MMA News Thread

[Shogun Locc]

TV Sports Advertising Marketplace Slow in 2010

John Ourand and Tripp Mickle of Portfolio.com have written a telling piece on the state of the television sports advertising marketplace, indicating that sales are down and significant amounts of inventory remain for high-profile events such as the Olympics and Superbowl:

Wall Street may be showing signs of life with an unsteady bull market, but such indicators are not as positive for the television sports marketplace, where the advertising market is moving at a glacial pace for two of the biggest ticket items of 2010— Super Bowl XLIV and the Winter Olympics.



Though the events are less than six months away, their network rights holders both have considerable inventory left to sell, and ad buyers seem content to wait until much closer to the events to make their buys. While NBC is said to be holding the line on its pricing for the Olympics, ad buyers described CBS as more flexible, with the average cost of an A-position 30-second spot during the Super Bowl dropping from the $3 million that NBC pulled last year.



The challenges facing two of sports’ biggest media properties underscore the toll the recession is having on the sports marketplace and undercut the widely held belief that sports are a recession-proof business.



Both CBS and NBC budgeted steady ad sales revenue to help meet cost projections for the first quarter, and most insiders say a slow market for these big events serves as an indicator for other television sports programming down the food chain

Payout Perspective:

This news comes hot on the heels of the recently detailed slumping advertising sales of primetime television; numbers which may fall by as much as 20% in 2009.

What does it all mean for MMA? A possible reduction in advertising revenues.

Despite MMA’s strong demographic pull, the fact that NBC and CBS are having difficulty selling significant quantities of their Olympic advertising inventory - and that even the NFL’s regular season advertising sales are moving sluggishly - suggests that the sports marketplace as a whole, even including future UFC ad sales on Spike, might also be adversely impacted.

Bud Light is planning to pump additional money into a re-brand of sorts, but it would appear as though advertising budgets for 2010 - reflecting the significant downturn in 2009 - may dwindle the number of willing participants for all sporting contests. The resulting reduction in demand is going to force down the price on some of these inventories and that’s precisely what advertisers are waiting for.

However, it’s not really a question of if the slots will be bought - they will - it’s just no longer an up-front market as in previous years.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Pancrase Ending 2009 Strong! Kawahara Returns

Pancrase have had four shows thus far in 2009, but it looks like they will have four more events from the middle of October to the end of 2009.

On October 17th they will hold an event at Shinjuku FACE for the first time with a Pancrase Gate (amateur fights) and Pancrase Changing Tour double.

On October 25th SENGOKU fighters KEI Yamamiya and Seiya Kawahara will return when the sixth Changing Tour event takes place in Differ Ariake in Tokyo. Kawahara’s opponent is Ryota Sasaki who is on a 4-fight winning streak. Also on the card, one of the two men to have defeated Kawahara, Manabu Inoue, takes on the legendary Masahiro Oishi.

Pancrase will round out 2009 with an event on November 8th at the Azeria Taisho Hall in Osaka and an event on December 6th at familiar Differ Ariake in Tokyo.

 

[Shogun Locc]

MAYHEM VS SHIELDS SET, NO TIMETABLE YET

Mayhem Monkeys unite! Your leader will grace the Strikeforce cage; it’s just a matter of when.

A bout pitting Jason “Mayhem” Miller against Jake Shields for the Strikeforce interim middleweight championship is set. The question remaining is when it will take place.

“That's a fight that will happen, but it's up to Strikeforce and Showtime when it will happen,” Miller’s manager Ryan Parsons told MMAWeekly.com in confirming the bout.

News of the bout first leaked in a forum post by Miller on Monday.

Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker has publicly stated that the most likely scenario for his promotion’s next major events is one in October and another in December. But with the promotion still working to nail down the details, Parsons said he hadn’t yet been told when the fight would happen.

Strikeforce heads to Oklahoma on Sept. 25 for the next edition of its Strikeforce Challengers series, which is a feeder show for the promotion’s premier events.

Current middleweight champion Cung Le (6-0) has been on a self-imposed respite from fighting since defeating Frank Shamrock for the belt in March of 2008. He has been working on a burgeoning movie career. With no definitive timetable for his first defense in sight, the promotion chose to determine an interim titleholder.

Shields (23-4-1), currently one of the top five welterweight fighters in the world, established himself as a Strikeforce middleweight contender by defeating highly regarded 185-pounder Robbie Lawler earlier this year.

On loan from Dream, Miller (22-6) is easy to slot in as an immediate contender for Strikeforce. He has held the ICON Sport middleweight title and contended for the Dream middleweight strap.

Shields declined to discuss the bout.

 

[Shogun Locc]

KENNY FLORIAN PLANS ON FIGHTING AGAIN THIS YEAR

Fresh off a loss to B.J. Penn at UFC 101 in Philadelphia on Aug. 8, Kenny Florian wants to be more active and expects to fight again in 2009.

"I am going to fight before 2010. There's no doubt about it," he told MMAWeekly.com. "I have to get a fight in. I think it will happen and hopefully against someone tough."

Heading into the UFC lightweight title bout with Penn, Florian was coming off his longest layoff between fights since his appearance as a contestant on The Ultimate Fighter's debut season in early 2005. For the 33-year-old fighter, that's too much of a break.

"I have to stay more active," said Florian. "I can't be taking almost nine months off between fights and then try to fight somebody like B.J. Penn. I have to be more active than that.

"I definitely don't want to take that kind of time off again," added the lightweight contender. "I just need to stay as active as possible. I want to fight every three or four months with no more than four months off. I have to fight more often and hopefully the UFC will allow me to do that. I think that's when I'm my best."

For his next bout, Florian wants a top opponent.

"I'm looking forward to getting back in there with anyone who is tough and get back to the top," he stated. "I didn't get into this sport to just beat guys up. I got in this sport so I can face the best guys and be the best martial artist I can be. That's why I'm in this more than anything else, more than the belt, more than anything else.

"I'm in this sport to be the best fighter I can be, and you don't do that by just fighting chumps," he continued. "I've got to fight the best guys out there, and that's the way you learn best about yourself and you skills, where you're at and where you need to improve. Of course I need to get back to the top. I want to fight again for the belt, and you've got to fight the best to do that.

"I always come back stronger after a loss, and I believe it will be the same this time around. I want to get back there."

 

[Shogun Locc]

M-1 Global announces complete card for "Breakthrough," HDNet live broadcast plans

The much-maligned "M-1 Global Presents Breakthrough" card was finalized today, and HDNet officially announced the evening's live broadcast plans.

Despite suffering through a a relocation of the event and the loss of an original main-event competitor, "Breakthrough" takes place Aug. 28 at Memorial Hall in Kansas City, Kan., and airs live on HDNet at 10 p.m. ET (9 p.m. local time).

The card will feature a grappling exhibition between Fedor Emelianenko and the U.S. debut of Muhammed "King Mo" Lawal.

"It is indeed special to have two of the top fighters in the world in Fedor and Gegard – with a combined record of 56 wins and three losses – put on a grappling exhibition for HDNet's MMA fans," CEO of HDNet Fights Andrew Simon stated in today's release. "There has also been a lot of buzz internationally about 'King Mo' and Karl Amoussou and I'm pumped that fans will get to see them live on HDNet."

In addition to the grappling contest, Lawal will take on UFC legend Mark Kerr in the evening's main event.

The evening's full card includes:

MAIN CARD

* Mark Kerr (15-10) vs. Muhammed "King Mo" Lawal (4-0)
* Fedor Emelianenko vs. Gegard Mousasi (exhibition sparring match)
* Lucio Linhares (12-4) vs. Mikhail Zayats (8-3)
* Rob Broughton (10-4-1) vs. Jessie Gibbs (7-2)
* Karl Amoussou (10-2-1) vs. John Doyle (8-8)
* Lloyd "Kadillac" Marshbanks (17-8) vs. Michael Kitta (5-3)
* Ferrid Kheder (13-4) vs. Daisuke Nakamura (19-10)

PRELIMINARY CARD (un-aired)

* Rogent Lloret (7-1) vs. Alexey Oleinik (24-4)
* Tim Bazer (9-6) vs. Eric Marriott (13-1)
* Josh Arocho (11-6) vs. Sean Wilson (18-9)
* Rudy Bears (9-3) vs. Brendan Seguin (18-5)
* Molly Ahlers-Estes (1-0) vs. Andrea Caplan (0-0)

 

[Shogun Locc]

UFC newcomer Nik Lentz replaces Dan Lauzon, meets Rafaello Oliveira at UFC 103

UFC newcomer Nik Lentz (16-3-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC) will make his promotion debut as a replacement for injured Dan Lauzon (12-2 MMA, 0-1 UFC) and will meet Rafaello Oliveira (8-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC) at UFC 103.

The change was first reported by fiveknuckles.com, citing a source close to Lentz.

UFC 103, which features a main event of Rich Franklin vs. Vitor Belfort, takes place Sept. 19 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas.

The event airs on pay-per-view, though the Lentz vs. Oliveira bout is part of the night's un-aired preliminary card. However, the UFC has yet to announce the change.

As MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) reported earlier this week, Lauzon recently stated a back injury forced him out off the UFC 103 card.

Lentz, a four-year pro, enters the UFC with a six-fight win streak, which included a unanimous decision victory over UFC veteran Drew Fickett in March. Lentz, who trains at the Minnesota Martial Arts Academy with the likes of Sean Sherk and Brock Larson, is an accomplished amateur wrestler who's posted 14 stoppages in 16 career victories.

Oliveira, meanwhile, last fought in April, earning a unanimous-decision win over John Mahlow at "XFC 8: Regional Conflict." The win was Oliveira's third in 2009 and his third straight since a TKO loss to Lyle Beerbohm under the ShoXC banner in October 2008.

Oliveira was slated to fight Lauzon at "Affliction: Trilogy" before the organization's demise last month. Both fighters were eventually picked up by the UFC.

 

[Shogun Locc]

UFC 104 main card nearly full, middleweight contender Yushin Okami again on prelims

After officially announcing UFC 104 and a UFC light heavyweight champion Lyoto Machida vs. Mauricio "Shogun" Rua main event on Monday, the UFC today confirmed additional fights for the Oct. 24 card.

In addition to Machida vs. Rua, three other bouts were announced for the pay-per-view main card, including Sean Sherk vs. Gleison Tibau, Spencer Fisher vs. Joe Stevenson, and Anthony Johnson vs. Yoshiyuki Yoshida.

Perennial contender Yushin Okami, though, again fights in an un-aired preliminary-card bout.

UFC 104 takes place at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

Although not officially announced, a heavyweight bout between rising contender Cain Velasquez and IFL veteran Ben Rothwell will likely take the fifth and final spot on the night's pay-per-view main card.

However, one fighter not getting guaranteed TV time is Okami. The UFC veteran is 23-4 with a 7-1 record in the UFC, and his lone octagon loss came to former champion Rich Franklin via close decision. Counting UFC 104, though, three of the Japanese fighter's past four fights have been stuck on preliminary cards. Without that much-needed exposure, Okami is unlikely to get a title fight with current champ Anderson Silva anytime soon.

Regardless, Okami hopes to improve his stock in the division when he meets Sonnen, a former top WEC middleweight contender who recently returned to the UFC when the promotion eliminated its 185-pound division. Sonnen, who went 1-2 in the UFC from 2005-2006, is 1-1 (with a loss to Demian Maia and a win over Dan Miller) since his return.

 

[Shogun Locc]

"TUF 10" fighter Brendan Schaub on banned Bible, Kimbo steaks and Big Country's balling

Based on Brendan Schaub's sneak peak of "The Ultimate Fighter 10," the latest installment of the UFC's popular reality series, MMA fans have plenty of reasons to check out Spike TV each Wednesday night.

Schaub, an undefeated fighter who will blog about "TUF 10" for MMAjunkie.com, today joined MMAjunkie.com Radio (www.mmajunkie.com/radio) to discuss the reality show.

Some of today's topics? A banned Bible, Kevin "Kimbo Slice" Ferguson's superb steaks, Roy "Big Country" Nelson's surprising basketball skills, and a very real feud between coaches Quinton Jackson and Rashad Evans.

"TUF 10" features 16 heavyweight competitors in the show's traditional tournament format. The show debuts Sept. 16 after a broadcast of UFC Fight Night 19, and the live finale takes place Dec. 5 in Las Vegas.

As with past seasons of the show, fighters are given few options (besides training) to pass the time while in the TUF house. No televisions, books, magazines, computers, iPods or anything else. In fact, Schaub said one fighter's request to bring a Bible into the house was denied.

"There's literally nothing to do but stare at each other," Schaub said. "I don't care how much you like a guy ... (but) it's going to create some drama.

"It's like 'Shawshank Redemption,' but you get a ton of free TapouT gear."

Schaub is one of the more accomplished fighters cast for this season's installment of the competition reality show. The lifelong martial artist is the son of a "second or third degree" Tae Kwon Do black belt and karate black belt. Schaub, himself, has also won Golden Gloves and jiu-jitsu tournaments and boasts a 4-0 pro MMA record.

Schaub, who now trains with the likes of Shane Carwin, is also one of four cast members who have ties to the NFL. A former member of the University of Colorado's Big 12 North championship team, Schaub spent some time with the Buffalo Bills and with the Arena Football League.

"But I'm not going to take too much credit for that," Schaub said of his NFL background. "There are some legit guys like Marcus Jones, Wes Shivers and (Matt) Mitrione who actually played. ... I was just in camp.

"My goal was always to become a fighter."

So what kind of surprises are in store for this season?

Take Kimbo's cooking skills, for example. Schaub said the former bareknuckle brawler, YouTube sensation and EliteXC headliner is also quite the grill-master.

"Kimbo is a great guy," Schaub said. "There was all this stuff about how ghetto he was. But he really is a humble family guy, not to mention he was the best cook in the house. Just a phenomenal cook. I told him if he opens a steakhouse in Miami, I'll invest in it."

There's also the matter of Nelson's skills on the basketball court. While known for a less-than-impressive physique, "Big Country" is one of the season's better athletes, according to Schaub.

"Roy and I played hoops," Schaub said. "Don't let his looks fool you. That guy can hoop. He's got a shot. ... He's so competitive. He hates losing at anything."

Additionally, Schaub said the long-brewing and heavily promoted feud between "Rampage" and Evans is very real.

While their two teams would train at different times on the schedule, there was a bit of overlap when the two fighters would be at the show's training facility at the same time.

"On the dot, they'd go at it," he said. "They really have problems with each other. ... They really can't stand each other."

But for all the drama and sacrifices and boredom, Schaub said he'd absolutely do it again. While some fighters dismiss "TUF" as one of the worst experiences of their life, Schaub loved it, largely because of the possibilities it presented to become a better fighter.

"It's the best experience I've ever had," Schaub said. "It was the opportunity for a lifetime. I'd do it again for sure."

You can catch Schaub's "TUF 10" blogs every Thursday on MMAjunkie.com beginning Sept. 17.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Phillipe Nover vs. Sam Stout official for UFC Fight Night 19; 11-bout lineup set

The previously reported lightweight bout between Sam Stout (14-5-1 MMA, 3-4 UFC) and Phillipe Nover (5-2-1 MMA, 0-2 UFC) is now official for the UFC Fight Night 19 preliminary card.

Nover recently replaced injured Kyle Bradley (14-6 MMA, 1-2 UFC) on a month's notice, as MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) reported last week.

UFC Fight Night 19 takes place Sept. 16 at the Cox Convention Center in Oklahoma City. The lineup is now official with 11 bouts, four of which are part of the Spike TV-televised main card.

UFC Fight Night 19 is co-headlined by "The Ultimate Fighter 5" winner Nate Diaz vs. Melvin Guillard and Roger Huerta vs. Gray Maynard.

Nover, "The Ultimate Fighter 8" lightweight runner-up, is likely fighting for his future in the organization. He needs a victory to avoid going 0-3 in the UFC. The 25-year-old's defeats came to Efrain Escudero at the show's live finale in December and to Bradley via first-round TKO at UFC 98 in May.

Stout, meanwhile, looks to build on the momentum of an April win over Matt Wiman, a bout that earned the pair UFC 97 "Fight of the Night" bonus checks. The win for Stout also snapped his own two-fight losing streak in the UFC and likely saved him a release from the organization.

The official UFC Fight Night 19 lineup now includes:

MAIN CARD

* Nate Diaz vs. Melvin Guillard
* Roger Huerta vs. Gray Maynard
* Carlos Condit vs. Jake Ellenberger
* Tim Credeur vs. Nate Quarry

PRELIMINARY CARD

* Steve Cantwell vs. Brian Stann
* Mike Pyle vs. Chris Wilson
* C.B. Dollaway vs. Dan Miller
* Phillipe Nover vs. Sam Stout
* Justin Buchholz vs. Jeremy Stephens
* Brock Larson vs. Mike Pierce
* Ryan Jensen vs. Steven Steinbeiss

 

[Shogun Locc]

UFC Quick Quote: Chris Tuchscherer not TUF (or too tough) enough for Spike TV

“I thought I was going to get on the show — I tried out, everything was looking good, I got a second interview — then I got home and I got a call saying I wasn’t going to make the show. Later on that week, I got an e-mail from Joe Silva with a contract offer, so it worked out for the best. But I honestly couldn’t tell you why it went down like that. I was never told, like, ‘your record is this good, so we just want you to have a contract.’ I think I would have done very well. I would have seen myself as one of the guys to make it to the finals.”

 

[Shogun Locc]

Has Heath Herring Gone Hollywood?

With the popularity MMA has gained in recent years, it has given the opportunity for fighters to expand their horizons. As has been the case with many fighters, it seems Heath Herring has recently thrown his cowboy hat into the mix as well.

He was recently pulled from a scheduled UFC 99 fight against Cain Velasquez, stating he was forced to withdraw due to an illness. However, with his most recent comments, it should at least raise the question of where his motivation is?

Heath Herring recently sat down with MMAFanhouse.com and discussed his future as a contender in the UFC Heavyweight division. Referring to his loss against heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar, he explained how, “It doesn’t really benefit me to go backwards and fight new up-and-comer guys. It’s not really what I’m there to do, or what I’m there for.”

He continued, “It’s not that I’m not really happy with the UFC … It’s just, you know, like I said, I think that last fight just took a lot out of me. Now with acting, and things kind of taking off, it just left a bad taste in my mouth. And not necessarily with the UFC. Just with the training … you know, some of my trainers and things like that. I think I just needed a little time to step back and maybe do some other things for a little bit…”

What confuses me as a fan, is that had he fought Velasquez and won, wouldn’t that have put him right back in contention for the heavyweight title? And with the newly revamped UFC heavyweight division, there are more fights than with “new up-and-comer guys”. If my memory serves me correctly, I think Brock Lesnar was an up-and-comer in the UFC, but whatever happened with him anyways?

As has been the case with so many fighters before him, most notable Rich Franklin, Chuck Liddell and Randy Couture, MMA has given fighters the ability to branch out and earn money without getting hit in the face. But at the end of the day, they are fighters, they have all returned to what got them their acting gigs in the first place.

Currently Herring has a three fight contract remaining with the UFC, but it appears he is no hurry to return to the Octagon. He seems content with the money, B movies garnish, and will wait until the fight paydays increase.

I for one enjoy watching Heath Herring fight, and think with the restructured UFC heavyweight division, there are many intriguing fights he could take that would help his chances at a title shot. Remember, he is currently the only man to go the distance with Brock Lesnar.

Ultimately though, the decision lies with Heath Herring himself, but if he waits too long, all the acting jobs and fights, might just dry up.

 

[Shogun Locc]

WAMMA Names Andrew Falzon New Rankings Chair

Today, WAMMA announced that Andrew Falzon, a respected member of the MMA media and occasional contributor here at MMAPayout.com, will be heading up the organization’s new rankings committee. Congratulations Andrew!

NEW YORK (August 25th, 2009) – The World Alliance of Mixed Martial Arts (WAMMA) today announces that Andrew Falzon will serve as chair of the rankings committee. Falzon will be responsible for overseeing monthly rankings, recruiting new members and assist in developing WAMMA’s online presence.

“After a thorough search, we are pleased to have Andrew come on-board,” says WAMMA CEO Dave Szady. “We are looking forward to using his vast knowledge of MMA to help promote our rankings and WAMMA’s mission.”

In addition to his background as a broadcast journalist, Falzon brings significant MMA media experience to WAMMA. He is currently a weekly panelist on the Fox News Fight Game with Mike Straka and previously served as the ringside reporter for the International Fight League.

“On or off the air, working in the Mixed Martial Arts World has been a pleasure and a privilege,” said Falzon. “I have had the experience of covering large organizations like the UFC, Strikeforce and the IFL, as well as working with regional promotions and look forward to putting that experience to good use with WAMMA.”

Some of Falzon’s MMA reporting accomplishments include being one of the first to interview Brock Lesnar after he signed with the Ultimate Fighting Championship, picking Ultimate Fighter winner Amir Sadollah out of a crowd of over 700 that showed up to the show’s Season 7 auditions, and producing an in-depth feature on Eddie Alvarez for HDNet after his breakout performance at DREAM 5’s Lightweight Weight Grand Prix Finals.

Additionally, he has been the play-by-play voice of EVO MMA and the World Cagefighting Alliance and has also produced segments and highlights for HDNet’s Inside MMA. He has contributed articles to ESPN.com, FIGHT! Magazine, MMAPayout.com and MMAMadness.com.

WAMMA will release the August edition of the WAMMA men’s rankings on August 31st, 2009.

 

[BROWN GUERRERO]

Fedor vs Brett Rogers!!

http://sports.sho.com/

 

[Shogun Locc]

Antonio Silva vs. Jim York among additions for Sept. 23 Sengoku 10th Battle event

World Victory Road today announced a trio of bouts, including a heavyweight contest between Antonio Silva (12-1) and "Big" Jim York (11-2), for the organization's upcoming Sengoku 10th Battle event.

Additionally, Hiroshi Izumi (0-0) meets Antz Nansen (0-0), and Makoto Takimoto (5-5) takes on Jae Sun Lee (5-4) in other bouts.

Sengoku 10th Battle takes place at the Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan, and airs in North America on HDNet.

Silva, Izumi and Takimoto were announced as event participants earlier this month, though their opponents were not immediately revealed.

Silva's is now veteran fighter York (not the erroneously reported Ron Sparks). Silva, a former EliteXC fighter, signed with WVR after a failed drug test in California (the fighter and his camp still deny Silva used any banned substances).

In a recent interview with MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com), Silva's representative, American Top Team founding manager Alex Davis, said the fighter wants to return to the U.S. in 2010.

"I think that probably by next year you'll see him back in the U.S.," Davis said. "I'd like him back in the States; that's our goal. Right now we still have a contract with Sengoku. [Silva] is probably going to fight in September. If that goes well, (he'll fight) possibly for a Sengoku title at the end of the year."

If he does return stateside, Silva will be in high demand. Owning a five-fight win streak, Silva last fought in a January TKO win over Yoshihiro Nakao in his WVR debut. In fact, among his 12 career wins, 11 have come via stoppage (10 in the first round).

He now meets York, who makes his third consecutive appearance under the Sengoku banner. York has won 11 of his past 12 fights (all via stoppage), and the lone loss came to Yoshihiro Nakao at Sengoku Second Battle in 2008.

In other action, Judo champion and highly touted MMA newcomer Hiroshi Izumi meets fellow first-time MMA pro and veteran kickboxer Nansen. Additionally, former PRIDE fighter and Sengoku veteran Takimoto, who recently rebounded from losses to Evangelista Santos and Frank Trigg to submit Michael Costa at Sengoku Eighth Battle, meets Lee, a former SpiritMC fighter who makes his WVR debut.

The latest Sengoku 10th Battle card now includes:

* Ryan Schultz vs. Kazunori Yokota
* Maximo Blanco vs. Tetsuya Yamada
* Joe Doerksen vs. Takenori Sato
* Dan Hornbuckle vs. Nick Thompson
* Jae Sun Lee vs. Makoto Takimoto
* Ryo Kawamura vs. Fabio Silva
* Hiroshi Izumi vs. Antz Nansen
* Antonio Silva vs. Jim York
* Baek Woo Hyun vs. Ikuo Usuda
* Kim Ki Hyun vs. Shigeki Osawa
* So Jee Hyun vs. Ryosuke Komori

 

[Shogun Locc]

Fight Path: Travis Lutter-trained Cleburn Walker now fighting for himself, not his dad

Cleburn Walker walked to a clearing where he thought he was going to meet a similarly sized and aged opponent in a fight that stemmed from his defense of his sister's honor.

"I turn around and expect to see a younger guy who was calling me out, and here's this older guy with tattoos," Walker told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com).

Walker was not much of a fighter, really, even though his father tried to get him to start scraps with other kids (especially when he had been drinking, as he did often). He roughhoused with cousins, but when it came to throwing punches he hadn't done much until moving to Stephenville, Texas, at age 12.

Trying to prove he was a tough new kid, he punched anyone who looked at him sideways.

So, even though fighting wasn't his tendency, he was ready to make a move when someone insulted his sister that day in the clearing. One problem: He was 16 years old and 130 pounds. Another problem: The new, unexpected opponent was in his 30s and recently released from prison.

It didn't go very well for Walker, but the head-stomping suffered at the foot of the gruff, tattooed 36-year-old did more for starting Walker on a career in fighting than anything before it.

Starting with Bruce Lee studies, Walker went from a career in the Marines to a friendship with UFC veteran Travis Lutter to a solid start in mixed-martial-arts while fibbing just a bit about his experience. After a loss to open his career with extremely little training, Walker has earned a 7-3 record while fighting as frequently as possible.

Walker, 25, is now leading classes at Lutter's Fort Worth, Texas gym. He hopes to make his future at welterweight even though most of his fights have come at middleweight.

He also hopes to mix his natural strength and athletic ability with the continued commitment that once led him to drive 180 miles round trip to train at Lutter's gym to become a greater force in MMA, a career that many who knew him as a shy, somewhat awkward child would have thought absurd.

"My big goal this year is to be even more confident in my ability," Walker said. "There was really no reason I should've even gotten that first fight because I really had no training. Now I'm starting to feel better about what I'm doing, and I want to keep at it."

Building confidence
Walker was born and raised early in the small Texas town of Mineral Wells, once a booming spot where Army helicopter pilots trained. But by Walker's youth, it was a shrinking and tough burg. His father, who had been a popular high school athlete in his day, slipped more and more into drinking, making things awkward for Walker in grade school.

"I didn't like to look for trouble," Walker said. "Let's say I dropped a catch in baseball and another kid would make a joke, I would just let it go. But my dad would come over and basically demand we get into a fight."

Walker didn't want to be picked on by the new kids when the family moved to Stephenville when he was 12, so he recalls swinging at the first classmate who looked at him funny. He followed that with a few more punches in the opening weeks, even though the crowd wasn't as surly as that of his former school.

The word of his roughhousing spread, and Walker fell in with a bad crowd. Eventually, that led him to the fight in the clearing and the major beating at the hands of the older ex-convict. Starting then, Walker became determined not to lose a fight.

Without much formal martial arts training available, Walker figured that since he had a great respect for Bruce Lee, he would study the martial arts master. He rented movies, read books and otherwise immersed himself in Lee's teachings.

He gained some skill, molded himself into strong physical shape and joined the Marines. In the system of duty and honor, Walker excelled. He earned the highest honors possible both in his initial training and then during his advanced training in Quantico, Va.

As Walker neared the completion of his Marines obligation, he had dreams of fighting. His self-training mixed with his significant success in the Marines provided a new confidence he hadn't yet known.

"I never had anyone give me one of those 'You can do it' speeches," Walker said. "(After the Marines) I was thinking, 'OK, if I can do this, what else can I do?'"

Little training, big success
While still stationed in Quantico, Walker began e-mailing promoters to earn his first MMA fight. Sure, he might have fibbed a bit on his training level, but as far as he knew his professional debut in February 2007, three weeks after leaving the Marines, would come against another green fighter.

That wasn't the case. Walker entered the bout against a veteran of 12 fights, including three as a professional. It didn't go well.

"Well, at least I lost with style, I guess," he said.

Walker went searching for training partners. A friend mentioned that Lutter ran a gym in Fort Worth, about 90 miles away from Stephenville, so Walker took some tax return money and funds he received from the Marines and paid for a year's membership up front. He then spent three or four nights a week driving and training at the gym.

It showed almost immediately. After the initial loss, Walker won his next six fights, which all happened within a year and a half. That last win in that string, against Joe Bunch at "Pro Battle MMA: Return to Glory," came in March and inspired even more confidence in Walker because he beat a hometown favorite as a big underdog.

Walker continued fighting quickly with bouts in April, May and June as he made a decision to move his young family – wife and two children – closer to Fort Worth for training purposes.

Now that he's closer to the gym, a teacher himself and more confident in his abilities that were all but non-MMA specific when his career started, Walker is optimistic about his future, particularly because of what he has already experienced.

"I'm good at getting in guys' heads, and that helps me win some fights where I might be a little overmatched," Walker said. "Not being a punk, but just with body language, the way you handle yourself at weigh-ins and in pre-fight, the way you conduct yourself can sway the fight. I'm now confident in myself to do that, and that's a lot different from how I used to be."

 

[Shogun Locc]

THIAGO SILVA LOOKING FOR REDEMPTION AT UFC 102

PORTLAND, Ore. – After four impressive victories in the UFC’s marquee division, light heavyweight Thiago Silva found himself watching tape of his concussive loss to champion Lyoto Machida at UFC 94. He saw a fighter who wasn’t training hard enough.

“You come from a series of victories, and all of a sudden, you lose, and it really messes you up,” he said at a media workout for his bout with Keith Jardine at UFC 102 this Saturday.

Silva, a product of American Top Team via the famed Chute Boxe Academy, is looking to redeem himself against a fighter who’s also just shy of marquee status and wants to pick up steam in a division suddenly aligned around a karate practitioner.

Silva is not taking anything for granted this time around. Awkward as Jardine might be, he says he’s learned to focus better in the gym. He wants a rematch with Machida, however long it takes him to get there. Jardine is the first step.

“Every fight presents its difficulties, and yeah, it’s true that (Machida and Jardine) were a little bit hard to train for, but I’m coming well prepared, and I’ve done what I need to do,” said Silva.

 

[Shogun Locc]

KEITH JARDINE GUNNING FOR CONSISTENCY

Keith Jardine shares Thiago Silva’s plan for getting the UFC’s promotion machine behind him: win fights, and nothing else.

Jardine calls Brock Lesnar’s antics “embarrassing” and believes he’s the real blue-collar fighter in the UFC’s ranks. He wouldn’t want to say anything that didn’t do his dad proud.

“The marketing machine hasn’t really gotten behind me,” he said at a media workout for his bout with Thiago Silva at UFC 102 this Saturday. “I’m fine with that, but I just think the Forrest Griffins and those guys, they’d rather have those guys have a title than me.

“I think that’s why they let me go my own way a little bit. I’m not out there craving attention. I’ll always be humble and mean when it counts. I’m just going to be myself and hopefully people will appreciate that, and when I have the title, I’ll have a lot of fans because of the way that I am.”

More so than Silva, Jardine has not gotten any easy fights, a consequence, he says, of the success his awkward style has brought him. Still, his success has been mixed, trading wins and losses in the last two years of his career. It’s kept him with a job, but out of the immediate title picture.

He lost his last fight against Quinton Jackson in the last 10 minutes, or so he was told, ceding a title shot against Lyoto Machida. Jardine looked down on Silva's loss to Machida until the MMA karate fighter floored his teammate, Rashad Evans, at UFC 98.

What Jardine looks for these days is consistency.

“I need to put together three or four wins in a row, and I’ll be on top of the UFC with these guys that I’m fighting,” he said.

 

[Shogun Locc]

WIUFF HONORS FALLEN EILERS WITH TITLE WIN

In the short career of a fighter every fight is important, title fights even more so, but for former UFC and Pride fighter Travis “Diesel” Wiuff his recent IFC heavyweight title win on Aug. 15 in Canada had significance for a whole other reason.

As Wiuff explained to MMAWeekly.com, having the chance to honor a fallen friend by following in his championship footsteps made the fight all that more important.

“The belt became available from Justin Eilers,” explained Wiuff. “He was the title holder and passed away last Christmas.

“A couple of months after that happened, I got a hold of Paul Smith, who is the owner for the IFC, and asked him if there was any opportunity to get the belt because Justin was a close friend of mine.”

Wiuff went on to explain his relationship with Eilers. “He was probably the best friend I had in the fighting business.

“We trained together a lot, lived together for a little bit, and cornered each other for a lot of fights, (including when) I cornered him versus (Andrei) Arlovski for the UFC belt (at UFC 53). It was an opportunity to keep that belt in the family, and Paul agreed and we went from there.”

While Tracy Willis was able to stave off Wiuff’s attacks in the first round of their fight, Wiuff endured and forced his opponent to tap out just under two minutes into the second round to claim the title.

“Obviously the belt is nice, and hopefully I get an opportunity to defend the belt, but it was nice to win the belt for Justin,” commented Wiuff. “I know he was smiling down on me that night, and I know he was happy, and that made me feel good knowing he’d be excited.”

Wiuff has now racked up back-to-back wins, and looks to continue his winning ways throughout the remainder of the year in hopes of stepping back up into big time competition.

“I haven’t heard anything from Sengoku,” stated Wiuff. “I’m going to do a local show up here in Minnesota on the first weekend of October, then I’m going down to Texas to defend the heavyweight belt for the first time.

“Hopefully I’ll get something big before the end of the year, either in Japan or maybe Strikeforce or another big organization in the States. I just want to put together some solid wins against decent opponents and then hopefully something big will come along.”

Having righted his own ship and honored a good friend in the process, Wiuff now looks forward to furthering his own career and getting another shot at big time glory.

“I want to thank all my training partners, everyone at the Minnesota MMA Academy, Ambition Training Academy and Warrior Wear,” he said in closing.

“Keep your eyes open for the Diesel, I’m back on track and I think the second half of this year will be good for me.”

 

[Shogun Locc]

Used to fighting for UFC life, UFC 102's Ed Herman now fighting for family

Among fighters, some superstitions are nearly universal.

Never overlook a current opponent to talk about the next one.

There is no such thing as a guaranteed victory.

Three losses in a row can kill your career.

Ed Herman knows the latter all too well. "Short Fuse" has been on the brink twice in his UFC career. Herman now faces undefeated Aaron Simpson at UFC 102 on Saturday in Portland, Ore.

And for the first time since April 2008, Herman is coming off a win. The Team Quest middleweight dominated David Loiseau at UFC 97 in April. While that victory may have kept the dogs at bay, the lessons learned preparing for it will not soon be forgotten.

"When I see good fighters get cut, I think 'That could be me,'" he told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com). "Coming off two losses, I felt a lot of pressure because you never want three losses in a row."

Herman's longtime girlfriend, Crystal, had twins in January 2008, and he became a changed man. The late-night partier was gone. His teammates and coaches at Team Quest crowed how he had become more serious about training, and Herman spoke often about the reality of mouths to feed.

"I shopped at goodwill when I was growing up, but I don't want my kids to have to," he said. "I don't have a crazy lifestyle, and I don't count on money that much. I fight because I love the sport, but I also want that paycheck."

But losses to Demian Maia and Alan Belcher put his UFC career in jeopardy.

"It was hard because I felt like I was doing well against Maia before I made a mistake," Herman said. "I think the Belcher fight was controversial, and it still stings because I felt I could have done more to win. If you look at my losses, no one has ever just kicked my ass. I have just made some mistakes, or I didn't do enough to convince the judges."

In 2006, Herman also suffered a close decision loss to Kendall Grove in the finale of "The Ultimate Fighter 3" and followed it up with a quick loss to Jason McDonald.

"We thought he won that fight with Grove," Team Quest coach Robert Follis said. "There was a point where it looked like Kendall was out, but the ref didn't step in. Ed went off of him. Kendall came to and kept fighting. But that is a credit to Grove.

"Against McDonald, Ed didn't show up and got choked. Everyone has a bad day."

It has been part of the learning curve for a fighter who still feels as though he is honing his craft.

"I have been at this for seven years, and I feel like I am still kind of new," Herman said. "When I look at the champs like Anderson Silva – he's been fighting for more than 10 years. He was a guy I looked up to when I started. So I feel like I am hitting my prime and the best is yet to come. I could possibly have UFC gold around my waist in five years."

Coincidentally, Maia (10-0) will fight Nate Marquardt (29-8-2) on the main card at UFC 102. A Maia victory could raise Herman's stock among middleweight contenders.

"If Maia wins, it's good for Ed," Follis said. "I think he did the best (of any UFC opponent) against Maia. I thought Ed was winning that fight, and he got caught. That's not taking anything away from Maia. That's what Maia does."

But first Herman will fight Simpson, who is coming off a quick knockout win over Tim McKenzie at UFC Fight Night 18 in April. Simpson has finished all five opponents, four in the first round.

"I think he lacks experience as a fighter. He has competitive experience, but it's different when you are being punched in the face," Herman said. "He hasn't fought anyone like me. He's fought a bunch of chumps."

The dismissal is typical of Herman's pre-fight bravado. That much hasn't changed, even if his mindset has.

"I feel I am fighting for my job, and there is a lot of pressure," he said. "So I hope that Dana (White) and Joe (Silva) see that I always lay it on the line. Win or lose, I fight my heart out."

 

[Shogun Locc]

Despite long odds and recent failures, Friday's M-1 headliner Mark Kerr remains undaunted

The time is frequent when Mark Kerr shuts his eyes and visits a place smaller than a cell and more sinister than the darkest of dungeons. There are two men in the room, Kerr and his next opponent. There is a way out, but only one will escape.

Hell is nothing to Kerr. He's lived there long enough to call it home, so trapped in black confinement engaged in combat is a nice visit. He's offered penance for the brutal days of "The Smashing Machine" when he hit it hard in the ring and on the outside, obsessed with the next fight and the next injection to numb the pain that took over for adrenaline.

He's been repaid with a headline fight. The best way to prepare is visualization that demands an escape or death while trying.

"You're closing me and him in a room," Kerr described during an interview with MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com). "I'm going to have to try to do everything within my power to make sure I'm the one leaving."

The man blocking Kerr's exit is Muhammad "King Mo" Lawal, a rising star making his U.S. debut at the "M-1: Breakthrough" event Friday night in Kansas City. Kerr was a late replacement for veteran superstar Don Frye, who walked away from the event after it was relocated from Los Angeles.

M-1 officials saw Kerr as someone who remains a marquee name and a pioneer of Frye's equal, though also one who hasn't fought in nearly a year – and a loser of his past four bouts and 10 of 13 since a 12-0 start to his once-illustrious career.

Kerr is also a beloved veteran and a winner of two UFC tournaments in 1997, one whose crash-and-burn brought on by painkillers, steroids and a tempestuous personal relationship was featured in a documentary called "The Smashing Machine." Since agreeing to take Friday's fight, Kerr accelerated his training regimen to where it took him a mere three weeks to be ready for battle.

"I'm relatively surprised," Kerr said. "We ended up putting together a pretty smart three weeks, a good program where I actually feel good right now. We'll see if I can put it all together by Friday."

It's only been a short time ago when Kerr finally got his life back together. Once at a point where he lost all desire to train, that hunger to not only do it, but do it right, suddenly returned. For the first time in a long time, and contrary to the "Smashing Machine" days, Kerr has a healthy obsession with keeping a balance between work and commitments as a husband and father.

It's fair to wonder at the age of 41 and – at long last – mentally and morally straight, why Kerr is still fighting. You can deduce he's doing it out of pure love for the sport, but Kerr says it's not that simple. Mark Coleman has competed in the UFC and PRIDE since 1996 and is Kerr's close friend of more than 15 years. The duo and many others were in their prime years before mixed martial arts was closer to extinction than the mainstream. Coleman once relayed Kerr a message: If you want a second wind, a second lease on this, it's out there. Go get it.

"For us, this generation of fighters, me and Mark, did not get an opportunity to cash in on being the pioneers, knocking down the walls and breaking the barriers," Kerr said. "Speaking for myself, I'm a little bit disappointed that I didn't get an opportunity to do a pay-per-view revenue share with an organization or sign a seven-figure contract. We're not entitled, but we at least deserve an opportunity for that."

Lawal, 28, is a lot closer to cashing in a king's ransom of fame and fortune. "King Mo" went undefeated in all four of his Sengoku fights with three coming by TKO. His quick-strike offense, dramatic entrances and affable persona earned him a major following in Japan. A win or two in the States, and UFC president Dana White could be knocking with a blank check.

"All the things he is now, I guess I was at one time," Kerr said.

Kerr was destined to be one of the all-time greats. He was a Division I All-American at Syracuse University and a champion at 190 pounds in a 1992 tournament in which the runner-up was a kid from Oklahoma State University named Randy Couture. While training as an amateur – he gained 30 pounds and won the USA Senior Freestyle crown in 1994 – he turned to MMA as a source of income.

Kerr won his first three bouts in street-fight fashion during a time when it was legal to poke an eye or dig into a cut to make it a little wider. By the time he joined the UFC for its "UFC 14: Showdown" event, gloves became mandatory and low blows were outlawed. Kerr adjusted quickly, winning two UFC heavyweight tournaments before signing with PRIDE and steamrolling the competition for the next 18 months.

At 11-0, Kerr stood across from Ukrainian Igor Vovchanchyn for the nominal title of the world's No. 1 heavyweight. Vovchanchyn neutralized Kerr's early takedowns and pounced on his tired opponent in the final round. Kerr shot in for a takedown in an effort to end the barrage, but he was left on all fours and knocked out with a series of knees. The fight was declared a no-contest because of the illegal strikes, and though Kerr won his next bout, his days as an elite fighter were coming to an end.

The punishment from Vovchanchyn left him defeated spiritually. He was no longer competing to win. He was fighting not to lose, no longer willing to pay the price.

"For the first time I had fear, and I didn't handle it well," Kerr said. "That's the test of character you need along the way to make a run at a championship."

It's been 17 months since Kerr last won a fight, but a short time ago when he experienced an epiphany, a flash that changed his outlook on the fine line between winning and losing. Kerr believes he's learned how to lose, arguably MMA's most crucial intangible. He can take Lawal places he's never been, deep into wars while planting the fear of defeat in his subconscious. Lawal is the heavy favorite (very, very heavy at -1600 odds, according to one sportsbook) to win and put on a show, but early trouble could have him panicking over falling to a decisive underdog.

Kerr is wondering, "Why not me?" It took one punch for UFC castoff Seth Petruzelli to instantly become relevant.

"Why can't I do the same?" Kerr said. "It might end up like that. It might not. But it's out there to be had."

A win and Kerr shocks the world, with one last shot at glory in the UFC or another major organization potentially not too far behind. A loss and he'll greet it with a shrug since he's not expected to win anyway. It'll be on to the next endeavor for Kerr, who's planning to fight until the end of next year. Wins and losses are suddenly trivial. Kerr is back doing what he loves and loving what he does, and that's keeping him out of hell's cavernous abyss.

"Right now, I realize that the performances that I've given since 2006 have been nothing of any caliber of what embodied me before," Kerr said. "I did everything I possibly could because I wanted a career as a mixed martial artist. Now I think I'm back at that genesis of where I started."