MMA News Thread

[Shogun Locc]

Quick hit: MMAmania.com exclusive interview with UFC fighter Mike Swick

After more than nine months of inactivity, Mike Swick returned to action last month to fight Josh Burkman during the main even at UFC Fight Night 12.

The bout marked the welterweight debut for the former contestant on season one of The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) after winning six of seven bouts in the middleweight division.

It was an impressive run that put him in contention for the 185-pound title. In fact, if he defeated Yushin Okami in front of his hometown crowd at UFC 69: “Shootout” in April 2007 it would be hard to argue against giving him an opportunity to challenge for the belt.

He didn’t win, losing a unanimous decision to the Japanese fighter. And it was after that loss that Swick decided to move from one of the organization’s most talent shallow to one of its deepest, the 170-pound class.

Swick revealed that he was on the smaller end of the spectrum in the division and would prefer to go at it with guys more his size even though his training partners at American Kickboxing Academy, Jon Fitch and Josh Koscheck, are top welterweight competitors.

MMAmania.com recently exchanged emails with Swick while he was in Thailand. He talks about the lackluster win over Josh Burkman, addresses post-fight comments from “The People’s Warrior” that Swick was “scared,” sets the record straight for critics who feel he should have stayed at 185 pounds and more in this exclusive interview.

MMAmania.com: Mike we know you are busy traveling and will make this as quick as possible. We know you can appreciate that. So let’s get to it. What were your thoughts and feelings on the fight against Josh Burkman?

Mike Swick: I was not happy with my performance.

MMAmania.com: Why did you apologize for the fight?

Mike Swick: Because I felt it was boring to the fans.

MMAmania.com: What do you have to say about his post-fight comments that you were “scared”?

Mike Swick: He is delusional. I knew he would talk after the fight. Thats just his thing, he is not a top level fighter so he has to convince people of how good he thinks he is. He has to sell himself because he knows his performance isn’t selling anything. Bottom line, he is not as strong as the top welterweights, he does not have the best takedowns in the division, and he doesn’t have the elite standup that he thinks he has. He is a man who is realizing that he doesn’t have any qualities that will rise him to the top of this division.

MMAmania.com: How is your hand that needed to be x-rayed after the fight and will it keep you out for an extended period of time?

Mike Swick: It’s better. I am back to training with it.

MMAmania.com: How different was it fighting in the welterweight division, as opposed to the middleweight?

Mike Swick: It felt better for me. I felt strong and conditioned.

MMAmania.com: What do you have to say to the folks who feel you “chickened out” when you decided to leave the middleweight division?

Mike Swick: I don’t know anyone who said that. I don’t think anyone with logic would say something that inaccurate. I did quite well in the middleweight division only taking a decision loss to a current top contender. Who was I afraid of? I had already called out Silva and tried to get that fight.

MMAmania.com: That’s right. Before the fight with Okami you went on a PR campaign to fight Anderson. Is that a fight you still want and how would it unfold?

Mike Swick: Stylistically, I still love that fight. I would like to get a bit bigger but would still like it if I can.

MMAmania.com: The talent is by far deeper at 170 than 185. What was the thinking behind the decision process to drop down?

Mike Swick: Because that’s my natural division. I have been fighting out of my division my whole career. I train with Kos and Fitch, both of whom usually outweigh me.

MMAmania.com: Who would you like to fight next in the welterweight division? Name some names.Mike Swick: I want to fight them all!

MMAmania.com: Where would you rank yourself in the division right now — near the top, middle or bottom?

Mike Swick: I wouldn’t rank myself until after my next fight.

MMAmania.com: The last two fights you’ve appeared more cautious than the Swick who used to come out guns blazing. Can we expect to see the “old” Mike Swick return anytime soon?

Mike Swick: Yes.

MMAmania.com: I understand you are going to Thailand, is this for business or pleasure?

Mike Swick: Just got back. It was both. I did a seminar and then relaxed and backpacked through Cambodia and southern Thailand.

MMAmania.com: Thanks Mike. We know you don’t have much time. Anything you want to say to your fans, supporters and sponsors before we wrap this thing up?

Mike Swick: I want to thank all the fans for their support! For up to date news, please check out my official Web site at and my MySpace page. Thanks!

 

[Shogun Locc]

CHRIS LEBEN READY TO SWIM IN THE DEEP WATER

It wasn't too long ago that Chris Leben was one of the top contenders to face then Ultimate Fighting Championship middleweight titleholder Rich Franklin. That was until Leben ran into the buzz saw that is Anderson Silva. Instead of solidifying himself as the number one contender, he found himself going back to the drawing board.

Leben then knocked out Jorge Santiago in his first fight after his loss to Silva. Unfortunately, Leben would succumb to back-to-back losses to Jason MacDonald and Kalib Starnes. While many fighters would get a lesser opponent after dual losses, Leben was sent to face the very tough Chicago native Terry Martin, who had been on a four-fight winning streak.

Martin was winning even though Leben was making a good fight out of it. However, Martin decided to engage in a punching exchange with the iron-jawed Leben that ended up being his fate. Leben landed a clean shot to Martin's jaw rendering him unconscious.

That win was a significant win for Leben, especially as he starts to climb the ladder back into the middleweight title picture. “It was a close fight,” reflected Leben. “I was probably on the down side according to the judges. It was a huge win for me.”

That fight was huge for Leben because it was also his last fight on his original contract with the UFC. Despite some rumblings a few months ago that Leben may leave the promotion at the end of his contract, “The Crippler” has recently resigned a new deal that will keep him with the UFC for two more years. While he may have gotten a raise, he's also very happy that he gets to stay with the number one mixed martial arts organization in the world.

“For me, so far things have worked out well in the UFC,” said Leben. “I just wanted to feel like I was getting respect. I love the UFC. They are the biggest and the best.”

Leben will have the opportunity to build on his winning streak at UFC 82 on Saturday night, when he faces Alessio Sakara, who is moving down from light heavyweight. He is making his middleweight debut against Leben.

Sakara is known for his above average boxing skills and standing toe-to-toe with almost anyone that he has faced. That kind of matchup intrigues Leben because that's his style of fighting as well. Even though he expects Sakara to stand up and bang with him, that doesn't mean that Leben doesn't have a set game plan in place.

“Obviously, I will adapt my game plan for anyone I fight. I've watched the tape on him. I know how he likes to fight. Of course I have a game plan for that.”

Even though Leben just knocked out a tough contender in Martin, he doesn't feel slighted that he is taking on Sakara in his first 185-pound fight. “Everybody is tough at 185. He's got to fight somebody. One thing is for sure; it's guaranteed to be an exciting matchup.”

A former Team Quest member, Leben moved to Hawaii and has been training out there for quite some time now. He still works out with Matt Hume and has a close relationship to several fighters from Team Quest, but he enjoys living in Hawaii.

How does he motivate himself to train in such a beautiful place? “It actually makes it easier when you get up and go running, when it's nice and sunny outside,” he commented. “It's kind of low key. I live across the street from the gym, so I wake up and go across the street and train. It makes it real easy for me.”

Leben has the opportunity to put on another very exciting performance against Sakara, since both fighters are likely to stay in the pocket and throw down. However, he has a specific plan for Sakara, which he plans on implementing.

“My plan is to push the pace. My cardio is great right now. I'm going to go full speed for three rounds. I'm gonna put him in the pressure cooker and take him into deep water to see how he handles it.”

 

[Shogun Locc]

CANADIAN FIGHTER DIED OF NATURAL CAUSES

Canadian fighter Rene Ayangma collapsed and died following a workout at the Largo Fitness Centre in Stratford, Prince Edward Island, Canada on Tuesday, Feb. 19. Autopsy results show that he died of natural causes, according to reports by CBC News.

Ayangma had been at the gym as part of his regular workout routine, preparing for his second mixed martial arts bout. His only fight up to that point had been a victory over Chris Doucet at a King of the Cage Canadian event this past December.

His coach, Manny Bueno, told CBC that there was nothing unusual about his workout session when the incident occurred.

“He just was standing in the middle of the ring and he just went over, and that's it," said Bueno. "I thought he was joking around."

An ambulance was called and CPR performed, but medical technicians were unable to resuscitate Ayangma.

The CBC reports indicate that police are examining a supplement that Ayangma was drinking, but his father, Noel Ayangma, was confident that the supplement was not a factor in his son’s death.

The inquiry into Ayangma’s death is not part of a criminal investigation

 

[Shogun Locc]

The Next Big Heavyweight Prospect? It's Not Brock Lesnar Or Kimbo According To John Fitch

John Fitch recently sat down with the good folks over at Five Ounces Of Pain and discussed a variety of topics including his thoughts on the next big heavyweight prospect. Below are his thoughts:
The biggest one is Cain Velasquez. I like to call him “Sugar Cain.” He’s a heavyweight and he’s the biggest and baddest heavyweight you guys have ever seen. He’s going to turn the heavyweight world upside down in another year or two. Nobody is going to be talking about Kimbo. Nobody is going to be talking about Fedor or Randy. Everybody is going to be talking about Cain.

he’s fought a couple of fights for Bodog. The problem is that we can’t find fights for him because just won't take fights against him. I think what’s going to happen is that he’s going to fight at UFC 83. I think he’s got a fight and they’ve got him on that card. So he’ll be making his debut, I think, at UFC 83. I’m not 100 percent sure on that but he’s been training for that and I think that’s going to happen. He’s tough. He was an All-American at Arizona State. He’s just a tremendous athlete.

 

[Shogun Locc]

UFC Vet David Loiseau Headlines March 29 HCF Event

Former UFC middleweight contender David “The Crow” Loiseau (15-8) will headline next month’s Hardcore Championship Fighting event when he takes on Todd Gouwenberg (7-3), the Canadian-based organization announced over the weekend.

The event, dubbed “HCF: Crow’s Nest,” takes place March 29 at the Robert Guertin Centre in Gatineau, Quebec.

Gouwenberg is a replacement for Evangelista “Cyborg” Santos, whose HCF contract was terminated last week because of his planned involvement with an upcoming World Victory Road event.

“It is with a heavy heart we terminate Cyborg’s contract as he is one of my favorite fighters,” HCF president Dave Houshiar stated on the organization’s website. “However, we cannot allow fighters to dictate the terms of contracts to us as this can impact the integrity of our events.“

Loiseau, a 28-year-old French-Canadian who will be fighting in front of a hometown crowd, last competed at a Feb. 1 HCF event and suffered a close split-decision loss to Jason Day. (Just days after the fight, Day was signed by the UFC to fight Alan Belcher at Montreal’s UFC 83 event in April.) Loiseau was once the UFC’s top middleweight contender, but soon after a loss to then-champ Rich Franklin at UFC 58 and another to Mike Swick at UFC 63, Loiseau’s career has taken a nosedive. He’s now lost four of his past five fights.

He’ll look to get back on track against on Gouwenberg, who also competed at the Feb. 1 HCF event. There, he suffered a tough-fought loss to notable Anyonio Rogerio Nogueira, a top-ranked light heavyweight and the brother of UFC interim heavyweight champion Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira. The 33-year-old Gouwenberg, who will drop to middleweight for the fight with Loiseau, snapped his four-fight win streak with the loss.

In addition to Loiseau vs. Gouwenberg, the March 29 event will include other notables, including former UFC fighters Hector Ramirez, Rob MacDonald and Gideon Ray.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Numerous UFC Fighters Booked for UFC 82 Autograph Signings

The list of activities for this week’s UFC 82 event continues to grow as an All-Star cast of talent has been booked for autograph signings throughout the week.

Some of the fighters taking part in the signings have asked MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) to pass along times and locations for the events, and we’re happy to oblige.

Most of the signings will take place at the Arnold Sports Festival, a three-day sports and fitness exhibition that coincides with this weekend’s UFC 82 festivities. All of those signings with take place at the Greater Columbus Convention Center, which is located at 400 N High Street in Columbus. It’s just a quarter-mile walk from Nationwide Arena. Additionally, an F.Y.E. store located in Columbus will host an autograph signing on Friday.

Greater Columbus Convention Center

To access the autograph signings, you’ll need to purchase a ticket to the festival. They start at just $7.

In addition to the autograph signings, the festival includes competitions and exhibitions in activities such as MMA, arm-wrestling, Toughman contests, bodybuilding, weightlifting, ice skating, gymnastics and just about everything else you can think of. Head to www.arnoldclassic.com for the full details.

Although the festival is spread around venues throughout the area, all of the UFC signings are conveniently located at the convention center. The full schedule includes:

Friday, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.: Jason MacDonald, Houston Alexander, Jorge Rivera, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, Arianny Celeste and Edith LaBelle
Friday, 2 to 4 p.m.: Marcus Davis, Frankie Edgar, Chris Lytle and Sam Stout
Saturday, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.: Marcus Davis, Jorge Rivera, Frankie Edgar, Mike Swick, Gabriel Gonzaga, Arianny Celeste and Edith LaBelle
Saturday 2 to 4 p.m.: Jason MacDonald, Houston Alexander, Sam Stout and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira
Sunday, 10 a.m. to 12 p.m.: Rich Franklin, Jorge Rivera, Mike Swick, Jason MacDonald and Edith LaBelle
Sunday, 2 to 4 p.m.: Gabriel Gonzaga, Sam Stout and Edith LaBelle
F.Y.E.

F.Y.E. (which sells DVDs, music, video games, etc.) will host a group of fighters at its store at 1500 Polaris Parkway in Columbus. The trio will sign autographs and help promote the sale of UFC DVDs.

Friday, 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.: Marcus Davis, Frankie Edgar and Houston Alexander

 

[Shogun Locc]

“Countdown to UFC 82″ Debuts Tonight on Spike TV

“UFC 82 Countdown: Silva vs. Henderson,” the official preview show for next month’s UFC pay-per-view event in Columbus, Ohio, debuts tonight at 11 p.m. ET/PT on Spike TV.

Replays of the show are set to air Wednesday at 11 p.m. ET/PT, Friday at 11 p.m. ET/8 p.m. PT, and Saturday at 6 p.m. ET/PT.

UFC 82 takes place Saturday at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio. The event airs live on pay-per-view.

Tonight’s show will focus primarily on a main event between UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva and challenger Dan Henderson. Other UFC 82 televised fights include Heath Herring vs. Cheick Kongo, Chris Leben vs. Alessio Sakara, Yushin Okami vs. Evan Tanner, and Jon Fitch vs. Chris Wilson.

The 10-bout fight card is so stacked, in fact, that a handful of big names will be stuck on the night’s un-televised preliminary card. They include former UFC heavyweight champion Andrei Arlovski, “The Ultimate Fighter 1” winner Diego Sanchez, and former top welterweight contender Josh Koscheck.

For the full UFC 82 fight card, check out the UFC Rumors section of MMAjunkie.com.

MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) will be on scene for this week’s event, and with the Dayton Daily News, will have full coverage of all the pre-fight activities and Saturday’s big event.

Additionally, as we previously mentioned, MMAjunkie.com will be teaming up with the good folks at American Fighter for two UFC 82 pre-parties in Columbus. For more information about those events, which are sure to be packed with MMA celebrities, check out last week’s UFC 82 pre-party post.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Dayton Daily News MMA: Evan Tanner Returns at UFC 82

In this week’s edition of the “MMA Insider” for the Dayton Daily News, I focused on the long-awaited return of Evan Tanner at this weekend’s UFC 82 event.

UFC 82 takes place this Saturday at Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio. (Don’t forget that MMAjunkie.com is teaming up with American Fighter for a couple UFC 82 pre-parties; everyone’s invited.)

The story for the newspaper focuses almost solely on the basics of the situation: Tanner was the middleweight champ, Tanner lost a few fights, Tanner left the organization and dealt with some problems, and the fans have wanted him to return ever since.

One aspect of his return that I didn’t have the room to discuss was the impact a possible victory over opponent Yushin Okami (20-4 MMA, 5-1 UFC) could have on the division. Although Dan Henderson will fight UFC middleweight champ Anderson Silva in the night’s main event, Okami had largely been considered the most deserving and most likely to get a shot at the belt first.

Okami owns a 5-1 mark in the UFC — with his only loss coming to Rich Franklin in a fight he nearly ended via submission. In fact, during a six-year career that spans 24 professional fights, Okami has been stopped just once — more than four years ago. His only other losses have come via split decision, majority decision and unanimous decision.

As we learned in our previous Evan Tanner interview, the UFC had a hell of a time trying to find Tanner an opponent. As he told us, the fight with had been presented to four other middleweights — who all turned it down for various reasons. Okami, it seems, was the only fighter willing to step up and take it.

However, what happens if Okami loses — and Silva wins — on Saturday? Who gets the next title shot?

A third fight between Silva and former champ Rich Franklin is unlikely, and if Henderson suffers a loss on Saturday, he probably won’t get a second try right away either. There are a number of fighters getting close — such as Thales Leites, Patrick Cote, Ed Herman and Ricardo Almeida — but there’s probably not a single one really ready to fight Silva at this point.

That leaves two possible options (barring the signing of any outside talent). Tanner could be gone for two years, win one marquee fight, and earn a shot at the title. Tanner, of course, has made no secret that he believes he can beat Silva. And among all the contenders, Tanner is one of the few guys who’s a big enough draw to headline an event with Silva.

The other option is the largely forgotten middleweight contender: Nate Marquardt. The Team Jackson fighter failed miserably in his first attempt this past summer, but he too has stated that he wants a shot at the belt again. Like Tanner, he’s a solid draw. He’s not the biggest draw — but he’s a solid draw — for a pay-per-view event.

In any manner, for a little more background information on Tanner’s recent journey, check out the full story at DaytonDailyNews.com.

 

[Shogun Locc]

PELLEGRINO FOCUSES ON DIAZ FOR UFC FIGHT NIGHT

Kurt Pellegrino didn’t get much of a chance to enjoy the fruits of his recent victory over Alberto Crane as the UFC came calling again, this time with the opportunity to face another “Ultimate Fighter” winner in Nate Diaz on April 2 in Colorado.

In an interview with MMAWeekly.com, Pellegrino said he immediately accepted and went right back into training to prepare for the upcoming bout.

“I got my stitches out in eight days, from my lip, and the day they took them out I put Vaseline on my face and went right back in the gym and starting training jiu-jitsu,” Pellegrino said. “My shape now is better than it was for Alberto (Crane). I kept my foundation so this is the best camp I could ever ask for.”

The stitches he refers too were courtesy of a high kick to his face from Crane that left a gash in his chin.

This will be the second time Pellegrino has faced an “Ultimate Fighter” season winner. The first was a loss to season two champion Joe Stevenson, and Kurt doesn’t plan on going 0-2 when he faces Nate Diaz.

“His name has already been in the stars, he won the ‘Ultimate Fighter’ show,” said Pellegrino about his UFC Fight Night 13 opponent. “His name will forever be in the stars. When I fought Joe Stevenson, I had the opportunity to put my name in the stars as well and make the stars shine above me when I walk in the ring.

“I failed that test. I let myself down by breaking my hand and fatiguing from the pain and all that stuff. This is my opportunity in my life to set things straight. The UFC has given me another chance in my life to make the stars shine for me.”

Pellegrino respects what Diaz had to accomplish by winning the show and facing some stiff competition along the way.

“Nate’s a tough kid. He’s young in this sport. He won the ‘Ultimate Fighter’ show and there’s a lot of tough guys on that show,” Pellegrino stated. “Matt Wiman, who is a former teammate of mine, he was there. And Gray Maynard, he’s an amazing wrestler. Manny Gamburyan was on the show; I know he was tough. Cole Miller was on the show, Joe Lauzon. Those are all pretty good guys.”

Considered one of the most dangerous ground fighters in the UFC’s lightweight division, Pellegrino plans on testing Diaz’s pedigree in this fight.

“This is definitely Nate’s biggest step in competition for sure,” he commented. “Because of my background in wrestling and jiu-jitsu. My boxing is really good now, too; I’ve been working on it for like six years. He’s going to have his hands full, and I’m going to have my hands full, too. I think whoever comes ready to fight that day is going to win it.

“Good luck to him and everyone he’s training with.”

 

[Shogun Locc]

Lyoto must train with Anderson Silva

With the fight against Tito Ortiz confirmed at UFC 85, Lyoto Machida told to TATAME’s site about his training and what he waits for the fight, that will be at May 24th at Las Vegas, United States. “I’m doing he basic training, Jiu-Jitsu with gi, Carate with gi, as I used to do with my family, to do after the specific training for the fight. I’m thinking about doing Wrestling, but I’m only thinking yet”, told the carateca, that pretends training with Anderson Silva for the fight.

“He is at USA and as soon as his fight finishes we must contact him to do this first training at Black House at Rio de Janeiro or here. I let him focused at his fight, I don’t wanna disturb him”, said Lyoto, that bet on a Brazilian victory. “I believe a lot on Anderson Silva because he is a guy that dedicates a lot and is well prepared. He has a big arsenal. Without demereting Dan Henderson, that made a great history inside MMA, Anderson is in a great time and I believe that he has much more chances”, bet Lyoto, that believes that the best way to get out of the octagon with a victory is fighting stand. “Anderson beats really strong, thought, one punch well done is hard for Dan Henderson to get it. He can take a lot, but if one or two punches get in he’s capable to win the fight”, said.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Anderson silva training and interview

link: http://www.tatametv.com.br/

 

[heyzel]

UFC Declines To Offer Contract To Lindland

Lindland had this to say during a recent appearance on TAGG Radio:

“I made it very clear to Dana (White), and he’s the final decision-maker on all that stuff. I made it very clear that I was looking for them to make me an offer. I said, ‘Make me an offer, and let’s talk. Let’s do business.’ I got back a, ‘We’re not going to make you any kind of an offer’ response.“

Lindland (20-5 MMA, 9-3 UFC) fought for the UFC twelve times between 2000 and 2005 but was abruptly let go following a sponsorship dispute in which Lindland wore promotional materials for an unapproved sponsor during weigh-ins for UFC 54. Inside the octagon Lindland has picked up victories against Yoji Anjo, Ricardo Almeida, Phil Baroni (twice), Pat Miletich, Ivan Salaverry, Falaniko Vitale, Travis Lutter, and Joe Doerksen. His UFC losses came against Murilo Bustamante, Falaniko Vitale, and David Terrell.

Since leaving the UFC, Lindland has secured five victories with only two defeats, both of which were outside of his weight class against current UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Quinton Jackson and top-ranked heavyweight Fedor Emelianenko

 

[Shogun Locc]

UFC Fight Night 13 Guaranteed Five Televised Fights

An ultra-stacked UFC Fight Night 13 event will, in fact, run three hours and will include five — possibly even six — televised fights.

UFC.com today released an updated fight card. As MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) exclusively reported earlier this month, the event will run three hours. Televised bouts include Kenny Florian vs. Joe Lauzon, Thiago Alves vs. Karo Parisyan, Tim Boetsch vs. Matt Hamill, Nate Diaz vs. Kurt Pellegrino, and Houston Alexander vs. James Irvin.

Additionally, while a Frankie Edgar vs. Gray Maynard fight is currently listed as televised on UFC.com, MMAjunkie.com was told by a source close to the event that it’ll likely be a swing bout that’s not guaranteed TV time. It’ll be worked into the live broadcast time permitting.

UFC Fight Night 13 takes place April 2 at the Broomfield Event Center near Denver, Colo.

The event features a record 12 fights — and it’s possibly the deepest fight card in Spike TV history. In fact, the card is so deep that MMA fans began an email and letter-writing campaign to Spike TV to formally request that the event run three hours instead of the normal two. While thousands of people followed through, a source close to the event told MMAjunkie.com that Spike TV planned to make it a three-hour event all along.

The full card includes:

MAIN CARD (TELEVISED)

Kenny Florian vs. Joe Lauzon
Thiago Alves vs. Karo Parisyan
Tim Boetsch vs. Matt Hamill
Nate Diaz vs. Kurt Pellegrino
Houston Alexander vs. James Irvin
Frankie Edgar vs. Gray Maynard (swing bout; may not be televised)
PRELIMINARY CARD (UN-TELEVISED)

Marcus Aurelio vs. Spencer Fisher
Josh Neer vs. Din Thomas
Jeff Cox vs. Manny Gamburyan
Samy Schiavo vs. Clay Guida
Roman Mitichyan vs. George Sotiropoulos
Anthony Johnson vs. Tommy Speer

 

[Shogun Locc]

Randy Couture: “The Best Fighters Have to Be Allowed to Fight Each Other”

Estranged UFC heavyweight champion Randy Couture says that cross-promotion fights that match up MMA’s best fighters are needed to assure trust from the sport’s fans.

Couture made the comments on the latest edition of “Inside MMA,” a weekly MMA news show that airs Fridays on Mark Cuban’s HDNet high-definition channel.

“At some point, the best fighters have to be able allowed to fight each other regardless of promotion or production,” Couture said. “Otherwise, we’re going to lose the trust of the fans that we worked so hard to gain over the years.

Couture, who came out of retirement to defeat Tim Sylvia for the title at UFC 68, resigned from the organization in October over what he perceived to be a lack of respect from UFC officials, as well as issues over his pay and the UFC’s inability to sign former top free agent Fedor Emelianenko. The matter recently went to the courts.

While on the show, Couture also weighed in on several other topics, including his contract status with the UFC, the possibility of a match-up with Emelianenko, and the state of fighter salaries across MMA organizations.

”Inside MMA” provided this exclusive highlight clip of this conversation for MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) readers. If you like what you see, you can watch the entire episode (and all past episodes) online at HD.net.

HDNet airs new episodes of “Inside MMA” on Friday nights. Check the HD.net Inside MMA website for the full schedule of new episodes.

Additionally, for more on the Couture-UFC situation, check out the Randy Couture archives here on MMAjunkie.com.

 

[Shogun Locc]

UFC 85: Mike Swick vs. Marcus Davis (Exclusive)

Exciting welterweights Mike Swick (11-2) and Marcus Davis (14-3) will likely throw leather at UFC 85 in London, England, at the O2 Arena on Saturday, June 7, MMAmania.com learned earlier this afternoon.

Swick and Davis have competed on different seasons of the mixed martial arts reality series, The Ultimate Fighter (TUF), which airs on the SpikeTV network. And both fighters have achieved impressive results inside the Octagon since their respective seasons have wrapped.

In fact, Davis has reeled off 11 straight wins since his loss to Melvin Guillard via technical knockout (cut) back in 2005. He has won his last four contests, stopping each of those opponents with a mix of submissions and knockouts.

This will mark the fourth straight fight for the “Irish Hand Grenade” overseas — he most recently knocked out Jess Liaudin in the first round at UFC 80: “Rapid Fire” on January 19.

Swick will make his second appearance in the 170-pound division after racking up an impressive record at 185 pounds, winning five of six bouts in the UFC.

He’ll be out for redemption after a self-admitted less than thrilling performance against Josh Burkman in his welterweight debut at UFC Fight Night 12 in which he pulled out a lackluster majority decision.

Swick and Davis prefer to keep fights standing, but are both solid on the ground. This has all the makings of an up-and-down slugfest that could be show stealer.

And that’s saying a lot with the main event between 205-pound standouts, Chuck Liddell and Mauricio “Shogun” Rua, penciled in to headline the show.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Dan Henderson on ESPNs Rome is Burning (Video)
link: http://mmamania.com/2008/02/25/dan-henderson-on-espns-rome-is-burning-video/

 

[Shogun Locc]

Fabricio Werdum in interview

GRACIEMAG.com spoke with the two-time Jiu-Jitsu world champion about his hopes for the fight, Brandon Vera and training

GRACIEMAG.com: How has your break after the fight with Napao been?

Werdum: I spend a month in Spain with my family teaching a lot of seminars and assisting some of my students. I’m in Porto Alegre now where we are setting up a new Chute Boxe training center, which should be inaugurated on March 13th. However, I will be doing my training for the fight in Curitiba and in the future we will do an exchange between the two academies.

GRACIEMAG.com: And what about the fight with Brandon Vera, is it a done deal? What do you know about his game?

Werdum: It’s 100% confirmed. I accepted the fight right off the bat and I think it was well matched. It will be a good fight, it won’t stop, anything can happen. He’s a tough guy who’s going after his. He’s big and fast, a tall striker, he’s 1.88meters, and good with his knees, he’s also a Jiu-Jitsu brown belt and has gotten the submission in several fights.

GRACIEMAG.com: When will you be returning to heavy training? Have you talked to the team to lay out a strategy for the fight?

Werdum: I’ll go back to heavy training and see about my plan on Monday. I have three months to get ready. I’ll prepare myself a lot better for this fight, like never before. I want to be ready for anything.

GRACIEMAG.com: Do you think it’s already about time to fight for the title or do you think it’s best not rush things?

Werdum: After the fight with Napao, Dana White said I’d returned to the top 5 and that maybe I would get a shot at the title, but it wasn’t for sure. I already thought before I’d have to fight one more time. I think everything is happening at the right time, I don’t want to do anything prematurely. I don’t have the right to now because I lost to Arlovsky; if I’d won it would be another story. I have two more appearances on my UFC contract, I want to do this one and then fight for the belt.

GRACIEMAG.com: Would you like to face Minotauro for the belt? What did you think of his fight with Tim Sylvia?

Werdum: I was sure that Minotauro would submit him, but I knew it wouldn’t be easy. He’s really good, is always ahead of his adversary, thinking about the future. He surely practiced that move a lot. I’d like to fight him, to get a revenge match. I always modeled myself on him, but at the time we fought, I was not well, my Master Mauricao had just passed away.

 

[Shogun Locc]

JOE RIGGS TO UNDERGO PROCEDURE FOR BACK

This Thursday, Joe “Diesel” Riggs will undergo surgery to repair spinal damage sustained in his fight with Cory Devela at “Strikeforce at the Dome” last Saturday.

Riggs injured his back in the first minute of the fight. Devela threw a kick, which Riggs tried to catch and use for a takedown. Instantly, he knew something was wrong.

“I felt fire shoot down my right leg,” Riggs told MMAWeekly.com.

Still, he tried to fight, throwing knees as the two clinched against the cage. Instinctively he drove forward for a takedown, his legs going numb, and walked into a hip toss that Devela executed perfectly.

When he hit the ground, it was no longer a question as to whether he could continue.

“I was like, I’m done. I’m done; I can’t do anything,” Riggs said. “I thought I was paralyzed.”

Doctors will use a procedure called Radiofrequency Denervation to heat the inside of his spinal discs, which will relieve pressure on his sciatic nerve that was aggravated by two previous back injuries.

Last April, Riggs had undergone surgery to repair a herniated disc between his L-4 and L-5 vertebrae. Then, four months ago, he broke a transverse process, a bone that protrudes from the vertebra and attaches to muscles and ligaments.

When Riggs cranked his back for the takedown, his sciatic nerve pinched against his transverse process and the afflicted vertebrae.

As a fighter with a strong sense of pride, the experience has deeply unsettled Riggs. He feels credit is being given where it isn’t due, and regrets taking the fight. When he arrived in Washington, his back was already acting up.

“I’m pulling my hair out over this thing, it’s embarrassing,” Riggs said. “I’m not trying to disrespect the guy, but he had no business beating a guy like me.”

On the bright side, the procedure has a short recovery period. Doctors have told Riggs he can get back into the gym a week after the process. Just to be safe, he’s taking two.

He also has an immediate rematch clause in his contract, so more than anything, he’s looking forward to proving Devela’s win was a fluke.

“I vow my career on it; it will be a total, complete ass whooping,” Riggs said.

 

[Shogun Locc]

DAN HENDERSON'S SECOND CHANCE AT UFC GOLD

The term “undisputed” is a relatively new moniker in the world of mixed martial arts. In March of 2007, Dan Henderson found himself holding two championship belts in two weight classes after the demise of Pride Fighting Championships. He had the respect and status that came with the yet unmatched feat, but nowhere to prove it.

After signing with the Ultimate Fighting Championship, Henderson was the focal point of a movement to unify the titles – however sentimental that distinction became – as an active champion who would step into the Octagon and put his Pride silver against UFC gold.

Henderson came up short in his bid to capture the light heavyweight title from Quinton Jackson last September, but has been given a second chance in facing Anderson Silva. He admits there were mistakes against Jackson; he wasn’t aggressive enough, and waited too often for the perfect opening.

“It won’t happen this time,” Henderson said at his Team Quest gym in Temecula.

It’s a second chance few, if any, fighters have gotten so soon. It came out of a simple necessity: there weren’t any other serious contenders out there.

“Dana White asked me to cut down to 185 (pounds), and without this fight in mind, he told me I should cut down in weight,” Henderson said. “I said I want to stay at 205. I feel I can beat everybody there. Then he offered me this fight, and the more I thought about it, the more I got excited about it.”

Silva is widely considered to be the best pound-for-pound fighter in the world right now. He’s obliterated the top-tier middleweights in the UFC. But if there’s one thing that Henderson has proven before, it’s that hype doesn’t mean a thing to him.

“When I hear that, it puts a smile on my face,” he said. “I don’t consider him the top MMA fighter in the world. He’s definitely beaten some good guys, (but) the guys in the UFC have definitely complimented his style. In my heart I know I’m going to beat him up.”

Following a three-week training camp in Big Bear, Calif. – the first time he’s trained in the popular location – Henderson ramped down his schedule on his home turf. French Pride veteran Cyrille Debate was on hand to replicate Silva’s style and reach, something that took a little adjustment for Henderson.

“It’s been good to get a feel of getting hit from a farther distance than what you’re normally comfortable at,” he said. “It’s given me a better look at how Anderson Silva’s going to be.”

The clinch plays a central part of both fighters’ games. Silva is known for his Muay Thai skills, while Henderson brings a Greco Roman approach to the position. It’s ground zero for the momentum of the fight, a place where Henderson feels he has the advantage.

“With being on two Olympic teams in Greco, I don’t see myself getting out of position in the clinch to let him have his position.”

Silva’s position, one where knees have ended many fighters’ nights, is not a place Henderson wants to remain. But he feels confident his power will overcome Silva’s technical mastery.

“I’m not going to out-slick him on my feet, but I’m definitely going to land the harder shots,” he said.

For Henderson, the UFC title is about fulfilling a need for challenge. He’s tasked with beating up a bully, and playing the role of underdog. He’s unfazed with that role, and sees March 1 as the chance to attain a lifelong dream.

“It would be a big achievement, to be the undisputed world champion,” he said. “It’s always been a question in the fans minds and fighters as well, who’s really the top guy in the world. It’s gonna be a good fight.”

 

[Shogun Locc]

DREAM ADDS MORE LIGHTWEIGHT GRAND PRIX BOUTS

Dream, the new Japanese event produced by Fight Entertainment Group (the parent company for K-1 and Hero’s) and former Dream Stage Entertainment staff members, held a press conference Tuesday in Tokyo to announce three additional bouts to its March 15 premier.

A bout between Gesias “JZ” Calvancante and Shinya Aoki was previously announced for the Dream 16-man lightweight tournament. The promotion has now added Tatsuya Kawajiri vs. Kultar “Black Mamba” Gill, Joachim Hansen vs. Kotetsu Boku, and Kazuyuki Miyata vs. Luiz “Buscape” Firmino.

Other participants expected to take part in the tournament, but not yet paired up, include Andre “Dida” Amade, Mitsuhiro Ishida, Caol Uno, Gilbert Melendez, Artur Oumakhanov, and Jung Bu-Kyung.

The lightweight tournament now includes six of the Top 10 fighters in the world in the division, according to the MMAWeekly.com World MMA Rankings. In fact, the only fighter in the top six not in the tournament is No.1 ranked Takanori Gomi, who is facing Duane “Bang” Ludwig on World Victory Road’s debut event on March 5.

In addition to its Lightweight Grand Prix, Dream is also hopeful to have Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic fight on the March 15 event. Filipovic was released from his Ultimate Fighting Championship contract in order to return to Japan to fight.

Dream reportedly offered the bout to K-1 veteran Ray Sefo. But according to a post on the Xtreme Couture website, he felt that he didn’t have enough time to prepare. Sefo told Xtreme Couture that he would relish the fight with Filipovic, hoping that it might take place at a later time, possibly this summer.

Sefo has recently relocated his mixed martial arts training to Couture’s Las Vegas-based gym.

Dream has also released the format for its fights, at least for the bouts in the tournament. Not surprisingly, each bout will consist of a 10-minute first round, followed by a 5-minute second round; the same format utilized by the defunct Pride Fighting Championships.

Dream Stage Entertainment was the former parent company of Pride FC.