MMA News Thread

[Shogun Locc]

Michael Schiavello Now Calling MMA on HDNet

DALLAS (August 11, 2009) - HDNet is proud to announce internationally renowned broadcaster Michael Schiavello as the new voice of MMA events on HDNet.

Schiavello, known as “The Voice,” is one of the world’s leading combat sport broadcasters thanks to his trademark mix of entertaining one-liners and unparalleled understanding of MMA. Schiavello currently serves as the global voice of K-1, K-1 MAX, DREAM, and Mark Burnett’s The Contender Asia. In 2008 he was part of the global ABU broadcast of the Olympic Games from Beijing, and is the long time voice of FOX Sports kickboxing, muay thai, and MMA in Australia.

“HDNet’s MMA fans are in for a special experience, as Michael’s enthusiasm and knowledge of the sport is unrivaled,” said Andrew Simon, CEO of HDNet Fights. “Michael is in great company as he joins the best broadcast team in the business with Guy Mezger, Bas Rutten, Kenny Rice and Ron Kruck on The Home of MMA.”

“I’m super excited about becoming part of the HDNet Fights family,” Schiavello said. “Commentating the fight game is my obsession and I hope that, through my commentary, I can make the viewers on HDNet as passionate, excited and obsessed about the sport as I am - and give everyone a total thrill ride from their armchair with each and every show. HDNet is an amazing network doing things unmatched anywhere else in the world. It is an honor to be working with such an experienced and dedicated team.”

To learn more about Michael Schiavello please visit www.hdnetfights.com and http://hdnetfights.com/schiavello.php.

 

[Shogun Locc]

The New Sponsors Of SENGOKU! Don Quijote On The Rise

In an old post Senko was rumored as a new sponsor of SENGOKU. It seems like the rumor was true and that Senko became a sponsor starting from SENGOKU IX.
A report on Yahoo! Japan Finance today says that main SENGOKU sponsor Don Quijote have been doing good lately and that they are on the rise. I believe that there were reports a while back that they weren’t doing very well so it seems to have turned around since then.

Also, on the latest episode of SENGOKUG! a new program sponsor in SECOM (largest security company in Japan) was shown on the list of sponsors. I think SECOM is a big sponsor, but I don’t know if they’ll just be a sponsor of SENGOKUG! or future SENGOKU events as well. There might be another new sponsor for future SENGOKU events (starting from X) as well but I’m not sure yet.

 

[Shogun Locc]

CURRAN DECRIES JUDGING, WANTS REMATCH

Not many fighters can survive a four-fight skid in a major fight promotion like World Extreme Cagefighting. Following Sunday night’s loss to Takeya Mizugaki at WEC 42, it remains to be seen whether or not Jeff Curran will manage the feat.

He made it clear on Tuesday in his comments to MMAWeekly.com that he feels he should be back in the WEC. Not only that, he should get a rematch with Mizugaki, feeling that the judging was off base.

“I love fighting at this level and want nothing more. My entire UFC, Pride and WEC career has been against guys who are the best in the business and I am honored to be a part of these battles we have had,” he stated.

“I am, however, disgusted with the lack of knowledge that the judges in the sport of MMA have for the martial art (Jiu-Jitsu) that paved the way and dominated the first half of the sport’s existence.”

Curran was taken down several times in the fight by Mizugaki, but fought a very active game from his back, launching strikes in combination with constantly searching for submissions.

“The object of this sport is to do damage and try to finish your opponent. Mizugaki was saved by the bell at the end of the second round and the third. The entire fight was me out-striking him from my back after he scored one takedown early in each round,” he recounted.

He had a guillotine choke wrapped around Mizugaki’s neck for about 45 seconds as the second round ended, and had a triangle choke locked on from top mount, raining down blows as round three closed.

He’s not the only one that felt he was winning the fight.

“Curran, I think is doing an excellent job. Really, he’s not taking any abuse,” noted commentator Frank Mir during the bout. “Mizugaki right now, I feel, is having to defend the sweeps and attacks. (Curran) is doing an excellent job fighting off his back.

“I really hope the judges see that it’s just not the top guys that can win a fight on the ground. I think, in my opinion, Jeff Curran is winning this fight... off his back. The busier active guy is Jeff Curran,” Mir added late in the third round.

“Judges need to open their eyes and see who is really controlling the fight,” stated Curran on Tuesday. “Something needs to change because this is happening with poor judging all over the sport.

“What needs to be done? Who knows, maybe judges should have better qualification courses that are ran and conducted by people that really understand our sport.

“Until then, I will be training harder than ever and I will not stop. I want a rematch with Mizugaki. "

 

[Shogun Locc]

MARCUS AURELIO IN FOR MATT VEACH AT UFC 102

Sources close to the bout have confirmed that Matt Veach has had to withdraw from his UFC 102 fight with Evan Dunham. The Aug. 29 event takes place at the Rose Garden Arena in Portland, Ore.

Stepping in to take Veach’s place is Marcus Aurelio (18-7).

Aurelio made his exit from the promotion back-to-back losses to Tyson Griffin and Hermes Franca in 2008. The American Top Team fighter has since won two fights in a row, defeating Chris Liguori and Joey Gorczynski earlier this year.

Looking to keep his record unblemished, Dunham will make the second start of his career in the Octagon at UFC 102. A native of Oregon, his record currently stands at 8-0.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Busy Strikeforce replacement Jesse Taylor never balked at latest offer to fight Jay Hieron

When Strikeforce called offering Jesse Taylor a spot on this Saturday's "Strikeforce: Carano vs. Cyborg" card as a replacement for Nick Diaz, he didn't hesitate to accept the offer.

In fact, since his infamous departure from "The Ultimate Fighter 7" finales due to a post-show drunken rampage in Las Vegas, he's accepted just about every opportunity that's come his way.

As he today told MMAjunkie.com Radio (www.mmajunkie.com/radio), Taylor has fought seven times in nine months and once found himself in three countries in just a week's span.

"It was pretty wild," said Taylor, who now fights Jay Hieron Saturday in a non-title fight at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif.

Rather than sulk about the golden opportunity that got away - Taylor had already earned a spot in the finale against Amir Sadollah before Palace Station Casino and Spike TV cameras caught his destructive Sin City tour - Taylor immersed himself in training camps and a busy fight schedule.

Taylor ended up getting one UFC fight, but after a loss to Dollaway at UFC Fight Night 14, the UFC cut ties with the fighter.

He's now 7-0 since then, which pushed his overall record to 13-3. And more importantly, he's kept himself out of trouble.

"I like staying busy," said Taylor, who said he still drinks occasionally but in a responsible manner. "It keeps me out of trouble. It just keeps me more focused and more grounded. ... When I have too much downtime, especially someone like me, I seemed to get distracted. Especially on 'The Ultimate Fighter' show, during the actual show, I fought four times in six weeks and did pretty well ... and stayed out of trouble (until the end)."

More importantly, though, the 26-year-old fighter is providing a good living for his young family with the busy schedule.

"This is my livelihood," he said. "I've got two boys. I'm a professional athlete. I don't understand why some fighters take such long breaks. I'm not injured, thank God, and I'm healthy, so why not fight every week?"

It's that mentality that took Taylor from his training camp with Team Quest in the U.S. to a Total Combat Show in Mexico City to a DREAM fight in Japan - all within a week's time.

And while he officially agreed to replace Nick Diaz (who failed to appear for a mandatory drug test and was denied a spot on the card) just this week, Taylor began mentally preparing for the fight last week. His manager first called this past Thursday with the news.

"Hey said, 'It's just a possibility,'" Taylor said. "He kind of warned that it wasn't going to happen. But it got to be a 50-50 (chance) over the weekend, and then Sunday night rolls around, and on Monday morning, I woke up with a bunch of phone calls and messages that said congratulations that I got the fight.

"So really, the media and everyone found out before I found out. Once I got word, I was like, 'OK, let's do this.'"

So what does he expect with Hieron, a former IFL champion? Quite simply, a good fight for the Showtime crowd.

"I actually trained with Jay back in the day, but I was pretty green and just starting (MMA)," Taylor said. "I think it's going to be a really good fight. I'm stoked for it."

To hear the full interview with Jesse Taylor and fellow "Carano vs. Cyborg" fighter Gilbert Melendez, download Tuesday's edition of MMAjunkie.com Radio.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Frank Shamrock: Nick Diaz is a knucklehead

“Sadly, it’s a big problem because somebody’s out a lot of money — Strikeforce/Showtime — and you know, that wasn’t fair from a professional standpoint. But you know, I’m not matching the fights, and unfortunately, Diaz has a strong name right now, and he has a lot of value to somebody. I mean, UFC has expressed value. We all like Nick, he’s just a knucklehead. And hopefully, he’ll come into his own because he’s coming into his own as a fighter, but his maturity, I think, is 10 years behind that. So I can imagine that being a knucklehead involves: training all day, hanging out with your friends at night, and in Nick Diaz’s situation, doing whatever he does, and then train all the time, and think about nothing but fighting. It makes for great fighters, but I think it kind of makes you a little irresponsible sometime.”

 

[Shogun Locc]

Lavar Johnson doing great, wants to begin training as soon as possible

Finally a breath of fresh air in the world of mixed martial arts in the form of some fantastic news pertaining to the condition of Strikeforce heavyweight Lavar Johnson.

Most fight fans are already fully aware that Lavar suffered serious injuries after being shot during 4th of July festivities being celebrated with close friends and family. Sadly, one man perished and three others were wounded in this senseless act of violence.

FiveOuncesOfPain.com has recently been able to confirm through Johnson’s management, Zinkin Entertainment, that Lavar has been released from the hospital and is doing “very well”.

Five Ounces also learned that Lavar recently showed up to Josh Koscheck’s AKA Fresno gym grand opening and was in good spirits. He was walking around, talking to everyone, and continuing to help out when needed.

Johnson hopes to begin training again as soon as humanly possible.

Johnson is an electrifying heavyweight knockout artist with a penchant for mauling his opponents in the clinch. Standing 6′2″ tall and tipping the scales upwards of 250 pounds, it’s not hard to figure out how Lavar “Big” Johnson earned his nickname. Sporting a record of 12-3, Johnson has never seen the judges once in his fifteen fight career, stopping eleven of his victims by knockout while finishing the remaining opponent off with a submission from strikes.

With the proper physical rehabilitation Johnson could make a very real and immediate impact on the current Strikeforce heavyweight division.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Previously booked Jessie Gibbs vs. Rob Broughton bout secured for "M-1: Breakthrough"

A heavyweight bout between heavyweights Jessie Gibbs (7-2) and Rob Broughton (10-4-1), originally slated for the "Affliction: Trilogy" preliminary card before the event's recent cancellation, will take place after all.

The two fighters, who are signed to M-1, will meet Aug. 28 at the company's "premium fight series" event, "M-1: Breakthrough," a source close to the event told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com).

The show, which airs on HDNet, takes place at Memorial Hall in Kansas City and features a headline bout of "King" Mo Lawal vs. Mark Kerr and an exhibition sparring match between Fedor Emelianenko and Gegard Mousasi.

The Gibbs vs. Broughton bout, though, isn't without controversy.

Gibbs is scheduled to fight 12 days before "Breakthrough" against Chuck Grigsby at an M-1 Challenge event, and with the bout already scrapped once, Broughton's team isn't happy about his opponent potentially risking it again.

"Rob is disappointed that Gibbs is fighting twice and feels it's unprofessional of him, especially since Rob wanted to fight for Team England this weekend as well but is being held back [so] he doesn't get injured," said Ian Dean of Cage Warriors Management, which reps Broughton. "The news that Jessie took the ... Grigsby (fight) has pushed him harder in his training. As a result, he's going to put on a better fight for the TV cameras on Aug. 28.

"America fans that don't know him will after he gets done with Gibbs."

Gibbs, a member of Team Benelux in M-1 Challenge, is 5-2 in M-1 events. He enters his upcoming U.S. fight with six wins (five via stoppage) in his past seven fights. Gibbs most recently competed in May when he defeated MMA newcomer Nikola Dipchkov with a 97-second submission due to strikes. Gibbs' only two career losses have come to notables Aleksander Emelianenko and Alexey Oleinik.

Broughton, part of Team England, is 2-0 in M-1 after five years on the British fight circuit. While competing for the popular Cage Rage organization, he defeated notables such as James Thompson, Robert Berry, Eric "Butterbean" Esch and UFC fighter Neil Grove. Broughton enters "Breakthrough" with three wins in his past four bouts, which included a first-round TKO victory (due to injury) over Soufian Elgarne on June 5.

 

[Shogun Locc]

"Blown ACL" forces Chris Lytle out of UFC Fight Night 19 main-card bout

A knee injury has forced UFC veteran Chris Lytle (27-17-5 MMA, 6-9 UFC) out of a scheduled UFC Fight Nigh 19 bout with Carlos Condit.

Ken Pavia of MMAAgents.com, which reps Lytle, today told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) the longtime UFC fighter and runner up on "The Ultimate Fighter 4" tore his meniscus and now has a "blown ACL."

The UFC has not officially announced Lytle's departure from the card, though the organization has ample to find a replacement for the Sept. 16 fight, which was part of the night's Spike TV-televised main card.

UFC Fight Night 19 takes place at the Cox Convention Center in Oklahoma City, Okla., and serves as a lead-in for the debut episode of "The Ultimate Fighter 10."

Lytle, fresh off a "Fight of the Night" victory over Kevin Burns at The Ultimate Fighter 9 Finale in June, has won two of his past three fights, the lone loss coming to Marcus Davis via split decision. Lytle continued his recent windfall by picking up his third straight "Fight of the Night" bonus and fourth overall. In fact, including fight-night bonuses for submissions and knockouts, he's won six bonuses in his past eight fights.

 

[Shogun Locc]

DENNIS HALLMAN SIGNS FOR ANOTHER UFC RETURN

Sometimes the fourth time is the charm.

That’s what veteran welterweight Dennis “Superman” Hallman is hoping with the recent announcement of his new contact.

“I just signed a four-fight deal with the UFC and it’s good to be back with MMA’s premier organization,” Hallman announced to MMAWeekly.com. “I’m prepared to come in there and perform to the best of my abilities and climb back up the ranks.”

Having been four years since Hallman last appeared at a UFC event, he feels much has changed within him to make this next run more successful than previous ones.

“I’m a more mature Dennis Hallman,” he stated. “I think I’m better prepared physically and mentally to compete at a high level.

“Every time you get cut (from the promotion) it kind of brings you back to reality and you’ve got to get back on the horse and see what your problems were in the past and correct them. I’m fortunate enough to have a fourth shot at the UFC, and I’m going to take as best advantage of it as I can.”

After months of rumors, Hallman’s agent, Ken Pavia, was able to seal the deal, and now Hallman expects to be thrown into the deep end welterweight mix pretty much right away.

“There’s a lot of guys in the UFC that I can kick the (expletive) out of, so I’m pretty confident going in there,” he exclaimed. “With the contract that I’ve signed I think they’re going to be putting me in with some tough guys right away, so I’m prepared for that as well.”

As for when that debut may happen, signs point to later this year, if not sooner depending on if other fighters are forced out of their scheduled match-ups.

“They said that if somebody gets injured and I’m ready, then that would be the time that I would fight,” commented Hallman. “But November is when I’m looking at to get scheduled.”

Riding a five-fight winning streak, it could very well be the time for Hallman to finally fly high in the UFC and earn a long-awaited title shot.

“Just like Superman, I don’t die,” chuckled Hallman. “I’m back – you can’t kill Superman.”

 

[Shogun Locc]

Tamdan McCrory released by the UFC

Tamdan McCrory has been let go by the UFC following a split decision defeat at the hands of John Howard at UFC 101.

Apparently a representative of “The Barn Cat” was notified of the release by UFC matchmaker Joe Silva sometime Monday evening according to a recent report on the Underground News.

McCrory earned a reputation as a tougher than nails, well rounded mixed martial artist during his time with the UFC where he put together a respectable record of 3-3 while compiling wins over the likes of Pete Spratt and Luke Cummo, and dropping bouts to Akihiro Gono and Dustin Hazelett.

With an overall record of 11-3 and a fighting style that refuses to disappoint, Tamdan would make a fantastic addition to the Strikeforce welterweight roster that is currently hungry for talent.

 

[Shogun Locc]

SENGOKU X! The Lightweight KOP Vs. The Former Super High School Student

Four new fights have been announced for SENGOKU X on September 23rd. The three opening fights of the event will be the winners of “SENGOKU Gold Cup: Japan” vs. the winners of “SENGOKU Gold Cup: South Korea”.

The only main card fight that was announced is one which I expected in newly crowned Lightweight King Of Pancrase Maxi (Maximo Blanco) taking on “Former Super High School Student” Tetsuya Yamada in a Lightweight fight.

Update: An excited Yamada said that he wants to become a superstar like his teammate Tokoro became when he brought down the former Shooto champion (Pequeno). Yamada also announced that he will fight at Lightweight from now on. He is currently doing wellfare work 5 days a week and training 6 days a week. He is now able to train more than when he was in school.

SENGOKU X
Date: September 23rd, 2009
Place: Saitama Community Arena in Tokyo, Japan

Lightweight Fights:
Kazunori Yokota vs. Ryan Schultz
Maxi vs. Tetsuya Yamada

Opening Fights (2×5):
LW: Ikuo Usuda vs. Baek Woo Hyun
FW: Shigeki Osawa vs. Kim Ki Hyun
BW: Ryosuke Komori vs. So Jee Hyun

Participants:
Hiroshi Izumi
Makoto Takimoto
Antonio Silva
Joe Doerksen

Possible Participants:
Xande Ribeiro
King Mo

 

[Shogun Locc]

13 Fighters Official! K-1 World GP 2009 FINAL16

13 fighters for the FINAL16 K-1 event in September in Seoul were announced today. They are:

Remy Bonjasky
Badr Hari
Errol Zimmerman
Gohkan Saki
Ewerton Teixeira
Ruslan Karaev
Jerome Le Banner
Peter Aerts
Semmy Schilt
Kyotaro (Keijiro Maeda)
Zabit Samedov
Daniel Ghita
Singh “Heart” Jaideep

The last 3 participants will be picked through fan voting online and sponsor recommendations. The current nominated fighters are:

Glaube Feitosa, Paul Slowinski, Ray Sefo, Choi Hong Man, Mighty Mo, Stefan Leko, Tyrone Spong, Sergii Lashchenko, Kin Taiei, Musashi, Junichi Sawayashiki, Melvin Manhoef, Alistair Overeem, and Sergei Kharitonov.

FEG president Tanigawa want fans to vote on young fighters. He also wants to give priority to fighters who have fought in K-1 this year.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Surprise At DREAM.12! Osaka Castle Hall

It was announced today that DREAM.12 on October 25th will take place at the Osaka Castle Hall in Osaka. DREAM EP Sasahara said that the card is currently being worked on but fighters from Osaka like Yoshiro Maeda are being considered. He also mentioned Kazushi Sakuraba as a potential participant.

Sasahara is leaving to America tomorrow and his goal is that he wants to announce the whole cooperation deal with Strikeforce and negotiate about fighters (Fedor included).

Sasahara revealed that the plan is for Strikeforce fighters to participate as soon as DREAM.12. They want to invite both fighters who haven’t fought in Japan before, and fighters who have had activity in the past and are still doing their best today. He thinks they will be champion class. They are also considering Alistair Overeem.

Sasahara says that he really wants to say something. He says that he is thinking about various [a word which could mean device, mechanism, half done, etc.]. Anyway, it’s a big surprise. He says that it’s a 70% chance that it will happen. He also said: “It’s not the first of its kind in Japan but…”.

Some sites give more detail than others which I find strange. According to sportsnavi Sasahara said that it is something that have been in Pro-Wrestling and the like before. For example something similar to establishing both a ring and cage. Expect something next week.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Brad Blackburn signs new four-fight UFC deal, sidelined till early 2010 after shoulder surgery

After a 3-0 start in the organization, the Ultimate Fighting Championship has secured welterweight Brad Blackburn's services by offering the fighter a new four-fight deal.

Blackburn (15-9-1 MMA, 3-0 UFC), who had one fight remaining on his previous deal, inked the new contract on Tuesday, MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) confirmed with his agent, Ken Pavia of MMAAgents.com.

However, it's not all good news for Blackburn; recent shoulder surgery will keep the IFL veteran out of action until at least early 2010.

Blackburn recently underwent the knife for what was expected to be a minor surgery. However, his injury proved more severe than doctors first thought once surgeons began operating on the bothersome shoulder, and Blackburn will now be sidelined approximately six months while he heals.

The fighter, a 32-year-old who turned pro in 2001, debuted with the UFC in 2008 when the organization signed a host of newcomers for UFC Fight Night 14, a hastily organized card that countered "Affliction: Banned" in July 2008. However, that rash of signings produced some serious UFC talent, Blackburn included.

Blackburn scored a stunning second-round TKO (set up by a flying knee) in his octagon debut and has since posted wins over Ryo Chonan (unanimous decision) and, at The Ultimate Fighter 9 Finale in June, Edgar Garcia (split decision).

With the victories, Blackburn has now won five consecutive fights. In fact, he's rebounded for a 6-1 record since a disappointing 2-6 mark from January 2005 to April 2007.

 

[Shogun Locc]

UFC announces counter-programming plans; six bouts from UFC 100 to air opposite Strikeforce

The UFC's recent strategy of counter-programming its competitors will continue, as Spike TV today announced some of UFC 100's "most exciting bouts" will air during Showtime's Saturday night broadcast of "Carano vs. Cyborg."

Featuring six bouts from July's UFC 100 event, Spike TV's broadcast is scheduled for 10 p.m. ET/PT on Saturday night.

Strikeforce's "Carano vs. Cyborg" event, which takes place Saturday night at HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif., airs at 10:30 p.m. ET/PT.

While UFC welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre's five-round unanimous decision win over Thiago Alves will not make it on the re-packaged UFC 100 broadcast, the evening's other two featured bouts – Brock Lesnar vs. Frank Mir and Dan Henderson vs. Michael Bisping – will be shown. The main-card bout between middleweights Alan Belcher and Yoshihiro Akiyama will also be broadcast.

In addition to those previously aired contests, Spike TV's broadcast will feature three bouts that did not make on to the original pay-per-view event.

Stephan Bonnar vs. Mark Coleman, Shannon Gugerty vs. Matt Grice and Jon Jones vs. Jake O'Brien will round out the six-fight broadcast.

The UFC 100 broadcast on Spike TV isn't the first time the UFC will go head-to-head with Strikeforce. April's Showtime debut for Strikeforce, "Shamrock vs. Diaz," was countered by a re-airing of January's "UFC 94: St. Pierre vs. Penn II." The UFC and Spike TV also partnered to air UFC-related programming on the same night as each of the now-defunct Affliction's two fight cards.

UFC 100 took place on July 11 at Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas and originally aired live on pay per view.

Despite an astounding amount of card shuffling, "Strikeforce: Carano vs. Cyborg" will feature three world title fights, including the organization's first-ever women's title bout between main-event competitors Gina Carano and Cristiane "Cyborg" Santos.

 

[Shogun Locc]

With Marcus Aurelio heading to UFC, Yves Edwards filling in at Shine Fight II

With lightweight Marcus Aurelio stepping up on short notice for a preliminary card slot at UFC 102, upstart Shine Fight Promotion was left with a hole for its Sept. 4 event "American Top Team vs. The World."

Shine Fight officials today informed MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) that UFC, PRIDE, Strikeforce and EliteXC veteran Yves Edwards (34-15-1) has agreed to fight on the evening's main card.

"Shine Fight II: American Top Team vs. The World" takes place at the James L. Knight Center in downtown Miami. It airs on The Fight Network via one-week delay on Sept. 12.

Aurelio was originally scheduled to face Carlo Prater, but Shine Fight officials said Prater has also been removed from the event. The organization hopes to announce an opponent for Edwards as soon as today.

Edwards will be fighting for the first time in 2009. The near-12-year veteran will be looking to bounce back from consecutive losses to Duane Ludwig and K.J. Noons. The difficult stretch followed a run of three-straight stoppage wins in a three-month span.

Shine Fight hosted its first event on May 9 in Columbus, Ohio. In the main event, "The Ultimate Fighter 8" fighter Antwain Britt stopped UFC vet Antonio Mendes with a swift first-round knockout on an eight-bout fight card at the Celeste Center.

"Shine Fight II: American Top Team vs. The World," headlined by Brazilians Roan Carneiro and Jorge Patino, features members of the Florida-based American Top Team academy taking on challengers from around the world. With the adjustment to the card, the full event now includes:

* Roan Carneiro (12-8) vs. Jorge Patino (22-11-1)
* Luiz Firmino (12-4) vs. Ryan Healy (10-5-1)
* Flavio Alvaro (24-6) vs. Jean Silva (16-8-3)
* Yves Edwards (24-15-1) vs. TBA
* Junior Assuncao (8-4) vs. Gideon Ray (15-10-1)
* Micah Miller (11-3) vs. Anthony Morrison (7-6)
* Ediene Gomes (3-0) vs. Vanessa Porto (8-3)
* James Brasco (4-1) vs. Herbert Goodman (8-7)
* Phil Friedman (1-1) vs. Brian Fuery (0-0)
* Kami Barzini (1-1) vs. Yosdenis Cendeno (1-1)

 

[Shogun Locc]

Friday's Strikeforce weigh-ins in San Jose open to the public; "Inside MMA" to broadcast on-site

Weigh-ins for Saturday's "Strikeforce: Carano vs. Cyborg" event take place Friday at the San Jose Marriott Hotel in downtown San Jose, Calif..

As with most Strikeforce events, the weigh-ins are free and open to the public. Additionally, HDNet's "Inside MMA" will broadcast live from the event.

The first fighter is slated to hit the scale Friday at 4 p.m. PT.

The proceeding will take place in Salons I, II and III at the Marriott, which is located at 301 S. Market St. in downtown San Jose, Calif. For more information, call (408) 280-1300.

While Saturday's Strikeforce fight card has undergone a rash of changes in the weeks leading up to the event, the Showtime-televised event will still feature three world title fights, including the organization's first-ever women's championship between main-event fighters Gina Carano and Cristiane "Cyborg" Santos.

Strikeforce lightweight champion Josh Thomson and MMA pioneer Frank Shamrock will join "Inside MMA" hosts Bas Rutten, Kenny Rice and Ron Kruck to analyze the "Carano vs. Cyborg" event and witness the weigh-ins.

MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) will be on scene with live reports from both Friday's weigh-ins and Saturday's nine-bout event. The full card includes:

MAIN CARD

* Gina Carano vs. Cristiane "Cyborg" Santos (for Strikeforce women's 145-pound title)
* Jay Hieron vs. Jesse Taylor
* 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]

GABE RUEDIGER CONTINUES COMEBACK

After taking time off to recover from neck injury, former UFC lightweight Gabe “Godzilla” Ruediger returned to action earlier this year intent on making his way back up the 155-pound ladder.

Wins in three consecutive fights have him poised on making such a return, but first he has to get past former King of the Cage star Wander Braga first at this weekend’s Call to Arms “Called Out” event at the Citizens Bank Arena in Ontario, Calif.

“I feel like I’m in phenomenal shape,” Ruediger told MMAWeekly heading into Saturday’s fight. “This is my fourth fight this year, so I’ve just stayed active and it’s kept me in really good shape throughout the year.

“Fight number one was my first fight after neck surgery, and you kind of build confidence back and get rid of ring rust and begin to work things out. So far, this is my fourth fight and I feel I can finally come through to the point that I was prior (to neck injury), but obviously more adapted and better.”

While Ruediger intended to make the most of his return, he admits he didn’t expect to be this busy. But sometimes, busy is a good thing.

“(I hadn’t planned) fighting every couple months, but I recognize a year off is a long time in the fight game, and I need to just get back in there and do it,” he stated. “Sitting around wasn’t going to get me back in shape and to the level I wanted to be at.

“It was just a matter of fighting, and so far it’s been working out really for me. This is obviously a step up, but I’m ready for the next challenge and feel good about it.”

Ruediger’s opponent at Call to Arms is in a similar position to what he was in earlier this year, as Wander Braga is returning to MMA after a prolonged absence.

“He’s been out of the fight game for five years, so he’s going to have the ring rust that I’ve been trying to scoop off for the last year,” observed Ruediger. “I think his ground game is as good, if not better than mine, so that’s probably where he’s going to want to fight.

“I’m going to dictate the pace, dictate the fight and I don’t feel as if there are any holes in my game right now. I’m sure he’s been working on his stand-up and feels that’s going to be a deciding factor, but I work with a phenomenal boxing/kickboxing coach, and when I finally decide to let my hands go, I get nothing but positive results.”

While he’s enjoyed the comeback route he’s taken, Ruediger hopes this fight with Braga could be the springboard towards bigger and better things.

“I like the shows I’m fighting in, they’ve been treating me well and it’s nice to be a main event,” he said. “But I think when everything is said and done, you want to fight the best competition, and they’re in the major promotions.

“Whether it’s UFC, WEC, Strikeforce, Dream or Sengoku, I would love to find a home where they respect me and the things I bring to the table.”

Healthy and with a positive mindset, Ruediger feels it’s just a matter of time before he can make his return to the elite level of MMA and make the sort of impact he had hoped to the first time around.

“I’d like to thank CrossFit by Overload, Dr. Toy Chiropractic, Combat Clothing, Fairtex, Toe-2-Toe, Forty Thieves Clothing and all the sponsors I’m missing,” he commented. “Those people that are in the area, I highly recommend coming out. It’s a great fight card in a really nice venue.

“Those that aren’t able to see it, there will be an online pay-per-view for like five bucks. It’s going to be a good night of fights; not just mine, but the entire card.”

 

[Shogun Locc]

TIM BOETSCH TAKES FIRST STEP BACK AT KOTC

After exploding onto the national mixed martial arts scene with his impressive victory over David Heath at UFC 81, Tim Boetsch was out of the promotion just one short year later.

An admittedly poor performance in a loss to Jason Brilz at UFC 96 sealed his fate with the company, splitting his Octagon record at 2-2. Now, five months later Boetsch begins his comeback trail.

“I’m feeling really good,” exclaimed Boetsch to MMAWeekly.com. “I’ve been training out here in Kirkland with Matt Hume, wanted to do some new stuff, doing a lot more cardio and I feel really excited about getting back into the cage and perform.”

Following in the footsteps of fellow Monte Cox-managed fighter Rich Franklin, Boetsch feels the move to Hume’s AMC Pankration will give him the edge he needs to climb back up the light-heavyweight ranks.

“I came out a couple months ago before Rich’s last fight and did 10 days here; I really liked what I saw,” said Boetsch. “The knowledge that Matt Hume has, his philosophies on the sport and the innovative stuff that he’s teaching, I wanted to be part of that.

“I got the invitation to come back and prep for this fight and I jumped all over it. I think this is where I’m going to be calling my camp for fights from now on, because I really like the things we’re doing, the attitudes and the training partners and coaches out here.”

Boetsch’s first test back will be at this Saturday’s King of the Cage event in Everett, Wash., against former International Fight League (IFL) fighter Aaron Stark, who is currently riding a six-fight winning streak.

Boetsch feels that Stark is very similar in nature to Brilz, and thus will go in with a game plan centered on avoiding the pitfalls of the earlier bout.

“Specifically for this fight we’ve been working a lot of different ground techniques, ways of escaping and standing up, and preventing the fight from slowing down and my opponent holding me down,” stated Boetsch. “In my last fight that was really the big weakness, was I allowed my opponent to hold me down.

“Going into this fight, it’s a very similar opponent who tries to implement that game plan in most of his fights. So that was definitely one thing we wanted to target: basically getting off the bottom and getting the fight back on our feet where I feel my striking is dominant over my opponents.”

Not only does Boetsch have his usual will to win, but he’s also extra motivated to remove the bad memories of his fight with Brilz in the minds of fans and promoters alike.

“That last performance was subpar for me,” he admitted. “I was really disappointed in myself and what I did that night. I’ve put that behind me, and I’m looking towards the future.

“It really made me open my eyes and say that I really need to start working with professionals at a legitimate training camp and get the kind of coaching a guy at my level should get. I definitely want to get back into the cage and show people that I am a top level athlete.”

Should he emerge unscathed from his fight with Stark, Boetsch wants to waste no time getting back into action and continuing his ascension.

“If coming out of this fight I’m healthy, I’d like to take something within the next six weeks or so,” he stated. “I’m a fighter who likes to stay busy and active, so I’d definitely like to get in a couple more this year.”

Motivated to regain his status as one of the up and coming light-heavyweights in the world, Boetsch beings his journey towards redemption this Saturday, confident that his time will come once again.

“I just want to say thanks to the fans for their support,” he said. “Get out to Comcast Arena here in Everett. It’s going to be a great show.

“There’s a bunch of fighters from Matt’s school, AMC (Pankration), so it’s going to be a great show and I hope to see everybody there. Come watch the big boys throw down.”