Lauzon vs. Varner Now on for August

Former WEC champion Jamie Varner is replacing the injured Terry Etim against Joe Lauzon at UFC on FOX August 4. Varner is coming off a huge win over highly-touted Edson Barboza at UFC 146 -- another fight he took on short notice after Evan Dunham, Barboza's original opponent, was injured.

With Stann Injured, UFC on FOX Gets New Main Event updated June 6
The UFC on FOX summer card lost its main event today with the news that headliner Brian Stann, who was set to face Hector Lombard, had been injured and forced to withdraw from the event.

The new main event on August 4 will be a five-round light heavyweight battle between two of the best Muay Thai strikers in the game, Brandon Vera and former champion Shogun Rua. Rua is riding the momentum of the fight of the century against Dan Henderson, while Vera is back in the win column and looking to make a statement after being sidelined earlier this year due to injury himself.

Rua is being plucked from the UFC 149 card in Calgary, where he was set to face Thiago Silva until Silva suffered an injury. Vera, meanwhile, was training for a bout with James Te Huna at the July FUEL TV event. A new opponent for Te Huna is expected to be named shortly.

"No one is more disappointed than I," said Stann via Twitter. "Meant the world to headline a UFC."

In other UFC on FOX 4 injury news, featherweight Pablo Garza has had to withdraw from a bout with Josh Grispi. Rani Yahya will step in as the the replacement, which may change Grispi's game plan -- Yahya is an ultra-dangerous grappling specialist with a near 90% finishing rate via submission.

Verbal agreements are in for both bouts.

Updated: Lombard will now make his UFC debut at UFC 149 in Calgary, Alberta, against Tim "The Barbarian" Boetsch. Lombard replaces injured British striker Michael Bisping.

Swick and Grispi Gear Up for Summer Returns updated May 22
Verbal agreements are in for two of Zuffa's finest to make their long-awaited returns to action at UFC on FOX, taking place August 4.

Fan favorite Mike "Quick" Swick, who's battled a barrage of illnesses and injuries, will make his UFC return after more than two years against fellow welterweight and TUF alum DaMarques "Darkness" Johnson Saturday August 4 at the Staples Center.

Josh Grispi also returns to the Octagon for the first time since June of 2011 that same night to face Pablo Garza. Once on the doorstep of a featherweight title berth, Grispi is looking to work his way up the ranks once more, but he will have to get past the durable Garza. Both fighters have the ability to end a fight in the blink of an eye.

In more 145-pound action in LA., Nam Phan will take on Cole Miller and Manvel Gamburyan will face Michihiro Omigawa in two must-see featherweight throwdowns.

Griggs Gets Mr. Wonderful for 205 Debut updated May 9
After losing to Travis Browne at UFC 145, heavyweight Strikeforce veteran Chad "Grave Digger" Griggs has verbally agreed to drop to the light heavyweight division. Welcoming him at 205 pounds will be Browne's teammate, pedigreed wrestler Phil "Mr. Wonderful" Davis. The two have verbally agreed to meet at the UFC on FOX event in August.

Mitrione, Lauzon, Brits Added to August Card updated May 9
Two heavyweight bouts have been verbally agreed to for August 4 at the Staples Center. Englishmen Oli Thompson and Phil De Fries will clash in Los Angeles, while their countryman Rob "The Bear" Broughton will fight TUF standout Matt Mitrione.

update: A lightweight scrap between two always-entertaining fighters has been verbally agreed to, as Joe Lauzon and Terry Etim will test their slick submission skills against one another.

Darth vs. the Dragon, Heavyweights Heat Up August updated April 30
Coming off of back-to-back wins over Jason Brilz and Quinton Jackson, Ryan "Darth" Bader has verbally agreed to face former light heavyweight champion Lyoto "The Dragon" Machida at UFC on Fox </a>August 4.

update: Two big guys coming off of big wins have also agreed to exchange that evening as heavyweight Ben Rothwell takes on Travis "Hapa" Browne. Rothwell earned the KO of the Night bonus while Browne scored Submission of the Night last week at UFC 145.

Lombard Draws Stann for First UFC Bout in August updated April 29
Following the recent signing of international star Hector Lombard to a UFC contract, the organization today announced that the former Cuban Olympian, who is currently sporting a 25 fight unbeaten streak in MMA, will make his Octagon debut this August in Los Angeles against middleweight contender Brian Stann.

A date and venue for the bout will be announced shortly.

Source: http://www.ufc.com/news/ufc-on-fox-4-fight-card-updates

Kyle Bradley  Jai Bradney  Ebenezer Fontes Braga Chris Brennan

UFC 148: Chael Sonnen responds to "dirt bag" Anderson Silva's comments

By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

UFC Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva unleashed a tirade of comments on Monday about what he was going to do to Chael Sonnen at UFC 148 in their rematch for his title. It was an unprecedented level of vitriol being spewed out of Silva's mouth, a level of anger he hadn't truly expressed in any of his fights in the UFC to date.

It was a delivery that caught people off guard. UFC President Dana White commented about how he had never seen anything like that out of the longtime Middleweight Champ; and many have wondered aloud whether Sonnen's gotten into Silva's head with his own history of comments toward the Champ, his teammates, and his country.

However, there's one man who says he wasn't the least bit surprised by Monday's outburst: Chael Sonnen.

"Well, it was nice to see the real Anderson come through," Sonnen said on Tuesday's new episode of UFC Tonight on Fuel TV. "The guy is a dirt bag, like I've told you for years. He made a lot of statements about breaking my teeth and bones, but it's not like I've never been to the orthodontists before or had my jaw stapled. What he didn't say was that he was going to break my spirit, or my will, and beat me for the belt. I don't care if he breaks my jaw, or I need staples, I kind of expect it. I think he was one off from saying he would give me a knuckle-sandwich, I'm just glad the real Anderson came out."

Sonnen continues to claim there's no "gamesmanship" from him and his comments towards Silva over the last couple of years. Additionally, he says Silva's comments don't do anything to get him more riled up for the fight than he was before.

"I don't care about being in his head. There is no gamesmanship here," Sonnen said. "It was nice to see the true Anderson Silva here. He probably thought he would get under my skin, but I've been a gangster from West Lynn, Oregon my whole life. If he thought I'd be upset because I found what I was looking for, he is wrong. On 7/7 at 7:00 PM I am going to pound my fist into his head until he gives up."

Penick's Analysis: Sonnen's shifted into low-key mode as the fight approaches. We've got just over a week left to the fight itself, and there will be some very interesting moments next week leading into the fight. With one more press conference that will see the two square off, as well as the weigh-ins, there could be some more heat added to these proceedings as the week wears on. July 7 truly can't come soon enough.

[Chael Sonnen art by Grant Gould (c) MMATorch.com]

Source: http://www.mmatorch.com/artman2/publish/UFC_2/article_13703.shtml

Siyar Bahadurzada Bao Ligao  Josh Barnett  David Baron 

Filipino Feastin' with Mark Munoz

If the UFC ever hosts an eating contest, Mark Munoz could well emerge as a frontrunner. No joke. Especially if sushi or Filipino cuisine is on the menu. Born and raised by Filipino parents who both excel at cooking, it’s no wonder that Munoz himself can throw down inside of the kitchen and make a mean Chicken Adobo, along with a wide array of other dishes. Though he fights at 185 pounds, Munoz said he can pack away massive amounts of food in a single session and could easily walk around at 230 pounds if he wasn’t training for a fight. But much of the Oklahoma State University graduate’s preferred grub will have to wait until after his July 11 main event (UFC on FUEL TV 4) against unbeaten Chris Weidman (8-0). In a recent interview, Munoz breaks down some of his favorite Filipino dishes and the diet that helps the former 205er make the tight cut to middleweight.

Curreri: You were born in Japan and both of your parents were from the Philippines.
Munoz: I was in Japan for two years and then moved to Vallejo, California and I’ve been eating Filipino food my entire life.

Curreri: What are some of the staples of Filipino food?
Munoz: Our main staple is white rice; that’s what we have for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Then we have curries, stew, stir fried noodles, fried food and barbequed. You name it, man, we got it. It’s so good and so rich. I love it, man, but during fight camp I can only eat the stews because they’re healthy. All of the other food I eat after my fights.

Curreri: Growing up, were both of your parents good cooks?
Munoz: Both parents. My mom predominantly cooked inside of the house. My dad would cook us breakfast and prepare our lunches. My mom is the chef in the house. She would make unbelievable meals.

Curreri: Given that pedigree, are you a capable cook?
Munoz: Yes, I love cooking and I can cook a lot of stuff. I cook nilagang, chicken adobo, pork adobo, lumpia, which is kind of fried egg rolls. I cook rice all the time; we have a rice cooker at the house. I also cook a breakfast sausage.

My parents owned a restaurant and I cooked for the restaurant in Pittsburgh, California; it was named “Rudy’s” after my dad’s first name. I worked there mostly on weekends and during the summers. We owned it for a good six years, so part of my life I spent at the restaurant cooking breakfast foods and helping prepare Filipino food.

Curreri: The native tongue for Philippines is Tagalog. Do you speak it?
Munoz: Yes, I do now. My parents always spoke to me in Tagalog growing up so I always understood the language, but they always wanted me to respond back in English so that I wouldn’t be confused in school. Now when I go to the Philippines I respond back in English and they go, ‘You don’t speak Tagalog?’ I’d say I don’t speak it but I understand it. But I’ve been practicing it and I can speak it now. But three years ago I had a hard time.

Curreri: I would be remiss if I interviewed you and did not ask you, a die-hard Manny Pacquaio fan, about your thoughts on that crazy, unjust decision a few weeks ago against Timothy Bradley.
Munoz: I did watch it and I was tweeting the results round by round. I scored that fight 117 to 111 (for Pacquiao). I couldn’t believe it. That was just robbery, thievery.

Curreri: Diet is obviously instrumental for an elite fighter, especially one who was previously a 205er and now fights at 185.
Munoz: I’ve been dieting ever since cutting down to 185 in April 2009. I decided to make a healthy change and my diet has been great ever since. I still eat Filipino foods but only in moderation. That’s the key.

Curreri: Is your wife of Filipino descent as well?
Munoz: She’s German, Irish and Polish.

Curreri: So if you want to eat the good stuff you have to cook it yourself, huh?
Munoz: Yeah, or my mom will come over and cook the good stuff. Or my aunts and uncles. My uncle came over the other day and brought me some Filipino food.

Curreri: I was a humongous eater in my younger days and, I don’t know why, but I almost have the sixth sense for detecting other humongous eaters and you strike me as someone who fits the bill, someone who can really put away astonishing amounts of food.
Munoz: (laughs). Yeah, you’re right dude, I can put it down! People say that about me all the time. We go to all-you-can-eat Sushi restaurants and people are like, ‘Dang, Munoz! I’d kick you out if I was the owner of this place!’ I mean, I eat like three party trays of the stuff.

Curreri: So the restaurant loses when they invite you to all-you-can-eat?
Munoz: That’s right. They invite me to all-you-can-eat – I will eat me plus five!

Curreri: Now, we hear so much about how brown rice, quinoa and whole grains are the ideal carbs for us, especially athletes. But white rice is so embedded in Filipino cuisine. What is your position on that?
Munoz: I eat white rice periodically, not all of the time now. I grew up on it and after researching different articles and journals I feel that brown rice and quinoa and brown rice noodles are more digestible and readily absorbed in the body than white rice. White rice is actually stored as glycogen or fat, whereas brown rice and the other grains enter the bloodstream and are used quickly. So I usually eat brown rice, brown noodles and quinoa.

But when I eat Filipino food, I go all the way, man! I eat white rice. But again, moderation is the key. You can’t eat that every night.

Curreri: It does seem that white rice accentuates the taste of the rest of the meal better …
Munoz: Yeah, you’re right. So I can’t have Filipino any other way. I can’t have brown rice with my adobo or other dishes. I can’t have that.

Curreri: So take us through a typical day of eating for you, starting with your earliest meal.
Munoz: For my earliest meal of the day I’ll have two whole eggs and four egg whites. Then a bowl of oatmeal with chia seeds and flaxseed. I’ll also have Vitamin C, a multi-vitamin and some branch chain amino acids.

Then after my first workout I’ll have a recovery protein shake with whey protein isolate, glutamine, branch chain amino acids and some electrolytes.

After that I’ll have a six-ounce chicken breast with quinoa, spinach or asparagus, some different colored peppers, broccoli or green beans.

Another meal will be similar to that.

I’ll have another protein shake after my later workout and another meal with carbohydrates at the end of the night.

Curreri: So 185 is a hard cut for you?
Munoz: I have to be very strategic for my cut to 185.

Curreri: How heavy would you be if you didn’t have a fight coming up, if you were just training
Munoz: I’d be 225, 230.

Curreri: You consume BCAA’s not only after your workouts, but before them. Why?
Munoz: Branch chain aminos are the building blocks of protein. I’m getting ready to workout with my meal and my muscles are going to need those BCAA’s. So I go before and after. I also take them at night for recovery.

Curreri: You mentioned the Filipino stews that you consume even during training camp. What makes them so healthy?
Munoz: So … Manny Pacquaio eats this stew called … tinola … It has cabbage in it, chicken, leaves, spinach, potatoes, sweet potatoes, onions, garlic ... so a lot of anti-oxidants  are in the stew. You boil the vegetables and then you drink the sauce. It’s a very good meal for you.

Curreri: How frequently are you able to eat those stews?
Munoz: I probably eat it once or twice a week.

Curreri: After you make weight what meals do you try to rehydrate with?
Munoz: After my fight I like to take in coconut water. I’m an island guy so coconuts go well with my diet. I wish I could have seen (the coconut water) craze because it’s going crazy. I’ll drink a lot of water as well and as many electrolytes as I can because making weight kind of dehydrates your body. Then I’ll eat the same things I’ve been eating for the past six to eight weeks. I don’t want to switch up my diet until after my fight. I will enjoy the occasional pizza or In & Out burger or Filipino food, and a lot of sushi. I eat that stuff after my fights. But I’ve been doing all the same things for this fight. I feel I have all the tools and resources to win this fight (against Chris Weidman).

Source: http://www.ufc.com/news/Filipino-Feastin-With-Mark-Munoz

Gregor Gracie Ralek Gracie Renzo Gracie Rickson Gracie

Hockey Fight of the Day: Eric Tangradi vs. Stu Bickel

When the New York Rangers and Pittsburgh Penguins get together on the ice it’s almost a guarantee the two teams will turn in a competitive, entertaining game (not to mention one with more than a few players mixing it up).

In this clip from January, the Rangers’ Stu Bickel blasts the Penguins’ Eric Tangradi who doesn’t take too kindly to the assault and fires back a few shots of his own as well!

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Source: http://www.fighters.com/06/28/hockey-fight-of-the-day-eric-tangradi-vs-stu-bickel

Josh Hendricks Ed Herman Heath Herring Branden Lee Hinkle

Quinton Jackson: “I’m just trying to move forward with my fighting career.”

Fans of light heavyweight star Quinton Jackson will no doubt be thrilled to hear “Rampage” is eying a return to the Octagon this fall after undergoing treatment on a particularly troublesome left knee. However, little else has changed in terms of Jackson’s status including his desire to bolt the UFC as soon as he’s done with the lone remaining fight on his contract.

Jackson’s issue with his employers surfaced a few months back when he expressed concern about the lack of respect he’d received and the way he’d been booked against opponents who prefer to lay-and-prey rather than stand up and scrap. Based on his falling out with the organization he’s even accepted the possibility his final bout might not even be given a PPV slot, but that still isn’t deterring the 33-year old from pursuing his own plan.

“Rampage” Says Respect is at the Root of His Fallout with the UFC

“I wouldn’t care if they did that. I don’t care. They can do whatever they want to do,” said Jackson in an interview with MMAMania when asked about being “buried” at an event. “The reasons I made the decision to leave the UFC are the same reasons I left PRIDE. They can do what they want. I don’t care.”

“I’m just trying to move forward with my fighting career,” he continued. “My left knee is starting to feel better. I’m not gonna do anything to it just yet. I’m just gonna do my rehab and go from there.”

As far as a specific date for what may be his last appearance under the UFC banner, Jackson mentioned the timeframe he’s targeted while adding a comical tidbit into the mix.

“September or October, we’ll see. I’ve got a lot of weight to lose,” Jackson joked.

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

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Source: http://www.fighters.com/06/19/quinton-jackson-%e2%80%9ci%e2%80%99m-just-trying-to-move-forward-with-my-fighting-career-%e2%80%9d

Joe Hybrid Duarte Aldrin de Jesus  Todd Duffee  Marvin Eastman 

Hockey Fight of the Day: Matt Barnaby vs. Donald Brashear

Here’s an oldie but goodie between two of the stand-out scrappers from the last 20 years in hockey, Donald Brashear and Matt Barnaby. It’s quick but beautifully brutal as well!

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Source: http://www.fighters.com/06/26/hockey-fight-of-the-day-matt-barnaby-vs-donald-brashear

Tony Fryklund Kazuyuki Fujita Masakatsu Funaki Zelg Benkei Galesić

"Why's he grabbing his shoulder like that? Is there a bug?"

Source: http://www.watchkalibrun.com/2011/1/10/1927489/whys-he-grabbing-his-shoulder-like-that-is-there-a-bug

Dave Gomez Keith Hackney Matt Hamill Volk Han

Randy Couture says Anderson Silva “didn’t really” beat Chael Sonnen

It appears UFC Hall of Famer Randy Couture has been dipping into middleweight Chael Sonnen’s Kool-Aid. Couture, who can usually be counted on for an informed opinion and intricate analysis, was recently asked to weigh in on Sonnen’s upcoming fight with Anderson Silva and gave an answer possibly raising a few eyebrows outside of West Linn, Oregon.

“It’s kind of odd. Normally I would say that the onus is on the guy who won the first fight to anticipate the changes the loser is going to make and get the same outcome,” said Couture, a former Team Quest teammate of Sonnen’s, in a conversation with MMAFighting. “It’s guess-work. It’s harder for the guy who won (the first time) in the second fight.”

“If you look at Anderson and Chael, Anderson won by Triangle Choke with two minutes left. He didn’t really win the fight. He got his ass whooped – literally – for four-plus rounds,” Couture explained, elaborating on his initial statement. “But it’s almost like (Sonnen) was the guy that won, cause he wants it to go the same minus the Triangle. He wants to go out, wade through him, take him down repeatedly and beat him up.”

“What is Anderson gonna do,” Couture continued. “He doesn’t wanna get beat up for four rounds and pull it out. He wants it to be a completely different fight. So he’s gonna have to make some adjustments.”

While Couture’s assessment of the matter is correct in terms of the action involved, it also seems a bit disingenuous and disrespectful considering there’s no question Silva definitively won the bout by finishing Sonnen. Fortunately, though the accuracy of Couture’s words can be debated, fans will find out whose gameplan is definitively superior the second time around in a little more than a week when Silva-Sonnen clash in headlining action at UFC 148.

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

Source: http://fiveouncesofpain.com/2012/06/28/randy-couture-says-anderson-silva-%e2%80%9cdidn%e2%80%99t-really%e2%80%9d-beat-chael-sonnen/

Yasubey Enomoto Mark Epstein Tom Big Cat Erickson Martinsh Egle

Wanderlei in Brazil: Remembering the Old Days and Readying for War at UFC 147

It was going to be so good. Wanderlei Silva vs. Vitor Belfort II. Nearly 14 years had not been long enough for Silva to get over the quick TKO loss to Belfort at Ultimate Brazil in 1998 and now he had a chance for revenge in his home country. And, oh yeah, Silva really does not like Belfort. He’s made that quite clear over the years and did so again when speaking with UFC.com about the Belfort rematch. The rivalry even grew over the course of the inaugural TUF Brazil season which they both coached.

But all that went away when Belfort broke his hand and was forced to pull out of the UFC 147 fight with Silva. Replacing Belfort against Silva this Saturday is former middleweight champion Rich Franklin. The fight will take place at a catchweight of 190 pounds.

The disappointment at losing the Silva/Belfort rematch was palpable in the fight world. Sure, Franklin is another former champ and future Hall of Famer. It is also true that Franklin/Silva is also a rematch that gives Silva a chance to even the score with “Ace” (Franklin won a decision over Silva in a Fight of The Night performance back at UFC 99), but would Wanderlei have the same fire against someone of whom he’s had nothing but positive things to say?

“I’m here to fight. With everybody. No matter who,” Silva says.

The succinct and chilling answer from Wanderlei should answer that. But really, this is something we all should have known about the fighter.

Silva has an uncanny ability to walk into the ring or Octagon all-smiles, only to have his visage darken moments later as he attacks his opponent with an unrelenting fury. While obviously not literally true, Silva’s nickname of “The Axe Murderer” has never really been considered hyperbole, at least in spirit.

The point is, Silva can turn that switch that flips him from perhaps the friendliest fighter in the UFC into a ruthless competitor. But how, exactly, does he do that?

“Man, I don’t know,” Silva wonders himself before pausing to think. “I’m a happy guy. When I see my opponent, though, when he is across from me, I’m ready. I take my job very seriously.”

More, perhaps, than reflexes, physical strength or skill, this innate ability to become instantly war-ready is invaluable to top athletes. It has to be part of the reason that Silva became such a dominant champion at 205 pounds in PRIDE despite being very undersized.

He is ferocious and he will have no problem unleashing that on Rich Franklin, even though he respects the American. Wanderlei loves the fight itself too much to do anything less.

It is, in large part, that love for battle that has kept Silva in the fight game for so long. He is only 35 years old, but has been in plenty of wars in training and nearly fifty career fights.

Wanderlei once went over four years and eighteen fights without a loss, but for the past six years, he’s lost more than he’s won, often by knockout. If he can get a homecoming win in Brazil, one imagines that it would be a perfect note for Wanderlei to go out on, that he’d then retire.

Though he admits to having begun to plan what he will do once he stops fighting, Silva is not ready to concede his career just yet. “I don’t know,” he says.

“I fight one fight after another, you know? I check my performance after the fight. If I’m fighting good, man, I can’t [stop]. I’ve got to check what’s going to happen. I have started to look for my next step in the sport, though.”'

That is a tough line for a fighter to toe, and Silva isn’t the first to do so. Someone as good as him can still pull off wins long after his prime has gone. But for now, Silva is hopeful that if he’s got more great wins in him, the next one comes in front of his countrymen at UFC 147.

A consummate performer, the emphasis for Silva really is on the “great,” and not quite as much on the “win,” part. Take, for example competitive decision losses like those he has taken at the hands of Franklin or Chuck Liddell. Wand still considers those types of bouts successes because they were exciting.

“Some fights that I’ve lost by decision, like with Franklin, with Chuck Liddell, man, I don’t feel bad,” he says. “I think, ‘man, this fight is going down in history, we’ve made the fans happy,’ and that’s the point of the fight.”

He’ll have a lot of fans in Brazil to make happy at UFC 147. The UFC is exploding in popularity in Brazil. Jose Aldo’s last UFC featherweight title defense was watched on television by nearly 100 million Brazilians, and Silva and Belfort’s TUF Brazil was watched every week by millions more.

Silva couldn’t be more excited. For the first time in seven years, he held part of his training camp in Brazil. He did part of his camp in his new home of Las Vegas in his Wand Gym, went a few hours west to his long-time coach Rafael Cordeiro at Kings MMA in California for another portion and then, with a month out before the fight, Wand returned to Brazil to train with another long-time coach, Andre Dida.

Wanderlei has been training with Mauricio “Shogun” Rua and many other teammates from the Chute Boxe days. Silva says that connecting with his roots has felt great.

“I feel really good. I’m in my hometown, I eat the food from here, I train with the guys from here. I remember my old days. The quality of the guys here is so good, the guys train well, I am so happy,” he says.

As for the fight itself, Silva doesn’t get specific on predictions for how he will beat Franklin but he has the important stuff mapped out for June 23rd. It has been nearly 12 years since Silva has fought in his home country. Back then, he was fighting bare-knuckled and in obscurity.

At UFC 147 he will return as a superstar. He can envision that night clear as day.

“It’s been a long time that I haven’t fought here. I’m going to make the crowd very happy,” he says. “Everybody is going to cheer for me over here. I’m going to give the victory for all my fans around the world. For me, and for my fans.”

Source: http://www.ufc.com/news/Wanderlei-in-Brazil-Remembering-the-Old-Days-and-Readying-for-War-at-UFC-147

Mikhail Avetisyan Luiz Azeredo  Luciano Azevedo  Ba Te er 

Ronda Rousey vs. Sarah Kaufman official for August 18 Strikeforce headliner in San Diego; tickets on sale this week

By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

Ronda Rousey's first defense of her Strikeforce Women's Bantamweight Championship will indeed take place on August 18, as Strikeforce officials announced this week that the fight will headline a card at the Valley View Casino Center in San Diego, Calif. on that date.

"We're excited to head back to the Valley View Casino Center in San Diego with the first title defense of bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey, arguably the best female fighter in the sport today," Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker said. "She's submitted all of her opponents thus far, but number one contender Sarah Kaufman has the experience and tenacity to push her like no one else. This is a great title fight for Strikeforce fans and we look forward to another tremendous night of fights in San Diego!"

Rousey comes into the event with an undefeated record, which was extended in March when she nearly tore former Champ Miesha Tate's arm apart with an armbar, finally forcing her to submit. All of her career wins have come by armbar.

Kaufman, the division's former Champion, earned her way back into a title fight with a decision win over Alexis Davis on that same card in March. The win was her third straight win since losing her title to Marloes Coenen back in October of 2010.

Tickets for the event go on sale this week. UFC Fight Club members have their first crack at tickets today, June 27, beginning at 10AM PT. UFC and Strikeforce Newsletter subscribers will have a presale tomorrow, June 28, and tickets will open up to the public on Friday, June 29. Prices range from $45 to $150.

Source: http://www.mmatorch.com/artman2/publish/Affliction2/article_13701.shtml

Jason Ellis Aleksander Emelianenko Fedor Emelianenko Yasubey Enomoto

Frank Shamrock calls UFC President Dana White "a total douchebag and a bully"

By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

The UFC's Hall of Fame will add Tito Ortiz next week at the UFC Fan Expo before UFC 148, but while Ortiz marks a deserving addition to the field, one name continues to be conspicuously absent: Frank Shamrock.

Shamrock was the first ever UFC Light Heavyweight Champion (then known as the middleweight championship), and defended the title three times before "retiring" after defeating Ortiz at UFC 22. However, his importance to the UFC at that stage hasn't been recognized by Zuffa, and most notably UFC President Dana White.

The relationship between Shamrock and White has been contentious for some time, and Shamrock's refusal to bend at any point, along with a continued outspokenness against the UFC and White throughout the years has kept him from being recognized by the organization.

Appearing on Thursday's edition of MMA Uncensored Live on Spike TV, Shamrock commented on Ortiz's induction, as well as the fact that he's still not in that field.

"Honestly, I didn't really care, but my wife was pretty pissed that I wasn't in the Hall of Fame," Shamrock said (transcribed by BloodyElbow.com). "I don't care. I think it's awesome that Tito's in. He deserves to be in there. I believe I should be in the Hall of Fame, but it ain't my Hall of Fame. If they wanna put me in, that's great. It's not gonna keep me up at night...

"Here's my thing. I did everything I could for the sport, from speaking to the commissions to presenting in front of cable companies - anything and everything, I was hired to go do it. I was a great spokesman, and I believe in this sport. If they wanna put me in or not, it's totally up to them. I think it's just a big knuckle-fest. God bless Tito, and I'm real proud that he's made it."

While Shamrock would like to get the recognition of the UFC Hall of Fame, he quickly made it clear that his feelings on White haven't changed, and it's a very personal feud between the two of them.

"It's definitely personal between Dana and I," he said. "To further that, I've done everything I can possibly do for this sport. I hope that would include UFC. You know, Dana and I don't get along. I think he's a total douchebag and a bully. I just, I got no breath for him."

Shamrock went even further than that, commenting on getting a chance to meet White in a dark alley.

"As Dana's first martial arts instructor, I understand his skill set and his limitations," Shamrock said, "and I would love to have that moment."

Penick's Analysis: Shamrock likes to believe he has the moral ground on everything, but he often undermines a lot of what he says. Look, there's no good reason for Shamrock's absence from the UFC Hall of Fame. In any MMA Hall of Fame, Shamrock's credentials from the early days of the sport absolutely put him in there. However, his issues with Dana White blind him at times. Calling White a "douchebag and a bully" and then saying he'd "love" to have a moment with him in a back alley is ridiculous. That's a ridiculous mindset that can say "he's a bully/oh, I'd love to beat him up," and it's not the first time he's contradicted his message in that way. Still, to the point at hand, Shamrock should be in the UFC Hall of Fame, and his absence keeps that particular Hall of Fame from being anything other than a promotional tool.

[Dana White art by Travis Beaven (c) MMATorch.com]

Source: http://www.mmatorch.com/artman2/publish/UFC_2/article_13717.shtml

Shane The Engineer Carwin  Jason Hollywood Chambers Ryo Piranha Chonan  Dan The Sandman Christison 

Weekend MMA (29h Jun - 1st Jul)

CFA
JZ Calvancante (16-5) vs. Luis Palomino (19-7)
Alexis Vila (11-2) vs. Joshua Sampo (6-2)
Luis Santos (53-8) vs. Valdir Araujo (10-3)
Patrick Cenoble (8-1) vs. Frank Carrillo (5-2)
Jordan Parsons (7-0) vs. Lazar Stojadiniovic (7-5)
Victor Delgado (6-0) vs. Sean Soriano (5-0)
James Warfield (22-11) vs. Abel Trujillo (8-4)
Josh Mercado (4-0) vs. Dave Morgan (4-1)


RFA
Joe Stevenson (31-14) vs. Dakota Cochrane (11-3)
Maurice Smith (13-13) vs. Ryan Lopez (13-12)
James Krause (15-4) vs. Amir Killah (10-4)
Bubba Jenkins (2-0) vs. Jesus Adame (0-0)
Chidi Njokuani (7-3) vs. Bobby Cooper (5-2)
Jordan Rinaldi (5-0) vs. Mark Dickman (5-0)


RUFF
Guan Wang (8-0) vs. Sandro Silva (1-0)
Tuerxun Jumabieke (12-0) vs. Yadong Song (0-0)
Rijirigala Amu (4-0) vs. Zhifa Shang (0-0)
Andy Wang (7-8) vs. Rodrigo Caporal (6-4)


Best of the Rest
Dustin Ortiz (8-2) vs. Jon Barker (6-4) - KOTC
Tony Hervey (12-13) vs. Buddy Clinton (10-4) - KOTC
Flavio Alvaro (39-9) vs. Reynaldo Trujillo (12-7) - UWF
Thiago Meller (17-5) vs. Thiago Cao (0-0) - GFWS
Seiya Kawahara (10-3) vs. Masato Sannai (7-2) - Pancrase
Yuta Sasaki (9-1) vs. Teruyuki Matsumoto (7-5) - Shooto
Lucas Pimenta Borges (7-0) vs. John Malbrough (3-4) - UWF
Tim Williams (6-0) vs. Lewis Rumsey (8-7) - CFFC
Jimmy Flick (4-0) vs. Adan De La Garza (1-0) - UWF
Julian Lane (4-0) vs. Ozzy Dugulubgov (3-1) - CFFC
Felipe Lavandoski (4-0) vs. Ronaldo Gauss (2-0) - GFWS

Source: http://www.mmaforum.com/general-mma-discussion/103012-weekend-mma-29h-jun-1st-jul.html

Wesley Cabbage Correira  Patrick The Predator Côté  Randy The Natural Couture  Dan Cramer

A Fond Farewell

Source: http://www.watchkalibrun.com/2011/1/14/1936251/a-fond-farewell

Mac Danzig  Karen Darabedyan Viacheslav Datsik Marcus Davis 

Quinton Jackson: “I’m just trying to move forward with my fighting career.”

Fans of light heavyweight star Quinton Jackson will no doubt be thrilled to hear “Rampage” is eying a return to the Octagon this fall after undergoing treatment on a particularly troublesome left knee. However, little else has changed in terms of Jackson’s status including his desire to bolt the UFC as soon as he’s done with the lone remaining fight on his contract.

Jackson’s issue with his employers surfaced a few months back when he expressed concern about the lack of respect he’d received and the way he’d been booked against opponents who prefer to lay-and-prey rather than stand up and scrap. Based on his falling out with the organization he’s even accepted the possibility his final bout might not even be given a PPV slot, but that still isn’t deterring the 33-year old from pursuing his own plan.

“Rampage” Says Respect is at the Root of His Fallout with the UFC

“I wouldn’t care if they did that. I don’t care. They can do whatever they want to do,” said Jackson in an interview with MMAMania when asked about being “buried” at an event. “The reasons I made the decision to leave the UFC are the same reasons I left PRIDE. They can do what they want. I don’t care.”

“I’m just trying to move forward with my fighting career,” he continued. “My left knee is starting to feel better. I’m not gonna do anything to it just yet. I’m just gonna do my rehab and go from there.”

As far as a specific date for what may be his last appearance under the UFC banner, Jackson mentioned the timeframe he’s targeted while adding a comical tidbit into the mix.

“September or October, we’ll see. I’ve got a lot of weight to lose,” Jackson joked.

PHOTO CREDIT – UFC

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Source: http://www.fighters.com/06/19/quinton-jackson-%e2%80%9ci%e2%80%99m-just-trying-to-move-forward-with-my-fighting-career-%e2%80%9d

Lyman Good Gary Goodridge Gerard Gordeau Jonathan Goulet

UFC Sweden: Alessio Sakara Pre-Fight Open Workout

Source: http://mmasportsreport.com/1347/ufc-sweden-alessio-sakara-pre-fight-open-workout

Marcus Aurelio  Mikhail Avetisyan Luiz Azeredo  Luciano Azevedo 

Renato Sobral earns quick submission win at ONE FC: Destiny of Warriors

It was an action-packed night in Kuala Lumpur thanks to the latest offering from Asian MMA organization ONE FC. The show, dubbed “Destiny of Warriors” featured a number of familiar faces on the lineup including Masakazu Imanari, Roger Huerta, and Renato Sobral.

Sobral, who hadn’t fought since a 2010 loss to Dan Henderson, returned to the ring showing little rust as evident in a quick submission of opponent Tatsuya Mizuno. The finish came after Mizuno scored an early takedown only to end up in the Brazilian’s clutches where “Babalu” sealed the deal with a slick Armbar. The stoppage came less than a minute into the opening round of their bout.

Huerta and Imanari were not as fortunate with each suffering a defeat. A master of leg-locks, Imanari was never able to lock anything concrete in and ended up on the wrong end of a Unanimous Decision with Leandro Issa picking up his seventh straight win. Meanwhile, Huerta fell for the fourth consecutive time after being knocked out cold with a soccer kick by late replacement Zorobabel Moreiria. It was also his third loss by way of a strike-based stoppage.

Read below for a complete list of ONE FC: Destiny of Warriors results:

Peter Davis def. Kim Quek Hong via TKO Round 1 (Strikes)
Marcos Escobar def. Rodrigo Praxedes via Submission Round 3 (D’Arce Choke)
Mitch Chilson def. AJ Vaa via Submission Round 1 (Rear-Naked Choke)
Arnauld Lepont def. Brian Choi via Submission Round 3 (Rear-Naked Choke)
Eric Kelly def. Bae Young Kwon via Unanimous Decision
Adam Shahir Kayoom def. Gregor Gracie via Unanimous Decision
Leandro Issa def. Masakazu Imanari via Unanimous Decision
Zorobabel Moreira def. Roger Huerta via Knockout Round 2 (Soccer Kick)
Renato Sobral def. Tatsuya Mizuno via Submission Round 1 (Armbar)

PHOTO CREDIT – STRIKEFORCE

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Source: http://www.fighters.com/06/23/renato-sobral-earns-quick-submission-win-at-one-fc-destiny-of-warriors

Ao Hailin  Shinya Aoki  Andrei Arlovski  Ricardo Arona 

Lanny Poffo Wants Greg Valentine In An MMA Fight

WWE Hall of Famer Greg “The Hammer” Valentine no-showing Great North Wrestling’s Randy Savage tribute show on Sept. 3 in Hawkesbury, Ontario, Canada has been turned into an angle.

Lanny Poffo, the brother of the late superstar wrestler, posted a video on YouTube challenged the 60-year-old to a mixed martial arts match on December 30 in Gatineau. The wrestler formerly known as The Genius says he will throw cash he received from his recent inheritance to bait Valentine into the fight. He also taunts Valentine by calling him a “mangina” and that he may be left in a body bag.

The video was uploaded at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R53Bkdi2hEA It has since been made private.

Valentine posted an explanation Friday on his Facebook account apologizing for no-showing the event and leaving a nasty voice message to Great North Wrestling promoter Devon Nicholson. Valentine says he no-showed the event because he received a phone call on the morning of the show that his mother-in-law had two days left to live, so he flew to Nashville to be by her side—she recovered. Nicholson said between Valentine’s flight from Tampa, hotel, pay and photos he printed up to sell, he was out $2,000. Valentine said he would return Nicholson the money when he arrived in Tampa.

“This was never the issue, so why he had to go off and try to hurt me at a time where we are having a tragedy in our family, I don’t know,” Valentine wrote of Nicholson releasing his angry voice message and saying he no-showed the event after he was paid.

He continues, “What tends to hurt me the most, is that I asked him to please tell the fans that I was sorry and that I was not going to be able to make it to the event. I purposely made sure that he would express that to the fans who came out to see me, and to celebrate the life of Randy Savage. Instead, he tells everyone that I pulled a “No show”. He didn’t give any reason for my absence, just told people I didn’t show up. This is not how I operate. However, when push comes to shove with family, family will always win out.”

Wrestling News

Source: http://www.ifight365.com/2011/09/lanny-poffo-wants-greg-valentine-in-an-mma-fight/

Kultar Gill Allan Goes Takanori The Fireball Kid Gomi Akihiro Gono

UFC Primetime returns Saturday for UFC 148's Anderson Silva vs. Chael Sonnen bout

By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief

It's being thrown together a little late, but the UFC will premiere a one episode Primetime special for UFC 148's Anderson Silva vs. Chael Sonnen rematch this Sunday on Fuel TV. The program, which will feature Silva and Sonnen behind the scenes in the last weeks before their fight in Las Vegas, will air on Fuel TV at 7PM ET on Saturday, June 30. The program will be available for viewing on UFC.com as well following it's initial airing, and replays will air on Fuel and FX, along with Fox Sports Net. Here is a list of replay times:

SATURDAY, JUNE 30

7PM ET/4 pm PT - FUEL TV
7:30PM ET/4:30PM PT - UFC.com premiere
4:30PM ET/1:30PM PT - FUEL TV

SUNDAY, JULY 1

Check regional listings - Fox Sports Network

MONDAY, JULY 2

Available on-demand - Blockbuster Studio, channel 102 on DISH

THURSDAY, JULY 5

2AM ET/PT - FX

FRIDAY, JULY 6

2AM ET/PT - FX

Source: http://www.mmatorch.com/artman2/publish/quicknews/article_13712.shtml

Andrei Arlovski  Ricardo Arona  Noboru Asahi Marcus Aurelio 

UFC on FX 4 Results: Gray Maynard takes home Split Decision win over Clay Guida

The UFC is poised to deliver a double-dose of awesomeness this weekend starting tonight with UFC on FX 4! The card features lightweights Clay Guida-Gray Maynard in the main event with each looking to re-establish himself as a top contender after suffering a stumble in his previous outing.

Other bouts scheduled for the show include Spencer Fisher-Sam Stout, Hatsu Hioki-Ricardo Lamas, and Ross Pearson-Cub Swanson.

Action kicks off at 5:00 PM EST on Facebook, then heads to Fuel TV at 6:00 PM EST before finally landing on FX at 9:00 PM EST. As always, Fighters.com will be watching from start to finish and providing live results for those of you not lucky enough to be tuned in.

Readers can also join in on the fun with fans in a new chat feature aimed and bringing all corners of the Rebellion MMA network closer together!

A full list of UFC on FX 4 results can be found below:

Ken Stone def. Dustin Pague via Split Decision
Dan Miller def. Ricardo Funch via Submission Round 3 (Guillotine Choke)
Matt Brown def.. Luis Ramos via TKO Round 2 (Strikes)
Chis Camozzi def. Nick Catone via TKO Round 3 (Doctor Stoppage/Cut)
Steven Siler def. Joey Gambino via Submission Round 1 (Guillotine Choke)
Rick Story def. Brock Jardine via Unanimous Decision
Ramsey Nijem def. C.J. Keith via TKO Round 1 (Strikes)
Ricardo Lamas def. Hatsu Hioki via Unanimous Decision
Cub Swanson def. Ross Pearson via TKO Round 2 (Strikes)
Brian Ebersole def. T.J. Waldburger via Unanimous Decision
Sam Stout def. Spencer Fisher via Unanimous Decision
Gray Maynard def. Clay Guida via Split Decision

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Source: http://www.fighters.com/06/22/ufc-on-fx-4-live-results

Leonard Garcia Andrew Gardner Tiki Ghosn Dennis George

Frank Shamrock claims 'douchebag' Dana White's vendetta is keeping him out of UFC Hall of Fame

Source: http://www.mmamania.com/2012/6/29/3125136/frank-shamrock-ufc-dana-white-douchebag-mma

Don Frye Tony Fryklund Kazuyuki Fujita Masakatsu Funaki