MMA News Thread

[Shogun Locc]

ROY NELSON IS INDEED IFL'S 'BIG COUNTRY'

It’s hard to imagine that the heavyweight champion of a large promotion feels he still needs to earn respect, but that’s much the case for International Fight League titleholder Roy “Big Country” Nelson.

Since debuting for the promotion at the start of 2007, he has dominated much of the competition he’s faced, with the only exception being a controversial split-decision loss to Ben Rothwell in Nelson’s second IFL fight.

Subsequently after the loss to Rothwell, Nelson has been on a tear, winning five in a row, including taking the IFL heavyweight title and successfully defending it twice, yet a chip still remains on his shoulder.

So, it was with that need to prove himself yet again, despite his successes, that Nelson went into this past Friday’s IFL event at the Mohegan Sun in Connecticut looking to once again show that he is a legitimate top heavyweight, this time against former UFC and “The Ultimate Fighter” reality star Brad Imes.

“A win’s a win,” said the usually self-critical Nelson. “I did something that some other top MMA athletes haven’t done – stopping Brad. It feels pretty good to be the first one to do that.”

He further analyzed his performance by saying, “I noticed I was pretty sloppy with my punches. I landed some clean shots, but I was a little over anxious.

“Most of them landed, but there were a couple that he blocked. I wished all the punches had landed versus 90 percent of them.”

Heading into the fight there was quite a disparage in height and reach, favoring the longer Imes, but Nelson was able to effectively neutralize it with his game plan.

“With guys with such long reach, you’ve just got to overcome,” he commented. “I kind of work on my style to look to get inside their jab and counter with my jab or overwhelm them with pressure and my presence.”

At this point Nelson’s efforts to become a complete fighter are paying off, even though he doesn’t always get the recognition for the all the skills he has.

“It’s funny, about 80% of the people out there think that I’m just some fat guy who can swing, like Tank Abbott,” said Nelson. “They have no clue that I’m actually a better ground fighter than striker.

“The fighters know I’m a better grappler than striker, so it’s just evolution that my hands are coming along now. Slowly I’ll keep adding more to the striking and more to where I can set up my ground game to finish guys.”

With his second title defense secured, Nelson now looks towards staying busy, with a future that could include a trip to another promotion if the IFL’s talks with other companies yield any opportunity for contractual talent to fight elsewhere.

“Career-wise, I’m the guy who loves competition,” he stated. “Whatever the IFL gives me or whoever I can get in the Top 10, Top 20, as long as the pay is there – I just want to fight top level competition and prove to the world that I’m one of the top fighters.

“I would love to fight in any other organization, because I am one of those guys, whoever you put in front of me, I’m more than willing to fight.”

Should Nelson continue on his current path, it would be inconceivable that he would not eventually make his way into the upper tier of heavyweights and earn the respect he feels he deserves once and for all.

“I just want to thank all my sparring partners, Ken Shamrock and Skip Kelp,” closed out Nelson. “To the fans, just go to RoyNelson.com or BigCountry.tv for all the latest news and info on me.

“(Thanks to) all the guys that believed in me and what type of fighter I would become for sticking around. For all the people that don’t believe, one day you will believe, if not, that’s kind of all on you.”

 

[Shogun Locc]

SCHAMBARI OUT, LANG STEPS IN AT WEC 34

World Extreme Cagefighting announced on Wednesday that Eric Schambari would be unable to face off with Tim McKenzie due to injury and was pulled from the fight.

Taking Schambari’s place will be World Extreme Cagefighting newcomer Jeremy Lang, who comes into the fight with a perfect 12-0 record. Lang's last outing wasa decision victory over Brian Monoghan at a recent Warrior Fight Promotions show.

McKenzie made his return to World Extreme Cagefighting at WEC 33 after competing in Bodog Fight for the last couple of years, being stopped by Steve Cantwell in the first round by strikes. McKenzie now moves down to middleweight, where he hopes to find better results.

This fight will be on the under card of WEC 34, which will be headlined by WEC Featherweight Champion Urijah Faber defending his title against former UFC Lightweight Champion Jens Pulver.

 

[Shogun Locc]

TERRY ETIM RALLIES THE SCOUSERS FOR UFC 84

Terry Etim has come a long way since his debut on Ultimate Ring Fighting back in 2005, having fought his way to a 10-0 record before he landed a coveted Ultimate Fighting Championship contract. He made a successful Octagon debut in front of 15,000 screaming fans at the Manchester MEN Arena submitting fellow 155-pound UFC debutant Matt Grice.

Fast-forward to May 2008 and Etim is coming off his first career loss, as well as making his U.S. soil debut. Couple this to a change in opponent, and you might have the ingredients for a nervous fighter.

Not so says the Liverpudlian, “(Rich) Clementi stepped into the breach. He just fought Sam Stout and is coming off the back of some big wins. He is a good, tough opponent and he has lot’s more experience than me with over 50 fights. It’s a big opportunity, but I am as ready as I will ever be and I am sure it will be a good scrap.”

The experience factor weighs heavily in Clementi’s favor and he is a noted BJJ practitioner, so does Etim expect this fight to follow expectations and hit the matt? He appears to be game in every element stating, “I have been impressed with his standup and his takedowns, and yes, he is a good grappler, but nine of my fights have been won by submission, so I am not overly worried. I don’t know if he is taking me lightly in this bout having seen my loss against Gleison Tibau, but if he does then that’s to my advantage”

Having fought his career to date on British soil, including UFC bouts, you could assume that the UFC would be interested in maintaining the Brit fighters in Britain to capitalize on their local popularity. Through exporting both himself and Jason Tan (who also fights at Saturday’s UFC 84) to America, it is clear that the promotion is looking to build their stable of worldwide fighters beyond the confines of their current market. Surely that must feel good?

“This is a dream come true,” stated Etim before enthusing, “Since I was young, I have always wanted to be in Vegas. It’s amazing. I am trying to keep this as any other fight in my mind, but obviously after the fight I plan to take it all in. Unfortunately, it’s for one night only, as we fly back the very next day. I have a lot of local support coming over from Liverpool though, so there is going to be a lot of Scousers banging around there over the weekend.”

Talking about Liverpool, it’s become quite a hotbed for mixed martial arts talent of late with Cage Gladiators running its local show and several other promotions looking to explore the market there. “It’s a great atmosphere in Liverpool. I really enjoyed fighting there and there are a lot of good guys in the camps. I would like to fight there again, and with the UFC taking myself and Tan, amongst others seriously, maybe in the future, who knows?”

Does Etim have any awareness of the UFC scouting in the area to continue its U.K. talent roster growth? Maybe from his camp, Next Generation? “I am not to sure about that,” he stated, before adding, “it all goes through my manager, but it wouldn’t surprise me as there are a lot of tough guys there, very skilled people that have helped me get ready for this fight.”

Terry Etim has a tough task ahead of him on Saturday night at UFC 84 in the shape of Rich Clementi. Although you can tell he has the utmost respect for his opponent’s achievements, you can rest assured there will be “No Love” by the time the bell rings and the business of winning will be underway.

For Etim, this represents the fulfillment of a dream, but certainly not the end of it. If he can pull off the win, I have a funny feeling we will be waiting a while to see him fight on his homeland again.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Demian comments his UFC 87 fight

Demian is going to try his third victory at the UFC cage and to keep undefeatable at MMA at the UFC, on August 9th at Minneapolis, United States. The ADCC 2007 champion will face Jason MacDonald (20-9), that had knocked out Joe Daerksen at the same event Demian submitted Ed Herman, on April. I know him, I respect him and we have friendship. We always talk at the UFC and he has a good BJJ”, said Demian, saying that he is not changing his game against a BJJ fighter.

I always give priority to my Jiu-Jitsu, but we never know. Depends on how is he going for this fight, but I always look to submit in my fights”, said the Brazilian, trying to end the fight another time at the ground game. To the UFC 87 are already confirmed the fight against heavyweights Brock Lesnar and Mark Coleman and Kenny Florian and Roger Huerta.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Wand: “I bet on Lyoto... It will be a war”

With a great card full of Brazilians, the UFC 84 are creating a lot of expectations on the MMA fans. Selected to face Keith Jardine Wanderlei Silva will make everything to show the aggressively that made him Pride champion and gave him all his success at the MMA. Besides that, Wanderlei is rooting for another Brazilian: Lyoto Machida, that will face Tito Ortiz in a fight that can put the Karate fighter from a step of the title fight. “We have a feel days to the event and, with no doubt, it is with one of the best cards from last years. As a spectator I am anxious to see two bouts: BJ vs. Sherk, that is a big fight; And Lyoto against Ortiz that will be a war, but I bet on Lyoto. I think he is more complete, besides to be my friend”, said Wand at his website on the internet. Wanderlei also talk about his last heavy train before the fight.

“Saturday I made a close training with sparring at the UFC with a nice athlete. It was my last heavy train, now those last trains are to losse the weight I need and to don’t loose the rhythm. Be sure I am anxious. I am in my best physical and mental condition. I know my root at is huge and this make me happy and motivated”, said Wand.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Anderson talks about his mother death

Still quite shook up after his mother death, Edite Silva Cardoso, with 74 years in the early hours from Monday to Tuesday, Anderson Silva talked with TATAME just after the burial held this Wednesday. "Unfortunately when I left , Tuesday for a meeting with Dana White about the fight against Roy Jones Jr., that will not happen, my mother had been hospitalized a week ago due to his diabetes and high pressure, but the doctors have left me calm, that after putting up a pacemaker the situation would be normalized. During the week, however, things got worse and when I arrived Miami , I decided to got back. I arrived at Curitiba Monday at midnight and she died at 5:30 pm in the morning”, said the champion who was forced postpone a seminar near the date, which has room for rumors on American sites that that the Brazilian would be with Minotaur at Miami. Without knowing, Anderson was surprised, but nevertheless, with the humility that it is peculiar, he apologized himself. "I would never do something like that. Everybody who knows me knows that I does not usually arrive late, I never break my commitments, but we just have a mother in our lives, when I knew that her situation had get worse I asked to my manager to disarrange everything and I come back Curitiba . I apologize to those students who are expecting me at the seminar and I promise to return soon to fulfill the commitment", assured the UFC champion.

 

[T-Spoon]

Might be the first UFC I get to hit up live. My cousin stays out in ATL and I've drove there for smaller shit before. Hopefully it's a dope card.

yea, i'm def goin no matter wut the card, lol. wut "smaller shit" u've been to out here naner? i jus went to a local joint this past friday at a spot called wild bills. aint too much happenin out here. fold.

 

[naner12]

yea, i'm def goin no matter wut the card, lol. wut "smaller shit" u've been to out here naner? i jus went to a local joint this past friday at a spot called wild bills. aint too much happenin out here. fold.

I'm in Louisiana. That's the closest the UFC seems to be coming without me having to pay for a telly or spending stupid money that I don't have in Vegas. Crash at my cousins house .. they do seem to be having a decent card out there next weekend that's airing on HDNet.

http://www.sherdog.com/news/pr.asp?n_id=12764

Don't know how much tickets are but it seems like a pretty cool show.

 

[Shogun Locc]

In The Gym: Ortiz Prepares for UFC 84
viedo link: http://www.sherdog.com/videos/videos.asp?v_id=1588
Greg Savage and Dave Mandel sat down with former UFC light heavyweight champion Tito Ortiz (Pictures), who granted Sherdog.com full access to his Big Bear, Calif., training camp.

In this exclusive look into the mind of Ortiz, the candid fighter spoke at length about his career in the Octagon and offered a message to his adversary, undefeated Brazilian Lyoto Machida.

 

[Shogun Locc]

STRIKEFORCE ON NBC A HIT WITH THE 18-34 MALE

San Jose, CA. – The fifth episode of “Strikeforce on NBC”, the first-ever weekly mixed martial arts cage fight program on one of the four major national television networks in the U.S, topped the average ratings of both ABC’s “Jimmy Kimmel Live” and CBS’s “Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson,” both of which air several hours earlier during weeknights, in the 18-34 year old male category of viewers during the week of May 5, 2008.

The .5 rating drawn by “Strikeforce on NBC” in the 18-34 year old male category beat the ratings of “Jimmy Kimmel Live” on four of the five weeknights that the ABC show airs, and tied Kimmel’s ratings on the fifth night. The Strikeforce program bested the ratings of “The Late, Late Show with Craig Ferguson” on all five weeknights and tied the Thursday and Friday night ratings of CBS’s “The Late Show With David Letterman” that week, in the same demographic group.

The overall viewership of “Strikeforce on NBC,” which airs immediately following “Poker After Dark” every Saturday night (check your local listings for show time), has increased by an astronomical 197%, from 319,000 to 949,000, including a 58% jump between the two most recently reported weeks (949,000 from 602,000).

“We’re pleased to see our product gaining momentum on network TV,” said Strikeforce CEO, Scott Coker. “The series has proven to be a highly effective way of creating new Strikeforce fans throughout the country and we’re looking forward to delivering more action-packed programming to NBC viewers throughout the year.”

Co-hosted by mixed martial arts legend, Ken Shamrock, and award-winning ESPN announcer, Lon McEachern, “Strikeforce on NBC” is a 52 week series. Each episode runs 30 minutes and is comprised of fighter profiles as well as Strikeforce MMA fights and highlights.

 

[Shogun Locc]

UFC PRES DANA WHITE ADDRESSES ROSTER CUTS

The Ultimate Fighting Championship has made several cuts from its fighter roster in recent months including Travis Lutter, Jake O'Brien, Joe Doerksen and "The Ultimate Fighter" season six finalist Tommy Speer, among others. UFC president Dana White addressed the downsizing in mixed martial arts' biggest promotion.

"It's nothing abnormal at all," White told the media via a UFC 84 pre-fight conference call. "At the end of the day, the UFC, like I say all the time, it's the place where all the best fighters in the world fight. And after you lose a few, or whatever, you have to go back down and get some wins and come back.

"The guys who are really dedicated to this sport, and they make the cut, they go and get more wins under their belt and end up coming back."

He explained, "I can't keep everybody under contract because the way that we do our contracts, depending if you're one of our big stars, we'll have you locked up for six or eight fights, or whatever it might be. They're under long-term contracts.

"Other guys that are trying to make their way up to be Sean Sherks or B.J.s, or whatever it is, they're under a three-fight deal, or a two-fight deal. Some of them are under one-fight deals. It depends."

The UFC roster is a revolving door where those who stay have to prove their self-worth when the Octagon door closes.

 

[Shogun Locc]

WANDERLEI EXPECTS UFC 84 FIGHT OF THE NIGHT KO

When Wanderlei Silva steps into the Octagon on Saturday night at UFC 84 against Keith Jardine, it will mark the first time in his decorated, 40-fight mixed martial arts career that he will be coming off of three losses in-a-row. He not only predicts a win, but the former Pride middleweight champion also thinks his fight with Jardine will be Fight of the Night.

Silva returned to the Octagon at UFC 79 against Chuck Liddell after spending seven years competing in Japan. Before the bout with Liddell, his last match in the Ultimate Fighting Championship was in 2000 at UFC 25 where he lost a hard-fought decision to Tito Ortiz.

Asked about his return to the UFC, Silva said, "It was a great opportunity for me. Dana White talked to me. He gave me a good opponent for me. He has good fighters. He gave me, first, Chuck (Liddell), who is the best name here. And second they give me Jardine, who is a good guy. He likes to give a show for the fans too."

Discussing the sharp contrast in audience response between competing in Japan and fighting in the U.S., Silva stated, "Fighting here is much different than fighting in Japan because in Japan the people are much quieter. Here, the fans give you too much energy, too much crowd. I love it. I love the emotion."

Silva sees the bout with Jardine as not only an opportunity to compete against top competition, but also a path back to fighting for a title. "He's a very tough guy. He's got good kicks, good punches. He's good on the ground. He's strong and has good heart. He's a good opponent. It's great to fight him because it's possible that I fight with the best names in the world," the Brazilian born fighter told MMAWeekly SoundOff Radio. "He's a great fighter. It's a very, very good opportunity for me to come back and to come back and fight for the title in the future."

Silva admitted to not knowing much about Jardine before sitting in attendance for UFC 76 and witnessing the Greg Jackson-trained fighter upset Chuck Liddell by decision. "I had never seen his fights before, only his fight with Chuck," said Silva. "Now I've studied his game and looked at his fights. He has a good style. He's a very good striker, and I know he and I are going to give the best show of the night. When it comes to fighting, I not only want to win, I want to give, and now it's better because of the bonuses, fight of the night. I know we're going to put on the best fight of the night.

"He's a very dangerous guy and his kicks are very good. It's a great match, a very, very interesting fight. It makes for an interesting fight."

Silva expects to put on a memorable performance and finish Jardine. "I'm going to give a good show. I'm going to give my best, and I'm going to win," predicted the "Axe Murderer."

"I'm going to knock him out.”

 

[Shogun Locc]

Carlos Moreno vs. Carlton Haselrig now official for EliteXC’s “Primetime” undercard

The never-ending saga of a search for an opponent to fight former NFL All-Pro offensive lineman and six-time NCAA wrestling champion Carlton Haselrig during the undercard of EliteXC’s first-ever CBS telecast on May 31 appears to have reached an end.

EliteXC announced in a press release Wednesday night that Haselrig is now set to face hard-hitting New Jersey-based heavyweight Carlos Moreno.

Moreno represents the fourth opponent change that Haselrig has seen for this bout, the second of his pro MMA career.

EliteXC officials initially wanted to capitalize on Haselrig’s background as a former member of the New York Jets and promote a Jets vs. Giants MMA matchup. Former Giants’ offensive lineman and current EliteXC heavyweight Bobby Jones was offered the fight. However, he had to decline due to a neck injury. An offer was then presented to former Giants’ fullback Jarrod Bunch, who made his MMA debut in 2005. Bunch was open to the idea of fighting Haselrig, but ultimately decided against taking the fight due to financial concerns.

After Bunch declined, the idea of doing a football-themed match was abandoned. Former IFL heavyweight Bryan Vetell was then approached and his management gave verbal consent to the fight. However, they never fully signed off on a contract with EliteXC over concerns about an option for additional fights. Then, last week, it was believed that “Cujo” Joe McCall had been secured as an opponent. However, he was unable to accept the fight due to an illness in his family.

Additionally, the names of former Tampa Bay Buccaneers defensive end Marcus Jones and 3-0 amateur heavyweight Joe McGuigan were also in play at various times the last month. It should be noted though that Jones’ camp was never contacted by EliteXC formally.

The complete card for EliteXC “Primetime” on May 31 in Newark, N.J. at the Prudential Center is as follows:

Main Card:

Kimbo Slice vs. James Thompson
Robbie Lawler vs. Scott Smith for the EliteXC middleweight title
Gina Carano vs. Kaitlin Young
Joe Villasenor vs. Phil Baroni
Jon Murphy vs. Brett Rogers (swing bout)

Undercard (to be streamed on ProElite.com):

Chris Liguori vs. Jim Bova
Carlton Haselrig vs. Carlos Moreno
Nick Serra vs. Matt Makowski
Wilson Reis vs. Justin Robbins
James “Binky” Jones vs. Calvin Kattar

Preliminary Bouts (non-televised):

Andre “Gigetto” Soares vs. Zach Makovsky
Mike Groves vs. Joe Sampieri

 

[Shogun Locc]

Machida Focused on Fighting, Not Feuds

Undefeated light heavyweight Lyoto Machida (Pictures) takes on the biggest challenge of his career Saturday when he meets former UFC champion Tito Ortiz (Pictures) at UFC 84.

Although most of the pre-fight publicity has centered on Ortiz's feud with Dana White and on his potentially permanent exit from the Octagon, Machida says he has remained focused on the bout itself. Sherdog.com spoke with the Brazilian about his UFC stint thus far as well as his assessment of Ortiz's game.

Sherdog.com: Do you think the media in general didn't give you enough credit for the victory over Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou (Pictures)?
Machida: Yes, I think so. Unfortunately, mainly the Brazilian media gave more credit to Sokoudjou's victories over the Brazilians than my submission over him.

Sherdog.com: Sokoudjou talked a lot before and after the fight. Did any of his words bother you? Or was this only a way of provoking you?
Machida: Every fighter needs to take advantage of the moment. They have the spotlights turned to them. They do this marketing to earn more money or recognition. I believe that the words he spoke weren't personal, just a professional way of promoting our fight.

Sherdog.com: In your opinion is he a very good fighter due to the two victories over top fighters [Rogerio Nogueira and Ricardo Arona (Pictures)] or overhyped?
Machida: I don't believe the UFC would book a fighter who doesn't have a good game. I just think that wasn't his day. I got to impose my technique and won the fight. In that moment I was better. Sokoudjou is strong, trains a lot and maybe that was one of the toughest fights due to the pressure on me. Most of the fans said he'd knock me out because he did it against strong fighters in Arona and Minotouro and etc. But I never stopped believing I'd win.

Sherdog.com: Is there a turning point where you can say you beat him because of this or that?
Machida: I always trained a lot. I never stop. I only decrease the intensity when the fight approaches, and when that happens I start training more specifically. I study my opponents. I trained a lot on the ground with Antonio Schembri (Pictures) and Walter Broca, and perhaps that training gave me a little more confidence.

Sherdog.com: What was the main reason you changed the pace of your training? I mean, you didn't come to Rio de Janeiro this time.
Machida: When I go to Rio de Janeiro it's very good, however a little stressful. I have to change my routine. Training in my city [Belem, Para], I have the academy close to my home and this gives me the benefit of commodity and comfort. Because of that I decided to train here, and I brought the guys who would support me, like Schembri along with savate coach Daniel Wöirin.

Sherdog.com: Black House lost its training center, moved to another place and a lot of fighters left. This is a kind of end without an official announcement. How does this affect your training regime?
Machida: When I could I went to Rio to train with Black House. This doesn't affect me because all professionals have the disposition of all fighters. Wöirin arrived here last Saturday, May 3, to support me again. Black House may have closed its doors, but the relationship between the fighters is still awesome.

Sherdog.com: It will have been a long five months between that fight against Sokoudjou and the upcoming bout against Tito Ortiz at UFC 84. What did you do during this period?
Machida: I took some free time for one week after my fights. I traveled with my wife or only locked my house and slept the whole day [laughs], but I don't stop training completely. I don't stay without any contact or fight preparation. At least I practice running or swimming or weight training. Not 100 percent serious, just for fun. After this week, of course, I don't return with everything, but I keep going. A fighter can't stop training, or restarting will be very hard.

Sherdog.com: You made a good point about training. Ortiz has been off since July 2007. What do you think of that?
Machida: He was off since July, but he's not silly -- he's training.

Sherdog.com: Is this the most important fight of your career?
Machida: The fights I had, have and will have are considered the most important. I face each of them like a step.

Sherdog.com: You're a fighter who doesn't have injury problems. Is there a secret to that?
Machida: I respect the limits of my body. If I feel tired, I decrease the intensity. I don't make use of medications. First I go through homeopathy and [ice my injuries] and take extra care with food. I think this helps to avoid injuries in my body, or if I'm injured, I can heal it quickly.

Sherdog.com: You stated at the post-fight interview that you don't know how many "assassins" you'll have to eat to earn the number one contender position for the belt. Do you believe a victory over Ortiz will earn you that spot?
Machida: That joke about assassins was marketing over the fact I beat two guys with that nickname. I believe that with each of my fights that I get to please fans and organizers, I'll be closer to the belt.

Sherdog.com: What do you think you need to do to be more popular?
Machida: The fans, in general, aren't used to my fight style. Even so, I'm making my place. The Americans, maybe they don't like my fighting style, but I'm winning.

Sherdog.com: Back to Ortiz, is the key to victory stuffing takedowns and keeping it standing?
Machida: Indeed, I'm preparing myself for any kind of situation. My focus is to defend the takedowns and my priority is to fight on the feet. But if the fight goes another way, I'm ready and confident also.

Sherdog.com: He's unhappy with the UFC. Is there a good or a bad point about that?
Machida: This is an issue I don't think about. My thoughts are about the fight, the training. If he's not focused on facing me, only on proving something to the UFC, this is his problem. I don't think about that.

Sherdog.com: How would you define Ortiz?
Machida: Tito is a good fighter, but he stalls a lot, exploding at the end to impress the judges. He has great ground and pound and uses that very well, but I'm confident in my game.

Sherdog.com: You trained at American Kickboxing Academy. What was the training like there?
Machida: I focused everything on the Tito fight. I had the opportunity to train with fighters stronger than me, and that was incredible.

Sherdog.com: You spoke about your different fighting style. Did you already think of changing it to please the fans?
Machida: Never. This is exactly what makes me [unique]. To please the crowd, I already thought of adding some things to make the fights exciting.

Sherdog.com: John Hackleman was interviewed once and said that he'd not like to see Chuck Liddell (Pictures) against you now. How do you analyze that?
Machida: I'm not vain over that. I just look to train more. I think my fans are starting to understand my game, my technique, so this is what makes me glad.

Sherdog.com: Where would you rank yourself in a top-10 ranking of UFC popularity?
Machida: I don't have any idea of my popularity. I know I'm more respected and more recognized. But I have a reason for my name climbing the top-10 rankings. For this I know what to say: training and dedication.

Sherdog.com: You're undefeated. This situation is one people always talk about. When you will lose, etc. How do you work on that inside your mind, inside your spirit, to not take too much pressure?
Machida: I don't think about that -- or I try to not think about that. I fight as if I never had fought before in my career. I point my mind and my energy for the next fight. That's it.

Sherdog.com: I don't know if the fans outside of Brazil know, but your relationship with your family, especially regarding training, is very strong. Can you name them and their importance in your preparation for the fights?
Machida: My father, Mr. Yoshizo, is my master. He taught me everything I know. I owe a lot to him. This is hard when he praises me, so I never feel I'm good enough and I keep trying to improve. My mother, Ana, is my spiritual counselor. My brothers -- Chinzo is my coach and psychologist. I feel safe when he's at my side. Kenzo, he's my friend for chats and jokes. My brother Take, counselor for administrative issues. And my wife, Fabyola, who cares for me everyday. She doesn't complain of the crazy routine I give her. This is too much stress because she works with me, and the athlete's life is much too complicated on some occasions.

 

[heyzel]

JOSH BARNETT: "I'M EXCITED TO GET ANY BLOOD I CAN ON ME"

By Rob Abreu | May 22, 2008

"I feel really confident at being able to break down fighters' weaknesses and strengths, their tendencies, the things they're going to go to, the things that they like to do the most," stated a confident Josh Barnett as he shared his thoughts on his upcoming clash with Pedro Rizzo at the July 19th Affliction Banned card. Check out what else he had to say about Rizzo, the fight and more. watch video


http://www.fighthype.com/pages/content2693.html?PHPSESSID=697f6e00942c0995f5ddb330c8481ca4

 

[heyzel]

PEDRO RIZZO: "I KNEW WE WOULD MEET AGAIN"

By Rob Abreu | May 22, 2008

"Josh has improved a lot the last seven years. Now we are in different situations. Last time I was the favorite. Now he's the favorite; I'm the underdog, but I'm happy to fight him," stated Pedro Rizzo as he talked about his rematch with Josh Barnett at the July 19th Affliction Banned card. Check out what else he had to say about Barnett, the fight and more. watch video


http://www.fighthype.com/pages/content2692.html?PHPSESSID=697f6e00942c0995f5ddb330c8481ca4

 

[heyzel]

The art in UFC’s violence

By Kristen Peterson

Thu, May 22, 2008


The first thing you notice is the blood. The floor looks like a slaughterhouse’s.

The world’s best fighters deliver blows, jabs, kicks. Flesh on flesh. Muscle on muscle. Holding out, trying to win, determined to win.

When casino moguls Frank and Lorenzo Fertitta took over the Ultimate Fighting Championship in 2001, they set about changing the image of the combat sport that combines boxing, wrestling and the martial arts.

As part of that process, they hired Los Angeles photographer Kevin Lynch to take portraits of fighters for marketing purposes. He attended a fight, got hooked and began documenting the culture, having complete access to the fighters, the eight-sided ring and the locker rooms.

The four-year project culminated in “Octagon,” a handmade book with 800 images bound in a seemingly blood-stained cloth cover that merges combat sport with fine art. The book was initiated by the Fertittas, who are serious art collectors, and was inspired by Taschen’s “GOAT,” featuring fighter Muhammad Ali. The 20 1/2-by-26-inch, 400-page book, which is literally the size of a small coffee table, includes essays by art critic Dave Hickey and playwright/director David Mamet.

We see athletes just before their walk to the cage, where they fight in only small gloves and trunks for as long as 15 or 25 minutes with no escape. They emerge from the Octagon lacerated, spliced, bruised, swollen, devastated by their loss, elated by their win. Lynch takes another portrait. The before and after photos are as disturbing and engaging as a triptych of a bloody mat.

“Right before they go out and right when they come back — that’s the truest time to get them, to get the true emotion,” Lynch says. “Most people think the after pictures are so important, but the before pictures are the ones that I find more fascinating. Do they look confident? Are they overly confident? Are they insecure? Are they prepared or unprepared? All of that you can see in their eyes ... that adrenaline is just intense. They’re suppressing all their emotions right then and there because they don’t want to show that they might be scared, or they might show that they might be too overly zealous — then their opponent might take advantage of them. It’s seriously a chess match, more with yourself than the fight.”

If you haven’t seen the photos or can’t afford to pay $2,500 for a limited-edition book, this weekend is your chance. Michele C. Quinn Fine Art Advisory, in conjunction with the Fertittas’ mixed martial arts company, Zuffa LLC, is hosting “Octagon: The Exhibition,” which features the book and large-scale images from the book. Some of the work is at Quinn’s private gallery space. The rest is on display in large-scale images in a penthouse at SoHo Lofts with a private opening Friday night.

This is only the third showing of the works. The book and photos premiered at Art Basel Miami in November and were exhibited at Hamiltons in London this year. But that’s all.

Quinn says the exhibition program is critical to how the work is received. There are journalistic-style photos, beautiful portraits and gruesome battle scenes.

“Some people think the art world can take itself way too seriously,” Quinn says. “This kind of shakes it up a little.”

But Lorenzo Fertitta’s vision was to look at it from a more cultural, artistic perspective, she says. “This is sort of the contemporary battleground.”

Through Lynch’s work, viewers are enmeshed in UFC culture. The scale and magnitude of the images put it in your face. The thoughtfulness of the portraits creates a connection between viewer and fighter and the fight. One wall installation includes 408 portraits of the fighters. If you didn’t understand UFC before, you at least have the bridge via Lynch’s works.

Lynch strove to focus on the passion, the devastation, the disappointment and the elation of the sport, as well as the athletic artistry of mixed martial arts.

“The whole idea is not to make the blood the element of focus,” he says. “The blood represents a lot of things. It represents the heart, the will; it is also the end product of what they sacrifice themselves with. But you have an opportunity here to be able to take beauty and glorify it in an artistic form without glorifying the violent aspect of it. That’s really what I was looking for.”

Lynch is known for his conceptual portraiture, including photos of celebrities, fashion models and athletes.

“Octagon,” he says, was inspired by his appreciation of Francis Bacon, one of Lynch’s favorite painters.

Dana White, president of the UFC, says the fighters “seem pretty comfortable” with the photographs. He touts the universal appeal of Lynch’s work: “If you’re an art buff, UFC fan or you just like sports photography, this thing’s for you.”

He adds, “I know what I think of the UFC and what my vision is for it, but I always like to see it through other people’s eyes.”

 

[heyzel]

UFC head White: 'The white Don King'

BY
Ed Graney's

Just once, Dana White should tell us what he really thinks:

"Tito is a (expletive) idiot. He's one of the dumbest human beings I've ever met. Everything that comes out of his mouth makes no sense. I put up with his (expletive) when he was a good fighter. He's not anymore.

"He's not in anybody's top 10. 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."

Yeah. That will do.

When it comes to the fight game, hype and reality are so intermingled that it becomes impossible to determine what side of the line anyone is straddling during a profanity-laced answer on a conference call. It's as hopeless as guessing the exact moment this White-Ortiz feud began.

Not to mention as tedious.

That's the point. Ortiz might be preparing for the final fight of his contract at UFC 84 on Saturday at the MGM Grand; might be this close to ending a relationship that helped make him a mixed martial arts legend while also aiding the maturation of the Ultimate Fighting Championship becoming the world's most powerful product of its kind; might believe the oddsmakers are dense for favoring Lyoto Machida in their light heavyweight tussle; and might dream about receiving extravagant free-agent offers afterward, but he is now like all others who exist under White's authoritative thumb.

Replaceable.

Capitalism is great if you have the juice to make it work. The whole idea about a system characterized by investments and production and pricing of goods and services being determined through competition in a free market. It's good stuff.

It's also not that long a jump to dictatorship, which is what happened with the growth of UFC under the leadership of its president, who a friend of mine fittingly described Wednesday as "the white Don King who happens to be bald."

"Dana White is a complete monster, a controlling guy who wants his hands in everything," Ortiz said. "He's a bully. He has always been about the power. He wants everything focused on him. UFC is a great company. They just have a monster running it."

Two things were inevitable as UFC progressed into this giant of a brand: Its better fighters, its collective faces of the sport, weren't going to forever accept strict restrictions on their earning potential and possible opponents; and people with more money than God were going to copy the model and form their own MMA companies.

White doesn't care about either. Nor should he. Like it. Detest it. It's reality, the result of success he helped construct.

His company can keep Randy Couture tied up in court proceedings for years, or at least until the heavyweight champion is too old to fight his dream matchup against Fedor Emelianenko. White can cut fighters quicker than you blink, which he has done more and more lately. He can stage arguably the best UFC card in history Saturday and yet not schedule the one participant to today's news conference every media member wants to interview, merely because he knows Ortiz is apt to bash him and the company.

Stupid? You bet.

Short-sided? Sure.

Immature? Absolutely.

Seconds of sleep White will lose over it: zero.

It's the same with this whole network television angle. There might come a time when owners Frank and Lorenzo Fertitta tell White to give in a bit and relinquish some power when negotiating with a CBS, but for now, you can bet many mainstream fans who happen past the EliteXC show on May 31 will think they're watching UFC. They will assume new sensation Kimbo Slice is employed by it. The same goes for any Affliction or HDNet fights. UFC is still the windshield and all others mere bugs on it for now.

Ortiz was once a great fighter, a champion who made millions of dollars standing under the UFC umbrella, a central figure in the company's history and that of his sport.

But he also speaks of being an astute businessman. If so, he should have realized where the road would ultimately lead, that it has never been about fighters. It has always been about the brand, and the whole idea of his resume not earning the respect it deserves means nothing to the guy he calls a monster. Nor should it. Business. Replaceable parts. Like it. Detest it. It's reality.

"It's time for me to forget about Dana White, to move on after 11 years of building my legacy and helping UFC become a household name," Ortiz said. "It's time to show everyone what I am worth. Dana can just go fly around in his jet and act like a superstar. He has always considered anyone who speaks out as a threat. That's fine. I guess being a bully makes him feel better about himself."

My guess is he couldn't care less.

 

[heyzel]

Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou mentally ready for Kazuhiro Nakamura UFC 84 fight

NBCSports.com

Quoteworthy:

“I pretty much choked in the cage [against Lyoto Machida]. Every time you lose you want to fix what doesn’t work…. I was a little bit surprised on the ground. He was mainly a karate guy…. I didn’t do what I was supposed to do. Pretty much things didn’t go my way…. The key part is to go in and fight your fight. Mentally as a fighter I have to be ready…. I know [Kazuhiro Nakamura] an experienced fighter, well-rounded and a judo player…. Of course, every time you lose you want to fix what doesn’t work.”

“The African Assassin” is out for redemption after “choking” (figuratively and literally) in his Octagon debut against Lyoto Machida at UFC 79: “Nemesis” back in December 2007. Prior to the loss the Camaroonian was on fire, bursting on to the scene overseas in Japan with two sensational knockouts of top 205-pound fighters, Antonio Rogerio Nogueira and Ricardo Arona. He takes on Kazuhiro Nakamura on the under card this weekend at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada, at UFC 84: “Ill Will.”

 

[heyzel]

Kimbo Slice's ESPN The Magazine issue now on newsstands

by MMAjunkie.com Staff on May 22, 2008 at 11:51 am ET
EliteXC heavyweight Kevin "Kimbo Slice" Ferguson, who takes on James Thompson later this month in the main event of "EliteXC: PRIMETIME," is featured on the current cover of ESPN The Magazine.

The issue hit newsstands on Wednesday and features a cover story on the fighter entitled, "Not Quite What You Were Thinking."

Ferguson is the headliner for the first-ever MMA event to air on major U.S. network television, and ESPN The Magazine's Dan Le Batard goes in-depth with EliteXC's marketable MMA newcomer.

As ESPN tells us:



If you look past the color of his skin, bald head, beard, gold teeth, inked-up muscles -- on top of muscles -- and past the look of fearlessness that evokes fear in those who catch his gaze, you will find that Kimbo Slice lives a life of stark contrasts. In this week’s ESPN The Magazine cover story "Not Quite What You Were Thinking," Dan Le Batard takes a close look at the YouTube legend and reveals that beyond his scary exterior Kimbo Slice is a thoughtful friend, loving dad and a budding entrepreneur.