MMA News Thread

[Shogun Locc]

Sanchez Expected Easy Takedowns Against Kampmann

Diego Sanchez found a way to outpoint Martin Kampmann at UFC Live 3, but he wasn’t able to execute his strategy.

“Martin was a big [welterweight]. He surprised me with his takedown defense,” Sanchez said recently on Bruce Buffer’s “It’s Time” radio show. “I had trained for a wrestling fight. I really did. I was expecting to just take him down at will. In that cage, the canvas is a little slippery on the bare feet, but I kept at it. It showed me I need to get stronger.”

Sanchez won the March 3 bout via unanimous decision. Kampmann busted him up in the opening round, but Sanchez rallied back in the second and third.

“When you get injured as a fighter, you get cut, you know that the fight could be stopped,” Sanchez said. “In me anyway, when I get cut, it brings something out of me like a sense of urgency, a sense to fight harder. That’s what happened in the fight. I got cut and I was like, ‘All right, I better leave it all out there.’”

Both fighters took some good shots in the fight. Sanchez looked worse, but he kept moving forward. Despite the accuracy of Kampmann’s punches, Sanchez didn’t believe they could stop him.

“I just felt like he couldn’t hurt me with his punches,” he said. “I felt like he wasn’t going to daze me. I didn’t get dazed at all in the whole fight. Not one of his punches really dazed me. I got cut, but I was never hurt. I had my legs the whole fight. My vision was fine.”

The win was Sanchez’s second straight. He was coming off back-to-back losses to B.J. Penn and John Hathaway when he reunited with coach Greg Jackson. Since training again with the New Mexico-based camp, he has two quality wins and is climbing the welterweight ladder.

“I’m just in a good place right now,” Sanchez said. “I’m in the right place. I’m surrounded by the right people. I’ve been through so much in my career that right now I’m at a mature age where I’m just like, ‘All right, I’m going to give this a go 100 percent and do things right and try to earn it.’ I just want to try to earn it. I want to earn the world championship. One fight at a time, just work hard and earn it. That’s what I’m going to do.”

 

[Shogun Locc]

Strikeforce to Adopt Unified Rules, Continue on Showtime

With the dust beginning to settle after Saturday’s momentous announcement that UFC parent company Zuffa, LLC, has purchased rival promotion Strikeforce, officials from both organizations fielded questions about the deal on a Monday media conference call.

Regarding the reason for the sale, Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker stated that former Strikeforce co-owners Silicon Valley Sports and Entertainment “wanted to get back to their core business.” The company, which partnered with Strikeforce in May 2008, also owns and operates the NHL’s San Jose Sharks franchise.

Although the sale was not finalized until last week, talks between Zuffa and Strikeforce began in mid-December. However, Coker said, the delaying of the second round of Strikeforce’s heavyweight grand prix -- which was recently pushed from April 9 to June 18 -- had nothing to do with negotiations and was simply a matter of finding a suitable venue for the card.

UFC President Dana White said that the deal could provide a larger platform for the final of the much-discussed heavyweight tournament.

“We’re open to the idea of the heavyweight grand prix final being on pay-per-view,” said White.

Zuffa CEO Lorenzo Fertitta stated that his company has yet to meet with Showtime, Strikeforce’s current home on premium cable. According to Fertitta, Strikeforce events will continue to air on Showtime, as the promotion is under contract for 16 more events, a deal which reportedly extends to 2014.

“If Showtime is interested in something beyond that, we’re interested,” said Fertitta.

“There are things we can do to help out, but right now, they’re running production,” added White, asserting that Showtime will continue to control all aspects of production for Showtime’s events.

While Strikeforce’s cage will remain hexagonal, Fertitta says that the promotion will adopt the Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts, the rule set currently employed by the UFC and recognized by most state athletic commissions. The major change will come in the form of the allowance of elbow strikes on the ground, previously forbidden under Strikeforce rules.

The UFC and Strikeforce will continue to exist as separate entities for the foreseeable future. White said that he “wouldn’t count anything out” when it comes to fighters crossing over in the future and that Zuffa’s plans for Strikeforce remain “a work in progress.” Asked if he will be able to conduct business with current Strikeforce fighters previously banned from the UFC -- namely welterweight contender Paul Daley and heavyweight grand prix participant Josh Barnett -- White was optimistic.

“There are a lot of people who aren’t big fans of mine, but we can still do business,” White said. “Me and Tito [Ortiz] did business for years.”

 

[Shogun Locc]

Barry, Kongo Agree to Meet at UFC Live 4 on June 26

UFC heavyweights Pat Barry and Cheick Kongo have agreed to square off on June 26 as part of the promotion’s fourth live event for cable network Versus.

Sherdog.com has confirmed the matchup with a source close to the bout, for which agreements are expected to be finalized shortly. MMAWeekly.com first reported the fight on Monday.

The UFC recently announced the date for UFC Live 4, though no location or venue has been revealed.

A former kickboxer with roots in sanshou, Barry has racked up a 6-2 record since making the switch to mixed martial arts in May 2008. The 31-year-old New Orleans native currently resides in Milwaukee, where he trains with fellow standup stylist Duke Roufus’ Roufusport camp. Against Kongo, “HD” will look for his first two-fight Octagon win streak; on Jan. 22, he took a unanimous decision over Joey Beltran at UFC “Fight for the Troops 2.”

Kongo, 35, comes off a unanimous draw with Travis Browne at October’s UFC 120. The stalemate was the result of Kongo being docked a point in the third round for repeatedly grabbing Browne’s shorts. Prior to that outcome, the Frenchman snapped a two-fight losing skid by forcing Paul Buentello to submit to strikes in their March 2010 meeting at UFC Live 1. Kongo, who will celebrate 10 years as a professional MMA fighter in June, has been with the UFC for nearly five years, amassing a record of 8-4-1 in that time.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Barnett on UFC-Strikeforce Deal: ‘I Just Want to be Part of That’

When Josh Barnett saw news of the impending marriage of the UFC and its closest competitor Saturday morning, the first thing he did was glance at his calendar.

“I had to double-check,” said the Strikeforce heavyweight. “I was like, ‘I know it’s not April 1.’”

And the deal is certainly not a joke. It will pair the world’s top mixed martial arts promotion with the organization that held the last significant collection of top-level MMA fighters not already under their banner, and Barnett is hopeful he will be part of that union.

“Things have changed,” said the former UFC champion, “This is major and great things can come from it and I just want to be a part of that, and the way I can best do that is be the best fighter I can be.”

It just might not be that easy.

There is a massive hurdle standing in the way of a Barnett-UFC reunion and that is the president of the company, Dana White.

Barnett and White have had a contentious relationship -- if you can call it that -- over the past nine years or so since Barnett, in quick succession, became the organization’s youngest heavyweight titlist by defeating Randy Couture in 2002; then reportedly made it clear he wanted to be paid more than anyone was being paid at that time and finally was suspended by the Nevada State Athletic Commission for allegedly testing positive for anabolic steroids in the Couture fight.

For his part, Barnett states that no matter what has been said in the past, he has respect for his former boss. He also hopes his performance in the cage will go a long way in proving he belongs on the sport’s biggest stage.

“I’m not here to make this a personal vendetta or judgment with [Dana], especially in terms of business,” said Barnett. “I know what I’ve got to do and I know what his position is in terms of being the president of the UFC, and that he has excelled at. He’s done a great job.”

And Barnett has a job in front of him that is first and foremost. That is winning the Strikeforce heavyweight grand prix.

“It makes a difference with everything,” explained Barnett in regards to winning the tournament. “There is not a single thing in my life that winning this tournament will not make a difference with.”

One can’t help but think that it may be the only way for Barnett to find his way back into the Octagon, and it may be a long shot at that.

The volleys of vitriol between White and Barnett have been some of the most caustic dialogue ever recorded in the nascent sport’s young life.

Barnett has, in the past, been a vocal critic of White and his company, and the UFC boss -- as we have all become accustomed to -- has fired back early and often. Barnett’s alleged three failed commission administered drug tests have been an easy target for the sharp-witted White.

Those public repartees may be a thing of the past if Barnett is successful in persuading his former archrival to allow him back into the Octagon. It would not be the first time White has extinguished a bitter feud. He and Tito Ortiz squashed a high-profile quarrel that had them set to fight a televised boxing match.

Barnett may or may not have been joking when he talked about getting a shot at White in a professional style wresting match, but it is clear as day that he is serious about getting back into the UFC. Competing against the best fighters in the world is what motivates him, and even a blind man can see that the UFC will soon be the only game in town for a fighter of his caliber to scratch the competitive itch that consumes him.

“If he hates me, he hates me; but if he sees the value in what I bring to the table as a fighter I think that will speak for itself,” he said. “But you know what? I don’t hate Dana and I do business, and I’ll go out there and do the absolute best that I can do and if he happens to be my employer … literally, if Dana White has an office that I have to write into every day, because that’s the person I report to for my business, well that’s what I’ll do.”

This is an amazing sea change from the notoriously recalcitrant Barnett and it doesn’t stop there. Perhaps reflecting on the uncertain nature of MMA, especially so in recent years, he made a point to commend the UFC for providing a stable platform for the sport to grow upon in North America. He even went as far as to state he may have erred in his handling of his divorce from the company.

“There is a part of me that absolutely wishes that things between myself and the UFC had worked out differently,” stated Barnett. “I was 23, 24-years-old at the time and I took advice from where I took it and I tried to do what I thought was the best thing at the time, but this guy that is sitting here talking to you now would tell that kid [that] he was a moron.

“But even still, I got to see and experience a lot of amazing things in my life even because of that. I could sit back and cry about it and really think what a horrible way this turned out, but my life has been really awesome. I’ve done a lot of awesome things and I’ve been a part of amazing moments of time and got to fight in amazing places and see amazing things and fight amazing fighters and I would never trade that in. The thing is, every step you take is forever. I’m going to do what I’ve got to do and I’ll try to do the best I can to avoid mistakes of the past and use those experiences to be better at everything I try to do in life.”

With all that said, Barnett, like so many others who have clashed with White, see quite a bit of themselves in the supremely confident UFC president.

“Dana likes to go out there and crush, kill, pillage, whatever; and let’s face it, that’s kind of my M.O.,” said Barnett in an admiring tone. “As much as I may have ever had difficulty with Dana at the end of the day there is a part of me that absolutely vibes with what he is does.

“Whether he wants to think about it or not, here and now, no bulls**t, Dana White is pretty f--king metal and I am a metal dude … we’ll at least have that sort of respect that can’t be overlooked.”

We’ll see.

Noting his complete lack of control over the process of reconciling with White and the UFC, Barnett was clear in outlining his best chance of gaining any shred of influence in the matter.

“I know the biggest thing that will affect my career, and that’s going out there and winning this tournament. That’s the biggest thing that I can actually make a difference in, that’s something I actually have control over.”

 

[Shogun Locc]

Following sale to UFC, Strikeforce fighters and managers have mixed feelings

Strikeforce fighters have done a lot of reflecting in the past 48 hours.

Following the UFC's buyout of its promotional home, they have a lot of optimism about the potential upside of being aligned with the world's biggest fight promotion.

However, questions remain about the long-term future of the California-based promotion, and some fighters and industry professionals are concerned about the ultimate fate of a company that until very recently was the only credible competition to the UFC.

But most fighters agree that their job remains the same, regardless of who signs the checks. Their job is to put on a good show.

"As a fighter, that's the great thing about it," former Strikeforce lightweight champ Josh Thomson told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com). "You don't worry about the business side of it all. You worry about going out there and performing."

According to UFC president Dana White, Strikeforce will continue to operate as a separate entity from the UFC. They'll make a few changes in the look of the event and how the shows are run backstage. There will not be meddling in the matchmaking process or the acquisition of talent, and fighters will serve out the remainder of their contracts under the Strikeforce banner.

"It is literally business as usual," White told MMAFighting.com.

Several fighters said the additional marketing muscle brought by the UFC could be a boon for Strikeforce, which had often struggled to separate itself from the Las Vegas-based promotion among casual fans of the sport.

"If anything, it will help out Strikeforce," said one-time welterweight contender K.J. Noons. "The UFC are a good company. I don't think it's a negative. I think it's a positive."

Then there's the possibility of UFC fighters joining the ranks of Strikeforce, White said, which would deepen the ranks of all its divisions.

A ticket to the big show is the biggest carrot for most Strikeforce fighters. There are bigger potential upsides in fight purses, sponsorships and performance bonuses. There is stiffer competition, bigger crowds and the pride that comes from working for the biggest and most well-known MMA company.

No longer do they need to explain what Strikeforce is to the average passerby.

"It excites me," said Antonio "Bigfoot" Silva, who recently earned the biggest victory of his career by upsetting Fedor Emelianenko in the opening round of the Strikeforce heavyweight grand prix. "The UFC is the No. 1 event on earth. The best fighters in the world are there. I would love to fight there.

"I'd love to fight Brock Lesnar and send him back to pro wrestling because I don't accept the fact that [he's] ranked No. 2. It's not personal; I don't know Brock. It's just professional."

But for those who have already fought in the UFC, the buyout raises concerns about the bargaining power of those who've left the big show for other opportunities. Dan Henderson did so more than a year ago amid much fanfare to sign a lucrative contract with Strikeforce. After an unsuccessful bid for the promotion's middleweight belt, he won the light-heavyweight title earlier this month by knocking out Rafael Cavalcante at "Strikeforce: Feijao vs. Henderson." He has one fight left on his current contract and expected to begin negotiations for a new one when news of the sale broke.

"I don't know if it's the greatest thing to have everything under one roof again like it was when they took over PRIDE," Henderson said. "It's just a concern. Hopefully things work out right. Obviously, I'm concerned for myself and future contracts, and also about other fighters, as well. It's tough for these guys to get paid well, especially if there's no competition."

That's a concern echoed by those tasked with overseeing the careers of those who step in the cage. With the gap between regional shows and the big leagues now greater than ever, some fear that it may be tougher over the long term for many fighters to make a living.

Some, in fact, are upset with Strikeforce for ceding its independence.

"(Strikeforce CEO) Scott Coker did what would be in his and his family's best financial interest," said Cesar Gracie, who manages welterweight champion Nick Diaz. "At the end of the day, he makes a few million bucks, and he's a happy camper.

"Is it going to be good for the fighters? We're going to wait and see."

Right now, that's the asterisk beside the comments of most affected by the buyout. Many questions remain about the direction Strikeforce will take in the next year. The promotion has events scheduled for April 9 and June 18 and has approximately three years remaining on its TV deal with Showtime. But the often-contentious relationship between the UFC and Showtime has raised questions of whether that deal will hold. So far there has been no comment on the game-changing deal from the premium cable channel or Strikeforce officials.

White said there's a need for more Strikeforce events and that the promotion has developed a following that's valuable as the UFC continues to expand across the globe.

The fighters can all agree on another thing: They need the work.

"I fight for my family," Silva said. "I love to fight and I need to fight, so I'll fight any place and anybody."

 

[Shogun Locc]

UFC officially announces Strikeforce purchase, Fertitta says Coker to run promotion

Ultimate Fighting Championship executives today officially announced the purchase of rival Strikeforce, news of which first came out over the weekend.

In today's official announcement, company executives reiterated that the two fight promotions will operate independently.

Citing his admiration for Strikeforce executive Scott Coker, UFC Chairman and CEO Lorenzo Fertitta said the longtime kickboxing and MMA promoter will continue to run day-to-day operations of the organization.

"We've long admired Scott Coker and the Strikeforce business he launched and developed," Fertitta stated. "We feel that together with Scott, we can continue to build both Strikeforce and the UFC.

"We intend to operate Strikeforce as a separate business much like we did with the WEC for many years. We look forward to working with Scott Coker and the entire Strikeforce and Showtime teams to continue to provide quality content for mixed-martial-arts fans."

The UFC purchased the WEC in late 2006 and operated the organization until this past December. Over time, the UFC phased out the WEC's heavier weight classes and featured bantamweights and featherweights exclusively in its sister promotion. However, with stale TV ratings, uneven pay and calls for united talent, the UFC ultimately merged with the promotion and moved most of the fighters to the UFC in recent months.

According to today's announcement, there "are currently no plans to bring Strikeforce fighters to the UFC," and officials even plan to bolster the existing roster, which features an array of developed talent, proven veterans, international acquisitions and some UFC vets, a handful of whom left the organization on bad terms (including Paul Daley and Josh Barnett) .

However, fans already are salivating over the possibility of seeing fighters such as Strikeforce welterweight champion Nick Diaz, lightweight champ Gilbert Melendez, light-heavyweight titleholder Dan Henderson, heavyweight champ Alistair Overeem and other notables such as Antonio Silva in the UFC. Those fighters will fulfill the terms of their existing Strikeforce deals, but UFC president Dana White has suggested they eventually could be signed to the UFC (with some UFC fighters also heading to Strikeforce).

"We have worked hard to make mixed martial arts the fastest growing sport in the world," White stated. "We've spent countless hours getting this sport regulated and taking the octagon all over the world. Acquiring the Strikeforce assets allows us to continue to develop this sport into a global force."

Terms of the deal were not disclosed. Silicon Valley Sports & Entertainment, a sports-franchise company that co-owns Strikeforce along with Coker's West Coast Entertainment business, is believed to have sold Strikeforce for somewhere between $30 million and $60 million, MMAjunkie.com editor-in-chief Dann Stupp reports in today's "Dayton Daily News."

"This is an important day for the sport of mixed martial arts," Coker stated. "We are excited to work with Lorenzo Fertitta, Frank Fertitta, Dana White and everyone at the UFC on the quest to make MMA the biggest sport in the world. Fans can continue to expect quality Strikeforce shows, and we look forward to giving our athletes an even broader platform on which to perform."

 

[Shogun Locc]

Kurt Pellegrino Has a Tip for Gleison Tibau: Don’t Watch My Last Fight

Sometimes success can be a bad thing. The rush to capitalize on things going the right way can cause things to go the wrong way.

For UFC lightweight Kurt Pellegrino, last July’s bout against George Sotiropoulos was admittedly the pothole in the fast track he’d placed himself on with four wins in a row prior.

“That’s exactly what it was,” Pellegrino admitted to MMAWeekly.com. “I figured I had a lot of momentum going and if I could just keep winning right now and keep going, I could get past George and get a title shot.

“I think that’s the one thing that screwed me up. I thought I could be the UFC champion, and I think that was the thing that adds pressure.”

The pace at which Pellegrino pushed himself ended up taking its toll on his training routine and health.

“I think I did one thing wrong, I took too many fights in a row,” he said. “I didn’t give myself that little bit of time off training. Especially after my Fabricio Camoes fight, I had to undertake a surgery and then start training for a fight.

“I thought I could beat George – I still think I can beat George – but when you tear your ACL in round one, it’s tough to win when the cards are stacked against you. I’m just glad I was able to push through and finish the fight.”

After having surgery to repair his ACL, Pellegrino revamped his training routine by adding top kickboxing coach Brian Wright, kicking up his workouts with the help of trainer Jon Chaimberg, and reconnecting with the Florian brothers.

“Because of my work with Brian my footwork, hands, and takedowns are so much better,” stated Pellegrino. “I asked Jon to not give me a workout that he thought I could complete, and I completed every one. It was grueling, but I was laughing and enjoying every minute of it because I loved it.

“I trained with Kenny Florian and his brother for four weeks. I haven’t done that since my fight with Thiago Tavares, and people saw the outcome of that fight (he won). I’m back to normal. I cannot believe where I’m at in my life and it’s been great. You guys are going to be so surprised.”

Pellegrino will get an opportunity to showcase his improved game at UFC 128 on March 19 against Gleison Tibau, who is also looking to rebound off a loss in his last fight.

“This fight, I believe, is going to be a stand-up fight,” surmised Pellegrino. “He’s going to try to take me down and he’s going to get stuffed, real hard. And when I feel like taking him down, I’m gonna.”

In an interesting twist, Pellegrino has some preparation advice for Tibau going into their match-up.

“I’ll help him out with a tip: Do not watch my last fight, that will not help you. I was completely hurt,” stated Pellegrino. “Take that fight, throw it in the garbage or do whatever you have to do, that fight is not me.

“Watch my ones before that and say, ‘Holy (expletive), this is who I’m fighting?’ Yeah, that guy, the guy who ran over Fabricio Camoes, Josh Neer, and the guy who took Rob Emerson down when he was done freaking around – that’s the guy. That’s who you should train for.”

After getting back on track with his outlook and revamping his training, Pellegrino may find himself back in title contention his way.

“Guys thank you so much, MMAWeekly, you guys are the best,” he said in closing. “I want to thank Brian Wright for helping me out and making it fun again. Thanks to all my guys at Pellegrino Mixed Martial Arts in Belmar, N.J.

“Gleison Tibau is a threat for anyone at the 155-pound weight class, and I believe so am I. I got the jiu-jitsu, I got the hands, and I definitely have the wrestling. All I care about is getting my hand raised at the end of the night.”

 

[Shogun Locc]

BAMMA Ready To Play Apple To UFC’s Microsoft

The Ultimate Fighting Championship on Monday released an official statement confirming that Forza, LLC, a subsidiary of its parent company, Zuffa, LLC, purchased Strikeforce over the weekend.

The UFC was already the largest mixed martial arts promotion and pay-per-view provider in the world. The addition of Strikeforce to the fold – even if it does continue operations as a separate promotion like UFC officials insist – only strengthens the juggernaut’s stranglehold on the industry.

While many promoters may see the merger as a death knell, others see it as an opportunity to bolster their position in the industry.

Liam Fisher, Head of Business Development for BAMMA, is one such person, saying that his company will benefit from the acquisition.

“‘Whether I look at this as an MMA fan or a representative of BAMMA, it’s definitely a game changer, but a positive thing for us. There’s going to be some fighters that want to work with the UFC again and this is their way to do that, but there’s also going to be some fighters that can’t or won’t work with them and this is where we come in,” he commented.

“BAMMA is not only a breeding ground for new talent, but we’re also a place for more established fighters to compete at a high level in big arenas on live globally broadcasted shows.”

One fighter in particular that will be happy to have BAMMA in play is Brit Paul Daley. He has been on UFC president Dana White’s hit list since he sucker punched Josh Koscheck after their fight at UFC 113. White immediately fired Daley for the infraction and has steadfastly said he will never fight in the UFC again.

Daley, currently under contract with Strikeforce and BAMMA, may find his options limited once he fulfills his current Strikeforce deal.

“Strikeforce have contractual obligations to fulfill, so until they’re done, I don’t think anything is really going to change, but for the fighters that can’t or won’t work with the UFC, this does limit their career progression in the short term,” said Fisher.

“I’ve seen Paul Daley’s comments on our Facebook page and whatever Paul chooses to do, he knows he always has a home at BAMMA. Paul has been incredibly supportive of BAMMA from the start and we are proud to have him on our shows.”

Daley has said he is unsure what the future holds for him with Strikeforce now that the UFC is in the picture. He is currently scheduled to challenge Strikeforce welterweight champion Nick Diaz on April 9, but if he his no future with the company beyond his current contract, Daley has to determine if he wants to fight for Strikeforce even now.

“I think the implications of the UFC/Strikeforce deal are more focused on North America than anywhere else,” Fisher continued. “Strikeforce recently signed in to a PPV deal in the U.K., but traditionally, we’re not a PPV nation. There’s too much good sport on TV for free, added to the fact that MMA is still an emerging sport in the U.K. BAMMA brings in more viewers than Strikeforce do in the States and we wouldn’t even dream about doing a PPV in the UK.”

Everyone has labeled the move a “game changer,” including Fisher, but the BAMMA exec keeps it all in perspective when it comes to his promotion’s place in the industry.

“None of this scares or worries us and I don’t think it puts an end to the MMA business. Strikeforce wanted the money and they took it, but that doesn’t change the sport one bit, it just means the biggest brand within the sport just got a little bit bigger, and someone got a little bit richer. Just remember, for every Microsoft there needs to be an Apple.”

 

[Shogun Locc]

Manager: “Anderson Silva is a bad fight for GSP”

Georges St. Pierre is set to fight Jake Shields on April 30th at UFC 129, but many fans are thinking forwards. After Anderson Silva knocked out Vitor Belfort in February, the president of the UFC, Dana White, revealed that GSP would be the next opponent of the middleweight champion in case he beats Shields, and the Brazilian’s manager is excited about the bout.

“Anderson has proven he’s the best fighter and he handles it quite good. It’s a complicated fight to GSP… It’s a pretty bad fight for him”, Silva’s manager Jorge Guimarães to TATAME, believing that the bout could happen on a catchweight between 170 and 185lbs. “Anderson has this biotype, he loses weight easily, he can make any weight, so I believe a catchweight division would be perfect for GSP, and Anderson wouldn’t have problems with that. Who’d have a problem would be GSP, because Anderson can lose that weight easily and, at the day of the fight, he’d be on his usual weight, so I believe it’s complicated for Georges St. Pierre”, bets.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Werdum: “The UFC is the best of the world”

Fabricio Werdum tapped Fedor Emelianenko to get the biggest win of your career at Strikeforce’s cage, but he didn’t hide the excitement when he heard the news about Zuffa purchasing Strikeforce. “Strikeforce was doing well, growing strongly, but let’s face the facts, the UFC is the best of the world, a stronger brand… You have to unit with the best”, the black belt said, revealing that the UC tried to sign him after he defeated Emelianenko, back in 2010. “Now I can say, right? (laughs) Joe Silva told me to call him as soon as I was ‘free’, to call him to negotiate, but now we’re at the same home again (laughs)”, Werdum told TATAME.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Saturday's Bellator 37 prelims include Rosholt, Delgado, Massouh and Spoon

Bellator Fighting Championships has unveiled one of its most star-studded preliminary cards to date for Saturday's Bellator 37 event.

While the night's MTV2-broadcast main card features the opening round of the eight-man featherweight tournament, the local crowd will be treated to some other notables.

They include UFC vets Jake Rosholt and Roli Delgado, as well as WEC vet Jameel Massouh.

Bellator 37 takes place at Lucky Star Casino in Concho, Okla.

The featured preliminary-card attraction pits Rosholt (8-3 MMA, 0-0 BFC), a three-time NCAA Division I national champion at Oklahoma State University who went 2-2 in the WEC and UFC, against fellow middleweight John Bryant (4-3 MMA, 0-0 BFC), a Kansas-based fighter who makes his Bellator debut.

In a lightweight bout, undefeated Oklahoman Jeremy Spoon (8-0 MMA, 0-0 BFC), who owns eight stoppage victories (seven via submission), meets Jerrod Sanders (2-0 MMA, 0-0 BFC), a fellow Bellator newcomer.

In a lightweight matchup, Brandon Shelton (15-5 MMA, 0-0 BFC), who went 11-1 from 2006 to 2009, looks to snap out of a 1-3 skid when he meets Adam Snook (2-2 MMA, 0-0 BFC), who's won via first-round rear-naked choke in his past two fights.

Kicking off the night's action are two well-established fighters: "The Ultimate Fighter 8" cast member and three-time UFC fighter Roli Delagado (9-5-1 MMA, 0-0 BFC) and three-time WEC fighter Jameel Massouh (25-7 MMA, 1-0 BFC), who owns a four-fight win streak that includes a Bellator 29 submission win over Nick Mamalis.

The full Bellator 37 card now includes:

MAIN CARD

* Patricio "Pitbull Freire vs. Georgi Karakhanyan (featherweight-tourney quarterfinal)
* Zac George vs. Wilson Reis (featherweight-tourney quarterfinal)
* Kenny Foster vs. Eric Larkin (featherweight-tourney quarterfinal)
* Nazareno Malegarie vs. Daniel Straus (featherweight-tourney quarterfinal)

PRELIMINARY CARD

* John Bryant vs. Jake Rosholt
* Jerrod Sanders vs. Jeremy Spoon
* Brandon Shelton vs. Adam Snook
* Roli Delgado vs. Jameel Massouh

 

[Shogun Locc]

Following sale to UFC, Strikeforce grand prix could mark pay-per-view debut

Strikeforce never made it to pay-per-view on its own, but that could change under its new ownership.

UFC president Dana White today said the finals of the eight-man Strikeforce heavyweight grand prix might be worth a $44.95 price tag.

"Yeah, I think so," White today said when asked about the possibility of putting the planned event on pay-per-view.

Of course, that idea might be putting the cart before the horse in the wake of the UFC's recent buyout of Strikeforce. Both White and UFC executive and co-owner Lorenzo Fertitta said it's far too early to sign off on a variety of issues that could arise from the sale, such as the possibility of someday folding Strikeforce fighters into the UFC or superfights between promotional champions.

That's to say nothing of integrating the heavyweight grand prix into the UFC's core business. The eight-man competition kicked off this past February and is scheduled to continue with additional opening-round matchups on June 18 in Dallas.

Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker previously had said the grand prix would help his promotion enter the pay-per-view market and possibly return to CBS sometime this year. That prediction no doubt was aided by the buzz that followed the heavyweight grand prix's first event, which featured a headlining bout between Fedor Emelianenko and Antonio Silva that broke Strikeforce-Showtime ratings records with a peak of 1.1 million viewers.

But the promotion seemed to hit a snag when it decided to delay the tournament's second opening-round event from April until June. Coker, however, said it came out of a desire to capitalize on that buzz.

In the wake of the buyout, there was speculation that the tournament delay might have been prompted by Coker's pending deal with the UFC, which is the current international king of PPV. But during today's call, he said that wasn't true.

"That was a decision that was made way before this thing was inked," Coker said. "So it had nothing to do with it, and really, it had more to do with finding the right location for the heavyweight tournament. Once we found Dallas as a venue, we notified the fighters, and they were all OK with it. [The UFC purchase] had nothing to do with it.

The second event features two quarterfinal matchups: Alistair Overeem vs. Fabricio Werdum and Josh Barnett vs. Brett Rogers. Silva and Sergei Kharitonov earned passes to the semifinals with wins over Emelianenko and Andrei Arlovski, respectively.

Coker said the tournament finals could take place in December, though nothing is set.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Mac Danzig vs. Donald Cerrone grudge match slotted for UFC 131 in Vancouver

Some good good ol' trash-talking has secured Mac Danzig (20-8-1 MMA, 4-4 UFC) a fight with fellow lightweight Donald Cerrone (14-3 MMA, 1-0 UFC) at UFC 131.

UFC officials today announced the June 11 bout, which came about after Danzig's recent Twitter insults.

"So all you have to do to secure a fight you haven't earned is wear a silly hate, call yourself 'Cowboy' and talk trash?" Danzig wrote in January after Cerrone earned a late-replacement booking with Paul Kelly.

UFC 131 is expected to take place June 11 at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Brock Lesnar vs. Junior Dos Santos headlines the night's pay-per-view broadcast.

It's not clear if Danzig vs. Cerrone will make the PPV broadcast or if it may be aired or streamed as part of a preliminary-card special.

Since a career-worst three-fight skid, Danzig, "The Ultimate Fighter 6" winner, has won two of three fights. Most recently, he scored a first-round knockout of Joe Stevenson that earned him UFC 124's "KO of the Night" honors. The former KOTC champ's only loss during the stretch came in a controversial UFC 115 bout in which the ref appeared to stop the fight prematurely after believing Danzig had been choke unconscious.

Cerrone, a former top WEC lightweight contender, made his UFC debut in the Kelly fight and picked up a second-round submission victory (in a bout that earned UFC 126 "Fight of the Night" honors). He's now won three consecutive fights, including a decision victory over Jamie Varner and a submission win over Chris Horodecki under the WEC banner.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Melvin Guillard vs. Shane Roller set for UFC 132 in Las Vegas

Melvin Guillard (27-8-2 MMA, 9-3 UFC) has another hurdle to clear before he breaks into the role of lightweight title challenger.

"The Young Assassin" meets recent knockout artist Shane Roller (10-3 MMA, 1-0 UFC) at UFC 132, which is expected to take place July 2 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas.

The UFC today announced the bout. It's unknown if Guillard vs. Roller will air on the pay-per-view event's main card.

Guillard made a claim for a title shot following his impressive second-round TKO of division standout Evan Dunham this past January at "UFC Fight Night 23: UFC Fights for the Troops 2."

After refocusing his life and career to rack up four consecutive victories, Guillard said the time is now to step into the spotlight.

"I don't even like waiting three months to fight to be honest with you," he said following his win. "I'd like to fight again on the (Feb. 5) Vegas card that's coming up for the Super Bowl, if you guys have a spot for me – hint, hint, wink, wink.

"I'm going to make my run. This is my dream, my legacy. At the end of the day, I'll have a great story to tell someday when I'm an old man. I have a legacy to fulfill, and that's part of my legacy to fulfill. I will get that belt."

But Guillard needs to get past at least one more fighter before that happens, and Roller is next on his list. The Team Takedown original also has revamped his career with back-to-back wins that include a highlight-reel knockout of Thiago Tavares earlier this month at UFC on Versus 3. Previously, Roller sent former WEC champ Jamie Varner packing from Zuffa LLC employment with a first-round submission win in the lighter-weighted promotion's final show, WEC 53.

Those wins eased the sting of a third-round submission loss to Anthony Pettis at WEC 50 that halted his rise to lightweight-title contention.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Sam Stout vs. Yves Edwards on tap for UFC 131

A lightweight bout between veterans Sam Stout (16-6-1 MMA, 5-5 UFC) and Yves Edwards (40-16-1 MMA, 8-4 UFC) will be part of UFC 131.

Sources close to the negotiations today told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) the matchup is in the process of being finalized.

UFC 131 is expected to take place June 11 at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Brock Lesnar vs. Junior Dos Santos headlines the night's pay-per-view broadcast.

Stout vs. Edwards is expected to air as part of the PPV or a preliminary-card special.

Stout, who fights in his home country, enters the bout with three wins in his past four fights, including a recent split-decision victory over Paul Taylor at UFC 121. Prior to the bout, he suffered a split-decision loss to Jeremy Stephens. That bout and the two previous ones (wins over Matt Wiman and Joe Lauzon) earned him "Fight of the Night" honors.

The trio of bonuses and recent streak have put the Canadian Muay Thai and kickboxing specialist close to title contention.

The same can be said for Edwards, an early-UFC star who's resurrected his career with six victories in his past seven fights. The three most recent wins came in Bellator (against Luis Palomino) and the UFC (over John Gunderson and Cody McKenzie). The former PRIDE fighter briefly considered retirement before he turned around things following a pep speech from UFC matchmaker Joe Silva.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Matt Brown Gets Rich Attonito in a Welterweight Bout at TUF 13 Finale

Matt Brown will look to secure his UFC future when he returns to action at the “Ultimate Fighter” 13 finale in June facing American Top Team fighter Rich Attonito.

The bout was confirmed to MMAWeekly.com by sources close to the match-up on Monday. Heavy.com initially reported the fight.

Brown (11-10) was set to return to action at UFC on Versus 3 earlier this month, but when his opponent fell out of the scheduled bout, he was yanked from the card all together.

Now back in his home state of Ohio, Brown will look to recover from his recent three fight skid as he faces a fellow former “Ultimate Fighter” alum in June.

Dropping from middleweight to welterweight, Rich Attonito (9-4) looks to make the most of his debut at 170lbs when he fights in June.

Since his time on the the 11th season of the reality show, Attonito has gone 2-1, but his recent loss to Dave Branch pushed him to drop down to 170lbs.

 

[B-Buzz]

"The Reem" Season 2, Episode 1

http://vimeo.com/21017222

lol @ the Bloodstain cameo

 

[Shogun Locc]

"The Reem" Season 2, Episode 1

http://vimeo.com/21017222

lol @ the Bloodstain cameo

2 times in that episode

 

[Shogun Locc]

 

[Shogun Locc]