MMA News Thread

[Shogun Locc]

Belfort ready for Matt Lindland

After won Terry Martin by knockout in the first edition of Affliction, Vitor Belfort back to the fights on January 24 and not think of another result than victory. After a hard training session in Minotauro Team, the "Phenom" talked with TATAME about the expectation for the fight. “I am well, training hard and i have no complains... Everything is perfect. I'm doing my normal training, nothing special. I´m improving my weakness and what I already have good. Here there are much wrestler, sparrings and the training is very professional, it is valid", said Belfort, in the cheer of Brazilian Rogerio Minotouro and Renato "Babalu” in action on the same night.

"I hope that we can get off very well in that event, that's my expectation, that we three won. I hope they are well trained and to bring more victories for Brazil" said victor in the cheer of the growth of Affliction in the events. "I hope the event will grow and the fighters will grow together. This is the fairest thing but i have no concern about that, the important thing is to do our part". Concludes.

Trainning in the Minotauro Team, Belfort had the opportunity to train with Rodrigo Nogueira for his fight against Frank Mir in UFC 92, but the result was not expected. With a defeat by technical knockout in the second round, Nogueira loose his interim belt of event, but the Belfort bet on his return to the top. "Nogueira has not had time to find the fight, several things have happened to him, came from contusion, was hospitalized and has a lot of things to be adjusted in his training. The Mir fought very well, without wanting to take the merits of it,but I wanted that the Rodrigo gives a rest for his body. He came from many battles and contusions, he was not 100% for this fight. The Frank Mir was better, but I'm sure that Rodrigo will turn this around", finalized.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Gracie Jiu-Jitsu takes Royce around the world

First athlete to dominate the UFC, with three victories in the first edition of the event, in 1993, Royce Gracie is one of the greatest legends of national MMA. Even without fighting since 2007, when defeated Kazushi Sakuraba in K-1 Hero's, is mistaken who thinks that the Brazilian is out of the Jiu-Jitsu world, the same that made him for many years as one of the best of the MMA.

During the festivities of December, we received an email from the black belt, in which Royce thanks for the support over the years and makes a balance of 2008. "I want to thank everyone for the continued support. I thank all who helped me, not only this year, but in the past, to expand the knowledge of Jiu-Jitsu of my father (Hélio Gracie) worldwide", wrote Royce, telling what he has done in recent months.

"In the last six years I could travel around the world and make the Gracie Jiu-Jitsu continue to grow. Last year I visited a big number of states in the U.S. and my international seminars happen in England, Scotland, Ireland, Israel, Spain, Romania, Australia, Japan, Guatemala, Mexico, Canada and many others. It’s unbelievable how fast things are growing and I can hardly wait to visit the rest of the world. I’m also giving a Gracie course to the police and the militaries. It’s rewarding to hear stories of how the Gracie Jiu-Jitsu saved a life", celebrates Royce, wishing a very good 2009 to all.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Lombard Signs Exclusively with Bellator Fighting Championships

Bellator Fighting Championships, a first-of-its-kind Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) promotion, officially announced today the exclusive signing of former Cuban Olympian Hector “Shango” Lombard. Lombard will compete in the Middleweight (185 lb.) division of Bellator’s tournament style events, which premiere on ESPN Deportes April 4, 2009 and run for 12 weeks every Saturday night.

Multiple-time Cuban National Judo Champion and standout member of the 2000 Cuban Olympic Judo team, Lombard has amassed an outstanding 17 - 2 record since transitioning to MMA. Currently residing in Miami, Florida and training with the world-renowned American Top Team and managed by Miami’s First Round Management, Lombard’s signing with Bellator marks American fans’ first opportunity to see this 185 lb. phenomenon fight on U.S. soil on national television.

“Lombard is a world-class Judo player who loves to fight and brings an electrifying intensity to every fight,” says Bjorn Rebney, CEO of Bellator. “We’re very pleased to announce that he will be fighting for us and competing in our Middleweight tournament.”

Until now, Lombard has displayed his talents in Japan and Australia, where fans have had the opportunity to watch as he’s refined and polished his overall MMA skills. As one of the top fighters in Bellator’s 185 lb. division, now U.S. MMA fans will have the opportunity to watch Lombard fight and track his progress in Bellator’s Tournament.

The Bellator Fighting Championships’ premiere season consists of 12 two-hour events to be broadcast weekly during primetime on Saturday nights. The nationally televised events will feature a combination of tournament and non-tournament special feature bouts. There will be four simultaneous tournaments taking place in season #1 over a three month period: one in each of the Featherweight (145 lb.), Lightweight (155 lb.), Welterweight (170 lb.) and Middleweight (185 lb.) divisions.

Bellator’s interactive Web site, www.bellator.com, featuring event and fighter information, behind the scenes video footage, fight clips and live interaction with Bellator fighters will go live in January 2009.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Condit, Atencio and Rios Featured on HDNet’s ‘Inside MMA’
videolink: http://www.sherdog.com/videos/recent/Condit-Atencio-and-Rios-Featured-on-HDNets-Inside-MMA-1873
On this week’s HDNet “Inside MMA,” Kenny Rice and Bas Rutten look back at the big year-ending MMA cards and also look ahead to a busy January schedule. Helping them out in the studio are WEC welterweight champion Carlos Condit, featherweight Albert Rios, and Affliction's Tom Atencio. As usual, Ron Kruck offers the latest in mixed martial arts news.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Referee Steve Mazzagatti insists all is well despite recent criticism

Judging by the fall-out from December's "UFC 92: The Ultimate 2008," longtime referee Steve Mazzagatti did not have his best performance.

A perceived slow response to end both the Cheick Kongo vs. Mostapha al Turk and Rashad Evans vs. Forrest Griffin bouts led UFC President Dana White to say Mazzagatti was "a nice guy, but he's not a referee," at the post-event press conference.

The even-keeled Mazzagatti recently told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) he wasn't even aware White was upset.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Mazzagatti said.

In both cases, there was no doubt as to the winner of the bout. The concern expressed from White stemmed from the amount of uncontested shots al Turk and Griffin were allowed to take after the outcome of the bout had been unquestionably determined.

And White wasn't the only one critical of Mazzagatti's stoppages. UFC lightweight contender Kenny Florian also made his opinion known on a recent episode of ESPN.com's ESPN Live.

"I think someone should have gotten [Mazzagatti] glasses for Christmas," Florian said. "I'll be honest, he really has been late with a lot of his calls, and it has been a consistent thing with him."

While the public outcry may be predominantly negative, the only opinion that truly matters is that of his employer, the Nevada State Athletic Commission. And Mazzagatti said that relationship is doing just fine.

"The commission is happy with my performance," Mazzagatti said. "Enforcing the rules isn't always going to be popular. I pride myself on trying to enforce the rules. That's what it's all about."

The NSAC appoints referees to all bouts under their jurisdiction. So while White may publicly voice his disapproval of Mazzagatti's performance, it is ultimately up to NSAC Executive Director Keith Kizer to decide where the embattled referee will work.

Attempts to reach Kizer for comment on Mazzagatti's stature were unsuccessful.

As for Mazzagatti, he has no problem returning to officiate another UFC bout, despite all the criticism.

"Not at all," Mazzagatti said.

 

[lenbiasyayo]

i was om drugs , move along

 

[Shogun Locc]

Channeling the Old Belfort
videolink: http://www.sherdog.com/videos/recent/Channeling-the-Old-Belfort-1875
Former UFC light heavyweight champion Vitor Belfort sat down with Sherdog.com news editor Loretta Hunt for an exclusive video interview.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Oleinik, Zayats Lead Red Devils to M-1 Challenge Victory

AMSTERDAM, Netherlands -- The Russian Red Devil squad crushed Team Holland in a 4-1 victory on Sunday at the M-1 Challenge 2008 Finals, a tournament that spanned nine months and pitted 10 teams against one another over 10 events on four continents.

Heavyweight Alexey Oleinik entered the final bout of the night knowing his comrades had already grasped success but still stopped Team Holland’s Jessie Gibbs with a second-round front choke at 3:42, handing the heavyweight his second career loss.

Wrestling out from underneath Gibbs in the early going, Oleinik nailed two big takedowns to keep a waning Gibbs at bay until he could secure the head and arm choke.

Red Devil light heavyweight Mikhail Zayats pummeled last-minute replacement David Haagsman standing, then grounded the Holland fighter with a trip before taking mount. Zayats pitched off the side for the armbar on Haagsman, who took the bout on Sunday after teammate Kamil Uygun fell ill. An overwhelmed Haagsman submitted at 3:25.

Jason Jones got Team Holland on the scoreboard with his unanimous decision victory over Dmitry Samoilov in the middleweight final. The explosive Jones, cornered by K-1 knockout artist Melvin Manhoef, dropped the first round to the well-versed Samoilov, who worked a kimura and some potent ground-and-pound on the trapped Dutchman.

Jones came alive in the second and outmuscled the Bodog Fight standout to the canvas, where he went for a rear-naked choke and then transitioned to an armbar attempt. Samoilov was deducted a point for kicking Jones’ head as he tried to wiggle his appendage free. After a brief rest, the fighters were re-started standing, and Jones began to get a feel for his shot range.

In the final round, Jones utilized two key takedowns to steal the bout from the frustrated Russian, who found his range in the stand-up just a little too late.

Erik Oganov’s violent takedowns were too much for Romano de los Reyes, who fell to the Red Devil welterweight via a unanimous decision. A second-round guillotine attempt from de los Reyes and a yellow card deduction given to the Russian for an illegal head butt in the bout’s first few seconds were not enough to slow down Oganov.

Red Devil lightweight Mikhail Malyutin landed a crushing right hook on Team Holland’s Bogdan Christea that set the stage for a split decision nod and a win for his team out of the gate. Malyutin enjoyed positional control for much of the first and second rounds and scored points in a defiant Christea’s guard.

A purple mouse forming under his left eye, Christea attempted to rally by taking the Russian’s back mid-round. He garnered top control in the second round’s final seconds and dropped back for a leg lock right at the bell.

Down two sets, the emotionally charged Christea took the reigns in round three and nearly ended things with a rear-naked choke. The fighters made it back to their feet, and Christea dropped to his back for one more failed guillotine attempt, but his efforts were not enough to secure a win for his squad.

In non-team bouts, light heavyweight Toni Valtonen dished out loads of punishment en route to a third-round stoppage over Chang Seob Lee. Pudgy but resilient, Lee absorbed head and body punches from almost every position, including full mount. The potbellied plodder landed a few haymakers of his own along the way and quickly became a crowd favorite but had endured enough by round three and verbally motioned for a reprieve.

Red Devil newcomer Radmir Gabdulin acquitted himself well in his fourth professional fight, surviving two heel hook attempts from middleweight Hoon Kim in the first round. He cinched in his own triangle choke finish 35 seconds into the second set.

Ricardo Wondel’s first takedown on Sang Soo Lee was as sudden as the heavyweight bout’s finish. After pounding on Lee in his guard for a minute or so, a wincing Wondel -- cornered by Dream middleweight grand prix champion Gegard Mousasi -- informed the referee that he had dislocated his thumb and would not be able to continue.

Finally, Enoc Solves Torres defeated Seung Bae Whi by unanimous decision. All three judges scored the match 30-27 in Torres’ favor.

M-1 Global will begin M-1 Challenge’s second season on Feb. 21 in Seattle, expanding from 10 to 16 teams to include a Brazilian contingent, an additional U.S. squad and possibly a Chinese group.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Stephan Bonnar Mixes It Up With Gilbert Yvel

As always, the Xtreme Couture gym in Las Vegas is buzzing with activity. MMAInsider was on the scene last weekend while several well-known fighters prepared for upcoming bouts in a group sparring session.

Amidst the swarm of fists and kicks on the gym's main workout area, Gilbert Yvel was engaging Stephan Bonnar near the cage in the second of five five-minute rounds. From the looks of it, Yvel was taking it to the runner-up of the original "Ultimate Fighter."

Yvel's hands and feet were lightning fast; he never let anything get away. The second Bonnar threw a punch, another was on its way to meet him. He did his best to catch-up, but after eating several kicks to the midsection, he thought twice about being overly aggressive.

And apparently, Yvel was still being too nice. Between rounds, Yvel's trainer, John Lewis, told his fighter to turn it up a notch.

"You can hit harder," he encouraged.

When the two found each other in the fifth five-minute round, Yvel quit playing patty-cake.

One particular kick to Bonnar's midsection took the wind out of his sails.

"It kinda sucked," Bonnar later told MMAinsider. "Every time I hit him, he'd hit me back harder. So I took him down at the end of the (second) round, kinda got a good position on him. He didn't like that, so he found me again for the fifth round and hit me with a few."

Bonnar pointed to his left eye, which was marked red.

"It's good to take an ass whupping every now and then," he said with a smile.

Make sure to check out videos with Yvel and Bonnar as they discuss their upcoming fights at Affliction's "Day of Reckoning" and UFC 94, respectively.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Stephan Bonnar Mixes It Up With Gilbert Yvel

As always, the Xtreme Couture gym in Las Vegas is buzzing with activity. MMAInsider was on the scene last weekend while several well-known fighters prepared for upcoming bouts in a group sparring session.

Amidst the swarm of fists and kicks on the gym's main workout area, Gilbert Yvel was engaging Stephan Bonnar near the cage in the second of five five-minute rounds. From the looks of it, Yvel was taking it to the runner-up of the original "Ultimate Fighter."

Yvel's hands and feet were lightning fast; he never let anything get away. The second Bonnar threw a punch, another was on its way to meet him. He did his best to catch-up, but after eating several kicks to the midsection, he thought twice about being overly aggressive.

And apparently, Yvel was still being too nice. Between rounds, Yvel's trainer, John Lewis, told his fighter to turn it up a notch.

"You can hit harder," he encouraged.

When the two found each other in the fifth five-minute round, Yvel quit playing patty-cake.

One particular kick to Bonnar's midsection took the wind out of his sails.

"It kinda sucked," Bonnar later told MMAinsider. "Every time I hit him, he'd hit me back harder. So I took him down at the end of the (second) round, kinda got a good position on him. He didn't like that, so he found me again for the fifth round and hit me with a few."

Bonnar pointed to his left eye, which was marked red.

"It's good to take an ass whupping every now and then," he said with a smile.

Make sure to check out videos with Yvel and Bonnar as they discuss their upcoming fights at Affliction's "Day of Reckoning" and UFC 94, respectively.

 

[Shogun Locc]

UFC Quick Quote: Michael Bisping would prefer to fight Dan Henderson

“For me personally I’d prefer Dan Henderson to win. Number one because it would be great to fight such a true legend. And number two, simply because Franklin is a southpaw, and southpaws are a bit of a pain in the backside. Chris Leben, my last opponent, was a southpaw and it changes everything — you have to change your footwork, it mixes everything up. When you’re not used to the fighter it makes it quite difficult. It didn’t really bother me last time for the fight, it was the training that was a pain in the arse. It adds an a extra hassle, an extra different dimension you have to take care of.”

 

[Shogun Locc]

Palace Fighting Championship (PFC): Bobby Lashley vs Mike Hayes on Feb. 6

The California-based mixed martial arts promotion, Palace Fighting Championships (PFC), today confirmed that recently acquired former WWE superstar Bobby Lashley (1-0) will do battle against CageSport veteran Mike Hayes (4-0) at a joint mixed martial arts and boxing card at the Tachi Palace Hotel & Casino in Lemoore, California on February 6.

Lashley recently made his professional mixed martial arts debut with a first round technical knockout win over Joshua Franklin at Mixed Fighting Alliance: “There Will Be Blood” at the American Airlines Arena in Miami, Fla., on December 13. He overwhelmed his opponent right from the get-go, opening up a gnarly fight-ending gash on his head only 41 seconds into the bout.

While it wasn’t a true showcase of Lashley’s developing mixed martial arts skills, it was an impressive performance nonetheless. Now training with one of the most highly regarded camps in the world, American Top Team, the potential is almost limitless for a guy with the background, size and athletic ability of Lashley.

Still, Lashley will have something to prove against Hayes. The ‘White Buffalo Warrior’ made his debut in Strikeforce a successful one back in February when he decisioned the husky Matt Kovacs at ‘Strikeforce at the Dome.’

Hayes fought three more times in 2008 and continued to improve in each contest. After submitting Josh Bennett in August under the CageSport banner, he pounded out Jeremiah Constant in the first round just three months later with the same promotion.

Joining them in action is 170-pound judo specialist, Hector Lombard (17-2-1) against a yet-to-be-named opponent. “Shango” was supposed to fight Karo Parisyan at UFC 78, but had visa issues and never made his way back onto another UFC card.

He also signed with Elite XC last year, but never got a chance to compete for promotion before it went out of business in October. In short, his debut on American soil is long overdue. Fernando Gonzalez (13-6), loser of three out of his last four fights, is being mentioned as a possible opponent.

Here is the current line up for the February 6 PFC event:

Mixed Martial Arts:
Bobby Lashley (1-0) vs. Mike Hayes (4-0)
Ulysses Gomez (2-1) vs. David Suarez (2-1)
Chad Mendes (1-0) vs. Shannon Slack (0-0)
Erin Toughill (8-2-1) vs. Adrienna Jenkins (10-2)
Alexis Vila (4-0) vs. Ben Nguyen (2-1)
Hector Lombard (17-2-1) vs. TBA (0-0)
Brandon Cash (4-0) vs. Steve Gavin (3-2)

Boxing:
Andre Ward vs. Henry Buchanon
Shawn Estrada vs. TBA
Dewey Cooper vs. Arthur Williams
Poppies Martinez vs. TBA
Carina Moreno vs. Chantal Cordova
Manuel Quezada vs. Eric Boose

 

[Shogun Locc]

Ryan Bader vs. Carmelo Marrero expected for UFN 18 on April 1

Season eight light heavyweight winner of The Ultimate Fighter Ryan Bader is scheduled to make his formal UFC debut at UFC Fight Night 18 on April 1 against the returning Carmelo Marrero.

FiveOuncesOfPain.com was informed of the matchup from a source close to one of the fighters.

Bader won his TUF 8 crown following a first round TKO over Vinicius Magalhaes during the show’s live finale last month. A former All-American wrestler at Arizona State University, Bader is 8-0 in his career with seven of his eight victories having ended inside the distance.

He’ll be facing another former amateur wrestler in Marrero, who is returning to the UFC after being released from the organization in May of 2007. Marrero, 10-2, last competed in November at WEC 36, where he recorded a split decision victory over Steve Steinbeiss. He was transferred over to the UFC after the WEC closed both its middleweight and light heavyweight divisions.

Marrero might be best known for his upset victory over Cheick Kongo at UFC 64. However, he was released from his contract after experiencing back-to-back losses to Gabriel Gonzaga at UFC 66 and Wilson Gouveia at UFC 71.

UFN 18 will take place in Nashville, Tenn. and the two-hour live telecast on Spike TV will precede the season premiere for the ninth season of The Ultimate Fighter.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Promoter’s Spotlight: Roy Englebrecht (Part 1)

Since I started this series, I’ve spoken with two very talented and experienced promoters in Mark Pavelich and Monte Cox – both of whom champion rather large MMA promotions on the national scale – and I hope to speak with many more.

Today, however, it’s time to give one of the small promotions a look, which is something that might be of particular relevance and great interest to many of the small promoters and businessmen that visit our website.

Therefore, today’s spotlight rests solely upon Roy Englebrecht, the epitome of a small promoter: professional, consistent and of the entrepreneurial spirit, but also realistic and critically aware of his bottom line.

I’ll say this now, pull out the old Hilroy and take some notes!

Twenty Five Years in the Making

In less than two months, Roy Englebrecht will celebrate the 25th anniversary of what has now become the longest running “club show” in California – Pro Boxing’s Battle in the Ballroom. It’s a feat unparalleled by any other promoter in California and one made even more impressive by the fact that he has never lost a penny on any of his over 100 fight cards over that time.

In conjunction with the Irvine Marriott Hotel and Resort in Irvine, California, Englebrecht promotes his club show in the hotel’s ballroom to a capacity crowd of 1,200 people. The small crowd and young, hungry, and inexperienced fighters are, to Englebrecht, what define club shows, but those intangibles have not deterred him from producing a first-rate, professional “club show.”

“I think that [small promoters] have to realize that they actually own a professional sports franchise” he said. “They have to do the same things that Jerry Jones has to do with the Dallas Cowboys or George Steinbrenner has to do with the New York Yankees…but, they need to realize that they are not Jerry Jones or George Steinbrenner. They have to subvert their egos and realize that they are minor league promoters and thus they need to operate like the minor leagues.”

While it may be a cold, hard truth this realization is probably the main reason that Englebrecht has sold-out 24 consecutive events and has never lost money on a show: the professionalism and consistency of his events attract repeat buyers, but his operational mentality is always focused on the bottom line.

“I’d rather make $15,000 twenty times than try to make $300,000 one time in the fight business” Englebrecht advised. “It’s very hard to make $300,000 one time, but it’s real easy – doing it the right way, using the template we’ve created – to make $15,000 twenty times.”

Like any entrepreneur worth his salt, Englebrecht also possesses the ability to adapt to his environment and seize on profitable opportunities. He recognized the need to diversify his business and also sensed that this “new MMA thing” was more than just another fad.

Thus, in 2005 Englebrecht jumped at the opportunity to host his first MMA event that would spawn the MMA Fist Series. With it, he was able to apply his winning formula from the ballroom series to an MMA show following the same basic principles of professionalism and consistency.

Keys to a Successful Small Promotion

As many of you can imagine, or may know from experience, the facets of running a fight promotion are quite literally innumerable. There are, however, a few topics that we discussed in greater detail – venue selection, corporate sponsorships, and fighter relationship management – that all touched on Roy’s promotional center pin: perception is key. That being, in order to benefit from professionalism or consistency your audience, your sponsors, and your fighters all have to perceive it.

And so, according to Englebrecht, one of the biggest mistakes that a small promoter can make is selecting a venue with a seating capacity greater than the actual needs of the show.

“People want to be where other people are” he said. “People want to be where the perception is where this is the place to be. To go out and book the Anaheim Convention Center, a 7,200 seat venue, to put on minor league MMA, and have 1,000 people there, is a formula for losing $50,000.”

The demand for minor league fighting simply is not large enough to fill such a venue and in doing so, it’s only setting a negative perception of the quality of the event (regardless of how exciting the fights are or professionally the event is run).

Instead, a promoter should select a venue that properly meets the show’s current demand. Why comp a couple thousand tickets that you’ll have to pay taxes on? Why pay for venue space that you’re not going to use?

Englebrecht agrees.

“We have 1,300 people in the ballroom, for 1,300 chairs and there is an energy there” Englebrecht said. “People go in there for the first time and say ‘man, this is the place to be’ because the place is absolutely electric.”

There’s also something to be said for the benefits of a little excess demand. While too much demand is probably an indication that a promotion is under-pricing and leaving money on the table, a slight excess will help increase the perceived exclusivity and value of the event.

The effect of exclusivity on value also cannot be ignored where corporate sponsorship is concerned.

At the “club show” level, sponsors are without the benefit of a large, live audience or television broadcasts with which they can advertise to the MMA market. Thus, advertising and reaching that coveted 18-34 year-old demographic isn’t the selling point that larger promotions often utilize, says Englebrecht.

Rather, selling corporate sponsorships at the club level is about adding value through a guaranteed experience – a professional show that sponsors can use to treat their clients or employees.

“There has to be some sort of return on investment to the sponsor and when they’re not on the TV and not on the internet, the only thing they get is a feel-good sponsorship” Englebrecht said.

“We’re selling them on an experience for six nights that they can feel big time, that they can feel special, and they do. A club promoter has to do that because he’s selling a minor league experience, with no TV and no Hollywood stars at ringside.”

The buck can’t stop with the audience or corporate partners, either. A small promotion must also extend that professional treatment and “big time” experience and perception to its fighters.

“We treat [our fighters] just like a UFC show” said Englebrecht. “We have a very organized weigh-in. We have a fighter information sheet which welcomes them and explains everything. We put them up at the Marriott. We give them per diem and some of these kids didn’t even know what per diem meant. We sit down with them and select their entrance music. We make them feel like big time.”

It should come as no surprise, then, that Englebrecht’s MMA Fist Series rarely has problems with no shows, late medicals, or fighters failing to make weight.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Anderson Silva Interview

Middleweight champion of the UFC, Anderson Silva reigns absolute in the category and is constantly pointed like the best pound-for-pound fighter of MMA. Back to Brazil, Anderson prepares himself to step on Ultimate’s octagon again and defend his belt, this time against a compatriot. Still without the official confirmation, Anderson trains strongly to face Thales Leites, and spoke with TATAME.com about the preparation, “Minotauro” Nogueira and Wanderlei Silva’s loss in UFC 92 and much more.

Is already right the fight against Thales Leites, in UFC 97? How do you think it will be?
I don’t know yet, but I think that it’ll be against him. I don’t know, it’s hard to say. Fight is fight, there’s no how to say how it’ll be, I just have to train. He’ll have the opportunity of fight for the belt, I hope that he’s training well, because we’re too… To fight against a Brazilian is always complicated, even because is a title fight, but it’s cool, we’re professionals and we’ll do our jobs.

How is the preparation for the fight?
The trains are very cool. We already started the trainings, I came back now from United States, where I was training with Randy, Manny Pacquiao’s coach, and we came back now to Brazil to start the trains firmer here. I’m at Curitiba, sharpening my Muay Thai and, next week, I’m going to Rio de Janeiro to start the physical preparation, the trains with the guys, André Galvão, (Ronaldo) “Jacaré” (Souza), all the people there.

Did you go to Las Vegas to watch the UFC 92? What did you think?
I wasn’t there, I was solving my things at Los Angeles and I didn’t go to watch the fights, but unfortunately it wasn’t a good night for the Brazilians. Let’s come back, see where we did wrong and made right and find to improve. It’s a new year, everything new, let’s forget the pass. This already makes part of the pass. The fight is over and it is already pass, now is to think in the future, the next fights and challenges that will come.

Where do you think that they mistook in the fights?
I wasn’t very much with Minotauro in the last times, because I was busy doing my things… He must has given a train with the guys there (Wanderlei Silva’s team, in Las Vegas), but by what I know, it’s not excuse, Rodrigo had just left out of the hospital, stayed intern some time and wasn’t very well, so… It’s not an excuse, but we don’t know what really happened, only him can tell what really have happened. This is past now, we have to think in the next fights and to run after, see another time what we mistook in the year that passed and start to improve.

Do you think about to train in the Wanderlei`s academy when you go to fight in Las Vegas?
We already trained many years together, each one took different lives and has your way to run, each one chose the way that wanted to run through, but, if I had an opportunity, was near there, happen the opportunity, certainly. It’s normal, because I don’t have anything against him, each one knows what make, so it’s ok.

How do you see the situation of Lyoto Machida into UFC, who already made five fights, continues undefeated, but doesn’t gets a titleshot?
This is not due to us. Lyoto already proved to everybody that has conditions of represent this category and fight for the belt, but isn’t due to me, but to the promoters of the events give this chance. He already proved that, now is to wait the next fight, to hope that make a good fight, a fight that defines once for all his condition like one of the pretenders to fight for the belt. As him as Thiago are big fighters, it’ll be hard for the both, but we’re supporting him (Lyoto). I’m his friend, I train with him and I’m cheering for him. For the belt, he’ll have to wait, and it is due to the owners of the event to give this chance for him. He already proved that can, now it is to wait.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Spike TV to Air UFC 95 on Tape Delay; ‘UFC Primetime’ Premieres Jan. 14

In a little more than a month, Diego Sanchez will lock horns with Joe Stevenson in the UFC 95 main event on Feb. 21 at the O2 Arena in London. Spike TV will air the event on same-day tape delay at 9 p.m. ET/PT.

The eccentric Sanchez (19-2) will venture into lightweight waters for the first time inside the Octagon at UFC 95. He has not fought since June, when he stopped American Top Team’s Luigi Fioravanti on third-round strikes at “The Ultimate Fighter 7” Finale in Las Vegas. A former protégé of Greg Jackson, the 27-year-old Sanchez has posted back-to-back wins since his split decision defeat to Jon Fitch at UFC 76. He has never been finished in 21 professional bouts.

Stevenson (29-9), meanwhile, will enter the cage in desperate need of a victory, as he has dropped two of his past three fights. He last appeared in November, when he succumbed to Kenny Florian’s rear-naked choke at UFC 91. The end came 4:03 into round one, as Florian launched himself into title contention. A Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt, Stevenson holds submission wins against Melvin Guillard, Dokonjonosuke Mishima and Gleison Tibau.

Top middleweights also have a place in the UFC 95 spotlight, as former title challenger Nate Marquardt will square off with American Top Team’s Wilson Gouveia in a key bout at 185 pounds.

Marquardt (27-8-2) has posted eight wins in 10 fights, losing only to reigning middleweight champion Anderson Silva and Brazilian Thales Leites in that span. The 29-year-old Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt last competed at UFC 88 in September, as he dominated Martin Kampmann en route to a first-round stoppage in Atlanta. Marquardt has finished 20 of his 27 wins, 15 of them by submission.

Talented but inconsistent, Gouveia (12-5), a former light heavyweight, failed to make weight for his match with Jason MacDonald at “The Ultimate Fighter 8” Finale in December. Nevertheless, he stopped the Canadian with first-round elbows and notched his second win in as many fights. Gouveia remains the only man with a knockout victory against Fitch.

Other intriguing matchups at UFC 95 include a middleweight showdown pairing Chael Sonnen with unbeaten Demian Maia, a welterweight battle matching Josh Koscheck with newcomer Paulo Thiago and a heavyweight fight pitting Stefan Struve against Junior dos Santos.

St. Pierre-Penn hype begins

The buildup for the upcoming fight between lightweight champion B.J. Penn and welterweight kingpin Georges St. Pierre begins this Wednesday with the premiere of “UFC Primetime,” a three-part Spike TV series that will take fans behind the scenes of the epic showdown. The program will air at 10 p.m. ET/PT on three consecutive Wednesdays.

Penn will challenge St. Pierre for the welterweight crown at UFC 94 on Jan. 31 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. The popular French Canadian beat Penn by split decision at UFC 58 in March 2006; they have since become two of the top five pound-for-pound mixed martial artists in the world.

“Primetime” breaks with tradition from the typical “UFC Countdown” shows that air on Spike TV in advance of select pay-per-views. The three episodes will be filmed as close to their air date as possible, giving fans a more current view of where each fighter stands.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Gilbert Yvel: "There is no question" regarding CSAC license

Controversial Dutch heavyweight Gilbert Yvel (35-12-1) is no stranger to negative attention. Multiple instances of unsportsmanlike behavior, including past assaults of in-ring officials, have left the 32-year-old with a well-deserved questionable reputation.

Those past transgressions left many wondering whether Yvel would be cleared by the California State Athletic Commission to fight Josh Barnett at the Jan. 24 "Affliction: Day of Reckoning" event.

Those concerns are apparently unnecessary as Yvel told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) late Saturday night that he has been cleared to fight.

"I am 100 percent fighting," Yvel said. "There is no question about it."

Affliction Vice President Tom Atencio told gathered media at a December press conference that Yvel had been cleared to fight. That report would later prove to be inaccurate, as the CSAC had simply granted Yvel a chance to apply for a license pending a meeting with Assistant Executive Officer Bill Douglas.

That meeting was apparently fruitful, as Yvel is now claiming he is in the clear.

One final step remains before "The Hurricane" is completely ready, though the process should be a formality. A routine medical evaluation must be fulfilled before Yvel can step into the ring with Barnett.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Mark Hominick off Jan. 24 Affliction card with pneumonia, replacement secured

A bout of pneumonia has forced veteran featherweight Mark Hominick (16-8) off the Jan. 24 "Affliction: Day of Reckoning" card, Affliction Entertainment today announced.

Hominick was set to meet L.C. Davis (12-1) on the event's HDNet-televised preliminary card. The main card for the event, which takes place at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif., airs on pay per view.

Tom Atencio today told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) a replacement for Hominick has been secured, and he said the fighter will be revealed in the next few days once a bout agreement has been signed.

The Canadian-based Hominick is a seven-year MMA veteran who's fought for top organizations such as TKO and the WEC. He also appeared twice in the UFC and defeated both Jorge Gurgel and Yves Edwards in 2006 and remains 2-0 in the organization. Hominick last competed in July when he defeated Savant Young via armbar submission at Affliction's debut event, "Banned."

Davis is a former IFL fighter who's posted 11 stoppages in his 12 pro wins. The Team Miletich fighter last competed at December's Adrenaline MMA event, where he defeated Billy Kidd via first-round submission.

 

[Shogun Locc]

WEC imports Aaron Simpson and Tim McKenzie meet at UFC Fight Night 18

Former World Extreme Cagefighting middleweight Aaron Simpson (4-0 MMA, 0-0 UFC) will make his Ultimate Fighting Championship debut April 1 when he meets fellow WEC import Tim McKenzie (12-5 MMA, 0-0 UFC) at UFC Fight Night 18.

Fiveouncesofpain.com first reported the bout earlier today.

UFC Fight Night 18 airs on Spike TV and will likely take place in Nashville, Tenn.

Simpson, a 34-year-old member of Arizona Combat Sports (which is also home to "The Ultimate Fighter 8" winner Ryan Bader and "TUF7" runner-up C.B. Dollaway), is 4-0 in his 15-month professional career. He's finished all four opponents via knockout, which included an 18-second KO of David Avellan during his WEC debut at WEC 36 in November.

Simpson, a two-time All-American wrestler and former coach at Arizona State University, was moved to the UFC after the WEC eliminated its light-heavyweight and middleweight divisions in late 2008.

McKenzie, 26, was also moved to the UFC after going 3-3 in the WEC during a five-year span. Mixed in with the WEC appearances were fights with Pancrase, BodogFIGHT and the International Fighting Championship.

McKenzie suffered a loss to WEC light-heavyweight champ Steve Cantwell in March 2008 but rebounded for a submission win over Jeremy Lang two months later. He's now won four of his past six fights.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Tom Atencio: "No truth" to rumors of poor Affliction ticket sales

Although Affliction Vice President Tom Atencio is tight-lipped about specific sales totals for the Jan. 24 "Affliction: Day of Reckoning" event, he maintains sales are "comparable" to its first show that took place in July 2008.

However, despite his satisfaction, many reports in the past week have pegged actual sales numbers for the event at just 1,500 to 2,000 of the 15,000 available tickets for the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.

"That's absolutely not true," Atencio today told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com). "One hundred percent inaccurate."

During conference calls in December and then again just last week, Atencio said he was "real happy" with the pace of sales for the event. Despite his satisfaction, rumor of poor sales persist. (Honda Center representatives declined to comment.)

By the time the Jan. 24 HDNet- and pay-per-view-televised event concludes, Atencio predicts sales totals for "Day of Reckoning" will be similar to those from the July 2008 "Banned" event. According to the California State Athletic Commission, "Banned" drew 14,832 spectators (11,242 paid) for a live gate of nearly $2.1 million.

The organization will use a similar seating configuration for the second show, and Atencio said that in the weeks leading up to "Day of Reckoning," sales figures have mirrored "Banned."

"I don't want to give out exact numbers, but it's very similar to the first show," he said. "And I'm very happy with the ticket sales at this point."

"Banned" featured a main event of longtime PRIDE heavyweight champ Fedor Emelianenko vs. former UFC title-holder Tim Sylvia. For "Day of Reckoning," Emelianenko takes on another former UFC champion, Andrei Arlovski.

Although the upcoming event's complete fight card is just as stacked as its predecessor, "Day of Reckoning" hasn't generated the buzz that "Banned" did. Much of that initial publicity stemmed from the UFC's decision to broadcast UFC Fight Night 14 (headlined by pound-for-pound king Anderson Silva) for free on Spike TV on the same night as "Banned." The "UFC vs. Affliction" storyline generated a lot of headlines, but the second time around, the UFC and Spike TV have quietly scheduled a replay of "UFC 91: Couture vs. Lesnar" to counter Affliction. Without the public bickering, Affliction hasn't seemed to generate the headlines the first show did.

Additionally, "Day of Reckoning" faces major competition in its Jan. 24 time slot. The UFC has scheduled pay-per-view events for both Jan. 17 and Jan. 31. (The Jan. 31 event, UFC 94, features a mega-fight between UFC champions Georges St. Pierre and B.J. Penn.) The WEC, a sister promotion of the UFC, also decided to hold a rare Sunday card in San Diego – one day after "Day of Reckoning" – on Jan. 25.

And if that weren't enough, Golden Boy Productions, which announced a partnership with Affliction in late 2008, will host a boxing event the same night as "Day of Reckoning." Antonio Margarito defends his WBA welterweight boxing title against Shane Mosley at a Golden Boy show at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, which is just 30 miles from Affliction's event. Additionally, Staples Center officials recently opened up a slew of $25 tickets for the event.

Still, Atencio sees "Day of Reckoning" emerging as a successful event.

"If we're as successful as the first [show], and I'm sure we will be, then I'm going to be real happy," he said.