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Feb 7, 2006
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Escudero, TUF Winners Earn $16,000

Underdog Efrain Escudero took home $16,000 for his efforts against heavy favorite Phillipe Nover at “The Ultimate Fighter 8” Finale on Saturday at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas, according to figures released by the Nevada State Athletic Commission. Nover, a nurse from Brooklyn, N.Y., took in $8,000 for his unanimous decision loss, but fans have likely not seen the last of him in the Octagon.

Escudero, who was awarded a multi-fight, low six-figure UFC contract, and his 14 housemates also earned $16,000 for their victories and $8,000 in their losses.

American Top Team’s Wilson Gouveia was the night’s biggest breadwinner with $36,800, despite having to hand over 20 percent ($9,200) of his purse to opponent Jason MacDonald for missing weight on Friday. Gouveia knocked down MacDonald in the first round, and landed well-placed elbows to cut the Canadian’s forehead open en route to a TKO finish. Middleweight MacDonald left the Octagon $35,200 richer.

In a welterweight rematch, Anthony Johnson avenged a July loss to Kevin Burns and made $18,000 (including a $9,000 bonus). Burns earned $7,000.

“The Ultimate Fighter 8” Finale Payouts


Efrain Escudero -- $16,000 (including $8,000 bonus)
Phillipe Nover -- $8,000
Vinicius Magalhaes -– $8,000
Ryan Bader -- $16,000 (including $8,000 bonus)
Wilson Gouveia –- $36,800 (including $18,400 bonus)
Jason MacDonald -- $35,200 (including $9,200 of Gouveia’s purse)
Anthony Johnson –- $18,000 (including $9,000 bonus)
Kevin Burns -- $7,000
David Kaplan -- $8,000
Junie Allen Browning -- $16,000 (including $8,000 bonus)
Shane Primm –- $8,000
Krzysztof Soszynski -- $16,000 (including $8,000 bonus)
Jules Bruchez –- $8,000
Eliot Marshall -- $16,000 (including $8,000 bonus)
George Roop –- $8,000
Shane Nelson -- $16,000 (including $8,000 bonus)
Tom Lawlor –- $16,000 (including $8,000 bonus)
Kyle Kingsbury -- $8,000
John Polakowski –- $8,000
Roli Delgado -- $16,000 (including $8,000 bonus)
 
Feb 7, 2006
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Lashley needs just 41 seconds in MMA debut, Monson defeats Rodriguez

Highly touted WWE import Bobby Lashley (1-0) made quick work of fellow mixed martial arts rookie Joshua Franklin (0-1).

Lashley needed just 41 seconds to dispose of his opponent in the co-main event of Saturday night's "Mixed Fight Alliance: There Will be Blood" in Miami, Fla. Lashley appeared in the event while on loan from the American Fight League.

The inaugural card for the Mixed Fight Alliance also featured a unanimous decision win by ten-year veteran Jeff Monson (27-8) over former UFC heavyweight champion Ricco Rodriguez (34-10).

A former collegiate wrestling champion and WWE superstar, Lashley signed with the American Fight League in May. The organization has been unable to provide a bout for the 32-year-old since the signing, and Lashley was allowed to fight outside of the American Fight League while the group's operations are on hiatus.

Lashley made the most of the opportunity.

Now training with the famed American Top Team, Lashley shot in immediately on his opponent. Once on the ground, a ferocious ground and pound assault opened a gash on his opponent's face. Ringside doctors deemed the wounds too serious to allow Franklin to continue, and Lashley was awarded the TKO victory after just 41 seconds of work.

Following the bout, sources close to Lashley told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) that the heavyweight prospect was likely to return to action in an as-yet-unannounced card in February for the California-based Palace Fighting Championships.

Additionally, the sources indicated that Lashley was hoping to follow in fellow WWE veteran Brock Lesnar's footsteps by leaping quickly into the UFC. A bout with Lesnar himself is said to be Lashley's highest priority.

Saturday's event also saw Monson erase a near-seven-year-old loss to Rodriguez.

A rematch of a UFC 35 bout from January 2002, Monson earned his third-straight victory with a three-round unanimous-decision win over the former UFC champ.

Rodriguez was dominated throughout the majority of the contest en route to dropping his first bout in his past seven trips to the cage.
 
Feb 7, 2006
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Despite desire for change, Justin McCully staying at heavyweight

After defeating Eddie Sanchez by decision at UFC Fight 16, veteran heavyweight Justin McCully (9-4-2 MMA, 2-1 UFC) is now 2-1 in the organization's heavyweight division.

And while "The Insane One" feels comfortable continuing on in the heavyweight division, the 32-year-old wouldn't mind seeing an oft-debated additional weight class added to the current system.

"You look at it and you say, 'That's just not fair,'" McCully recently told TAGG Radio (www.taggradio.com), the official radio partner of MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com). "[UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar] is 280 pounds. He cuts to 265. It was rumored that he was 291 pounds the night he fought Randy (Couture), and Randy weighed in right around 225."

McCully believes the massive weight range allowed in the heavyweight division necessitates a review of the current weight class structure.

"You look that and you say, 'Well why don't they have a class in the middle of that?'" McCully said. "Where's the class that seperates the 206 (pounders) and the 265 (pounders)? Why don't they have a cut-off line at 225 pounds, 230 pounds, and give these guys a fair shake?

"Make it a true heavyweight division, and then make a super-heavyweight division. I really think there's room for that."

While McCully remains firm in his belief that another weight class would be an advantageous to the sport as a whole, he will not allow the current system to keep him from his ultimate goal.

"Since there's not that division, instead of killing myself and cutting to the 205, 206 pound range, I figure let's go for it," McCully said. "Let's put these big guys in the ring and try to put them on their back. Brock's got the title, so he's the guy to shoot for."

McCully knows he still has a little work remaining before he can challenge Lesnar. But with wins over Sanchez and Antoni Hardonk wrapped around a loss to Gabriel Gonzaga, McCully believes his shot is not too far off.

"Being 2-1 against those guys, I see myself as a contender in the division," McCully said. "The division isn't super-stacked. If I was to drop to 205 (pounds), I'd have a serious road to get to a title match. I think where I sit right now in the heavyweight division, mabe I'm two or three fights away from having a serious campaign for the heavyweight title -- and maybe even shorter.

"As we saw, Brock Lesnar at 1-1, he gets a shot at the heavyweight title -- which for me was Easy Street. He didn't have to come in and prove himself very much. He just had to fight a couple guys and look decent, and he got the fight against Randy -- which in my estimation was a little disrespectful. But hey, that's up for the company to decide."

If McCully can rise through the ranks to earn that title show, he believes he has a plan in place to test Lesnar's dominance.

"Brock Lesnar, he's a big individual," McCully said. "He's a big mountain of a man. But I don't think anybody has tested his chin really -- and especially like I'd like to test it. I'd like to put some hands in his face and see how he does with that."

And if the standup game isn't effective, McCully has a backup plan.

"He's a big guy, a big wrestler," McCully said. "He'll take you down. He'll ground you and pound you. And he'll be tough to deal with. But being a black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, I feel like I can stalemate that and maybe work for some submissions. He seems to be a little but susceptible to some of those.

"Again, I definitely see myself as a contender in the heavyweight division."
 
Feb 7, 2006
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Strikeforce's Josh Thomson seeking fights with world's best

Riding an eight-fight win streak, Strikeforce lightweight champion Josh Thomson (16-2) established himself as a top-10 fighter with a dominant, unanimous-decision win over Gilbert Melendez this past June.

"The Punk" then returned to action with a 74-second destruction of Ashe Bowman in September.

But as Thomson recently told TAGG Radio (www.taggradio.com), the official radio partner of MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com), he's now looking for fights with the best opponents in the world.

"Right now I have two (dream opponents)," Thomson said. "I have Eddie Alvarez and B.J. (Penn). To me I think those are the two top guys now."

Thomson, who has two fights left on his Strikeforce contract, said he would enjoy the opportunity to prove to the world his status among the world's best lightweights.

"I think that people underestimate me a little bit," Thomson said. "Sometimes I feel like I don't get enough credit."

While the Penn fight is certainly out of reach for the time being when considering the UFC's policy of exclusive contracts, the Alvarez bout is a future possibility.

"I think that entertainment-wise, Eddie and I would be a phenomenal fight," Thomson said. "I respect the guy 100 percent. I think he's a phenomenal fighter. I love guys that fight the way he does. Same thing with Joachim Hansen. I love the way he fights."

Thomson said he doesn't mean the challenge as any form of disrespect. He just believes those opponents would provide memorable scraps.

"When I say I want to fight these guys ... to me I would try to end up making it the fight of the year, if not the fight of the decade," Thomson said. "Those are the type of fights I'm looking for right now -- guys that really motivate you to train. Now that I've hit this level, and I finally feel like I'm hitting my peak, these are the guys you really look to motivate you right now."

One possible opponent that will always motivate Thomson is Frank Shamrock. The two San Jose residents have a long-standing feud, and Thomson said there would be little hesitation on his part in making the fight a reality.

"Show me the paperwork," Thomson said. "Give me a pen and show me the bottom line."

Thomson said he hopes a bout with Shamrock will eventually materialize -- but that he won't hold out for the opportunity too long based on his rival's track record.

"I know Frank really well, and he does it to everybody," Thomson said. "All he does is talk. All I heard from him for years when he was training at AKA was, 'Oh, I'd love to fight Wanderlei (Silva).' PRIDE was calling, and he was like, 'Yeah, I'd beat him. I'd do this.'

"He was talking about he wanted to fight (Kazushi) Sakuraba. It's always, 'Yeah, I want to fight the best. I would be the best.' But guess what? When it comes time for him to fight, it doesn't happen."

While there is a 30-pound disparity between Thomson and Shamrock's normal fighting weight, "The Punk" said he's willing to meet more than halfway.

"I would try to get it at 177 (pounds) at best," Thomson said. "If we could, I would do 175. But I doubt it. It would be 177, 178, somewhere in there. I would do it all the way up to 185 (pounds). I wouldn't care."
 
Feb 7, 2006
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Alvarez vs. Aoki bout at FEG’s “Dynamite!!” could have WAMMA title implications

FiveOuncesOfPain.com has learned that a planned lightweight bout between Eddie Alvarez and Shinya Aoki that is scheduled to take place on Dec. 31 at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan at FEG’s “Dynamite!!” event could see the vacant lightweight title for the World Alliance of Mixed Martial Arts on the line.

Sources indicated that talks are only in their preliminary stages and that K-1 and DREAM officials have not made a final decision regarding whether Alvarez vs. Aoki will have WAMMA’s title at stake.

WAMMA bills itself as a “multifaceted, fan and fighter-forward organization dedicated to promoting the integrity, legitimacy and longevity of Mixed Martial Arts.” The promotion conducts a monthly rankings poll, of which FiveOuncesOfPain.com President and Publisher Sam Caplan serves as the chair of.

According to the organization’s November rankings, Aoki is ranked second in the poll with Alvarez slotted immediately behind him in the three spot. Both Aoki and Alvarez are ranked behind current UFC lightweight champion B.J. Penn, who is scheduled to challenge Georges St. Pierre for the UFC welterweight title on Jan. 31 at UFC 94. UFC President Dana White commented earlier this week that should Penn win, his next fight would be a welterweight title defense against number one title contender Thiago Alves.

If WAMMA sanctions the Alvarez vs. Aoki matchup, it would add a second active title to the organization, with Fedor Emelianenko currently recognized as its heavyweight champion. Emelianenko is scheduled to defend the WAMMA heavyweight title on Jan. 24 in Anaheim, California during Affliction’s “Day of Reckoning.”
 
Feb 7, 2006
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WVR Takahiro Kuniyasu commented on Yoshihiro Akiyama

Takahiro Kuniyasu, WVR public relations officer, attended an event “VIVA JUDO” by Yoshida Judo School at Nippon Sport Science University on December 14, and commented on Yoshihiro Akiyama.

“I don't know what's going on with the contract between Akiyama and FEG. I haven't approached him yet, and am not thinking to offer him a fight in our new year event 'Sengoku no Ran' on Jan 4 for now.”
“He is an attractive fighter for us. If he contacts us soon, we will consider offerring him a fight on Jan 4. However, I heard he wanted to fight in the UFC.”
 
Feb 7, 2006
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Hidehiko Yoshida says, "I can move quicker than before."

Hidehiko Yoshida held an event “VIVA JUDO” at Nippon Sport Science University, Tokyo on December 14. After teaching judo to kids, he told the press about his current condition.

Hidehiko Yoshida:
“My conditioning is going well. I only need to lose 5 to 6 kg in 3 weeks, so I can easily make weight. I'm especially losing fat around my stomach, and now I can move quicker than before. I don't ware 'gi' this time.”

Makoto Takimoto also attended the event as an instructor. He said, “I definitely accept any offer from Sengoku even if it's in the last minute.” He hopes to remain in 83 kg weight class, yet WVR Takahiro Kuniyasu is currently requesting him to move down to 76 kg weight class.
 
Feb 7, 2006
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BADER, ESCUDERO AND NOVER TALK TUF 8 FINALE

Humility could be the most common theme among the three fighters who made their way to "The Ultimate Fighter" season eight finale post fight press conference. As Ryan Bader, Efrain Escudero and Phillipe Nover spoke to the media, all three took in stride what just went down to crown two of them the new TUF champions and marked the third as a rising star in the sport.

For Bader's part, it was probably the first time in his young career that he has been placed as an underdog, which he was going into his match-up against Vinny Magalhaes. The former Arizona State wrestler still knew his advantages and how his coaches prepared him going into the fight.

"I definitely thought I had the better stand-up," Bader said at the post-fight press conference. "I haven't showed my stand-up game at all in any of my fights. I came from wrestling. I was thrown in there pretty quickly and I relied heavily on my wrestling. It takes some time and some ring experience to get in there and feel comfortable while your throwing punches.

"We've been working at Arizona Combat Sports and the Lally brothers have helped me a lot and just really improved my game for the six months."

Where stand-up was the dominant factor in the finish between Bader and Magalhaes, it was the ground and pound attack unleashed by Efrain Escudero that got him to the lightweight title in The Ultimate Fighter Finale. The pre-fight hype had already pegged his opponent, Phillipe Nover, as the next big thing, but it's a good thing Escudero had full confidence in his strategy heading into the bout.

"There was a lot of saying about him being the next Anderson Silva and I wish him the best, but I knew that stepping in (Saturday night) he wasn't going to be the next Anderson Silva. I knew that it was going to be Phillipe Nover and me in the cage, so I just strapped them on and went out there and did exactly what I had to do," Escudero commented.

"When he threw that overhand right, you know, took him down and after a while, I knew he was going to catch on to it. So I allowed him to throw that knee and I would just catch that leg."

Facing the first loss of his career, Nover already recognized the problems he had in the fight against Escudero and understands the shortcomings that cost him the fight. Regardless of the loss, it's an attitude that understands misgivings that will make him a great fighter in the future.

"We both had our gameplan. He knows that I had strong hands and he didn't want to trade punches, he wanted to shoot in. I did hook up with the wrestling team and I've been working how to defend it, but I guess I kind of over-committed my shots and strikes and he timed it," Nover stated.

Now Bader and Escudero become the latest in the line of Ultimate Fighter champions, while Nover will work just as hard to get back to the Octagon and make his next opponent pay for the displeasure of facing him.
 
Feb 7, 2006
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TIM BOETSCH SIGNS NEW DEAL WITH UFC

Light heavyweight Tim “The Barbarian” Boetsch has signed a new four-fight deal with the UFC and is ready to get back to competition.

Boetsch transitioned to the big stage of MMA as a short notice fighter. He made a huge splash in his UFC debut, hurling David Heath to the canvas before battering him with punches for a TKO win. A loss to Matt Hamill at UFC Fight Night 13 followed, where Boetsch took the fight on six weeks notice.

At UFC 88, he rebounded with a quick knockout victory over Michael Patt.

Boetsch anticipates a March return to competition, though he is unsure of his next opponent. He is currently training at his gym, Triple Threat, in Sunbury, Penn.

“I’m real stoked,” Boetsch told MMAWeekly.com. “I’m excited to get back in there, secure my job for another year; that’s always a good thing. I’m looking forward to getting in there and showing people the new an improved ‘Barbarian.’ and just continue to gain that experience and climb up the ladder.”
 

B-Buzz

lenbiasyayo
Oct 21, 2002
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bhibago
last.fm
A lot of UFC guys are doing signings at Barnes & Noble's for the new Octagon book across the country tonight, list of who and where is

ALBUQUERQUE Keith Jardine 7:00 PM 6600 Menaul Blvd NE, Albuquerque, NM 87110
BOSTON Kenny Florian 6:00 PM 800 Boylston Street, Boston, MA 02119
CHICAGO Clay Guida 7:00 PM 297 Oakbrook Center, Oak Brook, IL 60523
CINCINNATI Dustin Hazelett 7:00 PM 7800 Montgomery Road, Cincinnati, OH 45236
DENVER Nate Marquardt 7:00 PM 8374 S. Willow Street, Littleton, CO 80124
INDIANAPOLIS Chris Lytle 6:00 PM 3748 East 82nd Street, Indianapolis, IN 46240
IRVINE Eddie Sanchez 7:00 PM 901B South Coast Drive, Costa Mesa, CA 92626
LAS VEGAS Stephan Bonnar 7:00 PM 8915 W. Charleston, Las Vegas, NV 89117
LONG ISLAND Matt Serra 7:00 PM 600 Smith Haven Mall, Lake Grove, NY 11755
LOS ANGELES Karo Parisyan/Kevin Lynch 7:30 PM 189 Grove Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90036
MAUI Kendall Grove 7:00 PM 325 Keawe #101, Lahaina, Hi 96761
MIAMI Thiago Alves 7:00 PM 12405 N Kendall Drive, Miami, FL 33186
MINNEAPOLIS Sean Sherk 7:00 PM 118 E. Broadway, Mall of America, Bloomington, MN 55425
NEW ORLEANS Rich Clementi 7:00 PM 3721 Veterans Memorial Blvd., Metairie, LA 70002
OMAHA Houston Alexander 7:00 PM 3333 Oakview Dr, Omaha, NE 68144
PORTLAND Nate Quarry 6:30 PM 12000 SE 82nd Avenue, Portland, OR 97266
SACRAMENTO James Irvin 7:00 PM 1725 Arden Way, Sacramento, CA 95815
SAN DIEGO Diego Sanchez 7:00 PM 2015 Birch Rd, San Diego, CA 91915
SAN JOSE Mike Swick 7:00 PM 2200 Eastridge Loop, San Jose, CA 95122
SAN LUIS OBISPO Chuck Liddell 7:00 PM 894 Marsh Street, Bldg. G, San Luis Obispo, CA 93401

http://www.ufc.com/index.cfm?fa=EventDetail.home&eid=1843
I think it costs around $40.
The UFC® Octagon Trade Edition gets up close and personal with the warriors of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Explore the work of photographer Kevin Lynch and track the evolution of UFC over five years through incredible photos of the fighters. See these amazing warriors from the tense moments before going into battle through to the emotional end of the combat. Explosive photographs capture the confidence, fear and passion in the eyes of key athletes from Anderson Silva and Chuck Liddell to Georges St. Pierre and B.J.Penn.
 
Feb 7, 2006
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Heavyweight Cain Velasquez to return at February's UFC Fight Night 17

UFC heavyweight prospect Cain Velasquez (4-0 MMA, 2-0 UFC) will next fight in February at UFC Fight Night 17, though he can't reveal his opponent.

The American Kickboxing Academy fighter confirmed the bout during a video interview with Steve Cofield of ESPN Radio and Yahoo! Sports.

It'll be Velasquez's first fight since a recent clash with UFC management over a video-game agreement that nearly forced the fighter -- and his AKA teammates -- out of the UFC.

However, a day after UFC President Dana White said he was kicking Velasquez and Jon Fitch out of the UFC, UFC CEO Lorenzo Fertitta spoke to the fighters, and they now remain on the UFC roster.

UFC Fight Night 17 takes place Feb. 17 and airs on Spike TV. As MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) recently reported, the event will take place at the USF Sun Dome in Tampa, Fla.

After first-round TKO victories at an October 2006 Strikeforce event and a December 2006 BodogFIGHT show, Velasquez had trouble finding opponents who were willing to fight him. So, he signed with the UFC earlier this year.

Velasquez made his octagon debut in April and defeated Brad Morris via first-round TKO. Three months later, he did the same to Jake O'Brien.

Velasquez has posted four first-round TKO victories in four career fights. The average time per victory is just two minutes and 33 seconds.
 
Feb 7, 2006
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FORREST "IS COOL" WITH POSSIBLE WANDERLEI FIGHT

As Forrest Griffin prepares for the first-ever defense of his UFC light heavyweight title on Dec. 27 at UFC 92, he is relying on teammates and training partners to help him get ready for Rashad Evans.

One of those training partners, Wanderlei Silva, has a fight of his own the same night taking on former champion Quinton "Rampage" Jackson in the third bout between the two. It's their first meeting, however, in the Octagon.

While Griffin is solely focused on facing Rashad Evans, he would be remiss not to think about a possible fight down the line against teammate and now friend, Wanderlei Silva, who could very well be next in line if he is victorious at UFC 92.

Griffin spoke to MMAWeekly Radio about that very possibility.

"Obviously it's there," Griffin said about a possible fight with Wanderlei Silva. "It's going to happen one day. He knows that and he's cool with it; I'm cool with it."

The former "Ultimate Fighter" season 1 cast member has nothing but good things to say about Silva, who has become a mainstay at Xtreme Couture over the past year.

"Wanderlei's actually very professional, very nice guy," Griffin commented. "He just has this love of fighting. He's a guy that was put on this earth to fight people. That's just the way he's built."

One thing that Griffin understands beyond anything with a potential match-up against Silva is that he will have to be prepared for war, as the Brazilian is known for undying heart and tenacity in all of his fights.

"The love of the fray is what he has. You hit him, he doesn't care," said Griffin. "If he was a video game character, his game would have infinite life."

The door remains open for the now teammates to square off in the future, but for now Griffin sets his sites on Rashad Evans and the defense of the UFC light heavyweight title at UFC 92.
 
Feb 7, 2006
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UFC Quick Quote: Efrain Escudero eyes future fight against Roger Huerta

“As of right now, I don’t know what to think. I just became a new UFC fighter, so I don’t know what to expect or what to say. But if I had to pick an opponent within a year, I would say Roger Huerta. I think me and him would make a good match up, just because I’m a gamer. I go in there and I study guys. I stick to my game plan from one end to the other. When he fights, he’s ready to give war.”
 
Feb 7, 2006
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Affliction planning multiple events in 2009

With only one event currently scheduled for 2009, many have wondered what Affliction Entertainment plans are for the rest of the year. Affliction V.P. Tom Atencio provided some insight as to what could occur in 2009.

“Right now, we are looking at having four events in 2009,” said Atencio.

A lot of what will happen in 2009 depends on the success of the “Day of Reckoning” show headlined by Fedor Emelianenko defending the WAMMA heavyweight title against Andrei Arlovski.

“I’m just looking at the January show,” said Atencio, “and the next show would be about four to five months from then.”
 
Feb 7, 2006
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Kenny Florian open to a rematch with Diego Sanchez

Former middleweight finalist from the first season of The Ultimate Fighter, Kenny Florian, stated on the most recent edition of ESPN.com’s “MMA Live” that he’d be open to the possibility of a rematch against the man who beat him in the final, Diego Sanchez.

“I don’t want to fight Diego Sanchez to get revenge,” Florian said while responding to an e-mail question from a viewer. “I want to fight him because he’s a great fighter coming down to 155. I try to forget about my wins (and) forget about my losses and just move forward. Diego Sanchez being the great fighter that he is coming down to 155 — it’s exciting to me. I get a chance to fight a great fighters and that’s why I’d like the fight.”

After Sanchez and Florian fought at the TUF 1 finale on April 9, 2005, the two fighters went their separate ways with Sanchez dropping to welterweight and Florian eventually migrating to lightweight. However, it was confirmed in recent weeks that Sanchez will be dropping from 170 pounds to 155 pounds for his next bout.

Sanchez, 19-2, last competed in the main event of the live finale for the seventh season of TUF this past June, where he TKO’d Luigi Fioravanti at 4:07 of round 3. He had been scheduled to face Thiago Alves at UFC 90 on Oct. 25 but was forced to pull off the card due to injury.

Florian, 11-3, is undefeated in his last six fights with his latest victory coming at UFC 91 in November, where he submitted Joe Stevenson at 4:03 of round 1. After the fight, UFC President Dana White confirmed that Florian is still next in line for the next lightweight title shot.

B.J. Penn is currently the promotion’s 155 pound champ but he is set to challenge for the UFC welterweight title against incumbent Georges St. Pierre at UFC 94 on Jan. 31. If Penn is victorious, his next fight would be a welterweight title defense against Alves, meaning that the lightweight title would remain in a state of limbo. However, it’s also possible that Penn would vacate the 155 pound championship if he becomes the new welterweight champion.
 
Feb 7, 2006
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Galvão wins his first MMA belt in Canada

Doing his second fight in the MMA career, André Galvão showed one more time a great job inside the octagon. Against Mickey Gomes at FSC, that happened in Ontario last Saturday (13rd), the two times Jiu-Jitsu world champion needed only one round to get his opponent down and submit with a perfect arm-lock. ”Everything was perfect, one more time he did his way: put him down and submitted with na arm-lock... Now he’s the new champion in Canada”, celebrates Josuel Distak, who helped Galvão’s preparation for the fight.

Besides helping André in his preparation for both MMA fights, Distak couldn’t go to Canada with the fighter. “I’m here with Ronaldo “Jacaré” (Souza) in Rio and we’re training hard. Probably he’ll fight by the end of the year and bring us another victory”, said Josuel
 
Feb 7, 2006
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Drysdale debuts in MMA on Friday

On the last month, two BJJ black belts made successful MMA debuts. André Galvão started with a submission and Xande Ribeiro with a knockout. This Friday (17), the 2005 world champion and 2007 ADCC champion, Robert Drysdale, will make his debut. Against Josh Musick, at Tuff-N-Uff’s Future Stars of MMA, Drysdale wants to show that he’s actually a MMA future star.

“I’m calm and well prepared to fight. I wanna fight, I’m anxious, I’d fight today if I could. I trained all days in two periods, Boxing and Wrestling in the morning and physical preparation with Rafael Alejarra, and the sparring part I did at Xtreme Couture”, said Drysdale, who trained with Wanderlei Silva, Forrest Griffin and Randy Couture on trainings: “Wanderlei and Forrest helped me a lot giving me some tips, the experience, becaude they believe a lot in me, and Couture helped me on the wrestling part. I’m very happy and I know I’ll win this fight”.

To prepare his tactic for the first challenge in MMA, Drysdale will inspire himself in Griffin’s preparation to face Quinton Jackson for the UFC light-heavyweight belt. “I asked him which tactic he would use to face Rampage and he said one simple phrase: ‘I know two things, that I’m prepared and won’t give up’. It marked me a lot and I’ll use it in this fight, also because I don’t know anything about my opponent, only that he has five fights and five victories, and comes from Jiu-Jitsu. I heard that he’s happy to face me and it’s good, because he might come hungry and make some mistakes”, said the black belt.
 
Feb 7, 2006
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Eric Schafer vs. Antonio Mendes on tap for UFC 93 in Ireland

UFC light heavyweight Eric Scafer (10-3-2 MMA 2-2 UFC), hoping to build off a recent submission victory over Houston Alexander, will next meet Antonio Mendes (15-3 MMA, 0-1 UFC) at UFC 93.

Schafer announced the fight during a guest appearance at the Dec. 14 Gladiator Cage Fighting event in Milwaukee, Wisc.

UFC 93 takes place Jan. 17 at The 02 in Dublin, Ireland, and airs live on pay per view.

Mendes was originally expected to fight former IFL fighter Andre Gusmao at UFC 93, though the reason for Gusmao's departure from the card is unknown. As of Monday afternoon, the UFC had formally announced neither match-up.

MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) could not immediately reach Schafer for confirmation that the bout had been signed.

The UFC already announced a full UFC 93 televised main card, so the Scahfer-Mendes fight will likely take place on the night's un-aired preliminary card.

Schafer last fought in September at UFC Fight Night 15, where he defeated hometown fighter Alexander at the Omaha, Neb. event. It was his first back in the UFC after he left the organization for two bouts (and two wins) with the Wisconsin-based Gladiators Cage Fighting organization.

Since back-to-back losses to Michael Bisping and Stephan Bonnar, Schafer, a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt, has now won three straight fights -- all by first-round stoppage.

He'll now meet Mendes, who will also look to rebound from a loss in his UFC debut. After stringing together an 11-fight win streak fighting throughout Europe, Mendes debuted at UFC 84 and suffered a first-round submission loss (via strikes) to top 205-pound contender Thiago Silva.