MMA News Thread

[Shogun Locc]

Best of the best: Shogun Rua UFC 104 interview exclusive with MMAmania.com

In 2007, toward the dissolution of the Japanese-based Pride FC organization, Mauricio Rua was considered (arguably) the top 205-pound fighter in the world.

This was even during the time that Chuck Liddell was executing his reign of terror on the UFC light heavyweight division to the tune of four title defenses, while simultaneously piggybacking the sport of mixed martial arts and dragging it closer to the mainstream.

Since that time Rua has experienced a mixture of ups and downs to say the least.

He suffered through a disappointing loss in his much anticipated UFC debut to Forrest Griffin back at UFC 76 in September 2007, two separate knee surgeries, and countless months of rehabilitation.

Once healthy enough to compete again he took a fight in January 2009 at UFC 93. A rehabbed, but out of shape Rua defeated Mark Coleman in what was the epitome of a lackluster performance.

At UFC 97 in April 2009, a better conditioned Rua showed flashes of his old self when he knocked out another UFC Hall-of-Famer, the aforementioned Chuck Liddell, to earn number one contender-ship status.

The reward for attaining this position is a title match with the current champion Lyoto “The Dragon” Machida, whom no man has been able to figure out, much less defeat throughout his 15 career professional fights (seven of which are in the UFC).

UFC 104 on Oct. 24 marks yet another milestone in the evolution of the much publicized UFC light heavyweight division — a battle between a former world number one (Rua) and the current world number (Machida).

Will Rua be able crack Machida’s code and shock the world in the process? We will find out in a matter of days.

In the meantime, “Shogun” took some time out of his busy schedule to discuss his recent training, the unique challenge of Machida, Brazilian MMA, and what being a UFC champion would mean to him.

Check it out:

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): Where has your training camp been taking place at and who are some of the training partners and coaches who have helped prepare you for Lyoto Machida at UFC 104?

Mauricio Rua: My training camp for this fight was done in Curitiba (Brazil), my hometown at the UDL academy. I’m working with a team of people that know me very well and most importantly know my game very well; my brother Murilo “Ninja” Rua, Andre “Dida” for the Muay Thai, Joao Raphael “Simpson” and Rodrigo “Pimpolho” for Jiu-Jitsu, Marcelo Barreto as the coordinator, Andre Neumann with the strength and conditioning, sparring partners like Joao Paulo “Tuba,” my manager Eduardo Alonso, and many others.

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): Are you completely healthy at this point and have you corrected your cardio issue that plagued you in your recent fights?

Mauricio Rua: I’m completely healthy and feeling ready for the fight. We did all we felt was needed and I expect to come to the fight in great condition.

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): Should we expect to see the very best Mauricio Rua we have ever seen on the night of UFC 104?

Mauricio Rua: I feel obligated as a fighter to do my best when I fight, to give my best effort. This is what I demand from myself and what I’ll do as always at UFC 104. A fight is a fight and many things can happen. Lyoto Machida is a great fighter and we respect him a lot, but I’m going to do my best and I’m sure it’s going to be a great fight.

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): Is this the first time you have been the underdog in a fight?

Mauricio Rua: No, not at all. During most of my career I was always used to be the underdog. I was the underdog for my last fight with Chuck Liddell. I was the underdog in Pride when I fought Quinton “Rampage” Jackson, and I was the underdog on the whole Pride GP in 2005, so it’s nothing new.

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): Do you mind being the underdog?

Mauricio Rua: No! Much on the contrary. I even like being the underdog. This way I feel I have much less pressure and it’s the other guy’s obligation to beat me. I feel like I have only the obligation to do my best and I have much more to gain than I have to lose.

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): Machida is a puzzle that nobody has been able to figure out so far. What is it that makes him so unique?

Mauricio Rua: I think what makes him so unique is his background, karate, and how he adapted it to his own MMA fighting style. When you fight other fighters they usually have a background of boxing or kickboxing, striking-wise, so it’s something you are used to dealing with, as you have been training with those kind of fighters through your whole life so you know their distance, timing, etc. Against Lyoto it is usually something you never dealt with, or at least not so often, and until you figure his style out sometimes it’s too late.

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): Have you watched tape on Machida’s fights and found a weakness or a specific way to attack him?

Mauricio Rua: My team and I watched a lot of tapes and did our homework. Machida is a great fighter but every fighter has weak points and strong points as there are no perfect fighters. Like I said, a fight is a fight and many things can happen, so we will see by fight time if our beliefs are right.

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): Do you feel confident you can beat him if you stand with him toe-to-toe the entire time?

Mauricio Rua: I always come to a fight feeling confident in my skills and projecting ways to win. If it’s going to be standing up, on the ground, etc. — only the fight can tell. Many things can happen in a fight and the important thing is to win and be prepared for any situation that can take place.

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): Do you feel like you have an advantage in the submission game on the ground?

Mauricio Rua: Lyoto Machida is a complete fighter, very good standing up, and very good on the ground. I think we are both well-rounded and we both can present challenges for each other on all areas depending on who’s on a better night or execute the better strategy.

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): Will this fight go the entire five rounds?

Mauricio Rua: I don’t know! (laughs) I think we both fight to finish the fight so it’s very likely that it can end up before the five rounds.

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): Do you have an official prediction for the fight?

Mauricio Rua: I never do predictions for a fight. I only want to go in there and do my best. I feel always obligated to put my best effort to give the fans what they want to see, and exciting fight. I want to win, and I fight to win, but I welcome any type of winning situation.

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): What would becoming a UFC champion mean to you?

Mauricio Rua: It would mean a lot. It’s what we work for, what we train for, and the ultimate goal any fighter can have right now. The UFC is the biggest fighting promotion in the world, has the best fighters and I think the 205-pound weight class is likely the toughest class in the game, so to become the champion in the biggest show and on the toughest weight class means the world.

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): If you are fortunate enough to come away with the belt are there any other guys who you would like to fight in the future?

Mauricio Rua: I don’t really think about that. First and foremost I have to focus on Machida. He is the champion and my next opponent so I have to think about him and how to beat him. Only after this fight I’ll think about my next step and talk to my manager and trainers about that. Also, I feel it’s up to the UFC to seek the best matchups and give the fans what they want.

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): Would you like it if the UFC held an event in Brazil in the near future and is this something that Brazilians would like to see very soon?

Mauricio Rua: Of course, I would love for the UFC to hold a show in Brazil. The sport is growing so much and the UFC has been doing a great job to help its growth. They are doing a lot of PR in Brazil and step by step we can see the improvements here. MMA is getting more and more known by people in Brazil and the hardcore fans would love to see a UFC show down here. Now it’s a matter of getting more people involved into the sport so it becomes viable for the UFC to come, and I think it’s only a matter of time.

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): Is there anything you would like to pass along to your fans out there or any sponsors you would like to thank?

Mauricio Rua: I would like to thank my fans for all the support through the hard times. Their the biggest reason for us to go and train every day and we have to always thank them. Also, I would like to thank my sponsors Bad Boy and Nutrabolics for their incredible support. See you guys on October 24th!

Derek Bolender (MMAmania.com): Thank you very much, Mauricio.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Cacareco submits again; ready for the UFC

Place where historical fights as Carlson Gracie vs. Waldemar Santana took place, in the 1950’s, Maracanãzinho is becoming MMA’s new house. Not even the rain the fell for all the day on Rio de Janeiro scared the audience, which were there to see Jungle Fight. After receiving Ricardo Arona, Paulo Filho and Pedro Rizzo at Bitetti Combat 4, who shone this time was Alexandre “Cacareco” Ferreira. Almost so fast as on his last five fights, the Chute Boxe athlete submitted Walter Mazurkievicz and gets closer to the UFC. Cacareco passed thru bad moments at the beginning of the bout, with a right cross, but took the fight to his area and submitted with a kimura with 70 seconds.

“The punch got in, I swing, and I just started to fight again when I was at the ground. I fought half knocked out. Then I was on my submission, that even sleeping I can make (laughs). This time I took time to submit, I think I’m getting older (laughs)”, Cacareco joked, revealing that he’s almost signing with the biggest event of the world. “My first goal is to be on the event, that’s the bigger of the world, where the better athletes are. Then, my second goal is the belt. The negotiations are moving, the results are coming”.

To Rudimar Fedrigo, Chute Boxe’s leader, Cacareco is coming to make some noise in the biggest MMA event in the world. “Cacareco, efficient as always, showed his champion’s spirit. He was hit at first, but could recover. Cacareco will bother a lot of people when he gets in UFC. It’s almost signed“, bets Rudimar. “He’s going to win, that our focus. As everyone, he has his right to want to be a champion and we’ll work for it

 

[Shogun Locc]

Ronnys Torres’ debut set for 2010

With eight victories in a row, five of them on the first round, Ronnys Torres signed with UFC, but two injuries forced him to postpone the fights. Back to training, Ronnys is ready to debut. “2010 is gonna be the year, what has to be wrong was wrong this year, when I made a surgery on the knee and on the eye. I’m really happy to be back“, celebrates the fighter, revealing that he will fight on the beginning of the year.

“Next year, right on the beginning, we’ll make the debut. Soon you’ll have some good new“, Torres said. Used to fight a lot, Ronnys doesn’t worry about fighting “only“ three times a year in the UFC. “In 2007 I fought nine times, and last year I fought eight fights, and this year I thought I’d be in a good rhythm, but all these things happened. My life is in God’s hands and I’ll give my life in the UFC, it’s my time. I want to fight “, guarantees.

 

[Shogun Locc]

ATT’s Davis Teaching Kimbo Control, Patience

In the last two weeks, the arrival of Kevin “Kimbo Slice” Ferguson has brought an additional shot of picture-seeking fans to the American Top Team gym in Coconut Creek, Fla.

It’s the instructors that have to play the bad guy, because Slice, recently outed as a nice guy in bada-- clothing, has a difficult time turning anyone away.

However, time is of the essence.

Under head instructor Ricardo Liborio’s direction, ATT’s staff has only eight weeks to coach Slice past the game but technically overwhelmed fighter that Roy Nelson easily took down and had his way with on the third episode of this season’s “The Ultimate Fighter” on Spike TV. Slice, who’s only 3-1, is expected to make his official UFC debut during the series’ live finale on Dec. 5 in Las Vegas.

Nobody knows this better than Howard Davis Jr., the team’s boxing director. Slice, a striker by preference whose pedigree came from videotaped brawls in Miami backyards, won’t be expected to harness enough jiu-jitsu or wrestling in eight weeks to take down or submit his opponent. In reality, it will be Davis’ job to refine what he can of Slice’s standup game and build on what the novice fighter already knows.

“He needs a lot of work,” said Davis, “but he’s coming along, definitely coming along.”

Davis, a 1976 Olympic boxing gold medalist, is easing the 35-year-old fighter into the nuisances of control, something Davis believes Slice lacked in his much-publicized 14-second loss to Seth Petruzelli in October 2008.

“Because he hits so hard, he puts a lot of turning and effort and committing to punching hard, that sometimes, if he misses, he knocks himself off balance where people can take him down,” said Davis. “That’s one of the major issues I have with him –- trying to load up on every shot. You don’t need to.”

If Slice can make his punches smaller, Davis believes the fighter will be able to preserve his positioning longer and fire off more punches in the process.

“We’re also working on defense, how to slip and parry punches,” said Davis. “We’re working on a tremendous amount of blocking.”

Like any other ATT fighter on the roster, Slice reports for training five days a week, and usually completes two sessions a day. Slice’s usual entourage of colorful characters stays home.

Without knowing yet whom Slice will face in December, Davis and the other trainers have challenged Slice in small increments, as he acclimates to the rigors of professional fighting. By his own admission, the father of six has had little exposure to the schedule a fighter keeps, except for a couple months of training out in California with Bas Rutten and Randy Khatami during his EliteXC tenure.

“He got real tired early,” noted Davis. “Now he’s starting to adjust. He doesn’t complain.”

Davis, who works with the gamut of the ATT stable from Mike Thomas Brown to Thiago Alves to Antonio Silva, said Slice’s education is only beginning though.

“To be honest, it takes anywhere from three to nine months to really digest, chew on, and let it become part of the DNA,” he said. “It could take almost a year for that to happen.”

Davis, who calls Slice the “nicest guy you could ever meet,” said he watched Slice’s escapades on YouTube a few years ago and was impressed by the fighter’s tenacity.

“I was pretty amazed that he’d let guys hit him and then kind of laugh at them,” said Davis. “I was like, ‘wow, that’s the real deal.’”

Still, Davis noticed tendencies that won’t translate well in the cage and will be difficult to tame.

“When you’re a little older, it’s difficult to be taught sometimes,” he said. “Once somebody gets into the fire, they go back to their old ways. A lot of older fighters do that. They’ve been doing something one way for a very long time and you have to tell them, ‘Hey, what you’ve been doing is wrong even though you got away with it for a while. Now you have to change.’ You have to change their emotions. That’s what you’re doing. You’re not just watching somebody. You’re changing how a person feels about what they’re doing.”

Still, Davis has found some benefits to his new student’s inexperience.

“Even though he’s 35 years old, he’s probably like a 25-year-old,” said Davis. “He hasn’t taken much abuse. He hasn’t been in the MMA arena long, where you get beat up, taken down, leglocked, armbarred, choked out. There is something he has that you can’t teach and that’s ferocity and heart. He’s very eager to learn.”

Davis credits Petruzelli’s professional training and accuracy for his one-punch stunner last October. Petruzelli hit on the chin, the fighter’s weakest spot, while Slice’s informal opponents of past didn’t connect with the sweet spot so readily.

Davis said it will be his job to prepare Slice for more shots like those. But will Slice be able to handle them?

“If he can’t, we’ll soon find out,” said Davis.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Arlovski Descends on Team Greg Jackson


Minority report: I still think Andrei Arlovski is one of the most dangerous heavyweights in the sport. Slow down the fight footage of the Fedor Emelianenko bout and you can just about make out the slightest bit of frustration on Emelianenko’s face. (Could’ve been gas. I’m open to other theories.)

After getting knocked out by both Emelianenko and Brett Rogers, Arlovski is taking a ten-day sabbatical from Chicago to train with Greg Jackson in New Mexico: the first-day footage is now a YouTube destination. See Andrei close the distance against a heavy bag with an alarming proximity to a brick wall; see Andrei roll with Joe Stevenson; see Andrei collapse into a seriously dilapidated hotel room bed, surrounded by bags of ice, and about to be disappointed by Albuquerque’s pathetic cable line-up.

It’s a good move, though Jackson, for whatever reason, has never turned out a heavyweight who’s made as much of an impression as lighter-weight fighters like Rashad Evans, Keith Jardine, or Nate Marquardt. But there’s a lot of malleable clay in Arlovski, who is still very capable of hurting a lot of people.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Bellator strikes landmark broadcasting deal with FOX Sports Net, NBC and Telemundo

Bellator Fighting Championships will shift from its original home on Spanish-language ESPN Deportes to FOX Sports Net, NBC and Telemundo for the next two seasons, the U.S.-based mixed-martial-arts promotion today announced.

Live events will air Thursday nights on FOX Sports Net affiliates, and highlights packages will run Saturday nights on both NBC and the Spanish-language Telemundo.

"It was my dream scenario," Bellator CEO Bjorn Rebney admitted to MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) about the landmark broadcast alliance.

The deal with FOX Sports Net and NBC Universal (which owns both NBC and Telemundo) kicks off with the 12-week season two of Bellator, which commences April 8, and continues into season three, which begins Aug. 12.

Each FSN broadcast airs Thursdays from 8 to 10 p.m. ET/PT (meaning West Coast viewers will watch events on a three-hour delay). FSN comprises approximately two dozen regional cable TV sports networks, most of which feature MLB, NHL, NBA and other sports franchises from each affiliate's region. In the case a local game is being aired, Rebney said the Bellator events will be preempted but shown later in the night.

Following the live broadcasts, NBC will then carry condensed 30-minute highlights shows on Saturday nights (with the times varying by market), and Telemundo will air one-hour highlight packages from midnight to 1 a.m. ET/PT each Saturday.

All of the broadcasts on the three outlets will air in high-definition.

Rebney said the final setup was exactly what he had envisioned.

"I had this triangle in mind of what I wanted accomplished," he said. "I wanted a live weekly broadcast for two hours in prime time so people could see what we're all about. I wanted it easy to find, and FSN accomplishes that.

"I also wanted a network play. What we ended up with is a rock-em', sock-em' highlights show on NBC similar to 'The NFL Today,' for lack of a better comparison. The third part of the triangle then was a Spanish-language option. The Spanish-language audience responded just magically last season ... and we wanted to bring that back to those fans."

The first season of Bellator kicked off in April on ESPN Deportes, which made the MMA organization the first to secure a deal with the ESPN family of networks. The shows did solid ratings even with the one-day broadcast delays, so when Rebney began hinting a few months ago that Bellator would see an even bigger audience for the next few seasons, speculation ran rampant that the promotion might make the move to ESPN or ESPN2, the two preeminent ESPN channels.

Rebney wouldn't divulge any of the particulars of his talks with ESPN, an organization he first worked with as a boxing executive. However, he said the FSN-NBC alliance offered him something so few other MMA organizations could ever secure: the assurance of long-term viability.

"Without naming names, this sport is littered with the carcasses of organizations that cut (broadcast) deals that just didn't work for the businesses," said Rebney, likely referring to now-defunct promotions such as the IFL, EliteXC and BodogFIGHT. "If you're not cash-flow positive pretty quickly, you're not going to last.

"With our deal, I wanted to assure not only that we would have seasons three and four of Bellator but also seasons five, six and so on. ... My focus wasn't the next year or two; it was the next five, 10, 15 and all the way down the line."

The first 12-week season of Bellator featured season-long tournaments in the featherweight, lightweight, welterweight and middleweight divisions, and each card was bolstered with additional non-tournament bouts. Because the tournaments awarded nearly $200,000 per winner, notables names such as Eddie Alvarez, Hector Lombard, Lyman Good and Joe Soto all entered (and eventually won their respective tournaments). Bellator will hold additional tournaments in seasons two and three to determine title challengers and champions in new weight classes.

Rebney said the organization will also again take the show on the road and visit a variety of cities and venues to hold events. He said each season will likely include approximately six event sites, meaning most will host two events each season.

"We had success in Hollywood (Fla.), the Mohegan (Sun Arena in Connecticut), and Monroe, La., so we'll probably visit there again, for example," he said.

Rebney said the organization has also ramped up its international scouting and is securing talent "from Africa to the Middle East to Asia" for its roster.

In the end, he thinks all the changes and tweaks and deals and signings will make Bellator one of the top players in the space. But he knows the proof is in the pudding.

"Ultimately, it's for the fans to decide," Rebney said. "But we're offering a very different format with a very, very unique structure. We're doing something different in this sport, and we've positioned ourselves well for the future."

 

[Shogun Locc]

UFC vet Xavier Foupa-Pokam headlines Dec. 3 Tachi Palace Fights II event

Tachi Palace Fights, the reincarnation of the once-popular Palace Fighting Championships, returns for its second show on Dec. 3, and the organization has secured recent UFC fighter Xavier Foupa-Pokam for the night's main event.

The French kickboxer takes on Mike Moreno in a middleweight bout.

Other notables on the card, which takes place at the Tachi Palace Hotel and Casino in Lemoore, Calif., include Diego Saraiva, Cyrille Diabate and Kyle Pimentel.

TPF began a new era earlier this month with its "Most Wanted" card, which featured Bellator champ Joe Soto's win over Mike Christensen and David Mitchell's controversial split-decision victory over UFC vet War Machine (formerly known as Jon Koppenhaver). Promoter Christian Printup recently took over sole control of the California-based organization, which has produced many notables who went to the UFC, WEC and other major promotions.

The organization has also served a place for UFC castoffs to regain their form.

That will be the case for Foupa-Pokam (20-11), who fights for the first time since his 0-2 stint in the UFC (losses to Denis Kang and Drew McFedries) earlier this year. He takes on California's Moreno (5-2).

In the night's co-headliner, UFC vet Saraiva (13-8-1) looks for his fifth win in seven fights when he takes on Yagin (13-3-1), a longtime SuperBrawl fighter who's riding a five-fight win streak.

The full TPF II card includes:

* Xavier Foupa-Pokam (20-11) vs. Mike Moreno (5-2)
* Diego Saraiva (13-8-1) vs. Eddie Yagin (13-3-1)
* Cyrille Diabate (14-6-1) vs. Rob Smith (20-13-1)
* Ulysses Gomez (4-1) vs. Ben Nguyen (4-2)
* Marcus Gains (6-7) vs. Kyle Pimentel (7-0)
* Shad Lierely (5-2) vs. John Reedy (8-3)
* Jesse Bowen (6-3) vs. Shawn Klarcyk (9-4)
* Mike Guirdy (1-0) vs. Dashi Salas (1-0)
* Nikk Covert (3-4) vs. Andrew Martinez (5-2-1)
* Romulo Melo (2-0) vs. TBA

 

[Shogun Locc]

Ohio commission issues Sean Salmon one-year administrative suspension, $2,500 fine

Three days before picking up a unanimous-decision win over PRIDE veteran Yuki Sasaki at Fight Festival 26 in Finland this past weekend, Sean Salmon went before the Ohio Athletic Commission and was issued a one-year administrative suspension and $2,500 fine.

The suspension and fine resulted from a Sept. 2 column for MMAjunkie.com in which Salmon, who is author of the site's "Full-Time Fighter" blog, said he allowed opponent Allan Weickert to tap him out a June 6 NAAFS event in Ohio.

The column sparked debate, and some criticized the former Ohio State wrestler for "throwing" a fight.

A four-person commission ultimately penalized Salmon for "not fighting to the best of his ability" and "conduct detrimental to the sport," Ohio Athletic Commission executive director Bernie Profato told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com).

The suspension is retroactive and ends June 6, 2010.

In the blog post, Salmon detailed a trodden mental state, and a waning personal life and marriage, heading into the fight. He also discussed a warning from his short-term employers at the U.K.-based Wolfslair gym that Salmon would be fired if he suffered a cut or injury in his fight since he'd no longer be able to train the team's other fighters.

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

Profato said he was disappointed that the "England excuse" wasn't mentioned in future columns and questioned the sincerity of the excuse.

Regardless, Salmon departed for the Fight Festival bout in Helsinki, which was booked prior to the commission meeting, soon after his Oct. 14 hearing. Although suspensions in the U.S. are usually upheld by commissions nationwide, many overseas promoters don't honor them.

Profato said Salmon never informed him or the commission members of the fight, which he compared to "kicking sand in the commission's face."

"To me, it's like showing the MMA world he has no remorse for what he's done," Profato said. "It's like being found guilty of a bank robbery and then robbing the 7-11 down the street. It's almost the same thing."

Salmon said he's since spoken to Profato about the situation and explained that he meant no disrespect. In fact, he said, he thought he had the commission's blessing to compete overseas.

"I told him that the only reason I had that fight set up before hand was because he had told me the worst that could happen to me was an administration suspension and I would be allowed to fight elsewhere with no further consequences," Salmon said.

Salmon said he also agreed with Profato that he would send a letter to the commission every few months "explaining the actions I am taking to return integrity to myself and the sport," Salmon said.

Salmon said he'll look for the silver lining in the situation.

"Although I do disagree with the suspension and the fine, I plan on using this setback as I have tried to anyother setback in my career: to analyze it, find anything positive I can take from it, and make the neccasary changes to assure that nothing like this happens again," Salmon said. "I made a mistake and came into a fight mentally unprepared. My opponent came completely prepared mentally and physically and won the fight.

"I am going to make sure from now on that I come to every fight prepared in every possible way and fight with everything I have inside me."

Salmon (17-8), a Milwaukee native and accomplished amateur wrestler, turned pro in November 2005 and made his UFC debut just 14 months later. Following losses to Rashad Evans and Alan Belcher, he was cut from the organization and has since competed in a variety of organizations, including Strikeforce and Ring of Combat. He began writing for MMAjunkie.com during his UFC stint and blogs about the ups and downs of being a professional fighter.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Two-time NCAA champ Ben Askren: No Strikeforce deal just yet

Despite just three professional fights, welterweight Ben Askren has quickly become one of the top prospects in all of mixed martial arts.

However, rumors that the two-time NCAA Division I national wrestling champion has already signed with Strikeforce are a bit premature – but far from outside the realm of possibility.

On today's edition of MMAjunkie.com Radio (www.mmajunkie.com/radio), the former University of Missouri stand-out said he hasn't signed a contract with Strikeforce but hopes to soon.

"I have not signed with Strikeforce yet," said Askren, who was the second-ever Mizzou wrestler to compete in the Olympics. "But I'd really like to fight for them. They've signed a lot of my friends lately ... and they said they're treated very well."

Those friends include Tyron Woodley, Daniel Cormier and "King" Muhammed Lawal, a host of elite-level wrestlers from the Big 12 who have been recruited by the CBS- and Showtime-televised promotion.

Soon after a respectable (but non-medal) finish at the 2008 Summer Olympics, Askren made the shift to MMA. He made his pro debut in February this year and picked up a pair of victories in the upstart Missouri-based Headhunter Productions organization. Then, in August, he picked up his third straight first-round stoppage win at a show in Iowa.

Askren, who formerly trained with American Top Team of Missouri in Columbia, recently joined the American Kickboxing Academy. He joined the camp after signing with Zinkin Entertainment & Sports Management, one of MMA's elite agencies.

Lately, though, Askren has been splitting time between the Lion's Den and Arizona Combat Sports, where he's been helping Ryan Bader prepare for his bout at this weekend's UFC 104 event.

"I'm just really ready to get back in the cage," Askren said.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Mark Munoz vs. Ryan Jensen inked for UFC 108 in Las Vegas

A bout between Mark Munoz (6-1 MMA, 1-1 UFC) and fellow middleweight Ryan Jensen (14-5 MMA, 1-3 UFC) is set for the UFC's first-of-the-year event, UFC 108.

Sources close to the bout confirmed with MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) that bout agreements were recently distributed and finalized just today.

UFC 108 takes place Jan. 2 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. The night's main card airs on pay-per-view, though Munoz vs. Jensen is expected to be part of the night's un-aired preliminary card.

Munoz returns to the cage and looks to build off his split-decision win over Nick Catone in August. The former NCAA Division I national wrestling champion and two-time Big 12 champion at Oklahoma State turned pro in 2007 and made his WEC debut just 11 months later.

Munoz went 2-0 in UFC's sister promotion with TKO wins over Chuck Grigsby and Rcardo Barros. However, when the WEC folded its 205-pound class, Munoz was sent to the UFC, where he suffered a violent head-kick KO loss to Matt Hamill at UFC 96 in March. Munoz then dropped to middleweight and picked up the win over Catone.

Jensen, meanwhile, recently posted his first career UFC victory in four tries. Jensen went 0-2 in his first stint (with submission losses to Thales Leites and Demian Maia) in 2007 but went 2-1 in outside organizations to get another shot in the UFC.

Jensen again faltered with a submission loss to Wilson Gouveia at UFC Fight Night 15 last year but, after a year layoff, bounced back for a submission victory over Steve Steinbeiss at UFC Fight Night 19 in September.

In 19 career fights, Jensen has never gone to a decision, win or lose. In fact, 13 of his 14 career wins came via first-round stoppage.

Although there's some uncertainty about the status of the night's main event, the latest rumored UFC 108 card now includes:

* Champ Anderson Silva vs. Vitor Belfort (for middleweight title)*
* Rashad Evans vs. Thiago Silva*
* Junior Dos Santos vs. Gabriel Gonzaga*
* Carlos Condit vs. Paul Daley*
* Tyson Griffin vs. Jim Miller*
* Joe Lauzon vs. Sam Stout*
* Dan Lauzon vs. Cole Miller*
* Ryan Jensen vs. Mark Munoz*

* - Not officially announced

 

[Shogun Locc]

ROUGH HOUSE FIGHTING TO BE U.K.'S BEST

NOTTINGHAM, England – It’s all go in the Rough House camp at the moment with all the fighters having bouts assigned to their name, game plans are set, and hard work is order of the day. Dan Hardy, Ross Pearson, Andre Winner, Jimmy Wallhead, Nick Osipczak, Dean Amasinger, and further out, Paul Daley. The beautiful thing is their fights are all close together, allowing them to pile on the intensity.

The family environment of the camp is the most potent impression you get from the guys. They train hard and knock each other about, but they are brothers, through blood, sweat and tears. Hardy explains that no matter where their careers flourish, their home is Nottingham.

“I live in America, but whenever I am set to fight, I train here, nothing comes close, these are my bothers; this is where it all happens.”

The sentiment echoes through all the guys, from the founding members of the team to new additions such as Osipczak and Pearson. I have traveled to several gyms over the years, but you can really tell that they are firm friends above all else.

Dean Amasinger sums it all up the best, “If we weren’t in the fight business, we would all be friends anyway. We all get along great and help each other. I don’t see that ever changing.”

Help as defined by Amasinger appears to involve a “shark tank,” which basically means he gets smashed about for 15 minutes with a fresh opponent every 45 seconds. It’s customary in the camp and everyone goes through it. Paul Daley did before his demolition of Martin Kampmann and pretty soon Jimmy Wallhead will do the same in his preparation for arguably his last challenge on U.K. shores in Che Mills.

For Amasinger, it is a way of testing his mettle before the showdown with tough London banger Scott Jansen at Ultimate Challenge. Fifty grams of carbohydrates a day in his system and he still has a gas tank, coming through the ordeal relatively unscathed – impressive stuff.

Slightly further down the line is UFC 105 where Hardy, Pearson, Winner, and Osipczak will all face formidable challenges. Overseeing the training is arguably the U.K.’s best strategist in Nathan “Levo” Leverton. His charges all have tough tasks ahead of them, but he is confident of their abilities.

“We have game plans in place for the fights, four page documents on their opponent’s traits, video footage studied and weaknesses identified. It’s going to be a great night,” he beams.

For Dan Hardy it will be a night that either cements him as the next logical challenger to Georges St. Pierre’s crown or as a fighter that you will have to go through to get there. Win or lose, his performance will solidify his place in the Top 10 welterweight rankings. Hardy remains unconcerned about events post-Swick though.

“My number one priority is Mike Swick. I am living and breathing that fight at the moment and that’s all I care about. After the fight, I will look to the future, but for now this deserves all of my attention.”

Having spoken to Hardy when he debuted in the UFC, his plan was to work his way into the Top 10 by mid-2010 and then work towards a title shot. Even he has to admit that the progression has been quicker than expected.

“I didn’t expect things to go the way they have so soon, but I knew it would happen eventually. The Rough House is taking over. Other guys have had their time at the top. AKA (American Kickboxing Academy) and the like all go through periods of dominance and I feel that it is now our time to shine in this UFC division with Paul, Nick, and myself.”

Moving on to the other guys, Andre Winner is set to face a tough challenge in the very tall Brazilian jiu-jitsu stylist Roli Delgado. Well aware of his opponent’s range and skills, Winner thinks that his fight will be a war.

“He has a big reach, but I don’t think he will stand with me. I would love it if he did though,” offers the lightweight. Having just witnessed a grueling sparring session with Winner center stage, showcasing his speed, it isn’t hard to picture a crazy fight between the two.

A sight that takes a little time to adjust to is seeing The Ultimate Fighter 9 winner Ross Pearson training with his opponent from the show. He insists it was harder fighting Winner on TUF, having been teammates on the show before the bout. Going back to training after that fight has never been an issue for either fighter. He relishes the chance to fight a veteran in Aaron Riley though.

“Aaron is a tough guy that is always in a fight. He has strengths in a lot of areas and I have to find his weaknesses. I am really looking forward to it,” he enthuses.

Finally moving onto Nick Osipczak who is set to collide with the game Matt Riddle.

“Matt presents an interesting fight for me. Obviously he is a skilled wrestler and that is something that I will need to be prepared for. Everything is going well though and I am just excited at the moment. I want to get in there and fight already.”

The Rough House brotherhood is taking care of its own. Come mid-November the team will have answers to its questions; plans will be drawn up for 2010. They want dominance and they will do whatever it takes to get it.

 

[Shogun Locc]

OVEREEM'S MANAGER ASSURES STRIKEFORCE RETURN

It’s become the topic of the month for Alistair Overeem fans (and foes): when will he come back to the U.S.?

Overeem, the Strikeforce heavyweight champion, has not defended his belt since November of 2007, when he defeated Paul Buentello by TKO at “Four Men Enter, One Man Survives.”

Since Strikeforce’s new deal with Showtime and CBS, the Dutch fighter’s return to American soil seems cursed.

Manager Bas Boon says Overeem signed a three-fight, one-year deal with Strikeforce in January after Overeem defeated Badr Hari in K-1. But an expected return to the promotion in spring was delayed when Overeem injured his hand in a nightclub brawl, leading to the cancellation of two fights in April and June.

Boon claims there were no opportunities for Overeem when his hand healed, leading them to accept an invitation to the K-1 World Grand Prix in late August. Overeem won his fight against kickboxing superstar Peter Aerts, setting up a Dec. 5 fight with Ewertown Teixeira.

Still hungry to fight, Overeem fought on Boon’s Golden Glory show on Oct. 17 and will soon fight in Japan at Dream 12 on Oct. 26, a fight Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker maintains was already booked.

Overeem is also tentatively scheduled for K-1’s New Year’s Eve show against an opponent to be determined.

Coker last month said Overeem would return to action in late February or March, likely against the winner of Fedor Emelianenko vs. Brett Rogers. Boon says he will honor that timeline.

“Whatever they want, if they want to put Alistair against Fedor, it’s fine, depending on how we can make good terms,” he said. “Obviously, if it was a build-up, there were the first two fights if (Alistair) would win, and then he would go for a bigger fight and the money would be better, but if Fedor challenges him for the title, (Alistair) still has the title and he wants to defend it, it’s not a problem. Then the fight is on.

"I can tell you one thing, man, Alistair's going to be ready. He's going to (expletive) Fedor up."

Boon says he maintains a good relationship with Coker and feels sorry for the delay.

“We’ll be seeing him (in Strikeforce) next year, 100 percent,” said Boon.

 

[Shogun Locc]

CURRAN MOVES ON, SIGNS 2 FIGHTS FOR STRIKEFORCE

Former World Extreme Cagefighting bantamweight Jeff Curran has fought for just about every major fight promotion in the world: WEC, UFC, Pride, IFL, King of the Cage. He’s about to add another to the list... Strikeforce.

Curran on Tuesday confirmed to MMAWeekly.com that he has signed a two-fight, non-exclusive contract with Strikeforce. His first bout for the promotion will be on the preliminary card for the Nov. 7 “Fedor vs. Rogers” event in his backyard of Chicago.

No opponent has been named yet for Curran’s Strikeforce debut, but he indicated that the field has been narrowed to two different possibilities, the more prominent of which he says is hesitant to agree to the fight.

“At this point, it doesn’t matter,” he told MMAWeekly.com. “I am going to fight my ass off to finish the fight as soon as possible.”

Curran (29-12-1) leaves the WEC after a two-year stint, having lost his last four fights for the promotion. His last action in the cage was a controversial split decision loss to fellow contender Takeya Mizugaki at WEC 42 in August.

He is happy to be fighting for another premier organization, though he’s outspoken about his future plans.

“My ultimate goal is to be returning to the WEC. Strikeforce has no intentions on building the 135-pound weight division much, so it doesn’t make a good fit for me. However, being able to go from WEC to Strikeforce is great in that I can stay on big shows.”

The benefits aren’t one-sided. Curran is also a bonus for Strikeforce, especially fighting in Chicago. Curran has spent much of his career promoting and fighting on events in the area, where he also resides, and is typically a strong draw in regards to ticket sales.

Following his Strikeforce appearance, Curran faces DEEP fighter Tomohiko Hori (10-7-5) at XFO 34 on Dec. 5 in Lakemoore, Ill. Hori is a training partner of Mizugaki.

“After these two fights, assuming they are wins, I will begin to see if WEC will have me back sooner than later,” Curran concluded.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Antoni Hardonk is no prophet — but still predicts a good performance at UFC 104

“People ask me this all the time. I’m not a prophet like Muhammad Ali. I don’t know beforehand what’s going to happen, but I do know that I feel really comfortable with my game right now. I feel the strongest Antoni Hardonk I have ever been. So I focus on myself and I don’t know what my opponent is going to do. That’s up to him. That’s his responsibility, but I feel great and I am ready to give a really, really good performance and it’s going to be tough for him, that’s for sure.”

 

[Shogun Locc]

MAYNARD VS. DIAZ MAY HEAD UFC FIGHT NIGHT 20

Undefeated lightweight contender Gray Maynard and Ultimate Fighter season five winner Nate Diaz have agreed to square off in the expected main event of the unannounced Jan. 11 UFC Fight Night 20 in Northern Virginia.

Sources close to the bout confirmed the signing to MMAWeekly.com Tuesday afternoon. According to GracieFighter.com, the web site operated by Diaz’s manager, Cesar Gracie, Diaz has signed a bout agreement for the fight.

Looking to exact a measure of revenge, Maynard (8-0) has been on a tear through the UFC’s lightweight ranks since emerging from season five of TUF. He didn’t make it to the finals, however, submitting to a Diaz guillotine choke in the semifinal round. Following a no contest with Rob Emerson on that season’s finale, he has reeled off six straight wins. His victims include fellow contenders Roger Huerta, Jim Miller, and Frankie Edgar.

After defeating Manny Gamburyan in the season five finale, Diaz (11-4) racked up four straight victories before dropping back-to-back bouts to Clay Guida and Joe Stevenson. He got back on track in August when he submitted Melvin Guillard in the main event of UFC Fight Night 19 in Oklahoma.

 

[Shogun Locc]

MUNOZ VS. JENSEN SET FOR UFC 108 UNDERCARD

A middleweight match has been added to the undercard of UFC 108 in Las Vegas as former NCAA champion wrestler Mark Munoz makes his return to action to face four-time UFC veteran Ryan Jensen.

The bout was confirmed to MMAWeekly.com on Tuesday by sources close to the fight. It was initially reported by MMAJunkie.com .

Munoz, who dropped to 185 pounds for the first time in his MMA career for his last fight, looks to get back to his dominant ways that saw him pick up five wins in a row to start his career including three TKO victories.

Making his UFC debut in March against former "Ultimate Fighter" competitor Matt Hamill, Munoz suffered a devastating knockout loss, and then decided to move to a more natural weight for him fighting in the middleweight division.

Since that time, Munoz appeared once in the Octagon getting a split decision win over fellow wrestler Nick Catone in August.

Ryan Jensen steps into the fight against Munoz hoping to improve upon his 1-3 record in the UFC. Jensen had no easy tasks early in his UFC career drawing fights with top middleweights such as Demian Maia, Thales Leites, and Wilson Gouveia.

His first taste of success in the UFC came in his last bout via a controversial submission win over Arizona Combat Sports fighter Steve Steinbeiss. Jensen locked on a guillotine choke and the referee stepped in to stop the fight despite no tap or signal from his opponent that he was finished.

Munoz vs. Jensen will help fill in the untelevised portion of the undercard for an as of yet unannounced main event for the Jan. 2 show, although speculation points at UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva defending his belt against Vitor Belfort.

 

[Shogun Locc]

COWBOY CERRONE VS 9MM RATCLIFF IN WEC DEC 19

Not one to sit back and wait for something to happen, Donald "Cowboy" Cerrone gets right back on the horse following a close decision loss to Ben Henderson at WEC 43. He returns to action on Dec. 19 to face dangerous lightweight Ed "9mm" Ratcliff at WEC 45 in Las Vegas.

The bout was first reported by Sherdog.com and has since been confirmed independently by MMAWeekly.com. Sources close to the fight advised bout agreements have been issued and should be signed shortly.

Cerrone (10-2), now 3-2 in the WEC with one no contest, hopes to get right back into title contention with a win over a very tough opponent in Ratcliff. Training out of Greg Jackson's New Mexico academy, Cerrone has long been considered one of the toughest lightweights in the sport.

Ratcliff (7-1) returns to action after a decision win over Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu ace Phil Cardella in his last fight. Ratcliff was undefeated until running into former top WEC lightweight contender Marcus Hicks in March 2008.

Following the loss, Ratcliff dealt with injuries that kept him sidelined until August when he came back with the win over Cardella.

The bout between Cerrone and Ratcliff will likely be one of the main fights on the card, although no headline has been announced by the promotion at this point. Stay tuned to MMAWeekly.com for more information on this card as it becomes available.

 

[Shogun Locc]

ROLLES GRACIE VS. MUSTAPHA AL-TURK AT UFC 109

For the first time since Royce Gracie stepped into the UFC Octagon in May 2006, another Gracie will make his way to the mixed martial arts juggernaught. Rolles Gracie has signed a multi-fight deal with the organization and will make his debut at UFC 109 in February against British heavyweight Mustapha Al-Turk.

The bout was confirmed to MMAWeekly.com on Tuesday by sources close to the fight.

Gracie has amassed a 3-0 professional record with his last two wins coming in the Art of War promotion in China.

A black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, he trains at both Renzo Gracie's Academy in New York City as well as Greg Jackson's school in New Mexico. Several fighters from Jackson's MMA have been working with Gracie's school of late including former light heavyweight champion Rashad Evans.

Al-Turk will hope to make the most out of his third appearance in the UFC after dropping his first two fights to Cheick Kongo and Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic respectively.

A respected grappler and wrestler, Al-Turk may test his stand-up in the fight with Gracie who obviously comes from a legendary Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu background.

No official announcement has been made by the UFC about the fight, nor has it been confirmed if the bout will make it to the main card or the preliminary portion of the show.

 

[B-Buzz]

COWBOY CERRONE VS 9MM RATCLIFF IN WEC DEC 19

Damn! Cerrone might have 3 contenders for fight of the year

 

[Shogun Locc]

Page-Mizugaki on Tap for WEC 45

Bantamweight contenders Damacio Page and Takeya Mizugaki have agreed to meet at WEC 45 on Dec. 19 in Las Vegas, a source close to the bout has confirmed to Sherdog.com.

The matchup is expected to help shape the title picture for the promotion’s 135-pound division.

Page (12-4) has won his last two fights in impressive fashion -- a devastating knockout over highly regarded Marcos Galvao and a slick submission over WEC newcomer Will Campuzano -- since losing to eventual division champ Brian Bowles in August of last year. The 27- year-old hails from acclaimed trainer Greg Jackson’s gym in Albuquerque, N.M.

Mizugaki, 25, put on a show for fans at WEC 40 in April when he took then-champion Miguel Torres to the final bell in what was one of the more memorable fights of 2009. A native of Kanagawa, Japan, he sports a 12-3-2 record and is returning to the cage after a hard-fought victory over MMA veteran Jeff Curran.

WEC 45 will likely be hosted at The Joint at the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino or The Pearl at The Palms Casino.