MMA News Thread

[Shogun Locc]

UFC 130 takes shape with Edgar-Maynard III, Silva-Stann, Jackson-Silva, Mir-Nelson

Do UFC matchmakers Joe Silva and Sean Shelby ever sleep?

After already booking nearly every major lineup through UFC 129, the duo has set the main card for May's UFC 130 event in Las Vegas.

Headlined by a third fight between UFC lightweight champion Frankie Edgar (13-1-1 MMA, 8-1-1 UFC) and Gray Maynard (10-0-1 MMA, 8-0-1 UFC), the May 28 card also features light heavyweights Quinton "Rampage" Jackson (31-8 MMA, 6-2 UFC) vs. Thiago Silva (15-2 MMA, 6-2 UFC), heavyweights Frank Mir (14-5 MMA, 12-5 UFC) vs. Roy Nelson (15-5 MMA, 2-1 UFC), middleweights Brian Stann (10-3 MMA, 4-2 UFC) vs. Wanderlei Silva (33-10-1 MMA 3-5 UFC), and welterweights Thiago Alves (18-7 MMA, 10-4 UFC) vs. Rick Story (12-3 MMA, 5-1 UFC).

Aside from Stann vs. Silva, MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) previously reported all of the matchups, which recently were signed and made official.

UFC 130 takes place at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. The five above fights likely will comprise the pay-per-view main card.

Edgar and Maynard recently fought in the headliner of UFC 125, where Edgar attempted to defend his belt and avenge the only defeat of his career. Although Maynard jumped out to an early lead with a first-round knockdown, Edgar survived and ultimately took the fight the distance. The bout ended in an anticlimactic draw and prompted officials to book the third meeting.

It'll again serve as an event headliner.

Stann and Silva, meanwhile, seemed on a collision course given the state of the middleweight division. However, the rumored bout recently was thrown into doubt when UFC president Dana White said, perhaps jokingly, that Silva didn't want to fight the fan favorite and have everyone hate him.

But officials went ahead with the booking. Silva looks to build off his decision win over Michael Bisping in early 2010, which followed a rough 1-5 stretch for the former PRIDE champ. Stann, meanwhile, has won four of his past five fights, including a recent TKO win over surging Chris Leben. The former WEC champ recently has stepped up his game under the tutelage of famed trainer Greg Jackson and his stable of fighters.

The latest UFC 130 card now includes:

MAIN CARD

* Champ Frankie Edgar vs. Gray Maynard (for lightweight title)
* Quinton "Rampage" Jackson vs. Thiago Silva
* Wanderlei Silva vs. Brian Stann
* Frank Mir vs. Roy Nelson
* Thiago Alves vs. Rick Story

PRELIMINARY CARD

* Travis Browne vs. Stefan Struve*

 

[Shogun Locc]

Gina Carano Returns To Training at Xtreme Couture on Wednesday

If you’re looking for signs that Gina Carano might be headed back to MMA, Wednesday was a good indicator.

Carano, who has been shooting scenes for Steven Soderbergh’s upcoming film “Haywire”, was spotted at Xtreme Couture on Wednesday working out with boxing coach Gil Martinez.

Xtreme Couture issued a former welcome back to Carano, who had trained with the gym while fighting in Elite XC and Strikeforce before taking a hiatus from the sport to concentrate on her acting career.

Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker has talked about Carano coming back to fighting multiple times, but has yet to have a conversation with her about resuming her MMA career.

While Carano returning to Xtreme Couture is no sure thing that a return to MMA is next, it’s a step in the right direction. Also, according to internet film database IMDB.com, Carano doesn’t have any acting gigs booked beyond her current job filming “Haywire”.

Carano’s return would obviously be a nice boost to Strikeforce’s roster, but in her absence the promotion has continued to thrive, crowning a 135lb women’s champion and starting to bolster a strong women’s roster. Her addition would only add to that talent pool.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Bellator Kicks Off Season 4 on March 5 at the Tachi Palace Hotel & Casino in California

Bellator Fighting Championships will kick off their 4th season on March 5 at the Tachi Palace Hotel & Casino with the live broadcast airing on MTV2 starting at 9pm ET/PT.

MTV made the announcement along with Bellator on Wednesday.

The upstart MMA promotion signed on with MTV2 a few months back to showcase their latest season, which will feature several tournaments once again including light heavyweight, lightweight, featherweight and welterweight brackets.

“With our spectacular partnership with MTV2, MMA fans now have a place to watch Bellator live every Saturday night,” said Bellator CEO Bjorn Rebney. “Our fourth season is absolutely loaded with talent, and I can’t wait to get the action started at Tachi Palace Hotel & Casino when we return to California on March 5.”

Tachi Palace is of course also home to the popular local Tachi Palace Fighting series which takes place at the same location and has showcased a ton of veteran talent as well as homegrown fighters from around the area.

The announcement also states that the season will air in 12 consecutive weekend broadcasts on Saturday night starting with the March 5 show in California. The date does coincide with the Strikeforce broadcast taking place on March 5 as well in Columbus, OH, airing on Showtime.

No bouts have been confirmed for the inaugural Bellator show for March 5, but an announcement could be forthcoming.

 

[Shogun Locc]

UFC 126: KID Yamamoto Calls UFC Debut 'Destiny'

 

[Shogun Locc]

The Tide Has Turned! Tanikawa Tweets

K-1 event producer and FEG representative Sadaharu Tanikawa wrote a couple of interesting tweets not long ago.

“Happy new year. At last the tide has turned. This year I’ll do it~!”

“Thanks for your support. To brush away the bad rumors I’ll do something huge! Even the people who put the blame on K-1 for anything and everything won’t bear a grudge, they won’t say a thing. Because an answer will definitely come.”

 

[Shogun Locc]

Update: Saffiedine-‘Cyborg’ Now Unlikely for ‘Feijao vs. Henderson’

A welterweight scrap between up-and-comer Tarec Saffiedine and recent title challenger Evangelista “Cyborg” Santos (Pictured), which was reportedly being targeted for Strikeforce “Feijao vs. Henderson” on March 5, now appears unlikely.

After multiple sources close to the negotiations confirmed the rumored contest to Sherdog.com, new information gathered Thursday suggests the bout will not take place after all.

The event, which will be headlined by the light heavyweight title affair between champion Rafael “Feijao” Cavalcante and challenger Dan Henderson, will go down from the Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio, and will coincide with the Arnold Classic.

Saffiedine was last seen dropping a hard-fought unanimous decision to fellow prospect Tyron Woodley in the main event of Strikeforce Challengers 13 on Jan. 7. Prior to his loss to Woodley, “Sponge” had earned three straight victories. The Team Quest product is a veteran of both Dream and Shark Fights and owns a 2-1 record inside the Strikeforce cage. Saffiedine owns half of his 10 career victories by submission.

A product of the vaunted Chute Boxe camp, Santos just contended for the welterweight title on Jan. 29, losing by second-round submission to cagey champion Nick Diaz. Though “Cyborg” controlled the early going with powerful kicks to the lead leg of the Cesar Gracie product, Diaz’s accurate boxing proved equally effective. After taking the fight to the floor in round two, Santos was caught in an armbar and submitted with only 10 seconds remaining in the round. Fighting the majority of his career at heavier weights, his title shot against Diaz marked Santos’ second career fight at 170 pounds.

Along with the main event, a women's 135-pound title affair is also official for “Feijao vs. Henderson,” as Marloes Coenen will put her belt on the line against Miesha Tate. Also announced: a middleweight scrap between Tim Kennedy and Luke Rockhold and a lightweight tilt featuring Billy Evangelista and Jorge Masvidal.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Newton Replaces Al-Hassan at MFC 28

Former Maximum Fighting Championship light heavyweight titleholder Emanuel Newton has signed a new contract and will replace an injured Razak Al-Hassan against UFC veteran Rodney Wallace at MFC 28 on Feb. 25.

The event, which will be headlined by a 205-pound title affair between Ryan Jimmo and Dwayne Lewis, will emanate from the River Cree Resort and Casino in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, and will feature a lightweight title scrap pitting Antonio McKee against Drew Fickett.

Though Newton has lost three of his last four bouts, his most recent outing resulted in victory, as he bested the aforementioned Lewis at MFC 25 in May.

“You’re going to see a totally different fighter now, not just physically and mentally but emotionally, too. I’ve got a lot more drive now,” Newton said in a release.

“The Hardcore Kid” recently switched camps from Team Bodyshop to Kings MMA and has reportedly reinvented himself for his upcoming contest.

“I really had to revamp things,” said Newton. “I’ve stopped smoking, drinking, partying. I’m still a young guy, but I’m at an age now in the sport where I want to make some good money, so I need to be clean and I have to be dedicated to training hard. I can’t have a hard night of partying and then not be able to train. I don’t want anything bad in my body. I’m clean, I’m pure and I’m 100 percent.”

Newton, 27, won the light heavyweight title at MFC 19 in 2008, earning a unanimous decision over Roger Hollett. A World Extreme Cagefighting and International Fight League veteran, Newton posted a 10-fight win streak from 2005 to 2008. He holds seven of his 13 career victories by decision.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Look like Melvin Manhoef vs Luke Rockhold is ON for March 5th Strikeforce Card
http://twitter.com/team_manhoef/status/33393922755526657

 

[Shogun Locc]

Ryan Bader Plans to Derail the Jon Jones Hype Train at UFC 126

It wasn’t long ago that Ryan Bader was receiving all the praise as being of the top young prospects in the light heavyweight division after his run to win the eighth season of “The Ultimate Fighter.”

Now, just a few years later, Bader is poised to make a run at the title in 2011, but the hype going into his next fight is focused on his opponent, Jon Jones.

A phenomenal specimen in his young career, Jon Jones has proven to be a tough fighter with enough flash and flare to make everyone ‘ooh and ahh’ when he performs. But while Bader believes Jones is a highly talented fighter, he thinks Jones’ past opponents made a major mistake.

One he has no intention of replicating.

“I think people are fighting him a little scared and going out there and just waiting for him to do something instead of pressing the action,” Bader told MMAWeekly Radio about how people are fighting Jones. “He’s a talented fighter, but I don’t think his boxing’s all that great, he does have decent kicks, I don’t know how much power are on them, he has great takedown defense, so we have our game plan and I’m sure he has his.”

Jones has shown a mix of strengths throughout all of his fights thus far in the UFC. The New York native has faced many different styles during his career with the UFC including wrestlers like Matt Hamill and Vladdy Matyushenko.

Still, Bader doesn’t believe Jones has faced a wrestler like him yet.

“I have heavy hands and I mix that up with my wrestling. I’m not necessarily going to go out there and look to put him down immediately or anything like that,” Bader revealed. “I know he hasn’t been hit too much in his fights. He got hit probably the most in the Jake O’Brien fight, when Jake was just being real tight with him with his boxing, going in for the shot every once in a while, but Jones showed great takedown defense.”

The difference that Bader brings into the fight is legitimate knockout power. Bader has finished a few opponents with his strikes, most notably TKO wins over Keith Jardine and Vinny Magalhaes. The former Arizona State All-American has also beaten past opponents with his stifling takedowns and ground control.

“I have the ability to knock him out or take him down, so he kind of has to respect both,” said Bader.

One of the biggest things that has been talked about heading into the light heavyweight showdown are the creative moves Jon Jones seems to be able to pull off in almost all of his fights. From spinning back elbows to bone-crunching takedowns, Jones is innovative as much as he his talented.

Bader, however, believes that some of that flash could come back to bite him when the two square off on Saturday night in Las Vegas.

“I just feel he leaves a lot of openings when he’s doing that kind of stuff,” Bader said about Jones’ creative moves. “I’ve got some heavy hands and if he’s flying around with his hands down, I could clip him and put him down.”

Whatever the finish is, Bader is happy to walk into UFC 126 as an underdog both on the betting lines and in the hype department when matched up with Jones.

“I’m the underdog in this fight and he has all the hype and everybody behind him saying he’s the next greatest light heavyweight, he’s going to win the championship,” Bader stated. “I plan on going out there and derailing all that hype and taking that with me.”

 

[Shogun Locc]

March 5th Strikeforce! Satoshi Ishii Participating?

Sponichi report that Satoshi Ishii might participate on the Strikeforce March 5th event in Colombus.

Strikeforce are planning to hold an event in Japan on April 10th but since Ishii will participate in a triathlon at Ishigaki Island on April 17th he most likely won’t be able to participate at the Strikeforce Japan event.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Facebook stream secured, Johnson hoping for even more face time following UFC 126

You can tell Demetrious Johnson is new to the UFC because he hasn't quite gotten his Dana White impression down.

First, Johnson makes the UFC president sound like a wiseguy from "The Sopranos." Then he makes him sound like John Wayne. Quite a range.

It could just be that Johnson (8-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC) is just a bad impressionist. Then again, he's got UFC coordinator Burt Watson nailed. Especially since Watson yelled at him for being late to a promo shoot for his first fight inside the octagon against Norifumi "Kid" Yamamoto (18-3 MMA, 0-0 UFC) this Saturday at UFC 126, which takes place at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas.

As long as he isn't doing his impression of "guy knocked out in the first round," he should be fine. While the training didn't change much, it's been an eye-opening experience thus far with the UFC. He can feel the energy surrounding the event. There are more interviews, and everything seems so much more serious. There's a press conference, for Pete's sake.

He'd never been to a pre-fight junket before, even in his days in the WEC, and he didn't know the lights would be so hot. He sat at the podium sweating and cursing himself all the while.

But he also got a look into his opponent's eyes at a staredown afterward for photographers. On tape, Johnson he had seen a bully who fought bloated, underpowered fighters who cut down from the lightweight class and were easy pickings for his bullying style. Then, he saw what happened when Yamamoto faced guys that were suited for the featherweight class in which he used to fight – Masanori Kanehara and Joe Warren – and the result gave him hope.

At the press conference it was hard for Johnson to read much in Yamamoto's eyes other than a fighter happy to be there. But that wasn't what excited him. He was pumped because he could actually see eye-to-eye with his opponent.

"Last time I fought someone the same height, my head kick was really easy to get up there," Johnson today told MMAjunkie.com Radio (www.mmajunkie.com/radio). "It should be nice."

The 33-year-old Yamamoto is making his debut in the new UFC bantamweight class and fighting in the U.S. for the first time in a 10-year career that's seen him reach great heights during the heyday of Japanese MMA. He hasn't fought, though, since this past May, when he knocked out the unheralded Federico Lopez in his 135-pound debut in DREAM.

The 24-year-old Johnson recently ended a stint in the now-defunct WEC with wins over Nick Pace and Damacio Page and has but one blemish on a nine-fight resume. He has less than half the fights of Yamamoto.

Naturally, fans and pundits have focused almost exclusively on the fight as a debut party for the Japanese star. Yet Johnson believes he's going to be the bully on Saturday night.

"It's just part of the sport," Johnson said. "Yamamoto is more famous in America than I am. That's just how it is. The fans have been following him a lot longer, and I'm coming up the ranks. I'm the underdog. I don't mind. I'm not scared of him."

The trick, he said, will be showing his opponent early on who's boss.

"I heard in one of his interviews that he doesn't like to chase," Johnson said. "He doesn't chase people, and he likes to sit there and wait. That's fine because I've fought guys who like to wait for me.

"But I'm like a shark. I'll swim around you all day, just picking. Once I see that blood, I'm going to go in hard. Not just hard, but smart."

Johnson trained for the fight for 13 weeks and didn't tell a soul other than his fiance that he was about to get the biggest opportunity of his career.

Now that it's here, the pressure is on. He's also aware that even if he wins, he may not get the recognition he deserves.

"I could go out there and put on a spectacular show ... and everybody would be like, 'He's not the same. ... If you'd fought him five years ago he would have smashed you,'" Johnson said.

Just getting the opportunity is good enough for now. And since the UFC announced that the fight will be broadcast over the Internet on Facebook, more people will be able to see what he can do. If only he could have gotten the sponsorships to match the extra eyes on the fight. That's another new experience to which he's become acquainted.

"In the UFC, you have to go through a bunch of paperwork and legal issues to get sponsored by people, and there's a deadline," Johnson said. "I had a couple of sponsors, and I was going to be on the prelims, so when everyone heard that we were going to be on Facebook, it was like, 'Aw, wish I would have known that.'"

He's happy, though, that White apparently folded to a Twitter campaign to broadcast the fight.

The way Johnson envisions it, the UFC president was sitting at home, probably smoking a cigar and drinking something boozy, when the bugging finally got to him and he decided to put the fight online.

"I haven't spent a lot of time with Dana White," Johnson laughs.

OK, so his impression is probably way off. White hasn't yet been seen with a stogie, and recent video of him onstage with rapper Snoop Dogg proves nothing about his disposition toward drinking.

Maybe Johnson will get the hang of it someday. He definitely will if he beats Yamamoto.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Riddum Exclusive: Daniel Woirin talks Anderson Silva vs. Vitor Belfort and Lyoto Machida

Riddum.com had a chance to speak with former Anderson Silva, Vitor Belfort and Lyoto Machida Muay Thai coach, Daniel Woirin, who recently moved from Brazil to the USA to join Dan Henderson's Team Quest. The French striking coach talks about Silva vs. Belfort ahead their much anticipated showdown this Saturday at UFC 126.

Riddum.com: Anderson Silva and Vitor Belfort are two of the fastest middleweights out there. Who will have the speed advantage come Saturday night?

Daniel Woirin: Vitor Belfort is more explosive and Anderson Silva is more precise. Speed wise, I would say they are about the same.

Riddum.com: How do you see their fight unfolding and what will be the key to victory for each fighter?

Daniel Woirin: Anderson is taller and has more weapons standing up than Vitor. He will probably work from a long range and try to frustrate Belfort with counters and defensive lateral movement, but also with the clinch in the short range when Belfort reduces the distance.

Vitor has great boxing and he will need to close the distance. He will also need to fight from mid-range and for that, he will have to set up his offenses by utilizing feints in order to avoid Anderson's counters.

If Vitor Belfort wants to win, he will have to provoke Anderson Silva and take risks.

But then again, this is all theory and anything can happen on fight night, especially with fighters of this calibre.

Riddum.com: Anderson Silva was hit cleanly in his last two fights, something we rarely see, and he faced a southpaw both times in Demian Maia and Chael Sonnen. Vitor Belfort is also a southpaw, but a much better boxer than them. Do you think it's a coincidence (the fact that were both able to hit him clean) or is this a flaw in the champion's defense?

Daniel Woirin: I think it's a coincidence. Against Belfort, he will remain a lot more focused because he knows the danger comes from his hands, whereas with Maia and Sonnen he was surprised and didn't expect it.

Riddum.com: Rafael "Feijao" Cavalcante stated that he never saw Belfort beat Silva in training. What are your thoughts about that?

Daniel Woirin: Training is training. We have so many examples of fighters who are good in training but change completely during the fight, and vice-versa. So [Anderson Silva beating Vitor Belfort in training] doesn't mean anything.

Riddum.com: You also coached Lyoto Machida at Black House. You seemed very disappointed by his second performance against Shogun. What did you think of his last fight with Rampage?

Daniel Woirin: The fight was very close, but to win, Machida should have taken more initiative, like he did in the third round. You can win a fight by backpedaling, but you have to remain active. Simply defending is not enough, you need to strike back.

Riddum.com: Who is the most talented fighter you trained and what makes him stand out against your other students?

Daniel Woirin: Definitely Anderson Silva. From every distance, he has a technical solution. He has an amazing technical background with surgical precision, and nature gave him the gift of size and a rock solid mind. He's the best without a question!

Riddum.com: Going back to some of Silva's previous fights - do you think the fact that Anderson wanted to avoid the ground against grapplers of the caliber of Thales Leites and Demian Maia affected his striking ability in these two fights?

Daniel Woirin: Anderson has a very good ground game but it is true that when you face fighters of Thales and Demian's caliber with amazing ground games, it does influence the way you fight and your strategy.

Riddum.com: Jon Jones will fight Ryan Bader this Saturday at UFC 126. What do you think about him?

Daniel Woirin: Jon Jones reminds me of Anderson Silva. He has all the tools to be a champion at 205 lbs.

Riddum.com: Thank you for your time Daniel, always a pleasure.

Daniel Woirin: Thank you. I would like to thank Cyrille Diabaté for his help, Dan Henderson and Heath Sims for the opportunity.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Rockhold Injured; Manhoef-Kennedy Likely for March 5

American Kickboxing Academy prospect Luke Rockhold has been forced to withdraw from his upcoming middleweight clash with Tim Kennedy at Strikeforce “Feijao vs. Henderson” due to a leg injury sustained during training.

A source close to the fighter informed Sherdog.com Thursday afternoon of Rockhold's injury, asserting that it would take two to three weeks to heal. Rockhold has posted pictures of his bruised leg and foot on Twitter.

Sherdog.com also learned Thursday from an additional source that Strikeforce is hoping to fill the void left by Rockhold with Dutch striker Melvin Manhoef. This marks the third opponent Kennedy has been speculated to face on March 5. It is currently unknown if bout agreements are in place for the matchup.

Kennedy was initially rumored to meet Jason “Mayhem” Miller in a rubber match at the event, but his opponent was officially announced as Rockhold earlier this week. A member of the United States Army, Kennedy began his professional career in 2001, amassing a 9-2 record before joining Strikeforce in 2009.

Since signing with the promotion, Kennedy has only been beaten once, losing his most recent contest to Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza in a five-round middleweight title tilt at Strikeforce “Houston” in August. Aside from besting Miller in their first matchup in 2003, Kennedy has also notched wins over Zak Cummings, Nick Thompson and Trevor Prangley, respectively.

The event, which will be headlined by the titular light heavyweight title clash between champion Rafael “Feijao” Cavalcante and Dan Henderson, will go down at the Nationwide Arena in Columbus, Ohio, and will coincide with the Arnold Classic.

Manhoef tweeted that he would be participating in the event on Thursday morning, but the Dutchman did not specify an opponent. MMA Junkie first reported the Kennedy-Manhoef bout this afternoon.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Against UFC Newcomer, Pierce May Showcase Striking


Mike Pierce wanted to fight Thiago Alves. A matchup against the former title challenger would have given Pierce a chance to catapult himself into contention.

Instead he’ll meet Octagon newcomer Kenny Robertson on Saturday at UFC 126. Although the matchup won’t push Pierce into the title hunt, he does think it could give him the opportunity to showcase his striking ability.

“If this guy presents more opportunities on the feet, I think that might be where I go,” Pierce said recently during a “Savage Dog Show” interview on the Sherdog Radio Network. “But I’m comfortable going anywhere. My thing is kind of ground-and-pound and taking people down, but I like to showcase other things too.”

Most recently Robertson submitted John Kolosci with a keylock in August at Bellator Fighting Championships 25. His record shows multiple finishes via submission but also stoppages on strikes. Pierce said he’s seen footage of Robertson’s last three fights.

“He does a little of everything,” Pierce said. “He does a little standup. He likes to get things on the ground and then works submissions, from what I can tell. I’ve seen enough to know what I need to know.”

While Robertson will be making his UFC debut, the fight will be Pierce’s fourth in the Octagon. He is 3-1 in the UFC with his only loss coming via unanimous decision to Jon Fitch. After armbarring Amilcar Alves in August, Pierce was hoping for a high-profile opponent.

“I was hoping for somebody that had been around a little bit longer and had a couple of fights in the UFC,” Pierce said. “But at the end of the day, if you win, you get paid well. That’s what my job is to do: go out there and put on a show and win. I don’t really care who they match me up with.”

With that said, though, Pierce had requested a matchup with Thiago Alves.

“For one, he notoriously doesn’t do that well against wrestlers,” Pierce explained. “And … I just really don’t like guys that can’t make weight. That was another reason why.”

Alves will be fighting Rick Story next, though, and Pierce has Robertson in front of him on Saturday. Although Pierce typically prefers a less than flashy ground-and-pound approach, he plans on delivering an entertaining performance.

“I think he’s going to be another [notch] on the belt,” Pierce said. “I want to go out there and put on a show and finish this guy. Hopefully after that I can start getting some guys with a little more experience inside the Octagon and start working my way up the ranks. That’s what I’m going to be looking to do after this fight.”

 

[$migg Cant Rap]

Look like Melvin Manhoef vs Luke Rockhold is ON for March 5th Strikeforce Card
http://twitter.com/team_manhoef/status/33393922755526657

fuck yeah, i hope so.

they need to bring manhoef & zaromskis back to main-card status in strikeforce. i feel like they both still have alot of potential, & just happened to run into a streak of bad "luck" recently.

manhoef was whoopin the shit out of lawler until he got caught. point blank, lawler has that 1 hit KO power, & he's lucky he was able to land it in that fight. the mizuno loss was pretty bad though.

zaromskis last losses were nick diaz (you cant blaim him there) & cyborg, whose striking power is no joke. i discount the NC with spirit wolf because i felt like SW probably could have continued if he wanted. i just think he didnt want it. after that, i wasnt impressed by the win over sakuraba. cauliflower ear. nuff said.

both are extremely exciting fighters to watch though. i know it would never happen because of weight classes, but i wish i could see them square off against eachother.

 

[B-Buzz]

I just want to see Cung Le vs Manhoef.
And here's the best highlight ever if anyone hasn't seen it in the past week

 

[$migg Cant Rap]

man, manhoef/cung le would be some epic dream fight shit for me, at the moment. & that was one of the best highlight vids i've seen in a long time. i suggest any mma/ufc fan unfamiliar with melvin watch that vid immediately. that shit makes me wanna punch the 1st person i see, i dont know about you..

 

[Shogun Locc]

Thanks to Firas Zahabi, UFC 126's Miguel Torres ditches "guts and glory" brawling

Miguel Torres still is signing the praises of trainer Firas Zahabi eight months after he packed up his things and went to work with him at Tristar Gym in Montreal.

Torres, a former WEC bantamweight champion, said it took but 15 minutes for Zahabi to win him over, and the trainer has influenced not only his fighting philosophies but his personal ones, as well.

But fighting is what he's here to do, and Torres (38-3 MMA, 0-0 UFC) said the most important of Zahabi's contributions is the idea that he doesn't need a barnburner every time he fights. He can be smart, and that's going to play heavily into his favor when he meets Antonio Banuelos (18-6 MMA, 0-0 UFC) Saturday at UFC 126.

The bantamweights meet on the first televised fight of the pay-per-view main card, which takes place at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas. Both make their octagon debuts after long stints in the now-defunct WEC.

Torres sought out Zahabi after a two-fight skid that saw him lose his WEC belt. He primarily had been training himself at his gym in Hammond, Ind., and with the demands of teaching and fatherhood, it made it difficult for him to travel. In his early career, he had sought out new gyms around the country. But responsibilities had tied him down.

"I knew what I knew, and it was working," he said. "Nobody was beating me, so I didn't think about it. I lost."

Torres feels he's seen the light now under Zahabi. There may have been a time when he would've charged into the ring looking to go punch for punch with Banuelos, a scrappy fighter from Chuck Liddell's home, "The Pit." But those days are over.

"When I trained myself, it was all guts and glory," Torres told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) during an open workout in support of Saturday's event. "Go out there and represent who I am and where I'm from, and to leave everything on the line. That's how I fought.

"It worked for a while, but then with the media and the power of tape, everyone [realized] my mindset and ... how I do what I do. Before, it was easy because you would hear about me, but you wouldn't see me. Everybody got to see me and take me apart. With Firas, it's more of a calculated, strategic approach to make my strengths my strengths. Don't fight somebody at their strengths."

Like his Mohawked friend, Banuelos likes to stand and trade, and seven of his eight wins come via knockout. His fights have lengthened as the competition has gotten stiffer in lighter weight classes, but he's still a guy who won't shy away from a firefight.

Could Torres be drawn into that?

"If he clips me, I'm going to look for a counter shot, and I'm going to get out right away," the former champ said. "I worked a lot of my footwork and my movement, and calculating my distances. For him to come in, he's going to take a lot of punishment, and if he does clip me, he's going to get hurt, too. So I'm not worried about that."

Don't get him wrong, though. There have been days at the gym when he longed for guts and glory.

"I really miss it," Torres said. "I get on the outside, and I'm picking a guy apart, and I want to go to war. I'm used to getting hit and hitting back, and when I don't get hit, I get frustrated.

"But Firas' system works perfect. If you look at the model that Georges St-Pierre (provided) ... it works very well. I'm looking to be smart and healthy. The more healthy I can stay, the more I can fight."

And the more he can fight, the faster he can get to the top.

"Hopefully, by the end of the year, I'll get a title shot," Torres said. "But I'm not even looking at that right now. I'm looking at Antonio Banuelos and doing what I got to do with him."

 

[Shogun Locc]

UFC 126's Ryan Bader: It's going to feel good "to prove a lot of people wrong"

Ryan Bader is well aware of his perceived underdog status to UFC 126 opponent Jon Jones.

Jones, of course, is one of the fastest-rising prospects in recent UFC history, and the hype has comes from all sides – fans, media and even his fellow fighters.

Bader, though, said it's just going to make his eventual victory over Jones all the sweeter.

Bader (12-0 MMA, 5-0 UFC) and Jones (11-1 MMA, 5-1 UFC) meet in a pivotal bout at UFC 126, which takes place Saturday at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas. The light-heavyweight matchup is one of five that airs live on pay-per-view.

Additionally, depending on how two other marquee 205-pound matchups shake out – a UFC 126 co-headliner of Rich Franklin vs. Forrest Griffin and UFC 130's Quinton "Rampage" Jackson vs. Thiago Silva – a potential title shot could be on the line for Bader and Jones.

So with doubters abound, Bader quietly readies for a victory he and only a few others expect.

"It's going to feel good to prove a lot of people wrong and go out there and beat him," he said Thursday.

Bader, who joined the UFC after winning "The Ultimate Fighter 8," knows why people are interested in the fight. Despite taking third billing on Saturday's card, it's undoubtedly one of the most intriguing matchups at the sold-out Super Bowl weekend blockbuster. It's the exact type of fight you'd rarely see in boxing: two heavily touted prospects who've never experienced a legitimate loss and still a year or two away from their prime.

While the loser can work his way back to title contention, someone's hype train is getting derailed.

But Bader understands the booking.

"It would have been cool if we would have met later down the road, but this is a fight that fans wanted to see, and we're both two young guys bound to be on a collision source, and here we are," he said.

Bader most recently knocked off notable Antonio Rogerio Nogueira at UFC 119, and few fighters have offered much of a challenge before that. He gets better with every fight. His striking skills quickly are catching up with his accomplished amateur-wrestling credentials.

Quite frankly, he's a grinder. But a damn good one at that.

Still, it's not enough for many pundits.

"The media and the fans have pretty much written me off altogether in this fight," he said. "[Jones] has rolled through people. I'm undefeated, but he's been doing it in devastating fashion and taking people out in the first round. He's flashy and dynamic, and people love to see it. We're pretty much opposite fighters."

Jones may have the pizazz, but Bader said he's got some tools to compete with him.

"I've got power in my hands, good wrestling, and I definitely have worked on some new stuff I'm going to let loose in this fight," he said. "I used to fight on instinct and in tunnel vision, but I opened up more. Every fight, I feel better and better and better."

Bader, though, completely understands the fascination with Jones. He's a human highlight reel, and even proven veterans apparently have balked at the prospect of fighting Jones.

Where they see trouble, Bader sees opportunity.

"I think he's an exciting fighter, very dynamic, brings lot of stuff, and I respect him as a fighter and a person," he said. "But it just gives me more motivation to go out there and beat him and move up."

 

[Shogun Locc]

Champion Zoila Frausto likely to meet Karina Hallinan in Bellator 35 non-title fight

Bellator Fighting Championships' 115-pound champion Zoila Frausto (10-1 MMA, 4-0 BFC) likely will meet Karina Hallinan (3-4 MMA, 0-0 BFC) at next month's Bellator 35 event.

A source close to the negotiations told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) verbal agreements are in place for the non-title fight, though bout agreements have not been signed.

Bellator 35, which kicks off the organization's fourth season, takes place March 5.

The Tachi Palace Hotel and Casino in Lemoore, Calif., plays host. The California venue also is home to Tachi Palace Fights, which will assist in booking the night's preliminary card.

The bout actually marks a rematch of Frausto's first-ever pro fight. Back in early 2009, she scored a close split-decision win over Hallinan at a regional show in California.

In 2010 Frausto won Bellator's season-three women's tourney, which also made her the organization's first female champion. Her tourney run, which only came about after she upset Rosi Sexton in a season-two fight and took her spot in the eight-woman field, included decision wins over Jessica Pene and Jessica Aguilar. She then scored a major split-decision upset of then-undefeated Megumi Fujii (22-0) in the finale.

Frausto, who also twice competed under the Strikeforce banner (and suffered her only career defeat to upcoming title challenger Miesha Tate), now has won five straight fights.

Hallinan, who also made her pro debut in that close 2009 loss to Frausto, won three of her next four pro fights, and the lone loss came to notable Carla Esparza. The former Team Quest fighter and current Greg Jackson-trained competitor recently suffered back-to-back submission losses in the New Mexico-based Evolution Combat Sports Championship organization.