MMA News Thread

[drunkaholic707]

Alessio Sakara vs. James Irvin promoted, completes UFC on Versus 1 main card

A potential slugfest between Alessio Sakara (14-7 MMA, 5-4 UFC) and James Irvin (14-5 MMA, 4-4 UFC) has been promoted to main-card status at UFC on Versus 1 and brings to four the number of televised bouts for the event, MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) has confirmed with event officials.

UFC on Versus 1 takes place Sunday March 21 at the 1STBANK Center in Broomfield, Colo.

It's the first UFC card televised live on the cable channel, and light heavyweights Brandon Vera and Jon Jones fight in the evening's main event.

Irvin has been absent from the octagon since July 2008, when current UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva knocked him out in 61 seconds in the promotion's first stab at counter-promotion, UFC Fight Night 14, which countered Affliction Entertainment's debut event.

Irvin's career to date has been plagued by injuries. This past May, he was forced to withdraw from a fight at UFC 98 against Drew McFedries due to a knee injury. Then, three months later, he re-injured the knee in preparation for a fight against Wilson Gouveia at UFC 102 and was benched until early this year. Irvin lost in his octagon debut at UFC 51 but later sealed his spot in highlight-reel heaven when he knocked out Terry Martin with a vicious flying knee at UFC 54.

Sakara, meanwhile, is recently mended from an undisclosed injury that forced him to withdraw from a scheduled fight with Rousimar Palhares at The Ultimate Fighter 10 Finale this past December. Prior to that, the Italian put together his first consecutive UFC wins by besting Thales Leites on points at UFC 101 and knocking out Joe Vedepo by head kick at UFC Fight Night 15. The American Top Team fighter looks to make it three in a row when he meets Irvin.

The full UFC on Versus 1 card now includes:

MAIN CARD

* Jon Jones vs. Brandon Vera
* Junior Dos Santos vs. Gabriel Gonzaga
* Paul Buentello vs. Cheick Kongo
* James Irvin vs. Alessio Sakara

PRELIMINARY CARD

* Shannon Gugerty vs. Clay Guida
* Eliot Marshall vs. Vladimir Matyushenko
* John Howard vs. Daniel Roberts
* Chase Gormley vs. Brendan Schaub
* Julio Paulino vs. Mike Pierce
* Jason Brilz vs. Eric Schafer
* Darren Elkins vs. Duane "Bang" Ludwig*

* - Not officially announced

 

[drunkaholic707]

UFC announces international broadcast plans for "UFC on Versus 1: Vera vs. Jones"

DirecTV subscribers, stop reading now.

While U.S. subscribers of the satellite television service are still waiting anxiously to hear if DirecTV and Versus will resolve their differences in time for this month's debut UFC event on the network, the fight promotion is ensuring MMA fans worldwide will see the event.

The UFC recently announced that "UFC on Versus 1: Vera vs. Jones" will air on a host of countries outside of the U.S., including Australia, Brazil, Canada, Mexico and the U.K.

A complete list of the networks in the UFC's release is included below. Fans are advised to check their local listings to determine the official start time of the event in their viewing area as not all outlets are guaranteeing a live feed.

* Australia - FUEL TV
* Brazil - Sport TV
* Canada - Rogers Sportsnet
* Croatia - Nova (website only)
* Denmark - Canal 9
* Germany - DSF
* Israel - Ego TV
* Mexico - Televisa
* North Africa/Middle East - Showtime Arabia
* Phillippines - Balls
* South Korea - IB Sports
* Sweden - TV4 Sport
* Thailand - TrueVisions
* U.K. - ESPN

Featuring a light heavyweight matchup between Brandon Vera and Jon Jones, "UFC on Versus 1: Vera vs. Jones" takes place on March 21 at the 1STBANK Center in Broomfield (near Denver), Colo.

As MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) first reported, a middleweight matchup between James Irvin and Alessio Sakara has been bumped to the main card and completes the evening's four-fight broadcast.

 

[drunkaholic707]

Martin Kampmann vs. Paulo Thiago in the works for UFC 115 in June

A welterweight matchup between Martin Kampmann and Paulo Thiago is currently in the works for UFC 115.

The potential bout was first reported by The Las Vegas Sun, and MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) has since confirmed that both fighters have verbally agreed to the fight, and bout agreements are expected to be finalized shortly.

While not yet officially announced, UFC 115 is expected to take place June 12 at GM Place in Vancouver, British Columbia. The night's main card airs on pay-per-view.

After suffering a deep laceration in training, Kampmann was recently forced to withdraw from a planned UFC 111 bout with Ben Saunders.

"We had to literally tell him he couldn't fight Saunders like that," Kampmann's agent, Ken Pavia, told MMAjunkie.com at the time. "He didn't want to pull out (of the fight)."

Kampmann, a former middleweight contender, looks to build on the momentum of a UFC 108 win over Jacob Volkmann in January. Although best known for his standup skills, Kampmann earned the win by submission, the sixth such victory of his career. Kampmann is now 3-1 in the UFC's 170-pound division; the lone came to Paul Daley this past September.

Meanwhile, Thiago (13-1 MMA, 3-1 UFC) looks to build on the momentum of back-to-back UFC wins.

After shocking the world with a knockout win over Josh Koscheck in his UFC debut, Thiago then suffered a high-profile loss to Jon Fitch at UFC 100. The Brazilian, who moonlights as a special forces police officer, has since defeated Jacob Volkmann in a rather bland performance and submitted Mike Swick in a UFC 109 matchup that earned him the evening's "Submission of the Night."

Following Thiago's UFC 109 win over Swick, UFC president Dana White admitted he was impressed with the Brazilian's efforts.

"This guy just shot onto the scene," UFC president Dana White said. "This guy's at the top of the 170-pound division, no doubt about it. He's a force to be reckoned with.

"Usually, when guys come into the UFC for the first time, they're real nervous, and this guy has got nerves of steel obviously because of what he does for a living. This is a hobby compared [to that]. We're very, very impressed with him."

 

[B-Buzz]

Sandro vs. Kanehara for Sengoku Featherweight Title June 20th

After the nine seconds knockout victory against Tomonari Kanomata at Sengoku 12, event which took place last Sunday at Japan, Marlon Sandro was celebrating the victory when the featherweight champion, Masanori Kanehara, challenged him inside the ring, by saying “next fight, next fight”.

“I immediately answered him ‘no problem’ (laughs). Then they did a break and the promoters called us in the ring and he challenged me. It was pretty weird to see the champion challenging a guy without a title,” Marlon said to TATAME.com. The fight is scheduled to June 20, when the Pancrase king faces the Sengoku champion for the title. Stay tuned to read, tomorrow, an exclusive interview with Marlon Sandro.

 

[drunkaholic707]

Matt Wiman vs. Mac Danzig expected for UFC 115 in Vancouver

A lightweight match-up between Matt Wiman (11-5 MMA, 5-3 UFC) and Mac Danzig (19-7-1 MMA, 3-3 UFC) is expected for UFC 115.

Sources close to the bout told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) on Tuesday that both fighters have agreed to meet one another and are expected to put pen to paper soon.

While not yet officially announced, UFC 115 is expected to take place June 12 at GM Place in Vancouver, British Columbia. The night's main card airs on pay-per-view.

Wiman, 26, is back on the winning track following his most recent performance – a decision victory over Shane Nelson at UFC 107 this past December – which snapped a two-fight skid. The back-to-back decision losses to Sam Stout and Jim Miller were just the second time in his career that Wiman had suffered consecutive defeats. The first such occurrence was snapped by a four-fight win streak in the UFC.

Danzig, 30, also returned to the winner's circle when he defeated Justin Buchholz by decision in his most recent performance at UFC 108. The result was a much-needed boost after a three-fight slide to top lightweights Clay Guida, Josh Neer, and Jim Miller.

Danzig first took to the octagon as one of the most experienced fighters to appear on “The Ultimate Fighter” and won the show's season six tournament.

The placement of Wiman vs. Danzig on the UFC 115 fight card is unknown at this time.

 

[drunkaholic707]

Strikeforce to offer fourth fight for CBS broadcast of "Strikeforce: Nashville"

With three title fights planned for Strikeforce's April return to CBS, the producers of "Strikeforce: Nashville" could run into a real problem.

Properly timing three contests that could each potentially run 25 minutes – or 25 seconds – could leave the promotion with a bit of downtime to fill.

Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker recently told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) that in order to fill the void, the promotion will likely air a preliminary card fight for the first time.

"We're probably going to have one fight on the undercard that's going to be taped, and if one of those (main-card) fights goes quick, they'll go right to that taped fight," Coker said.

Past broadcasts of Strikeforce events, both on CBS and Showtime, have aired without the inclusion of preliminary bouts. Many MMA fans who have become accustomed to watching a handful of preliminary card fights have often complained about the exclusion of the opening contests.

Of course, if the three title fights all go the distance, there's no guarantee that a preliminary bout will make the airwaves.

Currently, Strikeforce has yet to announce any fights for the evening's preliminary card, but Coker said that will soon change.

"We'll probably have something to announce on that next week, but I think there will be a three-round fight on the undercard that does get taped for CBS," Coker said.

"Strikeforce: Nashville," which takes place April 17 at Bridgestone Arena (formerly known as the Sommet Center) in Nashville, Tenn., airs live at 9 p.m. ET (tape delayed on the West Coast).

Middleweight champ Jake Shields faces Dan Henderson in the evening's main event, while light heavyweight champ Gegard Mousasi faces Muhammed "King Mo" Lawal and lightweight champ Gilbert Melendez meets DREAM title holder Shinya Aoki in the card's other featured matchups.

 

[drunkaholic707]

Emerson vs. Lentz official; UFC Fight Night 21 complete with 11 bouts

In a bout first reported by MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com), Rob Emerson (9-8 MMA, 3-2-1 UFC) meets Nik Lentz (17-3-2 MMA, 1-0-1 UFC) on the UFC Fight Night 21 preliminary card.

The UFC today announced the matchup, bringing the total number of fights on the card to 11.

Featuring a lightweight matchup between perennial contender Kenny Florian and Japanese import Takanori Gomi, UFC Fight Night 21 takes place March 31 at Bojangles Coliseum in Charlotte, N.C. The main card airs live on Spike TV and serves as the lead-in for "The Ultimate Fighter 11" season debut.

Lentz was behind on the scorecards in his most recent octagon appearance against Thiago Tavares at UFC Fight Night 20, but a deduction to the Brazilian for an inadvertent groin kick in the final frame left the fight as a majority draw. It was a disappointing result for Lentz, a product of the Minnesota Martial Arts Academy, as he had earned seven-straight win over a near-two-year period since his most recent blemish, which, ironically enough, was a draw against WEC veteran Kyle Jensen.

Lentz made a successful octagon debut this past September at UFC 103, where he defeated Rafaello Oliveira by decision.

Emerson, meanwhile, got back on the winning track earlier this month when he defeated "The Ultimate Fighter 8" finalist Phillipe Nover at UFC 109.

A cast member of "The Ultimate Fighter 5," Emerson fell short against Kurt Pellegrino and Rafael dos Anjos at UFC Fight Night 17 and UFC 103, respectively, and vowed to re-tool his training regimen prior to his meeting with Nover. To that end, Emerson migrated to Hilo, Hawaii, to train with B.J. Penn in addition to his work in Huntington Beach, Calif., and said the experience helped him harness the mental aspects of fighting.

The full UFC Fight Night 21 lineup now includes:

MAIN CARD

* Kenny Florian vs. Takanori Gomi
* Roy Nelson vs. Stefan Struve
* Nate Quarry vs. Jorge Rivera
* Ross Pearson vs. Dennis Siver

PRELIMINARY CARD

* Rafaello Oliveira vs. Andre Winner
* Ronys Torres vs. Jacob Volkmann
* Rob Emerson vs. Nik Lentz
* Gleison Tibau vs. Caol Uno
* Lucio Linhares vs. Yushin Okami
* Gerald Harris vs. Mario Miranda
* Charlie Brenneman vs. Jason High

 

[B-Buzz]

Roger Gracie Could Make Strikeforce Debut May 15th

Roger Gracie (2-0 MMA, 0-0 SF), a 2005 ADCC champion, finally is set to make his Strikeforce debut on May 15.

Sources close to the event told MMAjunkie.com (UFC blog for UFC news, UFC rumors, fighter interviews and event previews/recaps | MMAjunkie.com) former UFC heavyweight champion Kevin Randleman (17-14 MMA, 0-1 SF) is the leading candidate to face the grappling ace at the as-yet-unannounced show, which is likely to be hosted by the Scottrade Center in St. Louis, Mo., and air live on Showtime.

Randleman, however, is not confirmed as an opponent, and PRIDE and UFC veteran Rameau Thierry Sokodjou (7-6 MMA, 0-1 SF) is also under consideration should the original matchup fizzle.

Gracie, a second-degree black belt in Brazilian jiu jitsu under Carlos Gracie Jr., announced he had signed with Strikeforce this past December at "Strikeforce: Evolution," though his promotional debut was rumored and did not materialize on two fall 2009 cards.

Gracie, 28, is one of the most decorated grapplers to transition into MMA and made his fighting debut in December 2006 with a submission victory over Ron Waterman. He has appeared only once since then and posted a submission victory over Japanese veteran Yuki Kondo in May 2008 at World Victory Road's Sengoku Second Battle.

Randleman returned to active competition in May 2008 after a year-plus layoff due to injuries and personal problems. He fell short in his two most recent appearances: a unanimous-decision loss to Mike Whitehead this past June at "Strikeforce: Lawler vs. Shields" and a split0decision loss to Stanislav Nedkov at Sengoku 11th Battle this past November.

Sokodjou, meanwhile, is also on a two-fight slide with TKO losses to Strikeforce light heavyweight champion Gegard Mousasi (in a non-title fight) at at "Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Rogers" and Ikuhisa Minowa at "K-1 Dynamite!! 2009."

The May 15 Strikeforce event is expected to feature the return of Strikeforce heavyweight champion Alistair Overeem as he takes on the hard-hitting Brett Rogers. Another heavyweight match-up pitting Antonio "Bigfoot" Silva against former UFC heavyweight champion Andrei Arlovski is also expected for the card.

Gracie’s debut is slated for the televised portion of the May 15 event.

 

[drunkaholic707]

Rich Franklin vs. Chuck Liddell in the works for UFC 115, not rumored April show (Updated)

Light heavyweights Rich Franklin and Chuck Liddell are penciled in for a June showdown.

MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) has learned from sources close to the promotion that the two have verbally agreed to face each other in June at UFC 115, though contracts have yet to be finalized.

The new matchup replaces a planned third meeting between Liddell and Tito Ortiz that had been expected for the promotion's first trip to Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, and may have been arranged as a result of Franklin's unexpected involvement in "TUF 11."

The Franklin vs. Liddell matchup was first reported by Fighters Only magazine, though the U.K.-based publication pinned the fight to a rumored April 17 UFC Fight Night card that now seems increasingly unlikely to occur.

Liddell and Ortiz were announced this past December as opposing coaches on the soon-to-debut "The Ultimate Fighter 11" series. At that time, the UFC also announced plans for the legendary figures to meet for a third time at the conclusion of the series.

It was later learned that the matchup was intended to headline the as-yet-unannounced UFC 115 card in June.

With Ortiz no longer in the plans, the former champion's next move is currently unknown.

In February, with "The Ultimate Fighter 11" still filming in Las Vegas, the "Hunting Beach Bad Boy" posted a series of cryptic messages on his Twitter account the led to many to speculate something had run afoul with his role as a coach on the Spike TV series.

"If things couldn't get worse, they just did!" Ortiz stated on Feb. 24. "[Expletive]! "I want to thank all my fans for your support!

"I guess business is business."

Three days later, additional Ortiz comments led to further speculation.

"Thanks for all the support," Ortiz stated. "Thinking that life couldn't get any harder? It just did! Another challenge that god has given me! Wow.

"Many things that challenge us in lives will make us stronger. One thing I can say is don't ever quit. I'm strong because of my family and fans!"

MMAjunkie.com has been told from additional sources that Ortiz was not able to complete the filming of "The Ultimate Fighter 11," though the reasoning behind his absence wasn't immediately known.

Those same sources suggested that Franklin was possibly brought in as a replacement coach to finish out the season's filming, and "Ace" now meets Liddell as an opposing "TUF" coach.

The original announcement of a third matchup between Liddell and Ortiz was met with little fanfare. Many MMA fans felt the matchup was unnecessary with the "Iceman" already owning a pair of wins over Ortiz – a 2004 second-round knockout and a 2006 third-round TKO.

UFC president Dana White has publicly denied that any changes are taking place through multiple posts on his Twitter account.

"Not true!" White stated. "We are doing (Randy) Couture vs. (Rich) Franklin, not Chuck.

"Nothing happened to Tito. Tito and I are cool."

MMAjunkie.com has been informed by additional sources close to the promotion that while a Couture vs. Franklin fight has been discussed, there are numerous obstacles that could potentially prevent the matchup from taking place, and bout agreements have not been distributed.

 

[B-Buzz]

Bellator Expected to Announce Huerta Signing at Monday Press Conference

Former Ultimate Fighting Championship lightweight Roger Huerta (20-3-1 MMA, 0-0 Bellator) is set to test his mettle in Bellator Fighting Championships' season two eight-man lightweight tournament.

Sources close to the situation confirmed to MMAjunkie.com (UFC blog for UFC news, UFC rumors, fighter interviews and event previews/recaps | MMAjunkie.com) that the popular lightweight received his formal release from the UFC this week, which opened the door to finalize a deal with the upstart promotion.

Bellator has called a video press conference for Monday at 3 p.m. ET that will stream live at Bellator.com.

Huerta is the seventh 155-pound competitor added to Bellator’s second season, which kicks off April 8 at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino. The twelve-week season airs live on FOX Sports Net affiliates on Thursday nights, and highlights packages air on NBC and Telemundo over the weekend. Tournament participants in the featherweight, lightweight, welterweight, and middleweight classes battle for the right to face season one's tournament champions.

Huerta made headlines in January over a Twitter comment that hinted at negotiations and a possible signing with Strikeforce. Promotion officials later confirmed a meeting with the fighter but said it did not produce a fight contract.

Huerta shot to stardom in 2007 when he became the first mixed martial arts competitor to grace the cover of Sports Illustrated magazine.

He later drew controversy in the buildup to a career-making fight against Kenny Florian at UFC 87 when he told FIGHT! magazine he was unhappy with the terms of his UFC contract. He lost to Florian by unanimous decision and afterward told reporters he respected the UFC and was merely looking out for his financial health.

Four months later, he turned down a new five-fight contract with the UFC and announced his intention to start an acting career. Huerta appeared in the martial arts film "Tekken," and inked a three-fight development deal with Lions Gate Films.

Huerta waited 13 months to fulfill the final fight on his UFC contract – leading many to speculate the promotion retaliated against him for the interview – and lost to Gray Maynard by decision at UFC Fight Night 19 this past September.

In his most recent silver screen role, Huerta appeared in "Circle of Pain," starring Dean Cain and UFC veterans Heath Herring and Kevin "Kimbo Slice" Ferguson.

Huerta's win over Clay Guida at "The Ultimate Fighter 6 Finale" was a certain candidate for 2007 "Fight of the Year." After Guida nearly knocked him out in the second round, he staged a come-from-behind attack in the final frame and submitted the wild-haired fighter with a rear-naked choke.

Huerta made his UFC debut at UFC 63 and racked up six consecutive octagon wins before falling short to Florian.

Bellator's lucrative tournaments can earn each division's winner $100,000 over three fights and three months. Should Huerta made it through the promotion's eight-man tournament, he'll book a date with current Bellator lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez.

 

[B-Buzz]

sick fight if Filho shows up and isn't on drugs

Lombard vs. Filho for Bellator Middleweight Title In May

Former WEC middleweight champion, Paulo Filho will have a chance to win one more title in his career. TATAME.com learned from several sources that the black belt will face Bellator tournament champion Hector Lombard at May 20.

Conan Silveira, Lombard’s Jiu-Jitsu trained at American Top Team, confirmed the news to TATAME.com. “We’re ready for anything. I just came from Australia, I didn’t know if Paulão had signed it yet”, said Silveira, who graduated Lombard black belt this Saturday, after his victory at CFC 12. “That’s a sad situation because Paulão comes from the same school that I came, from Carlson’s, he’s my friend, but this it professional”.

And this is not the only fight in Filho’s future. WFC president, Fred Fontes confirmed that the fighter will face Maiquel Falcão in next edition of the event. “This fight is on and will probably happen at June or July. Paulão signed with Bellator to fight for the title, so we decided to postpone the event”, he explained.

 

[Shogun Locc]

WEC Champ Cruz in Cast for 7 Weeks

Newly crowned WEC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz’s right hand will remain in a cast for seven more weeks, said the fighter’s head trainer Eric DelFierro on Wednesday. MRI results revealed torn tendons and ligaments, as well as a hair-line fracture in Cruz’s hand and wrist following his March 6 victory over Brian Bowles at WEC 47 in Columbus, Ohio.

DelFierro said Cruz also suffered a small break in his foot during his two-round encounter against Bowles, who also broke his hand in the bout and couldn’t continue into the third round. However, an X-ray showed the Cruz’s foot sustained a minor injury that is healing quickly on its own and no further treatment will be needed for it.

The 25-year-old Cruz, who hails from the Alliance Training Center in Chula Vista, Calif., hopes to begin sparring again in six to seven weeks, said DelFierro. DelFierro anticipates that Cruz would be able to defend his crown approximately eight weeks after he resumes full-time training.

In the interim, Cruz already re-joined his team for a week-long high-altitude training camp in Big Bear, Calif., to help prepare Brandon Vera for his light heavyweight bout against Jon Jones at UFC on Versus 1, which airs this Saturday from Broomfield, Colo., on the Versus network. Cruz is training Brazilian jiu-jitsu and still working his strength and conditioning program, said DelFierro. Cruz’ physician has agreed to replace the fighter’s cast every week so he can keep his training schedule.

WEC officials had told Sherdog.com last week that Cruz’ recovery would likely dictate which 135-pound matchups the promotion will schedule next. Joseph Benavidez, who Cruz beat by unanimous decision last August at WEC 42, looms as an immediate challenger after submitting former champion Miguel Torres in the second round at WEC 47.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Trainer: Kim Did Not Have Heart Attack While Weight Cutting

South Korean fighter Yoon Young Kim appears not to have suffered a heart attack while weigh-cutting, as was rumored last Friday.

The 23-year-old Kim was scheduled to take on Shooto veteran Yoshitaro Niimi this past Sunday in Nagoya, Japan, for the welterweight title of local promotion Heat. However, fellow Korean A Sol Kwon ended up replacing him on the day of the event. Yoichi Suzuki, head trainer of Nagoya gym Alive, alleged on his Web site blog that Kim had suffered a mild heart attack while cutting weight.

However, Sherdog.com has been informed that the circumstances of Kim pulling out of the bout have been exaggerated, as he simply passed out from exhaustion and did not have a heart attack.

Jin Chul Kim, the head of Team Blue Dragon and Kim's chief trainer, confirmed to Sherdog.com that the Sengoku veteran was cutting weight Friday in Busan, South Korea, before leaving for Nagoya. Kim was 300 grams -- just over half a pound -- over the 170-pound weight limit, and while trying to pare down, he passed out in the sauna. He was then pulled from the bout in favor of Kwon, who fought to a split decision loss with Niimi on Sunday.

His trainer assured that Kim is now at home in Busan, and in good health after recovering from his weight-cutting debacle. However, there is some doubt as to whether or not he will continue to campaign as a welterweight; despite not being particularly slight of build, Kim stands 6-foot-4 and has had trouble making the welterweight limit in the past.

The colorful Kim gained some measure of cult status last November, when he fought veteran Akihiro Gono to a unanimous decision loss in Sengoku. The boisterous Korean assumed the gimmick of "Shin Ramen," throwing out ramen to fans, and waxing poetic in interviews about noodles.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Bobby Lashley tapped for for slot on April's "Strikeforce: Nashville" card

Fast-rising heavyweight prospect Bobby Lashley (5-0 MMA, 1-0 SF), a former WWE and TNA "professional wrestler" who's posted an undefeated MMA record, is likely to earn a spot on the upcoming "Strikeforce: Nashville" event.

Sources close to the organization told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) that Strikeforce officials plan to book the fighter for the April 17 card.

No opponent has been determined, though an announcement could come within the next week.

With three title fights already booked for the CBS-televised card, Lashley may be part of the night's un-aired preliminary card. Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker recently told MMAjunkie.com that a fourth fight could be shown via delay on the CBS broadcast, time permitting, though it's unclear if the Lashley fight would be the featured bout.

"Strikeforce: Nashville" takes place at Bridgestone Arena (formerly known as the Sommet Center) in Nashville, Tenn., airs live at 9 p.m. ET (tape delayed on the West Coast).

Lashley, a two-time NAIA national wrestling champion who also competed for the U.S. Army, made his Strikeforce debut in January and stopped UFC veteran Wes Sims via strikes midway through the first round. Prior to the promotional debut, he cut his teeth in smaller promotions while picking up wins over the likes of Jason Guida, Mike Cook and Bob Sapp.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Bellator hasn't forgotten West Coast, but Eastern markets to host 2010 shows

Hang tight, West Coast fans. Bellator Fighting Championships hasn't forgotten about you.

The promotion, which kicks off its second season next month with live shows on FOX Sports Net, is skipping West Coast markets for its 12-week run due to its 8 p.m. ET start times.

Bellator CEO Bjorn Rebney recently told MMAjunkie.com Radio (www.mmajunkie.com/radio) that logistics forced the promotion to focus on Eastern markets for season two (and season three later this year) but that the West Coast markets could get some love beginning with season four in January 2011.

"Basically everything we're doing this year is kind of Kansas City, Chicago and east," said Rebney, a frequent show guest. "That way, the earliest start time we've got is the 7 p.m. local kick off, and we can have packed arenas, which of course is what we're shooting for."

That, of course, wouldn't be the case in the Pacific time zone, where Bellator events would kick off live at 5 p.m. local time.

"Now that our new shows are going off at 8 o'clock Eastern Standard Time, there's not a lot of room right now for venues on the West Coast or in Las Vegas at some of the key seminal venues in that area," Rebney said. "They're just not the right sites for our programming ... because of our start time."

Bellator made a successful debut in 2009 with shows on ESPN Deportes, a Spanish-language channel. (The broadcasts streamed a few days later via English-language broadcast on www.bellator.com.) Despite those limitations, the promotion (and its popular eight-man tournaments) gained traction with viewers and eventually set up a first-of-its-kind broadcast alliance for 2010.

This year, all Bellator shows air on FOX Sports Net, a collection of approximately two dozen regional cable TV sports networks. (Highlights packages also air a few days later on NBC and Telemundo.) East Coast viewers get a live FSN feed of the show, and West Coast viewers receive a three-hour-delayed feed. FSN airs MLB, NHL, NBA and other sports franchises from each affiliate's region, and in the case a local game is being aired, Bellator events will be preempted but shown later in the night.

All those factors made events on the West Coast virtually impossible. After all, Bellator officials would be fighting a losing battle during peak rush hours in markets such as Los Angeles, San Francisco and Seattle – all among the country's 10-worst areas for traffic congestion – with would-be event attendees.

"The essence of what I was hoping to put together and what I was able to put together for the TV deal was live – live as it occurs you can watch it," Rebney said. "With an 8 o'clock Eastern star time on FOX Sports Net on Thursday nights, it makes it virtually impossible to do a show in California, Oregon, Washington state, Nevada. Anybody who's on that Western Pacific time, with that start time, it'd be a 5 o'clock live-on-television start time. It just doesn't work."

However, Rebney doesn't expect the problem to stretch beyond 2010, which hosts two 12-week seasons. In 2011 he wants to further expand the brand and take Bellator to additional markets, including those on the West Coast and in Mexico.

"As we start doing specials and start doing special events and expanding, we'll absolutely get out to the West Coast probably starting with season four starting up in January," he said.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Pat Curran completes Bellator's season-two lightweight tourney field, debuts at Bellator 14

Chicago-area fighter Pat Curran (9-3 MMA, 0-0 BFC) is the eighth and final competitor booked for Bellator Fighting Championships' upcoming season-two lightweight tournament.

Bellator officials today announced the signing.

Curran competes in an opening-round tournament matchup on April 15 at Bellator 14, though his opponent and other tourney pairings – including recent signee Roger Huerta's promotional debut – won't be unveiled until later this week.

Bellator 14 takes place at the Chicago Theatre, and like all Bellator's upcoming shows, airs live on FOX Sports Net and via highlights packages on NBC and Telemundo. As with all of the season-two tourneys, Curran looks to win three straight fights, claim $100,000 in pay, and earn the right to fight season-one winner and current Bellator lightweight champ Eddie Alvarez.

Curran, the cousin of UFC/WEC/Strikeforce/PRIDE vet Jeff Curran, is perhaps best known from his appearance on the second season of TapouT's Versus-televised reality show.

"Pat is a very solid addition to our stacked 155-pound tournament," Bellator founder and CEO Bjorn Rebney stated. "Pat comes from MMA royalty and is ready to make his own impact on the sport. He was sought after very aggressively by several other major promotions, so I'm excited for him to be a part of our organization. It will be great to see him fight in front of his many hometown fans next month at the Chicago Theatre."

A veteran of the Midwest-based XFO organization, Curran enters the Bellator tourney with three wins in his past four fights, including a unanimous-decision win over British fighter Robbie Olivier at a February Trojan MMA event in England. Four of Curran's past five wins have come via stoppage (three in the first round).

The season-two lightweight tourney field includes Curran, Huerta (21-3-1), season-one runner-up Toby Imada (23-13), Chad Hinton (6-0), Janne Tulirinta (12-3), Ferrid Kheder (16-5), Mike Ricci (5-0) and Cary Vanier (7-2)

 

[Shogun Locc]

Despite massive favorite status, UFC 111's St-Pierre isn't underestimating Hardy

Five-time Ultimate Fighting Championship welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre (19-2 MMA, 14-2 UFC) wants to right a career wrong when he meets Dan Hardy (23-6 MMA, 4-0 UFC) at UFC 111.

The last time St-Pierre faced a massive underdog, he lost his title. He bought into his own hype and underestimated "The Ultimate Fighter 4" winner Matt Serra. He ended up on the wrong end of a TKO at UFC 69.

Not this time. Or so he says.

"I have to tell you something; a lot of people underestimate Dan Hardy, and it's a big mistake," St-Pierre told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) on Tuesday during a conference call promoting his March 27 fight in Newark, N.J. "It's a big mistake that I'm not going to do. Dan Hardy is the most dangerous guy that I've fought so far."

Of course, these days, St-Pierre says that about nearly every opponent he's faced since the setback. Every fight is the most dangerous fight in his career. He's one mistake away from losing the title. What his opponent does is of no concern. It's what he's going to do that matters.

The sayings are rife with cliche, but he believes them – and they've done wonders for his career.

He's virtually cleaned out the 170-pound division with victories over Josh Koscheck, Serra, Jon Fitch, B.J. Penn and Thiago Alves. He hasn't just won – he's dominated. That's all thanks to what he learned from the Serra fight.

But as Hardy pointed out during the Spike TV special, "Countdown to UFC 111," the pressure is entirely on St-Pierre because he's the overwhelming favorite. Fans and pundits see the match-up as a slam-dunk for the champion; take Hardy to the mat, ground and pound, rinse and repeat.

The current betting line is -800 to +500 in favor of the champion, which means St-Pierre is being given an 80 to 90 percent chance of winning. The odds aren't as slanted as the line on St-Pierre vs. Serra 1 – oddsmakers learned their lesson after that fight – but they're close, and there's still time until the fight.

St-Pierre, though, said that pressure isn't the burden it once was.

"If you look at all my big fights, all the fights that I had a lot of pressure (with) B.J. Penn when I did the 'Primetime' (show), my revenge against Serra, Matt Hughes when I had the rematch," he said. "(With) all those great fights, I performed better when I'm under pressure.

"When I'm under pressure, I'm more nervous. I'm more awake, and my reaction time is better, so that's a good thing for me."

Hardy, an excellent promoter in his first time as a headliner, said St-Pierre doesn't like to get hit. He plans to test the champion's chin in exchanges.

But St-Pierre is skeptical of the bravado. He thinks the challenger is just trying to pump himself up.

"[Hardy] is a thinking fighter," St-Pierre said. "He's very technical in the way that he fights. He's a great counter-puncher."

And it's true; the British fighter has earned key octagon victories by making opponents pay on the rebound. Alhough most say that's a perfect opening for St-Pierre's wrestling, the champion won't allow himself to believe his skills outmatch his opponent's.

He's learned that lesson.

"My life will end March 27, and it's a chance for me also to redeem myself where I felt [like I was] in the same situation," St-Pierre said. "I never (have) been so pumped up in my life for a fight."

 

[Shogun Locc]

Nick Catone vs. John Salter on tap for UFC 113 prelims in Montreal

May's UFC 113 event will get a late addition with a middleweight fight pitting Nick Catone (8-2 MMA, 2-2 UFC) vs. John Salter (4-1 MMA, 0-1 UFC).

Sources close to the event told MMAjunkie.com bout agreements have been distributed and signed by at least one fighter.

UFC 113 takes place on May 8 at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. The main card, which includes a main event and rematch between UFC light heavyweight champion Lyoto Machida and challenger Mauricio "Shogun" Rua, airs live on pay-per-view.

Catone vs. Salter is slated for the night's un-aired preliminary card.

Catone, a Ring of Combat veteran who made his UFC debut in early 2009, recently evened his promotional mark to 2-2 with a January victory over Jesse Forbes. The highly competitive UFC Fight Night 20 bout ended in a split-decision win for Catone, who took the fight via scores of 28-29, 29-28 and 29-28.

Catone made his UFC debut at UFC Fight Night 17, where he submitted fellow newcomer Derek Downey. However, after subsequent losses to Tim Credeur (submission) and Mark Munoz (split decision), he found himself in a must-win situation against Forbes.

He now meets Salter, who made his pro debut at UFC Fight Night 20 as a late replacement for injured Mike Massenzio. Salter, who had turned pro just 10 months prior, took the fight on a mere three days' notice and ultimately suffered a third-round TKO loss to Gerald Harris.

It was the first loss of Salter's career and followed a string of four consecutive stoppage wins.

The UFC 113 card now includes:

MAIN CARD

•Champ Lyoto Machida vs. Mauricio "Shogun" Rua (for light heavyweight title)
•Paul Daley vs. Josh Koscheck
•Kevin "Kimbo Slice" Ferguson vs. Matt Mitrione
•Jeremy Stephens vs. Sam Stout
•Alan Belcher vs. Patrick Cote
PRELIMINARY CARD (un-aired)

•Tim Credeur vs. Tom Lawlor
•Marcus Davis vs. Jonathan Goulet
•Mike Guymon vs. Yoshiyuki Yoshida
•T.J. Grant vs. Johny Hendricks
•Nick Catone vs. John Salter*•Joey Beltran vs. Chad Corvin
* - Not officially announced

 

[Shogun Locc]

Bellator and Everlast announcing equipment, merchandising and sponsorship deal

Bellator Fighting Championships and sports-equipment giant Everlast today announced an exclusive partnership.

As part of the deal, Everlast becomes the organization's exclusive equipment provider – for fight gloves, cages and training equipment – while producing a co-branded line of consumer offerings.

Bellator kicks off its second season next month on FOX Sports Net.

Additionally, the 12-week season airs in highlights packages on NBC and Telemundo two days after each live event.

According to today's release, Everlast will also be a category-exclusive promotional sponsor of all Bellator events, and the two companies both will strategically market, promote, publicize and advertise the partnership through a wide variety of channels.

The Everlast deal is the latest major partnership/sponsorship for the upstart promotion, which is run by former boxing executive Bjorn Rebney.

"This is a proud moment for Bellator," Rebney stated. "Everlast is one of America's most iconic brands, and they have a 100-year history of providing the best-quality equipment for professional and amateur fighters around the world. We are thrilled that our fighters will be using Everlast gear and are also very pleased to have Everlast's support as a category-exclusive sponsor."

 

[Shogun Locc]

MATYUSHENKO STILL GOING STRONG IN UFC

Entering year number 13 in mixed martial arts, UFC light heavyweight Vladimir “The Janitor” Matyushenko shows no signs of slowing down.

Back-to-back wins, including one in his first fight in the UFC in six years, had Matyushenko on the rebound after starting off 2009 with a loss to Antonio Rogerio Nogueira.

On the winning track and in the promotion he’s always wanted to be in, Matyushenko told MMAWeekly.com that he now has his sights set on achieving the one thing he has yet to accomplish in the UFC.

“My goal is to win all my fights for sure,” he stated. “I don’t set specific goals, but my eventual goal is to get a title shot and get the belt.

“The 205 weight is pretty stacked, and I might have a long time to get there, but that’s okay. I’m just enjoying what I’m doing right now. I’m taking it one fight at a time, one step at a time.”

The next step for Matyushenko comes this Sunday against Eliot Marshall in what could be one of the evening’s most competitive fights.

“He has enough fights to know what it’s all about,” replied Matyushenko when asked if the experience difference may play a factor in the fight. “He’s a little bit younger, but he’s not too young. He’s a black belt in jiu-jitsu and I think it will be a good match.”

In his previous fight with Jason Brilz, Marshall was able to avoid his opponent and use distance and range effectively to win on points.

Matyushenko feels that strategy won’t work against him, and is prepared should Marshall choose the same in their fight.

“The cage is not that big, so it is hard to move around me,” said the Belarusian. “He has to bring the fight to me, I think. He has more to prove, so I think he’s going to come pretty hard.”

Matyushenko also addressed the issue of altitude and Colorado’s thin air possibly playing a factor in the fight.

“When I was training in Big Bear it was definitely a factor, so we’ll see who’s prepared better,” he stated.

“We’re both in the same situation. I know he trains in it all the time, but I’ve fought at altitude before a few years ago and I know what it’s all about.”

Should Matyushenko get past Marshall, he’s willing to take on anyone to work his way to the top.

“It doesn’t matter who I have to face,” he commented. “I’ll take pretty much any fights that they offer me; that’s my job.”

With his son reaching adulthood and heading off to join the military later this month, Matyushenko will be able to focus even more on his job and perhaps become even more dangerous than he already is.

“It was a big responsibility to have a kid,” he explained. “I was a single father for a long time, to take a risk and fight. Now I have more time on my hands and I can devote myself to my fighting career.”

Thirteen years in and still going strong, Matyushenko is a testament to how hard work and dedication can trump reality television insta-fame and flash in the pan success.

“You guys should check out the Vladimir Matyushenko signature shirts on Tapout’s website,” he concluded. “It’s pretty cool. It’s got a Viking on it and I think they’re the best shirts out the right now.”