MMA News Thread

[Shogun Locc]

Wilson Reis vs. Bao Quach for EliteXC belt

After his fifth victory in a row in an unbeatable career, Wilson Reis now gets a chance to grow more in EliteXC. “My last fight was very tough, I had good moments and my opponent was better and others, but I put him down seven times and controlled the whole fight on the ground, I won all three rounds”, said Wilson , that will get a title shot at featherweight division. “EliteXC put me to fight for the belt against Bao Quach, from California . I’m very happy. I have three victories at Elite and now have a chance to fight for the belt, and I’m already training to win this”, told Reis, that’s very happy with EliteXC’s growth in . “EliteXC is growing a lot and has a lot of shows already set, they’re strong and threat me very well. In my opinion, EliteXC is only behind UFC, and has everything to be the best MMA event of the world.

 

[Shogun Locc]

UFC newcomer Dan Hardy talks

Dan “The Outlaw” Hardy is a man with a lot he wants to prove. With a training résumé spanning from Eddie Bravo to the Shaolin Monks, he has high hopes for his UFC future and already has a fixed, but humble eye on George St Pierre’s Welterweight title. Speaking from LA ahead of his October bout with Akihiro Gono, Dan talks to us about his training regime, his thoughts on fellow Brit Michael Bisping and his hopes for the future.

So you’ve reached the UFC. How does that feel?

It feels awesome, I feel like my hard work has paid off and now my real career can begin. after a few annoying setbacks leading up to this point like the bad decision against Forrest Petz and the DQ loss in Japan, it makes me appreciate the opportunity. I take nothing for granted because I work hard for everything I have and now I’m in the UFC I can prove to people that I am for real.

Have you changed your training routine since you discovered your first opponent?

At the moment I’m just laying down the basics, working on my strength and explosiveness and improving my skill level in all areas of my game. I will start the more specific stuff eight weeks out when I’m back in the UK with Team Rough House and my coaches Owen Comrie and Nathan Leverton. I’m travelling back and forth between Vegas and LA at the moment, working with Eddie Bravo and all the guys at Legends in Hollywood and in Vegas. I’m also doing a lot of sparring at Xtreme Couture.

And the fight is not just taking place in your homeland; it’s in the Midlands, a short drive from your hometown! Does that add pressure to you or is it something you see as a positive?

It’s definitely an advantage to be so close to home, travelling does take its toll on your performance in the cage, so I’m grateful to not have that far to go. It will also be nice to have the support of my friends and family there. It will create a real buzz in the arena which I can feed off. I will convert all of that energy into power and aggression and aim it right at Gono’s face, I can’t wait!

There’s a school of thought that says that yourself and Michael Bisping are tools in Dan White’s strategy to capitalise on the UK market. What are your thoughts on this given that you are both on the Birmingham card?

If that is the case then I am honoured that he thinks I have the potential to push the UFC into the UK market, I will do everything I can to help. I think it helps if the fans have someone that they can relate to and myself and Michael are just ordinary guys like most of the UK fans. Michael is a good guy and he is very down to earth, like myself and I think the fans support us because we are real guys in there doing a job and flying the UK colours.

You trained with the Shaolin Monks in China. Tell us about that experience and what you took away from that.

It made me realise that I could overcome tough obstacles and that I am a lot tougher than I thought. I came away with a whole new level of mental toughness and a strong work ethic, which has been vital in my career so far. I can push myself harder and know that my body and mind will hold strong under pressure, that’s why I never break in fights.

There’s not much margin for error in the UFC and certainly no apprenticeship period. A couple of early losses and a new fighter can easily be forgotten about. How important is it to get off to a winning start?

Its so important because I know I belong. There are so many people watching, waiting for you to fall on your face. There are the people that I have spent the past four years proving wrong and I don’t plan on stopping now. I always thrive under pressure though, so I’m expecting, with the higher level of competition and the fact that there is a lot on the line. The ‘UFC Dan Hardy’ will be a whole new animal. It’s an exciting time and I can’t wait to get in there and start tearing into people.

You’re walking into a notoriously competitive division at Welterweight. What are your thoughts on George St Pierre’s current dominance and is there anyone you have your eye on as a key stepping stone towards the title?

Granted GSP has the division locked down at the moment but a couple of years ago, so did Matt Hughes. You can’t stay at the top forever and with the competition getting tougher with each new signing the UFC make, GSP has his work cut out. As you said, the division is stacked and the competition is tough, and any guy on any given day can cause an upset and there isn’t a guy in the division that doesn’t believe he can be the champion. At the moment my money is on Fitch to be the next champ. Maybe not in his next fight, but in the near future. He can keep a hold of it for a while until I have had a few warm up fights…!

And do you think the rivalry coming from the recent launch of Affliction is healthy competition for the UFC or will it always be UFC’s poorer relation?

For the fighters sake, it is always positive for there to be competition. There is a lot of money to be made out of MMA and the fighters see very little of it. I just want to be able to live comfortably for the rest of my life after I retire, but only a small percentage of guys will actually be that fortunate. If MMA fighters got half of what boxers got, we would see fitter, stronger, healthier athletes that perform better. With competition from other organisations, we will hopefully see a little more money coming to the fighters so we can look forward to a nice retirement after being punched and choked for the best years of our lives.

What do you think you will bring to the UFC and its Welterweight division. What can we expect to see from the Outlaw on his debut and beyond?

I will bring the, “Oooh sh*t… that looked painful” factor to the octagon. I will be the guy that you show your friends and say, “Watch what this guy does to that poor fool”. One thing I can always promise is that I come ready and I come to fight and that is my main concern. I want to fans to buy a ticket because I am on the card and my name alone will guarantee an exciting fight.

And finally, your prediction for your debut fight…

I predict that on the night of October 18th there will be a lot of people saying, “Who is this guy?”, with a tough, experienced guy like Gono as my opponent. I can only imagine how exciting this fight will be. I’m expecting a hard hitting, back and forth battle with blood and maybe some broken bones and my hand being raised at the end.

 

[heyzel]

Dana White rails on Tito, Affliction, Huerta and neighbors

http://sports.yahoo.com/mma/blog/mm...s-on-Tito-Affliction-Huerta-and?urn=mma,99478

 

[Shogun Locc]

DreamFighters.com Exclusive Interview with C.O.O of WAMMA, Michael Lynch

DreamFighters.com: Michael, thanks again for talking to me at DreamFighters.com

Michael Lynch: Always a pleasure, Adam. Great talking with you again.

DreamFighters.com: It has been confirmed that Fedor will not be fighting at Affliction 2, and Josh Barnett will take his place. So to confirm, Arlovski vs. Barnett will not be a title fight. Can you confirm if the winner of Barnett vs. Arlovski will have a title shot at Fedor for the WAMMA belt?

Michael Lynch: The main even of Affliction: Day of Reckoning on October 11th will be a WAMMA Heavyweight Elimination Match between Andre Arlovski and Josh Barnett. It will set up a match to fight Fedor for the WAMMA Undisputed Heavyweight Championship. Both Andre and Josh are coming off spectacular victories at Affliction: Banned and the winner of their match-up clearly deserves a title shot. Who can forget Arlovski's flying knee at Rothwell's head or Josh's tremendous knock-out punch to Pedro? There is the saying, "To be the man you have to beat the man." Without question, Fedor is the man to beat if a fighter wants to lay claim to the title of WAMMA Undisputed Champion. I know Fedor intends on holding onto his WAMMA Championship for a long time. And before Andre or Josh get a shot at Fedor, they have to get past each other on October 11th at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas. It will be an incredible night of fights and the entire Affliction: Day of Reckoning card is stacked with some of the best match-ups an MMA fan could want to see. I know Affliction is going first-class on every aspect of this event and they have great partners in Donald Trump, Planet Hollywood and Roy Englebrecht Events. Affliction: Day of Reckoning is not to be missed and WAMMA will be center stage with our Heavyweight Elimination Match.

DreamFighters.com: Have the belts been made for the other weight categories?

Michael Lynch: WAMMA is not rushing into future title fights. We will evaluate future match-ups based on our independent rankings on a fight-by-fight basis to determine whether they warrant WAMMA championship status. With fighters like Gomi, Lindland, Alvarez, Shields, Hansen, Melendez and Lawler, just to name a few, all signed with forward looking promotions working with WAMMA, look for additional WAMMA Championship fights very soon.

DreamFighters.com: WAMMA has made public that the fight between Vitor Belfort and Matt Lindland will not be for the 185lbs WAMMA belt. How will you then crown a WAMMA 185lbs champion?

Michael Lynch: WAMMA made an executive decision that the Lindland/Belfort fight did not rise to WAMMA Championship status. This takes nothing away from either Matt or Vitor - they both are incredible fighters and their fight at Affliction: Day of Reckoning will be an absolute war. The fight is worthy of headliner status on any card. However, we just couldn't put a WAMMA title on the line for this fight. WAMMA has no control over our rankings, but I suspect that the winner of the fight will move up on our rankings and be in line for a WAMMA championship fight very soon.

DreamFighters.com: Have you been in contact with other fight promotions regarding possibly presenting WAMMA belts to their fighters besides affliction?

Michael Lynch: Yes, we have. In addition to Affliction, we have the support of Adrenaline MMA, Strikeforce, M1, and HDNet Fights. WAMMA has an open dialogue with EliteXC.

DreamFighters.com: Why is this weekend's GSP v. Fitch fight not for a WAMMA title?

Michael Lynch: Without question, WAMMA would have very much liked to have a WAMMA Championship on the line between GSP and Fitch. It is a natural fit - the fighters occupy the #1 and #2 WAMMA rankings respectively. However, the UFC is not cooperating with WAMMA at this time and even if we were to award a WAMMA title to the winner, the fighters could not accept them. WAMMA has the utmost respect for the UFC and we hope this situation changes as the UFC is clearly the dominant MMA promotion. Just look at our ranking on www.gowamma.com - Zuffa fighters dominate most weight division. Back to GSP v. Fitch, I personally will be glued to the television Saturday night to watch that fight.

DreamFighters.com: WAMMA recently had a booth at the International Mixed Martial Arts Expo (IMMAE ) in Long Beach. What was the purpose of WAMMA at the IMMAE?

Michael Lynch: The purpose of WAMMA at the IMMAE was purely informative. We wanted to get the word out about WAMMA and our fighter and fan-forward goals. WAMMA distributed a great informative flyer featuring Fedor wearing his WAMMA Championship belt. We also gave away hundreds of free WAMMA shirts, hats and pins. Pat Miletich posed for photographs and signed autographs and Tim Sylvia spent about an hour at the booth signing WAMMA shirts and chatting with fans. Over a hundred fans took photographs wearing a replica WAMMA Championship Belt (yes, the belt looks better in person!) and across the board fan reaction to WAMMA was 100% supportive. If you go to our website at www.gowamma.com you can see some great, WAMMA exclusive video of the event. We look forward to being back next year.

DreamFighters.com: When will we see WAMMA in the news again?

Michael Lynch: As everyone knows, WAMMA crowned our first WAMMA Champion in Fedor Emelianenko. As part of being our inaugural champion, we are awarding Fedor a WAMMA championship ring designed and manufactured by Tiffany's. It looks a lot like a Super Bowl ring, but is customized to Fedor with his name and date of victory and emblazened with the WAMMA logo. It has lots of diamonds and is very, very cool. It is something that Fedor can wear every day as our inaugural WAMMA Undisputed Heavyweight Champion. Look for an award ceremony over the next few months. And of course, look to see WAMMA in the news supporting our WAMMA Heavyweight Elimination Match between Arlovski and Barnett on October 11th at Affliction: Day of Reckoning.

Michael Lynch: Thanks for the interview. Talk to you again soon.

 

[Shogun Locc]

JAMES THOMPSON RETURNS AT CAGE RAGE 28

September 20 at the Troxy Theatre, Commercial Road, London, London England’s, James “Collosus” Thompson returns to fight before his home town crowd after a controversial third round stoppage to American Kimbo Slice. He is back in the UK and looking to get on track as one of the UK’s Top Heavyweights. Thompson is set to fight the 6’5 Polish fighter Piotor “Doctor” Kusmierz.

This Card also features the British Welterweight Title Fight featuring the champion, Che “The Silent Assassin” Mills. Undefeated since his first fight and the only man to beat Lithuanian power house Marius Zaromskis, not once but twice will be facing the highly regarded contender, Ross “The Gladiator” Pointon.

Ross Pointon has made significant improvements in his last few performances and seems to have found the proper weight class to suit his body.

Another British title is on the line in the Featherweight division where Cambridge’s, Robbie “The Flame” Olivier, With a record of 15-8-1, is looking to defend his British Featherweight title for the third time against highly regarded Leigh “the Bulldog” Remedios.

Other fighters to appear on the card include Kim Farid, Brad Pickett, Ross Mason, Scott Janson, Stav “Crazy Bear” Economou, Wesley “2 play” Johnson, Steve Hopewood, Mark Brown, Scott Tooty, Jody Cohon, Nigel Whittear, Michael Pasto, Jack Mason, and John Hathaway.

 

[Shogun Locc]

UFC 87 weigh-in results: All fighters make weight

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. -- Weigh-ins for Saturday's "UFC 87: Seek and Destroy" event were held today at the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minn.

The same venue hosts tomorrow's pay-per-view event, which is headlined by a UFC welterweight championship bout between current title-holder Georges St. Pierre and challenger Jon Fitch.

All fighters made weight for the event.

In fact, not a single fighter needed the traditional one-pound allowance issued to non-title fighters.

The full weigh-in results included:

Champ Georges St. Pierre (170) vs. Jon Fitch (170)
Heath Herring (250) vs. Brock Lesnar (265)
Kenny Florian (155) vs. Roger Huerta (155)
Jason MacDonald (185) vs. Demian Maia (185)
Rob Emerson (155) vs. Manny Gamburyan (155)
Luke Cummo (167) vs. Tamdan McCrory (170)
Dan Evensen (244) vs. Cheick Kongo (235)
Andre Gusmao (205) vs. Jon Jones (205)
Steve Bruno (170) vs. Chris Wilson (170)
Ben Saunders (170) vs. Ryan Thomas (170)

 

[Shogun Locc]

5 Oz. Exclusive: Reis vs. Quach not yet finalized

report by the Brazilian website Tatame.com claiming that a bout has been booked by EliteXC between Wilson Reis and Bao Quach for the promotion’s 140 lbs. title may have been premature.

On Thursday, FiveOuncesOfPain.com spoke with one of Reis’ managers at North County Fight Club, Matt Stansell. Stansell confirmed that a bout with Quach has been offered by EliteXC and that Reis is ready to accept and is already training for the potential fight.

Despite Reis’ desire to move forward with the fight, an agreement from Quach has not yet been secured and there is some concern whether he will accept the proposed fight.

Quach earned a shot to compete for EliteXC’s 140 lbs. title following a unanimous decision victory over Mark Oshiro during ICON Sport’s “Hard Times” event in Honolulu last weekend. However, he may not immediately accept the title shot.

Quach has won nine consecutive fights and has a non-exclusive contract with EliteXC. Sources have indicated to Five Ounces of Pain that he has been approached by Affliction in regards to possibly appearing on its Oct. 11 “Day of Reckoning.” pay-per-view in Las Vegas. According to Stansell, EliteXC is looking to schedule the potential Reis vs. Quach title fight on one of four cards set to take place between Sept. 20 through Oct. 20.

As of Thursday there was no word whether Quach had accepted EliteXC’s or Affliction’s offer. On Friday afternoon, Five Ounces of Pain attempted to contact Quach’s trainer, Colin Oyama, for comment but a voicemail was not immediately returned.

 

[CrazyLoc]

What are everyone's picks for the UFC tonight?

Here are mine:
Brock by Ground n Pound Ref Stoppage Round 2
GSP by the same (or by sub)
KFlo by Knockout
Manny Gamburian by submission from top

 

[Shogun Locc]

GSP Talks Fitch Bout on 'Inside MMA'
videolink: http://www.sherdog.com/videos/recent/GSP-Talks-Fitch-Bout-on-Inside-MMA-1731
GSP Talks Fitch Bout on ‘Inside MMA’ On this week’s HDNet “Inside MMA,” Bas Rutten (Pictures) and special host Ron Kruck were joined by Georges St. Pierre (Pictures), MMA commentator Ron "The Yacman" Yacovetti, and fighters Mike Guymon (Pictures) and Jared Hamman (Pictures) for a preview of the UFC 87: Seek and Destroy event.

 

[Shogun Locc]

BONUSES HANDED OUT FOLLOWING UFC 87

The Ultimate Fighting Championship took Minnesota by storm on Saturday night with an unbelievable array of exciting fights, closing out the show with welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre winning a unanimous decision over top contender, Jon Fitch.

After a 5 round war between champion and challenged, St. Pierre and Fitch picked up Fight of the Night honors at UFC 87 and each fighter picked up a $60,000 bonus for their efforts in the championship affair.

Following his toughest test to date in the Octagon, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu ace Demian Maia won the Submission of the Night for his third round rear naked choke win over Canadian, Jason MacDonald.

Knockout of the Night went to former “Ultimate Fighter” season 5 competitor, Rob Emerson, who finished off his former housemate, Manny Gamburyan in only :12 seconds en route to a devastating finish.

Both Maia and Emerson also earned an additional $60,000 payday bonus for their award winning performances.

 

[Shogun Locc]

"Next big thing" Lesnar well on his way

MINNEAPOLIS – Brock Lesnar is about the size of a small SUV and as powerful as a large one.

But what will one day make Lesnar the best heavyweight mixed martial artist in the world isn't going to be his size or his strength. It's going to be the quickness and the athleticism he shares with a guy who was sitting at ringside at the Target Center Saturday, watching him annihilate Heath Herring at UFC 87, Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson.

Lesnar won a unanimous decision over the PRIDE and UFC veteran, taking the bout 30-26 on all three cards.

He's only won one fight in the UFC and only two of his three career mixed martial arts bouts. A title isn't imminent, but have no doubt, Lesnar will one day have a championship belt strapped around that massive body of his before he's through.

"I was blown away by how good he looked tonight," UFC president Dana White said of Lesnar, the former NCAA heavyweight wrestling champion at the University of Minnesota and the one-time WWE pro wrestling champ.

If Lesnar's weight doesn't spiral out of control – and if he can continue to make the heavyweight division's 265-pound limit – he's going to be just as good in MMA as he was in amateur wrestling.

The fight with Herring – who had been in with greats of the game such as Fedor Emelianenko, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira and Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic – ended essentially after the first punch.

Lesnar stormed from his corner, as he did in his UFC debut in February when he fought ex-UFC champion Frank Mir. But instead of shooting on Herring, Lesnar faked the shot, flicked a jab and then landed a crunching right flush on Herring's eye.

Herring went down and somersaulted backward, with the massive Lesnar in hot pursuit.

Lesnar spent much of the rest of the bout pummeling Herring, making his eye a mess.

"That punch definitely set the tone for the fight," said Erik Paulson, one of Lesnar's many coaches.

Lesnar said he had an advantage because Herring had little tape of him to dissect, while he had many fights of Herring's he could break down. Because of his wrestling background, Lesnar suspected Herring would expect him to shoot for a takedown.

Instead, though, he used the threat of the takedown to set up his powerful right.

"I came with the right hand and I put it where I needed to put it," Lesnar said. "It's one of those things. I was stunned for a second."

He wasn't nearly as stunned as Herring, who offered little offense for the rest of the fight. Herring had expressed his displeasure with having to fight the inexperienced Lesnar to White privately before the fight, but word had gotten back to Lesnar's camp.

Herring, who came into the bout with a 29-13 record and was fresh from an impressive win over Cheick Kongo, didn't land a punch of consequence.

Three fights into his MMA career and Lesnar really hasn't tasted a solid shot from an opponent.

He's not ready for the elite guys in the class like Emelianenko, Nogueira and Randy Couture yet, but he's got the size, the strength and the athleticism to get there once he gets the cage time.

There are few MMA fighters who can outwrestle him now and few who are anywhere near as strong or as athletic. He's susceptible now, as Mir proved, to good jiu-jitsu fighters and probably would struggle with a heavyweight who had a quality standup game.

Lesnar did show some good combinations on Saturday and there were few prettier or more perfectly executed punches thrown on the card than the right Lesnar opened his bout with against Herring.

Even given that, a quality striker who had the ability to fend off his takedowns would cause him problems now.

Give Lesnar another seven or eight fights, though, and there are going to be few guys who want to get into the cage with him, let alone who will be able to beat him.

He's a neophyte in the sport, but will be a significant part of its future. On Saturday, he was simply relieved to have finally won in the UFC.

He was describing the significance of his first UFC win when he noted that his background is as an amateur wrestler and said he considers himself an amateur wrestler. He spoke disdainfully of his WWE stint as a time when he was a "professional entertainer."

White heard where Lesnar was going and quickly interrupted with one of the most salient points of the postfight news conference.

"Let me tell you, Brock Lesnar is a mixed martial artist," White said admiringly. "Heath Herring was 29-13 and he's fought all over the world: Holland, PRIDE. He's been here for two years and he's fought the best fighters in the world. He got dominated tonight. Dominated, by Brock Lesnar. Brock Lesnar is a mixed martial artist, no doubt about it."

He's likely to fight Kongo next, though White would not commit to that so soon after the card.

Whoever is next is going to have a heap of trouble on their hands.

Two years from now, he may be close to unstoppable.

Unquestionably, he's the sport's next big thing.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Affliction ‘Day of Reckoning’: Pedro Rizzo vs Ben Rothwell

Affliction fighters Ben Rothwell (29-6) and Pedro Rizzo (16-8) have been scheduled to face off at October’s “Day of Reckoning” in a match that will right one ship and sink the other.

Rothwell is coming off a strong effort against Andrei Arlovski at Affliction “Banned” on July 19 that saw him hanging tough - only to eventually succumb to the Belarusian’s superior striking and ability in the third round.

It was Rothwell’s first loss in 14 fights and just sixth overall. He was unstoppable in the now defunct IFL and at just 27 years of age, is at or nearing his prime.

Rizzo on the other hand, may be feeling a sense of urgency. “The Rock” still garners respect from his ability to hit like a wrecking ball, but he’s not been able to demonstrate the kind of striking that made him famous earlier in his career.

His knockout loss to Josh Barnett last month probably hasn’t helped matters, but it looks like he’ll get another chance to turn things around against Rothwell.

From a career standpoint, it could be now or never.

Affliction “Day of Reckoning” takes place on October 11 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada and features the main event of Josh “The Babyface Assassin” Barnett (23-5) vs. Andrei “The Pitbull” Arlovski (13-5).

The winner is expected to meet WAMMA champion and Russian Tyrannosaur Fedor Emelianenko (28-1) for the heavyweight strap at Affliction’s third event.

Also confirmed is the middleweight showdown between Matt “The Law’ Lindland (21-5) and Vitor “The Phenom” Belfort (17-8) - pending Belfort’s medical clearance for his post-fight medical suspension from Affliction: ‘Banned’.

More fights are expected to be announced in the coming weeks.

Stay tuned.

 

[Shogun Locc]

UFC 87 Gate and Attendance Figures

The gate was $2.2 million, a new record for the Target Center. The attendance was 15,082.

A week out from the event the gate was at $2.2 million on just over 13,000 rickets sold, so the last couple of thousand seemed to be mostly comped/papered tickets.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Brock Lesnar’s next opponent could be Cheick Kongo

Steve Cofield from Yahoo! Sports and ESPN Radio in Las Vegas is reporting that last night’s post-UFC 87 press conference at the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minn. was a buzz about the UFC possibly looking to match Brock Lesnar in his next fight vs. Cheick Kongo.

“The word swirling around the media room was that UFC may try to make a Cheick Kongo-Lesnar fight next,” writes Cofield.

Lesnar evened his UFC record to 1-1 following a three-round unanimous decision over Heath Herring in one of the night’s featured attractions. In an undercard match that was moved to the pay-per-view broadcast on a tape-delay basis, Kongo finished UFC newcomer Dan “The Viking” Evensen off via TKO towards the end of round 1.

Kongo and Herring actually fought each other this past March, with Herring winning their UFC 82 matchup via split decision in a fight where both competitors looked impressive. Despite losing to Herring, Kongo would pose an intriguing test for Lesnar. Kongo is still relatively new to MMA and would be vulnerable on the ground. However, he could possibly dominate the standup portion of the fight.

An accomplished kickboxer, Kongo is a more versatile striker than Herring and his leg kicks could create problems for Lesnar. You also have to take into consideration that on some levels, Kongo would be able to match him athletically. Simply put, Lesnar would not have the same physical skill advantage he had last night vs. Herring.

A more sensible matchup for the emerging mega-star might be former UFC heavyweight champion Mark Coleman, Lesnar’s original opponent for UFC 87 before pulling out with an injury.

From a box office standpoint, Lesnar vs. Coleman has a lot of potential. Lesnar resorted to some pro wrestling tactics last night by trying to embrace the role of a “bad guy” with some of his antics aimed at Herring. The 43-year old Coleman, a professional wrestler in Japan, could easily assume the role of “good guy” as a past-his-prime veteran trying to prove himself one last time against the cocky newcomer. A UFC Hall of Famer, Coleman has strong credentials that can earn him credibility with a novice fanbase if he is marketed properly.

However, it remains to be seen whether it’s a fight Coleman is still even interested in. There have been recent rumblings that Coleman might be looking to cut down to light heavyweight for a possible rematch in December against Mauricio “Shogun” Rua. However, Rua was just recently quoted on a video appearing on YouTube that his December opponent could instead of former UFC light heavyweight champion Quinton “Rampage” Jackson.

Regardless, after last night’s effort, does it make sense for the 43-year old Coleman to try and test himself against Lesnar after he’s already proven himself multi-times over? It would appear that Kongo is as good of an option as any as Lesnar’s next opponent.

 

[Shogun Locc]

5 Oz. of Pain on CBSSports.com: EliteXC middleweight champion Robbie Lawler discusses future

"Ruthless" Robbie Lawler became EliteXC's second-ever middleweight champion when he TKO'd incumbent champion Murilo "Ninja" Rua at EliteXC: Uprising on Showtime last Sept. 15 in Honolulu. Lawler says his cut is healing nicely. (T. Casino/EliteXC)
It was a crowning achievement for Lawler since evolving into a vastly improved fighter following the UFC's decision not to re-sign him in October 2004. Once considered a future star by the promotion, Lawler's star faded after he lost three of four fights.

After his fall from grace, Lawler has gone 9-1 with one no contest in his eleven fights since leaving the UFC. He has emerged as one of the top fighters in his weight class and is coming off two appearances on primetime national television within the past three months.

His most recent appearance came during CBS' Saturday Night Fights on July 26, in a rematch against Scott Smith that followed their first CBS meeting on May 31, which ended in a no contest. After a rocky first round in which he suffered a major laceration to his forehead, Lawler took care of business in the second round by finishing Smith with an array of punches and knees.

Lawler recently spoke with CBSSports.com and provided us with an update on his health status and discussed how soon he expects to be able to return to fight.

CBSSports.com: First, I wanted to see if we could get an update on your health. It looked like you suffered a nasty laceration to the top of your scalp during the Scott Smith fight. How are you doing?

Robbie Lawler: My head is doing good. It's actually healing better than the last cut I had. The doctors did a good job of sewing it up.

Q: Has a doctor given you a specific recommendation about an amount of time you should avoid sparring and fighting?

R.L.: They really didn't say anything this time. The last time they said to go a month without contact. So I am going to do the same thing and just monitor it until I am ready to go.

Q: After a hard-fought battle May 31 vs. Smith, you had to come back and do it again July 26. What are some of the challenges a fighter faces when he comes back so quickly?

R.L.: Just staying healthy and being able to keep up with the intensity of the training. Just being ready to go two months later is a lot of wear and tear on your body.

Q: How does fighting on such a quick turn-around affect your weight by having to have to dehydrate and re-hydrate so many times in such a short span of time?

R.L.: It's not that hard for me because I keep myself pretty close to weight. I really don't worry about it. I eat what I want, when I want. So for me, weight is really not an issue.

Q: You mentioned during the post-fight press conference that you planned to take some time off. Is there a timetable for when you plan to fight again?

R.L.: No, I mean, when I said that I meant that I am not going to do any fight training anytime soon. Basically, I took a day off. I've been lifting weights and doing a little working out. I'll start picking it up again soon and we'll see what happens.

Q: You're pretty much known as a fighter's fighter; you're in the gym a lot and when you're healthy, you fight frequently. When you do have down time and take time away from training, how do you spend your free time?

R.L.: I'm trying to get my gym up and running. I also like watching sports; baseball, basketball, football and just watching the other sports and keeping up with them.

Q: You mentioned opening your gym. I assume you mean Matt Hughes' H.I.T. Squad gym?

R.L.: Yes. I'm part-owner so I've got to be in there and help out.

Q: Does being an instructor take away from preparing for one of your own fights?

R.L.: I don't do very much teaching when I'm getting ready for a fight. More than anything, I just help out. I'm an assistant coach but fighting comes first and that is what is most important.

Q: During the post-fight press conference for "Unfinished Business," EliteXC welterweight champion Jake Shields expressed an interest in fighting you. Is that a fight that has any possible appeal to you?

R.L.: I'm not really worried about who I am fighting next. I'm not too worried about it because it seems like everyone wants to fight me.

Q: Frank Shamrock is also someone who has expressed an interest in fighting you. Is that a fight you'd be open to?

R.L.: I'm not running from anyone. Whoever wants to fight and whoever EliteXC wants to put me against, we'll see.

Q: During the press conference you were asked about possible fights with Shamrock and also Cung Le, and at one point your response was, "F--- those guys." Did you mean that in a joking manner?

R.L.: A little bit. But the thing is, don't frickin' call me out, you know? If you want to fight me, it will happen eventually. I just don't like how people ask for fights and campaign for fights. I think it's kind of disrespectful. I just think everyone will get their shot eventually. I'm sick of hearing everyone who wants to fight me.

Q: After a big start in the UFC, you were eventually let go by the promotion. Since that point, it has been all uphill for you. At any point has the UFC gotten in touch with you or your manager and expressed a desire to bring you back?

R.L.: Not really. I talk to (UFC president) Dana (White) and I talk to (UFC vice president of talent relations) Joe Silva just on a friendship basis. We don't really talk about going here or there because I am under contract. Everything is just friendly right now and we're not talking any business.

Q: When you were let go by the UFC, was that something you took personally? How'd you take it at the time?

R.L.: I just took it as, "Alright, they made a mistake and I am going to prove why."

Q: Do you feel their decision made you a better fighter?

R.L.: No, because I was going to (work to become better) anyway. It did give me a little more to prove, but either way I was going to get the job done and keep striving to be the best.

Q: Speaking of striving to be the best, there are a lot of pundits who consider a man in your weight class, Anderson Silva, to be the No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter in the world. Do you agree with that assessment?

R.L.: Until someone beats him, he is (the No. 1 pound-for-pound fighter). That's all I really have to say about that.

Q: How do you feel you match up with Silva?

R.L.: I believe I will match up with anyone. He's a tough guy. He's really skilled. He's fast and he's strong and knows how to fight. I would love to fight him some day down the road.

 

[TLALOC]

Lesnar evened his UFC record to 1-1 following a three-round unanimous decision over Heath Herring in one of the night’s featured attractions

2-1????? right


Cheick vs. Lesner would be a real test for Lesner!

 

[Ethereal]

He's 2-1 overall, 1-1 in the UFC.

 

[MooreBlock530]

that was a great card last night....one of the better in recent history......goodtimes

 

[TLALOC]

He's 2-1 overall, 1-1 in the UFC.

oh yea thats right...nm

 

[Shogun Locc]

MISAKI VS RIGGS AT STRIKEFORCE PLAYBOY 2

As the second installment of Strikeforce at the Playboy Mansion draws nearer, the first major fight has been announced as top ten middleweight Kazuo Misaki makes his promotional debut when he faces veteran fighter Joe Riggs, as announced by the promotion on Sunday.

Misaki has fought all over the world, most notably spending time in the Pride Fighting Championships. “The Grabaka Hitman” also won the Pride middleweight Grand Prix in 2006, defeating Denis Kang in the tournament finals.

"I am looking forward to making my debut for Strikeforce at The Playboy Mansion, an incredible venue that is well-known throughout the world,” said Misaki. “Joe Riggs is a tremendous competitor. His style is aggressive like mine so I have no doubt that our fight will be an exciting and memorable one."

Riggs, a former Ultimate Fighting Championship competitor, will step into the bout with Misaki after defeating Matt Dempsey at Rage in the Cage in late July.

Tough as nails with extremely heavy hands, Riggs will look to put his name back on the map with a win over a top competitor in Misaki. Riggs dealt with a back injury suffered in a fight earlier this year and is looking to pick up his second win in a row.

“The back’s great. It’s 100 percent,” Riggs said. “I’m really excited to be healthy again and looking forward to getting back on top.”

Misaki vs. Riggs is the first of 10 scheduled fights that will be announced for the event. Strikeforce lightweight champion Josh “The Punk” Thomson has previously announced that he also expects to be on the card although no opponent has been named yet.