MMA News Thread

[Shogun Locc]

Chris Lytle refutes claims he tapped out to Kevin Burns at The Ultimate Fighter 9 Finale

No, Chris Lytle did not tap out during this past Saturday's co-"Fight of the Night" bout with Kevin Burns at The Ultimate Fighter 9 Finale.

Soon after the June 20 fight aired live on Spike TV and Lytle was awarded a unanimous-decision win, MMA forums lit up with claims stating that veteran fighter tapped out late in the first round after Burns connected on a solid uppercut and took the fight to the mat.

However, on today's edition of MMAjunkie.com Radio (www.mmajunkie.com/radio), Lytle (27-17-5 MMA, 6-9 UFC) said he never tapped out in his previous 48 professional fights and that he didn't tap out in this one either.

Approximately four minutes into the fight, after a timeout was given to Lytle because of an accidental groin kick, Burns connected on a crisp uppercut and forced the fight to the ground. Lytle was on his knees as Burns threw punches from above. A replay of the fight shows Lytle's left arm moving in an up and down motion – at most twice – though it's unclear if he was simply protecting his head, securing his balance, waving off the referee, signaling that he was taking illegal hits to the back of the head, or quite possibly even tapping out from the strikes.

Lytle hasn't re-watched the fight, and initially he wasn't even sure when the alleged tap took place. But he's confident he never called an end to the fight.

"I never even thought anything about that," Lytle said when asked about the possibility that he tapped out. "There was never a thought in mind ever to quit. I don't really see why there would have been. But when you look at something like this, it's pretty funny people would say something like that. I'm spinning around and trying to post up. I know [Burns] is in a position where he can throw punches. ... These are people who've never been in a position to get punched, and they're not understanding that you have to block.

"I've been around (MMA) for 11 years, and I've tapped in practice. You tap three times ... on the ground to let [your partner] know."

Additionally, Lytle said his track record should speak for itself. Of his 17 pro losses, 15 have come via decision and two via TKO due to cuts. Despite reaching the 50-fight plateau in his next bout, he's never been submitted – not by Nick Diaz, Matt Hughes, Matt Serra, Karo Parisyan or any of the other countless ground fighters and submission experts he's faced.

"I guarantee you that no matter how many fights I have, you'll never see me tap out to strikes," said Lytle. "I guarantee that. If I'm on bottom getting pounded, the referee is going to stop it before I do. I guarantee you that."

Still, Lytle doesn't mind answering questions about the fight, which netted Burns and him a $25,000 "Fight of the Night" bonus – two of a record six that were handed out that night (and one of four Lytle has won during his career). He'd rather nip the speculation in the bud rather than let is run rampant.

"I'd rather it be addressed than not addressed, you know what I mean?" he said of the tap-out speculation. "Come on. If he was drilling me, I could see them saying that. But it's not like he was really punching me a lot right there anyway."

 

[Shogun Locc]

PITTSBURGH WELCOMES MMA ON JUNE 27

While the UFC is set to descend on Philadelphia in August, the city of champions, Pittsburgh, Penn., will officially welcome mixed martial arts to town on June 27. The Ultimate Cage Fighting Championship makes its Keystone State debut bringing the "Rumble on the Rivers" to the Mellon Arena featuring a number of top fighters including the main event pitting Rich Clementi against Kyle Jensen.

Heading into Pittsburgh for the first time, promotion owner Tiffany Porter-Holtzman is excited to build MMA in the city with a series of events starting with the show in June, to be followed up with more shows as 2009 continues on.

“MMA is a tough sport at times. You have to be educated about the sport. These guys train hard, they have to know various styles, and they love what they do," Holtzman said about the inaugural event.

The show will feature a number of local and national stars including former UFC and WEC veterans with a lightweight bout pitting Rich "No Love" Clementi against former WEC fighter Kyle Jensen.

One oddity that the show will endure is a number of the fights being contested at catchweights, which is a result of the state of Pennsylvania originally setting the fighters up for same-day weigh-ins.

Just over a week ago, the state commission decided to make the change to allow weigh-ins the day before the event, but bout agreements had already been issued for the fights, so catchweights will be the norm on June 27.

Also on the card will be former WEC and Dream featherweight Micah Miller, along with former "Ultimate Fighter" contender Paul Bradley, who was undefeated up until his most recent bout, which resulted in a decision loss in late April.

The "Rumble on the Rivers" will also welcome a few special guests to the show including former UFC champion "The Huntington Beach Bad Boy" Tito Ortiz, and WEC lightweight champion Jamie "C4" Varner.

Tickets are available through Ticketmaster now, and the show will take place on June 27 starting at 7:30pm.

 

[Shogun Locc]

August M-1 Challenge Event Moved to Amsterdam for Aug. 15-16 “Mega” Taping

M-1 Global officials have formally moved a planned M-1 Challenge event that had been scheduled to take place on Aug. 8 in Spain to a new date and venue. The August event will now take place on Aug. 15 in Amsterdam, Holland.

In addition to the August event being moved, M-1 Global officials have also moved September’s tentative M-1 Challenge event to take place on Aug. 16 in Amsterdam, Holland.

The changes to the M-1 Challenge taping schedule now creates a two day fight festival in Amsterdam that will coincide during the biggest vacation month of the year in the United States.

For those interested in experiencing the amazing cultural sights and scenery of Holland, they will now also have the opportunity to partake in two full days of MMA action from Aug. 15-16.

Teams scheduled to compete during the two-day “mega taping” include USA East, Benelux, England, Japan, Spain, France, Turkey, Germany, Russia Legion, and the World Team.

 

[Shogun Locc]

MMA IN N.Y. ON THE ROPES FOR 2009; NOT LIKELY

A two-week deadlock in the New York senate has put MMA on the ropes.

The last day of the legislative body’s 2009 session ended Monday, stranding several bills under consideration including one to legalize MMA in the Empire State.

Governor David Patterson on Sunday called a special session for the Senate to break a stalemate brought by a shift in party lines. Democrats have refused to participate in session since two members of its party sided with Republicans in a leadership vote, giving the GOP control of the Senate. Last week, one Democrat returned to the fold, leaving the chamber in a tie.

Lawmakers are due to vote on a budget for New York City, same-sex marriage, and a sales tax hike, among others.

Senate bill S2165A, proposed as a law to amend the state’s current regulation of boxing, sparring, and wrestling, remains in the Cultural Affairs, Tourism, Parks and Recreation committee where it was first referred in April. The bill was scheduled for a vote the day after the legislative turmoil broke out on June 8.

Sarah Crean, a staffer with Cultural Affairs chair Sen. Jose M. Serrano, said the current legislative environment made the prospect of the MMA bill’s passage grim.

“Given what’s going on, probably all they’re going to be looking at is financing and very urgent bills,” said Crean. “What looks like is going to happen (to the MMA bill) is it’s going to have to go through the process again in our committee next year when session starts again.”

The next legislative session begins in January 2010.

Even if the bill passes the Cultural committee during the emergency session, it will then have to go to the Ways and Means and Rules committees before receiving a vote on the Senate floor.

UFC Vice President of Regulatory Affairs Marc Ratner declined comment until he received more information from Global Strategy Group, the lobbying firm that represents the promotion’s interests in New York. Senator Joe Griffo, the bill's sponsor, was unavailable for comment.

 

[Shogun Locc]

UFC REQUESTS NOV. 21 IN VEGAS FOR UFC 105

It looks like the Ultimate Fighting Championship may be headed to its home turf for a Nov. 21 event.

The promotion has requested the pre-Thanksgiving weekend date from the Nevada State Athletic Commission, Executive Director Keith Kizer Monday confirmed in a posting on popular Internet message board The Underground. The commission's website also confirms the event as targeted for the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas.

The event is subject to approval by the commission.

The promotion made overtures towards a November event in Boston's TD Banknorth Garden during an informational hearing for Massachusetts legislators in April. The Northeastern city was one of three on a short list of immediate targets, including Toronto and New York City.

Recently confirmed by UFC president Dana White was UFC 104, set to take place at the Staples Center in Los Angeles with headliners Lyoto Machida and Mauricio "Shogun" Rua.

 

[Shogun Locc]

BRAD BLACKBURN ADDRESSES CONTROVERSIAL WIN

Heading into Saturday’s Ultimate Fighter Season 9 Finale versus Edgar Garcia, “Bad” Brad Blackburn was anticipating a war of attrition, and that’s exactly what he got.

Over the course of three rounds, Blackburn and Garcia battered each other, with Blackburn ultimately coming out on top via a close, controversial split-decision.

Upon return to his home in Washington, Blackburn spoke to MMAWeekly.com about his controversial win and what he feels was the deciding factor in the fight.

“I thought I performed well, under the circumstances that I didn’t have my right hand,” he admitted. “It was a big win for me, because he’s a very tough opponent, a very strong striker, and I didn’t have my best weapon.”

According to Blackburn the injury was suffered early in the fight and caused the match-up to become much closer than he felt it could have been.

“I was busting him up right at the beginning and then he went for a takedown, I went for a choke, and he picked me up and slammed me right down on my shoulder,” said Blackburn. “Every time I threw a punch after that, my shoulder would make a crunching, grinding noise.

“It hurt bad – I kept throwing it – but it didn’t really have power. I just didn’t want him to know that I didn’t have it anymore.”

After the decision was announced, many in the crowd booed the outcome; however, Blackburn genuinely feels he won the fight after having watched it for himself.

“I were a judge, I would have given me the first two rounds, and given him the last,” he commented.

“I think I stayed busier than him, more active in the first two rounds, and hurt him at the beginning of the first, but he was the more active in the third round, and landed a good shot on me in the third round, too.”

As Blackburn puts it, any reaction is a good reaction, as it shows he’s doing his job inside the cage.

“As far as the boos, it didn’t phase me – as long as people make noise, I’m happy,” he stated. “If they’re not making noise, it’s a boring fight, and I don’t want that.”

The immediate concern for Blackburn post-fight is to check the status of his injured shoulder. Understandably, he’s hoping to avoid a major problem, which could keep him out of action for the foreseeable future.

“I hope (it’s not serious), because I just went six months in between my last fight and this one,” he said. “It’s not looking good as far as me getting back in there again (any time soon).

“I want to fight more than twice a year, so hopefully the doctors tell me something good.”

With the win over Garcia, Blackburn has now won four in a row overall, and both his UFC fights. When he does return to action, he’s got sights set on stepping up against bigger name competition.

“I’m always wanting to fight those Top 10 guys, because you’ll never be Top 10 unless you fight them,” he stated. “That’s the kind of fights that I want. You’ve got to fight people with names to have a name, that’s who I’m looking for.”

After a close call this past weekend, Blackburn anticipates returning in better form for his next fight, and hopes the fans will give him the opportunity to showcase what he really can do.

“I’d like to thank Tapout, BSN, Hayabusa, Braddahs.net and Victory Athletics,” he concluded. “To all the fans; thanks for watching and your support. I do pack more of a punch than that; I just didn’t have it that fight.”

 

[Shogun Locc]

Affliction no longer interested in Andrei Arlovski

Eleven seconds and a brutal series of punches from Brett “Grim” Rogers has put an end to Andrei Arlovski’s career under the Affliction banner.

The former UFC heavyweight champion was contracted to fight three fights for Affliction. The first of which was his mugging of Ben Rothwell; the second, the disappointing knockout loss at the hands of Fedor Emelianenko; and the third and final bout in his agreement with Affliction was his recent loaning out to Strikeforce where he was overwhelmed by Rogers in lightning quick fashion.

“His contract has expired and right now we have so many fighters under contract that we are just concentrating on working with them,” said Affliction VP Tom Atencio in a recent conversation with Fighters Only Magazine.

When questioned as to whether or not Affliction would be pursuing a new contract with Arlovski, Atencio was quoted as saying,”No, we are not looking at that right now.”

Although Arlovski is still extremely marketable and talented, the record of 0-2 in his last two bouts and his hefty price tag is going make it extremely interesting as to who decides to play ball with Arlovski and sign him next. The UFC recently let him go, Affliction isn’t interested, he’s 0-1 with Strikeforce.

Although Arlovski has been flirting with making his professional boxing debut for a while now it’s unclear what the next move will be for “The Pitbull” at this time.

 

[Shogun Locc]

UFC LEAVES SETANTA, SAYS UFC 100 WILL AIR IN U.K.

The Ultimate Fighting Championship on Tuesday announced that it has terminated its agreement with Setanta Sports.

Setanta had been the broadcaster of UFC live events and programming in the U.K. since January 2008.

UFC U.K. Division President Marshall Zelaznik said, “It was with great regret that the UFC ended its relationship with Setanta. Over the last two years, Setanta has helped the UFC become the biggest indoor sporting event in the British Isles.

“They were the right partner for us at the right time as we continued to build the sport of mixed martial arts and our brand.

“Throughout the last few weeks we have been kept informed of the situation at Setanta and therefore we are in a position to ensure our U.K. and Eire fans will not miss any of this summer’s huge UFC events, commencing with UFC 100 in July.

“We will be announcing the new home of UFC shortly, but assure our fans they won’t miss any of the upcoming super-fights."

According to BBC news agency, Setanta has been running at a loss of about £100 million (U.S. $1.6 million) per year and recently missed payments to both the English Premier League and the Scottish Premier League, two popular soccer leagues in the U.K.

 

[Shogun Locc]

The Ultimate Fighter 9 Finale peaks with 2.8 million viewers for Sanchez-Guida main event

This past Saturday's main event at The Ultimate Fighter 9 Finale between Diego Sanchez and Clay Guida peaked with a Spike TV audience of 2.8 million viewers, the cable station today announced.

Overall, the live event, which concluded the latest season of "The Ultimate Fighter," scored a 1.5 household rating.

The June 20 broadcast was the most-watched program in all of television (broadcast and cable) among men ages 18 to 34 and men 18-49 that day.

The three-hour broadcast drew more men 18-34 (663,000) than Major League Baseball on FOX (184,000) and NBC's coverage of the U.S. Open (384,000), both of which ran earlier in the day.

In addition to Sanchez's split-decision win, The Ultimate Fighter 9 Finale featured two additional co-"Fight of the Night" winners when Chris Lytle defeated Kevin Burns and Joe Stevenson overpowered Nate Diaz. The broadcast also saw the crowning of new "TUF" champs, lightweight Ross Pearson and welterweight James Wilks.

The main event drew a 3.1 rating in Men 18-34 and 3.3 in Men 25-34.

The event was the highest-rated "TUF" finale since season six in 2007.

 

[Shogun Locc]

NSAC issues medical suspensions to eight fighters from The Ultimate Fighter 9 Finale

The Nevada State Athletic Commission issued mandatory medical suspensions to eight fighters who competed at The Ultimate Fighter 9 Finale, MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) has confirmed with the commission.

The Ultimate Fighter 9 Finale took place this past Saturday, June 20, at The Pearl at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas.

Among those suspended was headliner Clay Guida, who suffered a close split-decision loss to Diego Sanchez in the night's Spike TV-televised main event. Guida is suspended until Aug. 15.

Kevin Burns (hand), Brad Blackburn (shoulder) and Jason Dent (knee), who face suspensions of varying lengths, suffered the most serious injuries, though none should lead to an extended layoff.

The full list of suspensions includes:

* Clay Guida: Suspended until Aug. 15 with no contact during training until July 21 for precautionary reasons.
* Kevin Burns: Must have right hand cleared by a doctor. Otherwise, suspended until Dec. 18. Regardless, suspended until Aug. 15 with no contact until July 21 for precautionary reasons.
* Andre Winner: Suspended until July 21 with no contact until July 12 due to a left-cheek laceration.
* Brad Blackburn: Must have right shoulder cleared by an orthopedic doctor. Otherwise, suspended until Dec. 18. Regardless, suspended until Aug. 15 with no contact until July 21 for precautionary reasons.
* Edgar Garcia: Suspended until July 21 with no contact until July 12 due to a right-eyebrow cut.
* Mike Ciesnolevicz: Suspended until July 21 with no contact until July 12 for precautionary reasons.
* Frank Lester: Suspended until July 21 with no contact until July 12 for precautionary reasons.
* Jason Dent: Must have right knee cleared by an orthopedic doctor. Otherwise, suspended until July 21 with no contact until July 12.

 

[Shogun Locc]

MMA Quick Quote: Fedor Emelianenko is in complete control

Top-ranked heavyweight contender Josh Barnett hypes his long-awaited fight against “The Last Emperor” at Affliction’s third venture, which is set to go down from the Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif., on Aug. 1, 2009. There has been a lot of talk over the years that both Emelianenko and Barnett were avoiding meeting in the center of the ring because of the friendship they forged during their years under the Pride FC banner. It appears, however, that the showdown was inevitable — they are the last two men standing under the Affliction banner atop their respective division.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Alan Belcher: ‘The UFC middleweight title is within reach’

“There are a lot of guys that have lost to Anderson Silva. It pretty much leaves Demian Maia and Nate Marquardt. I think that if I win this fight in a dominating fashion, I deserve a fight for the top contender spot. The UFC has faith that I’m going to bring it. Every one of my fights has been real exciting and explosive. They feel I have the potential, and everyone is starting to feel that I’m getting in my groove. Also, Akiyama is a brawler, he likes to stand, and there is going to be some fireworks. The UFC title isn’t just a dream anymore. It’s starting to become within reach. I’m hoping within my next three fights to be battling for the belt. It’s something I’m really starting to take seriously.”

 

[Shogun Locc]

Coming soon: Takanori Gomi interview exclusive with MMAmania.com

Former Pride FC lightweight champion and posterboy, Takanori Gomi, was a consensus top-ranked lightweight in the world as recently as 2008 — some even branded “The Fireball Kid” the best in the business.

That status quickly changed, however, when Gomi dropped back-to-back fights at the hands of Sergey Golyaev and Satoru Kitaoka under the World Victory Road banner.

Critics quickly jumped on Gomi, saying he was protected throughout his career when the Japan-based promotion was in its heyday. In addition, it was suggested that he lacked motivation and top-flight competition to still be considered among the world’s best at 160 pounds.

Fast forward to the Shooto: “Traditional Final” event on May 10, 2009, which proved that he may very well have a lot left in the tank — Gomi thoroughly dominated Shooto Welterweight Champion Takashi Nakakura from the opening bell, dropping him in the second round to record the knockout victory.

Could this impressive performance signal the rebirth of his career and be a sign of future success?

It’s possible. And if it does it could very well happen outside his native Japan — Gomi has his sights set squarely on the United States mixed martial arts scene. In fact, rumors swirled over the past few weeks regarding Gomi potentially fighting against Brett Cooper at Affliction: “Trilogy” on Aug. 1.

However, the two sides could not come to an agreement regarding the weight limit. Affliction Vice President Tom Atencio publicly announced that the match up was off, but at the same time gave no indication as to what would happen next in regard to Gomi’s fighting future stateside.

So we went right to the source to get the skinny on the situation. That’s right, the “Fireball Kid” took some time out of his busy training schedule and contract negotiations to speak with us to answer a few burning questions.

Check it out:

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): Now that the (Brett) Cooper fight was called off can we expect your next fight be in Japan or in the United States?

Takanori Gomi: My next fight will be in the U.S. Now we have several offers from some promoters, including, of course, Affliction. We are considering all those offers right now. I am willing to have a fight in the U.S. as soon as possible. I want to show the U.S. fans my fighting spirit.

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): Has the UFC ever been in contact with you about potentially joining its organization going forward? If so, how did those discussions go?

Takanori Gomi (MMAmania.com): We do have their offer and we are in the middle of discussion.

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): What is the motivation for you wanting to come to the United States and fight at this stage in your career?

Takanori Gomi: My motivation is to innovate myself.

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): Will you be moving your training camp to the United States? If so, who will you train with and where?

Takanori Gomi: Basically, I will keep my training in my gym (Rascal gym in Kanagama, Japan). Occasionally, I would like to train at Xtreme Couture or Wanderlei Silva’s gym. They have all been great to us. We have great relationships with each other.

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): Who are some of the other lightweights that fight in the United States who you are interested in matching your skills up against and fighting?

Takanori Gomi: I don’t mind who is coming.

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): Is a rematch with UFC lightweight champion B.J. Penn something you would be interested in?

Takanori Gomi: Of course I am.

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): Recently, Caol Uno and Yoshihiro Akiyama joined the UFC. Both fought in Japan for many years. Do you think this migration will continue to be a trend in the future?

Takanori Gomi: I have no idea.

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): Overall, what is the impression of the UFC over in Japan? Do the Japanese fans and the fighters who fight in Japan think highly of the UFC or are there certain aspects of their business operation they don’t care for? Give me a general sense of how the UFC and their President Dana White are perceived in Japan.

Takanori Gomi: I think the UFC is already popular among the Japanese and will be much more popular in the near future. We don’t know his (Dana White) personality that well so we don’t care much about that issue.

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): Most media publications in the United States had you ranked as the top lightweight in the world prior to your losses against Golyaev and Kitaoka. Are you still the same fighter we saw dominate the Pride FC organization a couple of years ago?

Takanori Gomi: Of course I believe I am. I’m sure that I’m on the same level as I was back in those days.

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): What do you have to say to your critics out there who believe you can no longer compete with the best lightweights in the world or the ones who feel you lack motivation at this point in your career?

Takanori Gomi: After winning the (Takashi) Nakakura match my motivation is to the max. I can prove that the critics are wrong.

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): If you had to rank the top three lightweights in the world who would be on your list?

Takanori Gomi: Certainly B.J. Penn is the best. I don’t know who the others would be.

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): Will you have another championship belt around your waist before you retire from fighting?

Takanori Gomi: I will! Check it out!

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): Is there anything you would like to say to your fans out there or any sponsors you would like to thank?

Takanori Gomi: I’m looking forward to seeing my fans. You can see the “Real Fireball” in the United States soon.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Aleksander Emelianenko looks to avenge brother's loss to Blagoi Ivanov on Sept. 29

Aleksander Emelianenko returns to the cage and looks for his seventh consecutive victory when he meets Blagoi Ivanov at a Sept. 29 event in South Korea, according to a recent post on the Russian fighter's website.

Ivanov, winner of the 2008 Combat Sambo World Championships, is perhaps best known for defeating Fedor Emelianenko via points during the semifinals of the tournament.

Although a newcomer to MMA, Ivanov will enter the Sept. 29 Fighting Mixed Combative fight with at least one pro MMA fight to his name; he fights PRIDE veteran Kazuyuki Fujita at World Victory Road's Sengoku Ninth Battle event on Aug. 2.

Ivanov, who's said he'd like to fight the elder Emelianenko in MMA as well, will first face his little brother, who's no slouch. Aleksander, who previously fought for PRIDE, has flirted with a worldwide top-10 ranking in the heavyweight division, though he's found few top-level opponents while recently competing throughout Europe.

Emelianenko had been scheduled to fight for Affliction in July 2008 but was pulled from the card, though the California State Athletic Commission wouldn't clarify why. The 27-year-old fighter has denied claims he has Hepatatis B. During the Affliction fiasco, he told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) he was deeply disappointed he didn't get to make his U.S. debut and has long desired to fight in the country.

Instead, he'll continue his international tour in Korea, where he looks to claim his 12th consecutive win via stoppage. He hasn't gone to decision in a victory since his fifth pro fight nearly five years ago.

 

[Shogun Locc]

CONTROVERSY OR NOT, TIM KENNEDY MOVES ON

Nowadays it’s almost commonplace that if there’s an MMA show, there’s some sort of controversy. Case in point, this past Friday’s ShoMMA: Strikeforce Challengers Series event.

During the second round of the match-up between Tim Kennedy and Nick “The Goat” Thompson, Thompson tapped out due to strikes, but almost immediately began complaining that he was getting hit in the back of the head, which is illegal by Strikeforce rules.

Kennedy spoke to MMAWeekly.com to clear up his side of the situation, as well as lay out his plans for the future, now that he intends on focusing full time on MMA.

“Firstly, I feel confident I did the right things in all the situations we were in,” he stated. “He, of course, as an athlete, has the right to (file a complaint with the state athletic commission).

“If he feels he was wronged, he can definitely do that. I don’t care. I know I did capitalize on all the positions we were in, but I didn’t intentionally do anything wrong.”

Regardless of how it ended, Kennedy is critical of his performance throughout the fight, feeling he could have done things differently.

“I’m kind of disappointed that a couple things didn’t really go how I was working on,” he admitted. “I think maybe instead of looking for that submission so aggressively in the first round that never presented itself, I should have just started doing damage earlier, but I was looking for a fun, dynamic finish.

“I missed a couple opportunities, and so I was kind of disappointed with how I did, but beggars can’t be choosers, so I’m happy with the outcome, just not happy with my performance.”

Last Friday’s fight was the first for Kennedy in nearly two years, having recently returned from military service overseas as an Army Special Forces sniper.

Kennedy explained his current military standing by saying, “I’m still in the Army, but what my capacity for the Army or other branch of service isn’t really clear yet.

“I’m definitely getting out of the active Army. I can always come back to Special Forces in a couple years, but right now I really want to fight. I think this is the time for me to do that.”

Now that he’s chosen to focus on MMA, Kennedy intends to be busy in the sport in the coming years.

“Like I said at the end of the fight, if I had my way, I’d fight every month,” he exclaimed. “I’m at (Strikeforce’s) disposal and I’m really excited I’m fighting for them. I’m hoping to be fighting again in August or September.”

While it’s not currently known how much he’ll be fighting, Kennedy makes it clear the type of competition he wants to be facing.

“Strikeforce has, from 175-195 and all the catch-weights in between, the most stacked group of guys on the planet in that weight group,” he said. “Between Cung Le, Jake Shields, Benji Radach, Scott Smith and Robbie Lawler, just the opportunities are endless – I want to fight them all.

“I have a relationship with a few of them, but I have no problem fighting any of them. Whatever (Strikeforce promoter) Scott Coker or (Strikeforce matchmaker) Bob Cook throw me into, I’m pretty much up for.”

Eager to showcase his skills and make a name for himself in the fight game, Kennedy looks to move beyond the controversy of his recent fight and move ahead one objective at a time, just as he did in the military.

“First and foremost, a shout out to all the brothers and sisters in the uniform; thanks for supporting me, and keep watching, I’m going to keep representing,” he closed out. “Thanks to everyone at RangerUp.com for the awesome shirts and representing; Soldiers’ Angels, a non-profit organization for helping injured soldiers; and thanks to MMAWeekly.

“I’m hoping for September, so I have a little bit more time to train, but I’ll be back on Showtime. Everybody be on the lookout for me. I’ll be looking for somebody to knock out.”

 

[Shogun Locc]

Chris Lytle's post-UFC career could include political run in Indiana

Fulltime firefighter, professional boxer, star mixed-martial-arts fighter, devoted family man.

Could Renaissance Man and UFC welterweight Chris Lytle's list of job responsibilities soon include rookie politician?

On Monday's edition of MMAjunkie.com Radio (www.mmajunkie.com/radio), the longtime fighter mentioned interest in entering the political ring once his career in the cage runs its course.

"I've been talking to some people in my state about it, trying to use whatever popularity I have from my name to help me run for some sort of political office," Lytle said.

Lytle, a fan favorite who's stand-and-bang style and no-nonsense interviews have earned him a home in the UFC for nearly a decade, joked about another qualification.

"I can lie with the best of them, my friend," Lytle joked.

Lytle wouldn't be the first well-known MMA fighter to make a run at office. Late last year, former U.S. Olympic wrestler and veteran MMA fighter Matt Lindland won the Republic primary for the Oregon House of Representatives 52nd district by a solid 14 percentage points. However, he fell short to a Democratic candidate in the general election by 16 points.

One Lytle supporter is already making the pitch.

"He could launch his (political) career using the UFC name recognition and obviously using his talents to get him into the office," said Lytle's agent, Ken Pavia. "I think he'd be a great politician."

Lytle, a 34-year-old Indianapolis native and longtime firefighter in the city, has no immediate plans for retirement, though he knows he's entering the tail end of his career now that his 35th birthday is just two months away. Lytle is active in his community and still supports and works out with his high school's wrestling team. He also had a successful career as a professional boxer competing primarily in Indiana events.

A married father of four, Lytle graduated from the University of Indiana with a degree in sports management before launching his combat-sports career.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Baroni on Bisping: ‘A Lot Better Than I Thought’

LAS VEGAS -- When you think of team players, does Phil Baroni’s name come to mind? Well, it should.

Hearing that Michael Bisping’s training camp was forming in Las Vegas in anticipation of his featured middleweight bout with Dan Henderson at UFC 100, the outspoken “New York Bad Ass” requested a spot on the squad.

The first one laced and padded up, Baroni was a constant man in motion Monday night at the Tapout gym, where the team congregated for its evening session. Baroni, Josh Hall, Mario Neto and Zach Light all rotated in on Bisping with sparring for five-minute intervals to keep the Brit on his toes.

Baroni, a veteran of many a dogfight in the sport’s history, has been impressed with what he’s seen.

“The guy’s a lot better than I thought,” said Baroni. “I wrestled and rolled with him, and he’s hard as f--- to take down, hard to hold down. He’s a lot stronger than he looks. He looks good, fit, but he’s strong. He’s fast, he’s an athlete. He’s a f---king good athlete. That’s the most surprising thing.”

Baroni’s verve brings a positive dynamic to the camp, which seems to mesh together an equal amount of respect and drive. Everyone pitches in with their specific talents (whether it be jiu-jitsu or banging), then gets out of the way when their turn is over. Bisping’s noted work ethic hasn’t waned either.

“(Bisping) reminds me of me when I first got into the UFC, when I got to Japan -- a little cocky, a little arrogant, a little chip on your shoulder -- but that’s what you gotta be. At least certain guys do, and I’m one of those guys,” he said. “I like it. Some people say stuff about him on the show, but that’s exactly how I’d coach my f---ing team.”

Like the rest of the fight community, Baroni can also acknowledge the great challenge Bisping faces in his top-shelf opposition.

“Coming in, I know how tough Dan (Henderson) is. I fought alongside him in Pride and I didn’t know … now I’m confident in Mike,” said Baroni. “Sparring and wrestling with him has made me confident.”

And leave it to Baroni to find his own angle in this, one that will rally him even more behind Bisping’s campaign.

“F--- Dan. I want to beat that motherf---er,” said Baroni. “He’s been in (Matt) Lindland’s corner twice, in (Evan) Tanner’s corner twice, he trained f---ing Frank Shamrock. I want to beat that motherf---er. I’m happy to help Bisping.”

 

[Shogun Locc]

Rodriguez Stops By Bisping Camp

LAS VEGAS -- Ricco Rodriguez joined Michael Bisping’s camp Monday night in a brief cameo appearance at the Tapout Research and Development Training Center.

The former UFC heavyweight champion couldn’t stay for long due to prior engagements, so I’ll cut to the chase and say he looked great.

Rodriguez’s weight issues have been his main story line since he lost the title to Tim Sylvia at UFC 41 in 2003.

At one point, Rodriguez, who battled his boozing and gambling addictions publicly on VH1’s “Celebrity Rehab” in 2008, had ballooned to well over 300 pounds -- a far cry from the 230 pounds he’d carried in his heyday.

I didn’t think to ask Rodriguez his weight (and even if I had, I probably wouldn’t have asked anyway), but he looks to be sound in body, mind and soul now. If I had to guess, I’d say the 31-year-old fighter is back in the 260-pound range and calm and collected as ever.

Rodriguez told me he’s preparing for a fight at TPMMA’s “Armageddon ‘09” on June 27 in Tyler, Texas, then for another at the WFC on July 10 in Tampa, Fla., and yet another title bout on July 25 for Rich Clementi’s Reality Combat in Slidell, La.

That’s quite a comeback schedule.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Shane Carwin: Brock Lesnar ‘is a freaking liar’

Threat to the UFC heavyweight crown and human wrecking machine Shane Carwin has recently been on the receiving end of a few rumors that have him mad as hell, and he’s not going to take it anymore.

Carwin recently took the time to issue a statement through FiveOuncesOfPain.com in response to several stories regarding himself recently.

In a recent interview with GroundNPound.org, UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar spoke about an encounter he had with Carwin prior to UFC 96 where the two powerhouses had the force of their punches tested. According to Brock, it was he who possessed the more powerful hammer.

“Shane Carwin and I actually met the day before UFC 96,” Lesnar was quoted as saying in the recent interview. “He is a great guy – we actually had our punch forces tested too.

“We were told to throw the hardest right cross we could on a punching bag. I was able to rack up 1350 pounds per square inch. He did a little over 1200, making my punch harder.”

Carwin is having a seriously hard time remembering the punching contest that Lesnar is referring to. As he explains to FiveOuncesOfPain.com, that punching contest is a matter of pure fiction on Lenar’s part.

“The guy is a freaking liar,” said Carwin. “We never meet at UFC 96, I was getting ready for a battle with Gonzaga not hanging out at Dave and Busters with Brock. I do not understand why guys like Brock claim to have tested against me. He has the belt, shouldn’t he be the standard?”

Shane also wanted to take the time to refute claims that he had previously been enlisted as a training partner for Randy Couture prior to his bout with Lesnar.

“Earlier reports had me training with Couture while he was training for Brock, again a total BS rumor,” confirmed Carwin. “I have never trained with Randy Couture, Randy called me and invited me a while back but it didn’t end up working out.”

Two rumors down and one to go. There has recently been a ton of speculation as to whether or not Carwin would be making his next appearance at UFC 103. According to the undefeated title challenger he has yet to be contacted in regards to his highly anticipated return to the octagon.

“Since we are on the rumor destruction train, no I am not fighting on UFC 103,” said Carwin. “I have not heard from the UFC for some time now. I am without my training partners and coaches as they are on a “camping trip”, and again, I have not heard anything about fighting anyone yet.”

 

[Shogun Locc]

Ultimate Chaos: Bobby Lashley vs. Bob Sapp Betting Odds
Ultimate Chaos: Lashley vs. Sapp coverage - Saturday, June 27th @ 9 PM ET on PPV for $29

Bobby Lashley (3-0) -550 vs. Bob Sapp (10-4-1) +400
Pedro Rizzo (16-8) -145 vs. Gilbert Yvel (35-13-1) +115
Din Thomas (24-8) -240 vs. Javier Vazquez (12-2) +190
Chris Horodecki (12-1) -600 vs. William Sriyapai (12-4) +450
Tom Atencio (1-0) -160 vs. Randy Hedderick (1-0) +130
Brett Cooper (9-4) -370 vs. Waachiim Spiritwolf (5-4) +300