MMA News Thread

[Shogun Locc]

"Hamill" named best feature film at Miami Film Festival

"Hamill," a feature film based on the life of UFC light heavyweight Matt Hamill (10-2 MMA, 9-2 UFC), is now two-for-two.

The film picked up the Audience Award for Best Feature Film this past weekend at the Miami Film Festival. The honor comes four months after it captured the Breakthrough Film award at the 2010 AFI Film Festival in Los Angeles.

"These awards are further proof to show that this film can survive theatrically and break the mold," said Eben Kostbar, who co-wrote and produced "Hamill" with partner Joseph McKelheer, in an interview with MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com).

Shot on a "modest budget" for release this past November at the AFI festival, "Hamill" dramatizes the deaf fighter's life and journey to success in the UFC.

The two screenings held at the Miami Film Festival drew 1,000 attendees. Kostbar said negotiations are underway with two major distributors for a limited theatrical release this summer and, hopefully, a nationwide release afterward.

The challenge, he said, is convincing distributors to take a chance on a film with an unknown deaf actor, Russell Harvard, in the lead role.

"We thought it wouldn't do the film justice if we hired name actor," he said. "We feel the story is so inspiring and unique that the only way we could make sure it was told right, and that we would get the support of the deaf community, was to put a deaf actor."

The movie next heads to the Cleveland International Film Festival, where the UFC will document Hamill's work promoting the film as part of the "Countdown to UFC 130" program.

Hamill, of course, is slated to fight Quinton "Rampage" Jackson at the event, which takes place May 28 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.

Kostbar said the UFC president Dana White's support has been a crucial part of the film's success.

"He gave us footage for free and allowed us to shoot at the event for free, and he said when it's ready to be put out there, he'll help us promote it," he said. "He told us he'd never gotten behind or supported a film before. We're super excited and thrilled to have them on board."

The film can also be seen in the coming months at the Florida Film Festival, the Philadelphia Film Festival, and the Newport Beach Film Festival.

 

[Shogun Locc]

With Jones, Evans facing potential bout, Wittman believes teammates should fight

Jon Jones doesn't want to talk about it, but it seems everyone else does.

With the fast-rising star taking Rashad Evans' spot in this weekend's UFC 128 main event, Jones' next challenge could very well be against his Greg Jackson-trained teammate.

Grudge Training Center head Trevor Wittman, a former amateur boxer who has worked with both Evans and Jones, believes that with very few exceptions, teammates should be willing to square off in the cage.

"I have a little bit of different beliefs when it comes to fighting each other," Wittman told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com). "As an amateur boxer, we fought each other on the team all the time. If you're a 119-pound fighters, and you've got five or six other guys going out to the tournaments, you're fighting each other."

Jones and Evans had long stated they had no interest in letting MMA interrupt their budding friendship. But with Jones now facing Mauricio "Shogun" Rua for the UFC's light heavyweight title, both 205-pounders have begun to change their tune.

UFC president Dana White has long believed teammates should be willing to meet when the title of world's best is on the line, and Wittman mostly agrees.

"Honestly, I can understand if you have two best buddies that trained together since the beginning, they're not going to fight each other unless there's something on the line like a title fight," Wittman said. "I feel if there's something on the line, you need to fight. If there's something coming out of it, and you're making a good amount of money doing it, I think that's what makes this sport and the combative sports unique compared to the other ones.

"I got into boxing because I used to love watching the guys talk crap at the press conferences and then go in and fight each other and try to knock each other's heads off – and then always hug after the fight. That's what made me really interested. I had to go out and give it a try because I wanted to know what was making them do that."

Ultimately, the discussion of a potential Jones vs. Evans showdown could all be silenced by Rua's lethal Muay Thai. But if the young "Bones" is able to claim the belt, Wittman believes friendships need not be broken in the name of sport. After all, nothing commands more respect and kinship than hand-to-hand combat.

"You get in there, and you earn respect for each other," Wittman said. "When that final bell rings, you look at each other and know you just went rounds with that guy. There's not a better feeling than that. It's honestly the best feeling in the world."

 

[Shogun Locc]

UFC 128 Odds: Shogun vs. Jones Betting Odds

Mauricio “Shogun” Rua (19-4) +170 vs. Jon Jones (12-1) -210 [LHW title]
Urijah Faber (24-4) -550 vs. Eddie Wineland (18-6-1) +350
Jim Miller (19-2) -300 vs. Kamal Shalorus (7-0-2) +240
Dan Miller (13-4) +260 vs. Nate Marquardt (30-10-2) -300
Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic (27-8-2) +225 vs. Brendan Schaub (7-1) -280
Luiz Cane (10-3) -210 vs. Eliot Marshall (8-2) +170
Edson Barboza (7-0) -300 vs. Anthony Njokuani (13-4) +240
Ricardo Almeida (13-4) -175 vs. Mike Pyle (20-7-1) +145
Kurt Pellegrino (16-5) +135 vs. Gleison Tibau (21-7) -165
Joseph Benavidez (13-2) -500 vs. Ian Loveland (14-7) +300
Erik Koch (11-1) -175 vs. Raphael Assuncao (16-3) +145
Nick Catone (8-2) -250 vs. Costantinos Philippou (7-1) +200

 

[Shogun Locc]

Gleison Tibau says Kurt Pellegrino “will get himself in trouble” if he takes him down

Gleison Tibau will return to UFC’s cage this Saturday, in New Jersey, against the American Kurt Pelegrino, and he’s victory hunger. Coming from a bad result against the tough Jim Miller, the Brazilian chatted with TATAME and guaranteed much aggressiveness on the duel. “You can hope to see Gleison Tibau with a sharpen technique and much more aggressive on the bout. You’ll all notice it. And, obviously, I’ll be craving a win”, guarantees the tough guy, sending a message for his opponent, who has a sharp ground game, so he won’t try to use Jiu-Jitsu against him. “He’s much skilled on the floor, but he’ll get himself in trouble if he tries to do so, since it’s the area I domain the most… He won’t beat me like that”, warns. Check below the exclusive chat with the athlete, who, among many subjects, commented the left of great names of ATT team, like Gesias Cavalcante, Jorge Santiago, Antonio Silva and Danillo Indio.

How is your preparation for this fight like?

My preparation was awesome. The focus of my training was the sharpening of my technique and improving my conditioning. I’ve adjusted few details, training the coups while standing, and new attack strategies.

Kurt Pellegrino is one of the toughest guys on the division, and he has a pretty sharp ground game. Do you believe he’ll try to avoid striking with you?

I believe so, because he’s much skilled on the ground, but he’ll get himself in trouble if he tries to do so, since it’s the area I domain the most… He won’t beat me like that.

Have you trained especially the ground game? Who do you train with at ATT?

Yes, absolutely. Each day I adjust my ground game with the help of excellent Jiu-Jitsu coaches, like Parrumpinha, Liborio, Conan and all the guys at ATT.

You’re on a good phase on UFC, but lost to Jim Miller. What went wrong on the fight?

I was prepared for that bout. I went for it, I wanted it bad, but Jim launched some strong punches and my game plan was gone. It has affected me a lot. If I wasn’t so prepared physically I’d be knocked out quicker. However, I tried to remain calm and returned to the duel. In its end I was completely recovered and got on top of him, but there wasn’t enough time. Time is precious on UFC…

What the fans can expect from you in this fight?

You can hope to see Gleison Tibau with a sharpen technique and much more aggressive on the bout. You’ll all notice it. And, obviously, I’ll be craving a win.

Many strong names have left ATT last week. How did you take it?

Me and the entire crew of ATT were surprised and sad with their left. But they are my friends and they have their choices in life. They’re winners and they’ll keep doing a great job on the sport.

Are you still on the team? Do you believe these changes affect the quality of your trainings?

Yeah, of course. ATT is a small group, extremely professional and it gives us a great conditioning and good trainings. Nothing changes our routine. I’m on the group for five years now.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Welterweight Title Bout Tops M-1 Challenge 25 on April 28

Once-beaten welterweights Shamil Zavurov and Rashid Magomedov will meet for the second time in the championship main event of M-1 Challenge 25 on April 28 at the Ice Palace in St. Petersburg, Russia.

The Russian promotion announced the event and the matchup on Tuesday. M-1 will once again stream the show’s main card live on its official website (www.m-1global.com) beginning at 11:00 a.m. ET on April 28.

Also booked for the event is a middleweight tilt between UFC veterans Luigi Fioravanti and Andrei Semenov, and a light heavyweight bout pitting Denis Goltsov against Alexander Kosarev.

The 26-year-old Zavurov (Pictured) will seek to both defend his M-1 Challenge welterweight title and avenge the only loss on his ledger against Magomedov, who won the pair’s November 2009 encounter via split decision. Zavurov has won 10 consecutive bouts since and has scored a trio of technical knockouts in the last five months alone. On March 5, the RusFighters Sport Club representative defended his strap at M-1 Challenge 23 with a second-round knockout of 2010 M-1 Selection Americas welterweight winner Tom Gallicchio.

Magomedov was also victorious on March 5, upsetting former M-1 middleweight titleholder Rafal Moks with a first-round TKO. A member of Dagestan’s Gorec gym, Magomedov has won three in a row since tasting defeat for the first time in an April 2010 split decision loss to Magomedrasul Khasbulaev.

 

[Shogun Locc]

NJSACB Assigns Referees, Judges for Saturday’s UFC 128

Saturday night in Newark, N.J., it will be a heavily Northeastern affair where officials are concerned.

Herb Dean will be the third man in the Octagon at the Prudential Center when Mauricio “Shogun” Rua defends his UFC light heavyweight title against Jon Jones in the main event of UFC 128. The three judges assigned to the bout are Douglas Crosby, Dave Tirelli and Cardo Urso.

Counsel to the New Jersey State Athletic Control Board Nick Lembo confirmed the assignments to Sherdog.com on Tuesday.

Apart from California’s Dean -- who will also preside over bouts between Brendan Schaub and Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic, and Gleison Tibau and Kurt Pellegrino -- the crop of five referees and eight judges is comprised of Northeastern officials who have cut their teeth in the state of New Jersey’s extensive amateur and professional development system.

The most notable appointment for the championship main event is that of judge Douglas Crosby, who was one of the judges at the UFC’s first ever sanctioned event in November 2000. New York’s Crosby was at the center of last April’s controversial UFC lightweight title bout between B.J. Penn and Frankie Edgar in Abu Dhabi, in which he scored the bout 50-45 for the victorious challenger Edgar. Following the post-fight debate surrounding the bout, Crosby infamously took to popular MMA forum The Underground in an attempt to explain his scoring.

“Mr. Crosby has been a professional MMA judge for over a decade in New Jersey,” Lembo told Sherdog.com of the assignment. “He has also worked in the same capacity in a multitude of other jurisdictions for many years.

“Since [Edgar-Penn 1], Douglas has worked several shows in our state and elsewhere, both for the UFC (120 and 126) and other promotions (WEC 50 and Strikeforce heavyweight tournament),” Lembo added. “This agency is very comfortable with the assignment, when assessing Douglas’ complete body of work during his entire and extensive judging tenure.”

Below are the refereeing and judging assignments for the full UFC 128 undercard:

Jon Jones vs. Mauricio Rua -- Referee: Herb Dean, Judges: Douglas Crosby, Cardo Urso, Dave Tirelli

Eddie Wineland vs. Urijah Faber -- Referee: Keith Peterson, Judges: Douglas Crosby, Romulo Bittencourt, Jon Bilyk

Kamal Shalorus vs. Jim Miller -- Referee: Kevin Mulhall, Judges: Cardo Urso, Jon Bilyk, Tony Tamburrino

Nate Marquardt vs. Dan Miller -- Referee: Dan Miragliotta, Judges: Douglas Crosby, Cardo Urso, Jon Bilyk

Brendan Schaub vs. Mirko Filipovic -- Referee: Herb Dean, Judges: Romulo Bittencourt, Dave Tirelli, Vincent Sinclair

Eliot Marshall vs. Luis Cane -- Referee Dan Miragliotta, Judges: William Mason, Vincent Sinclair, Tony Tamburrino

Anthony Njokuani vs. Edson Barboza -- Referee: Keith Peterson, Judges: Jon Bilyk, Dave Tirelli, Vincent Sinclair

Mike Pyle vs. Ricardo Almeida -- Referee: Kevin MacDonald, Judges: Tony Tamburrino, Douglas Crosby, Cardo Urso

Gleison Tibau vs. Kurt Pellegrino -- Referee: Herb Dean, Judges: Douglas Crosby, Cardo Urso, Tony Tamburrino

Ian Loveland vs. Joseph Benavidez -- Referee: Kevin Mulhall, Judges: William Mason, Romulo Bittencourt, Dave Tirelli

Raphael Assuncao vs. Erik Koch -- Referee: Kevin Mulhall, Judges: William Mason, Tony Tamburrino, Romulo Bittencourt

Nick Catone vs. Constantinos Phillippou -- Referee: Kevin MacDonald, Judges: Jon Bilyk, Tony Tamburrino, Vincent Sinclair

 

[Shogun Locc]

Itching to scrap, Nick Catone inisisted on fighting – at any weight – at UFC 128

Nick Catone (8-2 MMA, 2-2 UFC) had a choice.

Dan Miller, his opponent at UFC 128, was called up to fight Nate Marquardt after Yoshihiro Akiyama withdrew in the fallout from this past week's earthquake in Japan. He was between 205 and 208 pounds and was just about to start his cut to middleweight. He could hold for another fight – UFC matchmaker Joe Silva had concerns he couldn't get another middleweight approved in time – or he could fight a New Jersey fighter all cued up and ready to go.

"They were going to put me on another card and just give me the show money," Catone today told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) about his fight Saturday, which takes place at the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J., and airs live on pay-per-view. "I said, 'No, I'm ready to fight. I want to fight now.' I got in touch with Joe and he said, 'With the medicals in Jersey, it's tough. We can get you this one fight, but it's got to be at a catchweight.'"

He said OK, and he now had 10 fewer pounds he needed to cut by March 19. That was good news. Now, who was this new guy?

It turned out to be Costantinos Philippou (7-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC), a veteran of the East Coast circuit and a member of the Serra/Longo Fight Team who made a brief appearance on "The Ultimate Fighter 11."

Wait a minute. The Serra/Longo Fight Team, as in the one from the Renzo Gracie family?

Silva had first presented Catone with three options for his UFC 128 opponent, and all of them had strong ties to the MMA forefather: Dave Branch, Rafel Natal and Philippou. In fact, he considered all of them friends; they had all worked with Gracie or Ricardo Almeida, Gracie's New Jersey-based protege. He couldn't choose, so he had his manager make the call, and Philippou was the final pick.

Now Catone had yet another Gracie guy on his hands.

"It is what it is, I guess," he said. "It's a business with the UFC. It's 15 minutes where I've got to get in there and do what I've got to do.

"I look at it as another fight. Just because he's another Renzo guy doesn't mean I'm looking any differently at the fight."

By now, Catone is used to bumps in the road. After a close split decision win over last-minute replacement Jesse Forbes in January 2010, he was scheduled to meet John Salter at UFC 113. Then he injured his back and was forced to withdraw from the fight.

Catone contemplated moving down to the welterweight division because he felt undersized in fights against Forbes and Mark Munoz, he told MMAjunkie.com in a previous interview. Silva, though, still saw him as a middleweight, and he was booked to meet slugger Tomasz Drwal at UFC Fight Night 22 this past September. But he injured his back once again and was forced to sit on the bench.

It will be 14 months since Catone stepped inside the octagon when he competes Saturday. But at least he's fighting. Even if the circumstances aren't perfect, he's making good use of his training, and he's getting the chance to compete.

"I want to get in there and put on a good showing again," Catone said. "It's pretty much my gameplan to get my hand raised and put on a good show doing it."

Will the octagon be the same after so much time away?

"It's just like my old wrestling days," he said. "Once you do it, and do it, and do it, it just becomes second nature. I was around the UFC and going to events even when I was hurt. I'm sure once I get going, I'll be fine."

But seriously, it would be great if Silva could stay away from the Eastern Seaboard when his next fight comes around, just to be sure.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Manager: Rashad Evans Hasn't Left Greg Jackson's Camp

Even when he isn't fighting, Chael Sonnen figures out a way to stir the pot.

Late Monday night, Sonnen tweeted that Rashad Evans had left "Jackson's." Most assumed he meant Greg Jackson's team in New Mexico.

However, Evans' manager, Glenn Robinson of Authentic Sports Management, told MMA Fighting on Tuesday that his client was still a part of Team Jackson.

"[Evans] hasn't decided what he is going to do with training," Robinson said.

Robinson added that Evans is waiting to see what happens on Saturday night when his training partner and friend Jon Jones fights Mauricio "Shogun" Rua for the UFC light heavyweight title. Should Jones win, UFC president Dana White has said that he would like to see Evans challenge Jones for the belt, and both fighters have begun to warm up to the idea of facing each other in the future.

"If they decided to fight, obviously they both can't train at the same place," Robinson said.

The manager also added that Evans wasn't sure if he would just train at Grudge Training Center in Colorado for the potential Jones fight or if he would set up shop at a new camp.

Evans was forced to pull out of the UFC 128 main event after suffering a knee injury in training. Robinson said "Suga" was officially cleared to train by doctors on Sunday.

So Evans is still a part of Team Jackson for now, but if the UFC books Jones vs. Evans, someone is going to have to prepare for the fight with a new team. If Jones loses on Saturday night, this all becomes a moot point.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Brendan Schaub Ready for Cro Cop, Thanks to a Team Intervention

Brendan Schaub's coaches were worried about him. He'd started his training camp roughly three months out from his fight with Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic at UFC 128, and the wear and tear was starting to show.

His body wasn't reacting the way it should have, he said. He'd do one round of sparring or mitt work and feel exhausted. It was like he was getting in worse shape as the weeks wore on. To put it simply, he'd burned himself out. That's when his coaches got together and insisted that he leave the gym and not come back for at least three days.

"I felt like I was on that Intervention show on A&E," said Schaub (7-1). "They were like, 'You can either take this help, or we're not going to help you anymore.' I was like, really? Where's that bald guy who looks like Dr. Phil?"

But deep down, Schaub knew they were right. He'd overdone it in the gym and his body was showing the effects.

"I was so beat up. I've never been more overtrained for a fight, just because of the magnitude of the fight and how bad I want it," he said. "You get up and your body aches. You're tired. You're just not the same mentally or physically. You're sparring and your coaches can see it."

Fortunately for Schaub, his coaches said something about it. He agreed to take that Friday, Saturday, and Sunday off without doing anything training-related, and when he came back on Monday he felt refreshed, he said.

"They were right. I couldn't even go a round without falling apart. My body was not having it. But ever since [the break], it's been a great camp. It's been a tough camp, but it's also been the best camp."

More than anything, Schaub said, the overtraining was a sign that he had realized the full importance of his fight with Filipovic. Every time he watched "Cro Cop's" old fights he got filled with that same old fear that motivated him to get in the gym and make sure he was as prepared as humanly possible. Whatever it took to keep from finding out what one of those legendary head kicks felt like, he was determined to do it.

In a way, he said, being overtrained several weeks out from a fight felt like a good thing, since at least it meant that he hadn't pulled up short in the gym.

"For me, I know once I get to that point that I've done everything right, done everything I can," he said. "Then, when the fight rolls around, I'm not worried about gassing out or whether I'm able to push the pace. That stuff goes out of my mind and I've just got to perform. Then I know I'm going to do damn well in the fight, because there is no way my opponent has trained as hard as I have. I've covered everything."

One factor that at least helps to ensure Schaub is sufficiently sore after each practice is that his best friend and training partner Shane Carwin is finally back in the gym after undergoing back surgery last year.

"He couldn't be more opposite from Cro Cop, but for his ground work and wrestling, he's great. It's just hard to get the guy to stay southpaw. He does not like to stay southpaw against me."

With good reason, as it turns out. Once Schaub manages to put Carwin in an unfamiliar stance, he begins paying him back for all the training room beatings the heavyweight behemoth has given him over the years.

"I've been doing that to him all the time," said Schaub. "Or if we start on the ground I'm like, 'Hey man, let me start with this guillotine [choke] in and you work from there.' If he goes southpaw though, he's in trouble. It's fun for me."

After a strenuous training camp like the one Schaub has put himself through, a little fun is necessary, even if it's at the expense of a friend. Because when he gets in the cage with Filipovic in New Jersey on Saturday night, we're all going to find out what all that suffering was for, and it will be up to Schaub to prove that it was worth it.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Jim Miller: Fighting Alongside Older Brother Will Be a 'Throwback'

UFC lightweight Jim Miller and his middleweight brother Dan have competed on the same cards before, but they'll be doing so back-to-back on pay-per-view this Saturday at UFC 128.

"I've heard a lot of people [say], 'Oh, what do you think of Dan's fight? It's great for Dan,' but nobody said, 'Hey Jim, it kind of sucks you have to sit and watch your brother fight right before you go out,'" Jim Miller said, laughing, on Monday's edition of The MMA Hour.

Dan is scheduled to face Nate Marquardt in the second of five fights on the pay-per-view. Meanwhile, Jim will meet Kamal Shalorus right after Dan's fight and preceding the two co-main events.

The Miller brothers' coach and manager Mike Constantino will need to overcome the adrenaline dump of cornering Dan's fight. Constantino adds: "I'm in there and I'm screaming my head off like I usually do ... Now I got to get myself right up there and do it again."

Although there's an added stress, Jim prefers competing on the same fight cards with his brother. Jim says he feeds off Dan's energy and compares the experience to revisiting their early MMA days when they would compete together on local cards in New Jersey.

"It's kind of a throwback," Jim said. "It's exciting and it definitely adds as little bit more fire to me when I get into the ring."

So far it's worked out for the Sparta-born brothers. Competing on the same card, the two have combined for a record of 12-1 with one no contest. They've fought together once in the UFC, last December at UFC 124, and both emerged victorious.

When he meets Shalorus on Saturday, Jim will be seeking his seventh straight UFC win. Miller admits he was initially surprised with the offer to face the lesser ranked fighter, but preferred to stay active rather than wait until the summer for a fight.

Shalorus is a WEC import and will be making his UFC debut. Miller previously told MMA Hour host Ariel Helwani that the WEC lightweights entering the UFC will be "weeded out pretty quickly." So far, the WEC lightweights have done fine, but Miller won't go back on his word just yet.

"The initial comment was brought basically on by [Anthony] Pettis getting the next title shot and [talk of] the WEC guys coming in and basically owning the UFC and beating all the guys at the top of the UFC's lightweight division," Miller cleared up. "That's what I meant. They haven't fought any of the top guys yet."

But what if the WEC lightweights end up climbing the ranks against stiff competition?

"If they clean us out," Miller said. "Then I'll eat my hat."

 

[Shogun Locc]

Add Nate Marquardt to the List of UFC Middleweights Wanting a Piece of Michael Bisping

Michael Bisping, through all the trash talk, spitting, and other antics that have made him the MMA villain he is today, has indirectly turned himself into one of the biggest draws in the UFC’s middleweight division.

After his TKO win over Jorge Rivera, the controversy weighed heavy in media circles. Rivera’s camp went on record and described Bisping’s actions as “deplorable” and “disrespectful.” Assault charges are typically filed in similar situations.

The character that Bisping advertises in the UFC has made him a “bad guy” in the sport, equivalent to what you call a “heel” in professional wrestling. The level of villainy he has reached is that of Legion of Doom-type altitudes, spurring the need for defenders of truth, justice and all that other stuff you hear about in the DC Comic universe.

As of right now, one fighter interested in being defender of justice to Bisping’s protagonist ways is Nate “The Great” Marquardt. The Jackson’s MMA fighter spoke with MMAWeekly Radio and confirmed an interest in getting the opportunity to shut the mouth of the brash British fighter.

“I think Bisping has always been a loudmouth,” Marquardt said. “Henderson taught him a lesson there for a little bit and he was quieted down for about a month, then (he was) a loudmouth again. It would be a pleasure to fight that guy and shut him up for another month.”

Clearly, Marquardt is not a fan of Bisping and his antics, but let us not jump to the conclusion that he sees all of Bisping’s actions as completely out of line. After watching the TUF alumnus’ fight against Rivera, Marquardt feels the “knee from down under” was not as intentional as the rest of the MMA universe thinks it was.

The knee may have come while Bisping was under the impression that a legitimate opening was there.

“I don’t believe he meant to throw it illegally,” he said. “Jorge had his hand on the ground and then he pulled his hand up and he raised up. That’s when he threw the knee and wasn’t thinking (Rivera’s) knees were on the ground and that he’s still a grounded opponent. I don’t think (Rivera) was the same after that, although Michael was already winning the fight. But it was still competitive up until that point.”

As far as giving Bisping the benefit of the doubt, the talk about the illegal knee is just about where it ends. Beyond that one moment in the fight, Marquardt does not give the British fighter any more slack. According to him, the actions Bisping displayed do not represent those of a true martial artist.

“It’s not what a martial artist or a sportsman should be doing,” Marquardt explained. “It’s just not good for the sport. It’s disrespectful, dishonorable.

“That just shows the kind of person Michael Bisping is.”

Bisping is currently without an opponent for his next fight. Marquardt is set to fight Dan Miller this weekend at UFC 128 after original opponent Yoshihiro Akiyama withdrew due to the tragedy in Japan. If Marquardt is able to get past the New Jersey resident, he could put himself in a slot to fight Bisping next.

 

[Shogun Locc]

 

[Shogun Locc]

Shalorus Misses The WEC But Ready For War In UFC Debut

For the many fighters who competed in the WEC in 2010, in the immortal words of Bob Dylan, “The times they are a-changin’.”

But those words ring most true for the lightweights who competed in the WEC’s heaviest weight division. While the bantamweights and featherweights enter into the UFC with little change to their rosters, the WEC lightweights have been thrown into the highly-competitive UFC 155 lb. shark tank, which features top fighters such as champion Frankie Edgar, Gray Maynard, and Jim Miller.

And one of those three men has been given the opportunity to welcome undefeated WEC veteran Kamal Shalorus to the promotion at UFC 128 this coming weekend.

Shalorus, who is 7-0-2 as a professional, fought on three occasions in the UFC’s former sister promotion, earning three victories and one draw. The man nicknamed “Prince of Persia” looks back on his time wearing the blue gloves fondly, but is ready to take the step up to the big show and highest level of competition.

“I miss the WEC,” Shalorus told HeavyMMA.com earlier this week. “I loved the WEC. Of course they are the same organization, like brother and sister. On the other hand, it’s a big opportunity for me to show my skills in the UFC. Everybody wants to go to the UFC.”

Since the merger, several former WEC lightweights have had success against the competition thrust against them in their new home, proving the ability of the new kids in town to succeed at the highest level. Still, the change is a massive one. Instead of fighting in smaller shows that were shown live on Versus, these fighters now find themselves featured in prominent match ups with serious implications.

Such is the case for Shalorus, who will look to defeat Miller on the pay-per-view portion of UFC 128. While many, including Shalorus, will say that there is not much of a difference, he does believe that certain changes will come his way and that his preparation for this fight has been unlike any other, though many similarities remain.

“No, it’s the same,” Shalorus said about making the move to the UFC. “Every fight you are accepting, you have to be prepared. The (larger) crowd, the bigger show, and more experienced fighters of course (are different). There’s more training, and I brought in a better sparring partner this time. I’ve prepared better.”

Though only months have passed since the UFC-WEC merger, Zuffa, LLC has stayed active in terms of building its brand. Just last week, the company purchased the San Jose based promotion Strikeforce in a move that no one saw coming.

While the UFC and Strikeforce will remain separate for the time being, the addition is one step closer to placing the top fighters in each division on the same roster. The thought of all the top fighters in the world fighting in just one organization at some point in the coming years may be hard to imagine, but it is something Shalorus is thrilled about.

After all, what better way to determine who the very best in the world is in each weight class?

“I think now you are going to find out who is really the world champion because all the fighters are going to come to one organization,” Shalorus said. “Absolutely everybody is going to be challenged. It’s going to be, ‘Who is the real tough guy?’ From the WEC, from Strikeforce, from the UFC, everybody is going to challenge in the Octagon. If you really, really win and be champion, you are the champion. World champion.”

But before Shalorus can begin thinking about taking home a lightweight title, he must first defeat a very game Miller, who is currently cruising on a six-fight winning streak, including his impressive submission victory over Charles Oliveira at UFC 124.

Shalorus understands the position he is in – facing a contender in his UFC debut – and says he is ready to take a big step up the lightweight ladder of contention. And, for the fans, he says to expect an absolute war on March 19 in Newark, New Jersey.

“Jim Miller is a very good fighter,” Shalorus said. “I want to show the UFC and prove WEC fighters and Kamal Shalorus (are) tough, too.

“(Expect) a victory. I’m 100% ready, mentally, physically, and am so excited for this fight. I fight from my heart. The fans are going to love it. We are going to have a war between me and Jim Miller.”

 

[Shogun Locc]

 

[Shogun Locc]

After Criticism from Gurgel, Combs Defends Injury as Legit

Jorge Gurgel ripped Tyler Combs as a “poor excuse of a man” for withdrawing from their March 5 Strikeforce bout, but Combs says his injury is legit.

“Tyler Combs just did the cowardly thing that I knew he was going to do, and he pulled out,” Gurgel said on the Sherdog Radio Network just days before the event. “He’s not injured whatsoever. He’s walking around, and that’s not a speculation. That’s a fact. I have a lot of friends in common.”

However, Combs explained that walking around was irrelevant because he had injured a hand that already has a metal plate and pins in it.

“Actually the injury occurred Monday night [Feb. 28] after my second session of training,” Combs said on “Beatdown.” “I heard Jorge’s interview on your guys’ radio show, and he is saying that it’s a leg injury, which is false. I actually reinjured my hand that I broke a year ago and had to have surgery on. I pulled out Tuesday [March 1]. I’d given my hand a day to hopefully get a little better. After Tuesday, I couldn’t even make a fist. By then I kind of realized that it wouldn’t be a good idea to fight with one hand.”

Gurgel suggested that Combs had withdrawn because prior sparring sessions did not go well for him.

“I’ve knocked him out before, a couple of times, and I knew he wasn’t going to step up into the cage with me,” he said. “He knows he doesn’t belong in the cage with me. … I knew he wouldn’t want me to do what I was going to do to him in front of his family and everybody that likes him. He chose the easy way out.”

Combs has a different take on the training session. He explained that he and Gurgel both work with muay Thai coach Neal Rowe, who invited Combs to Gurgel’s camp to help him prepare for a fight.

“One training session, we were just going light, maybe like 50 percent, not trying to hurt each other,” Combs said. “After about two rounds of me just moving around too much and pretty much getting in and out of Jorge’s range, Jorge decided to take it up a notch and throw a head kick that was probably harder than a ‘Cro Cop’ head kick and pretty much put me on my butt. I wasn’t aware of the fact that we were going to go as hard as we were or I’d have went a little harder. Jorge was just getting frustrated that I was getting the better of him. … Even Neal said, ‘He was getting frustrated that you were getting the better of him and he threw a head kick that was way, way harder.’”

Gurgel ended up scoring a quick submission over Combs’ replacement, Billy Vaughan, at the Strikeforce event. Combs is still interested in the matchup. He believes it would look like the typical Gurgel bout, with two fighters slugging it out, except this time the combatants would genuinely dislike each other.

“Whenever my hand heals up and I’m able to start training again hard,” Combs said, “I’d like to get that fight on the road.”

 

[Shogun Locc]

Watson to Defend Middleweight Strap Against ‘Ninja’ at BAMMA 6

Tom “Kong” Watson will put his British Association of Mixed Martial Arts middleweight title on the line against Murilo “Ninja” Rua in the main event of BAMMA 6, the promotion announced Wednesday.

The event takes place May 21 at Wembley Arena in London and will be the organization’s second show to air live on U.K. cable network Syfy.

“‘Ninja’ is, without a doubt, one of the most exciting and top middleweight fighters in the world,” Watson stated in a release. “I am so excited that this fight will happen in London for the U.K. fans. I have no doubt this will be a war.”

Watson last defended his belt with a five-round unanimous decision against Alex Reid last September in the headliner of BAMMA 4. According to the promotion, that fight drew more than 835,000 viewers in its broadcast on former cable home Bravo, making it the most watched U.K. MMA event of all time.

Two weeks prior to the Reid bout, the 28-year-old champion suffered his first loss since 2007, dropping a unanimous verdict to Jesse Taylor at MFC 26 in Enoch, Alberta, Canada. Watson had previously won eight straight, including victories over Matt Horwich and Travis Galbraith.

Rua, 30, will look to rebound from an October upset loss at the hands of Cesar Gracie protégé Roy Boughton. The former Pride Fighting Championships notable and older brother of UFC light heavyweight champion Mauricio “Shogun” Rua went 2-1 on the year in 2010, earning wins against Jeremy May and Arturo Arcemendes. Rua and Watson share common opponents in Reid (who both defeated), Xavier Foupa-Pokam and Daijiro Matsui, the latter two of whom bested Watson while losing to Rua.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Lashley Receives New Opponent for March 25 Titan FC

Former pro-wrestling star Bobby Lashley will no longer meet James Jack in the main event of Titan Fighting Championship 17 on March 25, the Kansas-based promotion has announced. Instead, Lashley will square off against Bellator veteran John Ott (Pictured).

According to a release issued by Titan on Wednesday, the promotion was forced to make the change when Jack became unreachable.

“We had an agreement with Jack to fight Lashley, but he’s essentially gone M.I.A.,” TFC head Joe Kelly stated. “James missed several scheduled media shoots and was no longer returning our calls. It became abundantly clear that James had no intention of showing up to fight Bobby on March 25, so we had to make a change.”

Though typically a middleweight or 205-pounder, the Missouri-based Ott will compete as a heavyweight against the muscular, 245-pound Lashley. Most recently besting Brian Imes in August at Bellator 26, Ott has finished over half of his career victims by knockout or submission.

A former NAIA champion, Lashley transitioned from amateur to professional wrestling after his collegiate career came to a close. Known for his raw power and wrestling prowess, the American Top Team Altitude product comes off the first loss of his nascent MMA career. After five straight victories in organizations such as Strikeforce and the Maximum Fighting Championship, Lashley was upset by underdog Chad Griggs at Strikeforce “Houston” in August. Lashley has not competed since.

TFC 17 takes place at Memorial Hall in Kansas City, Kan., and will air live in North America on HDNet. In addition to the main event, the show will feature the return of “New York Bad Ass” Phil Baroni, who locks horns with local talent Nick Nolte. Also scheduled to compete is “Ultimate Fighter 10” alum Abe Wagner, who looks to carry the momentum of his January knockout of Tim Sylvia into a heavyweight showdown with Strikeforce vet Aaron Rosa.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Khalidov-Irvin Headlines 9-Bout KSW 15 Bill

Polish promotion Konfrontacja Sztuk Walki announced Wednesday its complete nine-fight lineup for KSW 15.

The event, which goes down March 19 at Torwar Hall in Warsaw, will be headlined by a light heavyweight title attraction between reigning KSW king Mamed Khalidov and UFC veteran James Irvin.

Khalidov was originally slated to defend his title against veteran Matt Lindland, but the Oregonian was forced to withdraw from the contest with a hand injury. Former UFC middleweight title challenger Thales Leites was tapped as a replacement, a knee injury ruled the Brazilian out as well.

James Irvin was announced as Khalidov's challenger one week ago, a week after Sherdog.com reported that Irvin allegedly tested positive for steroids following his December loss to Jorge Oliveira at Tachi Palace Fights 7.

The card will also feature UFC and Pride veteran Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou taking on rising European prospect Jan Blachowicz in a 205-pound affair.

A loser of four of his last five fights, Irvin most recently fought Mike Crisman to a no-contest at a Gladiator Challenge event on Jan. 29. The fight was waved off after Irvin hit Crisman with an illegal knee to the head in the first frame. Irvin was cut from the UFC in 2010 after suffering consecutive losses to Anderson Silva, Alessio Sakara and Igor Pokrajac.

Khalidov has won 18 of his last 21 fights, his lone loss in that span coming to former Sengoku middleweight champion Jorge Santiago. After knocking Santiago out at Sengoku 11 in November 2009, the Brazilian bounced back to earn a unanimous nod over Khalidov the following March.

Most recently, the 30-year-old Chechen native got his hand raised at World Victory Road's “Soul of Fight” on Dec. 30, knocking out Japanese journeyman Yuki Sasaki in the first round.

 

[Shogun Locc]

"TUF 7" vet Jeremiah Riggs set for WWE's "Tough Enough" series

What you gonna do when "Big Rig" runs wild over you?

"The Ultimate Fighter 7" cast member Jeremiah Riggs (7-5), who also fought professionally under the Strikeforce and Bellator Fighting Championships banners, was recently announced as one of 14 contestants on USA Network's "Tough Enough" series bidding for a shot as a professional wrestler in the WWE.

The series debuts on April 4.

Riggs is no stranger to reality TV. Following his sting on "The Ultimate Fighter 7," in which he lost a preliminary round matchup via decision to Dan Cramer, Riggs appeared on VH1's "Daisy of Love," where he vied for the affection of show lead Daisy De La Hoya, who dubbed him "Big Rig" based on his time working as a truck driver in his native Mississippi.

Riggs was victorious in his Strikeforce and Bellator appearances. The 28 year old currently carries a five-fight win streak and is being billed by "Tough Enough" brass as "trying to become the first legitimate MMA fighter to crossover into WWE."

"Tough Enough" debuted in 2001 on MTV. After three seasons, the show was moved to UPN for a fourth and apparently final season, which aired in 2004. "Tough Enough" remained dormant until WWE elected to revive the series this year for its USA Network debut.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Bonnar, Cruz, Liddell and Vera headline UFC 128 tailgate party

Saturday's UFC 128 festivities are getting started a little earlier than normal, and it doesn't have anything to do with pay-per-view start times.

The UFC, in association with DUB Magazine and the upcoming feature film "Fast Five," is hosting a tailgate party outside the Prudential Center in Newark, N.J.

Featuring autograph signings by current UFC contenders Stephan Bonnar, Dominick Cruz, Brandon Vera and UFC Hall of Famer Chuck Liddell, the tailgate party starts at 3 p.m. ET.

"UFC 128: Shogun vs. Jones" takes place inside the Prudential Center Saturday night. Featuring a light heavyweight title fight between current champ Mauricio "Shogun" Rua and fast-rising contender Jon Jones, UFC 128 kicks off with preliminary-card fights at 7 p.m. ET.

In addition to the autograph signings, UFC officials promise a host of interactive booths, additional UFC fighter appearances and signings, giveaways, tailgate-inspired eats and Bud Light.

The tailgate party is free and open to the public.

The full UFC 128 card includes:

MAIN CARD (Pay-per-view)

* Champ Mauricio "Shogun" Rua vs. Jon Jones (for light-heavyweight title)
* Urijah Faber vs. Eddie Wineland
* Jim Miller vs. Kamal Shalorus
* Nate Marquardt vs. Dan Miller
* Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic vs. Brendan Schaub

PRELIMINARY CARD (Spike TV)

* Luiz Cane vs. Eliot Marshall
* Edson Barboza vs. Anthony Njokuani

PRELIMINARY CARD (Facebook)

* Ricardo Almeida vs. Mike Pyle
* Kurt Pellegrino vs. Gleison Tibau

PRELIMINARY CARD

* Joseph Benavidez vs. Ian Loveland
* Raphael Assuncao vs. Erik Koch
*
Nick Catone vs. Costantinos Philippou