UFC 130 Rampage vs Rashad 2
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Stann Likely to Meet Santiago, Not Silva, At UFC 130
After recent reports of a potential return to the UFC, Sengoku middleweight champion Jorge Santiago (23-8 MMA, 1-2 UFC) appears to have an opponent: Brian Stann (10-3 MMA, 4-2 UFC).
Sources close to the organization today told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) the two middleweight are expected to fight at UFC 130.
Stann initially was slated to Wanderlei Silva (33-10-1 MMA 3-5 UFC) at the May 28 event, though Silva repeatedly has voiced a preference not to fight the fan favorite and military hero.
Currently, bout agreements have not been signed. Additionally, Santiago's agent, Malki Kawa of Authentic Sports Management, said he couldn't confirm the fight or even if the veteran officially has signed with the UFC. Stann's rep also declined to comment.
ESPN.com initially reported Santiago's return to the UFC on Friday, though an opponent wasn't known at the time.
If the Santiago vs. Stann fight is signed, Silva likely will be shifted to another matchup, possibly against Vitor Belfort, whom he recently has been feuding via a series of interviews in the Brazilian media. Belfort recently lost a title fight with middleweight champion Anderson Silva at UFC 126.
U.S. fans likely best remember Santiago for a three-fight stint under the UFC banner in 2006. The Brazilian defeated Justin Levens but was then defeated by Chris Leben and Alan Belcher, which lead to his release.
Since that time, Santiago has racked up an impressive 11-1 record, which includes a 2007 single-night Strikeforce middleweight grand-prix championship via wins over Trevor Prangley and Sean Salmon. Santiago's current win streak also includes two memorable World Victory Road/Sengoku wins over Kazuo Misaki, as well as victories over MMA notables Siyar Bahadurzada, Logan Clark, Jeremy Horn, Mamed Khalidov, Kazuhiro Nakamura and Andrei Semenov, among others.
Stann, meanwhile, has won four of his past five fights, including a recent TKO victory over surging Leben. The former WEC light-heavyweight champ recently has stepped up his game under the tutelage of famed trainer Greg Jackson and his stable of fighters. His recent wins have come over the likes of light heavyweights Steve Cantwell and Rodney Wallace, and after a drop to middleweight, over Mike Massenzio. The lone defeat during his recent stretch came via decision to fast-rising Phil Davis.
After recent reports of a potential return to the UFC, Sengoku middleweight champion Jorge Santiago (23-8 MMA, 1-2 UFC) appears to have an opponent: Brian Stann (10-3 MMA, 4-2 UFC).
Sources close to the organization today told MMAjunkie.com (www.mmajunkie.com) the two middleweight are expected to fight at UFC 130.
Stann initially was slated to Wanderlei Silva (33-10-1 MMA 3-5 UFC) at the May 28 event, though Silva repeatedly has voiced a preference not to fight the fan favorite and military hero.
Currently, bout agreements have not been signed. Additionally, Santiago's agent, Malki Kawa of Authentic Sports Management, said he couldn't confirm the fight or even if the veteran officially has signed with the UFC. Stann's rep also declined to comment.
ESPN.com initially reported Santiago's return to the UFC on Friday, though an opponent wasn't known at the time.
If the Santiago vs. Stann fight is signed, Silva likely will be shifted to another matchup, possibly against Vitor Belfort, whom he recently has been feuding via a series of interviews in the Brazilian media. Belfort recently lost a title fight with middleweight champion Anderson Silva at UFC 126.
U.S. fans likely best remember Santiago for a three-fight stint under the UFC banner in 2006. The Brazilian defeated Justin Levens but was then defeated by Chris Leben and Alan Belcher, which lead to his release.
Since that time, Santiago has racked up an impressive 11-1 record, which includes a 2007 single-night Strikeforce middleweight grand-prix championship via wins over Trevor Prangley and Sean Salmon. Santiago's current win streak also includes two memorable World Victory Road/Sengoku wins over Kazuo Misaki, as well as victories over MMA notables Siyar Bahadurzada, Logan Clark, Jeremy Horn, Mamed Khalidov, Kazuhiro Nakamura and Andrei Semenov, among others.
Stann, meanwhile, has won four of his past five fights, including a recent TKO victory over surging Leben. The former WEC light-heavyweight champ recently has stepped up his game under the tutelage of famed trainer Greg Jackson and his stable of fighters. His recent wins have come over the likes of light heavyweights Steve Cantwell and Rodney Wallace, and after a drop to middleweight, over Mike Massenzio. The lone defeat during his recent stretch came via decision to fast-rising Phil Davis.
Torres vs. Pickett Scheduled for UFC 130
Fresh off a UFC-debut victory, Miguel Torres (39-3 MMA, 1-0 UFC) next meets fellow bantamweight Brad Pickett (20-5 MMA, 0-0 UFC) at UFC 130.
Torres overnight Tweeted that he was offered and accepted the fight, which HeavyMMA.com initially reported.
UFC 130 takes place May 28 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. It's the UFC's latest Memorial Day weekend show based in Sin City.
The night's main card, including a third fight between UFC lightweight champion Frankie Edgar and Gray Maynard, airs on pay-per-view. Torres vs. Pickett likely will be part of a preliminary card that will air or stream in some fashion.
Torres, a former WEC 135-pound champion, lost his belt to Brian Bowles in 2009 and suffered a subsequent submission defeat to Joseph Benavidez in early 2010. The back-to-back losses snapped the veteran's 17-fight win streak, which was built mostly in his native Indiana. However, he got back in the win column with a submission victory over Charlie Valencia at WEC 51, and recently at UFC 126, he scored a tactical decision victory over Antonio Banuelos.
British fighter Pickett, a former WEC fighter, now makes his own UFC debut. The well-rounded fighter went 3-1 in the WEC, and the lone defeat came to contender Scott Jorgensen. However, "One Punch," a former Cage Rage champion, rebounded and closed out his WEC career in winning fashion with a decision victory over Ivan Menjivar at WEC 53.
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don't want Torres to be boring? Throw him in against One Punch lol
Fresh off a UFC-debut victory, Miguel Torres (39-3 MMA, 1-0 UFC) next meets fellow bantamweight Brad Pickett (20-5 MMA, 0-0 UFC) at UFC 130.
Torres overnight Tweeted that he was offered and accepted the fight, which HeavyMMA.com initially reported.
UFC 130 takes place May 28 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. It's the UFC's latest Memorial Day weekend show based in Sin City.
The night's main card, including a third fight between UFC lightweight champion Frankie Edgar and Gray Maynard, airs on pay-per-view. Torres vs. Pickett likely will be part of a preliminary card that will air or stream in some fashion.
Torres, a former WEC 135-pound champion, lost his belt to Brian Bowles in 2009 and suffered a subsequent submission defeat to Joseph Benavidez in early 2010. The back-to-back losses snapped the veteran's 17-fight win streak, which was built mostly in his native Indiana. However, he got back in the win column with a submission victory over Charlie Valencia at WEC 51, and recently at UFC 126, he scored a tactical decision victory over Antonio Banuelos.
British fighter Pickett, a former WEC fighter, now makes his own UFC debut. The well-rounded fighter went 3-1 in the WEC, and the lone defeat came to contender Scott Jorgensen. However, "One Punch," a former Cage Rage champion, rebounded and closed out his WEC career in winning fashion with a decision victory over Ivan Menjivar at WEC 53.
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don't want Torres to be boring? Throw him in against One Punch lol
