MMA News Thread

[Shogun Locc]

Report: Showtime to distribute and produce Affliction’s Jan. 24 pay-per-view

While Showtime is pressing forward with a planned Nov. 17 auction of ProElite’s assets, the premium cable network is also planning to announce it’s next move in regards to televising mixed martial arts.

According to a report by SI.com’s Josh Gross, Affliction Vice President Tom Atencio is quoted as saying that a planned Monday announcement will reveal that Showtime will both distribute and produce Affliction’s “Day of Reckoning” pay-per-view event on Jan. 24 from The Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.

Showtime’s production team not only handled all ShoXC and EliteXC broadcasts on the network, but also handled the production of all EliteXC events on CBS. The network previously distributed one other MMA pay-per-view; Strikeforce and EliteXC’s co-promotion in June of 2007 that featured Frank Shamrock and Phil Baroni vying for the then-vacant Strikeforce middleweight title.

Voicemails seeking comment by FiveOuncesOfPain.com from officials at Showtime have thus far gone unanswered.

The Jan. 24 Affliction event will feature WAMMA heavyweight champion Fedor Emelianenko defending his title against former UFC heavyweight champion Andrei Arlovski.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Renato Sobral vs. Matt Lindland set for “Day of Reckoning”

The latest match to be made official for Affliction’s “Day of Reckoning” pay-per-view event on Jan. 24 is a light heavyweight encounter between Renato “Babalu” Sobral and former Olympic silver medalist Matt Lindland.

News of the bout became official earlier today in a report by SI.com’s Josh Gross in which Affliction Vice President Tom Atencio was quoted.

Sobral vs. Lindland joins the card’s previously announced main event between WAMMA heavyweight champion Fedor Emelianenko defending his title against former UFC heavyweight champion Andrei Arlovski.

According to Gross, former UFC light heavyweight champion Vitor Belfort is also expected for the card in his second career fight at middleweight. However, the report states that a rumored bout between Belfort and DREAM middleweight Grand Prix winner Gegard Mousasi is unlikely.

Additionally, a light heavyweight fight between Vladimir Matyushenko vs. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira is slated to headline the undercard with a lightweight clash between Chris Horodecki and Dan Lauzon also rumored to be taking place. FiveOuncesOfPain.com also previously reported that Jay Hieron is expected to take on Jason High in welterweight action.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Nogueira vs. Matyushenko to headline Jan. 24 Affliction undercard on HDNet

A light heavyweight tilt between veterans Vladimir Matyushenko and Antonio Rogerio Nogueira will headline HDNet’s special pre-PPV telecast of Affliction’s undercard on Jan. 24, according to a report by Josh Gross of SI.com.

The telecast will serve as a prelude to Affliction’s “Day of Reckoning” pay-per-view telecast that will be headlined by WAMMA heavyweight champion Fedor Emelianenko defending his title against former UFC heavyweight champion Andrei Arlovski.

Matyushenko, 21-3, was the first and only light heavyweight champion of the International Fight League and is scheduled to compete for the first time since a second round TKO over Jamal Patterson during the IFL’s April event in East Rutherford, N.J.

A former UFC veteran, Matyushenko has won eight consecutive fights and was 6-0 during his two-year IFL stint, which marked his return to full-time competition.

Nogueira is the twin brother of interim UFC heavyweight champion Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira. The former PRIDE superstar is 15-3 in a pro MMA career that dates back to 2001. The talented grappler and boxer holds notable victories over Kazushi Sakuraba, Guy Mezger, Alistair Overeem, and Dan Henderson.

Nogueira and Matyushenko have fought once before during a UFO event in 2002 in which Matyushenko was declared the winner via unanimous decision.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Beard’s attorney refutes Couture’s claims amidst new revelations about his criminal past

The attorney for Affliction general partner Todd Beard has responded to Kim Couture’s accusations that his client has made physical threats against Couture’s well-being.

Michael Bassiri, Beard’s Newport-based attorney, has branded Couture’s criminal complaints as “complete nonsense,” according to an article in Thursday’s edition of the Orange County Register.

“I think they took his statements incorrectly that there was any sort of physical harm implied,” Bassiri is quoted as saying in the article. “He didn’t threaten them. It was only regarding a business relationship.”

In addition to Bassiri’s response, the article in The Register brings to light additional details pertaining to Beard’s criminal past that Couture reference in her request for a restraining order.

According to the article, Beard is already scheduled to be sentenced on on January 29 in Bellaflower, Calif. after pleading no contest to making misdemeanor criminal threats, according to court documents. Bassiri is quoted as saying the case was the result of an argument that took place at a poker game.

The Register also claims that court records show that Beard was convicted of crimes in 1993, 1995, and 2000. In ‘93, Beard was convicted in Arizona of forgery and illegal telemarketing. Two years later he was sentenced to 2 1/2 years in federal prison following his ‘95 California conviction of federal mail and wire fraud. Beard later served additional time in a California county jail after being convicted in 2000 of driving while under the influence.

 

[Shogun Locc]

WEC 36, Strikeforce Ratings

According to The Wrestling Observer Newsletter, WEC 36 Faber Vs Brown Rating did a 0.5 rating and 497,000 viewers. This is a slight uptick from WEC 35, which did a 0.5 rating and 423,000 viewers. The WEC numbers have some back to earth after the record success of Faber vs Pulver, which drew a 1.4 rating with 1.5 million viewers.

Strikeforce on NBC on 10/25 did a 0.58 rating and 751,000 viewers. The late night series has seen a peak of 1.1 million viewers recently. While the number is off the peak, it still has to be regarded as a good performance in the time slot.

 

[Shogun Locc]

KOTC Suspension Lifted

MMAPayout.com has learned that the California State Athletic Commission has released King of the Cage’s promoter’s license from suspension.

MMAPayout.com first reported the suspension of ProElite and King of the Cage’s licenses on November 6. At that time CSAC Executive Director Armando Garcia told MMAPayout.com that “the primary reason that Pro Elite/Elite XC’s and King of the Cage’s licenses have been placed on suspension is because of their financial states and the fact that Pro Elite, the owner of King of the Cage, has suspended operations and their tangible and intangible assets are being auctioned on November 17.”

Shortly after this decision, Garcia resigned from the commission.

MMAPayout.com will bring you more details on the situation as they become available.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Wanderlei Silva to attend signing in Vegas this Saturday.

MMA legend Wanderlei “The Axe Murderer” Silva will be appearing at the Memorabilia Musuem (inside Mandalay Bay) Las Vegas on November 15 to autograph the new limited edition art prints by renowned artist Richard T. Slone.

In order to meet Silva, fans can purchase the limited edition art print that guarantees a place in line during the signing on Saturday. The artwork is Slone’s latest MMA piece in a series that also includes Randy ‘The Natural’ Couture and Rich “Ace” Franklin.

The art print is limited to only 500 worldwide and features Silva in his famous pre-fight fist roll with eyes locked on the viewer. Slone is known to many fight fans as the Official Artist of the International Boxing Hall of Fame and is nominated for 2009 Sports Artist of the Year. Wanderlei Silva is an MMA legend, a multi time champion and one of the most popular fighters in the history of the sport.

WHAT: MMA Legend Wanderlei Silva unveiling and signing event of Richard T. Slone new ‘Axe Murderer’ limited edition art.

WHEN: Saturday, November 15, 2008. 12-2:30PM

WHERE: Memorabilia Museum, (inside Mandalay Bay) 3950 Las Vegas Blvd South, Las Vegas , Nevada

WHO: MMA Legend Wanderlei “The Axe Murderer” Silva, renowned artist Richard T. Slone, Xyience.

Fans that can’t make the event can call the Memorabilia Museum to reserve and buy through the mail at 702.632.6138

 

[Shogun Locc]

TERRY ETIM VS JUSTIN BUCHHOLZ AT UFC 95 IN ENGLAND

As the Ultimate Fighting Championship prepares for another invasion of England for UFC 95 on Feb 21 in London, MMAWeekly.com has confirmed that British fighter, Terry Etim, will square off against Justin Buchholz, at the event in England.

The news was confirmed to MMAWeekly.com by sources close to the fight who said that the bout agreements for the fight have been issued and should be signed shortly.

After winning his first fight in the Octagon, Terry Etim then went on a 2 fight losing streak before returning to form against Sam Stout at UFC 89 in England in October.

His opponent, Justin Buchholz, currently holds a 1-1 record in the UFC with a win over former "Ultimate Fighter" competitor Corey Hill and a loss to Matt Wiman in his UFC debut.

Buchholz has worked alongside fighters such as former WEC featherweight champion, Urijah Faber, in preparation for his past fights.

It is unknown at this time if the fight between Buchholz and Etim will be on the preliminary or main card for the event.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Gabriel Gonzaga: Rated Exclusive Interview

videolink: http://mmarated.com/videos/v/20081113/gabriel_gonzaga__rated_exclusive_video-6122.html

 

[Shogun Locc]

Dana White: UFC 91's Florian vs. Stevenson winner gets title shot

LAS VEGAS -- Although largely expected, Kenny Florian was surely happy to learn that his UFC 91 co-main event fight with Joe Stevenson will earn the winner a guaranteed title shot. For real this time.

UFC President Dana White promised the winner a shot at B.J. Penn's lightweight belt during today's UFC 91 press conference in the main lobby of the MGM Grand in Las Vegas.

UFC 91, which airs live on pay per view, takes place Saturday at the MGM Grand Garden Arena and features a main event between UFC heavyweight champion Randy Couture and challenger Brock Lesnar.

Florian is coming off a victory over Roger Huerta at August's UFC 87 event. Prior to the fight, White said the winner was likely to get a title shot. Huerta also talked openly about it. But after Florian posted a unanimous-decision victory, Penn was instead booked to fight UFC welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre in a super-fight for the welterweight title, and Florian was scheduled to fight Stevenson.

"This fight is going to be amazing, and the winner of this fight will face B.J. Penn for the lightweight title after B.J. fights Georges St. Pierre," White said at the press conference, which was open to the public and attended by media members and hundreds of fans.

By delivering Huerta his first career UFC loss, Florian (10-3 MMA, 8-2 UFC) picked up his fifth consecutive victory since an October 2006 loss to Sean Sherk for the vacant title. During the two-year span, Florian has defeated Huerta, Joe Lauzon, Din Thomas, Alvin Robinson and Dokonjonosuke Mishima. Florian, who was the "The Ultimate Fighter 1" runner-up (despite fighting as a middleweight), is now going for his sixth consecutive victory -- two shy of the UFC record.

Stevenson (29-8 MMA, 6-2 UFC), meanwhile, is looking to avenge a previous loss to Penn. Back in January at UFC 80, Stevenson, "The Ultimate Fighter 2" welterweight winner, suffered a second-round submission loss to Penn in a fight for the lightweight title, which had been stripped from Sherk after a failed drug test.

 

[Shogun Locc]

WHITE EYES UFC 91 MEGAFIGHT LOOKING TO FUTURE

"Ticket sales have been great. Listen, right now, I don’t care how big you are or you small you are, everybody’s feeling this economic crunch. Major corporations that have been around before we were alive are hurting right now and in fear of going out of business. Our business is in a really good place right now. We did great on ticket sales, I’m predicting right now, even with this economic crunch, the biggest pay-per-view in UFC history."

Such was the opening salvo of the president of one of the fastest growing sports entities in the world, Dana White, the head of the Ultimate Fighting Championship.

At first glance, saying "ticket sales have been great" in promoter speak usually means as much as "we're hoping for a big walk-up crowd." In other words, not what was expected of a fight like the return of UFC heavyweight champion Randy Couture defending his belt against former WWE superstar Brock Lesnar.

But if you dig a little deeper into White's follow-up comments, you realize that Couture vs. Lesnar could still be the mega-fight that the UFC hopes for, sold out or not.

"The reality is, you don’t go home and watch the UFC by yourself. You get eight or nine buddies over, you get the pizza, you get the beer, you all pitch in. It’s a pretty cheap night out," relayed White, before adding, "We’re projecting 1.2 million (pay-per-view buys). I hope I’m wrong and it’s more.

"We've got mad scientists sitting in a room calculating these things... There's a formula to it and a secret and we finally figured it out... Maybe we'll go a little over, maybe we're a little under, but I guarantee you, we'll be right in that range."

The UFC is definitely a pay-per-view driven brand and if the final tally is anything near White's predication, coming up a few tickets short of a sellout will make little difference to the bottom line.

In fact, 1.2 million buys at $44.95 each equates to roughly $54 million, which easily dwarfs live gate revenues, which frequently fall into the $3 to 5 million range.

And Couture vs. Lesnar is only the first in a succession of "mega-fights" that the UFC president has on tap.

"Chuck (Liddell) is the biggest pay-per-view star in MMA. (Couture vs. Lesnar) could outdo the Chuck Liddell numbers. GSP is becoming a huge star in his own. I think the guy that walks out of that B.J. Penn-GSP fight with their hand raised becomes a (expletive) superstar," said White, referring to the Super Bowl weekend welterweight championship between current champ Georges St. Pierre and lightweight champ B.J. Penn.

So, despite the U.S. economy tanking and many MMA companies (most notably ProElite/EliteXC) suffering right along with the country's struggles, the UFC, if White's estimates are correct, is far from bottoming out. In fact, if White's estimates are correct, the promotion may be in for it's largest payday to date.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Affliction’s “Day of Reckoning” takes shape with confirmation of Buentello vs.“BabyFedor”

A heavyweight attraction between former UFC title challenger Paul Buentello and Russian prodigy Kiril Sidelnikov is now set for the undercard of Affliction’s “Day of Reckoning” event on Jan. 24, according to a report by SI.com’s Josh Gross.

The fight will be a part of HDNet’s telecast of the event’s undercard, which will be anchored by a light heavyweight bout between Vladimir Matyushenko and Antonio Rogerio Nogueira.

The addition of Sidelnikov is intriguing because he is one of the world’s top fighters under the age of 21 and his fight with Buentello will mark the first time the young Russian has competed on U.S. soil.

Nicknamed “Baby Fedor” by his mentors with the Russian Red Devil fight team, Sidelnikov is 4-2 in his young career. The 20-year old is considered a prodigy and a potential successor to Emelianenko as Russia’s top heavyweight fighter.

Competing exclusively for Vadim Finkelstein’s M-1 promotion, Sidelnikov is considered a dangerous puncher with all four of his victories having been stopped in the first round. His most recent bout took place in September during an M-1 Challenge event in the United Kingom, where he was victorious against James Jack.

Buentello is 26-10 in an MMA career that dates back to 1997. In addition to having competed for the UFC, Buentello has also fought for Strikeforce. He holds notable wins over David “Tank” Abbott, Justin Eilers, and Mike Kyle. His most recent fight was a unanimous decision victory over Gary Goodridge during Affliction’s debut event this past July.

The reporting of the Buentello vs. Sidelnikov brings the “Day of Reckoning” card into greater focus, with a tentative lineup appearing as follows:

Fedor Emelianenko vs. Andrei Arlovski (officially announced)
Josh Barnett vs. TBA (Barnett is being featured in advertisements)
Matt Lindland vs. Renato “Babalu” Sobral (officially reported)
Chris Horodecki vs. Dan Lauzon (rumored)
Jay Hieron vs. Jason High (officially reported)
Vitor Belfort vs. TBA (officially reported)
Antonio Rogerio Nogueira vs. Vladimir Matyushenko (officially reported for the undercard)
Paul Buentello vs. Kiril Sidelnikov (officially reported for the undercard)

 

[Shogun Locc]

Affliction Owner Resigns

Todd Beard, a founder of the popular Affliction clothing brand, has resigned as an employee from Affliction Inc., its board of directors announced on Friday.

Beard’s resignation appears to be a direct result of a 30-day restraining order granted to Kim Couture, wife of UFC heavyweight champion Randy Couture, last Tuesday by the Clark County Justice Court in Las Vegas.

In a signed affidavit that accompanied Couture’s request, she provided evidence of Beard’s conviction on fraud charges in early 1993, in addition to a protection order obtained by former girlfriend Denise Zullo in 1997 and a misdemeanor complaint filed against Beard on Sept. 30 of this year for threatening the bodily harm of Karlos Shaverdian.

Mrs. Couture, vice president of Xtreme Couture and other related companies, had a direct business relationship with Beard for the last two years pertaining to the Xtreme Couture clothing brand, which is co-owned between the two parties.

She wrote that Beard became threatening after she asked him to provide monthly accountings of the clothing brand, as per their signed agreement. Couture claims Beard has neglected to produce said figures for nearly a year.

In her statement, Couture said Beard had “resorted to a series of threats and acts intended to intimidate me and otherwise coerce me to ‘back off’ in my insistence that he and the company give proper accountings.”

Couture stated Beard’s threatening behavior culminated with a series of phone calls on Oct. 17 to Randy and Kim Couture and their attorney, Sam Spira, in which Beard “screamed … that he would ‘get’ us and otherwise make us regret that we had persisted in our efforts to get proper accountings.”

"I would like to apologize for my comments that may have offended Kim and Randy Couture and Mr. Spira,” Beard commented in a statement released on Friday by Affliction Inc. “I had a long-standing relationship with the Coutures, and I was deeply and emotionally hurt by some of their recent business decisions. I have only the best of intentions for the success of the Affliction and Xtreme Couture clothing brands and understand that there are personal issues I must address."

The release also stated that Affliction Entertainment -- which promoted its first mixed martial arts event last July in Anaheim, Calif. -- is not controlled by Affliction Inc., and that Beard has no affiliation as “an officer, director, or shareholder” with the fight organization.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Showtime 'Adjourns' ProElite Auction

Showtime Networks Inc. on Friday put the brakes on plans for the “public sale of personal property of Pro Elite Inc. and certain subsidiaries” that was scheduled for Monday in Los Angeles. Among the assets that were to have been auctioned were the contracts of more than 80 mixed martial artists still signed to the capsized company.

Chris DeBlasio, Director for Sports Communication at Showtime, declined to comment on why the auction was “adjourned” and about whether or not it could proceed at a later date. Remaining Pro Elite management and agents representing fighters under contract moved last week to block the fire sale.

“Showtime reserves all of its rights, including the right to further adjourn or cancel the public sale and thereafter dispose of such property in a public or private sale or in any other manner provided under its agreements with Pro Elite and by applicable law,” Showtime representatives announced in a released statement.

Showtime Networks filed public notice with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on Sept. 17, announcing its intention to enter preliminary negotiations for Pro Elite’s purchase. Discussions regarding the purchase reportedly went well, and a deal looked imminent in early October, when Pro Elite promoted its next-to-last event, EliteXC “Heat,” in Sunrise, Fla. The Oct. 4 show, which was funded entirely by Showtime, drew 4.56 million viewers on CBS and almost matched EliteXC’s debut on network television in May.

However, negative press surrounding questionable conduct prior to the Seth Petruzelli-Kevin “Kimbo Slice” Ferguson main event at “Heat” overshadowed the ratings success. Petruzelli -- an injury replacement who took the bout on an hour’s notice -- stopped Ferguson on strikes in just 14 seconds. He intimated during a subsequent morning talk show that promoters had given him a financial bonus to keep the fight with Slice standing.

Pro Elite officials denied any wrongdoing, calling the pre-fight locker room offer a “knockout bonus” offer, but public outcry led the Florida State Boxing Commission to open an investigation into the matter. The commission later cleared Pro Elite of wrongdoing.

According to more recent SEC filings, Showtime – which owned a 20 percent stake in the company -- gave notice to Pro Elite on Oct. 16 that the promotion violated a term of its agreement requiring it to maintain a minimum bank balance of at least $550,000 with a nationally recognized financial institution. At the time, Pro Elite had an outstanding balance of $6.3 million with the cable channel, and any default on the loans would have given Showtime the ability to sell or assign the promotion’s collateral at its discretion, according to the filings.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Wilson Gouveia vs. Jason MacDonald slated for Dec. 13 TUF 8 Finale

Wilson Gouveia (11-5 MMA, 5-2 UFC) will look for his second straight victory since dropping to middleweight when he meets Jason MacDonald (21-10 MMA, 5-3 UFC) at the The Ultimate Fighter 8 Finale.

The event, which concludes the latest season of the UFC's reality series, takes place Dec. 13 at The Palms Las Vegas.

The December event, which takes place three days after "UFC Fight Night 16: UFC Fights for the Troops," airs on Spike TV.

The Gouveia-MacDonald bout, first reported by GracieMag.com, is expected to take place on the night's televised main card.

Gouveia, who posted a solid 4-2 record while competing in the UFC as a 205-pounder, dropped to middleweight after he suffered a TKO to Goran Reljic earlier this year. The loss snapped Gouveia's four-fight win streak (all four victories came via stoppage) and knocked him out of the title picture.

He then dropped a weight class, and his middleweight debut was a success. Gouveia defeated Ryan Jensen via second-round submission at UFC Fight Night 15 in September.

He'll now meet MacDonald, a veteran fighter who's fought some of the 185-pound division's best.

MacDonald most recently defeated Jason Lambert at UFC 88. (The loss actually forced the UFC to drop Lambert from the organization's roster.) The victory sustained a dubious streak for the Canadian fighter; since a victory over Chris Leben in December 2006, MacDonald has followed a win with a subsequent loss three times. The streak will reach four unless he tops Gouveia in December.

 

[Shogun Locc]

WEC's Aaron Simpson latest Arizona Combat Sports fighter to impress

It's possible that you might not yet know the name Aaron Simpson (4-0 MMA, 1-0 WEC).

But if the former Arizona State University wrestling coach continues to put on performances like his 18-second knockout win at "WEC 36: Faber vs. Brown," you soon will.

The Arizona Combat Sports fighter was a recent guest of TAGG Radio (www.taggradio.com), the official radio partner of MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com), and discussed what has made him and his teammates so successful in their transitions from wrestling to MMA.

"We don't get ahead of ourselves," Simpson said. "Nothing overly fancy. You don't see any flying elbows or anything, which is good for me. I'm basically new to it.

"I have a little over a year of training. So I basically have a three-punch combo, and that's about it. Or a one-punch combo if you want to put it at that."

That one-punch combo was all it took to dispatch of David Avellan. The crushing blow was impressive enough to earn a spot on the recent WEC 36 Versus broadcast. Surprising to most, it wasn't enough to earn the middleweight a "Knockout of the Night" bonus.

"I was a little surprised," Simpson said. "I thought for sure I would have had that. But Mike Brown had a pretty nice punch there, himself -- and then finished a phenomenal fighter there in Urijah (Faber). You got to give him something, and it was nice for him to get that.

"But yeah, I thought for sure I had [the bonus]. I don't know what the criteria is for 'Knockout of the Night' if that doesn't get it. But they gave me a little love after, I guess. So it's cool."

It's hard to be disappointed with a quick win in your first trip to a major organization. But with the postponement of WEC 36 from its original date in September due to Hurrican Ike, two extra months of training with C.B. Dollaway and Ryan Bader left Simpson hoping to push himself for more then 18 seconds.

"I was happy to get it over with," Simpson said. "But you always want a test. And I trained hard. I took the fight on two weeks' notice back in September. Then we had the hurricanes coming through. I was really able to set a goal a couple months out and work toward that goal, which I always like to do. I prepare for one opponent. So I trained hard.

"I was in phenomenal conditioning. I equate it to what I was at when I was competing at the Olympic trials. I really felt that type of conditioning, so it would have been nice to have a little bit of a test for myself, to see where I am.

"It was only my fourth fight. I needed that. My first three fights weren't much of a test. I needed someone to get in there and scrap with me. But fortunately, and unfortunately, it didn't go that long."

Simpson's next test will be determining his immediate future. With Zuffa LLC announcing the merger of the WEC's 185-pound and 205-pound divisions into the UFC, Simpson is unsure where he stands with the organization.

"We're in negotiations right now," Simpson said. "We're talking about going to 170 (pounds) because they're putting the 185 and 205 (pound divisions) in the UFC. It could be a hell of a cut for me to get to 170.

"I feel like I'm real strong at 185 (pounds). I'm about 195 (pounds) right now, so it's not a bad cut or anything. I could probably get up to 200 and drop 15 pounds. But when I train hard, I don't have a whole lot of body fat on me. So it might be hell. Plus I feel that with my athleticism and quickness that I can pick things up quickly and out-move people."

Regardless of where he ends up, Simpson vows to continue to develop his full MMA arsenal rather than rely solely on his amateur-wrestling background.

"There are wrestlers out there that aren't necessarily the better athletes, and I think you have to be an athlete in this sport to be well-rounded," Simpson said. "If you just come straight forward, you get knocked out or submitted doing that."

 

[Shogun Locc]

K.J. Noons returns to winning ways, eyes 2009 MMA return

Former EliteXC lightweight champion K.J. Noons had his hand raised in victory once again Thursday night.

Noons traded in the five-ounce gloves of MMA and the bright lights of Showtime for a pair of boxing mitts and the relative obscurity of the El Monte Expo Center in El Monte, Calif.

"It was actually a year-and-a-half since the last time I got in a boxing ring," Noons told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com). "Surprisingly, I was a little nervous. I fought in the main event on Showtime in front of millions and I wasn't nervous, but I was nervous in front of a little crowd here in East L.A."

Noons (7-2 MMA, 8-1 boxing) dropped his opponent, Alejandro Bogarin, twice in the six-round affair. In the end, Noons was forced to settle for a unanimous decision win.

"I fought a tough fight out here in East L.A.," Noons said. "(There was) a lot of pressure because of coming off of EliteXC. It was the type of thing, 'Oh, is K.J. going to make it?' or 'Can he box?' All that mumbo jumbo [expletive].

"It was good. I dropped him in the first round. I thought the ref stopped it in the last round, but he was actually saved by the bell."

Noons was excited to get back to action. The embattled former champion, stripped of his title by EliteXC earlier this year after refusing to accept a bout with Nick Diaz, also took pleasure in the recent collapse of his former employer.

"It's a victory for me," Noons said. "Everybody was saying how stupid I was for what I was doing and this and that. And of course I had reasons. But a lot of people don't see what goes on behind closed doors. It just really clarified and let people know that I wasn't just talking out of my ass.

"A lot of things going wrong for you to take that much debt. It wasn't just one thing. So [EliteXC's demise] was great to me."

Noons also noted the irony of his current situation in light of a possible pending auction of the remaining EliteXC fighter contracts.

"I think fighting last night and winning was also a victory for me, showing that I can still fight," Noons said. "And I can go somewhere else. I don't have to do MMA as of right now. And I might be the only person that's a free agent if this auction thing goes through Monday.

"But I'm already moving forward. I already fought. I don't really care if [EliteXC is] or not."

While Noons enjoys his time in the boxing ring, a return trip to MMA is in his future plans.

"I'm going to get another boxing fight before the year is out," Noons said. "And then first quarter of 2009 I'll be definitely doing some MMA or signing with an MMA or a boxing promotion.

"I've got to do both. That's one of my top priorities. I want to be the first person to hold the title in two sports."

 

[Shogun Locc]

MILETICH VS. DENNY HEADLINES ADRENALINE MMA 2

The first time Pat Miletich and Monte Cox teamed up to produce a mixed martial arts event in the Quad Cities, the result was a monstrous success!

Now, almost 13 years later, they are going to do it again.

"With all the guys fighting who have extensive TV exposure, I think this is the best card we've ever had in the Quad Cities," Miletich said. "When you think about having Rothwell, McGivern, Russow, Ciesnolevicz and Davis... these guys have all been on national television multiple times."

Adrenaline MMA II is scheduled for Thursday, Dec. 11, at the i wireless Center. Tickets for the 10-bout event are available at Ticketmaster or the i wireless Center box office.

Miletich, a former Ultimate Fighting Championship welterweight champion and legend in the sport, will come out of retirement to headline the card against former King of the Cage champion Thomas Denny.

"Denny comes out swinging, so this will be an action-packed fight," Miletich said. "His last fight on Showtime was awesome... he really took it to Nick Diaz and the crowd was going crazy."

The co-main event features heavyweight Ben Rothwell against Texas standout Chris Guillen in a battle of powerful standup fighters. Rothwell dominated the heavyweight division in the now-defunct International Fighting League and has finished all but two opponents en route to his 29 victories.

"The last time I fought in this arena was incredible," Rothwell said. "I knocked out my opponent and the crowd went crazy... it was one of the best moments of my life."

Rothwell's dramatic KO of Brian Vetell clinched the IFL team championship for the Quad City Silverbacks in 2006.

The first Miletich-Cox event took place in the same building (then The MARK) and drew more than 8,000 spectators. Of course, Miletich also was the main event on that card.

"A lot has happened since Pat and I teamed up back in 1996," Cox said. "But this show has the same excitement to it. The level of fighters will be at an all-time high and the event will be shown live across the nation on HDNet."

Other key fights include QC standouts Ryan McGivern, Mike Ciesnolevicz, LC Davis, Gabe Lemley, Ramiro "Junior" Hernandez and Jesse Lennox.

In a special bout, Mike Russow, the headliner for the first Adrenaline MMA event, will put his 10-1 record on the line against 5-1 Joe McCall. Russow, a Chicago policeman, is close to breaking into the world top 10 heavyweight rankings.

Doors open at 7 p.m. with preliminary fights starting at 8 p.m. The event will be telecast live, beginning at 9 p.m.

 

[Shogun Locc]

KEY FEATHERWEIGHT BOUTS TOP SHOOTO CARD

Shooto has nearly completed its next big card in Shooto Tradition 4, which is scheduled to take place at the historic Korakuen Hall on Nov. 29. It is headlined by a Shooto lightweight championship bout with Shooto lightweight champion Hideki Kadowaki defending his title against former champion “Lion” Takeshi Inoue.

Kadowaki hasn’t fought since wining the title back in March, when he won a unanimous decision over former champion Akitoshi Tamura at Shooto Back to our Roots 8. Inoue, on the other hand, comes off a decision loss to Affliction veteran Savant Young at Shooto Tradition 1.

Another key featherweight bout is on the card, which could very well determine the next challenger for the Shooto lightweight title. It pits Pride veteran Hatsu Hioki against Shooto legend Rumina Sato. Hioki comes off a close submission victory over Thierry Quenneville at TKO 35, while Sato hasn’t seen action since losing an exciting fight to newly signed WEC fighter Akitoshi Tamura at Shooto Tradition 1.

Current Shooto welterweight champion Takashi Nakakura returns to action as he faces off with Shooto European welterweight champion Bendy Casimir. Both fighters come off victories at Shooto Tradition 1, Nakakura winning a decision over Ganjo Tentsuku and Casimir doing the same against Shinji Sasaki.

Shooto Tradition 4
November 29, 2008
Korakuen Hall

Shooto Lightweight Championship Bout:
Hideki Kadowaki vs. “Lion” Takeshi Inoue

Hatsu Hioki vs. Rumina Sato
Takashi Nakakura vs. Bendy Casimir
So Tazawa vs. Hiromasa Ogikubo
Jin Kazeta vs. Yutaka Ueda
Taisuke Okuno vs. Daisuke Okumiya
Atsushi Takeuchi vs. Katsuya MurofushI
Nobuhiro Hayakawa vs. Yuta Nezu

 

[Shogun Locc]

Josuel Distak

Paulo Filho’s boxing coach, Josuel Distak saw the undefeated fighter lose for the first time in MMA career at WEC 36 against Chael Sonnen with a bad performance. Back to Brazil and full of plans, Distak spoke to TATAME about the fight, moving to United States after better training and revealed that Filho will get a rematch against Sonnen. Check below the complete interview with Josuel Distak.

What do you think about Filho’s last fight?
We had three kinds of stress: mental, emotional and physical. He had a physical problem, he had to lose a lot of weight for the fight. He was scheduled to fight Sonnen at September, and he was 185 pounds there, and everybody knows he goes from 210 to 185 pounds. We had to come back to Brazil and he had the emotional stress, back to training and other situations. At the fight he had the emotional stress after losing so mush weight, and that’s why he fought that way.

Do you think about coming up to 205 division?
We don’t think about that now because we’ll fight against Sonnen again. We made a deal and he accepted a rematch, and Paulo gave him the belt after the fight. It’s a man deal, and we’ll do this fight again.

When will this fight happen?
The managers are taking care of this now, it’s up to them. We’re getting ready to move to America now.

How do you think moving to USA will be good to Paulo?
New training partners and sparrings, like Anderson Silva, Rafael “Feijão” and André Galvão, who are perfect sparrings to him, with Amaury Bitetti, and it’ll be perfect for his next fight. Nobody in the world has better sparrings than these guys.

Where will you train at USA?
The gym will be at Los Angeles, and Ed Soares and ‘Joinha’ are taking care of that, and we’ll move when the training center is ready.

André Galvão submitted at his first MMA fight and is getting ready to fight again by the end of the month at Canada… How is his preparation?
Galvão is the training man, he trains 24 hours a day and if he had more time he’d train even more. He was going to fight at November 28th, but it was cancelled, and we’re waiting for the next one. He’ll do another great show soon. He fought a guy who had 14 fights and submitted, and we’re just waiting now. He did sparring with Anderson, Feijão, the Nogueira… Now we’re just waiting for the next fight.