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Feb 10, 2006
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Jay Hieron vs. Erick Silva added to February's UFC 156 event

Erick Silva (14-3 MMA, 2-2 UFC) said he was hoping to fight on Super Bowl weekend, and now he will.

UFC officials today announced that Silva will take on Jay Hieron (23-6 MMA, 0-3 UFC) at UFC 156, the UFC's traditional Super Bowl-weekend fight card.

Featuring a featherweight title fight between current champ Jose Aldo and former lightweight title holder Frankie Edgar, UFC 156 takes place Feb. 2 at Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas. The evening's main card airs on pay-per-view.

UFC officials did not reveal where the bout will take place on the evening's lineup.

Hieron still seeks his first-ever UFC win. After two losses early in his career, Hieron fought for numerous promotions before making his way back to the octagon at October's UFC on FX 5 event, where he loss a close decision to Jake Ellenberger. Despite the loss, "The Thoroughbred" is still 11-2 in his past 13 appearances.

Meanwhile, Silva looks to rebound from a disappointing loss to perennial top contender Jon Fitch at October's UFC 153 event. Prior to the decision loss, Silva had impressed with stoppage win of Charlie Brenneman and Luis Ramos sandwiched around a controversial disqualification loss to Carlo Prater.
 
Sep 20, 2005
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Thiago Silva tests positive for marijuana metabolites, suspended six months (Updated)

UFC light heavyweight Thiago Silva has failed his UFC on FUEL TV 6 post-fight drug screen.

UFC officials today announced that Silva tested positive for marijuana metabolites and has been suspended six months and ordered to take part in drug rehab program.

Silva competed in the co-main event of the Nov. 10 event and earned a third-round submission victory over Stanislav Nedkov.

"Thiago Silva tested positive for marijuana metabolites following his bout at UFC on FUEL TV in Macau," the organization's statement read. "The UFC organization has a strict, consistent policy against the use of any illegal and/or performance-enhancing drugs, stimulants or masking agents.

"Silva has admitted to taking the banned substance and has agreed to participate in an approved drug-rehabilitation program and serve a six-month suspension retroactive to the November 10 event. He must pass a drug test upon completion of the suspension before receiving clearance to fight again."

MMAjunkie.com (UFC blog for UFC news, UFC rumors, fighter interviews and event previews/recaps | MMAjunkie.com) later confirmed with UFC officials that Silva was not issued any financial penalty. However, the result of the bout will be overturned to a "no decision."

Featuring a headlining bout between Cung Le and Rich Franklin, UFC on FUEL TV 6 took place Nov. 10 at Venetian Macau Resort Hote's CotaiArena in Macau. In the absence of an athletic commission to govern the event, UFC officials took the role of overseeing the fight card.

Silva, of course, also failed a post UFC-125 drug test in January 2011. After dominating Brandon Vera to earn a decision win at the event, Silva was suspended and fined by the Nevada State Athletic Commission for submitting a fake urine sample.


that is stupid nick diaz gets suspended for a year but everyone else gets 6 months and silva is a dumb ass how many times is he gonna fuck up
 
Jan 29, 2005
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that is stupid nick diaz gets suspended for a year but everyone else gets 6 months and silva is a dumb ass how many times is he gonna fuck up
because Nick Diaz got suspended by an athletic commission. Thiago Silva got suspended by the UFC, because Macao didn't have an AC so the UFC handled all drug testing for this event. UFC is a lot less corrupt and retarded then faggot athletic commissions
 
Feb 10, 2006
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Diego Sanchez hints at possible UFC on FUEL TV 8 bout with Takanori Gomi

Diego Sanchez (23-5 MMA, 12-5 UFC) may soon have his first fight in more than a year.

The UFC veteran today tweeted that he may fight fellow lightweight Takanori Gomi (34-8 MMA, 3-3 UFC) at UFC on FUEL TV 8 in Japan, assuming the Japanese fighter takes the bout.

UFC on FUEL TV 8 takes place March 3 at Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan. Following Facebook prelims, the night's main card airs on FUEL TV (on March 2 in the U.S. due to the time difference).

UFC officials have announced nothing in regards to the potential Sanchez vs. Gomi fight, which likely would be part of the main card.

"Might have a fight lined up for march 2nd," wrote Sanchez, who's been on the mend following shoulder surgery. "Just waiting on the man Joe Silva to see if Mr. Fireball kid takes it?"

Earlier this year, Sanchez told MMAjunkie.com Radio (MMAjunkie.com Radio | MMAjunkie.com) he was considering a return to lightweight. Most recently he suffered a unanimous-decision loss to welterweight Jake Ellenberger at UFC on FUEL TV 1. Prior to the February defeat, he posted decision wins over Martin Kampmann and Paulo Thiago. He's won three straight "Fight of the Night" bonuses and five in his past seven fights.

Gomi, meanwhile, recently rebounded from a 1-3 skid that nearly cost him his UFC job. Back in February, he knocked out Eiji Mitsuoka, and earlier this month at UFC on FUEL TV 6, the former PRIDE champion picked up a narrow split-decision victory Mac Danzig that also nabbed him "Fight of the Night" honors.
 
Feb 10, 2006
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'TUF' times: Sonnen says he turned down spot on 'TUF 1,' Jones once cut from tryouts

LAS VEGAS – The debut season of 'The Ultimate Fighter' has long been recognized as the starting point of MMA's current popularity boom and was responsible for launching the careers of stars such as Stephan Bonnar, Kenny Florian, Forrest Griffin, Josh Koscheck, Chris Leben, Diego Sanchez and Mike Swick.

But as successful as the 2005 series debut proved, imagine what it could have been with one Chael P. Sonnen (27-12-1 MMA, 6-5 UFC).

Sonnen, who coaches on the upcoming 17th edition of the series, says he actually turned down a spot on "TUF 1."

"When the show very first started, the first coaches ever were my coach, friend, teammate Randy Couture vs. Chuck Liddell, arguably the greatest light heavyweight ever," Sonnen told MMAjunkie.com (UFC blog for UFC news, UFC rumors, fighter interviews and event previews/recaps | MMAjunkie.com). "In fact, the argument would be between those two: Chuck and Randy. I was just a fan. I watched it as a fan. They asked me to be on the show as an athlete, and I passed on the chance. It was on a different network at that time, but an executive at that office invited me on as an athlete. Then I loved the show.

"I didn't know what to expect. I didn't know what it was. I sat down and watched it, and I regretted that decision. I really enjoyed watching it, and all these years later, here I am."

Sonnen coaches opposite UFC light heavyweight champ Jon Jones (17-1 MMA, 11-1 UFC) on "TUF 17," which debuts in January on FX. The first 14 seasons of the series aired on Spike TV and led to a long partnership between the fight promotion and the cable TV channel. UFC President Dana White has often referred to the series as a "Trojan horse" for the sport, with top-level athletes starring in a series that was half reality TV and half competition. Fans responded to the show, which was unlike anything on TV at the time, and the first cast is still considered the most prospect-rich group to date.

"That first season was nasty," Sonnen said. "You've got guys like Nate Quarry that didn't win it, and look how great he is. You've got guys like Josh Koscheck that did not win it. Stephan Bonnar. Kenny Florian. These guys didn't win it, and that's when you can really understand that first season."

With Sonnen, it is often necessary to take his claims with a grain of salt, and multiple high-ranking UFC officials admitted to MMAjunkie.com that they actually couldn't remember whether or not Sonnen's name was considered for the first edition of "TUF," which did not feature tryout sessions but instead a group of hand-selected athletes. Still, it's an interesting footnote in terms of what might have been.

Since that first series, the show has produced more than 100 UFC fighters and even a few UFC champions. Still, many MMA pundits question the remaining value of the program after 16 seasons on the air. Sonnen, who is currently in Las Vegas taping "TUF 17," insists this new edition will reinvigorate what some consider a tired proposition.

"When you see the guys that don't get into the house – when you see the black belts and the champions and the veterans and the flat-out studs with very incredible resumes that did not get into the house – that's when you're going to understand how loaded this bracket is," Sonnen said. "The No. 1 thing that I'm going to do is we're going to change the narrative of this show. This is not a frat show, and it is not a reality show. I don't know how those terms ever got coined. This is a tournament, period.

"All the way back to the greats – Royce Gracie and Dan Severn and Ken 'Never Should Have Been in the Octagon in the First Place' Shamrock – they never went through anything like this. Those guys did a great job. Those guys got me in the sport, the Don Fryes and the 'Tank' Abbotts, the real fighters. But it's nothing like a 32-man tournament. It's nothing like having to make weight five times, fight five times, have no preparation, not have your coach, not have your team, not sleeping in your own bed – and be expected to win anyway. It's nothing like that.

"Somewhere, somebody called this a reality show, and I just don't get it. So is the Super Bowl. It's reality, and it's a show, but I don't get it. This is real. This is the realest tournament ever. We have a guy that lost his job for taking this opportunity. He's got a wife and kid, and if he doesn't win this, he doesn't know what's going to happen to him. I could name a few of those stories like that. The sacrifice that these guys are going through to put it all on the line, it's humbling."

Sonnen's opposing coach also had a near-miss with "The Ultimate Fighter," albeit much later in the show's run. Because of the presence of alcohol in the "TUF" house, contestants must be at least 21 years old. Jones, who would go on to win the UFC's 205-pound title at just 23 years old, was underage when he went to an open tryout session and was ultimately told there was no way to bend the rules.

"I tried out for 'The Ultimate Fighter' back when I was 20 years old," Jones said. "I remember making it through the first round and then approaching a table to grapple for the second round and having Dana – I think himself, I remember him being at the table – saying, 'Man, you're too young. You're 20 years old, and you have to be 21 to apply for this show, but we're going to let you roll anyways. But you can't go much further than this.' I was like, 'Alright.' I was rolling and having a great time, and that was it. That was the end of the scenario."

Jones obviously didn't take the snub personally, as he made his debut for the promotion at UFC 87, less than one month after his 21st birthday. Now he views his role as coach as a bit of a full-circle moment.

"It's kind of surreal to me to know that just four-and-a-half years ago I was trying out for the show, and then to be on the show as such a young coach is just like, 'Man, we're doing things right,'" Jones said. "I said that to my manager. I said, 'We're doing it. We're doing things right.' It's just surreal to be a guy who was rejected from the show and now be the coach."

"The Ultimate Fighter 17" debuts in January on FX. Jones and Sonnen will then meet on April 27 in a pay-per-view headliner.
 
Feb 10, 2006
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Former WEC announcer Joe Martinez tapped for octagon debut at UFC on FX 6

Former WEC announcer Joe Martinez will soon make his octagon debut.

Martinez recently revealed to Examiner.com that he has been hired for in-cage duties at next month's UFC on FX 6 event, which takes place on Saturday, Dec. 15 in Australia but due to the time difference airs live in the U.S. on Friday night.

Promotion mainstay Bruce Buffer is set for his familiar announcing role that same weekend at The Ultimate Fighter 16 Finale, which takes place Dec. 15 in Las Vegas.

"It’s definitely a big deal," Martinez told Examiner.com. "I said it years ago, that it was and major goal of mine to announce a UFC event."

MMAjunkie.com (UFC blog for UFC news, UFC rumors, fighter interviews and event previews/recaps | MMAjunkie.com) confirmed Martinez's appointment with sources close to the event, but UFC execs have yet to make an official announcement. It's not yet known whether Martinez will be used at future events as well, but UFC President Dana White has long suggested the time is near when multiple UFC events will take place on the same night in locations around the globe.

Still, Buffer's role with the company is not expected to lessen.

"All my respect is to Bruce," Martinez said. "It's his gig, and I'm just more than happy to step in and fill a role for a night. The opportunity is there, and I am happy to be the one they have called on for it."

Martinez, who made his WEC debut in 2005, remains a fixture at numerous regional MMA events, as well as several high-profile boxing events as an employee of Golden Boy promotions.

UFC on FX 6, which also serves as the final of "The Ultimate Fighter: The Smashes," takes place Dec. 15 at Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre in Broadbeach, Gold Coast, Australia. The event's main card airs live in the U.S. on FX (on Dec. 14 in the U.S. due to the time difference) following prelims on FUEL TV.
 
Jun 21, 2005
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Ronda Rousey: ‘I try to have as much sex as possible before I fight’

"For girls it raises your testosterone, so I try to have as much sex as possible before I fight actually. Not with like everybody, I don't put out like a Craigslist ads or anything, but if I got a steady I'm going to be like, 'Yo, fight time's coming up,'" Rousey said.



Ronda Rousey:
 
Feb 10, 2006
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Pulled groin forces Lavar Johnson out of UFC on FOX 5 bout with Brendan Schaub

Brendan Schaub was looking for a fight against Lavar Johnson. He got it, but now it'll have to wait.

Johnson (17-6 MMA, 2-1 UFC) has been forced out of his heavyweight fight against Schaub (8-3 MMA, 4-3 UFC) in just over a week. The two were scheduled to meet at UFC on FOX 5 on Dec. 8.

A pulled groin is to blame for taking Johnson out of the fight. UFC President Dana White late Thursday announced Johnson's injury on Twitter.

Schaub took to social media, himself, to relay his disappointment in having the fight drop out just several days before he was to leave for Seattle, saying "Frustrated would be an understatement."

UFC officials said Schaub will be pulled from the card due to the late injury to Johnson, which takes the event from 13 fights down to 12.

UFC on FOX 5 takes place at KeyArena in Seattle. It will be headlined by a lightweight title fight between champ Benson Henderson and top contender Nate Diaz. The card also features a co-main event of Mauricio "Shogun" Rua vs. Alexander Gustafsson and B.J. Penn vs. Rory MacDonald. Johnson-Schaub had been ticketed for a spot closing out the prelims on FX.

The FX prelims portion is scheduled for a three-hour broadcast starting at 5 p.m. ET (2 p.m. PT). It was to feature six fights, preceded by three bouts streaming live on Facebook. UFC officials have not yet announced which Facebook fight will move up to the FX telecast.

Johnson won back-to-back "Knockout of the Night" awards with stoppages of Joey Beltran at UFC on FOX 2 in January and Pat Barry at UFC on FOX 3 in May. Then he took a short-notice fight against Stefan Struve at UFC 146 in May, just three weeks after his win over Barry, and was submitted in the first round. He was looking to get back in the win column on what have been his third FOX card.

Schaub was on a four-fight streak before dropping consecutive fights to Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira and Ben Rothwell. Earlier this year, Schaub told MMAjunkie.com Radio (MMAjunkie.com*•*Radio) that he wanted to fight Johnson. He now will have to wait if he still wants a crack at him
 
Sep 20, 2005
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Ronda Rousey: ‘I try to have as much sex as possible before I fight’

"For girls it raises your testosterone, so I try to have as much sex as possible before I fight actually. Not with like everybody, I don't put out like a Craigslist ads or anything, but if I got a steady I'm going to be like, 'Yo, fight time's coming up,'" Rousey said.



Ronda Rousey:
What's her digits and next fight
 
Sep 20, 2005
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Ronda Rousey meets Liz Carmouche in first UFC women's title fight at UFC 157

A day after a bit of a tease about Ronda Rousey's first UFC fight, things finally are official.

But Rousey won't be fighting Cristiane "Cyborg" Santos, as Wednesday's rumor had her meeting. Instead, Rousey (6-0 MMA, 0-0 UFC) will be meeting Liz Carmouche (7-2 MMA, 0-0 UFC) as the first defense of her new UFC women's bantamweight title at UFC 157 in February.

UFC President Dana White made the announcement following Thursday's pre-event news conference for UFC on FOX 5 in Seattle, and he presented Rousey with her new UFC belt.

UFC 157 takes place Feb. 23 at Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif. Rousey vs. Carmouche will be the main event of the card, which will air on pay-per-view, FX and Facebook.

News broke this past month that Rousey would migrate over from Strikeforce, where she was the women's bantamweight champ, to become the first female fighter in UFC history. But just who her first opponent would be and when that fight would take place were up in the air, despite White telling multiple news outlets that it was official that Rousey was in the UFC.

Her Strikeforce contract and Zuffa's deal with Strikeforce broadcast partner Showtime appeared to be potential stumbling blocks for expediting the process. But with White's presentation of Rousey in Seattle, those hurdles appear to have been cleared – at least well enough to announce a fight for her.

On Wednesday, the UFC's Brazilian website mistakenly announced a Rousey UFC debut at the same event, UFC 157, but had her main eventing against Santos – which the UFC explained as a technical glitch and later removed.

Now, a day later, it will indeed be Rousey headlining that card in her backyard – she hails from Southern California – but against Carmouche.

"It's going to happen eventually," Rousey said at the news conference of a potential fight against Santos. "I can't make these girls fight who don't want to fight me. (Carmouche) was the only one who stepped up, and it speaks a lot to her. When the other girls come around, they know where I'm at."

Rousey said receiving her UFC championship belt and having the fight announced on the heels of a press conference for Saturday's card, which features Benson Henderson's lightweight title defense against Nate Diaz, came as a surprise to her.

"I didn't even know about this till this morning," she said. "I don't even know what to make of it. It means a lot, and we have a lot to prove. I think the women are here to stay, and I think we're going to prove it."

White, of course, long said he didn't foresee a day when women would fight in the UFC, owning that belief to a perceived lack of depth in the women's divisions. But with Rousey's emergence over the last year as a bona fide star not just of women's MMA, but of all MMA, he came around.

She enters the fight, of course, unbeaten with a record consisting solely of first-round armbar submission wins. She won the Strikeforce title in March by stopping Miesha Tate, who went longer with her than all her other pro opponents combined. In August, she defended the title with an armbar of Sarah Kaufman.

Carmouche took a 5-0 record into a Strikeforce women's bantamweight title fight against Marloes Coenen in March 2011, but was stopped with a triangle choke in the fourth round. Carmouche took that fight on short notice, filling in for an injured Tate. Her next outing, she lost a decision to Kaufman.

But since then, she has back-to-back wins under the Invicta banner, and both by stoppage.
 
Sep 20, 2005
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UFC boss says Georges St-Pierre vs. Nick Diaz likely if challenger accepts

SEATTLE – Anderson Silva (33-4 MMA, 16-0 UFC) and Johny Hendricks (14-1 MMA, 9-1 UFC) may just have to wait their turn.

Georges St-Pierre (23-2 MMA, 17-2 UFC) has asked to face former Strikeforce champ Nick Diaz (26-8 MMA, 7-5 UFC), and UFC President Dana White said he feels obligated to grant the UFC welterweight kingpin his request.

The UFC boss on Thursday revealed the plans following a UFC on FOX 5 pre-event press conference in Seattle.

"Georges St-Pierre went on vacation," White said. "When he came back, we were talking about Anderson Silva. He said, 'I want Nick Diaz. Me and Nick Diaz have unfinished business. We were supposed to fight. That's the fight I want now.'

"Georges St-Pierre has been a phenomenal champion, a phenomenal human being and just a great guy to work with for us. He doesn't ask for things. If he wants to fight Nick Diaz, and Nick Diaz wants to fight him, that's probably the fight we'll make."

White said he has yet to officially offer Diaz the fight, simply because he couldn't find him, but if the former Strikeforce champ is willing, a UFC title fight awaits. A targeted date for the matchup was not revealed.

"I haven't even talked to Nick yet," White admitted. "I was trying to track him down this week, which is always fun. So I called (Nick's brother) Nate (Diaz), and Nate told me, 'Listen, if you talk to him, tell him I'm looking for him, too.'"

Hendricks, who currently boasts a five-fight win streak that includes victories over perennial contenders Martin Kampmann, Josh Koscheck and Jon Fitch, is considered by many to be the division's true No. 1 contender. However, White said St-Pierre's wishes take priority over any perceived rankings, and he expects Hendricks to fight again before receiving his own potential title shot.

"Listen, Johny Hendricks has got some great fights," White said. "When you talk about winning in spectacular fashion, this guy hits people so hard he skids across the octagon. But he's in no position to demand anything. Georges St-Pierre is the champ, has been forever, and if that's the fight he wants, then that's probably the fight we're going to give him if Diaz accepts it."

Upon hearing White's statements, Hendricks immediately took to Twitter to voice his frustration.

"I don't really know what to say but please D @DANA white give me a shot," Hendricks wrote. " G @George sStPierre if u want a fight I will give him anything he can take."

Silva, of course, is the UFC's current middleweight champ and the only UFC title holder who can boast a title rein longer than St-Pierre. White had promised to make a superfight between the two champions, but posturing on both sides as to exactly where the two would meet on weight led to some concern as to whether or not the fight would actually take place. White did not rule out a future arrangement, but St-Pierre apparently wants to face the fiery Diaz before considering his fellow champion.

St-Pierre and Diaz were originally scheduled to fight in October 2011 at UFC 137, but Diaz failed to show for a pair of promotional appearances and was pulled from the bout. In an odd twist, he was later placed back on the card against B.J. Penn after St-Pierre was forced to withdraw from the event with a training injury. The St-Pierre vs. Diaz bout was later planned for UFC 143, but St-Pierre was also pulled from that card, which allowed Carlos Condit to step in and defeat Diaz in a hotly-contested unanimous decision and claim a UFC interim title belt. Diaz then tested positive for marijuana metabolites in a post-fight drug screen and was subsequently suspended by the Nevada State Athletic Commission through February 2013.

Diaz, known almost as much for his trashtalking and aggressive demeanor as for his ample fighting skills, has long been under St-Pierre's skin. Following Diaz's UFC 137 win over Penn, White said the French-Canadian made an impassioned plea to face the hot-headed Californian.

"I've known Georges St-Pierre since 2004," White said at the UFC 137 post-event press conference. "He's one of the nicest guys I've ever met, and he's always exactly the same no matter what the situation is, no matter who he's fighting. Since 2004, I've never seen him like he was tonight.

"[St-Pierre] said, and I quote – you're going to think I'm full of [expletive], but this is the truth – I quote, 'He's the most disrespectful human being I've ever met, and I'm going to put the worst beating you've ever seen on him in the UFC."
 
Props: trips

CZAR

Sicc OG
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Of course he dont want to see Silva, but if he thinks it will be an easier fighting Nick he has anotha thing comin. Nick will smash so Im good either way. I rather see Nick beat the brakes of him than Silva anyway. Got Em!!
 
Props: trips
Jun 22, 2012
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Mike Ricci: The Ultimate Fighter was "an absolute nightmare"



If there's been a near-universal theme among the hundreds of fighters who have appeared on The Ultimate Fighter over the course of 16 seasons, it is this: Living in the TUF house is not something they'd want to experience again.

Sure, most of them came out the other end of their TUF experience better fighters with higher public profiles than when they entered. But six weeks alone in the Nevada desert, cut off from friends, family, and any real contact with the outside world, all while a camera films you, is enough to test the psyche of even the strongest-willed men.

But few fighters seemed to take his time in the house as hard as Mike Ricci. The Montrealer, who fights Colton Smith in the welterweight championship fight at Saturday night's Ultimate Fighter Finale card in Las Vegas, says he still feels the repercussions from living in the house. He explained his feelings in-depth during a gripping MMA Hour interview on Monday.

"TUF took a lot of what was left as far as humanity and remorse for this sport and people and kind of took it away," said Ricci. "[It] made me realize how much of this sport is just business."

Ricci, who trains at Montreal's famed Tri-Star gym, jumped up from lightweight and was the smallest fighter in the house during a welterweight season. He says that while he knew what he was getting into, the effects of the seclusion was more than he could have imagined.

"It was an absolute nightmare, I wanted to sue for psychological damage, I wasn't the same person," Ricci said. "I actually thought I had a case, ‘I'm not the same person, I can do this and win.' But, I felt like don't get me wrong, I knew what I was getting into I knew how I was going to react. Even some of the producers in the house toward the end were like, ‘Geez, you're the most institutionalized fighter we've ever seen, we've done 11 seasons and we've never seen anyone like you, you're like a robot now.'

"I was taken away from my family and from my friends and from life, you literally, you vanish, you're gone, there's no sign of you whatsoever," Ricci continued. "Its almost like to everyone in the outside world you're dead and you're gone. There's no sign of you whatsoever. And, things like for instance I didn't know what was happening with my people on the outside, it was upsetting, people had gotten new jobs or changed their hairstyle or experienced different things I missed out on, it iust upset me. It still upsets me to this day."

Ricci has watched himself on TUF as the season has aired, but he says doing so is a difficult task.

"I watch it and it brings back a lot of emotions for me," he said. "It's hard to watch, when I watch it I don't even realize it, five minutes into the show I'm frowning and my eyebrows get lower and I have this look on my face and I'm getting right back where I was just by watching. But, and also with my situation it was even harder, I was the smallest guy in the house, lightweight, looking the way I look and being quiet it just kind of made me a target for the jokes in the house and being picked on and whatnot. It made my situation a lot harder."

All of this begs the question: Why did Ricci join TUF in the first place? According to the fighter, in the long run, the opportunity to gain the same benefits so many other TUF winners have gained over the years outweighed the negatives.

"I feel it was an opportunity for me to get ahead and go faster than I would have by the usual route, fighting your way up on undercards," Ricci said. "I know that it was a lot of work that was going to be crammed into a short amount of time, but if I looked good and was successful ... I feel like I brought in just as much exposure and gone as far forward fighting four fights for TUF than I would have four fights outside of TUF. But the time status is those four fights could be in a year, and I did it all in the span of a summer. That's why I did it."

With one more win, Ricci will have accomplished that goal. As the fighter with the chance to become the first Canadian TUF winner, he's garnered more interest than most TUF contestants in recent years. Now it's just a matter of getting the job done.

"There's a lot of successful people around me," said the Tri-Star competitor. "Rory MacDonald, Georges St-Pierre. I train with these guys day in and day out and I know where I deserve to be and TUF was my ticket
 
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Vitor belfort says anderson silva would beat jon jones on the feet




Vitor Belfort is one of the few men with first hand knowledge of what it's like to be in the UFC octagon with both Jon Jones and Anderson Silva. Belfort was on the receiving end of one of the great UFC highlights as Anderson Silva delivered a front kick to the face, knocking Vitor out. Vitor was also close to defeating Jones in their meeting in September, almost finishing him with an armbar before eventually being dominated and finished himself.

So when he talks about who he thinks would win the much discussed superfight between Silva and Jones, it's worth paying a little bit of attention to how he sees things going (via Fighters Only):

"Anderson vs. GSP is meaningless. It would make sense if Anderson fought Jon Jones. Anderson is a fighter at another level. I'm not underestimating Jones but appraising Anderson. He's one of the best that has existed, I always thought it," he told Por Dentro da Arena in his native Brazil.

"It is very nice to see his success. I know what he has gone through. Anderson is in a very high level and should defend his belt or fight for the light heavyweight title. I think he has a greater possibility to beat Jones. He would win on the feet."
 
Jun 22, 2012
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Jon Jones: “I’m totally not afraid of Anderson"




Jon Jones Isn’t Looking for Superfight, but He’s Not Afraid of Anderson Silva or Any Man

Posted on December 11, 2012 by Damon Martin

The subject of superfights have been coming up a lot lately, primarily due to UFC icon Anderson Silva looking for the biggest match-ups possible.

He had been targeting a showdown with UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre, but now that fight appears all but dead in the water with the Canadian likely to face Nick Diaz in his next trip to the Octagon.

So when Silva does return in 2013, he will either be fighting at middleweight or could he possibly move back up to 205 pounds for a challenge against light heavyweight champion Jon Jones in another potential superfight?

For months, both Jones and Silva downplayed the possible fight from ever happening, but as the pressure mounts, neither fighter has completely shot down the idea lately.

Jones says he’s not looking to fight Silva, but it’s no secret because as a fighter you want to face the best of the best, and Anderson Silva certainly defines greatness in MMA.

“I think superfights are important for the sport, important for legacies. A desire to compete in one, I really don’t have it because I don’t desire to compete against anyone in particular,” said Jones.

“Unless someone comes and challenges me, I’m fine going on my merry way and competing against these light heavyweights.”

Jones will next compete against fellow Ultimate Fighter coach Chael Sonnen in late April, and by then there may already be another challenger or two awaiting him at 205 pounds.

Still, the potential of a superfight against Anderson Silva can’t be ignored, and while Jones won’t go the route of calling for the bout to happen, he does say anything’s possible.

“Everything’s a possibility. I do believe that we’re put on this earth to think big and dream big, and not limiting ourselves, and fighting Anderson would be a definitely testament of my faith, and my warrior spirit,” said Jones.

“So who knows what will happen in the future.”

One thing is for sure though because, while Jones isn’t trying to call out Anderson Silva or tell the UFC that’s the fight that he wants, he’s not going to back down from the challenge and he’s not scared to face him in the Octagon.

As great as Anderson Silva is as a mixed martial artist, Jones doesn’t fear him, or anybody else for that matter.

“I’m totally not afraid of Anderson,” said Jones. “Not afraid of any man.”