MMA News Thread

[Shogun Locc]

Survivor’s Mark Burnett invests in King of the Cage, secures deal with HDNet for 2010

FiveOuncesofPain.com has recently been able to learn from sources close to the situation that reality television kingpin, Mark Burnett, has invested in King of the Cage, and through this recent founded partnership the company has managed to secure a broadcast deal with HDNet Fights for the year of 2010.

Sources close to the agreement have indicated to 5 Oz. that the promotion’s founder and current majority owner, Terry Trebilcock, still has a controlling interest in the company.

FiveOuncesofPain.com has also been able to learn that the debut of King the Cage on HDNet in 2010 will kick off with a show targeted for March 26 from Reno, Nevada.

King of the Cage is one of the longest running mixed martial arts promotions in the business, being founded in 1998 by current owner, Terry Trebilcock. KOTC has spawned a handful of the best fighters in the sport, with names such as Rashad Evans, Joe Stevenson, Quinton “Rampage” Jackson and Diego Sanchez all calling the promotion home at some point in their decorated careers.

Born in London, Burnett is a British television producer famous for having tremendous success in a variety of different reality programs. Some of the more notable productions of Burnett include Survivor, Are You Smarter Than a Fifth Grader, Eco-Challenge and The Apprentice.

HDNet is currently home to the enormously popular Inside MMA as well as all of the live Maximum Fighting Championship broadcasts scheduled for 2010.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Bellator signs former Judo Olympian, Ferrid “Hurricane” Kheder

CHICAGO, Ill. (January 21, 2010) – Bellator Fighting Championships put yet another piece in place for its second season today with the announcement that Judo master and former Olympian Ferrid “Hurricane” Kheder will compete in the promotion’s upcoming lightweight tournament.

Kheder, who placed seventh in the Judo competition at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, has quickly compiled a solid 16-5 MMA record since giving up Judo to fight full-time in the cage just three years ago. His transition to MMA was put into overdrive in 2008 when he began training under the famed Shawn Tompkins. Since the two teamed up, Kheder has won 11 of his 12 fights.

“I see Ferrid as a real star that’s just waiting to explode,” Tompkins said. “He’s one of those guys who’s flown under the radar so far, but in the meantime he’s been able to focus on learning how to incorporate all the other MMA skills into his judo. With that combination, I think he’s really going to be tough to beat.”

Kheder is the second fighter to be named by Bellator as a competitor in the promotion’s upcoming eight-man lightweight tournament. The other is 5-0 Mike Ricci, a regular training partner to Georges St. Pierre.

Bellator will also conduct tournaments at 145, 170 and 185 lbs. with the winners of this season’s tournaments being declared No. 1 contenders to Bellator’s current roster of champions. Each of Bellator’s 24 events during Seasons 2 and 3 will be televised on FOX Sports Net, NBC and Telemundo. Kheder is the second former Olympian who will be participating in Bellator’s Season 2 tournaments. The other is welterweight Ben Askren, a former Olympic wrestler.

“Ferrid Kheder is a world-class athlete who has already competed at the highest levels and now he’s working with one of MMA’s top coaches to further hone his skills,” said Bellator founder and CEO Bjorn Rebney. “Ferrid’s carreer has kicked into high-gear over his last dozen fights and he will be very tough for anyone in our 155 tournament.”

The 35-year-old Kheder was born in France to a Spanish mother and Tunisian father. He holds a third-degree judo black belt as well as a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu brown belt.

He began training judo at the age of four and, over the course of his 25-plus-year career, has won 13 national titles, eight continental medals and two continental titles in Europe. He joined the French National Team in 1993 at the age of 18 and eventually represented that country at the 2000 Olympics, where he finished seventh. Soon after, he moved to the Tunisian National Team, where he stayed until 2004.

Around that time, Kheder contemplated giving up fighting sports altogether but soon became convinced that he could enjoy a career renaissance of sorts by switching to MMA.

Accordingly, he moved to Sydney and began training with Hector Lombard, now Bellator’s reigning World Middleweight Champion. He came to the United States in 2007 and landed with Team Tompkins about a year later. He now trains at Tompkins’ TapouT gym in Las Vegas.

“I’m a judo guy through and through, but I’ve adapted my skills to MMA,” he said. “I’ve worked hard on my ground game and my striking and I believe I’m ready to take it to the next level. Bellator is a great promotion … they respect their athletes and put on some great shows. I’m very excited for the opportunity.”

 

[Shogun Locc]

Update: ‘Krazy Horse’ Arrested Again

Charles “Krazy Horse” Bennett was arrested Monday on suspicion of felony aggravated battery, according to the Web site for the Bernalillo County, N.M., Sheriff’s Department.

The site says Bennett was arrested at 110 Lomas Boulevard, which is where he had been training at the FIT NHB gym.

FIT NHB representative Tom Vaughn told Sherdog.com via e-mail that Bennett was involved in an altercation with a teammate on Jan. 16.

“During routine sparring, tempers flared between Charles and the other fighter, and Charles ended up getting dropped by the larger training partner,” wrote Vaughn. “They were quickly broken up and Charles left the mat, got dressed and left the building. He returned about 15 minutes later, walked down to the training area and pulled out a heavy piece of steel he must have found in the parking lot and began attacking the other fighter (from behind) with intent to do serious damage. He was tackled by two other fighters and disarmed.

Vaughn said the incident occurred during a pro training session, though women and children were entering the building at the time for a regular class that followed and might have seen the attack. Vaughn said the assaulted fighter is “OK,” and that Bennett, who’d trained with FIT NHB off and on for six months, would no longer be a part of the gym’s fight team.

Bennett, 30, has a long history of run-ins with the law. He has been arrested for everything from traffic violations and drug distribution to kidnapping and battery upon a pregnant female. According to the Bernalillo County Sherriff’s Department, Bennett was arrested at 6:30 p.m. and booked into the Metropolitan Detention Center.

A veteran of 40 professional fights, Bennett has competed all over the world and holds notable victories against former EliteXC lightweight champion Karl James Noons and former featherweight King of Pancrase Yoshiro Maeda. He last appeared in December, when he suffered a first-round knockout at the hands of Bobby Green at King of the Cage “Fight 4 Hope” in Highland, Calif.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Zelaznik on the UFC’s Expansion

Zuffa will embark upon the latest leg of its global expansion tour on Feb. 20, as the promotion heads to the Acer Arena in Sydney, Australia, for UFC 110 “Nogueira vs. Velasquez.” The event will feature a heavyweight showdown between Brazilian legend Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira and the unbeaten Cain Velasquez, along with a middleweight bout pitting Wanderlei Silva against Michael Bisping.

In anticipation of this journey Down Under, Sherdog.com spoke exclusively with UFC Managing Director of International Development Marshall Zelaznik about Australia, the United Arab Emirates and the future of the world’s most prominent mixed martial arts company.

Sherdog.com: What were the key factors behind the decision to take an event to Australia?
Zelaznik: We have an overriding desire to spread the gospel with this thing, and that means that we are constantly looking at new territories that we can break. Based on the web traffic in Australia, the strong ratings our TV partners have been getting, the availability of a great venue and the regulations that are coming into effect, which helps, it made sense to us. It’s also easy to communicate over there, and they have such a strong love for contact sports anyway in that country; we knew we could make it work.

Sherdog.com: How has the event been received there since the announcement was made?
Zelaznik: It’s been incredible. You never really know how successful a new territory will be, but we have been blown away by our final analysis. The event sold out in a day. It would have been the fastest-selling event in the companies history, but we held some back from the pre-sale. It’s currently the second fastest-selling event in UFC history. People are travelling from all over to see it. Half of the tickets sold have been to fans outside of the New South Wales area. In fact, the event sold out so quickly that for the first time ever for an international event we are arranging a close-circuit experience for fans without tickets. It will be in the ballroom at the Acer Arena, which holds around 800 people. Tickets will go on sale for around $50, and were looking to have a few significant [fighters] make the trip and hold a Q&A with the fans.

Sherdog.com: Have you experienced, or do you expect to encounter any difficulties with negative media coverage in Australia as we get closer to the show?
Zelaznik: I hope not. Early indication is that there won’t be the knife fight that we saw in Germany. There’s been more openness with the press over there. One article, right at the beginning, raised the usual pejorative argument, but now that same paper features a daily fighter blog. We have a very good deal with a free terrestrial partner to screen the event live, and we hope this event will take us to the next level.

Sherdog.com: How do you think the Flash Entertainment Group acquiring a 10 percent stake in Zuffa LLC will impact upon the growth and expansion of the UFC?
Zelaznik: I think it’s going to be really impacting. I was over in Abu Dhabi last week for about three days and I got to see the operation in person. I met with a few of their key men, and I can see that they really are a top-notch group. Obviously, their relationship with the government is important. We have high hopes that with their involvement we can get the meetings internationally at the right levels.

Sherdog.com: How close are you to confirming a date for the show in Abu Dhabi?
Zelaznik: We’re pretty close, but these things take a lot of time and we don’t like announcing anything until all the papers and fighters have been signed. But, as I said, I was there for three days last week and we are working to deliver the show in April.

Sherdog.com: Are there any foreseeable circumstances in which the card in Abu Dhabi will not go ahead, and if so, are plans in place to change venues at short notice?
Zelaznik: We are always prepared for every event. We are holding a couple of venues in the U.K. and a few in the U.S just in case, but we are always pushing for Plan A. It will take a little time for everything to be figured out, but at the moment, there is certainly more chance of it happening than not.

Sherdog.com: Outside of Australia and Abu Dhabi, do you have any idea where you will take the promotion next?
Zelaznik: I don’t know. We’re kicking around with the possibility of doing a show in Italy. We are working on a few TV deals over there, and the prospect of putting on a Scandinavian show is also a possibility. The sport is really popular in that part of the world, and it is definitely something that we would like to explore.

Sherdog.com: Do you have a timeframe for when you will next return to the UK?
Zelaznik: We had hoped to return in the first quarter of this year, but with the extra show on Versus and a few issues with fighter availability, it is more likely to be in the second quarter now. But rest assured, we will be back with a solid card soon. London is most likely to be the next location for us when we do return.

Sherdog.com: Obviously, with the promotion expanding all over the globe, it is going to be difficult to meet demands for events in different countries. The possibility of bringing UFC Fight Night cards to Europe has been suggested. Is that an avenue that you are interested in?
Zelaznik: That is definitely something that we are working towards, and for that reason, we may be back in England sooner than anticipated. The idea of doing Fight Night shows in Europe is something that [UFC President] Dana White and [UFC CEO] Lorenzo Fertitta really want to do, and conversations are ongoing about it. I am having a meeting with one of our partners in the U.K. on Thursday, and, so, God willing, that is something that we will be doing in the near future.

Sherdog.com: Recently, Dana White expressed his desire to see the UFC rival soccer as the world’s most popular sport. How do you see the global expansion of the UFC continuing over the coming decade?
Zelaznik: Living in England, I know what a bold statement that was to make, but we do aspire to reach that level. It’s like when Muhammad Ali used to fight and the whole world would stop what they were doing and watch; we want to get to that point. Our rudimentary goal at the moment is to grow our TV distribution and increase the number of people who watch. We have a very good deal in China, but we don’t currently reach all regions; there is no TV deal in India. These are things that we can look to achieve. I would also like to bring an event to a new territory every year, and I think that is a realistic goal at this stage.

Sherdog.com: With the expansion set to continue, do you think a time will come in this decade when the number of international events matches those held in North America?
Zelaznik: There will be more international events, but that’s not a strategic plan at the moment. International events are really challenging and not cheap to produce, and with the domestic shows being so healthy at the moment, our main focus will be in America.

 

[Shogun Locc]

10 Questions for Demian Maia

After he was knocked out in 21 seconds by Nate Marquardt at UFC 102 in August, Demian Maia turned to training in order to keep his name near the top of the middleweight ranks.

Scheduled to face former International Fight League champion Dan Miller at UFC 109 “Relentless” on Feb. 6 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas, Maia spoke exclusively to Sherdog.com during a recent trip to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. There, he discussed his loss to Marquardt, his future in the Octagon, a potential matchup with UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva and training with top middleweight contender Vitor Belfort and the fast-rising Junior dos Santos.

Sherdog.com: How are you preparing for the upcoming fight against Miller?
Maia: It’s been excellent. This time, I spent more than a month in Bahia training my boxing with Junior ‘Cigano’ [dos Santos]. Actually, we also trained a lot of jiu-jitsu everyday. I was really surprised with the excellent ground fighters in Bahia, mainly without the gi. I already knew that Bahia had the best boxers in Brazil. There, you are able to train with a South American champion and Pan American silver medalist. The level in Professor Luiz Dorea’s academy is pretty high, and that was an amazing experience. I have to thank Cigano a lot, as he picked me up every day to train. He’s an amazing person who deserves everything he has achieved.

Sherdog.com: Did the Nogueira brothers help you out there?
Maia: Sure. Actually [Antonio] Rodrigo [Nogueira] was the one who took me to Bahia. For the first weeks, I stayed at his apartment. Later, I decided to rent my own place. He and [Antonio] Rogerio [Nogueira] went there, too. Of course, they arrived a little bit later than we agreed -- he missed a couple of flights (laughs) -- but we had the opportunity to train together.

Sherdog.com: What do you know about Miller, and what do you expect from this fight at UFC 109?
Maia: Actually, I saw two of his fights on YouTube; his DVD was supposed to arrive last week by mail but did not. I want to see all his fights to prepare myself well. I know that he is a pretty skilled guy -- well rounded. He is dangerous with submissions and probably is the best ground fighter I’ve ever faced in MMA.

Sherdog.com: You made a statement on the Combate Channel on Brazilian television, where you said you were not knocked out by Nate Marquardt at UFC 102. That statement caused a lot of controversy on the Portal do Vale Tudo forum. Could explain what was behind your comments?
Maia: I meant that, from what I understand about knockouts, you fall down unconscious and stay unconscious for at least a few seconds. It doesn’t change anything for me. A defeat is a defeat; doesn’t matter if it’s by points or by submission. When I said that, I didn’t want to take anything away from Nate. No way. When I was on the way to the ground, I was unconscious, but as soon as I landed, I recovered my consciousness. If it was under boxing rules, it would have been a knock down. Actually, I just did a technical analysis of my defeat, but I never tried to minimize my defeat.

Sherdog.com: The fans praised Nate’s attitude and restraint. He showed good sportsmanship when you went down unconscious, don’t you think?
Maia: I agree, but I think it had two sides. You also have to consider his experience as a fighter. If he had kept punishing me, I could have woken up, grabbed his legs and survived. There’s no doubt about Nate. Besides being an amazing fighter, he is also an excellent person. I have nothing else to say about him. I think at some point I’ll have the chance to face him again. I’m sure that day will come, so I’m really not worried about it.

Sherdog.com: Nate will fight Chael Sonnen the same night you fight Miller. What do you expect from this fight, since you’ve beaten Chael and lost to Nate?
Maia: I think that’s a pretty curious fight, hard to predict. Nate has an excellent game, more complete than Chael, but Chael has a pretty complicated game that’s hard to beat. I think Chael has evolved a lot. If he can impose his ground-and-pound game, he can win.

Sherdog.com: You started training MMA a long time ago as a sparring partner of Vitor Belfort. What you do expect from his fight against Anderson Silva?
Maia: This fight is a big mystery. Both trained boxing with [Luis] Dorea. I asked many people in the academy, and everybody tells me they can’t predict what’s going to happen. The consensus is that if Belfort explodes at the beginning, he has a chance for the knockout, but most people believe more in Anderson if the fight goes past the first round. That’s what I heard most people saying. I’ve never trained with Anderson, but I’ve already trained with Belfort, and I can say he is very complete and certainly one of the biggest talents ever in Brazilian MMA. His only weakness is his mind, but, lately, he hasn’t shown any psychological weakness. I think Belfort is more complete physically and technically than Anderson, but Anderson is always 100 percent psychologically. So, for sure, it’s an unpredictable fight.

Sherdog.com: Now that you are training with dos Santos and the Nogueira brothers -- the team Anderson Silva is a part of -- how do you view a possible fight with Silva in the near future?
Maia: I always say that defeat has a terrible side, but it also has a good side. And for sure the good side is that I always wanted to train with Rodrigo and his team. I always avoided that, even when Rodrigo said there was no problem, because I knew that it would be a bad situation for “Minotauro.” For one, he is great friends with Anderson. I know Rodrigo is a nice guy who always wants to please everybody; I already talked about that with him. If Anderson really retires in three or four fights like he says he will, I think it will be very difficult to face him. But if we have to fight, it wouldn’t be a problem; actually, it would be an honor for me. He is friends with many friends of mine. Today, the sport is 100 percent professional, and we cannot predict what’s going to happen. I cannot stop training with great friends because maybe there is a possibility for me to face Anderson. Rodrigo opened his doors to me. I don’t know if Anderson liked that or not, but Rodrigo and Wanderlei [Silva] have always been my great idols in MMA, and I can’t miss the opportunity to train with them.

Sherdog.com: Speaking of Wanderlei, your physical trainer, Rafael Alejarra, is not working with him in Las Vegas anymore. Actually, Rafael opened his own gym in San Diego. How would you describe your relationship with Wanderlei and Alejarra?
Maia: I’m going to San Diego to train with Alejarra. My relationship with Wanderlei didn’t change anything. He is a great friend. I talked to him last week and made it clear to him that his breakup with Alejarra will not influence our friendship. I made it clear to him that his situation with Alejarra and my relationship with him and Alejarra were two separate things. Actually, I invited him to be in my corner. Rodrigo also has a great relationship with Wanderlei. When he goes to Vegas with Cigano or Rogerio, he always trains at Wand’s academy, so nothing changed.

Sherdog.com: Can you send a message to jiu-jitsu fans, many of whom consider you their number one representative in MMA?
Maia: With all this time off, I’ve been training really hard for my return. One very good thing has happened. Since my time with Fabio Gurgel, I haven’t had a jiu-jitsu trainer. Now, I’ve invited Wagner Motta, and he is doing a great job with me. I’m feeling my jiu-jitsu evolve a lot. Of course, I trained a lot of boxing and wrestling because we’re in modern MMA, but everything that I train is always to put Brazilian jiu-jitsu in the highest place.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Damacio Page eyes May return, launching new fight promotion while healing

With a pair of high-profile bantamweight bouts scheduled for WEC 47 in March, top contender Damacio Page (15-4 MMA, 3-1 WEC) has found himself in an unfortunate position as the odd man out.

But while champ Brian Bowles and top challenger Dominick Cruz will contest the 135-pound title, and Joseph Benavidez and Miguel Torres will compete in an important contender's matchup, Page wants all four of them to know he'll soon be ready to reclaim his spot.

A devastating shoulder injury is healing just fine, thank you, and watching the division reshape in his absence has just fueled Page's hunger.

"I'm just watching these guys walk past me," Page told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com). "It's kind of crazy. Rankings here and there are different. Some I agree with, some I don't. But I'm sitting back, and I'm watching these guys evolve.

"Scott Jorgensen looked really good. Joseph looked really good. They look like they're fixing holes in their game, so when I come back it's going to be pretty tough."

Page was forced to the sidelines following an October win over Will Campuzano. While he had already verbally agreed to a fight in December, a cautionary trip to the doctor resulted in some bad news.

"After the fight, I was like, 'Man, my shoulder is hurting,'" Page said. "I went to the doctor, and he was like, 'Man, this thing is pretty [expletive] up.

"I had surgery. I had a torn labrum, partially torn rotator cuff, and cartilage missing out of my joint. It was like a bunch of rocks in my shoulder."

Page said it was unfortunate that he had to slow the momentum gained in back-to-back impressive wins over Campuzano and Marcos Galvao, but the decision was ultimately an easy one.

"I'd rather get my shoulder fixed than fight and really mess my shoulder up to where I can't fight ever again," Page said.

Page said his rehabilitation is going well, and he hopes to return to training in late February.

"I'm feeling a lot better now," Page said. "I've got full range of motion. I did about four weeks of physical therapy so far. I've probably got another eight weeks left. Hopefully by then I'll have full strength, but it's already feeling 100 percent better than it was."

In the meantime, Page isn't sitting idly around the house. The New Mexico resident is actually starting his own fight promotion, Southwest Cage Fighting, and he hopes to have concrete details on a first event in the very near future.

"I'm really geared toward helping New Mexico fighters," Page said. "I want to build their careers. I don't want to go out there and give them the wrong fights. I want to build these guys right and make superstars out of them.

"I don't want them to be fighting tomato cans or whatever. If I feel like they're going to be a good fighter, I want to take them under my wing and help them out."

Page said he's not anticipating the promotion being a large moneymaking venture. He simply hopes to provide some opportunity for New Mexican fighters.

"We're just waiting for the paperwork to go through, but it looks like it's a go," Page said. "I'm the matchmaker and promoter, and I've got some good friends that are helping me. You can't take on the world on your own, so you have to have people that you trust at your side. I've got four other guys that are helping me out.

"It's not about the money. I just want to try and get these guys fights every couple of months."

So Page remains focused on the fight game even as he undergoes rehabilitation on his newly healed shoulder. He's targeting May for his return to the cage, and he's got a simple goal in mind.

"I've always told everybody I really don't care who I fight," Page said. "Everybody is beatable at any given time. I'm going to fight these guys anyway if I have the belt. Sooner or later, I'm going to have to fight all of these guys.

"I'm just kicking back, watching what's going on. I really don't care who they throw me in front of. Whoever it is, they're going to try and punch me in my face, and I'm going to try and punch them in their face, too."

 

[Shogun Locc]

WEC 46 bonus winner Will Campuzano has few plans for $10K award

Fighting in the evening's very first bout at "WEC 46: Varner vs. Henderson" earlier this month, WEC bantamweight and Mt. Pleasant native Will Campuzano (7-1 MMA, 1-1 WEC) had to wait several hours to find out his rousing unanimous-decision win over Coty "Ox" Wheeler had been named the evening's "Fight of the Night."

But after making just $6,000 for the fight, it was certainly worth the wait to learn he was being given another $10,000 for the award.

But despite the influx of cash, Campuzano recently told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) for The Dallas Morning News that he only has one small plan for the cash.

"I'm taking my girl out to dinner," Campuzano said. "That's all I got for right now."

It's a response that should perhaps be expected. The even-keeled brawler showed almost no emotion in the cage on fight night, even as the action-packed bout unfolded.

"That's typical of the way I fight," Campuzano said. "One promoter I used to fight for said I always look bored in there.

"I'm too relaxed some times and I can't get going."

Campuzano definitely got going, and his barrage of striking attacks, punctuated with several well-placed flying knees, brought the Sacramento, Calif., crowd to life.

However, Campuzano said he wasn't sure he had done enough to please fans or WEC brass.

"It was fun," Campuzano said. "I made a couple of mistakes. A couple of times my hands were kind of down, and he hit me with a couple of overhands. But overall, I think I did good.

"I was trying to figure out how to finish him the whole time. I landed a lot of big shots, but the guy was still right there in front of me. I was trying to put together something big, and I did, but the guy lived up to his nickname. He's strong like an ox. At that point in time, I didn't think I did all that well because I couldn't finish the guy. But in the end, it all worked out good. I got the recognition from my employers."

Campuzano said he was sore for several days, but he doesn't appear to have any long-term injuries. As such, he's hoping for a brief rest to nurse some pre-fight wounds and then follow up his first WEC win with another as quickly as possible.

"I'm used to fighting like every other month," Campuzano said. "I picked up a lot of injuries in my training camp, though, so I kind of need a little rest. I'd like to fight in April."

And though he called out Damacio Page – the man that handed him his first and only career loss – directly after the fight, Campuzano said he'll wait patiently to find out what the WEC has intended for him.

"It was my first loss," Campuzano said. "It just burns when I think about it, I guess. But Damacio's a contender right now. I'm far away from his status. I'll just let it take its time, but I'll get that fight down the road."

 

[Shogun Locc]

Kizer welcomes Strikeforce to Las Vegas, though April date "not very likely"

Recent reports have stated that Strikeforce may be eyeing the UFC's center of operations, Las Vegas, for its April return to CBS airwaves.

The only problem? Strikeforce has yet to apply for a promoter's license in the state of Nevada.

Nevada State Athletic Commission Executive Director Keith Kizer recently told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) that Strikeforce asked for an application in late 2009, but he has yet to see a completed form. And with just three months until the proposed event, Kizer said getting the deal done in time "would be very, very difficult."

"[Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker] has not applied for a date request of any sort for April or any other time in Nevada, and I'm sure he's well aware of the fact that he would need to get a license before he even asks for a date," Kizer said. "I was very pleased to see that they had asked for an application about two months ago, and we look forward to seeing Strikeforce here, and if the commission says yes, we'd very much look forward to having a Strikeforce card here. But April would be very, very difficult."

Kizer didn't rule out the possibility of an application being processed in time, but some of the steps necessary are completely out of his control.

"The biggest delay is actually the fingerprint cards," Kizer said. "All promoters have to turn in fingerprint cards. We send them off to the FBI and the Nevada Department of Public Safety. It usually takes anywhere from one-to-four months to get those cards back. It just depends. We are all waiting upon the FBI and then the State Department of Public Safety.

"If they come back in a month, that's great. If they come back in three months, it takes a little longer. I actually tell all promoter applicants when they get the file to send in the fingerprint cards right away. Send that in. We can send those off and give the FBI a headstart while you're filling out the application – it is a pretty long application – filling it out, then sending it to all five commissioners. All that stuff takes time."

Kizer said Strikeforce has yet to submit those fingerprint cards to the commission, therefore the process has not yet even begun. And while Strikeforce often teams up with local promoters in various shows across the country, Kizer said it's not possible for the promotion to piggy back off of another promoters' license.

"Absolutely not," Kizer said. "You can do a co-promotion, but both guys have to be licensed. If you and I are driving cross-country, and you have a driver's license, and I don't, we can't just switch off and when the cop pulls me over I say, 'Don't worry about it cop. John's got a license. I know he's in the passenger seat asleep, but he's got a license.'

"A co-promoter needs a license just as much as a sole promoter would."

Kizer was complimentary of the Strikeforce brand and said he welcomed the show to Nevada. Conspiracy theorists have often speculated that the NSAC is motivated to limit competition in the state for its cash-cow client, the UFC.

Kizer said nothing could be further from the truth.

"Not from the commission," Kizer said. "Whether there's a barrier financially speaking with the hotels, that's between the promoters and the hotels. I don't know if Zuffa has an exclusive deal with the MGM and Mandalay Bay. They may very well have that, but that's something that's non-commission business."

Instead Kizer remained hopeful that Strikeforce will eventually hold an event in Nevada.

"Zuffa, PRIDE, EliteXC, King of the Cage, Gladiator Challenge, Tuff-N-Uff, all these people were able to apply in a timely manner and get their licenses," Kizer said. "Strikeforce has been free to apply for a license in Nevada since they've been in existence. They've chosen not to. If they choose to apply for a license, we will treat them like we would any other applicant and do our investigation, our review, and have that on a future agenda."

But while Kizer refused to completely rule out the possibility, he seemed less-than-optimistic that an April date would come to fruition.

"They have not made any requests for any kind of show, and Mr. Coker is a very wise man," Kizer said. "I'm sure he's well aware that he cannot do a show here until he receives a license.

"April does not sound very likely. But maybe we get the cards today in the mail, and the FBI gets them done in a month's time. That's possible. That would be great. We would like that."

 

[Shogun Locc]

As Kampmann preps for Saunders, future dates with Swick, Daley also in the plans

UFC welterweight contender Martin Kampmann (16-3 MMA, 7-2 UFC) has twice been on the verge of a title shot, only to come up just short on each occasion.

Such was the case when Kampmann was defeated this past September by British slugger Paul Daley.

While the loss was certainly disappointing for Kampmann, "Hitman" recently told MMAjunkie.com Radio (www.mmajunkie.com/radio) that he's already traveling the path back to title contention.

"I was close to a title shot, but I [expletive] up," Kampmann admitted. "I'll get some more wins and move back up the ladder."

Kampmann already notched one win with a first-round stoppage of Jacob Volkmann at UFC 108 earlier this month. Now Kampmann will look to do the same at UFC 111 on March 27 against a very tough Ben Saunders (8-1-2 MMA, 4-1 UFC), who looked outstanding in a November win over Marcus Davis.

Saunders defeated Davis with strong work from the clinch, but Kampmann said he's more worried about the 6-foot-2 striker's long frame.

"I'm not so worried about the clinch," Kampmann said. "I'm worried because he's so long. He doesn't have to lift his knees up very far to hit people in the head because he's already up there.

"I think I'll do fine. Of course I've got to be aware of [Saunders' clinch attack], but I'm not worried about it."

Saunders is a massive welterweight, and his awkward style makes finding a training partner to emulate his style can prove difficult. Fortunately for Kampmann, Croatian middleweight Goran Reljic is currently training in Las Vegas for his UFC 110 fight with C.B. Dollaway.

"[Saunders] is a really big and awkward guy," Kampmann said. "Right now we have Goran Reljic in Vegas training, so he's perfect. He's even taller than Saunders, and he's a southpaw, too. He won't be there for my whole camp, but he's good for Saunders.

"I'll have some guys I'll bring in to work some standup, especially. On the ground, it doesn't matter that much. But I've got some guys I want to bring in and simulate [Saunders'] style. He's very awkward and big – long, especially. It's hard to find sparring partners for him."

A win over Saunders would put Kampmann right back in the title-challenger mix in the UFC's deep welterweight division. Kampmann said with a win, he'd be happy to re-schedule a bout that fell through due to injury with Mike Swick – or perhaps take another crack at Daley.

"Swick, who I was supposed to fight, he [expletive] up in his fight, too, and it got to be [Dan Hardy vs. Georges St-Pierre]," Kampmann said. "I'd still like to fight Swick, but he was fighting (Paulo) Thiago, so I'm fighting Saunders.

"I'd love fight Daley again, (too)," Kampmann said.

Regardless of who is on the other side of the cage or what is on the line with the outcome, Kampmann said he simply doesn't want to come up on the wrong end of another result.

"I'll be bummed out if I lose, no matter when," Kampmann said. "The title shot has nothing to do with it. I hate losing. I'll never get over it. It will always bug me."

 

[Shogun Locc]

Despite apparent title snub, Hieron happy with Strikeforce and feeling "like a ninja"

Simply put, Jay Hieron (18-4 MMA, 1-0 SF) has not always had the best of luck in his MMA career.

"The Thouroghbred" has endured the demise of both the IFL and Affliction, and he watched helplessly as a planned 2009 Strikeforce title fight with Nick Diaz turned into a preliminary card bout with Jesse Taylor.

Now Hieron fights Joe Riggs (32-10 MMA, 3-2 SF) on Jan. 30 at "Strikeforce: Miami," while DREAM champ Marius Zaromskis faces Diaz for the vacant Strikeforce belt on the same card.

So with all the turmoil in front of him, how does Hieron feel?

Like a ninja.

"I'm ready to go," Hieron today told MMAjunkie.com Radio (www.mmajunkie.com/radio). "I'm fired up. I feel like a ninja right now, like I could just jump over somebody."

It's a surprisingly positive outlook for a guy that could easily be singing another tune. After essentially being passed over for a title shot through no fault of his own (the bout with Taylor was arranged when Diaz failed to appear for a drug screen ordered by the California State Athletic Commission), Hieron would be well within his rights to question his employer.

Instead, Hieron said he's still comfortable with his decision to join the Strikeforce ranks.

"I wouldn't be comfortable if I didn't make the decision I made because I had the title shot in front of me," Hieron said. "Unfortunately, it didn't happen. I had a big fight in front of me, and it didn't happen. But at the end of the day, I'm going to make that happen. I'm going to make my destiny.

"I'm going to keep training hard, and when you train hard, good things happen. I know I put in the work in the gym, and I put in the time. Being the way I am, opportunities are going to present themselves."

Hieron still hopes for an eventual shot at Diaz, but he knows he can't let himself get distracted from the task at hand. While Riggs has at times struggled with consistency, "Diesel" is currently riding a four-fight winning streak.

"Joe 'Diesel,' he's a good dude," Hieron said. "I trained with him like four or five years ago a little bit. He's a good dude. Outside of the cage, he's a funny guy. But it's all business come the 30th. I'm ready to go."

A win would certainly put Hieron in line for a shot at the winner of the Diaz vs. Zaromskis matchup, especially considering he was already promised one crack at the belt. With that knowledge in hand, Hieron is committed to giving Strikeforce little choice other than to give him what he's earned.

"I've done everything I'm supposed to do," Hieron said. "There's nothing I don't do every day. I put in the time with the stuff that nobody sees – the fans, nobody. I put in that work in the gym. I keep up every day at 8 or 9 in the morning, go bust my ass all day long, rest, and go back and do it again.

"I'm here, and I have the attitude that it's going to happen. That's why I'm still around in the game. I still believe in myself, and I know if I keep putting in the work, something's going to happen. I live by that, and everything happens for a reason. All this little stuff I go through makes me that much stronger."

 

[Shogun Locc]

Cole Miller vs. Andre Winner targeted for lightweight bout at UFC Fight Night 21

A lightweight matchup between "The Ultimate Fighter 5" veteran Cole Miller (16-4 MMA, 5-2 UFC) and "The Ultimate Fighter 9" finalist Andre Winner (10-3-1 MMA, 1-1 UFC) is expected for UFC Fight Night 21 on March 31.

Sources close to the event indicated to MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) that at least one fighter has formally agreed to the bout, though bout agreements have yet to be signed.

UFC Fight Night 21, which serves as a lead-in for the debut of "The Ultimate Fighter 11" on Spike TV, takes place in North Carolina, though UFC officials said as of Monday a host city and venue have not yet been determined.

Miller is fresh off a "Submission of the Night" victory over Dan Lauzon at the injury-plauged UFC 108 event earlier this month. The American Top Team fighter summoned Toby Imada in the performance when he latched his legs around Lauzon's head in an inverted triangle and simultaneously torqued his opponents arm to force a tapout in the first round.

Since emerging from "TUF 5," the jiu-jitsu brown belt has fallen only to superior striking attacks, with a first-round loss to "Ultimate Fighter 8" winner Efrain Escudero serving as his most recent defeat.

Winner appeared most recently at UFC 105 this past November, scoring a devastating knockout of "Ultimate Fighter 8" contestant Roli Delgado in the first frame of the fight.

Winner, a resident of Leicester, England, by way of Grenada, fought his Team Rough House teammate Ross Pearson in the finals of "TUF 9" but came up short on points, his sixth decision outcome in seven mostly overseas appearances.

It is unknown at this time whether Winner vs. Miller is set for the televised portion of the Spike TV card.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Spike TV brings back "UFC Primetime" series for UFC 111's GSP vs. Hardy headliner

In anticipation of their UFC 111 main-event fight, UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre and challenger Dan Hardy will be featured in Spike TV's three-part "UFC Primetime" special.

The series debuts Wednesday, March 10, at 10 p.m. ET/PT. Subsequent episodes air in the timeslot on March 17 and March 24.

UFC 111 takes place March 27 at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J., and airs on pay-per-view.

Different from the UFC's traditional "Countdown" shows, "UFC Primetime" goes more in depth and focuses on some of the biggest fights of the year. One popular "Primetime" special, for example, focused on the highly anticipated second meeting between St-Pierre and B.J. Penn, which took place at UFC 94 in January 2009.

The UFC 111 special follows Hardy as he prepares for his bout in his home country of England. The cameras also focus on St-Pierre has he holds his fight camp in Canada and the U.S.

St-Pierre (19-2 MMA, 13-2 UFC), widely regarded as one of the sport's top pound-for-pound fighters, carries a six-fight winning streak into the upcoming contest. By March, the Canadian will have been on the shelf for eight months while recovering from a groin injury suffered in a July title defense over Thiago Alves.

Hardy (23-6 MMA, 4-0 UFC), meanwhile, owns a seven-fight win streak that includes a perfect 4-0 mark in the UFC. The British slugger defeated Mike Swick in November at UFC 105 to earn his title shot.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Danzig vs. Buccholz, Guillard vs. Torres confirmed for UFC 109 "UFC Prelim" special

As expected, next month's "UFC Prelim" broadcast for UFC 109 includes preliminary-card fights of Mac Danzig (18-7-1 MMA, 2-3 UFC) vs. Justin Buchholz (8-4 MMA, 1-3 UFC) and Melvin Guillard (22-8-2 MMA, 5-4 UFC) vs. Ronnys Torres (14-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC).

MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) first reported the broadcast plans earlier this month, and Spike TV officials today made it official.

The broadcast airs Feb. 6 at 9 p.m. ET (6 p.m. PT).

UFC 109 takes place at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas. The "UFC Prelim" broadcast serves as a one-hour teaser of the night's pay-per-view broadcast, which features a headliner of Mark Coleman vs. Randy Couture. The PPV broadcast begins at 10 p.m. ET.

Danzig, who won "TUF 6," finds himself in a must-win situation following his recent string of losses to Clay Guida, Josh Neer and Jim Miller. The one-time PRIDE fighter and former King of the Cage champion takes on Buchholz, who also desperately needs a victory. The one-time EliteXC fighter went 1-1 in his first two UFC fights but has since suffered stoppage losses to Terry Etim and Jeremy Stephens.

Torres and Guillard, meanwhile, were originally scheduled to meet at UFC Fight Night 18 in April 2009, but a knee injury forced Torres out of the contest and a subsequent booking. He'll now make his promotional debut against a cast member from "TUF 2" who looks to rebound from a submission loss to Nate Diaz in September. That loss snapped Guillard's three-fight win streak.

Additional prelim fights could be show on Spike TV if time permits.

UFC 109 is the second of 10 "UFC Prelim" broadcasts planned for 2010. The series debuted in September 2009 and has helped bolster last-minute PPV buys – and have scored solid ratings of their own. Each has scored between 1.3 million and 1.5 million viewers.

The full UFC 109 card now includes:

MAIN CARD

* Mark Coleman vs. Randy Couture
* Nate Marquardt vs. Chael Sonnen
* Mike Swick vs. Paulo Thiago
* Demian Maia vs. Dan Miller
* Matt Serra vs. Frank Trigg

PRELIMINARY CARD (Spike TV)

* Justin Buchholz vs. Mac Danzig
* Melvin Guillard vs. Ronnys Torres

PRELIMINARY CARD (Un-aired)

* Rob Emerson vs. Phillipe Nover
* Phil Davis vs. Brian Stann
* Tim Hague vs. Chris Tuchscherer
* Rolles Gracie vs. Mostapha Al Turk

 

[Shogun Locc]

UFC signs Rick Story to new four-fight deal

Following his second consecutive octagon victory, the Ultimate Fighting Championship has signed Rick Story to a new four-fight deal.

Story, a Washington native who fights alongside UFC welterweight Mike Pierce at Brave Legion Fight Club, defeated Jesse Lennox on points on Jan. 11 at UFC Fight Night 20.

"I'm very happy to be fighting in the UFC," Story told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) on Tuesday. "I hope to go through this contract as fast as my last one."

Story (9-3 MMA, 2-1 UFC) went through his original 16-month, four-fight contract – signed in January 2009 in the event that Karo Parisyan couldn't make his UFC 94 fight with Dong Hyun Kim – in a year flat.

Story made his octagon debut at UFC 99 and dropped a decision to British fighter John Hathaway at the German event. The loss snapped a six-fight win streak, which included wins over notables such as Brandon Melendez, Jake Ellenberger and Ryan Healy.

But at UFC 103 this past September, the 25-year-old fighter made headlines for banking two bonuses in his fight with Brian Foster – a "Submission of the Night" award for choking Foster from the guard with an arm triangle, and a "Fight of the Night" bonus for the barnburner they put on leading to the second-round stoppage. The two awards resulted in $130,000 in extra pay for Story.

Story, who said he got his feet wet as a heel on the Pacific Northwest fight circuit, has also won a multi-fight endorsement contract with Hitman Fight Gear.

A timetable for his return is not set at this time.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Josh Koscheck confirms UFC 113 co-headliner with Paul Daley, event date still May 1

Josh Koscheck (14-4 MMA, 12-4 UFC) will, in fact, meet fellow welterweight contender Paul Daley (23-8-2 MMA, 2-0 UFC) at UFC 113, and the bout will serve as the night's co-main event.

MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) first reported the Montreal fight over the weekend, and Koscheck has since confirmed the matchup via Twitter.

And although headliner and UFC light heavyweight champ Lyoto Machida, who meets Mauricio "Shogun" Rua in a rematch at UFC 113, recently stated the event date could change, UFC officials are still planning for a May 1 show.

Machida's Twitter message followed news of a potential May 1 boxing blockbuster of Floyd Mayweather vs. Shane Mosley. Mosley originally was slated to fight on Jan. 30, but opponent (and Haitian-American) Andre Berto recently bowed out of the fight because of the Haiti-earthquake disaster. That opened the door for a fight with Mayweather.

The news, when combined with Machida's message, prompted speculation of a potential date change, which would assure the two pay-per-view events wouldn't go head-to-head. However, White on Tuesday told the Las Vegas Review-Journal that the May 1 date is still a go.

The event, which marks the UFC's third annual trip to Montreal, could determine the UFC's No. 1 welterweight contender, who would then fight the winner of UFC 111's main event of champion Georges St-Pierre vs. Dan Hardy.

As MMAjunkie.com reported, the bout was in question because of an undisclosed injury to Koscheck (one that also scrapped a planned UFC 109 bout with Paulo Thiago). But now apparently healed, he said he'll take the co-headliner slot with Daley.

Initially, that co-main-event slot was expected to go to a light-heavyweight bout of Rashad Evans (14-1-1 MMA, 9-1-1 UFC) vs. Quinton Jackson (30-7 MMA, 5-1 UFC). The two coaches from "The Ultimate Fighter 10" were supposed to fight in December, but Jackson's role in "The A-Team" movie (and a short-lived retirement after a clash with UFC management) put the bout on hold.

During UFC 108 festivities, White mentioned the fight as a possibility for the May card. However, sources now tell MMAjunkie.com the fight could be shifted to UFC 114, which takes place on May 29 (Memorial Day weekend) in Las Vegas.

 

[Shogun Locc]

After title loss, Diego Sanchez returning to UFC's welterweight division

After winning the first season of "The Ultimate Fighter" as a middleweight, emerging as a top contender at welterweight, dropping to lightweight and losing a title shot to champion B.J. Penn in December, Diego Sanchez is apparently ready for a change.

On Monday the fighter said he plans to return to the welterweight division.

In a series of Twitter messages, "Nightmare" welcomed fights with everyone from Josh Koscheck to Jon Fitch to fellow weight-class jumper Nate Diaz.

But as MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) first reported on Monday, Diaz instead is expected to make the jump from lightweight to welterweight to fight Rory Markham at UFC 111 in New Jersey.

Still, Sanchez (21-3 MMA, 10-3 UFC), who went 7-2 in the UFC's welterweight division and 2-1 as a lightweight, stated, "Any top guy will do."

While ratting off opponents' names, Sanchez also stated Carlos Condit, Martin Kampmann and Mike Swick would be "great fights," as well.

"I'm loving my new diet," said Sanchez, citing a reason for the move back to 170 pounds.

Sanchez made his 155-pound debut in February 2009 and emerged as the No. 1 contender after a unanimous-decision win over Joe Stevenson and a split-decision win over Clay Guida (in a bout that won the 2009 World MMA Awards "Fight of the Year" category). However, Sanchez then suffered a beatdown and dropped a fifth-round TKO to Penn last month.

Unlikely to earn another lightweight title shot anytime soon, Sanchez now looks to put together a title run at 170 pounds.

 

[Shogun Locc]

RAZOR ROB JOINS TITO ORTIZ ON TUF 11

Former WEC lightweight champion “Razor” Rob McCullough is joining longtime training partner Tito Ortiz as a coach on the upcoming season of The Ultimate Fighter reality series on Spike TV.

McCullough posted the news on his web site Wednesday, saying, “So I am one of the assistant coaches for this season’s Ultimate Fighter show. I will be helping coach Tito Ortiz versus Chuck Liddell's team.”

McCullough (17-6) has fought for World Extreme Cagefighting since the promotion’s second event. He has fought there exclusively for the past three years. After reeling off nine straight victories – including capturing and defending the WEC lightweight title – he has since gone 2-3 in his last five fights.

Ortiz and Liddell are the head team coaches for season 11 of The Ultimate Fighter. Their coaching stint sets up a third bout between the rivals. Liddell won their first two meetings.

 

[Shogun Locc]

UFC 112 video: Renzo Gracie 'honored' to fight Matt Hughes on April 10

 

[Shogun Locc]

'Smokin' Joey Villasenor signs new four-fight deal with Strikeforce

No good deed goes unrewarded.

Joey Villasenor -- who is always exciting whenever he competes, which has recently not been very often -- has finally received a guarantee that he will consistently be stepping inside a cage over the next year and beyond.

In a video released on Jacksons.tv, the cyber home for Greg Jackson's Submission Fighting Camp, "Smokin" Joe announced that he has just signed a new four-fight contract extension with Strikeforce.

Here's a snip:

We're finally doing this. It took us a while but we're here now... What this means is that I'm guaranteed to have three fights within the next year. Four fights total, but three in the next year, so I'm gonna be active... I'm really pleased with it... We're looking at late March for a return.

Villasenor made his debut for the promotion against Evangelista Santos, defeating "Cyborg" via split decision at Strikeforce: "Challengers Series 2" in June 2009.

When he makes his return to the Strikeforce cage this spring, he'll certainly have to knock off some rust -- it will be just his fourth fight in the last two years. Especially with stiff competition such as division champion Jake Shields, Dan Henderson, Melvin Manhoef, Robbie Lawler, Cung Le and Frank Shamrock, among others, now part of perhaps the promotion's strongest weight class.

The good news is Villasenor trains alongside fighters like Georges St. Pierre, Rashad Evans, Nate Marquardt and other superstars under Jackson, ensuring that he will be as prepared as possible for whoever stands in his way.

 

[Shogun Locc]

UFC 112 Expected to Be the First Outdoor UFC Event

"We're going to have a big press conference in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday (Jan. 27th), with our new partners from the region, Flash," said Marshall Zelaznik, UFC's managing director of international expansion.

"(Zuffa CEO) Lorenzo and myself will be there with some of the biggest names on the UFC roster. I don't want to give away the official announcement, but this will be a very unique show and not just because the card itself will be as good as any in UFC history."

The show is expected to be the first outdoor UFC event in history.

UFC 112 now includes:

- Anderson Silva vs. Vitor Belfort
- BJ Penn vs. Frankie Edgar
- Matt Hughes vs. Renzo Gracie
- Mark Munoz vs. Kendall Grove
- Terry Etim vs Dennis Siver