MMA News Thread

[heyzel]

WEC MIDDLEWEIGHT TITLE BOUT POSTPONED

03/13/2008
WEC Middleweight Champion Paulo Filho has chosen to withdraw from his March 26th title defense against Chael Sonnen after voluntarily checking himself into an undisclosed rehabilitation center in Brazil on Thursday morning, March 13, to seek help for a substance abuse problem.

“This is horrible news, but we’re proud of him for stepping up and recognizing his problem,” said Filho’s manager, Ed Soares. “At times like this you realize who your true friends are and who really supports you, and the people around him now are supporting him and are gonna be with him when he comes back. Paulo apologizes to his fans but he thanks them for their support and he promised that the next time they see him, he’ll be back at 100 percent and will be the Paulo Filho everyone expects to see.”

“We fully support Paulo in this difficult time and our thoughts are with him as he goes through recovery,” said Peter Dropick, WEC Vice President.

In the 29-year old Filho’s last bout, at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada on December 12, 2007, the unbeaten champion defended his title for the first time with a second round submission victory over Sonnen.

The WEC light heavyweight title bout between Doug Marshall and Brian Stann will now be moved into the March 26th main event slot. Any further plans regarding the card will be announced at a later date.

http://www.wec.tv/index.cfm?fa=news.detail&gid=10809

 

[heyzel]

Rosholt leads wrestling’s next MMA generation

Rosholt leads wrestling’s next MMA generation

By Kevin Iole, Yahoo! Sports

Before men like Randy Couture, Don Frye and Dan Henderson came along, collegiate wrestlers didn’t have much of a career path once their eligibility expired.

But when it turned out that wrestling might be the best base for a mixed martial arts fighter, suddenly those collegiate wrestlers had numerous options available to them.

And few collegiate wrestlers in the 21st century have been better than Jake Rosholt.

He won three NCAA championships and was a four-time All-American at wrestling powerhouse Oklahoma State.

The Cowboys have 34 NCAA team wrestling championships, which is more than any team in any sport. Making the wrestling team at Oklahoma State is a feat in and of itself. Becoming one of the program’s greatest wrestlers is akin to being the greatest shooting guard at North Carolina or the finest running back at Southern California.




Rosholt won the 184-pound NCAA title as a freshman in 2003 and finished third in the weight class in 2004. He moved up to 197 pounds in 2005 and won the NCAA title in 2005 and in 2006, finishing his career with a 105-20 record.

But when his eligibility expired, Rosholt, 25, wasn’t certain what he was going to do. He briefly helped coach at his alma mater and then was in Dallas working at a wrestling club.

He met Ted Ehrhardt, who was one of the founders of an MMA team called Team Takedown. Rosholt wasn’t much of a fan of MMA and said he barely paid much attention to it.

But Ehrhardt offered him a trip to Las Vegas, where he could meet with another Oklahoma State great, Couture. Couture, of course, transitioned from college wrestling into one of the greatest mixed martial artists ever, winning the UFC’s light heavyweight title on two occasions and capturing its heavyweight belt three times.

The trip to Las Vegas in and of itself wasn’t much of a lure to Rosholt.

“I’m pretty much a small town kind of a guy,” said Rosholt, who is from Sandpoint,

Idaho. “I’m not really what you’d call a Vegas guy.”

But what Ehrhardt was offering forced Rosholt to consider: a seven-year contract for $100,000 per year, complete with health benefits, a vehicle allowance and a housing allowance.

Rosholt flew to Las Vegas, met with Couture and then sparred with UFC stars Forrest Griffin and Frank Mir.

“I knew how to wrestle, but I didn’t know anything about how to fight and they beat me up pretty badly,” Rosholt said.

These days, though, it’s Rosholt doing the beating. He’s compiled a 3-0 record and will meet Chad Jay on Saturday in the co-main event of an Xtreme Fight League card in Tulsa, Okla., that will be broadcast nationally on HDNet.

Guy Mezger, a former UFC fighter and the president of HDNet Fights, said that while Rosholt may not have a national reputation in MMA yet, it won’t be long before he does.

“Even if you forget the fact that he’s this great wrestler, you’re looking at a kid who is going to be very successful in this sport because he’s got so much else going for him,” Mezger said. “He’s an exceptional athlete. He is so athletic and he’s very coachable, as most guys are when they’re that athletic.”

And though Rosholt hadn’t had any experience throwing punches, Mezger said he’s already become a powerful striker.

Mezger sparred with Rosholt and felt the impact of his blows.

“It was early on in his career and I didn’t get hit unless I ran into something, but when he hits you, you feel it,” Mezger said. “He hits extremely hard. And he’s really made a lot of progress as a fighter.”

There are days when Rosholt has his doubts. Xtreme Couture has a collection of some of the greatest MMA talent in the world and Rosholt learns his weaknesses every day in training.

At this stage of his career, his toughest competition is by far in the gym. For a guy with his pedigree, who is so used to success, finding weaknesses can be frustrating.

“Honestly, I find weaknesses (in myself) everywhere I look,” Rosholt said. “I’m constantly saying to myself, ‘I need to do this better.’ I am always finding areas where I’m not good enough. Given my background, the ground skills transferred more quickly for me. They were much quicker to come along than the striking skills, but it’s not fair for me to think that if I figure out how to strike, I’ve got this down. I’ve got a lot of work to do.”

Ron Frazier, Rosholt’s striking coach at Xtreme Couture, knew he had something special when he saw Rosholt return to the gym the day after Griffin mauled him in their sparring session. And while Frazier concedes that Rosholt’s striking is behind his ground work, he concurred with Mezger’s assessment of his power.

Rosholt, he said, is all but a cinch to hit the elite level in MMA.

“I would agree with Jake that he has a ways to go with his striking, but he’s farther ahead now than he thinks he is,” Frazier said. “He’s got really good power and he’s getting better fundamentally. In the next couple of years, he could become a dominant striker.

“He’s like a sponge. You tell him something and he listens and soaks it up and he works on it. That’s what he did to become a three-time NCAA champion and that’s what he’s doing now in MMA. Jake has the whole package you look for when you look for a great fighter.”

Ehrhardt said he’s talked with all of the major promoters and it’s a matter of when, not if, Rosholt lands with one of them. He has discussed Rosholt with UFC matchmaker Joe Silva, as well as representatives of the WEC, Elite XC and HDNet Fights.

The investment Ehrhardt made in Rosholt and the other Team Takedown fighters, which includes Rosholt’s former OSU teammates Shane Roller and Johny Hendricks and former Penn State wrestler Eric Bradley, may have seemed outlandish to those who didn’t know of their backgrounds.

Ehrhardt, though, sees it as a savvy investment. In addition to Rosholt’s salary, insurance and allowances, they’ll split his fight purses and sponsorships 50-50.

Ehrhardt expects to break even on the deal by the third year and to start making money by the fourth year.

“If he becomes an elite fighter, like I am convinced he will, it’s only one fight to get that investment back,” Ehrhardt said.

Rosholt isn’t so concerned about money at this point, though he concedes the financials of his deal make it easier simply to focus on fighting.

His goal is to one day attain the stature in MMA of someone like Couture.

“I spent so much of my life on wrestling and I wound up getting to an elite level there,” said Rosholt, who said he wasn’t interested in wrestling beyond college. “I’m not going to be satisfied in MMA without the same kind of success. I don’t just want to be a guy. I want to be the guy. I want to win titles and be recognized as one of the elite fighters in the sport.

“That’s a long, long way for me to go, but it’s a goal to work toward. I’m not going to allow myself to be satisfied just being good. I want to be great.”

And Mezger is not alone in his belief that greatness is entirely possible.

“Whenever you have a guy with his athleticism and his intelligence and his work ethic, you have something special,” Mezger said. “This is a guy who can go as far as he wants to in this sport. He’s got the ability to be one of the elite of the elite if he keeps progressing.”

 

[Shogun Locc]

Dream Pre-fight Press Conference video
videolink: http://www.sherdog.com/videos/videos.asp?v_id=1488
Dream held a press conference Friday in Tokyo, where the promotion introduced the lineup for its debut effort and encouraged the athletes to address the press.

Gesias Calvancante (Pictures), Shinya Aoki (Pictures), Mirko Filipovic (Pictures) and the rest of the fighters on the card made their last public comments on the eve of battle

 

[Shogun Locc]

"Rampage," Forrest and Cung Le on Tonight's "Inside MMA"

UFC light heavyweight champion Quinton "Rampage" Jackson, Strikeforce middleweight contender Cung Le and MMA radio host Scott Casber appear on tonight's episode of "Inside MMA," which debuts at 9:30 p.m. ET/PT on HDNet.

The one-hour show, hosted by MMA legend Bas Rutten and veteran MMA broadcaster Kenny Rice, also includes an exclusive interview with Forrest Griffin as he prepares for his upcoming title fight with Jackson.

As part of our new partnership with "Inside MMA," MMAjunkie.com has a preview of tonight's show. Check out the embedded video -- and learn why "Rampage" nearly fell asleep on set.

Additionally, "Inside MMA" features all of the latest MMA news and highlights, along with features, analysis, and fighter rankings. The show also features the latest fight footage from the top organizations all over the world.

For more information about the show, including a list of dates and times for the replays, check out the "Inside MMA" official website.

 

[Shogun Locc]

DREAM 1 PRESS CONFERENCE

TOKYO – Dreams do come true. Thousands of fans on Saturday will pack the Saitama Super Arena and millions more will watch on television across Japan as many of the world's best mixed martial arts fighters meet in Fight Entertainment Group’s DREAM.1 Lightweight Grand Prix 2008 first round.



The card features seven qualification bouts in the DREAM Lightweight (70 kg/154 lbs) class, along with a trio of Superfights. This is the inaugural DREAM production, but such is the talent that it is already being hailed as one of the world's finest mixed martial arts tournaments. On the eve of the event, the 20 participating fighters gathered at Tokyo's Hotel East 21 to share their thoughts with local and international media.



The evening's Main Event is a tournament matchup that will feature last year's Hero’s middleweight champion, Gesias “J.Z.” Calvancante of Brazil, and Japanese judoka Shinya Aoki. Widely regarded as the man to beat in the DREAM Lightweight class, Calvancante was his usual confident self at the pre-fight press conference.



"I'm back and glad to be here in this tournament, which I think will be one of the best in the world,” he said emphatically. “I'm happy to fight Aoki, and I want to show how to make a dream come true."



"I'm honored to be here and I believe this fight will exceed all expectations,” responded Aoki. “Whatever defense J.Z. uses, I am confident I can finish him.”



Perhaps the most widely anticipated bout on the card features Croatian mixed martial arts superstar Mirko “Cro Cop” Filipovic; who will take on Japanese fighter Tatsuya Mizuno.



"It has been a while since I fought in Saitama, I think they are the best audience in the world,” proclaimed Filipovic. “I admire the attitude and courage of my opponent, who accepted this challenge on short notice. I watched some of his fight videos last night, and I'm sure he will do his best to put on a great performance."



Mizuno was straight to the point, saying, “I will give 120%, I will do more than my best."



In other single-bout match-ups, it will be Hayato "Mach" Sakurai of Japan facing compatriot Hidetaka Monma, and Ikuhisa Minowa of Japan against Kwan Bun Lee of South Korea.



Apart from Calvancante vs. Aoki, there will be six other tournaments bouts, with winners advancing toward his year's DREAM Lightweight Championship.



The first will see the aggressive Norwegian Shooto fighter Joachim Hansen stepping in against Japanese striker Koutetsu Boku.



"I'm very excited to be a part of this,” said Hansen. “I trained hard and will do a good fight for everybody."



Boku stated, “Tomorrow I will give 100%."



Next up, Kazuyuki Miyata of Japan will take on the agile and quick Brazilian jiu-jitsu fighter Luiz “Buscape” Firmino, who stated, “I trained hard, DREAM will be one of the best shows in the world and I want to be the champion."



Miyata responded, “I will show what I can do in the ring.”



Wrestler Katsuhiko Nagata of Japan, a silver medalist at the Sydney Olympics, will be going for gold here against Artur Oumakhanov, a tough customer who is also a member of the Russian Special Forces.



“It is about survival, I know Artur is skilled but I will be more aggressive,” said Nagata.



"In this fight,” stated Oumakhanov, “I will make a great show!"



Japanese fighter Mitsuhiro Ishida is regarded by many as one of the favorites in the DREAM Lightweight Grand Prix. He will face Korean judoka Bu Kyung Jung, who made his mixed martial arts debut last year.



Said Ishida, "I will make sure we have a heated contest."



"I trained hard and I intend to put on a good fight," responded Jung.



Andre “Dida” Amade of Brazil is an elite fighter. Challenging him tomorrow will be formidable American striker Eddie Alvarez.



"I feel like a family member here in Japan, and I want to prove I deserve to be here by doing a knockout,” said Dida. “I want to stay on my feet and get the KO."



"As always, I promise the fans a high-paced, violent and very aggressive fight,” stated Alvarez.



Success-driven Japanese fighter Tatsuya Kawajiri will meet the dynamic Kultar “Black Mamba” Gill of India.



"Tomorrow is a very important day for MMA in Japan,” said Kawajiri. “It is a new beginning and a writing of history, so I want to have a great result at this great time."



"In this weight class, this is one of the best tournaments in the world,” Gill said in return. “I will make an exciting fight; all my fights are exciting. I will win on the ground, win standing and win wrestling."



The seven victorious tournament bout fighters will re-converge in Saitama in May for the right to fight for the first-ever DREAM championship belt at the DREAM Lightweight Grand Prix Final this July in Osaka.



The DREAM.1 Lightweight Grand Prix 2008 first round starts at 3 p.m. on Saturday, March 15 at the Saitama Super Arena. It will be broadcast live in Japan on the TBS national network.

 

[Shogun Locc]

EXCLUSIVE ChokeHimOut Interview: Jeremy Horn

Chokehimout.com recently caught up with Jeremy Horn and had a chance to talk with him about his 101 fights, his thoughts on UFC 82 and his future plans.


C.H.O: You have fought 101 professional MMA fights. How have things changed since you started fighting?

JH: Well, this sport has gotten much more regulated and organized to start with. The weight classes, rules and sanctioning made big changes for the sport and got a lot more organized.


C.H.O: How has it changed for you?

JH: Well like I was saying you know, you have more organization to work with and that is always better and it's not as reckless.

C.H.O: How old were you when you started training in Mixed Martial Arts and what lead you into fighting in MMA?

JH: It's kind of hard to pinpoint an age really. I was training in martial arts when I was thirteen and it wasn't really a change I decided to make, it was just kind of gradual. I just kind of got into doing more MMA kind of stuff like more wrestling, more boxing and more jiu jitsu. I had my first fight when I was 19, so somewhere in between 15 or 17 I suppose is when I really kind of started focusing on that type of thing.

C.H.O: Did you wrestle in high school or do you have a wrestling background?

JH: Nope.


C.H.O: So jiu jitsu came to you after you started the martial arts I assume?

JH: Yeah.

C.H.O: What did you train in for martial arts when you started? What style or system were you training in?

JH: It was a local gym and didn't really have a name like karate or Tae Kwon Doe or anything like that. It was just a local guy that kind of put together his own system of a combination of different things he had done in the past.


C.H.O: Can you tell me what your average day of training consists of?

JH: Depends on whether or not I'm training for a fight or not. First of all, I teach twice a day so that takes a lot of my time. But if I'm training for a fight I get up in the morning and run, I usually lift 3 times a week, and then I come in and do something in the morning, pad work or wrestling or whatever and then I go back in at night and do the opposite. If I did pad work in the morning, I wrestle at night and I go back and forth like that.

C.H.O: What part of your fight game are you working on the most?

JH: You know I work on everything fairly evenly but I suppose my jiu jitsu is my strongest point so that usually gets the least attention. You know I work a lot more on my wrestling, my boxing and stuff like that.

C.H.O: You have fought and beaten some of the toughest fighters in your MMA career. What would you consider your toughest fight so far?

JH: I don't know. It's hard to really pick one. I've had a lot of tough fights.

C.H.O: Lets move forward to UFC 82. Since you are in the middleweight division, what were your thoughts on the Henderson Silva fight?

JH: You know Anderson Silva is obviously a very, very talented guy and obviously the jiu jitsu game on the ground is not Henderson's strong point. You know, he's a solid wrestler with a good chin and you know aggressive and that's his biggest weapon. I kind of figured that Silva would win because he has way more power on his feet and he's way more skilled on the ground. You know if you take wrestling out of the picture, I think it was just a matter of time before he was able to get something going.

C.H.O: You fought Silva in 2004. You went 3 five minute rounds with Anderson. Even though you lost by decision you went the full fight with him. How do you beat a guy like Anderson Silva?

JH: Take him down and fight intelligently. Obviously on his feet he is going to be threat. He is very, very talented. I think he can be a little weaker on the ground. But if you're trained in MMA, everybody wants to try to be exciting and everybody wants to stand up and fight on their feet even if that's not their strong point and that's Anderson' strong point, so if that's what you're going to try to do, then obviously you're going to lose to him. But I think if somebody wanted to fight intelligently and not be so egotistical about trying to stay on their feet for no reason, then he could be beat. Anyone can be beat.

C.H.O: Do you think that MMA if focusing more on stand up fighting now and people are abandoning their jiu jitsu and ground game?

JH: Absolutely and I hate to see it. It should be called Ultimate Boxing. All anybody wants to do is be exciting and try and get a contract. They're not really concerned about winning fights. They are more concerned about drawing throwing punches and being brought back. I mean obviously that's a concern, but you know a good fight on the ground can be just as exciting as a fight on the feet.

C.H.O: What were your feelings on the Heath Harring, Cheick Kongo fight? Obviously that was a fight where Heath Herring tried to stay on his feet and apparently, he didn't train at all in jiu jitsu before the fight. What were your feelings on that?

JH: I think Heath is full of crap. Well the thing is, Heath Herring is a good wrestler and yeah Cheick Kondo took him down, but there were plenty of opportunities where Heath was on top and if he really wanted it bad enough he could have just stood up and let him up, but he didn't. He stayed on the ground because that was the intelligent thing to do and he wanted to win the fight. He threw some punches and maybe he would have been on his feet more if Cheick hadn't taken him down, but the reality is when he was in a good position and he was winning the fight, he stayed there rather than managing to stand up on his feet.

C.H.O: How many fights do you left on your contract with the UFC?

JH: I don't really know. I mean my last fight was kind of a short notice thing, so I don't know if we really signed any kind of contract with that. I leave that all up to my managers, I don't really know what's going on with that honestly.

C.H.O: Have you ever thought, "Look I've fought a 101 fights, it's time to take a break and maybe train guys that are coming up" or are you going to stay in the game for a while?

JH: Well, you know since I opened the gym I stay a lot busier with my guys building the gym and trying to give them advice and keeping them in shape. That is really starting to take a lot more of my time. But I still plan on fighting. It's going to be few and further between then they used to be when I was fighting a couple of times a month.

C.H.O: Who is going to be your next opponent, or who would you like to fight next?

JH: I don't really care. I don't pick my opponents. I'll fight whoever is in the ring.

C.H.O: Have you been approached at all?

JH: I know the UFC has a lot of people on contract and they have a lot of fights that they have to put together. What happens with them is they sign up fighters for three fights over the course of a year and if they don't use them for those three fights before that year is up then they're required to pay them anyway. So what happens is, they have a show coming up and they have these 6 fighters they have to use otherwise they are going to have to pay them because their contract is going to run out. A lot of times they put together fights that they have to. They are hard pressed to make the match up. They have so many guys under contract it would be hard for them to keep everybody busy. So I'll fight when they call me back and we will just go from there.

C.H.O: Anything you want to say to your fans?

JH: I always appreciate the fans. Obviously without them, this sport wouldn't be anything. It would just be a bunch of guys fighting in a garage. The fans are what the sport is all about.

You can get the latest news on Jeremy at hornselite.com

 

[Shogun Locc]

SHONIE CARTER: "I'M GETTING INDUCTED INTO THE MARTIAL ARTS HALL OF FAME"

In today's PimpMA lesson with Mr. International, Carter reveals that "a back-to-back molly whappin will shake a fighter's soul". You don't want to miss what he had to say as he talks about upcoming fights like Serra/St-Pierre as well as Franklin/Lutter and informs us that he's being inducted into the Martial Arts Hall of Fame. Check out the advice he has for Ken Shamrock, who recently suffered his fifth loss in a row, and his thoughts on Quinton Jackson, "Mayhem" Miller, Fedor, Anderson Silva, Matt Lindland, Heath Herring and much more.
http://www.fighthype.com/pages/content2207.html?PHPSESSID=4f67d86713de8d5c50cd7039c22bcf2d

 

[Shogun Locc]

ANTHONY JOHNSON: "HE AINT SUPERMAN AND IF HE IS, I'M HIS KRYPTONITE!"

I challenge him to strike with me once and if he wants to wrestle, we can do that too. I guarantee I'll put him on his back in that too," stated UFC welterweight Anthony Johnson as he talked about his upcoming clash with Tommy Speer at UFC Fight Night 13 on April 2nd. Check out what he had to say as he shares his thoughts on Speer, the fight and much more.
http://www.fighthype.com/pages/content2208.html

 

[killahoe666]

That Dream event won't be aired in the US?

 

[Shogun Locc]

That Dream event won't be aired in the US?

yes that is correct but I heard that since HDnet could not get it live there might be a chance that they will get the next dream events.

 

[Shogun Locc]

UFC Quick Quote: Kenny Florian 4.0 vs. Joe Lauzon

“[Joe Lauzon is] definitely a very aggressive fighter. If you would have asked me that 3 years ago, 2 years ago, 1 year ago or even 8-6 months ago, maybe he is [meaner]. But right now I think I’ve changed a lot of the way I approach the game. My intensity and focus is just far and away greater. I’m very intense out there and have bad intentions for my opponents, and I’m sure Joe does too. I want him to want to beat me, to come forward. I want an aggressive fight. I don’t want to go against a guy that I have to chase or that lays on top of me. I want to see it all, man…. I would agree with that, back then from what Rudy [BJ Penn’s head coach] knew of me. That’s the beauty of things. We constantly train and improve. I want every fight, I want them scouting out that Kenny Florian. It’s a different Kenny Florian, they’re scouting the wrong guy. There preparing for Joe Shmoe when I’m actually version 3 or 4.”

– According to InsideFighting.com, Kenny Florian is unconcerned that BJ Penn and his trainer, Rudy Valentino, will be able to provide Joe Lauzon with any helpful inside information when the two throwdown during the main event at UFC Fight Night 13 at the Broomfield Events Center in Broomfield, Colo., on April 2. Florian trained with the pair for several weeks while in Hawaii after his loss to Sean Sherk in 2006 and now Lauzon trains with them full-time.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Neer set for a fresh start at lightweight

After having mixed success in the UFC's welterweight division, Josh Neer had a choice to make.

Despite putting together a 23-6-1 professional record – including wins over Joe Stevenson, Melvin Guillard, and Forrest Petz – Neer's UFC mark stood at 2-3. He showed plenty of talent and determination, but the size disadvantage took a toll, especially against larger 170-pounders like Josh Burkman, who defeated Neer by unanimous decision in 2006.

“I don't think I'm heavy enough to fight at 170,” says Neer, a native of Des Moines, Iowa. “I walk around at 178 or so. A lot of the guys [at welterweight] walk around at 190 to 195.”

Neer, who trains with the Miletich Fighting System Elite team in Bettendorf, stuck it out at welterweight while two of his teammates, Jens Pulver and Spencer Fisher, campaigned at 155. Not one to back down from a challenge, Neer made the most he could of the situation.

As he showed in his fight with Guillard when he absorbed considerable punishment and suffered a nasty cut over his eye early on, quitting isn’t in his nature. The cut would likely have led to a stoppage in favor of Guillard at the end of the round, but Neer persevered and secured a come-from-behind submission win with less than a minute left in the first period.

Asked how he developed that never say die attitude, Neer, a wrestler since the age of six, replies, “Just not wanting to lose. It probably comes from wrestling. In wrestling when you’re tired you have to gut it out and do whatever it takes to win.”

Recently Pulver dropped to World Extreme Cagefighting’s 145-pound class, and with plenty of options in the UFC’s stacked lightweight division to occupy both he and Fisher, Neer finally had the opportunity to move down in weight.

Neer’s first test at 155 pounds came this past July against American Top Team fighter Paul Rodriguez. It took less than two minutes for Neer to secure the win via technical knockout, and, more importantly, prove that he could cut the weight.

“It was tough as hell to get down and I felt like s__t up until my fight,” he says. “Then I felt great about an hour before my fight. I think the first time you do something it's the toughest. After you do it a couple of times it'll be easier.”

Neer adds, “Ideally I think 160 is the perfect fit for me.”

Now, following a year-and-a-half absence from the bright lights of the UFC, Neer will make his first Octagon appearance as a lightweight at UFC Fight Night 13 on April 2 in Broomfield, Colo., where he'll face decorated veteran Din Thomas (23-7).

Although Thomas represents a dual threat with his professional boxing experience and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt, Neer feels he's well-rounded in his own right and has a style that matches up well with his opponent.

“I think we are a lot alike,” Neer says of Thomas. “We’re both well-rounded. The only difference is he like's to be more pretty with hitting and running. I'm more of a banger. I have a lot of respect for Din, though. He's a good fighter and a true veteran of the sport.”

Calling Thomas's style “pretty” certainly isn't meant as an insult. Neer knows how talented and dangerous Thomas can be. However, where Neer prefers to brawl, Thomas prefers to utilize technique and accuracy.

Even though Thomas could conceivably win the fight with a wide variety of maneuvers, Neer won't face the same unpredictability posed by a less-talented scrapper throwing wild, looping power shots that would make a kickboxing coach cringe, but could still catch a more polished fighter by surprise.

“It's cool to get a guy that is technical,” he says. “I like fighting guys that do what you're supposed to do. I have a harder time fighting awkward guys.”

Fighting Thomas – a world class fighter who also gained notoriety from his stint on the fourth season of The Ultimate Fighter reality show – in his first UFC lightweight contest could be a huge opportunity for Neer. Neer already owns a win at welterweight over Stevenson – now a top 155-pound contender – and in one fell swoop he could notch another quality win and put his name amongst the division’s elite. But Neer doesn’t have a master plan mapped out.

“I don't really care where it puts me,” Neer says matter-of-factly, when asked where a win over Thomas would put him in the lightweight rankings. “I'm looking to fight whoever; there are so many good guys” in the division.

That mentality doesn’t come as a surprise considering how he got his start in MMA, when a friend encouraged Neer, just out of high school, to check out a local fighting event.

“I was actually out at the state fair and a kid that I went to school with told me there were fights in Des Moines,” Neer says. The youngster took an immediate interest in the sport. “I went out and watched it and tried it the next week.”

It didn’t take long for the heavy-handed Neer to leave a lasting impression on his opponents, sometimes by knocking out some of their teeth, earning him the nickname “The Dentist.”

“I knocked this kid’s teeth out in an amateur fight and then I did it the next week as well,” Neer says. “The announcer said I was always knocking people’s teeth out, so he started calling me ‘The Dentist.’”

Something that started as a part-time pursuit evolved into a full-time career about four years ago. Not because Neer had grand visions of championship glory, but because he wanted to follow his own life path and control his own destiny.

“I decided to make it a career when I was digging in ditches and getting paid s__t to do it,” the one-time construction worker says. “I basically was tired of working for someone else, so I decided why not try to just fight and make enough money to get by. When I first started, I remember going into the fight knowing I had to win the fight or I was going to have to go back to working.”

With those modest goals, Neer isn’t bothered if some fans assume Thomas, the well-known veteran with the reality television exposure, will walk away with the victory on April 2.

“It doesn't bother me,” Neer says. “I think most of the real fans know a good fighter from a bad fighter.”

Besides, it’s a position he’s used to, having fought three other TUF alums – Guillard, Stevenson and Burkman. As Guillard and Stevenson can attest, you need more than name recognition to beat “The Dentist.”

 

[SuiPSYedKing]

That Dream event won't be aired in the US?

If i find it online after it happens ill post it and if someone else finds it 1st please post it. Thanks. Hope my picks all do well.

 

[Shogun Locc]

TapouT Named Official Sponsor For The Ultimate Fighter 7

TAPOUT NAMED OFFICIAL APPAREL SPONSOR FOR SEASON SEVEN OF SPIKE TV'S HIT SERIES, "THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER"

New York, NY, March 13, 2008 -- The cutting-edge clothing line, TapouT, has officially been named the first-ever exclusive apparel sponsor for "The Ultimate Fighter," Spike TV's longest running and most successful original series. The first six seasons of "The Ultimate Fighter" on Spike TV were seen by 101.1 million viewers (36% of the U.S. population).*

TapouT will receive exclusive apparel integration throughout all 12 episodes of season seven, which premieres on Wednesday, April 2 at 10:00pm ET/PT. The deal also includes signage in the ring and on the walls in the Ultimate Fighting Championship Training Center, where much of the show is taped. TapouT commercials will also run throughout the season of the "The Ultimate Fighter" and in 13 episodes of "UFC Unleashed," a highly-rated weekly series featuring the most thrilling matches in UFC history.

Founder and creator of TapouT, Mask stated, "Hey, we're just an extension of MMA. Hopefully TapouT adds a little fun, hope and excitement. Spike TV and "The Ultimate Fighter" have done so much for the sport that it's an honor to be involved."

Season seven of "The Ultimate Fighter" will feature current UFC light-heavyweight champion, Quinton "Rampage" Jackson and "The Ultimate Fighter" season one victor and light-heavyweight contender, Forrest Griffin as coaches. During the six-week taping of "The Ultimate Fighter," the sixteen men endure a grueling regimen of jiu-jitsu, judo, muay thai, karate, boxing and wrestling. The intense competition between the fighters continues after they leave the gym and head for the Ultimate Fighter House. These warriors live together, knowing that any day they might be forced to fight each other in the famed UFC Octagon™.

TapouT is the brainchild of the Crew's leader, Mask. This decade-old-yet-fresh company operates independently without concern for competition, because they've been at the forefront of Mixed Martial Arts since the very beginning, and boast support from several MMA superstars.

TapouT is present at the most extreme events, supporting their fighters and offering everything from their line that reflects the Crew's iconic status: the hottest, edgiest apparel for guys and girls, an exclusive magazine covering all that is MMA, a cable reality TV series gearing up for a second season and even their own flask-shaped bottled water. Their distinctive logo graces everything from hats, tees and car windows to their special limited edition 2007 Toyota Tundra TapouT truck. The TapouT logo has become so noteworthy that its most devoted fans are tattooing it on their bodies, demonstrating the ultimate in commitment.

Craig Piligian of Pilgrim Films and Television, Frank Fertitta III, Lorenzo Fertitta, Dana White of Zuffa, LLC, and Kevin Kay of Spike TV are executive producers of "The Ultimate Fighter." Brian J. Diamond, senior vice president, sports & specials, Spike TV is co-executive producer and Christopher Martello is executive in charge of production for Spike TV.

Spike TV is available in 96.1 million homes and is a division of MTV Networks. A unit of Viacom (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), MTV Networks is one of the world's leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms. Spike TV's Internet address is www.spike.com.

 

[Shogun Locc]

FEG Finalizes Rules for Dream

With Dream creeping closer to reality, Fight Entertainment Group has finally announced a full set of rules for its new promotion.

It was already known that the upstart promotion would employ weight divisions at 154, 168, 185, 205 and 205-plus pounds. It was also previously revealed that Dream would use two-round fights, with an opening 10-minute and second five-minute round, just as was done for Pride's Bushido series. There will be a 90-second rest interval between rounds.

Furthermore, FEG officials have revealed that none-too-surprisingly, bouts will be judged in their entirety. As was protocol in the Pride ring, judges may not score draws, and a winner must be chosen after 15 minutes.

For in-ring action, elbows to the head are not allowed. Knees to the head of a grounded opponent will be allowed, unless there is a difference of 33 pounds or more between opponents, in which case knees to the head on the ground will be prohibited.

Stomps and soccer kicks to the head of a grounded opponent are prohibited, but they are allowed to the body. However, in the event both fighters are downed, kicks to the face are allowed, making attacks such as up-kicks from the guard permissible.

For clarity purposes, Dream's rules committee has determined that a "downed opponent" will be any opponent who is touching the canvas with a part of his body other than the soles of his feet. This clarification comes on the heels of the controversial overturning of Kazuo Misaki (Pictures)'s Dec. 31 win over Yoshihiro Akiyama (Pictures), after clarification of the term "downed opponent" led to Misaki's knockout win being changed to a no contest.

Also, with tournaments playing a large part of Dream's 2008 lineup, FEG clarified tournament advancement protocol.

In the opening round and the quarterfinals, in the event of a no contest, the fighter who is able to physically continue will advance to the next round. If neither can advance, FEG will select a fighter to advance. If a fighter victorious in the opening or quarterfinal round cannot advance due to injury, the fighter he defeated will advance in his place. If neither can advance to the next round due to injury, FEG will again select a fighter to advance at its discretion.

A reserve fight will be held in the semifinal round. If there is a no-contest in the semifinals, the advancing fighter will be, in order of priority, the one who is able to continue, the winner of the reserve fight, the loser from the other semifinal bout or the loser of the reserve fight.

If a semifinal winner is unable to advance to the final due to injury, the advancing fighter will be, in order of priority, the loser of that semifinal, the winner of the reserve bout, the loser of the other semifinal or the loser of the reserve bout.

If there is a no contest in a tournament final, the tournament prize money will be split, and the two contestants will rematch within six months.

These stipulations are at the discretion of the promoter. If a fighter who lost by knockout or disqualification is in line to advance in the tournament, the promoter may opt to choose the next fighter in priority.

 

[Shogun Locc]

Title, Tourney Changes Clarified for Cage Force

Greatest Common Multiple has finally gotten its April 5 Differ Ariake card squared away. Almost.

GCM announced that since its 155-pound champion Artur Oumakhanov (Pictures) has opted to compete in the Dream lightweight grand prix this year, he has vacated the Cage Force title he won in December after beating Kotetsu Boku (Pictures) in the Cage Force 155-pound tournament final. GCM will crown a new champion in a bout between 2006 Shooto rookie champion Mizuto Hirota (Pictures) and Tomonari Kanomata (Pictures).

Leading Shooto promoter Sustain will start a busy weekend for pro Shooto, presenting the ninth installment of the Osaka-based GIG West on Saturday at Azeria Taisho Hall.

The main event will match Hiroshiman submission stalwart Shinji Sasaki (Pictures) against Italian import Paolo Milano (Pictures), who now trains under Shooto legend Yuki Nakai (Pictures) at Paraestra Tokyo. The two were originally scheduled to fight last September before Sasaki suffered a dislocated left elbow in training, cancelling the bout.

Sasaki was the 2006 Shooto rookie runner-up at 154 pounds. He has since won his last two fights, both with his patented triangle choke, with his last coming in July against Komei Okada (Pictures). Milano has also won his last two in the Shooto ring and scored his last victory over Komei Okada (Pictures), taking a razor-thin unanimous decision in December.

In the co-feature bout, Junya Kudo (Pictures) will take on Nagoya native Akira Kibe (Pictures) at 132 pounds.

The undefeated Kudo was ousted from last year's Shooto rookie tournament after drawing Yasuhiro Kanayama (Pictures) and losing the post-fight lottery to advance in the tournament. Kibe, a BJJ black belt, hasn't fought since last June. He was upset then in Powergate's Kaiser Grand Prix when Kohei Fujiwara stopped him controversially in the first round.

In rookie tournament action, 2007 All Japan amateur champion Yusaku Tanaka takes on Nobuyasu Fujikawa in a 183-pound quarterfinal, Yukinari Tamura (Pictures) will face Taro Kusano in a 154-pound quarterfinal qualifier, and Hiroshi Sugimoto battles Yasuaki Kishimoto in a 154-pound quarterfinal.

The following day, Shooto gym Alive will host GIG Central 14 at the Tokai TV Telepia Hall in Nagoya.

The headlining bout on the bill will be Alive's Yoshitaro Niimi (Pictures) taking on Hirosumi "C-Priest" Sugiura in a 168-pound contest. Niimi has been impressive in his two bouts since relocating to Alive, crushing Ivan Mussardo (Pictures) in March and dominating Keisuke Sakai (Pictures) in October. Sugiura, who has split his last four bouts, is coming off a disappointing cut stoppage loss to Taisuke Okuno in December in a bout during which he dropped Okuno before being halted on doctor's advice.

In the co-feature bout, 154-pound knockout artists Takahiro Kajita (Pictures) and Yutaka Ueda will square off. Kajita is coming off of a dismal, lackluster decision over last year's 154-pound rookie champion, Hiroshi Shiba (Pictures). Ueda was actually "defeated" in the tournament final by Shiba, his teammate, after both made it to the rookie finals. Ueda pulled out, giving his dojo senior Shiba the tournament win.

In other Class B action on the card, Koichi Taguchi (Pictures) and Kenichi Hattori (Pictures) will face off at 154 pounds, 168-pound rookie tournament favorite Takesuke Kume (Pictures) gets an early start on the year against Yoshifumi Dogaki (Pictures), and Tomohiko Yoshida faces Kenya Kato (Pictures) at 115 pounds.

In rookie tournament action, Hiroyuki "Ron" Kondo will face Atsushi Sato in a 115-pound quarterfinal qualifier, and Hirosuke Ito will face Joji Kawamata in a 132-pound quarterfinal qualifier.


The once highly touted Hirota began his career 6-0 and looked poised to be another one of Shooto's star lightweight products, but his stock plummeted in 2007 after back-to-back losses to Takashi Nakakura (Pictures) and Ganjo Tentsuku (Pictures). Hirota has since revitalized himself in GCM's cage, knocking out South Korean Do Gi Sin (Pictures) in December and Frenchman Johnny Frachey (Pictures) in February.

Kanomata, who began his career relatively anonymously in Class B Shooto, was riding a highly impressive eight-fight win streak into his November bout with the aforementioned Oumakhanov in the Cage Force 155-pound semifinal. The bout ended in controversial fashion after an accidental head butt broke Kanomata's nose. Oumakhanov was awarded the TKO victory and went on to capture the tournament crown.

Also, after painstaking efforts to round out its bantamweight Cage Force tournament over the past few weeks, GCM announced the first three quarterfinal bouts in the tournament. The pairings will see GCM mainstay Taiyo Nakahara (Pictures) take on Kingdom Ehrgeiz cult star Ryota Uozomi, former Shooto world champion Masahiro Oishi (Pictures) face the United Kingdom's top bantamweight in Paul McVeigh (Pictures) and longtime featherweight Katsuya Toida (Pictures) drop to 135 pounds to face Pancrase rep Daichi Fujiwara (Pictures).

This is not to say that the tournament was complete. Previously announced participant Takeya Mizugaki (Pictures) was slated to face BJJ ace Robson Moura (Pictures) in the fourth quarterfinal bout. However, Mizugaki was injured, which forced GCM to postpone the fourth quarterfinal until June. Sherdog.com has confirmed with a source close to GCM that when Moura was told of the postponement, he demanded GCM increase his purse. GCM declined, thus removing Moura from the tournament. Mizugaki will still compete in a quarterfinal bout on the June 22 Cage Force card against an opponent to be determined.

In an interesting aside, Sherdog.com has also learned that before Toida was added to the tournament and Moura pulled out of the bracket, GCM was pursuing Shooto world 123-pound champion Shinichi "BJ" Kojima as the tournament's eighth man. The idea was nixed, though, after Kojima was dominated in his January bout against So Tazawa (Pictures).

The large April 5 lineup will also feature the previously announced remaining two 145-pound quarterfinals between Antonio Carvalho (Pictures) and Yuji Hoshino (Pictures), and Adrian Pang (Pictures) and Armando Sanchez, as well as a 135-pound bout between Naoya Uematsu (Pictures) and U.K. import James Doola, and a 155-pound contest between Yoshihiro Koyama (Pictures) and Wataru Miki (Pictures).

 

[Shogun Locc]

2008 FILA World Wrestling Games

World Pankration Championships (Pangration Athlima)
Sept. 18-20th Durres, Albania

REFEREES ARE NEEDED:
Referees will receive Official FILA rules training in Albania at the games. Please contact us if you are interested. We need 2 referee's to send a full 7 man team. With one referee we can send a 5 man team.

SPONSORSHIP OPPURTUNITES – We would like to raise at least 50% of the funds needed to bring Team USA to the World Championships. The USAFPA is a non profit organization and donations are tax deductible.

ATHLETES: International WPAC/FILA Rules will apply.

MENS DIVISIONS:
66 kilos/ 145lbs
70 kilos / 156lbs
76 kilos / 169lbs
82 kilos / 182lbs
89 kilos / 198lbs
99 kilos / 220lbs
100 kilos/ 221lbs and over

TEAM USA QUALIFICATIONS
Must be a US Citizen with valid passport or in the application process.
Athletes must be at least 19 years of age by Sept. 2008
Must be able to fund up to $2,000 in the event that fund raising falls short.
Athletes must weight in with Official International Pankration Uniform.

FIGHTER APPLICANTS:
The top 3 applicants for each kilo division will compete in a round robin trial to determine the United States representative. International rules will apply during the trials competition.

A “best of three” competition will be conducted if only 2 applicants apply for a kilo division. Non contested applicants will automatically become the United States Representative.

Team Trials can be held on separate dates agreed by each group of kilo division athletes. Team trails will be held in the Southern California area or in an area where the majority of the kilo division athletes reside. All team trials must be completed by June 2008.

SELECTION CRITERIA FOR APPLICANTS:
Top three applicants will be determined by the following seeding order.

#1 Seed – 2008 California State Pankration Champions (April 6)
And// or Champions of the 2008 WC Team Trails Tournament (March 29) in Wisconsin. All weight class champions may apply for each kilo division as long as they can meet the prescribed weight.

#2 Seed - Past Advanced Division Tournament Champions ** (October 2006 to present). Most recent tournament (1) and/ or closest weight (2) will determine top applicant if multiple apply.

#3 Seed - Past Tournament placer of any division **(October 2006 to present). Most recent tournament (1) and/ or closest weight (2) will determine applicant if multiple apply.

#4 Seed – Any athlete outside California, Nevada, Arizona, Illinois or Wisconsin with a proven record of similar competitions may petition in.

#5 Seed – Past tournament placer in any division from any tournament ** (2001 to present). Most recent tournament (1) and/ or closest weight (2) will determine applicant if multiple apply.

6th Seeds – Any other interested individuals with prior Martial Arts competition experience.

**Sanctioned Pankration Tournaments


PROJECTED EXPENCES:

$1,400 - Airfare LAX - Tirana, Albania
$300 Lodging and food
$80 FILA Card
$80 International Pankration Uniform
$50 Warm up Suit (depending on sponsorship)
$100 unknown misc. expenses


SPONSORSHIP PACKAGES: We are open for any other suggestions. The US Federation of Pankration Athlima (USFPA) is a non profit organization and Donations are Tax Deductable.

1- $8,0000 – Sole Sponsor of TEAM USA.
Sole logo on warm up jacket and T-Shirt. Team Photos with Logo and Team Plaque.

OR

Up to 8 - $1000 sponsors:
Logo on warm up jacket, logo on T-Shirt, Team Photos and Team Plaque.

OR

Up to 16 - $500 sponsors:
Small logo on warm up jacket, and Team photo.

***All Athletes are encouraged to locate individual sponsors.

[email protected]

 

[heyzel]

NOVA UNIAO'S JOSE ALDO SIGNS WITH WEC

Nova Uniao fighter Jose Aldo has signed a five-fight deal to compete for World Extreme Cagefighting, sources in his camp confirmed to MMAWeekly.com.

His first bout for the Las Vegas-based promotion is expected to take place in June, although WEC officials say the location of the event has yet to be finalized.

A black belt in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, Aldo is also a strong striker that has fought all over the world en route to a 9-1 professional record. Currently riding a three-fight winning streak, he should be a welcome addition to the WEC’s 145-pound weight class.

As of yet, no opponent has been named for his first WEC bout. It will be his first fight in the United States.

 

[heyzel]

More on the Potential Strikeforce-NBC Deal

by Dann Stupp [mmajunkie] on Mar 14, 2008 at 4:57 pm in - News -
As MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) first reported on Thursday, Strikeforce and NBC are expected to sign and soon announce a deal that will give the mixed-martials-arts organization a weekly presence on major network television.

Although Strikeforce officials haven't returned messages, we've learned a few additional details of the 52-week deal, which could be announced as early as next week.

As we mentioned on Thursday, a Strikeforce show is expected to air on Saturdays beginning in mid-April, and we've since confirmed that the show would air no earlier than 1 a.m. And while the weekly program would primarily showcase past Strikeforce fights, that wouldn't be all that's featured.

The show will apparently be patterned after the "PRIDE Fighting Championships" shows that air on FOX Sports Net and the "UFC Unleashed" episodes that broadcast on Spike TV. However, the Strikeforce shows will likely also include fighter interviews with the organization's better-known personalities, such as Frank Shamrock, Cung Le, Gilbert Melendez and Nick Thomson -- fighters that have been significant draws in California, where Strikeforce is headquartered. One source said the shows could also "extensively" promote Strikeforce pay-per-views and other upcoming live events.

Essentially, the shows will introduce viewers to the organization -- rather than just show past fight footage.

We haven't been able to confirm whether Strikeforce is doing a strict "time buy," meaning the organization pays for its time on air. However, NBC had reportedly been shopping such a deal to many MMA organizations, including the UFC, during the past few months. (Adam Swift has more on that at mmapayout.com.)

UFC president Dana White has recently stated he wouldn't sign a "bad deal" when asked why the UFC hasn't yet landed on network television. He could have been referring to "time buy" deals when he made those comments.

If the Strikeforce-NBC deal does go through, it appears to be a low-risk maneuver for NBC that requires little involvement on their part. However, one source speculated that the network would likely expand the partnership -- perhaps even considering live events -- if the weekly shows turn out to be a hit.

As it stands, the only major network currently slated to feature live events is CBS, which announced a deal with EliteXC's parent company earlier this month. The deal will put four live EliteXC events on CBS every year. The first is expected to take place in May and will air in primetime on a Saturday night

 

[Shogun Locc]

JOACHIM HANSEN TO BE BRUTAL IN DREAM DEBUT

Joachim Hansen’s career has been a roller coaster ride, but none of it has been so taxing as the past year.



Working his way up to Shooto champion, earning a contract with Pride Fighting Championships, and then having it all suddenly shift like wet sand under his feet, Hansen faced the most difficult struggles of his career before emerging in the new Dream promotion.



“(Before) Pride disappeared, I was in a good position with a contract with Pride. Zuffa bought it; they didn’t want to pay me. They bought the contract and kind of broke the contract, they were going to pay me half of my salary and I didn’t accept it,” recalled the Scandinavian lightweight in a recent interview with MMAWeekly.com.



He went on to explain how he felt that Zuffa (the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s parent company) has been one-sided in some of its dealings with fighters and that he would not accept their terms, even losing his manager and trainer during the struggle over his contract.



But Hansen kept thinking “good thoughts” and stayed positive. He traveled with some of his training partners to England, where he met another group of fighters to train with and found a new manager. From there, things have, thus far, moved onto the right track.



“(It’s) great that things are getting on line again,” he stated. “I’m very excited to be a part of this first Dream competition.”



On Saturday, he steps into the ring at Dream’s debut event – as part of the promotion’s lightweight grand prix tournament – to face another top fighter in Koutetsu Boku.



“I think it’s great, but I just see it as another fight,” said Hansen of his inclusion in the tournament. “First I have to beat Boku, if I do that, then I can look forward to the belt.”



Like most fighters, he likes to listen to music as he prepares for his bouts, but Hansen has a fairly interesting take on the effects of the music.



“It’s a drug,” he said emphatically. “Music is a drug. I can use ten years of trying to change a person (with other techniques) and a song that lasts for two minutes can do that in two minutes. So it’s a powerful instrument for me.”



His homeland of Norway is a hotbed for some of the heaviest of heavy metal bands, something that is not lost on Hansen, as a fan of the genre. But his cerebral approach to using music to help him prepare for a fight goes a little deeper, as he says he is careful to use a more positive, motivational type of music to prepare, so that it doesn’t get too dark.



You may not have guessed that though based on his answer to whether or not he intends to keep Saturday’s fight on the feet, an area of the sport that he excels at. “Yeah, but wherever the fight goes, you know,” he said, adding definitively, “I will try to be brutal.”

Brutal indeed, as many of the defining moments of his career have come via some jaw shattering knee strikes, which he surely hopes to utilize against Boku as Dream premiers.