MMA News Thread

[Shogun Locc]

JEFF CURRAN VS. JOSEPH BENAVIDEZ SET FOR APRIL 5 WEC

A pivotal bantamweight match-up has been confirmed for the upcoming World Extreme Cagefighting card set for April 5, as former featherweight contender, Jeff "Big Frog" Curran takes on up and coming star, Joseph Benavidez, in a 135lb contest that could determine the next title contender.

The fight was confirmed to MMAWeekly.com by sources close to the fight on Monday.

While the fight between Curran and Benavidez is set to go, the card slated for an April 5 date has not been officially announced by the WEC and no location is known for the show at this time.

Making his official MMA debut at 135lbs, Curran will look to establish himself quickly in a growing division that currently has Miguel Torres perched as the champion and one of the top pound for pound fighters in the world.

Curran last fought in June 2007 losing a decision to eventual 145lb champion, Mike Brown, and after the bout, the veteran fighter announced his intentions to drop to the bantamweight division.

Originally slated to fight in December, Curran suffered an injury that forced him out of his bout and now he is set to return in April with a very tough opponent as his first test at 135lbs.

Joseph Benavidez is a major prospect who debuted with the WEC in December, defeating Danny Martinez by unanimous decision.

A training partner of former featherweight king Urijah Faber, Benavidez made a splash last year when he was set to face popular Japanese fighter, Norifumi "Kid" Yamamoto, in Dream, but when an injury subdued his opponent, he instead submitted replacement Junya Kudo in impressive fashion.

The fight between Curran and Benavidez is set to take place the same night a rumored bout between Torres and Brian Bowles for the 135lb title is set to take place, and the winner of the afore mentioned fight should be in line for the next title shot.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Reis Official with Bellator FC

Former Elite XC bantamweight champion Wilson Reis is bound for Bellator Fighting Championships, the emerging MMA promotion announced in a press release on Monday.

The Brazilian grappling standout was first rumored to join Bellator at its public inception, but the release confirmed his exclusive participation.

Stranded by the fall of Pro Elite, Reis is the first of its former champions to make a formal break for another MMA organization.

Reis will be one of eight 145 lb. fighters in Bellator's featherweight division. He will compete in the first round of a multi-weight class tournament taking place on Apr. 4 in a located to be announced. ESPN Deportes, the Spanish arm of American sports channel ESPN, will broadcast the event as the first of twelve specials in 2009.

The promotion also promises superfights along with the tournament format.

"Wilson has unlimited potential at 145," said Bjorn Rebney, CEO of Bellator Fighting Championships. "He has a terrific grappling pedigree, an unbelievable work ethic and he's getting better every time he fights. He's exactly the kind of fighter we're looking to showcase at Bellator Fighting Championships."

 

[Shogun Locc]

Miguel Torres vs. Brian Bowles set to headline WEC 40 in Chicago

long-rumored title fight between WEC bantamweight champion Miguel Torres (35-1 MMA, 4-0 WEC) and undefeated challenger Brian Bowles (7-0 MMA, 4-0 WEC) is now set for WEC 40.

Sources close to the bout notified MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) that bout agreements had been issued for the as-yet-unannounced event.

WEC 40 is scheduled for April 5, and while an exact venue has not yet been determined, the event will represent the WEC's first trip to Chicago.

MMAjunkie.com first reported the possibility of a Torres vs. Bowles titile fight shortly after Bowles' submission win over Will Ribeiro at "WEC 37: Torres vs. Tapia" in December 2008. Sources close to the organization indicated at that time that Bowles had been tagged as the No. 1 contender to Torres' 135-pound title.

Now Bowles will get the chance to tackle the WEC's hottest commodity on Torres' home turf.

Hailing from East Chicago, Ind., just across the Indiana state line from Chicago, Torres has a nine-year history of fighting in around the Chicago metropolitan area.

In addition to the hometown crowd's vocal support, Torres will also bring a 16-fight win streak with him into the cage. Torres last -- and only -- taste of defeat came in November 2003.

Additional sources also told MMAjunkie.com that a No. 1 contender bout in the bantamweight division has also been added to the WEC 40 card.

Eleven-year veteran Jeff Curran (29-10-1 MMA, 2-2 WEC) and undefeated 24-year-old Joseph Benavidez (9-0 MMA, 1-0 WEC) have agreed to meet in a bout to determine who will be the next challenger to the 135-pound title.

Curran will be dropping to 135 pounds after consecutive losses to the WEC's best featherweights, Mike Brown and Urijah Faber.

Benavidez has reeled off nine-straight wins since his 2006 debut. The streak includes six submission and two TKO victories.

 

[Shogun Locc]

"TUF" veterans David Kaplan and George Roop to meet at UFC 98

"The Ultimate Fighter 8" cast members David Kaplan (2-2 MMA, 0-1 UFC) and George Roop (8-4 MMA, 0-1 UFC) will meet in a lightweight bout on the undercard of the as-yet-unannounced UFC 98.

AroundTheOctagon.com first reported the possibility of the fight on Friday, and sources close to the event today told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) that bout agreements have been finalized.

UFC 98 is currently scheduled for May 23 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

Kaplan is currently on a two-fight slide including a submission defeat to Junie Browning at the "TUF 8 Finale" in December 2008. Despite losing the bout, Kaplan and Browning did earn an additional $25,000 each for putting on the evening's "Fight if the Night."

Kaplan also went 1-1 in exhibition bouts during the filming of "The Ultimate Fighter 8."

Roop will also be looking to rebound from a loss in his official UFC debut. The 27-year-old dropped a split-decision to fellow "TUF 8" cast member Shane Nelson in the December finale.

The Arizona resident earned his way into the "TUF 8" semifinals during his time on the show despite suffering a broken hand during preparation for his quarterfinal bout with John Polakowski.

Roop is also a nine-time Rage in the Cage veteran and has earned four of his eight career victories by submission.

 

[Shogun Locc]

On heels of new six-fight deal, Matt Hamill anxious for Ohio homecoming

Upon arrival to Loveland, Ohio, visitors and residents are greeted by a large sign that hugs the city border: "Welcome to Loveland: Home of Matt Hamill, three-time Div. III NCAA National Champion." Hamill's popularity is such that his story doesn't just grip a small town, but an entire state.

The first time Columbus, the state's capital, hosted a live UFC event was UFC 68 on March 3, 2007, when another native son, Rich Franklin, stopped Jason MacDonald and MMA legend Randy Couture won the UFC heavyweight championship with a unanimous decision win over Tim Sylvia. Garnering little attention among the mainstream audience, and absent from the pay-per-view telecast, was Hamill's TKO of Rex Holman four minutes into the first round.

But inside Nationwide Arena, Hamill's reception equaled, if not exceeded, that of Franklin and Couture.

Off a much-needed victory over Reese Andy at UFC 92, Hamill (5-2 MMA, 5-2 UFC) returns to Columbus to face 2001 NCAA Division I national champ Mark Munoz at UFC 96 on March 7. The card is headlined by Quinton Jackson vs. Keith Jardine. The building will be packed to see Hamill, owner of a new six-fight deal with the UFC and an extra edge to his game.

Hamill is longer looking to just survive. Nor is he riding the PR machine that churns his heartwarming story of a deaf fighter breaking into the world of mixed martial arts. Hamill's intent is to not only win, but to leave no trail of doubt.

"I'm very focused right now," Hamill told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) through his trainer and manager, Duff Holmes. "My instincts are to destroy and eliminate anyone in my division and move on without any hesitation at all."

Hamill's road may not take him to a shot at redeeming his TKO loss to Franklin.

"We have too much respect and admiration for Rich and everyone around him to go down that road again," Holmes said. "That fight was not fun for anyone. Too much of a connection there."

Down the road may be a meeting with "The Ultimate Fighter 8" winner Ryan Bader. But immediate on the agenda is Munoz, a two-time state wrestling champion and two-time Big 12 champion at Oklahoma State, with Hamill's intention the unveiling of a side never before seen in the octagon – or anywhere else.

"We are training harder than ever, and Matt is in some sort of zone," Holmes said. "It's going on four years now that I've been training him, and I've never seen him like this. This could be scary. He is very eager to learn and fix the mistakes he has made in the past."

Hamill's future with the UFC was at stake after entering the Andy fight with two losses in his previous three fights. He thoroughly dominated his opponent, ending the fight when ground and pound halted the fight at 2:19 of the second round.

"If he fights with the aggression he had in the second round, he will be a handful for anyone on the planet." Holmes said. "Matt did a great job sticking to the game plan and not going to the ground with Reese. Not that we were concerned Matt would have trouble on the ground but because after studying Reese Andy, we felt Matt could take him out in the stand up."

MMAjunkie.com first reported the Hamill vs. Munoz fight earlier this month. Soon after, Hamill wrote about the fight on his official site.

"I'm very excited to continue fighting with the UFC," Hamill wrote on MattHamill.com. "The UFC is my home, and I have enjoyed fighting for them for the last three years. I'm still learning every day, and I'm hungry to get to the top.

"Fighting in my home state of Ohio is truly an honor for me. The Ohio fans are amazing and I'm motivated to put on my best performance yet for them. Mark Munoz is as good as you get when it comes to wrestling, and I look forward to the challenge. He brings an undefeated MMA record, and I think this will be a very exciting fight."

Born in Yokosuka, Japan, and living in Sacramento, Munoz is undefeated in five MMA bouts. A former World Extreme Cagefighting standout, Munoz was contracted by the WEC and brought into the UFC when its sister promotion's 205-pound weight class was scrapped. He last fought in December, scoring a first-round TKO of Ricardo Barros at WEC 37 in Las Vegas.

 

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Source: UFC hasn't approached Roger Huerta about any upcoming fights

After deciding not to ink a new UFC contract in the final hours of negotiations this past December, Roger Huerta recently said he hopes his next – and perhaps final – UFC fight would come quickly.

And though his name has been attached to a couple rumored fights, including a UFC 97 clash with Sean Sherk, a source close to the fighter told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) Huerta hasn't been approached with a single fight.

"There haven't any (offers) yet," a source familiar with Huerta's negotiations said.

Huerta and his manager declined to comment on the matter.

However, in a recent interview with MMAjunkie.com, Huerta said he declined the new five-fight contract to pursue a modeling and acting career. He also said he was approached about a UFC 95 main-event fight with Joe Stevenson, but Huerta turned down the fight due to "personal issues with family and stuff," he said.

Still, he said last week he wants to get back in the cage sooner rather than later.

In the past the UFC has been accused of "freezing out" fighters such as Andrei Arlovski and Brandon Vera, who were in a similar position as Huerta's: holding one remaining fight and an extended period of time on their existing UFC contracts.

Huerta, though, doesn't want to wait until his contract's December expiration date.

"I hope [my final fight with the UFC] happens sometimes soon," he said. "You know what card I would like to get in is that April card (UFC 97) in Montreal. It would be pretty cool to fight there. I saw all the fans that were there for the UFC and for the fighters. That would be an honor to fight on that card."

For now, though, Huerta patiently awaits an offer.

 

[Shogun Locc]

‘Golden Boy,’ Trump Push Affliction Partnership

NEW YORK -- Up front sat Oscar De La Hoya, Tito Ortiz, Donald Trump, Donald Trump Jr., Vadim Finkelstein and Fedor Emelianenko, all of them, to varying degrees, collaborating with Affliction to make a run in the UFC-dominated world of MMA.

“A little competition really doesn’t hurt,” said De La Hoya at the Tuesday afternoon news conference, which promoted Affliction’s “Day of Reckoning” event headlined by Emelianenko and Andrei Arlovski.

De La Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions announced a partnership with Affliction in September, but the strength of the relationship has been questioned. While Emelianenko and Arlovski meet Saturday at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif., Golden Boy will also be promoting a boxing bout between Antonio Margarito and Shane Mosley about 30 miles away at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

Margarito and Mosley will fight on HBO while Arlovski-Fedor will cost $44.95 on pay-per-view. Affliction and Golden Boy have essentially shrugged off the competition, which could affect pay-per-view buys and ticket sales, but De La Hoya’s presence at Trump Tower on Tuesday at least suggested a stronger show of solidarity moving forward.

“The Golden Boy” called MMA’s progress “incredible” and said he expected his company’s success in boxing to follow in MMA through working with Affliction and Trump.

Of course insiders have speculated whether Affliction will survive the year. Affliction Vice President Tom Atencio seems to think so; he said he plans to promote four events a year with Golden Boy while Finkelstein’s M-1 Global will promote 10 events, making 14 MMA shows total among the partners.

“The UFC, up until now, has been the only game in town. I hope to change that,” said Atencio, who also addressed the UFC’s business practices like counterprogramming. “They’re going to do what they have to do to make sure that they’re the only game in town. With the organization that we have and the partners we have, I just don’t see that happening.”

Ortiz, who will commentate “Day of Reckoning” and said he looked forward to “possibly” fighting for Affliction, didn’t hesitate to take a crack at UFC President Dana White for criticizing Emelianenko.

“Words from [White’s] mouth really don’t mean much,” Ortiz said. “Fedor’s record speaks for itself.”

The top-ranked Russian heavyweight grinned when he took his turn to speak. He didn’t seem bothered by White or by Freddie Roach, the renowned boxing trainer who has helped prepare Arlovski and also criticized Emelianenko’s footwork and boxing technique.

“I never claimed that I had the best boxing technique in the world,” Emelianenko said through an interpreter. “I never actually made any generalizations about what type of boxer I am. [Roach] has trained a lot of great fighters and maybe he’s right, but we’ll see what happens in the ring. We’ll see what Andrei has to offer. We’ll see what I have to offer him.”

Asked what he would have to offer UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar should they ever fight, Emelianenko again grinned before taking his time to formulate a response.

“Let’s just say everybody has a chance,” he said. “He’s a strong fighter, and if we were ever to meet in the ring, we would see what would happen.”

We won’t see that anytime soon, but Fedor could have a challenge on his hands Saturday against Arlovski. He wasn’t marked up the way some fighters are days before a bout, no visible bruises or black eyes, but he made it clear that he has taken Arlovski seriously.

In fact, when explaining his loss in the November World Sambo Championships, Fedor acknowledged that he wasn’t as ready as he should have been.

For Arlovski, though, he has been “fully motivated.”

 

[Shogun Locc]

Horodecki Excited for Return
videolink: http://www.sherdog.com/videos/recent/Horodecki-Excited-for-Return-1883
In a Sherdog.com exclusive video interview, news editor Loretta Hunt sat down with Chris Horodecki, who takes on Dan Lauzon this weekend at Affliction "Day of Reckoning."

 

[Shogun Locc]

Sherdog Prospect Watch: Brian Cobb

Brian Cobb is a man on a mission.

In four years as a professional mixed martial artist, the reigning Palace Fighting Championship lightweight titleholder has racked up an impressive 14-4 record. He will carry an eight-fight winning streak into the ring for his second title defense against Lance Wipf at PFC 12 “High Stakes” this Thursday at the Tachi Palace Hotel and Casino in Lemoore, Calif.

Not bad for a guy who was never expected to win the PFC belt. Cobb entered his match with defending champion and UFC veteran Diego Saraiva at PFC 8 in May as a heavy underdog. After five dominant rounds against the crafty Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt, all three judges score the bout in Cobb’s favor.

The Bakersfield, Calif., resident has grown accustomed to the underdog role. His most recent victory -- and perhaps his most impressive -- came by second-round submission against Marcus Levesseur at a War Gods show in November. Levesseur was undefeated as an amateur wrestler at Augsburg College, where he racked up a 155-0 record and won four NCAA Div. III championships.

Experts believed that Cobb’s downfall would result from facing a superior wrestler. They were wrong.

Cobb out-grappled Levesseur before he finished him in round two. After absorbing a nasty upkick, Cobb pounced on Levesseur, transitioned to full mount, took his back, flattened him out and forced the tapout with a rear-naked choke.

“I have good back control,” Cobb says. “It comes naturally from my wrestling. I’ve always been good from top position. I ride well.”

Originally from San Jose, Calif., Cobb entered MMA on a whim. He had just completed his collegiate wrestling career at Cal State Bakersfield and was working on campus as an assistant coach. His brothers had both wrestled at UC Davis with a guy named Urijah Faber.

“Urijah told me I’d do good at MMA and I should try it,” Cobb says. “I was at the right time and place in my life and said, ‘Sure, I’ll take a fight.’ I took it. I won, and I loved it. And I haven’t looked back.”

Cobb defeated Keith Byer in his professional debut at a Gladiator Challenge show in October 2004. He entered the match as a pure wrestler with only two weeks of formal MMA training. His gameplan was simple.

“They told me just to take the guy down and punch him,” Cobb says. “I did that, [and] then I got like a wrestling headlock on the guy, squeezed as hard as I could and he tapped out. I didn’t even know what I was doing.”

Cobb’s next fight was for the title, and he succumbed to an armbar in 39 seconds against Cesar Gracie protégé Nick Ertl. In his third bout, he lost by guillotine choke in 44 seconds. It was time to sharpen his jiu-jitsu skills.

“After that, I took a little time to just really focus at getting better at jiu-jitsu,” he says. “I realized I liked it a lot. I’m an awkward wrestler, so jiu-jitsu really came more natural to me. I have good hip position.”

Once he reached a point where he was comfortable with his jiu-jitsu, Cobb set out to find a boxing coach and add the final piece to his MMA arsenal. Juan Alex Villanueva was a perfect fit.

“All the combinations I set up for him, and dipping and dodging, avoiding a punch … it’s mostly getting ready for shooting,” Villanueva says.

Instead of trying to transform Cobb into a boxer, Villanueva wanted to teach him to box as a wrestler. They worked on boxing from a traditional wrestling stance.

“He’s a wrestler, so I’m not gonna mess up his stand-up,” Villanueva says. “Stand-up for a wrestler is different than a boxer. A boxer is more sideways, and a wrestler is more facing front, so I teach him combinations that give him a chance for a takedown.”

Cobb also works at other gyms in the area in an effort to further expand his striking repertoire. One of his sparring partners, PFC welterweight champion Bryan Travers, claims they often focus on throwing meaningful strikes, not just those that setup takedowns.

Cobb’s dedication to cross training has paid off, as he has finished six of his eight opponents during his current winning streak. His MMA coach, Joshua Allen -- Cobb refers to him as “Yoda” -- believes Cobb stands out because of his drive and discipline.

“It’s definitely his work ethic,” Allen says. “He’s willing to work harder and push harder than 100 percent of guys out there. He really wants to do what you tell him to do, and he never asks why. It’s a Godsend to have a student who puts his heart and soul into it, and he does.”

Cobb’s commitment to hard work extends beyond the gym. He is currently working toward his Master’s degree and teaching credential in mathematics. His post-fight career plans include teaching calculus and trigonometry.

“I can’t fight forever,” he says.

For now, Cobb seems content to see where MMA takes him, and he knows exactly how he wants to approach his fighting career.

“I want to fight anyone who is supposed to beat me,” he says. “I want to fight in Japan again. I want to fight anywhere in the world where I can get on someone else’s dime, but right now, the only fight that matters is Lance Wipf on Jan 22.”

Expect more of the same from Cobb.

“He’s supposed to be a great wrestler,” he says. “How do you beat a great wrestler? You out-wrestle him.”

 

[Shogun Locc]

FRANK MIR TALKS REMATCH WITH BROCK LESNAR

Ultimate Fighting Championship interim heavyweight champion Frank Mir and UFC heavyweight titleholder Brock Lesnar will rematch to unify the belts later this year. Mir recently spoke with MMAWeekly.com about the rematch, Lesnar's improvements and why he feels he'll be the undisputed, two-time heavyweight champion after what will be their second fight.

Mir defeated Lesnar in the former professional wrestler's UFC debut at UFC 81 on Feb. 2, 2008.

"There's a lot of hype behind Brock. I don't think that right now people have me as a clear-cut favorite in the fight as far as what I understand and what people are telling me. So, to be able to go out there and fight him for the title, and he was really the start of what kind of got me back into the limelight, that I think this helps finish it off," the Las Vegas resident said about fighting Lesnar for a second time. "I'm happy to go in and fight Brock and do it again."

Lesnar made his UFC debut in his second professional mixed martial arts bout and surprised a lot of people in his losing effort against the more experienced Mir. Looking ahead to the rematch, the 29-year-old heavyweight doesn't think it will be a walk in the park.

"I don't think it will be an easy fight by no means. I think he's going to learn his lessons from the first time. I just still think that I'm the better fighter. I've been doing it a lot longer. There's not that drastic of a size difference between the two of us," Mir told MMAWeekly.com. " I stay between 250 and 260. No matter what, he has to show up at 265 the night before. How much weight can he put on? Ten-fifteen pounds, tops – 280 when I weigh 260 – 20 pounds is not drastic. It's not going to be deathly. But I have years of experience on him that he doesn't have in the MMA world."

Mir acknowledged that Lesnar has improved since their first fight, but doesn't believe he's had the time to transform his abilities to the level of a world-class fighter.

"I think he's improved a little bit, but I still think it takes a long time. No one picks this up in four or five fights," said the UFC interim heavyweight titleholder. "What fighter have you seen yet that in four fights is unbelievably technical? We can go through any weight class you want.

"Lets look at Urijah Faber at his fourth or fifth fight. What was he compared to what he is now? If we go to Miguel Torres, if we go to St. Pierre, you can pick the best fighters in the world. How good are they on their fifth fight compared to how good they are now," asked Mir. "We're talking about world-class guys. We're talking BJ Penn's and stuff. Let's be realistic - Matt Hughes. Come on. If Brock Lesnar is able to be a world-class mixed martial artist on his fifth fight, that means he's the best mixed martial artist pound-for-pound that ever came into MMA. That's a pretty steep statement there. We're talking you're up there with Anderson Silva and St. Pierre and Miguel Torres. That's a pretty long, tall list to be on top of."

"If he does it, I'll be impressed out of my mind," he added.

Mir anticipates more striking in the rematch and Lesnar to come in with a different game plan than their first go around. "I think it's going to be a lot more striking, obviously, this time. I think honestly there's going to be a lot more striking, but Brock's never really been punched in a pro fight. I think he's going to try to stand up with me for a little while, and then when that doesn't go his way he's going to take me down and try to ground and pound me and hope he's a lot more strategic about avoiding submissions."

And Mir doesn't disagree with that strategy for Lesnar. In fact, he would employ the same tact if he were coaching Lesnar. "If I was coaching him, that's what I'd do, sort of push the pace. Even in the fight with Nogueira, it only went seven minutes. Who still knows whether I truly have a gas tank or not? Obviously you see that I do have stand up skills. You know what I can do on the ground, so why don't we just test the gas tank now? I'd say, 'Don't get hurt early on with a punch. Don't do something stupid and get caught in a submission. Take the fight the to the second or third round and see what Mir really can do.' Which is great for me if he could do that because then I can showcase more about what I can do. That's what the fight is about. I want to show more and more my depths in my ability. If he can make it further, it's a plus for me in my career."

Although he expects a different game plan out of Lesnar, Mir is interested what that game plan may be.

"My striking, now, is up to a level that I don't think his is at. My jiu-jistu's still at a level I don't think his is at. Obviously he can out wrestle me, but it's kind of like, okay, pick your poison," stated the former UFC heavyweight titleholder. "Do you want to stand with me? I can't take Brock down. If Brock wants to stand on our feet, it will be a stand-up war. Does he really want to stand up with me? Okay, Nogueira's a much better boxer than he is and we saw what happened there. At the same time, does he want to shoot and take me down? That might not be the best thing either. So, he's kind of really in a weird situation.

"I'm kind of curious what his plans will be, so I'm just preparing to go ahead and beat him at the stand-up and beat him on the ground. "

 

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STANN'S UFC DEBUT AGAINST SOSZYNSKI AT UFC 97

A light heavyweight bout has been added to the UFC's pending return to Montreal on April 18, as "Ultimate Fighter" season 8 cast member Krzysztof Soszynski will take on former WEC light heavyweight champion Brian Stann, as confirmed to MMAWeekly.com on Tuesday by sources close to the fight.

After a run to the semifinals on the last season of The Ultimate Fighter, Krzysztof Soszynski made a return to the Octagon during the finale for the eighth season, securing a submission win over fellow cast member Shane Primm.

The victory gave Soszynski his first official win in the UFC and a $25,000 bonus for submission of the night during the show.

His opponent, Brian Stann, will be making his debut in the UFC following a successful career fighting for World Extreme Cagefighting, where he served as light heavyweight champion until a loss to Steven Cantwell in August 2008.

After the loss, Stann was one of a handful of fighters that Zuffa transferred over to the UFC when the WEC dissolved its 205-pound weight class. The Marine was set to face Cantwell in a pivotal rubber match between the two in December at the UFC's Fight for the Troops fundraising show, but Stann fell victim to an injury that forced him out of the bout and back to this April date.

It is unknown at this time if the bout between Soszynski and Stann will be featured on the main card that will be headlined by UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva against Thales Leites, and Chuck Liddell vs. Mauricio "Shogun" Rua.

 

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UFC Quick Quote: Jon Fitch focused on UFC 94 fight against Akihiro Gono … not television line up

“[Akihiro Gono] is a very seasoned veteran man. He’s a slick fighter and he knows his way around a fight. He’s been fighting for like 15 years I think. So that is ridiculous. He has had a ton of fights and has only lost a handful of them and has only been finished four times in his career. To be finished four times in 15 years is super impressive. He’s got good leg kicks and kick defense and good wrestling even. His ground game is kind of under rated because he is a good grappler as well. So, he is going to be a tough opponent…. You know I’m not going to let anything outside of the fight [i.e. being on the untelevised prelim portion of the card] itself worry me. I’m there to fight Gono whether it is the main event of the card or the first fight of the night, and whether it is a sold out venue to just ten people in the stands it really doesn’t matter to me. All that other stuff is just outside crap and I am just focused on the fight it’s self and beating Gono and that is all that matters.”

 

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Norifumi “Kid” Yamamoto to miss DREAM Featherweight Tournament

Sports Navi is reporting that featherweight superstar Norifumi “Kid” Yamamoto will not be ready in time to fight in the upcoming DREAM Featherweight Grand Prix scheduled for this March.

Yamamoto (17-1) is in the midst of a 14-fight win streak, but has been plagued with injuries that have kept him on the sidelines since demolishing Rani Yahya at K-1 Premium Dynamite in December 2007.

He was expected to make his DREAM debut last July to face undefeated featherweight prospect Joseph Benavidez at DREAM 5. However three days before the fight while in training he attempted a flying knee maneuver and landed awkwardly on his right leg. This resulted in a partial tear of his anterior ligament that has kept him out of action ever since.

“Kid” has stated that as of right now, he is only training lightly and doesn’t want to get back into action too soon as it could aggrevate his injuries. He also mentioned a March return is highly unlikely, meaning he will miss the opening round of the DREAM featherweight tournament.

FEG will likely keep a place for him in a possible reserve bout further along in the tournament, should he recover prior to the finals.

This is definitely not a good start for DREAM in 2009. Yamamoto would have no doubt been one of the main attractions of their featherweight tournament, which could of helped with the declining ratings they’ve recently faced.

That said, they only have a short amount of time to pack the tournament with more stars and familiar faces. It could be a pretty tall order with both rival Sengoku and newly created Bellator FC also planning to hold featherweight tournaments early this year as well.

In it’s own right, the 145 lb class is a division with a deep talent pool. Unfortunately, a lot of that talent lacks the drawing power of someone such as Yamamoto. With two other mixed martial arts organizations scrambling for the best featherweight stars, it could be slim pickings for FEG.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Jose Aldo wants another victory at WEC

Unbeaten in the WEC after two fights, Jose Aldo is getting ready for his third participation at the event, at WEC 38, in January 25th in San Diego, California. Because of problems with Fredson Paixão’s documents, Aldo will face the WEC newcomer Rolando Perez (4-1-1). In conversation with TATAME, the Brazilian said that his training are the same and makes a prediction about the fight.

"The opponent has changed, but the trainings remains the same. I’ve seen his fight, he’s good on striking and I think that he’ll try to take me down. I can’t forget my origins of Jiu-Jitsu, I’ll be striking and I’ll try to take him down too. My style is striking, I’ll be attacking and, as the fight goes, I’ll try to finish", he says.

As his team partner, Marcos Loro, José Aldo is with an eye on a possible title shot, in case of winning this fight. However, the athlete revealed that his future depends on the decision of his manager and Nova União leader, André Pederneiras. "I’ll always want the best. If I could choose, I would be among a fight with Mike Brown or Leonard Garcia, but that is up to André. He’ll decide better who I’ll fight with", concludes

 

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Thales training with Ryan Bader for Silva

Most of the athletes who fight MMA dreams with a belt in a great organization and, at April 18th, when the UFC arrives at Canada, Thales Leites will have the greatest chance of his life. The fight Anderson Silva, announced in first hand by TATAME.com. is considered for Thales the most importante of his life.

Therefore, the BJJ black belt didn’t lose time and went to Arizona, United States, to work his Boxing and Wrestling in his friend Gustavo Dantas’ academy. “The training here are great. Everybody here is good. I’m training everyday, emphasizing the Boxing and Wrestling part, where they are very good", said Thales, who is counting with the TUF 8 champion, Ryan Bader’s help and also the UFC fighter CB Dollaway. “Jaime Warner, Steve, Simpson and Carlos Condit, all WEC fighters, are helping me too. Steve is a wrestling coach and is very good teaching at a school here in Arizona”, completed Leites.

 

[Shogun Locc]

The Road to UFC: Satoshi Ishii

 

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Faber Looking To Bounce Back
videolink: http://sherdog.com/videos/recent/Faber-Looking-To-Bounce-Back-1884
Greg Savage sat down with Urijah Faber for an exclusive interview, where the former champion discussed his loss to Mike Thomas Brown and his return bout this weekend at WEC 38.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Monson Arrested for Domestic Violence

Former UFC heavyweight contender and professed anarchist Jeff Monson remains incarcerated at the Davies County Detention Center on Wednesday, after he was arrested Monday night on domestic violence and property damage charges in Advance, N.C.

Authorities were called to the residence of Stephanie Trapani, 30, and detained Monson for “assault to a female” and “damage to property” following an alleged domestic dispute, said Capt. Hartman of Davies County Sheriff’s Office. Trapani and Monson had a “dating relationship,” said Hartman.

Trapani was also arrested for damage to Monson’s property. The Olympian reported Monday that Trapani had discarded Monson’s cell phone after finding out he was involved in romantic relationships with other women.

On the fighter’s voicemail message, a female’s voice notified callers that Monson had “lost” his cell phone and to leave detailed contact information.

Capt. Hartman said Trapani posted bail on Monday and has obtained a 50B contact order, denying the fighter “any contact whatsoever” with Trapani.

“He destroyed my house," Trapani told The Olympian on Monday. "He started just bashing holes in the walls and the columns."

Trapani said Monson also grabbed her during the argument.

Monson’s bail has been set at $22,000, though Davies County Sheriff’s Office said a magistrate or judge could decide to hold the fighter further for extradition after they were contacted by Washington officials on a separate charge.

A warrant for Monson’s arrest remains active in Washington, where the fighter has been has been charged with first-degree malicious mischief for spray-painting the peace sign, the anarchy symbol, and the phrases “No war” and “No poverty” on the state’s capital building on Nov. 26.

ESPN The Magazine documented Monson’s protest while trailing the politically minded fighter for a feature that ran in its Dec. 29 issue. Monson was documented defacing the monument in one of the article’s accompanying photographs, which led Washington officials to the suspect. The act carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $20,000 fine.

Monson (27-8) told Sherdog.com last Thursday that he hadn’t regretted his protest and that he’d intended to turn himself in to authorities before his separate arrest Monday. The decorated world grappling champion said he didn’t believe his pending arrest for vandalism would taint his career and that he’d planned to fight next for World Victory Road’s “Sengoku” promotion this March in Japan.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Krzysztof Soszynski vs. Brian Stann possible for UFC 97

A light-heavyweight contest between "The Ultimate Fighter 8" cast member Krzysztof Soszynski (16-8-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC) and former WEC 205-pound champion Brian Stann (6-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC) is currently in the works for UFC 97.

Reports of the possible bout surfaced earlier today, and MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) has confirmed that the matchup is under consideration, but bout agreements have not yet been finalized.

UFC 97 is scheduled for April 18 in Montreal.

Soszynski was an early favorite on "The Ultimate Fighter: Team Nogueira vs. Team Mir" before bowing out in the semifinals following a surprise loss to Vinny Magalhaes. The 31-year-old is currently riding a four-fight win streak that includes a submission win over Shane Primm in Soszynski's official UFC debut.

Stann will be looking to bounce back from an August 2008 loss to Steve Cantwell at WEC 35. The Marine was set to rematch with the man who took his WEC title at UFC Fight Night 16, but an injury forced Stann off the card in favor of Razak Al-Hussan.

Sources close to the event indicated that the fight has been presented to both fighters, but a possible conflict may force the organization to consider different options. Stann previously trained with Soszynski and his teammates at Team Quest in Temecula, Calif.

MMAjunkie.com was told that other opponents could be sought out if the pair ultimately elects not to sign on for the matchup.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Nissen Osterneck vs. Nate Loughran targeted for UFC Fight Night 18 bout

One-time World Extreme Cagefighting fighter Nissen Osterneck (5-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC) will likely make his UFC debut against Nate Loughran (9-1 MMA, 1-1 UFC) in April at UFC Fight Night 18.

The fight is in the works and has been pitched to at least one of the fighters, a source close to one of the competitors told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com).

The middleweight bout is the latest addition to the April 1 card, which is expected to take place in Nashville, Tenn.

Osterneck posted five consecutive stoppage wins before he earned an invitation to the WEC late last year. He made his debut at WEC 36 and faced highly touted prospect and former collegiate wrestling stand-out Jake Rosholt. In a valiant effort in a wild fight, Osterneck ultimately suffered a second-round TKO loss.

The effort, though, was enough to earn Osterneck a ticket to the UFC after the WEC eliminated its light-heavyweight and middleweight classes late last year.

He now meets Loughran, who's also looking to rebound from his first career loss. After launching his career with eight consecutive wins primarily in Gladiator Challenge and Palace Fighting Championships, Loughran joined the UFC. He defeated Johnny Rees in his octagon debut at UFC Fight Night 14 for his ninth consecutive stoppage (eight via submission). However, he was finally stopped last month at UFC Fight Night 16 by Tim Credeur when Loughran was unable to answer the bell for the third round.