MMA News Thread

[Shogun Locc]

Former NCAA national champ signs with WEC June show expected to be in Sacramento

Zuffa-owned World Extreme Cagefighting has signed former NCAA wrestling champion Mark Munoz to its roster, the Vallejo Times-Herald is reporting.

According to the paper, Munoz signed a guaranteed six fight contract. Financial terms were not disclosed but the paper quotes the light heavyweight as saying the deal is a “high six-figure” contract.

The report specifies that he is scheduled to make his WEC debut on June 1 in Sacramento, Calif. at the Arco Arena. The show will be televised on VERSUS and is expected to feature a WEC featherweight title match between Urijah Faber and Jens Pulver.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Pro Elite CEO Doug DeLuca comments on Tv deal with CBS

Thursday’s announcement by ProElite that it had reached an agreement with CBS to televise four EliteXC events garnered a great deal of coverage in the mainstream press. And while we know a little more than we did when the initial report of the deal surfaced Wednesday, there still has not been a lot reported in regard to details pertaining to the deal.

On that note, I was able to speak with ProElite CEO Doug DeLuca, one of the main architects behind the deal, in an exclusive interview for ProElite.com (SamCaplan.ProElite.com).

Sam Caplan: How long has this deal been in the works?

Doug DeLuca: I would say it was in the works for a couple of months, somewhere in that neighborhood. We’ve been talking on and off for awhile. You have to remember that CBS was the second group to invest in ProElite, almost a year and a half ago. They believed in us as they believed in MMA all the way back then. They made the investment in us and they decided to put us on their SHOWTIME networks. I think they were very smart and I think that both SHOWTIME and CBS were both very visionary in the sense they were interested in the sport, they were bullish on the sport, and they wanted to see how it would go. They liked what we had to say but we were unproven at the time but they believed enough to stick their toe in the water and invest in the company and puts us on SHOWTIME. We all know that has been a big success, and now this. I think they were very smart and calculated in their approach to it and it has worked out well.

Sam Caplan: You mentioned that these negotiations had gone on for several months. Was there a specific turning point in the negotiations that possibly made CBS even more interested in doing a deal?

Doug DeLuca: There’s all kind of speculation. I would say the writers strike had a good hand in accelerating their idea to put it on the air. I think they see mixed martial arts and they get mixed martial arts. They’re bullish on it. I think the opportunity arose to do the deal with us. They were talking to other people and were looking around and from what I understand were in talks with our competitor and that obviously didn’t work out.

Sam Caplan: I know you can’t divulge too many details because ProElite is a publicly traded company, but there are some conflicting reports I wanted to ask you about. MMAPayout.com reported that it is rumored the deal with CBS will be a time buy while Dave Meltzer reported on Yahoo! that there will be a rights fee involved. Is EliteXC getting a rights fee for the CBS telecasts?

Doug DeLuca: The latter was incorrect. This is a license-fee deal. We’re getting a license-fee in order to put the show on the air. It’s a typical TV license-fee deal.

Sam Caplan: Who controls the selling of the advertising and sponsorships?

Doug DeLuca: CBS ad sales will be controlling that for the most part. There is some carve out in there where we will control some of the sponsorships, but for the most part, CBS ad sales.

Sam Caplan: In December, MediaPost reported that CBS and the UFC were close to a deal. You’ve had an insider’s perspective on these negotiations, do you feel those reports were accurate?

Doug DeLuca: Close is relative and I wasn’t involved in the discussions so it’s hard for me to say, but I believe they could be accurate, yes.

Sam Caplan: Some critics — and I’ve been one of them — have raised issues with EliteXC’s use of a DJ, dancers, and some other aspects if the shows. Has CBS asked EliteXC to make any modifications to the product they will be presenting on network TV?

 

[Shogun Locc]

Exclusive: Greg Nelson: Training Lesnar & Sherk

PDG: Let's start with your career, how long have you been a trainer/coach and how did you get started?
Greg: I have been a trainer since about 1993 when we first started fighting in Thai boxing tournaments. Then when mixed martial arts came around I started training fighters and fighting in that.

PDG: Have you always been competing professionally?
Greg: I started out wrestling first. I wrestled as a kid, through high school and then for the University of Minnesota. Then I started getting into Thai boxing in the Philippines and then it was just a natural progression to the next stage. Shooto was the first kind of mixed martial arts fighting that I did and then I moved on to competitive Brazilian jui-jitsu. I competed in the Pan-American games in Brazilian jui-jitsu and then did the grappling tournaments in Los Angeles. I just gradually competed in everything I could; as far as the combat arts are concerned.

PDG: Okay, let's talk about some of the fighters that you are training. You most recently oversaw the training of UFC newcomer Brock Lesnar. What was the experience like training Brock?
Greg: We started training Brock about a year and a half ago. He came into the gym one day and told us that he wanted to get into mixed martial arts. He trained for almost a solid year before he had his first fight last summer in L.A. with the Korean.

PDG: You mean the K-1 Dynamite show?
Greg: Yes, and that fight went pretty fast. Then after that fight we continually trained Brock to get him ready for whatever fight was going to come. And as everyone knows he ended up doing some negotiating with the UFC, signed and then came the fight with Frank Mir.

PDG: How do you think the fight with Frank went?
Greg: Personally I thought the fight went well. Obviously, I thought the stop by the referee was premature and I personally thought that Brock had won the fight. The way that Mazzigotti had stopped the fight and then he put Brock's hand up in the air. So I thought that the fight was over and if you had looked at Brock's expression he was a little confused and thought that he had won the fight. When the point was taken away I was thinking what the heck is going on, that had never happened in the history of the UFC. I have never seen a fight stopped and a point immediately taken away without warning. It is kind of sad actually. Before the fight Mazzigotti was in the dressing room and he explained to us that he would be watching for punches to the back of the head. So I asked him a straight question “What if the fighter is turning his head into the punches and gets hit in the back of the head?”. He told us that if the fighter turns his head into the punch that is a different situation.

If you watch the fight that is exactly what happened, he turned his head into the punches and got hit in the back of the head. So I thought it was kind of ridiculous. I got more irritated about the situation after the fight was over and we were back home. The UFC had given us a copy of the fight to watch and when I was going through the fight, I thought I heard Mazzigotti say something and I couldn't believe it when I backed it up and I heard Mazzigotti say “Did you get hit in the back of the head? Did you get hit in the back of the head? Frank said yes and that is when he stood up both fighters. But you know what? Brock doesn't make any excuses and that is the kind of guy he is. He told us he thought the fight was over when it was stopped and when it was restarted, he caught me and that's it, what can I say?

PDG: How surprised were you that Frank was able to catch him?
Greg: I was a little bit worried when Brock was standing over him while Frank was on his back. Then when Frank locked onto his knee I was yelling for him to get out. Brock jumped and took Frank with him about 3 feet across the cage. When the knee didn't come out then I knew he had a good hold on it. Mir is not the type of fighter to let go of all hold if he thinks it is a good one. Brock knew how to get out of that hold because we drilled that a lot. The bottom line is he turned too late and the hold was sunk too deep. He knows that he got a little anxious and he was kind of caught in limbo about should I still stand up or should I go down. He made the error and he knows it, so it's back to the drawing board and get ready for the next fight.

PDG: What about the punches that Mir was taking from Brock; Do you think he could have taken many more before he was out?
Greg: No, he was already halfway out when it was stopped. He was cut and you could tell that he was almost out of it. He was getting nailed until the fight got stopped.

PDG: How was the atmosphere and experience for you when you guys were on your way to the cage?
Greg: It was unbelievable; the people in the crowd were going nuts. I have been to a lot of UFC's with some of my other fighters but this time was by far one of the most electric situations ever. The people were so loud; you could see that they were really amped for this fight. It is obviously great for the UFC, as I can see that Brock has potentially great drawing power and is a fan magnet. After the fight, Brock got up and was very respectful about his loss and he made no excuses. You could see that the fans appreciated that.

PDG: Alright, let's get to another one of your top tier fighters. You are also training Sean Sherk. What is your training schedule like right now with Sean?
Greg: Right now he's basically just drilling and rolling. Usually, he doesn't get too extreme with his training until about 12 weeks before a scheduled fight. It's just a matter of training with jui-jitsu guys, rolling around and getting more and more comfortable on the mat. Just general overall training right now. Like I said his fight camp usually starts about 12 weeks out from a fight and then we will concentrate on nothing else but that fight.

PDG: When you get to that point, 12 weeks out; How many workouts per day and how many hours per day do you schedule?
Greg: Usually two to three training sessions per day with a couple of hours for each session.

PDG: So what was your take on the whole steroid situation with Sean and the CSAC?
Greg: Sean is an extremely clean fighter. I mean the guy is a health nut, it's pure to the point of almost insanity. He eats oatmeal raw straight from the bag and then washes it down with a glass of water. All of his vegetables are eaten raw and he rarely cooks anything so as the food doesn't lose any of its nutrients. He is very serious about his diet and his training regiment is obviously very intense. The fact that a guy that would eat that clean and take care of his body as he does would take steroids is ridiculous. There were so many factors that were on Sean's side of this case that if this case was held in a real court it would have been thrown out. There were so many errors made by the commission that would not have happened in a real court. It is just too bad that a guy who has trained that hard for so many years and a person who really criticizes the use of steroids to be accused of using steroids; it is really just too much. It was really disheartening for him.

PDG: What do you think of Sean's choice not to fight in California anymore?
Greg: He definitely does not want to fight in California anymore but obviously he is going to have to fight where the UFC wants him to. If it was up to him he would never fight in California again.

PDG: Who are some of the fighters that you are currently training that are up and comers that may be some MMA fans have not heard of yet?
Greg: We have gotten Nick Lentz, Nat McIntyre (lightweight); he is a WKA and IKF and ISKA world lightweight champion. Of course we have Nick Thompson training at the school, who is the Bodog 170 pound champion and Jesse Midas and Jacob Volkman; who is the three-time All-American at the University of Minnesota.

PDG: Doesn't Thompson have a fight coming up pretty soon in the new World Victory Road promotion?
Greg: Yes you will be fighting March 5 in Japan for the new promotion.

PDG: Is there anything that you would like to add about the school or anything else?
Greg: We have been training champions since the days when Dave Menne came out of their and fans should look for a lot of good fighters to come from the school in the future. If anybody is interested in the school they can get the information at

 

[Shogun Locc]

Exclusive: Maurice "Mo" Smith

PDG: Let's start with your victory this past Saturday night at the Strikeforce at the Dome event against Rick “The Jet” Roufus; what are your thoughts on how the fight went and the whole show in general?
Mo: It was my second fight back after fighting last May and it went how I thought it would. Rick is as good of a striker as I am but on the ground he doesn't have much of a chance against me, so yeah the fight went as I expected it to go. I knew if it was on the ground I would win. He is a very dangerous striker.

PDG: Did it surprise you at all that he wasn't more prepared to fight on the ground?
Mo: No, I am going to speculate and say that he probably only had about three months of training. In addition to fighting he also has a business that he runs and overall he probably only has about a years worth of knowledge when it comes to mixed martial arts. I have been doing MMA for the better part of 12 years, so to answer your question........no I was not surprised. I certainly hope that he continues to train MMA because I told him like I tell everyone that MMA is a vacation compared to kickboxing. What I mean is that the body of a kickboxer takes a lot more punishment than that of a mixed martial artist. There is a lot more to MMA then striking. Rick said that he was going to continue his training and I hope he does. We'll see what happens.

PDG: Last Saturday night you also mentioned to me that the pay is a lot better in MMA then kickboxing.
Mo: Not only is MMA paying more right now but it is also easier. For the same amount of time in the ring you get hurt less and paid more in MMA. If both aspects of the sport were paying the same I would still go with MMA. It is nothing to diminish the skills of the fighters in MMA but you don't get hit is much as you do in kickboxing. Typically in mixed martial arts fights you are not getting kicked to the body, kicked in the face and punched for five rounds straight. You can use a punch to get in and then take your opponent down and go for a submission. The highly skilled fighters rarely get caught in a situation where they are getting damaged by GNP. Usually, the lower-level fighters with lower skill are the ones that get pounded on the ground. The physical toll taken on your body is much higher in kickboxing in MMA.

PDG: As far as Strikeforce goes; was that a one fight deal or are you looking to fight in one of their upcoming events later this year?
Mo: I will fight for whoever but right now I am working with Strikeforce and we'll see where it goes. I will fight for anyone except the UFC because they are only interested in the younger fighters. All I care about is promoting the sport.

PDG: How many more fights do you think you have left in you?
Mo: I am not getting hurt and as long as I have a desire to compete I will keep fighting. The thing people need to understand is that just because you're older doesn't mean you can't fight anymore. You just approach your training differently and you fight a different way. You can't be the same fighter you were when you were younger, you have to change styles. You can't expect me or guys like Randy [Couture] to fight like we used too but we can still compete, just at a different level. I am not saying that you have to fight opponents with lower skill but fighters closer to your age. So yes I have the desire to fight for a while longer and we'll just see where it goes.

PDG: You fought a lot of big name opponents during your career; which one was the toughest?
Mo: Everyone of my losses. Do you mean the one that gave me the most pain or the toughest fight?

PDG: Alright, how about the guy that gave you the toughest fight?
Mo: I would have to say Randy and [Kevin] Randleman in MMA. They had really good wrestling and they were able to control me. Coleman was tough too but he got tired later on in the fight.

PDG: What fight of your career did you enjoy the most?
Mo: In kickboxing I would have to say it was when I won my first title back in 1983. In MMA most of the fights were fun but I would have to say Coleman and the Bobby Hoffman fight because it was kind of a comeback fight for me. They were all pretty fun I would have to say.

PDG: You beat Tank Abbott back in the early days of the UFC; what do you think of him still fighting despite only one win in the last 10 years?
Mo: It depends on how you look at it. Is Tank fighting to be champion or is he fighting to get paid? He has always been a tough guy but he has never really put the work into it. To me he is no different now than he was when he started. Tank is Tank and for some of his opponents he is a stepping stone and for some he is not. He is nothing to worry about unless he catches you and then you are in trouble. He is a tough guy no question but if you can outlast him, you should win.

PDG: Speaking of training and preparation; what was your training like leading up to your fight with Rick?
Mo: For that fight I started training back in November. I literally took my time and trained for four months. I wanted to train without putting pressure on myself like I would have in my younger days. I have never trained that long consistently for a fight but it was nice not having any pressure. I trained twice a day, six days a week with Ivan Salavary in Seattle. Those guys did a really good job with my training for this fight.

PDG: Frank Shamrock was in your corner for that fight last weekend. He has a big fight coming up against Cung Le in about a month. What are your thoughts on that fight?
Mo: I am going down there to help them train and I think it will be a good fight. Cung is good but as long as Frank doesn't get caught with some kick he should win the fight. Every fighter that steps in the cage or ring has a chance though.

PDG: Are you going to be watching the UFC fights this weekend?
Mo: No, I don't support the UFC and they don't support me. I am a distant fan now because I have a better knowledge of the behind-the-scenes working of MMA. I really don't follow the sport anymore except for the people and fighters that I am involved with.

PDG: Is there anything that you would like to add?
Mo: It's your interview............ No, I just want to tell the fans thanks and hopefully I'll fight three to four times this year and we'll see how I feel.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Exclusive: Frank Trigg

PDG: Let's start with last weekend's Strikeforce event that you covered for HDNet fights; what was your overall impression of the fights and the production of the show?
Frank: It was nice to see some guys fight that I have never seen and it was also nice to see some guys I have seen fight before but not for a very long time. For whatever reason, being either on the other side of the world or because they were in a production that I wasn't covering. So that was kind of cool. The event as a whole was great, it was announced this week that it broke records.......Strikeforce crushed it. I think the closest event at the Tacoma Dome to that had like 4,500 ticket sales and they had like 7,000. I really like Scott Coker as a promoter so that helped out as well.

PDG: Did the fights go kind of how you expected?
Frank: Yeah, everything went pretty much as planned. I don't think Joe Riggs had it in him that night. I think the previous injury that he had to his rib and his back hurt him but I didn't think he would lose like that. Even an injured Joe Riggs is a gamer, a guy that can fight all the way through and I thought that he would have enough to be able to continue to the end. At least to a decision, I didn't think it would end like that.

PDG: From where I was sitting it looked like a little bit of an awkward toss. What do you think?
Frank: Not really, that is the way you land when you are thrown like that. I may be a little biased because I am a second-degree black bell in judo and that is a big judo throw. So for me watching that throw, that is how you're supposed to land. It is a match finisher for judo. He landed correctly; he just landed on a previous injury.

PDG: Yeah, now that you bring it up I was just having a little bit of trouble with the TNT bombs, flames and smoke going on 5 feet behind me.
Frank: Yes, that goes back to the old K-1 style and Scott Coker really embraces that. It was a great show.

PDG: The last time you fought was a submission victory over Edwin Dewees in December; when can your fans expect to see you back in action again?
Frank: I don't know for sure..........I am trying to get some things worked out. I signed to fight for HDNet fights as a promotion not as a television station and I am not sure what they are doing with their promotion right now. There's so many events now on TV, why would you throw your own events when you already have so many other events on your station?

PDG: Are they going to be showing the new Dreams promotion on HDNet?
Frank: I don't know yet but I hope so because that means more work for me [laughs]. To be honest though I'm not sure right now.

PDG: Okay back to you. You fought just about everybody out there; who would you like to set up a fight with?
Frank: Well you know, I have fought everybody out there at 170 pounds and I am at 185 pounds now. It's a whole different ballgame now, I would like to fight Robbie Lawler again. I did something that no other fighter has done before. I don't care if you are in the top 10, you did not fight the schedule that I fought. I came out of retirement and fought Jason Miller for my first fight at 185 pounds and then I turned around and fought Kazuo Misaki, who at the time was ranked #2 in the world. Then right after that I fought Robbie Lawler. At that time, all of those guys were in the top 10 and I fought them all in a span of four months. So I couldn't recover and I couldn't heal, when you fight guys like Miller and Misaki you need to take off at least two months in between fights. I never really stopped my training camp and it wasn't good for my body. I don't think Lawler is really that good of a fighter but he did knock me unconscious. On a scale of one to 10, he fought a number five Trigg. A Trigg that only had 50% of my body, 50% of my mind, 50% of my emotion but yet it goes all the way to the fourth round. I basically told my corner between the third and fourth round that this is the last round and one of us is going home on a stretcher. It just happened to be me.

PDG: Lawler has had a lot of injuries and it doesn't look like he's going to be fighting anytime soon.
Frank: He is always getting hurt, he tried to pull out of the fight with me. He ended up winning and then he beat Ninja and now he is hurt again. He is one of those guys that is always getting beat up.

PDG: I would definitely watch the rematch between the two of you.
Frank: That is one of the fights that I am a looking for, just not right now. If Anderson Silva beats Dan Henderson, then I would like to fight him, also Paulo Filho, Frank Shamrock..........not because I don't like these guys but I think that they would be good fights. I want to test myself. I don't need to hate my opponents anymore, I just want to fight interesting fights and those fights interest me as a competitor.

PDG: What is your current training schedule like?
Frank: I took off from December 15th until the end of January so that I could try and heal up and rehab my bad shoulder. It didn't work and so about a month ago we went in and did a little surgery to clean out some bone spurs on my shoulder cap and other scar tissue that was hindering my rehab. So now I am just now in my second week of full-go training. I get up each morning at 4:30 a.m. and my first training session is at 5:30 a.m.; strength and conditioning. Taking two months off at my age of 35 years old, you tend to pick up some fat. So I'm just trying to get my body back in shape and next week when I am in town I will be over at Xtreme Couture's. So I can get my rhythm in kickboxing and boxing back and then it's on to jui-jitsu. Then in the afternoon I'm going on slow 4 mile runs to help with my conditioning so that I can get in fight shape again.

PDG: So after taking that time off, the therapy and of the surgery; how long until you will be fight ready?
Frank: I can fight in May. That is the goal right now and we are trying to get some stuff put together for May. We are keeping our eye on a couple of different organizations and I have received some offers but nothing significant yet. Come mid-May I will have completed a full training camp and it will be time to Rock 'n Roll.

PDG: Are you going to be covering the IFL fights tomorrow night?
Frank: Bas Rutten will be doing the live telecast on HDNet but my radio show, Tagg radio will be there doing the pre-fight and the post-fight. After the event tomorrow night we take off for Columbus, Ohio for the Arnold Classic on Saturday and then the UFC fights that night.

PDG: What do you think of the two new Japanese organizations World Victory Road and Dreams?
Frank: I don't know yet, you have to kind of wait and see what happens with their first shows this next month. You have to see if they are going to be like the old PRIDE or something new. They brought back the lightweight Grand Prix tournament that everyone was trying to make happen before the end of PRIDE, so we will have to see if it is going to work this time.

PDG: World Victory Road got Josh Barnett to headline their first show and Dreams got Mirko "Cro-Cop" to headline their first events; albeit nobody seems to want to fight pro-cop so far.
Frank: They did a weird thing over there at Dreams. First of all it is K-1 and Dreams is just basically replacing the Heroes portion of their organization. They called Ray Sefo and said hey do you want a fight with Cro-Cop in three weeks............for some reason they think that fighters can get ready in that little of time.

PDG: Barnett's comeback after well over a year since his last MMA fight is against Yoshida; good opponent or not?
Frank: I don't think Yoshida has much for him and it will be a game of submissions that Barnett should win easily. He is a better wrestler, has better submissions and is a better striker than Yoshida. It is a great way to get your name back out there in Japan and a good tune-up fight for Josh.

PDG: Outside of fighting what can Trigg fans expect from you this year?
Frank: I am spending a lot of time on my clothing company and we are releasing new products every week. In between fights, I am also trying to learn how to be a better commentator. I hang out with Jay Glazer, Kenny Rice and Ron Kruck all the time and it comes so easy to them, I don't know why I struggle.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Proelite stock up

link: http://investing.businessweek.com/research/stocks/snapshot/snapshot.asp?capId=29507283

 

[Shogun Locc]

Silva, Henderson Make Weight

Saturday's UFC middleweight title clash was made official Friday afternoon in Ohio's capital city, as champion Anderson Silva and challenger Dan Henderson (Pictures) easily made the limit of 185 pounds.

Henderson was the lighter of the two, registering a weight of 184.5, while the Brazilian exited the scales a half pound heavier at 185.




UFC 82 Weigh-in Results:
Anderson Silva (185) vs. Dan Henderson (Pictures) (184.5)
Cheick Kongo (Pictures) (233.5) vs. Heath Herring (Pictures) (248)
Yushin Okami (Pictures) (184.5) vs. Evan Tanner (Pictures) (185)
Jon Fitch (Pictures) (170) vs. Chris Wilson (169.5)
Chris Leben (Pictures) (185) vs. Alessio Sakara (Pictures) (185)
Andrei Arlovski (Pictures) (241) vs. Jake O'Brien (Pictures) (231.5)
Luke Cummo (Pictures) (170) vs. Luigi Fioravanti (Pictures) (170.5)
Dustin Hazelett (Pictures) (170) vs. Josh Koscheck (Pictures) (169.5)
Diego Sanchez (Pictures) (169.5) vs. David Bielkheden (Pictures) (170)
Jorge Gurgel (Pictures) (154.5) vs. John Halverson (155)

 

[Shogun Locc]

IFL Play-by-Play Results


Ian Loveland (Pictures) vs. Dennis Davis (Pictures)
Round 1
Davis started out with a right leg kick. Good left hand by Davis to the face of Loveland, followed by a slam from the clinch. Loveland wound up in side-control but was scooted to the side by Davis. Davis applied a tight omaplata, but Loveland was able to escape. Loveland got stuck in Davis' guard. Davis tried an armbar on Loveland's left arm then switched to a triangle, but Loveland defended well. Loveland scrambled away and got back to his feet. Davis shot in and scored a slick double leg and quickly moved to side-control. Davis passed over and mounted, only to be swept. Davis tried another triangle, but was fended off. Loveland scrambled again at the end of the round. Mike Sloan scored the round 10-9 for Davis.

Round 2
Good right hand stunned Loveland very early but he shook it off. Loveland was cut over his left eye from the punch but he fired a right of his own. Davis tried to shoot in but ran into a tight guillotine in a neutral corner. Loveland wrapped it up perfectly and forced the tap. Davis and his corner are melancholy. The official time of the submission was :58 of the second round.

Rafael Dias (Pictures) vs. Santino Defranco (Pictures)
Round 1
Takedown from the clinch 25 seconds in for Dias. Dias tried a guillotine from the top but he was stuck in Defranco's guard. Dias rolled Defanco over and latched on an anaconda choke. Defranoc defended well and got back up to his feet only to be brought back down via guillotine. Defranco defended well again, but Dias swiftly slid over and seized his back and executed a perfect rear-naked choke. Defranco couldn't defend this one and had no choice but to tap out at 2:03 of the opening round.

Leopoldo Serao (Pictures) vs. Josh Haynes (Pictures)
Round 1
Haynes landed a stiff punch to get the action started. Serao got a takedown but Haynes was able to get back to his feet. Serao went to his guard, where he looked for an omaplata, but Haynes had none of it and went to his feet. After pulling guard, Serao was offensive from his back, but he was unable to secure a submission after looking for a triangle and an arm.

Mike Sloan scored the round: 10-9 Haynes
TJ De Santis scored the round: 10-9 Haynes
Mike Fridley scored the round: 10-9 Haynes


Round 2
Serao continued to flop to his back after failing to get takedowns. The crowd voiced their displeasure with the tactic. Haynes fired wild punches but nothing connected flush. Serao glanced a head kick off Haynes' melon. Serao was able to get to his guard following another failed shot. Serao went for a guillotine as time expired.

Mike Sloan scored the round: 10-9 Haynes
TJ De Santis scored the round: 10-9 Haynes
Mike Fridley scored the round: 10-9 Haynes


Round 3
A hard left hook connected for Haynes. Serao dropped levels and went for a single-leg, and again ended up on the bottom. As Haynes tried to stand, Serao hopped on the "TUF" veteran's back, where he looked for a rear-naked choke. He had his arm sunk under the chin but Haynes fought it off. Again Serao sunk the choke but Haynes pried his neck free. Haynes escaped danger and went to Serao's guard before standing up with 20 seconds remaining in the round. A right straight and a low kick landed before the horn sounded.

Mike Sloan scored the round: 10-9 Haynes(30-27 Haynes)
TJ De Santis scored the round: 10-9 Serao (29-28 Haynes)
Mike Fridley scored the round: 10-9 Serao (29-28 Hayes)

The official judges see the contest 30-27 (twice) and 29-28 for Josh Haynes.

Alexandre Ferreira vs. Lew Polley
Round 1
Ferreira opened up with a flurry of punches and a left hand that landed. He immediately latched on a standing guillotine choke and forced a tapout quickly. Polley staggered backward as he was nearly choked unconscious at just 0:20 of the first.

Jake Ellenberger (Pictures) vs. Pat Healy (Pictures)
Round 1
Ellenberger teed off early with left and right bombs before scoring a takedown. He controlled from the top for most of the round, and fought off a single-leg after Healy got to his feet. Ellenberger hit the ribs and stuffed a final effort from Healy on the single.

Mike Sloan scored the round: 10-9 Ellenberger
TJ De Santis scored the round: 10-9 Ellenberger
Mike Fridley scored the round: 10-9 Ellenberger

Round 2
The fighters traded knees to the body to kickoff the second frame. Ellenberger followed with a strong punching combo. Two knees to the chin ejected Healy's mouth guard to the canvas. Ellenberger got a takedown, but time was called to replace the mouthpiece before the action resumed with Ellenberger in Healy's half-guard. Healy got back to his feet and ate a right hand in the process. Ellenberger swooped in and scored another takedown into half-guard.

Mike Sloan scored the round: 10-9 Ellenberger
TJ De Santis scored the round: 10-9 Ellenberger
Mike Fridley scored the round: 10-9 Ellenberger

Round 3
Healy got a fast takedown but he could not hold Ellenberger down. Healy cracked him with a right hand before Ellenberger got a takedown. Healy, with Ellenberger on his back, reversed the position and went briefly to side-control. Ellenberger swept and took the top position at the midway point of the final round. Ellenberger hit the head with his right hand and took Healy's back with no hooks sunk, which allowed Healy to stand. Healy kneed the body and tried a takedown before the fight ended.

Mike Sloan scored the round: 10-9 Ellenberger (30-27 Ellenberger)
TJ De Santis scored the round: 10-9 Healy (29-28 Ellenberger)
Mike Fridley scored the round: 10-9 Healy (29-28 Ellenberger)

The official judges see the contest 30-27 (twice) and 29-28 for Jake Ellenberger.

John Gunderson (Pictures) vs. Ryan Schultz (Pictures)
Round 1
Gunderson looked for a takedown in the first minute, but Schultz stayed calm against the ropes and tripped Gunderson to the mat. Schultz kneed the body twice before Gunderson was able to move to half-guard. Schultz stood up and punched downward twice then decided to engage back on the ground.

Mike Sloan scored the round: 10-9 Schultz
TJ De Santis scored the round: 10-9 Schultz
Mike Fridley scored the round: 10-9 Schultz

Round 2
Gunderson picked Schultz up and deposited him on the canvas. Schultz, with a closed guard, worked for a guillotine choke with no arm inside. Gunderson freed Schultz's legs and went to half-guard, which allowed him to escape. Schultz got to his feet and took Gunderson down. Gunderson went for a Kimura but Schultz was able to pull his arm free.

Mike Sloan scored the round: 10-9 Schultz
TJ De Santis scored the round: 10-9 Schultz
Mike Fridley scored the round: 10-9 Schultz

Round 3
Schultz got hit with a strong knee to the mid section just before he slammed Gunderson to the floor. Gunderson, from his guard, went for a guillotine choke. Just when it started to look secure, Schultz popped his head out and went to half-guard. Schultz landed some leather before the round ended.

Mike Sloan scored the round: 10-9 Schultz
TJ De Santis scored the round: 10-9 Schultz
Mike Fridley scored the round: 10-9 Schultz

Round 4
Gunderson dropped levels and got a takedown. Schultz tried to take his back in the process, but Gunderson had none of it. Schultz stood and was ripped back to the floor. At the end of the round, Gunderson landed a hard knee to the head of Schultz as he stood up from his back.

Mike Sloan scored the round: 10-9 Gunderson
TJ De Santis scored the round: 10-9 Gunderson
Mike Fridley scored the round: 10-9 Gunderson

Round 5
Gunderson went to his back to start the fifth round. He locked on a very deep guillotine choke, but as he has done several times in this contest, he got out of danger by getting to half-guard. Schultz elbowed the head with his right arm and punched the body with his left. Schultz stood and immediately took Gunderson down again. With 30 seconds remaining in a very lackluster championship bout, Schultz rested and threw the occasional right hand.

Mike Sloan scored the round: 10-9 Schultz (49-46)
TJ De Santis scored the round: 10-9 Scultz (49-46)
Mike Fridley scored the round: 10-9 Schultz (49-46)

All three official judges see the contest 49-46 for Schultz.

Fabiano Scherner (Pictures) vs. Roy Nelson (Pictures)
Round 1
After trading some sloppy punches, Nelson looked for a single but it was stuffed in the corner of the ring. Scherner gave up the takedown after Nelson was able to switch positions against the ropes. From half-guard, Nelson did absolutely nothing. The crowd disapproved and showered the stage with boos. The fighters stood and Nelson got another takedown. Nelson unloaded with powerful right hands that forced the referee to intervene. The official time was 3:20 of the first round.

Ryan McGivern (Pictures) vs. Matt Horwich (Pictures)
Round 1
Horwich taunted McGivern at the opening bell, encouraging him to trade blows. After the fighters exchanged sloppy strikes, McGivern scored a takedown into his opponent's half-guard. Horwich got to his feet and clinched with McGivern, in search of a trip takedown. McGivern got distance and cracked Horwich with a right hand. Another right landed for McGivern before the round ended.

Mike Sloan scored the round: 10-9 McGivern
TJ De Santis scored the round: 10-9 McGivern
Mike Fridley scored the round: 10-9 McGivern

Round 2
McGivern got an easy takedown in the opening seconds of round two. From half-guard, McGivern worked for a Kimura on Horwich's right arm. After letting go of the hold, McGivern went to side-control and knee-on-belly. Horwich got back to guard and went for an ompalata attempt that lasted a good 60 seconds. McGivern was saved by the bell as the hold was tight at the end of the round.

Mike Sloan scored the round: 10-9 Horwich
TJ De Santis scored the round: 10-9 Horwich
Mike Fridley scored the round: 10-9 Horwich

Round 3
The pace slowed in the third frame, with McGivern and Horwich exchanging weak strikes. Horwich glanced a head kick and McGivern landed a right straight to the body. The rest of the round saw Horwich edge McGivern o the feet with sneaky strikes from the outside. Yet another lackluster title fight.

Mike Sloan scored the round: 10-9 Horwich
TJ De Santis scored the round: 10-9 Horwich
Mike Fridley scored the round: 10-9 Horwich

Round 4
McGivern landed a solid right hand uppercut that stunned Horwich. McGivern landed another right before reversing a takedown attempt and ending up on top in Horwich's half-guard. The fighters were stood up by referee Mario Yamasaki. McGivern landed another hard uppercut that shocked Horwich.

Mike Sloan scored the round: 10-9 McGivern
TJ De Santis scored the round: 10-9 McGivern
Mike Fridley scored the round: 10-9 McGivern

Round 5
A straight right landed for McGivern. Horwich answered back with a left. McGivern clinched with Horwich in the corner, but was unable to land any blows or trip up the champion. McGivern backed away and laced Horwich with two right hands. Left jab, uppercut scored for McGivern.

Mike Sloan scored the round: 10-9 McGivern (48-47)
TJ De Santis scored the round: 10-9 McGivern (48-47)
Mike Fridley scored the round: 10-9 McGivern (48-47)
The official judges saw the bout 48-47 (twice) and 49-46, all for Ryan McGivern.

 

[naner12]

Horwich/McGivern was a real good fight. Gonna have to try and catch a replay sometime later .. missed most of the event. Caught the three titles fight though.

 

[heyzel]

yeah Horwich/McGivern that was a war I just knew that horwich had mcgivern with that shoulder lock in the 2nd rd

 

[BROWN GUERRERO]

Damn! Anheuser busch, CBS and soon to be Fox all working in MMA. Our sport has blown the fuck up!!

 

[heyzel]

I agree ^^hell yeah we got to give zuffa their due they turn this shit into a profitable gain for north amercian mma & zuffa just ten years ago the north american mma scene was damn near extinct thanks to john mccain

 

[Shogun Locc]

Report: Nick Diaz Added to March 29 EliteXC/Strikeforce Event

Nick Diaz, who was tentatively scheduled to return to EliteXC in April, will instead compete on the organization’s March 29 show. The event, which takes place at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif., is co-promoted by Strikeforce and features a main event between Frank Shamrock and Cung Le.

The Diaz news comes from GracieFighter.com, a website owned by Cesar Gracie, under whom Diaz trains. MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) couldn’t immediately reach event officials for confirmation.

Diaz’s opponent hasn’t been named.

Last month, fiveouncesofpain.com reported that Muhsin Corbbrey (6-2), an up-and-comer who made a name for himself with back-to-back victories in EliteXC’s “ShoXC: Elite Challenger Series” events, would likely be Diaz’s opponent at the April 26 event in Honolulu, Hawaii. However, the website now reports the fight has been scrapped.

Diaz most recently fought K.J. Noons for EliteXC’s vacant lightweight title in November, but the bout was stopped after the first round because of multiple cuts on Diaz’s face. He had surgery to repair significant scar tissue soon after the TKO loss.

The former UFC fighter is now 4-1 (with one no-contest) in his past six fights.

Diaz may have been added to the March fight card after a few notable subtractions. As MMAjunkie.com reported earlier this week, a fight between Strikeforce world lightweight champ Gilbert Melendez (13-1) and Jorge Masvidal (13-2) has been scrapped because of a shin injury suffered by Masvidal at a Feb. 23 Strikeforce event. (The organization is on the search for a replacement.) Additionally, a back injury suffered in the same event will likely force Joe Riggs out of his bout with Joey Villasenor.

Still, in addition to Shamrock vs Le, the event will feature a fight between Jake Shields and Drew Fickett for the vacant EliteXC welterweight title, and notables such as Paul Daley and Paul Buenetello are also expected to compete.

The event airs on Showtime.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Bob Sapp Nabs $100,000 at “Strikeforce at the Dome”

Bob Sapp earned a healthy homecoming welcome — and an even healthier paycheck — when he headlined this past weekend’s “Strikeforce at the Dome” event in Tacoma, Wash.

The Feb. 23 event took place at the Tacoma Dome and set a state combat-sports record for live gate with more than $500,000 in ticket sales. The Strikeforce show aired live on HDNet.

Depite a loss to boxer Jan Nortje in the night’s main event, Sapp earned a cool $100,000 for his 55-second effort. Nortje earned $15,000, of which $5,000 was a win bonus.

Sapp was the highest-paid fighters on the 10-fight card, according to salary figures MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) received from the State of Washington Department of Licensing.

The total disclosed payroll for the event was $245,500.

The full amounts included:

Jan Nortje ($15,000) def. Bob Sapp ($100,000)
Cory Devela ($10,000) def. Joe Riggs ($15,000)
Maurice Smith ($30,000) def. Rick Roufus ($15,000)
Eddy Ellis ($5,000) def. Steve Berger ($10,000)
Jorge Masvidal ($20,000) def. Ryan Healy ($4,000)
Mychal Clark ($5,000) def. Josh Bennett ($2,000)
Lyle Beerbohm ($2,000) def. Ray Perales ($2,000)
Mike Hayes ($2,000) def. Matt Kovacs ($1,500)
Zach Skinner ($2,000) def. Scott Shaffer ($1,000)
Nathan Coy ($2,000) def. Dave Courchaine (2,000)
Included in the figures above are win bonuses that a handful of the fighters received. In addition to Nortje’s $5,000, Ellis got $2,000, Clark earned $2,000, and Skinner picked up $1,000.

Now, the usual disclaimer: the figures do not include deductions for items such as insurance, licenses and taxes. Additionally, the figures do not include money paid by sponsors, which can oftentimes be a substantial portion of a fighter’s income. In other words, these are simply base salaries reported to the commission and do not represent the total amounts earned by each fighter.

Check out the MMAjunkie.com archives for a full recap of Strikeforce at the Dome.

 

[Shogun Locc]

UFC’s Press Release Regarding Randy Couture/IFL Situation

In wake of the organization’s success in halting Randy Couture’s planned involvement with Friday’s IFL event, the UFC has issued a press release about the situation.Couture, the UFC’s heavyweight champion who resigned from the organization in October (over what he perceived to be a lack of respect from UFC officials, as well as issues over his pay), had intended to lead an “Xtreme Couture” squad at yesterday’s IFL event.

A preliminary injunction was issued, but before the court ruled, “Xtreme Couture” was changed to “Xtreme Tompkins,” and Sean Tompkins took over as team leader. Couture didn’t attend the event.

The UFC claimed that Couture’s involvement with the event would have violated his contract.

As posted on UFC.com:

In a ruling made early (Thursday) evening, Las Vegas District Court Judge Jennifer Togliatti granted the request of Zuffa, LLC, owner of the UFC, for a preliminary injunction preventing Randy Couture and those acting in concert with him from violating Couture’s contractual commitment not to promote competing mixed martial arts events.

Specifically, Judge Togliatti agreed that it appeared Couture had violated his non-compete agreement with Zuffa by promoting the International Fight League’s (IFL) upcoming event to be staged Friday, February 29, 2008.

Judge Togliatti also granted Zuffa’s request to immediately conduct a deposition examination of Couture regarding other claimed violations of his one year non-compete agreement.

Zuffa attorneys, Donald Campbell and Colby Williams, stated they look forward to examining Couture under oath regarding what they termed “Couture’s chronic and brazen violations of his contractual obligations to Zuffa.“

The preliminary injunction was just that — temporary. The two sides will be back in court on March 6.

 

[Shogun Locc]

HERRING ISN'T AFRAID TO STAND WITH KONGO

Heath Herring was almost the fighter that spoiled Antonio Rodrigo Noguiera’s debut in the Ultimate Fighting Championship, but after nearly knocking the Brazilian out in the first round of their third fight, “The Texas Crazy Horse” lost a unanimous decision in the end.

Now after taking some much needed time off to retool and refocus, Herring is on his way back to the Octagon to face French striker Cheick Kongo at UFC 82: Pride of a Champion.

“I kind of needed to do that,” said Herring about his time off between fights. “Go figure out what went wrong, what we didn’t do right. Try to correct those errors and those mistakes.”

Working primarily in Las Vegas, Herring has also retooled his training camp a bit by adding arguably the greatest kickboxer in history to his stable of trainers.

“I’m working with Rob Kaman,” he commented. “I think that’s probably the biggest change as far as the actual fighting is concerned.”

With the fight just days away, the biggest question posed to Herring has been about Kongo’s apparent lack of ground skills and if the Texan will take the fight to the mat to try and gain the upper hand.

“I think that’s the big question in everybody’s minds. Hopefully you guys will pay $40 bucks and we’ll get to find out on Saturday,” said Herring with a laugh.

Since coming to the UFC, Kongo has received many compliments about his style of striking, which has gained him much notoriety and a win over former top fighter Mirko “CroCop” Filipovic.

But Herring has another compliment to pay to Kongo prior to their fight at UFC 82.

“I think his conditioning has actually been the best so far,” he said about his opponent’s attributes. “He seems to always do a really, really good job of finishing about as good as he starts. That’s saying something in the heavyweight division the way it is right now.”

While just about everyone expects Kongo to stay standing, is it even possible that he could try to take Herring down?

“Stranger things have happened,” stated Herring. “If you guys remember back to the Pride days when I fought Igor Vovchanchyn, I mean whoever saw Igor do a takedown? He was taking me down left and right in that fight. Who knows? I’ve come to learn one thing in this sport and that’s expect everything.”

Herring was known for much of his early career as the fighter who did the wrestling and submissions, but lately he has favored the stand-up game and he explains it’s just a matter of doing what the fans like to see.

“I like that style of fighting. I like the fan response,” he commented. “Obviously the fans and the public are just really excited about this fight. Two big guys, they know there’s a chance for a knockout. First and foremost you’ve got to remember that I’m an entertainer and people are paying their money because they want to be entertained and they want to see a good fight.”

If the fight does stay standing, Herring likes his chances because Kongo will not be the biggest fighter he’s faced in the past. So in this bout, size doesn’t matter.

“You guys have got to remember, this ain’t my first rodeo. I’m just as tall as he is, I’m 6’4”, he’s 6’4”,” he said. “I’ve fought guys who were 7’7” before. This guy isn’t going to throw anything at me that I haven’t seen before.”

What Herring wants most and what he expects is a great fight with Kongo leading into the main event between Anderson Silva and Dan Henderson.

“I think it’s a great fight. I mean Kongo I think is a great opponent for me. Co-main (event) in Columbus, Ohio, what better way to come in and have a great stand-up battle with another guy.”

 

[Shogun Locc]

Jon Fitch Interview: Pre UFC 82

MMA Madness Executive Editor Ben Zeidler checks in with Jon Fitch just hours before his UFC 82 bout against Chris Wilson. Fitch is undefeated in the UFC with a recent win over contender Diego Sanchez. With a win against Wilson tonight, Fitch could solidify himself as the #1 contender for the Welterweight belt.

MMA Madness: You’re undefeated since dropping to welterweight. How much of a difference does it make for you to be able to fight at 170?

Jon Fitch: It makes a pretty big difference. My only losses were at 205 so when I made the drop to 185, I didn’t lose there. Then I went to 170, which is just a more natural weight for me. I don’t have to lift a lot to get myself to be stronger or fight bigger guys. I get to spend less time on building weight and more time on technical skills. The drop has been very valuable to my game.

MMA Madness: Early last year, you said you wanted Karo. The UFC is starting to give you some of the bigger names like Diego Sanchez. How long before you see yourself in the title picture?

Jon Fitch: We gotta wait for that fight to happen. Chris Wilson is a really tough guy but I think I’m right in the top of the picture. I think I’m in the position to fight for a title so I don’t know what I have to do.

MMA Madness: How do you match up with GSP?

Jon Fitch: I match up well with him. I’ve been watching his fights for a while now and I always make mental notes and see how he strikes or wrestles. I try to figure out what I would do to stop them or counter punch. There are a lot of things he does well but there are some holes that I can exploit.

MMA Madness: Do you still want that Karo fight?

Jon Fitch: I wanted that fight not just because he’s a tough fighter but I wanted to settle who got the next title shot. Now, I don’t think I need it. I think I’m ahead of him. I finished Burkman and he couldn’t. I beat Diego and he didn't. Two points for me, zero for him.

MMA Madness: How much input do you have in determining who you will fight?

Jon Fitch: I’ve been asking for Karo every time but it hasn’t come to fruition. I was surprised I got to fight Diego but I got lucky that they gave him the match up and it was awesome. He likes to fight the best guys too. He isn’t about easy fights to get his record up. So, in terms of who I fight, we try to pick the guy with the biggest name. Most of the time, I end up keeping my mouth closed.

MMA Madness: You’ve won quite a few fights with the RNC. Is that the jiu-jitsu coming into play?

Jon Fitch: The rear naked is a mercy killing; it’s not like I was slick and pulled it off from nowhere. I grinded away with some ground and pound, wear the guy out, and finally he gives that neck up as a way out. So the Jiu Jitsu comes into play quite a bit but it’s a mix of skills that sets that up.

MMA Madness: Do you prefer fights on the ground or standing?

Jon Fitch: I’ll fight wherever. I’m very comfortable on my feet and I really like striking – it just happens that the fights I have had, it’s been easier to go the grappling route. I started to stand against Carneiro at first, but even that ended up on the ground.

MMA Madness: Let’s switch gears to 82. Do you see this Chris Wilson fight as a step down for you? Do you think you should be up against a bigger name?

Jon Fitch: I’m happy. Chris is a tough guy, he’s got good length, and you know he will be in shape. He’s got a lot of great guys to help with his wrestling too.

MMA Madness: How do you see yourself matching up with Wilson?

Jon Fitch: Yeah, I think it’s a good match up, again he’s long so he can throw long angles and timing is different. You think you’re out of range but you’re still in danger.

MMA Madness: Does it mean anything that he comes from Team Quest or is that not something that you get too concerned with?

Jon Fitch: No, absolutely it means something. You’re as good as the people you train with so he’s got Lindland helping out. He was up at Big Bear with Hendo and Sokoudjou. It says a lot.

MMA Madness: Any sponsors you’d like to thank?

Jon Fitch: Toe to toe – they’ve been a big one for a while. Fightfighter.com, too.

MMA Madness: Okay Jon, I think that about does it. Anything you want to say to fans?

Jon Fitch: I’m gonna put on a good show, so keep showing me the love.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Khalidov Rejects UFC Offer, May Enter Dream Grand Prix

Chechen light heavyweight Mamed Khalidov, one of the breakout stars of 2007, has turned down an offer to fight in the UFC. The 27-year-old fighter has cited the same reasons Fedor Emelianenko (Pictures) did, saying Zuffa's contracts are too restrictive.

Khalidov trains at Grappling Krakow in Southern Poland. He is a huge star in his adoptive country and is scheduled to headline the next KSW event, Eliminacje 2, on March 29. Shuttling back and forth between the UFC and KSW would not have been possible if he had signed with Zuffa.

Still in the running for the services of the "Cannibal," whose fighting style resembles a young Mauricio Rua (Pictures), are M-1 Global, Dream and EliteXC, according to a recent interview. An admitted Pride fan, it is likely that Khalidov will sign for the new coalition between K-1 promoter FEG and former members of Dream Stage Entertainment.

A small light heavyweight at only 195 pounds, the Chechen Top Team member could very well cut down to middleweight and participate in Dream's middleweight grand prix, which commences April 29.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Ken Shamrock On Kimbo: "I believe that I have the ability to test him and his weakness."

The following is provided courtesy of pwbpodcastlive.com:
Ken Shamrock SPEAKS ON Kimbo Slice, KURT ANGLE, Frank Shamrock AND CAGE RAGE 25

"The World's Most Dangerous Man," Ken Shamrock was the guest on the most recent edition of PWB's Official Podcast Hotline with Lex and Ian, located at http://www.pwbpodcastlive.com. In an unfiltered interview, Shamrock addressed several topics:

On a potential bout with Kimbo Slice:

"You know, it's funny. People ask me, 'what, are you crazy, you'd fight him?' And it's like, listen, 'once a warrior, always a warrior.' I don't care if I was in a wheelchair, if somebody asked me to fight, wanted me to fight somebody, I'd fight him. That's just my heart, that's just who I am. And whether I think that I've got a chance or not, what being in a wheelchair I'd still fight them. But I believe that Kimbo is very beatable, you know, I'm not just saying that because there's an opportunity there. You know what, the guy's young, he's big, he's strong, he's had some success, but anybody that is a veteran in this sport understands that unless you have a lot of time in the ring, that you do not, and you have not been tested completely on what you're about, and I believe Kimbo has not been tested, and I believe that I have the ability to test him and his weaknesses."

On Kurt Angle's claim that the money wasn't right for a Shamrock/Angle fight in the IFL:

"Well it's just like when I went from MMA into the WWF world. I took less money when I first came in because it wasn't my world and I had to earn after a year and a half, I had to earn that money and for them to be able to pay me the money that the rest of the stars that were there were making because I was worth it. But I had to earn my stripes, even I was good at fighting, I still had to go in the world of professional wrestling and I had to earn my stripes there and it took me a year and a half to do that and I did it. Now, Kurt Angle is coming into a industry where it's real fighting, coming from the entertainment world, and he wants pay like me, like Tito Ortiz, like Randy Couture, like Chuck Liddell. He wants all the pay like that when in fact he hasn't earned that right to get that money, because obviously he has a name but he's coming into this industry unproven. And so therefore there's no reason for him to get that kind of money, not right off the bat. Now he wins a couple of fights and boom, he gets his payday...For him to come over here and want to get paid more than what the top guys get paid here, that's just ludicrous."

On the possibility of facing his brother, Frank Shamrock:
"Oh, I think it's very possible. You know, my brother for a very long time has always talked about doing it and then when it was time to do it he backed out. But, I believe that now he believes that I'm a older and I've got a lot of injuries, you know, he's seen my last couple of fights, fighting through injuries, he believes now that he can beat me. So I believe that he'll take the fight with that in his mind, thinking that he can beat me. But the one thing most people forget about is about is pride, and that's one thing that I got a lot of."

On his upcoming match against Robert Berry at Cage Rage 25 in England:

"You train to go in and fight and you take a guy's weakness and strength and you know what they are, and you find your strategy around that. But I do know this: Robert Berry comes out to fight and you know what, he doesn't want it to go to the second round, so he wants to finish it in the first, so he's a very aggressive fighter. So it should be interesting, it won't be boring, I can guarantee you that."

 

[Shogun Locc]

Coleman to Fight Lesnar in August

On the night Mark Coleman (Pictures) was inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame, the former UFC heavyweight champion and Pride Grand Prix winner announced he will return to Octagon against Brock Lesnar (Pictures).

Scheduled for Aug. 9 in Minneapolis, Minn., the UFC 87 bout will be the first of a four-fight deal Coleman signed Saturday, Sherdog.com has confirmed.

"I'm gonna dedicate my life to this," said Coleman during the UFC 82 pay-per-view. "The fans want to see me. I'm going to pay my dues. I'm going to do the best I can. He's a beast. He's an animal. Don't bet the house against me. I'm going to bring something for Brock Lesnar (Pictures)."

Coleman (15-8) has not fought a bout in the UFC since losing to Pedro Rizzo (Pictures) in 1999.

Lesnar (1-1) made his UFC debut on Feb. 2 in a losing effort to another former UFC heavyweight champ, Frank Mir (Pictures).