MMA News Thread

[Shogun Locc]

Mike Massenzio: "It's not win or lose; it's live or die"

To say that Mike Massenzio has flown under the radar since his UFC debut would be one of the great understatements of the year. You might not anticipate that lack of attention when reviewing Massenzio's UFC debut against Drew McFedries or his lengthy list of accomplishments as a competitive wrestler.

While the lengthy resume -- which includes being named New Jersey state high school wrestling champion twice, national high school champion in 2001, and junior college national champion in 2004 -- is altogether impressive, Massenzio admittedly would trade them all in for a win against the man who gave him the one loss he was never given the opportunity to avenge.

During their first fateful meeting in the finals of the 2003 junior college national championships, Massenzio's younger opponent, C.B. Dollaway, would squeak out a win against his older and heavily favored foe. It was a loss of which Massenzio has never been able to shake the memory.

"The feeling is as fresh as if it happened yesterday," Massenzio told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com). "Especially because I never got a chance to face him again. My wrestling record was 142-10. Each one of those losses I was able to redeem except for the one to him."

He’ll get his long awaited shot at redemption for that one haunting loss this Saturday at "UFC 92: The Ultimate 2008" in Las Vegas when he squares off against the one that got away.

* * * *

MMAjunkie.com: A little background on the history the two of you share: You faced C.B. Dolloway in the 2003 junior college national championship title match. Dolloway won. The next year you're both at the nationals again, but Dolloway didn’t make it to the finals to face you again. Instead, you competed against the guy that beat Dolloway and win 11-3 to become the 2004 national champion. Is that accurate?

Mike Massenzio: That's about right. I was really looking forward to being able to try and get some get back for that loss like I'd done against everyone that had ever beat me before. I guess it wasn't meant to be until now. It's definitely Karma.

MMAjunkie.com: What was worse, losing to him the first time or not being able to get that chance for redemption?

Mike Massenzio: Honestly, I was devastated after that loss. It was the worst feeling I had ever had mostly because I knew he didn't beat me. I had made a stupid mistake and basically beat myself. I don't take anything away from him, that's what good wrestlers do. They capitalize on the mistakes of their opponents. But I know for a fact he isn't better than me, no way.

MMAjunkie.com: Since we're talking about Karma now, it seems the fates have aligned to give you another shot at Dolloway. What would it mean to you to get your retribution in this fight?

Mike Massenzio: It would definitely be the highlight of my career, not just because the revenge factor, but because he's got the spotlight. He was in the finals of "The Ultimate Fighter" last year, and he’s gotten a lot of publicity from it. To beat him would establish my presence in the UFC. I want to be the best, I want to be the champion.

MMAjunkie.com: Speaking of "The Ultimate Fighter" show, you were offered the opportunity to be on season seven, the same season as Dolloway, but you passed on the opportunity. It is surprising to some people, especially considering over 500 people showed up to the TUF tryouts in Chicago this year, that you would forego an opportunity to launch your career almost overnight. Can you explain what your thinking was when you chose to do that?

Mike Massenzio: There were a few reasons. I had just finished a tournament where I fought several times, and I had a few pretty hampering injuries so I know if I went in the house I would be at a disadvantage. Wow. I didn't know that many people had showed up to try out!

MMAjunkie.com: Injuries or no injuries, when an opportunity comes along like that, can you pass it up?

Mike Massenzio: Well since you ask, looking back I probably would have done it. But it doesn't matter anyway. Now I made it to the UFC. That's where I wanted to be.

MMAjunkie.com: The two of you have an almost identical history -- decorated wrestlers in high school, continued success in college, neither of you had any martial arts training before your decision to pursue MMA as a profession. Do you think this fight comes down to the emphasis in your respective training camps?

Mike Massenzio: We are the spitting image of each other in terms of our previous experience, although I was a year ahead of him. But think that actually works to my advantage. I have a year more experience than him on everything. My camp with Edson Carvalho has more of an emphasis on jiu-jitsu and I know AZCS (Arizona Combat Sports) has a real emphasis on striking. I know it's going to come down to who has the ability to dictate the fight from wherever it ends up.

MMAjunkie.com: Much has been made about that previous history the two of you have. How do you see the fight being different since is an MMA bout and not a wrestling match? And do the striking and submission aspects somehow give you an advantage since your last meeting was a wrestling match?

Mike Massenzio: I believe I'm better than him at every aspect of the game -- striking, jiu -jitsu, and standup. I never thought he was better than me even when he beat me in college, I think that's why I really want to beat him this time. That win in college was a fluke. I've got my chance now to make up for that mistake, and I get to punch him and kick him while I do it.

He's not going to be able to stand the pressure I plan to put on him. We're pretty close in experience, but I've got more heart. When I train, and when I fight, I don't think of it as a win or lose situation. I think of it as live or die, kill or be killed.

MMAjunkie.com: Is it true you never had any amateur MMA bouts before you turned pro?

Mike Massenzio: Never. I got out of college, trained for a while, and went straight to my first pro fight. I've been learning as I go though, and my record shows kind of a trend where I was getting by mostly on my athleticism. But as I got more and more experience in the cage you can see a lot of first-round submission wins. I think it shows my game has steadily improved. You can't be one-sided. I don't care how good you are at one aspect of the game. It took me a while to find myself in the cage and to get comfortable, but I know I'm there now.

MMAjunkie.com: Your UFC debut was not an easy fight on paper. You -- a newcomer -- against a guy with tons of experience like the heavy-handed bruiser, Drew McFedries. You made quick work of him, winning by submission in less than two minutes of the first round. Now you're facing the polar opposite of that in a wrestler who is as versed as you. How do you change up your training to accommodate a guy like Dollaway?

Mike Massenzio: I don't. I train for everyone the same way. I surround myself with the most talented guys to train with as possible. I train hard and always at the same level I fight at. I want to fight the best the UFC has to offer, and to be able to fight the best and beat the best you have to train against the best. I did add a lot of takedown defense and sprawl-and-brawl, and brought in a lot of top-level wrestlers to train with in preparation -- as well as the other aspects of my game. So no matter where the fight ends up, I'm prepared.

MMAjunkie.com: You said your parents were both great athletes growing up. Your dad was all-state in football and baseball and was an accomplished boxer, and your mom was all-state in track. You obviously got your athleticism from them, and you used that ability to get scholarships for wrestling. How do they feel about you pursuing mixed martial arts as a career?

Mike Massenzio: They were supportive. My parents are really great. The one thing they did say was if I was going to do this, don't do it halfway. If you're going to pursue this, you need to commit to it 100 percent. Do it all the way, or don't do it at all. They were like this in anything I competed in. I couldn't quit.

MMAjunkie.com: The smart money would be on this turning into a highly technical wrestling match. Knowing that's what your opponent is expecting, are you planning to try and keep the fight standing up? Or do you want to take him down?

Mike Massenzio: I would love to stand and bang with him, but if it goes to the ground I know my jiu-jitsu is better. He's lost twice to the same person (Amir Sadollah) with the same submission hold. While I know he's probably worked a lot to make sure that doesn't happen again, I still don't think he's ready for what I'm going to present for him with my jiu-jitsu and my standup ability.

MMAjunkie.com: So fast forward to today. It's five years after your wrestling match and the two of you are not only competing against each other again, but on arguably the biggest fight card in the UFC’s history. There are three fights that are arguably worthy of being a main event on their own. What do you think being given an opportunity like this says about you two and your ability as fighters?

Mike Massenzio: It's a big honor to be on the same card with guys like (Antonio Rodrigo) Noguiera and (Quinton) "Rampage" (Jackson). I think it speaks volumes to the opinion the UFC has of C.B. and I. I know the history we have most likely came into play when they made this fight part of the televised card. This is a business, after all. I'm just excited that I get a chance to face a high-level opponent, which is what I came to the UFC to do. And no matter what happens after Saturday, I can say that when the opportunity came along for my shot, I took it. I plan to put on a good show. The only thing else I can say to fans is simple: "Don't blink."

 

[Shogun Locc]

Pat Barry looks to make ‘mega-ridiculous statement’ in UFC debut

Hidden towards the bottom of one of the most stacked mixed martial arts cards to date, Pat “Get Hype” Barry will be looking to make more than just a little statement in his UFC debut to separate himself from the crowd and force the heavyweight division to take notice. Barry knows what a huge opportunity he will have in front of himself when he faces off with 10-3 Norwegian striker, Dan Evensen, and hopes to take full advantage of it.

There will be a limited number of ways to shine brightly on a card packed with stars this Saturday night at UFC 92 and one of them will be with a highlight reel knockout. Something Barry freely confesses he will be aiming for when he steps into the octagon for the very first time.

Entering the UFC, Barry will secure his spot as one of the heavyweight division’s most decorated and dangerous strikers. The New Orleans based fighter was a two time U.S. Open San Shou champion before he ended up moving to Holland to train full time with four time K-1 champion Ernesto Hoost in Amsterdam.

After making his own successful career in K-1 and competing for a short time in Chuck Norris’ World Combat League, Barry decided that it was time to transition his kickboxing to work for him in the more complete fighting world of mixed martial arts. The 29-year old heavyweight hooked up with Duke Roufus and UFC veteran Eric Schafer, making the crossover in May of 2008 and hasn’t looked back since.

Upon venturing into MMA, Barry has looked nothing short of spectacular. In just three months this year the 5′11″, 230 pound powerhouse reeled off three wins with all three victories coming by way of knockout. Now less than a year into his MMA career he is looking at a four fight contract with the UFC and the opportunity of a lifetime. An opportunity, he told FiveOuncesOfPain.com in an exclusive interview, he would be sure to take full advantage of.

With lightning in his fists and some of the most brutal kicks ever seen in mixed martial arts, Pat Barry will be a name that many will be sure to be talking about this coming Sunday morning.

Cory Brady: So where did you grow up and what was your childhood like?

Pat Barry: My parents used to open bilingual elementary schools around the world. I was born in New Orleans, Louisiana but I was raised in Bogota, Colombia until I was six. My parents had opened a school in Ecuador and they opened a school in Bogota and I stayed there until my father got sick with cancer and we moved back to the states before he passed away. After my dad passed away it was my myself, my younger brother, my older sister and my mom and we ended up staying in New Orleans up until now.

Cory Brady: So how did you end up hooking up with Ernesto Hoost?

Pat Barry: I was asked if I wanted to train some kickboxing in Amsterdam at Ernesto’s gym by a friend of mine that was in the U.N. He said he would sponsor me if I went out there to train so I went and I guess I did pretty good. I must have put on a pretty good showing because they eventually asked me to go in the back room to train with the superstar guys. Guys like Jerell Venetian and Gilbert Yvel were back there. It was the special training. When I started training there I would just pick Ernesto’s brains and just ask him a million questions. I would just never leave him alone until he eventually just agreed to be my friend. We got cool, we got really close. The more we got to know each other he saw that I had a lot of ability and liked my personality and eventually he asked me to train with him full time.

Cory Brady: You were already a pretty accomplished kickboxer by the time you went to train with Ernesto. What are some of the most valuable lessons you took away from training with him?

Pat Barry: One of the most important lessons I learned from training with Ernesto is that you can’t knock everybody out. All of my fights had been ending by knockout left and right. I know that was one of my first rude awakenings was having a sparring session with him that went past one or two rounds. He was the one that showed me that you have to be able to go the distance and that you need to have more than just the “knock the guy out” plan. Ernesto just knows everything about kickboxing. He’s been in the game for years and he’s done it all. I had to learn that there’s more to the game other than punching and kicking. There’s an emotional side that is attached to it as well. In order to be the best of the best there are a lot of sacrifices and a lot of dedication that goes into it. It’s not just going to practice and that’s it.

Cory Brady: I heard that you first started training professionally for kickboxing at the age of 21. What caused you to decide to start training kickboxing while you were a student at LSU?

Pat Barry: I was 23 when I. threw my first punch and a year into training is when I started fighting professionally. Ever since I was a kid all I’ve wanted to do was be a ninja. I was a ninja every Halloween and I used to collect swords and ninja stars growing up. I would play Street Fighter video games, watch Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and I was an absolute Jean Claude Van Damme fanatic. When I started kickboxing it was just a hobby for some exercise. The more I did it, the more I liked it and the more I liked it, the more I loved it. Then one day I accidentally knocked out the wrong guy and realized that I was really good at it.

Cory Brady: So you took part in the 2004 K-1 tryouts in Las Vegas. What was that like?

Pat Barry: My brother, my cousin and I got in a car and drove from New Orleans all the way to Las Vegas. We got to Las Vegas at like two minutes to twelve and twelve o’clock was the last tryout session. I jumped out of the car on the strip and ran all the way up the Bellagio parking lot which is like a mile while while I was barefoot, in my kickboxing shorts. I had never been to Vegas before so I had no idea where I was and I was running through all kinds of people. I was running over people left and right and just ran into the lobby screaming “Wait! Wait!”. Luckily, the people that knew what was going on pointed me in the right direction and I got in there at the last second. I ended up with the last tryout slot. I went in there and just out shined everybody. When it came to the personality, the boxing, the defense and the sparring, I out did everybody by far.

Cory Brady: What kind of different tests would they put you through?

Pat Barry: First they check your appearance and then they check your flexibility. Then they check your conditioning by having you run back and forth and all sorts of stuff like that. They want to check your boxing out where they have specific people hold the pads for you. They want to check your kicks and then they check your punch kick combinations. Then they would have us spar. You’re supposed to spar like seven guys and I sparred two and they told me not to worry about it. I kicked the first guy in the leg once and he didn’t want to do it anymore. He was like 6′5″ and 300 pounds. The second guy. I punched him in the head once with a left hook and he just collapsed on the ground. That’s how I ended up getting my initial K-1 fight with Scott Lighty.

Cory Brady: What caused the switch from kickboxing to mixed martial arts?

Pat Barry: It’s just the way that fight sports are evolving nowadays. I’m not saying that kickboxing is dying but MMA is just taking over the world at such a fast rate. If you want to call yourself a fighter then you have to be ready for any type of battle on any different terrain at any given time. I just think that mixed martial arts is the ultimate collaboration of all of the different martial arts styles. MMA is just really taking over. It’s everywhere now, everywhere you look. You can’t even go anywhere without seeing Chuck Liddell. It’s on the movies, the TV, the radio, the billboards, the commercials, it’s everywhere. You don’t see anything about kickboxing outside of MMA in the states.

Cory Brady: Are there any plans to return to kickboxing anytime soon?

Pat Barry: I’m pursuing MMA to the fullest. I’m not against kickboxing. I’m not going to turn it down if an opportunity comes around but that’s just not where my main focus is. I’ll still be a kickboxer. I’m just going to do it in the cage.

Cory Brady: So are you going to be looking to come out with a bang in your UFC debut?

Pat Barry: I just want to make a mega ridiculous statement in my very first fight. I want to let everyone know that I have arrived from the very first fight. People say that there are no elite level strikers in UFC’s heavyweight division. Guys just aren’t going for it anymore. A fight is a show and we have to keep the crowd happy. From what I see a lot of guys are neglecting their striking nowadays. Everybody has been focusing on their wrestling and jiu-jitsu. Which is awesome, I’ve actually been focusing on my wrestling and my jiu-jitsu more than my striking for this fight coming up, but people have been neglecting their striking a lot. Like I said, it’s a show for the fans and we have to keep the fans happy.

Cory Brady: How do you feel you match up with Dan Evensen?

Pat Barry: Dan Evensen poses a few problems for me because he’s taller, he’s heavier than me and he’s way more experienced than I am. I think that one of my advantages is that because of my height and my weight I can be underestimated. I’m 5′11″ and I weigh 230 pounds. Also, people underestimate me because they see my nice demeanor and that I’m just a real calm and relaxed guy so I think I have an advantage because I’m unknown.

Cory Brady: He seems like he likes to stand up in most of his fights. Do you expect him to stand and trade with you?

Pat Barry: They say he’s a striker and I say that everybody’s a striker until they get hit by a real striker and then they turn into wrestler’s really fast.

Cory Brady: So have you been focusing a lot on your takedown defense?

Pat Barry: Yeah, I’ve been focusing on a lot of takedown defense. I think he’s going to want to stand with me until I either hit him or throw something that misses him and it scares the [expletive] out of him. The majority of my training has been takedown defense and being able to get back to my feet.

Cory Brady: How do you see this fight unfolding?

Pat Barry: I keep envisioning the knockout of the night when I go to sleep at night. Like an awful career ending knockout.

Cory Brady: Where have you been training to get ready for Evensen?

Pat Barry: At Duke Roufus Academy in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Duke Roufus is my main coach and Eric Schafer is my jiu-jitsu coach.

Cory Brady: Do you see anyone in the UFC’s heavyweight division that could give you any problems standing right now?

Pat Barry: Antoni Hardonk is the only person that comes to mind. Antoni is by far the best striker in the UFC’s heavyweight division.

Cory Brady: Obviously your stand up is of the highest caliber so the question is, how’s the ground game been coming along?

Pat Barry: It has really come a long way. I’m kind of a mutant when it comes to picking up on things. I think it’s come really far for only having five months of any kind of ground training. I asked Eric where I stood right now and he said that I was comfortable on the ground with blue belts. So I’m getting stronger on the ground, my conditioning is getting better and I was told my instincts are really coming along.

Cory Brady: Anyone you’d really love to test yourself against in the UFC or just whoever they put you up against?

Pat Barry: You know everyone always says that they’ll fight anyone but that’s not really me. I want to be the best in the world so in order to be the best, you have to beat whoever the best is at that time whenever you get the opportunity. I’ll be honest with you, Brock Lesnar is probably the scariest man that I have ever seen.

Cory Brady: Thanks a lot and good luck in your UFC debut. Is there anyone you would like to thank before I let you go?

Pat Barry: Duke Roufus, Eric Schafer, Brian Butler, Sucker Punch Entertainment, TapouT and Gamma-O.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Two fights added to Dynamite 2008!!, Hari vs. Overeem still rumor

With the year ending FieLDS Dynamite!! 2008 just a week away, two additional bouts have been added to the now 16-fight-deep card.

Hayato "Mach" Sakurai (33-8-2) vs. Katsuyori Shibata (2-5-1) and Andy Ologun (1-1) vs. Yukio Sakaguchi (3-3) were announced on K-1's official website.

A rumored bout between Badr Hari and Alistair Overeem, recently announced as signed on Overeem's official website, has not yet been announced by the organization.

Sakurai, once considered among the world's elite fighters, went undefeated for the first 20 bouts of his career. Sakurai has gone 15-8 since that stretch ended in 2001, but he does hold notable wins over Mac Danzig, Joachim Hansen, Jens Pulver, Shinya Aoki, Dave Menne, Frank Trigg and Caol Uno.

The 12-year veteran has fought for DREAM, PRIDE, Shooto, DEEP and the UFC.

Shiabata is a veteran of DEEP, DREAM and K-1. After earning stoppage victories in the first two bouts of his career, the 29-year-old has been winless in his past six contests.

The Japanese product earned a draw in his most recent bout, has had dropped the previous five to Yoshihiro Akiyama, Jason "Mayhem" Miller, Min Suk Heo, Kazushi Sakuraba and Ralek Gracie.

In a bout with a distinctive Japanese flair, Ologun vs. Sakaguchi will be a bout between two siblings of stars.

Andy Ologun is the brother of the Nigerian-born, Japanese TV-personality Bobby Ologun. Andy Ologun earned a decision over Ken Kaneko in his 2006 debut, then lost via submission to Daisuke Nakamura at DREAM.5 earlier this year.

Yukio Sakaguchi is the brother of actor Kenji Sakaguchi. Yukio Sakaguchi is a Pancrase veteran, and is currently riding a two-fight win streak -- both wins coming by knockout.

The Sakaguchi brothers' father was a former Japanese heavyweight champion wrestler.

There are currently no deals in place to broadcast FieLDS Dynamite!! 2008 in the U.S., but a recent press release by the organization hinted at a possible live internet stream available for purchase worldwide.

The current official card now includes:

* Hayato "Mach" Sakurai vs. Katsuyori Shibata
* Andy Ologun vs. Yukio Sakaguchi
* "Kinniku Mantaro"^ vs. Bob Sapp
* Hong Man Choi vs. Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic
* Daisuke Nakamura vs. Hideo Tokoro
* Artur Kyshenko vs. Yoshihiro Sato*
* Semmy Schilt vs. Siala "Mighty Mo" Siliga
* Eddie Alvarez vs. Shinya Aoki
* Mark Hunt vs. Jerome Le Banner
* Kazushi Sakuraba vs. Kiyoshi Tamura
* Gesias "JZ" Calvancante vs. Joachim Hansen
* Tatsuya Kawajiri vs. Kozo Takeda*
* Gegard Mousasi vs. Musashi*
* Hiroya vs. Shimada Shota*
* Kusakabe Ryuya vs. Urabe Koya*

* - Fight will be conducted under K-1 rules
^-"Kinniku Manataro" is an anime character that will be played by Akihito Tanaka

 

[Shogun Locc]

Takanori Gomi: 'I cannot lose this fight'

Takanori Gomi held an open training Wednesday at the Rascal Gym and spoke afterwards about his Jan. 4 fight against Satoru Kitaoka for the vacant Sengoku lightweight belt at “Sengoku no Ran” at Saitama Super Arena.

“I've been training so hard that I'm exhausted. My exhaustion has reached the limits, but I have no time to rest. My condition is good.”

Gomi participated in Combat Wrestling last month and fought Katsuhiko Nagata.

“It was great opportunity to fight in the tournament. I could improve how to have a low center of gravity.”

For this fight Gomi is mixing up his training with fighters at the GRABAKA gym.

“Since I started my gym, I didn't have any chance to train with other professional fighters. I am very appreciative of Sanae Kikuta who invited me to his gym. I could train with GRABAKA fighters including Kazunori Yokota who fought Kitaoka in Sengoku 6. All I need to focus on now is conditioning.

"I cannot lose this fight for myself and for my student. All I need to do to win is to condition well to bring my best in the fight.”

 

[Shogun Locc]

AMIDST ECONOMIC DOWNTURN, UFC STILL HIRING

UFC president Dana White says his company has managed to evade the recession gripping the country... at least for now.

On the eve of UFC 92, he says he is “very impressed” with ticket sales for the Saturday event, and merchandising revenue remains strong.

“The numbers that we’re doing now, we’re going, ‘wow, what would these be in a good economy?’” White told reporters following a press conference for UFC 92.

Going into 2009, the industry leading fight promotion is still eyeing expansion, not only beyond the borders of the US, but the buildings around its Las Vegas headquarters as well. Their current office, off “The Strip” a few steps from an In and Out burger chain, is undergoing renovation to accommodate more employees. Two adjacent buildings have been purchased as well.

White says they’ve already hired four employees in the States, and are looking to hire more in Europe to bolster international operations. The company employs 110 people in the U.S. and U.K.

“We were really lean in the early years,” he said. “I almost got laid off a few times.”

Still, with the UFC apparently lagging other industries in feeling the economic crunch, he admits 2009 may be a scary time to do business.

“We’re focused on navigating through the financial (expletive) of 2009,” he said. “We know some pretty powerful guys in the financial world that are saying ‘wait till you see what happens in 09.’ Companies that are going to make you (expletive) in your pants are going to go out of business.”

White predicted boxing would face more hardship in the coming years. With mega-cards bearing the weight of the entire industry, he said the retirement of top draw Oscar De La Hoya would spell big trouble for “the sweet science.”

“When De La Hoya goes away, they’re really in trouble,” he said. “After his last fight, I’d say he’s done fighting. He looked terrible. I bet on him, I’m pissed.”

Despite the UFC's aggressive expansion efforts, White maintains the secret to its success is to avoid overextending itself.

“We manage the business,” he said. “What I’ve always said from day one, when everybody was like ‘you’re not doing this, and you’re not doing that,’ we’re running a (expletive) business is what we’re doing. You have to run this thing like a business or you’re going to be like all these other guys, that are out of business.”

 

[Shogun Locc]

UFC 92: AL-TURK WANTS THE WIN FOR HIS SPIRIT

Mostapha Al Turk vacated his Cage Rage British heavyweight title to sign with the Ultimate Fighting Championship. On Dec. 27, he makes his UFC debut at UFC 92 against French striker Cheick Kongo. Excited about his debut, Al Turk is just thinking about getting the win.

"This is exactly what I've been waiting for. Trying to climb the steps and trying to get as many fights as I could and just training really, really hard and being dedicated, making all the sacrifices. It's a great opportunity for me to shine really," said the Brit about fighting in the UFC.

"This is where every aspiring mixed martial artist wants to get to is to fight in the UFC. It's the best show, mixed martial arts show on Earth. So, to actually get there and actually fight at the UFC is every mixed martial artist's dream really."

For the Cage Rage veteran, his bout with Kongo will be his first mixed martial arts fight outside of the U.K., but Al Turk doesn't think it will affect him.

"You want to be in the cage doing your thing. I'm a professional. I've traveled the world. I've been to different countries. I've fought abroad before, but mainly in submission wrestling," commented the heavyweight hopeful. "I haven't done any MMA abroad. It will be the same thing. You have to have a professional attitude. I don't think it will hinder me whatsoever really."

The match up with Kongo is stylistically the classic grappler vs. striker, or so it would seem.

"He's a stand-up fighter known for his stand-up skills, but his ground game is ever improving. He's done a takedown on every single outing he's had. He's gotten better and better on the ground, so I don't take it lightly," stated Al Turk. "It's a good match-up, but I'm not underestimating his wrestling ability. He trains with a very good camp. He's come leaps and bounds, and I'm expecting him to probably try and take me down. Really, I'm expecting the unexpected in this fight.

"Obviously, I do acknowledge that his ground game probably isn't as good as some people's. I'm just going to go with the flow and see where the energy leads me," he added. "I think I'm going to go with an open mind."

Discussing his outlook on the fight, he said, "Whatever happens, I want to put 100 percent in. Whatever happens, I'm going to put my heart and soul into it. This is my spirit we're talking about. This is my soul.

"I'm just thinking about winning. The main thing for me, I'm not doing it for the money or the fame. The main thing for me, what my spirit needs is to win. I love the sport and I really want to do well, but the winning, for me, is the main thing. I'm just looking at the final result, which is a win."

 

[naner12]

Records mean dick bitches .. Pat Barry fucks all your mothers.

 

[CHAPO GUZMAN]

i shouldve bet on this card!

i guessed every fighter that would win correct, i had hammel, mir, jackson, evans, kongo, and massenzio

 

[B-Buzz]

Massenzio lost.

And Barry's a beast, glad I took the time to watch his K1 vids so I knew what he was capable of.

 

[CHAPO GUZMAN]

i meant dollaway, all i know everyone i had on my card won.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Records mean dick bitches .. Pat Barry fucks all your mothers.

Barry still is not that impressive to me let see him agains a higher level heavyweight then will talk.

 

[Shogun Locc]

UFC 92 recap: Two title fights, two new champs

LAS VEGAS - Two title fights. Two new champions.

One stunning end to 2008 for the UFC.

"UFC 92: The Ultimate 2008" lived up to every bit of the pre-event hype on Saturday night, and former reality TV star Rashad Evans and former UFC heavyweight champion Frank Mir emerged from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas as the unquestioned stars of the show.

Evans (13-0-1 MMA, 8-0-1 UFC) kept his undefeated record unblemished en route to claiming the UFC light-heavyweight belt from fellow "TUF" veteran Forrest Griffin (16-5 MMA, 7-3 UFC). But his path was not an easy one.

Griffin used his sizable reach advantage to tag Evans with repeated kicks and jabs on the outside. Evans looked to utilize his speed to dart in and out of Griffin's range, but the task proved quite difficult for the first two rounds. When opportunity presented itself in the third, Evans capitalized emphatically.

Evans caught a low kick and forced his opponent to the mat. Griffin worked hard to maintain guard while on his back, but Evans powered a stunning right hand through the defense. Griffin was rocked, and Evans was relentless. Rapid-fire punches followed from the top, and the bout was halted at 2:46 of the third round.

The new champion admitted he had his hands full in the opening minutes of the fight.

"It was a great fight," Evans said to ringside announcer Joe Rogan. "Forrest gave me everything I could handle those first two rounds. It took a while for me to get warmed up, but I got there."

In defeat, Griffin showed the class that has become one of his hallmarks.

"I'm fine," Griffin said. "I'll be back. I don't know who I'll be fighting. Congratulations to Rashad."

Evans' first title defense will most likely be against the winner of the Jan. 31 bout between undefeated contenders Lyoto Machida and Thiago Silva, while Griffin vs. Jackson II could provide an entertaining No. 1 contender bout should the UFC elect to arrange that rematch.

In the evening's co-main event, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (31-5-1 MMA, 2-1 UFC) and Mir (12-3 MMA, 10-3 UFC) met with the UFC interim heavyweight championship -- and a shot at current heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar -- hanging in the balance.

Despite both fighters being lauded for their world-class jiu-jitsu, it was Mir's boxing skills that proved the difference in the fight.

Mir dropped Nogueira with crisp punches up the middle three times in the first round. Each time the former UFC heavyweight champion refused to engage his Brazilian opponent on the floor. Certainly a different look from Mir, but a strategy that would prove its worth again in the second frame.

Two stiff left hands dropped Nogueira in the second, and Mir had stopped the legendary "Minotauro" for the first time in his storied 37-fight career at 1:54 of the round. Mir immediately looked for Lesnar at ringside, and the stage was set for an immensely marketable rematch of their UFC 81 encounter.

An emotional Mir was uncharacteristically humble following the win.

"I faced such demons after my wreck," Mir said. "To come back and fight the best heavyweight to ever fight in the UFC, and get a win over him after what I've gone through, it just shows man -- everybody right now look at your life. They say you can't do [expletive]. I proved you can do things.

"I didn't even think I could beat Nogueira. Come on. If I was a betting man, I wasn't on Mir's side tonight. I came through this because of the love of my family, my children, my wife."

The win was Mir's third straight, and earned him the interim heavyweight title. A title unification bout with Lesnar is expected in early 2009.

Mir joins Josh Barnett, Fedor Emelianenko and Dan Henderson as the only men ever to defeat Nogueira.

Former collegiate wrestling opponents C.B. Dollaway (8-1 MMA, 2-1 UFC) and Mike Massenzio (11-3 MMA, 1-1 UFC) renewed their rivalry in exciting fashion.

Massenzio appeared an easy mark when he entered the cage with a heavily taped left leg, but it was his right hand that nearly led to a quick finish. A straight right dazed Dollaway, and Massenzio took advantage of the opportunity to sink in a guillotine choke. The hold was tight, but Dollaway escaped and immediately reversed the final course of the fight.

Dollaway begin to rain down punches from top position before securing mount. Massenzio rolled to his belly and offered little defense as Dollaway issued ample offense in the form of left and right hands. The bout was stopped at 3:01 of the opening period.

Following the bout, Dollaway told Rogan he didn't actually remember his slick choke escape.

"I don't remember it," Dollaway said. "Maybe it was close, but I didn't feel it. I got out, did what I needed to do and pounded him out."

Dolloway earned his second straight stoppage win, while Massenzio dropped to 1-1 in the UFC.

In a bout that with five years of history and no lack of emotion, light-heavyweights Quinton "Rampage" Jackson (29-7 MMA, 4-1 UFC) and Wanderlei Silva (32-9-1 MMA, 2-4 UFC) played to an electric crowd.

After refusing to touch gloves, both fighters started cautiously while picking their shots. Shouts of "Silva, Silva" soon erupted in the arena. Despite the support, it was Jackson that would land the first shot of consequence.

Displaying an elusive quickness, and the same knack for finding openings witnessed in his 2007 bout with Chuck Liddell, Jackson scored with a powerful left hook that immediately left Silva unconscious on the mat. A few shots would follow before Jackson could be pulled off of his vanquished opponent, but they were hardly necessary to ensure the bout's outcome.

Following the bout, Jackson appeared elated to put months of controversy -- and constant questioning -- behind him.

"This is really sweet," Jackson said. "I had to let you guys know that the last time I fought him, it wasn't right. I came to England with the Wolfslair, got my wolf on, now it's right. Rampage is back, baby. I ain't going nowhere."

Jackson also laid to rest any concerns that he wasn't receiving sufficient training in the U.K.

"[Training with the Wolfslair] was the best thing I've ever done," Jackson said. "My new team took good care of me."

Jackson erased the sting of his July loss to Griffin and has now won seven of his past eight fights. Silva falls to 1-2 in his return to the UFC and has won just one of his past five contests.

The opening bout of the broadcast featured a potential brawl between European based sluggers Cheick Kongo (13-4-1 MMA, 6-2 UFC) and Mostapha Al-Turk (6-4 MMA, 0-1 UFC). The heavyweights did not disappoint in their efforts to start the broadcast off with a bang.

After trading what may or may not have been inadvertent low knees early in the fight, Kongo unleashed a right hand that dropped Al-Turk. What followed was nothing short of stunningly brutal, as Kongo pounced on his downed opponent with punches, elbows and hammerfists. Referee Steve Mazzagatti had no choice but to save a bloodied Al-Turk with 23 seconds left in the opening round.

Following the bout, Kongo thanked his new Wolfslair training partners and laid his claim to a future shot at the heavyweight crown.

PRELIMINARY CARD

In a fight that seemed destined for a decision from the moment it was first announced, the bout between Yushin Okami (23-4 MMA, 7-1 UFC) and Dean Lister (11-6 MMA, 4-2 UFC) played out exactly as most MMA pundits had predicted.

Lister offered what little offense he could muster, but Okami displayed why many consider him a real threat to middleweight champion Anderson Silva's reign. The Japanese fighter dominated his opponent en route to a unanimous decision win.

The win was Okami's third straight, and ninth in his past 10 contests. The loss snapped Lister's two-fight win streak.

UFC newcomer Mike Wessel (6-1 MMA, 0-1 UFC) looked strong early in his bout with Antoni Hardonk (8-4 MMA, 4-2 UFC), but the continued attack from his Dutch opponent proved insurmountable.

As Wessel slowed in the second frame, Hardonk worked patiently from the floor. Hardonk nearly secured a triangle choke, but settled for a sweep and a dominant position on Wessel's back. From there a steady stream of punches forced the stoppage of the bout at 2:09.

Hardonk now has three-straight wins in the UFC, while Wessel -- who took the bout on less than two weeks' notice -- dropped the first contest of his career.

Matt Hamill (5-2 MMA, 5-2 UFC) and Reese Andy (7-3 MMA, 0-2 UFC) wasted little time in getting to work, and the offense rarely slowed through the duration of the contest.

Unfortunately for Andy, his collapse after a well-placed body shot was the beginning of the final moments of the bout. An onslaught of punches from Hamill sealed the deal, and the bout was halted at 2:19 of the second round.

The win put Hamill at 2-2 in his past four UFC contests, while Andy drops to 0-2 in the organization since his transition from the IFL.

Brad Blackburn (13-9-1 MMA, 2-0 UFC) entered the cage with Ryo Chonan (15-9 MMA, 1-2 UFC) as a slight underdog according to Las Vegas oddsmakers, but the crowd in attendance was decidedly in favor of "Bad" Brad.

The 15-minute affair took place almost exclusively on the feet, with neither combatant ever in any real danger. Blackburn used his reach to frustrate Chonan for the opening two rounds. And though the Japanese fighter was able to turn the tides in the final round, it was too little, too late.

The unanimous decision was awarded to Blackburn, who earned his second straight win since joining the UFC. Chonan was unable to successfully follow his September win over Roan Carneiro and now drops to 1-2 in the UFC.

The night's opening bout between Patrick Barry (4-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC) and Dan Evensen (10-4 MMA, 0-2 UFC) was supposed to be a battle of two strikers standing toe-to-toe. While that image never came to full fruition, leg-to-leg may have been a more suitable description.

The action was relatively slow-paced, but stinging leg kicks from Barry landed to the larger Evensen early in the fight. The fight went briefly to the mat, and when it returned to the feet another blow to Evensen's leg caused a halt to the bout just 2:36 after it began.

The odd stoppage due to Evensen's injured leg allowed Barry to remain undefeated in his seven-month old MMA career, while Evensen has now dropped two-straight bouts in the UFC.

OFFICIAL RESULTS

Rashad Evans def. Forrest Griffin via TKO (punches) -- Round 3, 2:46
Frank Mir def. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira via TKO (punches) -- Round 2, 1:54
C.B. Dollaway def. Mike Massenzio via TKO (strikes) -- Round 1, 3:01
Quinton "Rampage" Jackson def. Wanderlei Silva via KO (punch) -- Round 1, 3:21
Cheick Kongo def. Mostapha Al-Turk via TKO (strikes) -- Round 1, 4:37
Yushin Okami def. Dean Lister via unanimous decision (30-27, 30-27, 30-27)
Antoni Hardonk def. Mike Wessel via TKO (strikes) -- Round 2, 2:09
Matt Hamill def. Reese Andy via TKO (strikes) -- Round 2, 2:19
Brad Blackburn def. Ryo Chonan via unanimous decision (29-28, 29-28, 29-28)
Patrick Barry def. Dan Evensen via TKO (injury) -- Round 1, 2:36

 

[Shogun Locc]

UFC 92 bonuses: Evans, Griffin and Jackson each earn $60K

LAS VEGAS - Rashad Evans, Forrest Griffin and Quinton "Rampage" Jackson each earned $60,000 "fight night" bonuses for their performances at "UFC 92: The Ultimate 2008."

UFC 92 took place Saturday at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, and aired live on pay-per-view. The bonus amounts were equal to the $60,000 awards issued at UFC 91 in November.

The UFC announced the bonuses at the UFC 92 post-fight press conference and were confirmed by MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com).

The light-heavyweight title clash between former "TUF" winners Griffin and Evans was deemed by many to be a 50-50 proposition. The size of Griffin and the speed of Evans made for an interesting contrast, and it was the former champion who dominated the early stages of the fight. Evans battled through a steady dose of low kicks from Griffin and capitalized on his first real opportunity to ground-and-pound his way to the belt in the third round. The exciting, tension-filled main event was impressive enough to earn both participants a share of the evening's "Fight of the Night."

While not one of the evening's two co-main events, the light-heavyweight showdown between UFC and PRIDE veterans Jackson and Silva was not short on emotion or consequence for the two involved combatants. Having suffered consecutive highlight-reel-worthy knockout losses to Silva in 2003 and 2004, Jackson had revenge on his mind. The message was delivered with a devastating left hook. The blow left Silva unconscious and Jackson with the evening's "Knockout of the Night."

The evening's 10-bout card ended without a single submission. As such, no "Submission of the Night" was issued. "The Ultimate 2008" was the first UFC event to end without a submission since UFC Fight Night 7 on Dec. 13, 2006.

 

[Shogun Locc]

UFC 92 scores big with 14,103 attendees and $3.47 million live gate

LAS VEGAS - "UFC 92: The Ultimate 2008," which took place Saturday at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, drew 14,103 attendees for a hefty live gate of $3.47 million.

UFC President Dana White announced the figures in a post-event press conference. Official figures from the Nevada State Athletic Commission will be released in the following week.

"The biggest card of the year lived up to the hype," White said. "It was a great night."

UFC 92, the UFC's final event of 2008, saw the crowning of two new champions; Rashad Evans defeated former champ Forrest Griffin for the UFC light heavyweight title, and Frank Mir topped former title-holder Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira for the interim heavyweight belt.

The gate and attendance figures were off slightly from last month's UFC 91 event, which also took place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. UFC officials initially predicted the event would break the organization's live-gate record, but it fell just short with $4.82 million (and 14,272 attendees).

The gate ultimately ranked fourth in UFC history. UFC 66, which accounted for a $5.4 million gate in December 2006, still holds the record.

Among the 12 UFC events that have taken place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, UFC 92's live gate ranks fifth all-time. The full list includes:

UFC EVENTS AT MGM GRAND GARDEN ARENA*

UFC 66: $5.40 million gate (13,761 attendees), Liddell vs. Ortiz II
UFC 91: $4.82 million (14,262), Couture vs. Lesnar
UFC 71: $4.30 million (14,728), Liddell vs. Jackson
UFC 84: $3.73 million (14,773), Penn vs. Sherk
UFC 92: $3.47 million (14,103), Griffin vs. Evans
UFC 52: $2.58 million (14,500), Couture vs. Liddell II
UFC 54: $2.33 million (13,000), Liddell vs. Horn
UFC 56: $1.99 million (12,000), Franklin vs. Quarry
UFC 40: $1.54 million (13,055), Ortiz vs. K. Shamrock
UFC 49: $1.29 million (12,100), Ortiz vs. Couture
UFC 36: $0.89 million (10,000), Barnett vs. Couture
UFC 34: $0.50 million (9,000), Hughes vs. Newton

 

[Shogun Locc]

Despite wanting Griffin, Jackson could be first to challenge for Evans' title

LAS VEGAS - With his violent knockout victory over Wanderlei Silva at Saturday's "UFC 92: The Ultimate 2008" event, former UFC light heavyweight champion Quinton Jackson (29-7 MMA, 4-1 UFC) could get an immediate shot to reclaim his belt.

The fight would be the first title defense for recently crowned champ Rashad Evans (13-0-1 MMA, 8-0-1 UFC), who defeated Forrest Griffin for the title in UFC 92's main event.

In a post-event press conference, UFC President Dana White said an Evans-Jackson championship fight "makes sense" but that no official decision had been made.

"It does make sense for Rampage to get a title shot," White said. "There's a lot for us to get back to the office and talk about."

Jackson, who originally defeated Chuck Liddell for the title in 2007, lost the belt to Griffin via unanimous decision in July. Jackson was subsequently arrested at gunpoint after a high-speed police chase in California. After posting bail, he entered a mental-health facility after friends and family questioned his mental stability. At about the same time, he split from his longtime trainer and friend Juanito Ibarra -- in a less-than-amicable way -- and has since joined the Wolfslair fight team in the U.K.

With most of his troubles now behind him, Jackson is open to a fight with Evans.

But there's another one he wants more.

"I'm ready to get my title back," Jackson said. "Everybody wants to be the champion; everyone wants to be the best.

"But to be quite honest, I'd rather go and fight Forrest. That's the fight that haunts me when I go to sleep. I have nightmares about it. That's the fight. I won the belt. I was the champion. But I'd like to get Forrest first, but it's up to the UFC."

Two fighters who are going to anxiously await White's decision are top 205-pound contenders Lyoto Machida and Thiago Silva. Originally scheduled to meet at UFC 89, the duo will now lock horns next month at UFC 94.

Regardless of Evans' opponent for his first title defense, White is confident the division offers plenty of interesting match-ups in 2009.

"It's the most stacked division in mixed martial arts, and it always has been," White said. "There's obviously a lot of great fights that we can make."

 

[Shogun Locc]

UFC still hesitant to announce Anderson Silva vs. Thales Leites for UFC 97

Depending on who you talk to, a rumored April bout between UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva (23-4 MMA, 8-0 UFC) and Brazilian challenger Thales Leites (14-1 MMA, 5-1 UFC) is either in the planning stages or officially signed.

At Saturday night's post-UFC 92 press conference, UFC President Dana White had just one word to describe the likelihood of the bout.

"Probably."

White was pressed on the possibility of Silva's first title defense since his October win over Patrick Cote during the conference by a member of the Canadian media.

And while White offered little insight into the ultimate fate of the proposed fight, he also did little to dispute that the as-yet-unannounced April 18 date in Montreal for the UFC's second-ever Canadian event was all but set.

As MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) recently reported, Leites has confirmed through multiple outlets that he has agreed to the bout. And while sources close to the bout revealed that Silva has not yet signed a contract for the bout, they were unable to reveal if there were any concerns within the middleweight champion's camp that could prevent the his eventual commitment.

Despite Leites impeccable career record, including five-straight wins in the organization since stumbling in his UFC debut with Martin Kampmann, there has been significant public outcry against the potential bout. It is unknown if the current public stance has contributed in any way to either Silva or the UFC from finalizing the contest.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Couture open to return to 205 pounds, Liddell bout not on horizon

Former UFC heavyweight champion Randy Couture (16-9 MMA, 13-6 UFC) admitted he would be open to bouts at light-heavyweight if the matchup proved interesting.

Couture made the declaration on Friday at a special Q&A session set up for UFC Fight Club members.

While Couture had been recently linked to a potential fourth bout with Chuck Liddell when the UFC makes its German debut in June, "The Natural" said that fight was not currently in the works.

"That was rumors," Couture said. "I asked Dana myself, 'What's all this crap about Germany and Chuck Liddell?'

"That's the Underground, dude. It's just rumors."

While Couture would later put an additional obstacle in the way of a potential June bout with Liddell when he confirmed his commitment to a movie project, the 45-year-old did say he would be open to bouts at 205 pounds.

"I could do [cut to 205 pounds]," Couture said. "I'm walking around at 225 (pounds), the same place I was when I went down to light-heavyweight before. So it's a possibility if an interesting fight came up there, and it made sense."

Couture said he wasn't concerned with title fights, just bouts that made sense to him and the public.

"It's more about what's interesting and what makes sense in the matchup," Couture said. "Accolades and titles and all that other stuff kind of take care of themselves. I don't worry too much about that."

Couture also said that his willingness to drop to 205 pounds wasn't in response to the huge size disadvantage he faced in his November title bout with new champion Brock Lesnar. In fact, although many MMA observers have recently suggested an additional weight class to break up the 60-pound range of the current heavyweight division, Couture told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) that he's fine with the current arrangement.

"I don't know that we need a 220 pound weight class, necessarily," Couture said. "It probably wouldn't hurt my feelings. But I kind of like the heavyweight division.

"The variety of sizes of guys is something that makes the decision very interesting. The bigger guys pose interesting problems. The smaller guys have other things they have to think about, too. I don't think that we need another weight class, necessarily."

 

[Shogun Locc]

Diego Sanchez vs. Joe Stevenson will headline UFC 95 in London

While the UFC has yet to officially announce a single bout for the organization's Feb. 21 return to the 02 Arena in London, the organization has decided on UFC 95's main event.

Diego Sanchez (19-2 MMA, 8-2 UFC) vs. Joe Stevenson (29-9 MMA, 6-3 UFC).

While the bout was previously confirmed by its participants, rumors had been circulating that another bout was being sought for main event or co-main event status.

UFC President Dana White put those questions to rest at Saturday night's UFC 92 post-event press conference when he announced that the bout between Sanchez and Stevenson would indeed serve as the main attraction for the February event.

For Sanchez, the bout will be his first since dropping from the welterweight division to 155 pounds. The soon-to-be-27-year-old is currently riding a two-fight win streak. The wins over Luigi Fioravanti and David Bielkheden followed the first two losses of Sanchez's six-year career.

Stevenson will be looking to bounce back from a disappointing submission loss to lightweight Kenny Florian at UFC 91 in November. A win in that bout would have given Stevenson a second crack at UFC lightweight champion B.J. Penn. Stevenson was submitted in his first bid for the title by Penn at UFC 80 in January.

UFC 95 is also expected to feature an interesting middleweight contest between Wilson Gouveia (12-5 MMA, 6-2 UFC) and Nate Marquardt (27-8-2 MMA, 6-2 UFC).

Unfortunately, the two prominently featured bouts are likely to disappoint fans after widely circulated rumors -- including a report in the U.K-based newspaper The Sun -- of a possible appearance by UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva and/or fan-favorite and former UFC light-heavyweight champion Chuck Liddell.

 

[naner12]

Barry still is not that impressive to me let see him agains a higher level heavyweight then will talk.

I don't need to talk and when did I say he'd beat higher level heavyweights? I said Evensen was dead and got beaten just as I thought he would.

 

[Shogun Locc]

UFC NEGOTIATING WITH OLYMPIAN SATOSHI ISHII

Japan's Olympic Judo Gold Medalist, Satoshi Ishii, on Saturday started exclusive negotiations to enter into a contract with the Ultimate Fighting Championship.

Ishii, who won the gold medal in the men's over 100-kilogram event at the Beijing Olympics, arrived in Las Vegas on Christmas day to experience UFC 92. Over the next two days, Mr. Ishii toured Las Vegas and visited various MMA gyms, including the UFC Training Center and Xtreme Couture, where he trained and sparred with Randy "The Natural" Couture.

Earlier this month, Mr. Ishii decided that he wished to start his MMA career in the United States, and that his dream was to fight in the UFC. He made his choice to negotiate with UFC last night after watching UFC 92.

"I was impressed with the training programs here in Las Vegas and the UFC event," said Mr. Ishii. "I am looking forward to working with the UFC and to developing my mixed martial arts skills."

"Satoshi Ishii has the potential to be very successful in mixed martial arts," said Dana White, UFC President. "We can't wait to start working with Mr. Ishii, we look forward to helping him with his training, his career, and his eventual debut in a professional fight."

Ishii competed as a Judo heavyweight in the Olympics this year. Whether he will attempt to compete as a heavyweight or light heavyweight has yet to be decided.