MMA News Thread

[Shogun Locc]

BOB SAPP TO FACE SOKODJOU AT DREAM 11

Bob "The Beast" Sapp (16-5-1) will stand in for an injured Gegard Mousasi to face Rameau Thierry Sokodjou in the semifinals of Dream's Super Hulk Tournament Oct. 6 at Dream 11.

Sapp (16-5-1), who lost to Ikuhisa Minowa in the opening round of the tournament at Dream 9, confirmed the fight to MMAWeekly.com on Wednesday.

Ikuhisa Minowa vs. Hong Man Choi fills the opposite bracket of the heavily weighted tournament.

The fill-in is just one of four professional engagements Sapp said is either done or close to done on his immediate schedule. The day after his Dream booking, he is set for a kickboxing match against Alain "The Panther" Ngalani in Hong Kong. The weekend after that, he's working on an MMA fight in Texas that is "80 percent done." Then, in late October, he plans to go back to Korea for a pro wrestling engagement, with more globetrotting in the pipeline for November and December.

“I’m getting on being ready to be 35," said Sapp. "I have no UFC dreams nor desires. I just keep on working... get paid and get on working. I definitely know it’s crazy fighting MMA and then kickboxing in another country right afterwards. I’m very well aware of that, but we’ve got to make hay while the horse is hungry, right?”

On Thursday, "The Beast" will head south from his home state of Washington to Lakewood, Calif., for training with Antonio McKee at The Body Shop.

“I’ve been in the (training) mode already," continued Sapp. "(McKee) really pushes me forward on conditioning. That’s who I really need to get me to do something like this.

"Sokoudjou’s a great fighter. Without question, he’s ready to go. He’s kind of on his winning (ways), while I’m on the opposite end, on a losing streak. So I definitely would like to push forward and rebound back.”

If victorious, Sapp will face the winner of Minowa vs. Choi at Dynamite! on New Year's Eve. If not, he hints at another option.

"If Sokoudjou wins... I’ll probably be fighting a celebrity (at Dynamite)," he said.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Heavyweight Todd Duffee targeted for UFC 107 appearance in December

Following his impressive seven-second win over Tim Hague at UFC 102 in August, heavyweight prospect Todd Duffee (5-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC) made it clear he wanted to fight as quickly as possible.

The UFC will apparently oblige.

MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) has learned from sources close to the event that Duffee has been penciled in for a slot at UFC 107 on Dec. 12 in Memphis, Tenn.

An opponent for the American Top Team and HardCore Gym product has not yet been determined.

After his impressive UFC debut, Duffee followed his in-cage comments by telling MMAjunkie.com he wanted to face top-level competition moving forward.

"I'm young, but I want to build my record," the 23-year-old Duffee said. "I want a legit record, and I want to do it at this level."

Considering the great buzz that surrounded Duffee's initial performance – in a win many observers felt should have earned him the evening's "Knockout of the Night" – a main card slot might not be out of the question.

With the likely addition of Duffee to the UFC 107 card, the event now includes:

* Champ B.J. Penn vs. Diego Sanchez (for lightweight title)*
* Kenny Florian vs. Clay Guida*
* Cheick Kongo vs. Frank Mir*
* Thiago Alves vs. Paulo Thiago*
* Todd Duffee vs. TBA*

* - Not officially announced

 

[Shogun Locc]

Injured Sherk Haunted By Steroid Suspension

Sean Sherk’s 2007 steroid suspension is always just a few steps behind him.

The former UFC lightweight champion was reminded of that last week when he withdrew with a shoulder injury from his bout against Gleison Tibau at UFC 104 on Oct. 24 in Los Angeles.

Sherk’s injury was scrutinized, however, when it was reported that he had been scheduled to take a drug test with the California State Athletic Commission required for his re-licensure that same week.

The injury is painfully real, according to medical documents received by Sherdog.com.

Sherk suffered a “Grade II AC separation” in his right shoulder, according to an MRI report prepared by the Center for Diagnostic Imaging in St. Louis Park, Minn.

University of Oklahoma quarterback Sam Bradford sustained a similar injury last week and will sit out at least two weeks to a month’s worth of play. Sherk, who still can’t lift his arm 10 days after the accident, hopes to resume training in a couple of weeks as well.

Neither athlete will need surgery, though Sherk said he is disturbed by assumptions made about his situation that aim to damage his reputation.

“I’m not dodging a drug test,” Sherk told Sherdog.com Monday. “I just took a drug test three months ago. I know I’m going to get drug tested. I’ve been drug tested probably more than any other fighter in the world.”

Reports also claimed that Sherk had “skipped out” on a flight to Los Angeles to meet with an CSAC inspector on Sept. 2, the day his withdrawal was first reported.

According to Sherk and his manager Monte Cox, neither ever received a flight itinerary for the fighter to travel to Los Angeles, though they had been alerted and Sherk had agreed to fly from Minnesota to Los Angeles to make the required testing prior to his injury.

However, Sherk separated his shoulder on Aug. 28 training with 195-pound Iowa State wrestler Paul Bradley, after the fighter landed directly on his right side in a scramble. It was the same shoulder Sherk had gotten surgery for two years ago.

Cox notified the UFC on Aug. 29 that the 36-year-old wrestler would not be rehabilitated in enough time to train properly for the bout. The manager and his fighter also debated if Sherk should still travel to Los Angeles and submit his sample, but Cox advised him not to. Sherk said he suspected he’d be targeted for not taking the test.

“It’s so frustrating,” said Sherk, who has vehemently denied taking any illegal drugs since 2007. “I feel like I’ve done so much to prove that I haven’t done anything wrong. Even with my case –- I went above and beyond to try to prove that I didn’t take anything.”

In December 2007, Sherk appealed the CSAC’s findings that he’d taken the steroid Nanadrolone. Sherk’s suspension was halved to six months after inconsistencies in the state agency’s protocol were highlighted during the hearing.

Sherk said he also submitted to and passed three polygraph tests to prove his innocence and is still unsure what caused the positive test.

“We did find testosterone boosters in one of my supplements, and I don’t know for sure if that is what did it,” said Sherk. “I didn’t pursue it. I really don’t know.”

The suspension cost Sherk $2,500 and his UFC title, but the father of two said his fanbase took the biggest hit.

“There’s still people yelling obscenities when I walk out for my fights,” said Sherk, who made an unsuccessful bid to reclaim the title from B.J. Penn at UFC 84 in May 2008. “That’s why I wear headphones.”

Sherk said he’d never fight in California again directly following his hearing, but said he relented with the Oct. 24 card because he wanted to stay more active.

“I knew they got the new commissioners and things have changed from the way they used to run stuff and that I wasn’t going to get pin-pointed with anything extra, which I don’t think I was,” said Sherk.

The CSAC has requested other previously disciplined fighters, like Josh Barnett and Nick Diaz, report to a specific California facility for testing.

Sherk said he’s been randomly tested seven times by multiple state commissions in the last 15 months and that’s he’s prepared to be consistently flagged.

The ordeal also encouraged the muscular lightweight to better monitor what he puts in his body.

Sherk previously took about 23 supplements daily, from vitamins to creatines and glutamines to fish oils, but narrowed it down to about 12 following the suspension.

“I was under the impression that more is better, which isn’t the case,” said Sherk. “I knew nothing about contamination. I didn’t know they sold banned substances at nutrition stores. It was a huge learning process for me. It was a terrible process to have to go through, but I did learn something from it.”

 

[Neshani]

“I was under the impression that more is better, which isn’t the case,” said Sherk. “I knew nothing about contamination. I didn’t know they sold banned substances at nutrition stores. It was a huge learning process for me. It was a terrible process to have to go through, but I did learn something from it.”

LOL, the supplement industry is about as trustworthy as your local methlab. Sherk is around athletes and trainers all day long and no one knew how shady supplements can be? I don't buy it.

Injured or not, Sherk will always be seen as a cheater.

 

[Shogun Locc]

"Superman" vs. "Doomsday" shifted to The Ultimate Fighter 10 Finale in December

Despite previous reports to the contrary, a rumored matchup between Dennis "Superman" Hallman (41-12-2 MMA, 1-3 UFC) and John "Doomsday" Howard (12-4 MMA, 2-0 UFC) will actually take place at The Ultimate Fighter 10 Finale on Dec. 5 in Las Vegas.

Initial reports suggested the bout would take place at UFC 106 in November.

Bout agreements have yet to be finalized for the match, though both parties have agreed to the contest.

Hallman returns to the UFC for the first time since an October 2005 loss to Jorge Rivera at UFC 55. Hallman has gone 7-1 since that defeat, a stretch that includes victories in five different organizations.

Despite a 12-plus-year career that includes more than 40 wins, Hallman has gone just 1-3 in the octagon. However, the lone win was a 20-second submission victory over Matt Hughes at UFC 29 in December 2000.

Howard is currently riding a five-fight win streak overall, a streak that includes two split-decision wins in his first two trips to the octagon. "Doomsday" most recently fought in a win over Tamdan McCrory at UFC 101 in August.

While The Ultimate Fighter 10 Finale will undoubtedly feature a host of matchups from the 16 competing heavyweights on this season's edition of the Spike TV-broadcast series, the rumored matchups for the card at this time include:

* Finalist No. 1 vs. Finalst No. 2
* Matt Hamill vs. Jon Jones*
* Dennis Hallman vs. John Howard*
* Rousimar Palhares vs. Alessio Sakara*

* - Not officially announced

 

[Shogun Locc]

UFC hopeful Chris Wilson fighting for survival at UFC Fight Night 19

As fans, we sometimes are immune to the personal issues that impact the lives and affect the performances of the athletes we love to watch.

We expect quarterbacks to throw touchdowns and guards to sink their free throws and sluggers to hit home runs and fighters to score knockouts, and we expect them to do all of that without letting on they have problems in their personal lives that make it difficult for them to concentrate fully on their jobs.

If there is anyone with excuses, it is veteran UFC welterweight Chris Wilson (14-5 MMA, 1-2 UFC), who is slated to face Mike Pyle (17-6-1 MMA, 0-1 UFC) on Wednesday in Oklahoma City at "Ultimate Fight Night 19: Diaz vs. Guillard."

Wilson, though, is reticent to even acknowledge that anything is less than peachy keen. He sighs when he's asked a question about the impact his life issues have had upon his fight game.

It's not a topic he relishes, but Wilson is one of those guys who is honest to a fault, insightful and far too accommodating.

"A bunch of stuff happened to me and it's true, and when people ask me a direct question, I try to give them a direct answer," Wilson said. "I don't talk about any of that as a way of making excuses, but if you ask me if any of it had an affect on me, I'll answer that, too. But I talk about it when I'm asked and writers take some artistic license and then it looks to people like I'm moaning and making excuses."

Would you moan if your house were robbed? Would you make excuses if men broke into your home and stuck a gun in your face and into the faces of your wife and two children? Would you allow that to impact your performance at your job?

Clearly, such a traumatic experience would impact just about anyone.

But not long after Wilson and his family survived that home invasion in Brazil, he lost an opportunity to work. As a professional fighter, he's an independent contractor who only gets paid when he delivers his services.

He was scheduled to fight Brock Larson at UFC 98 on May 23 in Las Vegas when a mix-up on his medical tests resulted in the Nevada State Athletic Commission deciding not to approve him to fight.

He's the sole provider for his family because his wife does not work, and in order to be as good as he can be as a fighter, he doesn't teach classes or hold down any type of other job. He supports his family off his fight income and the resulting sponsorships and endorsements he gets.

Wilson was emotionally crushed when the commission wouldn't allow him to fight Larson only days before the fight, particularly given he was healthy enough and blameless in the entire scenario.

The UFC did the right thing and paid him his show money, even though it was not obligated to do so. But Wilson lost the opportunity for a win bonus, he lost his sponsorship money because he didn't appear on the card, and he lost out on a potential "Fight of the Night," "Knockout of the Night" or "Submission of the Night" bonus.

Wilson will earn $17,000 for fighting Pyle on Wednesday and will land another $17,000 if he wins. It's a tidy little payday, and though it's not one that will make him rich, it's also enough, when coupled with his sponsorship money, to make him comfortable.

Take much of that potential income away, however, and there are problems. Wilson trained for the fight. He had to pay his trainers and his managers and he incurred expenses throughout camp. Those bills didn't go away just because a last-minute snafu cost him his fight and his payday.

Nor did his electric bill or his rent or his water bill or his grocery bill go away when he wasn't permitted to fight.

It's never good when a Major League Baseball player gets sent to the minors or is released, but his income isn't totally lost. For athletes like fighters and golfers, who are independent contractors, though, it's another story entirely.

And while a guy like UFC welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre is extremely well compensated and probably won't have to work another day in his life, that's not the case for 99.9 percent of all fighters.

"If you're not St. Pierre or one of the top two, three, five guys, you may not be in such a financially great situation," Wilson said. "I don't want this to sound like I'm complaining about my pay. I am not. I absolutely am not doing that. That's not what I'm saying. But the reality of this business is, there are only a handful of guys like St. Pierre who make it big like that. We're all trying to get up there to put ourselves in that position that Georges and guys like that are in now.

"You ask me why we do this. It's financially stressful unless you're a top guy. I don't get pay-per-view money. I don't get paid if I don't fight. I started fighting when there was no money in this. I didn't fight because I expected money to come. At least it's there now and we have that pot of gold at the end of the rainbow to chase. I do this because I love challenging myself and I love overcoming obstacles and I love pushing myself and seeing how far I can go."

Wilson knows the realities of his life. He's 1-2 in the UFC, having lost a decision to Jon Fitch in his UFC debut and then dropping a split decision to John Howard at UFC 94, sandwiched around a victory over Steve Bruno.

UFC matchmaker Joe Silva has more fighters than he really needs and routinely cuts fighters after pretty much every show. Like it or not, Wilson realizes his bout with Pyle could be a make-or-break fight for him.

With the fight so close, he's terrified of getting hurt and losing yet another payday.

"I'm fighting no matter what," he says. "I'm getting on that plane and going (to Oklahoma City) and I'm walking in that cage and I'm fighting. I'll throw bloody stubs at Mike Pyle's face if I have to, but I'm fighting."

Pyle will be in much the same situation as Wilson. Pyle stepped in to face Larson in May on a little more than 24 hours notice when Wilson wasn't cleared. He got a promise of a second fight in the UFC in return for accepting the fight with Larson, but Pyle can't have a lot of job security if he falls to 0-2 in the UFC.

Each man will put his heart and soul into the fight given the stakes. In a lot of ways, there is more riding on the outcome for these two men than there would be if they were fighting for a title.

"I know Mike is a tough guy and I'm in for a hard fight, but when you're fighting in the UFC, you don't ever expect or even want easy fights," Wilson said. "But you have to perform every time. I haven't lost the desire to climb the ladder and try to prove myself. I still love to train hard and compete. I'm fortunate that for everything that happened, my family is OK and I'm back and I have this chance and it's up to me how I perform and what I do in the fight. I have the opportunity and I have to take advantage of it, basically, is the way I see it."

 

[Shogun Locc]

Report: Paul Taylor vs. John Hathaway, Nick Osipczak vs. TBA likely for UFC 105

While a promised main event is still lacking for the UFC's next trip to the U.K., the undercard is slowly coming together.

British-based magazine Fighters Only is reporting that a welterweight bout between John Hathaway (11-0 MMA, 2-0 UFC) and Paul Taylor (10-4-1 MMA, 3-3 UFC) is in the works for UFC 105 on Nov. 14 in Manchester, England.

According to the report, bout agreements have yet to be signed, though both fighters have agreed to the contest.

The undefeated Hathaway will taking a step up in class from his first two UFC opponents, Ricky Story and Tom Egan. Hathaway has reeled off 11-straight wins since turning pro in June 2006.

Taylor has garnered mixed results as a mainstay on European-based cards. Despite earning just a .500 record in six trips to the cage, "Relentless" has consistently lived up to his moniker with a high-energy style that has found him cashing in three "Fight of the Night" bonuses – all three in losing efforts.

The Brit most recently fought in June, and Taylor earned a unanimous decision win over Peter Sobotta at UFC 99.

Fighters Only's report also indicates "The Ultimate Fighter 9" cast member Nick Osipczak (4-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC) has been targeted for a UFC 105 appearance. After falling to DaMarques Johnson in the semifinals of "TUF 9," Osipczak earned a submission win over Frank Lester at the season's live finale.

An opponent for Osipczak has yet to be determined.

With the reported additions to the card, UFC 105 now includes:

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

* - Not yet officially announced.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Frankie Edgar vs. Kurt Pellegrino likely for The Ultimate Fighter 10 Finale

ESPN.com's "Inside MMA" host Jon Anik reported today on his Twitter account that a Dec. 5 bout between Frankie Edgar (10-1 MMA, 5-1 UFC) and Kurt Pellegrino (14-4 MMA, 6-3 UFC) is currently in the works.

MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) has since confirmed with sources close to the event that both fighters have agreed to the contest.

The lightweight bout is expected to take place at The Ultimate Fighter 10 Finale at The Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas.

After suffering the first loss of his career to Gray Maynard in April 2008, Edgar has since bounced back with consecutive wins over Sean Sherk and Hermes Franca. The 27-year-old has gone to a decision in five of his six UFC fights, though two of those garnered "Fight of the Night" honors.

Meanwhile, after a difficult 1-2 stretch in the UFC, Pellegrino has re-invented himself by relocating himself to New Jersey. "Batman" has earned three-straight wins over Josh Neer, Robert Emerson and Thiago Tavares.

With the likely addition to the event, the rumored card for The Ultimate Fighter 10 Finale now includes:

* Finalist No. 1 vs. Finalst No. 2
* Matt Hamill vs. Jon Jones*
* Frankie Edgar vs. Kurt Pellegrino*
* Dennis Hallman vs. John Howard*
* Rousimar Palhares vs. Alessio Sakara*

* - Not officially announced

 

[Shogun Locc]

UFC 106 official for Nov. 21 in Las Vegas; tickets on sale next week

The UFC's next date in Las Vegas is official, and tickets for the event go on sale next week.

As MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) first reported in June, UFC 106 – which is expected to feature a heavyweight title fight between current champ Brock Lesnar and challenger Shane Carwin – will take place at Mandalay Bay Events Center.

While the UFC has yet to announce any official bouts for the contest, or the cost of admission, the on-sale date for the tickets have been set.

Tickets for UFC 106 are scheduled to go on sale to the general public on Saturday, Sept. 19, at Ticketmaster.com. The ticket-selling website has yet to add an official listing for the event despite the recent announcement by the UFC.

UFC Fight Club members will have the first shot at tickets on Thursday, Sept. 17, while UFC Newsletter subscribers will receive a password that will allow tickets to be purchased on Friday, Sept. 18.

UFC 106 is the fifth of six events scheduled by the promotion for Las Vegas in 2009. The organization prefers to visit the larger MGM Grand Garden Arena when possible, but that venue is booked by an event entitled "Sahra featuring Khlaed, Assala Nasri and Rida al Abdulla".

The UFC also occupied Mandalay Bay Events Center at July's historic UFC 100.

Expect a stacked week of guests on MMAjunkie.com Radio (www.mmajunkie.com/radio) as the sport's biggest promotion once again visits the home of our broadcast studio.

The full card for UFC 106 currently includes:

* Champ Brock Lesnar vs. Shane Carwin (for UFC heavyweight title)*
* Mark Coleman vs. Tito Ortiz*
* Ricardo Almeida vs. Jon Fitch*
* Dustin Hazelett vs. Karo Parisyan*
* Marcus Davis vs. Ben Saunders*
* Phil Baroni vs. Amir Sadollah*

* - Not officially announced

 

[Shogun Locc]

10 Questions for Michael Bisping

Sherdog.com recently caught up with Michael Bisping, who meets Denis Kang on Nov. 14 at UFC 105. The bout, which will be one of the featured attractions at the Manchester Evening News Arena in Manchester, England, will also be Bisping’s first since his knockout loss to Dan Henderson at UFC 100.

The often outspoken Brit discussed that defeat to Henderson, his upcoming clash with Kang and more with Sherdog.com.

Sherdog.com: How is the preparation for your upcoming fight with Denis Kang progressing?
Bisping: Obviously with the fight 10 weeks away we’re not full on yet, but I am in the gym every day brushing up on my technique. Soon I'll sit down with my management and discuss getting a few guys in. We'll start about eight weeks beforehand.

Sherdog.com: Are there any areas in particular that you have identified as beneficial for you in this fight?
Bisping: To be honest, he's a pretty complete fighter. Very good technique and that’s what I wanted. Obviously, I was very disappointed by the Dan Henderson fight, and wanted a big win over a credible opponent, and Denis Kang is definitely that. I have a few things up my sleeve though, and we'll be working on them in the coming weeks. I will win this fight.

Sherdog.com: About fighting in Manchester. It’s close to being your hometown. Does that help as a fighter or add to the pressure?
Bisping: It’s a bit of both. It will definitely help having a lot of people there who want you to win. It was absolutely fantastic fighting there last time. Probably the highlight of my career so far. On the other side though, there are a lot of people there that you don't want to let down, but I usually perform better under pressure.

Sherdog.com: On the last season of “The Ultimate Fighter,” you became one of a select few to have been both a competitor and coach. How difficult an experience is that show?
Bisping: It was a tough situation but also a means to an end. Now I'm a fighter; if it wasn't for that show -- who knows? The travel and the time away from your family comes with the territory. Back then it was the first time I'd been away from my family for any length of time, but now I'm used to it.

It’s all part of the sacrifice. You spend a lot of time away and in hotels. It’s all about putting in the effort. I drive an hour to the Wolfslair every day and then drive an hour back. Coaching was a new experience, but I really enjoyed that aspect and was proud that the boys did really well.

Sherdog.com: Do you think some of your actions on the show got lost in translation between banter and arrogance?
Bisping: I don't take myself too seriously, I'm always trying to have a laugh and take the piss. I don't think I'm arrogant, but if that is how I appeared on the show, then that might be something that I have to look at in the future.

Sherdog.com: Do you think the prolonged build up surrounding your fight with Dan Henderson affected your performance on the night?
Bisping: I don't. I have no excuses. Dan did a great job that night and I didn't. My manager thinks that the “Ultimate Fighter” job was a nightmare for me because it left so much time between fights, but to be honest I don't think it made much difference.

Sherdog.com: What aspects would you change in a rematch?
Bisping: I'd keep my left hand up! [Laughs] No, I mean, like I said, I had a good camp going in, but Dan just took me out. Credit to the guy. I would love to have a rematch, but I have to earn the right; I'll have to beat a few credible guys before then. At the moment I have no right to a rematch. I would also like to rematch Rashad Evans and Matt Hamill at some point.

Sherdog.com: Last week, speaking to Sherdog.com, Dan Hardy said that he felt American fans were waiting for the British fighters to fail. Would you agree with that?
Bisping: I saw the article and I agree in some respects. I think most MMA fans look past nationality though, and I think there are many people who want us to succeed, but of course you have those people who want us to fail.

Sherdog.com: You made the move to light heavyweight directly after the close decision loss to Rashad Evans, who consequently went on to knock out both Chuck Liddell and Forrest Griffin in his next fights. Do you still have something to offer at that weight?
Bisping: Yeah, absolutely. I did a few things wrong at the beginning, but I've learnt a lot more now about things like diet and nutrition. I'm going to keep going at middleweight, but down the line that is definitely something I would consider.

Sherdog.com: The web is abuzz at the moment with rumors regarding your friend Quinton Jackson playing Mr. T in the “A-Team” remake. Have you spoken to him about it and is acting something that you are considering?
Bisping: I haven't spoken to him in a few weeks now and it’s not really my place to comment, but I've got a couple of things in the works. I'm working with a film script that’s being made and we'll see what happens.

 

[Shogun Locc]

TYSON GRIFFIN PLANS TO PUSH FRANCA TO THE LIMIT

Ask any professional fighter and they’re likely to tell you that they’ve never gone into a bout 100-percent healthy.

But every once in a while, when punching someone in the face, and often getting punched back, is your way of earning a living, you do have to take a step back and let your body recover.

That’s exactly where UFC lightweight Tyson Griffin found himself after his last bout. He scored a unanimous decision over a tough Rafael dos Anjos on April 1, but after amassing a 6-2 record against some of the best fighters in the Octagon, his body was telling him it was time for rejuvenation.

“I had a little bit of a break, healed up some bumps and bruises, things like that,” Griffin told MMAWeekly.com his first week back in the gym after three months with a “Gone Fishing” sign hanging on his front door.

Heading into his bout against Hermes Franca at UFC 103 next week in Dallas, Griffin realizes there’s a lot at stake. Having suffered a hiccup against Sean Sherk in October of last year, a win over a fellow top fighter on top of the win over dos Anjos puts him right back in the championship mix.

“A dominant win against Hermes Franca would put me back in the contender runnings.”

He realizes that’s no easy task against Franca.

“That guy’s in it for the long haul. He’s gonna knock you out in the third round if you’re not paying attention or he’s gonna catch you in a submission if you’re sloppy,” assessed Griffin. “I’m gonna fight him smart and fight him hard and hopefully bring the pace so he doesn’t have that knockout power in the third, and doesn’t have that submission strength in the third.

“I’m excited to get in crazy shape and push Hermes to the limit.”

 

[Shogun Locc]

UFC Quick Quote: Mirko Cro Cop is two wins away from a title shot

“The UFC heavyweight division is very hard at the moment. As MMA as a sport is spreading all around the world, new fighters are coming from different kind of sports and training. It’ll be tougher and tougher to take the belt. First, I want to be concentrating on my fight against Junior. If I take both of those fights, I believe the third will be the title shot.”

 

[Shogun Locc]

‘Minotauro’ Nogueira video: Brock Lesnar is big, but I have better skills than him’

 

[Shogun Locc]

Dan Henderson a free agent, next move uncertain

Dan Henderson’s contract obligations to the UFC have recently expired leaving many to wonder what the next move will be for the former multiple weight class PRIDE FC champion.

According to a recent post on the Twitter account of Josh Gross from Sports Illustrated, Henderson’s return to the UFC is far from a done deal, and the current negotiations aren’t exactly moving along at a break-neck pace.

Shootin down a rumor. Dan Henderson won’t fight Antonio Rogerio Nogueira in his next fight. In fact, his next fight might not be in the UFC

According to a source close to Hendo, Dan is a free agent. The source said Dan wants to remain in the UFC. It makes the most sense.

But as of right now he doesn’t have a contract with Zuffa. Negotiations were characterized as “slow.” Dan’s main focus is fighting A. Silva.

It seems like the logical move for Henderson would ultimately be to return to the UFC as there don’t seem to be any major challenges for him outside of the promotion. It would also seem that Henderson signing with the UFC would make more sense than signing elsewhere from a financial standpoint.

 

[Shogun Locc]

FMC 1: Aleksander Emelianenko vs. Blagoi Ivanov called off:

"In spite of unofficial information that Blagoi has injured both hands Alex still hasn’t got any confirmation from the Korean event organization. They haven’t given any information about an opponent substitution; also there is no exact date of the event."

... "Aleksander Emelianenko has decided to make an official statement that he will not take part in the championship in Korea. Insufficient level of tournament organization and unwillingness constructive negotiation about opponent substitution doesn’t make it possible to take part in this event."

"Now Alex is able to accept any new offers and negotiations with organizations."

 

[Shogun Locc]

Strikeforce Quietly Collecting Talent

A member of Bloodyelbow.com has written a very interesting fan post detailing the rather stunning MMA talent that Strikeforce has quietly managed to collect over the past few months. MMAPayout.com doesn’t often delve into the fan posts of other websites, but this piece has a certain business element that cannot be ignored.

The piece includes pictures, videos, and extensive background stories for most fighters, but here’s a snippet list of some of the men signed by the organization in the past year:

FW: Thomas Longacre (4-0):
Hometown: Sapulpa, OK
Age: 31
Height: 5′9
Weight: 147 lbs
Background: Kickboxing
Accomplishments: 2nd Degree Black Belt in TKD, 3rd Degree Black Belt in Goju-Ryu.
Background Records: Kickboxing: 28-2 (19 KOs), WCL (8-4).



LW: Bryan Travers (13-1):
Hometown: Bakersfield, CA
Age: 26
Height: 5′ 10
Weight: 155 lbs
Background: Wrestling
Accomplishments: Placed 4th in PAC-10 and became a NCAA Div. I national qualifier.



WW: Shamar Bailey (9-1):
Hometown: Indianapolis, IN
Age: 26
Height: 5′10
Weight: 170 lbs
Background: Wrestling
Accomplishments: Reached NCAA Division III national tournament (1st athlete in school to accomplish that.)
Background Records: Highschool: 32-0.



WW: Tyron Woodley (3-0):
Hometown: St. Louis, MO
Age: 27
Height: 5′9
Weight: 170 lbs
Background: Wrestling (Currently training with American Top Team).
Accomplishments: Highschool: State Champion. College: Conference Champion (Missouri University).
Background Records: Highschool: 48-0. College: 2 Time All American Honors (Missouri University).



…

Payout Perspective:

We’ve touched on the subject of fighter roster management before, and it would seem as though Strikeforce also understands that the cheapest and most effective way to build a roster is through the prospect strategy. It also serves to keep some of this top-flight talent out of the hands of its competition, the UFC (who employ their own prospect strategy).

The flipside of any prospect strategy – in any sport for that matter – is having the resources to retain those prospects once they develop into contenders. We all know that the UFC has the resources to pay the likes of a Georges St. Pierre, but does Strikeforce? And can Strikeforce afford to pay 4-5 of these guys what they might be worth on the open market, once they hit it?

Time will tell.

Hopefully the organization experiences enough growth – in part due to these prospects maturing and putting on great fights – that they can retain their services.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Drysdale waits for an opponent at the ADCC

Robert Drysdale would do the ADCC 2009 super fight against Roger Gracie, but the eight times Jiu-Jitsu champion suffered a knee injury and won’t be able to fight at Barcelona in September 26th and 27th.

In exclusive interview to TATAME.com, Drysdale lamented the Gracie’s injury. “I knew it yesterday… It happens, man. I’m disappointed, but it happens. The athlete trains a lot and the body doesn’t handle it sometimes, it’s normal”, said Robert, who won the absolute class in the 2007 edition of the Abu Dhabi Combat Club via submission against Marcelo Garcia.

Without a official name to replace Roger, Drysdale tries to imagine who’ll be against him in Spain. “I think they’ll think first on Dean Lister, who was supposed to do the super fight at 2007. They were saying that Fedor wanted to fight at ADCC, so maybe he can do it too, I don’t know… I’m curious”, finished Drysdale.

WERDUM WANTS TO REPLACE ROGER

If Fabrício Werdum could choose, the black belt Robert Drysdale would stay without opponent for a long time at the ADCC 2009 super fight. Excited for the championship, the Chute Boxe athlete called TATAME.com and revealed he wants to replace Roger Gracie, cut from the event with a knee injury, and fight Drysdale.

“Spain is my home too, I lived there my whole life. I have a huge fan base there, I’m well known in Spain. I think it’d be a good choice to put me in the super fight with Drysdale”, said the 2007 champion in the +99kg division. Excited, Werdum already comments how the fight would be. “It’d be a ten minutes fight, it wouldn’t last longer than that”, guarantees, training hard for the event.

“I feel really well, I kept my training from my last fight, I’m just emphasizing the wrestling now… Twice a week I go to a city next to San Diego to train with King Mo Lawal, who just beated Mark Kerr… He’s a monster in Wrestling and is giving me a lot of tips. And here in Hungtinton Beach, I’m training with the Chute Boxe guys and with Tito Ortiz”, said the Strikeforce fighter.

Ready to go to Spain, Werdum reveals he’ll have a special crown cheering for him at ADCC. “I got a sponsor to pay a bus to take my students from Madri to Barcelona… I made t-shirts and everything (laughs). My athletes from Croatia, Saragossa, Albacete will go to Barcelona too”, finished Werdum.

 

[Shogun Locc]

 

[Shogun Locc]

Ninja Rua ready for Alex Stiebling

Bitetti Combat’s promoters announced yesterday that Murilo “Ninja” Rua will be in the card of the event, which takes place this Saturday at Maracanãzinho, Rio de Janeiro, replacing Rogério “Minotouro” Nogueira against Alex Stiebling.

“We tried to keep Minotouro until we could, but he couldn’t recover from a ankle injury. We only could announce Ninja when everything was signed. We didn’t have Rogério, but I think Ninja is also a big name to the card… He’s a showman”, reveals Fernando Miranda, promoter of the event.

In exclusive interview to TATAME.com in August, Ninja already commented the possibility to replace Nogueira, who just signed with the UFC. “I’ll do my best… It’s great for our sport. I never fought in Rio de Janeiro, it’s gonna be a real pleasure”, said Ninja, who’ll fight at the light heavyweight division again, four years after his last 205lbs fight, against Quinton “Rampage” Jackson. Check below the complete card of the event.

Bitetti Combat 4

Maracanãzinho, Rio de Janeiro

Saturday, September 12th of 2009



- Ricardo Arona vs. Marvin Eastman;

- Paulo Filho vs. Alex Schoenauer;

- Pedro Rizzo vs. Jeff Monson;

- Murilo “Ninja” Rua vs. Alex Stiebling;

- Glover Teixeira vs. Leonardo Lucio “Chocolate”;

- Luciano Azevedo vs. Milton Vieira;

- Henrique Nogueira “Chocolate” vs. Eduardo Pamplona;

- Alexandre Pimentel “Pulga” vs. Luciano Yzzy;

- Vitor Miranda vs. Fabio Maldonado;

- Leandro Batata vs. Cassiano Tytschyo.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Royler: “BJJ is already bigger than MMA”

One of the biggest names in Jiu-Jitsu and MMA history, Royler Gracie is in TATAME Magazine’s September issue. In an exclusive and historical chat, the Gracie remembered remarkable moments in his life and spoke about the growth of the Jiu-Jitsu around the world.

“Jiu-Jitsu is already bigger than MMA around the world, and will be even more, because in MMA you can only fight from 18 to 35 years… In Jiu-Jitsu, you train a three years old child and a guy with 80”, guarantees the four times BJJ World Champion, who also thinks on fighting again, in MMA or at the ADCC.

Living in the US, Royler commented the challenges in the past, that happened in Rio de Janeiro, the historical fights against De La Riva and Peixotinho, who he considers his biggest opponent ever, and the war times between Jiu-Jitsu and Luta Livre in Brazil, like the one at Academia Gracie.

“It was bad there, some guys had guns, others with acid in the hands… I remember my father saying to Hugo and Denilson that, if it had some bad stuff, they would suffer the consequences. They both guaranteed I’d be honest, then my father opened and they fought, tells, remembering how his fight against Eugênio started and much more.