MMA News Thread

[Shogun Locc]

WVR's Sengoku 7 Full Card and Betting Odds

Takanori Gomi 29-4 vs. Satoru Kitaoka 23-8-9
Takanori Gomi -220 Satoru Kitaoka +180

Kazuo Misaki 21-8-2 vs. Jorge Santiago 20-7
Kazuo Misaki -130 Jorge Santiago -130

Hidehiko Yoshida 8-6-1 vs. Sanae Kikuta 27-6-3
Hidehiko Yoshida -370 Sanae Kikuta +300

Muhammed "King Mo" Lawal 2-0 vs. Yukiya Naito 15-4-2
Muhammed Lawal -345 Yukiya Naito +250

Antonio Silva 11-1 vs. Yoshihiro Nakao 7-1
Antonio Silva -430 Yoshihiro Nakao +350

Sergey Golyaev 12-6 vs. Eiji Mitsuoka 14-6-2
Eiji Mitsuoka -220 Sergey Golyaev +180

Dave Herman 13-0 vs. Choi Mu Bae 7-3
Dave Herman -345 Mu Bae Choi +275

 

[Shogun Locc]

Lashley, Lombard Sign with PFC

Former WWE pro wrestler Bobby Lashley and Cuban judo import Hector Lombard have been signed to compete on a mixed boxing and Palace Fighting Championship card on Feb. 6 at the Tachi Palace Hotel & Casino in Lemoore, Calif.

Opponents for both acquisitions have yet to be determined.

Lashley, 32, has inked a two-fight deal with the PFC as he builds his resume towards a heavyweight title bout. Lashley already has a role model in former WWE champion Brock Lesnar (3-1), who toppled Randy Couture at UFC 91 last November to become heavyweight champion.

Middleweight Lombard (17-2-1) has signed on for a single bout with the central Californian promotion and will then join the Bellator Fighting Championships, which will air on ESPN Deportes starting in April.

Lashley was a three-time NAIA National Champion at 177 pounds, a four-time All-American honors four times, a three-time National Amateur Wrestling Champion, a two-time Armed Forces Champion and a 2002 Silver Medalist at the Military World Championship, according to the NAIA Web site.

Colorado resident Lashley, who recently announced his allegiance to the formidable American Top Team, made a speedy MMA debut last month for the Mixed Fighting Alliance in Miami, stifling Joshua Franklin in only 41 seconds with a TKO stoppage via a cut from elbows in the guard.

PFC promoter Christian Printup will be entrusted with finding an opponent for the 6-foot-3, 265-pound prospect.

“We sent over a short list of names –- some WEC veterans and other local Californian fighters,” said Printup. “We should know shortly.”

Lombard tallied six wins and a draw for Australia’s Cage fighting Championships and was expected to make his U.S. debut with EliteXC before the promotion stalled last October. Lombard was also once a prospect for the UFC, who booked the foreigner for a bout with fellow judoka Karo Parisyan at UFC 78 in November 2007, but visa issues prevented the Australian resident from participating.

Printup said the skilled Lombard could be paired against local standout Fernando Gonzalez (13-6), who holds victories over UFC and Pride vet Alex Stiebling and ShoXC grad Hector Urbina.

 

[Shogun Locc]

For Matyushenko, "Little Nog" just the beginning of his Affliction run

Riding an eight-fight win streak, former IFL light-heavyweight champion Vladimir Matyushenko (21-3) may very well be the best fighter many MMA fans have never heard of.

The 11-year veteran has fought for the UFC, IFL and IFC, but continues to remain just outside of most discussion concerning the world's best 205-pound fighters.

Now scheduled to face Antonio Rogerio Nogueira -- twin brother of former UFC and PRIDE champion Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (15-3) -- at "Affliction: Day of Reckoning" on Jan. 24 in Anaheim, Calif., "The Janitor" looks to make a clean sweep of his new organization's expanding light-heavyweight roster.

"Right now in Affliction, you have (Rameau Thierry) Sokoudjou, you have (Renato) 'Babalu' Sobral, you have Tito Ortiz if he wants to come in," Matyushenko said in a recent media conference call. "I want a piece of that action, if Tito's coming."

Matyushenko lost a unanimous decision to Ortiz at UFC 33 in 2001. One of just three losses in his career, the setback came in a manner seemingly typical of the soon-to-be-38-year-old's career. Due to pay-per-view time constraints, the broadcast of the main-event bout was cut short by most television distributors.

Now Matyushenko, who holds career wins over Alex Schoenauer, Tim Boetsch, Justin Levens, Anthony Ruiz, Pedro Rizzo, Travis Wiuff, Yuki Kondo and Vernon White, among others, will turn to another rematch. The Belarusian defeated "Little Nog" by unanimous decision in 2002.

Known for his dominate wrestling, Matyushenko will look to stay away from the Brazilian's dangerous submission game in the Jan. 24 bout.

"I have a wrestling skill, but you can't really beat anybody by wrestling," Matyushenko said. "(But) you can dictate where a fight is going to be -- if it's going to be on the ground or on the feet. I prefer the standup game with [Nogueira], but if something comes up, I don't mind to go on the ground. I know he has a great skills as far as submission goes, but I can stay away from them."

Should Matyushenko be successful in implementing his gameplan with Nogueira, his immediate attention will turn to any and all of the remaining high-profile light-heavyweights on Affliction's roster. And while Matyushenko credits Sobral as a friend, that relationship won't affect the former-IFL champion from plying his craft should the opportunity become available.

"I like [Sobral]," Matyushenko said. "He's a friend of mine. Hi, 'Babalu.' But you know, at some point in this business there's a possibility you can -- you know, I'm not saying I'd really want to knock him out and beat the crap out of him, but if it comes to the job (I will)."

 

[Shogun Locc]

Fighters make weight for World Victory Road's Sengoku no Ran 2009

Weigh-ins for World Victory Road's Sengoku no Ran 2009 event, which features title bouts for the organization's vacant lightweight and middleweight championships, took place yesterday in Japan.

Sengoku no Ran 2009 takes place Saturday at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan, and begins in the U.S. at approximately 3 a.m. ET.

All 18 competitors successfully made weight.

In addition to the night's title fights of Takanori Gomi vs. Satoru Kitaoka and Kazuo Misaki vs. Jorge Santiago, the event features a number of notables in additional bouts, including Muhammad "King Mo" Lawal, Dave "Pee Wee" Herman, Antonio Silva, Hidehiko Yoshida and Yoshihiro Nakao, among others.

The complete weigh-in results and reverse bout order includes:

* Takanori Gomi (69.8 kg/153.6 pounds) vs. Satoru Kitaoka (70.0 kg/154 pounds)*
* Kazuo Misaki (82.7 kg/181.9 pounds) vs. Jorge Santiago (82.2 kg/180.8 pounds)^
* Sanae Kikuta (91.4 kg/201.1 pounds) vs. Hidehiko Yoshida (92.9 kg/204.4 pounds)
* Muhammad "King Mo" Lawal (92.8 kg/204.2 pounds) vs. Yukiya Naito (91.8 kg/202 pounds)
* Antonio Silva (118.2 kg/260 pounds) vs. Yoshihiro Nakao (102.4 kg/225.3 pounds)
* Sergey Golyaev (69.8 kg/153.6 pounds) vs. Eiji Mitsuoka (69.9 kg/153.8 pounds)
* Mu Bae Choi (118.3 kg/260.3 pounds) vs. Dave Herman (110.3 kg/242.7 pounds)
* Maximo Blanco (70.0 kg/154 pounds) vs. Seigo Inoue (69.9 kg/153.8 pounds)
* Hidetada Irie (92.7 kg/203.9 pounds) vs. Minoru Kato (92.1 kg/202.6 pounds)

*-for vacant lightweight title
^-for vacant middleweight title

 

[Shogun Locc]

Undeterred by recent performances, Tito Ortiz looking to make impact

Love him or hate him, Tito Ortiz (15-6-1) still draws a crowd.

Such was the case when Ortiz was announced as a special guest at Affliction's December press conference for their Jan. 24 event from Anaheim, Calif., "Day of Reckoning."

And while Ortiz committed only to announcing for the organization that day, "The Huntington Beach Bad Boy" recently told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) he's nearly ready to return to vintage form.

"I know all the fans want to see the monster Tito Ortiz of five years ago when I was the world champion," Ortiz said. "And I've done pretty good over the last five years to compete while being injured."

The once-dominant Ortiz has compiled a paltry 5-4-1 record in the past five-and-a-half years. Two of those wins came over a well-over-the-hill Ken Shamrock, and the former UFC champion has been winless since those 2006 contests.

Now rehabilitating from a successful back surgery that included the fusion of his L4, L5 and L5-S1 spinal discs, Ortiz said he is well on the way to returning to his prior form.

"I'm excited to be 100 percent again," Ortiz said. "I'm about 40 percent right now, but I'm not as brittle as a glass house anymore. I'm starting to be able to move around a little more and not taking painkillers anymore is the biggest thing.

"I think I'm blessed, and I can't wait to be 100 percent back into physical shape where I'm able to compete and I'm able to train to where I once was before five years ago. It's been a while, since I lost to (Randy) Couture (in September 2003), that I was 100 percent. And a lot of fans don't really know that, but it was so serious that I had to get surgery."

Ortiz is still unsure where his next fight will take place. But the sour taste left in his mouth following a May 2008 loss to UFC light-heavyweight Lyoto Machida has him salivating at the prospect of his next appearance.

"I watched the Machida fight for the first time last night," Ortiz said. "Since competing in it, I haven't even watched the fight. I hate losses. It's like a loved one dying to me. That's how passionate I am about this sport.

"But I watched it, and [my performance] wasn't as bad as I thought it was. [Machida] ran the whole time, and it's kind of funny the whole time to watch (UFC announcers) Mike Goldberg and Joe Rogan hype up how elusive he was -- which I thought was really strange. You can be praised upon being elusive and not fighting?

"And he was putting pressure? I understand how he was putting pressure if he was the one that was going forward the whole time. But it's showing how they can put the icing on the cake of someone who I think is afraid to fight."

While obviously bitter about the results and style of the fight with Machida, Ortiz would not take away the accomplishments of the undefeated light-heavyweight contender.

"Machida won the fight fair and square," Ortiz said. "It was just really frustrating to watch a guy run away from me the whole time."

Ortiz believes the matchup probably played out just as UFC brass had hoped. But the 33-year-old refuses to let the performance stand in the way of his fighting future.

"Machida didn't bring it that night, but he did get a win," Ortiz said. "And I think it all played out to Zuffa's way of what they wanted to do with me. But I guess if you're going to lose a fight, lose it like that and not get knocked out.

"Everything happens for a reason in this world. I'm willing to continue my career."

 

[Shogun Locc]

Report: Kendall Grove vs. Jason Day at UFC 96 in Ohio

While the UFC has yet to announce any official bouts for UFC 96 in Ohio, a bout between "The Ultimate Fighter 3" winner Kendall Grove (9-5 MMA, 4-2 UFC) and Canadian middleweight Jason Day (17-7 MMA, 1-1 UFC) has reportedly been added to the card.

The report comes courtesy of 411mania.com.

The organization's return to the Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio, for UFC 96 is scheduled for March 7.

Grove was last seen in a split-decision win over Evan Tanner in June 2008 at the "TUF 7" finale. The win was the 26-year-old's first in over a year following back-to-back stoppage losses to Jorge Rivera and Patrick Cote.

Prior to the skid, Grove had made an impressive run by submitting Alan Belcher and Chris Price after earning a unanimous-decision win over Ed Herman at the "TUF 3" finale.

Day will be looking to rebound from a TKO loss to Michael Bisping at UFC 85 in June 2008. Prior to the defeat, Day had won 10 of his past 11 bouts -- including a TKO win over Alan Belcher in his UFC debut.

Day also holds career wins over UFC veterans David Loiseau, Ron Faircloth and Jonathan Goulet.

Main-event competitors for the evening have not yet been announced, but UFC President Dana White said at the recent post-UFC 92 press conference that former light-heavyweigth champion Chuck Liddell was a possibility for the slot.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Luigi Fioravanti vs. Anthony Johnson on tap for UFC Fight Night 17

Hard-hitting UFC welterweights Luigi Fioravanti (14-4 MMA, 4-4 UFC) and Anthony Johnson (6-2 MMA, 3-2 UFC) are the latest additions to the nearly complete "UFC Fight Night 17: Lauzon vs. Franca."

MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) today learned from sources close to the bout that both fighters have verbally agreed to the matchup. Bout agreements are expected to be signed early next week.

UFC Fight Night 17 is scheduled for Feb. 7 at the University of South Florida's Sun Dome. The main card will be aired live on Spike TV.

Fioravanti was last in action in a unanimous-decision win over Brodie Farber at the UFC's "Fight for the Troops" in December. The American Top Team product has won three of his past four bouts following 2007 losses to Forrest Petz and Jon Fitch.

The soon-to-be-28 year-old also owns UFC wins over Dave Menne and Solomon Hutcherson.

Johnson had recently been linked to a possible April bout with Mike Swick. While sources close to Johnson indicated that bout was under consideration, "Rumble" ultimately elected for a far-quicker return.

Johnson recently earned his third-career knockout win in the UFC over Kevin Burns at the "TUF 8" finale in December. The win helped Johnson erase the sting of a controversial loss to Burns earlier in the year.

The bout is currently planned for the un-aired preliminary portion of the event.

 

[Shogun Locc]

STEVENSON READY TO WELCOME DIEGO TO 155

Joe “Daddy” Stevenson got the call to welcome Diego Sanchez to the lightweight division two weeks ago, and was immediately excited at the prospect.

“Diego always comes to fight,” he told MMAWeekly.com.

The respective winners of “The Ultimate Fighter” season two and one will headline UFC 95 at the O2 arena in London. It is Stevenson’s second headlining show in the U.K, and Sanchez’s first appearance outside the U.S.

“Some fights are like, man, it isn’t a good one, and it’s gonna be long and drawn out,” Stevenson continued. “This fight has the ability to go the whole time like a barnburner, as well as finished in a second by either of us. So I’m kind of excited about it.”

Sanchez fought nine consecutive fights as a welterweight after winning the first middleweight Ultimate Fighter contest. The San Diego-based fighter put off the move to 155 for a year following a loss to contender Jon Fitch. Two wins, at UFC 82 and The Ultimate Fighter season seven finale, implied a comeback at 170, but for the time being, Sanchez appears set to make waves at lightweight.

Stevenson doesn’t think Sanchez will be much different at a lighter weight.

“It’s not like a great advantage,” he said. “But every little thing at the top level helps.”

In a time where many fighters are looking for greener pastures at a different weight class, Stevenson has thought about making a move downward himself. In the past, he’s fought as heavy as 185 pounds, later making the cut to welterweight for the reality show.

“I know I could probably cut even further down, but there’s no point to cutting even further down than I am,” he said. “I have no incentive to do it. Not going up, I think it helps keeping a size advantage, being a little bit bigger with guys than smaller.”

For the time being, he will enjoy where he’s at, and try to keep Sanchez out of his game when they lock horns.

“I think we’re both pretty good on the ground,” Stevenson said. “It’s going to be interesting to see who has the upper hand the whole time and at what point in the grappling. I’m definitely going to try to keep him out of his element, to keep him where I’m comfortable.”

Stevenson says a win over Sanchez will put him back in the contender class of the division. At UFC 91, he fell short of upsetting the current heir to contendership, Kenny Florian, and needs a high profile win to merit a second opportunity at a title shot. He said his first try, a losing effort against B.J. Penn at UFC 80, expanded his idea of what he could endure in a fight. Against Sanchez, that will likely be tested again.

“I’ve got to take it very seriously,” he said. “It will be great for one of us and bad for the other. I just need to go in there and do what I do best.”

 

[Shogun Locc]

WEC 38 FIGHT CARD FOR SAN DIEGO

World Extreme Cagefighting has updated the fight card for its WEC 38 event scheduled for Jan. 25 in San Diego, Calif. The event at the San Diego Sports Arena marks the promotion's debut in the city.

Headlining WEC 38 is a lightweight championship bout between current titleholder Jamie Varner and challenger Donald "Cowboy" Cerrone. The bout is Varner's second defense of the title that he won by defeating "Razor" Rob McCullough early last year. Cerrone earned the shot at Varner by also defeating McCullough when the two fought in a Fight of the Year candidate in November in Florida.

The co-main event features the returns of featherweights Urijah Faber and Jens Pulver. Both competitors fought and lost their most recent bouts at WEC 37 in Hollywood, Fla., the same event where Cerrone cemented his status as the No. 1 WEC lightweight contender. Faber dropped his featherweight title to Mike Brown, while Pulver was knocked out of a return to contender's status by Leonard Garcia.

WEC 38 Fight Card:
-Jamie Varner vs. Donald Cerrone
-Urijah Faber vs. Jens Pulver
-Danillo Villefort vs. Mike Campbell
-Jose Aldo vs. Fredson Paixao
-Ed Ratcliff vs. Anthony Njokuani
-Hiromitsu Miura vs. Edgar Garcia
-Dominick Cruz vs. Ian McCall
-Scott Jorgenson vs. Frank Gomez
-Blas Avena vs. Jesse Lennox
-Charlie Valencia vs. Seth Dikun

 

[Shogun Locc]

Mo Lawal: “Each fight is a new fight. Each fight against a new guy is kind of like a debut”

Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal has created quite a buzz since his arrival in the sport just a few months ago and for good reason. The former Division I All-American wrestler from Oklahoma State brings a mixture of athleticism and charisma to mixed martial arts that is reminiscent to the showmanship sometimes seen in professional wrestling. Combined with the fact that the 27-year old Tennessee native has shown a natural talent for inflicting serious damage upon much more experienced opposition, Lawal is grabbing a lot more attention heading into his fight with Yukiya Naito at Sengoku 7 than most fighters do with only two fights under their belt.

The man popularly referred to as “King Mo” exploded onto the scene back in September when he stunned the heavy favorite Travis Wiuff with a superman punch in the very first round and pounced on him to secure the upset victory. In just his very first fight Lawal set a precedent of what was to come when he faced off with a man over 60 fights his elder. In only his third bout, Lawal will have faced opponents that have been in a combined total of over a hundred fights.

The rising star told FiveOuncesOfPain.com in an exclusive interview that he has never been one to give another man’s record much thought. Every fight is a new fight.

Lawal’s larger than life personality and flamboyant ring entrances have all the ingredients that Japanese mixed martial arts have come to love over the years and it seems as if King Mo has found his home for now. Already being embraced by the Japanese fans on a wide scale, it will be interesting to see what the future holds for this athlete/entertainer in the “Land of the Rising Sun.”

Cory Brady: It doesn’t seem like you’re the type of guy that like to ease into things. Your debut was against a guy that had about 60 fights, then in your second fight you went up against a guy with 15 fights and now this guy has about twenty fights. Do records not impress you?

Mo Lawal: Nope. Here’s the thing, each fight is a new fight. Each fight against a new guy is kind of like a debut. I’ve never fought anyone like him and he’s never fought anyone like me so coming into it we’re both 0-0. That’s how I see it. Every fight is a new fight.

Cory Brady: What do you know about your opponent Yukiya Naito?

Mo Lawal: Well, just from my intuition from being an athlete, I looked at his last six opponents and only two of them have had more than ten fights. The rest of them just weren’t that experienced. There was a Brazilian dude that was 1-1 and a dude from Mongolia that was 0-1. So I don’t know who he’s been fighting. I think he’s been fighting people that are lower level than who I’ve been fighting.

Cory Brady: Have you been able to study any tape on him?

Mo Lawal: I haven’t seen any recent footage on him but he only has two fights to study on me. Those two fights will show him a few things but I have a lot more in my arsenal then what he would be able to see in just those two fights.

Cory Brady: How are you feeling physically going into your fight with Naito?

Mo Lawal: I feel great. I feel like I possess the skills that are necessary to beat this dude.

Cory Brady: Who are some of the key guys that have helped you prepare for this fight?

Mo Lawal: All kinds of different people. I gym hop. I’m a gym hopper. You can find me at different gym’s here and there. I worked with Benji Radach, Mayhem Miller, Dean Lister, and Ryan Parsons. The list just goes on and on. I was down in Brazil training for a couple of weeks. That was really cool.

Cory Brady: Who did you train with in Brazil?

Mo Lawal: Vitor Belfort has been helping me. I’ve also been training a lot with Antonio “Minotauro” Nogueira and Junior dos Santos.

Cory Brady: How do you visualize this fight ending?

Mo Lawal: With me getting my hand raised. I just want to go out there and give it all I got because anything can happen. In my first fight with Travis Wiuff, I didn’t know I was going to knock him out. I just figured I would go out there and bang with him and take him down a bit to keep him guessing but I ended up hitting him with the superman punch. In the fight with Fabio Silva I didn’t know I would end up ground and pounding him just like that. It just happened. I figured I was going to stop him in the first round with the way I was hitting him. You never know. I’ve spent a lot of time and effort to make sure that I come out of this fight with the W. I’m predicting a win and that’s all I can predict.

Cory Brady: What made you decide on a career in mixed martial arts?

Mo Lawal: I’m just a fighter. I’ve always had to fight for everything. I love the competition and the combat. It definitely beats working at a normal job. When I was young and I saw the UFC it was always my dream to become a professional fighter. I used to love to fight when I was young and I saw the UFC pop up and I was hoping that the sport would stick around.

Cory Brady: Do you feel like top level wrestlers coming into the sport have a certain advantage?

Mo Lawal: I think that the top level athletes are the future of mixed martial arts. Guys like Damian Maia, who’s a world class jiu-jitsu athlete or my boy Kenny Florian, “Pimpin’ Ken.” Kenny was a soccer player and turned into a world class fighter. The guy’s that have a world class background in something and build onto it with all of the stuff they have to learn in MMA, those are the guys that will be successful. If you were just a world class wrestler but didn’t bother to learn anything about footwork or checking kicks or submission defense, you’re still getting tapped out or knocked out. One thing about mixed martial arts is that you have to learn the whole game but you have to stay true to your original discipline. The fighter’s that are just really good at one thing have nothing to fall back on when they get hurt. With me, I’m going to keep my strong wrestling base but I’m going to work on my stand up and I’m going to keep everything growing strong. My wrestling will always be better than my stand up or my jiu-jitsu. My wrestling will always be my base that I can fall back on.

Cory Brady: Would you like to fight in the United States at some point?

Mo Lawal: I would love to fight in the states but right now Japan is my home. I love Japan. I’m good where I’m at for right now. I’ll take things as things as they come but Japan is my home for right now.

Cory Brady: I know you rock the robe and crown into the ring. Where did the “King Mo” persona come from?

Mo Lawal: I like to have fun and I’m always the king of the party. I like the females and I like extravagant things. I like to live lavish. I like to show my personality. I’m not trying to be some square that just walks to the ring. I’m not saying that Fedor is a square but I’m not Fedor. In America if you do something that makes you stand out they can look at you kind of different, they don’t like that. They can kind of look at you as just stupid or as someone that just wants attention. They like the Fedor type stuff but that’s not me. Not everybody can be a role model. It might work for Fedor but it doesn’t work for me.

Cory Brady: Do you have a weight class?

Mo Lawal: I have three weight classes. Eventually, if I can get big enough I would love to fight at heavyweight and if not that then 205 and if not that then 185. I just love challenges. I love to prove the nay sayers wrong. That’s what I love to do. I love being the underdog because I’ve been the underdog my whole life.

Cory Brady: What does the future hold for “King Mo?”

Mo Lawal: You can just expect me to be “King Mo” and just go out there and give it all I’ve got in the ring. Expect to see me dancing. that’s one thing for sure. You will see me dancing. If you don’t see me dancing it’s probably because my foot’s broke or I’m dead.

Cory Brady: Is there anyone you would like to thank?

Mo Lawal: I just want to thank anyone that knows me. I want to tell everyone to go see that movie ‘Mall Cop’ with Kevin James and I would like to tell Jason Ellis, in Mall Cop, to get these balls.

 

[Shogun Locc]

2008 Review on HDNet’s ‘Inside MMA’
videolink:http://www.sherdog.com/videos/recent/2008-Review-on-HDNets-Inside-MMA-1870
Kenny Rice and Bas Rutten look back at the both the biggest moments and the lighter side of 2008 on a special "Best Of" edition of “Inside MMA.” Also, Ron Kruck offers a recap of UFC 92.

 

[naner12]

If anyone's up and wants a stream for Sengoku .. hit me on the pm.

 

[SLRider510]

u kno wat still pisses me off is that comcast is NOT pickin up HDnet for UFC ppv's in HD.... it sucks any news on wen that might possibly happen?

 

[rylor206]

u kno wat still pisses me off is that comcast is NOT pickin up HDnet for UFC ppv's in HD.... it sucks any news on wen that might possibly happen?

Man i feel you on that one. I cant stand knowing that i am missing so many live events. At least Comcast has 10 different cooking and wheather channels to watch instead or i would really be pissed

 

[naner12]

Misaki vs. Santiago is a dope fight .. so it Gomi getting his leg nearly snapped off.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Kitaoka, Santiago Crowned By Sengoku

SAITAMA, Japan -- Satoru Kitaoka and Jorge Santiago were crowned champions after they finished their opponents by submission at Sengoku “No Ran 2009” on Sunday before some 18,000 fans at the Saitama Super Arena.

In the main event, Kitaoka kept true to his word, as he put away Takanori Gomi before the former Pride Fighting Championships lightweight king could do anything of note. Sizing up each other for a tense moment, Kitaoka was the first to act, as he dove for a takedown. Gomi spun out of the way to avoid the shot, but the persistent Kitaoka made another attempt and ate a grazing hook in the process.

Kitaoka (24-8-9) captured an arm, however, and pulled “The Fireball Kid” to the canvas and quickly attacked his right leg. After spinning to defend, Gomi waved off the referee and signaled he was in no trouble. Once Kitaoka readjusted his grip on the Achilles lock, the story soon changed. Gomi (29-5, 1 NC) tapped out 1:41 into the first round in the quickest defeat of his career.

Gomi attempted to congratulate Kitaoka on becoming the first Sengoku lightweight champion, only to have Kitaoka insist on a rematch. Though Gomi attempted to deflect his request, Kitaoka was adamant, making for a particularly awkward moment between the two.

Kitaoka was not the only new champion crowned.

Santiago’s quest for the Sengoku middleweight belt came to a successful end in the co-main event, as the American Top Team product pulled out a come-from-behind fifth-round submission against Kazuo Misaki.

An active Misaki stayed on the outside, circled and took potshots at the Brazilian with side kicks and spinning back kicks early. Santiago pumped long jabs at Misaki, but the Japanese veteran proved too evasive, as he circled, countered and built a lead with multiple hard low kicks.

Santiago (21-7) knocked down Misaki with a second-round hook, but the Brazilian failed to finish, and Misaki eventually had him figured out. He picked apart Santiago with single strikes and foiled his armbar attempts on the mat. Since Santiago relied almost exclusively on his jab, Misaki eluded his efforts with relative ease. As the fight progressed, it seemed as though Santiago had nothing in his arsenal that Misaki could not dodge or counter.

Entering round five with a substantial lead, Misaki (21-9-2) was derailed when Santiago switched tactics and scored with a big takedown. The re-energized Brazilian postured up and landed several heavy punches before passing to mount. Misaki surrendered his back and gave up the rear-naked choke soon after, passing out before he could submit. Referee Yoshinori Umeki called a halt to the action 3:26 into the final round.

In the evening’s only bout that was left to the judges, Sanae Kikuta defeated Hidehiko Yoshida by split decision.

Kikuta (28-6-3) appeared to take the first round, as he outpunched and outworked the Olympic gold medalist on the ground. Yoshida rallied in round two, however, as he exchanged positions with Kikuta, taking the top position and dropping punches. Kikuta tied up Yoshida’s legs and looked for submissions, but his unfazed foe sat through the attempts.

With the bout seemingly deadlocked at a round apiece, Kikuta came through in the final period, as he repeated his performance in round one, maintained top position and pounded on Yoshida (8-7-1) until the bell sounded. Judges Gen Isono and Tenshin Matsumoto ruled in Kikuta’s favor, while Masanori Ohashi curiously sided with Yoshida.

Meanwhile, Muhammed Lawal’s stock continued to rise.

“King Mo” made quick work of Yukiya Naito, as he put away the Japanese veteran by technical knockout 3:54 into the opening frame. Lawal (3-0) defended Naito’s high kicks, wound up for big punches and forced Naito into a defensive shell. The unbeaten Team Quest thoroughbred planted a huge right hand on Naito’s face that sent his mouthpiece flying and then flurried for the finish. As Lawal lunged in for the kill, referee Samio Kimura intervened and saved the fallen Naito (15-5-2) from further damage.

Elsewhere, EliteXC heavyweight champion Antonio Silva’s debut lasted barely more than a minute, as Yoshihiro Nakao could not continue after an awkward step resulted in a knee injury.

Leading on points with punches, stout middle kicks and an attempted anaconda choke, Silva was well on his way to delivering a sound beating against Nakao (7-2, 1 NC). After the Japanese heavyweight swung with two wide hooks in an attempt to distract Silva (12-1) as he circled out, he began limping and grasped his left leg. After referee Tomoki Matsumiya was called over to check Nakao’s leg, he waved off the match 1:42 after it began.

In other lightweight action, Sergey Golyaev -- fresh off his upset victory against Gomi in November -- was finished inside one round by the highly regarded Eiji Mitsuoka.

Rather than engage the Russian standing, Mitsuoka relied on his wrestling base, took down Golyaev (12-7) and dominated in top position. The end came when Mitsuoka (15-6-2) secured mount and slapped Golyaev’s right arm in a figure four. As the Russian rolled to escape, Mitsuoka pulled back on the limb and forced the tapout 4:22 into the first period.

Finally, in a surprising upset, Pride veteran Mu Bae Choi stopped the previously undefeated Dave Herman on a second-round TKO.

A heavy favorite, Herman (13-1) won the first round easily but was too tired by the second to defend a mid-round surge from the 261-pound Korean. He ate two big right hands and doubled over the ring ropes. As Choi (8-3) punched away, referee Hiromi Okamoto stepped in on Herman’s behalf and stopped the fight 2:22 into round two.

Other Bouts
Maximo Blanco def. Seigo Inoue -- TKO (Stomp) 0:38 R1
Hidetaka Irie def. Minoru Kato -- TKO (Punches) 4:21 R2

 

[Shogun Locc]

NOT OFFICIAL, CONDIT AWAITS LARSON REMATCH

Carlos Condit sees only one man on the horizon: Brock Larson.

Condit defeated the Minnesota Mixed Martial Arts Academy standout in convincing fashion at WEC 29, another blip on his submission radar. Larson didn’t see an armbar coming off a scramble, and it was game over.

But as the top dog of a thin division, the WEC welterweight champion has to shrug his shoulders. He doesn’t have many choices, and the ones he has are not camera ready to face him.

“It’s not ideal, because I have everything to lose, and he has everything to gain,” Condit told MMAWeekly.com’s Sound Off. “The pool of contenders is a bit shallow. There’s not a whole lot of guys for me to fight.”

Condit has been inactive since August of 2008, when he triumphed over the tough Hiromitsu Miura in his first title defense to go past the third round. Rumored returns in December and January have not materialized, so he’s used the time off for a change of scenery.

In November, Condit traded one desert for another, moving from Albuquerque, N.M., to Tempe, Ariz. He had spent his entire fighting life in New Mexico, and had reached a plateau in his development. He was burnt out.

“To the point where I wasn’t motivated to train,” Condit explained. “I felt like I’d pretty much done everything there was to do. The only thing that really got me motivated out there was running in the mountains and spending time outside. Other than that, well, I’ve already done all the clubs. I’ve already sparred with everybody there is to spar with. I needed something new to do.”

Training at the city’s other big gym, Jackson’s MMA, wasn’t really on the table. Condit’s trainer, Tom Vaughn, had made a name for himself after earning a black belt with Greg Jackson, opening Fit NHB, the place Condit would call home. Though Condit would stop in to Jackson’s from time to time, he couldn’t see himself there, or in Albuquerque, for the rest of his career.

Through the WEC, Condit befriended Jamie Varner, the promotion’s lightweight champion, and the two talked about training together. Condit had friends in Tempe, where Varner’s gym, Arizona Combat Sports, was located, and he knew of the gym’s pedigree. They had a room of Division I wrestlers who liked all out wars in the gym. Like a lot of jiu-jitsu experts, Condit felt wrestling was his weak point. It didn’t take long for him to see the benefit of moving.

“Over there, they’ve got a bunch of really talented wrestlers; wrestlers who like to fight, who are becoming or are very good mixed martial artists,” he said.

In that way, the layoff has treated Condit well. He’s had the chance to plug holes in his game. The wrestling’s a work in progress.

“It’s not come as far as it needs to, but it’s been improving for sure,” he said.

For the most part, wrestling was the unanswered question of Condit’s fight with Larson. Most saw Larson’s mat expertise as the key to beating Condit’s jiu-jitsu. But he made a mistake early, and in the absence of sweat, Condit capitalized.

Should they fight again, Condit sees as much danger as he saw before.

“He’s a very tough guy, and just because I beat him before doesn’t mean anything,” he said. “I’m going to have to be on my toes. I’m very motivated to fight him, and I’m looking forward to a very tough training camp.”

Condit would also jump at a rematch with old foe Jake Shields, who defeated him in a Rumble on the Rock tournament in 2006.

“I’d definitely like to rematch Jake,” he says. “I would welcome that fight for sure.”

That said; nothing is set in stone for the return of the “Natural Born Killer.” Right now he’s helping Varner prepare for his upcoming fight with Donald Cerrone – a former training partner – at WEC 38.

“It is a bit awkward,” he comments. “I wouldn’t want to let the cat out of the bag and give Jamie all the secrets or anything, but on the other hand, I want Jamie to be ready for this fight. So it’s a bit of a fine line to walk.”

He expects to return to the WEC in March, where a fight with Larson seems inevitable if the promotion is not able to import a recognizable candidate.

“I’d like to fight more often, but I’m still going to be really sharp when I come back,” Condit said.

 

[Shogun Locc]

"Babalu" Sobral: "I'm probably going to submit" Sokoudjou on Jan. 24

Less than a year ago, Rameau Thierry Sokodjou (5-3) was widely regarded as one of the most dangerous light-heavyweights in MMA.

But after a less-than-impressive stint in the UFC led to Sokoudjou's recent dismissal from the organization, Renato "Babalu" Sobral (31-7) thinks "The African Assassin" presents little in the way of special challenges.

"I have to prepare a little bit for Sokoudjou's strikes, and I have to respect his judo skills of course," Sobral said in a recent media call. "I respect all his skills, but I know what I have to do to win this fight. And I don't have anything special prepared for Sokoudjou."

The two former UFC fighters will meet on the main card of "Affliction: Day of Reckoning," scheduled for Jan. 24 in Anaheim, Calif. The bout will be Sokoudjou's first since an October TKO loss to Luis Cane prompted his release from the UFC.

Sobral, a 10-year veteran with 30 more professional bouts than his adversary, believes that the difference in experience will not play a major role in the fight.

"The truth is that it doesn't matter," Sobral said. "If you have 100 fights in the bag or one fight, minutes before the fight everybody pretty much does the same. That's where you have to control more emotions over there, like minutes before the fight. But this really doesn't matter very much because some kids just coming up right now, they already know how to control (their pre-fight) emotions."

Instead, Sobral believes conditioning may prove to be a determining factor in the result of the bout.

"If you don't train hard -- if you don't train properly for the fight, you'll probably be more nervous than you should," Sobral said. "I just have to push the pace of the fight."

Sokoudjou owns two explosive victories over former top-ranked 205-pound fighters Ricardo Arona and Antonio Rogerio Nogueira. But the 24-year-old's conditioning was an obvious question mark in his UFC losses to Cane and Lyoto Machida.

Sobral, currently riding a four-fight win streak that included a Strikeforce light-heavyweight title win in November, thinks that a full analysis of the bout is simple.

"I know how it's going to end," Sobral said. "It's going to end with me finishing the fight. I'm probably going to submit him."

 

[Shogun Locc]

Brad Blackburn continues career resurrection in UFC run

It wasn't too long ago that Brad Blackburn (13-9-1 MMA, 2-0 UFC) was a lightly regarded prospect in the IFL.

Two-straight wins over Delson Heleno and Jay Hieron changed that reputation in the IFL, and two more victories over Ryo Chonan and James Giboo since coming to the UFC have left Blackburn in an enviable position.

In a recent interview with TAGG Radio (www.taggradio.com), the official radio partner of MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com), Blackburn said a departure from past habits has lead to his current successful run.

"I just like to fight, and (in the past) I didn't train for it," Blackburn said. "[Promoters] were like, 'You want to fight next week?' And I would say, 'OK, whatever.'

"I wasn't training. So I'd go fight, and that's why I couldn't fight more than one round. If you look at my earlier fights, all my wins were in the first round. Any fight that went past the first round before the (Guatavo) Machado fight (in April 2006), I lost."

Blackburn admitted his less-than-desirable reputation.

"I was a one-round wonder," Blackburn said.

The 31-year-old broke out of that mold once and for all with his gutsy, unanimous-decision win over Chonan at UFC 92. Blackburn admitted he was tested throughout the 15-minute affair.

"It was a tough fight," Blackburn said. "[Chonan] was in great shape."

It was a test that Blackburn almost didn't get a chance to take. Many of the IFL's best fighters were initially blocked from a transition to the UFC -- even as the ill-fated organization was fading away. Blackburn's contractual timing could not have been more fortunate.

"Luckily I just signed a one-fight deal when I fought (Delson) Heleno (in the IFL)," Blackburn said. "With what they were paying me I said, 'I'll fight for you guys for that amount, but I'm not going to be locked in for that amount.'

It was an issue, but they ended up saying, 'OK.' We just came to an agreement that I was going to fight Jay Hieron for the title, and before they sent me the contract the IFL went down. I'm just thankful that it went down when it did because I probably would have signed within a week with them again. So I was free when the IFL went down."

Blackburn has taken full advantage of his opportunity by reeling off two-straight wins for the UFC. His future goals are now simple.

"I just want to fight anybody that has a bigger name than me or anybody that's ranked above me," Blackburn said. "That's who I want to fight.

"I don't take it personal. I don't call people out. I just want to be known as one of the best fighters. And the only way to be known as that is by fighting and beating some of the best."

 

[Shogun Locc]

Horodecki planning surprise for Lauzon at "Affliction: Day of Reckoning"

When 21-year-old Chris Horodecki (12-1) meets 20-year-old Dan Lauzon (11-2) on the main card of "Affliction: Day of Reckoning," it will be a matchup of two the youngest professional fighters making an impact on the current MMA landscape.

But for the first time in recent memory for both fighters, ages will not be a factor when the two up-and-comers step into the ring for the Jan. 24 event in Anaheim, Calif.

"I think it's very different for both of us," Horodecki said in a recent media conference call. "Usually we both get put up against guys that are much older than us."

With a combined six years of professional experience behind the pair, Horodecki believes the youth he and Lauzon will bring to the fight will provide for an exciting encounter.

"I think it's going to be a real exciting fight because you're going to see two guys that are young and hungry and want to win -- and want to keep their career moving," Horodecki said. "And we're going to lay it on the line."

Horodecki reeled off 12-straight victories to open his career. A setback to Ryan Schultz in December 2007 was followed up by a unanimous decision victory over Nate Lamotte in April 2008. That bout capped off a 8-1 stretch in the now-defunct IFL, and the layoff since has been the longest of Horodecki's career.

"It is definitely the longest layoff I've ever had," Horodecki said. "But I kept myself busy, basically having to live through my training partners."

Horodecki admitted no matter how hard the rigors of training, nothing compares to the real thing.

"[Training] doesn't compare to having a real live fight," Horodecki said. "Nothing gives you that feel of somebody going full tilt at you. It doesn't even matter how hard your sparring is."

But while the Canadian admits the challenge that the layoff has created, Horodecki believes he's done enough to avoid the typical challenges associated with extended breaks.

"I've been maintaining in the gym," Horodecki said. "I've been doing the right things and training with the right people so I would keep myself busy. I'm not too worried, and I think I won't be too ring-rusty. I think I'll be on point and ready to go."

Horodecki will have to be ready from the opening bell. Lauzon is currently riding a seven-fight win streak, five of which have ended in the opening five minutes.

Horodecki insists he'll be prepared.

"I don't want to say too too much about what I plan on doing, but I do plan on coming out on top and bringing things to the table that Dan hasn't seen before," Horodecki said. "I don't want to say too too much. You guys will see on fight night."