MMA News Thread

[Shogun Locc]

Eight bouts now official for UFC 101; main event not yet announced

While an anticipated main event between UFC lightweight champion B.J. Penn and challenger Kenny Florian has not yet been made official, seven other bouts were announced by the organization today.

In addition to several previously reported matchups, the UFC also announced a middleweight contest between Ricardo Almeida (10-3 MMA, 3-3 UFC) vs. Kendall Grove (10-5 MMA, 5-2 UFC), and a lightweight showdown between Rob Emerson (8-7 MMA, 2-1 UFC) and George Sotiropoulus (9-2 MMA, 2-0 UFC.

UFC 101 takes place Aug. 8 at the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia.

Almeida is looking to build off a unanimous decision win over Matt Horwich at UFC Fight Night 18 in April. The six-time UFC veteran had dropped a split decision to Patrick Cote in July 2008, snapping a seven-fight win streak.

Grove, "The Ultimate Fighter 3" champion, is currently riding a two-fight win streak. After suffering back-to-back losses to Jorge Rivera and Patrick Cote, Grove has bounced back with consecutive wins over Jason Day and Evan Tanner.

Emerson looks to rebound from a February submission loss to Kurt Pellegrino. The "TUF 5" cast member had been undefeated in his past six official contests.

Sotiropoulos will be fighting for the first time since an April 2008 TKO win over Roman Mitichyan. Injuries have kept the Australian out of action since the win. The 31-year-old has won six of his past seven contests, with his sole loss coming in a 2006 disqualification against current WAMMA lightweight champion Shinya Aoki.

The full card for the event now includes:

MAIN CARD

* Champ B.J. Penn vs. Kenny Florian (for UFC lightweight title)*
* Champ Anderson Silva vs. Forrest Griffin (non-title fight)
* Johny Hendricks vs. Amir Sadollah
* Ricardo Almeida vs. Kendall Grove
* Josh Neer vs. Kurt Pellgrino

PRELIMINARY CARD

* John Howard vs. Tamdan McCrory
* Dan Cramer vs. Matthew Riddle
* Rob Emerson vs. George Sotiropoulos
* Jesse Lennox vs. Danillo Villefort
* Shane Nelson vs. Aaron Riley*
* Rousimar Palhares vs. Alessio Sakara*

* - Not officially announced

 

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PRANGLEY TITLE FIGHT, LASHLEY DEBUT HEAD MFC 21

Maximum Fighting Championship on Tuesday announced the fight card for its MFC 21 "Hard Knocks" event scheduled for May 15 at the River Cree Resort & Casino in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.

An MFC light heavyweight title bout between UFC veteran Trevor Prangley and Emanuel Newton headlines the fight card. A co-main event superfight features former WWE superstar Bobby Lashley in his MFC debut against Mike Cook.

Prangley has been on a tear since leaving the UFC in 2006. Since then, he has managed to go 8-1 in his fights, losing only to Jorge Santiago, who defeated Prangley in the final of a four-main, one-night tournament for Strikeforce.

An MFC veteran, Newton is on a nine-fight winning streak. The title bout with Prangley, however, will likely be the toughest test to date for the Bodyshop Fitness Team fighter.

Lashley has garnered a lot of attention in the world of MMA since his decision to transition from professional wrestling into a full-time career in fighting. He is 2-0 thus far, and has filled up his dance card for the foreseeable future. After the bout with Cook, Lashley is scheduled to fight in Biloxi, Miss., in June and plans to fight for XFC in September.

A California-based fighter, Cook cut his teeth on the regional scene fighting for promotions like Strikeforce and Palace Fighting Championships. With a 6-3 professional record, he has faced another WWE veteran in Daniel Puder, coming up short, tapping out to a rear naked choke in their fight. He believes he is prepared for the challenge Lashley represents.
"A lot of people are going to watch this fight to see if he's going to get better," Cook told the Visalia Times-Delta. "A lot of promoters want to see what he's got. They think he's using me as a stepping stone and that's fine if he wants to look at it that way. But I'm going to come in prepared to fight."

MFC 21 "Hard Knocks" Fight Card:
-Trevor Prangley vs. Emanuel Newton
-Mike Cook vs. Bobby Lashley
-David Heath vs. Travis Galbraith
-Andrew Buckland vs. John Alessio
-Mychal Clark vs. Ryan Jimmo
-Marvin Eastman vs. Aron Lofton
-William Richey vs. Ryan Fortin
-Jeremy Combrink vs. Jason Heit
-Dwayne Lewis vs. Jay Whitford
-Nolan Clarke vs. George Belanger

 

[Shogun Locc]

BRITISH FIGHTING CHAMPIONSHIP DEAD IN THE WATER

The British Fighting Championship was all set to debut next weekend in Nottingham, England following months of turbulent business negotiations in the current economic climate. The proposition was enticing with Grand Prix tournaments in each weight class planned to run over the course of the year to determine an eventual champion in each – with it the prospects of an international springboard onto the big stage… unfortunately, as of Tuesday afternoon, the BFC is stillborn.

Speaking exclusively to MMAWeekly.com, Tony McDonagh, lead deal broker for the promotion Cage Warriors and Warrior Promotions talked about the failure to get the project off the ground, “Anybody who dares to try something out of the ordinary is bound to meet resistance, and that is exactly what we faced, but not from the usual channels. What held this back is finances pure and simple,” he explains, adding that the standards they set themselves prevented the development. “The first hit was losing the Bravo TV deal, but we tried to forge ahead anyway as the key ingredient to making this work is TV exposure in order to bring in sponsorships, endorsements, and so on to help with the funding. But the quality level required for broadcast material has a huge financial burden, and in these times of economic pressure, the key deals weren’t forthcoming or were delayed for too long.”

Television is one side of the story, but the other is being responsible to the people that actually make the BFC enticing – the fighters. “We were in a position a fortnight out of the first show where we would have purse outlays, running costs, and expenses. We could have cut the fighter salaries back for the show, but we would have faced the same problem at the next. The last two weeks have been very tough on all involved with us trying to find a way to move forward with things, but we just couldn’t find a suitable solution and pulled the plug,” offers McDonagh.

With fighters already having undergone long-distance training camps for their bouts, there will clearly be disappointment and negativity coming from the ashes, and the demise of the series leaves a big pool of fighters with fewer avenues to explore. “If you look at the shows in the U.K., they are all undergoing some form of strife. We are all feeling the pinch. It’s a bad year, but folding the series before it gets off the ground means that we can weather this storm,” explains McDonagh, adding that the process of informing all involved began Tuesday and will continue until everyone understands clearly that there were no other options.

So where does this leave Cage Warriors and its fighter promotional arm Warrior Promotions? “To all intents and purposes, Cage Warriors is now operating on a franchise basis in the U.S.A. and Canada," McDonagh explains. "We said last year as part of our business plan that we would curtail shows in the U.K. and concentrate on fighter development. To date with the (The Ultimate Fighter) exposure, Dan Hardy in the UFC, the success of the British team going 4-1 in the M-1 Challenge, we feel that we are fulfilling our promise with much more to come.”

So with Cage Warriors U.K. cards effectively being shelved, all eyes will turn to hosting a second M-1 Challenge event in September. “We are looking at two dates and two venues at the moment, September the 5th or 12th depending on the venue – which will be either London or in the North. And considering the location of the M-1 British Team participants, it will probably be the latter,” he concluded.

 

[Shogun Locc]

BUILDING A BETTER BROCK, ONE STEP AT A TIME

It will have been nearly a year and a half since Brock Lesnar submitted to Frank Mir's kneebar at UFC 81 in February of 2008 – the fight that marked Lesnar's UFC debut – when the two rematch at UFC 101 on July 11.

And this time when they meet, the stakes will be much higher. Each now owns a piece of heavyweight championship real estate. Lesnar is the UFC heavyweight champion, having bested Randy Couture with his heavy hands and destructive knees. Mir is the interim champion. He earned the designation by doing something no one had ever done before; knocking out then interim champ Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, at a time when Couture's UFC title and status were still up in the air.

With a professional record of a mere 3-1, Lesnar's level of experience is the easy target... and one which Mir has latched on to.

“I think that a lot of people realize that he was only 1-1, he had a .500 record in the UFC when he got a title shot," the interim champ commented to MMAWeekly.com recently. "So I think the more that he can scream about my belt, people maybe don’t look at his.”

Misdirection may be a strategy that Mir sees coming out of Camp Lesnar, but Lesnar's lead trainer, Greg Nelson of Minnesota Martial Arts Academy, believes there's a lot more to the champion than his experience belies.

"Brock's an entirely different fighter. He's grown leaps and bounds in the skill level. He's going to be a wiser fighter. He's going to be more well-rounded," Nelson stated. "It's going to be an entirely different Brock when he goes in there."

Mir and Lesnar were initially slated for the rematch to happen at UFC 98 later this month. Mir, however, had to undergo minor surgery to repair the meniscus in his knee, putting off their date until July.

Nelson says that Lesnar utilized the delay to do his best to add to his experience level, albeit without an actual fight.

"We just got done with a training camp, as if we were training for the May fight. We brought everybody in to work with him and we trained just as if we were going through a training camp," Nelson told MMAWeekly.com.

"Obviously (Brock) wants to fight, but we just take it in stride. Then we decided okay, let's use this to our advantage, get some more training, get some more time, get some more guys. Gives us more time is how we look at it."

Still, that doesn't sway Mir away from pointing at faults in the big man's game. As he said in a recent interview, "I see a lot of things that he’s done in his last couple of fights that I think are mistakes that are not really his fault, they’re maybe his trainer’s faults. How can he be so talented, an NCAA champion, probably one of the best wrestlers to come out of college in the heavyweight division, and still make some of the real basic balancing and footwork mistakes that he’s making right now?”

Nelson is undeterred by the interim champion's barbs. He knows that Lesnar isn't yet at the apex of his skills. But who is?

"You could say that about everybody. The bottom line is it's an entirely different sport, wrestling and striking. So you've got a great, talented athlete who's doing something right," said the trainer. "In one punch, he broke Heath Herring's eye socket and basically controlled the whole fight because of that punch. And knocked out Randy Couture with the same punch and knees.

"He's such a strong guy. And not only strong, but agile. It's great. It's like training Sean Sherk, you know, he's not a gifted guy, but works real hard and he's like another version of that. It takes time to develop any game."

 

[Shogun Locc]

UFC 98 video preview trailer for ‘Evans vs Machida’ (Extended)

 

[Shogun Locc]

Jorge Gurgel in talks to return to the cage against Conor Heun at Strikeforce Challenger Series on June 19
UFC veteran and former The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) 2 contestant, Jorge Gurgel (12-5), will likely make his long-awaited Strikeforce debut against Conor Heun (8-2) at the SHO MMA: Challenger Series event scheduled for June 19, according to MMAWeekly.com.

Gurgel was handed his walking papers after a close decision loss to Aaron Riley at UFC 91: “Couture vs. Lesnar” in November 2008, which was awarded “Fight of the Night” accolades for the performance. In fact, Gurgel also earned similar honors with his win over Diego Saraiva at UFC 73 in July 2007.

However, it was not enough to keep his job — he has won just one of his four most recent bouts inside the Octagon. All told, the adopted Cincinnati, Ohio, native competed seven times in the UFC, compiling a losing record (3-4) with wins over Danny Abbadi, Saraiva and John Halverson, as well as losses to Riley, Cole Miller, Alvin Robinson and Mark Hominick.

The Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt was clearly unhappy with his ouster, but had this to say when he signed on with the San Jose, Calif.,-based mixed marital arts promotion:

“I am very, very excited to part of Strikeforce and given a chance to fight new blood and capture a belt. UFC has been my family for a few years now but I am ready for the next chapter. There are some amazing contenders in my weight class including Josh Thomson and Gilbert Melendez. I will do whatever it takes to climb to the top of this league.”

That climb now begins with Heun, who is no stranger to the art of jiu-jitsu himself.

“Hurricane” is an Elite XC and International Fight League (IFL) veteran who is currently enjoying a three-fight win streak. He most recently finished the very tough and experienced Edson Berto vie technical knockout (strikes) at EliteXC: “Heat” in October 2008.

Prior to that win, he outpointed Marlon Matias on all three judges scorecards to earn a unanimous decision at ShoXC: Elite Challenger Series in March of that same year and submitted Noah Shinable with a first round armbar at OctoberFist 2007: “Fight Night on Fright Night” in October 2007.

Heun is also pals with Jason “Mayhem” Miller, which is the reason you may have seen him recently dishing out some punishment on MTVs “Bully Beatdown.” He certainly won’t have such an easy time against a talented guy like Gurgel, who was often over matched by the competition provided in the UFC’s tough 155-pound division.

By his own admission, however, Gurgel often failed to execute his gameplans and instead got up in brawls rather than leveraging his strong ground skills. Whether or not he meets the same fate under the Strikeforce banner will likely determine how far up the ladder he is able to climb.

Strikeforce Challenger Series will serve as a replacement for what the company used to refer to as “Young Guns,” which was basically used to promote up-and-coming (and lesser known) fighters. The events will be similar to what Elite XC used to promote with its SHO XC: “Challenger Series” on Showtime.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Robert Drysdale with brain aneurysm

ADCC 2007 openweight champion, Robert Drysdale was training hard for the 2009 edition of the tournament and trying to participate at The Ultimate Fighter reality show, but, when he was doing the medical exams, a surprise. “I was trying to enter the reality show, but I found out I’m with a brain aneurysm”, revealed Drysdale, to TATAME.com. “It could have happen now or when I was born, I don’t know. It’s small, but the (Athletic) Comission won’t let me fight”.

After the news, the fighter will come to Brail to do more exams. “I’m going to Brazil to do some exams and I don’t know what I’ll do, maybe I’ll have to go on surgery. I can’t fight,” regrets Robert. “I’ll have to do it on Brazil, beause this exams cost US$ 6,000 here in the U.S…. My mother is trying to ser this exams and, as soon as she does it, I’ll go to Brazil”, finished the fighter.

 

[Shogun Locc]

BOBBY LASHLEY VS. BOB SAPP SET FOR JUNE 27

The cage may have to be reinforced for the “Ultimate Chaos” headliner as former WWE star Bobby Lashley and mixed-martial-arts legend Bob “The Beast” Sapp battle June 27 on a pay-per-view event live from the Mississippi Gulf Coast Coliseum in Biloxi, Miss.

The 6-3, 265-pound Lashley, 3-time NCAA champion (1996-98) and 4-time All-America wrestler at Missouri Valley College, takes on the 6-4, 350-pound Sapp, who played in the NFL for four years before becoming an iconic combat fighter in Japan.

“Ultimate Chaos” is presented by Prize Fight MMA and Fight Force International.

After graduating from Missouri Valley College, Lashley joined the U.S. Army and was a two-time Armed Forces Champion and 2002 Military Games Championship silver medalist. Two years ago, Lashley became a WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment) superstar, joining Donald Trump at Wrestlemania 23 in a bet against WWE president Vince McMahon. Lashley won the match and helped Trump shave McMahon’s head in the ring. Lashley made his MMA debut last December 13, stopping Joshua Franklin only 0:41 into the opening round, and on March 21 he won a three-round decision versus 37-fight veteran Jason Guida in Pensacola, Fla.

Sapp starred as an offense lineman on the University of Washington’s football team, winning the prestigious Morris Award. He was selected in the third round of the NFL draft in 1997 by the Chicago Bears. He turned to pro wrestling after football and was later recruited by Pride in Japan, where his incredible size, strength and bull-rush style made him an instant fan favorite. He went on to star in K-1 as well as become an actor, playing roles in movies like "The Longest Yard" and "Elektra."

In the co-feature, controversial Dutch heavyweight Gilbert Yvel faces Brazilian striker Pedro Rizzo, former UFC heavyweight title challenger.

Lightweight Din Thomas, an alumnus of The Ultimate Fighter 4, meets former King of the Cage and Gladiator Challenge champion Javier Vasquez, while Canadian lightweight prospect Chris Horodecki tangles with William Sriyapai.

Also fighting on the card, welterweights Brett Cooper and Waachim Spirit Wolf throw down, Affliction vice president Tom Atencio moves from the office to the cage against Randy Hedderick, middleweights James Oros and Colby McMahan also square-off.

 

[Shogun Locc]

At 6-foot-1, UFC lightweight Cole Miller could make cut to 145 (and even 135)

At a towering height of 6-foot-1, Cole Miller is one of the UFC's tallest lightweights.

And while he has no intentions of leaving the UFC, where he meets "The Ultimate Fighter 8" winner Efrain Escudero at the organization's upcoming UFC 103 show, he could certainly have some options outside the fight promotion.

After all, not only can Miller compete at 155 pounds, but the lanky fighter said he could make the cut to 145 pounds – and even 135 pounds – if he really pushed himself.

Miller (15-3 MMA, 4-1 UFC), the envy of every dieter, discussed his easy weight-cutting while on Tuesday's edition of MMAjunkie.com Radio (www.mmajunkie.com/radio).

"It's pretty easy for me to cut," said Miller, who spent his early MMA career in the 145-pound welterweight division. "I'm walking around at around 170 (pounds) right now. I could probably still make 145, and if I really wanted to discipline myself ... I could probably make 135."

If Miller were in trouble of losing his job, the ease at which he cuts weight would certainly be a selling point. After all, many fighters who struggled in the UFC dropped weight and started second careers in the WEC. Leonard Garcia and Jens Pulver, for example, are former UFC lightweights who became top 145-pound contenders in the UFC's sister promotion. Additionally, "The Ultimate Fighter 5" lightweight runner-up Manny Gamburyan will make his WEC debut next month at featherweight.

Don't expect Miller to make the move anytime soon, though. (Even though there's something to be said for the novelty of a fight between Miller and WEC 135-pound champ Miguel Torres.)

"As long as I continue to be successful at the lightweight division, I'll stick around," Miller said. "Why ruin a good thing?"

Of course, "good" is becoming something of an understatement.

Just ask the scores of fans he won over last month when Miller defeated the highly controversial and often-criticized Junie Browning with a swift submission via guillotine choke at UFC Fight Night 17.

What many of those fans didn't realize, though, was that the victory was Miller's sixth in seven fights. It also moved his UFC record to a stellar 4-1, which included a $60,000 Submission of the Night bonus for his dramatic come-from-behind victory over Jorge Gurgel in the waning seconds of their July 2008 bout.

While it'll be hard to match the interest and anticipation of his bout with UFC heel Browning, Miller's September bout with Escudero could give him a big step toward title contention.

The 25-year-old doesn't expect any problems.

"I think I'm better than him on the ground, and I think I'm better than on the feet," Miller said. "I think I'm going to be better conditioned than him too."

Miller is about to enter the final year of his three-year post-"TUF" UFC contract. However, he'll likely re-up long before the deal's expiration date.

"I'm thrilled with it," Miller said of his contract. "When I came to the UFC, I was making like $1,000 a fight at most. That was a good night for me. I'm pretty happy with my contract situation now, for sure."

 

[Shogun Locc]

Villasenor-Cyborg Booked for June 19 ShoMMA

Former EliteXC middleweight title challenger Joey Villasenor will meet Evangelista "Cyborg" Santos at ShoMMA "Strikeforce Challenger Series 2" on June 19 at the ShoWare Center in Kent, Wash. Strikeforce Director of Communications Mike Afromowitz made Sherdog.com aware of the matchup on Tuesday.

Based out of Jackson’s Mixed Martial Arts in Albuquerque, N.M., Villasenor (26-6) has not competed in almost a year. A casualty of EliteXC’s demise, the 33-year-old last appeared at EliteXC “Primetime” in May 2008, when he stopped Phil Baroni on first-round strikes. It took Villasenor a mere 1:11 to put away the UFC veteran. He has rattled off three consecutive victories since his 2007 defeat to Murilo "Ninja" Rua and holds key wins against UFC veteran David Loiseau and Sengoku middleweight champion Jorge Santiago. Between Dec. 15, 2002 and April 11, 2006, Villasenor won 15 fights in a row.

Santos (16-12), who put down roots at the famed Chute Boxe Academy, has remained on the sidelines since he suffered a gruesome arm injury in a technical knockout loss to Siyar Bahadurzada at Sengoku “Fifth Battle” in September. The 31-year-old Brazilian has dropped three of his past four bouts but has tested himself against some of the sport’s elite fighters, including Mauricio "Shogun" Rua, Gegard Mousasi and Melvin Manhoef.

The event will mark the San Jose, Calif.-based promotion's second appearance in the state of Washington. It follows the February 2008 card at the Tacoma Dome, which saw supersized South African Jan Nortje smash fellow K-1 veteran Bob Sapp in just 55 seconds.

The second edition of ShoMMA will also feature Washington natives Dennis Hallman and Cory Devela, as well as UFC veteran Jorge Gurgel against yet-to-be-named opponents. Afromowitz told Sherdog.com that, despite reports of slated bouts pitting Gurgel against Conor Heun and Lyle Beerbohm against Duane Ludwig, only Gurgel has been officially confirmed for the card.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Alves to Move Camp to Colorado for GSP

Thiago Alves is about to begin his training camp for the biggest fight of his life. He will spend eight weeks preparing for the consensus top welterweight in the world, Georges St. Pierre, in hopes of bringing the first UFC title back to his team in Florida.

The American Top Team standout will spend the first three weeks at home in Coconut Creek before heading to Colorado Springs, Colo., for the final five weeks. He feels the high-altitude training he did in preparation for his fight with Karo Parisyan was beneficial and he wants to employ the same strategy for his five-round title tussle with GSP on July 11 at UFC 100.

Alves is planning on taking some of his teammates with him as well as a full complement of coaches from ATT. Muay Thai coach Mohammed Ouali, wrestling coach Kami Barzini and strength and conditioning coach Andre “Benkei” Ferreira will be making the trip.

“It’s going to be a good camp [in Colorado],” said Alves. ”It’s going to be five weeks. We’ve got our house and everything, and all we are going to do is train and sleep and train.” Speaking with Thiago, it became pretty clear that the impetus for the high-altitude training is the 25-minute length of his championship fight. I think he feels he is the better striker and that if he is going to be able to keep this fight in the upright position, he will have to be in tremendous shape.

It isn’t hard to see how serious he is taking this fight either. He absolutely hated the week he spent in Colorado getting acclimated for the Parisyan fight. Despite that, he is heading back.

“It’s a title shot … I’m going to do everything I can to get there, and Colorado is just another thing that I have to do,” Alves said.

And for those of you looking for an early prediction, the challenger has one to share:

“I’m going to look for the knockout. I’m going to make him pay for every mistake. I know he doesn’t make many mistakes, but … I’m going to make him make those mistakes, and he is going to pay for everything.”

 

[Shogun Locc]

Coach: Silva a ‘Terrible Fight’ for Griffin

Most mixed martial arts trainers in Brazil have roots in jiu-jitsu or muay Thai, but Josuel Distak comes from the boxing world. There, he was recognized for his work under the head coach of the Brazilian national team.

In MMA, Distak rose to prominence as the boxing coach for fighters like UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva, Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza, Paulo Filho, Demian Maia and Rafael “Feijao” Cavalcante. Known for his ability to encourage and motivate fighters and his success in joining jiu-jitsu, wrestling and boxing together in the same exercises, Distak created his own brand of MMA training. Judging by the success his fighters have enjoyed, he must be doing something right.

Just weeks after Silva’s successful title defense against Thales Leites at UFC 97, Distak welcomed Sherdog.com to his gym in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He discussed Souza’s preparation for his Dream middleweight title bout against Jason “Mayhem” Miller, Silva’s much-maligned performance against Leites and the Brazilian’s UFC 101 showdown with Forrest Griffin.

Sherdog.com: How do you respond to Anderson Silva’s critics after his fight at UFC 97?
Distak: Actually, we did everything alright. We trained Anderson to fight on impulse, action-reaction, but Thales didn’t give him much action, so the reaction was proportional. I believe Anderson did a nice job. He controlled the fight at all times, and he was never in danger. That fight’s over, and we’re thinking about the next one. The criticism we get is always a positive, because it makes us stronger. I think the criticism inspired [UFC President] Dana White to set us up with an opponent, Forrest Griffin, who will bring the fight. The boss wants excitement, and we’ll give him excitement. It’s a good fight for Anderson and a terrible fight for Forrest Griffin.

Sherdog.com: Why do you believe this is a bad fight for Griffin? Do you think Silva will show his normal aggression against him?
Distak: I have no doubt about that because Forrest is a guy who loves to fight, so he will give Anderson everything he needs to answer. If you watch his fights against opponents who attacked him -- like Rich Franklin, Dan Henderson and James Irvin -- he beat them all because they pressed him from the beginning. Forrest Griffin has the same tendency. I believe he will be another one we beat because he’ll give us the motivation Anderson needs.

Sherdog.com: Some have said that Silva lost a lot of his aggressiveness after he left his muay Thai trainer, Diógenes Asahida, a black belt from Chute Boxe, and adopted a more tactical style under you. How do you respond to that criticism?
Distak: I analyze statistics. When Anderson faced Dan Henderson, he was already training with us; that fight had a lot of aggression and ended in a submission. Against James Irvin, there was a knock out. The last two fights, he was less aggressive because he had fought too much. He had a lot riding on that fight with Thales, not only to keep the title but to break the record of consecutive wins and [tie the record of consecutive] title defenses. Plus, there was the possibility of it going five rounds. People have to understand that it’s more difficult to keep a title than it is to win it. All that pressure can get to a fighter. Did you see the fight between Fedor [Emelianenko] and [Andrei] Arlovski? I didn’t see the Fedor I’m used to seeing in that fight, but he landed a nice punch at the right moment, knocked out Andrei and made the fans happy. Even so, he was not the Fedor we saw fighting against [Mirko] “Cro Cop” [Filipovic] and [Antonio Rodrigo] “Minotauro” [Nogueira], probably because he was overwhelmed by the hype. He won, and I’m sure he’ll return much better next time. I see the same thing happening with Anderson.

Sherdog.com: Why do you believe fans can expect to see the old Silva against Forrest Griffin?
Distak: Anderson needed a fight where he didn’t have the responsibility of defending the belt. It’s going to be a much better fight for him.

Sherdog.com: He’s coming in off of a five-round fight with all this pressure, and the UFC did not give him any time to rest. Plus, he has to fight one of the top guys in a heavier weight class. Is this good for him?
Distak: I think it’s very good for him because he has no pressure in a heavier weight class. The title is not in play. It’s three five-minute rounds. This fight will wake him up, and the fans will see the amazing Anderson Silva again.

Sherdog.com: Recently, Wanderlei Silva declared war on Anderson Silva. How do you see a potential fight between them?
Distak: That would be a great fight. Both come from aggressive schools, so I believe the man who’s best prepared and most skilled would win; that’s Anderson. If it’s for the belt, he would win however he had to, but if the UFC decided to promote it without the title on the line, I believe Anderson would knock out Wanderlei.

Sherdog.com: How do you see Wanderlei’s UFC 99 bout with Rich Franklin playing out?
Distak: I don’t think their games match up well. I believe Wanderlei will knock out Franklin with knees using the clinch.

Sherdog.com: You work with three of the best middleweight fighters in the world -- Paulo Filho, Ronaldo Souza and Anderson Silva. When will Filho return to the ring?
Distak: He’s going to fight in Dream’s light heavyweight division. He’s just waiting to find out his next opponent. He already requested a fight in the 205-pound division, where I believe he operates much better. Jacare has been a very important person in helping Filho. Some days, we train hear at the X-Gym in the morning, then have lunch and drive almost 100 kilometers to train with Filho in Niteroi, Brazil, where he likes to train. To drive 200 kilometers [round trip] to help a friend definitely shows Jacare has a great attitude.

Sherdog.com: Can you break down Jacare’s middleweight title fight against Jason "Mayhem" Miller at Dream 9 on May 26?
Distak: I can say Jacare is 100 percent prepared. He’s been training hard with us for the last six months; we actually have to slow him down. He helped a lot with Anderson’s ground training for the fight with Thales. Many people though that if Thales took Anderson down, he’d submit him. During the fight, Anderson recaptured the guard and tried a triangle when he got taken down. That resulted from months of training with Jacare, [Andre] Galvao, Feijao and Master Sylvio Behring. If you ask me to make a prediction, I’d say Jacare will win by knockout.

Sherdog.com: What’s special about your four main fighters?
Distak: With Anderson Silva, the whole world can see his skills, but what impresses me more about him is how much he cares about his family. When he’s not training, he’s always thinking about his family. Paulo Filho is a dog man; he needs dogs in his life. I’ve never seen a guy who loved dogs so much. Today, he has 24 dogs at his house; he used to have 70. Feijao is the best 205-pound fighter in the world. He just needs a chance to prove that. He’s complete. I don’t see anyone beating him at his weight -- in the UFC, Strikeforce, Dream or any other promotion. Jacare has proven he’s among the best jiu-jitsu and submission fighters in the world. In training with us, he has shown many other qualities, like amazing explosion, an impressive striking evolution and a great will to fight for his dreams.

Sherdog.com: Forrest Griffin said Jacare was one of his best sparring partners when he was at Xtreme Couture. Randy Couture sees Jacare as a man who could possibly defeat Anderson. What’s the secret to getting top guys like Jacare and Anderson to train every day without getting injured?
Distak: To start with, I have them train at full speed, like real MMA, but as the fight gets closer, I avoid real vale tudo contact between guys like Jacare, Feijao and Anderson. We use other means of sparring, so we can extend their training into different areas. If we put a camera inside the academy to see our training at the beginning, fans would get the chance to see amazing MMA fights. Actually, it might be a good idea to make it a pay-per-view.

Sherdog.com: As you approach the end of Jacare’s training camp, when will you start to prepare Anderson for UFC 101?
Distak: We’re going to Japan on May 20. Right after the Jacare fight on May 26, we’ll go to America, where Anderson and Feijao will have already started training for Forrest Griffin. Paulo Filho is also coming with us. Jorge Guimaraes and Ed Soares, who manages Anderson, opened an MMA training center in Los Angeles. Feijao and Anderson will be training there.

Sherdog.com: What’s your main goal as a trainer?
Distak: Our goal is to have two champions [in America] and two [in Japan]. In Dream, we have Paulo Filho at 205 and Ronaldo Jacare at 185. In the U.S., we have Anderson Silva at 185 in the UFC, and we want to conquer the 205-pound class in Strikeforce with Rafael Feijao. We’re working really hard for that.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Coach: Silva a ‘Terrible Fight’ for Griffin

Most mixed martial arts trainers in Brazil have roots in jiu-jitsu or muay Thai, but Josuel Distak comes from the boxing world. There, he was recognized for his work under the head coach of the Brazilian national team.

In MMA, Distak rose to prominence as the boxing coach for fighters like UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva, Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza, Paulo Filho, Demian Maia and Rafael “Feijao” Cavalcante. Known for his ability to encourage and motivate fighters and his success in joining jiu-jitsu, wrestling and boxing together in the same exercises, Distak created his own brand of MMA training. Judging by the success his fighters have enjoyed, he must be doing something right.

Just weeks after Silva’s successful title defense against Thales Leites at UFC 97, Distak welcomed Sherdog.com to his gym in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. He discussed Souza’s preparation for his Dream middleweight title bout against Jason “Mayhem” Miller, Silva’s much-maligned performance against Leites and the Brazilian’s UFC 101 showdown with Forrest Griffin.

Sherdog.com: How do you respond to Anderson Silva’s critics after his fight at UFC 97?
Distak: Actually, we did everything alright. We trained Anderson to fight on impulse, action-reaction, but Thales didn’t give him much action, so the reaction was proportional. I believe Anderson did a nice job. He controlled the fight at all times, and he was never in danger. That fight’s over, and we’re thinking about the next one. The criticism we get is always a positive, because it makes us stronger. I think the criticism inspired [UFC President] Dana White to set us up with an opponent, Forrest Griffin, who will bring the fight. The boss wants excitement, and we’ll give him excitement. It’s a good fight for Anderson and a terrible fight for Forrest Griffin.

Sherdog.com: Why do you believe this is a bad fight for Griffin? Do you think Silva will show his normal aggression against him?
Distak: I have no doubt about that because Forrest is a guy who loves to fight, so he will give Anderson everything he needs to answer. If you watch his fights against opponents who attacked him -- like Rich Franklin, Dan Henderson and James Irvin -- he beat them all because they pressed him from the beginning. Forrest Griffin has the same tendency. I believe he will be another one we beat because he’ll give us the motivation Anderson needs.

Sherdog.com: Some have said that Silva lost a lot of his aggressiveness after he left his muay Thai trainer, Diógenes Asahida, a black belt from Chute Boxe, and adopted a more tactical style under you. How do you respond to that criticism?
Distak: I analyze statistics. When Anderson faced Dan Henderson, he was already training with us; that fight had a lot of aggression and ended in a submission. Against James Irvin, there was a knock out. The last two fights, he was less aggressive because he had fought too much. He had a lot riding on that fight with Thales, not only to keep the title but to break the record of consecutive wins and [tie the record of consecutive] title defenses. Plus, there was the possibility of it going five rounds. People have to understand that it’s more difficult to keep a title than it is to win it. All that pressure can get to a fighter. Did you see the fight between Fedor [Emelianenko] and [Andrei] Arlovski? I didn’t see the Fedor I’m used to seeing in that fight, but he landed a nice punch at the right moment, knocked out Andrei and made the fans happy. Even so, he was not the Fedor we saw fighting against [Mirko] “Cro Cop” [Filipovic] and [Antonio Rodrigo] “Minotauro” [Nogueira], probably because he was overwhelmed by the hype. He won, and I’m sure he’ll return much better next time. I see the same thing happening with Anderson.

Sherdog.com: Why do you believe fans can expect to see the old Silva against Forrest Griffin?
Distak: Anderson needed a fight where he didn’t have the responsibility of defending the belt. It’s going to be a much better fight for him.

Sherdog.com: He’s coming in off of a five-round fight with all this pressure, and the UFC did not give him any time to rest. Plus, he has to fight one of the top guys in a heavier weight class. Is this good for him?
Distak: I think it’s very good for him because he has no pressure in a heavier weight class. The title is not in play. It’s three five-minute rounds. This fight will wake him up, and the fans will see the amazing Anderson Silva again.

Sherdog.com: Recently, Wanderlei Silva declared war on Anderson Silva. How do you see a potential fight between them?
Distak: That would be a great fight. Both come from aggressive schools, so I believe the man who’s best prepared and most skilled would win; that’s Anderson. If it’s for the belt, he would win however he had to, but if the UFC decided to promote it without the title on the line, I believe Anderson would knock out Wanderlei.

Sherdog.com: How do you see Wanderlei’s UFC 99 bout with Rich Franklin playing out?
Distak: I don’t think their games match up well. I believe Wanderlei will knock out Franklin with knees using the clinch.

Sherdog.com: You work with three of the best middleweight fighters in the world -- Paulo Filho, Ronaldo Souza and Anderson Silva. When will Filho return to the ring?
Distak: He’s going to fight in Dream’s light heavyweight division. He’s just waiting to find out his next opponent. He already requested a fight in the 205-pound division, where I believe he operates much better. Jacare has been a very important person in helping Filho. Some days, we train hear at the X-Gym in the morning, then have lunch and drive almost 100 kilometers to train with Filho in Niteroi, Brazil, where he likes to train. To drive 200 kilometers [round trip] to help a friend definitely shows Jacare has a great attitude.

Sherdog.com: Can you break down Jacare’s middleweight title fight against Jason "Mayhem" Miller at Dream 9 on May 26?
Distak: I can say Jacare is 100 percent prepared. He’s been training hard with us for the last six months; we actually have to slow him down. He helped a lot with Anderson’s ground training for the fight with Thales. Many people though that if Thales took Anderson down, he’d submit him. During the fight, Anderson recaptured the guard and tried a triangle when he got taken down. That resulted from months of training with Jacare, [Andre] Galvao, Feijao and Master Sylvio Behring. If you ask me to make a prediction, I’d say Jacare will win by knockout.

Sherdog.com: What’s special about your four main fighters?
Distak: With Anderson Silva, the whole world can see his skills, but what impresses me more about him is how much he cares about his family. When he’s not training, he’s always thinking about his family. Paulo Filho is a dog man; he needs dogs in his life. I’ve never seen a guy who loved dogs so much. Today, he has 24 dogs at his house; he used to have 70. Feijao is the best 205-pound fighter in the world. He just needs a chance to prove that. He’s complete. I don’t see anyone beating him at his weight -- in the UFC, Strikeforce, Dream or any other promotion. Jacare has proven he’s among the best jiu-jitsu and submission fighters in the world. In training with us, he has shown many other qualities, like amazing explosion, an impressive striking evolution and a great will to fight for his dreams.

Sherdog.com: Forrest Griffin said Jacare was one of his best sparring partners when he was at Xtreme Couture. Randy Couture sees Jacare as a man who could possibly defeat Anderson. What’s the secret to getting top guys like Jacare and Anderson to train every day without getting injured?
Distak: To start with, I have them train at full speed, like real MMA, but as the fight gets closer, I avoid real vale tudo contact between guys like Jacare, Feijao and Anderson. We use other means of sparring, so we can extend their training into different areas. If we put a camera inside the academy to see our training at the beginning, fans would get the chance to see amazing MMA fights. Actually, it might be a good idea to make it a pay-per-view.

Sherdog.com: As you approach the end of Jacare’s training camp, when will you start to prepare Anderson for UFC 101?
Distak: We’re going to Japan on May 20. Right after the Jacare fight on May 26, we’ll go to America, where Anderson and Feijao will have already started training for Forrest Griffin. Paulo Filho is also coming with us. Jorge Guimaraes and Ed Soares, who manages Anderson, opened an MMA training center in Los Angeles. Feijao and Anderson will be training there.

Sherdog.com: What’s your main goal as a trainer?
Distak: Our goal is to have two champions [in America] and two [in Japan]. In Dream, we have Paulo Filho at 205 and Ronaldo Jacare at 185. In the U.S., we have Anderson Silva at 185 in the UFC, and we want to conquer the 205-pound class in Strikeforce with Rafael Feijao. We’re working really hard for that.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Paul Buentello's next fight still uncertain, Tim Sylvia possible

When Paul Buentello (27-10) earned a third-round TKO stoppage over Kirill Sidelnikov at January's "Affliction: Day of Reckoning," "The Headhunter" felt he whad put himself in a good spot.

Three-and-a-half months later, and without a signed bout in his immediate future, the heavyweight is not so sure.

"I have no freaking idea right now," Buentello recently told MMAjunkie.com Radio (www.mmajunkie.com/radio). "I feel like I'm Cung Le right now and not paying attention to the MMA world – like I've just kind of fallen off the face of the world."

While Le's 13-month-and-counting break from competition overshadows Buentello's dry spell, the point is well-made.

"It's all about scheduling and politics, so I've just got to be ready and be in shape, see what happens," Buentello said. "It gets kind of old, but once you're away from home you know what you have to do here in California – just train and live with it."

Buentello resides in Texas, but routinely travels to the American Kickboxing Association camp in San Jose, Calif., for training. Buentello admits it's difficult to remain focused when your future is uncertain.

"It's tougher to stay motivated if you don't got any fights on the paper," Buentello said. "I thought I was in a good position with Strikeforce and Afflcition. But you sit back and you have to wait, twiddle your thumbs and play internet warrior or something – keyboard warrior – to get something going. It gets old pretty fast."

Buentello has one fight each remaining on his contracts for both Affliction and Strikeforce, but neither organization has yet nailed down a bout for him. While several outlets have speculated that Buentello will face former UFC heavyweight champion Tim Sylvia at Affliction's as-yet-unannounced third show, the Texan said nothing has been signed.

"I heard this matchup a long time ago, after my fight with Kirill Sidelnikov," Buentello said. "(Affliction Vice President) Tom (Atencio) questioned would I consider fighting 'Big' Tim. I said, 'Dude, let's do it. Let's do it next weekend. Let's keep the ball rolling.' That matchup came up through Tom, then it just kept on going back and forth."

Buentello has also been mentioned in various potential matchups for Strikeforce, but for now he'll simply wait – and try to stay in shape – until his opportunity finally arrives.

"I'm sitting here just flying back and forth trying to stay in shape and rolling around and stuff," Buentello said. "It's on that pace where you're on that ride, or it's going to pass you and you've got to wait for the next bus. These busses are slowing down a little bit."

 

[Shogun Locc]

Eddie Alvarez, Toby Imada top Bellator's $200K Week 5 payroll

Bellator Fighting Championship's May 1 event, which served as the Week 5 event for the organization's 12-week season, paid out $200,000 to the card's 18 competitors.

MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) requested and recently received the list of paydays from the Ohio Athletic Commission.

The event took place at Hara Arena in Dayton, Ohio.

Like all Bellator events, the show aired on a 24-hour tape delay on the Spanish-language station ESPN Deportes.

The event featured the organization's inaugural lightweight tournament semifinals, which saw Eddie Alvarez earn a third-round submission win over Eric Reynolds, as well as Toby Imada upsetting Jorge Masvidal with a now-famous inverted triangle choke.

Alvarez and Imada earned $50,000 for the win, while Reynolds and Masvidal pocketed $25,000 in losing efforts.

The complete payouts included:

Eddie Alvarez: $50,000 (includes $25,000 win bonus)
def. Eric Reynolds: $25,000

Toby Imada: $50,000 (includes $25,000 win bonus)
def. Jorge Masvidal: $25,000

Dave Herman: $12,000 (includes $6,000 win bonus)
def. Josh Barnes: $4,000

Joey Beltran: $4,000 (includes $2,000 win bonus)
def. Sherman Pendergarst: $3,000

Dan Evensen: $4,000 (includes $2,000 win bonus)
def. Raoul Romero: $2,000

Matt Jaggers: $5,000 (includes $2,500 win bonus)
def. Pete Dominguez: $500

Jessica Pene: $4,000 (includes $2,000 win bonus)
def. Tammie Schneider: $1,000

Justin Edwards: $4,000 (includes $2,000 win bonus)
def. John Troyer: $2,000

Waylon Lowe: $3,000 (includes $1,500 win bonus)
def. Frank Carabello: $1,500

Now, the usual disclaimer: The figures do not include deductions for items such as insurance, licenses and taxes. Additionally, the figures do not include money paid by sponsors, which can oftentimes be a substantial portion of a fighter's income. They also do not include any other "locker room" or special bonuses that some organizations oftentimes pay.

In other words, these are simply base salaries reported to the commission and do not reflect entire compensation packages for the event.

Additionally, both Alvarez and Imada made it through their bouts without medical suspensions from the commission, ensuring Bellator's lightweight finals will be contested without the use of alternates. Three other fighters were not so lucky, as Masvidal and Schneider were each issued a 30-day suspension, while Pendergarst was suspended for 60 days.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Serra-Hughes, At Long Last

Grudge matches in mixed martial arts rarely simmer as long as the Matt Serra-Matt Hughes tiff. And, if striking coach Ray Longo has anything to say about it, Serra will turn another opportunity into an upset come May 23.

But ever since the two locked verbal horns as coaches on the sixth season of “The Ultimate Fighter” in Fall 2007, the dislike between the two has endured while the match to settle the affair has yet to materialize. But that changes as the two comprise the semi-main event of UFC 98, in a battle between two ex-champions.

Originally slated for Dec. 29, 2007, Serra, who’d pulled off a stunning upset of Georges St. Pierre to win the title, pulled out of the bout with a back injury five weeks before their much-hyped showdown.

St. Pierre beat Hughes and then Serra in a rematch in April 2008. The Long Island fighter hasn’t fought since. But now, coach Longo believes Serra, 9-5, is positioned to beat Hughes.

“The original injury was two herniated disks. The guy was literally crippled for a month. It is what it is,” said Longo of the injury that derailed the original bout. “I wouldn’t say he was impaired for the (St. Pierre) match, but in training there were things that we stayed away from. We didn’t do a risky training camp.”

As a relatively small 170-pounder, Serra, 9-5, has relied on conditioning, jiu-jitsu and an underrated standup game. Against Hughes, he’ll need to stay on his feet, and Longo says that’s exactly what they’ve been working on.

“We’ve been in training camp about two months now. At first, we just worked on conditioning. He feels great, and his back feels great,” Longo said. “That was (originally) a concern. Between that, he’s doing a lot of sparring and a lot of wrestling. He’s doing more wrestling than I’ve ever seen him do.”

The key to Serra’s game plan is no mystery -- he’ll have to keep Hughes from being Hughes, the grappling powerhouse that ruled the division through a menacing combination of takedowns and physical dominance.

“We’ve got some 200-pounders,” Longo added. “Strong guys that imitate Hughes.”

In the first St. Pierre match, Serra unleashed a series of big right hands that ended the Canadian’s reign in his first defense. It wasn’t quite Buster Douglas knocking out Mike Tyson, but the stunning one-sidedness of it was a sobering reminder of what a well-placed shot can do to level the mixed martial arts playing field.

“Even with the first GSP fight, I don’t think anybody remotely thought Matt would stand with him,” Longo said. “But he likes to bang. He’s got the power. To beat Hughes, he’s got to stuff a couple of takedowns. He’ll win if his takedown defense is where we think it’s gonna be.”

While MMA feuds often have a manufactured feel, the Serra-Hughes rivalry is no act, Longo added.

“At one point they (occasionally) talked at shows and were good. They had a good rapport with each other. On the show, when Hughes was insulting St. Pierre, offering to show him an armbar defense, I think that’s when you started to see Hughes’ true colors,” Longo said. “He’s also close with Din Thomas and didn’t like Hughes’ comments to Dean. He’s always been the type of guy that sticks up for the underdog.”

Since their verbal sparring on the reality show, the two have traded jabs in virtually every medium possible. It isn’t easy to imagine why they don’t get along, especially given the stakes of the packed welterweight rankings and the value of a win.

Serra’s journey in the UFC has been considerable and rife with dizzying turns of fortune. He’s been decisioned by B.J. Penn and Karo Parisyan, stopped with a highlight-reel spinning back fist by Shonie Carter in a bout he was winning. But that was followed by his winning the fourth season of “The Ultimate Fighter,” then taking the title with his shock knockout of the seemingly invincible St. Pierre.

Then, he was blown out in the rematch. Now, he gets Hughes -- loser of three of his last four after one of the most dominant careers in the sport’s history. Hughes, 42-7, took the template of ground-and-pound and made it into a living. However, Longo believes that at some point, Hughes stopped evolving as a fighter, and that’s what he believes Serra will take advantage of.

“His last couple fights, he’s coming out like a southpaw, but he’s coming to go out there and get you to the floor. It looked like, at one pint, his standpoint was coming along, but that he put it on the back burner,” Longo said. “Maybe GSP highlighted a couple flaws. I think the guy was a great champion, but the sport’s just evolving. It’s not what it was when he was a champion either, and the sport’s taking off in terms of everybody’s skills.”

Hughes has stated this will be his last fight -- one last match to get in before retiring.

“He’s definitely at the tail end of his career for sure. I don’t know where his motivation’s coming from now,” Longo said. “It’s like everybody else, you can’t get away from the sport … or you’re searching for something, but a lot of guys just don’t know when to hang it up. (Serra) just has to do what he has to do. If he gets the right opportunity, he’ll turn it up. But not to the point where he makes a mistake. He’s a professional. But believe me when I tell you -- he really wants to beat his ass.”

 

[Shogun Locc]

Raising Cain: An MMAmania.com interview exclusive with Cain Velasquez

Forget everything you ever knew about heavyweight fighters in the UFC. The days of beer bellies and pear-shaped goliaths that once made a spectacle of the most watched weight class in all of combat sports are mercifully, coming to an end. This isn’t MMA. This is MMA 2.0.

This is Cain Velasquez.

Velasquez joins a frightening new class of heavyweights that includes Brock Lesnar and Shane Carwin — men who are not just fighters, but seasoned and accomplished athletes. Armed with decorated resumes in amateur wrestling and blessed with the strength and power of a small locomotive, they bring a style and intensity that for the most part, was rarely seen outside of the smaller weight classes.

The undefeated blue-chip prospect will represent that class when he locks horns with mixed martial arts veteran Heath Herring at UFC 99 from the Lanxess Arena in Cologne, Germany, on June 13.

“The Texas Crazy Horse” has done time with some of the world’s best, including Fedor Emelianenko and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira. He recently survived a three round drubbing against Brock Lesnar at UFC 87 last August.

It’s not unreasonable to think that a win over Herring might land Velasquez a spot in the top ten — even while he’s preparing for another unstoppable force this May: The birth of his baby daughter, Coral Love Velasquez, who arrived earlier today into the hands of the heavyweight superstar and his girlfriend Michelle Borquez.

We were fortunate enough to grab a few moments with Velasquez before he became a proud Papa. He gave us the dirt on everything from his upcoming war with Herring, his opinion on the best heavyweight in the world and the one submission he can’t wait use in an upcoming fight.

Take a look.

Brian Oswald (MMAmania.com): You’re a former two time All-American collegiate wrestler from Arizona State. You’re also a junior college national champion from Iowa Central Community College. Tell us about your wrestling base and how it relates to MMA.

Cain Velasquez: Wrestling is a great pedigree and base for MMA. Wrestling has made me very mentally strong, conditioned me really well for MMA and given me phenomenal balance. As a lot of people know, it allows you to dictate where the fight goes. If you want to keep it standing it lets you do that. And, if you want to take your opponent to the ground, wrestling gives you the ability to do that. It depends on who your opponent is — if you think you can exploit his weakness standing or on the ground.

Brian Oswald (MMAmania.com): Speaking of the Arizona State days, your former teammate Ryan Bader is coming off his first UFC win. You have to be pretty proud of that guy. What is your relationship like these days?

Cain Velasquez: We communicate really well. I’ve spent time training down at Arizona Combat Sports with those guys. Before my fight with Jake O’Brien, Ryan actually came out to California to train with me for that. I’m friends with those guys over there. C.B. Dolloway is another great guy there. It’s harder with the distance, but after fights or on vacation, we’ll all get together for a week and catch up with each other’s lives. It’s good to have a tight knit group of friends like that.

Brian Oswald (MMAmania.com): If your pedigree is your wrestling, how did you get so good at knocking people out? All your wins inside the Octagon are by first or second round T(KO).

Cain Velasquez: I owe that all to my coaches at AKA. I have been here for about two and a half years and working really hard on my stand up. During that time, I found myself being drawn to the stand up part of the game more than anything. I’ve gotten really comfortable with all aspects of stand up, whether it’s working my clinch, boxing or working the leg kicks. Wrestling has turned into my insurance card, and when I need it, it’ll be there for me, ready to go.

Brian Oswald (MMAmania.com): Turning to some of other UFC Heavyweights: Brock Lesnar, Shane Carwin and yourself are all big, strong wrestlers, capable of knocking people out. What is going to set you apart from those guys when you fight each other inside the cage?

Cain Velasquez: For one, I’m going to have to fight a smarter fight. I’m a little smaller than those two. Lesnar steps into the Octagon at about 280 pounds; Carwin around 260 pounds. I come in at 240 pounds.

I want to continue to improve on my defense, my head movement. They’re going to be tough fights and great fights for the fans to see. I think my Muay Thai and leg kicks can also play a big role. Obviously throwing leg kicks in the first round is not smart but i’s something that I can really utilize in the later rounds to both score points and look to finish the fight.

Brian Oswald (MMAmania.com): Tell us about your time at American Kickboxing Academy and what made you choose to train there over all the other top training camps out there.

Cain Velasquez: My college wrestling coach was actually connected to AKA. When I told him I wanted to transition to MMA, he told me to finish my degree and finish out that year of wrestling and he would put me in touch with the right people.

Obviously I am happy with how quickly they have turned me into a complete mixed martial artist. Having a great relationship with your coaches is the key to your success and I’ve been fortunate to have great coaches who I could trust throughout the process of transitioning into the sport. AKA is the place for me.

Brian Oswald (MMAmania.com): I have to ask you about a particular incident that happened a while back. Jon Fitch, one of your training partners at AKA, was cut for a few days by the UFC when he refused to sign away his likeness over the “Undisputed” video game. Do you have anything to say about that incident?

Cain Velasquez: I don’t have too much to say about that. That was all part of the negotiation process between Dana and our managers. Our managers handle all of that and are there to fight for us and try and get us the best deal possible. Stuff like that happens and you just have to work through it. I’m just focused on fighting for the UFC right now.

Brian Oswald (MMAmania.com): Strikeforce has a great relationship with AKA and is really starting to emerge as a serious organization in mixed marital arts. If you ever became a free agent, for whatever reason, could you see yourself fighting for Strikeforce out of San Jose, California?

Cain Velasquez: It all depends on how things play out. Right now, I’m fighting for the best organization in MMA and I don’t see myself leaving anytime soon. They have the best fighters and those are the guys I want to fight. Right now, I’m focused on one fight at a time and working my way toward a heavyweight title shot. It’s always good to have options though.

Brian Oswald (MMAmania.com): Without giving too much away, what is the one area of your game you’re working on the most right now?

Cain Velasquez: Right now I am still working on everything. I don’t think I’m the best in the sport at one particular style. I still work on my wrestling, I love working on my stand up game and I’m also working on my jiu-jitsu. I want to be the most complete mixed martial artist I can be so I’m not leaving any stone unturned when it comes to that.

Brian Oswald (MMAmania.com): Speaking of your jiu-jitsu, if there was one submission you’d love to pull off inside the Octagon, which one would it be?

Cain Velasquez: With me and how I roll in practice, armbars are one of my favorite submissions. A lot of people might think with my style I could finish a fight with a rear naked choke, but I am all about the armbar, so watch out.

Brian Oswald (MMAmania.com): Since we haven’t seen you go a full three rounds inside the cage, how is your conditioning?

Cain Velasquez: My conditioning is very good. I go five rounds in sparring. If I were to get a title shot this year, going all twenty-five minutes would be the least of my concerns. I train myself to go all out for the entire fight so I’m ready for that when it comes.

Brian Oswald (MMAmania.com): Who are some of the guys from both MMA past and present who you like to watch?

Cain Velasquez: I loved watching Chuck Liddell and Randy Couture when they were in their peak. That’s when I really started getting into the sport. Randy, I really see him as a pioneer. And it’s hard not to enjoy watching a guy like George St. Pierre and appreciate what he’s doing.

I like watching those explosive wrestlers with KO power as well, guys like Dan Henderson and Rashad Evans. I’ve watched just about every UFC and every Fight Night so I’m a fan of what a lot of guys are doing out there.

Brian Oswald (MMAmania.com): Do you think that Fedor Emelianenko is the greatest heavyweight in MMA currently fighting — or does he need to come over to the UFC and prove that?

Cain Velasquez: Fedor for sure. He was one my favorites growing up, being a heavyweight. He destroyed everybody; you can’t take anything away from him and what he’s accomplished. If the UFC signed Fedor, I would be honored to fight him. I’m here to fight the best so fighting Fedor would be the ultimate thing to do.

Brian Oswald (MMAmania.com): Guys like Lesnar, Carwin and yourself are making it hard for guys like Couture (who walk around at 230 pounds or less) to compete in the heavyweight division. What are your thoughts on the new breed of heavyweight; getting bigger yet staying just as fast or faster?

Cain Velasquez: It’s certainly getting harder. I actually don’t see myself as one of the big guys. Like I said, I walk around at 240 pounds while Lesnar walks in around 280 and Carwin around 260. I’m used to wrestling with the bigger guys though so that helps. But guys at 225 or 230 pounds are at a disadvantage so they’ll have to figure out how to compete or go to a different weight class.

Brian Oswald (MMAmania.com): Do you have any plans on adding some more weight to your frame, some more muscle, or is 240 pounds the perfect fighting weight for you?

Cain Velasquez: For me, 240 is my target weight. Lifting weights, 240 is about as big as I can (or) want to get. And if I got any bigger, I could lose some of my speed. I think with my body type, I’m meant to stay at 240.

Brian Oswald (MMAmania.com): Being an athlete is what MMA 2.0 is all about. You can’t just be good at MMA, you have to be an athlete. In five or ten years, do you see guys that would have gone on to be 300 pound lineman competing in mixed martial arts?

Cain Velasquez: I can see that happening for sure. As far as changing the weight classes, I don’t see that yet. I see the them keeping the heavyweight division at 265 pounds. I could see them adding a weight class in between light heavyweight and heavyweight for those guys at 225 we talked about. It all depends on how much talent they have in a proposed weight class. As far as them adding a super heavyweight division (300 pounds and over), I just don’t see that happening. Guys will have to cut the weight.

Brian Oswald (MMAmania.com): For a while, the UFC heavyweight division was seen as one of the weakest in MMA. Where do you see the heavyweight division heading with guys like yourself, Carwin, Dos Santos and others?

Cain Velasquez: The heavyweight division is just going to get better and better. It’s not all the way there yet, but the UFC is doing a good job identifying talent and getting the best heavyweights in here that they can. In a couple years, this division is going to be so tough to compete in at the highest level.

Brian Oswald (MMAmania.com): In your opinion, is mixed martial arts stealing the [marketability] of ‘heavyweight’ from boxing? Boxing and heavyweight used to be one in the same but the talent there seems to be on a significant decline as of late.

Cain Velasquez: I don’t see MMA stealing the [marketability] away completely, but MMA has really taken strides in the last few years and is definitely starting to overshadow its combat sports counterpart. MMA is new and exciting to a lot of people but I think when things settle in, both sports will have to share the term with each other.

Brian Oswald (MMAmania.com): Talk to us about the opportunity to fight in Germany and fighting a guy like Heath Herring, who has fought some of the toughest guys the sport has to offer. What do you expect for that fight?

Cain Velasquez: Germany (UFC 99) will be a great show. The UFC always puts together a great event when they go overseas. Heath Herring is tough as nails and he fights hard. I expect a war against Heath. I don’t predict T(KO)s, I’m just going to go in there and take the fight to him and see where it goes. The fans are going to get a great show, I can guarantee that.

Brian Oswald (MMAmania.com): I hear you’re expecting your first child with your girlfriend this month. First, congratulations Cain “Daddy.” What’s it going to be like being both a mixed martial arts fighter and father of a new baby girl?

Cain Velasquez: It’s very exciting. We are just so happy to be able to have her here in our life soon. It’s like having a Christmas present that you can’t open yet. We can’t wait to have her here. It’s been a long process. It will be hard to adjust at first with my schedule and practice. I know I’ll want to be home spending time with her, missing her when I’m at practice and wanting to rush home. I’ll adjust to the schedule though and will keep my eye on the prize, which is supporting my family though my mixed martial arts.

Brian Oswald (MMAmania.com): Time for Shout-outs:

Cain Velasquez: I want to thank my family, my training camp, AKA, my manager and my Olympic coach, and say “Hi” to all the fans and “thanks” for their support. Enjoy my upcoming fight on June 23.

Brian Oswald (MMAmania.com): Thanks again Cain. We all look forward to your UFC 99 fight and good luck with your newest addition to the Velasquez family.

Cain Velasquez: Thank you so much. I appreciate that.

 

[Shogun Locc]

GONZAGA VS. CHRIS TUCHSCHERER AT UFC 102

A heavyweight bout between former contender Gabriel Gonzaga and newcomer Chris Tuchscherer is likely for UFC 102 on August 29.

MMAWeekly.com learned of the match-up Wednesday through multiple sources close to the fight, confirming both parties have agreed to the contest. It’s unknown, however, if bout agreements have been signed.

Though not announced by the UFC, sources say a venue agreement with the Rose Quarter arena is close to finished and an official announcement is expected soon.

The 29 year-old Gonzaga came up short against heavyweight prospect Shane Carwin at UFC 96, dominating the fight’s first round before catching a straight right that dropped him.

The Team Link fighter has seen mixed results inside the Octagon since a meteoric rise to the top of the division, culminating in a title shot against Randy Couture at UFC 74, when a shattered nose led to a TKO stoppage. Best known for his devastating head kick knockout of Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic, Gonzaga will look to rebound against Tuchscherer.

Tuchscherer is a primary training partner for heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar and trains out of the Minnesota Mixed Martial Arts Academy. Scouts for the tenth season of “The Ultimate Fighter” earmarked him for a UFC debut when they saw his extensive professional record and training background. A five-year veteran of the sport, he is 17-1 as a professional and holds victories over UFC vets Krzysztof Soszynski, Travis Fulton, and Brandon Lee Hinkle, with a sole defeat at the hands of Travis Wiuff in last April’s one-and-done Yamma Pit Fighting Championships.

A long awaited heavyweight fight between former champions Couture and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira headlines the card.

 

[Shogun Locc]

BENJI RADACH TO APPEAL, SMITH'S TEAM COMMENTS

Benji Radach and Scott Smith had what most onlookers would call the fight of the night at Strikeforce's April 11 debut on the Showtime network. No one would argue that it was a back and forth throw down that ended when Smith landed a knockout blow late in the third round.

Radach, however, has since indicated that he plans to appeal the bout. In an interview with ESPN The Magazine, he made his case for several missteps by referee Herb Dean over the course of the fight.

First, Radach says that Smith grabbed the cage in the second round – an illegal tactic – which helped him escape a guillotine choke that Radach believes would have finished the fight. Second, he says that he "was not out" and was getting back to his feet when the fight was stopped due to what he and his management reviewed afterwards as being an illegal blow to the back of the head.

"The only thing that I’m a little upset about is that I think it was a quick stoppage," Radach told MMAWeekly.com shortly after the event. "I was recovering after that first shot and I went down to my side. I was coming back up and he socked me straight down square in the back of my head.

"(The rules state) you can’t hit anybody in the back of the head, ear-to-ear, and it was dead center in the back of my head, and the ref stopped it. I don’t think that was quite right."

In his interview with ESPN The Magazine, commenting on the decision to file an appeal, he added, "I'm not a sore loser, and I think Scott Smith is a great guy. I wish it didn't come to this. But I'm just doing what I think is right."

Smith and his management team will obviously do what is necessary to deal with Radach's appeal, but they're not happy about it.

"He's obviously entitled to his opinion, but we're disappointed that Benji is trying to take away from what was such a great fight," said Smith's manager, Mike Roberts of MMA Inc.

"At this point, we're moving on and are completely focused on Scott's June 6 fight with Nick Diaz."

As of the time of publication, no time frame for the appeal had been set.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Bob Sapp Vs. Bobby Lashley! During Or After Super Hulk Participation?

Bob Sapp will participate in a fight during or after his participation in DREAM’s Super Hulk Tournament (unless Minowaman injures his leg). He will face Professional Wrestler and now MMA fighter Bobby Lashley on June 27th in Mississippi. Below is a video and a press release on the press conference announcing the fight.

Lashley-Sapp headlines “Ultimate Chaos”

BILOXI, Miss. (May 4, 2009) – The cage may have to be reinforced for the “Ultimate Chaos” headliner as former WWE star Bobby Lashley and mixed-martial-arts legend Bob “The Beast” Sapp battle June 27 on a special pay-per-view event live from the Mississippi Gulf Coast Coliseum in Biloxi, Mississippi.

The chiseled 6-3, 265-pound Lashley (2-0), 3-time NCAA champion (1996-98) and 4-time All-America wrestler at Missouri Valley College, takes on the 6-4, 350-pound Sapp (10-3-1), who played in the NFL for four years before becoming an iconic combat fighter in Japan.

“Ultimate Chaos,” presented by Prize Fight Promotions and Fight Force International, in association with the Mississippi Gulf Coast Coliseum, Treasure Bay Casino and Budweiser, is being produced and distributed by Gotham MMA and Integrated Sports at 9:00PM ET/6:00PM PT in the United States on cable and satellite via iNDemand, TVN and DirecTV for a suggested retail price of only $29.95.

“There is a huge MMA fan base down here on the coast and this card speaks for itself,” co-promoter Ricky Derouen (Chairman of the Board, Fight Force International) said. “I’m very proud to have this event in my hometown. That really means a lot to me. Just to give an idea of the hype surrounding this event, the tickets go on sale May 8th. We have 1,300 floor seats available and 1,100 of those are already gone. The tickets aren’t even for sale, yet, so that’s a good thing.”

After graduating from Missouri Valley College, Lashley joined the U.S. Army and was a 2-time Armed Forces Champion and 2002 Military Games Championship silver medalist. Two years ago, Lashley became a WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment) superstar, joining Donald Trump at Wrestlemania 23 in a bet against WWE president Vince McMahon. Lashley won the match and helped Trump shave McMahon’s head in the ring. Bobby made his MMA debut last December 13, stopping Joshua Franklin only 0.41 into the opening round, and March 21 he won a 3-round decision versus 37-fight veteran Jason Guida in Pensacola (FL).

Sapp starred as an offensive lineman on the University of Washington’s football team, winning the prestigious Morris Award, and he was selected in the third round of the NFL draft in 1997 by the Chicago Bears. Bob turned to pro wrestling after football and was later recruited by Pride in Japan, where his incredible size, strength and bull-rush style made him an instant fan favorite. He went on to star in K-1 as well as become an actor, playing roles in movies like The Longest Yard and Elektra.

In the co-feature, controversial Dutch heavyweight Gilbert “The Hurricane” Yvel faces Brazilian striker, Pedro “The Rock” Rizzo (16-8-0), former UFC heavyweight title challenger.

Lightweight Din “Dinyero” Thomas (24-8-0), star of The Ultimate Fighter 4, meets former KOTC and Gladiator Challenge champion Javier “Showtime” Vasquez, while hot Canadian lightweight prospect Chris “The Polish Hammer” Horodecki (12-1-0) tangles with dangerous William “The Bull” Sriyapai (12-4-0).

Also fighting on the card, welterweights Brett Cooper (8-4-0) and Waachiim “Native Warrior” Spirit Wolf (5-4) throw-down against each other, Affliction vice president Tom Atencio (1-0) moves from the office to the cage against Randy Hedderick, middleweights James Oros (3-2-0) and Colby McMahan (1-0-0) also square-off.

Tickets are priced at $25.00 (limited discount seating), $40.00 (general admission) and $55.00 (premium reserved seating) and go on sale May 8 (8 AM/CT) at the Mississippi Gulf Coast Coliseum and all TicketMaster outlets.

For more information go to www.theultimatechaos.com, www.fightforce.org or www.mscoastcoliseum.com. Doors open at 5PM/CT, first fight 6 PM/CT, and the first PPV fight is at 8 PM/CT.

PRESSER QUOTES

Bobby Lashley - “I’m going to try and be good this time. Let’s be honest, this fight is going to be a train wreck. It’s two guys going out there to bang and it’s not going to take three rounds to do it, either; one maybe two. The fans are going to get what they want and June 27th Bob Sapp is going to get beat!”

Bob Sapp- “My opponent, as you can see, is a big boy. He’s big and strong, but he’s yet to be tested. I’m here to give him his test and I’m here to let you know it is going to be an F.”

Tom Atencio- “I want to thank Prize Fight as well as Fight Force for putting on this card. I’ve been seen in front of the cameras before as far as the business side, but it’s time to fight. I’m doing something Dana White won’t do and that’s fight. He talks like a fighter, so why doesn’t he fight? I’m stepping up to the plate and win, lose or draw I attempted it. I don’t ever think he would fight.”

Randy Hedderick- “I would like to thank Tom for this opportunity. This is very huge for me. I’m expecting a war and I’ll see everybody on June 27th.”