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Denis Kang says UFC 105 bout with Bisping "almost like a free fight for me"
It's often said that the quality of a fighter can be measured by how he bounces back from a difficult loss.
Eleven-year veteran Denis Kang (32-11-1 MMA, 1-1 UFC) knows that, and he displayed his grit with an April win over Xavier Foupa-Pokam after suffering a frustrating loss to Alan Belcher in January.
Now Kang travels to England to see how Michael Bisping (17-2 MMA, 7-2 UFC) will rebound from a devastating July defeat to Dan Henderson, and the middleweight believes the Brit's mindset may very well be a key factor in the fight.
The two meet on the main card of the Spike TV-broadcast "UFC 105: Couture vs. Vera" event.
"Everybody gets over losses differently," Kang recently told MMAjunkie.com Radio (www.mmajunkie.com/radio). "I think this fight [Bisping] really needs to make a statement, not only to his fans but to himself because he's coming off a bad loss.
"That was only his second loss. Sometimes it takes time to get over. It's always in the back of your head. You're always doubting yourself. So we'll see how he gets over it."
Kang has gone through similar feelings throughout his career. Despite an impressive overall record, the PRIDE and Spirit MC veteran has suffered back-to-back defeats on four different occasions in his career.
Following the loss to Belcher, Kang made sure he didn't reach a fifth such occurrence.
"In hindsight, I'm glad about the fight (with Belcher)," Kang said. "I'm a better fighter now than if i had not had the Belcher fight and lost. Of course I would have rather won, but if that fight hadn't happened at all? I consider that I learned a lot from that fight."
Kang went to Brazil to sharpen up his jiu-jitsu skills. And perhaps even more importantly, Kang returned from Canada to American Top Team for his camp – a move he says improved his mental preparation.
"I'm really happy," Kang said. "It's been a long time coming. It's been like two years, so there's been some new additions to the team. But it was also nice just to meet up with all my old brothers again.
"I always knew I was missing that little bit. The training in Vancouver and the training in Montreal was great, don't get me wrong. They took care of me as well. But American Top Team has certain things that I can't really get anywhere else."
Kang will try and put that extra something on display in a breakout UFC performance fans have hoped to see from the Canadian since he joined the organization.
But if there's any pressure at all in the fight, Kang believes it will all rest on "The Count's" shoulders.
"It's almost like a free fight for me because I'm getting in there, and there really isn't too many expectations the way I see it," Kang said. "It's his hometown, and he's the one coming off the rebound. He's the one that's got a little bit more pressure to perform and live up to expectations."
It's often said that the quality of a fighter can be measured by how he bounces back from a difficult loss.
Eleven-year veteran Denis Kang (32-11-1 MMA, 1-1 UFC) knows that, and he displayed his grit with an April win over Xavier Foupa-Pokam after suffering a frustrating loss to Alan Belcher in January.
Now Kang travels to England to see how Michael Bisping (17-2 MMA, 7-2 UFC) will rebound from a devastating July defeat to Dan Henderson, and the middleweight believes the Brit's mindset may very well be a key factor in the fight.
The two meet on the main card of the Spike TV-broadcast "UFC 105: Couture vs. Vera" event.
"Everybody gets over losses differently," Kang recently told MMAjunkie.com Radio (www.mmajunkie.com/radio). "I think this fight [Bisping] really needs to make a statement, not only to his fans but to himself because he's coming off a bad loss.
"That was only his second loss. Sometimes it takes time to get over. It's always in the back of your head. You're always doubting yourself. So we'll see how he gets over it."
Kang has gone through similar feelings throughout his career. Despite an impressive overall record, the PRIDE and Spirit MC veteran has suffered back-to-back defeats on four different occasions in his career.
Following the loss to Belcher, Kang made sure he didn't reach a fifth such occurrence.
"In hindsight, I'm glad about the fight (with Belcher)," Kang said. "I'm a better fighter now than if i had not had the Belcher fight and lost. Of course I would have rather won, but if that fight hadn't happened at all? I consider that I learned a lot from that fight."
Kang went to Brazil to sharpen up his jiu-jitsu skills. And perhaps even more importantly, Kang returned from Canada to American Top Team for his camp – a move he says improved his mental preparation.
"I'm really happy," Kang said. "It's been a long time coming. It's been like two years, so there's been some new additions to the team. But it was also nice just to meet up with all my old brothers again.
"I always knew I was missing that little bit. The training in Vancouver and the training in Montreal was great, don't get me wrong. They took care of me as well. But American Top Team has certain things that I can't really get anywhere else."
Kang will try and put that extra something on display in a breakout UFC performance fans have hoped to see from the Canadian since he joined the organization.
But if there's any pressure at all in the fight, Kang believes it will all rest on "The Count's" shoulders.
"It's almost like a free fight for me because I'm getting in there, and there really isn't too many expectations the way I see it," Kang said. "It's his hometown, and he's the one coming off the rebound. He's the one that's got a little bit more pressure to perform and live up to expectations."
UFC ANNOUNCES STRUVE IN TO FACE BUENTELLO
The Ultimate Fighting Championship on Wednesday announced Paul Buentello now faces Stefan Struve at UFC 107 on Dec. 12 in Memphis, Tenn.
Buentello was originally slated to face a different heavyweight up-and-comer in Todd Duffee. The American Top Team fighter had to withdraw due to a back injury, forcing the substitution.
This is Buentello’s (27-10) second stint with the UFC, having gone 3-1 in his first go around. He challenged Andrei Arlovski for the heavyweight title at UFC 55, but was knocked out in the opening seconds of the fight. He has since gone 5-1 fighting for Strikeforce and Affliction, his only loss being to current Strikeforce heavyweight champion Alistair Overeem.
Struve (18-3) had a rough start in the Octagon, losing by TKO to Top 10 heavyweight Junior dos Santos. He has since rebounded with back-to-back wins at UFC 99 and UFC 104.
With a burgeoning heavyweight division, neither is likely to challenge for the title anytime soon, but a victory keeps the winner on the right track.
UFC lightweight champion B.J. Penn defends his title against Diego Sanchez in the main event of UFC 107 at the FedEx Forum in Memphis.
The Ultimate Fighting Championship on Wednesday announced Paul Buentello now faces Stefan Struve at UFC 107 on Dec. 12 in Memphis, Tenn.
Buentello was originally slated to face a different heavyweight up-and-comer in Todd Duffee. The American Top Team fighter had to withdraw due to a back injury, forcing the substitution.
This is Buentello’s (27-10) second stint with the UFC, having gone 3-1 in his first go around. He challenged Andrei Arlovski for the heavyweight title at UFC 55, but was knocked out in the opening seconds of the fight. He has since gone 5-1 fighting for Strikeforce and Affliction, his only loss being to current Strikeforce heavyweight champion Alistair Overeem.
Struve (18-3) had a rough start in the Octagon, losing by TKO to Top 10 heavyweight Junior dos Santos. He has since rebounded with back-to-back wins at UFC 99 and UFC 104.
With a burgeoning heavyweight division, neither is likely to challenge for the title anytime soon, but a victory keeps the winner on the right track.
UFC lightweight champion B.J. Penn defends his title against Diego Sanchez in the main event of UFC 107 at the FedEx Forum in Memphis.
WERDUM TALKS WIN OVER SILVA, EYES TITLE
While much of the attention surrounding Strikeforce’s heavyweight division was focused on the promotional debut of Fedor Emelianenko this past weekend, there’s no denying that he’s not the only story there.
Fabricio Werdum is quickly making a case for himself in the same division.
Wins over Mike Kyle and most recently Antonio “Big Foot” Silva on the undercard of CBS’s “Fedor vs. Rogers” have Werdum near the top of the Strikeforce ladder.
Recently when contacted by MMAWeekly.com, Werdum talked about his win over Silva, going after the Strikeforce heavyweight title and his goals for 2010.
“Silva’s size did not factor into training for the fight,” said Werdum of his preparations to face the former super heavyweight. “I am taller; he is heavier. He had a slight advantage on his feet, me a slight advantage on the ground; it all balances out.”
When asked how he was able to withstand Silva’s notoriously strong punching power, the sometimes aloof Werdum responded jokingly, “In the first round I was able to neutralize his striking by blocking his punches with my face.
“After recovering from his ground and pound I was able to start getting into my rhythm and get accustomed to his reach advantage and work both standing and from the ground from a more inside position.”
While the ground may have initially favored Silva’s size, Werdum was able to adapt and ultimately control the action there by remaining calm.
“(I) felt great on the ground as I normally do,” stated Werdum. “People forget that Antonio is a BJJ black belt, not to mention very strong, so I was trying to be patient and not immediately go for submissions and try to work my ground and pound a little bit.”
Werdum’s win over Silva now has him knocking at the door of Strikeforce heavyweight champion Alistair Overeem.
The two were supposed to fight earlier this year, but Overeem claimed injuries sustained in a bar fight prevented him from making the match. Since then Overeem has participated in Dream and is slated to be part of K-1’s World Grand Prix finals in early December.
In regards to facing Overeem, Werdum claims it’s not the man he’s after, but rather the title he holds.
“I do not think Alistair is ducking me, (but) I think that Alistair is ducking fighting in the United States,” stated Werdum. “(In his defense though,) Alistair does not choose his fights, his management does.
“I already beat Alistair, so I am not terribly interested in fighting him again. He does hold the belt, and I want the belt, so unless he gives it up, I am (only) interested in fighting him for that reason.”
While Overeem may not be in Werdum’s immediate future, he did comment on others who might be.
“Of course I want to fight Fedor, but rumor is that he screwed up his hand pretty good and I don’t know when he would be able to fight again,” admitted Werdum. “I prefer to stay active so if there is a fight before Fedor I am okay with that too.
“If I had a chance to fight someone that I fought before, it would be (Andrei) Arlovski. I don’t know if Arlovski would fight though, because I think he is just interested in being on TV and showing his arrogant face.”
Having won the ADCC World Submission Championships for as second time, in addition to opening his own BJJ academy in Venice, Calif., Werdum has put himself back on the right track and has left his past firmly behind him, and he is excited for his future.
“I am very fortunate that my career is where it is,” said Werdum. “I feel great about my two fights so far in Strikeforce/M-1 and hope that they feel the same. The UFC is the past. My future is Strikeforce/M-1.
“My goal is to remain healthy and happy and to be able to train and always stay ready since the best opportunities come at the last minute. I would like to fight as much as possible in both MMA and submission grappling and to build my academy and student base both here and throughout Europe.”
Fully rejuvenated, a jovial Werdum closed out the interview by saying, “First and foremost, I would like to thank my wife Karine and my young daughter Julia and the rest of my family. Without them, I couldn’t do what I do. Words cannot express the gratitude that I have for my fans and fans of MMA because without the fans, there would be no butts in seats and without butts in seats, promoters can’t put on fights.
“I would like to also thank my head coach, friend, and mentor Rafael Cordeiro of Kings Muay Thai, Cleber Luciano, and my business manager/attorney Richard Wilner. I would like to thank all my sponsors: Affliction, Full Tilt Poker, Polanti Watches, RevGear and Kimura Wear and Synergy Physical Therapy. And last but not least, I would like to personally thank my fashion consultant Tom Atencio because his keen eye for color coordination makes me that much more comfortable when I walk into the cage. Thanks also to you guys at MMAWeekly.com.”
While much of the attention surrounding Strikeforce’s heavyweight division was focused on the promotional debut of Fedor Emelianenko this past weekend, there’s no denying that he’s not the only story there.
Fabricio Werdum is quickly making a case for himself in the same division.
Wins over Mike Kyle and most recently Antonio “Big Foot” Silva on the undercard of CBS’s “Fedor vs. Rogers” have Werdum near the top of the Strikeforce ladder.
Recently when contacted by MMAWeekly.com, Werdum talked about his win over Silva, going after the Strikeforce heavyweight title and his goals for 2010.
“Silva’s size did not factor into training for the fight,” said Werdum of his preparations to face the former super heavyweight. “I am taller; he is heavier. He had a slight advantage on his feet, me a slight advantage on the ground; it all balances out.”
When asked how he was able to withstand Silva’s notoriously strong punching power, the sometimes aloof Werdum responded jokingly, “In the first round I was able to neutralize his striking by blocking his punches with my face.
“After recovering from his ground and pound I was able to start getting into my rhythm and get accustomed to his reach advantage and work both standing and from the ground from a more inside position.”
While the ground may have initially favored Silva’s size, Werdum was able to adapt and ultimately control the action there by remaining calm.
“(I) felt great on the ground as I normally do,” stated Werdum. “People forget that Antonio is a BJJ black belt, not to mention very strong, so I was trying to be patient and not immediately go for submissions and try to work my ground and pound a little bit.”
Werdum’s win over Silva now has him knocking at the door of Strikeforce heavyweight champion Alistair Overeem.
The two were supposed to fight earlier this year, but Overeem claimed injuries sustained in a bar fight prevented him from making the match. Since then Overeem has participated in Dream and is slated to be part of K-1’s World Grand Prix finals in early December.
In regards to facing Overeem, Werdum claims it’s not the man he’s after, but rather the title he holds.
“I do not think Alistair is ducking me, (but) I think that Alistair is ducking fighting in the United States,” stated Werdum. “(In his defense though,) Alistair does not choose his fights, his management does.
“I already beat Alistair, so I am not terribly interested in fighting him again. He does hold the belt, and I want the belt, so unless he gives it up, I am (only) interested in fighting him for that reason.”
While Overeem may not be in Werdum’s immediate future, he did comment on others who might be.
“Of course I want to fight Fedor, but rumor is that he screwed up his hand pretty good and I don’t know when he would be able to fight again,” admitted Werdum. “I prefer to stay active so if there is a fight before Fedor I am okay with that too.
“If I had a chance to fight someone that I fought before, it would be (Andrei) Arlovski. I don’t know if Arlovski would fight though, because I think he is just interested in being on TV and showing his arrogant face.”
Having won the ADCC World Submission Championships for as second time, in addition to opening his own BJJ academy in Venice, Calif., Werdum has put himself back on the right track and has left his past firmly behind him, and he is excited for his future.
“I am very fortunate that my career is where it is,” said Werdum. “I feel great about my two fights so far in Strikeforce/M-1 and hope that they feel the same. The UFC is the past. My future is Strikeforce/M-1.
“My goal is to remain healthy and happy and to be able to train and always stay ready since the best opportunities come at the last minute. I would like to fight as much as possible in both MMA and submission grappling and to build my academy and student base both here and throughout Europe.”
Fully rejuvenated, a jovial Werdum closed out the interview by saying, “First and foremost, I would like to thank my wife Karine and my young daughter Julia and the rest of my family. Without them, I couldn’t do what I do. Words cannot express the gratitude that I have for my fans and fans of MMA because without the fans, there would be no butts in seats and without butts in seats, promoters can’t put on fights.
“I would like to also thank my head coach, friend, and mentor Rafael Cordeiro of Kings Muay Thai, Cleber Luciano, and my business manager/attorney Richard Wilner. I would like to thank all my sponsors: Affliction, Full Tilt Poker, Polanti Watches, RevGear and Kimura Wear and Synergy Physical Therapy. And last but not least, I would like to personally thank my fashion consultant Tom Atencio because his keen eye for color coordination makes me that much more comfortable when I walk into the cage. Thanks also to you guys at MMAWeekly.com.”
SOSZYNSKI ON THE MEND, SEEKS DELLAGROTTE
UFC light heavyweight Krzysztof Soszynski underwent surgery last month for elbow damage sustained in his fight with Brandon Vera at UFC 102.
Vera won the fight by unanimous decision by outworking Soszynski in the stand-up game, though the Team Quest fighter never stopped coming forward.
The 32-year-old Soszynski had 11 bone spurs removed from his right elbow as a result of Vera’s kicks.
“From what the doctor said, every time he kicked me, a bone spur popped off my right elbow,” he said. “The tip of the elbow was chipped off completely.”
Soszynski is three weeks into a six-week rehab period and will return to the gym later this month. For his next fight – which MMAWeekly.com has learned should be against Stephan Bonnar at UFC 110 – he is planning a trip to Team Sityodtong with Mark DellaGrotte.
“Dan (Henderson) has given me his blessing to go there, because we’ve been trying to get Mark to come down to Team Quest for a while now,” said Soszynski.
He may also meet with “Ultimate Fighter” season eight castmate Eliot Marshall at the Grudge Training Center in Denver.
Though he had only five weeks to prepare for Vera, Soszynski is proud of his performance. After four fights in eight months, though, he is looking forward to a full training camp.
“In retrospect, should I have taken the fight on that short notice against such a tough opponent? Probably not,” he said. “But it was a huge opportunity. I’m not in a position to say yes or no to any fights. The truth of the matter is, I just wasn’t physically ready to face Brandon Vera.”
Next time out, he says, he'll be ready.
UFC light heavyweight Krzysztof Soszynski underwent surgery last month for elbow damage sustained in his fight with Brandon Vera at UFC 102.
Vera won the fight by unanimous decision by outworking Soszynski in the stand-up game, though the Team Quest fighter never stopped coming forward.
The 32-year-old Soszynski had 11 bone spurs removed from his right elbow as a result of Vera’s kicks.
“From what the doctor said, every time he kicked me, a bone spur popped off my right elbow,” he said. “The tip of the elbow was chipped off completely.”
Soszynski is three weeks into a six-week rehab period and will return to the gym later this month. For his next fight – which MMAWeekly.com has learned should be against Stephan Bonnar at UFC 110 – he is planning a trip to Team Sityodtong with Mark DellaGrotte.
“Dan (Henderson) has given me his blessing to go there, because we’ve been trying to get Mark to come down to Team Quest for a while now,” said Soszynski.
He may also meet with “Ultimate Fighter” season eight castmate Eliot Marshall at the Grudge Training Center in Denver.
Though he had only five weeks to prepare for Vera, Soszynski is proud of his performance. After four fights in eight months, though, he is looking forward to a full training camp.
“In retrospect, should I have taken the fight on that short notice against such a tough opponent? Probably not,” he said. “But it was a huge opportunity. I’m not in a position to say yes or no to any fights. The truth of the matter is, I just wasn’t physically ready to face Brandon Vera.”
Next time out, he says, he'll be ready.
Kazuo Misaki leaves Grabaka to become his own ‘Hitman’
Kazuo “Grabaka Hitman” Misaki has become the latest to join the recent string of high-profile Japanese veterans to leave their long-time home.
Earlier this week, Misaki has officially announced his departure from the Grabaka gym where he has been affiliated since 2000 — he made his professional debut in Pancrase in May, 2001. Citing his intent to “start from scratch,” he did not unveil any detail regarding his future plan for training or fighting schedule.
Located in Nakano, Tokyo, Grabaka gym was founded by Pancrase/PRIDE veteran and former ADCC winner, Sanae Kikuta, and has produced numerous standout fighters including Misaki, Akihiro Gono, Yuki Sasaki, and Kazunori Yokota. The retired UFC/Hero’s veteran, Genki Sudo and current UFC top middleweight contender, Nate Marquardt, count themselves among the fighters who have trained at the gym at one time or another.
A former Pancrase and Pride FC star, Misaki has signed with World Victory Road in the wake of the dissolution of Pride. In January of this year, he fought the American Top Team fighter and Sengoku middleweight grand prix winner, Jorge Santiago, for the promotion’s middleweight title. After stymiing Santiago with superior striking for four rounds, Misaki succumbed to rear naked choke in the fifth round.
In July, he incurred indefinite suspension from competition by the WVR executive committee following a brush with law. According to the police report, an officer on motorcycle attempted to pull him over for talking on a cell phone while driving. Misaki proceeded to speed away, hitting the officer in the arm. He entered a guilty plea and was sentenced to three years probation, plus unspecified public service.
Misaki was allowed to compete in Sengoku 9 where he defeated the fellow Pride FC veteran, Kazuhiro Nakamura; however, he did not receive pay and the suspension nullified his title shot against Santiago. His originally scheduled payment has been donated to the Japan Foundation for AIDS Prevention charity.
According to the Grabaka chief, Kikuta, Grabaka does not bind its fighters contractually. Thus, unless the fighters have signed multi-fight contracts that name them, the organizations, and the gym as stakeholders, they are free to leave on their own accord.
Grabaka is one of the unofficial WVR-affiliated gyms and WVR has yet to lift Misaki’s suspension. Last month, WVR PR Director, Takahiro Kokuho has stated that the status of Misaki’s suspension will be discussed in the next committee hearing in early December. Though nothing is finalized at the moment, Kokuho has stated that he would like to add Misaki to Sengoku’s New Year’s Eve fight card.
While Misaki’s promotional destination following the suspension by WVR remains up in air, ongoing rumors suggest that he may jump ship elsewhere: A rumor of possible showdown with Kazushi Sakuraba on FEG’s Dynamite! NYE event has been gaining buzz online. Also, having made a victorious Strikeforce debut against Joe Riggs last September, he may opt to fight in the organization again — especially given its recent momentum from network TV debut and the newly formalized alliance with DREAM.
Kazuo “Grabaka Hitman” Misaki has become the latest to join the recent string of high-profile Japanese veterans to leave their long-time home.
Earlier this week, Misaki has officially announced his departure from the Grabaka gym where he has been affiliated since 2000 — he made his professional debut in Pancrase in May, 2001. Citing his intent to “start from scratch,” he did not unveil any detail regarding his future plan for training or fighting schedule.
Located in Nakano, Tokyo, Grabaka gym was founded by Pancrase/PRIDE veteran and former ADCC winner, Sanae Kikuta, and has produced numerous standout fighters including Misaki, Akihiro Gono, Yuki Sasaki, and Kazunori Yokota. The retired UFC/Hero’s veteran, Genki Sudo and current UFC top middleweight contender, Nate Marquardt, count themselves among the fighters who have trained at the gym at one time or another.
A former Pancrase and Pride FC star, Misaki has signed with World Victory Road in the wake of the dissolution of Pride. In January of this year, he fought the American Top Team fighter and Sengoku middleweight grand prix winner, Jorge Santiago, for the promotion’s middleweight title. After stymiing Santiago with superior striking for four rounds, Misaki succumbed to rear naked choke in the fifth round.
In July, he incurred indefinite suspension from competition by the WVR executive committee following a brush with law. According to the police report, an officer on motorcycle attempted to pull him over for talking on a cell phone while driving. Misaki proceeded to speed away, hitting the officer in the arm. He entered a guilty plea and was sentenced to three years probation, plus unspecified public service.
Misaki was allowed to compete in Sengoku 9 where he defeated the fellow Pride FC veteran, Kazuhiro Nakamura; however, he did not receive pay and the suspension nullified his title shot against Santiago. His originally scheduled payment has been donated to the Japan Foundation for AIDS Prevention charity.
According to the Grabaka chief, Kikuta, Grabaka does not bind its fighters contractually. Thus, unless the fighters have signed multi-fight contracts that name them, the organizations, and the gym as stakeholders, they are free to leave on their own accord.
Grabaka is one of the unofficial WVR-affiliated gyms and WVR has yet to lift Misaki’s suspension. Last month, WVR PR Director, Takahiro Kokuho has stated that the status of Misaki’s suspension will be discussed in the next committee hearing in early December. Though nothing is finalized at the moment, Kokuho has stated that he would like to add Misaki to Sengoku’s New Year’s Eve fight card.
While Misaki’s promotional destination following the suspension by WVR remains up in air, ongoing rumors suggest that he may jump ship elsewhere: A rumor of possible showdown with Kazushi Sakuraba on FEG’s Dynamite! NYE event has been gaining buzz online. Also, having made a victorious Strikeforce debut against Joe Riggs last September, he may opt to fight in the organization again — especially given its recent momentum from network TV debut and the newly formalized alliance with DREAM.
Sengoku's New Year's Eve Plans Scrapped, Possible Co-Promotion with FEG in the Works
The news comes after rumors of the card being in serious peril began to mount this week, when WVR called off a press conference related to the event and had not yet released details for its television broadcast. The show's headliner - the only bout to be made official by the promotion - would have seen Olympic gold medalist Satoshi Ishii in his MMA debut against fellow judoka Hidehiko Yoshida.
As Sherdog's Jordan Breen discussed on his show yesterday and Sports Illustrated's Josh Gross now reports, WVR may now be looking to team with rival Japanese promoter Fighting and Entertainment Group for FEG's "Dynamite!!" show:
Also, just got wind that Dream and Sengoku will likely join forces for one NYE card. So, no competing MMA cards Dec. 31 in Japan.
The only bouts officially announced for this year's iteration of the annual K-1/MMA marathon are the 2009 K-1 Koshien (Under 18) tournament finals and kickboxer Masato's retirement bout against an as-yet-unnamed opponent. It's expected that the final match in DREAM's "Super Hulk Tournament" - Ikuhisa Minowa vs. Sokoudjou - and a lightweight title bout will also find their way onto the slate.
With a five-hour slot on the Tokyo Broadcast System already in place and solid ratings needed, the extra juice that a match like Ishii-Yoshida could bring to the table may be too tempting for FEG to resist.
The news comes after rumors of the card being in serious peril began to mount this week, when WVR called off a press conference related to the event and had not yet released details for its television broadcast. The show's headliner - the only bout to be made official by the promotion - would have seen Olympic gold medalist Satoshi Ishii in his MMA debut against fellow judoka Hidehiko Yoshida.
As Sherdog's Jordan Breen discussed on his show yesterday and Sports Illustrated's Josh Gross now reports, WVR may now be looking to team with rival Japanese promoter Fighting and Entertainment Group for FEG's "Dynamite!!" show:
Also, just got wind that Dream and Sengoku will likely join forces for one NYE card. So, no competing MMA cards Dec. 31 in Japan.
The only bouts officially announced for this year's iteration of the annual K-1/MMA marathon are the 2009 K-1 Koshien (Under 18) tournament finals and kickboxer Masato's retirement bout against an as-yet-unnamed opponent. It's expected that the final match in DREAM's "Super Hulk Tournament" - Ikuhisa Minowa vs. Sokoudjou - and a lightweight title bout will also find their way onto the slate.
With a five-hour slot on the Tokyo Broadcast System already in place and solid ratings needed, the extra juice that a match like Ishii-Yoshida could bring to the table may be too tempting for FEG to resist.
Video preview: "UFC 106: Ortiz vs. Griffin II"
One of the biggest stretches of action in Zuffa LLC history concludes this week with Wednesday's "WEC 44: Brown vs. Aldo" event and Saturday's "UFC 106: Ortiz vs. Griffin II" show, both of which take place in Las Vegas.
MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) will be in Sin City throughout the week with full coverage of both shows.
For a sneak peak of Saturday's main-event rematch between Tito Ortiz and Forrest Griffin, check out the embedded clip.
The video gives fans a recap of the former champions' first meeting, which took place in 2006 at UFC 59.
Ortiz entered the bout during a 10-fight stretch in which he went 8-2 (with losses only to Randy Couture and Chuck Liddell). Griffin, meanwhile, was still riding high following his successful run on "The Ultimate Fighter 1" and was unbeaten in the octagon.
The full lineup for Saturday's event includes:
MAIN CARD
* Forrest Griffin vs. Tito Ortiz
* Anthony Johnson vs. Josh Koscheck
* Phil Baroni vs. Amir Sadollah
* Luiz Cane vs. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira
* Dustin Hazelett vs. Karo Parisyan
PRELIMINARY CARD (Spike TV)
* Marcus Davis vs. Ben Saunders
* Kendall Grove vs. Jake Rosholt
PRELIMINARY CARD (un-aired)
* Paulo Thiago vs. Jacob Volkmann
* Brian Foster vs. Brock Larson
* Fabricio Camoes vs. Caol Uno
* Jason Dent vs. George Sotiropoulos
One of the biggest stretches of action in Zuffa LLC history concludes this week with Wednesday's "WEC 44: Brown vs. Aldo" event and Saturday's "UFC 106: Ortiz vs. Griffin II" show, both of which take place in Las Vegas.
MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) will be in Sin City throughout the week with full coverage of both shows.
For a sneak peak of Saturday's main-event rematch between Tito Ortiz and Forrest Griffin, check out the embedded clip.
The video gives fans a recap of the former champions' first meeting, which took place in 2006 at UFC 59.
Ortiz entered the bout during a 10-fight stretch in which he went 8-2 (with losses only to Randy Couture and Chuck Liddell). Griffin, meanwhile, was still riding high following his successful run on "The Ultimate Fighter 1" and was unbeaten in the octagon.
The full lineup for Saturday's event includes:
MAIN CARD
* Forrest Griffin vs. Tito Ortiz
* Anthony Johnson vs. Josh Koscheck
* Phil Baroni vs. Amir Sadollah
* Luiz Cane vs. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira
* Dustin Hazelett vs. Karo Parisyan
PRELIMINARY CARD (Spike TV)
* Marcus Davis vs. Ben Saunders
* Kendall Grove vs. Jake Rosholt
PRELIMINARY CARD (un-aired)
* Paulo Thiago vs. Jacob Volkmann
* Brian Foster vs. Brock Larson
* Fabricio Camoes vs. Caol Uno
* Jason Dent vs. George Sotiropoulos
WEC's Reed Harris squashes latest rumor of UFC-WEC merger
No, World Extreme Cagefighting is not merging with the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
Although run independently since Zuffa LLC, the UFC's parent company, added the fight promotion to its offerings in late 2006, the WEC has long been attached to rumors that its roster will be folded into the UFC.
WEC co-founder and current general manager, Reed Harris, said the latest report of a merger is "a lie."
Over the weekend, a Brazil-based Web site cited a "source close to the WEC" who said a WEC-UFC merger is planned for early 2010. Harris, though, said there is absolutely no truth to the report and suggested the outlet decided to "make up stories" to draw traffic to its Web site.
"No one at (the) WEC would ... make an announcement that we will merge in January when we have a show scheduled in Ohio in March," Harris wrote on the popular MMA forum, The Underground, in reference to a March 2010 WEC event planned to coincide with the Arnold Sports Festival in Columbus.
Harris also said such news would be issued through a bigger media outlet but reiterated there are no plans for a merger anyway.
WEC officials later confirmed the news with MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) and said there was "no truth" to the report. (Harris is also a guest on Tuesday's edition of MMAjunkie.com Radio and will answer questions about the organization's future.)
Although the two promotions formerly promoted fights in the same weight classes, the WEC, which airs on Versus, eventually folded its heavier weight classes into the UFC in late 2008 and early 2009. The WEC now operates bantamweight, featherweight and lightweight divisions, and a flyweight class is expected to be added in 2010. Currently, the UFC also promotes a lightweight division, though the WEC's is geared more toward prospects, such as Donald Cerrone and Benson Henderson (though former UFC fighter Jamie Varner's is the WEC lightweight champ).
No, World Extreme Cagefighting is not merging with the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
Although run independently since Zuffa LLC, the UFC's parent company, added the fight promotion to its offerings in late 2006, the WEC has long been attached to rumors that its roster will be folded into the UFC.
WEC co-founder and current general manager, Reed Harris, said the latest report of a merger is "a lie."
Over the weekend, a Brazil-based Web site cited a "source close to the WEC" who said a WEC-UFC merger is planned for early 2010. Harris, though, said there is absolutely no truth to the report and suggested the outlet decided to "make up stories" to draw traffic to its Web site.
"No one at (the) WEC would ... make an announcement that we will merge in January when we have a show scheduled in Ohio in March," Harris wrote on the popular MMA forum, The Underground, in reference to a March 2010 WEC event planned to coincide with the Arnold Sports Festival in Columbus.
Harris also said such news would be issued through a bigger media outlet but reiterated there are no plans for a merger anyway.
WEC officials later confirmed the news with MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) and said there was "no truth" to the report. (Harris is also a guest on Tuesday's edition of MMAjunkie.com Radio and will answer questions about the organization's future.)
Although the two promotions formerly promoted fights in the same weight classes, the WEC, which airs on Versus, eventually folded its heavier weight classes into the UFC in late 2008 and early 2009. The WEC now operates bantamweight, featherweight and lightweight divisions, and a flyweight class is expected to be added in 2010. Currently, the UFC also promotes a lightweight division, though the WEC's is geared more toward prospects, such as Donald Cerrone and Benson Henderson (though former UFC fighter Jamie Varner's is the WEC lightweight champ).
Rashad Evans vs. Thiago Silva moved to UFC 108 main-event slot
With Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira out of UFC 108, the Ultimate Fighting Championship today announced the event's scheduled co-headliner, Rashad Evans (13-1-1 MMA, 8-1-1 UFC) vs. Thiago Silva (14-1 MMA, 5-1 UFC), has been moved into the night's main-event slot.
The light heavyweight contest headlines the Jan. 2 card at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
Although today's announcement said Nogueira, who was slated to fight Cain Velasquez, was forced off the card with a "severe injury to his left elbow," UFC president Dana White on Saturday said the former heavyweight champion also has a "bad" staph infection.
"[Nogueira] got staph infection, bad, to the point now it's in his bloodstream, and he's probably going to have to be hospitalized and intravenously given the antibiotics," White said.
At the time, White told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) he was unsure if Velasquez would remain on the card. With Evans vs. Silva now in the headliner, Velasquez will likely be shifted to a future card.
That opened the door for Evans, a former champ, and Silva, a longtime 205-pound contender, to take the pay-per-view top spot.
"The bout between Rashad Evans and Thiago Silva is a fight we always talked about as a main event, and now these guys have the chance to headline UFC 108 and kick off the new year in impressive fashion," White stated. "At the same time, we wish Antonio Nogueira a speedy recovery and can't wait for his return."
Evans looks to rebound from the first loss of his five-plus-year career. The 30-year-old lost the UFC's light heavyweight title in May when Lyoto Machida dropped him in the second round of their UFC 98 main-event contest. "The Ultimate Fighter 2" heavyweight winner served as a coach on "The Ultimate Fighter 10" (now airing) and was expected to fight rival coach Quinton Jackson in December. A dispute with White, though, led Jackson to announce his retirement in September.
Silva also recently suffered the lone loss of his career to Machida. After suffering a first-round knockout to "The Dragon" in January, Silva has since bounced back with a TKO win over Keith Jardine at UFC 102. Silva was 13-0 (4-0 in the UFC) prior to loss.
The latest UFC 108 card now includes:
* Rashad Evans vs. Thiago Silva
* Junior Dos Santos vs. Gabriel Gonzaga*
* Carlos Condit vs. Paul Daley*
* Tyson Griffin vs. Jim Miller*
* Martin Kampmann vs. Rory Markham*
* Joe Lauzon vs. Sam Stout*
* Rafaello Oliveira vs. Sean Sherk*
* Dan Lauzon vs. Cole Miller*
* Ryan Jensen vs. Mark Munoz*
* Jake Ellenberger vs. Mike Pyle*
* - Not officially announced
Tickets for the event are now on sale.
With Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira out of UFC 108, the Ultimate Fighting Championship today announced the event's scheduled co-headliner, Rashad Evans (13-1-1 MMA, 8-1-1 UFC) vs. Thiago Silva (14-1 MMA, 5-1 UFC), has been moved into the night's main-event slot.
The light heavyweight contest headlines the Jan. 2 card at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
Although today's announcement said Nogueira, who was slated to fight Cain Velasquez, was forced off the card with a "severe injury to his left elbow," UFC president Dana White on Saturday said the former heavyweight champion also has a "bad" staph infection.
"[Nogueira] got staph infection, bad, to the point now it's in his bloodstream, and he's probably going to have to be hospitalized and intravenously given the antibiotics," White said.
At the time, White told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) he was unsure if Velasquez would remain on the card. With Evans vs. Silva now in the headliner, Velasquez will likely be shifted to a future card.
That opened the door for Evans, a former champ, and Silva, a longtime 205-pound contender, to take the pay-per-view top spot.
"The bout between Rashad Evans and Thiago Silva is a fight we always talked about as a main event, and now these guys have the chance to headline UFC 108 and kick off the new year in impressive fashion," White stated. "At the same time, we wish Antonio Nogueira a speedy recovery and can't wait for his return."
Evans looks to rebound from the first loss of his five-plus-year career. The 30-year-old lost the UFC's light heavyweight title in May when Lyoto Machida dropped him in the second round of their UFC 98 main-event contest. "The Ultimate Fighter 2" heavyweight winner served as a coach on "The Ultimate Fighter 10" (now airing) and was expected to fight rival coach Quinton Jackson in December. A dispute with White, though, led Jackson to announce his retirement in September.
Silva also recently suffered the lone loss of his career to Machida. After suffering a first-round knockout to "The Dragon" in January, Silva has since bounced back with a TKO win over Keith Jardine at UFC 102. Silva was 13-0 (4-0 in the UFC) prior to loss.
The latest UFC 108 card now includes:
* Rashad Evans vs. Thiago Silva
* Junior Dos Santos vs. Gabriel Gonzaga*
* Carlos Condit vs. Paul Daley*
* Tyson Griffin vs. Jim Miller*
* Martin Kampmann vs. Rory Markham*
* Joe Lauzon vs. Sam Stout*
* Rafaello Oliveira vs. Sean Sherk*
* Dan Lauzon vs. Cole Miller*
* Ryan Jensen vs. Mark Munoz*
* Jake Ellenberger vs. Mike Pyle*
* - Not officially announced
Tickets for the event are now on sale.
UFC Fight Night 20, co-headliners officially announced for Jan. 11 in Fairfax, Va.
The long-rumored next installment of the UFC Fight Night series is set for the Patriot Center at George Mason University in Fairfax, Va.
UFC Fight Night 20 takes place Jan. 11 and airs on Spike TV, the UFC today announced.
As previously reported, the event features a headliner between lightweight contenders Gray Maynard (8-0 MMA, 6-0 UFC) and Nate Diaz (11-4 MMA, 6-2 UFC).
Diaz's camp first reported the fight and its main-event status in October.
Additionally, a bout between Efrain Escudero (12-0 MMA, 2-0 UFC) and fellow undefeated lightweight Evan Dunham (9-0 MMA, 2-0 UFC) that MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) reported late last month has been tapped as the night's official co-main event.
Those were the only two bouts officially announced.
Maynard, who could earn a title shot with a win, recently moved to 8-0 and picked up his sixth straight UFC victory with a split-decision win over Roger Huerta in September. The former Michigan State wrestler actually first fought Diaz on "TUF 5," where he suffered a submission loss in the competition's semifinal round. It's been all domination since then; after a bizarre no-contest with Rob Emerson at the show's live finale (after what was deemed an unofficial double-TKO caused by a Maynard slam), "The Bully" has posted six straight victories, though the past five have come via decision.
Diaz, meanwhile, looks to build off his recent victory over Melvin Guillard in the main event of UFC Fight Night 19. After defeating Manny Gamburyan to win "TUF 5," Diaz ran his win streak to five (with wins over notables Kurt Pellegrino and Josh Neer) to enter the UFC's lightweight title picture. His championship aspirations, though, took a hit with subsequent back-to-back losses to Clay Guida (split decision) and Joe Stevenson (unanimous decision). Even during the losses, Diaz cashed in. He's won one of the UFC's official "fight night" bonuses in a staggering five straight fights with three Fight of the Night bonuses and two Submission of the Night awards. The bonuses have amounted to an extra $170,000 in pay.
Escudero, meanwhile, remains undefeated 12 fights into his MMA career. After upsetting Phillipe Nover in December 2008 to win the "TUF 8" title, Escudero earned the first TKO of his career by halting Cole Miller in the first round of UFC in December. His opponent, Dunham, made his UFC debut earlier this year and upset Per Eklund as a late replacement at UFC 95. Dunham followed that performance with a hard-fought split-decision win over Marcus Aurelio at UFC 102 in August.
The latest rumored UFC Fight Night 20 card includes:
* Nate Diaz vs. Gray Maynard
* Evan Dunham vs. Efrain Escudero*
* Chris Leben vs. Jay Silva*
* Nik Lentz vs. Jeremy Stephens*
* Tom Lawlor vs. Aaron Simpson*
* Kyle Bradley vs. Rafael dos Anjos*
* Jesse Lennox vs. Rick Story*
* Nick Catone vs. Steve Steinbeiss*
* Mike Guymon vs. Rory MacDonald*
* - Not officially announced
The long-rumored next installment of the UFC Fight Night series is set for the Patriot Center at George Mason University in Fairfax, Va.
UFC Fight Night 20 takes place Jan. 11 and airs on Spike TV, the UFC today announced.
As previously reported, the event features a headliner between lightweight contenders Gray Maynard (8-0 MMA, 6-0 UFC) and Nate Diaz (11-4 MMA, 6-2 UFC).
Diaz's camp first reported the fight and its main-event status in October.
Additionally, a bout between Efrain Escudero (12-0 MMA, 2-0 UFC) and fellow undefeated lightweight Evan Dunham (9-0 MMA, 2-0 UFC) that MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) reported late last month has been tapped as the night's official co-main event.
Those were the only two bouts officially announced.
Maynard, who could earn a title shot with a win, recently moved to 8-0 and picked up his sixth straight UFC victory with a split-decision win over Roger Huerta in September. The former Michigan State wrestler actually first fought Diaz on "TUF 5," where he suffered a submission loss in the competition's semifinal round. It's been all domination since then; after a bizarre no-contest with Rob Emerson at the show's live finale (after what was deemed an unofficial double-TKO caused by a Maynard slam), "The Bully" has posted six straight victories, though the past five have come via decision.
Diaz, meanwhile, looks to build off his recent victory over Melvin Guillard in the main event of UFC Fight Night 19. After defeating Manny Gamburyan to win "TUF 5," Diaz ran his win streak to five (with wins over notables Kurt Pellegrino and Josh Neer) to enter the UFC's lightweight title picture. His championship aspirations, though, took a hit with subsequent back-to-back losses to Clay Guida (split decision) and Joe Stevenson (unanimous decision). Even during the losses, Diaz cashed in. He's won one of the UFC's official "fight night" bonuses in a staggering five straight fights with three Fight of the Night bonuses and two Submission of the Night awards. The bonuses have amounted to an extra $170,000 in pay.
Escudero, meanwhile, remains undefeated 12 fights into his MMA career. After upsetting Phillipe Nover in December 2008 to win the "TUF 8" title, Escudero earned the first TKO of his career by halting Cole Miller in the first round of UFC in December. His opponent, Dunham, made his UFC debut earlier this year and upset Per Eklund as a late replacement at UFC 95. Dunham followed that performance with a hard-fought split-decision win over Marcus Aurelio at UFC 102 in August.
The latest rumored UFC Fight Night 20 card includes:
* Nate Diaz vs. Gray Maynard
* Evan Dunham vs. Efrain Escudero*
* Chris Leben vs. Jay Silva*
* Nik Lentz vs. Jeremy Stephens*
* Tom Lawlor vs. Aaron Simpson*
* Kyle Bradley vs. Rafael dos Anjos*
* Jesse Lennox vs. Rick Story*
* Nick Catone vs. Steve Steinbeiss*
* Mike Guymon vs. Rory MacDonald*
* - Not officially announced
Takanori Gomi in the U.S., meeting with the UFC (and possibly Strikeforce)
Former PRIDE Fighting Championships lightweight title-holder Takanori Gomi recently departed his home in Japan and plans to meet with UFC officials about a potential contract.
Gomi discussed his plans in a blog on his official Web site, where he also discussed attending the weekend's Manny Pacquiao vs. Miguel Cotto boxing blockbuster.
The 31-year-old fighter, once regarded as the world's top lightweight, said he's also considering discussions with Strikeforce if a deal can't be reached with the UFC.
Gomi (31-5) suffered rare back-to-back loses to unheralded Sergey Golyaev and Satoru Kitaoka in late 2008 and early 2009. The loss to Kitaoka cost Gomi World Victory Road's first-ever lightweight championship. However, he's since rebounded for wins over Takashi Nakakura and Tony Hervey, and he now looks to find a home in the U.S.
Gomi, long on the UFC's radar, said he wants to make his octagon debut to win the belt "that belongs to me." The belt, the UFC's 155-pound title, currently belongs to B.J. Penn, who first defeated Gomi (via third-round submission) at an October 2003 Rumble on the Rock event in Hawaii.
While the UFC arguably has the world's top collection of lightweight fighters, Strikeforce has accumulated a respectable division with current champ Josh Thomson, interim title-holder Gilbert Melendez, and contenders such as Vitor Ribeiro, Mitsuhiro Ishida, Billy Evangelista and Lyle Beerbohm.
Strikeforce also has the benefit of exposing Gomi to a massive TV audience via the CBS Saturday Night Fight series. The first show, headlined by Fedor Emelianenko vs. Brett Rogers, peaked with 5.5 million viewers earlier this month.
The UFC, though, is obviously Gomi's first choice, and Penn vs. Gomi II is certainly a marketable fight capable of carrying a major pay-per-view event.
Gomi attended UFC 79 in 2007 and prompted speculation about an imminent signing, but he's competed exclusively in Japan ever since PRIDE held a February 2007 show in Las Vegas.
Former PRIDE Fighting Championships lightweight title-holder Takanori Gomi recently departed his home in Japan and plans to meet with UFC officials about a potential contract.
Gomi discussed his plans in a blog on his official Web site, where he also discussed attending the weekend's Manny Pacquiao vs. Miguel Cotto boxing blockbuster.
The 31-year-old fighter, once regarded as the world's top lightweight, said he's also considering discussions with Strikeforce if a deal can't be reached with the UFC.
Gomi (31-5) suffered rare back-to-back loses to unheralded Sergey Golyaev and Satoru Kitaoka in late 2008 and early 2009. The loss to Kitaoka cost Gomi World Victory Road's first-ever lightweight championship. However, he's since rebounded for wins over Takashi Nakakura and Tony Hervey, and he now looks to find a home in the U.S.
Gomi, long on the UFC's radar, said he wants to make his octagon debut to win the belt "that belongs to me." The belt, the UFC's 155-pound title, currently belongs to B.J. Penn, who first defeated Gomi (via third-round submission) at an October 2003 Rumble on the Rock event in Hawaii.
While the UFC arguably has the world's top collection of lightweight fighters, Strikeforce has accumulated a respectable division with current champ Josh Thomson, interim title-holder Gilbert Melendez, and contenders such as Vitor Ribeiro, Mitsuhiro Ishida, Billy Evangelista and Lyle Beerbohm.
Strikeforce also has the benefit of exposing Gomi to a massive TV audience via the CBS Saturday Night Fight series. The first show, headlined by Fedor Emelianenko vs. Brett Rogers, peaked with 5.5 million viewers earlier this month.
The UFC, though, is obviously Gomi's first choice, and Penn vs. Gomi II is certainly a marketable fight capable of carrying a major pay-per-view event.
Gomi attended UFC 79 in 2007 and prompted speculation about an imminent signing, but he's competed exclusively in Japan ever since PRIDE held a February 2007 show in Las Vegas.
Fedor Emelianenko Vs Josh Barnett Likely In DREAM
by Andrew Gladstone - 11-16-2009
Ever since the fold of Affliction, mixed martial arts fans have been wondering if the bout between #1 ranked heavyweight Fedor Emelianenko (31-1) and top five contender Josh Barnett (24-5) would ever take place. Sources close to DREAM have informed MMA Recap that Barnett will sign with DREAM and that Strikeforce and M-1 will indeed cross promote with FEG to deliver the epic matchup we’ve all been waiting for.
The bout between Fedor and Barnett is tentatively scheduled for February of 2010, but no official date has been confirmed.
Emelianenko and Barnett were originally supposed to fight at "Affliction: Trilogy" on August 1, 2009, but Barnett tested positive for steroids during a pre-fight drug test and the entire event was scrapped.
Josh Barnett has not seen action since facing Gilbert Yvel at “Affliction: Day of Reckoning”, where he defeated Yvel via technical knock out in round 3. Look for Barnett to try to make this a technical fight, and utilize his tremendous grappling skills.
Fedor Emelianenko last saw action when he defeated dangerous striker Brett Rogers via technical knock out in round two. Emelianenko will undoubtedly be the favorite in this fight, and for good reason. However, stylistically this is the toughest opponent Fedor has seen in some time. Look for Fedor to be patient and use a mix of his strikes and takedowns to stifle Barnett until he finds a huge opening that he can capitalize on.
Stay tuned to MMA Recap for more information as the fight develops.
source
by Andrew Gladstone - 11-16-2009
Ever since the fold of Affliction, mixed martial arts fans have been wondering if the bout between #1 ranked heavyweight Fedor Emelianenko (31-1) and top five contender Josh Barnett (24-5) would ever take place. Sources close to DREAM have informed MMA Recap that Barnett will sign with DREAM and that Strikeforce and M-1 will indeed cross promote with FEG to deliver the epic matchup we’ve all been waiting for.
The bout between Fedor and Barnett is tentatively scheduled for February of 2010, but no official date has been confirmed.
Emelianenko and Barnett were originally supposed to fight at "Affliction: Trilogy" on August 1, 2009, but Barnett tested positive for steroids during a pre-fight drug test and the entire event was scrapped.
Josh Barnett has not seen action since facing Gilbert Yvel at “Affliction: Day of Reckoning”, where he defeated Yvel via technical knock out in round 3. Look for Barnett to try to make this a technical fight, and utilize his tremendous grappling skills.
Fedor Emelianenko last saw action when he defeated dangerous striker Brett Rogers via technical knock out in round two. Emelianenko will undoubtedly be the favorite in this fight, and for good reason. However, stylistically this is the toughest opponent Fedor has seen in some time. Look for Fedor to be patient and use a mix of his strikes and takedowns to stifle Barnett until he finds a huge opening that he can capitalize on.
Stay tuned to MMA Recap for more information as the fight develops.
source
When UFC 106 slot opened, Forrest Griffin dropped everything, honeymoon included
UFC president Dana White made one point clear: He's never had to twist Forrest Griffin's arm to do anything when it comes to fighting.
In fact, when an injury forced Mark Coleman out of a scheduled UFC 106 co-headliner with Tito Ortiz, Griffin dropped everything and immediately began his training camp for the Nov. 21 pay-per-view fight in Las Vegas.
Unfortunately, one thing left in the wake of the newlywed's quick decision was his honeymoon.
Griffin, whose fight with Ortiz eventually was promoted to the night's main event when Brock Lesnar's illness forced a cancellation of his would-be headliner with Shane Carwin, discussed the series of events with MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) on a recent media conference call.
"I was coming down from the mountains from my honeymoon, and [White] said, 'Let's fight Tito,'" Griffin said. "And I said, 'Let's do it Dec. 12 (at UFC 107). Give me a little more time.' And they called me back the next day and said it's Nov. 21, and I said, 'OK, that's fine. Let's do it.'
"So yeah, I cut my honeymoon short and just drove back and started training right then."
The former UFC light heavyweight champion and longtime fan favorite hasn't competed since a devastating and embarrassing loss to Anderson Silva at UFC 101 in August. Silva, the UFC's current middleweight champ, moved up a weight class for the fight and thrashed his opponent with multiple knockdowns and an eventual first-round knockout.
Griffin sprinted from the cage immediately afterward. He appeared to run right into isolation and wouldn't give him first post-fight interview until nearly a month and a half later.
So after such a rough and emotional loss, was White hesitant to rush Griffin back into competition?
"I believe in it actually," he said. "When these guys lose, you've got to get back on the horse, especially Forrest. Forrest is a real emotional guy, and he didn't take that loss easily. He wasn't Forrest after that fight, and I think it's better to jump right back in there rather than sit around and commiserate for how ever many months until you fight again."
Was Griffin hesitant, though?
"I don't think I've ever had to twist Forrest Griffin's arm to fight," White joked.
In fact, Griffin was honored by White's request. Including his December 2008 title loss to Rashad Evans, Griffin suffered the first back-to-back losses of his career. Yet, White still wanted him to headline a card.
That's why Griffin didn't put up much of a fuss when the UFC asked him to return on just six weeks' notice. Besides, whether he likes it or not (and whether he thinks it's warranted or not), Griffin has come to accept the fact that MMA fans simply want to see him fight.
"I get to be a headline fight coming off two losses," he said. "That's a big deal for me right now. ... I want to be a headline fight right now. I've got to just learn just to accept that – that people are going to talk about you ]good and bad, and that's part of it.
"I'm really excited about this fight. I get to be the last fight of the night, and that's an honor."
UFC president Dana White made one point clear: He's never had to twist Forrest Griffin's arm to do anything when it comes to fighting.
In fact, when an injury forced Mark Coleman out of a scheduled UFC 106 co-headliner with Tito Ortiz, Griffin dropped everything and immediately began his training camp for the Nov. 21 pay-per-view fight in Las Vegas.
Unfortunately, one thing left in the wake of the newlywed's quick decision was his honeymoon.
Griffin, whose fight with Ortiz eventually was promoted to the night's main event when Brock Lesnar's illness forced a cancellation of his would-be headliner with Shane Carwin, discussed the series of events with MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) on a recent media conference call.
"I was coming down from the mountains from my honeymoon, and [White] said, 'Let's fight Tito,'" Griffin said. "And I said, 'Let's do it Dec. 12 (at UFC 107). Give me a little more time.' And they called me back the next day and said it's Nov. 21, and I said, 'OK, that's fine. Let's do it.'
"So yeah, I cut my honeymoon short and just drove back and started training right then."
The former UFC light heavyweight champion and longtime fan favorite hasn't competed since a devastating and embarrassing loss to Anderson Silva at UFC 101 in August. Silva, the UFC's current middleweight champ, moved up a weight class for the fight and thrashed his opponent with multiple knockdowns and an eventual first-round knockout.
Griffin sprinted from the cage immediately afterward. He appeared to run right into isolation and wouldn't give him first post-fight interview until nearly a month and a half later.
So after such a rough and emotional loss, was White hesitant to rush Griffin back into competition?
"I believe in it actually," he said. "When these guys lose, you've got to get back on the horse, especially Forrest. Forrest is a real emotional guy, and he didn't take that loss easily. He wasn't Forrest after that fight, and I think it's better to jump right back in there rather than sit around and commiserate for how ever many months until you fight again."
Was Griffin hesitant, though?
"I don't think I've ever had to twist Forrest Griffin's arm to fight," White joked.
In fact, Griffin was honored by White's request. Including his December 2008 title loss to Rashad Evans, Griffin suffered the first back-to-back losses of his career. Yet, White still wanted him to headline a card.
That's why Griffin didn't put up much of a fuss when the UFC asked him to return on just six weeks' notice. Besides, whether he likes it or not (and whether he thinks it's warranted or not), Griffin has come to accept the fact that MMA fans simply want to see him fight.
"I get to be a headline fight coming off two losses," he said. "That's a big deal for me right now. ... I want to be a headline fight right now. I've got to just learn just to accept that – that people are going to talk about you ]good and bad, and that's part of it.
"I'm really excited about this fight. I get to be the last fight of the night, and that's an honor."
Anderson Silva vs. Vitor Belfort title fight targeted for UFC 109 on Feb. 6
The highly anticipated UFC middleweight title fight between current champ Anderson Silva and explosive challenger Vitor Belfort is now targeted for UFC 109.
The UFC had originally hoped to feature the contest at UFC 108, but Silva's recovery process from elbow surgery forced a delay in the schedule.
Belfort first released news of the new date to the Portugese-language Terra magazine's "Mano a Mano" blog, and MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) has since confirmed with sources close to the bout that verbal agreements are in place. Bout agreements have yet to be signed.
The bout is also contingent upon Silva's recovery process.
The bout between Belfort and Silva has been planned since "The Phenom's" triumphant return to the UFC with a TKO win over Rich Franklin in the catchweight main event of "UFC 103: Franklin vs. Belfort."
Silva's camp had initially expressed some resistance to taking a middleweight title fight with Belfort due to the challenger having yet to fight at 185 pounds in his return to the UFC. The champ has since agreed to put his belt on the line against Belfort whenever the fight does happen.
As for the elbow, Silva's manager, Ed Soares, told MMAjunkie.com in October that he doesn't believe there's a reason for any long-term 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."
The highly anticipated UFC middleweight title fight between current champ Anderson Silva and explosive challenger Vitor Belfort is now targeted for UFC 109.
The UFC had originally hoped to feature the contest at UFC 108, but Silva's recovery process from elbow surgery forced a delay in the schedule.
Belfort first released news of the new date to the Portugese-language Terra magazine's "Mano a Mano" blog, and MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) has since confirmed with sources close to the bout that verbal agreements are in place. Bout agreements have yet to be signed.
The bout is also contingent upon Silva's recovery process.
The bout between Belfort and Silva has been planned since "The Phenom's" triumphant return to the UFC with a TKO win over Rich Franklin in the catchweight main event of "UFC 103: Franklin vs. Belfort."
Silva's camp had initially expressed some resistance to taking a middleweight title fight with Belfort due to the challenger having yet to fight at 185 pounds in his return to the UFC. The champ has since agreed to put his belt on the line against Belfort whenever the fight does happen.
As for the elbow, Silva's manager, Ed Soares, told MMAjunkie.com in October that he doesn't believe there's a reason for any long-term 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."
TITO ORTIZ READY FOR ROUND 2 WITH FORREST
Tito Ortiz and Forrest Griffin not only shared a three-round slugfest at UFC 59, but the same floor of the same hotel in Anaheim, Calif.
Ortiz, 34, had just defeated the inaugural “Ultimate Fighter” via split decision and was emerging from his room when he ran into Griffin.
“He came out with a coffee and I came out with a chick,” Ortiz told MMAWeekly.com.
Ortiz asked him how he was doing. Sore, Griffin replied.
“Yeah, I’m pretty sore, too,” said Ortiz. “God, can you imagine – I’m only at 60 percent. Can you imagine me at 100? He just smiled and shook his head and drove off in his Scion.”
Three years later, Ortiz says he’s 100-percent again, healed from back and knee injuries he says bogged him down in his first battle with Griffin.
Ortiz promises to finish the fight this time around.
“Can he take damage? Let’s see,” said Ortiz. “Because I’m gonna cause the most amount of damage in the shortest amount of time. I respect him. He’s been there before, but does he want to be there anymore? We’ll see.”
Tito Ortiz and Forrest Griffin not only shared a three-round slugfest at UFC 59, but the same floor of the same hotel in Anaheim, Calif.
Ortiz, 34, had just defeated the inaugural “Ultimate Fighter” via split decision and was emerging from his room when he ran into Griffin.
“He came out with a coffee and I came out with a chick,” Ortiz told MMAWeekly.com.
Ortiz asked him how he was doing. Sore, Griffin replied.
“Yeah, I’m pretty sore, too,” said Ortiz. “God, can you imagine – I’m only at 60 percent. Can you imagine me at 100? He just smiled and shook his head and drove off in his Scion.”
Three years later, Ortiz says he’s 100-percent again, healed from back and knee injuries he says bogged him down in his first battle with Griffin.
Ortiz promises to finish the fight this time around.
“Can he take damage? Let’s see,” said Ortiz. “Because I’m gonna cause the most amount of damage in the shortest amount of time. I respect him. He’s been there before, but does he want to be there anymore? We’ll see.”
TWO STRIKEFORCE BELTS IN THE FUTURE FOR SHIELDS?
Jake Shields defeated Jason “Mayhem” Miller on Nov. 7 at the Sears Centre in Chicago, winning the Strikeforce middleweight title vacated by Cung Le.
Shields has spent most of his career competing as a welterweight, but has proven he can swim with the big fish in the 185-pound division, defeating “Ruthless” Robbie Lawler in a catchweight bout and beating Miller in his two fights above 170 pounds.
Now the Strikeforce middleweight titleholder and former EliteXC welterweight champion, questions arise surrounding what weight class Shields will compete in down the road.
“Ultimately I’m looking for the bigger fights,” Shields told MMAWeekly.com “I don’t see any huge fights for me at 170 right now.”
Shields said he’s willing to fight in either division and leaves that decision in the hands of Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker, but he wants Strikeforce to have a welterweight champion before he drops back down to the 170-pound division.
“I think I’d rather wait for them to crown a champ and then come down to challenge as opposed to fighting for another vacant belt,” said Shields. “I wouldn’t mind having both belts, but I want them to crown a champ first.”
Jake Shields defeated Jason “Mayhem” Miller on Nov. 7 at the Sears Centre in Chicago, winning the Strikeforce middleweight title vacated by Cung Le.
Shields has spent most of his career competing as a welterweight, but has proven he can swim with the big fish in the 185-pound division, defeating “Ruthless” Robbie Lawler in a catchweight bout and beating Miller in his two fights above 170 pounds.
Now the Strikeforce middleweight titleholder and former EliteXC welterweight champion, questions arise surrounding what weight class Shields will compete in down the road.
“Ultimately I’m looking for the bigger fights,” Shields told MMAWeekly.com “I don’t see any huge fights for me at 170 right now.”
Shields said he’s willing to fight in either division and leaves that decision in the hands of Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker, but he wants Strikeforce to have a welterweight champion before he drops back down to the 170-pound division.
“I think I’d rather wait for them to crown a champ and then come down to challenge as opposed to fighting for another vacant belt,” said Shields. “I wouldn’t mind having both belts, but I want them to crown a champ first.”
COUTURE ON WIN OVER VERA: IT WAS A CLOSE FIGHT
Five-time UFC champion Randy Couture was humble in victory after besting Brandon Vera on points Saturday at UFC 105.
“It was a tough-ass fight,” the 46-year-old Couture told reporters after taking home his 17th career victory.
It was also a close call. A few boos mixed with cheers as the decision was read, echoing the crowd’s response to the tactical bout. Many media members had scored the fight for Vera. Vera called out the judges in the Octagon afterwards.
The 32-year-old fighter later softened his stance, saying he was mad at himself for letting the fight go to the judges. But Couture conceded his margin of victory was very slim.
“I wouldn’t have been terribly disappointed had the decision gone the other way,” he said.
Couture, an avid game planner, set the fight's battleground in the clinch, where he tried to muscle Vera to the mat and control him there. In all but one occasion, he failed, leaving the two locked together against the cage for most of their fifteen minutes together. The crowd's patience thinned in time.
Vera had come prepared, Couture said.
“He did a great job against the fence making it real difficult to get ahold of his hips and take him down,” said Couture. "He countered the high single that I take a lot of guys down with. I had to kind of shift gears.”
Shifting gears meant getting inside, and exposing himself to Vera’s strikes. In the second, Couture took a vicious kick to the ribs and tumbled to the mat, where he spent the next minutes getting his wind back.
“I think he moved my heart with that shot,” said Couture.
Couture felt it wisest to move in close, where his patented dirty boxing could sway the fight. He was no stranger to facing superior strikers.
“My corner said, hey, it’s a (stalemate) in the clinch, you’ve gotta start opening up and start fighting inside, trying to short punch, off-balance him, throw the hands more and throw some elbows, and I think that made a big difference at the end of the second round and in the third round,” said Couture. “But it was a close fight.”
Therein lay the roots for boos—did Couture’s clinch aggression outweigh Vera’s success on the feet?
Couture said he was satisfied with his overall performance and said the light heavyweight division was where he envisioned himself in the near future. He is now 5-3 at 205lbs.
“Could I have done some things better, could I have opened up more, yeah, but Brandon’s a dangerous guy,” said Couture. “I don’t want to stand around in front of Brandon. My game plan was to get in his face and pressure him a lot. I’d hoped to be more effective in the clinch against the fence, and that’s a credit to Brandon.
“But I take nothing away from my performance. I went out there and did what I trained to do. My conditioning was great, I felt strong through all three rounds, and was able to get it done.”
Vera said his goal was to make Couture realize how far he’d come as a mixed martial artist since the two wrestled together. On Saturday, it appears he did that.
Couture, who lost a unanimous decision to Antonio Rodrigo Noguiera less than three months ago at UFC 102, hasn't had such a short turnaround in six years, when he racked up two consecutive victories over Chuck Liddell and Tito Ortiz in 2003. He gave no indication on his timetable for a return, but will likely take the next week or two to heal up and decide his next move.
Couture has said a bout with Lyoto Machida could fuel him for future competition. Machida is currently recuperating from hand surgery and likely won’t be ready until the second quarter of 2010, where a rematch with Mauricio “Shogun” Rua looms.
Five-time UFC champion Randy Couture was humble in victory after besting Brandon Vera on points Saturday at UFC 105.
“It was a tough-ass fight,” the 46-year-old Couture told reporters after taking home his 17th career victory.
It was also a close call. A few boos mixed with cheers as the decision was read, echoing the crowd’s response to the tactical bout. Many media members had scored the fight for Vera. Vera called out the judges in the Octagon afterwards.
The 32-year-old fighter later softened his stance, saying he was mad at himself for letting the fight go to the judges. But Couture conceded his margin of victory was very slim.
“I wouldn’t have been terribly disappointed had the decision gone the other way,” he said.
Couture, an avid game planner, set the fight's battleground in the clinch, where he tried to muscle Vera to the mat and control him there. In all but one occasion, he failed, leaving the two locked together against the cage for most of their fifteen minutes together. The crowd's patience thinned in time.
Vera had come prepared, Couture said.
“He did a great job against the fence making it real difficult to get ahold of his hips and take him down,” said Couture. "He countered the high single that I take a lot of guys down with. I had to kind of shift gears.”
Shifting gears meant getting inside, and exposing himself to Vera’s strikes. In the second, Couture took a vicious kick to the ribs and tumbled to the mat, where he spent the next minutes getting his wind back.
“I think he moved my heart with that shot,” said Couture.
Couture felt it wisest to move in close, where his patented dirty boxing could sway the fight. He was no stranger to facing superior strikers.
“My corner said, hey, it’s a (stalemate) in the clinch, you’ve gotta start opening up and start fighting inside, trying to short punch, off-balance him, throw the hands more and throw some elbows, and I think that made a big difference at the end of the second round and in the third round,” said Couture. “But it was a close fight.”
Therein lay the roots for boos—did Couture’s clinch aggression outweigh Vera’s success on the feet?
Couture said he was satisfied with his overall performance and said the light heavyweight division was where he envisioned himself in the near future. He is now 5-3 at 205lbs.
“Could I have done some things better, could I have opened up more, yeah, but Brandon’s a dangerous guy,” said Couture. “I don’t want to stand around in front of Brandon. My game plan was to get in his face and pressure him a lot. I’d hoped to be more effective in the clinch against the fence, and that’s a credit to Brandon.
“But I take nothing away from my performance. I went out there and did what I trained to do. My conditioning was great, I felt strong through all three rounds, and was able to get it done.”
Vera said his goal was to make Couture realize how far he’d come as a mixed martial artist since the two wrestled together. On Saturday, it appears he did that.
Couture, who lost a unanimous decision to Antonio Rodrigo Noguiera less than three months ago at UFC 102, hasn't had such a short turnaround in six years, when he racked up two consecutive victories over Chuck Liddell and Tito Ortiz in 2003. He gave no indication on his timetable for a return, but will likely take the next week or two to heal up and decide his next move.
Couture has said a bout with Lyoto Machida could fuel him for future competition. Machida is currently recuperating from hand surgery and likely won’t be ready until the second quarter of 2010, where a rematch with Mauricio “Shogun” Rua looms.