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For Condit, UFC and Kampmann next logical step in impressive young career
Debuting UFC welterweight Carlos Condit (22-4 MMA, 0-0 UFC) is going through a lot of changes.
A switch of training camps at Arizona Combat Sports, transferring from the WEC to the UFC and hanging up his title belt to become just another contender have all been recent adjustments for the "Natural Born Killer."
But as Condit prepares to headline Wednesday night's "UFN 18: Condit vs. Kampmann" in Nashville, Tenn., the 24-year-old told MMAjunkie.com Radio (www.mmajunkie.com/radio) he's ready to take the next step in an already impressive career.
"I feel like it's a big step for my career," Condit said of his bout with Danish striker Martin Kampmann (14-2 MMA, 5-1 UFC). "I think it's definitely the natural progression.
"I felt like I've done a lot of good things in the WEC. It was a great home for me, but I thought it was the right time for me to make the change."
With the WEC electing to scrap its 170-pound division, Condit ended his time with the organization as the final welterweight champion. But now in the UFC, Condit said he will not be resting on any laurels built while in another promotion.
"I'm not going to be sporting the (WEC) belt," Condit said. "That title is bragging rights for me, but it's a new organization. This is a new venture for me, and I'm just going to go in there as me, as myself."
With nine knockouts or TKO's and 13 submissions in his 22 career wins, Condit has shown he's comfortable wherever the fight may go. But with four submission in his five WEC victories, the new Arizona resident may prove most dangerous to Kampmann on the floor.
"I've always excelled on the ground with my jiu-jitsu," Condit said. "But I definitely think that the step-up in competition as I've moved along has definitely - for me, it's kind of like, 'Do or die.' I've had to adjust.
"When they shut the cage door, you either do what you need to do, or you get your ass kicked."
As if moving to the UFC weren't enough pressure, headlining Wednesday's event in his first appearance for the organization has put a near immeasurable amount of additional responsibilities on Condit's shoulders. The former WEC champ said his time in that organization prepared him for the rush.
"I did a lot of [media promotion] while I was with the WEC, so the media part of it doesn't - I was pretty much used to that," Condit said. "I'm not feeling too nervous for this fight.
"I know it's a big challenge for me. Martin Kampmann is a very, very tough opponent, possibly my toughest to date. But I'm just looking at it like another fight."
Not that Condit is approaching the bout lackadaisically. A nickname like the "Natural Born Killer" doesn't come easily.
"I usually kind of start going to that place once I get into the locker room," Condit said of his trademark intensity. "It takes up a lot of energy to get that worked up, so I try to save it. I try to relax up until the point I really need to start getting in the zone."
And if Condit is able to successfully take himself into "that zone" and continue his current eight-fight win streak against the very tough Kampmann, the WEC import feels his shot at a new belt might not be too far away.
"I think that if I put a couple of wins together, and continue to win in impressive fashion, that yeah, maybe I'll be in line for a contender slot," Condit said.
Debuting UFC welterweight Carlos Condit (22-4 MMA, 0-0 UFC) is going through a lot of changes.
A switch of training camps at Arizona Combat Sports, transferring from the WEC to the UFC and hanging up his title belt to become just another contender have all been recent adjustments for the "Natural Born Killer."
But as Condit prepares to headline Wednesday night's "UFN 18: Condit vs. Kampmann" in Nashville, Tenn., the 24-year-old told MMAjunkie.com Radio (www.mmajunkie.com/radio) he's ready to take the next step in an already impressive career.
"I feel like it's a big step for my career," Condit said of his bout with Danish striker Martin Kampmann (14-2 MMA, 5-1 UFC). "I think it's definitely the natural progression.
"I felt like I've done a lot of good things in the WEC. It was a great home for me, but I thought it was the right time for me to make the change."
With the WEC electing to scrap its 170-pound division, Condit ended his time with the organization as the final welterweight champion. But now in the UFC, Condit said he will not be resting on any laurels built while in another promotion.
"I'm not going to be sporting the (WEC) belt," Condit said. "That title is bragging rights for me, but it's a new organization. This is a new venture for me, and I'm just going to go in there as me, as myself."
With nine knockouts or TKO's and 13 submissions in his 22 career wins, Condit has shown he's comfortable wherever the fight may go. But with four submission in his five WEC victories, the new Arizona resident may prove most dangerous to Kampmann on the floor.
"I've always excelled on the ground with my jiu-jitsu," Condit said. "But I definitely think that the step-up in competition as I've moved along has definitely - for me, it's kind of like, 'Do or die.' I've had to adjust.
"When they shut the cage door, you either do what you need to do, or you get your ass kicked."
As if moving to the UFC weren't enough pressure, headlining Wednesday's event in his first appearance for the organization has put a near immeasurable amount of additional responsibilities on Condit's shoulders. The former WEC champ said his time in that organization prepared him for the rush.
"I did a lot of [media promotion] while I was with the WEC, so the media part of it doesn't - I was pretty much used to that," Condit said. "I'm not feeling too nervous for this fight.
"I know it's a big challenge for me. Martin Kampmann is a very, very tough opponent, possibly my toughest to date. But I'm just looking at it like another fight."
Not that Condit is approaching the bout lackadaisically. A nickname like the "Natural Born Killer" doesn't come easily.
"I usually kind of start going to that place once I get into the locker room," Condit said of his trademark intensity. "It takes up a lot of energy to get that worked up, so I try to save it. I try to relax up until the point I really need to start getting in the zone."
And if Condit is able to successfully take himself into "that zone" and continue his current eight-fight win streak against the very tough Kampmann, the WEC import feels his shot at a new belt might not be too far away.
"I think that if I put a couple of wins together, and continue to win in impressive fashion, that yeah, maybe I'll be in line for a contender slot," Condit said.
Zak Cummings seeks to build on recent win over Terry Martin in "TUF" bid
Fighting nine times in your first 15 months of professional MMA is no easy task.
Balancing that schedule while finishing a bachelor's degree in exercise and movement science is a bit more difficult.
Add in a win over a former UFC contender in that same stretch, and you've got the up-and-coming career of middleweight Zak Cummings (9-0).
"I did keep up a pretty quick pace," Cummings recently told MMAjunkie.com Radio (www.mmajunkie.com/radio). "I took a lot of fights. I did a lot of replacing people. It was eight fights last year, exactly.
"It's a pretty hard pace with school. I kind of suffered a little bit in my classroom area, which I'm trying not to do this time. But with these bigger fights, I need a little bit more time to prepare. So it's kind of working a little bit more for me."
Cummings' professors at Missouri State University will no doubt be happy to hear he's got a little more time on his hands.
The unheralded Springfield Fight Club-trained fighter gained himself a bit of notoriety in an impressive split-decision win over Terry Martin at February's "XCF: Rumble in Racetown."
"I'd like to say it's just another guy, which that's how I had to look at it," Cummings said. "Of course in the back of my head it's going to be there that [Martin] is a big name. He's been where I need to be, where I want to go."
The mindset was a step in the right direction for Cummings, who turned pro in November 2007.
"I wrestled for a couple years in junior college," Cummings said. "Really, my biggest mistakes I made in wrestling was I over-thought things. I looked at guys' records, I did all this stuff.
"Whenever I switched over to MMA, that's what I really wanted to make sure I didn't do. So even though [Martin] was a big name, I had to look at it as, 'He's another guy.'
"This is a whole different sport, and I feel that I'm a very confident kid going into it. I looked at as just another guy, but it was in the back of my head that it could do very good things for me."
Having previously fought for such lesser-known productions as Midwest Cage Championships, FM Productions, International Sports Combat Federation and Titan Fighting Championship, Cummings now has his eye on an organization whose name rolls off the tongue just a bit easier - the UFC.
Cummings is eyeing a potential berth on season 10 of "The Ultimate Fighter" through April's open tryout process.
"It's maybe a way to get in the UFC, hopefully," Cummings said. "I feel if I do get on that show I'd do pretty well, just by watching the 185-pounders in the past."
Cummings, who walks around between 210 and 215 pounds, said he could try his hand at the light-heavyweight division if it would help his chances to make it on the show.
But he won't change his personality to become another "TUF" character.
"I like to just have fun and goof around," Cummings said. "I definitely don't do anything - Junie Browning is a disgrace to the sport if you ask me. I don't know. I know he understood that he kept screwing up, and then he kept doing it."
Cummings said he'd rather be a more reserved figure on the show, earning his way to the top through the same talent that has propelled him to nine-straight professional wins.
"I'm probably more of the quiet guy when it comes to talking myself up," Cummings said. "I don't really like to brag too much. I don't like to say, 'Hey, I'm a hard-ass. Look at me.' Then you might have an off night and look like an idiot.
"I'm pretty quiet. I just like to goof around and have fun. Honestly, when I'm not fighting, I really don't even think about it that much. I like to have a good time."
Cummings has a few other potential suitors if his pursuit of the UFC doesn't work out. And while the young fighter looks to finish school this year and eventually pursue a master's degree, fighting is his sole passion for now.
"I think I'm going to kind of put school on the back burner once I get my bachelor's (degree)," Cummings said. "I'm only young once, so I'm going to see what I can do with my fighting career the way it's kind of exploding the way it is now. Later on, I'll maybe go back to the doctorate program."
Fighting nine times in your first 15 months of professional MMA is no easy task.
Balancing that schedule while finishing a bachelor's degree in exercise and movement science is a bit more difficult.
Add in a win over a former UFC contender in that same stretch, and you've got the up-and-coming career of middleweight Zak Cummings (9-0).
"I did keep up a pretty quick pace," Cummings recently told MMAjunkie.com Radio (www.mmajunkie.com/radio). "I took a lot of fights. I did a lot of replacing people. It was eight fights last year, exactly.
"It's a pretty hard pace with school. I kind of suffered a little bit in my classroom area, which I'm trying not to do this time. But with these bigger fights, I need a little bit more time to prepare. So it's kind of working a little bit more for me."
Cummings' professors at Missouri State University will no doubt be happy to hear he's got a little more time on his hands.
The unheralded Springfield Fight Club-trained fighter gained himself a bit of notoriety in an impressive split-decision win over Terry Martin at February's "XCF: Rumble in Racetown."
"I'd like to say it's just another guy, which that's how I had to look at it," Cummings said. "Of course in the back of my head it's going to be there that [Martin] is a big name. He's been where I need to be, where I want to go."
The mindset was a step in the right direction for Cummings, who turned pro in November 2007.
"I wrestled for a couple years in junior college," Cummings said. "Really, my biggest mistakes I made in wrestling was I over-thought things. I looked at guys' records, I did all this stuff.
"Whenever I switched over to MMA, that's what I really wanted to make sure I didn't do. So even though [Martin] was a big name, I had to look at it as, 'He's another guy.'
"This is a whole different sport, and I feel that I'm a very confident kid going into it. I looked at as just another guy, but it was in the back of my head that it could do very good things for me."
Having previously fought for such lesser-known productions as Midwest Cage Championships, FM Productions, International Sports Combat Federation and Titan Fighting Championship, Cummings now has his eye on an organization whose name rolls off the tongue just a bit easier - the UFC.
Cummings is eyeing a potential berth on season 10 of "The Ultimate Fighter" through April's open tryout process.
"It's maybe a way to get in the UFC, hopefully," Cummings said. "I feel if I do get on that show I'd do pretty well, just by watching the 185-pounders in the past."
Cummings, who walks around between 210 and 215 pounds, said he could try his hand at the light-heavyweight division if it would help his chances to make it on the show.
But he won't change his personality to become another "TUF" character.
"I like to just have fun and goof around," Cummings said. "I definitely don't do anything - Junie Browning is a disgrace to the sport if you ask me. I don't know. I know he understood that he kept screwing up, and then he kept doing it."
Cummings said he'd rather be a more reserved figure on the show, earning his way to the top through the same talent that has propelled him to nine-straight professional wins.
"I'm probably more of the quiet guy when it comes to talking myself up," Cummings said. "I don't really like to brag too much. I don't like to say, 'Hey, I'm a hard-ass. Look at me.' Then you might have an off night and look like an idiot.
"I'm pretty quiet. I just like to goof around and have fun. Honestly, when I'm not fighting, I really don't even think about it that much. I like to have a good time."
Cummings has a few other potential suitors if his pursuit of the UFC doesn't work out. And while the young fighter looks to finish school this year and eventually pursue a master's degree, fighting is his sole passion for now.
"I think I'm going to kind of put school on the back burner once I get my bachelor's (degree)," Cummings said. "I'm only young once, so I'm going to see what I can do with my fighting career the way it's kind of exploding the way it is now. Later on, I'll maybe go back to the doctorate program."
Still not signed, but Forrest Griffin vs. Thiago Silva remains likely for UFC 101
A light-heavyweight bout between former champion Forrest Griffin (16-5 MMA, 7-3 UFC) and Thiago Silva (13-1 MMA, 4-1 UFC) remains on target for an August date.
MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) first reported the possibility of the bout earlier this month and pointed to a likely August fight date.
The UFC has since put in motion plans for two August pay-per-view events, but sources close to the event tell MMAjunkie.com Griffin vs. Silva is slated for UFC 101, which takes place Aug. 8 at the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia.
UFC 101 is expected to feature a lightweight title fight between champion B.J. Penn and top contender Kenny Florian in the main event. Griffin vs. Silva is expected to earn co-main-event status.
Griffin vs. Silva has not been signed, but verbal agreements are in place, and bout agreements are expected to be distributed this week.
Griffin returns for the first time since his TKO loss to Rashad Evans at UFC 92 in December 2008. The 29-year-old had wrestled away the title from Quinton Jackson in his previous fight with a unanimous-decision win, but Griffin came up short in his first title defense. He's since been sidelined with a hand injury.
Silva, meanwhile, is looking to rebound from the first loss of his three-and-a-half year career. The 26-year-old Brazilian slugger had earned 13 straight wins to open his career, which included four consecutive victories in the UFC, before Silva suffered a knockout loss to current No. 1 contender Lyoto Machida at UFC 94 in January.
The winner of the Griffin vs. Silva contest will be right back in the title hunt. The belt will next be contested at UFC 98 when Evans takes on Machida.
A light-heavyweight bout between former champion Forrest Griffin (16-5 MMA, 7-3 UFC) and Thiago Silva (13-1 MMA, 4-1 UFC) remains on target for an August date.
MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) first reported the possibility of the bout earlier this month and pointed to a likely August fight date.
The UFC has since put in motion plans for two August pay-per-view events, but sources close to the event tell MMAjunkie.com Griffin vs. Silva is slated for UFC 101, which takes place Aug. 8 at the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia.
UFC 101 is expected to feature a lightweight title fight between champion B.J. Penn and top contender Kenny Florian in the main event. Griffin vs. Silva is expected to earn co-main-event status.
Griffin vs. Silva has not been signed, but verbal agreements are in place, and bout agreements are expected to be distributed this week.
Griffin returns for the first time since his TKO loss to Rashad Evans at UFC 92 in December 2008. The 29-year-old had wrestled away the title from Quinton Jackson in his previous fight with a unanimous-decision win, but Griffin came up short in his first title defense. He's since been sidelined with a hand injury.
Silva, meanwhile, is looking to rebound from the first loss of his three-and-a-half year career. The 26-year-old Brazilian slugger had earned 13 straight wins to open his career, which included four consecutive victories in the UFC, before Silva suffered a knockout loss to current No. 1 contender Lyoto Machida at UFC 94 in January.
The winner of the Griffin vs. Silva contest will be right back in the title hunt. The belt will next be contested at UFC 98 when Evans takes on Machida.
UFC 100 tickets on sale April 11
Tickets for the sure-to-be-historic UFC 100 event go on sale beginning next week.
The July 11 event takes place at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas and airs on pay per view.
A full week of events precedes the show, including the UFC's first-ever UFC Fan Expo, as well as a star-studded week of guests on MMAjunkie.com Radio (www.mmajunkie.com/radio), which airs daily at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino's Race & Sports Book.
UFC 100 tickets on sale to the general public on April 11 at 1 p.m. EST (10 a.m. PST). However, UFC.com newsletter subscribers can purchase tickets beginning at 1 p.m. EST on April 10, and UFC Fight Club members can buy tickets starting April 9 at 1 p.m. EST.
Although UFC 100 was recently announced by the UFC, not a single bout has been officially added to the night's fight card. However, the event's rumored card is nearly compete.
UFC 100 is expected to be headlined by a title-unification bout between UFC heavyweight champ Brock Lesnar and interim champ Frank Mir, and UFC welterweight champ Georges St. Pierre will defend his title against top contender Thiago Alves. Also expected on the main card is "The Ultimate Fighter 9" coaches Michael Bisping vs. Dan Henderson, Yoshihiro Akiyama vs. Alan Belcher and either Jon Fitch vs. Paulo Thiago or Stephan Bonnar vs. Mark Coleman.
Also taking place July 10-11 at Mandalay Bay is the UFC Fan Expo, which will span more than 200,000 square feet with approximately 100 companies and brands. The businesses will range from apparel to electronic gaming to sports equipment to nutritional supplements and other MMA-related companies.
Additionally, plans are underway for multiple MMAjunkie.com Radio gatherings. The show broadcasts daily from Mandalay Bay at 9 a.m. PST (local time). MMAjunkie.com readers are encouraged to visit the show and meet the day's in-studio guests, and formal gatherings will be announced in the coming weeks.
Tickets for the sure-to-be-historic UFC 100 event go on sale beginning next week.
The July 11 event takes place at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas and airs on pay per view.
A full week of events precedes the show, including the UFC's first-ever UFC Fan Expo, as well as a star-studded week of guests on MMAjunkie.com Radio (www.mmajunkie.com/radio), which airs daily at the Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino's Race & Sports Book.
UFC 100 tickets on sale to the general public on April 11 at 1 p.m. EST (10 a.m. PST). However, UFC.com newsletter subscribers can purchase tickets beginning at 1 p.m. EST on April 10, and UFC Fight Club members can buy tickets starting April 9 at 1 p.m. EST.
Although UFC 100 was recently announced by the UFC, not a single bout has been officially added to the night's fight card. However, the event's rumored card is nearly compete.
UFC 100 is expected to be headlined by a title-unification bout between UFC heavyweight champ Brock Lesnar and interim champ Frank Mir, and UFC welterweight champ Georges St. Pierre will defend his title against top contender Thiago Alves. Also expected on the main card is "The Ultimate Fighter 9" coaches Michael Bisping vs. Dan Henderson, Yoshihiro Akiyama vs. Alan Belcher and either Jon Fitch vs. Paulo Thiago or Stephan Bonnar vs. Mark Coleman.
Also taking place July 10-11 at Mandalay Bay is the UFC Fan Expo, which will span more than 200,000 square feet with approximately 100 companies and brands. The businesses will range from apparel to electronic gaming to sports equipment to nutritional supplements and other MMA-related companies.
Additionally, plans are underway for multiple MMAjunkie.com Radio gatherings. The show broadcasts daily from Mandalay Bay at 9 a.m. PST (local time). MMAjunkie.com readers are encouraged to visit the show and meet the day's in-studio guests, and formal gatherings will be announced in the coming weeks.
JEFF CURRAN READY FOR NEXT STEP TO TORRES
It’s been nearly 10 months since Jeff Curran last fought. For some fighters, that would be a normal period of time between fights. For Curran it seemed like an eternity. The “Big Frog” is eager to get back on track since losing featherweight bouts to Urijah Faber and Mike Brown. This time the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt looks to make an impact with a move down to the bantamweight division.
“I had a boxing offer for a fight at 135 and it just so happened we were talking about moving down to that weight class, so I figured I would test the waters with the weight cut; see how I liked being down at that weight before I made it official for Dec. 3. I ended up fighting and breaking my hand. Immediately after the fight, I knew I had a broken hand, but I went and saw a specialist and he told me that I didn’t. I said ‘well if it’s not broke, I’m going to train on it.’ Spent a few weeks training, I went back and said, ‘I can’t move my hand,’ and he said it was broken in three spots.
“I had to pull from the Dec. 3 card and it was a huge setback. If I would have just taken that extra five weeks to heal, I would have had plenty of time to prepare. Come April 5, it’s going to be over 10 months that I’ve been sitting. I decided to move down a weight class for a number of reasons. It’s my debut at 135 and I’m hoping for it to be everything I expect out of it and more.”
Jeff Curran is one of the most experienced fighters in MMA today. He’s been fighting since 1998 and amassed 40 fights under his belt. He kept to a busy schedule for most of his career. Since returning to the WEC, he has not been able to duplicate the same level of activity as he would like.
“I’m used to fighting every other month at least and that’s been the past decade of my life. For the most part I was fighting six times a year. When the WEC came about, Monte Cox (his manager) said, ‘Jeff you’re not going to be as active. They don’t have as many shows and they don’t have as many match-ups for you right off the bat. It’ll get better.'
“I’m getting a little older, I want to slow down; I want to take quality over quantity. Next thing you know, I’m calling Monte, I’m calling Joe Silva; I’m begging everybody ‘come on I want to stay busy.’ That was a hard adjustment for me and it still is. As a fighter, you want to stay active. Thankfully I’ve got so much going on that I respect the time after preparing for a fight to focus on other endeavors.”
A move down to 135 pounds was a strategic decision for Curran. He needed a change of pace and wanted to test the waters in a new division.
“I felt like it was going to be a really long road back to another title shot. I didn’t know if I was mentally ready for it,” revealed the Illinois resident. “I’m going to put myself with a whole new class of fighters that I’ve never crossed paths with or even thought about fighting because they were in a different weight class. It’s a way of starting completely fresh and feeling like it’s a real true chance of reinventing myself.
“I never moved down in weight thinking, ‘oh this is going to be easier for me.’ It’s not like that. I think that the lighter you get, the faster and more technical guys get. I’m not a big guy. I’m not going to go to 135 and be dominating all the people. Overall, it was the mindset that I needed to start fresh.”
The fresh start is good for Curran in many ways. Not only did his pas couple of fights not go the way he wanted, there have been some other untimely events occurring around him outside of the cage as well.
Fans were shocked with the untimely death of Tapout co-founder Charles Lewis. The man better known as “Mask” lost his life after a violent car accident in Newport Beach earlier this month. The MMA community lost a friend and a pioneer with his passing.
“We’ve been friends for the past decade. He’s always been there for me and I always try to represent when I can,” said Curran. “We had a pretty close relationship, closer than most people in business, I guess you can say. He was one of a kind.
“It sucks man. This past year sucked; so many crazy things happening. Justin Eilers was a friend of mine. I wasn’t friends with Evan Tanner, but I definitely looked up to him and respected him. It’s been a sad year overall.”
All the more reason that Curran has been training so hard for his upcoming fight. He has been working extensively on his wrestling while sharpening his striking and Jiu-Jitsu. In preparation for his bantamweight debut, he enlisted the help of American Top Team and spent a week with the Florida-based crew.
“It really is something I’m excited about. This is kind of my trial run. I don’t know if it’s the best time to do it. I definitely don’t think I can go wrong going out to ATT and getting a good week of Jiu-Jitsu with some high quality guys,” commented Curran before his visit. “I’m going there and hopefully it’ll be the start of a new family, a new friendship, and a new alliance for some of my fighters. We’ll see what happens.”
Since announcing his move to bantamweight, Curran made it well known that his main goal was to challenge Miguel Torres for the 135-pound title.
“I know that I match well with Miguel Torres. He definitely has a formula to beat me, the potential to beat me. He doesn’t have anything that stands out that makes him so much better than me that I don’t have a chance.
“Miguel and I have competitive blood through our veins and he’s got something I want. The closer that this fight becomes a reality… it’s not about like or dislike. We both are competitive. I think the curiosity is lurking in us both to see who really wins that fight. We’ve been trying to set it up for years. We have respect for each other. After the fight and leading up to the fight, we’re still friends and acquaintances.”
In what could be a foreshadowing of a future match-up with Torres, Curran shares the spotlight with his fellow hometown favorite at WEC 40. Torres will defend his bantamweight title in the main event against Top 10 ranked Takeya Mizugaki, while Curran takes on Joseph Benavidez. A win for would put Curran one step closer to a shot at the champ.
“If he was some guy squeaking by against nobodies, there would be no desire to fight him just to have a belt. I’ve got a handful of belts from beating some pretty tough guys. Those fights mean something to me because of where and when they were. It would not mean anything to me to be labeled as a world champ if I’m fighting some amateur ranked guy. It’s definitely motivation to fight a guy like Miguel, who’s kicking everyone’s ass and has all the tools to beat anyone in the division.”
On April 5, Curran will face a tough prospect in Benavidez. The Urijah Faber protégé successfully made his WEC debut back in December of last year and has yet to taste defeat in his young career. He poses a formidable threat to all fighters in his weight division and is the type of opponent that Curran personally requested for his 135-pound debut.
“Joseph is undefeated; he’s got nine good wins. He’s got nothing to lose fighting me. I get to fight this young prospect who is undefeated that’s definitely a contender in the bantamweight division. It makes for a great match-up.”
A consummate athlete, Jeff Curran has dedicated his life to mixed martial arts. He has worked hard to be where he is today and continues to move towards his ultimate goal of winning WEC gold. Win or lose, the “Big Frog” will always be involved in this sport.
“I’m a sponge, I love learning. I’m in mixed martial arts because I love it. I’m not in it for money; I’m not in it for fame. I got into it because I like it and because I had a passion for it. If the money stopped and the big show died, I’d still fight.”
It’s been nearly 10 months since Jeff Curran last fought. For some fighters, that would be a normal period of time between fights. For Curran it seemed like an eternity. The “Big Frog” is eager to get back on track since losing featherweight bouts to Urijah Faber and Mike Brown. This time the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt looks to make an impact with a move down to the bantamweight division.
“I had a boxing offer for a fight at 135 and it just so happened we were talking about moving down to that weight class, so I figured I would test the waters with the weight cut; see how I liked being down at that weight before I made it official for Dec. 3. I ended up fighting and breaking my hand. Immediately after the fight, I knew I had a broken hand, but I went and saw a specialist and he told me that I didn’t. I said ‘well if it’s not broke, I’m going to train on it.’ Spent a few weeks training, I went back and said, ‘I can’t move my hand,’ and he said it was broken in three spots.
“I had to pull from the Dec. 3 card and it was a huge setback. If I would have just taken that extra five weeks to heal, I would have had plenty of time to prepare. Come April 5, it’s going to be over 10 months that I’ve been sitting. I decided to move down a weight class for a number of reasons. It’s my debut at 135 and I’m hoping for it to be everything I expect out of it and more.”
Jeff Curran is one of the most experienced fighters in MMA today. He’s been fighting since 1998 and amassed 40 fights under his belt. He kept to a busy schedule for most of his career. Since returning to the WEC, he has not been able to duplicate the same level of activity as he would like.
“I’m used to fighting every other month at least and that’s been the past decade of my life. For the most part I was fighting six times a year. When the WEC came about, Monte Cox (his manager) said, ‘Jeff you’re not going to be as active. They don’t have as many shows and they don’t have as many match-ups for you right off the bat. It’ll get better.'
“I’m getting a little older, I want to slow down; I want to take quality over quantity. Next thing you know, I’m calling Monte, I’m calling Joe Silva; I’m begging everybody ‘come on I want to stay busy.’ That was a hard adjustment for me and it still is. As a fighter, you want to stay active. Thankfully I’ve got so much going on that I respect the time after preparing for a fight to focus on other endeavors.”
A move down to 135 pounds was a strategic decision for Curran. He needed a change of pace and wanted to test the waters in a new division.
“I felt like it was going to be a really long road back to another title shot. I didn’t know if I was mentally ready for it,” revealed the Illinois resident. “I’m going to put myself with a whole new class of fighters that I’ve never crossed paths with or even thought about fighting because they were in a different weight class. It’s a way of starting completely fresh and feeling like it’s a real true chance of reinventing myself.
“I never moved down in weight thinking, ‘oh this is going to be easier for me.’ It’s not like that. I think that the lighter you get, the faster and more technical guys get. I’m not a big guy. I’m not going to go to 135 and be dominating all the people. Overall, it was the mindset that I needed to start fresh.”
The fresh start is good for Curran in many ways. Not only did his pas couple of fights not go the way he wanted, there have been some other untimely events occurring around him outside of the cage as well.
Fans were shocked with the untimely death of Tapout co-founder Charles Lewis. The man better known as “Mask” lost his life after a violent car accident in Newport Beach earlier this month. The MMA community lost a friend and a pioneer with his passing.
“We’ve been friends for the past decade. He’s always been there for me and I always try to represent when I can,” said Curran. “We had a pretty close relationship, closer than most people in business, I guess you can say. He was one of a kind.
“It sucks man. This past year sucked; so many crazy things happening. Justin Eilers was a friend of mine. I wasn’t friends with Evan Tanner, but I definitely looked up to him and respected him. It’s been a sad year overall.”
All the more reason that Curran has been training so hard for his upcoming fight. He has been working extensively on his wrestling while sharpening his striking and Jiu-Jitsu. In preparation for his bantamweight debut, he enlisted the help of American Top Team and spent a week with the Florida-based crew.
“It really is something I’m excited about. This is kind of my trial run. I don’t know if it’s the best time to do it. I definitely don’t think I can go wrong going out to ATT and getting a good week of Jiu-Jitsu with some high quality guys,” commented Curran before his visit. “I’m going there and hopefully it’ll be the start of a new family, a new friendship, and a new alliance for some of my fighters. We’ll see what happens.”
Since announcing his move to bantamweight, Curran made it well known that his main goal was to challenge Miguel Torres for the 135-pound title.
“I know that I match well with Miguel Torres. He definitely has a formula to beat me, the potential to beat me. He doesn’t have anything that stands out that makes him so much better than me that I don’t have a chance.
“Miguel and I have competitive blood through our veins and he’s got something I want. The closer that this fight becomes a reality… it’s not about like or dislike. We both are competitive. I think the curiosity is lurking in us both to see who really wins that fight. We’ve been trying to set it up for years. We have respect for each other. After the fight and leading up to the fight, we’re still friends and acquaintances.”
In what could be a foreshadowing of a future match-up with Torres, Curran shares the spotlight with his fellow hometown favorite at WEC 40. Torres will defend his bantamweight title in the main event against Top 10 ranked Takeya Mizugaki, while Curran takes on Joseph Benavidez. A win for would put Curran one step closer to a shot at the champ.
“If he was some guy squeaking by against nobodies, there would be no desire to fight him just to have a belt. I’ve got a handful of belts from beating some pretty tough guys. Those fights mean something to me because of where and when they were. It would not mean anything to me to be labeled as a world champ if I’m fighting some amateur ranked guy. It’s definitely motivation to fight a guy like Miguel, who’s kicking everyone’s ass and has all the tools to beat anyone in the division.”
On April 5, Curran will face a tough prospect in Benavidez. The Urijah Faber protégé successfully made his WEC debut back in December of last year and has yet to taste defeat in his young career. He poses a formidable threat to all fighters in his weight division and is the type of opponent that Curran personally requested for his 135-pound debut.
“Joseph is undefeated; he’s got nine good wins. He’s got nothing to lose fighting me. I get to fight this young prospect who is undefeated that’s definitely a contender in the bantamweight division. It makes for a great match-up.”
A consummate athlete, Jeff Curran has dedicated his life to mixed martial arts. He has worked hard to be where he is today and continues to move towards his ultimate goal of winning WEC gold. Win or lose, the “Big Frog” will always be involved in this sport.
“I’m a sponge, I love learning. I’m in mixed martial arts because I love it. I’m not in it for money; I’m not in it for fame. I got into it because I like it and because I had a passion for it. If the money stopped and the big show died, I’d still fight.”
USA TEAM EAST SHUTS OUT BULGARIA AT M-1 GLOBAL
When former NFL running back Herbert "Whisper" Goodman left the Mladhost Sports Hall in Bourgas on Saturday night, he did so under the impression that he had suffered his sixth career loss. However, Goodman was informed a few short hours later by M-1 Challenge officials that the decision had been overturned and that he had recorded his ninth career victory courtesy of a second round knockout over ex-UFC veteran Jordan Radev.
Goodman was matched up against the former Bulgarian National wrestling team member as a part of a best-of-five head-to-head match between Team USA East and the host country, Team Bulgaria. The overturned decision allowed USA East to walk away with a 5-0 shutout over the Bulgarians.
Radev was originally ruled the winner of the fight via unanimous decision. However, the 32-year old veteran was knocked out cold by Goodman with just seconds remaining in the final round. With referee Mika Sinkkonen deciding that the knockout took place a split second after the bell, the fight was turned over to the judges' scorecards, with Radev being announced as a winner.
However, a formal appeal was lodged by Team USA East owner/manager Reed Wallace and replays showed that Goodman's knockout transpired just prior to the end of the fight.
"Upon further video review, it has been determined that the knockout punch occurred prior to the bell ending round 2," International Mixfight Association President Eno Alberga wrote in a released statement. "As such, the punch was legal, and is thus counted... It has been determined that the protest filed by Team USA East is upheld, and the initial ruling on this fight has been overturned."
Goodman did not learn of Alberga's ruling until after having returned to the team hotel. The former Green Bay Packer expressed satisfaction that justice had been served.
"I was just real curious how a referee could come in and initially stop me and all of a sudden declare him the winner? That sort of just through me for a loop," stated Goodman. "It's a big relief and now I can inform all the people who view my record on Sherdog's fight finder that I am the winner."
In addition to Goodman, Team USA members Renato Migliaccio, Steve Carl, Charles Grigsby, and Lloyd "Kadillac" Marshbanks were all victorious in their M-1 debuts.
Migliaccio, who received his black belt in jiu-jitsu from the late Ryan Gracie, improved his professional MMA record to 5-0 following a first round armbar submission over Yanko Yanev, who had been a perfect 7-0 heading into the bout. Migliaccio's victory allowed the U.S. to take a 1-0 lead.
The Americans then improved to 2-0 following Iowa-based fighter Steve Carl's first round rear naked choke submission over Ivan Ivanoff. Like his teammate Yanev, Ivanov also tasted defeat for the first time, as his record had previously been 7-0.
Carl's win improved his overall record to 11-1. A former sergeant in the United States Army who served in Iraq, he is no stranger to representing his country on foreign soil. Despite some apprehension about the partial Bulgarian crowd heading into the fight, Carl was very appreciative afterward about how he was received following his win.
"At first, I was very nervous because I thought it was going to be hostile crowd," he said, before continuing, "But they were actually well-behaved and one of the best crowds I have ever fought in front of. I was very impressed."
After Goodman's initial decision defeat, the pressure was on former World Extreme Cagefighting veteran Charles Grigsby to seal up the victory for the U.S.
Grigsby was involved in a close battle with Atanas Dzhambazov that required an overtime round. Utilizing fleet footwork and an outstanding sprawl, the current reigning MCC light heavyweight champion improved to 18-4 after outpointing Dzhambazov in the third and final frame. Grigsby's eighteenth career victory clinched a 3-1 victory for the U.S.
The U.S. then increased the margin of victory to 4-1 following Marshbanks slick first round heel hook submission of Emil Somoilov at 3:27 of round 1.
Marshbanks actually made the trip to Bulgaria on short notice after wrapping filming of an MMA-related reality television in Mexico just last week in hopes of fighting Combat Sambo Champion Blagdoi Ivanov. The fight never materialized but after his win over Somoilov, Marshbanks issued an open challenge to Ivanov, a Bulgarian national hero.
The event at the Mladhost Sports Hall sold out four days in advance even despite the fact that a highly-anticipated World Cup soccer qualifying match between Bulgaria vs. Ireland was airing on television during the run time of the fight card. In addition to the headline matchup of Bulgaria to U.S. East, the crowd was treated to a total of 15 fights, including head-to-head matchups between Team Turkey vs. Germany and Team Russia Legion vs. The World Team.
After being eliminated from the 2008 season of the M-1 Challenge early last year, a revamped German squad managed to record a 5-0 shutout against Turkey. Also, Team Russia Legion made a triumphant return to the M-1 Challenge, winning 4-1 over the World Team in their 2009 season debut.
The third edition of the "M-1 Challenge Presented by Affliction" 2009 season is currently scheduled to take place in Tokyo, Japan on April 29 featuring Japan vs. the United Kingdom, Team USA West vs. South Korea, and France vs. Spain.
Official Results of M-1 Challenge Bulgaria from March 28, 2009 at the Mladhost Sports Hall in Bourgas, Bulgaria:
Turkey vs. Germany -
1. Lightweight: de Leonardis (12-3/69.2 kg/152.24 lbs.) of Germany def. Akin Duran (10-4-1/69.6 kg/153.78 lbs.) of Turkey via triangle choke submission at 2:29 of round 1.
2. Welterweight: Daniel Weicehl (19-6/75.9 kg/166.98 lbs.) of Germany def. Faith Dogan (7-4-1/74.2 kg/163.24 lbs.) of Turkey with a DÁrace choke submission at 2:29 of round 1.
3. Middleweight: Gregor Herb (3-1/83.3 kg/183.26 lbs.) of Germany def. Ahmed Bayrak (12-4/83.4 kg/183.48 lbs.) of Turkey via rear naked choke at 2:00 of round 2.
4. Light Heavyweight: Martin Zawada (20-8/92.7 kg/203.94 lbs.) of Germany def. Samy Turky (4-3/91.9 kg/202.18 lbs.) of Turkey via TKO at 2:38 of round 1.
5. Heavyweight: Baziak (9-0/96.2 kg/211.64 lbs.) of Germany def. Tugrul Okay (6-1/101.3 kg/222.86 lbs.) of Turkey via TKO at 0:52 of round 2.
Team Germany defeats Team Turkey 5-0.
Russia Legion vs. World Team -
6. Lightweight: Yury Ivlev (34-6/69.4 kg/152.68 lbs.) of Russia Legion vs. Romano De Los Reyes (9-9-2/69.7 kg/153.34 lbs.) def. de los Reyes via three-round unanimous decision.
7. Welterweight: Magomed Shihshabekov (7-0/75 kg/165 lbs.) of Russia Legion def. Jason Ponet (6-5-2/75.6 kg/166.32 kg) via triangle choke submission at 1:34 of round 1.
8. Middleweight: Sergey Kornev (2-0/83.1 kg/182.82 kg) of Russia Legion def. Nathan Schouten (25-16-2/82.5 kg/181.5 lbs.) of World Team via KO at 0:12 of round 1.
9. Light Heavyweight: Gadjimurad Omarov (18-2/92.4 kg/203.28 lbs.) of Russia Legion def. Nills Van Noord (7-4-1/91.5 kg/201.3 lbs.) of World Team via rear naked submission at 2:24 of round 1.
10. Heavyweight: Michael Kitta (6-2/109.7 kg/241.34 lbs.) of World Team def. Akhmed Sultanov (4-3/106.2 kg/233.64) of Russia Legion via KO at 2:30 of round 1.
Team Russia Legion wins 4-1.
Bulgaria vs. USA East -
11. Lightweight: Renato Migliaccio (5-0/69.9 kg/153.78 lbs.) of USA East def. Yanko Yanev (7-1/68.7 kg/151.14 kg)of Bulgaria via armbar submission at 4:45 of round 1.
12. Welterweight: Steve Carl (11-1/76 kg/167.2 lbs.) of USA East def. Ivan Ivanov (7-1/75.9 kg/166.98 lbs.) of Bulgaria via rear naked choke at 3:31 of round 1.
13. * Middleweight: Herbert Goodman (9-5/83.9 kg/184.58 lbs.) of USA East def. Jordan Radev (27-4/83.8 kg/184.36 lbs.) of Bulgaria via KO at 4:59 of round 2.
14. Light Heavyweight: Charles Grigsby (18-4/93 kg/204.6 lbs.) of USA East def. Atanas Dzhambazov (9-2/93 kg/204.6 lbs.) of Bulgaria via three-round unanimous decision.
15. Heavyweight: Lloyd Marshbanks (17-8/116.5 kg/256.3 lbs.) of USA East def. Emil Somoilov (3-1-1/93 kg/204.6 lbs.) of Bulgaria via heel hook submission at 3:27 of round 1.
Team USA East defeats Bulgaria 5-0.
* Fight was originally ruled a split decision victory in Radev's favor. M-1 Challenge regulatory officials later ruled that Goodman had knocked out Radev at 4:59 of round 1 and overturned the decision in Goodman's favor in response to an official appeal.
When former NFL running back Herbert "Whisper" Goodman left the Mladhost Sports Hall in Bourgas on Saturday night, he did so under the impression that he had suffered his sixth career loss. However, Goodman was informed a few short hours later by M-1 Challenge officials that the decision had been overturned and that he had recorded his ninth career victory courtesy of a second round knockout over ex-UFC veteran Jordan Radev.
Goodman was matched up against the former Bulgarian National wrestling team member as a part of a best-of-five head-to-head match between Team USA East and the host country, Team Bulgaria. The overturned decision allowed USA East to walk away with a 5-0 shutout over the Bulgarians.
Radev was originally ruled the winner of the fight via unanimous decision. However, the 32-year old veteran was knocked out cold by Goodman with just seconds remaining in the final round. With referee Mika Sinkkonen deciding that the knockout took place a split second after the bell, the fight was turned over to the judges' scorecards, with Radev being announced as a winner.
However, a formal appeal was lodged by Team USA East owner/manager Reed Wallace and replays showed that Goodman's knockout transpired just prior to the end of the fight.
"Upon further video review, it has been determined that the knockout punch occurred prior to the bell ending round 2," International Mixfight Association President Eno Alberga wrote in a released statement. "As such, the punch was legal, and is thus counted... It has been determined that the protest filed by Team USA East is upheld, and the initial ruling on this fight has been overturned."
Goodman did not learn of Alberga's ruling until after having returned to the team hotel. The former Green Bay Packer expressed satisfaction that justice had been served.
"I was just real curious how a referee could come in and initially stop me and all of a sudden declare him the winner? That sort of just through me for a loop," stated Goodman. "It's a big relief and now I can inform all the people who view my record on Sherdog's fight finder that I am the winner."
In addition to Goodman, Team USA members Renato Migliaccio, Steve Carl, Charles Grigsby, and Lloyd "Kadillac" Marshbanks were all victorious in their M-1 debuts.
Migliaccio, who received his black belt in jiu-jitsu from the late Ryan Gracie, improved his professional MMA record to 5-0 following a first round armbar submission over Yanko Yanev, who had been a perfect 7-0 heading into the bout. Migliaccio's victory allowed the U.S. to take a 1-0 lead.
The Americans then improved to 2-0 following Iowa-based fighter Steve Carl's first round rear naked choke submission over Ivan Ivanoff. Like his teammate Yanev, Ivanov also tasted defeat for the first time, as his record had previously been 7-0.
Carl's win improved his overall record to 11-1. A former sergeant in the United States Army who served in Iraq, he is no stranger to representing his country on foreign soil. Despite some apprehension about the partial Bulgarian crowd heading into the fight, Carl was very appreciative afterward about how he was received following his win.
"At first, I was very nervous because I thought it was going to be hostile crowd," he said, before continuing, "But they were actually well-behaved and one of the best crowds I have ever fought in front of. I was very impressed."
After Goodman's initial decision defeat, the pressure was on former World Extreme Cagefighting veteran Charles Grigsby to seal up the victory for the U.S.
Grigsby was involved in a close battle with Atanas Dzhambazov that required an overtime round. Utilizing fleet footwork and an outstanding sprawl, the current reigning MCC light heavyweight champion improved to 18-4 after outpointing Dzhambazov in the third and final frame. Grigsby's eighteenth career victory clinched a 3-1 victory for the U.S.
The U.S. then increased the margin of victory to 4-1 following Marshbanks slick first round heel hook submission of Emil Somoilov at 3:27 of round 1.
Marshbanks actually made the trip to Bulgaria on short notice after wrapping filming of an MMA-related reality television in Mexico just last week in hopes of fighting Combat Sambo Champion Blagdoi Ivanov. The fight never materialized but after his win over Somoilov, Marshbanks issued an open challenge to Ivanov, a Bulgarian national hero.
The event at the Mladhost Sports Hall sold out four days in advance even despite the fact that a highly-anticipated World Cup soccer qualifying match between Bulgaria vs. Ireland was airing on television during the run time of the fight card. In addition to the headline matchup of Bulgaria to U.S. East, the crowd was treated to a total of 15 fights, including head-to-head matchups between Team Turkey vs. Germany and Team Russia Legion vs. The World Team.
After being eliminated from the 2008 season of the M-1 Challenge early last year, a revamped German squad managed to record a 5-0 shutout against Turkey. Also, Team Russia Legion made a triumphant return to the M-1 Challenge, winning 4-1 over the World Team in their 2009 season debut.
The third edition of the "M-1 Challenge Presented by Affliction" 2009 season is currently scheduled to take place in Tokyo, Japan on April 29 featuring Japan vs. the United Kingdom, Team USA West vs. South Korea, and France vs. Spain.
Official Results of M-1 Challenge Bulgaria from March 28, 2009 at the Mladhost Sports Hall in Bourgas, Bulgaria:
Turkey vs. Germany -
1. Lightweight: de Leonardis (12-3/69.2 kg/152.24 lbs.) of Germany def. Akin Duran (10-4-1/69.6 kg/153.78 lbs.) of Turkey via triangle choke submission at 2:29 of round 1.
2. Welterweight: Daniel Weicehl (19-6/75.9 kg/166.98 lbs.) of Germany def. Faith Dogan (7-4-1/74.2 kg/163.24 lbs.) of Turkey with a DÁrace choke submission at 2:29 of round 1.
3. Middleweight: Gregor Herb (3-1/83.3 kg/183.26 lbs.) of Germany def. Ahmed Bayrak (12-4/83.4 kg/183.48 lbs.) of Turkey via rear naked choke at 2:00 of round 2.
4. Light Heavyweight: Martin Zawada (20-8/92.7 kg/203.94 lbs.) of Germany def. Samy Turky (4-3/91.9 kg/202.18 lbs.) of Turkey via TKO at 2:38 of round 1.
5. Heavyweight: Baziak (9-0/96.2 kg/211.64 lbs.) of Germany def. Tugrul Okay (6-1/101.3 kg/222.86 lbs.) of Turkey via TKO at 0:52 of round 2.
Team Germany defeats Team Turkey 5-0.
Russia Legion vs. World Team -
6. Lightweight: Yury Ivlev (34-6/69.4 kg/152.68 lbs.) of Russia Legion vs. Romano De Los Reyes (9-9-2/69.7 kg/153.34 lbs.) def. de los Reyes via three-round unanimous decision.
7. Welterweight: Magomed Shihshabekov (7-0/75 kg/165 lbs.) of Russia Legion def. Jason Ponet (6-5-2/75.6 kg/166.32 kg) via triangle choke submission at 1:34 of round 1.
8. Middleweight: Sergey Kornev (2-0/83.1 kg/182.82 kg) of Russia Legion def. Nathan Schouten (25-16-2/82.5 kg/181.5 lbs.) of World Team via KO at 0:12 of round 1.
9. Light Heavyweight: Gadjimurad Omarov (18-2/92.4 kg/203.28 lbs.) of Russia Legion def. Nills Van Noord (7-4-1/91.5 kg/201.3 lbs.) of World Team via rear naked submission at 2:24 of round 1.
10. Heavyweight: Michael Kitta (6-2/109.7 kg/241.34 lbs.) of World Team def. Akhmed Sultanov (4-3/106.2 kg/233.64) of Russia Legion via KO at 2:30 of round 1.
Team Russia Legion wins 4-1.
Bulgaria vs. USA East -
11. Lightweight: Renato Migliaccio (5-0/69.9 kg/153.78 lbs.) of USA East def. Yanko Yanev (7-1/68.7 kg/151.14 kg)of Bulgaria via armbar submission at 4:45 of round 1.
12. Welterweight: Steve Carl (11-1/76 kg/167.2 lbs.) of USA East def. Ivan Ivanov (7-1/75.9 kg/166.98 lbs.) of Bulgaria via rear naked choke at 3:31 of round 1.
13. * Middleweight: Herbert Goodman (9-5/83.9 kg/184.58 lbs.) of USA East def. Jordan Radev (27-4/83.8 kg/184.36 lbs.) of Bulgaria via KO at 4:59 of round 2.
14. Light Heavyweight: Charles Grigsby (18-4/93 kg/204.6 lbs.) of USA East def. Atanas Dzhambazov (9-2/93 kg/204.6 lbs.) of Bulgaria via three-round unanimous decision.
15. Heavyweight: Lloyd Marshbanks (17-8/116.5 kg/256.3 lbs.) of USA East def. Emil Somoilov (3-1-1/93 kg/204.6 lbs.) of Bulgaria via heel hook submission at 3:27 of round 1.
Team USA East defeats Bulgaria 5-0.
* Fight was originally ruled a split decision victory in Radev's favor. M-1 Challenge regulatory officials later ruled that Goodman had knocked out Radev at 4:59 of round 1 and overturned the decision in Goodman's favor in response to an official appeal.
Carlos Newton Makes Successful Return at W-1: Inception
In an exciting night of MMA loaded with first-round finishes, UFC and PRIDE Fighting Championships veteran Carlos “The Ronin” Newton made a successful return to action in his first bout since October 2007 by knocking out Canadian Tristar Gym product Nabil “The Thrill” Khatib at “Warrior-1: Inception” on Saturday at the Robert Guertin Arena in Gatineau, Quebec.
In the main event of a successful debut card for Quebec’s recently developed mixed martial arts organization, the first UFC welterweight champion dominated the 38-year-old Khatib from start to finish.
Newton used superior boxing skills to overwhelm his less-experienced opponent before taking him to the ground. Once on the mat, Newton trapped Khatib’s arm around his own neck and subsequently delivered a lethal dose of ground and pound en route to a knockout at the 3:12 mark of the opening stanza.
Newton rebounded from a three-fight losing streak to improve his record to 14-13, also earning his first win in his native Canada in over 13 years.
Khatib (8-5), meanwhile, dropped his third consecutive bout.
Post-fight, the Warrior MMA Fight Team product said he was comfortable cutting weight and feels good at welterweight. “Making 170 [pounds] this time was the easiest time I’ve had doing it,” said Newton.
Newton, who appeared to be in great shape and did not show any signs of ring rust after a hiatus spanning nearly two years, credited his trainers with getting him prepared for the contest. “I have two great trainers, Everton McEwan [and] Terry Riggs,” he said.
In the co-feature, Martin Grandmont recorded a come-from-behind knockout over previously unbeaten Mark Holst. The Team Bergeron member and veteran of the now-defunct TKO promotion in Quebec was staggered early by Holst, seemingly flustered by the Gatineau-native’s rapid hand movement.
But Holst, a pupil of Renzo Gracie’s Jiu-Jitsu Academy, fell victim to a punishing overhand right at 4:13 of round one. The surprising knockout improved Grandmont’s record to 8-4, while Holst dropped to 4-1.
In another intriguing match-up, late replacement Hosier Bruno shocked former World Wrestling Entertainment developmental talent and Canadian Football League product Glenn Kulka with a cataclysmic front kick/knee combination, which sent Kulka tumbling to the canvas at 1:17 of the opening frame.
The 45-year-old Kulka (2-1) was dealt his first professional MMA loss after winning his first two bouts in less than two minutes of total fighting time.
Bruno, meanwhile, improved his professional record to 2-0.
Bruno’s first career win came against Kulka’s originally scheduled opponent Bob Landry at the controversial Titans Fighting event on February 6 in Montreal. Though the event was billed as a unique “Strikebox-rules” card with modified kickboxing rules implemented, it was actually officiated under traditional MMA rules as Stephane Patry’s newest standup fighting concept never got sanctioning. As such, Bruno’s victory over Landry should count towards his MMA record.
Here are the full results from “W-1: Inception,” which took place on March 28:
-Carlos Newton def. Nabil Khatib via KO (ground and pound) at 3:12, R1
-Martin Grandmont def. Mark Holst via KO (overhand right) at 4:13, R1
-Craig Brown def. Dean Martins via Submission (rear-naked choke) at 4:04, R1
-Hosier Bruno def. Glenn Kulka via KO (knee) at 1:17, R1
-Remi Morvan def. Sean Quinn via Submission (guillotine choke) at 3:30, 41
-Mike Hong def. Mike Clark via Submission (rear-naked choke) at 4:29, R1
-Mustafa Khalil def. Daryle Pinter via Submission (armbar) at 0:56, R1
-Stephane Bernadel def. Fred Pilon via TKO (body kick) at 2:40, R2
-John Macphearson def. Denis Poirier via TKO (punches) at 3:53, R1
-Fred Belanger def. Ian Shirley via TKO (punches) at 2:24, R1
-Xavier Desroches def. Tim Chessel via Submission (armbar), R1
In an exciting night of MMA loaded with first-round finishes, UFC and PRIDE Fighting Championships veteran Carlos “The Ronin” Newton made a successful return to action in his first bout since October 2007 by knocking out Canadian Tristar Gym product Nabil “The Thrill” Khatib at “Warrior-1: Inception” on Saturday at the Robert Guertin Arena in Gatineau, Quebec.
In the main event of a successful debut card for Quebec’s recently developed mixed martial arts organization, the first UFC welterweight champion dominated the 38-year-old Khatib from start to finish.
Newton used superior boxing skills to overwhelm his less-experienced opponent before taking him to the ground. Once on the mat, Newton trapped Khatib’s arm around his own neck and subsequently delivered a lethal dose of ground and pound en route to a knockout at the 3:12 mark of the opening stanza.
Newton rebounded from a three-fight losing streak to improve his record to 14-13, also earning his first win in his native Canada in over 13 years.
Khatib (8-5), meanwhile, dropped his third consecutive bout.
Post-fight, the Warrior MMA Fight Team product said he was comfortable cutting weight and feels good at welterweight. “Making 170 [pounds] this time was the easiest time I’ve had doing it,” said Newton.
Newton, who appeared to be in great shape and did not show any signs of ring rust after a hiatus spanning nearly two years, credited his trainers with getting him prepared for the contest. “I have two great trainers, Everton McEwan [and] Terry Riggs,” he said.
In the co-feature, Martin Grandmont recorded a come-from-behind knockout over previously unbeaten Mark Holst. The Team Bergeron member and veteran of the now-defunct TKO promotion in Quebec was staggered early by Holst, seemingly flustered by the Gatineau-native’s rapid hand movement.
But Holst, a pupil of Renzo Gracie’s Jiu-Jitsu Academy, fell victim to a punishing overhand right at 4:13 of round one. The surprising knockout improved Grandmont’s record to 8-4, while Holst dropped to 4-1.
In another intriguing match-up, late replacement Hosier Bruno shocked former World Wrestling Entertainment developmental talent and Canadian Football League product Glenn Kulka with a cataclysmic front kick/knee combination, which sent Kulka tumbling to the canvas at 1:17 of the opening frame.
The 45-year-old Kulka (2-1) was dealt his first professional MMA loss after winning his first two bouts in less than two minutes of total fighting time.
Bruno, meanwhile, improved his professional record to 2-0.
Bruno’s first career win came against Kulka’s originally scheduled opponent Bob Landry at the controversial Titans Fighting event on February 6 in Montreal. Though the event was billed as a unique “Strikebox-rules” card with modified kickboxing rules implemented, it was actually officiated under traditional MMA rules as Stephane Patry’s newest standup fighting concept never got sanctioning. As such, Bruno’s victory over Landry should count towards his MMA record.
Here are the full results from “W-1: Inception,” which took place on March 28:
-Carlos Newton def. Nabil Khatib via KO (ground and pound) at 3:12, R1
-Martin Grandmont def. Mark Holst via KO (overhand right) at 4:13, R1
-Craig Brown def. Dean Martins via Submission (rear-naked choke) at 4:04, R1
-Hosier Bruno def. Glenn Kulka via KO (knee) at 1:17, R1
-Remi Morvan def. Sean Quinn via Submission (guillotine choke) at 3:30, 41
-Mike Hong def. Mike Clark via Submission (rear-naked choke) at 4:29, R1
-Mustafa Khalil def. Daryle Pinter via Submission (armbar) at 0:56, R1
-Stephane Bernadel def. Fred Pilon via TKO (body kick) at 2:40, R2
-John Macphearson def. Denis Poirier via TKO (punches) at 3:53, R1
-Fred Belanger def. Ian Shirley via TKO (punches) at 2:24, R1
-Xavier Desroches def. Tim Chessel via Submission (armbar), R1
Benji Radach: ‘Somebody is going to get knocked out’
Benji Radach has no illusions to how his upcoming bout with fellow middleweight slugger, Scott Smith, will end up going. The fans want a brawl, Smith wants a brawl, and according to Radach, that’s exactly what they’re going to get on Aprill 11th when the two notorious bangers collide at Strikeforce: Shamrock vs. Diaz.
Radach has never made it a secret as to his intentions in the cage, he’s trying to knock your head off. In this exclusive interview with FiveOuncesPain.com, Radach confirmed that his upcoming Strikeforce debut will be no exception to the rule. He’s coming out swinging for the fences.
The 29 year old former IFL fighter may as well keep the slugfest streak going. His last bout was an all out war waged between himself and Murilo “Ninja” Rua at EliteXC: Heat in October. The fight saw both men dropped in the first round, only for Radach to battle back for the knockout in the second. It was one of the more electrifying MMA contests in recent history.
Strikeforce: Shamrock vs. Diaz is going to be stacked to the ceiling with talent, but if there was one fight that had “Fight of the Night” written all over it, it would have to be this one.
Cory Brady for FiveOuncesOfPain.com: What have you been doing to keep busy since your last fight with Ninja?
Benji Radach: I’ve definitely been working a lot. I work full time at LA Boxing. So I’ve just been working a lot during the day and training at night, trying to get ready for this fight.
FiveOuncesOfPain.com: Have you just been dying to get back in there?
Benji Radach:Well I wasn’t really hurting financially like a lot of the other guys that don’t have other jobs. A bunch of the guys that were stuck in their contracts with EliteXC were hating life, but I had job that kept me afloat.
FiveOuncesOfPain.com: Outside of the financial side of things, were you hungry to get back in the cage and mix it up again? It seemed like you left on such a high note with your win over Ninja.
Benji Radach: Yes and no. When I work so much, it kind of takes the focus on training away a little. I can’t really focus on training as much as I’d like to, but I’ve just been kind of training for fun and not really for a career. I want to take it to that next level, but I can’t really do it while I’m working full time right now.
FiveOuncesOfPain.com:How are you feeling physically heading into your fight withScott Smith?
Benji Radach: I’m definitely feeling good right now. I’m starting to peak and training has been going really well, so I think things are going to turn out great.
FiveOuncesOfPain.com: Who are some of the key people that have been helping you to prepare for this one?
Benji Radach:I’ve been training a lot with Mo Lawal, Dan Henderson, and Mayhem Miller. I’ve also been training a lot with the Gazze Academy out in Huntington Beach, California.
FiveOuncesOfPain.com:I remember you telling me about Mo before he made his debut in Sengoku. Is he a good training partner for you?
Benji Radach: Oh yeah. We just scrap, we really beat the tar out of each other. We’re pretty good for each other. I don’t let him get away with things that he gets away with, with other people and he does the same for me.
FiveOuncesOfPain.com: Just keeping each other honest.
Benji Radach: Exactly, exactly.
FiveOuncesOfPain.com: How do you feel you match up with Scott?
Benji Radach:I feel pretty good. You never know until you get in there, but I’m feeling pretty confident about this fight. I wish I could train a little more, and be in a little better shape, but once I get in there, I should be pretty fired up for this one, so it’s going to be good. It’s definitely going to be a different goal in this fight, as far as the strategy goes compared to my last fight. When I fought Murilo “Ninja” Rua my goal was mainly to keep him on his heels so he couldn’t do any damage. In this fight I’m going to be a lot more technical. I think it’s going to be good, I’m feeling really confident.
FiveOuncesOfPain.com: Do you think your wrestling is going to be one of the major advantages you may have over Scott?
Benji Radach: Yeah, but I really think it’s going to end up being a stand up fight. I don’t really think he’ll be shooting at all. I don’t really think that his wrestling is top notch. I think he wants to slug it out, and that’s his best chance to beat me, to catch me with a big shot.
FiveOuncesOfPain.com: What would be the perfect ending to this fight for you?
Benji Radach: I’m always looking for the knockout. A knockout is always the best possible way for me to win. That’s always been my thing, and that can go for Scott as well. It creates an exciting fight and it makes it exciting for the fans to watch it, because somebody is going to get knocked out. This is one of those fights where it could be him catching me the first time, or me catching him the first time it’s just a matter of who captures who.
FiveOuncesOfPain.com: If it’s anything like your last fight with Ninja, I think everyone is going to end up very happy.
Benji Radach: Yeah, that fight was really fun. It was a fun fight for me to fight, and a really fun fight for me to watch afterwords. I was just so tired going into the second round because we went at it so hard in the first round. The first round was like a five minute sprint.
FiveOuncesOfPain.com:Is it safe to say that you have your eyes on the Strikeforce 185 pound title right now?
Benji Radach:Yeah, I really do. Cung Le is just an animal so it would be an honor to fight him, but I could deal with him. He’s definitely a top level opponent and it would be a great opportunity to fight him.
FiveOuncesOfPain.com:What do you think about Strikforce’s current middleweight roster and where you fit into it?
Benji Radach:I definitely think that Strikeforce has one of the toughest 185 pound divisions in the world. We have a pretty damn stacked middleweight division. There’s Cung Le, Frank Shamrock, Joey Villesanor, Robbie Lawler, myself, Scott Smith, it’s just stacked. That’s really my goal in fighting, is getting up there and fighting top level guys, and I think there are plenty of guys in Strikeforce to keep me happy, so it’s great.
FiveOuncesOfPain.com: Is there anyone you would like to thank?
Benji Radach:Yeah, I want to thank TapouT. They helped me out with my last fight, and they’re going to help me out with this one too, which is really cool. I want to thank RockStar Energy Drink, Full Tilt Poker, Dan Lambert, and all the guys at MMAAgents. Also a big thanks to American Top Team, because without them, I wouldn’t be where I am now.
Benji Radach has no illusions to how his upcoming bout with fellow middleweight slugger, Scott Smith, will end up going. The fans want a brawl, Smith wants a brawl, and according to Radach, that’s exactly what they’re going to get on Aprill 11th when the two notorious bangers collide at Strikeforce: Shamrock vs. Diaz.
Radach has never made it a secret as to his intentions in the cage, he’s trying to knock your head off. In this exclusive interview with FiveOuncesPain.com, Radach confirmed that his upcoming Strikeforce debut will be no exception to the rule. He’s coming out swinging for the fences.
The 29 year old former IFL fighter may as well keep the slugfest streak going. His last bout was an all out war waged between himself and Murilo “Ninja” Rua at EliteXC: Heat in October. The fight saw both men dropped in the first round, only for Radach to battle back for the knockout in the second. It was one of the more electrifying MMA contests in recent history.
Strikeforce: Shamrock vs. Diaz is going to be stacked to the ceiling with talent, but if there was one fight that had “Fight of the Night” written all over it, it would have to be this one.
Cory Brady for FiveOuncesOfPain.com: What have you been doing to keep busy since your last fight with Ninja?
Benji Radach: I’ve definitely been working a lot. I work full time at LA Boxing. So I’ve just been working a lot during the day and training at night, trying to get ready for this fight.
FiveOuncesOfPain.com: Have you just been dying to get back in there?
Benji Radach:Well I wasn’t really hurting financially like a lot of the other guys that don’t have other jobs. A bunch of the guys that were stuck in their contracts with EliteXC were hating life, but I had job that kept me afloat.
FiveOuncesOfPain.com: Outside of the financial side of things, were you hungry to get back in the cage and mix it up again? It seemed like you left on such a high note with your win over Ninja.
Benji Radach: Yes and no. When I work so much, it kind of takes the focus on training away a little. I can’t really focus on training as much as I’d like to, but I’ve just been kind of training for fun and not really for a career. I want to take it to that next level, but I can’t really do it while I’m working full time right now.
FiveOuncesOfPain.com:How are you feeling physically heading into your fight withScott Smith?
Benji Radach: I’m definitely feeling good right now. I’m starting to peak and training has been going really well, so I think things are going to turn out great.
FiveOuncesOfPain.com: Who are some of the key people that have been helping you to prepare for this one?
Benji Radach:I’ve been training a lot with Mo Lawal, Dan Henderson, and Mayhem Miller. I’ve also been training a lot with the Gazze Academy out in Huntington Beach, California.
FiveOuncesOfPain.com:I remember you telling me about Mo before he made his debut in Sengoku. Is he a good training partner for you?
Benji Radach: Oh yeah. We just scrap, we really beat the tar out of each other. We’re pretty good for each other. I don’t let him get away with things that he gets away with, with other people and he does the same for me.
FiveOuncesOfPain.com: Just keeping each other honest.
Benji Radach: Exactly, exactly.
FiveOuncesOfPain.com: How do you feel you match up with Scott?
Benji Radach:I feel pretty good. You never know until you get in there, but I’m feeling pretty confident about this fight. I wish I could train a little more, and be in a little better shape, but once I get in there, I should be pretty fired up for this one, so it’s going to be good. It’s definitely going to be a different goal in this fight, as far as the strategy goes compared to my last fight. When I fought Murilo “Ninja” Rua my goal was mainly to keep him on his heels so he couldn’t do any damage. In this fight I’m going to be a lot more technical. I think it’s going to be good, I’m feeling really confident.
FiveOuncesOfPain.com: Do you think your wrestling is going to be one of the major advantages you may have over Scott?
Benji Radach: Yeah, but I really think it’s going to end up being a stand up fight. I don’t really think he’ll be shooting at all. I don’t really think that his wrestling is top notch. I think he wants to slug it out, and that’s his best chance to beat me, to catch me with a big shot.
FiveOuncesOfPain.com: What would be the perfect ending to this fight for you?
Benji Radach: I’m always looking for the knockout. A knockout is always the best possible way for me to win. That’s always been my thing, and that can go for Scott as well. It creates an exciting fight and it makes it exciting for the fans to watch it, because somebody is going to get knocked out. This is one of those fights where it could be him catching me the first time, or me catching him the first time it’s just a matter of who captures who.
FiveOuncesOfPain.com: If it’s anything like your last fight with Ninja, I think everyone is going to end up very happy.
Benji Radach: Yeah, that fight was really fun. It was a fun fight for me to fight, and a really fun fight for me to watch afterwords. I was just so tired going into the second round because we went at it so hard in the first round. The first round was like a five minute sprint.
FiveOuncesOfPain.com:Is it safe to say that you have your eyes on the Strikeforce 185 pound title right now?
Benji Radach:Yeah, I really do. Cung Le is just an animal so it would be an honor to fight him, but I could deal with him. He’s definitely a top level opponent and it would be a great opportunity to fight him.
FiveOuncesOfPain.com:What do you think about Strikforce’s current middleweight roster and where you fit into it?
Benji Radach:I definitely think that Strikeforce has one of the toughest 185 pound divisions in the world. We have a pretty damn stacked middleweight division. There’s Cung Le, Frank Shamrock, Joey Villesanor, Robbie Lawler, myself, Scott Smith, it’s just stacked. That’s really my goal in fighting, is getting up there and fighting top level guys, and I think there are plenty of guys in Strikeforce to keep me happy, so it’s great.
FiveOuncesOfPain.com: Is there anyone you would like to thank?
Benji Radach:Yeah, I want to thank TapouT. They helped me out with my last fight, and they’re going to help me out with this one too, which is really cool. I want to thank RockStar Energy Drink, Full Tilt Poker, Dan Lambert, and all the guys at MMAAgents. Also a big thanks to American Top Team, because without them, I wouldn’t be where I am now.
Jacaré back in action at Dream 9
Few months after the middleweight tournament, Ronaldo “Jacaré” Souza will be back in action at Dream. According to the fighter, he’ll fight at Dream 9, which takes place in Japan on May 26th. “I’ll fight at Dream 9, but I still don’t know the name of my opponent”, said the two times BJJ world openweight champion, training hard at Rio de Janeiro for the fight. “The training here are strong. Josuel Distak is taking care of the MMA part, Rogério Camões does the physical training and Daniel helps me with the Muay Thai”.
Training with André Galvão, who debuts in the weiterweight tournament on Dream 8, Jacaré is confident in his success. “He is training hard and did all the training religiously, I just think he trained a little too much (laughs). I’m sure he’ll step up the ring and make everyone happy with his performance. He’ll do great, for sure”, bets. On the same edition, Ronaldo’s last opponent will make his first fight at light heavyweight division after winning the middleweight GP, and the Brazilian thinks he’ll do great against Thierry Sokoudjou. “He (Gegard Mousasi) is a great athlete and will do fine in this new division”.
Few months after the middleweight tournament, Ronaldo “Jacaré” Souza will be back in action at Dream. According to the fighter, he’ll fight at Dream 9, which takes place in Japan on May 26th. “I’ll fight at Dream 9, but I still don’t know the name of my opponent”, said the two times BJJ world openweight champion, training hard at Rio de Janeiro for the fight. “The training here are strong. Josuel Distak is taking care of the MMA part, Rogério Camões does the physical training and Daniel helps me with the Muay Thai”.
Training with André Galvão, who debuts in the weiterweight tournament on Dream 8, Jacaré is confident in his success. “He is training hard and did all the training religiously, I just think he trained a little too much (laughs). I’m sure he’ll step up the ring and make everyone happy with his performance. He’ll do great, for sure”, bets. On the same edition, Ronaldo’s last opponent will make his first fight at light heavyweight division after winning the middleweight GP, and the Brazilian thinks he’ll do great against Thierry Sokoudjou. “He (Gegard Mousasi) is a great athlete and will do fine in this new division”.
JZ Cavalcante Set to Face Kawajiri
Two-time K-1 Hero's champion Gesias "JZ" Cavalcante has agreed to face off with Japanese stalwart Tatsuya Kawajiri at Dream 9 on May 26, according to sources in Cavalcante’s American Top Team camp.
Cavalcante (14-2-1) will look to get back on the winning track after his last two outings, which returned a no contest and his first loss in nearly four years. Both of those outcomes came against well-regarded Shinya Aoki, with the no contest coming as a result of illegal elbow strikes -- something ATT still contests.
The 25-year-old Brazilian will be venturing back into action after a nearly 13-month layoff, the longest of his five-year career.
Kawajiri, 31, has been a fixture in the Japanese MMA scene since 2000. He worked his way up the ladder from Shooto, where he held the 154-pound title, to Pride and now Dream.
Always ranked among the top lightweights in the world, Kawajiri (23-5-2) returned from a TKO loss to Eddie Alvarez in Dream’s lightweight grand prix last summer to dispatch Ross Ebanez by submission earlier this month.
The card is slated for Saitama, Japan.
Two-time K-1 Hero's champion Gesias "JZ" Cavalcante has agreed to face off with Japanese stalwart Tatsuya Kawajiri at Dream 9 on May 26, according to sources in Cavalcante’s American Top Team camp.
Cavalcante (14-2-1) will look to get back on the winning track after his last two outings, which returned a no contest and his first loss in nearly four years. Both of those outcomes came against well-regarded Shinya Aoki, with the no contest coming as a result of illegal elbow strikes -- something ATT still contests.
The 25-year-old Brazilian will be venturing back into action after a nearly 13-month layoff, the longest of his five-year career.
Kawajiri, 31, has been a fixture in the Japanese MMA scene since 2000. He worked his way up the ladder from Shooto, where he held the 154-pound title, to Pride and now Dream.
Always ranked among the top lightweights in the world, Kawajiri (23-5-2) returned from a TKO loss to Eddie Alvarez in Dream’s lightweight grand prix last summer to dispatch Ross Ebanez by submission earlier this month.
The card is slated for Saitama, Japan.
MATT HAMILL VS BRANDON VERA SET FOR UFC 101
A light heavyweight match-up between Brandon Vera and Matt Hamill is in the works for UFC 101 on Aug. 8 in Philadelphia. A source close to the fight confirmed the news to MMAWeekly.com, with MMAMadness first reporting its possibility.
While contracts have yet to be signed, the fighters have agreed to the bout and are expected to make it official in the coming days.
Vera and Hamill had impressive showings earlier this month at UFC 96, with both emerging victorious in their fights against Mike Patt and Mark Munoz, respectively.
The 31-year-old Vera picked up steam after disappointing showings against Reese Andy and Keith Jardine in his first two fights as a light heavyweight. The San Diego resident took a stumble with two consecutive losses to Tim Sylvia and Fabricio Werdum, prompting his jump to 205 pounds, but had been long considered a future contender since his entry into the UFC at Ultimate Fight Night 2 in 2005.
Lately, the 32-year-old Hamill has made a name as a striker. Originally labeled a wrestler upon his emergence in the UFC on the third season of “The Ultimate Fighter,” the three-time NCAA champion has ended all but one of his six UFC victories with strikes, capped off by a blistering head kick knockout of Munoz. Save for a TKO loss to Rich Franklin and a controversial decision loss to Michael Bisping, Hamill has morphed into a dangerous mixed martial artist.
A lightweight title fight between reigning champion B.J. Penn and challenger Kenny Florian will headline the card.
Though a venue for UFC 101 has yet to be determined, the 20,000-seat Wachovia Center is under serious consideration to host. The event will be Pennsylvania’s first taste of sanctioned mixed martial arts following the passage of a bill to regulate the sport in the state legislature last month.
A light heavyweight match-up between Brandon Vera and Matt Hamill is in the works for UFC 101 on Aug. 8 in Philadelphia. A source close to the fight confirmed the news to MMAWeekly.com, with MMAMadness first reporting its possibility.
While contracts have yet to be signed, the fighters have agreed to the bout and are expected to make it official in the coming days.
Vera and Hamill had impressive showings earlier this month at UFC 96, with both emerging victorious in their fights against Mike Patt and Mark Munoz, respectively.
The 31-year-old Vera picked up steam after disappointing showings against Reese Andy and Keith Jardine in his first two fights as a light heavyweight. The San Diego resident took a stumble with two consecutive losses to Tim Sylvia and Fabricio Werdum, prompting his jump to 205 pounds, but had been long considered a future contender since his entry into the UFC at Ultimate Fight Night 2 in 2005.
Lately, the 32-year-old Hamill has made a name as a striker. Originally labeled a wrestler upon his emergence in the UFC on the third season of “The Ultimate Fighter,” the three-time NCAA champion has ended all but one of his six UFC victories with strikes, capped off by a blistering head kick knockout of Munoz. Save for a TKO loss to Rich Franklin and a controversial decision loss to Michael Bisping, Hamill has morphed into a dangerous mixed martial artist.
A lightweight title fight between reigning champion B.J. Penn and challenger Kenny Florian will headline the card.
Though a venue for UFC 101 has yet to be determined, the 20,000-seat Wachovia Center is under serious consideration to host. The event will be Pennsylvania’s first taste of sanctioned mixed martial arts following the passage of a bill to regulate the sport in the state legislature last month.
Aleksander Emelianenko narrowly escapes being knocked out in Russia
Aleksander Emelianenko was badly rocked by a crushing overhand right from Ibragim Magomedov in the first round of their bout held tonight in Rostov-on-do, Russia, but battled back to secure a TKO victory. The two met up at this evenings ProFC 5: Russia vs. Europe event
About thirty seconds into the bout the two exchanged right hands following a brief exchange. Aleksander undoubtedly caught the worst end of the exchange as the overhand right thrown by Magomedov clipped the two -time Russian national Sambo champion on his chin and sent him reeling.
Although obviously wobbled, Aleksander was able to compose himself and clinch Magomedov up. During the clinch the referee noticed a nasty gash to the face of Magomedov which caused him to consult with ringside physicians who promptly waved the contest off. The cut had come from a punch Aleksander had thrown during the previous exchange.
Although Aleksander was hurt significantly more during the initial exchange of punches, the punch he had landed caused the end of the bout.
Whether or not questions will be raised about the consensus top ten heavyweight’s skill level because of him being close to defeat remains to be seen. Regardless of any future criticism the Russian heavyweight may fall under because of the lackluster performance, Aleksander found a way to win, as he usually does.
Aleksander improved his record to 15-3, while Magomedov dropped to 21-6-1 with the defeat.
Aleksander Emelianenko was badly rocked by a crushing overhand right from Ibragim Magomedov in the first round of their bout held tonight in Rostov-on-do, Russia, but battled back to secure a TKO victory. The two met up at this evenings ProFC 5: Russia vs. Europe event
About thirty seconds into the bout the two exchanged right hands following a brief exchange. Aleksander undoubtedly caught the worst end of the exchange as the overhand right thrown by Magomedov clipped the two -time Russian national Sambo champion on his chin and sent him reeling.
Although obviously wobbled, Aleksander was able to compose himself and clinch Magomedov up. During the clinch the referee noticed a nasty gash to the face of Magomedov which caused him to consult with ringside physicians who promptly waved the contest off. The cut had come from a punch Aleksander had thrown during the previous exchange.
Although Aleksander was hurt significantly more during the initial exchange of punches, the punch he had landed caused the end of the bout.
Whether or not questions will be raised about the consensus top ten heavyweight’s skill level because of him being close to defeat remains to be seen. Regardless of any future criticism the Russian heavyweight may fall under because of the lackluster performance, Aleksander found a way to win, as he usually does.
Aleksander improved his record to 15-3, while Magomedov dropped to 21-6-1 with the defeat.
Quarterfinal Matchups Announced for Sengoku GP
With the opening round of the Sengoku featherweight grand prix in the books for less than two weeks, parent company World Victory Road has announced the four quarterfinal pairings for its 143-pound tournament scheduled for May 2 at the Yoyogi National Stadium Second Gymnasium.
In one matchup, tournament favorite Hatsu Hioki will take on upstart Brit Ronnie Mann. Hioki impressively dispatched of then-undefeated WEC veteran Chris Manuel at the March 20 tournament opener with a first-round submission. Mann took a competitive unanimous verdict over 18-year-old ZST product Tetsuya Yamada.
First-round upset author Michihiro Omigawa will meet up with the dynamic Nam Phan. Omigawa and Phan both turned in stellar performances in the opening round, as Omigawa knocked off well-regarded prospect L.C. Davis via unanimous decision and Phan knocked out former Shooto world champion Hideki Kadowaki in the first frame.
South Korean slugger Chan Sung Jung will face ZST torchbearer Masanori Kanehara. The 22-year-old Jung brawled his way to a first-round choking of Shintaro Ishiwatari in the tournament's first phase. Kanehara took an exacting unanimous decision over Jung's compatriot Jong Man Kim.
A battle of undefeated fighters will complete the quarterfinals when Brazilian Marlon Sandro takes on Canadian Nick Denis. Denis took a commanding first-round stoppage over Pancrase product Seiya Kahawara in the first round, and Sandro choked out former KOTC champion Matt Jaggers in the second stanza.
The four tournament bouts bring the announced May 2 card to a total of seven fights. Also scheduled is a light heavyweight contest between BJJ king Alexandre "Xande" Ribeiro and former light heavyweight King of Pancrase Keiichiro Yamamiya, a lightweight clash between grappling ace Leonardo Santos and former Deep lightweight champion Kazunori Yokota, and a welterweight affair between 2004 Olympic judo gold medalist Makoto Takimoto and Chute Boxe banger Michael Costa.
With the opening round of the Sengoku featherweight grand prix in the books for less than two weeks, parent company World Victory Road has announced the four quarterfinal pairings for its 143-pound tournament scheduled for May 2 at the Yoyogi National Stadium Second Gymnasium.
In one matchup, tournament favorite Hatsu Hioki will take on upstart Brit Ronnie Mann. Hioki impressively dispatched of then-undefeated WEC veteran Chris Manuel at the March 20 tournament opener with a first-round submission. Mann took a competitive unanimous verdict over 18-year-old ZST product Tetsuya Yamada.
First-round upset author Michihiro Omigawa will meet up with the dynamic Nam Phan. Omigawa and Phan both turned in stellar performances in the opening round, as Omigawa knocked off well-regarded prospect L.C. Davis via unanimous decision and Phan knocked out former Shooto world champion Hideki Kadowaki in the first frame.
South Korean slugger Chan Sung Jung will face ZST torchbearer Masanori Kanehara. The 22-year-old Jung brawled his way to a first-round choking of Shintaro Ishiwatari in the tournament's first phase. Kanehara took an exacting unanimous decision over Jung's compatriot Jong Man Kim.
A battle of undefeated fighters will complete the quarterfinals when Brazilian Marlon Sandro takes on Canadian Nick Denis. Denis took a commanding first-round stoppage over Pancrase product Seiya Kahawara in the first round, and Sandro choked out former KOTC champion Matt Jaggers in the second stanza.
The four tournament bouts bring the announced May 2 card to a total of seven fights. Also scheduled is a light heavyweight contest between BJJ king Alexandre "Xande" Ribeiro and former light heavyweight King of Pancrase Keiichiro Yamamiya, a lightweight clash between grappling ace Leonardo Santos and former Deep lightweight champion Kazunori Yokota, and a welterweight affair between 2004 Olympic judo gold medalist Makoto Takimoto and Chute Boxe banger Michael Costa.
Despite prelim-card slot, Brock Larson looking to shine at UFN 18
It's hard to imagine another fighter with a 24-2 record gaining less notoriety than the UFC's Brock Larson (24-2 MMA, 1-1 UFC).
Despite building a 4-1 record in the WEC, Larson will find himself well-hidden on the preliminary card when he returns to the UFC for the first time since December 2006 at Wednesday's UFN 18 in Nashville, Tenn.
Preparing to face Jesse Sanders (20-4 MMA, 0-0 UFC), Larson recently told MMAjunkie.com Radio (www.mmajunkie.com/radio) that he's used to the relative anonymity.
"Us Minnesota guys, we always seem to be under the radar, so to speak," Larson said. "I'm used to it, and I'm fine with that because I like to make splashes.
"When I do what I do, people are like, 'Who's that guy?' I'm cool with it, and when the time comes, I'll be there. That's all that really matters, is getting those W's."
Larson has earned his share of W's - 24, in fact - since turning pro in October 2002. Dangerous on the ground, to say the least, 16 of his wins have come via submission.
Larson had a shot at the WEC title in August 2007, but UFN 18 headliner Carlos Condit earned a first-round submission. Larson had hoped to get a second shot at that belt, but was instead moved to the UFC's welterweight division when the WEC scrapped its 170-pound class.
"It's bittersweet," Larson said. "My goal when I went to the WEC was to win that title. I fell short once, and this sport isn't very forgiving.
'You don't get a second chance very often, so I was excited to be able get that second chance, to try and redeem that loss and win that belt. But at the same time, I'm back in the UFC, back in the big show and back with the big dogs. I'm going to be fighting tough guys every fight. That's what I want to do. It's good to be back for that."
Condit first appeared in the UFC at UFN 2 in 2005, dropping a decision to fellow UFC-newcomer Jon Fitch. One of only two career defeats, it's a bout that Larson wouldn't mind revisiting - though with the two fighters now frequent training partners, the situation would have to be right.
"That's a fight that a lot of people talk about," Larson said. "It's one of those weird things. I've been out there training at AKA and stuff. But if it ever comes up and we've got to do it, I'm sure we'll be professional about it and do it.
"But until it's a 'need-be,' there's no reason for us to fight when we train together."
The only other man to deal Larson a loss, Condit, will be headlining the evening's card. Larson said he'd love another shot at the "Natural Born Killer," but climbing the ranks of the welterweight division is his primary concern.
"I'm more focused on the climb up to the top," Larson said. "If Condit gets in the way, of course we'll do it and I'll beat him. But until then I'll just keep plugging away at all of the top-10 guys and eventually get that title match."
Before Larson can look at potential rematches with Condit or Fitch, he must first defeat Sanders. While Sanders brings a six-fight win streak into the bout, Larson is confident in his chances.
"Jesse Sanders is tough," Larson said. "He's got quite the professional boxing record and a good MMA record as well.
"Of course I can't look past him. But I'm going to make short work of Jesse and get on to the bigger fish of the UFC."
Despite an impressive record and a penchant for finishing fights, Larson knows his UFN 18 contest with Sanders may not make the Spike TV broadcast. Larson said that's OK - for now.
"Of course I want to be on TV, I want to be seen," Larson said. "The exposure is good. That was the beautiful thing about the WEC, was the exposure factor. That's kind of the reason we went there.
"It is kind of a bother, but I've just got to do my best, make my fight exciting. That way if there's time, they'll air it.
"I'm just happy to be back in the UFC and just go on climbing that mountain."
It's hard to imagine another fighter with a 24-2 record gaining less notoriety than the UFC's Brock Larson (24-2 MMA, 1-1 UFC).
Despite building a 4-1 record in the WEC, Larson will find himself well-hidden on the preliminary card when he returns to the UFC for the first time since December 2006 at Wednesday's UFN 18 in Nashville, Tenn.
Preparing to face Jesse Sanders (20-4 MMA, 0-0 UFC), Larson recently told MMAjunkie.com Radio (www.mmajunkie.com/radio) that he's used to the relative anonymity.
"Us Minnesota guys, we always seem to be under the radar, so to speak," Larson said. "I'm used to it, and I'm fine with that because I like to make splashes.
"When I do what I do, people are like, 'Who's that guy?' I'm cool with it, and when the time comes, I'll be there. That's all that really matters, is getting those W's."
Larson has earned his share of W's - 24, in fact - since turning pro in October 2002. Dangerous on the ground, to say the least, 16 of his wins have come via submission.
Larson had a shot at the WEC title in August 2007, but UFN 18 headliner Carlos Condit earned a first-round submission. Larson had hoped to get a second shot at that belt, but was instead moved to the UFC's welterweight division when the WEC scrapped its 170-pound class.
"It's bittersweet," Larson said. "My goal when I went to the WEC was to win that title. I fell short once, and this sport isn't very forgiving.
'You don't get a second chance very often, so I was excited to be able get that second chance, to try and redeem that loss and win that belt. But at the same time, I'm back in the UFC, back in the big show and back with the big dogs. I'm going to be fighting tough guys every fight. That's what I want to do. It's good to be back for that."
Condit first appeared in the UFC at UFN 2 in 2005, dropping a decision to fellow UFC-newcomer Jon Fitch. One of only two career defeats, it's a bout that Larson wouldn't mind revisiting - though with the two fighters now frequent training partners, the situation would have to be right.
"That's a fight that a lot of people talk about," Larson said. "It's one of those weird things. I've been out there training at AKA and stuff. But if it ever comes up and we've got to do it, I'm sure we'll be professional about it and do it.
"But until it's a 'need-be,' there's no reason for us to fight when we train together."
The only other man to deal Larson a loss, Condit, will be headlining the evening's card. Larson said he'd love another shot at the "Natural Born Killer," but climbing the ranks of the welterweight division is his primary concern.
"I'm more focused on the climb up to the top," Larson said. "If Condit gets in the way, of course we'll do it and I'll beat him. But until then I'll just keep plugging away at all of the top-10 guys and eventually get that title match."
Before Larson can look at potential rematches with Condit or Fitch, he must first defeat Sanders. While Sanders brings a six-fight win streak into the bout, Larson is confident in his chances.
"Jesse Sanders is tough," Larson said. "He's got quite the professional boxing record and a good MMA record as well.
"Of course I can't look past him. But I'm going to make short work of Jesse and get on to the bigger fish of the UFC."
Despite an impressive record and a penchant for finishing fights, Larson knows his UFN 18 contest with Sanders may not make the Spike TV broadcast. Larson said that's OK - for now.
"Of course I want to be on TV, I want to be seen," Larson said. "The exposure is good. That was the beautiful thing about the WEC, was the exposure factor. That's kind of the reason we went there.
"It is kind of a bother, but I've just got to do my best, make my fight exciting. That way if there's time, they'll air it.
"I'm just happy to be back in the UFC and just go on climbing that mountain."
The Junie dilemma: Browning's success is TUF's problem
As "The Ultimate Fighter" reality show starts its ninth season on Spike TV Wednesday, the first match on the live "UFN 18: Condit vs. Kampmann" event from Nashville, Tenn., represents the paradox of the show itself.
"TUF 8" cast member Junie Browning (3-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC) was without question the most talked about and well-remembered participant on the show in several seasons.
Was it because he was the vaunted "next Anderson Silva" that UFC President Dana White hyped would come out of the season? No. Was it because he had a great match in the finals? No.
In fact, it had absolutely nothing to do with his fighting ability.
The story of season eight was largely Dana White would try and figure out a way to justify Browning not being kicked out of the house, for getting drunk and out of control, and breaking the big no-no, starting fights, on several occasions. From almost day one, Browning seemed like he was on his last strike, and the next week would start up something stupid again. But somehow, he never struck out.
In doing so, Browning meant ratings. Shows built around him drew the biggest numbers of the season. On the Dec. 13, 2008, "TUF" finals, between the first run of the show and the repeat, it was Browning's win over Dave Kaplan, the opening bout on the show, that drew the most viewers, even beating the championship matches.
That answers the question of why Browning vs. Cole Miller is on the live broadcast on Wednesday night, while far more accomplished fighters like Matt Horwich, Ricardo Almeida, Gleison Tibau and Brock Larson are relegated to prelims.
But unlike a television series, where if there is a public fascination with a character, they get more exposure, in fighting, you can only be protected to a degree.
And his opponent on Wednesday night, Cole Miller (14-3 MMA, 3-1 UFC), is not "protection."
Sporting a 14-3 record, the 24-year-old American Top Team lightweight came from season five of the reality show, and has gone 3-1 in UFC competition. At 6-foot-1, he's tall for a lightweight, and is particularly strong from the bottom, with his best move being a triangle. That was the move he hooked with 12 seconds left in a fight he was about to lose via decision, to submit Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt Jorge Gurgel in his last match on July 5. Miller is coming off knee surgery after the fight.
The Browning who fought on the reality show probably wouldn't last long with Miller. And Miller is hardly treating him like he's some sort of a gimmick.
"He's 1-0 in the UFC as far as I'm concerned," Miller said. "I don't care how he performed or acted while on the show. He's a hard-nosed purple belt in jiu-jitsu with a good chin. I'm training for this fight like I did for my last fight, like it will be my last."
Browning made for entertaining television as a bleached-blond stereotype of a small-town Kentuckian from the sticks (in reality, he is from Lexington, Ky., hardly a small town), who couldn't handle his alcohol and went through major fits of depression. Browning's short-term benefits that resulted from his behavior make him a character future fighters on the show may emulate, particularly if they see they can't win their contract by taking the tournament.
But if you look long-term, for UFC and Spike, the most successful "TUF" characters, like Forrest Griffin, Rashad Evans and Michael Bisping, were not successful long-term because of anything memorable on the show, but because of how successful they were as fighters once the show was over.
Even Chris Leben and Josh Koscheck in season one, probably the closest equivalents to Browning, got noticed for bad reasons at first. But their fighting since leaving that has caused their careers to sink or swim.
Browning's notoriety may keep him in the company even with a loss, which may not be the case with a more quiet member of the cast. But long-term, if he can't win more than he loses, he won't have a long UFC career.
But the Browning of today insists that a different person is showing up on Wednesday.
"Those fights on the show, that's not me," said Browning, who also said he couldn't show his skill on the show because he wasn't in shape.
"[Miller] has a very traditional style of jiu-jitsu that doesn't transition to MMA as well," Browning said. "After watching many of his fights, I think our styles will make for a great match-up. I think people have the wrong idea from "The Ultimate Fighter" that I have a weak ground game. Being out of shape played the biggest part in my lack of jiu-jitsu on the show."
Another change is moving to Las Vegas and training with world-class athletes at the Xtreme Couture camp. In his fight with Kaplan, his first after the move, Browning's punching was sharper, he added the dimension of kicking, had better footwork and better conditioning. He won with an armbar early in the second round, and even got the $25,000 "Fight of the Night" bonus for the show.
After finishing the show, Browning hooked up with Shawn Tompkins, a coach at Xtreme Couture, whose name Browning admitted he barely knew at first. Tompkins had Browning move in with him as he trained for the Kaplan fight. After the win, Browning moved full-time into a Las Vegas apartment with his girlfriend.
"I made the decision the first day to move there," Browning said. "I started at a real good school to learn the skills (Four Seasons MMA in Lexington), but most of the people there did jiu-jitsu as a hobby. We did a lot of traditional jiu-jitsu. We rolled around. It was a good place to learn but not to excel because of the lack of training partners."
Spike TV is hoping that ratings lightning strikes twice this coming season, as another Browning, Junie's younger brother Robert, ends up on the show.
"I made [Robert] try out," Junie said his brother. "The problem is, he's a 135-pounder who has to fight at 155 on the show. But he’s exactly like me.”
As "The Ultimate Fighter" reality show starts its ninth season on Spike TV Wednesday, the first match on the live "UFN 18: Condit vs. Kampmann" event from Nashville, Tenn., represents the paradox of the show itself.
"TUF 8" cast member Junie Browning (3-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC) was without question the most talked about and well-remembered participant on the show in several seasons.
Was it because he was the vaunted "next Anderson Silva" that UFC President Dana White hyped would come out of the season? No. Was it because he had a great match in the finals? No.
In fact, it had absolutely nothing to do with his fighting ability.
The story of season eight was largely Dana White would try and figure out a way to justify Browning not being kicked out of the house, for getting drunk and out of control, and breaking the big no-no, starting fights, on several occasions. From almost day one, Browning seemed like he was on his last strike, and the next week would start up something stupid again. But somehow, he never struck out.
In doing so, Browning meant ratings. Shows built around him drew the biggest numbers of the season. On the Dec. 13, 2008, "TUF" finals, between the first run of the show and the repeat, it was Browning's win over Dave Kaplan, the opening bout on the show, that drew the most viewers, even beating the championship matches.
That answers the question of why Browning vs. Cole Miller is on the live broadcast on Wednesday night, while far more accomplished fighters like Matt Horwich, Ricardo Almeida, Gleison Tibau and Brock Larson are relegated to prelims.
But unlike a television series, where if there is a public fascination with a character, they get more exposure, in fighting, you can only be protected to a degree.
And his opponent on Wednesday night, Cole Miller (14-3 MMA, 3-1 UFC), is not "protection."
Sporting a 14-3 record, the 24-year-old American Top Team lightweight came from season five of the reality show, and has gone 3-1 in UFC competition. At 6-foot-1, he's tall for a lightweight, and is particularly strong from the bottom, with his best move being a triangle. That was the move he hooked with 12 seconds left in a fight he was about to lose via decision, to submit Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt Jorge Gurgel in his last match on July 5. Miller is coming off knee surgery after the fight.
The Browning who fought on the reality show probably wouldn't last long with Miller. And Miller is hardly treating him like he's some sort of a gimmick.
"He's 1-0 in the UFC as far as I'm concerned," Miller said. "I don't care how he performed or acted while on the show. He's a hard-nosed purple belt in jiu-jitsu with a good chin. I'm training for this fight like I did for my last fight, like it will be my last."
Browning made for entertaining television as a bleached-blond stereotype of a small-town Kentuckian from the sticks (in reality, he is from Lexington, Ky., hardly a small town), who couldn't handle his alcohol and went through major fits of depression. Browning's short-term benefits that resulted from his behavior make him a character future fighters on the show may emulate, particularly if they see they can't win their contract by taking the tournament.
But if you look long-term, for UFC and Spike, the most successful "TUF" characters, like Forrest Griffin, Rashad Evans and Michael Bisping, were not successful long-term because of anything memorable on the show, but because of how successful they were as fighters once the show was over.
Even Chris Leben and Josh Koscheck in season one, probably the closest equivalents to Browning, got noticed for bad reasons at first. But their fighting since leaving that has caused their careers to sink or swim.
Browning's notoriety may keep him in the company even with a loss, which may not be the case with a more quiet member of the cast. But long-term, if he can't win more than he loses, he won't have a long UFC career.
But the Browning of today insists that a different person is showing up on Wednesday.
"Those fights on the show, that's not me," said Browning, who also said he couldn't show his skill on the show because he wasn't in shape.
"[Miller] has a very traditional style of jiu-jitsu that doesn't transition to MMA as well," Browning said. "After watching many of his fights, I think our styles will make for a great match-up. I think people have the wrong idea from "The Ultimate Fighter" that I have a weak ground game. Being out of shape played the biggest part in my lack of jiu-jitsu on the show."
Another change is moving to Las Vegas and training with world-class athletes at the Xtreme Couture camp. In his fight with Kaplan, his first after the move, Browning's punching was sharper, he added the dimension of kicking, had better footwork and better conditioning. He won with an armbar early in the second round, and even got the $25,000 "Fight of the Night" bonus for the show.
After finishing the show, Browning hooked up with Shawn Tompkins, a coach at Xtreme Couture, whose name Browning admitted he barely knew at first. Tompkins had Browning move in with him as he trained for the Kaplan fight. After the win, Browning moved full-time into a Las Vegas apartment with his girlfriend.
"I made the decision the first day to move there," Browning said. "I started at a real good school to learn the skills (Four Seasons MMA in Lexington), but most of the people there did jiu-jitsu as a hobby. We did a lot of traditional jiu-jitsu. We rolled around. It was a good place to learn but not to excel because of the lack of training partners."
Spike TV is hoping that ratings lightning strikes twice this coming season, as another Browning, Junie's younger brother Robert, ends up on the show.
"I made [Robert] try out," Junie said his brother. "The problem is, he's a 135-pounder who has to fight at 155 on the show. But he’s exactly like me.”