elbow had been a nagging problem, and his role in the Sylvester Stallone-helmed movie “The Expendables” got in the way. Back in Pride days, there was talk of a match-up between the two that never came to fruition.

As such, fans have labeled this fight as a day late and a dollar short, a concession for the years the two circled each other as figureheads of rival organizations. The heavyweight tournament sold upon Couture’s return – Lesnar vs. Couture at UFC 91 and Nogueira vs. Mir at UFC 92 – is long over. The two are battling as much for legacy as another title shot.

Consider how many match-ups between former Pride and UFC stars did not get made, and things look a little better.

Couture shrugs at the timing of the bout and says his elbow is 100 percent.

“I took the fight because it was an intriguing match-up,” he said. “Nogueira poses a lot of interesting problems as a fighter, and that’s what I love about fighting: figuring out how to solve those problems.

“He still has the spirit and willingness to get out there and fight, that makes him a formidable opponent. His experience is one more thing to consider.”

Nogueira has 38 fights on his resume; many of them are case studies in resiliency. The Brazilian made his name on heart and the ability to capitalize on mistakes to win the day. His last victory, an interim title fight against Tim Sylvia at UFC 81, served as the most recent example of his toughness. It’s also the thing that’s dogging him coming into the fight.

Couture does not expect to be the second person to put “Big Nog” away.

“You never think you’re going to finish anybody,” said Couture. “You have to give respect to each and every guy you fight, that they’re prepared, that they’re not going to make a mistake, and it’s going to be a war. And never has that been truer than going into this fight.”

Mir was an early candidate for Couture’s training camp, but Neil Melanson ended up doing the bulk of coaching for the grappling side of preparation. For stand-up training, Couture called in Muay Thai specialist Quinton Chong and worked with in-house coaches Gil Martinez, Shawn Thompkins, and Ron Frazier.

Couture says he’ll try to keep Nogueira from taking him down, and if a takedown does occur, he’ll work to be on top. Despite the fact that both are ground experts, a stand-up war has been predicted.

“He’s a pretty big guy, and he’s pretty good at the crazy trips and things that he does,” said Couture. “He’s going to have trouble doing his body lock trip that he tries to do to everyone else.”

Nogueira’s coach, Luiz Alves, has said Couture doesn’t have knockout power.

“His stand-up’s decent,” said Couture. “It’s more than adequate.”

It’s the transitions where Couture sees the advantage.

“It’s an area I certainly feel comfortable in, finding ways through the transition to land shots and tie guys up and limit their abilities to return fire,” he continued. “I can’t get careless, but I think that’s an area I feel comfortable in, and you obviously want to try and put the fight in the areas where you feel best.”

As usual, Couture is taking his career one fight at a time, sidestepping questions of his retirement for the challenge ahead. Whichever Nogueira he faces, he’ll be ready.

“This guy is a top-notch fighter, he’s a warrior, and I have to assume that he’s going to bring everything he has and try to find a way to win this fight, just like he has every other time he’s stepped out there,” he said. “Those other questions don’t concern me.”


Source: MMA Weekly

FRANK SHAMROCK PLANNING DECEMBER RETURN

Frank Shamrock expects to return to competition in the Strikeforce promotion in December, but an opponent has not been named.

"A time line for me to fight is December," Shamrock told MMAWeekly.com content partner Tapout Radio.

While no opponent has been named, Shamrock threw out a few names he'd like to fight: Matt Lindland and rematches with Nick Diaz and Cung Le. But at the end of the day, Shamrock doesn't care who's standing across the cage from him for his next bout.

"If Nick Diaz can stop smoking dope, if whoever else the hell we've got can show up at the weigh-ins, I honestly don't care," stated Shamrock. "I'm interested in promoting the sport of mixed martial arts. Who ever comes in front of me, I'm interested in facing."

Shamrock's accolades include UFC middleweight titleholder, interim King of Pancrase, and WEC light heavyweight champion, as well as Strikeforce middleweight titleholder.

Shamrock rose to the top of the sport by winning the Ultimate Fighting Championship middleweight title at UFC Ultimate Japan 1 in 1997. He defended his belt four times before leaving the promotion in semi-retirement.

He made a full-time return to fighting on March 10, 2006, setting the then U.S. attendance record against Cesar Gracie in San Jose, Calif., in what was California's first sanctioned mixed martial arts event. He's gone 2-3 since his official return losing his last two outings, to Cung Le and Nick Diaz.

Source: MMA Weekly

WERDUM READY FOR TITLE, FEDOR, WHOEVER

It was a far cry from the title shot that he had anticipated, but Fabricio Werdum made the most of his fight at the recent Strikeforce “Carano vs. Cyborg” event in San Jose, Calif. He still made the Showtime televised portion of the fight card and submitted his opponent, Mike Kyle, just over a minute into the opening round.

“The fight went exactly as I planned it,” he later told MMAWeekly.com. “The only thing that surprised me a bit is that Mike tried to submit me.”

Not a bad Strikeforce debut. Werdum quickly served notice that he was worthy of being considered for the title shot against champion Alistair Overeem – who had to withdraw due to a lingering injury – despite leaving the UFC following a TKO loss to Junior dos Santos last October.

“Overall, I do not know if the win rates me higher in (Strikeforce’s) rankings, but hopefully it does. I believe that I am one of the top 10 heavyweights in the world,” said Werdum. “In terms of heavyweights in Strikeforce, I would like to think that I am top three.”

Even with the recent addition of Fedor Emelianenko – a near unanimous choice as the number one heavyweight fighter in the world – saying Werdum is one of Strikeforce’s top three isn’t much of a stretch. With Overeem currently laying claim to the title, Werdum should easily be considered one of the top contenders alongside Fedor and Brett Rogers.

The former grappling coach for Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic, he feels he matches up well against all three of the other top Strikeforce heavyweights.

“I think the match up would be great,” he said of Fedor. “My jiu-jitsu against his sambo. Fedor is a dangerous unorthodox striker that anyone must be careful of. Brett is a great fighter, too. This match would be a good one as well because you would see Brett tested for the first time in his career.”

And Overeem is a fighter that he knows all too well, having submitted the Strikeforce champ a little over three years ago when the two were fighting for Pride in Japan.

“I think my past fight against Alistair, when I beat him, speaks for itself.”

That said, Werdum is a company man. He just wants to fight, and will face whoever Strikeforce puts in front of him.

“I prefer to fight,” he told MMAWeekly.com, “Against who, does not matter to me. Showtime and Strikeforce work closely with one another in making matches and I understand that the match must have a broader television appeal than just going for the hardcore MMA fan.”

It’s unclear how soon Overeem will be able to defend his title, and with the addition of Fedor, it’s also unclear who will get the next crack at him.

Current plans put Fedor in his first Strikeforce bout in October or November, according to CEO Scott Coker, but it is unlikely that he’ll be facing Overeem. It’s more likely that it will be Fedor debuting against either Werdum or Rogers.

Regardless of how the match-ups pan out, rest assured, Werdum is ready and willing for any of them.

Source: MMA Weekly

TIM SYLVIA TOPS ADRENALINE IV FIGHT CARD

Despite early indications of a second Southern showing, Adrenaline MMA will be a local affair for promoter and manager Monte Cox when the fourth installment of the regional promotion hits the Mid-American Center on Sept. 18 in Council Bluffs, Iowa.

Former UFC heavyweight champion Tim Sylvia will headline his second consecutive Adrenaline card, hoping to shake off a devastating loss to ex-boxing champ Ray Mercer at Adrenaline III in Birmingham, Ala. He faces former Canadian Football League standout Jason Riley.

UFC vets dot the rest of the card, with a light heavyweight match-up between Houston Alexander and Sherman Pendergarst co-headlining the evening, in addition to appearances by Chad Reiner, Forrest Petz, and Joe Vedepo.

ADRENALINE IV FULL CARD:

MAIN EVENTS:
-Tim Sylvia (24-5) vs. Jason Riley (6-1)
-Houston Alexander (8-4) vs. Sherman Pendergarst (11-13)

MAIN CARD:
-Chad Reiner (19-8) vs. Forrest Petz (13-7)
-Alonzo Martinez (23-10) vs. Ryan Williams (10-4)
-Jeremy Lang (15-1) vs. Matt Delanoit (13-6)
-Joe Vedepo (9-2) vs. Webster Farris (1-0)
-Jimmy Siepel (1-0) vs. Bob Tuttle (1-0)

PRELIMINARIES:
-Todd Meneely (0-0) vs. Corey McDonald (1-1)
-Dustin Smith (5-0) vs. Marcos Marquez (3-0)
-Matt Bentley (4-2) vs. Danny Black (7-5)
-John Hansen (10-2) vs. Gregg Van der Creek (4-1)
-Dakota Cochrane (6-0) vs. Bill Holcombe (12-4)
-Ryan Shell (15-4) vs. Robert Rojas (13-1)

Source: MMA Weekly

KING MO VS MARK KERR HEADS FULL M-1 FIGHT CARD

M-1 Global on Sunday released the full fight card for its “HDNet Fights Presents M-1 Global Breakthrough,” which takes place at Memorial Hall in Kansas City on Friday.

Six televised bouts are scheduled to air during the HDNet telecast (10:00 p.m. ET), plus a special sparring exhibition between M-1 fighters Fedor Emelianenko and newly-crowned Strikeforce light heavyweight champion Gegard Mousasi, with a five-bout undercard assembled for the local crowd attending live.

The main card is anchored by the United States debut of former NCAA champion "King" Mo Lawal and former NCAA All-American Mark "The Smashing Machine" Kerr. The undercard will be headlined by 8-1 Spanish heavyweight sensation Rogent Lloret taking on the latest addition to the M-1 Global roster, Russian heavyweight Alexey Oleinik.

-Muhammed "King Mo" Lawal (4-0) vs. Mark Kerr (15-10)
-Special Sparring Exhibition: Fedor Emelianenko vs. Gegard Mousasi
-Lucio Linhares (12-4) vs. Mikhail Zayats (8-3)
-Jessie Gibbs (8-2) vs. Rob Broughton (10-4-1)
-Karl Amoussou (10-2-1) vs. John Doyle (9-8)
-Lloyd Marshbanks (17-8) vs. Michael Kita (5-3)
-Daisuke Nakamura (19-10) vs. Ferrid Kheder (14-3)
-Rogent Lloret (7-1) vs. Alexey Oleinik (24-4)
-Eric Marriott (13-1) vs. Tim Bazer (9-6)
-Sean Wilson (18-9) vs. Josh Orocho (11-6)
-Rudy Bears (9-3) vs. Brendan Seguin (18-15-1)
-Andria Caplan (0-0) vs. Mollie Ahlers-Estes (1-0)

Source: MMA Weekly

AARON SIMPSON WORKING HIS WAY TO THE TOP

Arizona Combat Sports fighter Aaron Simpson’s foray into the UFC has been interesting, to say the least.

One of the original transferees from the WEC’s middleweight and light heavyweight merger into the big show, Simpson made his presence known when he defeated seasoned, seven-year veteran Tim McKenzie at UFC Fight Night 18 via TKO within the first two minutes of the opening round.

It would be just a couple of months later before Simpson received the infamous UFC phone call to return to action. This one phone call would trigger one of the more confusing and public matchmaking flip flops to date, which can only spell disaster for what must have been a hellish couple of weeks for matchmaker extraordinaire Joe Silva.

“July 4th, I remember that me and my wife are at a resort and I get a text that says I’m fighting Dan Miller,” recounted Simpson as he spoke with the MMAWeekly Radio crew.

“This is the very first thing I heard... I put that up on my facebook. Well, it was a little premature because either they didn’t offer him the fight or something happened or whatever. They told me to take it off the facebook, blah, blah, blah,” he said.

“So, next thing I know, I get a call that says we’re fighting Ed Herman, send the paperwork and that is for UFC Fight Night 19 in Oklahoma City. So all along I’m like, ‘okay, Ed Herman, that’s who my opponent is.’ Well, then a couple of weeks ago, Ed Herman takes a fight with Wilson Gouveia and they give me Dan Miller again.”

As Simpson continued to make short of what is an increasingly long story, it has become evident the plight that many fighters must face from time to time. Although most would find such a situation frustrating, Simpson chose to look at the positives and feels that, in the end, everything has worked out as it was to be intended.

“Long story short, Wilson Gouveia goes down, they need someone for Ed Herman, they offer it to us. I said I’d take it now because I’ve been training for Ed Herman all along, it’s just a couple of weeks early, and we’ll give C.B the fight with Dan Miller out in Oklahoma City. So everything worked out for the good, I think,” finished the 35-year-old on an odd, odd story.

The bout, originally intended for Oklahoma’s UFC Fight Night 19, has been moved up a little over two weeks to the UFC 102 event, the organization’s first outing to Oregon. Legends Randy Couture and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira will collide in Portland’s main event on Aug. 29.

It’s become a trend amongst most premier athletes today, where some of the greats such as welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre make conscious efforts to stay in shape year round, sharpening and honing their skills in order to remain amongst the best in their class and Simpson is no different.

“I was helping C.B for his last fight. I’ve been training since June, so it’s not like a couple of weeks is going to hurt me here or there. I’ve been in the gym,” he explained.

“Really, even after my last fight I was doing stuff, may not have been in the gym that much, but I was running, lifting, trying to get a little bit bigger and stronger, increase some areas that I feel like I needed (work on).”

Mindful of the task at hand, Simpson hopes to keep his undefeated record in tact when he takes on Season 3 middleweight Ultimate Fighter runner-up Ed Herman, hopefully. With just two years and change underneath his belt into his professional career as a mixed martial artist, “A-Train” sees “Short Fuse” not only as a formidable opponent, but the step up that he needs to become among one of the best in his class.

“I need to step it up in competition. (Ed is) going to be a real good test for me, not that David Avellan or Tim (McKenzie) weren’t good tests for me, but you go in there, you train to compete against the best and right now these guys are top notch,” he proclaimed.

“Whether it was going to be Dan or it was going to be Ed, it was definitely something I needed to learn about them a little bit and explore where I need to get better at and train hard, which is what I’ve been doing.

“It’s going to be a fun fight for me.”

Source: MMA Weekly

HOPING FOR UFC 105, HATHAWAY AWAITS THE CALL

Everybody is on tenterhooks in the U.K. waiting to find out who will be populating the UFC 105 card in Manchester, England. Several fighters are guaranteed to appear – namely heros that live nearby, such as Michael Bisping, Terry Etim, and Ross Pearson; but what of the other U.K. stars? We caught up with welterweight John Hathaway to see if he had any news.

“Were still waiting to hear about November, but if it’s not then I guess I will be fighting again in the New Year,” he explained. “No names have been mentioned to us, but I don’t mind at the moment. I have had some time off to rest and I have just started training again so there are plenty of things I can work on in the meantime.”

Having only just celebrated his 22nd birthday, Hathaway feels that time is on his side, and with an undefeated record of 11-0, he is on the right track through hard training and a level headed approach to his success. He realizes that there is a time to fight and a time to pick up new skills without pressure.

“Ideally I want to be fighting three to four times a year because of the way I cut my weight, so I like to be active and hover around an ideal cutting weight. In a way it is frustrating to not have anything booked at the moment, but I see it as an opportunity to tighten up a lot of elements in my game. I am training a lot heavier than I usually am because of the down time, so it’s odd moving the extra weight around, but it’s all good,” he offered.

Since making his Octagon debut as a welterweight at UFC 93, Hathaway has been finding his feet in the division, but is under no illusions that he is on the verge of mixing things up with some of the big names that surround him on the roster.

“If not for this next fight or the one after, I reckon I will be fighting guys in the eight to 10 spots at 170,” he contemplated, but he is curious to see how the UFC plans on dealing with such a wealth of talent coming out of the U.K. at the moment.

“The division is stacked on both sides of the pond, and I am interested to see what they are going to do with the British guys moving forward. I mean, we have Dan Hardy, Paul Daley, Nick Oscipzak, Paul Taylor, and myself, so do they make us fight each other or do they put on a united front of us against the Americans? Who knows? But there are enough of us Brits out there to mix it up without crossing paths.”

With no clear fight in sight, all Hathaway can do is focus back on his training and helping the rest of his team to develop. In his own mind he has improvements to make and is working diligently to seamlessly add new weapons to his arsenal, but you can tell that he really would much rather be in the cage tearing it up.

Source: MMA Weekly

GORMLEY DRAWS STEFAN STRUVE AT UFC 104

Danish heavyweight Stefan Struve will eclipse Ben Rothwell's shadow to face Chase Gormley at UFC 104 on Oct. 24 in Los Angeles.

The match-up was first reported by Fighters Only and subsequently confirmed to MMAWeekly.com by a source close to the fight. Both parties have agreed to the contest and bout agreements are expected to be signed shortly.

The Rothwell/Gormley match-up was originally scheduled for Affliction “Trilogy” on Aug. 1 before the promotion closed up shop. The pair was acquired by the UFC in a transfer of select fighter contracts as part of a sponsorship deal between the clothing maker and industry leading fight promotion.

Gormley (6-0) trains out of Black House gym in Gardena, Calif., and makes his big show debut at the Staples Center event. A veteran of California feeder show Gladiator Challenge and Maximum Fighting Championships, he carries notable wins over Jon Murphy and King of the Cage champion Eric Pele.

The 6'11" Struve (17-3) notched his first Octagon victory in his last outing at UFC 99, braving a monstrous cut on his forehead to submit Denis Stojnic. Four months prior, he fell short in his debut, succumbing to the strikes of Junior Dos Santos at UFC 95.

Source: MMA Weekly

8/26/09

Quote of the Day

“It's hard for many people to believe that there are extraordinary things inside themselves, as well as others. I hope you can keep an open mind.”

Elijah Price

UP N UP 3
NEAL BLAISDELL CENTER
SATURDAY, SEPT 12, 2009


AURYTE! HERE WE GO AGAIN....

BRINGING THE HEAT ONCE AGAIN!

ALL THE WAY FROM THE VALLEY ISLE...

COMING TO OAHU SEPTEMBER 12 TO THE NEAL BLAISDELL CENTER...

THE CAGE IS BACK...

UP N UP 3.....OAHU ARE YOU READY!
HERE ARE SOME CONFIRMED FIGHTS...THERE ARE MORE CRAZY FIGHTS IN THE MAKING...WE'LL KEEP U IN SUSPENSE!?

MAIN EVENT-UP N UP HEAVYWEIGHT BELT
Lolohea Mahe vs Ruben "Warpath" Villareal

145 CHAMPIONSHIP FIGHT
UNDEFEATED Brandon Visher 15-0 vs Issac De Jesus 11-0

170
Koa Ramos vs Dylan Clay

135
Mark Oshiro vs Rick McCorkell

155
Harris Sarmiento vs Michael Brightmon

170
Zane Kamaka vs Chris Cisneros

145
Jay Bolos vs Colin Mackenzie

135
Brysen Hansen vs Van Oscar Penaveroff

145
Matt Comeau vs Tyler Kahihikolo

we are in the process of confrming opponents for:
Falaniko Vitale

and many more...

Undefeated Issac De Jesus (11-0) replaces injured Eddie Yagin in Up N Up Main Event fight against Hawaii’s undefeated Brandon Visher (15-0) in Honolulu Hawaii on September 12th ,2009.

HONOLULU, HI August 25, 2009 - Undefeated rising mixed martial arts (MMA) star Issac De Jesus (11-0) from Stockton, California, will replace injured Eddie Yagin in the Up N Up Main Event bout with Hawaii’s top ranked and also undefeated champion Brandon Visher (15-0) from Kula, Maui at the Neil Blaisdell Center in Honolulu Hawaii on Saturday, September 12th.

The flawless record of Brandon Visher will truly be tested in this amazing match up with Strikeforce veteran Issac De Jesus. Both fighters have no blemishes on their record, this fight will ensure that someone’s “0” must go.

BRANDON VISHER: “I expect him to come into this fight in shape, strong and ready to leave undefeated but I'm willing to do the same. Hopefully he brings it. ...lets hope he's ready for a warm 808 welcome. ...bring your best I'll bring mine and Aloha!”

ISSAC DE JESUS: “I expect him to come out proud….but I’m a surprising fighter and I’m coming in there for the same reasons he is. There’s a belt on the line. I’m undefeated and I don’t want to loose.”

Another one of Hawaii’s top ranked fighters, Mark Oshiro, will be taking on Felipe Chavez who is a younger relative to the UFC powerhouse Diego Sanchez. Oshiro has proven himself to be “the” man to beat in Hawaii as a veteran of EliteXC and Icon Sport. This should be a true test for both men on September 12th.

Undefeated Koa Ramos will be taking on Hawaii’s #1 ranked Dylan Clay on the Up N Up main card. Ramos has made a splash in Hawaii with dominating performances in X-1 and Icon Sport while Dylan Clay has also been making his force known through X-1 and M-1. Both are highly regarded in Hawaii and this fight will solidify who deserves to be on top of the rankings in the 170lbs division.

Rounding out the Marquee card is Harris Sarmiento vs. Michael Brightmon. The touted technical skills of Sarmiento will clash with the brute force of Brightmon in this extremely anticipated bout that will no doubt please the fans. Sarmiento is a true veteran of MMA fighting such names as Nick Diaz, Jason Dent, KJ Noons, Roger Huerta, Shane Nelson, Gilbert Melendez, Josh Thomson and Billy Evangelista. With wins over former WEC Champ “Razor” Rob McCullough. Brightmon is an unbeaten powerhouse who is a definite up and comer in the sport who took out UFC veteran Anthony Torres.

The Up N Up event at the Neil Blaisdell Center on September 12th is stacked with some of the best MMA fights a fan could ask for.

Tickets for the event, priced from $15, are on sale at the Blaisdell Arena box office, all Times Supermarket locations (1-800-745-3000), and Ticketmaster online (www.Ticketmaster.com) http://www.ticketmaster.com/Up-N-Up-Extreme-Cage-Fighting-tickets/artist/1353209

WHAT: UPNUP 3 Extreme Cage Fighting

WHEN: September 12, 2009

WHERE: Blaisdell Arena, Honolulu, Hawaii

CONTACTS:

MEDIA CREDENTIALS

info@mmahawaii.com

(808) 944-6552

PROMOTER

EMAIL: nexcoastapparel@yahoo.com

PHONE: (808) 357-8645

Source: MMA Hawaii

Island Assult
Saturday August 29, 2009
Honolulu, Hawaii
Blaisdell Arena

12 Rounds - IBF World Light Flyweight Title
Brian Viloria (25-2, Waipahu, HI) vs Jesus Iribe (16-5, Culiacan, MX)

10 Rounds
AJ Banal (19-1, Cebu, PI) vs Jose Beranza (32-15, Mexico City, MX)

10 Rounds
Dennis Laurente (31-3, Palopon, PI) vs Zaid Zavaleta (18-5. Guadalajara, MX)

10 Rounds
Alfonso Gomez (19-4, Guadalajara, MX) vs Sergio Rios (18-9. Guadalajara, MX)

4 Rounds
Justin Mercado (1-1, Honolulu, HI) vs Richard Barard (1-1, Makakilo, HI)

4 Rounds
Toby Misech (1-0, Hilo, HI) vs Mike Balasi (7-1, Honolulu, HI)

4 Rounds - Female Bout
Kuulei Kupihea (3-1, Mililani, HI) vs Shalei Padilla (Pro Debut, Kona, HI)

4 Rounds
Isaac Arasato (4-0, Honolulu, HI) vs Donald Gonzalez (0-1, Hilo, HI)

Toquinho on Sakara
Black belt comments on Anderson Silva’s run

When he told Portal das Lutas, GRACIEMAG.com’s partner website, that he would return to the UFC octagon, Rousimar “Toquinho” Palhares believed he would fight in October. His next challenge will however be on December 5th, when the grand finale of the 10th season of the The Ultimate Fighter reality show takes place in Las Vegas. His adversary will be Alessio Sakara, who recently overcame Thales Leites. Furthermore, it was Toquinho who was supposed to have faced the Italian at UFC 101, but was kept out due to a fractured tibia.

“I hope to always put on a good fight and show my potential,” he said in regards to his next fight. As for his preparations, the fighter is not worried about his future opponent’s skills.

“I’m not worried about him right now. At the moment I’m more concerned about recovery and training. But from what I hear he’s a great athlete, a good fighter.”

Not having fought since January, when he beat Jeremy Horn by unanimous decision, at UFC 93, the Brazilian Top Team representative believes his unwanted time off will not get in the way. To the contrary, the period of inactivity way even prove beneficial.

“It will be alright and I even think the time off did me well. I’ve been training nonstop for six years, I didn’t stop once. This time I had to rest and I’m renewed, thank God. The time off left me brand new!” he said laughing, always an optimist:

“I expect the best and let’s start all over again. To me it will be a fresh start after all this time off, which was really good for it helping to make me more mature,” he adds.

And always alert to what is going on at his work, the UFC, Toquinho made sure to watch Anderson Silva’s victory over Forrest Griffin. The Jiu-Jitsu black belt enjoyed the performance of “The Spider”, the current champion of his category (middleweight).

“I think these days he’s the guy to beat. His fight against Griffin was exciting, great to see,” he said in finishing.

Source: Gracie Magazine

A Gracie in the UFC?
Renzo: “I can’t wait till Demian wears a belt”

In an interview with Sensei Sportv (a Brazilian martial arts program on television) last night, Renzo Gracie, 42, reasserted that he is not even thinking of retiring. He revealed that he speaks frequently with his friend Dana White, and that the UFC is not out of the question for his return. “I’ve opened the gyms I’d wanted to and now I want to return to training, there’s no better place than in the ring,” he said. “Dana White is my friend and we talk on the phone every now and again; whenever I have a suggestion for a fighter ready for the UFC we talk on the phone. We talk of my return and it may be that I fight in the Octagon, who knows. I haven’t any pretensions of becoming champion, but I’d like to face the champions. I’m going to keep fighting till I’m 50, for free is need be.”

Renzo, who has fought MMA since 1992 and has 21 fights on his record, went on to praise Demian Maia, to him the greatest Jiu-Jitsu fighter in the Octagon these days: “He’s a golden boy, I can’t wait till Demian wears that belt on his waist.”

The program also featured an interview with plastic surgeon Ivo Pitanguy, who confirmed that he has taken up martial arts with Grandmaster Oswaldo Gracie, brother of Carlos and Helio, in Minas Gerais. “I used to live in Minas and there was a rowdy bunch where I lived. Those who practice martial arts gain tranquility since confidence subdues the anger of others, who in turn lose their hate for you. Martial artists are rational, not violent.” The doctor and immortal from the Brazilian Literary Academy, who is now a 3rd degree black belt, praised UFC champion Lyoto Machida. “Lyoto is an innovator,” he added.

Source: Gracie Magazine

Demian: ‘I’m ready for war’
Fighter going for seventh UFC submission

“I’m going to be ready for war when I get in there. It’ll be war, from beginning to end.” That’s how black belt Demian Maia defined his impending engagement at UFC 102, where he will face Nate Marquardt, August 29 in Portland, Oregon.

Undefeated in his 10-fight MMA career, Demian has come up with some impressive numbers for some time. In the UFC, up until now, the athlete fought six times and won by submission in all six. With an attacking Jiu-Jitsu game, the Paulista has been alternating between two simple but effective submission holds: the rear-naked-choke and the triangle, which normally come about in the first round. Against Chael Sonnen, his last opponent, the triangle arose two and a half minutes into the first round.

Against Nate, his seventh engagement in Dana White’s event, the fighter wants to maintain his favorable index. And making no secret about it, he’ll be using the same recipe: “I intend to do what I always do, to go for the submission from beginning to end,” he said in an interview with GRACIEMAG.com.

Secure and with his characteristic confidence, the five-time world champion black belt knows he needs to be cautious, though. “Nate’s the most well-rounded guy I’ve faced till now. He’s good standing, a black belt in Jiu-Jitsu, has good wrestling, is strong… I think he’ll be my greatest test,” said Demian.

One week away from facing the American Greg Jackson fighter, right now he’s bringing down the amount volume and increasing the intensity in training, he says. “I’ve been training the same as always. Been doing a lot of physical conditioning, stand-up, more or less in equal parts and emphasizing the ground fighting,” Demian recounts.

Wanderlei Silva, although unable to train due to an operation he underwent on his septum, is still providing orientation and technical adjustment in his friend’s stand-up work.

Besides the luxury of Wand’s assistance, Demian has on his team Rafael Alejarra, boxing coach Andre Lopes and his wrestling coach, an Australian known as “Cash”.

Source: Gracie Magazine

XTREME COUTURE'S JIU-JITSU HEAD NEIL MELANSON

When dealing with the best of the best at a gym like Xtreme Couture, you have to be strong and not one to back down from challenges.

Head jiu-jitsu instructor Neil Melanson is such an individual.

Upon graduating high school, Melanson spent seven years in the Navy, followed by five years as a Federal Air Marshal, before giving it all up to move to Los Angeles from Cincinnati to pursue martial arts under legendary teacher Gokor Chivichyan and UFC welterweight star Karo “The Heat” Parisyan.

It was during this time that Melanson was faced with the biggest challenge of his career, Behcet’s Syndrome, an ailment he was born with, but triggered during flying days, which temporarily rendered him blind in both eyes.

With the help of doctors, Melanson was able to regain sight in his right eye, and undeterred, continued to pursue his love of the ground game, which lead him to former UFC champion Randy Couture’s gym in November. And he hasn’t looked back.

MMAWeekly.com caught up with Melanson recently to discuss working with the sport’s elite at Xtreme Couture, as well as his upcoming series of books he hopes will invigorate a stagnating grappling scene.

“I was contacted by Eric Krauss at Victory Belt Publishing with my technique, style and knowledge of the sport,” said Melanson. He started doing book deals with me, and the first book coming out is (on) triangles from the guard.

“It’s a massive undertaking with tons of techniques from every guard system that’s out there that’s practical. I set it up in a manner that it’s based off the body position of your opponent in your guard and how your opponent moves inside your guard in a match; how he moves his hips will cause you to now adjust to a different guard system that’s constantly threatening with a triangle.”

Melanson contributing to Victory Belt’s line is nothing new. As part of a group of MMA personalities including Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, Anderson Silva and Forrest Griffin, he contributed over 70 techniques to their Ultimate Mixed Martial Artist book. And it doesn’t stop there.

“We have another book deal that I’ve already signed called Advanced Guard Systems,” he announced. “It’s going to be a modern approach to the guard based off how your opponent is playing you, the highest percentage (techniques) and how they flow from one system to another.

“I hope that book changes how people do no-gi (grappling) forever. After that we’re going to do a guillotine book, and possibly a figure-four system book and a turtle book. There’s a lot of books in the works right now, and we’re just working them out one at a time.”

Melanson knows what works by dealing with some of the best athletes MMA has to offer at the Xtreme Couture gym.

When asked how he deals with the stars of the sport and how he gets them to perform his way, he replied unapologetically, “Basically what I do is: I don’t give a rat’s ass who they are.

“That’s pretty much the best way I can say it. All I care about is the product I produce, so if I have to do what I have to do to get a fighter to fight the way they should be fighting, then I do it. If I need them to go harder, I’ll slap them in the face and get them pissed until they land what they’re supposed to, to protect themselves.”

Among the athletes Melanson has been most impressed by in his time at the gym is Couture himself, returning UFC fighter Vitor Belfort, and accomplished women’s fighter Erin Toughill. Combined with up-and-comers like Mike Dizak and Patrick Begin, Melanson feels he’s got the type of talent that makes his teaching truly worthwhile.

“I love to see these guys learn from me and succeed,” exclaimed Melanson. “I love my life and I couldn’t be happier.

“Things went up and down a lot for me; I had a lot of hopes and dreams of doing things with my life and find my niche. When I got into this sport, I never thought it would take me anywhere, but it has and I’m absolutely in love with my work.”

Whether it’s fending off an opponent on the ground, overcoming a vision-threatening condition or banging heads with the biggest stars in the sport, Neil Melanson takes on all challenges and is willing to put in the hard work to succeed.

“You can always find out what’s going on with me at NeilMelanson.com,” he concluded. “I’ll have updates when the books are going to be released.

“Hopefully these books will change things. If I can contribute something to this sport that’s not forgotten, I’ll die a happy man.”

Source: MMA Weekly

MINOTAURO NOGUEIRA IS STILL IN THE GAME

Three fights into his UFC career, former Pride and UFC champion Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira says the best is yet to come. And though his headlining fight with Randy Couture at UFC 102 may be long overdue, he feels it’s the best opportunity possible for redemption.

“I’m gonna have a lot of people against me, but I’ve been very focused and very well-trained,” he told reporters during a media teleconference Tuesday.

For a guy that’s been in the game as long as he has, ups and downs come with the territory. The stakes, however, have doubled since he’s come to the UFC and met with mixed success.

There were wins over Heath Herring at UFC 73 and Tim Sylvia at UFC 81, where Nogueira won the interim heavyweight belt in a tumultuous time for the division. Then there was last December’s UFC 92, where he faltered badly against a Frank Mir in peak form.

Nogueira wants to put that memory behind him and move on.

“Bad fights happen,” he said. “Not every fight you’re gonna be 100 percent. My last fight, I had a knee injury a few days before. No excuse, but I couldn’t be in shape.

“It was very bad for me to fight. I couldn’t move at all, and that day, (Mir) caught me with a good left hand, three times. He made the fight. I couldn’t follow him. I couldn’t get him into a good position in the cage.”

Critics say Nogueira has fought too many wars and should start his ride into the sunset. Long regarded as one of the best heavyweights in the business, he was known for his ability to take punishment and come back. But questions about the punishment’s effect on his long-term viability have lingered.

In stark contrast to an interview he gave last month where he said the Mir loss delayed retirement, he said the Couture fight was not the first step on the last climb up the ladder. In other words, he’s not quitting any time soon.

“Of course not,” said Nogueira. “I’m 33 years old and I have a lot to do in my career. At least, I’m going to fight a couple more years. I didn’t say I was going to retire if I get the title, or if I won against Frank Mir. I still feel my body wants to fight; I’m very competitive. I love the sport. The UFC is growing very much and I’m happy to be a part of that, and for sure I want to have a couple more fights and show a lot of good skills for the fans.”

He’s made Los Angeles his home for the past three months, working MMA at Black House and sharpening his hands with boxing guru Freddie Roach. He brought in Greco Roman wrestlers to simulate Couture’s approach.

“We did a lot of cage work, a lot of everything I train for my fights, like boxing, a lot of Muay Thai, jiu-jitsu,” said Nogueira. “He’s a normal size, so I didn’t have anyone special for him. I have about three or four guys the same size as him.”

He says he’s in the best shape since his peak years in Pride. And against Couture, a conditioning machine, he’s counting on his hard work to keep him fresh in later rounds.

“I know the endurance part is a very important part of his game, so I worked very hard on mine to face (Couture),” he said. “I think both fighters are gonna be in good shape.”

An in-shape Nogueira, he says, is the one fans have been waiting to see.

“I have three fights in the UFC,” said Nogueira. “I (haven’t) shown my best performance yet. I still have a lot to show. That’s why I’ve been training so hard. I want to show the best of my performance. That’s why I’m still in the game.”

Source: MMA Weekly

PALHARES VS. SAKARA AT TUF 10 FINALE

A middleweight match between jiu-jitsu specialist Rousimar Palhares (9-2) and striker Alessio Sakara (14-7-1) has been pulled off the shelf for the season ten finale of "The Ultimate Fighter" on Dec. 5 in Las Vegas.

The bout was first reported by tatame.com and subsequently confirmed to MMAWeekly.com by sources close to the fight.

The two were originally scheduled to meet this month at UFC 101 until Palhares fractured his tibia in training and was forced to withdraw. Sakara went on to defeat former middleweight contender Thales Leites by split decision on the Philadelphia card.

Palhares last appeared in January at UFC 93, defeating veteran Jeremy Horn by unanimous decision. The victory put him at 2-1 in the Octagon after falling short against Dan Henderson at UFC 88.

Sakara's win over Leites was his second straight since a TKO loss to Chris Leben at UFC 82. His Octagon record stands at 5-4.

Source: MMA Weekly

PRELIM BOUTS ON TV FOR FIRST TIME FOR UFC 103

Spike TV will air a portion of the UFC pay-per-view undercard live to its audience for the first time ever, as the network presents bouts from UFC 103 in Dallas, commercial-free, live Saturday, Sept. 19 at 9:00pm ET/6:00pm PT. This telecast will mark the first time the network will air a fight-card without commercial interruption.

“Providing an action-packed UFC pay-per-view, live and commercial free, to our viewers on both coasts, further illustrates Spike TV and the UFC’s commitment to its fans,” said Kevin Kay, president, Spike TV.

“The Ultimate Fighter 8” winner Efrain Escudero (12-0), an All American collegiate wrestler fighting out of Tempe, Ariz., puts his undefeated record on the line against “The Ultimate Fighter 5” alum Cole Miller (15-3). Fighting with American Top Team in Coconut Creek, Fla., Miller has won four out of five fights in the Octagon including a victory over the controversial “The Ultimate Fighter 8” Junie Browning last April.

Also on the undercard, hard-hitting veteran Drew McFedries (8-5) fighting out of Bettendorf, Iowa, is coming off an impressive TKO victory in his last fight against Xavier Foupa-Pokam. His opponent is Polish native Tomasz Drwal (16-2), training currently in San Diego who has won his last two contests in the Octagon, including a victory over Mike Ciesnolevicz in June.

Source: MMA Weekly

THE SCIENCE OF CARDIO, PART 1

How many times have you seen this? A more powerful guy with superior skills fails to close the deal in the first round... he comes out in the second round after leaving everything in the cage during round one, lets his hands drop and gets caught because he’s totally gassed.

In contrast, look at the guys you know have the cardio and the skills to get it done. Bellator 145-pound champion Joe Soto comes to mind – his skills are razor sharp, round after round, because those skills are built on top of phenomenal cardio fitness.

The bottom line is, to win consistently your skills need to be built on a foundation of cardio. Sure you can't win if you don’t have the skills, but if you don’t have the cardio, you’re going into the ring at a huge disadvantage and with limited options.

You might be thinking to yourself, “I’m not a marathon runner or a tri-athlete, why should I be focusing on cardio training?” While it is true that endurance athletes depend mainly on aerobic energy pathways to fuel their activity, fighting is a healthy mix of both aerobic AND anaerobic energy pathways. In fact, intense exercise lasting more than two minutes generally uses about 50% aerobic and 50% anaerobic energy systems[1]. That’s one of the things that makes MMA so challenging - the lack of specificity in the energy system used and as a result, cardio is often under trained in favor of speed and power.

The fact is, a well-structured training program should hit all of your energy systems:

-Low intensity/Long duration (during positioning and posturing)

-Medium intensity/Medium duration (needed for wrestling, ground and pound and combinations)

-Super high intensity/Very short duration (required for striking, sprawling and take-downs)

-And... everything in between

The key is loading these systems in progression throughout a training cycle to arrive at peak fitness for an event. A typical cardio training progression will include very easy, up to one hour long cardio sessions for about a week right after a fight to help with recovery. Then, a block of moderate intensity, so you can do a solid 1 to 2 hour long session without killing yourself. In the next training block, you push the throttle a bit, doing 1 to 1.5 hour workouts with several hard intervals of 3-5 minutes with recovery (very easy) of equal time in between. The final phase is a block of half to 1 hour workouts with 10 to 30 second intervals – all out. Allow for a week of tapering prior to the event for final adaptations to occur from your last block of intense training and for cutting weight.

My next column will focus on “behind the scenes” cardio concepts of VO2 max, Lactate Threshold, Energy Management, and Nutrition and Supplements.

About the author

David Nader, MS, MBA

David is an exercise physiologist and biopharmaceutical industry veteran. David started AdapTx Labs to apply the science of exercise physiology to the sport of MMA to help fighters maximize their performance. David is also a competitive bicycle racer.

About AdapTx Labs

AdapTx Labs works with fighters to maximize performance through a scientific approach to training. AdapTx Labs is the first company to develop proprietary cardio and energy boosting supplements for MMA fighters. Their flagship products, CardioFactor™ and PreFight™, when used together, give fighters a complete cardiovascular edge. CardioFactor™ is a daily supplement designed to help fighters avoid gassing out, while PreFight™ delivers a boost just prior to training and competing.

To get information and to purchase, go to www.AdapTxLabs.com.

References

[1] Powers, Scott K. and Howley, Edward T. (2007). Exercise Physiology: Theory and Application to Fitness and Performance. (Sixth Ed.). New York: McGraw Hill

(DISCLOSURE: AdapTx is a paid sponsor of MMAWeekly.com. MMAWeekly.com is not responsible in any way, shape, or form for any injury that may result from any person's attempt at exercise or supplementation as a result of the information contained herein. Please consult a physician before starting any exercise program or instituting any dietary or supplementation regimen, and never substitute the information on this site for any professional medical advice or treatment you may receive.)

Source: MMA Weekly

KENNEDY VS. CUMMINGS LIKELY FOR STRIKEFORCE

Middleweights Tim Kennedy and Zak Cummings have verbally agreed to face each other at the third installment of the Strikeforce Challenger Series on Sept. 25 in Tulsa, Okla. The SpiritBank Event Center will host the action.

Strikeforce Director of Communications Mike Afromowitz on Thursday afternoon told MMAWeekly.com that the bout was not confirmed, yet sources close to negotiations said that while fight contracts had not been signed, the bout was all but certain to happen. Word of the match-up was first reported by Sherdog.com.

Kennedy (10-2) was originally scheduled to face Evangelista "Cyborg" Santos, but a knee injury took Santos out of the running.

Kennedy announced Thursday morning he would continue to serve as an Army Special Forces officer after going on "terminal leave" last month to pursue a full-time career in MMA. He will now serve as a part of the Special Forces company in the Texas National Guard.

He last appeared in the second installment of Strikeforce Challengers, defeating Nick Thompson by TKO in a controversial stoppage.

Cummings (10-0) signed a three-fight deal with Strikeforce in early August. The Sept. 25 fight would be his promotional debut. Of his most notable victories, he holds a split decision win over veteran Terry Martin in February at Xtreme Cagefighting Federation.

Source: MMA Weekly

8/25/09

Quote of the Day

“Love is life. All, everything that I understand, I understand only because I love.”

Leo Tolstoy

Fighters' Club TV Tonight!
Channel 52
NEW TIME of 8:00 PM!

If you are not on the Onzuka.com Hawaii Ground forum, you are missing the latest news from upcoming events, get to rub elbows with numerous promoters and fighters, and get to voice your opinion on any subject you can dream up. Hit the links above to sign up for a free account and start posting away!

KENNY FLORIAN TO FILL IN FOR JOE ROGAN

Kenny Florian will fill in for Joe Rogan as color commentator at UFC Fight Night 19 on Sept. 16 at the Cox Convention Center in Oklahoma City, Okla. Rogan will be absent filming a movie.

"I'll be commentating a UFC Fight Night coming up in September," Florian told MMAWeekly.com. "I think Joe Rogan is filming a movie. He'll be out for that, but I"ll be around."

Florian is used to the broadcasting role, serving as co-host of the popular ESPN.com and ESPN mobile television weekly show MMA Live, filled in for Rogan for UFC 83, and commentated for WEC 41.

Florian has also served as a special guest commentator on MMAWeekly Radio for several years.

UFC Fight Night 19 will be the second time the Ultimate Fighting Championship has gone to Oklahoma, but the first time in nearly fifteen years. UFC 4 was held in Tulsa on Dec. 16, 1994.

Source: MMA Weekly

LESNAR VS. CARWIN AGREED TO FOR UFC 106

In an overwhelming flurry of swapping, it appears that top heavyweight contender Shane Carwin is headed to UFC 106 on Nov. 21 to challenge UFC champion Brock Lesnar. Multiple MMAWeekly.com sources close to the bout indicate that, while the fight has yet to be officially signed off, both parties have verbally agreed to it.

Carwin had originally been slated to face fellow heavyweight contender Cain Velasquez at UFC 104 on Oct. 24 in Los Angeles. MMAMadness first reported speculation on Wednesday night that Carwin would instead be picked up to face Lesnar in the main event of UFC 106.

MMAWeekly.com sources on Thursday confirmed the agreed to bout between Carwin and Lesnar, and also indicated that Ben Rothwell would now step into the fight with Velasquez at UFC 104. Rothwell had been expected to fight fellow Affliction transfer Chase Gormley on the UFC 104 undercard.

So once contracts are issued and the ink dries, the new schedule will now pit Brock Lesnar vs. Shane Carwin in the main event of UFC 106 in Las Vegas; and Cain Velasquez vs. Ben Rothwell will serve as the co-main event of UFC 104 in Los Angeles, supporting a main event of Lyoto Machida vs. Mauricio “Shogun” Rua for the light heavyweight title.

Lesnar enters the bout hot on the heels of his UFC 100 unification bout win over then interim champ Frank Mir. He currently sports a record of 4-1, winning his last three bouts.

Carwin, undefeated at 11-0, is coming off of an injury stemming from his hard-fought victory over former UFC title contender Gabriel Gonzaga at UFC 96 in March.

A new opponent for Chase Gormley has yet to be determined.

Source: MMA Weekly

BEN ROTHWELL VS. CAIN VELASQUEZ UFC 104

Affliction transplant Ben Rothwell has agreed to face Cain Velasquez at UFC 104, replacing Shane Carwin, who is now booked to headline UFC 106 against Brock Lesnar.

The news was first reported by MMA Mania and subsequently confirmed to MMAWeekly.com by sources close to the fight.

Rothwell had been scheduled to face Chase Gormley on the undercard of the Oct. 24 event at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, a re-set of their scheduled meeting at Affliction “Trilogy” following the end of the clothing company's fight promotion and transfer of select contracts to the UFC.

The Rothwell/Velasquez bout will serve as the co-main event.

Rothwell (30-6) last appeared at manager/promoter Monte Cox's Adrenaline II last October, defeating Chris Guillen by TKO. It was his first win since Andrei Arlovski ended a 13-fight win streak by TKO at Affliction “Banned” last July.

Velasquez (6-0) last fought Cheick Kongo at UFC 99, winning a unanimous decision by escaping the Frenchman's pinpoint striking to dominate the fight on the ground.

Source: MMA Weekly

Demian Maia ready for his biggest challenge

With five submissions victories in the UFC, Demian Maia will have a tough challenge at UFC 102. Against Nate Marquardt, who won six out of eight fights in the octagon, the black belt knows it won’t be easy, but he’s ready. “I think it’ll probably be my toughest challenge. Fight is fight, we can’t know what’s going to happen in there, but I think it’ll be my biggest challenge”, said Demian, commenting the training in the USA.

“Everything fine, great. All the guys I fought in the UFC were tough, but Nate is exceptional. I’m training here with Wanderlei (Silva) for almost three weeks with my coaches, (Rafael) Alejarra”, told the black belt. If he puts out another submission victory, Demian will be pointed as one of the best BJJ guys in the MMA of all times.

“It’s a natural evolution of the sport. I come from the high level jiu-jitsu and I’m managing to impose my game, but I still train other things like everyone else, but the jiu-jitsu is my main weapon. As I came from the high level jiu-jitsu for competitions, I can put it in my MMA game”, says the middleweight fighter.

In case he wins the eleventh fight in the undefeated career, the Brazilian will have more chances to earn a title shot against Anderson Silva. Waiting for the opportunity, Demian commented Silva’s last victory, against Forrest Griffin. “Anderson is a genius, exceptional. In this weight (205), it looks like his punch is even stronger, because in both fights he did he knockout. He’s an icon of the sport”, finished.

Source: Tatame

Pedro Rizzo ready for Jeff Monson

Scheduled to face Jeff Monson at Bitetti Combat 4, which will take place at Rio de Janeiro in September 12, Pedro Rizzo is training hard for the rematch against the “Snowman”, that he already knocked out at Art of War. After the trainings with Glover Teixeira, Sérgio Babu and other tough sparrings, Rizzo said he wants to get a win to start his way back to the tops.

“In six years I just did six fights, so I didn’t had a good sequence. I’m very excited to get this victory, sign one more fight until the end of the year and get back the fight rhythm and the winner confidence…I think I still can fight the best and I’m working hard for that. But I’ll take fight by fight. Now, I just think in Monson. After this fight, we’ll see what’s gonna happen”, finished the former UFC title contender.

Source: Tatame

Minotauro 100% ready for Couture
Check out the interview with the Brazilian

Rodrigo Minotauro is doing his final preparations for one of the most awaited fights in MMA these days, against Randy Couture. Although it is not for the belt, facing off at UFC 102, on August 29, in Oregon, will be two of the style’s greatest idols of all times. Both are coming off losses that kept them from challenging for the title, but, regardless, the fight is no less intriguing.

Direct from Los Angeles, Mino had the following chat with Portal das Lutas, GRACIEAG.com’s partner site.

Portal das Lutas – How has training for this fight been going?

Rodrigo Minotauro – Training is going great. I’ve got some wrestlers here helping me, four really good fighters, at US college level, and a wrestling coach from Nebraska.

PDL – Do you believe Randy will go after you this fight?

RM – I think Randy is going to want to strike; he’ll be confident in his hands, his boxing. I’m training a lot to surprise him standing. He may try ground and pound, but I believe my grappling is good enough to see me through. I think it’s a good fight for me, I’m going to be careful with the wrestling and be prepared to fight both standing and on the ground.

PDL – Last fight you were really debilitated. Besides the knee problem, you went to the hospital a week before the fight. How are you physically this time?

RM – I’m 100% physically, well trained, dying to fight… I’m fine, feeling great. I trained a lot, worked on what I needed to. You’ll see the result after the fight.

PDL – So we’ll see the old Minotauro back?

RM – I promise it will be a lively fight, lots of movement. I’m going for the finish the whole time. That’s what you want to see against Randy.

PDL – Changing subject, what do you think of Brock Lesnar, the current champion of your category?

RM – He’s a new guy, with lots of stamina, a healthy athlete and strong as heck. He’s a horse, both on the ground and standing. He throws a good high right and has strong wrestling. He’s an athlete, but I don’t see him as having the experience to be world champion. I think that since he’s new he’s got that adrenaline, his body is fresh… Let’s see to what point he can stay on top. I believe there are better guys in the division, but he’s the current champion, someone whose size will give a lot of people a hard time.

Source: Gracie Magazine

Belfort assesses Slater and Franklin
Fighter to use lefties in preparing for UFC 103

Anyone who accessed GRACIEMAG.com yesterday could see the training session of Vitor Belfort with nine-time surfing world champion Kelly Slater, at a gym in California. Now the time has come for the former UFC champion to give the break down on the wave riding ace’s skills.

“I’ve known Slater for 10 years,” said Belfort to GRACIEMAG.com, explaining the circumstances of the session, “we’d always hang out. We have common friends so we ended up meeting up again, and he wanted to train. He digs MMA. It was really cool [training with Slater].”

“Kelly Slater has a really powerful mind,” Belfort continued. “He’s used to competitions and suffering pressure. I think that’s something I learned a lot of from him. We shoot the breeze, exchange information. He doesn’t let anything get in the way of his performance; he tries to abstain from everything. He empties his mind so he can do what he knows best happily. I think it’s always important to do things with enthusiasm and joy, since that’s when your skills show through. That’s most of what I’ve learned from him.

“I feel the thing that’s interesting these days is to show that Mixed Martial Arts is a sport that anyone can do, kids, business people… He loved it. He said it’s the best class he’s had so far in terms of doing different things. I feel everybody has their own world. Everyone plays ball, everyone surfs, but everything has its limits. So MMA has always been a barrier for others. And MMA is the same as surfing, soccer, everyone can do it. Of course everyone has their limits. But I think it’s important to learn,” he added, before going on to address his preparations for his bout against Rich Franklin at UFC 103, in September.

“I think it will be a good fight. Rich Franklin is a good strategist, really good. He’s a fighter who goes after the fight, although his is mostly a counter-attacking game, but he’s aggressive at the same time, knows how to fight on the ground, is a south paw. It will be an interesting fight,” he predicted.

“I’m back to training hard over here. We’re hiring some south paws to train here too. Everything’s great,” he said in finishing.

Source: Gracie Magazine

ROLI DELGADO VS. ANDRE WINNER AT UFC 105

A lightweight bout has been added to the UFC's upcoming return to England on Nov. 14 as "Ultimate Fighter" season 9 runner-up Andre Winner returns to action for the first time since the show's finale to take on "Ultimate Fighter" season 8 fighter Roli Delgado.

The news was confirmed to MMAWeekly.com on Thursday by sources close to the fight.

Winner steps back into the Octagon after dropping a unanimous decision to fellow British fighter Ross Pearson in the lightweight finals for the show.

Spending the majority of his career fighting in England, Winner will no doubt be the crowd favorite heading into the bout, but that also puts the pressure on the TUF 9 veteran to impress the hometown fans.

Delgado makes his first appearance in the Octagon since early June when he lost a decision to another British fighter in Paul Kelly during the UFC's first show in Germany.

A Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt, Delgado has shown mental and physical toughness in all of his previous bouts, but obviously a win in this fight seems like a must in the crowded 155-pound weight class.

No official word about from the UFC about the bout, but it will likely end up on the preliminary untelevised portion of the card.

Source: MMA Weekly

8/24/09

Quote of the Day

"The great victories are never won in the first blow."

Johan Falkberget

DESTINY: No Ka Oi Results!
War Memorial Gym, Wailuku, Maui
Saturday, Aug 22, 2009


-155lbs State Title
Kaleo Kwan (Oahu, O2 Martial Arts Academy) vs Eddie Rincon (Maui)
Kwan wins by unanimous decision after three rounds.

-205lbs State Title
Yancy Medeiros (oahu) vs Zeke Prados (maui)
Medieros def Prado via tko 2:23 rd 1

-145lbs
Tim "Majik" Moon (oahu) vs Eddie P. (maui)
Eddie P defeats Moon via triangle choke rd 1 2:46

-135lbs World Title
Kana "One Man Riot" Hyatt (Oahu) vs Mark Tajon (Bulls Penn)
Hyatt def. Tajon via rnc 2:49 of rd 1

-145lbs
Zack Rapal (oahu) vs Kurrent Cockett (maui)
Cockett def Rapal via rnc 1:09 2nd rd

-145lbs
Brandon Pieper (oahu) vs Lorrin Ishimine (maui)
Ishimine def Pieper via rnc 2:10 rd 2

-160lbs
Bruski Lewis (oahu) vs Gonzo (maui)
Lewis def Gonzo via submission (rnc) rd 1 1:09

-150lbs
L.John Borges (oahu) vs Alan Hinajosa (maui)
Hinojosa defeats Borgess via verbal tap out 1:59 due to cut...

-135lbs
Julio Moreno (oahu) vs Riley Dutro (maui)
Dutro def. Moreno via dec

-145lbs
Dustin Kimura (oahu) vs Jake Noble (maui)
Kimura def Noble via submission (rnc) rd 2 1:20

- 205lbs?
Adam Akau vs Ata Tivao
Akau def Tivao via submission guillotine 2:48 3RD

-145lbs
Pedro Garcia (oahu) vs Keoni Farm (maui/molokai)
Farm def. Garcia dec

-185lbs Amateur Championship Bout
Jon "4real" Ferrell (oahu) vs Sale Sprout (molokai)
Sale def Ferrell via tko rd 1 1:26

-140lbs
Zac Carroll (maui) vs Guy Nishiyama (maui)
Zac Carroll over Guy Nishiyama decision in OT

-135lbs
Justin Arruda (maui) vs Keka Doi-Tolilolo (maui)
Arruda def Doi-Tolilolo rear naked choke rd 1 1:18

-160lbs
Justin Konia (oahu) vs Jason Emsley (maui)
Justin Konia over Jason Emsley decision

-130lbs
Carlos Guzman (maui) vs DJ Tadena (maui)
Dj Tadena over Carlos Guzman submission first round 2

Professional Boxing is back in Hawaii!
Saturday August 29, 2009
Blaisdell Arena, Honolulu, Hawaii

This is the tentative line-up... PENDING the approval of the Hawaii State Boxing Commission

12 Rounds - IBF World Light Flyweight Title
Brian Viloria (25-2, 15KOs, Waipahu, HI) vs Jesus Iribe (15-5-5, 9KOs, Culiacan, MX)

10 Rounds
AJ Banal (19-1-1, 16 KOs, Cebu, PI) vs Jose Beranza (32-15-2, 25 KOs, Mexico City, MX)

10 Rounds
Dennis Laurente (31-3-5, 16KOs, Palopon, PI) vs Zaid Zavaleta (18-5-2, 11KOs, Mexico City, MX)

10 Rounds
Alfonso Gomez (19-4-2, 9KOs, Guadalajara, MX) vs Sergio Rios (18-9, 16KOs. Guadalajara, MX)

4 Rounds
Justin Mercado (1-0, Honolulu, HI) vs Richard Barnard (1-1, Makakilo, HI)

4 Rounds
Toby Misech (1-0, Hilo, HI) vs Mike Balasi (7-1, 5KOs, Honolulu, HI)

4 Rounds - Female Bout
Kuulei Kupihea (3-1, Mililani, HI) vs Shalae Padilla (Pro Debut, Kona, HI)

4 Rounds
Isaac Arasato (4-0, 3KOs, Honolulu, HI) vs Donald Gonzalez (0-1, Hilo, HI)


Source: MMA Fighting



6th Annual Maui Jiu-Jitsu Open
Gi and No Gi Tournament
War Memorial Gymnasium, Wailuku, Maui, Hawaii
Saturday, August 29, 2009

Registration and entry form:

Dear Friends,

It is our great pleasure to invite you and your organization to attend and compete in the 6th annual Maui Jiu-Jitsu open Tournament. The event will take place on Saturday, August 29, 2009 at the War Memorial Gymnasium in Wailuku, Maui, Hawaii. We also welcome back all who attended last year's event. We expect this year's tournament to be even larger, with bigger and better competition!

Competition will consist of matches in all belt levels and weight divisions with medals, trophies, and prizes to the winners as well as the always competitive team competition, with trophies and prizes to the top three teams. As with the growth of our sport, we at Maui Jiu-Jitsu are always striving to expand and improve on our tournament. At this time, we are planning to hold several exhibition matches between advanced level competitors. Anyone locally here who are interested - please contact us.

Please make every attempt to register as early as possible to allow us to begin the always time consuming process of setting up the brackets and matching competitors. This allows us to start the competition on time and keep the tournament flowing smoothly.

Registration and entry forms:
Registration may be done by mail, or at the Maui Jiu Jitsu Academy.
Please mail all completed entry forms to:
150 Haiku Road, Haiku, Hi. 96708.

Don't forget to include a phone number if we need to reach you and make sure you check the weight class you want to compete in, and whether you want to compete in the Gi, No Gi divisions or both.

Weigh-ins:
Weigh ins will be held at the Maui Jiu Jitsu Academy at the Haiku Cannery Center from 10am, and at the War Memorial Gymnasium from 8 am on the day of the event. We ask that all competitors try and register and weigh in as early as possible to avoid delays to the start of the event.

If you have any questions, please feel free to call Luis or Lee at the numbers listed, or email us. It is our hope that you will join us in the spirit of friendly, fun competition and to further promote the art of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Submission Grappling!

See you on the Mats!

Luis "Limao" Heredia Lee Theros
Head Instructor - Maui Jiu-Jitsu Event Coordinator
Ph. (808) 357-2009 Ph. (808) 298-7698
Email:
info@mauijiujitsu.com
Email:
leetheros@aol.com

6th Annual Maui Jiu-Jitsu Open
Gi and No Gi Tournament
War Memorial Gymnasium. Wailuku, Maui, Hawaii
Saturday, August 29, 2009

Divisions:

Adult, Kids, Women, Masters
All Weight Divisions, All Levels.
Medals for 1st and 2nd place, (All kids receive medals!)
Individual Achievement Awards, prizes and trophies
Team competition trophy and prizes

Competitor Fees: (Includes T-Shirt)

Adults: $60 Kids: $40 (Make checks payable to: LEE THEROS)

When:

Saturday, August 29, 2009

Location:

War Memorial Gymnasium
Kaahumanu Avenue, Wailuku, Maui, Hawaii

Event Schedule:

8:00 - 9:30 am Late registration and weigh ins.
9:30 - 10:00 am Opening Ceremonies and rules briefing.
10:00 am Start of Competition.

Information:

Lee Theros
(808) 298-7698
Email:
leetheros@aol.com

Luis Heredia
(808) 357-2009
Web:
info@mauijiujitsu.com

Tournament Rules and Information

Weight Divisions: (Women and kids divisions to be paired appropriately by weight and experience)

Rooster: 110 - 121 lbs.
Super Feather: 122 - 134 lbs.
Feather: 135 - 147 lbs.
Light: 148 - 160 lbs.
Middle: 161 - 173 lbs.
Light Heavy: 174 - 187 lbs.
Heavy: 1 88 - 202 lbs.
Super Heavy: 203 - 213 lbs.
Unlimited: 214 lbs. & over

No Gi Divisions:

Novice: Less than 1 year experience.
Intermediate: 1 to 3 years experience.
Advanced: 3 or more years of experience.

*Exceptions: Competitors deemed to have other experience such as substantial Mixed Martial arts or college level wrestling shall be placed automatically in the advanced division.
(Tournament committee to have final discretion).

Time Limits:

Adult Gi:
White Belt 5 Minutes
Blue Belt 6 Minutes
Purple Belt 7 Minutes
Brown Belt 8 Minutes
Black Belt 10 Minutes

Adult No Gi:
Novice 5 Minutes
Intermediate 6 Minutes
Advanced 7 7 Minutes

Children (under 16 years old, Gi & No Gi) 4 minutes

Requirements for Competition:

1. Clean Gi.
2. Rash Guard or T-Shirt in No Gi Division.
3. Sleeves no shorter than 4 inches from the wrist.
4. Four finger cuff clearance
5. Signed Waiver
6. Paid entrance fee.

Tournament Rules:

Points:

1. Throws / Takedowns 2 Points
2. Knee on Stomach 2 Points
3. Sweep 2 Points
4. Pass Guard 3 Points
5. Mount 4 Points
6. Back (2 hooks in) 4 Points
7. Submission/Tap Out End of Match

In the event of a tie at the end of regulation, the winner of the match will be determined via referee's decision (No advantages).

Rules:

1. Competitors shall shake hands at the start of, and at the end of the match.
2. Competitors shall observe and follow all of the referee's instructions at all times.

Illegal Techniques:

1. No heel hooks in any division. Toe holds allowed only in the advanced No Gi division and purple belts or higher. Straight foot lock allowed in all divisions.
2. Single Digit Toe or Finger Manipulation
3. Striking of any kind (Punching, Kicking, Shoulder)
4. Slamming opponent from takedown, inside the guard, or to escape or break any submission attempt.
5. Placing fingers in eyes, ears, or mouth
6. Neck Cranks

In the event of any dispute, the referee shall render all decisions, and judgment shall be final. Remember, we are all out to have a fun and enjoyable tournament experience, and with all tournaments, some decisions will be disputed and questioned. Ultimately we should all practice good sportsmanship and not let the pursuit of winning take precedence over all else. We will make every effort to ensure that all competitors are evenly matched and treated fairly.

Currently all airlines are charging $98 for a flight from Oahu to Maui, so book now before the rates creep up.

Source: Event Promoter

AFFLICTION VP ON NEGOTIATING WITH M-1 & FEDOR
by Damon Martin

When the negotiations between the Ultimate Fighting Championship and M-1 Global, which represents Fedor Emelianenko, broke down last month, there weren't too many fans or critics surprised by the fact that the Russian wouldn't compete in the Octagon any time in the near future.

The sticking point to the entire process was M-1's demand to co-promote with the UFC, and the UFC has always had a strict policy to not co-promote with other organizations. At the end of the day, no agreement was reached, and Fedor went on to sign with Strikeforce.

One man who has a keen insight into what it's like to negotiate with Vadim Finkelchtein and M-1 Global is Affliction vice president Tom Atencio, who signed the former Pride champion to compete for his promotion for two fights and presumably a third before the organization shut down it's "Trilogy" show in August.

"I had a great relationship with them," Atencio said about M-1. "One of the things I always said is I would co-promote and the UFC doesn't co-promote and they have what they do, and it works for them.

"I've always said I don't blame the UFC for doing what they do. They don't really need anybody else, and that's what Dana said. They're not going to co-promote because he doesn't need them and that's 100-percent true. The bottom line is it worked out for Strikeforce and Vadim is still co-promoting his brand, M-1."

UFC president Dana White blasted Fedor's signing with Strikeforce earlier this month just before UFC 101 in Philadelphia, claiming that at the end of the day, M-1 and Emelianenko would put the San Jose, Calif., based company out of business, while also stating that he knew the deal he offered the Russian was above and beyond what anybody else had on the table.

"I guarantee you the deal he got at Strikeforce isn't even in the (expletive) universe of what he got (from the UFC)," White stated. "The deal he got at Strikeforce probably isn't even the deal he had at Affliction. They have no money."

The biggest hurdle for Strikeforce now that they have Fedor is how to promote him. Emelianenko is widely thought of as one of the best pound-for-pound fighters on the planet, but he's never proven to be a big pay-per-view commodity in the United States, and Atencio believes that's still a tremendous job ahead of Scott Coker and company.

"There is no doubt in my mind that Fedor is the No. 1 fighter in the world. He's fought; he's proven that," said Atencio. "It's not like he's fought easy fights. But nonetheless he still has the hurdle of making a huge name in the U.S."

Time will tell if Fedor Emelianenko will wind up to be the biggest fighter in the U.S. or just the biggest paycheck on the Strikeforce roster.

Source: MMA Weekly

The media’s verdict on Saturday night
By Zach Arnold

Comparing ratings figures for Showtime and Spike TV is apples and oranges, but that’s not the storyline that is being pushed in the media right now.

The Carano/Cyborg fight drew 576,000 viewers on Showtime while UFC 100 on Spike TV drew 2 million viewers. What’s amazing is that as solid as the cable rating was for UFC 100, the PPV buy rate nearly matched the amount of cable viewers.

USA Today says that both shows drawing high ratings spells trouble for other sports programming.

Source: Fight Opinion

More Bouts Confirmed for Sept.23rd Sengoku
By FCF Staff

World Victory Road has confirmed 3 more bouts for the promotion’s upcoming September 23rd Sengoku card, which will take place in Saitama, Japan. The event will be broadcast on HDNet Fights in North America.

In a welterweight clash between two accomplished fighters, Nick Thompson will take on Dan Hornbuckle. Thompson (38-11-1) is coming off a tap-out loss due to strikes against Tim Kennedy, at Strikeforce’s Challenger series event in June, marking just the second loss for the Minnesota fighter since 2006.

Hornbuckle (18-2) fought just weeks ago at the August 2nd Sengoku card, and knocked out Pride and UFC veteran Akihiro Gono with a devastating head kick. Hornbuckle has now won 3 straight since losing to Mike Pyle at Sengoku 2 last May.

Veteran middleweight Joe Doerksen (42-12) is scheduled to fight Takenori Sato (9-6-4). Doerksen has won 3 in a row since his loss to fellow Canadian Jason MacDonald at UFC 83 last April, a streak which includes a stoppage win over Izuru Takeuchi at Sengoku 6 in November.

Sato is actually coming off a draw with the Pancrase champion Takeuchi, but due to the fact it was a title fight, he was handed the loss. Prior to that Sato had won 4 straight.

At light-heavyweight, Ryo Kawamura (10-4-2) will face Fabio Silva (11-5). Kawamura recently got back on the winning track in June, after losing by Decision to Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal in March, by earning the judge’s nod against Yukiya Naito at a Pancrase card.

Silva has not fought since he was stopped by Lawal in the third round of their Sengoku bout last November, after KO’ing Kazuo Takahashi at the promotion’s third event in March, 2008.

Source: Full Contact Fighter

Ortiz vs Coleman at UFC 106
Fight not officially confirmed


It hasn’t yet been officially confirmed by the UFC, but from what it seems, Tito Ortiz’s return to the octagon will be a grandiose affair. According to the website The Fighters Only, the Huntington Beach Bad Boy will face another icon of the octagon: Mark Coleman.

Citing sources close to the fighters, the site claims the bout will be one of the main events of UFC 106, on November 21, in Las Vegas.

Recovered from delicate back surgery, Tito has not fought since May of last year, when he was overcome by Lyoto Machida.

Coleman is coming off a convincing win over Stephan Bonnar at UFC 100, thus recovering from the loss he suffered at the hands of Mauricio Shogun at UFC 93, in January of this year.

Another match-up being talked about is the possible encounter of Ricardo Cachorrao Almeida and John Fitch. If confirmed, it will be the Brazilian black belt’s debut in the welterweight division.

Stay tuned to GRACIEMAG.com for further information on the UFC.

Source: Gracie Magazine

Randy Couture on Nogueira, Lesnar and How Long He'll Fight
by Michael David Smith

It seems almost impossible that, at age 46, Randy Couture is still fighting in the UFC. But in less than two weeks he'll get back into the Octagon once again, taking on Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira at UFC 102. In an interview with FanHouse, Couture talked about what kind of opponent Nogueira will be, why he thinks he could beat UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar if he gets another shot at him and whether it's realistic for him to keep fighting into his late 40s. The full interview is below.

Michael David Smith: Is Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira someone you've always wanted to fight?
Randy Couture: Absolutely. I've watched his fights for years, and he's a very, very impressive fighter. He has a lot of skill, he's very durable, he's a submission practitioner who's one of the best submission guys in our sport. There was a time when this would have been the dream match-up of Pride vs. UFC, both of us were once the champions of those organizations. That was a fight I had to turn down back then because I was under contract to the UFC, so I'm glad this fight came back around. ... I've got one more fight after this fight on my contract. And if I beat Nogueira I could be next in line for Lesnar, to try to end his reign as heavyweight champion. But I just have to take it as it comes and go with the flow.

Frank Mir was the first person to finish Nogueira. How much have you studied what Mir did and to what extent do you think you can do the same thing?
There have been all kinds of rumors since that fight, that Nogueira was hurt, he had a back injury, or he had staph. But I can't consider any of those things in my preparation. I have to prepare for the best Nogueira and assume he's coming into this fight at his best. I think he will, and that will make for a very good fight. He'll be a formidable opponent.

Looking technically at what Mir did, he's a southpaw and I'm a right-handed fighter, so there are differences there, and ultimately I have to prepare to have all the tools I'll need.

How much of your preparation is film study, watching Nogueira against Mir and against other opponents? Is film study a major part of your preparation?
It always is for me. I like to study tape, see what guys' tendencies are, see where they like to be, where they don't like to be. I've seen a lot of Nogueira's fights, so I have an idea of what kind of fighter he is. Studying his fight with Heath Herring was interesting, and I thought his fight with Mir was interesting, and those are definitely fights I've closely studied.

With how good Nogueira's submissions are, would you prefer to keep that fight standing?
Well, I have to be attentive on the ground, but I think working with Neil Melanson, I've come up with ways to control the submission game, and I think if we go to the ground, I can be on the top or bottom and I'll be fine -- I think I can win the fight there. How cool would it be to submit Nogueira? Beating him on the ground would be an accomplishment.

It certainly would be. No one has ever submitted Nogueira. If you beat Nogueira, do you think your next fight should be a rematch with Brock Lesnar?
It doesn't really matter what I think. It's what the UFC thinks that's important. So I've just got to take what comes along and see, after the dust settles, where I am. But I'm not looking past Nogueira. If other opportunities present themselves, there are a lot of good fights for me in the UFC right now.

Is that always your mindset? That you don't look beyond the fight you're focusing on now?
I think it has to be. I think if you start overlooking anybody, or thinking you've got all the answers, then somebody's going to point out to you that that's not a smart way to think.

I know you're looking ahead to some relaxing after the Nogueira fight, though, because you have this Sports Legends Challenge scheduled for next month.
I've got a unique opportunity to go down to the Bahamas in September with a number of other top athletes and sports stars and play some poker. I'm really excited to play some tournament-style, Texas hold 'em poker, and we're going to have some fun down there in the Bahamas, talking sports and playing some poker.

I'd also like to ask you to look ahead at some of the other fights the UFC has scheduled. Who do you think are the heavyweights who have the best chance to beat Lesnar? Your fight with Nogueira is a big one, Shane Carwin vs. Cain Velasquez is a big fight, Mirko Cro Cop vs. Junior dos Santos is big, too. How do you view the way the heavyweight division stacks up right now?
With the guys you just named, you hit the list. The heavyweight class over the last year has gotten deeper, and a few newer guys in the UFC have stepped up and shown they're worthy of being contenders in the heavyweight division. Before I think the division wasn't quite as strong, but it's a deep division now, and getting deeper all the time.

What's the way to beat Lesnar? Does it need to be someone who can come close to matching his size and strength, like Carwin? Or is it someone with superior experience, like yourself?
I don't think there's one specific prototype. He's obviously a big, strong, very good athlete, but I think there are also still some technical holes in his game. I think a guy who's big enough and strong enough -- and adept enough in wrestling -- can keep the fight in the right position to kind of pick him apart at the seams. But that's no easy task, as big as he is and as well as he moves.

I also think there are some holes in his submission game that can still be exploited. Mir didn't get a chance to put him in a submission at UFC 100, but a guy with Mir's submission skills could still give Lesnar some problems.

How much longer will you fight? You have one more fight on your contract after Nogueira. Could that one more be your last fight?
I'm taking it one fight at a time. I'm not anticipating anything, but I'm having fun and getting better as a fighter, and this is where I like to be. As long as that continues to be the case, I'll continue to fight. But as I get older, it's something that I'm constantly asked about.

And I'm sure you're constantly asked about this as well, but what do you attribute your longevity to? There are a handful of athletes, like you, Dara Torres, Bernard Hopkins and so on who can keep competing at a high level a decade older than most athletes have to walk away. Is it genetics? Is it work ethic? Is it something else?
I don't think there's any easy answer to that. I think it's a combination of things. I was fortunate enough to compete at a high level in wrestling into my 30s, and so my fitness base was very high. Then I got into fighting and was able to adapt my training appropriately. I haven't allowed any distractions to get into the way of doing what I need to do to get into shape and compete.

Source: MMA Fighting

Nick Diaz gives the middle finger to American fight fans
By Zach Arnold

The man who proclaimed that he could beat any drug test and still smoke pot somehow couldn’t find any measure of respect for Scott Coker, Showtime, or Jay Hieron to take a test to get a license to fight in California for Strikeforce’s August 15th card. Diaz had a title shot in place and instead of showing up to take a drug test, he ended up hiding ‘in the mountains’ and away from the California State Athletic Commission.

The reaction to Diaz’s antics from Coker and company make Strikeforce and Showtime look like pushovers. Listen, it’s the fight business — if you can draw money, you get more leeway, and we know that Diaz is a cult-like superstar. However, we also have learned from Dana White and UFC that like professional wrestling, the one tactic that changes and influences behavior in MMA is fear. Nick Diaz doesn’t fear Scott Coker. He doesn’t fear Ken Hershman of Showtime. He doesn’t have to fear anyone because he knows there will always be another sugardaddy ready to give him a second or a third chance and tell him how great he is.

So, with all of this in mind, it should come as no surprise that Nick Diaz now wants to fight in Japan. Coker is playing the “I don’t mind that he fights in Japan, but he fights in December for me” line. Fine. We know that DREAM and Strikeforce will have a co-promotional relationship. However, Nick Diaz and his camp are the same group of people that bitched a while back about DREAM stiffing him on money. So all of a sudden Diaz and company are going to do a U-turn and fight for DREAM again, a company they accused of stiffing them on money in the first place? What a joke.

We all know there’s no drug testing in Japan, so it’s obvious why Diaz is fighting there. What is curious is why Strikeforce, Showtime, and the California State Athletic Commission are willing to sit around and go on Cesar Gracie’s timetable here. Diaz escaped immediate suspension from the CSAC because he failed taking a drug test while getting licensed. However, you would think that the athletic commission would not be so forgiving of a man who has often made a mockery out of drug tests in such a public fashion like he did in The Los Angeles Times.

So, we will likely see Diaz versus Hayato “Mach” Sakurai in a fight that Nick will likely win, which would theoretically set up the fight with Jay Hieron that should have happened last week. Diaz has publicly stated that he wanted to fight Sakurai over a year ago.

Meanwhile, Hieron has to stay on the sidelines for the next four months and somehow put his trust and faith in Nick Diaz a) not getting hurt in Japan and b) actually bothering to show up in November or December for a drug test in order to get licensed. Why should Hieron play this game and end up with no political leverage here? With the news of Diaz fighting in Japan, it’s time for Ken Pavia (Jay Hieron’s manager) to step up to the plate and force the hand of both Scott Coker and Cesar Gracie. Why should Jay Hieron have to wait around for four months and not earn a salary? This is a man who doesn’t have time to waste in his career and has lost out on a lot of money over the last two years.

If Nick Diaz wants to watch his MMA career go up in smoke, fine, let him do it. But why should Ken Pavia let his client, Jay Hieron, sit around and watch his fighter’s career go up in smoke, too, based on what Nick Diaz is up to?

Source: Fight Opinion

Phillipe Nover vs. Sam Stout at UFC Fight Night 19

The Ultimate Fighter 8 lightweight finalist Phillipe Nover has accepted a fight on four weeks notice to face Sam Stout at UFC Fight Night 19 on Sept. 16 in Oklahoma City, FanHouse has learned.

Nover (6-2-1) is replacing the injured Kyle Bradley, whom Nover lost a first-round TKO to at UFC 98 in May.

Stout (14-5-1) was last seen in the Octagon in April slugging out a unanimous decision over Matt Wiman at UFC 97.

The UFC Fight Night 19 presentation on Spike TV will be immediately followed by the season premiere of The Ultimate Fighter 10: Heavyweights.

FIGHT CARD:

Spike TV

- Nate Diaz vs. Melvin Guillard
- Roger Huerta vs. Gray Maynard
- Carlos Condit vs. Chris Lytle
- Nate Quarry vs. Tim Credeur

Prelims

- Steve Cantwell vs. Brian Stann
- Chris Wilson vs. Mike Pyle
- Ed Herman vs. Aaron Simpson
- Phillipe Nover vs. Sam Stout
- Jeremy Stephens vs. Justin Buchholz
- Ryan Jensen vs. Steve Steinbeiss

Source: MMA Fighting

Wanderlei Silva recovers from operation
UFC fighter underwent surgery on nose


Out of the spotlight since his loss to Rich Franklin at UFC 99, in July, Wanderlei Silva has been taking a break from training. According to information unearthed by GRACIEMAG.com, the fighter underwent and operation on his septum two weeks ago.

“The procedure will help Wanderlei breathe better. It will improve not just his quality as an athlete but also his daily life. It’s a region that has been badly punished and was recuperated for him to perform better,” declared Rafael Alejarra, Wand’s physical conditioning coach.

At the moment Wand is still in recovery and there is no forecast as to when he will return to the octagon.

Stay tuned to GRACIEMAG.com and we’ll be back shortly with further information on Wanderlei Silva and the UFC.

Source: Gracie Magazine

8/22/09

Quote of the Day

"What we remember from childhood we remember forever -
permanent ghosts, stamped, inked, imprinted, eternally seen."

Cynthia Ozick

DESTINY: No Ka Oi in Maui!
Today!

War Memorial Gym, Wailuku, Maui
Saturday, Aug 22, 2009

-205lbs
Yancy Medeiros (oahu) vs Zeke Prados (maui)

-155lbs
Kaleo Kwan (Oahu, O2 Martial Arts Academy) vs Eddie Rincon (Maui)

-145lbs
Tim "Majik" Moon (oahu) vs Eddie P. (maui)

-135lbs
Kana "One Man Riot" Hyatt (Oahu) vs Jon Delos Reyes (Guam)

-160lbs
Kolo Koka (oahu) vs Gonzo (maui)

-145lbs
Zack Rapal (oahu) vs Kurrent Cockett (maui)

-205lbs
Tasi "da Tyrant" Edwards (oahu) vs Jake Yasui (maui)

-150lbs
Brandon Pieper (oahu) vs Lorrin Ishimine (maui)

-135lbs
Mark Tajon (oahu) vs Jeremy Paet (maui)

-150lbs
L.John Borges (oahu) vs Alan Hinajosa (maui)

-135lbs
Ryan Lee (Oahu) vs Joshua Alvarez (Guam)

-145lbs
Dustin Kimura (oahu) vs Jake Noble (maui)

-135lbs
Julio Moreno (oahu) vs Riley Dutro (maui)

-140lbs
Gerrald Gammitt (maui) vs Guy Nishiyama (maui)

-155lbs Amateur Championship Bout
Nate Quiniola (oahu) vs Ben "Da King" Santiago (oahu)

-185lbs Amateur Championship Bout
Jon "4real" Ferrell (oahu) vs Sale (molokai)

-145lbs
Waylen mata (oahu) vs Keoni Farm (maui/molokai)

-160lbs
Justin Konia (oahu) vs Jason Emsley (maui)

-135lbs
Justin Arruda (maui) vs Sean King (maui)

-130lbs
Levi Delaginte (maui) vs DJ Tadena (maui)

Fight Card Subject To Change

Japheth "Jay" Bolos
DESTINY Entertainment, LLC
Westside Fight Gear
94-144 Farrington Hwy. Ste# 112
Waipahu, HI 96797
Store# (808)381-2790
T-mobile Cell# (808)277-2335
Sprint Cell# (808)368-5568

Source: Event Promoter



We would like to announce a seminar coming up in August of 2009 Koretoshi Maruyama Sensei will be teaching.

For further information please contact me:

James Peters
Noelani Ki Aikido Yuishinkai
(808) 256-9944
e-mail:
james@jpetersdesign.com


THE "B.J. PENN RULE" INSTITUTED IN NEVADA
by Steven Marrocco

NSAC Passes ‘BJ Penn Rule’
By Steven Marrocco/MMAWeekly.com

“Greasegate” has made its first imprint on the Nevada State Athletic Commission rulebook.

In a meeting held Wednesday in Las Vegas, the NSAC approved language prohibiting the use of foreign substances on a fighter’s body prior to or during a fight that “could result in an unfair advantage.”

Dubbed by a commission official as the “B.J. Penn Rule,” the use of foreign substances will now be added to a list of “fouls” in the Nevada Administrative Code that address tactics illegal to fighters, such as eye gouging, small joint manipulation, or biting.

Controversy surrounding the use of Vaseline at UFC 94 threatened to overshadow welterweight champion St. Pierre’s dominating fourth round win over lightweight champion Penn.

Penn’s lawyer, Raffi Nahabedian, was present at the meeting and said the change was an important step in preventing future controversy.

“The rule change is great because it’s better than nothing,” Nahabedian told MMAWeekly.com afterwards. “The official can now make the assessment that this is a foul. So it’s even better than before.”

Nahabedian also suggested a rule during the meeting that would provide fighters with a commission-supervised shower prior to their bouts.

When the whole turmoil blew up around St. Pierre’s improper usage of Vaseline at UFC 94, Nahabedian says he was approached by several fighters and camps that asserted certain athletes take “pre-bout baths in oil” or repeatedly had oily or greasy substances rubbed into their skin, which could help them to gain an unfair advantage against their opponents.

“These are issues that need to be considered,” said Nahabedian. “Because these oils that absorb into the skin, and then when (the combatant) starts to perspire, and they start to perspire heavily, these oils are then pushed outward (making them slippery),” which would obviously hinder a fighter that relies heavily on grappling or jiu-jitsu.

Nahabedian believes that a supervised pre-fight shower upon arrival at the venue would help to deter such tactics.

The commission said they would take the matter under future consideration.

“I think that the commission eventually is going to have to become even more technical in this area and add the pre-bout shower,” said Nahabedian. ”You have athletes that are willing to do anything to attain the fame and money that comes with bouts at this level... it’s something they’re going to need to do.”

The commission’s action on foreign substances appeared to be a reversal in tone from a March hearing in which they took no formal action following spirited testimony from Penn’s camp and representatives for St. Pierre.

NSAC Executive Director Keith Kizer said the rule could take up to 30 days to take effect.

Representatives for St. Pierre were unavailable for comment at the time of publication.

(Updated 6:30 p.m. PT – Mr. Nahabedian’s comments, at his request, were updated to more clearly state his recommendation of commission-supervised pre-fight showers for combatants.)

Source: MMA Weekly

Strikeforce: Carano vs. Cyborg Salaries

Gina Carano, as expected, was the highest earner with $125,000 at this past Saturday's Strikeforce event in San Jose.

Cris Cyborg, who stopped Carano with a second left in the first round to win the first-ever Strikeforce 145-pound women's title, pocketed $20,000 plus a $5,000 win bonus.

Meanwhile, the other new Strikeforce champion at the event happened to be the lowest earner, at least according to the commission's records. The disclosed purse of newly-crowned light heavyweight titleholder Gegard Mousasi was $2,000 with no win bonus. It's safe to say Mousasi is being compensated in some other way.

Here are the salary figures obtained by FanHouse from the California State Athletic Commission:

- Cris Cyborg - $25,000 ($20,000 + $5,000) def. Gina Carano - $125,000
- Gegard Mousasi - $2,000 def. Renato "Babalu" Sobral - $75,000
- Gilbert Melendez - $50,000 def. Mitsuhiro Ishida - $30,000
- Fabricio Werdum - $50,000 ($25,000 + $25,000) def. Mike Kyle - $14,000
- Jay Hieron - $55,000 ($25,000 + $30,000 win) def. Jesse Taylor - $12,000
- Scott Lighty - $4,000 def. Mike Cook - $2,500
- Justin Wilcox - $5,000 ($2,500 + $2,500 win) def. David Douglas - $5,500
- James Terry - $6,000 ($3,000 + $3,000 win) def. Zak Bucia - $2,000
- Alex Trevino - $3,500 ($2,000 + $1,500 win) def. Isiah Hill - $2,000

Quick Hits: 13,976 was the official attendance at the HP Pavilion for a gross and net gate of $735,710 and $692,159.74, respectively.

Source: MMA Fighting

UFC 9/16 Cox Convention Center in Oklahoma City
By Zach Arnold

Dark matches

¦Middleweights: Ryan Jensen vs. Steve Steinbeiss
¦Welterweights: Brock Larson vs. Mike Pierce
¦Lightweights: Jeremy Stephens vs. Justin Buchholz
¦Lightweights: Sam Stout vs. Kyle Bradley
¦Middleweights: CB Dollaway vs. Dan Miller
¦Welterweights: Chris Wilson vs. Mike Pyle
¦Light Heavyweights: Steve Cantwell vs. Brian Stann
Main card

¦Middleweights: Nate Quarry vs. Tim Credeur
¦Lightweights: Gray Maynard vs. Roger Huerta
¦Lightweights: Nate Diaz vs. Melvin Guillard

Source: Fight Opinion

UFC Confirms Return of Aurelio
Line-Up for UFC 102 Finalized

By FCF Staff

The Ultimate Fighting Championship has confirmed the entire card for the promotion’s upcoming August 29th event in Portland, Oregon, and as expected, Marcus Aurelio will make his return to the Octagon to fight Evan Dunham. The American Top Team fighter has been brought in to replace the injured Matt Veach.

Aurelio (18-7) has gone 2-0 since his last UFC appearance; a Unanimous Decision loss to Hermes Franca at UFC 90 last October. Since then the Pride veteran has knocked out Chris Liguori at a World Cagefighting Alliance show in February, and more recently, Aurelio submitted Joey Gorczynski at a 5150 Combat League event in June. Aurelio went 2-3 in his initial stint with the UFC.

The undefeated Dunham (8-0) is coming off a successful Octagon debut, as he stopped Per Eklund in the first round at UFC 95 in February. Dunham’s only other bout in 2009 took place in January, when he submitted Dustin Akbari in the first round at Palace Fighting Championship 12.

UFC 102 will be headlined with an all-star heavyweight clash between former UFC champions Randy Couture and Antonio “Minotauro” Nogueira.

UFC 102 Card

Randy Couture vs. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira
Keith Jardine vs. Thiago Silva
Chris Leben vs. Jake Rosholt
Demian Maia vs. Nate Marquardt
Krzysztof Soszynski vs. Brandon Vera
Ed Herman vs. Aaron Simpson
Gabriel Gonzaga vs. Chris Tuchscherer
Justin McCully vs. Mike Russow
Todd Duffee vs. Tim Hague
Nick Catone vs. Mark Munoz
Marcus Aurelio vs. Evan Dunham

Source: Full Contact Fighter

Alliance cracks the 50/50

Solution came from skillful purple belt Ricardo Mesquita, claims Gurgel
By Gabriel Menezes

“The Alliance laboratory cracks the 50/50, the antidote took time in coming but is here…” was what was posted on the twitter of team leader Fabio Gurgel, yesterday, August 17, a Monday.

GRACIEMAG brings you this month a productive debate on the position in its 150th issue. While there are some in favor of simply banning it, there are those studying an intelligent way out of what many have been calling stalling.

After Rodrigo Comprido defended his point of view in stating that Jiu-Jitsu players should be able to pass guards of all kinds and deal with any situation on the ground (the athlete is against prohibition of the position), Gurgel announced the antidote to the position came from one of his better purple belts, Ricardo Mesquita. Thus the master claims the solution will soon make its appearance.

“The positions come about naturally in schools around the world on a daily basis. Not just here, but this position [50/50] has been garnering special attention, since if it can hamper even Cobrinha, then it shouldn’t be overlooked,” remarked Gurgel to GRACIEMAG.com.

I’m going to release the way out for Jiu-Jitsu’s benefit, I’m going to put it on youtube soon. In a little while they’ll come up with another one, and someone will solve it. Thus the sport keeps on course, always moving forward,” said the Alliance leader in finishing.

Source: Gracie Magazine

The Plight and Prosperity of British MMA
by Karl Maple

Compact within the confines of a well-made suit, Ian “The Machine” Freeman appeals for calm from an unresponsive audience.

The deep, authoritative tone of the former UFC heavyweight contender asserts that the fight will not continue, until respect is shown and seats are taken.

The hall is half empty.

The half that have attended appear to be relations of a local fighter, whose Lithuanian opponent has left the cage and is refusing to return until the partisan crowd are a little more welcoming.

There are few casual fans. The audience is charged with the heightened emotion of those about to watch a loved one fight and a minor scuffle breaks out between the rows of unfixed, plastic chairs.

Welcome to the fledgling world of British MMA.

By all measurements, mixed martial arts has never been more popular on this side of the Atlantic. Media coverage, talent and public awareness progressively rise, and yet, despite these increases, domestic promotions are finding it harder than ever to attract the fans that play the video game, buy the magazines and watch the UFC.

On June 2, a press conference held in decadent, West London surroundings heralded a new dawn for British MMA. The British Association of Mixed Martial Arts (BAMMA) sought to bring cohesion to the splintered UK scene with a trilogy of televised events. They would culminate in an end-of-year card, on which six definitive British champions would be crowned.

Two months and one event later, BAMMA is on the verge of collapse. Their website has been taken off-line, their events have been cancelled and official statements are eerily absent.

When the cessation is confirmed, it will be the third time within a year that a high profile British organization has chosen to fold. In March, Liverpool-based Cage Gladiators, proving ground of current UFC alum Terry Etim and Paul Kelly, ended a run of thirteen events. The British Fighting Championship -- a conglomeration of promotions including FX3, AMMA and Ultimate Force -- failed to assemble a single show before a failed television deal forced them to abort their ambitious plans.

A worrying paradox has developed around British MMA.

The increase in popularity and acceptance of the sport in the U.K. has failed to translate into support of the domestic scene.

Matt Freeman, editor of leading British magazine MMA Unlimited, points to the global dominance of the UFC as a possible explanation for the disparity between popularity and success for local promotions.

“With the UFC coming back to the U.K., we have seen an explosion of interest in that particular promotion but not in the sport,” said Freeman. “Everyone has heard of the UFC, but not MMA, which could be construed as negative.

“The top U.K. promotions used to host huge domestic and international cards, but things have definitely changed,” continued Freeman. “The trickle-down effect many thought would happen a few years ago hasn't happened. Add that to the economic downturn, which has seemingly had no effect on the UFC and British shows have struggled in my opinion.”

Since April 2007, the UFC has held eight events across the U.K. and Ireland, filling sizable arenas with ease and forever changing the landscape of MMA in Europe. November will see the UFC return to the Manchester Evening News Arena, scene of their triumphant re-entry into the market, buoyed by the confirmation of a new long-term television deal with ESPN.

Marshall Zelaznik, UFC U.K. division president, regards the recent television negotiations as an indicator of the progress made by the organization in the U.K..

“We used to have to beat their doors down, now they come to us with requests,” said Zelaznik. “There were definitely more players in the TV negotiations this time. Two and a half years ago, we had year-to-year deals, but now companies understand the product.”

Zelaznik also feels that the problems facing some British promotions are a result of flawed business strategies and over-extension rather than lack of interest outside of the UFC brand.

“I hope that we are driving awareness,” he said. “There is enough interest here for smaller promotions but more simplistic business models are required.

“You can’t oversell, telling everyone you have the best fighters in the world, when people know that you don’t,” continued Zelaznik. “They should say ‘We’ve got the best up and coming talent in the U.K. Come and have a good night out,’ instead of acting like the second coming of Jesus Christ. There are plenty of shows in the U.S., that put on compelling and entertaining fights without TV.”

Veteran British Promoter Dave O' Donnell takes a similar view to Zelaznik. O'Donnell's UCUK promotion is one the few domestic organizations to prosper alongside the UFC, and he feels that his success can be attributed to his experience in the business. A quality sadly lacking in the sudden deluge of aspiring promoters, ill equipped to contend with the rigors of running a successful show.

“They come to the show and think, ‘I can do that, I can do this,’ but you've got to look big picture, not small,” said O’Donnell. “The danger will come when there are too many organizations not doing it properly. They cut corners like, ‘We'll have one doctor instead of two,’ or ‘I'll get my brother’s mate to fight,’ instead of hiring professional fighters.”

Much of the problems facing U.K. promotions stem from the absence of a nationalized governing body. There is a lack of consistency from one event to the next, making a definitive British brand impossible. BAMMA and the BFC both tried to establish such a base by uniting numerous smaller productions, with no success.

Until unity is found between the plethora of regional shows, the future of British MMA for the casual fan will rest firmly upon the UFC, who insist that despite plans to extend the promotion into Australia and Asia, have the U.K. firmly at the forefront of their plans.

“We still feel that there is work to be done,” said Zelaznik. “Next year we plan to be more aggressive in our promotion; we are looking to put on three to five shows in the U.K. Any arena that can hold in the region of 9,000 throughout the country, we are looking to fill.”

As the UFC continues to grow, the future of the British MMA scene remains under threat. It will take cooperation from regional shows or the emergence of an outstanding promotion to fully exploit the increase in popularity that the UFC has generated, and until that time comes, we can expect many more false dawns on the British horizon.

Source: Sherdog

Jake Rosholt: NCAA Wrestling Champ Makes the Move to the UFC
by Michael David Smith

Few collegiate wrestlers have accomplished more than Jake Rosholt, a four-time All-American and three-time NCAA champion at Oklahoma State. But now Rosholt is finding that the move from the mat to the Octagon isn't easy.

Rosholt started fighting mixed martial arts in 2007, and in February of 2009 he made his debut in the UFC. His first fight, however, lasted just over a minute, before Brazilian jiu jitsu black belt Dan Miller caught him in a guillotine choke and forced him to tap out.

Now Rosholt is preparing for his second UFC fight, against Chris Leben at UFC 102 on August 29, and in an interview with FanHouse, he said he's learned from that loss and he's ready to do the necessary work to become a champion in the UFC, just as he was a champion in the NCAA.

Michael David Smith: Would you say you're the most accomplished wrestler in the UFC?
Jake Rosholt: As far as collegiate wrestling I am. I'm the only person with three NCAA titles, and then there's one person with two, and that's (former Oklahoma State teammate) Johny Hendricks, and then I think there have been a few with two in the past, like Kevin Randleman. As far as I know I'm the only one with three, but there have also been UFC fighters who were Olympic wrestlers, and being in the Olympics is considered a greater accomplishment than being NCAA champion.

Is wrestling the best base for an MMA fighter to have?
I don't know if I could say it's better than every other martial art, but I think wrestling certainly helps. It teaches you hard work and dedication, and those are important things to have in MMA. Wrestling is a great sport and I think it's given me an advantage.

Which UFC fighters do you think are the best at using the techniques of wrestling and applying them to MMA?
That's pretty simple: Georges St. Pierre is the best out there at using wrestling to control the fight. I also think Randy Couture is outstanding with his wrestling.

It's interesting that you mention GSP because his background isn't in wrestling. How good do you think he could have been as an amateur wrestler if he had gone down that road when he was young?
I don't know because it's a completely different sport. I imagine that he, because of the kind of athlete he is, would be pretty damn good at whatever he did. But you can't really look at him in MMA and say that he would have been an Olympian, because they are different sports. In wrestling, you don't have to worry about getting submitted and you don't have to worry about getting punched, so it's just a completely different game plan.

What do you think about Brock Lesnar? He's a former NCAA wrestling champion. Does he have great wrestling skill, or is he just such a big, strong physical specimen that he doesn't need that much skill?
He's an amazing physical specimen, but his wrestling is top-notch, too.

Did you know when you were a college wrestler that you wanted to be a professional MMA fighter?
No, I had no idea. I never wanted to fight until about a year after I got done wrestling.

So what got you into it?
I had some people approach me about it, and after I heard them out, I decided I wanted to try it.

And you started out with small shows in Oklahoma?
Yeah, I did some smaller shows and did well in those, and then I won a fight on HDNet, and then the WEC gave me a contract for five fights. After I fought one fight in the WEC, the UFC picked up the rest of the contract, in kind of a whirlwind deal that I didn't really have much say in.

Did you have the sense in the WEC that they viewed you as one of the up-and-coming stars, because you had such a strong resume as an amateur wrestler?
I don't know. They said they were excited to have me, but I don't know what kinds of plans they had for me.

How did you feel about your one WEC fight, when you beat Nissen Osterneck?
Not very good. I got kind of overwhelmed at the beginning, and I got the exact fight that I was not ready for. I was able to pull out the win, but it didn't go the way I wanted it to go, that's for sure.

So after that fight did the WEC just tell you they were getting rid of your weight class so you'd be going to the UFC?
I actually knew before the fight that it would be my only WEC fight.

I assume you were happy about that because the UFC is the bigger show?
Honestly, I would have rather had a couple more fights in the WEC. But it doesn't really matter. I'm excited about being in the UFC because I can fight the best fighters out there, and this is definitely the place for me to make my name.

And when you made your UFC debut at the Ultimate Fight Night in February, Dan Miller got you to tap with a guillotine choke after just a minute. What went wrong?
I just got caught in a guillotine. There's not much else I can say about it. The fight didn't last very long. I got caught in a bad situation and got submitted.

I've seen a few fights where a guy with a wrestling background goes for a takedown and gets caught in a guillotine. Do the types of takedowns that you use as a wrestler leave you susceptible to the guillotine?
Yes, I definitely think so, but I've been doing MMA long enough and studying jiu jitsu long enough that I should know better than to get in those situations. It was just a spot where he did a really good job, and I wasn't in a good position and I got caught in a guillotine.

And Dan Miller is a guy who, if you leave yourself open, his jiu jitsu is good enough that he's going to make you pay for it.
Yeah, he is. He's a respectable opponent and he beat me.

What do you think of your next opponent, Chris Leben?
I'm excited to fight him. Leben always puts on exciting fights. He's a come-forward kind of guy who's going to try to stand in front of me and knock me out, and I'm excited about that.

Have you watched much tape of his fights to prepare?
I've watched a couple of his fights, but I don't spend too much time doing that. I don't really watch much video of my opponents, because I don't really care. I want to go out there and fight to the best of my abilities and make them worry about what I'm doing.

So you view yourself as preparing for a fight, rather than preparing specifically for Chris Leben?
Yes. I mean, obviously, I know where he's strong and my trainers have watched some of his fights and pointed things out, but I'm not going to sit there and break down every minute of every one of his fights and think that's going to help me beat him.

With your superior wrestling, would you like to take Leben to the ground?
Not necessarily. I don't really care where the fight goes. I think Leben is pretty decent on the ground, so it's not like if I take him to the ground I'm definitely going to win the fight. Where ever the fight is, I have to be ready to beat him.

Have you given much thought to what you'd like to do next, after the fight with Leben?
I'm just worried about beating Chris Leben. After I do that, I'll fight whoever they ask me to.

Where have you been training for this fight?
I've been at Cobra Kai in Las Vegas and UNLV Boxing with Chris Ben, and a couple other places in Vegas as well.

What are your long-term ambitions in this sport?
Just to keep getting better. I've only been doing this for two years now, and I know I have a lot of learning to do and a lot to get better at. I just want to keep winning fights and keep making my name bigger in MMA.

How long do you want to fight?
As long as I feel that I have the ability to be one of the best fighters in the world, I'll keep doing it. Because I love it.

Source: MMA Fighting

8/21/09

Quote of the Day

"When you've seen beyond yourself, then you may find, peace of mind is waiting there."

George Harrison

DESTINY: No Ka Oi in Maui!
Tomorrow!

War Memorial Gym, Wailuku, Maui
Saturday, Aug 22, 2009

-205lbs
Yancy Medeiros (oahu) vs Zeke Prados (maui)

-155lbs
Kaleo Kwan (Oahu, O2 Martial Arts Academy) vs Eddie Rincon (Maui)

-145lbs
Tim "Majik" Moon (oahu) vs Eddie P. (maui)

-135lbs
Kana "One Man Riot" Hyatt (Oahu) vs Jon Delos Reyes (Guam)

-160lbs
Kolo Koka (oahu) vs Gonzo (maui)

-145lbs
Zack Rapal (oahu) vs Kurrent Cockett (maui)

-205lbs
Tasi "da Tyrant" Edwards (oahu) vs Jake Yasui (maui)

-150lbs
Brandon Pieper (oahu) vs Lorrin Ishimine (maui)

-135lbs
Mark Tajon (oahu) vs Jeremy Paet (maui)

-150lbs
L.John Borges (oahu) vs Alan Hinajosa (maui)

-135lbs
Ryan Lee (Oahu) vs Joshua Alvarez (Guam)

-145lbs
Dustin Kimura (oahu) vs Jake Noble (maui)

-135lbs
Julio Moreno (oahu) vs Riley Dutro (maui)

-140lbs
Gerrald Gammitt (maui) vs Guy Nishiyama (maui)

-155lbs Amateur Championship Bout
Nate Quiniola (oahu) vs Ben "Da King" Santiago (oahu)

-185lbs Amateur Championship Bout
Jon "4real" Ferrell (oahu) vs Sale (molokai)

-145lbs
Waylen mata (oahu) vs Keoni Farm (maui/molokai)

-160lbs
Justin Konia (oahu) vs Jason Emsley (maui)

-135lbs
Justin Arruda (maui) vs Sean King (maui)

-130lbs
Levi Delaginte (maui) vs DJ Tadena (maui)

Fight Card Subject To Change

Japheth "Jay" Bolos
DESTINY Entertainment, LLC
Westside Fight Gear
94-144 Farrington Hwy. Ste# 112
Waipahu, HI 96797
Store# (808)381-2790
T-mobile Cell# (808)277-2335
Sprint Cell# (808)368-5568

Source: Event Promoter

NEVADA COMMISSION APPROVES INSTANT REPLAY
by Steven Marrocco

According to a new rule passed by the Nevada State Athletic Commission Wednesday, referees in Nevada now have the opportunity to get a second look at a fight’s end to determine its legality.

The final wording as passed: “A referee at the conclusion of a contest or exhibition stopped immediately due to an injury to an unarmed combatant pursuant to NAC 467.718 and after making a decision, may view a replay if available in order to determine whether the injury in question was caused a legal blow or a foul.”

The rule addresses several controversial stoppages in recent history where a fighter lost a contest because the referee couldn’t see an injury that forced a bout’s stoppage.

A referee may now use instant replay to determine whether the action that caused the injury was legal or a foul and make a decision on the fight’s result. Only a referee can decide whether to order a replay.

In one of the most prominent examples of the need to address injury stoppages, UFC welterweight Anthony Johnson was unintentionally poked in the eye by Kevin Burns at UFC Fight Night 14 last July and was denied an appeal to his TKO loss due to the commission’s “lack of remedy” on the incident.

After a discussion on the issues surrounding the new rule, the five-member commission passed it by unanimous vote. NSAC Executive Director Keith Kizer told MMAWeekly.com the rule could take effect in as early as 30 days.

Source: MMA Weekly

4 Reasons Why Female MMA Will NEVER Be Popular
by AlwaysRelaxing

I kind of chuckle at some fans who really think that female MMA can be a viable option for a MMA promoter. It might be able to increase ratings here or there, but it is not the type competition to give them strong, consistent ratings. Female fighters will likely have a small, minimal place in fighting. Here are the 4 Reasons why:

1. WHERE'S THE TALENT COMING FROM? Each established female sport in America has a strong feeder system. The WNBA has a strong women's college program to draw from. Females start from a very early age playing the game. Tennis & Golf both have larger college programs. Primarily a "wealthy" persons sport, it isn't uncommon for advanced athletes to get expensive coaching from an early age in order to advance their careers. Even men's MMA pulls from wrestling, BJJ, Muay Thai, Kickboxing, Boxing, etc. Most of the advanced wrestlers today in the UFC started competing before the age of 10. Simply put, each sport has an strong foundation to draw talent from. THIS DOES NOT EXIST FOR FEMALE FIGHTERS. Women's wrestling is almost non-existent. Many females who do BJJ are not likely to make the transition over. And there are no major female boxers or a female K-1 division. Yes, female MMA will draw from these sports, but there just isn't enough of them happening in order to get a strong enough pool of talent.

2. SHOW ME THE MONEY!!! Despite being called a success, the Gina Carano vs. Chris "Cyborg" Title Fight drew a gate of less then $1 Million. It is highly unlikely that an event headlined by females can become a strong PPV attraction or get a huge gate. Even if Gina Carano won, there is no way her name could get people to purchase a $45 PPV, or spend $200 on a ticket. More proof of this is the WNBA. Despite having the full backing of a billion dollar industry like the NBA, they have a hard time bringing in money. Salary Caps for each team are set at $900,000. That's for the ENTIRE TEAM. Outside of Tennis & Golf (which have a very wealthy fanbase), no female sports stars have been able to command high ticket prices for their events. I don't see any female MMA fighter changing this.

3. SHORTER CAREERS!!!! We often are amazed at guys like Randy Couture or Bernard Hopkins can compete well into their 40's. This is much less common for female athletes. Their careers are often shorter for a few reasons. First, their hormones can start to change which can make it harder to be a competitive athlete later in life. Secondly, they do have weaker knee ligaments which can cause more injuries. Lastly, a very simple two words: FAMILY & BABY! Athletes like Joy Fawcett (Soccer) and Dara Torres (Swimming) can have children and still compete in their respective sports. Heck, Torres had a baby 15 months prior to winning the 2007 Nationals. In MMA, having a baby is without question a career ender. With a shorter career length, there is a shorter window of opportunity for a promoter to not only make a woman into a champion, but a likely shorter time span of being on top.

4. IF IT COULD HAVE BEEN DONE, IT WOULD HAVE BEEN!!! Looking at the overall history of sports in America, it is easily dominated by male athletes. Female athletes as a whole are a side note. Football is 99.9% men. Baseball has softball, which gets little to no attention. The NBA has the WNBA, which has never been successful. If females could be sold to the general public, don't you think somebody would have figured it out for one of these sports already? As i said before, the only two sports in which female athletes have done solid business are in Tennis and Golf. And both have more of a "Country Club" fan then they do anything else. To further prove my point, here is a list of other popular female athletes and the sports they were supposed to propel into the mainstream:

1.Sheryl Swoopes & The WNBA- Swoopes, an Olympic Gold Medalist. Branded as "The Michael Jordan"of the WNBA. The 1st Overall pick for the league. She could not make the WNBA popular. As it stands today, the league continues to suffer from financial problems, low TV ratings, and a lack of fanfare.

2.Christy Martin & Women's Boxing- Martin was given the push of a lifetime as she was often promoted on the undercard of Mike Tyson events. Not the current Mike Tyson of today, but the wrecking machine Tyson back in his prime. She even appeared on the cover of Sports illustrated, making some believe women's boxing would finally become popular. Despite all of this, women's boxing could not make a dent to the public.

3.Laila Ali & Women's Boxing- The daughter of the most famous boxer alive today, the great Muhammad Ali. Laila, a very gifted boxer herself, could not make women's boxing popular. It would be like a female "Gracie" being in MMA. She now has a child and is retired from the sport.
4.Mia Hamm & Women's Soccer- And finally there is Mia Hamm. A great soccer player who lead the United States to a Gold Medal in the Olympics. The Summer of Mia got the sport of Female Soccer so much attention. Mia Hamm was in multiple commercials, and the sport looked to be taking off. Not to mention little girls around the nation were looking up to these ladies as roll model. The onslaught of media attention even allowed for the formation of the WUSA, the first female soccer league. Despite all of their popularity, the league (which included many of Mia's well known teammates from the Olympics) failed miserably.

If Hamm, Swoopes, Martin, & Ali couldn't make their sports popular to the American public.... I don't see how Gina Carano or Chris "Cyborg" can do it. The female MMA fights will provide for some added discussion amongst the more devoted fans. And every once in a while get more mainstream attention. Female MMA having any real potential for a MMA Organization is HIGHLY improbable. And that is putting it nicely.

Source: Bloodly Elbow

With Kurt Angle’s new legal troubles, is MMA his only career option left?
By Zach Arnold

We all remember Kurt Angle’s tenacity last year in stating that he would fight in MMA, only for everyone to laugh it off justifiably.

Unfortunately, Angle faces a very bad legal situation and his pro-wrestling doors (mainly WWE and TNA) are closing on him if he ends up in prison. Japan is always an option, but more than likely Kurt Angle will be looking to do something quick for money. The only option left for him to make quick and significant money is an MMA fight.

Angle’s troubles, highlighted on Saturday in various media reports, are really bad. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette notes that Angle was arrested for violating a protection from abuse order, along with harassment charges and possession of Human Growth Hormone. Angle is currently out on bail.

Source: Fight Opinion

Weekend Results: Fred Ettish Puts Demons to Rest

It took over fifteen years, but UFC 2 competitor Fred Ettish notched his first career victory over the weekend at a local card in Brainerd, Minn.

The 53-year-old Ettish, who faced ridicule in his previous and only MMA fight, forced a submission Saturday by pounding out the much younger and 11-pound heavier Kyle Fletcher at a Cage Fighting Xtreme event promoted by UFC welterweight Brock Larson.

Ettish (1-1) entered the fight seeking redemption for a 3:07 loss at UFC 2 in March 1994.

"There's a lot of unsettledness within me that's been there every since UFC 2, and I've tried stuffing it down," Ettish told FanHouse last Thursday. "I've tried working through it, I've tried a number of things to deal with the unsettledness of how I feel from what happened at UFC 2 and I haven't been successful putting it away so I came to the conclusion there's only one way to put that stuff to rest and that is to go out and actually perform up to my capabilities which I did not do the first time at all."

Boetsch Wins King of the Cage Debut

Fighting outside of the UFC for the first time since August 2007, Tim Boetsch (9-3) finished fellow IFL veteran Aaron Stark with a guillotine choke in the main event of King of the Cage "Thunderstruck" in Everett, Washington.

Stark attempted a takedown off a Boetsch kick, but Boetsch sprawled and applied a guillotine choke in closed guard for the win in the second round.

Boetsch is best known for his dominant UFC debut at UFC 81 where he threw David Heath with ease against the cage before finishing him with strikes in the first round. Boetsch holds a 2-2 record with the UFC and was released in March after his UFC 96 loss to Jason Brilz.

Fickett Drops Five In a Row

Drew Fickett (36-13), who in 2005 and 2006 was a top level fighter for the UFC and just a year ago was scheduled to meet Jake Shields for the EliteXC title, suffered his fifth straight loss Saturday and has now loss eight of his last 10 fights.

Fickett, competing at 180 pounds, was stopped 28 seconds into the fight by the 184-pound Freddy Sandoval, Jr. at Rage in the Cage 133 in Santa Ana Pueblo, N.M.

In the main event, UFC veteran Edwin Dewees (36-13) won via rear-naked choke submission in 56 seconds over Eric McElroy.

Ruediger Records Fourth Straight Submission

The Ultimate Fighter 5 contestant and former WEC lightweight champion Gabe Ruediger (14-5) submitted Wander Braga with a second-round guillotine choke at Call to Arms 2 in Ontario, Calif.

Ruediger is 4-0 in 2009 with all wins coming by way of chokes.

Source: MMA Fighting

Miller Looking For Another Win Against “TUF” Competitor
By Kelsey Mowatt

After quickly defeating controversial “Ultimate Fighter” veteran Junie Browning in April, Cole "Magrino" Miller has begun to prepare for his upcoming fight with Efrain Escudero, yet another former and notable TUF competitor. Unlike Browning, who became one of the show’s more recognizable figures largely due to his verbal and physical outbursts during the eighth season of the program, Escudero made his name by winning the season’s lightweight title. Now, Miller will look to become the first man to defeat the rising prospect, when he fights Escudero at UFC 103 on September 19th.

“I kind of looked at it in a few different ways,” Miller recently told FCF. “I thought it was a good match-up for me. I knew that I could win, so that’s always a good feeling to have. With him coming off the “Ultimate Fighter” there would be a lot more exposure behind getting an opponent like that. At the same time, I kind of wanted to fight more of a veteran fighter. Right now I’m in training camp preparing for Escudero and I’m really happy with how things are going.”

As of today, the Miller, Escudero bout is not a lock to be shown during the UFC 103 PPV, which is somewhat surprising considering Escudero has not fought since he defeated Phillipe Nover at the TUF 8 Finale in December.

“Initially it was supposed to be on the main card and then I saw that it got bumped to the prelims,” said Miller, who competed on the fifth season of TUF. “Obviously I was pretty disappointed. It’s the first time that an Ultimate Fighter winner is not on the main card of a fight. I want more people to see my work. So I’m pretty disappointed. It’s more motivation for me. I just want to go in there and make a statement with what I’m doing.”

“I don’t think winning the Ultimate Fighter has the same prestige it used to,” Miller said, when asked if perhaps the notoriety of winning TUF is diminishing, despite the fact that the show continues to have strong ratings heading into its 10th season. “I think the talent has been dropping down, not all of the guys obviously, some of them are great fighters. But in our season we had 8 guys stick around, now you see half the guys after getting cut left and right.”

During Escudero’s time with the UFC, the former collegiate wrestler has demonstrated a strong ground game to accompany his takedown abilities, and has gone 11-0 since turning pro in the summer of 2006.

“I think that his best asset is his mind,” said Miller. “He’s a pretty smart fighter. I think his next best asset is his wrestling. His ground game seems to be okay, and his striking is okay, but he’s not really flourishing in either of those aspects. It seems like the wrestling is what sets him apart from the guys he’s fought. So he’s been able to take just being good at wrestling and make it win fights for him.”

Miller (15-3) will head into UFC 101 having gone 4-1 to date in the Octagon, and in addition to demonstrating advanced submissions skills with tap out victories over notable ground specialists like Jorge Gurgel, the American Top Team fighter has also shown that he is dangerous on his feet.

“I think it depends on how the fight goes,” said Miller, when asked about what gameplan he believes Escudero will employ. “I’ve noticed he likes to come out and get to work right away, so maybe if he caught me with an early shot he’d be content to stand. I think the most important thing for him is winning. I don’t think he cares how he does it. If it’s a long boring fight where he just tries to lay on me, or if he tries to push the pace, I don’t think he’ll want to keep it in one place for very long. I think I’m going to be better than him grappling and striking.”

Source: Full Contact Fighter

Minotouro guaranteed at Bitetti Combat
UFC then likely destination

Rogerio “Minotouro” Nogueira guaranteed his presence at Bitetti Combat, this coming September 12, in the Maracanazinho gymnasium, in Rio de Janeiro. After rumors he would not be in the show arose on the internet, the fighter contacted the organization once again and confirmed he will be there to face Alex Steibling.

“I’m in. Nothing can keep me out of this event. I want to fight and I can’t miss this one. I’m ready and dying to fight,” he said.

As discerned by Portal das Lutas, after a bulletin by Hilton Mattos in the Jornal do Brasil newspaper, last Friday, the fighter practically has a deal with the UFC in place, although there has been no official confirmation. However, nothing will keep him out of the Bitetti Combat cage, as Rogerio is guaranteed to undergo a battery of tests at the Army School of Physical Education, along with Paulo Filho, Ricardo Arona, Pedro Rizzo and Glover Teixeira. They will be the first fighters from an MMA event to do testing at the institute.

Source: Gracie Magazine

Olympian Cormier Talks Move to MMA
by Jake Rossen

2007 World Team Trials Champion. Five-time US Nationals Champion. Fourth Place in the 2004 Olympic Games. 2003 Pan-American Gold Medalist. Second-place in the 2001 NCAA Championships.

It’s very possible Daniel Cormier could melt down the contents of his trophy room and put a dent in the national debt. A freestyle wrestler formerly with Oklahoma State University, the multi-decorated Olympian missed the 2008 Beijing Olympics due to dehydration and has elected not to train for the 2012 Games.

Instead, Cormier now spends his days bouncing between the American Kickboxing Academy in San Jose, Calif., and dodging the mitts of noted boxing trainer Pepe Johnson in Tulsa, Okla. The idea is to become as proficient a mixed martial artist as friend and training partner Josh Koscheck, along with the dozens of other accredited wrestlers who have made careers, names, and small fortunes in a high-profile sport custom-made for their skills.

Still months away from his debut -- he’d like to get a fight in by year’s end -- Cormier spoke to Sherdog.com about dodging a quarter-million dollar bonus, getting into a rumble backed by Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal, and refusing to leave wrestling completely behind.

Sherdog.com: You’re electing not to prepare for the 2012 Olympics, but USA Wrestling has made an aggressive push to keep wrestlers in their fold: they’re offering $250,000 to any athlete who wins a Gold Medal there. Wasn’t that tempting?

Cormier: Oh, yeah, it was. People get upset about the pay you get in wrestling. But when you win, you get paid. In my career, I think I’ve been compensated pretty fairly by USA Wrestling. They took care of me. Without USA Wrestling, none of these opportunities would be available to me. Some people get upset about the pay, and obviously there were times I felt like we could’ve gotten more. But I think I was treated fairly over the course of my career.

Sherdog.com: It’s really playing the odds. In the next two years, you could make a lot more than $250,000 if your fight career goes well. That money in wrestling is all-or-nothing proposition, no?

Cormier: I think it is. There are a lot of incentives to do it [fighting]. It’s possible for us wrestlers to do well and make quite a bit of money, but you gotta win. It all depends on how well I do in the cage.

I want to stress that, even though I’m moving to MMA, it doesn’t mean I won’t get in any wrestling competitions in the future. I still want to compete. I love wrestling. I think the biggest mistake a lot of wrestlers make is that they don’t go back and compete. You see guys going into jiu-jitsu tournaments and grappling tournaments to get better. Why is it any different than going to a wrestling competition and wrestling really good wrestlers and keeping yourself sharp?

Sherdog.com: Koscheck started out not knowing anything but wrestling. Now he’s good with his hands and has kept some of his fights standing. How do you think you’ll adapt? Will you always be a wrestler first?

Cormier: I want to put on entertaining fights. I’ve been a fan long enough to know that I don’t want to sit there and watch a guy lay on top of another guy. I’ve done that my entire life with wrestling. I really don’t want to put on any more wrestling matches. I will, if I’m not comfortable or I’m put in a situation where I need to, but I want to put on an exciting fight. And in order to do that, I’ve got to have high-impact wrestling moves in terms of throws, really hard double legs, slams, and mix that in with some striking.

Sherdog.com: Your last Olympic weight was 211 lbs. Where do you think you’ll come in for a fight?

Cormier: I see myself long-term fighting at 205. But in the beginning, I see myself fighting up at heavyweight because right now I want to enjoy this. I don’t want to cut all the weight I did throughout my whole career.

Sherdog.com: What do you weigh right now?

Cormier: Right now, probably 245 or 250. I’m a big guy. But with the correct diet, I’ll be able to knock that weight off pretty quickly. These guys train so hard at AKA that the weight just peels off of you.

Sherdog.com: Another wrestler with notoriety, Cael Sanderson, gets asked about MMA constantly, but he says he doesn’t have the appetite for it. Do you mind punching people? Do you mind taking punches?

Cormier: I don’t mind it. I’m really not a guy that likes to hurt people. But it’s a sport now, and most times guys don’t get seriously hurt. That’s how I’ve allowed myself to deal with it: the idea of hitting people. It’s a sport. Guys got hurt training in wrestling and it just killed me.

Sherdog.com: Have you been in many street fights?

Cormier: [Laughs]. Growing up in Louisiana, man, you had to, to survive. Otherwise, you’d just get punked everyday. That’s one thing I’ll never be, a punk. I’ve been in quite a few, actually.

Sherdog.com: Have you been in any since you matured physically and had these wrestling credentials?

Cormier: I got into a pretty big brawl in Colorado Springs when I was 22 or 23. It was me and Mo Lawal and a lot of other guys. A big old brawl. We were with the whole US volleyball team and we were all hanging out and having a good time. Then one guy hit one of the girls on the volleyball team. We had to defend them. Obviously, the guy regretted the decision that he made.

Sherdog.com: I don’t doubt it. Do you think your list of credentials precedes you in the ring? Gives you a psychological advantage?

Cormier: S---t, I would hope so. But ultimately, I’ll have to back it up.

Source: Sherdog

Cole Province Fails WEC 42 Drug Test

WEC featherweight Cole Province, who was victorious two Sundays ago at WEC 42, has tested positive for the anabolic steroid Methasterone, FanHouse has learned.

Province's screen was the lone positive test at the Las Vegas event. Miguel Torres, Brian Bowles, Dominick Cruz, Takeya Mizugaki, Leonard Garcia, Shane Roller, Ed Ratcliff and Diego Nunes were selected for tests and passed.

Nevada State Athletic Commission executive director Keith Kizer told FanHouse Monday that there is a possibility that Province's win be changed to a no decision.

At WEC 42, Province (6-1) picked up his first WEC win by unanimously outpointing Brazilian Fredson Paixao. He was coming off another Torres-headlined WEC card in December where he dropped a three-rounder to Nunes.

Source: MMA Fighting

IS ZELG GALESIC U.S. BOUND?
by Lee Whitehead

“I am currently without a contract,” exclaims devastating Croatian born striker Zelg Galesic (9-4).

A Dream veteran and former Cage Rage middleweight champion, he is confident that this brief spell of unemployment is only a temporary thing, “At the moment, it is likely that I will re-sign with Dream, but some other options have come to light this week and I am looking at them closely.”

With the UFC and Strikeforce engaging in a battle to snap up talent, could it be that the Croatian will be fighting in a cage again sometime soon?

“I started fighting in a cage and it would be good to get back to that at some point, but the main deciding factor will be based on the potential for exciting fights,” he explains. The Japanese haven’t really been able to see the full potential Galesic has due to matchmaking him with Judoka’s and jiu-jitsu players, but he looks at both the Dream and Strikeforce divisions and can see opponents that will really give him the type of fights he wants.

“I look at fighters like Robbie Lawler, Scott Smith, and Cung Le in Strikeforce; I would love to throw down with them, but in the same respect I look at people like Paulo Filho, Jason Miller, and Andrews Nakahara in Dream and see good fights there too – especially with Nakahara with his aggressive style.”

Galesic has largely been off of the fans minds due to injury and bad luck, but he feels that things are looking up and has been working his way back to full health. His heart pulls for Japan as he has been fighting there for a few years already, but he knows that wherever he decides to materialize, he will have to shake off some rust as well as answer some questions about how well he has healed. Pressure testing in the gym is one thing, actual combat and its inherent unpredictability is something else.

“It’s been nearly a year since I fought. I have broke my leg and spent two months in plaster, then had some other niggling injuries, then some health problems, but all that is behind me now and I have been training solidly for the last six months,” he offers.

The downtime and road to recovery has allowed him to experiment more with his approach to training, to seek out new sparring partners, plugging holes in his game, and a return to his homeland for a while. At the moment, he is as much of a free agent in training as he is in fighting. However, like many career fighters, training just isn’t enough anymore and he is itching for competition.

“In a ring or a cage, I will be back in action before the end of the year. You can count on that. I want to showcase my best side, my aggressive streak. So let’s see who I can get to stand up with me.”

Source: MMA Weekly

8/20/09

Quote of the Day

“Time you enjoy wasting, was not wasted.”

John Lennon

JAY HIERON PASSES THE GAUNTLET, EYES NICK DIAZ

If you can find a high-level fighter who’s had more career ups and downs than Strikeforce welterweight contender Jay Hieron, let him know. He’s tired of carrying the mantle.

It was one thing after another leading up to his debut at Saturday’s “Carano vs. Cyborg”: Affliction folding, Nick Diaz tuning in and dropping out, a more-than solid Jesse Taylor stepping in on a week’s notice. More than enough to distract, and it wasn’t even counting the turbulence since last June when the International Fight League (IFL) folded and left Hieron without a job.

Until the day of the weigh-ins for Carano vs. Cyborg, he didn’t know if he’d get any of the money his sponsors promised him for the fight. The commitments were made when Diaz was the opponent and the bout was on TV. On the undercard, sponsors Full Tilt, Everlast, EA Sports, and Xtreme Couture didn’t want to pony up.

“I was stressing because I wasn’t going to get paid,” said Hieron. “When I first got there, I was like, what the hell, I’m not on the main card? I guess Showtime didn’t want to speak about the Diaz situation.”

Hieron had gone through the exact same situation in January, when his bout with Jason High was shuffled to follow the main event of Affliction's "Day of Reckoning."

Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker stepped up to the plate and got the sponsors on board. Now, Hieron just had to fight.

“As much as you put this stuff out of your head, I’m human too, dude,” he told MMAWeekly.com. “I’d be lying if I said it didn’t affect me at all. I put it out of my head as much as possible. But at the end of the day, I had to win that fight to get my title shot. If I lost that fight, there goes my shot. The reason I signed with Strikeforce was because I’m getting my shot off the bat on TV. That’s why I chose them over the UFC, really.”

He was critical of his performance, but the win was more important than all else.

“I didn’t train for the kid, really,” he said. “I trained for two different guys. It was a little awkward. I didn’t get my stand-up going like I wanted to, but my defensive wrestling was on point. I felt in good shape. I needed that win to get my title shot.”

Hieron’s thinking is that if he can make it through this, he can make it through anything.

“I did what I had to do and got the job done, and I chalk it up to more experience,” he said. “I still went out there and got the win.”

The Xtreme Couture fighter expects to get his title shot against Diaz in the fall, likely November.

“Now I can really focus on Diaz, and come in there 100 percent prepared,” he said.

For the next week, though, he plans to stay out of the gym and binge on his favorite cheat food, chocolate.

“I can’t get enough of it,” he said. “I’m a chocolate fiend.”

Source: MMA Weekly

CHUCK LIDDELL TO GO "DANCING WITH THE STARS"

Former UFC light heavyweight champion Chuck Liddell may or may not be done fighting, but one thing is for sure, he isn’t done competing. The Ultimate Fighting Championship on Monday announced that “The Iceman” will transfer his steely demeanor from the Octagon to the ballroom, when he joins the upcoming season of ABC’s “Dancing With The Stars.”

Liddell will become the first mixed martial artist to compete on the series on Sept. 21, when the new season starts. He joins other notable celebrities, including Ozzy Osbourne’s daughter Kelly Osbourne, Donny Osmond, former supermodel Kathy Ireland, former Dallas Cowboy Michael Irvin, professional snowboarder Louie Vito, singer Macy Gray, and others.

“I want to win,” Liddell told UFC.com, his motives clear. “I don’t like losing in anything, so I’ll work as hard as they’ll let me.”

But aside from making a run at the competition on the show, Liddell also sees himself as a sort of ambassador for mixed martial arts. “I’m gonna go out, be myself, and show what kind of people we do have in this sport,” he said. “I’m sure the reaction will be mixed (among fight fans). My friends are gonna be excited and I’ll never hear the end of it because they’ll make fun of me, but it should be fun and I think everyone will like it.”

Source: MMA Weekly

ISHIDA'S CAMP CLAIMS "GREASING" IN VERBAL PROTEST

Representatives for Mitsuhiro Ishida have accused Gilbert Melendez of "greasing" at Cyborg vs. Carano last Saturday.

Melendez, Strikeforce interim lightweight champ, took on Ishida in a rematch from a 2007 bout in which Melendez lost via decision. Melendez defeated Ishida by TKO in the third round.

Bill Douglas, Assistant Executive Officer of the California State Athletic Commission, on Monday informed MMAWeekly.com that Ishida’s camp issued a "verbal protest" about the alleged rule violation following the bout and was advised to file a formal appeal of the result.

According to Douglas, Ishida's camp has five days from the date of the bout to file the appeal. They had not done so at the time of publication.

Representatives for Ishida's camp declined to comment on the situation.

Cesar Gracie, Melendez's manager, told MMAWeekly.com via text message that the allegations were "pure BS."

"(Ishida) couldn't get a takedown cause of grease but Gilbert could?" he wrote.

Source: MMA Weekly

TOM ATENCIO DETAILS AFFLICTION'S FINAL HOURS

The final hours of Affliction as a promotion will go down infamously as the one time powerful mixed martial arts sponsor turned fight organization canceled its show dubbed "Trilogy" just days before the event was set to take place in California.

A positive steroid test from main event participant Josh Barnett led to the decision to scrap the whole show. Affliction vice president Tom Atencio told MMAWeekly Radio in an exclusive interview what the deciding factor was to call a halt to the show entirely.

"We were scrambling looking for a fighter, quite a few guys stepped up to the plate who were wanting the fight. Guys were doing it for a reasonable amount of money, too, which was cool, but just after talking to Showtime, after talking to everybody involved, it just, we couldn't have done it," Atencio commented. "It was a bummer, probably one of the worst things that's ever happened to me."

While much of the MMA world immediately pointed the finger at Barnett for the positive test, Atencio says at the end of the day, it's just business and he holds no ill will towards the former UFC heavyweight champion.

"Could things have been handled differently? Yeah, for sure, but it wasn't and it is what it is. I just move on. I don't look at the past. I only look at the future," Atencio said about the Barnett situation. "Now it's time to turn this around and start sponsoring fighters and get back to what I was doing. I think it's good. We sponsor a lot of great fighters, and a lot of fighters were bummed out when we left the arena and now we're back."

The head of the Affliction fight promotion also says that he has spoken with Barnett about the situation since the event was canceled, and all in all he chalks it up to bad timing for everything.

"I've spoken with (Josh) since and he apologized and, like I said, I even told him it would have been nice to have known ahead of time so I could have at least prepared. So I could have at least said when I found out I have no one to blame but myself now, but the bottom line was I had no clue," Atencio stated. "I had no idea."

The rumors circled following the cancelation of the show that it was the pay-per-view providers that balked at a replacement for Barnett to step in to face Fedor Emelianenko on short notice, but Atencio says it was a group decision due to marketing and not wanting to cheat the fans out of their money.

"We just did not have the time to re-market whoever was coming up. We could not have changed the commercials for all the pay-per-view providers. We couldn't have changed any billboards or put up anything saying main event changed or anything like that," said Atencio. "We could not have risked the fact that somebody ordered it thinking that Barnett vs. Fedor was the main event."

Following the decision to scrap the show all together, it was the partners at Affliction who made the call to the Ultimate Fighting Championship, a company they had longstanding ties with before becoming a fight promotion, and a deal was struck.

"We ended up contacting the UFC and we made a deal and everything else is history," Atencio said. "We're back to where we were, and I'm back to doing sponsorships and it's good for everybody I think."

Since the show's cancellation, the majority of the fighters under contract to Affliction have landed with other promotions, and Atencio says that just about everybody has been financially secured since the show was shut down as well.

"It's my understanding that everybody was pretty much taken care of as far as where they're going. As far as me taking care of everybody, 90-whatever percent of the guys I've taken care of. There's always a few guys no matter what you do it's not good enough, or no matter what you do they're not going to be happy and that's just life unfortunately," stated Atencio. "The vast majority of the guys have been taken care of, they're happy, and we have a continued relationship like I always try to do."

So with the fight promotion shut down for good, Affliction has already started to contact fighters, and fighters have already started to contact them about being back on board with sponsorships. Atencio says that he's happy to be back with the UFC, and that just being a part of MMA is enough for him.

"I've always said I wouldn't be where I was as far as promoting if it weren't for (the UFC). They built this industry," he said. "I'm not a person that likes to burn bridges, you never know what's going to happen."

In the interview, Atencio also disclosed that fighters could be seen fairly soon wearing the Affliction brand back in the Octagon, but he will stand by the fighters who already have existing contracts with other sponsors and not interfere with their deals. As for the fight game, Affliction will always be a part of the sport, as seen by the great many fans that still sport their shirts to every event no matter where MMA is seen.

Source: MMA Weekly

MOUSASI ON SUCCESSFUL U.S. DEBUT; WHAT'S NEXT?

A bulked-up Gegard Mousasi was one of many Affliction fighters who thought he was left in the dust following the collapse of the clothing company’s MMA promotion.

The 24-year-old Iranian-born Armenian railed at the waste of months preparing for Renato “Babalu” Sobral, the Strikeforce light heavyweight champion on loan for "Trilogy" on Aug. 1.

The truth was, Mousasi wasn’t that far from home. Despite open contemplation of a jump to boxing or the UFC, the Dream Middleweight Grand Prix winner had already been under contract with Strikeforce and was himself on loan to Affliction. Making the fight happen last Saturday at “Carano vs. Cyborg” was a mere window dressing.

Mousasi, who moved up from 185 pounds this year in an effort to accommodate his growing frame, blew through Sobral in 60 seconds, a grab-and-dash of Strikeforce's light heavyweight belt.

He had arrived, Showtime commentators cooed.

“There was no pressure coming into the fight, because it was my first fight in the U.S.,” said Mousasi. “I trained hard for it and I was very confident and comfortable in the cage.”

The key, as he said all along, was informing Sobral, violently, that the fight wasn’t a jiu-jitsu match. Sure enough, Sobral tied up and scrambled for the canvas. But Mousasi landed on top and used his position to turn out the lights on the Brazilian.

“I just wanted to fight stand-up with him, but I knew he would go for the clinch,” continued Mousasi. “I didn’t want to give him any advantage. I knew that if I could take him down, I would have.

“After one, two rights I felt he was a little bit dizzy, and I gave some for better results.”

Mousasi goes next to Dream, where he’s set to face Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou in the semi-finals of the Japanese promotion’s Super Hulk Tournament. With many top light heavyweights being snatched up by rival UFC, his stateside options are limited.

Mohammed “King Mo” Lawal, and Mike Whitehead are serviceable options for the champ, but Mousasi’s readiness after Sokoudjou will play a big role in the timetable of his first defense.

Whatever his future holds, Mousasi can breathe easier knowing the efforts of the last three months weren’t in vain.

Source: MMA Weekly

Werdum: “Guillotines are tough”
Brazilian now aims to win weight and absolute at ADCC

Fabricio Werdum is pleased and some promising plans for his career. The day after the Brazilian’s big win at Strikeforce - with a guillotine hold on Mike Kyle just 1:24 min into the first round – GRACIEMAG.com caught up with an excited Werdum at home, enjoying some down time with his family and his friends, the couple Evangelista and Cris Cyborg.

At the table, the group savored a sushi meal. But the best flavor was surely the taste of victory the two fighters who did battle the previous day were relishing. Both Cris and Werdum saw their wins come while still in the first round. The former enjoyed the accomplishment of having put the first blemish on Gina Carano’s record in the main event of the evening, while Werdum rediscovered his winning ways in his debut at Strikeforce, after a less-than-ideal stint in the UFC.

“We’re all eating sushi here. My brother, Cris and her husband, my wife, daughter and I. It’s pure joy. After winning like we did, by submission and knockout, especially as we train together, we’re double overjoyed,” remarked Werdum to GRACIEMAG.com.

Mike Kyle, who had surprised Rafael Feijao in his last appearance at Strikeforce, could not withstand Werdum’s ground game. “I don’t usually do the guillotine, it’s too hard. But I saw the position come up and I pulled guard, because if I didn’t sink it there, I could go for a triangle, an armbar or sweep. I was really confident the guillotine was snug, though.”

The Brazilian now has his eyes on the prime rib of the grappling universe, the ADCC in Barcelona. “This year I want to win my category and the absolute. That’s my objective. I’m already the champion of the over 99kg division, but I want to win the absolute, it’s a dream of mine. I love grappling without the gi,” he said.

Confident, the fighter wants to put on a first-rate performance. To do so, he relies on a little extra help. “You can be sure I’ll have the biggest cheering section. My cheering section in Spain is impressive. I think I’ll have more than 300 people rooting for me, wearing my t-shirt, making some major noise,” said the black belt, whose academy, Werdum Combat Team, has its headquarters in Madrid.

In good cheer, Werdum had time enough to tell of how he’d almost forgotten that he’s known Mike Kyle a long time: “I know him. I was with him for 40 days in Croatia, I just didn’t remember him. I’ve taken so many blows to the head,” he laughed.

“My manager came up to me and asked whether I knew Mike Kyle. I said no. Some time later, like a week before the fight, I had a shock: ‘Shoot! I was with that guy for 40 days when I lived for two years with Mirko [Cro Cop].’ We trained in the same house, ate and trained together, I just didn’t remember.

“I’m really happy to return in grand style. I’m leaner and I think I’ll do better at this weight. I was really heavy. The other day I bumped into Minotauro at Wanderlei Silva’s gym in Las Vegas. We had lost contact, and Minota remarked that we needed to be quicker, because we’re heavyweights and can’t be slow. We have to be heavyweights, but quicker. I was weighing 111kg and I dropped to 103kg. I’m feeling much better at this weight,” said Werdum in finishing.

Source: Gracie Magazine

Three questions for Cris Cyborg
‘I expected a tougher fight,’ says the champion

Cris Cyborg had to be patient to finally get what she craved: a fight against Gina Carano for the belt. On October 20 of last year, when EliteXC and Pro Elite announced they would be closing their doors, fans of female MMA, as well as the two fighters, were crushed.

Cris Cyborg didn’t lose sight of her objective, though. She moved with her husband to Huntington Beach, California, and trained with Carano in mind for over a year. There were no holds barred on her way to her conquest, even choking unconscious a reporter who showed disdain for the technical level of female fighters. Carano, on her part, remained focused on the Brazilian too, and waited. On Saturday the city of San Jose, California, bore witness to a historic event, where at 4:59 min of the first round Cyborg was crowned champion and holder of the coveted belt.

A day after her win, in an interview with GRACIEMAG.com, the Brazilian, despite her respect for Carano, didn’t withhold her opinion. “I expected a tougher fight. I was actually ready for five rounds.” But it didn’t come to that. And with the same sincerity she stated that she doesn’t see there being any opponent for her for the time being.

Check out the exclusive interview with the champion:

What did you think of the fight?

It was the fight everyone had been waiting for. Everyone wanted to know who the best in the world was. Folks were saying there were two. I must thank Gina for the opportunity she afforded me, as she, whether she wanted it or not, is a big name here in the United States. He has been doing really good work. Carano and I are pioneers in the revolution of women’s MMA.

Now you’ve won the belt, what do you think is to come?

To have the belt is a big responsibility. I will have to be more disciplined, pay more attention, train more and evolve technically. I feel that after winning the belt everyone will study my game, which is why I feel I have to always change up my game and improve technically, to be able do defend my belt, to win.

After beating Gina Carano, is there any other big name to face?

I don’t see anyone having a name like that. I’m prepared to fight anyone the president of Strikeforce and Master Rudimar [Fedrigo] put me up against. I’ll always be ready, training.

Source: Gracie Magazine

Werdum wants Fedor: “I can fight him now”

Debuting with a quick submission victory against Mike Kyle in Strikeforce’s last event, Fabrício Werdum is looking forward to come back inside the octagon one more time, and eyes the biggest challenge of the heavyweight division. “Imagine having a chance against the best of the world”, says Werdum.

Eyeing the best, Werdum guarantees he’ll face whoever Strikeforce puts in front of him. “If Strikeforce chooses, I can fight him right now, later… Fighting (against Fedor) for he belt would be even better. If I beat him, I can say ‘Overeem, give me this belt because I already beaten the best’”, jokes, recognizing that Emelianenko might debut fighting Overeem for the title. “He deserves the title shot, he’s Fedor, the best in the world”.

Back to victories after a loss to Junior dos Santos in the UFC, Werdum says that he’s in the best condition now. “I was already waiting for a fast fight, because I had a strong training. It was a good victory, I was 13kg lighter… This is my best weight”, finished the Chute Boxe heavyweight.

Source: Tatame

Hector Lombard eyes rematch with Mousasi

Bellator middleweight champion, Hector Lombard knocked out all four fighters he faces this year… And wants more. In exclusive interview to TATAME.com, Lombard said he wants tougher challenges now. “I spoke with Bellator’s managers and I want to face the best in my weight”, said the fighter, trough his coach Stéfane Dias.

Talking about big oponents, the champion thinks about the possibility of going to the UFC, but his focus now is in Bellator’s octagon. “I don’t know about the UFC, I’m under contract now and I still have three more fights to do there”, explains, waiting for his next opponent. “I want two more fights this year, and against tough guys”, guarantees the Cuban.

With only two losses in the record, Lombard saw Gegard Mousasi, who defeated him in Pride, get the Strikeforce belt. And Hector wants the rematch. “I’d love to (fight Mousasi). I don’t care about the weight, we can do it at 185, a catchweight”, guarantees, saying the he didn’t trained well for the fight.

“I didn’t prepared myself well for that fight, I trained only one hour a day with my friends. Now I’m at American Top Team with a great team. I any weight, I’d love to fight Mousasi”, finished the Cuban.


Source: Tatame

8/19/09

Quote of the Day

“Believe it to be true and meet yourself there.”

Rocky Marquette

DESTINY: No Ka Oi in Maui!
This Saturday!
War Memorial Gym, Wailuku, Maui
Saturday, Aug 22, 2009

-205lbs
Yancy Medeiros (oahu) vs Zeke Prados (maui)

-155lbs
Kaleo Kwan (Oahu, O2 Martial Arts Academy) vs Eddie Rincon (Maui)

-145lbs
Tim "Majik" Moon (oahu) vs Eddie P. (maui)

-135lbs
Kana "One Man Riot" Hyatt (Oahu) vs Jon Delos Reyes (Guam)

-160lbs
Kolo Koka (oahu) vs Gonzo (maui)

-145lbs
Zack Rapal (oahu) vs Kurrent Cockett (maui)

-205lbs
Tasi "da Tyrant" Edwards (oahu) vs Jake Yasui (maui)

-150lbs
Brandon Pieper (oahu) vs Lorrin Ishimine (maui)

-135lbs
Mark Tajon (oahu) vs Jeremy Paet (maui)

-150lbs
L.John Borges (oahu) vs Alan Hinajosa (maui)

-135lbs
Ryan Lee (Oahu) vs Joshua Alvarez (Guam)

-145lbs
Dustin Kimura (oahu) vs Jake Noble (maui)

-135lbs
Julio Moreno (oahu) vs Riley Dutro (maui)

-140lbs
Gerrald Gammitt (maui) vs Guy Nishiyama (maui)

-155lbs Amateur Championship Bout
Nate Quiniola (oahu) vs Ben "Da King" Santiago (oahu)

-185lbs Amateur Championship Bout
Jon "4real" Ferrell (oahu) vs Sale (molokai)

-145lbs
Waylen mata (oahu) vs Keoni Farm (maui/molokai)

-160lbs
Justin Konia (oahu) vs Jason Emsley (maui)

-135lbs
Justin Arruda (maui) vs Sean King (maui)

-130lbs
Levi Delaginte (maui) vs DJ Tadena (maui)

Fight Card Subject To Change

Japheth "Jay" Bolos
DESTINY Entertainment, LLC
Westside Fight Gear
94-144 Farrington Hwy. Ste# 112
Waipahu, HI 96797
Store# (808)381-2790
T-mobile Cell# (808)277-2335
Sprint Cell# (808)368-5568

Source: Event Promoter

CYBORG STOPS CARANO TO WIN WOMEN'S TITLE

Going into Saturday night's main event, Gina Carano was deemed the face of women's MMA, but it was Cris "Cyborg" Santos that walked out with the Strikeforce 145-pound women's title as she got a first round TKO win, punishing her way to a referee's stoppage after a barrage of strikes on the ground.

With 13,524 fans watching the historic event, the first round unfolded with unbelievable fast-paced action. Both fighters came out with speed and fury on their minds, punches starting to fly immediately.

It was apparent during the first clinch against the cage that Cyborg was the much stronger fighter. Carano battled back by pulling the fight to the ground, which almost resulted in her giving up a heel hook. Carano battled out and the fight was back on the feet.

Carano tried her best to land strikes on Cyborg, but the Brazilian simply seemed to walk through the punches, while landing the more damaging shots throughout. With only half of the fight in the books at this point, they clinched and the fight again went to the ground where Carano took the mount and started to reign down punches, but instead of maintaining position, she stood up with the Chute Boxe fighter.

Cyborg never let the fight get away from her again as she moved forward and blasted Carano with punch after punch. The bout eventually moved to the ground once again, where she pummeled the Las Vegas native with strikes. Carano struggled to get out of the position, and Cyborg seized the moment by standing up and unloading punch after punch until referee Josh Rosenthal stepped in to stop the fight just before the horn sounded to call an end to the round.

"Since the beginning I knew that this fight would be hard, that's why I trained so hard for this fight and for Gina because I know Gina's an excellent fighter," Cyborg said after the title win.

Taking her place in history as the first ever Strikeforce women's champion, Cyborg single handedly struck a blow to the hype machine around Carano, while wrapping the 145-pound divisional title around her waist.

"I want to thank Gina Carano for the opportunity, I want to thank all the fans because I train a lot and I do everything for the fans," she said with heartfelt sentiment following the title victory. "It's always for the fans."

Cyborg was absolutely humble in victory, while Carano was nothing but congratulatory in shaking the hand of the woman who handed her the first loss of her MMA career.

CRIS CYBORG: MMA FIGHTER, STRIKEFORCE CHAMPION

There were plenty of questions going into Saturday night’s Strikeforce main event featuring Gina Carano and Cris “Cyborg” Santos, most of which received definitive answers.

As Showtime commentator Frank Shamrock noted after the fight was over, “One, (women) can headline an event; two, they can finish in devastating fashion.”

Not only did she prove her finishing power, in the process, Cyborg also staked her claim to being considered one of, if not, thee top female fighter in the world, defeating Carano and capturing the first Strikeforce women’s title.

Carano showed a variety of skill and resourcefulness, not making it easy for Cyborg. Her trainer, former UFC champion Randy Couture, noted in an interview with Showtime, “We needed to get her to use her jab more, move her head more, not get into those kind of nose-to-nose firefights that she’d gotten into, but, ultimately, I think she did a lot of very good things.”

It’s not that Carano did a lot of things poorly, it’s just that Cyborg did what she does, and she did it well. She came out aggressively from the bell, utilizing her power, both in her striking and in the clinch, to put Carano where she wanted her.

“Cyborg’s a very aggressive opponent, came out, went after her. We knew that was gonna happen; we prepared for that,” added Couture. “We did a lot of good things in the fight, but ultimately we got caught in a bad position.”

For her part, after the fight, Cyborg said, “They key (to the fight) was five years of training.”

And training was what carried her through. Her eyes watering in her post-fight interview, Cyborg noted, “Since the beginning, I knew this fight would be hard. That’s why I trained so hard for this fight and for Gina. I know that Gina is an excellent fighter.

“I train a lot and I do everything for the fans. It’s always for the fans.”

Source: MMA Weekly

COUTURE ON CARANO'S PERFORMANCE AND FUTURE

Although Gina Carano’s pride took a hit Saturday night, her coach, Randy Couture, is already looking ahead.

Whenever she wants to get back in the gym, he’ll be there.

Carano suffered the first slide of her career at Strikeforce “Carano vs. Cyborg,” the first major mixed martial arts card to feature a female title fight as its headliner. Almost as soon as the fight was booked, she asked Couture to coach and corner her for the enormous challenge faced in Cristiane “Cyborg” Santos, a vicious product of Chute Boxe Academy in Curitiba, Brazil.

Santos’ aggression won the day, but it was a back and forth battle that had the HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif., hopping with energy. The new champion will likely face Dutch fighter Marloes Coenen next.

Carano retreated to her dressing room after the bout and declined interviews. Couture found himself acting as a spokesperson to curious reporters wanting to know how she was dealing with the loss.

“She’s fine, no injuries,” said Couture. “A little scuffed up, but not bad.”

Couture acknowledged that the gameplan he concocted for the fight went askew when Santos swarmed early on.

“The gameplan was to use her combinations and her footwork,” said Couture of his strategy for Carano. “Stick and move and try to make Cyborg keep up with her and find her. Obviously, they ended up in a couple of firefights that she really didn’t need to be in, but it’s hard when somebody hits you, not to stand and try to hit them back. It’s understandable.”

Overall, though, Couture thought his student did as well as she could and the bout added to her mettle as a young fighter.

“I think she had some opportunities to win,” he said. “It was an amazing five minutes. They made a lot of transitions, a lot of positions, and I think Gina caught Cyborg with some shots that got her attention, and obviously Gina got overwhelmed on a couple of occasions, but I think overall, she did some great things.

“This is a new experience for her, and it’s an important one, and I expect she’s going to come out the other side a stronger and better athlete for what she’s going through right now.”

Couture, who faces Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira in less than two weeks at UFC 102 in Portland, Ore., anticipated Carano wouldn’t sit on the bench for long.

“I think she takes a week or so to recover, let the dust settle, and get together and figure out what her next move is,” he said. “Who her next fight’s gonna be, when her next fight’s gonna be, and when she’s gonna get back into the training cycle.”

Source: MMA Weekly

MATT SERRA NOT RETIRED, WANTS HUGHES REMATCH


Former Ultimate Fighting Championship welterweight titleholder Matt Serra wants a rematch with Matt Hughes and fights against opponents with names cemented in the industry.

"I had a talk with Joe Silva (UFC matchmaker) and we talked about some interesting things," Serra told MMAWeekly.com recently. "I was definitely first pushing for a rematch. That would be ideal for me. I'd love to fight Matt Hughes again. I told him, 'look man, you've already got the name for it, “Unfinished Business.” There you go.'

“Throw on (Wanderlei) Silva and (Rich) Franklin; that was a close fight. What else was a close fight? I don't know, put something on there that the fights were entertaining. Me and Hughes, we got the fight of the night.

“I'm not going to sit here and bad mouth the guy because we did fight. I'm not going to attack him personally, but at the same time I do feel I won that fight, or at least I should have got the nod. If not, it's a draw and let's do it again."

The Serra and Hughes rivalry has been well documented, reaching a head when they were opposing coaches on "The Ultimate Fighter" Season 6. Serra lost to Hughes by decision when they finally met in the Octagon at UFC 98 on May 23 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

Reflecting on that hard-fought battle, Serra said, "I thought it came down to that last round. And he might have been on top of me longer, but definitely the 30 seconds I was on top of him, or 40 seconds, what ever it is, I definitely landed more than he did probably the whole fight. I landed more power shots at least. I landed two or three shots that definitely connected with him when I was on top of him at the end, not to mention the big throw. I thought I won the first and third rounds. I'm not alone in that.

"I think we should do it again," he added. "Why not? I think it would be fun for everybody."

Serra expects to compete again this year and is eager for his next fight, but the Renzo Gracie black belt wants a full training camp to prepare. "I told Joe Silva, 'look man, let's talk about it, it's just that I need a two and a half month to three month period to be were I want. That's what I like to train. That's how I like to do it. I felt so good in my last fight that that's the recipe for the rest of my fights. That's what I'm doing. As soon as you've got a date and you know what's up, just give me that window of two and a half month - three month training camp.' So that's it. The ball is in their court, and we're going to talk about it. I'm not done, that's for sure."

Asked if the UFC has ruled out the possibility of a rematch with Hughes, the 35-year-old fighter commented, "No. And you know what's funny is I was talking a little bit with Joe the other day and he wasn't, but then he brought up another name.”

Serra wouldn’t reveal the other name, but MMAWeekly.com sources have been floating Matt Brown as a possible next opponent for Serra. It doesn’t sound like Brown is the type of opponent that the former UFC welterweight champion is looking for.

"I've made my whole career fighting whoever they put in front of me, and that hasn't really changed, but it has to be kind of exciting now. You know what I mean? I've got to see my name up there with someone else where I'm like, ‘Whew. I'd want to see that as a fight fan myself. I like that match up, and I like that name. He's a legend.’ I want that type of thing around it. That's what I want," continued the New York resident.

"A new guy is just as tough as some of these other guys, so it's like why not at this stage of my career fight guys that, your name is up there, like when they had me versus Hughes. That was exciting. That's what I'm looking for. I know Frank Trigg is back in the mix. That would be interesting.

"I want a fight that on paper is exciting as hell and a name that's like a cemented name where it's like ah, that's a fight I've been wanting to see."

But most of all, Serra wants that rematch with Hughes.

Source: MMA Weekly

Toquinho with UFC fight coming up
Fighter focused on UFC, may keep him out of ADCC

Rousimar Toquinho was this week invited to participate in the ADCC, one of the main grappling events in the world, to take place in September, in Spain. However, another commitment may keep him out of the competition. Despite his recovering from a foot injury, what may keep him out of the ADCC is his next fight in the UFC.

“To tell you the truth, I’m not sure I’ll be in the ADCC. The problem isn’t the injury, it’s that it may be a little close to my next UFC fight. The guys said I should fight in October. They told me that towards the end of October or beginning of November I’ll fight again. But I don’t know if they’ve confirmed an opponent for me yet,” he told Portal das Lutas, GRACIEMAG.com partner site.

Toquinho fractured and twisted his foot when preparing for Alessio Sakara, who ended up facing Thales Leites at UFC 101. On the injury, the Brazilian Top Team black belt guarantees he is almost well.

“I’m going to the doctor Tuesday to be released fully. I’m already well, almost 100%. I did a treatment that made me much better, thank God, and the swelling in my foot went down a lot. I’m already doing physical conditioning work and training light in the gi and submission grappling, as well as some wrestling positions. Little by little I’m getting back into the swing of things,” he said.

Source: Gracie Magazine

Soca: from Long Island to the Rio Open
JJ player comments on the experience of bringing students to compete

Alexandre “Soca” Freitas was another big name in Jiu-Jitsu to appear at the Masters and Seniors International during the last weekend of July. Along with Wellington Megaton, Luis “Limao” Heredia, Regis Lebre and Leo Dalla, who spiced up the championship, the black belt leader of Soca New York, in Long Island, made a point of, besides competing, bringing students with him to Rio de Janeiro.

Along with the experience acquired from a competition of high technical level, like the Rio Open and the International Masters and Seniors, Soca told GRACIEMAG.com that the trip served to open each of their eyes to pre-conceived notions they had about Rio.

“My main intention was to bring my students here from New York. I wanted them to get to know Rio, the place where I trained and lived my whole life, if just to try and change the bad image the city has to them. Rio is seen in a bad light by a lot of Americans, and I wanted them to understand a bit what it’s like to live here,” said Soca, who has been in the United States for four years and has around 250 students.

“They were blown away. The guys couldn’t imagine it was like this. The image is really bad abroad. The image of violence… of a third world country, etc… They came here and were well treated and they found it a lot better than what they had thought,” said the teacher.

In his assessment of his own performance in the Senior 1 lightweight category, the Carioca spared no criticism. “I couldn’t traine the way I should have for the competition. I think when the other guy lets the game flow, I do better. When the guy’s would tie me up I should have been better prepared to pick the pace up more,” said Soca, who took second, after Jack McVicker (Gracie Humaita).

Soca was, however, plenty happy with the results attained by his student, who, according to the Soca, has a promising future. The student in question is blue belt Nick Castellano, a heavyweight, winner of the adult heavyweight and absolute divisions. “The kid’s got a future,” said the proud professor. “He’s been training Jiu-Jitsu for one year and he wins all the championships he’s in at weight and absolute. The Pan-American… everything. He’s a really tough blue belt,” said Soca in finishing.

Source: Gracie Magazine

After big night, what next for women’s MMA?

SAN JOSE, Calif. – When Cristiane “Cyborg” Santos was introduced to American fans on CBS one year ago, with the idea of creating an ultimate opponent for Gina Carano, the Brazilian was given the moniker “The Baddest Woman South of the Equator.”

After Santos finished Carano to become the first Strikeforce women’s lightweight champion (145 pounds) in the biggest women’s MMA fight ever in North America, her “Baddest Woman” title no longer needs any geographic boundaries.
More From Dave Meltzer

In the aftermath of Santos’ first-round victory, one question asked for months seems to have been answered with an exclamation point.

Strikeforce’s card at the HP Pavilion, headlined by Carano-Santos, drew 13,524 fans, one of the largest non-UFC crowds in the history of the sport. There was little doubt the crowd came to see Carano, who came across as a star at the level of a fighter like Georges St. Pierre or Chuck Liddell. The notion that people weren’t interested in seeing women fight was clearly put to rest.

But the result raises another question: Where will the women’s sport wind up when its top fighter is a non-English speaking Brazilian who looks like she’s right off the pages of Flex Magazine instead of an American like Carano, who finished No. 16 in Maxim’s list of hottest women on the planet?

Santos won’t be able to draw Carano’s level of attention on her own, but she has star power of her own to make another gigantic match with the right opponent. The question is, who will be that opponent?

In this one, Santos’ relentless approach paid dividends. Her fast pace seemed to tire Carano, particularly as the first round passed the three-minute mark. Both women had been fighting three-minute rounds before this fight, but this one was scheduled for five rounds of five minutes.

The match went back-and-forth early, with Carano even getting on top a few times and achieving mount position. At that point Carano stood up, and it looked like it may have been a tactical error because Santos had the edge in firepower when standing.

Santos took over late in the round and with the clock ticking down, she was pounding on Carano. In a somewhat controversial decision, referee Josh Rosenthal stopped the match with less than a tick left in the round, and until Santos celebrated by jumping on the top of the cage, much of the crowd thought it was the end of the round as opposed to the end of the fight.

The stoppage would not have been controversial if there were 20 seconds left in the fight. Clearly, a stoppage based on the pounding Carano had taken, under most circumstances, wouldn’t have even been an issue. The only issue is that there was one second left in the round, and at that point perhaps Carano should have at least been given the opportunity to use her one-minute rest period before the start of the second round.

Either way, Carano’s star should not dim because of the loss. History has shown that MMA fans recognize everyone can and does lose. Every major drawing card in the sport has lost at one time or another.

Still, it was an historic night for women’s MMA, with an atmosphere equivalent to the biggest men’s fights in history. Santos (8-1) was clearly the villain to the crowd in the MMA version of a Chris Evert vs. Martina Navratilova-type rivalry. Through an interpreter, she admitted sheltering herself in training. She didn’t feel pressure and wasn’t concerned about the hype of the match, while Carano was in the eye of the promotional hurricane as the star of the event.

“I never felt I was in danger,” said Santos, particularly when Carano had her in full mount. “I took a lot of jiu-jitsu and was comfortable on the ground. I went for a heel hook and leg lock.”

Carano (7-1) was unavailable for comment after the match. At times she tried to work a clinch game, similar to her trainer, Randy Couture, but she wasn’t able to make it work.

“The clinch game, you can’t learn it in one or two months,” said Santos.

So where does it go from here? Strikeforce promoter Scott Coker noted that his next major woman’s promotion would likely be Japanese-style tournaments, with one at 135 pounds and another at 145 pounds, perhaps as early as the end of this year. Coker spent years as the American promoter for K-1, the leading kickboxing group in Japan, which uses a tournament format for its major shows.

“We’ll start with eight fighters,” said Coker. “The winners would go to a second show, where we’ll have the semifinals and finals. The winner of the tournament would become the top contender for Cyborg.” Coker, when asked if Carano would be put in such a tournament, said he’d have to discuss it with her people.

The Strikeforce promoter is usually calm and cool under the worst of circumstances, and the weeks leading up to the show featured plenty of them, as several matches had to be rearranged for various reasons. But he thought he had a nightmare scenario on his hands the night before the show.

At about 9:30 p.m. on Friday night, on a show where every major match but the main event fell apart, Coker got a phone call from the Santos camp. They were apologetic, saying that they had no idea beforehand, but that when the commission was testing Santos, they found out that she was pregnant and the fight was off.

Coker fell for it … though later he was told it was a prank. Good thing for Coker – and for Santos.

Source: Yahoo Sports

Silva seeks new horizons

PHILADELPHIA – Hours after the most electrifying domination in a career filled with them, deep in a back hallway of the Wachovia Center, Anderson Silva was waiting for Dana White. Silva is the UFC’s middleweight (185-pound) champion but Saturday he boldly moved up 20 pounds and in a jaw-dropping exhibition, brutalized Forrest Griffin, who just nine months ago was the light heavyweight (205) title holder.

Silva knocked Griffin down twice, offered a hand to help him up once and then promptly floored him again for good at 3:23 of the first round of UFC 101. Most remarkably, he did it with a punch he threw while backpedaling.

It was a complete annihilation. Griffin failed to land a single punch and when he came to his senses, he sprung up and ran from the octagon, trying to push through a doctor’s examination.

“He might be in Georgia by now, he ran out and I haven’t seen him since,” White, the UFC president, joked.

That Silva could move up a weight class and not just win, but destroy with power, was a game-changing and perhaps UFC-altering moment. That’s what Silva’s team wanted to discuss with White.

With his arm wrapped around White’s shoulder, one of Silva’s assistants leaned in and delivered a proposition. “Spider” Silva would move permanently to light heavyweight, even if it meant the unorthodox move of giving up his middleweight belt.

“I can do that,” White smiled, a bit stunned. “I like that. We can do that.”

Moments later, White also spoke with Silva’s manager Ed Soares. White initially characterized the conversation to Yahoo! Sports as similar in nature to that with the assistant. However, Soares said later that while Silva wants to fight at 205, he wouldn’t be willing to vacate the middleweight belt.

“I’d let him,” White said later, sitting in his quiet dressing room. “We’d put [the middleweight title] up for grabs.”

The hour was late and everyone’s excitement was still high. Perhaps plans and goals change by morning, so White didn’t know what to say officially. This was still just hurried talk. He knew this much though, as a promoter there are more blockbuster fights for Silva at 205 than 185, where he’s beaten everyone of note.

Silva’s next title defense was supposed to be against Dan Henderson, who Silva savagely choked out in March 2008.

“Who knows,” White said, wheels already spinning. “We’ll see what happens. In the talks I’ve had with Anderson, he wants to take on the best in the world. He’s the most talented fighter in the world, the best pound for pound fighter and it’s a joke to say anyone else is. And he wants to continue to prove [it].”

White thought for a moment.

“He would jump in that mix [at the top of the light heavyweight division],” White said. “You’ve got Rashad [Evans], you’ve got Rampage [Jackson], [Lyoto] Machida is the champion. And Tito [Ortiz] is in the mix now.”

If Silva did vacate the middleweight title to move up full time, the ironic thing is that he claims it wouldn’t be to pursue the light heavyweight belt. At least as long as it was held by Machida, a fellow Brazilian and training partner.

“Lyoto is my friend, he is my brother and there is no way that fight will ever happen,” Silva said.

White, coveting a clash between two men who are both unbeaten in UFC competition, brushes that talk aside.

“I’ll make it happen,” White said winking his eye. “It’s not even about money. It’s about proving you’re the best, it’s about securing your place in history. It’s about putting on a super fight that fans want to see.

“I’m all about making big fights that fans want to see.”

Saturday was one of those fights. Silva was motivated by criticism that his last two fights – both victories mind you ¬– were dull, so he gladly moved up to take on a dangerous Griffin, who was known for his attack dog style.

It was intriguing, at least until Silva started toying with Griffin. He knocked Griffin down at will, dared him to connect with a punch, challenged him to be as tough as his reputation and then finally just finished him.

Coming in there was a “Rocky” element to the fight, Griffin the heavy underdog with the Philly crowd firmly behind him and booing Silva. By the end, Griffin was gone and Silva was being cheered. It was the recognition of brilliance overcoming any easy Hollywood storylines.

“He wants to be involved in the biggest fights we can put together,” Soares said.

The fact Silva took this fight is a testament to that. The Brazilian is 25-4 overall and has won all 10 of his fights in the UFC. At age 34, he could’ve sat at middleweight and potentially won 10 more, making nice money with relatively little risk in a division he’s been untouchable in.

That isn’t him though. Not even close.

So not long after stunning the sport with a legendary performance, there he and his manager were, trying to force a back-hall huddle with the UFC kingmaker. Move Silva to light heavyweight for good, they suggested to White.

With nothing left to prove at middleweight, Anderson Silva now wants to lay waste to a whole new division of the UFC. Maybe he doesn’t need a belt to prove a thing.

Source: Yahoo Sports

Notebook: Johnson returns after shooting

SAN JOSE, Calif. – At least one person among the 13,524 in attendance at the HP Pavilion on Saturday night was grateful to simply be there. Rising Strikeforce heavyweight Lavar Johnson was among those roaming the arena floor, just a month after nearly losing his life in an apparent random act of violence.

“Can’t keep me down,” said Johnson, a 32-year-old native of Madea, Calif. “I’m just happy to be alive and happy to be here to see the fights.”
More From Dave Doyle

Johnson was one of five people struck when a gunman opened fire with a semi-automatic weapon in an assault on a Fourth of July family reunion gathering in Bakersfield, Calif. His cousin, Anthony M. Johnson, 37, died in the attack.

A 15-year-old girl allegedly involved in the incident, Laquiria Foreman, was arrested on July 17 by Bakersfield police and charged with murder and attempted murder. Two teenage males believed to be involved in the shooting remain at large.

Johnson was shot twice in the abdomen. He spent several hours in critical condition before stabilizing after successful surgery. Johnson spent two weeks in the hospital before being released.

“The only scary moment was the actual incident,” said Johnson. “They took my cousin’s life. That’s not an easy thing to digest. But as soon as I woke up in the hospital, as soon as my head cleared, I knew I’d be back.”

Johnson had just begun to gain notice on the national MMA scene when his life was nearly taken. On a May 15 Strikeforce card in Fresno, Calif, Johnson scored one of the year’s best knockouts with a unique one-punch, 18-second masterpiece against Carl Seumanutafa. Seumanutafa shot for a takedown, Johnson sidestepped it and hit his opponent with a low uppercut as he careened to the mat. It was Johnson’s fifth straight win.

“That was probably the most frustrating thing, that this happened right when things were starting to take off,” said Johnson (12-3 with 11 KO/TKOs). “But I can’t dwell on it anymore. I’m grateful just to have the opportunity to start over again.”

The fighter nicknamed “Big” has not yet been cleared for full-contact training, but he said he hopes to be back in fighting shape in 3-4 months.

“I will be back, and I will be the same fighter the fans remember, except better than ever,” he said.

Melendez halfway to redemption

Gilbert Melendez avenged one of his two career losses on Saturday night, just not the one he initially expected.

Melendez was slated to challenge Strikeforce lightweight champion Josh Thomson on Saturday night in a rematch of a 2008 match in which Thomson won the crown from Melendez. But the oft-injured Thomson pulled out of the match about two weeks ago with a foot injury.

In stepped the only other fighter who had defeated Melendez in the Santa Ana, Calif., native’s 18 career fights. “The Endless Fighter” Mitsuhiro Ishida flustered Melendez in Japan on Dec. 31, 2007, en route to a unanimous decision win.

Saturday, though, it was Melendez’s turn to frustrate his foe. “El Nino” imposed his will from the outset and slowly wore down Ishida before claiming a third-round TKO victory.

“I had to change a few things up in my training,” said Melendez (16-2). “No matter who you fight, you’ve got to train all aspects, but when I knew I was going to fight Ishida, we game-planned a few things especially for him.”

Melendez was outwrestled in their 2007 showdown. Ishida was clearly looking to do the same thing Saturday night, but Melendez prepared, sprawling to avoid the bulk of Ishida’s takedown attempts.

The San Francisco-based fighter has primarily been known for his wild ground-and-pound work, but he displayed crisp standup to slowly break Ishida. By the third round, Melendez had his way with Ishida, finally knocking him to the ground with a sharp knee and finishing things off with a series of uncontested strikes.

“I wasn’t looking to make a point or teach a lesson or anything,” said Melendez, who has been named interim Strikeforce lightweight champion as Thomson heals up. “Every fight you fight, you learn something. In my two losses, I tried to go at them and they wove in and out and got a decision. That made me become a smarter fighter.”

Melendez, who has been with Strikeforce since its debut at 2006, is still looking for that elusive rematch with Thomson.

“One down, one to go,” he said.

Hello, America

Gegard Mousasi came into his Strikeforce light heavyweight title match against Renato “Babalu” Sobral with quite a bit of hype. It didn’t take him long to live up to his billing.

The Dutch-Iranian Mousasi, one of the biggest MMA stars in Japan, wasted little time in dispatching the respected veteran. Mousasi scored a swift takedown of the Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt and unleashed a vicious array of strikes. Mousasi connected on 13 unanswered punches, 12 of them rights, and claimed Babalu’s belt in one minute flat.

“Babalu is a tough guy, has very good jiu-jitsu,” said Mousasi. “But this isn’t jiu-jitsu. This is MMA.”

Mousasi, the former Dream middleweight champion, was moving up in weight for the match, but he said the adjustment wasn’t as tough as the pressure he put on himself.

“Fighting for the first time in the United States, that was a lot of pressure,” said Mousasi. “I wanted to come out and make a good impression, so this was more of a big deal than a regular fight. I wanted to put on a good performance.”

With that mission accomplished, the next question is who’s next for Mousasi in Strikeforce’s thin light heavyweight division. Promoter Scott Coker didn’t have an easy answer. Mousasi is slated to fight in the next round of Dream’s “Super Hulk” tournament in October.

Face in the crowd

Most fighters sequester themselves in their locker rooms in the hours leading up to their fights, but headliner Cristiane “Cyborg” Santos did no such thing. A calm and collected Santos sat in the third row of the crowd during the evening’s early fights, along with her husband, fighter Evangelista Santos. Santos went unnoticed by the crowd, who would later watch her defeat Gina Carano to become Strikeforce’s first women’s lightweight champion in the main event.

Source: Yahoo Sports

8/18/09

Quote of the Day

“How a person masters his fate is more important than what his fate is.”

Friedrich Wilhelm Christian Karl Ferdinand Freiherr von Humboldt

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MELENDEZ AVENGES LOSS WITH TKO OVER ISHIDA

New Year's Eve 2007 seemed like a lifetime ago on Saturday night, as Gilbert Melendez punished Mitsuhiro Ishida to erase the memory of the first loss of his career. He picked up a third round TKO to cement his spot as the top contender to the Strikeforce lightweight title.

Early in the fight, Melendez did a great job of setting the tone by keeping Ishida away from any kind of clinch or takedown, while tagging the Japanese fighter with good punches and combinations. Late in the first round, Ishida finally scored a takedown, but he couldn't hold Melendez down. The Cesar Gracie student actually got a double-leg of his own before the first five minutes expired.

The second round saw Melendez settle into a rhythm, as he continuously shut down Ishida's takedown attempts, while slamming his opponent with big punches at every turn. After opening a cut on Ishida's head, Melendez took him down and unloaded some heavy knees to the body that seemed to bury deep in Ishida's breadbasket.

With Melendez soundly in control heading into the third round, it seemed early on as if Ishida was finally gaining some confidence in his stand-up, winging some punches back at the California based fighter. His confidence didn't last long, however, as Melendez opened up a flurry of punches and knees against the cage, forcing the fight to the ground.

As Ishida tried to survive from his back, Melendez blasted down shot after shot, forcing his opponent to roll and give up his back. Ishida was able to resist giving up the rear naked choke, but Melendez was okay with that plan, sinking in both hooks and unleashed a barrage of punches to the side of the head.

Taking shot after unanswered shot, referee Herb Dean swooped in to save Ishida from any further punishment, as Melendez avenged the first loss of his career. Unlike the first fight, he showed true dominance and kept the fight wherever he wanted it to go.

"Just had to be patient today. He's a very a smart fighter, like a strategic fighter," Melendez said about Ishida following the win. "Usually I come out to brawl. I had to be patient. Jake kept telling me in the corner, 'I know they're booing now, but wait till you knock him out, they'll forget about it.’"

Erasing the memory of their first fight from his mind, Melendez used quick and powerful strikes, mixed with a good wrestling game to put away a very talented fighter in Ishida.

"It feels great, it definitely feels real good coming back and winning that," Melendez commented about the win. "I’m a different fighter right now. I'm focused, I'm motivated, I can't guarantee victory, but I guarantee I'll always come out and perform for you."

With Strikeforce lightweight champion Josh Thomson still on the shelf with a lingering leg injury, Melendez was quick to point out that his interim title doesn't mean much without defeating the fighter who took the title from him in the first place.

"I don't even want this belt, Josh is the champ," Melendez stated.

The message was clear by his performance though that Melendez is ready to reclaim his spot as the top 155-pounder in Strikeforce.

Source: MMA Weekly

MOUSASI LEAVES LASTING IMPRESSION IN U.S. DEBUT

Strikeforce’s “Carano vs. Cyborg” fight card marked the U.S. debut of Armenian fighter Gegard Mousasi, and what a debut it was. It took exactly one minute for him to leave a lasting impression in the minds of those who may not have known him before Saturday night.

Both fighters started off looking to strike, and it was Renato “Babalu” Sobral that caught an early kick from Mousasi, looking like he might be gaining the upper hand. But Mousasi quickly turned the tables. Gaining his leg back, he tossed Babalu to the mat from an upper body clinch, which marked the beginning of the end.

Mousasi immediately started a ground and pound assault, causing Babalu to move and end up against the cage, still on his back. Here, Mousasi found his range and unleashed a barrage of perfectly timed punches that put Babalu’s lights out and had referee John McCarthy stepping in to stop the fight.

“I wanted to fight stand-up, that was the game (plan). The game was to keep it stand-up and in top position,” said Mousasi after the fight.

Having won the Dream Middleweight Grand Prix in Japan, Mousasi has stated on numerous occasions that he can no longer make the 185-pound limit. It seems that moving up to 205 pounds suits him just fine.

“It feels good,” he stated. “There was some pressure because it was first time in U.S. I just wanted to perform well.”

Perform well he did, as now Gegard Mousasi is the Strikeforce light heavyweight champion.

Source: MMA Weekly

WERDUM MAKES SHORT WORK OF KYLE AT STRIKEFORCE

Fabricio Werdum made short work of Mike Kyle at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif. on Saturday night, submitting him just 84 seconds into the bout by guillotine choke.

Werdum was originally scheduled to face Alistair Overeem for the Strikeforce heavyweight title, but Kyle stepped in as a replacement when Overeem was forced out of the match due to injury.

Werdum was familiar with Kyle, having previously trained with him in Croatia, confident his jiu-jitsu prowess would result in victory.

After taking some solid shots in the first minute, Werdum took the fight to the ground where he had a clear advantage. Kyle surprisingly went for an armbar and worked his way back to his feet, but once there, Werdum immediately applied a guillotine choke and pulled guard, forcing Kyle to tap out to the submission.

With the win, Werdum solidified himself as a contender in the shallow Strikeforce heavyweight division behind knewly signed Fedor Emelianenko in line for a shot at Overeem's crown.

"I train hard," said Werdum in his post-fight interview. "I train so much hard. I train so much jiu-jitsu... I am here. I fight everybody, Fedor... I fight anyone."

Source: MMA Weekly

ENGLAND MOVES TO M-1 GLOBAL SEMIFINAL ROUND

Hilversum, Amsterdam -- After being passed over in the inaugural M-1 Challenge last year, Team England made up for lost time by clinching the Group A title following its 5-0 team victory over Spain. With the victory, Team England will continue on into the M-1 Challenge post-season.

England entered the night tied for the lead in Group A with Team France but left little to chance by sweeping Spain. By the time France took to the stage vs. Japan, it still had a chance to supplant England if they were able to pull off a sweep of their own vs. Japan. However, tie-breakers did not come into play as France's 3-2 loss allowed England to take the Group A title with a 2-1 team record with France being eliminated and finishing the year with a 1-2 record.

Team England's night got off to a rocky start when newcomer Scott Hewitt was dominated in the first round by Spain's Jose Roque. Roque at one point had full mount on Hewitt and pounded away with many in attendance anticipating an early stoppage. However, Hewitt was allowed to continue fighting and quickly turned the tide in round 2 by pulling off a remarkable comeback following an armbar submission at 1:35 of round 2.

The second fight in the best-of-five team challenge series between England and Spain also started slow for the Brits, with England's Simon Phillips appearing to be well on his way to losing a 10-9 round during the bout's first stanza. However, much like Hewitt, Phillips was able to rally by submitting Jonathan Leon with a rear naked choke at 4:29 of round 1.

From there, it was all Team England, with middleweight submission specialist Matt Thorpe requiring just 0:56 seconds to tap Spain's Rafael Rodriguez with a triangle. The light heavyweight bout between England and Spain was an even briefer with Team Wolfslair's Tom Blockledge knocking out Enoc Solbes via high kick just nine seconds into the bout. Blackledge, a coach during the upcoming tenth season of The Ultimate Fighter, earned knockout of the night honors with the breathtaking strike.

While winning in quick fashion, Blackledge's KO was yet another improbable victory for England. Battling flu-like symptoms all week, Blackledge struggled to make weight and Team England coaches Dave Butlin and Aaron Chatfield considered pulling Blackledge from the show and replacing him with Danny Giblin. However, Blackledge convinced his coaches to allow him to compete as scheduled.

Despite the 4-0 lead, it was imperative for Team England to win a sweep in order to prevent France from potentially winning via tie-breaker. England relied on another newcomer, David Keeley, to get the job done. Keeley, who stands at 6'10'' and is a former pro basketball player, did just that, by TKO'ing Paco Estevez at 4:23 of round 2.

In addition to England's 5-0 victory over Spain and Japan's 3-2 victory over France, the World Team also defeated Germany by a 3-2 score. In the night's opening bout, 16-year old prodigy Jeronimo de Groot also won a unanimous decision over Sascha Valentic in a fight conducted under K-1 rules.

The M-1 Challenge will return on less than 24 hours notice when it conducts the second part of its two-day "Mega Taping" at Studio 22 in Hilversum. The bouts will begin at 5 p.m. local time and will be available on Internet PPV at www.M-1Global.com (users can submit payment info via SMS through the widget on the right hand side of the page; stream not available in the U.S. or Korea). The 15-bout event will be highlighted with USA East and Russia Legion looking to clinch the final two M-1 Challenge playoff berths while competing in separate team challenges. Full lineups for Sunday's event along with updated standings, photos, and post-fight interviews are available at M-1Global.com.

Official results from Part I of M-1 Challenge 7:

Superfight (Kickboxing Rules): Jeronimo de Groot def. Sascha Valentic via unanimous decision

Team Challenge #1: Spain vs. England

1. Lightweight (154 lbs./-70 kg): Scott Hewitt (ENG) def. Jose Roque (SPA) at 1:35 of round 2 via submission (armbar)
2. Welterweight (167.2 lbs./-76 kg): Simon Phillips (ENG) def. Jonathan Leon (SPA) at 4:29 of round 1 via submission (rear naked choke)
3. Middleweight (184.8 lbs./-84 kg): Matt Thorpe (ENG) def. Rafael Rodriguez at 0:56 of round 1 via submission (triangle)
4. Light Heavyweight (204.8 lbs./-93 kg): Tom Blackledge (ENG) def. Enoc Solbes (SPA) at 0:09 of round 1 via KO (head kick)
5. Heavyweight (+204.8 lbs./+93 kg): David Keeley (ENG) def. Paco Estevez (SPA) at 4:23 of round 2 via TKO (strikes)

England defeats Spain via 5-0 score...

Team Challenge #2: France vs. Japan

6. Lightweight (154 lbs./-70 kg): Yoshiro Tomioka (JPN) def. Frederic Fernandez (FRA) at 3:53 round 1 via submission (triangle)
7. Welterweight (167.2 lbs./-76 kg): Yuya Shirai (JPN) def. Gael Grimaud (FRA) at 4:16 of round 1 via TKO (strikes)
8. Middleweight (184.8 lbs./-84 kg): Christophe Dafreville (FRA) def. Yusuke Masuda (JPN) at 2:27 of round 1 via submission (armbar)
9. Light Heavyweight (204.8 lbs./-93 kg): Christian M'pumbu (FRA) def. Hideto Tatsumi (JPN) at 4:53 of round 2 via TKO (strikes)
10. Heavyweight (+204.8 lbs./+93 kg): Yoshiyuki Nakanishi (JPN) def. Akim Assenine (FRA) at 4:51 of round 1 due to submission (Achilles lock)

Japan defeats France by 3-2 score...

Team Challenge #3: World vs. Germany

11. Lightweight (154 lbs./-70 kg): Daniel Weichel (GER) def. Danial Sharifi (WLD) at 2:53 of round 2 via submission (guillotine)
12. Welterweight (167.2 lbs./-76 kg): **Diego Gonzales (WLD) def. Nordin Asrih (GER) via three-round unanimous decision
13. Middleweight (184.8 lbs./-84 kg): Nathan Schouteren (WLD) def. Ismael Cetinkaya (GER) at 3:51 of round 1 via TKO (strikes)
14. Light Heavyweight (204.8 lbs./-93 kg):Mathias Schuck (GER) def. Johan Romming (WLD) via two-round unanimous decision
15. Heavyweight (+204.8 lbs./+93 kg): Thorsten Kronz (GER) Miodrag Petkovic (WLD) at 3:08 of round 2 via TKO (doctor's stoppage)

Team Germany defeats Team World by 4-1 score....

** Despite winning the individual bout, Gonzales' victory over Asrih was not valid as Gonzales failed to make weight within the M-1 Challenge designated time limit. Per M-1 Challenge rules, the fight was ruled a forfeit in Germany's favor as it relates to the M-1 Challenge standings.

Source: MMA Weekly

Wagnney: “Mike Brown has to be careful”

Team partner of José Aldo, the next challenger to Mike Brown’s belt in WEC, Wagnney Fabiano is confident in the performance of his friend in combat, which happens in November. "Wow, man... Mike Brown has to be careful", warns, betting all the chips in Aldo, who knockout the five opponents he faced in the event. "The kid is a machine, I'm sure that he wins".

Beyond partners in the Nova União, Wagnney and José Aldo fight in the same category at the event. And if Aldo wins the title, Wagnney can change category. "I'm in the expectation... If he wins, the way is to go down to try to face Miguel Torres. With him winning, what will I do until 66kg? I have to go down to see if I can make my thing down there too", says the fighter, who is already scheduled to face Erik Kock, at WEC 43, until 66kg. "I can’t think in the future, I have this obstacle to be passed. Its positive thought, train hard to get there well and win”, commented Wagnney.

With the possibility of going down in category, the champion of the defunct IFL already thinks in duels that he would have to do with the balance. "I don’t even remember when I had that weight... I hit 66kg easily, don’t even do a diet. The right at the beginning was Junior (Aldo) decline, but the guy is making a noise so big that ended changing the whole project", jokes. "It's ok... Since he wins and I win, everything is at home", he said, already thinking about the diet that he would have to do. "First I will make an experience at the academy to see how the reaction will be. Put the weight I can, I’m not worried about that, but I worry about my reaction, with the gas that will be, such things", finalized Wagnney.

Source: Tatame

Anderson Silva

Unquestionable midleweight champion, Anderson Silva decided to test himself for the second time in the UFC among the middle-heavyweight. Facing Forrest Griffin, former champion of the above category and that had in his cartel expressive wins over Quinton Jackson and Mauricio Shogun, the expectation was a great fight. Many pointed Griffin as one of the opponents who would bring more problems for Anderson, but when the bell sounded, the Brazilian has shown that he’s above of the average. After applying two knock downs, Anderson lowered the guard and a meeting Forrest defeated for the third time, giving the knockout and one of the most spectacular victories of the MMA. Even after a brilliant victory, Anderson maintained his humility. Check below the interview with the champion.

Expecting a victory so on Griffin?

Gave fine, I thank God everything was quiet. We trained for a hard fight. I expected a tough fight, but we can be better.

How was the excitement after getting the knockout?

He fell, I was expecting him to raise, but the judge has entered the front and, thank God, has it right. I just have to thank everyone who was part of my life for me to become a fighter, all my coaches since I started training.

The Distak said you needed stimulus. This fight gave you that?

It is another style of fighting. Does not compare to the Thales, he is a great fighter, but is not as you put a guy like Thales, that is a grounded fighter, with a guy who fight on foot, because the fight will be bad. Not that this because an athlete is better or worse, each one has a way to fight. If you put face to face a wrestler and a guy from Jiu-Jitsu you will have a good fight, but if you put two guys from Jiu-Jitsu to face, you will have a bad fight, because you have two guys in Jiu-Jitsu that will fall on the floor and will be doing Jiu-Jitsu, you know?

If you put a good striker to fight against to the ground specialisty, the man who will fight on foot, will do the anti game to stay in and the guy standing on the floor will make the game to put down. So, its difficult, game is game. I want to take this opportunity to mention that Thales was stolen in the fight. He was fighting well, won the fight and was robbed in the face hard.

The Dana White is insisting on making the future a fight between you and Lyoto Machida, but you already said that wouldn´t fight ...

I´ll never fight with Lyoto. This is out of the question. The guy is a brother, would be like to fight with Rodrigo and Rogério. There is no such possibility, nor any money in the world.

What is your next appointment? Will help the Minotauro?

My next appointment is to help the Rodrigo in his training for this fight with Randy Couture. I'm here in CT and we will continue this training, everyone is considering this fight, then let's see how we can help him. I hope one more win, we will work hard for that to happen.

And Roy Jones Jr., you again about that fight with Dana White, that situation was this fight?

He was there at the event, was watching my fight, great person, a nice guy, polite ... With all respect in the world, I'm happy in the UFC, I love with passion, I am very well treated there, but is not nobody decide this, because it is my personal wish, I hope I can do that as well.

You come in talking about retirement, but seemed more motivated in this fight and let the guys willing to see you more often fighting. Are you still with the idea of retirement?

Let's wait and see what happens, but these ideas remain strong in my head.

You always were a fan of Michael Jackson. How do you feel after the death of the idol?

I was barely two days. I was much upset, and I cried, I was really bad. The guy was part of my history, I am fan of him and did a cover, dancing on the parties, I loved. He has a beautiful story of dedication, hard work, has much ... He was a Guy that I had a great reference. A guy that will do much for me with no doubt, made a big difference in my life as a person in my path ... I loved Michael with passion, the guy was crazy, I had a poster of him in the room.

You suggested a fight between Vitor Belfort and Wanderlei Silva. Do you think this fight can happen?

With all respect to Vitor and Wanderlei, I am not diminishing nobody, but would be a good fight, a fight that, the guys have fought in the season Wanderlei was the first UFC fight in him, I was twisting for Wanderlei, despite I´ve been a fan of Vitor, in the real ex-fan. I think this fight would happen, it would be a good fight for Dana White and fans of MMA. The Wanderlei is a great Striker, he is going up, demand the fight is a fight that anything can happen, but I think that Vitor will not want to exchange punches with him. But it is a fight that sells good, would be a good fight for Wanderlei.

Have someone you would fight?

It has a lot of tough guy, you have to train. What gives me stimulus is always someone who has trained to win Spider. So while I'm struggling, I will be training not to be surprised. It is logical that if I fight more three or four years, an hour I´ll loose, this is fact, we also work with this hypothesis.

Source: Tatame

And the controversy continues...
Comprido defends 50/50 guard

The 50/50 guard (theme of a report in GRACIEMAG 150) continues to provoke debate among the main competitors and masters. While most are against it and want it banned from competition, the position has some weight-carrying defenders too.

After reading opinions calling for the 50/50’s prohibition, the newsroom received another assessment no less important to this discussion that of black belt Rodrigo Comprido, a two-time absolute world champion (99/00). Comprido doesn’t feel it’s right to ban the 50/50 simply because means with which to beat or deal with it have not yet been developed. To the fighter, that is the challenge at the moment.

And to illustrate his point he sites the spider guard and half-guard as examples: “I remember a while back there was a competition in the United States where you weren’t allowed to do the spider guard, because folks said the one on bottom was stalling. But the truth was the guy on top didn’t know how to pass,” says Comprido.

“I think the point of view of banning a position or saying it’s bad simply because no one’s developed a good way to attack it is small minded. The half-guard used to be a great position for the guy on top. We saw all too often a player land in the half-guard and the match would end. But a bottom game developed that’s so effective that these days the half-guard serves the one on bottom better than the one on top. In my opinion, that’s part of Jiu-Jitsu’s evolution. To deny any new position that appears with the argument that A, B or C stalls is ridiculous,” remarked the athlete to GRACIEMAG.com by phone.

“If one of the athletes is so superior, which is how one of the points seems to me to be, because theoretically [Rubens Charles] Cobrinha would be so superior to the guys that the only way they can win is to use that guard [50/50]… Cobrinha himself was swept by Guilherme Mendes from the guard. But, shoot! Cobrinha’s way good. Let him sweep. The guy sinks it at the start of the match? Let him sweep, play guard, sweep and get the guy, he’s good,” opines Comprido, to then conclude his point of view.

“That’s Jiu-Jitsu’s history. Jiu-Jitsu is a style that lives in development. New positions are being created all the time and that’s why this is so important. When Helio Gracie got his hands on Jiu-Jitsu, he started adding his adaptations of it and they’re still being made today. Jiu-Jitsu didn’t stagnate with Helio Gracie. It was handed down to Renzo, Rickson, Royce and all the great players till today. And it will continue to be. We have a group of players that’s developing a different guard and it’s up to us technical players to pass it. The ones who developed the guard and are successful with it should be congratulated. Now we have to carry on developing to pass all kinds of guard. It’s not the spider guard, foot on the crotch, etc… Jiu-Jitsu players must be able to find a way in any situation on the ground, period,” Comprido says in closing.

Source: Gracie Magazine

Marcus Aurelio back to UFC
Brazilian to fight at UFC 102

After two convincing wins outside the UFC, with a knockout and a submission, Marcus Aurelio made it back into the world’s most prestigious event. According to the international press, the American Top Team representative should be on the card for UFC 102, this August 29, in Portland.

In this case, the black belt would face Evan Dunham, who is undefeated in MMA (eight fights) and appeared in once in the UFC. Aurelio enters as the substitute for Matt Veach, who suffered a back injury.

Marcus Aurelio’s exit from the organization took place after his loss to rival Hermes Franca at UFC 90.

Source: Gracie Magazine

8/17/09

Quote of the Day

“Every man sees as his goal in life the target that he deems to be most desirable.”

Meir Kahane

IN & OUT: LEITES AND MCCRORY'S CUT STANDS

UFC president Dana White has made final an original decision to release fighters Tamdan McCrory and Thales Leites from the UFC.

On Friday afternoon, Kevin Iole of Yahoo! Sports issued a report citing White that said the two fighters would not be released from the promotion. News of the dismissals on Thursday prompted criticism from hardcore fans that believed the cut was premature.

McRory and Leites both came up short last weekend at UFC 101.

White told Iole he wasn't aware of the plans to drop the fighters and said he would reverse the action to release them.

However, McCrory’s manager, Chris Palmquist, told MMAWeekly he had not received any official word cancelling the release since the report.

“Verbally, I was notified on Monday that he was going to be released, but I have not received an official release letter (which is usually the case) from the UFC, nor have I been told anything different,” said Palmquist.

When contacted for a second time, later Friday afternoon, White said he’d had a change of heart.

“We are cutting them,” said White.

McCrory lost a split decision to up-and-comer John Howard on the Philadelphia event’s undercard, bringing his UFC record to 3-3. The Cortland, N.Y. based fighter has hinted at a move to middleweight to forgo a huge weight cut at welterweight.

Leites, who contended for Anderson Silva's middleweight title just four months ago at UFC 97, lost a razor-close decision to Alessio Sakara prior to McCrory's fight.

Calls to Leites' camp were not immediately returned.

Source: MMA Weekly

JOSH THOMSON HEALING & EYEING 2009 RETURN

While 2008 greeted Josh Thomson with the Strikeforce title and a bright future, 2009 has not been so kind to the top ten ranked lightweight who, for a second time, was forced out of a scheduled rematch against Gilbert Melendez. The question still looms about when he might return.

Thomson spoke to MMAWeekly.com following his removal from the 155-pound title fight coming up on Aug. 15 against Gilbert Melendez and was obviously disappointed that he wouldn't be able to compete.

"Could be better, could be healthy, but we're working on it," Thomson said about his current mood. "Trying to get back healthy that's all."

Rumors surfaced a few weeks ago that he could be suffering from a lingering injury, and just days later the California based fighter was scratched from the card that was supposed to bring him his first official title defense as champion.

"I kind of put my foot in my mouth a little bit, the way the media portrays kind of the negativeness of what people say versus having headlines that are basically positive about the fighter and what's coming up for them. The media only tends to focus on the negative things that were possibly said," Thomson commented.

"The commission got from the headlines on a website that I wasn't 100-percent healed and basically they wanted verification that I could fight."

The injury was actually a separate break on his leg from the broken leg he suffered that kept him out of his last scheduled fight against Gilbert Melendez. According to Thomson it was a second x-ray that was taken just before he was pulled out of the fight when a hairline fracture was discovered which prevented him from gaining medical clearance.

Despite the injury, up until the commission actually forced him off the card, Thomson says he had every intention of fighting.

"I had already been training on it for three weeks. It hurt, and I was trying to work through the pain and stuff, but maybe it's a blessing in disguise. You never know what would have happened," Thomson said.

The American Kickboxing Academy lightweight says that things are still up in the air as far as his overall health and when he could make a comeback, but he'll head back to the doctor soon for another x-ray to help determine that timeline. Either way, Thomson has his sights set on a fight before 2009 is over.

"Really we're just taking it one day at a time, not pushing it, taking the next three weeks and just staying off of it, not really doing anything to it. I would hope for an October return," he told MMAWeekly.com. "Given that Affliction went out of business, I think a lot of the Affliction guys are being pushed towards the Strikeforce October show, and that being said I might have to wait till the December show."

With Thomson sidelined with the injury, Japanese fighter Mitsuhiro Ishida was tapped as a replacement. He will go to battle with Gilbert Melendez on Saturday night for the interim lightweight championship.

While he admits that by the time he comes back it will have been well over 12 months and a warm-up fight would be nice, Thomson understands he'll likely face the winner of the interim title bout and he's okay with that scenario as well.

"It's only fair to those guys that whoever wins that fight really gets a chance to fight me, so I really can't say it's whatever Strikeforce wants to do," Thomson said. "I'm not opposed to fighting them and I'm not opposed to fighting someone else really."

Josh Thomson will be in attendance on Saturday night to watch first hand as Gilbert Melendez faces Mitsuhiro Ishida for the Strikeforce interim lightweight title.

Source: MMA Weekly

MATYUSHENKO EXCITED FOR UFC RETURN

“Tonight we're gonna party like it's 1999.” - Prince

Well, maybe more like it's 2003, as the UFC continues to sign fighters from the past, the latest being light heavyweight Vladimir “The Janitor” Matyushenko.

Matyushenko, who last fought for the promotion six years ago, finds his way back to the company having won nine of 10 bouts, and now looks to make an impact in the UFC once again.

“After my fight with Arlovski (at UFC 44), I took time off and I was looking to get back,” explained Matyushenko to MMAWeekly.com.

“I had a couple of tryout fights and wound up in the IFL. I stuck around a little long with them, then I had a couple of fights for Affliction, and now I'm back in the UFC.”

According to Matyushenko, after the demise of Affliction, there were only so many places for him to face high-level talent.

“There's not a lot of options left,” he said. “I think (the UFC is) the best of the organizations out there.

“I think the UFC were able to maintain the level of their fights; they're pretty much the same if not better (than when I was fighting for them last), but they're making money now. For me as a fighter, yeah, I'm excited to be back.”

When asked if he had spoken to Strikeforce prior to signing with the UFC, Matyushenko replied, “Yeah, but apparently Strikeforce didn't really respond very well.

“I think they're kind of overwhelmed. They have a lot of fighters, but I don't think they're organized; maybe because they're short staffed or something, I don't know.”

Matyushenko won't have to wait long to enter the Octagon again and work his way back towards title contention.

“It looks like it's going to be Sept. 19 on the Dallas card,” he commented. “It's going to be against Igor Pokajac from (Mirko) Cro Cop's team.

“He's a pretty good fighter, has about 30 fights, over 20 wins, and it's going to be a pretty hard fight.”

A fighter many people consider underrated, Matyushenko will have an opportunity to prove himself in front of a much larger audience now that he's back in the UFC.

“I want to say thanks to all my fans for waiting,” he said. “And here I am (back in the UFC). You'll have an opportunity to see me in five weeks.”

Source: MMA Weekly

GILBERT MELENDEZ HAS REVENGE ON HIS MIND

Once regarded as one of the world’s consensus Top 10 lightweight fighters, Gilbert Melendez’s comeback to prominence continues on Saturday night when he attempts to defend his interim Strikeforce lightweight title against Mitsuhiro Ishida.

Melendez’s original opponent, Josh Thomson, was forced to withdraw for the second time, when California state officials wouldn’t clear hairline fracture that showed up on an x-ray. The two first met in June of 2008, where “The Punk” completely shut out then undisputed Strikeforce lightweight champion Melendez, winning all five rounds on the judges’ scorecards. It was only the second defeat in “El Nino’s” seven-year career as a professional mixed martial artist.

Melendez’s last appearance, this past April for Strikeforce, was to mark his first meeting since the loss to Thomson, in order to attempt to reclaim the title. Instead, Thomson was forced to withdraw, citing ongoing injuries.

“Little curve ball thrown my way, but nothing I can’t handle and nothing I’m not looking forward to,” stated Melendez while speaking with MMAWeekly Radio recently.

When the dynamic duo met the first time, Thomson claimed than to have been dealing with perpetual injuries even then, so to say that Melendez was a little skeptical of his claims before accepting this bout and then him eventually pulling out, is a huge understatement that has become all the more frustrating to deal with.

“I wasn’t sure. I thought possibly it was him playing possum. I remember last time he told me that his arm was hurt pretty bad,” said Melendez.

“After a while it started coming in my mind a little bit. It’s definitely frustrating, but it is what it is.”

Though the prospects of unifying the title to stake claim to a true undisputed champion would be great, not to mention have the opportunity to mulligan one of only two losses in his career, Melendez finds himself questioning the bout’s future altogether.

“Now I’m wondering if it’s ever gonna happen or if anyone even gives a crap anymore,” he said.

“It’s one of those things that I’m afraid that a lot fan’s are gonna be like ‘you know what, screw this, I don’t even care about that fight anyway.’ I feel like that’s what’s happening right now. It sucks for me because I’m ready to go, but I think a lot of people were trying to hype this up and something like this happens; happened a little bit unprofessionally.”

Thomson having pulled out of the bout only two weeks or so before the proposed match-up has left a bad taste in Melendez’s mouth, but where one door closes another opens. Melendez will still have a chance to vindicate one of his two losses when he takes on Ishida for the interim crown, as the co-main event of Saturday’s Strikeforce “Carano vs. Cyborg” card.

“I’m very happy,” said the Santa Ana, Calif., native in regards to Ishida replacing Thomson as his opponent.

“I think it’s a great replacement and I’m looking forward to a five-round battle with that guy. He’s very tough and I think honestly this is my chance to get some sort of revenge to start my comeback on revenge.”

With vindication on his mind, the 27-year-old Californian is ready for the inevitable. Glad that his months of training haven’t gone to waste after what seems to be a continuance of dropouts from the Aug. 15 card, including Nick Diaz, Joe Riggs, and Alistair Overeem to name a few, the Cesar Gracie protégé knows to take Ishida seriously. Recounting mistakes done in the past with their last meeting in Japan, Melendez has done his homework and now it’s time to put what he’s learned to the test.

“I think if I fought Ishida the same way I did last time, I could pull out the ‘W’ but I think fighting him a little smarter might be better this time,” said Melendez.

“He’s a guy that likes to run, stick and move and draw you into a takedown, which he did very great in the last fight, our last fight together, real intelligent,” he added.

“So this time I’m going to have to take the center. If he keeps running, I’m going to have to look him in the eye and say ‘no.’ I gotta wave my hands and say come forward and fight me. He’s a tricky guy. He’s actually a guy who I’ve been studying his tape every day since I found out it was him and hopefully it’s going to be a good scrap and everything, but I’ve got some strategy as well.”

Source: MMA Weekly

Wagnney considering weight down

Scheduled to face Erik Kock at WEC 43, which happens on September 2 in the United States, Wagnney Fabiano is training in full swing for the fight. Recovered from the hand injury that ruled out the ring for about three months, the black-belt of the New Union, now is studying the game of his opponent. "He has 19 years, is unbeaten in seven fights and I know he likes to fight more ground. Although I didn’t study much the tactics, but in the struggles he is looking down more”, said Wagnney, in an interview with TATAME TV, showed that he can weight down on category, if Mike Brown and Jose Aldo win and win the belt of the category. "I know Junior and his potential. I think he’ll knocked out Mike Brown ... If he win the belt, I´ll go down category and that is what will happen".

Source: Tatame

Assuério ready for another victory

Ex-fighter in Pride and UFC, Assuério Silva promised train strong to back with all at the MMA. Returning to the ring with knockout at the beginning of July, the fighter has not rested and ready for another challenge, this time in Roraima. "My next fight is on August 30 in Roraima, against the American Dave Anderton," says Assuério, who is making his preparation at the academy Dragon Fight in Fortaleza. If someone thinks that after the second fight in two months the fighter goes down, it´s wrong. "I will fight again in Jungle Fight on September 22”, warns.

Source: Tatame

Rogério Camões

Responsible for the trainings of Anderson Silva to the fight against Forrest Griffin, Rogerão Camões opened the game about the champion’s preparation for another challenge at the UFC. In the exclusive interview, which you check below, Rogerão commented the athlete’s excitement for the combat. "Talking to me the other day, he confessed that he was very happy to be going to this fight, because he is feeling very well. He absorbed very well and, this time, he’s much more motivated", said Camões, who also commented the trainings of Rafael Feijão, Ronaldo Jacaré and André Galvão.

How is the preparation of Anderson Silva to the fight against Forest Griffin?

Missing almost a week for the fight, Anderson is ready. We made a 100% preparation. He was very excited, focused. Talking to me the other day, he confessed that he was very happy to be going to this fight, because he’s feeling well and the work was very well done, so he was satisfied with the result. But of course it depends much more on him than the coaches, because he has his life, he has problems like any other person. He absorbed very well and, this time, he’s much more motivated. Not diminish Thales, but the fact that Thales is a Brazilian, that whole thing, the controversy of Jiu-Jitsu and Muay Thai, that wasn’t a cheer for us, the fact of being struggling with a Brazilian... Not now, now we are going there to get a guy like Forrest Griffin, a guy who already owned the belt in the top category, it has a whole challenge and it became a very interesting work.

Saturday we made a sparring that impressed, because Anderson is very strong. We made a strategy... This is his second fight with 93kg, he didn’t gain much weight, he is holding between 94 and 95kg, and he’ll get there with 93kg, so that he doesn’t need to drop weight. What I minimized was the stress. We will go calm to this fight, happy and without concern. He had a big gain of strength, because, when he drops to 83kg, he loses strength by the diet, because he has to dehydrate. Not now, he is okay.

And what was the training strategy?

I prioritized the training of strength, because Forrest will hit 93kg, but must fight with 105kg. Not that he’s stronger than Anderson, but he will be heavier, so I had to work the strength a little more so that Anderson can be able to support his weight, because from strength to strength he will strike and is risky that Anderson is stronger, but the weight can interfere in some situations. I chose a work of strength and power, and Anderson is really impressive this time, man.

Who has done the sparring work?

Feijão has helped, Jacaré has helped a lot, Eric arrived from Vitória, a very good boy. Anderson is impressing everyone with his strength. I think the fight will be good, because Anderson wants to strike with this guy and, in his head, he’s going to put the man down. Technically he is great, I see him in his best moment, technically and physically. He’s a man driven by stimulus, he likes the guy who comes to punch and this fight is stimulating him a lot.

In the last fight he wasn’t very stimulated?

It was a very long training, three months, with a lot of ground, because it was a fight that could go to the ground, and it was good because he showed that he was prepared to go to the ground. This training was very boring, and this time he’s in his house.

Talking about Feijão, we heard a lot of criticisms about his gas and that he got tired in his last fight (at the Strikeforce). What do you have to say about this?

Unfortunately I couldn’t follow him in this work. Feijão spent two months in America and I would go there, but, for personal reasons, I didn’t, so his physical part was done through e-mail, and it isn’t the same thing of you being on his side, especially Rafael, because is four years working together, every day, in his corner in all his fights, sleeping in the same bedroom, monitoring closely what he eats, what he drinks... I always managed him a lot in that direction, because I always followed him, and the fact that I wasn’t with him must have complicated his drop of weight.

He had a problem because he had to lose too much weight and dehydrated a lot, so that damaged his fight. Obviously we will not justify the defeat, because the guy has shown that he really came to beat Rafael, but everyone passes by a time like this, a difficult time in his career, and I thought that was very important to Rafael. Now he had the experience of a defeat and one of the important things is that I have to be present with him all the time, because it’s my function. I’m his physical preparer and got a very close relationship with him, as father and son, and I think I pass him a great confidence to be on his side. I think he got tired, but it wasn’t because of physical condition. I believe that it was at the time of the turning to lose weight that he dehydrated too much and then failed to recover and came very weak. This isn’t the usual Rafael, everyone knows his gas.

Source: Tatame

Dean Lister in ADCC
Toquinho and Milton Vieira in too

The organizers of the ADCC carry adding athletes to their roster for the 2009 installment of the event, set for the 26th and 27th of September, in Barcelona. Dean Lister, absolute champion of the event in 2003 and winner of the 2005 super matc, when he overcame Jean Jacques Machado, is the latest star confirmed.

Aside from the American standout, Brazilians Milton Vieira and UFC fighter Rousimar “Toquinho” Palhares, both of the Brazilian Top Team, have been added too.

Stay tuned to GRACIEMAG.com and we’ll be back with further information on the ADCC 2009.

In the meantime, check out Dean Lister’s win over Alexandre Cacareco in the final of the absolute division of ADCC 2003:

Source: Gracie Magazine

8/16/09

Quote of the Day

"Don't do the right thing looking for a reward, because it might not come."

Hugh Thompson Jr.

CARANO VS CYBORG LIVE RESULTS & PLAY-BY-PLAY

Gina Carano and Cris “Cyborg” Santos meet Saturday night at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif., for the biggest women’s fight in the history of mixed martial arts. Not only are they fighting for a major title, the first Strikeforce women’s middleweight championship, but they are also the first women’s bout to ever headline a major promotion.

Two other title bouts are featured on the main card, which airs live on Showtime. Renato “Babalu” Sobral defends his light heavyweight title against Gegard Mousasi and Gilbert Melendez tries to hang on to his interim lightweight strap when he faces Mitsuhiro Ishida.

MMAWeekly.com is live in San Jose to bring you full play-by-play and results from “Carano vs. Cyborg,” including the preliminary bouts. The first preliminary bout is scheduled to begin at about 5:30 p.m. PT / 8:30 p.m. ET.

Be sure to refresh you browser frequently for all the latest results and play-by-play from the event.

And don’t forget to follow @MMAWeeklycom on Twitter. We have quick results on Twitter and lots of interesting insider tidbits.

CARANO VS. CYBORG PLAY-BY-PLAY:

-Gina Carano vs. Cristiane "Cyborg" Santos

R1: Cyborg moves in quickly with a flurry, but Carano clinches and takes her down. Cyborg nearly lands a leg lock. Carano gets out, they move back to the feet and Cyborg rocks Carano with some heavy punches. Carano bull rushes Cyborg and takes her down, dropping some heavy shots from mount, but lets Cyborg back up and they quickly clinch on the fence. They separate and start trading shots. Cyborg catches a kick and throws the counter right. They clinch and Carano tries to roll to a knee bar and eats a hard shot on the way up. Carano lands a front kick and then a super “woman” punch. Cyborg starts stalking and drops a couple heavy shots, they clinch, and then Cyborg powers her down. But they’re quickly back to their feet and trading blows; Cyborg getting the better of the exchanges. They clinch and Cyborg takes Carano down, landing on top in half guard. The Brazilian goes for an Americana, but Carano quickly out, Cyborg still on top. She stands up and drops bombs on Carano, as referee Josh Rosenthal steps in just as the bell sounds, almost dead even with his stepping in to stop the fight.

Cris “Cyborg” Santos def. Gina Carano by TKO (Strikes) at 4:59, R1

-Renato "Babalu" Sobral vs. Gegard Mousasi

R1: Babalu catches a kick from Mousasi, they clinch, then Mousasi takes Babalu down and starts ground and pound. Babalu moved back to the fence, still on his back, and Mousasi unloads with a brutal flurry that finishes Babalu. Your new Strikeforce light heavyweight champ is Gegard Mousasi.

Gegard Mousasi def. Renato “Babalu” Sobral by TKO (Strikes) at 1:00, R1

-Gilbert Melendez vs. Mitsuhiro Ishida

R1: Melendez defending Ishida’s early takedown attempts. Melendez lands a couple hard right hands, hurting Ishida. Melendez then lands a left uppercut that has Ishida blinking, looks a little foggy. Ishida recovers and finally scores a takedown. He takes Melendez’s back, tries to get rear naked, but can’t hold it. Melendez reverses and scores a double-leg takedown of his own. Not much offense from either for the last minute as Melendez holds position on the ground.

MMAWeekly scores round one 10-9 for Melendez.

R2: Melendez again starts to pick away with his boxing, getting his jab going. Melendez sprawls out on the takedown and drives a knee to the body, then clinches and knees the legs of Ishida. Melendez separates and lands a hard right elbow to the head. Melendez holding center cage and hurting Ishida with jabs and hard rights. He sprawls an Ishida takedown and peppers him with left hands. Ishida up, but Melendez takes him down. Melendez has Ishida pinned on cage, driving hard knees to the body and solid uppercuts and body punches. Melendez catches a kick and dumps Ishida as the round ends.

MMAWeekly scores round two 10-9 for Melendez.

R3: Ishida now trying to get his own jab going, but getting beat to the punch more often than not by Melendez. Melendez sprawls out another takedown, drives the knee and Ishida goes down, eating numerous punches from Melendez on the mat. Ishida tries to hold on as Melendez pours it on. Melendez using shoulder punches, combinations, hammerfists. He move to Ishida’s back, attempts the rear naked choke, can’t get it, and then starts pounding punches into the sides of Ishida’s head. The referee steps in and stops the fight.

Gilbert Melendez def. Mitsuhiro Ishida by TKO (Strikes) at 3:56, R3

-Fabricio Werdum vs. Mike Kyle

R1: Kyle starts headhunting right away, but Werdum not backing down. After trading punches, Werdum starts a kicking attack, but eats a couple counter punches from Kyle. Werdum then scores the takedown and nearly gets caught in an armbar. Standing up, Werdum sinks a guillotine and drops to his back, sinking it in tighter, causing Kyle to tap.

Fabricio Werdum def. Mike Kyle by Submission (Guillotine Choke) at 1:24, R1

-Jesse Taylor vs. Jay Hieron

R1: Taylor the aggressor on the feet, he shoots for a takedown but Hieron defends well. Taylor continues to go for the takedown but Hieron defends well and ends up on top. Hieron not doing much except for landing some sporadic ground and pound. Tyalor tries to get back up but Hieron puts him back on his back. Hieron doing a solid job of keeping Taylor on his back. Not a lot of action as they get back to their feet. They end the round stalking one another.

MMAWeekly scores the round 10-9 for Hieron.

R2: Taylor goes for a takedown but Hieron defends and locks on a guillotine choke that forces Taylor on his back. Hieron has him mounted but then gets his back and goes for a choke but Taylor escapes. They get back to their feet and Taylor looks gassed as Hieron gets back on top. They are restarted on their feet, as Taylor tries to mount some offense. He goes for a takedown but Hieron defends as the round comes to an end.

MMAWeekly scores the round 10-9 for Jay Hieron.

R3: Taylor is unable to get the takedown as the two fighters work on the feet. Taylor again fails to get the takedown as Hieron sprawls. Taylor finally gets a takedown as he works from Hieron's guard. Hieron gets back to his feet and Taylor is unable to get the fight on the ground. Hieron then gets the fight on the ground. The fight is restarted on the feet, The fighters stalk one another as the crowd gets restless, the fight ends with the two fighters stalking one another.

MMAWeekly scores the round 10-9 for Jay Hieron and the fight 30-27 for Jay Hieron.

Jay Hieron def. Jesse Taylor by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)

-Scott Lighty vs. Mike Cook

R1: Lighty starts to land some good combinations as Cook looks to clinch up from the get go. They seperate and and Lighty drops Cook with a good one-two combination. He drops a couple of shots but is unable to finish him. Back on the feet and Lighty is lighting up Cook, he lands a vicious body shot and Cook shakes his head that he wants out as Lighty lands one more before the fight is stopped.

Scott Lighty def. Mike Cook by TKO at 2:05, R1.

-David Douglas vs. Justin Wilcox

R1: Wilcox gets the takedown off the bat but Douglas gets back to his feet and cracks Wilcox, dropping him. Wilcox gets back to his feet and gets cracked again and secures a takedown. He drops some ground and pound but Douglas gets back to his feet. Wilcox cracks Douglas with a one-two combination and takes the fight down to the ground again. He's in side mount and and works his way to mount. He lands some decent ground and pound but Douglas escapes but Wilcox maintains side mount as the round comes to an end.

MMAWeekly scores the round 10-9 for Wilcox.

R2: Wilcox gets the takedown to start the round. He is in Douglas's guard for a bit but is able to pass into side mount. After a short time, he moves into mount and drops some ground and pound. Wilcox is just simply mounted on Douglas and is dropping constant ground and pound. Nothing overwhelming but it has bloodied up Douglas. The round ends with Wilcox on top of Douglas.

MMAWeekly scores the round 10-9 for Wilcox.

R3: Wilcox now looking to strike as he lands a couple of solid shots before securing the takedown. He mounts and then gets Douglas's back before mounting him again. He is just mauling Douglas, who is taking some punishment as his face is bloody. Wilcox continues to pour on the punishment as Douglas's looks to survive, Wilcox gets his back and finishes the fight with a rear naked choke. Impressive performance by Wilcox.

Justin Wilcox def. David Douglas by Submission (Rear Naked Choke) at 3:16, R3.

-James Terry vs. Zac Bucia

R1: The two fighters feel one another out, Terry finally lands a big shot that drops Bucia, he pounces on him and lands a couple more punches before the referee stops the fight.

James Terry def. Zak Bucia by TKO at 0:23, R1.

-Alex Trevino vs. Isaiah Hill

R1: A lot of feeling out to start the fight but Hill finally takes the fight to the ground. Trevino reverses and is now in Hill's guard. Trevino mounts Hill but Hill escapes and mounts Trevino as he trades back and forth with the mount and the back. He falls back for a leg lock but Trevino escapes and gets on top, where locks on a key lock and forces a tap.

Alex Trevino def. Isaiah Hill by Submission (Key Lock) at 3:56, R1.

CARANO VS. CYBORG RESULTS:

Main Card:
-Cris “Cyborg” Santos def. Gina Carano by TKO (Strikes) at 4:59, R1
-Gegard Mousasi def. Renato “Babalu” Sobral by TKO (Strikes) at 1:00, R1
-Gilbert Melendez def. Mitsuhiro Ishida by TKO (Strikes) at 3:56, R3
-Fabricio Werdum def. Mike Kyle by Submission (Guillotine Choke) at 1:24, R1

Preliminary Card:
- Jay Hieron def. Jesse Taylor by Unanimous Decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
-Scott Lighty def. Mike Cook by TKO at 2:05, R1.
-Justin Wilcox def. David Douglas by Submission (Rear Naked Choke) at 3:16, R3.
-James Terry def. Zak Bucia by TKO at 0:23, R1.
-Alex Trevino def. Isaiah Hill by Submission (Key Lock) at 3:56, R1.

Source: MMA Weekly

UFC 103: “kill or die” for Thiago Tavares
By Guilherme Cruz

Confirmed at UFC 103 against Jim Miller, Thiago Tavares spoke with TATAME.com about his next challenge in the octagon, going after another victory in the event. “I’m already studying the strategy, setting the spaces to beat him”, says the lightweight, without guaranteeing the victory, but promising a great show. As usual.

“I can’t guarantee the victory, because nobody can, but you’re gonna see a very hungry Thiago there. To beat me, just killing”, guarantees the fighter, wanting the victory to get a chance to rematch Tyson Griffin, who defeated four Brazilians in his past five fights. “Beating him (Miller), who knows I can get a rematch with Tyson Griffin”, finished Tavares.

Source: Tatame

Silva on Griffin win

No chance for Lyoto fight

After two fight that, in the view of some people, were well under par, Anderson Silva returned to his impressive ways in MMA. In a virtuous performance, which certainly will find a place in history, the “Spider” moved up in weight groups and made former light heavyweight champion of the UFC Forrest Griffin seem like a beginner. Still in the United States, where he is helping teammate Rodrigo Minotauro prepare to face Randy Couture, on August 29, Anderson had a chat with PORTAL DAS LUTAS, GRACIEMAG.com partner website.

Portal das Lutas – After your devastating win, Forrest behaved unexpectedly in immediately leaving the octagon and rushing to the dressing room. What did you make of that?

Anderson Silva – Shoot, I didn’t get it. But I think everyone has their own way of reacting to determined situations. I consider Forrest to be a great fighter, a tough guy and there’s nothing bad I can say about him. Thank God I was better, I trained a lot and everything went my way. I’d like to thank everyone who helped me.

PDL – At a determined moment you dropped your guard and exposed your face for him to hit. Was that part of your strategy, to catch him with a counter strike?

AS – It was natural, it’s not a tactic or anything. It’s instinct, it happened naturally.

PDL – But to do so you need to be really confident standing… Beyond that, the knockout came from a jab, which hit Forrest with surgical precision. Did you do any special training to be able to do so?

AS – So, I’d like to give a special thanks to the guys who came over from Cuba to help me with my boxing, as well as teachers Doria Distak, Cesario and Claudio Coelho. Those are the guys who made it happen.

PDL – There’s already speculation regarding a title challenge for the category above yours (light heavyweight), against Brazilian Lyoto Machida. You said after the fight your problem is to deal with middleweights and, beyond that, Lyoto is your friend. Could this fight really end up happening?

AS – There’s no point in even asking. Of course I would never face Lyoto. We have a code of honor and, besides being friends, we’re like brothers. It will never happen.

PDL – You are the current record-holder for back-to-back wins in the UFC (10), middleweight champion and considered by many to be the best around. Do you have a hard time finding new goals to achieve?

AS – I seek to work hard and seriously. I owe that to everyone who participated in my career and who taught me something, ever since I started practicing the martial arts. I’m far from being the best in the world. I carry on working hard and serious to keep up the good results. That comes from lots of work and I intend to keep it up, to keep on winning.

PDL – The two fights preceding your win over Griffin were heavily criticized. Did this last performance serve to put an end to the story?

AS – It’s good you brought it up. I’d like to make it clear that I respect everyone. I’d like to apologize if, at some point, I was disrespectful to someone. I look to do my job and people criticize it. And they should criticize, because that’s how we become determined to fight better. That’s why I thank everyone and have great affection for everyone who’s keeping up with my career. We’re always struggling and it’s hard to be in the situation we’re in, people wanting things of us, with our personal problems, problems with the team, injuries, folks end up getting hurt… There’s a lot involved in getting ready for a challenge. But, thank God, we’re able to overcome the obstacles and come up with the results. Once again I’d like to say sorry to everyone who’s misunderstood me and I believe I would not have made it to this point without having been humble and if I’d been disrespectful to others. I’d like to end my career like this, respecting everyone else and with everyone respecting me.

PDL – You’re sticking around in the United States to help Minotauro prepare for his fight with Couture. How is that going?

AS – We have great expectations. Everyone’s here to help him, Jacare is on his way and Rogerio Minotouro too. We’re all training hard here and we’ll see what we can help him with. We’re thinking positive and training a lot to help Rodrigo.

Source: Gracie Magazine

DAN MILLER NOW SLATED TO FACE C.B. DOLLAWAY
by Damon Martin

The changes for the UFC Fight Night 19 card in Oklahoma City continue to roll in as MMAWeekly.com has confirmed with sources close to the fight that Dan Miller is now set to square off against C.B. Dollaway in a middleweight match-up.

Originally, Dan Miller was stepping in as a replacement for Ed Herman to face Arizona Combat Sports fighter Aaron Simpson. Herman had been tabbed to face Wilson Gouveia at UFC 102 in Portland.

It appears Simpson has been pulled from the fight with Miller to return to the match-up with Herman, due to Gouveia now dropping out.

Simpson on Monday confirmed to MMAMadness.com that he signed a contract to return to the Herman fight. His teammate, C.B. Dollaway will occupy the spot against Miller.

Dollaway last appeared at UFC 100 where he lost by guillotine choke early in the first round to fellow "Ultimate Fighter" alum Tom Lawlor.

Up to that fight, Dollaway had won in his last two bouts in the UFC with victories over Jesse Taylor and Mike Massenzio.

Miller returns to action in September following a loss to Chael Sonnen, which marks his UFC career record at 3-1.

Stay tuned to MMAWeekly.com for more information on this card as it becomes available.

Source: MMA Weekly

The World's Greatest Ever Middleweight Boxers

LAS VEGAS (August 10, 2009) – The Welterweight Division represents the most colorful, perhaps, best known fighters in the “The World’s Greatest Ever Boxer” promotion.

Nine of the 10 middleweight candidates are already in the International Boxing Hall of Fame and the last, Bernard Hopkins, is headed to Canastota five years after he retires when he becomes eligible. There are eight Americans, including two from Pittsburgh (Harry Greb and Charlie Burley), one Argentinean and a Frenchman born in Algiers.

On-line voting at www.GreatestEver.com allows boxing fans from around the world to select the greatest boxer in each of the original eight weight classes, highlighted by the all-time pound-for-pound “Greatest Ever.”

The eight categories represent the eight original weight-class divisions: Strawweights are included in the Flyweight category; Super Middleweight in the Light Heavyweight division. Many fighters fought and won titles at a number of different weights. As far as possible they have been nominated in the division that they made their biggest impact. Fighters have not been nominated on the basis of whether they would beat another fighter in that division, though this is, of course, a consideration. More importantly is their overall record, who they fought at the time, as well as the impact they made on the boxing world, and indeed the world around them. All nominees are listed in the voting section at www.GreatestEver.com.

The 10 Middleweight nominees, including the only two-divisional nominee in the promotion (Sugar Ray Robinson), listed in no particular order, follow with their brief profiles:

“Sugar” RAY ROBINSON – 175-19-6 2 NC (109 KOs)…IHOF…American…Pro Years: 1940-1965…85-0 (69 KOs) as an amateur…in the U.S. Army during WWII…world welterweight champion 1946-51, 128-1-2 (84 KOs) by 30 years old…5-time world middleweight champion…Notable Victories: Jake LaMotta (4), Carmen Casilio, Carl “Bobo” Olson, Henry Armstrong, Rocky Graziano, Kid Gavilan, Sammy Angott, Marty Servo, Fritzie Zivic, Izzy Jannazzo, Randy Turpin and Gene Fullmer.

CHARLEY BURLEY – 84-11-2 1 MC (50 KOs)…IHOF…American…Pro Years: 1937-1950…one of the best boxers who never got a world title shot…ducked by Sugar Ray Robinson, Billy Conn, Marcel Cerdan and Jake LaMotta, among the more notables…Notable Victories: Archie Moore, Fritzie Zivic (2) and Billy Soose.

CARMEN “The Onion Farmer” BASILIO – 56-16-7 (27 KOs)…IHOF…American…Pro Years: 1948-1961…U.S. Marine…lives in the same town as the International Hall of Fame in Canastota, NY…Member of Italo-American Sports Hall of Fame…Notable Victories: Lew Jenkins, Ike Williams, Tony DeMarco (2), Sugar Ray Robinson.

MARCEL “Casablanca Clouter” CERDAN – 106-4 (62 KOs)…IHOF…French…Pro Yeqars: 1934-1949…European champion…one of all-time best fighters who learned skills in Africa growing up in Algiers…won first 47 pro fights…died in plane crash prior to scheduled rematch with Jake LaMotta…Notable Victories: Tony Zale, Jean Walzack and George Abrams.

BERNARD “The Executioner” HOPKINS – 49-5-1 (32 KOs)…American…Pro Years: 1988-Present…defended middleweight title a record 20 times…first fighter to retain all four major titles in same fight…lost first pro fight…oldest to ever be world middleweight champ…John David Jackson, Glen Johnson, Felix Trinidad, Keith Holmes, Oscar de la Hoya, Howard Eastman, Antonio Tarver, Winky Wright and Kelly Pavlik.

“Marvelous” MARVIN HAGLER – 62-3-2 (52 KOs)…IHOF…American…Pro Years: 1973-1989…moved to home of Rocky Marciano in Brockton (MA) after the Newark Riots…trouble getting opponents for more than half his career…NAAU 165 pound champ as amateur…Notable Victories: Alan Minter, Roberto Duran, Thomas Hearns, John Mugabi and Vito Antuofermo.

CARLOS “Escopeta” MONZON – 87-3-9 1 NC (59 KOs)…IHOF…Argentinean…Pro Years: 1963-1977…held record of 14 middleweight defenses at time…playboy convicted of murder…killed in car crash on weekend furlough…Notable Victories: Nini Benvenuti (2), Benny Briscoe, Tom Bogs and Rodrigo Valdez.

STANLEY “The Michigan Assassin” KETCHEL – 52-4-4 4 ND (49 KOs)…IHOF…American…Pro Years: 1903-1910…shot to death…fought heavyweight Jack Johnson…Notable Victories: Joe Thomas (2), Mike “Twin” Sullivan and “Philadelphia” Jack O’Brien.

TONY “Man of Steel” ZALE – 67-18-2 (45 K0s)…IHOF…American…Pro Years: 1934-1948…served in World War II…got his name from being born and growing up in the steel town of Gary, Indiana…2-time world champion…famous for Trilogy vs. Rocky Graziano within 21 months…participated in 3 Ring Magazine Fights of the Year…Notable Victories: Rocky Graziano (2), Al Hostak (3), Fred Apostolo, George Abrams and Steve Mamakos (2).

HARRY “The Pittsburgh Windmill” GREB – 261-19-18 6 NC (48 KOs)…IHOF…American…Pro Years: 1913-1926…record 303 pro fights in 13 years…Notable Victories: Battling Levinsky (6), Jack Dillon, Mike McTigue, Gene Tunney, Tommy Loughran and Mickey Walker.

GREATEST EVER WEEKEND OF EVENTS

Boxing fans attending the festivities will be able to celebrate, up close and personal, the achievements of the World’s Greater Ever Boxers. A three-day boxing spectacular is planned October 2-4 at the Paris Las Vegas, commencing that Friday with an official welcome reception and official weigh in for the following evening’s professional boxing show, presented by Sterling Promotions, and featuring Team USA versus Team Europe, capped by an exclusive after party. The event culminates Sunday with The Greater Ever black-tie awards dinner, featuring some of the greatest boxers ever, as well as world-class entertainment, and then an exclusive after party.

The Retired Boxers Foundation (RBF) is the official charity for The World’s Greatest Ever Boxer. RBF assists retired professional boxers in the transition from their days in the ring to dignified retirement, helping those suffering from alcohol and substance abuse problems, homelessness and effects of pugilistic dementia.

Four ticket packages are on sale for the Oct. 2-4 weekend’s events through agents at the following numbers: North America – The Sports Alliance (914.941.3366) Smart Ticket Solutions (847.917.8497); United Kingdom and Europe – Rock Solid Events (UK: 0845 0945 606, Outside UK: +44 845 0945 606); Australasia – Events Worldwide Travel Group (Australia: 1300 788 666, Outside Australia: +61 3 5989 7666).

The event-only packages are as follows (all prices USD): Super VIP ($2,500), Platinum ($1,900), VIP ($1,400) and Gold ($1,115). The Super VIP, Platinum and VIP packages have a number or premiums in addition to those detailed in the Gold (welcome function, weigh-in, Greatest Ever poker tournament, exclusive Paris Las Vegas gaming area, exclusive memorabilia, movie screenings, access to Greatest Ever dedicated gaming areas and VIP bar, media and legends signings, general seating for the fights and at the awards dinner). Regional agents can provide additional premiums for individual packages.

Source: The Fight Network

Filho and the brotherhood to win one more
By Guilherme Cruz

After submitting Melvin Manhoef at Dream, Paulo Filho get back to trainings to be ready to face Alex Schoenauer at Bitetti Combat 4, which takes place in Rio de Janeiro at September 12th. I n exclusive interview to TATAME.com, the black belt commented the next challenge, now as a light heavyweight.

“Now I won’t have problems to make weight. I’ll be cool and I hope I can give a show to the Brazilian people. I like to fight overseas, but I think the people deserves to watch the athletes who are valued internationally to be valued here too. I’m glad to be part of this and I wanna give a show”, said Filho, training with Ricardo Arona and Rogério “Minotouro” Nogueira for the event, once they also are gonna fight there.

“Ricardo is a very tough training, right, my brother? Minotouro is also very tough, Minotauro, Thiago Medeiros… Our training with friends is very strong. We have Distak, Bitetti… It’s a brotherhood. The most important is that we care about each other, always cheering for the friends… It’s a brotherhood that will go still Carlson lives in our hearts”, finished the former WEC champion.

Source: Tatame

An “unstoppable” Arona in the return
By Guilherme Cruz

Almost one month before the back to fights after two years, Ricardo Arona is training hard with Paulo Filho and Rogério “Minotouro” to the bout against Marvin Eastman at Bitetti Bombat 4, in Rio de Janeiro. In exclusive interview to TATAME.com, the fighter commented the emotion to fight for the first time in his hometown and the trainings with his friends.

"Paulão, Rogério and I are training together once or twice a week. We’ve been working in the octagon, we’re very united and it’ll be hard to stop us there", says Arona, excited to see the Brazilian crowd in the Maracanãzinho on September 12. "It will be great... We expect 12 thousand people here, and it’ll seem that has 200 thousand people because of such emotion that the Brazilian people have".

Source: Tatame

8/15/09

Quote of the Day

"What you can't pay back you pay forward."

Jo Walton

O2MAA Goes 1-2 at Mad Skills

3 of our students competed at Mad Skills last night held at the Filcom Center. We were happy with their performances and they made all of their coaches proud.

Justin Dulay won via decision

Albert Napoleon lost via decision
(He took the fight the day before)

Koa Lyu lost via decision

The fights were very close, but Al's and Koa's opponents were just a little better last night, but all three fighters fought their hearts out and had a good time.

Strikeforce: Carano vs. Cyborg Today
August 15, 2009
HP Pavilion, San Jose, California
Airing: Showtime

Main Card:
-Gina Carano vs. Cristiane "Cyborg" Santos (145-pound female championship)
-Gilbert Melendez vs. Mitsuhiro Ishida (lightweight championship)
-Renato Sobral vs. Gegard Mousasi (light heavyweight championship)
-Nick Diaz vs. Jay Hieron (welterweight championship)

Preliminary Card:
-Fabricio Werdum vs. Mike Kyle
-Mike Cook vs. Scott Lighty
-David Douglas vs. Justin Wilcox
-Zak Bucia vs. James Terry
-Isaiah Hill vs. Alex Trevino

Source: The Fight Network

STRIKEFORCE IN-DEPTH: CARANO VS CYBORG
by Steven Marrocco


The biggest women’s fight in MMA history is set for Saturday at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif., where Gina Carano faces off with Cristiane “Cyborg” Santos for the newly created 145-pound women’s middleweight title.

Carano will battle to keep her place as the “face of women’s MMA” with the toughest challenge in her career. She’s had an extended layoff while deciding her fighting future, but to her credit, did not delay the fight after signing with Strikeforce in June. She’s focused her efforts at Xtreme Couture, relying on master game planner Randy Couture’s guidance to prepare and strategize for Santos. All that’s left to do is execute.

Alternatively, Carano is the biggest challenge yet for Santos, who’s never faced someone with the same striking prowess. A former professional handball player, she was recruited by Chute Boxe patriarch Rudimar Fedrigo on the courts and brought into the world of fighting, where her ferocity found it’s place. She’s steamrolled everyone in her way, using pure aggression to overwhelm her opponents.

The bout has serious implications for the future of women’s MMA in Strikeforce. Carano is the undeniable star, and the division will undoubtedly suffer if she doesn’t win. That said, all credit goes to Strikeforce for putting on the best fight possible at the tail end of an explosive summer for mixed martial arts.

The word is: don’t blink.

STRIKING

Cyborg is the female equivalent of Wanderlei Silva: old-school Chute Boxe MMA. That style, a take-no-prisoners, blitzkrieg hybrid of Muay Thai and jiu-jitsu, uses equal parts fear and technique to win the day. Cyborg’s impressive physicality intimidates opponents; she makes them beat themselves. When first bell rings, she simply walks them down and begins swinging for the fences. So far, it’s worked. None of her opponents have stood up to her. When they hit the cage, she’s at her deadliest, swarming with punches and kicks before locking up a plumb and firing knees. Over her four years in the fight game, her technique has improved. She has a jab, her punches are straighter, and she moves her head more in the pocket. But her spirit hasn’t changed – she will keep throwing until her opponent is out or a takedown is easy pickings.

It’s hard to imagine Cyborg breaking character for Carano, though she may temper her aggression by probing with keg kicks and jabs before rushing in. Her gameplan will be to time the attacks correctly, after a missed kick or when she’s used footwork to corner Carano. Then, it’s bombs away.

Carano is no less aggressive, but there’s a technical streak to her work inside the cage. Her jab and front kick serve as the first line of offense and defense: she sets up punch flurries and takes the steam out of opponents’ advances. In the pocket, her overhand right is her best weapon, a looping shot that gets around outstretched arms. Her Muay Thai background will show at close range when she leads with an elbow or uses the plumb to control an opponent’s base.

Expect Carano to pour on jabs and front kicks at the advancing Cyborg, keying off the Brazilian’s heavy right hand for a left hook overhand right combination. After weathering the initial storm, she’ll set up punching combinations with kicks and grind Cyborg down.

GRAPPLING

Carano’s grappling is mostly limited to defensive maneuvers that allow her to return to her feet. A lone submission victory over Tonya Evinger and resistance to Julie Kedzie’s ground work proved she could hang when the action went down, but in subsequent performances, she’s been matched with opponents who, for the most part, want to stand and slug with her. She does, however, have the flexibility to tie opponents up in guard and use her legs to initiate a scramble for position, or reverse an opponent as the fight hits the ground. It’s advanced basics, and she’s used her skills to keep the fight where she wants it.

Cyborg’s wrestling has improved dramatically from her early performances. She’s added a solid game of ground and pound to her arsenal, using her strength to power opponents into bad spots on the mat. Her jiu-jitsu cannot be ignored – against Yoko Takahashi’s sweep, she countered with a submission attempts – though she hasn’t used it much in her short career. Her best bet is to take Carano down off a body lock and pour on the punishment from top position.

And that’s where Carano will want to be if the fight goes down. Cyborg hasn’t been tested on bottom position, and may break under consistent pressure. Its doubtful Carano will cede position to finish a submission unless Cyborg makes a major tactical error.

More likely is a series of short ground engagements before the two scramble to their feet.

CAGE CONTROL

Cyborg’s M.O. so far has been one-sided: either she’s in complete control of the fight, or she’s trying desperately to get there. She’ll take any opportunity to come forward and finish her opponent with a barrage of strikes. As previously noted, she may pay more respect to Carano’s stand-up skills (not to mention the threat of a takedown) but at one point or another she’ll rush in and try to force a mistake.

Carano goes with the flow inside the cage. When opponents press, she backs away or returns fire. When opponents relent, she’s moving forward aggressively. Guaranteed, she’ll be on her bicycle more than ever before for this fight. She’s smart enough not to get into a firefight early on and will wait until later rounds to begin asserting her dominance, assuming she doesn’t get caught.

CONDITIONING

This section doubles as the “X” factor for this fight. It’s an entirely new world for both fighters. Neither have fought five, five-minute rounds. That’s sixteen extra minutes in the cage, and coupled with the energy of the crowd and pressure inherent to main event billing, conditioning could be a serious factor.

Carano carries the slight edge in this category because she tends to measure herself better during competition. Despite past troubles with weight cutting, she has not faded in later rounds. However, she hasn’t fought since October, and that could play a factor if the fight’s early pace is high.

Cyborg, on the other hand, is so aggressive that it could come back to bite her if the fight goes long. Her usual tempo is not sustainable for 25 minutes. If she gets overly aggressive or emotional when Carano’s punches find their mark, she could gas herself out chasing after revenge.

THE “X” FACTOR

Conditioning undoubtedly is the biggest “X” factor in the fight, and the answer should be evident in early rounds. If Cyborg comes out guns a blazing, it’s a question of whether Carano has the faith in her technique to stop Cyborg in her tracks, or if she chooses to evade the early storm and come on strong later.

In her last fight, Carano let opponent Kelly Kobald wear herself out driving for a takedown and poured the pressure on in the final minutes. While Cyborg’s aggression is more refined and brutal, the gameplan could be similar.

The question is how much respect the two give each other in the opening exchanges.

KEYS TO VICTORY

Gina Carano:
-Lateral movement, keep jabs and front kicks coming
-Don’t get into an early firefight
-Use Cyborg’s aggression to take her down
-Go the distance.

Cris Cyborg:
-Smart aggression: use footwork to counter and corner Carano
-Use plumb to control position and strike inside
-Get the takedown and work ground and pound
-Watch for high kicks

Source: MMA Weekly

Miguel Torres: Frustrated With Loss, But Not a Setback

Miguel Torres has never been in the position before. Flattened on his back and unconscious inside a cage.

It was rare enough that he emerged out a fight without his hands raised (he's lost only once prior in 38 fights), but Torres' bantamweight title loss to Brian Bowles Sunday night at WEC 42 was the first time he's ever been finished in over nine years of fighting.

Despite the surprising defeat, Torres told reporters at the post-fight press conference that he's looking forward to the new challenge of reclaiming his belt.

"I start from the beginning again, it's going to be fun," Torres said. "I was on top for a long time. Brian's a strong guy, he hits real hard – as you can tell. It's going to be a fun road back. I don't look at this as a setback at all. It's a new challenge in my career, and it's going to be fun to beat him up the next time I fight him."

The end of the bout came when Torres aggressively pushed forward with punches that rattled Bowles but also left an opening for Bowles to counter with a right hook. The heavy shot clipped Torres on the jaw and Bowles followed Torres to the ground with left hands to score the knockout.

"I got caught with a good shot," Torres said. "Brian hits really hard. I was off all week. I don't know if it was my diet or what it was but there is no excuse for that. Brian hits really hard, and as soon as I saw the shot coming I couldn't get out of the way of it. It was a big overhand right, and he just put it away. Real aggressive young guy and he's going to be a good champion."

Torres had entered the fight on an unheard of 17-fight win streak, and his name was often mentioned alongside the likes of Fedor Emelianenko, Georges St-Pierre and Anderson Silva in discussions of the top pound-for-pound fighters in the world. Dominance sometimes makes a fighter less goal-oriented and what Torres can at least take away from a loss is that there will be no shortage of motivation the next time he enters the cage.

"Now I have something to look forward to, something to train for," Torres said." When you're on top for a long time, it's hard to keep pushing yourself cause you're always on top. Now that I get back on the bottom and he has the belt I have something to work for now. It's going to be a good challenge for me."

Source: MMA Fighting

Arona out of ADCC 2009

Organization already thinking of replacement

Despite his great desire to participate, expressed first hand in an interview with GRACIEMAG.com, Ricardo Arona will not fight at the 2009 ADCC. The information was confirmed by ADCC Brazil executive-secretary Wagner Gomes.

According to the director, the reason for Arona to not show at the submission wrestling tournament to take place on the 26th and 27th of September, in Barcelona, is his participation in Bitetti Combat, two months before the event, when he will face Marvin Eastman.

The ADCC organizing committee already has a list of names to take Arona’s place, and should announce the substitute shortly.

Source: Gracie Magazine

U.S. OLYMPIAN DANIEL CORMIER HEADING INTO MMA

Two-time U.S. Olympian Daniel Cormier is the next decorated American wrestler to transition to MMA. Management group Zinkin Entertainment announced on Monday that Cormier has signed to join the ranks of a client list that includes Chuck Liddell, Forrest Griffin, Jon Fitch, Mike Swick, and other established mixed martial artists.

A resident of Oklahoma since his collegiate wrestling career at Oklahoma State University, Cormier is an aggressive freestyle wrestler that will soon begin training at American Kickboxing Academy alongside fighters such as Fitch, Swick, Josh Koscheck, Cain Velasquez, and Josh Thomson.

Attaining a record of 117-10 during his collegiate career, Cormier has achieved several national and international honors in wrestling, including a fourth-place finish at the 2004 Olympic games in Athens, Greece.

Source: MMA Weekly

Ivan Batman celebrates victory at WFC 2
By Guilherme Cruz

Training with Thiago Tavares, UFC's light weight, Ivan Batman returned with everything to the rings of the WFC 2, which happened last Saturday, in Gramado. Needing three rounds to win Rodrigo Pitbull, Batman contested the split decision, but was satisfied with the eighth victory in his career, following with an undefeated record. "I think I dominated him, but I don’t know what the judge interpreted. Thank God I got the victory against Rodrigo Pitibull, which is an excellent athlete, very tough... I have seen some of his fights in the South, he’s bursting”, celebrates Batman, recalling a time when he trained with Manimal and his new trainings in South.

What did you think of your fight? Of the split decision?

I think I dominated him, but I don’t know what the judge interpreted. Thank God I got the victory against Rodrigo Pitibull, who is an excellent athlete, very tough... I have seen some of his fight at South, he is bursting.

You used to train at the Manimal and went to spend a season at the United States. How long did you stay there?

I was seven months in the United States, then I went to Spain, where I stayed for a year and a half giving lessons for a team and fought there. I returned to the South because I got married and my wife is from the South. Casually, I ended getting to know Thiago Tavares and the guys of Double Attack and now I’ll close a good partnership, I’m here in Brazil for four months only.

How is your cartel? What’s your expectation from now on?

I’m with eight fight and eight victories. My expectation is to one day fight abroad like all the athletes here. I was there in the United States and in Europe and saw how it is the whole thing, but I decided to return to Brazil, to my roots, because the barn of the athletes and the trainings are here in Brazil, not advance.

You’re black belt of Luta Livre, then you started to train Jiu-Jitsu with Manimal. Now you defend the flag of the Luta Livre or the Jiu-Jitsu?

I defend not only the Luta Livre as the Jiu-Jitsu, the Muay Thai also, which I'm doing with the master Peu, from the Boxe Thai, the Boxing that I'm doing with Kevin... I represent all the martial arts that are good for the development of the MMA athlete.

Why did you end up leaving Manimal? Did you have any disagreement?

No. Like any marriage, one day it ends. We got at a certain moment that I had to follow my path and he had to follow his, but I respect him a lot, I have great affection for him. I was Brazilian champion, World, State and Pan American, all thanks to him, his lessons of Jiu-Jitsu, but now I'm in another moment of my life. I'm more mature, I'm with Thiago Tavares, which is a great kid, an excellent athlete. Despite having 24 years old, he has a very good head. I have a very structured gang and I’m very happy for that.

Source: Tatame

8/14/09

Quote of the Day

"Trust your intuition. It's just like goin' fishin'. You cast your line and hope you get a bite."

Paul Simon

Strikeforce defines official card
Tomorrow

Check out the complete card for Saturday’s event

Strikeforce’s organizers have defined the official card for the event to be held this Saturday the 15th in San Jose, California. As already heavily publicized, the main event will feature Cris Cyborg against Gina Carano, in a title fight.

Aside from the female title match, two more title disputes are on the program.

Check out the complete card and stay tuned to GRACIEMAG.com for further information on the event:

Gina Carano vs Cristiane "Cyborg" Santos – under-70kg title match
Jesse Taylor vs Jay Hieron
Campeão Renato "Babalu" Sobral vs Gegard Mousasi - título dos meio-pesados
Campeão Gilbert Melendez vs Mitsuhiro Ishida - título interino dos leves

PRELIMINARES

Mike Kyle vs Fabricio Werdum
Mike Cook vs Scott Lighty
David "Tarzan" Douglas vs Justin Wilcox
Zak Bucia vs James Terry
Isaiah Hill vs Alex Trevino

Source: Gracie Magazine

Feijão eyes Strikeforce return in October
By Guilherme Cruz

After a bad debut at Strikeforce, being knocked out by Mike Kyle, Rafael “Feijão” Cavalcante keep the head up and train hard to step up again in the octagon. Expected to fight for the title in the first moment, the Brazilian will have to work hard to earn the chance one more time. “I had problems to make weight for this fight, but that’s not an excuse, I faced a very tough opponent”, says Feijão. “But this loss only makes me stronger, now I have to work more on my mistakes and get back to the tops”.

About the return, the light heavyweight fighter reveals that he might get back in there in October. “I’ll fight in October, I’m just waiting for the confirmation of when and against who”, said, remembering that the opponent changing in the first fight were also a problem. “I had my opponent changed four times before the fight and I couldn’t do my preparation right… I saw many mistakes in that fight, but I decided to do it so I was my mistake”, finished the fighter.

Source: Tatame

Strikeforce, DREAM to enter partnership

Strikeforce and DREAM will announce a partnership on Wednesday that could see an exchange of fighters between the two promotions.

Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker revealed Monday night in a radio appearance on The Carmichael Dave Show that the No. 2 MMA promotion in America will enter into an "alliance" with Fighting Entertainment Group, the parent company of the No. 1 MMA promotion in Japan.

FanHouse has received confirmation from Strikeforce that the announcement will be made Wednesday afternoon.

The partnership could open up new possibilities for the recently-signed Fedor Emelianenko, who had seemingly only Alistair Overeem, Brett Rogers and Fabricio Werdum as opponents in Strikeforce. Fedor could also find himself fighting in Japan after his fall Strikeforce on Showtime date. The former PRIDE heavyweight champ is well-loved in the country and from 2003-2007 took pride in a tradition to compete every New Year's Eve in Japan's annual blockbuster year-end show.

"We've talked about [the partnership] for a long time," Coker said on the Northern California sports program. "It's finally going to happen now so maybe [Sergei] Kharitonov could fight Fedor at some point."

Besides more options for Fedor, there's an entire pool of new opponents for each promotion that could also give a clearer understanding to world rankings outside of the UFC.

The current champions and direct title contenders under DREAM are Joachim Hansen (lightweight champion), Shinya Aoki, Marius Zaromskis (welterweight champion), Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza, Jason "Mayhem" Miller, Bibiano Fernandes, Joe Warren, Hiroyuki Takaya and Hideo Tokoro.

Meanwhile, the champions with Strikeforce are Alistair Overeem (heavyweight), Renato "Babalu" Sobral (light heavyweight), Cung Le (middleweight), Josh Thomson (lightweight), Gilbert Melendez (interim lightweight) and the Aug. 15 winner of Nick Diaz vs. Jay Hieron.

The two promotions already share the services of former DREAM middleweight champion and current No. 1 Strikeforce light heavyweight title contender Gegard Mousasi, who also happens to be under contract with Fedor's management, M-1 Global.

Coker added that more details on Fedor's future, including the date and opponent, could be announced as early as Thursday.

Source: MMA Fighting

WEC 42: TWELVE MEDICAL SUSPENSIONS

The Nevada State Athletic Commission on Monday released the medical suspension list for WEC 42, which took place Sunday night at the Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas.

In all, 12 fighters wound up on the suspension list with three suspensions extending into 2010, unless the fighters garner medical clearance.

WEC 42 Medical Suspensions:

-Brian Bowles is suspended until Feb. 6, 2010, unless cleared by an orthopedic doctor.

-Miguel Torres is suspended until Oct. 9, 2009 (no contact until Sept. 24).

-Danny Castillo is suspended until Feb. 6, 2010, unless left hand and left knee cleared by an orthopedic doctor.

-Ricardo Lamas suspended until Sept. 9, 2009 (no contact until Aug. 31).

-Leonard Garcia suspended until Sept. 9, 2009 (no contact until Aug. 31), due to left infra-orbital laceration.

-Cole Province suspended until Aug. 31, 2009 (no contact until Aug. 24), due to lacerations on his nose.

-Shane Roller suspended until Aug. 31, 2009 (no contact until Aug. 24), due to left upper eyelid laceration.

-Marcus Hicks suspended until Sept. 9, 2009 (no contact until Aug. 31).

-Phil Cardella suspended until Aug. 31, 2009 (no contact until Aug. 24), due to lacerations on his nose.

-Diego Nunes suspended until Oct. 9, 2009 (no contact until Sept. 24).

-Rafael Dias suspended until Aug. 31, 2009 (no contact until Aug. 24), due to laceration on his nose.

-L.C. Davis suspended until Feb. 6, 2010 unless cleared by an ophthalmologist; minimum suspension is until Aug. 31, 2009 (no contact until Aug. 24).

Source: MMA Weekly

Sherdog.com’s Pound-for-Pound Top 10

Anderson Silva has sat atop Sherdog.com’s pound-for-pound list since September 2007. Though there has always been spirited debate over whose accomplishments reign supreme in the sport, Silva’s alpha dog status came under critical fire following dismal victories over Patrick Cote and Thales Leites. Sterling wins over elite fighters like Dan Henderson and Nate Marquardt, as well as his pair of destructions of Rich Franklin, seemed like distant memories.

Saturday night in Philadelphia, those memories came flooding back.

In just more than three minutes, Silva destroyed Forrest Griffin, a former entrant on this list, in stark and brutal fashion. The victory was so convincing that it actually served as a catalyst, as “The Spider” ran away with the Sherdog.com fan poll asking readers who they felt was the top pound-for-pound fighter in the sport. Fifty-three percent of the 40,000-plus votes cast favored the Curitiban.

The weekend was not entirely kind to pound-for-pound standouts, however. Miguel Torres looked to become the first bantamweight in the history of the sport to piece together a consistent, quality resume. However, his 17-fight winning streak was quickly snapped, as unbeaten challenger Brian Bowles punched him out in the first frame and took his spot atop the 135-pound division.

1. Anderson Silva (25-4)
After lackluster efforts in his middleweight title defenses against Cote and Leites, Silva drew the scorn and ire of fans, fighters, journalists and even UFC President Dana White. However, in his 205-pound bout with former UFC light heavyweight champion Griffin on Aug. 8, Silva smashed a quality fighter in historically brutal fashion. There are rumblings now that “The Spider” will vacate his middleweight crown in favor of a permanent move to 205 pounds, which would allow him to continue to add to an outstanding resume.

2. Georges St. Pierre (19-2)
Talk had brewed of a pound-for-pound super fight following St. Pierre’s July handling of top contender Thiago Alves, but with Silva’s blowout of Griffin, discussions of St. Pierre-Silva have cooled. That works fine for St. Pierre, who is keen to continue defending his welterweight title. He now awaits his next contender -- the winner of the Mike Swick-Martin Kampmann title eliminator at UFC 103 on Sept. 19.

3. Fedor Emelianenko (30-1, 1 NC)
Just as fellow pound-for-pound kings Silva and St. Pierre had blockbuster summer bouts to add to their respective resumes, Emelianenko was scheduled to meet Josh Barnett at Affliction “Trilogy” on Aug. 1. One failed pre-licensing drug test later, Emelianenko no longer had a fight due to Barnett’s most recent steroid indiscretions. The sport’s heavyweight ruler has since signed with Strikeforce and will make his promotional debut in the fall.

4. Lyoto Machida (15-0)
Many fans and pundits are already calling for Zuffa to put enough money on the table to grease the wheels of a Machida-Silva showdown. Whether or not Machida ever ends up fighting his pal, the Shotokan stalwart still has a date with rejuvenated light heavyweight Mauricio “Shogun” Rua at UFC 104 in October in what will be the first defense of his UFC light heavyweight title.

The unassuming featherweight
ruler of MMA clocks in at five.5. Mike Thomas Brown (22-4)
The unassuming featherweight ruler of MMA has turned in a stellar run over the last three years, with 10 victories in a row, including a pair of wins over former featherweight kingpin and pound-for-pound entrant Urijah Faber. As Zuffa continues to gobble up more and more top featherweights under the WEC banner, Brown will have the chance to put together a muscular resume. However, the biggest challenge for the 33-year-old American Top Teamer may be his next one, as he will meet fire-breathing 22-year-old phenom Jose Aldo in November.

6. B.J. Penn (14-5-1)
Penn may be the most gifted fighter on this list. At UFC 101, he showed exactly why the MMA world anointed him from day one, as he put on arguably his most consummate performance as a prizefighter, nullifying Kenny Florian for 15 minutes before routing him in the fourth frame and finishing him by submission. The next challenger to Penn’s UFC lightweight title figures to be Diego Sanchez in the coming months. If Penn chooses to continue his reign as a lightweight -- the role everyone but he himself has long desired -- he will only climb this list and validate his enormous talent.

7. Quinton Jackson (30-7)
Between his energy drink-fueled legal indiscretions, lascivious actions in video interviews and candid quotes, Jackson does not always stay relevant due to his fighting accomplishments. However, Jackson is 4-1 against five straight top 10 opponents in one of MMA’s deepest divisions. His sixth straight 205-pound standout foe will be Rashad Evans in December, after the two square off as coaches on the forthcoming season of “The Ultimate Fighter.”

8. Jon Fitch (19-3, 1 NC)
Fitch does not have the scintillating offense of a Silva, Emelianenko or Penn, and he’s the only entrant on this list who has not won a major title in the UFC, WEC or Pride. What Fitch does possess, however, is a gaudy 10-1 mark in the UFC, as he has racked up top 10 victories in MMA’s historically deepest and most talented division. He may be the welterweight division’s perennial second banana, but that remains an extremely meritorious position.

9. Rashad Evans (13-1-1)
Evans’ first defense of the UFC light heavyweight belt in May was a disaster, as he was dominated from bell-to-bell by Machida. However, Evans will have the chance to get back in line for a rematch with Machida, add to his resume and up his Q-rating. He will coach opposite Jackson on the 10th season of “The Ultimate Fighter,” which will lead up to a high-profile December showdown between the two.

10. Brian Bowles (8-0)
With a gaudy record and an all-out action style, Miguel Torres was supposed to be the first great bantamweight in MMA history, bringing the division to the masses. However, Bowles had other plans, as he punched out the pound-for-pound entrant in the first round, staked his claim as the sport’s top 135-pounder and earned a place on this list. Now, it will be up to Bowles to continue adding to what is quickly becoming a high-quality resume, especially by the standards of a division where historically few top fighters have fought one another. The first defense of Bowles’ newly-acquired crown will likely come against fellow upstart Dominick Cruz.

* After his Aug. 9 defeat at the hands of Bowles, the previously fifth-ranked Torres falls just outside of the pound-for-pound top 10.

Source: Sherdog

Jaoude excited for ADCC and Wrestling
By Guilherme Cruz

Fourteen times Brazilian champion of Olympic Fight, Antoine Jaoude is with a busy agenda. With the presence guaranteed at the ADCC 2009 by winning the Brazilian selective, Jaoude is with an eye, also, in the World Cup of Wrestling, which happens in Denmark.

"Wrestling is in the day, I'm shaping more the ground... I’m training with Glover (Teixeira), Diego Bologna, Daniel Pirata, Pedro Rizzo, Bruno Góes... There are a lot of guys helping me, all at the Delfim. Sérgio Babu is also giving a force in the preparation and my great master Leitão, who has supervised my training", says the fighter, excited for the big challenges at the ADCC.

"I’ll fight the ADCC, I’m already inside and in my category already has Saulo Ribeiro and Werdum confirmed... We’ll fall into", says Jaoude, who has done a beautiful job at the Submission competitions and recently won the South American title. Then, Jaoude embarked to fight the Amazon Fight, where he also won the Submission.

"I fought in the category over 99kg and did three fights... I thought that the technical level was very good and earned a little money, thousand reais for all weights, as for the married fights", says, praising the structure of the event, which also had MMA fights. "The MMA was also high level", concluded Jaoude.

Source: Tatame

8/13/09

Quote of the Day

"I may have had a tough break, but I have an awful lot to live for."

Lou Gehrig

CSAC: DIAZ NOT LICENSED; TAYLOR IN VS. HIERON
by Steven Marrocco

A welterweight title fight between Nick Diaz and Jay Hieron at Strikeforce “Carano vs. Cyborg” is the latest casualty in a long line of changes to the Aug. 15 card.

The bout came into question on Friday when Diaz missed a pre-fight drug test mandated by the California State Athletic Commission.

Bill Douglas, Assistant Executive Officer of CSAC, on Saturday informed MMAWeekly.com that Diaz had not been licensed and the situation would be “a challenging process.”

On Monday, Diaz’s manager, Cesar Gracie, said his fighter had an informal agreement with former CSAC executive officer Armando Garcia that precluded random drug testing. Diaz, a resident of Stockton, Calif., currently holds a medical marijuana license under the state’s Compassionate Use Act of 1996 and Medical Marijuana Program Act. Garcia departed the agency last November.

“They changed it without any notification,” said Gracie. “No one had any time. The old guys were doing things based off of California law, and I knew California law didn’t change. He’s licensed... it’s legal. They’re own legal team came out with a ruling that said (compassionate use was allowed). Then all of a sudden they’re saying we’re doing drug tests, and cannabis is included, it’s not just performance enhancers. To flush it out of his system, it takes 10 days, and we don’t have that.”

It’s not the first time Diaz has come under fire for his marijuana use. In April 2007, the Nevada State Athletic Commission stripped him of a victory over Takanori Gomi at Pride 33 due to high levels of the drug in his system. Last March, he was stricken from a Strikeforce co-promotion with Elite XC when he reported his use of the drug on a pre-fight medical questionnaire.

On a Monday teleconference promoting the fight, Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker said CSAC gave Diaz until 3p.m. on Monday to take a “second chance” test in Los Angeles. A contingency plan had been prepared in the event Diaz does not get licensed, he added, and Hieron would fight regardless of the outcome with Diaz.

In a fiery email sent to media members, Douglas said Diaz and his representatives hadn’t contacted him to arrange the second test.

“If Mr. Diaz is in fact in route to Los Angeles, then it is news to us because he has not notified us and considering that we are administering the test,” wrote Douglas, “I suggest that he or someone from his camp ‘let’s their fingers do the walking,’ ‘reaches out to touch someone,’ or any other colorful catch phrase that you can think of stemming from an old telephone commercial.

“Strikeforce has approached us with a replacement opponent and the representative from the promotion company that spoke with (CSAC representative) inspector Segovia about one hour ago stated, ‘If we don't know by noon then it's done.’"

Shortly after, Douglas informed MMAWeekly.com that Diaz had not renewed his license and UFC and Dream veteran Jesse Taylor had been approved for the fight.

“We wish (Diaz) well in his future endeavors,” wrote Douglas.

Gracie said the situation was unfortunate, but Diaz would take a later fight.

“He fights every two months,” said Gracie. “It’s too bad for Jay Hieron, but what can you do? If you take the test, what’s going to happen? What’s going to happen is he’s gonna not get licensed in California for over a year and not fight this fight. If you don’t take this test, you don’t fight this fight, and you fight next month, because you have time to flush it out of your system."

Source: MMA Weekly

Marshall back to UFC

Marshall in action September 19
Easton BJJ black belt called on to fight in September

Eliot Marshall is training hard for his next challenge in the UFC. The Easton BJJ black belt and teacher was called up to fight at UFC 103, on September 19th, in Dallas, Texas. He described his training on his academy’s website:

“Well, the UFC called me last week and I have a fight scheduled for September 19th in Dallas, Texas at UFC 103. My next opponent will be Jason Brilz. Jason is a tough, tough guy who has been fighting for a long time. I can remember watching him fight when I was still a blue belt. Brilz is from Nebraska and he is a very strong wrester.”

“I'm extremely excited to get this fight for many reasons. First, I get to fight an opponent that is not from The Ultimate Fighter and he will be my first opponent that already has a win in the UFC. Secondly, and most importantly, I get to see how much I have progressed in my training. I have always encountered difficulty with wrestlers because of the style in which they fight. I have been working hard to fix these problems since TUF and now I get to see if I've been doing the right things. Finally, training camp started Monday, July 27”

For more info, go to eastonbjj.com.

Source: Gracie Magazine

WEC 43: Cerrone vs. Henderson card finalized

Akitoshi Tamura, Damacio Page, Raphael Assuncao, Wagnney Fabiano and Manny Tapia are among the top 10 ranked fighters booked for the WEC 43 card on Sept. 2. WEC confirmed Monday the participation of the aforementioned athletes as well as all ten bouts for the promotion's Ohio debut.

Previously only official was the main event, a lightweight tilt between Donald Cerrone and Ben Henderson to determine the interim WEC champion in place of champion Jamie Varner as he recovers from a broken hand suffered in a defense against Cerrone at WEC 38 in January.

Doors open at the The Covelli Centre at 6 p.m. for the preliminary card and the live Versus broadcast will begin at 9 p.m. ET.

WEC 43 Fight Card:

- Donald Cerrone vs. Ben Henderson
- Dave Jansen vs. Richard Crunkilton
- Akitoshi Tamura vs. Damacio Page
- Anthony Petis vs. Alex Karalexis
- Yves Jabouin vs. Raphael Assuncao
- Scott Jorgensen vs. Rafael Rebello
- Erik Koch vs. Wagnney Fabiano
- Manny Tapia vs. Eddie Wineland
- Mushin Corbbrey vs. Anthony Njokuani
- Coty Wheeler vs. Charlie Valencia

Source: MMA Fighting

Report: Taylor Replaces Diaz for Aug. 15th Strikeforce Card
By FCF Staff

This coming Saturday’s August 15th Strikeforce event has taken another hit, as news has surfaced this afternoon that the California State Athletic Commission will not license Nick Diaz for his scheduled welterweight title fight against Jay Hieron. According to a report from Yahoo! Sport’s Dave Meltzer, Diaz failed to attend a scheduled CSAC drug test on Friday, and that today’s deadline has expired without the veteran fighter being tested.

According to the report, Strikeforce has confirmed that former “Ultimate Fighter” competitor Jesse Taylor will now face Hieron. The bout will no longer be for the promotion’s vacant 170lb. belt.

Diaz, who is a licensed marijuana user for medical purposes under California’s Compassionate Use Act, has tested positive for the drug prior, and it has been widely reported that Diaz maintains he had an agreement with former CSAC executive director Armando Garcia, where he would only be tested on fight night. Today’s Yahoo story quotes CSAC Assistant Executive Director Bill Douglas, who maintains that all fighters have been made aware of the new regulations regarding random drug testing, and that the CSAC had no knowledge of such an agreement.

Taylor has gone 7-0 since exiting from the UFC last year, and is coming off a TKO win over Dong Sik Yoon at Dream 10 in July, who was unable to continue after injuring his ankle early in the bout.

Hieron has not competed since January, when he knocked out Jason High at Affliction’s second event. The Xtreme Couture fighter was brought into replace Joe Riggs, Diaz’s original opponent, after Riggs became ill due an adverse reaction to medication.

The card, which will be headlined by a 145lb. women’s title fight between Gina Carano and Cristiane “Cyborg” Santos, has been marred with injuries. In addition to Riggs, Strikeforce heavyweight champion Alistair Overeem and Strikeforce lightweight champion Josh Thomson were both pulled from the card due to lingering injuries.

This Saturday’s “Carano vs. Cyborg” card will be hosted by the HP Pavilion in San Jose, California, and will also feature an interim lightweight title fight between Gilbert Melendez and Mitsuhiro Ishida.

Source: Full Contact Fighter

UFC 101 Analysis: The Main Card
by Tim Leidecker

In September 2007, Forrest Griffin’s stunning upset of then top-ranked light heavyweight Mauricio “Shogun” Rua allowed the UFC to claim that products of “The Ultimate Fighter” reality series were equal in quality to fighters who had competed in Pride Fighting Championships in Japan. Griffin’s subsequent win over Quinton “Rampage” Jackson 10 months later further cemented the notion.

The results from UFC 101 on Saturday in Philadelphia, however, call into question the sporting relevance of former TUF competitors, as all five former cast members who competed on the main card were soundly beaten by opponents who came from a traditional backgrounds -- i.e. they did not receive their fame or notoriety from misbehaving on national television for a couple of weeks while locked up in a Las Vegas mansion.

Is “The Ultimate Fighter” more hype than substance after all?

Kurt Pellegrino def. Josh Neer -- Unanimous Decision

What happened: Pellegrino entered the bout as a seven-year veteran who, at age 30, sported a respectable 5-3 record in the UFC. Still, a win over a recognizable opponent had eluded him. Fired up by close to 350 friends and family members from nearby Point Pleasant, N.J., the Hermes Franca-trained black belt brought the fight to Neer early, as he took him down with a powerful slam and applied pressure from top position.

This pattern repeated itself for the full 15 minutes, as Neer showed excellent guard work and threatened with armbars and triangles from the bottom. Pellegrino continued to dominate the wrestling, executed his game plan and did not give the awkward Miletich Fighting Systems member any room to operate. Neer came to life in the final seconds, but his flurry came too late, as he dropped a unanimous decision.

Forecast for Pellegrino: With the victory over Neer, Pellegrino positioned himself higher in the UFC lightweight hierarchy, but he needs at least two more solid wins in to warrant status as a title contender. He may not be prepared to challenge a former champion like Sean Sherk right away, but bouts against experienced veterans like Spencer Fisher, Clay Guida or George Sotiropoulos appear both reasonable and intriguing.

Forecast for Neer: “The Dentist” goes back to the drawing board after dropping a fight that could have pushed him above the .500 mark in the UFC. He will likely have his back against the wall in his next outing -- which could come against an opponent like Robert Emerson, Aaron Riley or, if UFC matchmaker Joe Silva shows a sense of humor, Jason Dent. Neer could soon find himself in danger of getting cut from the promotion for a third time.

Ricardo Almeida def. Kendall Grove -- Unanimous Decision

What happened: In what was likely his final bout in the 185-pound division before he moves down to welterweight, Almeida showed improved wrestling against the luckless Grove. Overmatched on the ground by the world-class Brazilian jiu-jitsu player, the lanky Hawaiian was reluctant to let his kicks and knees fly, afraid of being picked up and slammed to the floor.

Grove had his best moment in the second round when he rotated away from the cage and, in one motion, locked Almeida in a tight armbar. With 15 years of experience in ground fighting, Almeida managed to escape the hold and play his advanced positioning game. In the third and final stanza, Grove appeared to be in better physical shape, but Almeida took a no-nonsense approach, played it safe and rode out the remainder of the round inside Grove’s guard.

Forecast for Almeida: Almeida needs to be thrown in right at the deep end of the UFC’s 170-pound division, as it makes little sense to put tune-up opponents in front of a fighter who has defeated champions like Kazuo Misaki, Nate Marquardt and Ryo Chonan at a higher weight class. An opponent like Dong Hyun Kim, Carlos Condit or even Jon Fitch could await him in his welterweight debut.

Forecast for Grove: Though likeable and marketable, it does not appear Grove has what it takes to reach the top of the UFC’s middleweight division and make a run at the belt. Dropping down in weight looks impossible due to his huge frame, so it may become mutually beneficial for Zuffa to let the 26-year-old ply his trade elsewhere.

Sadollah needs a fight soon.Johny Hendricks def. Amir Sadollah -- TKO (Punches) 0:29 R1

What happened: After postponing his welterweight debut twice due to various injuries, the almost-forgotten “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 7 winner Sadollah finally stepped into the Octagon on a UFC pay-per-view. A 13-month layoff had effectively killed all of his momentum from the show. That he had to fight one of the most decorated amateur wrestlers in the sport certainly did not help his cause.

Hendricks, sporting an Andrei Arlovski-esque beard, caught Sadollah with a left hook and followed up with some vintage Randy Couture dirty boxing. Having knocked Sadollah to the ground, Hendricks moved in and unleashed a flurry of punches, which prompted referee Dan Miragliotta to stop the match. Considering Miragliotta’s history of questionable stoppages and Sadollah’s popularity, the decision was received with a barrage of catcalls and whistles from the vocal Philadelphia crowd.

Forecast for Hendricks: Despite his perfect 6-0 record and extensive background in amateur wrestling, Hendricks remains a relative novice in MMA and should be treated as such. His next challenge could come in form of Matt Brown, another alum of “The Ultimate Fighter,” or two fighters who were also in action at UFC 101: John Howard and Jesse Lennox.

Forecast for Sadollah: He probably needs to be added to one of the September or October fight cards if the UFC does not want to risk him ending up on suicide watch, figuratively speaking. The American of Iranian descent probably deserves an opponent against whom he can just come into the cage and get a quick win.

Aaron Riley def. Shane Nelson -- Unanimous Decision

What happened: In a rematch of their first bout five months ago, which ended in a controversial early stoppage for Nelson, the well-traveled Riley set the record straight in their second encounter and did practically everything except stop the overmatched Hawaiian.

Riley appeared to be the much stronger fighter, which prompted PPV commentators Mike Goldberg and Joe Rogan to question whether or not Nelson belonged in the WEC’s 145-pound division. Riley’s best weapons in the 15-minute beatdown were his flash high kicks.

Forecast for Riley: With 40 professional mixed martial arts bouts under his belt -- including memorable wars with Yves Edwards and Robbie Lawler -- Zuffa can put Riley into the cage with virtually anybody. Extremely durable and hard-nosed, it would be nice to see him take on somebody like the aforementioned Fisher, Guida or Neer.

Forecast for Nelson: If the Hawaiian decides to drop down to featherweight, plenty of interesting matchups await him in the WEC. American Top Team’s Rafael Dias or fellow former UFC fighter Manny Gamburyan would make for strong opponents for his debut with the UFC’s sister promotion.

Anderson Silva def. Forrest Griffin -- KO (Punch) 3:23 R1

What happened: Last time the UFC gambled and pitted Griffin against Rua, it paid off. This time, pound-for-pound king Silva obliterated the original “The Ultimate Fighter” with the kind of clarity that could lead one to conclude “The Spider” has outgrown his surroundings.

Griffin’s size was never a factor in the fight, as he was knocked down twice before eventually being knocked out with a straight right from the backpedaling Silva. In between, the 34-year-old Brazilian also did his best Roy Jones Jr. imitation by dropping his hands and taunting his hopelessly overmatched foe.

Forecast for Silva: At this stage of his career and with his stated intention to hang up his gloves once his contract with the promotion expires, only a few fights truly make sense for him, including the long-awaited showdown with Jones Jr. inside the boxing ring and a confrontation with Fedor Emelianenko in a match to decide the sport’s ultimate number one.

Forecast for Griffin: After he was sacrificed for the good of the promotion, the former light heavyweight titleholder will likely be re-inserted into the championship race quietly this fall. Being one of the longest-serving fighters in the 205-pound division, Griffin has already fought most contenders, which could result in rematches with Tito Ortiz or Keith Jardine.

B.J. Penn def. Kenny Florian -- Submission (Rear-Naked Choke) 3:54 R4

What happened: Fight fans got to see a Penn who paced himself and attacked in spurts. He outsmarted challenger Florian and Mark DellaGrotte, regarded as one of the sport’s premier game planners.

Florian lacked an effective plan, however, and was soon exposed; he was inferior to the champion in every aspect of the game. Clinching and trying to push him into the fence, Florian kept “The Prodigy” busy for three rounds, until Penn’s patience gave out. He took down Florian with his first attempt and softened him up with elbow strikes before making the Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt tap out.

Forecast for Penn: The UFC has bred a stable of tough and powerful wrestlers like Frankie Edgar, Gray Maynard and Diego Sanchez, all of whom are being pushed as future contenders, but Penn has already demonstrated his ability to handle those types of challenges in his big wins over Matt Hughes and Sean Sherk. Might a heavy-handed ground fighter like Hermes Franca present a bigger challenge?

Forecast for Florian: His second shot at UFC gold ended much like the first -- in disappointment. Unless Penn retires or relinquishes the belt for some reason, it seems unlikely the Boston native will make another run at the belt. This will leave Florian in much the same position as former UFC middleweight champion Rich Franklin.

Source: Sherdog

A historic day to MMA in Brazil

An event to be marked in the history of the Brazilian MMA. The great turn of the sport that fans and athletes dream started Monday, in Rio de Janeiro. In front of an audience with great personalities, of the main vehicles of communication in the country and the whole team of Bitetti Combat, the Governor of Rio de Janeiro, Sérgio Cabral, entered the octagon. Not as a fighter, but as a big supporter of the fight, it was what the Governor did on the afternoon of Monday (August 3), at the Guanabara Palace.

Getting down the stairs, walked beside Cabral the promoters Amaury Bitetti, Fernando Miranda and the Secretary of Tourism, Sport and Recreation Márcia Lins. In the audience, the president of Vasco, Roberto Dinamite, the Secretary of Sports Chiquinho da Mangueira and the Federal Police superintendent Ângelo Gioia were mixed with important figures from the world of fight as Robson Gracie, Oswaldo Alves, João Alberto Barreto and Oswaldo Paquetá, just to say some names of the many present.

Sérgio Cabral praised the Fight for Peace project, which will take martial arts to the pacified communities of Rio, and the present fighters, who have contributed next to the Police through seminars. Beyond that, dismissed any connection between the practice of fighting and violence: "I, personally, in the ring, was always a failure, I’m only good in the political struggle", said Cabral. "Today I follow closely the benefits of martial arts. I don’t know a more peaceful person then my son Marco Antônio, who practices martial arts. My son José Eduardo, 13 years old, now also wants to start practicing. The Government has worked alongside many great events and this will be one more. I guarantee that it will have international repercussions”, said the governor, who received from the hands of Bitetti a pair of gloves.

"It’s one of the most practiced sports in the world. The fight was very well developed in ancient Greece and appeared to be a balance between body and mind", also commented the Secretary Márcia Lins. After signing the documents that firmed partnership with Bitetti Combat and Fight for Peace until 2016 and Amaury Bitetti as President of the Brazilian Confederation of MMA, it was the turn of the fighters to show techniques. Cabral’s son, Marco Antonio trained with Milton Vieira. Ricardo Arona showed what he knows with Paulo Filho, Henrique Chocolate with Leonardo Chocolate and Rodrigo Artilheiro with Antoine Jaoude.

"We could make that the great artists of the sport, who are idolaters abroad, could fight here and at the largest stage, the Maracanãzinho. And all this coupled with what is most important, a social project that will take the sport to poor children", celebrated the organizer Fernando Miranda. "I thank God for the opportunity to represent here today many fighters. I ensure that it will be a great show. Thank you", speech Amaury Betetti, followed by many applause.

An audience of approximately 300 people observed the ceremony. Besides the majority of fighters of the card, beasts as Rogério Minotouro, Pedro Rizzo, Glover Teixeira, Alexandre Pulga and Luciano Azevedo, another important figures of the fight marked presence, such as the coaches Artur Mariano, Luiz Alves, Daniel D'Dane, Eraldo Paes and Sérgio Babu; the professor of fights in the PF by the ANSEF José Baioneta, the promoters of MMA André Bottino, Marcio Keske and Otávio Tatá, among many others.

Source: Tatame

8/12/09

Quote of the Day

"I must continue to follow the path I take now. If I do nothing, if I study nothing, if I cease searching, then, woe is me, I am lost. That is how I look at it - keep going, keep going come what may."

Vincent van Gogh

STRIKEFORCE: CSAC OKAYS TAYLOR TO REPLACE DIAZ
by Steven Marrocco

The California State Athletic Commission has approved Team Quest standout and “Ultimate Fighter” season 8 cast member Jesse Taylor to face Jay Hieron on Aug. 15 at Strikeforce “Carano vs Cyborg.”

CSAC Assistant Executive Officer Bill Douglas informed MMWeekly.com of the development Monday afternoon.

The news comes just days after Hieron’s original opponent, Nick Diaz, failed to show up for a pre-fight drug test mandated by CSAC.

On Monday, Strikeforce officials and CSAC seemed to disagree on whether Diaz would get a second chance to take the test in Los Angeles. Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker said he would speak to Douglas today to try and resolve the situation.

Diaz’s manager, Cesar Gracie, said Diaz vs. Hieron was “highly unlikely” to happen.

Strikeforce officials were unavailable for comment at the time of publication, but MMAWeekly.com sources indicated that the situation was still in motion and that a fight between Hieron and Taylor had not yet been finalized.

Check back with MMAWeekly for full details as the story develops.

Source: MMA Weekly

Jacare talks 50/50

Alliance leader explains his distaste for the move

Romero “Jacare” Cavalcanti has a lot to say about the way Jiu-Jitsu is coming along. The Alliance leader sent GRACIEMAG an email with his opinions on the hottest topic of discussion in the gentle art of late: the 50/50 guard. Jacare explains why he didn’t like what he saw at the Worlds.

“First of all, the 50/50 blocks the action completely. Jiu-Jitsu is an action Sport and the 50/50 prevents the athlete on top from moving altogether. At the last Worlds, the crowd made clear that they didn’t like what they saw. I wonder what Helio Gracie would say about it. At Alliance, we will always be for attacking Jiu-Jitsu”. To find out more, go to alliancebjj.com

Source: Gracie Magazine

Fedor Emelianenko turns down three-fight UFC contract
by Ariel Helwani

Fedor Emelianenko said on Wednesday that he does not intend to sign a contract with the UFC unless it agrees to promote fights jointly with Emelianenko's promoter, M-1 Global. Since then, several Web sites have reported that Emelianenko had turned down a six-fight contract with the UFC worth $30 million.

FanHouse has learned from a source close to the negotiations, who wished to remain anonymous, that the UFC offered Emelianenko a three-fight contract with a guarantee of less than $2 million per fight.

The source did confirm that Emelianenko was offered an immediate title shot against current UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar.

As Jonathan Snowden, the author of 'Total MMA: Inside Ultimate Fighting,' who also spoke to someone with knowledge of the negotiations, pointed out, it is possible that Emelianenko could make up to or even more than $30 million during his UFC run, but that amount wasn't guaranteed up front.

"The number is based on Zuffa's projections of what Fedor's take of the PPV money would be, and the numbers they are projecting are based on selling a ton of PPV's. The actual guarantee for Fedor is much more modest. It's true that if business stays at record levels Fedor could walk away with $30 million. But that is no guarantee."

If the pay-per-views in which Emelianenko main events do as well as, say, UFC 100, which reportedly generated approximately 1.5 million PPV buys, he could conceivably make that much, if not more once the PPV escalators kick in.

Vadim Finkelstein, Emelianenko's manager and M-1 Global's CEO, replied "no" when Sherdog asked if a deal could be struck with the UFC without M-1 co-promoting the event.

Source: MMA Fighting

Anderson Silva vs. the World
by Jake Rossen

In flattening Forrest Griffin Saturday, Anderson Silva needed only 3:23 to restore a reputation that was in considerable danger of collapsing. In each of his last two fights -- against Thales Leites and Patrick Cote -- Silva delivered an interpretive dance of “The English Patient” when audiences were expecting “Rambo,” fighting conservatively and disinterested in pushing his opponents when they shut down mentally.

Had he done that a third time, in a fight town as rabid as Philadelphia, fire extinguishers probably would’ve gotten involved.

Instead, he looked every bit the pound-for-pound king that employer Dana White insists he is. Slipping Griffin’s heavy (and slow) punches with ease, he countered beautifully, falling into a rhythm of evasion and attack that was like watching someone play an instrument. Where many fights become tumbling piles of arms and legs, this was beautifully efficient, truncated violence.

It was clean.

Silva’s timing couldn’t have been better, literally or figuratively: Just weeks after losing Fedor Emelianenko to Strikeforce -- which White, in an apparent audition for Mad magazine, has dubbed “Strikefarce” -- the UFC could’ve used some fresh evidence that they have the more active and talented all-time great in their fold. And they got it.

His talent no longer debatable, discussion now turns to what you do with someone this good that satisfies both business sense and fan expectations.

The options:

1. Keep Silva at 185 pounds. Talent exists that would satisfy his contractual obligations: Demian Maia, Yushin Okami, Yoshihiro Akiyama, Wanderlei Silva, Vitor Belfort.

The problem is that no one has really earned a title shot beyond Dan Henderson and possibly Nate Marquardt (who fights Maia on Aug. 29). If Silva’s title defenses are now sinking into redundancy, it’s time to reconsider his place there.

2. The road show: Random bouts that would attract money and crowds without making much contextual sense. Chief among these is the idea of opposing Georges St. Pierre in a meeting between two “pound-for-pound” greats that would have the adverse side effect of sacrificing one to build on the legacy of the other.

Silva is unlikey to face Machida.3. A permanent move to 205 pounds: According to Yahoo’s Dan Wetzel, it’s a proposal already under consideration by Silva, manager Ed Soares and White. Considering that Silva is a large middleweight who retains his speed in the heavier class, it doesn’t appear to be at all unreasonable -- save for his disinterest in fighting friend and training partner Lyoto Machida. Considering Machida holds the title, it’s a little like volunteering to climb Everest but insisting you’ll stop just short of the peak. What’s the point?

Whatever Silva does, it should be in the pursuit of something -- not some aimless, nomadic expedition through multiple weight classes, taking random fights whenever the UFC is in need of a one-off headliner. If he agrees to compete at 205 pounds, then that should be at the cost of his middleweight title and with the understanding he might potentially earn the right to face Machida. (Sadly, life gets a lot easier for everyone if Mauricio Rua happens to defeat Lyoto on Oct. 24.)

If he remains at 185, it should be with the blueprint that he could conceivably air out the entire division -- not only Maia and Okami, but Cung Le and Gegard Mousasi, if those fighters become available.

There will probably be sporadic discussion of Silva facing heavyweights. (He’s a solid 220 when not dieting down.) That’s all it should be -- talk. There might’ve been some rational thinking in Silva facing a smaller heavyweight champion like Randy Couture, but expecting him to be competitive with the current era of comic-book character heavyweights who have to cut to make 265 is a little sadistic.

There is value in Silva vacating his middleweight belt: With three more fights on his contract, not owning a title would free him at its conclusion, at which point he’d probably indulge in the desire to fight Roy Jones Jr. in boxing.

Those are all just fights, though. There’s a lot you can do with the best fighter in the world: highlight-reel specials, sparring sessions with celebrities, tournament-style eliminations to decide his next contender and on and on. Silva is the springboard for a lot of inventive business: It’s up to the UFC to use its imagination.

As for the inevitable press sparring over their marquee athlete and Strikeforce’s: Backed by record pay-per-view subscribers and hours of basic cable television, White can anoint whomever he pleases with the “best ever” title, and it’s likely to be digested without complication by the masses. (Emelianenko exists in a bit of a vacuum, at least until CBS enters the picture.) Footage like the Griffin knockout makes it real easy.

There will never be an absolute answer as to who’s the better fighter, Emelianenko or Anderson Silva. But the UFC’s machine guarantees that fewer and fewer people will even bother asking the question.

Source: Sherdog

Jorge Santiago still wants to face Belfort
By Guilherme Cruz

The cancellation of the third edition of Affliction has left six Brazilians, and one of them was Jorge Santiago. Scaled to face Vitor Belfort, the champion of the Sengoku chatted with TATAME and said that he was excited to return to the United States, but that will have to postpone. "I was disappointed with the cancellation, because I was training in full gas", regrets the athlete of the American Top Team, who was training a lot to face the ex-champion of the UFC and Cage Rage.

"The preparation for this fight was excellent, I was very excited. I know it wouldn’t be an easy fight, and that is why I dedicated my maximum in my trainings", he said, recalling the moment he received the news of the cancellation of the fight. "When I received the news, on Friday morning, it was as if someone throws a bucket of cold water... I remember I was training when the phone rang. I stopped the training at the same time, I couldn’t believe it. I was training like a madman, I almost reached the overtraining, a month before the fight, because of the much that I wanted to train... In the end I didn’t even want to train, I only wanted to fight".

Overcome the sadness, the fighter is already thinking about the next appointments. "It’s in the hands of God. If it wasn’t now, who knows in the future this fight can happen", he said, still thinking in a fight against Belfort. In conversation with TATAME, Conan Silveira, Jorge’s coach at the ATT, said that has suggested that Amaury Bitetti married this fight at Bitetti Combat 4, which happens in September, in Rio de Janeiro. "I was prepared to fight with Vitor, without a shadow of doubt. Conan suggested that the Amaury make this fight and we are waiting the answer... If this happens, it will be great", cheer up.

THE RETURN TO JAPAN

If the fight in the United States didn’t happen, the middleweight waits for the next opponent at Sengoku, to put his belt at stake. "I’ll make my first defense of title, but my opponent wasn’t announced yet. We are waiting the result of the fight between Kazuhiro Nakamura and Kazuo Misaki", says the champion, who already has beaten these fighters in his last two fights in Japan. "This fight will give the winner the right to fight me", he explains.

If your next appointment in Japan is sent, the possible return to the United States seems even more unlikely. "With the end of the Affliction, it was more difficult my return to fight in the U.S. for now, because the other American events that were interested in my contract would require exclusivity, something I can’t because I still have contract with Sengoku", revealed Santiago, who saw his name grow again since he got nine consecutive victories since he left the UFC, in 2006.

Source: Tatame

Dan Lauzon Joins His Hero at UFC 103

Dan Lauzon is living a dream. Again.

Not long ago, the 21-year-old lightweight was ready to face Chris Horodecki on August 1 at Affliction “Trilogy.” In fact, he was hoping to finish off Horodecki quickly so he could grab a seat, kick back, and cheer on Vitor Belfort, his MMA hero, against Jorge Santiago. Unfortunately, with the sudden collapse of Affliction as an MMA promotion, it seemed Lauzon had lost out on the opportunities to face Horodecki and watch Belfort fight in person.

But with Affliction dead and buried, Lauzon (12-2) is back in the UFC - he last appeared at UFC 64 – and, in the first fight of his new four-fight deal, will be taking on Rafaello Oliveria (8-1) at UFC 103 on September 19 in Dallas.

“(The UFC) is the number one place I’ve always wanted to fight, ever since I was little. When I first started training, I dreamed of fighting in the UFC. And then doing it when I was 18, and battling back and getting another opportunity, being older, more mature, and mentally and physically so much better than I was before. I’m thankful for the opportunity.”

A major benefit of being back in the UFC, Lauzon offered, is the stability of the world’s premier MMA promotion, something that he has come to fully appreciate.

“It’s great to get to work with a company that doesn’t have so many problems. With Affliction, you know, it was tough to get motivated for fights because you never knew what was going to happen…Unprofessional. Being a new show, there were a lot of ups and down, noting was ever really finalized. But with the UFC, nothing like that is ever going to happen.”

And making Lauzon’s Octagon return even better is that it puts him, once again, on the same card as Vitor Belfort, who will face Rich Franklin in the main event.

“He’s my favorite fighter, so I’m just stoked – again! – to be on the same card as him…I don’t care who he’s fighting, I think he’s gonna win. And I hope he wins every time.”

Lauzon may be excited for Belfort, but his focus remains on Oliveira.

“His stand-up doesn’t really look like it’s too good. It doesn’t really look like he wants to stand with people…It looks like he throws a one-two, one-two, gets in on the guys’ legs, and gets top position. You can tell his jiu-jitsu is good if you watch him fight. He’s got a pretty good ground-and-pound. I think I have to use my hands, exploit his stand-up a little, and I’d like to get top position on him.

“I think he’s pretty well-rounded, and I think I’m well-rounded. It’s going to come down to who’s more aggressive. He’s an aggressive guy, and when you fight an aggressive guy, you’ve got to get off first, be the first to strike.

“It’s gonna be good. There’ll be fireworks. I’m stoked to be fighting somebody from BJ (Penn)’s camp because I have so much respect for BJ…He’s the man, he’s the best, so I’m very excited to fight somebody he thinks so highly of.”

But even with a new deal with the world’s premier MMA promotion and the chance to fight in the same stable as his brother Joe and the great Vitor Belfort, Lauzon admitted to being a little frustrated over not being able to fight Horodecki; the two were scheduled to fight three times already.

Lauzon said that Horodecki was considered as an opponent for him at 103, but the young Canadian never signed with the UFC. Lauzon offered his theory why.

“I don’t really think he wants to fight in the UFC yet. He’s had one fight inside a cage in his 15 fights, and I just think a cage is really bad for his style. It’s much easier to get taken down in a cage. If somebody gets you against that, Horodecki wouldn’t be able to escape under the ropes or hold on to the ropes like he likes to do…I guess it just wasn’t meant to be.”

Source: Full Contact Fighter

8/11/09

Quote of the Day

"No matter how old you are, there's always something good to look forward to."

Lynn Johnston

WEC 42 REVIEW
Bowles KO’s Torres to Take Bantamweight Belt
Report by Kelsey Mowatt

In a period where many of the sport’s champions continue to rack up victories to add to their ever growing legacies, one of those men, Miguel Torres, was upset tonight in Las Vegas, Nevada, as Brian Bowles KO’d the renowned veteran to become the WEC 135lb. champ.

As if to hint as to what would soon transpire, Bowles rocked Torres moments into the bout with a hard right hook. Torres recovered and began to pursue the undefeated challenger, and after landing several punches he soon had Bowles backpedalling. As Torres looked to finish the fight; however, he let down his guard, and a counter right from Bowles landed flush and dropped the champion to the mat. For a second, it looked like Torres might once again recover, but as he attempted to roll for an armbar Bowles blasted him with several more hard punches, knocking out the Chicago fighter in brutal fashion.

The card’s co-main event did not disappoint the top billing that it received, as highly ranked bantamweight contenders Dominick Cruz and Joseph Benavidez went at it for 3 thrilling, action packed rounds. As the bout neared it’s halfway point, Cruz began to outscore the much shorter Benavidez more often, using his reach effectively while counter punching with precision. In addition, Cruz was able to taking the accomplished collegiate wrestler to the mat on several occasions later in the bout, tallying up more points in his favor. In the end, all three judges scored the bout for Cruz, likely sending him on to challenge Bowles for the promotion’s 135lb. belt, while handing the extremely game Benavidez his first professional loss.

In a bout between two notable bantamweights, accomplished veteran Jeff Curran was looking to end his 3 fight losing streak against Takeya Mizugaki, who impressed many in his memorable decision loss to Torres in April. Early on it would be Curran who looked to take the fight to the mat, but for the majority of the bout, it would be the larger Mizugaki who controlled the top position. Despite being on the bottom; however, Curran was the more active fighter while working from his back, firing frequent strikes and threatening with submission attempts.

As the end of the bout neared, Curran had Mizugaki ensnared in a triangle-choke, but the Japanese fighter toughed out the submission attempt and made it to the final bell. Two of the judges scored the bout in Mizugaki’s favor, to hand the resilient fighter the Split Decision win, in a fight that Curran probably won.

As is often the case, two accomplished collegiate wrestlers in Danny Castillo and Ricardo Lamas largely elected to test the other’s striking skills, rather than their grappling abilities. Just as Lamas appeared to be taking control of the fight, scoring more frequently with a nice mixture of punches and kicks, Castillo landed a crushing right straight and several more punches for the TKO win.

In a featherweight clash that saw both fighters nearly stop the fight via knockout or submission, Leonard Garcia went on to earn a Split Decision victory over Jameel Massouh. Early on, Garcia sent Massouh crashing to the canvas with a walloping right hook, but despite the punishing blow, the UFC veteran was unable to finish his stunned opponent. Massouh, to his credit, battled on, and later appeared to be on the verge of choking out Garcia with a tight D’arce choke, but Massouh gave up on the submission and tried to take his opponent’s back.

Shortly before the bout came to a conclusion, both men stepped up their attacks in an attempt to stop the other, but neither was able to land any telling blows. In the end, the judges sided with Garcia, who appeared to land a few more strikes to earn the razor thin decision.

WEC 42 Results

Brian Bowles def. Miguel Torres by KO at 3:57, R1
Dominick Cruz def. Joseph Benavidez by Unanimous Decision
Danny Castillo def. Ricardo Lamas by TKO (Strikes) at 4:15, R2
Takeya Mizugaki def. Jeff Curran by Split Decision
Leonard Garcia def. Jameel Massouh by Split Decision
LC Davis def. Javier Vasquez by Split Decision
Cole Province def. Fredson Paixao by Unanimous Decision
Shane Roller def. Marcus Hicks by Unanimous Decision
Ed Ratcliff def. Phil Cardella by Unanimous Decision
Rani Yahya vs. John Hosman by North-South Choke at 2:08, R1
Diego Nunes def, Rafael Dias by Unanimous Decision

Source: Full Contact Fighter

WEC 42 FIGHTER SALARIES & BONUSES; TORRES TOPS

MMAWeekly.com has obtained the fighter salary information from the Nevada State Athletic Commission for WEC 42 featuring the bantamweight championship bout between Miguel Torres and Brian Bowles, which took place on Sunday, Aug. 9, at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.

The following figures are based on the fighter salary information that promoters are required by law to submit to the state athletic commissions, including the winners' bonuses.

Although mixed martial arts fighters do not have collective bargaining or a union, the fighters' salaries are still public record, just as with every other major sport in the United States. Any undisclosed bonuses that a promoter also pays its fighters, but does not disclose to the athletic commissions (specifically, pay-per-view bonuses, fight of the night bonuses, etc.), are not included in the figures below.

In the listings below, "Main Event Fighters" are defined as fighters who compete in the main event of a show. "Main Card Fighters" are defined as fighters whose fights appear on the main card, but not in the main event. "Preliminary Card Fighters" are defined as fighters whose matches take place before the main card goes on the air, regardless of whether or not those matches end up airing on the TV or Internet broadcast.

MAIN EVENT FIGHTERS

-Brian Bowles $18,000 (includes $9,000 win bonus) def. Miguel Torres $25,000 (win bonus would have been $26,000)
*Bowles also received a $10,000 bonus for Knockout of the Night

MAIN CARD FIGHTERS

-Dominick Cruz $14,000 (includes $7,000 win bonus) def. Joseph Benavidez $12,500 (win bonus would have been $12,500)
*Cruz and Benavidez also received a $10,000 bonus each for Fight of the Night

-Danny Castillo $14,000 (includes $7,000 win bonus) def. Ricardo Lamas $4,000 (win bonus would have been $4,000)

-Takeya Mizugaki $12,000 (includes $6,000 win bonus) def. Jeff Curran $8,000 (win bonus would have been $8,000)

-Leonard Garcia $24,000 (includes $12,000 win bonus) def. Jameel Massouh $3,000 (win bonus would have been $3,000)

PRELIMINARY CARD FIGHTERS

-Cole Province $6,000 (includes $3,000 win bonus) def. Fredson Paixao $2,000 (win bonus would have been $2,000)

-Shane Roller $20,000 (includes $10,000 win bonus) def. Marcus Hicks $8,000 (win bonus would have been $8,000)

-Ed Ratcliff $14,000 (includes $7,000 win bonus) def. Phil Cardella $3,000 (win bonus would have been $3,000)

-Rani Yahya $16,000 (includes $8,000 win bonus) def. John Hosman $3,000 (win bonus would have been $2,000)
*Yahya also received a $10,000 bonus for Submission of the Night

-Diego Nunes $8,000 (includes $4,000 win bonus) def. Rafael Dias $4,000 (win bonus would have been $4,000)

-L.C. Davis $10,000 (includes $5,000 win bonus) def. Javier Vazquez $6,000 (win bonus would have been $6,000)

WEC 42 DISCLOSED FIGHTER PAYROLL: $234,500

WEC 42 POST-FIGHT AWARDS AND BONUSES
(A $10,000 bonus was awarded per fighter per award.)

Knockout of the Night:
-Brian Bowles

Fight of the Night:
-Dominick Cruz vs. Joseph Benavidez

Submission of the Night:
-Rani Yahya

Source: MMA Weekly

DJ.taiki-Miyata reserve bout set for DREAM FW GP

DJ taiki will place another bid in the DREAM Featherweight Grand Prix in a meeting with Kazuyuki Miyata as alternates at DREAM 11 on October 6 in Yokohama, Japan.

DREAM made official Thursday the reserve bout along with the previously confirmed semifinal pairings, Joe Warren (2-0) vs. Bibiano Fernandes (5-2) and Hiroyuki Takaya (9-6-1) vs. Hideo Tokoro (21-14-1). The winners meet the same night to crown the first DREAM featherweight champion.

DJ.taiki (11-5-3) won in the opening round over current semifinalist Tokoro but was forced out of the quarterfinals due to a fracture in his right orbital bone. He's been unbeaten since November 2007, when he dropped a decision to current Sengoku Featherweight GP semifinalist and still undefeated Brazilian Marlon Sandro.

Kazuyuki Miyata (7-7) is also returning to DREAM tournament action, but as a featherweight. Miyata competed in the first-ever DREAM in March 2008 and was eliminated from the Lightweight GP in a loss by submission to Luiz Firmino. This year Miyata moved down to featherweight and won both his fights at DEEP events.

In addition to the possibility of stepping into the finals, the winner of Miyata-DJ.taiki will improve his ranking with DEEP. Both fighters are contenders for the promotion and a win here could bring on a title challenge against champion Dokonjonosuke Mishima.

Current DREAM.11 Fight Card:

FW GP: Bibiano Fernandes vs. Joe Warren
FW GP: Hiroyuki Takaya vs. Hideo Tokoro
FW GP: Winner of Fernandes-Warren vs. Winner of Takaya-Tokoro
FW GP: DJ.taiki vs. Kazuyuki Miyata
Super Hulk: Hong Man Choi vs. Ikuhisa Minowa
Super Hulk: Gegard Mousasi vs. Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou
LW Title: Shinya Aoki vs. Joachim Hansen
MW Title: Jason "Mayhem" Miller vs. Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza

Source: MMA Fighting

Fedor vs Mousasi in exhibition
Match features as attraction at M-1 Breakthrough

With a contract signed with Strikeforce, Fedor Emelianenko should debut for the American organization at the installment of the event to be held in the October.

However, fans of the Russian won’t have to wait so long to see the beast in action. According to information published on MMAJunkie.com, Fedor will take part in an exhibition match against Gegard Mousasi during M-1 Breakthrough, to be held August 28, in Kansas City.

It will thus be the second exhibition match Fedor participates in during recent months. In April he “defeated” lightweight Shinya Aoko in a match promoting the M-1 edition held in Japan.

The card for the 28th is still being put together, and should be headlined by a bout between veteran Mark Kerr and Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal.

Stay tuned to GRACIEMAG.com and we’ll be back shortly with further news on M-1 Breakthrough.

Source: Gracie Magazine

Kerr vs. Lawal New Main Event for M-1 Global 'Breakthrough'Press Release

Amsterdam, Holland -- M-1 Global (www.M-1Global.com) officially announced Monday morning that its August 28 "Breakthrough" event scheduled to be televised live in the U.S. has been moved from the Los Angeles Convention Center to the historic Memorial Hall in Kansas City.

"The change in venues is unfortunate, however, the change was necessitated due to circumstances beyond our control," said M-1 Global Chief Operating Officer Joost Raimond. "We had a partner in Los Angeles that backed out of certain commitments. However, instead of letting fighters and fans down by canceling the event, we worked diligently to find a new location in Kansas City. At no point in time did we entertain the idea of canceling our first 'Breakthrough' event."

With the change in venue comes a change in the original main event, which had been set to feature "King" Mo Lawal and UFC veteran Don Frye. Frye has formally pulled out of the fight and has been replaced by another former NCAA Champion and All-American, Mark Kerr.

"Don Frye had a signed contract with M-1 and part of that signed commitment allowed us to change the venue if needed," said Raimond. "From our perspective, Don should still be in this fight. However, for reasons that we aren't exactly sure of, he has backed out. Don still has not provided us with a clear reason as to why he is refusing to fight.

"We've heard rumors that he wasn't happy with the location change but our television partner, Mo Lawal, and every other fighter scheduled for the event are satisfied with Kansas City so why isn't it good enough for Don? Don also fought just a few short months ago in Lubbock, Texas. It just doesn't make sense because the old Don Frye was willing to fight anyone, anywhere, and at anytime. Perhaps the fire is gone and he underestimated the challenge that 'King Mo' presents?"
Lawal was also perplexed by Frye's decision and even said during a recent YouTube interview that he'd fight himself if he had to at "M-1 Breakthrough." Fortunately, Lawal will not have to do that, as Frye's departure has created an opportunity for Kerr, a former star in both theUFC and PRIDE, to launch a comeback on a major platform.

"Kerr at one time was one of the best fighters on the planet," M-1 Global Vice President of Live Events Joe Kelly said. "His fall from grace was documented publicly on the popular HBO documentary The Smashing Machine. A lot of people have written Mark Kerr off but if he's able to beat Lawal on national television, suddenly he becomes a hot commodity again. Mark was already in training for a fight when we contacted him and I'm not exactly sure how hard Don was training. This will actually be a tougher fight for Lawal."

In addition to Lawal vs. Kerr, "Breakthrough" will now also feature a sparring exhibition between Strikeforce fighters Fedor Emelianenko and Gegard Mousasi.

"We were blown away by just how popular Fedor's exhibition vs. Aoki in Japan was," said Raimond. "Fedor and Gegard have sparred many times together and the sessions have always been intense. Now fight fans watching on HDNet and those attending live in Kansas City will get a rare glimpse at two of the best fighters in the world sparring each other."

In addition to Lawal's first-ever fight on U.S. soil versus Kerr and the sparring exhibition between Fedor and Mousasi, "M-1 Breakthrough's" co-main event will feature French striking sensation Karl "Psycho" Amoussou vs. former BodogFIGHT champion Nick Thompson.

"M-1's mission statement has been to develop new stars and bring them to the world stage," Kelly began to say. "Karl just got back from Brazil, where he worked a lot with Wanderlei Silva and I am convinced that Amoussou is the next Wanderlei. However, Thompson is by far the toughest test he's had to face and I am expecting a war."

In addition to "Breakthrough" receiving an upgrade with the addition of Fedor vs. Mousasi, another enhancement has been made to the card as a grudge rematch between Lucio Linhares vs. Mikhail Zayats will now be featured. Linhares vs. Zayats II had been scheduled for the undercard of Affliction's ill-fated "Trilogy" event.

"We liked the card we had planned for LA, but to be honest, we are now going to be presenting fans with an even better show than we had originally planned," Kelly stated. "Linhares is one of the most underrated fighters on the planet. He could fight for any promotion in the world right now."
In addition to the live televised fights, fans in attendance at Memorial Hall will be treated to a undercard showcasing some of the top up-and-coming talents from in and out of the Kansas City area. The undercard will feature the MMA debut of 2007 WKA Amateur Muay Thai champion Andria Caplan in a 145 lbs. women's MMA fight. Tickets for the event will go on sale this Thursday at 10 a.m. CT at all local Ticketmaster outlets, at Ticketmaster.com, or by phone at 1-800-745--3000.

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

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION OR FIGHTER INTERVIEW REQUESTS, CONTACT: Jacob Schaap of M-1 Global at jacob.schaap@m-1global.com.

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

ABOUT M-1 GLOBAL AND THE "M-1 CHALLENGE PRESENTED BY AFFLICTION:"

M-1 Global (www.M-1Global.com) has been one of the leading Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) organizations in the world for over a decade. International MMA stars who have fought under the M-1 banner have included Fedor Emelianenko, Gegard Mousasi, Karl Amoussou, Andrei Arlovski, Aleksander Emelianenko, Daisuke Nakamura, Keith Jardine, Alistair Overeem, Yushin Okami, Ben Rothwell, Mike Pyle, Melvin Manhoef, Roman Zenstov, Denis Kang, Martin Kampmann, Amar Suloev, and Chalid Arrab, to name a few.

Billed as the "World Cup of Mixed Martial Arts," the M-1 Challenge is a full season of MMA events sponsored by partner Affliction that showcases some of the best up and coming MMA fighters in the world. Broadcast to over 80 countries around the world, including HDNet in the United States, the M-1 Challenge pits teams of five fighters representing their respective countries against each other for international bragging rights and the title of M-1 Challenge Champions.

The "M-1 Challenge Presented by Affliction" affords MMA prospects all over the world an opportunity to test their skills, gain valuable experience at the international level, and become future stars in the sport of MMA. Fighters who succeed on the M-1 Challenge's international breeding ground will earn the opportunity to participate in major MMA events presented by M-1 Global and their promotional partners such as HDNet, Affliction Clothing and Strikeforce

Source: The Fight Network

Henderson ‘Probably’ Next for Silva;
Machida Talk Gets a Little Louder

by Joe Hall

PHILADELPHIA -- Anderson Silva was shaking his head no before the reporter finished his question. Silva was shaking his index finger, too.

The UFC middleweight champion didn’t need his interpreter to tell him that his knockout win Saturday over Forrest Griffin would only crank up the calls for a dream matchup against Lyoto Machida. So as soon as Silva heard “Machida” -- the name of a friend, occasional training partner and UFC 205-pound titleholder -- at the UFC 101 postfight news conference, he began dismissing the possibility of ever fighting him.

Then UFC President Dana White intervened.

“These two are friends,” White said, quick to remark on the matter before Silva. “It has nothing to do with friendship. It’s about who’s the best. It’s about competing against somebody else, no different than a basketball game or a football game. If Anderson gets to that point where he starts taking out 205-pounders, I’ll make that fight. I promise you, I’ll make that fight.”

White turned to Silva and Ed Soares, the Brazilian’s manager and interpreter.

“Go ahead,” he told them, half-jokingly. “What’d you want to say?”

Everyone laughed. Everyone waited.

Silva answered in Portuguese, which Soares translated: “Lyoto’s my friend. He’s my brother, and there’s no way that fight will happen.” There was a pause for laughter and to take account of the gamesmanship between fighter and promoter. “And also not just because (Lyoto’s) my friend. (Lyoto would) be a big problem for me.”

Silva was grinning when he said that last line. Still, it warranted some ohs and aws, which will have to do for now.

Henderson ‘Probably’ Next at 185; Roy Jones Jr. Talk Lingers

A middleweight title defense against Dan Henderson is “probably” next for Silva, according to White.

Roy Jones Jr. vs. Anderson
Silva talk continues to linger.Henderson is coming off a highlight-reel knockout over Michael Bisping at UFC 100, but judging from facial expressions, Silva didn’t look too interested with the rematch when White mentioned it Saturday night. The Brazilian had joked and teased throughout the postfight news conference; when Henderson was mentioned, Silva wasn’t grinning. He’d rather box Roy Jones Jr., who was reportedly in the audience at UFC 101.

White reiterated that he doesn’t like the Jones Jr. idea.

“I respect boxing,” he said, careful to express his respect for Jones Jr. as well. “I respect the sport of boxing. … I don’t know what would happen if Anderson Silva went in to box Roy Jones Jr. I just don’t see the point. This is MMA; this is what we do.”

Silva, for his part, sat there smiling. Later he frowned and formed a timeout with his hands when more discussion of his next bout came up.

Here was everyone wanting to make his next match, and he wasn’t but an hour or two removed from a masterful performance against a former UFC light heavyweight champion. The talk went on, and Silva dropped his fruitless timeout signal, his hands capable of stopping Forrest Griffin but not speculation on the future of a truly great fighter.

Source: Sherdog

Ninja: “Shogun will win the belt”
By Guilherme Cruz

Murilo "Ninja" is excited for the next fight of his brother, Maurício "Shogun" Rua. Helping in the trainings of the fighter to the belt dispute against Lyoto Machida, Ninja talked with TATAME about the preparation for the combat, showing full confidence in victory. "I was training with him just now", says Ninja. "We are training all the time and I'm sure he’ll win the belt, and I’m not saying this because he is my brother... I’m confident”, said the Brazilian.

When the fighters haven’t even thought about facing each other, Shogun and Lyoto trained together in Chute Boxe, and Ninja remembers the episode. "I didn’t train with Lyoto, because he was traveling, but I spoke with him", says the fighter, analyzing the possible directions that the fight can take. "The expectation is the best. Lyoto is considered the best in the world, but I believe a lot in my brother and I’m sure he will win. Shogun will go prepared to fight on the ground or standing, but his strong is the standing part", concluded the confident Ninja.

Source: Tatame

Paul 'Semtex' Daley still in negotiations with UFC, others

British welterweight Paul "Semtex" Daley is still in negotiations with a number of promotions and a deal with the UFC has not yet been finalized, contrary to the reports Wednesday of a four-fight deal.

"These reports are premature, we have signed nothing," Daley's manager told FanHouse Thursday morning. "We're in talks with groups, one of whom includes the UFC."

Daley (21-8-2) was left searching for his next fight after learning Friday that his scheduled Aug. 1 bout against Xtreme Couture's Jay Hieron was off with the cancellation of the entire Affliction "Trilogy" event.

"I put a lot of effort into this camp, training and financially," Daley told FanHouse last week. "It's left me [expletive]."

The former Cage Rage champion quickly expressed interest in stepping in against Nick Diaz on the Aug. 15 Strikeforce card but Hieron has since claimed the spot.

Source: MMA Fighting

H.A.P.A. Hawaii Amateur Pankration Association
Date Changed to Oct 31st & Venue Announced!

H.A.P.A.: Hit-And-Submit #4
Filcom Center, Waipahu, Hawaii
October 31st, 2009

www.hapafights.com

NAGA is official

It will be held on Sunday, October 18th at Pearl City High School Gym.


Eric Goo is also putting on a tournament in February next year. It will be a NAGA ranked event. All
gi.... NO no-gi divisions. White, Blue, Purple, Brown, Black....AND Absolute
division's. One day event. Set for be 2010. More info will be released shorty.

Source: Eric Goo



6th Annual Maui Jiu-Jitsu Open
Gi and No Gi Tournament
War Memorial Gymnasium, Wailuku, Maui, Hawaii
Saturday, August 29, 2009

Registration and entry form:

Dear Friends,

It is our great pleasure to invite you and your organization to attend and compete in the 6th annual Maui Jiu-Jitsu open Tournament. The event will take place on Saturday, August 29, 2009 at the War Memorial Gymnasium in Wailuku, Maui, Hawaii. We also welcome back all who attended last year's event. We expect this year's tournament to be even larger, with bigger and better competition!

Competition will consist of matches in all belt levels and weight divisions with medals, trophies, and prizes to the winners as well as the always competitive team competition, with trophies and prizes to the top three teams. As with the growth of our sport, we at Maui Jiu-Jitsu are always striving to expand and improve on our tournament. At this time, we are planning to hold several exhibition matches between advanced level competitors. Anyone locally here who are interested - please contact us.

Please make every attempt to register as early as possible to allow us to begin the always time consuming process of setting up the brackets and matching competitors. This allows us to start the competition on time and keep the tournament flowing smoothly.

Registration and entry forms:
Registration may be done by mail, or at the Maui Jiu Jitsu Academy.
Please mail all completed entry forms to:
150 Haiku Road, Haiku, Hi. 96708.

Don't forget to include a phone number if we need to reach you and make sure you check the weight class you want to compete in, and whether you want to compete in the Gi, No Gi divisions or both.

Weigh-ins:
Weigh ins will be held at the Maui Jiu Jitsu Academy at the Haiku Cannery Center from 10am, and at the War Memorial Gymnasium from 8 am on the day of the event. We ask that all competitors try and register and weigh in as early as possible to avoid delays to the start of the event.

If you have any questions, please feel free to call Luis or Lee at the numbers listed, or email us. It is our hope that you will join us in the spirit of friendly, fun competition and to further promote the art of Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Submission Grappling!

See you on the Mats!

Luis "Limao" Heredia Lee Theros
Head Instructor - Maui Jiu-Jitsu Event Coordinator
Ph. (808) 357-2009 Ph. (808) 298-7698
Email:
info@mauijiujitsu.com
Email:
leetheros@aol.com

6th Annual Maui Jiu-Jitsu Open
Gi and No Gi Tournament
War Memorial Gymnasium. Wailuku, Maui, Hawaii
Saturday, August 29, 2009

Divisions:

Adult, Kids, Women, Masters
All Weight Divisions, All Levels.
Medals for 1st and 2nd place, (All kids receive medals!)
Individual Achievement Awards, prizes and trophies
Team competition trophy and prizes

Competitor Fees: (Includes T-Shirt)

Adults: $60 Kids: $40 (Make checks payable to: LEE THEROS)

When:

Saturday, August 29, 2009

Location:

War Memorial Gymnasium
Kaahumanu Avenue, Wailuku, Maui, Hawaii

Event Schedule:

8:00 - 9:30 am Late registration and weigh ins.
9:30 - 10:00 am Opening Ceremonies and rules briefing.
10:00 am Start of Competition.

Information:

Lee Theros
(808) 298-7698
Email:
leetheros@aol.com

Luis Heredia
(808) 357-2009
Web:
info@mauijiujitsu.com

Tournament Rules and Information

Weight Divisions: (Women and kids divisions to be paired appropriately by weight and experience)

Rooster: 110 - 121 lbs.
Super Feather: 122 - 134 lbs.
Feather: 135 - 147 lbs.
Light: 148 - 160 lbs.
Middle: 161 - 173 lbs.
Light Heavy: 174 - 187 lbs.
Heavy: 1 88 - 202 lbs.
Super Heavy: 203 - 213 lbs.
Unlimited: 214 lbs. & over

No Gi Divisions:

Novice: Less than 1 year experience.
Intermediate: 1 to 3 years experience.
Advanced: 3 or more years of experience.

*Exceptions: Competitors deemed to have other experience such as substantial Mixed Martial arts or college level wrestling shall be placed automatically in the advanced division.
(Tournament committee to have final discretion).

Time Limits:

Adult Gi:
White Belt 5 Minutes
Blue Belt 6 Minutes
Purple Belt 7 Minutes
Brown Belt 8 Minutes
Black Belt 10 Minutes

Adult No Gi:
Novice 5 Minutes
Intermediate 6 Minutes
Advanced 7 7 Minutes

Children (under 16 years old, Gi & No Gi) 4 minutes

Requirements for Competition:

1. Clean Gi.
2. Rash Guard or T-Shirt in No Gi Division.
3. Sleeves no shorter than 4 inches from the wrist.
4. Four finger cuff clearance
5. Signed Waiver
6. Paid entrance fee.

Tournament Rules:

Points:

1. Throws / Takedowns 2 Points
2. Knee on Stomach 2 Points
3. Sweep 2 Points
4. Pass Guard 3 Points
5. Mount 4 Points
6. Back (2 hooks in) 4 Points
7. Submission/Tap Out End of Match

In the event of a tie at the end of regulation, the winner of the match will be determined via referee's decision (No advantages).

Rules:

1. Competitors shall shake hands at the start of, and at the end of the match.
2. Competitors shall observe and follow all of the referee's instructions at all times.

Illegal Techniques:

1. No heel hooks in any division. Toe holds allowed only in the advanced No Gi division and purple belts or higher. Straight foot lock allowed in all divisions.
2. Single Digit Toe or Finger Manipulation
3. Striking of any kind (Punching, Kicking, Shoulder)
4. Slamming opponent from takedown, inside the guard, or to escape or break any submission attempt.
5. Placing fingers in eyes, ears, or mouth
6. Neck Cranks

In the event of any dispute, the referee shall render all decisions, and judgment shall be final. Remember, we are all out to have a fun and enjoyable tournament experience, and with all tournaments, some decisions will be disputed and questioned. Ultimately we should all practice good sportsmanship and not let the pursuit of winning take precedence over all else. We will make every effort to ensure that all competitors are evenly matched and treated fairly.

Currently all airlines are charging $98 for a flight from Oahu to Maui, so book now before the rates creep up.

Source: Event Promoter



We would like to announce a seminar coming up in August of 2009 Koretoshi Maruyama Sensei will be teaching.

For further information please contact me:

James Peters
Noelani Ki Aikido Yuishinkai
(808) 256-9944
e-mail:
james@jpetersdesign.com



DESTINY: No Ka Oi in Maui!
War Memorial Gym, Wailuku, Maui
Saturday, Aug 22, 2009

-205lbs
Yancy Medeiros (oahu) vs Zeke Prados (maui)

-155lbs
Kaleo Kwan (Oahu) vs Eddie Rincon (Maui)

-145lbs
Tim "Majik" Moon (oahu) vs Eddie P. (maui)

-135lbs
Kana "One Man Riot" Hyatt (Oahu) vs Jon Delos Reyes (Guam)

-160lbs
Kolo Koka (oahu) vs Gonzo (maui)

-145lbs
Zack Rapal (oahu) vs Kurrent Cockett (maui)

-205lbs
Tasi "da Tyrant" Edwards (oahu) vs Jake Yasui (maui)

-150lbs
Brandon Pieper (oahu) vs Lorrin Ishimine (maui)

-135lbs
Mark Tajon (oahu) vs Jeremy Paet (maui)

-150lbs
L.John Borges (oahu) vs Alan Hinajosa (maui)

-135lbs
Ryan Lee (Oahu) vs Joshua Alvarez (Guam)

-145lbs
Dustin Kimura (oahu) vs Jake Noble (maui)

-135lbs
Julio Moreno (oahu) vs Riley Dutro (maui)

-140lbs
Gerrald Gammitt (maui) vs Guy Nishiyama (maui)

-155lbs Amateur Championship Bout
Nate Quiniola (oahu) vs Ben "Da King" Santiago (oahu)

-185lbs Amateur Championship Bout
Jon "4real" Ferrell (oahu) vs Sale (molokai)

-145lbs
Waylen mata (oahu) vs Keoni Farm (maui/molokai)

-160lbs
Justin Konia (oahu) vs Jason Emsley (maui)

-135lbs
Justin Arruda (maui) vs Sean King (maui)

-130lbs
Levi Delaginte (maui) vs DJ Tadena (maui)

Fight Card Subject To Change

Japheth "Jay" Bolos
DESTINY Entertainment, LLC
Westside Fight Gear
94-144 Farrington Hwy. Ste# 112
Waipahu, HI 96797
Store# (808)381-2790
T-mobile Cell# (808)277-2335
Sprint Cell# (808)368-5568

Source: Event Promoter

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