MMA News Thread

[Shogun Locc]

Dana White confirms WEC is heading to Ohio for 2010 Arnold Sports Festival

World Extreme Cagefighting will take the spot vacated by the Ultimate Fighting Championship.

MMAjunkie.com first reported on Friday that – after three successful shows beginning in 2007 – the UFC would not return for a fourth show in Columbus, Ohio, that would coincide with the 2010 edition of the Arnold Sports Festival.

On Sunday, following UFC 103, UFC president Dana White spoke to MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) and confirmed our earlier report that the WEC will instead take the spot.

Although confirming the plans, White wasn't sure if the show had been officially booked just yet.

The plans, though, will bring the WEC to the Buckeye State for the first time ever. Earlier this year WEC general manager Reed Harris said the organization planned to move into Ohio because of the state's strong MMA fan base and consistently big ratings for its event broadcasts on Versus. In fact, next month's WEC 43 event was originally slated for Youngstown, Ohio, before an injury to headliner Benson Henderson forced a postponement and move to San Antonio.

The Arnold Sports Festival, held March 5-7 in 2010, is a three-day sports and fitness exhibition that features competitions a variety of athletic competitions.

The UFC first teamed up with the festival in 2007 for the hugely successful UFC 68, which featured Randy Couture's first post-retirement fight and his unanimous-decision win over then-heavyweight champion Tim Sylvia. At the time, the event produced the largest attendance in North American MMA history (19,079) and shattered Nationwide Arena's records for attendance, live gate ($3 million) and merchandise sales.

Currently, no specific fighters have been determined for the WEC card, and none of the organization's top fighters hail from the state.

Regardless, if held at Nationwide Arena, the WEC could conceivably break the organization's attendance and live-gate records. They were set in June at WEC 41 with 12,706 fans and an $815,415 gate.

 

[Shogun Locc]

TYSON GRIFFIN READY FOR TOP UFC LIGHTWEIGHTS

On Saturday night, Tyson Griffin became the first man to give Hermes Franca the sting of a stoppage loss.

Going into the fight at UFC 103, the 25-year-old Griffin made sure to keep his stand-up game sharp. While Franca's boxing skills weren't the most technical, his hands were heavy.

Griffin won almost every exchange by controlling the distance and pace of the fight. Though he caught a few shots in the second, he regained his composure and continued to chip away at the Brazilian.

When the Franca got too close, Griffin floored him with a straight right, setting the fight’s end in motion.

“I’m not scared to get in there and bang,” said Griffin. “I knew Hermes had knockout power. He’s one of the guys that I got in there... not scared, but had the most respect for his power. I didn’t shy from it, I didn’t take him down, I went in there, I stood and banged, and I put him away.”

Griffin said he’d like to face a current or former contender in his next fight. If given the opportunity to face champion B.J. Penn, he won’t turn it down.

“I’m always ready,” he said. “I’ve never turned down a fight and I never will.”

 

[Shogun Locc]

With UFC planning to terminate contract, Frank Trigg says retirement is imminent

After waiting more than four years to make his return to the Ultimate Fighting Championship, veteran fighter Frank Trigg will probably be dropped from the organization once again. And if that's the case, he's likely to retire from the sport.

Trigg, a former top UFC welterweight contender, suffered a first-round TKO loss to Josh Koscheck on the main card of this past weekend's UFC 103 event in Dallas.

Following the Sept. 19 event, UFC president Dana White told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) that Trigg probably won't get another fight in the organization. If that's the case, Trigg today said, his career is likely over.

"I think Trigg is one of those guys (like Mirko 'Cro Cop' Filipovic)," White said after the conclusion of the UFC 103 post-fight press conference. "These (other) guys are young and explosive. There's just a whole other level of talent out there, man, and that's the way it works. That's the way this business is."

So, will he give it some thought before terminating the contract?

"I doubt it," White shrugged. "He got smoked tonight."

Trigg (19-7 MMA, 2-4 UFC), who suffered two title losses to then-champ UFC welterweight champ Matt Hughes in his first UFC run, posted a 7-3 record after leaving the organization in 2005 and posted four straight victories to earn his way back. During the time away, Trigg defeated notables Jason "Mayhem" Miller for the ICON Sport middleweight title and topped Kazuo Misaki at PRIDE 33, among other victories.

His UFC 103 appearance proved a short one, though. Koscheck connected and dropped Trigg early and delivered additional blows to force the stoppage at the 1:25 mark of the first round.

"I made a stupid mistake," Trigg said. "I stood on his foot in the corner, and I got caught with a punch."

If White does go through with his plans to cut Trigg, the 37-year-old fighter said his career has likely concluded.

"If they say I'm done, I'm done," he said. "If the UFC cuts me, I'm done fighting. I don't have the strength or determination to go fight in the minor leagues anymore. I've done it before.

"I didn't come back here for one fight ... so I could say I retired as a UFC fighter. I came back to make a run at a title fight. I want to fight. But if they're done with me, that's it."

Trigg, however, is unlikely to leave the sport altogether.

Even while fighting professionally, the former University of Oklahoma All-American wrestler has been involved in other projects, including commentary for a variety of MMA events, hosting duties for FSN's PRIDE highlights show, a budding movie career (with a role in David Mamet's martial-arts movie "Red Belt"), his Triggonomics clothing line, and former hosting duties for TAGG Radio, which eventually became MMAjunkie.com Radio shortly before he left the show earlier this year.

 

[Shogun Locc]

GSP PLANNING RETURN TO OCTAGON IN EARLY 2010

In retrospect, Georges St. Pierre's injury at UFC 100 was not a surprise.

As St. Pierre told MMAWeekly.com last Thursday, his right abductor muscle had been aggravated eight months prior to the fight with Thiago Alves and he hadn’t let it heal properly.

UFC show-runners gave him a jolt backstage, calling him to the cage a fight earlier than he expected (aided by Dan Henderson’s knockout of Michael Bisping). Thus, he wasn’t able to warm the delicate muscle.

“It’s a mistake I did, I (take) all the blame,” said St. Pierre. “But next time I wish I get better information, because I was not expecting that.”

Now, the welterweight champion is focused on healing up completely. He says he is training lightly and will return to full contact training in October.

Until then, he is on a new diet that he hopes will help to build more quality muscle. St. Pierre says he has never dieted. Before, his favorite stop for junk food was McDonalds.

“When I go there, I (get) three or four cheeseburgers, one french fries (to) replace Poutine, and a McCroquette (chicken nuggets) and a Coca Cola,” he said. “I love it.”

Whether he steps up in weight or continues dominating the welterweight class, St. Pierre says the new diet will help his body heal faster from training stresses and make him faster in the cage.

St. Pierre’s representative, Sherri Spencer, said he will likely return to competition in early 2010. Several possibilities exist for his next opponent: Mike Swick, Paul Daley, and, if he so chooses, Anderson Silva.

St. Pierre is still open to the prospect up moving up in weight, but says he’s enjoying his time outside the Octagon.

“I can’t wait to be back, but I’m not in a rush,” he said.

 

[Shogun Locc]

CUNG LE ON TITLE SITUATION AND NEW MOVIE

Imagine you wake up on a spacecraft and you don’t know who you are or why you’re there. You think you are only one of two survivors, but suddenly learn you are not alone. Factor in a mental condition that causes hallucinations, disorientation, and madness.

This scenario is the plot to the upcoming film Pandorum starring Dennis Quaid, Ben Foster, and San Shou and MMA champion Cung Le, due for release on Sept. 25 across North America.

MMAWeekly.com caught up with Le during his recent press tour to discuss the film, his inclusion in the Round 5 MMA figure line, and the recent announcement that he relinquished the Strikeforce middleweight title.

MMAWeekly: First off, Cung, tell us your thoughts on the release of Pandorum.

Cung Le: I’m very excited about the release of Pandorum. The release date was pushed back twice because it was so crowded in theaters, but it’s finally getting released and I’m excited about it.

Christian Alvart is a pretty intense director, and when you have the producers of Resident Evil in Jeremy Bolt and Robert Kultzer, you know you’re going to have some kind of horror intense kind of film. When I read the script I was really excited about being a part of this movie.

I have not seen the movie yet, but a few people I know who are in the business have seen it in private screenings and say it’s pretty scary and I did a fantastic job. I just can’t wait to see how I did.

MMAWeekly: Tell us what it was like primarily working with Ben Foster, who is one of Hollywood’s up and coming superstars.

Cung Le: I knew I had a big task ahead of me because I share most of my time with Ben Foster, and my manager told me that if I wasn’t sharp Ben would steal all the scenes from me because he’s so intense and he’s one of those guys who is a pure actor.

For me, I was very excited, but at the same time I felt like there was a lot of pressure. With Ben Foster I saw how he worked and how intense he was. The funny thing was, I saw Ben Foster pacing around before when the director was prepping the set, getting the lighting right, Ben was getting his dialog down and pacing around just like a fighter would before a fight.

He got pumped up before a scene like how I would get pumped up before a fight; it was funny to see a similarity there. He actually asked for an action figure, so I signed him one and gave it to him at Comic-Con and it was really cool.

MMAWeekly: Tell us about your character, Mahn.

Cung Le: My character is an agricultural specialist who is woken up a lot earlier than Ben Foster and Dennis Quaid and knows what’s going on (around the space ship). I’ve been awake a lot longer than other people in the film and I know how to survive.

My character is very tense and survival is first for me. Knowing I can’t do it myself, I can’t just run around and take on this massive ship alone, I realize there are other humans that are alive and I team up with Ben because he’s in an officer’s flight crew uniform and I figure he can get the ship going again.

MMAWeekly: Another big thing for you lately is the release of your official Round 5 MMA action figure. Tell us how you feel it turned out.

Cung Le: They did a fantastic job. I was very surprised how it came out. I took a lot of pictures, like 360-degrees around and it came out great. They did one with black shorts, gold trim and red strips, and one limited with gold shorts and red stripes. I’m grateful that they chose me.

MMAWeekly: Recently promoter Scott Coker announced that you would be relinquishing your Strikeforce 185-pound title and that Jake Shields and Jason “Mayhem” Miller would be fighting for the belt on CBS on Nov. 7. Tell us what happened with that.

Cung Le: For me, potentially I have another project, and I know I’m not in fight shape right now, and I think I should vacate my title because it’s not fair to them who their livelihood is fighting for an interim title when I’m here running around making movies and doing something different.

I wouldn’t think it would be fair to me (if I were in their shoes), so I feel right about vacating the title. It does not mean that I’m retiring; I’m just doing it because I think it’s the right thing to do. (When I return to fighting) I will just start from where I need to start to challenge for it again and be a competitor, because I know MMA has given me this huge break and I know my roots, and I love to fight and I love to compete. I know I can’t do it forever, so I’m going to do it until it’s time to step back, and I know it’s not time to step back.

I just want to let all the fans out there know my intentions. I spoke to Scott Coker about this and I think this is the right thing to do, because I’m not ready to step up in the next coming months and fight five-rounders. Every time I’m ready to start training, I’m off doing another movie, and I’m grateful for the opportunity and I’m doing very well breaking into the movies. I’m breaking into the China market also, where the Hong Kong films are done; and I’m doing movies out here.

I definitely intend to return, and I know for a fact that I will return, but I can’t just jump back in and be able to go five rounds at peak level when I left (after) the fight with Frank (Shamrock).

MMAWeekly: Thanks for your time Cung; it’s always greatly appreciated. Is there anything you want to say to close us out?

Cung Le: I’d like to thank my sponsors: Zebra Mats, Throwdown, ADX, BR Flooring and KNOXX Gear. I just want to say I hope everyone gets a chance to go out and watch Pandorum. If you’re a sci-fi, action or horror fan you’ll definitely get your money’s worth.

If you want the limited edition (Round 5 figure) you can check it out at CungLe.com, and the other ones will be released at Round5MMA.com and MMAWeekly.com. Thank you fans for your support. Believe it or not, I will be back and doing my side kicks again.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Belfort celebrates the KO: “It was perfect”

With no losses since 2006, Vitor Belfort returned to the UFC last Saturday. Against the former champion Rich Franklin, who was knocked out only three times in 29 fights, the Brazilian entered in the fight as the underdog, but needed three minutes to change the story. “The train was perfect, everything worked out fine, thanks God. Our expectations was exactly that, make him lose his time and, when he wasn’t expecting, we caught him“, revealed Belfort, who dropped Franklin with his devastating exchanging.

Rocking one of the big stars of Ultimate on the first round, Vitor became a strong name to fight for the title. “It’s in God’s hands. I’ll keep working and training hard, getting better... I’ll go with everything now. I’m here to do my job. What they want is ok“, said the Brazilian, who has to steal the belt of Anderson Silva’s hands, dominating the category for three years.

“It wouldn’t be nice, I like Anderson a lot, a have a big admiration for him, he’s a tough guy, but is hard to predict. It would be a tough fight, definitely“, said Belfort. “It’s hard to talk about a fight that didn’t happened yet, there’s nothing confirmed. Fight is fight, each athlete works in a way against each other, you gotta see what will happen on the fight. That’s an unpredictable fight. It would be a tough fight and hard to know who would win“.

“I didn’t expect to do this fight, I just got in UFC, but I’m an employee and I don’t have this power. Who has the power is the champion, but this isn’t a fight that I planned. He isn’t a person whom I wanted to fight, but we’re professionals and we don’t have anything against each other. I admire him a lot as a fighter, he’s an excellent athlete, but business is business”, finished the Phenom.

 

[Robby2Slobby]

Strikeforce announces signing of 47-year-old NFL Pro Bowler Herschel Walker (Updated)

Former NCAA and NFL great Herschel Walker has signed a multi-fight deal with Strikeforce.

The organization today announced the signing and Walker's addition to Strikeforce's heavyweight division.

No debut date has been set for the 47-year-old former Heisman Trophy winner and two-time Pro Bowl running back, who's never competed professionally in mixed martial arts.

Herschel, a longtime martial artist and sixth-degree black belt in tae kwon do who's also trained in Muay Thai and Kenpo karate, has hinted at a possible move into MMA for the past few years. He's also been spotted at many MMA events and even was announced as part of an EliteXC/Mark Burnett reality show that never got off the ground.

Walker will begin a 12-week training camp with California's American Kickboxing Academy next month under trainer Bob Cook.

"I've been training for several years," Walker stated. "I would play college football games on Saturday and then compete in martial arts tournaments on Sunday after church. I'm now looking forward to opening up another chapter in my life and to competing in MMA."

Herschel wouldn't be the first NFL vet to compete in MMA, though the former Dallas Cowboy certainly would be one of the most known (and oldest). Four former NFL players were cast for the current 10th season of "The Ultimate Fighter," and others such as Michael Westbrook, Rex Richards and Herbert "Whisper" Goodman have competed in organizations across the country.

"I flew to L.A. last month to watch Herschel train and was surprised to see his advanced wrestling and striking abilities," Strikeforce CEO and founder Scott Coker stated.. "He's got work ahead of him, but he's committed to training at one of the most notable gyms in the sport of MMA, so it will be very interesting to watch him progress."

That'll be a good fight for Fedor.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Diaz Banks $78K at UFC Fight Night 19

Nate Diaz got back in the win column with a victory over Melvin Guillard at UFC Fight Night 19 in Oklahoma City, Okla., on Sept. 16. The colorful lightweight took home $78,000 for his main-event bout, including a $30,000 submission of the night bonus for the guillotine choke that finished the affair. Guillard earned $14,000 in defeat.

Diaz may have been the headliner, but Nate Quarry was the number one breadwinner. “The Rock” added $90,000 to his wallet after his tussle with Tim Credeur turned into an instant classic. The back-and-forth scrap netted the pair an extra $30,000 each and fight of the night honors. Credeur pocketed a total of $40,000 dollars.

Gray Maynard continued his unbeaten run with a decision win over Roger Huerta. Maynard -- who earned $24,000 for his eight win -- nearly finished Huerta with a nasty Kimura in the third round of their lightweight match. Huerta, fighting his last match of his UFC contract, took home $21,000.

Carlos Condit knocked off a surprising Jake Ellenberger to notch a $48,000 paycheck. The former WEC welterweight champion worked his way out of some tough spots to score a come-from-behind victory over a solid veteran. Ellenberger earned $10,000 in defeat.

UFN 19 Salaries:

Nate Diaz -- $78,000 (including $24,000 win bonus, $30,000 submission of the night bonus) def. Melvin Guillard -- $14,000

Gray Maynard -- $24,000 (including $12,000 win bonus) def. Roger Huerta -- $21,000

Carlos Condit -- $48,000 (including $24,000 win bonus) def. Jake Ellenberger -- $10,000

Nate Quarry -- $90,000 (including $30,000 win bonus, $30,000 FOTN bonus) def. Tim Credeur -- $40,000 (including $30,000 FOTN bonus)

Brian Stann -- $22,000 (including $11,000 win bonus) def. Steve Cantwell -- $10,000

Mike Pyle -- $30,000 (including $15,000 win bonus) def. Chris Wilson -- $17,000

C.B. Dollaway -- $28,000 (including $14,000 win bonus) def. Jay Silva -- $6,000

Jeremy Stephens -- $54,000 (including $12,000 win bonus, $30,000 knockout of the night bonus) def. Justin Buchholz -- $8,000

Mike Pierce -- $12,000 (including $6,000 win bonus) def. Brock Larson -- $26,000

Ryan Jensen -- $8,000 (including $4,000 win bonus) def. Steve Steinbeiss $6,000

Sam Stout -- $24,000 (including $12,000 win bonus)*

Phillipe Nover -- $20,000 (including $10,000 win bonus)*

* Fight did not take place due to Nover suffering a seizure in the locker room before the bout.

 

[Shogun Locc]

SpiritBank Event Center hosts Thursday's "Strikeforce Challengers" weigh-ins

Strikeforce returns Friday for the latest of its prospects-driven event series, "Strikeforce Challengers," and the official fighter weigh-ins take place Thursday at the SpiritBank Event Center in Bixby, Okla.

The same venue hosts the following night's Showtime-televised event, which features a headliner between top middleweight contenders Tim Kennedy and Zak Cummings.

The weigh-ins, which are open and free to the public, begin at 7 p.m. CT local time (8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT).

In addition to Kennedy vs. Cummings, Friday's event, which is the third "Strikeforce Challengers" show to date, features main-card bouts of famed kickboxer Ray "Sugarfoot" Sefo vs. UFC vet Kevin Jordan, Zach Light vs. University of Missouri All-American wrestler Tyron Woodley, Travis Calonoc vs. Thomas Longacres, and U.S. Olympian and MMA newcomer Daniel Cormier vs. Gary Frazier.

The full card includes:

MAIN CARD

* Zak Cummings vs. Tim Kennedy
* Kevin Jordan vs. Ray Sefo
* Zach Light vs. Tyron Woodley
* Travis Calonoc vs. Thomas Longacres
* Daniel Cormier vs. Gary Frazier

PRELIMINARY CARD

* Lacey Schuckman vs. Jeri Sitzes
* Levi Avera vs. Paul Bradley
* Brandon Gaines vs. Trey Houston
* John Carson vs. Kenny Giddens
* Nick Gibbons vs. Josh Pulsifer
* Lemont Davis vs. Dillon Smith

 

[Shogun Locc]

Antonio Silva Made Offers for Stateside Return

TOKYO – Antonio Silva’s exile to Japan is all but over, he says.

Silva, who faces Jim York on Sept. 22 at World Victory Road’s “Sengoku Tenth Battle” at the Super Saitama Arena, said his steroid suspension in California expired on July 27, and that he is in negotiations with several promotions to return to stateside action.

The 30-year-old Brazilian was suspended after testing positive for Boldenone following his July 2008 heavyweight championship contest against Justin Eilers at an EliteXC event in Stockton, Calif.

Silva, who has adamantly denied ever taking steroids, also filed a civil suit against the California State Athletic Commission to overrule the state agency’s suspension. The Los Angeles Superior Court upheld the CSAC’s sentence in April.

The American Top Team heavyweight spoke with Sherdog.com regarding the latest with his suspension, recent negotiations with U.S.-based promotions, as well as potentially fighting a teammate when he finally makes his return stateside.

Sherdog: You mentioned earlier your troubles with the CSAC were potentially resolved. Last time most of us heard from you, you had just taken up the CSAC in a civil suit. Was that successful and are you now able to fight in the states again?

Silva: Unfortunately, I tried everything I could to show the CSAC that I was innocent, but I wasn’t able to. Since the 27th of July though, I’ve been able to fight again in the states, and that’s what I look forward to.

Sherdog: So the actual extent of the suspension lasted until July 27, and now that that’s past, you’re able to go back to the states at any time to compete?

Silva: After the 27th, yes, there was no extension, no other fights, nothing. So I’m able to fight now in the U.S.

Sherdog: You also mentioned earlier that you were in talks with stateside promotions in the hopes of planning a return, mentioning interest in promotions such as the UFC and Strikeforce. Are you in talks with either of them?

Silva: I do have some contracts in-hand right now, and we’re negotiating now. I’m looking at them, evaluating which one is best.

Sherdog: Can you tell us which promotions they are from?

Silva: (Laughs) Right now, I can’t say which ones, but real soon, everyone will know.

Sherdog: Another fighter who has been flagged by the CSAC and is now fighting in Sengoku is Josh Barnett. Were you surprised to hear he had trouble with the CSAC as well?

Silva: I was very surprised because he was supposed to fight Fedor (Emelianenko). Everyone was watching, and he got caught before the fight, so that really surprised me.

Sherdog: It seems that you and Barnett are on a collision course in Sengoku, most likely for the heavyweight title. What are your thoughts on a potential fight with Barnett, maybe some time toward the end of this year?

Silva: I’ll fight whoever Sengoku gives me to fight, since they’re the ones who pay me. But if I could choose, I’d choose Barnett.

Sherdog: Does your contract with Sengoku allow you to fight over there while still signed to them?

Silva: Yes.

Sherdog: What are your thoughts on the heavyweight division in the U.S.? While you’ve been gone, several notable heavyweights have broken onto the scene.

Silva: It’s a division that’s coming up really fast with a lot of good fighters. They’re not all just big guys who get tired too quickly -- a lot of these guys are fast and their conditioning is good. I hope for the best and want to see many more good fighters.

Sherdog: You mentioned Satoshi Ishii earlier, and that if he continued training at American Top Team, that it would be difficult for you to fight him. ATT also has bright young talents like Todd Duffee training with you. Do you ever foresee a time in the future where it might be difficult to fight guys because everyone is coming to ATT?

Silva: Fighters will be fighters. We’re always going to have fighters all over the place, and if we have good fighters coming to ATT, all the better for the team. We have top, world-class fighters in almost every division at ATT, and I’m hoping to become that “top, world-class fighter” at heavyweight for us. That’s all we’re missing now.

Sherdog: If ATT develops a bunch of top heavyweight fighters, would you be able to find a way to not fight each other?

Silva: At ATT, we all help each other. It doesn’t matter. If I have to help make Todd the best in the world, I’m going to do that. We’re all brothers there. That’s what makes ATT different from other team: everybody helps everybody.

 

[Shogun Locc]

WEC 43: Javier Vazquez replaces Mark Hominick, meets Deividas Taurosevicius

Veteran Javier Vazquez (13-3 MMA, 0-1 UFC) will replace injured Mark Hominick (16-8 MMA, 0-2 WEC) and meet promotional newcomer Deividas Taurosevicius (10-3 MMA, 0-0 WEC) at next month's WEC 43 event.

MMAjunkie.com's John Morgan broke news of the fight change on his Dallas Morning News MMA blog today.

The nature of Hominick's injury was not disclosed. Bout agreements are expected to be finalized today.

WEC 43, originally scheduled for Sept. 2 in Youngstown, Ohio, now takes place Oct. 18 at the 18,000-seat AT&T Center in San Antonio, Texas. Benson Henderon and Donald Cerrone fight for a WEC interim lightweight title in the night's main event.

Vazquez looks to rebound from his razor-thin split-decision loss to L.C. Davis at August's WEC 42 event. Prior to the defeat, "Showtime," who's posted nine stoppages in 13 career victories, had posted a four-fight win streak, which included a pair of wins in the now-defunct EliteXC organization.

Taurosevicius, meanwhile, makes his WEC debut at the upcoming show. The Lithuanian most recently fought in a May 2008 unanimous-decision loss to Ryan Schultz. The loss snapped the fighter's six-fight win streak, which included three wins in the now-defunct IFL.

Taurosevicius was one of a handful of fighters picked up by the UFC's parent company following the promotional demise of Affliction.

As MMAjunkie.com reported last week, the WEC 43 fight card also recently underwent a change when Noah Thomas (13-5 MMA, 0-1 WEC) agreed to replace an injured Rafael Rebello. Thomas now fights Scott Jorgensen (6-3 MMA, 2-2 WEC). Like the Vazquez vs. Taurosevicius fight, Thomas vs. Jorgensen takes place on the night's preliminary card.

The latest WEC 43 card now includes:

MAIN CARD

* Donald Cerrone vs. Benson Henderson (for WEC interim lightweight title)
* Dave Jansen vs. Richard Crunkilton Jr.
* Damacio Page and Akitoshi Tamura
* Rafael Assuncao vs. Yves Jabouin

PRELIMINARY CARD

* Muhsin Corbbrey vs. Anthony Njokuani
* Scott Jorgensen vs. Noah Thomas
* Wagnney Fabiano vs. Erik Koch
* Manny Tapia vs. Eddie Wineland
* Charlie Valencia vs. Coty Wheeler
* Deividas Taurosevicius vs. Javier Vazquez

 

[Shogun Locc]

WESLEY MURCH STEALS SHOW AT ULTIMATE CHALLENGE

Ultimate Challenge ran its second event in as many months with an MMA card stack full of stoppages as fighter’s escewed the judge’s scorecards and took matters into their own hands. Best finish of the night had to go to Wesley Murch, who was on the back foot early against highly regarded lightweight prospect Mark Smith, but scored the win via Kimura.

Having comfortably nullified his opponent’s jiu-jitsu attack early on by blasting his way out of an armbar. Smith tried to recover his energy whilst working from within his opponent’s closed guard. He made a mistake whilst trying to scramble following a failed guard pass and found himself on the wrong end of the submission mere moments from the bell.

A close runner up to the above submission was Francis Heagney’s Ultimate Challenge lightweight title winning effort over Tim Radcliffe via Guillotine. The southpaw grappling specialist delivered all manner of problems for Heagney standing, as he was unable to get his big overhand right into play. So changing tactics, he decided to play him at his own game: on the mat. The surprise submission came out of nowhere in the second round as Radcliffe thought he was safe working for the defense. Visibly dejected, Radcliffe should take pride in his efforts standing; everyone gets caught by something they are comfortable with on occasion.

Having come to play on four days notice, last minute replacement Chris Harman made light heavyweight Jake Bostwick work all the way to the third round for his victory. Peppering with strikes, sticking and moving, parrying well, and using a lot of feigns to keep his heavy handed opponent at bay proved to be an intelligent strategy for the natural middleweight. In the third round Bostwick landed the takedown and started to apply pressure with strikes to setup the fight ending rear naked choke.

Heavyweight’s collided as nightclub owner Kiane Sabet made his MMA debut against Ben Smith in a bout that played out as many expected: with Smith looking for the double leg and Sabet looking to land his strikes. The latter displayed a good sprawl pattern and kept his hips out of obvious way, forcing Smith into an upper body takedown. Ultimately, Sabet’s relative inexperience in the finer side of guard work allowed Smith to pass and setup the arm triangle for victory, but he acquitted himself much better than many expected.

Mark Adams made a huge impression with his dominant display of aggression over the tough Simon Gill. Having started the bout with an array of kicks and punches, it became clear that Gill had to use his jiu-jitsu to secure victory. Unfortunately for him, Adams listened to his corner throughout the bout and backed up to his feet before coming unstuck. Three knockdowns later and a tired Gill fell to the guillotine submission off a scramble.

Ground and pound stoppages featured heavily with Jim O’Keefe forcing Danny Beevor to hold on for dear life, Dan Mohavedi hammered Michael Sidwell from rear side control, Colin French threw Liam Etabar around defending the armbar before blasting him on the ground, and Mike Edwards put Jamie Hearn back in the casket from mount.

Rounding out the card, Shane Omar submitted Marcus Thomas via Kimura and John Kelly worked hard for the rear naked choke over the slippery Keith Singh.

Full Results
-Ben Smith def Kiane Sabet via Arm Triangle R1 3:09
-Francis Heagney def Tim Radcliffe via Guilletine R2 3:12
-Mike Edwards def Jamie Hearn via GnP R1 2:13
-Wesley Murch def Mark Smith via kimura R1 4:55
-Jake Bostwick def Chris Harman via RNC R3 2:30
-Colin French def Liam Etabar via ref stop GnP R1 2:56
-John Kelly def Keith Singh via RNC R2 5:00
-Dan Movahedi def Michael Sidwell via GnP R1 1:37
-Shane Omar def Marcus Thomas via T/O Kimura R1 2:24
-Mark Adams def Simon Gill via T/O Guillotine R2 1.51
-Jim O’Keefe def Danny Beevor via GnP R1 2:54
-Mark Brown v Karl Lawrence (Didn’t happen as Brown failed Medical)

UK1Kickboxing Middleweight Title:
-Alex Reid def Jack Mason via unanimous decision R3 3:00

 

[Shogun Locc]

PAUL DALEY PROVES HE IS A FIGHTER'S FIGHTER

Anytime a fighter makes their UFC debut the butterflies are expected to flutter in the stomach, but according to British heavy hitter Paul "Semtex" Daley, he was calm, cool and collected as he walked into the Octagon and knocked out Top 10 welterweight Martin Kampmann.

Stepping in for the injured Mike Swick on short notice, Daley came into the fight with Kampmann as an underdog, but soon evened the odds as he punished the Danish fighter with heavy left hands and finally put him away in the latter part of the first round.

"I was really calm, I think the reception from the fans was a lot different that what I’ve experienced before, that did well to settle me," Daley told MMAWeekly.com of his lack of nerves before the fight. "Everyone's cheering you on, and I think it played a big part in me feeling so calm."

The end of the fight brought about some controversy. Daley was pouncing on Kampmann with a number of unanswered shots, but the tough as nails fighter did not drop, while appearing completely out on his feet. The referee swooped in for the save. While it seemed obvious that Kampmann was done, the questions were still raised because he did not fall to the mat.

"It was a fair stoppage, I don’t know what they could complain about," said Daley. "I knocked him out, hit him, woke him up, knocked him out again, woke him up, at which point Yves Lavigne stepped in."

When he moved to the UFC after the disbanding of the Affliction promotion, Daley was already set to be a mainstay on the cards in his home country of England, but instead got the call to fight on the main card of a show in the United States. Now, after knocking out Martin Kampmann, the question is up in the air as to who or where he might fight next.

"I'm wondering if they know what they want to do with me, put me back on the British cards as a draw there, or keep me out here and fight some contenders," Daley commented.

Early rumors have circled that the UFC may place Daley in a fight against Kampmann's original UFC 103 opponent, Mike Swick, when he's back to 100%. No matter who it is, Daley has now proven he belongs in the UFC, and the welterweight division can take notice.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Edson Draggo interview

One year and three months after suffer a serious motorcycle accident in Rio de Janeiro, Edson Draggo is already back to training and waits for a chance to get in a MMA ring one more time. Former Pride fighter, Draggo win nine victories in 12 fights, including four straight wins in less then 45 seconds. On Bitteti Combat’s backstage, the heavyweight spoke with TATAME.com about his recovering and the desire to get back to rings.

You’re a little out of the scene after that motorcycle accident. How was your recovering?
Thanks God I could get back to train after a year and two months. I made a shoulder surgery, that was stopping me to fight, but now I’m back to activities and I’m waiting an invitation to be back on fighting as soon as possible.

Are you ready to fight already?
I’m already training everything and feel and no pain, thanks God. Six months ago I had back on training Wrestling strong, Jiu-Jitsu, Muai Thai... I’ll prepare myself, because I want to fight.

Are going to fight on the heavyweight division? How much do you weight now?
Always... I’m with 253 pounds now. But I like to fight with 238, that’s the weight I used to fight and that I feel good.

Where are you training now?
I had to make a shoulder surgery and was training on south of Brazil, but now I’m in Rio to decide where I’m going to stay. I’ll be on the better team and wait for invitations to fight. As I train for a long time with Minotauro and Minotouro, and this team is between the bests, I think I’m gonna stay here with them.

After one year without fighting, what do you think you’ll feel most on your return?
I think that will be the fight, the rhythm. I think I’ll feel this a little bit, but I think that with one or two fights I’ll feel good again to give a show to everybody. I want to come back. I want to make two fights in Brazil, be back on the fight rhythm, then get some contract overseas.

 

[B-Buzz]

if anyone's a fan of Lee Murray, Darren Aronofsky (Requiem For A Dream, The Wrestler) is working on a movie about the bank heist he was involved in.

http://www.slashfilm.com/2009/09/21/darren-aronofsky-developing-worlds-biggest-heist-movie/

 

[Shogun Locc]

McCarthy's Return to Nevada Nixed

Veteran referee “Big” John McCarthy has not been issued a license to officiate events in Nevada after applying with the state’s athletic commission earlier this month.

In a mailed letter from Keith Kizer, executive director of the Nevada State Athletic Commission, McCarthy, who submitted his application Sept. 10, was informed that the state “[does] not anticipate adding any additional referees at this time. We will place your application in the pending file in case the situation changes.”

McCarthy, who has refereed nearly 600 MMA events worldwide since UFC 2 in March 1994, would seem a welcome addition to any commission staff, but the iconic referee said he applied with no expectations.

“I don’t look at it like that. A license to referee or judge with an athletic commission -- it’s not a right,” he said. “It’s a privilege. Everyone kept bringing up the fact that I wasn’t licensed in Nevada, so I said, ‘Alright, I’ll apply.’”

McCarthy retired from officiating in December 2007 to pursue a career in broadcasting. After various stints with The Fight Network and then as a commentator for Affliction Entertainment’s first event, McCarthy’s absence from the sport’s flagship promotion stood in stark contrast to the game’s early days, when he refereed virtually every main event from 1994-2001.

McCarthy left the network in September 2008, citing breach of contract. He was re-licensed in California, his home state, and has maintained licenses in Ohio, Utah and jurisdictions in Canada. He returned to the role he originated in the U.S. at a Strikeforce event last November.

In recent years, MMA officiating has been scrutinized often, with discussions ranging from the timing of referee stoppages to judging scores. Nevada officiating, where a majority of the higher profile UFC events take place, has not been excluded and often highlighted.

In particular, McCarthy was often asked to draw upon his 15-plus years as a referee in his various broadcasting positions when commenting on his former colleagues’ performances.

In October 2008, Yahoo Sports’ Kevin Iole addressed a reader question in a mailbag about whether or not McCarthy’s comments on officiating had him on the outs with the NSAC. Iole wrote “... a little birdie tells me Kizer, one of the sport’s most influential regulators, is none too pleased with McCarthy these days for criticisms McCarthy delivered of him. It’s not to say that it’s impossible, but he’s got a long road ahead of him.”

In a March interview with Sherdog.com, McCarthy stressed that his issues were not with the UFC, nor personally aimed at Kizer and the NSAC.

“I had a criticism toward people being put into place as far as officiating,” said McCarthy. “I have a problem when you have an official who is put into place to have an impact on the sport I love when they don’t understand the sport, when they don’t understand what the fighters are doing. They understand someone getting hit in the face. They don’t understand the manipulations of the ground game and who is winning the fight. I probably should’ve shut my mouth because I’ve got a big mouth, and it’s got me in a lot of trouble, but it’s the truth. I want everyone to understand what is really happening in the sport so they can make educated decisions and judgments.”

When asked if Iole’s characterizations held water, Kizer replied via email: “I do not know who Kevin’s ‘little birdie’ is, and would no more speak for Kevin than I would for you. However, I can tell you I have always appreciated constructive and/or truthful criticism, regardless of source.”

White, who criticized McCarthy and his involvement with rival promotion Affliction, was surprised by the NSAC’s decision.

“Wow. That is my reaction,” said White. “Having a license is a privilege, and John said a lot of s--t about the Nevada commission and other commissions.”

Asked if McCarthy’s past comments or a perceived animosity felt for McCarthy by the UFC over his Affliction gig may have played a role in his application for a Nevada license being placed in the “pending” file, both Kizer and McCarthy declined comment.

Kizer said the NSAC currently has six referees licensed to work MMA fights, with a current “pending” list of 20-30 applicants vying for an opening in one of those existing slots, most of which will never work in Nevada due to the high qualifications demanded and extreme rarity of an opening. The short list is exactly that, he adds, so qualified referees get enough work to stay sharp.

“We keep our list very short,” Kizer said of the existing list of approved MMA refs, “mainly because we want to keep people busy. We probably have about 20 cards a year. Some states may have 100 people licensed, but how often can they work? You want to have enough work for [referees]. It’s very important that the ref, doctor and inspectors communicate during a fight.”

Given the existing list of six licensed referees and numerous applicants, Kizer could not say when an opening would materialize.

“No one’s been turned down [for a license],” said Kizer. “He’s applied, and he’s in the file with other applicants.”

Since taking the job as NSAC executive director in 2006, Kizer said two referees have been added to the state’s list of licensed MMA referees.

White was noncommittal as to whether or not the UFC would have an issue with McCarthy working its U.K. shows. There, the promotion assigns its own referees in the absence of regulatory agencies.

“I don’t know. I just don’t know,” said White. “I would never say never, but …”

However, it appears some are anxious to see the 6-foot-2 referee return to the Octagon. In recent weeks, fans have organized campaigns -- some sent directly to White’s Twitter account -- asking that McCarthy be utilized at UFC 104 on Oct. 24 in Los Angeles.

McCarthy, who had extensive involvement with drafting and shaping the unified rules that now govern most of the sport, said his time away from refereeing helped him realize how much he loved the job, one for which he literally built the template through the sport’s early days. Nevada or not, he’s glad to be back in the mix, wherever he can work.

“I just keep doing what I’m doing,” he said. “I’m a very busy person. I have no problems with anybody in Nevada. I think the most important thing is you’ve got to be someone who’s honest and has integrity. Don’t be influenced by outside things, what fans are saying. You let the fighters do their thing. They’re the ones that should be deciding the fight.

“When you do your job right as a referee, there’s not gonna be a lot of people saying things,” continued McCarthy. “The sport is growing; the officiating is having to grow with it. The whole reason I’m [back] reffing is because it’s what I love to do, and I’m going to enjoy doing what I’m doing.”

 

[Shogun Locc]

Fight Path: WCF's Hitalo Machado stealthily made the move to pro MMA

It was a cut on his forehead that gave Hitalo Machado away. stealthily

"The day before the weigh-in, I told my mom I was going to a fight, and she thought it was another jiu-jitsu tournament," Machado was saying Monday night. "After the fight (in April), I called her and I said, 'Mom, I'm at the hospital, and I'm getting stitched up.'

"She said, 'How could you get cut? It was a jiu-jitsu tournament.' I said, 'Mom, it was an MMA fight.' She didn't even believe me."

And so, three years after his first MMA fight, Machado's mother – even though they are originally from Brazil and part of a family that is entrenched in martial-arts training – finally found out he was fighting.

Now, the 23-year-old from Danbury, Conn., hopes it doesn't take the rest of the MMA world quite as long.

His next step is a matchup against John Benoit in the Massachusetts-based World Championship Fighting's Saturday event in Wilmington, Mass. The 155-pound fight against the more-experienced Benoit could've been seen as a boost to his career, but then, Machado has been battling more experienced fighters throughout most of his career.

Even though he trained at the American Top Team gym in Connecticut, and even though his instructor, Luigi Modelli, is a jiu-jitsu black belt, Machado and his teammates have struggled for attention in New England.

But he feels he's ready for more. With a 4-3 record, Machado has fought a majority of his opponents on their home turf, but he's as experienced in martial arts training as many up-and-comers out there. In judo since a young age, jiu jitsu since age 13 and Muay Thai not long after, Machado had put in plenty of time at the gym.

Now, he feels, it's time to make a major move.

"I see a lot of guys with similar records, 4-2 or 4-3, fighting other guys who are 4-2 or 4-3," Machado said. "It hasn't been like that for me, I've had to take fights against guys who are more experienced than I am. Now I have to prove to myself that I'm worth it, that I'm worth paying attention to."

A native Brazilian

Machado was born in Brazil, and he and his parents moved to Connecticut when he was about 8. By age 13, he was following in the family line – tread by several uncles and cousins – by taking up jiu jitsu.

He was lucky, he says, to fall under the tutelage of Modelli at ATT.

"He grew up in Rio, in Brazil, and he moved here to teach," Machado said. "We're extremely fortunate that he's here."

Machado also had competition in his own family. A younger brother, age 20, is a naturally skilled jiu-jitsu artist – one of those fighters, Machado said, who can rarely go to the gym, slap on a gi and still tear up any competition around him.

But genes could only take Machado so far. While friends and schoolmates were partying, slacking or otherwise falling into stereotypes of high school experiences, Machado was focusing on his family and his training.

Mostly, he had to be careful about his mother learning too much. Being from Brazil, she had mental visions of a more brutal form of fighting when Machado and friends would watch tapes of early UFC events in his living room. She wondered aloud how anyone could be interested in such brutality.

Machado, though, was indeed interested. While going through technical school to earn his education in plumbing and heating, he was regularly at the gym, at one point even moving in with Modelli for a time. Modelli was a father figure for Machado, whose own father had moved back to Brazil when his parents divorced and whose stepfather took some warming up to.

"It was a big help," Machado said of his long-time commitment to martial arts aiding his fighting career. "Other guys my age, they're married or have kids, or still out partying, and there's nothing wrong with that. But I chose this. I'm fighting, and I'm teaching, and I'm doing what I love."

From plumbing to full-time fighting

After making his pro debut in February 2006 at a World Fighting League event, Machado headed to an eight-man tournament at 155 pounds. After a loss to Douglas Brown, Machado spent some time reviewing his next opponent, Corey Patterson, for a November 2006 Full Force Productions show.

"He looked like a pretty tough guy," Machado said. "I told my instructor, 'I can't beat this guy.' I was working construction 10 or 12 hours a day and then training, and I reached a point where I couldn't beat the guys I wanted to fight with that schedule.

"Luckily, I found a place I could teach, and I committed to training."

Machado began his career 4-1 before losing his past two fights by second-round submission and third-round technical knockout. The technical knockout was caused by the cut on Machado's head that led to his mother's discovery of his fighting career.

Even though he had been hiding his career from his mother, though, Machado's close family ties are a benefit to him, he said. But, a family name that is known in New England martial arts and a decorated instructor can only take a person so far.

Being from Connecticut, not the best-known nest for MMA, Machado has an added uphill climb in using his traditional martial arts skills and experience he gains in teaching to win fights.

"It's been hard; the key is getting a good manager, someone to look out for me and some other fighters, to get exposure to outside here of (the) New England area," Machado said. "I fought in Illinois, in Arkansas; I had to go there and take extremely hard fights just to be taken serious by organizations outside (the) New England area. Then we have to prove we belong."

 

[Shogun Locc]

UFC 103's undercard broadcast on Spike TV earns 1.4 million viewers

The UFC's first-ever Spike TV broadcast of a pay-per-view event's preliminary card drew 1.4 million viewers according to a report issued today by the cable television network.

The viewership included 1.5 rating in the coveted 18-to-34 year old male demographic, qualifying it as the No. 2 rated program in that segment.

The one-hour broadcast earned a higher rating than ESPN2's coverage of an NCAA college football game between Auburn and West Virginia during the 9 p.m. to 10 p.m. ET time slot.

ABC's broadcast of an NCAA college football game between top-ranked Texas and rival Texas Tech proved the highest-rated program in any Saturday night time slot.

Saturday's one-hour special served as a lead-in for the "UFC 103: Franklin vs. Belfort" pay-per-view broadcast. "The Ultimate Fighter 8" winner Efrain Escudero defeated Cole Miller in the featured bout of the preliminary card special, while Tomasz Drwal also submitted Drew McFedries.

The total viewership of 1.4 million viewers for UFC 103's preliminary card special earned Spike TV a 1.0 household rating.

While the figure pales in comparison to the Sept. 16 mark of 2.9 million viewers that tuned into Spike TV to watch "UFC Fight Night 19: Diaz vs. Guillard," the network will undoubtedly view Saturday's ratings as a success – especially when considering the event featured only preliminary card matchups.

UFC president Dana White has maintained he is unsure if the organization will repeat the broadcast strategy on future cards.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Change of plans means UFC's Frank Trigg not cut after all, will get another fight

Maybe it was a change of plans. Or a change of heart. Or simply a matter of the Ultimate Fighting Championship again listening to what the fans overwhelmingly wanted.

Whatever the reason, one thing is certain: Frank Trigg will get another UFC fight.

As MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) reported on Monday, UFC president Dana White on Saturday suggested Trigg would be dropped by the organization following his weekend UFC 103 loss to Josh Koscheck in Dallas. But on Monday, the veteran fighter learned he'll get another UFC fight.

"They said I'll get one more shot, another fight, to prove I belong here," Trigg told MMAjunkie.com. "If I win, they've got to keep me around. If I lose and it's back-to-back losses, they'll probably drop me, rightfully so."

After a four-year absence from the organization, Trigg posted a 7-3 record (including a 4-1 mark after dropping to welterweight) in outside organizations to earn his way back. However, he faced a stern test in that first fight back when he took on Koscheck, a fighter widely regarded as one of the 170-pound division's best.

In their main-card bout on the UFC 103 pay-per-view broadcast, Koscheck caught Trigg with a right hand early in the fight, and the former University of Oklahoma All-American wrestler was tagged with the TKO stoppage loss seconds later.

"No disrespect to Koscheck, but the fight only went a minute (and) 40 (seconds), and he only got in one good shot," Trigg said. "In my mind, nothing really happened. I got caught. We could fight again, and I think it would be an entirely different outcome."

Trigg was first notified of White's post-fight comments when contacted by MMAjunkie.com on Monday, and he said he was surprised for a few different reasons.

"My understanding when I signed my deal – well, at first, they offered me a fight with Johny Hendricks," Trigg said. "But I didn't want that fight because I know Johny and used to train him. A couple weeks later, they offered me Josh Koscheck. They said, 'We gave Josh a couple options, and he chose you too.'

Based on skill level and the fact that Hendricks is still fairly new to the MMA game, that fight would have been an easier one for Trigg. But after being told he wouldn't be dropped if he lost to Koscheck, Trigg said he was willing to take the fight.

"They basically said, 'If you lose, we have to keep you for one more fight since Josh is a top-five guy and it's such a tough fight," he said. "That's why I was so surprised that Dana said that I was being cut."

Now with the reprieve, though, Trigg is looking ahead to his next fight. The former ICON Sport middleweight champ said he prefers a bout sooner rather than later. He would like to fight in his hometown of Las Vegas, which hosts UFC cards in December and January. And he'd be ready for either since he'll be back in the gym and training on Monday, he said.

If not one of those cards, though, Trigg said he'd love to compete on a rumored February 2010 event in Australia, which would mark the UFC's debut on the continent.

"I've never been there," he said. "If that card comes to fruition, that'd be a great one."

Trigg also wanted to clarify comments he made in our first report. The 37-year-old fighter said that if the UFC drops him, he'd likely retire from the sport because he doesn't want to fight in MMA's minor leagues again. Although some fans took that to mean he's ready to retire now, Trigg said that's not the case.

"I'm ready to fight, and I want to fight," he said. "But I just want to fight in the UFC."

 

[Shogun Locc]

Daniel Cormier heads list of five fighters hosting open workout in Tulsa

Former U.S. Olympic wrestler Daniel Cormier is among five Strikeforce fighters featured in an open workout on Wednesday in anticipation of Friday's "Strikeforce Challengers" event outside of Tulsa, Okla.

Fans are invited to attend Wednesday's session, which begins at 1 p.m. CT (2 p.m. ET) at Apollo's Martial Arts at 9522 E. 51st St. in Tulsa.

In addition to the debuting Cormier, "Strikeforce Challengers: Kennedy vs. Cummings" fighters Nick Gibbons, Trey Houston, Thomas Longacre and Jeri Sitzes will also participate in the session.

A former two-time Olmpian, Cormier makes his professional MMA debut on the Showtime-televised portion of Friday's "Strikeforce Challengers: Kennedy vs. Cummings" event at SpiritBank Event Center in Bixby, Okla.

Longacre faces Tulsa's Travis Calano in a bout that is also featured on the televised portion of the event.

Gibbons, Houston and Sitzes compete on the night's preliminary card.

Featuring a main event between middleweight prospects Tim Kennedy and Zak Cummings, Friday's "Strikeforce Challengers" event includes:

MAIN CARD

* Zak Cummings vs. Tim Kennedy
* Kevin Jordan vs. Ray Sefo
* Zach Light vs. Tyron Woodley
* Travis Calonoc vs. Thomas Longacre
* Daniel Cormier vs. Gary Frazier

PRELIMINARY CARD

* Lacey Schuckman vs. Jeri Sitzes
* Levi Avera vs. Paul Bradley
* Brandon Gaines vs. Trey Houston
* John Carson vs. Kenny Giddens
* Nick Gibbons vs. Josh Pulsifer
* Lemont Davis vs. Dillon Smith