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Diaz is a hero.
Diaz shocked St-Pierre didn't try to keep UFC 137 fight, has choice words for champ
It was one of the most shocking stories in mixed martial arts history.
Former Strikeforce champion Nick Diaz (25-7 MMA, 6-4 UFC), handed the biggest opportunity of his career, no-showed a pair of pre-event press conferences and was pulled from a UFC 137 fight with UFC title-holder Georges St-Pierre (22-2 MMA, 16-2 UFC).
The world struggled to make sense of the situation, and honestly, so has Diaz, himself. The fiery Californian admits he dropped the ball, but he's shocked St-Pierre went along for the ride. And that supposed disdain for the press? Garbage, says Diaz. Media members should feel free to stop by his gym anytime.
"I'm not trying to make all these little excuses," Diaz today told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com). "If I'd have known the fight was going to be off, I would have [expletive] gone to the press conference, or I would have told somebody, 'Hey, if I don't make it to this stupid [expletive], I'm not fighting.' I think that people would have gotten me there. I think people would have come and gave two [expletive] and gotten me to that press conference."
There were reasons that didn't happen, but Diaz wants to make it perfectly clear he's not trying to shift the blame. There was the lost passport that prevented him from making it Canada, and to be honest, Diaz admits he really didn't even realize why he was supposed to be getting on the plane. Had he known his shot at St-Pierre depended on his attendance, there certainly would have been a little more importance placed on compliance. However, Diaz thought it was little more than a video shoot that was more distraction than destination.
"I didn't even know there was a press conference," Diaz said. "I thought it was some PR thing. People were trying to tell me, 'You're going to do this skit,' and that I was going to be a part of some PR skit where I had this part where I was walking through a hall, kind of like that scene Jake Shields did. I was like, 'What the [expletive]? Are you kidding?' So I'm thinking, 'Somebody better come over here and tell me what I'm doing and get me ready to go do it so I don't look like an [expletive].' That's how I feel when you're coming to get me ready for something I'm not ready for.
"I didn't know it was supposed to be a press conference until the same day I was supposed to be making it to the press conference. I just don't like the way people are treating it and acting like I backed out of a fight. Why would I do that?"
At that point, Diaz admits he made an even bigger mistake. Frustrated at the situation, Diaz clammed up and tried his best to work things out on his own rather than relying on his manager and trainer, Cesar Gracie, to help clear up the situation.
"I was trying to make it happen," Diaz insisted. "I wasn't talking to anybody. I wasn't talking to Cesar, and I should have been. I should have had Cesar make my flight and everything, but I was trying to handle it on my own."
Unfortunately for Diaz, UFC president Dana White was forced to make a decision. With tickets going on sale for a blockbuster pay-per-view and one-half of his headlining bout missing in action, White elected to pull Carlos Condit (27-5 MMA, 4-1 UFC) from a co-feature with B.J. Penn (16-7-2 MMA, 12-6-2 UFC) in favor of a matchup with St-Pierre.
As a bit of a concession, Diaz was then re-booked to face Penn.
Both fights still look incredible on paper, and the card was a quick sell-out despite the changes. But Diaz, a purist in his beliefs that MMA should be more about fighting than sport, feels the new matchups are a bit of a disservice to fans.
"Now I'm over here getting ready to fight a guy I know that I was previously friends with," Diaz said. "We're not doing so good right now, but we were friends. Condit and Georges, they know each other. They're friends. And they're trying to make these fights out of people that aren't even trying to fight. They're trying to make these wrestling matches, and I think it's kind of ridiculous. It's not a real fight."
And while Diaz admits he should have been at the press conferences – and certainly would have had he realized the consequences – he also blames St-Pierre for not protesting the switch.
"I really don't appreciate this mother[expletive] sitting there at that press conference and laughing at me," Diaz said. "That's some real bitch [expletive]. He's sitting there laughing like it's funny or something. If I saw Georges on the street and called him a bitch, I bet you he wouldn't do [expletive]. I bet you if I walked up and gave him a slap, I wouldn't be surprised if he didn't do [expletive]. But you can't do that to me. That's not how it works for me. That's something to fight about.
"It makes me mad that Georges is going to sit there and call himself a fighter, but he's not going to stand up and say something about this. He's going to let it ride. I think I would say something. I would at least have said, 'I disagree. I don't agree with canceling my fight because of some dumbass [expletive].' Instead, he sat there and said, 'He doesn't have the commitment to be a champion.' What is that? I obviously have the commitment to throw my life away. I've thrown my life away and sacrificed everything so that I can fight. I did that. I threw my life away so I could work hard and train and fight. That's commitment."
Learning to "play the game"
During Diaz's successful run in Strikeforce, White was often asked if the welterweight champion would ever be invited back into the octagon. White insisted all along that Diaz had to learn to "play the game." When Diaz didn't show for the two press conferences, the UFC boss made it clear the fighter hadn't complied.
But that's not entirely accurate, Diaz said. He may simply have not understood all the rules of "the game."
"I'll tell you straight up, I sat down in that office and made that deal with them, and I talked to them about this press," Diaz said. "What I said when I was in there was that I would be happy to do press. I like the press. I like all that stuff. But I would like people to come to me. They were like, 'OK. We'll send them out to you.' They told me they were going to do all that PR stuff – that video and weird [expletive] they were going to have me do right next to the guy I'm fighting, which I think is ridiculous – in California, and I was going to do that.
"I was willing to stand there like an [expletive] right next to the guy I'm fighting and do some video [expletive]. I even explained that to them. I just said, 'Let me know what I'm doing and where it's going to be. Let me know exactly what I've got to do, and I'll do it.'"
In fact, Diaz said he's literally shocked that people think he's not media friendly. Sure, he's not out there chasing interview opportunities, but it's only because he believes that would cut into the most important thing of all: training. But for anyone willing to make the trip to Stockton, Calif., Diaz said he's more than willing to open the doors to his gym.
"I've said this before: People don't film me," Diaz said. "People don't put me in magazines. I've never been invited on 'Inside MMA' or 'MMA Live.' I don't want to be on the front cover of a magazine? How does that sound? I'm not crazy. Who wouldn't want to be on the front cover of a magazine?
"I just don't think it's that big of a deal. We make it like this huge deal, and I'm like, 'If it's such a big deal, then where the hell are all the people and the cameras?' It's not like there's people banging on my door trying to get an interview or something – snap pictures of me. Nobody gives a [expletive]. I can train all day long anywhere and everywhere, and nobody wants to film me. No one wants to come see any of that. I enjoy watching training. I enjoy watching good people sparring in the gym. I've never shut my door to anybody that wanted to come in and watch my training or film or anything like that."
"I'm not afraid to fight anybody"
It's been an admittedly trying time for Diaz, who insists he meant no harm through his absence. This is the fight game, and Diaz was focused on fighting. Now he's had a title shot taken away, and he's left with a matchup he never wanted.
Of course, that doesn't mean he's not ready to make it a memorable, Diaz-esque scrap.
"It's not like it's an easy fight for me," Diaz said. "I'm not like these bitches. I'm not going to hold B.J. Penn down the whole time like these guys have done. They held B.J. down because they're bigger than him and stronger than him. I'm not going to do that. I'm not a little bitch to try and hold somebody down. I'm going to go out there and fight this tricky mother[expletive], and it could mean a lot of problems for me. It would have been a lot of problems for them, too, if they had fought him like I fight. They would have lost that fight.
"It's a different matchup, me fighting B.J. I'm not afraid to fight B.J. I'm not afraid to fight anybody. I've proven that. I've won three belts in this [expletive] with people trying to take my head off."
Despite the troubles Diaz caused with his absence, the fact that he was re-booked in the card would seem to suggest he could earn another shot at the belt with a positive performance. Diaz doesn't want to speculate on what the future holds – he understands his career is at an important crossroads – but he's not afraid to make a prediction in St-Pierre vs. Condit.
"If I would have won the fight with Georges, and they wanted me to fight again, I could have seen myself fighting Condit," Diaz said. "I was already looking past the fight with Georges fighting thinking, 'They're probably going to want me to fight Condit.'
"I've been looking at Condit for a long time. He's probably going to whoop Georges' ass. I'm going to want to test myself there."
And if you think that's a disrespectful challenge to Condit, think again. Diaz actually believes if there's one bright spot in an otherwise horrible situation, it's that Condit – a fighter he respects both in the cage and out – was able to gain from his unfortunate loss.
"I am happy for Carlos," Diaz said. "He has a kid and a family. I have don't have any of that. I gave all that up to fight and be the best. I hope this opportunity helps Carlos and his family."
Of course, should St-Pierre prove victorious at UFC 137, Diaz wouldn't mind rescheduling that fight, either. And the press, well that's no problem, either. Diaz had planned on being respectful toward the current champ, but he's lost a lot of respect for St-Pierre during this shake-up.
"I wasn't going to say anything in the build-up to fighting Georges," Diaz said. "I was going to be really respectful. Georges is a great fighter. But he's a little bitch when it comes to fighting me right now. Why is he just going along with everything? To say I don't have the commitment? I don't understand. He's the one that doesn't have the commitment.
"I know sometimes I sound like a nut when I'm talking, but there's a lot of [expletive] to this situation. It's ridiculous that I have to be the only one explaining what goes on behind the scenes. One of the things that has always helped me out in my career is that I've never dealt with this. Other people dealt with this. Now everybody is putting the blame on me. I think that needs to come off, and I think that Georges St-Pierre is a little bitch for not saying anything about it. He's like, 'Yeah, switch it to Condit. That's easier. I'd love to fight my buddy. I'd love to fight my pal.'"
"I was too busy training to whip George St-Pierre's ass"
In the end, a win over Penn at UFC 137 may put Diaz right back in line for a shot at St-Pierre. The French-Canadian champ has run through the top contenders in the 170-pound division, and challengers appear scarce.
Diaz promises there will be no repeat no-shows if he gets a second chance to fight for the UFC title. Tell him where to be and when to be there, and he's in. And more importantly, if you'd like to come to the 209 and get the real story, Diaz is issuing an open invitation.
"I'm disappointed," Diaz said. "I thought people really wanted to see me fight Georges. But nobody gives a [expletive], and nobody out here cares whether I was fighting. Nobody cares that I just took first place at a pretty hard Xterra race out there that was just for fun but actually made for a good time. Nobody gives a [expletive] what I'm doing for training out here.
"I sleep four hours a night – maybe five or six hours tops. I wake up, and then I'm out on a run or out on a mission to get to the Bay Area so I can train with some bad mother[expletive], and I do that everyday. And nobody gives a [expletive]. Nobody has ever wanted to come on a ride along to see what it is to live a day in the life of Nick Diaz. That would be some [expletive]. People would trip."
Diaz's career path is currently unclear. Will a win over Penn prove enough for White to roll the dice on a fighter who is often viewed as a loose cannon? Only time will tell. But the question of commitment, the notion that he was somehow scared to fight or concerned at what would happen when the cage door locked behind him and St-Pierre stood opposite the cage, well Diaz simply laughs at that.
Call it a misunderstanding. Call it an unfortunate mistake. Call it anything you want. Diaz just make sure you get the facts straight.
"I didn't know there was a press conference," Diaz said. "I thought I was going to do some sort of PR video shoot. I didn't know exactly what I was doing, and they say I wasn't able to deal with it all. I guess I wasn't. I was too busy training to whip George St-Pierre's ass, which I thought was more important."
Diaz is complimentary of St-Pierre's skills, but true to his own beliefs, he feels the champ is more sportsman than fighter. Challenges have been laid, plans had been arranged. As far as Diaz is concerned, St-Pierre took the easy way out.
"The bottom line is Georges is being a little bitch," Diaz said. "He didn't step up and say anything when the UFC pulled me out of this fight. I understand sometimes you have to do what your told, but why wouldn't you tell the media you still want to fight me? If I was Georges, I would want to fight the best. I would have asked for the Anderson Silva fight. I would have asked to fight the Strikeforce champ. But he sits there like a robot and doesn't say anything at all, just like he's not going to say anything about me calling him a bitch now. If I saw B.J. Penn walking down the street and called him a bitch, we would be fighting right there on the spot.
"The truth is Georges doesn't want to fight me in the street or in a cage. He knows who I am, and he knows where I came from. I don't have the commitment? I'm younger than him, I have more wins in my career than he does, and I've worked harder to get where I am. He knows the truth, and he didn't say anything and won't say anything because he doesn't want to get his ass whipped by me the same way he got his ass whipped by Jake – the night we went to the press conference and Georges went to the hospital."
Diaz shocked St-Pierre didn't try to keep UFC 137 fight, has choice words for champ
It was one of the most shocking stories in mixed martial arts history.
Former Strikeforce champion Nick Diaz (25-7 MMA, 6-4 UFC), handed the biggest opportunity of his career, no-showed a pair of pre-event press conferences and was pulled from a UFC 137 fight with UFC title-holder Georges St-Pierre (22-2 MMA, 16-2 UFC).
The world struggled to make sense of the situation, and honestly, so has Diaz, himself. The fiery Californian admits he dropped the ball, but he's shocked St-Pierre went along for the ride. And that supposed disdain for the press? Garbage, says Diaz. Media members should feel free to stop by his gym anytime.
"I'm not trying to make all these little excuses," Diaz today told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com). "If I'd have known the fight was going to be off, I would have [expletive] gone to the press conference, or I would have told somebody, 'Hey, if I don't make it to this stupid [expletive], I'm not fighting.' I think that people would have gotten me there. I think people would have come and gave two [expletive] and gotten me to that press conference."
There were reasons that didn't happen, but Diaz wants to make it perfectly clear he's not trying to shift the blame. There was the lost passport that prevented him from making it Canada, and to be honest, Diaz admits he really didn't even realize why he was supposed to be getting on the plane. Had he known his shot at St-Pierre depended on his attendance, there certainly would have been a little more importance placed on compliance. However, Diaz thought it was little more than a video shoot that was more distraction than destination.
"I didn't even know there was a press conference," Diaz said. "I thought it was some PR thing. People were trying to tell me, 'You're going to do this skit,' and that I was going to be a part of some PR skit where I had this part where I was walking through a hall, kind of like that scene Jake Shields did. I was like, 'What the [expletive]? Are you kidding?' So I'm thinking, 'Somebody better come over here and tell me what I'm doing and get me ready to go do it so I don't look like an [expletive].' That's how I feel when you're coming to get me ready for something I'm not ready for.
"I didn't know it was supposed to be a press conference until the same day I was supposed to be making it to the press conference. I just don't like the way people are treating it and acting like I backed out of a fight. Why would I do that?"
At that point, Diaz admits he made an even bigger mistake. Frustrated at the situation, Diaz clammed up and tried his best to work things out on his own rather than relying on his manager and trainer, Cesar Gracie, to help clear up the situation.
"I was trying to make it happen," Diaz insisted. "I wasn't talking to anybody. I wasn't talking to Cesar, and I should have been. I should have had Cesar make my flight and everything, but I was trying to handle it on my own."
Unfortunately for Diaz, UFC president Dana White was forced to make a decision. With tickets going on sale for a blockbuster pay-per-view and one-half of his headlining bout missing in action, White elected to pull Carlos Condit (27-5 MMA, 4-1 UFC) from a co-feature with B.J. Penn (16-7-2 MMA, 12-6-2 UFC) in favor of a matchup with St-Pierre.
As a bit of a concession, Diaz was then re-booked to face Penn.
Both fights still look incredible on paper, and the card was a quick sell-out despite the changes. But Diaz, a purist in his beliefs that MMA should be more about fighting than sport, feels the new matchups are a bit of a disservice to fans.
"Now I'm over here getting ready to fight a guy I know that I was previously friends with," Diaz said. "We're not doing so good right now, but we were friends. Condit and Georges, they know each other. They're friends. And they're trying to make these fights out of people that aren't even trying to fight. They're trying to make these wrestling matches, and I think it's kind of ridiculous. It's not a real fight."
And while Diaz admits he should have been at the press conferences – and certainly would have had he realized the consequences – he also blames St-Pierre for not protesting the switch.
"I really don't appreciate this mother[expletive] sitting there at that press conference and laughing at me," Diaz said. "That's some real bitch [expletive]. He's sitting there laughing like it's funny or something. If I saw Georges on the street and called him a bitch, I bet you he wouldn't do [expletive]. I bet you if I walked up and gave him a slap, I wouldn't be surprised if he didn't do [expletive]. But you can't do that to me. That's not how it works for me. That's something to fight about.
"It makes me mad that Georges is going to sit there and call himself a fighter, but he's not going to stand up and say something about this. He's going to let it ride. I think I would say something. I would at least have said, 'I disagree. I don't agree with canceling my fight because of some dumbass [expletive].' Instead, he sat there and said, 'He doesn't have the commitment to be a champion.' What is that? I obviously have the commitment to throw my life away. I've thrown my life away and sacrificed everything so that I can fight. I did that. I threw my life away so I could work hard and train and fight. That's commitment."
Learning to "play the game"
During Diaz's successful run in Strikeforce, White was often asked if the welterweight champion would ever be invited back into the octagon. White insisted all along that Diaz had to learn to "play the game." When Diaz didn't show for the two press conferences, the UFC boss made it clear the fighter hadn't complied.
But that's not entirely accurate, Diaz said. He may simply have not understood all the rules of "the game."
"I'll tell you straight up, I sat down in that office and made that deal with them, and I talked to them about this press," Diaz said. "What I said when I was in there was that I would be happy to do press. I like the press. I like all that stuff. But I would like people to come to me. They were like, 'OK. We'll send them out to you.' They told me they were going to do all that PR stuff – that video and weird [expletive] they were going to have me do right next to the guy I'm fighting, which I think is ridiculous – in California, and I was going to do that.
"I was willing to stand there like an [expletive] right next to the guy I'm fighting and do some video [expletive]. I even explained that to them. I just said, 'Let me know what I'm doing and where it's going to be. Let me know exactly what I've got to do, and I'll do it.'"
In fact, Diaz said he's literally shocked that people think he's not media friendly. Sure, he's not out there chasing interview opportunities, but it's only because he believes that would cut into the most important thing of all: training. But for anyone willing to make the trip to Stockton, Calif., Diaz said he's more than willing to open the doors to his gym.
"I've said this before: People don't film me," Diaz said. "People don't put me in magazines. I've never been invited on 'Inside MMA' or 'MMA Live.' I don't want to be on the front cover of a magazine? How does that sound? I'm not crazy. Who wouldn't want to be on the front cover of a magazine?
"I just don't think it's that big of a deal. We make it like this huge deal, and I'm like, 'If it's such a big deal, then where the hell are all the people and the cameras?' It's not like there's people banging on my door trying to get an interview or something – snap pictures of me. Nobody gives a [expletive]. I can train all day long anywhere and everywhere, and nobody wants to film me. No one wants to come see any of that. I enjoy watching training. I enjoy watching good people sparring in the gym. I've never shut my door to anybody that wanted to come in and watch my training or film or anything like that."
"I'm not afraid to fight anybody"
It's been an admittedly trying time for Diaz, who insists he meant no harm through his absence. This is the fight game, and Diaz was focused on fighting. Now he's had a title shot taken away, and he's left with a matchup he never wanted.
Of course, that doesn't mean he's not ready to make it a memorable, Diaz-esque scrap.
"It's not like it's an easy fight for me," Diaz said. "I'm not like these bitches. I'm not going to hold B.J. Penn down the whole time like these guys have done. They held B.J. down because they're bigger than him and stronger than him. I'm not going to do that. I'm not a little bitch to try and hold somebody down. I'm going to go out there and fight this tricky mother[expletive], and it could mean a lot of problems for me. It would have been a lot of problems for them, too, if they had fought him like I fight. They would have lost that fight.
"It's a different matchup, me fighting B.J. I'm not afraid to fight B.J. I'm not afraid to fight anybody. I've proven that. I've won three belts in this [expletive] with people trying to take my head off."
Despite the troubles Diaz caused with his absence, the fact that he was re-booked in the card would seem to suggest he could earn another shot at the belt with a positive performance. Diaz doesn't want to speculate on what the future holds – he understands his career is at an important crossroads – but he's not afraid to make a prediction in St-Pierre vs. Condit.
"If I would have won the fight with Georges, and they wanted me to fight again, I could have seen myself fighting Condit," Diaz said. "I was already looking past the fight with Georges fighting thinking, 'They're probably going to want me to fight Condit.'
"I've been looking at Condit for a long time. He's probably going to whoop Georges' ass. I'm going to want to test myself there."
And if you think that's a disrespectful challenge to Condit, think again. Diaz actually believes if there's one bright spot in an otherwise horrible situation, it's that Condit – a fighter he respects both in the cage and out – was able to gain from his unfortunate loss.
"I am happy for Carlos," Diaz said. "He has a kid and a family. I have don't have any of that. I gave all that up to fight and be the best. I hope this opportunity helps Carlos and his family."
Of course, should St-Pierre prove victorious at UFC 137, Diaz wouldn't mind rescheduling that fight, either. And the press, well that's no problem, either. Diaz had planned on being respectful toward the current champ, but he's lost a lot of respect for St-Pierre during this shake-up.
"I wasn't going to say anything in the build-up to fighting Georges," Diaz said. "I was going to be really respectful. Georges is a great fighter. But he's a little bitch when it comes to fighting me right now. Why is he just going along with everything? To say I don't have the commitment? I don't understand. He's the one that doesn't have the commitment.
"I know sometimes I sound like a nut when I'm talking, but there's a lot of [expletive] to this situation. It's ridiculous that I have to be the only one explaining what goes on behind the scenes. One of the things that has always helped me out in my career is that I've never dealt with this. Other people dealt with this. Now everybody is putting the blame on me. I think that needs to come off, and I think that Georges St-Pierre is a little bitch for not saying anything about it. He's like, 'Yeah, switch it to Condit. That's easier. I'd love to fight my buddy. I'd love to fight my pal.'"
"I was too busy training to whip George St-Pierre's ass"
In the end, a win over Penn at UFC 137 may put Diaz right back in line for a shot at St-Pierre. The French-Canadian champ has run through the top contenders in the 170-pound division, and challengers appear scarce.
Diaz promises there will be no repeat no-shows if he gets a second chance to fight for the UFC title. Tell him where to be and when to be there, and he's in. And more importantly, if you'd like to come to the 209 and get the real story, Diaz is issuing an open invitation.
"I'm disappointed," Diaz said. "I thought people really wanted to see me fight Georges. But nobody gives a [expletive], and nobody out here cares whether I was fighting. Nobody cares that I just took first place at a pretty hard Xterra race out there that was just for fun but actually made for a good time. Nobody gives a [expletive] what I'm doing for training out here.
"I sleep four hours a night – maybe five or six hours tops. I wake up, and then I'm out on a run or out on a mission to get to the Bay Area so I can train with some bad mother[expletive], and I do that everyday. And nobody gives a [expletive]. Nobody has ever wanted to come on a ride along to see what it is to live a day in the life of Nick Diaz. That would be some [expletive]. People would trip."
Diaz's career path is currently unclear. Will a win over Penn prove enough for White to roll the dice on a fighter who is often viewed as a loose cannon? Only time will tell. But the question of commitment, the notion that he was somehow scared to fight or concerned at what would happen when the cage door locked behind him and St-Pierre stood opposite the cage, well Diaz simply laughs at that.
Call it a misunderstanding. Call it an unfortunate mistake. Call it anything you want. Diaz just make sure you get the facts straight.
"I didn't know there was a press conference," Diaz said. "I thought I was going to do some sort of PR video shoot. I didn't know exactly what I was doing, and they say I wasn't able to deal with it all. I guess I wasn't. I was too busy training to whip George St-Pierre's ass, which I thought was more important."
Diaz is complimentary of St-Pierre's skills, but true to his own beliefs, he feels the champ is more sportsman than fighter. Challenges have been laid, plans had been arranged. As far as Diaz is concerned, St-Pierre took the easy way out.
"The bottom line is Georges is being a little bitch," Diaz said. "He didn't step up and say anything when the UFC pulled me out of this fight. I understand sometimes you have to do what your told, but why wouldn't you tell the media you still want to fight me? If I was Georges, I would want to fight the best. I would have asked for the Anderson Silva fight. I would have asked to fight the Strikeforce champ. But he sits there like a robot and doesn't say anything at all, just like he's not going to say anything about me calling him a bitch now. If I saw B.J. Penn walking down the street and called him a bitch, we would be fighting right there on the spot.
"The truth is Georges doesn't want to fight me in the street or in a cage. He knows who I am, and he knows where I came from. I don't have the commitment? I'm younger than him, I have more wins in my career than he does, and I've worked harder to get where I am. He knows the truth, and he didn't say anything and won't say anything because he doesn't want to get his ass whipped by me the same way he got his ass whipped by Jake – the night we went to the press conference and Georges went to the hospital."
i have no doubt in my mind that diaz would beat bj in a 5 round fight. 3 rounds is a bit more of a gamble.
i'd pick diaz in a fight to the death though.
edit: lol but he always does this though.. i was worried when he decided to stand & trade with daley, but he keeps coming out on top. one thing i know for sure is nobody's gonna finish him.
i'd pick diaz in a fight to the death though.
edit: lol but he always does this though.. i was worried when he decided to stand & trade with daley, but he keeps coming out on top. one thing i know for sure is nobody's gonna finish him.
Following Strikeforce loss, Maximo Blanco headed to UFC, dropping to featherweight
Maximo Blanco's Strikeforce stint will be a short one.
Following a loss to former welterweight Pat Healy at this past weekend's Strikeforce event, Blanco (8-3-1) is dropping from lightweight to featherweight and joining the UFC.
The fighter's management team at Sucker Punch Entertainment tweeted the news on Tuesday.
"[Blanco] will be back strong, very soon, this time at 145 pounds in the UFC," the message read.
UFC officials have not formally announced the move.
Blanco was a key Strikeforce acquisition, but the former World Victory Road/Sengoku fighter and King of Pancrase fizzled in his promotional debut, which took place Sept. 10 on the main card of "Strikeforce: Barnett vs. Kharitonov." After unorthodox and unsuccessful striking in the first round, in which he was tagged with a one-point deduction for illegal kicks, he tapped out to a rear-naked choke in the second round of the of the Showtime-televised bout.
The loss snapped Blanco's six-fight win streak, which included five knockout victories.
Before the win streak, the 27-year-old Venezuela had fought as heavy as 170 pounds before his move down to lightweight and signing with Sengoku.
A debut date and opponent have been determined for Blanco's octagon debut.
He adds depth to a division currently ruled by champion Jose Aldo.
Maximo Blanco's Strikeforce stint will be a short one.
Following a loss to former welterweight Pat Healy at this past weekend's Strikeforce event, Blanco (8-3-1) is dropping from lightweight to featherweight and joining the UFC.
The fighter's management team at Sucker Punch Entertainment tweeted the news on Tuesday.
"[Blanco] will be back strong, very soon, this time at 145 pounds in the UFC," the message read.
UFC officials have not formally announced the move.
Blanco was a key Strikeforce acquisition, but the former World Victory Road/Sengoku fighter and King of Pancrase fizzled in his promotional debut, which took place Sept. 10 on the main card of "Strikeforce: Barnett vs. Kharitonov." After unorthodox and unsuccessful striking in the first round, in which he was tagged with a one-point deduction for illegal kicks, he tapped out to a rear-naked choke in the second round of the of the Showtime-televised bout.
The loss snapped Blanco's six-fight win streak, which included five knockout victories.
Before the win streak, the 27-year-old Venezuela had fought as heavy as 170 pounds before his move down to lightweight and signing with Sengoku.
A debut date and opponent have been determined for Blanco's octagon debut.
He adds depth to a division currently ruled by champion Jose Aldo.
Fedor Emelianenko vs. Jeff Monson slated for Nov. 20 M-1 event in Moscow
A rumored bout between Fedor Emelianenko (31-4) and Jeff Monson (42-12) is now slated for a Nov. 20 M-1 Global event in Russia.
The fight, which previously was expected to take place Nov. 12, instead takes place eight days later at Olympic Stadium in Moscow.
M-1 officials today announced the plans.
The Nov. 20 date allows M-1 Global to avoid going head to head with the UFC's debut event on FOX, as well as a boxing blockbuster between Juan Manuel Marquez and Manny Pacquiao, which are both scheduled for Nov. 12.
Although broadcast plans haven't been announced, the Emelianenko vs. Monson fight could air on Showtime in North America.
Emelianenko's fights for the first time since an ill-fated bout with Dan Henderson at "Strikeforce and M-1 Global: Fedor vs. Henderson" that ended with him dazed on the mat after a peekaboo punch from Henderson in the first round. After the July bout, Emelianenko said he wasn't sure whether he'd continue to fight or retire from the sport.
It was Emelianenko's third consecutive loss, and it led UFC president Dana White to declare the former PRIDE champion was cut from Strikeforce, which is owned by UFC parent company Zuffa. M-1 Global officials said Emelianenko was not under contract with Strikeforce – and instead Showtime – and would continue to work with the premium-cable network.
Emelianenko is winless since a Strikeforce-debut victory over Brett Rogers in November 2009. Since then, he's suffered a submission loss to Fabricio Werdum in 2010 and a recent TKO defeat to Antonio Silva in the opening round of the Strikeforce heavyweight grand prix earlier this year. Despite the losses, all three of Emelianenko's recent Strikeforce fights have been some of the highest-rated events in Showtime's MMA history.
Monson recently snapped an eight-fight win streak with a Strikeforce loss to Daniel Cormier in June. (The fight marked Monson's Strikeforce debut.) Since his stint with the UFC in 2006, which included a failed bid to take Tim Sylvia's belt, he's competed in organizations throughout the world and has picked up some notable victories over the likes of Roy Nelson, Ricco Rodriguez, Sergei Kharitonov and others.
No other fights have been confirmed for M-1's event.
A rumored bout between Fedor Emelianenko (31-4) and Jeff Monson (42-12) is now slated for a Nov. 20 M-1 Global event in Russia.
The fight, which previously was expected to take place Nov. 12, instead takes place eight days later at Olympic Stadium in Moscow.
M-1 officials today announced the plans.
The Nov. 20 date allows M-1 Global to avoid going head to head with the UFC's debut event on FOX, as well as a boxing blockbuster between Juan Manuel Marquez and Manny Pacquiao, which are both scheduled for Nov. 12.
Although broadcast plans haven't been announced, the Emelianenko vs. Monson fight could air on Showtime in North America.
Emelianenko's fights for the first time since an ill-fated bout with Dan Henderson at "Strikeforce and M-1 Global: Fedor vs. Henderson" that ended with him dazed on the mat after a peekaboo punch from Henderson in the first round. After the July bout, Emelianenko said he wasn't sure whether he'd continue to fight or retire from the sport.
It was Emelianenko's third consecutive loss, and it led UFC president Dana White to declare the former PRIDE champion was cut from Strikeforce, which is owned by UFC parent company Zuffa. M-1 Global officials said Emelianenko was not under contract with Strikeforce – and instead Showtime – and would continue to work with the premium-cable network.
Emelianenko is winless since a Strikeforce-debut victory over Brett Rogers in November 2009. Since then, he's suffered a submission loss to Fabricio Werdum in 2010 and a recent TKO defeat to Antonio Silva in the opening round of the Strikeforce heavyweight grand prix earlier this year. Despite the losses, all three of Emelianenko's recent Strikeforce fights have been some of the highest-rated events in Showtime's MMA history.
Monson recently snapped an eight-fight win streak with a Strikeforce loss to Daniel Cormier in June. (The fight marked Monson's Strikeforce debut.) Since his stint with the UFC in 2006, which included a failed bid to take Tim Sylvia's belt, he's competed in organizations throughout the world and has picked up some notable victories over the likes of Roy Nelson, Ricco Rodriguez, Sergei Kharitonov and others.
No other fights have been confirmed for M-1's event.
"TUF 14" coach Mayhem Miller on "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon" tonight
"The Ultimate Fighter 14" coach and UFC middleweight Jason "Mayhem" Miller is a guest on tonight's edition of "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon."
Tonight's edition of the NBC late-night talk show airs at 12:35 a.m. ET/PT.
Miller discusses the upcoming season debut of "TUF 14," which airs Sept. 21 on Spike TV with a two-hour season debut at 9 p.m. ET/PT.
Joining Miller on tonight's "Fallon" lineup are actress Zooey Deschanel and chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten.
Miller coaches opposite Michael Bisping on "TUF 14," which is the first season of the long-running competition-reality series to feature bantamweight and featherweight fighters. Miller and Bisping then meet in a coach-vs.-coach fight that headlines the show's live finale, which takes place Dec. 3.
Miller, a recent Strikeforce competitor, rejoins the UFC for the first time since a decision loss to Georges St-Pierre at UFC 52 in 2005. Since then, the 30-year-old is 12-3, which included winning an ICON Sport title and victories over notables such as Robbie Lawler and Tim Kennedy.
"TUF 14" is the final season to air on Spike TV, which has hosted the reality series since 2005. Next year, the show moves to FX as part of the UFC's multi-year deal with FOX.
"The Ultimate Fighter 14" coach and UFC middleweight Jason "Mayhem" Miller is a guest on tonight's edition of "Late Night with Jimmy Fallon."
Tonight's edition of the NBC late-night talk show airs at 12:35 a.m. ET/PT.
Miller discusses the upcoming season debut of "TUF 14," which airs Sept. 21 on Spike TV with a two-hour season debut at 9 p.m. ET/PT.
Joining Miller on tonight's "Fallon" lineup are actress Zooey Deschanel and chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten.
Miller coaches opposite Michael Bisping on "TUF 14," which is the first season of the long-running competition-reality series to feature bantamweight and featherweight fighters. Miller and Bisping then meet in a coach-vs.-coach fight that headlines the show's live finale, which takes place Dec. 3.
Miller, a recent Strikeforce competitor, rejoins the UFC for the first time since a decision loss to Georges St-Pierre at UFC 52 in 2005. Since then, the 30-year-old is 12-3, which included winning an ICON Sport title and victories over notables such as Robbie Lawler and Tim Kennedy.
"TUF 14" is the final season to air on Spike TV, which has hosted the reality series since 2005. Next year, the show moves to FX as part of the UFC's multi-year deal with FOX.
UFC 135 headliners Jon Jones, Quinton Jackson on Monday's "Jimmy Kimmel Live!"
UFC 135 headliners and opponents Jon Jones and Quinton "Rampage" Jackson are both guests on Monday's edition of "Jimmy Kimmel Live!"
The Sept. 19 edition of ABC's late-night talk show airs at midnight ET/PT.
Jones, the UFC's reigning light-heavyweight champion, and ex-titleholder Jackson discuss their pay-per-view headliner that takes place later that week.
UFC 135 takes place Sept. 24 at Denver's Pepsi Center. In addition to Jones vs. Jackson, the event features a welterweight co-headliner between UFC Hall of Famer Matt Hughes and Josh Koscheck.
Jones and Jackson will ham it up as part of the fight-week publicity push for the event. With a busy fall fight schedule that includes multiple MMA events on most weekends, UFC 135 is one of the bigger cards.
Kimmel formerly has hosted MMA personalities such as Chuck Liddell, Frank Shamrock, Kevin "Kimbo Slice" Ferguson and David "Tank" Abbott on the program, which debuted in 2003.
Also appearing with Jones and Jackson are TV host Phil McGraw and rock band Switchfoot.
UFC 135 headliners and opponents Jon Jones and Quinton "Rampage" Jackson are both guests on Monday's edition of "Jimmy Kimmel Live!"
The Sept. 19 edition of ABC's late-night talk show airs at midnight ET/PT.
Jones, the UFC's reigning light-heavyweight champion, and ex-titleholder Jackson discuss their pay-per-view headliner that takes place later that week.
UFC 135 takes place Sept. 24 at Denver's Pepsi Center. In addition to Jones vs. Jackson, the event features a welterweight co-headliner between UFC Hall of Famer Matt Hughes and Josh Koscheck.
Jones and Jackson will ham it up as part of the fight-week publicity push for the event. With a busy fall fight schedule that includes multiple MMA events on most weekends, UFC 135 is one of the bigger cards.
Kimmel formerly has hosted MMA personalities such as Chuck Liddell, Frank Shamrock, Kevin "Kimbo Slice" Ferguson and David "Tank" Abbott on the program, which debuted in 2003.
Also appearing with Jones and Jackson are TV host Phil McGraw and rock band Switchfoot.
WAR UEDA!!!
Amazon Forrest Combat Results: Ueda retires Gracie, Ishii is robbed against Filho, Falcao gets tapped
It was an emotional Thursday night in the Amazon for the Gracie family.
With brother Royce Gracie in his corner and his daughters crying at ringside, 45-year-old Royler Gracie made the walk to the cage for the very last time in his career, where he lost to former Shooto world champion Masakatsu Ueda in the main event of Amazon Forest Combat at Amadeu Teixeira Gymnasium in Manaus.
The fight did not have the end that the crowd wanted, as Gracie had very little to offer to the Japanese fighter. Apart from a brief takedown in the first round and the minute of top position that followed, Gracie was clearly outworked by Ueda for the duration of the fight.
Ueda, who jumped up from the bantamweight to lightweight division for this bout, punished Gracie with punches and body kicks, while the Brazilian waited for takedown opportunities. Ueda’s striking and wrestling allowed him to cruise for what seemed like an easy win, having taken all three rounds on Sherdog.com’s unofficial scorecard.
However, iffy judging did rear its head slightly in the main event, as the 33-year-old Ueda took a shockingly closer-than-expected split decision, moving his mark to 14-1-2. No judges’ scores were announced.
“I wanted to apologize for my performance, but it’s hard to do this at my age,” said Gracie following his first bout in nearly five years. “I want to thank the state of Amazonas. Brazil is the birthplace of this sport and we will see many fighters representing Brazil abroad. It was a gift from God to be able to do this and I have nothing to say but ‘thank you.’”
One of the most accomplished Gracies on the grappling mat, Royler exits MMA with a 5-5-1 mark, spanning 15 years of competition.
The judging was more brutal elsewhere, as former WEC champion Paulo Filho escaped with an undeserved draw against 2008 Olympic judo gold medalist Satoshi Ishii in their light heavyweight contest.
While he did seem in better shape than in his previous two fights, Filho was outmuscled by the 24-year-old Ishii for the duration of the bout and didn’t manage to get a single takedown. Ishii’s game plan was clear from the start, as he looked to push Filho against the fence and smother him with punches, elbows and knees from the clinch.
The strategy worked well, as Filho had little offense, was badly cut, and Ishii appeared to win every round. However, what seemed like a straightforward 30-27 decision was announced an unbelievable draw, with boos showering the cage.
“Ishii was better than me tonight. I thought he won,” said Filho, who held up Ishii’s arm in victory after the verdict was announced. “Honestly, I don't think I win this fight. I'm open to a rematch.”
The proud Amazon lightweight expected to meet well-traveled veteran Drew Fickett at 161 pounds, but the Arizonian’s weight-cutting troubles let to the fight being contested at 170, a slight that Torres was quick to punish.
Torres landed a crushing right hook and swarmed all over Fickett, demolishing him with hammerfists that forced “Night Rider” to tap out just 47 seconds into their fight.
The 25-year-old Torres, now 22-4, was cut from the UFC following losses to Melvin Guillard and Jacob Volkmann last year. Torres has won now eight straight bouts in less than 11 months, with six finishes.
The night was less rosy for UFC vet Maiquel Jose Falcao Goncalves, who had his nine-fight winning streak snapped by BJJ world champion Antonio Braga Neto.
After getting a takedown at the beginning of the first round, Braga Neto was swept by Falcao and proceeded to get severely punished for the duration of the round. At the end of the round, however, Falcao, who was released from UFC contract in May due to issues related to a 2002 assault charge, looked clearly gassed. Braga Neto even managed to buckle Falcao with a well-timed shot before the horn in spite of his lack of striking skills.
The second round started just the same way as the first, with Braga Neto getting a takedown and the swept. He wouldn’t suffer like the previous round, though, as the grappler got a second takedown and displayed great elbows from top position. When the opportunity appeared, the Roberto “Gordo” Correa black belt locked up a fight-ending kimura at 4:26 of the frame.
UFC veteran Karo Parisyan also had it tough in the Amazon, as “The Heat” dropped a lackluster split decision to “Ultimate Fighter” alum Jordan Smith after three rounds.
Parisyan repeatedly sought to close the distance on Smith, but was stranded on the outside where Smith picked him apart with kicks and punches. When Parisyan did get close, Smith was able to shut down the judoka’s takedowns and claim top position for himself, even taking the back twice.
The loss marks the third straight for the 29-year-old Parisyan, while Smith, 26, moves to 16-2-1 with the victory.
Acacio Rips Sergio Junior, Prospect Lopes Stays Unbeaten
Journeymen Daniel Acacio and Luis Sergio da Fonseca Melo entered their welterweight showdown both aiming at bigger fights outside of Brazil. However, Acacio is the more likely man to earn another stamp on his passport after knocking ‘Sergio Junior’ out in style inside the first round.
The 33-year-old Curitiba native was up on points quickly, as Sergio Junior was deducted two points barely two minutes into the fight by referee Mario Yamasaki for upkicking Acacio while he was grounded.
However, Acacio didn’t need the referee’s charity, as a massive right hook and follow-up punches put Junior out cold at 2:50 of the first round, giving Acacio his 25th career win in 37 bouts.
Unbeaten Dileno Lopes is one to watch.
Hot flyweight prospect Dileno Lopes was expected to get his first major test against either Tachi Palace Fights flyweight champ Ian McCall or WEC veteran Danny Martinez. However, after neither fighter could reach a deal to face Lopes, the Nova Uniao prospect took on overmatched late replacement Adson Jander. As Jander scrambled from the first Lopes takedown, he was caught in a fight-ending guillotine and forced to tap in just 75 seconds.
With the victory, Lopes is now 7-0 in his MMA career, with seven submission finishes.
Featherweight Marcos Alexandre Campos de Almeida overcame a point deduction for grabbing the gloves of opponent Daniel Aguiar to earn a unanimous nod from the judges.
“Capitao” started slow, but sunk a rear-naked choke late in the first round from which Aguiar was saved by the bell. The jiu-jitsu standout repeatedly went for leglocks over the 15 minutes, but Almeida defended and punished him to earn the verdict.
Popular Amazon fixture George Clay handed American featherweight Anthony Birchak his first loss, submitting the Arizona fighter in the first round. Clay, a 20-year vale tudo veteran, took Birchak down, took his back and sunk the rear-naked choke for the win in just 89 seconds
In the evening’s opener, local Amazon featherweight Rivaldo Junior used his low kicks to earn a split decision over Andre Leocadio.
Amazon Forrest Combat Results: Ueda retires Gracie, Ishii is robbed against Filho, Falcao gets tapped
It was an emotional Thursday night in the Amazon for the Gracie family.
With brother Royce Gracie in his corner and his daughters crying at ringside, 45-year-old Royler Gracie made the walk to the cage for the very last time in his career, where he lost to former Shooto world champion Masakatsu Ueda in the main event of Amazon Forest Combat at Amadeu Teixeira Gymnasium in Manaus.
The fight did not have the end that the crowd wanted, as Gracie had very little to offer to the Japanese fighter. Apart from a brief takedown in the first round and the minute of top position that followed, Gracie was clearly outworked by Ueda for the duration of the fight.
Ueda, who jumped up from the bantamweight to lightweight division for this bout, punished Gracie with punches and body kicks, while the Brazilian waited for takedown opportunities. Ueda’s striking and wrestling allowed him to cruise for what seemed like an easy win, having taken all three rounds on Sherdog.com’s unofficial scorecard.
However, iffy judging did rear its head slightly in the main event, as the 33-year-old Ueda took a shockingly closer-than-expected split decision, moving his mark to 14-1-2. No judges’ scores were announced.
“I wanted to apologize for my performance, but it’s hard to do this at my age,” said Gracie following his first bout in nearly five years. “I want to thank the state of Amazonas. Brazil is the birthplace of this sport and we will see many fighters representing Brazil abroad. It was a gift from God to be able to do this and I have nothing to say but ‘thank you.’”
One of the most accomplished Gracies on the grappling mat, Royler exits MMA with a 5-5-1 mark, spanning 15 years of competition.
The judging was more brutal elsewhere, as former WEC champion Paulo Filho escaped with an undeserved draw against 2008 Olympic judo gold medalist Satoshi Ishii in their light heavyweight contest.
While he did seem in better shape than in his previous two fights, Filho was outmuscled by the 24-year-old Ishii for the duration of the bout and didn’t manage to get a single takedown. Ishii’s game plan was clear from the start, as he looked to push Filho against the fence and smother him with punches, elbows and knees from the clinch.
The strategy worked well, as Filho had little offense, was badly cut, and Ishii appeared to win every round. However, what seemed like a straightforward 30-27 decision was announced an unbelievable draw, with boos showering the cage.
“Ishii was better than me tonight. I thought he won,” said Filho, who held up Ishii’s arm in victory after the verdict was announced. “Honestly, I don't think I win this fight. I'm open to a rematch.”
The proud Amazon lightweight expected to meet well-traveled veteran Drew Fickett at 161 pounds, but the Arizonian’s weight-cutting troubles let to the fight being contested at 170, a slight that Torres was quick to punish.
Torres landed a crushing right hook and swarmed all over Fickett, demolishing him with hammerfists that forced “Night Rider” to tap out just 47 seconds into their fight.
The 25-year-old Torres, now 22-4, was cut from the UFC following losses to Melvin Guillard and Jacob Volkmann last year. Torres has won now eight straight bouts in less than 11 months, with six finishes.
The night was less rosy for UFC vet Maiquel Jose Falcao Goncalves, who had his nine-fight winning streak snapped by BJJ world champion Antonio Braga Neto.
After getting a takedown at the beginning of the first round, Braga Neto was swept by Falcao and proceeded to get severely punished for the duration of the round. At the end of the round, however, Falcao, who was released from UFC contract in May due to issues related to a 2002 assault charge, looked clearly gassed. Braga Neto even managed to buckle Falcao with a well-timed shot before the horn in spite of his lack of striking skills.
The second round started just the same way as the first, with Braga Neto getting a takedown and the swept. He wouldn’t suffer like the previous round, though, as the grappler got a second takedown and displayed great elbows from top position. When the opportunity appeared, the Roberto “Gordo” Correa black belt locked up a fight-ending kimura at 4:26 of the frame.
UFC veteran Karo Parisyan also had it tough in the Amazon, as “The Heat” dropped a lackluster split decision to “Ultimate Fighter” alum Jordan Smith after three rounds.
Parisyan repeatedly sought to close the distance on Smith, but was stranded on the outside where Smith picked him apart with kicks and punches. When Parisyan did get close, Smith was able to shut down the judoka’s takedowns and claim top position for himself, even taking the back twice.
The loss marks the third straight for the 29-year-old Parisyan, while Smith, 26, moves to 16-2-1 with the victory.
Acacio Rips Sergio Junior, Prospect Lopes Stays Unbeaten
Journeymen Daniel Acacio and Luis Sergio da Fonseca Melo entered their welterweight showdown both aiming at bigger fights outside of Brazil. However, Acacio is the more likely man to earn another stamp on his passport after knocking ‘Sergio Junior’ out in style inside the first round.
The 33-year-old Curitiba native was up on points quickly, as Sergio Junior was deducted two points barely two minutes into the fight by referee Mario Yamasaki for upkicking Acacio while he was grounded.
However, Acacio didn’t need the referee’s charity, as a massive right hook and follow-up punches put Junior out cold at 2:50 of the first round, giving Acacio his 25th career win in 37 bouts.
Unbeaten Dileno Lopes is one to watch.
Hot flyweight prospect Dileno Lopes was expected to get his first major test against either Tachi Palace Fights flyweight champ Ian McCall or WEC veteran Danny Martinez. However, after neither fighter could reach a deal to face Lopes, the Nova Uniao prospect took on overmatched late replacement Adson Jander. As Jander scrambled from the first Lopes takedown, he was caught in a fight-ending guillotine and forced to tap in just 75 seconds.
With the victory, Lopes is now 7-0 in his MMA career, with seven submission finishes.
Featherweight Marcos Alexandre Campos de Almeida overcame a point deduction for grabbing the gloves of opponent Daniel Aguiar to earn a unanimous nod from the judges.
“Capitao” started slow, but sunk a rear-naked choke late in the first round from which Aguiar was saved by the bell. The jiu-jitsu standout repeatedly went for leglocks over the 15 minutes, but Almeida defended and punished him to earn the verdict.
Popular Amazon fixture George Clay handed American featherweight Anthony Birchak his first loss, submitting the Arizona fighter in the first round. Clay, a 20-year vale tudo veteran, took Birchak down, took his back and sunk the rear-naked choke for the win in just 89 seconds
In the evening’s opener, local Amazon featherweight Rivaldo Junior used his low kicks to earn a split decision over Andre Leocadio.
DREAM execs set 10-bout lineup for this weekend's DREAM.17 event
The lineup for this weekend's 10-bout DREAM.17 lineup is now official.
Shinya Aoki vs. Rob McCullough headlines the Sept. 24 event, which takes place at Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan, and airs live in the U.S. on HDNet.
The event opens with the four quarterfinal matchups in DREAM's world bantamweight grand prix.
DREAM.17 is the first 2011 fight card from the Japanese-based promotion to air live in the U.S. Tape-delayed airings of DREAM's two most recent shows were due to the fact that the promotion, which encountered serious financial difficulties in 2010 and much of 2011, had not yet decided to forge ahead with live events. By the time it did, live programming was no longer an option on the premium cable channel, DREAM's U.S. representative Mike Kogan previously told MMAjunkie.com.
DREAM.17 is also the promotion's first to utilize the bout format favored by American promoters. The fights will feature three, five-minute rounds, as opposed to one 10-minute round followed by a second five-minute round.
DREAM.17 airs live on HDNet this Saturday morning, Sept. 24, at 3 a.m. ET/12 a.m. PT.
The evening's full lineup includes:
Shinya Aoki vs. Rob McCullough
Joachim Hansen vs. Tatsuya Kawajiri
Takeshi Inoue vs. Caol Uno
Yan Cabral vs. Kazushi Sakuraba
Willamy Freire vs. Satoru Kitaoka
Gerald Harris vs. Kazuhiro Nakamura
Antonio Banuelos vs. Hideo Tokoro (bantamweight grand-prix quarterfinal)
Bibiano Fernandes vs. Takafumi Otuska (bantamweight grand-prix quarterfinal)
Masakazu Imanari vs. Abel Cullum (bantamweight grand-prix quarterfinal)
Rodolfo Marques vs. Yusup Saadulaev (bantamweight grand-prix quarterfinal)
The lineup for this weekend's 10-bout DREAM.17 lineup is now official.
Shinya Aoki vs. Rob McCullough headlines the Sept. 24 event, which takes place at Saitama Super Arena in Saitama, Japan, and airs live in the U.S. on HDNet.
The event opens with the four quarterfinal matchups in DREAM's world bantamweight grand prix.
DREAM.17 is the first 2011 fight card from the Japanese-based promotion to air live in the U.S. Tape-delayed airings of DREAM's two most recent shows were due to the fact that the promotion, which encountered serious financial difficulties in 2010 and much of 2011, had not yet decided to forge ahead with live events. By the time it did, live programming was no longer an option on the premium cable channel, DREAM's U.S. representative Mike Kogan previously told MMAjunkie.com.
DREAM.17 is also the promotion's first to utilize the bout format favored by American promoters. The fights will feature three, five-minute rounds, as opposed to one 10-minute round followed by a second five-minute round.
DREAM.17 airs live on HDNet this Saturday morning, Sept. 24, at 3 a.m. ET/12 a.m. PT.
The evening's full lineup includes:
Shinya Aoki vs. Rob McCullough
Joachim Hansen vs. Tatsuya Kawajiri
Takeshi Inoue vs. Caol Uno
Yan Cabral vs. Kazushi Sakuraba
Willamy Freire vs. Satoru Kitaoka
Gerald Harris vs. Kazuhiro Nakamura
Antonio Banuelos vs. Hideo Tokoro (bantamweight grand-prix quarterfinal)
Bibiano Fernandes vs. Takafumi Otuska (bantamweight grand-prix quarterfinal)
Masakazu Imanari vs. Abel Cullum (bantamweight grand-prix quarterfinal)
Rodolfo Marques vs. Yusup Saadulaev (bantamweight grand-prix quarterfinal)
UFC's Alistair Overeem splits from Golden Glory, manager hints at legal action
Former Strikeforce heavyweight champion and recent UFC signee Alistair Overeem has split from his longtime MMA team Golden Glory, he announced today on Twitter.
"As with any relationship, you have trust," he wrote. "When differences lead to a breach of trust, there's no turning back and no way to continue a positive, working relationship."
Golden Glory head Bas Boon today told MMAjunkie.com that he may take legal action against the fighter.
"I wasn't really surprised, actually, after the last three months because he already had a lot of different ideas on how he would divide certain percentages which were normal in the past, and apparently, are not now," he said. "I think the judge will decide on this issue that we have, and when that is decided, we will see who was right and who was not."
Martin De Jong, one of Overeem's trainers at Golden Glory, believes Overeem's departure relates only to the management side of his relationship with the team, but he isn't sure whether the fighter will train with him again.
"I'm stuck in the middle," he said.
Overeem offered few details about his decision to leave the team, and he requested privacy in the matter. His representatives were unavailable for additional comment.
"I don't air my dirty laundry," he wrote in his statement.
The news comes weeks after Overeem (35-11 MMA, 0-0 UFC) signed a multi-fight deal with the UFC that includes a headlining fight against Brock Lesnar (5-2 MMA, 4-2 UFC) at UFC 141, which takes place Dec. 30 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. It was an abrupt turnaround from his fortunes just a few months prior when he was released from Strikeforce along with three other Golden Glory fighters.
During that time, a public dispute arose between the MMA team and UFC/Strikeforce parent company Zuffa LLC. UFC president Dana White said the cuts were made because Golden Glory insisted on routing fighter payments through them, as opposed to directly to the fighters.
Overeem had been a participant in the Strikeforce heavyweight grand prix, though he turned down a fight in the semifinals on Sept. 10 against Antonio Silva due to injury.
Boon later told MMAjunkie.com that his team was willing to work with the UFC and hoped to return to the negotiating table. UFC officials announced Overeem's new deal early this month.
"The deal with the UFC was done by me," Boon said. "This was a brilliant deal out of a very difficult situation. Four Golden Glory guys were sacked by Zuffa, and I made a statement, and I negotiated a very, very good contract in good faith with the UFC.
"The UFC is not to blame for this. I understand that they wanted direct payments to fighters. They made their rules very clear, and we obeyed that and didn't have any problems with that. I think now, this thing could actually be a benefit for us."
Overeem on Monday told MMAFighting.com that he's still waiting for the benefit from his performance at the 2010 K-1 World Grand Prix. The Japanese kickboxing promotion has yet to pay him for his fight against Peter Aerts in the competition's finals. He said he planned to sue.
"Maybe that has to do with it, as well," Boon said. "Everybody has problems with this, and I'm trying to do my best to solve this matter in Japan. It's not easy, and of course, people are getting restless, and some people need to point the finger at certain people when things go wrong, but the only thing we can do is our best. It looks good, but these things take time."
However, the manager said he has yet to hear an official reason for the departure since the announcement.
"I've been together with Alistair for 12 years," he said. "He slept in my house; I treated him like real friends. It's kind of sad that maybe other influences by other people made him decide to go away, especially on the deal of a lifetime. That's very disappointing."
Former Strikeforce heavyweight champion and recent UFC signee Alistair Overeem has split from his longtime MMA team Golden Glory, he announced today on Twitter.
"As with any relationship, you have trust," he wrote. "When differences lead to a breach of trust, there's no turning back and no way to continue a positive, working relationship."
Golden Glory head Bas Boon today told MMAjunkie.com that he may take legal action against the fighter.
"I wasn't really surprised, actually, after the last three months because he already had a lot of different ideas on how he would divide certain percentages which were normal in the past, and apparently, are not now," he said. "I think the judge will decide on this issue that we have, and when that is decided, we will see who was right and who was not."
Martin De Jong, one of Overeem's trainers at Golden Glory, believes Overeem's departure relates only to the management side of his relationship with the team, but he isn't sure whether the fighter will train with him again.
"I'm stuck in the middle," he said.
Overeem offered few details about his decision to leave the team, and he requested privacy in the matter. His representatives were unavailable for additional comment.
"I don't air my dirty laundry," he wrote in his statement.
The news comes weeks after Overeem (35-11 MMA, 0-0 UFC) signed a multi-fight deal with the UFC that includes a headlining fight against Brock Lesnar (5-2 MMA, 4-2 UFC) at UFC 141, which takes place Dec. 30 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. It was an abrupt turnaround from his fortunes just a few months prior when he was released from Strikeforce along with three other Golden Glory fighters.
During that time, a public dispute arose between the MMA team and UFC/Strikeforce parent company Zuffa LLC. UFC president Dana White said the cuts were made because Golden Glory insisted on routing fighter payments through them, as opposed to directly to the fighters.
Overeem had been a participant in the Strikeforce heavyweight grand prix, though he turned down a fight in the semifinals on Sept. 10 against Antonio Silva due to injury.
Boon later told MMAjunkie.com that his team was willing to work with the UFC and hoped to return to the negotiating table. UFC officials announced Overeem's new deal early this month.
"The deal with the UFC was done by me," Boon said. "This was a brilliant deal out of a very difficult situation. Four Golden Glory guys were sacked by Zuffa, and I made a statement, and I negotiated a very, very good contract in good faith with the UFC.
"The UFC is not to blame for this. I understand that they wanted direct payments to fighters. They made their rules very clear, and we obeyed that and didn't have any problems with that. I think now, this thing could actually be a benefit for us."
Overeem on Monday told MMAFighting.com that he's still waiting for the benefit from his performance at the 2010 K-1 World Grand Prix. The Japanese kickboxing promotion has yet to pay him for his fight against Peter Aerts in the competition's finals. He said he planned to sue.
"Maybe that has to do with it, as well," Boon said. "Everybody has problems with this, and I'm trying to do my best to solve this matter in Japan. It's not easy, and of course, people are getting restless, and some people need to point the finger at certain people when things go wrong, but the only thing we can do is our best. It looks good, but these things take time."
However, the manager said he has yet to hear an official reason for the departure since the announcement.
"I've been together with Alistair for 12 years," he said. "He slept in my house; I treated him like real friends. It's kind of sad that maybe other influences by other people made him decide to go away, especially on the deal of a lifetime. That's very disappointing."
uh oh
Gokhan Saki and Possible Others Leaving Golden Glory
When it rains it pours. Earlier today it was announced that Alistair Overeem was leaving his home management and team of Golden Glory. Overeem has been a part of the Golden Glory umbrella for about twelve years now, since the formation of the team. Overeem has been described by Bas Boon as like "family" to him and the team, and Golden Glory trainer Martijn de Jong has been known to be very good friends with Alistair.
There has been a rumor that some of us have been sitting on for a while as it wasn't clear if it was ever going to come to fruition, but apparently it has. The latest rumor is that Gokhan Saki has also left team Golden Glory, but this has not been confirmed. (Update: Sources close to Saki have confirmed his departure) LiverKick.com has reached out to Bas Boon for comment on this but have not heard back from him of yet. Generally speaking, we do not like to post rumors like this, but it has been a longstanding rumor, persisting for the better part of this year and with it coming out into the public's eye, now is as good of a time as any to talk about it.
Gokhan Saki had apparently been unhappy with Team Golden Glory for quite a while now, going as far back as last year's K-1 World Grand Prix. We had heard from multiple sources that Saki was aggressively looking for a way out of his contract with Golden Glory and looking to relocate and enter the world of MMA. While he could easily make a transition to MMA within the Golden Glory camp, he has been looking for new representation and for a new home to train, apparently sick of working with Golden Glory. This afternoon Percy Crawford of FightHype.com confirmed that he was indeed bringing Gokhan Saki stateside and helping him find a trainer. According to everyone's favorite MMA personality Bloodstain Lane, a "BIG TIME" boxing trainer.
The rumor doesn't stop with Gokhan Saki, though. There has been rumblings that Bas Boon's sick leave over the summer caused some massive internal problems at Golden Glory. Problems with Strikeforce and other big business deals that fell through had caused some friction between fighters, trainers and management with talks of some big names within the camp possibly leaving to pursue other options.
Gokhan Saki and Possible Others Leaving Golden Glory
When it rains it pours. Earlier today it was announced that Alistair Overeem was leaving his home management and team of Golden Glory. Overeem has been a part of the Golden Glory umbrella for about twelve years now, since the formation of the team. Overeem has been described by Bas Boon as like "family" to him and the team, and Golden Glory trainer Martijn de Jong has been known to be very good friends with Alistair.
There has been a rumor that some of us have been sitting on for a while as it wasn't clear if it was ever going to come to fruition, but apparently it has. The latest rumor is that Gokhan Saki has also left team Golden Glory, but this has not been confirmed. (Update: Sources close to Saki have confirmed his departure) LiverKick.com has reached out to Bas Boon for comment on this but have not heard back from him of yet. Generally speaking, we do not like to post rumors like this, but it has been a longstanding rumor, persisting for the better part of this year and with it coming out into the public's eye, now is as good of a time as any to talk about it.
Gokhan Saki had apparently been unhappy with Team Golden Glory for quite a while now, going as far back as last year's K-1 World Grand Prix. We had heard from multiple sources that Saki was aggressively looking for a way out of his contract with Golden Glory and looking to relocate and enter the world of MMA. While he could easily make a transition to MMA within the Golden Glory camp, he has been looking for new representation and for a new home to train, apparently sick of working with Golden Glory. This afternoon Percy Crawford of FightHype.com confirmed that he was indeed bringing Gokhan Saki stateside and helping him find a trainer. According to everyone's favorite MMA personality Bloodstain Lane, a "BIG TIME" boxing trainer.
The rumor doesn't stop with Gokhan Saki, though. There has been rumblings that Bas Boon's sick leave over the summer caused some massive internal problems at Golden Glory. Problems with Strikeforce and other big business deals that fell through had caused some friction between fighters, trainers and management with talks of some big names within the camp possibly leaving to pursue other options.
Afghan Killa!!!!
Siyar Bahadurzada: I've been offered a UFC contract
Reigning Shooto light-heavyweight champion and current 170-pounder Siyar Bahadurzada (20-4-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC) says he's been offered a UFC contract.
The fighter, who recently accepted a Strikeforce deal but never debuted with the organization, today announced the deal.
"Nothing is signed yet," he tweeted. "My team and I will discuss it and let you know when it's signed."
The Team Golden Glory fighter and Afghanistan native can be seen as one of Jason "Mayhem" Miller's assistant coaches on "The Ultimate Fighter 14," which debuts tonight on Spike TV. The confident fighter recently joined MMAjunkie.com Radio (www.mmajunkie.com/radio) and made a bold prediction.
"I don't promise a lot of things to people or whoever, but the one thing I promise the fight fans here in the U.S. is that I will knock so many people out that you will never forget my name," the 27-year-old Bahadurzada recently said.
Bahadurzada's current six-fight win streak includes knockouts of notables John Alessio and Derrick Noble, among others. Most recently, he won Ultimate Glory's multi-event welterweight grand prix.
In his past 16 fights, his only losses have come to notables Kazuo Misaki and Jorge Santiago under the World Victory Road/Sengoku banner.
Bahadurzada agreed to a deal with Strikeforce in early 2010, though a fight and finalized contract never materialized. He fell out of favor with the promotion when he took his complaints public.
After Zuffa LLC, the UFC's parent company, acquired Strikeforce, Bahadurzada saw it as a ray of hope.
"I'm glad that the new company took them over and are going to send them home with their office stools in a box in short time," Bahadurzada told MMAjunkie.com.
Siyar Bahadurzada: I've been offered a UFC contract
Reigning Shooto light-heavyweight champion and current 170-pounder Siyar Bahadurzada (20-4-1 MMA, 0-0 UFC) says he's been offered a UFC contract.
The fighter, who recently accepted a Strikeforce deal but never debuted with the organization, today announced the deal.
"Nothing is signed yet," he tweeted. "My team and I will discuss it and let you know when it's signed."
The Team Golden Glory fighter and Afghanistan native can be seen as one of Jason "Mayhem" Miller's assistant coaches on "The Ultimate Fighter 14," which debuts tonight on Spike TV. The confident fighter recently joined MMAjunkie.com Radio (www.mmajunkie.com/radio) and made a bold prediction.
"I don't promise a lot of things to people or whoever, but the one thing I promise the fight fans here in the U.S. is that I will knock so many people out that you will never forget my name," the 27-year-old Bahadurzada recently said.
Bahadurzada's current six-fight win streak includes knockouts of notables John Alessio and Derrick Noble, among others. Most recently, he won Ultimate Glory's multi-event welterweight grand prix.
In his past 16 fights, his only losses have come to notables Kazuo Misaki and Jorge Santiago under the World Victory Road/Sengoku banner.
Bahadurzada agreed to a deal with Strikeforce in early 2010, though a fight and finalized contract never materialized. He fell out of favor with the promotion when he took his complaints public.
After Zuffa LLC, the UFC's parent company, acquired Strikeforce, Bahadurzada saw it as a ray of hope.
"I'm glad that the new company took them over and are going to send them home with their office stools in a box in short time," Bahadurzada told MMAjunkie.com.
Despite Golden Glory flap, Jon Olav Einemo back in UFC, return date unknown
Blacklist? Not so much.
Rumors that fighters from the Holland-based Golden Glory fight team are persona non grata in the UFC and Strikeforce came to an end today when UFC president Dana White confirmed that heavyweight Jon Olav Einemo (6-2 MMA, 0-1 UFC) is back in the UFC.
The UFC released the Norwegian fighter as a public dispute broke out this past month between his team and the industry-leading promotion.
But as White said today, Einemo has returned.
White, who spoke to reporters during a press conference in support of this weekend's UFC 135 event, added that he didn't know when Einemo will return to the octagon.
Golden Glory was in the headlines again this week when its star client, Alistair Overeem, announced via Twitter that he has left the team. It is unclear whether his decision applied solely to the management side of his relationship or to his training with the team as well.
Golden Glory head Bas Boon has denied there's a UFC blacklist of his fighters. As MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) earlier reported, Golden Glory welterweight Siyar Bahadurzada has been offered a UFC contract.
Einemo most recently appeared at UFC 131, where Dave Herman stopped him in the second round in a back-and-forth fight that won both "Fight of the Night" honors. It was his first pro fight in five years.
A decorated submission grappler, Einemo made a single appearance in PRIDE, where he was outpointed by Strikeforce heavyweight Fabricio Werdum at PRIDE 31.
Blacklist? Not so much.
Rumors that fighters from the Holland-based Golden Glory fight team are persona non grata in the UFC and Strikeforce came to an end today when UFC president Dana White confirmed that heavyweight Jon Olav Einemo (6-2 MMA, 0-1 UFC) is back in the UFC.
The UFC released the Norwegian fighter as a public dispute broke out this past month between his team and the industry-leading promotion.
But as White said today, Einemo has returned.
White, who spoke to reporters during a press conference in support of this weekend's UFC 135 event, added that he didn't know when Einemo will return to the octagon.
Golden Glory was in the headlines again this week when its star client, Alistair Overeem, announced via Twitter that he has left the team. It is unclear whether his decision applied solely to the management side of his relationship or to his training with the team as well.
Golden Glory head Bas Boon has denied there's a UFC blacklist of his fighters. As MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) earlier reported, Golden Glory welterweight Siyar Bahadurzada has been offered a UFC contract.
Einemo most recently appeared at UFC 131, where Dave Herman stopped him in the second round in a back-and-forth fight that won both "Fight of the Night" honors. It was his first pro fight in five years.
A decorated submission grappler, Einemo made a single appearance in PRIDE, where he was outpointed by Strikeforce heavyweight Fabricio Werdum at PRIDE 31.
Dana White Talks UFC 135, Boxing Controversy, Larry Merchant and Spike TV
http://youtu.be/oySKcf6VIag
http://youtu.be/oySKcf6VIag
Strikeforce Challengers 19 is going down on Showtime tonight. Larkin, Big Lavar and Lil Couture should be chill
Main card (Showtime)
Light Heavyweight bout: Lorenz Larkin vs. Nick Rossborough
Heavyweight bout: Lavar Johnson vs. Shawn Jordan
Lightweight bout: Ryan Couture vs. Maka Watson
Welterweight bout: Jason High vs. Todd Moore
Welterweight bout: Brian Melancon vs. Felipe Portela
Preliminary card
Lightweight bout: James Terry vs. Magno Almeida
Lightweight bout: Bobby Green vs. Charon Spain
Welterweight bout: Joe Ray vs. Chris Spång
Catchweight bout (176-lbs): Quinn Mulhern vs. Danny Davis
Also tonight at 3AM EST DREAM.17 will air live on HDNet. Awesome fighters, meh matchmaking, kinda cool BWGP
Lightweight bout: Shinya Aoki vs. Rob McCullough
Featherweight bout: Tatsuya Kawajiri vs. Joachim Hansen
Featherweight bout: Takeshi Inoue vs. Caol Uno
Welterweight bout: Kazushi Sakuraba vs. Yan Cabral
Lightweight bout: Satoru Kitaoka vs. Willamy Freire
Middleweight bout: Kazuhiro Nakamura vs. Gerald Harris
Bantamweight Tournament Quarterfinal bout: Hideo Tokoro vs. Antonio Banuelos
Bantamweight Tournament Quarterfinal bout: Bibiano Fernandes vs. Takafumi Otsuka
Bantamweight Tournament Quarterfinal bout: Masakazu Imanari vs. Abel Cullum
Bantamweight Tournament Quarterfinal bout: Rodolfo Marques vs. Yusup Saadulaev
Super Hluk bout: Ikuhisa Minowa (191 lbs) vs. Baru Harn (253 lbs)
War Hellboy, War Aoki, War Imanari, War Killer Koala, WAR SUPER HLUK MINOWAMAN
Main card (Showtime)
Light Heavyweight bout: Lorenz Larkin vs. Nick Rossborough
Heavyweight bout: Lavar Johnson vs. Shawn Jordan
Lightweight bout: Ryan Couture vs. Maka Watson
Welterweight bout: Jason High vs. Todd Moore
Welterweight bout: Brian Melancon vs. Felipe Portela
Preliminary card
Lightweight bout: James Terry vs. Magno Almeida
Lightweight bout: Bobby Green vs. Charon Spain
Welterweight bout: Joe Ray vs. Chris Spång
Catchweight bout (176-lbs): Quinn Mulhern vs. Danny Davis
Also tonight at 3AM EST DREAM.17 will air live on HDNet. Awesome fighters, meh matchmaking, kinda cool BWGP
Lightweight bout: Shinya Aoki vs. Rob McCullough
Featherweight bout: Tatsuya Kawajiri vs. Joachim Hansen
Featherweight bout: Takeshi Inoue vs. Caol Uno
Welterweight bout: Kazushi Sakuraba vs. Yan Cabral
Lightweight bout: Satoru Kitaoka vs. Willamy Freire
Middleweight bout: Kazuhiro Nakamura vs. Gerald Harris
Bantamweight Tournament Quarterfinal bout: Hideo Tokoro vs. Antonio Banuelos
Bantamweight Tournament Quarterfinal bout: Bibiano Fernandes vs. Takafumi Otsuka
Bantamweight Tournament Quarterfinal bout: Masakazu Imanari vs. Abel Cullum
Bantamweight Tournament Quarterfinal bout: Rodolfo Marques vs. Yusup Saadulaev
Super Hluk bout: Ikuhisa Minowa (191 lbs) vs. Baru Harn (253 lbs)
War Hellboy, War Aoki, War Imanari, War Killer Koala, WAR SUPER HLUK MINOWAMAN