Comments and Opinions are welcome.
Source: http://www.mmaforum.com/other-mma-amateur-mma/105614-amateur-mma-debut-knockout.html
Ryan Bader Siyar Bahadurzada Bao Ligao Josh Barnett David Baron
Saturday, September 29, 2012
Clay Guida dropping down to 145 pounds for next fight
It looks like back-to-back decision losses were enough to motivate Clay Guida to move down from lightweight, as the fan-favorite has announced he will be fighting at 145 pounds at some point in the foreseeable future. Guida is coming off a Split Decision stumble against Gray Maynard in June after falling short on the scorecards against current champion Benson Henderson in his previous outing.
“It will be nice to finally be one of the bigger guys in the cage. I don’t cut weight at 155, and making 145 will be no problem for me,” said Guida in a statement from his management team. “My fans will get to see ‘The Dude’ put some royal beatings on everyone in the division. I will not be satisfied until the featherweight belt is mine.”
“Carpenter” Questions Judges’ Knowledge of MMA
Guida was one of the UFC’s toughest draws at 155 pounds though he was never able to get over the hump and establish himself as a true title-contender. Among his numerous wins as a lightweight inside the Octagon are those against the likes of Takanori Gomi, Mac Danzig, and Nate Diaz.
No news was offered in terms of when Guida will make his featherweight debut other than to say it would not take place until 2013.
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
TweetSource: http://www.fighters.com/09/29/clay-guida-dropping-down-to-145-pounds-for-next-fight
Jorge Gurgel Andre Gusmao Alexander Gustafsson Jaime Gutierrez Dave Gomez
Live Video - UFC 154 announcement press conference with Georges St-Pierre and Carlos Condit
By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief
Georges St-Pierre and Carlos Condit will be in Montreal today to officially kick off UFC 154's media events. The two will square off for the undisputed UFC Welterweight Championship on Nov. 17 at the Bell Centre, and with tickets for the event on sale this week, the two will discuss the bout at a press conference beginning at 12PM ET. Tune in live with the embedded press conference stream below:
Video URL: http://www.youtube.com/user/UFC?v=5-xBGmwQY5Y
Georges St-Pierre and Carlos Condit will be in Montreal today to officially kick off UFC 154's media events. The two will square off for the undisputed UFC Welterweight Championship on Nov. 17 at the Bell Centre, and with tickets for the event on sale this week, the two will discuss the bout at a press conference beginning at 12PM ET. Tune in live with the embedded press conference stream below:
Video URL: http://www.youtube.com/user/UFC?v=5-xBGmwQY5Y
Source: http://www.mmatorch.com/artman2/publish/quicknews/article_14491.shtml
Marcio Pe de Pano Cruz Luke Cummo Jeff Big Frog Curran Dai Shuanghai Mac Danzig
Shane Carwin confident but not certain he’ll be ready for Roy Nelson fight
When UFC heavyweight Shane Carwin went down with a knee injury earlier this week his management team was quick to let the public know he’d be back in time to train for a December duel against rival Roy Nelson. However, to hear Carwin tell the tale it seems the possibility of him having to pull out of the fight still exists.
Carwin recently detailed the knee injury in an interview with TapouT Radio where he admitted he still has a ways to go in terms of healing up but remains hopeful he’ll have a chance to take on Nelson on at the Ultimate Fighter 16 Finale.
“It happened during wrestling. A guy was in on a single and I went to throw my hips back and I heard ‘pop! pop! pop!’ So we stopped and he had to help me up,” explained Carwin, saying he’s already seen a doctor and gotten an MRI. “It’s down in size now. It was about the size of a watermelon, but now it’s the size of a cantaloupe. The good news is the doctor doesn’t think I need to have surgery, and we’re still going to push to stay in that fight on December 15th, and I think we’ll be good to go.”
Driving Carwin to fight Nelson come hell or high water is his intense dislike for “Big Country” based on the big-bellied brawler’s approach to life on both a personal and professional level.
“I don’t respect that guy. I don’t like him. I just think he’s disrespectful. He’ll talk all kinds of sh*t behind your back and stuff, but then when he’s at my face, all he wanted to do was talk about the UFC contracts to me. I’m like, ‘Who are you, man? Get out of my face.’ I’m just not up for that type of bullsh*t,” stated Carwin. “I hate people that when you turn around, they’re stabbing you in the back, and when you’re back at their face, they’re trying to be your best friend. That doesn’t work for me. There’s nobody else I want to fight more. I can’t wait to fight this guy. I’m excited that he’ll be the first guy I get to punch when I get back to action.”
The two can currently be seen on FX every Friday night serving as opposing coaches on TUF 16.
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
Yoji Anjo Ao Hailin Shinya Aoki Andrei Arlovski Ricardo Arona
'ONE FC 6: Rise of Kings' card finalized, Honorio Banario title fight scratched
The fight card for next week's "ONE FC 6: Rise of Kings" event is now set with nine fights. Officials today announced the full fight card, which airs Oct. 6 via online pay-per-view ($9.99) from Singapore Indoor Stadium in Singapore.
Although the card features Shinya Aoki and two title fights, Honorio Banario no longer will fight for the organization's inaugural featherweight title.
Per Eklund Jason Ellis Aleksander Emelianenko Fedor Emelianenko Yasubey Enomoto
UFC targeting annual visits to Montreal and Toronto
UFC President Dana White is fond of saying his promotion would hold a fight card in Canada every weekend if it could. At minimum, they'll settle for twice a year.
UFC Director of Canadian Operations Tom Wright today said that annual cards are targeted for Montreal in March and Toronto in September.
Ian Freeman Don Frye Tony Fryklund Kazuyuki Fujita Masakatsu Funaki
Press conference video to announce UFC 154 St-Pierre vs. Condit
The Ultimate Fighting Championship is set to hold a press conference on Thursday, September 27th to officially announce UFC 154 in Montreal. UFC 154 will feature the return of welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre following a 17 month layoff to recover from a knee injury. St-Pierre will take on interim champion Carlos Condit in the main event of the fight card.
St-Pierre, Condit and UFC Director of Canadian Operations Tom Wright will be present at the press conference which takes place from the Montreal Science Centre at 12:00pm ET. You can also watch the press conference live in the below video.
The press conference is free and open to the public.
Montreal Science Centre
Perspective Room
2 de la Commune Street West
Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Press conference video to announce UFC 154 St-Pierre vs. Condit is a post from: MMA Interplay UFC News
Matt Hamill Volk Han Joachim Hansen Antoni Hardonk Dan Hardy
Friday, September 28, 2012
Anderson Silva: “I think Chael has learned his lesson.”
Leading up to their much-hyped encounter at UFC 148 it seemed like Chael Sonnen couldn’t say enough bad things about middleweight champion Anderson Silva, though the stream of negativity was of course to be expected considering Sonnen’s behavior before the two talented 185ers fought in 2010. At one point or another during their rivalry Sonnen insulted Silva’s courage, pride, skill, intelligence, family, and homeland.
Now, after being finished a second straight time, Sonnen has been relatively quiet about Silva other than to offer praise. Needless to say, the behavior hasn’t been lost on “The Spider”.
“It was a satisfaction, a sense of accomplishment. Brazil was place where it really should be,” said Silva of beating Sonnen in an interview with TATAME. “Other athletes who are supposedly thinking about speaking ill of Brazilians and our culture, our people, will think twice. I think Chael has learned his lesson.”
Though Silva didn’t get a chance to fight Sonnen in Brazil, he’ll still have a chance to entertain his countrymen in 2012 after stepping up on short notice to face Stephan Bonnar at UFC 153 in Rio de Janeiro. Meanwhile, Sonnen has set his sights on light heavyweight champion Jon Jones and will undoubtedly ramp up his verbal assault if successful in a scrap with Forrest Griffin this December.
PHOTO CREDIT – NIKE/UFC
Source: http://fiveouncesofpain.com/2012/09/26/anderson-silva-i-think-chael-has-learned-his-lesson/
Rich No Love Clementi Mark The Hammer Coleman Wes Soldier Combs Ray Cooper Kit Cope
‘Bellator 74′ Weigh-In Results
All the fighters slated to compete in tomorrow night’s “Bellator 74” event tipped the scale Thursday in Atlantic City.
Friday’s show features all four quarterfinal welterweight matchups. Lyman Good (Pictured) and Jim Wallhead headline the show.
Caesars Atlantic City in New Jersey hosts the festivities.
SpikeTV.com will stream the night’s prelims live beginning at 7PM ET/4PM PT. MTV2 broadcasts the featured fights at 8PM ET/PT.
However, fight fans can also stream the entire show live right here on 5thRound.com.
Here are the results from today’s weigh-ins:
Preliminary Card:
Derrick Kennington (154.2) vs. Phillipe Nover (156)
Brylan Van Artsdalen (145.4) vs. Jay Haas (145.6)
Munah Holland (125.8) vs. Michelle Ould (123.8)
Casey Johnson (145.6) vs. Will Martinez (144.6)
Claudio Ledesma (134.8) vs. Kenny Foster (135.8)
Main Card:
Welterweight Tournament Quarterfinals:
Tim Welch (170.4) vs. Michail Tsarev (171)
Andrey Koreshkov (170.8) vs. Jordan Smith (169.8)
Nordine Taleb (170.8) vs. Marius Zaromskis (170.8)
Jim Wallhead (169.8) vs. Lyman Good (170.2)
Source: http://www.5thRound.com/128635/bellator-74-weigh-in-results/
Ryo Piranha Chonan Dan The Sandman Christison Logan The Pink Pounder Clark Steve The Snake Claveau Rich No Love Clementi
Stefan Struve Not Interested in Working Overtime for UFC
In February, UFC president Dana White proclaimed all Octagon main events would begin to be of the five round variety – regardless if there was a championship belt on the line or not. Stefan Struve (Pictured) headlines his first show since the rule change when he battles Stipe Miocic in Nottingham.
While it is possible Struve’s workload could increase by 40 percent on Saturday, he certainly isn’t looking to go the whole 25 minutes.
“Five round fight? It’s not a five round fight. This isn’t going five,” Struve stated during Wednesday’s media workouts. “It is a one or two round fight, depending on when I finish him. I am not worried about going five rounds.
“If it happens, I hit pads for an hour at a time and every Thursday at my gym it is pretty much fight night where we do 15, five-minute rounds. I’ve changed nothing in my training. If it goes longer, okay, but I think this is a quick fight.”
The “Skyscraper” hasn’t allowed the judges to determine his fate since beating Paul Buentello via majority decision in December 2009. It’s clear he’s not looking to buck that trend now, especially since Struve believes a devastating victory over the undefeated Croatian will catapult him up the heavyweight totem pole.
“A win here puts me in the top five in the world,” Struve expressed. “There’s a lot of hype on [Miocic] and he’s also coming off a big win. I’m only 24, but this is my 12th fight in the UFC. I am going to do my business on Saturday night.
“I’ve been in the UFC for five years and I am really putting it together now as a mixed martial artist. I think this fight is a great showcase of what I can now do as a fighter.”
Struve will be riding a three-fight winning streak into the 265-pound affair. He has rattled off victories in five of his last six scraps, with his most recent W coming in May’s submission over Lavar Johnson.
Capital FM Arena in England hosts Saturday’s festivities.
Source: http://www.5thRound.com/128595/stefan-struve-not-interested-in-working-overtime-for-ufc/
Jorge Gurgel Andre Gusmao Alexander Gustafsson Jaime Gutierrez Dave Gomez
Stefan Struve - Stay Calm and Finish Fights
If you have been following the career of Stefan Struve, you undoubtedly watched his UFC 146 bout with Lavar Johnson in May with bated breath. Sure, Struve had won four of his previous bouts, but Johnson had the stone-fisted assault that could end any hot streak in a split second. And while it’s not like Struve has a weak chin, all three of his UFC losses (to Junior dos Santos, Roy Nelson, and Travis Browne) came by knockout, and they all took place when the fists started flying and the 6-foot-11 ½ “Skyscraper” got in a phone booth and fought like he was a foot shorter.
So as Johnson stalked, the countdown began to see just how Struve would react.
It didn’t take long. Johnson got close, Struve tied him up, and then pulled guard. Seconds later, the fight was over, with Struve winning via armbar. It took all of 65 seconds, but in that 65 seconds, Stefan Struve became a contender.
“The last three fights I really tried to do what I need to do and I didn’t want to go get it too hard,” he explains. “For instance, the fight I had with Travis, I just wanted to go get it too bad, and right now I can say to myself, ‘take one step back, take your time, keep your distance, just pick him apart again. Stay calm and relax.’ And if I do it that way, I think I’m gonna keep on winning for a long time.”
Still just 24 years old, Struve already has a 28-5 record that includes an 8-3 slate in the UFC. He’s apparently still growing, as he gained a half-inch in height between the Herman and Johnson bouts, and when it comes to his fight game, he has come to the realization that you can fight smart and disciplined and still be exciting. Submission of the Night awards in two of his last three fights (Johnson and Pat Barry) and a second round TKO in the middle bout of that trio (against Dave Herman) attest to that.
“When it comes to discipline, I don’t make the mistakes anymore that I made in the past which cost me in the fights with Travis and Roy,” said Struve. “So I stay disciplined but still want to go in there and finish every single fight. That’s the way I go in there right now. Every single time I get a chance to finish a fight I’ll try and go for it.”
Not that it’s always easy to keep your cool when a 250-pounder is throwing bombs at your head. In the past, when that happened, Struve would plant his feet and fire right back. If he landed, it was a good thing. If he didn’t and he got countered or drilled with some high heat, now that was a bad thing. But after a few hard knocks, Struve gets it now.
“It is hard and it’s really something you need to learn, but it’s the smartest thing to do,” he said. “Sure, it’s entertaining for the crowd to see two guys go at it and exchange punches, but now and then it’s better just to move sideways or backwards, and take your time and be smart.”
That strategy has worked for him against talented and dangerous opposition, and he’ll be calling for it once again on Saturday when he headlines the UFC on FUEL TV event in Nottingham against unbeaten Stipe Miocic. The Netherlands’ Struve never got to build up a 9-0 slate like his opponent has, but he knows what that zero could mean to a fighter. Sometimes they fight even harder to keep it, but sometimes they don’t fight to win, they fight not to lose. And something Struve learned early on is that a loss doesn’t necessarily spell doom for your career. Miocic doesn’t know that yet, but Struve is certainly willing to show him by beating him this weekend.
“The times I’ve met him and from what I’ve seen from him, he’s confident and I’m sure that he goes in there with the same thoughts as me – that he’s going to go out and get his hand raised,” said Struve. “For me, when you’re undefeated, you want to keep that zero, but losing is not the end of the world. You have to embrace the fact that anything can happen and that you can lose, but all I care about is winning my fight and doing it in as good a way as possible.”
When discussing his opponent, it’s evident immediately that the Beverwijk product has done his homework on the Ohio native’s three UFC wins thus far, whether it’s Miocic’s hard-fought win over steel-chinned Joey Beltran, his knockout of Phil De Fries, or his second round finish of Shane Del Rosario. Struve’s conclusion? He’s going to win.
“His first fight was with Joey Beltran, and he won a decision, but Joey moved down to light heavyweight recently, so he wasn’t the biggest heavyweight out there,” said Struve. “Then he fought De Fries, and De Fries rocked him, but I think he got a little lucky with that punch and his standup is far from as good as Stipe’s, so Stipe did his thing. And with Del Rosario, he (Miocic) had a very tough first round, and though Del Rosario’s a good kickboxer, I think my kickboxing’s even better. I train with some of the best K-1 kickboxers every single week and I keep improving as you’ve seen in my last few fights. What got him the win was that he took him down, and it seems like Shane was tired and didn’t know what to do when it hit the ground. He didn’t use his hips and his open guard the way he should have, and in my opinion, if we go to the ground then he’s in a world of trouble. People haven’t seen 20 percent of what I can do on the ground. So I’m really confident for this fight, as I was for my last three fights too.”
He’s also allowed himself the luxury of adjusting a timetable that used to see him expecting a title shot in several years’ time. Now, he’s fully aware that a win over Miocic would be four straight, putting him smack dab in the championship hunt.
“Thinking of getting a title shot is good fuel for training,” said Struve. “Those are nice thoughts and getting that belt around your waist is a dream, and that’s what I do this for. And every single fight, I see it as a step to come closer to my goal of winning a world title in the UFC. But one fight at a time. Right now, I’ve got a problem I have to solve with Stipe, and that’s the only thing I care about. We’ll see what comes up after this fight and we’ll see what (UFC President) Dana (White) and (matchmaker) Joe Silva say. Again, there’s still no rush, but I’m thinking of it, and if I keep on winning, it’s gonna come.”
Source: http://www.ufc.com/news/Stefan-Struve-Stay-Calm-and-Finish-Fights
Bernard Ackah Terrance Aflague Yoshihiro Akiyama Gilbert Aldana José Aldo
Lyoto Machida open to fighting Georges St-Pierre at 185 pounds
UFC welterweight champ Georges St-Pierre has teased the idea of moving up to 185 pounds for a fight with divisional king Anderson Silva a number of times in the past. However, he has remained adamant the will only truly entertain the notion if the increase in weight is permanent based on the effect it would have on his physique.
If GSP does ever decide to give middleweight a go, it looks like he may already have a second opponent lined up in the form of another Brazilian with championship connections, as former light heavyweight title-holder Lyoto Machida has come out to express his interest in the idea of a fight with the fan-favorite.
“It would be an interesting karate duel but I don’t know at what weight we would do it,” said Machida to Globo Esporte (as translated by Fighters Only Magazine) when asked about the possibility of fighting St-Pierre. “If it is at 185 pounds, I will go for it.”
Machida has flirted with the idea of slimming down before but has remained hesitant out of respect for his friendship with Silva.
Given the number of “ifs” involved in the St-Pierre scrap, Machida’s focus will obviously remain on his current weight-class where he hopes to reclaim the belt he once wore at some point in 2013. On that front, “The Dragon” confirmed he will resume training in coming weeks and expects to fight in December.
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
Mirko Cro Cop Filipović Luiz Buscapé Firmino Spencer Fisher Jon Fitch Kenny Florian
Promo poster for UFC 154 Georges St-Pierre vs. Carlos Condit
UFC welterweight champion Georges St-Pierre makes his long awaited return to the octagon following a long recovery from injuries. St-Pierre will take on interim champion Carlos Condit in the main event at UFC 154. The event promo poster was revealed today in advance of the tickets going on sale this week. UFC 154 takes place on November 17th from the Bell Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.
Promo poster for UFC 154 Georges St-Pierre vs. Carlos Condit is a post from: MMA Interplay UFC News
Kit Cope Wesley Cabbage Correira Patrick The Predator Côté Randy The Natural Couture Dan Cramer
Phew: Jose Aldo walks away from motorcycle accident with just a few scratches
Jose Aldo was in a motorcycle accident in Rio de Janeiro over the weekend, and walked away. The UFC featherweight champ and main event star of upcoming UFC 153 had no issues after his motorcycle ran into a car.
According to Tatame and MMA Fighting, he suffered a swollen foot and some scratches, but that's not different from what he would encounter while training for his October bout with former UFC lightweight champ Frankie Edgar. To be on the safe side, his coach in Brazil ruled out any more motorcycle riding.
Perhaps this is a sign that the UFC's summer of bad luck is over. The UFC's champions and main eventers have had a hard time holding on to their fights. UFC 146's Alistair Overeem couldn't get licensed. Vitor Belfort pulled out for injury from UFC 147. Bantamweight champ Dominick Cruz was injured before UFC 148. Dan Henderson's injury and Jon Jones' refusal to fight Chael Sonnen led to the UFC canceling UFC 151.
Ken Shamrock accidentally scores a knockout
Former UFC champ Ken Shamrock is nicknamed the "World's Most Dangerous Man," and he proved this title while in a mall in California. TMZ reports Shamrock reportedly hit a woman while trying to break up a fight.
While sitting at a mall in Modesto, Calif., he saw two women involved in a fight. He jumped in to try to separate them, when another person jumped on his back. He threw the back-jumper to the ground and threw a knockout punch, earning his first knockout since 2004.
It wasn't until she was out that Shamrock and the crowd yelled at him that he saw he had knocked out a woman. Though a report was taken, the police told TMZ they most likely won't press charges because Shamrock was acting in self-defense.
Shamrock's rep notes, "Outside the ring, Ken is not a violent man ... and was only trying to do the right thing."
Inside the ring, Shamrock's last fight was in November of 2010. He lost in a TKO due to leg injury. His last UFC fight was a 2006 loss to Tito Ortiz, an ending to their longstanding rivalry. Shamrock's career spanned 17 years and included wins in PRIDE, Pancrase and the UFC.
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Ralek Gracie Renzo Gracie Rickson Gracie Rodrigo Gracie Roger Gracie
Jon Jones earns Submission of the Night at UFC 152 for finish of Vitor Belfort
With the stand-up skill-set of UFC 152 headliners Jon Jones and Vitor Belfort it seemed likely their rumble would result in a stoppage, though one of the strike-based variety rather than related to BJJ. However, when things were said and done it was Jones who emerged with his hand raised after locking in a beautiful Americana on the overmatched Belfort.
Jones’ success marked his fourth consecutive defense of the light heavyweight belt and also netted him Submission of the Night honors (as well as an extra $65,000 for the distinction).
“Bones” Says He Still Has A Lot of Room to Improve
Knockout of the Night, and an equally large check, went to Cub Swanson after he dropped highly-touted youngster Charles Oliveira in the opening round of their main card clash. The win was Swanson’s third straight TKO.
Meanwhile, Evan Dunham and TJ Grant both brought home $65,000 more than expected after their preliminary pairing was named Fight of the Night. The 155ers fought valiantly throughout the tilt, exchanging stiff blows from start to finish with a bit of BJJ in the mix to boot.
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
TweetDos Caras Jr Phil Cardella Roan Jucao Carneiro Shane The Engineer Carwin Jason Hollywood Chambers
Nick Diaz not done challenging NAC’s ruling regarding suspension
Not much has been heard from UFC welterweight Nick Diaz since being handed a yearlong suspension from the Nevada Athletic Commission when the Stockton scrapper tested positive for marijuana metabolites after a February fight with Carlos Condit. While Diaz is known being a private person preferring to stick to the gym rather than the spotlight, his legal team has been extremely active as of late including an appearance yesterday inside a Las Vegas courtroom.
According to a report from the Las Vegas Review-Journal, Diaz’ attorney has filed a motion requesting the “first available court date for a review of the NAC’s decision with the goal of getting back in the cage before the end of 2012.”
The point of contention between the sides involves Diaz having marijuana metabolites in his system rather than active THC. Such metabolites are not considered a “banned substance” according to NAC policy, though the regulatory board has argued Diaz’s admission of having smoked pot is a violation in itself.
The 26-8 Diaz has been a longtime advocate of the benefits of marijuana and never shied away from acknowledging his own use of the substance. He has a prescription for medicinal marijuana in California, admitting he smoked it leading up to his fight against Condit but stopped eight days out as he has in other instances he was not penalized for.
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
Karn Grigorian Karen Grigoryan Kendall Grove Clay Guida Jason Guida
Thursday, September 27, 2012
Anthony Perosh vs. Joey Beltran heading to UFC on FX 6 in Australia
By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief
Despite losses in five of his last six UFC bouts, Joey Beltran is getting at least one more shot in the UFC. The organization revealed on Tuesday that Beltran will take on Anthony Perosh at UFC on FX 6 in Australia this December.
Beltran was released in January after a 1-4 stretch in the heavyweight division, but came back after one win outside of the organization, debuting in the light heavyweight division against James Te Huna. He lost that bout by decision, and now must get past Perosh to keep his spot in the organization.
Perosh hopes to bounce back from a vicious loss in his last bout, having fallen victim to a record-tying knockout against a debuting Ryan Jimmo at UFC 149. The seven second one-punch knockout halted a three fight winning streak for Perosh.
UFC on FX 6 will be headlined by the "Ultimate Fighter: The Smashes" coaches bout between Ross Pearson and George Sotiropoulos, airing live in North America on Friday, December 14 with the time difference.
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Beltran was released in January after a 1-4 stretch in the heavyweight division, but came back after one win outside of the organization, debuting in the light heavyweight division against James Te Huna. He lost that bout by decision, and now must get past Perosh to keep his spot in the organization.
Perosh hopes to bounce back from a vicious loss in his last bout, having fallen victim to a record-tying knockout against a debuting Ryan Jimmo at UFC 149. The seven second one-punch knockout halted a three fight winning streak for Perosh.
UFC on FX 6 will be headlined by the "Ultimate Fighter: The Smashes" coaches bout between Ross Pearson and George Sotiropoulos, airing live in North America on Friday, December 14 with the time difference.
Source: http://www.mmatorch.com/artman2/publish/UFC_2/article_14468.shtml
Cody Guinn Jorge Gurgel Andre Gusmao Alexander Gustafsson Jaime Gutierrez
Andrei Arlovski fighting Devin Cole at World Series of Fighting event
Two heavyweights with a propensity for putting opponents away have been paired up for a meeting at the inaugural World Series of Fighting event, as a bout between Andrei Arlovski and Devin Cole has been announced for the November 3 lineup. Both men will enter the bout with back-to-back wins in the rear-view mirror and double-digit TKOs to their credit.
WSoF officials confirmed the clash earlier today in a press release.
“We are thrilled to welcome both Andrei and Devin to the World Series of Fighting roster and to have them headline our first live event,” said promotional president Ray Sefo. “Both of these heavyweights have delivered some incredibly memorable highlights during their careers and their matchup should be a barnburner.”
Arlovski was last seen scrapping with Tim Sylvia under the ONE FC banner where he saw a win dissolve into a No Contest based on some confusion relating to the organization’s rules on kicks to a downed opponent. Prior to the fight he’d scored consecutive TKOs, improving his number of strike-based stoppages to 13 in 17 total wins.
Arlovski Has No Regrets About Soccer-Kicking Sylvia
The 20-9-1 Cole emerged as a force in Strikeforce where he went the distance against Daniel Cormier and defeated Shawn Jordan. Thirteen of his victories have involved some form of finish including ten TKOs.
The November event is expected to feature a number of other notable competitors on the card including Gesias “JZ” Cavalcante, Gerald Harris, and Miguel Torres.
PHOTO CREDIT – PROELITE
Source: http://www.fighters.com/09/25/andrei-arlovski-fighting-devin-cole-at-world-series-of-fighting-event
Marvin Eastman Stav Crazy Bear Economou Yves Edwards Justin Eilers Jon Olav Einemo
RIP Corrie Sanders
Epic mustache Corrie Sanders got shot in an armed robbery by some gutless faggot. Real shame. I liked when he steamrolled Wlad and gave Vitali a few tense moments. I read Vitali say somewhere that Corrie gave him his toughest fight.
He had quick hands and big power as a heavyweight southpaw. Great offensive fighter.
RIP Corrie!
He had quick hands and big power as a heavyweight southpaw. Great offensive fighter.
RIP Corrie!
Source: http://ninjashoes.net/forum/showthread.php?79277-RIP-Corrie-Sanders&goto=newpost
Daiki DJ taiki Hata He Peng David Heath Delson Heleno Dan Henderson
Brett Rogers joins ATT ahead of Bellator tournament appearance
Three years ago Brett Rogers was seen as perhaps the hottest prospect in the heavyweight division. Today he’s simply trying to claw his way back into relevance after suffering a string of professional and personal stumbles including a serious domestic violence charge.
With his life seemingly turned around, Rogers has found a new home to help him get his career back on track as well – American Top Team. “Da Grim” has joined the widely respected gym to help prepare for his run in Bellator’s upcoming heavyweight tournament.
“I’ve found a new home here at American Top Team and owe a lot of thanks to them. Coming here has changed my outlook on my career and life, in general, and I’m going to show the world that,” explained Rogers in a press release. “When I get in the cage on October 5, people are going to see a different Brett Rogers – better skilled and more confident than ever.”
Rogers is scheduled to face 16-3 Alexander Volkov at Bellator 75. With heavyweight title-holder Cole Konrad recently retiring, the bout has even more significance than it did before as it’s likely the eventual tournament winner will be crowned champion. The 31-year old slugger understands what’s at hand and plans on delivering to honor the belief many maintained in his ability to succeed despite the troubles he’s dealt with.
“A few people stuck by me when the chips were down and helped me get through a terrible period in my life. It’s because of their support that I have a second chance to shine and become something great,” Rogers admitted.
The 12-4 Rogers has finished eleven of the opponents he’s taken out including ten by way of knockout. He holds past victories over the likes of James Thompson and Andrei Arlovski.
PHOTO CREDIT – STRIKEFORCE/ELITEXC
Vagam Bodjukyan Kotetsu Boku Tony Bonello Stephan Bonnar Lorenzo Borgomeo
Video: Bellator 74 headliner Lyman Good thankful for notable opponent in tourney opener
You might be tempted to question the wisdom of taking two of the biggest names from Bellator's Season 7 welterweight tournament and matching them in the opening round. Why guarantee you eliminate one of the tourney's marketable fighters after just one round?
Lyman Good, the first-ever Bellator welterweight champ, doesn't really care. He's just happy to face a tough opponent like Jim Wallhead.
Stav Crazy Bear Economou Yves Edwards Justin Eilers Jon Olav Einemo Per Eklund
World Series of Fighting books Andrei Arlovski vs. Devin Cole for Nov. 3 debut on NBC Sports Network
By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief
The World Series of Fighting will make their world debut on NBC Sports Network this November, and they've now booked a former UFC Heavyweight Champion for the event. The new MMA organization announced on Monday that they have booked a fight between Andrei Arlovski and Devin Cole for Nov. 3.
"We are thrilled to welcome both Andrei and Devin to the World Series of Fighting roster and to have them headline our first live event," said WSOF President Ray Sefo. "Both of these heavyweights have delivered some incredibly memorable highlights during their careers and their matchup should be a barnburner."
Arlovski would be in the midst of a three fight winning streak into this bout, but he unfortunately fell victim to a poor rule in Philippines-based promotion ONE FC last month. Taking on Tim Sylvia for the fourth time, Arlovski landed a big knockdown punch in the second round. He followed up with soccer kicks to the shoulder and head, but based on ONE FC's "open attack" rules, which hadn't been signaled by the referee, the win was taken from Arlovski and the bout deemed a no contest. That rule has since been changed, but Arlovski does not have that win.
However, it was still technically a third straight stoppage for the "Pitbull," who had lost four straight fights in Affliction and Strikeforce prior to this run.
He'll now meet Strikeforce vet Cole, who will enter with a two fight winning streak. Cole fought three times in Strikeforce, and was briefly scheduled to take a late replacement slot at UFC on Fox 4 before a 2008 sexual assault charge changed the UFC's mind . A nine-year MMA veteran, Cole holds a 20-9-1 career record, with his most recent loss coming by decision against Daniel Cormier in January of 2011.
[Andrei Arlovski art by Cory Gould (c) MMATorch.com]
 |
"We are thrilled to welcome both Andrei and Devin to the World Series of Fighting roster and to have them headline our first live event," said WSOF President Ray Sefo. "Both of these heavyweights have delivered some incredibly memorable highlights during their careers and their matchup should be a barnburner."
Arlovski would be in the midst of a three fight winning streak into this bout, but he unfortunately fell victim to a poor rule in Philippines-based promotion ONE FC last month. Taking on Tim Sylvia for the fourth time, Arlovski landed a big knockdown punch in the second round. He followed up with soccer kicks to the shoulder and head, but based on ONE FC's "open attack" rules, which hadn't been signaled by the referee, the win was taken from Arlovski and the bout deemed a no contest. That rule has since been changed, but Arlovski does not have that win.
However, it was still technically a third straight stoppage for the "Pitbull," who had lost four straight fights in Affliction and Strikeforce prior to this run.
He'll now meet Strikeforce vet Cole, who will enter with a two fight winning streak. Cole fought three times in Strikeforce, and was briefly scheduled to take a late replacement slot at UFC on Fox 4 before a 2008 sexual assault charge changed the UFC's mind . A nine-year MMA veteran, Cole holds a 20-9-1 career record, with his most recent loss coming by decision against Daniel Cormier in January of 2011.
[Andrei Arlovski art by Cory Gould (c) MMATorch.com]
Source: http://www.mmatorch.com/artman2/publish/Other_News_4/article_14470.shtml
Masakatsu Funaki Zelg Benkei Galesić Mauro Galvao Arman Gambaryan Manvel Gamburyan
Dear Killemall
It seems you may be on the crank. Not only have you been posting pics of your now massive arms, you have become quite the aggressive poster. It seems you have little tolerance anymore and I have come to save you. Please be assured I and the other ninja brethren are concerned about you and are here for you should you need us.
Please refrain from using anymore steriods as we are concerned for your liver and penis.
That is all.
Please refrain from using anymore steriods as we are concerned for your liver and penis.
That is all.
Source: http://ninjashoes.net/forum/showthread.php?79287-Dear-Killemall&goto=newpost
Xavier Foupa Pokam Hermes Franca Rich Franklin Ian Freeman Don Frye
The Downes Side: UFC 152 Predictions
That’s right boys and girls, you shall wander in the darkness no longer because Danny Boy Downes is back with another edition of the Downes Side! A lot has happened since the last time we were together over a month ago: UFC 151 disappeared, main events have changed and Dr. Phil McGraw celebrated his 62nd birthday.
Even without Dr. Phil’s assistance, the show will go on and UFC 152 comes to the Air Canada Centre in Toronto Saturday night with Benavidez vs. Johnson Jones vs. Machida 2 Jones vs. Belfort. The main event features fan favorite Jon Jones as he battles Vitor Belfort to keep his light heavyweight title. In the co-main event of the evening, Joseph Benavidez and Demetrious Johnson compete for the first ever UFC flyweight championship.
Cub Swanson (17-5) vs Charles Oliveira (16-2)
The main card kicks off in the featherweight division as Greg "Sport Killer" Jackson product Cub "KO of the Night" Swanson faces off against Brazilian submission ace Charles "Do Bronx" Oliveira. Finally able to avoid training camp injuries, Swanson has looked like a world beater in his last two TKO wins over George Roop and Ross Pearson. Oliveira also has also looked strong in his last two bouts, defeating Eric Wisely with a calf cutter in January and handing Jonathan Brookins his first-ever submission loss last June.
This boils down to whether or not Do Bronx can get this fight to the ground. Even though Swanson has only tapped out once since 2007, Oliveira’s grappling skills are on a whole different level. Unfortunately for the Sao Paulo native, he’ll be standing longer than people at the DMV line (that’s still topical right?). Thanks to his fan favorite coach, Swanson will be patient and tag Oliveira without committing too much to make himself vulnerable to the takedown. He’ll utilize straight punches and quick flurries to earn himself a decision win.
Matt Hamill (10-4) vs Roger Hollett (13-3)
Next we head to the light heavyweight division as Matt “The Hammer” Hamill takes on Roger “The Hulk” Hollett. After back to back losses to Rampage Jackson and Alexander Gustafsson, Hamill looks to get back in the win column after what has to qualify as the shortest retirement in UFC history. Hollett makes his UFC debut riding a five-fight win streak. An aggressive fighter, only four of his career fights have made it out of the first round.
Whenever a fighter has an extended layoff, you have to question their conditioning as “Cage Corrosion” is much more than the next YouTube sensation. Luckily for Hamill he’s making his return against someone whose wins have mostly come via submission. Hollett has never faced someone with the Hammer’s wrestling skills and won’t be able to get him in a vulnerable position to finish. Hamill will pin the "Hulk" up against the fence, finish the takedown and show everyone why he's the only man who's been able to defeat Jon Jones (too soon?). TKO in the 2nd.
Michael Bisping (23-4) vs Brian Stann (12-4)
We drop down to middleweight as “Likable” Michael Bisping looks to move another rung closer to the number-one contender spot against Brian “All-American” Stann. Despite a loss to Chael Sonnen in January, Bisping rides a lot of momentum into the fight. Speaking of momentum, Brian Stann has won four of his last five fights (finishing all of them) showcasing the power that has earned him nine career knockouts.
This is a clash of two very different strikers. Stann is a heavy-handed boxer who uses his brute strength and KO power to overwhelm opponents. A more technical kickboxer, Bisping throws more combos and doesn’t seek the big single KO punch. In the grappling department, Bisping gave Chael Sonnen (the best wrestler in the UFC) all he could handle. Stann doesn’t come anywhere close to that. After learning his lesson from the Dan Henderson fight, Bisping will avoid the big right hand, counter effectively and probably even work in a few takedowns of his own. Stann is not one to go away easily and will have flashes here and there of turning the tide, but it won’t be enough. The Count takes this one with 30-27s across the board. The performance won’t earn him a title shot, but his post fight interview will give Josh Koscheck a run for his money for the title of most beloved fighter.
Joseph Benavidez (16-2) vs Demetrious Johnson (15-2-1)
That brings us to the co-main event of the evening. After a slight delay caused by an Australian judge’s poor arithmetic, Joseph Benavidez and Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson will finally decide who becomes UFC flyweight champion. Undefeated against anyone not named Dominick Cruz, Benavidez may be known for his guillotine choke, but he's also shown knockout power, most recently in his semi-final match against Yasuhiro Urushitani. Johnson’s speed and workrate are what helped him earn a spot in the finals. His ability to transition from striking to takedowns has given all his opponents tremendous difficulty.
Both fighters are extremely well-rounded, but you have to give the edge to Benavidez in every department. He has the strength and wrestling to match Johnson grappling and holds a distinct power advantage in the striking department. The rounds will be fast-paced, entertaining and close, but Benavidez will be able to outland Johnson on the feet and negate his takedown attempts. If the flyweight division has shown us anything, it’s been that all of them are hard to put away...except this time. The fight will enter the championship rounds, Mighty Mouse will get more desperate to get the finish and find himself in the aforementioned guillotine choke. Joe B. gets submission in the fourth and sets up Bisping/Benavidez match we’ve been waiting to see.
Jon Jones (16-1) vs Vitor Belfort (21-9)
Now time for the main event! Jon Jones has taken some heat lately for his actions outside the cage, but nobody can deny what he’s done inside it. “Bones” has shown why he’s one of the most dangerous strikers in MMA with dominant wins over names like Rashad Evans, Rampage Jackson, Lyoto Machida and Mauricio Rua. Looking to derail the hype train is the self-proclaimed “young dinosaur” Vitor Belfort. For someone who made his UFC debut in 1997, Belfort finds himself in the position to achieve the most important accomplishment of his entire career.
Even considering Belfort makes the jump to light heavyweight for the first time in years, “The Phenom” still possesses knockout power. That being said, Jones never seems to put himself in vulnerable positions on the feet. Vitor will make it out of the first round, but he’ll push too hard for the big shot, Jones will counter him and that’ll be the end of it. After rolling through Vitor, no one knows what’ll be next for the 25 year old champ, but one thing’s for sure -- people will have plenty to say about it.
Well that wraps up another much anticipated edition of the Downes Side. Be sure to follow me on twitter @dannyboydownes and check out some of my other writing here. Also, be sure to leave your queries, comments and list other things you’ve been longing to tell me during my absence.
Even without Dr. Phil’s assistance, the show will go on and UFC 152 comes to the Air Canada Centre in Toronto Saturday night with Benavidez vs. Johnson Jones vs. Machida 2 Jones vs. Belfort. The main event features fan favorite Jon Jones as he battles Vitor Belfort to keep his light heavyweight title. In the co-main event of the evening, Joseph Benavidez and Demetrious Johnson compete for the first ever UFC flyweight championship.
Cub Swanson (17-5) vs Charles Oliveira (16-2)
The main card kicks off in the featherweight division as Greg "Sport Killer" Jackson product Cub "KO of the Night" Swanson faces off against Brazilian submission ace Charles "Do Bronx" Oliveira. Finally able to avoid training camp injuries, Swanson has looked like a world beater in his last two TKO wins over George Roop and Ross Pearson. Oliveira also has also looked strong in his last two bouts, defeating Eric Wisely with a calf cutter in January and handing Jonathan Brookins his first-ever submission loss last June.
This boils down to whether or not Do Bronx can get this fight to the ground. Even though Swanson has only tapped out once since 2007, Oliveira’s grappling skills are on a whole different level. Unfortunately for the Sao Paulo native, he’ll be standing longer than people at the DMV line (that’s still topical right?). Thanks to his fan favorite coach, Swanson will be patient and tag Oliveira without committing too much to make himself vulnerable to the takedown. He’ll utilize straight punches and quick flurries to earn himself a decision win.
Matt Hamill (10-4) vs Roger Hollett (13-3)
Next we head to the light heavyweight division as Matt “The Hammer” Hamill takes on Roger “The Hulk” Hollett. After back to back losses to Rampage Jackson and Alexander Gustafsson, Hamill looks to get back in the win column after what has to qualify as the shortest retirement in UFC history. Hollett makes his UFC debut riding a five-fight win streak. An aggressive fighter, only four of his career fights have made it out of the first round.
Whenever a fighter has an extended layoff, you have to question their conditioning as “Cage Corrosion” is much more than the next YouTube sensation. Luckily for Hamill he’s making his return against someone whose wins have mostly come via submission. Hollett has never faced someone with the Hammer’s wrestling skills and won’t be able to get him in a vulnerable position to finish. Hamill will pin the "Hulk" up against the fence, finish the takedown and show everyone why he's the only man who's been able to defeat Jon Jones (too soon?). TKO in the 2nd.
Michael Bisping (23-4) vs Brian Stann (12-4)
We drop down to middleweight as “Likable” Michael Bisping looks to move another rung closer to the number-one contender spot against Brian “All-American” Stann. Despite a loss to Chael Sonnen in January, Bisping rides a lot of momentum into the fight. Speaking of momentum, Brian Stann has won four of his last five fights (finishing all of them) showcasing the power that has earned him nine career knockouts.
This is a clash of two very different strikers. Stann is a heavy-handed boxer who uses his brute strength and KO power to overwhelm opponents. A more technical kickboxer, Bisping throws more combos and doesn’t seek the big single KO punch. In the grappling department, Bisping gave Chael Sonnen (the best wrestler in the UFC) all he could handle. Stann doesn’t come anywhere close to that. After learning his lesson from the Dan Henderson fight, Bisping will avoid the big right hand, counter effectively and probably even work in a few takedowns of his own. Stann is not one to go away easily and will have flashes here and there of turning the tide, but it won’t be enough. The Count takes this one with 30-27s across the board. The performance won’t earn him a title shot, but his post fight interview will give Josh Koscheck a run for his money for the title of most beloved fighter.
Joseph Benavidez (16-2) vs Demetrious Johnson (15-2-1)
That brings us to the co-main event of the evening. After a slight delay caused by an Australian judge’s poor arithmetic, Joseph Benavidez and Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson will finally decide who becomes UFC flyweight champion. Undefeated against anyone not named Dominick Cruz, Benavidez may be known for his guillotine choke, but he's also shown knockout power, most recently in his semi-final match against Yasuhiro Urushitani. Johnson’s speed and workrate are what helped him earn a spot in the finals. His ability to transition from striking to takedowns has given all his opponents tremendous difficulty.
Both fighters are extremely well-rounded, but you have to give the edge to Benavidez in every department. He has the strength and wrestling to match Johnson grappling and holds a distinct power advantage in the striking department. The rounds will be fast-paced, entertaining and close, but Benavidez will be able to outland Johnson on the feet and negate his takedown attempts. If the flyweight division has shown us anything, it’s been that all of them are hard to put away...except this time. The fight will enter the championship rounds, Mighty Mouse will get more desperate to get the finish and find himself in the aforementioned guillotine choke. Joe B. gets submission in the fourth and sets up Bisping/Benavidez match we’ve been waiting to see.
Jon Jones (16-1) vs Vitor Belfort (21-9)
Now time for the main event! Jon Jones has taken some heat lately for his actions outside the cage, but nobody can deny what he’s done inside it. “Bones” has shown why he’s one of the most dangerous strikers in MMA with dominant wins over names like Rashad Evans, Rampage Jackson, Lyoto Machida and Mauricio Rua. Looking to derail the hype train is the self-proclaimed “young dinosaur” Vitor Belfort. For someone who made his UFC debut in 1997, Belfort finds himself in the position to achieve the most important accomplishment of his entire career.
Even considering Belfort makes the jump to light heavyweight for the first time in years, “The Phenom” still possesses knockout power. That being said, Jones never seems to put himself in vulnerable positions on the feet. Vitor will make it out of the first round, but he’ll push too hard for the big shot, Jones will counter him and that’ll be the end of it. After rolling through Vitor, no one knows what’ll be next for the 25 year old champ, but one thing’s for sure -- people will have plenty to say about it.
Well that wraps up another much anticipated edition of the Downes Side. Be sure to follow me on twitter @dannyboydownes and check out some of my other writing here. Also, be sure to leave your queries, comments and list other things you’ve been longing to tell me during my absence.
Source: http://www.ufc.com/news/the-downes-side-ufc-152-predictions
Heath Herring Branden Lee Hinkle Tank Abbott Hiroyuki Abe Cyril Abidi
24 Hours with Michael Bisping
Watch Episode 3 - Making Weight
Watch Episode 2 - Weigh-In AM
Watch Episode 1 - Presser Day
Watch Episode 2 - Weigh-In AM
Watch Episode 1 - Presser Day
Source: http://www.ufc.com/news/bisping-fight-week-fighter-diaries
Shinya Aoki Andrei Arlovski Ricardo Arona Noboru Asahi Marcus Aurelio
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
‘UFC 153: Silva vs. Bonnar’ Official Trailer
Good news, middleweight king Anderson Silva (Pictured) is returning to the Octagon sooner than expected. Bad news, it’s in a non-title light heavyweight affair against Stephan Bonnar. So, what’s your level of interest in shelling out $54.95 to order “UFC 153: Silva vs. Bonnar” on pay-per-view?
Well, the planet’s most prestigious mixed martial arts promotion has released a promo video for the October 13th event to help whet your appetite.
Heavyweights Dave Herman and Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira serve as the card’s co-featured attraction.
HSBC Arena in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil hosts the fiesta.
Please click the media player below to watch the promo:
Here is the event’s official lineup:
Preliminary Card:
(Facebook 6:45PM ET/3:45PM PT)
Cristiano Marcello vs. Reza Madadi
Luiz Cane vs. Chris Camozzi
Sergio Moraes vs. Renee Forte
(FX 8PM/5PM)
Joey Gambino vs. Diego Brandao
Francisco Trinaldo vs. Gleison Tibau
Gabriel Gonzaga vs. Geronimo dos Santos
Rony “Jason” Bezerra vs. Sam Sicilia
Main Card:
(Pay-Per-View 10PM ET/7PM PT)
Demian Maia vs. Rick Story
Phil Davis vs. Wagner Prado
Jon Fitch vs. Erick Silva
Glover Teixeira vs. Fabio Maldonado
Dave Herman vs. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira
Stephan Bonnar vs. Anderson Silva (Three-round light heavyweight fight)
Source: http://www.5thRound.com/128541/ufc-153-silva-vs-bonnar-official-trailer/
Lee Hasdell Musse Hasselvall Daiki DJ taiki Hata He Peng David Heath
Top 10 Biggest Fights that Never Happened
In MMA’s relatively short life span the sport has missed some intriguing bouts due to promotional shake-ups, retirement, injuries, or simply bad timing. Here’s a look at ten possible pairings most fans would kill to see…
Ken Shamrock vs. Frank Shamrock
Picture 1 of 10
Brother versus brother? What family members would agree to that? Though perhaps not today based on age, if a contract had been set in front of the Shamrock brothers between 2005 and 2008, chances are they both would’ve signed it in a heartbeat. Ken even stated the fight wouldn’t have been about respect but rather putting his adopted brother where he belongs. Talk about sibling rivalry!
Source: http://fiveouncesofpain.com/2012/09/26/top-10-biggest-fights-that-never-happened/
Eddie Alvarez Thiago Alves Andre Amade Dean Amasinger Jimmy Ambriz
The Manuwa Rule: No Decisions
With 10 knockouts in 11 wins as a pro mixed martial artist, Jimi Manuwa has a bit of pop in his punches. Some would call it Tyson-esque. But if you watch the London light heavyweight in action and look at the way his opponents fall down after he hits them, his power brings to mind another knockout artist from the world of boxing: Prince Naseem Hamed. And if you never saw “Naz” in action, suffice to say that when he hit people, they fell in funny ways, like they were drilled with a shotgun and not a gloved fist.
Manuwa, dubbed “The Poster Boy,” has that kind of stopping power. And he knows it.
“Even before I started fighting, I always knew I had power and I was always good at fighting on the streets,” said the unbeaten Manuwa, who makes his UFC debut this Saturday in Nottingham against Kyle Kingsbury. “It’s just self-belief. I know when I hit someone, it hurts. I put combinations together, and you know as a fighter when you hit someone good. I know I have power in every punch and I don’t really do any feeling out or stuff like that; I go straight in.”
That’s talk from a lot of fighters. Not from the 32-year-old Manuwa, who has long been one of England’s most exciting prospects for precisely the reason he pointed out – he goes straight in. The way he fights, it’s kill or be killed, feast or famine, or whatever all or nothing adage you want to use. Yet despite his ferocious attack when it’s fight night, he’s not in this game just to throw hands and pick up a paycheck. His goals are a lot loftier than that.
“I’m not in this just to be a fighter and just to say yeah, I did that,” he said. “I want to be the best in the world, and that’s the type of attitude I have towards anything. In anything you do, you’ve got to be the best in it.”
Early on, he didn’t have that kind of focus. A native of Sacramento, California who moved with his family to Nigeria when he was three before setting in the UK at the age of 10, Manuwa got into his share of trouble growing up, and it wasn’t until he was 28 that he found his way to a MMA gym.
“My first fight I had three weeks’ training,” he laughs. “I did a couple classes, and when I saw my mate fight, I said ‘get me a fight.’ And the next week he came back and said ‘you’ve got a fight in two weeks,’ so I started training for it and I haven’t looked back since.”
That first fight, against Tom King on July 26, 2008, lasted two minutes and 20 seconds, and his opponents after that didn’t fare much better. By late 2011, the UFC came calling, offering Manuwa a spot on the UFC 138 card last November. But he turned it down. With no regrets.
“For one, I was just coming off a long injury, and it was kinda like the wrong time,” he explains. “And at the time, I didn’t feel like I was fully prepared. I wanted to work more on my wrestling and certain other aspects of my game.”
So off he went, back to the gym he opened in Croydon, Lion’s Pride MMA, to work with head coach Dino Miringou and the rest of his team.
“I’ve always liked being business-minded when I was a kid, and I just thought that if I got the opportunity, I’d like to do something like that,” said Manuwa of opening his own gym. “When I first started training, I didn’t have one gym where I could go to and have all the facilities there. I used to go one place for my kickboxing and another place for my jiu-jitsu, I used go to a strength and conditioning coach, I would go somewhere else for wrestling, and I thought it would be good to have everything in one place and have all the coaches working together, and that’s what I’ve created in Lion’s Pride. So I think it’s great for all the up and coming fighters we’ve got to have something that I didn’t have when I started.”
That’s not the only reason he opened the gym, as he knows that if kids (and adults) have an outlet to keep them off the streets and out of trouble, it could create brighter futures instead of dead ends.
“I’m 32,” he said. “I started fighting when I was 28, and before that I was doing business and stuff like that, and before that I was getting in trouble. If I would have started fighting in my early 20s, I could be UFC champion by now, and I could even be retired by now and doing other things. So I think it’s good for a lot of younger people to start early and be the best they can. That’s the only thing I regret – not starting martial arts earlier. There are loads of people like me on the street who can fight, but haven’t got anything good to work for, so it’s giving people the opportunity to go do it. In our gym, we’ve got loads of people that have come off the street, and kids who just left school, and everyone’s working at being champion in their own weight divisions.”
That maturity and forward thinking bodes well for his future in the UFC should the rest of his game catch up to his striking. Not that his last foe, Antony Rea, was able to find out, as a spinning backfist and kick to the head cut the veteran open in their December bout and prompted a stoppage after the first round. After this victory, Manuwa answered the UFC’s call.
“I always knew I was going to end up in the UFC because that’s just my attitude,” he said. “I had no fear of losing or not being recognized to go to the UFC; I always knew that was in the cards, so I just wanted to get a bit more experience and stuff like that, and then make a step.”
This Saturday, that step leads him to Nottingham and what should be an entertaining scrap with the hard-hitting and hard-headed Kingsbury, a fighter who may take Manuwa past the first round for only the third time in his career.
“I always prepare for a 15 minute fight,” said Manuwa. “I’ve worked loads on my cardio and my wrestling, my defense, my offense, and I’m just ready to fight, I don’t care who it is. I respect Kyle Kingsbury a lot and he’s a great fighter; he’s very durable and went three rounds with Stephan Bonnar, who’s very tough as well, and I’m ready for a fight. But my fights never go the distance because I’m not that type of fighter. Everyone knows that.”
If they don’t, they’re about to find out real soon. And Manuwa can’t wait to show them.
“Just look at my fights and look at how I fight,” he said. “That’s why I’m in the UFC. I don’t mess about. I come to do the business and I don’t come to win rounds, I come to win the fight and finish the fight. I don’t do decisions.”
Manuwa, dubbed “The Poster Boy,” has that kind of stopping power. And he knows it.
“Even before I started fighting, I always knew I had power and I was always good at fighting on the streets,” said the unbeaten Manuwa, who makes his UFC debut this Saturday in Nottingham against Kyle Kingsbury. “It’s just self-belief. I know when I hit someone, it hurts. I put combinations together, and you know as a fighter when you hit someone good. I know I have power in every punch and I don’t really do any feeling out or stuff like that; I go straight in.”
That’s talk from a lot of fighters. Not from the 32-year-old Manuwa, who has long been one of England’s most exciting prospects for precisely the reason he pointed out – he goes straight in. The way he fights, it’s kill or be killed, feast or famine, or whatever all or nothing adage you want to use. Yet despite his ferocious attack when it’s fight night, he’s not in this game just to throw hands and pick up a paycheck. His goals are a lot loftier than that.
“I’m not in this just to be a fighter and just to say yeah, I did that,” he said. “I want to be the best in the world, and that’s the type of attitude I have towards anything. In anything you do, you’ve got to be the best in it.”
Early on, he didn’t have that kind of focus. A native of Sacramento, California who moved with his family to Nigeria when he was three before setting in the UK at the age of 10, Manuwa got into his share of trouble growing up, and it wasn’t until he was 28 that he found his way to a MMA gym.
“My first fight I had three weeks’ training,” he laughs. “I did a couple classes, and when I saw my mate fight, I said ‘get me a fight.’ And the next week he came back and said ‘you’ve got a fight in two weeks,’ so I started training for it and I haven’t looked back since.”
That first fight, against Tom King on July 26, 2008, lasted two minutes and 20 seconds, and his opponents after that didn’t fare much better. By late 2011, the UFC came calling, offering Manuwa a spot on the UFC 138 card last November. But he turned it down. With no regrets.
“For one, I was just coming off a long injury, and it was kinda like the wrong time,” he explains. “And at the time, I didn’t feel like I was fully prepared. I wanted to work more on my wrestling and certain other aspects of my game.”
So off he went, back to the gym he opened in Croydon, Lion’s Pride MMA, to work with head coach Dino Miringou and the rest of his team.
“I’ve always liked being business-minded when I was a kid, and I just thought that if I got the opportunity, I’d like to do something like that,” said Manuwa of opening his own gym. “When I first started training, I didn’t have one gym where I could go to and have all the facilities there. I used to go one place for my kickboxing and another place for my jiu-jitsu, I used go to a strength and conditioning coach, I would go somewhere else for wrestling, and I thought it would be good to have everything in one place and have all the coaches working together, and that’s what I’ve created in Lion’s Pride. So I think it’s great for all the up and coming fighters we’ve got to have something that I didn’t have when I started.”
That’s not the only reason he opened the gym, as he knows that if kids (and adults) have an outlet to keep them off the streets and out of trouble, it could create brighter futures instead of dead ends.
“I’m 32,” he said. “I started fighting when I was 28, and before that I was doing business and stuff like that, and before that I was getting in trouble. If I would have started fighting in my early 20s, I could be UFC champion by now, and I could even be retired by now and doing other things. So I think it’s good for a lot of younger people to start early and be the best they can. That’s the only thing I regret – not starting martial arts earlier. There are loads of people like me on the street who can fight, but haven’t got anything good to work for, so it’s giving people the opportunity to go do it. In our gym, we’ve got loads of people that have come off the street, and kids who just left school, and everyone’s working at being champion in their own weight divisions.”
That maturity and forward thinking bodes well for his future in the UFC should the rest of his game catch up to his striking. Not that his last foe, Antony Rea, was able to find out, as a spinning backfist and kick to the head cut the veteran open in their December bout and prompted a stoppage after the first round. After this victory, Manuwa answered the UFC’s call.
“I always knew I was going to end up in the UFC because that’s just my attitude,” he said. “I had no fear of losing or not being recognized to go to the UFC; I always knew that was in the cards, so I just wanted to get a bit more experience and stuff like that, and then make a step.”
This Saturday, that step leads him to Nottingham and what should be an entertaining scrap with the hard-hitting and hard-headed Kingsbury, a fighter who may take Manuwa past the first round for only the third time in his career.
“I always prepare for a 15 minute fight,” said Manuwa. “I’ve worked loads on my cardio and my wrestling, my defense, my offense, and I’m just ready to fight, I don’t care who it is. I respect Kyle Kingsbury a lot and he’s a great fighter; he’s very durable and went three rounds with Stephan Bonnar, who’s very tough as well, and I’m ready for a fight. But my fights never go the distance because I’m not that type of fighter. Everyone knows that.”
If they don’t, they’re about to find out real soon. And Manuwa can’t wait to show them.
“Just look at my fights and look at how I fight,” he said. “That’s why I’m in the UFC. I don’t mess about. I come to do the business and I don’t come to win rounds, I come to win the fight and finish the fight. I don’t do decisions.”
Source: http://www.ufc.com/news/The-Manuwa-Rule-No-Decisions
Demetrious Johnson reflects on making history at UFC 152 with flyweight title win
During Demetrious Johnson’s win over Joseph Benavidez at UFC 152 it became apparent Johnson had a speed advantage over his adversary. In fact, even commentator Joe Rogan mentioned the story of the fight was the speed of Johnson, a notion “Mighty Mouse was quick to agree with as well when asked about the co-headlining clash.
“When Joseph starts to duck his head a little bit at me, I can tell that he’s about to throw that overhand right. There were a couple of times where I actually stayed in the pocket, and I blocked it just by raising my hand up because it’s such a wild punch,” Johnson told Sherdog. “It’s not coming straight down the pipe, so you can get away with having your arms wide out. It worked out to my advantage. You could see them coming because Joseph likes to bury his feet and duck his head when he throws.”
Johnson continued by saying the Benavidez fight went exactly the way he thought it would, explaining, “Joseph Benavidez is a tough competitor. He likes to throw those big haymakers, and when I watched the fight, I thought I did a great job making him miss a whole lot. I wish I could have stayed in the pocket a little more to make him pay for missing. He missed a lot of shots and he got away with just missing.”
The Split Decision win over Benavidez resulted in the 26-year old becoming the UFC’s first flyweight champion. Despite the closeness of the scorecards, one of the few times Johnson was really in trouble came in the fourth round when Benavidez mounted him with a Guillotine Choke sunk in. Still, Johnson said he never panicked and felt comfortable the entire time.
“It was nowhere near close,” revealed Johnson. “The choke was a good application around my neck, but other than that, I was nowhere near close to going out. We trained that a lot at AMC. I mean, for 10 weeks straight. There’s been a couple of times during training camp where I almost bit through my lip because guys were trying to crank on it.”
Johnson concluded by saying he was unsure how the judges were going to score it before Bruce Buffer announced the results, but he personally felt like he’d won the fight. Upon second review he still feels the same way.
“When you look at mixed martial arts, you look at every aspect of the game. I felt that I won every aspect. The stand-up, I felt that I had the cleaner strikes, the better counterattacks. Takedown defense, I think I defended the majority of his takedowns. He dropped me once, but I recovered. I defended all of his submission attempts. I took him down multiple times, had a couple of good slams in there,” said the proud member of UFC history. “When you look on paper, I felt that I won that fight. It looks like the judges got it right.”
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
Michael Bisping Dan Bobish Vagam Bodjukyan Kotetsu Boku Tony Bonello
Armbars, Americanas, title shots and more: UFC 152 notes
A few observations and notes as you decompress from UFC 152:
-- Did you gasp when Vitor Belfort hit the armbar early in his loss to Jon Jones? Because I did, and I'm still amazed Jones was not injured. It's one of the few times he's been in danger, and his ability to get out of the submission was impressive.
-- Jones' fourth-round Americana submission earned him the $65,000 submission of the night bonus. The other bonuses went to Cub Swanson for his knockout of Charles Oliveira, and T.J. Grant and Evan Dunham for their bloody fight of the night.
-- At the post-fight press conference, UFC president Dana White said a fight between Michael Bisping and UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva could be interesting. Nothing in Bisping's win over Stann would indicate that to be so.
-- Demetrious Johnson winning the flyweight championship will go down in the record books because he's the first-ever 125-lb champ. But it should also be remembered for the fantastic speed shown by Johnson as he picked apart the very tough Joseph Benavidez.
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