MMA News Thread
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B.J. Penn: "I'm going to be the bigger man" at UFC 84
With one of the year's most-highly anticipated match-ups a little more than a week away, it should be of little surprise to anyone that the always-confident B.J. Penn (12-4-1, 7-3-1 UFC) feels sure he will walk away from his UFC lightweight title bout with ex-champ Sean Sherk (32-2-1, 4-2 UFC) victorious.
What may be surprising is how "The Prodigy" feels he will defeat "The Muscle Shark" -- by putting Sherk on his back.
Penn discussed the upcoming main-event bout of "UFC 84: Ill Will" while a guest on Thursday's edition of TAGG Radio (www.taggradio.com), a content partner of MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com).
"I'll be able to put Sean Sherk on his back, and from there pass his guard, mount him, and start beating on him," Penn said.
A hallmark of Sherk's career has been the ability to utilize superior strength, wrestling and conditioning to control his opponents on the mat, and ground-and-pound his way to victory. The Hilo, Hawaii native doesn't believe that will be the case in this title bout.
"I definitely feel that I'm going to be the bigger man when we step in to the ring," Penn said. "I feel I'm going to be a stronger man also. ... I'm not going to let him hold me down and do his thing where he tries to rabbit punch [me] to death."
When the two combatants meet in the octagon on May 24, it will represent the culmination of a nearly year-long quarrel between the fighters. The build-up began with Penn labeling Sherk a "cheater" after the California State Athletic Commission ruled that Sherk had tested positive for illegal anabolic steroids in his title defense against Hermes Franca in July 2007.
That decision forced the UFC to strip Sherk of the lightweight title. Penn then defeated Joe Stevenson in January at UFC 80 to claim the vacated title -- a title that Sherk refused to acknowledge as legitimate.
"Sean's an alright guy," Penn said. "It's just when all the cheating went down, and then him saying he's still the champ and this and that, I was just like, 'yeah, whatever.'"
And while Penn recognizes the strengths that Sherk does possess, he doesn't feel that they present any threat that the 29-year-old can't overcome.
"Whatever comes, I'm going to take it," Penn said. "Maybe I knock him down with a punch and jump on him and choke him. Or maybe he just goes down from a punch. We'll see what happens. ... Sherk keeps saying, 'What [is Penn] going to do while [he] is on [his] back?' But like I said before, 'What's [Sherk] going to do when he's on his back?' That's where he's going to have trouble."
Although many have pondered what Penn will do after this fight –- including a possible move to 170 lbs. for a rematch with welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre –- Penn refuses to look beyond next Saturday night.
"My whole career I've always looked at what's next after this fight," Penn explained. "What's next? I think that now the experience kicks in, and I know I've got to fight Sean Sherk, and I've got to beat Sean Sherk."
And before their Las Vegas showdown, Penn also had one final jab to throw at Sherk in their battle of words.
"Sean Sherk, [expletive] you and your steroids. I'm going to kick your ass."
With one of the year's most-highly anticipated match-ups a little more than a week away, it should be of little surprise to anyone that the always-confident B.J. Penn (12-4-1, 7-3-1 UFC) feels sure he will walk away from his UFC lightweight title bout with ex-champ Sean Sherk (32-2-1, 4-2 UFC) victorious.
What may be surprising is how "The Prodigy" feels he will defeat "The Muscle Shark" -- by putting Sherk on his back.
Penn discussed the upcoming main-event bout of "UFC 84: Ill Will" while a guest on Thursday's edition of TAGG Radio (www.taggradio.com), a content partner of MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com).
"I'll be able to put Sean Sherk on his back, and from there pass his guard, mount him, and start beating on him," Penn said.
A hallmark of Sherk's career has been the ability to utilize superior strength, wrestling and conditioning to control his opponents on the mat, and ground-and-pound his way to victory. The Hilo, Hawaii native doesn't believe that will be the case in this title bout.
"I definitely feel that I'm going to be the bigger man when we step in to the ring," Penn said. "I feel I'm going to be a stronger man also. ... I'm not going to let him hold me down and do his thing where he tries to rabbit punch [me] to death."
When the two combatants meet in the octagon on May 24, it will represent the culmination of a nearly year-long quarrel between the fighters. The build-up began with Penn labeling Sherk a "cheater" after the California State Athletic Commission ruled that Sherk had tested positive for illegal anabolic steroids in his title defense against Hermes Franca in July 2007.
That decision forced the UFC to strip Sherk of the lightweight title. Penn then defeated Joe Stevenson in January at UFC 80 to claim the vacated title -- a title that Sherk refused to acknowledge as legitimate.
"Sean's an alright guy," Penn said. "It's just when all the cheating went down, and then him saying he's still the champ and this and that, I was just like, 'yeah, whatever.'"
And while Penn recognizes the strengths that Sherk does possess, he doesn't feel that they present any threat that the 29-year-old can't overcome.
"Whatever comes, I'm going to take it," Penn said. "Maybe I knock him down with a punch and jump on him and choke him. Or maybe he just goes down from a punch. We'll see what happens. ... Sherk keeps saying, 'What [is Penn] going to do while [he] is on [his] back?' But like I said before, 'What's [Sherk] going to do when he's on his back?' That's where he's going to have trouble."
Although many have pondered what Penn will do after this fight –- including a possible move to 170 lbs. for a rematch with welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre –- Penn refuses to look beyond next Saturday night.
"My whole career I've always looked at what's next after this fight," Penn explained. "What's next? I think that now the experience kicks in, and I know I've got to fight Sean Sherk, and I've got to beat Sean Sherk."
And before their Las Vegas showdown, Penn also had one final jab to throw at Sherk in their battle of words.
"Sean Sherk, [expletive] you and your steroids. I'm going to kick your ass."
HUERTA-FLORIAN WINNER IN LINE FOR UFC TITLE SHOT
It was recently confirmed that Ultimate Fighting Championship lightweight contenders Roger Huerta and Kenny Florian will face each other in August at the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minn. UFC president Dana White on Thursday said that the winner of that bout at UFC 87 is likely to be next in line for the winner of next Saturday’s lightweight title bout between current champion B.J. Penn and former titleholder Sean Sherk.
During a pre-fight media call for UFC 84, a question arose as to whether or not the winner of the lightweight title next week would move up to challenge Georges St. Pierre in a dream bout of sorts. White said that it was highly unlikely and a premature move for either Penn or Sherk.
“I like to see guys clean out a division and there be no doubt who is the best 155-pounder, 170, 185-pounder, etc. You find out who the best is because these guys clean out a division,” commented White.
That said, regardless of which fighter walks out of the Octagon with the belt on May 24, he doesn’t believe that Penn or Sherk would have “cleaned out the division” at that point, citing Huerta and Florian.
“I think the winner (between Penn and Sherk)... there's another fight between Roger Huerta and Kenny Florian, I think the winner of that fight will fight the winner of this fight and let's say it's B.J. or Sean (who wins that match-up), I would consider that cleaning out the division,” stated the UFC president. “Then I would sit down and talk to them about where they wanted to go from there.”
Florian, currently ranked as the No. 10 lightweight in the world by MMAWeekly.com, fought Sherk once before for the title and came up short, losing a five-round decision. Since then, at UFC 64 in late 2006, he has knocked off all comers – four in a row – except for Huerta. His only other UFC loss was to Diego Sanchez in the finale of the inaugural season of “The Ultimate Fighter” reality series.
Having fought six times in the Octagon, Huerta has never lost under the UFC banner. In fact, he has only one loss on his professional record, that being to current International Fight League lightweight champion Ryan Schultz, which was several years ago, early on in Huerta’s career.
It was recently confirmed that Ultimate Fighting Championship lightweight contenders Roger Huerta and Kenny Florian will face each other in August at the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minn. UFC president Dana White on Thursday said that the winner of that bout at UFC 87 is likely to be next in line for the winner of next Saturday’s lightweight title bout between current champion B.J. Penn and former titleholder Sean Sherk.
During a pre-fight media call for UFC 84, a question arose as to whether or not the winner of the lightweight title next week would move up to challenge Georges St. Pierre in a dream bout of sorts. White said that it was highly unlikely and a premature move for either Penn or Sherk.
“I like to see guys clean out a division and there be no doubt who is the best 155-pounder, 170, 185-pounder, etc. You find out who the best is because these guys clean out a division,” commented White.
That said, regardless of which fighter walks out of the Octagon with the belt on May 24, he doesn’t believe that Penn or Sherk would have “cleaned out the division” at that point, citing Huerta and Florian.
“I think the winner (between Penn and Sherk)... there's another fight between Roger Huerta and Kenny Florian, I think the winner of that fight will fight the winner of this fight and let's say it's B.J. or Sean (who wins that match-up), I would consider that cleaning out the division,” stated the UFC president. “Then I would sit down and talk to them about where they wanted to go from there.”
Florian, currently ranked as the No. 10 lightweight in the world by MMAWeekly.com, fought Sherk once before for the title and came up short, losing a five-round decision. Since then, at UFC 64 in late 2006, he has knocked off all comers – four in a row – except for Huerta. His only other UFC loss was to Diego Sanchez in the finale of the inaugural season of “The Ultimate Fighter” reality series.
Having fought six times in the Octagon, Huerta has never lost under the UFC banner. In fact, he has only one loss on his professional record, that being to current International Fight League lightweight champion Ryan Schultz, which was several years ago, early on in Huerta’s career.
TUF 7 Rating - Week 7
This week's episode of the Ultimate Fighter on Spike drew a 1.0 rating (1.3 million viewers). The program drew quarter hours of 0.88 0.99, 0.93, and 1.19. The key demographic numbers were a 1.09 in M18-49 and a 1.18 in M18-34.
For the season TUF 7 is averaging a 1.07 household rating and a 1.6 in M18-34. Those numbers are down -4.7% and up 6.6% from last season respectively.
This week's episode of the Ultimate Fighter on Spike drew a 1.0 rating (1.3 million viewers). The program drew quarter hours of 0.88 0.99, 0.93, and 1.19. The key demographic numbers were a 1.09 in M18-49 and a 1.18 in M18-34.
For the season TUF 7 is averaging a 1.07 household rating and a 1.6 in M18-34. Those numbers are down -4.7% and up 6.6% from last season respectively.
Ryan Schultz talks IFL, SportFight, and Team Quest
This weekend in IFL Ryan Schultz attempts to defend his Welterweight title against Deividas Taurosevicius while three Team Quest fighters take on three from Team Prodigy. Ryan won his title when he beat Chris Horodecki last December and defended it for the first time against John Gunderson in February. In the archives are multiple updates with Ryan throughout his career.
KM: How do you feel about returning to the IFL at this point in your career?
RS: I feel good, I’m ready to go. I like the organization and I like the show. I think we have the best fighters and I’m excited. UFC is the biggest show but I think we are right there with them. Talent-wise there are a lot of guys especially at the 155 weight class that can move right over there. There are tough guys everywhere.
KM: You fought their five four-minute rounds for your title and again when defended it. Anything unusual for this fight?
RS: Obviously for me since I have the belt whoever I’m fighting it is their biggest fight of their career. They really want what I have so I have to train that much harder for them. Other than that it is pretty much the same. I’m in shape to go five rounds.
KM: I’m concerned for all the IFL fighters that IFL’s previous court battles with the UFC may blacklist them. Any sense fighting for the IFL might be limiting choices?
RS: I haven’t really looked into it. I’ve been very much loyal to the IFL so I don’t really know if I’m blacklisted or not. I’d hope not. On any given night I’m one of the best fighters in the world at 155 and I’d hope a show like the UFC would want to get the best fighters out there.
KM: I agree IFL have some of the best fighter but there have been reports IFL lost something like $35 million last year. How secure do you feel at IFL?
RS: I’ve heard the rumors as well and I try to stay out of the business side of it but I do have to keep an eye on it because it is how I make my living. Right now I’m going to stay with them and if it happens I’m not going to worry about it. I’ll deal with it when it comes. I’m not going to get myself worked up over nothing. I’m a survivor. No matter what happens I’ll hit the ground running.
KM: What are your thoughts on Team Quest in this show?
RS: I think we’re all going to win. I strain with those guys every single day and know they are putting the work in. I know where they are at and have confidence people are going to be surprised how good they are and how well they’ll do.
KM: What do you know about Deividas and what do you think about him?
RS: He fought Zach, Young, and Bart. He is good. He is hungry and will try to hurt you. I know he likes those standing armbars, I’ve seen that out of him a few times. I think he is well-rounded but I think I’m a little better than him everywhere. If I want to fight on the ground that is where it is going to go, if I want to fight on the feet that is where it is going to stay.
KM: How involved were you in training the rest of the Team Quest fighters on this card and how much were you concentrating on your own fight?
RS: We train together every single day. I’m focused on my gameplan and they are focused on theirs so they have to take care of their fights when it comes down to it and I have to take care of mine. We push each other so I’d say I’m very involved with what everybody is doing.
KM: Most people know who Matt Horwich is. What are your thoughts on his fight and training?
RS: He has been focusing more on his kickboxing. He is aware of that uppercut now. Horwich is a tough fight for anybody in the world. Horwich is going to break him. He is tenacious, just keeps coming forward and breaks you down with cardio. Whoever he fights, they are in for a war. That is the way it goes. Horwich has trained with him before and I think Horwich is going to be superior in that one for sure.
KM: Zac is coming off a loss to Mike Joy who lost a tough fight to Enoch Wilson lately. What are your thoughts on how Zac has been doing since the Joy fight?
RS: Zac is tough. He is a ball of fury. He’ll harass you and mix it up. He puts on an exciting fight every time. I think his ground game is a lot better than it was and his standup has been his strength. I think he is a more well-rounded fighter sine he came out here to Team Quest.
KM: How involved were you in cornering fighters for the most recent SportFight show?
RS: I cornered quite a few of the fighters. I cornered Nate Coy, Ed Nuno…five of the fights.
KM: Coy is now fighting for the SportFight Welterweight title in June. What can you tell us about him?
RS: He went to Oregon State where he was an All-American then he moved out to the Olympic training center. He is a really good wrestler now picking up the standup game. He has probably grasped it faster than anybody I’ve seen. He is a workhorse, he trains hard. He comes into my morning class to pick up some of my knowledge from my fighting from a wrestling background and doing everything he needs to do to get on top in this sport. I’m definitely impressed with him and proud of him because he puts the work in.
KM: Ed Nuno is the former SportFight Welterweight champion who was stepping down to fight Lightweight. He lost both his WW title and that LW title by being out-wrestled. Surprising coming from a Team Quest fighter. What can you tell us about him?
RS: Nuno is working a lot and doesn’t get enough time to train. Wrestling has been his Achilles heel. He hits like a Mack truck and guys are afraid of that. They take it one time and go to wrestling and try to hold him down and pin him. That is how he lost to Mike Pierce. Mike Pierce didn’t do a damn thing except wrestle him and lay-and-pray. I thought that fight was kind of boring but that is what that guy needed to do to win that fight.
KM: Then what do you think of Pierce defending his belt against Coy in June?
RS: I think it is going to be a tough fight. I think it will be a good fight and a tiring fight because there will be a lot of Pierce trying to take Coy down and Coy defending and trying to punch his face in. Coy will take him don if he wants to but I think he’ll want to stand and pop his head off. We’ll see. Pierce isn’t horrible and has a solid base of wrestling, I just don’t think he hasn’t gravitated to the next level as far as putting it all together.
KM: Enoch Wilson defended his Featherweight title on the last show. I understand he is now part of Team Quest.
RS: Yes. He is tough. That was a great fight, really back-and-forth. He threw that head kick that turned into a knee flush on the button. He is game for sure.
KM: Did Robert Follis being out at UFC cornering Ed Herman and not the SportFight guys have any effect on TQ going 4-4?
RS: I think every guy was taken care of. Robert is a good cornerman and a lot of guys are used to having him in their corner and definitely Robert was missed but I don’t know if it had anything to do with the outcomes of any of the fights. He took care of them before he left so everybody was ready to fight.
KM: Has Matt Lindland’s running for senate had any effect on the team?
RS: He has been gone lately but other than that he is still there and his work ethic has been carried over. He has shown it time and time again. He is spread a little thin but is still coaching the team and laid the ground work. I think it is just fine.
This weekend in IFL Ryan Schultz attempts to defend his Welterweight title against Deividas Taurosevicius while three Team Quest fighters take on three from Team Prodigy. Ryan won his title when he beat Chris Horodecki last December and defended it for the first time against John Gunderson in February. In the archives are multiple updates with Ryan throughout his career.
KM: How do you feel about returning to the IFL at this point in your career?
RS: I feel good, I’m ready to go. I like the organization and I like the show. I think we have the best fighters and I’m excited. UFC is the biggest show but I think we are right there with them. Talent-wise there are a lot of guys especially at the 155 weight class that can move right over there. There are tough guys everywhere.
KM: You fought their five four-minute rounds for your title and again when defended it. Anything unusual for this fight?
RS: Obviously for me since I have the belt whoever I’m fighting it is their biggest fight of their career. They really want what I have so I have to train that much harder for them. Other than that it is pretty much the same. I’m in shape to go five rounds.
KM: I’m concerned for all the IFL fighters that IFL’s previous court battles with the UFC may blacklist them. Any sense fighting for the IFL might be limiting choices?
RS: I haven’t really looked into it. I’ve been very much loyal to the IFL so I don’t really know if I’m blacklisted or not. I’d hope not. On any given night I’m one of the best fighters in the world at 155 and I’d hope a show like the UFC would want to get the best fighters out there.
KM: I agree IFL have some of the best fighter but there have been reports IFL lost something like $35 million last year. How secure do you feel at IFL?
RS: I’ve heard the rumors as well and I try to stay out of the business side of it but I do have to keep an eye on it because it is how I make my living. Right now I’m going to stay with them and if it happens I’m not going to worry about it. I’ll deal with it when it comes. I’m not going to get myself worked up over nothing. I’m a survivor. No matter what happens I’ll hit the ground running.
KM: What are your thoughts on Team Quest in this show?
RS: I think we’re all going to win. I strain with those guys every single day and know they are putting the work in. I know where they are at and have confidence people are going to be surprised how good they are and how well they’ll do.
KM: What do you know about Deividas and what do you think about him?
RS: He fought Zach, Young, and Bart. He is good. He is hungry and will try to hurt you. I know he likes those standing armbars, I’ve seen that out of him a few times. I think he is well-rounded but I think I’m a little better than him everywhere. If I want to fight on the ground that is where it is going to go, if I want to fight on the feet that is where it is going to stay.
KM: How involved were you in training the rest of the Team Quest fighters on this card and how much were you concentrating on your own fight?
RS: We train together every single day. I’m focused on my gameplan and they are focused on theirs so they have to take care of their fights when it comes down to it and I have to take care of mine. We push each other so I’d say I’m very involved with what everybody is doing.
KM: Most people know who Matt Horwich is. What are your thoughts on his fight and training?
RS: He has been focusing more on his kickboxing. He is aware of that uppercut now. Horwich is a tough fight for anybody in the world. Horwich is going to break him. He is tenacious, just keeps coming forward and breaks you down with cardio. Whoever he fights, they are in for a war. That is the way it goes. Horwich has trained with him before and I think Horwich is going to be superior in that one for sure.
KM: Zac is coming off a loss to Mike Joy who lost a tough fight to Enoch Wilson lately. What are your thoughts on how Zac has been doing since the Joy fight?
RS: Zac is tough. He is a ball of fury. He’ll harass you and mix it up. He puts on an exciting fight every time. I think his ground game is a lot better than it was and his standup has been his strength. I think he is a more well-rounded fighter sine he came out here to Team Quest.
KM: How involved were you in cornering fighters for the most recent SportFight show?
RS: I cornered quite a few of the fighters. I cornered Nate Coy, Ed Nuno…five of the fights.
KM: Coy is now fighting for the SportFight Welterweight title in June. What can you tell us about him?
RS: He went to Oregon State where he was an All-American then he moved out to the Olympic training center. He is a really good wrestler now picking up the standup game. He has probably grasped it faster than anybody I’ve seen. He is a workhorse, he trains hard. He comes into my morning class to pick up some of my knowledge from my fighting from a wrestling background and doing everything he needs to do to get on top in this sport. I’m definitely impressed with him and proud of him because he puts the work in.
KM: Ed Nuno is the former SportFight Welterweight champion who was stepping down to fight Lightweight. He lost both his WW title and that LW title by being out-wrestled. Surprising coming from a Team Quest fighter. What can you tell us about him?
RS: Nuno is working a lot and doesn’t get enough time to train. Wrestling has been his Achilles heel. He hits like a Mack truck and guys are afraid of that. They take it one time and go to wrestling and try to hold him down and pin him. That is how he lost to Mike Pierce. Mike Pierce didn’t do a damn thing except wrestle him and lay-and-pray. I thought that fight was kind of boring but that is what that guy needed to do to win that fight.
KM: Then what do you think of Pierce defending his belt against Coy in June?
RS: I think it is going to be a tough fight. I think it will be a good fight and a tiring fight because there will be a lot of Pierce trying to take Coy down and Coy defending and trying to punch his face in. Coy will take him don if he wants to but I think he’ll want to stand and pop his head off. We’ll see. Pierce isn’t horrible and has a solid base of wrestling, I just don’t think he hasn’t gravitated to the next level as far as putting it all together.
KM: Enoch Wilson defended his Featherweight title on the last show. I understand he is now part of Team Quest.
RS: Yes. He is tough. That was a great fight, really back-and-forth. He threw that head kick that turned into a knee flush on the button. He is game for sure.
KM: Did Robert Follis being out at UFC cornering Ed Herman and not the SportFight guys have any effect on TQ going 4-4?
RS: I think every guy was taken care of. Robert is a good cornerman and a lot of guys are used to having him in their corner and definitely Robert was missed but I don’t know if it had anything to do with the outcomes of any of the fights. He took care of them before he left so everybody was ready to fight.
KM: Has Matt Lindland’s running for senate had any effect on the team?
RS: He has been gone lately but other than that he is still there and his work ethic has been carried over. He has shown it time and time again. He is spread a little thin but is still coaching the team and laid the ground work. I think it is just fine.
IFL Set for Friday
UNCASVILLE, Conn. -- All fighters made weight Thursday for tomorrow's IFL event.
The only initial hiccup was with Josh Souder, who came in just a quarter of a pound heavy. Later he was spotted knocking back some peanut butter and M&M's, indicating that he was able to shed that minimal amount.
Brad Imes (Pictures) looked lean at 249 pounds for his challenge of IFL heavyweight champion Roy Nelson (Pictures).
The fights begin at 7:30 p.m. ET at the Mohegan Sun Arena and will be broadcast live on HDNet, starting at 8:30 p.m. ET.
Title Matches
Ryan Schultz (Pictures) (154) vs. Deividas Taurosevicius (Pictures) (154)
Roy Nelson (Pictures) (264.2) vs. Brad Imes (Pictures) (249.2)
Ryan McGivern (Pictures) (181.2) vs. Dan Miller (Pictures) (180.5)
Undercard
Mike Massenzio (185.2) vs. Danillo Villefort (184.7)
Zac George (Pictures) (155.2) vs. Josh Souder (156.2)
Matt Horwich (Pictures) (185.7) vs. Joey Guel (Pictures) (185.5)
Nick Calandrino (170) vs. John Howard (170.5)
Lamont Lister (Pictures) (205.2) vs. Aaron Stark (Pictures) (205.7)
John Franchi (Pictures) (155) vs. Frank Latina (Pictures) (152)
UNCASVILLE, Conn. -- All fighters made weight Thursday for tomorrow's IFL event.
The only initial hiccup was with Josh Souder, who came in just a quarter of a pound heavy. Later he was spotted knocking back some peanut butter and M&M's, indicating that he was able to shed that minimal amount.
Brad Imes (Pictures) looked lean at 249 pounds for his challenge of IFL heavyweight champion Roy Nelson (Pictures).
The fights begin at 7:30 p.m. ET at the Mohegan Sun Arena and will be broadcast live on HDNet, starting at 8:30 p.m. ET.
Title Matches
Ryan Schultz (Pictures) (154) vs. Deividas Taurosevicius (Pictures) (154)
Roy Nelson (Pictures) (264.2) vs. Brad Imes (Pictures) (249.2)
Ryan McGivern (Pictures) (181.2) vs. Dan Miller (Pictures) (180.5)
Undercard
Mike Massenzio (185.2) vs. Danillo Villefort (184.7)
Zac George (Pictures) (155.2) vs. Josh Souder (156.2)
Matt Horwich (Pictures) (185.7) vs. Joey Guel (Pictures) (185.5)
Nick Calandrino (170) vs. John Howard (170.5)
Lamont Lister (Pictures) (205.2) vs. Aaron Stark (Pictures) (205.7)
John Franchi (Pictures) (155) vs. Frank Latina (Pictures) (152)
Dana White decides against apology
As stated yesterday, Tito Ortiz made comments stating he would give the UFC another chance should Dana White apologize for the things he has done to him. Well, Dana responded at the conference call and shockingly he’s not playing into Tito’s hand:
“Tito is a f—ing idiot,” White said. “He’s one of the dumbest human beings I’ve ever met. Everything that comes out of his mouth makes no sense.”
White added that he doesn’t think UFC needs Ortiz because he doesn’t think Ortiz can beat any of UFC’s top fighters.
“I put up with his s— when he was a good fighter,” White said. “He’s not anymore.”
“He’s not in anybody’s Top 10,” White said. “I have no interest whatsoever in being in the Tito Ortiz business. … I’ve never wanted to see anyone get their ass kicked worse than I want to see Tito get his kicked next Saturday night.”
As always the problem with White is he’s never clear on his feelings….
While he’s not in many top tens, he’s still ranked at #10 over MMAWeekly, which atleast for a long period of time were considered the best rankings in the sport.
This is one of those rare feuds where a majority of people don’t even care to take a side. Few would side with Ortiz as few of us would put up with someone publicly insulting us time and time again and no doubt complaining about money and holding out on contracts. On the other hand few would side with White who never takes the high road, frequently says questionable and unfounded things, and even had a Spike TV special which was basically a 90-minute infomercial about how his most marketable star was a coward.
Sure, maybe a marketable star and a top promotion are the best fit for one another. But maybe a top marketable star against a top promotion would actually be more entertaining. While White is probably correct that Ortiz is no longer a world champion candidate, he is still arguably the #1 MMA star in the country with his UFC name and his Celebrity Apprentice appearance.
Doesn’t Ortiz deserve the big money of being the top name? Doesn’t the UFC deserve the right to not pay someone ridiculous money when they can’t beat a top star in a big time main event? Does the UFC owe Ortiz for helping to keep them afloat and being their name? Does Ortiz owe the UFC for making him a star?
Welcome to a rare situation where no one is right and no one is wrong.
As stated yesterday, Tito Ortiz made comments stating he would give the UFC another chance should Dana White apologize for the things he has done to him. Well, Dana responded at the conference call and shockingly he’s not playing into Tito’s hand:
“Tito is a f—ing idiot,” White said. “He’s one of the dumbest human beings I’ve ever met. Everything that comes out of his mouth makes no sense.”
White added that he doesn’t think UFC needs Ortiz because he doesn’t think Ortiz can beat any of UFC’s top fighters.
“I put up with his s— when he was a good fighter,” White said. “He’s not anymore.”
“He’s not in anybody’s Top 10,” White said. “I have no interest whatsoever in being in the Tito Ortiz business. … I’ve never wanted to see anyone get their ass kicked worse than I want to see Tito get his kicked next Saturday night.”
As always the problem with White is he’s never clear on his feelings….
While he’s not in many top tens, he’s still ranked at #10 over MMAWeekly, which atleast for a long period of time were considered the best rankings in the sport.
This is one of those rare feuds where a majority of people don’t even care to take a side. Few would side with Ortiz as few of us would put up with someone publicly insulting us time and time again and no doubt complaining about money and holding out on contracts. On the other hand few would side with White who never takes the high road, frequently says questionable and unfounded things, and even had a Spike TV special which was basically a 90-minute infomercial about how his most marketable star was a coward.
Sure, maybe a marketable star and a top promotion are the best fit for one another. But maybe a top marketable star against a top promotion would actually be more entertaining. While White is probably correct that Ortiz is no longer a world champion candidate, he is still arguably the #1 MMA star in the country with his UFC name and his Celebrity Apprentice appearance.
Doesn’t Ortiz deserve the big money of being the top name? Doesn’t the UFC deserve the right to not pay someone ridiculous money when they can’t beat a top star in a big time main event? Does the UFC owe Ortiz for helping to keep them afloat and being their name? Does Ortiz owe the UFC for making him a star?
Welcome to a rare situation where no one is right and no one is wrong.
M-1 Challenge news and the third event
On May, 31 the third installment will hit the sunny shore of Gran Canaria (Spain) in Soiux City (San Augustin). This will be the first M-1 Challenge 2008 open stage event and can be considered the predecessor of prestigious 'on water event' that will take place June 27, 2008 in Saint Petersburg, Russia...
March 2, 2008 Almere, Holland First EditionSurprisingly enough but completely deserved: in group A France was victorious against renowned Russian Red Devil team scoring 3-2 in its favor during the inaugural M-1 Challenge event. Being the better fighters that night were Russians Mikhail Zayats and Kirill Sidelnikov and, of course, French Karl Amoussou.
The same night Dutch team (Bogdan Cristea, Romano de los Reyes, Jason Jones, Gegard Mousasi and Jessy Gibbs) took on the German neighbours in group B. In what seemed to be a walkover the event hosting country couldnt be more impressive with 5:0 score.
Due to the elimination of Germany a new team was born. World Star Team will be comprised of the following athletes: Samuel Judes, Norman Paraisy, Daniel Weichel, Bruno Carvalho and Michal Kita.
April 3, 2008 St. Petersburg, Russia Second EditionThe second event held in Russian North Venice saw Korea debut against Finland in the context of group A. Finnish representatives were better fighters that night scoring 4:1.
Native atmosphere didn't help Legion from Russian South in the battle against Japan. The land of the rising sun took 3 wins and is the second victorious team (after the Netherlands) in the group B.
Results till nowGroup A: France (3:2) and Finland (4:1) share the first place at the moment while Red Devil (2:3) remains at the third place and Korea struggles (1:4) at the fourth.
Group B: the Netherlands (5:0) share the spotlight with Japan (3:2). Russian Legion (2:3) follows at the third place. An official announcement in regard of replacement for the German team will soon be made by IMA (International Mixfight Association).
Gran Canaria: fighting islandNumerous MMA shows have already been organized by Warriors Island promotions. Watching the video we could clearly state that it's possible to hold a high-level event here and it won't miss any essential MMA component. The original martial art of Gran Canaria is Lucha Canaria which is comparable with Japanese sumo. But the influence of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is instantly tangible, too. Think Antonio Rodrigo 'Minotauro' Nogueira, Paulo Filho among other MMA icons who regularly pay a visit to the central dojo of the sunny paradise in order to hold the stage trainings.
Gran Canaria have rich history of fighting including cockfighting (still intact) at special arenas as well as dog fights (illegal now).
Fighting is in canarios' blood. And now it's time for regulated Mixed Martial Arts.
On May,31 the next teams are slated for the 3-rd edition of M-1 Challenge:
Finland vs. USA: The Finnish team remains the same. The American team is eager to make its successful debut. American representatives Ryan L'amoreaux (lightweight) and Mike Ottman (heavyweight) had a galvanic effect on M-1 during the Revolution Fights in Miami.
Spain vs. Holland: Dutch team crushed the first opponents and waits for the next opportunity to retain the leadership. The only change in the team is that Gegard Mousasi won't take part in M-1 Challenge events since he pursues the DREAM middleweight Grand Prix belt and made a huge leap towards the belt by beating highly touted Denis Kang. Gegard's replacement will be Kamil Uygun who won the bout during the first M-1 Challenge in impressive fashion.
Spanish team will be strengthened with such a veteran as Daniel Tabera.
On May, 31 the third installment will hit the sunny shore of Gran Canaria (Spain) in Soiux City (San Augustin). This will be the first M-1 Challenge 2008 open stage event and can be considered the predecessor of prestigious 'on water event' that will take place June 27, 2008 in Saint Petersburg, Russia...
March 2, 2008 Almere, Holland First EditionSurprisingly enough but completely deserved: in group A France was victorious against renowned Russian Red Devil team scoring 3-2 in its favor during the inaugural M-1 Challenge event. Being the better fighters that night were Russians Mikhail Zayats and Kirill Sidelnikov and, of course, French Karl Amoussou.
The same night Dutch team (Bogdan Cristea, Romano de los Reyes, Jason Jones, Gegard Mousasi and Jessy Gibbs) took on the German neighbours in group B. In what seemed to be a walkover the event hosting country couldnt be more impressive with 5:0 score.
Due to the elimination of Germany a new team was born. World Star Team will be comprised of the following athletes: Samuel Judes, Norman Paraisy, Daniel Weichel, Bruno Carvalho and Michal Kita.
April 3, 2008 St. Petersburg, Russia Second EditionThe second event held in Russian North Venice saw Korea debut against Finland in the context of group A. Finnish representatives were better fighters that night scoring 4:1.
Native atmosphere didn't help Legion from Russian South in the battle against Japan. The land of the rising sun took 3 wins and is the second victorious team (after the Netherlands) in the group B.
Results till nowGroup A: France (3:2) and Finland (4:1) share the first place at the moment while Red Devil (2:3) remains at the third place and Korea struggles (1:4) at the fourth.
Group B: the Netherlands (5:0) share the spotlight with Japan (3:2). Russian Legion (2:3) follows at the third place. An official announcement in regard of replacement for the German team will soon be made by IMA (International Mixfight Association).
Gran Canaria: fighting islandNumerous MMA shows have already been organized by Warriors Island promotions. Watching the video we could clearly state that it's possible to hold a high-level event here and it won't miss any essential MMA component. The original martial art of Gran Canaria is Lucha Canaria which is comparable with Japanese sumo. But the influence of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu is instantly tangible, too. Think Antonio Rodrigo 'Minotauro' Nogueira, Paulo Filho among other MMA icons who regularly pay a visit to the central dojo of the sunny paradise in order to hold the stage trainings.
Gran Canaria have rich history of fighting including cockfighting (still intact) at special arenas as well as dog fights (illegal now).
Fighting is in canarios' blood. And now it's time for regulated Mixed Martial Arts.
On May,31 the next teams are slated for the 3-rd edition of M-1 Challenge:
Finland vs. USA: The Finnish team remains the same. The American team is eager to make its successful debut. American representatives Ryan L'amoreaux (lightweight) and Mike Ottman (heavyweight) had a galvanic effect on M-1 during the Revolution Fights in Miami.
Spain vs. Holland: Dutch team crushed the first opponents and waits for the next opportunity to retain the leadership. The only change in the team is that Gegard Mousasi won't take part in M-1 Challenge events since he pursues the DREAM middleweight Grand Prix belt and made a huge leap towards the belt by beating highly touted Denis Kang. Gegard's replacement will be Kamil Uygun who won the bout during the first M-1 Challenge in impressive fashion.
Spanish team will be strengthened with such a veteran as Daniel Tabera.
MMANews.com Exclusive: Interview With Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira
Chris Howie of MMANews.com: This is Chris Howie with MMANews.com and today I have the pleasure of speaking with the UFC Heavyweight Champion of the world Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira. How are things today Antonio?
Minotauro: Things are going great buddy.
MMANews.com: So you have a new gym opening up in Miami, can you tell our readers a little about what you have going on?
Minotauro: Yes, we have a new gym opening in Miami. I use to have a gym in Fort Lauderdale but decided that Miami would be easier. It will be me and my brother and Anderson Silva, who decided to move here because it will be easier for training. Being here in America we won’t have to travel all the way from the Brazil. We have a good team here teaching and for training together.
MMANews.com: When does the gym open?
Minotauro: It will be open on Thursday and Friday will be open for students. On Saturday me and my brother will be teaching a seminar and on Monday classes will start.
MMANews.com: It was just announced that you will be a coach on the eighth season of The Ultimate Fighter. What are your thoughts on that?
Minotauro: Yeah, Monday I will be leaving for Vegas to discuss all the details with the producers and the UFC but I look forward to coaching some good guys on the show.
MMANews.com: Have you had a chance to watch any previous season of TUF?
Minotauro: Umm, here and there I’ve had a chance to catch some episodes. I know it should be fun. We will have 10 weeks with the fighters to teach them everything that we can. We will teach them some good stuff.
MMANews.com: Do you have any idea who you will bring on as your assistant coaches?
Minotauro: I will be bringing in my submission guy and I think I will have a boxing coach in from California. Anderson Silva will be one of my guests and I think my brother will go to. I believe I will have a wrestling coach in from Calfornia too.
MMANews.com: Now is it planned to face Frank Mir at the end of the season?
Minotauro: I’ll know more for sure on Monday. I’m going to go and find out who my next opponent will be and when the dates will be and such so I can’t really give a lot of information on that.
MMANews.com: In your last fight you defeated Tim Sylvia for the Heavyweight title. What did it mean to you to win that belt?
Minotauro: Man, it was always a dream for me to win the UFC title. I started training MMA and Jiu-Jitsu in 1994 after I seen the first show with Royce Gracie. He showed how well the Jiu-Jitsu technique can work and when I seen that I thought to myself that I had to train that. So I went to look for a school. I was already doing some boxing at the time so when I put the BJJ into the mix that was how I first got started into MMA.
MMANews.com: What were your thoughts on coming to America?
Minotauro: Well I had family in America and I have a lot of students in America so it is good to be here.
MMANews.com: How did you feel about Randy Couture holding out from the UFC and not fighting you?
Minotauro: When they had asked me to fight for the title he had the Heavyweight belt so my plan was to fight him. He has his reasons with contracts and such and he has to look for what’s best for him. I have the belt now and am ready to face him. From my background anyone can tell that I am good enough to fight Couture and I hope that he comes back some day because I am ready to face him. I think we would make a very exciting fight.
MMANews.com: Considering the legacy that you have in this sport, did you feel insulted that he somewhat overlooked you and was more focused on Fedor?
Minotauro: I haven’t really thought about it too much. Too see my fights and too see how many wins I have and how many hard fights I’ve fought I think I am in a good position to be the UFC Heavyweight Champion. He has his reasons and he has to look for where he can make the most money. I’m here. If the best guys in the world want the UFC belt they are going to have to face me. I don’t care what people say, when they want to fight I’ll be here.
MMANews.com: Where does the heart come from that you consistently show in all of your of fights?
Minotauro: You know, I started Judo when I was 4 years old so I have always had that drive to compete. Sometimes I have hard times in fights so I have learned how too manage the fights and learned how to change too what is coming in the fights. When I was 11 I was hit by a truck and I had a really really hard time then and I think that was something that really motivated me. I also have great partners and trainers in Brazil and now in Florida. All my training partners are the best. We are also constantly training so we are always ready.
MMANews.com: You have fought the best heavyweights in the world at one time or another. Are there any particular fights that you would like to have?
Minotauro: Yes, I’d like to fight that Russian guy that used to be heavyweight champion…
MMANews.com: [Andrei] Arlovski?
Minotauro: Yes him. I’d also like to fight Randy Couture and maybe Fedor, I love to fight Fedor because he is such a good fighter. I’d also like to Frank Mir because he has such good Jiu-Jitsu.
MMANews.com: Fedor and Tim Sylvia will be fighting in July. Considering you have fought both of them who do you see taking that one?
Minotauro: That’s going to be an interesting one man. If Sylvia can keep it standing he’ll have a good chance to win. Fedor is a better grappler and has good takedowns. It will be intense. If it goes to the ground Fedor will have a good chance. He may have a hard time getting him down but once he does he’ll be in control. Tim Sylvia has heavy hands man and he moves well. It will be a very good fight.
MMANews.com: When you get a chance to sit down and watch fights, who do you like to watch?
Minotauro: I like Anderson Silva, he’s fun too watch. I also like to watch Georges St. Pierre.
MMANews.com: What type of charity work do you have going on right now?
Minotauro: In Brazil we have classes for poor kids that can’t afford training, at my gym. We have about 150 kids doing that. We have boxing and Jiu-Jitsu classes for them. We also have weight lifting classes for kids and we have a wrestling coach in from Romania for them. Once we have everything set up with the gym here in America we will start looking to social things here as well.
MMANews.com: Is there any idea when your brother will fight again?
Minotauro: Well he was fighting in Canada and right now he is in negotiations to fight back in Japan possibly in July. He is always training and he is always ready.
MMANews.com: Is that with DREAM or with World Victory Road?
Minotauro: We can’t really say right now but there are some good offers on the table. We spent a lot of time in Japan and I love the Japanese people.
MMANews.com: Is there anything you would like to say to your fans out there?
Minotauro: Yeah, I’d to invite them to come down to the gym. The gym will be opened up and any fans living in the area are welcome to come down. We have a seminar on Saturday so they can come down and work out and we will sign some autographs for everyone. Next week I’ll be going down to Vegas to talk with the UFC and producers and we will be making a champ out of someone on the show. I’d also like to thank all the fans for their support over the years in America and back home.
MMANews.com: Ok Antonio I appreciate you taking the time to speak with me today, I know you must be busy with the opening of the gym and such but I congratulate you on the opening and look forward to seeing you back in action.
Minotauro: Hey thanks buddy. Thanks a lot for giving me a call and call me anytime you need anything.
Chris Howie of MMANews.com: This is Chris Howie with MMANews.com and today I have the pleasure of speaking with the UFC Heavyweight Champion of the world Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira. How are things today Antonio?
Minotauro: Things are going great buddy.
MMANews.com: So you have a new gym opening up in Miami, can you tell our readers a little about what you have going on?
Minotauro: Yes, we have a new gym opening in Miami. I use to have a gym in Fort Lauderdale but decided that Miami would be easier. It will be me and my brother and Anderson Silva, who decided to move here because it will be easier for training. Being here in America we won’t have to travel all the way from the Brazil. We have a good team here teaching and for training together.
MMANews.com: When does the gym open?
Minotauro: It will be open on Thursday and Friday will be open for students. On Saturday me and my brother will be teaching a seminar and on Monday classes will start.
MMANews.com: It was just announced that you will be a coach on the eighth season of The Ultimate Fighter. What are your thoughts on that?
Minotauro: Yeah, Monday I will be leaving for Vegas to discuss all the details with the producers and the UFC but I look forward to coaching some good guys on the show.
MMANews.com: Have you had a chance to watch any previous season of TUF?
Minotauro: Umm, here and there I’ve had a chance to catch some episodes. I know it should be fun. We will have 10 weeks with the fighters to teach them everything that we can. We will teach them some good stuff.
MMANews.com: Do you have any idea who you will bring on as your assistant coaches?
Minotauro: I will be bringing in my submission guy and I think I will have a boxing coach in from California. Anderson Silva will be one of my guests and I think my brother will go to. I believe I will have a wrestling coach in from Calfornia too.
MMANews.com: Now is it planned to face Frank Mir at the end of the season?
Minotauro: I’ll know more for sure on Monday. I’m going to go and find out who my next opponent will be and when the dates will be and such so I can’t really give a lot of information on that.
MMANews.com: In your last fight you defeated Tim Sylvia for the Heavyweight title. What did it mean to you to win that belt?
Minotauro: Man, it was always a dream for me to win the UFC title. I started training MMA and Jiu-Jitsu in 1994 after I seen the first show with Royce Gracie. He showed how well the Jiu-Jitsu technique can work and when I seen that I thought to myself that I had to train that. So I went to look for a school. I was already doing some boxing at the time so when I put the BJJ into the mix that was how I first got started into MMA.
MMANews.com: What were your thoughts on coming to America?
Minotauro: Well I had family in America and I have a lot of students in America so it is good to be here.
MMANews.com: How did you feel about Randy Couture holding out from the UFC and not fighting you?
Minotauro: When they had asked me to fight for the title he had the Heavyweight belt so my plan was to fight him. He has his reasons with contracts and such and he has to look for what’s best for him. I have the belt now and am ready to face him. From my background anyone can tell that I am good enough to fight Couture and I hope that he comes back some day because I am ready to face him. I think we would make a very exciting fight.
MMANews.com: Considering the legacy that you have in this sport, did you feel insulted that he somewhat overlooked you and was more focused on Fedor?
Minotauro: I haven’t really thought about it too much. Too see my fights and too see how many wins I have and how many hard fights I’ve fought I think I am in a good position to be the UFC Heavyweight Champion. He has his reasons and he has to look for where he can make the most money. I’m here. If the best guys in the world want the UFC belt they are going to have to face me. I don’t care what people say, when they want to fight I’ll be here.
MMANews.com: Where does the heart come from that you consistently show in all of your of fights?
Minotauro: You know, I started Judo when I was 4 years old so I have always had that drive to compete. Sometimes I have hard times in fights so I have learned how too manage the fights and learned how to change too what is coming in the fights. When I was 11 I was hit by a truck and I had a really really hard time then and I think that was something that really motivated me. I also have great partners and trainers in Brazil and now in Florida. All my training partners are the best. We are also constantly training so we are always ready.
MMANews.com: You have fought the best heavyweights in the world at one time or another. Are there any particular fights that you would like to have?
Minotauro: Yes, I’d like to fight that Russian guy that used to be heavyweight champion…
MMANews.com: [Andrei] Arlovski?
Minotauro: Yes him. I’d also like to fight Randy Couture and maybe Fedor, I love to fight Fedor because he is such a good fighter. I’d also like to Frank Mir because he has such good Jiu-Jitsu.
MMANews.com: Fedor and Tim Sylvia will be fighting in July. Considering you have fought both of them who do you see taking that one?
Minotauro: That’s going to be an interesting one man. If Sylvia can keep it standing he’ll have a good chance to win. Fedor is a better grappler and has good takedowns. It will be intense. If it goes to the ground Fedor will have a good chance. He may have a hard time getting him down but once he does he’ll be in control. Tim Sylvia has heavy hands man and he moves well. It will be a very good fight.
MMANews.com: When you get a chance to sit down and watch fights, who do you like to watch?
Minotauro: I like Anderson Silva, he’s fun too watch. I also like to watch Georges St. Pierre.
MMANews.com: What type of charity work do you have going on right now?
Minotauro: In Brazil we have classes for poor kids that can’t afford training, at my gym. We have about 150 kids doing that. We have boxing and Jiu-Jitsu classes for them. We also have weight lifting classes for kids and we have a wrestling coach in from Romania for them. Once we have everything set up with the gym here in America we will start looking to social things here as well.
MMANews.com: Is there any idea when your brother will fight again?
Minotauro: Well he was fighting in Canada and right now he is in negotiations to fight back in Japan possibly in July. He is always training and he is always ready.
MMANews.com: Is that with DREAM or with World Victory Road?
Minotauro: We can’t really say right now but there are some good offers on the table. We spent a lot of time in Japan and I love the Japanese people.
MMANews.com: Is there anything you would like to say to your fans out there?
Minotauro: Yeah, I’d to invite them to come down to the gym. The gym will be opened up and any fans living in the area are welcome to come down. We have a seminar on Saturday so they can come down and work out and we will sign some autographs for everyone. Next week I’ll be going down to Vegas to talk with the UFC and producers and we will be making a champ out of someone on the show. I’d also like to thank all the fans for their support over the years in America and back home.
MMANews.com: Ok Antonio I appreciate you taking the time to speak with me today, I know you must be busy with the opening of the gym and such but I congratulate you on the opening and look forward to seeing you back in action.
Minotauro: Hey thanks buddy. Thanks a lot for giving me a call and call me anytime you need anything.
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SHERK STILL CONSIDERING ACTION AGAINST CALIFORNIA
The ongoing battle between former UFC lightweight champion Sean Sherk and the state of California may not be down for the count just yet as the Minnesota native confirmed his focus for now is on B.J. Penn, but he may revisit legal action at some point down the road.
“Right now, basically, I was cleared to fight, had a date in mind, had a goal in mind and so I just wanted to first off get this fight out of the way and get my career back on track,” said Sherk during a recent appearance on MMAWeekly Radio. “And there’s no statute of limitations as far as how long I have to do this thing by, so I’m still talking to my lawyer. We’re still working some stuff out, and after this fight, maybe that’s something that we can go back to.”
During the interview, Sherk reaffirmed his previous statements about never fighting in the state of California again after his treatment during the suspension and subsequent hearings with the state’s athletic commission.
“I’ve got no desire to fight in California,” Sherk stated. “The UFC’s fighting all over the country now. They’re coming here to Minneapolis in a few months, so I’ve just got no desire to fight in California now. I don’t like the way I was treated and fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me, right?”
While the former champ admits he doesn’t know all of the individual grievances other promotions have with California, he believes things will have to change in the future or the state may lose some MMA business.
“I think they really need to handle things a little better and if they don’t, I think the shows are going to go elsewhere,” he commented. “This sport is so big now, you don’t need to fight in California anymore. It was something they needed to do at one point in time, where as now I think they can pretty much sell out wherever they go. It’s not a necessity anymore.”
The situation will continue to simmer on the back burner until Sherk completes his comeback at UFC 84 on May 24 against B.J. Penn in Las Vegas
The ongoing battle between former UFC lightweight champion Sean Sherk and the state of California may not be down for the count just yet as the Minnesota native confirmed his focus for now is on B.J. Penn, but he may revisit legal action at some point down the road.
“Right now, basically, I was cleared to fight, had a date in mind, had a goal in mind and so I just wanted to first off get this fight out of the way and get my career back on track,” said Sherk during a recent appearance on MMAWeekly Radio. “And there’s no statute of limitations as far as how long I have to do this thing by, so I’m still talking to my lawyer. We’re still working some stuff out, and after this fight, maybe that’s something that we can go back to.”
During the interview, Sherk reaffirmed his previous statements about never fighting in the state of California again after his treatment during the suspension and subsequent hearings with the state’s athletic commission.
“I’ve got no desire to fight in California,” Sherk stated. “The UFC’s fighting all over the country now. They’re coming here to Minneapolis in a few months, so I’ve just got no desire to fight in California now. I don’t like the way I was treated and fool me once shame on you, fool me twice shame on me, right?”
While the former champ admits he doesn’t know all of the individual grievances other promotions have with California, he believes things will have to change in the future or the state may lose some MMA business.
“I think they really need to handle things a little better and if they don’t, I think the shows are going to go elsewhere,” he commented. “This sport is so big now, you don’t need to fight in California anymore. It was something they needed to do at one point in time, where as now I think they can pretty much sell out wherever they go. It’s not a necessity anymore.”
The situation will continue to simmer on the back burner until Sherk completes his comeback at UFC 84 on May 24 against B.J. Penn in Las Vegas
DANA WHITE SAYS UFC EXPANDING TO GERMANY
The Ultimate Fighting Championship over the past year has made a significant move into the U.K. The promotion followed that up with a successful debut last month in Montreal where UFC 83 raked in a $5.2 million live gate.
“The Montreal event was big all the way around,” said UFC president Dana White. “We broke records with the venue. I think we broke every record in the venue’s history. Pay-per-views went very well, everything was good.”
It’s no surprise then that with all the success the promotion has had in expanding not only into new states across the U.S., but also in moving into the U.K. and Canada, the UFC will soon be setting up the Octagon in even more countries around the world. Next on the list is Germany.
In a media conference call on Thursday, White was asked of the promotion’s interest in France. He glossed over France heading straight to its neighbor to the North and a few other locals.
“We're focused on Germany, the Philippines, and Australia next,” he stated.
Pressed by Kevin Iole of Yahoo! Sports about a rumored location in Berlin, White said that it wasn’t a done deal yet. “We’re working on it right now,” he said, adding, “Germany is what we’re looking at next.”
White did not disclose a specific time frame for the move into Germany. He didn’t offer any details on the Philippines or Australia either, but did reinforce the UFC’s intent to promote in both locations.
“The Philippines is definitely happening, we're working on that right now, Australia and Germany, those three are right now,” he stated. “And now we're starting to focus on doing something in Brazil.”
Details on Brazil are far more sparse even than White’s secrecy on Germany. “Probably about three weeks ago, I did an interview and I said, ‘You know what? Brazil isn't even on our radar right now.’ And that's changed actually in the last three weeks. We're seriously looking at Brazil right now because there's a lot of interesting economical things going on down there right now.”
The plans to expand into Germany, the Philippines and Australia only serve to back White’s statements earlier this year, when he stated that the UFC and mixed martial arts in general are global in scope.
On Thursday, White once again used his comparison of the NFL’s troubled attempts to expand its sport into Europe to explain why he thinks that MMA will succeed.
As he said in January of this year, “Look at the NFL. There's nothing bigger in this country than the NFL. They've been spending billions of dollars trying to break into Europe and they can't do it, because nobody gives a (expletive) about football in Europe. They didn't grow up playing football, they don't know about it.
“I take two guys and put them in the Octagon and they can use any martial art they want. It translates through all different cultural barriers, language barriers... people love fighting.”
He continued, “I think that this thing can be global. I think that this thing can be the biggest sport in the world. I already know it's the most exciting sport in the world.”
The Ultimate Fighting Championship over the past year has made a significant move into the U.K. The promotion followed that up with a successful debut last month in Montreal where UFC 83 raked in a $5.2 million live gate.
“The Montreal event was big all the way around,” said UFC president Dana White. “We broke records with the venue. I think we broke every record in the venue’s history. Pay-per-views went very well, everything was good.”
It’s no surprise then that with all the success the promotion has had in expanding not only into new states across the U.S., but also in moving into the U.K. and Canada, the UFC will soon be setting up the Octagon in even more countries around the world. Next on the list is Germany.
In a media conference call on Thursday, White was asked of the promotion’s interest in France. He glossed over France heading straight to its neighbor to the North and a few other locals.
“We're focused on Germany, the Philippines, and Australia next,” he stated.
Pressed by Kevin Iole of Yahoo! Sports about a rumored location in Berlin, White said that it wasn’t a done deal yet. “We’re working on it right now,” he said, adding, “Germany is what we’re looking at next.”
White did not disclose a specific time frame for the move into Germany. He didn’t offer any details on the Philippines or Australia either, but did reinforce the UFC’s intent to promote in both locations.
“The Philippines is definitely happening, we're working on that right now, Australia and Germany, those three are right now,” he stated. “And now we're starting to focus on doing something in Brazil.”
Details on Brazil are far more sparse even than White’s secrecy on Germany. “Probably about three weeks ago, I did an interview and I said, ‘You know what? Brazil isn't even on our radar right now.’ And that's changed actually in the last three weeks. We're seriously looking at Brazil right now because there's a lot of interesting economical things going on down there right now.”
The plans to expand into Germany, the Philippines and Australia only serve to back White’s statements earlier this year, when he stated that the UFC and mixed martial arts in general are global in scope.
On Thursday, White once again used his comparison of the NFL’s troubled attempts to expand its sport into Europe to explain why he thinks that MMA will succeed.
As he said in January of this year, “Look at the NFL. There's nothing bigger in this country than the NFL. They've been spending billions of dollars trying to break into Europe and they can't do it, because nobody gives a (expletive) about football in Europe. They didn't grow up playing football, they don't know about it.
“I take two guys and put them in the Octagon and they can use any martial art they want. It translates through all different cultural barriers, language barriers... people love fighting.”
He continued, “I think that this thing can be global. I think that this thing can be the biggest sport in the world. I already know it's the most exciting sport in the world.”
CUNG LE IN TEKKEN AND ON TRADING CARDS
Newly crowned Strikeforce middleweight champion Cung Le has been selected to appear in the first-ever mixed martial arts trading card series manufactured by Donruss Trading Card Company.
Slated for release in mid-July, “Ring Kings,” produced as an insert series for the larger Donruss “Americana II” set, will be comprised of approximately 30 different trading cards featuring a collection of the sport’s top superstars. Several editions of the Le card, including an autographed version and a version containing swatches taken from Le’s competition shorts, will be issued.
“We’re excited to be able to include Cung in our program,” said Scott Prusha, Marketing Director for Donruss. “Cung is an extremely exciting fighter and winning the Strikeforce championship was really a big thing.”
Le’s third round TKO of mixed martial arts legend Frank Shamrock, which aired live on Showtime on Saturday, March 29, earned the undefeated Vietnamese-born fighter the Strikeforce world title and marked his greatest professional victory to date.
Prior to entering the world of mixed martial arts in 2006, Le pioneered the Chinese combat discipline of San Shou kickboxing, which incorporates devastating throwing techniques as well as striking, and amassed a perfect 16-0 record in the world of professional kickboxing. Several of his conquests in the kickboxing ring have aired repeatedly on ESPN and ESPN2.
More recently, Le has been touted as Hollywood’s next big martial arts film star. His role in the forthcoming release, Fighting, co-starring Terrence Howard, will mark Le’s debut on the silver screen. Le was also recently cast in the silver screen adaptation of smash hit video game franchise, Tekken, slated for release next year.
Newly crowned Strikeforce middleweight champion Cung Le has been selected to appear in the first-ever mixed martial arts trading card series manufactured by Donruss Trading Card Company.
Slated for release in mid-July, “Ring Kings,” produced as an insert series for the larger Donruss “Americana II” set, will be comprised of approximately 30 different trading cards featuring a collection of the sport’s top superstars. Several editions of the Le card, including an autographed version and a version containing swatches taken from Le’s competition shorts, will be issued.
“We’re excited to be able to include Cung in our program,” said Scott Prusha, Marketing Director for Donruss. “Cung is an extremely exciting fighter and winning the Strikeforce championship was really a big thing.”
Le’s third round TKO of mixed martial arts legend Frank Shamrock, which aired live on Showtime on Saturday, March 29, earned the undefeated Vietnamese-born fighter the Strikeforce world title and marked his greatest professional victory to date.
Prior to entering the world of mixed martial arts in 2006, Le pioneered the Chinese combat discipline of San Shou kickboxing, which incorporates devastating throwing techniques as well as striking, and amassed a perfect 16-0 record in the world of professional kickboxing. Several of his conquests in the kickboxing ring have aired repeatedly on ESPN and ESPN2.
More recently, Le has been touted as Hollywood’s next big martial arts film star. His role in the forthcoming release, Fighting, co-starring Terrence Howard, will mark Le’s debut on the silver screen. Le was also recently cast in the silver screen adaptation of smash hit video game franchise, Tekken, slated for release next year.
Santiago Talks Sengoku Bout
videolink: http://www.sherdog.com/videos/videos.asp?v_id=1566
Sherdog.com's Greg Savage caught up with American Top Team middleweight Jorge Santiago (Pictures) to discuss his bout against Yuki Sasaki (Pictures) at Sengoku II.
videolink: http://www.sherdog.com/videos/videos.asp?v_id=1566
Sherdog.com's Greg Savage caught up with American Top Team middleweight Jorge Santiago (Pictures) to discuss his bout against Yuki Sasaki (Pictures) at Sengoku II.