MMA News Thread

[Shogun Locc]

Rampage Charged in Insane Chase

The Orange County District Attorney has charged Rampage with one felony count of evading while driving recklessly, one felony count of evading a peace officer, three misdemeanor counts of hit and run, and one misdemeanor reckless driving. You'll recall Rampage was driving a monster truck with a huge image of himself plastered on the side (always a bad move when you're evading police) when he allegedly struck two cars on a freeway, hit another car on a surface street and sent pedestrians scurrying for their lives.

If convicted he'll face three years in prison.

Now, shock of shocks. He was NOT charged with DUI. And, a few days after the incident, a pregnant woman in the car he hit on the freeway lost her baby, but Rampage was not charged for that after an investigation revealed that the miscarriage was unrelated to the accident.

 

[Shogun Locc]

The MMA News Interview: Frank Shamrock

In the world of mixed martial arts, Frank Shamrock has done it all. Shamrock’s been the Interim King of Pancrase champion, won the UFC light heavyweight title, then won the WEC light heavyweight title which he vacated to win the Strikeforce middleweight championship which he only recently lost to Cung Le. The MMA News recently had a talk with Shamrock and here’s what was said:

The MMA News: How’s your injury and what’s the update on your overall condition?

Frank Shamrock: I’m cleared so the arm is back to normal. I’m training at about 60% now.

The MMA News: Are you still looking to fight this year?

Frank Shamrock: I’m looking for a fight in November if I can get all the cards in place. I’m trying to pick a fight with Robbie Lawler.

The MMA News: How many fights do you have left on your contract?

Frank Shamrock: With Strikeforce I have one, with Pro-Elite I have two more.

The MMA News: Do you find that you don’t always get the credit for helping to innovate MMA conditioning to the levels that it has achieved now?

Frank Shamrock: I don’t know. I mean I don’t know if I need credit but I was at the forefront of it for a long time. Even now I think I’m still pretty advanced with what’s going on. The sport grows so fast and the history of it is so cloudy that I’m just glad that guys are in good shape and the level of athletism continues to grow.

The MMA News: What’s going on with you outside MMA?

Frank Shamrock: It’s all about the kids.

The MMA News: How’s the commentating with CBS working out?

Frank Shamrock: I’m the official CBS MMA expert guy. I’ve signed up for 4-6 a year, and I put a lot of juice into it.

The MMA News: What’s your take on Kimbo Slice?

Frank Shamrock: He’s generally a nice guy. He’s medium skilled but he’s dedicated. If you can’t be the best at least you can make the best of the opportunity.

The MMA News: How about Fedor Emelianenko?

Frank Shamrock: I’ve met him on a couple of occasions and he’s the nicest guy in the world. He’s a fan of mine, and he’s so nice and respectful. He’s always been wonderful to me.

The MMA News: How was Affliction:Banned for you?

Frank Shamrock: I had a blast at the show.

The MMA News: How’s your relationship with Ken?

Frank Shamrock: I don’t think we’ll ever be okay. We grew up weird. Ken and I grew up in the media in a sport that was just like the wild west and we’re totally different people.

The MMA News: Are you still looking at trying to fight Ken?

Frank Shamrock: Yes. The first quarter of ‘09 is when we’re looking at making it, and I think we’re on schedule to do that.

The MMA News: How about Tito Ortiz?

Frank Shamrock: I talked to Tito about it and he was pretty game. I think it’s going to happen and I think that Affliction will play a big part in that.

The MMA News: Where Is MMA headed?

Frank Shamrock: I think that the media property outside the industry will spur mainstream attention to what we’re doing. I don’t think it’s necessarily going to be the fighting itself, but perhaps a book or a docu-drama that will bring the attention and push the sport to the next level

The MMA News: Other than yourself who would you say is the pound for pound best fighter in the world.

Frank Shamrock: Probably for popularity I would say GSP or Anderson Silva. It’s so funny because I’ve been that guy on multiple occasions and all of a sudden you’re not that guy and you think “Wow that’s interesting” and you eventually learn it doesn’t mean anything. At one point I was the highest paid fighter per second and the best pound for pound fighter in the world and we had the smallest audience ever. Does it really mean all that much? I just smile because next year there’ll be another guy.

The MMA News: Give us some last words, first for your fans and then for your opponents.

Frank Shamrock: For the fans: Keep working out, keep training. For my opponents: Keep working out, keep training.

 

[Shogun Locc]

New: Mirko Crocop Interview - Confirms September Fight

Mirko Crocop has just done an interview with popular Croatian sports website, Index.hr in which he tells us his plans, and confirms his fight in september. Here are the highlights of the interview.


When asked how is knee is after surgery and with current training:

My knee is excellent (after surgery). I dont have any problems. I am in good shape and I am preparing for my next fight which will happen on 23th September for sure.



When asked where and who he is training with, Mirko had this today:


"Today I am going to Amsterdam where I will be preparing with Remy Bonjasky and Ivan Hyppolite. I trained in Zagreb with Dean Lister who is one of the best grapplers. It wasnt just preparation for this fight, its allways good to have that kind of sparing partner."



When asked who he would like to fight at DREAM.6, Mirko had this to say:

"It isnt still confirmed, but I would like to fight vs Overeem. I really dont know why he said that kind of statements. I was never choosing my opponents. That kind of conversation is not my style but I would like to say to him to save his strength for ring, not for talking. I really want this fight.



When asked about his thoughts on overeem, Mirko said the following:

"He is good fighter, excellent puncher, and also good in parter. He had 93 kg and he jumped to 108 kilos and with his 196 centimeters he really looks impressive. But weight is always a two-edged sword."

 

[Shogun Locc]

AFFLICTION GOES NASCAR RACING THIS WEEKEND

Affliction Entertainment teams up with NASCAR's Michael Waltrip Racing for this weekend's Pepsi 500 at the Auto Club Speedway in San Bernardino County, Calif. for a one-race deal to sponsor the No. 00 car driven by Mike Skinner.

The Affliction "Day of Reckoning" sponsored Toyota will be "fully wrapped" with graphics promoting the upcoming Oct. 11 pay-per-view event at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas. Top 5 ranked heavyweights and former Ultimate Fighting Championship titleholders Josh Barnett and Andrei Arlovski headline Affliction’s sophomore effort.

"Affliction is proud to make racing history as the first MMA organization to sponsor a car in NASCAR," said Tom Atencio, vice president of Affliction Entertainment. "NASCAR fans are huge supporters of MMA and this is a great collaboration for both sports."

"It's great to have Affliction Entertainment as a Michael Waltrip Racing partner," said Michael Waltrip, driver of the No. 55 NAPA AUTO PARTS Toyota and founder of Michael Waltrip Racing. "Our partnership with Affliction and MMA allows us to connect with millions of fans in a unique way."

In addition to Affliction's sponsorship of the Michael Waltrip Racing No. 00 entry, the company will work with Auto Club Speedway to promote "Day of Reckoning" to the multitude of fans who attend the events planned at the speedway this Labor Day weekend. Utilizing the venue's multiple promotional opportunities, Affliction and Auto Club Speedway have packaged a mixture of promotional opportunities to make the fans aware of Affliction's upcoming event.

The No. 00 Toyota is 37th in owner points in stockcar racing's premier division, the Sprint Cup Series. The top 35 in owner points are guaranteed a starting position in the race, although only 44 cars are attempting to make the 43-car field.

If qualifying is canceled due to rain, the Affliction sponsored car will be on the starting grid. The only way it will not make the race is if Johnny Sauter, Patrick Carpentier, Marcos Ambrose, Kyle Petty, Tony Raines, Joe Nemecheck, A.J. Almendinger and Brad Coleman all post faster qualifying speeds.

"We're bringing together the excitement of NASCAR racing at Auto Club Speedway and the full contact action of Affliction Entertainment MMA Events," said Gillian Zucker, president of Auto Club Speedway. "We're thrilled to host the debut of Affliction in motorsports."

The 250-lap event will start at 5 p.m. Pacific on Sunday, Aug. 31 from Auto Club Speedway in San Bernardino County, Calif. and will be shown on ABC TV via ESPN-ABC Sports.

 

[Shogun Locc]

BJ PENN WILLING TO WAIT FOR GSP SUPER FIGHT

UFC lightweight champion B.J. Penn will have to wait just a little longer to face Georges St. Pierre, the man he’s set in his sights since conquering the 155-pound division. But it won’t be too long; manager J.D. Penn tells MMAWeekly.com that UFC president Dana White has named Jan. 31 as D-Day for B.J.’s next incursion into the 170-pound division. Penn and company had originally anticipated a showdown with St. Pierre at UFC 92 on Dec. 27 in Las Vegas.

“He’s staying strong and focused,” J.D. says. “Jan. 31 gives him an extra month to train.”

In a recent interview with MMAWeekly.com, B.J. said he’s pulling out all the stops in preparation for the fight. It’s not just an issue of avenging a loss – he dropped a split decision to St. Pierre at UFC 58 in his second go-around as a UFC welterweight – but advancing the sport to a higher level.

“St. Pierre, he’s got his Canadian fans, his American fans, his fans all over the world,” B.J. said. “I could see in one night that fight jumping the sport of mixed martial arts leaps and bounds. It could be maybe the Joe Frazier/Muhammad Ali type fight that the sport is looking for right now.”

The UFC’s Super Bowl weekend cards have taken on increased importance since the sport’s meteoric rise in visibility. With Penn and St. Pierre coming off extremely impressive performances at UFC 84 and UFC 87, respectively, the event has the potential to splash black ink across Zuffa’s first quarter balance sheet for 2009.

UFC president Dana White recently told Kevin Iole of Yahoo Sports that the company was having a retreat this week to figure out the marquee fights for the four yet to be announced cards, starting with UFC 91 on Nov. 15 in Portland, Ore.

As of yet, no other fights have been rumored or confirmed for the Jan. 31 card in Las Vegas.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Rutten: Kimbo Gets Shamrock Now, Others Later

Bas Rutten’s (Pictures) powerful presence in the mixed martial arts world can be largely attributed to two names outside his own: Kevin “Kimbo Slice” Ferguson and Ken Shamrock.

Ferguson (3-0) gained an unprecedented amount of legitimacy as a street brawler when he began formal MMA training under Rutten. In his fourth fight, Slice will battle Shamrock, the last man to defeat his trainer, at an EliteXC show Oct. 4 in Sunrise, Fla.

Rutten was submitted by Shamrock (26-13-2) twice. The second loss -- a now infamous kneebar under the Pancrase banner in 1995 -- was the last of his career. He went undefeated for the next 11 years, although he did not compete for seven of them, and beat Shamrock’s brother, Frank, twice. The verbose Dutchman was not short on words when it came to the showdown between Shamrock and Slice, two men with whom he is most familiar.

“I think it’ll be a great matchup,” Rutten said. “I would have liked to see it a bit later because of the experience difference, but I think it’s a great matchup.”

Rumors circulating about potential bouts pairing Ferguson with Sean Gannon or current heavyweight prospect Brett Rogers (Pictures) have been halted for now. However, Rutten believes he will fight both men at some point. A match with Gannon in a legitimate mixed martial arts contest remains a high priority for Slice.

“He wants to get it over with,” Rutten said. “From there, he’ll fight Brett Rogers.”

Rutten admits the process of finding his protégé a suitable opponent remains delicate, as matchmakers attempt to strike a balance between Ferguson’s immense drawing power and his lack of experience.

“Every time they give us a bunch of opponents, but the opponents don’t come through,” Rutten said. “Now Ken Shamrock, we find out. It goes back and forwards. He doesn’t mind who he fights. It’s really me and Randy Kotami giving him fighters that he should fight because we want him to have a great a career. And to put him against a top 10 [heavyweight] right now is just not a smart thing to do.”

With four MMA fights -- one of them amateur -- and four main or co-main events under his belt, pressure continues to mount on Slice. The idea of avenging his trainer’s last defeat does not seem to be a concern for the menacing Floridian.

“It doesn’t matter; it was ’95. I beat guys that beat Shamrock after [that],” Rutten said. “It’s not a big pressure. I think for Kimbo, maybe? It’s extra motivation to get the guy who gave his trainer his last loss, [but] he didn’t even talk about it.”

Despite the drawing potential of a Shamrock-Slice showdown, the fact that it was secured only six weeks before the event may hurt its chances at toppling Slice’s previous bout with James Thompson (Pictures) as the most-viewed fight in MMA history. Rutten sees it as a marketable fight, though it poses a definite risk to Ferguson.

“It will sell very good. I think for CBS it’s going to do really, really good,” he said. “If Shamrock would have been on a roll, [good], but he comes off seven losses [in eight fights], you know? I always said Ken is a very dangerous guy. It doesn’t matter [if] he has [five] losses in a row, but for people, they’re gonna say now, ‘If Kimbo’s gonna win, he’s gonna win against a guy [with five losses in a row], and if he loses to a guy with [five] losses in a row…’ It’s never gonna be good.”

Rutten’s lifetime involvement in fighting and nearly two decades in MMA afford him a passionate insight regarding a clash between his friend and a former foe.

“Of course, [Shamrock] has way more experience than Kimbo has,” he said. “Any win with any fighter with more than 10 fights I think is a great win. Anyone can say whatever they want; I want to see another heavyweight with the same amount of fights as Kimbo has and fight … that’s a lot of pressure, man, to be the headliner of an event.”

Rutten scoffs at those who question Ferguson’s conditioning.

“People think he’s out of shape? No, that’s pressure,” he said. “Ask any fighter on the planet. Every fighter will tell you, ‘My god, I’m getting tired so fast. How is that possible?’ Well, that’s what pressure does to you. Kimbo, they make him the main event after three fights -- it’s too bad. I’d rather him fight normal fights, build him up like a normal fighter, and then we’ll go after guys like Shamrock. Because Shamrock, man, he’s tricky.”

Shamrock’s submission game has stopped a number of accomplished opponents in their tracks. His leg locks and wealth of ground fighting knowledge leads Rutten to believe Slice has a difficult test ahead of him, Shamrock’s age and his five-fight losing streak notwithstanding.

“We’re really looking for a knockout, of course, and we know Ken is going to go for the ground,” Rutten said. “Why would Ken stand up? His ground game’s really good. He should be smart. So Kimbo’s stand-up is too strong. So Ken for the ground -- obviously, he’s going to go for leg locks. It’s not a big surprise what’s going to happen.”

 

[heyzel]

EliteXC on CBS Undercard Taking Shape

by Ariel Shnerer



EliteXC Vice President Gary Shaw confirmed a number of preliminary bouts for EliteXC: Saturday Night Fights III on Oct. 4. MMAJunkie.com reported the list of probable match-ups on Tuesday.

EliteXC: Saturday Night Fights III emanates from the BankAtlantic Center near Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

Already confirmed for the card are five blockbuster fights, including a heavyweight showdown between Kevin "Kimbo Slice" Ferguson and mixed martial arts pioneer Ken Shamrock in the main event.

In addition, Jake Shields defends the welterweight crown against Paul Daley, Murilo "Ninja" Rua meets Benji Radach, and two female tilts will take place. The first features the face of female MMA - Gina Carano - go head to head with Kelly Kobold-Gavin, plus Cristiane "Cyborg" Santos, the wife of veteran Evangelista Santos, is slated to square off against Yoko Takahashi.

On the preliminary card, Edson Berto (14-5-1) will meet Mike Aina (9-6-1), while Crafton Wallace (15-3-1) and Lorenzo Borgomeo (4-0) are also scheduled to see action.

Berto was last seen at EliteXC: Street Certified in February where he was KO'd by Yves Edwards after a unique flying knee. He was also vanquished by current 160-pound champion K.J. Noons at a ShoXC event last July. To re-establish himself in a division besieged by controversy, he needs to get past a reputable opponent in Aina.

Aina is coming off a win at EliteXC: Return of the King where he recorded a unanimous decision against Kaleo Kwan, his second victory over the "Eastsidaz" fighter. Prior to the win, however, Aina put up an impressive showing against top contender Nick Diaz at EliteXC: Uprising in September. While he lost the fight by split decision, Aina gave the Cesar Gracie jiu-jitsu black belt all he can handle.

In the second prelim fight, Wallace, a one-time UFC fighter, rides a four-fight winning streak into his bout against a yet-to-be-named opponent. During his time with the Zuffa-based promotion, Wallace was defeated twice, losing to two of the company's premier middleweights, Martin Kampmann and Nate Marquardt.

On Oct. 4, Borgomeo will have his second fight under the EliteXC banner. In his promotional debut at EliteXC: Street Certified, he submitted Mike Bernhard in the second round. In his four-fight career, Borgomeo has yet to go to the distance and has stopped all his adversaries within 15 minutes.

---

EliteXC: Saturday Night Fights III
Oct. 4, 2008
BankAtlantic Center
Fort Lauderdale, Fla.

Kevin "Kimbo Slice" Ferguson vs. Ken Shamrock
Jake Shields vs. Paul Daley (EliteXC Welterweight Championship)
Gina Carano vs. Kelly Kobald-Gavin
Murilo "Ninja" Rua vs. Benji Radach
Cristiane "Cyborg" Santos vs. Yoko Takahashi (may appear on main card)
Edson Berto vs. Mike Aina
Crafton Wallace vs. TBD
Lorenzo Borgomeo vs. TBD

 

[Shogun Locc]

Champ Southworth out, Ruiz in for Sept. 20 Strikeforce fight with "Babalu"

With Strikeforce light heavyweight champion Bobby Southworth (9-5) out with an injury, Renato "Babalu" Sobral (30-7) will instead meet Anthony Ruiz (21-11) at the Sept. 20 "Strikeforce at the Mansion II" event.

Ruiz's sponsorship team at K.O. Sports Dynasty Management alerted MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) of the fight on Monday, though Strikeforce has not officially announced it or the nature of Southworth's injury.

The upcoming event takes place at the world-famous Playboy Mansion in Beverly Hills, Calif.

Sobral was considered a heavy favorite heading into his fight with Southworth, who's the only fighter to hold Strikeforce's 205-pound belt.

Sobral, a former UFC fighter who signed with Strikeforce following a victory over David Heath at UFC 74, is currently riding a three-fight win streak, which included a unanimous-decision victory over Mike Whitehead at Affliction's debut event in July.

At one time Sobral was expected to meet Tito Ortiz at Affliction's upcoming October event. However, with Ortiz still unsigned, the event is expected to go on without him -- or Sobral.

Ruiz, who most recently scored a unanimous-decision victory over Jeremy Freitag at EliteXC's July 26 event, will fight for Strikeforce for the first time since a loss to light-heavyweight champion Bobby Southworth. Ruiz won their first meeting -- a non-title bout -- via second-round TKO (due to a cut) in 2007, but Southworth cruised to a decision victory in the second meeting back in June.

It remains Ruiz's only loss in his past eight fights; he's also won 12 of his past 15 fights.

Earlier this month Ruiz agreed to fight at the upcoming Playboy Mansion event, though Strikeforce officials hadn't chosen an opponent.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Joey Villasenor, Brett Rogers, Nick Diaz and "Feijao" slated for Nov. 8 EliteXC

Four top contenders are scheduled for EliteXC's Nov. 8 return to Showtime.

EliteXC Vice President Jared Shaw told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) late Monday that middleweight contender Joey Villasenor (26-6), heavyweight title hopeful Brett Rogers (8-0), lightweight contender Nick Diaz (18-7) and top light heavyweight Rafael "Feijao" Cavalcante (7-1) are all scheduled for the event.

The show takes place Nov. 8 and airs on Showtime.

Opponents have not been determined for any of the fighters.

However, as we previously reported, Villasenor could fight EliteXC middleweight champion Robbie Lawler at the event -- likely in the night's headline bout -- though Shaw could not confirm the fight, other than saying it's an option.

After his latest title defense over Scott Smith in July, Lawler said he planned to take some time off. It's unknown if the break could stretch past the Nov. 8 timeline.

Regardless, Shaw recently said Villasenor, who was scheduled to headline a recently canceled Sept. 20 in New Mexico, is among the division's best.

"He's definitely in line for a world title shot," Shaw said.

Lawler and Villasenor first met in 2006 at PRIDE 32. Lawler scored a quick, 22-second knockout via flying knee, and Villasenor has been anxious for the rematch ever since.

As for the undefeated Rogers, most fans were hopeful he'll get a shot at EliteXC poster boy Kevin "Kimbo Slice" Ferguson, but on Monday, the organization confirmed that Ferguson will instead fighter UFC Hall of Famer Ken Shamrock at an Oct. 4 CBS Saturday Night Fights event.

If victorious in November, though, Rogers will likely get the next crack at Ferguson -- likely on a pay-per-view card in early 2009.

Diaz, meanwhile, was expected to fight EliteXC lightweight champion KJ Noons at the Oct. 4 event. However, as we detailed last week, Noons' manager, Mark Dion, has ignored EliteXC's phone calls and scoffed at the rematch with Diaz. Noons beat Diaz once before to win the EliteXC lightweight title, and Dion said a rematch does nothing to help his client.

Diaz, who most recently defeated Thomas Denny at EliteXC's July event on CBS, next fights Hayato Sakurai in a welterweight title fight during DREAM.6 on Sept. 23. He is riding a three-fight win streak, and he's 6-1 (with no-contest) in his past eight fights.

Finally, Cavalcante looks to push his EliteXC record to 4-0. The former IFL fighter has made quick work of his EliteXC opponents, walking through each with first-round knockouts. With a victory in November, "Feijao" will likely fight for the organization's first-ever light-heavyweight title in early 2009.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Mickey's signs Tito Ortiz, set to release limited-edition cans

Despite being a free agent with no MMA home of which to speak, former UFC light heavyweight champion Tito Ortiz remains a popular pick with sponsors.

In fact, Mickey's Fine Malt Liquor has signed Ortiz to a sponsorship deal, and this week, the company will roll out commemorative Mickey's cans that feature Ortiz's likeness.

Mickey's has provided MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) an exclusive first look at the cans.

"Tito is one of the most talented and popular athletes in the world of mixed martial arts, and Mickey's is thrilled to bring the partnership to life for our fans with this limited-edition can," Mickey's Brand Manager Mike Davitt stated. "Many people have wanted to get their hands on Tito over the years. Well, this is their chance."

Financial terms of the sponsorship deal were not revealed.

"Can" jokes aside, Ortiz (15-6-1) remains one of the sport's most recognizable stars and one of the very top pay-per-view draws in MMA history. However, he's winless in his past three fights, and despite announcing he agreed to a "record-breaking" contract with Affliction earlier this month, Ortiz currently remains a free agent.

The Ortiz cans hit stores this week and will be available through the end of the year.

This isn't Mickey's first MMA-themed can. In 2007 the company issued cans featuring the likes of Chuck Liddell, Georges St. Pierre and Rich Franklin.

 

[Shogun Locc]

TIM MCKENZIE OUT OF SEPTEMBER 10 WEC FIGHT

The upcoming World Extreme Cagefighting show set for Sept. 10 has undergone another change. MMAWeekly.com has learned that Tim McKenzie has been forced to drop off the card due to an undisclosed injury.

McKenzie was set to take on David Avellan in the 205-pound division, but as of now it appears the fight may get scrapped all together with Avallan’s opponent out of the bout.

Following a disappointing return to the WEC that saw McKenzie lose to now champion Steve Cantwell, he got back to his winning form with a submission over Jeremy Lang in June.

No word has come down as to the medical reason behind McKenzie’s departure from the show.

As of now, the WEC show still boasts a total of 10 bouts, which could mean that David Avellan could be bumped to a future show, unless a last minute replacement steps in.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Lyoto predicts fast fight against Thiago

At UFC 89, two unbeatable fighters will colide on the duel that will put one of them to meet a loss for the first time. With 13 win in a perfect card, Thiago Silva won 11 by knockout, and that’s why Lyoto Machida predicts a fast fight against him at UFC 88. “I believe this fight won’t go to decision… Thiago likes to fight aggressively, me too, he has good MMA techniques, so I believe this fight might finish before the third round”, said Lyoto, that is training hard. “I’m training a lot, actually I hadn’t stop training since my last fight. Now I’m doing a specifically training focused on Thiago, preparing my strategies and working on the physical preparation… I’m very focused”

 

[Shogun Locc]

M-1 Global news August

M-1 Challenge 2009 announcement, TV deals, M-1 & Bulgaria and the bright future of some representatives of Team Holland in this M-1 Global August report

M-1 Challenge 2009
Instead of ten participating teams, next year the challenge will be comprised of 16 countries.

The new candidates are the representatives from England, Croatia, Bulgaria, Italy, Belgium, Switzerland, Brazil and India.

M-1 Global will make the selection public in due time.



M-1 Challenge on air
Starting September 2008 the MMA fans in 18 different countries will be able to see the first TV productions of M-1 on the sport channels in their respective countries.

United States, Canada, Mexico, Korea, Philippines, Brazil, India, Angola, Benin, Botswana, Burkina-Faso, Burundi, Cameroon, Cape Verde, C.A.R, Chad, Comoros Islands, Congo, Democratic republic of Congo, Djibouti, Equatorial Guinea, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Gabon, Gambia, Ghana, Guinea-Bissau, Ivory-Coast, Kenya, Lesotho, Liberia, Madagascar, Malawi, Mali, Mauritius, Mayotte, Mozambique, Namibia, Niger, Reunion, Rwanda, St.Helena, Sao Tome & Principe, Senegal, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Somalia, Swaziland, Tanzania, Togo, Uganda, Zambia, Zaire, Zimbabwe.



M-1 & Bulgaria
UFC veteran Yordan Radev who is of Bulgarian origin and Harry van Doorn (matchmaker of M-1 Global) were in Bulgaria to make contact with Lyuben Djubrilov of the Bulgarian MMA Federation. M-1 strongly believes in the future of MMA in Bulgaria which is comparable to the level of Russia a few years ago.

The Bulgarian team will participate in the Challenge of 2009 and the contract will be signed by the end of August 2008.



M-1 Challenge delivers the bright future for Cristea, Jones and Gibbs
It’s already clear that participation in the M-1 Challenge opened the door to a bright MMA future for some fighters of the Dutch team.

After his nerve-racking fight against Daisuke Nakamura, in which he more then once brought the crowd on their feet with his fighting spirit, Japanese promotors showed great interest in Bogdan Cristea.

Former Judo champion Jason Jones also caught the eyes of the international promotors.

Strikeforce and Pro Elite seem to be interested and he will probably also start fighting in Deep in Japan.

Heavyweight Jessie Gibbs is also steadily building a reputation of his own. With his winning streak of three consecutive victories with a submission or referee stoppage he finds himself in the picture.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Official: ‘Cro Cop’ vs. Alistair Overeem

According to the Croation News site Dnevnik.hr, Mirko Filipović will be fighting September 23rd against Alistair Overeem. DREAM has confirmed the report.


"For ‘Cro Cop’ this will be his first fight after five months and a victory against Mizuno. He has fully recuperated from knee surgery that caused him to miss two fights this summer.


However, Cro Cop is ready and confident of victory. Previously, only to the New TV, said that his objectives are to capture the belt in Dream, and hopefully a possible fight in December - with Fedor."

 

[Shogun Locc]

5 Oz. Exclusive: Malaipet vs. David Douglas to take place at Sept. 26 ShoXC

A battle of two dynamic 160 lbs. strikers has been signed to take place between Malaipet Team Diamond and David “Tarzan” Douglas during EliteXC’s next ShoXC event set for Friday, Sept. 26 at the Chumash Hotel & Casino in Santa Ynez, Calif.

FiveOuncesOfPain.com learned of the bout from a source speaking on the condition of anonymity earlier today and we were later able to confirm the bout with EliteXC Vice President Jared Shaw.

Douglas, a member of Cesar Gracie’s Jiu-Jitsu Academy, has quietly put together a 2-0 record for EliteXC in recent months. He accepted a short notice swing bout vs. Marlon Mathias just days prior to EliteXC and CBS’ “Saturday Night Fights” event in Stockton, Calif., on July 26. While the bout never made the telecast, Douglas needed just 12 seconds of round 1 to dispatch of Mathias via TKO (strikes).

Douglas fought in another non-televised bout that he accepted on short notice during the undercard of EliteXC’s ShoXC event on August 15. Taking on William Jacobson, Douglas was declared the winner via TKO at 1:12 of round 1 after Jacobson’s corner threw in the towel.

Malaipet, whose “Team Diamond” surname is derived from a custom Thai tradition of taking the name of your gym as your last name, is 3-2 lifetime in MMA and 1-1 fighting under the EliteXC banner. He won his EliteXC debut during an October ShoXC event in which he recorded a unanimous decision over Hawaiian kickboxer Kaleo Kwan.

In March, he competed in another ShoXC card in a main event matchup contested at 160 lbs. against King of the Cage veteran Thomas Denny. Malaipet was declared the loser of the bout via disqualification after impairing Denny with illegal elbows.

Despite his unimpressive MMA record, Malaipet is believed to have a competitive Muay Thai record of 160-26 having competed since the age of eight after turning pro in his native country of Thailand.

In addition to the Douglas vs. Malaipet matchup, September’s ShoXC will be headlined by Wilson Reis and Bao Quach competing for the EliteXC vacant 140 lbs. title. Bouts between heavyweights Jon Murphy and Shane Del Rosario and welterweights Matt Makowski and Erik Apple are scheduled as well.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Interview with UFC newcomer Dan Hardy

Hardy is a native of Britain and will be making his UFC debut at UFC 89 on Oct. 18 at the National Indoor Arena in Birmingham, England in a welterweight fight against Akihiro Gono.

Hardy is an unknown to casual fans, but hardcore fans know him well from his outstanding performances while competing for the Japan-based Cage Force promotion. He is without question one of the top fight prospects in the UK and could emerge as the UFC’s second biggest British star next to Michael Bisping.

In order to get to know Hardy a little better, we’re proud to present this interview conducted by Planet Tatami’s Gabriel Maurer de Barros.

Planet Tatami: Is your fight against Akihiro Gono confirmed?

Dan Hardy: Yes it is

Planet Tatami: What is your expectation for it?

Dan Hardy: I’m expecting a tricky stand up fight with an exciting knockout finish and my hand raised at the end.

Planet Tatami: What will be your strategy for this fight?

Dan Hardy: It’s too early to say at the moment. I need to sit down with my coaches and talk through a gameplan. We will watch some of his fights and see how my skills match up with his and put a strategy together.

Planet Tatami: How many fights do you have in the contract with the UFC?

Dan Hardy: My contract is a four fight deal.

Planet Tatami: Are you training at Xtreme Couture? How is your training there?

Dan Hardy: Yeah, training is going really well here. The training partners and coaches are world class and every session brings a new challenge. I’m getting my ass kicked every day and improving all the time. It’s the place to be if you are serious about being successful in the sport.

Planet Tatami: Talk about your beginning in the MMA.

Dan Hardy: I started martial arts when I was six years old but it wasn’t until I spent two months in China training with the Shaolin monks back in 2002 that i decided to pursue a career in MMA. I came back and started doing amateur MMA tournaments and then had my professional debut in 2004.

Planet Tatami: You have already lost to Yoshiyuki Yoshida by disqualification. Is there any chance you’ll face him again now that you’re also in the UFC?

Dan Hardy: That’s up to the UFC to decide but if it was offered to me I definitely wouldn’t turn it down. It’s a loss on my record that shouldn’t be there and a chance to get the win that should be there would be great.

 

[heyzel]

MATT HUGHES ON THE MEND, SURGERY NOT LIKELY

by MMAWeekly.com Staff



Matt Hughes on Tuesday provided an update on the status of his knee injury via his personal blog. The outlook for the multi-time UFC welterweight champion is promising. It appears he may not need surgery.

“Last Wednesday, I went in for my second MRI and also a stress x-ray. It all came back very positive and looks as though I will not need surgery,” wrote Hughes.

“I still have to go back for my three-month check-up to find out more; but as of right now I can do more and start exercising a little bit.”

Hughes sustained the injury in a non-title fight against Thiago Alves at UFC 85 on June 7 in London. In a blog entry written shortly after the fight, Hughes confirmed that he had partially torn the ACL ligament in his knee.

There is hope that he will be healed up for a fight with Matt Serra in early 2009, possibly as soon as January or February

 

[heyzel]

With Brandon Vera, UFC expansion poised for warm response in Philippines

by Steve Sievert


For the past two years, the UFC has had its sights set on expanding internationally.

The organization has taken some initial steps in that regard by reestablishing the promotion in the United Kingdom and taking the octagon on a trek north to Montreal. The UFC is planning to rack up some additional frequent flyer miles next year, according to a report from Dave Metzler of Yahoo! Sports, a content partner of MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com).

Australia, Sweden, Italy and the Philippines are on the roadmap for expansion in 2009. UFC boss Dana White likes to say that the UFC -- not MMA, but the UFC -- will be the biggest sport in the world, bigger than the NFL or World Cup soccer, in the foreseeable future. With the UFC preparing to bring its brand of MMA to virgin territory in Europe and Southeast Asia next year, White's prediction will officially be on the clock.

Behind the scenes, the UFC is already taking steps to increase its chances for global success. Earlier this year, the UFC sent one of its PR staffers and Brandon Vera on a goodwill tour to the Philippines. The fighter, whose father Ernesto is Filipino, has strong ties to the country.

"When we did an open workout there, about 4,000 people showed up to watch me train at a mall," said Vera, who has several family members living in the Philippines. "You can take it from there. I speak the language. I get along with everybody well. I understand the people in the Philippines and their struggles. I just keep it real with them, and they love the fact that I'm down. No matter how big or small I am in the fight, I'm going to be fighting, and they love it. I just feed off the energy, so it's kind of like a cyclical thing with them. As much as they give me, I give it back to them."

Vera was blown away by the response he received.

"Yeah, about 4,000 people showed up. It was ridiculous," he said. "The UFC was like, 'I can't believe there's this many people here.' They said they arranged this in 10 days, and this is how many people showed up."

Based on the outpouring of interest and support, Vera has no doubt that a UFC show in the Philippines would sell, and he would be the first fighter in line to secure a spot on the fight card.

"Man, to be able to fight in front of my parents' own country, and have them watch in Araneta Coliseum where the 'Thrilla in Manila' took place, that would mean a lot to me," he said. "I don't know; that might even mean more than any titles because it's home, I guess. That's a super-big deal. If the UFC is down to going to (the Philippines), I'm for sure down."

Japan is another country that the UFC has in its expansion plans

 

[heyzel]

Frank Trigg ready for Falaniko Vitale (and Cung Le and Frank Shamrock)

by Dann Stupp


After suffering little damage in his unanimous-decision victory over Makoto Takimoto at this past weekend's Sengoku 4 event, veteran middleweight fighter Frank Trigg (17-6) expects a proposed Oct. 3 Strikeforce bout with Falaniko Vitale (26-8) to go on as planned.

With less than seven weeks separating the bouts, and with his wife due to give birth literally any day now, Trigg wasn't initially sure if competing at the upcoming Strikeforce event would be a possibility.

However, he recently told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) that he's ready for the fight -- and future bouts with Strikeforce world middleweight champ Cung Le (6-0) and former title-holder Frank Shamrock (23-9-2).

"I'm more tired than anything," Trigg said of his victory over Olympic gold medalist Takimoto. "My ear is a little torn up. He caught me with a good right hook early. It just bled a lot, but it wasn't really hurt or anything."

Now, Trigg will focus on the hard-hitting and, as he calls him, "very dangerous" Vitale. The Hawaiian fighter has won five of his past six fights with all but one of the victories coming via strikes. The Trigg-Vitale fight is expected to be the co-main event at "Strikeforce: Payback," which takes place Oct. 3 at the Broomfield Event Center near Denver.

Trigg, a former UFC and PRIDE fighter who turned 36 back in May, knows Father Time is casting a shadow on all his upcoming bouts. The clock is ticking, yet a series of fights fell through to create a recent eight-month layoff from competition. The Las Vegas-based Xtreme Couture fighter is now anxious to pick up the pace.

With his recently inked Strikeforce deal, Trigg is aiming for a bout with Le, the undefeated former San Shou kickboxer who beat Shamrock for the Strikeforce title back in March. As MMAjunkie.com recently reported, Strikeforce officials expect Le's burgeoning acting career to keep the fighter sidelined until early next year.

There's also been talk of a potential Trigg-Shamrock fight with Strikeforce. That fight -- and one with Le -- had been discussed at various times during the past 18 months, but they never panned out. Trigg said he want both fights in the next year, though the order makes no difference.

"Which one of the two do I want to fight first?" Trigg asked of Le and Shamrock. "If both are in my future, who cares? It doesn't make much of a difference."

However, both Strikeforce and World Victory Road are anxious for him to fight another opponent: Kazuo Misaki (20-8-2). Like Trigg, Misaki is also signed to both organizations, and since losing to Trigg at PRIDE 33, Misaki has been vocal about wanting a rematch.

"If he wants to go again, that's fine," Trigg said. "I'll be happy to beat him again."

Given the way their contracts were drawn up, Trigg expects the Misaki fight to take place in Japan under the WVR banner.

So, if everything works out as planned, Trigg could spend the next year fighting Vitale, Le, Shamrock and Misaki.

Outside of the UFC, you'd be hard pressed to find a tougher line-up.

"No one said it's going to be easy," Trigg said.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Rampage Jackson: “I’ve lost respect for Forrest Griffin as a man.”

Fighters Only Magazine got an interview with the previously hidden and now re-emerging Quinton “Rampage” Jackson.

He discussed many things including a possible fight with Wanderlei Silva, his bout against Forrest Griffin at UFC 86 and the fact that he lost respect for Griffin for fully believing he won their fight and not talking about an immediate rematch:

Jackson says that he has “lost a lot of respect” for Griffin in the wake of the fight, largely because the new champion has not been talking of a rematch despite winning the belt in controversial fashion.

“After the fight, I said ‘I’ve got to give you a lot of respect, because you hurt my leg and you had a good game plan’,” he explains.

“But now, I don’t respect him as a man. Because if it was me, I would have said, ‘I have to give him a rematch right away, to remove all doubt’.

“I’m a man and when you fight it’s all about honour. I’m not angry at him or anything, don’t get me wrong, but I’ve lost respect for him as a man.”

Rampage earlier states that he believes he won their previous fight and was being sarcastic when he said he got his ass kicked in his post-fight interview.

There might have been some doubt in the fight’s outcome with people falling on either side but almost no one could call it a bad decision. Perhaps a rematch is in order and maybe this is Quinton’s way of getting it. Either way I’ll leave it up to you to decide if he was actually being sarcastic in his interview.