MMA News Thread

[Shogun Locc]

Rodrigo Damm to face Gilbert Melendez on April 11 Strikeforce

Despite previous reports that Lyle Beerbohm could be a possibility to replace Josh Thomson in a bout against Gilbert Melendez at the upcoming April 11th Strkeforce event, it seems as if Rodrigo Damm has recently been chosen as the late replacement for the former Strikeforce lightweight champion.

The Fight Network was the first to report the possibility of the match up this afternoon, and FiveOuncesOfPain.com has since been able to confirm the bout through Strikeforce V.P. of Communications, Mike Afromowitz.

Damm, a submission specialist fighting out of Brazil, has compiled an impressive record of 8-2 during the course of his fighting career, notching wins against dangerous fighters such as Jorge Masvidal and Kultar Gill along the way. Damm’s most recent outing was a losing effort by rear naked choke in the first round to Eiji Mitsuoka.

The last minute fight with Melendez will mark Damm’s first return to action in over seven months, and will also mark his Strikeforce debut.

The April 11th match up with Damm wil be Melendez first return to action since losing his Strikeforce lightweight championship to Josh Thomson in June of 2008. The highly respected Cesar Gracie trained fighter has compiled wins against fighters such as Rumina Sato and Clay Guida during the course of his career.

While undoubtedly disappointed that he will have to wait for his bid to regain the Strikeforce title, Melendez is sure to be happy that he will be able to return to the cage after ten months away from the sport.

Damm will definitely have the chips stacked against him as he looks to upset the former champion on less than one weeks notice while Melendez has been training for a shot at the championship for the last few months.

The event is scheduled to be headlined by a catch weight bout between Frank Shamrock and Nick Diaz, and will take place at the HP Pavilion in Sana Jose, California.

A full list of the expected bouts are listed below

Frank Shamrock vs. Nick Diaz
Gilbert Melendez vs. Rodrigo Damm
Cristiane Santos vs. Hitomi Akano
Benji Radachvs. Scott Smith
Brett Rogers vs. Ron Humphrey
Luke Rockholdvs. Buck Meredith
Eric Lawson vs. Waylon Kennell
Raul Castillo vs. Brandon Michaels
Zak Bucia vs. James Terry
Jeremy Tavares vs. Shingo Kohara

 

[Shogun Locc]

Moraes and the partnership with Chute Boxe

Without participating of any Jiu-Jitsu competition in 2009, the current middleweight world champion Sérgio Moraes (Alliance) is with the focus turned to the MMA. With the contract of Bellator Fighting Championship in hand, the fighter, who has three fights and three victories in the MMA, talked with TATAME about his plans for the year, anxious to start the partnership with the Chute Boxe team.

"We will work with the teachers inside the Chute Boxe and I got interested, because it would be great for me, beyond doing an exchange of Jiu-Jitsu, it would improve my part on foot", said Serginho, who revealed when should debut in Bellator, why he didn’t participate of the Jiu-Jitsu competitions in 2009, but ensuring that will go in search of the second World championship this year, beyond the defeat of Kron Gracie at the Pan American.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Leonardo Santos excited for Sengoku 8

With five consecutive victories, the last four by knockout or finalization in the first round, Leonardo Santos is getting ready for his debut in Sengoku. Scheduled to face Kazunori Yokota in Sengoku 8, which happens on May 2, Léo is training hard in Nova União, in Rio de Janeiro.

"The trainings are strong, there are a lot of people training together. Yesterday it had 28 people training at the same time, all the same weight. Training is what isn’t missing", celebrates the black belt, anxious to the fight. "I’m well focused for this fight, because the guy is strong, a judoca, and seems to have a heavy hand. I’m practicing a little of everything: Boxing, Muay Thai, Wrestling and ground, to get there and not be surprised in any position", said, still without strategy for the fight. "We're still far away. I’ll wait to get closer to the fight, but the idea is the always: get it down on the right time and submit".
In case of victory over Yokota, Léo will dispute the belt of the event, now in the hands of Satoro Kitaoka. "They said that, if I win, I will dispute the belt, but I’m not thinking about that, it is a fight at a time. If I stay thinking about it, it can interfere. The first challenge is the debut against the Japanese and I just want to think about that", says the fighter, who will return to the abroad MMA after nearly seven years, since his debut in MMA against the hard Takanori Gomi, at the Shooto. "I always fought abroad for the Jiu-Jitsu, but now the thing will improve with the experience I got here. There isn’t enervation here in Brazil, only tough guy. I can’t take my focus of the fight. This is a dream that I'm realizing, fighting in Japan. The thing is to leave the head quiet and think only in the fight", ended.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Sponsors Respond to White Comment Furor

Many readers of MMAPayout.com took advantage of the information listed in our original post on the Dana White tirade to contact UFC sponsors to voice their displeasure on the topic. We have received several correspondences from our readers and wished to pass on the corporate responses.

Anheuser-Busch responded thusly (multiple folks sent this one in):

Thanks for contacting Anheuser-Busch.

The comments by Dana White were inappropriate, insensitive and out-of-line. We have spoken to Dana about the gravity of this issue and communicated that our company maintains a corporate commitment to zero tolerance for discrimination. Anheuser-Busch is guided by the belief, ‘Making Friends Is Our Business,’ and that every consumer is important, regardless of race, sex, religion, color, sexual orientation, gender identity national origin, age, disability or veteran’s status.

It is our understanding that Dana has posted an apology for his inappropriate comments. We thank you for contacting Anheuser-Busch and allowing us an opportunity to respond. Please let us know if you have additional comments or questions.

One reader went so far as to contact another sponsor not listed, Scion. Here is the Scion response:

“The Scion marketing team has reviewed your email and wanted us to pass on the following information to you.

Firstly, we want it to be clear that the personal beliefs, actions and statements from the anyone connected with the UFC are not necessarily shared by Scion.

Second, Scion has already been in the process of slowly pulling out of UFC sponsorship since last year because it no longer aligns with our marketing objectives. We are still under contract to advertise with them in 2009, but by the end of the year we will be out completely.

Lastly, please be aware that Scion plans to continue advertising on Spike TV in general as we try to reach out to a younger male audience through other programs on their network.

Please let us know if you have any other questions.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Kitaoka’s Pancrase Return! Opponent Is Sakaguchi

SENGOKU Lightweight champion Satoru Kitaoka’s opponent for his Pancrase return on June 7th has been announced. He will face Yukio Sakaguchi, who people might remember from last years Dynamite!! where he lost to Andy Ologun. This will be Kitaoka’s only fight before defending his SENGOKU Lightweight title in August.

 

[Shogun Locc]

CSAC Adopts Appeals Timetable, ‘No Decision’ Amendments

Seven MMA amendments were passed and adopted by the California Code of Regulations on Monday, according to the California State Athletic Commission.

Among the more notable additions, the CSAC will now have the ability to adjust a fighter’s victory to a “no decision,” if they are suspended for drug use. This identical rule was most recently utilized in Nevada when UFC welterweight Karo Parisyan was suspended for drug use following his decision victory over Dong Hyun Kim at UFC 94 last January.

Also, a one-hour maximum timetable has been assigned for fighters’ appeals procedures, which have manifested mostly as steroid and drug suspension hearings in the State. Under the formalized schedule, a commission representative and/or attorney general will have 20 minutes to present his case, while the fighter’s legal counsel will be allotted the 20-minute period that follows. Both sides will then be given a 10—minute maximum each to rebut.

According to adopted Rule 389, “The commission staff bears the burden of proving his or her case by a preponderance of the evidence.”

Also, the CSAC passed verbiage that allows amateur and pro boxing matches, as well as MMA bouts to be held in the same five-roped ring at the same event.

 

[Shogun Locc]

WEC 40 Notebook: Mizugaki Stock Soars

The career of 25-year-old Takeya Mizugaki did not go backwards in his loss to World Extreme Cagefighting bantamweight champion Miguel Torres.

Mizugaki gained an entire legion of new fans in the WEC 40 main event, as he pushed the heralded titleholder to the limit in a five-round unanimous decision defeat on Sunday at the UIC Pavilion in Chicago. Scores were 49-46, 49-46 and 48-47.

“I do think the judges were right, and so I do accept the loss,” Mizugaki said. “I think he beat me in the clinch.”

Mizugaki (11-3-2) opened a cut on Torres in the third round and put a considerable scare into the champion and his loyal followers. In his debut on American soil, he pushed one of the sport’s top five pound-four-pound fighters the distance and did so without ever being significantly threatened. Mizugaki’s emotions boiled over afterward, as he leaned on one of his cornermen and broke down in tears.

“I knew I had to give everything I had to win this fight,” he said. “I felt like I did give everything, but at the end, I realized I was a little bit short. There are still parts of the game I need to improve. I have to say thank you to Miguel Torres for making me realize that.”

Mizugaki seems destined to remain near the top of the WEC bantamweight pecking order. He had won five in a row prior to his encounter with Torres, and a rematch with the champion crossed his mind before he left the arena.

“In terms of the future, I would like to continue fighting in the WEC, win a couple more, and I’d like to have a shot at Mr. Torres again,” he said. “I also hope Mr. Torres will keep his undefeated streak going until I come up and get my right to challenge him again.”

Mizugaki has a fan in Torres (37-1), who had finished 11 straight foes before he ran into the Cage Force veteran. The 28-year-old champion, on an amazing 17-fight winning streak, went the distance for the first time since May 2005.

“What threw me off was his ability to take punishment,” Torres said. “He took a lot of punishment and didn’t slow down. I was hitting him with shots, and he was just taking them. I spar with a lot of big guys -- a lot of great strikers -- and I’ll hit them and I’ll hurt them, and I can tell I hurt them. I was hitting him and I felt like I was hurting him, but he wasn’t showing any sign of that at all. He took everything like a champ. He has the Samurai spirit. He’s a very strong fighter.”

Curran: ‘I Don’t Want the Title’

Welcomed rudely to the bantamweight division by a unanimous decision loss to the unbeaten Joseph Benavidez, Jeff Curran plans to recalibrate his career.

In December, Curran made waves when he reaffirmed his desire to fight Torres inside the WEC cage. Though the two men have long competed in many of the same circles, their paths have never intersected, and it may take some time before they do.

“It’s way off on the horizon for me,” Curran said. “I need to regroup and start realizing what’s next for me. I’m not going anywhere. I was born to do this. I love this game, but I need to get on track. I don’t want the pressure. I don’t want the title. I want to get back to some roots and just train and try to find myself. I don’t have to eye guys like Miguel. He’s on fire right now. I need to just get stable in my spirit.”

Curran (29-11-1) drove home the idea that his desire to fight Torres should not be viewed as a slight against him. He holds the WEC champion in the highest regard.

“The match between Miguel and I was always a dream match for everybody here locally in Chicago, and I kind of took it upon myself -- when I decided I was coming to the 135-pound weight class -- to try and bring some attention to the possible matchup,” Curran said. “When you’re in a position like I’m in, you have to go towards fighting the best guys. I need to set my long-term goals before I set my short-term goals. In the process of doing that, it started building the hype. It was never meant as disrespect towards [Torres].”

Competing for the first time since his decision loss to reigning WEC featherweight king Mike Thomas Brown in June, Curran admits the long layoff may have played a role in his inability to handle Benavidez (10-0).

“I’ve been sitting almost 11 months,” he said. “I made the comment to one of my coaches: ‘Imagine showing up to a job for the first time in 11 months.’ I used to be so much more ambitious when I was fighting every other month or twice a month. This was my first fight in 11 months. I felt a little out of sorts.”

Even so, Curran had nothing but praise for Benavidez.

“I think he’s going to go and do awesome things in the sport,” he said.

The cut to 135 pounds went well for Curran, a 31-year-old Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt who has lost three fights in a row for the first time in his 11-year career.

“I definitely realize this is where I should be my whole career,” Curran said. “I felt great.”

 

[Shogun Locc]

Dream 8 Notebook: Aoki, Sakurai Bury Hatchet

NAGOYA, Japan -- Rage drove Hayato “Mach” Sakurai when he leveled Shinya Aoki in the Dream 8 main event before 9,129 at Nippon Gaishi Hall on Sunday and violently concluded a three-year grudge between them.

“It was anger,” Sakurai said. “He was basically saying that I was old and past my prime. I wanted to give him a one-second ass kicking for that. Anyone who would hear something like that would, of course, be pissed. I don't really remember what happened. Wasn’t it like 15 seconds? During my Shooto days, I used to be able to finish guys in seconds. I was really happy that I could do it again.”

Sakurai’s pre-fight comments revolved around his distaste for Aoki’s approach in relation to his own well-rounded “free style.” Aoki focused on Sakurai’s long history in the sport and essentially indicated that he would show “Mach” how antiquated he was compared to fighters of Aoki’s generation.

“He said my style was very old, but my techniques still work. I want to show the crowd that I can win this whole tournament with this old style,” Sakurai said. “In all honesty, I don’t really see my style as being old. Preparing for the fight, I surrounded myself with old schoolers like [Noboru] Asahi and [Matt] Hume. They were all just as happy as I was for beating Aoki.”

While the defeat was certainly crushing for Aoki, the setback did not discourage him from staying the course. His eyes still shiny and swollen from crying, the lightweight reaffirmed his commitment to Dream and to the sport.

“I love Dream, and I love MMA more than anyone else out there,” he said. “I felt that I was doing my best to lead Dream, but, well, [Sakurai] was really strong. However, I won’t stop here. I won’t stop being Shinya Aoki, and Shinya Aoki’s way of life will not stop. There were so many things I wanted to do, say and realize if I’d won, but that doesn’t mean I’m ready to throw those things aside because I lost. I’m going to give it my best and start all over from scratch. Only I can do these things. I absolutely truly believe this.”

Naturally, Aoki recalls little of the 27-second bout. When one Japanese reporter asked Aoki which of Sakurai’s knees knocked him out, he found it difficult to answer.

“Well, I don't quite remember the fight, so maybe the first one?” he said. “I got hit however many times, so I don’t know.

“Poor me,” added Aoki with a good-natured chuckle.

The fallout from the match more or less resulted in reconciliation between the two Japanese standouts, at least in public.

“Because we were badmouthing each other a lot before the fight, I told him, ‘That was bad, wasn’t it? Let’s be friends now,’” Sakurai said. “But since I saw his eyes roll back and turn white when I kneed him, and he still looked pretty gone afterward, I figured the knees were probably too effective. I doubt he even remembers what I said.”

While he did not confirm that he remembered Sakurai’s request for friendship, Aoki admitted he had a newfound respect for the veteran.

“I feel like telling him, ‘Truly, thank you very much,’” he said. “I don’t have any really special feelings. I just want to tell him, ‘Sempai (Japanese for one’s senior or elder], you are strong.’”

As for Aoki’s immediate future, the second-ranked lightweight indicated he plans to focus on his customary weight after Sakurai spoiled his brief return to 168 pounds.

“I’m going to rebuild myself as a lightweight, because I am a lightweight,” he said. “I’m not making any excuses, but really, Shinya Aoki the lightweight just decided to challenge himself as a welterweight. I stepped up in weight, threw down, and I lost.”

As for Sakurai, the win not only squashed a lengthy feud with Aoki but punched his ticket to the next round of the welterweight grand prix.

“Whoever I’ll have to face, they’re going to be very strong,” he said. “Before the fight, I was telling myself, ‘There’s only going to be Japanese fighters remaining [after this round], won’t there?’”

High-ly Resilient

The Bodyshop’s Jason High blitzed Yuya Shirai to claim a spot in the next round of the welterweight tournament, as he showed his resilience and rebounded from a brutal knockout loss to former International Fight League champion Jay Hieron at Affliction “Day of Reckoning” in January.

“It felt great. It’s kind of like how you’d want all of them to go,” High said. “I look forward to coming back. If the next round was tomorrow, I would be ready to go.”

High not only dazzled with the sheer power of his punches but slipped in a rear-naked choke that left Shirai limp within seconds.

“Generally, I like to pick people up and throw them out of the ring, but that’s against the rules, I think,” High said. “But I guess chokes, like guillotine chokes or rear-naked chokes are my favorites. Anything that’s given to me, I’ll take.”

Zaromskis, Galvao Complete Final Four

Marius Zaromskis also advanced to the semi-finals and impressed in his match against Seichi Ikemoto. Quickly dubbing his new somersault knee stomp “The Samurai,” Zaromskis expressed an appreciation for Ikemoto’s “secret tactic” of a double-fisted punch, dubbed “double hammer” by the Japanese welterweight.

“I respected his [double] punch,” Zaromskis said. “He’s not like everyone else. When he fights, he wants to surprise everyone. That’s why I was really happy with the fight.”

Meanwhile, Andre Galvao moved on in the tournament at the expense of Xtreme Couture’s John Alessio, as he submitted the World Extreme Cagefighting and UFC veteran with a first-round armbar.

“Alessio was a highly experienced opponent,” Galvao said. “I was very fortunate to have a good gameplan that led me to a submission victory. I want to make it to the finals and take the whole tournament. I want to continue to show everyone the evolution of my jiu-jitsu in MMA. Please keep an eye out for it.”

 

[Shogun Locc]

BROCK LARSON LIKELY IN FOR KOSCHECK AT UFC 98

With Josh Koscheck's exit from UFC 98 with a foot injury, it appears that Minnesota Martial Arts Academy welterweight Brock Larson will step in to replace him and face Team Nogueira fighter Chris Wilson.

The news comes from sources close to the fight that indicated bout agreements have not been signed at this point, but the fight has been offered and verbally accepted by both Chris Wilson and Brock Larson.

Wilson, who now trains full time with Team Nogueira in Brazil, comes into the fight off of a split decision loss to John Howard at UFC 94 in January.

Currently sporting a 1-2 record in the UFC, Wilson is looking to make an impressive next appearance when he returns in May, but he faces a tough test in Larson.

After the WEC decided to dissolve their welterweight division and move fighters to the UFC, Larson was a prized pick-up, as he was previously the No. 1 contender for the 170-pound title in that organization.

With his only losses in his career coming by the way of Jon Fitch and Carlos Condit, Larson has faced top competition his entire career. He won his return bout to the UFC by choking out Jesse Sanders just a week ago at UFC Fight Night 18 in Nashville, Tenn.

 

[Shogun Locc]

CUNG LE HEADS STRIKEFORCE'S MARQUEE DIVISON

While Strikeforce starts to build their name brand on both Showtime and CBS in 2009, the marquee division for the promotion seems to be centered around the middleweights. With fighters like Frank Shamrock, Robbie Lawler, Benji Radach, and champion Cung Le, the promotion will look to the 185-pound division as a staple for star power and championship level bouts.

The first Strikeforce show on Showtime will feature a key middleweight match-up between Benji Radach and Scott Smith, while the second show slated for early June pits former EliteXC champion Robbie Lawler against Jake Shields in a 185-pound contest.

With so many top fighters at middleweight, Strikeforce Vice President Mike Afromowitz believes that it really is the company's top weight class with room to grow.

"I really think our middleweight division is our strongest division hands down," Afromowitz told MMAWeekly Radio recently. "We've got Robbie, we've got Cung, our champ, Frank (Shamrock), Benji Radach, Scott Smith; I think there's a long list of contenders in the 185-pound division."

Possibly the biggest name missing form these next few Strikeforce shows is champion Cung Le, who has taken off an extended period of time after winning the belt in 2008 to do some work in Hollywood, but Afromowitz hopes to see him back before 2009 in over.

"I was hoping to see him by the summer, but now it looks like the fall," Afromowitz commented. "I think he's getting married and so he's going to take some personal time this summer. I'm really happy for him, he's marrying a really great girl, and I hope to see him back in the fall."

For his first fight back, it appears that Le will face the fighter he beat to get the Strikeforce belt the first time around in Frank Shamrock.

"The rematch that everyone wants to see is Frank against Cung, and I think that should be Cung's first fight back," stated Afromowitz.

Still with Lawler looming nearby, while also sitting perched in the top five of the middleweight division's rankings, Afromowitz believes he is very much a title contender as well.

"I think he can fight any of our middleweights," the Strikeforce executive said about Lawler.

For now the promotion will continue to build contenders until Cung Le returns to defend his belt and the pool of fighters will be full of sharks gunning for his middleweight gold.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Bellator I Salaries and Medical Suspensions

Fighter salaries and medical suspensions For Bellator Fighting Championships I were released on Tuesday by the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation.

True to their pay structure, all tournament participants in last Friday's show were paid $10,000 to win with a $15,000 win bonus.

The winners from the evening, Eddie Alvarez, Jorge Masvidal, Yahir Reyes, Estevan Payan, Joe Soto, and Toby Imada all picked up the full purses and will move on to the tournament's second round, where the potential purse goes up to $50,000.

Undercard salaries:

Jonathan Brookins ($4,000/win bonus was $2,000) def. Stephen Ledbetter (2,000)

Lorenzo Borgomeo ($4,000/win bonus was $2,000) def. Daniel Morales ($3,000)

James Brasco (3,000/win bonus was $1,500) def. Kevin Abrante ($1,500)

Moyses Gabin ($2,000/win bonus was $1,000) def. Chris Decaro ($1,500)

Gary Padilla ($4,000/win bonus was $2,000) def. Daniel Sarafien ($2,000)

Total Disclosed Payroll: $237,000

Medical Suspensions

Only three participants were put on the bench following Friday's Bellator I in Hollywood, Florida, and to the promotion's sigh of relief, no winners from the first round of competition were amongst the wounded.

Nick Agallar is suspended 30 days following his TKO loss to Jorge Masvidal.

Ben Greer is suspended 30 days following his TKO loss to Joe Soto.

Daniel Sarafian is suspended 30 days following his TKO loss to Gary Padilla.

 

[Shogun Locc]

SHO MMA: STRIKEFORCE CHALLANGER SERIES MAY 15

Undefeated lightweight (155-pound limit) sensation Billy Evangelista (9-0) will fight hard-hitting brawler and B.J. Penn protégé “Iron” Mike Aina (11-6-1) in the main event of the inaugural, newly titled SHO MMA: Strikeforce Challengers series from leading MMA promoter Strikeforce and premium television network SHOWTIME, on Friday, May 15 at Save Mart Center in Fresno, Calif.

The SHOWTIME telecast will air live beginning at 11 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast) and feature up to five MMA fights including Kim “Sugar Free” Couture (1-1), wife of MMA legend Randy “The Natural” Couture, facing an opponent to be named.

SHO MMA: Strikeforce Challengers provides MMA’s hottest prospects with the opportunity to perform at a high level of competition in a nationally televised event.

“This is where the men – and women – will be separated from the boys, so to speak,” said Strikeforce founder and CEO Scott Coker. “The growth and future of our sport just got a turbo injection. For regional fighters and up-and-coming men and women looking to test themselves against other top prospects and get on the fast track to stardome, SHO MMA: Strikeforce Challengers is the place to do it. I can’t wait for this first event.”

Tickets for the first SHO MMA: Strikeforce Challengers event go on sale Monday, April 13 at 10 a.m. PT at the Save Mart Center box office and select Save Mart Supermarkets as well as at all Ticketmaster locations (800-745-3000), Ticketmaster online (www.ticketmaster.com) and Strikeforce’s official website (www.strikeforce.com).

“I don’t know anything about my opponent, but it doesn’t matter because I know he’s going to try to take me out like everyone else has, so it’ll be my job to react to whatever he does,” said the 28-year-old Evangelista, who fights out of Fresno. “I’ve got a great team behind me and I’ve been training really hard so I’m not worried.”

A finely tuned Muay Thai technician and wrestling expert, Evangelista notched his last Strikeforce victory by turning the tides on road warrior Luke “Lil’ Hulk” Caudillo in a thrilling slugfest at Broomfield, Colo., on Oct. 3, 2008. After being dropped twice with punches in the first round, a determined Evangelista battled back in the following two rounds to earn a unanimous decision.

Three and a half months prior to his conquest of Caudillo, Evangelista secured a key win over Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu expert Nam Phan in Strikeforce action at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif.

The 28-year-old Aina has never been stopped over the course of 18 professional starts. Born and raised in Hilo, Hawaii, he has been a student of MMA superstar Penn for six years and has since developed a dangerous, hybrid fighting style that favors dirty boxing and kickboxing and is supported by a strong Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu foundation.

“It’s a big opportunity for me,” said Aina of the matchup with Evangelista. “Billy is no slouch. I’m expecting a really tough fight because we have similar styles. We both like to stand up even though we’re both also well rounded. I’m going in with a positive mindset and I’m ready to work hard in there.”

Aina nearly pulled off a stunning upset of superstar Nick Diaz when the two faced off in Hilo on Sept. 15, 2007. Aina stalked Diaz in the early going of their matchup and got the better of Diaz in a few of their exchanges. By the third round, however, fatigue set in and Aina’s pace slowed while Diaz, known for his outstanding stamina, continued to dish out punishment before earning a split decision.

“I kind of wore out as the fight went on,” admitted Aina. “Nick stands up in front of you and doesn’t give you a break. I definitely think I won the first two rounds, hands down, but that’s why you can’t leave things in the hands of the judges. That fight definitely tested my character and helped bring my game to the next level.”

Since the loss to Diaz, Aina has reeled off two straight wins, his last being a first round submission of Ismael Gonzalves on Aug. 9, 2008.

Couture made her debut with Strikeforce on Nov. 21, 2008 against Lina Kvokov. Couture, who recently added K-1 superstar Ray Sefo to her team of world-class trainers, quickly overwhelmed Kvokov with punch flurries and knee strikes in the first round of their matchup at San Jose’s HP Pavilion. After Kvokov turned her back due to her inability to defend herself any longer, the referee ordered a stoppage at the 1:44 mark of the opening round, giving Couture a victory by way of TKO.

Save Mart Center doors will open at 5:15 p.m. PT on May 15 and the first preliminary bout will begin at 6 p.m. PT.

 

[Shogun Locc]

UFC Quick Quote: John Howard is no coward

“I don’t appreciate him calling me a coward or anything like that. He has to understand that the decisions that are made for me are smart decisions. My job is to fight. I don’t make decisions about who to fight or when I’m going to fight, and I don’t pull out of fights … Anthony Johnson has been in the UFC a little longer than me, and it’s not because I’m a coward (that the fight was nixed); it just wasn’t time…. I want to fight him, and the first chance I get the OK to fight him, I will. And he’s going to eat his words, definitely. It’s personal. He’s going to regret ever questioning me.”

 

[Shogun Locc]

Press Release: UltimateBet Official as UFC Sponsor

UltimateBet earns the sponsorship rights to the upcoming Ultimate Fighting Championship®97 event in Montreal, where UFC® legend Chuck Liddell will bear the UB logo.

Miami, FL (PRWEB) April 7, 2009 — UltimateBet (”UB”) announced today that it has inked a deal with Ultimate Fighting Championship®(”UFC®”) that will deliver a kickass presence for the leading online poker site’s logo and brand at the upcoming UFC®97 event in Montreal, Canada on April 18, 2009.

A highlight of the UFC®97 deal for UltimatBet is the signing of mixed martial arts (”MMA”) legend Chuck “The Iceman” Liddell. The former UFC® light heavyweight champion will don the UB logo when he squares off against Brazilian Mauricio “Shogun” Rua in what promises to be one of the most explosive match-ups of 2009, and one of the most watched Pay-Per-View UFC® events in the history of the world’s leading combat sport.

“The Iceman”, one of the most popular and charismatic fighters in the organization and one of its major box office draw cards, is widely credited for bringing MMA into the mainstream of American sports and entertainment. Liddell’s star status and broad public appeal have won him fans even in Hollywood, with guest turns on cult TV dramedy Entourage, and cameo appearances in films including 300 and Drillbit Taylor amongst his credits.

The 39 year-old, all-American UFC® icon faces his most challenging role ahead of him, when he enters the Octagon™ looking to reclaim the magic that saw him notch up a spectacular 15-14 win-loss record from 1999 to 2006. On a mission to kick start another winning streak during the hotly-anticipated showdown against Rua, Liddell guarantees priceless brand exposure for UltimateBet and inestimable marketing value for the online poker room in over 100 countries and territories where UFC®97 will be telecast.

Along with opening billboards, in-venue commercials, and the stellar sponsorship of Liddell, fans will also see an additional four contenders on the fight card sport the UB logo in the UFC’s return to Canada. The 27 year-old Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt Thales Leites, who takes on Anderson “The Spider” Silva in the headlining event, Krzysztof “The Polish Experiment” Soszynski , Dutch kickboxer Antoni Hardonk and Franklinville, New Jersey native Eliot Marshall will also be waving the UltimateBet flag on fight night, adding even more clout to the sponsorship’s appeal.

UltimateBet has netted the marquee sponsorship contract with UFC® ending several weeks of intense industry speculation, sealing a partnership between two camps that genuinely share a passion for champion competitors and a respect for the sporting ideal.

Securing the UFC® agreement is a triumph for UltimateBet, who will have their second outing in the Octagon™ at the “Redemption” event that is set to rock the capacity Bell Center crowd in Montreal.

Leading online poker site UltimateBet developed a taste for UFC® with the recent sponsorship of welterweight fighter Martin Kampmann on April 1, and the UFC®97 collaboration will further satisfy the company’s appetite for premium sponsorships that represent various levels of opportunity, and that shine the spotlight on UB as the ultimate online poker experience.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Fabrício Morango fights in May at Strikeforce

After winning five fights in a row, the last three in the first round, Fabrício "Morango" Camões was looking forward a titleshot at EliteXC, until he saw the event shut down. Without fighting since August of 2008, Morango trained until appear an opportunity and finally his waiting will end. On May 15th, the fighter will return to the octagon in Strikeforce.

"I'll go after the belt of the category, like was what I was doing on EliteXC until it shut down ", said Morango, who signed a contract for one fight, but hopes to fight well to extend his contract for three more fights, as in EteliXC. "They wanted to continue Elite’s contract, but my manager preferred to do this fight and then we will try to sign a three fights contract ", says the black belt of Jiu-Jitsu, who is living in San Diego, where he trains at the gym of Xande and Saulo Ribeiro and at Brandon Vera’s team.

"I'm at the gym The Arena, of Xande, which has many tough guys, as a fighter who is going for the reality show The Ultimate Fighter, one that will fight in Bellator, there are strong guys here... I’ll train at Brandon Vera’s gym too, where are very tough guys, like Diego Sanchez, who is training for this fight with Clay Guida... We are here with 30 guys on the MMA trainings, at all weights. It is super fun to do this training here", said.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Xande Ribeiro Interview

Two times Jiu-Jiutsu Openweight World champion, Xande Ribeiro is training hard in the United States for his next challenge in MMA. Schedules to Sengoku 8, the black belt will face Keiichiro Yamamiya, athlete with 66 fights in the career. In an exclusive interview to the TATAME, Xande talked about his preparation, the trainings with Wanderlei Silva and André Dida, the strategy for the fight and the plans for the Jiu-Jitsu, looking for the third openweight title. Check below the exclusive interview with the fighter, who expects for another bout with Roger Gracie at the Worlds final.

How is the gym in San Diego?
The University is with everything, getting new students every month, and the trainings are very strong. We’re with a very nice team, Royler and Regis Lebre are helping in the trainings and technical part, and beyond every month we receive students from all around the world to develop their techniques. The University is an open institution to all who want to develop the ground techniques. In addition to Judo, we have a Sensei (Jin Ilzumi) of the Kodokan in Japan, which coordinates in the foot part. I’m very happy with the job and with the life in San Diego.

And how is the preparation to your next fight in Sengoku?
They’re good. I've been training and developing a lot of MMA aspects since my last fight. I’m training with my team at The Arena, witch is our MMA module. Who has been directing my trainings are Saulo (Ribeiro) and Fabrício “Morango” (Camões), and I’m very well prepared, in addition to the work that I do with (André) Dida and Mauricio Veio in Canada, and lately with Wanderlei Silva in Las Vegas.

How were the trainings with Wanderlei Silva in Las Vegas?
Were great. Wand is a super cool and experienced guy, he is the man for me. He went through everything and, of course, is one of the most experienced in this business and the exchange of energy and experience was wonderful, I had the honor to try taking some punches on the face. It was, for sure, an excellent learning.

What did you think of Alejarra’s preparation?
It was cool and useful. Alejarra is from the school of Caruso and Pimentel, who I’ve already worked with and, with certainty, knowing how to mix his job with the one from his preparer, Álvaro Romano (Ginástrica Natural), I’ll be with the heart and lung giants.

And the trainings with Dida in Canadá?
Dida, and his brother Veio, has contributed a lot to my development in the part of Muay Thai. Dida is totally "matrix", knows a lot and is very fast, has a very heavy hand and, besides being a phenomenal guy, is very family, since he and his brother, just like me and my brother, have a big love for the art. I’m very happy with this team I have and we help each other a lot, and this union of Jiu-Jitsu and Muay Thai is being perfect. This trend, I call it “OssHey" (oss from Jiu-Jitsu, hey from Thai).

What do you already know about Keiichiro Yamamiya, your next opponent?
I know he’s left-handed and likes striking, is a very experienced guy, has 66 fights and has faced many tough fighters, as Bas Rutten, Nate Marquardt, Kondo, Ximú, Nilson, Paulo Filho... He is a guy who has a very high mileage and I have to be very focused and trained to this fight.

Most of his fights were by decision, but most of the losses were by finalization. The strategy is to go the ground?
The strategy is to take the fight to my field, which is the ground, and submit, but I’m prepared to face any situation and, this time, when I get in a position to finish the fight, I’ll do it for sure.

What did you learn with the first fight?
A lot. That I have to train everything and know how to focus and administrate the trainings, but the biggest learning was the experience to have fought three rounds in a main event in Japan. Now is get more experience and continue this journey in MMA.

How is the expectation to the World Championship of 2009? Are you going after the third absolute?
That’s the plan. Jiu-Jitsu is my life, my philosophy and my fuel. For sure, the World Championship is another goal for this year. I will go there to defend my titles and try to be the first and only three times World openweight champion.

Do you believe that Roger will come with some special tactic to beat you this year?
Roger is a guy that I consider a lot and he has his strategy. I don’t know if he will change much the strategy, because we fought eight times and he never changed, but I’m prepared for any situation that he will create. But, in addition, he will have a lot of tough guys on his side and I’ll have at mine, but, as a fan of our fights, I cheer for another final between us, and once again will be a great fight.

Would you like to leave a message to people in Brazil?
I would like to thank all my fans from Brazil and any information about the University of Jiu-Jitsu you can enter www.unijj.com and my website www.xande.tv.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Strikeforce: Scott Smith looking to add to highlight reel on April 11

In the mixed martial arts world, Scott Smith (14-5) is largely known for two things.

The first happened on November 11, 2006 in Las Vegas, at the live final of season four of "The Ultimate Fighter." Smith fought Pete Sell, with whom he had become good friends with during the show.

Sell connected with a left to the ribs and Smith was stunned and about to collapse. As Sell went in for the kill, Smith somehow threw a desperation punch, like a scripted movie fight finish that you would see in ultra-slow-motion, that connected squarely on the jaw, and Sell went out cold. After the fight, the two went out together to compare their wounds.

For the next year-and-a-half, when Smith would go out, people would come up to him and say, "Hey, were you the guy who was on his way down and threw that punch?"

Then, on May 31 in Newark, N.J., in the first major-network live primetime MMA event, and still the most widely viewed MMA event ever in the U.S., Smith had a slugfest when challenging for Robbie Lawler's Elite XC middleweight championship. Because of its position as the semifinal on that show, it was viewed live by 5.87 million viewers, more than all but three MMA fights (two Kevin "Kimbo Slice" Ferguson main events on CBS and the 2006 Tito Ortiz vs. Ken Shamrock Spike TV match) in history on American television.

People didn't tune in specifically for the fight, but the brawl - arguably one of the best fights of 2008, which ended when Smith was poked in the eye in the third round and ruled unable to continue - left its impression.

Lawler beat Smith via TKO in the second round of their rematch, the main event of the second CBS special. But since far fewer people saw that match, it’s almost always the first Lawler fight people ask him about.

"Yeah, every time somebody would come up, it was always about the Pete Sell fight," Smith said. "But now it's about half-and-half between that and the first Lawler fight."

Smith, nicknamed "Hands of Steel," is in a featured position on Saturday night when Strikeforce debuts in its new deal with Showtime, for a live special that includes his three-round middleweight battle with Benji "Razor" Radach (19-4).

The card, at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif., headlined by the much-talked-about Frank Shamrock vs. Nick Diaz fight, is tracking to draw about 14,000 fans, according to promoter Scott Coker. Coker said with a good last few days, it could top the Shamrock vs. Cung Le attendance in the same arena last year, which packed the place with 16,326 fans.

Delivering knockouts made Smith one of those rare fighters who has built up a bigger name after leaving the UFC, and a member of "The Ultimate Fighter 4: The Comeback" cast who is mostly recognized for things other than being on the show.

Saturday's fight will be Smith's first since a Nov. 21 knockout of Terry Martin in 24 seconds at the same HP Pavilion. A group of 60 people in his hometown of Elk Grove, Calif., have chartered a bus to San Jose, a little more than two hours in each direction, and his two sons, ages 12 and 5 are going to see the fight. The five-year-old has never been to a live event before. His older son has been to some of his small-show fights closer to home, but has never seen him in a major event in a big arena.

"The hardest thing was leaving them for six weeks to do 'The Ultimate Fighter,'" Smith said. "I almost didn't do it because of that. I just told them I had to leave for a while for work. And they were excited that they were going to see me on TV."

In Radach, Strikeforce is matching Smith up with another fighter with a propensity for making highlight reels, and Smith knows it.

"[Radach] has got 15 KO's, and I've got 14, so somebody is going to get knocked out," Smith said.

"Hands of Steel" went on to explain that he feels his concentrating on boxing training in recent months will result in straighter punches that will beat Radach's looping blows to the target.

Smith also feels he'll have better conditioning due to a new routine he's embarked on, concentrating on core conditioning.

"I've got to avoid getting hit by one of those hooks," Smith said.

Smith turns 30-years-old next month, while Radach turned 30-years-old on Sunday. The two have other similarities in that they both started out as wrestlers, Smith placing in the California state championship in junior college while Radach placed twice in the Washington state tournament while in high school. But in each case, despite that background, both are now known for their high-output striking, which is why this match was put together.

Both started their careers within months of each other in 2001. Both had a run in UFC, and both really made their careers after leaving.

In the case of Radach, he had his jaw broken by Chris Leben before the "TUF"-veteran's UFC days, back in 2004, and didn't fight again for another three years. Since his return, signing first with the now-defunct International Fight League and then EliteXC, Radach has gone 6-1, only losing to Matt Horwich in the tournament finals to determine the IFL's first-and-only middleweight champion. When EliteXC went down, his contract, like Smith's, was purchased by Strikeforce.

Smith's run in the UFC ended two years ago when he lost via choke to Ed Herman. He was still under contract when UFC told him they wanted him to do a few smaller shows and get a series of wins and then come back.

They approved of a fight for the Palace Fighting Championships, but that fell through, and he signed a bout agreement for Gladiator Challenge without informing the UFC. At that time, EliteXC was starting up and they offered him a signing bonus, more money - plus other perks - and the UFC released him.

But when EliteXC went down, just before he had a fight scheduled on a planned Nov. 8 card, money was tight and it wasn't going to be a Merry Christmas in the Smith household, until Coker offered him the fight with Martin.

"I needed that money," Smith said. "I had a mortgage and Christmas. If I didn't get the fight with Martin, I couldn't afford to do it."

 

[Shogun Locc]

UFC's Jorge Rivera to undergo surgery, contemplating retirement

As far as opponents go, Nissen Osterneck (5-2 MMA, 0-2 UFC) wasn't the best UFC middleweight Jorge Rivera (16-7 MMA, 5-5 UFC) has faced in his near-eight-year career.

However, his recent split-decision win over Osterneck at "UFC Fight Night 18: Condit vs Kampmann" may prove to be Rivera's most pivotal, as it will now serve as the building block for one last run before retirement.

"I think this might be my last year," Rivera recently told MMAjunkie.com Radio (www.mmajunkie.com/radio). "I just want to buckle down, push real hard for this one year, and see what I can do."

Rivera, the always-tough Massachusetts resident who has faced the likes of Martin Kampmann, Kendall Grove, Terry Martin, Chris Leben, Anderson Silva, Rich Franklin, Mark Weir, Lee Murray, David Loiseau and Travis Lutter, touched on his April 1 bout with Osterneck, then turned to explaining the reasons for winding down his fight career.

The 37-year-old announced that his status is now "fight to fight," but added "I'll see how my game is growing; I'll see where I think I stand and take it from there."

Rivera cited increased wear and tear on his body, as well as family commitments, as two of the primary reasons why he feels this may be his final run in the UFC.

In the immediate future, Rivera plans to take some time off - time prompted by his scheduled shoulder surgery on Thursday for an injury that occurred prior to the Osterneck fight.

"My left shoulder, my AC (acromioclavicular) Joint is blown," Rivera said. "Right now I'm going to be out six weeks for the surgery alone, then I'll get back into training and hopefully get a fight soon."

The severe injury did not prevent Rivera from having his hand raised at the end of his UFC Fight Night 18 bout, as he bested Osterneck via split decision in an un-televised preliminary card contest, pulling his UFC record to .500 over a five-and-a-half-year span.

"I felt it was a close fight, but I definitely felt I won the fight," Rivera said.

And at this stage in his career, the veteran admits that winning is the secret to setting up future projects after he stops lacing up the four-ounce gloves.

"I'm just thinking about what I need to do to set myself with the next phase of my life, and obviously I want the Ws," Rivera said.

Win or lose in the next 12 months, "El Conquistador" knows that he can take pride in the fact that he has tested himself against the cream of the crop in his division.

"That's what it's all about to me, to challenge yourself," Rivera said. "What's the point of fighting if you're not going to challenge yourself and go against the best?

"When it's all said and done, I will be able to say something most people can't say: I fought the best of the best."

 

[Shogun Locc]

STRIKEFORCE: RUTTEN AND RADACH REUNITE

When multiple injuries sidelined Benji “Razor” Radach for three years, he wasn’t expected to come back as successful as he had in 2007.

One of the reasons for his return was his work with Bas “El Guapo” Rutten when the two were part of the International Fight League’s Los Angeles Anacondas team.

So it would seem only fitting that with Radach ready to make his Strikeforce debut Saturday against fellow top middleweight Scott Smith, he would reunite with his former head coach for training.

“I always liked Benji a lot and any time he comes and trains with me, he won,” said Rutten. “I think we’ve got a good connection together, and he listens always to exactly what I say.

“Everything is the same as it was (when we were with the Anacondas); just good training.”

Rutten knows Radach will have to be in top condition to face a fighter as dangerous as Smith has shown himself to be.

“They’re both heavy hitters and both have one-punch knockout (power),” commented Rutten. “If someone’s going to get caught, that guy is going to go (out).

“This fight isn’t going to go the distance. Either way it’s going to result in a knockout, and hopefully with help from me, it’s going to be Scott (who is knocked out) and not Benji.”

Having had experience with multiple top-tier MMA promotions, Rutten is excited to see what Strikeforce will be able to do now that they’ve taken a big step up this year.

“I think is going to be huge,” he exclaimed. “This is what we need for the sport, somebody like (Strikeforce promoter) Scott Coker.

“Somebody who really understands promotion and who has been promoting with the same people; a steady group where everybody knows what they’re doing.”

Rutten believes that the maintained mutual respect between Strikeforce and the UFC will allow both companies to prosper, unlike in the past where competition usually ended in bad blood and promotions failing.

“If you come out and say you’re going to take on the UFC – that’s not a very smart comment,” said Rutten. “Everybody knows even Dana White gives props to Scott.

“Strikeforce has been around a long time, and thankfully there were a lot of really good fighters who were around, and they picked them up and built their own stable of really huge fighters.”

As for Rutten himself, aside from working with Radach, he has been keeping busy launching his new workout program, the Body Action System.

“If you go to BodyActionSystem.com you can see what’s going to come out from me,” he stated. “It’s going to hit the TV also (via) a 25-minute infomercial.

“If you see it, you’re going to like it. Every fighter who came to me and trained on it said they had to get one – this thing is going to be really good.”

Notably one of the busiest men in MMA, Rutten is looking forward to another productive year, both inside and outside the gym.

“We’re working on that, some TV, and I just finished eight comedy episodes for the Internet,” he concluded. “Everything is going really well for me, if one thing pops, then I’m going to be very happy.

“I’ve got some really great gear coming out. Check out my website, especially later this month, because I think I’m going to be one of the first fighters whose got an interactive website – it’s going to be really cool – you watch.”

 

[Shogun Locc]

Junior dos Santos and Justin McCully agree to meet at UFC 102

While it certainly won't be the evening's most anticipated heavyweight bout of the night - that honor will undoubtedly belong to MMA legends Randy Couture and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira - heavy handed Brazilian Junior dos Santos (8-1 MMA, 2-0 UFC) and 12-year veteran Justin McCully (9-4-2 MMA, 2-1 UFC) have agreed to meet at UFC 102.

Tatame.com was the first to report the possibility of the matchup, and MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) has since learned from sources close to the bout that both fighters have agreed to the contest, though bout agreements have not yet been finalized.

Though not yet announced by the organization, UFC 102 is expected to take place Aug. 29 in Portland, Ore.

The 6-foot-4 dos Santos has seen his stock quickly rise in the UFC after coming into the organization as a virtual unknown. The Brazilian was viewed by many as a mere formality for Fabricio Werdum in October 2008 en route to his shot at a UFC title. When dos Santos dispatched of Werdum by TKO in just 1:21, many began to take notice of "Cigano."

When dos Santos followed the performance up with a 54-second drubbing of Stefan Struve at UFC 95 in February, many began calling the Team Nogueira fighter a legitimate contender.

McCully began fighting professionally in 1997. Fighting in Pancrase, Rings, Jungle Fight and the World Vale Tudo Championship, among others, McCully debuted in the UFC in April 2007.

"The Insane One" followed up a surprising unanimous-decision win over Antoni Hardonk with a submission loss to Gabriel Gonzaga. McCully has since earned a unanimous-decision win over Eddie Sanchez in December 2008, the 33-year-old's most recent appearance in the cage.