MMA News Thread

[Shogun Locc]

ARLOVSKI EYES NELSON, BARNETT OR FEDOR NEXT?

Hours away from his weigh-in at EliteXC’s “Heat” in Sunrise, Fla., Andrei Arlovski briefly spoke to MMAWeekly.com about his fight with former International Fight League heavyweight champ Roy Nelson.

“I take him very seriously,” Arlovski said. “He is a very good heavyweight. It’s a difficult fight for both of us, especially on the short notice.”

A few short months ago, the former UFC heavyweight champ was hard at work preparing for his fight with Josh Barnett at Affliction’s “Day of Reckoning.” He had flown back to Los Angeles for an extended training camp with legendary boxing coach Freddie Roach. With less than a month until the fight, word came that Affliction’s second pay-per-view was postponed.

Last-minute negotiations between EliteXC’s fight team and Affliction representatives netted a spot for Arlovski and Barnett on the main card of “Heat,” but apparently, timing issues put Barnett out of the running. Enter Nelson, who was scheduled to take on Paul Buentello at “Day of Reckoning.”

Though he is happy about staying busy, Arlovski hopes his fight with Barnett is not tossed aside.

“A fight with Josh would be a great fight,” he said. “Fans want to see it. I think it will happen in the future.”

Arlovksi says he also plans to fight on Affliction/Golden Boy’s boxing/MMA hybrid card in January. Being that Barnett turned down a potential fight with Fedor Emelianenko on that card, a rendezvous would appear to fit there. At the press conference for the Saturday’s EliteXC fight, Arlovski said a victory over Nelson would not ensure a fight with “The Last Emperor.”

“They are talking like the winner of my fight will face Fedor, but I have heard that kind of talk before,” he commented. “I have learned not to believe anything until it happens. So I will wait and see and continue to only focus on Roy.”

In Nelson, he faces a self-described “fat guy” with heavy hands and solid ground and pound. Though Nelson has gained the reputation of a slugger for his recent performances, particularly against Brad Imes in May, he is more than capable of taking an opponent to the mat and grinding him out from the top. In the past, Arlovski has struggled with fighters of similar skill sets. He hopes the short notice won’t affect his peak.

“We will see how it is in the fight,” he said. “But you can’t take (Nelson) lightly. He is a very well rounded and dangerous fighter.”

Nevertheless, the chance to shine on perhaps the biggest viewing platform in MMA was not lost on him.

“Fighting on CBS is a very big opportunity for me and very exciting,” he said. “I promise I will show a great fight.”

 

[Shogun Locc]

Michael Bisping: Anderson Silva is Anderson ‘only human’ and ‘anything is possible’

“There is a lot of talk about a fight with Anderson Silva, and there is almost a pressure at times with the overall feeling that I’m being rushed into it. For me, the bottom line is simply to keep winning my fights, and then working very hard on my techniques between times. That’s what I want, I just want to earn the right to fight for the belt, be it against Anderson Silva, or whoever it is. I have had a successful career, I’ve been beaten once by split decision, I don’t want to sound arrogant, but of course I want to fight all-comers. When the time comes, I’ll be ready. Silva does have a pretty complete game on the ground. His weak point is wrestling, which is becoming one of my strong points now. Anderson’s only human; anything is possible.”

 

[Shogun Locc]

Dan Miller vs Matt Horwich UFC 90 fight possible with Ricardo Almeida injured

An undisclosed injury has forced Brazilian Jiu-jitsu ace Ricardo Almeida out of his scheduled fight at UFC 90 in Chicago. Stepping in to replace him is highly touted middleweight prospect Dan Miller, who will now face Matt Horwich on Oct. 25.

The fight has been verbally agreed to by both fighters and should be signed shortly according to sources close to the situation, as confirmed to MMAWeekly.com

Miller was signed to the UFC recently after a stint in the International Fight League that saw him crowned the last-ever middleweight champion for the now defunct promotion.

Ironically enough his opponent, Matt Horwich, was the first ever IFL middleweight champion, but lost the belt during his first title defense a few months later.

Miller made an impressive debut in the Octagon by submitting veteran fighter Rob Kimmons by rear naked choke in the first round of their match-up at the UFC Fight Night event in mid-September.

Meanwhile, Horwich will be making his UFC debut after a long career that has spanned numerous events all over the world.

The Team Quest fighter had a solid run while fighting with the IFL posting a 7-4 record while competing in both the middleweight and light heavyweight divisions.

Miller and Horwich will be a part of the undercard fights as the main event of the evening will pit widely regarded pound-for-pound and 185-pound king Anderson Silva against Patrick Cote for the UFC middleweight title.

 

[Shogun Locc]

André Galvão back to MMA in November

Two times BJJ world champion, André Galvão debuted in MMA with a great performance, submitting his Jeremiah Metcalf on the second round, after getting knocked down on the first. After the first bout, Galvão now trains with Anderson Silva and Rafael “Feijão” for his next challenge. “I’ll fight at a Canadian event in November 28th, I’ll sign the contract this week, but everything is right”, said the athlete, that commented the influence of his Jiu-Jitsu experience in MMA. “I think Jiu-Jitsu helps you a lot, so if you’re a BJJ black belt and you compete, you’re in advantage on the ring, because you can do the job stand up or on the ground. But you need to like it… A lot of people go from BJJ to MMA and don’t get used to it, and maybe you can put an end to your career with this choice, you need to know if you like to get beaten (laughs)”, told the athlete. For his preparation to the first fight, Galvão trained with guys like Wanderlei Silva, Paulo Filho, Xande Ribeiro, Ronaldo Jacaré, Fabrício “Morango” and many others, and now will spend some time at Minotauro Team, with Rodrigo Nogueira, Anderson Silva, Rogério Nogueira and Rafael “Feijão”.

 

[heyzel]

Management meltdown for Elite XC & Kimbo Slice

By Zack Arnold

It’s the worst kind of scenario an MMA promoter could possibly face. You spend two months hyping a main event built around your company’s ‘ace’ against an aging veteran (the Japanese call this type of fighter a ‘legend fighter’). It’s supposed to be the easiest match-up in the world to market; Kimbo Slice vs. Ken Shamrock. The idea is that your ace is protected in the cage by fighting a veteran on the decline. At first, conventional wisdom was on the side of Elite XC according to the MMA bettors. However, as fight time neared, more and more bettors started putting money on Shamrock to win the fight.

The day before the big fight on CBS, you have the two fighters weigh-in and get into a pull-apart brawl at the press conference to heat-up the media proceedings. Your only hope is that enough people believe that Ken Shamrock will win the fight so that when Kimbo Slice beats him, Kimbo ends up getting a rub from the legend. Otherwise, the fight outcome itself is a lose-lose situation.

It’s already a big mistake to build your company around a freak show star who is a rookie in MMA fighting terms. However, it’s all that you got and your entire deal with CBS hinges on the success of this rookie.

As fight time nears, you receive the most dreaded news possible; Ken Shamrock can’t fight. He got hurt during warm-ups and the commission has pulled him from the fight. It’s the worst kind of scenario an event promoter can face and it puts a lot of pressure on the following parties:

1) Elite XC management
2) Kimbo Slice’s management
3) CBS management

In a crisis situation like this where EXC’s long-term future with CBS is on the line, there are so many variables that you have to deal with as an event promoter that one mistake could cost you your entire livelihood in the fight business. Unfortunately, what transpired Saturday night for Elite XC was disastrous on so many levels that it is imperative for us to break down the schedule of events that occured to show how the pressure of Saturday’s night situation forced EXC, Kimbo Slice’s management team, and CBS (indirectly) to make mistakes that will likely prove fatal for Elite XC’s long-term future as an MMA organization.

1. Should Kimbo Slice have fought Saturday night when Ken Shamrock’s booking was canceled?

2. Should CBS have forced or applied pressure to EXC to make Kimbo Slice fight on Saturday night? If so, who should Kimbo have faced?

3. What kind of short-term and long-term price would Kimbo Slice face if he lost to a replacement opponent?

Put yourself in the shoes of Jeremy Lappen. You know that CBS wants Kimbo Slice to fight on the show. You know that you really don’t have much of a choice but to book a replacement opponent.

What you don’t do is book someone like Seth Petruzelli, an MMA journeyman, against Kimbo Slice. As a company, you haven’t built up Seth Petruzelli. He’s not exactly one of your rising stars in the company. You haven’t promoted him as a big draw or attraction to the masses. Therefore, what upside is there for booking Petruzelli against Kimbo in the first place? You only book this fight to satisfy commitments with CBS in hopes that this move will placate them short-term.

Secondly, when you book such a replacement opponent against Kimbo Slice at the last-minute, you put yourself in a situation where you have to pay him a king’s ransom to do it. Dave Meltzer reported on Yahoo on Saturday that EXC management reportedly had to fork over serious money to Kimbo’s management team in order to get him to agree to fight on prime time. Kimbo was put into a no-win situation by CBS, by EXC management, and by his own management team. CBS wanted Kimbo to fight because they advertised him during football games. He’s the ‘ace’ for their MMA programming. EXC has to build around Kimbo Slice because they don’t have major star-power elsewhere, but in order to keep the gravy train afloat you have to have Kimbo win all his fights. If you’re Kimbo Slice’s management team, you can’t afford a short-term view in terms of managing your fighter’s career. You know the danger he’s facing by fighting someone like Seth Petruzelli, who is more talented, less known to the public, and has nothing to lose. Do you take the short-term money in order to sacrifice your fighter’s long-term career? That’s what happened on Saturday night, unfortunately.

The correct response by all parties should have involved the cancelation of Kimbo Slice fighting on the Florida card. Yes, EXC would have paid a price and CBS would have been angry, but you could always protect Kimbo Slice. Unfortunately, what we saw on Saturday night was the end of Kimbo Slice’s career as an ‘ace’ in MMA for a non-UFC entity. Petruzelli destroyed him in under 15 seconds. Will someone ask Kimbo Slice’s manager if taking a higher payday was worth watching the destruction of his fighter’s career in the time span of 15 seconds?

The loss is devastating to Elite XC. The company has a show booked for November 8th in Reno with good bouts (Robbie Lawler vs. Joey Villasenor and Eddie Alvarez vs. Nick Diaz), but good bouts don’t attract eyeballs or sell tickets. The Kimbo Slices of the world do. Unfortunately for EXC, there aren’t many Kimbo Slice’s in the world that you can book and market your company around. Saturday night proved to be a giant magnifying glass on CBS management, Elite XC management, and Kimbo Slice’s managements in terms of making the right or wrong decisions in regards to their handling of Kimbo Slice. Placed in a situation where there was little-to-no upside for Kimbo Slice to face Seth Petruzelli, the fight was booked and the rest was history. So may be Elite XC’s future in the MMA business, shortly.

 

[heyzel]

Plenty of good and bad in broadcast

By Kevin Iole,


CBS’ third – and perhaps last – broadcast of an Elite XC mixed martial arts card on Saturday was far superior to its first.

Unlike Kimbo Slice, who was the main event star of both cards, CBS corrected many of its flaws from its May 31 MMA debut.

But CBS simply hasn’t demonstrated that it gets it when it comes to broadcasting an MMA fight card. The show on Saturday didn’t have many obvious flaws – save for the annoying presence of analyst Mauro Ranallo, who brought nothing to the show and frequently sounded as if he were reading from index cards – but it lacked spice, excitement and many basic journalistic principals.

CBS opened with the news that Slice’s scheduled opponent, Ken Shamrock, was off the card because of a cut suffered the previous night and that he would be replaced by Seth Petruzelli.



There was no reporting of the kind done that one would expect if a similar incident had occurred on an NFL game broadcast by CBS.

Cageside reporter Karyn Bryant, who consistently is inept and whose interviews frequently elicit one- or two-word answers from her subjects, did no reporting. She should have been able to tell her viewers that Elite XC had to talk Slice into taking the fight and ultimately had to pay him a significant bonus to get him to say yes.

That fact flew in the face of the “he’ll fight anyone, anywhere at any time,” rhetoric that blow-by-blow announcer Gus Johnson kept spewing.

The Florida Athletic Commission would not have been out of line had it determined that Shamrock was no longer competitive and denied him a license to fight. He hadn’t won since 2004 and had been stopped in the first round of each of his five fights since. New York had handed a similar suspension to boxer Evander Holyfield.

But that showed the kind of opponent Slice was willing to fight and the fact that he hedged greatly before agreeing to accept Petruzelli should have been a central theme on the broadcast. Instead, it was ignored.

CBS had Bryant do yet another of her lightweight interviews with Carano. She asked Carano about failing to make weight again, but Bryant did no other interviews about the safety issues Carano might have been facing.

Carano needed three tries to make 141 pounds and she appeared severely dehydrated at the weigh-in.

Reporting at these kinds of events is critical. Suzy Kolber of ESPN is brilliant at it during NFL games, and CBS has Bryant there presumably to serve a similar role. She fails miserably.

Johnson did a workmanlike job overall, but his handling of the main event and his over-the-top comments made him look amateurish. After Petruzelli’s win, Johnson gushed that this was the “most incredible victory in the history of mixed martial arts.”

Beating a guy with no real background in any of the sport’s disciplines and who only had three fights, against poor opponents, qualifies as a victory of historic proportions? Sorry, Gus. I don’t think so.

Slice isn’t a good fighter. He is a piece of marketing hype, which I’ve said repeatedly. But the CBS announce team apparently began to believe its own hype.

Slice deserves respect for getting into the cage and fighting, but he’s a long way from being an average fighter, let alone from being a good one. Johnson should know better than to make such wild statements.

What Ranallo brings to the broadcasts is anyone’s guess. This is a guy who, not long after fighter Sam Vasquez had died of injuries sustained in a fight, reported that Vasquez had made a miraculous recovery.

In sizing up the Carano-Kelly Kobold fight on Saturday, Ranallo noted that it figured to be a “dynamite distaff diffication.”

Whatever that means.

If Elite XC survives, and I wouldn’t bet on that, CBS ought to cut to a two-man booth with just Johnson and analyst Frank Shamrock, who struggles at times but clearly knows the business and has the potential to grow into the job.

Then it should find a roving reporter who can actually unearth news and conduct interviews that give the viewers some information.

The real problem here is that a major league network is hitching its star to a collection of mostly minor-league talent. The broadcast team is struggling to make it seem network worthy and the result is an uneven performance.

It was much better than the putrid effort the first time out of the gate, but there is still much improvements for CBS to make.

 

[Shogun Locc]

"EliteXC: Heat" draws 9,414 spectators for $826,000 gate

SUNRISE, Fla. -- Saturday's "EliteXC: Heat" event at the BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise, Fla., drew a total attendance of 9.414 (7,723 paid) for a live gate of $826,433.

EliteXC executive Jeremy Lappen released the figures in the post-event press conference that followed the CBS-televised event.

Ticket sales for "Heat" exceeded EliteXC officials' expectations and even forced the organization to open additional seating sections in the few days prior to the show.

However, despite what the organization announced as a sold-out crowd, it's worth noting that the night's "horseshoe" seating configuration used only about half of the venue's available seats.

In other words, it was a sold-out crowd for the configuration (which included a completely empty upper seating bowl), but the venue was far from reaching maximum capacity.

The BankAtlantic Center, which is home to the National Hockey League's Florida Panthers, can be configured to accommodate up to approximately 22,000 spectators, though it's usually capped at 19,000 for hockey games and other sporting events.

Still, following the disappointment of July's "EliteXC: Unfinished Business" event in California, "Heat" was a solid rebound. After all, the July 26 event, which took place at the Stockton Arena in Stockton, drew just drew just 2,871 paid attendees (out of a total attendance of 6,572). That event, which also aired live on CBS, drew a meager gate of $269,000.

"EliteXC: Heat" was originally scheduled to feature a main event between Florida's Kevin "Kimbo Slice" Ferguson and UFC hall-of-famer Ken Shamrock. However, just a few hours prior to the start of the event, Shamrock was pulled from the card after he suffered a cut near his eye earlier in the day. Preliminary-card fighter Seth Petruzelli, also a Florida-based fighter, took Shamrock's spot and stunned the previously undefeated Ferguson with a 14-second TKO.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Gina Carano, "Cyborg" Santos on path to EliteXC title showdown

A collision course can be drawn in relatively little time.

Such is the lesson taught by EliteXC female stars Gina Carano (7-0) and Cristiane "Cyborg" Santos (6-1). The reigning "Face of Women's MMA" has been headed toward a showdown with the feared Brazilian striker since Cyborg's July EliteXC debut.

After both women were victorious at Saturday night's "EliteXC: Heat," EliteXC Director of Fight Operations Jeremy Lappen said the time is quickly approaching.

"I know it's a fight they both want," Lappen said in the post-fight press conference. "We've talked about early next year -- February, March-ish."

Lappen said the scale of the bout could reach heights never-before imagined in relation to women's MMA.

"That's a fight that the fans want to see," Lappen said. "I think it's going to be the biggest fight obviously in female MMA history. I think it will be one of the biggest fights in MMA history. I just think there's that kind of buzz about that fight. So we're extremely excited about putting it on."

Cyborg first came to prominence at her July EliteXC debut in Stockton, Calif. A relative unknown at the time, the Brazilian phenom initially made waves with her chiseled physique at the event's official weigh-ins. Cyborg sported a game to match her frame when she attacked opponent Shayna Baszler with reckless abandon en route to a second-round knockout.

Cyborg earned her place in the proposed matchup with Carano by earning a unanimous decision victory over Yoko Takahashi on Saturday night's un-televised preliminary card. While the bout when the full nine minutes, Cyborg did not fail to display her rabid style of attack.

"You know a lot of times Mike Tyson has been brought up in connection with MMA," Lappen said. "I think the closest thing there is to Mike Tyson in this sport is Cris Cyborg. She's dominating, vicious -- she strikes fear into her opponents before the fight even starts."

Tabbed as a potential star for EliteXC from her very first bout with the organization in February 2007, Carano had won all three of her prior bouts while under contract for the company. Carano also delivered on her end of the bargain Saturday night by holding opponent Kelly Kobold's takedown attempts at bay during a unanimous decision win.

While Carano's striking once again looked crisp and firm, it was her takedown defense and balance that kept her professional record unblemished.

Following the press conference, Lappen told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) how impressed he has been with both fighters.

"Gina obviously has superstar status, and she's the real deal," Lappen said. "She gets a lot of buzz because she's got a lot of mainstream appeal because she's beautiful. But she can really fight. People give her a hard time, but she's stepped up against tougher and tougher competition and she keeps destroying them."

Lappen said the Nov. 8 show would be too soon to bring back the two female stars. Instead the EliteXC executive hopes to have the bout on the organization's first card of 2009. When pressed as to whether the bout would be for the company's inaugural women's championship, Lappen stopped just short of a confirmation.

"I think it's definitely title-worthy."

 

[Shogun Locc]

CBS Exec on Early Ratings: 'Terrific'

EliteXC’s event Saturday on CBS was watched by 4.31 million viewers, according to initial ratings provided to Sherdog.com by CBS Primetime Senior Executive Vice President Kelly Kahl.

“In total viewers, we matched our first event in May and the male demos look like they were top-rated for the night," Kahl said. "Given the extreme competition from college football and Major League Baseball playoffs, we think it's a terrific performance.”

According to Kahl, CBS EliteXC Saturday Night Fights from 9:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. was first in several demographics, including men 18 to 34 (2.5/09) and men 18 to 49 (2.5/08), and third in households and viewers.

Kahl noted that the rankings among networks are subject to change due to live programming on ABC, but he also noted that the final 20 minutes of the EliteXC event -- which ran to approximately 11:20 -- are not included in the initial ratings averages. Those final 20 minutes, which featured Kimbo Slice’s loss to Seth Petruzelli, should improve EliteXC’s ratings.

Overall, the final ratings for Saturday’s event are expected to be down slightly from the first CBS-EliteXC event on May 31 but up dramatically from the second show on July 26.

 

[Shogun Locc]

HIOKI DEFENDS, THOMAS EARNS NEW TITLE AT TKO

Hatsu Hioki successfully defended his TKO featherweight championship on Friday night, as he submitted Thierry Quenneville with a triangle choke. TKO newcomer Noah Thomas, meanwhile, captured the promotion’s bantamweight title, utilizing a guillotine choke to submit Adrian Wooley.

-Hatsu Hioki def. Thierry Quenneville – Submission (Triangle Choke)

-Noah Thomas def. Adrian Wooley – Submission (Guillotine Choke)

-Steve Bosse def. Sebastien Gauthier – TKO (Punches)

-T.J. Grant def. Forrest Petz – Submission (Arm Triangle Choke)

-Sean Pierson def. Jacob MacDonald – Submission (Punches)

-Jordan Mein def. Jeff Harrison – TKO (Punches)

-Mike Ricci def. Reza Kamali – Submission (Rear Naked Choke)

-Daylin Logan def. Steve Alexopoulos – TKO (Punches)

-Remi Morvan def. Richard Ho – KO (Slam)

-Aaron Tregear def. Joel Powell – TKO (Punches)

-Rejean Groulx def. Greg Carpenter – Submission (Armbar)

-Yannick Galipeau def. Joseph Paquet – Submission (Rear Naked Choke)

-Josh Powell def. Harry Deley – TKO

(Results courtesy of TKOExtreme.com)

 

[Shogun Locc]

St. Pierre Snagged by CAA

While the fight world awaits confirmation of a rematch with UFC lightweight champion B.J. Penn on Jan. 31, Georges St. Pierre has signed on another dotted line.

St. Pierre, 26, has joined the ranks of Derek Jeter, LeBron James and Tony Hawk, as the UFC welterweight champion has been picked up by CAA Sports, a division of the Creative Artists Agency.

CAA Sports will work in conjunction with St. Pierre’s manager, Shari Spencer, to capitalize on licensing, sponsorship and endorsement opportunities, as well as film and television appearances. Spencer will continue to steer all aspects of the affable French-Canadian’s career, including his fight contracts.

CAA Sports represents over 350 athletes across a wide sports spectrum that includes basketball, football, skiing and surfing. St. Pierre appears to be its first high-profile MMA athlete signing. In 2007, the specialized division signed MMA apparel brand Tapout, whose founders are the subject of a reality TV series of the same name on the Versus channel.

One of the top three talent agencies in the U.S., CAA’s reach goes far beyond actors and athletes -- its corporate clientele includes Coca-Cola, Sprint, Mattel, eBay, and recent UFC sponsor Harley Davidson.

In an industry where client packaging is the norm, Spencer said she had no qualms bringing others onboard to work with St. Pierre.

“This relationship is a partnership in the truest sense of the word,” Spencer told Sherdog.com. “In terms of pure deal flow, we anticipate that the relationship with CAA will provide an accelerated access to opportunities that would take me, working alone, much longer to cultivate.”

St. Pierre follows in the footsteps of UFC heavyweight champion Randy Couture, who has benefited from relationships with The Gersh Agency and the Wasserman Media Group.

In late 2007, Couture signed a national endorsement deal with Everlast to become a spokesman for its MMA equipment line. The aspiring thespian also starred in the August DVD release of “The Scorpion King 2 – Rise of a Warrior” after mastering small roles in film and TV series, including CBS’s “The Unit.”

St. Pierre’s foray into acting will take a minor role to his fighting career, most likely with single-day shoots and other opportunities that don’t disrupt his training schedule, says Spencer.

“We’re just testing the waters with small parts and guest appearances to see if he likes it,” she says.

St. Pierre (17-2) defended his 170-pound title against Jon Fitch (17-2) in tour-de-force fashion last August at UFC 87 in Minneapolis, Minn. The St. Isadore native holds key victories over former champions Matt Hughes and Matt Serra, as well as a split decision nod over Penn at UFC 58 in March 2006.

St. Pierre’s second-round decimation of Serra at UFC 83 last April drew 21,930 fans to Montreal, shattering the sport’s previous North American record.

With St. Pierre’s contract near completion, Spencer went into renegotiations with Zuffa LLC, parent company of the UFC, this summer. Though she could not confirm her client’s status, St. Pierre is expected back in the Octagon to meet Penn a second time on Jan. 31.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Johnny Rees replaces Luke Cummo at UFC Fight Night 16

Johnny Rees (10-1 MMA, 0-1 UFC) has agreed to replace Luke Cummo and will fight Steve Bruno (11-4 MMA, 0-1 UFC) at the Dec. 10 "UFC Fight Night 16: UFC Fights For the Troops" event.

MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) learned of the change over the weekend from a source close to Rees. The bout was first reported by fiveouncesofpain.com.

The fight is expected to be finalized this week.

UFC Fight Night 16, which airs live on Spike TV and serves as a fundraiser for the Intrepid Fallen Heroes Fund, takes place in conjunction with the Fort Bragg military institution in North Carolina.

The reason for Cummo's departure for the card wasn't immediately known.

His replacement, Rees, was one of many newcomers who debuted with the UFC after the organization put together a July 19 'UFC: Silva vs. Irvin" card to counter Affliction Entertainment's debut pay-per-view event. Rees, who began his career with 10 consecutive victory fighting for the Indiana-based Legends of Fighting (where he was the organization's welterweight champ), suffered a first-round submission loss (via triangle choke) to fellow UFC rookie Nate Loughran in his UFC debut.

All of Rees' 10 victories have come via stoppage -- eight via submission.

Bruno, meanwhile, is also a one-fight UFC veteran looking for his first win in the UFC. The former SpiritMC champion and American Top Team fighter returned from an 16-month layoff in August and suffered a unanimous-decision loss to IFL veteran Chris Wilson at UFC 87. It was his first loss in five fights.

Like many of the UFC Fight Night 16 competitors, Bruno comes from a military background, having served as a Navy rescue swimmer.

 

[Shogun Locc]

The Ultimate Fighter tryouts locations announced for upcoming ‘U.S. vs U.K.’ season

Spike TV today announced additional details for the upcoming season of The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 9, which will feature a mix of middleweight and welterweight hopefuls who will compete for “six figure” UFC contracts in a tournament-style format.

Coaches for the “U.S. vs. U.K.” themed installment have not been decided; however, British middleweight contender and TUF 3 winner, Michael Bisping, is a leading candidate to land one of the two open positions.

In the meantime, tryouts for the mixed martial arts reality series will take place here in the United States and in London to determine the contestants.

Here are the details revealed earlier today for those interested:

London:

DATE: Monday, October 20, 2008
VENUE: Earls Court Exhibition Centre
LOCATION: Warwick Road, London, SW5 9TA
TELEPHONE: +44 (0)207 370 8539
REPORT TIME: Fighter registration begins at 9 AM GMT; Tryouts at 10 AM GMT.

Chicago:

DATE: Monday, October 27, 2008
VENUE: Crowne Plaza Chicago O’Hare Hotel
LOCATION: 5440 North River Road , Rosemont, IL 60018
TELEPHONE: 847-671-6350
REPORT TIME: Fighter registration begins at 9 AM CT; Tryouts at 10 AM CT.

These are open casting calls, meaning anyone who feels he is qualified to become one of the 32 contestants for the show is able to audition. The release indicates, however, contestants must be over 21 and able to compete at either 170 or 185 lbs.

UFC President Dana White, majority owners Lorenzo and Frank Fertitta, as will as Spike TV officials Craig Piligian, Brian J. Diamond and Christopher Martello will be in charge of selecting the latest MMA motley crew.

As in recent seasons, the final 32 fighters who make the cut will have to fight their way into the Ultimate Fighter house, which means that the field will essentially be reduced to 16 competitors right off the bat.

TUF 9 is expected to begin filming later this year and debut in the first quarter of 2009 on Spike TV. More details to follow.

 

[Shogun Locc]

MMA Quick Quote: Elite XCs Seth Petruzelli open to Kimbo Slice rematch

If he ever wanted a rematch, I would 100 percent give it to him.”

– Elite XC’s “Rocky Balboa” Seth Petruzelli mentioned at the Elite XC post-fight press conference that he would gladly grant Kimbo Slice a rematch if that’s what he and the organization wanted. “The Silverback” stepped up on literally hours notice to fight Slice in the main event at Elite XC: “Heat” over the weekend when Ken Shamrock pulled out because of a cut just before showtime. At this point the long anticipated match between Slice and undefeated Team Bison member Brett “The Grim” Rogers is probably out of the question … at least for the time being. Therefore, a rematch with Petruzelli could be the most logical next step in the Kimbo Slice MMA experiment. Petruzelli added that he would definitely come into a rematch at least 20 pounds heavier than the 205.5 pounds he weighed in at for last night’s bout. Who would have thought we’d ever see Kimbo vs. Seth Petruzelli I, let alone part II?

 

[Shogun Locc]

Nissen Osterneck tapped as new opponent for Jake Rosholt during Nov. 5 WEC event

A new opponent has been secured to take on former NCAA wrestling champion Jake Rosholt in his WEC debut on Nov. 5 in Hollywood, Fla. at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino.

Rosholt had been slated to face American Top Team jiu-jitsu black belt Danillo Villefort but will instead square off against 5-0 middleweight Nissen Osterneck.

FiveOuncesOfPain.com confirmed the news with multiple sources, including Rosholt’s manager and Team Takedown founder, Ted Ehrhardt.

Ehrhardt also confirmed to Five Ounces of Pain that Rosholt’s appearance with the WEC on Nov. 5 will be his first and last with the promotion. According to Ehrhardt, UFC Vice President of Talent Relations Joe Silva has informed Rosholt’s camp that he will be moved to the UFC’s middleweight division following his fight vs. Osterneck.

Rosholt, who was also a multi-NCAA All-American while wrestling at Oklahoma State, is 4-0 in his young martial mixed arts with all victories ending via TKO or submission.

For Osterneck, who competed on for Mark Cuban’s HDNet Fights during the promotions second-ever card last December, the fight will mark his WEC debut as well. He had been scheduled to fight for the promotion previously but was scratched from the card due to injury.

WEC 36, which had been scheduled to take place in September but was postponed due to Hurricane Ike, is scheduled to be headlined Urijah Faber defending the WEC featherweight title vs. number one contender Mike Thomas Brown. Other bouts include Paulo Filho defending his WEC middleweight title vs. Chael Sonnen, Jens Pulver vs. Leonard Garcia in a highly-anticipated featherweight bout, and Donald Cerrone vs. “Razor” Rob McCullough in which the winner will be named the number one contender to the WEC lightweight title currently held by Jamie Varner.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Big News! Satoshi Ishii Most Likely To MMA

couple of days ago Japanese newspaper Yomiuri Shimbun reported that Beijing 2008 gold medalist in Judo (+100 kg division) Satoshi Ishii will make his MMA debut on NYE. Yesterday at the Judo World Team Championships, Ishii denied this. However, today, All-Japan Judo Federation’s Kazuo Yoshimura told the media that Ishii told him yesterday night (after denying it) that he wants to enter MMA.
Ishii is only 21 years old, he just won a gold medal in the Olympics and he is a BJJ brown belt.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Jose Aldo: Dark Horse at 145lb

Jose Aldo doesn’t speak much English, and he’s only had one fight in the WEC. But the ferocious Brazilian is confident he can overcome the language barrier and win over American fight fans with his action-packed style.

“I think I'm very talented and determined and I can surely be as good as or better than Anderson Silva in the future,” the 22-year-old said through translator, John Tabor. “I am certain I have that potential and ability. I see myself as the future WEC champion.”

Scoff at those bold statements all you want. Dismiss them as the dreamy, far-fetched musings of a young athlete. Then search over the Internet and watch some of Aldo’s fights. It will become apparent that this ultra-intense fighter, who calls the “old” Mike Tyson his sports idol and owns a long scar across the left side of his face, is all business. Aldo spends every second inside the cage hunting and attacking his opponents, both standing and on the ground. He has trained for years in Brazilian jiu-jitsu with Nova Uniao, but has a strike-first mentality, preferring to keep the fight standing and to knock out opponents. With his long reach, the 5-foot-9 Aldo has very accurate punches and kicks and is always looking to finish. He is an intriguing prospect who could emerge as a top contender to WEC featherweight champ Urijah Faber.

“I have been practicing martial arts since I was 14, so I’ve been doing it for nine years,” said Aldo, who has amassed an 11-1 record. “I started practicing capoeira to defend myself from bullies. Then Marcio Pontes saw me practicing in the streets and decided to take me to try Jiu-Jitsu. I liked having a mat to jump around on, so I started going to the gym, where I then started learning Jiu-Jitsu. I was almost 15 then. I became a more confident and secure person. I used to get beaten up, even when I would play soccer I was always getting hit and getting into fights. But I never fought again after learning martial arts.”

Aldo was raised in Manaus, in the same Brazilian state where the Amazon rain forest is located. He started playing soccer at a young age and showed much promise, eventually playing in a semi-pro league. Yet friends and others kept telling him that his aggressive nature better suited him for a career in fighting. While many Brazilians practice jiu-jitsu and MMA, it is not yet a mainstream sport in the country, Aldo said. Nevertheless, Aldo abandoned his soccer career and set his sights on carving out a living as a fighter.

“I grew up poor, in the Alvorada low-income neighborhood,” he said. “The greatest obstacle I faced in my life was saving enough money to come to Rio de Janeiro, where I live now, to train and become a professional fighter. I worked with my father laying bricks. My father is a bricklayer. Having made the money to move to Rio was the most important thing I've done for my life. I look up to my parents, because they worked hard to bring me up, to teach me to be the person I am and they struggled a lot to give me all the opportunities I have had. I owe them a lot and love them more.

“I decided to fight MMA because that is what everyone who was doing Jiu-Jitsu at the time was doing. It was just a natural career move, it was the only career move for me other than to look for a normal job. My ultimate goal is to be the undisputed champion, with no one able to beat me.”

A number of obstacles are standing in Aldo’s way, beginning with Jonathan Brookins (8-2), his scheduled opponent on Nov. 5 in Hollywood, Fla. All of Brookins’ wins have come by KO, TKO, or submission.

“I respect him, but I'm going in there to win and will impose my style on him,” said Aldo, who annihilated highly-regarded Alexandre Franca Nogueira in his WEC debut.

Aldo said his one defeat – to fellow countryman Luciano Azevedo via rear-naked choke – taught him that he cannot afford a lapse in concentration during a fight. He also believes he had become too fixated on his stand-up arsenal and had come to take his ground fighting skills for granted, neglecting to practice his jiu-jitsu as much as he should have leading up to the loss. Aldo believes the setback to Azevedo has made him a much better fighter, and he knows he’ll need to bring his A-game if he wants to conquer a division stacked with elite contenders such as Leonard Garcia, Jens Pulver and up-and-coming knockout artist Josh Grispi. If he can rise above the rest, he could be destined for a crack at the WEC title and Faber, one of the top pound-for-pound fighters.

“I have great impressions of him,” Aldo said of Faber. “I think he is a really great fighter, a really great guy. I think us fighting would be a classic fight, a great spectacle. I would love to be able to participate in such a fight.”

 

[Shogun Locc]

Overeem talking to the UFC?

Dutch heavyweight Alistair Overeem has dropped a hint that a move to UFC may be on the cards.

Speaking to Fighters Only earlier, Overeem was asked if he would like to fight for the organisation if the right deal could be struck.

"Of course. My management is working on some deals in the US right now," he replied.

"But I would like to add that I have been treated very well by Strikeforce," he added, referring to the Californian organisation whose heavyweight title he holds.

"There is nothing confirmed as of now about my next fight for Strikeforce, but there should soon be more information on this."

Overeem recently fought bitter rival Mirko CroCop at DREAM 6 in Japan, but the bout was declared a no-contest after several low blows from the Dutchman.

However, he is keen for a rematch and says that negotiations are currently taking place for a second fight on New Year's Eve.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Slice, Arlovski Net $500K for ‘Heat’

It pays to take a chance sometimes.

A last-minute gamble pocketed Seth Petruzelli $50,000 for his 14-second demolition of Kevin "Kimbo Slice" Ferguson Saturday at EliteXC “Heat” at the BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise, Fla., according to numbers released to Sherdog.com by the Florida State Boxing Commission.

The pink-haired Floridian was set to face Aaron Rosa in a light heavyweight preliminary bout that evening before EliteXC officials approached Petruzelli (10-4) with the offer to replace a medically suspended Ken Shamrock in the heavyweight main event, which aired live on CBS. Petruzelli’s earnings included a $15,000 win bonus.

Slice took in $500,000 to help ease the first blemish of his short but explosive career. Slice (3-1) missed out on a $100,000 win bonus.

Heavyweight Andrei Arlovski (14-5) also netted $500,000 for his second-round shellacking of former International Fight League champion Roy Nelson (13-3), who was paid $80,000. Both fighters were compensated by Affliction Entertainment, which co-promoted the bout with EliteXC, and did not have reported win bonuses.

EliteXC welterweight kingpin Jake Shields (22-4-1) earned $50,000 ($40,000/$10,000 win bonus) for his successful first title defense against British bomber Paul Daley (18-7-2), who took in $12,000.

Female MMA’s brightest star, Gina Carano (7-0), took home $25,000 ($15,000/$10,000 bonus) for her rousing three-round unanimous decision over the game Kelly Kobold (16-3-1) in their 140-pound contest. Kobold earned $6,000.

Middleweights Benji Radach and Murilo "Ninja" Rua opened the live CBS event with a bang, with Radach (19-4) finishing the former EliteXC champion in the second round via ground strikes. Radach garnered $30,000 ($15,000/$15,000 win bonus) for his efforts, while the fallen Pride attraction Rua (16-9-1) earned $35,000.

Other EliteXC payouts included:
Cristiane “Cyborg” Santos -- $4,000/$4,000 win bonus
Yoko Takahashi -- $2,000
Conor Heun -- $2,500/$2,500 win bonus
James Edson Berto -- $6,000
Mikey Gomez -- $2,000/$2,000 win bonus
Lorenzo Borgomeo -- $1,500
David Gomez -- $1,000
Bryan Hamade -- $500/$500 win bonus
Jorge Boechat -- $1,000
Nicolae Cury -- $750/$750 win bonus

 

[WXS STOMP3R]

DOES ANYBODY HAVE THE FOOTAGE OR PICS OF GINA CARANO'S TOWEL FALLING DURING THE WEIGH INS AND SHE WAS NAKED???