MMA News Thread

[Shogun Locc]

Andrews Nakahara Interview

While Dream don’t define when Andrews Nakahara will be back to the rings, the Karate fighter talked with TATAME.com about his return, the training in São Paulo, and reveled that he’s not a middleweight fighter anymore. “I’m changing the weight and I’ll fight until 170 pounds. I’ve always weighted myself with clothes on and I hit 184 pounds, so I spoke with Francisco Filho and decided to change. My weight is, usually, 176, so it’s easier to go down. My next fight will be at the welterweight division“, said the Brazilian, commenting the Karate’s growing on MMA, the possible fight between Anderson Silva e Vitor Belfort.

When will you be back at Dream?
I didn’t signed anything yet, I’m still talking with them, but there’s nothing confirmed. Maybe on October 25, we’re waiting to see what happens.

What did you think about the Dream’s news, replacing the ring by a hexagon?
It’s good... I think that, for me, don’t change a lot, I have never fought in a ring and made my debut in there and, as I have a few fights, I don’t have much experience and it won’t change a lot. Besides that, I think octagon better than the ring.

How are the training?
I’m training always, waiting to see. When I sign my next fight, I’ll be ready. I’m training to fight, but there’s nothing for sure.

Who do you think that Dream will put you against?
I’m changing the weight and I’ll fight until 170 pounds. I’ve always weighted myself with clothes on and I hit 184 pounds, so I spoke with Francisco Filho and decided to change. My weight is, usually, 176, so it’s easier to go down. My next fight will be at the welterweight division.

Do you made the experience to see how you’ll handle this weight?
I hold myself and hit 170 ponds, without too much torture, so I know I can make weight easily.

You debuted in MMA against Kazushi Sakuraba. How did it help you to develop yourself as an athlete?
I think it was good because now, when they offer me a fight, they say that the guy is experienced. I fought Sakuraba, why wouldn’t I take it? Let’s go for it... I think I’ve learned a lot fighting with him on my first fight, I even lost. Sometimes when you win you don’t see your mistakes, and when you lose you see everything easily.

How do you see the Karate growing on MMA?
That’s good for people that practice Karate, teaches. Now there are more people showing up and they look more for Karate. They used to talk only about Muay Thai and KickBoxing, now Karate is coming too. The number of students increased, people go to see how it is and they like the style.

What did you think about Vitor Belfort training Karate? Do you think that this made any difference on his last fight?
He’s training and that’s good for him, I think he’ll learn a lot of new techniques, but I think he couldn’t catch the spirit yet, because he trained only three months and it’s really hard to understand what Karate is in three months. It’s the same think that you don’t know anything about Jiu-Jitsu and try to learn in three months.

How do you think it would be a fight between Belfort and Anderson, that trains with Lyoto?
To tell you the truth we were talking about this fight right now. I’d like to see this fight, but I think Anderson would win.

Do you see anybody in this division that can beat Anderson?
As Anderson said, it might have somebody, but no one knows where that guy is (laughs).

 

[Shogun Locc]

Strikeforce's Nov. 20 "Challengers Series" event likely headed to Kansas City

While the California-based Strikeforce organization has yet to officially announce a recently rumored Nov. 20 event, MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) has learned that Kansas City, Kan., is the likely locale for the new card.

Sources close to the organization indicated Strikeforce is nearing a deal to secure Memorial Hall, site of August's "M-1 Global presents Breakthrough," for the as-yet-unannounced card.

The "Challenger Series" event is the third scheduled card for Strikeforce in November.

Strikeforce officials were unavailable for comment when contacted by MMAjunkie.com.

While there have been no official announcements regarding potential competitors at the event, a female matchup between Kim Couture and Kerry Vera is expected for the card, and heavyweight Roger Gracie has also mentioned his possible participation.

While Strikeforce has yet to make official mention of the Nov. 20 card, the organization already has back-to-back events planned for earlier in the month.

"Strikeforce Challengers: Evangelista vs. Gurgel" takes place Nov. 6 in Fresno, Calif., while the long-awaited organizational debut of Fedor Emelianenko at "Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Rogers" will be made on the CBS-broadcast portion of the Nov. 7 event in Hoffman Estates, Ill., just outside of Chicago.

 

[Shogun Locc]

MACDONALD EYES REDEMPTION IN MFC RETURN

Canadian middleweight Jason “The Athlete” MacDonald’s time in the UFC could be best described as tenuous.

Wins alternated with losses and eventually, after back-to-back defeats in his last two bouts for the promotion, he was released from the company.

After taking some time off to get his bearings, MacDonald returns to his native Canada to begin putting together the pieces of his fragmented career for the MFC promotion this Friday against fellow former UFC fighter Travis Lutter.

“I just returned home to Alberta from Las Vegas, training for three weeks at Robert Drysdale’s and Xtreme Couture,” MacDonald told MMAWeekly.com heading into Friday’s MFC 22. “Training camp went well and I’m ready for the fight.”

As MacDonald puts it, returning home after his time in the UFC is a mixed bag of emotions.

“Obviously it’s a little bit bittersweet that I was let go by the UFC, but luckily the MFC and HDNet are giving fighters a good opportunity to fight top level guys outside the UFC,” he commented. “I think this match-up with Travis Lutter is a good example of that.

“I’m excited to come back here and get back on a winning streak and do it in front of all the fans that supported me when I was an up-and-coming fighter in the early days.”

Not one to back down from a challenge, MacDonald acknowledges his willingness to take on anyone from Rich Franklin to Yushin Okami to Nate Quarry contributed to his inconsistency and eventual release from the UFC.

“I wish I knew exactly what I had to do to have that consistency and maybe I would have already had it sooner,” he admitted. “I think I was stepping up and fighting the tough fights, and I was having a problem putting winning streaks and consistency together.

“I would go out there and win a big fight, look great, and then come back and struggle a little bit. I think that is the biggest struggle for a fighter, to go out there and put on a great fight every time you step in the ring, it’s hard to do.”

MacDonald also feels the expectation to win every time out subverted his focus from simply going out and fighting.

“I think for me, being in the UFC was a lot of pressure to go out there and win fights,” he said. “I had some great fights in the UFC, but my last two fights resulted in a loss and were probably the worst performances I’ve had in my career, so it’s important for me to just go out there and fight and do the things I’m capable of doing.

“Being back here and coming back to the MFC has kind of taken some pressure off me. There’s not so much emphasis put on winning, so what’s really important to me right now is to go out there and just have a great fight.”

The road back for MacDonald is as always a challenge, as he takes on former UFC middleweight title contender Travis Lutter, who is also looking for a way back to their former company.

“Travis is a tough fighter; he’s very dangerous and came the closest to beating Anderson Silva,” commented MacDonald. “He’s got a world class fight game, and if he gets you down early in the fight he’s a very dangerous guy. If he’s not able to do that or submit you early, he tends to fade a little bit.

“I think one of my strengths is that I get better as the fight goes on. I think it’s a great match-up. He’s going to come out there and try to submit me early, and I’m going to try to push him and see what he has in the later rounds.”

As is always the goal of any top fighter, returning to the top of the game is what drives MacDonald to continue fighting.

“I’m fully focused and I’m not looking past Travis Lutter, but I’m certainly looking to get back in the UFC,” he stated. “I think Travis is one of the surest roads out there. Beating a guy of Travis’ caliber, it makes the road back to the UFC a little bit shorter.

“At the end of the day I would like to get back in the UFC and have a few more great fights there and finish out my career on a great note and on my own terms.”

To get back to the UFC and earn his redemption MacDonald must first toe this line and prove he has what it takes to be a consistent fighter at the highest levels of MMA.

“As always I would like to say thank you to my sponsors: Metal Mulisha, Magnum Nutrition, and Hitman Fight Gear,” he said in closing. “Also I’d like to say thanks to the guys at Xtreme Couture and Robert Drysdale’s for letting me come out there and helping prepare me for this fight.

“I’m going to go out there and just put on great fight for the fans and all the people watching on HDNet. I know if I do that I’ll come away with a win.”

 

[Shogun Locc]

Strikeforce's Nov. 20 "Challengers Series" event likely headed to Kansas City

While the California-based Strikeforce organization has yet to officially announce a recently rumored Nov. 20 event, MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) has learned that Kansas City, Kan., is the likely locale for the new card.

Sources close to the organization indicated Strikeforce is nearing a deal to secure Memorial Hall, site of August's "M-1 Global presents Breakthrough," for the as-yet-unannounced card.

The "Challenger Series" event is the third scheduled card for Strikeforce in November.

Strikeforce officials were unavailable for comment when contacted by MMAjunkie.com.

While there have been no official announcements regarding potential competitors at the event, a female matchup between Kim Couture and Kerry Vera is expected for the card, and heavyweight Roger Gracie has also mentioned his possible participation.

While Strikeforce has yet to make official mention of the Nov. 20 card, the organization already has back-to-back events planned for earlier in the month.

"Strikeforce Challengers: Evangelista vs. Gurgel" takes place Nov. 6 in Fresno, Calif., while the long-awaited organizational debut of Fedor Emelianenko at "Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Rogers" will be made on the CBS-broadcast portion of the Nov. 7 event in Hoffman Estates, Ill., just outside of Chicago.

 

[Shogun Locc]

WEC HOPES TV STORM CLEARS; PLANS 2010 PPV

According to WEC Founder and General Manager Reed Harris, 75,000 people have let DirecTV know how they feel about Versus' absence from the cable company.

A month ago, DirecTV subscribers, which number 14 million, turned on their televisions to find a blue screen with a message scrawled across it: “Versus is no longer available on this channel. Comcast, which owns Versus, has forced us to take down the channel because we will not submit to their unfair and outrageous demands.”

In subsequent days, DirecTV executives claimed the Comcast-owned Versus was gouging their company in asking for a 20 percent hike in the cost to air the channel. Versus countered by pointing out, accurately, that the cable provider intended to move them to a cable platform that would reach less than half the homes the channel was available on.

Versus then took its case to the public, purchasing ads in national newspapers accusing the cable provider of denying fans access to their favorite sports, including the WEC.

The situation has yet to be resolved, but WEC officials are hopeful there will be a resolution soon.

“I know they are talking, both sides are talking, and they’re working hard to resolve this,” said WEC vice president Peter Dropick. “DirecTV and Versus are both great partners of ours – we hope they resolve it. I feel good about it and I think they’ll work something out soon.”

Whether DirecTV and Versus make nice or not, WEC is moving full speed ahead with six shows planned through spring, and 10 to 12 total in 2010.

“Our next show is in November (in Las Vegas), we have a show in December, a show in January, that’s a far as we’ve planned at this point,” said Harris, adding that they don’t yet have venues locked down for December or January.

“Those are all going to be on Versus. But we are definitely gonna go in 2010 to that pay-per-view model.”

Pay-per-view is something that’s been on back burner for some time, but timing is key. A plan is in the works, possibly coinciding with the summer months when Versus gets busy with professional cycling.

“What we know as a company is we have to have very compelling fights in order to have a successful pay-per-view and that’s what we’re working towards on our free TV side. We’re providing fights in the next few months that will be compelling and also make sense as far as who’s in line to fight the best in WEC,” explained Harris. “And once we determine that, we’re gonna have those guys go on pay-per-view and fight it out.”

Scheduling a pay-per-view, again, comes down to timing and TV. Harris said, “It depends on Versus and the schedule for Tour De France. We may use a particular month to take a month off Versus and do a pay-per-view.”

Regardless of how things unfold between Versus and DirecTV, pay-per-view, and the busy schedule, 2010 promises to be the busiest year in WEC history.

 

[Shogun Locc]

After Shooting, Johnson Working on Return

For Lavar Johnson, it was supposed to be a night of family and Fourth of July fun. Settled into an Independence Day celebration with relatives in Bakersfield, Calif., Johnson was fresh off the biggest performance of his career, an 18-second knockout of Carl Seumanutafa at Strikeforce’s May 15 card. Televised on Showtime, the bout was an impressive performance on a huge stage.

But on this night, Johnson encountered the kind of violence that has no rules and operates entirely on the whims of those deranged enough to perpetuate it.

“We were just having a family reunion at my uncle’s house. It really was a lot of old people. I was one of the youngest guys, and I’m 32. We had people come from Chicago, my cousin was in from Texas,” Johnson said. “We were hanging out and about to call it a night at 12. Then three kids, two guys, 19 and 20, and a 15-year-old girl … they just walked up to the party and started shooting.

Five people at the party were hit, including Anthony Mack Johnson, Lavar’s cousin, dying from his wounds. Lavar sustained wounds to the lower back, forearm and abdomen. Anthony, 37, and a father of three, was in town from Texas to take part in the reunion.

“I was talking to Anthony when it happened,” he said. “He was sitting on his motorcycle by the gate to the house. It was the Fourth of July, so (initially) I didn’t pay attention.”

After the shooting started, Johnson still reacted admirably given the circumstances, jumping on a 10-year-old girl to shield her from the gunfire.

“After that I waited a while and then they came and got her,” he said. “That’s when I knew I was hit.”

Since the shooting, Bakersfield police arrested suspects Laquiria Foreman, 15, and parolee Darryl Stewart, 19, with another suspect, Bennie Elwood West, still at large. According to a report in the Aug. 29 Bakersfield Californian, police believe the shooting was a retaliation against gang members at the party who had been involved in a drive-by where an associate of Foreman’s was hit.

Police continue to search for West, 19, who’s also a suspect in a March incident where authorities say he and another man abducted and raped a woman.

Court documents obtained as part of a Sept. 28 report in The Californian state that none of the victims were gang-affiliated.

At the time of the incident, Johnson, 12-3, had a fight lined up for the Aug. 15 Strikeforce card featuring Gina Carano-Cristiane "Cyborg" Santos as the main event, with James Thompson as a probable opponent. Suddenly, it’d all gone south thanks to the senseless violence of the streets.

Johnson knew things were bad, but he was composed, if concerned, en route to the hospital.

“I was worried when I got into the ambulance. I asked the guy if it was gonna be OK, and he was like, ‘I don’t know. It doesn’t look too good.’” And I thought, if it’s my time to go, it’s my time to go,” he said. “I just prayed to God up until surgery. They told me after surgery I might have to have a colostomy bag on my thigh, and I’m like, ‘Whatever you got to do to keep me alive.’ I lost like three-quarters of my blood. They stopped operating on me and continued the next day, and just left me open through the night. They spliced my intestines in six different spots. My colon was damaged, and they took out my appendix. I still have a bullet in my forearm. It’s just deep in there, and they don’t want to damage any nerves. It doesn’t hurt.”

Normally a solid 250 pounds in fighting trim, the powerfully built fighter with the nickname “Big” lost 30 pounds recovering in the hospital. He’s back to 230 and hoping to return, building on a career that had just started to take off before the shooting.

“I’m already jogging. As soon as I’m in shape and get released from the doctors, I think I’m going to get licensed. I’m pushing the issue,” he said. “And looking to get back in there.”

“Looking to get back in there” is an understatement, given the prowess Johnson’s shown. While heavyweights in mixed martial arts run the gamut from overpowering wrestlers to jiu-jitsu stylists, “Big” has a slugger’s mindset, equipped with the tools to produce highlight-reel exchanges. Johnson doesn’t come out looking to play the takedown game and work for submissions -- he’s there to bang, and with powerful hands and an explosive delivery, the Strikeforce heavyweight division could get pretty exciting once he returns, given a clean bill of health.

That roster is especially important now that the organization has signed Fedor Emelianenko, who’ll be squaring off with Brett Rogers Nov. 7 on CBS, in what could be the most important non-UFC fight card in North American MMA history.

Ironically, Rogers, a virtual unknown to fans before his shock knockout of Andrei Arlovski, finds himself pitted against the game’s eminent heavyweight thanks to a sparse talent pool amidst Strikeforce’s heavyweight ranks. But one punch can change everything, and Rogers certainly brings that possibility against the supremely composed Emelianenko.

“With MMA that’s what I love: You never know what the hell’s gonna happen,” Johnson said when asked to handicap the bout. “These heavyweights, either one can knock each other out. I don’t know. Honestly, I think Fedor will win, but Brett Rogers, if he lets his hands go like he did against Arlovski, I dunno if Fedor can handle that."

Training at AKA in San Jose, Johnson is hoping to return to top form in the coming months. He doesn’t have anything lined up for now, as he’s just working on getting back into shape.

"I always knew I could (compete at the top level). Sparring with Cain Velasquez and Paul Buentello and those guys, I do really well,” he said. “There’s not a big difference. I wanted my game to be more well-rounded."

Whatever happens, Johnson’s return makes for an inspiring story given the tragic events of July 4. And given the considerable swings of fortune that can happen in the sport, he’s maybe an impressive performance or two away from the bright lights and big stage Rogers will step to against Fedor in a few weeks.

It’s be the biggest fight of his career, for sure.

But not his life.

He’s already won that.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Lutter Edges MacDonald, Alessio KOs Fioravanti

ENOCH, Alberta -- Travis Lutter sent the MFC fans home unhappy as he defeated hometown star Jason MacDonald with a unanimous decision Saturday in the main event of MFC 22 “Payoff” at the River Cree Resort and Casino.

MacDonald, fighting in his home province for the first time in three years following a ten-fight stint in the UFC, could not find the solution on the ground fast enough to defeat the Fort Worth native.

Lutter, fighting for the first time in 18 months, took MacDonald to the ground quickly in the first and controlled the round on the mat. Lutter went from mount to back control and had MacDonald in danger with a rear-naked choke late in the first.

The second round was a carbon copy of the first, with Lutter establishing dominant position over MacDonald and once again nearly securing a choke from the back.

In the third round, MacDonald was able to establish his game plan by getting on top of Lutter. He managed to trap Lutter in the corner of the ring and land some blows, but it was too little, too late, as Lutter earned scores of 29-28 across the board.

“I definitely felt my Brazilian jiu-jitsu was the difference in the fight,” said the 36-year-old Lutter, who was the winner of “The Ultimate Fighter 4.” “When I was on top, I passed and when he was on top, he couldn’t.”

In the co-main event, Antonio McKee ground out a victory in typical fashion, as he soundly defeated Carlo Prater via unanimous decision with definitive wrestling. This fight had originally been scheduled as a five-round championship bout, but Prater missed weight by three pounds and the bout was demoted to a three-round, non-title affair.

After a brief feeling-out process, McKee took Prater down to the mat and began to land punches. The three rounds were carbon copies of each other, except for a minute in the third round where Prater managed to stuff one of McKee’s takedown attempts and sprawled nicely. Prater sustained multiple cuts around his right eye from McKee’s handiwork though.

“I really think I’m the best at 155 in the world. Who’s going to beat me?” asked the 39-year-old McKee. “(MFC owner) Mark Pavelich can try and find whoever to take my title, but I’ll just beat down their a-- as well.”

John Alessio landed a crushing blow to the jaw of Luigi Fioravanti 1:34 in the third round that would have won him knockout of the night in most events. Alessio, who took heavy shots from Fioravanti earlier on, landed flush with a right hook that dropped the American Top Team product backwards. From there, Alessio followed him down to the mat and landed hammerfists until the referee stepped in.

“I executed the game plan well,” said Alessio. “He landed more shots than I would have liked, but my game plan was to pick him apart, watch out for his big monster right hand, and use footwork to set up a counter, which is what happened. I knew it wasn’t going to be a ground fight.”

With his second victory in as many shows in the MFC, Alessio has emerged as the probable No. 1 contender for MFC welterweight champion Pat Healy.

Mike Nickels and David Heath battled toe-to-toe for 14 minutes in a fight that is sure to receive some support for “fight of the year” come December. The two UFC vets landed bomb after bomb with neither man blinking. The first round was a feeling-out process, but the action picked up shortly in a very big way.

In he second round, both stayed in the pocket throwing haymakers, hoping to connect flush. Nickels seemed to be getting the better of the exchanges, while Heath dropped his mouthpiece on two occasions.

The third round was more of the same, with both exhausted fighters winging rights and lefts with bad intentions. At one point, Heath lowered his hands and allowed Nickels to land nine consecutive cleans blows to the chin, which Heath responded to with a smile.

Heath’s mouthpiece came out a third time and the referee was forced to deduct a point. It was a moot point, as Nickels got the fight to the ground and secured a rear-naked choke at 4:02 of the third round.

Ryan Jimmo took a somewhat controversial split decision over Marvin Eastman in a fight that was spent mostly in the clinch with neither guy landing any huge blows. When the fight did go to the ground for short periods of time, it was Eastman who controlled position. However, Jimmo earned 29-28 scores on two of the judges’ cards, while the third gave Eastman the 29-28 nod. Sherdog.com scored the bout 29-28 for Eastman.

In a welterweight bout, Pete Spratt took out rising prospect Nathan Gunn with a brutal knockout 4:19 into the second round. After weathering a fine first-round performance by Gunn, Spratt turned it on in the second. Late in the round, Spratt threw a right uppercut that broke through Gunn’s defenses and sent him crashing face-first into the canvas.

In other bouts:

Dwayne Lewis def. Jared Kilkenny -- TKO (Punches) 3:31 R1
Jason Heit def. Paapa Inkumusah -- TKO (Punches) 4:59 R2
Joe Christopher def. Andrew Buckland -- Submission (Guillotine Choke) 1:54 R1
Nick Hryunchyshyn def. Jesse MacDougall -- TKO (Punches) 4:29 R2

 

[Shogun Locc]

WEC 43 weigh-ins set for Oct. 9 in San Antonio; Q&A with Brown, Mir, Varner (Updated)

Weigh-ins for "WEC 43: Cerrone vs. Henderson" take place next Friday, Oct. 9, at Cowboys Dancehall in San Antonio, Texas.

The event begins at 7 p.m. ET (6 p.m. CT local time) and is free and open to the public. Doors open at 5 p.m. local time.

Following the weigh-ins, which are held on the eve of next Saturday's Versus-televised WEC 43 event, WEC featherweight champion Mike Brown, former UFC heavyweight champion Frank Mir and WEC lightweight champ Jamie Varner will host a Q&A session that is free and open to the public.

Saturday's WEC 43 event, held at AT&T Center in San Antonio, features a main event between lightweights Donald Cerrone and Benson Henderson for the WEC's interim lightweight belt. The winner will look to meet current lightweight champion Varner to unify the titles when he returns from injury.

Also on the card is undefeated prospect Dave Jansen, UFC veteran Richard Crunkilton, and WEC veterans Damacio Page and Rafael Assuncao.

Stay tuned to MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) throughout the week for complete coverage of WEC 43.

For full coverage of WEC 43, stay tuned to the MMA Rumors section of MMAjunkie.com.

MAIN CARD

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

PRELIMINARY CARD

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

 

[Shogun Locc]

Damacio Page says WEC 43 win is next step on path to rematch with Brian Bowles

It's been seven months since he's been in action, but you probably remember Damacio Page (11-4 MMA, 2-1 WEC).

He's the WEC bantamweight that laid waste to Marcos Galvao in just 18 seconds back in March – a win that didn't even qualify as the fastest of Page's career.

Now Page is set to meet WEC newcomer Will Campuzano (6-0 MMA, 0-0 WEC) on the main card of next Saturday's "WEC 43: Cerrone vs. Henderson" in San Antonio, and "The Angel of Death" is adding names to his list of targets.

"If they're putting me on the main card, that means I'm doing something right," Page recently told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com). "That's where I plan on fighting every time. I don't plan on being on the undercard again any time soon."

Page had fallen to preliminary card status following an August 2008 loss to now-bantamweight champion Brian Bowles. Page admits the quick knockout win over Galvao was important in his career.

"It was very important," Page said. "The guy was ranked fifth or sixth at the time. It's very important to win, especially after losing. Two losses in a row certainly hurts you more than it helps you.

"For someone to bounce back from a loss with a win against another dangerous opponent, it just throws more wood into your fire. You can't let your fire burn out. You have to stay in people's minds."

And though Bowles would go on to prove his worth with a shocking upset of Miguel Torres, Page said it doesn't make the loss any easier to deal with.

"I still lost to him," Page said. "It just pisses me off. It was a good fight. He ending up catching me, and I'm not taking anything away from him. He beat me, so I can't say he got lucky or anything. I lost. It just pisses me off."

And make no mistake about it, Page wants a shot at the WEC title, but even more important is a chance to take another shot at Bowles.

"I want to fight him again, and now I've got to wait for who knows how long," Page said. "Hopefully it's not too long. I'm shooting for him right now, but whoever they have in front of me right now, they're going to feel it, too."

First on that list is Campuzano. Page said despite Campuzano being a WEC newcomer, he feels he was able to accurately scout his opponent.

"All six of his fights were on YouTube," Page said. "It wasn't too bad."

Page said in some ways Campuzano mirrors the tendencies of his original opponent, Akitoshi Tamura.

"My gameplan against Akitoshi was to keep it standing because he has a really good ground game, and he's really funky," Page said. "Just smother him, and keep his hips planted because he gets his legs real high on the back and goes for triangles.

"But this kid is the same way, too. He has a good triangle, but he's not as active on the ground. I'd still like to keep it standing, but on the ground I won't be quite as cautious. ... My gameplan is pretty much the same: to go out there, beat him and keep taking my steps up the ladder."

And in an increasingly wide-open 135-pound division, the ladder can be scaled quickly, especially with performances the caliber of Page's most recent outing. The 27-year-old Greg Jackson's MMA fighter says he'll be ready with each step back up to the top.

"There's two other guys in front of me: Dominick Cruz and, of course, Miguel Torres, too," Page said. "I think those guys are ahead of me. I don't have that privilege or right yet, but I'll keep on fighting. If Miguel decides to take some time off and they want to fill that (title contender) spot, after Dominck Cruz goes for his, then I'll jump in."

It's an impressive list of fighters that Page is seeking to beat. But first for the dangerous striker is Campuzano. Page has a simple prediction for those tuning in to the Versus broadcast.

"It's going to be a scrap."

 

[Shogun Locc]

Strikeforce appoints official matchmaker, Rich Chou to assume immediate responsibility

Strikeforce's matchmaking process has received a much-needed makeover, and former "Rumble on the Rock" and EliteXC employee Rich Chou has been appointed as official matchmaker.

Strikeforce Director of Communications Mike Afromowitz today released a statement to announce Chou's new position.

"It is an honor to have the opportunity to work for a top organization like Strikeforce," Chou stated in the release.

Prior to Chou's hiring, a committee headed by CEO Scott Coker was responsible for creating the California-based organization's matchups. That committee also included American Kickboxing Academy instructor "Crazy" Bob Cook. Prior to Cook, fellow AKA instructor Javier Vazquez had served in the same capacity.

With Chou as matchmaker, the potential for any conflicts of interest between Strikeforce and AKA appears to have been minimized.

According to the release Chou will assume immediate responsibility for creating the matchups for both the monthly Showtime-broadcast events as well as the Nov. 7 CBS-debut of the organization with its "Fedor vs. Rogers" event.

That card currently has just one official matchup.

"Strikeforce has done some incredible things over the course of the last few years to emerge as one of the world's premiere MMA promotions," Chou stated. "They have a deep roster of world class talent, so it's going to be very exciting and a lot of fun to be able to put together highly compelling matchups for their events."

According to the releases, Chou is a 30-year-old Pepperdine University graduate with a degree in Communications and Business Administration. Chou began training Brazilian jiu-jitsu while he was attending college, and following graduation he relocated to Honolulu, Hawaii with the intention of becoming a professional mixed martial artist.

Chou fought just once professionally, a 2002 unanimous-decision loss to Nick Bradley under the SuperBrawl banner, though he also competed in numerous grappling tournaments and refereed over 100 MMA bouts in Hawaii.

In 2004, Chou took on matchmaking responsibilities for "Rumble on the Rock." He served in a similar role for EliteXC in 2007 and 2008.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Fabricio Werdum likely for "Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Rogers," opponent still unclear

It may not be the fight he was after, but Brazilian submission ace Fabricio Werdum (12-4-1) will still get his shot on CBS.

MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) has learned from sources close to the event that "Vai Cavalo" has verbally agreed to appear on the main card of "Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Rogers."

The UFC and PRIDE veteran's opponent has not yet been established. And while Werdum had openly lobbied for a shot at main-event fighter Fedor Emelianenko, a few interesting names are being discussed as possibilities.

On Thursday, Ariel Helwani of AOL FanHouse reported former WWE superstar and current heavyweight prospect Bobby Lashley (4-0) is currently in negotiations with Strikeforce. Though negotiations have not yet concluded, Helwani cited Nov. 7 as a potential date for Lashley to make his Strikeforce debut.

Lashley has reeled off four-straight wins since making his pro debut in December 2008. Lashley's most recently fought in a June win over Bob Sapp.

MMAjunkie.com has also learned from multiple sources that another American Top Team fighter, Antonio "Junior" Silva (13-1), may also be in discussions for a potential slot on the Nov. 7 event. However, Silva's manager, Alex Davis, declined to comment on any potential negotiations involving the former EliteXC heavyweight champion.

Following the collapse of EliteXC and a drug suspension by the California State Athletic Commission that Silva and his camp have adamantly denied, the former super heavyweight has earned a 2-0 record in Japan's Sengoku brand.

It's uncertain when Strikeforce will make an official announcement as to Werdum's participation in the card and who he will face. Just five weeks away from the event, only one bout has been officially announced – the main event between Emelianenko and Brett Rogers.

 

[Shogun Locc]

JACKSON'S MMA A MAGNET FOR TOP FIGHTERS

ackson’s Mixed Martial Arts has steadily grown from a local martial arts school to now what is largely considered the center of the MMA universe... at least in regards to training.

There is a host of talent that calls Jackson’s home, and a slew of others that stop by for a final tune-up before their next big fight, as evidenced by recent migrations.

Travis Lutter challenges fellow UFC veteran Jason MacDonald Friday night at MFC 22 in Alberta, Canada. Lutter is on a two-fight losing skid that caused his exodus from the UFC and hasn’t seen action since April of 2008. In short, he sorely needs a win.

Where did Lutter go to get his chops up to snuff? Jackson’s MMA of course.

With a world-class roster that includes UFC welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre, former UFC light heavyweight champion Rashad Evans, seven-time former King of Pancrase Nate Marquardt, Keith Jardine, Joey Villasenor, David Loiseau, Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone, Leonard Garcia, and others; it’s difficult to beat the referral list of Jackson’s.

Former WEC welterweight champion Carlos Condit has also made his way to Jackson’s. Once a protégée of former Greg Jackson student Tom Vaughn, Condit moved on to Arizona Combat Sports last year, but personal reasons influenced him to return to Albuquerque, N.M., where Jackson’s is located. He’ll now become a permanent addition to the ever-growing roster.

Even the famed Gracie family – who is a tremendous influence on the development of Greg Jackson’s current system of martial arts – sees the benefits of aligning with the blossoming team. At the recent Art of War event in Macao, China, to corner Rolles Gracie, Jackson said his team has entered into an affiliation with Renzo Gracie’s New York-based academy.

And there are no signs that Jackson’s growth is slowing. As “The Ultimate Fighter: The Heavyweights” cast member and Jackson’s team member Brendan Schaub recently stated on MMAWeekly Radio, the only thing that Jackson’s has to watch out for is having so many of the sport’s top fighters under one roof that they’ll have to start fighting each other.

“Greg Jackson might as well just come up with his own promotion and we’ll just start fighting each other in the gym, selling tickets,” quipped Schaub. “It’s awesome man. The resources we have... it’s ridiculous.”

 

[Shogun Locc]

NOAH THOMAS GETS SECOND CHANCE AT WEC

Sometimes the first impression we make is not the one we want to. Such is the case for Noah “The Red” Thomas.

Upon redeeming himself for a controversial stint on The Ultimate Fighter 5 by capturing the TKO 135-pound title in 2008, Thomas was given an opportunity to shine even brighter with an offer to fight in the WEC earlier this year.

Things did not go to his liking.

A loss to Frankie Gomez at WEC 41 in June spoiled Thomas’ coming out party, and now he is eager to return to action and once again redeem himself and make a new impression on the MMA landscape reflective of his true self and skill set.

“I feel a little bit better this time around,” Thomas told MMAWeekly.com heading into WEC 43 on Oct. 10. “I had a lot more time to prepare for this fight, rather than the last one. It’s still short notice, but it is a little bit longer than the last one, so I’m pretty excited.”

The task he faces in his WEC return is not an easy one, as he takes on Scott Jorgensen, the only man to defeat Thomas’ recent nemesis, Frankie Gomez.

“I’m really, really looking forward to going in there and getting a win,” stated Thomas. “I know Scott is looking for the same thing – if you’re a fighter you’re going to be looking for that.

“Scott has a lot of good tools, and so do I. It will be a good fight and I really, really want to get that W.”

Stepping in for Rafael Rebello, he knows he has a task ahead of him in Jorgensen, a former three-time Pac-10 collegiate wrestling champion.

“He’s a tough guy, is very explosive and comes forward, but he takes a lot of fights to decision though,” commented Thomas. “I can see it going to a decision unless I can get him with something or knock him out.

“He’s never been knocked out, so I don’t know if that can happen, but you never know. In this game anybody can be knocked out.”

As the 135-pound division continues to become more prominent, talk shifted towards the future of the WEC, which could continue to be its own entity, or be folded into its parent company, the UFC.

In Thomas’ opinion, he prefers the two companies to remain as they are, but sees no reason why the UFC cannot help out the WEC from time to time.

“What I think they should do is have a teaser for people who order the (UFC) pay-per-views, and host a (WEC) fight like Jose Aldo versus Mike Brown on a pay-per-view event,” he stated. “Or when Urijah Faber comes back, have him on a pay-per-view event against a name opponent. It will introduce new people to the WEC.

“I really think that the WEC can do good things, and if it’s not broke, don’t fix it. Right now I think the WEC is an excellent promotion, so don’t mess with it.”

Either way, Thomas wishes to get back on the winning track and start working his way up the 135-pound ladder towards an eventual title shot.

“I’m like every other fighter, I’m still learning and evolving, but I feel I can match up with anyone on a good day,” he said. “I want to get in there and prove that. Scott Jorgensen is the first step towards redemption.

“I’m not saying that Scott’s a stepping stone at all. I’m just saying that we accent each other very nicely and it’s going to be a good fight that’s going to increase both our stock.”

Thomas has made the most of a second chance before, and he looks to do so again in San Antonio, Texas, at WEC 43.

“I want to thank my sponsors, Tri-Costa, Stroker Industries, Fight Magazine, MMAJacked, MMAFitnessAndTraining.com, Performance MMA, Venom and Tapout; my manager Sven Bean, and all the guys at Infinite Mixed Martial Arts,” he concluded. “This is a big card and I’m really looking forward to the main event, it should be a really, really good fight.

“I hope everybody comes down and watches it and welcomes me back to the WEC. I won’t fail to impress this time.”

 

[Shogun Locc]

Brett Rogers: ‘I know very, very little about’ Fedor Emelianenko

“I know very, very little about the man. What I know is what I’ve heard on the Internet, but it’s nothing that makes me prepare any differently. I understand the one thing about this sport is that you have to take every man you face seriously and I totally understand that. I prepare as hard as I can for every fight. I understand from what I’ve seen that he’s the No. 1 heavyweight in the world. I respect that and I respect him for what he’s accomplished. But I’m not intimidated or worried about fighting him. This is what I do. He’s just my next opponent…. I’m not going to get caught up in ‘Fedor’s got this’ or ‘Fedor’s doing that.’ I’m training, too. I have two arms and two legs just like he does. I choose to look at it that he’s just another man in my way of me accomplishing my goals. All the talking and all the stuff on the Internet isn’t going to matter when they close the door on Nov. 7 and it’s just me and him in there. It’s going to come down to preparation and execution and who the better man is that night. I feel like this is my time now and I’m ready to show the world what I can do. It’s not an intimidating thing (facing Fedor). It’s an exciting thing because it’s an opportunity to make my own mark in this business.”

 

[Shogun Locc]

Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira vs. Gabriel Gonzaga possible for UFC 107?

It looks like a heavyweight bout between Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira and Gabriel Gonzaga could take place sometime in December according to Big Nog’s Muay Thai coach, Luiz Alves.

In a recent conversation with Tatame.com, Alves went on to explain, “It’s not 100% yet, but Rodrigo might fight in December. When I was in the US, I heard some rumors that he could face Napão (Gonzaga)… It’s not right yet, but I heard that he could fight him, then would move forward to the title. I think, by the middle of 2010, we’ll fight for the title again.”

There are two major UFC events taking place in December, one of which will be the TUF 10 Finale on December 5, and UFC 107 one week later on December 12.

It seems as if this bout were to take place, it would be more likely to take place during UFC 107 in Memphis. While the card already has solid bouts like B.J. Penn vs. Diego Sanchez, and Frank Mir vs. Cheick Kongo, a heavyweight showdown between the fellow Brazilians would surely bolster the last event for the UFC before the end of the year.

Obviously nothing is set in stone at this time. Stay tuned to FiveOunceofPain.com as we continue to keep you up to date on this potential heavyweight bout with possible title implications for at least one of the two fighters.

 

[B-Buzz]

Those MFC fights were weird. Spratt had a sick KO, then Eastman got robbed on a decision, then Heath-Nickels was one of the best brawls of all time, no one gave a shit when Alessio KO'd Luigi, McKee was boring as shit then Lutter lay & prayed for 2 rounds to get a win.

Here's the Heath-Nickels fight. 3rd round is a contender for round of the year.
http://www.mma-core.com/videos/_David_Heath_vs_Mike_Nickels_MFC_22?vid=10006777&tid=100

 

[Shogun Locc]

Forrest Grifin finally reveals real reason he ran out of cage following loss to Anderson Silva

The always-charismatic Forrest Griffin hasn’t had much to do with the media since his first round loss to Anderson Silva, but he recently gave a glimpse into his current status.

The former Light-Heavyweight Champion sat down for an interview this week with MMAFanhouse.com and discussed everything from his new marriage to why he ran from the cage after his loss to “The Spider”.

Initial interviews with Griffin after his UFC 101 loss, were candidly explained away with him saying he must have been on Quaaludes during the fight with Silva. However he offered a little more insight into what went wrong recently, explaining, “I don’t know. I’m going to guess everything. You know where I made my biggest mistake was saying I would fight that guy. That’s definitely the first mistake I made and the biggest.

“I’m not really sure I showed up to fight him. Maybe I thought he was so good that I didn’t have to fight him.”

Perhaps receiving the most criticism was his after fight antics, when Forrest didn’t wait for the official announcement of Silva’s win, and ran out of the arena. Forrest answered his critics the only way Forrest can, “That’s dumb. Those people are idiots. Why? Nobody cares. I mean, I don’t think the losers were going to speak that night anyway, you know. Just get on with the next fight already.

“This guy actually asked me a good question the other day, and this is a real story and I really like it: first off, he was very confrontational; I didn’t like him much to begin with, and he goes, ‘Hey, man, I have to know,’ because it’s his business to know, ‘why did you run out of the cage that night after the Silva fight?’ And I said, ‘Look, man, I haven’t told anybody, let’s keep this on the down low, but the truth is your mom was waiting for me in the back to suck my d***, and you know how good of a b*** j** your mom gives, so I didn’t want to be late for that sh**.’ And that’s pretty much the answer I give. I like that answer, so I’ll give that answer to everyone.”

When asked if the gentleman was a fan or member of the media, Forrest responded, “I don’t know. I bet he’s not a fan anymore, but I tell ya, I’m a fan of his mom’s b*** j***. That’s the important thing, and that’s what I want to come across in your story. If anybody asks me that question, that’s my answer.”

The newly married former champion, doesn’t have plans of returning to the Octagon anytime soon but ended his interview hinting at a possible January return, “You know, it’s hard for me to think about a fight when I’m on vacation or my honeymoon, so I was kind of hoping they would leave me alone until around Oct. 12. You know, when you are actually doing something about your next fight. You know, there’s that Jan. 2 card that looks kind of appealing to me.”

 

[Shogun Locc]

Jay Hieron talks Strikeforce frustration by Nick Diaz's tactics:

 

[Shogun Locc]

Maurício Shogun Interview

20 days before his first title fight in the UFC, Maurício Shogun Rua spoke with TATAME.com about the preparation to challenge Lyoto Machida. In the exclusive interview, the fighter talked about the training and revealed that he thinks he’s in the best shape of his life. “Today I’m more experienced… I believe I’m in my best shape, in every fight I feel better, get more experience and grow as a fighter”, said Shogun, who also commented Rampage’s retirement and the next fights in the UFC.

How is the preparation for the fight?
I’m focused, the training are great, thanks God. Now I just have to focus in the fight and let’s go. Now we’re doing the final part, the strategy for the fight. Lyoto showed a great performance in the last fights, finishing the fights very quickly, and I always look for the knockout too, so I think I’ll try to fight five rounds, but let’s see what’s gonna happen. It’s hard to set a strategy because you never know what is going to happen.

Do you think you’re in the best shape of your life or you think you’re best time were at Pride GP?
Today I’m more experienced… I believe I’m in the best shape, in every fight I feel better, get more experience and grow as a fighter.

What do you think about Rampage’s retirement?
It surprised me a lot, because Rampage hasa big name in the US and it won’t be good to the UFC. He must have his reasons and I respect that.

How do you see the light heavyweight division today?
This is a tough division, you have Thiago Silva, who’s doing a great job, Minotouro (Rogerio Nogueira) coming too, Banha (Luis Cane), Rashad…

How do you think will be Nogueira vs. Cane?
It’s a tough fight, both are left handed, and I’ll be watching this fight, it’ll be great. I can’t predict anything in this fight.

Vitor Belfort returned to the UFC and now may fight Anderson Silva, who used to train with you at Chute Boxe, for the title. Do you think he has chances against Anderson?
Of course he has, a fight is a fight. Everybody has chances, but I think Anderson is the favorite, but Belfort surprises everybody all the time. He fought well in his last fights, but Anderson is the favorite because of what he has showed in his last fights.

 

[Shogun Locc]

White on Sponsorships: “We Don’t Need Anybody”


Payout Perspective:

The business model that got the UFC to this point, is not the exact same business model that the UFC needs in order to reach the next level or upper echelon of the sporting world. The kind of growth the UFC is seeking requires revenue stream diversity and expansion that cannot be facilitated by going it alone.

Therefore, I strongly object to the notion that the UFC doesn’t need anybody. They need somebody, not anybody; and that’s probably what Dana wanted to say.

The fact of the matter is, regardless of whether you call it sports sponsorship or strategic partnership, the UFC is going to need to expand its reach and product availability beyond what its current set of relationshps allows.

A lot of people get caught up in the symbolic nature of what it might mean to have the UFC on major network television, but really it all boils down to increasing viewership for its free product. A product which in turn is the catalyst for boosting the revenue generating effectiveiness of the UFC’s PPV events.

Likewise, the advantages to the UFC through sponsorships or partnerships are also complementary to diversifying and expanding revenue streams. Born out of a perceived association between brands, sponsorships can do the following:

*
Build the legitimacy of the weaker entity in the mind of the consumer and other businesses.
*
Foster the exploration of new demographics through cross-promotional activities.
*
And, obviously, generate larger amounts of publicity and awareness as the result of co-operation in the marketplace.

All of which brings me to my final point on the matter: the UFC needs to do a better job of leveraging its existing strategic partnerships. I understand that the UFC goes fairly light on its advertising, but why haven’t they lent their name or personalities to Bud Light or HD commercials? Where are the marketing initiatives? It’s a missed opportunity.

Ask yourself: how are the Bud Light or H.D. brands being used to help expand the UFC brand? If they’re not, then what makes them any different from what Dana explicitly said he doesn’t want out of a sponsor – a pile of money and no working relationship.

—–

Is it just me, or has this “us against the world mentality” sort of run its course? It helped to galvanize the MMA communtiy for a while, because we were all working together to make a point and prove the naysayers wrong.

Now, however, I can’t help but think that it’s slightly counter-productive. The last thing MMA needs to do is start shunning would-be fans, because they weren’t among the early adopters.

Yes, we told everybody this sport was legitimate. If they didn’t listen – fine. They missed out on some great years. Time to catch up.

By no means can MMA afford to take that attitude that it doesn’t need anybody, nor want anyone that wasn’t here right from the very beginning.

Hell, I wasn’t even here from the very beginning. How many people can actually claim otherwise?