Source: http://www.ufcrundown.com/blog/affliction-fight-weekend-starts-now/
Thursday, 31 March 2011
VIDEO: Dana White, Scott Coker discuss Zuffa purchase of Strikeforce on HDNet's Inside MMA
Dana White:
App Users Click Here For Video: http://www.hd.net/blogs/2011/03/inside-mma-511-full-dana-white-interview/
Scott Coker:
App Users Click Here For Video:
Source: http://www.mmatorch.com/artman2/publish/UFC_2/article_8822.shtml
Dana White UFC 128 vlogs: GSP says it’s mostly mental for Jones tonight
A trip to the New York area always makes for interesting material on a Dana White vlog. The UFC president and his cameraman Eliot are in the midst of the madness during the 250th Annual St. Patrick's Day Parade in New York.
White is also seen taking Chuck Liddell and Georges St. Pierre to the New York Knicks-Memphis Grizzlies game on Thursday night. GSP is asked for a pick, says he's biased because they're training partners and goes with Jones. But he did point out that the fight is mostly mental for the 23-year-old. This early title opportunity for Jones is reminiscent of a 22-year-old GSP getting a crack at Matt Hughes back at UFC 50 in 2004. GSP lost via armbar and has always he said he wasn't ready mentally at that time for such a big fight.
Another teammate, Rashad Evans also makes his pick on the vlog and chooses Jones by second round finish. Evans and Jones have appeared to be at odds through the media the last few weeks.
The UFC uploaded White's third UFC 128 vlog with a view from the stage during yesterday's weigh-in.
During the opening seconds of the video, White meets with New York-area hero Joe Lozito. Lozito helped the NYPD catch a serial stabber last month on the subway by using a technique he said he learned from watching mixed martial arts.
MMA Marketplace: Limited edition Korean Zombie shirt
We've professed our love for Tri-Coasta's Korean Zombie shirts in the past. The shirt for Chan Sang Jung's twister win over Leonard Garcia is no less awesome.
This one reminds me of playing "Super Mario Brothers," "Mike Tyson's Punch-Out," and "Duck Hunt" on my old Nintendo. (Am I the only one who tried to shoot the dog on Duck Hunt? Stupid thing was always laughing at me.) Considering the way he fights, Jung would make one heck of an old-school video game character.
Get this very cool, limited edition shirt for $25 right here.
Here?s my friend Casey
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TracyLee/~3/uj_Q8wQIeh4/heres-my-friend-casey.html
Mixed Martial Arts News Josh Barnett Ricco Rodriguez Tim Sylvia
Hours before the biggest fight of his life, Jones subdues a robber
Eat your heart out Bob Reilly. Mixed martial arts is a lot more than a money grab viewed by savage fans; it can be a real life saver. Saturday afternoon in the streets of Paterson, N.J., Jon Jones and his trainers applied their gym techniques when they spotted a robber, chased him down and subdued him.
Thanks to Tracy Lee for the tip, photo link and video below
Jones, who was scheduled to�fight Saturday evening in Newark for the UFC light heavyweight title, was on his way to meditate in front of a waterfall in Northern New Jersey. Jones, along with Greg Jackson and Mike Winkeljohn, spotted the suspect breaking into a car and stealing some objects. According to the account given to Yahoo!'s Kevin Iole by Jackson, the group shouted at the robber and he took off.
Jones, Jackson and Winkeljohn pursued him on foot. The robber eventually fell and Jones, the youngest of the group at 23, caught up to the robber and tripped him to the ground again. Jackson said that Jones "foot swept" the suspect.
With the robber on the ground, Jackson began yelling to his fighter to stay away. Once the trainers caught up to robber, he tried to get up. Jackson said he "double-legged" him and jumped on top applying an arm bar. Winkeljohn went for the other arm to make sure he didn't have a weapon. In the scuffle, the robber was bloodied. The trainers said some blood got on their pants. Shortly afterward, the police arrived to arrest the suspect.
Less than an hour after the incident, Tracy Lee spoke with Jackson.
This is the second time in the last month an MMA-related move was used in a high-profile story to subdue a criminal. Joe Lozito, New York-area laborer, tackled an alleged murderer on a New York subway.
Reilly is the New York assemblyman leading the crusade to keep MMA events out of New York State. The ban by New York is a big reason why the UFC has placed several events just a few miles away across the Hudson River in Newark's Prudential Center. Jones faced Mauricio Rua -- and beat him with a third-round TKO -- in the main event of UFC 128, stepping into the�Octagon roughly� 7 1/2 hours after his run-in with the robber.
Jackson mentioned that Jones eventually reached that Paterson-area waterfall.
"It was an incredibly beautiful waterfall," said Jackson.
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Other popular Yahoo! Sports stories:
? UFC 128 KO of the Night: Schaub�stops 'Cro Cop'
? Elin one-ups Tiger with pricey mansion
? Sad news for the voice of NFL Films Steve Sabol
Dana White video blog UFC 127 Weigh-ins - UFC 127
Source: http://mmalice.com/ufc-127/dana-white-video-blog-ufc-127-weigh-ins-video_f7293d030.html
Wesley Cabbage Correira Patrick The Predator Côté Randy The Natural Couture Dan Cramer
Wednesday, 30 March 2011
Titan FC 17 Play-by-Play and Results
Source: http://fiveouncesofpain.com/2011/03/25/titan-fc-17-live-results/
More Free Fights: UFC Fight Night 24 On Facebook Will Now Feature Five Bouts
‘Mr. Wonderful’ vlogs: Phil Davis is NOT Jon Jones
Phil Davis has a chance to explode into the mainstream tomorrow night at Ultimate Fight Night 24 (Spike 10 p.m. ET/PT).
In the days leading up to his fight against veteran Antonio "Rogerio" Nogueira., the "Mr. Wonderful" crew put together a series of vlogs to track his every move.
Because he's African-American with a decorated amateur wrestling background, he's often compared to Jon Jones. Davis and his boys have a running joke about being asked Jones questions in every interview (7:05 mark above)
In vlog 2 (below), Brandon Vera touches on the obvious when it comes to the Jones� comparisons. Vera jokes about Davis being a great athlete (7:45 mark). He also says, he loves "Lil' Nog," but the PRIDE veteran could be in trouble versus Davis.
"His biggest strength is his wrestling and his wrist control. There's no way to prepare for it," Vera said (8:30 mark). [...] For sure, I think Phil's gonna win. I feel bad for saying that. I feel bad for Lil' Nog. I love you Lil' Nog, but I just don't think that you're gonna beat Phil Davis. Davis is on fire right now. He's on right now, he's rough."
Davis' training home in San Diego, Alliance Train Center, is closely tied to Nogueira's home, Blackhouse MMA.
[...] "At first when I heard about [Davis facing Nogueira] I was kind of sad because we're all training partners and we're friends. But it's business, trying to make that check. Trying to make that extra money. MMA is a sport. This is our job. This is what we do. People gotta eat, we're in a recession," said Vera.
Check out vlog four where Davis talks about training with former opponent Alexander Gustafsson. The vlog crew also captured scenes from Davis' appearance on Seattle's NBC television affiliate KING-5. Reporter Christie Johnson (@cjohnsonking5) does a nice job mounting Davis and slapping on an armbar (5:05 mark).
Zelg Benkei Galesic Mauro Galvao Mixed Martial Arts News Josh Barnett
Finally Final Thoughts: UFC Fight Night 24 "Nogueira vs. Davis" Edition
Source: http://www.fighters.com/03/24/finally-final-thoughts-ufc-fight-night-24-nogueira-vs-davis-edition
Eddie Alvarez: 'I Want to Make Myself Indispensable'
Filed under: UFC
At this point of his career, Bellator lightweight champion Eddie Alvarez says he's more concerned with building his name than competing for the UFC.Already well-paid with Bellator and the company's main attraction, he could easily become another face in the crowd If he were to join the UFC. That's why he's out to turn himself into a valuable commodity in case it ever comes to that.
"I want to be someone so I have some sort of leverage," Alvarez said Monday on The MMA Hour. "I don't want to be the next disposable 155-pounder who can be thrown out the window if he has a loss or two. I want to make myself indispensable and make a name for myself before I ever negotiate with a company like [the UFC]."
Source: http://www.mmafighting.com/2011/03/29/eddie-alvarez-i-want-to-make-myself-indispensable/
UFC adds three more fights to UFC Fight Night 24 Facebook.com stream this Saturday
In addition to the previously announced fights in Mackens Semerzier vs. Alex "Bruce Leroy" Caceres and Jon Madsen vs. Mike Russow, the UFC has added John Hathaway vs. Kris McCray, Edwin Figueroa vs. Michael McDonald and Sean McCorkle vs. Christian Morecraft to the free stream.
Fans can access the fights beginning at 7:30PM ET at Facebook.com/UFC. The event takes place from Seattle's KeyArena, with the main televised card airing live on Spike TV beginning at 10PM ET. The night's full card is below:
Main Televised Card
* Antonio Rogerio Nogueira vs. Phil Davis
* Dan Hardy vs. Anthony Johnson
* DaMarques Johnson vs. Amir Sadollah
* Leonard Garcia vs. Chan Sung Jung
Facebook.com Prelims
* Alex Caceres vs. Mackens Semerzier
* Jon Madsen vs. Mike Russow
* John Hathaway vs. Kris McCray
* Edwin Figueroa vs. Michael McDonald
* Sean McCorkle vs. Christian Morecraft
Preliminary Card
* Mario Miranda vs. Aaron Simpson
* Johny Hendricks vs. T.J. Waldburger
* Nik Lentz vs. Waylon Lowe
Source: http://www.mmatorch.com/artman2/publish/UFC_2/article_8861.shtml
UFC 128 picks, Vegas-style: Iole and Cofield give out their winners
Where's the respect for the champ? Mauricio Rua has been run over by the Jon Jones hype-train. The 23-year-old Jones has been active the last year and posting big wins on Versus, while Rua was recovering from knee surgery. Jones also has the look of a champion towering over the shorter Rua. The public loves "Bones" and the sportsbooks have installed the challenger as a minus-190 favorite.
Can Rua pull the upset and leave the Octagon with his title? Yahoo!'s lead MMA writer Kevin Iole is in Newark and joined us on the phone to break things down using the Las Vegas lines.
My recommended plays include Rua (+160), Ricardo Almeida (-155) and Anthony Njokuani (+210).
Update: There's heavy action on Faber. He's been bet all the way up to minus-700. Jim Miller has also jumped thirty cents to minus-240. Lots of folks have also wagered on Jones to score a second round finish at 7-to-1.
You can watch UFC 128 right here on Yahoo!
UFC 128 betting odds (Courtesy Lagasse's Stadium):
Mauricio Rua (+160) vs. Jon Jones (-190) - Light heavyweight
Main event round prop bets:
Rua wins rd1 10/1
Rua rd2 12/1
Rua rd3 8/1
Rua rd4 7/1
Rua rd5 10/1
Rua win by dec. 5/1
Jones wins rd1 5/1
Jones rd2 5/1
Jones rd3 7/1
Jones rd4 8/1
Jones rd5 12/1
Jones wins by dec. 4/1
Eddie Wineland (+325) vs. Urijah Faber (-450) - Bantamweight
Kamal Shalorus (+190) vs. Jim Miller (-240) - Lightweight
Dan Miller (+280) vs. Nate Marquardt (-360) - Middleweight
Mirko "Cro Cop" Filipovic (+200) vs. Brendan Schaub (-250) - Heavyweight
Eliot Marshall (+135) vs. Luiz Cane (-165) - Light heavyweight
Anthony Njokuani (+210) v. Edson Barboza (-270) - Lightweight
Mike Pyle (+125) vs. Ricardo Almeida (-155) - Welterweight
Kurt Pellegrino (+140) vs. Gleison Tibau (-170) - Lightweight
Ian Loveland (+280) vs. Joe Benavidez (-360) - Bantamweight
Raphael Assuncao (+135) vs. Erik Koch (-165) - Featherweight
Constantinos Philippou (+200) vs. Nick Catone (-250) - 195 lbs.
John Alessio Houston Alexander Ricardo Almeida Eddie Alvarez
Video analysis: Can ‘Korean Zombie’ vs. Garcia II match the first fight?
Fans never lose when Leonard Garcia steps into the cage. The kid goes for broke. He's willing to take a beating to dole one out.
In highly anticipated rematch, Garcia was scheduled to face Nam Phan at Ultimate Fight Night 24. Phan went down with an injury and the UFC put together an even better fight - Garcia and Chan Sung Jung will go at it again. Their first fight at WEC 48, short on strategy but big on haymakers, was one of the best in recent MMA history.
Is there anyway Garcia and "The Korean Zombie" can come close to their first war?
Yahoo!'s lead MMA writer Kevin Iole joined us to break down the fight and tell us why some rematches fall short of expectations. We also talk about the important issue of scoring these fights and what judges look for. Garcia won the first fight, but many thought Zombie was the victor.
Tuesday, 29 March 2011
UFC 128 RESULTS: Jon Jones destroys "Shogun" Rua to become youngest champ in UFC history; teammate Rashad Evans is next
Jones took the fight to Shogun from the opening, throwing a flying knee as they began the fight. He continued to outland Shogun on the feet, and took him to the ground. Jones did some damage on the ground, but Shogun was able to get onto his feet. Jones then continued the assault in the striking game, hurting Shogun with combinations and kicks.
In the second round it was much of the same, with Jones again taking over the striking game, avoiding Shogun's offense, and bringing the fight to the ground. But it was the third where Jones ended things.
After landing some big elbows on the ground, Jones hurt Shogun badly after the champ got to his feet. He cracked him as they got back up, chased him down to the cage, landed a big punch and then dropped him with a knee to the face. As Shogun fell to the ground, referee Herb Dean came in and called an end to the fight. Shogun laid on his back for several moments as doctors and cageside officials tended to him.
Jones will now meet his friend and training partner Rashad Evans for the belt, and the fight they both said a few weeks back would not happen is happening. A very serious Jones said simply "this is my dream, and I've got to do what I need to do."
Penick's Analysis: Barring injury, I just don't know that I can see anyone in this division defeating Jon Jones. He just destroyed Shogun in a fight that wasn't even competitive. That was by far the most experienced and most dangerous fighter Jones has ever faced, and he made it look easy. Now, even though Evans has trained with him and knows him well, there's just nothing I see Evans being able to do to take Jones out. This was a fantastic win for Jones, and a big statement to the MMA world. Jon Jones is very much the real deal, and as the youngest champion in UFC history, he's got a long, long career ahead of him.
Source: http://www.mmatorch.com/artman2/publish/UFC_2/article_8805.shtml
Lorenzo Borgomeo Kyle Bradley Jai Bradney Ebenezer Fontes Braga
MMA Top 10 Light Heavyweights: Any Stopping Jon Jones?
However, the light heavyweight division is so talented that it's been nearly impossible for anyone to hold the belt for long: Chuck Liddell lost it to Rampage Jackson, who lost it to Forrest Griffin, who lost it to Rashad Evans, who lost it to Lyoto Machida, who lost it to Shogun Rua, who lost it to Jones. We've had seven different champions in the last four years, so why is everyone so sure that Jones is going to hold onto the belt for so long?
The biggest reason, I think, is Jones' age. With the exception of Evans losing to Machida, every champion I mentioned above lost the belt to someone younger than him. But there aren't any contenders on the horizon younger than the 23-year-old Jones. Not only is Jones already the best, but he's going to keep getting better as the rest of the Top 10 light heavyweights in mixed martial arts get older.
So as I list the Top 10 light heavyweights below, I'll talk about how I'd like their chances against Jones -- even though I expect Jones to reign over all of them for a long time.
Permalink | Email this | Linking Blogs | Comments
Source: http://www.mmafighting.com/2011/03/24/mma-top-10-light-heavyweights-any-stopping-jon-jones/
Norifumi Kid Yamamoto Ryushi Yanagisawa Yoshiaki Yatsu Hirotaka Yokoi
Bellator ratings dip for Bellator 37 up against UFC 128, 173,000 viewers tuned in on MTV2
According to a report from MMAJunkie.com, Saturday's Bellator 37 event drew 173,000 viewers to MTV2, down from their high mark the prior week for Bellator 36, which drew 230,000 viewers for the first run.
This week's event featured four quarterfinal bouts in the season four featherweight tournament. Patricio "Pitbull" Freire, Wilson Reis, Daniel Straus and Kenny Foster each advanced to the semifinals with victories on the card.
Link to Original Source Article
Penick's Analysis: I'm curious to see if this coming Saturday shows another dip, as they'll once again be up against a UFC event, but this one is free on Spike TV. In the earlier start time yet again, if they can at least hold steady with what they got on Saturday it will be a good sign, but they could continue to see declines with shifting start times and competing events.
Source: http://www.mmatorch.com/artman2/publish/Bellator/article_8845.shtml
Fight for JAPAN.
War Crusher, fight for Japan!
Source: http://ninjashoes.net/forum/showthread.php?73940-Fight-for-JAPAN.&goto=newpost
Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira Brock Lesnar Frank Mir Brock Lesnar
Sanchez questions Kampmann’s wish for a rematch
After Diego Sanchez took a controversial decision from Martin Kampmann at UFC on Versus 3, Kampmann discussed why he thought that he won and the lure of a rematch.
"I would love to rematch Diego," Kampmann answered when asked about another opportunity to face Sanchez. "I feel I won the first time but I would love to fight him again. If I was him I wouldn't want the rematch either because imagine how his face would look after the second fight. I would love to beat him up one more time and hopefully not leave it up to the judges this time."
With a decision that close, an instant rematch wouldn't be unprecedented. Mauricio "Shogun" Rua was awarded a rematch with Lyoto Machida after Shogun lost their first title bout, and the same courtesy was awarded to B.J. Penn after he lost a close bout to Frankie Edgar.
But Sanchez is having none of that. On Twitter, he made it quite clear that Kampmann has no business getting a rematch.
"You really want a direct rematch? I trained no boxing! zero! I just wrestled my [expletive] off. I underestimated your [takedown] defense and had to resort to my streetfighting loco skills and almost dropped you I seen your legs. I was not in my best shape ... like @danawhite said that was the softest he ever seen me. That's 2 L's in a row you need a win real bad."
Then, after saying all that, he adds, "If I can't get a better fight that a win would move me up the ladder, I would love to fight you again! #Realtalk."
Oh, Diego, you crazy, crazy man. Your lunacy is what endears you to fans, even when you're spouting off complete nonsense. Did you see your face after the fight? Are you absolutely positive, without a shadow of a doubt that you won? And pulling out the "I was not in my best shape" defense is a little ridiculous, considering that you won.
Instead of Twitter-fights, you two should really just settle this in the cage. Oh wait, that would still be a rematch.
When did the UFC become mainstream?
Source: http://www.mmaforum.com/ufc/89524-when-did-ufc-become-mainstream.html
UFC 128′s Three Stars: Jon Jones, Jim Miller and Erik Koch
No. 1 star -- Jon Jones: He's young, he's still learning, and he's the UFC light heavyweight champ. Jones put on a clinic against Mauricio "Shogun" Rua, throwing flying knees, spinning elbows, head kicks, jabs and the kitchen sink to win the belt. Next, he'll have to face his friend and teammate Rashad Evans to hold onto the championship. Maybe by then, I'll finally learn not to pick against Jones.
No. 2 star -- Jim Miller: Fighting at home in the Garden State, Miller ruined Kamal Shalorus' UFC debut with a dominating performance. His third-round TKO was Miller's seventh win in a row, and it's hard to dispute that Miller has earned a shot at the lightweight belt.
No. 3 star -- Erik Koch: Coming from the same camp as Anthony Pettis and Pat Barry, Koch showed off his own striking skills in a first-round KO of Raphael Assuncao, serving notice to the UFC's featherweight division. But he did leave one question unanswered: how does someone training in Wisconsin in winter get a tan like that? Perhaps GTL is part of the training routine at Duke Roufus' gym.
Who are your Three Stars? Tell us on Facebook or in the comments below.
Best Performance Of The Night: Magomed Sultanakhmedov At M-1 Challenge 24
Monday, 28 March 2011
Big smile, cool nickname not enough for ‘Bruce Leroy’; Semerzier cruises at UFN 24
The cute stuff may work on reality television, but Alex "Bruce Leroy" Cacares was badly outclassed by WEC veteran Mackens Semerzier. In what was probably a must-win situation, Semerzier steamrolled Bruce Leroy winning via rear-naked choke in just 3:18 at Ultimate Fight Night 24.
Semerzier (6-3, 1-0 UFC) scored three powerful takedowns. He got the first just 57 seconds into the fight. Cacares got up with 3:30 left in the first and hit the deck again with 3:18 left. The final time he went down with 2:40 left, started the beginning of the end.
Semerzier fell right into the mount position and starting pounding away. Bruce Leroy turned away from the strikes and gave his back. Semerzier flattened him and even when Cacares threatened to slip out the backdoor, the Marine was able to get him back down and finally apply the finishing choke.
Cacares, who came up with the "Bruce Leroy" moniker himself, was a villain of sorts during Season 12 of TUF. He ruffled the feathers of eventual finalist Michael Johnson and several other fights from the show.
Tonight, he walked to the cage with Taimak, the original "Bruce Leroy" from the 1985 movie "The Last Dragon."
Hathaway bests McCray at his own game
Kris McCray is a one-trick pony and tonight in Seattle he got schooled at his strength. John Hathaway outwrestled McCray, taking him down repeatedly throughout the fight. The young Brit got a split decision victory, 28-29, 29-28 and 29-28.
McCray never came close to threatening a finish. Hathaway did in the opening round with a nasty toe hold. The 23-year-old from Brighton, England worked and twisted McCray's foot for 45 seconds. McCray held out and fought on.
"I was real close. I heard a couple pops and creaks," said Hathaway.
With better cardio, Hathaway (15-1, 5-1 UFC) sealed the fight in the third. He simply did more, staying active when he had top control. It wasn't the most spectacular victory, but proved Hathaway, without much of a wrestling background, can grapple on a high level.
After posting a huge win over Diego Sanchez at UFC 114, Hathaway was upset by Mike Pyle back in October at UFC 120. Including the "TUF 11 Finale," McCray has now lost all three fights in his time with the UFC.
Busted up eye causes Madsen to lose his first to Russow
Mike Russow isn't the prettiest fighter, but the guy finds ways to win. The Chicago cop won another fight, this time by ending the unbeaten run of Jon Madsen. On the advice of the doctor, the referee stopped the fight before the beginning of the third round because Madsen's left eye was nearly closed. Russow (14-1, 3-0 UFC) got the victory via TKO.
That makes 2-of-3 fights with the promotion that he's won via KO or TKO. In his previous 11 wins, he scored nine of them by submission.
Russow said he caught Madsen (7-1, 3-1 UFC) with an overhand right in the second and that's what made the eye blow up.
Jon Madsen vs. Mike Russow Fight Video Prelim UFC Fight Night 24
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Source: http://www.mmatko.com/jon-madsen-vs-mike-russow-fight-video-prelim-ufc-fight-night-24/
Patrick The Predator Côté Randy The Natural Couture Dan Cramer Alberto Crane
He ain't done; Fedor Emelianenko returns this July for Strikeforce
The former PRIDE champion was at one point thought to be seemingly unbeatable. While at the peak of his career he officially did have a loss to Tsuyoshi Khosaka, a controversial TKO [...]
Source: http://www.fighters.com/03/24/he-aint-done-fedor-emelianenko-returns-this-july-for-strikeforce
Cro Cop Wants To Keep Fighting, But Will Retire If Released From The UFC
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mmaconvert/~3/_ayviEmq5hQ/
ROUNDTABLE: Who poses the biggest threat to Jon Jones following his UFC 128 destruction of Mauricio "Shogun" Rua? Hansen, Hobaugh, Hyden, Park, Marsh, Perez, Williams, Pelkey and Penick
RICH HANSEN, MMATORCH COLUMNIST
Jon Jones is a heavyweight who possesses the ability to cut down to light heavyweight.� Once he starts lifting for mass/bulk, and once he doesn't have to be so stringent on calories, he's going to be a 250 pound heavyweight fighter.� As a result, i don't see anyone having a realistic chance to defeat him at the 205 weight class; at least not anyone who is currently on the radar.� So, I see a small handful of fighters who pose a chance (excluding the fluky "puncher's chance," which most fighters at this level do possess.
�- Some 19 year old kid we've never heard of.� He might not even be at a big time gym yet.
�- Cain Velazquez - A dominant wrestler who can shoot double-legs might be able to get Jones on his back.
�- Alistair Overeem/Junior Dos Santos - Jones has yet to be hit hard.� These guys not only have power, but the technique to get inside the reach Jones possesses.
ERIC HOBAUGH, MMATORCH CONTRIBUTOR
After the total domination of Shogun by Jon Jones at UFC 128, I have my doubts of there being a fighter at light heavyweight who can beat Jones. �Shogun was an excellent opponent on paper. He was the champ. He had years of experience against top tier fighters. He had an excellent chin. �He was and is one of the best fighters ever. �I do think Rashad Evans will have some advantage, because he trained against Jones at Greg Jackson's camp. That advantage will not be enough. Jon Jones will dominate Evans just like everyone else he has faced. I would love to see a Jones and Anderson Silva fight, but don't hold your breath for this one. Silva will not take this fight, because he knows he cannot win. I think Jon Jones will have to go up to heavyweight to see any real threat in the octagon.�
FRANK HYDEN, MMATORCH CONTRIBUTOR
I think the biggest threat to Jones in the immediate future is himself. That's sort of a cop-out, but it's true. It's easier to be the hunter than the hunted. If Jones maintains his approach to fighting and training, there doesn't appear to be much that can stop him. I think Lyoto Machida poses a threat to Jones, just because of his style. More than him, though, I think Quinton Jackson poses the biggest threat to Jones, mainly because of his immense power. Having said that, though, I don't think any of the light heavyweights in the UFC pose a formidable threat to Jones right now.
CHRIS PARK, MMATORCH UK SPECIALIST
Last Saturday's encounter was extremely brutual and pretty much exactly how i predicted the bout would go - only it lasted a round or two longer.
With that in mind I don't see an immediate threat to what I believe will be a long and successful time at the top for Mr. Jones.
There will of course be a line of challengers forming, starting with Rashad Evans, then the likes of Rampage Jackson, Lyoto Machida and company all craving a shot at the new kid on the block.
Once the dust settles in 12 months or so there may be a new rising star on the horizon, but for now, no one can touch this guy in my opinion - not even Anderson Silva.
GRIFFIN MARSH, MMATORCH CONTRIBUTOR
Anderson Silva absolutely. �He's quicker, more powerful and a more accurate striker than Jones. He also has a proven chin, having taken plenty of solid punches from fighters more powerful than Jones. �For Jones to beat Silva he will have to hold him down for five rounds and well, we've seen what Anderson has done to strong wrestlers, he's finished them. �Like Lyoto Machida, Jones doesn't use a boxing defense. �He leaves himself wide open to strikes and when considering everything together, I�just don't think he's shown the cardio or the ability to take a punch that he will definitely need in a bout with Silva. �Silva has a proven record and chin. �He can stand with Jones in the pocket, take his assault and counter. �
That's where things get interesting. �With having allowed multiple fighters to get back to their feet after taking them down, I don't see Jones holding Silva down, and I just see Silva taking it to him, then taking him into the fourth and fifth rounds, which is something we haven't seen. �I just don't think Jones' defense is near good enough to hang with Anderson. �One day Anderson will lose, age gets us all. �But Jonny "Bones" isn't the man to do it. Anderson is a nightmare for jones stylistically.
ANWAR PEREZ, MMATORCH COLUMNIST
After Jon Jones fully dismantled Shogun Rua, it's kind of hard to pinpoint who in the division can be a threat to him.� It certainly won't be Rashad Evans, who faces Jones next.� My guess, and I do believe it's too early to hedge bets on this, is that Anderson Silva will be the one to threaten Mr.� Jones.� But, before we start calling the "Bones Era," let's see how Jones does his first few fights before we start calling him the next Georges St. Pierre or Anderson Silva.
ALEX WILLIAMS, MMATORCH CONTRIBUTOR
Phil Davis, but not for awhile.� When Shogun Rua won the Pride Grand Prix at age 23, I would have bet good money that no one in MMA would be able to dominate him like this six years later.� I don't think there is any 205 pounder in the world who can take Jones.� Phil Davis is a blue chip prospect, though.� Perhaps in a couple years, he will have developed enough to give Jones a battle.
MATT PELKEY, MMATORCH COLUMNIST
�
Um... Cain Velasquez? And that's not a joke. Jon Jones vs. Cain Velasquez will be the new GSP vs. Silva in about three years. As Jones continues to grow and mature physically, he's not going to want to keep making a 30-40+ pound weight cut. His future will be in the heavyweight division. At light-heavyweight, only Phil Davis possesses the physical abilities and wrestling acumen it's going to take to seriously challenge Jones, and he might still be a couple years away. His fight on Saturday against Nogueira should give us some indication of how close he is. Rashad just signed his own death warrant. Rampage would get massacred. Machida would be intriguing until the fight started. Who's left? Forrest Griffin? Yeesh. To beat Jones, someone is either going to have to knock him out or put him on his back. None of the current top challengers at light-heavyweight can accomplish those things. Rampage won't be able to get close enough to touch him until he's flying�through the air on the way to the mat courtesy of a Bones throw. Rashad's takedowns will get shrugged off or countered. Machida might be able to dance in for a strike or two, but I just can't envision a scenario where he knocks out, submits, or is just better over the course of a five round fight than Jon Jones.
JAMIE PENICK, MMATORCH EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
I honestly can't envision a light heavyweight currently on the UFC's roster taking Jones out. It's going to take him moving up to heavyweight, which is absolutely in his future, for him to face his biggest challenges, because there will be fighters with the size and wrestling in that division to give him troubles, as well as a number of fighters who hit harder than everyone at 205 lbs. Jones is a very special talent, and though his list of victims doesn't warrant anything near an "all-time" best distinction as of yet, he's the type of fighter that we won't see often, and if he keeps his head about him going forward and makes good moves and continues to improve his game, he will absolutely reach that transcendent level that only few are a part of at the moment.
Source: http://www.mmatorch.com/artman2/publish/roundtables/article_8853.shtml
Jones on Jay Leno: The champ is a crime-fighter and a flirt
As was mentioned on Kirstie Alley's Twitter, Jon Jones made quite an impression on the actress before their appearance on "The Tonight Show." Once sitting next to Jay Leno, Jones said that Alley was hitting on him. He also detailed his crime-fighting adventures before he beat Mauricio "Shogun" Rua to win the light heavyweight championship at UFC 128.
It's early in his championship reign, but it's already fun having Jones as the champ. He's eager to show his personality and makes an excellent spokesman for MMA. Not to mention, he clearly made a new MMA fan in Alley.
See the second part of the interview here, and tell us what you think of Bones' appearance on network TV in the comment section or on Facebook.
UFC Fight Night 24 Live Blog: Leonard Garcia vs. Chan Sung Jung Updates
Filed under: UFC
SEATTLE, Wash. -- This is the UFC Fight Night 24 live blog for Leonard Garcia vs. Chan Sung Jung, a featherweight bout on tonight's UFC on Spike TV event at the Key Arena.Garcia (15-6-1) defeated Nam Phan last December in another controversial split decision. Chan (10-3) lost via head kick knockout last September to George Roop at WEC 51. This bout is a rematch from WEC 48 where Garcia emerged victorious in a split decision.
The live blog is below.
Source: http://www.mmafighting.com/2011/03/26/ufc-fight-night-24-live-blog-leonard-garcia-vs-chan-sung-jung/
Sunday, 27 March 2011
Graham Earl chats with Ringnews
My older brother David boxed, so as all little brothers do I looked up to him and I followed in his footsteps.
*What was your amateur record?*
72 fights 63 Wins
...
Source: http://ninjashoes.net/forum/showthread.php?73881-Graham-Earl-chats-with-Ringnews&goto=newpost
Randy Couture Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira Brock Lesnar Frank Mir
Friends no more: Evans accepts immediate title shot against Jones
UFC president Dana White has long believed friendships can't get in the way of fighting goals.
Rashad Evans must agree. Just a few minutes after Jon Jones crushed Mauricio "Shogun" Rua to take the UFC light heavyweight title, Evans climbed into the Octagon and accepted the next shot at the young star.
The big issue? Generally, fighters from the same training camp, don't want to fight each other. Evans and Jones both work with trainer Greg Jackson in Albuquerque, NM.
When Evans was mentioned by UFC analyst Joe Rogan and then showed in the Octagon on the big screens around The Prudential Center in Newark, N.J., the crowd booed loudly.
That show of anger paled in comparison to the look on Jones' face. The introduction of Evans in the cage seemed to rain on Jones' parade a bit. He got just a few seconds to celebrate the culmination of years of hard work and then had to deal with the emotion of facing a training partner sometime later this year.
"We are teammates. I've sparred with him and he's sparred with me," Jones said as his voiced cracked. "This my dream and this is everything I believe in. And I know God wouldn't lead me this far, to leave me, so I gotta do exactly what I have to do."
Evans, nattily attired in a suit, walked to the microphone with a smirk on his face.
"I guess you should never say never," joked Evans.
Before UFC 128, with the possibility of Jones winning the title, Evans and his younger training partner agreed they wouldn't fight. That all changed in the last 10 days when Jones said he was tired of answering questions about Evans and suggested his training partner wasn't in his corner.
"[...] Rashad is not in my mind, he's not in my being, he has absolutely zero to do with my heart and who I am right now," Jones said during the UFC 128 prefight press conference. "[...] I have a lot of people outside of Rashad who I can draw energy and power from and they'll all be with me."
That opened the door for a fight in the future. Evans responded by saying Jones was being childish.
"That does sound a little bit cold-blooded. Jon's a young guy and when you're a young guy sometimes you talk a little too fast for your brain to keep up. I don't think it's acceptable at all. I don't think it's something I'd say.�It sounds like he wants to fight, huh? Those sound like fighting words," Evans told Larry Pepe of Pro MMA Radio. ".[...] Sometimes when you open your mouth you show what you're afraid of more than anything. I don't know why he has such an adverse response like that to me. I've never challenged him or made him feel like he should do that sort of thing. It sounds to me ? if I was out of the situation ? that he was feeling insecure about me. You can't just expect to not talk about a situation where you stepped in for a friend and training partner in a title fight who was injured. You can't take it personal… That sounds like a baby."
Tonight, Evans confirmed the belt trumps the friendship.
"We train together and you got that strap, so I gotta go after it," Evans said as the crowd booed.
Evans was originally scheduled to fight Rua at UFC 128, but suffered a knee injury just before Jones' fight at UFC 126 in early February. The UFC, faced with no one elite to challenged Rua six weeks later, turned to the raw Jones. It sounds like Evans believes Jones cut in front of him. When Jones first joined the Jackson's camp, Evans was told a head-to-head fight would never be an issue. Things have changed.
Now the question is, who leaves the camp?
Jones only began training with Jackson in 2010. Evans is one of the camp's original high-level members dating back to 2005. In that Pepe interview before the fight, it sounded like Evans had already made up his mind and will be working with Grudge Training Center in Denver if he had to face Jones.
It sets up an intriguing matchup from a mental and physical standpoint.
Evans has to know the champ's game as well as anyone in the division. At 32 years old, he may also be better equipped to handle the emotional side of the fight. That said, Jones, 23, didn't look one bit nervous last night in the biggest fight of his life. Evans also has the gift of gab. He's got a real knack for getting under the skin of his opponents.
UFC Fight Night 24 Live Blog: Leonard Garcia vs. Chan Sung Jung Updates
Filed under: UFC
SEATTLE, Wash. -- This is the UFC Fight Night 24 live blog for Leonard Garcia vs. Chan Sung Jung, a featherweight bout on tonight's UFC on Spike TV event at the Key Arena.Garcia (15-6-1) defeated Nam Phan last December in another controversial split decision. Chan (10-3) lost via head kick knockout last September to George Roop at WEC 51. This bout is a rematch from WEC 48 where Garcia emerged victorious in a split decision.
The live blog is below.
Source: http://www.mmafighting.com/2011/03/26/ufc-fight-night-24-live-blog-leonard-garcia-vs-chan-sung-jung/
Venum Brazilian Jiu Jitsu T-shirt
Source: http://fighterxfashion.com/venum-brazilian-jiu-jitsu-t-shirt/
Kenichi Yamamoto Norifumi Kid Yamamoto Ryushi Yanagisawa Yoshiaki Yatsu
NCAA wrestling’s best: Five who should transition to MMA
You don't have to be a hardcore fan to know that collegiate wrestlers fare well in MMA. Just looking at fighters from cards this month, both Urijah Faber and Phil Davis made their names at the NCAA Division I level before moving on to MMA.
This past weekend, the NCAA Division I championships went down in Philadelphia, with Penn State taking the team championship, and the unbelievable Anthony Robles winning outstanding wrestler. Which wrestlers would make a good transition into the cage?
Jordan Burroughs: He won the national championship for Nebraska at 165 pounds, dominating every step of the way. No one had an answer to his double-leg takedown, and he already has the foot and head movement that will help him transition to MMA. He's already caught the eye of fighters, as Strikeforce heavyweight and two-time Olympic wrestler Daniel Cormier called dibs for American Kickboxing Academy to train Burroughs.�Seeing the job they did with Cain Velasquez, Josh Koscheck and Cormier, it would be a good home for Burroughs.
�
Bubba Jenkins: Arizona State's Jenkins had a rough road to the top. He transferred from 2011 champ Penn State to ASU, where he blossomed. He pinned PSU's David Taylor -- the wrestler who took his spot at Penn St. -- in the finals. After that, he said in a press conference that he can't wait to fight. "MMA is next.�I'm excited about it.�I got fast hands, fast feet. The camera's going to love me, I hope.�I got a good smile for it. "
Not only does he already "get" selling a fight, he even gets merchandising. ASU fans wore shirts around Philly all weekend reading, "Free Bubba." Sponsors, MMA gyms and promotions should line up to sign Bubba.
Jordan Oliver: As the 133-pound national champion for MMA factory Oklahoma State, Oliver would find no shortage of mentors in the sport. He has a scrappy, fast style that would easily transition to MMA, but that will have to wait. Oliver is only a sophomore, and also reportedly has plans to pursue Olympic gold when his collegiate career is finished.
Ed Ruth: The Nittany Lion fell short of an individual title because of an injury that took him out of a quarterfinal match, but he made his mark on the 174 division. Ruth's technical abilities combined with his long, long arms could give him quite an advantage as a fighter. He just finished his freshman year, so MMA fans will have to wait a while before we know if Ruth wants to fight.
Zach Rey: A national champion at heavyweight for Lehigh, Rey is insanely strong. Like, throwing-around-285-pound-men-like-they-were-rag-dolls strong. He could improve his footwork, but that makes him no different than any other heavyweight wrestler transitioning to MMA. He also has another year of eligibility, so any plans for MMA have to wait.
Did you watch the championships? Tell us who you'd like to see fight in the comments below or on Facebook.
Marcio Pe de Pano Cruz Luke Cummo Jeff Big Frog Curran Dai Shuanghai
Evans unloads, suggests Jones and Jackson are backstabbers
After storming to the UFC light heavyweight title, Jon Jones is being held up as god's gift to the MMA world. That's not the way Rashad Evans sees him.
"People want to say 'oh my God Jon is this and that' but Jon Jones is Jon Jones to me. He's another fighter I have to face. I've seen them all and I've trained with the best," Evans told Duane Finley of BloodyElbow.com. "I've seen all the shades of greatness and how this one was supposed to do this and this one was supposed to do that. It's all the same and it doesn't even matter."
He thinks Jones is not be to be trusted and has the feel of a master manipulator.
"I feel disrespected on many levels and the worst part is that it comes from people who I felt were like family. I would have done anything for Greg Jackson, and I would still do anything for Greg Jackson but I felt disrespected beyond belief," Evans said. "I feel disrespected by Jon because when I think about when we trained or when we were chilling, was the [expletive] even real? Or was he just trying to be a master manipulator and try to manipulate the situation so he could get what he wanted out of it?"
Evans is steaming about the fact that he welcomed Jones, another light heavyweight title contender into Jackson's Submission Fighting camp in Albuquerque, NM, with open arms. It's put Evans in a position that forces him to leave the only camp he's known since 2005.
Evans became so wary of Jones and Greg Jackson that he began training a lot more in Denver at the Grudge Training Center, a partner of sorts with the Jackson's camp in New Mexico.
"I told him straight up that I didn't like it. I told him that the kid was talented and that the sky was the limit with him but that was the type of guy I wanted to fight not train with. Greg came back saying, 'No, no, no this will be just like you and Keith [Jardine] where he will be just like a brother.' I still told him that I didn't want to do that," Evans said. "Then Greg said if that situation ever did arise between Jones and I that he would have to turn the fight down because that's how it works. He would have to turn down the fight with me so that way I wouldn't be put in a position where I looked like a punk. That's how it works in the Greg Jackson system."
Evans is annoyed with Jackson because he's essentially removed himself from the beef.
"You can't say you are not going to have anything to do with it when you are a big part of the reason why the situation originated," Evans fired. "That's like spilling a glass of milk and then walking away and saying that you don't want to have anything to do with it. You [expletive] spilled the milk...so you're at least going to help clean it up right?"
Evans didn't like the way Jones opened the door to a possible fight during the UFC 128 prefight. Jones said he was cutting off all questions about Evans and didn't feel like his teammate and friend was pulling for him to win.
"When the first opportunity came and he said that he would fight me if Dana said so, that to me stung more than anything. He said that he didn't want to lose his job and look man, the UFC isn't going to fire anyone because they are turning down fights," Evans said. "[...] Then he comes across on national TV and says that he will fight Rashad if Dana White tells me to and I felt so [expletive] utterly disrespected."
"I mean it's one thing to say something in an interview but the least you could have picked up the phone and been like, "man I did an interview today and they kind of put me on the spot with a rough question and I answered it this way." At least give me the heads up so that way I know and not look at it if he's Judas or something. You know who Judas is? That interview was some backstabbing [expletive] but now it's like whatever because now I know the game he is playing."
Evans takes nothing away from Jones' game, but his character ... is another issue.
"Now the question is would Jon Jones be an animal had he not trained with Greg Jackson? Yes he would've. The learning rate may not have been as fast because training with Greg allowed Jon access to train with the best in the world. Jon is hands down [expletive] phenomenal. The kid is amazing and there is no doubt about that. There is no shame in my game for saying because the kid is very good but his skills excelled much quicker because of Jackson's," Evans said. "But if Jon Jones down the road goes somewhere else for a camp and then has a great fight and an opportunity arises do you really think he's going to go back to Greg Jackson? No. So then Greg lost on two fronts and for what?"
According to Evans, Jones may feel the same sting down the road when he finally suffers a legitimate loss and needs a helping hand to get back on his feet.
"People are touting Jon around like he's Neo from the Matrix. That's all good and dandy but be there for the kid when the kid falls. Be there to pick him back up rather than turn their back on him like they did to Machida. Lyoto loses and all of a sudden he sucks. No he doesn't [expletive] suck it's just the way the game goes."
The Jones-Evans matchup probably won't materialize until the summer. That's a lot of time for Evans to unleash plenty of mental warfare. In fact, it's already started.
Nobody is supreme in this game and that is what makes mixed martial arts what it is today. Nobody is the absolute best. Anybody can get beat by anybody on any given day."
?Bullet? Bob Armstrong Speaks Out ? HOF Induction, Sons
On Going Into The WWE Hall of Fame: “When they called me and told me I was being inducted, I thought they had the wrong number because I really didn’t expect this in a million years. It means an awful lot to me. You know what means a lot to me is my sons. All four of my sons are going to present me with that ring and induction plaque. That will mean a lot to ...
Source: http://www.ifight365.com/2011/03/bullet-bob-armstrong-speaks-out-hof-induction-sons/
Saturday, 26 March 2011
UFC Fight Night 24 Weigh-In Results
Filed under: UFC
SEATTLE -- All fighters made weight at the Key Arena on Friday afternoon, clearing the way for UFC Fight Night 24 to take place as scheduled on Saturday night.Though all eyes were on Anthony Johnson, who admitted he'd gotten up to sixty pounds over the welterweight limit while being sidelined with an injury, "Rumble" came in on target with help from the one-pound allowance, which his opponent, Dan Hardy, also took full advantage of. Full results from Friday afternoon's weigh-in are below.
Source: http://www.mmafighting.com/2011/03/25/ufc-fight-night-24-weigh-in-results/
Marloes Coenen Post-Fight vs Liz Carmouche - Strikeforce
Source: http://mmalice.com/strikeforce/marloes-coenen-post-fight-vs-liz-carmouche-video_86877253a.html
UFC Boosts UFC Fight Night 24 Facebook Prelims to Five Fights
Source: http://mmafrenzy.com/18020/ufc-boosts-ufc-fight-night-24-facebook-prelims-to-five-fights/
Watch Rua/Machida II and UFC 128 right here on Yahoo! Sports
As always, you can watch Saturday's UFC 128 pay-per-view right here on Yahoo! Sports. To remind you how Mauricio "Shogun" Rua won the championship belt, here is his second bout with Lyoto Machida. Fight action starts around the 10-minute mark, but it's worth watching the whole video to see Machida's entrance.
Now that you're sufficiently pumped for Saturday's main event,� click here to order it.
Martinsh Egle Eric Butterbean Esch Efrain Escudero Rashad Evans
UPCOMING EVENT: UFC Fight Night 24, March 26
Saturday, March 26
Key Arena
Seattle, Washington
Airing on Spike
MAIN CARD
* Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (#9 Ranked Light Heavyweight) vs. Phil Davis
* Dan Hardy vs. Anthony Johnson
* Amir Sadollah vs. DaMarques Johnson
* Chan Sung Jung vs. Leonard Garcia
PRELIMINARY CARD (On Facebook)
* Alex Caceres vs. Mackens Semerzier
* Jon Madsen vs. Mike Russow
* John Hathaway vs. Kris McCray
* Michael McDonald vs. Edwin Figueroa
* Sean McCorkle vs. Christian Morecraft
PRELIMINARY CARD (Unaired)
* Aaron Simpson vs. Mario Miranda
* Nik Lentz vs. Waylon Lowe
* T.J. Waldburger vs. Johnny Hendricks
* Rob Kimmons vs. Dongi Yang
Source: http://www.mmatorch.com/artman2/publish/Upcoming_Events_42/article_7775.shtml
UFC 128 Post-Fight Press Conference Video
At the post fight press conference, UFC President Dana White will announce the winners of the Fight of the Night, Submission of the Night and Knockout of the Night bonuses. And winning fighters will talk about their fights.
The post-fight press conference will start about half an hour after the pay-per-view show ends (likely around 1:15 AM ET) and the video is below.
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Source: http://www.mmafighting.com/2011/03/20/ufc-128-post-fight-press-conference-video/
Fabricio Werdum Vernon White Mike Whitehead Jonathan Wiezorek
Exclusive pictures from Jon Jones’ belt-winning victory
Jon Jones is the new UFC light heavyweight champion, the youngest in UFC history. He did it by dismantling a legend who had also been a young champion. Check out pictures from his historic win by Tracy Lee.