MMA News Thread

[RM211]

Chael Sonnen reveals new UFC deal, new training home, future at middleweight

Just a few weeks after letting the world know his UFC deal had expired, Chael Sonnen has a new contract. And a new training base. And perhaps a return to his former weight class.

The two-time middleweight title challenger and recent light heavyweight title challenger on Tuesday revealed via his co-hosting chair on "UFC Tonight" on FUEL TV that he has signed a new five-fight deal with the promotion.

Sonnen (27-13-1 MMA, 6-6 UFC) returns to action next month when he headlines UFC Fight Night 26 (formerly UFC on FOX Sports 1 1) against Mauricio Rua at TD Garden in Boston.

Earlier this month at a fan Q&A session at the UFC Fan Expo, part of UFC 162 in Las Vegas, Sonnen said his deal was up.

"My contract with the UFC has expired," Sonnen said at Mandalay Bay Convention Center. "So I went to Dana White, and I went to him with a list of my demands because he's getting my contract together. He thought this was a gag, but I was being serious because it's not all about money with me."

But Sonnen, known for a certain level of playfulness in his interviews that often causes eyebrows to be raised wondering about his comments' legitimacy, left the crowd wondering if he really did need to sign a new deal – or if he was just in character.

Part of the demands he told the Fan Expo crowd was part of his conversation with White included the keys to White's "least favorite Ferrari. ... See, I'm not all about money, people. There's more to these contracts. They're very sophisticated."

But apparently the contract situation was legit – and so, too, is Sonnen's preparation for Rua. He also revealed on Tuesday night that he has moved his training camp to California, where he'll be training at Reign MMA under head coach Mark Munoz. After his fight against "Shogun" in Boston, Sonnen said on "UFC Tonight" he plans to return to middleweight.

Sonnen in April at UFC 159 was stopped in the first round by Jon Jones in a light heavyweight title fight that came on the heels of the two coaching opposite each other on Season 17 of "The Ultimate Fighter" on FX. It was the second straight title fight for Sonnen, who at UFC 148 in July 2012 lost his rematch to middleweight champ Anderson Silva in Las Vegas.

 

[RM211]

'King Mo' calls Semmy Schilt the greatest all-around fighter of all time

Bellator light heavyweight Muhammed Lawal considers it fun to research fighters on BoxRec and Wikipedia in his spare time. He's still a student of the game as much as he is a fighter.

Recently, "King Mo" was contemplating the best all-around combatant, as a fight obsessive might do. And he talked to others about it, in the same way that others like him would.

After a short fact-finding mission, Lawal believes the reportedly retired Semmy Schilt deserves that recognition.

Of course, the idea didn't come from nowhere. One of Schilt's trainer for the famed Golden Glory team asked him to consider what many observers would call an unlikely candidate, as the 6-foot-11 giant never won a title in either the UFC or PRIDE.

Lawal, though, said Schilt's height isn't the only thing that puts him head and shoulders above others.

"I'm just saying as far as versatility," Lawal told MMAjunkie.com Radio (MMA Radio, UFC Radio - MMAjunkie Radio*–*MMAjunkie.com). "You don't see many guys that can go ... and be versatile. He won by decision, submission and TKO as a mixed martial artist, and then went to K-1 dominating the greats as a kickboxer."

Indeed, Schilt's time in combat sports was marked by careers in MMA and kickboxing, where he earned his biggest accolades. He won the K-1 World Grand Prix on four occasions – tying the record of all-time great Ernesto Hoost – and beat some of the sport's biggest names.

As an MMA fighter, he was far more fallible, losing to top-ranked talent such as Josh Barnett, Fedor Emelianenko, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira and Sergei Kharitonov in his later career under the now-defunct PRIDE banner. But before that, he did manage to win the open-weight King of Pancrase title and defend it on two occasions.

In the UFC, he was a modest 1-1 with a TKO over Pete Williams and a submission loss to Barnett.

"He fought in the UFC; he was a good submission fighter," said Lawal (10-2 MMA, 2-1 BFC), who's next scheduled to meet Jacob Noe (12-2 MMA, 3-1 BFC) at Bellator 97 next week at Santa Ana Center in Albuquerque, N.M., in the finals of the Summer Series light-heavy tournament. The fight will air on the main card on Spike TV.

"He fought in PRIDE, fought in GLORY. Name me anybody else that's done what he's done so far in all-around fighting? You could say (Alistair) Overeem, maybe, but at the same time, Semmy Schilt has been doing it for so long."

Overeem, who was a longtime teammate of Schilt's before leaving Golden Glory, was a champion in Strikeforce, DREAM and K-1, where he won the promotion's grand-prix in 2010.

However, Schilt's reign in kickboxing was far longer, and more illustrious.

From here on, it looks like Schilt will be doing most of his kicking in the gym rather than the square circle. A reported heart condition has put a halt to his career.

While some observers may debate his place in combat sports, Lawal, who's not uncomfortable going against the grain, believes he has the answer.

 

[RM211]

With UFC 166 win, Daniel Cormier to stump for immediate light-heavyweight title

If Daniel Cormier (12-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC) defeats fellow heavyweight Roy Nelson (19-8 MMA, 6-4 UFC) in UFC 166's co-main event, he's planning to ask for a title shot at light heavyweight.

Cormier, who confirmed the plans with FUEL TV's Ariel Helwani on "UFC Tonight," will ask to "cut the line" to get an immediate shot at the 205-pound belt.

UFC 166, which takes place Oct. 19 at Houston's Toyota Center, marks Cormier's final fight at heavyweight, a division in which he won a Strikeforce world grand prix before topping ex-champ Frank Mir in his UFC debut earlier this year.

Cormier has long discussed his planned move down to light heavyweight, and he started a gradual weight cut even before the bout with Mir, which marked the two-time Olympian's 12th consecutive MMA win. It also moved him to No. 3 in the latest USA TODAY Sports/MMAjunkie.com MMA heavyweight rankings (as well as No. 15 in the pound-for-pound rankings).

As he previously told MMAjunkie.com (UFC blog for UFC news, UFC rumors, fighter interviews and event previews/recaps*–*MMAjunkie.com), Cormier has his reasons for the slow and methodical approach to the weight cut. If he can comfortably get down to 220 pounds and make that his walking-around weight, he shouldn't have trouble competing at light heavyweight, he said. After kidney issues caused by weight-cutting cut short his Olympic wrestling career, Cormier vowed he wouldn't rush the process.

A shot at the light-heavyweight belt, which would allow Cormier to avoid a fight with reigning UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez, could come against either champ Jon Jones or challenger Alexander Gustafsson, who meet in September's UFC 165 headliner.

 

[RM211]

Brian Stann replaces Joe Rogan for UFC 163 color commentator duties in Brazil

It certainly isn't taking Brian Stann long to find work in his post-fighting career.

Stann, who earlier this month announced his retirement from fighting to concentrate on his family and his broadcasting career, will replace the UFC's regular analyst, Joe Rogan, in the booth at UFC 163.

UFC 163 takes place Aug. 3 at HSBC Arena in Rio de Janerio, and Stann, a former UFC middleweight and ex-WEC champion, will work with regular play-by-play voice Mike Goldberg on the call. The news was announced on Tuesday night's edition of "UFC Tonight" on FUEL TV.

Stann (12-6 MMA, 6-5 UFC) decided to call it quits earlier this year after a "Fight of the Night" loss to Wanderlei Silva in March in Japan. He confirmed the news just two days after the announcement of a broadcast deal with FOX Sports South that will have him working as part of the cable network's college football crew for the Atlantic Coast Conference.

Stann has been a regular on the FOX family of networks since the UFC's broadcast deal with FOX began in 2012. He has been active as an analyst for both FOX and FUEL TV's pre- and post-fight UFC event coverage. Now he'll add a UFC pay-per-view to his resume.

UFC 163 features a featherweight title fight between champion Jose Aldo and "The Korean Zombie," Chan Sung Jung.

 

[RM211]

Rory MacDonald trainer dismisses rumor fighter distancing himself from St-Pierre

Rory MacDonald very well could find himself on the cusp of a welterweight title shot with a win on Saturday night.

And that has people talking. Why? Well, his teammate and friend, and some would argue mentor, is the UFC's champ. A MacDonald win over Jake Ellenberger might just set up a fight with Georges St-Pierre – if MacDonald wants to be champ, and if GSP beats Johny Hendricks in November.

Of course, that brings up the classic teammate vs. teammate quandary – and MacDonald has always said he's not interested in fighting St-Pierre. But when word started to get around that MacDonald (14-1 MMA, 5-1 UFC) was spending this training camp for Ellenberger (29-6 MMA, 8-2 UFC) not training with the champ, the speculation was that perhaps the two were intentionally distancing themselves from each other, just in case a fight might loom down the road.

Not so fast, said the pair's Tristar Gym head trainer and coach, Firas Zahabi. Instead, the explanation really is pretty simple, he told MMAjunkie.com Radio (MMA Radio, UFC Radio - MMAjunkie Radio*–*MMAjunkie.com).

"They're both in the same practice room," Zahabi said. "Georges is fighting a southpaw. But GSP doesn't look like an Ellenberger in sparring. Georges is fighting a southpaw who throws big punches. Rory chips away at you and is a different style of punching than Hendricks. We're using different bodies – we're still working together. We're in the practice room daily together, and practicing together. But after Rory's fight, he'll back to training with Georges as normal."

Naturally, there's going to be a lot of talk about MacDonald's fight with Ellenberger, which is the co-main event of Saturday's UFC on FOX 8 card at KeyArena in Seattle. It will air live on FOX following prelims on FX and Facebook.

And big fights and big talk – the two have been trash talking each other for weeks on Twitter and on a recent media conference call – lead to things like the MacDonald-GSP rumor. But Zahabi said MacDonald is good at staying above the fray, even for as young as he is, relatively speaking. The Canadian turned 24 on Monday.

"Rory's not a sensitive guy," Zahabi said. "He's not going to get off-balance. But the closer you get to the fight, the more mental it becomes – 99 percent is mental the closer you get. Now it's just about being confident, focused and pulling the trigger when you see the right time. A little smack talk isn't going to affect him – he's been around too long."

Been around too long? At 24?

"He's been training since he was 15, so he has 10 years of training," Zahabi said. "But he's so young and he's only been at Tristar for four or five years. We've been adding a lot of tools to his game. Rory's still got a ways to go to get to his peak, and when he does hit his peak, it's going to be very impressive in terms of technique. He's leaps and bounds ahead of people, but he's still so young. He needs more seasoning."

The seasoning he has already has made him more than a 2-to-1 favorite over Ellenberger on Saturday, which is saying something given Ellenberger has won seven of his past eight, including a "Knockout of the Night" against Nate Marquardt in March.

But the way Zahabi figures it, anyone who wants to start thinking about a MacDonald vs. St-Pierre title fight, the timing might just work out perfectly for a smooth transition. When St-Pierre is ready to hang up the gloves, MacDonald should be just about ready to be a champ in Zahabi's eyes – though he didn't speculate on how soon that might be.

And the idea of MacDonald seeing just how well St-Pierre does for himself as champion, and having that make him want to put friendship aside to go for the title, doesn't hold water for Zahabi.

"There's a lot of greed in the world, but not everybody's like that," he said. "There are more important things than money. Rory makes a lot of money, as well. He's very successful. When Georges is retiring, Rory will be nearing his peak, I think. I don't think it's worth making such a show out of it."

 

[RM211]

Renzo Gracie teases potential return to fighting – with UFC or ONE FC

Working out with Frankie Edgar and Roger Gracie has Renzo Gracie thinking about a return to the cage.

Whether it's in the UFC or somewhere else remains to be seen, but the MMA forefather said he could be fighting in the next five months.

"I've been training with these guys, and they're as tough as you can get," Gracie (13-7 MMA, 0-1 UFC) told MMAjunkie.com Radio (MMA Radio, UFC Radio - MMAjunkie Radio*–*MMAjunkie.com). "I've been hanging around with them and having fun, so for sure I'll be ready [by] the end of the year to have some fun too."

Of course, the jiu-jitsu master, who's been a threat to any mere hoodlum looking for trouble on the streets, would rather have his fun in the octagon. That's where he last strapped on gloves and fought, and while his UFC 112 bout with UFC Hall of Famer Matt Hughes didn't go his way – and wasn't exactly must-see TV – he remains under contract with the promotion.

It's now just a matter of convincing Zuffa executives to let him fight, or let him go.

"The UFC, they became a machine," Gracie said. "So if you're name is not out there and you're not fighting, it's difficult to keep yourself (busy).

"So it's like if I don't fight there, I don't mind. I'll be fighting for ONE; I'll be fighting a Japanese organization. This for me is fun, and thank god I don't need the money to do it."

Gracie, who trains several UFC vets at his popular academy in New York City, said he's sharpened his skills working alongside peers as they prepare for octagon bouts. Now he wants to put them into practice.

"I've begun getting in shape, and I don't believe I'll have a problem to find a place to fight," he said. "I do it because I like it, and I do believe it improves you and makes you better. It keeps you sharp and brings you a knowledge that you can pass ahead to the people you train."

Prior to UFC 112, Gracie hadn't fought in three years. His appearance in the 2007 debut of EliteXC ended in controversy, as opponent Frank Shamrock was disqualified for throwing an illegal knee. He faired better in a pair of appearances with the now-defunct IFL, winning bouts against fellow MMA legends Pat Miletich and Carlos Newton.

Asked whom he'd like to fight in a return, Gracie said, "I would rather fight someone tough. Don't bring me no wimp. Don't insult me – bring me someone there that can beat me up."

 

[RM211]

Roy Nelson's new UFC contract a long-term deal

If he fulfills it, Roy Nelson's new UFC contract should keep him with the promotion for at least three years.

Nelson's manager, Mike Kogan, today told MMAjunkie.com (UFC blog for UFC news, UFC rumors, fighter interviews and event previews/recaps*–*MMAjunkie.com) that the heavyweight's deal calls for nine fights in the octagon. He declined to disclose financial terms of the contract, citing its confidentiality provision.

For the first fight of the new deal, "Big Country" is scheduled to meet Daniel Cormier (12-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC) in the pay-per-view co-main event of UFC 166, which takes place Oct. 19 at Toyota Center in Houston.

Nelson (19-8 MMA, 6-4 UFC) looks to rebound from a lackluster showing in his most recent fight, which served as the last obligation of his previous contract. He faced Stipe Miocic on short notice this past month at UFC 161 and was thoroughly outstruck before losing a unanimous decision. The setback snapped a three-fight win streak of first-round knockouts.

Many observers thought Nelson's tempestuous relationship with UFC President Dana White would open the door for his ouster from the promotion and a move into free agency, but White said he would negotiate with the fighter regardless of their past.

Early this month, Kogan said the two sides were close to a deal.

"We're not there yet, but we're not out of the ballpark, either," he said. "Their offer is reasonable, and there's some things that Roy wants in there, and that's why it's called a negotiation."

Whatever his foibles outside the cage, Nelson brings excitement inside it. A five-time fight-night bonus winner, he's delivered signature knockouts of Brendan Schaub, Stefan Struve, Dave Herman and Cheick Kongo.

Nelson's bout with Cormier promises to bring fireworks. The two have sparred on Twitter and in interviews, with Cormier recently drawing up a fake bout agreement to promote their bout.

 

[RM211]

did anybody else checc out that ufc world tour stop today? shit was pretty dope, had all the current champs(besides bendo, chris, and aldo) shit was pretty ill. just imagine if they were all there promoting their fights...

 

[RM211]

Tito Ortiz, 'Rampage' Jackson and Bellator's confusing return to MMA's past

When I first heard that Bellator MMA was thinking about promoting some crazy, borderline unsanctionable boxing match between former UFC champion Quinton Jackson and boxing legend Roy Jones Jr., I didn't get it.

Except for those people who are dying to find out just how much leather "Rampage" can eat in one sitting, I wondered, who wants to see that? Better yet, who at Bellator could possibly think that sounds like a good idea?

Then I watched Wednesday night's Bellator 97 broadcast on Spike TV, where Jackson (32-11 MMA, 0-0 BMMA) announced that, instead of RJJ, he'd be facing Tito Ortiz (16-11-1 MMA, 0-0 BMMA) in Bellator's first ever pay-per-view event. Suddenly it all made sense. The Jackson-Jones talk? That was just a feint designed to bring our guard down. It worked, too. We spent so much time shaking our heads at that truly terrible idea that we never saw this merely very bad one coming.

On Wednesday it caught us flush, like a left hook to the jaw. I'm still reeling, and not in a good way.

I almost feel like we should have seen it coming. The fact that we didn't, that so few of us did the math on Jackson's addition to the Bellator roster and Ortiz's hints at a possible comeback and came up with "Rampage vs. Tito" live on pay-per-view (!!!), well, that probably tells us something. It tells us that this isn't a fight anyone even considered, probably because no one really wants to see it.

Jackson and Ortiz? They both had their time in this sport. They were great once, and their periods of greatness even had some overlap. One thing both men have in common now, however, is that they're both has-beens from another era who would need a DeLorean with a flux capacitor just to remember what it felt like to be on top.

How can you tell this is a completely unnecessary, nonsensical fight? Think back to Ortiz's "retirement" after his loss to Forrest Griffin at UFC 148 in 2012. As he walked out of the cage for what we assumed and/or hoped would be the last time, did you hear anyone lamenting the fact that the Ortiz-Jackson fight never materialized? I'm going to guess no. No, you did not, because that fight wasn't on anyone's radar. No one cared to see it then, back when they were both still active fighters on the UFC roster. So what makes Bellator think we'll pay to see it now?

That's the really baffling part for me. This is Bellator, after all. This is the organization that told us it doesn't want the UFC's leftovers. These are the people who are all about the tournament structure, building stars from the ground up, letting fighters control their own destinies. And, as we saw with another brilliant performance from lightweight champ Michael Chandler last night, that's actually working. The tournament system really does polish some diamonds in the rough from time to time.

But instead of spending its money on signing top 10 opponents for homegrown champs like Chandler to face, Bellator would instead prefer to throw cash at two aging fighters who are a combined 0-6 in their past six fights. And, as if that's not insane enough, they expect fans to pay for the privilege of finding out which of these guys has less gas left in the tank on Nov. 2 at Bellator 106. It hardly even matters who wins this fight. It's just a question of who will lose and whether he'll have the good sense to retire and stay that way once it's over.

The worst part is, I feel like the MMA world needs Bellator. A little competition between fight promotions gives fighters options and pushes everyone to do better. But when Bellator abandons its own vision in order to do exactly the kind of fight it said it wasn't interested in, it makes itself seem less like a unique product in the MMA space and more like just another off-brand competitor, hoping we won't notice that the goods it's peddling are far past their expiration date.

We've seen how that ends. We've also seen how it begins, usually with grand, delusional promises that have no hope of coming true. Promises that, if we're being honest, sound a lot like the one Jackson made on last night's broadcast when he said his bout with Ortiz would be "one of the best fights in history."

Funny, since that seems like exactly where this fight belongs – a ways back in MMA's history, but definitely not its future.

 

[RM211]

USA TODAY: UFC 163's 'Korean Zombie' says nickname a blessing and curse

The posters advertising UFC 163 make it tough to tell if you're about to watch a professional MMA fight or a monster movie.

"World Featherweight Championship," it says at the very top. "Aldo vs. Korean Zombie."

Nowhere on the posters trumpeting his clash with UFC 145-pound champion Jose Aldo (22-1 MMA, 4-0 UFC) in Brazil on Saturday (pay-per-view, 10 p.m. ET) does it mention Chan Sung Jung's actual name. Which, surprisingly enough, is exactly how the featherweight challenger likes it.

"I prefer it that way," Jung (13-3 MMA, 3-0 UFC), who's known to fight fans as "The Korean Zombie," largely because of his ability and willingness to keep marching forward through all manner of violence, told USA TODAY Sports and MMAjunkie.com (UFC blog for UFC news, UFC rumors, fighter interviews and event previews/recaps*–*MMAjunkie.com). "I think it's the best (nickname) in MMA."

It certainly is distinctive, and it looks cool on a T-shirt. But Jung has found that a nickname like that also comes with some baggage. In the lead-up to his featherweight title shot in Rio de Janeiro, the UFC has marketed the South Korean fighter as a man capable of withstanding "inhuman" punishment.

And sure, Jung said, he's at least a little proud of his ability to take a punch. But he didn't leave his home in Seoul and fly halfway around the world just to get beaten up.

"It's very important to me to put on exciting fights," Jung said. "I like that fighting style and I want to entertain the fans as much as possible. But winning is obviously the most important thing."

That's a lesson Jung learned in painful fashion several years ago. He became a cult favorite among MMA fans after his North American debut against Leonard Garcia in the now-defunct WEC organization. For three rounds, Jung and Garcia battered one another in a thrilling brawl that landed both men in the hospital. Jung lost that fight via split decision, but it was hailed by many as the fight of the year.

Clearly fans loved the "zombie" style, Jung figured, which is why he tried to give them even more of it his next appearance in the cage, when he faced George Roop at WEC 51. That's when Jung walked straight into a head-kick knockout that taught him the difference between exciting and reckless, he said.

"A lot of how I fight is instinctual," he said. "Especially in that first Garcia fight, I fought on my instincts, what people describe as the zombie style. After the George Roop fight, I did a lot of thinking about my fighting style. For this fight as well, I've thought a lot about how it's going to unfold. I don't want to give too much away, but I think I've changed."

Jung knows he'll be facing a hostile environment when he fights a Brazilian champion on his home turf, where fans are known for chanting "You're going to die!" in Portuguese. Still, he has his own supporters who love him for more than his ability to get hit and remain conscious.

"The people in Korea are very aware of this fight," Jung said. "It seems like this is probably the biggest event, as far as Korean MMA goes. Most people in Korea know about the UFC on some level. They know what this fight means. It's just a matter of winning the fight now."

 

[RM211]

UFC champ Jon Jones delays heavyweight move, says Teixeira bout is 'interesting'

UFC light heavyweight champ Jon Jones will move to heavyweight, but he might not do it as soon as expected.

"Oh, eventually," he told MMAjunkie.com (UFC blog for UFC news, UFC rumors, fighter interviews and event previews/recaps*–*MMAjunkie.com) on Tuesday. "I'm getting older, I'm growing, and I'm getting stronger. Why not? Yeah, for sure."

Jones was responding to a question of whether his plans had changed given his previous statements about a move upward. His dominance of the light heavyweight division has prompted questions about a move up to heavyweight, and the 26-year-old and his camp have spoken several times about the possibility.

In January, he said it could happen as soon as 2014.

"I think heavyweight is going to come along around 2014 – maybe even late this year," Jones (18-1 MMA, 12-1 UFC) said. "Who knows. It'll definitely be a fight for the fans."

Three months later, he said he planned to target superfights and heavyweight fights after breaking UFC Hall of Famer Tito Ortiz's record of five successful UFC light-heavyweight title defenses.

Jones, however, was a lot more tentative at a pair of press conferences this week in Los Angeles and New York as part of the UFC's current "World Tour" promoting its fall and winter pay-per-view schedule.

"Look at this guy next to me?" he said, turning to UFC heavyweight champ Cain Velasquez, who was hyping his upcoming rubber match with ex-champ Junior dos Santos at UFC 166. "Would you guys fight him? I don't know, guys. I don't know."

But really, he just didn't want to come off like a jerk.

"I just said that because Cain's next to me," Jones said with a smile. "I didn't want it to be awkward."

Jones is next scheduled to defend his title against Alexander Gustafsson (14-1 MMA, 6-1 UFC) at UFC 165, which takes place Sept. 21 in Toronto.

If Jones is able to break Ortiz's record at the pay-per-view event, it would appear to be a perfect segue into the big-man division. UFC President Dana White said challenges remain before the fighter can be considered to have cleared out the division. But he said he would like to see Jones eventually take on a new challenge.

"If he gets to the point in his career when he wants to move up to heavyweight, I mean, what he accomplished in the first year and a half as a light heavyweight was incredibly impressive," he said. "The fact that he can move up – I've been waiting for Anderson Silva to move up to 205, but he never wanted to do it. I'd like to see it."

Whether he's just being nice or seriously considering the idea of lingering longer at light heavyweight, Jones did express interest in one hot prospect in the division: Glover Teixeira (21-2 MMA, 4-0 UFC), who's won four straight to put himself in the conversation for a title shot.

"He's a guy on my radar, and that's a fight that I want," Jones said.

So there might be more work to do, after all.

 

[RM211]

Demian Maia vs. Jake Shields targeted for fall UFC show

A welterweight bout between Demian Maia (18-4 MMA, 12-4 UFC) and Jake Shields (28-6-1 MMA, 3-2 UFC) will be part of an upcoming fall UFC show.

Although an exact date hasn't been determined, verbal agreements are in place, according to FUEL TV's "UFC Tonight."

The recently rumored bout features two 170-pound grapplers coming off recent victories.

Since a move down to welterweight, former middleweight title challenger Maia has won three consecutive bouts. The Brazilian, who made the drop after a decision loss to now-champ Chris Weidman in early 2012, has defeated Dong Hyun Kim (TKO via injury), Rick Story (submission) and Jon Fitch (decision).

Maia was expected to fight Josh Koscheck this weekend at UFC 163 but was forced off the card when his opponent suffered an injury.

Shields, meanwhile, looks to build on a recent split-decision victory over Tyron Woodley in June. If not for a failed drug test (due to an undisclosed substance) at UFC 150, he'd be a three on a three-fight win streak. Still, the former Strikeforce champion remains undefeated since back-to-back losses to UFC champ Georges St-Pierre and Jake Ellenberger in 2011.

 

[RM211]

With Kennedy fight dead, UFC's Belfort interested in Sonnen fight

A potential bout with middleweight contender Vitor Belfort is now dead, according to Tim Kennedy. However, one notable is interested in fighting the Brazilian.

As MMAjunkie.com (UFC blog for UFC news, UFC rumors, fighter interviews and event previews/recaps*–*MMAjunkie.com) recently reported, both Kennedy (16-4 MMA, 1-0 UFC) and UFC President Dana White said the bout was in the works, but through his manager/wife, Belfort (23-10 MMA, 12-6 UFC) turned it down and said the only fight he wants at middleweight is a title shot. Otherwise, he's open to a catchweight bout.

As Kennedy wrote on Twitter on Tuesday: "The fight against V @VITO rbelfort never materialized. I want to thank for D @DANA white and L @Lorenzo fertitta it was an honor to be considered."

While new middleweight champ Chris Weidman and former titleholder Anderson Silva prepare for a rematch at UFC 168 on Dec. 28, Belfort, according to Tuesday's edition of "UFC Tonight" on FUEL TV, wants a fight with Sonnen.

Sonnen (27-13-1 MMA, 6-6 UFC), of course, is scheduled to fight Mauricio Rua (21-7 MMA, 5-5 UFC) in the headliner of UFC Fight Night 26 on Aug. 17.

"Vitor and I can never quite seem to get this right," Sonnen, who co-hosts "UFC Tonight," said. "I've called him out, and now every time he calls me out, it always coincidentally seems to be whenever I have got my plate full."

However, Sonnen said he'd be willing to fight Belfort at UFC 168, which takes place in Las Vegas. The catch, though, is that Sonnen wants Belfort's No. 1 contender's status if victorious.

That, of course, is for UFC officials to decide, and it's unlikely to happen. Still, it could build interest in a potential bout that would bolster an already-stacked pay-per-view card.

 

[RM211]

UFC 163: By the numbers

Jose Aldo makes the fifth defense of his UFC featherweight title Saturday in Brazil at UFC 163 when he faces Chan Sung Jung, who is ranked sixth in ESPN.com's featherweight rankings. In the co-main event, former light heavyweight champion Lyoto Machida takes on Phil Davis.

Here are the numbers you need to know for the fights:

92: The percentage of takedowns Aldo has defended in his WEC and UFC career. In 12 career fights spanning the two organizations, opponents are 5-for-66 in takedown attempts against the featherweight champion. Aldo defended 9 of 11 takedown attempts in his last fight against Frankie Edgar. In three UFC fights, Jung is 5-for-6 in takedown attempts (83 percent).

1: Both Aldo and Jung have finished a UFC fight with one second remaining in a round. Aldo ended his UFC 142 fight with Chad Mendes in the final second of Round 1, one of just 10 times that has happened in UFC history. Jung submitted Leonard Garcia with arguably the most unusual hold in UFC history, the twister, at 4:59 of the second round at UFC Fight Night 24. It was the only ending at exactly 9 minutes, 59 seconds of a UFC fight until Saturday when Jorge Masvidal accomplished the same feat with a D’Arce choke against Michael Chiesa at UFC on Fox 8.

8: Jung has eight submission victories in his career, including five by choke. The twister victory against Garcia won multiple awards for submission of the year in 2011. Jung won his last fight against Dustin Poirier at UFC on Fuel TV 3 by D’Arce choke, which was a candidate for 2012 submission of the year. Aldo has never faced a submission attempt in 12 WEC/UFC fights.

7: Aldo is one of seven undisputed titleholders from Brazil in UFC history, along with Vitor Belfort, Murilo Bustamante, Junior dos Santos, Machida, Mauricio Rua and Anderson Silva. Aldo is the only Brazilian to currently hold undisputed gold after Silva's loss to Chris Weidman at UFC 162. (Renan Barao holds the UFC interim bantamweight title.)

4.6: Significant strikes landed per minute by Jung. "The Korean Zombie" landed 89 significant strikes in his WEC debut against Garcia, a fight nominated for 2010 fight of the year. That total is just above the 74 he landed in four rounds against Poirier. Jung is known to get hit as well, absorbing 3.8 significant strikes per minute, including a head-kick loss to George Roop in 2010. Aldo lands 3.5 significant strikes per minute.

7: Seconds needed for Jung to knock out Mark Hominick at UFC 140, tied for the fastest official knockout in UFC history. Jung needed just six strikes to finish Hominick. Aldo's fastest win is eight seconds, a knockout against Cub Swanson at WEC 41 in 2009.

3: Consecutive wins for Jung in the UFC after two losses in the WEC. Those losses were both on WEC cards where Aldo was defending his featherweight title. Aldo has won 15 consecutive fights, with his lone defeat coming in 2005. Four of Aldo's wins since becoming WEC/UFC champion have been by decision. In 16 fights before winning the WEC/UFC title, Aldo had three decision wins.

6: Jung is the sixth fighter from Asia to fight for a UFC title belt. The previous fighters (Yuki Kondo, Yushin Okami, Hayato Sakurai, Caol Uno and Kenichi Yamamoto) went 0-5-1. Yamamoto (UFC 23) and Kazushi Sakuraba (UFC Ultimate Japan) are the only fighters from Asia to win a UFC tournament championship. Jung is the first Korean fighter to challenge for a UFC title.

11: Knockdowns landed for Machida in his UFC career, tied for fourth most all-time. In the light heavyweight division, Machida is second to UFC Hall of Famer Chuck Liddell, who has 14. Davis has not been knocked down in nine UFC fights.

74: Davis' significant strike defense percentage, fourth highest in UFC history. "Mr. Wonderful" is one of the most difficult fighters to hit, absorbing just 53 significant strikes in his seven UFC wins. In his loss against Rashad Evans, Davis was hit with just 38 percent of significant strikes. Machida is one of the best strikers in UFC history, landing 57 percent of his significant strikes, which is seventh best all-time.

 

[RM211]

Rashad Evans won't fight Vitor Belfort

Former UFC light heavyweight champion Rashad Evans told ESPN.com on Thursday that he will not fight middleweight contender Vitor Belfort or any other teammate.

"I won't fight Vitor," said Evans, who trains with Belfort at Jaco Hybrid Training Center in Boca Raton, Fla. "I won't fight Thiago Silva. I won't fight Cezar "Mutante" Ferreira. I won't fight anybody who I train with!

"I made that mistake before, and I won't do that again. I lost a lot of relationships because I did that before."

Evans' remarks come on the heels of an announcement Wednesday in New York by UFC president Dana White that the promotion has offered Belfort a fight with Evans. White extended the offer after Belfort rejected a bout recently with Tim Kennedy.

After he turned down Kennedy, Belfort's wife and manager, Joana Prado, told Brazil-based website Globo.com last week that the fighter would not accept any middleweight nontitle fights. She added that Belfort is willing to fight anyone at light heavyweight or heavyweight, even Kennedy.

White, who was in New York to promote upcoming title bouts, expressed disappointment with Belfort's demands. White added that he is currently not negotiating directly with Belfort.

"Vitor drives me crazy," White said. "I'm not dealing with Vitor. [UFC chairman and CEO] Lorenzo [Fertitta] is dealing with Vitor.

"Vitor didn't want that fight [with Kennedy], Vitor doesn't like that fight. So I said, 'Let's do him and Rashad. He wants to fight at a heavier weight, let's do him and Rashad.' I haven't heard back from [Belfort] on that one yet."

White need not hold his breath waiting for a response from Belfort; Evans has already made his intentions clear. Evans is still pained by what took place the previous time he faced a teammate.

Before joining the Florida-based Blackzilians fighting team, Evans spent several years training in Albuquerque, N.M., at Team Jackson-Winkeljohn. Current light heavyweight champion Jon Jones was among Evans' teammates; they trained together regularly and developed a tight-knit relationship.

But their friendship soured in April 2012 when the two fought for Jones' 205-pound title. Previously, Evans and Jones vowed never to fight each other. In the weeks leading to the bout, they exchanged insults. While Evans and Jones are less hostile toward each other today, their once-close relationship remains strained.

Evans snapped a two-fight skid on June 15 with a split decision over Dan Henderson at UFC 161. ESPN.com ranks Evans fourth among light heavyweights.

Belfort has been seeking another shot at the middleweight title since Feb. 5, 2011, when then-champion Anderson Silva knocked him out in the first round at UFC 126. Since the loss, Belfort has won four of five fights.

His only setback during that time was a fourth-round submission to Jones in a light heavyweight title fight at UFC 152.

 

[InfamousICON]

This whole team mates not fighting team mates thing is fucking retarded. I wish more MMA fighters would get that european kickboxing mentality. Kickboxing teams fight each other all the damn time. Sergei Kharitonov knocked Overeem out in an MMA fight in 2007 while they were both with Golden Glory.

Holy shit, fight each other, shake hands afterwards and hit the fucking gym again after it's over. Seems like only Americans and Brazilians can't grasp that concept.

 

[RM211]

i guess it's loyalty, idk man...shit is a bit extreme, especially if ur in the talk of challenging for a title, a fight or two away from a title shot. Jon Jones didn't see a problem with it.

 

[RM211]

UFC's Mousasi tells Belfort to 'do his job,' offers to fight at multiple weights

Gegard Mousasi (34-3-2 MMA, 1-0 UFC) believes a matchup with Vitor Belfort (23-10 MMA, 12-6 UFC) is the next logical step in his UFC career. And he says if "The Phenom" isn't willing to take the fight at 185 pounds, then he can pick the weight where he feels most comfortable – just as long as he takes the fight.

"I will make this easy on Vitor," Mousasi told MMAjunkie.com (UFC blog for UFC news, UFC rumors, fighter interviews and event previews/recaps*–*MMAjunkie.com). "If he is going to continue to make conditions on who he will fight, I will face Vitor at a catchweight or at light heavyweight.

"At the end of the day, I want to fight the best guys for the title. I don't turn down fights."

Mousasi, who made his UFC debut this past April, is a former Strikeforce and DREAM champion. He was scheduled to face top light heavyweight contender Alexander Gustafsson at April's UFC on FUEL TV 9 event but wound up meeting Ilir Latifi, instead, when "The Mauler" was ruled out with a cut over his eye.

Mousasi, who was secretly battling through a knee injury in the contest, earned a unanimous-decision victory and then had the joint surgically corrected. The 28-year-old said his healing process is going well, and he's looking to get back to action around December or January.

"It is going very well," Mousasi said. "The doctor told me I will be back at 100 percent soon. The time off, however, is making me very hungry to compete and come back. I am trying to use this as motivation."

Prior to the surgery, Mousasi announced his intentions to drop from light heavyweight down to the middleweight division. With his knee healing, Mousasi is looking to book his next contest, and with just one loss in the past seven years – a span of some 23 fights – he believes he's deserving of a No. 1 contender matchup. In Mousasi's eyes, that means a fight with Belfort, who would certainly be fighting for the UFC's middleweight belt were it not for the pending rematch between champ Chris Weidman and former title holder Anderson Silva.

Unfortunately for Mousasi, Belfort has stated he isn't interested in Mousasi and is instead looking for matchups outside the middleweight division while he waits for a shot at the 185-pound title.

Mousasi doesn't understand the logic.

"Vitor is a fighter, and he is not getting any younger," Mousasi said. "He gets paid to fight. He should get in there and do his job with or without the belt. That is his job, and he should not be making such conditions because he is only losing time and opportunity.

"I only want to fight guys that want to fight me and are willing to challenge themselves in the process. If Vitor will do his job, then I will gladly face him at 185 pounds, 195 pounds or 205 pounds. I know both the fans and the UFC want this fight badly. If Vitor does not want to fight, then give me any No. 1 contender in the middleweight division."

Whether or not Belfort will ultimately relent remains to be seen. But Mousasi said he's steadfast on securing an opportunity to earn himself a shot at the UFC's middleweight belt. And if Belfort has that same goal, Mousasi thinks he should be willing to step up and prove his worth.

"I want to have a title shot, and whoever is in front of the line is the person I expect to challenge," Mousasi said. "I have been fighting for a very long time, and my professional record speaks for itself. I believe I deserve a title shot based on what I have accomplished. I have seen fighters that have done less and have received a title shot. So I feel that I am in the mix.

"I want to thank the fans, my sponsor Venum, and the UFC for believing in me. I am very excited to make my return to the octagon in a few months. I am ready to challenge the champion, and make a great show for the fans."

 

[RM211]

Melvin Guillard vs. Ross Pearson booked for UFC Fight Night event in Manchester

A lightweight matchup and potential slugfest has been added to the UFC's return to England.

UFC officials announced on Tuesday's new edition of "UFC Tonight" that Melvin Guillard (31-12-2 MMA, 12-8 UFC) and Ross Pearson (15-6 MMA, 7-3 UFC) will meet at an Oct. 26 UFC Fight Night event scheduled for Manchester Arena in Manchester, England.

The contest serves as the co-main event of a card that sees Michael Bisping face Mark Munoz in the main event. The main card airs on FOX Sports 2 followig prelims that stream on Facebook.

Guillard looks to build on the strength of a "Knockout of the Night" win over Mac Danzig at July's UFC on FOX 8 event. The much-needed result helped Guillard snap out of a 1-4 slump and once again showed the potential the 30-year-old slugger always packs in his back pocket.

A four-year UFC veteran, Pearson may be best known as the winner of "The Ultimate Fighter 9." The Brit struggles to find a rhythm after his "TUF" victory and went 5-3 in his first eight UFC fights. In that stretch, he also made a tri

 

[RM211]

Report: UFC women's champ Ronda Rousey will join cast of 'Fast and Furious 7'

this fame is hittin her right now, hopefully she doesnt get too big headed...



The UFC's women's bantamweight champ will be the centerpiece of the upcoming Season 18 of "The Ultimate Fighter" when it debuts on the new FOX Sports 1 cable network next month.

And in July, news broke of her first major movie role when action film legend and soon-to-be-costar Sylvester Stallone announced Rousey had signed on for "The Expendables 3" – which MMAjunkie.com (UFC blog for UFC news, UFC rumors, fighter interviews and event previews/recaps*–*MMAjunkie.com) was first to report currently is set to be a major part in the 2014 release.

Now Rousey (7-0 MMA, 1-0 UFC) has another big opportunity lined up. According to a report in Variety, Rousey is negotiations to be a part of the cast of "Fast & Furious 7," the latest in the blockbuster franchise from Universal.

"Fast & Furious 6" earlier this year opened to nearly a $100 million weekend in May and has gone on to make more than $700 million worldwide. "Fast 7" is already set to bring back stars Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Tyrese GIbson and Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson, all of who were in "Fast & Furious 6" and "Fast Five," and Jason Statham is set to appear, as well.

Former Strikeforce women's featherweight champion Gina Carano had a role in "Fast & Furious 6," which perhaps helped pave the way for Rousey to get into talks for her potential spot in the next incarnation of the action franchise.

According to Variety, "Fast 7" is planning to film starting this fall – and said Rousey will move part of her training camp to Atlanta for filming. Variety also said Rousey will film her "Expendables" and "Fast 7" parts back-to-back in order to then return her focus to her training for her December fight against top rival Miesha Tate.

Rousey and Tate coach opposite each other on "TUF 18," then will rematch on Dec. 28 in the co-main event of UFC 168, which takes place at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.