MMA News Thread

[Shogun Locc]

Alessio "not impressed" by Spratt, anxious for Larson rematch

As John Alessio (22-11) finishes preparations for a June 20 bout with fellow UFC veteran Pete Spratt (18-12), the 28-year-old says he is unimpressed with his opponent's stand-up and looks forward to the opportunity to stand and bang with the Texas native.

The fight will headline an ESPN-promoted card in Las Vegas, featuring both professional boxing and MMA bouts, held in celebration of the 25th anniversary of the Thomas and Mack Center. Tickets for the event are free to the public, and the boxing portion of the card will be broadcast on ESPN's "Friday Night Fights." The MMA matches will be seen on HDNet.

Alessio discussed the bout, as well as his desire for a second fight with WEC welterweight Brock Larson, while a guest on Wednesday's edition of TAGG Radio (www.taggradio.com), the official radio partner of MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com).

"I am excited that I'm fighting Pete Spratt," Alessio said. "I'm surprised that I haven't fought him already. We've both been on the circuit so long. I'm going to go out there and bang with the guy."

Alessio, whose only knockout since 2002 was a first-round defeat of Shannon "The Cannon" Ritch, feels he has the advantage with the heavy-handed Spratt while on the feet.

"No offense to Pete Spratt, but I've watched the last couple of his fights, and I'm really not that impressed," Alessio said. "He's gotten pretty sloppy, even in his stand-up game. And me, I just keep getting better and improving on my feet. So, if he thinks he's got a big advantage in the stand-up game, then he's going to find out June 20 that he's wrong."

Alessio does concede that if needed, the fight can be brought to the mat. But once there, "The Natural" doesn't want to attempt your run-of-the-mill submission.

"I have that back-up plan of taking him down and tapping him out," Alessio admitted. "[Spratt is] a sucker for giving up his back. He's been rear-naked-choked a bunch of times. But I don't want to fall into that category of 'Alessio wins by rear-naked choke.' I don't. If I'm going to get a submission, I want it to be something different. I want to put him something that he hasn't been involved in -- maybe some kind of arm lock, kimura, something like that."

Beyond the fight with Spratt, Alessio said UFC 85's Thales Leites vs. Nate Marquardt bout stirred emotions remaining from his WEC 33 disqualification loss to Larson. Similar to Leites' plight, Alessio caught Larson with an illegal knee in that March 2008 clash. Unlike Leites, however, Larson was unable to continue, and was awarded the dubious victory.

"First of all, I want to give props to Thales Leites for being the warrior he is and continuing that fight," Alessio said. "[Leites] fought an excellent fight. I hope Brock Larson was sitting at home watching that and realized, 'Hey, maybe I did take the [expletive] way out.' ... I think [Larson] should have continued (in our bout). If I would have ended up knocking him out right after that, like say he was still rocked, I would have honored a rematch and been like, 'I'm sorry about the knee. Let's just do it again' because that's the kind of person I am. But he just took the easy way out in my opinion."

Alessio, who is no longer under contract with the WEC, said he wants the rematch with Larson bad enough that he will take it in any organization -- and at any price.

"That was my last fight on the (WEC) deal," Alessio said. "It's upsetting. I really want to get that rematch. I'd like to fight Brock anytime, anyplace, any event, anywhere. Free, I don't care. I don't like him."

Until that match can be put together, Alessio insists his focus is on the bout at hand. And while the match may not have the emotional ties that a Larson rematch might, Alessio feels it will be a great show for the fans.

"[There's] no bad blood," Alessio said. "Pete's a great guy. I met him a few times. I don't know him, but he seems like a class act. We're going to go out there and put on a good show."

 

[Shogun Locc]

WIUFF SLAYS JAPANESE 'IRON HEAD' AT SENGOKU 3

Over the past couple of years, Travis “The Diesel” Wiuff has been one of those fighters who just don’t seem to catch a break, regardless of what he does inside the arena.

Possessing solid MMA credentials, which include more than 50 wins in 62 fights, including a six-fight winning streak that captured him both the International Fighting Organization light-heavyweight title and YAMMA Pit Fighting heavyweight tournament championship, Wiuff was not afforded opportunities on the largest stages of MMA.

Then the phone rang with an opportunity for him to travel to Japan for the first time in his career to take on a nationwide legend in Kazuyuki Fujita at World Victory Road’s Sengoku 3 in a heavyweight showdown.

Never one to back down from a fight, Wiuff jumped at the opportunity and things couldn’t have gone better as he did the unthinkable and dropped the famed “Iron Head” Japanese fighter just under 90 seconds into their fight, ushering in a new era for Wiuff’s career.

Shortly after landing back in his native Minnesota from a trans-Atlantic flight, Wiuff spoke to MMAWeekly about his win over Fujita, his wishes to remain at heavyweight and the suddenly bright prospects his career has this year.

MMAWeekly: First off Travis, tell us what it was like to go to Japan for the first time in your 60-plus fight career.

Travis Wiuff: Japan is awesome. I’ve wanted to fight over there since I began fighting. It was a really cool experience. You get treated much differently and are looked at differently. It’s really unique with the atmosphere in the arena when you fight, being that it’s so quiet and you could hear a pin drop. It was really cool, good experience, and it doesn’t hurt that I won the fight either.

MMAWeekly: For the fans that haven’t had a chance to see the fight, tell us what happened.

Travis Wiuff: My game plan was to keep it standing. I kind of figured that (Fujita) thought I wanted to take it to the ground right away, but I wanted to keep it standing as much as possible. I wanted to make it a long fight and wear him out, because that’s one of the advantages I had was my conditioning and cardio.

I also noticed right away that I was much bigger than he was. I thought he would be a lot taller and bulkier, but I noticed at the press conference the day before (the event) that he wasn’t, so after that I really wanted to use my jab and reach.

He was throwing some big overhand rights, which I expected, so I kept my left hand nice and high, and just threw a one-two (combination) in hope that one would land and close the distance. The jab landed and knocked him down and dazed him, and I finished him on the ground with about five hammer fists.

He’s fought some of the best in the world and nobody’s been really able to finish him that fast. I’m completely shocked with the way it went. I expected to win – I went over there with that purpose – but I was shocked with the way I did it.

MMAWeekly: It seems like now everything is starting to come together for your fighting style.

Travis Wiuff: It feels like it is. With the YAMMA tournament and now this, I know if I want to keep the fight standing, I can make it happen. I’m continuing to work on my boxing and kickboxing, and I think it’s coming together. It seems like my boxing takes baby steps forward, but it’s getting better and now I’m starting to feel a lot more comfortable.

MMAWeekly: I think this also shows that unequivocally you should stay at heavyweight. Is that what you think as well?

Travis Wiuff: Yeah, I definitely think that. I feel so much more comfortable at heavyweight. My advantages are so much more distinct at heavyweight. My strength, size, athleticism for a heavyweight stand out, or are equivalent with anyone at the weight.

I definitely think I need to get a little bit bigger, a little bit stronger. Right now I walk around at about 235 (pounds), so I’d like to put on about ten more pounds of strength and see what kind of results I can really get at heavyweight.

MMAWeekly: With about six months left in the year, where would you like to see yourself by the end of 2008?

Travis Wiuff: I just want to head back over to Japan. I hated the trip over there, the long flight, but once I got over there I felt really good and it was an awesome experience there. I definitely plan for two fights in Sengoku later in the year, and that’s my goal.

I’ve been training hard, and have had my ups and downs the past couple of years, but have always had my eye on the goal, regardless how far down the road it was. It’s good to know that all this hard work is paying off.

MMAWeekly: Thanks for your time Travis. Is there anything you want to say as we head out?

Travis Wiuff: I’ve got to thank Warrior Wear, they’ve always been really great to me; and Monte Cox – I have the best manager in the world. Things are only going to get better for me, so I hope everyone keeps on the bandwagon, because they’re only going to get more exciting from here.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Matt Wiman on his not-so-ordinary breakthrough performance

Four days after "Handsome" Matt Wiman (10-3 MMA, 4-1 UFC) earned his fourth straight UFC victory in $50,000 bonus, Fight of the Night fashion, the 24-year-old has yet to snap back to reality.

Wiman discussed how the victory affected his life while a guest on Wednesday's edition of TAGG Radio (www.taggradio.com), the official radio partner of MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com).

"I'm on a high right now that I can't come down from, that I can't even comprehend," Wiman said. "It's so crazy coming off of a big win like this. I knew I was capable of fighting like that. For it to all get put together like that is just such a blessing."

Few expected Wiman to emerge victorious from his clash with fellow UFC lightweight up-and-comer Thiago Tavares. But the Tulsa, Okla. native credits new training partners, including the Machado and Mohler camps in Dallas, as well as previous battles with strong opponents as his key to success.

"I knew I was at that level," Wiman said. "Spencer Fisher, Roger Huerta, Manvel (Gamburyan). I took big fights before, and I was right there. So I knew I was at that level. ... But for it to come out like that was just a lot of vindication. And again, I couldn't be more excited about that."

Wiman openly expressed his emotion when speaking in the octagon with UFC commentator Joe Rogan after the exciting, back-and-forth battle. Wiman explained today the feelings that surrounded the moment.

"Life is just crazy right now," Wiman explained. "There was so much pressure on me to win this fight ... financially and mentally as well. Nobody wants to go in getting married with a big loss hanging over their head. I had to overcome that pressure. I felt like I was going to explode so many times. My head was just a mess at one time. It was just nice to all work out the way [my fiancé and I] planned it."

Wiman, who will be married this weekend, was thankful for the UFC's $50,000 bonus and said he was also very fortunate to escape the bout with very little damage that would end up captured forever in a wedding album. Fortunately for the groom-to-be, Wiman was covered either way.

"[My fiancé] actually likes black eyes," Wiman said. "She was like, 'I wouldn't mind if [Tavares] blacked [an] eye or two,' which was kind of weird. But she likes black eyes because she thinks it looks tough. Either way she was going to be happy."

Also adding to the excitement of the evening for Wiman was the support of good friend and UFC light-heavyweight legend Chuck Liddell. "The Iceman" accompanied Wiman to the cage and even assisted in cornering the fight.

"I only had one [cornerman] flown out there for me," Wiman explained. "So I asked [Liddell] backstage, 'Hey, if you want to walk out with us, that would be cool.' And he was like, 'Dude, I'd love to.' I said 'And hey, if you want to stay in my corner, that would be cool as well, but I know you're a busy guy. You got things going on.' And he said 'I'd love to.' For that, I couldn't think more of Chuck as a person.

"It shows what kind of character he has. He's one of the highest-paid, most famous, biggest rock star in fighting history, in my opinion, and he's that quick to be in a servant position. That speaks a load on his character. He was genuinely helpful. He wasn't doing it for a PR stunt. He wasn't doing it to look like he's being helpful. He was doing it because he genuinely wanted to help someone."

But greater than the money earned, or the experience gained, Wiman was most grateful for the lessons he learned about himself on Saturday evening. The lightweight believes it was a defining moment that can propel him to future success.

"When I first fought in the UFC, I thought that was it," Wiman said. "Because when I was young, nobody I ever knew had ever done anything, had ever accomplished anything growing up. To say when I was little, 'Hey I'm going to fight in the UFC,' everybody told me I was the biggest joke in the world and that I needed to take life seriously and stop playing around because nobody ever does anything like that. For me to say that and actually fight in the UFC?

"When I fought Spencer Fisher (in my UFC debut), I wasn't mentally capable of anything because I thought [getting there] was the goal. I fought in the UFC. Holy crap, I'm a UFC veteran. My dream was to fight in the UFC, but I think that God's plan was a lot different and a lot bigger and better.

"I think I put limits on what we're capable of and what our lives can be. And now look at what I've got -- four wins (in a row) -- and I would have never imagined it could get this far, so I'm not going to put limits on how far it can go. I could be champion, and I could be making more money, and I could be an inspiration to people. So I'm not going to put limits saying this is as good as it can get, even though it seems that way right now."

 

[Shogun Locc]

5Oz. Exclusive: Fedor and Sylvia to fight for heavyweight title

FiveOuncesOfPain.com has learned that Affliction’s main event between Fedor Emelianenko and Tim Sylvia scheduled for the promotion’s inaugural card on July 19 is expected to be contested for a heavyweight title.

This site was first alerted to the possible title component for the bout between Emelianenko and Sylvia after being approached by a source at Affliction’s New York press conference on May 21. A second source then confirmed earlier this week that a heavyweight title will in fact be at stake.

It is still somewhat unclear what title the two will be competing for, as Affliction has stated in the past that it did not have any immediate plans to institute titles. If that is still the case, it creates the possibility of a sanctioning body becoming involved.

The most notable sanctioning organizations currently involved in Mixed Martial Arts are the WKA, USKBA, NABC, and WAMMA. The WKA and USKBA both focus primarily on sanctioning amateur fight cards as well regional professional shows. It is not believed they would be involved with a bout the magnitude of Emelianenko vs. Sylvia unless either organization has undergone a major shift in philosophy.

After speaking with several industry insiders, WAMMA was identified as the most likely organization involved, however, WAMMA Chief Operating Officer Mike Lynch did not return voice mails on Wednesday left by Five Ounces Of Pain when contacted for comment.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Report: Cub Swanson vs. Hiroyuki Takaya at WEC 35

The “Streetfight Bancho” will make his return to the cage in August, but finding his first stateside win might not be so easy. Hiroyuki Takaya will take on up-and-coming 145-pounder Cub Swanson at the next WEC offering in Las Vegas on August 3. A source close to Takaya confirmed the bout to Sherdog.com.

This is a great fight for the WEC to put on a televised portion of the undercard. Swanson will surely be looking to redeem himself after a quick submission loss to Jens Pulver. Swanson has since recorded a submission victory fighting outside of the WEC but getting himself a win over Takaya would put him right back on track at 145 lbs.

Takaya will be looking to do the same after he was upset at by Leonard Garcia earlier in the year at Garcia’s 145 lbs. debut in the organization. Takaya is a beastly striker and one of the more highly regarded Japanese prospects to come to the U.S. and fight for the WEC. Great matchmaking by the WEC here and an opportunity for both guys to get right back into the mix of things with a win.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Sean Sherk: ‘Ill get another [title] shot with another win or two’

I’m assuming they’re gonna maybe try to get me back in the title mix again right away, so they’ll maybe throw me a contender of some sort, and then try to get another shot at that belt real soon. I’m not real sure what B.J.’s plans are, but I think he wants to go back up to [1]70, and if that’s the case, it’s gonna vacate the belt, and hopefully I’ll get a shot at it soon. I think I’ll get another shot at with another win or two, probably.”

Former UFC lightweight champion Sean Sherk still has his sights set on reclaiming the 155-pound title sometime soon. He missed the opportunity at UFC 84: “Ill Will,” losing to reigning division kingpin BJ Penn via third round technical knockout. “The Muscle Shark” will likely return in August when the promotion hits his native Minnesota with UFC 87: “Seek and Destroy.” There’s no word on a possible opponent but it sounds as if it could be someone near the top of the division.

 

[Shogun Locc]

‘Those who cant … teach:’ MMAmania.com exclusive interview with Rampage Jacksons trainer/manager Juanito Ibarra

UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Quinton “Rampage” Jackson is a wanted man — not just inside the Octagon, but outside of it, too.

With the conclusion of The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 7, which he was a coach alongside Forrest Griffin, he is now hunkering down in Big Bear, Calif., to prepare for his monster upcoming title defense at UFC 86: “Jackson vs. Griffin” on July 5.

It’s time for comical champion to get serious. And that means, according to his manager and trainer, Juanito Ibarra, that he needs to be free of any distractions sans a select few planned appearances and official commitments for the UFC in the coming weeks.

While MMAmania.com was unsuccessful in getting Rampage Jackson on the phone because of this very reason, Ibarra was willing to take time out of the camp he has prepared for the light heavyweight champion of the world to chat with us about all things Rampage Jackson. From how the camp is coming along to how Rampage liked coaching the up-and-coming TUF Middleweights to where Ibarra sees Rampage in the next few years, we covered it all.

And although I think I might have annoyed Ibarra with one of my questions that calls Rampage’s coaching success rate into question, you can’t argue with the man’s record — or the record of his champion prize fighters. A former boxing trainer for Oscar de la Hoya — who, by the way, has generated more money than any other boxer in history — Ibarra has helped Rampage build up his own empire, which now includes an energy drink, ringtones, rims and more.

In addition to being undefeated (6-0) since bringing Ibarra on board, Rampage also holds both the UFC light heavyweight championship strap and the PRIDE FC light heavyweight belt. Not too shabby.

We chatted with the man behind the man. Here’s what he had to say:

Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): Rampage is set to fight Forrest Griffin at UFC 86 on July 5 in Las Vegas. There’s been a lot of hype building for this fight, especially with The Ultimate Fighter Season 7 Finale premiering next Saturday. What was Rampage’s take on being a coach for the show? Would he prefer to stick with fighting or did he enjoy his experience there?

Juanito Ibarra: From what I understand, he thinks it was a good experience from our discussions. He don’t envy the coaches, you know. He’d rather be fighting than coaching, from what I gather.

Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): The fighters Rampage coached didn’t seem to perform very well on the show. What was the problem there? Was it because Rampage is a better fighter than he is a coach, or did he just pick lousy fighters?

Juanito Ibarra: No, man. You know, I was on the show with him. I don’t blame him or Forrest for the good or the bad. You get these kids coming in, they rarely have time to train … It’s a television show. The results are the results.

It’s not that it’s bad or good, but if you look at history in the fight game … you know, I have a saying, “Those who can’t … teach.” So in other words, those who can’t perform in the ring or the cage usually become good teachers or trainers.

In Rampage’s instance, the guy’s one hell of a fighter — he’s the undisputed champion of the world — and maybe he’s not a teacher, I don’t know. That was his first time ever trying it. He never thought he’d be in that position to even want to do it.

So, it was a different transition for him and me — as his trainer and his manager — to listen to him instead of him listening to me. And so it was a bit uncomfortable in the beginning, but us coaches were there for him to do what he asked us to do, and it is what it is.

Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): Taping for the show obviously prolongs title shots. Has this affected Rampage any? Did he use the opportunity to heal up old injuries and to market himself, or would he prefer to fight more frequently … say, every three or four months?

Juanito Ibarra: Well if you look at Rampage’s history, if you know anything about him, the first part of his career the guy was fighting … I think he fought like eight times a year. Look what his record is. I don’t even know if you know how many fights he has.

Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): Yeah, I do.

Juanito Ibarra: If you did your homework then he’s fought quite frequently. Fighters can’t fight like that all their lives — six times a year — especially when guys are getting better. We needed to heal some old injuries. I needed to market him more. I needed to get some endorsements and to fulfill the vision that I have for him as his manager — not only his trainer, but as his manager — to really exploit him out there in a good way.

Unfortunately, it was a little longer than we anticipated because of the show, but we committed to the UFC that we’d do it, and we wanted to stay honorable to it.

Things like that can hurt a fighter or it can help a fighter. In this case, I really think that it’s going to help Rampage, the long layoff. You know, he won two world titles. He’s the undisputed champion. He won it in seven months, right? Seven frickin’ months he won it. So he needed a little rest, he needs to heal. And now we’re ready to go back to war.

Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): Absolutely, I wasn’t trying to imply that he needed the time off, or anything like that. I was just saying that a criticism of TUF from a fan perspective is that they want to see more title shots more frequently.

Juanito Ibarra: Well, you know, the fans … it shouldn’t have to be a title shot that they want to see. They should just want to see a good fight. And Rampage always puts on a good fight, whether he’s a champion or not. I believe he’s going to stay champion for a long time. As long as he’s in great shape, it’s going to be hard to beat him.

Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): Absolutely.

Juanito Ibarra: Yeah, and we want to give the fans more of Rampage, and we hope the UFC complies with us in working with us to get that done. So I truly believe that Rampage’s year is next year, in 2009. I told him that on New Year’s Eve coming into 2008. I said, “Son, I’m tellin’ ya, 2009 is going to be a huge, huge, huge year for you.” And I truly believe that.

Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): How many more fights does Rampage have on his current contract?

Juanito Ibarra: I don’t want to get into money or contracts.

Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): Okay, that’s fine. Forrest is a big guy, I think he’s 6′3″ and probably walks around at 235.

Juanito Ibarra: He walks around at about 245 to be honest.

Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): 245, okay. Does this impact at all how you and Rampage have been preparing for this fight?

Juanito Ibarra: Rampage is always prepared, because that’s my way. I train athletes to do things backwards, forwards, sideways, 45 degree angles … And we always spar and have camps with guys of all sizes — from speed to shortness to thickness to tallness. Guys like Cheick Kongo in camp. You know, Cheick Kongo’s a monster. I brought in … I think I added it up to almost 25 guys in and out of camp with Rampage, getting their butts whooped. I pay my guys, so it’s hard for guys that come into camp to say, “I’m leaving ’cause I’m getting my butt whooped” when they’re getting paid, right?

We’re getting ready, just like any other fight. We don’t take Forrest lightly. He’s a big guy. He has a lot of tenacity. He comes to fight 1,000 percent of the time, and we’re going to do our best to be prepared for that, like always.

Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): Since Rampage began training with you, he’s 6-0, I believe, is that correct?

Juanito Ibarra: Yes, sir.

Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): Can you give us a brief run through of the type of training camp you’ve put together for this fight?

Juanito Ibarra: Well, it’s just like any other camp, I mean, I have a lock down kind of policy, whether he likes it or not. It’s about focusing, it’s about getting in shape at altitude, it’s about shutting out the world, and it’s hard. It takes you through a lot of mental stress, but you have to overcome them things to make you stronger and tougher and more focused.

Like I said, we’re concentrating on every aspect of the game for this fight, like we have other fights. I really haven’t changed much … I’m a study freak, I’m a technical freak, so … you know, that’s what we’ve done. We have a gameplan, and we’re going to be victorious.

Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): I don’t know the odds, but I’m sure Rampage is a heavy favorite for this fight. How do you see the fight going? Do you see it being a quick stoppage or a drawn out slugfest?

Juanito Ibarra: I don’t get into betting and odds, ’cause I could care less. Every fight’s a different fight. The underdog guys are the guys that, if you really don’t prepare for them, they are the guys that are the most dangerous. Forrest Griffin is just as dangerous as any other light heavyweight out there.

We don’t expect nothing but a win. We don’t think about defending the belt, we just think about winning the fight in a great fashion. If it comes early, God bless it, that’s what we’ve trained for — early stoppages and ways to win fights. And then on the other hand, we’re prepared to go five rounds if the momentum and tempo’s not like that.

You gotta remember that to have a fight, two guys gotta fight. Look at the Tito Ortiz and Machida fight. It was a matador and bull kind of fight. This fight might be a matador and bull kind of fight. You gotta know how to cut off the ring to get to the matador; and the matador has to be able to stab the bull to get the bull down, right?

I can probably bet 99.9 percent that this is going to be a strategic fight, especially in Forrest’s mind. I don’t think he wants to trade with Rampage. He may, he gets a little crazy, he likes to trade when he’s in the heat of it. He may do that, but we’re prepared either way.

Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): Do you think Forrest Griffin has a chin strong enough to stand and bang with Rampage?

Juanito Ibarra: No. Not too many guys do.

Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): Yeah, that’s for certain. I know that Rampage isn’t looking past Forrest by any means, but what’s next in line for him—

Juanito Ibarra: No buts. No buts. We’re not looking past Forrest. I always have a plan. As a business manager, his manager and as his trainer, I always have a plan. As a matter of fact, I have an A, B, C, D plan in anything I do. In the fight game, in the ring, in the cage, outside of it … So there are plans out there, but that’s it. It’s planning it. It doesn’t mean it’s going to happen.

But I think 2009 is going to be an unbelievable year for Rampage, and I think he’s going to end this year with a bang. I really do. He hasn’t fought, he’s hungry, he’s very ornery and nasty. That means I’m doing my job.

Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): Would he prefer a rematch with Shogun Rua or Wanderlei Silva?

Juanito Ibarra: Of course, that’s always in our future. Them guys are two great warriors. He was unfortunately beaten in them fights for whatever reasons — who cares? I always say, “Yesterday’s a canceled check, today’s cash in hand, tomorrow’s a promissory note.” And it’s on my mind, it’s always been on my mind.

I respect both them athletes. I respect them as athletes, fighters, as people. They are very polite to me. I’m very polite to them. I just think that Rampage Jackson is a way better fighter, and I think we’re under different circumstances, to say the least. If them kids are healthy, and Rampage is champion, like I expect him to be, of course we’d like them fights in the future, of course. But you gotta remember, them guys gotta show a winning style as well. They can’t just fight on pure names. They gotta show that they’re doing good. We want to beat the best that there are, just like anybody else.

Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): How’s the Rampage empire growing?

Juanito Ibarra: It’s growing, man. It’s been almost … man, it’s going on three and a half years, I think. I’ve been working my tail off six days a week. You know I have my team behind me — guys who have made me successful. It’s a small team, but I believe a powerful team. The empire is growing, believe me. We don’t talk about it a lot, we don’t wear it on our shorts like everybody wants us to and everybody does to show what we’re about. We just try to stay humble and believe in God and keep growing day by day.

Adam Wagner (MMAmania.com): Hey I really appreciate you taking the time to talk with us. I know that Rampage has a lot of fans who frequent the site. Would you like to thank any sponsors, or do you have any parting words for all those Rampage fans out there?

Juanito Ibarra: I know Rampage loves his fans to death. Just to let everybody know that he’s working his butt off to stay champion, and he thanks all the fans for the support. His new Web site will be up: AllRampage.com. Look it up. That’s where his new ringtones are going to be for sale, and his energy drink, and his tennis shoes, and his rims, and he’s growing. We really love the support from all the fans around the world.

 

[Shogun Locc]

UFC Quick Quote: Thales Leites not interested in Nate Marquardt rematch

“I don’t think so [take a rematch with Nate Marquardt]. He did a lot of illegal things to me. In my opinion it was his obligation to knock me out in the second round after the illegal knee. If he wants to fight me again I think he should get to the line, and wait in it again. I’m looking for the title-shot. He had his chance before, and he couldn’t get it so now it’s my time.”

– Thales Leites tells TopGunMMA.com that he has no real interest in a rematch with Nate Marquardt after their first encounter at UFC 85: “Bedlam” on June 7. Leites won the bout via split decision; however, Marquardt had two points deducted for fouls in the three round bout and in the waning seconds of the bout he used a pile driver-type maneuver, which is illegal but was not penalized. With the win Leites takes a considerable step up the 185-pound title contender ladder.

 

[Shogun Locc]

More Reality On The Way From UFC

In the most recent issue of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Dave Meltzer intimated that there may be more reality programming on the way from the UFC, in addition to The Ultimate Fighter:


"UFC is going to do a new reality show. I don't know the details of the show itself, but my impression is it involves Matt Hughes in a big way."

Hughes would seem an excellent choice for the new reality concept. Hughes's career has benefited greatly from his two stints as a coach on The Ultimate Fighter. Matt wasn't much of a PPV draw prior to the show: when most UFC PPV's were doing about 100k buys, his lone shot at headlining a PPV, Hughes vs Trigg 1, performed poorly, doing only about 40,000 buys. After his first stint on TUF, his next three cards he headlined did 1.5 million PPV buys combined.

With Hughes losing two in a row recently, the reality show may be able to generate more interest for his next fight and goose the PPV numbers. There is no word on whether Hughes' loss to Alves will affect the proposed reality show.

 

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Overeem? Bring it up
Mirko CroCop just responded to Overeem’s comments in the Sherdog article
Hi everyone, I've just stopped by to comment some statements made by Alistar Overem and his team.

It seems to me that some people should mind their own business. I've never been offered to fight Alistair Overeem. Why would I decline this offer? I came to DREAM to fight the best and I'm looking forward to see DREAM signing more top level heavyweights. Now when Alistair is officially in DREAM, I'll be expecting an official offer from DREAM to fight him and I'm going to accept it with pleasure.


I'm not on vacation here, I train hard and I've never picked my opponents. I fought the best fighters in the world already, I don't see why I should have seconds thoughts about fighting Alistair Overeem? On my way back up I need to fight top level competition and I believe that DREAM is perfectly able to put up a strong heavyweight match-up soon. So it's up to DREAM, let's bring it up.

 

[Shogun Locc]

CACARECO OUT, GRACIE IN AT DREAM 4

Alexandre “Cacareco” Ferreira has been pulled off the Dream 4 fight card due to visa issues that prevent him from entering Japan. He was scheduled to face Russian fighter Alavutdin Gadzhiev.

Replacing Cacareco will be Ralek Gracie, who takes the MMA fight on short notice. Gracie was originally scheduled to face Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic in a special grappling rules match at Dream 4. The grappling bout, however, was scratched off the card when Cro Cop withdrew because of injury.

Gadzhiev enters the bout off of a stoppage victory over eccentric Japanese fighter Hikaru Sato at Pancrase Shining 2. Gracie’s last MMA action saw him submit Katsuyori Shibata at K-1 Hero’s 9.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Guy Mezger clarifies previous statement

In this statement from Guy Mezger, Mezger clarifies for our readers any misunderstanding that might have arisen from our Wednesday June 11th, 2008 interview with him.

To see the interview click here. http://mmayou.com/news-and-exclusiv...-to-be-creative-in-some-of-the-guys-i-fought-

I usually leave the forums alone especially when they are talking about me. But after doing an interview and answering a question a little too vaguely, it has spawned a misrepresentation. So, that being the case I felt that I should set the record straight.

I am not claiming that any of MY fights were fixed or “worked”. I fought many hard matches in Pride with full intention of winning. I was stopped twice and the rest were split decisions against me in my losses in Pride (and, of course I disagree with the decisions, but I knew that I should have KOed them anyway). I am stating that I was approached once and only one time about my match with Satake.

I was approached by 2 Japanese guys who were always at the Pride events and were accompanying various Japanese fighters. They wanted to discuss my upcoming bout with Satake. They insisted that I keep it a stand up fight to be a more exciting match for the fans (or maybe because he has not ground game at all.) I told them that I was going to fight like I always and I do my best to make it as exciting as possible, but I was not going to promise them anything. They came back to me that they were willing to compensate me (that is Japanese term for money) to keep it on the feet. I said no. They then changed the subject and said that they could get me hooked up in Japanese Pro-Wrestling and make more money. I felt this was another attempt to get me to make it a kickboxing match, but then they were discussing the out come of the match and how it was important for Satake to win because he lost is last match. I stopped them there and told them I knew was going to be said next and I was not going to do it. (If he had to win then that meant that I had to lose) End of Conversation.

My match was not very entertaining with Satake, but I knew that they wanted him to win and I needed make sure I won very handedly or I would get screwed. It is not like it had not happened to me already with Sakuraba. They didn’t like the out come of that fight and changed the agreement/contract right on the spot. Satake was cheating so bad in that fight it was crazy. The ref even warned my corner that I was going to get a yellow card for yelling out every time he held onto the ropes with either his hand or hooked his foot (I could not make something up this bad).

I never was Pride’s favorite son, but it got worse after that fight. I really feel there were only 2 reasons for them keeping me; 1. I was popular in Japan because of being the KOP and 2. Because my agent, Michael Braverman, was doing important business for them and was instrumental in getting Pride over to the USA.

Some people are asking for prove. Do you think these conversations are recorded or video made of these? Give me a break. What you have to say about this is… Do you believe it or not? And what are my motivations? It is not like I am an embittered guy or need a job or that I am going write a scandalous book about. I can not honestly say if these guys were talking of the behalf of Pride or for Satake only. I can only relate what happened.

I have never really complained about my experience with Pride. Pride has produced some great shows and champions, but there have been some questionable decisions and fights. I did feel like I was getting the shaft on the decisions and even getting head butted by Silva, but I never made a big deal about it. I always fought my hardest against the best and never backed down from an opponent. I like to think I have the respect of the fans and my fighting peers.

This is long winded but wanted to set the record straight. Peace - Guy Mezger

 

[Shogun Locc]

PEDERNEIRAS: MARQUARDT SHOULD HAVE BEEN DQ'D

Andre Pederneiras is the head of Nova Uniao, the team responsible for producing athletes such as Vitor “Shaolin” Ribeiro, Thales Leites and Jose Aldo, among others. Two of those fighters, Leites and Aldo, saw action recently fighting for the Ultimate Fighting Championship and World Extreme Cagefighting, respectively.

Although Pederneiras was pleased with both of his fighters' recent performances, he had some pretty strong opinions on Leites’ bout with Nathan Marquardt at UFC 85 in London, believing that the infractions on Marquardt’s behalf is a recurring issue with the Top 10 ranked middleweight.

MMAWeekly: You’ve traveled a lot recently, going from the WEC to the UFC, with your fighters winning in both events. Which of these performances pleased you the most?

Andre Pederneiras: I think both of them pleased me a lot. One, for Junior’s (Jose Aldo’s) knockout, but the other for Thales’ heroism. Even after having suffered a number of illegal blows, he carried on fighting and won in the end.

MMAWeekly: Is Will Ribeiro one of your fighters? How did Will's arrival at Nova Uniao come about?

AP: Will is a fighter from Boxe Thai, but he trains here with my guys since there isn’t that many guys at his weight class there. I have this exchange with Boxe Thai because I trained there a long time with Luis Alvez, who is a long-time friend of mine and Muay Thai instructor.

MMAWeekly: You mentioned the illegal blows that Thales received in his fight against Nate Marquardt at UFC 85. Naturally, you are probably unhappy about that. What is your position on the situation? How do you think the referee should have acted under those circumstances?

AP: I think the referee did a good job deducting points from Nathan; he just didn't react to the last infraction, the piledriver. I think it was because there were only a few seconds left in the fight. I feel that Nathan should have been disqualified; this is not the first time he has committed such an infraction. I remember back when he fought Cachorrao (Ricardo Almeida) for the Pancrase title; Cachorrao choked out Marquardt and he punched him several times after the stoppage. Renzo (Gracie) jumped through the rope and kicked him two or three times for the cowardly move.

MMAWeekly: Do you think the UFC should take some kind of preventive measures to make sure this does not happen in the future?

AP: I think the best punishment is to hit them where it hurts, in the pockets. That’s the only way an athlete will learn.

MMAWeekly: You have been promoting Shooto South America. How is this project coming?

AP: It is growing slowly but surely in a solid way and to me that’s what matters. I want to take years to build an event, but in return I want it to last for the rest of my life in a solid way.

MMAWeekly: What do you intend for the future of Shooto South America?

AP: I want to have champions in every category and put on events throughout South America.

MMAWeekly: Who will be the next Nova Uniao fighter to stand out internationally?

AP: It would be unfair to point out one name. I think the team as a whole has been growing a lot. Ninety percent of my team comes from a jiu-jitsu background and the majority of the fighters are home grown. That motivates me a lot to see a kid who was a jiu-jitsu champion become an MMA champion. That motivates me a lot as a professional; this proves my school is based on good fundamentals and really good techniques for any fighting situation, whether it is jiu-jitsu or MMA.

 

[Shogun Locc]

CAN NEWCOMER ROLLER TOPPLE ULTIMATE FIGHTER?

It’s always special for a fighter when he gets the chance to compete on a big card in his home state, and it’s especially sweet when he gets an opportunity to face off against an old nemesis.

Such is the case for Colorado upstart Brett Roller, as he steps into a feature bout on Friday’s Ring of Fire event in Broomfield, Colo. against former high school wrestling teammate and former “The Ultimate Fighter” cast member Noah Thomas.

“It’s awesome,” exclaimed the 145-pound Roller. “I’ve been working hard for the past year and a half, and to already be pro and on a card this big, it’s awesome.

“Fighting on the same card as guys like (Mike) Nickels, (Luke) Caudillo – guys who’ve been in the UFC – and to be a feature bout with them, it’s awesome.”

Getting the chance to showcase his skills at Ring of Fire for the first time is only one part of what makes Roller’s day. The opportunity to face off against Thomas adds to his enthusiasm.

“Me and Noah went to the same high school and were on the same wrestling team,” explained Roller. “He was a decent wrestler, but he was kind of the guy that was annoying and pissed everyone off.”

“Me, being a young guy on the varsity team, I wouldn’t take (expletive) from him, and we’d get into it with each other. There’s probably still some animosity there, but I’m sure we’ll leave it in the cage and be fine afterwards.”

Though he has limited experience in MMA compared to Thomas, his relentless fighting style makes him more than an ample test for any fighter.

“I feel that in every fight you should be the aggressor, because if you’re not, you’re not trying hard enough,” he stated. “It’s usually the guy that’s the aggressor that’s trying to take the other guy out.

“You’ve got to intimidate your opponent and break him down, and how you do that is be the aggressor. Once the bell rings, I’m going to go and not hold anything back.”

Though his fighting style usually flows instinctively, Roller intends to fight smart as well.

“I know he’s probably working hard on his wrestling, because I feel I’m a more skilled wrestler than him,” he commented. “In jiu-jitsu he’s on a whole different level than I am, he’s better at it than me.

“If it goes to the ground I’ve got to keep my head up and watch out for the jiu-jitsu, just like he does for my wrestling.”

With talk of Thomas making a big move should he win this fight, it would be easy for Roller to get lost among it, but be sure he intends to be more than a way station for Thomas’ success.

“I’m not going to be his speed bump, if anything, he’s going to be mine,” stated Roller.

“I want to go to the WEC; I want to fight the big boys. He’s got the (reality) show under his belt and probably 20 more fights than me, but I’m fighting to be the best. I’m not doing this for fun, not doing it because it’s a hobby, it’s what I want to do – I want to be the best.”

Should he pull off the upset, he looks to move down in weight make his mark at the still developing 135-pound division and face the best it has to offer.

“I always want to fight a guy with a better record than me, supposedly better than me or unstoppable, because I want to prove them wrong,” he said.

“I’ve got to get my name out there and to do that I have to beat Noah, then the next guy; and if I keep doing it, I can get to that next level.”

There’re multiple reasons for Brett Roller to be excited about Friday’s fight.

He’s on a big show in a feature bout against an old foe with an opportunity to get his name out there and move on to more opportunities, making for a potentially explosive fight that local area fans should not miss out on.

“I’ve always got to give a shout out to West Side Tattoo, Halo Design, Max Performance and Prints of Battle,” closed out Roller. “Thanks to the mother of my child, for taking care of my son, being a wonderful mom and supporting me very well too.

“To all my friends, family, everybody, come out, it’s going to be an awesome fight – I’m not going to hold anything back and I don’t think Noah is either.”

 

[Shogun Locc]

Evan Tanner blog on Spike.com coming soon

“I’ll be making two to three posts a week. Spike’s given me the freedom to talk about whatever’s on my mind, within reason of course.


I’ll be giving training updates, with pictures and video footage, sparring sessions, technique sessions, and strength and conditioning sessions. Hopefully I’ll be able to get some behind the scenes footage in the dressing room before and after fights, and footage of everything else that goes on that’s never shown on the UFC event coverage.
I’ll also be giving thoughts on upcoming events, and individual fights. And sometimes, I’ll be doing post fight reviews. I’m sure I’ll have a thing or two to say about developments with the UFC and the MMA world in general.
I’ll be posting up pictures, videos, and stories of what’s going on in between training, and after fights, etc. There’s always something going on, riding the Harley cross country, or off-roading up in the mountains, going to the Playboy Mansion, etc. We’ll definitely keep it interesting.”
Former UFC middleweight champion Evan Tanner — who is one of the few fighter who maintains his own blog at EvanTanner.net — will soon chronicle his preparation, training and adventures on Spike.com. He has an upcoming fight against Kendall Grove set for The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 7 Finale at The Pearl Concert Theater at Palms Casino Resort Las Vegas, Nevada, on Saturday, June 21, 2008. It will air LIVE at 9 p.m. ET on SpikeTV.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Ken Shamrock's Lion's Den Scottsdale Elite Fight Team

Scottsdale, AZ. - June 10, 2008 - The next generation of MMA champions have been chosen. MMA Legend Ken Shamrock recently held open tryouts for the highly anticipated Lion's Den Scottsdale Elite Team. The tryouts, open to all experienced professional fighters, took place at Shamrock's newest MMA training facility located in Scottsdale Arizona.

In response to the Lion's Den reputation as one of the most feared and respected MMA fighting team organizations in the world, over sixty Elite Team hopefuls traveled from across the United States to compete for a coveted spot on Shamrock's team. Only six competitors met the appropriate qualifying standards necessary to become a member of the Lion's Den Scottsdale Elite Team.

"Only fighters that excelled in every level of the grueling five hour competition made the cut. The competition was tough, our standards are extremely high. Athletes were first required to display their mixed martial arts skills during a series of drills. If they scored high enough to avoid elimination, they moved on to the next round and eventually competed in multiple live MMA elimination matches", stated Ken Shamrock, MMA Legend and founder of the Lion's Den.

Scott Peters, Lion's Den Scottsdale Partner and offensive center for the Arizona Cardinals, went on to say, "During the tryouts the skills of each fighter were carefully evaluated by Ken and our Lion's Den Scottsdale coaches, all champions and proven experts in their discipline. The six competitors that were able to meet the high standards set by Shamrock will not only train with the best, they will have the opportunity to put their skills to the test in premier MMA events as a Lion's Den Scottsdale Elite Team fighter."

New Elite Team members; Bleu Edwards, Zac Mathews, Jeff Newbrough, Dan Sandman, Jeff Watson and John Lansing will join Edwin "Bam Bam" Dewees, Joe "Diesel" Riggs, and Rick "The Jet" Roufus to represent Lion's Den Scottsdale as Shamrock's newest Elite Fight Team. These highly skilled fighters will have the best training, representation and sponsorship opportunities available in the MMA industry.

Tryouts for the Lion's Den Elite teamwill be held at Lion's Den Scottsdale semi-annually. For those interested in taking their MMA career to the next level, please contact Shamrock's Elite Team recruiter, Lance Foreman, at [email protected].

Ken Shamrock's Lion's Den Scottsdale
Scottsdale based Lion's Den Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) Training Center located at 2954 N. Hayden Road in Scottsdale is the only training facility of its kind in Arizona. This state-of-the-art facility has over 8,000 square feet of training area, including 3,000 square feet of grappling and striking mat space, a full weight and cardio room, professional size boxing ring and a competition octagon for mixed martial arts. Lions Den Scottsdale employs a world renowned team of instructors, hand selected by the legendary Ken Shamrock to ensure that every member exceeds their personal goals in each selected discipline. Programs are offered in Muay Thai/Kickboxing, Jiu Jitsu, Boxing, Grappling, Mixed Martial Arts and Sports Conditioning. Lions Den also offers the best in child martial arts programs. Classes are set up to accommodate all ages and skill levels, from entry level students to world class athletes. Private lessons are available. At Lion's Den Scottsdale you don't have to be a world champion to train like one. For more information call 480-941-LION or visit http://www.lionsdenaz.com/.

 

[Shogun Locc]

TUF 7 Rating - Week 11

MMAPayout.com has learned that the 6/11 episode of the Ultimate Fighter on Spike drew a 1.1 rating (1.4 million viewers). The program drew quarter hours of 1.10, 1.07, 1.21, and 1.21. The key demographic numbers were a a 1.72 in M18-34 and a 1.47 in M18-49. The M18-49 number was good enough for second place on basic cable for the time period.

After bottoming out at 0.9 in week, the series has rebounded and appears to be building some momentum heading into the live finale. Spike had pushed the NBA playoffs as the culprit for much this season's decline. Some had doubted that rationale, citing the fact that this isn't the first season to face the NBA playoffs. However, this is the highest rated NBA post season in years and the season's rebound the last two weeks has coincided with the lack of NBA competition.

 

[Shogun Locc]

The Professional

Like any other subculture, the fight game has its own set of uniquely defined caste assignments, a linguistic shortcut to convey where competitors stand relative to the crowd.

In mixed martial arts, terms such as champion, gatekeeper, contender and tomato can are readily used to describe where a fighter stands in the pecking order. For better or for worse, fans and media alike use these to sum up a guy's worth.

But in the case of Yves Edwards (Pictures), an ideal definition would be the "The Professional."

The Professional is the guy who shows up on short notice, yet is almost always in shape, sometimes injured, but, regardless, is a tough out. The Professional is too talented to be relegated to the status of gatekeeper, has beaten too many tough guys to ever really be counted out and often has the kind of hot-and-cold streaks in his career that make him a bookmaker's nightmare.

He's the kind of guy managers think twice about before risking a prospect against, unless they are feeling particularly confident.

The Professional is well rounded, cerebral and has seen every possible wrinkle thrown into the mix, almost always designed to screw him -- whether it's the size of the ring/cage, contract details, weigh-in times, hotel accommodations -- such trivial details rarely if ever work out in his favor. He takes all the equipment with him he can stuff into a gym bag, before hitting the road, or air, en route to the fight.

Trusting nothing, assuming less, and always relishing the opportunity despite knowing he's often being brought in to lose, The Professional knows he is a marked man, a target signed to the dotted line, so somebody else can trade in on the reputation he's built. The Professional takes all this in stride because he has to. It is a mark of pride that they have to stack the deck to hang the "L" on his record. Certainly, EliteXC has a perfect situation with the highly marketable Noons, whose good looks and well-spoken manner could be a potent combination.

Fighting a hometown Hawaiian for his title is kind of like force-dunking The First Lady's face into the punch bowl during a Presidential barbecue at Crawford Ranch -- you'd better be prepared for a battle.

The Professional always knows that, despite the disadvantages of rarely being the hometown guy or favorite, at the end of the day, it comes down to him making the most of it. Because you never know. Because he's done it before when few expected him to. Even when he's beat, he often gives you a better run for your money, and trouble throughout.

That's exactly what Edwards is planning Saturday when he challenges K.J. Noons for the EliteXC 160-pound title. Battling in Noons' native Hawaii, Edwards, 34-13-1, faces the champion, a relative neophyte with a 6-2 record, branded as one of the new faces of the organization. In November, Noons took the then-vacant belt with a stoppage over Nick Diaz (Pictures), bloodying up the former UFC veteran with a series of well-placed strikes in a breakout performance.

"I'm looking at this fight as a really tough one. I've heard things, and you get on the Internet and you hear, ‘Oh, Yves will kill this guy,' or, ‘K.J. destroyed this guy.' K.J. beat up Nick Diaz (Pictures), man," Edwards said. "So for anybody that doesn't have faith in K.J., you know, that still stands. That still holds true. He beat up Nick Diaz (Pictures). So that's a guy that I have to fear for. I think I've been focused a lot on this fight. I'm prepared for it."

The two trained together approximately nine years ago and have expressed mutual respect. On a recent media conference call, Noons said he expects a tough fight.

"I feel like I've come a super long way on everything," Noons said when asked about his ground game, which is still a question mark. "I don't know where Yves is going to take the fight. But I train every fight as if, you know, that's what the guy has to do is take it to the ground. So I prepare physically on the ground so I won't get submitted or that I can submit, or I can ground and pound, or I can defend ground and pound. So I work on it a lot. I'm definitely prepared for it."

Edwards agreed it could be a live one.

"This should be a really good fight. We did work out back in the day," Edwards added. "But I don't think either one of us is going back to that time and thinking, you know, I need to key in on these things from that time. It was too long ago.

"The biggest thing is having world-class guys all the time, every single day. The thing for me with American Top Team, I don't have to make phone calls and worry about who is going to show up and try to round up a crew to get together for the day."

Teammate Cole Miller (Pictures) likes what Edwards has brought to ATT, as well.

"It's a lot of fun working with a guy like him," Miller said. "He is one of the all-time greats. His strengths are his striking and ground and pound. His ground and wrestling are very impressive, as well."

Edwards, with six wins in 10 UFC appearances, has been a staple of the 155-pound division for years. The native Texan also has racked up frequent flier mileage in his career, competing in Japan, Russia and every time zone in the continental United States. And he's fought in Hawaii. For Edwards, duking it out with a local boy in front of the appreciative Honolulu crowd is the quickest way to win them over. His last bout, a crowd-pleasing knockout over Edson Berto, was an artistic masterpiece.

Hopping on one foot to defend a single-leg takedown as Berto worked to spoil his balance, Edwards stuffed Berto's head down and knocked him out with a slam-bang knee to the dome. It was his second stoppage win in EliteXC and earned him the title shot he's hoping to capitalize on. Despite all the years fighting and various organizations he's competed in, the words "world champion" would have a nice ring to them.

"Islanders love fights. They're like the best fans to fight in front of. So I'm just looking forward to this," Edwards said. "This is an opportunity for me to fight for a world title, a quality world title. And I'm looking for my chance to grab it, man. I'm just ready to go. I'm kind of antsy right now. I'm moving around on my feet right now just excited about the fight. I think this is going to be a good one. You guys better not blink because you've got two explosive guys in there and you just never know what can happen."

When he turned pro in 1997, Edwards, like many fighters, had to scramble to find training partners to prepare as he trained mostly in his home state of Texas. Since joining the Florida-based American Top Team, he feels like his preparations are better than ever.

"For a while in Houston, I had that. We had guys go in all the time working out. We had good, high level guys working out all the time. But guys started moving away," he said. "Guys moved back to Brazil and Louisiana. Guys fell off, and I was kind of left alone.

"Moving to American Top Team, we've got everybody in the gym every day of the week. That's been the big difference for me, besides the fact that everybody in there brings something to the table. We have a lot of really good coaches that have helped sharpen my game up quite a bit. It just exposes you to what you're weak at. [So where] your game is not strong, you can work on getting it stronger at that point."

Edwards has looked spectacular in some fights, knocking out Josh Thomson (Pictures) with a gorgeously timed head kick, showcasing his sublime jiu-jitsu in holding off Hermes Franca (Pictures) to two close decision wins. He's also looked disconcertingly ordinary in others, and in his last fight in the UFC, was elbowed into a one-sided TKO defeat by Joe Stevenson (Joe Stevenson' class='LinkSilver'>Pictures) in July 2006. There was so much blood on the Octagon floor it looked like a crime scene. It was almost as though Edwards literally left part of himself in the cage.

Noons overcame a lot of critics in his last two fights, stopping Berto in a gutty showing in addition to the win over Diaz. With some professional boxing bouts under his belt -- Noons has assembled a record of 7-1 (5 KO) in the Sweet Science, fighting nondescript opposition -- his hands looked exceptionally sharp against Diaz.

"K.J.'s got some strengths that can help keep you away from parts of his game that you think he's weak at," Edwards explained. "But you really don't know. You don't want to go out there and get surprised. I've been surprised before, and I'm not going to let that happen again."

The surprises have been shocking at times for Edwards, who dropped five of six fights over a 21-month stretch beginning in 2005. He seemed to be slipping down the ladder, perhaps too many fights, too much mileage.

But since then he's gone on a three-fight win streak and looked his old self against Berto. Slick. Unflappable. And salty as only a hard-boiled pro can be, having seen every angle, so many times for so many years. Despite Berto's imposing physique and clear strength advantage, Edwards played cool while the young buck pressured him, waited it out, and, suddenly, exploded with the crushing knee. Game. Over.

And while for years he's billed his grappling style as "Thug-Jitsu," it's one of the more refined ones in the game. At his best, Edwards moves skillfully into positions with deceptive efficiency, staying cool under pressure and when compromised, and consistently plying his advantages regardless of where he finds himself. Put him up against the cage, on his back, whatever. He can be one of the canniest veterans around.

The benefit of experience -- and Edwards has a big edge in that department Saturday -- is seeing things before they happen, and capitalizing appropriately, like an aged chess master slamming the trap shut on an opponent who has perhaps more talent but less cunning. That, more than anything, defines The Professional, in that he knows how to win even when he shouldn't.

If Edwards' old-school approach and revamped training regimen hit on all cylinders Saturday, he'll finally have achieved the one thing that's eluded him thus far -- a championship. Currently he's an 8-5 favorite with the oddsmakers.

"Definitely this fight's the biggest of my career up to date. As far as goals for my career, I want to leave this game with a legacy. I want to be talked about when my son is my age. When my son is 25 years old and he's doing whatever it is he's doing, if he decides he wants to fight, I want people to say he's better than his dad. But I want his dad to be great," Edwards said. "I want to be somebody that people remember as a pioneer in this sport 50-100 years from now when MMA becomes whatever it is it is going to be. I want to leave a legacy behind by fighting the best guys."

Being called "champ" certainly wouldn't hurt.

 

[Shogun Locc]

EliteXC Ready for ‘Return of the King’
videolink: http://www.sherdog.com/videos/videos.asp?v_id=1636
HONOLULU -- EliteXC held a press conference on Thursday to promote its June 14 event at the Neal S. Blaisdell Arena. The bill marks the promotion's second trip to Hawaii in nine months and features a lightweight showdown between champion Karl James Noons (Pictures) and challenger Yves Edwards (Pictures).

Noons is no stranger to Blaisdell Arena.

A native of Hawaii, Noons first competed at the venue in 2005, scoring a technical knockout over Malik Williams at Superbrawl 39.

But his connection with the old arena goes back even further than that.

"It's kind of crazy that I'm fighting here at Blaisdell, because I was talking to my father the other day and he actually fought here 30 years ago," Noons said. "It's kind of special for me and my family and my dad; he fought here in the seventies, my mom was born and raised here, and I had my first MMA fight here at Blaisdell. And in such short time I'm already back and defending the title."

And the hometown turf isn't the only familiar aspect for Noons, who will compete on Saturday against former sparring partner Yves Edwards (Pictures).

"I'm excited to fight with KJ. We go back, [we're] good friends and we'll put on a good show for you guys. But I'm sorry I've got to take your gold, buddy," declared Edwards.

The evening's co-main feature will pit Nick Diaz (Pictures) against Mushin Corbbrey.

Diaz is looking to get another crack at Noons and the EliteXC 160-pound title, and is coming off a first-round destruction of Katsuya Inoue (Pictures) at Dream 3 on May 11.

"I don't have much to say about the fight coming. I'm glad to have an opponent and to be here fighting," stated an unusually abbreviated Diaz. "It's just great to be here on the Island fighting again."

EliteXC "Return of the King" bout order:

Opening bout (untelevised):
Kepa Madeiros vs. Carl Barton

Showtime broadcast:
Rafael Feijao vs. Wayne Cole (Pictures)
Dave Herman (Pictures) vs. Ron Waterman (Pictures)
Murilo Rua (Pictures) vs. Tony Bonello (Pictures)
Nick Diaz (Pictures) vs. Muhsin Corbbrey (Pictures)
Karl James Noons (Pictures) vs. Yves Edwards (Pictures)

Swing bout:
Russell Doane vs. Dwayne Haney (Pictures)

ProElite.com broadcasted fights:
PJ Dean (Pictures) vs. Dean Lista (Pictures)
Lolohea Mahe (Pictures) vs. Chris Bernard
Kaleo Kwan (Pictures) vs. Mike Aina (Pictures)
Mark Oshiro (Pictures) vs. Chris Williams (Pictures)
Kala Hose (Pictures) vs. Robert McDaniel

 

[Shogun Locc]

Hose Talks EliteXC Bout
videolink: http://www.sherdog.com/videos/videos.asp?v_id=1637
Sherdog.com caught up with Kala Hose (Pictures) to discuss his bout against Robert McDaniel Saturday in Hawaii.