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Sengoku champ Jorge Santiago anxious for "Affliction: Trilogy" bout with Vitor Belfort
Potential future opponents of Vitor Belfort must certainly have been a bit concerned after watching the Brazilian's brutal, 37-second destruction of Matt Lindland at January's "Affliction: Day of Reckoning."
It was the second-straight knockout win for Belfort, so you can understand the hesitation his next foe, Jorge Santiago (21-7), had in accepting the contest.
That is, had Santiago shown any.
"When I got the call and they asked me, 'Hey, do you want to fight Vitor?' I said, '[Expletive] yeah, man, let's do it,'" Satiago recently told MMAjunkie.com Radio (www.mmajunkie.com/radio).
After leaping at the chance, Santiago faces Belfort on the main card of the Aug. 1 event "Affliction: Trilogy" at Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.
While Belfort is on an impressive four-fight win streak, Santiago currently has his own nine-fight run. With wins over Kazuo Misaki, Kazuhiro Nakamura, Yuki Sasaki, Trevor Prangley, Sean Salmon and Jeremy Horn in that stretch, Santiago said he only wants to face the best opponents available.
"I don't want to take an easy fight," Santiago said. "I want something to bring me back to the gym to train like crazy, to motivate me. Right away, I accepted the fight."
Santiago hasn't fought since his January Sengoku middleweight title win over Misaki. The American Top Team product said the rest has proven beneficial to his physical condition.
"After January I had to take a break because I had a lot of injuries over the past few years – my hands and my back," Santiago said. "I had a broken hand. I took like a three-month break, and after that I started training again."
Santiago said he also used the time off to sharpen up some of the skills he had been forced to neglect while fighting five times in an eight-month stretch.
"[I started working on] all my other skills that I usually don't train when I'm getting ready for a fight because I need to plan for the specific guy I'm going to fight," Santiago said. "I had this time, this break, so I could train everything little by little. Now it's getting closer to the fight, so I'm putting all of my focus on the things I have to do."
The resurgent Belfort has been experiencing a sort of revival as of late, showing the type of hand speed and aggressive, powerful style that earned him his moniker of "The Phenom" in the UFC's early days.
"[Belfort] is like he always has been," Santiago said. "He's good on his feet. He's got good hand speed. He's good. I can't tell a lot about his ground game and his wrestling because he's never fought guys on the ground. I couldn't see much about what to expect. But once he puts it in his mind, you always know he can fight well.
"I've just got to go out there and take care of my business and make sure I put this guy down – by punch, jiu-jitsu, whatever."
Santiago's nine-fight win streak was built on the heels of back-to-back losses in the UFC. While two of the wins were earned in the U.S.-based Strikeforce organization, Santiago's accomplishments have not been met with the same enthusiasm of some of the sport's other top welterweights, perhaps because they have not been seen by many American fans.
Now returning to fight in the U.S. for the first time in nearly two years, Santiago insists it's simply business as usual.
"I don't think I have too much to prove to other guys," Santiago said. "I have to prove it to myself. That's why I love to do what I do. I don't feel any pressure."
Santiago, who signed a three-fight deal with Affliction, knows the importance of a win over a highly regarded opponent like Belfort. But as a fighter who considers his mental approach to the sport as important as his physical tools, Santiago knows he must fight intelligently against an opponent as dangerous as Belfort.
"I'm not planning to stay out there and trading punches with Vitor," Santiago said. "I'm mixing it up. I'm doing a lot of things."
Potential future opponents of Vitor Belfort must certainly have been a bit concerned after watching the Brazilian's brutal, 37-second destruction of Matt Lindland at January's "Affliction: Day of Reckoning."
It was the second-straight knockout win for Belfort, so you can understand the hesitation his next foe, Jorge Santiago (21-7), had in accepting the contest.
That is, had Santiago shown any.
"When I got the call and they asked me, 'Hey, do you want to fight Vitor?' I said, '[Expletive] yeah, man, let's do it,'" Satiago recently told MMAjunkie.com Radio (www.mmajunkie.com/radio).
After leaping at the chance, Santiago faces Belfort on the main card of the Aug. 1 event "Affliction: Trilogy" at Honda Center in Anaheim, Calif.
While Belfort is on an impressive four-fight win streak, Santiago currently has his own nine-fight run. With wins over Kazuo Misaki, Kazuhiro Nakamura, Yuki Sasaki, Trevor Prangley, Sean Salmon and Jeremy Horn in that stretch, Santiago said he only wants to face the best opponents available.
"I don't want to take an easy fight," Santiago said. "I want something to bring me back to the gym to train like crazy, to motivate me. Right away, I accepted the fight."
Santiago hasn't fought since his January Sengoku middleweight title win over Misaki. The American Top Team product said the rest has proven beneficial to his physical condition.
"After January I had to take a break because I had a lot of injuries over the past few years – my hands and my back," Santiago said. "I had a broken hand. I took like a three-month break, and after that I started training again."
Santiago said he also used the time off to sharpen up some of the skills he had been forced to neglect while fighting five times in an eight-month stretch.
"[I started working on] all my other skills that I usually don't train when I'm getting ready for a fight because I need to plan for the specific guy I'm going to fight," Santiago said. "I had this time, this break, so I could train everything little by little. Now it's getting closer to the fight, so I'm putting all of my focus on the things I have to do."
The resurgent Belfort has been experiencing a sort of revival as of late, showing the type of hand speed and aggressive, powerful style that earned him his moniker of "The Phenom" in the UFC's early days.
"[Belfort] is like he always has been," Santiago said. "He's good on his feet. He's got good hand speed. He's good. I can't tell a lot about his ground game and his wrestling because he's never fought guys on the ground. I couldn't see much about what to expect. But once he puts it in his mind, you always know he can fight well.
"I've just got to go out there and take care of my business and make sure I put this guy down – by punch, jiu-jitsu, whatever."
Santiago's nine-fight win streak was built on the heels of back-to-back losses in the UFC. While two of the wins were earned in the U.S.-based Strikeforce organization, Santiago's accomplishments have not been met with the same enthusiasm of some of the sport's other top welterweights, perhaps because they have not been seen by many American fans.
Now returning to fight in the U.S. for the first time in nearly two years, Santiago insists it's simply business as usual.
"I don't think I have too much to prove to other guys," Santiago said. "I have to prove it to myself. That's why I love to do what I do. I don't feel any pressure."
Santiago, who signed a three-fight deal with Affliction, knows the importance of a win over a highly regarded opponent like Belfort. But as a fighter who considers his mental approach to the sport as important as his physical tools, Santiago knows he must fight intelligently against an opponent as dangerous as Belfort.
"I'm not planning to stay out there and trading punches with Vitor," Santiago said. "I'm mixing it up. I'm doing a lot of things."
UFC light heavyweight Rich Franklin says new six-fight deal with UFC may be his last
One of the most popular UFC fighters in recent history may well be beginning the final phase of his successful career.
Former UFC middleweight champion and current light-heavyweight contender Rich Franklin (25-4 MMA, 12-3 UFC) recently signed a new six-fight contract with the organization, and he told MMAjunkie.com Radio (www.mmajunkie.com/radio) that it could potentially be his final deal with the UFC.
"This six-fight contract could possibly take me to the end of my career," Franklin said. "It just depends on the pace of the fights."
The first bout will come in September, as Franklin was recently announced as the headliner of UFC 103 in Dallas in a rematch with Dan Henderson. Franklin said he had actually hoped to take some time off following his June win over Wanderlei Silva.
"I was actually planning on some downtime," Franklin admitted. "It's just that for me, I'm constantly going, going, going, going. Part of what I've done here, being in Cincinnati, is I've started doing some of my training up in Seattle. I've been training with Matt Hume. I take Rob Radford, my boxing coach, up there with me and all that. I still work with my coaches here in Cincinnati, but when I'm on the road – you know being on the road a lot is difficult.
"In the end, when you're on the road like that all the time, it wears you down. At some point in time you want to be able to take a break, be around your family, and not care about laying my food out on the measuring scale in the kitchen, and being able to wake up in the morning and say, 'What do I want to do today besides train?'"
Despite his original intentions, Franklin said when the UFC approached him about headlining the September card, he never hesitated. And while he didn't openly request a chance to revisit the hotly debated split-decision loss to Henderson, Franklin said he was just fine with the matchup.
"Anybody that had a 205-pound ranking was basically tied up with a fight – they were contracted to fight," Franklin said. "You can run through the 205-pound weight class, and I know on the forums and stuff – I don't read any of this, I just catch this stuff word of mouth – but I know that there was a thread about who I could possibly fight, and it listed like all of the 205-pound fighters that were contracted with an opponent right now, and basically it left absolutely nobody in the weight class for me. Although the UFC had approached me about fighting in September and possibly headlining that event and all that kind of stuff, they were really scrambling for what they were going to do about a possible opponent.
"I never really approached the UFC about [a rematch], but I think I've been outspoken about the fact that I thought I won the fight the first time and all that kind of stuff. I think from their end, they were looking for a good matchup. I know we're going to go head-to-head with the (Floyd) Mayweather (boxing) fight, and [the UFC] needed a big fight. You put me up against just a no-name 205-pound fighter, it's not going to draw a lot of public attention, and they needed something, I guess, and they come up with the idea of Henderson."
While several rumors pointed to a few recent Twitter messages from UFC president Dana White and former light heavyweight champion Tito Ortiz as proof that "The Huntington Beach Bad Boy" could face Franklin in September, "Ace" said the free agent was never discussed as a potential opponent.
"That was not discussed with me," Franklin said. "I don't know on that end what the UFC has done as far as trying to bring Tito back or anything like that."
Instead, Franklin will once again set his sights on Henderson. And though the 34-year-old believes his new deal may be his final one, don't expect to see him at anything less than 100 percent in the bout.
"Physically I feel great," Franklin said. "I wake up on a daily basis and I get right out of bed. I could hope out of bed and start jogging immediately without any warmup or anything like that. I'm 34 years old. I don't feel like a 34-year-old athlete, I guess.
"I feel good, but mentally I've got my eyes on other things. When I was 24 years old, all I did was eat, sleep, drink and dream about fighting. That's it. Now I wake up, and I like to sit down on my drum set for a little while, and there are other things that I want to do."
One of the most popular UFC fighters in recent history may well be beginning the final phase of his successful career.
Former UFC middleweight champion and current light-heavyweight contender Rich Franklin (25-4 MMA, 12-3 UFC) recently signed a new six-fight contract with the organization, and he told MMAjunkie.com Radio (www.mmajunkie.com/radio) that it could potentially be his final deal with the UFC.
"This six-fight contract could possibly take me to the end of my career," Franklin said. "It just depends on the pace of the fights."
The first bout will come in September, as Franklin was recently announced as the headliner of UFC 103 in Dallas in a rematch with Dan Henderson. Franklin said he had actually hoped to take some time off following his June win over Wanderlei Silva.
"I was actually planning on some downtime," Franklin admitted. "It's just that for me, I'm constantly going, going, going, going. Part of what I've done here, being in Cincinnati, is I've started doing some of my training up in Seattle. I've been training with Matt Hume. I take Rob Radford, my boxing coach, up there with me and all that. I still work with my coaches here in Cincinnati, but when I'm on the road – you know being on the road a lot is difficult.
"In the end, when you're on the road like that all the time, it wears you down. At some point in time you want to be able to take a break, be around your family, and not care about laying my food out on the measuring scale in the kitchen, and being able to wake up in the morning and say, 'What do I want to do today besides train?'"
Despite his original intentions, Franklin said when the UFC approached him about headlining the September card, he never hesitated. And while he didn't openly request a chance to revisit the hotly debated split-decision loss to Henderson, Franklin said he was just fine with the matchup.
"Anybody that had a 205-pound ranking was basically tied up with a fight – they were contracted to fight," Franklin said. "You can run through the 205-pound weight class, and I know on the forums and stuff – I don't read any of this, I just catch this stuff word of mouth – but I know that there was a thread about who I could possibly fight, and it listed like all of the 205-pound fighters that were contracted with an opponent right now, and basically it left absolutely nobody in the weight class for me. Although the UFC had approached me about fighting in September and possibly headlining that event and all that kind of stuff, they were really scrambling for what they were going to do about a possible opponent.
"I never really approached the UFC about [a rematch], but I think I've been outspoken about the fact that I thought I won the fight the first time and all that kind of stuff. I think from their end, they were looking for a good matchup. I know we're going to go head-to-head with the (Floyd) Mayweather (boxing) fight, and [the UFC] needed a big fight. You put me up against just a no-name 205-pound fighter, it's not going to draw a lot of public attention, and they needed something, I guess, and they come up with the idea of Henderson."
While several rumors pointed to a few recent Twitter messages from UFC president Dana White and former light heavyweight champion Tito Ortiz as proof that "The Huntington Beach Bad Boy" could face Franklin in September, "Ace" said the free agent was never discussed as a potential opponent.
"That was not discussed with me," Franklin said. "I don't know on that end what the UFC has done as far as trying to bring Tito back or anything like that."
Instead, Franklin will once again set his sights on Henderson. And though the 34-year-old believes his new deal may be his final one, don't expect to see him at anything less than 100 percent in the bout.
"Physically I feel great," Franklin said. "I wake up on a daily basis and I get right out of bed. I could hope out of bed and start jogging immediately without any warmup or anything like that. I'm 34 years old. I don't feel like a 34-year-old athlete, I guess.
"I feel good, but mentally I've got my eyes on other things. When I was 24 years old, all I did was eat, sleep, drink and dream about fighting. That's it. Now I wake up, and I like to sit down on my drum set for a little while, and there are other things that I want to do."
Forrest Griffin: ‘The next evolution for me is wrestling’
“You can’t load up. You’ve got to be quick and just try and catch him in some way. Punch him in the shoulder. Hit him anywhere. Don’t swing wildly for his head and don’t get caught in that mindset. I discovered quickly that I am not knockout-proof, and people ain’t falling down when I’m hitting them any more. You’ve got to constantly try to evolve a little, and I think the next evolution for me is wrestling. There’s a certain amount of time (that it takes to develop), because I didn’t wrestle and the shot doesn’t come naturally to me, you know? It’s going to be, when am I confident to shoot in the fight? When is that coming? So we’ll see what happens.”
“You can’t load up. You’ve got to be quick and just try and catch him in some way. Punch him in the shoulder. Hit him anywhere. Don’t swing wildly for his head and don’t get caught in that mindset. I discovered quickly that I am not knockout-proof, and people ain’t falling down when I’m hitting them any more. You’ve got to constantly try to evolve a little, and I think the next evolution for me is wrestling. There’s a certain amount of time (that it takes to develop), because I didn’t wrestle and the shot doesn’t come naturally to me, you know? It’s going to be, when am I confident to shoot in the fight? When is that coming? So we’ll see what happens.”
The gym was always home for three-sport pro Muhsin Corbbrey
Growing up, Muhsin Corbbrey had trouble finding a stable group to call his own.
The son of a white mother and a black father didn't fully integrate with either race. He also lived in several places, from Tulsa, Okla., to California and, finally, in Berry, Ala., where he moved when he was a sophomore in high school.
Luckily, when he was a young boy, his father had the foresight to enroll him and his brother in martial arts and boxing classes at local gyms. Wherever he went, and whoever was around, he could always search out a nearby gym and continue training.
That comfort in physical preparation has led Corbbrey to a fighting career spanning three disciplines. Already an experienced professional boxer (with a 6-2-1 record) and Muay Thai fighter (9-1), Corbbrey has continued to advance in mixed martial arts (13-3).
His MMA career took another step earlier this week when the lightweight, who got his most high-profile experience in EliteXC, was signed to a multi-fight deal by the WEC. Corbbrey is slated to make his WEC debut on Sept. 2 as part of the organization's "WEC: Cerrone vs. Henderson" show in Youngstown, Ohio.
By then, Corbbrey will have already endured a fighting journey that took him from inner-city California to uncomfortable rural Alabama to a party lifestyle to a more focused life as a converted Muslim. And, with the experience in multiple forms of fighting, Corbbrey has dedicated his life to physical preparedness and is a mixed martial artist in the truest sense, even going as far as starting his own gym in Savannah, Ga.
"My life is the gym," Corbbrey told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com). "I wake up, I train, I go home, and I do it again the next day. The only other constants in my life are Islam and my family. I train extensively in all three, so if I promoter calls for a fight in any of them, I'm ready to go. I try to always be ready to fight."
The comfort of the gym
Corbbrey was just 8 when his father, raising his sons as a single parent, signed him up for the free elementary boxing and tae kwon do classes in Tulsa.
"It was an old ratty rec center room with a couple of heavy bags," Corbbrey said with a laugh. "There were a couple guys with pro boxing experience, and they did the best they could with us. We were learning the basics: footwork, jabs, hooks. In tae kwon do, it was basic kicks.
"We were just inner-city knucklehead kids, and I don't know how many of them stuck with it, but it did a lot for our lives to be in that room."
When he was a sophomore in high school, Corbbrey moved with his bother to Berry, Ala., to live with his mother, who had won a custody battle. It was a culture shock for a boy who had lived within walking distance of many of his responsibilities. The Alabama countryside, with its cliques and prejudices, made for an uncomfortable living arrangement.
The unhappiness dragged down other parts of his life. He became a C student (even though he later took honors courses at Armstrong Atlantic State University in Savannah, Ga.). Plus, he never got used to the looks from others around town.
"People looked at my mom strange," Corbbrey said. "She was a white woman walking around with two black kids. My response was getting right back into tae kwon do, right back into training. Wherever I was growing up, I could always find some kind of gym. That was my focus, that kept me motivated, and I just tried to keep my head above water."
With few thoughts of professional competition, Corbbrey faded in and out of a life of partying and girls. He took out some of his frustrations of his sometimes-difficult upbringing by rebelling, and his first priority was leaving tiny Berry.
The day he graduated from high school in 1996, his bags were literally packed. First stop: Atlanta.
A new faith, a new profession
Not long after leaving his mother's home, Corbbrey was living a social lifestyle in big-city Georgia. At age 19, he stopped seeing the woman who would later become his life to search for more variety.
He soon met a woman who changed his life more drastically.
"I was just out and about, trying to meet girls," Corbbrey said. "The first girl I met introduced me to Islam. We never really dated, just talked. I had gotten pretty far away from any kind of religion, so I studied it, I learned about it, and I couldn't disprove it."
While finding a religious faith, Corbbrey also met a man who would become a guiding force in his fighting career in now-manager Najeeb Odom. And so, within a few years of leaving an unhappy life in Alabama, Corbbrey was now focused on a new religion, new friends and a new commitment to fighting.
He met Manu Ntoh, one of the country's premier Muay Thai instructors, who taught him one of his professional disciplines. Ntoh helped Corbbrey travel to Thailand to train and learn, which was part of his continued growth.
While taking his college classes, Corbbrey became involved in judo and jiu jitsu. He nurtured his hunger for training, which turned into a strong competitiveness in his professional careers.
"I want to be the guy who has titles in boxing and mixed martial arts and Muay Thai," Corbbrey said. "Then you can say you're a true mixed martial artist."
To aid his training, Corbbrey and some companions opened Champions Training Center in its current Savannah location about six months ago, and the gym dominates his working life. In fact, a tattoo on his right wrist explains his priorities with three words: God, family, fighting.
Many MMA fans recognize Corbbrey from a recent MMA fight, a June 2008 EliteXC matchup against Nick Diaz, a fight that Corbbrey himself considers his most significant. It started strangely when Diaz failed to make weight and was nine pounds heavy for the 160-pound fight at the "EliteXC: Return of the King" event.
Corbbrey, though, still wanted to fight. He had won three straight heading into the event and had punished himself for eight weeks to train for the defining event. Diaz, of course, has since won three straight, including victories against Frank Shamrock and Scott Smith in Strikeforce events, so his resume is highly respected.
Corbbrey battled, but Diaz won the fight with a third-round TKO.
"He had a hard time with me, and it put a lot of things in perspective for me," Corbbrey said. "Now I know I can fight and match up with anyone. It made me want to go that much harder, and I'm excited about where my career is going."
Growing up, Muhsin Corbbrey had trouble finding a stable group to call his own.
The son of a white mother and a black father didn't fully integrate with either race. He also lived in several places, from Tulsa, Okla., to California and, finally, in Berry, Ala., where he moved when he was a sophomore in high school.
Luckily, when he was a young boy, his father had the foresight to enroll him and his brother in martial arts and boxing classes at local gyms. Wherever he went, and whoever was around, he could always search out a nearby gym and continue training.
That comfort in physical preparation has led Corbbrey to a fighting career spanning three disciplines. Already an experienced professional boxer (with a 6-2-1 record) and Muay Thai fighter (9-1), Corbbrey has continued to advance in mixed martial arts (13-3).
His MMA career took another step earlier this week when the lightweight, who got his most high-profile experience in EliteXC, was signed to a multi-fight deal by the WEC. Corbbrey is slated to make his WEC debut on Sept. 2 as part of the organization's "WEC: Cerrone vs. Henderson" show in Youngstown, Ohio.
By then, Corbbrey will have already endured a fighting journey that took him from inner-city California to uncomfortable rural Alabama to a party lifestyle to a more focused life as a converted Muslim. And, with the experience in multiple forms of fighting, Corbbrey has dedicated his life to physical preparedness and is a mixed martial artist in the truest sense, even going as far as starting his own gym in Savannah, Ga.
"My life is the gym," Corbbrey told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com). "I wake up, I train, I go home, and I do it again the next day. The only other constants in my life are Islam and my family. I train extensively in all three, so if I promoter calls for a fight in any of them, I'm ready to go. I try to always be ready to fight."
The comfort of the gym
Corbbrey was just 8 when his father, raising his sons as a single parent, signed him up for the free elementary boxing and tae kwon do classes in Tulsa.
"It was an old ratty rec center room with a couple of heavy bags," Corbbrey said with a laugh. "There were a couple guys with pro boxing experience, and they did the best they could with us. We were learning the basics: footwork, jabs, hooks. In tae kwon do, it was basic kicks.
"We were just inner-city knucklehead kids, and I don't know how many of them stuck with it, but it did a lot for our lives to be in that room."
When he was a sophomore in high school, Corbbrey moved with his bother to Berry, Ala., to live with his mother, who had won a custody battle. It was a culture shock for a boy who had lived within walking distance of many of his responsibilities. The Alabama countryside, with its cliques and prejudices, made for an uncomfortable living arrangement.
The unhappiness dragged down other parts of his life. He became a C student (even though he later took honors courses at Armstrong Atlantic State University in Savannah, Ga.). Plus, he never got used to the looks from others around town.
"People looked at my mom strange," Corbbrey said. "She was a white woman walking around with two black kids. My response was getting right back into tae kwon do, right back into training. Wherever I was growing up, I could always find some kind of gym. That was my focus, that kept me motivated, and I just tried to keep my head above water."
With few thoughts of professional competition, Corbbrey faded in and out of a life of partying and girls. He took out some of his frustrations of his sometimes-difficult upbringing by rebelling, and his first priority was leaving tiny Berry.
The day he graduated from high school in 1996, his bags were literally packed. First stop: Atlanta.
A new faith, a new profession
Not long after leaving his mother's home, Corbbrey was living a social lifestyle in big-city Georgia. At age 19, he stopped seeing the woman who would later become his life to search for more variety.
He soon met a woman who changed his life more drastically.
"I was just out and about, trying to meet girls," Corbbrey said. "The first girl I met introduced me to Islam. We never really dated, just talked. I had gotten pretty far away from any kind of religion, so I studied it, I learned about it, and I couldn't disprove it."
While finding a religious faith, Corbbrey also met a man who would become a guiding force in his fighting career in now-manager Najeeb Odom. And so, within a few years of leaving an unhappy life in Alabama, Corbbrey was now focused on a new religion, new friends and a new commitment to fighting.
He met Manu Ntoh, one of the country's premier Muay Thai instructors, who taught him one of his professional disciplines. Ntoh helped Corbbrey travel to Thailand to train and learn, which was part of his continued growth.
While taking his college classes, Corbbrey became involved in judo and jiu jitsu. He nurtured his hunger for training, which turned into a strong competitiveness in his professional careers.
"I want to be the guy who has titles in boxing and mixed martial arts and Muay Thai," Corbbrey said. "Then you can say you're a true mixed martial artist."
To aid his training, Corbbrey and some companions opened Champions Training Center in its current Savannah location about six months ago, and the gym dominates his working life. In fact, a tattoo on his right wrist explains his priorities with three words: God, family, fighting.
Many MMA fans recognize Corbbrey from a recent MMA fight, a June 2008 EliteXC matchup against Nick Diaz, a fight that Corbbrey himself considers his most significant. It started strangely when Diaz failed to make weight and was nine pounds heavy for the 160-pound fight at the "EliteXC: Return of the King" event.
Corbbrey, though, still wanted to fight. He had won three straight heading into the event and had punished himself for eight weeks to train for the defining event. Diaz, of course, has since won three straight, including victories against Frank Shamrock and Scott Smith in Strikeforce events, so his resume is highly respected.
Corbbrey battled, but Diaz won the fight with a third-round TKO.
"He had a hard time with me, and it put a lot of things in perspective for me," Corbbrey said. "Now I know I can fight and match up with anyone. It made me want to go that much harder, and I'm excited about where my career is going."
Drew McFedries vs. Tomasz Drwal official for UFC 103; six-fight televised main card?
A previously reported bout between Drew McFedries (8-5 MMA, 4-4 UFC) and middleweight Tomasz Drwal (16-2 MMA, 2-1 UFC) is now official for September's UFC 103 card.
The UFC recently added the bout to its online fight card for the event, which takes place Sept. 19 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas.
With the recent announcement of the show's main event and co-main event, UFC 103 could now feature a rare six-fight main card.
McFedries vs. Drwal, though, is slated for the night's preliminary card. McFedries, who most recently scored a TKO victory over Xavier Foupa-Pokam, looks to put together back-to-back victories for the first time in his UFC career when he meets Drwal, who's looking for three straight wins after recent victories over Ivan Serati and Mike Ciesnolevicz.
On Monday the UFC officially announced a rematch between Rich Franklin (25-4 MMA, 12-3 UFC) and Dan Henderson (25-7 MMA, 5-2 UFC) headlines UFC 103, and the organization also made official the previously reported heavyweight bout of Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic (25-6-2 MMA, 2-2 UFC) vs. Junior Dos Santos (8-1 MMA, 2-0 UFC).
Last week the UFC also made official four fights for UFC 103, including a No. 1 welterweight contenders bout between Martin Kampmann (15-2 MMA, 6-1 UFC) and Mike Swick (14-2 MMA, 9-1 UFC). All four bouts were slated for the night's main card.
If none of those bouts is demoted after Franklin vs. Henderson II and Filipovic vs. Dos Santos are added to the online card, UFC 103 will have six main-card bouts rather than the usual five.
The current UFC 103 card now includes:
MAIN CARD
* Dan Henderson vs. Rich Franklin
* Junior Dos Santos vs. Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic
* Martin Kampmann vs. Mike Swick
* Efrain Escudero vs. Cole Miller
* Josh Koscheck vs. Frank Trigg
* Hermes Franca vs. Tyson Griffin
PRELIMINARY CARD
* Sean Sherk vs. Gleison Tibau*
* Tomasz Drwal vs. Drew McFedries
* Rafael dos Anjos vs. Matt Wiman*
* Jason Brilz vs. Eliot Marshall*
* - Not officially announced
A previously reported bout between Drew McFedries (8-5 MMA, 4-4 UFC) and middleweight Tomasz Drwal (16-2 MMA, 2-1 UFC) is now official for September's UFC 103 card.
The UFC recently added the bout to its online fight card for the event, which takes place Sept. 19 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas.
With the recent announcement of the show's main event and co-main event, UFC 103 could now feature a rare six-fight main card.
McFedries vs. Drwal, though, is slated for the night's preliminary card. McFedries, who most recently scored a TKO victory over Xavier Foupa-Pokam, looks to put together back-to-back victories for the first time in his UFC career when he meets Drwal, who's looking for three straight wins after recent victories over Ivan Serati and Mike Ciesnolevicz.
On Monday the UFC officially announced a rematch between Rich Franklin (25-4 MMA, 12-3 UFC) and Dan Henderson (25-7 MMA, 5-2 UFC) headlines UFC 103, and the organization also made official the previously reported heavyweight bout of Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic (25-6-2 MMA, 2-2 UFC) vs. Junior Dos Santos (8-1 MMA, 2-0 UFC).
Last week the UFC also made official four fights for UFC 103, including a No. 1 welterweight contenders bout between Martin Kampmann (15-2 MMA, 6-1 UFC) and Mike Swick (14-2 MMA, 9-1 UFC). All four bouts were slated for the night's main card.
If none of those bouts is demoted after Franklin vs. Henderson II and Filipovic vs. Dos Santos are added to the online card, UFC 103 will have six main-card bouts rather than the usual five.
The current UFC 103 card now includes:
MAIN CARD
* Dan Henderson vs. Rich Franklin
* Junior Dos Santos vs. Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic
* Martin Kampmann vs. Mike Swick
* Efrain Escudero vs. Cole Miller
* Josh Koscheck vs. Frank Trigg
* Hermes Franca vs. Tyson Griffin
PRELIMINARY CARD
* Sean Sherk vs. Gleison Tibau*
* Tomasz Drwal vs. Drew McFedries
* Rafael dos Anjos vs. Matt Wiman*
* Jason Brilz vs. Eliot Marshall*
* - Not officially announced
Michael Bisping vs. Wanderlei Silva in the works for main event of UFC 105 in November
Wanderlei Silva's (32-10-1 MMA, 2-5 UFC) first contest in the middleweight division will likely take place at UFC 105 in November.
MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) has learned from sources close to the event that Silva is currently in negotiations to face Michael Bisping (17-2 MMA, 7-2 UFC) in the main event of the Spike TV-broadcast event. While bout agreements have not yet been distributed, company officials are hoping to officially announce the contest as soon as next week.
UFC 105 takes place at Manchester Evening News Arena in Manchester, England. The card airs in the U.S. on same-day tape delay.
The bout will be Silva's first in the middleweight division after spending the majority of his legendary career competing at over 200 pounds. "The Axe Murderer" made the first step toward the 185-pond limit in June, dropping a unanimous decision to Rich Franklin in a catchweight bout at 195 pounds.
While Silva remains a worldwide fan-favorite, the 33-year-old has earned just one victory in his past six contests.
Bisping will be looking to rebound from a devastating knockout loss to Dan Henderson at UFC 100 earlier this month. The defeat, was just the second in Bisping's MMA, career, and it ended a three-fight win streak for "The Ultimate Fighter 3" winner.
Wanderlei Silva's (32-10-1 MMA, 2-5 UFC) first contest in the middleweight division will likely take place at UFC 105 in November.
MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) has learned from sources close to the event that Silva is currently in negotiations to face Michael Bisping (17-2 MMA, 7-2 UFC) in the main event of the Spike TV-broadcast event. While bout agreements have not yet been distributed, company officials are hoping to officially announce the contest as soon as next week.
UFC 105 takes place at Manchester Evening News Arena in Manchester, England. The card airs in the U.S. on same-day tape delay.
The bout will be Silva's first in the middleweight division after spending the majority of his legendary career competing at over 200 pounds. "The Axe Murderer" made the first step toward the 185-pond limit in June, dropping a unanimous decision to Rich Franklin in a catchweight bout at 195 pounds.
While Silva remains a worldwide fan-favorite, the 33-year-old has earned just one victory in his past six contests.
Bisping will be looking to rebound from a devastating knockout loss to Dan Henderson at UFC 100 earlier this month. The defeat, was just the second in Bisping's MMA, career, and it ended a three-fight win streak for "The Ultimate Fighter 3" winner.
UFC 106 and The Ultimate Fighter 10 Finale dates now official for Las Vegas
The Nevada State Athletic Commission has officially granted two previously rumored dates to the UFC, as the organization will return to Las Vegas on Nov. 21 and Dec. 5.
While not yet officially announced by the organization, the November date will see UFC 106 take place at the Mandalay Bay Events Center, while the December slot has been reserved for The Ultimate Fighter 10 Finale at The Palms Casino Resort.
The two events, first reported by MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) and Las Vegas' first since UFC 100, will follow trips by the UFC to Philadelphia, Portland, Ore., Oklahoma City, Dallas, Los Angeles and Manchester, England.
There are currently no rumored bouts for either date, though the Dec. 5 card will feature the conclusion of "The Ultimate Fighter 10's" heavyweight tournament. Filming for the Spike TV-broadcast series has already concluded, and the first episode airs on Sept. 16.
The UFC is also rumored to return to Las Vegas on Jan. 2 for UFC 108, while a Dec. 12 event, UFC 107, in Memphis, Tenn., is expected in the interim.
The latest schedule (subject to change) for the UFC now includes:
* UFC 101 on Aug. 8 at the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia (PPV)
* UFC 102 on Aug. 29 at the Rose Garden in Portland, Ore. (PPV)
* UFC Fight Night 19 on Sept. 16 at the Cox Convention Center in Oklahoma City (Spike TV)
* UFC 103 on Sept. 19 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas (PPV)
* UFC 104 on Oct. 24 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles (PPV)
* UFC 105 on Nov. 14 in the U.K. (Spike TV)
* UFC 106 on Nov. 21 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas (PPV)
* The Ultimate Fighter 10 Finale on Dec. 5 at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas (Spike TV)
* UFC 107 on Dec. 12 at FedExForum in Memphis, Tenn. (PPV)
* UFC 108 on Jan. 2 in Las Vegas (PPV)
The Nevada State Athletic Commission has officially granted two previously rumored dates to the UFC, as the organization will return to Las Vegas on Nov. 21 and Dec. 5.
While not yet officially announced by the organization, the November date will see UFC 106 take place at the Mandalay Bay Events Center, while the December slot has been reserved for The Ultimate Fighter 10 Finale at The Palms Casino Resort.
The two events, first reported by MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) and Las Vegas' first since UFC 100, will follow trips by the UFC to Philadelphia, Portland, Ore., Oklahoma City, Dallas, Los Angeles and Manchester, England.
There are currently no rumored bouts for either date, though the Dec. 5 card will feature the conclusion of "The Ultimate Fighter 10's" heavyweight tournament. Filming for the Spike TV-broadcast series has already concluded, and the first episode airs on Sept. 16.
The UFC is also rumored to return to Las Vegas on Jan. 2 for UFC 108, while a Dec. 12 event, UFC 107, in Memphis, Tenn., is expected in the interim.
The latest schedule (subject to change) for the UFC now includes:
* UFC 101 on Aug. 8 at the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia (PPV)
* UFC 102 on Aug. 29 at the Rose Garden in Portland, Ore. (PPV)
* UFC Fight Night 19 on Sept. 16 at the Cox Convention Center in Oklahoma City (Spike TV)
* UFC 103 on Sept. 19 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas (PPV)
* UFC 104 on Oct. 24 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles (PPV)
* UFC 105 on Nov. 14 in the U.K. (Spike TV)
* UFC 106 on Nov. 21 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas (PPV)
* The Ultimate Fighter 10 Finale on Dec. 5 at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas (Spike TV)
* UFC 107 on Dec. 12 at FedExForum in Memphis, Tenn. (PPV)
* UFC 108 on Jan. 2 in Las Vegas (PPV)
JARDINE CONFIDENT AS SILVA SHOWDOWN NEARS
It’s been more than four months since Keith Jardine hit a bump on the road in his journey to the UFC light heavyweight championship. That bump is named Quinton “Rampage” Jackson.
Jardine fought Jackson to the full term of their 15-minute bout at UFC 96, but it was Jackson that had just enough of a burst late in the third round to secure the unanimous decision victory.
With little more than a month to go, Jardine puts a lot of importance on his next bout. He faces fellow Top 10 ranked fighter Thiago Silva at UFC 102 when the promotion makes its Portland, Ore., debut.
“(This fight) means a lot for me. I'm on my way to the top right now and I'm only getting better. With this fight I want to go out and make a statement,” Jardine told MMAWeekly.com following UFC 100.
That’s not to say that he’s overlooking Silva; he realizes that his opponent poses challenges in every realm of the game.
“He's got really good jiu-jitsu, he's really good on the ground. He's got really good leg kicks and he's got good power. He's a good brawler. He's got good wind. He's everything man,” assessed the Greg Jackson trained fighter.
“I think me and him make a perfect fight because we both like to stand there and we both like to hit each other and get hit.”
Despite the loss to Jackson, the latest ebb in an alternating current of wins and losses over his past six bouts, Jardine believes that the level of competition he has faced still puts him within arms reach of being right back in the thick of the light heavyweight title picture.
“I've beat a lot of great guys; I've had a lot of great fights. I've got all the traction I need. Once I string some wins together, they can't deny me a title fight.”
It’s been more than four months since Keith Jardine hit a bump on the road in his journey to the UFC light heavyweight championship. That bump is named Quinton “Rampage” Jackson.
Jardine fought Jackson to the full term of their 15-minute bout at UFC 96, but it was Jackson that had just enough of a burst late in the third round to secure the unanimous decision victory.
With little more than a month to go, Jardine puts a lot of importance on his next bout. He faces fellow Top 10 ranked fighter Thiago Silva at UFC 102 when the promotion makes its Portland, Ore., debut.
“(This fight) means a lot for me. I'm on my way to the top right now and I'm only getting better. With this fight I want to go out and make a statement,” Jardine told MMAWeekly.com following UFC 100.
That’s not to say that he’s overlooking Silva; he realizes that his opponent poses challenges in every realm of the game.
“He's got really good jiu-jitsu, he's really good on the ground. He's got really good leg kicks and he's got good power. He's a good brawler. He's got good wind. He's everything man,” assessed the Greg Jackson trained fighter.
“I think me and him make a perfect fight because we both like to stand there and we both like to hit each other and get hit.”
Despite the loss to Jackson, the latest ebb in an alternating current of wins and losses over his past six bouts, Jardine believes that the level of competition he has faced still puts him within arms reach of being right back in the thick of the light heavyweight title picture.
“I've beat a lot of great guys; I've had a lot of great fights. I've got all the traction I need. Once I string some wins together, they can't deny me a title fight.”
WAND MANAGER SAYS BISPING BOUT A "NO-GO"
Despite multiple reports to the contrary, Wanderlei Silva will not be fighting Michael Bisping at UFC 105 in November, says Silva’s manager Rob Cardenas.
“A fight between Wanderlei Silva and Michael Bisping in November at UFC 105 has not been discussed by and between Wanderlei and the UFC. Certainly, there have been no formal proposals, or discussions relative to this match-up,” Cardenas told MMAWeekly.com Thursday afternoon. “Of course, there is speculation that such a fight will occur, and certainly there remains a possibility of such a match-up, however, at this time, rumors of the fight occurring at UFC 105, are simply that: rumors.”
Reports of the match-up surfaced Thursday morning, stating that Silva was soon to complete a deal to take on the winner of “The Ultimate Fighter” season three.
Cardenas said the fight’s timing was contrary to Silva’s wishes.
“Wanderlei and his coach, Raphael Alejarra, have both expressed a preference that Wanderlei wait until February for his next match. However, if at some point in time, such a fight is proposed by the UFC, it will be given the appropriate consideration, as do all proposals, and a decision will be made at that time,” continued Cardenas.
“In fact in a recent interview that we just completed, he’d like to fight Dan Henderson next, which he understands isn’t going to happen for a while because Dan is fighting Rich Franklin.”
Silva last appeared at UFC 93, where he lost a unanimous decision to Franklin. In post-fight interviews, Silva felt he had won the fight and requested an eventual rematch.
Cardenas did not pinpoint any names for Silva’s desired return in February.
Despite multiple reports to the contrary, Wanderlei Silva will not be fighting Michael Bisping at UFC 105 in November, says Silva’s manager Rob Cardenas.
“A fight between Wanderlei Silva and Michael Bisping in November at UFC 105 has not been discussed by and between Wanderlei and the UFC. Certainly, there have been no formal proposals, or discussions relative to this match-up,” Cardenas told MMAWeekly.com Thursday afternoon. “Of course, there is speculation that such a fight will occur, and certainly there remains a possibility of such a match-up, however, at this time, rumors of the fight occurring at UFC 105, are simply that: rumors.”
Reports of the match-up surfaced Thursday morning, stating that Silva was soon to complete a deal to take on the winner of “The Ultimate Fighter” season three.
Cardenas said the fight’s timing was contrary to Silva’s wishes.
“Wanderlei and his coach, Raphael Alejarra, have both expressed a preference that Wanderlei wait until February for his next match. However, if at some point in time, such a fight is proposed by the UFC, it will be given the appropriate consideration, as do all proposals, and a decision will be made at that time,” continued Cardenas.
“In fact in a recent interview that we just completed, he’d like to fight Dan Henderson next, which he understands isn’t going to happen for a while because Dan is fighting Rich Franklin.”
Silva last appeared at UFC 93, where he lost a unanimous decision to Franklin. In post-fight interviews, Silva felt he had won the fight and requested an eventual rematch.
Cardenas did not pinpoint any names for Silva’s desired return in February.
HOMINICK IS BACK IN ACTION FOR AFFLICTION
It’s been nearly a year since 145-pound contender Mark Hominick last stepped into the ring.
Illness an injury derailed a promising comeback Hominick had begun after defeating Savant Young at the first Affliction event in July of 2008.
Now finally healthy, Hominick returns to Affliction to continue what he started, this time against former IFL fighter Deividas Taurosevicious at the promotion’s August 1 “Trilogy” show in Anaheim.
“I’m pumped just to be part of history again,” exclaimed Hominick. “Training’s been going really well. I’ve been training at Xtreme Couture’s in Las Vegas with (Shawn) Tompkins and the boys and I’m ready to rock.”
Having spent much of the last year unable to fight, Hominick kept busy developing his game in efforts to become more than just a fighter fans consider a muay thai guy.
“After the last fight I just kind of sat back and really worked on my weaknesses,” he said. “I really worked on my wrestling and jiu-jitsu, trying to become a more complete fighter.
“I come from a striking background, and everyone expects that, but if you’ve seen my last fight, I got a submission win, and I just keep improving my game. Unless you keep improving, you’re not going to go anywhere in this sport now.”
Hominick’s return, which will be aired live on HDNet, isn’t coming against an easy opponent, as IFL veteran Deividas Taurosevicious moves down in weight for his Affliction debut.
“I think the hardest part about the fight is trying to pronounce his name,” joked Hominick. “Aside from that, he’s aggressive and comes at you, and I like that.
“I like guys that come at me and bring the fight. It gives you a lot of openings, but also a lot of traps, so I think it’s going to be an exciting fight.”
Taurosevicious has proven himself by defeating fighters such as Bart Palaszewski, Savant Young and Dan Lauzon. Hominick feels however that his opponent could falter if pressed into the late rounds.
“I’m expecting a high-paced fight and I’m ready for whatever,” stated Hominick. “If he can keep up with me, I think in the later rounds it’s mine.”
By most accounts, “Trilogy” will determine the future for the Affliction promotion. According to Hominick, he’d like to remain with the company if they continue; if not, then he seeks to go anywhere he can remain at the top.
“This year I had an injury and phenomena set me back, so I just want to get back in there and fight wherever the biggest fights and biggest money is,” he said. “Affliction has treated us so well thus far, and I look forward to working with them in the future.
“I’ve always stepped up and fought the best. I’ve always been one to step up to a challenge. That’s what I’m looking forward to: proving I can hang with anybody.”
Eager to return to the top of the 145-pound ranks, Hominick won’t accept anything less than success on August 1.
“I want to thank Denaro Sports Marketing, Shawn Tompkins and everyone at Xtreme Couture, and Adrenaline Training Center up in Canada,” he concluded. “Expect a high-paced, exciting fight on August 1. I expect to come out with a W.”
It’s been nearly a year since 145-pound contender Mark Hominick last stepped into the ring.
Illness an injury derailed a promising comeback Hominick had begun after defeating Savant Young at the first Affliction event in July of 2008.
Now finally healthy, Hominick returns to Affliction to continue what he started, this time against former IFL fighter Deividas Taurosevicious at the promotion’s August 1 “Trilogy” show in Anaheim.
“I’m pumped just to be part of history again,” exclaimed Hominick. “Training’s been going really well. I’ve been training at Xtreme Couture’s in Las Vegas with (Shawn) Tompkins and the boys and I’m ready to rock.”
Having spent much of the last year unable to fight, Hominick kept busy developing his game in efforts to become more than just a fighter fans consider a muay thai guy.
“After the last fight I just kind of sat back and really worked on my weaknesses,” he said. “I really worked on my wrestling and jiu-jitsu, trying to become a more complete fighter.
“I come from a striking background, and everyone expects that, but if you’ve seen my last fight, I got a submission win, and I just keep improving my game. Unless you keep improving, you’re not going to go anywhere in this sport now.”
Hominick’s return, which will be aired live on HDNet, isn’t coming against an easy opponent, as IFL veteran Deividas Taurosevicious moves down in weight for his Affliction debut.
“I think the hardest part about the fight is trying to pronounce his name,” joked Hominick. “Aside from that, he’s aggressive and comes at you, and I like that.
“I like guys that come at me and bring the fight. It gives you a lot of openings, but also a lot of traps, so I think it’s going to be an exciting fight.”
Taurosevicious has proven himself by defeating fighters such as Bart Palaszewski, Savant Young and Dan Lauzon. Hominick feels however that his opponent could falter if pressed into the late rounds.
“I’m expecting a high-paced fight and I’m ready for whatever,” stated Hominick. “If he can keep up with me, I think in the later rounds it’s mine.”
By most accounts, “Trilogy” will determine the future for the Affliction promotion. According to Hominick, he’d like to remain with the company if they continue; if not, then he seeks to go anywhere he can remain at the top.
“This year I had an injury and phenomena set me back, so I just want to get back in there and fight wherever the biggest fights and biggest money is,” he said. “Affliction has treated us so well thus far, and I look forward to working with them in the future.
“I’ve always stepped up and fought the best. I’ve always been one to step up to a challenge. That’s what I’m looking forward to: proving I can hang with anybody.”
Eager to return to the top of the 145-pound ranks, Hominick won’t accept anything less than success on August 1.
“I want to thank Denaro Sports Marketing, Shawn Tompkins and everyone at Xtreme Couture, and Adrenaline Training Center up in Canada,” he concluded. “Expect a high-paced, exciting fight on August 1. I expect to come out with a W.”
Ryo Chonan next fight against Jutaro Nakao at DEEP: ‘43rd Impact’ on Aug. 23
DEEP, which recently announced the acquisition of Pride FC and Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) veteran Ryo Chonan (15-10), has revealed that “The Piranha” will take on Jutaro Nakao (22-14-4) at DEEP: “43rd Impact” from the Korakuen Hall in Tokyo, Japan, on Aug. 23.
Chonan most recently competed under the UFC banner, amassing a disappointing record (1-3) with the promotion. His last outing was split decision loss to Canadian grappler TJ Grant (14-3) at UFC 97: “Redemption” this past April.
It marked the second consecutive loss for Chonan, which would lead to him getting handed his walking papers and released from his contract.
The good news is that it didn’t take long for Chonan to return home — he has had a solid relationship with the organization throughout his career, hosting 12 of his previous professional bouts. And he once held the promotion’s middleweight title.
In fact, Chonan has stated it’s now his goal to reclaim DEEP gold. First up, however, he’ll have to get past crafty veteran Jutaro Nakao.
Nakao has spent most of his career toiling on the small circuits in his home country of Japan. However, he has fought for bigger organizations such as UFC and also Pride FC with varied success. He holds a handful of victories over a few household names, including current lightweight standout Shinya Aoki, which was a while back and very early into Aoki’s career.
DEEP: “43rd Impact” will also feature be a bantamweight title clash between present champion and leg-lock specialist Masakazu Imanari (16-7-1) and Tomohiko Hori (10-4-3). And in other championship action will be defending DEEP featherweight champion Dokonjonosuke Mishima (19-6-2) facing off against Takafumi Otsuka (8-4-1).
DEEP, which recently announced the acquisition of Pride FC and Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) veteran Ryo Chonan (15-10), has revealed that “The Piranha” will take on Jutaro Nakao (22-14-4) at DEEP: “43rd Impact” from the Korakuen Hall in Tokyo, Japan, on Aug. 23.
Chonan most recently competed under the UFC banner, amassing a disappointing record (1-3) with the promotion. His last outing was split decision loss to Canadian grappler TJ Grant (14-3) at UFC 97: “Redemption” this past April.
It marked the second consecutive loss for Chonan, which would lead to him getting handed his walking papers and released from his contract.
The good news is that it didn’t take long for Chonan to return home — he has had a solid relationship with the organization throughout his career, hosting 12 of his previous professional bouts. And he once held the promotion’s middleweight title.
In fact, Chonan has stated it’s now his goal to reclaim DEEP gold. First up, however, he’ll have to get past crafty veteran Jutaro Nakao.
Nakao has spent most of his career toiling on the small circuits in his home country of Japan. However, he has fought for bigger organizations such as UFC and also Pride FC with varied success. He holds a handful of victories over a few household names, including current lightweight standout Shinya Aoki, which was a while back and very early into Aoki’s career.
DEEP: “43rd Impact” will also feature be a bantamweight title clash between present champion and leg-lock specialist Masakazu Imanari (16-7-1) and Tomohiko Hori (10-4-3). And in other championship action will be defending DEEP featherweight champion Dokonjonosuke Mishima (19-6-2) facing off against Takafumi Otsuka (8-4-1).
Georges St. Pierre: Winning would mean everything against Anderson Silva
“If I fight Anderson Silva one day, if this fight happens, I’m going to take an extra month to make sure that my weight is at 200 pounds minimum. I want to get bigger and I’m going to take some extra time to do that because if I do it I want to do it well. And if I do it I want to win … there is only one thing on my mind. I’m not going to do it just to try. If I do it it’s to win. It depends on the timing — right now is not good timing for me, but maybe one day it will be. “
“If I fight Anderson Silva one day, if this fight happens, I’m going to take an extra month to make sure that my weight is at 200 pounds minimum. I want to get bigger and I’m going to take some extra time to do that because if I do it I want to do it well. And if I do it I want to win … there is only one thing on my mind. I’m not going to do it just to try. If I do it it’s to win. It depends on the timing — right now is not good timing for me, but maybe one day it will be. “
BJ Penn Reveals Legacy Hopes Going Into Florian Bout
UFC lightweight Champion BJ Penn exclusively reveals how he wants people to remember him in his interview in the new issue of Fighters Only magazine on newsstands this week. Penn is one of only two fighters to have held UFC titles in two weight categories.
“I want to be remembered as the guy who came out and tried to do his best, excel in the sport, who didn’t listen to or gave a shit what anybody else thought, who always did it my way” reveals BJ, who defends his title against Kenny Florian at UFC 101 in August.
Penn, who is known to speak his mind in interviews, continues:
“(I want to be known as) a guy who never thought twice about doing steroids, who never thought about doing any cheap shit. People can look back and they can ask, ‘Okay, but did he become a champion?’ and they can see my two titles. If you do it straight and do it right, you can become a champion.”
In the 6-page exclusive interview he also talks about future opponent Kenny Florian, his loss to welterweight champion Georges Saint Pierre and why he considers himself a fan of light heavyweight champion Lyoto Machida.
Fighters Only was the world’s first monthly MMA and Lifestyle magazine launching in the UK in 2005. The launch of the US edition in February was accompanied by the simultaneous launch of a Canadian edition with a German edition available from April 2009. For more information on subscriptions and where to purchase Fighters Only from visit: www.fightersonlymag.com .
UFC lightweight Champion BJ Penn exclusively reveals how he wants people to remember him in his interview in the new issue of Fighters Only magazine on newsstands this week. Penn is one of only two fighters to have held UFC titles in two weight categories.
“I want to be remembered as the guy who came out and tried to do his best, excel in the sport, who didn’t listen to or gave a shit what anybody else thought, who always did it my way” reveals BJ, who defends his title against Kenny Florian at UFC 101 in August.
Penn, who is known to speak his mind in interviews, continues:
“(I want to be known as) a guy who never thought twice about doing steroids, who never thought about doing any cheap shit. People can look back and they can ask, ‘Okay, but did he become a champion?’ and they can see my two titles. If you do it straight and do it right, you can become a champion.”
In the 6-page exclusive interview he also talks about future opponent Kenny Florian, his loss to welterweight champion Georges Saint Pierre and why he considers himself a fan of light heavyweight champion Lyoto Machida.
Fighters Only was the world’s first monthly MMA and Lifestyle magazine launching in the UK in 2005. The launch of the US edition in February was accompanied by the simultaneous launch of a Canadian edition with a German edition available from April 2009. For more information on subscriptions and where to purchase Fighters Only from visit: www.fightersonlymag.com .
ATT coach: “Jorge will fight Vitor Belfort”
One of the American Top Team leaders, Marcus Conan Silveira is helping Jorge Santiago ni his preparation to fight Vitor Belfort at Affliction 3, at California. After the rumors about a possible fight between Belfort and Fedor Emelianenko, Conan guaranteed nothing official was said about the to ATT’s camp, that’s still focused on the fight.
“I know exactly what you know, that Josh (Barnett) tested positive, but the situation is the same: Jorge (Santiago) will fight Vitor Belfort”, said Conan, commenting Santiago’s trainings for the fight. “He has growth a lot, he’s one of the best fighters we have at American Top Team. He’s a complete fighter and I think it describes who he is and how he is now”, analyzed the coach.
One of the American Top Team leaders, Marcus Conan Silveira is helping Jorge Santiago ni his preparation to fight Vitor Belfort at Affliction 3, at California. After the rumors about a possible fight between Belfort and Fedor Emelianenko, Conan guaranteed nothing official was said about the to ATT’s camp, that’s still focused on the fight.
“I know exactly what you know, that Josh (Barnett) tested positive, but the situation is the same: Jorge (Santiago) will fight Vitor Belfort”, said Conan, commenting Santiago’s trainings for the fight. “He has growth a lot, he’s one of the best fighters we have at American Top Team. He’s a complete fighter and I think it describes who he is and how he is now”, analyzed the coach.