MMA News Thread

[Shogun Locc]

Report: Jay Hieron vs. Jason High expected for Affliction PPV slot

With Affliction still scrambling to find a replacement for a medically disqualified Chris Horodecki in a lightweight bout with Dan Lauzon, the organization is expected to promote a welterweight fight between Jay Hieron (16-4) and Jason High (6-0) to the Saturday night's "Day of Reckoning" pay-per-view broadcast from Anaheim, Calif.

Fiveouncesofpain.com was the first to learn of the planned adjustment.

Hieron and High had been slated for the preliminary card, scheduled for broadcast on HDNet.

Hieron, a veteran of the UFC and IFL, brings a four-fight win streak into Saturday night's bout. "The Thoroughbred" racked up a 7-2 record in the IFL en route to winning the organization's welterweight title before the collapse of the team-based concept.

The Xtreme Couture fighter last fought in a unanimous decision win over Chris Kennedy at the Kim Couture-co-promoted "SuperFights MMA: Night of Combat 2" in October 2008.

High has remained undefeated in six fights since his 2005 professional debut. A Gladiator Challenge and Victory Fighting Championship veteran, High holds notable wins over UFC veterans Kevin Burns and James Giboo.

Sources close to the event have told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) that Affliction is still hoping to find a late replacement for Horodecki.

 

[Shogun Locc]

TITO ORTIZ SETTLES INTO NEW ROLE WITH AFFLICTION

As he eases in to his next venture of color commentating, Tito Ortiz is still on the mend.

Three months ago, he had back surgery to repair bulging discs in his back. According to the former UFC light heavyweight champ, the doctor who performed the procedure said Ortiz’s abdominal muscles were three times thicker than anyone he’d operated on before.

“All the ab work that I’ve done that got me through the last five years is what made that,” he told MMAWeekly.com with a Cheshire grin.

This might come as a shock, but Ortiz often came into fights less than healthy.

“Yeah, I lied a few times, saying I was 100 percent during fights, but I can’t let out my weaknesses at all,” he said.

The lies eventually came back to bite him, in the form of Lyoto Machida. The undefeated Brazilian's quickness contrasted sharply with Ortiz in their UFC 84 fight. It was the final wake up call for Ortiz to seek help.

The only punches he will throw at the commentator’s table at Affliction's "Day of Reckoning" will be verbal ones, a job he feels he’s well suited to from years of cultivating an image as one of the UFC’s most outspoken characters.

“This is tailor made for me,” he said. “I think on Saturday night, I should do a pretty good job. I’m doing my homework on the fighters, of course, and getting ready to really announce as best I possibly can. The commentating role, it doesn’t look that hard of a job, so I’m excited.”

He has yet to step onto the mats since the surgery. A July return is a definite possibility (a phrase that has tended to follow him in the last two years of his roller coaster with the UFC), though he wants a warm-up fight before he takes on a top-ranked opponent. When he does commit to a return, one name in particular stands out.

“As a warm up fight – this is a warm-up fight – since I’m getting off a huge back surgery and so forth: Frank Shamrock. Frank Shamrock, step up. Yeah, he’s a little smaller than me, but he’s said a lot of things, he’s beat me the last time he was a smaller man. Step up or shut up. I mean, that’s the way it is.”

Ortiz evaded questions about his future with the UFC, as is the norm since his very public battle with UFC president Dana White boiled over last year. He took great pleasure, though, in the recent shake-ups in the light heavyweight division.

“I look at a guy like Rashad Evans,” he said. “Who I thought I beat, but we got a draw, I gave him his blemish on his record. I beat their former champ Forrest Griffin, and I was maybe 60 percent at the most? So me at 100 percent, I’d crush both those guys.

“No disrespect towards Rashad, he’s an awesome champion, he’s paid his way. Thanks for knocking out Chuck Liddell 'cause he raised my stock. Which is great, and I still see myself at the top of the game.”

In the end, Ortiz sees time on his side, whether he spends the rest of his career in a cage or a ring.

“I’m only 33-years-old,” he stressed. “I’m not 45, I’m not 40, like Liddell and Couture, so I’m still going to be a factor, no matter what, in the light heavyweight division.”

Right now, the only commitment he wants is his new role on Saturday. When – and not if – he comes back, he wants to be the fighter who was champion.

“I look at it as being 100 percent again in three months, being the ‘old Tito Ortiz’ of new.”

 

[Shogun Locc]

Leonard Garcia: God is stacking the deck against Mike Brown at WEC 39

“To get a title shot anywhere is a dream come true, but to get it in my home state is unreal. I have a lot of advantages fighting in Texas. I think God is stacking the deck against Mike. That’s my take on it anyway.”

 

[Shogun Locc]

Luis Cane vs Steve Cantwell UFC 97 fight likely

Surging light heavyweight contender Luis Cane (9-1) will likely get to sink his chops into the last man to hold the World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) 205-pound title, Steve Cantwell (7-1), at UFC 97 from The Bell Centre in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, on April 18.

“Banha” was supposed to collide with Keith Jardine; however, “The Dean of Mean” now has bigger and better things to take care of, namely Quinton “Rampage” Jackson,” after division champion Rashad Evans revealed he would not be ready in time for UFC 96 in March.

So it’s Cane vs. Cantwell at UFC 97 and Jardine vs. Jackson at UFC 96.

Cane destroyed Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou via second round technical knockout at UFC 89: “Bisping vs. Leben” back in October. It was his second straight win — the Brazilian heel stopped Jason Lambert at UFC 85: “Bedlam” last June.

His only loss is to James Irvin, which was ruled a disqualification because of an errant knee to the face. The 27-year-old fighter is tough as nails and comes prepared to bang, which means that Cantwell ought to as well.

“Robot” finished Razak Al Hassan with a first round armbar in his Octagon debut at UFC Fight Night 16: “Fight for the Troops” in December 2008; however, the Iowa resident refused to tap, causing his elbow to buckle under the pressure.

It was a grisly scene made worse by the classless comments from Cantwell in wake of the win (he apologized to Al Hassan for the remarks shortly after their fight).

Cantwell is riding a four-fight win streak after suffering the first loss of his career to Brian Stann back in early 2007. He’s stopped all four opponents on his current run, including a win against Stann in a rematch. In fact, Cantwell has never been the distance in eight professional mixed martial arts bouts, win or lose.

UFC 97 will likely feature middleweight champion Anderson Silva, defending his 185-pound strap against Thales Leites. Company President Dana White recently announced during the UFC 93 post-event press conference that Chuck “The Iceman” Liddell and Mauricio “Shogun” Rua would also square off in the co-main event.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Arona confirmed at ADCC 2009

Away from competitions since 2007, at Pride, Ricardo Arona already has a date to come back. Training at Niterói, Rio de Janeiro, Arona gets ready to be back at ADCC 2009. With the presence of the fighter in the event that launched him confirmed by the secretary of the event, Wagner Gomes, we spoke to the athlete on the expectation for the new challenge, that he knows like no one else.

"It’s very important to fight at the ADCC because I was away from MMA and competitions for a while, and I really started my professional life at ADCC, after I won my first ADCC. It’s important to return to competition and win it is very important to then sign new MMA contracts. It’s a matter of honor, because I’m unbeaten and is the best way to return", said Arona, who dreams of a superfight against Fedor Emelianenko, who is also confirmed in the event.

"He (Wagner) talked with me about a possible superfight with Fedor and, of course, I want it. It would be perfect, he has the difference in weight, but that doesn’t bother me. I would like it a lot", says the fighter. Asked about how would be the rematch from the defeat on MMA in the rules of Submission, Arona didn’t hide the optimism. "How would it be? (laughs) Oh, it’s difficult to imagine a fight, but it’ll be very good, it would be great. That’s my beach, the fight on the ground, takedowns, without punches... It would be perfect for me".

Great friend of Rodrigo "Minotauro" Nogueira, Arona spoke about the fellow’s defeat at UFC 92, when he got knocked out by Frank Mir, but wants to talk with Rodrigo to know the circumstances of the fight. "He didn’t appear well, couldn’t find himself inside the ring, but I wanna talk with him, to know what he has to say. He didn’t fight well, you know why, fighters has this things", said Arona, that also commented the defeat of Wanderlei Silva on the same night.

"Quinton Jackson lost to him twice, and trained a lot to play the right game this time. He trained more boxing and made an intelligent game. Wanderlei continued with the same game and Quinton trained much more and was the best", he said, speaking about Mauricio Shogun’s victory in the following event. "He had a strange defeat for Forrest Griffin, didn’t fight well and I think this victory against Coleman shows that he’s still a great fighter, but he has to fight with Griffin again. Griffin really submitted him ", concluded Arona.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Fabrício Camões in talks with UFC

Without fighting since EliteXC’s collapse in the United States, Fabricio “Morango” Camoes wants to go back to America and find another job. After two great victories in the octagon, Morango can’t sign with another event until his contract is released from the organization. “I’ll go back there by the end of the month, I just came to Brazil to renew my visa and see my family. I have some proposals from another organizations in the US, like UFC, but I didn’t sign anything yet because EliteXC has my contract. I’m just waiting to sign with another event. I’m trying to do it fast”, said the BJJ black belt.

Enjoying the vacation in Brazil, Morango doesn’t stay a long time away from training, since then he went to Delfim’s gym and trained with Brazilian Wrestling team and MMA at X-Gym, where he trained with Ronaldo “Jacaré” Souza, Anderson Silva, Rafael “Feijão” Cavalcante and Fabio Maldonado. “I need to stay training”, said Camoes, helping Anderson on his preparation to face Thales Leites at UFC 97: “Anderson is training with Jacaré and Sylvio Behring (BJJ seven degrees red and black belt), and I’m helping him too. Actually, I’m trying to help him, because he’s already a complete guy and he’s in a level above the guys here… He’s the man!”.

Besides believing that Jiu-Jitsu is enough to win a MMA fight, this time Morango thinks that Anderson’s technique will be too much for Thales. “Fight is a box of surprises, but Anderson had everything in the octagon, he passed for everything and it needs to be something really new to surprise him. I’m a guy from Jiu-Jitsu too, I trust in my technique on the ground and I win most of them there, but the fights starts standing up and until you put him down a lot of things can happen, and Anderson is like “Matrix”… Thales is tough, has a great Jiu-Jitsu, I respect him a lot and I believe it’ll be a tough fight”, analyzed.

While the freedom doesn’t come from EliteXC, Fabricio knows where he’ll work when comes back to USA. “I teaching BJJ at Brandon Ver’s team and I might start a big job in a training center that will start soon, with Saulo Ribeiro’s ex-partner. It’ll be Arena’s training center and I’ll be the MMA responsible at the team”, said Morango, who passed whole 2008 training for his fights and helping Ronaldo Jacaré and Alexandre Ribeiro for their fights at Universidade do Jiu-Jitsu, at San Diego.

 

[Shogun Locc]

SENGOKU VII! King Mo Vs. The LHW King Of Pancrase?

King Mo vs. LHW KOP Ryo Kawamura is very likely to take place at SENGOKU VII on March 20th. This was a fight that many people thought would happen on January 4th.

SENGOKU VII
Date: March 20th, 2009
Place: National Yoyogi Stadium 2nd Gymnasium in Tokyo, Japan

Possible GP Participants:
Alexandre Franca Nogueira
Marlon Sandro
Hiroyuki Takaya

Possible Fights:
Roger Gracie vs. Jeff Monson
King Mo vs. Ryo Kawamura

Possible Participants:
Pawel Nastula

 

[Shogun Locc]

DREAM 2009 Schedule! GP Absence Of KID Denied

At a press conference today, DREAM event producer Keiichi Sasahara announced the dates of the DREAM events in 2009. He also denied the reports of KID not participating in the GP. However, it is not yet decided if he will fight in the March or April event. The Featherweight GP participants will be announced at a press conference next week.

2009 DREAM Schedule

* March 8th - DREAM.7 - Saitama Super Arena
* April 5th - DREAM.8 - Nippon Gaishi Hall
* May - DREAM.9 - Somewhere in Kanto
* July - DREAM.10 - Somewhere in Kanto
* September - DREAM.11 - Somewhere in Kanto
* October - DREAM.12 - Not decided
* December 31st - Dynamite!! - Saitama Super Arena

Other Information

* The weight of the DREAM Featherweight division will be somewhere between 62 and 64 kg.
* The Welterweight GP will consist of 8 participants.
* The Welterweight GP finals will be in July and the Featherweight GP finals will be in September.
* The May and September events will get a prime time slot on TBS. The rest will be shown late at night.
* Shinya Aoki, Tatsuya Kawajiri, Gegard Mousasi, Sergei Kharitonov, and Jason “Mayhem” Miller are being looked at as superfight participants.
* Sasahara said that the probability of Schilt, Overeem or CroCop fighting in the UFC is low.
* An interim title might be created if Hansen is absent for too long.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Green To Replace Horodecki for Affliction

UFC veteran Dan Lauzon has agreed to face promotional newcomer Bobby Green in a lightweight contest at Saturday’s Affliction and M-1 Global “Day of Reckoning” at the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.

If he passes all California State Athletic Commission medical and clerical requirements in time, Green (7-1) will replace an injured Chris Horodecki, who was deemed medically unable to apply for licensure Wednesday because of a bulged disc in this neck.

The bout will kick off a live pay-per-view that begins at 9 p.m. ET/6 p.m. PT.

Green, 22, has had an industrious debut year in the sport. He fought a hearty eight times, losing only once to Josh Haskins by unanimous decision at a Valor Fighting event on March 7.

The Inland Empire resident bested Toby Grear with a second-round technical knockout at Total Fighting Alliance 11 last July but has not competed since.

Green is a member of the Riverside Submission Camacho MMA team.

Aggressive Northeaster Lauzon (11-2), the younger brother of UFC fighter Joe Lauzon, has gone 7-1 since dropping a first-round TKO loss to Spencer Fisher at UFC 64 in October 2006. Lauzon, 20, has become a hot commodity on the local circuit back East in promotions like World Championship Fighting.
The Lauzon-Green bout will appear on the Affliction “Day of Reckoning” pay-per-view.

 

[Shogun Locc]

COWBOY CERRONE RIDING INTO WEC TITLE FIGHT

Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone is finally going to get his shot at the World Extreme Cagefighting lightweight title against Jamie “The Worm” Varner. Cerrone is a perfect 9-0 in his mixed martial arts career and a title shot is the next logical progression for the Colorado native.

He has been on a tear through the lightweight division, beating everyone impressively. Eight of his nine victories have come by way of submission, five by triangle choke.

The most recent fight of Cerrone's was a Fight of the Year candidate between himself and “Razor” Rob McCullough. Both fighters showed incredible tenacity and exhibited great heart as they threw down for 15 minutes. If it were up to Cerrone, he'd love to have fights like that every time.

“I think that's the best kind of fight ever,” Cerrone said recently in an interview with MMAWeekly Radio. “I'd do that every time. To me, if someone is willing to draw a line in the ring and go toe to toe, that's it. That's fighting bro. I'll take a submission any day. But if Varner wants to stand there and draw a line and go toe-to-toe and blast-for-blast, I'm game. I love that. That's fighting to me.”

Cerrone credits his fantastic team for his strong performances inside the cage. Being a product of Greg Jackson's Mixed Martial Arts, he believes that he is twice the fighter he once was. “When I first started, the big guys would just trash me. I wouldn't even have a chance. Now, I can hang with them. It feels great being on the same level as those guys.”

In fact, Cerrone is finishing up training with the UFC welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre up in Montreal. But that's just the way Jackson's team is. They help all of their fighters train for every fight to the best of their ability.

“Georges is part of our team and our whole team is up here. We're like a floating team. Ever since the first day I walked into Jackson's, it was like that. Everyone is really inviting,” he explained.

On top of all of the training, is the man with the game plan, Greg Jackson who Cerrone believes is a genius. “One of the smartest guys I know. Intellectually, he boggles me.”

Varner is on a hot streak of his own though and looks to foil Cerrone's shot. Varner has finished his last three opponents, including the man that Cerrone couldn't finish, Rob McCullough. He has excellent striking and wrestling and poses many threats to Cerrone.

However, Cerrone doesn't seem to be too rattled by it and looks at this fight like it was any other opponent. “I look at every fight the same. It doesn't matter if I'm fighting Jamie or B.J. Penn. A fight is a fight to me. I'm excited that he's a game opponent. I look at every opponent the same. I have a lot of respect for Jamie himself.”

With the way that both of these top-notch competitors have been fighting recently, this has the potential to be a real barnburner that could go either way. Both fighters have a varied arsenal to back up their solid fundamental skills. If Varner takes it to the ground, Cerrone has strong jiu-jitsu abilities. If it stays standing, they both have good hands. Either way, Cerrone is ready for wherever the fight ends up.

“If he wants to go to the ground, let's go to the ground,” he stated. “He wants to stay standing, let's stay standing. I don't care.”

 

[Shogun Locc]

HAZELETT OUT; RYAN MADIGAN TO FIGHT SAUNDERS

A change has been made to the upcoming UFC 96 card slated for Columbus, OH as MMAWeekly.com has confirmed that Dustin Hazelett has been forced out of his bout against Ben Saunders due to an injury sustained in training. Ryan "The Lion" Madigan has been tapped as a replacement for Hazelett, and according to sources close to the fighter he has signed the bout agreement to face Saunders in his UFC debut.

Fighting out of Cuyahoga Falls, OH, Madigan steps into the UFC with an impressive 5-0 record in MMA competition, as well as an extensive background as a professional kickboxer.

Madigan works out of the Jungle MMA training center based out of Ohio, and during his kickboxing career held a record of 8-2 as a professional, and 18-2 as an amateur.

Although the Ohio native has a solid kickboxing background, Madigan has also worked on his ground game, and has submitted his last two opponents, including a win over Brandon Pierce, who trains with Team Jorge Gurgel.

Saunders made quite an impression in his last fight after battering UFC newcomer, Brandon Wolff, with a series of Muay Thai knee strikes that left his opponent beaten up and finished in the first round.

At this time it is unknown if the bout will be featured on the main card or undercard for the show which will feature a main event of Quinton "Rampage" Jackson against Keith Jardine.

 

[Shogun Locc]

FEDOR LATEST TO JOIN ROUND 5 ACTION FIGURES

Known across the world and considered by many to be the best fighter in the sport of mixed martial arts today, Russian star Fedor Emelianenko of M-1 Global has partnered with Round 5, the leader in collectible MMA figurines, to create a piece to be made available later this year. The heavyweight joins an All-Star lineup of 12 MMA standouts who currently work with Round 5 to produce their respective figures.

The announcement comes on the heels of last week’s notice that stars Andrei “The Pit Bull” Arlovski – Fedor’s opponent in this Saturday’s Affliction “Day of Reckoning” event – will be one of four stars to be featured in Round 5’s Series 3 release this spring, along with “Big John” McCarthy, Frank Mir and Antonio Rodrigo “Minotauro” Nogueira. Series 3 is scheduled to be available beginning in April.

Fedor and the Round 5 team will begin work on creating his figurine in the coming weeks. The Fedor figures will be part of a future Series issue to be determined.

“This is a tremendous opportunity for me,” said Emelianenko. “I am looking forward to going through the process of making this the best figurine that we can. I think fans will appreciate that I will have a big role in how it looks and will enjoy the final product.”

“We are thrilled to be working with Fedor to customize this superstar’s figurine,” said Damon Lau, Round 5 President. “His worldwide popularity and recognition as the world’s best mixed martial artist make him a natural to make a high-quality collectible that his many fans can enjoy. The timing of his signing is perfect, too, as he will be competing in the highly-anticipated bout with another Round 5 athlete in Andrei Arlovski this weekend.”

Emelianenko, 32, has been the most dominant MMA heavyweight this decade. He enters the bout with Arlovski with a record of 28-1, including 25 straight victories dating back to December 2000. A long-time PRIDE champion, he won his Affliction debut by submitting Tim Sylvia just 36 seconds into the first round in his last action this past July.

Other MMA stars who have worked with Round 5 include Randy Couture, Matt Hughes, Quinton Rampage Jackson and Tito Ortiz (Series 1); and Rich Franklin, Sean Sherk, Anderson Silva and Wanderlei Silva (Series 2).

As in the earlier Series, Fedor will maintain creative control of his likenesses, including the pose, facial design and shorts. He will have a major hand in creating the final design and will benefit from a royalty agreement that gives him a considerable portion of the proceeds from the sale of his unit.

In addition to Fedor, Round 5 plans to release collectibles of three additional series of athletes in 2009, one during each quarter. Other athletes to be represented in those series are yet to be announced.

 

[B-Buzz]

HAZELETT OUT; RYAN MADIGAN TO FIGHT SAUNDERS

fuck, I was really looking forward to that fight.

 

[Shogun Locc]

VARNER ON COWBOY: "IT'S NOTHING I HAVEN'T SEEN"

Winning the World Extreme Cagefighting lightweight title isn't enough for champion Jamie Varner. The 155-pound king of the WEC is ready to conquer the world and prove that he belongs among the best lightweights around. The next test to prove that meddle stands opposite him on Sunday night as he faces Donald "Cowboy" Cerrone to defend his title for a second time.

The Arizona Combat Sports standout has been on a destructive path through the best lightweights the WEC has to offer over the last year and a half. Starting with his title win over former champ "Razor" Rob McCullough, then moving on to a first-round stoppage of previously undefeated fighter Marcus Hicks, it's Varner's will to keep the streak alive and prove the naysayers wrong.

"It's been a goal of mine for a while to break the Top 10," Varner told MMAWeekly Radio recently. "Obviously my ultimate goal is to be No. 1 in the world, but I'll take what I can get as far as this point. I don't think grinding out a decision over Donald Cerrone will put me in the Top 10, but I think going out there and beating him in spectacular fashion will get me in the Top 10."

The ultimate goal is also a very tough road, but Varner is confident that he has the skills and the team to get him there. The next stop on the road, Donald Cerrone, is an undefeated fighter who trains with Greg Jackson's phenomenal MMA team.

Cerrone earned his shot at Varner's title with a hard fought, three-round unanimous decision win over former champion Rob McCullough back in December. The fight, while not shown on live TV, gained much attention from fans and critics alike who said it should be nominated for best fight of 2008.

Always scouting his next opponent, Varner says that Cerrone did well in the fight against McCullough, which is exactly the footage he needed.

"I thought it was an amazing fight. Cerrone gave me exactly what I wanted," Varner stated. "I wanted to see him go three rounds. I didn't really care who won. I wanted to fight Rob again, but I didn't really care who won. I just wanted to see if it was the Cowboy. I wanted to see him go three rounds and that's exactly what I got. I've got video, I'll be able to pick apart his game, and find some holes."

With the win, Varner had no problem crowning Cerrone as the No. 1 contender for the title, but still believes that he doesn't have the previous experience that will carry him through this fight.

"He definitely became the No. 1 contender with that fight. A lot of his other fights were a bunch of nobodies, honestly," said Varner. "The fact that he went out there and pretty much submitted everybody in the first round really didn't give me that much to go off of, or give me anything to work with. But since he had a three-round war with McCullough, that definitely solidified him as the No. 1 contender and made him the most deserving person in the WEC."

Despite his efforts, the WEC champ still feels that Cerrone didn't face the same Rob McCullough that he defeated to win the title and his confidence grew with each minute that expired in that fight.

"I don't think Rob was ever the same fighter after I fought him, so I fought the more confident, better Rob McCullough," commented Varner. "(Cerrone) said multiple times he wanted to fight the best Rob McCullough, and I don't think Rob's ever been the same since I knocked him out."

Still, Varner remains complimentary of his opponent, and he understands exactly what he brings to the table for the title fight this Sunday night in San Diego.

"He's a very tough guy. He definitely brings a lot of challenges to the table," Varner said. "He's (got) tough kickboxing, good jiu-jitsu, real lengthy, rangy fighter; so he brings a lot of things to the table that Marcus Hicks didn't bring to the table, but it's nothing I haven't seen."

 

[Shogun Locc]

JOSH BARNETT PLANS TO KEEP HIM GUESSING

Josh Barnett is really excited to get back in the ring on Saturday night against former Pride veteran Gilbert Yvel. Barnett, the No. 2 ranked heavyweight by MMAWeekly.com, hasn't fought since his redemption fight against Pedro Rizzo back in July.

The layoff was too long for “The Babyface Assassin” who would like nothing more than to stay active. “It wasn't all that great to have a lay off like that,” said Barnett in a recent interview with MMAWeekly Radio. “I tried to get a couple fights in between there, but it couldn't be worked out. I'm really glad to be back in the ring to be perfectly honest.”

Barnett was supposed to fight back in October at Affliction's sophomore show in Las Vegas, however the promotion was forced to postpone the event after poor ticket sales and the saturation of the Las Vegas market by current top dog promoter the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Disappointed by the fact that he wasn't able to compete, Barnett feels that this event is going to be very important for Affliction.

“I was very disappointed to say the least,” he explained. “It ended up being that it had to be done, I guess. We'll have to really see how it all rolls out on the 24th. It's really important that we do a great job given the opportunity. My opinion was to stay out of Vegas and go to Orange County. That was my opinion and I can't blame someone for trying.”

A long awaited fight with current No. 1 ranked heavyweight, Fedor Emelianenko, has been a fight that has been talked about for a few years. There was some debate among fans who was going to get the next shot at Emelianenko after the July event since both Barnett and Andrei Arlovski had impressive showings. Arlovski will be the man to take on the Russian on Saturday.

Instead of Fedor, Yvel was chosen to take on Barnett, who feels that Yvel is a quality opponent.

“I was fine with that,” he stated. “If they were going to give me a solid offer, then I'd take it. He's got the credentials to belong in the ring. He's got like 38 wins and 35 or something crazy like that are by knockout.”

A fight with Emelianenko is inevitable. If Barnett and Fedor are both victorious in their respective fights, they are certain to square off for Fedor's WAMMA title. Barnett realizes this and hopes that Affliction will market and pay the fighters what Barnett feels is fair for an elite level fight of that magnitude.

“Basically, I'll be looking for that when Fedor and I finally step in the ring. They better pony up the money to make it a huge event. I don't think too far ahead on things. I've got Yvel ahead of me and he wants to knock my block off and possibly bite it. I got to make sure that I show up ready to go.”

Emelianenko will take on Arlovski, the former UFC heavyweight champion, on the same card. Arlovski is considered one of the fastest and most versatile heavyweights in the world and could pose some problems for Emelianenko. However, Barnett feels that Fedor has what it takes to put “The Pitbull” on a leash. “I think Fedor will put too much pressure on Arlovski and put him on his back and that's how he'll win the fight.”

First things first, Barnett has a tall task ahead of him in Gilbert Yvel.

Yvel has strong power and lethal hands. Barnett has his own way of dealing with Yvel and he won't shy away from the stand-up.

“Slugfests, I'm fine with those,” said a confident Barnett. “I do okay. I just got to make sure that he doesn't catch me with some shot where I'm not putting pressure on him and I'm not where I need to be. He needs to be careful that I don't get a hold of him and put him on his back. We'll see what kind of rhythm he can get going. Even if he thinks I'm going to be taking him down, I'm going to be hitting him. When he thinks I'm going to hit him, then I'll try to take him down. So he's going to be guessing.”

 

[Shogun Locc]

WEC 38: THE TIME'S RIGHT FOR BEN HENDERSON

Sometimes timing is indeed everything, as the old saying goes.

This has never been more true in the career of lightweight Benson “Ben” Henderson than at this moment.

Having previously passed up an opportunity with World Extreme Cagefighting, Henderson will now make his debut for the promotion on Sunday against Anthony Njokuani after Ed Radcliff was forced to drop out due to injury.

“I was of course happy for the call,” said Henderson. “I’m always grateful when someone takes notice and wants to have me on their show.

“I had a fight scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 24, and the fight fell through and was postponed, so actually everything worked out pretty well for me. I had already had a good six-week training camp, my weight is good and all that, so it all fell in line.”

Taking the fight on short notice against an opponent he knows very little about doesn’t seem to faze Henderson, as he had already put the hard preparation behind him.

“I’m in tip-top shape. I’m feeling good and am 100 percent healthy,” he stated.

“Obviously with a change of opponent, you have to be aware if someone has KO power or really slick submission skills, but for the most part I play my game.”

While Njokuani remains an unknown commodity for the most part to Henderson, he feels by what little he’s seen of him, it will make for an explosive match should both fighters deliver as they have in previous fights.

“We can definitely tell that he likes to put on a show, likes to be entertaining, and so do I,” commented Henderson. “I’m expecting fireworks, and I think the fans will definitely be satisfied with the fight. It’s going to be a fan-favorite fight of the night for sure.”

Currently, the WEC’s 155-pound division is one of the most stacked in MMA. Knowing this, Henderson says he will be patient and let the opportunities come to him to rise up the ranks.

“I think I’m definitely ready for this next step up,” he said. “A couple of fights ago I would have been a little bit nervous or worried, but now I’m 100 percent comfortable going into this show.

“All good things come to those who wait, and I’m definitely going to be smart with my career. I just hope I can keep moving up levels from fight to fight where eventually I can fight for the title.”

Should Henderson win Sunday night in San Diego and take his first step towards becoming the WEC’s next rising star, timing could truly end up being everything after all.

“I want to say thanks to my LAB (Fight Team) family in Glendale, Ariz., and NTS Audio,” he concluded. “To all the fans, tune in and check it out. You’re going to being hearing a lot from me this year.”

 

[Shogun Locc]

JUSTIN MCCULLY VS NEIL GROVE CONFIRMED UFC 95

A heavyweight bout for UFC 95 in London has been confirmed as Justin McCully will make his return to the Octagon to face British fighter, and UFC newcomer, Neil Grove, on the undercard of the show.

The bout was confirmed to MMAWeekly Radio by McCully's agent, Ken Pavia, on Thursday night.

Currently sporting a 2-1 record in the UFC, McCully looks to keep the momentum from his last fight, a win over Eddie Sanchez, going and he has a tough test ahead with his opponent slated for the England show.

Neil Grove is a tough as nails British heavyweight that has spent the majority of the last two years of his career fighting for the Cage Rage promotion in England.

In his career, Grove has picked up big wins over fighters like James Thompson, James McSweeney, and two victories over Robert "Buzz" Berry.

The bout between McCully and Grove will not be a televised fight at this time.

UFC 95 takes place on Feb 21 in London, England and will be broadcast as a same day tape delay on Spike TV.

 

[Shogun Locc]

AMIR SADOLLAH INJURED, OFF UFC FIGHT NIGHT FEB 7

The run of bad luck for "Ultimate Fighter" season 7 winner, Amir Sadollah, continues in his post reality show career as MMAWeekly.com has confirmed that he has been forced out of his upcoming bout against Nick Catone at UFC Fight Night on Feb 7.

At this time the severity of his injury has not been confirmed, but sources indicated that the fighter suffered a broken clavicle in training that pushed him out of the fight. Calls to Sadollah's management were not immediately returned.

Sadollah and Catone were originally scheduled to meet in November 2008, but a last second leg injury forced the "Ultimate Fighter" winner off the card and instead of finding a replacement, the UFC opted to push their match-up back to February instead.

Before his previously scheduled match in Nov, Sadollah had a leg infection that put him in the hospital and out of action for an extended period of time, and if the injury reports are accurate, this latest ailment could keep him sidelined for an undetermined amount of time as well.

No replacement for the fight has been named at this time, but according to sources close to Catone, the UFC is searching for another fighter to plug into the spot vacated by Sadollah.

Stay tuned to MMAWeekly.com for more information on this story as it develops.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Foot injury to prevent Mike Swick from taking rumored matchups

In recent weeks reports have circulated linking UFC welterweight competitor Mike Swick to potential fights vs. Anthony Johnson or Georges St. Pierre. While those fights still could happen at a later date, FiveOuncesOfPain.com has learned that an aggravation of a foot injury will prevent the season one veteran of The Ultimate Fighter from accepting a bout for at least the next three and a half months.

Multiple sources have informed Five Ounces of Pain that Swick has been suffering from both a sprain and a chip fracture in his foot that limited him to only being able to box during his first round TKO over Jonathan Goulet at “UFC Fight for the Troops” last month.

During a recent trip to Thailand, Swick re-injured himself and will now be restricted to modified training which will prevent him from training kicks of training on the ground. The hope is that the injury will heal on its own and that he will be able to partake in a full training camp in three and a half months.

 

[Shogun Locc]

T.J. Grant signs four-fight deal with the Ultimate Fighting Championship

FiveOuncesofPain.com has learned that Canadian welterweight prospect T.J. Grant has signed a four-fight contract with the Ultimate Fighting Championship.

Grant’s UFC debut will come on April 18 at UFC 97 but no opponent has been announced at this time.

Grant, a native of Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, possesses a mixed martial arts record of 13-2. Grant is currently riding a four-fight winning streak with stoppage victories over Beau Baker, Forrest Petz, Chad Reiner, and Mike Gates.