MMA News Thread

[Shogun Locc]

Fedor Emelianenko vs. Gegard Mousasi exhibition, King Mo vs. Kerr at "Breakthrough"

Following the loss of would-be headline fighter Don Frye, "M-1 Breakthrough" will now feature a main event between previously scheduled headliner "King" Mo Lawal (4-0) and replacement fighter Mark Kerr (15-10).

Additionally, the Aug. 28 event, which takes place in Kansas City, will feature a special exhibition match between recent Strikeforce signee Fedor Emelianenko and Gegard Mousasi.

A source close to the event today exclusively revealed the two matchups to MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com).

Bout agreements have been signed for both matchups.

Lawal, who's posted a 4-0 record with World Victory Road's Japanese-based Sengoku event series, makes his U.S. debut at the upcoming show, which is the first of what M-1 officials call a "premium fight series" to complement its current country-vs-country "M-1 Challenge" shows. Lawal, a Division I collegiate All-American, announced last week that his original opponent, veteran fighter Frye (20-7-1), had pulled out of the event.

Scrambling to find a last-minute replacement, M-1 officials settled for Kerr, once one of the sport's most feared competitors. But after launching his career with a 12-0 record and tournament wins at WVC 3, UFC 14 and UFC 15, Kerr hit a rough patch (which was well documented in the acclaimed documentary "The Smashing Machine"). Since December of 2000, the 40-year-old fighter is just 2-9 and has lost his past four fights.

Hoping to add some drawing power to the event, which airs on HDNet, officials secured the Emelianenko vs. Mousasi exhibition match. The two M-1 fighters will compete in a matchup similar to the one Emelianenko had with lightweight Shinya Aoki back in April. The "exhibition sparring match," held at an April Deep/M-1 Challenge show, was largely an informal and friendly affair.

Neither fighter's record will be affected by the upcoming bout since it won't be held under traditional MMA rules and will have no judges.

The exhibition, though, will essentially serve as a commercial for Emelianenko's next fight, which will come this fall on Showtime under the Strikeforce banner. The longtime PRIDE heavyweight champion had been slated to headline an Aug. 1 "Affliction: Trilogy" event before opponent Josh Barnett was denied a license due to a failed drug test and Affliction ceased promotional operations altogether soon after.

Emelianenko had been in talks with the UFC about a potential deal up until a few weeks ago, but negotiations broke down when UFC officials refused to co-promote Emelianenko's fights with M-1, an organization co-owned by Emelianenko and his manager, Vadim Finkelchtein.

Strikeforce agreed to the co-promotion, and as evidenced by the sparring session, Emelianenko will continue to champion the M-1 brand in a variety of ways.

Mousasi, meanwhile, will take part in the exhibition just 13 days after his scheduled bout with Renato "Babalu" Sobral. Mousasi, who recently signed with Strikeforce, meets the organization's light-heavyweight champion at the Aug. 15 show.

As MMAjunkie.com reported last week, the "M-1: Breakthrough" show was moved from Los Angeles to Kansas City. The show had been scheduled for the L.A. Convention Center as part of the International MMA Expo (IMMAE), but terms of a potential deal couldn't be guaranteed, and M-1 opted to operate the show independently.

Although initial reports suggested "Breakthrough" might be scrapped completely after the IMMAE deal fell apart, a source close to the show said that was never the case and that "Breakthrough" is one of a few "premium events" in the works.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Chuck Liddell, Frank Mir, Urijah Faber and Jens Pulver added to pre-WEC 43 activities in Ohio

While the WEC recently released the full card for its Sept. 2 event, "WEC 43: Cerrone vs. Henderson," in Youngstown, Ohio, the 20 competitors already announced won't be the only MMA stars in attendance.

The WEC today announced that four former world champions will also be involved in pre-fight activities.

Chuck Liddell, Frank Mir, Urijah Faber and Jens Pulver will all be in attendance and interacting with WEC fans.

The bonus activities kickoff on Tuesday, Sept. 1, as Mir, Faber and Pulver will conduct a special Q&A session at Covelli Centre, site of WEC 43. While the WEC announced that a time for the event would be made official at a later date, the session would presumably lead-into or follow the night's official weigh-in ceremonies.

Additionally, UFC legend Liddell will be on hand at Covelli Centre on the day of WEC 43 between 4 p.m. and 6 p.m. ET, signing autographs on the main concourse. The first bout begins following Liddell's autograph session.

"For our first trip to Ohio, we wanted to make sure fans were treated to a once-in-a-lifetime experience," WEC Vice President Peter Dropick stated in the announcement. "To attend a title fight is a special experience. To have four of the best fighters of all-time also in attendance makes this an absolute can't-miss event."

Headlined by an interim lightweight title fight between Donald Cerrone and Benson Henderson, WEC 43's main card will air live on VERSUS.

Tickets for the event range from just $25 to $125 for cageside seats and are available at Ticketmaster.com.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Strikeforce adds five prelim matchups, "Carano vs. Cyborg" now complete for Aug. 15

With just five days remaining until Strikeforce conducts four championship bouts live on Showtime, the California-based organization has finally released the evening's full schedule for "Carano vs. Cyborg."

Strikeforce today announced the matchups, including a previously rumored heavyweight contest between Mike Kyle (12-6-1) and Fabricio Werdum (11-4-1).

"Strikeforce: Carano vs. Cyborg" takes place Aug. 15 at HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif. The main card airs on Showtime.

The newly announced bouts also include the addition EliteXC import David "Tarzan" Douglas (4-1) versus five-time Extreme Challenge veteran Justin "The Silverback" Wilcox, who fought once previously Strikeforce, as well a rematch from April's "Strikeforce: Shamrock vs. Diaz," as Zak Bucia (3-2) meets James Terry (6-1).

Undefeated striker Scott Lighty (4-0), who was previously scheduled to meet Ricardo Barros, will instead face Mike Cook (7-4), and Isaiah Hill (4-6-1), who was expected to face Poppies Martinez, will instead fight Alex Trevino (3-0).

Strikeforce officials were not immediately available to comment on what necessitated the changes to the previously arranged preliminary card bouts.

The full card for "Strikeforce: Carano vs. Cyborg" now includes:

MAIN CARD

* Gina Carano vs. Cristiane "Cyborg" Santos (for Strikeforce women's 145-pound title)
* Nick Diaz vs. Jay Hieron (for first-ever Strikforce welterweight title)
* Champ Renato "Babalu" Sobral vs. Gegard Mousasi (for Strikeforce light heavyweight title)
* Champ Gilbert Melendez vs. Mitsuhiro Ishida (for Strikeforce interim lightweight title)

PRELIMINARY CARD (un-aired)

* Mike Kyle vs. Fabricio Werdum
* Mike Cook vs. Scott Lighty
* David "Tarzan" Douglas vs. Justin Wilcox
* Zak Bucia vs. James Terry
* Isaiah Hill vs. Alex Trevino

 

[Shogun Locc]

WEC's Miguel Torres: "It's going to be fun to get my belt back" from Brian Bowles

One look at former WEC bantamweight champ Miguel Torres' (37-2 MMA, 5-1 WEC) face was all it took to understand his feelings.

Seated in an unfamiliar position on the losers' side of the table at Sunday's "WEC 42: Torres vs. Bowles press conference, Torres blankly stared at the gathered media, most of whom appeared as shocked as the former champ that Brian Bowles (8-0 MMA, 5-0 WEC) had defeated – nay, destroyed – the seemingly unbeatable Indiana native.

"In this sport, one shot can change everything," Torres said. "There's no excuses for what happened."

What happened was exactly what Torres had hoped wouldn't. The former champ told everyone that asked prior to the contest that he simply needed to steer clear of the powerful right hand possessed by his opponent in order to walk away with his unbelievable 18th-straight win.

Instead, he was caught twice on the feet by that devastating blow, sending him crashing to the canvas. He received several more for good measure as he lay prone on the mat, and his face bore the signs of the attack.

"Brian hits really hard," Torres said. "I saw his shot coming, but I couldn't get out of the way of it – a big overhand right. He put it away.

"He's a real aggressive young guy. He's going to be a good champion."

The question for Torres now becomes: What's next?

"I start from the beginning," Torres answered.

While certainly unfamiliar with loss – tasting defeat for the first time in nearly six years and just the second time in a nine-plus-year career – Torres said all the right things following Sunday's fight.

"For me, it's not a step back at all," Torres said. "It's a new challenge in my career, and now I have something to look forward to, something to train for.

"When you're on top for a long time, it's hard to keep pushing yourself because you're always on top. I've got to get back on the bottom because he's on top, and I have something to work for now. It will be a good challenge for me."

And while Torres' voice passed along the proper message, the look on his face told a different story – that he was disappointed, frustrated, sad, upset.

Bowles made a name for himself on Sunday night, shocking the world in a manner not seen since Matt Serra stunned current UFC welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre in April 2007. But St. Pierre has since bounced back from that devastating moment with six-straight wins, including a thrashing of Serra in the rematch.

Now it will be Torres' chance to show how he can deal with adversity, the mark of any true champion.

"The more you stay on top, the harder it is to keep hold of everything," Torres said. "I was on top for a long time. ... I don't think of this as a setback at all. It's a new challenge in my career.

"It's going to be fun to get my belt back from him."

 

[Shogun Locc]

New WEC champ Brian Bowles still not sure where pre-fight confidence originated

Prior to shocking top pound-for-pound fighter Miguel Torres in the main event of Sunday's "WEC 42: Torres vs. Bowles," new bantamweight champion Brian Bowles issued a telling prediction to MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com).

"Nobody's game is perfect," Bowles said. "If I impose my will it will work out."

It was a confident statement from an underdog that few MMA observers gave a chance to win, but Bowles himself still doesn't know exactly where it came from.

"I'm not sure," Bowles said at Sunday's post-WEC 42 press conference. "I was confused with it myself. I was back there (in the dressing room), and I was about to go and fight, and I was like, 'Man. I'm not nervous at all.' I thought there was something wrong.

"I was like, 'I need to get myself psyched up, kind of pump myself up.' I just went out there, I stayed calm."

Bowles stayed calm on the walk to the cage, as the pre-fight introductions were delivered and even after the opening bell rang. And though Torres delivered a bit of his own offense, Bowles remained calm and delivered a crushing right hook that led to the end of the contest.

"I didn't really think I'd get the knockout in the first round," Bowles said. "I was preparing myself mentally for a decision. ... You never can tell how a fight is going to unfold, so I was prepared for whatever."

Many fighters believe a bit of nervous energy is required for successful performance. Bowles' Sunday night win has him believing that might not be the case.

"I see a lot of guys like Randy (Couture); they walk out there and they're all calm," Bowles said. "They're not all psyched up. I realize maybe that's how I should be – just stay calm.

"I know that I'm prepared, and I went out there and performed like I knew I could."

Now 8-0, Bowles not only has a signature win on his record, but a new belt to defend. Life may be about to change for the quiet Georgian, but he says his ready for the adventure.

"I'm not sure (how things will change moving forward)," Bowles said. "I'm looking forward to finding out.

"My work ethic is top notch. Now that I'm going to be fighting five rounds every time, I'll just have to train like I did for this fight. My training will just get harder and better. I'll just have to train for the opponent. There's not much else I can change."

In the meantime, Bowles has a much simpler plan.

"Looks like I'll be going to the hospital," Bowles said. "After that, I'll just be hanging out with my crew."

 

[Shogun Locc]

WEC 42 FIGHTER SALARIES & BONUSES; TORRES TOPS

MMAWeekly.com has obtained the fighter salary information from the Nevada State Athletic Commission for WEC 42 featuring the bantamweight championship bout between Miguel Torres and Brian Bowles, which took place on Sunday, Aug. 9, at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.

The following figures are based on the fighter salary information that promoters are required by law to submit to the state athletic commissions, including the winners' bonuses.

Although mixed martial arts fighters do not have collective bargaining or a union, the fighters' salaries are still public record, just as with every other major sport in the United States. Any undisclosed bonuses that a promoter also pays its fighters, but does not disclose to the athletic commissions (specifically, pay-per-view bonuses, fight of the night bonuses, etc.), are not included in the figures below.

In the listings below, "Main Event Fighters" are defined as fighters who compete in the main event of a show. "Main Card Fighters" are defined as fighters whose fights appear on the main card, but not in the main event. "Preliminary Card Fighters" are defined as fighters whose matches take place before the main card goes on the air, regardless of whether or not those matches end up airing on the TV or Internet broadcast.


MAIN EVENT FIGHTERS

-Brian Bowles $18,000 (includes $9,000 win bonus) def. Miguel Torres $25,000 (win bonus would have been $26,000)
*Bowles also received a $10,000 bonus for Knockout of the Night

MAIN CARD FIGHTERS

-Dominick Cruz $14,000 (includes $7,000 win bonus) def. Joseph Benavidez $12,500 (win bonus would have been $12,500)
*Cruz and Benavidez also received a $10,000 bonus each for Fight of the Night

-Danny Castillo $14,000 (includes $7,000 win bonus) def. Ricardo Lamas $4,000 (win bonus would have been $4,000)

-Takeya Mizugaki $12,000 (includes $6,000 win bonus) def. Jeff Curran $8,000 (win bonus would have been $8,000)

-Leonard Garcia $24,000 (includes $12,000 win bonus) def. Jameel Massouh $3,000 (win bonus would have been $3,000)


PRELIMINARY CARD FIGHTERS

-Cole Province $6,000 (includes $3,000 win bonus) def. Fredson Paixao $2,000 (win bonus would have been $2,000)

-Shane Roller $20,000 (includes $10,000 win bonus) def. Marcus Hicks $8,000 (win bonus would have been $8,000)

-Ed Ratcliff $14,000 (includes $7,000 win bonus) def. Phil Cardella $3,000 (win bonus would have been $3,000)

-Rani Yahya $16,000 (includes $8,000 win bonus) def. John Hosman $3,000 (win bonus would have been $2,000)
*Yahya also received a $10,000 bonus for Submission of the Night

-Diego Nunes $8,000 (includes $4,000 win bonus) def. Rafael Dias $4,000 (win bonus would have been $4,000)

-L.C. Davis $10,000 (includes $5,000 win bonus) def. Javier Vazquez $6,000 (win bonus would have been $6,000)

WEC 42 DISCLOSED FIGHTER PAYROLL: $234,500


WEC 42 POST-FIGHT AWARDS AND BONUSES
(A $10,000 bonus was awarded per fighter per award.)

Knockout of the Night:
-Brian Bowles

Fight of the Night:
-Dominick Cruz vs. Joseph Benavidez

Submission of the Night:
-Rani Yahya

 

[Shogun Locc]

Strikeforce Media Call LIVE updates!!

2:05- The Call has begun.
2:06 – It appears Nick Diaz is not on this call.

2:07- Scott Coker reminds the media that Mousasi and Babalu was originally scheduled for this card.

2:08- Coker says Diaz is in route to take his test for the CSAC.

2:09- Babalu thanks Coker for putting this fight back on the Strikeforce card, and says he will give his life for the fans.

2:10- Mousasi agree’s with Babalu and thanks Coker for making this happen. He is excited for the fight.

2:11 – Hieron thanks Coker for the chance, and says he is one of the best fighter not in the UFC.

2:14- MDS from Fanhouse wants to know what the deal with Gegard’s contract is.

2:15- Gegard says he is just concentrating on the fight in front of him, if he wins the belt, he will be a two division champion, then his final goal would be the HW belt. Say’s he would like to Box on Showtime if Scott will let him next year. Has 3 fights left with Showtime, 2 with Dream.

2:16 ( Same question to Coker) Scott says none of this is a surprise to him, he knen ahead of time this was the case, and he supports it as long as Mousasi can keep the fights he has scheduled for him.

2:17- ( Is their a plan if Diaz cant get licensed) Coker says their is a plan and Hieron will be fighting this weekend.

2:18- ( Have you spoken with Nick Diaz or Ceasar Gracie since Saturday night? ) Coker says he is in touch with the person who will be administering the test and Nick has until 3pm to take his test. And Yes he has spoken with Ceasar. Coker hopes he makes the right decision.

2:19- Hieron explains he selected Strikeforce over the UFC based upon the title shot. Has nothing bad to say bad about the UFC.

2:20 - Cory Brady askes if Gegard would fight Fedor. Gegard said yes. But they are both under the same management, but if the money is right crazy things happen.

2:21 Will the fight be for the belt this weekend? Coker says he doesn’t know , and he wants to see how things unfold.

2:24 – ( do you know why Nick didn’t show up) Coker said he was told Nick was training in the Mountains. Also that he didn’t understand and he had an arrangement with Armando Garcia, but it has all been made clear to Nick and everyone understands.

2:25- ( how does the attendance look) Coker is expecting 10-12 thousand. Just what they have expected all along. Coker says he has been waiting for this fight long before he was ever involved with it.

2:26- Meltzer is droning on with uninteresting questions about what if’s and what do you suppose …………

2:29 - Hieron thinks everything happens for a reason and it all makes him a better fighter. Everything will play out the way it will play out.

2:33 Coker is speaking about how impressed he was with Gina, she wanted to fight Cyborg in her first fight in Strikeforce.

2:34 Q: Jay have you signed a multi fight deal with Strikeforce. Hieron= Yes I have signed a multifight deal with Strikeforce.

2:35- Coker says he feels the CSAC didn’t have to give them a second chance ( with Diaz) . ( In regards to a question of if the CSAC will expedite things as quick as they could)

2:38- We are reminded that tonight on Sho2 at 10pm there will be programming with Gina and Cyborg all week.

2:40 Ariel H from Fanhouse says Coker is calm and smooth and wants to know how he really feels and how he does it with things not always working out the way he plans.

2:40 Coker explains he has been doing this for 25 years and sometimes things happen, it part of the game.

2:41- Phil Baroni will not be fighting on this card.

2:42 Jay Hieron is asked for the 10th time how he is dealing with the uncertainty of the situation.

2:43 Jay explains for the 10th time, that this is part of the game. And he has no control of the situation and will be ready to fight.

2:44 Scott Coker is alerted that Nick Diaz has not contacted the CSAC yet, and there must be a communication problem.

2:45 Scott says there isn’t a communication problem , everone knows what they are supposed to do, and he will make some calls after this call is over. But there is no communication problem, everyone knows what they are supposed to do.

2:47- Cory advises Coker that Bill Douglas has set a drop dead time of 12 pm. Coker says he’ll deal with it when the situation is finalized.

Cory asks for a response to Dana White holding a show in October to counter program Fedor’s debut. Coker says it is the UFC business model to do so.

2:50 Kruck wants to know details on the late modifications to this card. Is this the final fight card.

2:53 Coker explains some of the history and circumstances behind this card and some of the changes. Coker says he is happy with this card.

 

[Shogun Locc]

MMA’s Cost Effectiveness May Lure Network TV

Meg James of the LA Times has written a piece detailing the tremendous decline in television adveritsing sales volume over the last two years; a decline that would seemingly mirror that of the American economy. The decline in sales volume has put significant pressure on the bottom-lines of America’s big television networks (FOX, ABC, NBC, and CBS) which have been forced to reduce the prices of advertising slots, even during prime-time hours.

Buckling under the pressure of a weak advertising market, the broadcast networks have cut prices for commercial time, a rare setback for companies used to commanding ever-higher prices. It shows how the 1 1/2 -year-long recession is finally catching up with the networks, which rely on a rise in ad revenue to cover the escalating costs of prime-time, news and sports programming.
The retrenchment marks the first time in years that ABC, CBS, NBC and Fox have failed to leverage their large audiences to boost ad prices during the industry’s annual bazaar for TV commercials. In previous years, advertisers grudgingly paid the higher rates despite years of declining ratings because the networks still delivered larger audiences than any other media outlet.
Network executives estimated on Thursday that this year’s sales volume would be down between 15% and 20% compared with last year, when the five English-language broadcasters, including the CW network, rang up a combined $9.2 billion in prime-time sales. That would put this year’s advance, or “upfront,” prime-time commercial sales around $7.5 billion — a level not seen since 2001. Networks declined to provide individual sales figures.

Payout Perspective:

The networks cannot afford to address this situation from a singular perspective, and thus they must evaluate other solutions in order to recover some of their bottom-line that has seemingly dropped out from underneath them over the last two years.

Cost-cutting is being looked at as one solution. In particular, a move from the expensive scripted television shows to unscripted or “reality” programming that is far more economical - and in some cases, a far greater ratings driver. Here’s where MMA enters the equation.

It’s quite possible that network television could become more receptive to the idea of MMA programming because of its cost effectiveness and the strength of its ratings in the crucial 18-34 and 18-49 year-old demographics. The sport has also demonstrated an unparalleled immunity to this latest economic downturn which is to suggest that the growth MMA has experienced over the last few years might be dwarfed by the growth to come - once some semblance of disposable cash can return to American household budgets.

The UFC is actively searching for a network partner and said to be “looking for the right deal.” If the latest negotiating concessions on the advertising front are any indication, the real deal may be just around the corner. Dana White has even go as far to acknowledge as much; saying last week, “I’m liking what I’m hearing now, more than ever before.”

This window of opportunity isn’t exclusive to the UFC, either. There are organization likes Strikeforce and Bellator that are looking to step up to the next level and initiate some of that corollary programming to boost the potential of future PPV dates - network TV would help.

CBS may now be far more willing to come to the table with Strikeforce and hammer out a firm date for the organization’s first appearance on network TV. Similarly, if the success of Bellator Fighting Championship on ESPN Deportes this spring is any indication of future potential, they may find their deal with ESPN will evolve.

 

[Shogun Locc]

WEC 42: TWELVE MEDICAL SUSPENSIONS

The Nevada State Athletic Commission on Monday released the medical suspension list for WEC 42, which took place Sunday night at the Hard Rock Hotel in Las Vegas.

In all, 12 fighters wound up on the suspension list with three suspensions extending into 2010, unless the fighters garner medical clearance.

WEC 42 Medical Suspensions:

-Brian Bowles is suspended until Feb. 6, 2010, unless cleared by an orthopedic doctor.

-Miguel Torres is suspended until Oct. 9, 2009 (no contact until Sept. 24).

-Danny Castillo is suspended until Feb. 6, 2010, unless left hand and left knee cleared by an orthopedic doctor.

-Ricardo Lamas suspended until Sept. 9, 2009 (no contact until Aug. 31).

-Leonard Garcia suspended until Sept. 9, 2009 (no contact until Aug. 31), due to left infra-orbital laceration.

-Cole Province suspended until Aug. 31, 2009 (no contact until Aug. 24), due to lacerations on his nose.

-Shane Roller suspended until Aug. 31, 2009 (no contact until Aug. 24), due to left upper eyelid laceration.

-Marcus Hicks suspended until Sept. 9, 2009 (no contact until Aug. 31).

-Phil Cardella suspended until Aug. 31, 2009 (no contact until Aug. 24), due to lacerations on his nose.

-Diego Nunes suspended until Oct. 9, 2009 (no contact until Sept. 24).

-Rafael Dias suspended until Aug. 31, 2009 (no contact until Aug. 24), due to laceration on his nose.

-L.C. Davis suspended until Feb. 6, 2010 unless cleared by an ophthalmologist; minimum suspension is until Aug. 31, 2009 (no contact until Aug. 24).

 

[Shogun Locc]

U.S. OLYMPIAN DANIEL CORMIER HEADING INTO MMA

Two-time U.S. Olympian Daniel Cormier is the next decorated American wrestler to transition to MMA. Management group Zinkin Entertainment announced on Monday that Cormier has signed to join the ranks of a client list that includes Chuck Liddell, Forrest Griffin, Jon Fitch, Mike Swick, and other established mixed martial artists.

A resident of Oklahoma since his collegiate wrestling career at Oklahoma State University, Cormier is an aggressive freestyle wrestler that will soon begin training at American Kickboxing Academy alongside fighters such as Fitch, Swick, Josh Koscheck, Cain Velasquez, and Josh Thomson.

Attaining a record of 117-10 during his collegiate career, Cormier has achieved several national and international honors in wrestling, including a fourth-place finish at the 2004 Olympic games in Athens, Greece.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Handful of medical suspensions follow UFC 101, Tamdan McCrory needs doctor's clearance

A handful of medical suspensions were issued following this past Saturday's, Aug. 8, "UFC 101: Declaration" event at the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia.

MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) on Monday contacted the Pennsylvania State Athletic Commission and today confirmed the list of mandatory suspensions.

A total of six fighters, including headliner Kenny Florian (who must have a CT scan of his facial bones) and Tamdan McCrory (who needs a full eye exam and doctor's clearance before returning to the cage), face suspensions of varying lengths.

Regardless of whether Florian is cleared or not, he serves a 45-day suspension for precautionary reasons. McCrory, though, is able to compete once his eyes check out OK. Florian suffered a loss to UFC lightweight champ B.J. Penn in the night's main event; McCrory suffered a decision loss to John Howard in a tough-fought three-rounder on the night's preliminary card.

Serving a 30-day suspension for precautionary reasons is Forrest Griffin, who suffered a first-round TKO loss to UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva in a non-title fight at 205 pounds. Griffin bolted out of the cage, skipping a routine a post-fight doctor's check, after the loss. Reports that he suffered a dislocated/broken jaw, though, appear premature, and the fighter could conceivably return to action next month.

Also serving precautionary 30-day suspensions are Amir Sadollah, who suffered a 29-second KO loss to Johnny Hendricks; Dan Cramer, who suffered cuts near his left eye in a unanimous-decision loss to Matthew Riddle; and Danillo Villefort, who also suffered facial cuts in a third-round TKO defeat to Jesse Lennox.

 

[Shogun Locc]

DAN MILLER NOW SLATED TO FACE C.B. DOLLAWAY

The changes for the UFC Fight Night 19 card in Oklahoma City continue to roll in as MMAWeekly.com has confirmed with sources close to the fight that Dan Miller is now set to square off against C.B. Dollaway in a middleweight match-up.

Originally, Dan Miller was stepping in as a replacement for Ed Herman to face Arizona Combat Sports fighter Aaron Simpson. Herman had been tabbed to face Wilson Gouveia at UFC 102 in Portland.

It appears Simpson has been pulled from the fight with Miller to return to the match-up with Herman, due to Gouveia now dropping out.

Simpson on Monday confirmed to MMAMadness.com that he signed a contract to return to the Herman fight. His teammate, C.B. Dollaway will occupy the spot against Miller.

Dollaway last appeared at UFC 100 where he lost by guillotine choke early in the first round to fellow "Ultimate Fighter" alum Tom Lawlor.

Up to that fight, Dollaway had won in his last two bouts in the UFC with victories over Jesse Taylor and Mike Massenzio.

Miller returns to action in September following a loss to Chael Sonnen, which marks his UFC career record at 3-1.

 

[Shogun Locc]

EVEN WITH WIN AT 185, ALMEIDA READY FOR 170

With back-to-back wins, Ricardo Almeida seems to have finally hit his stride in the UFC.

Debuting in the organization more than eight years ago, the “Big Dog” would eventually leave the promotion with a subtle 1-2 record, losing to Matt Lindland and Andrei Semenov, before moving on to do bigger and better things in the land of the rising sun.

This Renzo Gracie protégé was able to compile an undefeated six-fight winning streak in Japan. Chief among his wins were Ryo Chonan, Ikuhisa Minowa, Nate Marquardt, and Kazuo Misaki, which propelled Almeida through the ranks of Pancrase, making him one of the best 185-pound fighters in the world.

Finally making a name for himself in a brief two-year span, Almeida would leave just as quickly, retiring for over four years before returning to the UFC.

He defeated Ultimate Fighter Season 3 winner Kendall Grove at UFC 101 on Saturday night, but Almeida admits the Hawaiian’s six-foot-six-inch frame was an obstacle in and of itself.

“Kendall’s a really tall guy. He offers problems for anyone who fights at middleweight.”

Having recently told MMAWeekly.com that he’d like to drop down to the stacked welterweight division, the fight with Grove may have been the Gracie Black Belt’s last at middleweight, looking to start a new chapter in the weight class dominated by current champion Georges. St Pierre.

“I felt pretty good in the first two rounds, even though I got caught with an arm bar, I think it was the second round; I just thought that I was too light,” commented Almeida.

“Today I weighed 187 pounds before I left the hotel to come to fight and by the third round I definitely felt the size difference. I got a little bit tired.

“I feel like I showed a lot of takedowns, perhaps something I didn’t show before. I’m pretty happy with my performance. I know that I need to go back and work on some things and keep getting better. I’m looking forward to my next fight, perhaps fighting at 170.”

 

[Shogun Locc]

Tim Sylvia headlines Adrenaline MMA IV against Jason Riley on Sept. 18 in Iowa

Monte Cox's Adrenaline MMA organization returns for its fourth show on Sept. 18 with a headline fight between former UFC champion Tim Sylvia (24-6) and Jason Riley (6-1).

Riley, an Ohio-based heavyweight, confirmed the fight via MySpace, though the organization has not officially announced the "Adrenaline MMA IV" event.

According a report earlier this month from The Northwest Times of Indiana, Adrenaline MMA IV takes place Sept. 18 (a day before UFC 103 in Dallas) at the Mid-America Center near Omaha, Neb., in Coucil Bluffs, Iowa, and is also likely to feature Jeremy Horn (81-19-5).

The report also stated UFC light heavyweight Houston Alexander (8-4) is expected to compete on the card. MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) spoke to a source close to the fighter and confirmed Alexander has agreed to fight on the card after receiving permission from the UFC to take an outside bout. Alexander, a popular fighter who's unfortunately suffered three straight losses, expects to return to the UFC later this year if victorious.

Sylvia returns to the cage for the first time since an embarrassing nine-second knockout loss to 48-year-old boxer Ray Mercer in June. The bout, and event, underwent venue and rules changes because of issues with the Sylvia-Mercer bout, which was originally slated as a boxing fight. However, after a move from Atlantic City to Birmingham, Ala., and pressure from regulators, the fight was changed to an MMA bout.

Sylvia has now lost three consecutive fights, which included a submission loss to Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira at UFC 81 and a submission loss to Fedor Emelianenko in the headliner of "Affliction: Banned." The Mercer loss cost him a spot on the "Affliction: Trilogy" main card, though the event was ultimately scrapped anyway.

Riley, a Columbus, Ohio-based fighter who's recently competed in the popular Ohio-based NAAFS promotion, went 8-0 as an amateur before turning pro. Since that move to pro status in 2007, he's posted a 6-1 record (with five stoppage wins) but faces his biggest challenge to date with Sylvia.

No opponents have been determined for Houston or Horn, a UFC vet who recently snapped a three-fight losing streak with a win over Chris Davis (1-0 at the time) at Adrenaline MMA's third show back in June.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Ed Herman vs. Aaron Simpson rebooked, moved and official for UFC 102

A middleweight bout between Ed Herman and Aaron Simpson takes place at the Aug. 29 UFC 102 event at the Rose Garden in Portland, Ore.

Herman and Simpson, slated to meet at UFC Fight Night 19 before a series of opponent switches briefly had them committed to other fights, now meet on the preliminary card of UFC 102.

The UFC today officially announced the fight.

Herman, "The Ultimate Fighter 3" middleweight runner-up, returns to the cage for the first time since his must-win victory over David Loiseau at UFC 97. Herman faced the threat of losing three consecutive fights and possibly earning his UFC walking papers before he pulled off the unanimous-decision win in Loiseau's hometown of Montreal.

Simpson joined the UFC after a November 2008 victory over David Avellan in the WEC. He made his octagon debut against Tim McKenzie and needed less than two minutes to post the TKO win at UFC Fight Night 18. Simpson, a two-time All-American wrestler and former coach at Arizona State University, has now posted knockout victories in all five of his professional bouts (four in the first round).

Herman had briefly been slated to replace an injured James Irvin in a UFC 102 fight with Wilson Gouveia, and Simpson had been slotted to replace the rescheduled Herman to fight Dan Miller at UFC Fight Night 19. After furher juggling of the card, Herman and Simpson were rebooked and are now set for the UFC 102 card.

The full UFC 102 card includes:

MAIN CARD

* Randy Couture vs. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira
* Keith Jardine vs. Thiago Silva
* Chris Leben vs. Jake Rosholt
* Demian Maia vs. Nate Marquardt
* Krzysztof Soszynski vs. Brandon Vera

PRELIMINARY CARD

* Gabriel Gonzaga vs. Chris Tuchscherer
* Justin McCully vs. Mike Russow
* Todd Duffee vs. Tim Hague
* Nick Catone vs. Mark Munoz
* Evan Dunham vs. Matt Veach
* Ed Herman vs. Aaron Simpson

 

[Shogun Locc]

Watch Strikeforce: ‘Carano vs Cyborg’ online with ‘All Access’ on Aug. 15

NEW YORK (Aug. 11, 2009)—For the first time, SHOWTIME Sports will offer Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fans around the world STRIKEFORCE: All Access, the cutting edge online interactive experience, live on Saturday, Aug. 15, for STRIKEFORCE: “Carano vs. Cyborg” from HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif.

The immersive digital initiative will stream simultaneously with the live SHOWTIME® telecast beginning at 10:30 p.m. ET* and for the first time be available to fans in Brazil, Japan, throughout Europe as well as in the U.S. and Canada.

STRIKEFORCE: All Access debuted on April 11, 2009, when world-class MMA promotion STRIKEFORCE brought Frank Shamrock vs. Nick Diaz to SHOWTIME. The unique experience was offered again on June 6, for the Robbie Lawler vs. Jake Shields event. On both previous offerings, STRIKEFORCE: All Access was limited to U.S.-based online users.

With STRIKEFORCE: All Access, fans can be their own director and toggle among five live cameras with full pause and rewind capabilities including SHOWTIME Sports exclusive CageCam® — a small and high quality camera worn by the referee which takes viewers inside the cage during the fights.

It is the closest and most intimate viewing experience ever presented in MMA.

Audio tracks will include the SHOWTIME telecast fight call by host and play-by-play man Gus Johnson, and color commentators Frank Shamrock and Mauro Ranallo, as well as the corresponding audio to the selected camera. SHOWTIME is again working with BitGravity, Inc. and Episodic, Inc. to enable this unique multi-media experience.

STRIKEFORCE: All Access will cost $24.95 per user and is available for pre-order at http://strikeforce.sho.com beginning Wednesday. Purchase includes access to the live stream and replays anytime thereafter through Aug. 20.

“We are excited to take All Access to the next level,” said Ken Hershman, Senior Vice President and General Manager, SHOWTIME Sports. “This platform has been a hit with fans in the U.S. since its debut and we are thrilled to now be in a position to offer it around the world.

“August 15 is going to be a historic night for MMA,” Hershman continued. “With three STRIKEFORCE Championships on the line and a marquee event featuring the top two female fighters on the planet, fans will want an immersive viewing experience. For U.S. subscribers, couple the All Access online offering with the live program on SHOWTIME and fans will have a whole new way to enjoy the fights.”

“Dedicated sports fans around the world want to be at the center of the big events and SHOWTIME Sports’ global stream of STRIKEFORCE: All Access ensures MMA fans a front row seat,” said Chris Turner, VP of Worldwide Sales and Business Development at BitGravity. “BitGravity is pleased to again partner with SHOWTIME, to deliver STRIKEFORCE: All Access first live stream in new parts of the world, leveraging BitGravity’s global network, high quality stream and seamless viewing experience.”

As part of STRIKEFORCE: All Access fans also will receive a live Twitter feed from the event and can join behind-the scenes staff in tweeting about “Strikeforce” and “SHOWTIME Sports” during the evening.

Through a Facebook® Connect application, fans will be able to make predictions, comment on the live fights, discuss outcomes and even talk a little smack directly on the All Access page.

Other features include professional and amateur photography from the spectacle in the arena. Images of the fights, fan interaction and backstage will be uploaded during the live event via Flickr, the popular image and video hosting website and online community.

The Aug. 15 fight card features three world championship fights and a fourth fight TBA.

Two of the most talented female fighters in the world, the beautiful and undefeated Gina Carano and Brazilian powerhouse Cris Cyborg will battle for the first-ever STRIKEFORCE Women’s Championship.

Renato “Babalu” Sobral and Gegard Mousasi will fight for the STRIKEFORCE Light Heavyweight Championship in a showdown fans have been salivating for. Japanese wrestling expert Mitsuhiro Ishida will face San Francisco’s Gilbert Melendez in a rematch of their Dec. 31, 2007 fight for the STRIKEFORCE Interim Lightweight Title.

*Telecast airs live in the U.S. at 10:30 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME (delayed on the West Coast); STRIKEFORCE: All Access will be webcast live in available countries at 10:30 p.m. ET/7:30 p.m. PT.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Patrck Cote injures MCL and preps for surgery, UFC return pushed back until 2010

Another injury to his knee has forced Patrick Cote to postpone a planned fall return to the UFC.

The former top UFC middleweight contender recently announced on Facebook that he damaged his MCL and will be required to undergo surgery this week on the knee for the second time in a year's span.

Cote stated it'll be early 2010 until he can return to competition.

Cote, who signed a new four-fight contract with the UFC earlier this year, hasn't competed since a loss to UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva in October 2008 that prompted the first surgery.

"(My) MCL busted [while] training for my comeback," Cote stated. " will be out until Feburary at least again."

Cote (13-5 MMA, 4-5 UFC) launched his UFC career with four consecutive losses, including a defeat to Travis Lutter at The Ultimate Fighter 4 Finale, which concluded a special "comeback" season of the reality show in 2006. However, he won five consecutive fights, including four in the UFC to earn the title shot with Silva.

Cote's knee, though, buckled at the start of the third round and left the fighter unable to continue in the bout.

 

[Shogun Locc]

"Countdown to UFC 102" preview show debuts Aug. 27 on Spike TV

The UFC's traditional pre-event preview show for this month's UFC 102 pay-per-view offering debuts Aug. 27 on Spike TV.

"Countdown to UFC 102: Couture vs. Nogueira" debuts at 11 p.m. ET/PT, and replays are set for Aug. 27 (2 a.m. ET/PT) and Aug. 29 (2 p.m. ET/PT).

UFC 102 takes place Aug. 29 at the Rose Garden in Portland, Ore., and features a main event of Randy Couture vs. fellow former UFC heavyweight title-holder Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira.

"Countdown to UFC 102" goes behind the scenes as Couture and Nogueira, who both haven't competed since late 2008, ready for a fight that could determine the next opponent for current heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar. The 60-minute preview show also examines the night's co-headliner between light-heavyweight contenders Keith Jardine and Thiago Silva, who both look to rebound from losses.

Recent installments of the "UFC Countdown" series have earned rave reviews. The UFC recently put more resources behind the specials with better production values and closer access to the fighters.

The full UFC 102 card includes:

MAIN CARD

* Randy Couture vs. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira
* Keith Jardine vs. Thiago Silva
* Chris Leben vs. Jake Rosholt
* Demian Maia vs. Nate Marquardt
* Krzysztof Soszynski vs. Brandon Vera

PRELIMINARY CARD

* Gabriel Gonzaga vs. Chris Tuchscherer
* Justin McCully vs. Mike Russow
* Todd Duffee vs. Tim Hague
* Nick Catone vs. Mark Munoz
* Evan Dunham vs. Matt Veach
* Ed Herman vs. Aaron Simpson

 

[Shogun Locc]

Dana White still uncertain whether Chuck Liddell's retirement is permanent

Is Chuck Liddell really retired?

It seems the man who first announced the former champion's career conclusion isn't even sure these days.

After a knockout loss to Mauricio "Shogun" Rua at UFC 97 in April, UFC president Dana White announced in a post-fight press conference that Liddell had entered the octagon for the final time. Now, though, he hasn't completely shut the door on hios longtime friend and former manager fighting once more.

"He's a huge superstar, and we could still sell lots of tickets (with Liddell)," White said in April. "But I don't care about that. I care about him. I care about his health, and it's over, man. It's over."

A few weeks later John Hackleman, the trainer of the recent UFC Hall of Fame inductee, told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) Liddell could still compete with the best.

"I don't know what's going to happen," Hackleman said. "Just on his abilities, his skill and his power, and what he has left, I think he has more than one fight left in him. Maybe his game isn't what it was 10 years ago. I don't know. But he's definitely at the top of the food chain.

The episode has played out in the media since the spring with White, Hackleman, the media, fans - everyone but Liddell himself - giving definitive thoughts. Liddell recently said he'd take a year off and decide early next year to fight again.

And echoing comments first made in May, White hasn't ruled out the possibility.

"I don't want him to (fight)," White said after this past weekend's UFC 101 event. "He wants to, so we'll see what happens."

Liddell, one of MMA's first true superstars, is perhaps the most popular fighter in UFC history with a career 21-7 record, which includes a 16-6 mark in the UFC. His 16 wins in the organization remain a UFC record.

The former collegiate wrestler, who turned pro in 1998, made his MMA and UFC debut at UFC 17. He won the UFC's light-heavyweight title in 2005 and made four consecutive title defenses before losing the belt to Quinton Jackson in 2007.

Liddell, though, is just 1-4 in his past five fights with losses to Jackson (TKO), Keith Jardine (split decision), Rashad Evans (KO) and Rua (TKO)

 

[Shogun Locc]

Dana White eyeing Bobby Lashley:

"Lashley is taking a much slower approach to the sport than Lesnar did. Lesnar fought in the UFC in just his second professional fight. Lashley is planning on fighting on smaller shows over the next year before attempting to make the jump to one of the big-time promotions."

"One of the organizations Lashley could join is the UFC, and he is definitely on the organization's radar."

"People have been asking me about him," said Dana White. "Yes, we're watching him."