Thinking about the Galaxy S3.
Any thoughts?
Any thoughts?
Source: http://ninjashoes.net/forum/showthread.php?79320-Which-Adroid-phone-should-I-get&goto=newpost
Edwin Dewees Nick Diaz Tadhg Steamfist Dixon Joe Doerksen Chris Dolman
Friday, October 5, 2012
Thursday, October 4, 2012
Benson Henderson talks about fighting close to home, network television pressures and soccer moms
UFC lightweight champion Benson Henderson will get to fight Nate Diaz at the next UFC on Fox card. Henderson talked to Cagewriter about how he is excited about the chance to fight at home, what network television means to him, and soccer moms.
Henderson's fight is the main event at UFC on Fox 5 in the Key Arena, the former home of the Seattle Supersonics. He grew up just a half hour from the arena and went to basketball games there, but he has never fought in his home state. His previous visits to the Key Arena were as a fan.
"I didn't have the money to go to a ton of Sonics games, but when I went, I would go to Key Arena. Not only my first time ever in Washington, but to have it in Seattle. Not only in Seattle, but to have it in Key Arena. Not only is it in Key Arena, but I'm the main event."
Expect to hear a crowd squarely in Henderson's corner.
"Five minutes after they announced it, I had 20 calls and texts. I've got a ton of messages and tweets and emails from my buddies. There's going to be a large pro-Ben Henderson crowd."
The last time Henderson was on a Fox card, his fight didn't make the network airing. His bout with Clay Guida was on the undercard of the UFC's first fight on Fox. The only bout that was on Fox was Junior dos Santos' quick knockout of Cain Velasquez. This time, Henderson knows he'll make the airing because his fight is the main event.
"This time on Fox, I get to be the actual guy on Fox, so I'm really excited about that. My first time on Fox, it was the first time the UFC was on Fox and it was so hyped and it was so big, and then, I wasn't really on Fox. They didn't show me, and it was so hyped up. I'm stoked this time to be the main event."
But he says fighting on network television in front of a home crowd doesn't put more pressure on him.
"There's no additional pressure. The pressure I place on myself, the standards I hold myself to are higher than anyone else's."
In fact, Henderson is happy to get back to more accessible television. While fighting for World Extreme Cagefighting, Henderson would appear on cable TV regularly as his fights would often be rerun on Versus. This ended up winning him fans from surprising backgrounds.
"A few times I've been shocked by the people who recognize me. And not because their kid is a fan, but they are fans. Soccer moms will say to me, 'I saw you on TV the other day! I love watching you!' and I'll ask, 'Did you watch with your son?' and they say, 'No, I was flipping channels while I was cooking dinner and I started watching you.' That's happened a bunch of times. Going through my local grocery store, and I met a lady whose a crazy fan. She always watches. She saw from when I was on Versus. I think it's cool when fans you wouldn't expect are huge fans of MMA. They wouldn't normally buy a pay-per-view, but they see it on TV and become huge fans of it. "
Joe Hybrid Duarte Aldrin de Jesus Todd Duffee Marvin Eastman Stav Crazy Bear Economou
Marcus LeVesseur - Prepping for a Blockbuster Hit at Home
A common literary technique is for the hero to first stumble and fall when within reach of their goal to only make it more triumphant when they return and succeed in their second attempt when the stakes are that much higher. While that always works out great for fictional characters, it takes a lot of sacrifice and effort for a real athlete and a real fighter to accomplish such a storybook ending. That’s the simplified plot outline UFC lightweight Marcus “The Prospect” LeVesseur is entrenched in as he lost his debut, but is coming back stronger to win in his hometown of Minneapolis, Minnesota at UFC on FX 5. “For me as a mixed martial arts fighter, to fight at the highest pinnacle - the UFC - in my hometown, it feels like it was scripted,” tells LeVesseur. “I'm just excited to get a chance to fight again, and then my hometown adds an extra bonus and extra fire. It's a dream come true. I'm just looking forward to it. It's a fight, 15 minutes to go the distance. I fought the majority of my fights here, in state, and I'm used to my routine. Yes, it's for the UFC, it's a big show, it's X amount of thousands of people that are going to be there, but it's a home fight for me. I don't know if I'll have a clear advantage because it's a home fight, but that's how I feel. I couldn't script it any better for my bounce back opportunity.”
At 30 years old with a professional record of 21-6, LeVesseur’s initial appearance inside the Octagon was all too quick and disappointing in a first round submission loss to Cody McKenzie in May. Stepping up for an injured Aaron Riley on three weeks’ notice, he fully admits that the infamous UFC “jitters” hit him hard entering the cage, which he did not expect given his plethora of past experience in MMA and, prior to that, wrestling. Although the “McKenzietine” is a powerful weapon, ultimately, LeVesseur didn’t defend against it properly, as his nervousness exceeded his preparedness.
“Obviously, he has that one move that is very successful for him,” believes LeVesseur. “Nothing to knock him at all, he is very talented with that particular situational position. I didn't overlook him, we trained for that position. But I think the 'jitters' got caught in my head and my judgment. When he first had it on, I felt good and safe. Then he repositioned, got me off balance, and, boom, it was over. Looking back at that, you have to have a clear mind and you have to be mentally moving as well as keeping your body physically moving, whereas in that position at that time, my mind was moving, but not my body. I just kind of froze.”
On a ten scale, LeVesseur rated his own performance a 2 out of 10, but recognizes that it got his feet wet in the UFC and he’s ready to show off who he really is as a fighter. “I'm pretty explosive, I'm fast, I'm powerful, I'm strong, a pretty good wrestler with high impact takedowns, and I like to think that I'm a pretty intelligent, well-rounded fighter,” says LeVesseur, who is not one to brag, but is underselling himself in almost every one of those mentioned areas. As a “pretty good wrestler”, LeVesseur was a 4x NCAA Division III National Champion and cultivated a perfect 155-0 winning streak at Augsburg College in Minneapolis. In addition, “The Prospect” won 4 state championships in high school and with that combined, “the streak” was 296-0.
“It was kind of like a videogame,” explains LeVesseur. “If you master a character on a videogame, and you go to compete against your friends or online, you're going to win a lot of those battles. Same thing applied with me and wrestling. I mastered my wrestling style and I knew what my opponents had against me and that I could stop it. I knew if my opponent had his right leg forward or his left leg forward I knew what I could do against them. I've pretty much mastered my own wrestling style, which was a huge advantage for me compiling the streak.”
Being that wildly successful in any endeavor requires sacrifices. Wrestling was like a full-time job for LeVesseur in both high school and college. He trained endlessly regardless of wrestling being in season or not. LeVesseur sacrificed his opportunity of going to the University of Minnesota to instead go to a smaller school to wrestle more. Those choices were difficult to make, but LeVesseur believes they were for the best and, now, he is applying that same mindset to his cagefighting career.
“Maybe two or three years ago, I remember being in the MMA world, not knowing if I was going to make it, trying to make it, wanting to make it,” discloses LeVesseur. “You get kind of sidetracked, or at least I did. As of lately, I thoroughly understand the sacrifices. I'm doing the things I should be doing now, and I'm not doing the things I shouldn't be doing. My biggest opportunity now is being in the UFC and I'm fully aware of that. My sacrifice now, I need to make as much time for training, so I can perform well when they call my name. Life is about sacrifices. We have the option to walk down the straight path or to turn right or left onto an incorrect path. To stay on that path, you have to sacrifice all the other influences.”
Up next is an October 5th hometown showdown with Brazilian jiu-jitsu ace Carlo Prater at UFC on FX. The Brazilian veteran is looking to rebound from his own unfortunate loss at the May event against Canadian grappler TJ Grant. A BJJ black belt with 16 of his wins via submission, Prater has a wealth of MMA experience, with notable wins over several UFC stars like Melvin Guillard, Spencer Fisher, and Carlos Condit in smaller organizations. Prater is an obvious threat on the ground, but LeVesseur is ready to take the fight to him on the mat in front of a Minnesota crowd.
“He's a tough dude,” admits LeVesseur. “He's a veteran, he's well-rounded, and on the ground with his jiu-jitsu he's a shark. We have done a lot of good gameplanning to counteract his jiu-jitsu. I'm not going to be afraid to take this down, but when I take him down I need to make sure I land in proper position, so he won't be able to sweep me, toss and turn me, or do any offense from his back. Other than that, he's a tough dude and it's going to be a good fight. Hopefully he thinks I'm a wrestler and I'm going to take him down because, yeah, I'm going to take him down. But before I take him down, I'm going to try and punch him in his face as hard as I can.”
As all UFC bouts are unique like pristine snowflakes, LeVesseur has added confidence that he can take advantage of Prater on the ground as Grant did. “We watched that fight, we've watched that fight probably over 100 times, and we see a lot of openings and things that he was able to do well, but we see things that he wasn't about to do well because of TJ Grant's positioning and his control,” says LeVesseur, who knows he cannot simply mimic what Grant did because it’s likely Prater has learned from his own mistakes. “I'm positive he's watched his own fight as well and has made sure to correct those things, especially going against another wrestler, but anything can happen and it's my job to make him revert to those bad habits and it's his job to not allow me to. He's very talented on the ground and I'm a good wrestler. A lot of times, those two disciplines cross each other and this might be a standup fight and we're totally prepared there too.”
Keeping LeVesseur sharp are the skilled martial artists of The Cellar Fight & Fitness gym in St. Anthony, Minnesota. On the feet, Chris Cichon is a multiple IKF kickboxing champion and has represented the USA multiple times in international competitions. On the ground, Marcelo Nunes is a BJJ black belt under Robert Drysdale. The eventual goal is for LeVesseur to feel like a videogame character again in the Octagon as he once did on the wrestling mat. It’s a process that requires him to make sacrifices both in and out of the cage to remain on that correct path to success.
“I'm not there and I've got a lot of growing to do in this sport,” reveals LeVesseur. “But I feel very confident where I'm at right now. I have a good idea of what I do best. With my offense, there are just some things I like to do naturally. With mixed martial arts, the biggest thing you need to do is to be able to adapt. We've been working on a lot of adapting because nothing is going to go as perfectly as it is planned, and if it does, then amen and thank God for that. You have to adapt; I think that's the biggest thing in this sport. Once you adapt, how fast can you find your path back? We've been working on the worst possible situations ever and how we can get back on course and fighting the fight I want to fight. I think that's going to be the biggest key here is to knock [Carlo Prater] off his course and to keep him off his course.”
This Friday in the Twin Cities, “The Prospect” will square off against Prater in a second chance to make a good first impression in his hometown. “For his sake, hopefully he doesn't overlook me,” states LeVesseur, who knows his debut was a box office disaster and is aiming to make the sequel a blockbuster hit. “I'm hoping he's not resting on his laurels thinking this is going to be an easy tap out because he will be in for a rude awakening. I'm pumped about it. It's going to be like New Year’s Eve that Friday in the city and I get to be one of the fighters that is making it like that and I'm thankful and I'm ready to give it my all.”
An exciting win at UFC on FX will be the ideal ending to this part of LeVesseur’s story. Fade to black, roll credits, and fight fans will look forward to the next one.
Source: http://www.ufc.com/news/Marcus-LeVesseur-Prepping-for-a-Blockbuster-Hit-at-Home
Logan The Pink Pounder Clark Steve The Snake Claveau Rich No Love Clementi Mark The Hammer Coleman Wes Soldier Combs
ENNIS: Lay of the Land - The UFC's Flyweight Division (October 2012, Part One)
By: Shawn Ennis, MMATorch Senior Columnist
This will be the first of two parts breaking down the UFC's flyweight division.
With Demetrious Johnson winning the UFC's inaugural Flyweight Title fight, Zuffa ushers in yet another champion in yet another lighter weight class. Whether the division can sell is one thing – but how deep is the division? How much work does the UFC need to do in order to make it more viable? Those are some questions we'll start answering today. Let's take a look at the top of the division and the up and comers.
THE CHAMP
Demetrious Johnson (16-2-1): The new Flyweight Champ has taken his lumps over the past couple of weeks from several MMA commentators for his "point fighting" style. He's probably also garnered an equal amount of praise for his ability to hit and not be hit. It seems to be a never-ending conversation in MMA circles when a fighter has success with an elusive style that doesn't lend itself to finishing fights. But the fact is that Johnson's record thus far is almost unimpeachable. With losses coming only to Dominick Cruz and Brad Pickett, two top-ten bantamweights, Johnson finds himself undefeated in his newfound weight class of 125 pounds, but will face a bevy of up-and-coming talent who will likely be able to test just how elusive "Mighty Mouse" can be, and for how long.
THE CONTENDERS
None at the moment – see the next section for the contender fight.
A STEP OR TWO AWAY
John Dodson (13-5): It was never in doubt when during Dodson's stint on The Ultimate Fighter that he had staying power in the UFC. The only question was how long it would be until the UFC went forward with the flyweight division, and whether Dodson would even need to fight at bantamweight once the series was over. One of the favorites to win the season, Dodson did just that with a quick and convincing knockout of Team Alpha Male product TJ Dillashaw. Now with a win over Tim Elliott under his belt, Dodson will face Jussier da Silva at UFC on FX 5 this weekend for a shot at the newly-crowned champion.
Jussier da Silva (14-1): Considering the fact that the flyweight division is less than a year old in the UFC, the situation opens up opportunities for fighters who have never fought under the Zuffa umbrella to climb the contender ranks quickly. Case in point: Jussier da Silva. Da Silva has never fought in the UFC, but stands to earn a title shot if he can get past John Dodson this weekend. Following a decision loss to Ian McCall last year, da Silva has won five straight fights with the last four coming by way of submission. He also holds wins over a couple of top 15 flyweights in Mamoru Yamaguchi and Shinichi Kojima. Da Silva reminds me a bit of Rani Yahya. He doesn't have the punching power of a Dodson, but he has decent takedowns and once he's on the ground, he is relentless in looking for submissions. This should prove an interesting matchup for Dodson, who is a good wrestler with knockout power. The question will be whether da Silva is able to get it to the floor, and if so, how well will Dodson's defensive grappling hold up? This should be an excellent fight that can go either way, and it's mind-blowing to me that the UFC has barely said word one about it. (Though it's not as if the promotion for this particular card is all that great either, but that's another story.) I think Dodson probably holds on for a decision win in this one, depending on whether he can tag da Silva enough on the feet to hurt him. Neither fighter has ever been stopped, though I wouldn't say that a finish is out of the question here. Either way, it's a fight you'll want to see.
UP AND COMERS
John Moraga (11-1): When Moraga made his UFC debut in the undercard of the fourth Fox card, it was his opponent, Ulysses Gomez, garnering praise and hype from Joe Rogan. Under four minutes after the fight started, Moraga had done the old "hot knife through butter" routine, and he ensured that he'd be the one receiving praise the next time he came to the cage. Moraga was able to use his wrestling background to keep the fight standing against the submission specialist Gomez, and it paid big dividends as he ended the fight with a brutal finishing sequence. Moraga was originally scheduled to face Ian McCall in his UFC debut, and that would be a great fight to schedule for them next.
Louis Gaudinot (6-2): Don't look now, but here's another prospect from season 14 of TUF that was ready to drop to flyweight. From what we saw out of Gaudinot in his flyweight debut against John Lineker, he could very well be legit. With the division being so young, it's hard to say one way or another at Gaudinot's level who should be ranked over whom, but it's not too big a stretch to imagine Gaudinot already in the top 15 or so. With his win over Lineker, he showed great resiliency in weathering a brutal assault with body punches and locking up a fight-ending guillotine that caused Lineker to lose consciousness, along with his 13-fight win streak. Another plus about the flyweight division is that we'll find out soon who belongs at the top. Gaudinot would make a good opponent for Tim Elliott, who was game in his late-replacement fight against Dodson, or you it wouldn't be out of the question to match him up with a guy like Chris Cariaso, who flies under the radar but is quietly very good.
Next week we'll tackle the rest of the flyweight division, which I grant you will not take long. The UFC only has 14 flyweights on the roster right now, but we'll look at whom they might bring in to bolster the ranks a bit as well.
Got something to say? Hit me up on Twitter – @shawnennis – or email me: ennistorch(at)gmail.com, or you can leave a comment below.
 |
With Demetrious Johnson winning the UFC's inaugural Flyweight Title fight, Zuffa ushers in yet another champion in yet another lighter weight class. Whether the division can sell is one thing – but how deep is the division? How much work does the UFC need to do in order to make it more viable? Those are some questions we'll start answering today. Let's take a look at the top of the division and the up and comers.
THE CHAMP
Demetrious Johnson (16-2-1): The new Flyweight Champ has taken his lumps over the past couple of weeks from several MMA commentators for his "point fighting" style. He's probably also garnered an equal amount of praise for his ability to hit and not be hit. It seems to be a never-ending conversation in MMA circles when a fighter has success with an elusive style that doesn't lend itself to finishing fights. But the fact is that Johnson's record thus far is almost unimpeachable. With losses coming only to Dominick Cruz and Brad Pickett, two top-ten bantamweights, Johnson finds himself undefeated in his newfound weight class of 125 pounds, but will face a bevy of up-and-coming talent who will likely be able to test just how elusive "Mighty Mouse" can be, and for how long.
THE CONTENDERS
None at the moment – see the next section for the contender fight.
A STEP OR TWO AWAY
John Dodson (13-5): It was never in doubt when during Dodson's stint on The Ultimate Fighter that he had staying power in the UFC. The only question was how long it would be until the UFC went forward with the flyweight division, and whether Dodson would even need to fight at bantamweight once the series was over. One of the favorites to win the season, Dodson did just that with a quick and convincing knockout of Team Alpha Male product TJ Dillashaw. Now with a win over Tim Elliott under his belt, Dodson will face Jussier da Silva at UFC on FX 5 this weekend for a shot at the newly-crowned champion.
Jussier da Silva (14-1): Considering the fact that the flyweight division is less than a year old in the UFC, the situation opens up opportunities for fighters who have never fought under the Zuffa umbrella to climb the contender ranks quickly. Case in point: Jussier da Silva. Da Silva has never fought in the UFC, but stands to earn a title shot if he can get past John Dodson this weekend. Following a decision loss to Ian McCall last year, da Silva has won five straight fights with the last four coming by way of submission. He also holds wins over a couple of top 15 flyweights in Mamoru Yamaguchi and Shinichi Kojima. Da Silva reminds me a bit of Rani Yahya. He doesn't have the punching power of a Dodson, but he has decent takedowns and once he's on the ground, he is relentless in looking for submissions. This should prove an interesting matchup for Dodson, who is a good wrestler with knockout power. The question will be whether da Silva is able to get it to the floor, and if so, how well will Dodson's defensive grappling hold up? This should be an excellent fight that can go either way, and it's mind-blowing to me that the UFC has barely said word one about it. (Though it's not as if the promotion for this particular card is all that great either, but that's another story.) I think Dodson probably holds on for a decision win in this one, depending on whether he can tag da Silva enough on the feet to hurt him. Neither fighter has ever been stopped, though I wouldn't say that a finish is out of the question here. Either way, it's a fight you'll want to see.
UP AND COMERS
John Moraga (11-1): When Moraga made his UFC debut in the undercard of the fourth Fox card, it was his opponent, Ulysses Gomez, garnering praise and hype from Joe Rogan. Under four minutes after the fight started, Moraga had done the old "hot knife through butter" routine, and he ensured that he'd be the one receiving praise the next time he came to the cage. Moraga was able to use his wrestling background to keep the fight standing against the submission specialist Gomez, and it paid big dividends as he ended the fight with a brutal finishing sequence. Moraga was originally scheduled to face Ian McCall in his UFC debut, and that would be a great fight to schedule for them next.
Louis Gaudinot (6-2): Don't look now, but here's another prospect from season 14 of TUF that was ready to drop to flyweight. From what we saw out of Gaudinot in his flyweight debut against John Lineker, he could very well be legit. With the division being so young, it's hard to say one way or another at Gaudinot's level who should be ranked over whom, but it's not too big a stretch to imagine Gaudinot already in the top 15 or so. With his win over Lineker, he showed great resiliency in weathering a brutal assault with body punches and locking up a fight-ending guillotine that caused Lineker to lose consciousness, along with his 13-fight win streak. Another plus about the flyweight division is that we'll find out soon who belongs at the top. Gaudinot would make a good opponent for Tim Elliott, who was game in his late-replacement fight against Dodson, or you it wouldn't be out of the question to match him up with a guy like Chris Cariaso, who flies under the radar but is quietly very good.
Next week we'll tackle the rest of the flyweight division, which I grant you will not take long. The UFC only has 14 flyweights on the roster right now, but we'll look at whom they might bring in to bolster the ranks a bit as well.
Got something to say? Hit me up on Twitter – @shawnennis – or email me: ennistorch(at)gmail.com, or you can leave a comment below.
Source: http://www.mmatorch.com/artman2/publish/Ennistake/article_14574.shtml
Luiz Buscapé Firmino Spencer Fisher Jon Fitch Kenny Florian Jesse Forbes
Saadulaev vs Tokoro at Dream New Year 2011 - Dream
HDNet Fights - Dream New Year 2011: Yusup Saadulaev vs Hideo TokoroSource: http://mmalice.com/dream/saadulaev-vs-tokoro-at-dream-new-year-2011-video_d7f45aea9.html
Stephan Bonnar Lorenzo Borgomeo Kyle Bradley Jai Bradney Ebenezer Fontes Braga
UFC on FUEL TV 5 Struve vs. Miocic – Video Highlights
In the main event of UFC on FUEL TV 5 Stefan Struve would hand Stipe Miocic the first loss of his career with a second round technical knockout. A back-and-forth first round saw both heavyweights land solid shots with Miocic having success working the body of the 7-foot Struve. However, “Skyscaper” Struve would take over in the second round as he began to pick apart Miocic. Struve rocked Miocic with a sharp right then followed up with a flurry of uppercuts that led to the stoppage by the referee.
UFC on FUEL TV 5 Struve vs. Miocic – Video Highlights is a post from: MMA Interplay UFC News
Source: http://www.mmainterplay.com/ufc-news/ufc-on-fuel-tv-5-struve-vs-miocic-video-highlights-59732/
Ian Freeman Don Frye Tony Fryklund Kazuyuki Fujita Masakatsu Funaki
Greg Valentine Posts Explanation For No-Showing Event
WWE Hall of Famer Greg “The Hammer” Valentine offered an explanation on his Facebook page for no-showing Great North Wrestling’s Randy Savage tribute show on Sept. 3 in Hawkesbury, Ontario, Canada after the organization paid $2,000 for his services.
Here is my Official Statement on my Canada Booking. I hope this clears things up.
I was booked for the Macho Man Memorial Show in Canada. That’s true. I told the promoter I was coming. That’s true. I received my deposit from the promoter. That’s true. Now let me clear some things up…
A few days before the scheduled booking, my mother-n-law had to go into the hospital for an emergency surgery. I sent my wife, Julie, to Nashville to be by her side. I stayed back in Tampa to continue with my weekend booking schedule. I called the promoter when I saw my flight itinerary. He had me on a 715 flight to Miami from Tampa, then Miami to Chicago, then Chicago to Ottawa, then a couple hour drive to the show, plus going thru customs when I land…which can take an hour for me to get thru.
When I saw this, I called the promoter and left the message that many of you heard. I asked for the remainder of the money if I was going to be jumping on THREE different airplanes to get to this event. And yes, I promised him I would be there. Now what you need to understand is this… My message to him was stern. I was angry. My wife was a bundle of nerves because she is seeing her mother suffer. I was not with her, and I now have a flight schedule that is beyond crazy. Last time I went there I didn’t need to go on THREE planes to get there. So, with all that being said, I was stressed out, and I do apologize to the fans who heard the voice mail that I left. The pressure got the best of me and I used language I shouldn’t have. We all make mistakes.
This is what then unfolded as the reason I did not show up… The promoter sent me the remainder of the money as I asked. I was going to his booking as I promised him…even though I was under a lot of pressure with what has been going on with my mother-n-law (something that the promoter knew about). The morning of the booking came, I was still going. I then got a call from my wife in Nashville that her mom was given 2 days to live. That did it for me. How can I, as a husband, NOT be with my wife and mother-n-law, and the rest of the family? What would you do? If you were a son or daughter of adult age, and had a vacation scheduled, but your Mom or Dad was given two days to live…would you still go away on your vacation, or put things in priority order, and be with your family?
As I write this to you, I am with the family in Nashville, filling my days with my wife and the rest of the family at my mother-n-law’s bedside. It’s been 2 days already and she is still with us, but I attribute that to the many fans and friends who have been praying for her. I have received numerous emails expressing your concern and support in my situation.
If the promoter is angry, and out to try and hurt my reputation, shame on him. I called him and apologized for not being able to come, and TOLD HIM I was not going to make it because of the news we got from the hospital the morning of the show… that her death was expected. I even went as far to tell him that I would return the money he sent…all of it, and I STILL stand by it. When I return to Tampa, I will be heading to my bank and mailing him the money. This was never the issue, so why he had to go off and try to hurt me at a time where we are having a tragedy in our family, I don’t know.
What tends to hurt me the most, is that I asked him to please tell the fans that I was sorry and that i was not going to be able to make it to the event. I purposely made sure that he would express that to the fans who came out to see me, and to celebrate the life of Randy Savage. Instead, he tells everyone that I pulled a “No show”. He didn’t give any reason for my absence, just told people I didn’t show up. This is not how I operate. However, when push comes to shove with family, family will always win out.
That is the truth. This is what happened. Yes, I did not like the flight itinerary, and I did ask him for the balance of my payoff, but that had nothing to do with me not being there. It was getting the news that my mother-n-law was about to die that caused me to decide not to go the day of. As stated earlier, my mother-n-law seems to be doing better, and I thank you all for praying. I believe that is the only reason why. For those that got offended, I do apologize, and I do hope to see you again one day soon. Thank you for your support throughout this time, and for being such dedicated fans and friends.
-Greg “The Hammer” Valentine
Source: http://www.ifight365.com/2011/09/greg-valentine-posts-explanation-for-no-showing-event/
Jermaine Andrè Yoji Anjo Ao Hailin Shinya Aoki Andrei Arlovski
Dan Hardy: “I’ve got a long way to go, a lot to improve.”
UFC welterweight Dan Hardy has a number of knockouts to his credit. However, despite the finishes Hardy may have never looked as impressive as he did this weekend in an outpointing of Amir Sadollah at UFC on Fuel 5. Hardy’s striking was crisp as it typically is, but his overall approach to victory was much more controlled than usual and he even incorporated a number of takedowns into his attack.
However, as happy as Hardy was about being able to win in front of his fellow Nottingham natives, the 30-year old admitted he didn’t execute as well as he’d hoped he would.
“I’ve got these skills now. I’ve been working on them for a year. I didn’t get to use them in my last fight, fortunately, so they were the surprise card in this one,” began Hardy in a post-fight interview with Fuel TV before adding, “I’ve got a long way to go, a lot to improve.”
Hardy elaborated by saying there were a few areas he’d worked on in training but wasn’t able to successfully implement come showtime. Regardless of his self-critique, Hardy was all smiles in general and genuinely appreciative of the opportunity to continue fighting for the UFC when it looked like he might be cut after dropping four bouts in a row.
Fan-Favorite Hardy Says He Wouldn’t Change Losing Streak if Given the Chance
“First and foremost, I’m a huge UFC fan. I love this organization. To be able to come out and fight for the UFC fan is just an honor,” he explained. “It’s something I’ll remember for the rest of my life. I’ll always dig my heels in and fight my best for them.”
“The Outlaw” improved his overall record to 25-10 with the win over Sadollah, the second straight since his four-fight slide with the other involving an opening round finish of Duane Ludwig.
Check out the complete interview with Hardy below:
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
TweetJosé Aldo John Alessio Houston Alexander Ricardo Almeida Eddie Alvarez
The Blueprint - Browne vs. Bigfoot
Antonio Silva is one big dude. That is why he is adorned with the nickname “Bigfoot.” The Brazilian is six-feet, four-inches tall and cuts weight to make the UFC’s 265-pound heavyweight limit. And his hands, when clenched, more closely resemble sledgehammer heads than fists.It’s rare that Bigfoot finds himself facing a similarly sized man in competition. But that is precisely what will happen on Friday night, when Silva returns to the Octagon for a second time. Travis Browne might be a dozen or so pounds lighter than his foe, but he is three inches taller. Thus, Silva will be looking up at Browne when the action gets underway, something he hasn’t often had to do in his professional fighting career.
I’m not sure what any of that means, other than two giants will be fighting in the main event of Friday’s FX broadcast. The far more relevant question is whether Browne will continue to separate himself from the heavyweight pack, as he searches for his first opportunity at UFC gold. That will be no easy task, because Silva is a rough and tumble heavyweight, who just so happens to sport black belts in Brazilian jiu-jitsu, karate and judo, a great combination for mixed martial arts success.
The only black belt Browne owns is the one that holds up his trousers when wearing black shoes. But that is OK. He isn’t worried about the non-MMA accomplishments of his opponents. He is more interested in learning if Silva can pass the chin checker test. “Hapa” is a master of asking that question.
It’s a question that many believe that Silva won’t be able to answer. The Brazilian has been knocked out three times in his career, including in each of his last two fights. The reason for that is a simple one. The monstrous heavyweight might be a great offensive fighter. But he is only average, to below average, when it comes to defending strikes.
Silva’s head movement is almost nonexistent. His footwork is good, but that alone doesn’t address the lack of head movement. Instead, Silva prefers to avoid incoming fire by keeping his opponents on the defensive with constant pressure.
That is a dangerous game plan against a guy like Browne, who not only packs his vale tudo gloves with nuclear warheads, but also is extremely light on his feet. One left or right hand counter on the button from Hapa, and Silva may be left counting the ceiling lights. He can create opportunities for quick, explosive counters by using good lateral movement in the face of an attack. Not running circles around the cage. Quick sidesteps to change angles.
Silva showed that he has no real answer for a heavyweight who has active hands and quick feet. Pull up video of his fight with Cain Velasquez in Silva’s UFC debut. The former Strikeforce standout was completely lost on the feet against the far quicker, more accurate Velasquez. Browne has those same skills. He may not be as quick as Velasquez. Few heavyweights are. But he is quick enough and has greater show stopping power in his fists.
To avoid ending up slumped on the canvas, Silva needs to turn this into an ugly, clinch-filled fight. Remember that he is heavier and likely stronger of the two. His black belt in judo will come in very handy during infighting moments. He can throw Browne or just use technique to smother him against the cage and use dirty boxing.
The former is how Cheick Kongo neutralized Browne in what should have been the Hawaiian’s lone loss of his career. Kongo’s decision to hold onto Browne’s shorts more than a few times led to a one point deduction and a draw, rather than a judges’ decision win. Silva should watch the tape of that fight and try to emulate Kongo’s performance.
If the opportunity presents itself, Silva should use his judo to throw Browne to the canvas. Hapa is a savage striker, but we don’t know how good his guard game really is at this point, because nobody has really been able to test him in that position.
Silva has more than enough top game to do more than test Browne’s guard. He likely has the skills to crack it.
I like Silva every day of the week and twice on Friday if he is able to put Browne on his back and keep him there. Whether he pounds him out, moves into side control and chokes him out or some other ending, I think Silva wins in that position.
On the other hand, I favor Browne by leaps and bounds, if the fight remains standing. And I like him by Knockout of the Night-type ending.
Who is going to win? Browne seems like a comfortable favorite. Remember, this guy hasn’t yet experienced the sour taste of defeat as a professional, so when the going gets tough, he will remain confident in his ability to pull out a win. Silva has a handful of losses, so when adversity hits, he may fall into a “here we go again” mode. That is another reason why I lean toward Browne.
Despite all the Xs and Os, the one thing that is true about each and every heavyweight matchup is that it only takes one mistake to forever change the course of history, particularly when two behemoths like these guys lock horns. I like Browne to win, but I’m more convinced that it will be a great fight with a spectacular ending than I am in my belief that the Hawaiian will maintain his unbeaten streak.
QUICK FACTS:
Travis Browne
• 13-0-1
• 6’7, 255 lbs
• 30 years old
• 69.2% of wins by KO/TKO
• 15.4% of wins by submission
• 15.4% of wins by decision
• Each of his last six stoppages occurred inside the first round
• Two post-fight awards in his last three fights (Knockout of the Night; Submission of the Night)
• Current layoff is 167 days
• Longest layoff of career is 224 days
Antonio Silva
• 16-4
• 6’4, 265 lbs
• 33 years old
• 3-2 in last 5 (including back-to-back losses heading into this fight)
• 7-3 in last 10
• 68.7% of wins by KO/TKO
• 18.7% of wins by submission
• 12.5% of wins by decision
• 3 of 4 losses by KO/TKO
• Current layoff is 132 days
• Longest layoff of career is 262 days
Source: http://www.ufc.com/news/The-Blueprint-Browne-vs-Bigfoot
Dan Bobish Vagam Bodjukyan Kotetsu Boku Tony Bonello Stephan Bonnar
Invicta FC returns on Saturday with its first championship bout
Invicta, the all-female fight promotion, is back for its third event this weekend. For the first time, they will award a championship belt. Here's what else you need to know about the event.
-- The championship bout will pit Jessica Penne against Naho Sugiyama at 105 lbs. Penne is 9-1, with her lone loss coming to Bellator champ Zoila Gurgel. Fighting out of Japan, Sugiyama is undefeated.
-- The card also feature such notable bouts as Shayna Baszler vs. Sarah D'Alelio, Kaitlin Young vs. Leslie Smith, and Tara LaRosa vs. Vanessa Porto.
-- The whole thing will stream for free live at InvictaFC.com. Mauro Ranallo, Julie Kedzie, and Mo Lawal will call the action.
-- If you're heading to the fights in Kansas City, wear purple to support Invicta's campaign to "Knock Out Domestic Violence." They are giving financial and moral support to Hope House, a Kansas City-area shelter and service provider for domestic violence victims.
Jason Hollywood Chambers Ryo Piranha Chonan Dan The Sandman Christison Logan The Pink Pounder Clark Steve The Snake Claveau
Rashad Evans admits he turned down fight with Glover Teixeira
UFC light heavyweight Glover Teixeira’s reputation as a fighter no one wants to face gained some more legitimacy this weekend when former champion Rashad Evans acknowledged he’d been offered an opportunity to take on Teixeira at UFC 153 and declined. The UFC was left looking for an opponent when Teixeira’s original adversary, Quinton Jackson, went down with an injury and was forced to withdraw from the October event.
“They offered me a fight, but it was against Glover Teixeira and I only had three weeks to fight and I haven’t been training. I was like, ‘No way, not with that notice in Brazil,’” explained Evans during Fuel TV’s coverage of UFC on Fuel 5.
Fabio Maldonado was eventually pegged as Jackson’s replacement.
While Evans wasn’t interested in a short notice scrap with Teixeira, it sounds like he is open to the idea of mixing it up with the talented Brazilian in 2013 if the UFC decides to go that route.
“I’m thinking maybe January or February,” said Evans on the subject of his next Octagon outing, adding, “I will fight anybody.”
“Sugar” ‘Shad Says He Sucked in Last Bout
Evans has been out of action since an April loss to title-holder Jon Jones. He is expected to compete one more time as a 205er before attempting to make a run in the middleweight division.
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC
TweetSource: http://www.fighters.com/09/30/rashad-evans-admits-he-turned-down-fight-with-glover-teixeira
Don Barr Pat Barry Vitor Belfort Robert Berry David Bielkheden
Anthony Johnson signed to face D.J. Linderman at WSOF 1
Light heavyweight Anthony Johnson upped his record to 4-0 after scoring a quick finish in his UFC debut five years ago. Now, “Rumble” hopes a new four-fight winning streak will earn him the opportunity to give it another go inside the Octagon.
Johnson has come out with his hand raised in all three of his tilts since being cut by the UFC and will look to make it a quartet of consecutive victories next month as part of the World Series of Fighting’s inaugural event on November 3 where he’ll face Bellator veteran D.J. Linderman.
The match-up, which rounds out the organization’s main card, was first reported by MMAJunkie.
The 13-4 Johnson racked up back-to-back knockouts in his last two bouts including a September stoppage of Jake Rosholt. He was released by the UFC after failing to make weight a number of times but has since decided to compete as a 205-pounder to eliminate the issue and looked extremely sharp thus far since making the move.
Linderman is also riding the momentum of a three-fight run but hasn’t fought since July. He holds an overall record of 14-3 and has taken out nine of his opponents before scorecards came into play.
WSOF 1 is headlined by heavyweight action from Andrei Arlovski-Devin Cole and is expected to feature offerings from a number of notable competitors including Gesias Cavalcante, Bobby Lashley, Gerald Harris, and Miguel Torres.
PHOTO CREDIT – UFC/BELLATOR
Source: http://fiveouncesofpain.com/2012/10/02/anthony-johnson-signed-to-face-d-j-linderman-at-wsof-1/
Paul Buentello Josh Burkman Mikey Burnett Murilo Bustamante Grant Campbell
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
Dan Hardy works out with most adorable training partner ever (VIDEO)
While training for his bout with UFC on Fuel 5 with Amir Sadollah, Dan Hardy tried working with a new partner. This one brought speed and heart, but did have to ask his mom before he worked out with Hardy.
If you want to know why Hardy has an undying popularity with MMA fans, look at this video. Fans love how he gives his all in the cage, but also that he's incredibly nice to fans outside of it. You can expect a raucous reception when he walks out in Nottingham on Saturday.
Ricardo Almeida Eddie Alvarez Thiago Alves Andre Amade Dean Amasinger
After UFC on Fuel 5 win, Dan Hardy promises he has "a lot of things coming still"
By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief
Dan Hardy defeating Amir Sadollah at UFC on Fuel 5 on Saturday wasn't necessarily a surprising outcome, but the way that he accomplished that win was certainly quite different than expected. Hardy showcased an improved grappling game, taking down Sadollah on numerous occasions in combination with his striking game to take a unanimous decision.
After the event, Hardy spoke to Fuel TV about his strategy into the fight, and showcasing a new skill set that he's been working on.
"Amir has a habit of pushing forward," Hardy said. "He is very aggressive after I drew him into a strike. I knew I was going to be able to bring him to his back. I was a little sluggish today I think the anxiety got to me a bit."
"I've got these skills now and I've been working on them for a year. I didn't get to use them in my last fight and they were a surprise in this card. I have a lot of things coming still, a lot of things I'm working on that I didn't get to show tonight."
Hardy had a hometown crowd cheering him on, fighting in Nottingham for the first time in his UFC career. Though he couldn't get the stoppage against Sadollah, he said it still marked a a great night for him.
"The target wouldn't go away tonight. I kept kitting him with some big arrows and he kept absorbing them," Hardy said. "[But] yes, it was great. Nottingham was a great venue for me. The fans are passionate and this arena means a lot to me."
Penick's Analysis: It was the most well-rounded Hardy has looked in his MMA career. He utilized a more-improved grappling game, out-struck Sadollah, and picked up a much needed second-consecutive win in the Octagon. He may never again be in title contention in the UFC, but he stopped the slide he was on, improved his game, and gave himself a chance to remain on the UFC's roster for a considerable time.
[Dan Hardy art by Cory Gould (c) MMATorch.com]
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After the event, Hardy spoke to Fuel TV about his strategy into the fight, and showcasing a new skill set that he's been working on.
"Amir has a habit of pushing forward," Hardy said. "He is very aggressive after I drew him into a strike. I knew I was going to be able to bring him to his back. I was a little sluggish today I think the anxiety got to me a bit."
"I've got these skills now and I've been working on them for a year. I didn't get to use them in my last fight and they were a surprise in this card. I have a lot of things coming still, a lot of things I'm working on that I didn't get to show tonight."
Hardy had a hometown crowd cheering him on, fighting in Nottingham for the first time in his UFC career. Though he couldn't get the stoppage against Sadollah, he said it still marked a a great night for him.
"The target wouldn't go away tonight. I kept kitting him with some big arrows and he kept absorbing them," Hardy said. "[But] yes, it was great. Nottingham was a great venue for me. The fans are passionate and this arena means a lot to me."
Penick's Analysis: It was the most well-rounded Hardy has looked in his MMA career. He utilized a more-improved grappling game, out-struck Sadollah, and picked up a much needed second-consecutive win in the Octagon. He may never again be in title contention in the UFC, but he stopped the slide he was on, improved his game, and gave himself a chance to remain on the UFC's roster for a considerable time.
[Dan Hardy art by Cory Gould (c) MMATorch.com]
Source: http://www.mmatorch.com/artman2/publish/UFC_2/article_14535.shtml
Ebenezer Fontes Braga Chris Brennan Marcelo Brito Rob Broughton Mike Brown
WWE SmackDown! Taping Draws 1,600 Paying Customers
Last Tuesday’s SmackDown! taping in Toledo, Ohio was one of the worst attended WWE events in years as it drew 3,200 fans, with only 1,600 paid.
Following the event’s poor advance, WWE only sold tickets facing the camera so the Huntington Center would appear full on television. SLAM! Wrestling columnist Matt Bishop, who attended the event, described the venue’s appearance: “Tuesday’s tapings of WWE Smackdown, Superstars and NXT wasn’t notable because of what happened in the ring, but rather because of what was happening outside the ringside area. Or more appropriately, what wasn’t happening.
“Toledo’s second WWE show of 2011, this time at Huntington Center, was notable because of the lack of fans inside the facility, with almost all of the camera side tarped off, along with a large part of the upper bowl, including all of the seats in the end zone.”
Source: http://www.ifight365.com/2011/09/wwe-smackdown-taping-draws-1600-paying-customers/
Dan Hardy Lee Hasdell Musse Hasselvall Daiki DJ taiki Hata He Peng
Which Adroid phone should I get?
Thinking about the Galaxy S3.
Any thoughts?
Any thoughts?
Source: http://ninjashoes.net/forum/showthread.php?79320-Which-Adroid-phone-should-I-get&goto=newpost
Marcelo Brito Rob Broughton Mike Brown Junie Browning Paul Buentello
Bellator 74 Highlight Video
Bellator 74 kicked off their seventh season live from Caesar’s Atlantic City in New Jersey. The MTV2 main card featured the opening round of the welterweight tournament, with four fighters advancing to the semis later this year. Spike.com has now released a video highlight film for last Friday’s entertaining card.
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| Bellator 74 Highlights | ||||
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Source: http://mmafrenzy.com/30592/bellator-74-highlight-video/
Hermes Franca Rich Franklin Ian Freeman Don Frye Tony Fryklund
Fabricio Werdum Wants the Belt after he submits Mike Russow - Fabricio Werdum
Go inside Fabricio Werdum's training camp and hear his strategy for taking down Mike Russow. Not only is he aiming for victory, but wants to be seen as a serious contender for the heavyweight belt. Catch his bout at UFC® 147: Silva vs Franklin II, live on Pay-Per-View, Saturday, June 23 at 10PM/7PM from Belo Horizonte, Brazil.Roan Jucao Carneiro Shane The Engineer Carwin Jason Hollywood Chambers Ryo Piranha Chonan Dan The Sandman Christison
The Rock's new film
I will most definitely watch this. Big fan of Wahlberg, and was a fan of the Rock when I used to watch WWE. If you check out his fan page, there are some fantastic pictures on there, he's also doing a film with Gina Carano in it.
Source: http://forums.ufc.production.sparkart.net/showthread.php?t=127351&goto=newpost
Roan Jucao Carneiro Shane The Engineer Carwin Jason Hollywood Chambers Ryo Piranha Chonan Dan The Sandman Christison
WWE SmackDown! Taping Draws 1,600 Paying Customers
Last Tuesday’s SmackDown! taping in Toledo, Ohio was one of the worst attended WWE events in years as it drew 3,200 fans, with only 1,600 paid.
Following the event’s poor advance, WWE only sold tickets facing the camera so the Huntington Center would appear full on television. SLAM! Wrestling columnist Matt Bishop, who attended the event, described the venue’s appearance: “Tuesday’s tapings of WWE Smackdown, Superstars and NXT wasn’t notable because of what happened in the ring, but rather because of what was happening outside the ringside area. Or more appropriately, what wasn’t happening.
“Toledo’s second WWE show of 2011, this time at Huntington Center, was notable because of the lack of fans inside the facility, with almost all of the camera side tarped off, along with a large part of the upper bowl, including all of the seats in the end zone.”
Source: http://www.ifight365.com/2011/09/wwe-smackdown-taping-draws-1600-paying-customers/
Jai Bradney Ebenezer Fontes Braga Chris Brennan Marcelo Brito Rob Broughton
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