Rick Story (Pictured) will fight Demian Maia at UFC 153. How do we know this? Because Story just announced the welterweight scrap on his Twitter account.
Story manged to snap his two-fight skid last month by posting a unanimous decision win over Brock Larson. Prior to that, ?Horror? had dropped decisions to Martin Kampmann and Charlie Brenneman,�respectively.
It took Maia all of 47 seconds to beat Dong Hyun Kim in his welterweight debut. The Korean suffered a ?freak injury? in the opening ticks of their UFC 148 matchup, giving Maia the easy W.
UFC 153 takes place October 13th inside HSBC Arena in Rio de Janeiro.
Here are the athletes expected to perform in Brazil:
Cezar ?Mutante? Ferreira vs. TBD
Joey Gambino vs. Diego Brandao
Sergio Moraes vs. Renee Forte
Demian Maia vs. Rick Story
Cristiano Marcello vs. Reza Madadi
Rony ?Jason? Bezerra vs. Sam Sicilia
Jon Fitch vs. Erick Silva
Vitor Belfort vs. Alan Belcher
Erik Koch vs. Jose Aldo (UFC featherweight champion)
Tuesday, July 31, 2012
UFC 153: Rick Story Announces He Will Face Demian Maia in Brazil
Monday, it was reported that Jon Fitch would meet Erick Silva, while today Rick Story announced that he was set to face Demian Maia on the upcoming card:
I'm fighting Demian Maia in Rio!
— Rick (@Rick_Story) July 31, 2012
Story (14-5) is 1-2 in his last three UFC fights after opening his UFC career by going 6-1. The 27-year-old Story has seen his stock within the welterweight division take a tumble since his two recent losses. The fight against Maia, a former title contender in the middleweight division, provides Story an opportunity to gain some traction among the 170-pounders.
Maia (16-4) dropped to welterweight for his last contest, earning a 47-second TKO victory over Dong Hyun Kim at UFC 148. The stoppage was due to what Kim’s translator called “a freak accident.” Kim was unable to continue after suffering a muscle spasm, but a win’s a win and it goes down in the record books as a fast TKO for Maia.
The win was the first stoppage for Maia, a gifted grappler, since he stopped Chael Sonnen at UFC 95 in February 2009.
Lately Maia has been concentrating on showcasing his striking game more than his jiu-jitsu skills and it has not paid off. He had gone 4-4 between the Sonnen and Kim fights with seven of those fights going the distance. The only fight in that group that ended early was a 21- second knockout loss to Nate Marquardt.
UFC 153 will be headlined by a featherweight title bout between champion Jose Aldo and Erik Koch. In addition to the aforementioned bout between Fitch and Silva, Quinton “Rampage” Jackson will face Glover Teixeira.
Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com
Luke Rockhold on UFC's Tim Boetsch: He beat the Bellator Champ, let's see if he can beat the Strikeforce Champ
By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief
Strikeforce Middleweight Champion Luke Rockhold is in a tough spot in the division. After defeating Tim Kennedy on Showtime earlier this month, he's left with very few options within Strikeforce to fight. Because of that, he called out Ronaldo "Jacare" Souza for a rematch of the fight that won him the title.
He understands it's not an easy fight, but with so few viable challengers, Souza represents the biggest and best fight for him inside of Strikeforce right now.
"I've already fought [Jacare] and it's probably not the smartest decision to want to fight him again, but at the same time Jacare, he's the best in the division," Rockhold said in an interview with MMAWeekly.com. "From what I feel, he's the most well rounded fighter and he's the toughest guy there. Like I've always said, I want the toughest guys I can get, and if that's all I can get right now, that's what I want."
Rockhold would like to face some challenges from fighters on the UFC's middleweight roster, but he also knows it's not a likely scenario for him. That said, Frank Mir's move over to face Daniel Cormier this fall has opened that door, and Rockhold thinks there's at least one realistic name that he could be matched up against.
"UFC wise, who's out there that they would let go that would actually allow a crossover?" Rockhold questioned. "Cause you know certain guys you know they wouldn't, but there's certain guys that they might."
"Tim Boetsch looked pretty good last weekend. He just beat the Bellator champion, let's see if he can come beat the Strikeforce champion."
Penick's Analysis: In some respects, ushering Boetsch into a Strikeforce bout with Rockhold could make sense, but when Boetsch is trying to prove himself as a valid challenger to the UFC Middleweight Championship, I just don't see him moving over. Boetsch wouldn't have much to gain, and if he defeated Rockhold, he wouldn't want to be stuck in Strikeforce as their champion. A non-title fight could potentially work, but that doesn't do much for Rockhold as the Strikeforce Champion. It's just not the type of fight that necessarily works in the current Strikeforce/Showtime/Zuffa dynamic. For now, Rockhold has to bide his time and win the fights that are available to him in the organization.
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He understands it's not an easy fight, but with so few viable challengers, Souza represents the biggest and best fight for him inside of Strikeforce right now.
"I've already fought [Jacare] and it's probably not the smartest decision to want to fight him again, but at the same time Jacare, he's the best in the division," Rockhold said in an interview with MMAWeekly.com. "From what I feel, he's the most well rounded fighter and he's the toughest guy there. Like I've always said, I want the toughest guys I can get, and if that's all I can get right now, that's what I want."
Rockhold would like to face some challenges from fighters on the UFC's middleweight roster, but he also knows it's not a likely scenario for him. That said, Frank Mir's move over to face Daniel Cormier this fall has opened that door, and Rockhold thinks there's at least one realistic name that he could be matched up against.
"UFC wise, who's out there that they would let go that would actually allow a crossover?" Rockhold questioned. "Cause you know certain guys you know they wouldn't, but there's certain guys that they might."
"Tim Boetsch looked pretty good last weekend. He just beat the Bellator champion, let's see if he can come beat the Strikeforce champion."
Penick's Analysis: In some respects, ushering Boetsch into a Strikeforce bout with Rockhold could make sense, but when Boetsch is trying to prove himself as a valid challenger to the UFC Middleweight Championship, I just don't see him moving over. Boetsch wouldn't have much to gain, and if he defeated Rockhold, he wouldn't want to be stuck in Strikeforce as their champion. A non-title fight could potentially work, but that doesn't do much for Rockhold as the Strikeforce Champion. It's just not the type of fight that necessarily works in the current Strikeforce/Showtime/Zuffa dynamic. For now, Rockhold has to bide his time and win the fights that are available to him in the organization.
Source: http://www.mmatorch.com/artman2/publish/UFC_2/article_13970.shtml
12 Fighters That Could Be Action Movie Stars
The world of martial arts extends to many places, whether it be the Olympics, the silver screen or the UFC. It's easy to say that the various arts are immensely popular all over the world.
Some of the greatest action movie stars know some sort of martial art. Among these stars are Chuck Norris, Steven Seagal, Jason Statham and Jackie Chan. All of these men have contributed their particular martial arts in various movies.
Here are 10 fighters who could be action movie stars given the chance.
Source: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1278652-12-fighters-that-could-be-action-movie-stars
Why Sonnen vs. Silva III is Possible If Sonnen Starts Mouthing Off Again
Anderson Silva's couch is going to be working overtime for the immediate future, and that is a bad thing for the UFC.
Bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz is out of commission for perhaps a full year. Welterweight champ Georges St-Pierre is going to fight in November (maybe,) but historically tends to have long layovers between fights. Light heavyweight king Jon Jones has literally beaten every realistic competitor, making any future fights for him questionable from a sales perspective.
Other buy-grabbing fighters not wearing belts are also shelved. Alistair Overeem is in the middle of his suspension for his wacky T/E ratio. Nick Diaz is in the same boat for his wacky tobacky. Matt Hughes may or may not be retired. Frank Mir's next fight will be in Strikeforce, where he will face Daniel Cormier (another fighter the UFC wish they had at their disposal.) Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira's arm is still on the mend. The same goes for Mark Hunt's knee.
That is a big headache for UFC matchmaker Joe Silva. While the UFC is through the worst of it, they still need cards that can draw 500,000 buys in a really bad way.
UFC 148 drew over one million buys. Though Silva won in convincing fashion, there was more than a little controversy involved. It started even before the fight, with Silva wiping grease from his face onto his chest. It moved on into the second round with Silva grabbing Sonnen's shorts to help in his defending of the American Gangster's takedowns. Finally, the volley of strikes that ended the fight started off with a knee to Sonnen's chest that simultaneously hit him in the face.
This is not to say that Silva did not earn his win. He was still widely favored and likely would have won the fight without, as it is called in football, “gamesmanship.” Still, if roles were reversed, few would deny that an immediate rematch would already be scheduled.
Anderson Silva's management team knows there is no real legitimate opponent for him in the middleweight division right now. Though many are excited about 9-0 phenom Chris Weidman, his most-watched fight remains his wheeze-fest against Demian Maia at UFC on Fox 2. His eerily dominating performance against Mark Munoz at UFC on Fuel TV 4 averaged only 211,000 viewers, leaving his drawing power a serious question mark.
The rest of the middleweight top-10 has a similar lack of established success. Alan Belcher and Tim Boetsch are yet to make a serious splash with fans, in spite of solid winning streaks. Everyone else (being Michael Bisping, Brian Stann, Yushin Okami and Vitor Belfort) have all lost to either Sonnen or Silva in the last eighteen months.
Anderson Silva's management team recently made a push for a fight against Georges St-Pierre. However, the scheduling and welterweight title picture make this unrealistic.
St-Pierre is scheduled to face Carlos Condit at UFC 154 to unify the welterweight belt. Martin Kampmann and Johny Hendricks are slated for a top contender's match that same night. Both offer a true test for St-Pierre, but even if GSP loses, he has a blockbuster opponent waiting for him in Nick Diaz, who he could fight in Spring 2013.
Making things even worse for Anderson is that the always-discussed move to light heavyweight is no longer a viable option for him. While fights like Silva vs. Rashad Evans or Silva vs. Mauricio “Shogun” Rua would be excellent draws, champion Jon Jones would be a heavy favorite if the two met, given his serious size, reach and wrestling advantage. The UFC, Silva, and Silva's management team all know this.
That leaves Chael Sonnen.
While Chael Sonnen became a household name in large part because of his mouth, he has been nothing but a good sport since losing to Silva at UFC 148. At the post-event media conference, Sonnen downplayed the preliminary talk about Silva's questionable tactics. Since, he has remained quiet on the fight, but acknowledged his reluctance to watch a video of the bout.
While sore losers are not traditionally well-met by sports fans, Sonnen's popularity grew because of his inability to stomach his first loss to Silva. While Dana White dismissed questions about the legitimacy of Silva's win, he must also recognize the matchmaking predicament facing one of his few remaining draws. The UFC's marketing department can easily run promos of Joe Rogan and Mike Goldberg questioning if that knee went to the face, or pointing out Silva grabbing Sonnen's shorts.
This remains a tough fight for Silva. While Sonnen was knocked out at UFC 148, he is still the most likely candidate to beat Silva. The entire first round had Silva on his back, and there is no question as to whether Sonnen still has the slippery takedowns and sheer quickness and keep “the Spider” off his game.
An immediate rematch is out of the question. However, a fight against Weidman would be a viable headline for a UFC on Fox card and, regardless of the outcome, makes for a strong top contender bout that will either set up for Silva vs. Sonnen III, or make Weidman a household name.
That situation is a win-win for the UFC. While neither a Silva vs. Sonnen III, nor a Silva vs. Weidman headline would draw seven-figure buys, having Sonnen and Weidman face off in a top contender fight is by far the best thing the UFC can do to shake out the top of the middleweight division.
It is a very realistic option that should be available to Sonnen. All he needs to do is start running his mouth.
Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com
Rory MacDonald joins B.J. Penn in VADA drug testing for UFC 152 showdown
By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief
Sticking by his word, UFC welterweight Rory MacDonald will join his UFC 152 opponent B.J. Penn in undergoing random drug testing by the Volunteer Anti-Doping Association ahead of their bout.
VADA announced Penn's participation on Thursday, and in an interview with MMAJunkie.com, MacDonald's manager, Lex McMahon, revealed they were doing the same. Both fighters will be subject to random blood and urine tests for eight weeks leading into their bout, in addition to any testing done by the UFC.
"Our camp is very happy that B.J. has decided to participate in the VADA program that he had put forward," McMahon said. "Rory's completing his paperwork and will be joining him soon, and I think that Rory is definitely excited about the possibilities of what this means for the sport in the big picture, and he's happy he can play a small role in this."
Penn initially balked at VADA's need to release results of the tests immediately, wanting to withhold results until after the fight so as not to affect their booking at UFC 152. That's not how the system works, however, and Penn eventually decided to go ahead with the program as it is. Results of any of the random tests during that time period will be immediately revealed to the ABC, Ontario governing body, and the UFC.
Penick's Analysis: MacDonald and Penn are taking a step in a new direction for testing in the sport. It will be interesting to see how many follow suit and whether or not VADA testing starts to gain a foothold in the sport. It's already resulted in some high-profile busts in boxing, and any fighter signing up for it claiming they're clean better be sure they are, or it's going to lead to the same happening in MMA. Still, as the problems surrounding drug use and abuse in MMA continue to grow, a new approach is needed. VADA being the answer or not is still too early to tell, but it's something more comprehensive than what we're seeing from Athletic commissions with simple pre and post fight urine tests.
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VADA announced Penn's participation on Thursday, and in an interview with MMAJunkie.com, MacDonald's manager, Lex McMahon, revealed they were doing the same. Both fighters will be subject to random blood and urine tests for eight weeks leading into their bout, in addition to any testing done by the UFC.
"Our camp is very happy that B.J. has decided to participate in the VADA program that he had put forward," McMahon said. "Rory's completing his paperwork and will be joining him soon, and I think that Rory is definitely excited about the possibilities of what this means for the sport in the big picture, and he's happy he can play a small role in this."
Penn initially balked at VADA's need to release results of the tests immediately, wanting to withhold results until after the fight so as not to affect their booking at UFC 152. That's not how the system works, however, and Penn eventually decided to go ahead with the program as it is. Results of any of the random tests during that time period will be immediately revealed to the ABC, Ontario governing body, and the UFC.
Penick's Analysis: MacDonald and Penn are taking a step in a new direction for testing in the sport. It will be interesting to see how many follow suit and whether or not VADA testing starts to gain a foothold in the sport. It's already resulted in some high-profile busts in boxing, and any fighter signing up for it claiming they're clean better be sure they are, or it's going to lead to the same happening in MMA. Still, as the problems surrounding drug use and abuse in MMA continue to grow, a new approach is needed. VADA being the answer or not is still too early to tell, but it's something more comprehensive than what we're seeing from Athletic commissions with simple pre and post fight urine tests.
Source: http://www.mmatorch.com/artman2/publish/UFC_2/article_13955.shtml
Boxing Insider Notebook: Salido, Dawson, Ward, and More
By: William Holmes The following is the Boxinginsider.com notebook for the week of July 23rd to July 30th, covering the comings and goings in the sport of boxing. Chris Algieri Wins at Star Boxing?s Rocking Fights 4 Chris Algieri won …
Source: http://www.boxinginsider.com/headlines/boxinginsider-notebook-salido-dawson-ward-and-more/
Rory MacDonald joins B.J. Penn in VADA drug testing for UFC 152 showdown
By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief
Sticking by his word, UFC welterweight Rory MacDonald will join his UFC 152 opponent B.J. Penn in undergoing random drug testing by the Volunteer Anti-Doping Association ahead of their bout.
VADA announced Penn's participation on Thursday, and in an interview with MMAJunkie.com, MacDonald's manager, Lex McMahon, revealed they were doing the same. Both fighters will be subject to random blood and urine tests for eight weeks leading into their bout, in addition to any testing done by the UFC.
"Our camp is very happy that B.J. has decided to participate in the VADA program that he had put forward," McMahon said. "Rory's completing his paperwork and will be joining him soon, and I think that Rory is definitely excited about the possibilities of what this means for the sport in the big picture, and he's happy he can play a small role in this."
Penn initially balked at VADA's need to release results of the tests immediately, wanting to withhold results until after the fight so as not to affect their booking at UFC 152. That's not how the system works, however, and Penn eventually decided to go ahead with the program as it is. Results of any of the random tests during that time period will be immediately revealed to the ABC, Ontario governing body, and the UFC.
Penick's Analysis: MacDonald and Penn are taking a step in a new direction for testing in the sport. It will be interesting to see how many follow suit and whether or not VADA testing starts to gain a foothold in the sport. It's already resulted in some high-profile busts in boxing, and any fighter signing up for it claiming they're clean better be sure they are, or it's going to lead to the same happening in MMA. Still, as the problems surrounding drug use and abuse in MMA continue to grow, a new approach is needed. VADA being the answer or not is still too early to tell, but it's something more comprehensive than what we're seeing from Athletic commissions with simple pre and post fight urine tests.
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VADA announced Penn's participation on Thursday, and in an interview with MMAJunkie.com, MacDonald's manager, Lex McMahon, revealed they were doing the same. Both fighters will be subject to random blood and urine tests for eight weeks leading into their bout, in addition to any testing done by the UFC.
"Our camp is very happy that B.J. has decided to participate in the VADA program that he had put forward," McMahon said. "Rory's completing his paperwork and will be joining him soon, and I think that Rory is definitely excited about the possibilities of what this means for the sport in the big picture, and he's happy he can play a small role in this."
Penn initially balked at VADA's need to release results of the tests immediately, wanting to withhold results until after the fight so as not to affect their booking at UFC 152. That's not how the system works, however, and Penn eventually decided to go ahead with the program as it is. Results of any of the random tests during that time period will be immediately revealed to the ABC, Ontario governing body, and the UFC.
Penick's Analysis: MacDonald and Penn are taking a step in a new direction for testing in the sport. It will be interesting to see how many follow suit and whether or not VADA testing starts to gain a foothold in the sport. It's already resulted in some high-profile busts in boxing, and any fighter signing up for it claiming they're clean better be sure they are, or it's going to lead to the same happening in MMA. Still, as the problems surrounding drug use and abuse in MMA continue to grow, a new approach is needed. VADA being the answer or not is still too early to tell, but it's something more comprehensive than what we're seeing from Athletic commissions with simple pre and post fight urine tests.
Source: http://www.mmatorch.com/artman2/publish/UFC_2/article_13955.shtml
Monday, July 30, 2012
?UFC on FOX: Shogun vs. Vera? Official Event Poster
Better late than never. With less than a week remaining until the curtain is drawn on ?UFC on FOX: Shogun vs. Vera,? the official event poster for Saturday?s show has finally been released.
A pair of light heavyweight tangos headlines the bash. Mauricio ?Shogun? Rua meets Brandon Vera in the night?s featured attraction, while Lyoto Machida battles Ryan Bader in the co-main event.
Staples Center in Los Angeles hosts this weekend?s festivities.
FOX broadcasts the card?s four featured fights live beginning at 8PM PET/5PM PT.
Here is the event?s lineup:
Preliminary Card:
(FUEL TV 5PM ET/2PM PT)
John Moraga vs. Ulysses Gomez
Michihiro Omigawa vs. Manny Gamburyan
Oli Thompson vs. Phil De Fries
Josh Grispi vs. Rani Yahya
Phil Davis vs. Wagner Prado
Nam Phan vs. Cole Miller
Main Card:
(FOX 8PM ET/5PM PT)
Mike Swick vs. DaMarques Johnson
Joe Lauzon vs. Jamie Varner
Lyoto Machida vs. Ryan Bader
Mauricio ?Shogun? Rua vs. Brandon Vera
A pair of light heavyweight tangos headlines the bash. Mauricio ?Shogun? Rua meets Brandon Vera in the night?s featured attraction, while Lyoto Machida battles Ryan Bader in the co-main event.
Staples Center in Los Angeles hosts this weekend?s festivities.
FOX broadcasts the card?s four featured fights live beginning at 8PM PET/5PM PT.
Here is the event?s lineup:
Preliminary Card:
(FUEL TV 5PM ET/2PM PT)
John Moraga vs. Ulysses Gomez
Michihiro Omigawa vs. Manny Gamburyan
Oli Thompson vs. Phil De Fries
Josh Grispi vs. Rani Yahya
Phil Davis vs. Wagner Prado
Nam Phan vs. Cole Miller
Main Card:
(FOX 8PM ET/5PM PT)
Mike Swick vs. DaMarques Johnson
Joe Lauzon vs. Jamie Varner
Lyoto Machida vs. Ryan Bader
Mauricio ?Shogun? Rua vs. Brandon Vera
UFC On Fox 4: Winner Of Vera Vs. Rua Gets Title Shot
UFC president Dana White is making bold promises once again. On a UFC on Fox 4 conference call this afternoon, White says that the winner of the UFC on Fox 4 main event between former UFC light heavyweight champion Mauricio "Shogun" Rua and Brandon Vera will get a title shot.
Seriously.
Shogun (20-6) was trounced by current champion Jon Jones at UFC 128 to take the belt, and he's just 1-1 since then. The loss came to Dan Henderson, who will challenge Jones for the title at UFC 151.
Vera (12-5, 1 NC), who was also handily defeated by Jones back in 2010, is 4-3 (1 NC) since dropping to 205 and has picked up just one win in his last four bouts. And even that one was close, where Eliot Marshall caught him in an armbar late in the fight and actually broke his arm, but Vera held on for the decision victory.
I'll leave the outrage to the rest of you, but to me this just seems like a ploy to get people interested in UFC on Fox 4, not a real ironclad promise. How many times has White named a "# 1 contender" before, only to pass them up when something better came along for the champion? The only possible way this could work out is if Henderson and Shogun emerge victorious and meet for a second time. Any other combination is a death knell for PPV in my eyes.
SBN coverage of UFC on Fox 4: Shogun vs. Vera
Source: http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2012/7/30/3204507/ufc-on-fox-4-winner-vera-vs-rua-gets-title-shot
Shogun Rua Wants A Crack at Bones Jones
Former light heavyweight champion Mauricio Shogun Rua is looking to get his light heavyweight championship back from the current champ Jon Jones. He was...
?Invicta Fighting Championships 2? Results
After some streaming issues, “Invicta Fighting Championships 2″ ultimately went off without a hitch. Saturday’s show took place inside Memorial Hall in Kansas City, Kansas. The all-female fight card featured an entertaining battle between Shayna Baszler and Sara McMann and a co-main event with Alexis Davis and Hitomi Akano. If you missed Saturday’s scraps, go [...]
Source: http://www.5thRound.com/124004/invicta-fighting-championships-2-results/
?UFC on FOX: Shogun vs. Vera? Video Preview
“UFC on FOX: Shogun vs. Vera” is exactly one week out, so it’s time to kick the promotional efforts into overdrive. What better way to do so than by releasing a quick video preview for next Saturday’s show?� Former light heavyweight champ Lyoto Machida (Pictured) and Ryan Bader serve as the card’s co-featured attraction. Although, [...]
Source: http://www.5thRound.com/123989/ufc-on-fox-shogun-vs-vera-video-preview/
UFC on FOX: Shougn vs. Vera Video Preview
Two light heavyweight bouts will determine the next contender in the nastiest division of the UFC - don't miss Shogun vs. Vera and Machida vs. Bader live on FOX!UFC on FOX 4 takes place on August 4, 2012 at the Staples Center in Los Angeles, California featuring a four bout main card.
Source: http://www.themmanews.com/ufc-on-fox-shougn-vs-vera-video-preview/
July 2012 MMA Rankings: The 10 Best in Each Division
Once per month, I put together a list of rankings in each weight class, from heavyweight down to flyweight, for the USA Today consensus MMA rankings.
I'm going to begin sharing those rankings with you, starting with my latest ballot.
These rankings are my own. They are not affiliated with the official Bleacher Report MMA rankings and should not be considered the consensus view of anyone else on the Caged In or Bleacher Report staff.
With that disclaimer out of the way, let's get started with the big boys at heavyweight.
Source: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1275727-july-2012-mma-rankings-the-10-best-in-each-division
Sunday, July 29, 2012
ONE FC CEO Victor Cui Excited For ?Sick? Card August 31st
On August 31st, ONE Fighting Championship will head to the Philippines for the first time with the promotions most stacked card. With fighters such as reigning DREAM champions Shinya Aoki and Bibiano Fernandes, plus a trio of Gracie’s at the event, promotion president Victor Cui can only refer to the card as “sick” and “stacked” [...]
Source: http://www.themmanews.com/one-fc-ceo-victor-cui-excited-for-sick-card-august-31st/
?UFC on FOX: Road to the Octagon? premieres today at 2 p.m. ET
Live UFC fights are back on FOX next weekend with "UFC on FOX 4: Shogun vs. Vera". To get you ready for the action FOX is airing "UFC on FOX: Road to the Octagon" this afternoon (Sunday, July 29) at 2 p.m. ET/11 a.m. PT. The show will take fans behind the scenes and into the training camps of UFC on FOX 4 headliners Mauricio "Shogun" Rua and Brandon Vera, and co-headliners Lyoto Machida and Ryan Bader, as they prepare for their Aug. 4 light heavyweight match-ups which could hold title fight implications for the winners.
Related posts:
Related posts:
- UFC’s ‘Road To The Octagon’ to air July 29th on FOX
- Ulysses ‘Useless’ Gomez signs with UFC, replaces Ian McCall at UFC on FOX 4 against John Moraga
- Ryan Bader to face Lyoto Machida at UFC on FOX 4
Source: http://prommanow.com/2012/07/29/ufc-on-fox-road-to-the-octagon-premieres-today-at-2-p-m-et/
Rebellion Radio: Brittney Palmer, Firas Zahabi, and Rich Chou
Rebellion MMA Radio returns tonight with hosts Bryan Levick and Mitch Ciccarelli in addition to a strong lineup of guests including the beautiful Brittney Palmer, Firas Zahabi, and Richard Chou. The show will start at 6:30PM ET tonight. Listeners can submit questions/comments, or even participate on the show, via Twitter, through email (RebellionMMARadio@yahoo.com) or by calling the show.
Source: http://mmafrenzy.com/29641/rebellion-radio-brittney-palmer-firas-zahabi-and-rich-chou-2/
Benson Henderson: ?Every fight I have from now on is going to be the fight of my life, to be the career-defining moment.?
UFC lightweight champ Benson Henderson has no regrets about his performance against former title-holder Frankie Edgar when the two tangled in February at UFC 144. The bout featured Henderson handling the slippery Edgar and emerging from the bout with a belt in tow. However, in the eyes of some the fight was close enough to [...]
Canadian Olympic Profile: Freestyle Wrestling Team
As the 2012 Olympic Games are underway in London, Fight Network will be providing daily profiles on the Canadian athletes competing in various combat sports disciplines.
Here, we take a closer look at the Canadian freestyle wrestling team:
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MEN?S
David Tremblay
Height: 165 cm
Weight: 55 Kg
Born: 18/09/1987, Stony Point, Ontario
Resides: Montreal, Quebec
Since taking up the sport in 2000, David Tremblay has always had his eye trained on his ultimate goal of competing for Canada at an Olympic Games. This past March, his dream became a reality when he secured his spot on the London 2012 team, taking home gold at the Pan Am Olympic qualifying tournament in Florida. The 2011 Canadian senior national champion moved to Montreal at age 18 to train with renowned coach Victor Zilberman, whom he credits with pushing him to elevate himself to the level of international competitor. Tremblay had been coached by his father for his entire life prior to working with coach Zilberman. Tremblay once dethroned a four-time reigning high school champion, citing the victory as one of his all-time most memorable wrestling moments. He also enjoyed a three-year run as CIS Champion from 2009-2011.
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Source: http://www.thefightnetwork.com/news/32206:canadian-olympic-profile-freestyle-wrestling-team/
Nick Diaz Plans on Returning to UFC, Requests Fight with Anderson Silva
The last two times most MMA fans saw Nick Diaz were following UFC 143 and during his hearing with the Nevada State Athletic Commission regarding his drug test from that fight. Diaz did not fare too well in either of those appearances.
Diaz, the former Strikeforce welterweight champion came out on the wrong side of the decision to Condit, and after watching the interim UFC welterweight title belt strapped around the waist of the victor, Diaz had this to say during his in cage interview with Joe Rogan: “I think I'm done with this MMA. It's been great out here. I've had a good career, but I don't think I'm going to get enough to keep going in this.”
As for the hearing with the NSAC, that came a few months after the fight.
Diaz’s post-UFC 143 drug test came back positive for marijuana metabolites, and after a long, drawn-out hearing, Diaz was slapped with a one-year suspension retroactive the date of the fight, February 4.
Since then, we haven't heard much. Sure, there have been some words from Nick's younger brother Nate, but that was nothing concrete—just Nate's opinion on things.
That changed on Friday when Cesar Gracie took to GracieFighter.com to reveal what the future held for Nick Diaz: "This week we had a great talk and he made it clear to me that he is ready to get back to the cage. Nick Diaz will return."
I can say I would have been more surprised to read that Diaz would stay retired. What did come as a bit of a surprise was the fighter he was requesting a bout with upon his return, per Gracie:
As far as future opponents, Nick has stated that he would like to take fights “that matter”. Since GSP will be fighting Condit, he has to look elsewhere. He will respectfully ask for a fight with Anderson Silva, a fighter he respects and would like to challenge.
Silva’s camp has been speaking of a fight with GSP, possibly even at a catch weight. Nick will take that fight in a minute but has told me that should Silva decide not to drop at all, he will move up to 185lbs to face the Champ.
So there you have it fight fans, Nick Diaz will return and if he has his way, he will return in a big fashion.
Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com
Nick Diaz to return, wants Anderson Silva fight
Nick Diaz?s retirement, as expected, has been short-lived. Earlier today, Diaz?s trainer and manager, Cesar Gracie announced the controversial welterweight?s future plans and they include a challenge to UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva. Gracie posted the following statement on GracieFighter.com:
?It?s been a trying time these last 4 months as I have been faced with the prospect that one of our team?s most talented fighters had decided to leave the sport. As a fan I?ve always admired what both of the Diaz?s brought to the cage; a combination of technical brilliance and raw violence.
Nate Diaz has finally put his game together and found the formula to propel him to the top of the 155lbs division. To see Nick leave at the top of his game was difficult.
For the last couple of months I?ve watched Nick begin to frequent the gym more and more. He?s training harder now than he has for many of his fights. It was obvious that training and fighting is in his DNA. It is who he is.
This week we had a great talk and he made it clear to me that he is ready to get back to the cage. Nick Diaz will return.
To address the NSAC suspension, I will say that we have appealed to the courts and if things go our way, it will be plausible that Nick could return as early as sometime at the end of this year.
For too long NSAC bureaucrats have acted with malicious incompetence towards the fighters. We will challenge them in court.
As far as future opponents, Nick has stated that he would like to take fights ?that matter?. Since GSP will be fighting Condit, he has to look elsewhere. He will respectfully ask for a fight with Anderson Silva, a fighter he respects and would like to challenge.
Silva?s camp has been speaking of a fight with GSP, possibly even at a catch weight. Nick will take that fight in a minute but has told me that should Silva decide not to drop at all, he will move up to 185lbs to face the Champ.
I will be meeting with Dana next Monday August 6th to discuss this and other issues. If you appreciate Nick?s fighting style, please let Dana know that you want Nick back ASAP.
Thank you and best regards,
Cesar Gracie?
?It?s been a trying time these last 4 months as I have been faced with the prospect that one of our team?s most talented fighters had decided to leave the sport. As a fan I?ve always admired what both of the Diaz?s brought to the cage; a combination of technical brilliance and raw violence.
Nate Diaz has finally put his game together and found the formula to propel him to the top of the 155lbs division. To see Nick leave at the top of his game was difficult.
For the last couple of months I?ve watched Nick begin to frequent the gym more and more. He?s training harder now than he has for many of his fights. It was obvious that training and fighting is in his DNA. It is who he is.
This week we had a great talk and he made it clear to me that he is ready to get back to the cage. Nick Diaz will return.
To address the NSAC suspension, I will say that we have appealed to the courts and if things go our way, it will be plausible that Nick could return as early as sometime at the end of this year.
For too long NSAC bureaucrats have acted with malicious incompetence towards the fighters. We will challenge them in court.
As far as future opponents, Nick has stated that he would like to take fights ?that matter?. Since GSP will be fighting Condit, he has to look elsewhere. He will respectfully ask for a fight with Anderson Silva, a fighter he respects and would like to challenge.
Silva?s camp has been speaking of a fight with GSP, possibly even at a catch weight. Nick will take that fight in a minute but has told me that should Silva decide not to drop at all, he will move up to 185lbs to face the Champ.
I will be meeting with Dana next Monday August 6th to discuss this and other issues. If you appreciate Nick?s fighting style, please let Dana know that you want Nick back ASAP.
Thank you and best regards,
Cesar Gracie?
B.J. Penn enrolls with VADA for UFC 152 bout against Rory MacDonald, subject to 8 weeks of random testing
By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief
B.J. Penn will work with the Voluntary Anti-Doping Association ahead of his UFC 152 bout with Rory MacDonald this September. Though he had some reservations with the program's need to release drug testing results immediately, he has ultimately decided to enroll in the program.
For eight weeks leading into the Sept. 22 bout in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, Penn will be subject to random blood and urine testing. Results of those tests will be released to the Association of Boxing Commissions, Ontario's sanctioning body, and the UFC.
Penn returns to action for the first time since his October 2011 loss to Nick Diaz, after which he revealed he'd likely walk away from the sport. He wavered on that retirement talk earlier this year, ultimately accepting a fight with MacDonald
Penick's Analysis: Penn's just the first fighter to sign up with VADA in the UFC, but he's not the only one who has openly discussed it. Now that he's opened the door, expect Roy Nelson and others to join him. Of course, should any failed test happen as a result of this program, his fight with MacDonald would ultimately be scrapped, but he maintains he's a clean fighter and wants to prove it with these random tests. We'll see how this program works in the context of the UFC, at least for this one fight.
[B.J. Penn art by Cory Gould (c) MMATorch.com]
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For eight weeks leading into the Sept. 22 bout in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, Penn will be subject to random blood and urine testing. Results of those tests will be released to the Association of Boxing Commissions, Ontario's sanctioning body, and the UFC.
Penn returns to action for the first time since his October 2011 loss to Nick Diaz, after which he revealed he'd likely walk away from the sport. He wavered on that retirement talk earlier this year, ultimately accepting a fight with MacDonald
Penick's Analysis: Penn's just the first fighter to sign up with VADA in the UFC, but he's not the only one who has openly discussed it. Now that he's opened the door, expect Roy Nelson and others to join him. Of course, should any failed test happen as a result of this program, his fight with MacDonald would ultimately be scrapped, but he maintains he's a clean fighter and wants to prove it with these random tests. We'll see how this program works in the context of the UFC, at least for this one fight.
[B.J. Penn art by Cory Gould (c) MMATorch.com]
Source: http://www.mmatorch.com/artman2/publish/UFC_2/article_13953.shtml
Saturday, July 28, 2012
Nick Diaz 'Ready To Get Back In The Cage' According To Cesar Gracie, Wants Anderson Silva
Yesterday it was announced that there would be a major announcement on the future of Nick Diaz on the Gracie Fighter website and that announcement has just been made. According to Cesar Gracie, despite Diaz's previous claims that he was retiring from the sport, a decision made in anger following a decision loss to Carlos Condit and reinforced by his subsequent suspension for marijuana metabolites being in his system that same fight, Diaz will return to the cage. Gracie also made it clear that they're hunting big game.
From the announcement:
This week we had a great talk and he made it clear to me that he is ready to get back to the cage. Nick Diaz will return.
To address the NSAC suspension, I will say that we have appealed to the courts and if things go our way, it will be plausible that Nick could return as early as sometime at the end of this year.
From the announcement:
This week we had a great talk and he made it clear to me that he is ready to get back to the cage. Nick Diaz will return.
To address the NSAC suspension, I will say that we have appealed to the courts and if things go our way, it will be plausible that Nick could return as early as sometime at the end of this year.
Source: http://www.mmaplayground.com/forums/topic54338-1.html
Final Lineup Announced For MFC 34: Total Recall Card
Zentgraf steps in to face Krahn at MFC 34 Three-fight undercard also set for Total Recall on Aug. 10 Press Release – July 27, 2012 – The Maximum Fighting Championship is announcing one lineup change and the undercard matchups for the upcoming MFC 34: Total Recall card slated for Friday, August 10 in Edmonton, Alberta. [...]
Source: http://www.themmanews.com/final-lineup-announced-for-mfc-34-total-recall-card/
Reminder: Saturday's Invicta FC 2 card streams free online at 7 p.m. ET
As a reminder, Invicta Fighting Championships returns Saturday for its second card, and the show will stream live and free online. Company officials earlier this week announced the 14-bout card will stream live at the promotion's official website, InvictaFC.com. Broadcasting the event are Showtime/Strikeforce voice Mauro Ranallo, Bellator light heavyweight Muhammed "King Mo" Lawal and Strikeforce women's fighter Julie Kedzie.
Invicta FC 2 takes place at Memorial Hall in Kansas City, Kan., and the live stream begins at 7 p.m. ET (4 p.m. PT).
CC10: Angleton?s James Powell gunning for second title on short notice this Friday night
ANGLETON, TX, July 25, 2012 ? Featured in the main event at Garcia Promotions’ Cage Combat 10 event this Friday night will be a welterweight title fight between Team Tooke’s Jose Llanas and our latest interviewee, James Powell of Fight Science. James, also called “Jimbo” by those close to him, took this fight on short [...]
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6 MMA Fighters We Hope to Never See in the ESPN Body Issue
The ESPN The Magazine Body Issue has been a huge hit since it debuted back in 2009. The ESPN rival to the Sports Illustrated Swimsuit Issue obtained 35% more ad sales than comparable issues its first year.
What separates The Body Issue from the Swimsuit Issue is that all of the athletes are shown fully nude, with strategic coverage of private parts. Also, the athletes are a mix of male and female, while the swimsuit issue is just female models and athletes.
In its first four years, the body issue has featured MMA fighters Gina Carano, Randy Couture, Ronda Rousey, and Jon "Bones" Jones. Those four fighters embody the "Bodies We Want" section in the issue, showcasing, you guessed it, the best bodies in the world of sports.
This list will focus on both sides of the spectrum: the bodies that we would never want, and the bodies that would be the hardest to achieve.
?All Access: Ronda Rousey? premieres Aug. 8 on Showtime
Rabid Ronda Rousey fans can rejoice knowing the Emmy Award-winning Showtime Sports is producing a new edition of their "All Access" documentary series which will take an all-encompassing look at Olympic judo medalist, women's mixed martial arts phenom and current Strikeforce women's bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey.
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- Ronda Rousey vs. Sarah Kaufman Strikeforce trailer
- ProMMAnow.com talks with new Strikeforce women’s 135 champ Ronda Rousey
- Ronda Rousey’s first title defense against Sara Kaufman in August
Source: http://prommanow.com/2012/07/27/all-access-ronda-rousey-premieres-aug-8-on-showtime/
All Access: Ronda Rousey
Showtime’s acclaimed series highlights Rondo Rousey’s camp prior up to her fight with Sarah Kaufman on Augest 18th. All Access premieres Wednesday August 8th. 
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mmaconvert/~3/9HRe6wVx_7s/
MMA Referee Steve Mazzagatti: ?We Don't Work for Dana White?
If Dana White had things his way, Steve Mazzagatti wouldn't be allowed anywhere near a UFC Octagon.
The UFC President has already gone on record in calling Mazzagatti the "worst ref in the history of any fight business."
Like most refs, Mazzagatti has had his share of bad calls, but he doesn't believe past mistakes should overshadow some of the good things he's done for the sport.
"I can't even count how many fights I've done which all has gone fine, but sometimes things are going to go bad," Mazzagatti said in a telephone interview with HeavyMMA.
"It's just like good fighters. Sometimes it goes bad and they get subbed or they get beat, and that's the way it goes. Unfortunately, we're in a high-profile position. We can't see it all."
What about excessively long clinch and grappling situations?
As a fan of MMA, it's hard to watch your favorite fighter trapped underneath an opponent without any action for elongated periods of time. The referee is charged with standing the fight up or separating fighters whenever they get into a stalemated position.
Unfortunately, some refs allow stalemates to go on much longer than others. This gives the fighter in the dominant position a chance to ride out time and coast to a decision.
At the post-fight press conference for UFC 149, White ripped into referee Yves Lavigne's performance in the heavyweight bout between Cheick Kongo and Shawn Jordan.
"[Yves Lavigne] is standing around letting two guys clinch for three freaking rounds and then let them clinch for the entire third round. At what point do you go, 'Ok, there's no fight going on here.' These people paid money. In the rules, it says that these guys are supposed to be fighting. There's actually points that can be taken away for timidity, but if you see two guys clinching, it makes me think that Yves Lavigne doesn't know what he's doing."
Mazzagatti, who didn't even work at UFC 149, remained the focal point of White's rant. He thinks the fact that Mazzagatti is still employed shows a lack of responsibility on the commission's part.
If something isn't done about the poor refereeing and judging, White is worried the sport could face some serious problems down the road.
"If this doesn't get fixed, it just absolutely crushes the sport. It's so bad.
[Steve] Mazzagatti still [expletive] works. That guy still has a job. That's crazy. Herb Dean should ref every fight there is. The guy would get exhausted and couldn't do it, and they'd never let that happen. Mazzagatti still works, enough said. The fact that the commissioner would let this guy referee fights still is just beyond my comprehension."
Mazzagatti believes the problem lies in the actual rules, not the referees. There is a massive gray area in the rules when it comes to standing fighters up and breaking up clinch grapples. If the rules were more straightforward, it would make refereeing that much easier.
"[Dana White] has criticized us, and we get a lot of criticism for not standing them up – at least I do," Mazzagatti continued in his interview with HeavyMMA.
"They say we let fighters lay on the ground too long and we're not doing anything. We don't make the rules. We enforce them. It's not our job to make sure the fight goes the way the promoter wants it to go. It's the fighter's job. It's their show."
Ultimately, the referee's job is to protect the fighters and make sure everything goes along according to the rules. The promotion and its fighters are responsible for everything else.
"I don't make the rules," said Mazzagatti. "If you want to make a 15-second standup rule, then come up with a 15-second standup rule, and I will stand them up in 15 seconds. I can only go with what's given to me. I don't judge fighters by who they are and what they're known for."
You gotta understand, I don't work for Dana, and we [referees] don't work for Dana. I feel I'm a public servant for the fans and the fighters. I want to make sure the fighters have a good, clean, fair fight that they trained for and expect."
White acknowledged that the fighters should be held responsible for their own performances, but he thinks some accountability should fall back on the refs and judges.
Whether they like it or not, their decisions have a direct impact on the UFC's events and the future of its fighters.
Read more MMA news on BleacherReport.com
Source: http://bleacherreport.com/articles/1275801-mma-referee-steve-mazzagatti-we-dont-work-for-dana-white
Friday, July 27, 2012
UFC flyweight Jussier da Silva discusses his road back to the top of the division
Jussier "Formiga" da Silva has long been recognized as one of the best flyweights in MMA, but now he'll finally get to show what he can do in the UFC.
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?Strikeforce: Melendez vs. Healy? Tickets on Sale Today
“Strikeforce: Melendez vs. Healy” takes place September 29th inside Power Balance Pavilion in Sacramento, California. UFC Fight Club members have the opportunity to purchase seats for the show today from 10AM PT until 12PM PT. A special Internet ticket pre-sale will be available to Strikeforce and UFC Newsletter subscribers this afternoon starting at 12PM PT. [...]
Source: http://www.5thRound.com/123759/strikeforce-melendez-vs-healy-tickets-on-sale-today/
Injury appreciation month: Updated UFC August 2012 fight cards
UFC's two big August events have been decimated by injuries. 
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/%7Er/fightopinion/%7E3/scaBl16-R-Q/
Travis Browne vs Bigfoot Silva main event booked for UFC on FX 5 in Minneapolis
"Bigfoot" is back.
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) today announced the heavyweight headliner of Travis Browne vs Antonio Silva for its UFC on FX 5 event scheduled for October 5, 2012 at the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Size does matter.
Browne (13-0-1) was originally booked to throw down against Ben Rothwell on the main card of UFC on FOX 4 next week in Los Angeles; however, a "Big" injury forced the former International Fight League (IFL) striker to bow out of "The City of Angels," leaving "Hapa" high and dry.
Until now.
Silva (16-4) established himself as one of the division's toughest customers by stopping Fedor Emelianenko in the Strikeforce Heavyweight Grand Prix in early 2011, which put an exclamation point on his three-fight winning streak that included wins over Andrei Arlovski and Mike Kyle.
The Brazilian made his Octagon debut at the UFC 146 pay-per-view (PPV) event over the Memorial Day weekend, but was sliced and diced by former division champion Cain Velasquez, who bloodied-up the former EliteXC titleholder while sending him to his second consecutive loss.
And the competition isn't getting any easier.
After battling Cheick Kongo to a draw back in one of 2010's ugliest fights, the undefeated Browne managed to string together three consecutive wins, including a knockout over Dutch striker Stefan Struve and a submission (arm-triangle choke) over Chad Griggs.
Test, meet stiff.
UFC on FX 5, which was originally scheduled for the Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, will also feature a featherweight fracas between former World Extreme Cagefighting (WEC) veterans Bart Palaszewski and Diego Nunes.
Stay tuned to MMAmania.com for upcoming details on this still-developing fight card.
Karl Gotch Week: Yoshiaki Fujiwara And The Tradition Of Submission
Yoshiaki Fujiwara is long held up as Karl Gotch's best student. In fact out of all of his students, Fujiwara was the only one Karl Gotch willingly endorsed as representative of the 'Gotch Style' of Catch Wrestling. You could say he was Gotch's only 'Black Belt', if such gradings ever existed in catch-as-catch-can.
A Muay Thai kickboxer before a Pro Wrestler, Fujiwara was one of the first graduates of the New Japan Pro Wrestling Dojo that took to the Antonio Inoki 'Strong Style' rather easily as a result, and took part in one of the fist Karl Gotch Cup tournaments in the 1970's.
During the split from NJPW in the mid 1980's that included Satoru Sayama (founder of Shooto), Akira Maeda (founder of Rings), Nobuhiko Takada (star of the first Pride FC show against Rickson Gracie) and Kazuo Yamazaki, these men would band together and form the original Universal Wrestling Federation or UWF. (NB: NJPW owned the 'Tiger Mask' name, so Sayama became 'Super Tiger' to compensate)
Super Tiger (Sayama) vs Fujiwara in an early UWF Pro Wrestling match
Osamu Kido, another NJPW graduate and student of Karl Gotch would join the UWF slightly later. Kido is worth mentioning because of the relationship between him and Gotch being close in the sense of having an adoptive father-son dynamic, and understandably Kido was more distraught than most at Gotch's passing 5 years ago.
Among the group tensions grew between Maeda and Sayama over the direction of the UWF: Maeda wanted it to be more submission based, while Sayama wanted it to be more striking based. Tempers flared to the point where a Shoot Style match between the two became more just Shoot, as they stopped pulling their strikes and went at it on a couple of occasions. One time a match ended when Maeda got himself DQ'd for a non-pulled groin kick!
Maeda was suspended and eventually fired for this, and Sayama would leave because of the continual differences of opinion in direction, the ripple effect leading to the original UWF dissolving.
Karl Gotch training the original UWF Wrestlers. Takada, Maeda, and Fujiwara feature.
UWF was reformed just a few years later as wrestlers who had gone back to NJPW left yet again due to the politics that is a permanent part of pro wrestling globally. Maeda was fired from NJPW for shooting on Riki Choshu: a wrestler thought to be the originator of the famous Scorpion Hold, adopted by North American wrestlers Bret and Owen Hart, as well as Sting under differing names. More relevant to MMA though, Choshu had a freestyle wrestling background in his native South Korea, and was a pro wrestling coach for UFC fighter Riki Fukuda for a short while too.
While still a predetermined Pro Wrestling promotion, the reformed UWF heralded the era of Shoot Style defined by more of a focus on striking and submissions with clean finishes, rather than the theatrical American style that had count-outs and disqualifications among various other shenanigans. In 1989 Fujiwara was granted his release from NJPW to go back to UWF, and took along with him two of his students: Masakatsu Funaki and Minoru Suzuki. Billy Robinson trained Kiyoshi Tamura also made his debut for the UWF that year.
Internal politics combined with a failing Japanese economy lead to this reformed 'Newborn UWF' to close once again. Most of the wrestlers including Takada and Tamura would form UWF International or UWFi, making it an even more Shoot-like promotion that had the endorsement of Pro Wrestlers Lou Thesz, Billy Robinson and Danny Hodge, one of the best American Amateur wrestlers of all time.
Fujiwara, Funaki and Suzuki though founded Pro Wrestling Fujiwara Gumi, while Akira Maeda would form RINGS in 1991.
PWFG wasn't without controversy, as 'Gumi' while meaning 'group' in Japanese was more of a reference to the organised criminal groups of Japan, and Fujiwara adopted the gimmick of being a crime boss of sorts within the promotion.
During the short lived PWFG that also featured the Japan debut of Ken Shamrock (working as 'Wayne Shamrock', his middle name) and Bart Vale (who coined the term Shootfighting as a grappling art he teaches in America), a grappling technique instructional was recorded -- one of the first of its kind -- where Fujiwara, Suzuki and Funaki showed the different phases of the game including their catch wrestling influenced takedowns and submission holds.
The instructional included the following:
Groundwork and Submission Holds with Yoshiaki Fujiwara
Chickenwing Armlock
V1 Armlock
Leg Armlock
Telephone Armlock
Simple entry into the Fujiwara Armbar
Body Scissors
Counter to the Body Scissor
Reverse Leglock
Leg Spread
Achilles' Tendon Hold
Knee Cross Hold
Leg Stamp
Clock Head Scissors
Cross Arm Hold
Triangle Leg Scissor
Takedowns and Submissions Starting from Standing with Minoru Suzuki
Headlock suplex and neck crank
Double-chicken wing takedown and neck crank
Single Leg Takedown Defense and Takedown
Double Arm-Tie Suplex
Pankration, Takedowns, and Submissions from Kicking Defense with Masakatsu Funaki
Suplex and Neck Crank from Opponent's caught Kicking Leg
Go Behind to Takedown and Head Scissor Neck Crank
Rolling Ankle Tackle to Kneebar
To say it was ahead of its time was an understatement, as it predates any video tuition released by the Gracies who had yet to put on the first UFC event in 1993, a couple of years away.
Actually in 1993 just a few months prior to UFC 1, Fujiwara would release his full length grappling instructional 'Submission Master', which also included a bodyweight strength and conditioning workout based off of Karl Gotch's famous 'Deck of Cards' routine. Submission Master featured various armlocks, leglocks, neckcranks and chokes as taught to Fujiwara by Gotch.
A bent armlock instructional from Submission Master 1993
Funaki and Suzuki had a desire to compete, and that lead to them leaving the PWFG to form Pancrase to put the grappling skills they had learned form Fujiwara to the test in a non-complaint, competitive environment, which I will focus on a lot more in the next article.
When PWFG folded, Fujiwara was able to ply his trade in Pro Wrestling for various promotions again including NJPW, but his skills in submission and his ability to teach newer generations at that time was important in Japanese MMA history especially in producing Fuanki and Suzuki who were early pioneers in MMA themselves.
I'll leave you with video of Fujiwara demonstrating variations of his famed Fujiwara armbar. While not the inventor of the move since it's almost impossible to say who invented what during the centuries of grappling history we could look at, he popularised the move enough within professional wrestling for it to be widely known as the Fujiwara armbar, and his variation with the legs is pretty unique too.
Standard Fujiwara Armbar in a pro wrestling match
Fujiwara Armbar variant, original clip from Submission Master 1993
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Shane Roller vs. Jacob Volkmann added to UFC 151 in Las Vegas
By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief
A lightweight bout between Shane Roller and Jacob Volkmann is headed to UFC 151 on Sept. 1. Roller announced the bout on his Twitter account on Tuesday.
Roller halted a three fight losing streak in his last bout, defeating John Alessio by decision at UFC 148. Volkmann, on the other hand, hopes to bounce back from a submission loss to Paul Sass at UFC 146 in May. That loss was his first in the lightweight division, snapping a five fight winning streak at 155 lbs.
A lightweight bout between Shane Roller and Jacob Volkmann is headed to UFC 151 on Sept. 1. Roller announced the bout on his Twitter account on Tuesday.
Roller halted a three fight losing streak in his last bout, defeating John Alessio by decision at UFC 148. Volkmann, on the other hand, hopes to bounce back from a submission loss to Paul Sass at UFC 146 in May. That loss was his first in the lightweight division, snapping a five fight winning streak at 155 lbs.
Source: http://www.mmatorch.com/artman2/publish/quicknews/article_13932.shtml
With UFC 152 Main & Co-Main Events Set, Penn Finalizes VADA Enrollment | UFC NEWS
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Thursday, July 26, 2012
Video: Your MMA Of The Day July 26 Featuring UFC 152, A One-Armed Fighter, Rousey, Hardy, Serra, More
Zombie Prophet and I are back with another video playlist featuring all the best YouTube has to offer from the wild world of mixed martial arts.
Highlights after the jump...
In this installment we've got:
- Dan Hardy ripping Matt Serra about his weight
- Ryan Jimmo doing the robot (yes again!)
- Ronda Rousey and her striking coach talking about her training (is Ronda sitting too close to her coach?)
- An old ESPN Sports Science segment featuring Brandon Vera demonstrating the difference between a Muay Thai kick and a karate kick. He's ironically being asked to imitate the kicking style of his next opponent Mauricio Rua.
- K-1 Tryouts at Muscle Beach
- Dan Henderson talking Jon Jones and UFC 151
- Jon Jones talking Dan Henderson and UFC 151
- A promo for XFC 19 featuring one-armed fighter Nick Newell
- Brian Stann breaking down his UFC 152 bout with Michael Bisping
- Demetrious Johnson breaking down his UFC 152 Flyweight title bout with Joseph Benevidez
- The entire UFC 152 press conference.
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UFC 149: Hector Lombard not dropping to welterweight after loss to Tim Boetsch
By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief
Following a lackluster performance at UFC 149, Hector Lombard's stock has taken a bit of a tumble. He had entered the organization with a lot of hype on the back of a 25-fight unbeaten streak, but looked tentative and mostly ineffective in losing a decision to Tim Boetsch.
After the fight, UFC President Dana White was fairly critical, and chalked the pre-fight hype to him being outside the UFC and being propped up by others, while suggesting that he perhaps should drop to the welterweight division.
"You can't be angry with him, but it just shows you guys, ranking guys who don't fight in the UFC, it's two different worlds," White said at the post-fight press conference. "Guys that fight in other organizations that end up in top 10 rankings, it's a whole other world over here. Lombard maybe should fight at 170. He made 185 easily. He's short and wide, but I think he could make 170."
However, Lombard has no desire to make that move. Taking to twitter to respond to that suggestion, Lombard made it clear that's not a move he's going to make anytime soon.
"I feel strong at 185," Lombard wrote. "Just because I had a bad fight does not mean that I am going to drop to 170."
Penick's Analysis: A welterweight move isn't necessary. He might have some advantages dropping down, and it may be better for his size if he could make it to 170 lbs, but that fight didn't do anything to suggest a move was needed. He had a bad fight. It happens. Moving down would be a reactionary move that may not have the benefits White seemed to believe it might. When it comes down to it, the decision is always the fighter's, and he clearly doesn't want to make that move yet.
[Hector Lombard photo (c) Henry Dziekan III]
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After the fight, UFC President Dana White was fairly critical, and chalked the pre-fight hype to him being outside the UFC and being propped up by others, while suggesting that he perhaps should drop to the welterweight division.
"You can't be angry with him, but it just shows you guys, ranking guys who don't fight in the UFC, it's two different worlds," White said at the post-fight press conference. "Guys that fight in other organizations that end up in top 10 rankings, it's a whole other world over here. Lombard maybe should fight at 170. He made 185 easily. He's short and wide, but I think he could make 170."
However, Lombard has no desire to make that move. Taking to twitter to respond to that suggestion, Lombard made it clear that's not a move he's going to make anytime soon.
"I feel strong at 185," Lombard wrote. "Just because I had a bad fight does not mean that I am going to drop to 170."
Penick's Analysis: A welterweight move isn't necessary. He might have some advantages dropping down, and it may be better for his size if he could make it to 170 lbs, but that fight didn't do anything to suggest a move was needed. He had a bad fight. It happens. Moving down would be a reactionary move that may not have the benefits White seemed to believe it might. When it comes down to it, the decision is always the fighter's, and he clearly doesn't want to make that move yet.
[Hector Lombard photo (c) Henry Dziekan III]
Source: http://www.mmatorch.com/artman2/publish/UFC_2/article_13924.shtml
Eddie Alvarez to Complete Bellator Contract In October
Former Bellator Lightweight Champion Eddie Alvarez has confirmed to MMAFighting.com that he will be completing his current Bellator contract this coming October at an as-of-yet decided Bellator event. While no opponent has been named, the longtime top-ranked lightweight will have at least one more fight in the Bellator cage.� Alvarez (23-3) won the promotion’s 155 [...]
Source: http://mmafrenzy.com/29581/eddie-alvarez-to-complete-bellator-contract-in-october/
UFC On Fox 4 Could Deliver Next Light Heavyweight Contender
Former UFC light heavyweight champions Mauricio “Shogun” Rua and Lyoto Machida will compete at UFC on Fox 4 in August. The two will not face each other, but can make a case for becoming the next contender in the division with a strong win. Rua meets Brandon Vera in the main event, while Machida takes [...] 
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mmaconvert/~3/RnExR1zNN-w/
Cormier Draws former UFC Heavyweight Champion, Frank Mir To Strikeforce| UFC NEWS
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