MMA News Thread

[Shogun Locc]

Tempers Rise in Tokyo

TOKYO, June 7 - Saturday saw World Victory Road's official Sengoku Battle III press conference at Shinjuku's Sun Route Plaza hotel. In the main event, former UFC heavyweight champion Maurice Smith (Pictures) is set to take on Olympic judo gold medalist-turned-mixed martial artist Hidehiko Yoshida (Pictures).

"First thing I want to say is that I came here underdressed, whereas my opponent came very well prepared for this press conference," said a smiling Smith, clad in an XBox t-shirt. Yoshida wore a suit. "To prepare for this fight was an exciting idea because Yoshida's more of a judo guy and I'm very excited to have the opportunity to fight a judo person. It'll be my first time.

"But reading, hearing some of the things he's said about ‘he's going to strike with me,' I don't think he's going to. I think it's just all P.R. He's going to take me to the ground -- that's what's going to happen -- so we'll see what happens on the ground."

Almost a decade Smith's junior, the 39-year-old Yoshida responded with a chuckle, saying, "As Maurice said, a few papers' articles have [written] that I've said that I would be exchanging a lot of punches with him. However, if I have the chance, I want to do that and I'm looking forward to doing that. But we'll see in the fight."

In this same vein however, Smith claimed in an interview one day prior that should Yoshida take the fight to the floor, he is confident he would catch a foot or a leg for the submission. Yoshida responded today, saying with a wry smile, "Well, let's see what he can do."

When asked what either fighter's initial impressions were of each other, Smith replied, "This is my first time meeting him. He dresses nice, and has a nice smile."

Yoshida also jested with his light-hearted reply, claiming, "He's a big heavyweight fighter and he's got a scary [mustache]. I just hope he doesn't beat me up too bad."

But be that as it may, Yoshida's problems would appear to be more than just Smith's facial hair, as the Pride veteran later claimed that he had not been able to study tape of Smith's MMA performances. Yoshida admitted that he was only able to track down Smith's kickboxing bouts, and as such, is uncertain how Sunday's main event will unfold in the ring.

While Smith alluded in Friday's interview session that he had taken up "secret training" in Russia, Yoshida also notified the press today that he will be walking into Sunday's bout with his own secret weapon in the form of a brand new gi, courtesy of Japanese sports gear giant, Mizuno. Though Yoshida admitted to having had some difficulty with his range of movement when fighting with the gi, the champion judoka claimed that the new Mizuno gi has not only a different texture, but is half the weight of previous gis he has worn in past fights.

For Sunday's featured event, Pride and K-1 MMA veteran Kazuyuki Fujita (Pictures) and Yamma Pit Fighting heavyweight champion Travis Wiuff (Pictures) exchanged mutual words of respect.

"I would like to thank Sengoku for the opportunity to fight over here in Japan for the first time," Wiuff said. "I'd also like to thank them for the opportunity to fight a Japanese hero in Kazuyuki Fujita (Pictures). I've been watching him fight a long time and it's a great honor for me to fight a legend in the sport. It'll be an exciting fight, I guarantee that. I thank him for taking the fight"

"This time, I'm fighting against a representative of wrestling from the United States, so I'm thinking of myself as a challenger," Fujita said. "I'm also thinking of this fight as being the first round of a heavyweight tournament, which I believe will happen in the future. If this is a high hurdle, I believe I can [overcome], so that I can participate as a tournament challenger."

Chute Boxe's Michael Costa went nose to nose with Bodog Fight welterweight champion Nick "The Goat" Thompson before being pushed off and reined in by WVR officials. Moments later, when cooler heads prevailed, Costa commented, "I've had a childhood dream to fight in Japan, so I'm really happy to be here. I'd like to grow with Sengoku, and as a representative of Chute Boxe. I would like to show the best fight in tomorrow night's event."

"I'm very excited to return to Japan, and I look forward to fighting tomorrow night," Thompson said. "Michael's a very good fighter, and I respect him, but tomorrow night, I'm going to make thirteen straight wins, and continue on my way to the Sengoku title belt," said a determined Thompson, clad in Zebra-stripe Zubaz and mutton chops.

Pride middleweight grand prix champion Kazuo Misaki (Pictures) said of his opponent, Logan Clark (Pictures), "He's a big guy, however I'm not sure how strong he is just by looks. I can't wait to see just how strong he is in the ring. The fight cannot be made without my opponent, so the both of us will put on a real fight to make this event a success."

In other Sengoku III developments, World Victory Road head of state Tokuhiro Kokuho briefly made mention of the cancellation of Duane "Bang" Ludwig's bout for Sunday's card. With his opponent listed as "TBA" on Sengoku's official website for some time now, Kokuho revealed Saturday that that Ludwigs intended opponent pulled out for health reasons, but did not specify who the opponent would have been.

Sunday's Sengoku Battle III bout order:

Yoshiki Takahashi (Pictures) vs Fabio Silva (Pictures)
Jorge Masvidal (Pictures) vs Rodrigo Damm
Mu Bae Choi (Pictures) vs Marcio Cruz (Pictures)
Sanae Kikuta (Pictures) vs Chris Rice (Pictures)
Nick Thompson (Pictures) vs Michael Costa
Kazuo Misaki (Pictures) vs Logan Clark (Pictures)
Travis Wiuff (Pictures) vs Kazuyuki Fujita (Pictures)
Maurice Smith (Pictures) vs Hidehiko Yoshida (Pictures)

 

[Shogun Locc]

No rush: MMAmania.com exclusive sit down with Robert Drysdale

Marcelo Garcia, Demian Maia and Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza are among a handful of insanely talented and decorated Brazilian jiu-jitsu specialists who have recently made the transition to mixed martial arts.

Their skills are off the charts — “top of the food chain” as Joe Rogan would say — and it is clear that these grapplers are on a totally different level when their fights go to the ground.

It’s a reality that has not been lost on Robert Drysdale — perhaps the most dangerous jiu-jitsu player on the planet today. And he was born in the United States.

For close to 10 years now, Drysdale has been tearing up the world of Brazilian jiu-jitsu, winning medals and finishing some of the best in the business in countless international tournaments. Now the world champion looks to take on a new challenge … mixed martial arts.


Earlier this year, Drysdale left his gym in Brazil to join Xtreme Couture in Las Vegas, Nevada. Drysdale is familiar with the Las Vegas area and felt he needed a change of pace. In Drysdale’s case, moving to “Sin City” made perfect sense.

“My family’s from Vegas. I felt like I had enough of Brazil. I felt like I’ve done everything I wanted to do in jiu-jitsu and it was time to move on,” Drysdale said. “Just training in Brazil, I was just distracted, you can get distracted very easy over there.”

Drysdale didn’t immediately make a run to Xtreme Couture. However, he was invited over to visit the gym. Drysdale was satisfied with how the visit went.

“I went over there and everyone was friendly, having a good time. I love the gym. Everyone over there was incredible,” Drysdale said. “They offered me a job and I took it.”

He is now the Pro Team jiu-jitsu instructors for one of the top MMA training facilities and on the planet. And Drysdale notes that when it comes to MMA, it was a no-brainer that he returned to the United States to train with the best.

“For MMA it was better for me to train over here. The sport was so big over here, I felt like I had to move on,” Drysdale said. “Brazil is very limited professionally speaking. There was nothing else, there was nothing left to do except I felt like I had to go back to Vegas.”

Drysdale wants to do the best that he can in teaching for Xtreme Couture and wants to learn just as much, too.

“I want to help as much as I can,” Drysdale said. “I want to learn as much as I can, hopefully get a fight soon. I just want to get better as a teacher and as a fighter.”

Although he might be a relative newcomer to MMA, he’s been in the jiu-jitsu game for more than 10 years now.

“I wanted to be passionate about something I guess. I was never really good at any sports,” Drysdale told MMAmania.com. “When I saw jiu-jitsu, it was starting to become really popular in Brazil.”

Drysdale is indeed passionate when it comes to art.

“It’s the greatest sport ever man. I just love it,” Drysdale said. “Everyday, every time I train, I see something new. You never know enough, you’re never satisfied with what you know. That’s why I love it.”

Drysdale’s passion for jiu-jitsu has paid off for him in his career. Drysdale has won numerous championships, not only in Brazil, but regionally and internationally.

In the first six years that Drysdale began training, he attained his black belt. Drysdale remembers the moment very well. In fact, Drysdale wasn’t expecting it at all.

“I was so tired, I wasn’t really paying attention,” Drysdale said. “All of the sudden, he said my name. I was like what? Everyone was smiling at me and clapping.”

In 2007, Drysdale defeated Marcelo Garcia — widely regarded as the top pound-for-pound jiu-jitsu stylist in the world — via submission (brabo choke) in the open weight division finals to win his first Abu Dhabi Combat Club (ADCC) championship, held in Trenton, N.J.

It’s tough enough even to make it into the ADCC tournament — only 16 of the best grapplers in the world can compete. Let alone submitting a competitor the caliber of Garcia. Drysdale loves the tournament and worked hard to win the tournament last year.

“I was ready man, I was ready to go,” Drysdale said. “I never felt so good. I was in shape. I was focused.”

Drysdale has accomplished a lot in his 10 years in combat sports. Now that he’s making the transition to MMA, the world will get an opportunity to see what Drysdale is made of.

Right now, Drysdale is in no rush to jump into the world of MMA. Instead, he’s taking his time and preparing for the time when he will step in and show what he’s got.

“I’m giving myself time. I want to make sure I’m ready, physically, technically and mentally,” Drysdale said. “Soon enough I’ll be in a fight. I’m just not rushing it.”

Drysdale has also made no indication as to which MMA promotion he might end up with. When the time comes though, the fans of MMA will get a chance to witness Drysdale fight in MMA.

Watch out.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Mirko Crocop OUT of DREAM.4 grappling match with Gracie

DreamFighters.com has learned that Mirko Crocop has incured a very minor injury from training, and will be unable to fight Ralek Gracie at DREAM.4

It is reported that Mirko suffered a very minor injury, however it was make him unable to fight at DREAM.4 as he is more concentrated on his DREAM.5 MMA match.

We will bring you more info about Mirko Condition as it becomes public.

 

[Shogun Locc]

DreamFighters.com Exclusive statement from Ken Shamrock

Ken Shamrock was able to give us 2 minutes to answer 3 questions we had for him. We would like to thank Ken Shamrock for taking the time out of his very busy day to speak to us for a few moments.
Ken Shamrock is very busy man these days, as he has just opened the Newest Lions Den Training Center in Scottsdale Arizona: The Most Comprehensive MMA Training Facility of its Kind in Arizona. Apart from the free seminars he has been putting on, and running the business, we were able to ask him 3 highly requested questions from readers of DreamFighters.com.

DreamFighters.com: Do you have any plans on fighting this year?
Ken Shamrock: There is a possibility I will fight sometime this year, yes.


DreamFighters.com: Does Ken Shamrock have any desire to fight for DREAM?
Ken Shamrock: Yes, I would be glad to fight with DREAM.


DreamFighters.com: Would You(Ken) ever want a rematch with Royce Gracie III ?
Ken Shamrock: Yes, I think at this time, that would be an intersting fight. I would do it.


DreamFighters.com: Ken, thanks for answering these 3 quick questions. Best of luck!
Ken Shamrock: Glad to do it. Thanks

 

[heyzel]

UFC 88: Chuck Liddell to headline Atlanta PPV event on September 6

Former light heavyweight champion Chuck Liddell will return to action at UFC 88 to headline a pay-per-view (PPV) event at the Philips Arena in Atlanta, Ga., on Saturday, September 6, according to recent statements from promotion president Dana White.

No opponent has been named at this time.

The “Iceman” was supposed to challenge Mauricio “Shogun” Rua today during the main event at UFC 85: “Bedlam.” However, Rua had to withdraw from the bout because he shredded his surgically repaired knee while training for the 205-pound tilt.

Liddell was then paired with Rashad Evans, but disaster struck again when he had to pull out of the match with a torn hamstring.

There has been some recent unofficial chatter that UFC Middleweight Champion has been approached about moving up to compete at light heavyweight. He is also expected to return to the Octagon at UFC 88. Whether or not those two items are related (highly unlikely) remains to be seen.

MMAmania.com first passed along news of the Atlanta show about three weeks ago. It will mark the first show for the promotion inside the “Peach State” in more than a decade.

UFC 11: “The Proving Ground” (September 1996) and UFC 13: “The Ultimate Force” (May 1997) were the only two shows ever held in Georgia, which took place at the Augusta Civic Center in Augusta.

 

[heyzel]

Alves, Burns, Wiman and Tavares earn $50K UFC 85 bonuses

MMAjunkie.com Staff on Jun 07, 2008 at 7:35 pm ET
Thiago Alves, Kevin Burns, Matt Wiman and Thiago Tavares each earned $50,000 "fight night" bonuses for their performances at UFC 85.

MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) confirmed the list of winners and bonus amounts with our content partners at Yahoo! Sports.

UFC 85 took place Saturday at the 02 Arena in London, England, and aired live on pay per view. The bonus amounts for the event dipped $25,000; winners previously received $75,000 bonuses last month at UFC 84.

Thiago Alves, who failed to make weight for his main-event fight with Matt Hughes (due to a sprained ankle), dominated the former longtime champ for a second-round TKO. Alves used a flying knee and a flurry of punches to force the stoppage 62 seconds into the second round. It was the American Top Team fighter's sixth consecutive victory (and fifth straight win via knockout).

Burns, a UFC newcomer who was a late replacement for Ryo Chonan, earned the Submission of the Night award. He forced Roan Carneiro to tap out from a triangle choke at 2:53 of the second round. The bout took place on the night's preliminary card, but the ending of the fight was featured in the night's pay-per-view broadcast.

Wiman and Tavares picked up Fight of the Night honors for their back-and-forth battle on the night's preliminary card. Wiman survived a jarring punch to the jaw to score his own knockout moments later. The stoppage came at 1:57 of the second round. That bout also appeared via tape delay on the night's pay-per-view broadcast.

 

[naner12]

Bad stoppage IMO on Damm/Masvidal but props to Damm .. I didn't think he'd be able to hang with Masvidal standing and he did surprisingly good and only went for one takedown.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Sims, Coleman React to Controversial Bout
videolink: http://www.sherdog.com/videos/videos.asp?v_id=1628
Sherdog.com's Freddie DeFreitas caught up with Wes Sims (Pictures) and Mark Coleman (Pictures) to discuss the Hammer House fighter's controversial bout with Steve Bosse (Pictures).

 

[Shogun Locc]

UPSET WITH UFC 85 STOPPAGE, VERA WANTS REMATCH

Brandon "The Truth" Vera was defeated by Fabricio Werdum at UFC 85, but the heavyweight fighter did not agree with the referee stoppage with 20 seconds left in round one and wants a rematch with Werdum.

"That ref (Dan Miragliotta) sucks," bluntly stated Brandon Vera during the UFC 85 post-fight press conference. "I don't agree with that stoppage, and I'm pissed. I had to walk away from the ref.

"The referee was asking me, talking to me, saying something like, 'are you okay?' He was talking to me. I remember he was talking to me and I was saying, 'I'm okay. I'm okay. I'm okay.' I said it three times. I made sure I stressed, 'I'm.' My last fight I fought with a broken hand after the first thirty seconds, all three rounds, no complaints. I was getting punched in the face man. Come on."

Vera continued, "He hit me three or four times. The rest were on my arms. Fabricio had an awesome mount. I wasn't getting out of the mount. I figured I'd just have to ride the ass-whoopin out for the next 20 seconds, get up to our feet in the second round, and I was going to give it to him... I didn't even start kicking yet."

During the press conference, Werdum commented that Vera must work his way back up through the ranks before getting a rematch, something that didn't sit well with Vera.

"I'm kind of disappointed in Fabricio," said the California fighter. "He said yes earlier in the cage, right after. At least that's what I thought. He shook his head, yea, we can do it again. Now he's telling me to get back in line. I understand why he doesn't want to fight me again."

With the victory over Vera, Werdum is likely in line for a title shot against the winner of Frank Mir and current UFC heavyweight champion Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira following next season's edition of the Spike TV reality series "The Ultimate Fighter."

 

[Shogun Locc]

YOSHIDA, WIUFF, MISAKI VICTORIOUS AT SENGOKU 3

On Sunday night in Japan, Pride veteran Hidehiko Yoshida wasted no time in finishing off former UFC heavyweight champion Maurice Smith, submitting him with a neck crank little more than two minutes into their bout. The fight was the headliner of Sengoku 3 at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan.

Travis Wiuff returned to action as well, winning his ninth straight fight. In doing so, he accomplished no small feat, knocking out the iron-jawed Kazuyuki Fujita. It was an impressive victory for Wiuff.

Currently ranked No. 6 in the world at middleweight, Kazuo Misaki won his second straight fight of the year, scoring a unanimous decision over Logan Clark.

Nick Thompson continued to make his case to be considered one of the top fighters in the world by submitting Chute Boxer Michael Costa in running up his winning streak to 12 straight.

World Victory Road also announced several of the fighters for its upcoming lightweight tournament, the winner expected to get a shot at Takanori Gomi. Five of the fighters included in the tournament are Duane Ludwig, Rodrigo Damm, Yokota Kazunori, Mitsuoka Eiji, and Satoru Kitaoka. It is expected to be an eight-man tournament, likely beginning in August.

-Hidehiko Yoshida def. Maurice Smith by Submission (Neck Crank) at 2:23, R1
-Travis Wiuff def. Kazuyuki Fujita by KO (Punch) at 1:24, R1
-Kazuo Misaki def. Logan Clark by Unanimous Decision, R3
-Nick Thompson def. Michael Costa by Submission (Kimura) at 4:13, R2
-Sanae Kikuta def. Chris Rice by Submission (Armbar) at 3:54, R1
-Marcio Cruz def. Mu Bae Choi by Submission (Rear Naked Choke) at 4:37, R1
-Rodrigo Damm def. Jorge Masvidal by TKO (Strikes) at 4:38, R2
-Fabio Silva def. Yoshiki Takahashi by KO (Knee) at 0:24, R2

 

[Shogun Locc]

Drysdale to debut MMA until end of 2008

ADCC open weight champion, Robert Drysdale were yesterday at the BJJ Worlds to watch the competition and talked why he .didn’t went to the mat. “I don’t like to fight if I am not well prepared and trained”, said Drysdale that follow Kron Gracie defeat and analized it: “It was too much pressure to him. What he made on purple and brow belts are already at the history”.

Focusing himself at MMA, Drysdale talked about his plains to the future, including the fight against Roger at the 2009 ADCC. “It’s almost right to me to do a Boxing amateur fight nest month, I am going to debut at the MMA until the end of the year and I am going to dedicate five months of 2009 only for my fight against Roger. I want to win this fight a lot. I am going to be more than ready”.

 

[Shogun Locc]

MFC Announces Ford Vs. Fickett For Welterweight Title 7/25

The Maximum Fighting Championship has officially announced that rising star Ryan “The Real Deal” Ford will battle UFC veteran Drew “The Master” Fickett at MFC 17: Hostile Takeover for the vacant MFC welterweight title.

TKO Xtreme first broke news of the fight on May 24 after MFC vice president Dave Pavelich made a post hinting at the possible bout.

Fickett is a wily veteran who’ll definitely go down as Ford’s toughest test to date. Fickett, better known as the Night Rider, possesses a decorated mixed martial arts record of 33-5-0 with submission victories over the likes of Mark Weir, Kurt “Batman” Pellegrino, Josh Koscheck, Josh Neer, Fabio Holanda, Carlo Prater, Nuri Shakir, and Brandon Melendez.

After departing from the UFC, Fickett joined the ranks of HDNet Fights and Strikeforce. Since his departure from the Las-Vegas based promotion, Fickett has secured four straight victories with stoppages over Anthony Lapsley, Mark Weir and Jae Suk Lim.

Fickett was originally expected to face Jake Sheilds in June for the EliteXC welterweight title but the bout was scrapped when Sheilds went under with a back injury.

MFC star Ryan “The Real Deal” Ford is currently one of Canada’s brightest prospects boasting an unblemished MMA record of 6-0. Ford holds victories over UFC veterans Pete Spratt and C.J. Fernandes along with Mike Sorenson, Adil Abbas, Randy Valette, and Aaron Gallant.

MFC 17: Hostile Takeover is scheduled for July 25, 2008 at the River Cree Casino in Edmonton, Alberta. Check out our rumors section for the latest MFC 17: Hostile Takeover card.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Josh Thompson Comments On Fight With Gilbert Melendez

MMAyou.com got to speak with Josh "The Punk" Thomson. Check out what Thomson has to say regarding his June 27th bout with Gilbert Melendez, his feud with Frank Shamrock, and how to fight BJ Penn.


MMAyou.com: First, how are you doing?

Thomson: I'm doing good. How are you?

MMAyou.com: I'm good, thank you. How did you get your nickname "The Punk"?

Thomson: You know (laughs), it just kind of Just being me I guess. It just comes natural. The things I say, the way I come across, my approach isn't always the best when I'm talking to somebody. I guess the first time you meet me you possibly don't like me but once you get to know me I think, you know, people start realizing I have a good heart and I'm very loyal to my friends. I think they finally see through, it's just the way I talk I guess so that's how it all came about.

MMAyou.com: How's the fight with you and Gil going to go down?

Thomson: It's just gonna be explosive man! I don't know how else to say it. I've said it over and over again, the feeling out process is over between him and I. We've trained together, we know each other, he's probably going to make a couple of little tweaks to his game, as have I, that we remember from past experiences on what's gonna happen. We've made those kinks and hopefully it works. We'll see what happens. It should be a very explosive fight.

Very fast paced! That's the one thing people need to remember. It's gonna be a very fast paced fight. Read more..

Get your Strikeforce tickets through Josh Thomson by calling (650) 504-6534 ask for Ashley or email [email protected] Thank you.

 

[Shogun Locc]

The Making of a Superstar in Korea

Dong Hyun Kim's impressive May 24 UFC debut was not televised in North America, but in South Korea it was shown live.

And then it was shown again.

And then it was shown again: three times total, with commentary, prior to the resumption of live coverage.

Even before the translator could mangle Kim's responses to Joe Rogan in the postfight interview, YTN, the Korean cable news network, had added "Kim Dong Hyun wins by TKO in first UFC contest" to the news ticker at the bottom of the screen, amid updates on American beef imports and the earthquake in China. KTX trains also added Kim's picture to the queue of rural photographs cycling on the aisle monitors.

Virtually unknown to all but hardcore fight fans, suddenly it seemed as if Kim was on every screen in Korea.

But was anyone watching?

When an hour-long special on Kim was shown in prime time a week before UFC 84, it had been almost four years since one of his fights had aired live on Korean television. In the interim, the "Stun Gun" had wreaked havoc in Japan among the ranks of Deep's welterweights. He racked up seven wins, five of them by knockout, including an impressive KO of welterweight champion Hidehiko Hasegawa (Pictures) in a non-title match.

But when the ensuing rematch, a title bout, was ruled a draw and Hasegawa was allowed to retain the belt, Kim decided he'd had enough of Deep. Shortly thereafter he was signed by Pride, fulfilling a long-time dream, but the UFC purchased and scrapped Asia's premier MMA promotion just prior to what would have been his first event. Kim was left hanging without a contract.

Meanwhile, Super Action, the No. 1 cable network in Korea at the time, was also left hanging. Boosted previously by its partnership with Pride, Super Action's ratings plummeted when substitute UFC live events and replays failed to generate enthusiasm in Korea. Accustomed to the pyrotechnic-adorned grandeur of Pride and K-1 Hero's, the UFC events, and specifically the idea of fighting in a chain-link cage, struck the Korean public as something illicit and unprofessional, akin to an impromptu brawl near a scrap yard.

And there was also the problem of live television scheduling. Asia is full of Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic fans, but few of them want to stay up until 4:30 a.m. to watch him fight. Las Vegas provided slightly better time zone arithmetic, but it is equally unlikely that many kids stayed home from Sunday school, curious to see if B.J. Penn (Pictures) would lick Sean Sherk (Pictures)'s blood off his gloves.

Finally, and so obvious it justifies the danger of a cultural stereotype, Koreans love Korean athletes. Until Dong Hyun Kim came around, there wasn't a single Korean fighter to cheer for in the UFC.

Ji Sung Park created a Korean television market for English Premier League Soccer and Chan Ho Park did the same for Major League Baseball. There is no doubting that French-born, Canada-raised and American Top Team-trained "Super Korean" Denis Kang (Pictures) is genuinely proud to represent Korea in the ring. But he's also making a heck of a lot more in endorsements with his current moniker than he would as the "Super Canadian."

Japanese fighter Yoshihiro Akiyama (Pictures) surrendered his Korean citizenship in 2001 and defeated a Korean judoka in the gold medal round of the Asian Games a year later, but Korean MMA fans and television commentators still refer to him by his Korean name, Choo Sung Hoon.

The list goes on, and, at times, the criteria for membership is pretty relaxed. To say that Koreans are simply "loyal" to their athletes is an understatement; they are, in fact, fanatical.

It is even plausible that had B.J. Penn marketed the Korean portion of his ethnicity, senior citizens would have skipped church in droves to support him. This is why Spirit MC, the Korea-based Pro Elite partner organization, and its cable outlet, XPorts, regularly double the watch rate of a UFC live event.

The Super Action cable network and the UFC needed Kim even more than he needed them, and he will continue to carry more than his share of weight for the network. Six months ago, without better ratings (without a Korean fighter), it was likely that Super Action would stop buying UFC programming at the end of its current contract. A good part of the UFC's tenuous foothold in Asia would disappear, and Dream, Pride's reincarnation, would gain momentum.

Connect the dots and infer what you will. Just take a look at the fighter salaries from UFC 84. The world of cable television, MMA promotion and fighter compensation is a complicated and somewhat shrouded affair, but it has its moments of justice.

As evidenced by Kim's methodical destruction of Jason Tan, Super Action has placed its bets wisely. Make no mistake, Kim doesn't need any public relations assistance inside the Octagon. His skills are for real, and he knows how to apply them. A lanky welterweight with strong strikes and takedowns, his submissions are smooth and he pounds from guard as well as anyone.

How does he match up with the best welterweights in the world? It's difficult to tell at this point. Did the UFC make the right decision by signing him to a four-fight contract? One look at the way he integrated elbow strikes into his arsenal and you'll join the ranks of the believers.

"I know exactly what UFC fans want," Kim told Sherdog.com, "and I want to be a popular fighter. Remember ‘Stun Gun' Dong Hyun Kim. I will be the welterweight champion someday."

There might be a few fights and several hundred training sessions between Jason Tan and Georges St. Pierre (Pictures), but one fact is clear: The future of the UFC in Korea is on Dong Hyun Kim's shoulders, and that's exactly the right place for it.

 

[Shogun Locc]

DESPITE UFC 85, DON'T PULL THE CURTAIN ON HUGHES

“I’m 34 years old and I’m definitely not done yet,” Matt Hughes said prior to Saturday night’s fight with Thiago Alves at UFC 85 in London. “I’m still very healthy. Right now, I actually feel great.

“I’ve got two more fights on my contract counting the Thiago fight. By no means am I going to retire before my contract is over and I'm probably not going to retire afterwards. I feel that I have three or four fights left in me.”

What a difference a week makes.

The 24-year-old Alves, at times during the fight, made Hughes look as if he was mired in quicksand. Once a master of hoisting his opponent up in the air and leaving a police chalk line on the canvas following his tremendous slams, Hughes managed only one takedown, that off of an Alves knee to the body, during the 6 minutes and 2 seconds they spent fighting.

Outside of Hughes grounding Alves for a couple of minutes and doing no damage, the rest of the bout was spent with his younger opponent taking every advantage and bloodying Hughes’ face.

The end came early on in the second round courtesy of an airborne Alves driving a knee into Hughes’ lower jaw, dropping him to mat, and following with a left hand that looked like it would have left a dent in the floor of the Octagon.

Hughes obviously isn’t feeling as good as he was prior to the fight, especially with the odd angle he fell across his left leg when the end came. But even moments after the fight had ended, he wasn’t calling it quits. He was calling out rival Matt Serra.

Giving props to Alvez, “He’s a good fighter. He got me. There’s no doubt about it,” said Hughes. He then told post-fight interview Joe Rogan, “I’ll tell you this for sure, I’ve got one more fight left in me. Matt Serra needs to come up with a game plan now. My wife wants it. I want it. And I know these fans want it, too.”

UFC president Dana White has said on numerous occasions, as he did at the UFC 85 post-fight press conference, that he will make that fight happen if Hughes wants it. Even though the volume of Hughes’ tough talk was a little softer at the press conference – he, at times, sounded like a man struggling to make sense of not only the fight with Alves, but also his place in the sport he once dominated – he still didn’t sound as if he were ready to leave his wrestling shoes at the center of the mat.

“I didn’t come to this venue having any kind of a defeat speech memorized. I came here full force to win, to get my hand raised at the end,” said Hughes before adding, “I don’t know what to say about these young fighters that are just as good as they are. GSP and Thiago are who I’m naming here.”

Not addressing Serra with the same verve as he had in the ring, Hughes continued, “A lot of things are running through my mind. I don’t know what to think or to do right now. I know I’m going to get home, see what’s wrong with my body a little bit maybe, and get healthy and then Dana and I will talk about the future for me.”

Hughes made no excuses for his performance against Alves. “He’s a good fighter. He got me. There’s no doubt about it.” And he doesn’t need to make any excuses.

He has held the UFC welterweight title on two separate occasions, defending the belt seven times. His professional record stands at 42-7. He has defeated five current or former UFC champions. In short, Matt Hughes is a shoe-in for the UFC Hall of Fame.

Time may be passing the former champ by, but he is still a prominent fighter in the UFC landscape. He has a marquee bout with Matt Serra left to tend to. It doesn’t have title implications, but it has drawing power. It is a fight fans want to see.

And Matt Hughes is still a fighter that fans want to see.

 

[Shogun Locc]

PALASZEWSKI IN BIG NEED OF ADRENALINE WIN

If ever there was a sense of urgency in the career of lightweight Bart “Bartimus” Palaszewski, now would be it.

Currently in the midst of a three-fight losing streak, the first since he suffered a similar streak when he first entered MMA in 2002, Palaszewski is in desperate need of a win to keep his career aspirations of title contention alive.

Taking a break from his contractual obligations with the International Fight League, he steps into Saturday’s Adrenaline event in his adopted hometown of Chicago, Ill. in search of the kind of win that can kick-start his stalled career and put him back on the right track.

“It’s great, the IFL allowing us to fight on a different show,” commented Palaszewski of his participation in Adrenaline. “It’s been a while since I’ve been outside the IFL, a couple years now, and fought inside a cage too – that’s going to be interesting.

“To be home fighting in Chicago has been a while, so to have my fans, friends and family supporting me there is going to be great.”

As Palaszewski pointed out, it’s been two years since he last fought in a cage, which presents tactical differences from the IFL’s ring. He feels he’s made the proper adjustments to his game to counteract the divergences.

“I think there won’t be any adjustment in my game, but more an adjustment to my opponent’s game,” explained Palaszewski.

“If I’m on the ground with my head stuck against the cage, things change a little bit. So, I think it’s more an adjustment defensively than offensively.”

At Adrenaline, he is scheduled to square off against Jeff Cox, a former Ultimate Fighting Championship fighter who will also be making his Adrenaline debut.

“From what I know, he calls himself a wrestler, and had a few UFC fights, but didn’t so well there,” stated Palaszewski of Cox. “I’m not taking him lightly, though.

“I’m busting my butt as I always do. I’ll go in there and mix it up. I plan for everything – I’ll be ready.”

It may very well be now or never for Palaszewski, as he admits to a sense of urgency heading into Saturday night.

“I have to win this fight – it’s one of those have to win situations,” he explained. “I’ve had a rough ride lately. I’m on a three-fight losing streak, and I’ve got to get back on the horse.

“Even though I’m in a rut, I know I’m going to pull out of it and get back to where I’m supposed to be. I’m training hard and hopefully go out there and come out on top.”

After Saturday, he plans on making the most of his time with the remaining months of the year prior to taking some time off for his impending marriage in November.

“I have two more fights with the IFL and I’m going to honor my contract with them,” said Palaszewski. “I am scheduled for the August 15 show (in New Jersey), but I’m not sure who they’ve got for me.

“After the Adrenaline show I have eight weeks, so I’ve got to decide if I want to take a fight before the IFL, or just get ready for it and try to get a couple more fights before the end of the year.”

Even with seemingly stable ground ahead of him career-wise for the remainder of the year, Palaszewski knows if he wants to keep people interested in having him on their show, he has to get back to his winning ways, starting in Chicago on June 14.

“I want to thank my sponsors; Tapout, Critical Clothing, and Premier Fighter,” concluded Palaszewski. “I want to also thank all my coaches; Doug Mango, Dave Davis and Jeff Curran.

“Hopefully I can put on a good show in front of my fans, friends and family.”

 

[Shogun Locc]

Injured Misaki, Trigg Could Figure into ‘Sengoku’ Mix

Middleweight standout Kazuo Misaki (Pictures) attended World Victory Road's post-fight press conference for "Sengoku Battle III" on crutches - the result of his decision win over Minnesota Martial Arts Academy's Logan Clark (Pictures). Misaki evaded and countered Clark's efforts en route to victory, but suffered ligament damage in his left ankle for his troubles.

"It doesn't need surgery or anything but it should be heal in a month or so," said Misaki. "I will rest for one month and then resume training."

Former UFC welterweight contender Frank Trigg (Pictures) was also announced as "in negotiations" to appear in Sengoku's next installment on Aug. 24 at Saitama Super Arena in Tokyo. Misaki, who dropped a decision to the American wrestler in Feb. 2007 at PRIDE 33 in Las Vegas, seemed surprised by the news.

"I would like to get revenge on him in the near future," the Grabaka rep said. "I just found out that he would be participating too. I would like and see how my ankle heals. I am confident and if I could fight against him again I would like to win."

In the lightweight ranks, Duane Ludwig (Pictures), Rodrigo Damm (Pictures), Satoru Kitaoka (Pictures), Eiji Mitsuoka (Pictures) and Kazunori Yokota (Pictures) were announced as entries for an eight-man tournament to determine a challenger for Sengoku's top dog, Takanori Gomi (Pictures).

Damm, who bested American Top Team upstart Jorge Masvidal (Pictures) with a second-round TKO just hours earlier, did not dwell on the bout's controversial stoppage, but looked to the future.

"I strongly feel that I accomplished what I needed to do," he said. "To be the top fighter I will need to compete strongly in the tournament."

Despite having just fought what some may say was an easy match, Hidehiko Yoshida (Pictures) looked tired at the press conference, nodding off when he wasn't required to speak. His first-round submission victory over Maurice Smith (Pictures) snapped a three-fight losing streak.

"I'm really relieved that I won the fight last night," said Yoshida. "I strongly believe that this win will lead me to the next fight. Whoever he is I feel I will have a good fight."

Yoshida did express his interest in facing one particular fighter in Roger Gracie (Pictures), the 2008 Mundials super heavyweight champion and a multi-time top finisher in the Abu Dhabi World Submission Grappling Championships. The 1992 Olympic judo gold medallist stated that he'd be willing to fight Gracie in any weight division.

Hoping to expand its heavyweight ranks, World Victory Road also announced the signings of four Georgian athletes: Zurab Zviadauri, a 2004 Olympic judo gold medalist at 198 pounds; Ramaz Nozadze, a 2004 Olympic Greco-Roman wrestling silver medalist at 212 pounds; Eldari Kurtanidze (Pictures), a two-time Olympic bronze medalist in freestyle wrestling in 1996 and 2000; and Georgi Gogshelidze, who took ssecond place at the 2006 FILA World Championships in the 212-pound freestyle wrestling category.

Kurtanidze is the only one of the quartet to have previously competed in MMA, the recipient of a two-minute beating at the hands of Kuzuyuki Fujita at Pride Shockwave 2006 on New Year's Eve.

 

[heyzel]

BRANDON VERA has launched a vicious attack on UFC referee Dan Miragliotta following h

By GREG GOBERE

Published: 08 Jun 2008



The official controversially called time on 'The Truth's' heavyweight bout with Fabricio Werdum with only 20 seconds remaining in the first round, but Vera did not appear to be in any major distress at the time.


The 30-year-old Californian was incensed at the stoppage and was still visibly seething at the press conference TWO hours later


He raged: "I've got a lot of things to say about that fight. Firstly, that ref sucks.


"I don't agree with the stoppage and yeah I'm p*****. I had to just walk away from Miragliotta in the end.


"At the time he was talking to me and I kept saying, 'I'm okay, I'm okay'. I said it three times and made sure I stressed my words.


"In my last fight I broke my hand after the first 30 seconds and fought three rounds - no complaints.


"Fabricio hit me in the face three times, everything else hit my arms.


"He had me in an awesome mount and I couldn't get out so I figured I would just have to ride out the beating for the last 20 seconds of the round, but the ref stopped it.


"It was partially my fault because I should have finished the fight when I had the chance but I hope I never have that ref again. You suck, son.


And after suffering a setback in his quest to challenge for heavyweight honours, Vera also reserved some venom for his opponent on the night.


He said: "I'm also disappointed in Fabricio. He said yes to a rematch in the cage earlier. Now he's telling me to get back in the queue.


"I understand why he doesn't want to fight me again but I hope you win that title Fabricio because I'm looking forward to fighting you again.


Dana White is keen to see Vera drop down to light-heavyweight but the disgruntled Californian still believes he has much to do above the 205lb weight limit.


He added: "I could easily cut down to 205lbs but a long time ago when I first fought I told everyone that I was going to win the heavyweight championship belt and then drop down.


"I'm not a liar or a quitter. I still have a goal in mind. We'll see what happens."

 

[heyzel]

Hughes' slide continues in London

By

Josh Gross


Matt Hughes put together one of the most brilliant runs in mixed martial arts history.

Working his way up the ranks, the Illinois farm boy, so smartly managed by Monte Cox through most of his career, meshed together 18 consecutive wins. Powerful slams made more dangerous by heavy ground-and-pound helped Hughes put together an almost unheard of stretch in a sport that features few unbeaten competitors.

By the time Hughes settled down with the Zuffa-promoted UFC, he was a veteran training with Pat Miletich in Iowa. Twice, Hughes won six consecutive UFC-promoted bouts, which saw him stop many of the world's best welterweights.

To be the UFC champ, a generation of welterweight contenders knew, you'd have to defeat Hughes. Very few could -- until recently. Hughes' downturn continued Saturday in London, where he fell for the third time in four fights.

Standing southpaw for a better angle to attack takedowns on Thiago Alves' lead leg, Hughes went after the big Brazilian. A deep shot was crushed when Alves sprawled hard, forcing Hughes to unclasp his hands.

Alves stood. Again, Hughes' shot was easily denied.

This was the game Alves' corner asked for. Sprawl, push away and strike. Maybe even get on top and do to Hughes what he's done to opponents for a decade: wreck 'em with punches and elbows from the top.

Against similar foes with strong striking, Hughes was dominant. Takedowns always came. Pressure eventually worked through whatever defense was separating Hughes from the end of the fight. But against Georges St. Pierre and now Alves, Hughes failed to control his opposition.

Three out of Hughes' four first-round takedown attempts were rebuffed. And even when the American (42-7) was successful, the 24-year-old Alves (15-3) calmly worked from the bottom and never took a significant shot to his face. The same could not be said for Hughes, who soon wore a star-shaped cut on the bridge of his nose to accessorize welts around his eyes.

Hughes, however, was no stranger to adversity.

Against Frank Trigg, Hughes produced one of the best moments in MMA history when he freed himself from a beating on the bottom, hoisted his rival on a shoulder, power-walked to an opposite fence, and delivered his anything-but-fragile package to the canvas.

Against Alves, there was no miraculous comeback. The Brazilian concaved Hughes' chest with a flying knee, smearing a mask of red across the veteran's eyes. Another jumping knee, this one more to the chin, felled the former champion to the canvas, where he took a stiff right to the jaw before referee Herb Dean intervened.

Two decisive losses in a row leaves Hughes in a tenuous position.

A couple of wins could have sold the public that he stood a chance against Anderson Silva. But now fans will be left wondering: If Hughes couldn't take down a 180-pound Alves -- or whatever weight he blew back up to on Saturday after failing to make weight by four pounds (it would be nice to know) -- what chance would he stand against a 200-pound chin-seeking "Spider"?

One would hope Hughes learned from the UFC departure of his mentor, Pat Miletich, the former 170-pound champion who unceremoniously exited the octagon against tough middleweight Matt Lindland. A bout against Silva would be unwise; Hughes, middleweight, doesn't seem a likely proposition.

That leaves the 34-year-old crop farmer's last bout -- he guaranteed at least one more -- the likely grudge match against New Yorker Matt Serra.

"My wife wants it, I want it, and I know these fans want it too," Hughes said while looking into the packed O2 Arena crowd after losing Saturday.

Rivals, the welterweights were featured as coaches on the sixth season of Spike TV's The Ultimate Fighter. Their payoff fight, scheduled for Dec. 31, 2007, was called off when Serra, who stunned the MMA world by knocking out St. Pierre to capture the belt, withdrew due to herniated discs in his back.

There won't be a better time to make the fight, and Hughes said he was promised -- win or lose against Alves -- Serra would be next.

Could he parlay a win over Serra into something more, back into a space where Hughes is competitive with Alves, St. Pierre and, if he makes the 15-pound jump, B.J. Penn?

Leading up to the Alves bout, Hughes said he increased his training regimen from two to three times a day, placing a heavy emphasis on cardio. But the additional training didn't yield additional sparring. Since Hughes left Miletich and crew in Bettendorf, Iowa, his timing has been off. A shift in focus from hitting the mitts to grinding out hard rounds in the gym might be the thing that kickstarts Hughes. Look at Serra, who knocked out St. Pierre after 80 rounds of sparring under the watchful eye of Ray Longo.

Hughes knows what's best for him, and if he truly is pouring every ounce of his energy into preparing for fights, then he knows he can't compete at the sport's highest levels anymore. The young generation he inspired with his dominance has come to get theirs.

Of Hughes, Alves said, "He's a legend."

A legend whose tale is near its conclusion.

 

[heyzel]

UFC: LIST OF CHALLENGERS FOR ST. PIERRE GROWING

THE CANADIAN PRESS


LONDON - Everyone wants a piece of UFC welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre these days.

Brazilian young gun Thiago (Pitbull) Alves joined the queue of those looking to take a shot at the mixed martial arts star from Montreal after taking down former 170-pound title-holder Matt Hughes at UFC 85 before 15,327 at the O2 Arena on Saturday.

"When I got here (to the UFC), Matt Hughes was slamming people through the floor," said the 24-year-old Alves. "I don't know what to say. It's a dream come true. Next step it's the (championship) belt now."

St. Pierre, 27, already has a date to defend his title with No. 1 contender Jon Fitch at UFC 87 in August. UFC president Dana White also seems warmer to the idea of lightweight champion B.J. Penn moving up to face St. Pierre in a rematch of the split decision won by the Canadian at UFC 58 in March 2006. White suggested the super-fight could take place as early as December.

White can be persuasive. But St. Pierre's camp may find the prospect of moving up to middleweight to face Anderson Silva more attractive rather than revisit Penn, an opponent their man has already beaten.

Silva is widely seen as the best pound-for-pound MMA fighter on the planet, with GSP and Penn vying for second and third.

Silva could make sense as an opponent. St. Pierre usually walks around between 185 and 190 - the middleweight limit is 185 - and Silva isn't much heavier. Most fighters obsess about their weight as the fight nears, but the lanky Brazilian has been seen nibbling on chocolate chip cookies at a pre-fight news conference.

Silva is a jiu-jitsu black belt who is a feared striker. St. Pierre is a well-rounded, well-conditioned athlete whose power and wrestling skills could disrupt Silva's game.

Whatever happens, Alves demonstrated Saturday that he is a top contender in the welterweight world.

Alves put the 34-year-old Hughes on his back, flooring him with a flying knee and then finishing with a right to the head 62 seconds into the second round.

Hughes (43-7) has now lost three of his last four bouts - with two of those losses to St. Pierre - after going 19-1 in his previous 20 outings. Younger, bigger, faster opponents are taking their toll on the man who once ruled the 170-pound roost.

"I don't know what to say about these young fighters that are just as good as they are. GSP and Thiago is who I'm naming here," said Hughes, nursing a cut on the bridge of his nose.

The main event pitted a striker (Alves) against a grappler (Hughes). And right from the start, it seemed the striker had the edge.

Alves (21-4) stuffed the first couple of takedown attempts but went down on the third try in the first round. Hughes did not mount much of an offence on top and Alves eventually got to his feet, signalling his intentions by throwing Hughes down and swinging away as the round ended.

The fight was contested at a catchweight of 174 pounds after the Brazilian weighed in four pounds over the 170-pound welterweight limit. Alves has had weight issues before. He was suspended for eight months after being caught using a diuretic.

The Florida-based Brazilian is also a dancer, confessing that he made some extra cash when he lived in Brazil by serving as a ballroom dancing partner for rent "with the ladies."

Asked to handicap a possible fight between St. Pierre and the muscular Alves, Hughes said the bout would be interesting.

"They're both a lot alike, but GSP has one thing over him - it's a big wrestling background. That could be something to sway the fight. But Thiago's got better hands than GSP probably. I really can't tell you how the fight would go. I would say it would be very competitive. Can Thiago rock him before GSP shoots in and takes him down? I think it would be pretty neutral on the ground,"

Hughes, meanwhile, has one fight left on his current contract. He will use it to face off against rival Matt Serra. After that, it seems unlikely he will face further hardship in the cage.

In the co-main event, England's Michael (The Count) Bisping laid a beating on Canadian Jason (Dooms) Day, stopping the middleweight from Lethbridge, Alta., via TKO at 3:42 of the first round.

"He looks better every time he comes out," White said of Bisping,

Day (17-6) never got going, was taken down twice and paid the price the second time with Bisping (17-1) firing down punches at the turtled Canadian until referee Dan Miragliotta stepped in.

"I knew I was better in all areas," Bisping said. "More aggressive and stronger. And I proved that."

"A lot of guys in here, who have seen me fight in the U.K. before, know that the way I fought tonight is the way I used to fight in England," Bisping added. "Just completely destroy guys."

UFC newcomer Kevin Burns, moonlighting from his day job as a banker with Wells Fargo in Des Moines, Iowa, turned heads by defeating welterweight Roan Carneiro.

Burns, who came in on just nine days notice, subdued the jiu-jitsu black belt via triangle choke at 3:50 of the second round, tying up the Brazilian and firing elbows from below until Carneiro tapped.

The 28-year-old will be back at work at the bank Monday, at least US$50,000 richer after being earning submission of the night honours