MMA News Thread

[UCDgreek]

well you know UFC standards.. lose like 3-4 times and then they wanna cut you.

I'm glad the fans said something, But I'm pretty sure it was the idea of strikeforce getting more decent talent that the UFC dont want.

i dont blame the ufc for cutting people when they lose 3 or 4 times though. when they cut some fighters they always end up singing some new guys. so its nice that they get a chance. and for a lot of fighters i think it will serve them better to get in some fights at smaller promotions and get better. melvin guillard was cut first too, got a few wins under his belt, and is now back with the ufc.

but it looks like they really were cut. i do expect to see mccrory back soon though. this just from yahoo.

A strange week and a bad day got even worse for Thales Leites and Tamdan McCrory when each man found out he was going to be dropped from the Ultimate Fighting Championship roster after thinking he might receive a reprieve from UFC president Dana White.

Leites lost a split decision to Alessio Sakara and McCrory was beaten by John Howard in fights on the preliminary card of UFC 101 at the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia.

News of the move to drop the men surfaced on Thursday. But late Thursday, White told Yahoo! Sports they had been dropped but that he would “fix” it and that they would not be cut.

However, after discussing the move internally on Friday, White changed his mind and opted to let Leites and McCrory go.

“We are cutting them,” White said Friday afternoon.

The journey is especially strange for Leites, who was beaten in a middleweight title match at UFC 97 in Montreal by Anderson Silva on April 18. Leites was not aggressive, often flopping onto his back in an unsuccessful bid to lure Silva into a jiu-jitsu contest, and lost a unanimous decision in which the crowd booed lustily. He was more aggressive against Sakara, though the crowd in Philadelphia didn’t like the fight and booed very loudly.

Leites was stunned on Saturday when he heard that judges had given Sakara a split-decision victory. However, he had to take some consolation in the fact that at the post-fight news conference, White was specifically asked about Leites and White said Leites would not be cut.

McCrory entered the UFC with an 8-0 record, but has gone 3-3 since, alternating wins and losses.

 

[Robby2Slobby]

Good leites is gone again. I hope I never have to watch him fight again.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Fedor Emelianenko's Strikeforce debut now expected for November, opponent still not set

SAN JOSE, Calif. – While the discussion surrounding Fedor Emelianenko slowed just briefly as Cristiane "Cyborg" Santos and Gina Carano took center stage for Strikeforce on Saturday night at HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif., it didn't take long for the talk to begin again.

At the evening's post-event press conference, Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker said the Russian's debut for the organization is likely to take place in November.

As for "The Last Emperor's" opponent, Coker could not say who it would be – only who it wouldn't.

"It's probably going to be in November," Coker said of Emelianenko's organizational debut. "I definitely think there's two guys here that would be a quality opponent for Fedor.

"I think Brett Rogers is one of the guys we have to take a serious look at. And Fabricio (Werdum) looked great tonight. I think on any given day he could do his thing."

So the undefeated Rogers, who last fought in a 22-second destruction of Andrei Arlovski in June, and submission ace Werdum, who needed just 1:24 to dispatch of Mike Kyle on Saturday night, would appear to be the leading candidates to welcome Emelianenko on to Showtime.

And while Coker declined to declare either fighter a sure thing, he was quick to dismiss the rumors that Ricco Rodriguez would be taking the bout.

"That was never even talked about," Coker said.

The likely November date is in direct contrast with the Oct. 10 target Showtime senior vice president Ken Hershman recently shared with AOL FanHouse. But Coker seemed comfortable with the November event while considering his organization's upcoming schedule as a whole.

"We'll have three 'Challengers' fights (this fall)," Coker said. "We'll have September, then we're going to have October, then we're going to have November. Then the big fights are going to be the Fedor fight, and then we'll do one more before the end of the year."

The September show has already been announced, as Tim Kennedy and Evangelista "Cyborg" Santos will headline a "Challengers Series" event in Bixby, Okla. The remaining dates have yet to be finalized, and Coker said both dates and locations are still being determined for the events.

But Coker's tentative plan would call for two shows each in November and December, an idea the Strikeforce exec didn't seem to mind.

"Some of these months we're going to be doing more than one show," Coker told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com). "Next year we're going to be even busier. We're probably doing 18 to 20 fights."

Coker said approximately 16 of those shows would appear on Showtime, leaving another two-to-four shows for the organization to use in a long-rumored slot on CBS or as a long-promised pay-per-view event.

While Coker could not elaborate on those plans, he did promise to utilize his new partners in M-1 Global and DREAM to create some memorable cards.

"It's going to be interesting," Coker said. "You're going to see some amazing fights."

 

[Shogun Locc]

Meet Marloes: Dutch fighter Coenen could be "Cyborg's" first test as Strikeforce champ

SAN JOSE, Calif. – Immediately following the biggest win of her career, the question for Strikeforce's first-ever female lightweight champion, Cristiane "Cyborg" Santos (8-1), was evident.

Who's next?

A potential answer for that question came at the "Strikeforce: Carano vs. Cyborg" post-fight press conference at HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif., on Saturday night, as a Dutch fighter standing alone in the back of the room suddenly had everyone's attention.

During the conference, Coker pointed out veteran Marloes Coenen (16-3) as a new addition to the Strikeforce roster, and the 28-year-old fighter later explained what she was doing in San Jose.

"I came in as a stand-in ... if [Santos or Gina Carano] couldn't make weight because they've got a history of not making weight," Coenen told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com). "So I made weight on Friday, too. But then they did make weight, so now I'm here to meet people."

Coenen explained that she had not finalized a contract beyond the one-fight, late-replacement scenario, but she seemed excited to do so.

"We haven't worked it out yet," Coenen said. "I'm hoping we can work out a contract. It's just lacking a few details."

A near-nine-year veteran of the sport, 14 of Coenen's 16 wins have come by stoppage, including 11 by submission.

Coker seemed uncertain of Coenen's next step with the company when first discussing his newest signing.

"Marloes Coenen is the real deal," Coker said. "Can you imagine her and 'Cyborg' in a fight? ... [Coenen] might be fighting Cristiane 'Cyborg' next, or she might go in the tournament."

As Coker went on to explain the potential tournament format, he seemed a bit more sure of Coenen's status as an immediate contender.

"The vision is really to have an eight-fighter tournament," Coenen said. "We'd reduce it to four (fighters), and then the last four would fight twice in one night. We'd get one champion, and then the champion would fight 'Cyborg.'

"But in the meantime, as this thing is going forward, I think [Santos] is going to want to fight again. I think Marloes Coenen will probably be the girl we put in there."

While Coenen admitted she was impressed by Santos' win over Carano – referring to the Brazilian as "a powerhouse with hard punching and striking" – the Dutch fighter said she wouldn't hesitate to accept the fight.

And why would she? The two were scheduled to fight in February in Canada's XMMA organization, but an injury suffered by Santos in a timeframe some might say was suspiciously close to her signing with Strikeforce forced the new champ out of the fight.

"I should have fought her before in Canada in XMMA, but she had this injury," Coenen said with a wry smile. "I'm really looking forward to fighting her."

But regardless of whether Coenen gets first crack at Santos or must make her way through a tournament format, the new recruit says she's ready.

"I'm humble," Coenen said. "I will do whatever I have to do. I've done a lot of tournaments, so I've got experience in that."

Astute observers will recall Coenen was not Strikeforce's first choice as a backup plan for any potential weight issues. That honor fell to Erin Toughill (10-2-1), who was visibly absent from the event.

Coker said despite reports of trouble between the organization and Toughill, she's still welcome to compete for Strikeforce.

"Erin Toughill will be welcomed back to Strikeforce," Coker said. "There was a breakdown in communication, maybe some management issues, maybe me because I was in Italy sitting on the beach in my Speedo or whatever. But she'll be welcome back."

As for the new champ, Santos seemed indifferent to finding out who would next face her in the cage.

"I'm going to be the same in every fight," Santos said. "I'm going for the knockout every fight, so it doesn't matter who the opponent is. I'm going to fight in the same way."

 

[Shogun Locc]

Strikeforce heavyweight Fabricio Werdum wants Fedor Emelianenko sooner than you might think

SAN JOSE, Calif. – Less than a year ago, Brazilian submission ace Fabricio Werdum (12-4-1) appeared to be in line for a UFC heavyweight title shot.

A shocking loss to fast-rising prospect Junior dos Santos (8-1) in October 2008 changed all that, but that hasn't derailed "Vai Cavalo's" career.

Following a submission win over Mike Kyle this past Saturday on the main card of "Strikeforce: Carano vs. Cyborg," Werdum now has his sights firmly locked on the world's top heavyweight, Fedor Emelianenko.

"Of course I want to fight Fedor because everybody knows that Fedor is the best," Werdum told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) through his interpreter. "I want to fight Fedor."

Werdum looked sharp on Saturday night while avoiding a few early haymakers from Kyle before bringing the fight to his preferred location on the canvas.

"Mike's a very good athlete, and when a heavyweight hits, it's a pretty good hit," Werdum said. "But I was very well prepared, and I was very comfortable in the fight."

Of course, even when the fight went to the ground, Werdum was forced to fend off a brief armbar attempt prior to securing his own fight-ending submission. Werdum said the hold wasn't nearly as dangerous as it may have looked to the casual observer.

"It was a surprise for me (to be caught in an armbar by Kyle), but I train so hard in jiu-jitsu I did the escape automatically," Werdum said. "I didn't even need to think to get out of the submission."

Werdum also came into the bout with Kyle much lighter (nearly 30 pounds) and much more toned than he did in the fight with dos Santos. Werdum said that was by design and that his UFC loss taught him a valuable lesson.

"When I lost, I took that as motivation," Werdum said. "I felt that I was too heavy for that fight. That's why I started to train a little bit different to be a little bit lighter and faster for this fight."

Werdum's win certainly puts him on the short list for his desired matchup with Emelianenko. Undefeated slugger Brett Rogers and current Strikeforce heavyweight champ Alistair Overeem would also seem to be potentially in line for a bid at "The Last Emperor."

The Brazilian knows he may be forced to wait his turn.

"I'll fight everybody, no problem," Werdum said. "It's up to Mr. Scott (Coker, Strikeforce CEO). Whoever Scott tells me to fight, I'm going to fight."

But if the call to fight Emelianenko comes – even today – you can count on Werdum to be ready.

"The athletic commission says for seven days I can't fight," Werdum said. "After that, no problem.

"(Put it on) the next event for Strikeforce."

 

[Shogun Locc]

New Strikeforce champ Gegard Mousasi staying at 205 pounds for "two or three years"

Don't expect Gegard Mousasi to waste too much time before making his first Strikeforce title defense.

While current champs Alistair Overeem (heavyweight), Cung Le (middleweight) and Josh Thomson (lightweight) have each gone more than a year since last defending their Strikeforce belts, Mousasi, who delivered former champ Renato "Babalu" Sobral a brutal 60-second knockout on Saturday to claim the 205-pound title, is ready to pounce on his new weight class.

Mousasi, who recently vacated his DREAM middleweight belt to fight at the higher weight classes, will compete in the Japanese-based organization's open-weight "Super Hulk" semifinals in October before returning to the light-heavyweight division for the foreseeable future.

The 24-year-old Mousasi, who owns a staggering 13-fight win streak, beat Mark Hunt back in May in the eight-man "Super Hulk" opening round. On Oct. 6 at DREAM.11, he takes on PRIDE and UFC vet Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou in the semifinals. A victory would put him in the finals later that night against the Hong Man Choi vs. Ikuhisa Minowa winner.

While the novelty fights have kept the Dutch fighter entertained, he's ready to make a run at 205 pounds.

"I'm planning to fight (at) 205 for two or three years, get a little bit older, put on some muscle," Mousasi said.

Eventually, though, the Red Devil Sport Club fighter wants to move up yet again.

"Eventually, I will go to heavyweight but not right now," he said. "But the 'Super Hulk' tournament, I have to fight heavyweight. Heavyweights are also good, but being also very big, the disadvantage is I feel with speed and explosiveness, (but) I can beat also the heavier guys.

"I see myself also fighting at heavyweight in the future."

Strikeforce CEO and co-founder Scott Coker isn't sure whom Mousasi will fight in his next Strikeforce bout. Despite the first-round drubbing, Sobral remains very much in the title picture, Coker said, but an immediate rematch doesn't sound likely.

"We'll do the matchmaking process in the next couple of weeks," Coker said. "But we're going to let [Mousasi] get through the DREAM event in October, and then we'll start putting something together."

Mousasi literally didn't break a sweat in the Sobral fight, which took the co-main-event slot on the "Strikeforce: Carano vs. Cyborg" Showtime broadcast. After taking down the Brazilian fighter early in the round, Mousasi stood over his opponent and rained down a dozen punches, each of which landed. One shot that connected mid-barrage knocked Sobral out cold, though a subsequent blow jolted him back awake before the referee halted the action.

Mousasi wasn't too surprised by the quick finish.

"I wanted to keep the fight standing up, but I knew if I could take Sobral down, I would take him down," he said. "I know he's a great jiu-jitsu guy, but this is not jiu-jitsu. This is MMA, and I knew I could have the advantage of top position. I was expecting a tough fight. He's experienced, and he's a very tough opponent. But sometimes fights end quickly."

 

[Shogun Locc]

MELENDEZ AVENGES LOSS WITH TKO OVER ISHIDA

New Year's Eve 2007 seemed like a lifetime ago on Saturday night, as Gilbert Melendez punished Mitsuhiro Ishida to erase the memory of the first loss of his career. He picked up a third round TKO to cement his spot as the top contender to the Strikeforce lightweight title.

Early in the fight, Melendez did a great job of setting the tone by keeping Ishida away from any kind of clinch or takedown, while tagging the Japanese fighter with good punches and combinations. Late in the first round, Ishida finally scored a takedown, but he couldn't hold Melendez down. The Cesar Gracie student actually got a double-leg of his own before the first five minutes expired.

The second round saw Melendez settle into a rhythm, as he continuously shut down Ishida's takedown attempts, while slamming his opponent with big punches at every turn. After opening a cut on Ishida's head, Melendez took him down and unloaded some heavy knees to the body that seemed to bury deep in Ishida's breadbasket.

With Melendez soundly in control heading into the third round, it seemed early on as if Ishida was finally gaining some confidence in his stand-up, winging some punches back at the California based fighter. His confidence didn't last long, however, as Melendez opened up a flurry of punches and knees against the cage, forcing the fight to the ground.

As Ishida tried to survive from his back, Melendez blasted down shot after shot, forcing his opponent to roll and give up his back. Ishida was able to resist giving up the rear naked choke, but Melendez was okay with that plan, sinking in both hooks and unleashed a barrage of punches to the side of the head.

Taking shot after unanswered shot, referee Herb Dean swooped in to save Ishida from any further punishment, as Melendez avenged the first loss of his career. Unlike the first fight, he showed true dominance and kept the fight wherever he wanted it to go.

"Just had to be patient today. He's a very a smart fighter, like a strategic fighter," Melendez said about Ishida following the win. "Usually I come out to brawl. I had to be patient. Jake kept telling me in the corner, 'I know they're booing now, but wait till you knock him out, they'll forget about it.’"

Erasing the memory of their first fight from his mind, Melendez used quick and powerful strikes, mixed with a good wrestling game to put away a very talented fighter in Ishida.

"It feels great, it definitely feels real good coming back and winning that," Melendez commented about the win. "I’m a different fighter right now. I'm focused, I'm motivated, I can't guarantee victory, but I guarantee I'll always come out and perform for you."

With Strikeforce lightweight champion Josh Thomson still on the shelf with a lingering leg injury, Melendez was quick to point out that his interim title doesn't mean much without defeating the fighter who took the title from him in the first place.

"I don't even want this belt, Josh is the champ," Melendez stated.

The message was clear by his performance though that Melendez is ready to reclaim his spot as the top 155-pounder in Strikeforce.

 

[Shogun Locc]

ENGLAND MOVES TO M-1 GLOBAL SEMIFINAL ROUND

Hilversum, Amsterdam -- After being passed over in the inaugural M-1 Challenge last year, Team England made up for lost time by clinching the Group A title following its 5-0 team victory over Spain. With the victory, Team England will continue on into the M-1 Challenge post-season.

England entered the night tied for the lead in Group A with Team France but left little to chance by sweeping Spain. By the time France took to the stage vs. Japan, it still had a chance to supplant England if they were able to pull off a sweep of their own vs. Japan. However, tie-breakers did not come into play as France's 3-2 loss allowed England to take the Group A title with a 2-1 team record with France being eliminated and finishing the year with a 1-2 record.

Team England's night got off to a rocky start when newcomer Scott Hewitt was dominated in the first round by Spain's Jose Roque. Roque at one point had full mount on Hewitt and pounded away with many in attendance anticipating an early stoppage. However, Hewitt was allowed to continue fighting and quickly turned the tide in round 2 by pulling off a remarkable comeback following an armbar submission at 1:35 of round 2.

The second fight in the best-of-five team challenge series between England and Spain also started slow for the Brits, with England's Simon Phillips appearing to be well on his way to losing a 10-9 round during the bout's first stanza. However, much like Hewitt, Phillips was able to rally by submitting Jonathan Leon with a rear naked choke at 4:29 of round 1.

From there, it was all Team England, with middleweight submission specialist Matt Thorpe requiring just 0:56 seconds to tap Spain's Rafael Rodriguez with a triangle. The light heavyweight bout between England and Spain was an even briefer with Team Wolfslair's Tom Blockledge knocking out Enoc Solbes via high kick just nine seconds into the bout. Blackledge, a coach during the upcoming tenth season of The Ultimate Fighter, earned knockout of the night honors with the breathtaking strike.

While winning in quick fashion, Blackledge's KO was yet another improbable victory for England. Battling flu-like symptoms all week, Blackledge struggled to make weight and Team England coaches Dave Butlin and Aaron Chatfield considered pulling Blackledge from the show and replacing him with Danny Giblin. However, Blackledge convinced his coaches to allow him to compete as scheduled.

Despite the 4-0 lead, it was imperative for Team England to win a sweep in order to prevent France from potentially winning via tie-breaker. England relied on another newcomer, David Keeley, to get the job done. Keeley, who stands at 6'10'' and is a former pro basketball player, did just that, by TKO'ing Paco Estevez at 4:23 of round 2.

In addition to England's 5-0 victory over Spain and Japan's 3-2 victory over France, the World Team also defeated Germany by a 3-2 score. In the night's opening bout, 16-year old prodigy Jeronimo de Groot also won a unanimous decision over Sascha Valentic in a fight conducted under K-1 rules.

The M-1 Challenge will return on less than 24 hours notice when it conducts the second part of its two-day "Mega Taping" at Studio 22 in Hilversum. The bouts will begin at 5 p.m. local time and will be available on Internet PPV at www.M-1Global.com (users can submit payment info via SMS through the widget on the right hand side of the page; stream not available in the U.S. or Korea). The 15-bout event will be highlighted with USA East and Russia Legion looking to clinch the final two M-1 Challenge playoff berths while competing in separate team challenges. Full lineups for Sunday's event along with updated standings, photos, and post-fight interviews are available at M-1Global.com.

Official results from Part I of M-1 Challenge 7:

Superfight (Kickboxing Rules): Jeronimo de Groot def. Sascha Valentic via unanimous decision

Team Challenge #1: Spain vs. England

1. Lightweight (154 lbs./-70 kg): Scott Hewitt (ENG) def. Jose Roque (SPA) at 1:35 of round 2 via submission (armbar)
2. Welterweight (167.2 lbs./-76 kg): Simon Phillips (ENG) def. Jonathan Leon (SPA) at 4:29 of round 1 via submission (rear naked choke)
3. Middleweight (184.8 lbs./-84 kg): Matt Thorpe (ENG) def. Rafael Rodriguez at 0:56 of round 1 via submission (triangle)
4. Light Heavyweight (204.8 lbs./-93 kg): Tom Blackledge (ENG) def. Enoc Solbes (SPA) at 0:09 of round 1 via KO (head kick)
5. Heavyweight (+204.8 lbs./+93 kg): David Keeley (ENG) def. Paco Estevez (SPA) at 4:23 of round 2 via TKO (strikes)

England defeats Spain via 5-0 score...

Team Challenge #2: France vs. Japan

6. Lightweight (154 lbs./-70 kg): Yoshiro Tomioka (JPN) def. Frederic Fernandez (FRA) at 3:53 round 1 via submission (triangle)
7. Welterweight (167.2 lbs./-76 kg): Yuya Shirai (JPN) def. Gael Grimaud (FRA) at 4:16 of round 1 via TKO (strikes)
8. Middleweight (184.8 lbs./-84 kg): Christophe Dafreville (FRA) def. Yusuke Masuda (JPN) at 2:27 of round 1 via submission (armbar)
9. Light Heavyweight (204.8 lbs./-93 kg): Christian M'pumbu (FRA) def. Hideto Tatsumi (JPN) at 4:53 of round 2 via TKO (strikes)
10. Heavyweight (+204.8 lbs./+93 kg): Yoshiyuki Nakanishi (JPN) def. Akim Assenine (FRA) at 4:51 of round 1 due to submission (Achilles lock)

Japan defeats France by 3-2 score...

Team Challenge #3: World vs. Germany

11. Lightweight (154 lbs./-70 kg): Daniel Weichel (GER) def. Danial Sharifi (WLD) at 2:53 of round 2 via submission (guillotine)
12. Welterweight (167.2 lbs./-76 kg): **Diego Gonzales (WLD) def. Nordin Asrih (GER) via three-round unanimous decision
13. Middleweight (184.8 lbs./-84 kg): Nathan Schouteren (WLD) def. Ismael Cetinkaya (GER) at 3:51 of round 1 via TKO (strikes)
14. Light Heavyweight (204.8 lbs./-93 kg):Mathias Schuck (GER) def. Johan Romming (WLD) via two-round unanimous decision
15. Heavyweight (+204.8 lbs./+93 kg): Thorsten Kronz (GER) Miodrag Petkovic (WLD) at 3:08 of round 2 via TKO (doctor's stoppage)

Team Germany defeats Team World by 4-1 score....

** Despite winning the individual bout, Gonzales' victory over Asrih was not valid as Gonzales failed to make weight within the M-1 Challenge designated time limit. Per M-1 Challenge rules, the fight was ruled a forfeit in Germany's favor as it relates to the M-1 Challenge standings.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Assuério ready for another victory

Ex-fighter in Pride and UFC, Assuério Silva promised train strong to back with all at the MMA. Returning to the ring with knockout at the beginning of July, the fighter has not rested and ready for another challenge, this time in Roraima. "My next fight is on August 30 in Roraima, against the American Dave Anderton," says Assuério, who is making his preparation at the academy Dragon Fight in Fortaleza. If someone thinks that after the second fight in two months the fighter goes down, it´s wrong. "I will fight again in Jungle Fight on September 22”, warns.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Official addition of Marcus Aurelio completes "UFC 102: Couture vs. Nogueira" card

With today's official addition of Marcus Aurelio to the night's preliminary card, the fight card for this month's "UFC 102: Couture vs. Nogueira" event is now complete.

As MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) first reported last week, Aurelio returns to the UFC after a short stint with outside organizations to replace Matt Veach (back injury) in a fight with Evan Dunham.

UFC 102, which takes place Aug. 29 at the Rose Garden Arena in Portland, Ore., boasts a total of 11 fights.

The pay-per-view headliner pits UFC Hall of Famer Randy Couture against fellow ex-title-holder Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira. A must-win bout for both fighters, the winner could earn another shot at the UFC heavyweight title, which is currently held by Brock Lesnar.

Other notable bouts include a middle weight between top contender Demian Maia and Nate Marquardt as well as a light-heavyweight fight between Keith Jardine and Thiago Silva.

The card features three Oregon natives with Couture, Leben and Dunham.

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

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

 

[Shogun Locc]

Gabe Ruediger wins fourth straight, headliner Thomas Denny victorious at CalledOut MMA

Gabe Ruediger, a former cast member of "The Ultimate Fighter 5" still trying to improve his image after disastrously failing to make weight on the reality show, picked up his fourth consecutive win over the weekend.

Ruediger (15-5) submitted the previously unbeaten Wander Braga (10-1) via second-round guillotine choke at this past Saturday's CalledOut MMA event at Citizens Business Bank Arena in Ontario, Calif.

EliteXC/King of the Cage veteran and event headliner Thomas Denny, former WWE star and Strikeforce fighter Daniel Puder, and kickboxing champion and early UFC broadcaster Kathy Long also picked up victories.

Prior to the Braga fight, Ruediger told MMAjunkie.com Radio (www.mmajunkie.com) he hopes to return to a major organization by year's end.

"That was my intention from the get-go," Ruediger said. "It seems like there's already some interest from the majors. I would like to get back, and I feel like I'm competitive against anybody.

"I'm not going to say that I'm the next world champion, and I'm not going to say that I'm the best guy out there – which is not the case. But I'll certainly give a fight to anybody that they put in front of me."

With his recent win streak, which now includes four consecutive submission victories (three in the first round), he's making a convincing case.

In the night's headliner, Denny (27-18) snapped a two-fight losing streak and earned just his second win in five fights with a second-round submission victory over longtime Rage in the Cage fighter Cronin (13-11). Denny fought for the first time since his second-round knockout loss to Pat Miletich at December's Adrenaline MMA II event.

Puder (7-0), fighting for just the second time two years, picked up his second straight CalledOut MMA win with a unanimous decision over Mychal Clark (6-9), who's lost six straight since posting a 6-2 stretch in his previous eight fights.

Long (1-0), a highly decorated kickboxer and boxer in the 1990s who also commentated UFC 1, won her pro MMA debut with a decision victory over Avery Vilche (1-2-1).

The full results included:

* Thomas Denny def. Joe Cronin via submission (guillotine choke) - Round 2
* Gabe Ruediger def. Wander Braga via submission (guillotine choke) - Round 2
* Roman Mitichyan def. Mike Dolce via unanimous decision
* Virgil Zwicke def. Will Richey via unanimous decision
* Raphael Davis def. Emanuel Newton via submission (rear-naked choke) - Round 2
* Daniel Puder def. Mychal Clark via unanimous decision
* Jay Silva def. Ray Lizama via KO (strikes) - Round 3
* Brent Cooper def. Daniel Hernandez via TKO (strikes) - Round 1
* Kathy Long def. Avery Vilche via unanimous decision
* Ando Dermenjyan def. Dustin Rhodes via TKO (strikes) - Round 2, 1:35
* Francisco Rivera def. Aaron Arana via majority decision

 

[Shogun Locc]

As comeback fight nears, Seth Petruzelli determined to shed "Kimboslayer" label

Mention the greatest night of his professional life, and Seth Petruzelli won't give you that here-we-go-again stare, even though he's heard it all before, at least 1,001 times.

As you know – and he knows well – Petruzelli was a UFC failure 10 months ago, buried on the preliminary card of "EliteXC: Heat" and set to face Aaron Rosa before Ken Shamrock suffered a cut over his eye and was forced to back out of the main event against Kevin "Kimbo Slice" Ferguson.

Scrambling in a panic, EliteXC executives turned to Petruzelli, allegedly telling him to keep it standing up. It took 14 seconds for "The Silverback" to be splashed on the front of every major MMA Web site (not to mention a slew of mainstream publications, including TIME Magazine). In some ways it's a curse – Petruzelli turns every which way and hears about it. And he will live with it until he starts rewriting the story.

But part of it's also a blessing – to an extent.

"If they're going to market it like that, they're going to pay me better because of it," Petruzelli told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com). "I don't want to say it's a bad thing to talk about because it's a great thing that happened to me. But it's just getting old, and I'd like to put it past me and get some more wins."

Fighting for the first time since conquering Ferguson, Petruzelli (10-4) will co-headline Art of Fighting's Aug. 22 event in Tampa, Fla., against local police officer and one-time IFL fighter Chris Baten (5-4). Little else is known about the Baten beyond the IFL, a 2007 win over former NFL player Herbert "Whisper" Goodman and his IFL loss to Jamal Patterson. When asked for a scouting report, all Petruzelli could do was shrug.

"He's a big scary black guy," he said.

Like that's stopped him in the past. Similar to the night he became the "Kimboslayer," Petruzelli will look to take out a bigger opponent early by relying on superior stand-up technique. "It all stops there," Petruzelli said. "I don't think that his skill level is anywhere near mine, and I'll definitely take it to him."

He has no choice – and he really doesn't. He was sick of waiting 10 months to fight again; he was booked for a March bout with former WEC champion Doug Marshall at a hybrid boxing/MMA event promoted by boxer Roy Jones Jr. but tore his MCL and was forced off the card. During that time, while foregoing surgery in favor of rehab, he thought about both whom and what he's fighting against.

A lackluster victory will convince few he's ready for anything bigger. Petruzelli was in talks with Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker when Art of Fighting made a lucrative offer to compete in an event 90 minutes from his Orlando home. Additionally, the UFC has remained open to giving Petruzelli a second chance. A loss to Baten, though, and the "Kimbo Killer" will be considered a fraud and those opportunities will vanish, possibly forever.

"It's a lot of pressure on my shoulders not only to win, but win big and win pretty," Petruzelli said. "It's a heavy weight, but I plan on doing it. If I stuck to my game plan, my skill level will prevail over him, and it'll be shown as that.

"I had other wins before Kimbo that were big. It shouldn't matter, but I know it will matter."

The names are unknown, but Petruzelli compiled six consecutive wins (five in the first round) capped by a unanimous decision victory over MMA legend Dan Severn in 2004. That's when he hooked up with the UFC through the second season of "The Ultimate Fighter" reality show. Two UFC losses to Matt Hamill and Wilson Gouveia led to his release from the organization, though. But one shocking knockout a year later, and he became the "Kimboslayer."

That's great, but there's a bigger picture. At UFC 100, training partner Tom Lawlor led Petruzelli to the octagon in a dog collar and chain, bone in mouth, for the latter's bout against C.B. Dollaway, a message to "The Doberman" that he was about to be captured. Somehow, Petruzelli was convinced to play the part.

"You have to have a good time doing it," Petruzelli said, "or what the hell is the point?"

His point now is to win, to begin changing the perception and rewriting his story.

 

[Shogun Locc]

NSAC: WEC 42 featherweight Cole Province tests positive for steroid (Updated)

World Extreme Cagefighting featherweight Cole Province, who scored a unanimous-decision win over Fredson Paixao earlier this month at WEC 42, failed a drug test administered at the show by the Nevada State Athletic Commission.

NSAC executive director Keith Kizer today announced Province tested positive for Methasterone metabolite. Methasterone, a "designer steroid" previously sold as an over-the-counter dietary supplement, was banned by the World Anti-Doping Agency in 2005.

Kizer today told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) that a formal complaint will be sent this week. Province is now under temporary suspension pending a formal hearing.

A suspension and fine could be issued at the hearing, and his victory could also be overturned to a no-contest, though news of the failed test came too late for the NSAC to add the case to its Aug. 19 meeting.

A total of nine fighters were tested at WEC 42, which took place Aug. 9 at The Joint at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, and only Province failed his test. Those who passed their tests included Miguel Torres, Brian Bowles, Dominick Cruz, Takeya Mizugaki, Leonard Garcia, Shane Roller, Ed Ratcliff and Diego Nunes.

Province, who competed on the WEC 42 preliminary card, made his WEC debut in late 2008 with a unanimous-decision loss to Nunes. The Oklahoma native owns a 6-1 career record.

 

[Shogun Locc]

MATT SERRA NOT RETIRED, WANTS HUGHES REMATCH

Former Ultimate Fighting Championship welterweight titleholder Matt Serra wants a rematch with Matt Hughes and fights against opponents with names cemented in the industry.

"I had a talk with Joe Silva (UFC matchmaker) and we talked about some interesting things," Serra told MMAWeekly.com recently. "I was definitely first pushing for a rematch. That would be ideal for me. I'd love to fight Matt Hughes again. I told him, 'look man, you've already got the name for it, “Unfinished Business.” There you go.'

“Throw on (Wanderlei) Silva and (Rich) Franklin; that was a close fight. What else was a close fight? I don't know, put something on there that the fights were entertaining. Me and Hughes, we got the fight of the night.

“I'm not going to sit here and bad mouth the guy because we did fight. I'm not going to attack him personally, but at the same time I do feel I won that fight, or at least I should have got the nod. If not, it's a draw and let's do it again."

The Serra and Hughes rivalry has been well documented, reaching a head when they were opposing coaches on "The Ultimate Fighter" Season 6. Serra lost to Hughes by decision when they finally met in the Octagon at UFC 98 on May 23 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

Reflecting on that hard-fought battle, Serra said, "I thought it came down to that last round. And he might have been on top of me longer, but definitely the 30 seconds I was on top of him, or 40 seconds, what ever it is, I definitely landed more than he did probably the whole fight. I landed more power shots at least. I landed two or three shots that definitely connected with him when I was on top of him at the end, not to mention the big throw. I thought I won the first and third rounds. I'm not alone in that.

"I think we should do it again," he added. "Why not? I think it would be fun for everybody."

Serra expects to compete again this year and is eager for his next fight, but the Renzo Gracie black belt wants a full training camp to prepare. "I told Joe Silva, 'look man, let's talk about it, it's just that I need a two and a half month to three month period to be were I want. That's what I like to train. That's how I like to do it. I felt so good in my last fight that that's the recipe for the rest of my fights. That's what I'm doing. As soon as you've got a date and you know what's up, just give me that window of two and a half month - three month training camp.' So that's it. The ball is in their court, and we're going to talk about it. I'm not done, that's for sure."

Asked if the UFC has ruled out the possibility of a rematch with Hughes, the 35-year-old fighter commented, "No. And you know what's funny is I was talking a little bit with Joe the other day and he wasn't, but then he brought up another name.”

Serra wouldn’t reveal the other name, but MMAWeekly.com sources have been floating Matt Brown as a possible next opponent for Serra. It doesn’t sound like Brown is the type of opponent that the former UFC welterweight champion is looking for.

"I've made my whole career fighting whoever they put in front of me, and that hasn't really changed, but it has to be kind of exciting now. You know what I mean? I've got to see my name up there with someone else where I'm like, ‘Whew. I'd want to see that as a fight fan myself. I like that match up, and I like that name. He's a legend.’ I want that type of thing around it. That's what I want," continued the New York resident.

"A new guy is just as tough as some of these other guys, so it's like why not at this stage of my career fight guys that, your name is up there, like when they had me versus Hughes. That was exciting. That's what I'm looking for. I know Frank Trigg is back in the mix. That would be interesting.

"I want a fight that on paper is exciting as hell and a name that's like a cemented name where it's like ah, that's a fight I've been wanting to see."

But most of all, Serra wants that rematch with Hughes.

 

[Shogun Locc]

JAY HIERON PASSES THE GAUNTLET, EYES NICK DIAZ

If you can find a high-level fighter who’s had more career ups and downs than Strikeforce welterweight contender Jay Hieron, let him know. He’s tired of carrying the mantle.

It was one thing after another leading up to his debut at Saturday’s “Carano vs. Cyborg”: Affliction folding, Nick Diaz tuning in and dropping out, a more-than solid Jesse Taylor stepping in on a week’s notice. More than enough to distract, and it wasn’t even counting the turbulence since last June when the International Fight League (IFL) folded and left Hieron without a job.

Until the day of the weigh-ins for Carano vs. Cyborg, he didn’t know if he’d get any of the money his sponsors promised him for the fight. The commitments were made when Diaz was the opponent and the bout was on TV. On the undercard, sponsors Full Tilt, Everlast, EA Sports, and Xtreme Couture didn’t want to pony up.

“I was stressing because I wasn’t going to get paid,” said Hieron. “When I first got there, I was like, what the hell, I’m not on the main card? I guess Showtime didn’t want to speak about the Diaz situation.”

Hieron had gone through the exact same situation in January, when his bout with Jason High was shuffled to follow the main event of Affliction's "Day of Reckoning."

Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker stepped up to the plate and got the sponsors on board. Now, Hieron just had to fight.

“As much as you put this stuff out of your head, I’m human too, dude,” he told MMAWeekly.com. “I’d be lying if I said it didn’t affect me at all. I put it out of my head as much as possible. But at the end of the day, I had to win that fight to get my title shot. If I lost that fight, there goes my shot. The reason I signed with Strikeforce was because I’m getting my shot off the bat on TV. That’s why I chose them over the UFC, really.”

He was critical of his performance, but the win was more important than all else.

“I didn’t train for the kid, really,” he said. “I trained for two different guys. It was a little awkward. I didn’t get my stand-up going like I wanted to, but my defensive wrestling was on point. I felt in good shape. I needed that win to get my title shot.”

Hieron’s thinking is that if he can make it through this, he can make it through anything.

“I did what I had to do and got the job done, and I chalk it up to more experience,” he said. “I still went out there and got the win.”

The Xtreme Couture fighter expects to get his title shot against Diaz in the fall, likely November.

“Now I can really focus on Diaz, and come in there 100 percent prepared,” he said.

For the next week, though, he plans to stay out of the gym and binge on his favorite cheat food, chocolate.

“I can’t get enough of it,” he said. “I’m a chocolate fiend.”

 

[Shogun Locc]

UFC Quick Quote: Josh Koscheck getting back to basics for UFC 103

“For the first time in my mixed martial arts career I hired a strength coach so I’ve been working a lot with him and got back to wrestling, just getting back to the daily grind of training. It’s been going great and I’m in great shape right now and I can’t wait to fight in September. I think I have five fights left on my contract and I just have to worry about one at a time. Frank Trigg is the next guy and I can’t look past [him] because he’s an old veteran, had a lot of tough opponents and a lot of fights so I have to focus on him first.”

 

[Shogun Locc]

All fighters test clean for drugs of abuse at “Strikeforce: Carano vs. Santos”

FiveOuncesOfPain.com has been able to confirm through the California State Athletic Commission that all fighters tested for “drugs of abuse” during “Strikeforce: Carano vs. Cyborg” have come back clean.

The event took place on Saturday evening and featured a female 145 pound championship between Cris “Cyborg” Santos and Gina Carano.

Results from steroid tests on the athletes from the card will take three to four weeks to get back due to facilities being shared for NFL pre-season testing.

5 Oz’s will keep you updated when the results to the steroid tests come back.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Dave “Pee Wee” Herman vs. Don Frye in September

Heavyweight knockout artist Dave “Pee Wee” Herman is set to square off with mixed martial arts legend Don Frye at “Shark Fights 4” on September 12.

FiveOuncesOfPain.com has recently been able to confirm the news of the bout through sources close to the fight.

Of course Frye recently pulled out of his scheduled August 28 match-up against Muhammed “King Mo” Lawal at “M-1 Global: Breakthrough” citing the change of venue from California to Kansas as the reason for his withdrawal. Hopefully “Shark Fights 4″ won’t be too far of a trip for Frye to make to face off with Herman.

Herman has established himself as a finishing machine in the heavyweight division, with every one of his victories ending on his own terms. Eleven knockouts and three submission make up Herman’s fourteen victories as a professional, compiling wins over the likes of Mario Rinaldi, “Meat Truck” Kerry Schall and Ron Waterman along the way. He recently bounced back from his first defeat as a professional at the hands of Choi Mu Bae in January by TKO’ing a game Josh Barnes at Bellator 5 in May.

Frye has gone 2-2 in his last four fights, notching wins over Bryan Pardoe and Rich Moss while dropping bouts to James Thompson and Ikihusa Minowa. Frye also recently made a small appearance in the motion picture blockbuster “Public Enemies”.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Werdum wants Fedor: “I can fight him now”

Debuting with a quick submission victory against Mike Kyle in Strikeforce’s last event, Fabrício Werdum is looking forward to come back inside the octagon one more time, and eyes the biggest challenge of the heavyweight division. “Imagine having a chance against the best of the world”, says Werdum.

Eyeing the best, Werdum guarantees he’ll face whoever Strikeforce puts in front of him. “If Strikeforce chooses, I can fight him right now, later… Fighting (against Fedor) for he belt would be even better. If I beat him, I can say ‘Overeem, give me this belt because I already beaten the best’”, jokes, recognizing that Emelianenko might debut fighting Overeem for the title. “He deserves the title shot, he’s Fedor, the best in the world”.

Back to victories after a loss to Junior dos Santos in the UFC, Werdum says that he’s in the best condition now. “I was already waiting for a fast fight, because I had a strong training. It was a good victory, I was 13kg lighter… This is my best weight”, finished the Chute Boxe heavyweight.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Hector Lombard eyes rematch with Mousasi

Bellator middleweight champion, Hector Lombard knocked out all four fighters he faces this year… And wants more. In exclusive interview to TATAME.com, Lombard said he wants tougher challenges now. “I spoke with Bellator’s managers and I want to face the best in my weight”, said the fighter, trough his coach Stéfane Dias.

Talking about big oponents, the champion thinks about the possibility of gion to the UFC, but his focus now is in Bellator’s octagon. “I don’t know about the UFC, I’m under contract now and I still have three more fights to do there”, explains, waiting for his next opponent. “I want two more fights this year, and against tough guys”, guarantees the Cuban.

With only two losses in the record, Lombard saw Gegard Mousasi, who defeated him in Pride, get the Strikeforce belt. And Hector wants the rematch. “I’d love to (fight Mousasi). I don’t care about the weight, we can do it at 185, a catchweight”, guarantees, saying the he didn’t trained well for the fight.

“I didn’t prepared myself well for that fight, I trained only one hour a day with my friends. Now I’m at American Top Team with a great team. I any weight, I’d love to fight Mousasi”, finished the Cuban.