MMA News Thread

[Shogun Locc]

Welterweight champ Nick Diaz at ready for April 9 Strikeforce event

Strikeforce welterweight champion Nick Diaz could defend his title a third time on short notice at an as-yet-unannounced event planned for April 9, though it's far too early to call it a done deal.

Diaz (24-7 MMA, 5-0 SF) has been told to be ready for a fight on that date, according to manager Cesar Gracie, but has yet to receive an opponent.

"We don't have anybody that's set," Gracie today told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com).

A report Monday on Sherdog.com said Paul Daley (26-9-2, MMA, 2-0 SF) and Tyron Woodley (8-0 MMA, 6-0 SF) are under consideration to vie for Diaz's belt, as the second quarterfinal matchups of the Strikeforce heavyweight grand prix will presumably be pushed to a later date.

Daley, though, is mere days away from a title fight overseas at BAMMA 5 against Yuya Shirai and would have but six weeks to prepare for Diaz.

"We'd love to fight Diaz; it's our goal this year to be the first U.K. fighter ever to bring back a major U.S. title," Daley's manager, Wad Alameddine, told MMAjunkie.com. "But right now the focus is Shirai. He's very tough and a skillful opponent, so we need to get past him on Saturday before we start looking at Diaz."

Woodley this past month told MMAjunkie.com that he'd welcome a fight with Diaz, though he could not be reached for comment about a potential short-notice opportunity.

"Diaz, I don't even he would try to stop me from getting him to his back because of his extensive jiu-jitsu background," he said.

However, his manager Sam Spira said today that an Apr. 9 fight "hasn't been offered."

"Besides, [Woodley's wife] just had a baby this morning," Spira added.

Gracie said Diaz is currently training and is ready for any opponent that materializes.

As of late, the April 9 event has yet to receive a city or venue. A report earlier this month in the Los Angeles Times said Georgia, Missouri, Oklahoma and Texas were under consideration to host the show, though recent rumors have pointed toward California as the event's home, possibly in Oakland.

Additionally, a lightweight matchup between Strikeforce lightweight champion Gilbert Melendez and Tatsuya Kawajiri has been rumored for the event, though Strikeforce has yet to make official confirmation.

Representatives for the California-based promotion could not be reached today, and CEO Scott Coker is currently battling the flu. A representative for Strikeforce broadcast partner Showtime today deflected questions about the April 9 event and the possible tournament delay.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Cub Swanson out at UFC on Versus 3, promotion seeking new opponent for Erik Koch

Perennial featherweight contender Cub Swanson (15-4 MMA, 0-0 UFC) will have to wait to make his octagon debut.

MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) has learned from sources close to the promotion that Swanson suffered an undisclosed injury and training and has been forced to withdraw from a planned UFC on Versus 3 bout with Erik Koch (11-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC).

With the majority of the promotion's 145-pound fighters already booked for fights, UFC officials are currently seeking a featherweight to take the matchup on short notice.

Featuring a headliner between perennial welterweight contenders Martin Kampmann and Diego Sanchez, "UFC on Versus 3: Sanchez vs. Kampmann" takes place March 3 at KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, Ky.

Swanson had hoped to build on the strength of a November split-decision win over Mackens Semerzier at WEC 52. Swanson finished his WEC run with a respectable 5-3 record that including an impressive three "Fight of the Night" bonus checks.

A timetable for Swanson's return has yet to be established.

Meanwhile, the 22-year-old Koch also hopes to make his octagon debut. The Roufusport-trained fighter compiled a 3-1 record under the WEC banner that includes a "Knockout of the Night" win over Francisco Rivera in November in the featherweight's final bout for the recently-merged promotion.

Koch debuted for the WEC in December 2009 with a win over Jameel Massouh. He returned in March of 2010 where he suffered a decision loss to Chad Mendes. The bout remains the lone defeat of Koch's career.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Inside the mind of Jon “Bones” Jones as he prepares for his first UFC title shot

It has been nothing short of a meteoric rise for 23-year-old Jon “Bones” Jones. It is a success he earned though, by delivering exciting beatdowns upon quality opponents.

Following his second round domination of the previously undefeated Ryan Bader at UFC 126, Jones was asked to replace his injured teammate, Rashad Evans, in a March 19 light heavyweight title bout against defending champion Mauricio “Shogun” Rua at UFC 128 in New Jersey.

It would only give him about six weeks to prepare for the biggest fight of his life, but with the blessings of Evans and his coaches, he jumped at the chance.

Jones was a guest this past week on Sports Radio 560 WNSR’s Afternoon Press Box to talk about his recent win over Bader and his upcoming title fight against one of MMA’s most respected and dangerous veterans.

The young fighter began by explaining what it felt like when he first realized he was getting a title shot.

“It was phenomenal. I was just so excited,” said Jones. “My dream is to become the light heavyweight champion of the world. You know, I didn’t expect it to come this fast, but I just can’t be afraid of it. There’s a quote that I love that says, ‘Our biggest fear is not that we’re inadequate, but that we’re powerful beyond measure.’ So, I’ve been listening to that a lot and I’m just ready to be powerful and do something great, and I’m excited. Now I’m just playing the waiting game.”

Jones made his UFC debut in Aug. 2008. Now two-and-a-half years and seven opponents later he is at the top of the heap. He spoke about the journey.

“You know, it’s been tough, but it’s what I asked for,” said Jones. “I’ve just been training really hard and when I joined the sport I expected it and my plans were to just try and be the best at it and I just feel like it’s all coming to pass now. It’s been a short journey but also a very long one and I’m just excited to be where I’m at now.”

If Jones reminds you of another top UFC fighter, that is because he has tried to model himself after the man most experts consider the world’s number one fighter, Anderson Silva. He explains why he was drawn to “The Spider.”

“You know, he’s long and rangy, he’s not very muscular or physically dominant,” said Jones. “So he’s a guy that had to use his wit and use his intelligence to get by in a lot of ways, and that’s been me. Being a wrestler, I was always tall and skinny. And wrestling is a short stocky man’s sport, and I’ve always had to use my mind to get the edge. And now in MMA I’m still doing the same thing, using my mind and finesse.”

And because Jones understands just how good “The Spider” is, he does not believe Steven Seagal taught him the front kick he used to knock out Vitor Belfort in the UFC 126 main event. He is not buying it.

“I thought that was hilarious,” said Jones. “I mean, it doesn’t really take a Grand Master to teach a guy like Anderson Silva a basic front kick to the face. But you know, hats off to Steven. I’m sure it doesn’t hurt his career at all to be in Anderson Silva’s corner.”

Jones has had a lot of success and a lot of hype and attention thrown upon him. It could certainly overwhelm a lot of 23-year-olds. He explained how he has been able to deal with it.

“I just put in extra effort into the mind and things like that, a lot of sports psychology, a lot of meditation, a lot of religion, things like that, ” said Jones. “It all helps me out and I feel it makes me who I am and it’s working. I feel like I’m doing good with all the pressure that comes along with this and the anxiety of stepping into the Octagon and expectations and all types of things. So yeah, just focus on the power of the mind, it really helps me get through my days.”

Some people are a little concerned Jones may not have adequate time to prepare for someone like “Shogun”. After all, when Jones steps in the cage on March 19, he will have had just over a month to get ready for the dangerous veteran.

“I think everything happens for a reason and I feel like it’s my time and it couldn’t happen any better,” Jones explained. “I’m already in really great shape physically, mentally and spiritually and now I just have six more weeks to peak the beast even more. Normally I spend the first two weeks of a training camp, out of the six, getting physically fit and this time I’m going into the camp with a full tank of gas and very strong and things like that so now I just have to get the mental side even more sharp as far as preparing for a different animal.”

Anyone who spends any amount of time listening to Jon Jones knows that the mental game is a very important aspect of who he is and how he approaches fighting. He lets us in on one of his secrets.

“If you look really closely at my past fights, I never actually look into the guy’s eyes. Nor do I do it at weigh-ins,” said Jones. “At weigh-ins normally I just look off into the audience and it kind of plays a little mind game on my opponents a lot of times. They don’t really know how to react to that. As far as when I’m in the Octagon, I’m always looking at the opponent’s body when I’m standing there. I’m big on not fighting an opponent’s name, his credentials, his past fights, his face. I fight the body and when I’m standing across and I’m looking at his body, I’m really just humanizing the guy, and looking at imperfection in his physique or… You know there’s a quote that says, ‘If a guy looks soft in the mid-section, usually he is soft in the mid-section.’ So I’m just humanizing the opponent. That’s what I’m doing. For Ryan Bader it wasn’t that easy though because I’m staring at the guy’s body and the guy’s built like an NFL linebacker, but yeah I’m just excited when I’m out there and getting ready to fight the human.”

When Jones fought Bader, people were amazed at how easily he handled the strong wrestler. But Jones does not really believe it was because he was that much physically stronger, once again, it goes back to the mind.

“Physically I don’t think I had much of a strength advantage. I think I took away his mental strength,” explained Jones. “Like right away, Bader being a wrestler and normally banking on the ability that he can take most people down, we figured that if we took Bader down right away in the first round it would really mess with his mental game. And starting off the first 30 seconds of a fight defending a north-south choke when you’re used to being in the dominance right away, I think that messed with his mind. And once his mind became weak, that made him seem physically weak.”

Rashad Evans has made the statement that he would not want to fight Jones because they are teammates and friends. He has even talked about changing weight classes to avoid the situation should Jones defeat Rua. Jones feels the same way but also clarified he would not want to lose his job over it.

“No. I wouldn’t like to. Rashad’s a dear friend and training partner,” said Jones. “He knows a lot about my style, a lot about my weaknesses. Same, I know a lot about his weaknesses and his style as well. And I just wouldn’t ever want to fight Rashad. Obviously, me nor Rashad would want to get fired over the situation, but if we had the choice we would never take the fight. The only way we could possibly fight is through extreme measures.”

Jones talked about what would happen if they were forced to fight, the rift it would cause in their camp and why it is such a bad idea from his point of view.

“It could be very awkward. There are not too many men in the world that I have tons in common with,” explained Jones. “Like me and Rashad, we have tons in common. We’re both fathers, we’re both elite warriors, we both like to sing and have fun. We just have so much in common. We really have a great chemistry. It would just suck. Think about the training staff. We have the same exact nutritionist, physical fitness coaches, striking coaches, strategists. I mean whose side would they take if we have to fight. … It would just cause a lot of awkwardness within our own camp. I look at our camp more like a family than a camp so it would just be weird. It would be like slapping your brother.”

Jones belongs to a family of athletes. One of his brothers plays football for the Baltimore Ravens and his younger brother plays for Syracuse. So what made Jones turn to MMA instead of continuing on with football like his brothers?

“On the football field it took a lot of physical attributes like size and speed and strength and agility and I really wasn’t the most athletic and coordinated in high school,” Jones explained. “I was always good at combat sports and things where I could just use my body despite the size and frame. So I took to wrestling. I was a 170-pound guy so I was really tall and skinny and it just wasn’t a football frame. With wrestling I could always succeed with hard work. My coaches always told me wrestling would be a way I could get a college education and sure enough, it came to pass.”

In fact, Jones is not even really a fan of football. He said he understands the game and played it throughout high school, but was not a starter and it just was not his niche.

He does support his brothers though and watches them play when he can.

“Oh yeah. I watch my little brother at Syracuse mainly,” Jones said. “My older brother, he’s in his rookie season at the Ravens. He has two Pro Bowlers in front of him so he doesn’t actually get on to the field too often.”

 

[Shogun Locc]

Rivera: I Knew Bisping Would Bite

Jorge Rivera believes Michael Bisping took the bait.

They square off Feb. 27 on the UFC 127 main card in Sydney, Australia. It’s a matchup Rivera requested, and he admits to talking some trash to make sure he got it.

“Honestly, when we asked for the fight, the people at the UFC were like, ‘He might not take it. His camp might not take it,’” Rivera said recently during a “Savage Dog Show” interview on the Sherdog Radio Network. “I was like, ‘Don’t worry about it. I’ll make sure he’ll take it.’ I knew he was going to bite. He took the fight and then I knew he was going to keep on talking.”

The banter has continued on both sides as the fight approaches. Even though Rivera lacks Bisping’s experience when it comes to smack talk, he appears to be handling himself adequately.

“He’s not getting in my head at all,” Rivera said. “I don’t care what he says, at the end of the day we have to get in there and fight. Whether he says nothing or if he talks all the way to the cage, I could care less. That’s not going to stop me from trying to finish him. I’m having fun with it, to be honest with you.”

Rivera fought for nearly a decade without engaging in the types of exchanges he’s had with Bisping. It’s a calculated change.

“I watch guys like Chael Sonnen, who was basically going through the same thing,” Rivera said. “He was a good fighter not getting the notoriety that he wanted. He starts talking a little bit, and the whole world starts watching. I’m thinking to myself, that’s the one thing that I feel MMA can learn from boxing. We have to be able to get people to want to watch this fight. Nobody wants to watch something more than two people who don’t like each other.”

Rivera’s strategy has paid off so far. His bout with Bisping will be the co-headliner at UFC 127.

“This is how I make my living,” Rivera said. “Yeah, I want to be known. Yeah, I want to have exciting fights. Yeah, I’m going to bring it every single time. I want to be recognized for that. So let me hype it up a little bit and watch me deliver on it.”

The time to deliver is approaching. Despite the prefight chatter, Rivera credits Bisping as a tough opponent with great cardio. A win over a quality middleweight like the Brit would likely be Rivera’s biggest in the UFC, and it would make for a fourth straight victorious performance.

“It’s going to be all gravy,” Rivera said of what a win would do for his career. “I’m looking forward to that.”

 

[Shogun Locc]

The Fated Rematch! Inoue Vs. Kawahara 2 Announced

A Bantamweight King Of Pancrase title fight has been announced for the May 3rd Pancrase event at Differ Ariake in Tokyo, Japan.

Champion Manabu Inoue will rematch “Saint” Seiya Kawahara. Inoue was last eliminated from the SRC Bantamweight Asia Tournament while Kawahara recently made a successful return from an injury. The two met for the first time a little over 2 years ago in the first ever Bantamweight King Of Pancrase title fight.

Announced as participants for the event were Light Heavyweight King Of Pancrase Ryo Kawamura and Welterweight Masahiro Toryu.

 

[Shogun Locc]

'Barao' and Johnson Expected to Meet at UFC's TUF 13 Finale

Two of the UFC’s most exciting 135-pound prospects are set to collide, as “Mighty Mouse” Demetrious Johnson and once-beaten Brazilian Renan “Barao” Pegado have agreed to square off at the UFC’s “Ultimate Fighter 13 Finale” on June 4 in Las Vegas at the The Pearl at the Palms Casino Resort.

Sherdog.com confirmed the match-up with a source close to the fight on Thursday.

The 24-year-old Johnson notched the biggest win of his career in his Feb. 5 UFC debut, dominating Japanese star Norifumi "Kid" Yamamoto in a one-sided unanimous decision at UFC 126. Prior to entering the Octagon, the Matt Hume pupil scored back-to-back wins in World Extreme Cagefighting, besting Damacio Page and Nick Pace. The lone defeat on Johnson’s 9-1 ledger came at the hands of Brad Pickett in his April 2010 WEC debut.

A product of Nova Uniao and the son of boxing trainer Netinho Pegado, Barao has amassed an impressive record of 25-1 since beginning his career in 2005 at age 18. After nearly two dozen victories on the Brazilian circuit, the Natal-born Pegado signed with WEC in 2010 and promptly ran off submission wins against Anthony Leone and Chris Cariaso. Pegado enters his bout with Johnson on a 15-fight win streak, with 10 of those wins coming by way of stoppage.

Though contracts have not been signed, the source confirmed to Sherdog.com that both parties had agreed to the fight and bout agreements would be distributed soon.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Bellator Featherweight Quarterfinals Begin March 19

Bellator Fighting Championships will kick off its Season 4 featherweight tournament on March 19, with all four quarterfinal matchups being contested at the Lucky Star Casino in Concho, Okla.

Sherdog.com has learned from sources close to the event that Georgi Karakhanyan (Pictured) will meet Patricio “Pitbull” Freire, while Zac George takes on Wilson Reis. Rounding out the quarterfinals will be bouts pitting Eric Larkin against Kenny Foster and Daniel Straus against Nazareno Malegarie. The event will air live on MTV2.

Karakhanyan competed in Bellator’s Season 2 tournament, falling to eventual champion Joe Warren in the semis after knocking out Bao Quach in the first round. Prior to his defeat to Warren in 2010, the 25-year-old had lost only once over his three-year professional career. A brown belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu Karakhanyan owns eight of his 14 career victories by submission.

Only 23 years old, Freire has finished 11 of his 14 victims. Like his opponent, the Brazilian also competed in the Season 2 draw, outpointing the aforementioned Reis in the semifinals before losing to Warren in the final.

George has won six straight contests leading up to his Bellator debut. The Team Quest product is a veteran of the defunct International Fight League and has finished 17 of his 20 career victims by either knockout or submission.

EliteXC’s first and last bantamweight champ, Reis is a veteran of both of Bellator’s previous 145-pound tournaments. In Season 1, he fell to Joe Soto in the championship round; the Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt lost to Freire in the semis of Season 2. Most recently, Reis earned a split decision victory over Deividas Taurosevicius at Bellator 33 in October.

Larkin is undefeated in his nascent professional career. Most recently, the 2003 NCAA Div. I wrestling champion netted himself a successful Bellator debut by submitting Marcus Andrusia in September. A product of Team Bombsquad, Foster has won seven of his last eight outings. “The Tooth Fairy” made his promotional debut at Bellator 33, earning a unanimous decision over Lester Caslow.

Straus rides a 10-fight winning streak heading into the tournament, most recently outpointing former WEC standout Karen Darabedyan at Shark Fights 13 in September. Malegerie is undefeated in 19 professional outings, racking up 12 submission victories in his three-year career. The Brazilian fought five times in 2010, finishing all but one of his foes in that span.

The champion of the featherweight draw will be awarded $100,000 in total pay and a shot at Bellator’s reigning 145-pound king -- Warren. Bellator will also hold tournaments in the lightweight, welterweight and light heavyweight divisions during Season 4.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Alexander-Irvin Rematch Ticketed for Shark Fights 14

Their first encounter lasted all of eight seconds.

UFC exiles Houston Alexander and James Irvin will meet for a second time in a featured light heavyweight tilt at Shark Fights 14 on March 11 at the Fair Park Coliseum in Lubbock, Texas. Alexander on Thursday announced the rematch via Twitter. Irvin knocked out “The Assassin” with a Superman punch at UFC Fight Night 13 in April 2008.

Alexander (Pictured), who turns 39 next month, will carry a two-fight winning streak into the rematch. He last appeared at Shark Fights 13 in September, when he stopped Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou on second-round punches at the Amarillo Civic Center in Amarillo, Texas. An East St. Louis, Ill., native, Alexander burst on the scene in 2007 with consecutive first-round finishes over Jackson’s Mixed Martial Arts representative Keith Jardine and American Top Team’s Alessio Sakara. However, he lost each of his next four UFC fights and was cut by the promotion following his unanimous decision defeat to Kevin “Kimbo Slice” Ferguson at “The Ultimate Fighter 10” Finale in December 2009.

A former WEC heavyweight champion, Irvin has not competed since Jan. 29, when his illegal knee on Mike Crisman resulted in a no contest under the Gladiator Challenge banner at the Elko Indian Colony Gymnasium in Elko, Nev. The 32-year-old Huntington Beach, Calif., native owns notable victories over UFC veteran Terry Martin, current Strikeforce mainstay Scott Smith and one-time WEC light heavyweight champion Doug Marshall. Irvin has secured 11 of his 15 career wins by knockout or technical knockout.

A middleweight matchup pitting former International Fight League champion Matt Horwich with American Top Team’s Danillo Villefort will headline Shark Fights 14.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Top Brazilian 205'ers Teixeira, Inocente To Meet at Shooto Brazil 22

Two of Brazil's best light heavyweights are on a collision course, but not at 205 pounds.

Shooto Brazil promoter Andre Pederneiras told Sherdog.com on Thursday that the promotion's April 1 card in the nation's capital, Brasilia, will likely feature a dispute of the Shooto South American 220-pound title, with champion Guto Inocente defending his title against Glover Teixeira. Both fighters -- typically light heavyweights -- have agreed to the fight in principle, and contracts are expected to be signed in the coming days.

A Brasilia native, the unbeaten Inocente was a standout kickboxer until converting to MMA, where he has established a 5-0 record. Inocente, 24, has finished all five of his foes in his MMA career. He last competed in September, knocking out Argentina's Gustavo Moia with a knee in just 40 seconds to claim the Shooto South American 220-pound title.

Teixeira, a native of Sobralia, Minas Gerais -- also in the central heart of Brazil -- went 4-0 in his 2010 campaign, last besting tough Spaniard Daniel Tabera by unanimous decision in December. However, the talented 31-year-old's career has been complicated by red tape, as visa issues have kept him from competing in North America for the last three years.

Teixeira signed with the Edmonton-based Maximum Fighting Championship and was set to debut for the promotion against UFC veteran David Heath last November until visa problems once again forced him from action.

The bout is the first slated for the April 1 Shooto Brazil 22 card.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Escudero hopes pre-med classes, increased focus guide him back to UFC

When the UFC decided to release "The Ultimate Fighter 8" winner Efrain Escudero (15-2) following a September 2010 loss, much of the MMA community was shocked at the decision.

Count Escudero among those taken aback.

But the 25-year-old "Hecho en Mexico" insists the move may eventually prove a positive moment in his career, and he's used the release – not to mention a few pre-medical classes – to get his life back on track.

"[Being in school] actually keeps me more focused," Escudero told MMAjunkie.com Radio (www.mmajunkie.com/radio). "It keeps me more on track. … I have to go to sleep early because I have an 8 o'clock class. Then I have strength and conditioning.

"When I wasn't in school, when I took that semester off, it was hectic. Sometimes my friends wanted to go out, and I wanted to go out, so we decided to go out. Now, we're all back at school and stuff, and it keeps me more focused, where back in the day, I would just wait for practice. I'd go to sleep and say, 'Oh, I got practice at 2 o'clock, so it's all good. I'll sleep until then.' This keeps me more active."

Escudero appeared well on his way to great things in the UFC after upsetting the favored Phillipe Nover in the finals of "The Ultimate Fighter 8." That hype took another step forward with a September 2009 win over Cole Miller at UFC 103.

But Escudero went just 1-2 in his next three fights, and the final straw appeared to be the moment he weighed-in at 159 pounds, three pounds over the lightweight limit, for a bout with top prospect Charles Oliveira.

"I think that's probably the reason why [I was cut]," Escudero said. "The way I performed after that was just the cream on top.

"I'm a college wrestler. I wrestled all my life, and making weight is never an option. You always make weight regardless."

Escudero was submitted by Oliveira in the third round, and he was promptly escorted out of the world's top MMA promotion.

While a difficult experience for Escudero, he said the episode taught him a valuable lesson, and he has changed his life accordingly.

"My body just gave out for two hours," Escudero said of his pre-Oliveira weightcut. "I was running. I was in the sauna, and my body would not do anything. I would run and start getting light-headed. Honestly, I don't know what happened to my body, and getting cut by the UFC was probably an eye-opener to be like, 'You were there. You got them mad because you didn't make weight.'

"They wanted to make an example out of me, and they sure did. I came home, saw what I did wrong, and now I'm not walking as heavy as I was before. I'm keeping a good diet, and I'm sticking to it."

Escudero has also returned to the win column. In the five months since his release, Escudero has racked up two submission wins, and he has an April bout scheduled against Ashe Bowman before he faces Fabricio Camoes at Tachi Palace Fights 9 in May.

Should he get by both tests, his four-fight win streak might be enough to earn consideration for a UFC return. Escudero said he's in no rush, but the UFC is still his ultimate goal.

"I have some unfinished business," Escudero said. "I want to show the world what I've got and go out there and perform like I really should perform. I want to evolve with the sport, and I want to fight with the best. I'm a 155er, and one of the most stacked weightclasses in the world is the UFC, and that's where I want to be.

"I want to prove to everybody that me being cut from the UFC was a mistake. As of right now, I can't blame anybody but myself."

Until the phone rings, Escudero will continue to work hard both in and out of the cage. A criminal justice major at Arizona's Grand Canyon University, Escudero has dabbled in a bit of theater arts, and his newest passion is the medical field. He's not sure exactly where the classes will take him – other than back to the octagon.

"A lot of the classes I took for criminal justice were kind of like pre-requirements for medical school for an RN," Escudero said. "I was thinking maybe I could do this during the day and help out people and then go beat them up later.

"Right now, I'm not satisfied. ... I'm only 25. I'm only growing skills. I will be back in the UFC in no time. It's all a matter of time."

 

[Shogun Locc]

Nick Ring confident against relative unknown Riki Fukuda at UFC 127

If you're not too familiar with Riki Fukuda (17-4 MMA, 0-0), that's OK. His opponent, Nick Ring (10-0 MMA, 0-0 UFC), doesn't seem to be a huge Fukuda fan, either.

And yet Ring – himself a bit of a mystery after willfully bowing out of "The Ultimate Fighter 11" in favor of surgically repairing his knee – welcomes Fukuda to the octagon on the preliminary card of this weekend's UFC 127 event in Australia.

Ring admits his Japanese opponent is a bit of an unknown commodity, but with his first official bout in 16 months on the horizon, the Canadian middleweight is more worried about imposing his own game than reacting to Fukuda's.

"I've got an opponent named Riki Fukuda – current DEEP middleweight champion, 17-4, and he hasn't lost in seven fights," Ring said. "I think it's going to be a good fight. Looks like a little bit of a brawler.

"I think I've just got to enforce my game, whatever that is. Maybe I'll just get punched in the head and we'll see what the game turns into."

Statistically, anyway, Ring seems to have all the facts right about Fukuda. A former collegiate wrestler who briefly explored the professional wrestling scene, Fukuda made his mixed martial arts debut against Canadian veteran Joe Doerksen, who had 31 fights under his belt at the time of the fight. While Fukuda fell short, he surprised many by lasting until the final bell.

He would go on to win eight of his next nine outings while competing under the EliteXC, Pancrase and Shooto banners, among others.

Fukuda's next shot at success in a U.S.-based promotion came in 2007, when he lost a split decision to Joey Villasenor while competing again for EliteXC.

Since the loss, Fukuda has competed solely in Japan, winning nine of his past 10 contests and claiming DEEP's middleweight title along the way.

Many MMA observers believe Fukuda is a top 20 or 25 candidate in the 185-pound division, though he has yet to notch a true signature win to cement that position. While Ring is also finding his own way in the sport, Fukuda knows an octagon victory goes a long way toward establishing a reputation.

"This is my big chance," Fukuda said of the matchup.

Of course, Ring carries question marks, as well.

After impressing early during his "TUF 11" run with a first-round TKO over Woody Wetherby and a majority-decision victory against eventual season winner Court McGee, Ring withdrew from the tournament to have his knee repaired. He hasn't competed since the surgery, which took place in early 2010.

Nevertheless, Ring said he's now healed and unconcerned about the layoff.

"I've had about a year layoff since I fought," Ring said. "I'm not too worried. I've been training. I'm ready to fight again.

"It's just one of those things. You've got to take care of your body first, and your body will take care of you, right?"

Ring and Fukuda's preliminary card matchup airs on ION Television in the U.S., and one of the two mystery middleweights will take a small step forward in the 185-pound division.

For Ring, he's not exactly sure how he's going to notch the win, but he's confident it won't be the first time he tastes defeat in his MMA career.

"I'm going to run out there and punch and kick him," Ring said with a laugh. "He's going down. It's over."

 

[Shogun Locc]

With Strikeforce win, Evangelista eyes title shot, Masvidal looking for paychecks

While much of the attention for March's "Strikeforce: Feijao vs. Henderson" has rightfully been placed on the evening's main-event competitors, lightweights Billy Evangelista (11-0 MMA, 7-0 SF) and Jorge Masvidal (20-6 MMA, 2-0 SF) are ready to steal the spotlight.

And while both sluggers are expecting to have their hand raised at the end of the night, both have different expectations of what a victory should bring.

With an incredible seven consecutive wins under the Strikeforce banner, Evangelista believes his time for a title shot may finally come. Meanwhile, Masvidal is just looking to get paid, and he'll fight in two divisions to do it.

"I’ve been competing with [Strikeforce] for a while, and I just want a shot at the title one day," Evangelista said in a recent media call promoting the event. "That would be great if I could be considered a No. 1 contender."

Evangelista can certainly make a compelling argument. Undefeated in the first 11 bouts of his professional career, the speedy striker counts key wins over Jorge Gurgel, Nam Phan and Waachiim Spiritwolf, among others. However, he lacks a true signature win.

The veteran Masvidal could certainly provide that, though Evangelista admits he's not too familiar with exactly what his opponent brings to the table.

"I don't really know what type of fighter Jorge is," Evangelista said. "I know he’s very long and has a reach advantage. I'm just going to see how the fight goes along and see whichever way I need to take it."

Meanwhile, Masvidal fights for the first time since a September 2010 loss to Paul Daley under the Shark Fights banner. While Masvidal actually struggled to make the welterweight limit for that fight, he insists he feels comfortable now at 155 pounds.

And while many MMA observers believe Masvidal may have been wronged in the decision loss to Daley, "Gamebred" insists he's put the bout behind.

"I had trouble in my last fight just in my weight-cutting and other circumstances," Masvidal said. "But that fight didn’t give me any confidence or take any away. I feel the same as I always have."

Masvidal hasn't fought under the Strikeforce banner since 2008, and he knows his name value alone won't be enough to earn him instant contender status in either the lightweight or welterweight division. Instead, the 26-year-old brawler just wants to stay busy as he works up the ladder of both weightclasses.

"I plan on staying at 155 (pounds), but I'll fight at 170 as well," Masvidal said. "Wherever the money is at is where I'll go. As long as they pay me, I'll go there and fight the bigger guys. It doesn't matter to me."

 

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Bellator 35 prelims official, season-four debut lineup finalized

Bellator Fighting Championships officials have finalized four preliminary-card matchups for March's Bellator 35 event, and the promotion's first season-four event now has a finalized lineup.

As MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) first reported, Jamie Jara vs. Waachiim Spiritwolf, Brandon Bender vs. Josh Herrick and Jesus Castro vs. Paul Ruiz will all take place at Bellator 35.

Featuring the opening four bouts of the promotion's welterweight tournament, Bellator 35 take place March 5 at the Tachi Palace Hotel and Casino in Lemoore, Calif.

The preliminary card also features a previously reported non-title matchup between 115-pound female champion Zoila Frausto and promotional newcomer Karina Hallinan.

Spiritwolf (8-7-1 MMA, 0-0 BFC), a Strikeforce and KOTC vet, looks for his first win in four fights following a pair of losses and a recent no-contest (due to an eyepoke suffered in a Strikeforce Challengers 12 bout with Marius Zaromskis). He now meets Jara (29-8 MMA, 0-0 BFC), a nine-year vet and longtime Gladiator Challenge fighter who saw an eight-fight win streak come to an end with a first-round knockout to Jay Silva at Tachi Palace Fights 7 in December.

Herrick (6-1 MMA, 0-0 BFC), a Gladiator Challenge and PureCombat vet, looks for his fourth straight win when he meets Bender (7-0 MMA, 0-0 BFC), whose five-year career has resulted in seven straight wins and six consecutive submission victories (all via chokes).

California-based fighters Castro (0-0 MMA, 0-0 BFC) and Ruiz (0-0 MMA, 0-0 BFC), meanwhile, both make their pro debuts.

The complete Bellator 35 card includes:

MAIN CARD

* Lyman Good vs. Chris Lozano (welterweight tourney quarterfinal)
* Dan Hornbuckle vs. Brent Weedman (welterweight tourney quarterfinal)
* Jay Hieron vs. Anthony Lapsley (welterweight tourney quarterfinal)
* Rick Hawn vs. Jim Wallhead (welterweight tourney quarterfinal)

PRELIMINARY CARD

* Champion Zoila Frausto vs. Karina Hallinan (non-title fight)
* Jamie Jara vs. Waachiim Spiritwolf
* Brandon Bender vs. Josh Herrick
* Jesus Castro vs. Paul Ruiz

 

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Bellator Announces Spanish Language Broadcasts on MTV’s Tr3s

Bellator Fighting Championships on Thursday announced that Tr3s: MTV, Música y Más will air the fight promotion’s fourth season. “Bellator” in Spanish will premiere every Sunday starting March 6 at 8 p.m. ET on Tr3s.

Bellator has several fighters of Latino heritage: Eddie Alvarez, Hector Lombard, Jose Vega, Jessica Aguilar, Nazareno “Naza” Malegaire, Patricio “Pitbull” Freire, Wilson Reis, Lyman Goodman, Chris Lozano, and Daniel Gracie, to name a few.

“The Latino audience has been passionately following the Bellator Fighting Championships since its inception, and we are absolutely thrilled to serve as the platform for the Spanish-language transmission of their fights,” commented Charlie Singer SVP of Content and Creative for Tr3s.

“Bellator has been committed to providing the most exciting, electrifying and entertaining MMA events to our Latino fans since our premiere in 2009,” said Bellator Chairman and CEO Bjorn Rebney. “With a collection of the finest Latino MMA fighters in the world, Bellator Season 4 on Tr3s will be spectacular.”

Bellator’s Season 4 events will be carried live in English on MTV2 on Saturday nights.

 

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Denis Kang’s Opponent Revealed! Eun Soo Lee Returns

What will probably be the main event of the April 16th Road FC 2 event in Seoul, South Korea has been announced.

Denis Kang, who recently signed a multi-fight contract with the Korean promotion, will take on Eun Soo Lee who will fight for the first time in almost two and a half years.

Eun Soo Lee is 28 years old and has a 14-2 record. He was the Heavyweight champion of now dead Korean promotion Spirit MC. He will move down to Middleweight for the first time with this fight and he’ll be quite big at the weight. He trains with Yui Chul Nam, Jae Hyun So, Hae Jun “Hungry” Yang, and other very solid fighters at Team Posse.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Fight Path: Unathletic Van Damme fan Paul McVeigh emerges as Scottish prospect

If one wanted to test how athletic Paul McVeigh would one day be – and whether he would be successful in a physical field such as mixed martial arts – he might not have been impressed with McVeigh's early output.

"My family wasn't really that athletic," McVeigh wrote to MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) in an e-mail. "I remember reading a strength coach talking about determining future athletic ability in kids. He suggested watching them run a sprint. The winners would be the best athletes.

"I was always last. I was even beaten by a kid who had toes missing. But screw genetics. Talent is not born; it's created by working hard, training intelligently and doing OK."

By doing those things, mixed with an education on taking care of his body, McVeigh has more than improved on his early athletic outlook. The 28-year-old resident of Glasgow, Scotland, has become arguably Europe's top bantamweight with two titles currently to his name, a 17-6 record and, some feel, a very good shot on a big promotion in the near future.

McVeigh makes his next argument for reaching a bigger stage on Saturday when he defends his Cage Warriors Fighting Championship bantamweight title for the fourth time. In fighting Andreas Bernhard (7-1) as part of the online pay-per-view, McVeigh continues a career with roots in Jean Claude Van Damme movies, fighting with an older brother and all but teaching himself the basics of jiu jitsu with a group of friends.

In an e-mail exchange this week, the fighter who also holds the Cage Contender bantamweight championship and wears various colors in his hair, was lively while answering a series of questions, including one about his main interests growing up, which he said included "mostly setting stuff on fire and torturing animals."

He was joking. I think.

"About the animals," he wrote, "because I set a lot of [expletive] on fire growing up."

The Van Damme influence

McVeigh grew up in Northern Ireland with a penchant for picking fights with older kids. That is, until he stopped growing at about age 14.

But his interest in fighting remained, influenced by his brother's interest in Van Damme movies.

"JCVD was always getting his ass kicked by someone then he'd go train and become awesome," McVeigh wrote. "That always stuck with me, to outwork the other guy, don't get beaten up. It was this idea that got me going to boxing and jiu jitsu."

Later, McVeigh moved to Glasgow, where he met a group of friends interested in training, so he took it more seriously. They had a specific method. They would train heavily in one aspect of jiu jitsu for a few months then switch to another for a few months.

"You get really good really fast when focusing on specifics," he wrote. "When MMA became more popular, we attracted a lot of Scotland's really good strikers and we exchanged knowledge."

McVeigh's group continued growing, and now he feels it contains among the best around to help train, including those stronger in jiu jitsu, boxing, wrestling and Muay Thai.

He started his career as an amateur, but it wasn't anything too serious until he "tagged along" with some friends who were doing some competing in London. The show was UK Mixed Martial Arts Championship 3, in February 2003. He found himself in a fight.

But, he used too much effort in trying to submit his opponent, and he suffered a second-round TKO loss. It was a good early learning experience, he said.

"I learned I was not Rumina Sato and that chasing submissions is a wonderful way to gas out," he wrote.

Long career still growing

The early loss certainly didn't diminish McVeigh's passion for the sport. He continued to take fights regularly.

He twice has put together four-fight winning streaks while competing five times in 2003, once in 2004, twice in 2005, four times in 2006, four times in 2007, twice in 2008, three times in 2009 and once in 2010.

The single 2010 fight, though, might have been his most important, he said. At a Cage Contender show in July, McVeigh took on Artemij Sitenkov in a highly anticipated bantamweight matchup.

The fight even changed the way McVeigh prepared himself. That is, the opponent was important enough to warrant specific training.

"In the past we would look at an opponent, mention a few things then go on about training as normal," McVeigh wrote. "For this bout, as Art is so dangerous, we prepared specifically. I had guys emulate his style, sparred a lot of great leglockers and created the gameplan we implemented."

It worked. Midway through the second round, McVeigh was able to catch Sitenkov in an inverted triangle choke and finish the fight by submission. It was the continuation of a seasoned career that will continue on Saturday, though that career has changed some because of that fight.

"Watching the bout back, it's cool seeing all the stuff we had drilled come off," McVeigh wrote. "It really cemented the idea that if you work a technique with intent and lots of repetition it will come off in a bout. Figuring guys out is now one of my favorite ways to chill out."

 

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Del Rosario says Fedor Emelianenko as possible Grand Prix alternate is “not a big deal”

One is 11-0 with ten wins in the first round while the other has dropped two consecutive bouts in clear-cut fashion. However, ask undefeated Strikeforce heavyweight Shane Del Rosario if he shares the same opinion as fans calling foul on the thought of Fedor Emelianenko receiving a potential nod as a replacement in the promotion’s World Grand Prix and it turns out the rising star is not simply okay with the concept but actually thankful for the possibility.

Del Rosario spoke about the situation in a conversation with Sherdog Radio where he dismissed the seriousness involved while elaborating on why he had no problem with skipping the tournament altogether.

“If I don’t make it into the tournament this year…it’s not a big deal. I would rather actually have another four fights this year if possible and just earn my own spot into the tournament next year”, he explained while also paying tribute to Fedor by mentioning it was an honor to have simply fought on the same card as him.

“I’m at eleven fights. I’d like to get to at least fifteen, just get more ring time,” Del Rosario continued. “All of my fights have been finished in the first round, which has been good. I like to get out and win right away and have an exciting fight, but I kind of lack some round time, some experience in the cage.”

However, if Strikeforce comes calling the Californian kickboxer has no intentions of declining, saying he would “definitely take the opportunity” if they want him to replace an injured competitor.

Del Rosario earned the honor of serving as an alternate by emerging with his hands raised against Lavar Johnson via first-round Armbar on February 12 at “Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Silva”. It was his sixth straight victory in the opening frame of action and third in a Strikeforce ring.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Cool Coenen Not Sweating Late Change to Title Defense

Strikeforce 135-pound queen Marloes Coenen was supposed to defend her title against top contender Miesha Tate on March 5 in Columbus. However, that bout will not come to fruition, as Tate suffered a knee injury that has scratched her from the bout. Now, the Golden Glory standout will put her belt on the line against undefeated Liz Carmouche when Strikeforce hits the Nationwide Arena.

One might think that the late change could potentially throw a monkey wrench into the champion's game plan or mental preparation.

Not so, says Coenen.

“I’m excited. I’m looking forward to it. [The late change in opponent] is no problem for me. I had to wait a long time to fight again, so I’m all pumped up. I feel well-rounded in all the areas of the game,” said Coenen during Thursday's Strikeforce conference call. “Liz is a little different fighter than Miesha is. I believe Liz is very talented, and she will be a big star in the coming years. I believe her [submission game] is a little better than Miesha's.”

The Carmouche bout marks the first defense of Coenen’s title she won five months ago.

Second time was the charm for the 29-year-old, who rebounded from an unsuccessful 145-pound title bid against Cristiane Santos in January 2010 to capture the 135-pound strap from Sarah Kaufman nine months later, with a textbook armbar in the third round.

“[Winning the title] meant the world to me. First, I had my loss against 'Cyborg,' and [my shot at Kaufman] was completely new to me, because I had never fought in that weight class before,” said Coenen. “I had a lot of pressure, because I came from a loss, and I got a second world champion shot. When I finally won, I was standing in cage, and I said to myself, 'You've waited for this for 10 years.' I feel on top of world right now.”

However, regarding the technical aspects of her upcoming defense, the Dutch submission specialist certainly isn't tipping her hand.

Coenen asserts that although she'll be making small adjustments to her regimen to compensate for the change in opponent, most of her training will remain the same. Though she has spent most of her camp training for Tate, Coenen believes that as champion she should take on all comers, and that a bout with Tate is still in the cards for the future.

Part of the intrigue in a Tate-Coenen title bout is undeniably linked to the postergirl looks of both the champion and the challenger. However, it’s still pure sport that motivates that champion.

“She pictures herself as, like, a cute girl, but I picture myself in a different way. I’m a professional, so I’m not going to hate somebody for how [she] presents [herself], but I do believe that we as women are pioneers of sport,” the champion commented on whether there was any friction between she and Tate.

“What we do is the blueprint for the next generation. I believe we have to present ourselves as worthy and honorable women. And how you do that is up to you, but I do it different than Miesha does.”

 

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[Shogun Locc]