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'Countdown to UFC 152: Jones vs. Belfort' debuts Sept. 18 on FUEL TV
The UFC's traditional pre-event show returns next month with the debut of "Countdown to UFC 152: Jones vs. Belfort" on FUEL TV.
The hour-long special previews the heavily discussed title fight between light-heavyweight champion Jon Jones and challenger Vitor Belfort.
The show debuts Tuesday, Sept. 18, at 9 p.m. ET (6 p.m. PT).
UFC 152 takes place Sept. 22 at Toronto's Air Canada Centre. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on FX and Facebook.
Belfort (21-9 MMA, 10-5 UFC) surprisingly got the shot at Jones' title this past week. First, Dan Henderson pulled out of a UFC 151 title fight with Jones (16-1 MMA, 10-1 UFC). Then the Sept. 1 event was outright canceled when Jones turned down a fight with replacement Chael Sonnen. Jones then said he offered to fight Sonnen three weeks later at UFC 152, but officials ultimately booked the champ for a rematch with Lyoto Machida at the Sept. 22 event.
But then Machida turned down the fight, and that opened the door for Belfort, a recent middleweight title challenger who hasn't fought at 205 pounds in five years.
The new headliner actually bumped another title fight from the top spot. Joseph Benavidez (16-2 MMA, 3-0 UFC) and Demetrious Johnson (15-2-1 MMA, 3-1-1 UFC), who fight for the UFC's inaugural flyweight title, now co-headline UFC 152. They meet in the final of a four-man championship tournament that kicked off in March.
Both title fights will be featured prominently in "Countdown to UFC 152."
FUEL TV airs "Countdown to UFC 152" replays on Sept. 19 (5 a.m. ET and 6 p.m. ET), Sept. 20 (10 p.m. ET), Sept. 21 (1 p.m. ET) and Sept. 22 (8 p.m. ET).
The full UFC 152 card includes:
MAIN CARD (Pay per view, 10 p.m. ET)
•Champ Jon Jones vs. Vitor Belfort - for light-heavyweight title
•Joseph Benavidez vs. Demetrious Johnson - for inaugural flyweight title
•Michael Bisping vs. Brian Stann
•Matt Hamill vs. Vladimir Matyushenko
•Charles Oliveira vs. Cub Swanson
PRELIMINARY CARD (FX, 8 p.m. ET)
•Vinny Magalhaes vs. Igor Pokrajac
•Evan Dunham vs. T.J. Grant
•Lance Benoist vs. Sean Pierson
•Marcus Brimage vs. Jim Hettes
PRELIMINARY CARD (Facebook, 6:30 p.m. ET)
•Seth Baczynski vs. Simeon Thoresen
•Mitch Gagnon vs. Walel Watson
•Charlie Brenneman vs. Kyle Noke
The UFC's traditional pre-event show returns next month with the debut of "Countdown to UFC 152: Jones vs. Belfort" on FUEL TV.
The hour-long special previews the heavily discussed title fight between light-heavyweight champion Jon Jones and challenger Vitor Belfort.
The show debuts Tuesday, Sept. 18, at 9 p.m. ET (6 p.m. PT).
UFC 152 takes place Sept. 22 at Toronto's Air Canada Centre. The main card airs on pay-per-view following prelims on FX and Facebook.
Belfort (21-9 MMA, 10-5 UFC) surprisingly got the shot at Jones' title this past week. First, Dan Henderson pulled out of a UFC 151 title fight with Jones (16-1 MMA, 10-1 UFC). Then the Sept. 1 event was outright canceled when Jones turned down a fight with replacement Chael Sonnen. Jones then said he offered to fight Sonnen three weeks later at UFC 152, but officials ultimately booked the champ for a rematch with Lyoto Machida at the Sept. 22 event.
But then Machida turned down the fight, and that opened the door for Belfort, a recent middleweight title challenger who hasn't fought at 205 pounds in five years.
The new headliner actually bumped another title fight from the top spot. Joseph Benavidez (16-2 MMA, 3-0 UFC) and Demetrious Johnson (15-2-1 MMA, 3-1-1 UFC), who fight for the UFC's inaugural flyweight title, now co-headline UFC 152. They meet in the final of a four-man championship tournament that kicked off in March.
Both title fights will be featured prominently in "Countdown to UFC 152."
FUEL TV airs "Countdown to UFC 152" replays on Sept. 19 (5 a.m. ET and 6 p.m. ET), Sept. 20 (10 p.m. ET), Sept. 21 (1 p.m. ET) and Sept. 22 (8 p.m. ET).
The full UFC 152 card includes:
MAIN CARD (Pay per view, 10 p.m. ET)
•Champ Jon Jones vs. Vitor Belfort - for light-heavyweight title
•Joseph Benavidez vs. Demetrious Johnson - for inaugural flyweight title
•Michael Bisping vs. Brian Stann
•Matt Hamill vs. Vladimir Matyushenko
•Charles Oliveira vs. Cub Swanson
PRELIMINARY CARD (FX, 8 p.m. ET)
•Vinny Magalhaes vs. Igor Pokrajac
•Evan Dunham vs. T.J. Grant
•Lance Benoist vs. Sean Pierson
•Marcus Brimage vs. Jim Hettes
PRELIMINARY CARD (Facebook, 6:30 p.m. ET)
•Seth Baczynski vs. Simeon Thoresen
•Mitch Gagnon vs. Walel Watson
•Charlie Brenneman vs. Kyle Noke
UFC 153 Aldo vs Edgar
http://mmajunkie.com/news/30447/usa...rik-koch-meets-champ-jose-aldo-at-ufc-153.mma
Despite a pair of disappointing losses to current UFC lightweight champion Benson Henderson, former titleholder Frankie Edgar (14-3-1 MMA, 9-3-1 UFC) will now get his shot at history.
USA TODAY Sports and MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) have learned that an undisclosed injury has forced Erik Koch (13-1, 2-0) to withdraw from a planned UFC 153 title fight with current featherweight champion Jose Aldo (21-1, 3-0), and Edgar has agreed to step into the evening's main event.
Edgar now looks to join UFC Hall of Famer Randy Couture and Hawaiian superstar B.J. Penn as the only men to hold UFC championships in two different weight classes.
Now dubbed "UFC 153: Aldo vs. Edgar," the event takes place Oct. 13 at HSBC Arena in Rio de Janeiro. The evening's five-fight main card airs on pay-per-view.
On the heels of this weekend's canceled UFC 151 event, UFC President Dana White admitted he was disappointed to learn of Koch's injury. However, one call to Edgar quickly resulted in a turn for the better.
"Obviously, we've had a rough couple of weeks here at the UFC, and then sure enough, I walk in to work today, and Erik Koch is hurt," White said. "But Frankie Edgar, being the stud and the warrior that he is, steps up and accepts this fight."
The 5-foot-6 Edgar has long been questioned about a potential move to 145 pounds, but with a pair of wins over Penn and two now-legendary bouts with massive lightweight Gray Maynard, "The Answer" ruled the promotion's lightweight division for nearly two years. However, after Edgar's pair of razor-thin losses to Henderson, White urged the New Jersey native to consider a move to the featherweight division.
Now that Edgar is making the move, White said he can't wait to see this new championship matchup.
"I'm pumped," White said. "I think that people are going to be very excited for this fight.
"Frankie has had a tough go the last couple of times with the judges, but a lot of people think he belongs at 145 pounds. Well, here we go – Jose Aldo vs. Frankie Edgar. People have been wanting to see this fight for a long time."
Meanwhile, Aldo enters UFC 153 with a 14-fight win streak. Since ruling World Extreme Cagefighting's 145-pound division and moving over to the fellow Zuffa-owned UFC as the promotion's first-ever featherweight champion, the Brazilian phenom has scored successful title defenses over Chad Mendes, Kenny Florian and Mark Hominick. Overall, Aldo is a remarkable 11-0 under the Zuffa banner.
http://mmajunkie.com/news/30447/usa...rik-koch-meets-champ-jose-aldo-at-ufc-153.mma
Despite a pair of disappointing losses to current UFC lightweight champion Benson Henderson, former titleholder Frankie Edgar (14-3-1 MMA, 9-3-1 UFC) will now get his shot at history.
USA TODAY Sports and MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) have learned that an undisclosed injury has forced Erik Koch (13-1, 2-0) to withdraw from a planned UFC 153 title fight with current featherweight champion Jose Aldo (21-1, 3-0), and Edgar has agreed to step into the evening's main event.
Edgar now looks to join UFC Hall of Famer Randy Couture and Hawaiian superstar B.J. Penn as the only men to hold UFC championships in two different weight classes.
Now dubbed "UFC 153: Aldo vs. Edgar," the event takes place Oct. 13 at HSBC Arena in Rio de Janeiro. The evening's five-fight main card airs on pay-per-view.
On the heels of this weekend's canceled UFC 151 event, UFC President Dana White admitted he was disappointed to learn of Koch's injury. However, one call to Edgar quickly resulted in a turn for the better.
"Obviously, we've had a rough couple of weeks here at the UFC, and then sure enough, I walk in to work today, and Erik Koch is hurt," White said. "But Frankie Edgar, being the stud and the warrior that he is, steps up and accepts this fight."
The 5-foot-6 Edgar has long been questioned about a potential move to 145 pounds, but with a pair of wins over Penn and two now-legendary bouts with massive lightweight Gray Maynard, "The Answer" ruled the promotion's lightweight division for nearly two years. However, after Edgar's pair of razor-thin losses to Henderson, White urged the New Jersey native to consider a move to the featherweight division.
Now that Edgar is making the move, White said he can't wait to see this new championship matchup.
"I'm pumped," White said. "I think that people are going to be very excited for this fight.
"Frankie has had a tough go the last couple of times with the judges, but a lot of people think he belongs at 145 pounds. Well, here we go – Jose Aldo vs. Frankie Edgar. People have been wanting to see this fight for a long time."
Meanwhile, Aldo enters UFC 153 with a 14-fight win streak. Since ruling World Extreme Cagefighting's 145-pound division and moving over to the fellow Zuffa-owned UFC as the promotion's first-ever featherweight champion, the Brazilian phenom has scored successful title defenses over Chad Mendes, Kenny Florian and Mark Hominick. Overall, Aldo is a remarkable 11-0 under the Zuffa banner.
lol never saw this video before. Chael Sonnen hanging out at 10th Planet with Eddie Bravo with red squinty eyes looking and sounding high as fuck, by the date of the video it looks like around the time Chael did Joe Rogan's show.
[video=youtube;yBn0lIpNtEs]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yBn0lIpNtEs&feature=player_embedded[/video]
[video=youtube;yBn0lIpNtEs]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yBn0lIpNtEs&feature=player_embedded[/video]
Andrei Arlovski fucked Tim Sylvia up in OneFC earlier. Soccer kicks are allowed there, but it was ruled a fucking No Contest because the ref has to give you a signal that it's OK at that moment in time to soccer kick but Andrei didn't wait. He got robbed of a win, but we all know he destroyed Timmeh
[video=youtube;eOtAX6IvJ1U]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOtAX6IvJ1U&feature=youtu.be[/video]
[video=youtube;eOtAX6IvJ1U]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eOtAX6IvJ1U&feature=youtu.be[/video]
USA TODAY: Strikeforce heads to Oklahoma City for Daniel Cormier vs. Frank Mir
Undefeated Strikeforce heavyweight and former Oklahoma State University wrestler Daniel Cormier (10-0 MMA, 7-0 SF) will enjoy a bit of home-field advantage against UFC import Frank Mir (16-6 MMA, 14-6 UFC).
USA TODAY Sports has learned from sources close to the event that Cormier and Mir's three-round crossover bout will headline a Nov. 3 Strikeforce card at Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City.
The evening's main card airs on Showtime (10 p.m. ET/PT) following prelims on Showtime Extreme (8 p.m.).
"I am excited to be going back to Oklahoma for this fight because it's been like my second home," Cormier, a Louisiana native, said. "My first fight was in Oklahoma, and the biggest fight of my Strikeforce career will be there."
The UFC's parent company, Zuffa, purchased Strikeforce in March 2011. The companies have since operated independently, and the UFC and Strikeforce rosters were previously considered mutually exclusive. However, as USA TODAY Sports first reported in July, former UFC heavyweight champion Mir is temporarily leaving the octagon to face Cormier, the Strikeforce heavyweight grand prix winner and two-time Olympic wrestler. The heavily anticipated fight, which features two of the sport's top-10-ranked heavyweights, now has a date and location.
After the fight, both Mir and Cormier will compete exclusively in the UFC. This past fall, officials opted to dissolve Strikeforce's heavyweight division and focus on developing other weight classes. Many of the company's heavyweights have already moved to the UFC, though Cormier stayed to finish out the heavyweight tournament.
While a storied wrestling career delayed his start in MMA, Cormier is considered one of the sport's fastest-rising prospects. Initially there was concern Strikeforce would struggle to find him a suitable opponent following a May dismantling of longtime MMA veteran Josh Barnett. However, the 33-year-old said this booking proves company brass believes in his abilities.
"Fighting Frank Mir is an honor, as I've always viewed him as a great warrior and champion of the sport," Cormier said. "This matchup shows that Zuffa is committed to putting me in big fights, and for that I thank them."
For 33-year-old Mir, the fight represents an opportunity to bounce back from a May title loss to UFC heavyweight champion Junior Dos Santos. It's also a chance to prove he is still among the division's very best fighters.
"I'm excited to go to Strikeforce and challenge the best heavyweight there," Mir said. "Cormier is a top-10 fighter and is a great wrestler with a big right hand, but I can strike, too, and my Brazilian jiu-jitsu gives me the advantage if it does go to the ground.
"It's a very interesting fight and one I accepted right away when it was offered to me. The fight makes a lot of sense for me right now in my career."
For Cormier, it's the biggest fight of his career to date, and it takes place just 65 miles from his former collegiate home.
"It's going to be great," Cormier said. "Cowboy up!"
Undefeated Strikeforce heavyweight and former Oklahoma State University wrestler Daniel Cormier (10-0 MMA, 7-0 SF) will enjoy a bit of home-field advantage against UFC import Frank Mir (16-6 MMA, 14-6 UFC).
USA TODAY Sports has learned from sources close to the event that Cormier and Mir's three-round crossover bout will headline a Nov. 3 Strikeforce card at Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City.
The evening's main card airs on Showtime (10 p.m. ET/PT) following prelims on Showtime Extreme (8 p.m.).
"I am excited to be going back to Oklahoma for this fight because it's been like my second home," Cormier, a Louisiana native, said. "My first fight was in Oklahoma, and the biggest fight of my Strikeforce career will be there."
The UFC's parent company, Zuffa, purchased Strikeforce in March 2011. The companies have since operated independently, and the UFC and Strikeforce rosters were previously considered mutually exclusive. However, as USA TODAY Sports first reported in July, former UFC heavyweight champion Mir is temporarily leaving the octagon to face Cormier, the Strikeforce heavyweight grand prix winner and two-time Olympic wrestler. The heavily anticipated fight, which features two of the sport's top-10-ranked heavyweights, now has a date and location.
After the fight, both Mir and Cormier will compete exclusively in the UFC. This past fall, officials opted to dissolve Strikeforce's heavyweight division and focus on developing other weight classes. Many of the company's heavyweights have already moved to the UFC, though Cormier stayed to finish out the heavyweight tournament.
While a storied wrestling career delayed his start in MMA, Cormier is considered one of the sport's fastest-rising prospects. Initially there was concern Strikeforce would struggle to find him a suitable opponent following a May dismantling of longtime MMA veteran Josh Barnett. However, the 33-year-old said this booking proves company brass believes in his abilities.
"Fighting Frank Mir is an honor, as I've always viewed him as a great warrior and champion of the sport," Cormier said. "This matchup shows that Zuffa is committed to putting me in big fights, and for that I thank them."
For 33-year-old Mir, the fight represents an opportunity to bounce back from a May title loss to UFC heavyweight champion Junior Dos Santos. It's also a chance to prove he is still among the division's very best fighters.
"I'm excited to go to Strikeforce and challenge the best heavyweight there," Mir said. "Cormier is a top-10 fighter and is a great wrestler with a big right hand, but I can strike, too, and my Brazilian jiu-jitsu gives me the advantage if it does go to the ground.
"It's a very interesting fight and one I accepted right away when it was offered to me. The fight makes a lot of sense for me right now in my career."
For Cormier, it's the biggest fight of his career to date, and it takes place just 65 miles from his former collegiate home.
"It's going to be great," Cormier said. "Cowboy up!"
Report: UFC champ Jose Aldo unhurt after weekend traffic accident
According to a report from Brazil's UOL Esporte, UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo (21-1 MMA, 3-0 UFC) was involved in a weekend traffic accident but walked away relatively unscathed.
The UFC 153 headliner was reportedly traveling by motorcycle in Rio de Janeiro when he was struck by a passing car.
Fortunately for the champion (and UFC executives), Aldo walked away from the minor incident with only a few minor scratches and bruises, and the episode is not expected to impact his upcoming contest with former UFC lightweight champion Frankie Edgar (14-3-1 MMA, 9-3-1 UFC).
UFC officials were not immediately available for comment when contacted by MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com). However, Brazilian outlet Tatame later confirmed UOL Esporte's initial report.
"Yes, I had a motorcycle accident, but it was no big deal," Aldo told UOL Esporte's Mauricio Deho in his native Portuguese. "No, there's no problem (about fighting Oct. 13). I'm going to the gym right now."
"UFC 153: Aldo vs. Edgar," the event takes place Oct. 13 at HSBC Arena in Rio de Janeiro. The evening's five-fight main card airs on pay-per-view.
Aldo enters UFC 153 with a 14-fight win streak. Since ruling World Extreme Cagefighting's 145-pound division and moving over to the fellow Zuffa-owned UFC as the promotion's first-ever featherweight champion, the Brazilian phenom has scored successful title defenses over Chad Mendes, Kenny Florian and Mark Hominick. Overall, Aldo is a remarkable 11-0 under the Zuffa banner.
According to a report from Brazil's UOL Esporte, UFC featherweight champion Jose Aldo (21-1 MMA, 3-0 UFC) was involved in a weekend traffic accident but walked away relatively unscathed.
The UFC 153 headliner was reportedly traveling by motorcycle in Rio de Janeiro when he was struck by a passing car.
Fortunately for the champion (and UFC executives), Aldo walked away from the minor incident with only a few minor scratches and bruises, and the episode is not expected to impact his upcoming contest with former UFC lightweight champion Frankie Edgar (14-3-1 MMA, 9-3-1 UFC).
UFC officials were not immediately available for comment when contacted by MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com). However, Brazilian outlet Tatame later confirmed UOL Esporte's initial report.
"Yes, I had a motorcycle accident, but it was no big deal," Aldo told UOL Esporte's Mauricio Deho in his native Portuguese. "No, there's no problem (about fighting Oct. 13). I'm going to the gym right now."
"UFC 153: Aldo vs. Edgar," the event takes place Oct. 13 at HSBC Arena in Rio de Janeiro. The evening's five-fight main card airs on pay-per-view.
Aldo enters UFC 153 with a 14-fight win streak. Since ruling World Extreme Cagefighting's 145-pound division and moving over to the fellow Zuffa-owned UFC as the promotion's first-ever featherweight champion, the Brazilian phenom has scored successful title defenses over Chad Mendes, Kenny Florian and Mark Hominick. Overall, Aldo is a remarkable 11-0 under the Zuffa banner.
ONE FC eliminates 'open-attack' rule, adopts full PRIDE rules for soccer kicks
ONE Fighting Championship has eliminated its "open-attack" rule for soccer kicks, officials today announced.
The decision came a few days after the often-confusing rule resulted in an Andrei Arlovski vs. Tim Sylvia heavyweight contest being declared a no-contest this past weekend at ONE FC 5.
Instead, soccer kicks are now legal at all times, and the referee no longer has to distinguish when they're an option.
"Effective immediately, ONE FC has adopted full PRIDE rules for soccer kicks," the organization announced via Twitter.
The organization's next event, "ONE FC 6: Rise of the Kings," will be the first to feature the rules change. The event takes place Oct. 6 at Singapore Indoor Stadium in Singapore, and it's again expected to be available as an online pay-per-view.
The open-attack rule allowed soccer kicks to the head of a downed opponent, but only after the referee prompted a fighter that it was OK to do so. That rule first created some brutal finishes (Zorobabel Moreira over Roger Huerta at ONE FC 4 and Phil Baroni over Rodrigo Ribeiro at ONE FC 5) and then a confusing one. This past Friday at ONE FC 5, Arlovski tagged fellow ex-UFC champ Sylvia with a pair of soccer kicks to force a stoppage, but the referee hadn't declared an open attack, and the bout ultimately was ruled a no-contest.
This latest rules change won't do anything to curb the sometimes-violent nature of the blows, but it should create less confusion on the fighters' part.
Soccer kicks, though legal and popular with the now-defunct PRIDE organization, aren't permitted with the Unified Rules of MMA, which most North American promotions adhere by.
ONE Fighting Championship has eliminated its "open-attack" rule for soccer kicks, officials today announced.
The decision came a few days after the often-confusing rule resulted in an Andrei Arlovski vs. Tim Sylvia heavyweight contest being declared a no-contest this past weekend at ONE FC 5.
Instead, soccer kicks are now legal at all times, and the referee no longer has to distinguish when they're an option.
"Effective immediately, ONE FC has adopted full PRIDE rules for soccer kicks," the organization announced via Twitter.
The organization's next event, "ONE FC 6: Rise of the Kings," will be the first to feature the rules change. The event takes place Oct. 6 at Singapore Indoor Stadium in Singapore, and it's again expected to be available as an online pay-per-view.
The open-attack rule allowed soccer kicks to the head of a downed opponent, but only after the referee prompted a fighter that it was OK to do so. That rule first created some brutal finishes (Zorobabel Moreira over Roger Huerta at ONE FC 4 and Phil Baroni over Rodrigo Ribeiro at ONE FC 5) and then a confusing one. This past Friday at ONE FC 5, Arlovski tagged fellow ex-UFC champ Sylvia with a pair of soccer kicks to force a stoppage, but the referee hadn't declared an open attack, and the bout ultimately was ruled a no-contest.
This latest rules change won't do anything to curb the sometimes-violent nature of the blows, but it should create less confusion on the fighters' part.
Soccer kicks, though legal and popular with the now-defunct PRIDE organization, aren't permitted with the Unified Rules of MMA, which most North American promotions adhere by.
