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Feb 7, 2006
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Anthony Pettis forced out of WEC 44, Rob McCullough's new opponent uncertain

The recently completed card for November's "WEC 44: Brown vs. Aldo" will once again need a little attention.

MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) has learned that Roufusport fighter Anthony Pettis (7-0 MMA, 1-0 WEC) has been forced to withdraw from the event due to an undisclosed injury, leaving Rob McCullough (17-5 MMA, 8-3 WEC) without an opponent.

Featuring a featherweight title fight between current champ Mike Brown and top challenger Jose Aldo, WEC 44 takes place Nov. 18 at The Pearl at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas.

Pettis made his WEC debut in June, submitting Mike Campbell in the first round of an aggressive, fast-paced contest. A timetable for "Showtime's" return wasn't immediately known.

McCullough will now wait to see who he will face on the Versus-televised event. "Razor" Rob most recently appeared in a split-decision win over Marcus Hicks in March. The former WEC lightweight champion has been expected to appear on the evening's main card, though the status of television slot is currently unknown.
 
Feb 7, 2006
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UFC/Spike TV to Counterprogram Strikeforce/CBS with 2-hour Special

Headlining bouts from UFC 101 through UFC 103 will air Nov. 7 on Spike TV at 9 p.m., the same time and date that Strikeforce will be making its debut on CBS.

Spike TV announced Wednesday that it will air the UFC 102 main event between Randy Couture and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, the UFC 103 main event between Vitor Belfort and Rich Franklin, and UFC 101’s featured bouts between Forrest Griffin and Anderson Silva and between B.J. Penn and Kenny Florian. The bouts, which have not appeared on cable, will be part of a two-hour telecast titled “UFC Main Events.”

Meanwhile, on CBS, No. 1-ranked heavyweight Fedor Emelianenko will meet an undefeated Brett Rogers. Also on the Strikeforce/M-1 Global co-promoted card is a middleweight title fight between Jake Shields and Jason "Mayhem" Miller.
 
Feb 7, 2006
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Anderson Silva vs. Vitor Belfort at UFC 108 "up in the air" pending doctor's orders (Updated)

LOS ANGELES – Those looking forward to seeing Anderson Silva defend his UFC middleweight title against Vitor Belfort might need to hang tight just a bit longer.

While the Brazilian sluggers are currently rumored to meet on Jan. 2, Silva's manager, Ed Soares, told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) that "The Spider" isn't yet a sure thing for the fight.

"It's up in the air right now," Soares said.

The uncertainty surrounding the contest centers on Silva's right elbow, which he is currently rehabilitating after a recent surgery.

"[Silva] had a couple pieces of bone in there that were lodged in the elbow," Soares said. "That's why he couldn't extend his elbow all the way. And this has been bothering for him for quite a few years – at least a couple of years.

"It got to the point where I would be down in Brazil seeing him train, and I would see him finish up with his training and literally have tears in his eyes."

Soares said Silva had planned on having the procedure done earlier in the year, but he delayed the surgery when duty called.

"[Silva] was supposed to go in after the Thales Leites fight, then [UFC officials] offered the Forrest Griffin fight, and we did it," Soares said. "That's when we got all the MRI's back, and that's when we decided to do it."

Soares and Silva have both openly discussed their concern for Belfort's title-shot worthiness after just one fight in "The Phenom's" return to the UFC, especially considering the fight was a 195-pound catchweight feature. But Soares said his camp understands the UFC wants to put the fight together, and their feelings on Belfort have nothing to do with the delay.

"We're just speaking our mind," Soares said. "I told (UFC president) Dana (White); Dana said his points. Dana said, 'Hey, traditionally, title fights are going to sell more pay per views. People want to see title fights.' So be it. It doesn't really make a difference. I just don't think it's fair.

"[Belfort] hasn't fought at 185 pounds. He doesn't make weight the first time he steps on the scale at 195 pounds, and now he's going to fight for the 185-pound title? But hey, it's their choice."

Instead, determining when and where Silva fight's next all comes down to the middleweight's recovery time. Soares said Silva's elbow is healing quickly, but his doctor has yet to clear the champion to return to training.

"It's got to heal, and Anderson has got to work on building the range of motion back," Soares said. "It's coming along. The physical therapist says he can't believe the progress he's been able to make in the past few days, but Anderson is still not 100 percent and free to train.

"We're going to wait until the end of the week to really see what's going on, to really give the UFC an answer."

Despite the temporary setback, Soares said he and Silva aren't ruling anything out. But UFC fans will need to wait a few more days before setting their sights on a Silva vs. Belfort showdown.

"Anderson's health is what's most important," Soares said. "If he ends up not fighting on Jan. 2, I believe the UFC will understand. They want the champ to be at his best.

"But we really want to fight. We want to get him in there and fight as fast as possible. ... The sooner we can break that UFC record of six-straight title defenses, the better."
 
Feb 7, 2006
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Kyle Bradley vs. Rafael dos Anjos targeted for UFC Fight Night 20 prelims

A lightweight bout between Kyle Bradley (14-6 MMA, 1-2 UFC) and Rafael dos Anjos (12-4 MMA, 1-2 UFC) will soon be set for January's UFC Fight Night 20 event.

A source close to one of the lightweight competitors told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) bout agreements are in the process of being finalized.

Although not officially announced, UFC Fight Night 20 takes place Jan. 11, most likely at the Patriot Center in Fairfax, Va.

The night's main card, including a headliner of Gray Maynard vs. Nate Diaz, airs on Spike TV. The Bradley vs. dos Anjos fight, though, is expected to be part of the night's un-aired preliminary card.

Bradley, a Team Voodoo fighter who entered the UFC in 2008 with a seven-fight win streak, likely saved his UFC career at UFC 98, when he scored a first-round TKO of Phillipe Nover. Prior to the win, Bradley had dropped his first two UFC contests (via TKO to Chris Lytle and Joe Lauzon).

Bradley, who hasn't fought since May, was expected to meet Sam Stout at UFC Fight Night 19 in September but was forced off the card due to an injury.

Like his opponent, dos Anjos also had a rough start to his UFC career. The Brazilian entered the organization in late 2008 with a nine-fight win streak but dropped his first two UFC fights to Jeremy Stephens (knockout) and Tyson Griffin (decision). Possibly because he earned a Fight of the Night award for the Griffin loss, dos Anjos got another shot with the organization despite this year's roster purge.

He made the most of it and defeated Rob Emerson via unanimous decision at UFC 103 in September.
 
Feb 7, 2006
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Mike Pyle vs. Jake Ellenberger latest addition to UFC 108 card

UFC 108's quickly filling fight card got another addition with a booking that pits Mike Pyle (19-6 MMA, 1-1 UFC) vs. fellow welterweight Jake Ellenberger (21-5 MMA, 0-1 UFC).

Sources close to both competitors told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) verbal agreements are in place and bout agreements will be signed shortly.

The event takes place Jan. 2 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas and airs on pay-per-view.

Pyle, who previously competed for organizations ranging from Strikeforce to Affliction to EliteXC to World Victory Road, signed with the UFC earlier this year and took a fight with Brock Larson on just a day's notice. He suffered a first-round submission loss but rebounded four months later and submitted Chris Wilson at UFC 103 in September.

Pyle, legendary for his intense workouts at Xtreme Couture, has now won four of his past five fights, all via submission. In fact, 16 of his 19 career wins have come via submission.

Ellenberger, meanwhile, made his UFC debut in September with a close, split-decision loss to Carlos Condit in a hotly contested UFC Fight Night 19 main-card bout. Many viewers (and much of the Oklahoma City crowd) thought the fight was won by Ellenbrger, who dominated the first round of their bout with multiple knockdowns.

Prior to the loss, the Nebraskan had won four straight fights and six of his previous seven.
 
Feb 7, 2006
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Jeremy Stephens, not Efrain Escudero, likely faces Nik Lentz at UFC Fight Night 20

Despite initial reports that Nik Lentz (17-3-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC) would meet Efrain Escudero at UFC Fight Night 20, MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) has learned from sources close to the negotiations that Lentz will likely meet Jeremy Stephens (16-4 MMA, 4-4 UFC) instead.

The reason for Escudero's removal from the contest was not immediately known, though "Hecho en Mexico" is now expected to face another opponent on the same card.

The as-yet-unannounced UFC Fight Night 20 is expected to take place Jan. 11 in Virginia and air live on SpikeTV.

Stephens fought most recently in a TKO win over Justin Buchholz at UFC Fight Night 19 in September. The two fighters appeared to be on the verge of a titanic slugfest before a Stephens' strike opened a huge gash on Buchholz's face that forced the stoppage.

The win was much-needed for Stephens, who had been in a 1-3 slump in the UFC.

Lentz, meanwhile, seeks to follow up on a win in his UFC debut. "The Carnie" earned a unanimous-decision win over fellow UFC newcomer Rafaello Oliveira at "UFC 103: Franklin vs. Belfort" in September.

Lentz currently carries a nine-fight unbeaten streak.

With the change to the card, UFC Fight Night 20 now includes:

* Nate Diaz vs. Gray Maynard*
* Josh Koscheck vs. Mike Pierce*
* Chris Leben vs. Jay Silva*
* Efrain Escudero vs. TBA*
* Nik Lentz vs. Jeremy Stephens*
* Tom Lawlor vs. Aaron Simpson*
* Kyle Bradley vs. Rafael dos Anjos*
* Jesse Lennox vs. Rick Story*
* Mike Guymon vs. Rory MacDonald*

* - Not officially announced
 
Feb 7, 2006
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BRAD BLACKBURN PLANS UFC RETURN IN 2010

Ultimate Fighting Championship welterweight "Bad" Brad Blackburn recently signed a new multi-fight deal with the organization and expects to return to UFC action in early 2010.

“I am going to be fighting in January or February,” he told MMAWeekly.com. “I already called them. I called the UFC last week. I said, ‘I can fight January 30th on.’ I’m trying to fight for a living now, and give it 100-percent. I’m not trying to be a spectator. I’ve been feeling like a spectator lately.”

Blackburn revitalized his career in the now defunct International Fight League and has a 3-0 record since landing the UFC. In his last bout, against Edgar Garcia at The Ultimate Fighter 9 Finale in June, Blackburn suffered an injury to his right shoulder in the first round that required surgery to correct.

“Of course it takes a while with the surgery that I had, but it’s feeling good right now,” said the 32-year-old fighter. “I’m happy with the result so far. I can spar. I can hit the pads. I can grapple. I don’t feel comfortable wrestling yet. There’s a few things I can’t do grappling, but for the most part I’m training again. I expect to be close to 100-percent within a month.”

Coming off layoff and surgery, Blackburn wants to pick up where he left off, stepping up in competition to face a Top 10 ranked opponent in his return.

“It has to be a big name. It has to be Top 10. If it’s not Top 10, it has to be a really big name or I’m not going to take it because I’ve fought guys Top 15 and that’s what I’ve been doing,” he said. “I’ve been ranked around that area and because of my injuries I get pushed back again in the rankings, but it’s like, okay, I’ve done that and now it’s time to go Top 10. I want Top 10.”

Blackburn has a 15-9-1 professional mixed martial arts record and recently re-signed with the UFC, inking a four-fight deal.
 
Feb 7, 2006
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FOR MAURICIO RUA, UFC 104 IS ABOUT GAME PLAN

Former top ranked light heavyweight in the world and Pride 2005 Middleweight Grand Prix champion Mauricio “Shogun” Rua has the opportunity to add another piece of hardware to his trophy case when he takes on undefeated UFC light heavyweight titleholder Lyoto “The Dragon” Machida at UFC 104 on Oct. 24 in Los Angeles.

Machida’s style has baffled opponents, but Rua believes he has the game plan to defeat the precise and elusive 31-year-old champion.

"Lyoto's a different guy, a different fighter than the other athletes. For most athletes that you face, you just need to train, adapt to little things and train as you regularly do and fight them because you’re used to what they bring to the table,” said Rua.

“Lyoto’s a different guy with the karate background and well adapted to mixed martial arts. It’s very tough to find him during the fight, to find the right distance because he has great timing, but I’m well prepared, for sure, with the right strategy,” added the 27-year-old contender.

“I’ve been preparing for four months straight about my game plan for this fight and I’m confident that I’m going to perform well.”

Arriving in the UFC, Rua faced an uphill battle coming off a long layoff from the Japanese Pride organization being purchased by Zuffa, the UFC’s parent company, and recovering from knee surgeries. He insists his knee is fully healed and is no longer a factor in his performance.

"My knee feels 100-percent healed. Thank God. It's been about one year and eight months since I had my last surgery. Now-a-days it doesn't bother me at all,” said Rua. “I feel 100-percent healthy and ready to fight.

“I expect to give my best performance in the Octagon, to fight to the best of my skills because this is the only thing that I tell myself. I’ve never promised or obligated myself to win a fight or score a knocking or something like that,” Rua told MMAWeekly.com.

“The only thing that I really demand and push myself to do is to go and do my best performance and do my best out there, don’t save anything for later and just do my best. That’s what I expect to give a great performance because I feel very well prepared.”
 
Feb 7, 2006
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Exclusive: Jeff Curran vs. Sam Thao set for “Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Rogers”

A bantamweight showdown between Jeff Curran and Sam Thao has been set for “Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Rogers“.

FiveOuncesofPain.com has been able to confirm the bout through sources close to the fight.

The event is set for November 7 from the Sears Centre in Hoffman Estates, IL., airing live on CBS.

The bout between Curran and Thao will take place as part of the preliminary portion of the card.

Sporting a career record of 29-12-1, Curran will be looking to bounce back from a four fight losing skid that included defeats at the hands of top rated fighters in Urijah Faber, Mike Brown, Joseph Benavidez and Takeya Mizugaki in the WEC. During the course of his career, the “Big Frog” has notched wins over the likes of Wagnney Fabiano and Raphael Assuncao.

Thao will be moving up from 125 pounds to face off with Curran, who recently dropped down to 135 from 145 pounds. Holding a professional record of 4-1, Thao is known as a heavy handed knockout artist, with three of his four wins coming via TKO.
 
Feb 7, 2006
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Exclusive: Lyle Beerbohm Re-Signs With Strikeforce

The Strikeforce lightweight division just got that much deeper, for that much longer, as undefeated lightweight smashing machine Lyle “Fancy Pants” Beerbohm has recently re-inked an extensive contract with the increasingly talent stacked promotion. .

FiveOuncesofPain.com was able to learn of the signing through sources close to the situation.

Stretching two years in length, the contract guarantees Beerbohm a minimum of six fights, capping off at a maximum of twelve scraps running through 2011.

Rocking an unblemished 13-0 record with 12 finishes to his credit, Lyle holds impressive first round stoppages over UFC veterans Gerald Strebendt, Rafaello Oliveira and Duane Ludwig.

Beerbohm made his Strikeforce debut on June 19 of this year when he caught Duane Ludwig in a “Beer Naked Choke” in the opening round.

In his last appearance in the cage, Lyle stopped Josh Martin via frankensteiner elbows during “Arena Rumble” on September 12, opening multiple lacerations on his battered opponent that required an array of staples and stitches to patch up.

Beerbohm is currently set to make his next appearance at “Arena Rumble II” on November 28 from the Yakima Sun Dome in Yakima, Washington against Alonzo Martinez.

While no date or opponent has been set for Beerbohm’s return to Strikeforce, sources place the potential bout in early 2010.
 
Feb 7, 2006
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SENGOKU XI! Gono’s Opponent Announced

Akihiro Gono’s opponent for SENGOKU XI in November has been announced. He will face Korean Shin Ramen (Yoon Young Kim).

Kim is 22 years old and 190 cm tall. His MMA record is 13-4 and he’s coming off 2 submission victories in Japan. He’s called Shin Ramen because.

A fight of the soul fight(?) has also been added to the card, Kyokushin Karateka Bull (Hirokazu Konno) is fighting former Pro Boxer Tomoaki Ueyama (Ryuki Ueyama’s older brother), who has had a good 2009, from the U-File Camp. Bull is presented as a brawl master and the fight will be fought during the intermission of the event.

Also, a list of candidate participants for Sengoku Raiden Championship 12 (the number will continue from SENGOKU XI) on NYE was released. Mizuto Hirota, Masanori Kanehara, Satoru Kitaoka, Hatsu Hioki, Michihiro Omigawa, Kazunori Yokota, Eiji Mitsuoka, Makoto Takimoto, Hiroshi Izumi, and Kazuhiro Nakamura.

Update: WVR PR Kokuho said that the next commission meeting will be in December and that Misaki might be discussed then. Kokuho himself wants Misaki to fight on NYE since he has behaved very well (as he should) since the incident.

Kokuho wants at least 3 championship fights on NYE.

The fight of the soul is for the Japanese fans who sit quietly and watch the fights unlike foreign fans who make more noise. It will start 10 minutes into the intermission.

Update #2: A large press conference will be held next week for Sengoku Raiden Championship 12 and the Japanese fighters will be present. About a TV deal, Kokuho said: “I think I’ll be able to make some kind of announcement next week”.

Next week is also the final week of October and Kokuho said at the last press conference that they might have a big surprise (first of its kind in Japan) at the end of this month.

Carlos Newton was a possible opponent for Gono but since he injured himself in his last fight it didn’t happen.

SENGOKU XI
Date: November 7th, 2009
Place: Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo, Japan

Featherweight Fights:
Michihiro Omigawa vs. Hatsu Hioki
Marlon Sandro vs. Yuji Hoshino
Shigeki Osawa vs. Ronnie Ushiwaka

Lightweight Fights:
Kazunori Yokota vs. Eiji Mitsuoka
Satoru Kitaoka vs. Jorge Masvidal

Middleweight Fight:
Jorge Santiago vs. Mamed Khalidov

Light Heavyweight Fight:
Kevin Randleman vs. Stanislav Nedkov

Heavyweight Fight:
Dave Herman vs. Big Jim York

Welterweight Fight:
Akihiro Gono vs. Shin Ramen

Fight Of The Soul Featherweight Fight:
Bull vs. Tomoaki Ueyama
 
Feb 12, 2004
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Jon Fitch likely to rematch Thiago Alves at UFC 107 in December

by John Morgan and Dann Stupp on Oct 22, 2009 at 3:25 pm ET
Late Wednesday UFC welterweight contender Jon Fitch (19-3 MMA, 10-1 UFC) announced his UFC 106 fight had been canceled because of a knee injury suffered by opponent by Ricardo Almeida (11-3 MMA, 4-3 UFC).

However, another bout – a rematch from 2006 – may be on the way.

A source close to the UFC today told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) that Fitch likely will instead fight fellow contender Thiago Alves (16-5 MMA, 9-3 UFC) in December at UFC 107; Alves' rumored opponent on that card, Paulo Thiago (11-1 MMA, 1-1 UFC), would instead be booked for another bout.

The fight, though, is not official, and the UFC hasn't even officially announced the cancellation of the Fitch vs. Almeida bout.

If the fight is booked, though, Fitch vs. Alves would be part of the main card of UFC 107, which takes place Dec. 12 at the FedExForum in Memphis, Tenn. The pay-per-view event features a main event between UFC lightweight champion B.J. Penn and challenger Diego Sanchez.

Fitch and Alves first met in 2006 at UFC Fight Night 5. Both competitors were in the first year of their UFC careers and actually competed on the night's un-aired preliminary card. Fitch scored a second-round TKO and used a vicious upkick to force a stoppage via subsequent punches late in the round.

That victory was part of a 15-fight win streak that Fitch posted from 2003 and to 2008, when – after a then-record eight straight UFC wins – he dropped a unanimous decision to UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre. He's since re-emerged as a top contender with recent unanimous-decision wins over Akihiro Gono and Paulo Thiago.

Alves, meanwhile, looks to reclaim a title shot after failing to win the belt in his most recent appearance. Alves got his title shot at UFC 100 in July but dropped a unanimous decision to St-Pierre. The loss was Alves' first since the TKO loss to Fitch that snapped his seven-fight win streak.

For the latest on "UFC 107: Penn vs. Sanchez," stay tuned to the UFC Rumors section of MMAjunkie.com.
 
Feb 7, 2006
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Thomson Hopeful for December Return

LOS ANGELES -- Strikeforce lightweight champion Josh Thomson told Sherdog.com on Wednesday that he is hoping to return to the cage this year.

Thomson (16-2), who is in Los Angeles for teammate Cain Velasquez’s UFC 104 bout against Ben Rothwell, has had a recurring issue with his left leg, first broken while training for an April rematch with Gilbert Melendez.

In August Thomson was again scheduled to face the man he had defeated to become champion but then reinjured his leg, this time breaking his tibia at the top of the spot where a surgical plate was screwed into the bone after the initial injury. A seemingly harmless kick in training was the culprit, and once again Thomson-Melendez was put on hold.

Thomson stated Wednesday that all he was waiting for was a decision from his orthopedic surgeon on whether he would be cleared in time to prepare for a tentative Dec. 19 date in his hometown of San Jose.

“For me, I feel the chances are great, but … it’s going to take a little bit of planning with Scott Coker and Showtime to make sure this happens,” said the 31-year-old champ. “The last thing we want to do is advertise this fight again, especially in San Jose.

“Knowing that I sell tickets and knowing that I have a big fan base there -- both of us do -- and for us not to follow through with this fight again, for a third time, we might as well scrap the fight till the end of next year then. We could go our separate ways, fight a couple different people, then come back, but I am really looking forward to hopefully December.”
 
Feb 7, 2006
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Anthony Johnson: UFC 104 just another day in the dog-eat-dog world of MMA

UFC welterweight Anthony Johnson (7-2 MMA, 4-2 UFC) has no desire to hide his approach to fighting.

"I'm not stupid when it comes down to the ground, but you really won't see me trying to pull off a submission," Johnson recently told MMAjunkie.com Radio (www.mmajunkie.com/radio). "Even if I'm on my back I'm going to try and punch you in your face."

Johnson will get a chance to implement that plan on the main card of Saturday's UFC 104 event against Yoshiyuki Yoshida (11-3 MMA, 2-1 UFC), and "Rumble" doesn't plan on winning the evening's "Submission of the Night."

"I love my standup," Johnson said. "I'm not crazy about jiu-jitsu, but I know I need it. I respect it because it's part of the game; it's part of my sport and what I do. I have to respect it, but I prefer standup, if anything. But if I go down to the ground, I won't panic or anything."

Yoshida is no stranger to a standup affair, so the night's first televised bout could prove to be a real barnburner. Johnson simply views Yoshida as the next step in his development as a complete fighter.

"[People] are always asking me when am I going to get a shot with [UFC welterweight champ Georges St. Pierre], and I always tell them the same thing: when I deserve it," Johnson said. "There's so many good welterweights that are ahead of me. I think I have to fight some of the best before the fans say or the UFC says, 'Hey, here's your chance to fight 'GSP.'

"I still have a lot of work to do. I'm not going to say I'm ready for 'GSP' right now or anything like that. I'm not. I still want to improve. I still want to become a better fighter and a better person, too."

And to do that, Johnson said he plans on visiting the best camps in the country.

"I am going to start [visiting other gyms] after this fight," Johnson said. "I think I need to go out more and see what all is out there because you can never learn too much when it comes down to anything in life, really. I see that with mixed martial arts, too.

"I think I'm going to start going around and training with some other guys just to see what I can learn. They can help me, and I can help them in different ways. So I plan on going to different gyms just to better myself. That's what all the good MMA fighters do."

The quick and powerful Johnson also has size on his side. "Rumble" is notable as one of the welterweight division's biggest fighters, and he was actually forced to cut down from nearly 220 pounds for Saturday's fight after becoming undisciplined in his diet. But Johnson has no immediate plans of leaving the division.

"I think I can stay at 170 (pounds) as long as I want to," Johnson said. "I'll probably stay at 170 until I absolutely get my ass whooped. Then I'll probably move up a weight class. But I love 170. I have so much respect for the guys at 170 because to mev that division, and lightweight, are the divisions you want to be in if you think you're a good fighter.

"I just have to watch my diet and eat better. I'm a big country boy. I'm from Georgia. I'm used to Southern food, fried food. I love eating that stuff. But since I've been in California, now I have to change up my diet. Back then when I was back home in Georgia, I played football and all that other stuff, so they want us big. But this isn't football. This is MMA, so I've got to eat clean."

With a better diet and improved technique, Johnson could prove troublesome for any fighter in the welterweight division – including St. Pierre. But Johnson is focused on Yoshida, and then he'll let the UFC decide his next move.

"Everybody's on my radar," Johnson said. "They're out to take me out just like I'm out to take them out. It's a dog-eat-dog world in mixed martial arts."
 
Feb 7, 2006
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Fight Path: Chase Gormley's road to UFC 104 included brother, He-Man, Scary Gary

Not too long ago, Chase Gormley felt like his mixed-martial-arts career was in neutral.

"How many fights were canceled?" Gormley told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) of his frustrating relationship with Affliction that, in part, stalled his career after six consecutive wins. "Well, four. If you count the Jay White thing."

That was supposed to be October 2008, while Gormley still had momentum following his May 2008 win against Eric Pele at Maximum Fighting Championships 16 that sent the heavyweight into his deal with Affliction. But, like three after it, the fight was scratched.

"It's been a roller coaster year and a half," said the 26-year-old Gormley.

But, it closes with the biggest opportunity yet in Gormley's career. The California native who, after following his older brother into athletics became an NAIA All-American wrestler, will face Stefan Struve at UFC 104 in his first fight since his opportunity-creating win against Pele.

From the time he was stunned with Jon Murphy's strong right hand in the opening seconds of his first professional fight, Gormley has been the one to fear. Combining the striking ability he learned from early boxing training with the Brazilian jiu-jitsu skill he gained starting at age 13, Gormley has hovered among MMA's more promising heavyweights since he began.

"It's easy to say, 'Well, maybe I should've just gotten a job and done something else for awhile,'" Gormley said. "But I had to put a lot into this, and there were a lot of people who weren't getting fights because there just weren't many (Affliction) shows. Now I'm ready for what's coming."

Remember Scary Gary?

Unlike his competitive personality that emerged when he was a star high school wrestler, Gormley grew up in a low-key community in Red Bluff, Calif., near the border with Oregon. His father was a carpenter, his mother was a waitress, and both encouraged their two boys – older brother Josh is 10 years his senior – into sports.

Josh, actually, later became an MMA fighter. He fought under the name Josh Dempsey and went 1-1, which included an appearance at a King of the Cage show back in August 2001.

Gormley first started going to Josh's high wrestling practices when he was about 4 years old, which led to youth wrestling tournaments he can barely remember.

"They tell me I didn't really know what I was doing," Gormley said. "I didn't really know what was going on. I just wanted to play He-Man."

The interest in wrestling soon surpassed action figures. It even surpassed his joy of playing football, even though, at 6-foot-3 and 280 pounds as a senior, many schools tried to woo him with scholarships.

"I just hate to lose, and in wrestling there's no one else to put the blame on," Gormley said. "You put in your own hard work, and you get your own results."

For Gormley, those rewards included placement in national tournaments and a continued wrestling career at Lindenwood University, an NAIA school in St. Charles, Mo.

Even as he considered continuing the MMA training he began at age 13, he saw the effects of a contact sport in his own family. Josh stopped his own MMA career because of difficulties he faced after his boxing career.

"He took a lot of damage in boxing," Gormley said. "He could only get (MMA) fights on Indian reservations because state associations didn't have authority there."

Still, Gormley wanted to move forward with his own career. His first taste came when he was 17 and entered an underground show against the fighter everyone called Scary Gary. Having held his own in that lone amateur fight, Gormley returned to MMA once his wrestling career wrapped.

His first strike opened his eyes.

Road to 6-0

The first few moments against Murphy were somewhat startling.

"I didn't know he was a boxer, so I wasn't worried about his hands," Gormley said. "He hit me with a right cross right away. It didn't stop the fight, but I was certainly thinking about it."

Gormley rallied and topped Murphy (who would later fight for EliteXC in MMA's first-ever major U.S. network TV fight) via unanimous decision. In the next eight months, Gormley fought four more times (including three times in Gladiator Challenge shows) and ran his record to 5-0.

The final fight in that string, at Gladiator Challenge 73, came against Rick Cheek, and it was a defining moment for Gormley. It was the first time he didn't take a fight last minute, and it was the first time he put time in training for a specific opponent.

"I was nervous, but as soon as they closed the cage, I said, 'I'm going to take it to him,'" Gormley said. "In the second round, I broke his arm with a keylock."

That's when it became real. After the win against Pele in May 2008, Gormley signed on with Affliction and was optimistic about his future.

Then it stalled. As fight after fight was postponed or canceled, he became more frustrated. He wondered when his next opportunity would come. Now, he has the opportunity many would dream of. He'll be fighting in a UFC event in the Staples Center in front of what is, basically, his hometown crowd.

It's his chance to show them, as well as everyone else in the MMA world who hasn't seen him for 14 months, what he can do.

"I live right by the Staples Center, so I feel like I have an advantage," Gormley said. "He's coming into my backyard, and I know the chance I have, so I'm going to fight for it."
 
Feb 7, 2006
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AL-HASSAN CONFIDENT HEADING INTO UFC 104

The comeback starts this Saturday, as previously undefeated light heavyweight prospect Razak Al-Hassan returns at UFC 104 in Los Angeles.

Al-Hassan’s initial foray into the UFC at last December’s “Fight for the Troops” is most remembered for its dramatic ending, thanks to Steve Cantwell.

The former WEC light heavyweight champion was able to secure what appeared to be a fight ending arm bar on Hassan. Too tough for his own good, Razak refused to tap to the hold before referee Mario Yamasaki stepped in to prevent further damage. The replay clearly showed Al-Hassan’s elbow bent in a way that defies all logic of the human anatomy.

“It took me a few months to get the arm healed up and everything,” he told MMAWeekly.com, concerning the rehab of his dislocated elbow. “I went to physical therapy probably twice a week for about half-an-hour or so.

“When the fight came about and I was offered it and everything, I thought it was a great fight for me. But at that point, I was just finishing my rehab and I wasn’t even doing any hard training yet. I wanted to (have it) properly prepared and ready to go, so when they offered me the fight in October, I was all over it.”

It was through those hardships endured where Al-Hassan found a new means of approaching the fight game. He now finds himself mentally and physically in better standing since joining kickboxing legend Duke Roufus’ team.

“You usually find out a lot about yourself when you’re in a situation like that,” said the Iowa native.

“That was my first loss of my career, obviously I sustained a pretty bad injury, and obviously it was my first UFC fight on top of that. That’s the kind of situation that can kind of make or break someone.

“Duke’s a great teacher. I learned so much working with him, guys like Pat Barry, (Eric) ‘Red’ Schafer, Ben Rothwell; they were all helping me out. I’m pumped about this.

“Iron sharpens iron, so working with guys like that, you can’t help but to get better.”

Claiming to have gained more experience in all areas since joining up with Duke and the boys, Al-Hassan will put his new tools to the test when he meets “The Ultimate Fighter” season eight alumnus Kyle Kingsbury.

Though the 27-year-old is coming off a loss of his own, it’s Kingsbury who lost the most momentum in his career. He was coming into the Ultimate Fighter house on the heels of his first defeat in his professional career then suffered two more exhibition losses in his time on the show. Kingsbury was invited to the season’s finale in Las Vegas, where he suffered yet another loss, to the colorful Tom Lawlor.

Even with the recent slide, Al-Hassan still recognizes his opponent as a worthy adversary.

“I’m a fan of The Ultimate Fighter. I knew what team he was on and everything. I remember watching his fights and stuff. Even on The Ultimate Fighter, obviously anyone is tough enough to be in the UFC, so I just prepared myself for a guy that can strike me from anywhere, so that’s the way I look at it.”

Losses are always a form of motivation, especially in the UFC where it seems almost everyone is always just one or two losses away from being cut. However, it’s that concern of fighting not to lose that Al-Hassan wishes to eliminate and wants to let it all hangout and give a strong performance.

“Come fight time, when you’re actually in the cage and the door closes, I can’t be worrying about, ‘I gotta hold back. I gotta watch this. I gotta watch that.’ I just have to go out there and give the kind of performance I know that I can and I think the rest will speak for itself.”