MMA News Thread

[RM211]

With 'TUF' gig looming, UFC champ Cruz looking forward to beating up Faber

UFC bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz (19-1 MMA, 2-0 UFC) is running out of interesting storylines.

Win the WEC title? Check. UFC belt? Check. Avenge your lone career loss? Check.

So with Cruz now preparing to face his nemesis, Urijah Faber (26-5 MMA, 2-1 UFC), for the second time in just three fights, is "The Dominator" struggling for motivation? Hardly. After all, who wouldn't want to beat up their annoying co-worker?

"For me, fighting for a world title is all the motivation I need to get ready for a fight, period," Cruz told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com). "Adding the fact that Faber is a [expletive] just makes it a little easier, you know?"

Of course, prior to their summer fight, Cruz and Faber will serve as opposing coaches on the upcoming season of "The Ultimate Fighter 15," the first edition of the series to air on FX. The two have a rivalry that dates back to 2007, when Faber became the first (and to date only) man to defeat Cruz.

Cruz won the rematch this past summer, but now it's time for the rubber match and what both fighters have essentially said is for "bragging rights for life."

Much has been made of the bad blood between the two, but Cruz said he's not letting the rivalry affect his approach to his coaching gig or the upcoming fight.

"It's not really that big of a deal," Cruz said. "It's part of the sport. There are people you don't like. It's part of life, dealing with people you don't like."

Of course, unlike most people in this world, Cruz doesn't have to bite his tongue when dealing with said people.

"How many people go to work every single day and have to work for somebody they don't like?" Cruz asked. "That's an everyday thing for everybody around the entire world, and they just have to listen to that guy. The difference is, how about if you get to beat your boss' ass? I get that opportunity.

"Faber is far from my boss, but I work with him, and now I get to beat him up at the end of the season. It's actually not a bad thing. I look at it as, 'I'm working a job, and I dislike somebody I work with, and I get to beat him up at the end of the work day.'"

Cruz is currently riding a 10-fight win streak, and he's 9-0 since dropping to the bantamweight division in 2008. His recent wins over Faber, Demetrious Johnson, Scott Jorgensen, Jospeh Benavidez and Brian Bowles have many calling Cruz one of the sport's top pound-for-pound fighters. If there is one criticism of his recent outings, it may be that he's gone to a decision in each of his four successful title defenses.

Of course, all four have been high-energy affairs, so Cruz believes the criticism is mostly unwarranted.

"I feel like a lot of times that's what happens when you get to the championship level," Cruz said. "I haven't necessarily been fighting anybody outside of the top five for the past two-and-a-half years. Everybody has been in the top five or the No. 1 contender. I've held the belt longer than anyone in the division so far. I've got more title defenses than anyone in the division. I've fought everybody in the division that's in the top five. Nobody else can say that except for me at 135 pounds. I've also got three 'Fight of the Night' awards.

"I'm doing things a little bit differently. I don't have all the finishes that some of these guys have, but it comes with time. I'm going out there and not taking a lot of damage, taking people down a lot, beating them up on my feet and just going in there and kind of winning five-round unanimous decisions by going out there and confusing people and making people not understand why they can't hit me, why they're losing certain situations. That's kind of what the style is about. The way I fight is kind of like I get you to give me what I want you to give me, and then I take it from you."

Faber is still the sport's most visible 135-pounder, but Cruz is quickly shooting up the popularity charts. With his upcoming stint on "The Ultimate Fighter 15," the champion may finally he get the respect many feel he has deserved for quite some time.

"I've noticed a lot of love and a lot of support," Cruz said. "I wasn't as well-known in the beginning of my career because I've had to work from nothing to something. I just really appreciate all the support from my fans – the nice tweets and everything. The fans have been awesome, and I really appreciate them."

 

[RM211]

UFC boss says ESPN relationship mending but still stands behind pay secrecy

He hated the report, knew he would hate it, and told the world he hated it as soon as ESPN hit "publish."

But UFC president Dana White said he's communicating again with the sports news giant since a report on fighter pay got everyone talking.

White didn't characterize the nature of the talks but said, "we're working on this relationship."

The report and a subsequent segment for ESPN's investigative series "Outside the Lines" questioned whether the UFC was shortchanging fighters as the promotion blossoms into a billion-dollar success story.

White called ESPN "dirty" in his video blog after the story became public and saw to the release of a video response to the pieces in which several UFC fighters defend the promotion's pay practices. He also released an uncut video of UFC executive Lorenzo Fertitta that filmed the ESPN interview.

On the podcast "Gross Point Blank," ESPN reporter John Barr subsequently said White was mislead or lied when he claimed ESPN producers shut down a video interview with welterweight Matt Serra when he wouldn't criticize the UFC's policies for the pay story. (Attempts by MMAjunkie.com to reach Serra were unsuccessful, and Barr declined comment.)

But it appears that inroads have been made to avoid a longterm slugfest.

Publicly, the response to the piece was varied with some in support of the UFC and some echoing the criticisms raised by ESPN. Multiple media outlets looked into the issue of fighter pay, including MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com), and while White said he was "pretty happy" with the majority of stories on the issue, he said he would continue to attack those he felt were unfair.

"The bottom line is – and I'm sitting here talking to the media – but I'm not going to put up with people's [expletive]," White said. "I'm not going to put up with people writing stories that aren't true and saying things that aren't true. I won't. I don't care who it is – ESPN or whoever."

In particular, the UFC president singled out a CBS opinion piece that ran this week and said it was "not the way stories should be written."

But for all the unwanted attention received as the result of the story, White continues to defend the way the UFC does business.

"Are we perfect? Hell no, we're not perfect," he said. "Dude, the amount of hours we put in in a day; the amount of traveling that I'm doing this year. People from FX, FOX (and) the UFC think it's impossible for me to pull off what I'm going to pull off this year. But believe me when I tell you, it's going to [expletive] happen. I'm going to do it.

"When we get stories written about us like that, and I know that sometimes it seems like I get crazy and come off too personal – well [expletive] yeah, it's personal. What you're saying is untrue. Just because we don't tell you everything – that's just the way we want to do it."

To illustrate a long-held belief that an athlete's earnings shouldn't be public, White brought up the case of pro baseball player Prince Fielder, who recently signed a deal worth $214 million over nine years with the Detroit Tigers, and former boxing champ Mike Tyson, whom he's grow friendly with during the UFC's rise.

"Even when we sat down and had that first FOX meeting, the guys at FOX were like, holy [expletive]," White said. "They're like, 'Why don't you plaster this everywhere? This is the thing that will put you guys over the top. This is the thing that people love to see and talk about. Look at Mike Tyson.' And I said, 'Yeah, look at Mike Tyson.'

"I've had these conversations with Mike. Mike said that when his money was reported, his [expletive] life was miserable. I'm not doing it.

"So just because you don't know everything, you don't have to know anything, and to be honest with you? It's none of your [expletive] business how much these guys are making. They're making a lot of money. And it's all the fans. You want to be a fan of the sport and you love your guys? Cool. Support them. How much money is none of your business. I'm not asking how much money you're making."

White reiterated Fertitta's assertion that fighters signed to UFC and Strikeforce parent company Zuffa have the right to look at the company's books. He talked tough about an FTC investigation revealed in the ESPN piece that Fertitta said was triggered by Zuffa's purchase this past March of rival promotion Strikeforce.

"There has never been a sport that's been more scrutinized about everything – about the style of fighting that it is – it's brutal, it's this, it's that," White said. "And now that the thing keeps getting bigger and bigger – there's so much [expletive] that goes on behind the scenes that you guys don't know about? Do you know how many [expletive] people are coming after us every day? We're still here. Because everything we do is on the up-and-up.

"People love to come at us with the negative [expletive] – like Lorenzo said, this is the greatest sports story in the last 50 years. So it is what it is. We're going to do it the way that we do it, the way that we want to do it, no matter who says what, no matter who does what. If the government wants to come in and look inside, take a peek and look around – more than welcome.

"Many of you have heard stories and all kinds of things – mark my [expletive] words, right here, right now, today: We're not going anywhere."

Nor is ESPN. It remains to be seen if the Goliaths make amends.

 

[RM211]

UFC on FOX 2's Cub Swanson wants to fight strikers after KO win

If you want more highlight-reel finishes, pair Cub Swanson with those who like to stand up.

"That makes the best fights for me and for the crowd," he told MMAjunkie.com Radio (www.mmajunkie.com/radio) not long after he sent George Roop's mouthpiece flying at UFC on FOX 2.

Suggestions? Swanson has Erik Koch or Dustin Poirer, who fights this weekend at UFC 143.

Both Koch and Poirer are just the type Swanson is looking for as he gets back on the right track in his octagon career. This past Saturday's win was his first in the UFC after a submission loss to Ricardo Lamas at UFC on FOX 1. Immediately after the fight, he broke down with emotion.

"I'm just a big wuss," Swanson said. "I just put a lot of pressure on myself to perform this time. I couldn't see myself going 0-2 in the UFC. I saw myself winning in that fashion every night, and to see it play it out in that fashion in front of that many people was just awesome."

Swanson said he the overhand right dropped Roop with was one he trained frequently in the gym when faced with taller sparring partners. At 6-foot-1, Roop was the perfect candidate for the punch, but getting to that point proved harder than he imagined.

"I thought I would have had an easier time to get around it, but it took me a while to get comfortable," Swanson (16-5 MMA, 1-1 UFC) said. "My coaches just told me to be patient. I just waited for mistakes."

Roop (12-9-1 MMA, 2-5 UFC) gave him one in the second when he left his chin exposed as Swanson closed the distance. Suddenly, a mouthpiece was flying toward him.

"It kind of threw me off for a second," Swanson said. "I was almost in shock. He looked like he was out, and then he started to get back up, so I just jumped on him real quick and tried to finish it."

While he basked in the glow of his victory backstage, a very famous teammate pointed out that he missed an opportunity.

"First thing, I ran into Jon Jones in the back and he said, 'Dude, I thought you were going to catch the mouthpiece! That would have been sick!'" Swanson said with a laugh. "I was like, 'I'm just happy I got the win.'"

Swanson plans on taking time off after a tough training camp but would like to return to action in three months. As for his suggestions, Koch is a fighter whom he was previously scheduled to fight at UFC on Versus 3 and is officially un-booked after being forced to withdraw from a fight with Poirer at UFC 143.

Meanwhile, Poirer meets newcomer Max Holloway at the event, which takes place Feb. 4 at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas.

Swanson will be happy to fight whomever the UFC requests, but he values entertainment, and putting him against a like-minded fighter is the best route to success.

Or, a jaw-crushing knockout.

"That was a textbook punch for me, and I'm just glad it landed," he said.

 

[RM211]

'Countdown to UFC 143' preview show debuts Tuesday on FUEL TV

While this weekend's "UFC 143: Diaz vs. Condit" event is also getting the full "UFC Primetime" treatment, that doesn't mean the typical "Countdown" show has been nixed.

In anticipation of the night's key matchups, FUEL TV debuts "Countdown to UFC 143: Diaz vs. Condit" on Tuesday, Jan. 31 at 9 p.m. ET.

Headliners Nick Diaz (26-7 MMA, 7-4 UFC) and Carlos Condit (27-5 MMA, 4-1 UFC), who meet with the UFC's interim welterweight title on the line, are featured in the program, as are main-card fighters Josh Koscheck (16-5 MMA, 14-5 UFC) and Mike Pierce (13-4 MMA, 5-2 UFC).

"UFC 143: Diaz vs. Condit" takes place Saturday, Feb. 4, at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas. The evening's main card airs on pay-per-view.

Replays of "Countdown to UFC 143" air throughout the week, and a three-part "UFC Primetime" special has also concludes on Friday, Feb. 3.

The lineup for UFC 143 includes:

MAIN CARD (Pay-per-view)

•Carlos Condit vs. Nick Diaz (for interim welterweight title)
•Roy Nelson vs. Fabricio Werdum
•Josh Koscheck vs. Mike Pierce
•Renan Barao vs. Scott Jorgensen
•Ed Herman vs. Clifford Starks
PRELIMINARY CARD (FX)
•Max Holloway vs. Dustin Poirier
•Jorge Lopez vs. Matt Riddle
•Alex Caceres vs. Edwin Figueroa
•Matt Brown vs. Chris Cope
PRELIMINARY CARD (Facebook)
•Dan Stittgen vs. Stephen Thompson
•Rafael Natal vs. Michael Kuiper

 

[RM211]

UFC on FOX 2's Evan Dunham eyes Pettis-Lauzon winner after latest victory

CHICAGO – It's official: Evan Dunham has put himself back into the fray of UFC lightweight title contention.

Dunham (13-2 MMA, 6-2 UFC) primarily used his standup to secure a second-round TKO (via doctor's stoppage) over a game Nik Lentz (21-5-2 MMA, 5-2-1 UFC), who was stopped for the first time in his UFC career.

The bout served as the featured preliminary-card contest and aired on FUEL TV as part of the UFC on FOX 2 preliminary card. The event, which included a FOX-televised main card, took place at Chicago's United Center.

Dunham, a slow starter by trade, stayed true to form early in the opening frame as the pair traded punches and kicks in the pocket before Lentz recorded a single-leg takedown. Dunham escaped, but Lentz continued to press forward and took him to the mat again.

It's all a bit puzzling to Dunham. He still hasn't quite put his finger on why he has the tendency to come out of the gate cold.

"Once I figure it out, I'll fix it and let you know," Dunham told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) immediately after the bout. "Sometimes it takes me getting punched in the head a few times to realize I'm in a fight. I'm working on that, and I'm really trying to fix it.

"Today, I think it was a combination of things. I kind of got the schedule messed up wrong, which was my fault. I thought I was after (the Cub) Swanson (and George Roop) fight. I didn't look at the bout sheet right. The only one to blame for that one is me."

The brief mishap threw off his normal warm-up routine as he waited his turn in his locker room.

To his credit, Dunham came on late in the first round and scored with elbows in close and secured a takedown of his own.

"It was a close round," Dunham said. "I could see where they'd give it to him, and I could see where they'd give it to me."

The late activity was not only an instant confidence booster, but it also helped propel him into the second round with some momentum at his back.

"Once I got him down (toward the end of the first round) and got on top, I felt that he really didn't have much of a bottom game," Dunham said. "I knew he certainly wasn't going to submit me or sweep me, so if anything, he might stand up, and I'd put him back down if I wanted to. It gave me a big confidence booster going into the second."

Dunham moved the fight to the floor early in the second round as the bout began to take on a more grinding feel. But that quickly changed about halfway through the round as the pair went toe-to-toe in the center of the cage and tagged one another with multiple strikes. The exchange drew a smile from both men – and a roar of applause from the sold-out United Center.

"I was thinking, 'Man, this is great. Let's keep going,'" Dunham said. "What I hate is when guys do that, and then they stop fighting. That's why I came right back at him."

Dunham registered another takedown and looked to secure a guillotine choke as the second stanza wore on, but he instead settled for elbows and punches. He was able to bloody and swell the left eye of Lentz, which was plenty evident as he stood up following the conclusion of the round.

Following an inspection from cageside doctors, who looked at the mangled wound, the bout was halted by referee "Big" John McCarthy.

Lentz, notorious for his grinding and positional-grappling style, was much more aggressive with his standup throughout the fight. It's not everyday you see the wrestler walk to the center of the cage and consistently trade punches with an opponent. It was surprising to many onlookers familiar with his MO – but not to the man who was staring at him from across the cage.

"I had heard that he wanted to stand," Dunham said. "And for some reason these guys that don't stand a whole lot, when they fight me, they decide they want to stand. I don't know if that's a good thing or a bad thing or what that says about me."

This is the second win in a row for Dunham after back-to-back losses to Sean Sherk and Melvin Guillard. The UFC 119 loss to Sherk was a controversial decision that still stings today as he looks ahead to what might be next on his horizon.

"I don't feel I've lost two," Dunham said. "I feel I've lost one. I did not lose that Sherk fight. I'm willing to fight him again to show that. I feel I've only lost to a real tough guy (Guillard), so I think I'm right up there fighting for that shot (at top contention).

"I want to fight whoever else is too. The winner of that (Joe) Lauzon and (Anthony) Pettis fight (at UFC 144). I'd love to fight the winner of that."

 

[RM211]

Following close UFC on FOX 2 win, Sonnen says Bisping could beat champ Silva

CHICAGO – For a man who's famously (or perhaps, infamously) walked the walk after talking the talk, Chael Sonnen nearly was tripped up by Michael Bisping.

In the co-headliner of Saturday's UFC on FOX 2 event, Sonnen edged the fellow middleweight contender to secure an April title fight and rematch with elusive foe Anderson Silva.

After the fight, Sonnen (27-11-1 MMA, 6-4 UFC) was all compliments when it came to Bisping (22-3 MMA, 12-3 UFC). Silva (31-4 MMA, 14-0 UFC), on the other hand, didn't get off so easy.

Sonnen, who fought Bisping on a little more than a week's notice after original opponent Mark Munoz was scratched due to an elbow injury, edged Bisping by unanimous decision via 30-27, 29-28 and 29-28 scores at Chicago's United Center. In a spirited scrap, Bisping showed his trademark striking but complemented it with vastly improved takedown defense, solid clinch work and apt conditioning.

"I was surprised about everything," Sonnen said. "Michael Bisping hit me so hard in the first round that I didn't even know what day it was. I remember when I came to, looking at him and thinking, 'Oh my God, you have no idea how bad you hurt me or you'd step in and do something about it.'"

In fact, until the final scores were read, Sonnen wondered if the No. 1 contender's bout was about to end in disaster.

"The only round I knew I had was the third," he said. "I thought I might have one of the first two, but I didn't know I had it.

"I was never in a position tonight where I was comfortable. Not once."

With the win, Sonnen has earned a guaranteed title shot with Silva. The fight is expected to take place in June in Sao Paulo, Brazil, likely in a stadium with a capacity of more than 50,000. Silva, of course, won their first meeting in 2010 with a fifth-round submission after losing the first four rounds to Sonnen. It was the first time the champ showed any real signs of invincibility in his UFC career.

However, as he boasted in the build-up to Saturday's network-televised event, Sonnen believes the odds of the rematch actually happening are slim.

"I know I'll do my part," he said. "Do I think [Silva] will sign to fight? No, I don't. But we'll see. I've been wrong before. But I've tried to get him to fight four times. That's the one thing they don't tell you, and I'm not trying to go against the brass here, but that's the one thing they haven't revealed. They've offered him the fight four times, and he said no four times. Mysteriously, he's supposed to accept on the fifth?

"I'll tell you this: I've never backed down, and I never will."

Earlier in the week, MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) asked UFC president Dana White about Sonnen's claims the fight won't happen (and that he'll instead challenge for a title in a different weight class).

"Chael is nuts," White said. "He says all kinds of crazy things. 'He's the champion.' Listen to me, OK? Listen to me: he's not the champion.

"He will fight Anderson Silva if he wins. He will not fight for the heavyweight championship or (light-heavyweight champ) Jon 'Bones' Jones. I have to have a separate press conference to stop all the stuff that Chael Sonnen says."

Following Saturday's win, Sonnen offered a few of his usual digs at the Brazilian champ, but most of his focus was on Bisping. As two of UFC fans' most hated fighters, Sonnen and Bisping actually seemed to develop a friendship of sorts. Both, in fact, ditched their usual pre-fight trash talk and kept things cordial throughout fight week.

"I'd rather talk about real men like Michael Bisping who step in on 10 days' notice and fight me," Sonnen said. "Those are the types of guys I'd rather give attention to – not some bum in Brazil."

Want an even bigger endorsement?

"I can assure you having fought him and the alleged champ, [Bisping] could win the title today if they gave him the opportunity," Sonnen said.

But for now, it appears that slot belongs to Sonnen, who's treated all of Brazil much like he treats the champ. And that, perhaps not surprisingly, has resulted in everything from simple insults to serious death threats from Brazilian fight fans. But if you think that'll keep Sonnen from heading south to fight for the title and avenge his earlier defeat to Silva, think again.

"If those blowhards (in Brazil) with their blow darts want to come at me, they can send anyone want they want," he said. "But don't send anyone you want back."

 

[RM211]

Following mistaken identity, UFC boss Dana White apologizes to harassment victim

UFC president Dana White was looking to offer an apology but nearly found himself in unpleasant situation.

"I get my gun before answering the door," Julie Breeler told Las Vegas' FOX 5. "I crack the door and say, 'Yes?' He says, 'Julie Breeler?' and I'm like, 'Yes.' He says, 'Hi, I'm Dana White.'"

White visited Breeler's home to offer a personal apology for hundreds of harassing phone calls she received after her information was mistakenly released by hackers who were trying to attack the UFC boss.

White's alleged information was posted this past week by a Twitter user claiming to be a member of UGNazi.com, the same Internet group that recently attacked UFC.com. The online collective known as Anonymous this past Thursday also hacked into both UFC.com and UFC.tv, briefly defacing the websites. The hackers also claim to have mined customer data during the raid but have yet to prove their success.

"(I) went over and apologized for all the trouble caused by the online terrorists," White told FOX 5 Las Vegas.

Most credit the original Web attack on the UFC as a response to an editorial published by its chief legal counsel, Lawrence Epstein, who expressed support for the controversial anti-piracy bills SOPA (Stop Online Piracy Act) and PIPA (Protect IP Act).

White then added a bit of fuel to the fire, offering an open challenge to Internet hackers, stirring the follow-up response.

"I'm not afraid of you," he said. "So you want to keep hacking our site? Go for it. Watch what happens. You're hurting yourself."

The UFC has aggressively pursued piracy in the courts in recent years and successfully brought down several websites that pirated its content. While White today admitted the bill was not the perfect vehicle in the fight to protect his promotion's most valuable product – pay-per-view broadcasts – he recently said it's the best weapon available at the moment.

"Is SOPA the perfect bill? No, it's not," he said. "The only thing that we're focused on is piracy. Piracy is stealing. If you walk into a store and you steal a gold watch, it's the same as stealing a pay-per-view. I don't care what your twisted, demented idea of stealing is. This kids who grew up on the Internet never had to pay for anything, so they don't think that you should have to."

In related news, the hacker who claims responsibility for the recent attack on UFC.com was interviewed by tech-focused website Softpedia.com. In the interview, the hacker reveals he's a self-taught 13-year-old Australian native who envisions a career in "ethical hacking."

The hacker claims to have attacked approximately 150 websites to date, including those belonging to MasterCard, the FBI and more than 81 sites that belong to the U.S. and Brazilian governments.

 

[RM211]

Report: UFC's Alistair Overeem charged with battery in Las Vegas

Top UFC heavyweight contender Alistair Overeem has been charged with one count of misdemeanor battery following an incident in a Las Vegas casino soon after his UFC 141 bout this past month.

According to the "Las Vegas Review-Journal," Overeem is slated to appear in court on Feb. 21, and if convicted, he faces a maximum of six months in county jail and a maximum $1,000 fine.

MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) had been unable to confirm the long-rumored incident in recent weeks.

Local law-enforcement officials told MMAjunkie.com no arrest was made, and Wynn officials declined comment.

However, according to the newspaper's report, Overeem, who defeated Brock Lesnar at UFC 141 in Las Vegas on Dec. 30, was at Wynn Las Vegas a few days later. According to a citation issued at 3 a.m. on Jan. 2, Overeem pushed or shoved a woman in the face, "causing her to stagger back."

Overeem wasn't technically arrested and instead was summoned to court. He's retained famed Las Vegas defense attorney David Chesnoff for the case and maintains his innocence, according to the report.

Overeem (36-11 MMA, 1-0 UFC), a former Strikeforce champion who was released by the organization and quickly signed by its sister promotion, made his official UFC debut at UFC 141 at MGM Grand Garden Arena. By knocking out ex-champ Lesnar (for his 11th straight win), he set up an upcoming heavyweight title fight with current champ Junior Dos Santos, who's healing from a knee injury.

No date has been set for pay-per-view blockbuster, but UFC president Dana White recently mentioned Memorial Day weekend or Fourth of July weekend as possibilities. Both shows are expected to take place in Las Vegas

 

[RM211]

UFC on FOX 2 ratings: Event averages 4.7 million viewers, second-best all-time

This past weekend's UFC on FOX 2 event, which featured three main-card bouts, averaged 4.7 million viewers and a 2.6 household rating.

MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) today confirmed the figures with industry sources.

Overall, the Jan. 28 event – which ran two hours and 19 minutes – scored a 3.21 rating among men 18-49 and a 3.21 among men 18-34. It's tied for the second-highest-rated MMA event in U.S. television history.

All of the numbers are down from November's record-setting UFC on FOX 1 event. The FOX-televised broadcast, which featured just one bout with Junior Dos Santos claiming the heavyweight title from Cain Velasquez, averaged 5.7 million viewers. The event also scored a 4.0 household rating among men 18-49 and 4.3 among men 18-34.

The second event – and the first official show that is part of a seven-year UFC-FOX deal that formally began this month – took place at Chicago's sold-out United Center. Rashad Evans claimed a light-heavyweight title shot with a decision victory over Phil Davis in the headliner. In other FOX-televised bouts, which followed prelims on FUEL TV and Facebook, Chael Sonnen edged Michael Bisping to claim a middleweight title shot, and middleweight Chris Weidman kept his perfect record intact with a decision win over Demian Maia.

On Monday, FOX officials announced that – according to overnight-ratings information – UFC on FOX 2 ratings were up 42 percent compared to the network's previous four weeks of Saturday-night programming.

In counter-programming efforts, Spike TV averaged 828,000 viewers for a UFC Fight Night replay and "UFC Unleashed" episodes that aired from 7-11 p.m. ET/PT. The UFC Fight Night replay kicked off the counter-programming strong and averaged 960,000 viewers.

The UFC on FOX 1 event in November set the record for the highest-rated MMA event on U.S. network television. That record previously was held by 2008's "EliteXC: Primetime" event, which averaged 4.3 million CBS viewers on the strength of a Kevin "Kimbo Slice" Ferguson vs. James Thompson headliner.

UFC on FOX 2 is now tied for the second-highest rated MMA event on U.S. TV (network or cable) with UFC 75, which featured a Quinton "Rampage" Jackson vs. Dan Henderson headliner on Spike TV. That event also averaged 4.7 million viewers back in 2007.

 

[$migg Cant Rap]

that was a weak ass main card too. i didnt turn away, but i definitely stopped paying attention during the main event. shit was garbage.

off that topic though, i really do wanna order the next ufc ppv to support diaz, but fuckin twisted metal & ufc 3 both come out 2 weeks later.. so UFC only has itself to blame for me illegally streaming shit..

 

[InfamousICON]

I was also thinking about buying this one, but then I realized I gotta buy tickets for April's ATL show, they come on sale in like 2 weeks. lol UFC forcing competition on itself with live shows and video games.

 

[RM211]

Champ Georges St-Pierre wants Nick Diaz fight as much as he wanted a title shot

UFC welterweight champ Georges St-Pierre admits UFC 143 is going to be weird. After all, he'll be rooting for enemy Nick Diaz.

"I want this fight with Diaz so badly – as badly as I wanted the title shot when I got down on my knees," St-Pierre today told the UFC.

That was seven years ago at UFC 56, when his career looked a whole lot different than it does today. Of all the punches he's slipped on his current path, this one has hit hardest.

What's more, he can't do anything but sit and wait to settle the rivalry.

"I was (crushed) when I had to pull out of this weekend's fight hurt, but I am determined to get back to the octagon as soon as possible to fight this guy," St-Pierre said of Diaz. "He needs to hold up his part and beat (Carlos) Condit on Saturday to make this fight happen."

Condit stepped in when St-Pierre (22-2 MMA, 16-2 UFC) withdrew from UFC 143 with a bad knee injury. Diaz (26-7 MMA, 7-4 UFC) and Condit (27-5 MMA, 4-1 UFC) now fight for the UFC interim welterweight belt. The event takes place Saturday at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas. Main-card action airs live on pay-per-view while preliminary-card fights air on FX and stream on Facebook.

St-Pierre thinks Diaz could be the best boxer in MMA, but in no way can he guarantee the brash fighter will be victorious.

"Condit is a very good fighter," he said. "He can strike, he is aggressive, and he has submissions. He has been very impressive and is the type of fighter who gets better and better the more confident he gets.

"I am not personal friends with him, but I know him a little, and he's a great person. I know a lot of people who know him well because we train with the same people, but I have only spoken with him a few times. I feel bad. It is weird that I want him to lose, but I have never wanted to fight anyone as much as I want to fight Diaz."

Immediately following UFC 137, UFC president Dana White stoked the flames of the rivalry with a report that St-Pierre "flipped out" when Diaz called him out after Diaz defeated B.J. Penn and immediately requested a fight at UFC 143. Time has obviously tempered St-Pierre's feelings, but the residue of that experience remains.

"I don't truly hate him as a person," St-Pierre said. "I don't know that he is a bad guy, but I hate what he brings to the sport with the disrespect and the unprofessional things he says and does. It is sort of a professional hatred. He has been nothing but disrespectful and arrogant toward me.

"During UFC 137 (week), I felt like I had to walk around Las Vegas with my fists ready because every time I came across him, he wanted to fight there and then. Every time the elevator opened (in the hotel), I needed to be ready to fight in case he stepped in. I was on edge all week. This guy is crazy.

"I am used to hearing (smack) talk from opponents. Matt Serra did it, Dan Hardy did it, and Josh Koscheck did it. But with Diaz, he has taken it to another level. He and his coach have called me a coward and tried to disrespect my accomplishments.

"All that has done, though, is make me determined to beat him up. He will bring out the best in me. I will be 100 percent focused, like a bomb expert defusing a time bomb. When my back is against the wall and I have no choice but to win, when I cannot lose to this person under any cost, that is when I am most dangerous."

At the moment, St-Pierre is admittedly less a threat. With one leg out of commission, he'll be forced to sit on the sidelines while suitors vie for the chance to meet him. It's an uncomfortable position for any athlete, let alone a world champion. But the thought of missing out on the fight he truly wants – and the idea that it's out of his hands – is downright maddening.

"I am ahead of schedule," he said of his recovery. "I can already train and even kick, but I am remaining calm and not rushing. I won't train properly until July, it is a matter of discipline not to force my knee to go harder than it can heal."

Seven years ago, St-Pierre was 5-1 in the promotion and had a failed bid at the welterweight title. Diaz, meanwhile, had just hit the skids and was briefly released in 2006 after dropping three consecutive fights.

Now, Diaz is widely considered to be one of the best in the 170-pound class, and St-Pierre is now on track to be the most dominant welterweight in the UFC's history.

Their paths have led them in vastly different directions, but St-Pierre hopes they'll meet again.

So if you see him fidgeting outside the cage on Saturday night, don't be surprised

 

[$migg Cant Rap]

lol @ gsp pretending like he actually wants a fight. i used to be a huge gsp fan, but thats just awkward. dude would rather face bj penn for the 15th time if he could get away with it...

 

[KrazeeRDM]

lol @ gsp pretending like he actually wants a fight. i used to be a huge gsp fan, but thats just awkward. dude would rather face bj penn for the 15th time if he could get away with it...

nah one thing you can say about GSP is he never tried to back down from anyone ever. he'll fight anybody and i beleieve he wants to fight Diaz. it may not seem it but GSP came from a similar or even worse background then Diaz and has the same mentality as diaz but does it respectfully. i would prefer Diaz to win but he might just be in for a long ass night if he has to fight GSP. but lets hope diaz isnt looking past Condit cause he's beastly.

 

[drunkaholic707]

that was a weak ass main card too. i didnt turn away, but i definitely stopped paying attention during the main event. shit was garbage.

off that topic though, i really do wanna order the next ufc ppv to support diaz, but fuckin twisted metal & ufc 3 both come out 2 weeks later.. so UFC only has itself to blame for me illegally streaming shit..

this but streaming it usually sucks for the main event gets all choppy then you get the gay ass ads will see if people wanna split it then got the super bowl the next day which results in more spending for alcohol

 

[KrazeeRDM]

i'll be renting it but i got 5 other people chipping in to make it 10 each. yeah theres no reason to rent it by your self and pay the full 60 or whatever, just call some friends over and have them chip in. if you cant afford 20 for a fight then maybe you shouldnt be buying videogames lol.

 

[RM211]

it'll be in select theaters(in 3d) as well...

 

[RM211]

UFC on FOX 2's Evans vs. Davis headliner watched by 6.1 million viewers

This past weekend's UFC on FOX 2 event scored its biggest ratings during the night's main event of Rashad Evans vs. Phil Davis, which averaged 6.1 million viewers.

FOX officials today provided additional ratings information.

As MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) reported earlier today, the Jan. 28 two-hour broadcast scored an overall 2.6 household rating and averaged 4.7 million viewers.

It's tied for the second-highest-rated UFC event in U.S. television history (with UFC 75). It also ranks third all-time among all MMA events in U.S. history (behind only UFC on FOX 1 and "EliteXC: Primetime" on CBS).

UFC on FOX 2 took place at Chicago's sold-out United Center. Ratings rose throughout the night's FOX broadcast, which followed prelims on FUEL TV and Facebook. FOX's opening bout between Chris Weidman and Demian Maia scored a 2.2 rating (four million viewers), Chael Sonnen vs. Michael Bisping scored a 2.7 (4.9 million viewers), and Evans vs. Davis scored a 3.4 (6.1 million viewers).

Among key demos, UFC on FOX 2 excelled. Nearly as many adults between ages 18-49 watched FOX as ABC, CBS and NBC combined. Additionally, its 2.5 rating among adults 18-34 crushed the other three networks' average of a 1.4.

UFC on FOX 1, which featured just one bout with Junior Dos Santos claiming the heavyweight title from Cain Velasquez this past November, averaged 5.7 million viewers. The event also scored a 4.0 household rating among men 18-49 and 4.3 among men 18-34.

However, UFC on FOX 2 actually scored slightly better ratings among men 25-49, men 25-54 and men 35-54.

The top markets for UFC on FOX 2 were Las Vegas, Louisville, Indianapolis, Greenville (N.C.) and Knoxville

 

[InfamousICON]

Fedor possibly ends Satoshi Ishii's career

http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2012/1/3...i-fedor-emelianenko-cerebral-edema-retirement

Japanese weekly publication Cyzo reports that doctors have told Ishii that he suffered a cerebral edema from the NYE beating. As a result, he was warned that any further blows to the head would cause some serious damage. As Cyzo put it, Ishii is facing a retirement crisis. There had been some discussion that he would face Ricardo Arona in late March in Brazil but that fight didn't look to be in the cards. After this latest development, the MMA prospects for Ishii look to be bleak as well.

God damn Fedor hits like a mack truck

 

[RM211]

UFC makes official UFC 143 program available for free viewing

For the first time, UFC officials are offering a free version of its event-night program.

An e-version of this weekend's UFC 143 program, which feature headliners and interim-title fighters Nick Diaz and Carlos Condit, is now available online.

Check it out at ufc.com/program.

UFC 143 takes place Saturday at Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas. In addition to Diaz vs. Condit, the pay-per-view event features Roy Nelson vs. Farbicio Werdum and Josh Koscheck vs. Mike Pierce. Prelims on FX and Facebook precede the night's PPV broadcast.

The UFC 143 program is 35 pages long and features full-color photography of fighters, officials and ring girls. UFC president Dana White penned the welcome letter.

Print versions of the program still will be available at the arena on fight night.