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UFC fighter Chris Leben arrested for DUI
by MMAjunkie.com Staff on Apr 30, 2008 at 11:43 pm ET
Chris Leben, a UFC middleweight who recently signed to fight Michael Bisping at UFC 85, was arrested in Oregon on Wednesday for driving under the influence and was placed in jail for violation of his probation, according to the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office.
As of late Wednesday evening, Leben remained behind bars.
A representative from the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) that Leben will go before a judge at 3 p.m. on Thursday. It was determined upon his booking that he was not eligible for bail because of the probation violation, according to the representative.
Leben (18-4 MMA, 8-3 UFC), 27, most recently defeated Alessio Sakara in March at UFC 82. After Chuck Liddell was forced to pull out of a UFC 85 main-event bout with Rashad Evans, the UFC booked fights between Leben and Bisping, as well as Matt Hughes and Thiago Alves. The popular fighter found his way to the UFC via the first season of the UFC reality series, "The Ultimate Fighter."
There's no word how and if the arrest may impact his June 7 fight with Bisping, which takes place overseas in London, England.
by MMAjunkie.com Staff on Apr 30, 2008 at 11:43 pm ET
Chris Leben, a UFC middleweight who recently signed to fight Michael Bisping at UFC 85, was arrested in Oregon on Wednesday for driving under the influence and was placed in jail for violation of his probation, according to the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office.
As of late Wednesday evening, Leben remained behind bars.
A representative from the Clackamas County Sheriff's Office told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) that Leben will go before a judge at 3 p.m. on Thursday. It was determined upon his booking that he was not eligible for bail because of the probation violation, according to the representative.
Leben (18-4 MMA, 8-3 UFC), 27, most recently defeated Alessio Sakara in March at UFC 82. After Chuck Liddell was forced to pull out of a UFC 85 main-event bout with Rashad Evans, the UFC booked fights between Leben and Bisping, as well as Matt Hughes and Thiago Alves. The popular fighter found his way to the UFC via the first season of the UFC reality series, "The Ultimate Fighter."
There's no word how and if the arrest may impact his June 7 fight with Bisping, which takes place overseas in London, England.
Matt Arroyo returns at TUF7 finale
by Dann Stupp on May 01, 2008 at 12:05 am ET
Matt Arroyo (3-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC), a semifinalist from the sixth season of "The Ultimate Fighter," returns to action June 21 at The Ultimate Fighter 7 Finale.
Arroyo announced the fight booking Wednesday on his personal website but did not reveal an opponent.
Arroyo is the latest of many non-"TUF" cast members booked for the live finale, which takes place at The Palms Las Vegas and airs on Spike TV.
In fact, with the addition of Arroyo, seven fights at the finale now feature at least one non-cast member from the current season of "The Ultimate Fighter." Last week cast member Matthew Riddle told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) that most of the fighters on the current season of "TUF" were cut from their UFC contracts.
"I am training harder than I've ever trained before in my life and you will see me at my best," Arroyo wrote.
The Brazilian jiu-jitsu brown belt (under Gracie Tampa's Rob Kahn) found his way to the UFC via "The Ultimate Fighter: Team Hughes vs. Team Serra." However, after defeating Dorian Price and Troy Mandaloniz to make it to the show's semifinals, he was forced to drop out of the competition with a rib injury.
However, Arroyo returned at the live finale this past December and defeated John Kolosci via first-round arm-bar. He picked up a $15,000 Submission of the Night bonus for the performance.
by Dann Stupp on May 01, 2008 at 12:05 am ET
Matt Arroyo (3-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC), a semifinalist from the sixth season of "The Ultimate Fighter," returns to action June 21 at The Ultimate Fighter 7 Finale.
Arroyo announced the fight booking Wednesday on his personal website but did not reveal an opponent.
Arroyo is the latest of many non-"TUF" cast members booked for the live finale, which takes place at The Palms Las Vegas and airs on Spike TV.
In fact, with the addition of Arroyo, seven fights at the finale now feature at least one non-cast member from the current season of "The Ultimate Fighter." Last week cast member Matthew Riddle told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) that most of the fighters on the current season of "TUF" were cut from their UFC contracts.
"I am training harder than I've ever trained before in my life and you will see me at my best," Arroyo wrote.
The Brazilian jiu-jitsu brown belt (under Gracie Tampa's Rob Kahn) found his way to the UFC via "The Ultimate Fighter: Team Hughes vs. Team Serra." However, after defeating Dorian Price and Troy Mandaloniz to make it to the show's semifinals, he was forced to drop out of the competition with a rib injury.
However, Arroyo returned at the live finale this past December and defeated John Kolosci via first-round arm-bar. He picked up a $15,000 Submission of the Night bonus for the performance.
Barnett on His Fighters, His Future
May 1, 2008
by Tony Loiseleur ([email protected])
One of the most vocal and active proponents of female MMA, Josh Barnett (Pictures) appeared more than pleased at his stable's showing at last Friday's Smackgirl tournament in Tokyo. He spoke with Sherdog.com after the event and elaborated on the performances of his affectionately labeled "Angels of Destruction."
"I think they all did great. Akano was one that I wasn't able to work with for several months beforehand, so she was working much too hard to get that win," said Barnett of Hitomi Akano (Pictures), who had armbarred open-weight champ Hiroko at the event. "With a better strategy, she'd have won that fight much easier.
"Not that I think Hiroko isn't tough, but Akano has such a good submission game and judo background. I think she should have been able to push forward, take her down and submit her much quicker than she did. Still, I don't think the fans will complain, since it made for a very dramatic finish."
With her win over the imposingly large Hiroko, Akano advanced to the Smackgirl open-weight tournament final to face another Barnett product, Ginele Marquez (Pictures), who defeated Atsuko Emoto (Pictures) by unanimous decision the same evening.
"Ginele also did very well," Barnett said. "She wasn't in as good of shape as I'd have liked for her to have been, but it was a good start. One thing she was able to show was that it's going to be hard for anyone to manhandle her around the ring.
"Emoto is known for being, at the very least, very powerful, but Ginele just picked her up, flung her around and suplexed her. It's good to get this fight out of the way so she can concentrate on Akano next because Akano is very, very tough. I think with both of them meeting each other in the finals, it's going to be a good representation of world-class talent."
"The Babyface Assassin" also discussed long-time student Megumi Fujii (Pictures) and her win in a 115-pound tournament bout.
"She defeated Seo Hee Ham (Pictures) in the first round, by armbar, which is a first. [Smackgirl's] champion Yuka Tsuji (Pictures) couldn't put her away, and it took Miku Matsumoto (Pictures) at least until the second round to get a choke," Barnett explained. "Megumi took her out by armbar on her first takedown, and that was it.
"You know, I always say it: Megumi is clearly the best Japanese fighter, male or female. In my opinion, she could be the very best fighter, male or female, in the world. If she fought men in equal scenarios -- let's say if she was 170 pounds and had to fight St. Pierre, I'd put my money on her."
As bold a statement as that may sound to most MMA fans, it is nothing new with Barnett. Although his progressive beliefs are often cited, the reasoning behind them has perhaps been overshadowed by the achievements of his fighters.
"You know, I've always been the kind of guy who doesn't like to do what everyone else does," he said. "But one thing that really played into all this was that from the beginning, when women started wrestling in high school, I wasn't against it at all.
"I had two female wrestlers on my wrestling team, and it wasn't about, ‘Oh, there are chicks here now.' It was about these persons wanting to wrestle just as bad as anyone else. There's no reason to stop them or limit them from developing skills and technique just like anyone else. There's just no reason they should be overlooked. Women athletes are some of the best athletes in the world.
"Sometimes I prefer to coach women more because I don't get any ego from them, and they work hard. I'm not sure if it's because they believe that they have to because they normally wouldn't get the opportunity, and so they think they should make the best they can of the chance, but either way, it's in their nature and it's great.
"Plus, they smell a lot better too," added Barnett with a thoughtful smile. "I don't think that helping women athletes is charity work, but what I do think is that they're serious athletes like anyone else. And when I see someone who I believe has the potential to do something big, and is someone I believe I can work well with, then I'll work with them, male or female. Some of the best fights I've ever seen in my life were female MMA fights, and I think it's important and it's something that needs to be there in the sport."
On Monson and Heavyweight MMA
Barnett's next bout is set for May 18 in Sengoku against long-time training partner Jeff Monson (Pictures).
"Again I'm fighting a friend, like when I fought Yoshida, but this one's even more difficult for me because [Monson] was on my team for the Ring of Fire, spent some time with me at AMC Pankration, and I've been in his corner for almost all of his UFC fights, and I've helped him get ready for many of his fights in his career," Barnett said. "I guess that's the thing. When you're in the business long enough, you meet enough people, make a lot of friendships and relationships, but when it comes down to it, you can fight anybody. I can do that, but it doesn't mean I always enjoy it.
"I talked to him a little bit beforehand, just let him know they brought his name up, asking him, ‘What should we do about it? Should we accept this fight?' And in the end, what it came down to was that nobody was going to fight us, and so the only people that could put on a match was us. We're professionals, so we're going to go out there and do what we have to do and fight."
Outside of the Monson bout, there had been rumblings of Barnett's participation in Affliction's endeavors to promote its own MMA event. Despite not being officially signed, Barnett appeared optimistic at the idea of fighting for the clothing brand turned fight promoter, given his involvement with the company's apparel in the past.
"I think that if anyone would be a perfect fit for that, it'd be me, since I'm the second MMA guy behind Justin Levens (Pictures) to get involved with their custom T-shirt designs," Barnett said. "Before even Randy got involved, before there was anyone else in MMA involved -- I've got T-shirts you can't even buy that were produced by Affliction."
One name circulating in the rumor mill as an opponent for Barnett is a man he has a history with -- Pedro Rizzo (Pictures), who holds a knockout victory over him from seven years prior, at UFC 30.
"Now that would be nice," said Barnett regarding a potential showdown with Rizzo in Affliction. "You know he's got a win over Jeff [Monson] and [Justin] Eilers, so he's back on the winning track from those performances in Pride. Right after I lost that fight [to Rizzo], when Frank Shamrock (Pictures) was interviewing me, asking me, ‘What happened?' I said, ‘I just got caught coming in and I got knocked out, but you know what? I'm going to come back here and fight him again and knock his ass out.'"
Though no deal is official, Barnett is confident as always that the fights will come to him. Even as the UFC acquired most of the top heavyweights in the world, he stayed patient.
"The only thing I can say is that I sat back, and yeah, I had to suffer for a year by not fighting. But I stuck by my convictions and I knew what I was doing," he said. "I've been in this business long enough to know that once you start to think something is set in stone, and that that is the only way it is going to be and has to be, you're in for a surprise because chances are you're going to turn out wrong."
"I still get many people telling me to go to the UFC, but I don't need the UFC, and I knew it was only a matter of time until the wheel started to turn and these other big fights would come. Now you've got Affliction possibly promoting big cards, and I've already got Sengoku here who are giving me fights and are telling me they want to do a grand prix."
Exciting as those prospects may be, Barnett does apparently realize the tenuousness of the situation. While things are changing, he is not quite secure just yet.
"Though I wish I had something that was a little more scheduled, like, ‘I have two or three more fights at these times,' so that I can plan ahead, things are only just starting to pay off now," he said. "But I'm a pro-wrestler, and I go on tour and fight every night. I have no idea who I can fight or even when I can fight. But I'll be ready. I can deal with it.
"I had to sit out a year, but I'm finally back and have one fight under my belt. I'll be fighting in another one soon and will just be chugging away here, proving myself by putting strength behind my words. Saying what I do, doing what I say. All those who took me off their rankings, don't worry. I'll be right back there at the top again sometime in the near future."
May 1, 2008
by Tony Loiseleur ([email protected])
One of the most vocal and active proponents of female MMA, Josh Barnett (Pictures) appeared more than pleased at his stable's showing at last Friday's Smackgirl tournament in Tokyo. He spoke with Sherdog.com after the event and elaborated on the performances of his affectionately labeled "Angels of Destruction."
"I think they all did great. Akano was one that I wasn't able to work with for several months beforehand, so she was working much too hard to get that win," said Barnett of Hitomi Akano (Pictures), who had armbarred open-weight champ Hiroko at the event. "With a better strategy, she'd have won that fight much easier.
"Not that I think Hiroko isn't tough, but Akano has such a good submission game and judo background. I think she should have been able to push forward, take her down and submit her much quicker than she did. Still, I don't think the fans will complain, since it made for a very dramatic finish."
With her win over the imposingly large Hiroko, Akano advanced to the Smackgirl open-weight tournament final to face another Barnett product, Ginele Marquez (Pictures), who defeated Atsuko Emoto (Pictures) by unanimous decision the same evening.
"Ginele also did very well," Barnett said. "She wasn't in as good of shape as I'd have liked for her to have been, but it was a good start. One thing she was able to show was that it's going to be hard for anyone to manhandle her around the ring.
"Emoto is known for being, at the very least, very powerful, but Ginele just picked her up, flung her around and suplexed her. It's good to get this fight out of the way so she can concentrate on Akano next because Akano is very, very tough. I think with both of them meeting each other in the finals, it's going to be a good representation of world-class talent."
"The Babyface Assassin" also discussed long-time student Megumi Fujii (Pictures) and her win in a 115-pound tournament bout.
"She defeated Seo Hee Ham (Pictures) in the first round, by armbar, which is a first. [Smackgirl's] champion Yuka Tsuji (Pictures) couldn't put her away, and it took Miku Matsumoto (Pictures) at least until the second round to get a choke," Barnett explained. "Megumi took her out by armbar on her first takedown, and that was it.
"You know, I always say it: Megumi is clearly the best Japanese fighter, male or female. In my opinion, she could be the very best fighter, male or female, in the world. If she fought men in equal scenarios -- let's say if she was 170 pounds and had to fight St. Pierre, I'd put my money on her."
As bold a statement as that may sound to most MMA fans, it is nothing new with Barnett. Although his progressive beliefs are often cited, the reasoning behind them has perhaps been overshadowed by the achievements of his fighters.
"You know, I've always been the kind of guy who doesn't like to do what everyone else does," he said. "But one thing that really played into all this was that from the beginning, when women started wrestling in high school, I wasn't against it at all.
"I had two female wrestlers on my wrestling team, and it wasn't about, ‘Oh, there are chicks here now.' It was about these persons wanting to wrestle just as bad as anyone else. There's no reason to stop them or limit them from developing skills and technique just like anyone else. There's just no reason they should be overlooked. Women athletes are some of the best athletes in the world.
"Sometimes I prefer to coach women more because I don't get any ego from them, and they work hard. I'm not sure if it's because they believe that they have to because they normally wouldn't get the opportunity, and so they think they should make the best they can of the chance, but either way, it's in their nature and it's great.
"Plus, they smell a lot better too," added Barnett with a thoughtful smile. "I don't think that helping women athletes is charity work, but what I do think is that they're serious athletes like anyone else. And when I see someone who I believe has the potential to do something big, and is someone I believe I can work well with, then I'll work with them, male or female. Some of the best fights I've ever seen in my life were female MMA fights, and I think it's important and it's something that needs to be there in the sport."
On Monson and Heavyweight MMA
Barnett's next bout is set for May 18 in Sengoku against long-time training partner Jeff Monson (Pictures).
"Again I'm fighting a friend, like when I fought Yoshida, but this one's even more difficult for me because [Monson] was on my team for the Ring of Fire, spent some time with me at AMC Pankration, and I've been in his corner for almost all of his UFC fights, and I've helped him get ready for many of his fights in his career," Barnett said. "I guess that's the thing. When you're in the business long enough, you meet enough people, make a lot of friendships and relationships, but when it comes down to it, you can fight anybody. I can do that, but it doesn't mean I always enjoy it.
"I talked to him a little bit beforehand, just let him know they brought his name up, asking him, ‘What should we do about it? Should we accept this fight?' And in the end, what it came down to was that nobody was going to fight us, and so the only people that could put on a match was us. We're professionals, so we're going to go out there and do what we have to do and fight."
Outside of the Monson bout, there had been rumblings of Barnett's participation in Affliction's endeavors to promote its own MMA event. Despite not being officially signed, Barnett appeared optimistic at the idea of fighting for the clothing brand turned fight promoter, given his involvement with the company's apparel in the past.
"I think that if anyone would be a perfect fit for that, it'd be me, since I'm the second MMA guy behind Justin Levens (Pictures) to get involved with their custom T-shirt designs," Barnett said. "Before even Randy got involved, before there was anyone else in MMA involved -- I've got T-shirts you can't even buy that were produced by Affliction."
One name circulating in the rumor mill as an opponent for Barnett is a man he has a history with -- Pedro Rizzo (Pictures), who holds a knockout victory over him from seven years prior, at UFC 30.
"Now that would be nice," said Barnett regarding a potential showdown with Rizzo in Affliction. "You know he's got a win over Jeff [Monson] and [Justin] Eilers, so he's back on the winning track from those performances in Pride. Right after I lost that fight [to Rizzo], when Frank Shamrock (Pictures) was interviewing me, asking me, ‘What happened?' I said, ‘I just got caught coming in and I got knocked out, but you know what? I'm going to come back here and fight him again and knock his ass out.'"
Though no deal is official, Barnett is confident as always that the fights will come to him. Even as the UFC acquired most of the top heavyweights in the world, he stayed patient.
"The only thing I can say is that I sat back, and yeah, I had to suffer for a year by not fighting. But I stuck by my convictions and I knew what I was doing," he said. "I've been in this business long enough to know that once you start to think something is set in stone, and that that is the only way it is going to be and has to be, you're in for a surprise because chances are you're going to turn out wrong."
"I still get many people telling me to go to the UFC, but I don't need the UFC, and I knew it was only a matter of time until the wheel started to turn and these other big fights would come. Now you've got Affliction possibly promoting big cards, and I've already got Sengoku here who are giving me fights and are telling me they want to do a grand prix."
Exciting as those prospects may be, Barnett does apparently realize the tenuousness of the situation. While things are changing, he is not quite secure just yet.
"Though I wish I had something that was a little more scheduled, like, ‘I have two or three more fights at these times,' so that I can plan ahead, things are only just starting to pay off now," he said. "But I'm a pro-wrestler, and I go on tour and fight every night. I have no idea who I can fight or even when I can fight. But I'll be ready. I can deal with it.
"I had to sit out a year, but I'm finally back and have one fight under my belt. I'll be fighting in another one soon and will just be chugging away here, proving myself by putting strength behind my words. Saying what I do, doing what I say. All those who took me off their rankings, don't worry. I'll be right back there at the top again sometime in the near future."
Arizona Governor Signs Bill on MMA
Thursday, May 01, 2008
A bill regulating mixed martial arts in Arizona was signed into law Monday by Gov. Janet Napolitano.
The law will direct the Arizona Boxing Commission to adopt rules for unarmed combat consistent with the unified rules for MMA, which means the commission will be able to allow closed-fist punches and elbows on the ground in addition to other regulations.
The law takes effect 90 days after the legislative session ends.
"I am extremely pleased that we were able to agree on a bill that will effectively promote commerce and bring a very popular sport to the state," said the bill's sponsor, Rep. Jonathan Paton, in a news release.
The Arizona Daily Star described Paton as a "mixed martial arts enthusiast who first learned about the sport as an Army reservist and continued to follow it while stationed in Iraq."
Ken Shamrock (Pictures) offered his support through the legislative process.
"Arizona becomes the next state to welcome mixed martial arts, the world's fastest growing sport," he said in a statement. "I was very fortunate to work with the Arizona Legislature, including Rep. Jonathan Paton and Senate Chief of Staff Victor Riches, as well as with John Montano, the associate director of the Boxing Commission on this bill. Now the fans can enjoy, and the fighters can participate in MMA events in their home state, and I am extremely excited about the prospect of bringing professional MMA events to Arizona."
Thursday, May 01, 2008
A bill regulating mixed martial arts in Arizona was signed into law Monday by Gov. Janet Napolitano.
The law will direct the Arizona Boxing Commission to adopt rules for unarmed combat consistent with the unified rules for MMA, which means the commission will be able to allow closed-fist punches and elbows on the ground in addition to other regulations.
The law takes effect 90 days after the legislative session ends.
"I am extremely pleased that we were able to agree on a bill that will effectively promote commerce and bring a very popular sport to the state," said the bill's sponsor, Rep. Jonathan Paton, in a news release.
The Arizona Daily Star described Paton as a "mixed martial arts enthusiast who first learned about the sport as an Army reservist and continued to follow it while stationed in Iraq."
Ken Shamrock (Pictures) offered his support through the legislative process.
"Arizona becomes the next state to welcome mixed martial arts, the world's fastest growing sport," he said in a statement. "I was very fortunate to work with the Arizona Legislature, including Rep. Jonathan Paton and Senate Chief of Staff Victor Riches, as well as with John Montano, the associate director of the Boxing Commission on this bill. Now the fans can enjoy, and the fighters can participate in MMA events in their home state, and I am extremely excited about the prospect of bringing professional MMA events to Arizona."
MARTIN KAMPMANN: "I DON'T SEE IT GOING THE DISTANCE!"
By Percy Crawford | May 01, 2008
"He's a tough guy, but I'll take it. It's going to be a good fight and if he comes out aggressive, it's just going to make it more interesting for the fans," stated UFC middleweight contender Martin Kampmann as he talks about his long-awaited return to the Octagon when he takes on Jorge Rivera at UFC 85. Check out what he had to say about the fight, Anderson Silva, the middleweight division and much more. read more
http://www.fighthype.com/pages/content2552.html?PHPSESSID=697f6e00942c0995f5ddb330c8481ca4
By Percy Crawford | May 01, 2008
"He's a tough guy, but I'll take it. It's going to be a good fight and if he comes out aggressive, it's just going to make it more interesting for the fans," stated UFC middleweight contender Martin Kampmann as he talks about his long-awaited return to the Octagon when he takes on Jorge Rivera at UFC 85. Check out what he had to say about the fight, Anderson Silva, the middleweight division and much more. read more
http://www.fighthype.com/pages/content2552.html?PHPSESSID=697f6e00942c0995f5ddb330c8481ca4
No Love for HDNet?
Posted on May 01, 2008 by Brandt DeLorenzo
It’s not easy for all of us in the United States to easily find and watch Japanese MMA without the aid of the internet. And with the recent news that Tokyo Broadcasting Station (TBS) had dropped the Dream promotion from it’s slot on network television, things were looking even worse for us. Not to mention that the organization itself would have lost potential viewers and future fans by not acquiring any television coverage.
It’s our lucky day, again, as HDNet comes to the rescue with some potentially exciting Japanese MMA to be aired on May 2nd. Granted it’s not live, but we will be watching Dream 2 even before Japanese viewers will get a chance to see MMA action in their own homes. Sure, you can read about the results, chat on the forums, or try to watch grainy videos, but nothing comes close to watching the event in high definition.
So where is the love for HDNet? I don’t routinely find people writing about how much HDNet has done for MMA in the short time that the channel has been airing MMA fights. Do we take the channel for granted or is it just another expensive HD channel that only a few of us can barely afford?
Mark Cuban isn’t on the receiving end of many compliments either these days. As the head of the company, Cuban has rose through the ranks as an entrepreneur who went from being an average joe to a billionaire, but people still write him off as someone who is just cashing in on the sport. While it’s certainly questionable that Cuban began airing MMA fights as soon as the sport began to take off, his company has also taken many risks by airing so many small domestic fights along with the big international fights like Yarennoka. Even the IFL is shown on HDNet after being dropped from their spot on MyNetworkTV. Cuban gets points just for being that guy who is taking a chance on the small MMA promotions that would otherwise receive no reputable television coverage.
Not only does HDNet go out and capture all of these events for our viewing pleasure, their HD feed is amazingly clear. Although the UFC 83 HD quality improved slightly from the previous live pay per view events, they still didn’t even come close to what can be seen on HDNet on a random weeknight. You also can’t find a worthwhile MMA news show on Spike TV like Inside MMA with our friends Bas Rutten and Kenny Rice.
So what’s not to love about HDNet right now? You get both local and international fight cards in high definition with a weekly news show to boot. There’s no Bill Goldberg, no expensive pay per views, and the organization might just stick around for a while. I’m off to watch Reckless Abandon 2 from Dallas Texas. You know, the one with Frank Trigg and Edwin Dewees
Posted on May 01, 2008 by Brandt DeLorenzo
It’s not easy for all of us in the United States to easily find and watch Japanese MMA without the aid of the internet. And with the recent news that Tokyo Broadcasting Station (TBS) had dropped the Dream promotion from it’s slot on network television, things were looking even worse for us. Not to mention that the organization itself would have lost potential viewers and future fans by not acquiring any television coverage.
It’s our lucky day, again, as HDNet comes to the rescue with some potentially exciting Japanese MMA to be aired on May 2nd. Granted it’s not live, but we will be watching Dream 2 even before Japanese viewers will get a chance to see MMA action in their own homes. Sure, you can read about the results, chat on the forums, or try to watch grainy videos, but nothing comes close to watching the event in high definition.
So where is the love for HDNet? I don’t routinely find people writing about how much HDNet has done for MMA in the short time that the channel has been airing MMA fights. Do we take the channel for granted or is it just another expensive HD channel that only a few of us can barely afford?
Mark Cuban isn’t on the receiving end of many compliments either these days. As the head of the company, Cuban has rose through the ranks as an entrepreneur who went from being an average joe to a billionaire, but people still write him off as someone who is just cashing in on the sport. While it’s certainly questionable that Cuban began airing MMA fights as soon as the sport began to take off, his company has also taken many risks by airing so many small domestic fights along with the big international fights like Yarennoka. Even the IFL is shown on HDNet after being dropped from their spot on MyNetworkTV. Cuban gets points just for being that guy who is taking a chance on the small MMA promotions that would otherwise receive no reputable television coverage.
Not only does HDNet go out and capture all of these events for our viewing pleasure, their HD feed is amazingly clear. Although the UFC 83 HD quality improved slightly from the previous live pay per view events, they still didn’t even come close to what can be seen on HDNet on a random weeknight. You also can’t find a worthwhile MMA news show on Spike TV like Inside MMA with our friends Bas Rutten and Kenny Rice.
So what’s not to love about HDNet right now? You get both local and international fight cards in high definition with a weekly news show to boot. There’s no Bill Goldberg, no expensive pay per views, and the organization might just stick around for a while. I’m off to watch Reckless Abandon 2 from Dallas Texas. You know, the one with Frank Trigg and Edwin Dewees
RICH FRANKLIN MOVING TO 205?
Thursday, May 01, 2008 - by Jeff Cain - MMAWeekly.com
Former Ultimate Fighting Championship middleweight titleholder Rich "Ace" Franklin is considering a return to the light heavyweight division according to his manager, Monte Cox.
"Rich has to make a decision," Cox told MMAWeekly Radio. "We've certainly considered going to 205 and seeing how he does up there."
Franklin obtained the middleweight championship at UFC 53 by defeating Evan Tanner. He lost the belt to current champion Anderson "The Spider" Silva at UFC 64 and was defeated again by Silva in a rematch at UFC 77.
"He's fought almost everybody in the 185-pound division," said Cox. "There are some guys that he could fight, but if he beats them it knocks them out of title contention. And nobody is looking to see Rich and Anderson Silva 3 right now, including me."
Franklin competed as a light heavyweight for the first half of his career losing only once, to the still undefeated Lyoto Machida, but hasn't fought at 205 pounds since 2004.
"It's one of those deals where he's such a big star, which helps. He's loved everywhere he goes, a big ovation in Canada and all that. But he's not helping the 185-pound division right now by beating everybody up in it," commented Cox.
"We've talked about going to 205 and how would he match up with some of those guys, with a Forrest Griffin or a Keith Jardine. I think there're some really good fights. There's a whole bunch of 205's that I think would be interesting."
He continued, "In the end, we do what the UFC wants. If they want us to try 205, we're up for it. If they want to keep us at 185, then we'll do that too."
Franklin is coming off a win in the middleweight division over Travis Lutter at UFC 83 and isn't expected back in action for another three to four months.
Thursday, May 01, 2008 - by Jeff Cain - MMAWeekly.com
Former Ultimate Fighting Championship middleweight titleholder Rich "Ace" Franklin is considering a return to the light heavyweight division according to his manager, Monte Cox.
"Rich has to make a decision," Cox told MMAWeekly Radio. "We've certainly considered going to 205 and seeing how he does up there."
Franklin obtained the middleweight championship at UFC 53 by defeating Evan Tanner. He lost the belt to current champion Anderson "The Spider" Silva at UFC 64 and was defeated again by Silva in a rematch at UFC 77.
"He's fought almost everybody in the 185-pound division," said Cox. "There are some guys that he could fight, but if he beats them it knocks them out of title contention. And nobody is looking to see Rich and Anderson Silva 3 right now, including me."
Franklin competed as a light heavyweight for the first half of his career losing only once, to the still undefeated Lyoto Machida, but hasn't fought at 205 pounds since 2004.
"It's one of those deals where he's such a big star, which helps. He's loved everywhere he goes, a big ovation in Canada and all that. But he's not helping the 185-pound division right now by beating everybody up in it," commented Cox.
"We've talked about going to 205 and how would he match up with some of those guys, with a Forrest Griffin or a Keith Jardine. I think there're some really good fights. There's a whole bunch of 205's that I think would be interesting."
He continued, "In the end, we do what the UFC wants. If they want us to try 205, we're up for it. If they want to keep us at 185, then we'll do that too."
Franklin is coming off a win in the middleweight division over Travis Lutter at UFC 83 and isn't expected back in action for another three to four months.
- CHONAN VS. CARNEIRO CONFIRMED FOR UFC 85
Thursday, May 01, 2008 - by MMAWeekly.com
The Ultimate Fighting Championship on Wednesday confirmed the addition of a bout between Roan Carneiro and Ryo Chonan to its UFC 85 event scheduled for June 7 in London.
The welterweight bout brings to 11 the total number of bouts officially announced by the UFC. In a statement early last week, the promotion indicated that it would load up UFC 85 with 13 bouts.
Carneiro has gone 2-1 in the Octagon to this point, his only loss being to MMAWeekly.com’s No. 3 welterweight fighter in the world, Jon Fitch. The Brazilian was impressive in his last outing, however, scoring a TKO victory over Tony DeSouza at UFC 79.
While most of Chonan’s career has occurred in the DEEP and Pride organizations in Japan, he made his UFC debut last November, losing a unanimous decision to Karo Parisyan at UFC 78. He does hold the distinction of being one of only four fighters to have defeated current UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva.
Bouts pitting Jonathan Goulet against Paul Kelly and Jess Liaudin vs. Paul Taylor are expected to round out the fight card, but have not yet been announced by the UFC.
UFC 85 Bouts (officially announced):
-Matt Hughes vs. Thiago Alves
-Michael Bisping vs. Chris Leben
-Marcus Davis vs. Mike Swick
-Rashad Evans vs. James Irvin
-Fabricio Werdum vs. Brandon Vera
-Martin Kampmann vs. Jorge Rivera
-Thiago Tavares vs. Matt Wiman
-Nate Marquardt vs. Thales Leites
-Luis Arthur Cane vs. Jason Lambert
-Neil Wain vs. Antoni Hardonk
-Ryo Chonan vs. Roan Carneiro
UFC 85 Bouts (unannounced):
-Jonathan Goulet vs. Paul Kelly
-Jess Liaudin vs. Paul Taylor
Thursday, May 01, 2008 - by MMAWeekly.com
The Ultimate Fighting Championship on Wednesday confirmed the addition of a bout between Roan Carneiro and Ryo Chonan to its UFC 85 event scheduled for June 7 in London.
The welterweight bout brings to 11 the total number of bouts officially announced by the UFC. In a statement early last week, the promotion indicated that it would load up UFC 85 with 13 bouts.
Carneiro has gone 2-1 in the Octagon to this point, his only loss being to MMAWeekly.com’s No. 3 welterweight fighter in the world, Jon Fitch. The Brazilian was impressive in his last outing, however, scoring a TKO victory over Tony DeSouza at UFC 79.
While most of Chonan’s career has occurred in the DEEP and Pride organizations in Japan, he made his UFC debut last November, losing a unanimous decision to Karo Parisyan at UFC 78. He does hold the distinction of being one of only four fighters to have defeated current UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva.
Bouts pitting Jonathan Goulet against Paul Kelly and Jess Liaudin vs. Paul Taylor are expected to round out the fight card, but have not yet been announced by the UFC.
UFC 85 Bouts (officially announced):
-Matt Hughes vs. Thiago Alves
-Michael Bisping vs. Chris Leben
-Marcus Davis vs. Mike Swick
-Rashad Evans vs. James Irvin
-Fabricio Werdum vs. Brandon Vera
-Martin Kampmann vs. Jorge Rivera
-Thiago Tavares vs. Matt Wiman
-Nate Marquardt vs. Thales Leites
-Luis Arthur Cane vs. Jason Lambert
-Neil Wain vs. Antoni Hardonk
-Ryo Chonan vs. Roan Carneiro
UFC 85 Bouts (unannounced):
-Jonathan Goulet vs. Paul Kelly
-Jess Liaudin vs. Paul Taylor
Aoki's GP status uncertain
Posted 5/1/2008 1:20 PM EDT
Dream awaits doctor's word: A report surfaced on Wednesday that Shinya Aoki would pull out of Dream's Lightweight Grand Prix because of face injuries suffered during his April 29 win over Gesias Cavalcante, but a company official told me today in an e-mail that the matter hasn't quite been decided yet.
Aoki "wants to go on, but it's up to the doctors," said Mike Kogan, head of U.S. promotion for Dream's owner, Fight Entertainment Group. The examination is scheduled for later on Friday — keep in mind that Japan is a day ahead of North America — so Aoki's fate could be known several hours from now.
Although Aoki controlled most of the fight with Cavalcante, the Japanese star took several hard shots. The worst moment for Aoki was an 18-second stretch of the first round, when Cavalcante kicked him repeatedly in the face to escape a heel hook, then blasted him in the head with punches as Aoki struggled to his feet.
Dream hasn't named a possible replacement yet, although Sherdog.com says Cavalcante turned down the offer. If Aoki can't continue, the organization has less than two weeks to find someone — the next round of the Lightweight GP takes place May 11.
Posted 5/1/2008 1:20 PM EDT
Dream awaits doctor's word: A report surfaced on Wednesday that Shinya Aoki would pull out of Dream's Lightweight Grand Prix because of face injuries suffered during his April 29 win over Gesias Cavalcante, but a company official told me today in an e-mail that the matter hasn't quite been decided yet.
Aoki "wants to go on, but it's up to the doctors," said Mike Kogan, head of U.S. promotion for Dream's owner, Fight Entertainment Group. The examination is scheduled for later on Friday — keep in mind that Japan is a day ahead of North America — so Aoki's fate could be known several hours from now.
Although Aoki controlled most of the fight with Cavalcante, the Japanese star took several hard shots. The worst moment for Aoki was an 18-second stretch of the first round, when Cavalcante kicked him repeatedly in the face to escape a heel hook, then blasted him in the head with punches as Aoki struggled to his feet.
Dream hasn't named a possible replacement yet, although Sherdog.com says Cavalcante turned down the offer. If Aoki can't continue, the organization has less than two weeks to find someone — the next round of the Lightweight GP takes place May 11.
Top TV Execs Criticize CBS's Decision to Air MMA
The most high profile push back against EliteXC on CBS was launched this week by Sumner Redstone, the highly influential and respected chairman of CBS and Viacom. According to a report by the The Hollywood Reporter:
"Les usually asks my opinion," Sumner Redstone said Wednesday when asked about the four mixed-martial arts fights that will begin airing soon on CBS. This time, the Viacom and CBS chairman said, Moonves did not.
Redstone said the deal, struck with Elite Xtreme Combat, probably was a mistake, not because CBS won't turn a profit from it but because it is not "socially responsible" to air the typically bloody bouts on free, broadcast TV.
"I'm a lover not a fighter," Redstone said. "I don't like the sport."
The comments were made during a panel discussion on the sports industry at the Milken Institute Global Conference. Redstone and Moonves have had a rocky relationship in the past, so perhaps some of Redstone's criticism can be attribute to their personal conflict. However, Ed Goren, President of FOX Sports, was also critical of MMA on network television, telling the audience "we don't need money that badly."
It is important to note that the UFC's rumored negotiations with FOX are with the entertainment division and not Goren's sports division
The most high profile push back against EliteXC on CBS was launched this week by Sumner Redstone, the highly influential and respected chairman of CBS and Viacom. According to a report by the The Hollywood Reporter:
"Les usually asks my opinion," Sumner Redstone said Wednesday when asked about the four mixed-martial arts fights that will begin airing soon on CBS. This time, the Viacom and CBS chairman said, Moonves did not.
Redstone said the deal, struck with Elite Xtreme Combat, probably was a mistake, not because CBS won't turn a profit from it but because it is not "socially responsible" to air the typically bloody bouts on free, broadcast TV.
"I'm a lover not a fighter," Redstone said. "I don't like the sport."
The comments were made during a panel discussion on the sports industry at the Milken Institute Global Conference. Redstone and Moonves have had a rocky relationship in the past, so perhaps some of Redstone's criticism can be attribute to their personal conflict. However, Ed Goren, President of FOX Sports, was also critical of MMA on network television, telling the audience "we don't need money that badly."
It is important to note that the UFC's rumored negotiations with FOX are with the entertainment division and not Goren's sports division
Bravo accuses Drysdale of plagiarism
Fourth place at the ADCC 2003, the American Eddie Bravo, who got famous after having submitted Royler Gracie in the semifinal of that tournament, is accusing the ADCC 2007 open weight champion, Robert Drysdale, of doing plagiarism of his institutional video, alleging in some American websites that the Brazilian was even imitating his "rubber guard". It would be funny if it wasn't tragic. "He claims he invented the omoplata, something that I have seen Nino (Schembri)doing since I was a white belt", said a revolted Drysdale who won the absolute title in 2007 submitting Marcelo Garcia and now is working as Grappling instructor of Xtreme Couture.
Now Drysdale is defending himself against the accusation: "What is more impressive is that there are many people in that truly believe this guy is a legend. What has he done in Grappling or Jiu-Jitsu world to believe that I would copy him? Until now he gathers the glory of that victory against Royler Gracie, something that he will never achieve again. If I had to copy somebody else, I would copy Leozinho (Vieira), who is my teacher, a Jiu-Jitsu encyclopedia and the guy who defeat him easily and won 2003 title in lightweight category", finishes Drysdale.
Fourth place at the ADCC 2003, the American Eddie Bravo, who got famous after having submitted Royler Gracie in the semifinal of that tournament, is accusing the ADCC 2007 open weight champion, Robert Drysdale, of doing plagiarism of his institutional video, alleging in some American websites that the Brazilian was even imitating his "rubber guard". It would be funny if it wasn't tragic. "He claims he invented the omoplata, something that I have seen Nino (Schembri)doing since I was a white belt", said a revolted Drysdale who won the absolute title in 2007 submitting Marcelo Garcia and now is working as Grappling instructor of Xtreme Couture.
Now Drysdale is defending himself against the accusation: "What is more impressive is that there are many people in that truly believe this guy is a legend. What has he done in Grappling or Jiu-Jitsu world to believe that I would copy him? Until now he gathers the glory of that victory against Royler Gracie, something that he will never achieve again. If I had to copy somebody else, I would copy Leozinho (Vieira), who is my teacher, a Jiu-Jitsu encyclopedia and the guy who defeat him easily and won 2003 title in lightweight category", finishes Drysdale.
SAVANT YOUNG DROPS TO 145, CHALLENGES LION
On Saturday night, Shooto will be holding its 20th anniversary event, filling it out with the biggest stars from the promotion’s past and present. Making his debut on this illustrious card will be International Fight League veteran Savant Young, as he takes on former Shooto lightweight champion “Lion” Takeshi Inoue.
Besides making his first fight appearance in Japan, this fight will also mark Young’s debut at 145 pounds after spending the majority of his career fighting opponents bigger than him. “Its exciting. The opponent is what makes the fight more exciting for me and not the fact that it’s my first fight in Japan because a fight is a fight, no matter where it is.”
Young has been fighting for the last year at lightweight, but now moves down to featherweight. “I feel pretty strong at both weights,” he said. “The only thing that’s really changed is that its put my training into perspective. I’ve changed my eating habits and it’s made me work harder in the gym like never before. It’s my ideal situation when it comes to fighting.”
Not only is he making his debut at a new weight class, but also he is fighting one of the better fighters in that weight class in Inoue.
Young feels that taking on one of the best fighters in the weight class will put him on the map instantly if he is able to impress. “I figured if I was going to enter a new weight class, I wanted to fight one of the best guys to gauge myself at the weight class and whether or not its where I should be fighting at.”
For the last year, he has been competing in the IFL as part of the Tokyo Sabres. It has been well documented the problems that some of the members of the team had with coach Ken Yasuda and how it effected their performances. “The IFL was great as an organization. They promoted us well and got our name out to the public while being on TV, but it’s hard to have someone in your corner trying to tell you what to do when he doesn’t know how to motivate you to do your best and you differ on training methods.”
Young now trains out of Bodyshop Fitness Team in Southern California and he credits them for helping them prepare for what could possibly be the biggest fight of his career, “I want to thank Brett Copper, Jason High, Antonio McKee and all the guys at Bodyshop Fitness Team that have helped me get ready for this fight.
“Most of all I’d like to thank my wife who has supported me through all of this. I’ve been going through some rough times lately and she has always been there supporting me when I needed her.”
He embarks to a new weight class and on Saturday night all eyes will be on Savant Young, who could possibly resurrect his career with a huge win over the former lightweight champion on Shooto’s biggest card of the year.
On Saturday night, Shooto will be holding its 20th anniversary event, filling it out with the biggest stars from the promotion’s past and present. Making his debut on this illustrious card will be International Fight League veteran Savant Young, as he takes on former Shooto lightweight champion “Lion” Takeshi Inoue.
Besides making his first fight appearance in Japan, this fight will also mark Young’s debut at 145 pounds after spending the majority of his career fighting opponents bigger than him. “Its exciting. The opponent is what makes the fight more exciting for me and not the fact that it’s my first fight in Japan because a fight is a fight, no matter where it is.”
Young has been fighting for the last year at lightweight, but now moves down to featherweight. “I feel pretty strong at both weights,” he said. “The only thing that’s really changed is that its put my training into perspective. I’ve changed my eating habits and it’s made me work harder in the gym like never before. It’s my ideal situation when it comes to fighting.”
Not only is he making his debut at a new weight class, but also he is fighting one of the better fighters in that weight class in Inoue.
Young feels that taking on one of the best fighters in the weight class will put him on the map instantly if he is able to impress. “I figured if I was going to enter a new weight class, I wanted to fight one of the best guys to gauge myself at the weight class and whether or not its where I should be fighting at.”
For the last year, he has been competing in the IFL as part of the Tokyo Sabres. It has been well documented the problems that some of the members of the team had with coach Ken Yasuda and how it effected their performances. “The IFL was great as an organization. They promoted us well and got our name out to the public while being on TV, but it’s hard to have someone in your corner trying to tell you what to do when he doesn’t know how to motivate you to do your best and you differ on training methods.”
Young now trains out of Bodyshop Fitness Team in Southern California and he credits them for helping them prepare for what could possibly be the biggest fight of his career, “I want to thank Brett Copper, Jason High, Antonio McKee and all the guys at Bodyshop Fitness Team that have helped me get ready for this fight.
“Most of all I’d like to thank my wife who has supported me through all of this. I’ve been going through some rough times lately and she has always been there supporting me when I needed her.”
He embarks to a new weight class and on Saturday night all eyes will be on Savant Young, who could possibly resurrect his career with a huge win over the former lightweight champion on Shooto’s biggest card of the year.
Report: Penn and Sherk pass random drug tests
Both UFC 84 main event participants have passed pre-fight drug testing, according to a new report by MSNBC’s David Avila.
UFC lightweight champion B.J. Penn and former champion Sean Sherk were both tested in their respective home states by the Nevada State Athletic Commission, the report indicates. Keith Kizer, the executive director of NSAC informed Avila that both fighters have passed their random screenings.
“It was good news. No positive tests,” Kizer is quoted as saying in the article. “There’s been nothing since mid-December. Hopefully that will continue.”
UFC 84 is scheduled to take place on May 24 in Las Vegas at the MGM Grand. In addition to the lightweight title bout involving Penn and Sherk, light heavyweight bouts between Tito Ortiz vs. Lyoto Machida and Keith Jardine vs. Wanderlei Silva are scheduled to take place.
Both UFC 84 main event participants have passed pre-fight drug testing, according to a new report by MSNBC’s David Avila.
UFC lightweight champion B.J. Penn and former champion Sean Sherk were both tested in their respective home states by the Nevada State Athletic Commission, the report indicates. Keith Kizer, the executive director of NSAC informed Avila that both fighters have passed their random screenings.
“It was good news. No positive tests,” Kizer is quoted as saying in the article. “There’s been nothing since mid-December. Hopefully that will continue.”
UFC 84 is scheduled to take place on May 24 in Las Vegas at the MGM Grand. In addition to the lightweight title bout involving Penn and Sherk, light heavyweight bouts between Tito Ortiz vs. Lyoto Machida and Keith Jardine vs. Wanderlei Silva are scheduled to take place.
Van Wagner Representing the UFC
MultiChannel reports that the UFC has inked a multi-year deal with Van Wagner Sports Group. Under terms of the deal, Van Wagner will help secure sponsorship opportunities for the UFC and WEC. The respected New York sports marketing firm's other clients include IMG, College Sports Television, World Cup Soccer, and Formula One Racing.
According to the article, "Van Wagner will work as an extension of the sales group of mixed martial arts franchises UFC and its sister MMA company World Extreme Cagefighting to help facilitate sponsorship deals for the organizations’ various pay-per-view and TV events."
UFC President Dana White on the deal:
We are pleased to be working with Van Wagner Sports and Entertainment in our venture to attract new media and sponsorships to the UFC and WEC. Fighting speaks every language and transcends every culture, and through this relationship with Van Wagner, we can increase visibility for UFC and the WEC – the biggest brands in the sport.
MultiChannel reports that the UFC has inked a multi-year deal with Van Wagner Sports Group. Under terms of the deal, Van Wagner will help secure sponsorship opportunities for the UFC and WEC. The respected New York sports marketing firm's other clients include IMG, College Sports Television, World Cup Soccer, and Formula One Racing.
According to the article, "Van Wagner will work as an extension of the sales group of mixed martial arts franchises UFC and its sister MMA company World Extreme Cagefighting to help facilitate sponsorship deals for the organizations’ various pay-per-view and TV events."
UFC President Dana White on the deal:
We are pleased to be working with Van Wagner Sports and Entertainment in our venture to attract new media and sponsorships to the UFC and WEC. Fighting speaks every language and transcends every culture, and through this relationship with Van Wagner, we can increase visibility for UFC and the WEC – the biggest brands in the sport.
Roger Gracie Is Waiting For Opponent
Roger Gracie’s past in Jiu-Jitsu and submission grappling doesn’t let the black belt take things one thing at a time and be just anybody in his latest endeavour: MMA. With only one fight in the sport, the fighter’s performance is already surrounded with the expectations and responsibilities of a veteran. This is thanks to the four Worlds he won at weight, three silvers and one gold at absolute as a black belt, besides his taking top honors at the 2005 ADCC over all weights.
The Gracie, considered by many to be one of the greatest of all times in Jiu-Jitsu, will represent his family in the upcoming edition of Sengoku, held by the World Victory Road organization on the coming 18th, in Japan.
The athlete, who resides and teaches in London, had his MMA debut in December of 2006 submitting the experienced Ron Waterman in the very first round with an armbar from the guard. GRACIEMAG.com shot the breeze with the beast, who talked some about what’s to come.
GRACIEMAG.com: This week nearly all the fights on the upcoming Sengoku card were confirmed, except yours. Could you tell us who your adversary will be?
Roger: As to who my adversary will be, that’s already become a drama, unfortunately. There are only three weeks to go till the day of the event and I still don’t know who I’ll fight. I just hope they decide soon.
GRACIEMAG.com: What are your hopes for your debut in this big event, seeing as it’s only your second MMA fight?
Roger: I hope only for the best, as I’ve been training for sokme time and am feeling really well prepared. I can’t wait to get in the ring again.
GRACIEMAG.com: How are you going about preparing to become an MMA champion, as you are a Jiu-Jitsu champion?
Roger: My preparations are the same, just the style of fight is different. Lots of training, lots of food and rest.
GRACIEMAG.com: On the fight forums around the world, there are rumors you refused fights against Randleman, as well as Monson. Could you clear these matters up as well as share the real reason there was never a fight against Yoshida, which had already been scheduled?
Roger: I too heard the fight against Monson was confirmed, but from a student of mine. At the time I thought it was funny, since they were saying I had signed too fight him, and I knew nothing of it. On Randleman, there was that possibility. My manager commented to me about the possibility of this bout, but nothing was confirmed, so now I’m just waiting for them to tell me who it’ll be against. As for the fight against Yoshida, I was invited to fight him. Everything was settled till they informed me he would fight Josh Barnett. I didn’t know what was going on.
GRACIEMAG.com: You are focused on MMA, but even so will you dispute the Jiu-Jitsu World Championship?
Roger: Yes, I am focused on MMA, but I will definitely fight in the Worlds.
GRACIEMAG.com: To go in strong in the biggest gentle art tournament, will you have to put MMA aside some and just train in the gi?
Roger: I’ll be well prepared for sure, as I’ve already been training hard for this fight, so I think I’ll be in good shape.
GRACIEMAG.com: What are your predictions for the Worlds? Who will be the toughest competition for you?
Roger: I believe it’s not likely there will be any surprises in this World Championship, but a fight is a fight and nobody can say for sure what will happen. Let’s wait to see what goes down.
Roger Gracie’s past in Jiu-Jitsu and submission grappling doesn’t let the black belt take things one thing at a time and be just anybody in his latest endeavour: MMA. With only one fight in the sport, the fighter’s performance is already surrounded with the expectations and responsibilities of a veteran. This is thanks to the four Worlds he won at weight, three silvers and one gold at absolute as a black belt, besides his taking top honors at the 2005 ADCC over all weights.
The Gracie, considered by many to be one of the greatest of all times in Jiu-Jitsu, will represent his family in the upcoming edition of Sengoku, held by the World Victory Road organization on the coming 18th, in Japan.
The athlete, who resides and teaches in London, had his MMA debut in December of 2006 submitting the experienced Ron Waterman in the very first round with an armbar from the guard. GRACIEMAG.com shot the breeze with the beast, who talked some about what’s to come.
GRACIEMAG.com: This week nearly all the fights on the upcoming Sengoku card were confirmed, except yours. Could you tell us who your adversary will be?
Roger: As to who my adversary will be, that’s already become a drama, unfortunately. There are only three weeks to go till the day of the event and I still don’t know who I’ll fight. I just hope they decide soon.
GRACIEMAG.com: What are your hopes for your debut in this big event, seeing as it’s only your second MMA fight?
Roger: I hope only for the best, as I’ve been training for sokme time and am feeling really well prepared. I can’t wait to get in the ring again.
GRACIEMAG.com: How are you going about preparing to become an MMA champion, as you are a Jiu-Jitsu champion?
Roger: My preparations are the same, just the style of fight is different. Lots of training, lots of food and rest.
GRACIEMAG.com: On the fight forums around the world, there are rumors you refused fights against Randleman, as well as Monson. Could you clear these matters up as well as share the real reason there was never a fight against Yoshida, which had already been scheduled?
Roger: I too heard the fight against Monson was confirmed, but from a student of mine. At the time I thought it was funny, since they were saying I had signed too fight him, and I knew nothing of it. On Randleman, there was that possibility. My manager commented to me about the possibility of this bout, but nothing was confirmed, so now I’m just waiting for them to tell me who it’ll be against. As for the fight against Yoshida, I was invited to fight him. Everything was settled till they informed me he would fight Josh Barnett. I didn’t know what was going on.
GRACIEMAG.com: You are focused on MMA, but even so will you dispute the Jiu-Jitsu World Championship?
Roger: Yes, I am focused on MMA, but I will definitely fight in the Worlds.
GRACIEMAG.com: To go in strong in the biggest gentle art tournament, will you have to put MMA aside some and just train in the gi?
Roger: I’ll be well prepared for sure, as I’ve already been training hard for this fight, so I think I’ll be in good shape.
GRACIEMAG.com: What are your predictions for the Worlds? Who will be the toughest competition for you?
Roger: I believe it’s not likely there will be any surprises in this World Championship, but a fight is a fight and nobody can say for sure what will happen. Let’s wait to see what goes down.