MMA News Thread

[heyzel]

MMAWEEKLY WORLD MMA RANKINGS UPDATED

HEAVYWEIGHT DIVISION (over 205 pounds)

#1 Heavyweight Fighter in the World: Fedor Emelianenko

2. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira

3. Randy Couture

4. Josh Barnett

5. Tim Sylvia

6. Andrei Arlovski

7. Fabricio Werdum

8. Gabriel Gonzaga

9. Mirko Cro Cop Filipovic

10. Aleksander Emelianenko

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LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT DIVISION (205-pound limit)

#1 Light Heavyweight Fighter in the World: Quinton Jackson

2. Mauricio "Shogun" Rua

3. Chuck Liddell

4. Lyoto Machida

5. Keith Jardine

6. Forrest Griffin

7. Wanderlei Silva

8. Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou

9. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira

10. Tito Ortiz

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MIDDLEWEIGHT DIVISION (185-pound limit)

#1 Middleweight Fighter in the World: Anderson Silva

2. Paulo Filho

3. Rich Franklin

4. Denis Kang

5. Robbie Lawler

6. Nathan Marquardt

7. Kazuo Misaki

8. Yushin Okami

9. Dan Henderson

10. Frank Trigg

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WELTERWEIGHT DIVISION (170-pound limit)

#1 Welterweight Fighter in the World: Georges St. Pierre

2. Jon Fitch

3. Matt Hughes

4. Josh Koscheck

5. Matt Serra

6. Jake Shields

7. Diego Sanchez

8. Carlos Condit

9. Thiago Alves

10. Karo Parisyan

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LIGHTWEIGHT DIVISION (160-pound limit)

#1 Lightweight Fighter in the World: Takanori Gomi

2. Tatsuya Kawajiri

3. Shinya Aoki

4. Gesias "JZ" Calvancante

5. Mitsuhiro Ishida

6. Gilbert Melendez

7. B.J. Penn

8. Vitor "Shaolin" Ribeiro

9. Joe Stevenson

10. Joachim Hansen

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FEATHERWEIGHT DIVISION (145 pounds and under)

#1 Featherweight Fighter in the World: Urijah Faber

2. "Lion" Takeshi Inoue

3. Akitoshi Tamura

4. Antonio Carvalho

5. Hideki Kadowaki

6. Masakazu Imanari

7. Hatsu Hioki

8. Jeff Curran

9. Rafael Assuncao

10. Wagnney Fabiano

 

[heyzel]

NEW Mirko CROCOP video interview - He wants to fight Fedor NYE

http://www.dreamfighters.com/site/?action=detail&id=1208933055

 

[heyzel]

Breaking News: GSP vs Fitch appears to be official

DreamFighters.com has learned through various sources that GSP's next title defense will be against Jon Fitch.

Dana White has also confirmed on CTV Sportsnet that the fight is now official, as Fitch was the number 1 contender.

Jon Fitch is comming off a huge winning streak, as his recent loss comming all the way back from 2002 against Wilson Gouveia at HOOK n SHOOT.

 

[heyzel]

Sherdog Official Mixed Martial Arts Rankings

HEAVYWEIGHT (265-205)


1. Fedor Emelianenko (Pictures) (27-1-0, 1 NC)
Following the collapse of his deal with M-1 Global, Fedor Emelianenko (Pictures) seems to have landed right in the money-laden laps of Affliction, Mark Cuban and others with a bout against Tim Sylvia (Pictures) on July 19 now ready to be delivered. Hopefully this signals the beginning of a new era for MMA's "Last Emperor."

2. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (Pictures) (31-4-1, 1 NC)
In a vintage performance, Nogueira took 10 minutes' worth of championship abuse from Tim Sylvia (Pictures) before submitting the two-time UFC champ in the third round. With the victory, Nogueira became the only man to wear both Pride and UFC heavyweight title belts. If "Minotauro" can duplicate his performance against other top-10 foes, he may regain the top heavyweight status he once owned.


3. Randy Couture (Pictures) (16-8-0)
Unfortunately, no news is bad news for Randy Couture (Pictures), who continues his legal two-step with the UFC in hopes of securing a bout with Fedor Emelianenko (Pictures) outside the Octagon. As the drama continues to boil over, one has to wonder just how much time "The Natural" has left to make this mega-bout happen.

4. Tim Sylvia (Pictures) (24-4-0)
Suddenly free from the organization that nurtured him into a heavyweight force, two-time UFC champion Tim Sylvia (Pictures) has chosen Fedor Emelianenko (Pictures) as his first bout outside the UFC in nearly three years. An upset win over the sport's premier heavyweight would certainly go a long way toward erasing the memory of his collapse against Nogueira.

5. Andrei Arlovski (Pictures) (12-5-0)
It wasn't the vintage Arlovski performance some expected, but the former UFC champ pounded out previously undefeated Jake O'Brien (Pictures) in March. While many thought Arlovski being buried in the prelims would signal the end for the "Pitbull" in the UFC, both Arlovski, his management and even Dana White have expressed hope that the Belarusian will be back in the Octagon soon. There are also strong rumors he will fight outside the Octagon against Ben Rothwell (Pictures).

6. Fabricio Werdum (Pictures) (10-3-1)
Werdum successfully rebounded from a woeful Octagon debut against Andrei Arlovski (Pictures) with a well-earned stoppage over Gabriel Gonzaga (Pictures) in January. However, Werdum's road to a rematch with UFC champ Nogueira will be a difficult one, as he's slated for duty against Brandon Vera (Pictures) in June.

7. Josh Barnett (Pictures) (21-5-0)
He wasn't in peak form, but Barnett returned to action successfully in March against Hidehiko Yoshida (Pictures) in the first Sengoku headliner. Now, looking to bolster its lineup, World Victory Road has announced Barnett as a participant on the May 18 Sengoku card.

8. Gabriel Gonzaga (Pictures) (8-3-0)
After his devastating knockout of Mirko Filipovic (Pictures), many thought Gonzaga was the next UFC champion. Randy Couture (Pictures) brought him back down into the atmosphere, though, and then Fabricio Werdum (Pictures) slammed him back down to earth with a second-round stoppage in January. It remains to be seen if Gonzaga will be able to replicate his win over "Cro Cop" in the near future.

9. Mirko Filipovic (Pictures) (23-6-2)
After many headaches over finding an opponent for the former K-1 star, FEG finally produced a woefully overmatched Tatsuya Mizuno (Pictures), whom Filipovic destroyed in 56 seconds. Whether the state of things will improve for the Croatian remains to be seen.

10. Ben Rothwell (Pictures) (29-5-0)
While Rothwell is unproven against top competition, the 26-year-old Miletich product is riding a 13-fight winning streak, including wins over former UFC heavyweight champion Ricco Rodriguez (Pictures) and recently crowned IFL champion Roy Nelson (Pictures). His recent signing with Monte Cox's Adrenaline MMA should provide an outlet to fight better competition.

LIGHT HEAVYWEIGHT (205-185)


. Quinton Jackson (Pictures) (29-6-0)
Currently starring in the seventh season of "The Ultimate Fighter," "Rampage" has provided high-quality television thus far. Here's hoping for a high-quality bout in the season's culmination on July 5, when Jackson defends his UFC title against opposing coach Forrest Griffin (Pictures).

2. Dan Henderson (Pictures) (22-6-0)
He was torn up in his 185-pound title bout against Anderson Silva, and his next move is uncertain. However, if Dan Henderson (Pictures) returns to the 205-pound division, there will be no shortage of interesting matchups -- although there may be a shortage of easy ones.

3. Keith Jardine (Pictures) (13-3-1)
Was Keith Jardine (Pictures) an opportunist capitalizing on a savvy game plan and an unmotivated opponent in September when he upset Chuck Liddell (Pictures)? "The Dean of Mean" will have a chance to prove he's no one-hit wonder in May, when he takes on Wanderlei Silva (Pictures).

4. Forrest Griffin (Pictures) (15-4-0)
Griffin has gone from TUF competitor to coach, as he leads his team against Quinton Jackson (Pictures)'s on the seventh season of the show. However, what's more important is the buildup to July's light heavyweight title clash, which should pull big numbers for Zuffa and the UFC.

5. Chuck Liddell (Pictures) (21-5)
A badly torn hamstring has put Liddell on the shelf and cancelled his main event bout with Rashad Evans (Pictures) for June's UFC 85 card in London. Already entering the twilight of his career, the injury certainly isn't a good sign for one of MMA's most battle-tested veterans.

6. Mauricio Rua (Pictures) (16-3-0)
After injuring his knee and stumbling in his UFC debut, it seemed "Shogun" had hit rock bottom. Then, with a big fight against Chuck Liddell (Pictures) looming, disaster struck again when Rua injured the same knee that had been surgically repaired just months before.

7. Lyoto Machida (Pictures) (12-0-0)
An undefeated record, years of hype and a riddle of a fight style have gained Machida attention, and his recent domination of a surging Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou (Pictures) really put him on the map. Machida's path to his deserved title shot now seemingly runs through former UFC poster boy and champion Tito Ortiz (Pictures).

8. Wanderlei Silva (Pictures) (31-8-1, 1 NC)
The 31-year-old Brazilian has lost three in a row. Given the progression of his career, few would fault him for taking a tune-up bout. Instead, the longtime Pride king will return in May to take on Keith Jardine (Pictures), who outpointed Chuck Liddell (Pictures) last September.

9. Rashad Evans (Pictures) (11-0-1)
After "Shogun" injured his knee a second time, Evans was moved into the main event role against Chuck Liddell (Pictures) only to see Liddell suffer a hamstring injury that forced him to pull out. Evans is without an official opponent for the time being, although all signs point to him facing James Irvin (Pictures).

10. Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou (Pictures) (4-2-0)
Africa's top mixed martial artist exploded upon the world stage in 2007 with early knockouts of then top-10 light heavyweights Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (Pictures) and Ricardo Arona (Pictures), but he was brought back down to earth in a blowout against Lyoto Machida (Pictures) in December. The young Cameroonian will have the chance to get back on track in May, taking on Kazuhiro Nakamura (Pictures) in an important bout for both of the former judo standouts.

 

[heyzel]

MIDDLEWEIGHT (185-170)

. Anderson Silva (21-4)
Another one up, another one down. MMA's middleweight king solidified his top pound-for-pound status with his destructive second-round submission over Dan Henderson (Pictures) in March. While talk of a boxing match with Roy Jones Jr. may not be realistic, Silva's reign has been spectacular thus far. And like Jones' reign as king of the ring, many fans are left wondering who can beat "The Spider."

2. Paulo Filho (Pictures) (16-0-0)
His on-again, off-again rematch with Chael Sonnen (Pictures) was officially moved to June, following Filho's admission into rehab for substance abuse. Here's to a speedy recovery for the potent Brazilian, who reportedly suffered from depression as well.

3. Rich Franklin (Pictures) (23-3-0, 1 NC)
Franklin put his second brutal loss to Anderson Silva behind him, overcoming some early adversity to put a beatdown on another former Silva challenger, Travis Lutter (Pictures). With that second-round stoppage in the books, it's unclear what Franklin's next move at middleweight will be. But in the wide-open division, there is still a multitude of interesting fights for "Ace."

4. Nathan Marquardt (Pictures) (26-7-2)
With a dominant drubbing of Jeremy Horn (Pictures) now behind him, Marquardt will set his sights on once-beaten Brazilian Thales Leites (Pictures) in a June bout that has twice been postponed. If Marquardt wants to prove he deserves another crack at the UFC title after getting blown out by Anderson Silva in July, he'll need an impressive victory.

5. Robbie Lawler (Pictures) (16-4-0)
Looking to put recent injury woes behind him, Lawler will gear up for what will likely be the biggest fight of his career when he defends his EliteXC middleweight title against fellow heavy-handed 185-pounder Scott Smith. The bout is set for the main card of EliteXC's May 31 event on CBS.

6. Yushin Okami (Pictures) (22-4-0)
If Okami needed a dominant and decisive victory to really cement his place in the middleweight division, he's got it. Japan's best plus-155 product crashed former UFC champ Evan Tanner (Pictures)'s homecoming party with a nasty second-round knockout in March. Given the controversial history between the two, a rematch with Anderson Silva would seem to be the most sensible fight, though Okami will be hard-pressed to score a second win over the champ.

7. Frank Trigg (Pictures) (16-6-0)
In what looked like a highly compelling affair, Dream announced that Trigg would meet grappling god turned MMA prospect Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza in the opening round of its middleweight tournament on April 29. However, Trigg said that he had not agreed to the fight and didn't even have a visa. Oops.

8. Yoshihiro Akiyama (Pictures) (10-1-0, 2 NC)
Ever the source of controversy and quagmires, Akiyama's participation in Dream's middleweight tournament was seemingly nixed when he announced this week he has a broken nose that will take three weeks to heal. It's almost amazing to think of what might happen to Akiyama next.

9. Kazuo Misaki (Pictures) (19-8-2, 1 NC)
Misaki put the Akiyama fiasco behind him with a solid victory over Shooto world champ Siyar Bahadurzada (Pictures) at the debut Sengoku card. What's next for Misaki isn't certain, but he figures to have options with deals in hand with both Sengoku and Strikeforce stateside.

10. Jorge Santiago (Pictures) (16-7-0)
After winning Strikeforce's one-night tournament in November, it was uncertain what would be next for the Brazilian veteran. Santiago has since signed on to face Yuki Sasaki (Pictures) on World Victory Road's May Sengoku card. The two were originally set to square off in the first round of the Strikeforce tournament before failed pre-fight medicals forced Sasaki from the bracket.

WELTERWEIGHT (170-155)


1. Georges St. Pierre (Pictures) (16-2-0)
The specter of St. Pierre's April 2006 loss to Matt Serra (Pictures) was definitively erased with his two-round demolition of Serra in front of a raucous Montreal crowd. With GSP now seemingly back in position for the championship reign that was anticipated from him last year, the French Canadian will make his first title defense later this year, likely against Jon Fitch (Pictures).

2. Jon Fitch (Pictures) (16-2-0, 1 NC)
Fitch picked up a high-quality win in March, taking out an underrated and largely unknown Chris Wilson. The problem was that he looked less than stellar in doing so, which has quieted much of the hype he brought into the bout. Nonetheless, with St. Pierre regaining the undisputed UFC title, Fitch will likely get his championship chance later this year. With his victory and Serra's demotion, Fitch skips from fourth to second.

3. Matt Hughes (Pictures) (41-6-0)
The sport's most celebrated welterweight is nearing the end, but he still has one or two fights left. The most logical bout at this point in time, and one that nearly all parties seem interested in, is the bout with Matt Serra (Pictures) that was nixed last December.

4. Josh Koscheck (Pictures) (10-2-0)
With a new contact in tow, Koscheck will climb back into the Octagon in July. This time around, he will meet the ever-game Chris Lytle (Pictures) on the Jackson-Griffin undercard. With Serra's loss, "Kos" rises from fifth to fourth.

5. Diego Sanchez (Pictures) (18-2-0)
After opting to stay at 170 pounds following losses to Josh Koscheck (Pictures) and Jon Fitch (Pictures), Sanchez signed a new long-term deal with Zuffa. He then absolutely destroyed Sweden's David Bielkheden (Pictures), serving notice to the division that "The Nightmare" is back. Serra's defeat sees Sanchez rise from sixth to fifth.

6. Jake Shields (Pictures) (20-4-1)
Shields was set to put his EliteXC title on the line March 29 before a back injury postponed his bout with Drew Fickett (Pictures). He anticipates being ready for June, when he and Fickett should put on a solid welterweight scrap. With the losses of Serra and Parisyan, Shields rises from eighth to sixth.

7. Matt Serra (Pictures) (9-5)
The slipper dropped for Serra, who was destroyed in his rematch with St. Pierre. However, Serra might not be done in big bouts, as the potential for a clash with Matt Hughes (Pictures) seems high in the near future.

8. Thiago Alves (Pictures) (14-3-0)
The rapidly improving Alves has emerged into a force in the ultra-deep welterweight ranks. He further validated himself with his biggest win to date over Karo Parisyan (Pictures) on April 2. While Fitch seems next in line for a crack at GSP, Alves says Zuffa has told him he's second in line. In this line, Alves debuts at No. 8.

9. Karo Parisyan (Pictures) (18-5-0)
Parisyan, who was set to challenge for the UFC welterweight title in November 2005, just had his title hopes take another hit when he was stopped by Thiago Alves (Pictures). With the loss, Parisyan drops from seventh to ninth.

10. Carlos Condit (Pictures) (22-4-0)
Condit was the marquee man for the WEC's recent foray into New Mexico, and the 170-pound champ didn't disappoint. He avenged his September 2004 loss to Carlo Prater (Pictures) with a first-round guillotine in front of his raucous home crowd. However, with the addition of Thiago Alves (Pictures) to the rankings, Condit falls from ninth to 10th

 

[heyzel]

LIGHTWEIGHT (155-145)

. Takanori Gomi (Pictures) (28-3-0, 1 NC)
Gomi did what was expected in stopping Duane Ludwig (Pictures) in his return to action March 5. With Dream's star-studded tournament underway and the upcoming Sherk-Penn bout looming, though, whether Gomi can find any worthwhile opponents and maintain his stature as the sport's top lightweight is the real question. Nonetheless, "The Fireball Kid" will likely be back in action for World Victory Road's June Sengoku card.

2. Gesias Calvancante (Pictures) (14-1-1, 1 NC)
The ongoing drama with Shinya Aoki (Pictures) will be resolved April 29, when the two rematch at the second Dream event. If victorious, Calvancante will move on to the quarterfinals only two weeks later on May 11 to take on former Olympic silver medal wrestler Katsuhiko Nagata (Pictures).

3. Mitsuhiro Ishida (Pictures) (16-3-1)
After a boring opening-round affair against Bu Kyung Jung (Pictures), Ishida will look to turn things up a notch in the Dream tournament's second round on May 11. In the quarterfinal, he takes on always solid veteran Caol Uno (Pictures), who has been seeded into the tournament after sitting out the opening round in March.

4. B.J. Penn (Pictures) (12-4-1)
There is little left to be said about B.J. Penn (Pictures)'s UFC lightweight title victory over Joe Stevenson -- the Hawaiian's first win over a top-10 lightweight in four years. He fought in the fashion most hoped he would for the duration of his career. If the new Penn shows up with similar motivation, his forthcoming bout with Sean Sherk (Pictures) could be an Octagon classic. A win would almost certainly propel Penn to the top of the division.

5. Gilbert Melendez (Pictures) (14-1-0)
Melendez's March 29 defense of his Strikeforce title against Gabe Lemley (Pictures) was nothing short of the mismatched beatdown that was anticipated. Hopefully the next action for the Cesar Gracie (Pictures) product, expected to come against Josh Thomson (Pictures) in June, is a match more befitting his stature.

6. Tatsuya Kawajiri (Pictures) (21-4-2)
Up next in Kawajiri's Dream Grand Prix course on May 11 is a rematch with Brazilian Luiz Firmino (Pictures). Kawajiri and Firmino met the first time in July 2005, when the "Crusher" took a unanimous decision.

7. Vitor Ribeiro (Pictures) (19-2)
"Shaolin" had successful eye surgery in September following his destruction at the hands of Gesias Calvancante (Pictures). For Ribeiro, recovery likely can't come fast enough to allow him to erase the memories of his dreadful performance in the Hero's semifinal.

8. Sean Sherk (Pictures) (32-2-1)
With his steroid saga behind him, Sherk can now focus on his opportunity to regain the UFC lightweight title he believes should still be his. The ever-game fighter faces an enormous challenge against the ultra-talented Penn in what should be a hotly anticipated encounter.

9. Joe Stevenson (28-8-0)
After earning a well-deserved title opportunity in January, Stevenson was dismantled. However, he will be back in action against quality opposition July 5, when he meets tough Brazilian Gleison Tibau (Pictures) on the undercard of Jackson-Griffin.

10. Kenny Florian (Pictures) (9-3-0)
Florian was dominant in his April 2 display against Joe Lauzon (Pictures) and made a smooth transition into the commentary booth as well for UFC 83 in Montreal. With his only loss in his last eight bouts coming to Sean Sherk (Pictures), Florian's resume coupled with Frank Edgar (Pictures)'s loss to Gray Maynard (Pictures) sees "Ken Flo" debut in the rankings at No. 10.

FEATHERWEIGHT (145-135)
. Urijah Faber (Pictures) (20-1-0)
Heavy is the head that wears the crown, and with a potential bout against Jens Pulver (Pictures) looming, Faber could be in for the stiffest test of his career. The crowd will at least be a pro-Faber one, though, as the "California Kid" will be defending in his backyard of Sacramento.

2. Takeshi Inoue (Pictures) (14-2-0)
In a thoroughly entertaining but ultimately one-sided affair in January, "Lion Takeshi" showed the form that made him Shooto world champion while dominating tricky veteran Katsuya Toida (Pictures) for the meaningless Shooto 143-pound Pacific Rim title. Inoue's road back to the top of the heap in pro Shooto continues May 3, when he'll meet fireplug IFL veteran Trenell "Savant" Young. With Akitoshi Tamura (Pictures)'s loss, Inoue rises from third to second.

3. Jeff Curran (Pictures) (29-9-1)
"The Big Frog" had a great first round but ultimately fell prey to Urijah Faber (Pictures) in their Dec. 12 WEC title bout. Curran is slated to fight next in June, when he'll take on ATT product Mike Thomas Brown in a well-matched bout. Curran is a benefactor of Akitoshi Tamura (Pictures)'s loss, rising from fourth to third.

4. Masakazu Imanari (Pictures) (14-5-1)
Imanari made the first defense of his Cage Rage title on March 8 with a first-round submission over tough Brazilian Jean Silva (Pictures) via leglock (what else?). The "Ashikan Judan" will now look to make the second defense of his Deep featherweight title on May 19, when he meets veteran Dokonjonosuke Mishima (Pictures), who stopped him in July 2003. In the mean time, Imanari rises from fifth to fourth.

5. Leonard Garcia (Pictures) (11-3-0)
After dropping to the featherweight class and scoring the biggest win of his career over Hiroyuki Takaya (Pictures) in February, Garcia was busted last month in connection with a cocaine ring in Texas. Garcia has been charged with conspiracy to distribute and possession with intent to distribute five kilograms or more of cocaine. None too surprisingly, his fight career is on hold for the time being. Despite his possible indiscretions, Tamura's loss sees Garcia rise from sixth to fifth.

6. Hiroyuki Takaya (Pictures) (9-5-1)
There was much excitement over Takaya's Feb. 13 WEC debut. Many thought he could be a quality competitor and offer a challenge to divisional kingpin Urijah Faber (Pictures). The hype was quickly nixed, though. Although defeated, Takaya rises from seventh to sixth with the loss of his compatriot Akitoshi Tamura (Pictures).

7. Antonio Carvalho (Pictures) (10-3-0)
Carvalho was scheduled to meet Yuji Hoshino (Pictures) in the GCM Cage Force 145-pound tournament, but an injury nixed that bout, and GCM couldn't pull off the last-minute heroics to find the Canadian an opponent. The Carvalho-Hoshino bout will now likely happen June 22, any future injuries notwithstanding.

8. Hatsu Hioki (Pictures) (15-3-1)
The ultra-skilled Nagoyan continued his comeback after a miserable 2007 by absolutely destroying grappling wiz Baret Yoshida (Pictures). However, Hioki tweaked his knee in the victory, which nixed a potential big bout with Rumina Sato (Pictures) in May. Nonetheless, the win, coupled with Akitoshi Tamura (Pictures)'s fall, sees Hioki rise from 10th to eighth.

9. Hideki Kadowaki (Pictures) (13-7-2)
An improbable title challenger, Kadowaki made good on his unlikely opportunity March 28, knocking off Akitoshi Tamura (Pictures) in a lackluster but hard-fought bout to become Shooto 143-pound world champion. Although the deck is heavily stacked against Kadowaki reigning as champion, the veteran debuts in the rankings at No. 9.

10. Akitoshi Tamura (Pictures) (11-6-2)
After a sensational and surprising 2007, Tamura was brought back to earth in the first defense of his Shooto world title, dropping a majority decision to Kadowaki. With the loss, Tamura tumbles from No. 2 to No. 10 in these rankings. However, he will have the chance to right his ship to some extent on May 3, when he meets Shooto icon Rumina Sato (Pictures).

 

[heyzel]

BANTAMWEIGHT (135-125)

1. Miguel Torres (Pictures) (32-1-0)
The sudden star of MMA's emerging bantamweight class was set for a very interesting June 1 bout with Manny Tapia (Pictures). However, even after a knee injury axed Tapia from the bout, Torres' June title defense remains exciting on paper, as the mulleted Mexicano will meet Pancrase poster boy Yoshiro Maeda (Pictures) in the first defense of his WEC title.

2. Masakatsu Ueda (Pictures) (8-0-1)
In the biggest fight of his young career, Ueda became just the second fighter to be an All Japan amateur Shooto champion, a Shooto rookie champion and a Shooto world champion by taking a commanding decision over Koetsu Okazaki (Pictures) to win the Shooto 132-pound world title. Although the WEC will continue to become the focal point of the weight class, Ueda has become the division's torchbearer abroad. With his Shooto world title capture, Ueda rises from third to second.

3. Koetsu Okazaki (Pictures) (5-1-1)
Okazaki was quite simply outclassed by the stronger, more technical Ueda in their March 28 title showdown. With the loss, Okazaki falls from second to third. What's next for the Osaka native is uncertain, as he has never been much of a workhorse and may not get back into the ring until the latter stages of the year.

4. Atsushi Yamamoto (Pictures) (11-5-1)
The Norifumi Yamamoto (Pictures) pupil had the biggest opportunity of his career in his bout with Masakatsu Ueda (Pictures), which offered the winner a chance to fight for the vacant 132-pound Shooto world title. In a hard-fought bout, Ueda came out the victor, sending Yamamoto back to the drawing board.

5. Brian Bowles (Pictures) (4-0-0)
Bowles went from "Who is this kid?" after his June submission over vet Charlie Valencia (Pictures) to "This kid is serious" after his Dec. 12 steamrolling of the well-traveled and well-accomplished Marcos Galvao (Pictures). With the win, Bowles notched the most significant victory to date for a North American bantamweight against international competition and also cemented himself as a worthy adversary to the likes of Chase Beebe (Pictures), Manny Tapia (Pictures) and Miguel Torr, es (Pictures).

6. Marcos Galvao (Pictures) (6-2-0)
After years of competing in Shooto, "Louro" got a golden opportunity to showcase his skills in the WEC. The result? Galvao got absolutely destroyed by upstart Brian Bowles (Pictures), who tore him apart on the feet en route to a second-round stoppage.

7. Daniel Lima (Pictures) (8-2-2)
After pulling out of a scheduled bout with Tetsu Suzuki (Pictures) in March, the next move for the Australia-based Brazilian is uncertain, though it will likely come in the land down under.

8. Takeya Mizugaki (Pictures) (8-2-2)
Although Mizugaki may be the favorite in GCM's 135-pound Cage Force tournament, injuries have postponed his tournament entry until June, when he will meet a yet-to-be-determined opponent in a tournament quarterfinal.

9. Chase Beebe (Pictures) (11-2-0)
Yes, Beebe lost his WEC title. Yet there is little that can be said to disparage the former champ, who simply was outgunned by a far more seasoned and savvy opponent in Miguel Torres (Pictures). At only 22 years old, the ultra-talented Beebe is still improving largely from fight to fight and figures to play a pivotal role in the WEC's intensifying 135-pound picture.

10. Manny Tapia (Pictures) (10-0-1)
Tapia's next battle will be rehabbing from surgery, following the knee injury that scuttled his June 1 WEC title challenge against Miguel Torres (Pictures). However, upon return, he will likely be the man to challenge for the WEC crown.

 

[heyzel]

FLYWEIGHT (125-115)

1. Shinichi Kojima (Pictures) (8-3-4)
After an absolutely humiliating 2007, the Shooto 123-pound world champion showed he had learned nothing in his bout with Eduardo Dantas (Pictures) by taking another fight at 132 pounds against So Tazawa (Pictures). He was thoroughly outworked in the match and saved by the referee while caught in a locked armbar in the third round. Hopefully it signals the end of Kojima's dream to be a two-division champion.

2. Yasuhiro Urushitani (Pictures) (14-3-5)
After a year in which he was seemingly shortchanged at every turn, Urushitani will have the chance to solidify his status as the top contender to the Shooto 123-pound world title on May 3, when he takes on upstart rookie champ Ryuichi Miki (Pictures). A win would seemingly force a third clash between Kojima and Urushitani for the title.

3. Mamoru Yamaguchi (Pictures) (20-4-3)
After his disappointing September loss to Urushitani, Mamoru has looked sensational in dominant decision victories over up-and-comers Yuki Shoujou (Pictures) and Masaaki Sugawara (Pictures). In knocking off Sugawara last month, Mamoru put one of the most exciting performances of his career in what may have been the best bout in pro Shooto thus far in 2008.

4. Yuki Shoujou (Pictures) (7-4-2)
After a great 2007 campaign, Shoujou took the step up in competition against former champion Mamoru Yamaguchi (Pictures) last month. Despite a spirited effort, Mamoru was dominant for three rounds en route to a unanimous decision. Although losing to Mamoru is nothing to be ashamed of, Shoujou's loss illustrates the difficulty for up-and-coming flyweights to break the compact of the "big three."

5. Rambaa Somdet (Pictures) (4-2)
Surreal to say the least, former Thai stadium standout Rambaa "M-16" Somdet, after nearly five years away from MMA, returned to the ring last year. First he demolished 115-pounder Takehiro Harusaki (Pictures) effortlessly in July. Then in November he destroyed a streaking Masaaki Sugawara (Pictures), threatening with both submission attempts and vicious strikes before forcing a doctor's stoppage after the second round. While it's unclear if Somdet will continue campaigning at 115 or 123 pounds, the colorful and unorthodox fighter has commanded the attention of fans with his last two wins.

 

[heyzel]

Tony Reali of ESPN talks MMA

In an interview with Michael David Smith of AOL Fanhouse:

I’m really interested to see how MMA does this year on network TV. My gut tells me we have to get MMA. If somebody asked you 10 years ago would ESPN put poker on you’d have said no. There’s a resistance right now from an older generation, not just at ESPN but my grandfather was a huge boxing fan, I don’t know if he’d be taking to MMA.

I know how Tony and Michael feel, which is that it’s too brutal to put on television. We’ve talked about putting Rampage Jackson on PTI and what happens in the end is they can’t get past the brutality of it. I don’t know that it’s really more brutal than boxing, there are long-term injuries in boxing. I think it’s compelling. When you watch it you can see what the appeal is, and I think it will be a ratings success on network TV.

 

[heyzel]

MM-Eh! News and Notes from Canada

April 23, 2008
by Andy Cotterill



Perhaps the biggest surprise to emerge from last weekend's UFC in Montreal was the thorough dismantling of highly touted middleweight Alan Belcher (Pictures) by newcomer Jason Day (Pictures).

A 29-year-old homebuilder from Lethbridge, Alberta, Day, whose record stands at 17-5, is also co-owner of the Rumble In The Cage organization with Lee Mein (Pictures).

Sherdog.com spoke with Day, a sizeable underdog heading into UFC 83, about his impressive win.

Andy Cotterill: Congratulations on your win Jason. How long did it take for the elation of winning in the UFC to go away, or has it?
Jason Day (Pictures): It hasn't. Everything fell into place. There nerves were there like any other fight, but as soon as I got to the venue and walked to the Octagon it just felt right. I was at home. My nerves went away and I was less nervous for this fight than any of my last three or four fights.

Cotterill: That's kind of backwards, isn't it? Shouldn't you have been more nervous?
Day: That's what I thought, and it was the total opposite, and I'm still flying high from it.

Cotterill: What was the worst part about your weekend?
Day: The five minutes I had to spend in the sauna.

Cotterill: When was that?
Day: That was Friday morning before weigh-ins. It was the easiest cut I've ever done, and I've got to give my nutrition coach thanks. He got me through the whole week.

Cotterill: What was the best part about your weekend?
Day: Getting my hand raised was probably one of the best moments of my life so far.

Cotterill: What were you thinking once the fight started?
Day: I just wanted to feel him out for the first little while to see what he was thinking. I didn't really see anything on his feet that really scared me. He went for underhooks right away, didn't even go for the Muay Thai clinch, I think.

Cotterill: Were you worried when he got the takedown?
Day: When he got the underhooks the only thing he could really do was take me down so I wasn't really worried or concerned about it. I was kind of like let's get down and try it. He got the takedown and I was pretty relaxed on the ground. I didn't feel in danger at all so I worked my arms in and went right to rubber guard.

Cotterill: Your rubber-guard impressed many people.
Day: People are going insane for that! I mean everybody is losing their minds on the Internet. Eddie Bravo (developer of the rubber guard techniques) posted on the Internet about it.

Cotterill: How long have you been training the rubber-guard -- do you know the whole system?
Day: You know what's funny? I learned that about a month ago. I was training in Calgary and a buddy asked if I'd ever seen the rubber-guard. I'm like, I never heard of it and don't know much about it. He showed it to me once and I just started using it.

Cotterill: It looked you may have been going for an attempt at a triangle choke.
Day: I didn't really want to force the triangle, so I just sort of hung out, and one time I was trying to go for a double armbar triangle but I couldn't get my legs high enough.

Cotterill: Was he hurt from your elbows on the ground?
Day: I don't know if they had any affect at all.

Cotterill: Was it the three right elbows on the feet that hurt him then?
Day: It's actually Justin Tavernini that watched [Belcher's] fight with Starnes who said, "When he clinches he doesn't pull your head down." So we've been working that, and as soon as I felt his hands on my head it was just automatic. Grabbed him and threw the elbows, and the second one caught him flush on the temple I think. The third one he was backing away and I didn't stop after that.

Cotterill: You had the killer instinct.
Day: Yeah, it was like I smelled blood. He backed up and he kind of dropped his hands for a second thinking I wouldn't come after him, and he kept backing up and back-pedalling and you know you see that look in a guy's eyes? I didn't want to stop. Every time I hit him I heard the crowd get louder and louder. The rest is history. I wanted 10 more seconds. All I needed was 10 more seconds and maybe I would have got knockout of the night.

Cotterill: When you were advancing on him, were you ever concerned that maybe he was faking it, and that you might have been expending too much energy?
Day: You know what man? Like I've said, I'm in the best shape of my life and I had no worries. I was unloading, and even after the last few punches I had lots of energy. It didn't even cross my mind.

Cotterill: Were you hurt at all in the fight?
Day: No. I don't even think I got hit in the face once, and I think I could fight tomorrow if I wanted.

Cotterill: You were the X-factor going into this fight. No one knew who you were, and nobody gave you a chance.
Day: That's exactly what I've been hearing. The buzz on the Internet is that I got a huge amount of respect and a ton of new fans. You know what? I've been the underdog for so long that I don't know where to go from here.

Cotterill: The day before the weigh-ins you were hanging out at the hotel, and were in the middle of a dozen fans who were hoping to meet the UFC fighters, and nobody knew who you were. Did that change after the fight?
Day: A little bit. The fans in Montreal were awesome, but now that I'm back here nothing's really changed yet. If my fight had have been on the pay per view maybe.

Cotterill: Did the UFC comment about your performance?
Day: From what I hear when Joe Silva came in the cage and he said, "Nice debut." That was awesome. Greg, one of the guys from the UFC, was wide eyed and said, "That was amazing -- I can't believe you went through a tough guy like that." Maybe I put on a good enough show that they'll put me on the live PPV next time.

Cotterill: How many fights on your contract?
Day: It's a four-fight contract, with three to go.

Cotterill: Has there been any discussion as to when you'll be in there next?
Day: Nothing man, I have no idea who's up next.

Cotterill: Who would you like to fight?
Day: I don't know. There's nobody I have bad blood against, that's for sure. I think I'd like to fight Bisping; he's a wicked fighter and high energy. I definitely want to go after the tougher guys. I want to get the same guy that everybody else wants in the middleweight division wants to fight, but I guess I'll have to go through a few guys before I get to him.

Cotterill: What would you do if they came to you tomorrow and offered Anderson Silva?
Day: When and where? No hesitation. That's what we're working for, right? Without a question.

Cotterill: Who are some other guys in your club who you'd like to see in the UFC?
Day: Jesse Bongfeldt. He deserves to be there I think 100 percent. I think he'd make waves in the welterweight division. (Bongfeldt is the current TKO welterweight champion.)

Cotterill: What have you been doing back in Lethbridge?
Day: Back at work. I took a whole week off the gym, had a beer or two. I cut out booze once I start training, so it's nice for a Canadian boy to have a couple beers now and then.

Cotterill: Are back to work building homes?
Day: Yup. I've got to get these houses going. I still have to pay bills.

Cotterill: Does that keep you humble?
Day: Absolutely, I'm by no means living the "rock star" lifestyle. Hopefully one of these days I can get enough sponsors, or I get a good enough contract that I don't have to work anymore and I can train all the time. Right now I'm still a homebuilder first and a fighter second.



Alberta's Maximum Fighting Championship announced Tuesday that Gary Goodridge (Pictures) has been forced to withdraw from his heavyweight bout versus Eric Pele (Pictures) at MFC 16 on May 9 in Edmonton.

Goodridge recently suffered a back injury that he announced requires surgery on the sciatic nerve in his lower back. He was also forced off the April 11 Yamma Pit Fighting card after being knocked out in a fight in South Korea.

"It's disappointing that he won't be fighting but we will find a very suitable replacement immediately," said MFC Owner/President Mark Pavelich. "Gary told me that he still expects to attend the show and that he hopes to be able to fight in the MFC later this year."

Fighters Nation Set for Inaugural Card

Calgary-based Fighters Nation will have its first card Saturday at the Calgary Corral. Twelve fights are scheduled for "Urban Conflict," including a main event featuring promising Canadian heavyweight Nick Penner against American Jimmy Ambriz (Pictures).

FN public relations director Kris LaBelle told MM-Eh! that there is a $1,000 bonus for every knockout, and they have already pre-sold 2,000 tickets, with a prediction of 2,800 sold.

IFL vet Claude Patrick (Pictures) will be doing the commentary with Calgary's Max Marin (Pictures).

Nick Penner vs. Jimmy Ambriz (Pictures)
Victor Daychief vs. Jarret Evans
Adam Thomas vs. Nathan Gunn
Bobby Kalmakoff vs. Devan Garnan
Mike Zvonick vs. Keto Allen
Trevor Stewardson vs. Jacob Macdonald
Darren Appels vs. Ben Borger
Nick Coloumbe vs. Jeremy McKay
Chase Holthe vs. Matt Veal
Ryan Hartnett vs. Alain Hernandez
Rob Roy vs. Matt Bagshaw
Peter Dahl vs. Elliot Duff

Phoenix Fight Promotions Update

Facing a slew of last-minute changes to his sophomore card, scheduled for this Saturday at the Halifax Forum, PFP co-owner Scott MacLean said opponents for Thierry Quenneville (Pictures) and Steve Claveau (Pictures) did not complete their paperwork in time, so their fights have been cancelled.

Mike Gates (Pictures) vs. Joe Riggs (Pictures)
Rowan Cunningham (Pictures) vs. Stephan Lamarche (Pictures)
Peter McGrath (Pictures) vs. Syd Barnier
Craig Skinner (Pictures) vs. Tim Skidmore (Pictures)
Richard Arsenault (Pictures) vs. Jason Rorison (Pictures)
Vartan Pour Nick vs. Devin Henry
John Hache vs. Jeff Lundeberg
Francis Thibault vs. Scott Levesque

Canadian Calendar

April 26: Fighters Nation "Urban Conflict" - Calgary Corral
April 26: Iroquois Mixed Martial Arts Championship - Hagersville, Ontario
April 26: Phoenix Fight Promotions II "Street Justice" - Halifax
May 3: KOTC "Terror on the Tundra" - Yellowknife, N.W.T.
May 3: UMC - Yorkton, Sask.
May 9: Maximum Fighting Championship 16 - Anger Management - Edmonton
May 10: Hardcore Championship Fighting - Calgary ***Officially Postponed***
May 17: Xtreme MMA 4 - Jonquière, Quebec
May 24: Absolute Fighting "Brawl at the Border" - Amherst, Nova Scotia
May 30: Colosseum Fighting Championships 8 - Winnipeg
June 7: TKO 34 - Montreal
June 20: KOTC - Montreal
June 21: Phoenix Fight Promotions - Halifax
June 27: Ultimate Cage Wars 12 - Winnipeg
July 19: KOTC - Edmonton
July 26: Freedom Fight "Title Quest" - Hull, Quebec
Sep. 6: Fighters Nation 2 - Calgary Corral
Oct. 3: TKO 35 - Montreal
Oct. 18: Phoenix Fight Promotions - Halifax
Dec. 5: TKO 36 - Montreal
Dec. 6: Phoenix Fight Promotions - Halifax

 

[heyzel]

Mickey's to announce Tito Ortiz signing

by Dann Stupp [mmajunkie] on Apr 23, 2008 at 8:55 am in - News -
Just prior to March's UFC 82 event, the UFC announced a major deal with Anheuser-Busch, the largest brewing company in the U.S. and the world's biggest spender of sports-marketing dollars.

Today, Tito Ortiz, a UFC light heavyweight who has a well-documented feud with UFC president Dana White, will announce a major sponsorship with Mickey's, which is part of Miller Brewing Company -- and Anheuser-Busch's biggest rival.

MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) was told of the signing by Mickey's executives on Tuesday.

Ortiz has just one fight remaining on his current UFC deal and is expected to leave the organization after a UFC 84 bout with Lyoto Machida.

As part of his deal with Mickey's, the company will develop promotions, events and packaging featuring Ortiz. Mickey's will also work alongside Ortiz's Team Punishment clothing brand for cross-promotional opportunities.

Mickey's had been a longtime sponsor of the UFC, but the partnership ended due to the UFC's deal with Anheuser-Busch and the Bud Light brand. The "Fine Malt Liquor" company had sponsored many UFC fighters and presented a handful of UFC events.

Ortiz, 15-5-1, held the UFC light heavyweight title from April 2000 to September 2003. He remains one of pay per view's top draws and is one of only a few MMA stars to find mainstream success. The 33-year-old, who is currently dating Jenna Jameson, recently appeared on the NBC hit "The Celebrity Apprentice."

A formal announcement of the Ortiz-Mickey's signing is expected later this mornin

 

[heyzel]

Nate Quarry: "Why would you want to be a fighter and not fight

On Kalib Starnes running...

"That was one thing that we hadn’t really prepared for. We had seen a lot of his fights to where once you start hitting him, he just shuts down and covers. This time, when he shut down and covered, he ran backwards. I was expecting him or what I thought for him would be a logical gameplan would be for him to clinch me and press the clinch over and over and try to get the takedown. I didn’t really prepare for him to come in and do that. I had no clue that he was going to run backwards and basically give up the fight. You can’t win when you’re running backwards and not throwing any punches; that was a surprise."

"Oh yeah, I was getting very frustrated. I don’t know why you would want to be a fighter and show up not to fight. I gained fans when I fought Rich Franklin and got knocked out in the 1st round because I stepped in there and I came to win; I fought. I came forward the entire time against Rich and fighters that move backwards and don’t fight to win and are afraid to lose just don’t gain fans. It’s a metaphor for life. You’re drawn towards people that fight through adversity and come to win in any situation and when it’s that way in the cage and your character is really revealed, you lose fans left and right."

He talks more about the fight, his future plans and some other stuff in the full interview:

http://www.fighthype.com/pages/content2503.html

 

[Shogun Locc]

Liddell pulls out of match with injury

Chuck Liddell, the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s most well-known star, has been pulled off the June 7 main event at the O2 Arena in London due to a partial hamstring tear suffered in training on April 11.

The UFC made the official announcement Monday after Liddell told company president Dana White about the severity of his injury. Liddell had continued light training over the past week in hopes he could salvage his pay-per-view main event fight with Rashad Evans.

It was the first time in Liddell’s 10-year career that he has canceled a fight, which has included fighting Tito Ortiz twice with a torn MCL, and fighting Quinton Jackson in Japan with a torn quadriceps.


Liddell said the injury, which won’t require surgery, took place while doing light training, and he heard the muscle pop. He was hoping it wasn’t serious but trainer John Hackelman immediately thought he had hurt it pretty bad as the entire muscle became discolored.


“I hyperextended it,” Liddell said. “I probably didn’t warm up enough, or it was a freak injury.


“I think I can fight by August,” said Liddell, who will need four to six weeks to rehab before he can begin hard training.

“Unfortunately, Chuck Liddell tore his right hamstring during training last week, and being the warrior that he is, he still wanted to fight, which is the reason everyone in the world loves him,” said White in a release. “But I wouldn’t let anyone fight with his leg looking that way. Let him heal and come back and fight when he is 100 percent.”


Liddell said he was lucky that the partial tear was in the belly of the muscle and not the insertion, so it should heal faster.


After the injury, he continued to train his upper body and was swimming without much stress on his legs, while doctors advised him against fighting.


“I can’t walk without a limp,” he said, but noted the pain is manageable, and in recent days has been able to ride the bike, but not at a fast pace, and has started throwing light kicks in the swimming pool as well as doing bodyweight squats. But he can’t push off or do any kind of normal fight training.


UFC is attempting to both get a replacement to face the undefeated Evans, 16-0-1, as well as add a couple of matches to the show to make up for Liddell not appearing. They are going to schedule 13 matches instead of 11 as originally planned. James “Sandman” Irvin, who tied a UFC record with an eight second knockout of Houston Alexander on April 2 in Broomfield, Colo., is among those under consideration.

Brandon Vera vs. Fabricio Werdum in a heavyweight match was the scheduled No. 2 match on the show.


The O2 Arena in London, which holds 16,200 fans for a UFC setup, was a few hundred tickets shy of sold out as of Monday according to UFC officials, who noted that even with higher ticket prices, sales were ahead of the pace of the debut show on Sept. 8 headlined by the Quinton Jackson vs. Dan Henderson UFC vs. Pride title unification match.


Liddell said he had never told White in advance about any injuries, but felt he had to tell him about this one. White, likely figuring if Liddell called to tell him about it that it had to be serious, told Liddell it wasn’t a smart move to take the fight with the injury, which could worsen in training or fighting and threaten his career longevity.

already been posted

 

[Shogun Locc]

May 31 EliteXC-CBS to feature seven preliminary fights

In addition to the five main-card fights that will air during EliteXC's May 31 debut on CBS, the event will feature seven fights on an un-aired preliminary card.

EliteXC teased the seven bouts -- for a total 12-bout fight card -- in the latest "EliteXC: PRIMETIME" event poster.

The show, headlined by a heavyweight bout between Kevin "Kimbo Slice" Ferguson and James Thompson, takes place at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J. and airs from 9-11 p.m. ET on CBS. It's the first MMA event to air live on major U.S. network television.

None of the preliminary-card bouts has been announced.

EliteXC was never clear on whether or not the show would featured un-aired preliminary fights, so the news should come as a welcomed surprise to fans purchasing tickets for the event. Tickets are still available for the show and range from $15 for mezzanine seating to $1,000 for VIP ringside seats.

In addition to Ferguson vs. Thompson, "EliteXC: PRIMETIME" features a EliteXC middleweight title fight between Robbie Lawler and Scott Smith, as well as a bout between "American Gladiator" Gina Carano and Kaitlin Young. Also on the main card is a bout between Phil Baroni and Joey Villasenor, as well as Brett Rogers vs. Jon Murphy.

 

[Shogun Locc]

BISPING TALKS UFC 83 WIN, WANTS TO FIGHT SOON

Michael "The Count" Bisping debuted as a middleweight in impressive fashion at UFC 83 with a TKO victory over Charles "Chainsaw" McCarthy. Questions surrounded how Bisping would perform at 185 pounds, but he answered those questions Saturday night.



"I felt fantastic. I felt sharp. I felt alive," Bisping said to MMAWeekly.com. "Backstage, in the locker room, I just felt incredible. The energy was flowing through me. I could have fought ten rounds. 185 is definitely my weight class."



The fight played out nearly exactly the way he envisioned it. "I fought the way I wanted to fight and I got the result. I'm a little bit annoyed that I ended up on my back at one point because that wasn't part of the plan, but all and all I'm very happy."



There was a lot of animosity between Bisping and McCarthy leading up to the eventual showdown. The conflict began when McCarthy called into question the caliber of Bisping's opponents.



Asked about the mutual dislike of each other and the pre-fight comments, Bisping stated, "I think he made a mistake by saying those things. I'm the type of guy that if you rattle my cage, I'm a lot harder to deal with. I'm a pretty easy-going, calm guy, but if someone gets on my nerves I'm not someone you want to mess around with really. He definitely made a big mistake by doing that."



He added, "This win felt good for a few reasons. Number one, because of what he said, and number two, I felt I wasn't getting the respect I deserve from some people."



With UFC 83 behind him, Bisping expects to be back in action sooner rather than later. "I want to fight as soon as possible, and I might be fighting pretty soon," the Brit told MMAWeekly. "I'll take a week off and let my knees heal because I have a couple of bruises on them and get over my hangover and then back in the gym."



Although MMAWeekly sources indicate that a highly rumored fight between Bisping and Chris Leben is likely to be added to UFC 85 when the promotion returns to London on June 7, the fight had not been signed at the time of publication.



If the fight does become a reality, it could possibly be tabbed as the headliner due to the loss of the event&#8217;s original drawing card, Chuck Liddell. A torn hamstring forced the former light heavyweight champion to withdraw from the event, a first for Liddell.

 

[Shogun Locc]

FORMER WEC CHAMP McCULLOUGH FIGHTS ON JUNE 1

Sources close to &#8220;Razor&#8221; Rob McCullough&#8217;s camp have confirmed to MMAWeekly.com that the former lightweight World Extreme Cagefighting champion returns to action on June 1 against Kenneth Alexander at the Arco Arena in Sacramento, Calif.

Part of the WEC&#8217;s most ambitious live effort yet, McCullough will attempt to avenge an early career loss to Alexander in 2002. Alexander bested the Huntington Beach native by decision after two rounds at a Hitman Fighting Productions event.

It will also be an opportunity for McCullough to get back on the winning track after a brutal TKO loss to Jamie Varner, which cost him the belt he earned at the beginning of 2007. Early on, Varner ruptured McCullough&#8217;s eardrum with a punch, then came back from a mouthpiece-ejecting right hand to finish McCullough with strikes.

Alexander re-emerged in MMA last year after a nearly five-year absence from the sport. He lost his WEC debut against Donald Cerrone by triangle choke, but the Nevada State Athletic Commission overturned the win to a no contest when Cerrone tested positive for diuretics. Alexander had won his last two appearances before joining the ranks of the Zuffa-owned organization.

McCullough and Alexander were unavailable for comment at the time of publication.

 

[Shogun Locc]

UFC on Network TV: Dana Says Deal Within 6 Months; FOX Rumored to be Frontrunner

Last week in an interview with the Canada's The Score, when asked about the UFC following EliteXC onto network television, UFC President Dana White said "we'll have a network television deal very soon." When pressed for a time frame, White said within six months.

MMAPayout.com has learned that FOX is now widely believed to be the leading candidate to become the UFC's network television partner. Earlier this month White met with FOX executives in Los Angeles. While a deal with FOX is not believed to be imminent, industry sources have told MMAPayout.com that they believe the companies are making progress toward a deal.

In February MMAPayout.com reported that the network was rumored to have made a bid to buy the UFC during a round of negotiations earlier this year.

Last month MMAPayout.com reported that the UFC was involved in "extensive" discussions with ESPN. Sources tell MMAPayout.com, that the network has not made a decision on whether or not to get involved in MMA.

It should be noted that this is an unconfirmed report. As a result, it should be considered rumor or informed speculation at best. It also bears mentioning that the situation is fluid and can change quickly.

 

[Shogun Locc]

3/26 WEC Rating

WEC Live on Versus on 3/26 did a 0.52 rating (548,892 viewers) according to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter. The brand is averaging a 0.50 rating (472,488 viewers) for its live broadcasts. The 6/1 event featuring Faber-Pulver is expected to break the brand's record high of 0.7.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Akiyama won't fight in DREAM2

Yoshihiro Akiyama had a press conference on Apr 21. In the conference, he said he was not able to participate in the middle weight tournament because he fractured his nose. Aikyama and Sasahara attended to this conference.

Sasahara:
Akiyama won't fight in the tournament. I'm sorry to announce this especially to his fans because they must be excited see him in the middleweight GP. We discussed until the last minutes and had this conclusion. I hope everybody understand his condition.

Akiyama injured his knee and his nose in Yarennoka. After the fight on NYE, his doctor told his injuries would be cured by April, so he was training for the tournament. In April, he got a punch on his nose and bled a lot during a training even though he wore headgear and 16 oz gloves. As a result of an examination he found out his nose was fractured, however, he kept training. He believed he could fight in some way or other because the nose wasn't swollen and stopped bleeding. He was going to fight without telling about his nose if his doctor didn't stop him. Although, his doctor warned him that his fight would be stopped whenever he got a single punch and started bleeding. Akiyama showed press the diagnosis and his x-ray.


Sasahara was asked if he would fight from the 2ND round.
Sasahara: I am not thinking about that.
Akiyama: I'm not going to fight from the 2ND round. I won't take an offer even if I get.

Akiyama:
My nose was almost healed from the damage from Yarennoka, then I got a punch to the exactly same spot. I am told it takes 3 weeks to be cured. I apologize to my fans, sponsors and all other people supporting me from the bottom of my heart. I really wanted to fight in GP. I have my goal and dream now and 3 fighters who I want to fight now fight in the GP. I will be ready to fight in June and won't show up in DREAM2.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Report: Cole Miller vs. Jorge Gurgel at UFC 86

MMA Junkie is reporting that American Top Team fighter and TUF 5 contestant Cole Miller will take on BJJ black belt and TUF 2 contestant Jorge Gurgel at UFC 86.

Miller is coming off a loss to Jeremy Stephens via TKO at UFC Fight Night 12 while Gurgel is coming off a win over John Halverson at UFC 82 in March.

With all the rumors swirling around about the UFC cutting down its roster, preliminary matches like this one will be interesting to keep an eye on. Will a loss in a preliminary fight mean that you&#8217;re cut? Only time will tell, but preliminary matches are going to mean a lot more in the coming months than they ever have before.