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AFFLICTION NEARING OCT. 11 DATE IN LAS VEGAS
Despite much speculation about a possible Nov. 8 date for the next event from fledgling MMA promotion Affliction, MMAWeekly.com has learned from multiple sources close to the negotiations that the promotion is instead nearing finalization of an Oct. 11 date for its next event.
Perhaps more surprising is the location. If the Oct. 11 date is finalized, the second edition of Affliction will take place at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, smack in the backyard of industry juggernaut the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
Affliction’s clothing brand was once prominently displayed on fighters entering the UFC Octagon, but once the company ramped up plans for its own mixed martial arts promotion, the relationship between it and the UFC quickly fractured. Fighters in the UFC are no longer allowed to wear the competing brand’s clothing at UFC events.
One source indicated that the move to Oct. 11 was primarily to try and facilitate the participation of the promotion’s cornerstone, Fedor Emelianenko. His manager, Vadim Finkelstein, stated prior to the first Affliction event on the M-1 Mix Fight official website that “Two more fights are planned for Fedor in 2008. The first one in October in the context of the next Affliction show in conjunction with M-1 Global, and the second one at New Year’s Eve in Japan.”
When contacted by MMAWeekly.com for comment, Affliction vice president Tom Atencio said that while he could not confirm an Oct. 11 date in Las Vegas, that he would not rule it out either.
“Obviously the UFC is going to counter-program whatever we do,” said Atencio. Asked if he thinks that the UFC would continue to counter-program Affliction, he continued, “I would think that’s what they would do. They tried to crush us with the first show.”
To counter Affliction’s first event, the UFC, in five weeks, put together a UFC Fight Night event that aired live on basic cable network Spike TV. The main event featured UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva’s light heavyweight debut against James Irvin.
Despite much speculation about a possible Nov. 8 date for the next event from fledgling MMA promotion Affliction, MMAWeekly.com has learned from multiple sources close to the negotiations that the promotion is instead nearing finalization of an Oct. 11 date for its next event.
Perhaps more surprising is the location. If the Oct. 11 date is finalized, the second edition of Affliction will take place at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, smack in the backyard of industry juggernaut the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
Affliction’s clothing brand was once prominently displayed on fighters entering the UFC Octagon, but once the company ramped up plans for its own mixed martial arts promotion, the relationship between it and the UFC quickly fractured. Fighters in the UFC are no longer allowed to wear the competing brand’s clothing at UFC events.
One source indicated that the move to Oct. 11 was primarily to try and facilitate the participation of the promotion’s cornerstone, Fedor Emelianenko. His manager, Vadim Finkelstein, stated prior to the first Affliction event on the M-1 Mix Fight official website that “Two more fights are planned for Fedor in 2008. The first one in October in the context of the next Affliction show in conjunction with M-1 Global, and the second one at New Year’s Eve in Japan.”
When contacted by MMAWeekly.com for comment, Affliction vice president Tom Atencio said that while he could not confirm an Oct. 11 date in Las Vegas, that he would not rule it out either.
“Obviously the UFC is going to counter-program whatever we do,” said Atencio. Asked if he thinks that the UFC would continue to counter-program Affliction, he continued, “I would think that’s what they would do. They tried to crush us with the first show.”
To counter Affliction’s first event, the UFC, in five weeks, put together a UFC Fight Night event that aired live on basic cable network Spike TV. The main event featured UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva’s light heavyweight debut against James Irvin.
IFL CHAMP DAN MILLER & BROTHER JIM SIGN WITH UFC
The further dismantling of the International Fight League’s roster of fighters continues as current IFL middleweight champion Dan Miller and his brother, Jim Miller, a highly touted lightweight prospect, have both signed on with the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
The news was first reported by Marcus Mera from IGuillotine.com with confirmation from Mike Constantino, the lead trainer for both of the Miller brothers.
Dan Miller in his second fight in the IFL won the promotion’s middleweight title by defeating Ryan McGivern, but due to the company’s financial disparity he was unable to ever defend his title.
The other addition to the UFC’s roster is Jim Miller, who is considered one of the top lightweight prospects in all of MMA. After amassing an impressive record in regional MMA promotions, Miller debuted in the IFL by defeating former top contender Bart Palaszewski in April 2008.
Coincidentally, Miller’s only professional loss came at the hands of current UFC lightweight Frankie Edgar in a bout the two had in Reality Fighting in 2006.
The signing of the Miller brothers fuels further speculation that the IFL is officially out of business, although the promotion has not confirmed any purchase or sale at this current time.
Dan Miller is the first of the current line-up of IFL champions to have signed with another organization since the financial troubles of the promotion started earlier this year.
Both Jim and Dan Miller will comment on their new deal with the UFC during an appearance on MMAWeekly Radio Thursday night at 9pm EST/6pm PST.
The further dismantling of the International Fight League’s roster of fighters continues as current IFL middleweight champion Dan Miller and his brother, Jim Miller, a highly touted lightweight prospect, have both signed on with the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
The news was first reported by Marcus Mera from IGuillotine.com with confirmation from Mike Constantino, the lead trainer for both of the Miller brothers.
Dan Miller in his second fight in the IFL won the promotion’s middleweight title by defeating Ryan McGivern, but due to the company’s financial disparity he was unable to ever defend his title.
The other addition to the UFC’s roster is Jim Miller, who is considered one of the top lightweight prospects in all of MMA. After amassing an impressive record in regional MMA promotions, Miller debuted in the IFL by defeating former top contender Bart Palaszewski in April 2008.
Coincidentally, Miller’s only professional loss came at the hands of current UFC lightweight Frankie Edgar in a bout the two had in Reality Fighting in 2006.
The signing of the Miller brothers fuels further speculation that the IFL is officially out of business, although the promotion has not confirmed any purchase or sale at this current time.
Dan Miller is the first of the current line-up of IFL champions to have signed with another organization since the financial troubles of the promotion started earlier this year.
Both Jim and Dan Miller will comment on their new deal with the UFC during an appearance on MMAWeekly Radio Thursday night at 9pm EST/6pm PST.
Agreed. I'd like to see him fight either of them. Hopefully Rothwell gets another chance with Affliction .. especially since I heard he's training with Pat Barry.
.. anyone heard any confirmation of Arlovski's boxing debut? Shit's up on boxrec but they're known to jump the gun on confirmed fights.
.. anyone heard any confirmation of Arlovski's boxing debut? Shit's up on boxrec but they're known to jump the gun on confirmed fights.
Fedor Emelianenko vs. Andrei Arlovski to headline Oct. 11 Affliction show
Longtime PRIDE heavyweight champion Fedor Emelianenko (28-1) and former UFC heavyweight title-holder Andrei Arlovski (13-5) -- the biggest winners and clear-cut fan favorites at this past weekend's "Affliction: Banned" event -- will headline the rookie organization's next show on Oct. 11.
Kevin Iole of Yahoo! Sports was the first to confirm the date and heavyweight main event.
As we previously reported, a Nov. 8 date and Atlantic City location had been under consideration, but instead, Affliction will head to Las Vegas for a show at the Thomas & Mack Center on the UNLV campus.
Formal announcement of the show is expected on Tuesday, according to Yahoo! Sports.
During this past weekend's event, Atencio never tipped his hand about a possible trip to Las Vegas when asked about a second event.
"When? The beginning of November," Atencio said. "Where? We haven't finalized that yet. We're still looking at a couple different locations."
It'll now be Las Vegas, which is home to the world's top mixed-martial-arts promotion, the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
Affliction debuted July 19 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif., with "Banned," an event that drew 14,832 attendees for a live gate of $2.1 million (though Affliction purchased $500,000 worth of the tickets).
On Wednesday, Affliction Vice President Tom Atencio told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) that the debut event garnered "well over" 100,000 pay-per-view buys, which if true, would be a major accomplishment for a non-UFC promotion.
However, given a hefty fighter payroll of more than $3.3 million, Atencio said things will be toned down for the second show.
"I'm going to make some adjustments in the next fight, and we'll take it from there," Atencio said. "If we want this to be a viable business, we have to make some changes."
At "Banned" Emelianenko scored his biggest win in three years with a 36-second drubbing of Tim Sylvia. Arlovski, meanwhile, needed nearly three rounds to score a stunning KO a resilient Ben Rothwell.
Longtime PRIDE heavyweight champion Fedor Emelianenko (28-1) and former UFC heavyweight title-holder Andrei Arlovski (13-5) -- the biggest winners and clear-cut fan favorites at this past weekend's "Affliction: Banned" event -- will headline the rookie organization's next show on Oct. 11.
Kevin Iole of Yahoo! Sports was the first to confirm the date and heavyweight main event.
As we previously reported, a Nov. 8 date and Atlantic City location had been under consideration, but instead, Affliction will head to Las Vegas for a show at the Thomas & Mack Center on the UNLV campus.
Formal announcement of the show is expected on Tuesday, according to Yahoo! Sports.
During this past weekend's event, Atencio never tipped his hand about a possible trip to Las Vegas when asked about a second event.
"When? The beginning of November," Atencio said. "Where? We haven't finalized that yet. We're still looking at a couple different locations."
It'll now be Las Vegas, which is home to the world's top mixed-martial-arts promotion, the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
Affliction debuted July 19 at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif., with "Banned," an event that drew 14,832 attendees for a live gate of $2.1 million (though Affliction purchased $500,000 worth of the tickets).
On Wednesday, Affliction Vice President Tom Atencio told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) that the debut event garnered "well over" 100,000 pay-per-view buys, which if true, would be a major accomplishment for a non-UFC promotion.
However, given a hefty fighter payroll of more than $3.3 million, Atencio said things will be toned down for the second show.
"I'm going to make some adjustments in the next fight, and we'll take it from there," Atencio said. "If we want this to be a viable business, we have to make some changes."
At "Banned" Emelianenko scored his biggest win in three years with a 36-second drubbing of Tim Sylvia. Arlovski, meanwhile, needed nearly three rounds to score a stunning KO a resilient Ben Rothwell.
'Feijao' Promises Action at 'Unfinished Business'
A fast-rising force in the light heavyweight division, Rafael "Feijao" Cavalcante (Pictures) will take another step towards vying for a championship belt when he meets Travis Galbraith (Pictures) at EliteXC: Unfinished Business on Saturday in Stockton, Calif. Sherdog.com recently sat down with the talented Brazilian to discuss his upcoming bout.
Sherdog.com: Your last fight in EliteXC was one month ago in Hawaii. How did you prepare yourself for this fight in such a short period of time?
Cavalcante: I’d already been training hard for my last fight, so I didn’t need to do a lot more. My training has been great. [UFC middleweight champion] Anderson Silva (Pictures) is here with me. Fabio Maldonado (Pictures) is here, as well. They help me very much. Daniel Voihin, Josuel Distak and Rogério Camões, my trainers, also helped me a lot on my preparation. I just need to lose some weight for the fight. I’m ready, and God willing, I’ll conquer one more opponent.
Sherdog.com: Did you expect to be called to fight again so quickly, or was this a surprise for you?
Cavalcante: No, it was really a surprise. I expected to fight again only in September, but since I was not hurt and my trainers said I could, I accepted this fight. The athlete gets worn out by the training, but I’ve talked to [my trainers], and they said, ‘Yes,’ so let’s go.
Sherdog.com: Being this active is a sign that the organizers are enjoying your work, right?
Cavalcante: It’s true. I’ve even heard some statements from [former EliteXC Live Events president] Gary Shaw [about being the best in the world], but I don’t consider myself near that. I think I have to train hard. I still have many things to learn and also a lot of things to face in the ring to get close to being one of the best fighters of the world.
Sherdog.com: You have made a good impression on people with your latest performances. How do you deal with that?
Cavalcante: As I said, I don’t care much about that. I see Anderson Silva (Pictures) as my example; he is always training, always wanting to evolve. I learn from him and from [Antonio Rodrigo] “Minotauro” [Nogueira], who are the best in the world but don’t consider themselves to be in that position. It’s difficult to be named best something, not only best in the world but best striker, best grappler, or anything else, because it can become a burden on you. I go up there and do what I’ve trained for. I release my game. I guess in my last fights I’ve released my game much more.
Sherdog.com: You train with Anderson Silva (Pictures) and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (Pictures) every day. Are they role models for you?
Cavalcante: For sure they are. They are models for me, not only as fighters but as people; they are wonderful people. I think that, as fighters, no doubt, everybody wants to be like them one day, doing what they are able to do in the ring. They get to do the same things they do in the gym in the ring.
Sherdog.com: Tell me about Travis Galbraith (Pictures). What have you seen in his game?
Cavalcante: I saw three of his fights. He strikes well, but he’s best on the ground because he has a lot of ways to finish you. I’ve seen somebody talking about my jiu-jitsu on a Web site, saying I’m a fighter that has to fight on my feet. But they’re wrong. In reality, I’m originally a ground fighter. I’ll show that if the fight goes to the ground. I’ll finish it there. I haven’t gone to the ground because it just hasn’t been time for that.
Sherdog.com: The tendency has been to match you with tougher and tougher opponents, don’t you think?
Cavalcante: I hope so, and I think it’s great. I guess we have to be tested to the limit. I train to the limit, so I have to be tested to the limit, as well. I like to be tested, and I do this in the gym. Rogério Camões and Distak are excellent trainers. They are both really very good on the technical part and on the tactics. There are many experienced people close to me teaching me a lot of things, so there won’t be situations I face in the ring that I haven’t faced in training. We have two ways of learning: being spanked or listening. I’ve listened and was spanked a lot, too.
Sherdog.com: You trained with Anderson Silva (Pictures) prior to his last fight against James Irvin (Pictures) at UFC Fight Night 14. Did you expect such a devastating performance from him?
Cavalcante: I trust him a lot, and I expected a performance like that from him. I expected a victory in the first round or right at the beginning of the second. He was very well trained. His training is absurdly good. Many people don’t know, but Anderson usually weighs 103 kilograms; it’s his normal weight. And another thing, he just trains with heavyweights. He only trains with me, with “Minotauro,” [Antonio Rogerio] “Minotoro” [Nogueira], etcetera. I’ve heard people saying that he could be unsuccessful [fighting at light heavyweight] because the hands of a 93-kilogram guy are heavier than what he is accustomed to, but he only trains with heavyweights, with heavy-handed guys. Fabio Maldonado (Pictures), for instance, is a professional boxer. Of course, a fight is a fight and anything can happen, but he was well prepared. He has a good mind, he has a great personality, and it’s very hard to win against him.
Sherdog.com: Your most recent fights have been action-packed and have excited the audience. Is that what we can expect on Saturday?
Cavalcante: You can expect, as usual, a lot of aggressiveness. I’m in excellent shape, coming off good victories. I train constantly, and I like that because I release myself more and more. When I’m up there, I want to perform, to give a show, because I’m well prepared and ready. I have great trainers, an excellent team and a great mind. I’m concentrating on what I want, and what I want now is to get the belt.
A fast-rising force in the light heavyweight division, Rafael "Feijao" Cavalcante (Pictures) will take another step towards vying for a championship belt when he meets Travis Galbraith (Pictures) at EliteXC: Unfinished Business on Saturday in Stockton, Calif. Sherdog.com recently sat down with the talented Brazilian to discuss his upcoming bout.
Sherdog.com: Your last fight in EliteXC was one month ago in Hawaii. How did you prepare yourself for this fight in such a short period of time?
Cavalcante: I’d already been training hard for my last fight, so I didn’t need to do a lot more. My training has been great. [UFC middleweight champion] Anderson Silva (Pictures) is here with me. Fabio Maldonado (Pictures) is here, as well. They help me very much. Daniel Voihin, Josuel Distak and Rogério Camões, my trainers, also helped me a lot on my preparation. I just need to lose some weight for the fight. I’m ready, and God willing, I’ll conquer one more opponent.
Sherdog.com: Did you expect to be called to fight again so quickly, or was this a surprise for you?
Cavalcante: No, it was really a surprise. I expected to fight again only in September, but since I was not hurt and my trainers said I could, I accepted this fight. The athlete gets worn out by the training, but I’ve talked to [my trainers], and they said, ‘Yes,’ so let’s go.
Sherdog.com: Being this active is a sign that the organizers are enjoying your work, right?
Cavalcante: It’s true. I’ve even heard some statements from [former EliteXC Live Events president] Gary Shaw [about being the best in the world], but I don’t consider myself near that. I think I have to train hard. I still have many things to learn and also a lot of things to face in the ring to get close to being one of the best fighters of the world.
Sherdog.com: You have made a good impression on people with your latest performances. How do you deal with that?
Cavalcante: As I said, I don’t care much about that. I see Anderson Silva (Pictures) as my example; he is always training, always wanting to evolve. I learn from him and from [Antonio Rodrigo] “Minotauro” [Nogueira], who are the best in the world but don’t consider themselves to be in that position. It’s difficult to be named best something, not only best in the world but best striker, best grappler, or anything else, because it can become a burden on you. I go up there and do what I’ve trained for. I release my game. I guess in my last fights I’ve released my game much more.
Sherdog.com: You train with Anderson Silva (Pictures) and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (Pictures) every day. Are they role models for you?
Cavalcante: For sure they are. They are models for me, not only as fighters but as people; they are wonderful people. I think that, as fighters, no doubt, everybody wants to be like them one day, doing what they are able to do in the ring. They get to do the same things they do in the gym in the ring.
Sherdog.com: Tell me about Travis Galbraith (Pictures). What have you seen in his game?
Cavalcante: I saw three of his fights. He strikes well, but he’s best on the ground because he has a lot of ways to finish you. I’ve seen somebody talking about my jiu-jitsu on a Web site, saying I’m a fighter that has to fight on my feet. But they’re wrong. In reality, I’m originally a ground fighter. I’ll show that if the fight goes to the ground. I’ll finish it there. I haven’t gone to the ground because it just hasn’t been time for that.
Sherdog.com: The tendency has been to match you with tougher and tougher opponents, don’t you think?
Cavalcante: I hope so, and I think it’s great. I guess we have to be tested to the limit. I train to the limit, so I have to be tested to the limit, as well. I like to be tested, and I do this in the gym. Rogério Camões and Distak are excellent trainers. They are both really very good on the technical part and on the tactics. There are many experienced people close to me teaching me a lot of things, so there won’t be situations I face in the ring that I haven’t faced in training. We have two ways of learning: being spanked or listening. I’ve listened and was spanked a lot, too.
Sherdog.com: You trained with Anderson Silva (Pictures) prior to his last fight against James Irvin (Pictures) at UFC Fight Night 14. Did you expect such a devastating performance from him?
Cavalcante: I trust him a lot, and I expected a performance like that from him. I expected a victory in the first round or right at the beginning of the second. He was very well trained. His training is absurdly good. Many people don’t know, but Anderson usually weighs 103 kilograms; it’s his normal weight. And another thing, he just trains with heavyweights. He only trains with me, with “Minotauro,” [Antonio Rogerio] “Minotoro” [Nogueira], etcetera. I’ve heard people saying that he could be unsuccessful [fighting at light heavyweight] because the hands of a 93-kilogram guy are heavier than what he is accustomed to, but he only trains with heavyweights, with heavy-handed guys. Fabio Maldonado (Pictures), for instance, is a professional boxer. Of course, a fight is a fight and anything can happen, but he was well prepared. He has a good mind, he has a great personality, and it’s very hard to win against him.
Sherdog.com: Your most recent fights have been action-packed and have excited the audience. Is that what we can expect on Saturday?
Cavalcante: You can expect, as usual, a lot of aggressiveness. I’m in excellent shape, coming off good victories. I train constantly, and I like that because I release myself more and more. When I’m up there, I want to perform, to give a show, because I’m well prepared and ready. I have great trainers, an excellent team and a great mind. I’m concentrating on what I want, and what I want now is to get the belt.
Kurt Pellegrino vs. Thiago Tavares booked for UFC 88
Lightweights Kurt Pellegrino (15-4 MMA, 3-3 UFC) and Thiago Tavares (13-2 MMA, 3-2 UFC) will meet in a preliminary bout at UFC 88, an event that takes place Sept. 6 at Atlanta's Phillips Arena.
The UFC today announced that preliminary bout and three others previously reported by MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com)
Both Pellegrino and Tavares will look to rebound from recent losses.
After suffering a loss to Drew Fickett in his UFC debut, Pellegrino -- the only fighter ever to defeat "The Ultimate Fighter 6" winner Mac Danzig twice -- posted back-to-back submission victories over Junior Assuncao and Nate Mohr. However, he then suffered a unanimous-decision loss to Joe Stevenson, rebounded for a TKO over Alberto Crane, but was then submitted by Nate Diaz in his most recent fight in April.
He'll now meet Tavares, who's also had some instability in the UFC. After beginning his career with 10 straight wins, Tavares continued the streak in the UFC with victories over Naoyuki Kotani and Jason Black. However, he's since suffered losses to Tyson Griffin and Matt Wiman, which sandwiched a win over Michihiro Omigawa.
In addition to the Pellegrino vs. Tavares bout, the UFC confirmed UFC 88 preliminary-card bouts of Ryo Chonan vs. Roan Carneiro, Matt Brown vs. Dong Hyun Kim, and Tim Boetsch and James Lee.
The latest card now includes:
MAIN CARD
Rashad Evans vs. Chuck Liddell
Rich Franklin vs. Matt Hamill
Karo Parisyan vs. Yoshiyuki Yoshida
Dan Henderson vs. Rousimar Palhares
PRELIMINARY CARD
Kurt Pellegrino vs. Thiago Tavares
Matt Brown vs. Dong Hyun Kim
Tim Boetsch vs. James Lee
Roan Carneiro vs. Ryo Chonan
Lightweights Kurt Pellegrino (15-4 MMA, 3-3 UFC) and Thiago Tavares (13-2 MMA, 3-2 UFC) will meet in a preliminary bout at UFC 88, an event that takes place Sept. 6 at Atlanta's Phillips Arena.
The UFC today announced that preliminary bout and three others previously reported by MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com)
Both Pellegrino and Tavares will look to rebound from recent losses.
After suffering a loss to Drew Fickett in his UFC debut, Pellegrino -- the only fighter ever to defeat "The Ultimate Fighter 6" winner Mac Danzig twice -- posted back-to-back submission victories over Junior Assuncao and Nate Mohr. However, he then suffered a unanimous-decision loss to Joe Stevenson, rebounded for a TKO over Alberto Crane, but was then submitted by Nate Diaz in his most recent fight in April.
He'll now meet Tavares, who's also had some instability in the UFC. After beginning his career with 10 straight wins, Tavares continued the streak in the UFC with victories over Naoyuki Kotani and Jason Black. However, he's since suffered losses to Tyson Griffin and Matt Wiman, which sandwiched a win over Michihiro Omigawa.
In addition to the Pellegrino vs. Tavares bout, the UFC confirmed UFC 88 preliminary-card bouts of Ryo Chonan vs. Roan Carneiro, Matt Brown vs. Dong Hyun Kim, and Tim Boetsch and James Lee.
The latest card now includes:
MAIN CARD
Rashad Evans vs. Chuck Liddell
Rich Franklin vs. Matt Hamill
Karo Parisyan vs. Yoshiyuki Yoshida
Dan Henderson vs. Rousimar Palhares
PRELIMINARY CARD
Kurt Pellegrino vs. Thiago Tavares
Matt Brown vs. Dong Hyun Kim
Tim Boetsch vs. James Lee
Roan Carneiro vs. Ryo Chonan
San Francisco's Gold Miner
PLEASANT HILL, Calif. -- Roughly a month before a sweltering day in mid-June, Jake Shields (Pictures) had suffered a back injury. The injury was not just keeping him from collecting a purse or testing his celebrated ground game against fellow grappler Drew Fickett (Pictures). Something more troubling than the pain in his back was brewing in the frustrated fighter -- he was worried his injury would prevent him from taking EliteXC’s inaugural welterweight strap.
Months before, the Cesar Gracie (Pictures) fighter had a championship chance against Mike Pyle (Pictures). The short-lived fight was slated to be the company’s first welterweight title bout, but “Quicksand” had a quarrel with EliteXC and the fight went from five scheduled rounds to three, from title fight to just a fight.
In just under three minutes, Shields choked out the Xtreme Couture representative and made it clear that rounds didn’t matter. Even though there was no gold waiting for him upon victory, a statement had been made: Shields is going to punish anyone who stands between him and his spot at the top of mixed martial arts.
With a bad back and a game Fickett waiting, something had to be done. Shields scrambled to Beverly Hills to see chiropractor Dr. Peter Goldman. Goldman, who treats B.J. Penn (Pictures) and Kenny Florian (Pictures) regularly, has developed a reputation among fighters as a healer. If anyone could help Shields, it was Goldman.
But it was too close to fight time. Shields was forced to withdraw from the title fight with Fickett, and the gold was on hold again.
“I want that belt!” screamed Shields inside the otherwise silent Cesar Gracie (Pictures) Academy.
Music is never in heavy rotation here. Joking and other brotherhood staples are present. However, conversations are in low tones, typically fight focused. Everyone -- fresh off grappling sessions -- took time to watch Shields spar with Nick Diaz (Pictures). They took notice of Shields’ uncharacteristic yell, too. He had just received word he was fighting Nick Thompson (Pictures) for the EliteXC welterweight title.
Resting up for his next round, his proclamation had a piercing quality to it. Someone who just went that hard for that long shouldn’t have enough energy to sound so forceful. Coming back from the injury, he went four full MMA rounds after three on the mats.
Shields looks more fashion world than fighter. After exhaustive training, his hair still appeared gelled and in place. That is, if he had styled it in the first place. It is hard to picture someone who friend and training partner Gilbert Melendez (Pictures) frequently calls a “hippie” as a man who mixed it up in the streets.
“San Luis Obispo is just one of those towns,” said Shields of his street-fighting days.
Drunken college students and his head on a swivel made for more than a few altercations. Then Chuck Liddell (Pictures) introduced the wrestler to prizefighting. It had never entered his mind. He had seen Royce Gracie (Pictures), Ken Shamrock (Pictures) and all the other pioneers in passing, but the sport had moved into its dark ages where “even the big pay-per-views were tiny.”
Starting out, he fought for fun. Staying in shape and better self-defense were perks, too.
Shields first noticed the Cesar Gracie (Pictures) banner during IFC shows. Gil Castillo (Pictures), David Terrell (Pictures) and “guys that don’t fight anymore” did well. Shields liked their style. When he continued wrestling at San Francisco State University, he realized Gracie was within driving distance. He sought him out.
Shields balanced jiu-jitsu training and his wrestling regimen. Days were physically demanding and emotionally exhausting as he supported himself as a professional mover and construction worker while working toward a kinesiology degree. All for no recognition, gold or anything else that resembled a sport.
“I’ve fought in a barn, literally. We fought in tents, whatever,” he reflected. “People were just fighting ‘cause they wanted to fight. Certainly, it wasn’t the glory and fame and money that it is today.”
Back in MMA’s dark ages, a place so bleak Shields once saw an overweight woman fighting a skinny man, he had never imagined he would be fighting on network television -- on CBS, the home of Edward R. Murrow and David Letterman -- as he will be Saturday.
Even after the sport evolved and Shields picked up international recognition in the form of a Shooto championship, he remained undetected by most. A Rumble on the Rock tournament win added a second strap to his collection. However, fighting outside of Pride and the UFC left him out of serious consideration.
Despite having wins over Hayato Sakurai (Pictures), Akira Kikuchi (Pictures), and also Carlos Condit (Pictures) and Yushin Okami (Pictures) in the same night, Shields was told his competition wasn’t good enough. That he wasn’t a finisher.
As he bounced around the MMA world, EliteXC came calling.
In his first tangle in the fledgling organization, he took on former UFC title challenger Renato Verissimo (Pictures). With Shields fighting on Showtime and firmly aligned with a promotion, MMA fans were eager to see if the San Franciscan was worth the hype. Cutting through the guard of B.J. Penn (Pictures)’s jiu-jitsu coach with ease impressed. Punching “Charuto” as if there were a prize inside and seeing if his own punches could hit the century mark astonished.
The Pyle and Fickett fallouts kept Shields from emphatic follow-ups in the form of titles, though. Now Nick Thompson (Pictures) provides him with the opportunity.
“I wanted a tough fight. I wanted something legit,” affirmed Shields after Fickett’s contract was dropped from EliteXC due to a breach, axing the matchup once again.
While Shields believes “The Master” holds more name value, Thompson poses more threats: “Nick Thompson (Pictures) coming on 12 wins in a row is going to be confident in his skills. He’s a big 170-pounder. But I’m feeling confident and I’m planning on ending his winning streak.”
Shields enters the bout with his own winning streak, three years deep. Relaxation and fluidity of Brazilian jiu-jitsu added to the pressure philosophy of collegiate wrestling composes Shields’ own brand of grappling dubbed “American jiu-jitsu.” It is that style that bolsters his confidence going into the fight.
“Ultimately, I do fighting because I love it, not for the belts,” he said of his title clash. “But the belts are just a nice add-on and bonus to say, you know, you have a title here and there. And obviously it’s easier to market yourself and make more money when you’re a champ too. But ultimately, for me it’s about who I fight.”
In Thompson, Shields sees a strong submission fighter. One of the bigger fighters he’s faced, he knows “The Goat” is well conditioned and has championship experience under the Bodog banner. But Shields said dedication to training has made him a complete fighter. Progress allows him to finish people: “I’m just going to bring the pace and break him.”
Should he defeat the UFC veteran, Shields would expand his belt collection from two to three. He also recently earned a black belt from Cesar Gracie (Pictures).
Exclusive contracts and lack of cross-promotion do not deter the nearly 10-year veteran. He plans to fight the best -- whether it’s UFC welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre (Pictures) or friend Jon Fitch (Pictures) -- one way or another.
“Nothing is ever enough for me,” he explained. “I’m never satisfied for where I’m at.”
Perhaps Shields’ desire to collect belts is a journey for physical validation in the fickle fight world. An unconventional route for a straightforward fighter draws criticism. Maybe mount and destroy is not convincing enough, blood chokes not decisive enough.
Holding prestigious championships already, the 29-year-old still has the same goals as UFC fighters or whoever else has ever stepped into the cage.
“I feel like I’m at the top of my game,” he said, on the verge of finding more gold in his possession. “I’m ready to hurt people.”
PLEASANT HILL, Calif. -- Roughly a month before a sweltering day in mid-June, Jake Shields (Pictures) had suffered a back injury. The injury was not just keeping him from collecting a purse or testing his celebrated ground game against fellow grappler Drew Fickett (Pictures). Something more troubling than the pain in his back was brewing in the frustrated fighter -- he was worried his injury would prevent him from taking EliteXC’s inaugural welterweight strap.
Months before, the Cesar Gracie (Pictures) fighter had a championship chance against Mike Pyle (Pictures). The short-lived fight was slated to be the company’s first welterweight title bout, but “Quicksand” had a quarrel with EliteXC and the fight went from five scheduled rounds to three, from title fight to just a fight.
In just under three minutes, Shields choked out the Xtreme Couture representative and made it clear that rounds didn’t matter. Even though there was no gold waiting for him upon victory, a statement had been made: Shields is going to punish anyone who stands between him and his spot at the top of mixed martial arts.
With a bad back and a game Fickett waiting, something had to be done. Shields scrambled to Beverly Hills to see chiropractor Dr. Peter Goldman. Goldman, who treats B.J. Penn (Pictures) and Kenny Florian (Pictures) regularly, has developed a reputation among fighters as a healer. If anyone could help Shields, it was Goldman.
But it was too close to fight time. Shields was forced to withdraw from the title fight with Fickett, and the gold was on hold again.
“I want that belt!” screamed Shields inside the otherwise silent Cesar Gracie (Pictures) Academy.
Music is never in heavy rotation here. Joking and other brotherhood staples are present. However, conversations are in low tones, typically fight focused. Everyone -- fresh off grappling sessions -- took time to watch Shields spar with Nick Diaz (Pictures). They took notice of Shields’ uncharacteristic yell, too. He had just received word he was fighting Nick Thompson (Pictures) for the EliteXC welterweight title.
Resting up for his next round, his proclamation had a piercing quality to it. Someone who just went that hard for that long shouldn’t have enough energy to sound so forceful. Coming back from the injury, he went four full MMA rounds after three on the mats.
Shields looks more fashion world than fighter. After exhaustive training, his hair still appeared gelled and in place. That is, if he had styled it in the first place. It is hard to picture someone who friend and training partner Gilbert Melendez (Pictures) frequently calls a “hippie” as a man who mixed it up in the streets.
“San Luis Obispo is just one of those towns,” said Shields of his street-fighting days.
Drunken college students and his head on a swivel made for more than a few altercations. Then Chuck Liddell (Pictures) introduced the wrestler to prizefighting. It had never entered his mind. He had seen Royce Gracie (Pictures), Ken Shamrock (Pictures) and all the other pioneers in passing, but the sport had moved into its dark ages where “even the big pay-per-views were tiny.”
Starting out, he fought for fun. Staying in shape and better self-defense were perks, too.
Shields first noticed the Cesar Gracie (Pictures) banner during IFC shows. Gil Castillo (Pictures), David Terrell (Pictures) and “guys that don’t fight anymore” did well. Shields liked their style. When he continued wrestling at San Francisco State University, he realized Gracie was within driving distance. He sought him out.
Shields balanced jiu-jitsu training and his wrestling regimen. Days were physically demanding and emotionally exhausting as he supported himself as a professional mover and construction worker while working toward a kinesiology degree. All for no recognition, gold or anything else that resembled a sport.
“I’ve fought in a barn, literally. We fought in tents, whatever,” he reflected. “People were just fighting ‘cause they wanted to fight. Certainly, it wasn’t the glory and fame and money that it is today.”
Back in MMA’s dark ages, a place so bleak Shields once saw an overweight woman fighting a skinny man, he had never imagined he would be fighting on network television -- on CBS, the home of Edward R. Murrow and David Letterman -- as he will be Saturday.
Even after the sport evolved and Shields picked up international recognition in the form of a Shooto championship, he remained undetected by most. A Rumble on the Rock tournament win added a second strap to his collection. However, fighting outside of Pride and the UFC left him out of serious consideration.
Despite having wins over Hayato Sakurai (Pictures), Akira Kikuchi (Pictures), and also Carlos Condit (Pictures) and Yushin Okami (Pictures) in the same night, Shields was told his competition wasn’t good enough. That he wasn’t a finisher.
As he bounced around the MMA world, EliteXC came calling.
In his first tangle in the fledgling organization, he took on former UFC title challenger Renato Verissimo (Pictures). With Shields fighting on Showtime and firmly aligned with a promotion, MMA fans were eager to see if the San Franciscan was worth the hype. Cutting through the guard of B.J. Penn (Pictures)’s jiu-jitsu coach with ease impressed. Punching “Charuto” as if there were a prize inside and seeing if his own punches could hit the century mark astonished.
The Pyle and Fickett fallouts kept Shields from emphatic follow-ups in the form of titles, though. Now Nick Thompson (Pictures) provides him with the opportunity.
“I wanted a tough fight. I wanted something legit,” affirmed Shields after Fickett’s contract was dropped from EliteXC due to a breach, axing the matchup once again.
While Shields believes “The Master” holds more name value, Thompson poses more threats: “Nick Thompson (Pictures) coming on 12 wins in a row is going to be confident in his skills. He’s a big 170-pounder. But I’m feeling confident and I’m planning on ending his winning streak.”
Shields enters the bout with his own winning streak, three years deep. Relaxation and fluidity of Brazilian jiu-jitsu added to the pressure philosophy of collegiate wrestling composes Shields’ own brand of grappling dubbed “American jiu-jitsu.” It is that style that bolsters his confidence going into the fight.
“Ultimately, I do fighting because I love it, not for the belts,” he said of his title clash. “But the belts are just a nice add-on and bonus to say, you know, you have a title here and there. And obviously it’s easier to market yourself and make more money when you’re a champ too. But ultimately, for me it’s about who I fight.”
In Thompson, Shields sees a strong submission fighter. One of the bigger fighters he’s faced, he knows “The Goat” is well conditioned and has championship experience under the Bodog banner. But Shields said dedication to training has made him a complete fighter. Progress allows him to finish people: “I’m just going to bring the pace and break him.”
Should he defeat the UFC veteran, Shields would expand his belt collection from two to three. He also recently earned a black belt from Cesar Gracie (Pictures).
Exclusive contracts and lack of cross-promotion do not deter the nearly 10-year veteran. He plans to fight the best -- whether it’s UFC welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre (Pictures) or friend Jon Fitch (Pictures) -- one way or another.
“Nothing is ever enough for me,” he explained. “I’m never satisfied for where I’m at.”
Perhaps Shields’ desire to collect belts is a journey for physical validation in the fickle fight world. An unconventional route for a straightforward fighter draws criticism. Maybe mount and destroy is not convincing enough, blood chokes not decisive enough.
Holding prestigious championships already, the 29-year-old still has the same goals as UFC fighters or whoever else has ever stepped into the cage.
“I feel like I’m at the top of my game,” he said, on the verge of finding more gold in his possession. “I’m ready to hurt people.”
"Babalu" dreaming of Affliction bout with Tito Ortiz
After a successful return to action against Mike Whitehead at Saturday's "Affliction: Banned" event, light heavyweight Renato "Babalu" Sobral (30-7) hinted at a possibility for his next opponent -- the perhaps-soon-to-be-ex UFC star Tito Ortiz (15-6-1).
The discussion began when Sobral was asked at the post-fight press conference if he would be interested in facing fellow victorious light-heavyweight Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, who had dispatched of Edwin Dewees earlier in the evening.
"Nogueira is a friend of mine," Sobral said. "We've trained together before. Of course, if we're going to have to fight, we'll fight. But that's not the fight I'm looking for.
"I'm looking for another guy. Wait for the name. It's coming. I think (Affliction Vice President) Tom (Atencio) is going to bring a name for me. And I'll be here to kick his ass."
When probed further by MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com), Sobral admitted it was Ortiz he was after.
"That's my dream fight," a smiling Sobral said.
Atencio said while a fight between Sobral and Ortiz, who have never fought, is not a top priority, Affliction would be interested in hosting the match if a mutually beneficial deal could be brokered.
"[Signing Ortiz] is definitely not a priority, but it is something that when he's finished with his contract -- I know [the UFC] has a negotiation period and some kind of a grace period -- when he's done with that, we can talk to him," Atencio said on Wednesday. "If that's a fight that seems financially viable, then absolutely. It's going to come down to dollars and cents, and it's going to come down to if it works for us."
Ortiz, who is winless in his past three bouts, has been vocal about his desire to compete outside the UFC. As reported previously by MMAjunkie.com, EliteXC has also shown interest in the former champion. Ortiz has also mentioned the possibility of starting his own promotion.
After a successful return to action against Mike Whitehead at Saturday's "Affliction: Banned" event, light heavyweight Renato "Babalu" Sobral (30-7) hinted at a possibility for his next opponent -- the perhaps-soon-to-be-ex UFC star Tito Ortiz (15-6-1).
The discussion began when Sobral was asked at the post-fight press conference if he would be interested in facing fellow victorious light-heavyweight Antonio Rogerio Nogueira, who had dispatched of Edwin Dewees earlier in the evening.
"Nogueira is a friend of mine," Sobral said. "We've trained together before. Of course, if we're going to have to fight, we'll fight. But that's not the fight I'm looking for.
"I'm looking for another guy. Wait for the name. It's coming. I think (Affliction Vice President) Tom (Atencio) is going to bring a name for me. And I'll be here to kick his ass."
When probed further by MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com), Sobral admitted it was Ortiz he was after.
"That's my dream fight," a smiling Sobral said.
Atencio said while a fight between Sobral and Ortiz, who have never fought, is not a top priority, Affliction would be interested in hosting the match if a mutually beneficial deal could be brokered.
"[Signing Ortiz] is definitely not a priority, but it is something that when he's finished with his contract -- I know [the UFC] has a negotiation period and some kind of a grace period -- when he's done with that, we can talk to him," Atencio said on Wednesday. "If that's a fight that seems financially viable, then absolutely. It's going to come down to dollars and cents, and it's going to come down to if it works for us."
Ortiz, who is winless in his past three bouts, has been vocal about his desire to compete outside the UFC. As reported previously by MMAjunkie.com, EliteXC has also shown interest in the former champion. Ortiz has also mentioned the possibility of starting his own promotion.
UFC 90: Stephan Bonnar to miss Chicago event October 25
“My first reaction was pretty much that I couldn’t believe that the UFC was finally coming to my hometown. Right after that I said to myself, ‘God damn why can’t I be ready to fight?’ … I recently started to get real aggressive with the rehab and my doctor wasn’t very happy about it. I was told to back off a little bit…. As soon as I get the green light it’s going to be all business. I can’t wait to start cracking skulls again.”
The “American Psycho” reveals that he will not be ready to compete at UFC 90 in Chicago, Ill., on October 25 because his knee injury still requires more TLC. It’s the first time ever that the big show will breeze through the “Windy City,” which apparently (and justifiably) has the hometown light heavyweight bummed. The good news is that he is shooting to return before the 2008 fight campaign comes to a close.
“My first reaction was pretty much that I couldn’t believe that the UFC was finally coming to my hometown. Right after that I said to myself, ‘God damn why can’t I be ready to fight?’ … I recently started to get real aggressive with the rehab and my doctor wasn’t very happy about it. I was told to back off a little bit…. As soon as I get the green light it’s going to be all business. I can’t wait to start cracking skulls again.”
The “American Psycho” reveals that he will not be ready to compete at UFC 90 in Chicago, Ill., on October 25 because his knee injury still requires more TLC. It’s the first time ever that the big show will breeze through the “Windy City,” which apparently (and justifiably) has the hometown light heavyweight bummed. The good news is that he is shooting to return before the 2008 fight campaign comes to a close.
Dean Lister vs Thales Leites fight set for UFC Fight Night 15 in Omaha
Middleweight Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belts, Dean Lister (11-5) and Thales Leites (14-1), will each look to climb another rung in the 185-pound division when the two meet at UFC Fight Night 15 at the Omaha Civic Auditorium in Omaha, Neb., on September 17, according to InTheGuard.tv.
The “Bogeyman” slapped on a first round, fight-ending guillotine choke to submit veteran Jeremy Horn at The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 7 Finale last month. Prior to the win, Lister returned from a severe biceps injury to outpoint Jordan Radev on all three judges scorecards at UFC 79: “Nemesis.”
He has quietly won four of five bouts inside the Octagon.
Leites can say the same thing; however, his performances have not been so quiet. Since losing his promotional debut back in 2006, the Brazilian has rattled of four straight wins. And that includes a controversial split decision win of perennial contender, Nathan Marquardt, at UFC 85: “Bedlam” last month.
He will likely be the favorite heading into this bout, considering his ground game is equal to if not better than Lister’s and his stand up is more refined. Regardless, it should be a technical battle with the loser being the first man to make a mistake.
Middleweight Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belts, Dean Lister (11-5) and Thales Leites (14-1), will each look to climb another rung in the 185-pound division when the two meet at UFC Fight Night 15 at the Omaha Civic Auditorium in Omaha, Neb., on September 17, according to InTheGuard.tv.
The “Bogeyman” slapped on a first round, fight-ending guillotine choke to submit veteran Jeremy Horn at The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 7 Finale last month. Prior to the win, Lister returned from a severe biceps injury to outpoint Jordan Radev on all three judges scorecards at UFC 79: “Nemesis.”
He has quietly won four of five bouts inside the Octagon.
Leites can say the same thing; however, his performances have not been so quiet. Since losing his promotional debut back in 2006, the Brazilian has rattled of four straight wins. And that includes a controversial split decision win of perennial contender, Nathan Marquardt, at UFC 85: “Bedlam” last month.
He will likely be the favorite heading into this bout, considering his ground game is equal to if not better than Lister’s and his stand up is more refined. Regardless, it should be a technical battle with the loser being the first man to make a mistake.
UFC Quick Quote: Anthony Johnson to appeal loss to Kevin Burns
“I’m going to appeal it and my agent, Ken Pavia, is going to appeal it and Dana thought it was bullshit whether it was unintentional or not. I don’t think the UFC wants fights to end that way. Right now, we just want to get this whole situation taken care of in the right way, but I would love a rematch! I was pretty disappointed in the TKO call. Burns was a test and they put a decent grappler against a decent striker and I think I held my own because he never came close to pulling off a submission on me. Everyone knows what type of person I am and this won’t set me back.”
– Anthony Johnson confirms with FightHype.com that he and his manager intend to appeal the technical knockout loss to Kevin Burns at UFC Fight Night 14 with the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC). Video replays of the third round stoppage show that “Rumble” was felled by an unintentional eye poke and not an uppercut. The referee in charge of the action, however, did not have the benefit of watching instant replay and called a halt to the 170-pound bout.
“I’m going to appeal it and my agent, Ken Pavia, is going to appeal it and Dana thought it was bullshit whether it was unintentional or not. I don’t think the UFC wants fights to end that way. Right now, we just want to get this whole situation taken care of in the right way, but I would love a rematch! I was pretty disappointed in the TKO call. Burns was a test and they put a decent grappler against a decent striker and I think I held my own because he never came close to pulling off a submission on me. Everyone knows what type of person I am and this won’t set me back.”
– Anthony Johnson confirms with FightHype.com that he and his manager intend to appeal the technical knockout loss to Kevin Burns at UFC Fight Night 14 with the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC). Video replays of the third round stoppage show that “Rumble” was felled by an unintentional eye poke and not an uppercut. The referee in charge of the action, however, did not have the benefit of watching instant replay and called a halt to the 170-pound bout.
Matt Lindland wants a shot at Vitor Belfort
Fresh off his unanimous decision victory over Fabio Negao at Affliction: Banned, former Olympic silver medalist Matt Lindland already has designs on his next opponent.
“I would love to fight (Vitor) Belfort,” Lindland is quoted as saying by Gary Herman of CBSSports.com. “He’s a legend in the sport. I respect him a lot. To get in the ring with a guy like him would be great.”
Belfort, a former UFC light heavyweight champion, won his first bout at middleweight during the undercard portion of “Banned” this past Saturday. Fighting against Terry Martin in a bout televised on Fox Sports Net, the native Brazilian knocked out Martin at 3:12 of round 2.
It was not only Belfort’s first bout at 185 pounds, it was also his first bout in the U.S. since being suspended by the Nevada State Athletic Commission for testing positive for performance enhancing drugs. The positive test came after his loss to Dan Henderson at PRIDE 32 in October of 2006.
If a bout with Belfort doesn’t come to fruition, Lindland has alternative ideas about his next opponent.
“I’d like to avenge the losses against Murilo Bustamante and David Terrell,” Lindland said.
Bustamante handed Lindland his first career loss in 2002 at UFC 37 and Terrell knocked Lindland out in the first round at UFC 49 in 2004.
Fresh off his unanimous decision victory over Fabio Negao at Affliction: Banned, former Olympic silver medalist Matt Lindland already has designs on his next opponent.
“I would love to fight (Vitor) Belfort,” Lindland is quoted as saying by Gary Herman of CBSSports.com. “He’s a legend in the sport. I respect him a lot. To get in the ring with a guy like him would be great.”
Belfort, a former UFC light heavyweight champion, won his first bout at middleweight during the undercard portion of “Banned” this past Saturday. Fighting against Terry Martin in a bout televised on Fox Sports Net, the native Brazilian knocked out Martin at 3:12 of round 2.
It was not only Belfort’s first bout at 185 pounds, it was also his first bout in the U.S. since being suspended by the Nevada State Athletic Commission for testing positive for performance enhancing drugs. The positive test came after his loss to Dan Henderson at PRIDE 32 in October of 2006.
If a bout with Belfort doesn’t come to fruition, Lindland has alternative ideas about his next opponent.
“I’d like to avenge the losses against Murilo Bustamante and David Terrell,” Lindland said.
Bustamante handed Lindland his first career loss in 2002 at UFC 37 and Terrell knocked Lindland out in the first round at UFC 49 in 2004.
5 Oz. Exclusive: Dave Herman likely to return in September
Undefeated EliteXC heavyweight title contender Dave “Pee Wee” Herman is expected to fight for the promotion again in September. FiveOuncesOfPain.com was informed of the news by Herman’s manager, Mike Camp, of F1 Management.
An opponent and a date are not yet known, but Herman could compete during an EliteXC event tentatively planned for Friday, Sept. 26.
The former Indiana-Bloomington standout wrestler had been in the running to challenge Antonio Silva this weekend for the vacant EliteXC heavyweight title, but Herman was unable to accept the fight due to a prior commitment.
He last fought on June 14 during EliteXC’s “Return of the King,” recording a TKO victory over former UFC and PRIDE veteran Ron Waterman at 2:19 of round 1.
Herman, 11-0, made his EliteXC debut this past February during the promotion’s “Street Certified” event, where he TKO’d Mario Rinaldi at 0:33 of round 3.
Undefeated EliteXC heavyweight title contender Dave “Pee Wee” Herman is expected to fight for the promotion again in September. FiveOuncesOfPain.com was informed of the news by Herman’s manager, Mike Camp, of F1 Management.
An opponent and a date are not yet known, but Herman could compete during an EliteXC event tentatively planned for Friday, Sept. 26.
The former Indiana-Bloomington standout wrestler had been in the running to challenge Antonio Silva this weekend for the vacant EliteXC heavyweight title, but Herman was unable to accept the fight due to a prior commitment.
He last fought on June 14 during EliteXC’s “Return of the King,” recording a TKO victory over former UFC and PRIDE veteran Ron Waterman at 2:19 of round 1.
Herman, 11-0, made his EliteXC debut this past February during the promotion’s “Street Certified” event, where he TKO’d Mario Rinaldi at 0:33 of round 3.