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Feb 7, 2006
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Report: Noons vs. Diaz not happening on July 26

MMA Mania is reporting that a rumored bout between Nick Diaz and K.J. Noons for the EliteXC lightweight title is not happening on the July 26 “Unfinished Business” card which is rumored to take place in Stockton, California, Diaz’s hometown.

Diaz is still expected to compete on the card but it’s not clear who he will face off against come July 26. Could EliteXC be saving this fight for another CBS card down the line? Too many titles on the line during one card? Stay tuned…
 
Jan 2, 2003
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i am so happy to see the donald get involved...

step 2...knock queer-boy dana white off his high horse...i would love for DT to get at DW...whats he gonna do?...claim DT is an idiot!!??
 
Feb 7, 2006
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UFC 89: Birmingham, England, the likely destination on October 18

UFC Vice President of Regulatory Affairs, Marc Ratner, recently revealed that the promotion is heading back to England on October 18 with UFC 89, according to Fighters Only Magazine.

It will be the fifth major event to be staged there in 18 months; however, the show will likely take place for the first time ever in Birmingham at the National Indoor Arena (NIA). The venue can hold about 4,500 mixed martial arts fans, which seems a bit too intimate for this type of show and it could change to a venue such as the NEC Arena.

Prior to his fight at UFC 85: “Bedlam” earlier this month, Michael Bisping hinted that he would likely participate on the card. And while there is no official confirmation it would make sense that he take on Chris Leben — the two were supposed to meet at the O2 Arena in a middleweight showdown before the bout was scrapped.

The report indicates that highly touted British welterweight prospect, Dan Hardy, is also expected to make his Octagon debut at UFC 89 against a yet to be named opponent.

England in particular and Europe in general is clearly a top priority for the promotion even though officials often admit that the events come at a financial loss. However, if the UFC can win over more fans — and it appears to be doing that — another report today indicates that a massive show in an outdoor soccer stadium is possible in the near future.

Here’s a snip from United Kingdom UFC President Martin Zelaznik via UK.EuroSport.com:

“We are going to continue to do four big events in the UK per year.We will be confirming our next UK event in a couple of weeks. We hold records in the biggest indoor venues in the UK already, and the next step is running big outdoor shows. The UFC in a UK football stadium would be an incredible fan experience…. If you think back to where we were in the UK two years ago, with a live UK show and live coverage of US cards nothing but a dream for our fans, to where we are now, just think about how great things are going to be two years down the road from here.”
 
Feb 7, 2006
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Call It a Comeback

When a 25-year-old prizefighter scores the most publicly prominent victory of his flourishing career and then retires, the universal state of astonishment appears to be everlasting.

However, Paul Daley (Pictures)'s retirement, which sent shockwaves through the sport, will be short-lived.

The furor that surrounds his return is merited. A native of Nottingham, England, Daley was in the hottest form of his career when he retired in February after knocking out TUF alum Sam Morgan (Pictures) in ShoXC. At the time he held three British welterweight titles, had a five-fight win streak and, in light of his transatlantic exploits, had positioned himself as one of the flag bearers of British MMA.

The question of why he would retire at such a promising point in his career was a mystery. Yet the decision, which was the boldest in Daley's life, came with no tinges of doubt or second thoughts.

"It wasn't a difficult decision to call time on my career," he said. "I owed it to myself to have time off and gather my thoughts."

The well-traveled Brit cites personal reasons as the main factor in his retirement. He didn't expect his move to stun the domestic or international MMA circuit.

"I didn't expect it to, not really, because it was a personal decision," Daley said.

The Englishman is embraced as one of the most charismatic characters in the fight game. His attacking verve and vibrancy, which has produced 12 knockouts in 17 victories, has endeared him to audiences around the world.

As one of the shining lights of the British scene, Daley has worked tenaciously to make breakthroughs in America and Japan. In fact, his success across the pond is well documented. The Rough House Gym star has recorded two of the most significant wins of his career in the United States -- a TKO victory of Duane Ludwig (Pictures) at Strikeforce last year and most recently his destruction of Sam Morgan in the headline bout at ProElite's feeder series, ShoXC.

His heralded wins over Ludwig and Morgan were impressive notches on a resume that also features signature wins over dangerous Frenchman Xavier Foupa-Pokam (Pictures) and the UFC's Jess Liaudin (Pictures).

Now Daley is set to add a new and stirring chapter to his compelling career. His much-anticipated comeback is scheduled for July 12 in his native Nottingham, England, at Cage Warrior's seventh installment of Enter the Rough House.

"I needed a fight. I needed something to bring about greater focus," Daley said. "I approached them [Cage Warriors]. They run a great show in my hometown, and a lot of my friends and family have never seen me fight live."

Daley's homecoming will also be his first bout in Britain since September 2007 and his first Cage Warriors outing since 2004. The Midlands-based organization, which burst onto the scene in 2002, has showcased some of the finest fighters on the continent and fast-tracked torrents of talent onto the international stage.

The likes of Martin Kampmann (Pictures), Antonio Silva, Gregory Bouchelaghem (Pictures), Michael Bisping (Pictures) and Dennis Siver (Pictures) all earned their stripes in Cage Warriors. The British promotion clearly has a keen eye for talent. It has seen a wealth of top names snatched up by Pride and the UFC over the years, but to Cage Warriors' credit, the event has reinvigorated its talent pool time and time again.

Daley's return is another boost for the promotion, and Cage Warriors officials are more than aware of what the highly decorated Englishman adds to a show.

"He brings excitement, a solid and marketable name, a great record and press and media attention," said Cage Warriors matchmaker Ian Dean. "He adds a little glitz and glamour and a lot of fans that we may not have necessarily reached out to in the past, as he's so popular."

To make the most of his comeback, Daley needed an opponent befitting of his class and stature. After thoroughly scouring the continent, Cage Warriors found its man in unbeaten Slovenian Bojan "Zelva" Kosednar.

Those who have gone up against Kosednar have found out that not only does he cut one of the meanest and most imposing figures in the game, but also he has the skills to take care of business in the cage. The Slovenian sports a 6-0 record with his latest and most notable victory coming against wily veteran Fabricio Nascimento (Pictures) (19-6-0) in May.

The task of matching up Daley may seem unenviable, but Cage Warriors is more than familiar with managing homegrown stars.

"He was difficult, but no more so than trying to match up the other top welterweights we have on our books such as Jim Wallhead (Pictures) and Matt Thorpe (Pictures) and previously Dan Hardy (Pictures)," Dean said. "A few people were put off by Daley's status and U.S. experience, but we also had other potential fighters ruled out by injury.

"I didn't want to give Daley a walkover. I wanted to make it a competitive bout and I think we have done that with a dangerous, unbeaten fighter. And to his credit, Daley leapt at the opportunity to fight him, and I think it has re-energized him as well."

Back in training in Nottingham, Daley is in good company. The Rough House Gym production line has also produced fellow 170-pound standouts Jim Wallhead and UFC-bound Dan Hardy -- Cage Warriors mainstays who have held a plethora of titles in Britain.

"Judo Jim" believes the time is right for teammate Daley to make his return.

"I think the time off has done him the world of good," Wallhead said. "He is happy and motivated again, and personally I can tell you he is hitting even harder too. Paul brings a lot of hype to everything he does. He is MMA's ‘Money Mayweather' and he can back it up with exciting, explosive action every outing."

The Rough House team has been putting Daley through his paces for five weeks, dusting down any lingering cobwebs.

"Things are going really well," Daley said. "My body is starting to remember things and my mind is getting sharp. I needed a fight that I could get motivated for at this time in my career -- a comeback as such, and this seems the perfect fight for me and the fans. Kosednar is a tough southpaw, fairly well rounded and a champion in his own country."

In addition to Kosednar, Daley has other bouts already lined up for later in the year. He is returning to MMA full time, and despite his six-month absence, he seems primed to once again reach the heights that have become so familiar to him.
 
Feb 7, 2006
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HEATH HERRING HAS NO HESITATIONS WITH LESNAR

When former heavyweight champion Mark Coleman fell out his bout with rising star Brock Lesnar due to injury, the call was quickly made to perennial contender Heath Herring, who stepped up on short notice to take on the Minnesota native in his home state.

Herring made an impressive showing in his last fight defeating Cheick Kongo by split decision at UFC 82 in Columbus, Ohio. Despite the short notice, Herring says he had no hesitations stepping in to face Lesnar and the only detractor was pulling his camp together on time.

“The only hesitation was trying to get all the chickens back in the chicken coup so to speak. No one was really set up to try and get ready for a fight. I think we got camp established pretty quick and now everything’s going okay,” said Herring.

For his last fight, he admitted that he didn’t work much on his ground game, expecting a stand-up fight with the experienced kickboxer, Kongo. Now facing a former NCAA Division I wrestling champion, he’s on top of his grappling skills again, but definitely isn’t neglecting his striking ability.

“I actually am working a little bit of ground now, but we’re also training stand-up as well,” Herring stated. “Not to slack off in any area. We’re trying to be as well rounded as possible. I have a feeling he might want to come out and try to throw just a little bit, and I’m hoping he does and we’ve got to make him pay when he does.”

With Brock Lesnar on the horizon, Herring has assembled another top training camp including past coaches and partners, but he has also been spending much of his time training with Randy Couture and his team, Xtreme Couture.

“I’ve been down at Randy’s (Couture) a lot. Actually, Randy’s really helped me out so far,” commented Herring. “I really have got to give him a lot of credit for helping me out and kind of helping me with takedown defense and things like that.”

There’s not much video on Lesnar when it comes to his MMA career having only two professional fights to his credit, but Herring’s vast experience in the fight game could be one of the most determining factors in the match-up.

Despite the lack of footage to map out a specific game plan, Herring is confident that he can anticipate what Lesnar is likely to do in the fight.

“From my own personal experience, guys that are that green and new, they kind of revert to that adrenaline rush and that’s what I’m anticipating he’s going to do as well,” Herring said about his opponent. “I think he’s going to be pretty wild and come out and do what we saw him do against Frank (Mir).”

Lesnar will likely have one very large factor on his side and that is the home state crowd of Minnesota behind their native son. Again, Herring’s experience in this aspect of the fight will keep him calm when dealing with the storm of the crowd at UFC 87.

“I’ve been fighting people in their hometowns for a long time,” said Herring. “This ain’t my first rodeo.”

Herring will continue his camp in Las Vegas as he prepares for the August 9 showdown with Lesnar as a part of UFC 87.
 
Feb 7, 2006
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ALESSIO AND SPRATT TOP THOMAS & MACK SALARIES

The fighter salary information for the Banner Promotions/Thomas & Mack Center co-promoted “Free For All” event, which took place on Friday, June 20 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, was made available on Monday.

The following figures are based on the fighter salary information that promoters are required by law to submit to the state athletic commissions, including the winners' bonuses.

Although MMA fighters do not have collective bargaining or a union, the fighters' salaries are still public record, just as with every other major sport in the United States. Any undisclosed bonuses that a promoter also pays its fighters (specifically pay-per-view bonuses, fight of the night bonuses, etc.) are not included in the figures below.

In the listings below, " Main Event Fighters" are defined as fighters who compete in the main event of a show. "Main Card Fighters" are defined as fighters whose fights appear on the main card, but not in title fights or in the main event.

All the mixed martial arts fighters on the “Free for All” event were payed a flat rate with no win bonuses available.


MAIN EVENT FIGHTERS

-John Alessio: $10,000 (defeated Pete Spratt)

-Pete Spratt: $10,000 (lost to John Alessio)


MAIN CARD FIGHTERS

-Dennis Davis: $5,000 (lost to Dave Jansen)

-Dave Jansen: $4,000 (defeated Dennis Davis)

-Kim Couture: $1,000 (lost to Kim Rose)

-Kui Gonsalves: $1,000 (defeated Ricky Johnson)

-Ricky Johnson: $1,000 (lost to Kui Gonsalves)

-Rob Mitchell: $1,000 (lost to Brice Ritani-Coe)

-Brice Ritani-Coe: $1,000 (defeated Rob Mitchell)

-Kim Rose: $1,000 (defeated Kim Couture)


DISCLOSED FIGHTER PAYROLL: $35,000
 
Feb 7, 2006
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AFFLICTION SETS PLANS FOR TWO FUTURE SHOWS

Since the announcement of the Affliction promotion a few months ago, everyone from fans to fighters to other promoters have been watching the new organization with great interest as to their business plan for the mixed martial arts industry.

Already entrenched as a staple for the MMA world through their clothing line, Affliction MMA will debut on July 19 at the Honda Center in California with a star studded line-up including the main event pitting top heavyweight Fedor Emelianenko against former Ultimate Fighting Championship heavyweight titleholder Tim Sylvia.

But before the promotion can even officially launch its first show, the future of Affliction is already a hot button topic with many MMA fans. Company vice president Tom Atencio spoke to MMAWeekly Radio about future plans for the MMA division of the clothing giant.

“Right now we’re looking at three shows,” said Atencio. “We’re looking at July 19 at the Honda Center, then we’ve got end of October, possibly November for the second show, then the third show will be February.”

Understanding the star power associated with the first show, Atencio said it will be a hard act to follow, but the promotion is dedicated to putting on another top show. They also plan to showcase lighter weight classes, differing from the debut show, which features a number of heavyweight bouts.

“So we’re looking at three shows right now. Everything’s going to go as planned. I’m really confident in what we’re doing,” he commented. “The first one’s obviously going to be hard to follow, but we’re going to do our best and we’re looking at working with the fans and seeing what they want. And obviously after this first fight we have the winners of this first fight that can fight each other, and then I’m looking at lighter weight classes as well.”

Having been a fan of the sport since its inception, Atencio is looking forward to displaying everything from the featherweight division on up in future Affliction shows.

“I’ve got Savant Young and Mark Hominick fighting on the undercard at 145 (pounds). I’m a big fan of the lightweights, so I’d like to bring in more 145’s, 155’s, 170’s and bring in the lighter guys who can just stand and bang and keep going for days,” he stated about Affliction’s future weight classes.

As for the locations of the next two shows, the vice president noted that while nothing has been secured they are looking at a few options as far as venues go.

“Right now we’re looking at a couple different places, one outside of the west coast, one on the west coast and then the third is possibly on the east coast, so if we can get over there,” he said.

The first Affliction show has sold approximately 8,000 tickets so far according to Atencio with the company picking up the promotion and marketing machine over the next few weeks. They are hoping for a sellout of the arena.
 
Feb 7, 2006
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Kendall Grove determined to remain in the UFC

Before Saturday night's "The Ultimate Fighter: Team Rampage vs. Team Forrest" finale main event, "The Ultimate Fighter 3" winner Kendall Grove (10-5 MMA, 4-2 UFC) had openly described the bout as having "loser leaves town" implications.

In the bout, Grove defeated former UFC middleweight champion Evan Tanner (34-8 MMA, 11-6 UFC) via split decision and earned what was arguably the most notable victory of his career.

"Da Spyder" was a guest on Monday's edition of TAGG Radio (www.taggradio.com), the official radio partner of MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com), and explained why he felt he was fighting for his future in the UFC.

"I was taking at as though I was fighting for my job," Grove said about his effort on Saturday. "And I love my job."

In one of the stranger scores in recent memory, Grove won the fight on two judges' cards 30-26 while a third judge awarded the bout to Tanner, 29-28. Grove felt his split-decision victory should have been unanimous.

"That's what happens when you leave it in the judges' eyes," Grove said. "But I don't know. ... Where I come from, I call that a [expletive] beating."

The 25-year-old Grove entered Saturday's bout looking to recover from two consecutive losses, which he attributed largely to a lack of mental preparation.

"A lot of it was in my mind, my head," Grove explained. "I had to get my head right again. I kind of lost sight of why I was fighting."

Although he received no official word that a loss could mean his parting ways with the UFC, Grove decided to approach the fight as such in an effort to improve his mental focus.

"I went back to Hawaii (and) made a lot of changes in my life," Grove said. "I knew I had to come back. This fight I had more dedication, more focus. Everyone was telling me I had a contract, but you never know. Anything can happen."

Although he was only in the fifth fight of his nine-fight contract, Grove admits had he lost to Tanner he would have had no qualms about being released by the UFC.

"I believe in performance," Grove said. "If I am not doing it, then I wouldn't be mad if they cut me. If I would have lost this fight with Evan, that would be three (consecutive) losses, [and] the last two, I didn't look too impressive."

The Hawaiian did look impressive against Tanner, however, landing vicious elbows and knees throughout the fight, including a spectacular flying-knee while defending a single-leg takedown.

"I have seen [the flying knee] done in training, and the first really unbelievable one I've seen (in a fight) was Yves Edwards'," Grove said. "I see myself in that situation all the time, when guys have the single. Once the opportunity came, I took it and almost jumped out of the cage."

Despite the seemingly dominant performance, Grove said Tanner's strength and determination proved a stern challenge.

"I'll tell you the truth, I was tired," Grove said. "I came into the fight well-prepared, but I used up a lot of strength defending the takedown. ... He was trying to take me down the whole time. I give him that; he was strong."

Now that he is back in the win column, Grove recognizes that every performance is critical to stay in the UFC, the organization which he considers the equivalent of baseball's major leagues.

"This sport evolves every day," Grove said. "And where I am at right now, you've got to be good. ... If I can't hang, then I deserve to go back down (to the minors)."
 
Feb 7, 2006
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Report: Nick Diaz vs. Thomas Denny at July 26 EliteXC-CBS

EliteXC lightweight Nick Diaz (17-7) will meet former King of the Cage champion Thomas Denny (26-16) at the next EliteXC-CBS "Saturday Night Fights" event, which takes place July 26 at Stockton Arena in Stockton, Calif.

Sherdog.com is reporting that bout agreements should be signed today.

EliteXC had planned for Diaz to rematch lightweight champ KJ Noons in his next bout later this year, but with the organization heading to Diaz's hometown, plans apparently changed.

Diaz recently pulled out of a July 21 DREAM.5 welterweight title fight with Hayato "Mach" Sakurai, reportedly at the urging of EliteXC officials, who wanted Diaz a part of the Stockton card.

A month after defeating Katsuya Inoue to earn the DREAM title shot, Diaz (17-7) returned to EliteXC and defeated Muhsin Corbbrey. The victory, which took place earlier this month at "EliteXC: Return of the King," preceded an in-ring scuffle with Noons' camp when the rematch was announced.

However, instead of Noons, Diaz will meet Denny, a longtime KOTC fighter with a strong following in California. Denny has won four out of his past five fights, which included a victory (via disqualification) over Malaipet Team Diamond in the main event of a March ShoXC event.

"EliteXC: Unfinished Business" will feature a headline bout between EliteXC middleweight champ Robbie Lawler (15-4) and Scott Smith (13-4). Jake Shields (20-4-1) and Nick Thompson (36-9-1) are also expected to fight for the first-ever EliteXC welterweight title.
 
Feb 7, 2006
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Joe Lauzon vs. Kyle Bradley at UFC Fight Night 15

After debuting with the UFC as a welterweight, Kyle Bradley (13-5 MMA, 0-1 UFC) will drop to his normal fighting weight of 155 pounds to meet contender Joe Lauzon (16-4 MMA, 3-1 UFC).

A source close to Bradley told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) that the two fighters recently agreed to meet at UFC Fight Night 15, an event that takes place Sept. 17 at the Omaha Civic Auditorium in Omaha, Neb.

The event, which features a headline bout of Mac Danzig vs. Clay Guida, airs on Spike TV.

Bout agreements were distributed to the fighters last week, we're told.

Lauzon, a standout from the fifth season of "The Ultimate Fighter," snapped his six-fight win streak (which included three straight victories in the UFC) with a second-round TKO loss to Kenny Florian at UFC Fight Night 13 in April. Lauzon's win streak included five first-round stoppages and one second-round submission.

The 24-year-old will look to reclaim a spot on the UFC's crowded list of contenders.

Bradley, a Team Voodoo fighter, debuted in February at UFC 81 and suffered a first-round knockout loss to the veteran Lytle. Prior to his UFC debut, Bradley had competed for many of the Southeast's top regional promotions, including UFC fighter Rich Clementi's No Love Entertainment organization. The 25-year-old had been riding a seven-fight win streak and had won 10 of his previous 11 fights.

Of Bradley's 13 professional victories, eight have come via knockout.
 
Feb 7, 2006
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Rory Markham vs Brodie Farber UFC Fight Night 14 fight in the works

Former International Fight League (IFL) welterweight standout Rory Markham (14-4) has inked a fight contract with Zuffa and will make his Octagon debut against fellow newcomer, Brodie Farber (13-3), at UFC Fight Night 14 from The Pearl at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas, Nevada, on July 19.

The good news comes from the fine folks over at FiveOuncesOfPain.com.

Markham is a super tough competitor who has won seven of his last nine fights. He most recently defeated Jay Ellis via first round submission (triangle choke) at the first-ever Adrenaline MMA event earlier this month.

The heavy-handed Miletich-trained fighter has never gone the distance in nearly 20 professional fights -– win or lose –- since his pro debut back in 2003. Markham comes to scrap and leaves it all on the table … just ask notable opponents such as Mike Pyle and Brad Blackburn.

He’s a fine (and dangerous) addition to a very talent-heavy UFC 170-pound division.

His scheduled opponent, Farber, has been busy south of the United States border, competing in several recent shows in Mexico under the MMA Extreme banner. He is on a six-fight win streak that includes a nice balance of submissions and (technical) knockouts.
 
Feb 7, 2006
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Wanderlei Silva’s next opponent could be Thiago Silva

After turning down a potential proposed light heavyweight bout vs. Brandon Vera at UFC Fight Night 14 on July 19, attention has turned to Wanderlei Silva’s next fight, which could take place in the fall.

According to the June 23 print edition of the Wrestling Observer, Silva’s likely next opponent is undefeated light heavyweight prospect Thiago Silva. The bout could take place in October despite the fact that Wanderlei Silva has reportedly asked not to be scheduled to fight again until December.

The Observer indicated that Wanderlei Silva was given a choice of facing either Thiago Silva or Lyoto Machida. A specific reason for while Thiago Silva is considered the more likely option than Machida was not given, although Dave Meltzer indicated that the UFC is having trouble finding willing opponents for Machida.

Silva returned to the UFC this past December following a nine-year stint in PRIDE. The fighter affectionately known as “The Axe Murderer” lost his re-debut at UFC 79, dropping a unanimous decision to Chuck Liddell. Silva bounced back with a win at UFC 84 in May, needing just 36 seconds to knock out Keith Jardine.

Thiago Silva is 4-0 since entering the UFC and holds notable wins over James Irvin, Tomasz Drwal, and Houston Alexander. He most recently fought at UFC 84 in May, where he submitted Antonio Mendes in the first round via punches.
 
Feb 7, 2006
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Gomi vs Horodecki at Sengoku 4?

MMAWeekly’s rumor section quietly has a matchup between Takanori Gomi and Chris Horodecki as the only listed bout for Sengoku 4 on August 24th.

If the bout happens, Gomi is again matched up with someone perfect for his style. Much like Ludwig, Horodecki is a striking fighter who can’t strike with Gomi.

Bouts like this might well save Sengoku, which most fight fans have found to be very hit and miss (mostly the latter). Regardless of the matchup and outcome, the fight should be entertaining despite being a bit of a mismatch for the young Horodecki.
 
Feb 7, 2006
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Parisyan could fight Yoshida at UFC 88

A welterweight bout between Karo Parisyan and Yoshiyuki Yoshida at UFC 88 in Atlanta on Sept. 6 is in the planning stages, according to a report by MMAjunkie.com.

The report states that a match between Parisyan and Yoshida is not yet signed but that signed bout agreements from both could be imminent.

Parisyan had been scheduled to face George Sotiropoulos but the bout fell through after Sotiropoulos was forced to pull out of the planned bout due to injury.

Parisyan is 18-5 overall in his MMA career and holds a lifetime record of 8-3 in the UFC. He had a three-fight winning streak snapped at UFC Fight Night 13 in April when he suffered a second round TKO to Thiago Alves.

Yoshida, who holds an impressive lifetime MMA record of 10-2 according to Sherdog’s fight finder, is currently on a nine fight win streak. He won his UFC debut at UFC 84 when he submitted Jon Koppenhaver with an anaconda choke at 0:56 of round 1. Prior to his UFC debut, Yoshida posted notable victories for the Cage Force promotion over Dan Hardy and Akira Kikuchi.

UFC 88 is scheduled to take place at the Phillips Arena in Atlanta, Georgia, and is slated to be headlined by a light heavyweight matchup between Chuck Liddell and Rashad Evans.
 
Feb 7, 2006
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Filho vs. Sonnen II expected at WEC’s Sept. event

The long-anticipated rematch between WEC middleweight champion Paulo Filho and Chael Sonnen is now slated to take place during the WEC’s September 10 event.

The report comes from print version of the June 23 edition of the Wrestling Observer.

Filho and Sonnen had been scheduled to rematch this past March but the fight was postponed after Filho checked himself into a Brazilian rehabilitation center in order to seek treatment for depression and substance abuse.

Filho, a former veteran of PRIDE, is a perfect 16-0 with notable victories in his career over Kazuo Misaki, Murilo “Ninja” Rua, Ryo Chonan, Yuki Kondo, and Akira Shoji. He has not fought since his Dec. 12 submission win over Sonnen at WEC 31.

Sonnen was dominating the fight until Filho caught him in an armbar from bottom position. The outcome of the fight was somewhat controversial, as Sonnen claimed he didn’t tap. However, during replays, Sonnen could be heard yelling as the bout was called to a stop.

Sonnen, a former veteran of both the UFC and BodogFIGHT, last fought in March for the WEC. After the bout with Filho fell through, he agreed to fight Bryan Baker instead. Sonnen recorded a one-sided unanimous decision win over the young middleweight prospect.
 
Feb 7, 2006
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Nine UFC fighters issued medical suspensions after TUF7 Finale

The Nevada State Athletic Commission has issued medical suspensions to nine of the 20 fighters who took part in this past Friday's live finale for "The Ultimate Fighter: Team Rampage vs. Team Forrest."

MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) today obtained the list of medical suspensions from the NSAC.

The June 21 event took place at The Palms Las Vegas and aired on Spike TV. Kendall Grove defeated Evan Tanner via split decision in the night's main event, and Amir Sadollah submitted C.B. Dollaway to win the "TUF7" season championship.

Main-card fighters Luigi Fioravanti and Matthew Riddle are currently suspended until Dec. 19, though both can be cleared early by an orthopedic doctor.

The full list of suspensions include:

Evan Tanner (split-decision loss to Kendall Grove): suspended until Aug. 6 with no contact until July 22 due to a laceration near his left eye.
Diego Sanchez (third-round TKO win over Luigi Fioravanti): suspended until July 22 with no contact until July 13 for precautionary reasons.
Luigi Fioravanti (third-round TKO loss to Diego Sanchez): suspended and no contact until Dec. 19 due to a right-knee injury (can be cleared early by an orthopedic doctor); minimum suspension until July 22 with no contact until July 13 for precautionary reasons.
Spencer Fisher (unanimous-decision win over Jeremy Stephens): suspended until July 22 with no contact until July 13 for precautionary reasons.
Matthew Riddle (unanimous-decision win over Dante Rivera): suspended until Dec. 19 due to a fifth-finger injury (can be cleared early via X-rays by an orthopedic doctor); minimum suspension until July 22 with no contact until July 13 for precautionary reasons.
Josh Burkman (second-round submission loss to Dustin Hazelett): suspended until Aug. 21 with no contact until July 22 for precautionary reasons.
Marvin Eastman (first-round TKO loss to Drew McFedries): suspended until Aug. 21 with no contact until Aug. 6 for precautionary reasons.
Matt Brown (second-round TKO win over Matt Arroyo): suspended until July 22 with no contact until July 13 for precautionary reasons.
Matt Arroyo (second-round TKO loss to Matt Brown): suspended until Aug. 6 with no contact until July 22 for precautionary reasons.
 
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LOL. They have a stadium to fight at in Stockton ? Is it a rodeo arena or something...?

You never seen the arena in Stockton by the waterfront? Ive never been inside myself but Ive drove past it. And you could see it off of the I5 or the the 4 junction.

Shogun keep us posted on when the tickets go on sale if they havent already....