MMA News Thread

[Shogun Locc]

Dana White on Chuck Liddell: future fighter or UFC Director of Fun?

LAS VEGAS – UFC president Dana White just can't help but dodge questions about Chuck Liddell.

White announced the UFC legend's retirement following a knockout loss to Mauricio "Shogun" Rua this past April, but after more than a little prodding from "The Iceman," White booked him as a coach on the upcoming 11th season of "The Ultimate Fighter" with the promise of a season-ending fight with rival coach Tito Ortiz.

If White had his way, though, Liddell would have another job: UFC Director of Fun.

Liddell, a former light heavyweight champion who had a legendary title run during arguably the UFC's biggest growth period, is still a draw. Many fans still want him to compete. And despite four losses in his past five fights, he can command a hefty payday.

Add in the fact that White considers the 40-year-old fighter a personal friend, and you've got a fight executive whose head says one thing and his heart another.

"The thing that everybody loves about Chuck Liddell is he's a fighter," White said. "That guy loves to fight. When you're walking out in that arena, and 16,000 people are going crazy and yelling your name and [expletive], it's hard to walk away from."

Liddell begins filming "TUF 11" in two weeks (with a March 31 debut on Spike TV). After a third fight with Ortiz (who's 0-for-2 in those meetings), White isn't sure if there will be more fights for Liddell. He made his preference known, though.

"He's made a lot of money, and I'll pay him more money to [expletive] not fight," White said. "He can come in and be the Director of Fun or something. I don't know. I'll give him a [expletive] job that he doesn't have to fight. I love him. I respect him. I think he helped us build this business. He's been an incredibly loyal guy to me, an incredible friend to me, and he doesn't have to fight anymore.

"I respect him for wanting to, but I don't want him to."

White also hit upon a catch-22 of MMA. It became no more apparent than over this past weekend at UFC 108 when former boxing champ James Toney attended his second straight UFC event to track down White. The 41-year-old Toney, who's posted a 72-6 boxing record, wants a shot in the UFC. Other boxers have made the transition from boxing to its rival combat sport, but few have the name recognition or lifetime accomplishments that Toney does.

White, though, surmises there are other reasons Toney is looking at MMA instead of boxing these days.

"I know the boxing business, and I know how it is," White said. "As soon as you're not a huge draw and a huge star anymore, man, they don't give a [expletive] about you anymore. It's the thing that I was telling you about the Chuck Liddell scenario with me. If Chuck Liddell was a boxer, they'd be like, 'See you later, Chuck Liddell. Hit the road.'

"But Chuck Liddell is still a huge legend and a star, and he'll always be with us. I don't give a [expletive]. I'm talking him out of a fight. I'm trying to make him not fight, and that's the different business that we're building now. I came from that (boxing) world, and it's an ugly world. I'm telling you right now, it's an ugly, nasty business, man. I don't want to see this business go there."

So, do you go the boxing route and toss aside one of the sport's legends simply because his best days may be behind him? Or do you take the mindset that a fighter such as Liddell has earned his right to fight and a big payday – despite the consequences?

If you've got the answer, White is likely all ears.

 

[Shogun Locc]

UFC and M-1 reopen talks; White hopeful for Emelianenko and Mousasi in the UFC (Updated)

Apparently, the Ultimate Fighting Championship's door hasn't completely closed on notables Fedor Emelianenko and Gegard Mousasi.

Although the M-1 fighters are signed in the U.S. to Strikeforce and past negotiations with the UFC fell apart, UFC president Dana White said he recently reopened talks with M-1 Global boss Vadim Finkelstein.

White wouldn't elaborate on the nature of the discussions and said only they've taken place "more recently than you would think."

Finkelstein's recent Twitter message came a day after White confirmed the renewed talks.

White's update, which raised more than a few eyebrows, followed a simple question asking if Mousasi, the former DREAM middleweight champ and current Strikeforce light-heavyweight title-holder, would never be a UFC fighter.

"I wouldn't say he never would be," White said on Saturday. "It's not that I don't want to talk to M-1. I want to get this [expletive] done. I want him, and I want Fedor. I want to do it. And I never say never. They can call me right now, and we can start talking and figure this thing out. I'd love to get Mousasi in here. He should be. He deserves to be.

"I like [Mousasi] a lot. I'd love to get him in here and try him out with some of the other guys."

When pressed for details, White declined to elaborate but confirmed the talks have taken place recently.

While certainly good news for THE UFC fans who want the top fighters under the company's umbrella, it's certain to cause concern for Strikefore and broadcast partners Showtime and CBS, who have relied (and will continue to rely) heavily on the two stars. Both are expected to figure prominently into Strikeforce's 2010 plans with Emelianenko likely to contend for the organization's heavyweight belt and Mousasi expected to defend his title, which he recently took from Renato "Babalu" Sobral.

Emelianenko, the longtime PRIDE champion, recently competed for Affliction Entertainment, where he defeated ex-UFC champs Tim Sylvia and Andrei Arlovski. After its promotional demise, Emelianenko and the UFC entered talks that soon sparked a war of words in the media. White said the fighter's demands (which included the caveat that Emelianenko's UFC fights must be co-promoted by M-1 Global) were outlandish, but he said he was willing to pay big for the fighter. (Finkelstein, though, later denied reports that the UFC had offered a contract worth $30 million.) However, the co-promoting demands eventually halted the negotiations.

The talks temporary broke down in July, and Emelianenko signed with Strikeforce the next month. The promotion then announced a network-TV deal with CBS, and Emelianenko headlined the first show with a knockout victory over Brett Rogers in November.

Emelianenko (31-1) and Mousasi (28-2-1) are both expected to fight again for Strikeforce in the spring.

 

[Shogun Locc]

UFC and M-1 reopen talks; White hopeful for Emelianenko and Mousasi in the UFC (Updated)

Apparently, the Ultimate Fighting Championship's door hasn't completely closed on notables Fedor Emelianenko and Gegard Mousasi.

Although the M-1 fighters are signed in the U.S. to Strikeforce and past negotiations with the UFC fell apart, UFC president Dana White said he recently reopened talks with M-1 Global boss Vadim Finkelstein.

White wouldn't elaborate on the nature of the discussions and said only they've taken place "more recently than you would think."

Finkelstein's recent Twitter message came a day after White confirmed the renewed talks.

White's update, which raised more than a few eyebrows, followed a simple question asking if Mousasi, the former DREAM middleweight champ and current Strikeforce light-heavyweight title-holder, would never be a UFC fighter.

"I wouldn't say he never would be," White said on Saturday. "It's not that I don't want to talk to M-1. I want to get this [expletive] done. I want him, and I want Fedor. I want to do it. And I never say never. They can call me right now, and we can start talking and figure this thing out. I'd love to get Mousasi in here. He should be. He deserves to be.

"I like [Mousasi] a lot. I'd love to get him in here and try him out with some of the other guys."

When pressed for details, White declined to elaborate but confirmed the talks have taken place recently.

While certainly good news for THE UFC fans who want the top fighters under the company's umbrella, it's certain to cause concern for Strikefore and broadcast partners Showtime and CBS, who have relied (and will continue to rely) heavily on the two stars. Both are expected to figure prominently into Strikeforce's 2010 plans with Emelianenko likely to contend for the organization's heavyweight belt and Mousasi expected to defend his title, which he recently took from Renato "Babalu" Sobral.

Emelianenko, the longtime PRIDE champion, recently competed for Affliction Entertainment, where he defeated ex-UFC champs Tim Sylvia and Andrei Arlovski. After its promotional demise, Emelianenko and the UFC entered talks that soon sparked a war of words in the media. White said the fighter's demands (which included the caveat that Emelianenko's UFC fights must be co-promoted by M-1 Global) were outlandish, but he said he was willing to pay big for the fighter. (Finkelstein, though, later denied reports that the UFC had offered a contract worth $30 million.) However, the co-promoting demands eventually halted the negotiations.

The talks temporary broke down in July, and Emelianenko signed with Strikeforce the next month. The promotion then announced a network-TV deal with CBS, and Emelianenko headlined the first show with a knockout victory over Brett Rogers in November.

Emelianenko (31-1) and Mousasi (28-2-1) are both expected to fight again for Strikeforce in the spring.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Report: Bellator targeting undefeated Brazilian phenom for featherweight tourney

With the Bellator Fighting Championships scheduled to begin its second season of tournaments on April 8, a great deal of focus has been put on its upcoming welterweight tournament.

To date, upstart Bellator has garnered good press for its 170 lbs. division with former Sengoku standout Dan Hornbuckle, 2008 U.S. Olympian Ben Askren, 6-0 blue chip prospect Jacob McClintock, British star Jim Wallhead, and 10-1 M-1 Challenge veteran Steve Carl all having enlisted for the eight-man tournament.

But with Bellator slated to also conduct season two tournaments at featherweight, lightweight, and middleweight, it has left some fight fans wondering about its plans in the other weight classes.

According to a report on InTheGuard.tv, Bellator is currently pursuing 12-0 “Brazilian phenom” Patricio “Pitbull” Freire for its 145 lbs. tournament that is set to begin on April 8.

FiveOuncesOfPain.com was able to confirm the news with a source speaking on the condition of anonymity who is close to the negotiations.

“Bellator is trying to get people just as excited for 145 as they are about 170. Joe Soto was a total dark horse last year and they’ve been on a pretty extensive search to find more diamonds in the rough,” the source is quoted as saying. “They got a tip about Pitbull and were blown away by the YouTube footage and then followed up with their contacts in Brazil. They think he will be this year’s Soto at ‘45 and they have been after him pretty aggressively.”

Of Freire’s 12 wins, all but two have finished via (T)KO or submission with six of his 10 early finishes having ocurred in round 1. To date, the promotion has yet to formally announce any fighters for its featherweight tournament, which will be televised starting April 8 live every Thursday on Fox Sports Net with condensed versions of the show airing every Saturday on NBC and Telemundo.

The winners of the season two tournaments at 145, 155, 170, and 185 lbs. will be matched up against the current Bellator champions in each division, who were crowned after winning the season one tournament in their respective weight class.

 

[Shogun Locc]

New Jersey a Growing MMA Hotbed

Joe Favorito of New Jersey News Room, and formerly of the IFL, writes of the challenges MMA faces in its future growth and how New Jersey is well-positioned to be a hotbed for the sport moving forward.

The question is, how can brands find a way to make a cohesive tie to the grassroots while also drawing attention from the followers of the UFC? That is one of the issues that the sport needs to figure out if it is to continue to grow.

The conversion of young participants in a lifestyle sport to be followers of the professional side is generational and, in today’s world of instant ROI, can be difficult to find. Soccer, with its well organized millions of kids, still is making the transition to have those young people watch and follow the professional side after 15 years, and it may take MMA at least that long to do the same.

There is also the issue of violence. While many may argue that MMA is no more violent than football or hockey, the amount of bloody injuries in an average MMA event is still much higher than any other sport – and to be honest, the blood gives MMA its edgy appeal for most of its core. The appeal has also caused some potential sponsors still to not move off the edge and into the sport, for fear of brand damage. Yes that is slowly changing, in great part due to the UFC and their TV partner in Spike, but it is a slow conversion, especially in challenging times.

So can New Jersey be a great conduit for the continued growth of MMA? For the most part professional events have not done well from a business perspective in places like Newark and Atlantic City, again because of the high cost of staging events vs. the limited draw of a box office with no other revenue coming in (limited sponsors, no TV money, little value of digital rights). However, New Jersey has the unique combination that many sports need to succeed… a growing grassroots presence with the appeal of two major metropolitan areas in Philly and New York, so the potential for brand success for the sport overall, not just for the UFC, is strong.

Will it work for the State? There is little doubt the UFC event in Newark will be a success, and maybe that can continue the draw that would translate across the river to Madison Avenue, as well as into the local gyms. 2010 for MMA will be all about realizing potential that has been developing, and if it is to be realized, New Jersey is as good as a starting point as anywhere.

Payout Perspective:

Joe is right to point out that the lifestyle and training aspects of the sport are becoming very popular: There are over 26,000 martial arts facilities in the United States, and participation is growing at a steady pace. That growth is the reason why the UFC has moved forward with its UFC Gym concept; the type of brand extension that makes sense not only from a revenue diversification perspective, but also one of future fan base growth.

The challenge of converting grassroots participation into brand awareness and fan following is a long-term endeavour – especially on the athlete side – but MMA is well-positioned to generate new fans out of this grassroots growth for the following reasons:

1.) The close knit martial arts community: MMA is largely responsible for the renewed interest in martial arts, and for that reason the traditional martial arts are very much behind MMA. If you walk into your local dojo on any given Monday following a UFC event you’re likely to hear about it, but that isn’t the case with your local amateur soccer program and the MLS or Premier League.

2.) MMA’s place in pop culture is at an all-time high, and certainly more prevalent than any of the other “growth” sports (soccer, hockey, etc.).

3.) Simplicity. Everyone may not like MMA, but everyone gets it; and that’s one less barrier to converting fans.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Frank Shamrock: I’d love to fight Sakuraba; He’s old like me, it would be contest of terrible knees

With an expected return to action in March, the rumor mill has been abuzz with speculation on who former Strikeforce middleweight champion and undeniable legend of the game, Frank Shamrock, will be facing off with in his first fight back on the “comeback trail”.

Some of the names being thrown around as of late include Japanese grappling sensation Kazushi Sakuraba, Cung Le, Robbie Lawler, Scott Smith and Dan Henderson to name just a few. And while nothing has been set in concrete as of this writing in regard to who Shamrock will face next, one thing is for certain, and that is that it will undoubtedly be a fight to remember as the thirty-seven year old San Jose resident has a long history in the sport as one of it’s most consistently entertaining athletes.

If you’ve had the opportunity to view Frank’s legendary battles with the likes of Enson Inoue or Tito Ortiz in the late nineties, you’ve had the chance to witness two of the most brutal and entertaining bouts in MMA history. Shamrock hasn’t slowed a step in recent years as he steamrolled into the new century, putting on two of the most exciting bouts of the last decade against the likes of Cung Le and Phil Baroni under the Strikeforce banner.

History will have no choice but to look back on the pioneer of the sport many years from now as one of the undisputed best in the game during the years when he was needed the most. Shamrock was the first champion in a weight class for three of the biggest promotion’s in the industry. In 1997 he became the UFC’s first ever light heavyweight champion with a lighting quick armbar over Kevin Jackson and went on to defend the strap four times before becoming the first man to grab the WEC’s version of the light heavyweight crown back in 2003. Of course, all of this was before Shamrock became Strikeforce’s first middleweight title holder with a second round strangling of Phil Baroni on 2007.

FiveOuncesofPain.com recently had the chance to catch up with Shamrock to discuss a variety of topics including being in a position where he must rebound from back-to-back defeats, the beef between himself and Jake Shields, possible future opponents, and much more.

Cory Brady for FiveOuncesofPain.com: You have been pretty essential in the development of Strikeforce over the last several years, headlining the first major event against Cesar Gracie in 2006; Is this the vision you had for the future of the promotion, where Strikeforce is heading right now?

Frank Shamrock: Yeah, most definitely. It was a well laid out plan and a well executed plan, but this was the plan.

FiveOuncesofPain.com: So was part of the original plan back in 2006 to eventually secure a major network television deal?

Frank Shamrock: Well, I’d love to say I predicted the CBS thing (laugh), but I can’t really take credit for that. Although I think the Cung Le fight may have had some sway with the CBS executives. You know, we made the right moves and the company has been conservative but effective in taking some of the small risks. So yeah, this is where I hoped we would be.

FiveOuncesofPain.com: 2009 was obviously a huge year for Strikeforce, do you think 2010 will be the year when they really tear down the doors with a lot of viewers that may not have been previous fans of the sport through the recent alignment with CBS? Of course there was MMA on CBS before, but of course EliteXC kind of fell face first there. What are your thoughts on 2010 in general for the sport of mixed martial arts?

Frank Shamrock: Well I really think it’s all about building the brand; creating Strikeforce, creating the Showtime shows and the CBS opportunity for all of the MMA circuit. But honestly I think that very few people know about Strikeforce in the mainstream, and I think 2010 is our year of going into that mainstream and letting people know that Strikeforce is a brand of mixed martial arts. It’s a really unique brand of mixed martial arts. We’ve just been trying to sell that story and now we have enough people looking at it

FiveOuncesofPain.com: Now I’m sure you were paying close attention to the recent bout between Scott Smith and Cung Le as two very real possibilities as future opponents; What was your impression looking back on the performance by each fighter?

Frank Shamrock: I thought the whole fight was just magic. It was Ali vs. Foreman in “The Rumble in the Jungle” all over again. It was just fantastic. From my professional side of calling the match, it was absolutely amazing and enjoyable. As far as my other professional side in regards to possibly facing one of the two in the future, I thought it was all good. Cung looked fantastic… and he just got tired. You know, you have to finish the race though. Scott looked.. like a punching bag (laughs)… and he punched back (laughs), and finished the fight. In my opinion, there were no losers. I mean Cung got stopped, but the whole story and the whole fight in itself, I thought it was phenomenal.

FiveOuncesofPain.com: Is it kind of a nerve wrecking experience being a commentator during a fight between two guys you have the potential to fighting sometime in the future? I mean being a fighter and a commentator is one thing, but watching one guy you’ve already fought, and another guy you may fight in the future; What was that like for you?

Frank Shamrock: Well it used to be really weird, and I’ve gotten myself to a point where I’m so connected to the moment of calling the fight, that I’m not thinking about anything else. Because I’m really trying to do my best at calling exactly what I see. That sort of overpowers me and I can kind of get rid of the other stuff. I feel like my most important job at that time, and it is my most important job in the moment, is to tell the story. I mean there’s always a feeling of like, ‘Oh, I gotta get Cung back’, but my most important job is to tell the story. Telling the story always comes first for me when it comes down to it.

FiveOuncesofPain.com: Would you consider the recent lightweight title bout between Gilbert Melendez and Josh Thomson one of the best fights you’ve ever witnessed, or at least one of the best fights of the last year?

Frank Shamrock: It was absolutely one of the best fights of 2009, if not the best fight of 2009. I didn’t see a better fight over the last year. I didn’t watch a lot of fighting, but I didn’t see a better fight. I would also say that it was in my top ten fights of all time. That’s what mixed martial arts should be all about. You get knocked down, you get up, you drag it out, just up and down, and anybody can win.

FiveOuncesofPain.com: The word around the campfire is that it’s going to be an early March return for you; I have to ask; Are there any names currently floating around out there as a possible next opponent for you?

Frank Shamrock: I haven’t been offered any names . I think we were kind of waiting on the Evolution card to happen to see what was going to happen, but the possibilities for me in the middleweight division are endless. With Henderson, with Scott, with Le, Jacare, with everybody. The possibilities are just endless right now. I’m hoping that they’ll give me somebody old (laughs) like myself (laughs). I just think that 2010 we’ve done a really good job telling a lot of the different stories, and I think it’s really important that we kind of weave those stories together into something that’s continuous and highly entertaining. And in 2010 we’re going to hit our mark. This will be mainstream. Everybody’s going to be talking about this amazing brand new show called Strikeforce (laughs).

FiveOuncesofPain.com: I know you have recently expressed that you have no desire to face Jake Shields anytime in the future because you don’t want to give him the opportunity in what would be as really high profile fight against yourself. Would you say a lot of that has to do with the way he handled himself in trying to call you out? Do you feel he went a little bit overboard with the way he has gone about asking for the fight?

Frank Shamrock: No, actually I thought it was nice to see him finally doing something to promote and market himself. I was irritated because I was trying to do my job as a professional commentator and he was just unpleasant and… accostful (laughs), in a professional setting when we’re trying to do a commentary job. You know, in a professional setting, that’s not nice.

FiveOuncesofPain.com: Right, I know it’s the fight game, but with any job you’re going to end up working with people you don’t like, but the reality is that you still have to work with them.

Frank Shamrock: Yeah. He’s a nice kid I think. He needs to grow up. But my point is, why should I? When there’s so many other guys that are respectful, and they’ve earned it, they care, and that have done a really good job. People that I personally enjoy doing business with.

FiveOuncesofPain.com: Why do you think Shields wants to fight you so bad? Do you think it could have something to do with the fact that you knocked out Cesar Gracie in 2006?

Frank Shamrock: I’m sure of it. That and I’m very famous and very successful, and I have a really big paycheck. I’m sure that he wants some of that. My point is, earn it, and we’ll all meet up in the end.

FiveOuncesofPain.com: So are you saying it to earn it by being exciting?

Frank Shamrock: Be exciting, sell it, work it; it’s the whole package. You can’t just show up, fight, and then be unpleasant. I’m in the business for the next 50 years. Which means eventually be doing business together (laughs). He’ll be working for me, or something will happen.

FiveOuncesofPain.com: I’d like to throw out a few names and gather your thoughts on them as fighters, and how you feel like you would match-up with them if you were to meet sometime soon. First off, Kazushi Sakuraba?

Frank Shamrock: I would love to fight Sakuraba. I think he’s old like me, and I think we match up stylistically very well. I don’t think he has the chin for it, or the knees for the type of game we’d be playing. I think punching him in the head and making him work those old knees would be the strategy. I mean, his knees are worse than mine. It would be like a contest of terrible knees. I just think that I’d have the advantage physically. But I’d love to fight him.

FiveOuncesofPain.com: Is he someone you’ve kind of been wanting to fight for a while now? It seems like both of your styles are so similar.

Frank Shamrock: Well we had the same teacher. We have the same lineage. My thing at my height of learning was that I really wanted to kind of find my style of fighting, and develop it. He was the only other guy that had the same lineage of teachers, and training, and experience that I did. I felt like we were destined to meet, we just never did.

FiveOuncesofPain.com: So that might be a fight you would be interested in if it could come together?

Frank Shamrock: I would definitely be interested in that fight.

FiveOuncesofPain.com: I have to ask: A rematch with Cung; is that something you want?

Frank Shamrock: Absolutely. I love Cung Le.

FiveOuncesofPain.com: I know you’re all about the high profile fights and he’s a guy with a history of putting butts in the seats.

Frank Shamrock: I like Cung. He’s exciting and he’s interesting. He’s a little short on the words, but he puts on a great show.

FiveOuncesofPain.com: Dan Henderson?

Frank Shamrock: Yeah, Henderson; I love Henderson. He’s a star, and a stud, and he owes me one. He owes me one from when I heel hooked him in a wrestling match (laughs), so I have a feeling like Dan will be coming to get me soon (laughs).

FiveOuncesofPain.com: Plus, I think that’s a fight a lot of people might want to see.

Frank Shamrock: Actually it’s a really good stylistic match up. I mean, Dan’s a strong guy. Dan is the strongest guy that I’ve ever tied up in a clinch. He’s just a stud. I’ve trained with him and sparred with him, and you know, he’s one of those guys where you fight him and it takes weeks off of your life, but it’s an amazing experience. I don’t know if they could put us on the same card though (laughs). It would have to be a pretty big card.

FiveOuncesofPain.com: Right. Well, with CBS in the mix, it makes sense.

Frank Shamrock: Yeah, it’s coming.

FiveOuncesofPain.com: Alright I have a few more names I want to go through with you here. This guy has been one of my favorite fighters to watch for a while now; What are your thoughts on Melvin Manhoef?

Frank Shamrock: I love him. He is exciting, scary and very kind all at once. I think that makes him really appealing. His ground game kind of sucks…

FiveOuncesofPain.com: Right. Something he admits to though…

Frank Shamrock: Yeah, it’s like he embraces that he’s terrible on the ground. But he’s just so good and explosive elsewhere. It’s kind of like he has the Mike Tyson thing going on with him.

FiveOuncesofPain.com: Get the guy a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and he’d be unstoppable.

Frank Shamrock: Oh my god, are you kidding me! But I think facing him would be a test because I’d probably do something stupid like try to stand up with him.

FiveOuncesofPain.com: Yeah, kind of test yourself, right. It seems like you’ve always been the kind of fighter that likes to test yourself against the advantage of your opponent.

Frank Shamrock: Yeah. I get retarded like that. Strategically though, the game would be to get him down to the ground and trap him in a submission.

FiveOuncesofPain.com: Robbie Lawler?

Frank Shamrock: Robbie Lawler.. I like Robbie. I’ve never thought about fighting him. It’s never been offered to me.

FiveOuncesofPain.com: Alright, what about Scott Smith?

Frank Shamrock: I love Scott. I’d fight Scott. He’s a good guy.

FiveOuncesofPain.com: It seems like that would be a good fight for you in the sense that you could kind of kill two birds with one stone. If you beat Scott, you just beat the man, that beat the man, that beat you recently.

Frank Shamrock: See that’s not a bad idea, the old two-for. I didn’t even think about that. Now that’s being efficient right there.

FiveOuncesofPain.com: Is recapturing the Strikeforce championship something you have your sights set on right now, or is it really all about the big fights at this point in your career one way or another?

Frank Shamrock: The honest answer is that apparently I’m on the comeback trail. I thought I was up there in championship contention, but I lost two fights. I feel like I have to earn my way back up to even being considered. I mean they could probably give me a championship shot because I’m Frank Shamrock, but technically, I haven’t earned it. When I fight, I’m going to go in there with the mindset that I have to get back to what I was doing.

FiveOuncesofPain.com: You’ll look at title hopes a couple of fights from now I’d imagine.

Frank Shamrock: Yeah, that’s not my goal right now. My goal is to win a fight. I need to win one, I mean it’s been two fights, and for me, that doesn’t usually happen.

FiveOuncesofPain.com: Have you even began to think of the day when you may step away from the sport as a fighter, or is that the farthest thing from your mind right now?

Frank Shamrock: Yeah, I have thought about it. I’ve thought about it in a lot of different ways. For me, this is really what I love to do so it’s going to come down to: How much does it hurt me physically and financially, or otherwise.

FiveOuncesofPain.com: And obviously you’re still competing, but do you still have that deep down urge in the pit of your stomach to get out there and fight?

Frank Shamrock: There is nothing that feels better.

FiveOuncesofPain.com: Thanks for taking this time with us Frank.

Frank Shamrock: Thanks Cory.

 

[Shogun Locc]

M-1 Global is NOT in talks with the UFC about Fedor and Mousasi

Contrary to recent reports, M-1 Global is not currently in talks with the UFC.

Although reports have swept through the mixed martial arts news front recently stating that UFC President Dana White and M-1 Global have been in discussions regarding possibly signing either Fedor Emelianenko or Gegard Mousasi, FiveOuncesofPain.com has recently been able to confirm that no such discussions have took place through sources close to M-1 Global.

White was quoted during this weekend’s UFC 108 card stating that talks between himself and M-1 Global President Vadim Finkelchtein had taken place recently, but apparently recently could be mean a few different things, as no such discussions have taken place according to Finkelchtein, who went a step further to add that both Fedor and Mousasi are completely happy where they are with Strikeforce for the time being.

Numerous news outlets were recently reporting on a Twitter message that has since been confirmed as being a fake through Finkelchtein, who recently had this to say via M-1 Global.com:

Today I heard the rumors of me allegedly stating on my twitter account that we are negotiating with the UFC. I want to state that there are no talks with the UFC whatsoever. Our partner in the USA is STRIKEFORCE, we are happy to cooperate with STRIKEFORCE. Fedor (Emelianenko) and Gegard (Mousasi) fight there and they are quite happy with the conditions and how they are treated with respect there. Finally, I don’t have any account on Twitter. The account that ignited the rumors is false. Our attorneys are already aware of the situation and shortly this fake account will be deleted.

 

[drunkaholic707]

With cast removed, UFC heavyweight Pat Barry anticipates May return


Pat Barry (5-1 MMA, 2-1 UFC) is just happy he doesn't have to shower with a Glad bag over his right arm.

The 30-year-old UFC heavyweight badly broke his thumb fighting former training partner Antoni Hardonk at UFC 104 in October and has been avoiding the gym until today, when he teaches a kickboxing class at the Duke Roufus MMA Academy in Milwaukee.

Barry didn't trust himself not to hit something had he gone back any sooner.

"I have to learn how to use my hand again, pretty much," Barry today told MMAjunkie.com (mmajunkie.com). "The muscle memory is going to come back. There was a little bit of atrophy, but my thumb was completely broken."

The New Orleans native was given a 14-week sentence for a cast, but he was paroled in six. Barry has been out of the mold for two weeks, but he will need extensive physical therapy before he can lay hands on anything.

Still, he wants to take it easy and not rush things. And with $134,000 earned in salary and bonuses for his Hardonk victory, Barry can afford to take it slow, even if most of that purse went to service existing debt.

Meanwhile, Barry has been traveling around the country doing appearances for his sponsor, TapouT.

With the win over Hardonk, the former World Combat League veteran and K-1 kickboxer is now 2-1 in the UFC. After discovering his grappling limitations in a setback against Tim Hague this past May, Barry says his mat work is now steadily improving and is confident that his first experience on the ground will assist him in future fights.

As to when he'll be back in the octagon, Barry originally anticipated a March date but has given himself a few months leeway for a guaranteed return.

"I'm saying absolutely by May, but if the right opportunity comes around, we'll go from there," Barry said. "I'm aiming for March or April – as soon as I can – but I'm not going to rush it. I need my hand to punch people in the brain."

 

[drunkaholic707]

Pre-fight injury rumors prove partially true; Thiago Silva's back ailing prior to UFC 108


Prior to his UFC 108 main-event contest with Rashad Evans (14-1-1 MMA, 9-1-1 UFC), Brazilian slugger Thiago Silva (14-2 MMA, 5-2 UFC) was rumored to be suffering from a serious ankle injury.

Silva's camp adamantly denied those rumors, but today his manager, Alex Davis, admitted to MMAjunkie.com Radio (www.mmajunkie.com/radio) that a real back injury had been the factual basis for the inaccurate rumors.

"The rumor came out that it was an ankle injury," Davis said. "Actually, it was not an ankle injury; it was a back injury.

"What happened is that Thiago had a choice. His back was hurt, and he could not wrestle. He could not do takedown defense. He could not practice the exact thing that he needed most against Rashad. But we know the problems with the UFC. We could see everything that was happening, and we made the decision to take this fight and stay with it regardless of the fact that he wasn't able to come in in top shape for that kind of fight."

Davis denied previous reports that the UFC did anything to "sweeten the deal" for Silva in order to encourage him to remain on the injury plagued event. Instead, once the reports began to surface, the American Top Team co-founder elected to keep his client's exact condition under wraps.

"American Top Team is a big team," Davis said. "You've got all these people around there, and all of a sudden you see Thiago Silva not taking part in normal practice. It gets out. I think that's pretty normal.

"(But) I'm not going to go and give (Evans' coach) Greg Jackson the advantage of knowing that my guy isn't in top shape. I'm not going to leave him comfortable."

Davis also insisted he was not making any excuses for Silva's loss and admitted Evans would likely have been able to execute his strategy even with his opponent at 100 percent.

"Personally, due to the difference in the level of Rashad's wrestling, I don't think that in the takedown department, [being at 100 percent] would have made that much of a difference," Davis said. "People don't care, really, but the truth is the truth. This kid came in and he wasn't in top shape because of an injury, and he still took a very tough fight. He went at it, and he survived for those two rounds."

Davis did say he was proud of the way Silva fought through the pain and believes Evans and his camp put together a perfect gameplan for the contest.

"Personally, I thought that, given the circumstances, Thiago did very, very well," Davis said. "Greg Jackson came up with an excellent strategy (for Evans).

"He knew that the department where Rashad would be able to dominate Thiago was with the takedowns. And the reason that Rashad would not stay down there and ground and pound is because Thiago has very good sweeps. If Thiago did manage to sweep and put Rashad on his back, Rashad would have been in trouble because that's probably Thiago's best position."

Evans proved capable of taking Silva down nearly at will. Silva was taken down multiple times in the opening 10 minutes, though the Brazilian did work back to his feet each time and never really absorbed any real damage. But after dropping the first two rounds to Evans, Silva changed his strategy for the third.

Mocking and taunting Evans until he successfully baited him into a striking contest, Silva rocked his opponent in the final frame but appeared hesitant to finish.

Davis said while fatigue probably played a factor, he believed Silva may also have been trying to follow orders.

"The whole time, we were telling him to be patient with Rashad – not try to go in on Rashad and attack Rashad, which would have given Rashad the takedown opportunities," Davis said. "What happened there is the moment that he shouldn't have been cautious, he listened to us, and he stayed cautious. He was worried that he would go in for the knockout too hungrily and got countered with that overhand of Rashad's. That was what went through Thiago's head at that moment.

"I think that Thiago comes off OK after a tough fight, and even in losing, he looked pretty good. I think Thiago is still developing a lot as a fighter. He used to be a very instinctive fighter. Now he's starting to be more of a conscious fighter.

Davis also said it's important to remember that seeing an opening from outside the cage is much easier than capitalizing on it inside.

"For us that were outside the fight, we knew that if [Silva] went in there for the kill, he probably would have gotten it," Davis said. "But it's not easy when you're inside there."

While Evans looks to face rival Quinton "Rampage" Jackson in his next outing, Silva's future is currently unclear. But before the Brazilian can line up another bout, Davis said it will be important for him to nurse himself back to proper health.

"The problem with a back injury is that if you don't take care of it, it's going to turn chronic," Davis said. "It can really hamper you, so [Silva] needs to stop and take care of it now.

 

[drunkaholic707]

UFC officials vow to sue individuals for pay-per-view piracy in forthcoming crackdown

LAS VEGAS — Mixed martial arts fans who watch pirated internet content could soon be pressed against the cage says the president of an industry-leading fight promotion. In a move that could signal a sea change in the viral presence of MMA — the burgeoning sport of caged pugilism — Dana White, president of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, said his company is readying a legal assault on individuals and websites that deal in unauthorized content.

"When people start going to jail, people will stop doing it," White said.

The pay-per-view industry, of which the UFC has emerged as one of the most profitable players with an estimated $349 million in revenue in 2009, is the latest front in a war between consumers who want free content and entertainment companies with a product to protect.

The weapon of choice for digital thieves: streaming video websites that beam live pay-per-view signals to their home computers, free of charge.

UFC CEO Lorenzo Fertitta testified for the U.S. House Judiciary Committee earlier this month during a referendum on internet piracy of sporting events and said his anti-piracy team had uncovered 271 illegal streams of UFC 106 with over 140,000 viewers.

"The piracy of live sporting events is illegal, it kills jobs, and it threatens the expansion of U.S. based companies," Fertitta told lawmakers. "The UFC is potentially losing millions of dollars a year from piracy."

Thus far, the music and movie industries have been at the forefront of efforts to stop the spread of online piracy. The first shot was fired in 1999, when the Recording Industry Association of America sued online file sharing company Napster for copyright infringement. Since then, the black market for content — and the technology to provide it — has exploded in popularity.

Despite massive campaigns to educate fans on the illegal practice, streaming and sharing websites have become big business and are virtually impossible to curb when hosted in countries with lax copyright laws.

In recent years, the RIAA has begun suing individuals for illegal downloading, a practice that carries on today. Hollywood has targeted websites that carry pirated movies. Last July, Warner Bros. launched a massive campaign to halt the illegal download of "The Dark Knight" but failed to stem a tide of leaks and links that allowed seven million people to watch the blockbuster movie, according to The New York Times.

The fight industry has by and large limited their anti-piracy efforts to the online equivalent of a cease-and-desist, contacting websites that carry illegal content with a notice that they are in violation of copyright laws. Websites like Justin.tv, one of the biggest online streaming video websites, typically remove illegal broadcast feeds, though they often harbor links to sites that carry other feeds.

An angry White said his company had been considering legal action for years but mounting losses had forced action.

"It's going to be a battle, man," White said. "It's going to be a battle, but I'm ready to [expletive] fight.

"We're gonna go after them, we're gonna go after them hard, and we're gonna hurt them."

Lawrence Epstein, the UFC's general legal counsel, said the company could subpoena websites that carry illegal content for the IP addresses and user information of people who watch and download UFC fights, though he declined to say when that would happen.

"We're looking at all of our legal options, and I wouldn't rule out anything when it comes to fighting this problem," Epstein said.

White said the UFC's anti-piracy team monitors illegal streams during events and aggressively pursues offending websites, though he admitted suing websites and individuals would be a costly effort.

"[Piracy] hasn't cost us anything compared to what it's going to cost us to go after these guys," White said. "It's gonna cost us a lot of money, but guess what — it's gonna cost them a lot of money. It's gonna get to the point where it's like, you know what, [expletive] it, maybe we shouldn't pirate MMA any more.

"You got these websites like Justin.tv, and they pirate all kinds of things. They play all kinds of [expletive] on there. Well, we're gonna make it where it's not worth it to put UFC events up on the website."

And with at least 12 pay-per-view events per year — at $44.95 a pop, $55.95 for the HD version — UFC fans may be forced to ask if it's worth it.

Currently, the promotion has two authorized providers of internet pay-per-view – UFC.com, and Yahoo! Sports – at the same price as the standard television broadcast. Epstein says the internet price is mandated by the promotion's contract with pay-per-view providers like DirecTV and DISH Network and cannot be lowered.

Epstein says an average of eight to ten people split a legal UFC pay-per-view broadcast, bringing the price down to around $5 a head (plus beer and pizza), and events are often available in bars and clubs around the city. But for many fans under 21 — the so-called "Generation Wired" — the choice is simple.

UFC commentator Joe Rogan understands the promotion's plight but thinks an Internet crackdown is an unnecessary step.

"I think that kind of stifles innovation," Rogan said. "It stifles the direction the Internet is going. I like things being out there. I think people are always going to buy UFC pay-per-views. You're going to get a much better experience watching it on your television than all stretched out looking fuzzy and pixilated.

"They're trying to protect their money, but the Internet is a strange animal."

Epstein said the UFC had joined a coalition of major sports franchises including the NFL, MLB, and NCAA, and planned to lobby lawmakers to get tough on piracy.

"Are there always going to be people that are going to steal? Yeah," said Epstein. "There are going to be people that rob convenience stores and banks, too. You can put up bars, you can put up cameras, but people continue to do bad things. You're not going to stop all of it.

"I think this is about stopping the good majority of law-abiding citizens who, without education, might not understand that what they're doing is not the right thing to do."

 

[Shogun Locc]

8 Questions for Mauricio ‘Shogun’ Rua

The Oct. 24 UFC light heavyweight title bout between challenger Mauricio “Shogun” Rua and champion Lyoto Machida ended in a much-debated decision for Machida. Both men will look to settle the controversy May 1 in Montreal, where their rematch is expected to headline UFC 113 at the Bell Centre.

Sherdog.com recently spoke with Rua, who reviewed his year and discussed the upcoming rematch.

Sherdog.com: In 2009 you came back to fighting after a year and a half recovering from an injury, and you fought for the UFC title. How do you rate this year in your career?
Rua: I think it was a good year. I achieved my goals. Unfortunately I didn’t win the belt, but I was happy with my performance, and besides, I have a new chance for the title in 2010. So I'm tranquil and I'm done with the goals that I outlined in 2009.

Sherdog.com: If you compare your fight against Mark Coleman, your first after the surgery, and the fight against Lyoto Machida, your third fight in the year, how do you see your evolution?
Rua: I went back to my rhythm. Another difference is that today I am a guy ready to fight in the Octagon. Against Coleman I was not. I didn’t have an Octagon in my gym; I trained in a ring. Today I am more ready to fight in an Octagon than a ring.

Sherdog.com: What is your expectation for the rematch with Machida?
Rua: I am confident. My expectations are good. I'm happy to fight again with him, not because I think I won the first match but to have a new opportunity to fight for the belt. My big dream is to win the belt, so I want that fight again because it is a fight for the belt.

Sherdog.com: Before the fight with Machida, much was said about his game, Machida Karate, which was very difficult to nullify. Who helped you with your strategy?
Rua: The whole team. There were about eight people, and all got together and each one gave his opinion, then we discussed it to achieve the best possible strategy. There were many people engaged in this work.

Sherdog.com: You changed a lot of your game and your training for that fight?
Rua: We did in fact devise a strategy, but I can’t change a lot of my game because I’ve fought this way for 10 years, so I cannot totally change my game just because of Machida. Thank God I could annul his game, but unfortunately I could not win the belt. Now I have a new battle ahead, and I will make a new strategy.

Sherdog.com: When do you begin to train for the rematch?
Rua: I have been training lightly, but I'll start training hard about three months before the fight. I'm in very basic training, but in February I’ll already be training harder. We have a very solid team to get ready to fight.

Sherdog.com: You fight in a very tough weight division. How do you assess the challenges you will have to face?
Rua: I believe that this category is the most competitive in the world. It always was. I know you will never have a breeze, and as I fight in the UFC, which is the biggest event in the world, I know I'll always face tough guys and can’t expect to have easy bouts. I know that and I will always expect to face the top fighters of the division.

Sherdog.com: You've always been a big star in Brazil and Japan. What is the reception of the American public since you were hired by the UFC?
Rua: For us fighters, nothing is better than having our work recognized and having the affection of fans. In the U.S., Japan, Canada, etc., people have a greater commitment to the fighters, and I'm happy for that. That affection of the fans is another motivation for us to train hard and fight.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Lawler-Manhoef, Hieron-Riggs Set for Strikeforce ‘Miami’

A middleweight bout featuring Robbie Lawler against Melvin Manhoef and a welterweight contest pitting Jay Hieron against Joe Riggs has been added to Strikeforce’s Jan. 30 card at the BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise, Fla., the promotion confirmed on Wednesday.

Lawler was scheduled to face South African Olympic wrestling alternate Trevor Prangley At Strikeforce “Evolution” on Dec. 19, until Prangley withdrew with an injury. A former EliteXC middleweight champion and H.I.T. Squad member alongside Matt Hughes, the 27-year-old Iowan was submitted by Jake Shields in the first round of their headlining bout at Strikeforce “Lawler vs. Shields” on June 6 in St. Louis.

Dutch heavy-hitter Manhoef stopped Japanese standout Kazuo Mizaki on first-round punches at K-1 and FEG’s co-promoted “Dynamite” on Dec. 31 in Saitama, Japan. Manhoef has won seven of his last nine bouts, all by strikes.

Meanwhile, former IFL welterweight champion Hieron cinched up his promotional debut with a unanimous decision against Jesse Taylor at Strikeforce “Carano vs. Cyborg” on Aug. 15 in San Jose, Calif. Riggs battered Phil Baroni to a unanimous nod at Strikeforce’s June 6 event, and has notched two more victories on the regional circuit since then.

Also, on the card, Nick Diaz and Marius Zaromskis will vie for the vacant welterweight championship.

Strikeforce “Miami”
Jan. 30
BankAtlantic Center
Sunrise, Fla.

Welterweight Championship
Nick Diaz vs. Marius Zaromskis

Strikeforce Women’s Championship
Cristiane “Cyborg” Santos vs. Marloes Coenen*

Robbie Lawler vs. Melvin Manhoef
Jay Hieron vs. Joe Riggs
Bobby Lashley vs. Shane del Rosario*
Herschel Walker vs. TBA

*Not officially announced yet

 

[Shogun Locc]

Swick-Thiago Official for UFC 109

Mike Swick will replace injured teammate Josh Koscheck in a welterweight bout against Paulo Thiago at UFC 109 on Feb. 6 in Las Vegas., the promotion announced this week.

The 30-year-old Swick, who trains alongside Koscheck at American Kickboxing Academy, lost a unanimous decision to Brit Dan Hardy in a pivotal contender’s bout at UFC 105 on Nov. 14 in Manchester, England. Prior to that, Swick had only one other loss in his last 11 bouts: a unanimous decision defeat to Yushin Okami in a middleweight contest at UFC 69 in Houston.

Thiago grinded out a unanimous decision over newcomer Jacob Volkmann at UFC 106 on Nov. 21 in Las Vegas. The Brazilian’s only career defeat came at the hands of Jon Fitch, also an AKA product, at UFC 100 last July in Las Vegas. Thiago stopped Koscheck with first-round strikes at UFC 95 last February in London.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Penn Gunning for UFC Abu Dhabi Slot

UFC lightweight champion B.J. Penn has asked for his next fight to take place at the promotion’s yet-to-be-announced UFC 112 event on April 10 in Abu Dhabi.

“We talked to Dana White. We were trying to get on the March 27 card … but that card already had two title fights on it,” Penn said in a video interview on his official site Wednesday. “It looks like we’ll be fighting April 10 in Abu Dhabi. Nothing’s signed, so (it’s) a tentative date …”

UFC welterweight champion Georges St. Pierre will defend his crown against Dan Hardy at UFC 111 on March 27 at the Prudential Canter in Newark, N.J. Frank Mir and Shane Carwin will vie for the UFC interim heavyweight title as well.

Penn, 31, battered challenger Diego Sanchez en route to a fifth-round stoppage at UFC 107 last December in Memphis, Tenn. Gray Maynard, who fights Nate Diaz this Monday at UFC Fight Night 20 in Fairfax, Va., has been recognized as the top contender for Penn’s crown at this time. Penn, a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt, would be considered a heavy favorite in the potential bout.

UFC President Dana White said last Saturday that the promotion’s Middle Eastern debut in the United Arab Emirate’s capital was close to fruition. Former UFC welterweight champion Matt Hughes is expected to headline the event against Renzo Gracie, who will be making his Octagon debut. Sheik Tahnoon, of the Abu Dhabi Royal Family, is a Renzo Gracie jiu-jitsu black belt.

 

[Shogun Locc]

UFC sues bar owner for alleged pay-per-view piracy

Hot on the heels of an announcement to punish pay-per-view thieves, the UFC is suing a Boston-area man for the alleged illegal use of a UFC 104 feed.

The Boston Herald reports the promotion is accusing Derek Brady, the owner of a local bar called The Draft Bar and Grille in Allston, Mass., of evading the closed-circuit fees for commercial use of UFC events, according to a lawsuit filed Tuesday.

"This is a situation where a bar has illegally taken our pay-per-view signal without purchasing it through our exclusive closed-circuit providers," UFC general counsel Lawrence Epstein told the paper.

Bars and clubs are usually charged between $500 and $1,500 to show UFC events, depending on the size of the businesses.

UFC lawyer Julie Lonstein said an eyewitness saw Brady transmit a feed of the Oct. 24 event on his laptop to the bar's televisions, according to the report.

Brady's lawyers counter that a bar patron legally purchased the feed and did not have permission.

The UFC is suing Brady for $640,000 plus legal costs.

In testimony for U.S. lawmakers last month, UFC CEO Lorenzo Fertitta said illegal pay-per-vew feeds were costing the promotion millions of dollars.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Jesse Forbes vs. Nick Catone completes Monday's UFC Fight Night 20 lineup

The addition of a middleweight bout between Nick Catone (6-2 MMA, 1-2 UFC) and the returning Jesse Forbes (12-3 MMA, 0-1 UFC) has completed the fight card for Monday's UFC Fight Night 20 event.

The fight, first reported last week by MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com), takes place on the night's preliminary card and opens the Jan. 11 fight card.

UFC Fight Night 20 takes place at the Patriot Center on the campus of George Mason University in Fairfax, Va., and airs on Spike TV.

Forbes, who returns to the UFC for the first time since his stint on "The Ultimate Fighter 3" in 2006, is a late replacement for injured Steve Steinbess.

The show features a headliner between top lightweight contender Gray Maynard and "TUF 5" champ Nate Diaz, and lightweights Efrain Escudero and Evan Dunham clash in the co-headliner of the four-fight main card.

Catone, a Brazilian jiu-jitsu brown belt, made his UFC debut and earned a submission win over Derek Downey (an injury replacement for Amir Sadollah) at UFC Fight Night 17 in February. Since the win, Catone has suffered a submission loss to Tim Credeur at UFC Fight Night 18 in April and a split-decision defeat at the hands of Mark Munoz at UFC 102 in August.

The former Ring of Combat champion likely needs a win to remain in the UFC.

Forbes, meanwhile, is one of the few fighters who has successfully fought his way back into the UFC. On the UFC's reality series, he lost to Noah Inhofer in an opening-round matchup and to Josh Haynes (as a replacement fighter) in the semifinals. The UFC then dropped Forbes following his loss to Matt Hamill at the show's live finale. Since then he's kept a busy fight schedule and posted an 11-2 record, including a five-fight win streak, in outside organizations.

The official UFC Fight Night 20 card now includes:

MAIN CARD

* Nate Diaz vs. Gray Maynard
* Evan Dunham vs. Efrain Escudero
* Tom Lawlor vs. Aaron Simpson
* Brad Blackburn vs. Amir Sadollah

PRELIMINARY CARD

* Chris Leben vs. Jay Silva
* Jesse Lennox vs. Rick Story
* Nik Lentz vs. Thiago Tavares
* Mike Guymon vs. Rory MacDonald
* Kyle Bradley vs. Rafael dos Anjos
* Gerald Harris vs. Mike Massenzio
* Nick Catone vs. Jesse Forbe

 

[Shogun Locc]

UFC officials choose June 12 for Vancouver event, UFC 115

Vancouver, B.C., get ready. The UFC is coming to town this summer.

A well-placed UFC source told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) that the promotion has penciled in June 12 as the date for an event at the 19,000-seat GM Place.

Back in December, the promotion cleared a legislative hurdle in holding an event within the city limits of the 2010 Winter Olympic host site; the Vancouver city council agreed to sanction events as part of a two-year pilot program.

The ruling was a clear victory for Canadian fans who have long waited to see a UFC event in the Pacific Northwest city.

Although the city previously hosted MMA shows, the council backed away from the sport in September 2007 when lawyers determined the city was exposed to liability if there was a mishap during one of the shows.

Technically, the sport is not approved under the country’s criminal code, but the government has not blocked MMA shows in Montreal, Edmonton and Calgary. The UFC source said the promotion planned to lobby the Canadian government to change the law.

Vancouver’s pilot program calls for a $1 seat tax at MMA events to fund the Vancouver Athletic Commission’s new duties. The program also calls for new medical and safety procedures and strict insurance requirements for promoters.

Although the city has just reopened its doors to the sport, several MMA gyms thrive in the area, including Revolution Fight Team, where UFC vets Bill Mahood and Denis Kang have trained.

No match-ups are rumored for the June 12 event, which follows the UFC's third annual trip to Montreal's Bell Centre on May 1. After hosting just two Canadian shows to date, the UFC now plans to do two Canadian shows in a mere six-week span.

 

[Shogun Locc]

NSAC exec says UFC light heavyweight Steve Cantwell's return still possible

When UFC light heavyweight Steve Cantwell was forced to withdraw from a UFC 108 bout in Las Vegas with Vladimir Matyushenko, most MMA observers simply chalked up the loss as another victim of the "curse" that plagued the card.

But when UFC president Dana White said Cantwell was in danger of never fighting again, the concerns for "The Robot's" future quickly grew.

Nevada State Athletic Commission Executive Director Keith Kizer recently told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) that while he couldn't elaborate on the specifics regarding Cantwell's situation, he does feel the 23-year-old might be able to make a return to action.

Kizer said Cantwell was forced to withdraw from the bout after he was unable to get licensed by the commission.

"What [fighters] have to do is they have to go get a physical, blood work, eye exams, and all this other stuff, and have their doctor sign off on it then send it all in," Kizer said. "Then we clear them. I guess on one of the medicals, and I'm not going to get into what it was, he was having an issue getting a clearance on something.

"It may be something that's a short-term problem, and he'll be back fighting next month, or it may be something that's a long-term problem. Officially, he was unable to submit all the required medical test results to get licensed, so there's just been no license issued, just like anyone else who has an incomplete application. But whatever the issue was, hopefully he'll fix (it) medically and be able to fight again this year."

Cantwell declined to comment on his situation when contacted by MMAjunkie.com, but sources close to the former WEC champion said he was currently seeking the opinion of a different doctor and hoped to reapply for his license.

Kizer said it's not uncommon for fighters to correct an outstanding issue, reapply, and receive a license to compete.

"Let's say a guy had a vision problem and he couldn't meet our vision test," Kizer said. "Well, maybe he gets Lasik (surgery), and in a week, he can. That's not the issue here, but there's always that possibility. With medicine nowadays? Remember the days of 'Sugar' Ray Leonard and the detached retina issue? Now a detached retina is not big deal.

"We just changed our regulations not too long ago about subdural hematomas. Not too long ago, if you had a cerebral hemorrhage in the past, there's no way you could ever be licensed again. Now, medicine is such that we can do it on a case-by-case basis. So [the issue] is something where, worst-case scenario, it could (prevent Cantwell from fighting again). Best-case scenario, he's fighting again in a couple of months. But again, that's a medical question. I can't really judge it one way or another."

UFC officials declined to comment on the contracted purses for Cantwell (8-3 MMA, 1-2 UFC) and Matyushenko (23-4 MMA, 4-2 UFC). MMAjunkie.com has learned from sources close to the promotion that Matyushenko, who was asked to keep training and cutting weight in case his services were needed, received at least a portion of his purse, though Cantwell did not.

So while the exact nature of Cantwell's current situation is known, Kizer was at least hopeful that the young light heavyweight would again set foot in the octagon.

"There have been situations where guys have had an issue, and later the issue is able to resolve itself," Kizer said. "There's been times, of course, when it's been un-resolvable. You hope in this case that it's the former."

 

[Shogun Locc]

WEC 45 draws 1,741 attendees for $102,700 live gate

Last month's WEC 45 event drew 1,741 spectators for a live gate of $102,700.

Keith Kizer, executive director of the Nevada State Athletic Commission, today confirmed the results via email to MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com).

Of the 1,741 fans who attended the Dec. 19 event at The Pearl the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas, 815 received complimentary tickets.

The 926 who did pay for admission created an average ticket price of $111.

The event, "WEC 45: Cerrone vs. Ratcliff," featured a headliner between top lightweight contenders Donald Cerrone and Ed Ratcliff. Overcoming a crafty opponent and point deductions, Cerrone earned the third-round victory via submission. Anthony Njokuani scored a dramatic head-kick TKO of Chris Horodecki in the co-headliner.

While the number of tickets sold is obviously a bit low for a major organization, the WEC likely receives free use of the venue in exchange for hosting its shows there. Therefore, the organization has little overhead, and the ticket sales aren't vital to its business model, at least when it comes to the Las Vegas events.

As MMAjunkie.com reported last month, WEC 45 drew 330,000 viewers for the night's Versus-televised main card.

 

[Shogun Locc]

"Submission of the Year" winner readies for return; Imada vs. Masvidal II on tap

Those MMA fans that saw Bellator lightweight Toby Imada (22-13) submit Jorge Masvidal (19-4) via inverted triangle choke knew immediately that they had witnessed 2009's "Submission of the Year."

That belief was substantiated when Imada's slick finish earned that exact title at this past week's Fighters Only 2009 MMA Awards in Las Vegas.

Now those that weren't lucky enough to see the exciting, three-round contest the first time will get a chance to see the two hook up again.

Imada today told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) that he and Masvidal will renew their battle on April 8 in the first round of Bellator's second-ever lightweight tournament.

"We had a war," Imada said. "I don't have any bad emotions toward [Masvidal]. I never did. I can relate to how he feels. But we're going to do it again."

Imada defeated Masvidal in the semifinals of Bellator's debut tournament, though he was defeated in the finals against Eddie Alvarez. Despite falling short of his ultimate goal, Imada admitted it felt good to be recognized with an industry award that was dominated by more well-known fighters.

"That was a big form of recognition," Imada said. "I was looking at everybody else who was nominated for awards, not just the ones in my category, but it was all big names, people everyone else had heard about. I'm probably one of the few guys, if not maybe the only guy, that maybe no one had heard of. So I feel like it's a big accomplishment.

"It's definitely given me more recognition than before. It means a lot."

While few can remember ever seeing a similar move in MMA competition, Imada said in Bellator's second season it is important for him to prove he's more than just a one-trick pony (even if the one trick was really good).

"I'm embracing [the recognition]," Imada said. "Of course I'm really proud of it. But at the same time, I do know that I can't have that be my one claim to fame. I don't want to be that guy that the one thing he's ever done in his whole life that was any great was that. I want to do more. I want to keep going.

"I want to show that it wasn't just that one moment in time."

Imada will take his first step toward that goal when he meets Masvidal in April. And while it would be outrageous to predict a similar finish, Imada does promise a similar result.

"I do feel the pressure," Masvidal said. "Everybody's gunning for me. Everybody's like, 'I want to see what that's like. I want to learn from this. What else you got?'

"We've got to come up with new stuff and evolve. I just want to get out there and finish fights."