MMA News Thread

[Shogun Locc]

Carlos Condit vs. Jake Ellenberger official for main card of UFC Fight Night 19

Carlos Condit's (22-5 MMA, 0-1 UFC) new opponent at UFC Fight Night 19 is now official as the organization announced that UFC newcomer Jake Ellenberger (21-4 MMA, 0-0 UFC) will face the "Natural Born Killer."

MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) first reported the change in August, a switch that was necessary after Condit's original opponent, Chris Lytle, was forced out of the main-card contest with a knee injury.

Headlined by a lightweight clash between Nate Diaz and Melvin Guillard, UFC Fight Night 19 takes place Sept. 16 at Cox Convention Center in Oklahoma City. The main card airs live on Spike TV.

Ellenberger is currently riding a four-fight win streak, including a 42-second knockout of Marcelo Alfaya in June under the Bellator Fighting Championships banner. Ellenberger compiled a 2-2 record in the now-defunct IFL, earning wins over Pat Healy and Ben Uker while suffering losses to Delson Heleno and Jay Hieron.

Meanwhile, Condit still seeks his first UFC win. The WEC's final welterweight champion dropped a split-decision to Martin Kampmann in his April debut for the organization. The loss snapped an eight-fight win streak for the 25-year-old.

UFC Fight Night 19 serves as the lead-in for Spike TV's debut of "The Ultimate Fighter 10."

 

[Shogun Locc]

SEASON DELAYED, BELLATOR TRIES TO PLACE CHAMPS

Following the delay of its second season, Bellator Fighting Championships is trying to secure a fight for each of its four champions “in different markets around the world” before the start of 2010, CEO Bjorn Rebney informed MMAWeekly.com on Wednesday.

Rebney said he was open to any promotion that offered “the right opportunity,” though he anticipated the champions – featherweight Joe Soto, lightweight Eddie Alvarez, welterweight Lyman Good, and middleweight Hector Lombard – would fight above their natural class if they moonlighted elsewhere.

“In all likelihood, they will fight in bouts analogous to what Anderson Silva or B.J. Penn would do, fighting outside their weight in a non-title fight, challenging themselves,” said Rebney.

Last month, word leaked that the promotion was pushing back the expected start date of its second season from October to the first quarter of 2010. Rebney says the scheduling of venues for the promotion’s 12 consecutive events was to blame.

“Everybody asks me what is the one thing that you wish you could change about last season, and that is, I wish I could have more time,” he said. “From a venue procurement perspective, we had two or three episodes last season where the venue came together very late. While I’d like to kick off sooner, I’d much rather kick off and have every venue done and be able to pre-promote every venue for 60 days minimum.”

The promotion’s first season, broadcast on ESPN Deportes in English and Spanish, attracted a respectable viewership for an inaugural effort, with a 0.5 average rating. Aided by a viral video campaign that featured stunning highlights from tournament action, Bellator created buzz on a budget.

Dan Lambert, manager of middleweight champion Hector Lombard, said he and his fighter were not happy with the recent development, but would give the promotion a chance.

“Hector’s asking for Strikeforce to get him in with Mousasi,” he said. “He wants (the rematch) bad. They did pay him well for his tournament win, so we want to respect them and try to do right by them, but they’ve got to do right by us too,” said Lambert. “I’m letting them see what works for them and see if it works for us, and hopefully we’ll find some common ground. If we don’t, then we’re gonna have to take it to the next level of conversation.”

Lambert said Bellator was “very flexible” with non-champion fighters who wished to pick up a fight before the next tournament.

Bellator’s next season focuses on a “challenger series” to groom the next contenders to the champions from season one. An announcement of a new television partner was expected over the summer. Rebney on Wednesday said Bellator’s new partners were secured, but declined to name the platform, despite concerns the company needed sufficient time to get sponsors for the new season.

“I’m like the kid in the back seat of the car saying, ‘are we there yet?’” he said.

In exchange for allowing Bellator champions a one-off in another promotion, Rebney is offering tournament spots to their standout fighters in season two.

“We’re trying to figure out how to bring over one of these spectacular names that hasn’t yet fought here, but the endemic market fans are hugely interested in seeing,” he said. “That’s the dynamic that we’re going through: can we make that happen? Of course, other organizations like the concept of the reach we have moving forward as well. It expands the brand equity that they’ve got in a fighter like that.

“Some of the conversations have been hugely positive and some haven’t. But at least we’re exploring it.”

 

[Shogun Locc]

Neer Replaces Sherk at UFC 104

Josh Neer will replace an injured Sean Sherk in a lightweight bout against Gleison Tibau at UFC 104 on Oct. 24 in Los Angeles, according to a source close to the matchup.

Sherk, 36, suffered a shoulder injury in training that will keep him out of the gym for approximately four weeks, according to his manager Monte Cox. The injury is a setback for the former lightweight champion, who is 1-1 in his last two Octagon appearances since failing to recapture the crown from B.J. Penn at UFC 84 in May 2008.

Neer dropped a tough decision to Kurt Pellegrino at UFC 101 in August and is 2-2 in his last four UFC performances. The tough-as-nails Iowan submitted Mac Danzig in a memorable tilt at UFC Fight Night 17 last February.

Tibau returns to action after a close split-decision loss to Melvin Guillard at “The Ultimate Fighter 9” Finale in June. A wrestler fighting out of Florida’s American Top Team, Tibau had defeated Jeremy Stephens and Rich Clementi before dropping the bout to Guillard.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Former heavyweight champion Tim Sylvia has sights set on UFC return

Former heavyweight champion Tim Sylvia wants to return to the place where he first found major success.

The former two-time title-holder, who left the UFC in early 2008 after mutually agreeing with the organization to terminate his contract, has lost three straight fights, which included an embarrassing nine-second knockout loss to 48-year-old boxer Ray Mercer in June.

But on the latest edition of "Inside MMA" on HDNet, Sylvia said he hopes to return to the octagon soon.

Sylvia (24-6) next returns to action on Sept. 18, when he fights Jason Riley (6-1) in the main event of Adrenaline MMA IV in Council Bluffs, Iowa. However, despite UFC president Dana White's recent criticism of Sylvia (often to downplay Fedor Emelianenko's accomplishments, including a July 2008 submission victory over Sylvia), the "Maine-iac" said he's kept his mouth shut.

"Dana's had some hard things to say about me, but I've never had anything bad to say about him," he said.

Sylvia said that not only is the UFC the best organization when it comes to money and big fights (though he earned a staggering disclosed base pay of $800,000 in the loss to Emelianenko), but he already had a few opponents in mind.

"When it comes to business, the best thing for Tim Sylvia right now is to be back in the UFC," Sylvia said. "They're the biggest organization. They have the most money, the best fights."

"There'd be some great fights if I was back in the UFC. Me against Frank (Mir), me against (Antonio Rodrigo) Nogueira, me against Randy (Couture). Those three right there. The two guys I lost to (Nogueira and Couture) that were all great fights the first time."

Sylvia launched his career in 2001 and went 16-0 en route to winning his first UFC title. He earned a worldwide top-five ranking while moving his career mark to 24-3 through 2007. But he then lost his title to Couture at UFC 68, and aside from a lackluster decision win over Brandon Vera, is winless since then. The losses came to Nogueira for an interim title (while Couture was embroiled in a contract dispute with the UFC), Emelianenko and Mercer.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Phil Baroni makes UFC return against welterweight Amir Sadollah at UFC 106

In his first UFC fight since UFC 51 in 2005, Phil Baroni (13-11 MMA, 3-5 UFC) takes on "The Ultimate Fighter 7" winner and fellow welterweight Amir Sadollah (1-1 MMA, 1-1 UFC) in November at UFC 106.

Bout agreements have not been signed, but verbal agreements were secured in the past week, a source close to one of the competitors told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com).

UFC 106 takes place Nov. 21 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas and airs on pay-per-view.

It's not known if the fight, first reported a possibility by Inside Fights, will be part of the televised main card. UFC 106 is headlined by UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar vs. Shane Carwin.

In his most recent UFC outting, Baroni suffered a submission loss to Pete Sell. It was the fourth consecutive loss for Baroni, who burst onto the UFC scene in 2001 with a series of devastating knockouts and a 3-1 record.

Since he was initially released by the organization in 2005, Baroni has fought all over the world with organizations such as PRIDE, Strikeforce, ICON Sport, EliteXC, Cage Rage and Palace Fighting Championships. After a three-fight losing streak in 2008, which included an EliteXC defeat to Joey Villesenor in the first U.S. network-televised MMA event, Baroni dropped to welterweight and pieced together a three-fight win streak. However, the streak was snapped in June with unanimous-decision loss to Joe Riggs in Strikeforce.

Strikeforce announced last month that the "New York Bad Ass" had been dropped from the organization. The UFC announced it had signed him days later.

Sadollah, meanwhile, looks to rebound from a 29-second TKO loss to Johny Hendricks at UFC 101. Although some claimed the bout was stopped early, Sadollah was on his knees and hands and taking repeated blows without defending himself before the referee's stoppage.

It was Sadollah's first fight since his win over C.B. Dollaway for the "TUF 7" title in June 2008. That bout also marked Sadollah's professional MMA debut.

The latest rumored (and impressive) UFC 106 card now includes:

* Champ Brock Lesnar vs. Shane Carwin (for UFC heavyweight title)*
* Mark Coleman vs. Tito Ortiz*
* Kenny Florian vs. Clay Guida*
* Ricardo Almeida vs. Jon Fitch*
* Dustin Hazelett vs. Karo Parisyan*
* Phil Baroni vs. Amir Sadollah*

* - Not officially announced

 

[Shogun Locc]

Full-Time Fighter: Sean Salmon on biggest career mistake and new fight with Dante Rivera

Here I am, back again! I'm sure some of you are wishing I would just go away. Not gonna happen as long as I have something to say, and right now I have a lot to say. But, I believe what I have to say this time just might embody the spirit of MMA.

Let's rewind to several months ago. I had pretty much let my personal life go to hell (not going into detail), so obviously my training was also nowhere near where it should have been. And to make matters worse, I decided to add excessive drinking to my growing list of problems.

Now it's June 3, and I am flying back to Columbus, Ohio, from Manchester, England, where I was training with Wolfslair helping some of the team's fighters prepare for their upcoming bouts. The plan was to fly in on June 3, fight in Cleveland on the 6th and then fly back to England on the 7th.

I left England and was given a very serious warning: "If you get hurt in that fight, don't bother coming back." My opponent for the fight was 6-6, so obviously getting back to England to learn and train with some of the best was my priority.

Seeing how my opponent had just a 6-6 record, I figured I could easily bully him into rolling over for me, collect the easy win, and return to England. But it didn't happen that way at all. Someone forgot to tell my opponent to roll over and quit.

I handled him very easily for the entire first round. He was able to land one very good elbow to my temple. I am embarrassed to admit that my first thought was that, "If he cut me and I can't go back to England, this is not worth it." How in the world could I be in a fight and think that if I got cut, it is not worth the win?

In the second round, I took him down again. He went for an armbar, I defended it (only to prove to myself that he couldn't get it), and then I put my arm back in to give him the win so that I could return to England, healthy. Just so you all know, that is the most embarrassing thing that I have ever admitted out loud.

It got even worse the next day when I got a call from England saying that they were all going to Germany for UFC 99 and it really wouldn't be worth it for me to return to England. My first thought was, "I got what I deserved."

I was miserable, depressed, I let me personal life continue to spiral out of control, and I figured more drinking was the answer.

I did absolutely no training for a month. I didn't run, I didn't lift, and I didn't even look at my boxing gloves. I wanted to quit fighting, but I didn't believe that was the answer either. I was so lost.

Then I got a call from Noah, the matchmaker for Ring of Combat (www.ringofcombat.com) in Atlantic City, N.J. He asked if I wanted to fight Dante Rivera, a former cast member from "The Ultimate Fighter," and that the fight was two months away. I couldn't say yes fast enough. Rivera is an opponent with a skill set that can beat me, but if I took advantage of all eight weeks available to me, my thought process was that I could beat him soundly and start climbing upward again. I felt re-motivated and was going to use Rivera as an excuse to put my life and my career back together.

All of a sudden, I had a reason to wake up again, a goal to toward which to strive. I still felt that I needed a little more change.

I had spent some time a year or two earlier training in Milwaukee (where I was born and still have a lot of family) at Duke Roufus' Gym (www.milwaukeemma.com). I had liked it there, but I felt that I didn't take full advantage of all the knowledge walking through Roufus' doors each day. So I called Duke and asked it I could return for a week or two. The next day I was driving the eight hours to Milwaukee.

Of course I have to thank my cousin Kyle, his amazing fiance Jenny, and Milo for letting me live with them. If you haven't met me, you might be surprised to learn that I am not always the best house guest.

I believe it was exactly one hour after my first workout at Duke's that I knew I had to spend all eight weeks before every fight there or move back home for good.

Everything had changed 100 percent for the better since my last time there. The gym had doubled in physical size, members, coaches and skill level. I was blown away! I didn't want to leave that first workout.

After the fourth day, I felt like a brand new person. I was re-motivated and re-energized. After one workout Duke looked at me and said, "When I first met you, you trained like a burned-out wrestler. Now you're like a little kid again, excited to learn." I could have run through a brick wall.

Along with all the other changes to that gym, Duke's coaching style seemed to have completely changed. I was there for several weeks and never once heard him talk of anything but fighting – just technique, philosophies, history, thoughts, experience, everything fighting-related. What is more impressive, I never saw him anything less than 100 percent enthusiastic. He had become the coach that motivates a whole room of athletes just by walking in the door, and his staff had followed his lead. I was the new guy, the visitor, and only a couple of them had remembered me from my last time there. Every coach there offered any amount of time and knowledge that I requested. I believe that Duke, his staff and his athletes have created a gym that will soon be recognized as one of the top five in the world to train.

I can't remember everyone's name there that I need to thank, but I need to thank Duke, Scott and Scott, "Red" Schafer, Pat Berry, Anthony "Showtime" Pettis, Razak Al-Hassan, Karl, the tall skinny BJJ coach, the 140-pound boxer that punches too hard, and everyone there for making me feel like part of the team.

A couple weeks ago when I decided that I wanted to write another column, I wanted to outline all the horrible things that the California State Athletic Commision did to me. (I still plan on doing that column.) But after spending time with Duke and his guys, I have a new attitude toward fighting and life in general.

I am still more than a little disappointed that I have not been paid what I was promised for my time in England and that phone calls and emails have been ignored, but I can write that off as a lesson learned.

I know that I have a mountain to climb, but isn't that what MMA is about – challenging yourself? I love a good challenge, I love to fight, but what is even more important is that I love to battle and I am finding my stride. And I think to myself, what a wonderful life.

I am fighting Dante Rivera on the Sept. 11 (my birthday) Ring of Combat card. I am then flying right back to Milwaukee on Sept. 12.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Fight Path: For Marine Zack Micklewright, small shows provided a career launching pad

There was one guy at the Amsterdam, Davenport, Iowa's half-strip club, half-fight venue, that no one wanted to fight.

That guy, Rick Ybarra, had a reputation as a badass and the toughest guy in the room. Zack Micklewright, meanwhile, was becoming a regular at the Amsterdam's amateur fight nights, but he had very little fight training as of the summer of 2006.

Not that Micklewright was a slouch. He was a Marine, on reserve duty and not too far from a seven-month stint in Iraq as a Humvee mechanic. His father was an iron worker, and he had two tough older brothers.

So one night, Micklewright decides he'll fight this Ybarra.

"I said, '(Expletive) it, I'll fight him,'" Micklewright told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com). "I beat him down pretty good, but they claimed it was a draw. I just stepped up to the plate and decided I would fight the best guy there."

Around Davenport, and soon perhaps further, Micklewright is becoming one of those guys to fear. After going 10-3-1 as an amateur mostly in the ring around the corner from the strippers, Micklewright is now 8-0 as a pro.

The 23-year-old Davenport resident will get his first title shot on Oct. 17 when he fights Ryan Bixler (14-4) for the 155-pound belt in Glory Fighting Championships. A belt would be strong validation for the Miletich Fighting Systems-trained former guitar player who didn't do wrestling and didn't do fighting.

He just went to Marine boot camp, learned the ropes at his regular amateur night (sometimes fighting weekly), went to Iraq and came back ready to continue his professional career that has so far been unblemished.

"This is a great opportunity for me," Micklewright said. "The guy I'm fighting is one of the better guys I've faced. I'm training just as hard. I've been working with a lot of guys at the gym on my wrestling. I don't have to change anything, I have enough confidence to think the fight is going to go my way."

A Marine, like his brother

Micklewright was born and raised in Davenport the youngest of four kids. Like many boys, he looked up to his two older brothers and his father, an iron worker who kept them all in line.

The military was a common theme in the family. Micklewright's father had been drafted and served in the Army in Vietnam, so Micklewright had an immediate respect for the Army as a kid and even dreamed of joining himself. One of the older brothers later joined the Marines.

A baseball played throughout his youth, Micklewright veered in high school.

"I was slacking, and I was partying," Micklewright said. "I was looking for my calling, I guess you could say."

The spring of his senior year, Micklewright watched his brother return home on leave from the Marines and assist in the local recruiting office. Without much negotiation, Micklewright signed up to joined the Marines like his brother. He graduated in May, then shipped to San Diego in early July 2004 for boot camp. He was gone for 16 months.

In the Marines, Micklewright became a Humvee mechanic, specifically fuel and electrical systems. After his year of service and while still in the reserves, Micklewright's unit was informed in May 2007 that someone would have to deploy to Iraq. Only Micklewright and one other Marine did that specific job, and the leadership wanted to handle things diplomatically.

"We played paper-rock-scissors," Micklewright said. "Can you believe that? I threw paper, he threw scissors, so I left for North Carolina and then for Iraq."

When he returned, Micklewright was ready to expand a fighting career that had begun at one of Davenport's most unique night spots.

Start at the Amsterdam

Micklewright's first night at the Amsterdam was supposed to be spent as an observer.

"I was 19, I had just gotten back from schooling in the Marines and was back on reserve duty," Micklewright said. "We just wanted to watch some fights. It was a weekly show, and when you went into the door there was one hallway for the strip club and one hallway for the fights."

As can happen, though, another fighter was needed at about Micklewright's size. After some negotiation within his group of friends, he got into the show. He fought to a decision, but he kept getting encouragement from on-lookers afterward, which heightened his taste for fighting.

So, he kept going back to the Amsterdam, sometimes each week, and eventually he lost a decision to the man, Ybarra, considered the baddest in the room.

Like many fighters, Micklewright credits that amateur setting for helping along his career.

"I think for me it was important, that's what got me into everything," Micklewright said. "It was kind of like a blessing for me, because otherwise I don't know where I would be right now. I think (places like that) give fighters who want to try it out a chance. They might get hurt, and some people think those places dangerous, but it's a dangerous sport. If you want to do it, that's the perfect place to start."

Micklewright's career, though, progressed past the Amsterdam. Coincidentally, his professional career began with a fight against Ybarra, and this time Micklewright beat him in a decision. He got in one more pro fight before he was deployed to Iraq, but he kept his enthusiasm for fighting while he was away.

When Micklewright returned, he committed himself even more to training. He signed up at the Miletich facility and kept looking for fights. Eventually, he won his first eight contests and set himself up for a title fight after going through his youth without much wrestling (one year in junior high) and not much fighting experience.

What he did have was a keen ability to knock people out, which has helped him get into training and continue winning.

"I didn't ever think I would be here," Micklewright said of his fighting career. "If I didn't go (to the Amsterdam) that night, I don't know where I would be now."

 

[Shogun Locc]

UFC 103 card again complete with official additions of newcomers Nik Lentz, Steve Lopez

The 13-fight card for "UFC 103: Franklin vs. Belfort" is again complete as the organization announced the official additions of UFC newcomers Nik Lentz (16-3-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC) and Steve Lopez (12-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC).

Lentz meets Rafaello Oliveira (8-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC), while Steve Lopez faces Jim Miller (14-2 MMA, 3-1 UFC).

Both changes were rumored in recent weeks, and the organization has since officially announced the bout for the preliminary card of the Sept. 19 pay-per-view event.

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 had been expected to face Dan Lauzon, but a back injury suffered in training forced "The Upgrade" out of the contest.

Meanwhile, Lopez will be fighting for the first time since October 2008. Prior to the layoff, Lopez had earned an 8-1 record in nine fights during a eight-and-a-half month period. Lopez has earned eight of his 12 career wins by submission, though his past three victories have all come by decision.

Miller was originally expected to face Thiago Tavares, but an injury to the Brazilian forced the switch.

With the official additions to the card, UFC 103's full card includes:

MAIN CARD (Pay-per-view)

* Vitor Belfort vs. Rich Franklin
* Junior Dos Santos vs. Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic
* Martin Kampmann vs. Mike Swick
* Josh Koscheck vs. Frank Trigg
* Hermes Franca vs. Tyson Griffin

PRELIMINARY CARD (Spike TV)

* Efrain Escudero vs. Cole Miller
* Tomasz Drwal vs. Drew McFedries

PRELIMINARY CARD (Un-aired)

* Steve Lopez vs. Jim Miller
* Nick Lentz vs. Rafaello Oliveira
* Paul Daley vs. Brian Foster
* Jason Brilz vs. Eliot Marshall
* Vladimir Matyushenko vs. Igor Pokrajac
* Rafael dos Anjos vs. Rob Emerson

 

[Shogun Locc]

Teammates? UFC lightweight Joe Lauzon says he would fight his own brother

Will teammates be forced to fight each other in the UFC? The answer to that depends on who you ask.

UFC officials say it will happen if they deem it necessary, while some members of prominent training camps say they'd never sign on to face a training partner.

But don't count UFC lightweight Joe Lauzon among those unwilling to face anyone the organization puts in front of him. In fact, "J-Lau" recently told MMAjunkie.com Radio (www.mmajunkie.com/radio) he'd even fight his own brother, Dan.

"Me and Dan are so competitive anyway," Lauzon said. "We practically kill each other in the gym. I go way harder in the gym with Danny than I would with any of my other guys."

Lauzon admitted he understands the challenges that a brotherly rivalry would cause in preparation for the bout.

"It would mess up the training camp stuff," Lauzon said. "It's weird because we have the same coaches. It's tough for my boxing coach to train me for one thing and then train Danny for the other. It would put a huge riff down the gym."

With both brother currently under contract with Zuffa, the potential for the bout certainly exists. It would be up to UFC matchmaker Joe Silva to determine whether or not the brothers would ever face off.

Lauzon said he knows anything is possible.

"I could see [Silva] putting us against each other, too," Lauzon said. "I wouldn't be surprised."

Both Lauzon brothers are currently on the shelf with injuries for the time being, so a potential showdown will have to wait for now. But while the back injury that forced Dan to withdraw from UFC 103 is slowly healing, Joe said his knee should be healed by the end of this year.

"I've been training pretty hard – hard jiu-jitsu, hard boxing," Lauzon said. "It's holding up pretty good."

And when both guys are healed up, what would the Lauzon family think of potential bout?

"We've talked about it before," Lauzon said. "My mom wouldn't want it at all. My dad would be all for it."

 

[Shogun Locc]

Report: Antonio Rogerio Nogueira likely to make UFC debut in Manchester, England

PRIDE, Affliction and Sengoku veteran Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (17-3 MMA, 0-0 UFC) will likely make his debut for the UFC at the organization's Nov. 21 event in Manchester, England, according to a new report from Fighter's Only magazine.

Though not officially announced, UFC 105 is expected to take place at Manchester Evening News Arena.

A potential opponent for Nogueira has yet to be named.

The twin brother of UFC heavyweight Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, "Minotoro" is currently riding a five-fight win streak. Rogerio was in Portland, Ore., this past weekend to watch his brother's main-event bout with Randy Couture.

Ed Soares, manger for both Nogueira brothers, told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) that Rogerio's contract had not yet been finalized, but that his fighter would undoubtedly debut for the UFC later this year.

With the addition to the card, UFC 105's rumored card – which currently lacks a main event – includes:

* Michael Bisping vs. Denis Kang*
* Dan Hardy vs. Dong Hyun Kim*
* Matt Brown vs. James Wilks*
* Antonio Rogerio Nogueira vs. TBA*
* Terry Etim vs. TBA*
* Ross Pearson vs. Aaron Riley*
* DaMarques Johnson vs. Peter Sobotta*
* Roli Delgado vs. Andre Winner*

 

[Shogun Locc]

UFC president Dana White says lightweight champ B.J. Penn to fight December 12

After a rumored slot on either UFC 105 in Manchester, England, or at an as-yet-unannounced third fight card in November, UFC president Dana White today announced that lightweight champion B.J. Penn would make his next title defense on Dec. 12.

White made the announcement on a video blog that was today posted on BJPenn.com.

Though not yet officially announced Dec. 12 is the anticipated date of UFC 107, a card expected to take place at FedExForum in Memphis, Tenn.

White began the video blog appearance by referencing Penn's constant plugging of his own official website.

"If you want to hear what we talked about, go to DanaWhite.com," White quipped.

The UFC exec then delivered the official message.

"B.J.'s fighting Dec. 12," White said.

While no opponent was named today, White confirmed a matchup with Diego Sanchez at a press conference at this past week's UFC 102 in Portland, Ore.

"It's Penn-Sanchez, but I don't know where yet," White said. "We're working on a deal right now."

That deal is now done, and if all rumored matchups hold true, the UFC's first trip to Memphis could prove to be a star-studded affair.

The full rumored card currently includes:

* Champ B.J. Penn vs. Diego Sanchez (for lightweight title)*
* Rashad Evans vs. Quinton "Rampage" Jackson*
* Cheick Kongo vs. Frank Mir*
* Thiago Alves vs. Paulo Thiago*

 

[Shogun Locc]

Matt Hughes signs multi-fight, "last contract" with UFC, still uncertain of next bout

Former UFC champion and future hall-of-famer Matt Hughes (43-7 MMA, 16-5 UFC) recently followed in the footsteps of Randy Couture by signing a multi-fight deal with the UFC, thus assuring his final fight will take place in the octagon.

Hughes announced the signing, as well as his intentions to film a hunting show, on his official website.

"Last week I went out to Vegas and I signed a multi-fight deal with the UFC, which is much like my last contract," Hughes stated. "I also brought up the fact that I wanted to do a hunting show and they thought that would be a good thing."

As MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) previously reported, UFC president Dana White said he anticipates an early 2010 return for the 11-year veteran. While many MMA observers have speculated that recent UFC signees and past Hughes foes Dennis Hallman and Frank Trigg might be leading candidates for the former champ, the H.I.T. Squad head said he might be facing a new opponent.

"They still have to find out who, where and when my next fight will be, and I will try to post that info ASAP," Hughes said. "Nothing is decided yet, so anything you might be reading on the internet right now is just rumors and speculation. However, one name the UFC did bring up is a person I've never fought before."

Hughes most recently fought in a unanimous-decision win over rival Matt Serra at UFC 98 in May.

 

[Shogun Locc]

RYAN HEALY NEEDS A REBOUND AT SHINE FIGHTS

Following 2008, which saw him go 0-3, former WEC lightweight title contender Ryan “Irish Assassin” Healy is looking to make a statement in his first fight of the year.

Owning wins over UFC veteran Brad Blackburn and one time Pride fighter Olaf Alfonzo, Healy was at one time considered an up-and-coming talent at 155 pounds. Now he is in need of a win against another name opponent to put him back where once was.

At Shine Fights II this coming Friday, Healy may get his opportunity to rebound and make good on his earlier promise, as he takes on former Dream and Pride Bushido star Luiz “Buscape” Firmino.

“2008 was a horrible year,” Healy admitted to MMAWeekly.com. “I feel like I was getting better every fight, it’s just unfortunate that the fights didn’t go well for me. I’ve been dying to get back in the ring.

“I was thrilled when this opportunity came up. Probably a lot of people coming off such a bad year (as I did) wouldn’t jump at the opportunity to fight such a tough opponent, but I feel like I’m ready for this and it will be a good chance for me to kick off this year with a good start.”

Clearly an underdog in the minds of many heading into Friday’s event, Healy feels that he possesses the skills necessary to pull of the upset and put himself back on the map.

“I think it’s a good match-up because we’re both pretty aggressive fighters,” he stated. “He’s somebody that I’m not going to have to worry about bring it to, because he’s going to be coming after me.

“Style-wise I think it’s good for me because he likes to go for takedowns and have the fight on the ground; coming from Team Quest and having the top-notch wrestlers we do, that’s a style I’m ready for: stopping those takedowns and getting some of my own.”

With the show due to be available via Internet pay-per-view, Healy sees Shine as the perfect situation for him to gain some exposure and put him back in the minds of fans.

“The fact that you can get this on ShineFights.com and watch the fights is an amazing opportunity,” he said. “I hope it draws a lot of attention so I can show what I have to offer, especially against a top-notch opponent.

“I just want to impress people and show them that I may have had a bad year last year and am coming off a couple losses, but that doesn’t mean I’m a weak fighter and don’t bring anything to the table.”

After spending most of the year on the sidelines, watching as numerous fights fell through, Healy is looking to close out 2009 on a busy streak.

“It looks like if everything works out with this fight, I will be coming back pretty quick and fighting in the Sportfight here in Oregon,” he commented.

“But really I’m just focused on this fight, getting a win here and hopefully this will bring in a few opportunities for me and let people know I’m for real and can fight with the best of them.”

Still possessing a respectable 10-5-1 record, Healy knows now is the time if he wishes to make a run towards a larger show and make an impact in MMA.

“I just want to tell the fans to check out ShineFights.com,” he said in closing. “I want to thank Clinch Gear, Dirty Boxer, and Nike for all they’ve done for me in keeping me at the gym.

“I’m ready to show what I’ve got this year. Every day I’m improving at the gym, and I think that (the fans) are going to see the real Ryan Healy this year and what I bring to the table.”

 

[Shogun Locc]

JAKE SHIELDS TIRES OF DELAYS, JUST WANTS TO FIGHT

Former EliteXC welterweight champion Jake Shields says there’s no delay on his end in facing Jason “Mayhem” Miller in Strikeforce.

“If they hand me the bout agreement today, I’ll sign it,” Shields told MMAWeekly.com.

Miller last month announced that he’d be facing the Top 10 welterweight in the near future, though his manager, Ryan Parsons, told MMAWeekly.com the timing of the bout was uncertain. Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker said his promotion was working on major events for October and December and entertained the possibility of an interim middleweight title fight for Miller and Shields.

Miller backed off his announcement this week despite a desire to fight Shields, telling MMAJunkie.com that “something was wrong” and he had not received a bout agreement.

Shields Wednesday night said the delays are on Miller’s end.

“People at Strikeforce told me Miller needed more time, so as far as what’s going on, I don’t know,” he said. “Maybe he needed more time and was trying to pass it on.”

Shields appeared on the first season of Miller’s hit MTV show, “Bully Beatdown,” and is expected to make an appearance on the second season. Shields’ manager/father, Jack Shields, said the two are friends, though a fight between the two would be “all business.”

Parsons on Thursday told MMAWeekly.com that Miller had spoken too soon and there “wasn’t any drama” with the delay.

“Strikeforce is trying to find the right time for the bout,” he said.

Jake said he didn’t want to make it personal with Miller, but was frustrated with the situation.

“I want to fight now,” he continued. “I don’t want to be wasting time. I’m training for a certain type of fight, and I don’t want it to get pushed back. But I guess it happens, and I’ll deal with it.”

Dealing with it, Shields added, may include asking for a different opponent in October.

“If Strikeforce offers me another opponent, I’ll definitely take another opponent,” he said. “I’d like to fight Miller, but I’ll fight someone else. I’d rather fight now.”

Strikeforce officials were not available for comment on the delay at the time of this writing.

 

[Shogun Locc]

MMA Quick Quote: Joachim Hansen explains the head injury that sidelined him since 2008

During the final phase of training, I lifted my training partner for a takedown, and he tried to defend tenaciously. After staggering on my feet, we both fell head first on to the floor and I hit my head pretty hard. Even though I retained consciousness, I did not feel well, as I suffered from dizziness and headache. So I decided to halt the training and go to my room to rest. After a while, when I felt sufficiently recovered, I tried to get up from bed. At that moment, I experienced severe vertigo and I ended up blacking out. When I regained consciousness, I was lying on the floor and my teammates were asking me I were all right. As soon as my manager saw me, he told me that we should go to a hospital, and the DREAM staff immediately took me to a nearby hospital. At the hospital, I had my head examined with X-ray and CT Scan but no evidence of fracture on the skull or hemorrhaging was found. The doctor explained to me that, while no anomaly was found on the images from the X-ray and CT Scan, I had exhibited symptoms of concussion. I told him that I absolutely wanted to proceed with my fight; however, he said that, as a doctor, he would never clear me to fight under the circumstance, so I had to accept his verdict. I was extremely crestfallen when I thought about my fans, Cavalcante, and promoters. DREAM was kind enough to make my health a top priority, and allowed me to recuperate for about six months.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Michael Bisping: Denis Kang will be ‘a good test’

"I think he’s a good test. I wanted to fight someone decent after Henderson because as I said, I had a great camp and I feel improved as a fighter in all departments. I wanted to prove that to the world but I didn’t, I went out there and got knocked out. So for my next fight I wanted a top name and get right back up there. I didn’t want to take a step down in opponent. Originally I was going to fight Wanderlei [Silva] as I’m sure you know, but he had surgery so it wasn’t to be. They came up with Denis Kang and I felt great. He is well respected, very good skill set, very good all-round fighter. MMA fans that are knowledgeable, that have followed the sport outside the UFC, will know him well and will know he is a tough test for anyone."

 

[Shogun Locc]

NAAFS President Greg Kalikas responds to Sean Salmon controversy

Sean Salmon has recently fallen under a storm of controversy following a recently published article he penned for MMAJunkie.com. During the article Salmon goes on to describe how he threw a bout during a North American Allied Fight Series event held in June of this year. A portion of the transcript written by Salmon is below:

Now it’s June 3, and I am flying back to Columbus, Ohio, from Manchester, England, where I was training with Wolfslair helping some of the team’s fighters prepare for their upcoming bouts. The plan was to fly in on June 3, fight in Cleveland on the 6th and then fly back to England on the 7th.

I left England and was given a very serious warning: “If you get hurt in that fight, don’t bother coming back.” My opponent for the fight was 6-6, so obviously getting back to England to learn and train with some of the best was my priority.

Seeing how my opponent had just a 6-6 record, I figured I could easily bully him into rolling over for me, collect the easy win, and return to England. But it didn’t happen that way at all. Someone forgot to tell my opponent to roll over and quit.

I handled him very easily for the entire first round. He was able to land one very good elbow to my temple. I am embarrassed to admit that my first thought was that, “If he cut me and I can’t go back to England, this is not worth it.” How in the world could I be in a fight and think that if I got cut, it is not worth the win?

In the second round, I took him down again. He went for an armbar, I defended it (only to prove to myself that he couldn’t get it), and then I put my arm back in to give him the win so that I could return to England, healthy. Just so you all know, that is the most embarrassing thing that I have ever admitted out loud.

I recently had the opportunity to speak with NAAFS President/CEO Greg Kalikas regarding the controversy caused by a recent article penned by Sean Salmon. His official statement was as follows:

“Obviously, we are disturbed and offended by Sean Salmon’s comments. We’ve worked very hard over the past 5 years to establish our brand name as a premier organization and we CAN NOT condone these actions. We are exploring all of our avenues for recourse.”

For those who may not be aware the NAAFS is arguably the most prestigious amateur MMA organization in the U.S. They have diligently worked their way up the ladder to the point where they are now one of the most recognized pro MMA organizations as well.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Todd Duffee: ‘I have a lot left to prove’

Just seven seconds and a few well-guided punches is all it took for UFC newcomer Todd Duffee to make history in the Octagon. A prior record of 5-0 with all of his victories coming from strikes, there were many that had high hopes for the just twenty-three year old knockout artist, but few that expected for his UFC debut to end as suddenly, and as violently as it did.

Duffee is a part of the new generation of heavyweights that seem to be taking the division by storm. Much like heavyweights such as Shane Carwin and Brock Lesnar, Todd was just genetically put together differently than the average man. Imagine “the really big guy” at your local high school; That was Todd.

“When I left high school I was about 260 pounds, but I went into high school at 6′1″ and over 200 pounds,” said Duffee in an exclusive conversation with FiveOuncesOfPain.com. “I was always the big kid in school. I started growing really fast at like ten or eleven years old.”

With just five fights under his belt at the time, the still developing pupil of mixed martial arts didn’t want anyone to think he got a free ride to the UFC, or that he was granted a favor from someone. Duffee knew he could swim with the sharks, he just wanted to prove that he belonged in the ocean with them.

“I wasn’t so much hesitant to sign with the UFC, but what I didn’t want was to be one of those young guys coming in without a lot of experience, and then get that backlash of hate because nobody respects you,” explained the Indiana born heavyweight. “I wanted to come in already a proven fighter. Also, for myself, I just wanted to make sure that I deserved it. I knew in the gym that I earned it, I had put my time in, but I really wanted people to know that I earned that spot. That I wasn’t a TUF guy, or that kind of deal. Or that I didn’t get there because of the way I looked, or any of that.”

Even though Duffee had faced off with, and toppled top opposition before in Assuerio Siva, the match-up between the two took place in Brazil, and nothing can prepare you for the bright lights of the UFC. In what should surely be viewed as a good omen, Todd experienced non of the infamous “pre-UFC jitters” that have overcome more than a few talented fighters in the past, as he would reveal,”I think I get more nerves in the weeks I spend training leading into the fight as compared to the week of the fight. The week of this fight was one of the more relaxing weeks I’ve had in a year. The whole theme of the week before the fight was “Let’s see if all of this hard work pays off”. I didn’t have anything to worry about outside of making sure that I’m mentally prepared to do what I’ve been doing. I knew that I put the work in so I was just very comfortable. The closer the fight got, the more comfortable I got. The only time I got any kind of rush out of it, or got any type of adrenaline was when I was first introduced to the crowd at the weigh-ins. I was like,’Wow’, I’ve never had that type of reception before.

“Other than that I was just getting calmer and calmer, even when I got into the cage, which usually isn’t very typical. Usually I’m nervous until I get in the cage, but I wasn’t really nervous the entire time leading into this one. I was even calmer. I was like,’Alright, let’s do this’. Actually I even had to hit myself in the face a few times once I got in the cage just to make sure that I was jacked up. It’s not that I wasn’t motivated, I just didn’t have a lot of that nervous energy that I’m used to, but I can’t complain with the results.”

And while the breakout performance would be enough to satisfy most men looking to stand out amongst the increasingly stacked UFC heavyweight division, Duffee would be lying if he didn’t admit that it left a certain empty feeling in his stomach following the bout. He was hoping for a war.

“It wasn’t even thirty seconds prior to the knockout that we were sitting there, ready to go, and I looked in his eyes and I could see that he came to fight three good rounds,” said the 6′3″, 250 pound up and comer. “It was very apparent in his demeanor as well. He even said to me before the fight,”Man, let’s put on a good show”, and I said ,’Don’t worry, I plan on it’. Not in an arrogant way, but to let him know that I had the same thought in my mind. I think we were both going for fight of the night. I just expected it because of the way we matched up. It could have gone either way, but I obviously wanted to come out on top.”

Joe Rogan made a point during the broadcast of UFC 102 to explain that Duffee shook his head “no” when Hague reached out to him just before the opening bell to see if a “pre-touch of gloves” formality would be necessary. According to Todd, it’s nothing personal, touching gloves is just silly, explaining,”I don’t ever touch gloves. Ever. I don’t believe in it. I think it’s the silliest thing in the world. I’ve touched gloves one time in my career, when I accidentally hit someone in the groin, but that’s about it. Although maybe during the staredown I would, if they wanted to, just to not be rude, but I don’t think you should touch gloves. I think it’s silly. I’ve seen guys get cold cocked from touching gloves more than once.”

In retrospect, if there had been a touch of gloves a new fastest knockout record in the UFC would have been extremely unlikely. So off they went, without a touch of gloves, and just seconds into the bout Hague was levelled with a stiff left jab directly to the chin. In the heat of the moment, Todd fully admits he had no clue that Hague was in any type of trouble.

“I thought he fell to be honest,” revealed Duffee. “Because the way he through that hook, it just looked to me like he was off balance and fell. When I came down on him and starting throwing punches it seemed like I landed the second one and I saw him turn away. I saw that he was like,”Oh s***”, and it made me realize that he was rocked from the get-go. That’s when I started winding up with my punches and looking for the finish.”

Perhaps the scariest aspect of the highlight reel finish was the fact that Duffee is right handed. Has been for as long as he can remember. If you watch closely, the two punches that do the most damage in the bout with Hague came from the left hand.

“I have power in both hands,” said the lead fisted athlete. “Not to say that I’m going to be knocking people out with my left every time, but I definitely have power in both hands. I would say that I have more power in my right hand though, because I’m a right handed fighter most of the time. It was just the angle I was trying to land the rights with, and both of those lefts landed square on his chin. I watched the jab follow all the way through to his chin, and I felt the last one go straight through. I could feel it land right on the corner of his chin.

“Where the punch lands matters more than the power anyway. You can hit a guy in the forehead a hundred times as hard as you want, but you hit him with the right shot and it doesn’t matter.”

As Duffee made a point of earlier; he just wanted for people to feel like he belonged in the UFC. After last Saturday evening’s performance I feel like there are few that would argue against it. However, does Todd feel like he is deserving of his current position in the spotlight? The answer may surprise you, as the ever-humble gladiator would explain,”Do I agree that I belong in the UFC? Yeah. But with the amount of hype I’m receiving, no. The amount of hype I’ve been getting is almost too much. Nobody can really judge a seven second performance no matter what happens either way. No one can judge Tim Hague for that, and no one can judge me for that. All they could say is that he’s fast, and he has a stiff jab. So have I earned to be in the UFC? Yeah. I felt like I earned that a while ago. But have I earned this hype? No, not at all. Am I mad about it? No, because it helps me get a fan base. I’m going to accept it with a smile, don’t get me wrong. I’m definitely not complaining. I just think that realistically it’s being blown out of proportion a little bit. Just because it’s a record of some kind, but it’s just a statistic. I don’t know, if I would have went out there and had a war and received the same hype it would have been alright.

“All I did is I went out there and did what I do, and I’m not saying I got lucky, but I think maybe my karma finally payed off for me.”

Perhaps the most important aspect taken from the discussion with Todd is that regardless of the expectations that may be put over his head in the future, at such a young age, he’s still just blossoming in this fight game, and he knows it. With a level head, explosive knockout power, and the type of athletic ability rarely seen with the big boys, Todd Duffee is without a doubt a benefit to the already talent filled UFC heavyweight division.

There will be no celebration for Todd this time around. There will come a time to celebrate in the future, but for now, it’s back to the drawing board.

“I’m headed to the gym right now as we speak,” admitted Duffee. “I took my few days off, and now I’m going to slowly get back in a groove and get straight. I have to develop. I’m only twenty-three right now. How good I am right now is not how good I plan on being in three months, or a year.

“I have a lot left to prove. I know I have a lot more to show, but I feel like I have a lot left to prove, and a lot to live up to now.”

 

[Shogun Locc]

Brett Rogers: ‘Fedor is going to sleep’

Outside of his massive 6′5″, 265 pound frame and explosive knockout power, the single aspect that separates Brett Rogers from most of Fedor Emelianenko’s past opponents is the fact that “The Grim” is not the least bit star struck by the dominant Russian. While so many of Fedor’s previous rivals have spoken of Emelianenko in the highest regards, Rogers will be the first to admit, he’s far from a fan.

As a matter of fact, as Rogers prepares himself for the man many consider to be the best pound for pound fighter in the business, studying tape on his future opponent is extremely low on his things to do list at this point.

“The first time I watched Fedor fight? Hmmm… you know what. I have to think about that. You know what I can’t honestly say I’ve seen one of Fedor’s fights,” revealed Rogers in an exclusive conversation with FiveOuncesOfPain.com. “I’ve seen all of his highlights and some clips, but I’ve never watched a full length fight with him. Well maybe the Arlovski fight, so I take that back. But if you’re asking me if I’m a fan, the answer to that question is no. I know who he is, and I know his background, but I was never a true Fedor fan because obviously most of his work was done out east. So I’m kind of curious to see how he’s going to do in the west.”

The biggest varying factor Emelianenko will have to deal with while competing in the west will undeniably be his having to adjust to fighting inside of a cage. In thirty-one professional contests up until this point in Fedor’s illustrious fighting career, not one has come inside of a chain link fence. Of course the former PRIDE champion has recently admitted that he has began to train inside of a cage in preparations for this bout, but one must wonder how fast Emelianenko can make the necessary adjustments to face off with a man that has spent the bulk of his career fighting in closed quarters.

“In the cage it’s a different environment,” said Rogers. “The angles in a cage are a lot different than in a boxing ring and there’s no give against that fence, so I’m definitely going to use the cage as an advantage. That’s my buddy [laughs]. A buddy that always has my back. I did some boxing in a ring early on in my career, and I had one fight in a ring at an Icon show, but outside of that all of my fighting has come in the cage. It’s a little bit of a different feel. That’s how I know that fighting is different in the ring as opposed to the cage. So hopefully it frustrates him a little bit.”

As Brett will openly admit that he is not the type of guy to pour over countless hours of his opponents tapes in search of a possible weakness, when asked as to whether he had the opportunity to see moments in bouts against opponents such as Kazuki Fujita, Mirko “Cro Cop” Flipovic and Andrei Arlovski where Emelianenko had cases of the spaghetti-leg syndrome, Rogers admitted,”Yeah, yeah I have, and I feel like the people that rocked him just didn’t stay on him enough. I mean, he’s really good at recovering. He knows to duck his head and clinch on to the body, and just kind of wait it out until he can really wake up. That’s good for him, but I’m not the type of person to give him an inch. As soon as I see him hurt, I’m on him. I’m on him. I’m gonna finish the fight. I don’t like to play around too much in the cage because anything can happen at any time, so I take them out as soon as possible.”

It’s no mystery as to where Rogers prefers to make his money; upright, busting his opponents up. And while the Team Bison trained heavyweight makes it clear that there is no area he will fear going to with Fedor, he knows where his major strengths lie.

“I definitely have a huge advantage when it comes down to exchanging punches,” said the undefeated knockout artist that has finished every one of his fights through strikes. “That’s my strong point, and that’s definitely going to be his weak point. I want to keep moving, keep him back pedaling, and just keep him off balance. That’s my main goal in this fight. I really don’t see him wanting to stand and bang with me. He’s gonna taste my power, and then he’s going to try to take me down to hopefully get me with some ground and pound or just whatever. Hopefully he’s not sleeping on the fact that I do have wrestling and Jiu-Jitsu training too. I guarantee you I’m going to be prepared for whatever.”

As previously noted, the best thing that Rogers has going for him in this bout is the fact that he’s absolutely not awestruck by Fedor in the very least. While speaking with Brett you get a sense that he may be on to something. Regardless, the type of confidence the Minnesota native brings into the bout can be viewed as nothing but a positive seeing what being fearful of “The Last Emperor” has done for rivals in the past.

“Fedor’s just another man to me,” explained Rogers. “It’s nice to say that I’m fighting the guy most people consider to be the #1 fighter in the world but on the other side of that coin he’s just a man. He’s just a man that’s in my way.

“A lot of people see Fedor as this unbeatable, mythical creature, but if I put one on his chin, Fedor is going to sleep. Right now I’m in training and I’m just visualizing knocking him out every day. I can see that he’s been rocked several times before, so I’m going in there for the kill. I can’t not picture me knocking him out. So he better do some chin-ups or whatever he needs to do to make him strong, because I’m coming for him. He’s not going to be able to handle my power standing and banging. He stands in the pocket with me, he’s gonna get knocked out. He better keep on his toes and move around.”

One fact that can’t be denied in the highly anticipated heavyweight showdown planned for Strikeforce in Fall is that Fedor has never faced a man quite like Rogers. Not to say he hasn’t faced dangerous position in the past, obviously he has, but Emelianenko has never faced a fighter with the amount of threatening variables that Rogers brings to the table, such as size, strength, one punch knockout power, killer instinct, and a big one that many are neglecting to take into account; the unknown factor. Rogers has made such short work of his prior opponents that he is undeniably one of the toughest heavyweights to prepare for in the business.

While Fedor may feel like he has nothing to show in this most recent challenge, Rogers would beg to differ, stating,”He recently said he had nothing to prove by beating me, but I feel like he does. He’s never faced anyone with the type of heart, determination and desire that it takes to succeed. I’m a totally different person than he’s ever faced before. The way I see it, I am the new generation. Even after beating Fedor I’m still going to have that hunger and desire to win. That’s just a little word of warning for everyone else after this fight. I’m hungry and determined. I’ve got a lot of things on my to do list, and those things take money. Every head is money to me.”

As confident as Rogers may seem, and rightfully so at this level of the game, he will be the first to admit that he’s got something to prove at this early point in his career. After three success filled years in the business that have led to Rogers’ rise to stardom in the fight game, many seem to lose track of the fact that at just twenty-eight years old, “The Grim” is just getting started.

“I feel like I still have a lot of things to prove,” admitted Rogers. “There’s a lot of people that say,”What if…”, this or that, but I never want to be that guy. I look at Fedor and he’s 30-1; I’m trying to be that guy. I’m determined to have a clean record and be known at the same time as one of the best heavyweights in the world. I’m not done. I’m just getting started the way I see it. It just so happens that Fedor is in my way right now.”

 

[Shogun Locc]