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Feb 7, 2006
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Balls out: MMAmania exclusive sit down with Patrick Cote

Saturday July 5, Patrick Cote will enter the cage at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas and will stare down one of his toughest opponents to date, Ricardo Almeida.

The Quebec native is starting to make his presence known in the UFC middleweight division. However, Cote is not taking his opponent, Almeida lightly.

“This guy is no joke. I respect him a lot, but this is my time now and I’ll do what I have to do to win this fight,” Cote told MMAMania.com. “I’m so confident right now.”

The fight will see a stand-up fighter in Cote against a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (or ground) fighter in Ricardo Almeida. Cote has confidence in his stand-up and believes he can keep the fight up.

“I train with the national wrestling team here. Some guy who’s going to the next Olympic games and I both do very well,” Cote said. “But if the fight go on the ground I’ll fight, I’m not scared to go on the ground, it’s not a BJJ fight, it’s MMA battle.”

A win over Almeida gives Cote a clear road to a middleweight title shot.

“We’ll see how I’ll beat him,” Cote said in reference to Almeida and the title picture. “But I don’t think about that. It’s all about Almeida now.”

Cote’s last fight went well. “The Predator” scored first round technical knockout victory over Drew McFedries. Cote was slated again to fight at UFC 83 against Alan Belcher, but bowed out because of a knee injury after it was reported that he slipped on some ice.

“My knee is 100 percent. Don’t worry I’ll sprawl on him like if I had bionic knees,” Cote jokes.

With no injuries during training, Cote says that training has been perfect and that it has been one of his best training camps ever. Cote is eager to get back in the cage to face Almeida.

Cote has had the opportunity to work with such talents as Fabio Holanda at Brazilian Top Team Canada, as well as famed Muay Thai coach Mark DellaGrotte.

“I trust these guys so much and they work very well together,” Cote said. “They believe in me so bad than I can’t disappoint them.”

Cote has a 13-4 career MMA record. He’s won four straight fights (three of them in the UFC), since his he lost his last fight, which was against Travis Lutter in the middleweight final at the Ultimate Fighter season four finale.

Cote originally made his UFC debut in 2004 at UFC 50, fighting Tito Ortiz. Cote took the fight on short notice after Guy Mezger had to drop out of the fight. Despite the unanimous decision loss, Cote showed signs of promise by sticking it out with Ortiz.

“I made my name with this fight,” Cote said. “You can’t refuse a opportunity like that if you have balls.”

This Saturday night, we will see if Cote has what it takes to defeat Almeida and take one step closer to a UFC middleweight title shot. This is Cote’s greatest opportunity to shine on the Vegas stage.
 
Feb 7, 2006
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FORREST GRIFFIN has warned Rampage Jackson: I'm coming to take your championship belt!

Jackson, 30, defends his light-heavyweight crown against Griffin in the main event of UFC 86.

And Griffin, The Ultimate Fighter 1 winner, insists his only ambition in the UFC is to claim the strap Jackson has around his waist.

The 28-year-old said: "The only goal for me in this sport is winning the light-heavyweight title."

Griffin goes into Saturday's clash with Jackson off the back of the biggest win of his career against Mauricio 'Shogun' Rua at UFC 76.

He added: "I'm excited to be headlining the event — it's the biggest fight that's ever happened in my little life.

"Training has been going pretty good. I'm doing a couple more hours than I would usually work because this is a title fight.

"I've done a little sparring with Wanderlei Silva which has been pretty exciting. I actually got a concussion one day but it's been great."

Ohio native Griffin and Jackson were opposing coaches on The Ultimate Fighter 7 reality show.

But there has been little animosity between the pair in the run-up to the fight.

Griffin said: "Everything's cool between me and Rampage. It's just work.

"A fight's a fight. I'm not one for trash talking — no matter how much I hate the guy, that doesn't matter.

"I'm going to try my best to smash him. No matter how much trash talking I do he's not going to hit me any less hard.

"I'm prepared for a very, very tough fight. He hits really hard and he's got a great chin.

"He's just so powerful and he proved to me against Dan Henderson by going for 25 minutes how good his cardio is."

Griffin reckons Jackson can go on to be considered as one of the UFC's all-time greats if he continues his excellent Octagon form.

He added: "Rampage doesn't quite have the credentials of a Randy Couture or a Chuck Liddell yet but let's see what he does.

"He's still up the top right now and if he defends the title three or four times he can be one of those guys."

The winner of Saturday night's clash is likely to face Brazilian hotshot Lyoto Machida next.

And Griffin is wary of the threat The Dragon poses.

He admitted: "I want nothing to do with that guy. Not at all. He's a tough fighter and I'd like to fight a lot of other guys first.

"There are really about 20 guys who have impressed me — it's a stacked division, that's for sure.

"You've got undefeated guys like Rashad Evans, Chuck Liddell can knock anybody out with either hand, and then you've got Quinton, Wanderlei, even Wilson Gouveia and Jason Lambert — there are so many guys who are still at the top.

"Then there's Thiago Silva, who beat Houston Alexander, Keith Jardine could make a comeback and Stephan Bonnar will be healthy soon."


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Former police officer Griffin admits he was reluctant to compete in the UFC at first because of the old view of it being a bloodthirsty, no-holds-barred organisation.

But one of his former police academy instructors convinced him the sport of MMA was cleaning up its act — and Griffin decided to give it a chance.

He said: "I've always liked mixed martial arts. I always liked law enforcement as well but this was about following my dream.

"I remember the first fight I saw. I was actually in the police academy and one of my instructors said it would be a mix of jiu-jitsu, wrestling and boxing, so I said I'd give it a try because it looked great.

"My instructor used to watch the UFC and at the time I said I didn't want to fight in it.

"But he told me it was different and the very first match I saw was when Vitor Belfort and Randy Couture fought.

"They had professional athletes, there were weight classes and it was a legitimate sport. From that point on I was in love with it."

Griffin admits his love for the sport is purely from a fighting perspective after revealing his time as a coach on The Ultimate Fighter 7 left him empty.

He declared: "I'm not a coach. All of my concerns were focused on the fight. Coaching's a possibility in the future but it's not for me right now."

Despite not enjoying his stint as a coach, Griffin has denied claims that some of TUF's newer contestants were applying to be on the show for the wrong reasons.

He added: "I wouldn't be where I am today without the show. I'd be driving around in a cop car somewhere without it.

"You can understand why guys want to be on it. It's money and a modicum of fame so you can see why people think that's the only reason they want to do it.

"But isn't that why guys get into football, baseball, basketball and soccer? If you're good at something, can be famous and make money from it, then do it for those reasons. Personally, I just liked to hit people!

"I fought when the fights were free. A lot of my first few fights ended up costing me more than I made — but it was fun."
 
Feb 7, 2006
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Drew Fickett out of July MFC title fight with Ryan Ford

The odd series of events surrounding veteran fighter Drew Fickett (34-5) continue to develop as Mark Pavelich, owner and president of the Canadian-based Maximum Fighting Championship (MFC), has declared Fickett out of a scheduled July 25 bout with Ryan Ford.

"Drew Fickett will never fight in the MFC," Pavelich stated on the MFC's official website. "As evidenced by his latest actions, Drew clearly does not want to fight Ryan Ford for the MFC title despite signing a contract to do so."

The controversy between Fickett and Pavelich began in the days leading up to last week's Strikeforce event. As first reported by MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com), Fickett was tapped by Strikeforce as a late replacement for Joe Riggs in his bout with Luke Stewart.

When the MFC learned of the proposed Strikeforce bout, Pavelich nixed the fight, citing Fickett's deal for the July bout with Ford. The contract stipulated that the MFC held the right to veto any fight Fickett scheduled within 45 days of the MFC's July event. Fickett took offense to Pavelich's intervention and contends the message was delivered in a less-than-professional manner.

Fickett discussed the matter over the weekend in a scathing conversation with MMARated.com.

"Some jerk-off wanna-be promoter (Pavelich), some tough guy calls us and is like, pulling the freaking contract card on me like a month before I'm supposed to fight on this stupid MFC show in Canada," Fickett said. "And I'm like, 'Dude, I just want to fight. I don't care. It's good money, and I'm just trying to fill in.' [Pavelich] is like, 'You MF this, you MF that, freaking son-of-a-bitch. I'm going to fly down there, and I'm going to kill you.' I'm like, 'That's freaking sweet, bro. Nice [expletive] message.'"

Pavelich addressed the message in question on the MFC's website.

"Shortly afterwards I realized that I should have taken a deep breath and calmed down before leaving that message, and I profusely apologized to Drew's manager," Pavelich said. "I am not proud of that message, but as the owner of a major fight organization, I felt that I and my staff ... were being treated very disrespectfully by Drew."

This is not the first time Fickett has found himself amidst controversy with a promoter. The 28-year-old has had previous issues with the UFC, and he had a recent falling-out with EliteXC after reportedly pulling out of a scheduled bout with Jake Shields due to injury. Pavelich stated the pattern of behavior was unmistakable and that the MFC is no longer interested in working with Fickett.

"We now completely understand why that despite his excellent record so many organizations will not work with Drew, and we have a pretty clear indication why he has been banned from the UFC," he wrote. "The MFC has never had any problems with any fighters who do not breach their contract nor have we had any problems with fighters with issues that we do control such as payment for fights, travel itineraries, etc. Fighters we have problems with are the ones who are neurotic misfits with poor management who won't take responsibility for their actions, who won't live up to fulfilling their contracts and those who do not act as professional athletes.

"I will take all steps necessary to settle this issue legally, and I will also move immediately into replacing Drew Fickett with a top-level fighter to contend for the MFC welterweight title against Ryan Ford on July 25."

Fickett shared his current position on Pavelich over the weekend.

"I don't speak to [expletive] fake-ass little poser Affliction-wearing bitches," Fickett said. "[Pavelich] wants to get all technical and use little words and little [expletive] contracts and bring the law into it. That's cool, 'Po-Po.' That's cool, 'Copper.' Because I got something for you. You come find it. He wants to fly out here, he can come find it."
 
Feb 7, 2006
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Koscheck Looking for Title Shot
videolink: http://www.sherdog.com/videos/videos.asp?v_id=1665
Sherdog.com's Greg Savage caught up with UFC welterweight contender Josh Koscheck (Pictures) at American Kickboxing Academy in San Jose, Calif., where the wrestler prepared to face Chris Lytle (Pictures) at UFC 86.

In this exclusive video, Koscheck breaks down his opponent and shares his thoughts on getting a crack at Georges St. Pierre's (Pictures) UFC 170 pound title.
 
Feb 7, 2006
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UFC Debutants Welcome ‘Friendly Competition'

While a line has been drawn in the sand between industry leader Zuffa LLC and Affliction Entertainment for its July 19 showdown, there are nine fighters that will tell you that there's nothing wrong with a little "friendly" competition.

On that crowded night of mixed martial arts action, those lucky nine will make their Octagon debuts on the free UFC "Silva vs. Irvin" card on Spike TV, a direct jab at Affliction's first pay-per-view offering. Reminiscent of UFC 37.5 -- which was also organized on short notice then to usher in the sport on cable television -- "Silva vs. Irvin" is the break that these debutants have been waiting for.

"To be honest, I'm so glad Affliction started that show," says Shannon Gugerty (Pictures) (9-2), who will make his UFC debut against fellow newcomer Dale Hartt (5-0). "I think Affliction's going to be a great card too and as a fan I'd want to watch both of them, but the UFC is the cream of the crop."

Gugerty, a standout on the Southern California circuit, has plied his trade since 2004. The San Diego lightweight holds both an epic win and loss against World Extreme Fighting featherweight contender Cub Swanson (Pictures), and it looked as if Gugerty was heading in the direction of a rubber match when his phone call came.

"My managers, Matt Stansell (Pictures) and Jeff Clark (Pictures), told me my name was in the hat with the WEC and I was probably going to be fighting in the WEC within the next few months," says the 26-year-old.

Still, Gugerty had a gut feeling he might be called up for the promotion's Aug. 3 event. He began cranking out two-a-day sessions with his jiu-jitsu instructor Dean Lister (Pictures), who was training at the Throwdown Elite gym in San Diego for his June 21 bout against Jeremy Horn (Pictures) at "The Ultimate Fighter 7" finale.

Gugerty's foresight may have been off by a few weeks, but the Brazilian jiu-jitsu purple belt will still be in prime shape to take on Hartt, a training partner of UFC regular Marcus Davis (Pictures).

Like Gugerty, welterweight Brodie Farber (Pictures) (13-3) also had a feeling his shot might be right around the corner. Farber was a middleweight alternate for "The Ultimate Fighter 7" though the opportunity never came for him to step onto the reality TV series. Farber was also on the short list to face Diego Sanchez (Pictures) at UFC 82 last March, though the New Mexico fighter was later matched with Sweden's David Bielkheden (Pictures) instead.

"I knew I was kind of close," says Farber, who is currently working towards a degree at Sierra College.

To stay afloat while he waited for his turn, Farber juggled a myriad of jobs. He built a project home and sold it, worked at a Chevy dealership, co-owned a gym in San Diego, and trademarked his nickname "Bad Intentions" for around two thousand dollars. So far, he's netted nearly fifty thousand dollars from licensing the name to pro boxer Jermain Taylor and the Everlast brand.

Farber faces probably the highest profiled debuter on July 19's UFC card in Rory Markham (Pictures) (14-4), who was an early star for the now crumbling International Fight League with a string of knockouts and TKOs.

"I think he's a great opponent for my first fight," says Farber, who had finished training for a pro boxing bout on ESPN2 when the UFC contacted his managers. "He's a striker with limited wrestling. I feel like I'm pretty well rounded and if I have enough time, I can make whatever be my strength. But what I'm best at would be my boxing."

A member of the North Country Fight Club team in Carlsbad, Calif., 27-year-old Farber trains with UFC veteran Jason Lambert (Pictures) and Camp Pendleton Marine Josh Griggs (Pictures). Farber's recent successes have come at the MMAX events in Tijuana, Mexico, where he is the under 180-pound champion.

Signed to a four-fight deal with the UFC, Farber would likely agree that all's fair in love, and in this case, the art of war.

"It was the savvy side of the business," Farber says of the UFC's counter-programming coup. "You're going throw a card and going try and get off the ground. Well, we're going throw a card for free then."
 
Feb 7, 2006
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Gabriel Gonzaga's Turning Point

In August 2007, Gabriel Gonzaga (Pictures) approached the heights of his profession.

Fighting out of Team Link in Ludlow, Mass., he had built a 7-1 MMA record and was 4-0 in the UFC. He had earned a reputation as one of the most devastating Brazilian jiu-jitsu fighters in the world, backed up with a win in the 2004 BJJ Mundials.

And four months earlier, Gonzaga had also delivered a brutal high kick and third-round knockout to heavy favorite Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic. Later he would call the win "the greatest feeling a fighter can have."

It earned him top-contender status for Randy Couture (Pictures)'s UFC heavyweight championship -- a title that many experts believed Gonzaga would win.

But the August 2007 title shot was a turning point in the wrong direction for Gonzaga's young career. Couture had no intention of letting his opponent's championship journey continue, as he stopped Gonzaga 1:37 into the third round and sent him plummeting.

It was a loss that Gonzaga has yet to recover from.

Against Couture, Gonzaga lived up to his nickname of "Napao" -- Portuguese for "Big Nose." He suffered a broken nose due to a collision with Couture that sent Gonzaga's knee crashing into his own face.

In the third round, Couture took advantage of the weakness by taking the mount and landing enough blows to Gonzaga's nose that referee Herb Dean (Pictures) stopped the fight.

However, Gonzaga has no regrets about his shot at the title.

"The level of the MMA today is so high, I didn't have to beat Couture to show my skills," he said.

The day after the bout, Couture discussed on Sherdog.com's Beatdown whether Gonzaga had the potential to dominate the heavyweight division if and when Couture retired.

"[Gonzaga's] got a great future," Couture said. "He's an awesome competitor. His high kick was ridiculous. I've had guys the entire training camp trying to kick me in the head, and nobody really managed to get it done. He whips that leg up there very quickly, especially for a big guy, and with great power.

"Obviously, the clinch game that I had, and the ability to shut him down there, that's something that he'll go back and work on and try to develop some skills to be more effective in that range."

"But I think he's got a very, very bright future."

Gonzaga did indeed work on his clinch game. He hired strength conditioner Phil Dixon and worked with sparring partners Eric Tavares (Pictures), Marcos "Santa Cruz" and Alexandre Vaca Moreno, all BJJ black belts.

But in his return bout in January, Gonzaga suffered another setback against fellow Brazilian Fabricio Werdum (Pictures). For the first time in his MMA career, he had lost back-to-back fights.

"My last fight [with Werdum] wasn't so good," Gonzaga said. "I didn't show too much. But some days it's not your day. I don't have excuses to why I lost."

Still, Gonzaga is hungry for another shot.

"I need to come back with wins," he said. "I'll fight anybody. My goal is to be the champion. When I get a title shot, this is my goal. I had a long way to go to get a title shot, and I'll do it again. I believe I need a couple of wins. And then more and more fights I need to win."

He hopes to start with Justin McCully (Pictures), who has recorded four consecutive wins and most recently scored a unanimous decision over Antoni Hardonk (Pictures) in April 2007. They will face each other Saturday in a UFC 86 prelim.

Despite the recent losses and their fighter's relegation to preliminary card status, Gonzaga's camp doesn't seem too worried about the next bout.

"Not to talk bad about McCully, but we feel that Gonzaga is at another level," said Marco Alvan, Gonzaga's coach, who also explained that he respects McCully's camp. "Gonzaga had four straight wins in the UFC, and at the end he beat Cro Cop. After that he did the main event in England, then with Couture it was a great fight. Nothing to be ashamed about. He fought with his heart. He showed his talent and potential there."

McCully disagrees with Alvan's assessment of the upcoming fight, but he also believes that Gonzaga still has championship-caliber ability.

"[Alvan] can say what he wants," McCully said. "That's what managers get paid to do. But [Gonzaga and I] still have to get in the ring and prove who we are. I plan on beating him.

"Gonzaga's a young man. Losses happen in this sport. Nothing says that he can't rise again, but I feel like it's my time."

Of course Gonzaga begs to differ. He believes his time is now, despite the recent setbacks. Asked what he would tell fans who might wonder how he has fallen from top-contender status, Gonzaga said he hasn't gone anywhere.

"I'm here," he said. "I'm training hard to come back with my best condition to give my best show to my fans. I need to come back with wins, but my goal is still to win a belt."
 
Feb 7, 2006
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Rich Franklin likely to return at UFC 88

Former UFC middleweight champion Rich Franklin (23-3 MMA, 10-2 UFC) will restart his quest for another title shot this fall -- most likely at a UFC 88 event in Atlanta -- though it won't necessarily come at 185 pounds.

A source closed to the Sept. 6 event tells MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) that Franklin has been targeted for the event, and the search for an opponent "is in full swing."

However, when contacted for comment, J.T. Stewart, Franklin's business manager, said nothing definitive has been decided and that he had no other comment.

UFC 88 currently features a main event between Chuck Liddell and Rashad Evans, and the winner could be in line for a title shot with either current light heavyweight champ Quinton Jackson or Forrest Griffin, who headline this weekend's UFC 86 event in Las Vegas.

Franklin will likely be slotted for UFC 88's co-main event.

Franklin, who lost his title and a subsequent rematch to current middleweight champ Anderson Silva, most recently scored a second-round TKO of Travis Lutter at UFC 83. After the victory, Franklin told MMAjunkie.com that a third fight with Silva probably wouldn't be marketable. Many have suggested that a move to the light-heavyweight class could open some new possibilities, though Franklin has been quick to dismiss the suggestion.

However, according to our source, he and the organization are now considering a move to 205 pounds, though it wouldn't necessarily be a permanent move and could simply depend on whether or not he thinks the match-up makes sense.

Although he's one of the sport's bigger middleweights and sheds considerable weight to make the 185-pound limit, Franklin recently told MMAjunkie.com that his body is better suited for the middleweight division.

"I've been at 185 (pounds) for several years," Franklin said in April. "I think that over the past couple years, I've really changed my body composition. It used to kill me to make weight, but now it's much easier than it was three years ago, and I think it's because my body's changed a lot. I just don't think I'm big enough to compete effectively as a light heavyweight anymore."

Franklin last competed at 205 pounds at The Ultimate Fighter 1 Finale in April 1005. He called it a "special case" since the first-ever Spike TV broadcast would reach millions of viewers and could catapult his popularity. After defeating Shamrock, the victory did just that.

Franklin said if a similar opportunity presented itself, he may be inclined to take it.
 
Feb 7, 2006
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MAC DANZIG ON CLAY GUIDA FIGHT, TUF ADVICE

Since winning The Ultimate Fighter Season 6 this past December, Mac Danzig has been on a rollercoaster ride towards stardom.

Already a popular fighter during his days as King of the Cage lightweight champion, Danzig’s dominance in the UFC has only increased his exposure, leading many to feel that he’s only a few wins away from a lightweight title shot.

Since defeating Mark Bocek in April, he has been out of the spotlight, healing up an injury suffered in that fight. Shortly after officially announcing he would be facing off against tough 155-pound contender Clay Guida later this year, Danzig spoke to MMAWeekly about the injury, his return to fighting and his advice to newly crowned Ultimate Fighter 7 champion Amir Sadollah.

MMAWeekly: First off, Mac, can you give us an injury update?

Mac Danzig: I actually suffered the knee injury in the middle of the (Mark Bocek) fight. I tore a bunch of muscles in my knee, and had a partial tear of a ligament. I’ve jut been healing it up and taking it easy. I moved my girlfriend in with me, took a few photography trips for myself, and now I’m just preparing to get back in there. It’s getting to the point where I’m eight weeks out (from my next fight) and I can start pushing hard.

The injury was slower to heal than I thought it would be, but it will be fine for this fight, unless something crazy happens. I should be good to go.

MMAWeekly: You mention your upcoming fight. For fans that haven’t heard yet, tell us what’s upcoming.

Mac Danzig: It’s going to be me and Clay (Guida) at a UFC Fight Night in September. I guess it’s going to be in Omaha, Neb. I’m not sure what spot our fight is going to be on the card. I’ve heard rumors that it might be the main event, co-main event or just a regular fight on the card – I don’t know. None of that really matters to me; I’m just really looking forward to fighting him.

This is the first time in a long time that I’ve been very excited about the opponent and match-up. I think from a fan’s perspective it’s an awesome fight. If I was a fan watching, I’d want to see it.

I have no animosity towards him, I have a lot of respect for him – it’s just one of those things where he’s an awesome competitor and I can’t wait to get in there to fight him. It’s a huge fight for me. It’s the biggest one I’ve had and I’m looking forward to it.

MMAWeekly: Do you think this is the fight that represents that next step up for you on your way to a lightweight title shot?

Mac Danzig: Yeah, definitely. I feel he’s that gatekeeper to the Top 10 or Top 5 in the lightweight division. I think he’s put himself in that position by being one of the best fighters in the UFC. He’s had a couple really close decisions and that (Roger) Huerta loss set him back a little bit. Those minor setbacks have stopped him from actually fighting for the title, but he’s right up there.

The UFC is throwing him at me to see what I can do. If I get past him that automatically puts me in a position where everyone knows that I’m the real deal and I’m ready to make a run for the title in another year or two. If I don’t get past him, it’s one of those things where it definitely sets me back.

He’s a wrestler, but he doesn’t stall, and he’s just 100 percent intensity all the time, so it should be fun. I think I’m the smarter fighter, more technical, and I know I can beat him. I’m 100 percent confident; I wouldn’t have taken it if I didn’t think I could win.

MMAWeekly: I understand you made the move recently to Las Vegas to train full time for a new team?

Mac Danzig: I moved to Vegas to be at (Randy) Couture’s gym full time. In early March I moved out here and it was my preparation for the (Mark) Bocek fight and it was great. I’ve just got so many lightweight and welterweight fighters to train with at Couture’s. I don’t plan on leaving any time soon. I’ve trained a lot of places, but it is by far the best training facility I’ve ever been at. Not only is the facility (itself) good, but there’s so many great instructors, coaches and fighters. It’s a good situation and I’m here to stay and fight for this team.

MMAWeekly: What’s it been like to work with Randy himself?

Mac Danzig: When I was at Legends, when Randy was still coming down there, we had a chance to roll and he’s a lot of fun to train with. He’s been showing me a thing or two. Every time I come to Couture’s to train on the grappling days, he’s always there working with the fighters.

Whenever he’s in town he’s there on every single day that we do wrestling practice and he teaches everybody. He’s a role model; we all look up to him, inside the ring and as a competitor. It speaks for itself when he’s coaching and everybody listens. I’ve already picked up a whole lot of good stuff from him.

MMAWeekly: Since your last fight, the latest season of The Ultimate Fighter wrapped up with Amir Sadollah coming out on top. Having experienced winning the show yourself and the aftermath, is there any advice you can give him?

Mac Danzig: I would just say to him to use the notoriety that you gain from winning the show to your advantage. Use it to get endorsements and really work it, because this stuff doesn’t last forever. Unfortunately in this sport if you take two or three losses, people forget about you. I would say don’t stop training, keep going 100 percent with it, and the biggest thing is to keep your mind right.

The worst thing you can do after winning something like that is to be like, “I won the show, so I’m set.” That’s not how it is. Take a couple losses and rub certain people the wrong way and you can be canned.

Don’t forget what got you there. Don’t let all the fame and stuff go to your head, because the same fans that are banging down your door now, will be talking bad about you if you take some losses. That’s just the way it goes sometimes. This stuff doesn’t last forever, it only lasts as long as you can make it last. In order to make it last, you’ve got to keep your mind right and don’t stop training and learning.

MMAWeekly: Now that you’re back healthy, what’s the goal for the remainder of this year?

Mac Danzig: I’m still going to fight one more time after I fight Guida. Hopefully I’m coming off a win in that fight, that’s what I’m planning on, and they give me someone that if I get a win against, it puts me in title contention. I’m just hoping to fight Clay and another great fighter after that. Not looking past Guida, maybe someone from the Huerta versus (Kenny) Florian fight or if (Nate|) Diaz gets past Josh Neer, any of those guys I’d love to fight.

I just want to fight the best guys in the world. I’d rather fight hard fights win or lose against great fighters than fight mid-range guys. There’s a time and a place for everything, and I’m not going to turn down any fight that they offer me, but if I had it my way I’d just be fighting the stars in this weight class, the guys that have already proven themselves.

That’s what makes a career, you can sit around and fight guys who are 3-0 on undercards that no one has ever heard of for every fight, or you can step up and fight guys like Guida – and that’s what I’m going to do. There’s no other way to the title. If all you care about is a few more wins on your record, you can ask for those lower rung guys, but that’s not my angle.

MMAWeekly: Thanks for your time, Mac, is there anything you want to say as we head out?

Mac Danzig: I want to thank you and MMAWeekly for all your support. You’ve been there with me for a long time. From the small shows all the way up till now you’ve been very supportive of me. I also want to thank the fans for their support. I can’t wait to fight Clay, it should be a great fight and hopefully I won’t get robbed of Fight of the Night like I did last time.
 
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UFC 86: FORREST GRIFFIN IS UP TO THE CHALLENGE

Four years ago, Forrest Griffin nearly walked away from mixed martial arts. Despite a 9-2 professional record at the time, he had pretty much decided it was time to forego the low pay, long hours in the gym, and battle scars.



Just then, he got the call to join the cast of the inaugural season of The Ultimate Fighter… and the rest is history. He and Stephan Bonnar made it to the light heavyweight final that season on put on an epic battle that helped to change the course of the entire sport.



That was April 9, 2005. Now, three years and change later, Griffin readies himself to step into the Octagon at UFC 86 at Mandalay Bay to face the greatest challenge of his career. He will attempt to wrest the UFC light heavyweight championship away from fellow Ultimate Fighter Season 7 coach and No. 1 ranked 205-pounder in the world, Quinton “Rampage” Jackson.



He’s not the first Ultimate Fighter alum to get a shot at a title, but that’s not anything that worries the laid back Xtreme Couture fighter. “I was very fortunate with The Ultimate Fighter. A lot of guys have done it now, but I’m glad it took as long as it did,” said Griffin in an exclusive interview with MMAWeekly.com.



Of his transformation from competitor to coach on the television series that helped to launch the current rise in success that mixed martial arts has received, Griffin delivered in his brutally honest style that always makes you wonder if he is dead serious or dripping with sarcasm.



“It’s easier to tell people what to do than do it. But actually I’m a selfish bastard. I care about me primarily. So I’d rather be getting trained than training people,” he said.



“I don’t lead nothing man. If we were all on a deserted island, lost, I would not be Jack.”



In Jackson, Griffin faces a man that is riding an impressive six-fight winning streak, including a title-crowning win over Chuck Liddell and a subsequent five-round defense against former Pride light heavyweight and middleweight champ Dan Henderson.



But Jackson is also a man whose last defeat was a knockout at the hands of former Pride 205-Pound Grand Prix champion Mauricio “Shogun” Rua… the same fighter that Griffin defeated last September by submission near the end of the third round. Shogun was widely regarded as the No. 1 light heavyweight in the world at the time.



The win propelled Griffin into the championship challenge of Jackson and landed both the stint as coaches on season seven of The Ultimate Fighter.



Now, it’s crunch time. Yet, despite training non-stop for this chance of a lifetime, Griffin offers little by way of predictions, not even how he sees the fight unfolding. “I don’t care where it goes as long as I win,” he said. Adding, “I’ll tell you one thing, the price of gas will continue to rise.”

According to many insiders, Wanderlei Silva – who also trains at Xtreme Couture and holds two crushing victories over Quinton Jackson while both were fighting for Pride – has been in Griffin’s ear and in his face for the Ultimate Fighter alum’s training camp for this bout. It’s something that Griffin readily confirms and has reaped tremendous confidence from.



“Wanderlei is just an animal… He’s not normal. You work out with him, see him in here; he’s on his own world man. You really got to be a specific guy with a specific skill set and specific cardio to fight like Wanderlei. I can’t emulate his style,” admitted Griffin, not giving any impression that he intends to fight Wanderlei’s fight against the champion.



He does appreciate the opportunity to train with the former Pride champion though. “I love him as a training partner. It’s that unchecked aggression,” said Griffin with a smile on his face.



He has acquired some fight advice from Wanderlei though. “The one thing he said was immediately grab the head and throw the knee instead of trying to set it up and make the perfect… bam! Grab and go, start throwing, don’t sit there and let him think about it.”



That aggressive, in your face style, patented by Wanderlei and Shogun’s former team, Chute Boxe, has been quite successful against Jackson. Over the past several years, Jackson has racked up wins over Liddell, Henderson, Ricardo Arona, Murilo Bustamante, Matt Lindland, and several others. But in his last 15 bouts, only Wanderlei and Shogun have cracked to the code to the current UFC light heavyweight champ.



It’s a promising portent for the typically aggressive Forrest Griffin, but Wanderlei Silva won’t be in the ring with him on Saturday night at UFC 86. It will just be him against the champ; the way Griffin likes it.
 
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MIKE CIESNOLEVICZ WINS TWICE IN TWO DAYS

International Fight League star Mike Ciesnolevicz had quite a weekend. He fought main events in two different states and in two different weight classes saying, “If I can fight two times this weekend, I’ll be happy. That’s how they used to do it back in the day.”

On Friday, he earned the Courage Fighting Championships 205-pound title by submitting Andrew Force in Decatur, Ill. Then, he was off to Iowa to headline the Extreme Challenge 100 event in Davenport, defeating Matt Andersen as a heavyweight. He tipped the scales at 206 pounds.

Friday’s fight featured a lot of wrestling, with Ciesnolevicz generally on top and in control. He eventually maneuvered his opponent into a guillotine choke and forced the tap at 2:20 of the first round.

The game plan for Ciesnolevicz was to “fight safe tonight,” without a stand up game and avoiding risks like being cut. “I was trying to throw no punches, because I didn’t want to hurt my hands for (Saturday’s fight). (Saturday) I can go all out.”

The standing-room-only crowd in Decatur had a late night, witnessing a full card of twenty-three MMA fights. In the other championship fight, Laverne Clark defeated Matt Kelly for the 185-pound belt. According to promoter Jason Reinhardt, Matt Kelly had called him and stated, “I wanna fight the toughest fighter on your card.”

Even though Kelly was self-trained and fighting in his pro debut, he proved to have an incredible chin. He took a beating, gave a few back, and earned the respect of his opponent. After the fight, Clark complimented Kelly. “He took ten more punches that I didn’t think he was gonna take. I’d like to train with that guy sometime.”

Matt Kelly proposed to his girlfriend before leaving the cage. She said, “Yes.”

As for Laverne Clark’s future, he plans to win a couple more fights and try to return to the UFC, exclaiming, “I’m on my way back!”

Courage Fighting Championships XII
Masonic Temple
Decatur, Illinois
June 27, 2008

CFC 205-Pound Title:
-Mike Ciesnolevicz def. Andrew Force by Submission (Guillotine Choke) at 2:20, R1

CFC 185-Pound Title:
-Laverne Clark def. Matt Kelly by TKO (strikes) at 1:57, R1

CFC 135-Pound Amateur State Title:
-Kaleb Shields def. Javier Barrera by Submission (strikes) at 1:02, R2

CFC 205-Pound Amateur State Title:
-Jason Bragg def. Allen Woodcock by Submission (choke) at 0:47, R1

-Billy Rutherford def. Tommy Delgadillo by Submission (darce choke) at 0:41, R1
-Adam Smith def. Greg Smith by TKO (unable to continue/broken arm) at 1:46, R1
-Mike Morrisey def. Eric Holley by TKO (strikes) at 0:28, R1
-Quartus Stitt def. Keith Shields by TKO (strikes) at 0:30, R1
-Amanda Peck def. Jamie Bragg by Submission (choke) at 2:59, R1
-Dan Loman def. Zamie Woods by Submission (strikes) at 2:18, R1
-Mike Glosser def. Ferron Kelly by TKO (strikes) at 1:18, R1
-Patrick Riley def. Ryan Scheeper by TKO (strikes) at 0:22, R1\
-Tim Morrisey def. Charlie Rambo by Submission (strikes) at 1:47, R1
-Chris Morrison def. Joe Hackert by Submission (rear naked choke) at 0:44, R2
-Garrett Buel def. Chris Tickle by TKO (rear naked choke) at 1:55, R1
-Ryan Green def. Ronnie Guglielmetti by TKO (strikes) at 1:41, R1
-Josh Stewart def. Alex May by TKO (strikes) at 2:50, R2
-Jordan Followell def. Malik Abudullah by Submission (rear naked choke) at 1:44, R1
-Mike Stoller def. T.J. Wiseman by Submission (armbar) at 0:57, R2
-Dustin Dailey def. Tommy Pickering by TKO (strikes) at 0:45, R1
-Jake Morgan def. Glenn Hanson by Submission (rear naked choke) at 0:45, R2
-Ken Kirby def. Mike McGee by Submission (rear naked choke) at 1:33, R1
-Bob Vest def. Lee Ross by TKO (strikes) at 0:30, R1
 
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Melvin Guillard prepares to give the UFC one more shot

“Right now it’s tough. You got guys like Spencer Fisher, Frankie Edgar, I can name so many. You even got Rich in there. It gets tougher and you just got to train harder, but right now I’m going to give it a shot and try to become UFC champion. But for future reference, if that doesn’t work and I don’t feel that I’m going to be a champion in the UFC then switch me over to the WEC because its about being a champion and I want to go somewhere where I can be a champion right now. I’m not going to be naive and a hypocrite but I don’t see myself beating BJ Penn right now, he’s a top guy. Anybody under him, yeah, I can go head to head with and I could give it a shot, but I’m not going to sit here and say that my skills are good enough to beat BJ Penn right now because his ground game is way off the charts. Guys like (WEC lightweight champion) Jamie Varner and (Rob) McCullough and guys like that — those guys are tailor made for me to fight. I’m gonna give it a shot and give it a run, but if I fall short again, I’ll be looking forward to moving somewhere else so I can become a champion.”
 
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Antonio Silva vs. Justin Eilers fight expected to be finalized this afternoon

A verbal agreement for Antonio Silva to fight former UFC heavyweight title challenger Justin Eilers during EliteXC’s second-ever CBS telecast on July 26 has been secured.

EliteXC Vice President Jared Shaw revealed the news when contacted by FiveOuncesOfPain.com earlier this afternoon.

Five Ounces of Pain later contacted Eilers’ manager, Monte Cox, who indicated that it is their intention to FAX a signed contract to EliteXC officials later today.

It is still uncertain whether the Silva vs. Eilers fight will be for the vacant EliteXC heavyweight title, but Shaw indicated a belt will more than likely be at stake when the two square off.

Other fighters such as IFL heavyweight champion Roy Nelson and Sergei Kharitonov had been rumored as potential challengers for a possible title fight vs. Silva. When asked about specific names, Shaw declined to answer, but he did state that EliteXC officials had contacted several other fighters in addition to Eilers in regards to fighting Silva. According to Shaw, the other fighters had either outright declined the fight or priced themselves out of the picture.

Eilers is perhaps best known to casual fight fans for his first round TKO loss against then-UFC heavyweight champion Andrei Arlovski in the main event of UFC 53 in 2005. He then returned to the UFC at UFC 57, where he was knocked out at 1:25 of round 1 against Brandon Vera. The loss to Vera dropped Eilers’ UFC record to 1-3 and he was not brought back to the promotion. However, since leaving the UFC, he has won 10 of his last 11 fights and is on a current three fight win streak.

Eilers last competed at IFC’s Cage Combat card on April 26, where recorded a TKO over heavyweight veteran Wade Shipp at 3:50 of round 4. Some of his more notable wins in his last eleven fights include victories over Matt Thompson, Sherman Pendergarst, Jimmy Ambriz, along with a previous win over Shipp.

Silva is 3-0 lifetime in EliteXC and holds a 10-1 overall lifetime record in MMA. A product of American Top Team in Florida, Silva’s most notable wins have been recorded against Tengis Tedoradze, Ruben “Warpath” Villareal, Tom Erikson, Wesley “Cabbage” Correia, and former UFC heavyweight champion Ricco Rodriguez.

EliteXC’s “Unfinished Business” on July 26 will emanate from the Stockton Arena in Stockton, Calif. and will be headlined by a rematch for the EliteXC middleweight title between Robbie Lawler and Scott Smith. In a co-featured bout, Jake Shields is also scheduled to fight for the vacant EliteXC welterweight title vs. Nick Thompson.
 
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Minotouro bet on Palhares at UFC 88

Ex team mates at Brazilian Top Team, Rogério Minotouro analyzed Rousimar Touquinho Palhares, BTT pupil, against Dan Henderson, which already defeated tough fighters as Rodrigo Minotauro, Murilo Bustamante and Wanderlei Silva and conquered two Pride belts. To Minotouro the fight that will be hold at UFC 88 already has a winner. “I root for Toquinho. I believe Toquinho will win because he has a tough ground, he is very fast. Dan is tough too, but Toquinho is faster and the strength is one of the most important characteristics in a bout”, said Minotouro, which waits for an opponent at Affliction that will be hold on July 19 at .
 
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Pulver aims for October return, fight with Nogueira

Jens Pulver can sum up his performance against Urijah Faber last month in a single word – slow.

The former UFC lightweight champion was beaten for the first time at 145 pounds., when Faber scored a unanimous decision in Sacramento June 1 in World Extreme Cagefighting's biggest event to date.

"I spent so much time working on getting well-rounded, I never sharpened anything," said Pulver (22-9-1). "It's still a work in progress for me. He's fast, and he's a great champion and a great fighter. People got on me because it seemed like I never tried to hurt him. I thought I hurt him, but then he'd come back firing, so I didn't know if I had him hurt. After the second round, I was a little loopy."

Faber had Pulver in some trouble in that second round, connecting first with a short left to the head and following up with a barrage of shots to the back of the neck, but Pulver's trademark toughness pulled him through the onslaught. Pulver come out of the fight with some damage to his right eye, but an elbow injury proved to be more severe.

"The eye was big, but I went to the hospital that night to get the 180-day (medical suspension) lifted and had an MRI that showed nothing was broken; it was just a lot of swelling," Pulver said. "But, I cracked my elbow in the second round."

Pulver had surgery two weeks ago to repair the elbow, which will relegate his training primarily to cardio until mid-July. Despite the setback of both the loss and injury, Pulver refuses to dwell on what might have been.

"I can't be discouraged," he said. "The truth is I gave it 110 percent. I got beat. He was bigger, he was faster, but I think I showed a lot of people a lot of things in the aspect of my heart and my desire to keep fighting. I wasn't owned in any kind of submission. I wasn't wrecked in takedowns. I was stopping takedowns. I showed a lot of people that I can compete against the best guys out there. I know there are little things I need to work on, but I left everything out there."

Pulver says he will be ready to fight again in October, and while he's quick with the obligatory "I'll fight anybody they put in front of me," he has an opponent in mind. He believes a match-up against Alexandre Franca Nogueira makes sense for both fighters.

"He's been in a lot of wars and has been around for a long time," Pulver said. "He's still a top fighter, and with both of us coming off losses, it's a perfect fight for one of us to get right back up there in the division and one of us becomes a journeyman."

Nogueira (13-5-2), a Shooto veteran, made his WEC debut on the June 1 card. Brazil's Jose Aldo stopped him by TKO in the second round.
 
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Cote: Career Performance Needed to Beat Almeida


Patrick Cote (Pictures) doesn't know where he was the night of Nov. 11, 2006. He knows where he wasn't: in the cage, calculating a way to counter the predictable submission attack of Travis Lutter (Pictures).

"I wasn't there at all," Cote said. "Mentally, I wasn't there at all. My game plan was the worst game plan that I've ever had in my life."

It was not the best time to come into a fight unprepared. That nationally televised bout, in which Lutter armbarred Cote in roughly two minutes, was all that stood between him and a shot at the UFC middleweight title.

Mark DellaGrotte stood across the cage that night, somewhat conflicted. The muay Thai expert had worked with both Lutter and Cote as a coach on the reality show, and Lutter had hired DellaGrotte to work his corner. But he had developed a close friendship with Cote during filming, and it wasn't fun to watch his friend crack.

"I don't think Patrick was ready for that fight," DellaGrotte said. "He's been with me ever since."

Shortly after the loss, Cote, 28, left his Montreal camp for training stints at DellaGrotte's Sityodtong gym in Massachusetts. He found something that's helped him win four straight, most recently toppling solid contenders like Kendall Grove (Pictures) and Drew McFedries. On Saturday at UFC 86, he takes on Ricardo Almeida (Pictures), the Renzo Gracie (Pictures) black belt who returned in February after a four-year layoff by guillotining Rob Yundt (Pictures) a minute into the first round.

"I respect this guy a lot. I respect his skills, and that's why I did this kind of training camp," Cote said. "The fight can't be tougher than the training camp I had. I can't wait to fight this guy. This is the biggest challenge of my career. Victory will taste better after that."

In this next fight, Cote has a chance to absolve himself of what happened against Lutter. Not only will he be able to prove that submissions are not his glaring vulnerability, he is also looking at similar stakes. The winner of this fight looks to be in line for a shot at Anderson Silva, the middleweight titleholder who kicked off his campaign of dispatching challengers by beating Lutter in the match he locked in by winning "The Ultimate Fighter 4."

One thing will be different this time: Cote won't be thinking about the title shot.

"I knew the winner [of the Lutter fight] was supposed to fight Silva for the belt, and I was thinking too far ahead and that was a big, big, big mistake," Cote said. "Right now, I take one fight at a time. I have somebody in front of me, I have to beat him. … I'm a puncher, so I have a chance against everybody. The biggest difference between me and Anderson Silva, it's to knock me out he'll need 10 straight punches in my face, and I just need one. That's the biggest difference between him and me. We'll see if this happens one day. I'll give him a good fight for sure. I really think that my fight against Almeida will be tougher than if I had to fight the champ one day."

The fight against Almeida will be the latest crossroads in a topsy-turvy career for Cote, an only child who was raised mostly by his mother in Sherbrooke, a university town about two hours from Montreal. Cote isn't close to his father, whom he didn't live with past age 4.

"I had a very, very happy time when I was young," Cote said. "I don't fight because I'm angry against my father or something like that. I'm normal, and I don't have any anger against anybody."

He took up judo as a youngster and, at 19, moved to Quebec City to join the army. During his six months of service as an infantryman, which took him as far as Bosnia, Cote began boxing. He studied computer science in college but never graduated. The allure of the bar scene was too great for the babyfaced Canadian, who was partial to partying.

"I was a bartender and I did two years of deejaying too," he said. "It was everything: pop, dance. At this time it was 98 or 99, so the dancing thing was very strong at this time. It was the ‘What is Love?' and ‘The Sound of Magic' all night long."

"The Predator" was not Cote's first nickname. His DJ persona was "DJedi."

"Like the Jedi in ‘Star Wars,'" Cote explained with a chuckle.

When he started taking fights in the Canadian amateur ranks, Cote said he was anything but serious about MMA. But it was enough to shake any nerves before his first pro fight, a rear-naked choke victory in 2002. He won his next four, a streak that earned him a look by the UFC. He was booked against Marvin Eastman (Pictures) at UFC 50 in 2004, a card that was to be headlined by the latest chapter in a longstanding feud between light heavyweight champion Tito Ortiz (Pictures) and Guy Mezger (Pictures).

"I was the first fight in the prelim card, and seven days before the fight Guy Mezger had a stroke and they asked me if I wanted to fight Tito Ortiz," Cote said. "It was a perfect situation for me. It was good exposure, good money, and I had nothing to lose. When you have nothing to lose, it's easy to fight."

In only his sixth professional fight, Cote went from opening match to headlining a UFC pay-per-view against the sport's biggest star. He took Ortiz to a decision.

"It was the best scenario ever for me," Cote said. "I wanted to win, but at this time a win wasn't a good thing for me. Losing like that was the perfect thing to happen. I wasn't at that caliber at that time. Imagine I knocked Tito Ortiz out in the first round. After that, who would the UFC give me? Chuck Liddell (Pictures), Vitor Belfort (Pictures) and Randy Couture (Pictures) were on the same level at this time. Me, I was the little chubby Canadian one weight class over, and I wasn't supposed to be there. I made my name with this loss."

Since then, Cote's career has been a campaign of trying to shed a reputation as an underachiever. He lost his next two UFC fights and faltered in the middleweight finale of TUF 4, though he was the favorite to win.

"Everybody knew that I was better than my UFC record," Cote said. "Everybody knew that and nobody wanted to fight me, even if I was 0-4 in the UFC. Right now, I think that all the bad luck I was supposed to have in my career, I've already fought back from."

There was one more snafu. Cote faced fellow TUF 4 cast member Scott Smith at UFC 67, the same show where Lutter got his shot at Silva. Cote, leery of Smith's recent "Hail Mary" knockout of an aggressive Pete Sell (Pictures), hesitated to follow up when he had Smith hurt. Unlike in the Ortiz fight, simply winning was at the forefront of Cote's mind, and he was panned for letting the fight drag. Even though he won, the UFC insisted he prove his hunger again on a smaller circuit. He went to the TKO promotion in Canada and beat Jason Day (Pictures) in the first round, and came back to the Octagon to knock out TUF 3 champion Kendall Grove in impressive fashion. It appeared the performance was finally starting to match the promise.

So what changed? Cote has been training with Canadian national wrestling team member David Zilberman, boxing with a world champion and working MMA with good friend Georges St. Pierre (Pictures) and the Canadian arm of the Brazilian Top Team. He flew back from Boston two weeks ago after a stint with DellaGrotte.

"Had it been like the time when he faced Travis Lutter, if it was the same Patrick Cote, it would have been a lot more difficult of a fight," DellaGrotte said of the Ricardo Almeida match. "But it's a new Patrick Cote. He's not the same striker, he's not the same grappler. His overall game and his ringsmanship and his awareness and his confidence have all skyrocketed. I think Patrick Cote knows what's on the line."

With the UFC making inroads into Canada, Cote -- who on French language commentary for UFC 83 in Montreal said he cheered "like a crazy guy" when St. Pierre defeated Matt Serra (Pictures) -- may have his biggest, and last, chance to breakthrough Saturday.

"This is the biggest fight of my career," Cote said. "I have to be light on my toes, a lot of sprawl and brawl and be aggressive and take the center of the Octagon and fight like I never fought in my life. I have to give the best performance of my life to beat this guy. And that's my plan."
 
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UFC 86: TYSON GRIFFIN READY TO STRIKE

Tyson Griffin steps into the Ultimate Fighting Championship Octagon on Saturday night to take on Marcus "Maximus" Aurelio at UFC 86 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas. It is a lightweight match that, with a win, could put him next in line for a title shot.



"It's a really big fight," Griffin told MMAWeekly.com. "It's a great chance to put my name in front of someone like Aurelio who has beat (Takanori) Gomi in Pride and has done great things in the sport.



“I'm looking forward to getting in there and hopefully putting in a dominating victory and stepping up above the competition."



On paper the match-up looks like a wrestler versus jiu-jitsu practitioner, but Griffin doesn't see it that way. The Xtreme Couture trained fighter told MMAWeekly, "I see it as a classic match up between a striker and a grappler.



"I know I can grapple and all of that. But I think the game plan is pretty obvious at this point, if you've seen my last couple of fights. This will be my third American Top Team black belt, so it's basically going to be him trying to take me down and me trying to keep it up.



"I think in this fight that's what you're going to see from me," continued Griffin. "It could be wrestler versus grappler, but I don't plan on wrestling him and trying to hold him down for a boring decision. I want to put him away. I want to finish him.



“If the fight goes to the ground, it might be a classic ground and pound versus a jiu-jitsu match. Who knows? That's why these fights are on paper and we have to fight them to show you guys what we can do."



He’ll get his chance to once again show what he can do on Saturday night at UFC 86 in Las Vegas.
 
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NO TRASH TALKING, COLE MILLER READY FOR UFC 86

Cole Miller will be looking to rebound from his first loss in the Ultimate Fighting Championship on Saturday night when he takes on Jorge Gurgel at UFC 86. Miller, who is a veteran of The Ultimate Fighter 5, trains out of American Top Team with fighters like Gesias “JZ” Calvancante, Mike Brown, Marcus Aurelio and Thiago Alves.

Excited to finally get in the ring, Miller explained on MMAWeekly Radio recently how he can barely wait for Saturday night. “The training camp was going a little slow,” he said. “Things are going great. I'm in really good shape. I feel very technically proficient in every aspect, so I'm pretty happy.”

At American Top Team, Miller teaches students in mixed martial arts. He enjoys teaching immensely, although he prefers training. “I like it a lot. I like training better. Training people is a lot of fun,” he stated. “It's good for me because I can get all the stuff that's on my mind and release it on them. I have a good time with it.”

At UFC 86, Miller won’t be the only representative of American Top Team. Fellow fighters Gleison Tibau and Marcus Aurelio will also be on the card, which is just the way Miller likes it. “I really like fighting when we have several guys on the card. I think when I fought Jeremy Stephens, it was just me out there. I really enjoy that atmosphere much more than when it's just me out there. It will be more confident to have all my coaches out there.”

Jorge Gurgel is a tough match-up for any fighter. He has elite level Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu skills and is quick on his feet. However, considering the training partners that Miller has at ATT, he believes he has plenty of training partners to mimic Gurgel’s style. “There's no shortage of training partners,” he explained. “Most people have a medium body type. That's the type of body Jorge has. I had a lot of people to train with that has his body type. Everybody I sparred with helps me with my fights. I just go with whatever I'm paired up with.”

Miller hasn’t focused on only one area of his fighting, considering that Gurgel is well rounded. “I've just been training everything non-stop. The only thing I did different for this fight was train more Muay Thai instead of just kickboxing. Other than that, everything else stayed the same.”

Gurgel and Miller get along well outside the cage and they prefer to keep it that way. There won’t be any serious trash talking involved in this fight. Miller prefers to like his opponent, rather than trash talk anyway. “I like having mutual respect. I think it's good for the sport. I like Jorge. I think he's awesome. I always liked his fighting style. We have a good relationship with him, so there won't be any animosity.”


Miller is coming off a TKO loss to Jeremy Stephens at UFC Fight Night 12. Some fighters let that bother them for a long time, however, Miller plans to let that go and concentrate on his present opponent. “I'm pretty motivated. It's like I don't really feel too good that I lost that last fight to him. I should have got the job done, but I didn't. That fight's over and done with. I'm just going to concentrate on the future. I got to go out there and win so it's pretty motivating.”

He’ll need motivation with a guy like Jorge Gurgel. Gurgel is a very tough, seasoned veteran who is coming off of a win against John Halverson at UFC 82.

Miller is prepared though and was already at a healthy 165 pounds a week out from the fight. With all of the fighters who have missed weight recently, he isn’t worried about cutting the weight at all. “No, I never had that problem,” explained Miller. “I think I could actually make 145 actually.”

But that’s not a concern when he steps into the Octagon with Gurgel at UFC 86 on Saturday. He just has to go in, fight his fight, and hopes to come out with a win.
 
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IFL ON HOLD, CHAMP MATYUSHENKO TALKS CONTRACT

Vladimir Matyushenko has been one of the real success stories of the International Fight League. Despite the promotion’s difficulties, he has remained a constant source of excellence since his debut for the company in 2007.

Currently riding an eight-fight winning streak, Matyushenko, the IFL’s current 205-pound champion, is eager to continue his winning ways, even though the IFL has placed their operations on hold.

With the announcement that the previously scheduled Aug. 15 New Jersey show was being cancelled, many of the promotion’s talent has signed elsewhere, yet the status of their titleholders is still uncertain.

For Matyushenko, it appears there is some light amidst the confusion.

“I’m still under contract, but we have a verbal agreement that they’ll let me fight elsewhere,” he said of his contract status. “I have a few organizations with a few offers, but I’m looking for more.

“I’m looking forward to fighting. A fighter needs to fight, just like a racing horse needs to do what they need to do to go on. Right now I’m ready to go if anybody’s interested.”

According to Matyushenko’s gentleman’s agreement with the IFL, he can go elsewhere, but with some limitations.

“I believe right now as things stand, I can’t sign any long-term contracts until the end of the year (when my IFL contract expires), but I may take a fight or two for sure,” he stated.

Always one in the past to step in on a minute’s notice, Matyushenko is more than ready to jump right into the mix, should an organization need him quickly.

“I’m in good shape,” he commented. “I was training for my fight in August, even with the news that I was not going to fight in August; I continued to train, because just in case someone offered me (a fight).”

Currently with an impressive record of 21-3, it would be hard for any promotion to pass up on what has become the feel-good story of the light-heavyweight division over the last year.

Once a forgotten commodity, the soft-spoken native of Belarus has proven himself to be a truly valuable asset with his strong performances over the last couple of years.

Whether it’s in the IFL or another promotion, he doesn’t show any signs of wanting to slow down any time soon.

“To me, as a fighter, I just want to go in, show my stuff and win – that’s my goal,” stated Matyushenko. “It doesn’t matter (against) whom or wherever.

“I keep my word to do it, but if things go in a different direction, I’ll continue to fight no matter what.”
 
Feb 7, 2006
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Yamamoto Talks Faber and Love

Norifumi "Kid" Yamamoto was the star attraction at the "Asakasa Fight Festival" Monday at TBS headquarters in Asakasa, Tokyo. The Japanese wrestler's appearance kicked off a promotional week leading into Fighting & Entertainment Group's K-1 World MAX tournament on July 7 and July 21's Dream 5 lightweight grand prix final.

After introducing his training partners and coaches, Kid jumped off the sidelines and put on a wrestling demonstration with his son after a sparring session with Kotetsu Boku (Pictures).

Later, Kid sat down with K-1 Event Producer Sadaharu Tanikawa to discuss the upcoming K-1 MAX finals and field questions from fans.

Yamamoto and Tanikawa joked that Urijah Faber (Pictures) student Joseph Benavidez (Pictures) -- who will face the Japanese powder keg at Dream 5 -- was sent over on behalf of Faber as an assassin. Yamamoto also displayed uncharacteristic respect for his opponent.

"I want a punch KO for my Dream debut," said Yamamoto. "I want to do it quickly. I have to be cautious of the takedown. He is strong; he is really good. I want to do it quickly."

Although Kid predicted a knockout, his recent training has not reflected his goals. Kid said that under the tutelage of two new Brazilian jiu-jitsu coaches he has been focusing on his ground game.

"They have shown me a new way of positioning on the ground and are teaching me to use my head more," said Yamamoto. "I have been spending about 50 percent of my time [training jiu-jitsu]. My positioning and sweeps are good but my submissions are still in the initial stages. Everyone else is getting better [on the ground]. I am far from being a black belt in jiu-jitsu but I'd like to get there."

Yamamoto also issued a challenge to WEC featherweight champion Faber, who has been long suggested as a worthy opponent for the aggressive fighter.

"He is welcome to come. I want that fight soon," said Yamamoto.

However, outside of Yamamoto's vague invitation, no indication was made that the dream match might actually happen.

Yamamoto's wife, Tamotsu Mari, was also in attendance wearing a gi and announced that she has also started training. Although she stated that she has been enjoying her jiu-jitsu training, it is unlikely fans would see the significant other of the MMA great in the ring anytime soon.

The two started dating after a K-1 MAX show in February 2004 when Yamamoto saw his future wife backstage. Mari leaned in to give Yamamoto a kiss on the cheek and at the last minute changed her mind and instead bit him. From that point on Kid was smitten.

The festival's promotional week will continue with appearances by lightweight grand prix semifinalists Shinya Aoki (Pictures), Tatsuya Kawajiri (Pictures) and Caol Uno (Pictures). Middleweight standout Yoshihiro Akiyama (Pictures) will hold a public training and sparring session, Pancrase legend Masakatsu Funaki (Pictures) and other former pro wrestlers will reunite and a host of MAX stars will train and give interviews, with free K-1 MAX special matches taking place on Saturday afternoon.