MMA News Thread

[Shogun Locc]

After fifth "fight night" bonus, Tyson Griffin focused on future, not past

Tyson Griffin's (13-2 MMA, 6-2 UFC) UFC fight career is beginning to be defined by one phrase: "Fight of the Night."

In his latest effort at "UFC Fight Night 18: Condit vs. Kampmann," the lightweight standout earned an unprecedented fifth "Fight of the Night" award in a bout defined by a 30-second stretch of the first round that saw him withstand a brutal-looking leg compression applied by opponent Rafael Dos Anjos (11-4 MMA, 0-2 UFC).

"I think they are trying to make me earn all of these bonuses," Griffin joked while a recent in-studio guest of MMAjunkie.com Radio (www.mmajunkie.com/radio).

The Xtreme Couture fighter covered a variety of topics, including the results of his post-fight MRI, his thoughts on the WEC's Urijah Faber, and how he was able to escape Dos Anjos' submission attempt during an in-depth, two-hour interview.

Just after the three-minute mark of the opening round of his UFC Fight Night 18 bout, the difference between a potential submission loss to Don Anjos and later earning another "Fight of the Night" victory became a matter of inches to Griffin.

And heart.

"I was able to just slide [my leg] a little bit out, so he only had a hold of my calf," Griffin said. "At that point, it's just pain, and the (other) guy is going to literally burn out.

"He's not going to be able to squeeze harder; his squeeze is going to get weaker and weaker like it did, and he finally decided to give up on it."

While Griffin seemed amazingly nonchalant about a submission that nearly caused serious injury, the lightweight did admit he was close to being in serious trouble.

"If he had his shin a little deeper in my calf, right behind my knee, then that would have been the knee-blowing-out feeling," Griffin said. "(It felt) like a steel bar in my calf, so that's why when I got up I had that stiff leg for a few minutes."

After surviving the submission attempt, Griffin began to settle into his rhythm and win rounds with his stand-up - a stylistic choice he made due to Dos Anjos' submission prowess. The well-rounded fighter explained that he tried to take the fight to where he felt his opponent was weakest.

"It comes down to the style of fight, and who my opponent is," Griffin said. "Plus, I didn't want to necessarily get twisted up again."

Despite the unusual pretzel that his leg was contorted into, Griffin is optimistic about his health.

"I just got some MRI results and I do have some partial tears, but nothing big," Griffin said. "I am able to walk fine, I didn't limp out or anything like that.

"My calf is what got crushed the most, I had a pretty stiff calf for at least a day or two."

Griffin's time in the UFC has bee spent facing some of the sport's best lightweights. But as the 24-year-old looks forward, it is a voice from his past that has started to surface in recent months.

Griffin owns a 2005 win over former WEC champ Urijah Faber (22-2). With "The California Kid" recently suggesting he's like to move up and down in weight classes, Griffin speculated Faber's camp may eye a potential rematch more for money than for vindication.

"I don't see a reason for us to fight," Griffin said. "I think his reason may be to make a big payday.

"Talk is cheap with Urijah. He's been saying a lot of things since the first day I beat him and he hasn't done any of them. I think he should be a little more worried about (current featherweight champ and WEC 41 opponent) Mike Brown than me right now."

While a potential rematch with Faber could lie in the distance, for now the five-time "Fight of the Night" winner has his sight sets solely on improving his position in the crowded UFC lightweight title picture.

And another bonus check probably wouldn't hurt, either.

For more with Tyson Griffin, including his thoughts on a potential rematch with Sean Sherk, whether he would consider a fight with any of his Xtreme Couture training partners, how he's spent his five "Fight of the Night" bonuses and more, download Tuesday's episode of MMAjunkie.com Radio.

 

[Shogun Locc]

"UFC 97: Redemption" offers second chance for Denis Kang

Imagine you have a desk job and, on your day off, you break your ankle. Think about how long it would be before you'd be back at your desk. Then think about how many of the company softball games you'll miss. Or how many weeks you may miss in the company's bowling league.

It's almost inconceivable you'd be able to run the bases in three weeks, let alone fight someone.

Yet Denis Kang (31-11-1 MMA, 0-1 UFC) made his highly anticipated debut in the Ultimate Fighting Championship at UFC 93 in Dublin, Ireland, not long after fracturing his left ankle.

He fractured his ankle on the first day of training in December 2008 for his fight with Alan Belcher (14-5 MMA, 5-3 UFC), and he struggled to get three weeks of camp in before the fight.

His performance was less than what was expected of a guy who for years has been regarded among the world's finest middleweights – Belcher submitted Kang with a guillotine choke in the second round – but do you think it might have had something to do with that gimpy ankle?

Kang wouldn't say it because he didn't want to take anything away from Belcher. But be serious: How strong could the ankle have been after he broke it, took two weeks off and then was in a fight three weeks later?

"I'm the kind of guy who doesn't want to pull out of a fight, no matter what," Kang said. "If there is a way I can fight, I'll fight.

"Anyone who fights for a living knows you really never are healthy in a fight. My right hand has been broken three times. You should see what I've gone through with that. It looks like a lump of flesh and bones. You do what you have to do. Injuries are part of it."

Kang will be healthy – or as reasonably close to it as he can expect to be – when he meets Xavier Foupa-Pokam (20-9 MMA, 0-0 UFC) at UFC 97 on April 18 at the Bell Centre in Montreal.

And after disappointing just about everyone who watched him in his UFC debut, he hopes to show why his arrival in the UFC was so ballyhooed.

He'd compiled a 31-10-1 record fighting all over the world and developed a reputation as a top-flight grappler.

About a half-hour after Anderson Silva had annihilated Rich Franklin at UFC 77 in Cincinnati, the second time in a year he'd knocked the Ohio-native out, and essentially cleaned out the division, it appeared to those in attendance that there were very few men in the UFC who could compete on anything close to even terms with "The Spider."

Light heavyweight Stephan Bonnar, who fought on that card, said that night of Silva, "The guy is awesome." Heavyweight Tim Sylvia called him "first class."

The division seemed to lack depth, though UFC president Dana White insisted to anyone who would listen that it actually was deep but that Silva was so much better than the rest of the pack that he made the field seem barren.

Kang is highly regarded enough that he was seen as one of the few men outside of the UFC who might even be able to push Silva. He's a long way from a title shot now, with an 0-1 record in the UFC, but Kang is eager to give UFC fans a glimpse of the talent that had gotten so many so excited about his arrival in North America.

He was disappointed by his performance in his fight against Belcher and wants to leave a different impression this time around. He's excited, too, because he lives in Montreal and doesn't have to travel to get to the fight.

"There's no jet lag, I can sleep in my own bed, I will have my own food, all of that," Kang said. "I have some UFC experience now and this will be Xavier's first time, so I think it's a bit of an advantage for me, too.

"Every fighter always wants to perform well, and I'm no different, but in this fight, I have a little extra incentive. I hope to be able to show my skills in this fight."

It would help quite a bit if he'd just manage to avoid breaking bones between now and the time he hits the cage, because no matter how great of an athlete you are, broken bones and fighting don't mix.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Lavar "Big" Johnson added to ShoMMA's May debut

WEC and Palace Fighting Championship veteran Lavar "Big" Johnson (11-3) is the latest addition to the recently announced May 15 debut of Strikeforce's new developmental series, "ShoMMA: Strikeforce Challengers."

Strikeforce made the announcement in the most recent edition of "Strikeforce Insider," a free e-newsletter available on Strikeforce's official website.

The first event in a newly created series, the May 15 event takes place at the Save Mart Center in Fresno, Calif. The main card will be aired live on Showtime.

The 6-foot-2, 260-pound Johnson turned pro in 2004. After dropping his debut contest to Doug "Rhino" Marshall, Johnson then went on a tear of seven straight victories. Six of those wins came by knockout or TKO, while the seventh came by submission - due to strikes.

Johnson is currently on a four-fight win streak, with each win coming by way of first round knockout or TKO. In fact, Johnson has fought past the first round in just two of his 13 career contests.

Strikeforce recently announced ShoMMA's debut would be headlined by a bout between Mike Aina and Billy Evangelista. Kim Couture has also been confirmed for the card, while Fabricio Camoes claims he will be making an appearance as well.

Tickets for the May 15 event go on sale Monday, April 13 through Ticketmaster.com. Pre-sale tickets go on sale Wednesday, April 8. The pre-sale tickets can be accessed by using the password "EXPLODE."

The early lineup for the recently announced card now includes:

* Mike Aina vs. Billy Evangelista
* Kim Couture vs. TBA
* Lavar Johnson vs. TBA
* Fabricio Camoes vs. TBA*

 

[Shogun Locc]

"The Ultimate Fighter 10" tryouts bring jubilation and heartbreak

SEATTLE - With his eyes welling ever so slightly, Ryan Chiappe (3-4) tried to keep a straight face while his dreams of quick fame were crushed.

"What did I do wrong?" the Prince George, British Columbia, native asked, echoing sentiments of the majority of 186 middleweight, light heavyweight and heavyweight hopefuls attending an open casting call for the 10th season of the "The Ultimate Fighter."

Like Chiappe, most were sent home after a two-minute grappling display. Like Chiappe, most were forced to confront the reality of reality television for the first time.

This was a showcase not a competition.

Typical macho bravado seemed cheap and silly. Flamboyance and charisma were the currencies of the day.

"This is like a lottery ticket," UFC matchmaker Joe Silva told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com). "These guys know that this can bring them fame and everything that goes with it."

The would-be reality stars came from all over the United States, Canada and England in hopes of emulating Amir Sadollah, who was discovered at a casting call and eventually become the "TUF7" champion. Among the fighters in the Marriott Hotel assembly hall: a smattering of UFC and IFL veterans like Rob Yundt (6-2), Scott Junk (6-2-1) and Aaron Stark (9-4) and former NFL players Marcus Jones (4-2), Rex Richards (6-1) and Herbert "Whisper" Goodman (9-6).

"This is unreal," Jones said.

A former All-American defensive tackle at North Carolina and first-round draft pick of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the 6-foot-6 heavyweight pumped his fist with excitement upon learning he had survived the first round of cuts.

"One day, I will tell my grandkids that I tried out for the UFC and I was a part of the greatest sport on the planet," Jones said.

Managing the masses

Cast members for the first two "TUF" seasons were selected from video tapes and recommendations. The first casting call was held before season three. Tryouts for the ninth season ("U.S. vs. U.K.") were held in Chicago and drew more than 600 applicants.

The numbers were more manageable Monday, and fighters were split into four groups. Every hopeful had their moment in front of Silva's watchful eye as well as the "TUF"/Spike TV brain trust: Craig Piligian, Brian Diamond, Chris Martello, Jamie Campione and Andrea Richter, who acted as emcee.

"Guys like (UFC veterans) Clay Guida, Roger Huerta and Jason Lambert did not make the cut," Silva told each group before they grappled. "This is not the end of your dreams."

If fighters survived the grappling phase, they participated in a mass striking exhibition - eight at a time, punching and kicking pads as Silva and Richter dodged their limbs. If they passed Silva's striking assessment, they were handed off to the "TUF"/Spike TV crew for the interview phase.

"This interview will [expletive] make or break you," Piligian, "TUF’s" executive producer, said. "This is not like we are [expletive] hiring you for a [expletive] hourly wage job. Come in here and be [expletive] smart and show some [expletive] personality."

The interview phase was anti-climactic. First, due to privacy issues, Spike TV does not allow reporters into the interview chamber. Second, fighters will not know for at least a week whether they will be invited to the second interview stage in Las Vegas.

"They asked about the scar on my head and then I told them about my other scars," Eric Poling (1-2) said. "That took a good four minutes."

The 24-year-old from Andalusia, Ill., played football at Iowa Wesleyan.

"I had them laughing so I feel like I nailed it," Poling said. "I let them know who I was."

By the time they reached the interview stage, fighters were relaxed. The anxiety of the morning had faded into a sense of - at least temporary - victory. They had all survived the harsh moment at the end of each session when Richter read the names advancing to the next stage. Even apparent locks like Jones, Richards and Stark were tense as the pile grew smaller. Notably, Goodman did not make the first cut.

Chiappe, 30, jerked in place and grimaced as his group's pile dwindled.

"I was waiting to hear my name called and I could see my chances were getting smaller," Chiappe said. "They said 'Ryan' and paused, but it was a different last name.

"I thought I had made it through to the next round."

The long ride home

Like many of his disappointed peers, Chiappe got a moment with Silva after the grappling stage. Silva answered all their inquiries with respect and incredible patience.

"I felt you were a little too small for the weight class," the matchmaker told Chiappe.

Chiappe admitted Silva was right. He checked in as a middleweight Monday, but will fight as a welterweight Saturday at the King of the Cage in Calgary, Alberta.

"I know it's really tough for these guys," Silva said. "If you are a world-class judo guy, you might not be able to show much in two minutes of grappling off your knees. A lot of it depends on style too. Maybe you get two guys whose styles cancel out and they can't show what they can do.

"You see guys that come a long way for this and I feel bad for them."

Fighters took the rejection in different ways. Some sought solitude in the hotel bar or simply left. Surprisingly, most took the rejection in stride.

Roger Carroll (3-0) flew in from North Carolina. A brown belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, the 26-year-old looked good during his grappling session but did not make the first cut.

"I run a school full-time, so I'll get back on a plane tonight at 11:30 p.m. and be at work tomorrow," Carroll said. "It's an honor to be here and to see [fighters] I have competed against get selected. I'm not upset at all.

"The way I look at it, I'm doing what I love everyday, so it's OK if I didn't make [the show]."

 

[Shogun Locc]

TOUGH ROAD LEADS BRETT ROGERS TO STRIKEFORCE

Heavyweight Brett Rogers sees his fight at “Shamrock vs. Diaz” this Saturday as a chance to blow off a year’s worth of pent-up steam.

“The way I see it, this dude is about to pay my bills,” the 28-year-old Minnesota resident said of his meeting with former "Iron Ring" contestant Ron Humphrey. “It’s been a long time, and I’m just going to have to take out a little aggression on him.”

For a guy who put himself on fans’ radar by calling it like he sees it, Rogers has been mostly quiet since the collapse of former home base EliteXC. There’s been little to talk about – except his uncertain situation.

A year ago, Rogers was a promising heavyweight in an organization poised to be the first on network TV. He and his wife had quit their jobs, and he was training full-time. Five months later, he was stuck in a contract with a promotion that couldn’t put him to work.

The fight purses Rogers earned slowly evaporated, and with no means to make a living, he had to ask for his old job back, installing tires at Sam’s Club.

“Out here, you just can’t be letting jobs go, because people aren’t hiring,” said Rogers. “It’s hard to find anything with an educational background.”

His managers let him know the return wouldn’t be permanent, either. They were already stretched thin.

“Realistically, I shouldn’t be working there,” he continued. “They knew that I needed it. So they were just like, as soon as the time comes, you’ve got to let it go. I said just let me work the next couple of months, and then I’ll disappear.”

The struggles made him wonder if it was all worth it.

“For a second there, I was real close to saying I needed a break,” he said. “Maybe not 100-percent done with it, but I needed to get back on my feet. Because it got to the point where things were getting shut off, and things were being taken away. I’m the type of guy that holds it in until I can’t take it anymore, and my temper has been real loose.”

His old gym was even forced to close. Now, he packs in training at two St. Paul gyms with his day job. Team Bison, his group of training partners and fellow fighters, is keeping it lean during the transition.

When he found out his contract was being picked up by Strikeforce, it was the first ray of light in a long time. Rogers says a new deal with Strikeforce is pending, but has not been finalized. Nevertheless, he’ll be working very soon.

“It’s just a relief, man,” said Rogers. “I could tell Scott (Coker) a million times and I still wouldn’t feel like I was thanking him enough, because he has no idea the stress that’s been going on this past year.”

Rogers admits that with all the turmoil of the last year, consistency has been difficult to maintain in the gym. He’s found only three videos of Humphrey online. In the gym, he’s been focused on working with heavy guys, preparing for the 245 pounds of bulk he’ll have to throw around on Saturday. But when the bell rings, he’ll do his job the best he can.

“I don’t want to say quick, but I do want to show that I’ve been working other skills,” he said. “I’m gonna leave it up to the other guy. He’s going to have his chance to do what he needs to do. Otherwise, I’m gonna make up his mind for him, and do what I do: rush him, get in for the kill. With all that stuff that I was doing, I can only squeeze in so much time for the heavy, heavy conditioning, so I’m not gonna go in there and try and play around with him.”

Rogers empathizes with Humphrey’s position, but not enough to let up when he lands the first big punch.

“He’s trying to make something of himself, and I’ve been in his shoes,” said Rogers. “I know what he’s thinking. I have to crush all that. Try that with somebody else. Bad timing.”

And though timing hasn't been on his side lately, Rogers is confident he’ll get back on track.

“Instead of dealing with it on the streets, how most people like to deal with it, I just hang on to it and use it towards training, and when the time comes, the sport is allowing me to unleash,” he said.

 

[Shogun Locc]

How taste my keyboard? Throw ‘The Pitbull’ a bone during Arlovski live chat on April 10

Fans of former UFC Heavyweight Champion Andrei Arlovski will have a chance to chat live with “The Pitbull” on April 10 from 8 to 9 p.m. through his official Web site by registering over at Arlovski.com.

Under the tutelage of world renowned boxing trainer, Freddie Roach, The Belarusian was originally scheduled to make his professional boxing debut on April 11 at The Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Nevada, on the undercard of the Paul Williams vs. Winky Wright middleweight fight event on HBO.

That debut, however, has been delayed to allow further preparation time for the 30-year-old striker.

Be sure to find out what’s new in the life of the former champ, including his thoughts on the loss to Fedor Emelianenko back in January, his role in “Universal Soldier 3: A New Beginning” with Jean-Claude Van Damme and Dolph Lundgren and of course his impending boxing debut.

 

[Shogun Locc]

DREAM.8 Attendance Numbers

DREAM.8 was close to a “sell-out” crowd at Nippon Gaishi Hall, Nagoya, Japan, with selling 9129 in a capacity venue of 10,000.

a comparison of the last 8 DREAM shows, and their attendance numbers.

DREAM.8 - Nippon Gaishi Hall, Nagoya, Japan - 9,129 (capacity: 10,000)
DREAM.7 - Saitama Super Arena, Saitama, Japan - 19,528 (capacity: n/a)
FieLDS Dynamite!! 2008 - Saitama Super Arena, Saitama, Japan - 25,634 (capacity: n/a)
DREAM.6 - Saitama Super Arena, Saitama, Japan - 20,929 (capacity: n/a)
DREAM.5 - Osaka-jō Hall, Osaka, Japan - 11,986 (capacity: 16,000)
DREAM.4 - Yokohama Arena, Yokohama, Japan - 14,037 (capacity: 17,000)
DREAM.3 - Saitama Super Arena, Saitama, Japan - 21,789 (capacity: n/a)
DREAM.2 - Saitama Super Arena, Saitama, Japan - 21,397 (capacity: n/a)
DREAM.1 - Saitama Super Arena, Saitama, Japan - 19,120 (capacity: n/a)

 

[Shogun Locc]

Anderson Silva open to LHW return

“I would definitely love to step up and fight again at 205. Of course, that’s going to depend on the results after April 18, and it’s also going to depend on Dana White. At the end of the day he makes the calls on that type of stuff. But as far as fighting at 205 I would love the opportunity to fight there again. As for right now, I’m focused on April 18.”

 

[Shogun Locc]

Jeff Monson Want’s Fedor

Jeff Monson: i have been trying to fight fedor now for awhile. from what i’ve heard he is a nice guy. he is also the world number #1. so it would be a great opportunity.

 

[Shogun Locc]

DREAM.9 FWGP 2nd Round: Update

With DREAM.9 (FWGP 2nd Round) comming to us at the end of May, it has already taken shape in terms of possible fights and exciting GP match-ups.

First, the confirmed participants of the 2nd round of the Featherweight Grand Prix:

* Abel Cullum
* Bibiano Fernandes
* Daiki Hata
* Masakazu Imanari
* Yoshiro Maeda
* Hiroyuki Takaya
* Joe Warren
* Norifumi Yamamoto

 

[Shogun Locc]

DREAM plans to arrange Tatsuya Kawajiri vs J.Z.Calvan in May

DREAM event producer Keiichi Sasahara attended the post fight conference of DREAM.8 in Nagoya on April 6. He talked the future prospect to the press after the conference.

"DJ.Taiki defeated Hideo Tokoro yesterdey, but he injured and needs to take a close examination. We are not sure whether or not he can participate in the Featherweight GP 2nd round."

"Joachim Hansen is recovering, and I think he comes back this summer. I'm thinking about arranging lightweight fights such as Tatsuya Kawajiri vs J.Z.Calvan in May. To be honest, I was a bit disappointed to see Vitor Shaolin Ribeiro's performance. I thought he could do better, yet I'm sure he was just nervous yesterday and will be one of the top lightweight fighter in the near future."

Dream.9 ~ Featherweight GP 2nd Round ~
May 26 in Tokyo area

Dream.10 ~ Welterweight GP Final ~
July 20 at Saitama Super Arena, Saitama

Dream.11 ~ Featherweight GP Final ~
September in Tokyo Area

 

[Joey]

Ive tried to google it....but i wanted to know if young kids can attend a ufc fight.....Or if there is an age limit with attending..

 

[Shogun Locc]

5 More Fights Set for UFC 100

Five more bouts have been announced for UFC 100, scheduled for July 11 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas.

Yoshihiro Akiyama will make his debut in the Octagon against Alan Belcher in a middleweight matchup. A veteran of K-1 and Dream, Akiyama is seen as a a potential superstar in the South Korean market that Zuffa is beginning to target. Belcher, however, is a quality opponent, having won four of his last five in the UFC.

Light heavyweight prospect Jon Jones will also return to action against Jake O'Brien. Jones has made a name for himself as a talented wrestler who will throw a variety of strikes on the feet. O’Brien has the less interesting style but did use his wrestling to stifle Heath Herring in a January 2007 heavyweight bout.

In other bouts, Dong Hyun Kim, whose loss to Karo Parisyan was overturned recently and is now a no decision, will face Jonathan Goulet; CB Dollaway will take on Tom Lawlor; and Matt Grice will meet Shannon Gugerty.

UFC 100
July 11 -- Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas

Current official lineup:

Brock Lesnar vs. Frank Mir
Georges St. Pierre vs. Thiago Alves
Dan Henderson vs. Michael Bisping
Yoshihiro Akiyama vs. Alan Belcher
Jon Jones vs. Jake O'Brien
Dong Hyun Kim vs. Jonathan Goulet
CB Dollaway vs. Tom Lawlor
Matt Grice vs. Shannon Gugerty

 

[Shogun Locc]

"Bully Beatdown" avenger Conor Heun eyes June 6 Strikeforce fight

Conor Heun (8-2), the mixed-martial-arts fighter who dished out justice on the latest episode of MTV's "Bully Beatdown," expects to fight at Strikeforce's upcoming June 6 event in St. Louis.

Heun discussed the possibility of the fight while a guest on today's edition of MMAjunkie.com Radio (www.mmajunkie.com/radio).

Heun, an EliteXC veteran previously under contract to ProElite, expects to finalize a deal with Strikeforce this weekend.

"Nothing's signed yet, but that's definitely the hope I've been preparing for," Heun said in reference to the June 6 event, which features a headline bout between Robbie Lawler and Jake Shields, and airs on Showtime.

Heun, who scored a second-round TKO win over a bully on Jason "Mayhem" Miller's hit reality series, will be in San Jose, Calif., to watch this weekend's "Strikeforce: Shamrock vs. Diaz" event at the HP Pavilion. Heun's management plans to meet with Strikeforce officials to finalize a deal.

Earlier this year Strikeforce acquired more than 40 fighters' contracts from ProElite, EliteXC's parent company. Heun apparently wasn't one of the fighters immediately assigned to the Strikeforce roster, but he's optimistic that'll be the case soon.

"From what I've heard from my management, that's what we're shooting for," Heun said.

Heun, a former IFL fighter who turned pro in 2006, went 2-0 for EliteXC with a decision victory over Marlon Matias and a TKO win over James Edson Berto. He's won his past three fights and eight of his past nine. His only losses came to notables L.C. Davis and Brett Cooper.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Melendez vs. Damm official; Winner gets Strikeforce champ Thomson

Saturday's bout between Gilbert Melendez (14-2) and late replacement Rodrigo Damm (8-2) will be a Strikeforce world lightweight interim championship bout, Strikeforice officials today announced.

MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) reported earlier today that the fight, part of the Showtime-televised main card of "Strikeforce: Shamrock vs. Diaz," would likely be for the interim title.

Strikeforce today confirmed the news and also announced the winner will earn an immediate title-unification bout with current champ Josh Thomson, who was forced out of the bout last month with a broken leg.

Damm passed a pre-fight medical and is now awaiting final clearance from the California State Athletic Commission, according to Strikeforce officials. However, no problems are expected.

The five-round title fight is the co-feature of Saturday's event, which is headlined by a fight between Frank Shamrock and Nick Diaz at a catch-weight of 179 pounds.

Melendez was originally slated to fight Thomson before the injury. Thomson defeated Melendez this past summer via unanimous decision (50-45 on all three judges' cards) to claim the championship. It was the first loss of Melendez's career.

Damm, a veteran of BodogFIGHT and World Victory Road's Sengoku promotion, makes his Strikeforce debut and looks to rebound from a first-round submission loss to Eiji Mitsuoka, which snapped an eight-fight win streak.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Alavrez, Masvidal and Herman slotted for Bellator Week 5 in Dayton, Ohio

Bellator Fighting Championships will venture to Hara Arena in Dayton, Ohio, for its Week 5 (May 1) show, which features notables Eddie Alvarez, Jorge Masvidal and Dave Herman.

MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) first reported the event date and location earlier this week, and today, Bellator made it official.

The event, which airs via one-day tape delay on ESPN Deportes, is headlined by a lightweight tournament semifinal fight between Alvarez (16-2) and either Thomas Schulte or Eric Reynolds, who fight at Bellator's Week 2 show on Friday.

Masvidal (16-3) takes on Toby Imada (18-10) in the tournament's other semifinal fight.

In non-tournament bouts, Indiana native Herman (13-1), who cut his teeth in a few Ohio-based shows, takes on Josh Barnes (1-1), who returned in 2008 from a six-year layoff from professional MMA competition. Herman, a former Indiana University wrestler, is one of the heavyweight division's top prospects, but according to Bellator, his fight with Barnes will be held at 205 pounds.

Other non-tournament bouts include former UFC fighter Sherman Pendergarst (11-12) vs. Joey Beltran (6-2) at welterweight, and Troy Gerhart (20-12) takes on Lorenzo Borgomeo (5-1) in a lightweight contest.

Tickets for the event, which range from $19 to $99, are now on sale at Ticketmaster.com. Hara Arena has a 6,000-person capacity.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Spike TV debuts "UFC's Ultimate 100: Greatest Fights" in July

Spike TV will join in the celebrations surrounding July's historic UFC 100 event.

The UFC's cable broadcast partner will debut a five-part series entitled "UFC's Ultimate 100: Greatest Fights" prior to UFC 100, which takes place July 11 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas.

Fans can begin voting on the top 100 UFC fights of all-time on May 1 at Ultimate100.spike.com, and highlights from the chosen bouts will air on the series, which debuts July 5.

That first episode airs at 9 p.m. ET/PT on a Sunday. Subsequent episodes air in the same timeslot on Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Saturday. Prior to Saturday's series finale, Spike TV will re-air the other four episodes.

The UFC this week announced three official bouts for UFC 100, which is becoming the can't-miss event of 2009. UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar takes on interim heavyweight title-holder Frank Mir (in a title-unification bout), and UFC welterweight champ Georges St. Pierre meets top contender Thiago Alves. Additionally, "The Ultimate Fighter 9" coaches Michael Bisping and Dan Henderson are also slated to fight at the event, and as revealed on this past Wednesday's episode "The Ultimate Fighter 9," Stephan Bonnar will take on Mark Coleman.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Bellator offers commercial-free English broadcasts on bellator.com

The debut Bellator Fighting Championships event, which took place April 3 and aired a day later on the Spanish-language ESPN Deportes, is now available in English at Bellator.com.

Bellator hosts events throughout the U.S. for 12 consecutive weeks, and the debut April 3 show took place in Hollywood, Fla.

Each event's entire fight card debuts the following Wednesday at 7 a.m. EST (4 a.m. PST) on the organization's website. All broadcasts are commercial-free.

"MMA Live" host Jon Anik and MMA fighter/"Human Weapon" host Jason Chambers handle broadcasting duties for the English-language broadcasts.

"We are happy to bring fans this online option to experience Bellator's 2009 tournament at their leisure and according to their schedule," Bellator CEO Bjorn Rebney stated. "The English language program on Bellator.com will be the full broadcast with top commentators, Jon and Jason, just without the commercials. The Bellator tournament is all about the fighters controlling their own destiny inside the cage. This online broadcast is all about our fans and bringing them the excitement of Bellator's events, whenever they want to see it, whether it is in their homes or offices."

The organization's debut show featured opening-round bouts for Bellator's lightweight and featherweight eight-man tournaments. The first round of the lightweight tournament commenced on April 3 with Jorge Masvidal and Eddie Alvarez in separate bouts.

 

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OVEREEM LIKELY TO DEFEND STRIKEFORCE TITLE IN '09

As Strikeforce sits just days away from its official debut on Showtime, the title picture in the promotion is starting to come clear with recent bouts announced, and more championship bouts coming in the near future.

One title that has not been discussed much yet is the heavyweight belt, which currently belongs to powerful striker Alistair Overeem. He won the belt in late 2007 with a TKO over Paul Buentello.

Overeem has recently been spending most of his time fighting in Japan, while also participating in K-1 kickboxing bouts. With Strikeforce putting on several shows over the next few months, including fights on CBS later this year, the Strikeforce heavyweight division will likely see its champion return to defend his title.

As Strikeforce executive Mike Afromowitz told MMAWeekly Radio recently, they believe Overeem will head back to the United States to defend his belt this year.

"We're looking to get him back pretty soon. I'd say more likely than not, you're going to see him defend his title this year," Afromowitz said about Overeem.

The Dutch fighter had been courted by a number of organizations over the last few months, including the UFC, which featured Overeem backstage during one of president Dana White's video blogs a few months ago.

It appears that while Overeem will continue to fulfill his time with K-1 and Dream, he will also head back to Strikeforce to put his belt up for grabs in 2009.

A growing list of contenders will likely vie for the shot to get at Overeem, including a pivotal match-up during the Showtime debut on April 11, when Brett Rogers returns to action to face Ron "Abongo" Humphrey.

 

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RYAN BADER TEARS MCL & PCL LIGAMENTS IN KNEE

Just a week after "Ultimate Fighter" winner Ryan Bader got his first win following the finale of the reality show, it appears he will have to go through rehab for torn MCL and PCL ligaments in his knee.

Bader confirmed the injury to MMAWeekly.com on Wednesday, but added that while both are torn, it appears that he will not require surgery for the injury.

"One of the first takedowns, I was passing from half-guard trying to pass to side control, and I just heard my knee pop, which isn't a big deal because they pop every once in a while," Bader told MMAWeekly.com after the fight against Carmelo Marrero.

"I stood back up and I felt that it was really, really loose. It didn't really do too much as far as impeding me in the fight or anything like that, but it was starting to swell up a little bit."

After heading to the doctor for a final diagnosis, Bader ended up with tears in both his posterior cruciate ligament, and his medial collateral ligament.

According to the University of California-San Francisco, the average time for a MCL tear to heal is about six weeks, while avoiding surgery on the PCL in particular could save the former Arizona State All-American from being forced out of action for anywhere from six to 12 months.

Bader posted a picture of his knee online via his Facebook account, which showed it encased in a brace, which he will likely keep on for several weeks while rehabbing.