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BISPING TALKS TUF, NAMES COACHES FOR SEASON 9
It was a natural fit, with the announcement that the ninth season of "The Ultimate Fighter" would pit the U.S. vs. the U.K., that British fighter Michael "The Count" Bisping would get the call to be the coach of the England based team.
Now that the decision has been made, Bisping is already gearing up for Jan. 17 when he will watch Rich Franklin battle Dan Henderson for the other coaching spot on the show. Bisping is excited to get back to the place that helped build his own career and put the next batch of Ultimate Fighters on the right track.
"When I found out I was going to be a coach, I was very excited. I know I'm going to have a good time. I'm going to enjoy it," Bisping said in an exclusive interview with MMAWeekly Radio. "I think it's going to help me out as a fighter. I enjoy coaching. It's going to help my career, so everything's good. I can't see any negative aspects to it."
While Bisping is genuinely excited to get the chance to coach the U.K. team, he has no plans of taking it easy on his home country fighters.
"I’m definitely planning on being a tough coach to be honest. I'm going to train these guys the way I train for a fight. The people are going to see I don't mess around. It's all business when I train for a fight, and that's the way I'm going to train these guys," he stated. "If anyone's coming on the show just to get a bit of airtime and be on TV, then they might as well not bother turning up. Because there's going to be a lot of six o'clock in the morning runs, and just a lot of hard work. Blood, sweat and tears, definitely."
During his appearance on the show, Bisping also disclosed the coaching staff that will accompany him to the show to help bring along the new fighters that will make up the team.
"It was pretty much a no brainer to be honest. The Wolfslair coaches do a fantastic job with me, so you know I've got to pay homage to the Wolfslair, and I'm respecting my coaches," he said.
"So on the grappling side of things I'll be bringing in Mario Sukata, who is my jiu-jitsu and my wrestling coach. Fantastic coach, he's a bit of a legend in Brazil, so he'll be doing that side of things, and Dave Jackson, who's a Thai boxing coach, he'll be coming out there and helping out with the striking side of things."
The former Ultimate Fighter season 3 winner also plans on inviting some of the fighters from around the United States to come in and help out as well.
"I've got a lot of friends out in the States who might be stopping by from time to time, coming in and offering their experiences," Bisping commented.
While no date has been set for the newest season of The Ultimate Fighter to debut, Bisping is expecting the filming to begin just after Rich Franklin fights Dan Henderson on Jan. 17 in Dublin.
"I haven't actually got an exact day of when I'll be traveling, but I know it's around the end of January," Bisping said. "So Jan. 17 in Dublin, (then) I'll probably go home, pack some things, throw some stuff in the suitcase, and then yeah probably straight in out to Vegas, probably within a week."
It was a natural fit, with the announcement that the ninth season of "The Ultimate Fighter" would pit the U.S. vs. the U.K., that British fighter Michael "The Count" Bisping would get the call to be the coach of the England based team.
Now that the decision has been made, Bisping is already gearing up for Jan. 17 when he will watch Rich Franklin battle Dan Henderson for the other coaching spot on the show. Bisping is excited to get back to the place that helped build his own career and put the next batch of Ultimate Fighters on the right track.
"When I found out I was going to be a coach, I was very excited. I know I'm going to have a good time. I'm going to enjoy it," Bisping said in an exclusive interview with MMAWeekly Radio. "I think it's going to help me out as a fighter. I enjoy coaching. It's going to help my career, so everything's good. I can't see any negative aspects to it."
While Bisping is genuinely excited to get the chance to coach the U.K. team, he has no plans of taking it easy on his home country fighters.
"I’m definitely planning on being a tough coach to be honest. I'm going to train these guys the way I train for a fight. The people are going to see I don't mess around. It's all business when I train for a fight, and that's the way I'm going to train these guys," he stated. "If anyone's coming on the show just to get a bit of airtime and be on TV, then they might as well not bother turning up. Because there's going to be a lot of six o'clock in the morning runs, and just a lot of hard work. Blood, sweat and tears, definitely."
During his appearance on the show, Bisping also disclosed the coaching staff that will accompany him to the show to help bring along the new fighters that will make up the team.
"It was pretty much a no brainer to be honest. The Wolfslair coaches do a fantastic job with me, so you know I've got to pay homage to the Wolfslair, and I'm respecting my coaches," he said.
"So on the grappling side of things I'll be bringing in Mario Sukata, who is my jiu-jitsu and my wrestling coach. Fantastic coach, he's a bit of a legend in Brazil, so he'll be doing that side of things, and Dave Jackson, who's a Thai boxing coach, he'll be coming out there and helping out with the striking side of things."
The former Ultimate Fighter season 3 winner also plans on inviting some of the fighters from around the United States to come in and help out as well.
"I've got a lot of friends out in the States who might be stopping by from time to time, coming in and offering their experiences," Bisping commented.
While no date has been set for the newest season of The Ultimate Fighter to debut, Bisping is expecting the filming to begin just after Rich Franklin fights Dan Henderson on Jan. 17 in Dublin.
"I haven't actually got an exact day of when I'll be traveling, but I know it's around the end of January," Bisping said. "So Jan. 17 in Dublin, (then) I'll probably go home, pack some things, throw some stuff in the suitcase, and then yeah probably straight in out to Vegas, probably within a week."
JAKE SHIELDS OPEN TO ELITE, BUT WANTS UFC & GSP
Top ranked welterweight Jake Shields is tired of waiting and wondering. He wants job stability, and more importantly, to establish himself as the world’s best.
“I’m just sick of not knowing when I'm going to fight,” he told MMAWeekly.com.
In recent months, Shields has had anything but stability. Since the financial woes of ProElite virtually closed the organization and put a lock down on communications with its fighters, Shields has been in the dark about his future.
“No one really knows what’s going on,” he said. “I keep hearing they’re coming back in a couple of days, but I’ve been hearing that for weeks though, so it’s getting a little bit frustrating.”
To keep himself busy, Shields has focused on a gym he recently opened in Berkeley, Calif., a block from the University of California campus. He’s training every day, waiting for a conclusion to the saga that’s placed him in limbo.
Shields’ search for stability and top competition has led him, unsurprisingly, to the UFC’s door. Though UFC president Dana White has expressed interest in securing Shields, the organization has maintained it will not attempt to break existing contracts. At the moment, Shields says he’s “pretty much free” of his ProElite deal, yet serious negotiations with the UFC have not taken place.
“I feel like it’s been the top show for a while, and I feel like most of the competition at my weight is in the UFC,” he says of the Las Vegas based promotion. “The guys I need to fight, like GSP, B.J. Penn, Jon Fitch, Diego Sanchez.”
One option that Shields is not sold on is fighting in Japan. He spent three years of his career there fighting for the Shooto promotion, and that, combined with the experiences of friends and teammates like Nick Diaz and Gilbert Melendez, make him hesitant to make the trip again.
“It’s difficult doing business with Japan,” he said. “They’re really bad on last minute (fights), they’ll let you know (with) two weeks notice, they’ve been doing that forever. Everyone that fights over there talks about – even Pride, two, three weeks notice, and that’s just not enough time to train for a fight. That’s something I think the Japanese do on purpose against foreign fighters to try and get an edge. Stuff like that, and especially some of the shows have been paying people late. I would fight in Japan, but it would have to be a contract (with) more notice, and maybe some money up front.”
Should he fight for the UFC, Shields wants to avoid climbing the ranks. He's already fought for millions on CBS, and doesn’t want to toil in the relative obscurity of an undercard fight.
“I’d probably just stay on CBS than go fight on an undercard,” he said. “That would make no sense for me at this point. I would hope to step right up against a top fight. I’d love to fight somebody like Diego or Koscheck or one of their top guys for my first fight to show that I belong there.”
Shields says his goal is to have a UFC title shot by the end of 2009. He hasn’t lost sight of a bout with Georges St. Pierre, the man widely considered to be the world’s best at 170 pounds.
“I wouldn’t want the fights if I didn’t think I could win them,” Shields said of UFC competition. “I’m not saying I’m going to run through the guys, but I think I can beat them. I think there are going to be some really tough fights, but I see myself beating anyone out there right now.”
If EliteXC, or something resembling it, comes back on the MMA marketplace, Shields is open to fulfilling the remainder of his contract – but at a price.
“I’d be open to it,” he said. “But I think it would be time to re-negotiate.”
Top ranked welterweight Jake Shields is tired of waiting and wondering. He wants job stability, and more importantly, to establish himself as the world’s best.
“I’m just sick of not knowing when I'm going to fight,” he told MMAWeekly.com.
In recent months, Shields has had anything but stability. Since the financial woes of ProElite virtually closed the organization and put a lock down on communications with its fighters, Shields has been in the dark about his future.
“No one really knows what’s going on,” he said. “I keep hearing they’re coming back in a couple of days, but I’ve been hearing that for weeks though, so it’s getting a little bit frustrating.”
To keep himself busy, Shields has focused on a gym he recently opened in Berkeley, Calif., a block from the University of California campus. He’s training every day, waiting for a conclusion to the saga that’s placed him in limbo.
Shields’ search for stability and top competition has led him, unsurprisingly, to the UFC’s door. Though UFC president Dana White has expressed interest in securing Shields, the organization has maintained it will not attempt to break existing contracts. At the moment, Shields says he’s “pretty much free” of his ProElite deal, yet serious negotiations with the UFC have not taken place.
“I feel like it’s been the top show for a while, and I feel like most of the competition at my weight is in the UFC,” he says of the Las Vegas based promotion. “The guys I need to fight, like GSP, B.J. Penn, Jon Fitch, Diego Sanchez.”
One option that Shields is not sold on is fighting in Japan. He spent three years of his career there fighting for the Shooto promotion, and that, combined with the experiences of friends and teammates like Nick Diaz and Gilbert Melendez, make him hesitant to make the trip again.
“It’s difficult doing business with Japan,” he said. “They’re really bad on last minute (fights), they’ll let you know (with) two weeks notice, they’ve been doing that forever. Everyone that fights over there talks about – even Pride, two, three weeks notice, and that’s just not enough time to train for a fight. That’s something I think the Japanese do on purpose against foreign fighters to try and get an edge. Stuff like that, and especially some of the shows have been paying people late. I would fight in Japan, but it would have to be a contract (with) more notice, and maybe some money up front.”
Should he fight for the UFC, Shields wants to avoid climbing the ranks. He's already fought for millions on CBS, and doesn’t want to toil in the relative obscurity of an undercard fight.
“I’d probably just stay on CBS than go fight on an undercard,” he said. “That would make no sense for me at this point. I would hope to step right up against a top fight. I’d love to fight somebody like Diego or Koscheck or one of their top guys for my first fight to show that I belong there.”
Shields says his goal is to have a UFC title shot by the end of 2009. He hasn’t lost sight of a bout with Georges St. Pierre, the man widely considered to be the world’s best at 170 pounds.
“I wouldn’t want the fights if I didn’t think I could win them,” Shields said of UFC competition. “I’m not saying I’m going to run through the guys, but I think I can beat them. I think there are going to be some really tough fights, but I see myself beating anyone out there right now.”
If EliteXC, or something resembling it, comes back on the MMA marketplace, Shields is open to fulfilling the remainder of his contract – but at a price.
“I’d be open to it,” he said. “But I think it would be time to re-negotiate.”
GETTING TO KNOW UFC 92 FIGHTER MIKE WESSEL
Stepping up on short notice is never easy for any fighter, but with the success of guys like Tim Boetsch and Jim Miller, who have taken bouts with little time to prepare, the benefits can be plentiful. The latest fighter to take this task to heart is Arkansas based fighter Mike Wessel, who earlier this week stepped in to replace Mark Burch at UFC 92 against Antoni Hardonk.
MMAWeekly.com spoke to Wessel just a day after accepting the bout against Hardonk.
MMAWeekly: First off, how are you feeling getting this opportunity to fight in the UFC?
Mike Wessel: This is a really big deal for our gym and me. It has been a major goal to get to the UFC. But, now that this has been accomplished it is time to move on to my next goal... win! I am just thankful for this opportunity and that I have had guys like Roli (Delgado) and Matt (Hamilton) to train me.
MMAWeekly: Any hesitations on taking the fight on just one week's notice?
MW: No! You only get a handful of opportunities in life and this one is rare for most fighters. I train everyday like I have a fight coming because Matt and Roli have told me that this would happen like it has, if it was going to happen. So, I have stayed focused and worked hard. This is my only occupation so it is hard not to stay training full time.
MMAWeekly: Can you give us just a general background on how you got involved in MMA?
MW: I was the strength and conditioning coach for the (Arkansas) Razorbacks for two and a half years. About a year into it, I was getting bored. I love to compete. Competition was missing in my life at that time and I started to get out of hand with drinking and not staying healthy. I played football my whole life and I was always part of a team with goals. When I was coaching, I really didn’t have that feeling and needed it so that I did not become worthless. So, I started kickboxing with the team's coach and had success and felt that I could do this for a living. That’s when I met Matt and Roli and they have guided me the rest of the way. I have goals and a team again and that’s what I was missing in my life
MMAWeekly: Can you give us your thoughts on Antoni Hardonk as an opponent?
MW: Well, he kicks really hard. He is a great fighter and does not quit. I have watched some of his fights and he can look like he is down and out, but he fights through tough spots and wins. I respect his stand-up and BJJ but his heart is what I respect the most. This will be a slugfest from two guys that don’t quit till one is asleep.
MMAWeekly: Hardonk has devastating leg kicks and great stand-up, but you've got power as well... do you mind standing with him or would you prefer a ground fight?
MW: He is very well rounded. I love to stand and bang, but I am also comfortable on the ground, too. I guess we will see were it goes, but either is fine. I feel that he is very good at what he does and so am I. But who don’t like the big guys slugging it out? It’s a great match up and opportunity for me.
MMAWeekly: Will you go back and review any fight tape on Hardonk before the match-up next weekend?
MW: I already have. Even before I signed the contract I was scouting him. I guess that’s the old football coming out. But I try not to be concerned with what he does. It's what I do that will dictate this fight.
MMAWeekly: How helpful are your coaches and trainers in getting you ready on short notice like this?
MW: They have been telling me to stay in shape and keep training hard since an hour after my last fight (five months ago). I have just done what they have told me. But I love to train and condition. I can’t stand not coming to the gym for whatever reason. So I have stayed in shape and trained hard since August. I feel ready even with this short of a notice.
MMAWeekly: Any sponsors or training partners that you'd like to thank?
MW: I want to thank my wife Kelly, my mother Kandis, my grandfather Chris, my father Tom, my Aunt Joy, my sister Heather and the rest of my family, The We$t$ide MMA Team, Matt Hamilton, Roli Delgado, Boris Washington, Seth Klienbeck and family for all his help with keeping me healthy and taking care of me at all hours, and all my training partners for there support and help with everything I have done. They are all a major part of this.
I would also like to thank my sponsors. Aaron at Clinch Gear, Jimmy and the boys at Zen Factory, Combat Sports, Darby at Innovative Spine Rehab, Jason at Fitspin.com, Gladiator Mouth Guards, Insidefighting.com, The Rolfes Family at Celina Glass, and of course you guys at MMAWeekly.com.
I know this has been long, but I want to tell my Grandmother, who has severe cancer, that you are my favorite person in this world. I love you so much. Thank you for always being there for me. You are truly a great woman and someone that I hope I to be like. G-ma, you are an inspiration to me, and the strongest person I know. Keep fighting and being strong because you show everyone around you, especially me, to not give up and that fighting adversity is the only option. I love and thank you with everything that I am.
Stepping up on short notice is never easy for any fighter, but with the success of guys like Tim Boetsch and Jim Miller, who have taken bouts with little time to prepare, the benefits can be plentiful. The latest fighter to take this task to heart is Arkansas based fighter Mike Wessel, who earlier this week stepped in to replace Mark Burch at UFC 92 against Antoni Hardonk.
MMAWeekly.com spoke to Wessel just a day after accepting the bout against Hardonk.
MMAWeekly: First off, how are you feeling getting this opportunity to fight in the UFC?
Mike Wessel: This is a really big deal for our gym and me. It has been a major goal to get to the UFC. But, now that this has been accomplished it is time to move on to my next goal... win! I am just thankful for this opportunity and that I have had guys like Roli (Delgado) and Matt (Hamilton) to train me.
MMAWeekly: Any hesitations on taking the fight on just one week's notice?
MW: No! You only get a handful of opportunities in life and this one is rare for most fighters. I train everyday like I have a fight coming because Matt and Roli have told me that this would happen like it has, if it was going to happen. So, I have stayed focused and worked hard. This is my only occupation so it is hard not to stay training full time.
MMAWeekly: Can you give us just a general background on how you got involved in MMA?
MW: I was the strength and conditioning coach for the (Arkansas) Razorbacks for two and a half years. About a year into it, I was getting bored. I love to compete. Competition was missing in my life at that time and I started to get out of hand with drinking and not staying healthy. I played football my whole life and I was always part of a team with goals. When I was coaching, I really didn’t have that feeling and needed it so that I did not become worthless. So, I started kickboxing with the team's coach and had success and felt that I could do this for a living. That’s when I met Matt and Roli and they have guided me the rest of the way. I have goals and a team again and that’s what I was missing in my life
MMAWeekly: Can you give us your thoughts on Antoni Hardonk as an opponent?
MW: Well, he kicks really hard. He is a great fighter and does not quit. I have watched some of his fights and he can look like he is down and out, but he fights through tough spots and wins. I respect his stand-up and BJJ but his heart is what I respect the most. This will be a slugfest from two guys that don’t quit till one is asleep.
MMAWeekly: Hardonk has devastating leg kicks and great stand-up, but you've got power as well... do you mind standing with him or would you prefer a ground fight?
MW: He is very well rounded. I love to stand and bang, but I am also comfortable on the ground, too. I guess we will see were it goes, but either is fine. I feel that he is very good at what he does and so am I. But who don’t like the big guys slugging it out? It’s a great match up and opportunity for me.
MMAWeekly: Will you go back and review any fight tape on Hardonk before the match-up next weekend?
MW: I already have. Even before I signed the contract I was scouting him. I guess that’s the old football coming out. But I try not to be concerned with what he does. It's what I do that will dictate this fight.
MMAWeekly: How helpful are your coaches and trainers in getting you ready on short notice like this?
MW: They have been telling me to stay in shape and keep training hard since an hour after my last fight (five months ago). I have just done what they have told me. But I love to train and condition. I can’t stand not coming to the gym for whatever reason. So I have stayed in shape and trained hard since August. I feel ready even with this short of a notice.
MMAWeekly: Any sponsors or training partners that you'd like to thank?
MW: I want to thank my wife Kelly, my mother Kandis, my grandfather Chris, my father Tom, my Aunt Joy, my sister Heather and the rest of my family, The We$t$ide MMA Team, Matt Hamilton, Roli Delgado, Boris Washington, Seth Klienbeck and family for all his help with keeping me healthy and taking care of me at all hours, and all my training partners for there support and help with everything I have done. They are all a major part of this.
I would also like to thank my sponsors. Aaron at Clinch Gear, Jimmy and the boys at Zen Factory, Combat Sports, Darby at Innovative Spine Rehab, Jason at Fitspin.com, Gladiator Mouth Guards, Insidefighting.com, The Rolfes Family at Celina Glass, and of course you guys at MMAWeekly.com.
I know this has been long, but I want to tell my Grandmother, who has severe cancer, that you are my favorite person in this world. I love you so much. Thank you for always being there for me. You are truly a great woman and someone that I hope I to be like. G-ma, you are an inspiration to me, and the strongest person I know. Keep fighting and being strong because you show everyone around you, especially me, to not give up and that fighting adversity is the only option. I love and thank you with everything that I am.
Shane Carwin next fight against Gabriel Gonzaga at UFC 96 possible March 7
Undefeated heavyweight specimen Shane Carwin (10-0) could face his toughest test to date when he collides with former division number one contender Gabriel Gonzaga (10-3) at UFC 96, which is scheduled for the Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio, on March 7, according to a recent FiveOuncesOfPain.com report.
Carwin — who gives current UFC Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar a run for his money in terms of sheer size and athleticism — is among the promotion’s brightest young stars (even though he’s almost 34 years old). In fact, mixed martial arts legend Randy Couture secured his services as a training partner leading in to his fight against Lesnar at UFC 91 last month.
He is a three-time All-American in wrestling and a two-time All-American in football out of Western State College in Gunnison, Colorado. Carwin has thus far lived up to the tremendous hype since his inaugural appearance for the promotion, during which he finished Christian Wellisch with a punch just 44 seconds into their encounter at UFC 84: “Ill Will” in May.
The enormous Ron Waterman disciple has not made it into the second round of any (10) of his professional mixed martial arts fights. In fact, Carwin fights have AVERAGED just one minute each. Insanity. He is coming off a 91-second destruction of the previously unbeaten Neil Wain at UFC 89 back in October.
Gonzaga is currently on a two-fight win streak after enduring back-to-back losses to top division players Couture and Fabricio Werdum. He submitted Justin McCully with a first round kimura at UFC 86: “Jackson vs. Griffin” in July and then crushed an overmatched Josh Hendricks at UFC 91 with a first round knockout.
With four straight wins to begin his career inside the Octagon, including a sensational (and at the time unlikely) knockout of Mirko Cro Cop with a headkick, “Napao” appears to be once again relevant in heavyweight title contender picture. The Brazilian will now look to string together three straight wins to secure a place near the top in 2009.
And a win over a highly touted prospect like Shane Carwin would do just that. The same goes for Carwin — defeating a veteran and former number one contender like Gonzaga would serve as springboard to launch him into the next phase of his promising career.
Undefeated heavyweight specimen Shane Carwin (10-0) could face his toughest test to date when he collides with former division number one contender Gabriel Gonzaga (10-3) at UFC 96, which is scheduled for the Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio, on March 7, according to a recent FiveOuncesOfPain.com report.
Carwin — who gives current UFC Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar a run for his money in terms of sheer size and athleticism — is among the promotion’s brightest young stars (even though he’s almost 34 years old). In fact, mixed martial arts legend Randy Couture secured his services as a training partner leading in to his fight against Lesnar at UFC 91 last month.
He is a three-time All-American in wrestling and a two-time All-American in football out of Western State College in Gunnison, Colorado. Carwin has thus far lived up to the tremendous hype since his inaugural appearance for the promotion, during which he finished Christian Wellisch with a punch just 44 seconds into their encounter at UFC 84: “Ill Will” in May.
The enormous Ron Waterman disciple has not made it into the second round of any (10) of his professional mixed martial arts fights. In fact, Carwin fights have AVERAGED just one minute each. Insanity. He is coming off a 91-second destruction of the previously unbeaten Neil Wain at UFC 89 back in October.
Gonzaga is currently on a two-fight win streak after enduring back-to-back losses to top division players Couture and Fabricio Werdum. He submitted Justin McCully with a first round kimura at UFC 86: “Jackson vs. Griffin” in July and then crushed an overmatched Josh Hendricks at UFC 91 with a first round knockout.
With four straight wins to begin his career inside the Octagon, including a sensational (and at the time unlikely) knockout of Mirko Cro Cop with a headkick, “Napao” appears to be once again relevant in heavyweight title contender picture. The Brazilian will now look to string together three straight wins to secure a place near the top in 2009.
And a win over a highly touted prospect like Shane Carwin would do just that. The same goes for Carwin — defeating a veteran and former number one contender like Gonzaga would serve as springboard to launch him into the next phase of his promising career.
Chuck Liddell wants to rematch Keith Jardine at UFC 96 on March 7
Former UFC light heavyweight champion Chuck Liddell is calling for a rematch against Keith Jardine at UFC 96 at the Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio, on March 7, according to a recent radio interview on The Tom Leykis Show.
Here’s a snip:
“There’s been a few names. We have Jardine listed. We want him in March.”
“The Dean of Mean” upset the “Iceman” at UFC 76: “Knockout” in September 2007. He beat the 38-year-old to the punch and strafed him with leg kicks en route to a unanimous decision win.
Liddell rebounded to defeat Wanderlei Silva in a thrilling three-round war at UFC 79: “Nemesis” in December 2007. However, he could not capitalize on the momentum and was most recently on the wrong end of a vicious knockout at UFC 88: “Breakthrough” courtesy of Rashad Evans.
His rumored fourth match up with Randy Couture appears to be all but dead. And another speculative showdown against UFC Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva also appears to have been sunk.
If he gets his wish to rematch Jardine it would be a great opportunity to avenge a loss and get back on track in 2009 before putting a ribbon on his illustrious career.
Jardine most recently locked horns with Brandon Vera at UFC 89: “Leben vs. Bisping” on October 18, winning an underwhelming unanimous decision. He rebounded from a crushing knockout loss to Wanderlei Silva at UFC 84: “Ill Will” back in May.
The “Dean of Mean” also boasts recent wins over Liddell and Forrest Griffin.
At this point a rematch with Liddell could be dangerous one for his career — Liddell has lost three of his last four fights and he’s no longer the same fighter who dominated the division for two years up until 2007.
Nonetheless, he still possesses the ability to win fights with just one punch.
Liddell is still a huge draw and a very popular fighter who is very capable of putting on a great show. It has the potential to be a big money match for both fighters, which could override any reservations from the Jardine camp.
UFC 96 is currently officially unannounced and does not have a main event. It will once again coincide with the Arnold EXPO — the largest health and fitness expo in the nation — for its annual convention.
Former UFC light heavyweight champion Chuck Liddell is calling for a rematch against Keith Jardine at UFC 96 at the Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio, on March 7, according to a recent radio interview on The Tom Leykis Show.
Here’s a snip:
“There’s been a few names. We have Jardine listed. We want him in March.”
“The Dean of Mean” upset the “Iceman” at UFC 76: “Knockout” in September 2007. He beat the 38-year-old to the punch and strafed him with leg kicks en route to a unanimous decision win.
Liddell rebounded to defeat Wanderlei Silva in a thrilling three-round war at UFC 79: “Nemesis” in December 2007. However, he could not capitalize on the momentum and was most recently on the wrong end of a vicious knockout at UFC 88: “Breakthrough” courtesy of Rashad Evans.
His rumored fourth match up with Randy Couture appears to be all but dead. And another speculative showdown against UFC Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva also appears to have been sunk.
If he gets his wish to rematch Jardine it would be a great opportunity to avenge a loss and get back on track in 2009 before putting a ribbon on his illustrious career.
Jardine most recently locked horns with Brandon Vera at UFC 89: “Leben vs. Bisping” on October 18, winning an underwhelming unanimous decision. He rebounded from a crushing knockout loss to Wanderlei Silva at UFC 84: “Ill Will” back in May.
The “Dean of Mean” also boasts recent wins over Liddell and Forrest Griffin.
At this point a rematch with Liddell could be dangerous one for his career — Liddell has lost three of his last four fights and he’s no longer the same fighter who dominated the division for two years up until 2007.
Nonetheless, he still possesses the ability to win fights with just one punch.
Liddell is still a huge draw and a very popular fighter who is very capable of putting on a great show. It has the potential to be a big money match for both fighters, which could override any reservations from the Jardine camp.
UFC 96 is currently officially unannounced and does not have a main event. It will once again coincide with the Arnold EXPO — the largest health and fitness expo in the nation — for its annual convention.
While the identity of ProElite’s potential buyer remains a mystery, new details come to the forefront
In attempting to uncover the identity of the company that has allegedly recorded a successful bid for the assets of ProElite, FiveOuncesOfPain.com has uncovered myriad new details.
According to sources, several members of the MMA media had been informed that Scott Coker and his San Jose-based Strikeforce promotion were in the process of closing a deal to complete the ProElite acquisition. This information contradicts what this website originally reported on Thursday.
However, Five Ounces of Pain stands by its original reporting which stated that Strikeforce’s bid was not successful. Sources informed us last weekend that Strikeforce’s bid was only believed to be 20-25% of the approximate $9.5 million (a correction from our original report of $9 million) asking price for ProElite. Soon after submitting the bid, Strikeforce did not receive any communication from ProElite.
Additional sources now claim that Strikeforce officials had resumed communications with ProElite earlier this week but that they were informed they were $1 million short of the highest bid received. The identity of the high bidder was not revealed and it’s uncertain whether it was a ploy to get Strikeforce to increase its bid.
Five Ounces of Pain has also been informed that CBS is apparently pushing for ProElite to sell its assets to Strikeforce. The network has aspirations of televising MMA again and executives from both CBS and Showtime hold the promotion in high regard. Furthermore, Coker is believed to be backed by the same ownership of the HP Pavilion in San Jose and the fact that he is backed by a reputable company is seen as a major plus. It is also believed that CBS’ blessing could go a long way towards closing a deal, as part of the $9.5 million asking price is the $6.5 million that is owed to the company by ProElite. With a suitable buyer, it is believed that CBS might be open to restructuring the term of the debt re-payment.
However, a source informed Five Ounces of Pain on Friday night that Coker has told friends that he is on vacation, making it unlikely that he is in the midst of closing a major acquisition unless he is not being forthright.
The identity of the company with the winning bid still remains unclear. Five Ounces of Pain had originally reported that a group led by Terry Trebilcock was considered the leading candidate. However, a single source informed us Friday night that it is believed that Trebilcock and his backers, a group of high-profile Native American casino owners, have pulled out of the bidding.
The source also expressed their belief that our reporting that a group led by Jeremy Lappen had placed an unsuccessful bid may not be entirely accurate. At this point in time, it cannot be ruled out that Lappen’s group does in fact have the highest bid. However, there are strong doubts as to whether a deal to acquire ProElite could be finalized by Lappen’s group as CBS may not want to work closely with such a prominent member of EliteXC’s former management team. Without CBS’ cooperation, it’s possible that any attempted deal to acquire ProElite could very easily collapse.
With the CBS contract structured so that a promotion could lose up to $1 million per show if they were unsuccessful in selling sponsorships, it is believed that the crown jewel of the ProElite acquisition is the one year remaining on the Showtime contract. Sources have revealed that the rights fee for a mixed martial arts event on Showtime is $800,000 and that with a responsible fighter budget, a promotion could make a significant amount of money per show.
While the identity of the winning remains unclear, so does the question of whether the promotion’s 70-plus fighter contracts are transferrable to a new owner. Five Ounces of Pain has talked to multiple lawyers and agents within the industry who have expressed varying opinions. The only reasonable conclusion that can be drawn at this time is that the matter is a gray area that only a court may be able to determine. However, it is believed that many managers and agents would decline to take their case to court if a suitable group takes over ProElite because it is their desire to have a viable alternative to the UFC for their fighters.
In attempting to uncover the identity of the company that has allegedly recorded a successful bid for the assets of ProElite, FiveOuncesOfPain.com has uncovered myriad new details.
According to sources, several members of the MMA media had been informed that Scott Coker and his San Jose-based Strikeforce promotion were in the process of closing a deal to complete the ProElite acquisition. This information contradicts what this website originally reported on Thursday.
However, Five Ounces of Pain stands by its original reporting which stated that Strikeforce’s bid was not successful. Sources informed us last weekend that Strikeforce’s bid was only believed to be 20-25% of the approximate $9.5 million (a correction from our original report of $9 million) asking price for ProElite. Soon after submitting the bid, Strikeforce did not receive any communication from ProElite.
Additional sources now claim that Strikeforce officials had resumed communications with ProElite earlier this week but that they were informed they were $1 million short of the highest bid received. The identity of the high bidder was not revealed and it’s uncertain whether it was a ploy to get Strikeforce to increase its bid.
Five Ounces of Pain has also been informed that CBS is apparently pushing for ProElite to sell its assets to Strikeforce. The network has aspirations of televising MMA again and executives from both CBS and Showtime hold the promotion in high regard. Furthermore, Coker is believed to be backed by the same ownership of the HP Pavilion in San Jose and the fact that he is backed by a reputable company is seen as a major plus. It is also believed that CBS’ blessing could go a long way towards closing a deal, as part of the $9.5 million asking price is the $6.5 million that is owed to the company by ProElite. With a suitable buyer, it is believed that CBS might be open to restructuring the term of the debt re-payment.
However, a source informed Five Ounces of Pain on Friday night that Coker has told friends that he is on vacation, making it unlikely that he is in the midst of closing a major acquisition unless he is not being forthright.
The identity of the company with the winning bid still remains unclear. Five Ounces of Pain had originally reported that a group led by Terry Trebilcock was considered the leading candidate. However, a single source informed us Friday night that it is believed that Trebilcock and his backers, a group of high-profile Native American casino owners, have pulled out of the bidding.
The source also expressed their belief that our reporting that a group led by Jeremy Lappen had placed an unsuccessful bid may not be entirely accurate. At this point in time, it cannot be ruled out that Lappen’s group does in fact have the highest bid. However, there are strong doubts as to whether a deal to acquire ProElite could be finalized by Lappen’s group as CBS may not want to work closely with such a prominent member of EliteXC’s former management team. Without CBS’ cooperation, it’s possible that any attempted deal to acquire ProElite could very easily collapse.
With the CBS contract structured so that a promotion could lose up to $1 million per show if they were unsuccessful in selling sponsorships, it is believed that the crown jewel of the ProElite acquisition is the one year remaining on the Showtime contract. Sources have revealed that the rights fee for a mixed martial arts event on Showtime is $800,000 and that with a responsible fighter budget, a promotion could make a significant amount of money per show.
While the identity of the winning remains unclear, so does the question of whether the promotion’s 70-plus fighter contracts are transferrable to a new owner. Five Ounces of Pain has talked to multiple lawyers and agents within the industry who have expressed varying opinions. The only reasonable conclusion that can be drawn at this time is that the matter is a gray area that only a court may be able to determine. However, it is believed that many managers and agents would decline to take their case to court if a suitable group takes over ProElite because it is their desire to have a viable alternative to the UFC for their fighters.
Arlovski, Shamrock and Melendez Featured on HDNet’s 'Inside MMA'
videolink:http://www.sherdog.com/videos/recen...d-Melendez-Featured-on-HDNets-Inside-MMA-1857
On this week’s HDNet “Inside MMA,” Bas Rutten and Kenny Rice were joined by Andrei Arlovski, Frank Shamrock and Gilbert Melendez.
videolink:http://www.sherdog.com/videos/recen...d-Melendez-Featured-on-HDNets-Inside-MMA-1857
On this week’s HDNet “Inside MMA,” Bas Rutten and Kenny Rice were joined by Andrei Arlovski, Frank Shamrock and Gilbert Melendez.
'Babalu' Talks Showdown with Sokoudjou
videolink: http://www.sherdog.com/videos/recent/Babalu-Talks-Showdown-with-Sokoudjou-1859
Renato Sobral sat down with Sherdog.com’s Loretta Hunt to chat about his clash with Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou at Affliction’s “Day of Reckoning.”
videolink: http://www.sherdog.com/videos/recent/Babalu-Talks-Showdown-with-Sokoudjou-1859
Renato Sobral sat down with Sherdog.com’s Loretta Hunt to chat about his clash with Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou at Affliction’s “Day of Reckoning.”
RYAN BADER NOT JUST A WRESTLER ANYMORE
Ryan "Darth" Bader made his professional mixed martial arts debut on March 31, 2007, and within a year's time the former Arizona State wrestling stand out had racked up a 7-0 record heading into The Ultimate Fighter season 8. With his technical knockout victory over Vinicius Magalhaes in the season finale to become The Ultimate Fighter, Bader showed he's not just a wrestler anymore.
"What I love about having that good wrestling base is that if I want to take him down, I can take him down if I'm losing on the feet. But, like the fight I had last Saturday, if I don't want to go to the ground, which I didn't, I can keep it from going there also. So, I just love having that wrestling aspect," Bader told MMAWeekly Radio. "It's one of the hardest things to learn. If you already come in there a well accomplished wrestler, the stand up and jiu-jitsu game is kind of, you know, it's still hard to learn, but it's a little easier than teaching that fifteen years of wrestling to somebody."
Heading into the bout with Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt, Magalhaes, Bader had no intentions on taking the fight to the ground. "The game plan was to keep it kind of in the center of the cage and just pop-shot him here and there and try and land my right hand," said the two-time Division I All-American wrestler. "That was the game plan and I went in there and it went exactly how we predicted. Everything worked out perfect on Saturday."
"The whole training camp we worked out with me not even going for takedowns. Like I would be in MMA sparring with fresh guys coming in and I just had it in my head that a takedown wasn't even in the cards," explained the Arizona Combat Sports trained light heavyweight. "Even if I was getting my butt kicked in the stand up game, I just had to take it. We were just training and conditioning my body and whatnot. I wasn't even thinking about it. That was the game plan, to stand up the whole time."
The game plan worked flawlessly with Bader landing a right hand that sent Magalhaes to the canvas where the 25-year old fighter finished with a series of hammer fists. "I felt that it hit pretty hard, and after the fight he told me that I hit him in the temple. My right hand is pretty heavy, and that overhand right just kind of glanced off his wrist and hit him in the temple," said Bader.
"Right when it hit I knew that I had him, if not knocked out, I had him hurt pretty good. And then I saw him fall and I got pretty excited. But that thing clicked in my brain that said, wait, he might be baiting you. Don't run in there. So, I just kind of tried to gorilla stance over him and and throw hammer fists," he continued. "I was just trying to throw as many punches as I could just to get the ref to stop it. He was curled up on the ground. I knew it was going to end at that point."
Bader plans to take three weeks off from training to let some injuries heal up before heading back into the gym. The Ultimate Fight 8 light heavyweight winner commented, "I'm going to take a good three weeks off from doing nothing because I had some injuries going into the fight that I just want to heal up...I was going to try to heal up so I'm 100% before I go back in there and go really hard."
Ryan "Darth" Bader made his professional mixed martial arts debut on March 31, 2007, and within a year's time the former Arizona State wrestling stand out had racked up a 7-0 record heading into The Ultimate Fighter season 8. With his technical knockout victory over Vinicius Magalhaes in the season finale to become The Ultimate Fighter, Bader showed he's not just a wrestler anymore.
"What I love about having that good wrestling base is that if I want to take him down, I can take him down if I'm losing on the feet. But, like the fight I had last Saturday, if I don't want to go to the ground, which I didn't, I can keep it from going there also. So, I just love having that wrestling aspect," Bader told MMAWeekly Radio. "It's one of the hardest things to learn. If you already come in there a well accomplished wrestler, the stand up and jiu-jitsu game is kind of, you know, it's still hard to learn, but it's a little easier than teaching that fifteen years of wrestling to somebody."
Heading into the bout with Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt, Magalhaes, Bader had no intentions on taking the fight to the ground. "The game plan was to keep it kind of in the center of the cage and just pop-shot him here and there and try and land my right hand," said the two-time Division I All-American wrestler. "That was the game plan and I went in there and it went exactly how we predicted. Everything worked out perfect on Saturday."
"The whole training camp we worked out with me not even going for takedowns. Like I would be in MMA sparring with fresh guys coming in and I just had it in my head that a takedown wasn't even in the cards," explained the Arizona Combat Sports trained light heavyweight. "Even if I was getting my butt kicked in the stand up game, I just had to take it. We were just training and conditioning my body and whatnot. I wasn't even thinking about it. That was the game plan, to stand up the whole time."
The game plan worked flawlessly with Bader landing a right hand that sent Magalhaes to the canvas where the 25-year old fighter finished with a series of hammer fists. "I felt that it hit pretty hard, and after the fight he told me that I hit him in the temple. My right hand is pretty heavy, and that overhand right just kind of glanced off his wrist and hit him in the temple," said Bader.
"Right when it hit I knew that I had him, if not knocked out, I had him hurt pretty good. And then I saw him fall and I got pretty excited. But that thing clicked in my brain that said, wait, he might be baiting you. Don't run in there. So, I just kind of tried to gorilla stance over him and and throw hammer fists," he continued. "I was just trying to throw as many punches as I could just to get the ref to stop it. He was curled up on the ground. I knew it was going to end at that point."
Bader plans to take three weeks off from training to let some injuries heal up before heading back into the gym. The Ultimate Fight 8 light heavyweight winner commented, "I'm going to take a good three weeks off from doing nothing because I had some injuries going into the fight that I just want to heal up...I was going to try to heal up so I'm 100% before I go back in there and go really hard."
YOSHIDA RECOVERING, PLANNING SPRING RETURN
Following a knockout loss to Josh Koscheck at the UFC "Fight for the Troops" show, Japanese judoka Yoshiyuki Yoshida was taken to the hospital and later released. MMAWeekly.com received word from Yoshida's camp on his condition and his plans for a return.
According to his management team, Yoshida was taken to the hospital after the fight for a CT scan, which showed no problem. At the time of his arrival for medical attention, Yoshida actually had no memory of fighting Koscheck, but about three hours later, upon his release, he began remembering entering the Octagon and throwing a left high kick at his opponent.
Yoshida also received a large cut on his left ear that required more than 20 stitches. The cut was result of a strike from Koscheck early in the fight.
The UFC provided Yoshida an extra day's stay in North Carolina, and he returned home to Japan on Dec. 12. He is now resting at home and will be heading back to the doctor to have an MRI done and other neurological exams for extra care.
"Please expect me to be much better in the next fight," Yoshida told MMAWeekly.com. "This loss is going to make me a stronger MMA fighter."
Yoshida is very anxious to get back in the cage and fight again, but his management and training team are shooting for him to be back in the UFC around April or May of 2009.
Following a knockout loss to Josh Koscheck at the UFC "Fight for the Troops" show, Japanese judoka Yoshiyuki Yoshida was taken to the hospital and later released. MMAWeekly.com received word from Yoshida's camp on his condition and his plans for a return.
According to his management team, Yoshida was taken to the hospital after the fight for a CT scan, which showed no problem. At the time of his arrival for medical attention, Yoshida actually had no memory of fighting Koscheck, but about three hours later, upon his release, he began remembering entering the Octagon and throwing a left high kick at his opponent.
Yoshida also received a large cut on his left ear that required more than 20 stitches. The cut was result of a strike from Koscheck early in the fight.
The UFC provided Yoshida an extra day's stay in North Carolina, and he returned home to Japan on Dec. 12. He is now resting at home and will be heading back to the doctor to have an MRI done and other neurological exams for extra care.
"Please expect me to be much better in the next fight," Yoshida told MMAWeekly.com. "This loss is going to make me a stronger MMA fighter."
Yoshida is very anxious to get back in the cage and fight again, but his management and training team are shooting for him to be back in the UFC around April or May of 2009.
BIG IN 2008, STRIKEFORCE PLANS TO EXPAND IN 2009
It has been a banner year for mixed martial arts. Viewership and popularity grew to record numbers, but that success was not without a cost.
While the Ultimate Fighting Championship soared above all others, 2008 saw the downfall of the International Fight League and apparently ProElite and its MMA promotion EliteXC.
Still, there were survivors, most notably California-based promotion Strikeforce, which achieved its highest levels of exposure and revenue since its inception two years ago.
“I think it was a very good year,” stated company Director of Communications Mike Afromowitz. “We did some positive things like expand into new markets, Denver and Seattle, and produced some solid shows there as well as the markets we’ve been to in the past. We had some new top competitors join our ranks and we’re looking to build upon that in 2009.
“I’d say in some ways we met expectations, and in some ways we exceeded them.”
One area in particular Afromowitz feels the company succeeded the most was in achieving airplay on a major television network.
“The launch of the NBC series I would say definitely was a big feather in our cap,” he commented. “To be able to put our product out on one of the major networks and have as many as 1.1 million viewers see a single episode in the time slot it’s in is a big thing.
“It’s really helped build our band, so I would say that was one of the biggest things we did.”
Next year Afromowitz hopes to expand the promotion’s presence on network television by providing live coverage in addition to the Saturday late night show.
“We can only hope that we’ll be given the opportunity to go primetime sooner than later,” he stated. “NBC has been very supportive of the product through their other platforms online and Universal HD.
“Things are going well in the TV business and we just need to build off it, and hopefully we’ll get the opportunity to do that. With more and more networks embracing MMA, hopefully we’ll have that opportunity to showcase that live on one of the major networks.”
Not only did Strikeforce provide content to NBC, but the promotion received exposure on Mark Cuban’s HDNet as well as appeared on major pay television on Showtime as part of a business deal the promotion had with the now in limbo ProElite company.
Afromowitz addressed the EliteXC debacle by saying, “It was a business relationship that stemmed from the Frank Shamrock situation, but we’ve always been independent.
“I think some people may have been confused because we co-promoted fights and thought we were under the same ownership. That’s incorrect. The confusion is understandable, but we’re independent from EliteXC, and we’re going to move on and do our thing in 2009.”
Not only did Strikeforce make its presence felt on network television, other media outlets took notice of the promotion, such as the G4 network.
“It was a great opportunity to promote the Playboy Mansion show, which is a unique property in and of itself,” commented Afromowitz. “Getting our fighters on there was the main thing and we’re really thankful G4 gave us back-to-back days of coverage.”
Having achieved many goals this year, Afromowitz stated what he feels the overall goal for 2009 will be for the company.
“I think building our viewership on TV is something we’re shooting for and working towards a primetime slot so we can really showcase our product to the masses and gain new fans,” he said.
“There’s always new fans to be made out there. I think it’s a great thing that more people have taken to the sport, and there’s always more that can be done there.”
Not to worry though, Afromowitz reiterated that while the company looks to expand in the coming year, they haven’t forgotten the people that have helped them succeed in today’s tumultuous fight game.
“We appreciate all the fan support,” he concluded. “The fans make the sport and it’s really great that they’ve been so supportive and helped out product grow. We appreciate it and we want to put on the best fights for them; the fights they want to see.”
It has been a banner year for mixed martial arts. Viewership and popularity grew to record numbers, but that success was not without a cost.
While the Ultimate Fighting Championship soared above all others, 2008 saw the downfall of the International Fight League and apparently ProElite and its MMA promotion EliteXC.
Still, there were survivors, most notably California-based promotion Strikeforce, which achieved its highest levels of exposure and revenue since its inception two years ago.
“I think it was a very good year,” stated company Director of Communications Mike Afromowitz. “We did some positive things like expand into new markets, Denver and Seattle, and produced some solid shows there as well as the markets we’ve been to in the past. We had some new top competitors join our ranks and we’re looking to build upon that in 2009.
“I’d say in some ways we met expectations, and in some ways we exceeded them.”
One area in particular Afromowitz feels the company succeeded the most was in achieving airplay on a major television network.
“The launch of the NBC series I would say definitely was a big feather in our cap,” he commented. “To be able to put our product out on one of the major networks and have as many as 1.1 million viewers see a single episode in the time slot it’s in is a big thing.
“It’s really helped build our band, so I would say that was one of the biggest things we did.”
Next year Afromowitz hopes to expand the promotion’s presence on network television by providing live coverage in addition to the Saturday late night show.
“We can only hope that we’ll be given the opportunity to go primetime sooner than later,” he stated. “NBC has been very supportive of the product through their other platforms online and Universal HD.
“Things are going well in the TV business and we just need to build off it, and hopefully we’ll get the opportunity to do that. With more and more networks embracing MMA, hopefully we’ll have that opportunity to showcase that live on one of the major networks.”
Not only did Strikeforce provide content to NBC, but the promotion received exposure on Mark Cuban’s HDNet as well as appeared on major pay television on Showtime as part of a business deal the promotion had with the now in limbo ProElite company.
Afromowitz addressed the EliteXC debacle by saying, “It was a business relationship that stemmed from the Frank Shamrock situation, but we’ve always been independent.
“I think some people may have been confused because we co-promoted fights and thought we were under the same ownership. That’s incorrect. The confusion is understandable, but we’re independent from EliteXC, and we’re going to move on and do our thing in 2009.”
Not only did Strikeforce make its presence felt on network television, other media outlets took notice of the promotion, such as the G4 network.
“It was a great opportunity to promote the Playboy Mansion show, which is a unique property in and of itself,” commented Afromowitz. “Getting our fighters on there was the main thing and we’re really thankful G4 gave us back-to-back days of coverage.”
Having achieved many goals this year, Afromowitz stated what he feels the overall goal for 2009 will be for the company.
“I think building our viewership on TV is something we’re shooting for and working towards a primetime slot so we can really showcase our product to the masses and gain new fans,” he said.
“There’s always new fans to be made out there. I think it’s a great thing that more people have taken to the sport, and there’s always more that can be done there.”
Not to worry though, Afromowitz reiterated that while the company looks to expand in the coming year, they haven’t forgotten the people that have helped them succeed in today’s tumultuous fight game.
“We appreciate all the fan support,” he concluded. “The fans make the sport and it’s really great that they’ve been so supportive and helped out product grow. We appreciate it and we want to put on the best fights for them; the fights they want to see.”
Brandon Vera close to signing new contract; next fight expected to come against Mike Patt at UFC 96
While UFC competitor Brandon Vera’s last contract re-negotiation turned into a nightmare that saw him remain idle for nearly a year, his latest contract re-negotiation appears to be a much smoother process.
Vera has just one more fight remaining under the terms of his current agreement but a source close to the situation revealed to FiveOuncesOfPain.com on Sunday that the Lloyd Irvin jiu-jitsu brown belt is in the process of finalizing a new deal.
Additionally, Vera’s next fight is set to take place at UFC 96 on Saturday, March 7 at the Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio. While an opponent has not been finalized, two separate sources close to the bout have informed Five Ounces of Pain that light heavyweight Mike Patt is expected to sign a bout agreement to face Vera.
Vera, 9-3, will look to rebound against Patt following a split decision loss to Keith Jardine at UFC 89 this past October. Prior to losing to Jardine, the former heavyweight competitor had recorded a unanimous decision victory over Reese Andy at UFC Fight Night 14 in July in his debut as a light heavyweight.
Patt, 12-3, made his UFC debut at UFC 88 this past September, losing to Tim Boetsch via first round TKO. A native of Dayton, Ohio, he will be given a chance to even his UFC record while competing in his home state.
Thus far the UFC has yet to officially announced any fights for UFC 96. However, Five Ounces of Pain was the first to break the news yesterday that former UFC heavyweight title challenger Gabriel Gonzaga will be taking on former two-time NCAA Division II wrestling champion Shane Carwin.
While UFC competitor Brandon Vera’s last contract re-negotiation turned into a nightmare that saw him remain idle for nearly a year, his latest contract re-negotiation appears to be a much smoother process.
Vera has just one more fight remaining under the terms of his current agreement but a source close to the situation revealed to FiveOuncesOfPain.com on Sunday that the Lloyd Irvin jiu-jitsu brown belt is in the process of finalizing a new deal.
Additionally, Vera’s next fight is set to take place at UFC 96 on Saturday, March 7 at the Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio. While an opponent has not been finalized, two separate sources close to the bout have informed Five Ounces of Pain that light heavyweight Mike Patt is expected to sign a bout agreement to face Vera.
Vera, 9-3, will look to rebound against Patt following a split decision loss to Keith Jardine at UFC 89 this past October. Prior to losing to Jardine, the former heavyweight competitor had recorded a unanimous decision victory over Reese Andy at UFC Fight Night 14 in July in his debut as a light heavyweight.
Patt, 12-3, made his UFC debut at UFC 88 this past September, losing to Tim Boetsch via first round TKO. A native of Dayton, Ohio, he will be given a chance to even his UFC record while competing in his home state.
Thus far the UFC has yet to officially announced any fights for UFC 96. However, Five Ounces of Pain was the first to break the news yesterday that former UFC heavyweight title challenger Gabriel Gonzaga will be taking on former two-time NCAA Division II wrestling champion Shane Carwin.
Atencio says Yvel cleared to fight by California commission
One of the more controversial fighters of the past decade is heavyweight Gilbert Yvel. Yvel is scheduled to face Josh Barnett in the co-main event at Affliction Entertainment’s “Day of Reckoning” PPV on January 24. The problem with signing Yvel is that he has had a multitude of licensing issues with the Nevada State Athletic Commission.
The VP of Affliction Entertainment, Tom Atencio, confirmed that Yvel can fight in California.
“Yvel has been cleared through the CSAC (California State Athletic Commission),” said Atencio.
It is commonplace that one state’s suspensions be adhered to by all states. While Yvel is not currently under suspension in Nevada, he has been denied a license for punching and kicking a referee during a 2004 fight.
“As of now, I have not received anything at all from Nevada concerning Yvel,” Atencio said.
WIth the Barnett vs. Yvel fight looking like it will go forward without a problem, the question remains if Yvel will be able to control his actions that have resulted in numerous disqualifications and problems in the past.
“He has promised to be a clean fighter,” said Atencio.
One of the more controversial fighters of the past decade is heavyweight Gilbert Yvel. Yvel is scheduled to face Josh Barnett in the co-main event at Affliction Entertainment’s “Day of Reckoning” PPV on January 24. The problem with signing Yvel is that he has had a multitude of licensing issues with the Nevada State Athletic Commission.
The VP of Affliction Entertainment, Tom Atencio, confirmed that Yvel can fight in California.
“Yvel has been cleared through the CSAC (California State Athletic Commission),” said Atencio.
It is commonplace that one state’s suspensions be adhered to by all states. While Yvel is not currently under suspension in Nevada, he has been denied a license for punching and kicking a referee during a 2004 fight.
“As of now, I have not received anything at all from Nevada concerning Yvel,” Atencio said.
WIth the Barnett vs. Yvel fight looking like it will go forward without a problem, the question remains if Yvel will be able to control his actions that have resulted in numerous disqualifications and problems in the past.
“He has promised to be a clean fighter,” said Atencio.
Report: Gold medalist Ishii accepts invitation to attend UFC 92
In recent months reports had circulated through the Japanese media that 2008 Olympic judo gold medalist Satoshi Ishii had abandoned hopes of trying to win a second gold in the 2012 Olympics in favor of pursuing a career in mixed martial arts.
After wavering whether he was going to leave Judo for MMA, Ishii finally made his decision to cross over and was heavily pursued by FEG’s DREAM promotion as well as World Victory Road’s Sengoku.
Based on his overwhelming popularity garnered through his impressive showing during the Beijing game, Ishii was viewed as the kind of superstar who could help Japan’s struggling MMA scene.
Reports would eventually surface that Ishii had agreed to sign with DREAM and make his MMA debut in 2009 following an appearance during FEG’s “Fields Dynamite!!” on December 31 in Saitama, Japan.
However, it appears that Ishii remains a free agent and has already stated that his desire is to make his MMA debut in the United States while competing for the UFC.
Now, according to a report by Nikkan Sports, UFC president Dana White has issued a response through the promotion’s Japanese PPV partner WOWOW in which he met Ishii’s comments with approval. Furthermore, the WOWOW statement attributed to White included a formal invitation for the standout Judoka to attend this week’s UFC 92 “Ultimate 2008” event in Las Vegas. Nikkan also is claiming that Ishii has accepted the invite and plans to be at the MGM Grand Garden Arena this Saturday.
In recent months reports had circulated through the Japanese media that 2008 Olympic judo gold medalist Satoshi Ishii had abandoned hopes of trying to win a second gold in the 2012 Olympics in favor of pursuing a career in mixed martial arts.
After wavering whether he was going to leave Judo for MMA, Ishii finally made his decision to cross over and was heavily pursued by FEG’s DREAM promotion as well as World Victory Road’s Sengoku.
Based on his overwhelming popularity garnered through his impressive showing during the Beijing game, Ishii was viewed as the kind of superstar who could help Japan’s struggling MMA scene.
Reports would eventually surface that Ishii had agreed to sign with DREAM and make his MMA debut in 2009 following an appearance during FEG’s “Fields Dynamite!!” on December 31 in Saitama, Japan.
However, it appears that Ishii remains a free agent and has already stated that his desire is to make his MMA debut in the United States while competing for the UFC.
Now, according to a report by Nikkan Sports, UFC president Dana White has issued a response through the promotion’s Japanese PPV partner WOWOW in which he met Ishii’s comments with approval. Furthermore, the WOWOW statement attributed to White included a formal invitation for the standout Judoka to attend this week’s UFC 92 “Ultimate 2008” event in Las Vegas. Nikkan also is claiming that Ishii has accepted the invite and plans to be at the MGM Grand Garden Arena this Saturday.
Affliction unwilling to speculate on 2009 schedule
Depending on who's talking, Affliction Entertainment's plan for 2009 could include anywhere from one to 16 events.
But after waiting six months from their debut show to promote the Jan. 24 "Day of Reckoning" in Anaheim, Calif., Affliction Vice President Tom Atencio said the organization's schedule for next year is still undecided.
"Right now I like to just look at each event as it comes," Atencio told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com). "I'll get past this one and I'll look towards the next."
The organization came immediately under fire in July when the star-studded "Banned" card was criticized for its huge fighter paydays, and questionable attendance and pay-per-view buy reports. Atencio believes that many may be unfairly assessing his organization.
"I just want to do what I do, and do it well -- be one of the best," Atencio said. "Everyone compares us to the UFC. Everybody says we're competing with the UFC. I'm not here to do that. I'm just here to put on events. That's it. If I can do that, I'm happy."
The general assumption regarding Affliction's initial efforts were that it came at a financial loss to the company. While Atencio will not divulge the profits and losses of his organization, the executive does believe the promotion has to make money in order to continue.
"I don't know anybody that wants to be in business and lose money," Atencio said. "I personally don't. And that's what it's all about ultimately, making money.
"So how long we can go and move forward if we're not profitable? I don't know. And that's why I don't want to take things lightly."
Affliction's partnership with Golden Boy Promotions continues to be another hot topic of debate. While his new partners will now go head-to-head on Jan. 24 with "Day of Reckoning" by promoting a pay-per-view boxing event a few miles away between Antonio Margarito and Shane Mosley, Atencio remains committed to the deal.
"Right now, and I say it time and time again, it's not a conflict right now," Atencio said. "I don't think boxing and MMA have really crossed over yet.
"Am I concerned about it? No. Are they my partners? Yes. Do I trust them? Yes. So at this point and juncture I'm not too worried about it."
Rather than focus on possibilities for next year, Atencio's full attention is on making "Day of Reckoning" the best event it can possibly be.
"I'm looking at it as a business, and it has to be a viable business," Atencio said. "So once we get past this one, I'll look at the next one.
"I don't want to speculate. I just want to work and be the best and I can be -- and work as hard as I possibly can."
Depending on who's talking, Affliction Entertainment's plan for 2009 could include anywhere from one to 16 events.
But after waiting six months from their debut show to promote the Jan. 24 "Day of Reckoning" in Anaheim, Calif., Affliction Vice President Tom Atencio said the organization's schedule for next year is still undecided.
"Right now I like to just look at each event as it comes," Atencio told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com). "I'll get past this one and I'll look towards the next."
The organization came immediately under fire in July when the star-studded "Banned" card was criticized for its huge fighter paydays, and questionable attendance and pay-per-view buy reports. Atencio believes that many may be unfairly assessing his organization.
"I just want to do what I do, and do it well -- be one of the best," Atencio said. "Everyone compares us to the UFC. Everybody says we're competing with the UFC. I'm not here to do that. I'm just here to put on events. That's it. If I can do that, I'm happy."
The general assumption regarding Affliction's initial efforts were that it came at a financial loss to the company. While Atencio will not divulge the profits and losses of his organization, the executive does believe the promotion has to make money in order to continue.
"I don't know anybody that wants to be in business and lose money," Atencio said. "I personally don't. And that's what it's all about ultimately, making money.
"So how long we can go and move forward if we're not profitable? I don't know. And that's why I don't want to take things lightly."
Affliction's partnership with Golden Boy Promotions continues to be another hot topic of debate. While his new partners will now go head-to-head on Jan. 24 with "Day of Reckoning" by promoting a pay-per-view boxing event a few miles away between Antonio Margarito and Shane Mosley, Atencio remains committed to the deal.
"Right now, and I say it time and time again, it's not a conflict right now," Atencio said. "I don't think boxing and MMA have really crossed over yet.
"Am I concerned about it? No. Are they my partners? Yes. Do I trust them? Yes. So at this point and juncture I'm not too worried about it."
Rather than focus on possibilities for next year, Atencio's full attention is on making "Day of Reckoning" the best event it can possibly be.
"I'm looking at it as a business, and it has to be a viable business," Atencio said. "So once we get past this one, I'll look at the next one.
"I don't want to speculate. I just want to work and be the best and I can be -- and work as hard as I possibly can."