MMA News Thread

[B-Buzz]

“RUTHLESS’’ ROBBIE LAWLER, KJ NOONS AND BOBBY LASHLEY WILL BE FEATURED AT STRIKEFORCE EVENT WEDNESDAY, JUNE 16, AT NOKIA THEATRE, L.A.

LOS ANGELES (April 28, 2010) – Knockout artist and former middleweight world champion “Ruthless” Robbie Lawler (17-5), ex- WWE wrestling champion-turned-undefeated Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) heavyweight star Bobby Lashley (5-0) and former lightweight world champion KJ Noons (8-2) will fight in the featured bouts when STRIKEFORCE hits Nokia Theatre L.A. LIVE here on Wednesday, June 16.

The first-ever STRIKEFORCE event scheduled for mid-week will take place in the midst of the E3 Expo, the premier trade show for computer and video games. During E3 Expo 2010 at the L.A. Convention Center, EA SPORTS™ will exhibit its highly anticipated title, EA SPORTS MMA, in which STRIKEFORCE is featured as a premier league.

A special pre-sale ticket purchase opportunity for the event will take place for “STRIKEFORCE Insider” e-newsletter subscribers (http://strikeforce.com/insider.html) and Nokia Theatre L.A. LIVE e-newsletter subscribers from 10 a.m. PT tomorrow/Thursday, April 29, until 10 p.m. PT on Friday, April 30. STRIKEFORCE Insiders will receive an e-newsletter with the pre-sale code.

Tickets go on sale to the general public at 10 a.m. PT on Saturday, May 1, at STAPLES Center box office, all Ticketmaster locations (800) 745-3000, Ticketmaster online (www.ticketmaster.com) and STRIKEFORCE’S official website (www.strikeforce.com). Tickets will also be sold at the Nokia Theatre L.A. LIVE box office on days when events take place there.

Opponents for the three fighters will be announced soon.

Lawler and Lashley were overwhelmingly victorious in their last starts, both of which took place at the STRIKEFORCE event at BankAtlantic Center in Sunrise, Fla., on Jan. 30, 2010.

Lawler weathered an early onslaught from Melvin “No Mercy” Manhoef before rallying dramatically to crumble Manhoef with a devastating right hand at 3:33 of the opening round and Lashley stopped Wes Sims with a barrage of punches in the first round (2:06).

Recognized as one of the hardest punchers in the sport, the 28-year-old Lawler, of Granite City, Ill., was discovered and schooled by MMA legend Pat Miletich. Lawler’s fight with Aaron Riley

at UFC 37 on May 10, 2002 later became the first MMA bout in history to air on network TV (FOX Sports).

At 6-foot-3, 265 pounds, Lashley, 33, is a monstrous specimen of a man who has stopped all but one of his five opponents in the first round. A resident of Denver, Colo., he soared to stardom while competing on WWE’s Raw and Smackdown! series between 2005 and 2007.

Noons is a confident, prolific striker who has won four in a row and is the last fighter to defeat current STRIKEFORCE welterweight champion Nick Diaz. In a thrilling, bloody fight on Nov. 10, 2007, Noons won by first-round TKO when a cageside doctor stopped matters after the first round due to excessive cuts around Diaz’ eyes.

The 5-foot-11, 27-year-old Noons’ other victories during his winning streak came over Edson Berto (KO 3, knee) on July 27, 2007, Yves Edwards (TKO 1, punches and elbows) on June 14, 2008 and, in his first outing following a near-two-year respite to continue a boxing career, a decision over Andre Armado at DREAM 13 last March 22.


Doors at Nokia Theatre L.A. LIVE will open for the event at 5:15 p.m. PT. The first non-televised preliminary bout will begin at 6 p.m. and the first main card fight will begin at 8 p.m.

The event will be televised live on SHOWTIME® at 11 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast).

----------------------------
I'm guessing Lawler vs. Mayhem, Lashley vs. Del Rosario and no idea who KJ would fight. Thomson, Krazy Horse rematch, someone from Dream...

 

[B-Buzz]

Lawler vs. Sobral June 16th, Strikeforce Expects Mayhem Suspension

Robbie Lawler will face Renato “Babalu” Sobral in a 195-pound catch-weight bout at Strikeforce’s June 16 event at the Nokia Theatre on Los Angeles, Sherdog.com has learned.

Strikeforce CEO confirmed the bout with Sherdog.com on Thursday.

Sobral, the promotion’s former light heavyweight champion, will replace Jason “Mayhem” Miller, who was pulled from the card by the promotion in light of his participation in a post-fight brawl which occurred in the cage following Strikeforce “Nashville” on April 17 in Nashville, Tenn.

“Miller isn’t fighting because we believe, in speaking with the Tennessee Athletic Commission, that he will put under some type of suspension,” Coker told Sherdog.com on Thursday. “After reviewing the tape (of the April 17 incident), we felt that Miller shouldn’t headline our next event. We will honor the Tennessee commission’s decision when it’s announced.”

Miller entered the cage on April 17 without the promotion or commission’s knowledge to campaign for a rematch with Jake Shields, who had just successfully defended his middleweight title against Dan Henderson. Strikeforce lightweight champion Gilbert Melendez, welterweight champion Nick Diaz, UFC lightweight Nate Diaz, and others in Shields’ camp intervened in what quickly broke out into an all-out brawl inside the cage. The live CBS telecast broadcasted Miller, on the ground, taking punches and kicks from some member of Shields’ Cesar Gracie team before officials were able to pull them apart.

Tennessee Athletic Commission Director Jeff Mullen said on Thursday that the incident was still under investigation. It was intonated that any potential sanctioning process with the fighters involved could take anywhere from one to two months to determine. Mullen declined to give further comment.

Lawler, a former EliteXC middleweight champion, scored a gripping first-round knockout over Dream striker Melvin Manhoef at Strikeforce “Miami” on Jan. 30 in Miami. The 28-year-old Lawler holds victories over Scott Smith, Murilo “Ninja” Rua and Frank Trigg.

Sobral was intended to enter Dream’s light heavyweight tournament beginning on May 29 in Japan. However, Sherdog.com reported on Thursday that the eight-man grand prix has been scratched by the promotion. The 34-year-old Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt has not competed since losing his title to Gerard Mousasi at a Strikeforce event last August. Sobral is a 10-time UFC veteran.

 

[drunkaholic707]

Jones vs. Matyushenko in works for UFC on Versus 2, new agent says nothing set for "Bones"

Rising star Jon Jones (10-1 MMA, 4-1 UFC) will likely face longtime UFC veteran Vladimir Matyushenko (24-4 MMA, 5-2 UFC) in August.

News of the pending matchup was first reported on Wednesday by TheGarv.com, and multiple sources close to the promotion have since confirmed with MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) that both fighters have been approached about the contest, which would take place Aug. 1 at UFC on Versus 2 in Salt Lake City, Utah.

However, Jones' new agent, Malki Kawa of First Round Managment, today declined to comment on the potential fight and instead insisted nothing had yet been determined.

Nevertheless, multiple sources have indicated both fighters are likely to sign on for the matchup in short order.

Jones' most recent appearance headlined the UFC's first Versus-broadcast event. "Bones" dismantled opponent Brandon Vera with a stunning ground-and-pound attack that ended the fight in the first round.

The fight was Jones' first since suffering the only loss of his career – a disqualification result issued in a December 2009 bout after the light heavyweight had appeared to earn a TKO win over Matt Hamill. Replays showed the elbows Jones used to earn victory were illegal, and Hamill was awarded the dubious victory.

Meanwhile, Matyushenko returns after a split-decision win over Eliot Marshall, which also took place at UFC on Versus 1. The 39-year-old Matyushenko is currently 2-0 in his return to the UFC after earning a 3-2 mark in the octagon in a stint that began at UFC 32 in June 2001 and ended at UFC 44 in September 2003.

 

[B-Buzz]

here's The Voice Vs. Joe Rogan special from HDNet for those who missed it.
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=N9BHWS0B
The two best announcers in MMA debating fights, fighters and more

 

[drunkaholic707]

Source: Nick Diaz denied spot on Strikeforce's June 26 card due to brawl (Updated)

A post-fight melee that followed an April 17 Strikeforce event cost Jason "Mayhem" Miller a headlining spot next month at "Strikeforce: Los Angeles," and Strikeforce welterweight champ Nick Diaz appears to have suffered a similar fate.

A source close to Diaz told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) that the fighter was told his request to compete on Strikeforce's June 26 fight card in San Jose, Calif., also was turned down because of his role in the televised brawl.

Diaz was one of multiple Cesar Gracie team members involved in a post-"Strikeforce: Nashville" scuffle that broke out when preliminary-card fighter Miller interrupted main-event winner Jake Shields during a post-fight speech.

Miller entered the cage to campaign for a rematch of their November meeting, when Shields won a lopsided unanimous decision to earn Strikeforce's then-vacated middleweight belt.

When Shields shoved Miller, teammates such as Nick Diaz and Gilbert Melendez continued the shoving. Some of the group members eventually wrestled Miller to the mat, and punches and kicks were thrown until security and commission officials broke up the brawl. The entire episode aired live on CBS as part of Strikeforce's second nationally televised event, and it's been widely condemned by the MMA industry.

Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker today told MMAjunkie.com neither Diaz nor anyone else involved in the brawl had been targeted for the organization's June shows.

"No one in that was involved with that situation (in Nashville) was scheduled to fight in June," he said. "But if they were ... until the Tennessee Athletic Commission has the hearing and [gives] out suspensions and fines, we're going to wait and support [the commission]."

As MMAjunkie.com reported soon after the show, the Tennessee Athletic Commission executive director Jeffrey Mullen confirmed the commission had opened a formal investigation into the situation. Commission officials are expected to penalize some of the fighters involved in the event, including Diaz and Miller, though Mullen said the process could take weeks or months to finish. (Coker said he expects it to take 30-45 days.)

Even before Miller's victory over Tim Stout at the April show, Coker talked of a possible June 16 headliner between "Mayhem" and fellow middleweight Robbie Lawler. However, earlier this week, the executive instead replaced Miller with former champ Renato "Babalu" Sobral and told MMAjunkie.com that "Mayhem" now is unlikely to compete on the card because of his role in the brawl.

Ten days after that Showtime-televised event, which coincides with the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3), Strikeforce is expected to return to its home in San Jose for another major Showtime-televised event. Diaz hoped to secure a spot on the show, which could be headlined by Fedor Emelianenko vs. Fabricio Werdum. However, as with Miller, Strikeforce officials apparently will sideline Diaz until the Tennessee commission announces its findings.

Although he won't be a part of the June 26 Strikeforce card, Diaz still is scheduled to fight four weeks earlier at DREAM.14, which takes place outside of U.S. commissions' jurisdiction in Japan. Diaz is scheduled to fight Hayato Sakurai in a non-title fight at the May 29 event.

 

[drunkaholic707]

M-1 Global, Strikeforce come to terms; Emelianenko vs. Werdum set for June 26

Fedor Emelianenko (31-1 MMA, 1-0 SF) and M-1 Global will once again co-promote an event with Strikeforce.

While there had been some concern the two promotions would be unable to reach an agreement as to the terms of a future fight card, Strikeforce today announced that Emelianenko's return to the cage has finally been set.

As has long been rumored, Emelianenko will face Fabricio Werdum (13-4-1 MMA, 2-0 SF) at a June 26 co-promoted event at the HP Pavilion in San Jose, Calif.

The main card airs live on Showtime.

The deal comes after lengthy negotiations between Strikeforce and M-1 Global following disagreements concerning the three-fight partnership between the companies that arose concerning this past November's "Fedor vs. Rogers" event.

M-1 Global president Vadim Finkelchtein recently told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) that the bulk of the concerns centered around the branding of the shows, though there were some financial issues to address as well.

"When two organizations decide to work together on a project like this, it would figure that the brands of both of the companies involved in the project would be recognized equally in the project," Finkelchtein said. "I think it's fair enough to say that everyone who saw the Nov. 7 show essentially had no idea that it was a co-promotion between M-1 and Strikeforce. It looked like a Strikeforce show. The fact that we had our logo on the mat didn't make us stand out at all from any of the other sponsors. The small logos that we had and the graphics that we had, they didn't spell out co-promotion in the way that we had expected.

"In terms of the financial side of things, we invested money into the project, and it was a considerably larger amount of money than Strikeforce. All we want going forward is what was promised to us. We don't want additional co-promotion. We don't want additional branding. We don't want additional money. We just want what was promised to us in the negotiations prior to this relationship being entered into. It's a little bit of this and a little bit of that, essentially, and nothing on top of what was promised."

With those issues apparently resolved, Emelianenko can now return to action.

"The Last Emperor" brings an incredible 27-fight winning streak into the matchup in a run that includes a second-round TKO victory over Brett Rogers in their November meeting. Emelianenko is widely regarded as the best heavyweight in mixed martial arts history, though his reputation as the world's current top pound-for-pound fighter has taken a hit in recent years due a lack of activity.

Nevertheless, Emelianenko has earned stoppages in his past eight fights. That stretch includes first-round finishes of former UFC champions Andrei Arlovski and Tim Sylvia.

Meanwhile, Werdum enters the matchup on the strength of two-straight victories under the Strikeforce banner. The four-time UFC veteran was released from the world's largest promotion following an October 2008 loss to Junior dos Santos. "Vai Cavalo" has bounced back with Strikeforce wins over Antonio Silva and Mike Kyle.

The winner of the Emelianenko-Werdum matchup would likely emerge as the top contender for the May 15 contest between current Strikeforce heavyweight champion Alistair Overeem and Rogers.

 

[B-Buzz]

if anyone missed The Best of Pride tonight they showed two of my favorite fights ever that just so happen to be on youtube

Takanori Gomi vs. Tatsuya Kawajiri (Fight of the year '05)


Sergei Kharitonov vs. Ninja Rua

 

[hitthegas]

saw that. rua looking hella tubby.

 

[B-Buzz]

'Cyborg' Santos Vs. Zaromskis Planned For Strikeforce: LA

A welterweight bout between Evangelista "Cyborg" Santos (17-13) and Marius Zaromskis (13-4) has been penciled in for June 16's Strikeforce: Los Angeles event at the Nokia Theatre, MMA Fighting has learned from sources close to the fight.

Santos, the husband of Strikeforce's 145-pound champion Cristiane "Cyborg" Santos, dropped a split decision to Joey Villasenor in his Strikeforce debut last June. That fight was contested at 185 pounds. Since then, he knocked out Daniel Zarate at Samurai Fight Combat 2 in December.

Meanwhile, Zaromskis, the current DREAM welterweight champion, lost a Strikeforce 170-pound bout to Nick Diaz in January. That loss snapped an impressive five-fight winning streak for "The Whitemare."

Zaromski's DREAM title will not be on the line in this particular fight.

Strikeforce: Los Angeles will mark the organization's first-ever midweek show. It will air on Showtime from the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles in conjunction with the E3 Expo, a popular video game convention. Strikeforce is expected to have a large presence at the convention due its involvement in the upcoming EA Sports MMA video game, which will be released later this year.

Robbie Lawler vs. "Babalu" Sobral will headline the event. Bobby Lashley and KJ Noons have also been officially announced for the card , but their opponents are not known at this time.

 

[007SYBORG]

UFC PRIMETIME RAMPAGE VS RASHAD TONIGHT ON SPIKE

 

[B-Buzz]

holy shit!

Strikeforce Open To Bellator Co-Promotion, Alvarez vs. Melendez Fight

A potential fight between two of the world's top 155-pound fighters outside of the Ultimate Fighting Championship is one step closer to fruition.

Just hours after officials from Bellator Fighting Championships distributed a press release campaigning for a fight between their lightweight champ, Eddie Alvarez, and Strikeforce lightweight title-holder Gilbert Melenedez, Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker said he's open to co-promoting the champion-vs.-champion bout.

"If the stars align and we can work out all the terms and conditions and timing, we'd do it," Coker told MMAjunkie.com "Of course we would. Why wouldn't we? Let's go do this."

With the likes of Frankie Edgar, B.J. Penn, Kenny Florian, Gray Maynard, Jim Miller and Diego Sanchez, the UFC has a stronghold on the world's best 155-pound talent. That, of course, has long been the case and given the promotion just about every major lightweight fight of late.

But Alvarez vs. Melendez would pit two of the world's top-10 lightweights against each other. And with the UFC's upcoming Edgar vs. Penn II and Florian vs. Maynard bouts, it couldn't come at a better time.

Talk of the fight first popped up on Friday when Melendez appeared as a panelist on HDNet's "Inside MMA" program. Melendez, who won an interim title and then unified the belts with a win over Josh Thomson in December, thinks the fight could determine a No. 1 fighter.

"I think he's an amazing fighter, and that's why I call out Eddie Alvarez," Melendez said. "Let's unify those titles. I'd love to fight that guy and test myself. I think if I could beat him, I could be No. 1 and vice versa."

He got some support from Bellator CEO Bjorn Rebney, who recently pitted Alvarez against UFC vet Josh Neer in a non-title "super fight" earlier this month. (Alvarez won via second-round submission.)

"I will do everything I can to get Gilbert what he asked for," Rebney stated. "Gilbert wants the fight, Eddie wants the fight, and I want the fight. All we have to do is get Scott Coker on board, and together, we can make this happen. Eddie wants to fight the best, and Gilbert wants to fight the best, and there is no reason why any promoter or network should stand in the way of that."

Coker, in fact, agrees. He said Strikeforce has already allowed some of its fighters (such as Rudy Bears) to compete in Bellator. Additionally, he even inquired about using Bellator fighter and UFC vet Roger Huerta on a Strikeforce card.

"We've lent them three or four fighters already, and we had a brief conversation about (loaning) Roger Huerta, but the terms, conditioning, time just weren't right," Coker said. "But we'd love to work with them."

Alvarez (20-2), of course, makes his first title defense this fall. He'll fight either Toby Imada or Pat Curran, who recently advanced to the Bellator season-two tourney finale. Alvarez will enter the fight with 10 wins in his past 11 fights, which included consecutive submission victories over Greg Loughran, Eric Reynolds and Imada to win the season-one tourney and Bellator title.

Melendez (18-2), has won four of his past five and recently avenged the only two losses of his career (to Thomson and Mitsuhiro Ishida). In his most recent bout, he knocked off Japanese star Shinya Aoki in a CBS-televised title fight.

 

[B-Buzz]

Arlovski: "I'm 15-8 right now and it's horrible."

Back to the drawing board.

It's an old saying, but it stands true in just about any sport. It holds true for Andrei Arlovski, who has now lost three fights in a row dating back to early 2009, and he's working to get back to the form that saw him regarded as one of the best heavyweights in MMA just a few shot years ago, the UFC championship belt around his waist.

The Belarus native faced a tough test against Antonio Silva at Strikeforce: Heavy Artillery on Saturday night, where he struggled in the stand-up game during most of the fight, which has become his strong suit in MMA.

Arlovski will take the brunt of the criticism for his performance, but still needs to figure out what has to change if he's going to get back to the top of the division.

"I feel kind of upset because I put down my trainers. We had a great camp. I don't know, after 11 months (out of action) it's kind of hard to come back, but I think I did okay," said Arlovski. "I took his couple of shots on my chin. I guess I showed the fans my chin's not weak. It was a tough fight. He's tough.

"It just wasn't my night."

The strategy going into the fight was a very specific direction, but the former UFC champion admits he didn’t follow it very well and it cost him in the end.

"The game plan was very simple, straight punches and move to my right. Obviously I didn't do enough," Arlovski said. "I have to do some more combinations, more three, four, five punch combinations"

As Arlovski mentioned he was coming back after a long layoff due to taking a turn in the boxing world, but tasting a trifecta of defeats is enough and he's focused on MMA and MMA only for the immediate future.

"Right now I'm focused on my MMA career because when I took the fight on short notice against Brett Rogers my mind was focused on my pro boxing and as a result he knocked my ass out in less than 20 seconds," said Arlovksi. "Of course I wanted to box, but in MMA I have three losses in a row. I'm 15-8 right now and it's horrible. I just have to train I guess even harder and try to fight even harder."

The game plan for now is get back in the gym, and get back in the Strikeforce cage as soon as possible.

"I feel great. I could fight maybe tomorrow. It's up to Scott Coker," said Arlovski. "I want to fight, fight, fight."

The Strikeforce president commented that Arlovksi would be back "sooner than later," so Arlovski will now work to re-establish himself as a relevant heavyweight in a burgeoning division.

 

[B-Buzz]

 

[B-Buzz]

DREAM.15 Details

Date: July 10, 2010
Venue: Saitama Super Arena

Participants so far:
Aoki
Kawajiri (Probably going to face Aoki for the title)
Kikuno
Mousasi
Overeem
Manhoef

- DREAM.15 will use the ring. No more cage this year after DREAM.14.
- DREAM.15 fights will be announced at DREAM.14.
- LHW tournament will be a mini tourney with 4 men. Champ will be crowned in September.
- DREAM LHW champ may fight SF LHW champ on NYE.
- All weight classes will have a champion by year's end.
- There are plans to hold an event outside of Japan, possibly this year, but definitely next year.
- Minowaman will not be fighting Kimbo at DREAM.14 (not enough time to negotiate)
- Kikuno may be the next DREAM fighter to go fight in SF.
- DREAM is open to inviting SRC (Sengoku) fighters (to participate in DREAM).

 

[Johnny Truelove]

 

[Shogun Locc]

UFC champ Georges St-Pierre: "I fight safe, and I'm not going to hide it"

LOS ANGELES – Georges St-Pierre is grappling with UFC fans' expectations.

St-Pierre, one of MMA's most popular stars and a six-time UFC welterweight champion, said he's frustrated with the reaction to his most recent victory over Dan Hardy at UFC 111.

But the champion is more than willing to meet head-on the critics who say he plays it safe.

"That's true," St-Pierre (20-2 MMA, 15-2 UFC) told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) on Monday evening as he honed his mat moves with jiu-jitsu coach Shawn Williams at a Renzo Gracie Academy school in the Mid-Wilshire district. "I fight safe, and I'm not going to hide it."

St-Pierre, 29, dominated Hardy over five rounds with an impressive display of wrestling that earned him a unanimous decision and fourth consecutive title defense. Former champion Matt Hughes holds the record for consecutive title defenses at welterweight with five.

St-Pierre nearly submitted the challenger on several occasions during the March 27 fight, which took place at Prudential Center in New Jersey. Although he pitched a shutout, the champion is "mad" with himself because he couldn't seal the deal.

"I had some great opportunities, and I made a stupid mistake, and I couldn't seal the deal," St-Pierre said.

But the champ also takes issue with fans who say he wrestles to avoid a real fight.

"I did add some great highlights that people don't even acknowledge," St-Pierre said. "At the end of the third round, for example, the best grappling highlight of my whole career was in (my fight with) Dan Hardy."

The highlight, he said, was when he took Hardy's back, transitioned to a legock and passed guard, all in quick succession.

"That was a beautiful display of jiu-jitsu," St-Pierre said. "People don't even know this because they don't have the knowledge to appreciate what happened. Some do, but a lot of people did not acknowledge what happened."

While St-Pierre is not the only fighter who's lamented an appreciation gap between casual and educated fans in MMA's current growth cycle, he is perhaps the most famous fighter to draw criticism for his style.

The champion has dominated his opponents since he reclaimed the title from Matt Serra at UFC 83, and he's mostly done so with superior skills on the mat. Many fans have wondered if St-Pierre – like the UFC's embattled middleweight champion, Anderson Silva – would benefit from moving up a weight class.

At the box office, St-Pierre is an unqualified draw. The promotion has raked in an estimated 3.9 million pay-per-view buys from the four cards on which he fought, according to industry sources, though the figures are not independently verified. St-Pierre is the only MMA fighter to be represented by Creative Artists Agency, a "big-three" entertainment management firm with an exclusive list of high-profile celebrities. The relationship recently landed him an ad campaign for Gatorade with other mainstream sports athletes.

St-Pierre said a recent calender in which he appears that was catered toward his female fans netted him "a year's worth" of "passive income."

Many have questioned, though, whether the French-Canadian fighter can maintain his fan base with grappling-heavy performances.

St-Pierre said he understands his duty to entertain but expressed dismay at the blame he took for the slow pace of the Hardy fight.

"I watched a fight the another day when (Ronaldo) 'Jacare' (Souza) fought Joey Villasenor," St-Pierre said. "The fight was on the floor almost the entire fight, and [Jacare] couldn't seal the deal, and Jacare is known as the best jiu-jitsu guy on the planet, almost. They don't blame him, but they blame me."

Always the optimist, St-Pierre said he uses criticism to turn in a better performance next time around. He refused, however, to change his style to accommodate fans who want to see him brawl.

"I'm fighting safe," St-Pierre admitted. "Every time I step into the octagon, my life is in jeopardy. For me, it's more important to not get hit than to hit the guy. I will never fight in a way [in which] I fight like I flip a coin.

"I never took risks. The only fight I took a risk was when I fought Matt Serra, and I went in a stupid exchange, and it was not smart. I got caught; Serra beat me fair and square, and he deserved the victory that night. But it taught me a good lesson, and I don't want it to happen again."

St-Pierre said playing it safe also applies to his stand-up skills in a fight.

"When I'm standing up, I hit the guy, (and) I pick my angle, and I'm smart," he said. "I'm not afraid to say it: I'm not a brawler, and I'm not a coward. I'm not going to trade punch one-for-one with a guy. I'm going to hit the guy and not get hit. That's a smart way to fight."

The champion said he's seen many examples of fighters who don't fight smart and have paid the price.

"I'm not going to give names, but if I would tell you names, you would know who's a brawler (and) who's not and who now has a problem with his career because he got hit too much," St-Pierre said. "They can't take a punch anymore."

Next up for St-Pierre is a fifth title defense against Josh Koscheck, whom he defeated nearly three years ago by unanimous decision. The two will soon head to Las Vegas to coach opposing teams on "The Ultimate Fighter 12."

St-Pierre said he wants to knock the fuzzy-haired fighter "out cold," but he won't do so at the expense of his smarts.

"I don't fight like an idiot," St-Pierre said. "That's what defines me. I'm (not the) champion because I'm the strongest guy in the division. It's not because I'm the fastest guy. I'm not the best grappler. I'm not the best striker. I'm not the best wrestler. But why I'm champion is because I fight smart every single fight.

"It's like F-1; you need a good driver and a good car. If you have a very good driver but a bad driver, you're not going to win the race. If you have a very good driver and a bad car, you're not going to win, either. So I have a good car and a good driver, which is even more important."

 

[Shogun Locc]

Strikeforce Challengers 8 medial suspensions: Casey, Voelker out indefinitely

The Oregon State Athletic Commission issued precautionary medical suspensions to all 12 professional fighters from this past weekend's Strikeforce Challengers 8 event, though Kevin Casey and Roger Bowling received indefinite orders pending release from a physician.

MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) recently requested and today received the list of suspensions from the OSAC.

Strikeforce Challengers 8, which aired on Showtime, took place May 21 at the Rose Garden in Portland, Ore.

Casey's extended suspension came following his one-sided TKO loss to veteran Matt Lindland. Casy threatened early with submissions, but he ended up absorbing a vintage Lindland ground-and-pound attack for the remainder of the contest.

Bowling's order came following an unfortunate ending to the contest that saw his opponent's glove graze his eye. While Bowling was ahead on the scorecards at the time and awarded the win, the potential eye injury will require medical clearance before he is allowed to return.

The remainder of the suspensions ranged from 7 to 30 days.

The full list of suspensions included:

* Matt Lindland: suspended 7 days for precautionary reasons
* Kevin Casey: suspended indefinitely pending release by physician; referred to ER and must provide copy of ER release summary
* Tyron Woodley: suspended 7 days for precautionary reasons
* Nate Coy: suspended 7 days for precautionary reasons
* Roger Bowling: suspended indefinitely pending release by physician; referred to ER for injury to right eye
* Bobby Voelker: suspended 30 days for precautionary reasons
* Tarec Saffiedine: suspended 7 days for precautionary reasons
* Nate Moore: suspended 21 days for precautionary reasons
* Pat Healy: suspended 7 days for precautionary reasons
* Bryan Travers: suspended 7 days for precautionary reasons
* Pro Escobedo: suspended 14 days for precautionary reasons
* Jason Sharp: suspended 14 days for precautionary reasons

 

[Shogun Locc]

Strikeforce Challengers 8 fighter salaries: Casey, Woodley lead official paydays

Despite suffering a relatively one-sided TKO loss at the hands of Matt Lindland, Rickson Gracie jiu-jitsu brown belt Kevin Casey proved the "King" of paydays by picking up an event-high $10,000 for his main-event defeat at this past weekend's Strikeforce Challengers 8 event.

MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) recently requested and today received the list of disclosed paydays from the Oregon State Athletic Commission.

The total disclosed payroll for the prospects-driven May 21 event was $56,500.

Strikeforce Challengers 8, which aired on Showtime, took place at the Rose Garden in Portland, Ore.

Other top earners from the card included top welterweight prospect Tyron Woodley ($9,000) and potent Belgian striker Tarec Saffiedine ($8,000), both of whom picked up main-card victories.

Lindland, who defeated Casey, earned an event-low $1,000 official salary. However, it's important to note that the salary figures from the commission do not include any undisclosed bonuses paid by the organization. For instance, Lindland was paid an official $50,000 purse for his December 2009 debut for Strikeforce, and it is highly unlikely "The Law" would sign-off on a 98 percent decrease in salary.

Former Strikeforce light heavyweight champion Gegard Mousasi was compensated in a similarly undisclosed fashion when his Aug. 2009 official fight purse was listed as just $2,000.

The total payout includes:

Matt Lindland: $1,000 (no win bonus)
def. Kevin Casey: $10,000

Tyron Woodley: $9,000 (includes $4,500 win bonus)
def. Nate Coy: $3,000

Roger Bowling: $6,000 (includes $3,000 win bonus)
def. Bobby Voelker: $3,500

Tarec Saffiedine: $8,000 (includes $4,000 win bonus)
def. Nate Moore: $4,000

Pat Healy: $6,000 (includes $3,000 win bonus)
def Bryan Travers: $3,000

Pro Escobedo: $2,000 (includes $1,000 win bonus)
def. Jason Sharp: $1,000

The above figures do not include four amateur bouts that took place on the night's un-aired preliminary card. Amateur fighters are not paid for their performances.

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.

 

[Shogun Locc]

UFC's Bruce Buffer handles announcing duties at June's WEC 49 event in Canada

Veteran UFC announcer Bruce Buffer has been tapped for a return trip to a World Extreme Cagefighting broadcast.

MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) has learned that Buffer has agreed to handle announcing duties at June's "WEC 49: Varner vs. Shalorus" event.

While terms of the deal were not disclosed, Buffer's contract with the WEC does not appear to be long-term in nature at this time and instead applies only to the June event.

Featuring a lightweight matchup between former champion Jamie Varner and rising prospect Kamal Shalorus, WEC 49 takes place June 20 at Rexall Place in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. The night's main card airs on Versus.

Buffer's services were required following the recent departure of former WEC announcer Joe Martinez.

Martinez posted on his Twitter account on May 17 that he had resigned from the position.

"Family, friends and fans – thanks for all of your support," Martinez stated. "I am out as the WEC ring announcer. Family reason that couldn't be compromised."

Martinez later clarified to MMAFighting.com that his contract had not yet been renewed by the WEC past 2010, which led to his decision to step away.

"Golden Boy offered me a deal until 2011 that consists of roughly 98 fights," Martinez said. "When I approached the WEC with that information and asked them, 'What do you guys think?' Basically, they said, 'Well, you know, you have to look out for your family. After 2010, we don't have any guarantee as to what's going to be happening; if we need you, you'll have a contract.'

"With three kids and a baby on the way, I had to look out for my family, and that's the decision I made."

Martinez later told MMADieHards.com, where the former announcer hosts a postcast, that he believes his ties with Golden Boy may have affected his standing with the WEC.

"I was more than willing to work around the possible conflicts," Martinez said. "But another main factor was my work within other areas of combat sports. While I do not feel my association with a Spanish-language boxing production has any crossover, it appears to have been a big issue."

WEC officials were not immediately available for comment when contacted by MMAjunkie.com.

While Buffer certainly won't be a new face to mixed martial arts fans, he will be making his official WEC debut. Buffer also handled announcing duties for April's "Aldo vs. Faber" event, though the WEC identity was removed from the entirety of that broadcast.

Buffer has already served as an announcer on the Versus network when the UFC made its debut on the cable channel in March with UFC on Versus 1.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Friday's "M-1 Selection: Eastern Europe" semifinals stream live on MMAjunkie.com

While the UFC will host a busy Memorial Day weekend with the much-anticipated UFC 114 event and second-ever UFC Fan Expo in Las Vegas, M-1 Global is also working hard to bring MMA entertainment to the masses.

The "M-1 Selection: Eastern Europe" semifinals, featuring 20 fighters (including a handful of potential blue-chip prospects) vying for a shot in this year's M-1 Challenge, takes place at the National Circus of Ukraine in Kiev, Ukraine.

The entire event will stream free on MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) on Friday, May 28, at 12:30 p.m. ET/9:30 a.m. PT.

Among the semifinals' most intriguing matchups are a light heavyweight bout between Alikhan Magomedov (9-0) and Vyacheslav Vasilevsky (10-1) and a middleweight matchup between Magomed Sultanahmedov (12-4) and Dibirov Zagirov (7-1).

The welterweight tournament also features a solid semifinal field with Ramadan Abdulzhalilov (5-1) vs. Shamil Zavurov (13-1) and Magomedrasul Hasbulaev (12-2) meets Arsene Temirkhanov (17-1), while the lightweight bracket is highlighted by a scrap between Karen Grigoryan (20-3-1) and Alexander Sarnavsky (9-0).

The "M-1 Selection" tournament was originally conceived as a competition to find the best Russian fighters to represent Russia in the "M-1 Challenge" events. The success of the "M-1 Selection" in Russia led to its worldwide expansion in 2010.

The "M-1 Selection: Eastern Europe" semifinals are the continuation of a 40-man tournament that kicked off with first-round bouts conducted in Feburary and April.

In 2010, "M-1 Selection" events are taking place in the Americas, Eastern Europe (expanded from its originally announced confinement to Russia), Western Europe and Asia. Forty fighters began the "M-1 Selection" process on each continent in a single-elimination tournament. The winners in each of the five weight classes (heavyweight, light heavyweight, middleweight, welterweight, lightweight) will represent their continent in the "M-1 Challenge."

"M-1 Selection: Eastern Europe" heavyweight grand prix

The heavyweight division semifinals kick off with Arsene Abdulkerim (6-0) facing Red Devil fighter Maksim Grishin (6-4).

The 25-year-old Abdulkerim shocked former judo and sambo national champion Denis Komkin with a first-round knockout in the pair's quarterfinal meeting.

Meanwhile, Grishin – former Russian hand-to-hand combat champion – stunned the favored Gadzhimurad Nurmagomedov in April with a flurry of punches that forced a TKO stoppage just 2:05 into the opening round.

On the other side of the bracket, Alexander Romashchenko (2-0) meets Alexander Volkov (6-1).

The least-experienced semifinalist, Romashchenko also earned the quickest passage into the tournament's second round with a TKO stoppage of Ruslan Stepanyan just 1:50 into their opening-round matchup.

Volkov, a karate stylist and former Moscow Ashihara karate champion, defeated Vitaly Jalovenko with a seond-round TKO due to doctor's stoppage in April. Volkov joins Grishin as one of two Red Devil fighters in the semifinals.

"M-1 Selection: Eastern Europe" heavyweight grand prix

The heavyweight division semifinals kick off with Arsene Abdulkerim (6-0) facing Red Devil fighter Maksim Grishin (6-4).

The 25-year-old Abdulkerim shocked former judo and sambo national champion Denis Komkin with a first-round knockout in the pair's quarterfinal meeting.

Meanwhile, Grishin – former Russian hand-to-hand combat champion – stunned the favored Gadzhimurad Nurmagomedov in April with a flurry of punches that forced a TKO stoppage just 2:05 into the opening round.

On the other side of the bracket, Alexander Romashchenko (2-0) meets Alexander Volkov (6-1).

The least-experienced semifinalist, Romashchenko also earned the quickest passage into the tournament's second round with a TKO stoppage of Ruslan Stepanyan just 1:50 into their opening-round matchup.

Volkov, a karate stylist and former Moscow Ashihara karate champion, defeated Vitaly Jalovenko with a seond-round TKO due to doctor's stoppage in April. Volkov joins Grishin as one of two Red Devil fighters in the semifinals.

"M-1 Selection: Eastern Europe" light heavyweight grand prix

The light heavyweight final four opens with what could prove a grappling-dominated matchup in Rasul Magomedov (6-0) vs. Shamil Tinagadzhiev (4-2).

The undefeated Rasul Magomedov is a six-time M-1 veteran. Magomedov opened his career with three-straight submission wins and has since added three decision victories to that list. Magomedov earned a split-decision over Ilya Malyukov in the tournament's opening round.

Tinagadzhiev booked his trip to the semifinals with a first-round submission via rear-naked choke over Igor Savelyev in February. The four-time M-1 veteran has earned three of his career wins via submission.

The bout marks a rematch of a November 2009 contest won by Magomedov in a unanimous decision.

The other side of the bracket features an intriguing matchup that could leave the victor in the driver's seat for the tournament finals as Alikhan Magomedov (9-0) faces Vyacheslav Vasilevsky (10-1).

The undefeated 25-year-old Alikhan Magomedov is a Russian pankration and hand to hand combat champion. A former middleweight, Magomedov needed just a combined 4:26 to earn three M-1 victories in 2009. Magomedov submitted Ibragim Halilov via rear-naked choke in February to advance to the semifinals.

Facing Magomedov is 21-year-old Vasilevski, a former European and world comat sambo champion. Vasilevski's lone career loss came to recent Bellator season-one participant Daniel Tabera in a 2008 contest. Vasilevski edged out Sergey Guzev via split decision in April to advance to the tournament semifinals.

"M-1 Selection: Eastern Europe" middleweight grand prix

The middleweight semifinal matchups include Magomed Sultanahmedov (12-4) vs. Dibirov Zagirov (7-1) and Alexey Belyaev (8-2) vs. Murad Magomedov (4-2).

The 26-year-old Sultanahmedov carries a five-fight win streak into the matchup – a run that includes three-straight knockout wins. Sultanahmedov has fought under the DREAM and K-1 Hero's banner, and he advanced to the semifinals of this year's M-1 Selection tournament with a third-round stoppage of Pavel Kusch in February.

Meanwhile, Zagirov, a three-time M-1 veteran, is a national champion in combat sambo, boxing and san shou. Zagirov earned a unanimous-decision win over Anatoly Lavrov in February to advance.

Belyaev is an eight-time M-1 veteran. The Action-Force Fight Team competitor has earned half of his career wins via submission, though it was a razor-thin split-decision win over Gasan Imalatov in February that saw him through to the event's semifinal round.

In what was his second fight in a 13-day stretch in February, Magomedov earned a second-round submission via armbar over Ruslan Hashkanov to advance to the semifinals. While Magomedov's record appears a bit pedestrian, his four wins have all come via submission, while his losses have come via split-decision (twice) and a disqualification.

"M-1 Selection: Eastern Europe" welterweight grand prix

The first half of the welterweight semifinals sees Ramadan Abdulzhalilov (5-1) vs. Shamil Zavurov (13-1).

The 22-year-old Abdulzhalilov looks for his second-straight upset after knocking off longtime M-1 veteran Said Khalilov in April. Abdulzhalilov needed just 65 seconds to earn a first-round submission win in the opening-round matchup.

Meanwhile, three-time world combat sambo champion Zavurov booked his date with a second-round TKO win via punches over Radik Iboyan in April. Zavurov is also a former san shou champion in his native Dagestan.

Additionally, Magomedrasul Hasbulaev (12-2) meets Arsene Temirkhanov (17-1) in what should prove an intense affair.

The 25-year-old RusFighters Sport Club product Hasbulaev edged out Rashid Magomedov via split decision in April, while Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt Temirkhanov earned a second-round submission win in his preliminary round matchup.

"M-1 Selection: Eastern Europe" lightweight grand prix

The true class of the entire fight card may lie in the lightweight division as Karen Grigoryan (20-3-1) meets Alexander Sarnavsky (9-0), while Artem Damkovsky (7-3) faces Arsene Ubaidulaev (1-1).

In addition to his mixed martial arts background, Grigoryan also is accomplished in pankration, jiu-jitsu and combat sambo. A six-time M-1 veteran, Grigoryan defeated Magomed Magomedov via submission in the tournament's opening round.

Meanwhile, while just 21 years old, Sarnavsky brings an impressive 9-0 record into the cage. The RusFighters Sport Club fighter has earned nine of the 10 wins via stoppage, including a February submission win via rear-naked choke over Maxim Kuptsov to book his spot in the semifinals.

In the other bracket, Damkovsky earned a unanimous-decision win over Shamil Abdulkerimov in February to advance, while Ubaidulaev also needed the judges to make it past Yuri Saakyan.