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Wilks Talks ‘TUF’ Journey
videolink: http://www.sherdog.com/videos/recent/Wilks-Talks-TUF-Journey-2011
James Wilks discussed his journey to the “Ultimate Fighter” season nine welterweight title with Sherdog.com’s Mike Sloan in this exclusive interview.
videolink: http://www.sherdog.com/videos/recent/Wilks-Talks-TUF-Journey-2011
James Wilks discussed his journey to the “Ultimate Fighter” season nine welterweight title with Sherdog.com’s Mike Sloan in this exclusive interview.
Melvin Guillard, Brad Blackburn earn baffling split-decision wins in TUF 9 Finale prelims
LAS VEGAS - It's often been said that the only thing that matters at the end of the day is wins and losses – and that how you get there is irrelevant.
The Ultimate Fighter 9 Finale preliminary card victors Melvin Guillard and Brad Blackburn may now subscribe to that line of thinking as each walked away with a win that left many in attendance scratching their heads – and loudly voicing their disapproval.
Guillard and Blackburn's wins capped off Saturday's TUF 9 Finale prelims at The Pearl at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas and preceded the evening's Spike TV-broadcast main card.
Guillard's win over Gleison Tibau (17-7 MMA, 5-4 UFC) wasn't earned without great effort, and "The Young Assassin" showed great improvement over previous bouts even as the American Top Team-product took him repeatedly to the canvas. Where Guillard has often seemed helpless on the floor in prior contests, he deftly maneuvered free from any potential submission attempt from Tibau and hearkened a bit of vintage Chuck Liddell as he simply stood up each time he was brought to the floor.
But Guillard's constant defense of Tibau's takedowns left him unable to mount any meaningful offense of his own. Constantly on the attack, the Brazilian wasn't forced to deal with Guillard's vaunted explosiveness and stand-up prowess. But as the bell sounded on Guillard's first-ever decision in eight UFC contests, two of the three ringside judges felt the Louisiana native had done enough in neutralizing Tibau to earn the decision.
Following the razor-thin victory, Guillard said he hopes to put the previous troubles in his personal life behind him.
"I had a lot of growing up to do," Guillard said. "(UFC president) Dana White and the UFC believed in me. I just want to be a better asset to this company."
While Guillard's win came as a surprise to many observers, it wasn't the night's only debatable ending.
In earlier action, welterweight Blackburn kept his undefeated run alive in the UFC – barely – by eking out a split-decision win over the previously undefeated Edgar Garcia (7-1 MMA, 0-1 UFC).
The pair gamely engaged each other in the opening five minutes, and the crowd approved of the entertaining exchanges of stiff jabs and smiling nods of approval. And while both fighters have proven themselves capable wrestlers in previous contests, neither contestant looked once to bring the fight to the floor until the closing moments of the final frame.
The contest remained a difficult-to-score kickboxing bout throughout most of the 15 minutes, and UFC-newcomer Garcia appeared to be scoring points with his efforts. However, when the scores were revealed at the end of final frame, only one of the three ringside judges agreed, and Blackburn was awarded the split-decision win.
The court of public opinion issued a loss to Blackburn, and boos drowned out his post-fight interview.
Blackburn blamed much of his limited attack on an injury suffered early in the contest, but he insisted Garcia deserved credit for his effort.
"I threw an uppercut, and my right shoulder popped," Blackburn said. "I had to stay with the jabs and kicks.
"[Garcia] is a tough guy. He's only been fighting three years."
Drwal drops Ciesnolevicz; Osipczak, Dent impressive in "TUF" consolation bouts
Regardless of the perhaps-controversial nature of the win, Blackburn now has three-straight wins in the UFC's welterweight division, and four-straight victories overall. Garcia loses for the first time in his two-year career, but the effort should earn him another bout in the UFC.
While Polish striker Tomasz Drwal (16-2 MMA, 2-1 UFC) entered the cage already a winner by having gained 20 percent of his opponent's purse when Mike Ciesnolevicz (17-4 MMA, 1-1 UFC) came in two pounds over the allowed 206-pound limit of the light-heavyweight division at Friday's weigh-ins, "Gorilla" made it a clean sweep by stopping his foe in the opening frame.
Drwal put Ciesnolevicz on his back three times in the first round, but the Miletich Martial Arts fighter returned to his feet each time. And while Drwal seemed to be quickly tiring from the action, he had enough steam to land a devastating knee to Ciesnolevicz's chin. The blow left Ciesnolevicz flat on the canvas, and Drwal followed with a barrage of punches to seal the result with just 12 seconds left in the first stanza.
After the win, Drwal said the bout went just as planned.
"I like to make a good show," Drwal said. "I wanted to win by knockout. He wanted to take me down. I ended taking him down a couple of times. He didn't surprise me."
Drwal now has two-straight first-round TKO wins in the UFC after losing to Thiago Silva in his octagon debut. "Gorilla" has won 14 of his past 15 bouts overall, including nine wins by knockout or TKO.
Meanwhile, the loss leaves Ciesnolevicz at 1-1 in the UFC and snaps his prior four-fight win streak.
Undefeated British striker Nick Osipczak (4-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC) and Frank Lester (3-3 MMA, 0-1 UFC) seemed to be perfect candidates for a toe-to-toe battle, but "Slick" lived up to his moniker and took "Frankie Four-Teeth" by surprise.
Osipczak took the fight to the ground early, though Lester scrambled straight back to his feet. When the action slowed in the clinch, it was the American who then looked for a suplex, but Osipczak was prepared.
The Brit defended the toss and locked in a guillotine choke attempt and dropped to the canvas. Lester resisted, but Osipczak scrambled to his back and locked in a rear-naked choke as blood began to flow from the American's face. Stuck in a bad spot, Lester was forced to quickly tap.
Following the contest, Osipczak said he was confident prior to the bout that he would earn a win.
"People think they can't get chokes with the hooks in, but you can," Osipczak said. "I knew it wouldn't go the distance. I knew I had better submissions and technical striking (than him)."
The win was Osipczak's fourth-straight since turning pro, and all four wins have come via first-round stoppage. The loss snapped a three-fight win streak for Lester, but the tough-as-nails American should see further action in the octagon after White openly praised him on multiple occasions throughout the ninth season of "The Ultimate Fighter."
The evening's opening contest saw Team U.S. rivals Jason Dent (19-9 MMA, 1-2 UFC) and Cameron Dollar (2-2 MMA, 0-1 UFC) enter the cage in an intra-team grudge match. And while Dollar entered the contest with youth on his side, it was Dent's experience that proved the difference.
A stand-up affair, Dollar found himself getting the better of the exchanges on the feet, including a series of blows that wobbled the Ohio native. But Dent's experience in 27 previous fights in the cage showed as he remained calm and quickly sunk in an anaconda choke when Dollar shot in for the finish.
With time winding down in the opening frame, Dollar tried to hang on until the bell. But the hold was secure and Dollar was forced to tap with just 14 seconds remaining.
Following the bout, Dent said the bout went precisely as he planned.
"I got him with the anaconda choke," Dent said. "I got him on the show a couple times (with that move), too, but I thought he worked the defense.
"I knew Cameron was heavy-handed, but I've never been knocked out, so I wasn't worried about that."
With the win, Dent has now won three-straight official contests, and five of his past six. Prior to that streak, Dent had dropped back-to-back decisions to Gleison Tibau and Roger Huerta in his first shot at the UFC.
Dollar falls to 2-2 in his young career.
OFFICIAL RESULTS
* Melvin Guillard def. Gleison Tibau via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
* Brad Blackburn def. Edgar Garcia via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
* Tomasz Drwal def. Mike Ciesnolevicz via TKO (strikes), Round 1 - 4:48
* Nick Ospiczak def. Frank Lester via submission (rear-naked choke) - Round 1, 3:40
* Jason Dent def. Cameron Dollar via submission (anaconda choke) - Round 1, 4:46
LAS VEGAS - It's often been said that the only thing that matters at the end of the day is wins and losses – and that how you get there is irrelevant.
The Ultimate Fighter 9 Finale preliminary card victors Melvin Guillard and Brad Blackburn may now subscribe to that line of thinking as each walked away with a win that left many in attendance scratching their heads – and loudly voicing their disapproval.
Guillard and Blackburn's wins capped off Saturday's TUF 9 Finale prelims at The Pearl at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas and preceded the evening's Spike TV-broadcast main card.
Guillard's win over Gleison Tibau (17-7 MMA, 5-4 UFC) wasn't earned without great effort, and "The Young Assassin" showed great improvement over previous bouts even as the American Top Team-product took him repeatedly to the canvas. Where Guillard has often seemed helpless on the floor in prior contests, he deftly maneuvered free from any potential submission attempt from Tibau and hearkened a bit of vintage Chuck Liddell as he simply stood up each time he was brought to the floor.
But Guillard's constant defense of Tibau's takedowns left him unable to mount any meaningful offense of his own. Constantly on the attack, the Brazilian wasn't forced to deal with Guillard's vaunted explosiveness and stand-up prowess. But as the bell sounded on Guillard's first-ever decision in eight UFC contests, two of the three ringside judges felt the Louisiana native had done enough in neutralizing Tibau to earn the decision.
Following the razor-thin victory, Guillard said he hopes to put the previous troubles in his personal life behind him.
"I had a lot of growing up to do," Guillard said. "(UFC president) Dana White and the UFC believed in me. I just want to be a better asset to this company."
While Guillard's win came as a surprise to many observers, it wasn't the night's only debatable ending.
In earlier action, welterweight Blackburn kept his undefeated run alive in the UFC – barely – by eking out a split-decision win over the previously undefeated Edgar Garcia (7-1 MMA, 0-1 UFC).
The pair gamely engaged each other in the opening five minutes, and the crowd approved of the entertaining exchanges of stiff jabs and smiling nods of approval. And while both fighters have proven themselves capable wrestlers in previous contests, neither contestant looked once to bring the fight to the floor until the closing moments of the final frame.
The contest remained a difficult-to-score kickboxing bout throughout most of the 15 minutes, and UFC-newcomer Garcia appeared to be scoring points with his efforts. However, when the scores were revealed at the end of final frame, only one of the three ringside judges agreed, and Blackburn was awarded the split-decision win.
The court of public opinion issued a loss to Blackburn, and boos drowned out his post-fight interview.
Blackburn blamed much of his limited attack on an injury suffered early in the contest, but he insisted Garcia deserved credit for his effort.
"I threw an uppercut, and my right shoulder popped," Blackburn said. "I had to stay with the jabs and kicks.
"[Garcia] is a tough guy. He's only been fighting three years."
Drwal drops Ciesnolevicz; Osipczak, Dent impressive in "TUF" consolation bouts
Regardless of the perhaps-controversial nature of the win, Blackburn now has three-straight wins in the UFC's welterweight division, and four-straight victories overall. Garcia loses for the first time in his two-year career, but the effort should earn him another bout in the UFC.
While Polish striker Tomasz Drwal (16-2 MMA, 2-1 UFC) entered the cage already a winner by having gained 20 percent of his opponent's purse when Mike Ciesnolevicz (17-4 MMA, 1-1 UFC) came in two pounds over the allowed 206-pound limit of the light-heavyweight division at Friday's weigh-ins, "Gorilla" made it a clean sweep by stopping his foe in the opening frame.
Drwal put Ciesnolevicz on his back three times in the first round, but the Miletich Martial Arts fighter returned to his feet each time. And while Drwal seemed to be quickly tiring from the action, he had enough steam to land a devastating knee to Ciesnolevicz's chin. The blow left Ciesnolevicz flat on the canvas, and Drwal followed with a barrage of punches to seal the result with just 12 seconds left in the first stanza.
After the win, Drwal said the bout went just as planned.
"I like to make a good show," Drwal said. "I wanted to win by knockout. He wanted to take me down. I ended taking him down a couple of times. He didn't surprise me."
Drwal now has two-straight first-round TKO wins in the UFC after losing to Thiago Silva in his octagon debut. "Gorilla" has won 14 of his past 15 bouts overall, including nine wins by knockout or TKO.
Meanwhile, the loss leaves Ciesnolevicz at 1-1 in the UFC and snaps his prior four-fight win streak.
Undefeated British striker Nick Osipczak (4-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC) and Frank Lester (3-3 MMA, 0-1 UFC) seemed to be perfect candidates for a toe-to-toe battle, but "Slick" lived up to his moniker and took "Frankie Four-Teeth" by surprise.
Osipczak took the fight to the ground early, though Lester scrambled straight back to his feet. When the action slowed in the clinch, it was the American who then looked for a suplex, but Osipczak was prepared.
The Brit defended the toss and locked in a guillotine choke attempt and dropped to the canvas. Lester resisted, but Osipczak scrambled to his back and locked in a rear-naked choke as blood began to flow from the American's face. Stuck in a bad spot, Lester was forced to quickly tap.
Following the contest, Osipczak said he was confident prior to the bout that he would earn a win.
"People think they can't get chokes with the hooks in, but you can," Osipczak said. "I knew it wouldn't go the distance. I knew I had better submissions and technical striking (than him)."
The win was Osipczak's fourth-straight since turning pro, and all four wins have come via first-round stoppage. The loss snapped a three-fight win streak for Lester, but the tough-as-nails American should see further action in the octagon after White openly praised him on multiple occasions throughout the ninth season of "The Ultimate Fighter."
The evening's opening contest saw Team U.S. rivals Jason Dent (19-9 MMA, 1-2 UFC) and Cameron Dollar (2-2 MMA, 0-1 UFC) enter the cage in an intra-team grudge match. And while Dollar entered the contest with youth on his side, it was Dent's experience that proved the difference.
A stand-up affair, Dollar found himself getting the better of the exchanges on the feet, including a series of blows that wobbled the Ohio native. But Dent's experience in 27 previous fights in the cage showed as he remained calm and quickly sunk in an anaconda choke when Dollar shot in for the finish.
With time winding down in the opening frame, Dollar tried to hang on until the bell. But the hold was secure and Dollar was forced to tap with just 14 seconds remaining.
Following the bout, Dent said the bout went precisely as he planned.
"I got him with the anaconda choke," Dent said. "I got him on the show a couple times (with that move), too, but I thought he worked the defense.
"I knew Cameron was heavy-handed, but I've never been knocked out, so I wasn't worried about that."
With the win, Dent has now won three-straight official contests, and five of his past six. Prior to that streak, Dent had dropped back-to-back decisions to Gleison Tibau and Roger Huerta in his first shot at the UFC.
Dollar falls to 2-2 in his young career.
OFFICIAL RESULTS
* Melvin Guillard def. Gleison Tibau via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
* Brad Blackburn def. Edgar Garcia via split decision (29-28, 28-29, 29-28)
* Tomasz Drwal def. Mike Ciesnolevicz via TKO (strikes), Round 1 - 4:48
* Nick Ospiczak def. Frank Lester via submission (rear-naked choke) - Round 1, 3:40
* Jason Dent def. Cameron Dollar via submission (anaconda choke) - Round 1, 4:46
UFC awards record three "Fight of the Night" bonuses after entertaining TUF 9 Finale
LAS VEGAS - Faced with the unenviable task of determining a "Fight of the Night" award winner among three more-than-deserving candidates at Saturday's The Ultimate Fighter 9 Finale at The Pearl at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas, UFC officials made the only decision they possibly could.
Diego Sanchez vs. Clay Guida, Chris Lytle vs. Kevin Burns and Joe Stevenson vs. Nate Diaz were all named the evening's "Fights of the Night" winners for a record three awards and each competitor earned an additional $25,000 for his performance.
The amounts, which were on par with the $25,000 awards issued at the December 2008 TUF 8 Finale, and winners were confirmed by MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) following the event.
Stevenson and Diaz kicked off the evening's televised card with an entertaining ground battle that provided 15 minutes of exciting action. Stevenson earned the much-needed unanimous-decision win, and the pair seemed well on their way to the evening's "Fight of the Night" award. That is, until Lytle and Burns waged their stand-up contest.
Both Lytle and Burns each took turns on the winning end of a stand-up brawl, but "Lights Out" came back from nearly having his own lights shut off in the opening frame to earn a unanimous decision win in a bloody, three-round affair with Burns. The action was so intense UFC announcer Joe Rogan said it would "be a crime" if the pair didn't win the evening's "Fight of the Night" award. That is, until Sanchez and Guida raised the bar just a little higher.
The main-event competitors waged a contest of epic proportions, and the nonstop action started at the opening bell and lasted to the final second. It was the type of contest that will be watched for years to come, and it was undoubtedly the evening's "Fight of the Night."
But while the three bouts shared in the award, each could have earned the award on its own were it to have taken place on any other night.
Despite the additional awards, the UFC did not shy away from its normal routines.
Polish striker Tomasz Drwal grabbed the evening's "Knockout of the Night" award by default, toppling fellow light-heavyweight Mike Ciesnolvicz with a series of punches on the evening's preliminary card in the night's only bout to end by knockout or TKO. The evening proved profitable for Drwal, who earned his show money, win bonus, 20 percent of Ciesnolevicz's purse as a penalty for registering over the division's 205-pound limit, and now the $25,000 "fight night" bonus.
"TUF 9" cast member Jason Dent grabbed the evening's "Submission of the Night" award early on, tapping fellow Team U.S. fighter Cameron Dollar in the first round of the first fight of the night. Catching Dollar in a moment of over-aggression, Dent swiftly locked in a slick anaconda choke, forcing the tap with 14 seconds remaining in the opening round.
With the additional "Fight of the Night" awards, the UFC issued $200,000 in "fight night" bonuses.
LAS VEGAS - Faced with the unenviable task of determining a "Fight of the Night" award winner among three more-than-deserving candidates at Saturday's The Ultimate Fighter 9 Finale at The Pearl at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas, UFC officials made the only decision they possibly could.
Diego Sanchez vs. Clay Guida, Chris Lytle vs. Kevin Burns and Joe Stevenson vs. Nate Diaz were all named the evening's "Fights of the Night" winners for a record three awards and each competitor earned an additional $25,000 for his performance.
The amounts, which were on par with the $25,000 awards issued at the December 2008 TUF 8 Finale, and winners were confirmed by MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) following the event.
Stevenson and Diaz kicked off the evening's televised card with an entertaining ground battle that provided 15 minutes of exciting action. Stevenson earned the much-needed unanimous-decision win, and the pair seemed well on their way to the evening's "Fight of the Night" award. That is, until Lytle and Burns waged their stand-up contest.
Both Lytle and Burns each took turns on the winning end of a stand-up brawl, but "Lights Out" came back from nearly having his own lights shut off in the opening frame to earn a unanimous decision win in a bloody, three-round affair with Burns. The action was so intense UFC announcer Joe Rogan said it would "be a crime" if the pair didn't win the evening's "Fight of the Night" award. That is, until Sanchez and Guida raised the bar just a little higher.
The main-event competitors waged a contest of epic proportions, and the nonstop action started at the opening bell and lasted to the final second. It was the type of contest that will be watched for years to come, and it was undoubtedly the evening's "Fight of the Night."
But while the three bouts shared in the award, each could have earned the award on its own were it to have taken place on any other night.
Despite the additional awards, the UFC did not shy away from its normal routines.
Polish striker Tomasz Drwal grabbed the evening's "Knockout of the Night" award by default, toppling fellow light-heavyweight Mike Ciesnolvicz with a series of punches on the evening's preliminary card in the night's only bout to end by knockout or TKO. The evening proved profitable for Drwal, who earned his show money, win bonus, 20 percent of Ciesnolevicz's purse as a penalty for registering over the division's 205-pound limit, and now the $25,000 "fight night" bonus.
"TUF 9" cast member Jason Dent grabbed the evening's "Submission of the Night" award early on, tapping fellow Team U.S. fighter Cameron Dollar in the first round of the first fight of the night. Catching Dollar in a moment of over-aggression, Dent swiftly locked in a slick anaconda choke, forcing the tap with 14 seconds remaining in the opening round.
With the additional "Fight of the Night" awards, the UFC issued $200,000 in "fight night" bonuses.
The Ultimate Fighter 9 Finale draws soldout crowd of 1,800 for $500,000 gate
LAS VEGAS – Saturday's latest UFC event, The Ultimate Fighter 9 Finale, drew a crowd of "just over 1,800," which produced a live gate of approximately $500,000, a UFC spokesperson confirmed at the post-event press conference.
The finale, which was announced as a sellout, took place at The Pearl, an intimate venue at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas.
The 10-bout event concluded the latest season of the UFC's reality series, "The Ultimate Fighter: U.S. vs. U.K.," and aired on Spike TV.
The Ultimate Fighter 9 Finale was the fifth consecutive TUF finale to be held at The Pearl.
The finale produced the latest set of "TUF" champions, lightweight Ross Pearson and welterweight James Wilks, who both competed for Michael Bisping's U.K. squad of fighters. Additionally, Diego Sanchez pushed his way toward the top of the lightweight title picture with a phenomenal split-decision win over a game Clay Guida in the night's main event.
LAS VEGAS – Saturday's latest UFC event, The Ultimate Fighter 9 Finale, drew a crowd of "just over 1,800," which produced a live gate of approximately $500,000, a UFC spokesperson confirmed at the post-event press conference.
The finale, which was announced as a sellout, took place at The Pearl, an intimate venue at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas.
The 10-bout event concluded the latest season of the UFC's reality series, "The Ultimate Fighter: U.S. vs. U.K.," and aired on Spike TV.
The Ultimate Fighter 9 Finale was the fifth consecutive TUF finale to be held at The Pearl.
The finale produced the latest set of "TUF" champions, lightweight Ross Pearson and welterweight James Wilks, who both competed for Michael Bisping's U.K. squad of fighters. Additionally, Diego Sanchez pushed his way toward the top of the lightweight title picture with a phenomenal split-decision win over a game Clay Guida in the night's main event.
If the UFC brass calls, Diego Sanchez is ready for his lightweight title shot
LAS VEGAS – Even before his already epic fight with Clay Guida at The Ultimate Fighter 9 Finale, Diego Sanchez stumped for a lightweight title shot and declared himself the No. 1 contender at 155 pounds.
And now, following Saturday's main event victory at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas, Sanchez hasn't wavered in his belief.
With his split-decision win over Guida, a bout that earned both competitors $25,000 "Fight of the Night" awards, Sanchez said his future is in the hands of the UFC brass. And if UFC President Dana White declares Sanchez title worthy, "Nightmare" is ready for the task at hand.
"That was my 15th fight here in the octagon," said Sanchez, who dominated his first round with Guida before hanging on for the decision victory. "Aside from the (Josh) Koscheck and (Jon) Fitch fight, which [was] a split decision (loss), I've paid my dues here in the UFC. I just feel [the title shot] is up to (UFC CEO) Lorenzo (Fertitta) and Dana and the UFC. If they feel I'll bring an exciting and entertaining fight they want for a title fight, then they can put me in there. That's their decision and their call, and I respect their judgment.
"But I do feel like I'm the No. 1 contender. I always have."
Sanchez (21-2 MMA, 10-2 UFC), who won the first season of "The Ultimate Fighter" as a middleweight, then dominated the UFC's welterweight division with five consecutive wins before the back-to-back losses to Koscheck and Fitch in 2007. The loss to Koscheck at UFC 69 was more than excusable as Sanchez fought through a nasty staph infection that greatly curtailed his explosiveness and power. White even hinted that he was set to announce Sanchez's retirement from the sport on the eve of UFC 69 because doctors originally misdiagnosed the infection and though his ailment might be life-threatening.
Despite his battle with the infection, Sanchez returned just five months later with both his physical and mental health shaken. He hung tough with Fitch at UFC 76 but dropped a split decision to the then-top contender.
It'd be another half year before Sanchez returned to the cage for a dominant first-round stoppage of David Bielkheden at UFC 82. And after a subsequent TKO of Luigi Fioravanti a year ago today, Sanchez opted to make the drop to 155 pounds.
He was tested immediately and pitted against Joe Stevenson in the UFC 95 main event earlier this year. Stevenson had suffered a bloody submission loss to Kenny Florian three months earlier in a No. 1 contenders fight, but Stevenson remained one of the lightweight division's most accomplished fighters. Sanchez, though, earned the decision victory with ease and swept the scorecards.
Then came the victory over Guida.
"I'm thankful that I get these two experiences before I go for the big one," Sanchez said of the two lightweight fights. "If they do decide to put me in there next line as the top contender, I'll give it everything I have."
Sanchez is looking for a fight with UFC lightweight champ B.J. Penn or top contender Kenny Florian, who headline UFC 101 in August.
His confidence is sky high following the Guida victory, but he admits the scrappy Midwesterner tested his resolve in the first round. Sanchez continually battered his opponent with punches, a head kick that floored Guida and enough ground and pound to open streams of blood from his nose and mouth just a couple minutes into the fight. Sanchez kept kicking, but Guida kept on ticking.
"I hit him with some knees, some kicks, some uppercuts that were right on the button," Sanchez said. "And he just kept on coming. It wasn't discouraging, but I was like, 'Whoa, I need to catch my breath. I've got to let the blood come back to my arms. Let me take a second here.' The guy is known for his conditioning, and he came prepared. I came prepared too, but I wasn't prepared for him to survive the onslaught I put on him in the first round."
Still, he had no doubt about the fight's outcome, even on a night with its fair share of peculiar judges' decisions.
"I knew I won the fight," he said.
Now, Sanchez simply waits with a close eye on the Aug. 8 Penn vs. Florian fight.
"Whatever happens with them, I'm ready," he said. "I hope it's me next in line. I'm ready to put that belt around my waist."
LAS VEGAS – Even before his already epic fight with Clay Guida at The Ultimate Fighter 9 Finale, Diego Sanchez stumped for a lightweight title shot and declared himself the No. 1 contender at 155 pounds.
And now, following Saturday's main event victory at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas, Sanchez hasn't wavered in his belief.
With his split-decision win over Guida, a bout that earned both competitors $25,000 "Fight of the Night" awards, Sanchez said his future is in the hands of the UFC brass. And if UFC President Dana White declares Sanchez title worthy, "Nightmare" is ready for the task at hand.
"That was my 15th fight here in the octagon," said Sanchez, who dominated his first round with Guida before hanging on for the decision victory. "Aside from the (Josh) Koscheck and (Jon) Fitch fight, which [was] a split decision (loss), I've paid my dues here in the UFC. I just feel [the title shot] is up to (UFC CEO) Lorenzo (Fertitta) and Dana and the UFC. If they feel I'll bring an exciting and entertaining fight they want for a title fight, then they can put me in there. That's their decision and their call, and I respect their judgment.
"But I do feel like I'm the No. 1 contender. I always have."
Sanchez (21-2 MMA, 10-2 UFC), who won the first season of "The Ultimate Fighter" as a middleweight, then dominated the UFC's welterweight division with five consecutive wins before the back-to-back losses to Koscheck and Fitch in 2007. The loss to Koscheck at UFC 69 was more than excusable as Sanchez fought through a nasty staph infection that greatly curtailed his explosiveness and power. White even hinted that he was set to announce Sanchez's retirement from the sport on the eve of UFC 69 because doctors originally misdiagnosed the infection and though his ailment might be life-threatening.
Despite his battle with the infection, Sanchez returned just five months later with both his physical and mental health shaken. He hung tough with Fitch at UFC 76 but dropped a split decision to the then-top contender.
It'd be another half year before Sanchez returned to the cage for a dominant first-round stoppage of David Bielkheden at UFC 82. And after a subsequent TKO of Luigi Fioravanti a year ago today, Sanchez opted to make the drop to 155 pounds.
He was tested immediately and pitted against Joe Stevenson in the UFC 95 main event earlier this year. Stevenson had suffered a bloody submission loss to Kenny Florian three months earlier in a No. 1 contenders fight, but Stevenson remained one of the lightweight division's most accomplished fighters. Sanchez, though, earned the decision victory with ease and swept the scorecards.
Then came the victory over Guida.
"I'm thankful that I get these two experiences before I go for the big one," Sanchez said of the two lightweight fights. "If they do decide to put me in there next line as the top contender, I'll give it everything I have."
Sanchez is looking for a fight with UFC lightweight champ B.J. Penn or top contender Kenny Florian, who headline UFC 101 in August.
His confidence is sky high following the Guida victory, but he admits the scrappy Midwesterner tested his resolve in the first round. Sanchez continually battered his opponent with punches, a head kick that floored Guida and enough ground and pound to open streams of blood from his nose and mouth just a couple minutes into the fight. Sanchez kept kicking, but Guida kept on ticking.
"I hit him with some knees, some kicks, some uppercuts that were right on the button," Sanchez said. "And he just kept on coming. It wasn't discouraging, but I was like, 'Whoa, I need to catch my breath. I've got to let the blood come back to my arms. Let me take a second here.' The guy is known for his conditioning, and he came prepared. I came prepared too, but I wasn't prepared for him to survive the onslaught I put on him in the first round."
Still, he had no doubt about the fight's outcome, even on a night with its fair share of peculiar judges' decisions.
"I knew I won the fight," he said.
Now, Sanchez simply waits with a close eye on the Aug. 8 Penn vs. Florian fight.
"Whatever happens with them, I'm ready," he said. "I hope it's me next in line. I'm ready to put that belt around my waist."
As Clay Guida heads back to drawing board, "The Carpenter" hopes to build on narrow loss
LAS VEGAS - After coming up on the wrong end of yet another split-decision result, UFC lightweight Clay Guida (25-10 MMA, 5-4 UFC) knows he must go back to the drawing board.
But with Saturday's loss to Diego Sanchez at The Ultimate Fighter 9 Finale in Las Vegas, Guida delivered his second "Fight of the Year" nominee in just 18 months. And for a fighter who's just 4-4 over his past eight fights, "The Carpenter" once again showed why he's welcome on any major fight card the UFC puts together.
"One word, man: heart," Guida told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) after the bout. "My family. [The fans] are there cheering me on. I'll never stop."
Never is an awfully powerful word that few can back up. Just ask B.J. Penn what happens when you offer to fight "to the death" and are then forced to relent.
For Guida, who saw his immediate dreams of fighting for Penn's UFC lightweight title slip away when the judges' scores were read on Saturday night, "never" is a word he's earned the right to use.
"I looked at my shorts, saw the blood, and it's tough to judge on damage," Guida said following the evening's post-event press conference. "[Sanchez] dropped me a couple of times. I know I rocked him a couple of times and got some takedowns, threw some big elbows and some good ground-and-pound.
"It was an awesome fight. I was ready to go a couple more rounds. I got up and started running around again like a crazy man."
Guida's go-for-broke style has earned him near-legendary status, and his ability to fight through adversity has now confounded judges into offering four split-decision verdicts in his past seven contests.
Guida is 2-2 in those bouts, but just like his December 2008 submission loss to Roger Huerta, he may have gained as much through Saturday's defeat as he would have with a victory.
"No one wants to fight in front of an empty crowd," Guida said. "I wouldn't be doing this if I was fighting by myself. It's about the team, about family, support, and putting a smile on your face and getting back in there.
"I'm going to take a lot away from this fight. I'm going to treat it like the (Roger) Huerta fight, and it's going to be another turning point in my career, I think. Keep those hands up. Watch those kicks. Back to the drawing board. But it's all fun. Once you stop having fun, it's time to look for a new profession."
It's hard to imagine declaring as "fun" any activity in which as much blood is lost as Guida spilled on Saturday night. But similar to his now-famous loss to Huerta, Guida did indeed keep a smile on his face throughout the contest.
"I knew I had to press the pace in the third," Guida said. "I had some good ground-and-pound that might have gotten me the decision, but blood damage looks a lot better.
"I was standing there looking like Antonio Banderas in 'Desperado,' blood across my whole body. It doesn't help. But we had smiles on our face. That's all that matters."
Following the loss to Huerta, Guida bounced by back by rattling off three-straight wins. Refusing to hang his head after narrowly losing out to Sanchez in a contest destined to live on as a classic, Guida predicts a similar result this time around, as well.
"The Roger fight really taught me to find that line between reckless and relentless, and reckless and patience," Guida said. "We found it. I just have to stick to it. You can never let up in there. We went after each other like we didn't like each other. But I've got no hard feelings against anybody. That's what people want to see. People want to see awesome fights like that.
"I still believe that I'm the top fighter in the lightweight division. It's not cocky; it's confident. There's a thin line between that as well. I want to wear that strap one of these days. We're just going to be back to the old drawing board, as they say."
And while Guida will have to wait until a cut that required enough stitches that the "doc lost count" to fully heal, don't expect the relentless fighter to stay on the sidelines for long.
"If you're getting tired in there, you've got to find something else to do," Guida said. "If you can't go for 15 or 25 minutes, you're in the wrong line of work. This isn't a hobby. I love this.
"I didn't feel tired in the fight. I felt awesome. I could have gone two more rounds, three more rounds, whatever. But I have too much fun out there to get tired.
"Once this thing heals, I'm ready."
LAS VEGAS - After coming up on the wrong end of yet another split-decision result, UFC lightweight Clay Guida (25-10 MMA, 5-4 UFC) knows he must go back to the drawing board.
But with Saturday's loss to Diego Sanchez at The Ultimate Fighter 9 Finale in Las Vegas, Guida delivered his second "Fight of the Year" nominee in just 18 months. And for a fighter who's just 4-4 over his past eight fights, "The Carpenter" once again showed why he's welcome on any major fight card the UFC puts together.
"One word, man: heart," Guida told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) after the bout. "My family. [The fans] are there cheering me on. I'll never stop."
Never is an awfully powerful word that few can back up. Just ask B.J. Penn what happens when you offer to fight "to the death" and are then forced to relent.
For Guida, who saw his immediate dreams of fighting for Penn's UFC lightweight title slip away when the judges' scores were read on Saturday night, "never" is a word he's earned the right to use.
"I looked at my shorts, saw the blood, and it's tough to judge on damage," Guida said following the evening's post-event press conference. "[Sanchez] dropped me a couple of times. I know I rocked him a couple of times and got some takedowns, threw some big elbows and some good ground-and-pound.
"It was an awesome fight. I was ready to go a couple more rounds. I got up and started running around again like a crazy man."
Guida's go-for-broke style has earned him near-legendary status, and his ability to fight through adversity has now confounded judges into offering four split-decision verdicts in his past seven contests.
Guida is 2-2 in those bouts, but just like his December 2008 submission loss to Roger Huerta, he may have gained as much through Saturday's defeat as he would have with a victory.
"No one wants to fight in front of an empty crowd," Guida said. "I wouldn't be doing this if I was fighting by myself. It's about the team, about family, support, and putting a smile on your face and getting back in there.
"I'm going to take a lot away from this fight. I'm going to treat it like the (Roger) Huerta fight, and it's going to be another turning point in my career, I think. Keep those hands up. Watch those kicks. Back to the drawing board. But it's all fun. Once you stop having fun, it's time to look for a new profession."
It's hard to imagine declaring as "fun" any activity in which as much blood is lost as Guida spilled on Saturday night. But similar to his now-famous loss to Huerta, Guida did indeed keep a smile on his face throughout the contest.
"I knew I had to press the pace in the third," Guida said. "I had some good ground-and-pound that might have gotten me the decision, but blood damage looks a lot better.
"I was standing there looking like Antonio Banderas in 'Desperado,' blood across my whole body. It doesn't help. But we had smiles on our face. That's all that matters."
Following the loss to Huerta, Guida bounced by back by rattling off three-straight wins. Refusing to hang his head after narrowly losing out to Sanchez in a contest destined to live on as a classic, Guida predicts a similar result this time around, as well.
"The Roger fight really taught me to find that line between reckless and relentless, and reckless and patience," Guida said. "We found it. I just have to stick to it. You can never let up in there. We went after each other like we didn't like each other. But I've got no hard feelings against anybody. That's what people want to see. People want to see awesome fights like that.
"I still believe that I'm the top fighter in the lightweight division. It's not cocky; it's confident. There's a thin line between that as well. I want to wear that strap one of these days. We're just going to be back to the old drawing board, as they say."
And while Guida will have to wait until a cut that required enough stitches that the "doc lost count" to fully heal, don't expect the relentless fighter to stay on the sidelines for long.
"If you're getting tired in there, you've got to find something else to do," Guida said. "If you can't go for 15 or 25 minutes, you're in the wrong line of work. This isn't a hobby. I love this.
"I didn't feel tired in the fight. I felt awesome. I could have gone two more rounds, three more rounds, whatever. But I have too much fun out there to get tired.
"Once this thing heals, I'm ready."
With U.K.'s sweep of TUF 9 Finale, can European "Fight Night" events be far behind?
LAS VEGAS - With James Wilks' impressive submission win over DaMarques Johnson and Ross Pearson's gutsy decision victory over countryman Andre Winner, Michael Bisping's Team U.K. swept the "six-figure contracts" up for grabs in the ninth season of "The Ultimate Fighter."
Now it's up to UFC president Dana White to figure out how best to use his two new European commodities.
With neither fighter ready to challenge their respective division's top contenders, could the UFC be eyeing its first-ever European-based "Fight Night" event?
Over opening his career at just 2-2, Wilks has now put together a four-fight win streak. And while his slick submission game was on full display in Saturday's TUF 9 Finale in Las Vegas, Wilks himself said at the evening's post-event press conference that he needs time to develop before his can challenge the elite fighters at 170 pounds.
"I'm prepared to fight whoever [the UFC] put in front of me, but I definitely don't think I'm there yet to fight top guys, by any means," Wilks said. "The UFC's got great fighters in every weight category, but the welterweight is particularly tough.
"I'll just have to fight whoever they put in front of me. I'm prepared to do that, and I think it will just take me a year or two to be able to get to that top level."
Similarly, Pearson has now won eight of his past nine official bouts. But neither current lightweight champion B.J. Penn nor current No. 1 contender Kenny Florian – not to mention Saturday's main card fighters Diego Sanchez, Clay Guida, Joe Stevenson and Nate Diaz – would seem likely opponents for the new "TUF" champion.
But what can the UFC do with Wilks during that developmental period?
The series' previous welterweight winners have proven a mixed bag of results. Mac Danzig earned the title in the sixth edition of the series after defeating Tom Speer with a first-round submission. But Danzig promptly dropped to lightweight, where he has since put together just a 1-2 record.
Matt Serra famously earned the series' fourth season title at welterweight – not to mention the UFC's welterweight title – but "The Terror" has since dropped back-to-back contests to Georges St. Pierre and Matt Hughes.
Stevenson was the original welterweight winner of "The Ultimate Fighter, " scoring the title in the second edition of the series. But he, too, has since moved down to the lightweight division.
Wilks' 6-foot-1 frame makes him an unlikely candidate to follow in Danzig and Stenson's footsteps in a move to 155-pounds, but putting him in with top contenders Thiago Alves, Jon Fitch, Martin Kampmann Josh Koscheck or Mike Swick hardly seems fair right now. Ditto for relative newcomers Carlos Condit and Paulo Thiago, or even recent mainstays like Dustin Hazelett and Marcus Davis. And countryman Dan Hardy? Why ruin one British fighter as you continue your aggressive expansion into the market?
With those pay-per-view stalwarts out of the equation, the UFC is forced to seek out potential contests for Wilks in the likes of Brad Blackburn, Matt Brown, Rory Markham and Tamdan McCrory. While the organization may have a tough time selling any of those matchups on the main card of a pay-per-view, a "Fight Night" slot, especially in Europe, could prove a win-win situation for all parties involved.
While European fans are guaranteed to be fed a steady diet of Terry Etim, Hardy, Rick Hathaway, Paul Kelly, Dennis Siver, Stefan Struve and Paul Taylor in the coming months and years, an influx of developing talent like Wilks, Pearson and "TUF 9" semifinalist Nick Osipczak could prove beneficial for the marketing of future European events.
And with the more compact venues, smaller live gates and decreased buy rates typical of the UFC's European-based pay-per-view events, the "Fight Night" model, broadcast live or via tape-delay on Spike TV in the U.S. and live in Europe on the myriad broadcast partners the UFC continues to secure overseas, may prove the most manageable for the organization and fairest way to bring along it's newly identified talent, especially considering their country of origin.
Pearson finds himself in a similar spot.
Season eight lightweight winner Efrain Escudero has yet to fight again since earning the title, so the blueprint for a "TUF" winner at 155-pounds. Diaz followed up his "TUF" title with wins over Junior Assuncao, Alvin Robinson, Kurt Pellegrino and Josh Neer – the type of contest that would perhaps proveide more value to the UFC, and Pearson, were it staged in Europe
While both Wilks and Pearson said they'd be happy to fight wherever their employer decides, the "TUF 9" lightweight winner admitted he's excited for a chance to fight on the other side of The Pond.
"I'd love to fight back home, back in England, get some support back in England with my fans there," Pearson said.
While the UFC is already rumored to return to Manchester, England, in November, White promised fans at a UFC 99 Fan Club Q&A session that the organization would be back in the U.K. in October.
With the majority of the organization's marquee talent tied up with already announced bouts ranging from July's UFC 100 to October's date in Los Angeles – not to mention the need to provide pay-per-view-selling bouts should a November date in England come to fruition – the time may be right for a European-based "Fight Night" event.
And with Wilks and Pearson being crowned the organization's first British "TUF" champions since Michael Bisping won the third season three years ago, the timing may also never be better.
LAS VEGAS - With James Wilks' impressive submission win over DaMarques Johnson and Ross Pearson's gutsy decision victory over countryman Andre Winner, Michael Bisping's Team U.K. swept the "six-figure contracts" up for grabs in the ninth season of "The Ultimate Fighter."
Now it's up to UFC president Dana White to figure out how best to use his two new European commodities.
With neither fighter ready to challenge their respective division's top contenders, could the UFC be eyeing its first-ever European-based "Fight Night" event?
Over opening his career at just 2-2, Wilks has now put together a four-fight win streak. And while his slick submission game was on full display in Saturday's TUF 9 Finale in Las Vegas, Wilks himself said at the evening's post-event press conference that he needs time to develop before his can challenge the elite fighters at 170 pounds.
"I'm prepared to fight whoever [the UFC] put in front of me, but I definitely don't think I'm there yet to fight top guys, by any means," Wilks said. "The UFC's got great fighters in every weight category, but the welterweight is particularly tough.
"I'll just have to fight whoever they put in front of me. I'm prepared to do that, and I think it will just take me a year or two to be able to get to that top level."
Similarly, Pearson has now won eight of his past nine official bouts. But neither current lightweight champion B.J. Penn nor current No. 1 contender Kenny Florian – not to mention Saturday's main card fighters Diego Sanchez, Clay Guida, Joe Stevenson and Nate Diaz – would seem likely opponents for the new "TUF" champion.
But what can the UFC do with Wilks during that developmental period?
The series' previous welterweight winners have proven a mixed bag of results. Mac Danzig earned the title in the sixth edition of the series after defeating Tom Speer with a first-round submission. But Danzig promptly dropped to lightweight, where he has since put together just a 1-2 record.
Matt Serra famously earned the series' fourth season title at welterweight – not to mention the UFC's welterweight title – but "The Terror" has since dropped back-to-back contests to Georges St. Pierre and Matt Hughes.
Stevenson was the original welterweight winner of "The Ultimate Fighter, " scoring the title in the second edition of the series. But he, too, has since moved down to the lightweight division.
Wilks' 6-foot-1 frame makes him an unlikely candidate to follow in Danzig and Stenson's footsteps in a move to 155-pounds, but putting him in with top contenders Thiago Alves, Jon Fitch, Martin Kampmann Josh Koscheck or Mike Swick hardly seems fair right now. Ditto for relative newcomers Carlos Condit and Paulo Thiago, or even recent mainstays like Dustin Hazelett and Marcus Davis. And countryman Dan Hardy? Why ruin one British fighter as you continue your aggressive expansion into the market?
With those pay-per-view stalwarts out of the equation, the UFC is forced to seek out potential contests for Wilks in the likes of Brad Blackburn, Matt Brown, Rory Markham and Tamdan McCrory. While the organization may have a tough time selling any of those matchups on the main card of a pay-per-view, a "Fight Night" slot, especially in Europe, could prove a win-win situation for all parties involved.
While European fans are guaranteed to be fed a steady diet of Terry Etim, Hardy, Rick Hathaway, Paul Kelly, Dennis Siver, Stefan Struve and Paul Taylor in the coming months and years, an influx of developing talent like Wilks, Pearson and "TUF 9" semifinalist Nick Osipczak could prove beneficial for the marketing of future European events.
And with the more compact venues, smaller live gates and decreased buy rates typical of the UFC's European-based pay-per-view events, the "Fight Night" model, broadcast live or via tape-delay on Spike TV in the U.S. and live in Europe on the myriad broadcast partners the UFC continues to secure overseas, may prove the most manageable for the organization and fairest way to bring along it's newly identified talent, especially considering their country of origin.
Pearson finds himself in a similar spot.
Season eight lightweight winner Efrain Escudero has yet to fight again since earning the title, so the blueprint for a "TUF" winner at 155-pounds. Diaz followed up his "TUF" title with wins over Junior Assuncao, Alvin Robinson, Kurt Pellegrino and Josh Neer – the type of contest that would perhaps proveide more value to the UFC, and Pearson, were it staged in Europe
While both Wilks and Pearson said they'd be happy to fight wherever their employer decides, the "TUF 9" lightweight winner admitted he's excited for a chance to fight on the other side of The Pond.
"I'd love to fight back home, back in England, get some support back in England with my fans there," Pearson said.
While the UFC is already rumored to return to Manchester, England, in November, White promised fans at a UFC 99 Fan Club Q&A session that the organization would be back in the U.K. in October.
With the majority of the organization's marquee talent tied up with already announced bouts ranging from July's UFC 100 to October's date in Los Angeles – not to mention the need to provide pay-per-view-selling bouts should a November date in England come to fruition – the time may be right for a European-based "Fight Night" event.
And with Wilks and Pearson being crowned the organization's first British "TUF" champions since Michael Bisping won the third season three years ago, the timing may also never be better.
JZ Cavalcante Vs. Eddie Alvarez Confirmed For DREAM 11
MMANews.com can confirm that JZ Cavalcante will be returning to action in September to take on Eddie Alvarez in light weight action at DREAM 11 in Japan.
Cavalcante's management confirmed the bout with MMANews.com earlier today.
The bout will take place on September 23rd in Tokyo on a card that will also feature the semi finals of the DREAM Featherweight Grand Prix.
Cavalcante, 14-3-1, will look to get back to his winning ways after suffering two straight losses to Shinya Aoki and Tatsuya Kawajiri. Injuries have plague the stand out 155lber, he has only fought 3 time since New Years Eve in 2007.
Alvarez, holds an 18-2 record, and is hot off winning the Bellator Fight Championships Lightweight tournament this past weekend.
The two fighters have fought a who's who of top lightweights and both are typically ranked in the top ten lightweights in the world.
MMANews.com can confirm that JZ Cavalcante will be returning to action in September to take on Eddie Alvarez in light weight action at DREAM 11 in Japan.
Cavalcante's management confirmed the bout with MMANews.com earlier today.
The bout will take place on September 23rd in Tokyo on a card that will also feature the semi finals of the DREAM Featherweight Grand Prix.
Cavalcante, 14-3-1, will look to get back to his winning ways after suffering two straight losses to Shinya Aoki and Tatsuya Kawajiri. Injuries have plague the stand out 155lber, he has only fought 3 time since New Years Eve in 2007.
Alvarez, holds an 18-2 record, and is hot off winning the Bellator Fight Championships Lightweight tournament this past weekend.
The two fighters have fought a who's who of top lightweights and both are typically ranked in the top ten lightweights in the world.
WHITE BACKS OFF ON LIDDELL RETIREMENT... SORT OF
Although he all but handed Chuck Liddell a gold watch following the former UFC light heavyweight champion's devastating TKO loss at the hands of Mauricio "Shogun" Rua, UFC president Dana White took a step back from the retirement talk on Saturday night... sort of.
At the UFC 97 post-fight press conference, following the Liddell's loss to Shogun, White stated, "At the end of the day, I care about these guys. I don't want to see anybody stick around too long. You're never going to see Chuck Liddell on the canvas again."
The loss was Liddell's fourth in his last five starts, three of those losses by way of knockout or TKO, after all.
During the telecast for The Ultimate Fighter Team U.S.A. vs. Team U.K. Finale, White was asked about Liddell's pending retirement, to which he answered, "I'm not his father, he can do whatever the hell he wants to do. I'm his friend and I care about him a lot, and I'd never like to see him fight again."
Much more subdued than his seemingly definitive statement after UFC 97.
For his part, Liddell has never fully committed to the idea of retiring. At the same post-fight press conference where White might his initial statements, he answered questions of retirement, saying, "That's probably safe to say, but I'm not gonna make any decisions until I go home and talk to everybody, talk to all my people, my friends."
And now, two months later, there still has been no official statement from Liddell on whether he will or won't retire. It's obvious, without any public comment, that it hasn't been any easy decision for the former champion, whichever direction he ultimately chooses.
If he does decide to continue fighting, he is still under contract with the UFC, and it's unlikely that he will ever adorn the fight card of a competing promotion.
Although he all but handed Chuck Liddell a gold watch following the former UFC light heavyweight champion's devastating TKO loss at the hands of Mauricio "Shogun" Rua, UFC president Dana White took a step back from the retirement talk on Saturday night... sort of.
At the UFC 97 post-fight press conference, following the Liddell's loss to Shogun, White stated, "At the end of the day, I care about these guys. I don't want to see anybody stick around too long. You're never going to see Chuck Liddell on the canvas again."
The loss was Liddell's fourth in his last five starts, three of those losses by way of knockout or TKO, after all.
During the telecast for The Ultimate Fighter Team U.S.A. vs. Team U.K. Finale, White was asked about Liddell's pending retirement, to which he answered, "I'm not his father, he can do whatever the hell he wants to do. I'm his friend and I care about him a lot, and I'd never like to see him fight again."
Much more subdued than his seemingly definitive statement after UFC 97.
For his part, Liddell has never fully committed to the idea of retiring. At the same post-fight press conference where White might his initial statements, he answered questions of retirement, saying, "That's probably safe to say, but I'm not gonna make any decisions until I go home and talk to everybody, talk to all my people, my friends."
And now, two months later, there still has been no official statement from Liddell on whether he will or won't retire. It's obvious, without any public comment, that it hasn't been any easy decision for the former champion, whichever direction he ultimately chooses.
If he does decide to continue fighting, he is still under contract with the UFC, and it's unlikely that he will ever adorn the fight card of a competing promotion.
ULTIMATE FIGHTER 9 FIGHTER SALARIES; DIEGO TOPS
MMAWeekly has obtained the fighter salary information from the Nevada State Athletic Commission for The Ultimate Fighter Season 9 Finale featuring the lightweight battle between Diego Sanchez and Clay Guida, which took place on Saturday, June 20, at the Palms in Las Vegas.
The following figures are based on the fighter salary information that promoters are required by law to submit to the state athletic commissions, including the winners' bonuses.
Although mixed martial arts fighters do not have collective bargaining or a union, the fighters' salaries are still public record, just as with every other major sport in the United States. Any undisclosed bonuses that a promoter also pays its fighters, but does not disclose to the athletic commissions (specifically, pay-per-view bonuses, fight of the night bonuses, etc.), are not included in the figures below.
In the listings below, "Main Event Fighters" are defined as fighters who compete in the main event of a show. "Main Card Fighters" are defined as fighters whose fights appear on the main card, but not in the main event. "Preliminary Card Fighters" are defined as fighters whose matches take place before the main card goes on the air, regardless of whether or not those matches end up airing on the TV or Internet broadcast.
MAIN EVENT FIGHTERS
-Diego Sanchez $90,000 (includes $45,000 win bonus) def. Clay Guida $23,000 (win bonus would have been $23,000)
*Sanchez and Guida each earned an additional $25,000 for Fight of the Night
MAIN CARD FIGHTERS
-James Wilks $16,000 (includes $8,000 win bonus) def. DaMarques Johnson $8,000 (win bonus would have been $8,000)
-Chris Lytle $36,000 (includes $18,000 win bonus) def. Kevin Burns $9,000 (win bonus would have been $9,000)
*Lytle and Burns each earned an additional $25,000 for Fight of the Night
-Ross Pearson $16,000 (includes $8,000 win bonus) def. Andre Winner $8,000 (win bonus would have been $8,000)
-Joe Stevenson $70,000 (includes $35,000 win bonus) def. Nate Diaz $20,000 (win bonus would have been $20,000)
*Stevenson and Diaz each earned an additional $25,000 for Fight of the Night
PRELIMINARY CARD FIGHTERS
-Melvin Guillard $24,000 (includes $12,000 win bonus) def. Gleison Tibau $17,000 (win bonus would have been $17,000)
-Brad Blackburn $18,000 (includes $9,000 win bonus) def. Edgar Garcia $5,000 (win bonus would have been $5,000)
-Tomasz Drwal $15,600 (includes $7,000 win bonus) def. Mike Ciesnoleviscz $6,400 (win bonus would have been $8,000)
*Ciesnoleviscz had to give 20% of his show money or $1,600 to Drwal for failing to make weight, which is reflected in the amounts here.
-Nick Osipczak $16,000 (includes $8,000 win bonus) def. Frank Lester $8,000 (win bonus would have been $8,000)
-Jason Dent $16,000 (includes $8,000 win bonus) def. Cameron Dollar $8,000 (win bonus would have been $8,000)
ULTIMATE FIGHTER 9 FINALE DISCLOSED FIGHTER PAYROLL: $430,000
*Disclosed Payroll Does Not Include Bonuses
ULTIMATE FIGHTER 9 FINALE AWARDS & BONUSES
(Each fighter was awarded $25,000)
Fights of the Night (first time that three bonuses were awarded):
-Diego Sanchez and Clay Guida
-Chris Lytle and Kevin Burns
-Joe Stevenson and Nate Diaz
Knockout of the Night:
-Tomasz Drwal
Submission of the Night:
-Jason Dent
MMAWeekly has obtained the fighter salary information from the Nevada State Athletic Commission for The Ultimate Fighter Season 9 Finale featuring the lightweight battle between Diego Sanchez and Clay Guida, which took place on Saturday, June 20, at the Palms in Las Vegas.
The following figures are based on the fighter salary information that promoters are required by law to submit to the state athletic commissions, including the winners' bonuses.
Although mixed martial arts fighters do not have collective bargaining or a union, the fighters' salaries are still public record, just as with every other major sport in the United States. Any undisclosed bonuses that a promoter also pays its fighters, but does not disclose to the athletic commissions (specifically, pay-per-view bonuses, fight of the night bonuses, etc.), are not included in the figures below.
In the listings below, "Main Event Fighters" are defined as fighters who compete in the main event of a show. "Main Card Fighters" are defined as fighters whose fights appear on the main card, but not in the main event. "Preliminary Card Fighters" are defined as fighters whose matches take place before the main card goes on the air, regardless of whether or not those matches end up airing on the TV or Internet broadcast.
MAIN EVENT FIGHTERS
-Diego Sanchez $90,000 (includes $45,000 win bonus) def. Clay Guida $23,000 (win bonus would have been $23,000)
*Sanchez and Guida each earned an additional $25,000 for Fight of the Night
MAIN CARD FIGHTERS
-James Wilks $16,000 (includes $8,000 win bonus) def. DaMarques Johnson $8,000 (win bonus would have been $8,000)
-Chris Lytle $36,000 (includes $18,000 win bonus) def. Kevin Burns $9,000 (win bonus would have been $9,000)
*Lytle and Burns each earned an additional $25,000 for Fight of the Night
-Ross Pearson $16,000 (includes $8,000 win bonus) def. Andre Winner $8,000 (win bonus would have been $8,000)
-Joe Stevenson $70,000 (includes $35,000 win bonus) def. Nate Diaz $20,000 (win bonus would have been $20,000)
*Stevenson and Diaz each earned an additional $25,000 for Fight of the Night
PRELIMINARY CARD FIGHTERS
-Melvin Guillard $24,000 (includes $12,000 win bonus) def. Gleison Tibau $17,000 (win bonus would have been $17,000)
-Brad Blackburn $18,000 (includes $9,000 win bonus) def. Edgar Garcia $5,000 (win bonus would have been $5,000)
-Tomasz Drwal $15,600 (includes $7,000 win bonus) def. Mike Ciesnoleviscz $6,400 (win bonus would have been $8,000)
*Ciesnoleviscz had to give 20% of his show money or $1,600 to Drwal for failing to make weight, which is reflected in the amounts here.
-Nick Osipczak $16,000 (includes $8,000 win bonus) def. Frank Lester $8,000 (win bonus would have been $8,000)
-Jason Dent $16,000 (includes $8,000 win bonus) def. Cameron Dollar $8,000 (win bonus would have been $8,000)
ULTIMATE FIGHTER 9 FINALE DISCLOSED FIGHTER PAYROLL: $430,000
*Disclosed Payroll Does Not Include Bonuses
ULTIMATE FIGHTER 9 FINALE AWARDS & BONUSES
(Each fighter was awarded $25,000)
Fights of the Night (first time that three bonuses were awarded):
-Diego Sanchez and Clay Guida
-Chris Lytle and Kevin Burns
-Joe Stevenson and Nate Diaz
Knockout of the Night:
-Tomasz Drwal
Submission of the Night:
-Jason Dent
WAMMA keeps up the fight
WAMMA is still standing.
Despite the departures of Chief Operating Officer Mike Lynch, founding board member Pat Miletich and Sam Caplan, who served as chair of the organization's ranking committee and COO in separate stints, the fledgling MMA sanctioning body remains open for business.
Following the resignations of the aforementioned trio and a number of journalists from the fighter rankings committee last month, it was widely speculated in the MMA industry that the demise of the World Alliance of Mixed Martial Arts was all but assured. (Disclosure: The four MMAjunkie.com representatives who served on the rankings committee have resigned.) However, the start-up company is forging ahead and planning to be associated with Affliction's third show, Trilogy, in August.
"As the famous quote says, 'The rumors of my death have been greatly exaggerated,'" said Dave Szady, CEO of WAMMA. "WAMMA is still in a tremendous position in the sport of MMA. We have had some setbacks with departures. However, even some of those can be corrected. For example, Mike Lynch is now heavily involved with WAMMA as a consultant. Pat Miletich also remains a strong believer in all of the objectives … and all of the goals of WAMMA. After all, a lot of them come from his thinking about what the sport actually needs."
While Lynch left to pursue a new business venture, an issue of compensation drove Miletich's separation from WAMMA. WAMMA, which was launched on two rounds of private funding, has yet to secure a source of revenue. The organization has been forced to reduce expenses and cut salaries.
"We can't ask Pat or anybody else to continue to work for stock or work for the future without being able to give them something in return," Szady said.
As recently as April, WAMMA appeared to be on the verge of signing its first sponsor in a move that Lynch told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) at the time would, "go a long way to forming up our credibility, not only in the sport, but with corporate America." Lynch characterized the deal as imminent, but nearly two months later, it has yet to be signed.
Szady blames the slumping economy, not the organization's recent turmoil, for the delay in getting a deal done.
"We are still talking to them, and it may be scaled down from where we were going to go with it at first and probably starting at a lower, slower level and growing from there," he said. "Because of where we sit within the MMA world, we still feel confident about sponsors and advertisers, particularly since we have a strong association with Affliction."
Thus far, potential sponsors simply don't share Szady's enthusiasm for WAMMA's future. The reality is that WAMMA's cash is dwindling, and seeking a third round of funding is an unlikely near-term option. Venture capital deals in the first quarter of this year were at their lowest level since 1995.
Regardless of what MMA fans think about the need for a sanctioning body in MMA, WAMMA can't survive much longer without generating revenue.
WAMMA is still standing.
Despite the departures of Chief Operating Officer Mike Lynch, founding board member Pat Miletich and Sam Caplan, who served as chair of the organization's ranking committee and COO in separate stints, the fledgling MMA sanctioning body remains open for business.
Following the resignations of the aforementioned trio and a number of journalists from the fighter rankings committee last month, it was widely speculated in the MMA industry that the demise of the World Alliance of Mixed Martial Arts was all but assured. (Disclosure: The four MMAjunkie.com representatives who served on the rankings committee have resigned.) However, the start-up company is forging ahead and planning to be associated with Affliction's third show, Trilogy, in August.
"As the famous quote says, 'The rumors of my death have been greatly exaggerated,'" said Dave Szady, CEO of WAMMA. "WAMMA is still in a tremendous position in the sport of MMA. We have had some setbacks with departures. However, even some of those can be corrected. For example, Mike Lynch is now heavily involved with WAMMA as a consultant. Pat Miletich also remains a strong believer in all of the objectives … and all of the goals of WAMMA. After all, a lot of them come from his thinking about what the sport actually needs."
While Lynch left to pursue a new business venture, an issue of compensation drove Miletich's separation from WAMMA. WAMMA, which was launched on two rounds of private funding, has yet to secure a source of revenue. The organization has been forced to reduce expenses and cut salaries.
"We can't ask Pat or anybody else to continue to work for stock or work for the future without being able to give them something in return," Szady said.
As recently as April, WAMMA appeared to be on the verge of signing its first sponsor in a move that Lynch told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) at the time would, "go a long way to forming up our credibility, not only in the sport, but with corporate America." Lynch characterized the deal as imminent, but nearly two months later, it has yet to be signed.
Szady blames the slumping economy, not the organization's recent turmoil, for the delay in getting a deal done.
"We are still talking to them, and it may be scaled down from where we were going to go with it at first and probably starting at a lower, slower level and growing from there," he said. "Because of where we sit within the MMA world, we still feel confident about sponsors and advertisers, particularly since we have a strong association with Affliction."
Thus far, potential sponsors simply don't share Szady's enthusiasm for WAMMA's future. The reality is that WAMMA's cash is dwindling, and seeking a third round of funding is an unlikely near-term option. Venture capital deals in the first quarter of this year were at their lowest level since 1995.
Regardless of what MMA fans think about the need for a sanctioning body in MMA, WAMMA can't survive much longer without generating revenue.
Mixed Martial Arts LLC does business with Bing
Mixed Martial Arts LLC has inked a deal with Microsoft to provide MMA fighter information for the software company's new Bing search engine.
The MMA company has been online since 1999 and currently hosts www.mixedmartialarts.com. The deal with Microsoft marks a significant milestone in its history. Mixed Martial Arts LLC calls the agreement a "data partnership" in which it provides fighter information, including photo, age, height, weight and record, for users searching on Bing.com and msn.com Web pages linked to Bing Search.
"We provide a feed for the top 5,000 fighters in our database," said Chris Palmquist, Mixed Martial Arts LLC partner. "It's always good to associate your brand with another top brand, and everybody knows who Microsoft is. We're also trying to do deals with other bigger sites, like CBS, Yahoo! and Fox Sports."
The one-year pact doesn't generate direct revenue for Mixed Martial Arts LLC, but an affiliation with a company of Microsoft's ilk is the type of credibility-building deal that could open doors to future business opportunities.
Mixed Martial Arts LLC has inked a deal with Microsoft to provide MMA fighter information for the software company's new Bing search engine.
The MMA company has been online since 1999 and currently hosts www.mixedmartialarts.com. The deal with Microsoft marks a significant milestone in its history. Mixed Martial Arts LLC calls the agreement a "data partnership" in which it provides fighter information, including photo, age, height, weight and record, for users searching on Bing.com and msn.com Web pages linked to Bing Search.
"We provide a feed for the top 5,000 fighters in our database," said Chris Palmquist, Mixed Martial Arts LLC partner. "It's always good to associate your brand with another top brand, and everybody knows who Microsoft is. We're also trying to do deals with other bigger sites, like CBS, Yahoo! and Fox Sports."
The one-year pact doesn't generate direct revenue for Mixed Martial Arts LLC, but an affiliation with a company of Microsoft's ilk is the type of credibility-building deal that could open doors to future business opportunities.
UFC rep: UFC returning to Germany in 2010
With its first-ever event in Germany now in the books, the Ultimate Fighting Championship is planning a return trip to the country.
The UFC was met with a lukewarm welcome when it hosted UFC 99 in Cologne, Germany, on June 13; the media panned the sport of mixed martial arts (sometimes with a botched understanding of its safety record and rules), and minors were banned from attending the show.
However, UFC 99 co-promoter Marek Lieberberg told Fighters Only the UFC isn't deterred and that a second German show could be held in Oberhausen in April 2010.
The event could take place at König Pilsener Arena, a 13,000-seat venue located in western Germany near the neighboring countries of the Netherlands and Belgium.
As we discussed in today's MMAjunkie.com Fight Biz, the UFC continually will need to educate residents of new locations as the organization continues its international growth.
"I think we always anticipate, any time we go into any new territory, that these kinds of questions are going to be asked," UFC U.K. Division President Marshall Zelaznik said of Germany. "I think the thing that was probably most surprising was the lack of research, as it were, that some of the media and politicians were willing to do before they came out with opinions on this. It seems that they took the first story that was the old story from 1997 about no rules, etc., and everyone ran with that without doing any research."
In addition to some likely U.K. shows later this year, the UFC is also expected to make it debut in France within the next year. UFC officials have also mentioned the possibility of doing shows in the Philippines, Japan and even Italy, Spain and Australia.
With its first-ever event in Germany now in the books, the Ultimate Fighting Championship is planning a return trip to the country.
The UFC was met with a lukewarm welcome when it hosted UFC 99 in Cologne, Germany, on June 13; the media panned the sport of mixed martial arts (sometimes with a botched understanding of its safety record and rules), and minors were banned from attending the show.
However, UFC 99 co-promoter Marek Lieberberg told Fighters Only the UFC isn't deterred and that a second German show could be held in Oberhausen in April 2010.
The event could take place at König Pilsener Arena, a 13,000-seat venue located in western Germany near the neighboring countries of the Netherlands and Belgium.
As we discussed in today's MMAjunkie.com Fight Biz, the UFC continually will need to educate residents of new locations as the organization continues its international growth.
"I think we always anticipate, any time we go into any new territory, that these kinds of questions are going to be asked," UFC U.K. Division President Marshall Zelaznik said of Germany. "I think the thing that was probably most surprising was the lack of research, as it were, that some of the media and politicians were willing to do before they came out with opinions on this. It seems that they took the first story that was the old story from 1997 about no rules, etc., and everyone ran with that without doing any research."
In addition to some likely U.K. shows later this year, the UFC is also expected to make it debut in France within the next year. UFC officials have also mentioned the possibility of doing shows in the Philippines, Japan and even Italy, Spain and Australia.
Rumored DREAM.11 bout between Eddie Alvarez and Gesias "JZ" Cavalcante "doubtful"
A rumored DREAM.11 bout between lightweights Eddie Alvarez (18-2) and Gesias "JZ" Cavalcante (14-3-1) is not yet a done deal and is unlikely to happen.
A representative for Cavalcante recently issued an email stating the fight has been "confirmed" for the Sept. 23 card, which takes place in Saitama, Japan.
However, according to a spokesperson for Alvarez, who won Bellator Fighting Championships' first-ever lightweight title this past weekend, the fight is "doubtful" given the fighter's busy schedule and his Bellator commitments.
The fight is unlikely because Alvarez just had his "seventh fight in just over a year and third in three months," veteran fight agent Monte Cox told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com). "Also, Bellator owns the rights and probably won't allow their champ to fight elsewhere."
Alvarez, who's quickly risen up the worldwide lightweight rankings, on Saturday defeated Toby Imada at Bellator's season-ending Week 12 show. Alvarez defeated Greg Loughran, Eric Reynolds and Imada to win Bellator's eight-man lightweight tournament and the organization's first-ever title at 155 pounds. Alvarez, the tournament favorite, posted submissions wins in all three fights during the three-month span.
The Philadelphia-based fighter is now 8-1 in his past nine fights. Eight of the fights have come in his past 17 months.
The first challenger for Alvarez's title could be determined by a season-two lightweight tourney. Bellator's sophomore series is expected to commence in September or October.
Cavalcante, meanwhile, recently returned from a year-long layoff to fight at DREAM.9, where he lost to Tatsuya Kawajiri via unanimous decision. Once of the division's top-ranked competitors, the American Top Team fighter is now 0-2 with one no-contest in his past three fights after posting a 13-fight unbeaten streak from September 2004 to September 2007.
A rumored DREAM.11 bout between lightweights Eddie Alvarez (18-2) and Gesias "JZ" Cavalcante (14-3-1) is not yet a done deal and is unlikely to happen.
A representative for Cavalcante recently issued an email stating the fight has been "confirmed" for the Sept. 23 card, which takes place in Saitama, Japan.
However, according to a spokesperson for Alvarez, who won Bellator Fighting Championships' first-ever lightweight title this past weekend, the fight is "doubtful" given the fighter's busy schedule and his Bellator commitments.
The fight is unlikely because Alvarez just had his "seventh fight in just over a year and third in three months," veteran fight agent Monte Cox told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com). "Also, Bellator owns the rights and probably won't allow their champ to fight elsewhere."
Alvarez, who's quickly risen up the worldwide lightweight rankings, on Saturday defeated Toby Imada at Bellator's season-ending Week 12 show. Alvarez defeated Greg Loughran, Eric Reynolds and Imada to win Bellator's eight-man lightweight tournament and the organization's first-ever title at 155 pounds. Alvarez, the tournament favorite, posted submissions wins in all three fights during the three-month span.
The Philadelphia-based fighter is now 8-1 in his past nine fights. Eight of the fights have come in his past 17 months.
The first challenger for Alvarez's title could be determined by a season-two lightweight tourney. Bellator's sophomore series is expected to commence in September or October.
Cavalcante, meanwhile, recently returned from a year-long layoff to fight at DREAM.9, where he lost to Tatsuya Kawajiri via unanimous decision. Once of the division's top-ranked competitors, the American Top Team fighter is now 0-2 with one no-contest in his past three fights after posting a 13-fight unbeaten streak from September 2004 to September 2007.
Ricardo Arona Returns to MMA Competition in Brazil on Sept. 12
Ricardo Arona: Well, what I have confirmed by now is the ADCC in Barcelona, Spain. I'm confirmed to fight in there. It's gonna happen in September 24th. Also I've spoken with Amaury Bitteti who is promoting a large MMA event in Rio de Janeiro, Bitteti Combat. I'm signed with this event, it'll be in September 12nd.
I'm doing the right things that are needed to be the champion. A lot of boxing, jiu-jitsu, wrestling, a little bit of each discipline, doing the right thing.
I'll come back, for sure. My life has no sense if I don't fight. I don't fight for two years and I fight since I was 15, I stayed away from fights for two years and it had no fun at all. As long as I'm alive and healthy I'll be fighting.
I'll come back like an animal, with blood in the eyes, just like I always do.
Ricardo Arona: Well, what I have confirmed by now is the ADCC in Barcelona, Spain. I'm confirmed to fight in there. It's gonna happen in September 24th. Also I've spoken with Amaury Bitteti who is promoting a large MMA event in Rio de Janeiro, Bitteti Combat. I'm signed with this event, it'll be in September 12nd.
I'm doing the right things that are needed to be the champion. A lot of boxing, jiu-jitsu, wrestling, a little bit of each discipline, doing the right thing.
I'll come back, for sure. My life has no sense if I don't fight. I don't fight for two years and I fight since I was 15, I stayed away from fights for two years and it had no fun at all. As long as I'm alive and healthy I'll be fighting.
I'll come back like an animal, with blood in the eyes, just like I always do.
Demian talks Wanderlei’s loss to Franklin
Every time that Demian Maia goes to the United States, he chooses Las Vegas as his destiny, to train with Wanderlei Silva. Earlier this month, the Axe Murderer faced his third loss in the UFC octagon, against Rich Franklin at UFC 99. After Wanderlei recognizes the overtraining for the bout, Demian, who also trains with Rafael Alejarra, commented the fight.
“Alejarra spoke with me that he was trying to hold him, but he probably overtrained a little. It’s bad, of course. The fight has many factors and, if you change it, it puts you in a bad situation”, commented the black belt, commenting, also, the polemical result of the fight. “It’s hard for the UFC to set a draw, but they could have make (Silva vs. Franklin) a draw. Maybe Franklin’s knockdown on Wanderlei decided it, but I think it could have been a draw. It was a great fight, I think Wanderlei was better technically, all closed. Now is time to adapt to the weight”.
Every time that Demian Maia goes to the United States, he chooses Las Vegas as his destiny, to train with Wanderlei Silva. Earlier this month, the Axe Murderer faced his third loss in the UFC octagon, against Rich Franklin at UFC 99. After Wanderlei recognizes the overtraining for the bout, Demian, who also trains with Rafael Alejarra, commented the fight.
“Alejarra spoke with me that he was trying to hold him, but he probably overtrained a little. It’s bad, of course. The fight has many factors and, if you change it, it puts you in a bad situation”, commented the black belt, commenting, also, the polemical result of the fight. “It’s hard for the UFC to set a draw, but they could have make (Silva vs. Franklin) a draw. Maybe Franklin’s knockdown on Wanderlei decided it, but I think it could have been a draw. It was a great fight, I think Wanderlei was better technically, all closed. Now is time to adapt to the weight”.
Boxing coach excited for Nogueira x Couture
Considered a lucky charm by Rodrigo “Minotauro” Nogueira, Luiz Alves will be back to the heavyweight’s corner in August 28th, when the Brazilian faces Randy Couture at UFC 102. And the coach is excited with the bout. “I always said that this would be a good fight for Minotauro, because he has great chances to submit. Randy doesn’t know a lot about the ground fight, and if he tries to strike, he’ll lose. He’ll grab at the fence and try to go to the ground, where I believe Minotauro submits”, bets Alves, who’ll meet Nogueira next month, in the US.
“The boss is there. I have to go there early July and stay there for a couple of months with him. We’ll wait the definition of Rogério (“Minotoro” Nogueira)’s fight at Affliction, which is 90% confirmed, but still have no opponent, and then we’ll all train with Minotauro in the mountains”, reveals the coach, who was out of Rodrigo’s corner in the Frank Mir fight, when the Brazilian was knocked out for the first time in the career. “I have a lot of things to do here in Brazil, but when he calls me I’ll be there. He’s training at San Diego and I couldn’t talk with him yet, but Anderson Silva called me asking when I’ll be there”, finished the Luiz.
Considered a lucky charm by Rodrigo “Minotauro” Nogueira, Luiz Alves will be back to the heavyweight’s corner in August 28th, when the Brazilian faces Randy Couture at UFC 102. And the coach is excited with the bout. “I always said that this would be a good fight for Minotauro, because he has great chances to submit. Randy doesn’t know a lot about the ground fight, and if he tries to strike, he’ll lose. He’ll grab at the fence and try to go to the ground, where I believe Minotauro submits”, bets Alves, who’ll meet Nogueira next month, in the US.
“The boss is there. I have to go there early July and stay there for a couple of months with him. We’ll wait the definition of Rogério (“Minotoro” Nogueira)’s fight at Affliction, which is 90% confirmed, but still have no opponent, and then we’ll all train with Minotauro in the mountains”, reveals the coach, who was out of Rodrigo’s corner in the Frank Mir fight, when the Brazilian was knocked out for the first time in the career. “I have a lot of things to do here in Brazil, but when he calls me I’ll be there. He’s training at San Diego and I couldn’t talk with him yet, but Anderson Silva called me asking when I’ll be there”, finished the Luiz.
Assuério Silva and the return to the rings
Former Pride and UFC fighter, Assuério Silva already fought some of the beast heavyweights of the MMA, like Tim Sylvia, Aleksander Emelianenko, Brandon Vera and Cheick Kongo. Without fighting since September of 2008, Silva will be back to Brazilian events with total force. Eying new opportunities in the overseas events, Assuério is schedules to fight in two events and opened a new gym.
“I was traveling around the country and I know I have to rebuild my career again. Wallid (Ismail) will do three Jungle Fights in São Paulo, and I’ll be fighting in all of them, and I’ll be also in some events in Fortaleza and Natal… These events will put me against in the top of the fight world”, guarantees the heavyweight, who spoke in an exclusive interview about the training with the Rua brothers, Maurício Shogun and Murilo Ninja, the start of Total Punch gym, and remembered the best moments of his career.
Former Pride and UFC fighter, Assuério Silva already fought some of the beast heavyweights of the MMA, like Tim Sylvia, Aleksander Emelianenko, Brandon Vera and Cheick Kongo. Without fighting since September of 2008, Silva will be back to Brazilian events with total force. Eying new opportunities in the overseas events, Assuério is schedules to fight in two events and opened a new gym.
“I was traveling around the country and I know I have to rebuild my career again. Wallid (Ismail) will do three Jungle Fights in São Paulo, and I’ll be fighting in all of them, and I’ll be also in some events in Fortaleza and Natal… These events will put me against in the top of the fight world”, guarantees the heavyweight, who spoke in an exclusive interview about the training with the Rua brothers, Maurício Shogun and Murilo Ninja, the start of Total Punch gym, and remembered the best moments of his career.