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Shogun welcomed as “real champion”
Back from the United States after a disappointing unanimous decision loss to Lyoto Machida at UFC 104, Maurício “Shogun” Rua went back home without the UFC light heavyweight belt, but was welcomed by his family and friends from Universidade da Luta at the airport as the “real champion, inside or outside the rings”. Watch below the video of the reception prepared for the 2005 Pride GP champion at Curitiba airport.
Back from the United States after a disappointing unanimous decision loss to Lyoto Machida at UFC 104, Maurício “Shogun” Rua went back home without the UFC light heavyweight belt, but was welcomed by his family and friends from Universidade da Luta at the airport as the “real champion, inside or outside the rings”. Watch below the video of the reception prepared for the 2005 Pride GP champion at Curitiba airport.
Full 11-bout lineup, including Omigawa vs. Hioki headliner, set for Sengoku 11th Battle event
World Victory Road has unveiled its official lineup for the Nov. 7 Sengoku 11th Battle event.
The show takes place at the Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo, Japan, and airs live in North America on HDNet (at 2 a.m. ET).
Headlining the show is a featherweight bout between Michihiro Omigawa (7-8-1) and Hatsu Hioki (20-3-2), and Jorge Santiago (21-7) takes on fellow middleweight Mamed Khalidov (19-3-1) in the night's non-title co-headliner.
A host of other notables are in action, including the American-based Jorge Masvidal, Kevin Randleman and Dave "Pee Wee" Herman. Akihiro Gono, Satoru Kitaoka and Kazunori Yokota are also in action.
So why is Omigawa in the main event?
The former PRIDE and UFC fighter suffered three consecutive losses in 2008 after two fights with the UFC and one with DEEP. However, back in March, he entered WVR's featherweight grand prix and strung together three consecutive upsets to advance to the grand prix's finale in August. However, Omigawa fell short of the title and dropped a close split decision to replacement fighter Masanori Kanehara.
Hioki, meanwhile, enters the bout with a nine-fight undefeated streak (eight wins and a draw) dating back to November 2007. The streak included the three victories in the grand prix, though he had to surrender his spot in the finale and was unable to continue due to a concussion.
The Sengoku 11th Battle headliner will be the grand prix finale we never got to see.
The full lineup (in reverse order) for the event includes:
* Hatsu Hioki vs. Michihiro Omigawa
* Mamed Khalidov vs. Jorge Santiago
* Satoru Kitaoka vs. Jorge Masvidal
* Eiji Mitsuoka vs. Kazunori Yokota
* Stanislav Nedkov vs. Kevin Randleman
* Akihiro Gono vs. Yoon Young Kim
* Yuji Hoshino vs. Marlon Sandro
* Dave Herman vs. Jim York
* Ronnie "Ushiwaka" Mann vs. Shigeki Osawa
* Ryota Uozomi vs. Yuichiro Yajima
* Hirokazu "Bull" Konno vs. Tomoaki Ueyama
World Victory Road has unveiled its official lineup for the Nov. 7 Sengoku 11th Battle event.
The show takes place at the Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo, Japan, and airs live in North America on HDNet (at 2 a.m. ET).
Headlining the show is a featherweight bout between Michihiro Omigawa (7-8-1) and Hatsu Hioki (20-3-2), and Jorge Santiago (21-7) takes on fellow middleweight Mamed Khalidov (19-3-1) in the night's non-title co-headliner.
A host of other notables are in action, including the American-based Jorge Masvidal, Kevin Randleman and Dave "Pee Wee" Herman. Akihiro Gono, Satoru Kitaoka and Kazunori Yokota are also in action.
So why is Omigawa in the main event?
The former PRIDE and UFC fighter suffered three consecutive losses in 2008 after two fights with the UFC and one with DEEP. However, back in March, he entered WVR's featherweight grand prix and strung together three consecutive upsets to advance to the grand prix's finale in August. However, Omigawa fell short of the title and dropped a close split decision to replacement fighter Masanori Kanehara.
Hioki, meanwhile, enters the bout with a nine-fight undefeated streak (eight wins and a draw) dating back to November 2007. The streak included the three victories in the grand prix, though he had to surrender his spot in the finale and was unable to continue due to a concussion.
The Sengoku 11th Battle headliner will be the grand prix finale we never got to see.
The full lineup (in reverse order) for the event includes:
* Hatsu Hioki vs. Michihiro Omigawa
* Mamed Khalidov vs. Jorge Santiago
* Satoru Kitaoka vs. Jorge Masvidal
* Eiji Mitsuoka vs. Kazunori Yokota
* Stanislav Nedkov vs. Kevin Randleman
* Akihiro Gono vs. Yoon Young Kim
* Yuji Hoshino vs. Marlon Sandro
* Dave Herman vs. Jim York
* Ronnie "Ushiwaka" Mann vs. Shigeki Osawa
* Ryota Uozomi vs. Yuichiro Yajima
* Hirokazu "Bull" Konno vs. Tomoaki Ueyama
Brazilian Pros Discuss Machida-Shogun
The controversial UFC light heavyweight title bout between Lyoto Machida and Mauricio "Shogun" Rua is causing some heated debate in the Brazilian MMA world.
According to a poll on the Tatame magazine Web site, 59 percent of the Brazilian fans believe that Shogun won the fight. That percentage clearly grows, however, if you take into consideration the professionals.
Marcelo Alonso had the opportunity to talk with several top Brazilian fighters and trainers, and the results follow.
Demian Maia: “It was a pretty even fight. They could have decided for a draw. The same way the judges call attention when the fighters like to fight on the ground too much, I think they should do the same to the fighter who walks backwards. People say that to take the belt from the champion, the fighter has to be clearly superior. In that case, they should have decided a draw, so Lyoto could keep the belt.”
Sergio Cunha (Brett Rogers’ trainer): “In my opinion, Shogun lost the first and second and won the third, fourth and fifth round. He looked for the win all the time and scored more points, so he clearly deserved to win.”
Luiz Alves (Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira’s muay Thai trainer): “I think the judges were not there. Shogun was much more aggressive, mainly in the first three rounds, so I think he should have won.”
Wanderlei Silva: “I couldn’t believe they gave the win to Lyoto. Besides being more aggressive, Shogun was more effective. UFC should review their judgment system. There isn’t anything worse to a fighter than training hard and losing a fight like that. The championship belt should be with Shogun now.”
Royce Gracie: “It would be a pleasure to talk about that because I’m a big fan of Machida and I like his strategic way of fighting, but I could not see the fight yet. I’m here in Oklahoma doing a series of seminars for the police.”
Marcus "Conan" Silveira: “Concerning a points score, Shogun won, but I don’t think he was efficient enough to be the new UFC champion. In the level that the sport is today, to rob the champion’s belt you have to be clearly superior. In other words, make him tap or knock him out.”
Vitor Belfort: “I don’t like that idea that to beat the champion you have to be way superior. To beat the champion, you only have to win. It doesn’t matter how, just a victory, even when the level of the fighters is very high today. I think Shogun hit more and deserved to win.”
Anderson Silva: “I already said that Shogun did a great fight and I applaud him for the amazing fight he did, but in my opinion the leg kicks were not enough to decide the fight. Lyoto was more efficient, and in my opinion he won every round.”
Josuel Distak (Anderson Silva’s trainer): “In my opinion, I think it was a draw. I think Lyoto won the first and second round and started to lose after half of the third round. Shogun won the fourth and fifth round, so I think the draw would be fair. But the big winners were the fans because I’m sure the rematch will be an unforgettable battle.”
Bebeo Duarte (former Brazilian Top Team trainer): “The draw would be more fair. Shogun was a great surprise; he fought like in Pride times. On the other hand, Lyoto disappointed the fans a little bit. But if you forget about that feeling and just think about the fight, Lyoto was superior in the first two rounds. The third was pretty equal and Shogun won the fourth and fifth, so I believe the draw would be best in this case.”
Antonio Silva: “I was cheering for Lyoto Machida, even when I want to see a rematch between him and my training partner Thiago Silva. But I couldn’t understand what the judges were looking at to give the win to Lyoto. I’m sure Shogun won that fight.”
The controversial UFC light heavyweight title bout between Lyoto Machida and Mauricio "Shogun" Rua is causing some heated debate in the Brazilian MMA world.
According to a poll on the Tatame magazine Web site, 59 percent of the Brazilian fans believe that Shogun won the fight. That percentage clearly grows, however, if you take into consideration the professionals.
Marcelo Alonso had the opportunity to talk with several top Brazilian fighters and trainers, and the results follow.
Demian Maia: “It was a pretty even fight. They could have decided for a draw. The same way the judges call attention when the fighters like to fight on the ground too much, I think they should do the same to the fighter who walks backwards. People say that to take the belt from the champion, the fighter has to be clearly superior. In that case, they should have decided a draw, so Lyoto could keep the belt.”
Sergio Cunha (Brett Rogers’ trainer): “In my opinion, Shogun lost the first and second and won the third, fourth and fifth round. He looked for the win all the time and scored more points, so he clearly deserved to win.”
Luiz Alves (Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira’s muay Thai trainer): “I think the judges were not there. Shogun was much more aggressive, mainly in the first three rounds, so I think he should have won.”
Wanderlei Silva: “I couldn’t believe they gave the win to Lyoto. Besides being more aggressive, Shogun was more effective. UFC should review their judgment system. There isn’t anything worse to a fighter than training hard and losing a fight like that. The championship belt should be with Shogun now.”
Royce Gracie: “It would be a pleasure to talk about that because I’m a big fan of Machida and I like his strategic way of fighting, but I could not see the fight yet. I’m here in Oklahoma doing a series of seminars for the police.”
Marcus "Conan" Silveira: “Concerning a points score, Shogun won, but I don’t think he was efficient enough to be the new UFC champion. In the level that the sport is today, to rob the champion’s belt you have to be clearly superior. In other words, make him tap or knock him out.”
Vitor Belfort: “I don’t like that idea that to beat the champion you have to be way superior. To beat the champion, you only have to win. It doesn’t matter how, just a victory, even when the level of the fighters is very high today. I think Shogun hit more and deserved to win.”
Anderson Silva: “I already said that Shogun did a great fight and I applaud him for the amazing fight he did, but in my opinion the leg kicks were not enough to decide the fight. Lyoto was more efficient, and in my opinion he won every round.”
Josuel Distak (Anderson Silva’s trainer): “In my opinion, I think it was a draw. I think Lyoto won the first and second round and started to lose after half of the third round. Shogun won the fourth and fifth round, so I think the draw would be fair. But the big winners were the fans because I’m sure the rematch will be an unforgettable battle.”
Bebeo Duarte (former Brazilian Top Team trainer): “The draw would be more fair. Shogun was a great surprise; he fought like in Pride times. On the other hand, Lyoto disappointed the fans a little bit. But if you forget about that feeling and just think about the fight, Lyoto was superior in the first two rounds. The third was pretty equal and Shogun won the fourth and fifth, so I believe the draw would be best in this case.”
Antonio Silva: “I was cheering for Lyoto Machida, even when I want to see a rematch between him and my training partner Thiago Silva. But I couldn’t understand what the judges were looking at to give the win to Lyoto. I’m sure Shogun won that fight.”
Tickets for "WEC 45: Cerrone vs. Ratcliff" in December on sale today
Tickets for World Extreme Cagefighting's December event, "WEC 45: Cerrone vs. Ratcliff," go on sale to e-newsletter subscribers today, Oct. 30, and to the public on Saturday, Oct. 31.
WEC 45 takes place Dec. 19 at The Pearl at The Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas.
Former lightweight title challenger Donald Cerrone and hard-hitting Ed Ratcliff meet in the evening's main event, while fellow lightweights Chris Horodecki and Anthony Njokuani meet in the card's co-feature.
Today's newsletter presale begins at 1 p.m. ET (10 a.m. PT). To subscribe for the newsletter, go to WEC.tv and enter your email address in the sign-up box on the left sidebar.
Saturday's public on-sale date begins at 3 p.m. ET. (12 p.m. PT). Tickets for the event are priced at $50, $100 and $175.
WEC 45 marks the second of back-to-back shows for the promotion at The Pearl at The Palms Casino Resort, which also plays host to the upcoming "WEC 44: Brown vs. Aldo" on Nov. 18. The promotion's 10 previous Las Vegas shows had taken place at The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino.
With today's reported additions to the card, WEC 45 includes:
* Donald Cerrone vs. Ed Ratcliff
* Chris Horodecki vs. Anthony Njokuani
* Joseph Benavidez vs. Rani Yahya
* Takeya Mizugaki vs. TBA*
* Bart Palaszewski vs. Anthony Pettis*
* - Not yet officially announced.
Tickets for World Extreme Cagefighting's December event, "WEC 45: Cerrone vs. Ratcliff," go on sale to e-newsletter subscribers today, Oct. 30, and to the public on Saturday, Oct. 31.
WEC 45 takes place Dec. 19 at The Pearl at The Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas.
Former lightweight title challenger Donald Cerrone and hard-hitting Ed Ratcliff meet in the evening's main event, while fellow lightweights Chris Horodecki and Anthony Njokuani meet in the card's co-feature.
Today's newsletter presale begins at 1 p.m. ET (10 a.m. PT). To subscribe for the newsletter, go to WEC.tv and enter your email address in the sign-up box on the left sidebar.
Saturday's public on-sale date begins at 3 p.m. ET. (12 p.m. PT). Tickets for the event are priced at $50, $100 and $175.
WEC 45 marks the second of back-to-back shows for the promotion at The Pearl at The Palms Casino Resort, which also plays host to the upcoming "WEC 44: Brown vs. Aldo" on Nov. 18. The promotion's 10 previous Las Vegas shows had taken place at The Joint at Hard Rock Hotel & Casino.
With today's reported additions to the card, WEC 45 includes:
* Donald Cerrone vs. Ed Ratcliff
* Chris Horodecki vs. Anthony Njokuani
* Joseph Benavidez vs. Rani Yahya
* Takeya Mizugaki vs. TBA*
* Bart Palaszewski vs. Anthony Pettis*
* - Not yet officially announced.
WEC newcomers Tyler Toner and Brandon Visher meet at WEC 45 in December
A pair of featherweight newcomers will meet at the recently announced WEC 45 event in December.
MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) has learned from sources close to the event that Brandon Visher (12-0 MMA, 0-0 WEC) and Tyler Toner (9-1 MMA, 0-0 WEC) have verbally agreed to meet at "WEC 45: Cerrone vs. Ratcliff." Bout agreements are expected to be finalized shortly.
Headlined by a lightweight contest between Donald Cerrone and Ed Ratcliff, WEC 45 takes place Dec. 19 at The Pearl at The Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas.
Toner, a four-year pro, has fought primarily in the Colorado-based Ring of Fire organization but made a single appearance for Strikeforce when the organization headed to Colorado a year ago. There, he easily scored a TKO victory over win-less Ricky Johnson. Toner is currently riding a four-fight win streak, and seven of his nine wins have come via stoppage. His lone career loss came to current WEC contender Scott Jorgensen in an April 2007 ROF event.
A Hawaiian native, Visher comes to the WEC with an undefeated record and nine stoppages in his 12 career victories. A five-year veteran of the sport, Visher has fought for a variety of Hawaiian organizations, such as Rumble on the Rock and X-1. He's also the current featherweight champion of UNU (Up & Up Cagefighting), where in September he defeated Strikeforce vet and then-unbeaten Issac de Jesus (8-0) via third-round TKO.
With the addition to the card, WEC 45 includes:
* Donald Cerrone vs. Ed Ratcliff
* Chris Horodecki vs. Anthony Njokuani
* Joseph Benavidez vs. Rani Yahya
* Takeya Mizugaki vs. TBA*
* Bart Palaszewski vs. Anthony Pettis*
* Tyler Toner vs. Brandon Visher*
* - Not yet officially announced.
A pair of featherweight newcomers will meet at the recently announced WEC 45 event in December.
MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) has learned from sources close to the event that Brandon Visher (12-0 MMA, 0-0 WEC) and Tyler Toner (9-1 MMA, 0-0 WEC) have verbally agreed to meet at "WEC 45: Cerrone vs. Ratcliff." Bout agreements are expected to be finalized shortly.
Headlined by a lightweight contest between Donald Cerrone and Ed Ratcliff, WEC 45 takes place Dec. 19 at The Pearl at The Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas.
Toner, a four-year pro, has fought primarily in the Colorado-based Ring of Fire organization but made a single appearance for Strikeforce when the organization headed to Colorado a year ago. There, he easily scored a TKO victory over win-less Ricky Johnson. Toner is currently riding a four-fight win streak, and seven of his nine wins have come via stoppage. His lone career loss came to current WEC contender Scott Jorgensen in an April 2007 ROF event.
A Hawaiian native, Visher comes to the WEC with an undefeated record and nine stoppages in his 12 career victories. A five-year veteran of the sport, Visher has fought for a variety of Hawaiian organizations, such as Rumble on the Rock and X-1. He's also the current featherweight champion of UNU (Up & Up Cagefighting), where in September he defeated Strikeforce vet and then-unbeaten Issac de Jesus (8-0) via third-round TKO.
With the addition to the card, WEC 45 includes:
* Donald Cerrone vs. Ed Ratcliff
* Chris Horodecki vs. Anthony Njokuani
* Joseph Benavidez vs. Rani Yahya
* Takeya Mizugaki vs. TBA*
* Bart Palaszewski vs. Anthony Pettis*
* Tyler Toner vs. Brandon Visher*
* - Not yet officially announced.
Kurt Pellegrino injured, forced out of The Ultimate Fighter 10 Finale bout with Frankie Edgar
The injury bug continues to bite.
UFC lightweight Kurt Pellegrino (14-4 MMA, 6-3 UFC) is the latest victim, and an injured back has forced "Batman" out of his scheduled contest with Frankie Edgar (10-1 MMA, 5-1 UFC) at The Ultimate Fighter 10 Finale.
Edgar today posted the change on his official Twitter account, and AOL FanHouse has since learned herniated discs have forced Pellegrino out of action for approximately three weeks.
Edgar and Pellegrino were slotted for the co-main event of The Ultimate Fighter 10 Finale on Dec. 5 at The Pearl at The Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas.
Edgar hinted on his Twitter account that a replacement opponent would be named shortly.
Edgar seeks to return to the cage for the first time since his upset win over former UFC champ Sean Sherk in May. Aside from a decision loss to Gray Maynard in April 2008, Edgar is undefeated in his four-year pro career, which has included victories over notables such as Jim Miller, Tyson Griffin, Spencer Fisher and Hermes Franca.
Meanwhile, Pellegrino had hoped to sustain the momentum of his current three-fight win streak. Pellegrino largely flew under the radar after going 3-3 in his six UFC fights but has since posted decision wins over Thiago Tavares and Josh Neer and a submission win over Rob Emerson.
MAIN CARD
* Matt Hamill vs. Jon Jones
* Frankie Edgar vs. TBA*
* Finalist No. 1 vs. Finalist No. 2
* Houston Alexander vs. Kevin "Kimbo Slice" Ferguson*
PRELIMINARY CARD
* Dennis Hallman vs. John Howard
* Brian Stann vs. Rodney Wallace
* Mark Bocek vs. Matt Veach
The injury bug continues to bite.
UFC lightweight Kurt Pellegrino (14-4 MMA, 6-3 UFC) is the latest victim, and an injured back has forced "Batman" out of his scheduled contest with Frankie Edgar (10-1 MMA, 5-1 UFC) at The Ultimate Fighter 10 Finale.
Edgar today posted the change on his official Twitter account, and AOL FanHouse has since learned herniated discs have forced Pellegrino out of action for approximately three weeks.
Edgar and Pellegrino were slotted for the co-main event of The Ultimate Fighter 10 Finale on Dec. 5 at The Pearl at The Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas.
Edgar hinted on his Twitter account that a replacement opponent would be named shortly.
Edgar seeks to return to the cage for the first time since his upset win over former UFC champ Sean Sherk in May. Aside from a decision loss to Gray Maynard in April 2008, Edgar is undefeated in his four-year pro career, which has included victories over notables such as Jim Miller, Tyson Griffin, Spencer Fisher and Hermes Franca.
Meanwhile, Pellegrino had hoped to sustain the momentum of his current three-fight win streak. Pellegrino largely flew under the radar after going 3-3 in his six UFC fights but has since posted decision wins over Thiago Tavares and Josh Neer and a submission win over Rob Emerson.
MAIN CARD
* Matt Hamill vs. Jon Jones
* Frankie Edgar vs. TBA*
* Finalist No. 1 vs. Finalist No. 2
* Houston Alexander vs. Kevin "Kimbo Slice" Ferguson*
PRELIMINARY CARD
* Dennis Hallman vs. John Howard
* Brian Stann vs. Rodney Wallace
* Mark Bocek vs. Matt Veach
Full 11-bout lineup, including Omigawa vs. Hioki headliner, set for Sengoku 11th Battle event
World Victory Road has unveiled its official lineup for the Nov. 7 Sengoku 11th Battle event.
The show takes place at the Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo, Japan, and airs live in North America on HDNet (at 2 a.m. ET).
Headlining the show is a featherweight bout between Michihiro Omigawa (7-8-1) and Hatsu Hioki (20-3-2), and Jorge Santiago (21-7) takes on fellow middleweight Mamed Khalidov (19-3-1) in the night's non-title co-headliner.
A host of other notables are in action, including the American-based Jorge Masvidal, Kevin Randleman and Dave "Pee Wee" Herman. Akihiro Gono, Satoru Kitaoka and Kazunori Yokota are also in action.
So why is Omigawa in the main event?
The former PRIDE and UFC fighter suffered three consecutive losses in 2008 after two fights with the UFC and one with DEEP. However, back in March, he entered WVR's featherweight grand prix and strung together three consecutive upsets to advance to the grand prix's finale in August. However, Omigawa fell short of the title and dropped a close split decision to replacement fighter Masanori Kanehara.
Hioki, meanwhile, enters the bout with a nine-fight undefeated streak (eight wins and a draw) dating back to November 2007. The streak included the three victories in the grand prix, though he had to surrender his spot in the finale and was unable to continue due to a concussion.
The Sengoku 11th Battle headliner will be the grand prix finale we never got to see.
The full lineup (in reverse order) for the event includes:
* Hatsu Hioki vs. Michihiro Omigawa
* Mamed Khalidov vs. Jorge Santiago
* Satoru Kitaoka vs. Jorge Masvidal
* Eiji Mitsuoka vs. Kazunori Yokota
* Stanislav Nedkov vs. Kevin Randleman
* Akihiro Gono vs. Yoon Young Kim
* Yuji Hoshino vs. Marlon Sandro
* Dave Herman vs. Jim York
* Ronnie "Ushiwaka" Mann vs. Shigeki Osawa
* Ryota Uozomi vs. Yuichiro Yajima
* Hirokazu "Bull" Konno vs. Tomoaki Ueyama
World Victory Road has unveiled its official lineup for the Nov. 7 Sengoku 11th Battle event.
The show takes place at the Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo, Japan, and airs live in North America on HDNet (at 2 a.m. ET).
Headlining the show is a featherweight bout between Michihiro Omigawa (7-8-1) and Hatsu Hioki (20-3-2), and Jorge Santiago (21-7) takes on fellow middleweight Mamed Khalidov (19-3-1) in the night's non-title co-headliner.
A host of other notables are in action, including the American-based Jorge Masvidal, Kevin Randleman and Dave "Pee Wee" Herman. Akihiro Gono, Satoru Kitaoka and Kazunori Yokota are also in action.
So why is Omigawa in the main event?
The former PRIDE and UFC fighter suffered three consecutive losses in 2008 after two fights with the UFC and one with DEEP. However, back in March, he entered WVR's featherweight grand prix and strung together three consecutive upsets to advance to the grand prix's finale in August. However, Omigawa fell short of the title and dropped a close split decision to replacement fighter Masanori Kanehara.
Hioki, meanwhile, enters the bout with a nine-fight undefeated streak (eight wins and a draw) dating back to November 2007. The streak included the three victories in the grand prix, though he had to surrender his spot in the finale and was unable to continue due to a concussion.
The Sengoku 11th Battle headliner will be the grand prix finale we never got to see.
The full lineup (in reverse order) for the event includes:
* Hatsu Hioki vs. Michihiro Omigawa
* Mamed Khalidov vs. Jorge Santiago
* Satoru Kitaoka vs. Jorge Masvidal
* Eiji Mitsuoka vs. Kazunori Yokota
* Stanislav Nedkov vs. Kevin Randleman
* Akihiro Gono vs. Yoon Young Kim
* Yuji Hoshino vs. Marlon Sandro
* Dave Herman vs. Jim York
* Ronnie "Ushiwaka" Mann vs. Shigeki Osawa
* Ryota Uozomi vs. Yuichiro Yajima
* Hirokazu "Bull" Konno vs. Tomoaki Ueyama
Scott Jorgensen vs. Takeya Mizugaki added to "WEC 45: Cerrone vs. Ratcliff"
An intriguing bantamweight matchup between two high-paced fighters has been added to "WEC 45: Cerrone vs. Ratcliff."
WEC officials today officially announced that Scott Jorgensen (7-3 MMA, 3-2 WEC) faces Takeya Mizugaki (12-3-2 MMA, 1-1 WEC) on the evening's quickly filling card.
Headlined by a lightweight contest between Donald Cerrone and Ed Ratcliff, WEC 45 takes place Dec. 19 at The Pearl at The Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas.
Jorgensen looks to build on an impressive win over Noah Thomas at "WEC 43: Cerrone vs. Henderson" earlier this month. Jorgensen is 3-1 in his past four outings, and his lone loss came in split-decision and highly entertaining fashion to Antonio Banuelos at WEC 41 in June.
Prior to his WEC run, Jorgensen also fought for the now-defunct ShoXC organization and earned a win over recent WEC signee Tyler Toner.
Mizugaki gained fan favor in WEC debut, taking then-135-pound champion Miguel Torres to a decision in a 25-minute "Fight of the Year" candidate at April's WEC 40. Mizugaki returned to action in August and earned a hotly debated split-decision win over longtime veteran Jeff Curran.
Mizugaki had been rumored to fight Damacio Page, but the Team Greg Jackson fighter was forced to withdraw from the event for undisclosed reasons.
With the potentially action-packed addition to the card, WEC 45 now includes:
* Donald Cerrone vs. Ed Ratcliff
* Chris Horodecki vs. Anthony Njokuani
* Joseph Benavidez vs. Rani Yahya
* Scott Jorgensen vs. Takeya Mizugaki
* Bart Palaszewski vs. Anthony Pettis*
* Tyler Toner vs. Brandon Visher*
* - Not yet officially announced.
An intriguing bantamweight matchup between two high-paced fighters has been added to "WEC 45: Cerrone vs. Ratcliff."
WEC officials today officially announced that Scott Jorgensen (7-3 MMA, 3-2 WEC) faces Takeya Mizugaki (12-3-2 MMA, 1-1 WEC) on the evening's quickly filling card.
Headlined by a lightweight contest between Donald Cerrone and Ed Ratcliff, WEC 45 takes place Dec. 19 at The Pearl at The Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas.
Jorgensen looks to build on an impressive win over Noah Thomas at "WEC 43: Cerrone vs. Henderson" earlier this month. Jorgensen is 3-1 in his past four outings, and his lone loss came in split-decision and highly entertaining fashion to Antonio Banuelos at WEC 41 in June.
Prior to his WEC run, Jorgensen also fought for the now-defunct ShoXC organization and earned a win over recent WEC signee Tyler Toner.
Mizugaki gained fan favor in WEC debut, taking then-135-pound champion Miguel Torres to a decision in a 25-minute "Fight of the Year" candidate at April's WEC 40. Mizugaki returned to action in August and earned a hotly debated split-decision win over longtime veteran Jeff Curran.
Mizugaki had been rumored to fight Damacio Page, but the Team Greg Jackson fighter was forced to withdraw from the event for undisclosed reasons.
With the potentially action-packed addition to the card, WEC 45 now includes:
* Donald Cerrone vs. Ed Ratcliff
* Chris Horodecki vs. Anthony Njokuani
* Joseph Benavidez vs. Rani Yahya
* Scott Jorgensen vs. Takeya Mizugaki
* Bart Palaszewski vs. Anthony Pettis*
* Tyler Toner vs. Brandon Visher*
* - Not yet officially announced.
Brian Foster vs. Brock Larson official for "UFC 106: Ortiz vs. Griffin II" in November
A recently reported welterweight contest between Brian Foster (12-4 MMA, 0-1 UFC) and Brock Larson (26-3 MMA, 3-2 UFC) has been officially added to "UFC 106: Ortiz vs. Griffin II."
The Nov. 21 event at Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas has recently undergone some major changes since the rescheduling of the intended main event between UFC heavyweight champ Brock Lesnar and challenger Shane Carwin.
The Foster vs. Larson bout is slated for the evening's preliminary card.
Foster looks to earn his first UFC win after falling short in his UFC debut to Rick Story at UFC 103 in September. Despite the loss, the exciting contest was enough to earn Foster a share of the evening's "Fight of the Night."
Meanwhile, Larson seeks to rebound from an upset loss to Mike Pierce at September's UFC Fight Night 19. The loss snapped a five-fight win streak for Larson, who appeared to be poised for marquee matchup prior to the loss.
The ever-changing UFC 106 card now includes:
MAIN CARD
* Forrest Griffin vs. Tito Ortiz
* Anthony Johnson vs. Josh Koscheck
* Luiz Cane vs. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira*
* Phil Baroni vs. Amir Sadollah
* Dustin Hazelett vs. Karo Parisyan
PRELIMINARY CARD (un-aired)
* Marcus Davis vs. Ben Saunders
* Kendall Grove vs. Jake Rosholt
* Brian Foster vs. Brock Larson
* Paulo Thiago vs. Jacob Volkmann*
* Fabricio Camoes vs. Caol Uno*
* Jason Dent vs. George Sotiropoulos
* - Not officially announced
A recently reported welterweight contest between Brian Foster (12-4 MMA, 0-1 UFC) and Brock Larson (26-3 MMA, 3-2 UFC) has been officially added to "UFC 106: Ortiz vs. Griffin II."
The Nov. 21 event at Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas has recently undergone some major changes since the rescheduling of the intended main event between UFC heavyweight champ Brock Lesnar and challenger Shane Carwin.
The Foster vs. Larson bout is slated for the evening's preliminary card.
Foster looks to earn his first UFC win after falling short in his UFC debut to Rick Story at UFC 103 in September. Despite the loss, the exciting contest was enough to earn Foster a share of the evening's "Fight of the Night."
Meanwhile, Larson seeks to rebound from an upset loss to Mike Pierce at September's UFC Fight Night 19. The loss snapped a five-fight win streak for Larson, who appeared to be poised for marquee matchup prior to the loss.
The ever-changing UFC 106 card now includes:
MAIN CARD
* Forrest Griffin vs. Tito Ortiz
* Anthony Johnson vs. Josh Koscheck
* Luiz Cane vs. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira*
* Phil Baroni vs. Amir Sadollah
* Dustin Hazelett vs. Karo Parisyan
PRELIMINARY CARD (un-aired)
* Marcus Davis vs. Ben Saunders
* Kendall Grove vs. Jake Rosholt
* Brian Foster vs. Brock Larson
* Paulo Thiago vs. Jacob Volkmann*
* Fabricio Camoes vs. Caol Uno*
* Jason Dent vs. George Sotiropoulos
* - Not officially announced
HDNet re-airs DREAM.12 tonight
"The White Cage" returns, albeit via tape delay.
HDNet, which originally aired DREAM.12 live early this past Sunday morning, will re-air the event tonight at 10:30 p.m. ET.
DREAM.12, which took place at Osaka Castle Hall in Osaka, Japan, witnessed the debut of "The White Cage," the Japanese-based organization's first use of a cage rather than than its traditional ring.
Japanese legend Kazushi Sakuraba took on explosive Croation striker Zelg Galesic at the event, while DREAM welterweight champion Marius Zaromskis also took on Korean Myeon Ho Bae on the evening's main card.
Despite the last-second withdrawal from the event by Paulo Filho, the card still featured several notable matchups that included Chase Beebe, Eddie Alvarez and Alistair Overeem.
For complete event results, check out our DREAM.12 recap. (Note: Story contains spoilers.)
The full card for the event included:
* Alistair Overeem vs. James Thompson
* Eddie Alvarez vs. Katsunori Kikuno
* Champ Marius Zaromskis vs. Myeon Ho Bae (welterweight non-title fight)
* Tokimitsu Ishizawa vs. Katsuyori Shibata
* Tarec Saffidiene vs. Dong Sik Yoon
* Zelg Galesic vs. Kazushi Sakuraba
* Chase Beebe vs. Yoshiro Maeda
* Kuniyoshi Hironaka vs. Won Sik Park
* Keisuke Fujiwara vs. Tomoya Miyashita
"The White Cage" returns, albeit via tape delay.
HDNet, which originally aired DREAM.12 live early this past Sunday morning, will re-air the event tonight at 10:30 p.m. ET.
DREAM.12, which took place at Osaka Castle Hall in Osaka, Japan, witnessed the debut of "The White Cage," the Japanese-based organization's first use of a cage rather than than its traditional ring.
Japanese legend Kazushi Sakuraba took on explosive Croation striker Zelg Galesic at the event, while DREAM welterweight champion Marius Zaromskis also took on Korean Myeon Ho Bae on the evening's main card.
Despite the last-second withdrawal from the event by Paulo Filho, the card still featured several notable matchups that included Chase Beebe, Eddie Alvarez and Alistair Overeem.
For complete event results, check out our DREAM.12 recap. (Note: Story contains spoilers.)
The full card for the event included:
* Alistair Overeem vs. James Thompson
* Eddie Alvarez vs. Katsunori Kikuno
* Champ Marius Zaromskis vs. Myeon Ho Bae (welterweight non-title fight)
* Tokimitsu Ishizawa vs. Katsuyori Shibata
* Tarec Saffidiene vs. Dong Sik Yoon
* Zelg Galesic vs. Kazushi Sakuraba
* Chase Beebe vs. Yoshiro Maeda
* Kuniyoshi Hironaka vs. Won Sik Park
* Keisuke Fujiwara vs. Tomoya Miyashita
With Pellegrino out, Veach steps up to face Edgar at The Ultimate Fighter 10 Finale
The UFC merry-go-round continues to spin.
With a back injury forcing Kurt Pellegrino (14-4 MMA, 6-3 UFC) out a lightweight contest with Frankie Edgar (10-1 MMA, 5-1 UFC) at The Ultimate Fighter 10 Finale, preliminary card contestant Matt Veach (11-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC) has been tapped as a replacement.
AOL FanHouse first reported Veach as a likely replacement, and Edgar has since confirmed the news on his official Twitter account.
"Due to Pelligrino pulling because of injury, (it) looks like I will be fighting the tough Matt Veach Dec. 5," Edgar stated.
Veach had been slotted to face Mark Bocek on the evening's preliminary card. The UFC has yet to announce who will replace Veach in the matchup with Bocek, and the promotion's official website still lists the Edgar vs. Pellegrino and Bocek vs. Veach matchups.
A H.I.T. Squad-trained fighter, Veach has built an undefeated record n 11 professional fights. Veach has earned 10 of his 11 career wins by stoppage, including a TKO win in his UFC debut over Matt Grice at UFC Fight Night 17 in February.
With the adjustment to the card, The Ultimate Fighter 10 Finale now includes:
MAIN CARD
* Matt Hamill vs. Jon Jones
* Frankie Edgar vs. Matt Veach*
* Finalist No. 1 vs. Finalist No. 2
* Houston Alexander vs. Kevin "Kimbo Slice" Ferguson*
PRELIMINARY CARD
* Dennis Hallman vs. John Howard
* Brian Stann vs. Rodney Wallace
* Mark Bocek vs. TBA*
* - Not officially announced
The UFC merry-go-round continues to spin.
With a back injury forcing Kurt Pellegrino (14-4 MMA, 6-3 UFC) out a lightweight contest with Frankie Edgar (10-1 MMA, 5-1 UFC) at The Ultimate Fighter 10 Finale, preliminary card contestant Matt Veach (11-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC) has been tapped as a replacement.
AOL FanHouse first reported Veach as a likely replacement, and Edgar has since confirmed the news on his official Twitter account.
"Due to Pelligrino pulling because of injury, (it) looks like I will be fighting the tough Matt Veach Dec. 5," Edgar stated.
Veach had been slotted to face Mark Bocek on the evening's preliminary card. The UFC has yet to announce who will replace Veach in the matchup with Bocek, and the promotion's official website still lists the Edgar vs. Pellegrino and Bocek vs. Veach matchups.
A H.I.T. Squad-trained fighter, Veach has built an undefeated record n 11 professional fights. Veach has earned 10 of his 11 career wins by stoppage, including a TKO win in his UFC debut over Matt Grice at UFC Fight Night 17 in February.
With the adjustment to the card, The Ultimate Fighter 10 Finale now includes:
MAIN CARD
* Matt Hamill vs. Jon Jones
* Frankie Edgar vs. Matt Veach*
* Finalist No. 1 vs. Finalist No. 2
* Houston Alexander vs. Kevin "Kimbo Slice" Ferguson*
PRELIMINARY CARD
* Dennis Hallman vs. John Howard
* Brian Stann vs. Rodney Wallace
* Mark Bocek vs. TBA*
* - Not officially announced
Karl Amoussou speaks about signing with DREAM
Congratulations with your Dream contract, how do you feel?
I feel more than good. I’ve been waiting a long time to enter a big organization. I Started fighting when I saw the shows in Japan. Now it’s a dream come true to fight for DREAM. I love Japan for its show, the fans and mentality towards M.M.A. Now it’s my turn, I’m ready and can’t wait to get in the ring and show the world what I trained for all my life.
Do you know when you will fight in Dream?
At the moment there is no official date but my guess it would be in the beginning of 2010. No matter what I will be ready.
There are a lot of fighters in the 84kg division who would you like to face?
I really would like to face fighters like Cyborg or Manhoef. They are tough and they like to trade just like me. Those type of matches are fights that fans would like to see. I also would like to face the Japanese fighters like Minowa and Sakuraba. They are the crowd favorite and I would love to fight those guys.
Can you comment about the following fighters in the division and tell us your thoughts?
Melvin Manhoef
Very strong and aggressive fighter, his ground game is his weakness but trust me I’m not afraid to bang with him.
Paulo Filhio
Hard fighter with superior ground game. His style is to one dimensional and his biggest fight is against himself. If heard that he has some personal difficulties.
Sakuraba
Legendary fighter, stepping in the ring with him would be a strange feeling because I watched him many times back in the days when I started M.M.A. but trust me I will be his worst nightmare when we fight.
Would do you like more a cage or a ring?
I like both but prefer cage because of its safety and there is no repositioning. However, a ring has a more interesting view for the public and it looks more like a combat sport. So if they go with a ring or end up being in a cage it is all fine for me.
Congratulations with your Dream contract, how do you feel?
I feel more than good. I’ve been waiting a long time to enter a big organization. I Started fighting when I saw the shows in Japan. Now it’s a dream come true to fight for DREAM. I love Japan for its show, the fans and mentality towards M.M.A. Now it’s my turn, I’m ready and can’t wait to get in the ring and show the world what I trained for all my life.
Do you know when you will fight in Dream?
At the moment there is no official date but my guess it would be in the beginning of 2010. No matter what I will be ready.
There are a lot of fighters in the 84kg division who would you like to face?
I really would like to face fighters like Cyborg or Manhoef. They are tough and they like to trade just like me. Those type of matches are fights that fans would like to see. I also would like to face the Japanese fighters like Minowa and Sakuraba. They are the crowd favorite and I would love to fight those guys.
Can you comment about the following fighters in the division and tell us your thoughts?
Melvin Manhoef
Very strong and aggressive fighter, his ground game is his weakness but trust me I’m not afraid to bang with him.
Paulo Filhio
Hard fighter with superior ground game. His style is to one dimensional and his biggest fight is against himself. If heard that he has some personal difficulties.
Sakuraba
Legendary fighter, stepping in the ring with him would be a strange feeling because I watched him many times back in the days when I started M.M.A. but trust me I will be his worst nightmare when we fight.
Would do you like more a cage or a ring?
I like both but prefer cage because of its safety and there is no repositioning. However, a ring has a more interesting view for the public and it looks more like a combat sport. So if they go with a ring or end up being in a cage it is all fine for me.
With Thiago Alves injured, Jon Fitch vs. Mike Pierce set for UFC 107 in December
The UFC's busy week of fight shuffling is nearing an end, and two competitors that were recently left without an opponent have been matched up with each other.
MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) has learned that welterweights Jon Fitch (19-3 MMA, 10-1 UFC) and Mike Pierce (10-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC) have verbally agreed to meet at "UFC 107: Penn vs. Sanchez," and bout agreements are expected to be signed shortly.
Featuring a lightweight title fight between current champ B.J. Penn and challenger Diego Sanchez, UFC 107 is scheduled for Dec. 12 in Memphis, Tenn. The main card airs live on pay per view.
Fitch was originally expected to face Ricardo Almeida (11-3 MMA, 4-3 UFC) at UFC 106 in November. When Almeida was forced to withdraw due to injury, Fitch was bumped to the UFC 107 card in favor of a match with fellow top contender Thiago Alves.
Unfortunately, that bout was also quickly scrapped when Alves was also forced to withdraw after an injury.
Meanwhile, Pierce was set to face Fitch's American Kickboxing Academy teammate, Josh Koscheck, at the as-yet-unannounced UFC Fight Night 20 event in January. Koscheck was then pulled from the bout in order to fill a co-feature slot against Anthony Johnson at UFC 106.
Pierce wastes no time in meeting a top-level opponent in just his second UFC contest. In his first trip to the octagon, Pierce upset Brock Larson at UFC Fight Night 19 in September. The win was Pierce's sixth-straight victory.
With the addition to the event, UFC 107 now includes:
MAIN CARD
* Champ B.J. Penn vs. Diego Sanchez (for lightweight title)
* Cheick Kongo vs. Frank Mir
* Jon Fitch vs. Mike Pierce*
* Kenny Florian vs. Clay Guida
* Paul Buentello vs. Todd Duffee
PRELIMINARY CARD (un-aired)
* Alan Belcher vs. Wilson Gouveia
* Shane Nelson vs. Matt Wiman
* Ricardo Funch vs. Johny Hendricks
* Lucio Linhares vs. Rousimar Palhares
* Edgar Garcia vs. DaMarques Johnson
* Kevin Burns vs. T.J. Grant
* - Not officially announced
The UFC's busy week of fight shuffling is nearing an end, and two competitors that were recently left without an opponent have been matched up with each other.
MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) has learned that welterweights Jon Fitch (19-3 MMA, 10-1 UFC) and Mike Pierce (10-1 MMA, 1-0 UFC) have verbally agreed to meet at "UFC 107: Penn vs. Sanchez," and bout agreements are expected to be signed shortly.
Featuring a lightweight title fight between current champ B.J. Penn and challenger Diego Sanchez, UFC 107 is scheduled for Dec. 12 in Memphis, Tenn. The main card airs live on pay per view.
Fitch was originally expected to face Ricardo Almeida (11-3 MMA, 4-3 UFC) at UFC 106 in November. When Almeida was forced to withdraw due to injury, Fitch was bumped to the UFC 107 card in favor of a match with fellow top contender Thiago Alves.
Unfortunately, that bout was also quickly scrapped when Alves was also forced to withdraw after an injury.
Meanwhile, Pierce was set to face Fitch's American Kickboxing Academy teammate, Josh Koscheck, at the as-yet-unannounced UFC Fight Night 20 event in January. Koscheck was then pulled from the bout in order to fill a co-feature slot against Anthony Johnson at UFC 106.
Pierce wastes no time in meeting a top-level opponent in just his second UFC contest. In his first trip to the octagon, Pierce upset Brock Larson at UFC Fight Night 19 in September. The win was Pierce's sixth-straight victory.
With the addition to the event, UFC 107 now includes:
MAIN CARD
* Champ B.J. Penn vs. Diego Sanchez (for lightweight title)
* Cheick Kongo vs. Frank Mir
* Jon Fitch vs. Mike Pierce*
* Kenny Florian vs. Clay Guida
* Paul Buentello vs. Todd Duffee
PRELIMINARY CARD (un-aired)
* Alan Belcher vs. Wilson Gouveia
* Shane Nelson vs. Matt Wiman
* Ricardo Funch vs. Johny Hendricks
* Lucio Linhares vs. Rousimar Palhares
* Edgar Garcia vs. DaMarques Johnson
* Kevin Burns vs. T.J. Grant
* - Not officially announced
Lightweight Josh Neer released from contract following UFC 104 loss
Lightweight Josh Neer (25-9-1 MMA, 4-6 UFC), a 10-time veteran of the UFC, has been released from the world's biggest MMA promotion.
MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) learned of the move late Friday night.
Neer's release comes after a hard-fought unanimous-decision loss to Gleison Tibau on the main card of this past week's "UFC 104: Machida vs. Rua" event in Los Angeles.
A six-and-a-half-year veteran of the sport, Neer has always remained one of the more prolific fighters in the sport.
Neer took the fight with Tibau after original opponent Sean Sherk was forced to bow out due to injury. While Neer looked to be the more effective fighter on his feet during the contest, "The Dentist" was unable to fend off Tibau's takedown attempts en route to dropping the decision.
Neer's most recent 2-3 run in the UFC is actually his third stint in the organization dating back to 2005. Neer's victories in the UFC include wins over Mac Danzig, Din Thomas, Joe Stevenson and Melvin Guillard.
Lightweight Josh Neer (25-9-1 MMA, 4-6 UFC), a 10-time veteran of the UFC, has been released from the world's biggest MMA promotion.
MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) learned of the move late Friday night.
Neer's release comes after a hard-fought unanimous-decision loss to Gleison Tibau on the main card of this past week's "UFC 104: Machida vs. Rua" event in Los Angeles.
A six-and-a-half-year veteran of the sport, Neer has always remained one of the more prolific fighters in the sport.
Neer took the fight with Tibau after original opponent Sean Sherk was forced to bow out due to injury. While Neer looked to be the more effective fighter on his feet during the contest, "The Dentist" was unable to fend off Tibau's takedown attempts en route to dropping the decision.
Neer's most recent 2-3 run in the UFC is actually his third stint in the organization dating back to 2005. Neer's victories in the UFC include wins over Mac Danzig, Din Thomas, Joe Stevenson and Melvin Guillard.
Russell Patrick, Joe Wilk added to "Strikeforce Challengers V" prelims on Nov. 20
With the busiest month in Strikeforce's history rapidly approaching, the promotion's three November cards are nearing completion.
MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) has learned the latest additions to the prelims of "Strikeforce Challengers V: Woodley vs. Bears" include a pair of Kansas-based fighters in Joe Wilk (6-3) and Russell Patrick (5-2).
Featuring a welterweight main event between rising prospects Tyron Woodley and Rudy Bears, "Strikeforce Challengers V" takes place Nov. 20 in Kansas City, Kan. The main card airs on Showtime.
The newly added fighters meet a pair of previously announced participants, as Patrick meets Brian Davidson, while Wilk faces Lee Gibson.
After opening his career at 4-0, Patrick has struggled a bit in 2009. Patrick has gone just 1-2 in his past three contests, including a knockout loss to Chad Vanderberg and a submission defeat to Nathan "Bo" Cash.
Patrick's four wins have all come via first-round stoppage, though his the combined record of his vanquished opponents is just 7-22.
Meanwhile, Wilk enters the contest having earned wins in five of his past six contests. Wilk fights just seven weeks after his most recent outing, a 40-second submission win over Deryck Ripley at the inaugural Combat Sports Championship event in Kansas.
With the additions to the card, "Strikeforce Challengers V: Woodley vs. Bears" now includes:
* Tyron Woodley vs. Rudy Bears
* Kim Couture vs. Kerry Vera
* Erik Apple vs. Bobby Voelker
* Rafael "Feijao" Cavalcante vs. Aaron Rosa
* Brian Davidson vs. Russell Patrick*
* Lee Gibson vs. Joe Wilk*
* - Not officially announced.
With the busiest month in Strikeforce's history rapidly approaching, the promotion's three November cards are nearing completion.
MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) has learned the latest additions to the prelims of "Strikeforce Challengers V: Woodley vs. Bears" include a pair of Kansas-based fighters in Joe Wilk (6-3) and Russell Patrick (5-2).
Featuring a welterweight main event between rising prospects Tyron Woodley and Rudy Bears, "Strikeforce Challengers V" takes place Nov. 20 in Kansas City, Kan. The main card airs on Showtime.
The newly added fighters meet a pair of previously announced participants, as Patrick meets Brian Davidson, while Wilk faces Lee Gibson.
After opening his career at 4-0, Patrick has struggled a bit in 2009. Patrick has gone just 1-2 in his past three contests, including a knockout loss to Chad Vanderberg and a submission defeat to Nathan "Bo" Cash.
Patrick's four wins have all come via first-round stoppage, though his the combined record of his vanquished opponents is just 7-22.
Meanwhile, Wilk enters the contest having earned wins in five of his past six contests. Wilk fights just seven weeks after his most recent outing, a 40-second submission win over Deryck Ripley at the inaugural Combat Sports Championship event in Kansas.
With the additions to the card, "Strikeforce Challengers V: Woodley vs. Bears" now includes:
* Tyron Woodley vs. Rudy Bears
* Kim Couture vs. Kerry Vera
* Erik Apple vs. Bobby Voelker
* Rafael "Feijao" Cavalcante vs. Aaron Rosa
* Brian Davidson vs. Russell Patrick*
* Lee Gibson vs. Joe Wilk*
* - Not officially announced.
Ryan Bader sees UFC 104 win over Eric Schafer as "good sign of things to come"
Undefeated UFC light heavyweight Ryan Bader (10-0 MMA, 3-0 UFC) continues to improve with each performance in the octagon, and his UFC 104 win over Eric Schafer (11-4-2 MMA, 3-3 UFC) was no exception.
But while "The Ultimate Fighter 8" winner's wrestling prowess and physical tools are an obvious asset, Bader recently told MMAjunkie.com Radio (www.mmajunkie.com/radio) his mind may finally be catching up with his body.
"I felt this time I got in there, and I was relaxed," Bader said. "I think it's a good sign if I continue to do that in my next fight. I think this fight allowed me to turn a corner in my career."
If Bader was feeling nervous before his previous wins over Carmelo Marrero or Vinny Magalhaes, it hardly showed. But the Arizona Combat Sports product said there was a definite difference in his mental state during his most recent contest.
"I get the nerves, all that stuff that everybody goes through on weigh-in day," Bader said. "Then the day of the (Schafer) fight, I just felt really good – just 'I'm going to go in there and have fun. I can think about it all I want, but I just have to go in there and do it.'
"Looking back, I would have to say that my other fights, it's not blacking out, but you get in there and it's just instinct. You're just doing what comes natural."
As for the physical tools that helped propel Bader to his 10th-straight win, his elite-level wrestling was certainly effective. But it was a heavy right hand that did the most damage to "Red," and Bader said it was a pure improvisation.
"I just went to that because it was working," Bader said. "I was trying to stay in there and throw straight punches and straight rights. Then I hit him with that overhand, and I seemed to be hitting him with it, so I was like, 'You know what, screw it. I'm just going to swing for the fences with this overhand right here. It's working.'
"I caught him twice, and he went down. So that did work, but it was definitely something where we didn't go in here thinking, 'Hey, we're going to throw the overhand.' I was going to throw straight punches, but it just happened to be that one that got through."
The 26-year-old overwhelmed Schafer in the opening round. But as the second frame opened, it was obvious Bader had fatigued. Bader insisted neither his recovering knee or preparation process factored into the stamina issue, and he also felt he quickly recovered.
"I was just going after him, and I was putting everything I had into finishing him in that first," Bader said. "Your arms just fill up with blood in the biceps. I just came out, and they felt a little heavy.
"I got my cardio back halfway through the second. I was just a little tired in the first. I just, in my head, looked back to what I went through in training. It definitely got me through it."
Bader's physical talents have already propelled him to a "TUF" tournament win and a 3-0 record in the UFC. But in the highly competitive world of the UFC's light heavyweight division, it may be Bader's mental maturity that catapult him to the next level.
"I think it was one of those fights that was just really good for my career," Bader said. "I was in there and I was relaxed for the first time.
"I had no blinders on. I was just out there having fun. It's definitely a good sign of things to come."
Undefeated UFC light heavyweight Ryan Bader (10-0 MMA, 3-0 UFC) continues to improve with each performance in the octagon, and his UFC 104 win over Eric Schafer (11-4-2 MMA, 3-3 UFC) was no exception.
But while "The Ultimate Fighter 8" winner's wrestling prowess and physical tools are an obvious asset, Bader recently told MMAjunkie.com Radio (www.mmajunkie.com/radio) his mind may finally be catching up with his body.
"I felt this time I got in there, and I was relaxed," Bader said. "I think it's a good sign if I continue to do that in my next fight. I think this fight allowed me to turn a corner in my career."
If Bader was feeling nervous before his previous wins over Carmelo Marrero or Vinny Magalhaes, it hardly showed. But the Arizona Combat Sports product said there was a definite difference in his mental state during his most recent contest.
"I get the nerves, all that stuff that everybody goes through on weigh-in day," Bader said. "Then the day of the (Schafer) fight, I just felt really good – just 'I'm going to go in there and have fun. I can think about it all I want, but I just have to go in there and do it.'
"Looking back, I would have to say that my other fights, it's not blacking out, but you get in there and it's just instinct. You're just doing what comes natural."
As for the physical tools that helped propel Bader to his 10th-straight win, his elite-level wrestling was certainly effective. But it was a heavy right hand that did the most damage to "Red," and Bader said it was a pure improvisation.
"I just went to that because it was working," Bader said. "I was trying to stay in there and throw straight punches and straight rights. Then I hit him with that overhand, and I seemed to be hitting him with it, so I was like, 'You know what, screw it. I'm just going to swing for the fences with this overhand right here. It's working.'
"I caught him twice, and he went down. So that did work, but it was definitely something where we didn't go in here thinking, 'Hey, we're going to throw the overhand.' I was going to throw straight punches, but it just happened to be that one that got through."
The 26-year-old overwhelmed Schafer in the opening round. But as the second frame opened, it was obvious Bader had fatigued. Bader insisted neither his recovering knee or preparation process factored into the stamina issue, and he also felt he quickly recovered.
"I was just going after him, and I was putting everything I had into finishing him in that first," Bader said. "Your arms just fill up with blood in the biceps. I just came out, and they felt a little heavy.
"I got my cardio back halfway through the second. I was just a little tired in the first. I just, in my head, looked back to what I went through in training. It definitely got me through it."
Bader's physical talents have already propelled him to a "TUF" tournament win and a 3-0 record in the UFC. But in the highly competitive world of the UFC's light heavyweight division, it may be Bader's mental maturity that catapult him to the next level.
"I think it was one of those fights that was just really good for my career," Bader said. "I was in there and I was relaxed for the first time.
"I had no blinders on. I was just out there having fun. It's definitely a good sign of things to come."
Anderson Silva vs. Vitor Belfort not happening at UFC 108 in January
While the recovery from a recent elbow surgery is going just fine for UFC middleweight champ Anderson Silva, Jan. 2 will simply be too soon for him to return to action.
MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) today spoke with Silva's manager, Ed Soares, who issued the update on "The Spider."
"The latest is he's not fighting Jan. 2," Soares said. "That's not going to happen. He won't be ready."
Silva recently had bone spurs removed from his right elbow, and the rehabilitation necessary following the procedure means Silva won't be ready to defend his title in a proposed UFC 108 matchup with Vitor Belfort.
As for when Silva will be ready to fight again, Soares said nothing is yet certain.
"We have to wait and see," Soares said. "Anderson went back to Brazil, and he's continuing his physical therapy there. But there's no set date yet."
But Soares insisted the progress was ahead-of-schedule, and Silva fans have no cause for concern.
"Anderson's recovery is going really, really well," Soares said. "He's coming back, and his recovery is doing really good. His physical therapy is going really well. He's getting better range of motion. He'll be back 100 percent for sure."
While he's not sure exactly when Silva will again step into the octagon, Soares assumes Belfort will still be the opponent on the opposite side of cage.
"I think it's going to be Vitor when Anderson comes back," Soares said. "That's what I'm assuming."
And though Soares has openly questioned the UFC's decision to grant Belfort a middleweight title shot despite the fact that he has yet to fight in the organization at 185 pounds, Silva's manager said he and his fighter are now looking forward to the test.
"At the end of the day, it's going to be a great fight," Soares said. "Like I said before, I don't think [Belfort] deserves a title shot, but that's over with now. It is what it is.
"Whoever the UFC puts in front of us, we'll fight. We've never picked our opponents."
While the recovery from a recent elbow surgery is going just fine for UFC middleweight champ Anderson Silva, Jan. 2 will simply be too soon for him to return to action.
MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) today spoke with Silva's manager, Ed Soares, who issued the update on "The Spider."
"The latest is he's not fighting Jan. 2," Soares said. "That's not going to happen. He won't be ready."
Silva recently had bone spurs removed from his right elbow, and the rehabilitation necessary following the procedure means Silva won't be ready to defend his title in a proposed UFC 108 matchup with Vitor Belfort.
As for when Silva will be ready to fight again, Soares said nothing is yet certain.
"We have to wait and see," Soares said. "Anderson went back to Brazil, and he's continuing his physical therapy there. But there's no set date yet."
But Soares insisted the progress was ahead-of-schedule, and Silva fans have no cause for concern.
"Anderson's recovery is going really, really well," Soares said. "He's coming back, and his recovery is doing really good. His physical therapy is going really well. He's getting better range of motion. He'll be back 100 percent for sure."
While he's not sure exactly when Silva will again step into the octagon, Soares assumes Belfort will still be the opponent on the opposite side of cage.
"I think it's going to be Vitor when Anderson comes back," Soares said. "That's what I'm assuming."
And though Soares has openly questioned the UFC's decision to grant Belfort a middleweight title shot despite the fact that he has yet to fight in the organization at 185 pounds, Silva's manager said he and his fighter are now looking forward to the test.
"At the end of the day, it's going to be a great fight," Soares said. "Like I said before, I don't think [Belfort] deserves a title shot, but that's over with now. It is what it is.
"Whoever the UFC puts in front of us, we'll fight. We've never picked our opponents."
Lyoto Machida undergoes surgery, expects to resume training in mid-January
UFC light heavyweight champion Lyoto Machida has his sights firmly set on rematch with recent challenger Mauricio "Shogun" Rua.
It just might not happen quite as soon as Machida, Rua and UFC president Dana White might like.
MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) today spoke with Machida's manager, Ed Soares, who confirmed "The Dragon" went under the knife on Friday and will be limited in training until mid-January.
"He had surgery yesterday on his left hand," Soares said. "The doctor said it was a complete success."
Soares said the procedure actually addressed a set of lingering issues rather than repairing something that occurred during Machida and Rua's hotly contested Oct. 24 bout in the main event of "UFC 104: Machida vs. Shogun."
"Lyoto's hand has been actually injured for a while," Soares said. "Before the fight with 'Shogun,' he went to the doctor, and he went to a special surgeon in Brazil. Basically, they say said that he was going to need surgery, but he didn't want to cancel the fight.
"He just roughed it through this training camp. The hand has been bothering him for quite a while now. It was one of those situations. He just roughed through it."
While sharing the details of the surgery, Soares said it was important to note he was not trying to suggest Machida's hand issues in any way played a role in what many felt was a lackluster performance from the champ.
"We're not trying to make any excuses or anything," Soares said. "We didn't come out and say anything. We said Lyoto was 100 percent, which he was.
"But his injury has been bothering him for a while, so we went in and had the surgery, and they found bone spurs. They found a bone fragment down there. There were about four things the doctor said were causing him pain. Thank God they cleared him all up yesterday."
With the surgery declared a success, Machida will now need to rest the hand before he returns to action. Soares said that timeframe is flexible, but early 2010 appears a likely date for Machida to receive full clearance.
"Lyoto can't punch for at least six weeks, but most likely it will be about eight-to-ten weeks before he can start punching 100 percent. Most likely, he'll be able to start training by mid-January."
And when Machida does return to his full training regimen, Soares insisted the champ will be expecting another date with Rua.
"We want that fight," Machida said. "We want to leave no doubt who the light heavyweight champion is."
UFC light heavyweight champion Lyoto Machida has his sights firmly set on rematch with recent challenger Mauricio "Shogun" Rua.
It just might not happen quite as soon as Machida, Rua and UFC president Dana White might like.
MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) today spoke with Machida's manager, Ed Soares, who confirmed "The Dragon" went under the knife on Friday and will be limited in training until mid-January.
"He had surgery yesterday on his left hand," Soares said. "The doctor said it was a complete success."
Soares said the procedure actually addressed a set of lingering issues rather than repairing something that occurred during Machida and Rua's hotly contested Oct. 24 bout in the main event of "UFC 104: Machida vs. Shogun."
"Lyoto's hand has been actually injured for a while," Soares said. "Before the fight with 'Shogun,' he went to the doctor, and he went to a special surgeon in Brazil. Basically, they say said that he was going to need surgery, but he didn't want to cancel the fight.
"He just roughed it through this training camp. The hand has been bothering him for quite a while now. It was one of those situations. He just roughed through it."
While sharing the details of the surgery, Soares said it was important to note he was not trying to suggest Machida's hand issues in any way played a role in what many felt was a lackluster performance from the champ.
"We're not trying to make any excuses or anything," Soares said. "We didn't come out and say anything. We said Lyoto was 100 percent, which he was.
"But his injury has been bothering him for a while, so we went in and had the surgery, and they found bone spurs. They found a bone fragment down there. There were about four things the doctor said were causing him pain. Thank God they cleared him all up yesterday."
With the surgery declared a success, Machida will now need to rest the hand before he returns to action. Soares said that timeframe is flexible, but early 2010 appears a likely date for Machida to receive full clearance.
"Lyoto can't punch for at least six weeks, but most likely it will be about eight-to-ten weeks before he can start punching 100 percent. Most likely, he'll be able to start training by mid-January."
And when Machida does return to his full training regimen, Soares insisted the champ will be expecting another date with Rua.
"We want that fight," Machida said. "We want to leave no doubt who the light heavyweight champion is."