MMA News Thread
- Thread starter Shogun Locc
- Start date
BJ PENN training with master Floyd mayweather sr in Vegas - UFC NEWS
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pRDJ2En3lFs
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pRDJ2En3lFs
Paul Daley earns BAMMA 5 victory, sets up Strikeforce title shot
Top Strikeforce welterweight contender Paul Daley sidestepped a land mine and set up an upcoming title shot against champion Nick Diaz with an outside-the-promotion victory over Yuya Shira.
The bout, which initially was billed as a title fight until Daley narrowly missed weight on Friday, headlined Saturday's BAMMA 5 event in Manchester, England.
Daley needed fewer than two minutes to knock out the Japanese fighter and judo specialist.
With the victory, Daley likely sets up the Strikeforce title fight with Diaz at a planned April event. Prior to the BAMMA fight event, Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker said Daley's Strikeforce title fight shot would be on the line.
Daley, who missed weight for the bout by less than a pound, scored multiple knockdowns with a barrage of heavy punches. A final uppercut sent Shira to the mat for good and forced a halt to the bout at the 1:46 mark of the opening round.
Friday's snafu marked the third time Daley has missed weight in his six most recent professional appearances. During his short-lived tenure with the UFC, the British slugger came in two pounds over for a fight against Dustin Hazelett at UFC 108. And this past September, he came in a pound and a half over for a fight against Jorge Masvidal at Shark Fights 13. In all three cases, he forfeited a percentage of his purse.
Daley (27-9-2) snaps a five-fight win streak that opponent Shirai (20-9) built, and he improves to 10-1 with eight stoppage victories in his past 10 fights.
Also on the BAMMA 5 card, the resurgent Ricco Rodriguez (46-11) posted his 11th straight victory with a unanimous-decision win over "The Ultimate Fighter 10" cast member James McSweeney (4-7) in a 215-pound catchweight fight. Additionally, British fighter Alex Makhonin (9-1) stopped UFC veteran Xavier Foupa-Pokam (21-16) via second-round TKO with a series of punches and elbows.
Top Strikeforce welterweight contender Paul Daley sidestepped a land mine and set up an upcoming title shot against champion Nick Diaz with an outside-the-promotion victory over Yuya Shira.
The bout, which initially was billed as a title fight until Daley narrowly missed weight on Friday, headlined Saturday's BAMMA 5 event in Manchester, England.
Daley needed fewer than two minutes to knock out the Japanese fighter and judo specialist.
With the victory, Daley likely sets up the Strikeforce title fight with Diaz at a planned April event. Prior to the BAMMA fight event, Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker said Daley's Strikeforce title fight shot would be on the line.
Daley, who missed weight for the bout by less than a pound, scored multiple knockdowns with a barrage of heavy punches. A final uppercut sent Shira to the mat for good and forced a halt to the bout at the 1:46 mark of the opening round.
Friday's snafu marked the third time Daley has missed weight in his six most recent professional appearances. During his short-lived tenure with the UFC, the British slugger came in two pounds over for a fight against Dustin Hazelett at UFC 108. And this past September, he came in a pound and a half over for a fight against Jorge Masvidal at Shark Fights 13. In all three cases, he forfeited a percentage of his purse.
Daley (27-9-2) snaps a five-fight win streak that opponent Shirai (20-9) built, and he improves to 10-1 with eight stoppage victories in his past 10 fights.
Also on the BAMMA 5 card, the resurgent Ricco Rodriguez (46-11) posted his 11th straight victory with a unanimous-decision win over "The Ultimate Fighter 10" cast member James McSweeney (4-7) in a 215-pound catchweight fight. Additionally, British fighter Alex Makhonin (9-1) stopped UFC veteran Xavier Foupa-Pokam (21-16) via second-round TKO with a series of punches and elbows.
‘170’ is the Place to Be: Nazarov Returns at M-1 Challenge XXIII
Calling the Red Devil Sports Club his home, Nazarov is a developing Russian fighter with a promising career still ahead. After a disappointing loss to Alexei Belyaev this past October, this crafty Russian has taken the sound advice after fighting as a middleweight with mixed results and headed to the welterweight division with a respectable 11-4 record.
His last two outings have returned him to his winning ways with decision victories over Frenchman, Christoph Dafrevilya and Saihan Domaeva; as the hometown favourite at the MFT - Mix Fight Tournament in Voronezh, Oblast, Nazarov’s definitive performance has him wielding some much needed confidence.
Better suited as welterweight by North American standards, Nazarov is proving that he can stand with competition. With a tight, sound defence on the feet, this talented prospect prefers to keep his bouts standing in order to exercise his strengths and deliver heavy precision striking and stinging leg kicks. His teammates at the Red Devil Sports Club have been focussed on helping him develop a much stronger ground game, working Nazarov through submission and ground sessions in order to elevate his proficiency and give him an added boost to his on-canvass arsenal, an area where he has been known to leave himself exposed to unnecessary punishment.
Alexei Nazarov is regaining the momentum he had built and has his hands full with Ramazan Abdulzhalilov; should he come out the victor, he’ll be anxiously looking to clamour up the contender’s ladder and set his sites on the division’s current top-dog, Shamil Zavurov, who defends his M-1 Challenge belt for the first time later that night against tough, iron-willed American, Tom ‘Da Tank’ Gallicchio.
Calling the Red Devil Sports Club his home, Nazarov is a developing Russian fighter with a promising career still ahead. After a disappointing loss to Alexei Belyaev this past October, this crafty Russian has taken the sound advice after fighting as a middleweight with mixed results and headed to the welterweight division with a respectable 11-4 record.
His last two outings have returned him to his winning ways with decision victories over Frenchman, Christoph Dafrevilya and Saihan Domaeva; as the hometown favourite at the MFT - Mix Fight Tournament in Voronezh, Oblast, Nazarov’s definitive performance has him wielding some much needed confidence.
Better suited as welterweight by North American standards, Nazarov is proving that he can stand with competition. With a tight, sound defence on the feet, this talented prospect prefers to keep his bouts standing in order to exercise his strengths and deliver heavy precision striking and stinging leg kicks. His teammates at the Red Devil Sports Club have been focussed on helping him develop a much stronger ground game, working Nazarov through submission and ground sessions in order to elevate his proficiency and give him an added boost to his on-canvass arsenal, an area where he has been known to leave himself exposed to unnecessary punishment.
Alexei Nazarov is regaining the momentum he had built and has his hands full with Ramazan Abdulzhalilov; should he come out the victor, he’ll be anxiously looking to clamour up the contender’s ladder and set his sites on the division’s current top-dog, Shamil Zavurov, who defends his M-1 Challenge belt for the first time later that night against tough, iron-willed American, Tom ‘Da Tank’ Gallicchio.
Penn, Fitch Battle to UFC 127 Draw
Fifteen minutes were not enough to decide the showdown between former two-division champion B.J. Penn and perennial welterweight contender Jon Fitch on Sunday at the Acer Arena in Sydney, Australia.
The UFC 127 headliner ended in a disappointing but just majority draw after three highly competitive rounds. Two of the three cage-side judges ruled it a 28-28 deadlock. A third scored it 29-28 for Fitch, who dominated Penn with top control and heavy ground-and-pound in the third round.
“I thought [I deserved the win],” Fitch said. “I gave some positioning in the first two rounds, but I came back and did enough to at least win a split decision.”
Penn surprised the American Kickboxing Academy standout with his game planning. The gifted Hawaiian scored with takedowns in each of the first two rounds and secured back control on Fitch, threatening him with chokes from behind. Fitch defended successfully and turned into Penn’s guard on both occasions.
“My cardio was through the roof. It just threw me off. I didn’t train for B.J. shooting takedowns,” Fitch said. “I wasn’t expecting that at all. It took me until the second round to really find my groove.”
Fitch came out firing in the third, as he unleashed a crisp overhand right and transitioned immediately to a takedown inside the first 10 seconds. Penn fought back to his feet, only to be taken down again with 3:44 left in the fight. He never again returned to an upright position. From there, Fitch tore into Penn with elbows, punches and hammerfists from the top. It was the most decisive part of the 15-minute encounter between the two.
“I think I got some dominant positions in the first and second, but he kicked my butt in the third,” Penn said. “If I lost this fight, I wasn’t sure what I was going to do with my career, but since the gods were nice to me and gave me a draw, if he wants to do it again, I’ll do it again.”
Fitch -- who entered the Octagon with wins in 21 of his last 22 fights -- restated his desire to challenge for the welterweight title again, though he seemed resigned to the fact that a rematch with Penn might be forthcoming.
“I want the title more than anything, but at the end of the day, we don’t make the decisions,” Fitch said. “The guys in the suits do and the fans do. Whatever -- I’m here to fight. I’m here to fight the best. If my 13 wins in the UFC aren’t enough to put me in there for a title shot, then I’m willing to prove myself some more.”
Bisping Flurry Stops Rivera in Second
The world-ranked Michael Bisping buried Jorge Rivera under a barrage of punches and knees, forcing a second-round stoppage in the co-main event. The blows put Rivera on one knee and left the referee no choice but to intervene 1:54 into round two.
The two middleweights exchanged heated words before briefly embracing.
“Jorge's camp talked a lot of s--t coming into this fight,” Bisping said. “I apologize for getting a little worked up there. I respect Jorge as an opponent. I didn’t understand it. I never said anything bad about him. I felt they were going a little below the belt.”
It appeared as though the match might end prematurely in the first round, when Bisping connected with an illegal knee to Rivera’s head. After several tense moments, the fight resumed. Bisping controlled Rivera with jabs and takedowns, minimizing the impact of the point deduction.
A straight right hand from Bisping marked the beginning of the end for Rivera in the second round. The Brit flurried on him against the cage, utilizing his hands and knees. Rivera covered up in an attempt to recuperate, but Bisping left him no room to breathe much less recover. A final combination drove Rivera to the canvas and brought a decisive end to their middleweight bout.
Bisping has won seven of his past nine fights, including three in a row.
“I worked really hard on [my conditioning],” he said. “I can’t understand why guys come in here and can’t fight hard for three rounds. I love my job. I’m just trying to achieve my goals.”
Siver Derails Sotiropoulos, Halts Aussie’s Streak
Russian-born German kickboxer Dennis Siver threw a monkey wrench into the lightweight division, as he upended the surging George Sotiropoulos by unanimous decision. The judges scored it 29-28, 30-28 and 30-27 for Siver, who has won seven times in his last eight appearances.
“It was a hard fight,” Siver said, “but I could do my game plan, and that’s why I won.”
Siver set the tone with a pair of crackling left hooks in the opening period, both of which left Sotiropoulos on the seat of his pants. The Aussie survived, though he was clearly wobbled and weakened between rounds. Sotiropoulos sprang back in the second frame two with sharp straight power punches, jabs and kicks. However, the Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt never managed to bring the fight to the ground, where his superior grappling skills would have come into play.
“We trained so hard for that, because we knew that George would try to put me on the ground,” Siver said. “That’s why we trained it every day, and it worked.”
Clearly frustrated, Sotiropoulos was forced to stand with a superior striker. In the third round, Siver worked kicks to the legs and head, put together powerful combinations and kept himself upright. The defeat, Sotiropoulos’ first in UFC competition, snapped the Aussie’s eight-fight winning streak.
“He was very strong, and he threw some heavy shots,” Sotiropoulos said. “I tried to work for the takedown, but he defended well. It was hard to take him down.”
Ebersole Upsets Lytle in UFC Debut
Seasoned 62-fight veteran Brian Ebersole fought brilliantly in his first Octagon appearance, as he upset the resurgent Chris Lytle by unanimous decision in a welterweight showcase. All three judges scored it for the Australia-based American: 30-27, 29-28 and 29-28.
Ebersole featured a quirky standup attack and outstanding submission defense. Lytle landed heavy punches to the head and body, often one at a time, in the first round and threatened with a guillotine choke. Still, he never seemed to find himself in the match. Ebersole leveled him with a brutal knee against the cage in round two and tried to finish it with a tight brabo choke.
“I thought I was going to be able to sink that choke, but being up against the cage kind of made it hard,” Ebersole said. “He’s not some guy who loses his awareness. He’s a very tough guy, and he was there with me the whole time.”
Lytle faded in the third round, perhaps impacted by the after effects of the knee. He again turned to the guillotine choke, but Ebersole was never in danger. Ultimately, he freed his neck, postured inside Lytle’s guard and dropped a wicked elbow that opened a deep gash on the left side of the Indianapolis native’s forehead. With that, Ebersole punctuated the most significant win of his 11-year career.
“Overcome with emotion,” he said. “I brought a lot of emotion in here from the people in my life tonight.”
Noke Choke Taps Camozzi
They barely broke a sweat.
Kyle Noke grounded fellow “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 11 cast member Chris Camozzi and coaxed a tapout with a rear-naked choke in a featured middleweight tilt. Camozzi submitted to the hold just 95 seconds into round one.
The two traded strikes for roughly a minute before Noke secured the takedown into full mount and dropped punches from the top. He took Camozzi’s back in a scramble, locked in the choke and finished it in a hurry. Noke, who once served as a bodyguard for the late Steve “The Crocodile Hunter” Irwin, has rattled off five consecutive victories, three of them in the UFC.
“I was expecting a standup war from Chris,” Noke said, “but when we went to the ground, I was happy to get the submission.”
Fifteen minutes were not enough to decide the showdown between former two-division champion B.J. Penn and perennial welterweight contender Jon Fitch on Sunday at the Acer Arena in Sydney, Australia.
The UFC 127 headliner ended in a disappointing but just majority draw after three highly competitive rounds. Two of the three cage-side judges ruled it a 28-28 deadlock. A third scored it 29-28 for Fitch, who dominated Penn with top control and heavy ground-and-pound in the third round.
“I thought [I deserved the win],” Fitch said. “I gave some positioning in the first two rounds, but I came back and did enough to at least win a split decision.”
Penn surprised the American Kickboxing Academy standout with his game planning. The gifted Hawaiian scored with takedowns in each of the first two rounds and secured back control on Fitch, threatening him with chokes from behind. Fitch defended successfully and turned into Penn’s guard on both occasions.
“My cardio was through the roof. It just threw me off. I didn’t train for B.J. shooting takedowns,” Fitch said. “I wasn’t expecting that at all. It took me until the second round to really find my groove.”
Fitch came out firing in the third, as he unleashed a crisp overhand right and transitioned immediately to a takedown inside the first 10 seconds. Penn fought back to his feet, only to be taken down again with 3:44 left in the fight. He never again returned to an upright position. From there, Fitch tore into Penn with elbows, punches and hammerfists from the top. It was the most decisive part of the 15-minute encounter between the two.
“I think I got some dominant positions in the first and second, but he kicked my butt in the third,” Penn said. “If I lost this fight, I wasn’t sure what I was going to do with my career, but since the gods were nice to me and gave me a draw, if he wants to do it again, I’ll do it again.”
Fitch -- who entered the Octagon with wins in 21 of his last 22 fights -- restated his desire to challenge for the welterweight title again, though he seemed resigned to the fact that a rematch with Penn might be forthcoming.
“I want the title more than anything, but at the end of the day, we don’t make the decisions,” Fitch said. “The guys in the suits do and the fans do. Whatever -- I’m here to fight. I’m here to fight the best. If my 13 wins in the UFC aren’t enough to put me in there for a title shot, then I’m willing to prove myself some more.”
Bisping Flurry Stops Rivera in Second
The world-ranked Michael Bisping buried Jorge Rivera under a barrage of punches and knees, forcing a second-round stoppage in the co-main event. The blows put Rivera on one knee and left the referee no choice but to intervene 1:54 into round two.
The two middleweights exchanged heated words before briefly embracing.
“Jorge's camp talked a lot of s--t coming into this fight,” Bisping said. “I apologize for getting a little worked up there. I respect Jorge as an opponent. I didn’t understand it. I never said anything bad about him. I felt they were going a little below the belt.”
It appeared as though the match might end prematurely in the first round, when Bisping connected with an illegal knee to Rivera’s head. After several tense moments, the fight resumed. Bisping controlled Rivera with jabs and takedowns, minimizing the impact of the point deduction.
A straight right hand from Bisping marked the beginning of the end for Rivera in the second round. The Brit flurried on him against the cage, utilizing his hands and knees. Rivera covered up in an attempt to recuperate, but Bisping left him no room to breathe much less recover. A final combination drove Rivera to the canvas and brought a decisive end to their middleweight bout.
Bisping has won seven of his past nine fights, including three in a row.
“I worked really hard on [my conditioning],” he said. “I can’t understand why guys come in here and can’t fight hard for three rounds. I love my job. I’m just trying to achieve my goals.”
Siver Derails Sotiropoulos, Halts Aussie’s Streak
Russian-born German kickboxer Dennis Siver threw a monkey wrench into the lightweight division, as he upended the surging George Sotiropoulos by unanimous decision. The judges scored it 29-28, 30-28 and 30-27 for Siver, who has won seven times in his last eight appearances.
“It was a hard fight,” Siver said, “but I could do my game plan, and that’s why I won.”
Siver set the tone with a pair of crackling left hooks in the opening period, both of which left Sotiropoulos on the seat of his pants. The Aussie survived, though he was clearly wobbled and weakened between rounds. Sotiropoulos sprang back in the second frame two with sharp straight power punches, jabs and kicks. However, the Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt never managed to bring the fight to the ground, where his superior grappling skills would have come into play.
“We trained so hard for that, because we knew that George would try to put me on the ground,” Siver said. “That’s why we trained it every day, and it worked.”
Clearly frustrated, Sotiropoulos was forced to stand with a superior striker. In the third round, Siver worked kicks to the legs and head, put together powerful combinations and kept himself upright. The defeat, Sotiropoulos’ first in UFC competition, snapped the Aussie’s eight-fight winning streak.
“He was very strong, and he threw some heavy shots,” Sotiropoulos said. “I tried to work for the takedown, but he defended well. It was hard to take him down.”
Ebersole Upsets Lytle in UFC Debut
Seasoned 62-fight veteran Brian Ebersole fought brilliantly in his first Octagon appearance, as he upset the resurgent Chris Lytle by unanimous decision in a welterweight showcase. All three judges scored it for the Australia-based American: 30-27, 29-28 and 29-28.
Ebersole featured a quirky standup attack and outstanding submission defense. Lytle landed heavy punches to the head and body, often one at a time, in the first round and threatened with a guillotine choke. Still, he never seemed to find himself in the match. Ebersole leveled him with a brutal knee against the cage in round two and tried to finish it with a tight brabo choke.
“I thought I was going to be able to sink that choke, but being up against the cage kind of made it hard,” Ebersole said. “He’s not some guy who loses his awareness. He’s a very tough guy, and he was there with me the whole time.”
Lytle faded in the third round, perhaps impacted by the after effects of the knee. He again turned to the guillotine choke, but Ebersole was never in danger. Ultimately, he freed his neck, postured inside Lytle’s guard and dropped a wicked elbow that opened a deep gash on the left side of the Indianapolis native’s forehead. With that, Ebersole punctuated the most significant win of his 11-year career.
“Overcome with emotion,” he said. “I brought a lot of emotion in here from the people in my life tonight.”
Noke Choke Taps Camozzi
They barely broke a sweat.
Kyle Noke grounded fellow “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 11 cast member Chris Camozzi and coaxed a tapout with a rear-naked choke in a featured middleweight tilt. Camozzi submitted to the hold just 95 seconds into round one.
The two traded strikes for roughly a minute before Noke secured the takedown into full mount and dropped punches from the top. He took Camozzi’s back in a scramble, locked in the choke and finished it in a hurry. Noke, who once served as a bodyguard for the late Steve “The Crocodile Hunter” Irwin, has rattled off five consecutive victories, three of them in the UFC.
“I was expecting a standup war from Chris,” Noke said, “but when we went to the ground, I was happy to get the submission.”
Bisping: Illegal Knee ‘Certainly Wasn’t On Purpose’
Michael Bisping got what he wanted out of UFC 127.
The British middleweight found himself victorious in Sydney, Australia, on Saturday night, his hands raised high as his fallen foe lay crumpled beneath him. The route Bisping traveled to arrive at that moment, however, may be talked about for some time to come.
After dictating the striking early in his co-main event scrap with Jorge Rivera, Bisping began to execute takedowns for which Rivera had no answer. Following one such grappling exchange, Bisping grabbed the kneeling Rivera in a Thai clinch and blasted “El Conquistador” square in the face with a knee.
It appeared the fight would be stopped by the cageside physician, but at the last moment, a game Rivera informed referee Marc Goddard that he could continue. Bisping was docked a point, but Rivera appeared to be on rubbery legs from that moment onward. Postfight, Rivera’s camp reportedly complained that the illegal knee was thrown deliberately. However, “The Count” claims that the strike was an accident that may be chalked up to emotion and adrenaline taking over.
“The knee certainly wasn’t on purpose,” Bisping said during the postfight press conference. “He was getting up off the ground, and I pulled the trigger too early. It happens a lot. This is a fast-moving sport. No one wants to see a fight won or lost in that fashion.”
The 185-pound contest carried with it some extra heat, due in large part to a series of YouTube video released by Rivera in which the American relentlessly mocked his English opponent. According to Bisping, the videos hit a bit too close to home. Following the fight’s finish, the Wolfslair Academy product spat at the American corner and verbally taunted Rivera before eventually embracing the man he had just battered.
“He was very insulting toward me. He was mocking me on the Internet, talking about myself and my family. But it built up inside me, and I blew up a little bit, so I apologize,” said Bisping. “[The videos] definitely motivated me and made me work harder. Trash talk is part of the game, and I let it get to me too much. But I’m an emotional guy. Everything that comes out of my mouth comes from my heart. I am who I am. He embarrassed me, mocking me all over the world. But I should have been the better man and taken that on the chin a little better.”
Regarding the fight, Bisping believes he executed his game plan against a worthy adversary, regardless of the illegal blow.
“I thought I gave a good performance. I respect Jorge. He’s been around the game a long time. He gave Anderson Silva and Rich Franklin good fights, so he is no walk in the park,” Bisping stated. “I prepared for this fight hard fight like always do. I thought I had his number. I was getting those takedowns. I hit him with that right hand and felt him wobble a bit, and I knew it was time to go for the finish.”
Michael Bisping got what he wanted out of UFC 127.
The British middleweight found himself victorious in Sydney, Australia, on Saturday night, his hands raised high as his fallen foe lay crumpled beneath him. The route Bisping traveled to arrive at that moment, however, may be talked about for some time to come.
After dictating the striking early in his co-main event scrap with Jorge Rivera, Bisping began to execute takedowns for which Rivera had no answer. Following one such grappling exchange, Bisping grabbed the kneeling Rivera in a Thai clinch and blasted “El Conquistador” square in the face with a knee.
It appeared the fight would be stopped by the cageside physician, but at the last moment, a game Rivera informed referee Marc Goddard that he could continue. Bisping was docked a point, but Rivera appeared to be on rubbery legs from that moment onward. Postfight, Rivera’s camp reportedly complained that the illegal knee was thrown deliberately. However, “The Count” claims that the strike was an accident that may be chalked up to emotion and adrenaline taking over.
“The knee certainly wasn’t on purpose,” Bisping said during the postfight press conference. “He was getting up off the ground, and I pulled the trigger too early. It happens a lot. This is a fast-moving sport. No one wants to see a fight won or lost in that fashion.”
The 185-pound contest carried with it some extra heat, due in large part to a series of YouTube video released by Rivera in which the American relentlessly mocked his English opponent. According to Bisping, the videos hit a bit too close to home. Following the fight’s finish, the Wolfslair Academy product spat at the American corner and verbally taunted Rivera before eventually embracing the man he had just battered.
“He was very insulting toward me. He was mocking me on the Internet, talking about myself and my family. But it built up inside me, and I blew up a little bit, so I apologize,” said Bisping. “[The videos] definitely motivated me and made me work harder. Trash talk is part of the game, and I let it get to me too much. But I’m an emotional guy. Everything that comes out of my mouth comes from my heart. I am who I am. He embarrassed me, mocking me all over the world. But I should have been the better man and taken that on the chin a little better.”
Regarding the fight, Bisping believes he executed his game plan against a worthy adversary, regardless of the illegal blow.
“I thought I gave a good performance. I respect Jorge. He’s been around the game a long time. He gave Anderson Silva and Rich Franklin good fights, so he is no walk in the park,” Bisping stated. “I prepared for this fight hard fight like always do. I thought I had his number. I was getting those takedowns. I hit him with that right hand and felt him wobble a bit, and I knew it was time to go for the finish.”
Penn, Fitch Both Dissatisfied with Draw, Open to Return Bout
Though B.J. Penn and Jon Fitch both fought their hearts out at UFC 127, neither fighter was happy with the result.
After three seesaw rounds during which both men showed flashes of dominance, the bout went to the scorecards. Nothing was resolved, however, as judges Barry Foley (29-28 Fitch), Sal D’Amato (28-28) and Chris Lee (28-28) rendered a majority draw. According to Fitch, his performance in the evening’s main event simply was not up to snuff.
“I’m awfully disappointed in myself,” said Fitch at the event’s postfight press conference inside Sydney, Australia’s, Acer Arena. “I could have performed and prepared a lot better, regardless of the judges' decision. I expect more of myself.”
Fitch, the betting favorite heading into the bout, found himself unable to control the smaller Penn in the way that many fans and pundits believed he would. Many of Fitch’s perceived difficulties might have been due to the Hawaiian’s surprising choice of strategy. While the prevailing opinion was that the former two-division champion would look to outbox Fitch, he instead chose to close the distance and try for takedowns, securing the bigger man’s back in both of the first two frames.
“I just kind of got over trying to box people and run away and stuff. I’m a grappler, myself,” said Penn. “I’m going to continue to try to take them down, and I’m going to try to punch them. I’m going to try to do both.”
A candid Fitch admitted after the fight that Penn’s aggressiveness in looking for the takedown early in the fight caught him off guard.
“B.J. had an excellent strategy. It threw me off, and it took me until the second round to counter-wrestle and get that in my head,” said Fitch. “I thought he was going to come out counter-boxing, and it kind of threw off what I was going to do.”
Though Penn stayed neck-and-neck with Fitch during the first two rounds, the third stanza belonged to the former Purdue Boilermaker. Fitch grounded “The Prodigy” early in the round and relentlessly battered him with ground-and-pound until the final horn. Following the bout, Penn confessed that he felt he had lost the decision prior to the scores being announced and asserted that he might have been at a career impasse had the verdict not gone his way.
When asked if retirement was on his mind during the short time between the fight’s end and the official announcement, however, Penn dismissed the idea.
“I don’t know what was running through my head as soon as the fight was done -- a million different things. Did I say before this fight that this was my last fight?” Penn asked rhetorically. “I’m still just up in the air and disappointed that I gave away the third round like that.”
Both men were asked about the possibility of a rematch for a potentially vacant welterweight title, in the event that reigning champion Georges St. Pierre moves to middleweight following a successful defense against Jake Shields at UFC 129 in April. While Fitch welcomed the idea, Penn shrugged off possible title implications if the rematch were to occur.
“I understand where Jon is coming from,” said Penn, “but I think I still need a win over Jon before I get a shot at title.”
Though B.J. Penn and Jon Fitch both fought their hearts out at UFC 127, neither fighter was happy with the result.
After three seesaw rounds during which both men showed flashes of dominance, the bout went to the scorecards. Nothing was resolved, however, as judges Barry Foley (29-28 Fitch), Sal D’Amato (28-28) and Chris Lee (28-28) rendered a majority draw. According to Fitch, his performance in the evening’s main event simply was not up to snuff.
“I’m awfully disappointed in myself,” said Fitch at the event’s postfight press conference inside Sydney, Australia’s, Acer Arena. “I could have performed and prepared a lot better, regardless of the judges' decision. I expect more of myself.”
Fitch, the betting favorite heading into the bout, found himself unable to control the smaller Penn in the way that many fans and pundits believed he would. Many of Fitch’s perceived difficulties might have been due to the Hawaiian’s surprising choice of strategy. While the prevailing opinion was that the former two-division champion would look to outbox Fitch, he instead chose to close the distance and try for takedowns, securing the bigger man’s back in both of the first two frames.
“I just kind of got over trying to box people and run away and stuff. I’m a grappler, myself,” said Penn. “I’m going to continue to try to take them down, and I’m going to try to punch them. I’m going to try to do both.”
A candid Fitch admitted after the fight that Penn’s aggressiveness in looking for the takedown early in the fight caught him off guard.
“B.J. had an excellent strategy. It threw me off, and it took me until the second round to counter-wrestle and get that in my head,” said Fitch. “I thought he was going to come out counter-boxing, and it kind of threw off what I was going to do.”
Though Penn stayed neck-and-neck with Fitch during the first two rounds, the third stanza belonged to the former Purdue Boilermaker. Fitch grounded “The Prodigy” early in the round and relentlessly battered him with ground-and-pound until the final horn. Following the bout, Penn confessed that he felt he had lost the decision prior to the scores being announced and asserted that he might have been at a career impasse had the verdict not gone his way.
When asked if retirement was on his mind during the short time between the fight’s end and the official announcement, however, Penn dismissed the idea.
“I don’t know what was running through my head as soon as the fight was done -- a million different things. Did I say before this fight that this was my last fight?” Penn asked rhetorically. “I’m still just up in the air and disappointed that I gave away the third round like that.”
Both men were asked about the possibility of a rematch for a potentially vacant welterweight title, in the event that reigning champion Georges St. Pierre moves to middleweight following a successful defense against Jake Shields at UFC 129 in April. While Fitch welcomed the idea, Penn shrugged off possible title implications if the rematch were to occur.
“I understand where Jon is coming from,” said Penn, “but I think I still need a win over Jon before I get a shot at title.”
UFC 127 bonuses: Hunt, Noke, Lytle and Ebersole earn $75,000 awards
Mark Hunt, Kyle Noke, Chris Lytle and Brian Ebersole each earned $75,000 "Fight Night" bonuses for their performances at Saturday's UFC 127 event.
Hunt earned the night's "Knockout of the Night" award, Noke got the "Submission of the Night" bonus, and Lytle and Ebersole earned "Fight of the Night" honors.
Marshall Zelaznik, the UFC's managing director of international development, announced the bonus winners and award amounts at UFC 127's post-event press conference.
UFC 127 took place Sunday at Acer Arena in Sydney, Australia. The night's main card aired live on pay-per-view (on Saturday in the U.S. due to the time difference), three preliminary-card fights aired on ION Television, and two prelims streamed on Facebook.
Hunt earned his win with a vicious beatdown of fellow heavyweight Chris Tuchscherer on the preliminary card. The former PRIDE fighter badly bloodied Tuchscherer in the first round and finished him off in the second with additional blows.
Noke, meanwhile, kicked off the pay-per-view broadcast with a quick and efficient first-round rear-naked-choke victory over Chris Camozzi. The win, which was set up after Noke's takedown left him in a dominant mount position, lasted just 95 seconds.
Lytle and Ebersole also competed on the night's pay-per-view main card. The Indianapolis natives have 115 fights between them, though Ebersole was making his promotional debut as a late replacement for injured Carlos Condit. Despite Lytle's recent career resurgence, the unorthodox Ebersole out-struck and out-wrestled him en route to an upset unanimous-decision win.
Mark Hunt, Kyle Noke, Chris Lytle and Brian Ebersole each earned $75,000 "Fight Night" bonuses for their performances at Saturday's UFC 127 event.
Hunt earned the night's "Knockout of the Night" award, Noke got the "Submission of the Night" bonus, and Lytle and Ebersole earned "Fight of the Night" honors.
Marshall Zelaznik, the UFC's managing director of international development, announced the bonus winners and award amounts at UFC 127's post-event press conference.
UFC 127 took place Sunday at Acer Arena in Sydney, Australia. The night's main card aired live on pay-per-view (on Saturday in the U.S. due to the time difference), three preliminary-card fights aired on ION Television, and two prelims streamed on Facebook.
Hunt earned his win with a vicious beatdown of fellow heavyweight Chris Tuchscherer on the preliminary card. The former PRIDE fighter badly bloodied Tuchscherer in the first round and finished him off in the second with additional blows.
Noke, meanwhile, kicked off the pay-per-view broadcast with a quick and efficient first-round rear-naked-choke victory over Chris Camozzi. The win, which was set up after Noke's takedown left him in a dominant mount position, lasted just 95 seconds.
Lytle and Ebersole also competed on the night's pay-per-view main card. The Indianapolis natives have 115 fights between them, though Ebersole was making his promotional debut as a late replacement for injured Carlos Condit. Despite Lytle's recent career resurgence, the unorthodox Ebersole out-struck and out-wrestled him en route to an upset unanimous-decision win.
Australian UFC 127 winners fulfill dreams, welcome future challenges
While UFC lightweight contender George Sotiropoulos carried the expectations of a nation on his shoulders in a UFC 127 loss to Dennis Siver, the submission ace wasn't the only Aussi competing on native turf.
Kyle Noke (19-4-1 MMA, 3-0 UFC), Anthony Perosh (11-6 MMA, 1-3 UFC) and transplanted New Zealander Mark Hunt (6-4 MMA, 1-1 UFC) all earned victories at this weekend's card in Sydney, Australia.
All three said the chance to claim octagon victories in front of an enthusiastic hometown crowd was a dream come true, and all three said they couldn't wait for the next test in their way.
"It feels good," Noke said at the evening's post-event press conference. "It's a dream of mine to fight in the UFC. To have the opportunity to fight at home, in Australia for the UFC, I'm happy. I'm excited."
Noke needed just 95 seconds to dispose of fellow "The Ultimate Fighter 11" cast member Chris Camozzi via rear-naked choke. The quick win earned Noke the evening's $75,000 "Submission of the Night" win, but he wasn't the only Aussie to take home a bonus check. Veteran kickboxer Mark Hunt also nabbed the night's "Knockout of the Night" award with a second-round destruction of wrestler Chris Tuchscherer.
The upset win snapped a six-fight losing streak for the 36-year-old that dated all the way back to 2006.
"I haven't won a fight in so long," Hunt admitted. "It was great to win.
"It's been a long time between drinks for me – a long time."
Perosh found himself in a similar position. Sure, "The Hippo" was 5-3 in his previous eight fights, but he had been trying unsuccessfully since 2006 to register his first octagon victory. He had failed three previous times before earning a first-round submission win over Tom Blackledge at UFC 127.
"Everyone told me, 'Don't let the pressure get to you,' but sitting at this table, all the other Aussies, they all had wins," Perosh said. "Kyle Noke had wins. George had wins. James Te Huna is doing well. It was that pressure.
"I wanted my first win in the UFC, and now I just want to keep moving up that ladder and see how far I can go."
Te Huna came up short agains Swedish prospect Alexander Gustafsson. Nevertheless, the Aussies held their own even as Sotiropoulos fell short. It's a promising sign for the potential of Australian MMA. Noke appears to offer the most upside at the moment, and he expressed an attitude that seems pretty consistent with all the fighters Down Under.
"I'll fight anyone that they want me to fight," Noke said. "I don't pick my opponents, but I'll never turn one down. I'll fight whoever they want me to."
While UFC lightweight contender George Sotiropoulos carried the expectations of a nation on his shoulders in a UFC 127 loss to Dennis Siver, the submission ace wasn't the only Aussi competing on native turf.
Kyle Noke (19-4-1 MMA, 3-0 UFC), Anthony Perosh (11-6 MMA, 1-3 UFC) and transplanted New Zealander Mark Hunt (6-4 MMA, 1-1 UFC) all earned victories at this weekend's card in Sydney, Australia.
All three said the chance to claim octagon victories in front of an enthusiastic hometown crowd was a dream come true, and all three said they couldn't wait for the next test in their way.
"It feels good," Noke said at the evening's post-event press conference. "It's a dream of mine to fight in the UFC. To have the opportunity to fight at home, in Australia for the UFC, I'm happy. I'm excited."
Noke needed just 95 seconds to dispose of fellow "The Ultimate Fighter 11" cast member Chris Camozzi via rear-naked choke. The quick win earned Noke the evening's $75,000 "Submission of the Night" win, but he wasn't the only Aussie to take home a bonus check. Veteran kickboxer Mark Hunt also nabbed the night's "Knockout of the Night" award with a second-round destruction of wrestler Chris Tuchscherer.
The upset win snapped a six-fight losing streak for the 36-year-old that dated all the way back to 2006.
"I haven't won a fight in so long," Hunt admitted. "It was great to win.
"It's been a long time between drinks for me – a long time."
Perosh found himself in a similar position. Sure, "The Hippo" was 5-3 in his previous eight fights, but he had been trying unsuccessfully since 2006 to register his first octagon victory. He had failed three previous times before earning a first-round submission win over Tom Blackledge at UFC 127.
"Everyone told me, 'Don't let the pressure get to you,' but sitting at this table, all the other Aussies, they all had wins," Perosh said. "Kyle Noke had wins. George had wins. James Te Huna is doing well. It was that pressure.
"I wanted my first win in the UFC, and now I just want to keep moving up that ladder and see how far I can go."
Te Huna came up short agains Swedish prospect Alexander Gustafsson. Nevertheless, the Aussies held their own even as Sotiropoulos fell short. It's a promising sign for the potential of Australian MMA. Noke appears to offer the most upside at the moment, and he expressed an attitude that seems pretty consistent with all the fighters Down Under.
"I'll fight anyone that they want me to fight," Noke said. "I don't pick my opponents, but I'll never turn one down. I'll fight whoever they want me to."
Rivera’s Handlers Take Aim at Bisping, Decry Post-Fight Actions
Michael Bisping might want to have Roberto Alomar on speed dial.
Moments after he stopped Jorge Rivera on second-round punches in the UFC 127 co-main event on Sunday in Sydney, Australia, Bisping (Pictured) appeared to spit in the direction of his vanquished foe’s cornermen. His actions -- which also included face-to-face taunts at Rivera -- drew the immediate ire of Rivera’s handlers at Alchemist MMA.
“For all his talk of being a professional, Bisping spit on Rivera’s coaches when the fight was over,” an Alchemist statement read. “How can you claim to be professional after that?”
In a post-fight interview with MMAFighting.com, Bisping claimed he spit on the canvas directly in front of Rivera’s boxing coach, Matt Phinney, not at any individual. Those claims fell on deaf ears inside the Rivera camp. Rivera’s manager, Lex McMahon, called for “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 3 winner to be punished and possibly fined and suspended for his actions. Kelly Crigger, Alchemist Management Vice President of Communications, lashed out at Bisping on his personal Facebook page.
“First Mike Bisping shouts a homophobic slur, then delivers an illegal knee, then gives Matt the middle finger while Jorge was recovering, [and] then he spit on Matt and calls Jorge classless afterward,” Crigger wrote. “Amazing. He redefines the word ‘Tool.’”
Bad blood had built exponentially between Rivera and Bisping in the weeks leading up to their bout, as the two middleweights ramped up their rhetoric in pre-fight interviews.
“He was very insulting toward me. He was mocking me on the Internet, talking about myself and my family. But it built up inside me, and I blew up a little bit, so I apologize,” Bisping said during the post-fight press conference. “[The videos] definitely motivated me and made me work harder. Trash talk is part of the game, and I let it get to me too much. But I’m an emotional guy. Everything that comes out of my mouth comes from my heart. I am who I am. He embarrassed me, mocking me all over the world. But I should have been the better man and taken that on the chin a little better.”
Their apparent dislike for one another was only enhanced in the first round, when Bisping landed a brutal illegal knee to the head of the downed Massachusetts native, nearly resulting in a premature stoppage. Rivera decided to remain in the fight, perhaps to his detriment. Bisping ultimately put him away in the second round, as he battered him with punches and knees against the cage. A final volley sent Rivera to one knee, and the referee intervened.
“The knee was illegal and flush on the face,” the Alchemist MMA statement read, “but instead of taking a dive and possibly the win, Jorge fought on. Bisping tagged Jorge while both of his knees were on the canvas. He wasn’t the same afterward but fought on anyway. How many fighters would be able to fight on after that? The stoppage was quick, but we won’t fight it. [Bisping] won. That’s all there is to it.”
Crigger does not believe the knee was accidental.
“Just re-watched the Bisping-Rivera fight,” he wrote on Facebook. “There has never been a more illegal knee in the history of MMA. I really think it was an intentional strike.”
Bisping denied such claims.
“The knee certainly wasn’t on purpose,” he said. “He was getting up off the ground, and I pulled the trigger too early. It happens a lot. This is a fast-moving sport. No one wants to see a fight won or lost in that fashion.”
Michael Bisping might want to have Roberto Alomar on speed dial.
Moments after he stopped Jorge Rivera on second-round punches in the UFC 127 co-main event on Sunday in Sydney, Australia, Bisping (Pictured) appeared to spit in the direction of his vanquished foe’s cornermen. His actions -- which also included face-to-face taunts at Rivera -- drew the immediate ire of Rivera’s handlers at Alchemist MMA.
“For all his talk of being a professional, Bisping spit on Rivera’s coaches when the fight was over,” an Alchemist statement read. “How can you claim to be professional after that?”
In a post-fight interview with MMAFighting.com, Bisping claimed he spit on the canvas directly in front of Rivera’s boxing coach, Matt Phinney, not at any individual. Those claims fell on deaf ears inside the Rivera camp. Rivera’s manager, Lex McMahon, called for “The Ultimate Fighter” Season 3 winner to be punished and possibly fined and suspended for his actions. Kelly Crigger, Alchemist Management Vice President of Communications, lashed out at Bisping on his personal Facebook page.
“First Mike Bisping shouts a homophobic slur, then delivers an illegal knee, then gives Matt the middle finger while Jorge was recovering, [and] then he spit on Matt and calls Jorge classless afterward,” Crigger wrote. “Amazing. He redefines the word ‘Tool.’”
Bad blood had built exponentially between Rivera and Bisping in the weeks leading up to their bout, as the two middleweights ramped up their rhetoric in pre-fight interviews.
“He was very insulting toward me. He was mocking me on the Internet, talking about myself and my family. But it built up inside me, and I blew up a little bit, so I apologize,” Bisping said during the post-fight press conference. “[The videos] definitely motivated me and made me work harder. Trash talk is part of the game, and I let it get to me too much. But I’m an emotional guy. Everything that comes out of my mouth comes from my heart. I am who I am. He embarrassed me, mocking me all over the world. But I should have been the better man and taken that on the chin a little better.”
Their apparent dislike for one another was only enhanced in the first round, when Bisping landed a brutal illegal knee to the head of the downed Massachusetts native, nearly resulting in a premature stoppage. Rivera decided to remain in the fight, perhaps to his detriment. Bisping ultimately put him away in the second round, as he battered him with punches and knees against the cage. A final volley sent Rivera to one knee, and the referee intervened.
“The knee was illegal and flush on the face,” the Alchemist MMA statement read, “but instead of taking a dive and possibly the win, Jorge fought on. Bisping tagged Jorge while both of his knees were on the canvas. He wasn’t the same afterward but fought on anyway. How many fighters would be able to fight on after that? The stoppage was quick, but we won’t fight it. [Bisping] won. That’s all there is to it.”
Crigger does not believe the knee was accidental.
“Just re-watched the Bisping-Rivera fight,” he wrote on Facebook. “There has never been a more illegal knee in the history of MMA. I really think it was an intentional strike.”
Bisping denied such claims.
“The knee certainly wasn’t on purpose,” he said. “He was getting up off the ground, and I pulled the trigger too early. It happens a lot. This is a fast-moving sport. No one wants to see a fight won or lost in that fashion.”
Spike TV offers UFC 129 "UFC Prelims" special with Toronto show
Spike TV will air a "UFC Prelims" special as part of April's UFC 129 event in Toronto.
UFC officials confirmed the plans during Saturday's live broadcast of UFC 127.
Although not officially announced, sources told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) that welterweight bouts of Nate Diaz (13-6 MMA, 8-4 UFC) vs. Rory MacDonald (10-1 MMA, 1-1 UFC) and Brian Foster (15-5 MMA, 3-2 UFC) vs. Sean Pierson (11-4 MMA, 1-0 UFC) are the leading candidates for the cable broadcast.
UFC 129 takes place April 30 at Toronto's Rogers Centre, and the pay-per-view main card features welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre vs. top contender Jake Shields.
Additional UFC 129 fights are likely to stream on Facebook prior to Spike TV's "UFC Prelims" broadcast.
The UFC 129 "UFC Prelims" special will be Spike TV's third of 12 scheduled for 2011 (UFC 126 and UFC 128). ION Television also has aired specials when Spike TV hasn't, such as with UFC 127. Spike TV's recent UFC 126 broadcast, which coincided with the annual Super Bowl weekend show, set a series record with 2 million viewers.
UFC 129, of course, could be one of the biggest events in UFC history. The UFC's first-ever stadium show has already resulted in 55,000 tickets sold and a gate of $11 million. Both are UFC and North American MMA records.
The latest UFC 129 card now includes:
MAIN CARD
* Champ Georges St-Pierre vs. Jake Shields (for welterweight title)
* Champ Jose Aldo vs. Mark Hominick (for featherweight title)
* Randy Couture vs. Lyoto Machida
* Mark Bocek vs. Ben Henderson
* Jason Brilz vs. Vladimir Matyushenko*
PRELIMINARY CARD (Spike TV)
* Nate Diaz vs. Rory MacDonald
* Brian Foster vs. Sean Pierson
PRELIMINARY CARD
* Pablo Garza vs. Yves Jabouin
* Claude Patrick vs. Daniel Roberts
* Ivan Menjivar vs. Charlie Valencia
* Jason MacDonald vs. Ryan Jensen
* John Makdessi vs. Kyle Watson
* - Not officially announced
Spike TV will air a "UFC Prelims" special as part of April's UFC 129 event in Toronto.
UFC officials confirmed the plans during Saturday's live broadcast of UFC 127.
Although not officially announced, sources told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) that welterweight bouts of Nate Diaz (13-6 MMA, 8-4 UFC) vs. Rory MacDonald (10-1 MMA, 1-1 UFC) and Brian Foster (15-5 MMA, 3-2 UFC) vs. Sean Pierson (11-4 MMA, 1-0 UFC) are the leading candidates for the cable broadcast.
UFC 129 takes place April 30 at Toronto's Rogers Centre, and the pay-per-view main card features welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre vs. top contender Jake Shields.
Additional UFC 129 fights are likely to stream on Facebook prior to Spike TV's "UFC Prelims" broadcast.
The UFC 129 "UFC Prelims" special will be Spike TV's third of 12 scheduled for 2011 (UFC 126 and UFC 128). ION Television also has aired specials when Spike TV hasn't, such as with UFC 127. Spike TV's recent UFC 126 broadcast, which coincided with the annual Super Bowl weekend show, set a series record with 2 million viewers.
UFC 129, of course, could be one of the biggest events in UFC history. The UFC's first-ever stadium show has already resulted in 55,000 tickets sold and a gate of $11 million. Both are UFC and North American MMA records.
The latest UFC 129 card now includes:
MAIN CARD
* Champ Georges St-Pierre vs. Jake Shields (for welterweight title)
* Champ Jose Aldo vs. Mark Hominick (for featherweight title)
* Randy Couture vs. Lyoto Machida
* Mark Bocek vs. Ben Henderson
* Jason Brilz vs. Vladimir Matyushenko*
PRELIMINARY CARD (Spike TV)
* Nate Diaz vs. Rory MacDonald
* Brian Foster vs. Sean Pierson
PRELIMINARY CARD
* Pablo Garza vs. Yves Jabouin
* Claude Patrick vs. Daniel Roberts
* Ivan Menjivar vs. Charlie Valencia
* Jason MacDonald vs. Ryan Jensen
* John Makdessi vs. Kyle Watson
* - Not officially announced