<![CDATA[TWT Wrestling & MMA Social Network - MMA, UFC, & Boxing]]> http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com en Sat, 21 Nov 2009 00:16:13 GMT vBulletin 60 http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/images/fancygrey/misc/rss.jpg <![CDATA[TWT Wrestling & MMA Social Network - MMA, UFC, & Boxing]]> http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com Brock Lesnar Will Be Fighting in Six Months http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/120646-brock-lesnar-will-be-fighting-in-six-months.html Fri, 20 Nov 2009 23:50:08 GMT Sanchoplata.com: Since Brock Lesnar first pulled out of UFC...]]> Originally contributed to Sanchoplata.com:

Since Brock Lesnar first pulled out of UFC 106 people have been looking for answers. The more we found out, the more we noticed that Lesnar in much worse health than initially imagined. Lesnar has been living for over a year with a hole in his intestine and he finally had surgery to correct the issue.

UFC commissioner Dana White has said that Brock Lesnar will never fight again. Everytime he is asked the question he responds, "I don't know. We will have to wait and see." Wait no longer.

Brock's longtime friend and Jiu-Jitsu coach, Rodrigo "Comprido" Medeiros, said that Lesnar is "is getting better and that is the most important thing ... He will be fine and be fighting again within six months. I can just say that the heavyweights can stop laughing and get ready to start crying because the champion will be back soon."

Brock Lesnar has yet to release a statement on the situation himself, but his friends seem to be taking a hands on approach. A friend let the media know Lesnar was at home recovering from surgery , and now Comprido is saying Lesnar will in fact fight again.

Everything sounds positive, so let us hope there are no complications during recovery. ]]> MMA Reporter http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/120646-brock-lesnar-will-be-fighting-in-six-months.html <![CDATA[Fedor: "I Was Worried About My Thumb"]]> http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/120632-fedor-i-was-worried-about-my-thumb.html Fri, 20 Nov 2009 20:04:25 GMT http://spb.kp.ru/online/news/573613/ http://spb.kp.ru/online/news/573613/

http://www.sherdog.net/forums/f61/ne...riest-1099524/

On becoming religious:

“It all happened in Nizhniy Novgorod. I was invited for a competition there as well as a trip to some holy sites. After visiting there, something inside me changed. I didn’t just understand, but I actually felt that God exists. A lot of questions that troubled me then were answered. Everything fell into its place. Later, in my church, where I prayed I met father Andrei. I started to come to confession to him and often talked about various things. And then I asked him to become my spiritual advisor and he agreed. Since then he blesses me before every fight.”

On his spiritual advisor:

“He is in great shape right now. We run together with him and that’s just the beginning. He goes to the gym with me, trains. He still holds a pull up record in our gym. But he is a true Christian.”

On the American people:

“You know, Americans are people just like us. Different faith but they are very friendly and hospitable. However, I did not go into Catholic churches out of principle when I was there. Every morning I meet with a prayer and I did this in the hotel room.”

On fighting in the cage:

“I wouldn’t say the cage was that different. I trained in a similar cage in St. Petersburg and I knew what to do during the fight.”

On his dislocated thumb:

“I was worried about my thumb. At first I didn’t notice that I dislocated it. But then I felt my hand hurt and immediately started getting thoughts about how this will impact my career and whether I’ll be able to fight again. But then I gathered enough strength and knocked him out with a right. I didn’t have to change the tactics of the match too much.” ]]> snakerattle79 http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/120632-fedor-i-was-worried-about-my-thumb.html Karo Parisyan Needs Our Support, Not Our Blind Disgust http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/120626-karo-parisyan-needs-our-support-not-our-blind-disgust.html Fri, 20 Nov 2009 19:30:15 GMT As a fan, it's easy to let your heated emotions take control and cause you to unjustly lash out at an athlete that seems to be squandering his career opportunities. Such is the case for Karo "The Heat" Parisyan.

As you may all know, Parisyan recently pulled out of his UFC 106 bout with the returning Dustin Hazelett.

At first, it was unclear as to why, as no details were given, but the lack of information didn't stop passionate fans from tearing into Parisyan with little compassion.

Details did finally surface, and it appears that Parisyan has had a very difficult time kicking his addiction to painkillers.

So instead of carrying out the fight, only to fail the urine test afterwards, Parisyan decided the best thing to do is to come clean and avoid the post-fight piss test that he would have surely failed.

In my book, that was the smartest move he could of made in the given circumstances, and for that, he has forever earned my respect.

Still, even after the truth came out, Parisyan is receiving heavy criticism at the hands of the fans.

One thing that we need to consider is that, despite being a skilled MMA fighter, Parisyan is still human. When a majority of the fighting community is crashing down on you, it can be very difficult to deal with in your vulnerable times.

It's not like he was taking the pills for pure enjoyment, he got stuck on them while undergoing rehab for his injuries. Parisyan admitted that he wanted to get off of the drugs, but the demon on the shoulder kept bringing him back.

The perfect life that Parisyan had established was seemingly flushed down the toilet, this is drug addiction at it's worst.

Take some time and think about your own personal life, is there anybody that you know in the same situation?

I have friends that have battled drug addiction, some coming away victorious while the others fell prey to their deadly vice. It is a very sad situation that only gets worse when your supposed loved ones turn their back on you. I have seen that happen firsthand and knows how it can be equally painful for the loved ones surrounding the victim.

So, I implore all of you to take a moment and think about what Karo Parisyan is going through. Despite blowing a number of second chances, Parisyan still needs all of our support and prayers.

* ]]> MMA Reporter http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/120626-karo-parisyan-needs-our-support-not-our-blind-disgust.html World Grappling Championships http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/120620-world-grappling-championships.html Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:25:01 GMT worldgrappling09.com (for tickets) COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo.- USA Grappling is pleased to announce the 2009 U.S. Grappling World Team, which will... worldgrappling09.com (for tickets)

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo.- USA Grappling is pleased to announce the 2009 U.S. Grappling World Team, which will compete in the FILA World Grappling Championships in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., Dec. 12-13.

The team includes more than 50 of the best men and women Grapplers in the nation who live and train all across the nation. The United States is the reigning World Team Champions in both No-Gi and Gi Grappling.

Up to three athletes per weight class qualified for the U.S. team based upon their performance at the 2009 U.S. Grappling World Team Trials in Phoenix, Ariz., October 23-24. The final positions on the U.S. team were determined through a petition process which was evaluated by a special USA Grappling committee.

Among those on the U.S. men’s roster are three 2008 FILA Grappling World champions in No-Gi: Ricky Lundell (Salt Lake City, Utah/Grappler’s Edge) at 66 kg, Jacob Volkmann (White Bear Lake, Minn./MMMA) at 84 kg/185 lbs. and Jeff Monson (Olympia, Wash./American Top Team) in the Absolute division.

Featured on the women’s roster is a 2008 FILA Grappling World champion in both No-Gi and Gi, Lisa Ward (Lacey, Wash./Victory Athletics) at 50 kg/110 lbs.

Also on the team are five athletes who won No-Gi Grappling World titles at the 2007 World Wrestling Games: Lundell, Monson, Ward, plus Felicia Oh (Valencia, Calif. (Big John McCarthy’s UTA) at 50 kg/110 lbs. and Tara LaRosa (Woodstown, N.J./Philadelphia Fight Factory) at 59 kg/130 lbs.

There are two past Olympic team members in freestyle wrestling who are on the U.S. Grappling World Team competing in No-Gi: Sara McMann (Gaffney, S.C./Sunkist Kids) at 63 kg/138.75 lbs. and Ben Askren (Tempe, Ariz./Sunkist Kids) at 84 kg/185 lbs. McMann won a silver medal at the 2004 Olympic Games in Athens, Greece. Askren competed at the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, China. Also on the team is a World silver medalist in women’s freestyle wrestling, Stephanie Murata (Minden, Nev./Sunkist Kids) at 55 kg/121 lbs.

On the Gi Grappling team, in the women’s division, are past USA Judo World Team members Jeanette Rodriguez (Davie, Fla./USA Judo National Training Site at North Miami) at 55 kg/121 lbs. and Carrie Chandler (Wakefield, Mass./NYAC-USA Judo National Team Force) at 63 kg/138.75 lbs.

The U.S. team will be led by National Grappling Coach Ricardo Liborio (Coconut Creek, Fla.), a legend in Grappling and Mixed Martial Arts. Liborio will have three veteran assistant coaches on his World Team staff: Sheldon Marr, (Aurora, Colo.), Shawn Sheldon (W. Palm Beach, Fla.) and Anthony Califano (Santa Barbara, Calif.) ]]> stischer http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/120620-world-grappling-championships.html Strikeforce Challengers Weigh Ins Results http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/120619-strikeforce-challengers-weigh-ins-results.html Fri, 20 Nov 2009 18:09:43 GMT

the weigh ins video
http://www.strikeforce.com/

MAIN CARD
- Tyron Woodley (171) vs. Rudy Bears (170)
- Kim Couture (136) vs. Kerry Vera (135)
- Erik Apple (170.5) vs. Bobby Voelker (170)
- Rafael “Feijao” Cavalcante (205) vs. Aaron Rosa (206)
- Kevin Casey (185) vs. Chad Vance (185)

PRELIMINARY CARD (un-aired)
- Lee Gibson (155) vs. Joe Wilk (155.5)
- Brian Davidson (147) vs. Russell Patrick (144)*
- Nick Nolte (171) vs. Andrew Walters (171)
- Darryl Cobb (184) vs. Gary Tapasua (185)
- Rich Bouphanouvong (164) vs. Mike Chandler (166)
- Dominic Brown (190) vs. Lucas Lopes (191.4)+ ]]> snakerattle79 http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/120619-strikeforce-challengers-weigh-ins-results.html DREAM vs Sengoku?! January Japanese MMA Magazines http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/120612-dream-vs-sengoku-january-japanese-mma-magazines.html Fri, 20 Nov 2009 11:02:14 GMT DREAM Vs. SRC?! January...]]> DREAM Vs. SRC?! January Japanese MMA Magazines « Nightmare Of Battle

Quote:
The table of contents for the January editions of Japanese MMA magazines Gong Kakutougi and Kakutougi Tsushin basically confirm a DREAM X SRC NYE joint event.

On Tsushin it says: “DREAM Vs. SENGOKU(SRC), outbreak of war!”

The chief editor writes/says that on NYE, an all-star dream card will be implemented.

On Gong it says: “DREAM X SENGOKU @ NYE, toward the alliance of the century.”

SRC Lightweight champion Hirota says: “If SRC and Dynamite!! hold an event together, I want to overcome and KO Eddie Alvarez.”

There’s nothing though about what will happen after the joint NYE event.

These table of contents aren’t even officially out yet so thanks to the site below for finding and posting them.

Source: NHBNews PRO

So what fights between fighters of the different organizations do people want to see?

Fights like Hirota vs. Alvarez, Omigawa vs. KID or Takaya, Hornbuckle or Takimoto vs. Zaromskis, Yokota vs. Kikuno, and Izumi vs. Manhoef don’t sound impossible to
]]> snakerattle79 http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/120612-dream-vs-sengoku-january-japanese-mma-magazines.html Karo Parisyan Out Of UFC 106 and The UFC-Updated http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/120518-karo-parisyan-out-of-ufc-106-and-the-ufc-updated.html Thu, 19 Nov 2009 22:30:59 GMT According to a report on MMA Junkie, Karo Parisyan has pulled out of his UFC 106*bout with Dustin Hazelett. In a twitter message posted by UFC... According to a report on MMA Junkie, Karo Parisyan has pulled out of his UFC 106*bout with Dustin Hazelett. In a twitter message posted by UFC President Dana White just a short time ago, the sometimes outlandish executive had this to say about Parisyan:

"Karo Parisyan has [expletive] over the UFC, the fans, and his opponent again!!!" White wrote. "He will not be fighting Saturday or ever again in the UFC!!"

This is not the first time that Parisyan has pulled out of a fight on a last moment's notice. Back in August of 2008 he gave the UFC a mere one day's notice before he told them he would be unable to take on Yoshiyuki Yoshida at UFC 87.

He claimed he had hurt his back while training for the fight.

Parisyan was set to return to the octagon after a nine month layoff. He had been suspended following UFC 94 in January. He had defeated Dong Hyun Kim, but the result was later overturned to a draw as Parisyan was suspended for using painkillers without a prescription.

It is not known at this time whether or not Hazelett will remain on the card against a new opponent.

I was just informed by our very own Brian Oswald that White released another tweet, he has stated that Hazelett will be paid in full, including a win bonus. ]]> MMA Reporter http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/120518-karo-parisyan-out-of-ufc-106-and-the-ufc-updated.html Dana WHite: Karo f**ks over UFC, fans, and opponent again! http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/120512-dana-white-karo-f-ks-over-ufc-fans-and-opponent-again.html Thu, 19 Nov 2009 21:17:17 GMT http://twitter.com/danawhite He pulled out of the fight the day before weigh-ins. He's...]]> http://twitter.com/danawhite

He pulled out of the fight the day before weigh-ins. He's also apparently out of the UFC for this. Dustin Hazelett will be paid both show and win money. ]]> Zapp Brannigan http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/120512-dana-white-karo-f-ks-over-ufc-fans-and-opponent-again.html Silva nominated for SI sportsman of the year.. http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/120487-silva-nominated-for-si-sportsman-of-the-year.html Thu, 19 Nov 2009 12:58:22 GMT http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/200...lva/index.html ]]> gjfovf http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/120487-silva-nominated-for-si-sportsman-of-the-year.html TUF 10: Schaub vs. madsen (spoilers included) http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/120451-tuf-10-schaub-vs-madsen-spoilers-included.html Thu, 19 Nov 2009 04:10:50 GMT Please keep the talk here, and avoid any threads with spoilers. As expected Madsen got his takedowns. Schaub showed some flawed takedown technique... Please keep the talk here, and avoid any threads with spoilers.

As expected Madsen got his takedowns. Schaub showed some flawed takedown technique but his mistakes are easily correctable. For example push the head down and away as opposed to wrapping over the top half attemptng a guillotine.

You could also tell that schaub was tentative in pullin the trigger as he was concerned with madsens wrestling. That being sad when he did pull the trigger he made his punches count. Great power displayed by schaub. ]]> p-jersey http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/120451-tuf-10-schaub-vs-madsen-spoilers-included.html WEC Discussion here: spoilers included http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/120450-wec-discussion-here-spoilers-included.html Thu, 19 Nov 2009 04:07:26 GMT Let the talk place in here Let the talk place in here ]]> p-jersey http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/120450-wec-discussion-here-spoilers-included.html UFC 109: Battle for the Best Senior Citizen http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/120406-ufc-109-battle-for-the-best-senior-citizen.html Wed, 18 Nov 2009 18:30:13 GMT UFC fighters, Randy Couture and Mark Coleman have both recently verbally agreed to fight one another at UFC 109. This event marks in my opinion... UFC fighters, Randy Couture and Mark Coleman have both recently verbally agreed to fight one another at UFC 109.

This event marks in my opinion something I have been wishing would happen for a long time two of the oldest saltiest dogs in the sport doing battle. Randy Couture a UFC fan favorite will no longer have the mma pundits questioning how long he can outrun time when he faces Coleman, because both men are in their forties.

It would be incredible if the UFC announced a creation of a senior citizen belt, but of course this is simply a wish that will never be fullfilled.

So lets break down this fight down, both men are top wrestlers who have competed in the highest level possible in the sport, and both men posses a not-so-technical striking game that is usually utilized mostly to put people away while they are on the ground.

Also both men have been UFC champions, but here is where the similarities stop.

Mark Coleman was a UFC tournament champion, meaning he had to fight multiple opponents in one night. Also Coleman was the first Pride champion as well, and one the PRIDE GP in 2000 meaning that he had to fight a semi-final and final match all on the same night.

Couture made a good run as well in the UFC, where he won UFC 13 heavyweight tournament and would eventually claim the heavyweight title from Maurice Smith at UFC Japan. Maurice Smith was at the time the current heavyweight champion and had just won the belt from Coleman himself.

Couture achievements continued as well when he beat Chuck Liddell for the light-heavyweight belt and then eventually later in his career won back his heavyweight title from Tim Sylvia.

So on paper it may appear that Couture has had a better run as a competitor but I would not count out Coleman in this one. First it is important to look at the the quality of fighters each person has fought in their career.

First thing is first Coleman fought and lost too Fedor Emilianenko twice, and has also lost to Antonio Rodrigo Noguiera. Couture has never fought Fedor but has lost to Noguira.

Coleman has beaten Don Frye, Mauricio "Shogun" Rua, Gary Goodridge, Igor Volvchachyen, Kazuyuki Fujita, Dan Severen, and Alan Goes. All names that may not seem important now but where big back in the day.

However, Coleman has lost too Pete Williams, Maurice Smith, Mirko Filopvic,Pedro Rizzo and his most embaressing loss came to the hands of Nobuhiko Takada.* All quality opponents at the time excluding the loss to Takada.

Couture has beaten Maurice Smith, Vitor Belfort as well as lost to him, Pedro Rizzo, Chuck Liddell,Kevin Randleman, Tsyushi Khosaka and Jeremy Horn to name a few. All very notable fighters all very dominant at the time they were fighting.

Couture has also lost to Enson Inoue,Valentijn Overeem, Chuck Liddell, Josh Barnett, Ricco Rodriguez, and Brock Lesnar.

So overall it would appear that Couture has had much more impressive victories but the guys that he lost too where essentially about the same when considering the times he fought them.

So on paper it would appear that Couture would have the advantage based on experience and quality of opponents. However, I love Coleman and can't see the guy losing this one he has hearts, guts, and a willingness to win.

Sure Coleman told a reporter that he was a little scared to fight a guy like Brock Lesnar and Couture actually did fight Lesnar, but the guy fought Fedor twice, and he has some real character and fights for his family.

The guys got hear and I'm rooting for Coleman. ]]> MMA Reporter http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/120406-ufc-109-battle-for-the-best-senior-citizen.html UFC 106 Fight Week Preview: Amir Sadollah vs. Phil Baroni http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/120409-ufc-106-fight-week-preview-amir-sadollah-vs-phil-baroni.html Wed, 18 Nov 2009 18:30:13 GMT Am I the only one who looks at this picture of Phil Baroni and immediately thinks of a stylized-MMA version of "Mr. Wonderful" Paul Orndorff?

While Jason "Mayhem" Miller brings flare to the fight game, he additionally backs it up inside the cage and has a number of quality wins to speak of.

Baroni? Not so much.

Pair that with Amir "The UFC Segment Host" Sadollah and you have a very, very unappealing fight that has been promoted to the main card, courtesy of a number of injuries and illnesses and the name recognition of two middle-of-the-pack-at-best fighters.

Can you tell how excited I am?

Amir Sadollah (1-1) vs. "The New York Bad Ass" Phil Baroni (13-11-0)

Remember last week when my predictions for the first two fights on the UFC 105 card were horribly wrong and lacked depth?

Well, the shocking lack of depth returns, and we'll see about the results later in the week.

This could certainly be a very exciting fight, as Baroni has seriously heavy hands and Sadollah showed?albeit against one of the worst seasons of TUF competition out there?some skills, but standing and with submission.

That being said, the TUF 7 winner lasted just 29 seconds in his official UFC debut against Johny Hendricks at UFC 101, and while he is extremely charismatic, self-deprecating, and people seem to like him, none of those things help him in the cage.

As for Baroni, the last fight he won with any relevance whatsoever was quite some time ago depending on your opinions of Yuki Kondo, Ryo Chonan and Ikuhisa Minowa. If those guys don't register with you, we're going all the way back to UFC 39 where Baroni beat the first middleweight champ, Dave Menne.

That was in 2002.

Now, he's lost a boatload of name-brand fights since then, dropping bouts to Matt Lindland, Evan Tanner, Kazuo Misaki, and Frank Shamrock, but just like Sadollah's smile doesn't help his cause, the list of guys that have beaten Baroni doesn't change the fact that he's a bare minimum of two years removed from being relevant.

How Jake Rosholt beats Chris Leben on the PPV portion of UFC 101 and gets relegated to the preliminaries when these two come in off losses and get middle of the broadcast coverage is beyond me... ]]> MMA Reporter http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/120409-ufc-106-fight-week-preview-amir-sadollah-vs-phil-baroni.html Morning Cup of Coffee: A Daily Take On The Sports World http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/120408-morning-cup-of-coffee-a-daily-take-on-the-sports-world.html Wed, 18 Nov 2009 18:30:13 GMT The November 18, 2009 Edition

It's Officially College Basketball Season

ESPN's 24 hour of college hoops, was a basketball junkie's dream. Unfortunately, only a few games in that block were worth the full viewing.

The Gonzaga Bulldogs at the Michigan State Spartans followed by nightcap for St. Louis with the Memphis Tigers vs.*the number one Kansas Jayhawks.

Both games were close but the underdogs were playing from opposite positions. The Bulldogs played from the lead position most of the game while the Tigers played catch up. Undermanned in both cases, these two teams showed why they are not "mid-majors" and are on the level of the most elite programs today.

On the opposite end of good games, the Tennessee Volunteers flexed some major muscle, destroyed UNC-Asheville 124-49.

No typo.

124-49!

I would say it showed how bad Asheville is but I think it showed more of the potential Tennessee has. They were deadly in all facets of the game.

While the rest of the SEC has sucked, for the most part, in these early days of the season, the Vols are out the gates fast. They made their statement that Kentucky may not be the best team in the league after all.

The UConn women's basketball team went into Texas and rolled another ranked opponent in the Texas Longhorns. Another season, same result.

The story in women's basketball will be whether they lose a game. If I was betting I'd say no. I mean they have to lose at some point, don't they?

A Tough Day to Be a Football Coach

Dick Jauron was canned as coach of the Buffalo Bills. Could the blame for this disaster be placed at his feet? Hard to say.

The offensive coordinator was fired just prior to the first regular season game. That didn't help.

Terrell Owens, Lee Evans and Marshawn Lynch have not played up to their standards thus far. Throw in inconsistent quarterback play its no wonder this team has struggled.

But when you are head coach and bad things happen on your watch, it's much easier to chop off*your head than the heads of several others during the season.

Who might be next on the NFL chopping block?

My guess at this point would be Jim Zorn, Tom Cable, Eric Mangini should be up but may not ONLY because of his contract, and quite possibly Lovie Smith.

On the college scene, Kansas's Mark Mangino might be on the verge of being exposed for having his own Bobby Knight episode*by reportedly roughing up one of his own players.* The school is currently investigating the matter and if proven unfavorable for the coach, it could signal the end of his tenure in*Lawrence.

Charlie Weiss has had to deal with more questions about his job at Notre Dame and feels his job is safe for now.

The athletic director states that Weiss's job and the football program will be evaluated after the season. Considering Weiss's record is similar to previous coaches Bob Davies and Tyrone Willingham I don't see how he will be able to survive beyond this season.

Who Would Have Thought Tennis Could be So Fun?

I personally love to play tennis and I know it is a HUGE recreational sport here in my city of Atlanta. Apparently the rest of the nation feels the same way.

The United States Tennis Association put out results from a survey that stated over 30 million people took the court this year, a number that is up 12 percent from last year and up 25 percent from six years ago.*

While tennis is not on the level of say, football, basketball, baseball, MMA*and NASCAR it struggles to keep up with hockey and golf. Coverage is only strong for the grand slam events and not enough domestic events get widespread attention.

Are the professional tennis leagues dropping the ball by not capitalizing on this?

I would say so. The ATP and WTA need to get to it. Give me a call; I got some ideas to make this happen.

Speaking of MMA ; last but not least, UFC Champion Brock Lesnar has been down and out in recent months for what was believed to be mono. Recently it was reported he is suffering for a bacterial infection in his intestinal tract. He had surgery and was sent home yesterday to recover.

Prayers go out the former "Next Big Thing". Get well soon. The sport has missed you.

Finishing my final sip of coffee

Take Houston Rockets (-5) at Minnesota Timberwolves

Minnesota has looked like one of the two worst teams in the league and Houston has beaten the Wolves five straight. I don't see this matchup being any different.

Follow me at http://www.twitter.com/coach_stephen

You can email me at claystephent@gmail.com

* ]]> MMA Reporter http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/120408-morning-cup-of-coffee-a-daily-take-on-the-sports-world.html Forrest Griffin-Tito Ortiz 2: The Meaningless Main Event http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/120407-forrest-griffin-tito-ortiz-2-the-meaningless-main-event.html Wed, 18 Nov 2009 18:30:13 GMT Tito Ortiz and Forrest Griffin are unquestionably two of the most popular fighters ever to step inside the Octagon. Even in defeat, both men are... Tito Ortiz and Forrest Griffin are unquestionably two of the most popular fighters ever to step inside the Octagon. Even in defeat, both men are cheered wildly as if they had just won a championship.

The two will face off for the second time in their careers on Saturday night, main eventing UFC 106. Given the recent history of each man, does their fight this weekend even mean anything?

Dana White is a walking contradiction; even the most novice fan understands that. For the past couple of years he has verbally bashed Ortiz proclaiming to anyone that would listen that Ortiz was finished as a fighter. White wanted everyone to believe Ortiz would never fight in the UFC again.

After Ortiz couldn't find employment elsewhere, White decided to capitalize on Ortiz's name recognition and re-sign him to a contract with the UFC. On top of that, he sticks a fighter whom he told the world had nothing left into the main event for his return fight.

White is every bit the promoter of Vince McMahon. He will do whatever he can to make a buck. However, even White's most adamant supporters must be wondering how it makes sense to bash a man for two years and tear him down as a fighter only to give him a spot in the main event of a pay-per-view. It is simply bad business to try and get others to belief in something you have spent so much time trying to break down.

Ortiz hasn't fought since he lost to Lyoto Machida in May 2008. Worse yet, he hasn't won a fight in over three years when he knocked out Ken Shamrock in October 2006. Fighting someone the caliber of Griffin could become very dangerous for a fighter with so much ring rust.

Forrest Griffin has had his own sets of problems in recent months. White basically fed him to the wolves when he pitted him against Anderson Silva. Griffin was the perfect big-name punching bag that could boost Silva's presence in the light-heavyweight division. Griffin not only was beaten by a superior fighter, he was humiliated.

This led Griffin to test his cardio after the fight by running out of the cage prior to the results becoming official, leaving some to speculate he ran straight back to Georgia. At least he still had his book to promote and was cover boy of the UFC video game.

It has been over two years since Griffin's last convincing victory. He's lost his last two fights and although he beat Rampage Jackson for the UFC light-heavyweight title, it was a decision that many fans disagreed with.

Even a big win over Ortiz won't put him in line for a title fight with Machida. White could stick Griffin and Ortiz in another fight to break the tie of their two battles. While neither will lose much popularity with a loss, the losing fighter would become irrelevant in talks about a future title shot.

The main event speaks to a bigger problem currently afflicting the UFC: injuries. Brock Lesnar is out indefinitely and now Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira has pulled out of a fight due to injury. These may only directly affect the heavyweight division, but both fighters were slated to be in the main events of their pay-per-view which leaves White and company scrambling to throw together a replacement.

It is a problem that the UFC is adjusting to quite rapidly. Brandon Vera is a decent fighter but he is in no position to main event a pay-per-view. The same can be said for Mark Coleman when he fights Randy Couture at UFC 109. How long can White put on sub-par main events before fans being to tune out?

There are a few good storylines heading into this weekend's fights. Josh Koscheck versus Anthony Johnson has the potential to be a great fight. It will also be interesting to see how Antonio Rogerio Nogueira adapts to his first fight for the UFC.

Fans may be excited to see the return of Tito Ortiz and how Forrest Griffin will respond after two devastating losses. Unfortunately, to see the two fight each other isn't worth what the UFC is expecting fans to pay to watch it.

*

To read more by Jesse Motiff, click here . ]]> MMA Reporter http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/120407-forrest-griffin-tito-ortiz-2-the-meaningless-main-event.html UFC 106 Main Card Predictions http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/120397-ufc-106-main-card-predictions.html Wed, 18 Nov 2009 16:10:22 GMT So here we are, just days removed from UFC 105 and days away from UFC 106. Throw in the Strikeforce card featuring Brett Rogers and Fedor Emlianenko... So here we are, just days removed from UFC 105 and days away from UFC 106. Throw in the Strikeforce card featuring Brett Rogers and Fedor Emlianenko on Nov. 7 and this will be the third straight week that MMA fans have had a major show to watch.

December doesn't slow down, either, as Strikeforce will feature the return of Cung Le on Dec. 19.

The UFC will run The Ultimate Fighter 10 finale on the Dec. 5, followed by UFC 107 airing just a week later. Last but not least, we close out a great year with WEC 45 which will run head to head with Strikeforce on Dec. 19.

On to my main card predictions.

*

Karo Parisyan vs. Dustin Hazelet:* Welterweights


Both men are coming off of long layoffs so expect some cage rust early on in the bout. Parisyan has been inactive since the end of January.

He defeated Dong Hyun Kim, but that decision was later overturned because of a failed drug test.

The past few years have not been kind to "The Heat," he was diagnosed with an anxiety order, knocked out by Thiago Alves, and forced to withdraw from a bout at UFC 88 just one day before due to a back ailment.

Hazelett's layoff was caused by a knee injury he incurred while training for a bout with Ben Saunders that was scheduled for UFC 96.

The submission wizard is one of the UFC's brightest young fighters and will be looking to capture an unprecedented third submission of the night bonus.

On top of the two bonuses he has captured for his stunning submissions, he was also awarded a fight of the night bonus against Josh Burkman at The Ultimate Fighter 7 finale.

Parisyan was at one time the No. 1 contender and was scheduled to face Matt Hughes until he was sidelined with an injury. He never regained that status and has been up and down ever since.

Hazelett is young, hungry and fearless. This will be Parisyan's third fight in the last two years. For "McLovin," it will his fourth, which leads me to believe the bout will be somewhat sloppy. I'm going with the youngster here.

Hazelett via unanimous decision

*



Phil Baroni vs. Amir Sadollah - Welterweights:


Yeah, the NY Bad Ass is back in the UFC! Does anyone really care? I know I don't and I am usually very loyal to NY fighters and athletes. All of his drama and childlike antics have helped hide the fact that he is just not that good of a fighter.

Yes, he does have power in both hands and could knock out anyone with one punch but other than that what does he have?

Sadollah is another guy whose personality has helped hide the fact that he is not a great fighter.

I realize it's way too early in his career to judge him just yet, but he just seems too timid to be a successful mixed martial artist.

Maybe training with Xtreme Couture will help him, but I really don't see him going very far.

This fight is really simple, if Sadollah can hang around and get the bout into the second round, he will win. Baroni is notorious for his poor cardio.

He usually gasses somewhere around the middle of the first round. He will look to rush Sadollah and land one of his trademark knockout blows. I flipped a coin. Baroni by first round knockout .

*



Antonio Rogerio Nogueira vs. Luis Cane - Light Heavyweights:


Welcome to the jungle, Lil Nog!!! Minotauro's twin brother makes his octagon debut against a fellow Brazilian who hits hard and who is looking to use Lil Nog as a stepping stone toward a title shot.

Cane is on a three-fight win streak and has looked very impressive during his tenure in the UFC. A high-profile win against a fighter on Nogueira's caliber will put Cane one step closer to the top.

Nogueira is an impressive 17-3; he has beaten Dan Henderson, Alistair Overeem (2X), Kazushi Sakuraba and Vladimir Matyushenko.

Much like his twin brother, Nogueira possesses solid boxing skills and is a terror on the ground. This is an opportunity for him to make a huge splash in a crowded and talented light heavyweight division.

Cane has serious power and has shown that he has a solid chin. He is also a black belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu but nowhere near the level of Nogueira.

Cane's only loss was by disqualification and Lil Nog has only been finished once in three career losses. I see Cane becoming the second man to finish him on Saturday night.

Fighting in the cage is much different than a ring and Cane will use it to his advantage by punishing Nogueira against the fence.

Cane by second round TKO.

*



Josh Koscheck vs. Anthony Johnson - Welterweights:


This is the fight I am looking forward to the most. Johnson will be fighting for the second time in four weeks. He disposed of Yoshiyuki Yoshida in just 41 seconds at UFC 104.

Yes, he came in overweight and it cost him a $60k knockout of the night bonus, don't count on it happening again.

This will be the stiffest test for "Rumble," he is facing a top five welterweight in Koscheck. Both men have solid wrestling backgrounds with Koscheck being the more accomplished of the two.

If Koscheck sticks to the same game plan that he has utilized in his last few fights, we can expect to see a slug fest.

Someone is getting knocked out here unless Koscheck goes back to his wrestling roots and tries to incorporate some solid ground and pound.

It is my belief that an impressive win here may catapult either fighter, especially Johnson, over Dan Hardy to be the next victim of Georges St. Pierre.

This is an opportunity for Johnson to redeem himself for the weight issues he had last month. He is fast, powerful and exciting.

He is the type of fighter the fans want to see in a main event; he is the young gun that the fans would love to see challenge GSP for welterweight supremacy.

This is an opportunity that I don't see Johnson letting slip away. He wins and wins in impressive fashion.

Johnson via first round knockout

*



Tito Ortiz vs. Forrest Griffin- Light Heavyweights:


Ortiz was looking for an easier fight to mark his return to the organization after an 18 month layoff but unfortunately Mark Coleman got hurt and the fans were rewarded with a better match-up.

These two are very familiar with each other as they fought an exciting three round war back in 2006.

The first round saw the old dominant Tito as he took Griffin down and pounded him with elbows and punches. Griffin rebounded nicely over the next two rounds and lost a very close split decision.

Ortiz has said ever since their first bout that he had problems with his back and his knees.

Griffin used that fight to show the fans and his fellow mixed martial artists that he was to be taken seriously. Griffin heads into the fight on the first two fight losing streak of his career.

After being embarrassed by Anderson Silva at UFC 101, you can expect Griffin to come into this fight looking for blood.

It will be interesting to see how Ortiz looks after such a long layoff, he had back surgery that supposedly corrected the problems he had been having.

At 34 years old, how much is left in his gas tank? He is not facing the same Forrest Griffin that he fought at UFC 59, Griffin is more mature and has been through the fire plenty of times.

He no longer is the inexperienced kid just trying to put on a good show, he desperately wants to win.

It's hard for me to imagine that Ortiz will be able to turn back the clock here. Griffin wins here by squashing takedown after takedown. Griffin via unanimous decision.

*

There it is! Should be a good one, I am really looking for Johnson to make a statement here. I hope he knocks Koscheck into next week and gives the UFC a better option for GSP. ]]> MMA Reporter http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/120397-ufc-106-main-card-predictions.html <![CDATA[Big Update On Brock Lesnar's Health]]> http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/120396-big-update-on-brock-lesnars-health.html Wed, 18 Nov 2009 16:10:22 GMT As many fans know, the MMA world was turned on its head with the news that Brock Lesnar's health could keep him out for an undisclosed time or possibly forever. All fans wanted more information, especially after UFC President Dana White came out and said Lesnar may never fight again.

White also mentioned that Lesnar had an intestinal problem and needed major surgery. Now, as it stands, Lesnar did have surgery yesterday. However, it was a minor not major surgery. Also, it was not for some bacterial infection like many are reporting.

Lesnar has something called diverticulitis. For those of you who are not familiar with this disease, it is one that forms small pouches in the large intestine and the colon, which is no fun whatsoever.

It was set off most likely by mono, considering mono both attacks the spleen and intestines. The disease may have been dormant until he was sick, then suddenly came about.

This happens to a lot in people, so its not uncommon for Lesnar to be fine one day then out of nowhere have something wrong.

The illness has been known to be found among bodybuilders that eat high-protein diets with little fiber. Sure, others can get it too, but the cases in bodybuilders that do as I mentioned have a higher chance.

Now, diverticulitis doesn't always require surgery. However, I would think White and Lesnar agree that it was necessary for him to go ahead and get it now to possibly stop it from getting worse.

It has been known to go into remission on its own, but the chances of Lesnar fighting with it only in remission and possibly coming back are not good. Lesnar should still keep in mind that it doesn't matter if he gets surgery or not, diverticulitis can come back.

So while the surgery may help for now, the chances of it staying away forever are not high.

The doctors are most likely going to give him a diet plan, which will most likely result in him losing significant weight. Also, just for being sick, he could have lost some weight too. And of course, pills will be taken. Adding fiber is one big thing, and if he is not getting enough they will make him take fiber pills and possibly water pills if things get worse.

It is said that diverticulitis, even after getting things surgically taken care of, can take a lot of time to heal. Some have mentioned that it takes a year or longer to feel 100 percent.

Also, most people are not MMA Fighters. So Lesnar may hurt himself even more in his intestinal and colon area if he continues to fight on a full-time basis. While he is good at what he does, he has a greater chance of doing further and life-altering damage to himself by fighting.

While his fans want him to come back, I would take the safe route and call it a career.

Diverticulitis may be the thing that is hurting him now, but it won't be the only thing if he continues on.

Am I saying I don't want to see Lesnar fight? No. I love watching the guy, but as a human being who cares about one's life more so than his career, I would want Lesnar to stay out of Mixed Martial Arts competition.

I would love for him to still be involved with it in some way, but as a competitor, not so much. He has a better chance at being a pro wrestler than he does at coming back to MMA, simply because in pro wrestling people are not trying to hurt one another, in MMA they are.

Who is going to stop an MMA fighter from going straight for Lesnar's weak spot if he returns? UFC? Fans?

No, every single fighter who knows about Lesnar will go immediately for that area to beat him. It is simple fighting mentality. Sure, it may seem wrong to do something like that, but they are there to win, not care for one's livelihood.

What do you want them to do, not try?

Winning is the whole point, and if a fighter knows a way to win he will take it. Therefore, if Lesnar wants to continue to fight then so be it. But he is risking his life by doing so.

He used to tell others, "Here comes the pain," but now he may be telling that to himself. ]]> MMA Reporter http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/120396-big-update-on-brock-lesnars-health.html <![CDATA[Brock Lesnar's Illness Good Enough For Mainstream Media To Report]]> http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/120285-brock-lesnars-illness-good-enough-for-mainstream-media-to-report.html Tue, 17 Nov 2009 18:40:05 GMT Please pardon me while I go on a rare emotionally charged rant regarding the absolute disregard mainstream media has for the sport of MMA.* Until... Please pardon me while I go on a rare emotionally charged rant regarding the absolute disregard mainstream media has for the sport of MMA.* Until something terrible or negative happens in the sport that is.

So by now everyone has heard UFC Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar has an intestinal issue that will sideline the champ for an undisclosed period of time if not end his fighting career.

More than likely you heard this first on some dedicated MMA forum or website, one of the true supporters of MMA in the realm of sports reporting; the heartbeat of the sport if you will.

The last time an MMA article made the front page on MSN's Fox Sports section was months ago.* Suffice to say they do not have the interest or the knowledge to truly cover the sport,nor do they possess the desire to become involved.

They prefer to subcontract smaller more knowledgeable websites to do their talking and reporting for them.* While this opens doors for aspiring journalists, it is a slap in the face to a growing sport.

They aren't going to waste one penny covering the sport of MMA, they will let the passionate fans themselves tell the story for free.* MMA is just not worthy of their attention apparently;sad but true.* *

What they do have is a nose for the news, in the case of MMA, bad news is the only news they are willing to report.* Think back for a moment and attempt to recall the only MMA stories that were truly covered by the top media outlets and displayed on their front page.*

We are not talking the MMA section of this or that site,we are talking up front where they put the real sports news that is taking place from day to day.

A few choice issues come to mind.* A UFC fighter runs from the law after losing his title and a poor women lost her unborn child after the chase caused multiple accidents, never mind that the chase had nothing to do with the unfortunate miscarriage.

Some UFC hippy runs off in the desert and dies due to exposure to the elements, who are these UFC fighters, a bunch of weirdos?*

How about the big boss of all MMA and his derogatory, vulgarity laden tirade about a certain high profile MMA reporter?* That was so worthy of front page news that the biggest sports reporters chose to stand up and take note, as well as share their obviously condescending opinions on exactly why this sport will not succeed.

The sport wasn't worth their attention any other time, but on that day, they got on their soap boxes.* *

Their opinions of a mistake in the sport are obviously more important than covering the sport in the first place otherwise they might have more to talk about than Dana White and his antics.

Last but not least, we have the tragic news that Lesnar's very lucrative and potentially historic career may be coming to its end prematurely. Now that will get people reading about MMA;a champ retiring too soon due to a tragic illness, that's front page stuff right there.

Never-mind the multitude of good that comes from this sport.* Never-mind the efforts of the Xtreme Couture GI Foundation and the fundraiser they did last month to support GIs transitioning back home,not a peep from the media on that one.

Never-mind an MMA fighter overseas that jumped into freezing water to pull a child out of a car.* Never-mind the UFC and their efforts to create a show called Fight For The Troops, none of that is newsworthy.

But the NFL and their efforts to support the troops gets a full page spread talking about their noble efforts.* So what is the difference?* One brutal sport gets put on a pedestal, and another brutal sport gets brushed under the rug. *Both made great efforts to do good for our soldiers**

Lest we forget there is actually a sport taking place amidst all the good that comes out of MMA.* How dare we expect mainstream media coverage of the events themselves.* No, we should be happy that any time a tragedy or mistake takes place that we get our air time then.

Its up to you and I to take the reigns and guide the perception of this sport.* Lord knows if we leave it up to the big boys of sports reporting, all we will get is negativity.

Their disregard and contempt for this sport is starting to burn a little bit more every time one reads a bad news story on the front page of a site.* If they cant cover the sport in its entirety, they should leave it alone all together.

There are more than enough willing and able amateur sports reporters just waiting to prove their worth as knowledgeable and effective reporters of this sport.* Why let some disinterested, self important, self righteous sports journalist give his two cents.

If you and I hadn't told them, they wouldn't even know who Brock Lesnar is.

*

* ]]> MMA Reporter http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/120285-brock-lesnars-illness-good-enough-for-mainstream-media-to-report.html WEC 44 Fight Week Previews: The Prelims http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/120215-wec-44-fight-week-previews-the-prelims.html Tue, 17 Nov 2009 02:50:18 GMT WEC 44: Brown vs. Aldo takes place this Wednesday night from The Pearl at The Palms in Las Vegas. With such a short time frame before the fights... WEC 44: Brown vs. Aldo takes place this Wednesday night from The Pearl at The Palms in Las Vegas.

With such a short time frame before the fights take place?and coming off the busy week that was UFC 105?the week-long Fight Week Previews series will be coming to you in condensed form over the next two days, beginning with The Prelims.

Before we get there though, a recommendation to all those claiming MMA fandom who have no idea who Mike Brown or Jose Aldo are: you need to check out this show and old and future WEC shows.

Without fail, each and every WEC event delivers some of the best bell-to-bell action in the sport, and while these guys certainly do not receive anywhere near the acclaim and attention of their UFC counterparts, you're not going to find a more exciting brand of action than the WEC.

On to the previews...

*

Seth Dikun (7-3-0) vs. Frank Gomez (7-1-0)

Dikun enters the fight after a fantastic flying triangle submission of Rolando Perez at WEC 41 that evened his company record at 1-1. Gomez comes in off of a rebound win over TUF veteran Noah Thomas following the first loss of his career. Regardless of who comes away with the win, expect a finish as these two have just four decisions between them in 18 fights.


Ricardo Lamas (6-1-0) vs. James Krause (10-1-0)

Both fighters are coming off the first defeat of their careers, Lamas dropping a decision to Danny Castillo and Krause getting stopped by Donald Cerrone. Though Krause comes in off the bigger name fight, Lamas is a fast and promising prospect who was on the wrong end of an excellent punch last time out, and looks to be the stronger of the two.


Antonio Banuelos (17-5-0) vs. Kenji Osawa (15-8-2)

Banuelos is a WEC mainstay, making his eighth appearance for the company and coming in off a win over Scotty "Young Guns" Jorgensen back in June. Osawa has 25 fights under his belt, including a win over title contender Takeya Mizugaki and a loss to the aforementioned Jorgensen.


Cub Swanson (13-3-0) vs. John Franchi (5-1-0)

If you're not a huge follower of the WEC and are wondering where you've heard the name Cub Swanson before, it could be because he was the guy on the receiving end of a double flying knee from Jose Aldo last time he stepped into the cage. While he hasn't quite found his footing in the WEC as of yet, Swanson is still a very talented prospect with a bright future ahead of him.

The verdict is still out on John Franchi. He suffered his first loss last time out, falling to*UFC veteran Manny Gamburyan, and wasn't overly impressive in his WEC debut against Mike Budnik.


Diego Nunes (13-0-0) vs. LC Davis (14-2-0)

This is going to be your Fight of the Night.

The unbeaten Nunes has looked dominant in two, three-round victories over Cole Province and Rafael Dias. Meanwhile Davis has come over following the fall of Affliction, looking to continue his success as a part of the Featherweight division.

Davis' two losses come to Sengoku Featherweight Grand Prix finalist Michihiro Omigawa and highly-regarded Wagnney Fabiano; the skilled wrestler will surely be the toughest test to date for the Brazilian Nunes.


Kamal Shalorus (4-0-1) vs. Will Kerr (8-1-0)

Shalorus is a wrestler who has competed in a number of submission grappling events in addition to making the transition to MMA, while Kerr is a replacement for injured Alex*Karalexis.

Normally when you replace a solid veteran against a guy with little experience*and name recognition, it means the guy no one has heard of is also pretty solid.

Still, Kerr could be in for a painful night.

Watching video of Shalorus slamming Joachim "Hellboy" Hansen at the 2005 European Qualifiers for the ADCC's only confirmed that suspicion. ]]> MMA Reporter http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/120215-wec-44-fight-week-previews-the-prelims.html Brock Lesnar Needing Surgery, May Never Fight Again http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/120196-brock-lesnar-needing-surgery-may-never-fight-again.html Mon, 16 Nov 2009 21:20:14 GMT According to reports, Dana White is trying to get UFC Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar into the world famous May Clinic and tells TMZ that Lesnar... According to reports, Dana White is trying to get UFC Heavyweight Champion Brock Lesnar into the world famous May Clinic and tells TMZ that Lesnar has some kind of intestinal disorder that will require major surgery.

White has told people that Lesnar is very, very sick. And he could never fight again. It is said that he had collapsed in Canada a week ago after going there to rest up after being diagnosed with mono.

People need to realize that it's possible the mono, which makes people sick for some time, is most likely the reason Lesnar collapsed. And people shouldn't hinge on the word "collapsed" either. As it may be that he was running a fever and the room started spinning and he fell over. So, its not like he went into a coma or started seizing.

Mono has been known to be vicious on people. Most people are sick for weeks with just the normal kind of mono, but it can get far worse. Which has to be what Lesnar has.

The intestinal issue, better known as a gastrointestinal issue, is something I am very familiar with. As I have a similar issue. I can tell you that if he has to have major surgery, he will heal very slowly.

The intestines, which would be where the surgery would take place, heal slower than any bone, muscle, etc. As organs that do so much for one to break down food and get to the bowels for it to, well, exit the body. Both the small and large intestine are very important to the body.

The one thing that will be noticeable is the loss of weight, which, as a fighter, is very important. He runs close to 270 when he fights, and if he goes down say, to 220, that is a significant weight advantage lost for Lesnar.

Also, right now if the intestines are not working well it causes the gallbladder to do a lot. Which, if it has to do too much, causes gallstones. It's possible that if it has to do too much, that it will completely stop working one day.

Which would make him end up having to take it out. It's not a terrible surgery, as it is usually done with lasers. I have had mine out, and the toughest part is the first week. I missed only two weeks of school and it took maybe 3 to 4 months for to be at 100 percent.

But I am not a professional athlete.* Lesnar could do better if he has to have it taken out.

The intestines are something that you cannot play around with. Even after surgery and rehabbing to get better, there may not be a future as a pro fighter. Simply because the intestines cannot take punishment all the time.

As an MMA Fighter, people will go after his abdominal area. And if he comes back to fight, people will go straight for his weakness. You cannot blame them for that, as they are supposed to do whatever they have to do to win.

If it's legal, they will do it. Heck, sometimes they will even if it's not.

The intestinal area may take a lot to come back from, and through it all they will probably give him dexpanthenol and choline, which, when compounded, can really help the intestinal area break down food and help it move better through the intestinal tract.

It is given more commonly to people who have impaired stomach emptying, and it could work for Lesnar now.

Still, it is only to treat the intestines and not something that will heal them. Lesnar may never fight again simply for his health. He could either fight through the pain (literally) in every fight and for the rest of his life, as it will cause even more damage to the area. Or he could possibly let his intestines heal and live a normal life outside of the octagon.

Now, White has not been saying much. Just filling in the media little by little, while trying to keep things private. Which is understandable. And he claimed that he knew what was wrong with Lesnar but wouldn't reveal it.

Still though, if we ever see Lesnar in the octagan again I'd be surprised. But, if he does come back it won't be for a long time, maybe years. ]]> MMA Reporter http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/120196-brock-lesnar-needing-surgery-may-never-fight-again.html <![CDATA[UFC 105: Recap, Analysis, Looking Ahead to What's Next for Couture]]> http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/120093-ufc-105-recap-analysis-looking-ahead-to-whats-next-for-couture.html Mon, 16 Nov 2009 02:10:24 GMT There were plenty of new story lines coming out of UFC 105 as two men seemingly earned title shots while another doesn't seem to have a logical next fight after his victory.

Saturday's event from Manchester, England, was full of great action featuring Randy Couture seeking out a decision win over Brandon Vera, Dan Hardy decisively defeating Mike Swick, and an undercard full of knockouts.


Randy Couture def. Brandon Vera by unanimous decision

The night's main attraction was great for those who love grappling against the cage, but overall Couture against Vera was in the middle in terms of excitement. The majority of the action early on was Couture pressing Vera up against the cage looking for a takedown, evolving into whether he could survive Vera's kicks when the action pushed to the middle of the Octagon.

Couture earned the decision by controlling Vera for the first round, and doing just enough in the third. Vera easily took the second round through powerful kicks, including a sequence where he connected on a body kick to the ribs, hit a punch, and threw a knee that knocked Couture down midway through the round. Vera attempted to finish, but wasn't fast enough, and seemingly didn't have enough energy to finish the attack.

In the third, Couture attempted to keep it close while Vera was seeking separation to land more kicks. Couture was fine to exchange, but Vera was getting the best of them, taking advantage of multiple referee separations all night. This was probably as even a round as you could get, and if Vera had got the duke, Couture wouldn't have had much to complain about. All judges scored the bout 29-28.

Upon hearing the decision, Vera simply walked out of the cage and sat dejected on the outside, failing to immediately acknowledge Couture. To me, that was disappointing as Vera was impressive in defeat, but still manages to revert back to this bizarre attitude at the worst possible time.

What's next for Couture? I'm not sure. I don't think he earned a title match against Lyoto Machida with the win that honestly felt inconsequential in the grand scheme of the light heavyweight division. Would it make sense to put him against the winner of Rashad Evans against Thiago Silva? What about a bout with Wanderlei Silva at 205? Rich Franklin at 205? There's no obvious next opponent or next step here.



Dan Hardy def. Mike Swick by unanimous decision*

Hardy was good, but not dominant in defeating Swick via unanimous decision. Hardy simply hit harder and took advantage when in the position to do so. He's a big welterweight, and was more filled out than Swick.

The first round featured a lot of cage grappling with a few exchanges, and as the fight wore on, Hardy's shots began to hurt Swick. Hardy had him grounded in the third, and was hitting some hard elbows, opening up a cut on the side of Swick's head, which you don't see that often.

Two judges scored the fight 30-27 with another at 29-28.

With the win, Hardy earns a shot at Welterweight Champion Georges St. Pierre (who was in attendance) sometime in 2010. There was nothing that Hardy showed me here that makes me think he's got a prayer against GSP.



Michael Bisping def. Denis Kang by second round TKO (4:24)

"The Count" used a second-round assault to get the win over the veteran Kang that has to put him in line for a title shot in 2010. After being dominated on the ground by Kang in the first round, Bisping took Kang down in the second and used impressive ground-and-pound to bloody up Kang's nose and eye.

Kang continued to try to get up, but Bisping made him pay every time with more punches. Bisping kept taking him down at will, and unloaded a final assault of punches and knees to the body that forced the ref to stop it.

For Bisping, I'd like to think he's earned a shot at the Middleweight title, but that may not come until next summer depending on when Anderson Silva next defends the gold. Perhaps a No. 1 contender's match against Nate Marquardt? As far as Kang goes, he's lost two of his last three, and four of his last seven. It was worth a shot, but Kang's run in the UFC should probably come to an end.


Drew Pearson def. Aaron Riley via second round TKO (4:38)

Pearson came out firing in an impressive first round in what was an all-out assault with kicks, knees, and punches. It was more of the same in the second when Pearson effectively ended the fight with a flying knee that busted Riley's nose badly, opening up a gusher. It couldn't have been a better "official" UFC debut for the TUF winner who decimated a veteran in short order. Expect to see a lot more of Pearson on UK cards in the future.



Matt Brown def. James Wilks via third round TKO (2:27)

The polar opposite of Pearson, Wilks did not impress in his first fight since winning TUF. Early on, it was all grappling against the cage with submission specialist Wilks looking for takedowns. However, Brown was up to the task, and defended. In the second round, Brown caught Wilks with a flying knee that dropped him, but Brown didn't let his hands go to finish him off.

Wilks showed great presence even when dazed, tying up Brown with various leg locks and counters when he was on Dream Street. The end came in the third when Wilks almost finished Brown with a nice kimura, but his flexible opponent worked his way out of it, and eventually got full mount. Still dazed from the knee in the second, Wilks succumbed to Brown's punches, and rolled over after being beaten in the face, good enough for the ref to stop the fight. Great performance by Brown ( third straight win), and tough defeat for Wilks.



Andre Winner def. Rolando Delgado via first round KO (3:22)

Winner was connecting early and hurting Delgado with his hands, and then landed a nasty overhand right that put him out quickly. He landed a few extra punches afterward as the ref was horribly out of position for the stoppage. Impressive UFC debut by Winner, another sure-fire star on future UK cards.



Alexander Gustafsson defeated Jared Hamman by first round KO (:41)

Off a break for an accidental finger to the eye, they touched gloves and Gustafsson unleashed a straight right that dropped Hamman. After a few follow up punches, the ref stopped it. Impressive, quick win by Gustafsson (9-0) in his UFC debut.



Bonuses/Notes/Thoughts

  • Michael Bisping and Denis Kang each won $40k for Fight Of The Night.
    *
  • Terry Etim earned Submission Of The Night honors with his second round guillotine choke victory over Shannon Gugerty, taking $40k for the effort.
  • Dennis Siver won the competitive Knockout Of The Night with a spin kick to the midsection of Paul Kelly and picked up $40k.
  • Why couldn't Mike Goldberg just read the Spike promos live during the event like he usually does? The post-production audio didn't match anything and sounded awkward.
  • Overall, it was a nice tight three-hour show with plenty of action from the main card and a few quick undercard bouts. I would have liked to see a few of the ring entrances, but it didn't take too much away from the show.
Josh Nason has published MMA, wrestling and boxing blog Ropes, Ring and Cage.com since 2007. He is a contributor to Fight Magazine and Bleacher Report and appears regularly on Fight Network Radio . Follow him on Twitter. ]]> MMA Reporter http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/120093-ufc-105-recap-analysis-looking-ahead-to-whats-next-for-couture.html <![CDATA[UFC 105: Couture Invents Cage'n'Pray and Coasts To Victory.]]> http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/120092-ufc-105-couture-invents-cagenpray-and-coasts-to-victory.html Mon, 16 Nov 2009 02:10:24 GMT UFC 105 really displayed the depth of talent coming out of England and showed that the UK is here to stay in MMA. My favorite match was Ross... UFC 105 really displayed the depth of talent coming out of England and showed that the UK is here to stay in MMA.

My favorite match was Ross Pearson and Aaron Riley.* Pearson showcased a level of energy and diversity in his striking that most fighters rarely attempt.* The flying knee that split Riley's head open will surely be making Ross' highlight reel and shows that he is the real deal.

Speaking of flying knees, Matt Brown used his knee bone to get the only win over a British fighter in the main card.* Great back-and-forth on display.

Bisping showed true testicular fortitude after being dropped early in the first round. Showing spectacular ground defense, Bisping used his hips to dull any edge that Dennis Kang might have had on the ground.* Bisping then came out like a demon in round two and powered through Kang for the TKO.* You may not like "The Count" but you have to respect his skills.

Mike Swick and Dan Hardy delivered, but in less of a brawl than expected. Lots of vicious clinching and even a take-down in round three.* Hardy earned his win with the better hits. I can almost see Hardy pulling a "Terror Serra" on GSP and swarming him with punches. Also, coming out to Cock Sparrer rocks!

I think Hardy won some fans with this fight.

Randy Couture has just invented Cage'n'Pray. Basically laying on Vera the entire fight, while doing little else, I knew that Randy would take the W as soon as Bruce Buffer said the word "unanimous." I can see why the judges gave the fight to Couture, but I don't think Randy really won in any significant way.

Vera did the most damage, with some brutal kicks, and stuffed almost all of Couture's vaunted take downs. "The Truth" sent the 46-year-old to his back in round two with body kicks and a knee, but didn't follow through enough in the closed guard to finish the fight.

The biggest surprise was that Randy could only get Vera on his back once. "The Natural" just laid on Vera against the cage and never displayed the power or energy that makes one a dangerous fighter. Other than some punches at the start of the third round, Couture did almost no damage to Vera.

The Couture denial train chugs on to be celebrated another day. ]]> MMA Reporter http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/120092-ufc-105-couture-invents-cagenpray-and-coasts-to-victory.html Weighing In on the MMA Judging Debate http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/120088-weighing-in-on-the-mma-judging-debate.html Mon, 16 Nov 2009 00:10:16 GMT After Randy Couture's victory over Brandon Vera, Joe Rogan stated that he believes that there is a serious problem with judging in MMA.

Yet while the result of the Couture vs. Vera fight highlighted some imperfections in the judging system, they hardly call for a drastic overhaul of a system that has largely been effective.

The two most recent UFC main event decisions brought to light some apparent problems with the current MMA scoring system, but there is simply no simple solution, and maybe not even a better one.

Sportsnet's "Showdown" Joe Ferraro recently published a lengthy set of articles about overhauling the current judging system, but only a week earlier, Ferraro had referred to Fightmetric as "the gold standard" for MMA judging in an article titled "Ma-cheated ."

Since those two ideas seem to be inconsistent, I don't know how seriously I can take these suggestions.

I plan on writing an entire article detailing the inadequacies of Fightmetric, but for now, suffice it to say that Fightmetric is not the be-all and end-all of MMA scoring.

Aside from drastic overhauls, however, there have been other more modest proposals for changing the way fights are scored.

First and foremost among the modest proposals are those that advocate scoring more 10-10 and 10-8 and even 10-7 rounds.

The first round of the Couture vs. Vera fight could certainly have benefited from a 10-10 scoring, as neither fighter really did anything to win the round.

There are many other fights where one fighter wins one round decisively, but loses two others marginally, where this kind of scoring system might seem justified.

For example, BJ Penn fans wish that BJ had been awarded more points for the first round than GSP's marginal victories in the second and third rounds.

Another example is Yushin Okami's loss to Jake Shields, where Okami did far more to win the fight in the third round than Jake Shields did in the entire fight.

Despite these singular examples, however, there are plenty of other singular cases that would be hurt by this scoring.

The drawback to encouraging judges to score a round 10-10 when it is close, is that it will likely result in more draws. Draws are generally seen as unwanted outcomes, for a set of reasons too large to be discussed at this time.

Encouraging a wider scale for scoring rounds also results in some problems. The current scoring system is for the most part, fairly predictable. Fans are able to accurately predict the final score as long as each individual round was moderately clear to score.

If one fighter wins two rounds, and the other fighter wins one round, then the score is usually 29-28. This kind of predictability is good, but it might go away if people need to start wondering about if a round should be 10-8 or 10-7, while right now the distinction is relatively clear between 10-9 and 10-8.

Predictability is even worse in another system advocated by some. Pride FC used a scoring system that did not score by rounds, but instead judged the fight as a whole. This scoring system leads to even less predictability and more confusion amongst fans.

Of course, if you want to make outcomes completely predictable, you can do as some others have suggested, and announce the scores after each round.

This has actually already been done in boxing with less-than-stellar results, especially when one fighter is leading heavily on the scorecards and can avoid action to win a decision.

Is the current scoring system perfect? No, it certainly isn't. There are even some small changes within the unified rules that might be justified. However, for every one of the large modifications mentioned above, the harms might outweigh the benefits.

Furthermore, changing scoring cannot affect a fight retroactively. As a fan I can say that Vera would have beaten Couture if the scoring system was modified, but who is to say that the fight would not have played itself out differently if the scoring system was different at the time? ]]> MMA Reporter http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/120088-weighing-in-on-the-mma-judging-debate.html Couture Vs. Vera: A Look at How The Judges Got It Right http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/120065-couture-vs-vera-a-look-at-how-the-judges-got-it-right.html Sun, 15 Nov 2009 20:40:04 GMT When watching the event live, thanks to means I must plead the 5th to. I thoroughly enjoyed the main event scoring the bout 29-29 on the first... When watching the event live, thanks to means I must plead the 5th to. I thoroughly enjoyed the main event scoring the bout 29-29 on the first viewing. Later I watched the Spike telecast. And came out with a 29-28 decision for Randy Couture. Identical to the judges scorecards.

*

Although forums, and this site have been seething with people who have differences of opinion with the judges for the event.

*

The question is how could we all have so many different views? The simple fact of the matter is we all have different criteria. And that's fine, opinions are the backbone of this site, fire away about how you think technique ZA is better than EY.


However when judging you can't look at things that way. Your job isn't to make up rules, its too interpret them. What are these phantom rules I speak of, yet don't seem to be on the tongue of anything beyond the most well informed of fan?

*

Those would be the NSAC's Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts. And under section VIII. is a category for judging it states.

*

E. Judging Criteria

1. Judges are required to determine the winner of a bout that goes to it's full time limit based upon

the following criteria:

-Clean Strikes

-Effective Grappling

-Octagon Control

-Effective Aggressiveness

*

For the dedicated fans who was around when*SEG got those passed on the 11th hour of their ownership,*My apologies, but it needed to be done.

*

Now we get to the meat and potatoes my friends, scoring the fight.

*

In the first round, the fight started off fast with Vera throwing a quick high kick that drops Randy's defenses long enough for some big shots to land. With Couture wobbled Brandon grabs the plum.

*

Randy however knows the knees are coming, so he baits him to raise his leg off the canvas with two left uppercuts then drives Vera towards the cage. This forces Vera to stop the offense and reverse so he has Randy against the cage. He thinks he's safe to start throwing knees but thats not the case, as he's immediately reversed.


From here it's a battle for position against the fence, as Couture racks up control, and lands some small strikes to the legs of Vera. After some shuffling and reversing, eventually Godard separates and Couture immediately takes him right back there. This continues until the end of the round.

*

Now this is important so I'll again give you the specifics of one of the more controversial aspects of judges scoring under the unified rules.

*

J. Octagon Control

1. The fighter who is dictating the pace, place and position of the fight.

2. A striker who fends off a grappler's takedown attempt to remain standing and effectively strike is

octagon control.

3. A grappler who can takedown an effective standing striker to ground fight is octagon control.

4. The fighter on the ground who creates submission, mount or clean striking opportunities

*

This is one of the most controversial because its all encompassing and convoluted so most either dismiss it entirely, or give it too much credence.

*

However in tight rounds judges routinely use this as a tiebreaker with effective aggression. See Spencer Fisher- Caol Uno for an example. Who's controlling the fight, who's fighting it on their terms.

*

With this knowledge, we can deduce unquestionably this was Randy's gameplan to wear down Vera against the fence, and grind him like he did Gabriel Gonzaga, and many others.

*

It's Vera's job to fight out of that position, and if he can't he needs to find a way to repel Randy and stay out of that spot.

*

He failed in that first round, and with Vera's flurry being so minimal and Couture's cage work so prominent it's likely they awarded Randy the first round on this standard. I think that's fine because that's why I gave it to him as well in my second pass.

*

While people talk about ?damage? or tally up strike figures like they work for compubox. At the end of the day this is just a third of the overall picture. I know it's boring to watch two guys hug against the fence, but it happens, just like nil-nil soccer games, and 6-3 Cleveland Browns games.

*

GET OVER IT!

*

Moving on, the second round is pretty one sided, Couture is hurt badly with knees, and is close to being finished multiple times. Its pretty clearly a 10-9 round for Vera.

*

As we go to the third round things are pretty tense. Randy puts his best offensive round together, and so does Vera making for an action packed round. They both stagger each other and push the action.

*

But ultimately again its the cage work as he lays it on in stretches with knees, elbows, and*uppercuts that really open up the margin. Vera's calling card to make the round is when he has Randy up against the cage and takes him down passing immediately to mount.

*

However this is so brief, and he does nothing with it. While the takedown and pass gain him points, the sweep negates the pass, and the takedown doesn't save him from the fact he's been out struck and controlled against the cage for the majority of the round.

*

While it's close, they, and I scored the round 10-9 Couture. Rendering our verdicts 29-28 Couture in a hard fought win.

*

*

Addressing somethings.

*

Fightmetric scoring the bout a 29-29 draw. I'm perfectly fine with this, they split the 1st round.

*

Nate Double's stance that the UFC rigged the fight because it's in the UFC's best interests to keep Randy relevant ... I made my one liner on that in the comments section of Jung Soo Kim's piece, it was one of my better attempts at humor, I think.

*

Establishing what the definition of a robbery is. An OBVIOUS bout in which the judges couldn't accurately decide the outcome despite ample evidence that CLEARLY favors the opposite fighter.

*

Robberies recently, Shogun-Machida, Beebe-Easton, Omigawa-Hioki

*

*

Until next week when we*probably*discuss*the Ortiz vs. Griffin "robbery".

* ]]> MMA Reporter http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/120065-couture-vs-vera-a-look-at-how-the-judges-got-it-right.html With UFC Injuries, Is It Time to Call Up the WEC? http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/120053-with-ufc-injuries-is-it-time-to-call-up-the-wec.html Sun, 15 Nov 2009 18:20:17 GMT It has been a very tough month for UFC President Dana White and UFC matchmaker Joe Silva, who have watched a rash of injuries and illnesses that... It has been a very tough month for UFC President Dana White and UFC matchmaker Joe Silva, who have watched a rash of injuries and illnesses that have sidelined several of the league's key fighters.

Just a month away from his first defense as the Undisputed UFC Heavyweight champion, both the champion Brock Lesnar and the challenger Shane Carwin fell ill. Lesnar has a nasty case of mono, and Carwin fell to the H1N1 virus.

Just days after his epic match with Shogun Rua, with a rematch already on the books, UFC Light Heavyweight Champ Lyoto Machida went into surgery for a broken hand, and has been sidelined for several weeks.

And just weeks after getting his next victim named, Pound-For-Pound Elite and UFC Middleweight Champ Anderson Silva went into surgery for his elbow, again, taking him out of action for sometime.

And last night, Georges*St. Pierre's next challenger was named, but a match has yet to be name because GSP has been out with a groin injury he tweaked during his dominate win over Thiago Alves. And even when he returns, Dan Hardy hardly presents a serious challenge to the Pound-For-Pound stand out.

Along with these champions, a number of top contenders are out for several reasons, including just recently Big Nogueira with a staph infection, and Rampage Jackson taking a leave to film a movie.

The result is that the UFC has a shortage of fighters, and more importantly champions in the coming future. B.J. Penn is set to defend his belt in December, but there is no other UFC title defense in the foreseeable future.

While for hardcore fans this isn't a huge problem because this just means under the radar fighters might get more air time, this a huge problem for Zuffa in terms of views and money.

But the solution is already in the Zuffa family, the WEC with their absolutely stacked Lightweight, Featherweight, and Bantamweight divisions. There is fantastic talent in the WEC, and on every card they turn out there are just fantastic fights on that blue canvas.

Merging the WEC with the UFC and bringing these smaller fighters to the big stage could create excitement for a promotion facing a tough stretch. There are several fight possibilities that would be available in the next few months that could be very exciting.

Mike Thomas Brown defending his belt against the explosive Jose Aldo takes place this weekend, and what better way to bring the Featherweights to the UFC with the winner of Brown/Aldo possibly facing the former champion Urijiah Faber.

The WEC Lightweight Champion Jamie Varner is about to defend his belt against wrestling ace Ben Henderson, just a few weeks after B.J. Penn defends his title. The timing is perfect for a belt unification match, pitting the UFC champ against the WEC champion.

And then, of course, this is the likely rematch of Bantamweight champion Brian Bowles against one of the best fighters in the world, Miguel Torres.

Bowles landed a KO hook to Torres' temple in a back-and-forth match, where both fighters were rocked at times. Torres, already one of the Pound-For-Pound elites, has completely revamped his training, and is looking for another run as champion.

This merger also helps the UFC not just in the short run, but would be a long term benefit, because it gives Dana White and Joe Silva more weight classes, and greater talent depth to work with when creating cards. One problem the UFC has been faced with has been the "down" cards after a run of excellent cards, that feature no title matches and no top contenders.

The addition of the WEC talent pool provides the UFC with two more champions mix into their plans along with a number of contenders to play with. The result would better, more consistent cards so the UFC would have to, as suggested by some, cut down the number of PPVs they host per year.

It also does the fighters in the WEC justice, who are just as talented as their Zuffa brethren in the UFC, but there is a huge paycheck gap between the two promotions.

Fighters like Torres, Brown, Aldo, Bowles, and Faber deserve the kind of recognition and paydays that the other champions and contenders receive. ]]> MMA Reporter http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/120053-with-ufc-injuries-is-it-time-to-call-up-the-wec.html <![CDATA[Fedor's Coaches: "Rogers Should Be Grateful"]]> http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/120050-fedors-coaches-rogers-should-be-grateful.html Sun, 15 Nov 2009 17:01:30 GMT http://www.sports.ru/tribuna/blogs/ivantsov/50724.html http://www.sports.ru/tribuna/blogs/ivantsov/50724.html

http://www.sherdog.net/forums/f61/fe...h-off-1093339/

Quote:
Rogers trainer said in an interview that the referee stopped the fight too early. Rogers wasn't unconscious?

Alexander Michkov: What are you talking about? Stopped the fight too quickly? Look at that moment again. That carcass fell right on it's back. ( he actually called Rogers a carcass)

Vladimir Voronov: Rogers should be grateful to Fedor for not finishing him on the ground. If you watch that sequence again you can see that Fedor hit him with two shots while he was on the floor and before the referee got involved he paused because he saw that Rogers was in helpless state. He didn't want to do unnecessary damage to him. John McCarthy is one of the best refs in US, I'm sure he did everything right. You could say that he saved Rogers. Rogers' coach and Rogers himself are now looking for excuses to justify the loss, they will say that Fedor was lucky and want a rematch. That's typical American tricks. I went to Rogers after the fight to thank him for the fight, he didn't even know where he was. He looked at me like he's seen me for the first time. He was totally messed up, sailing somewhere.

Alexander Michkov: Even ten minutes after the fight Rogers was sitting there, shaking his head, looking around him and didn't understand anything just sat there and blinked with his eyes and the all of a sudden he starts to talk: "Look at me, I want a rematch, I will tear him to pieces". Inadequate guy.

What's Fedor's opinion on the fight?

Vladimir Voronov: he thought he did ok. We agreed that there were a couple of mistakes, but in a fight you can't avoid all mistakes. There are always some nuances. Fedor pointed out his misatakes himself and we'll work on them. Fedor has still not reached his full potential, he continues to improve.
]]> snakerattle79 http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/120050-fedors-coaches-rogers-should-be-grateful.html Looks like the fight we REALLY wanted now http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/120044-looks-like-the-fight-we-really-wanted-now.html Sun, 15 Nov 2009 15:47:57 GMT Cain Velazquez vs Shane Carwin fight is now inevitable. There is no way the UFC could escape this one now.

http://mmajunkie.com/news/16856/dana...ytime-soon.mma

http://mmajunkie.com/news/16855/nogu...asquez-off.mma ]]> leglace http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/120044-looks-like-the-fight-we-really-wanted-now.html Randy Couture Over Brandon Vera: A Tainted Win? Afterthoughts on Hardy, Bisping http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/120002-randy-couture-over-brandon-vera-a-tainted-win-afterthoughts-on-hardy-bisping.html Sun, 15 Nov 2009 05:00:09 GMT Perhaps I was expecting too much from Randy "The Natural" Couture (17-10); I vividly remember the awesome fight he had against another heavyweight legend Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (32-5), and eagerly anticipated a repeat of that bout in UFC 105, held on Nov. 14 held in Manchester, England.*

And I will be brutally honest; his fight against Brandon "The Truth" Vera was quite boring.

Of course, I can't put all the blame on Couture. Vera lately has had his recent streak of lackluster bouts against fighters including Reese Andy (7-3), Mike Patt (15-4), and Krzysztof Soszynski (18-9).

In those fights, I could no longer see the heavyweight phenom who made quick work of fighters such as Frank Mir (12-4) and Assuerio Silva (15-8). Vera looked scared and tentative, a shell of his former self.

Couture, in this fight, tried to do what he always did. He tried to execute the gameplan that always seemed to give him the advantage.

Step 1. Close the distance

Step 2: Get the clinch

Step 3: Do some dirty-boxing

Step 4: Take the opponent down to the mat

Step 5: Do some good ol' Ground and Pound

Against Vera, Couture only made it to Step 3.

Vera showed some amazing take-down defense reminiscent to that of former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion and Hall of Famer Chuck Liddell (21-7), and landed some stinging kicks to Couture's mid-section, but never found Couture's chin. Liddell made it seem so easy, but I guess not every one could be the Iceman.

It seems that many people including major MMA website analysts scored the fight in favor of Vera, reasoning that he had won rounds 2 and 3.

The fact is that the two last rounds were incredibly close. I gave the first round to Couture, and then for the remaining 10 minutes, I was scratching my head.

One thing that was sure, at least in my eyes, was that Couture was controlling Vera and directing the pace of the fight.

Of course, Couture didn't do any significant damage, but Vera looked exhausted and quite frustrated.

Couture may have been undersized when he fought at Heavyweight, but at Light Heavyweight he is incredibly strong and durable, something that I think was a deciding factor in his fight against Vera.

While Couture was not a "Champion," per say, I think the judges took notice of how he was the crowd-favorite.

I am not saying that there is any conspiracy involved, but there is something about Couture that makes him likable not only in the eyes of an average Mixed Martial Arts fan (Everybody loves Randy!), but also in the eyes of an average Judge.

My words of condolence for Vera fans:

Couture desperately needed this win and luckily squeezed one out. Vera is still young and has time to grow.

Couture fans will say that a "W" is all that counts, but I think Couture himself knows that his current game-plan will never work properly on the upper echelon of current LHW fighters.

There is no doubt that his body has held up remarkably well and stood the test of time, but now he has to change his mental aspect. He needs to evolve his game-plan.

How would Couture fare against fighters who have equally good take down defense AND knockout power? I think that Rampage, Shogun, Rashad, Machida will all flatten Couture, and I don't want to see "the Natural" taking a nap inside the Octagon.

My thoughts on Hardy and Bisping:

It's great that the Brits had their fighters win. In an exciting fight against veteran Mike Swick (14-3), Dan Hardy (23-6) proved that he was no joke, and has now propelled his status as the No. 1 contender to Georges St. Pierre's (19-2) welterweight crown.

But I stand firm in my prediction that GSP will utterly humiliate Hardy if this fight comes to fruition. Sorry, Dan Hardy fans. GSP is just that good.

For Michael Bisping (18-2), I am glad to see that he has shaken off his devastating loss against Dan Henderson (25-7).

Denis Kang (32-12) is without a doubt a solid contender, and while Kang did beat Bisping in the first round, the Brit weathered the early storm and got the win.

I was impressed with how Bisping fared in the wrestling department; I remember actually laughing out loud when I saw him trying to take down Henderson in their fight. So what's next in line for Bisping?

A future match against grappling ace Demian Maia (11-1) would be great. Both are coming back suffering from Knock-Out-of-the-Year losses and need to prove themselves again.

It seems like UFC 105 left us with just as many questions as answers. Is Couture going to make history again? Did he do enough to get the win?

What does he need to do to improve? How will Hardy fare against the Canadian phenom? Only time will tell. ]]> MMA Reporter http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/120002-randy-couture-over-brandon-vera-a-tainted-win-afterthoughts-on-hardy-bisping.html <![CDATA[Brock Lesnar's career in jeopardy?]]> http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/119991-brock-lesnars-career-in-jeopardy.html Sun, 15 Nov 2009 02:20:16 GMT http://www.sherdog.net/forums/f2/les...-over-1095826/...]]> http://www.sherdog.net/forums/f2/les...-over-1095826/

Supposedly this is from Meltzer on his wrestlerobserver site. Make of it what you will, but it sounds bad.

Quote:
Brock Lesnar is in extremely bad shape and there are questions as to whether he will ever fight again.

Lesnar, 32, is in far worse shape than he has been letting on. He went to Canada last week to try to get some rest, collapsed, and was rushed to the hospital. He has mono and also something else that he doesn't want to get out, and all we now is that he does not have cancer and he does not have AIDS. It is, however, extremely serious and he will not be fighting again for a long, long time, if he is able to fight again.

Dana White is heading to Minnesota tonight and will be working to get Lesnar to the Mayo Clinic or equivalent medical facility for treatment.

Also, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira has a staph infection and his fight with Cain Velasquez at UFC 108 is off. Nogueira will need an IV to hopefully get the infection out. He is also in bad shape.

With Lesnar out indefinitely, Shane Carwin will be undergoing knee surgery, so he will not be available to face Velasquez at UFC 108.
]]> Zapp Brannigan http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/119991-brock-lesnars-career-in-jeopardy.html Pacquiaco vs Cotto http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/119984-pacquiaco-vs-cotto.html Sat, 14 Nov 2009 23:15:57 GMT http://atdhe.net/index.html]]> Tonight at 9:00 PM (EST) for FREE

http://atdhe.net/index.html ]]> tpay http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/119984-pacquiaco-vs-cotto.html <![CDATA[Mikey Burnett's Beef With Dana White]]> http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/119908-mikey-burnetts-beef-with-dana-white.html Fri, 13 Nov 2009 23:32:45 GMT http://carsonscorner.podomatic.com/p...18_12_23-08_00 ]]> snakerattle79 http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/119908-mikey-burnetts-beef-with-dana-white.html This Author Thinks Fedor Is Scared http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/119896-this-author-thinks-fedor-is-scared.html Fri, 13 Nov 2009 21:32:13 GMT http://www.fighters.com/11/13/mma-go...in-strikeforce

Article Posted: November 13th, 2009 | By: Josh Turner

Fedor the great? So, let’s talk about the hype machine that is Fighters.com Heavyweight Champion “Last Emperor” Fedor Emelianenko (31-1) and the better UFC heavyweights Fedor is ducking Strikeforce.

Is he the greatest MMA fighter ever? No.

Has he faced and beaten the best in the game? No.

Fedor is a great fighter, and has faced and defeated some great fighters. He is not the greatest fighter in MMA history. To be the greatest ever, you have to seek out the greats and take them out, over and over. Fedor has faced “Cro Cop” Mirko Filipovic’s (23-6-2) and fourth-ranked “Minotauro” Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira (32-5-1) in what most believe were their primes. Fedor has faced fighters larger than himself, such as “Techno Goliath” Hong Man Choi (1-1), and quicker fighters, like tenth-ranked “Pitbull” Andrei Arlovski (14-7), and he has always found a way to defeat them.

Each one of the fighters that Fedor has faced and defeated have been defeated by other fighters just the same, and yet those victorious fighters aren’t touted as the greatest ever. Fedor has not faced the super athletes of today and proven that he can keep up with the evolution of the sport. Fedor had the opportunity to face the greatest fighters in the world by signing with the UFC, and opted not to. Fedor isn’t building his legacy as the greatest mixed martial artist to ever live; he is building a winning career. Much like professional boxers and their promoters, Fedor isn’t seeking out the toughest opponents. He is letting his handlers feed him fighters and taking fights he has better odds at winning.

The UFC has always been criticized that they do not have a strong heavyweight class, and until now it’s been true. With fighters entering the Octagon like second-ranked, UFC champ Brock Lesnar (4-1), sixth-ranked Shane Carwin (9-0), Cain Velasquez (6-0), and up-and-comer Todd Duffee (5-0), the tables are turning and now the UFC touts a heavyweight class rivaled by few.

Fedor knew what he was doing by signing with Strikeforce. He was cementing his legacy and ensuring no defeat. If Fedor was worried about being the best fighter in history, he would seek out the top challenges and test his mettle. The UFC has at least three fighters that could easily pick Emelianenko apart.

Big, bad, Brock Lesnar not only has the power to take Fedor down, but has the sheer size needed to nullify Fedor’s wrestling and submission game. Although it would probably turn into another Lesnar lay-and-pray special, Brock would defeat the considerably smaller Fedor. Brock is one of those freak athletes that doesn’t come around often, but when they do make a huge statement. My prediction on that fight would be Lesnar by TKO late in the second if it made it that far.

UFC top heavy weight contender Shane Carwin could possibly pose the largest knock out threat. Fedor has taken some shots before, but nothing like what Carwin can bring. Shane has a strong wrestling background, and would be able to fend off any Fedor takedown attempts. Carwin’s size and strength, along with his flexibility would be able to stuff any submission attempts. Carwin, just like Lesnar, is a freakishly huge, explosive, powerful fighter that is part of the new class of heavyweight; a class that Fedor has no answer for. My call on that fight: Carwin by KO/TKO in the third.

This is probably the pick that will be the one that creates the largest stir. Cain Velasquez, in all of his underestimated power and aggressive hunger, would be too much to Fedor to fend off. Cain is young, explosive, hungry and ridiculously strong all wrapped up in an unassuming middle of the road looking package. Cain doesn’t have the larger-than-life frame like Carwin or Lesnar, but I think we can all agree that he is strong and only getting stronger. Cain’s wrestling would top Fedor, and probably prove too much for Fedor to handle. Cain’s ability to stay on top, and impose his will would prove too much for Fedor resulting in what I’d call a three-round unanimous decision. Cain is someone to keep an eye on, if he isn’t on your radar yet.

Still think Fedor is unbeatable? How about the up and coming heavyweight class like Greg Jackson’s The Ultimate Fighter alum and favorite to win this season’s TUF, Brendan Schaub (3-0)? How about the current knock out record holder Todd Duffee? Strikeforce heavyweight champion “Demolition Man” Alistair Overeem (29-10) is so sure that he would defeat Fedor that he isn’t even concerned with fighting him. If your argument here is experience, then why was Fedor’s defeat of Brett Rogers, who less than a year ago was changing tires at his local Sam’s Club, anything to buzz about?

Fedor is a great fighter, fighting mediocre fighters in an attempt to maintain his hype and sell his name. Fedor isn’t going to seek out great challenges and fight the best. Fedor isn’t going to accept any deal the UFC offers. Fedor is going to continue to fight who he can beat, and take those victories all the way to the bank. Fedor is not the greatest fighter ever. He is a great fighter that knows his time and pay checks are limited and doesn’t want to lose his money making appeal. So for now, I’ll agree to call Fedor the greatest MMA fighter that never was. ]]> snakerattle79 http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/119896-this-author-thinks-fedor-is-scared.html <![CDATA[I'm Sick and Tired of UFC Matchmaker Joe Silva]]> http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/119886-im-sick-and-tired-of-ufc-matchmaker-joe-silva.html Fri, 13 Nov 2009 19:50:39 GMT When I think of Joe Silva, two things immediately come to mind. For starters, he'd make a great recast choice for Oddjob, if (more like*when)*Hollywood gets around to remaking Goldfinger .

Second, that*he's a painfully mediocre matchmaker with a*laundry list of questionable decisions that have shaped the course of careers.

Remember UFC 102 , with Gabriel Gonzaga's squash fight with poor Chris Tuchscherer, who was kicked so hard in the balls he hurled into a bucket for three minutes, before continuing, to get slaughtered in short order?

That's*just the tip of his matchmaking prowess, and his skills (or lack there of) have motivated many a fan to rub their temples in agony.

No better example of this was UFC 103: Belfort vs. Franklin . On that card, Top-5 WW Josh Koscheck took on never-was Frank Trigg in a bout that ZUFFA had to drum up a sob story to get you interested in. A matchup between Hermes Franca and Tyson Griffin, which I struggle to find a worse one for a guy coming off a long layoff and injury.

A prelim showcase bout between McFedries and Drwal in a fight to figure out who's going nowhere fastest, rounded out by the most predictably yawn-inducing fight to get "The Janitor" a win.

I could go on about how he's put Paulo Thiago in a situation to lose by winning, and win by losing when matching him up with Josh Koscheck; or how he thought Rob Yundt was a good matchup for Ricardo Alemida, and turn this into a total flame piece. Or I could ask why doesn't anybody else seem to notice?

Why do so few know this man's name? You see him every telecast...that's right, the short guy who comes into the cage, talks to both fighters, and leaves. The guy who's at the weigh-ins.

The guy in the photo.

What is it about this man that insulates him from scrutiny? Well I know the answer to that already. Dana White, and ZUFFA marketing.

As much as I abhor the UFC's use of propaganda, generated from both the mouth of Dana White and the media relations folks at ZUFFA headquarters, there's no denying one thing: it works.

Travel across any website or radio station and what comes out of their mouths is gospel.

The reason is simple, the truth is a lot of work.

It's the reason talking heads like Shaun Hannity, Keith Olbermann, and Glenn Beck have permeated the airwaves and become so popular.

If you scream loud enough and look like you care, just enough, you can get people to believe anything.

It's hard to believe that in the age of information, with everything but a click away, we can't manage to spend a couple of minutes investigating the facts rather than analyzing the spin.

Alas, that's the way it is?until someone on the inside of ZUFFA headquarters says, ?Gee, this Joe Silva guy really stinks at his job.?

We'll have to live with Frankie Edgar becoming the new Okami, Rich Franklin being sold to us as a legitimate PPV draw, Roli Delgado taking up card space, Aaron Simpson getting buried on UFN preliminary cards, and Matt Serra vs. Frank Trigg with Matt Hughes vs. Renzo Gracie on a Super Bowl weekend card...

Joy. ]]> MMA Reporter http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/119886-im-sick-and-tired-of-ufc-matchmaker-joe-silva.html Could Randy Couture and Brandon Vera Be the Launching Point for a New Division? http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/119873-could-randy-couture-and-brandon-vera-be-the-launching-point-for-a-new-division.html Fri, 13 Nov 2009 16:20:33 GMT One topic that has picked up steam lately has been the talk of a new weight division being added to the UFC. Talk first began after the Randy... One topic that has picked up steam lately has been the talk of a new weight division being added to the UFC.

Talk first began after the Randy Couture-Brock Lesnar title fight for the Heavyweight Championship. Many saw Lesnar having an unfair advantage over Couture due to a 60-pound weight differential.

Despite any advantage Lesnar had, Couture was able to overcome it. Several times he was taken to the ground by his heavier opponent only to use his speed and positioning to work his way back to his feet.

The proposed new division could take form in a few different ways. The weight class would range between 205 to 225 or 230 pounds. Some have proposed calling it the cruiserweight division, while others feel it should be the new heavyweight division.

Fighters like Lesnar, Shane Carwin, and Cain Velasquez would fight in the super-heavyweight division.

Couture would seem to be a prime candidate for the new proposed division. He was quite small compared to most of the current heavyweights, but he walks around at 220 pounds and cuts down to the 205 limit for the light-heavyweight division.

However, Couture wasn't necessarily opposed to adding a new weight class when asked about it on Wednesday at the UFC's conference call, but it also didn't seem like he would push for it.*

"I'm happy with the weight classes the way they are. I may be small for a heavyweight, but I've been fairly effective there. Whatever makes sense for the sport would be best, but I don't know whether it's really gaining any traction or if it would happen."

Brandon Vera seemed more open to the idea and thought it could help grow the sport.

"The sport is growing and will need more main events, so it would make sense to add one."

While being open to a new division, he doesn't mind the weight differential between himself and the larger fighters currently in the heavyweight division.

"I've fought bigger guys and didn't have a problem with it, but adding a new division could make new stars and build the sport even more."

Vera is right in saying the new division could potentially make new stars, but it is a process that would take a few years to fully adjust to.

Initially, the light-heavyweight division would be depleted of several fighters, but it also may give opportunities to fighters like Chuck Liddell and Couture to stick around longer and fight different opponents. While some will be opposed to that thought, they are two of the biggest draws in the sport and would be good for the division at its inception.

Adding smaller heavyweight fighters to a division with the heavier light-heavyweight fighters would be an interesting twist to the sport. It would spark great debate and interest among fans, as well as give a whole new group of fighters a chance for greatness.

The division may not be formed for another couple of years, but Randy Couture and Brandon Vera could very well be laying the foundation for the division with their clash on Saturday night.

*

To read more by Jesse Motiff, click here . ]]> MMA Reporter http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/119873-could-randy-couture-and-brandon-vera-be-the-launching-point-for-a-new-division.html 275 lb Greco Wrestler Liu Deli invades Sengoku/Japan http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/119839-275-lb-greco-wrestler-liu-deli-invades-sengoku-japan.html Fri, 13 Nov 2009 04:40:34 GMT Chinese Greco Olympian says he will take over Japan and Sengoku.


http://promma.info/index.php/2009/11...n-is-liu-deli/


]]> BruceLeeMMAfighting.net http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/119839-275-lb-greco-wrestler-liu-deli-invades-sengoku-japan.html No, nothing sketchy about M-1... http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/119835-no-nothing-sketchy-about-m-1-a.html Fri, 13 Nov 2009 03:10:50 GMT http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2009/11/1...tails-of-fedor

LOL, $1.2 million consulting fee. No wonder these organizations drop like flies when Fedor comes in. ]]> Zapp Brannigan http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/119835-no-nothing-sketchy-about-m-1-a.html Rage in the Cage Back at Desert Diamond in Tucson http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/119818-rage-in-the-cage-back-at-desert-diamond-in-tucson.html Thu, 12 Nov 2009 23:20:27 GMT The time has come for another Rage in the Cage fight in Tucson Ariz. on Nov. 14.* Together Roland Sarria and the Desert Diamond Casino are putting... The time has come for another Rage in the Cage fight in Tucson Ariz. on Nov. 14.* Together Roland Sarria and the Desert Diamond Casino are putting together another high profile event for fight fans in the desert.

Rage in the Cage has always boasted many well known fighters who got their start fighting for RITC and Mr. Sarria.* Some notable competitors to fight for RITC have been current WEC title holder Jamie Varner, Joe Diesel Riggs, and TUF standout Efrain Escudero.

Another man who is no stranger to RITC is UFC veteran George Roop.* George has left the UFC for now and is pursuing a title belt in the RITC featherweight division.* He is set to square off with Matt Dell for that strap.*

George is a local*favorite in the Tucson area.* He boasts local MMA clothing company Jitz as a sponsor and wears their gear with pride.* The fans love him here, he supports local MMA, and the man just puts on a great fight.* RITC is fortunate to have him back in their realm showcasing his fighting skills for local fight fans.

A fighter that many fans may not know about is Joe Yager.* Yager is competing in only his third amateur fight on Saturday but his reputation precedes him if you can believe that.*
Local MMA insiders tell me that Yager is the real deal, and with some training and cage seasoning, he will make an impression on this sport at heavyweight or light heavy if his goals come to fruition.* And just between you and I, this gentleman is like a compact version of Brock Lesnar, it honestly could be his little brother, little being a relative term.

Another notable fighter competing at RITC is IFL veteran Joe West.* West spent time under Don Frye as a Tucson Scorpion.* West is no stranger to RITC either.* He has made a name for himself, and also carries the appreciation of the local crowd for his stint representing Tucson on the big stage of MMA.

Overall, RITC is known for bringing not only exciting fights but getting local fight fans in touch with notable MMA figures.* Last time out, I met Junie Browning walking to my car after the event.* George Roop was just cruising around the venue shooting the breeze.* Mike Whitehead was seen sharing his choice opinion with the athletic commission after a questionable stoppage.* These are well known fighters who were very accessible.

It was quite an evening of outstanding fights and amazing introductions with fighters, gym owners, promoters, and event coordinators.* RITC is a premier event in the southwest and this writer is looking forward to another amazing show.* Keep your eyes peeled for a post-event wrap up that surely will be detailed with exciting finishes and bits and pieces of how it went down.

One thing is certain,* you cant say a bad thing about the high profile venue and the service that the Desert Diamond has on display, Mr. Sarria has a tight grip on the local MMA community and his influence brings in some great fighters, if you combine the efforts of these two entities, you get an explosive, enjoyable, and entertaining MMA event.*

If you're in the area, check this show out, you will not be disappointed.* If you can't make the show, visit rageinthecage.com to view some video of previous events and this event shortly after it is completed.**
Supporting regional MMA is one of the issues that gets overlooked in the big picture.* The efforts of local fight fans drive the future of the sport by supporting MMA at the local level today.* Do your part, support this sport.* ]]> MMA Reporter http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/119818-rage-in-the-cage-back-at-desert-diamond-in-tucson.html Joe Yager: An Amateur Apex Heavyweight Evolving with MMA http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/119819-joe-yager-an-amateur-apex-heavyweight-evolving-with-mma.html Thu, 12 Nov 2009 23:20:27 GMT The first time I saw Joe Yager I was at a fundraiser for a local gym called Apex MMA. Apex was showcasing some up-and-coming amateur talent for local... The first time I saw Joe Yager I was at a fundraiser for a local gym called Apex MMA. Apex was showcasing some up-and-coming amateur talent for local fight fans, and I was honored to be invited as a guest.
There were many impressive fights and fighters. One fighter that really stuck out was Yager. The 28-year-old has a powerful frame I once described as being built like a Sherman tank, weighing in at 235 pounds.
This was not his first amateur fight, and it showed. When he started stalking his side of the cage, it was obvious he was comfortable. His opponent entered, both men were announced, and the battle commenced.**
Yager used his size and strength to neutralize his opponent, doing an astonishing job of imposing his game. What was undeniable was his wrestling prowess. Very fluid and powerful. The outcome found him with his hand raised due to stoppage between rounds
The showing was impressive, so I jumped at the chance to speak with him.*****
Yager took a moment to share some thoughts about his background, his aspirations, and what it's like to train with a legend. Wrestling is a monumental part of Yager's life and his strength.
"Wrestling is my background," he said. "I've been involved in the sport since I was six years old.
"The guy that trained me in my wrestling is Randy Meyer. He's like a second dad to me. I spent a lot of weekends with that guy, traveling all around the country.
"I spent three seasons at Central Michigan University," Joe went on to state. "I started my senior year at Central Michigan, I had 42 matches, I was 36-6.
"I was the assistant wrestling coach to Joe Solorio at Pima Community College for three years, and I was the head coach for one season."
Wrestling has been the base for many an accomplished mixed martial artist. Yager will build on that foundation and is humble regarding his aspirations to improve.*
"I have a solid base; I know how to get guys to the ground, and then it's finishing guys," he said. "That's something I'm learning every day. I spend a lot of time in two facets, as far as the striking and the Jiu-Jitsu end of it. Those are two areas where my knowledge is lacking. I haven't done it but six seven months, so I try to pick up as much as I can. I feel that I'm kind of like a sponge."
Insiders say he has been improving his hands and state that he "hits like a mule." Rumor has it he has stung more than one unsuspecting training partner with his striking.***

The time has come for Yager to take another step in his MMA career. He has earned a chance to compete in a local MMA promotion on Nov. 14.*
Rage in the Cage has booked Yager for RITC 137 at the Desert Diamond Casino. His opponent, Jed Jobe, will be the test. Jobe weighs in at 250 pounds.**
When asked what he knew of his opponent, Yager had a great answer.
"As far as scouting, I don't even know who I'm fighting Saturday," Yager said. "It doesn't matter to me, man. I know I'm prepared; Joey and the guys at Apex have definitely got me ready."
He also talked about what it is like to compete at this stage in his young career.*
"I can't tell you the adrenaline rush, it's great," he said. "I'm a thrill-seeker in that avenue, I guess. The first time I stepped in the cage, you look across the ring at that guy who wants to do the same thing you want to do which is take your head off. It makes the hairs on the back of your neck stand up. It's an amazing feeling; it's a rush I can't explain."
Yager paid note to how fortunate he feels to be able to train with a certain living legend in the Tucson area.*
"I never figured I'd ever be training with a legend like Don Frye," he said. "As a kid I used to watch him; I watched him in his first UFC (fight). It's amazing to be training with guys like that."*
It is quite an honor, and of course Yager is making the most of it.
It will be a pleasure to be sitting cage-side watching him seize this opportunity and make of it what he will. There is a lot of potential in Yager. Even as an amateur, the whispers say he is a little bit different. Yager stands out to some who know this game well, and they speak nothing but praise for this fighter.*
He hits a little bit harder than people might expect, he has a natural athletic ability, a top-shelf wrestling base, and some great people supporting and training him over at Apex MMA.*
The sky is the limit for this fighter. The Southwest has really become a great place for an amateur mixed martial artist to flourish. Abundant are top-tier mixed martial artists training in Arizona. Add to that multiple promotions seeking strong young talent, and it gives Yager a great chance to put in his time learning this sport.
With the strong base he already has, and a year or two of learning in the cage, when this guy does get to the next level, he is going to turn some heads. I could have told you that much five months ago sweating my sitter off watching him fight at his local gym. I can't wait to watch him full contact with no pads under some air conditioning. ]]> MMA Reporter http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/119819-joe-yager-an-amateur-apex-heavyweight-evolving-with-mma.html Randy Couture Must Lose For the Future of MMA http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/119804-randy-couture-must-lose-for-the-future-of-mma.html Thu, 12 Nov 2009 19:40:07 GMT Randy Couture has done things in the sport that many thought were impossible. *He is still a consensus top-10 heavyweight at the age of 46. *He was... Randy Couture has done things in the sport that many thought were impossible. *He is still a consensus top-10 heavyweight at the age of 46. *He was one of the only two men to win two titles in two different weight classes in the UFC. *He is also headlining the main event this*Saturday*night against Brandon Vera.

However, he is one of the most overrated fighters in MMA today.

Let's take a look at his career. *Couture won his first four professional fights by beating Tony Halme, Steven Graham, Vitor Belfort, and Maurice Smith. *He then lost the next two fights to Enson Inoue, Mikhail Illoukhine. *His next four fights were wins over Jeremy Horn, Ryushi Yanagisawa, Kevin Randleman, and Tsuyoshi Kohsaka, before losing to Valentijn Overeem.

When he fought Kevin Randleman he won the Heavyweight title. *He successfully defended the title twice against Pedro Rizzo. *The first fight with Rizzo had many people thinking it could have gone either way. *He then lost that belt to Josh Barnett, who was confirmed to having steroids in his post-fight urinalysis.*

Couture's next fight was for the vacant heavyweight title against Ricco Rodriguez, which he lost because he submitted to strikes. *After a drop down in weight class to 205, he beat number one contender Chuck Liddell and champion Tito Ortiz.* He then lost the belt he just won to Vitor Belfort because of a cut. *He turned around and avenged the loss and won back his title, only to lose his belt again to Chuck Liddell.

A win over Mike Van Arsdale put him back in line to fight Liddell for the championship.* However, Liddell knocked him out for a second time, and he retired from the UFC. *The retirement doesn't hold up too long, because he came back shortly after to beat Tim Silvia for the heavyweight championship. *He successfully defended the belt against Gabriel Gonzaga.* After a long period of contract disputes with the UFC (during which other fighters fought for the interim title), he lost his official UFC title to Brock Lesnar.

So let's look at the numbers.

After 26 professional fights, Couture compiled a*mediocre record of 16-10.* Seven out of his 16 wins came by decision, with nine out of his 10 losses involving the fight being finished in some way or form. *Out of his 15 title matches, he only has three successful title defenses and an overall 8-4 record. *

It is understandable that the UFC continues to ride the Couture hype train for as long as possible. *It is respectable to pay homage to the fighters that got your organization up and going. *That is why they have a Hall of Fame. *The longer the UFC holds on Couture, the longer another young, deserving fighter is being suppressed.

The budget doesn't allow for the multi-million dollar promotion of Couture as well as promoting young, up-and-coming fighters. *Besides monetary issues, there has been a consistent decline in his performances since his second fight with Liddell. *Including the second Liddell fight, he went 3-4, being knocked out three times. *His win over Gonzaga was pure luck due to the fact that Gonzaga broke his nose and got gassed. *

There are many other fighters that the UFC can promote rather than Randy. *I also feel that he should not be rewarded with the idea of another run at the Light Heavyweight Title just because, as the commercial states, "he wants to". *The Light Heavyweight division is stacked with the most talent, and Couture has in no way earned the right to even think about a title shot. *The fight world is mostly a "what have you done for me lately" industry, where although he put up fairly entertaining fights, he isn't winning them.

UFC, it is time to move on.

* ]]> MMA Reporter http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/119804-randy-couture-must-lose-for-the-future-of-mma.html A Very Wasted Chuck Liddell Starts A Fight With The Photographers http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/119801-a-very-wasted-chuck-liddell-starts-a-fight-with-the-photographers.html Thu, 12 Nov 2009 18:49:02 GMT http://x17video.com/celebrity_video/...liddell_st.php ]]> snakerattle79 http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/119801-a-very-wasted-chuck-liddell-starts-a-fight-with-the-photographers.html TUF - Big Country vs Justin Wren http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/119788-tuf-big-country-vs-justin-wren.html Thu, 12 Nov 2009 13:22:59 GMT Probably the best fight of the season imo and Nelson has now been in 2 of the best fights this season. Last night, Nelson, a former champ, wins... Probably the best fight of the season imo and Nelson has now been in 2 of the best fights this season.

Last night, Nelson, a former champ, wins and gets paid nothing for so.

And Dana again is an ahole to him.

Adolf and VAK, can you explain to me why Dana was right as usual in acting this way?

A lot of these TUF Hwt fights are terrible - either short or with 1 or two really gassed guys. This wasn't the case in this fight.


Also, looks like Madsen really tosses Schaub - great strength. Plus I think Dana doesn't want Kimbo to return (not jumping on the Mitrione situation like I thought he would) because Kimbo is fighting in UFC now and Dana's worried he'll lose again in that house. ]]> clmetal http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/119788-tuf-big-country-vs-justin-wren.html <![CDATA[Dana: "No One Out There Gives A [expletive] About Fedor”]]> http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/119722-dana-no-one-out-there-gives-a-expletive-about-fedor.html Wed, 11 Nov 2009 20:24:38 GMT http://sports.yahoo.com/mma/news?slu...yhoo&type=lgns

“CBS made its biggest mistake partnering with a tiny, small show with a roster no one cares about,” said Dana White. “Just because you read on MMA.TV that someone is a superstar doesn’t make it true. This should prove that no one out there gives a [expletive] about Fedor.”

“We’re pulling those numbers on Spike,” White said. “I mean, how the [expletive] is what they did considered any good in any way, shape or form? What kind of numbers do you think we would pull with a live show on CBS? I’ll tell you. Huge. It would be significantly, significantly more than what they got with these idiots from Showtime.” ]]> snakerattle79 http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/119722-dana-no-one-out-there-gives-a-expletive-about-fedor.html <![CDATA[Dana White's Asian Nightmare: Bad Business and Bad Blood]]> http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/119719-dana-whites-asian-nightmare-bad-business-and-bad-blood.html Wed, 11 Nov 2009 19:20:24 GMT Pride was a great show. The production itself was dynamic. It was entertainment and the people loved it. Unfortunately producing such elaborate... Pride was a great show. The production itself was dynamic. It was entertainment and the people loved it. Unfortunately producing such elaborate fighting environments on such a large scale was not economically supportable. Pride was doomed to fail regardless of what Dana White did or didnt do.

That being said, when it came time to dismantle the Pride organization, Dana did not replace it with anything. Instead he gobbled up all of the contracts he could and dragged those fighters to Las Vegas to generally get their respective heads kicked in.

Many fighters rejected the UFC and won their freedom due to a just international legal system. Men such as Takanori Gomi, Fedor and Aleks Emelianenko, Joachim Hansen, Josh Thompson, Kaz Fujita, and others continue to fight in much smaller scale affairs outside of the UFC's influence.

Joachim Hansen once stated that he would rather die from a festering*hemorrhoid than fight for Dana White. That is quite a strong statement and a much shared sentiment overseas as a result of Dana's mismanagement.

Now Asia has a new organization in the form of DREAM. Stars have emerged such as Shinya Aoki, Gregard, Joachim, Vitor Ribiero, Jeff Monson, Sergei, Blagoi, and others are becoming very familiar and popular figures in Japan, China, and Russia.

Even more obscure fighters are getting attention thanks to the void left behind Dana's pillaging spree. Ever hear of Alain "The Panther" Ngalani? Well maybe you should check him out- he has become a very well known fighter in the Far East. Recently he has begun training for a MMA career and has stated his desire to fight in the UFC.

He will probably take a three fight deal with M-1 Global first to get his feet wet much like Blagoi Ivanov. Who is Blagoi Ivanov? Well he is the only man to ever defeat Fedor in a Sambo tournament. He recently had his MMA debut against the tough veteran Kaz Fujita. Blagoi won a decision and still has two fights left on his contract with M-1.

The point is that Asia is rebuilding its own fight structure, and if Dana doesnt do something smart and do it fast he will be faced with a real competitor. It doesn't help that*White is basically blamed -rightfully or wrongly- for the death of Pride. The fans in Japan, China, Eastern Europe, Russia, and other countries simply dont like him.

How Dana deals with this Far Eastern challenge, in addition to his new home front competition in the form of Strikeforce, will likely determine the very future of our sport. We could very well end up with a bipolar, or even tripolar,*system (which means something different when applied to Dana). While that doesn't bother some fans, it does bring into question the validity of entities such as the UFC Hall Of Fame.

Finally, when it comes right down to the nitty gritty, if things keep going this way every fan will have the same question. "Who is the real Heavywieght Champion of the World?"

Is that the way MMA fans want it? ]]> MMA Reporter http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/119719-dana-whites-asian-nightmare-bad-business-and-bad-blood.html <![CDATA["Fedor vs Rogers" 9th Most Watched Fight In MMA History]]> http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/119717-fedor-vs-rogers-9th-most-watched-fight-in-mma-history.html Wed, 11 Nov 2009 19:10:23 GMT http://www.fightline.com/news/mma/20...rs/index.shtml

Although this weekend’s “Strikeforce: Fedor vs. Rogers” card was star-studded, America showed there was only one star worth watching as CBS received a huge spike just before Fedor Emelianenko took the cage in his U.S. primetime debut.

According to CBS, between at 11PM and 11:15PM, 5.46 million viewers tuned in to watch the Russian TKO the previously undefeated Brett Rogers in the 2ndRound of their contest.

That number is a significant increase from the 4.01 million viewers that watched during the 10:30 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. timeslot leading-in.

The night was a big hit for Strikeforce and CBS among young males as the final timeslot posted triple-digit increases in viewership with a 3.1 rating for men 18-34, a 3.3 rating for men 18-49, and a 3.5 rating for men 25-54.

Thirty-one percent of the Saturday audience was comprised of 18-34 adults, with the complete card garnering an average of 4.04 million viewers.

Of the four MMA broadcasts CBS had previously hosted, Fedor vs. Rogers ranks third behind “EliteXC: Primetime,” which averaged 4.85 million viewers, and “EliteXC: Heat,” which drew 4.56 million viewers. Both cards were headlined by YouTube sensation Kevin “Kimbo Slice” Ferguson.

“Elite XC: Unfinished Business” in July of 2008 ranked last with an average of 2.57 million viewers.

All-in-all, it was a solid CBS debut for Strikeforce, especially if you consider that only eight fights have ever been seen by more eyes. ]]> snakerattle79 http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/119717-fedor-vs-rogers-9th-most-watched-fight-in-mma-history.html Adolph, come get your sig... http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/119711-adolph-come-get-your-sig.html Wed, 11 Nov 2009 17:27:28 GMT http://mmajunkie.com/news/16811/spik...wo-airings.mma

Spike had 2 tries. From 9-11, they got 1.2 million (less than 1/3 of Strikeforce's 3.9 million)

Overall they got 2.14 million with the replay. Almost half of Strikeforces 4.04 million. Thats pretty substantial if you asked me. Your Spike TV friend yanked your chain. lol

For your sig. I will post it tonight. I am buried here with work before my travel.

Your a good sport Adolph. I won't be too hard on you...;) ]]> leglace http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/119711-adolph-come-get-your-sig.html Sengoku 11 Roundup. Very Enjoyable MMA. http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/119668-sengoku-11-roundup-very-enjoyable-mma.html Wed, 11 Nov 2009 03:40:13 GMT World Victory Road put on an exciting collection of fights Saturday night with Sengoku 11. Eclipsed by the Strikeforce event here in the states,... World Victory Road put on an exciting collection of fights Saturday night with Sengoku 11.

Eclipsed by the Strikeforce event here in the states, it is still a show that should not be overlooked.

Here are some highlights from the event.

*

Heavyweight Bout: Dave Herman vs. Jim York

Jim york is a big guy, who decided to go for a heel lock.* Herman pounded him with legs from the other side of the lock and knocked him out with kicks.* It was a very unexpected ending and impressive to watch.* Herman dropped his legs like axe chops and you can see York go limp while still entangled.

*

Featherweight Bout: Yuji Hoshino vs. Marlon Sandro

Quick and vicious knockout by Marlon Sandro in this one.* Sandro was angry out of the gate and ready to prove his power after his split decision loss at Sengoku 9 .

*

Welterweight Bout: Akihiro Gono vs. Yoon Young Kim

Yoon Young Kim was giving out noodles and Michael Schiavello is already calling it for Fedor.* Boring fight, until the third round where Gono turns on the heat. Gono takes a decision, but doesn't look amazing in the process.

*

Light Heavyweight Bout: Stanislav Nedkov vs. Kevin Randleman

Kevin Randleman looks pretty solid for a 38-year-old, but he isn't putting himself out there enough.* In a decision that could have gone either way, Nedkov wins. It's almost a downer to see Randleman lose in such a smaller organization.

*

Lightweight Bout: Kazunori Yokota vs. Eiji Mitsuoka

Another solid fight that goes to a decision for Yokota.* Lots of grappling, some fun slams, and solid striking in the third round.* Mitsuoka was the favorite but Yokota wanted it more.

*

Lightweight Bout: Satoru Kitaoka vs. Jorge Masvidal

Masvidal was just too big for Kitaoka, and the smaller former champion couldn't get away from Jorge's fists.

*

Middleweight Bout: Jorge Santiago vs. Mamed Khalidov

Khalidov pulls off an upset here in round one with some effortless ground and pound.

*

Featherweight Bout: Michihiro Omigawa vs. Hatsu Hioki

Hioki stuck to a game-plan that played to his strengths, while Omigawa knocked the snot out of his opponent several times. Hioki is a tough bastard, and personally I thought he won the fight by taking both the first and second rounds.* It's good to know that bad judging doesn't just plague the UFC.

*

Pound for pound it was a great event with everything that an MMA show needs. I haven't seen ground kicks end a fight in a long time!*

Sengoku showcases hungrier fighters than DREAM, and a lot fewer freak matches.* You don't get the biggest names in the business, but you get a lot of quality competition. ]]> MMA Reporter http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/119668-sengoku-11-roundup-very-enjoyable-mma.html <![CDATA[Millen Talks Fedor And Dana White's Conversation]]> http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/119649-millen-talks-fedor-and-dana-whites-conversation.html Tue, 10 Nov 2009 22:33:06 GMT http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7Cl08WtUAg]]> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k7Cl08WtUAg ]]> snakerattle79 http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/119649-millen-talks-fedor-and-dana-whites-conversation.html Fedor: Wait, Who was Exposed? http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/119645-fedor-wait-who-was-exposed.html Tue, 10 Nov 2009 20:27:01 GMT http://www.thefightnerd.com/fedor-wait-who-was-exposed/ BY...]]> http://www.thefightnerd.com/fedor-wait-who-was-exposed/

BY NATHAN JOHNSON

Last Saturday night, Fedor Emelianenko engineered another methodical victory. He did it 1:48 seconds into the second round. Big John McCarthy stepped in shortly after a momentous F-16 of a punch crumpled his behemoth opponent. He did all of that in the relatively unfamiliar habitat of a cage. That being said, the whole thing amounts only to this: Fedor has been exposed. Really? Exposed? Why is that? Because Joe Rogan says so.

In my opinion, Joe Rogan is the best MMA color commentator in the business. He’s employed by the UFC, easily the biggest direct competitor to Strikeforce, Fedor’s current meal ticket. Plenty of people are endeared to Joe. So if he says that Rogers exposed Fedor, there’s probably a little band of Afflictioned drones firing up its squadron of noobcycles, ready to gallop like spray-tanned Paul Reveres through the streets of MMA fandom repeating it. Last Saturday night, just after a halo of punch-drunk birds were chirping around the periphery of Rogers’ horizontal mohawk, Rogan sauntered by with his own flourish of harmonic tweeting: “As for the fedor fight, I thought it was very interesting, but I thought Rogers hesitated, and I felt like Fedor got exposed a bit.” Fedor got exposed. Joe posted the comment on his Twitter account. Was his failure to capitalize Fedor’s name intentional? It’s an interesting question. Tweedily-deetily-deet.

I admit that I underestimated Brett Rogers. He was undefeated before Saturday. In June, he cracked Arlovsky’s crystalline jaw like a spastic, overweight kid in a Tiffany lamp emporium. And his larger resume reads like a sweaty urban gladiator’s personal chalkboard in a surly Irish pub. Punches, punches, punches, punches. TKO, KO, KO, TKO. All but two of his fights ended in the first round. Six of them, inside of two minutes. But like listening to a vinyl recording of Paris Hilton singing pop music, it’s hard to evaluate that sort of record and make any informed conclusions about his skills below waist level. So I admit that I assumed he would roll around like Butterbean after Thanksgiving dinner if Fedor put him on the ground. Obviously, I was wrong. Aside from having a little maturing to do, Rogers is the real deal.

Why was I so unfair? Maybe it was Kimbo’s most recent joke of an exhibition that left me biased against big, hyped strikers. Maybe I’m just mean by nature. Whatever. Fedor had his hands full. That sneaky, opening shot to his nose was concerning to this committed Fedor fan. At one point, when Fedor was flicking streams of plasma out of his eyeballs and using his fingers like a broken set of windshield wipers, I was texting short phrases of panic to whoever happened to turn up on my cell phone contact list. With a minute and a half remaining in the first round, when the dwarfed Russian was on his back and in thick mohawky crosshairs, absorbing a string of, albeit, glancing bombs, I was nauseous. My wedding ring might have edged a glass canyon in the neck of the domestic beer bottle that I strangled during the duration of those punches. But, halleluj, halleluj, halleluj, hallelujah, I was wrong to worry.

Fedor won the fight. He didn’t blanket his opponent to a decision. He did it with flair. So why this obsession with identifying weakness in the greatest representative of our sport? Why this talk about him being exposed? Rather than attempting to provide a comprehensive answer, I’ll just suggest that this contagious need to verbalize doubt probably says more about us than it does about Fedor Emelianenko. We either need him to win, or we need him to lose. Personally, I needed him to win on Saturday. I’m not sure why. It’s probably the result of some forgotten kindergarten playground mishap. Maybe I’ll light some candles and draw a bath and do some reflecting. But in the case of Rogan, he might as well stay dry.

I’m suspicious that Joe’s thoughts here are more the result of the Dana Hancock on his paychecks than anything. Look, Joe has dotted his career with really admirable individuality when it comes to his honest perspective of MMA. But Fedor is different. He’s the most critical cog in the larger machine of commercial MMA today. And while he isn’t going to shut down a very robust UFC, he may be the most significant sustaining factor for an organization like Strikeforce. He’ll at least allow them to act as an increasingly resilient lamprey. He wields even more power outside of the ring than he does in it. He’s got the ability to create, sustain or destroy an organization. Like Atlas, he’s balancing a subtly gyrating world of Fertitas and Cokers and savvy Russian promoters on his shoulders.

All of that said, could Rogan still be right? Was Fedor exposed by Rogers? Sure, parts of him were exposed. Some of his blood was exposed, for instance. An inch or so of his epidermis around the bridge of his nose was exposed. Hell, he’s probably exposed right now in some brotherly spa in Stary Oskol. But was he exposed in any ominous sense? Even a bit? Of course not. If Fedor has exposed anything of note, it’s simply because he’s provided a little broader glimpse behind the iron curtain of his astonishing mystique: that he’s not a significant beneficiary of chance, that he can absorb an as-yet undefined level of punishment without losing his lungs or his calm, and that he is always dangerous. At no point last Saturday did Fedor approach a condition of submission, either by tap or by unconsciousness. He never looked tired. And most importantly, he never panicked. He worked out that same old stoic formula. So it all comes down to this: icons like Fedor inflame primal emotions in all of us otherwise stable adults. In doing so, they expose all sorts of things. And in the final analysis, after all our reflexive doubts and impassioned supports are betrayed, it isn’t Fedor who has been exposed. Nope. It is us. ]]> snakerattle79 http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/119645-fedor-wait-who-was-exposed.html Josh Barnett : 2009 No-Gi BJJ World Champion! http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/119629-josh-barnett-2009-no-gi-bjj-world-champion.html Tue, 10 Nov 2009 19:02:25 GMT Josh Barnett took the tournament gold in the ultra heavyweight/pessadisimo (over 215 pounds) division among the blackbelts at the World Jiu-Jitsu... Josh Barnett took the tournament gold in the ultra heavyweight/pessadisimo (over 215 pounds) division among the blackbelts at the World Jiu-Jitsu No-Gi Championship 2009 held at California State University in Long Beach, Calif., on Nov. 8. In the tournament final, Barnett bested Ralph Gracie pupil, Bruno Paulista.

http://mmamania.com


RT @JoshLBarnett: I'm the 2009 No-Gi BJJ World Champion. Thanks to all for the support and to my opponents as well. Catch Wrestling lives!


credits: mmaweekly on facebook



Catch Wrestling rulez! ]]> Lotta http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/119629-josh-barnett-2009-no-gi-bjj-world-champion.html Bruce Buffer Doubts Fedor http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/119609-bruce-buffer-doubts-fedor.html Tue, 10 Nov 2009 17:18:40 GMT http://www.tapoutlive.com/media/7773..._Bruce_Buffer/ ]]> snakerattle79 http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/119609-bruce-buffer-doubts-fedor.html <![CDATA[Dana: "It's Time To Bring Fedor To See Lesnar Smash Him"]]> http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/119594-dana-its-time-to-bring-fedor-to-see-lesnar-smash-him.html Tue, 10 Nov 2009 12:58:54 GMT http://www.latimes.com/sports/la-sp-...,2976507.story

A heavyweight fight between Fedor Emelianenko and Brock Lesnar is the bout most mixed martial arts fans want to see, but contractual obligations and medical problems are likely to prevent a showdown between the two for another year, Emelianenko's camp said Monday.

Emelianenko survived a cut nose Saturday to retain his unofficial standing as the top MMA heavyweight in the world by defeating Brett Rogers in a second-round technical knockout. He closed the victory with a stand-up, right-handed punch, then pounced on Rogers to deliver a left-right combination on the canvas before the referee ended the fight.

Emelianenko-Rogers headlined CBS' "Saturday Night Fights" card of four bouts promoted by Strikeforce/M-1, with a near-capacity crowd of 11,500 filling the Sears Centre near Chicago.

The TV ratings are not final, but early numbers show the Strikeforce fights drew at least 3.8 million viewers, and a 267% increase in the number of males aged 18-34 who usually tune in for Saturday night programming, CBS said.

Lesnar, with a record of 4-1, is heavyweight champion of the rival, and more dominant, Ultimate Fighting Championship. A few months ago, UFC failed to reach a deal with Emelianenko for multiple fights.

Scott Coker, Strikeforce chief executive, said because Saturday's fights delivered "those 18-34 male [viewership] numbers in a big way," CBS will televise future cards. Emelianenko earned $400,000 on Saturday night. A CBS spokesman said no decision has been made on whether the network would telecast another Strikeforce card, although Saturday's bouts drew new viewers to the network.

Yet, Dana White, president of UFC, called the Strikeforce's overall ratings Saturday a disappointment.

"CBS would be out of their mind to put that rinky-dink [Strikeforce] . . . on the air again . . . and without that backing, [promoters] won't have the money to pay [Emelianenko]."

But Emelianenko (31-1-1) still owes Strikeforce at least two more fights, possibly more with options, Coker said.

The Russian heavyweight agreed to a Strikeforce deal when his promotional company, M-1 Global, failed to reach agreement with UFC. The Emelianenko negotiations collapsed, in part, because UFC rejected M-1's push to co-promote an Emelianenko event.

After those talks ended, UFC announced a Lesnar fight against UFC contender Shane Carwin scheduled for Nov. 21. But Lesnar became ill and was diagnosed with mononucleosis, causing an indefinite delay of the Carwin bout.

Emelianenko, 33, also is dealing with health issues. He suffered a fracture and tendon damage in his left thumb, and a fractured nose in the Rogers fight, Coker said. Emelianenko stopped in Los Angeles on Monday to be treated for the injuries.

"[The hand injury] could've been from that blow when he had Brett on the mat at the end," Coker said. "We're hearing he could be out for four to six months."

Coker will use Emelianenko's layoff to boost name recognition in the U.S. of Strikeforce's heavyweight champion, Alistair Overeem, 29, an MMA veteran with a 31-11 record that includes losses to former UFC light-heavyweight champion Chuck Liddell and current UFC contender Mauricio "Shogun" Rua.

England's Overeem will headline a Strikeforce card on Showtime early next year, and he is the favorite to be Emelianenko's next foe, Coker said.

Meanwhile, public clamor for an Emelianenko-Lesnar bout is being noticed by promoters.

Jerry Millen, M-1 vice president, said Emelianenko is free to fight Lesnar if UFC drops its demands regarding co-promotion. Millen said the more-experienced Emelianenko would "smash" Lesnar, a former college wrestling champion and World Wrestling Entertainment performer whose "ranking looks manufactured."

Added Millen: "Fedor's not ducking anybody. If UFC wants to prove it has the best fighters, step up and co-promote. Fedor just wants to be treated fairly. The UFC business model is to own the souls of their fighters. Fedor doesn't have to do that, and if the fans scream loudly enough, we can make that happen."

UFC's White countered that a CBS retreat could cause Emelianenko to realize the UFC is where the big money is. White said he'd be happy to extend a contract to Emelianenko to prove UFC has the world's best heavyweight.

"The guy just got his face smashed in by Brett Rogers. Do you know what Brock or [UFC heavyweights] Frank Mir and Cain Velasquez would do to Brett Rogers?" White said. "It's time to bring this guy [Fedor] in, to see Brock Lesnar smash his head." ]]> snakerattle79 http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/119594-dana-its-time-to-bring-fedor-to-see-lesnar-smash-him.html <![CDATA[Let's Face It: No One Is Very Good This Year]]> http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/119397-lets-face-it-no-one-is-very-good-this-year.html Mon, 09 Nov 2009 04:30:04 GMT With all the controversy over polls, like Team A should be ahead of Team B, but not Team C because they haven't played anyone, but Team D looked good but not better than Team E and all that going on, I just have to say it: no one is that good this year.

Now, I don't care if you're a team from Gainesville with the most over-hyped quarterback in the country, or if you're a certain team from Austin who hasn't played a (currently) ranked team all year, or if you're a Blue Turf playing mid major that barely scraped by Louisiana Tech and Fresno State: you don't deserve to be number one. No one does.

Let's break down the BCS Top 10, and expose the obvious flaws with everyone's records, and the teams themselves.

*

1. Florida (9-0) ?Where do I start? Here we go: you're only good win was over an overrated LSU team. Now, I know it was in Baton Rouge and at night, but LSU will suck until they get a real quarterback, and rid of Les (with more) Miles. Also, you would have dropped the Arkansas game had it not been for the worst officiating to ever grace the earth. To go on, you have the easiest schedule besides maybe Texas, with a whopping four road games. But don't discredit the Gator Schedule just yet. After all, they still have to play Mighty FIU (at home no less) before going to Atlanta. One more thing: Tim Tebow is severely overrated. I can think of at least 20 other quarterbacks I'd rather have on my team than him.

2. Alabama (9-0) ?I love my Tide, but they're not a great team. First of all, the offense is almost non-existent. If I see one more dropped ball I am going to explode. The wins aren't overly impressive either, as the Tide struggled to beat a bad Tennessee team, an average South Carolina team, and had to come from behind to beat Virginia Tech and LSU (both of which are overrated). Good thing the Defense is an overly dominant force and can bail out that inept-at-times offense, or the Tide would likely have three or more losses.

3. Texas (9-0) ?Texas was easily the most complete team I saw yesterday. But then again, they played none other than UCF. Their schedule is a joke; no one on it is currently ranked. Four of their current nine wins also came against mid majors?all of which suck. Their only quality win was against Oklahoma (without Sam Bradford, Jermaine Gresham, and everyone else) by three points. However, their offense is decent, even though they haven't played a real defense (Oklahoma is as close as they got). The Longhorn defense is actually pretty good but the day the Longhorns play a good team, they will get curb-stomped. Don't mess with Texas alright.

4. TCU (9-0) ?I'm going to find it hard to find much wrong with TCU. They've looked great in every game they've played minus their match against Air Force, but the weather was a clear factor in that one. The only real thing I can say is, can they do this every week in a BCS conference? Good for you TCU; you look like the only team that looks dominant every week.

5. Cincinnati (9-0) ?Gotta give Cincinnati props, even though they haven't beaten anyone currently ranked and did struggle against an average UCONN team at home in their last game. However, Cincinnati has won all of their games. The only problem now is scheduling, and they are in the Big East which isn't exactly a power conference. I don't think Cincinnati would have that 9-0 mark if they played somewhere else, to be honest.

6. Boise State (9-0) ?How long can they live off of that Oregon win? Boise State hasn't looked very impressive since that day. First off, their schedule is a joke, (not really their fault since no one agrees to play them) and they're a WAC team?but it's a joke nonetheless. They should've been knocked off at Tulsa, had it not been for dumb mistakes, and also at Louisiana Tech and Fresno State. The fact is, they are still unbeaten, but definitely wouldn't be if they played a real team (not an unprepared Oregon team with a UFC running back) every once in a while. One more thing, Boise needs to learn to put away games. They've had good sized lead over Fresno, LA Tech, and Tulsa squandered away. Come on Boise.

7. Georgia Tech (9-1) ?I feel bad exposing Tech since I like watching them play, but eventually they will play another team that learns to get penetration on them, and they will lose again. Miami did it, why don't people follow suit? Also, Tech's quarterback is pretty awful, so I guess stopping Jonathon Dwyer might be enough to stop the Ramblin' Wreck. In all honesty, if officials got it right, then the Clemson game would have been a loss. The ACC is also pretty bad this year (more like every year) so that 9-1 mark isn't that impressive. Have fun getting demolished in your bowl game against a real team Tech, but before that happens please beat Georgia like an old blanket.

8. LSU (7-2) ?Yes, that was a missed interception yesterday that should have went your way, but it didn't. But you weren't going to win anyway, with Pick-Six Lee guiding your offense. LSU can simply not play offense, never mind the 31 they put up on Auburn; Ball State did too. As a matter of fact, when it comes down to it, the Tigers don't look good in big games at all. They had horrible officiating win them the Georgia game, they struggled badly against Washington, and they lost the two games that mattered the most: Alabama and Florida. This isn't a Top 10 team at all, not with this coaching. The good news is that their defense is fairly decent and that will win them more games than they will lose down the stretch. But believe me, the Tigers are liable to lose one or two more games down the stretch. When that happens, they will be right out of the Top 10.

9. USC (7-2) ?What the hell is this? You lost to WASHINGTON, a team that didn't win last year, then you got flat out embarrassed by 27 points last week to Oregon who got cut to ribbons yesterday. I don't understand this. Had it not been for Danny SUCKivan as the ASU QB you wouldn't have won yesterday. You barely edged out an average Notre Dame team, and an average Oregon State team at home. It is just amazing to me how USC could be moved to the top 10. Gotta love the BCS. My prediction of the week is Stanford over USC by the way.

10. Iowa (9-1) ?Finally you get exposed. After playing badly the entire way, yet scraping by FCS Northern Iowa, a sub-par Michigan State team, a bad Michigan Team, a one in a million comeback vs. Indiana, and Arkansas State by three at home (hahaha...) you finally lost to Northwestern at home yesterday. Why you were ever put in the Top 10 shows just how flawed the system is. However, I won't even worry about it as I know Terrell Pryor and his below average (for OSU) Buckeye team are going to tear you a new one this weekend in Columbus.

*

So, as you see, it doesn't matter if you're a fan of a team from Gainesville with a certain player who likes to gouge people's eyes out, a Mid-west team who was barely getting by in the Big Ten, or a certain team in Austin whose fans have a superiority complex about their state (that in reality is no better than any of them). If you say your team deserves to be number one then you are wrong. You are all wrong.

Roll Tide! Fork 'em Devils! ]]> MMA Reporter http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/119397-lets-face-it-no-one-is-very-good-this-year.html I expect Claudale to be up in arms over this http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/119396-i-expect-claudale-to-be-up-in-arms-over-this.html Mon, 09 Nov 2009 04:14:29 GMT http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2009/11/8...-mark-miller-v

Basically, they cancelled these guys fight, costing at least one guy all his sponsorship money, and only paid them show money... ]]> Zapp Brannigan http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/119396-i-expect-claudale-to-be-up-in-arms-over-this.html <![CDATA[The Ultimate Fighter's Ten Greatest Fights]]> http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/119385-the-ultimate-fighters-ten-greatest-fights.html Sun, 08 Nov 2009 22:20:26 GMT It's a concept that took the MMA world by storm and has helped to elevate the sport to where it is today.

In early 2005, the UFC created the Ultimate Fighter. Sixteen fighters from across the world would compete in a single elimination tournament and the last man standing would receive a six figure contract with the UFC.

After nine seasons, the UFC has crowned Diego Sanchez, Forrest Griffin, Joe Stevenson, Rashad Evans, Kendall Grove, Michael Bisping, Travis Lutter, Matt Serra, Nate Diaz, Mac Danzig, Amir Sadollah, Efrain Escudero, Ryan Bader, Ross Pearson and James Wilks as Ultimate Fighter winners.

The Ultimate Fighter TV show has treated the fans with some of the most memorable fights.

Listed here, are ten of the greatest fights from the show. The finale cards do not count, only the fights that took place while the fighters were still in the house are listed here.

Now, some of you will disagree for sure, but this is my opinion only.

10. Cole Miller vs Joe Lauzon (TUF season 5)

Both fighters had made it passed the preliminary round and they met in the quarterfinals. The fight was pretty good and very explosive with most of the fight taking place on the ground.

Lauzon was a heavy favorite heading in the fight thanks to his previous upset of Jens Pulver and total destruction of Brian Gerathy in the first round.

Miller held his own through the fight and even got Joe's back early in the fight. Unfortunately, Miller received an elbow in the back of the head which stunned him pretty bad. Lauzon was deducted a point but Miller decided to go on with the fight even if he was still rocked from the elbow shot.

Lauzon ended up getting the TKO win at the end of the second round to advance in the semi-finals, but who knows what would of happened if Lauzon hadn't hit Cole in the back of the head?

9. Jason Von Flue vs Jorge Gurgel (TUF season 2)

Jason Von Flue arrived inside The Ultimate Fighter house a little later than the others. He replaced an injured Josh Burkman and the fact that he was a replacement didn't sit well with the other fighters. He always seemed to be the odd man out of the team.

As his first fight inside the house, Von Flue was paired up against rival coach's best friend Jorge Gurgel. Most people were counting Jason out, but both men ended up having a war that lasted three rounds.

They were both bloody, bruised and tired and Jason Von Flue proved he belonged in the house with a unanimous decision win over Jorge Gurgel.

8. Ben Saunders vs Dan Barrera (TUF season 6)

Although there's not much to remember from season six of The Ultimate Fighter , the war Ben Saunders and Dan Barrera had was something to watch. Ben Saunders was taller and had more reach, but all that didn't seem to faze Dan Barrera.

Dan wanted that win more than anything and he gave it all he had. He rocked Saunders early in the fight and dropped him. Saunders was bleeding from the nose early in the fight but he never stopped smiling.

Ben Saunders was able to pull off the decision win but the fight was so good, that both men had a rematch in the finale.

7. Amir Sadollah vs Matt Brown (TUF season 7)


After his brutal KO win over Jeremy May in the preliminary round, nobody wanted to fight Matt "The Immortal" Brown. In the quarterfinals, Brown was paired up against best friend in the house Amir Sadollah.

Being friends, both men agreed to deliver a war to each other and they didn't disappoint. The fight mostly took place on foot where both men were throwing punches, kicks and knees to knock the other one out. At a certain point, Brown had Amir against the cage and began unloading with punches and Dana White was screaming, "Holy shit!" while jumping in and out of his chair.

In the end, Amir was able to weather the storm and got a submission win over his friend Matt Brown in the second round.

6. Jason Dent vs Ross Pearson (TUF season 9)

Jason Dent had made it to the semifinals of The Ultimate Fighter 9 with unimpressive wins against Rob Browning and Jeff Lawson. In the semifinals, he had to fight the tough Ross Pearson and that's when Dent said he would fight like never before.

Dent said he had kept his energy for the semifinals and that he would give a fight to Pearson, and that he did. Pearson proved to be the better wrestler and the stronger of the two, but Dent displayed some pretty good stand up skills. Dent was able to catch Ross with several punches that seemed to hurt the UK fighter.

After three rounds of action, Ross Pearson won a unanimous decision and then said to Jason that he was his toughest opponent yet and Dana also said that Dent had impressed him much more with this loss than with his last two wins.

5. Rob Emerson vs Corey Hill (TUF season 5)

Corey Hill was initially set to fight Gabe Ruediger, but since Gabe was unable to make weight, he was eliminated and sent home. Rob Emerson returned to the competition to fight the 6'4", 155 pounds Corey Hill.

Being much smaller, Emerson was at a distinct disadvantage in the reach department but he tried. He had a really hard time with the reach in the first round but came back in the second with better combinations and leg kicks. After two rounds, the fight was sent to a third round. Neither fighter really dominated the third round, but Dana White, and myself for that matter, had Rob Emerson as the winner.

Unfortunately, the judges saw it in a different way, and Corey Hill from team Pulver advanced to the next round.

4. CB Dollaway vs Tim Credeur (TUF season 7)

For the first time in the history of The Ultimate Fighter , a fighter had been eliminated from the competition after the show's end. Therefore, the UFC training center was opened for one last fight to determine a new finalist.

"Crazy" Tim Credeur and CB "The Doberman" Dollaway returned to clash for a spot in the finale. Both men had a war standing up and on the ground. Credeur showed some very good striking skills during the fight but CB's wrestling skills won him the war in the end after a back and forth fight.

Both fighters had been favorites at the beginning of the show and it seemed inevitable for them not to fight. When they actually did fight, they gave us a show to remember.

3. Rob Emerson vs Nate Diaz (TUF season 5)

Before Rob Emerson replaced Gabe Ruediger against Corey Hill, he had his own war with Nate Diaz. Both men had a rivalry heading into this fight because of what had happened in the house. Emerson was a better striker, while Diaz had a better ground game.

The first round was mostly on the feet with both fighters striking aggressively while the second round was more of a ground fight. It was on the ground that Nate Diaz used his better submissions to submit Emerson with a rear naked choke in the second round. Emerson gave it all he had a left a good impression in Dana White's head.

After the fight, Dana went to both mens' locker rooms and congratulated both fighters on what was one of the greatest fights on The Ultimate Fighter show's history so far.

2. Damarques Johnson vs Nick Osipczak (TUF season 9)

The semifinals of the ninth season of The Ultimate Fighter opened up with a fight between Team USA's Damarques Johnson and Team UK's Nick Osipczak. Heading into the fight, Johnson was a favorite by most and was said to be the best welterweight fighter in the house.

The whole fight was back and forth, on the ground and standing up.

It was a war.

Nick showed a lot of heart in the first two rounds, but Damarques had won the first two rounds when all of a sudden, both fighters got back on their feet and Nick threw combinations that caught Johnson on the chin and seriously rocked him.

Everybody thought Nick had done it, Dana was jumping out of his chair but Damarques survived.

Nick showed alot of effort but Damarques won the unanimous decision after three rounds to advance to the live finale.

1. Matt Riddle vs Tim Credeur (TUF season 7)

When you talk about an entertaining fight, this was it. Tim Credeur from Team Forrest was a veteran who began fighting in 2001. Matt Riddle, also known as "Chipper" had just began his MMA career and had his first official pro fight in the finale.

They had a war and the fight ended up everywhere, every inch of the octagon was used. They fought standing and on the ground.

In the clutch, Matt Riddle showed great skills against an experienced fighter like Tim.

Both fighters hurt the other, it was back and forth the whole time and finally, Tim Credeur was able to lock in an armbar in the second round with less than a minute left to get the win. Tim Credeur said that Matt was one of his toughest fights to date and that he earned his respect.

At the end of the fight, Credeur was so impressed with Riddle's skills and wanted to thank him for the war they had, Credeur bought Riddle an Xbox 360 with his earnings.

This is it, my personal list of the ten greatest fights in The Ultimate Fighter's history.

There have been memorable fights, some are not listed here, but I tried to list the best in my opinion. ]]> MMA Reporter http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/119385-the-ultimate-fighters-ten-greatest-fights.html Strikeforce: Spectator Support Of Emelianenko Proves Marketability http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/119380-strikeforce-spectator-support-of-emelianenko-proves-marketability.html Sun, 08 Nov 2009 21:10:18 GMT Strikeforce and CBS had the honor this weekend of introducing Fedor Emelianenko to the millions that tuned in to watch the free card. However, the... Strikeforce and CBS had the honor this weekend of introducing Fedor Emelianenko to the millions that tuned in to watch the free card. However, the success of Emelianenko?s presence was astronomically better than many had expected.*

Prior to Saturday night, questions loomed as to whether or not Emelianenko was marketable to the American public. Whether or not Emelianenko would meet the approval of the casual fans, or those watching the sport for the first time.

Those questions no longer remain.

Whenever Emelianenko?s face would grace the big screens surrounding the Sears Centre, the spectators would erupt in cheers. Rogers? image brought on a different display of emotions. The fans clearly had picked sides with the Russian phenomenon.

The love for Fedor Emelianenko continued throughout the night, all the way to the main event.

Brett Rogers walked out to the resounding sound of disapproval, as the fans booed the undefeated heavyweight all the way to the cage.*

Emelianenko?s welcome was the warmest of the evening, as the crowd reached its loudest state as the No. 1 heavyweight made his way to the battlefield.

The trend continued as the fight began, as on-lookers continued to scream for Fedor to win the fight. Perhaps the only moment when the crowd was not 100% behind Emelianenko was when a ?U.S.A? chant broke out through a few sections of the stands.*

However, those cheers were quickly muffled when a solid right hand dropped Rogers, leading to a technical knockout victory by Emelianenko.*

The knockout immediately sent an undeniable electricity throughout the arena. Fans screamed in approval as Emelianenko calmly raised his hand in victory.*

Emelianenko?s win was just another win for so many fans who had seen him fight before. But for the many who were watching him or the sport for the first time, it was so much more.

Fedor was cheered and appreciated by both the hardcore and casual fans alike. The entire crowd was behind the Russian and exploded in excitement when the calm heavyweight knocked out the American, answering the question of Emelianenko?s marketability.

Emelianenko may not be the same type of fighter or person as Brock Lesnar, but he is certainly closer to the UFC heavyweight champion in terms of marketability than most thought he would be by the end of the weekend.

With the exposure given by Showtime and CBS, Emelianenko has become one of the most famous and notable mixed martial artists in America.*

His mystical manner and devastating style have brought mixed martial arts to the mainstream once again, and the next time around, you can be sure Fedor Emelianenko will again be the main attraction to the millions watching. ]]> MMA Reporter http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/119380-strikeforce-spectator-support-of-emelianenko-proves-marketability.html Mousasi http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/119377-mousasi.html Sun, 08 Nov 2009 20:49:46 GMT For all the (legit) Fedor hype last night, and as good as Werdum looked against Silva, I was most impressed by Mousasi. Maybe it's because I'd never seen him before, but he fought an excellent fight against Sokodjou. Total control, never rattled -- impressive. ]]> norts474 http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/119377-mousasi.html Gerald Harris Looking to Get Back on The Ultimate Fighter http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/119296-gerald-harris-looking-to-get-back-on-the-ultimate-fighter.html Sat, 07 Nov 2009 20:08:52 GMT http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2009/11/5...to-the-list-of

Add Gerald Harris To The List Of Veterans Applying For TUF

by JA Yount on Nov 5, 2009 10:00 PM EST 11 comments
Put Gerald Harris’ name among the other established MMA veterans that want a shot to earn their way in to the Octagon by going through "The Ultimate Fighter" reality series. While other names being rumored to be applying for the next season of the show are coming off of disappointing stretches in their careers or periods of inactivity, Harris is one of the hottest middleweights in the sport at the moment.

Harris (16-2), a contestant on season seven of the show, lost to Amir Sadollah during his stay in the house, was only one of a few fighters from the show not to compete at the finale.

Since the show wrapped, Harris has gone 6-0 with five of his wins coming by first round stoppage. His most recent bout saw him become the Shark Fights middleweight champion, destroying former UFC signee Nissen Osterneck in just 46 seconds. ‘Hurricane’ has also greatly improved his grappling over the last two years, winning one of the largest NAGA grappling tournaments earlier this year.

All of this success has lead to a stack of offers sitting on Gerald’s desk. He has recently received, or currently has, offers from Strikeforce, Dream, Sengoku, not to mention the many regional promotions that would like to see him in the cage. However, Gerald has repeatedly held on to his dream to one day fight in the Octagon.

With some luck, UFC officials will take note of Harris' desire and sacrifice and give him another shot to live his dream.
MMA Spot ]]> MetsFan http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/119296-gerald-harris-looking-to-get-back-on-the-ultimate-fighter.html Kimbo Slice vs Houston Alexander at TUF 10 Finale? http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/119264-kimbo-slice-vs-houston-alexander-at-tuf-10-finale.html Sat, 07 Nov 2009 15:45:43 GMT http://fiveouncesofpain.com/2009/10/...tuf-10-finale/
It’s On! Kimbo Slice vs. Houston Alexander catchweight bout set for TUF 10 Finale

It’s on like Donkey Kong as two of the sport’s most feared sluggers will collide in December.

Kimbo Slice will face off with Houston Alexander at The Ultimate Fighter 10 Finale from the Pearl at the Palms in Las Vegas on December 5, according to a recent report on The Times of Northwest Indiana citing sources close to Alexander.
Talk of this anticipated match-up between knockout specialists have been brewing for some time, as FiveOuncesofPain.com first reported on the possibility of the match-up back on October 13.
Apparently the bout has been set for a catchweight of 215 pounds according to the published report from nwi.com. The report goes on to state that the bout was originally targeted for 205 pounds before it became apparent that Kimbo would have been unable to successfully make the weight.
Slice will be making his official Octagon debut in the contest, with his last appearance in the cage being a second round TKO loss at the hands of Roy “Big Country” Nelson during Kimbo’s stint on the tenth season of The Ultimate Fighter. He currently holds a professional record of 3-1 with wins over the likes of Bo Cantrell, Tank Abbott and James Thompson before suffering his first defeat to Seth Petruzelli during EliteXC: Heat in October of 2008.
Alexander was recently allowed to fight outside of his contractual obligations to the UFC where he got back on track with a first round TKO over Sherman Pendergarst at Adrenaline IV in September. Prior to his most recent victory, the heavy handed Nebraskan had suffered losses in his three last trips to the Octagon. ]]> MetsFan http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/119264-kimbo-slice-vs-houston-alexander-at-tuf-10-finale.html Quote from Junie http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/119251-quote-from-junie.html Sat, 07 Nov 2009 13:29:57 GMT "I get kicked out of the UFC for making a mistake, and some fighters can get in their truck and lead the police on a five-mile car chase and they have to pull him out at gun point and they're still fighting." ]]> clmetal http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/119251-quote-from-junie.html The Future of MMA May Depend on Strikeforce: Fedor Emelianenko vs. Brett Rogers http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/119125-the-future-of-mma-may-depend-on-strikeforce-fedor-emelianenko-vs-brett-rogers.html Fri, 06 Nov 2009 18:00:06 GMT As melodramatic as that title seems to be, the upward momentum of MMA will be tested a mere 24 hours from now when Fedor Emelianenko will take to the... As melodramatic as that title seems to be, the upward momentum of MMA will be tested a mere 24 hours from now when Fedor Emelianenko will take to the cage for the first time and face Brett Rogers.

Fairly or not, this may be the last chance we get to push onto prime-time television as a continuing platform, rather than an overt flirtation. Something fans of the sport should take note of.

A failure to draw a big number tomorrow could have crippling*ramifications across the sport as a whole.

If you're a UFC fan, ZUFFA would be able to point at these numbers and say "See, look at what this two-bit organization did on CBS. ... Think about what I could do if you'd give me the deal I want."

They've been in talks with a ?mystery network? for some time now, and a big number from Strikeforce could be just the ticket to jump start, and finalize, those talks. A poor number from this card could further ice the feet of presidents who are still on the fence.

Across an ocean, businessmen, who's faith in the sport has been rocked, could look at these numbers and further embrace the Unified Rules of MMA as its ticket to restart the kakutougi boom.

Failure may further tell FEG that DREAM isn't a viable company leading to a potential closure or contraction.

Smaller promotions like Bellator, who struggled to find live cable television opportunities, may find it an easier road to hoe if this does well.

Failure, not so much.

While EliteXC did some good for MMA, it's collapse damaged CBS' aspirations of what MMA could do for its network.

At the time, CBS was the oldest trending network, and EliteXC was the sort of ?edgy? programming needed to bring back the 18- to 34-year-old demographic it had lost.

Now, however, the match is not so perfect with shows like CSI, Two and A Half Men, NCIS, and Ghost Whisperer. It established itself with the core programming necessary to draw*the*eyeballs of most demographics.

CBS doesn't need MMA like it once did. They can go back to the ?human cockfighting? stance of the past at any point.

This is simply a case of a network trying to make use of a bad contract it still has on the books and it's our jobs as fans to convince them, and everybody else, that the sport can pull numbers in line with a regular season baseball or basketball game.

This is the sort of time when fans have to unite. Set bias aside and support the sport as a whole rather than an organization of choice. This is the empirical data presidents of major television networks have been waiting for.

And it could be imperative that we put our best foot forward. Not just for Strikeforce, or the UFC, or anybody else. But for all of us that don't want to pay 60 bucks a show on pay-per-view. ]]> MMA Reporter http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/119125-the-future-of-mma-may-depend-on-strikeforce-fedor-emelianenko-vs-brett-rogers.html Creature vs. Creature: Tito Ortiz Hungry For Liddell?Again http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/119117-creature-vs-creature-tito-ortiz-hungry-for-liddell-again.html Fri, 06 Nov 2009 15:30:03 GMT On Nov. 21, 2009, Tito Ortiz will be making his return to the octagon when he takes on Forrest Griffin in the main event of UFC 106. Ortiz?s... On Nov. 21, 2009, Tito Ortiz will be making his return to the octagon when he takes on Forrest Griffin in the main event of UFC 106.

Ortiz?s return comes after a layoff of over a year and he has wasted no time in getting the hype machine rolling. In a recent interview with MMAweekly.com, ?The Huntington Beach Bad Boy? expressed an interest in fighting Chuck ?The Iceman? Liddell for a third time.

Win or lose against Griffin, another fight with Liddell is a fight this bleacher creature would love to see.

Even though both fighters are on the downside of their careers, this is a fight that would guarantee another big payday. Sure, Liddell has already beaten Ortiz twice and has nothing left to prove in his MMA career, but another opportunity to TKO Ortiz may be just be enough to pull him out of his quasi retirement.

So who would win in a third go around? Does Chuck Liddell still have the key to Ortiz?s roller skates? Or would Ortiz exact revenge and finally defeat his former friend and training partner?

Well?third time?s a charm, right?

It absolutely is. The edge would surely be on Ortiz?s side in a third installment.

Ortiz may not be a spring chicken, but he is five years younger than the Iceman. Liddell is one of the all time greats in this sport, but he is no ageless wonder like Randy Couture.

Ortiz has been known throughout his entire career as a tireless worker with an unparalleled work ethic. It?s that dedication to fitness and conditioning that would make Ortiz dangerous in a third fight.

Ortiz has always been a good striker with solid technique, but Liddell?s awkward style has proved to be a puzzle he cannot solve. This time around, Ortiz would look to capitalize on his conditioning and pressure Liddell in the clinch working takedowns and Muay Thai. Closing the distance would neutralize Liddell?s devastating looping punches.

Both Liddell and Ortiz are talented wrestlers. Liddell uses his wrestling in reverse to avoid takedowns and keep fights standing while Ortiz pushes for the takedown and utilizes his violent ground and pound.

The winner of a potential third fight would be the one who could dictate where the fight takes place and Ortiz?s relentless attack would finally be too much for Liddell.

Tito Ortiz is not making a return to the UFC for the sole purpose of lining his pockets. Ortiz is looking for one last hurrah and a run at the title?a run that Ortiz would like to see go through the Iceman.

For a look at the potential rematch from Liddell?s perspective see what James Ryan has to say: ]]> MMA Reporter http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/119117-creature-vs-creature-tito-ortiz-hungry-for-liddell-again.html Creature vs Creature: Pathetic Tito Begs the Iceman for a Third Beatdown http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/119116-creature-vs-creature-pathetic-tito-begs-the-iceman-for-a-third-beatdown.html Fri, 06 Nov 2009 15:30:03 GMT Some lessons in life can only be learned one way?the hard way.* Thankfully for this UFC fan, Tito Ortiz is a major glutton for punishment. In a... Some lessons in life can only be learned one way?the hard way.* Thankfully for this UFC fan, Tito Ortiz is a major glutton for punishment.

In a recent interview with MMAWeekly.com, Tito stated the following with regards to a third fight with the legendary (and possibly retired?) Chuck "The Iceman" Liddell:


"I know I?ve lost two matches. I still think I can beat him.?

Oh really?* Based on what Tito?* The fact that Chuck has been completely inactive from the sport for the past seven months?* Or based on the fact that his best years are now behind him?

Maybe you think that by calling Chuck out in the media, he will somehow feel that he has something more to prove to the world?

Well, you?re the one with something to prove Tito and everyone, including yourself, knows it.*

?I think if I call him out enough times I think he?ll be a man and step up.?

Yes Tito, you are correct.* Chuck Liddell has been ducking you his whole career.*

Oh wait?no that?s you!

The ?longest running Light Heavyweight Champion in the history of the UFC? has a great ring to it Tito ? until you consider that you ran away from Chuck like a scared little girl for over two years before finally fighting him at UFC 47.*

How did that fight work out for you by the way?

Oh and personally, I hardly think that five title defenses over a span of three and half years is anything to be proud of.

?You know me, I?m not afraid to fight anyone.?

C?mon?really?* Do I even have to add a comment to this one?* Your lame intimidation tactics tell the entire story.* You are a chicken in wolf?s clothing.* I don?t see you calling out Rua or Machida (gee?.I wonder why?).

Here?s what I remember from Ortiz vs Shamrock 3 in 2006.* A much older, punch-drunk Shamrock lost with enormous class.* A younger Tito won without any.*

Hey Tito, you are my hero!* What?s next?* Beating up that homeless dude from your Youtube video?* Maybe you should focus on Forrest Griffin ? I can assure you, he also has something to prove and he?s looking directly at you to do it.

?He already proved he?s not my friend, so the hell with it. I?ve got nothing to lose. Lets make some money, and this time I?m going to kick his ass."

Bingo! There it is folks!* The money.* What a shocker.

First off, stop crying about your lost friendship with Chuck.* News flash!* It never existed (according to Chuck anyway) and nobody cares even if it did.

Second, you?re right Tito, you have nothing to lose and everything to gain. *So why should Chuck even bother with you?

Well, I think I know why he should.* Perhaps to finish what he should have finished long ago.

?All great leaders since Moses have known that a feared enemy must be completely crushed (sometimes they have learned this the hard way).* If one ember is left alight, no matter how dimly it smolders, a fire will eventually break out.* More is lost through stopping halfway than through total annihilation: The enemy will recover, and will seek revenge.* Crush him, not only in body but in spirit.?

I know that a lot of people have written Chuck off as being too old, too slow, or too predictable.* Based on Chuck?s last few fights, it?s easy to see why people would be saying that.* Quite simply ? Chuck has not been the same Chuck that we have all come to admire and worship throughout the years.

Despite that however, here is my prediction if this fight were to actually take place.

Chuck Liddell would return in the absolute best shape of his life.* His motivation would stem, not from winning the UFC Championship (thus painfully admitting that he would have to face far superior and much younger athletes), but from crushing Tito Ortiz (again) in what would probably be his last fight ever in the UFC.

Chuck doesn?t want to go out a loser.* He wants to go out with a win and who better to get that win from than Tito Ortiz?

It all comes down to motivation.* Chuck Liddell knows he?s getting older.* All he has to do is look in the mirror each morning to figure that out (or read any given article on the Bleacher Report?some of us it seems are all too happy to remind him).

For Chuck to train each and every day without a goal that he can get excited about is very difficult to do.* It would be difficult for anybody.

I really hope that Chuck accepts the challenge put forth by Tito.* Chuck Liddell is the kind of guy that the fans love because he does all of his talking with his fists.* Period.

Tito on the other hand simply runs his mouth because he is determined to court attention at all cost.*

Tito Ortiz, in my less than humble opinion, is a pathetic loser who has embroiled himself in a win-win situation by calling out Chuck Liddell.

Oh and in case you haven?t guessed by now, I am not a Tito Ortiz fan.* I?ve left that up to my fellow Bleacher Report colleague, Robert Gardner.*

You?re welcome Robert. ]]> MMA Reporter http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/119116-creature-vs-creature-pathetic-tito-begs-the-iceman-for-a-third-beatdown.html Fox Fight Game: Fedor vs Rogers Preview http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/119112-fox-fight-game-fedor-vs-rogers-preview.html Fri, 06 Nov 2009 11:35:21 GMT http://mmavideolinks.to/miscellaneou...s-preview.html ]]> snakerattle79 http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/119112-fox-fight-game-fedor-vs-rogers-preview.html Fedor Vs Rogers: Putting Ascendancy To The Test. http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/119082-fedor-vs-rogers-putting-ascendancy-to-the-test.html Fri, 06 Nov 2009 00:10:40 GMT Fedor is an icon of dominance to many, and an almost living legend to others.* Across the growing spectrum of MMA fans he has many kinds of... Fedor is an icon of dominance to many, and an almost living legend to others.*

Across the growing spectrum of MMA fans he has many kinds of admirers.* Watching his rising star in the RINGS organization, some die hard MMA junkies have been following Emelianenko since the dawning of the new millennium.* Emelianenko's stardom grew as he earned the title the "Last Emperor" in PRIDE, which was considered the major league of the sport in its glory years.* Many casual fans first learned of Fedor when he utterly demolished former UFC champion Tim Sylvia in AFFLICTION.

But Fedor has also attracted powerful enemies.

Many casual fans of MMA, and die hard UFC fanatics have aligned against Fedor in the last few years.* Dana White has launched an insidious, pervasive, yet low-level campaign to undermine his abilities and stature in the sport, mostly because White can't acquire Fedor for the UFC himself.*

White is a business man, and it is his job to hype the UFC, while downplaying all others, but has it gone beyond just salesmanship? Many of the UFC's biggest Heavyweight stars have questioned Fedor's commitment to fight the "best", and all within the same frame of time.

Meanwhile Dana White laments in interviews that Fedor "might get knocked out on Saturday", alternating between praise and dismissive comments about the Russian.* If Fedor is going to be knocked out, it should be for the UFC, and not by some loser like Rogers.

New legal movements might also show a more direct role being played by the leaders of the UFC to shut out Fedor's ability to work in the United States.* M-1 is bringing a lawsuit against AFFLICTION entertainment that basically states that the organization was more interested in working against it's partners by canceling a promotion, and backing the UFC. It's a lawyers game now, but the fact that Strikeforce has arguably the best card this November, and the only Heavyweight title defense in MMA since July, has to rankle those on the other side.



The battle lines have been drawn and the rhetoric is heating up.*

Some see Fedor as an untested "minor league" fighter who is dodging true competition in the UFC. This then pushes his adoring fans to support Emelianenko even more, and drives many to perhaps exaggerate his considerable powers.

But Regardless of the war between fans, promotions, and lawyers the facts remain.* Fedor has not been bested in almost a Decade.* And no, I won't count an illegal strike that caused a cut.* If Fedor had gotten that cut in the UFC he would have went on fighting, not to mention he avenged that "loss" in spades against Tsuyoshi Kosaka.

In a sport where few heavyweights can even make the grade, Fedor has been a beast of a competitor, and I urge those who don't take Emelianenko seriously, or just plain dislike him because of other, to do one thing; Watch his fights.

It is easy to think that Fedor is a lot of hype without seeing all of his career in motion.* To watch him pound out some of the best, to watch his speed and explosive nature, or the "crazy" as his training partners call it, or to watch his calm demeanor through it all, is to know and love Fedor Emelianenko.

One really cannot overstress the strength of his greatest weapon though, which is his chess players mind. Emelianenko has said that fighting is "100 percent mental". A fact that many great fighters, even the elite of the sport, overlook from time to time.



Fedor's exploits, his 30 career wins, and his mystique are all well documented, so lets look to Brett Rogers and Saturday night's fight.

Many believe that Rogers hard hitting knockout power and straight down the pipe style is the perfect kryptonite for this Russian superhero.* Pundits and critics alike point to Fujita and Arlovski as the blueprint for Fedor's downfall.* He can be hurt.* He can be pushed back. And, they believe, Rogers is the man to follow that blueprint to victory Saturday night.

But beyond Rogers abilities there are other factors being called into question. Some are saying Fedor's new marriage will add problems, that getting married before a big fight is always a bad idea.* Only Fedor's performance can answer that question, but his mental state has never been an issue in the past.* Some point to comments by Fedor's own trainers that he did not train hard enough before Arlovski. If Fedor wasn't on top of his game then, and still won in two minutes, that's not really a con against the man. Still others, point to his 3rd place in a world Sambo championship as proof that he is slipping, while glossing over the fact that Fedor won the 2009 Russian Sambo competition.

The only factor that truly presents itself as being a game changer will be the Cage itself.* The ring is Emelianenko's natural fighting environment, and many other great PRIDE fighters have shown "ring rust" when adapting to the challenges of a chain-linked enclosed mat.* Looking back to Fedor's fights in PRIDE no single moment stands out where the cage could have hurt his performance. The cage could actually present a true boon to the Russian experiment by making his already formidable ground game even more vicious.* No restarts to slow the action, and nowhere to hide when the sambo casting starts flying.



Beyond the media and blog talking points, this will surely be a great fight to watch regardless of how your perceptions color the match.* An undefeated knockout artist taking on a skillful master. It's a common story line in the history of great MMA fights.

Thinking back to your favorite fights there is always a sense of tension present.* The anticipation that the fight could end at any moment from a wild swing, or a quick submission.*

A Fedor fight multiplies this tension tenfold due to all of the expectations, hype, and armchair opinions.* Will your eyeballs be on the spot when Fedor is downed for the first time?* Will you see his hand raised in victory and cheer for your champion yet again?

Only Saturday night on CBS will bring the answer.

Fedor is indeed humble, and does not think that his winning streak will last forever. This unassuming nature is at the heart of why so many people admire him.* A physically impressive human force with a gentle disposition, matched to sharp mind. A heavyweight who does not pound his chest in dominance over his defeated foes, but extends a gloved hand to pick them up.*

Not even his most ardent detractor can say that Fedor is not a great ambassador for the sport. Even if he loses to Brett "The Grim" Rogers I will still be a huge fan of Fedor Emelianenko.

* ]]> MMA Reporter http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/119082-fedor-vs-rogers-putting-ascendancy-to-the-test.html TUF 10 thoughts http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/119073-tuf-10-thoughts.html Thu, 05 Nov 2009 19:56:05 GMT I was very surprised that Big Baby pulled the arm bar so quickly. I guess I didn't know what to expect from him but, he looked good. Could have been his opponent as well. I will be interested to see how he does against "titties".

Rampage needs to stop mugging for the camera all the time. It drives me nuts. ]]> Wiltz http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/119073-tuf-10-thoughts.html Brock Lesnar Out of UFC 108 with Mononucleosis http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/119066-brock-lesnar-out-of-ufc-108-with-mononucleosis.html Thu, 05 Nov 2009 17:30:06 GMT Sources close to Brock Lesnar's camp informed Heavy.com tonight that Lesnar will not be able to participate in the postponed main event of UFC 108 against Shane Carwin.*

Lesnar has battled an undisclosed illness for the past month that forced him to withdraw from a scheduled title defense against Carwin at UFC 106.

Heavy.com has been informed that the disease is actually mononucleosis, commonly referred to as "the kissing disease."

The bout was rescheduled for UFC 108, but Heavy.com learned earlier this week that Lesnar has not recovered from the illness and cannot train at even a moderate page without quickly becoming exhausted.

Sources close to the UFC confirmed the story while pointing out that Lesnar was never officially part of the UFC 108 card.

This is yet another major blow to the UFC 108 card, which lost a potential Anderson Silva/Vitor Belfort middleweight title fight last week when Silva withdrew because of elbow surgery.

The current main event for the show is Rashad Evans vs. Thiago Silva, but it likely will not be the main event come Jan. 2.

Rumors have swirled today regarding a potential Cain Velasquez vs. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira bout for the card, but sources in Cain's camp denied the story. ]]> MMA Reporter http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/119066-brock-lesnar-out-of-ufc-108-with-mononucleosis.html Brett Rogers On ESPN http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/119058-brett-rogers-on-espn.html Thu, 05 Nov 2009 11:33:54 GMT http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=4623427 ...]]> http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=4623427

http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=4622276 ]]> snakerattle79 http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/119058-brett-rogers-on-espn.html <![CDATA[Strikeforce's Scott Coker Expects Sellout]]> http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/119057-strikeforces-scott-coker-expects-sellout.html Thu, 05 Nov 2009 11:32:07 GMT http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/blog/...4619935&name=m...]]> http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/blog/...4619935&name=m ma

A pal of Fanhouse's Michael David Smith risked severe eye strain on several glorified scalping Web sites to report that large blocks of seats for Saturday's Strikeforce event in Chicago are no longer available. Strikeforce CEO Scott Coker told the media that the show is 85 percent sold out. (Floor seats, at upwards of $500 each, probably will remain idle.)


What we can infer from the business figures of Fedor Emelianenko to date: He's a draw in a climate in which virtually no non-UFC athlete has such potential. He's doing steady, reliable business for stateside promotions. And even if his bout with Brett Rogers draws record-low ratings Saturday, he still will be seen by millions of people, elevating his status as a pay-per-view attraction.

And unlike Affliction -- which "loss led" with Emelianenko and other pricey talent -- Strikeforce considers its business to be more of a marathon than a sprint. It's a climate in which decent business isn't a disappointment. Solid footing -- but it can all be undone by Brett Rogers taking away Emelianenko's selling point of invincibility. Coker & Co. will be as nervous as family that night. ]]> snakerattle79 http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/119057-strikeforces-scott-coker-expects-sellout.html <![CDATA[Brett Rogers: "I’m The Chosen One"]]> http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/118974-brett-rogers-i-m-the-chosen-one.html Wed, 04 Nov 2009 14:55:30 GMT http://news.fightmagazine.com/brett-...ikeforce-2028/

After Brett Rogers knocked out Andrei Arlovski on June 6, he met Fedor Emelianenko immediately. They were asked to pose for photos together and in that whirlwind Rogers realized he would one day fight the world’s best heavyweight—he just didn’t think it would be five months later.

Critics and fans have been shocked at Rogers’ assertions about his upcoming bout against the world’s best heavyweight: Emelianenko’s not invincible, Emelianenko hasn’t been hit like he can hit and Emelianenko will lose on Nov. 7.

But nothing seems to be shaking Rogers. Not the fact that Emelianenko is a superior ground fighte, that he has far more experience against far better fighters. In fact, Rogers has a counter for all of it: he’s 40-pounds heavier, hard to take down, and unfazed by main event attention.

“I never think about losing,” said Rogers of his confidence. He doesn’t think about losing because if he does, well, it will come sooner than later.

As it stands, Rogers believes all the pressure is on his oppenent because he has a reputation to uphold as the world’s best heavyweight. “I still feel like a dude off the street going into the cage sometimes,” said Rogers. “I shouldn’t feel like that…It is what it is. This is my career man. This is who I am. This is me now.”

Rogers knows that fighters have a short shelf-life, that he has to take advantage of every opportunity and make the most of it for himself and his family. After all, he escaped the Chicago ghettos and worked round the clock changing tires and training to earn the right to be here, on the verge of fame and wealth he could only imagine a few years ago.

“I just felt I needed to do something good. My grandma had 10 kids man. No superstars, no doctors, no lawyers. See where I’m going with that?” said Rogers. “I’m like man, if anybody’s the chosen one, I’m feeling like I’m the chosen one.” ]]> snakerattle79 http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/118974-brett-rogers-i-m-the-chosen-one.html <![CDATA[Fight Camp 360 "Fedor vs Rogers" Full Video]]> http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/118950-fight-camp-360-fedor-vs-rogers-full-video.html Wed, 04 Nov 2009 06:38:11 GMT http://sports.sho.com/mma/fight-camp...or-rogers.html]]> http://sports.sho.com/mma/fight-camp...or-rogers.html ]]> snakerattle79 http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/118950-fight-camp-360-fedor-vs-rogers-full-video.html Classic Countdown: The Ten Greatest PRIDE Fights Of All Time http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/118908-classic-countdown-the-ten-greatest-pride-fights-of-all-time.html Wed, 04 Nov 2009 02:20:08 GMT On November 7th, Strikeforce will make its debut on CBS with a fight card that is stacked from top-to-bottom. In a world where the UFC is... On November 7th, Strikeforce will make its debut on CBS with a fight card that is stacked from top-to-bottom.

In a world where the UFC is primarily the dominant force in the MMA industry, Strikeforce has established itself as the No. 2 fight promotion in the world, and has the potential to become a legit competitor to the Zuffa brand.

The only organization that has truly come close to surpassing the No. 1 status of the UFC was the now-defunct PRIDE Fighting Championships. The Japanese-based organization was founded in late 1997 and promoted some of the very best MMA events this sport has ever born witness to.

PRIDE?s format of pitting all of their top stars into one ultra-stacked card is a format Scott Coker is trying to follow with Strikeforce. Saturday?s event will feature top stars such as light-heavyweight champ Gegard Mousasi, Fabricio Werdum, Jason ?Mayhem? Miller, and Jake Shields all competing on one night.

Headlining the event will be current WAMMA Heavyweight champion Fedor ?The Last Emperor? Emelianenko, making his Strikeforce debut against heavy-handed wrecking machine Brett ?The Grimm? Rogers.

Emelianenko?widely recognized as the top fighter in the entire world?made his name in PRIDE. Before the UFC bought the organization in 2007, PRIDE was home to some of the greatest fights in the sport's history.

Let?s take a look at the top 10 greatest bouts in the history of the PRIDE Fighting Championships.


10.* Mirko ?Cro Cop? Filipovic vs. Wanderlei Silva II (PRIDE Final Conflict Absolute)

In what was built up as one of the most-anticipated battles in PRIDE history, bitter rivals Filipovic and Silva squared off in the semifinals of PRIDE?s 2006 Open-Weight Grand Prix. It wouldn?t be the first time these two legendary strikers met in the ring, as they had previously fought to a draw at PRIDE 20 just four years prior.

For the majority of the fight, Silva attacked the Croatian with wild punches which were easily countered by straight-lefts from ?Cro Cop." Anytime Silva would throw one of his looping punches, Filipovic was right there to counter with strikes of his own, and these two went back and forth for most of the first round.

The end result saw ?Cro Cop? catch ?The Axe Murderer? with a left high-kick, knocking Silva out in highlight-reel fashion. This fight is absolutely a PRIDE classic, but on a list of all-time greatest knockouts it would certainly be ranked in the top five.

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9. Quinton ?Rampage? Jackson vs. Wanderlei Silva II (PRIDE 28: High Octane)

Speaking of rivals, the feud between ?Rampage? Jackson and Silva is widely recognized as one of the most heated rivalries in not just PRIDE history, but in all of MMA as a whole.

These light-heavyweight wrecking machines first crossed paths in the finals of the PRIDE 2003 Middleweight Grand Prix. ?The Axe Murderer? won that fight, finishing Jackson off in the first round with brutal knees from the Muay Thai clinch.

Their second meeting was an all-out stand-up war that ended in devastating fashion with Silva once again finishing Jackson with knees from the Thai clinch in the second round. The knockout was so destructive it left Jackson hanging on the bottom ring ropes unconsciously as ?The Axe Murderer? celebrated his triumphant victory.

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8. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira vs. Mirko ?Cro Cop? Filipovic (PRIDE Final Conflict 2003)

There is a reason why the legendary ?Minotauro? Nogueira is considered the ?Rocky Balboa of MMA? because no matter how hard you hit him he will continue to move forward to eventually find a way to win the fight.

His classic bout with ?Cro Cop? is proof of that as for the majority of the fight Filipovic was the aggressor, beating ?Minotauro? up with crisp punches and thunderous kicks. ?Cro Cop? would land strike after strike and yet, with blood dripping down his face Nogueira kept coming back for more.

Finally in the second round, Nogueira took ?Cro Cop? down and began working some ground n? pound from the top position before eventually securing a beautiful arm-bar causing the Croatian to tap-out.

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7. Dan Henderson vs. Wanderlei Silva II (PRIDE 33: Second Coming)

If you thought Henderson?s knockout over Michael Bisping at UFC 100 was impressive, you haven?t seen anything until you?ve seen his second fight against Silva in PRIDE. Henderson lost the first bout by unanimous decision in an epic battle, and was looking to extract revenge in the second coming and claim the PRIDE middleweight title in the process.

After spending the majority of the first two rounds out-striking ?The Axe-Murderer? as well as controlling him on the ground, Henderson finished the fight with his big right hand, knocking Silva out cold just two minutes into the third round.

With the victory, Henderson became the first man in PRIDE history to hold two championships simultaneously.

*

6. Ken Shamrock vs. Don Frye (PRIDE 19: Bad Blood)

If you took 10 writers and told them to list the top 10 most intense rivalries in the history of this sport, Shamrock vs. Frye would rank somewhere in the top five on each list.

This rivalry was truly epic considering the fact these two legends absolutely hated one another, and anytime they were near each other they almost broke out into a fist-fight in public. When it came time for the prefight stare-down, just by looking into their eyes you could tell you were about to witness a historical showdown?and that is exactly what happened.

For three full rounds, these two MMA pioneers beat the tar out of each other, both on their feet and on the ground. Shamrock came very close to finishing ?The Predator? off with leg locks, but Frye was able to escape and edge out the split-decision victory in a brutal back-and-forth war.

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5. Mauricio ?Shogun? Rua vs. Antonio Rogerio Nogueira (PRIDE Critical Countdown 2005)

In 2005, ?Shogun? Rua was the most feared striker in the 205-pound division and after his recent performance against current UFC champ Lyoto Machida at UFC 104, some can argue he still is to this very day.

After completely dismantling ?Rampage? Jackson at PRIDE Total Elimination-2005, Rua was matched up against Rogerio Nogueira, twin brother of heavyweight Rodrigo Nogueira. Most expected the ?MMA Super Nova? to destroy ?Minotoro? much like he did Jackson.

The fight was much more competitive than most originally thought, as both fighters stood and traded blows, knocking each other down and landing crisp punches and knees*time after time. It was a close battle on the feet, but the deciding factor turned out to be the takedowns from ?Shogun,? which gave him the victory unanimously on the judges? scorecards.

*

4. Nick Diaz vs. Takanori Gomi (PRIDE 33: Second Coming)

?The Fireball Kid? Gomi was once recognized as not only the best lightweight fighter in the world, but he was also ranked as one of the world?s top pound-for-pound fighters. Diaz was hungry to prove to the world he was indeed one of the top fighters out there, and was given the opportunity of a lifetime against Gomi in PRIDE?s second and final show in the United States.

The result was a tremendously close-contested battle that saw Diaz pulling off the submission of the century, finishing Gomi with a gogoplata in the second round.

However, after testing positive for marijuana, the Nevada State Athletic Commission overruled Diaz?s victory into a ?no contest." Regardless of what the record shows, Diaz defeated Gomi in one of the greatest MMA fights of all time.

*

3. Kazushi Sakuraba vs. Carlos Newton (PRIDE 3)

If you?re one of those fans who believe the only exciting aspect of MMA is the stand-up game, go back and watch the classic grappling war between former UFC champion Newton and one of MMA?s most beloved legends, Sakuraba.

The entire fight was a strategic battle on the ground, with both fighters battling for the dominant position. Neither man looked to strike the other, their only intention was to win the fight by submission to out-grapple their opponent.

After moving from position to position and going for submission attempt after submission attempt, Sakuraba finally finished the fight with an incredibly well-executed knee bar in the second frame to put an end to a classic grappling bout between two of the most innovative submission fighters in MMA history.



2. Don Frye vs. Yoshihiro Takayama (PRIDE 21: Demolition)

This is a bout that will forever be remembered as the most exciting slug-fest in not just MMA, but in the history of combat sports in general. As soon as the fight began, technique went out the window as both fighters rushed toward each other throwing punches with reckless abandon.

The crowd went absolutely crazy watching these two warriors holding each other?s head whilst punching each other in the face with mean intentions. MMA legend and commentator for the night, Bas ?El Guapo? Rutten was quoted as saying, ?I?ve never seen anything like this before in my life?.

Frye was triumphant in the end, finishing Takayama with ground n?pound for a first-round TKO in what will truly be remembered as the craziest brawl in the history of the fight game.*

*

1. Fedor Emelianenko vs. Mirko ?Cro Cop? Filipovic (PRIDE- Final Conflict: 2005)

Fans had been anticipating a showdown between Emelianenko and ?Cro Cop? for several years prior and when they finally squared off at Final Conflict 2005 for the heavyweight championship, they were not disappointed.

The bout was heavily built as the most hyped-up heavyweight contest in the history of MMA, and it certainly delivered up to expectations. Many still consider this matchup to be Emelianenko?s toughest fight to date, because despite defeating Filipovic by unanimous decision, the Russian did not escape the contest unscathed.

?The Last Emperor? had been known for walking through his opponents with a relative amount of ease, but he was unable to impose his will against the Croatian striker.

?Cro Cop? was able to inflict a tremendous amount of damage to Emelianenko and even managed to break the Russian?s nose with a straight left and tenderize Emelianenko?s ribs with powerful kicks.

However, Emelianenko took ?Cro Cop?s? best shots and continued to move forward, which frustrated Filipovic in the later rounds. It wasn?t a dominating performance, but it was an impressive victory over a fighter who was once considered the most devastating striker in the heavyweight division.



Honorable Mentions: Quinton Jackson vs. Ricardo Arona, Fedor Emelianenko vs. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, Royce Gracie vs. Kazushi Sakuraba, Bob Sapp vs. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, Mark Hunt vs. Yosuke Nishijima. ]]> MMA Reporter http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/118908-classic-countdown-the-ten-greatest-pride-fights-of-all-time.html <![CDATA[Hatton Should Say "No" to Couture and Avoid the UFC]]> http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/118887-hatton-should-say-no-to-couture-and-avoid-the-ufc.html Tue, 03 Nov 2009 21:40:06 GMT Former three-time UFC heavyweight champion and two-time light-heavyweight titlist Randy ?The Natural? Couture expressed interest this week in... Former three-time UFC heavyweight champion and two-time light-heavyweight titlist Randy ?The Natural? Couture expressed interest this week in converting British professional boxer Ricky ?The Hitman? Hatton into the world of mixed martial arts.

*

Couture (16-10), the only five-time champion in UFC history, is confident that Hatton (45-2, 32KOs) would benefit from his immense punching power and thrive in the octagon if he learned how to fight on the ground under his tutelage.

*

?He is a tremendous fighter and he has a lot of heart,? said Couture, 46, one of only two UFC fighters to have held a championship in two different divisions. ?There is no doubt he could make a tremendous impact with his heart and determination in the ring.?

*

Hatton, 31, a two-time IBF and IBO light welterweight champion, admitted he is intrigued by the prospect of fighting in MMA and he said his background in kickboxing would make the transition from the ring into the cage easier than some skeptics may predict.

*

?UFC would be right up my street,? said Hatton, who suffered a brutal second-round knockout loss to Manny Pacquiao last May. ?I used to kickbox, so maybe I would be all right.?

*

Hatton, who is scheduled to host Monday Night Raw next week, added that UFC has seemed to recently garner more public interest than boxing has.

*

?It is all action, proper fighting,? Hatton said of MMA. ?There is a concern in boxing that the UFC is taking its place. People seem to get more value for money.?

*

Hatton was a stellar pugilist who still energizes his fellow countrymen every time that he is slated to fight.

*

However, he was badly outclassed by Floyd Mayweather, Jr. in December 2007 and, as mentioned previously, he was pulverized by Pacquiao last spring.

*

Randy Couture is a superior grappler and ?The Natural? would be the ideal man to train Hatton if he ever decided to make his foray into the octagon.

*

Still, at the delicate age of 31 and after the way he was violently beaten by the diminutive Pacquiao, it would be wise for Hatton to return to his native land and retire from any form of hand-to-hand combat.

*

Hatton?s fans are known to taunt his opponents throughout his matches with the derisive and sustained chant, ?Who are ya??

*

If Hatton does attempt mixed martial arts at this stage in his career, he could get badly injured.

*

After one savage loss in the octagon, ?The Hitman? may have to permanently ask members of his friends and family, ?who are ya??

*

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Halloween Special--The Three Scariest Boxers Ever

http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-2...st-Boxers-Ever

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If they ever fight, Kelly Pavlik will punish "The Punisher"

http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-2...h-The-Punisher

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Andrew Golota is a bum and a sorry ?wasted talent?

http://www.examiner.com/examiner/x-2...-wasted-talent

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* ]]> MMA Reporter http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/118887-hatton-should-say-no-to-couture-and-avoid-the-ufc.html Lyota ?The Dragon? Machida Needs Surgery: Putting Real Fans to the Test http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/118813-lyota-the-dragon-machida-needs-surgery-putting-real-fans-to-the-test.html Mon, 02 Nov 2009 20:30:16 GMT The following news is not "good news" for loyal (and disgruntled) fight fans.

Lyota "The Dragon" Machida has just announced that he will not be fighting Mauricio "Shogun" Rua at their anticipated rematch set for January 2, 2010.

Machida will require surgery to repair an injured hand, which was sustained during his fight with Rua at UFC 104 (source: mmanews.com).

Injuries and illnesses are a part of any sport?contact sports especially.*

When I read the news of Machida?s surgery, the very first thing that came to my mind was that the fans and Press are going to have an absolute field day bashing Machida and calling him every name in the book?not unlike what they have been doing already for the past couple of weeks.

Love him or hate him?these are tough times for Lyota Machida.* My heart goes out to a man who has always tried his absolute best for the sake of his family honour and his fans.* Then again, Machida is a PROFESSIONAL athlete.

I stress the word PROFESSIONAL because he is the consummate class act that all fight fans crave.* His ?professionalism? no doubt comes with a very thick skin and I am confident that Machida will return stronger (both physically and emotionally) than ever.

Let?s stretch our imaginations for a moment and assume that Machida is going to be criticized for this.* This level of disloyalty and fickleness by the ?fans? is nothing new in professional sports.*

To quote one of my other articles:

?[Fans] get to observe and criticize others for having the talent and courage to attempt things in their life that [they] couldn?t possibly imagine.?

It has been said that Machida is a great fighter, but highly overrated.*

Well, who?s fault is that?!

Machida has been built up to "Superman" status by the media and fans.* This is not something that he has done for himself.* It sickens me how people love to build an athlete up just so that they can cheer his or her demise on the way down.**

Machida-bashing is nothing new, but it's still very disappointing. *

See you in the New Year when you jump back on the bandwagon!* Don?t worry, it will happen. ]]> MMA Reporter http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/118813-lyota-the-dragon-machida-needs-surgery-putting-real-fans-to-the-test.html <![CDATA[Strikeforce's Jake Shields: "I'm Still Way Away from My Prime"]]> http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/118803-strikeforces-jake-shields-im-still-way-away-from-my-prime.html Mon, 02 Nov 2009 19:20:27 GMT Jake Shields is a man on a mission. He has taken every challenge thrown at him in the last five years and has not succumbed to defeat. From... Jake Shields is a man on a mission. He has taken every challenge thrown at him in the last five years and has not succumbed to defeat. From challengers like Carlos Condit and Yushin Okami, to Paul Daley and Robbie Lawler, Shields has been dominant.

Now, on Nov. 7, Shields's next challenge is sure to be a bout full of mayhem, as Jason "Mayhem" Miller will be next in line for Shields and will try to become the first man since Akira Kikuchi back in 2004 to hand Jake Shields a loss.

Shields recently spoke to Bleacher Report's Nick Colon about his upcoming bout with Miller, as well as a few other hot topics:

*

Nick : So Jake, how has camp been over the last few weeks and what have you worked on to get ready for this fight against Jason Miller on Nov. 7?

Jake : The camp?s been going great! I feel like I?m in great shape and great in every aspect, my grappling, my striking, everything feels good. I feel strong, got my weight up, and I?m feeling stronger than before. As far as what I?ve worked on, I?m working on everything like always, every aspect of my game and I?m trying to do whatever I can.

N : Jake, you?ve been on an absolute tear lately, winning fights over guys like Nick Thompson, Robbie Lawler, and Paul Daley. How do you plan on making Miller another one of your impressive victories?

J : I think I?m still getting better. I think I?m still way away from my prime. I?m still confident right now, and I?m just going to go out there and bring it to him. I think it?s going to be a tough fight, and I?m certainly not looking past this fight. It?s a tough fight but I?m prepared for the fight and I plan on going in there and submitting him or knocking him out at some point in the fight.

N : Can you tell fans out there what it?s like being a member of Cesar Gracie Jiu-Jitsu and how great is it training with guys like Nick and Nate Diaz on a daily basis?

J : It?s awesome because they train really hard and really good together. Also, I?m really good friends with them. We?ve been together for over eight years now, so it?s kind of nice to come in as opposed to other places and it?s cool to be a part of it there.

N : Now, Jake, many fight fans out there think that your true home lies in a place you?ve never fought, which is the UFC.* What do you think about the prospect of coming to the UFC and how do you feel about the competition Strikeforce offers you compared to the UFC?

J : Coming to the UFC has always been a wish of mine. You know, I?ve talked to them on and off over the last few years, you know, and I love the UFC fans. It?s definitely where I?d like to be someday; but at the same time, Strikeforce has treated me great. I?m very happy with them and they have great competition so, you know, I?m taking it one fight at a time and we?ll see where it goes from there.

N : There?s a lot of talk about which weight class you should be fighting at, whether it?s 185 or 170. Which class do you feel most comfortable in and what class do you see yourself fighting in for the future?

J : I most comfortable fighting at 170, but I definitely will be fighting at both weight classes in the future. I fight for the challenge, and to challenge myself, so I?ll go wherever a challenge is.

N : We?ve got some tough questions for you here Jake. You think you?re ready for them?

J : Okay, no problem.

N : Jake, who has the best submission skills over at Cesar Gracie Jiu-Jitsu?

J : You know, that?s obviously a tough question. There?s a ton of good guys there, but, you know, probably Nick [Diaz]. It?s close, but I?d probably say Nick. Although you really see him box in his fights (chuckle)!

N : That?s very true! Who would you say is the most well rounded fighter in your camp and why?

J : I think everyone?s well rounded, you know? All the top guys. We?ve either got really good standup or ground, so I can?t say someone on that one.

N : How about striking? Could you say who is the best striker?

J : Eh, so many good striking battles. Can?t really say. Depends on the day...we beat each other up (chuckle).

N : Has Nick ever gotten the best of you?

J : Oh yeah, of course. You know, we train together so we take turns beating each other up. It helps both of us out though but we definitely know each other and he?ll get the best of me.

N : There?s also been talk about you two fighting each other both in the future and in the past. I?ve talked to guys like Jon Fitch, who have no interest in fighting other members of their camp. Do you feel the same way about your camp?

J : Yeah, I have no interest in fighting Nick. It?d have to be some certain offer of money, to make it worthwhile.

N : Well, what kind of money would that be?

J : I guess if they?d offer me a million dollars to fight tomorrow then I?d do it. But by the time they?d offer me a million dollars I?d get close to that in a fight somewhere else so, I?d turn it down. I mean, I?ll fight him tomorrow if they give me that contract but otherwise, no way. Nothing under a million dollars.

N : Who would Jake Shields like to fight the most in any promotion out there right now and why?

J : Any promotion? I?d pick GSP because he?s at my best weight and he?s the king of that division so if you want to be king you?ve got to beat the guy on top. So, I?d love to get the opportunity to fight him.

N : Jake, I?m going to mention three fighters. Tell me who would win in a fight and why.

J : Okay.

N : You versus Vitor Belfort?

J : I think that?d be an awesome fight. There was actually talk about it a few months ago before he signed over at the UFC. That would be a really tough fight but I think he has better striking but I?d take him to the ground and finishing him here. But Vitor?s a phenomenal fighter and that would be a great fight.

N : What about you versus Anderson Silva?

J : Anderson Silva? Again, I think that?d be a great fight. I think I actually match up pretty well with Anderson. He?s easily the best striker in all of MMA but if you?re going to beat him, I?m the prototype to beat him. Take him down and keep him down, so again, I?d try to put him on the ground and try to submit him and hopefully it would go my way.

N : And how about a fight that you had just talked about, you versus Georges St. Pierre and how would that go?

J : You know, that?s an interesting matchup because he?s so hard to take down and that?s kind of what I do. He has interesting stand up and I think that would be a really tough fight. If it was stand up it would be an all out war and it?s an interesting fight. Hopefully it?ll get signed...at some point (chuckle)!

N : Last question here Jake. If you could make a dream fight happen right now in the world, who would it be?

J : Well, any fight I?d be in I?d take myself first. But as a fan, I?d probably want to see GSP fight Anderson Silva. I think that?s an interesting matchup and umm Fedor versus Brock Lesnar.

N : And if you had to pick those fights who would you pick?

J : I think Fedor would probably destroy Brock, but you never know with the size difference. As far as GSP against Silva, I think that GSP would take that fight. Stylistically he?s someone who can take people down and hold them there. But I think GSP would if he wanted to take that fight.

N : Anyone to thank before I let you go?

J : Yeah, my whole team of course and my sponsors Champion Nutrition, EA Sports, Rockstar energy drink, and TAPOUT.

N : Jake, thank you so much for taking this on short notice and I?d really love to do it again sometime.

J : Yeah, no problem. ]]> MMA Reporter http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/118803-strikeforces-jake-shields-im-still-way-away-from-my-prime.html <![CDATA[Fedor's Training Photo Blogs]]> http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/118785-fedors-training-photo-blogs.html Mon, 02 Nov 2009 14:13:38 GMT Rogers' Dead!

http://www.m-1global.com/lang/en/200...ay-with-fedor/

http://www.m-1global.com/lang/en/200...-fedor-part-2/

http://www.m-1global.com/lang/en/200...to-blog-day-4/ ]]> snakerattle79 http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/118785-fedors-training-photo-blogs.html Red Jellybeans, Kleenex, and MMA: Sunday Morning Analogies http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/118693-red-jellybeans-kleenex-and-mma-sunday-morning-analogies.html Sun, 01 Nov 2009 19:50:12 GMT If given a choice, which would you rather have: as many red jelly beans as you could possibly eat or all the jelly beans you could stomach in a... If given a choice, which would you rather have: as many red jelly beans as you could possibly eat or all the jelly beans you could stomach in a variety of colors?

Those who love red jelly beans see no reason to venture away from their favorite, content to consume the one and only option they enjoy. But some people enjoy and even need variation, different options and possibilities in their jelly bean intake, and the idea of only being allowed one color ruins the enjoyment.

Now that you're craving jelly beans, think about this: what if the red jelly beans represented the UFC? Now what would you choose?

The idea of a Mixed Martial Arts monopoly has been discussed in various incarnations since the emergence of the Ultimate Fighting Championship as the dominant brand in the sport.

Advocates of the idea speak of the other major sports leagues, Major League Baseball and the NBA for example, where all the best athletes aim to play under the banner of the marquee name in the game.

They talk about dream matchups between fighters who have yet to face each other; the thought of Brock Lesnar and Fedor Emelianenko meeting in the center of the Octagon for the UFC Heavyweight title sending them into an imaginary fight euphoria.

If the sport of Mixed Martial Arts was derived to determine which style was the best and ultimately, which fighter was the best, wouldn't having all the best fighters in the world under one roof make a great deal of sense?

Opponents of the idea would argue differently.

For starters, variety is the spice of life; imagine how boring listening to the radio would be if your only option was an all-muzak station? Or, more in keeping with the topic, all aggro-alternative like the music the UFC always uses? Sometimes you want a nice, soft ballad or some old fashion gangsta rap and having a multitude of MMA options give fans that choice.

Additionally, the most popular sport in the world (to make it easiest, let's just call it soccer) is not contested in just one league. While some would argue that the best of the best participate in the English Premiership, others would point to the La Liga in Spain as the home of the best soccer clubs and players, while others still would argue for Italy's Serie A.

None of those leagues is close to struggling, despite the fact that the best players in the world are spread amongst them, not to mention those playing in Germany, France and the countless other countries with professional leagues.

We're already at a point where the UFC is becoming the Kleenex of MMA; so prevalent within the sport that people simply refer to MMA as UFC, just as all facial tissue is commonly referred to as Kleenex.

Perhaps the key to remember in the Kleenex analogy is that while the name has been genericized, there are still a multitude of manufacturers making facial tissue.

The difference, of course, is that while the people at Scottie's don't care if you call their product Kleenex or facial tissue, Scott Coker and Strikeforce will certainly be saddened if you refer to their product as UFC...

Whether it's relating the sport to jelly beans or drawing comparisons with facial tissues, there is no definitive answer to whether a Mixed Martial Arts monopoly and the genercizing of the sport is good or bad moving forward.

Those who love red jelly beans are still going to want to do away with all the other colors and Scottie's is still going to make facial tissue, even if you call it Kleenex.

Some will forever argue that all the best fighters belong in the UFC, just as many will mistakenly label Mixed Martial Arts with the name of the biggest brand in the business.

Personally, I don't want to live in a world with only red jelly beans and while I call the stuff I blow my nose in each morning Kleenex, I know that it's really called facial tissue.

What about you? ]]> MMA Reporter http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/118693-red-jellybeans-kleenex-and-mma-sunday-morning-analogies.html One-on-one with Ryan Bader http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/118692-one-on-one-with-ryan-bader.html Sun, 01 Nov 2009 19:02:55 GMT One-on-One with Ryan Bader
11/1/2009
Tony Nguyen, InterMat Staff Writer
tony@intermatwrestle.com

Ryan Bader's wrestling credentials are impressive. He was a two-time state champion, three-time Pac-10 champion, and a three-time All-American at Arizona State. After college, Bader took a desk job ... but that didn't last long. He began his mixed martial arts career in 2007 training at Arizona Combat Sports in Tempe, Arizona under Trevor and Todd Lally.

To keep reading... http://www.intermatwrestle.com/articles/5724 ]]> ideamark http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/118692-one-on-one-with-ryan-bader.html Breaking Down Strikeforce: Fedor VS Rogers; Antonio Silva VS Fabricio Werdum http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/118691-breaking-down-strikeforce-fedor-vs-rogers-antonio-silva-vs-fabricio-werdum.html Sun, 01 Nov 2009 18:50:08 GMT All this week, I'll be breaking down Strikeforce: Fedor VS Rogers, fight by fight. Today I'll be focusing on Antonio Silva and Fabricio Werdum. A fight between the first and last Elite XC Heavyweight champion, and a former top-tier UFC competitor.

*

Antonio Silva

Antonio "Pezao" Silva is a 6'4 monster with the uncanny ability to both knockout or submit his opponent in any given fight. In fact, in his 14 career fights, Silva has only seen one fight go to decision.

Silva suffers from Acromegaly, a condition that results in the pituitary gland producing an extraordinary amount of growth hormone. He shares this disease with other athletes such as the late Andre The Giant and world champion Boxer Nikolay Valuev, among others. What makes Silva stand out amongst other famous acromegalics is that he is only 6'4".

"Pezao" holds a professional MMA record of 13-1 in 14 fights. While he only holds one real notable victory, a split decision win over Ricco Rodriguez, Silva is not to be overlooked here.

Other than that decision victory, only one of his fights has gone past the first round. Silva is a very dangerous striker, but he has also proved to be a capable submission fighter. With an arm-triangle victory and a rear naked choke in 2007, Silva is showing some promise in the submission realm.

Keys To Victory
  1. Stand Up- Although it may seem obvious, Antonio has got to keep this fights on its feet. He does not want to go to the ground with Fabricio Werdum. Silva is known for his knockout power, hopefully he realizes that.
  2. Size Matters- Silva will have around a 40-pound weight advantage come fight time and is the stronger of the two fighters. He needs to use that as much as possible. If he can't follow the first key and keep this thing standing, he's got use his strength to get back up.
  3. Finish him- He won't be getting a submission win in all likelihood, but Junior Dos Santos showed us that Fabricio has a soft spot for hard punches. Luckily for Antonio, he's got those hard punches. I don't see Antonio winning a decision in this fight, that only leaves one other option.
Fabrico Werdum

Everybody should know who this is. A former elite level competitor in the UFC Heavyweight division, Werdum was a fighter that a lot of people saw as the heir to the Heavyweight throne. That was until Junior Dos Santos punched Werdum right out of the UFC.

Since that fight in October 2008, Werdum has fought just once. In his Strikeforce debut back in August, Werdum submitted Mike Kyle early in the first round. It was his seventh submission victory in just 17 fights.

In those 17 fights, Werdum has acquired an impressive 12-4-1 record. With wins over Brandon Vera, Gabriel Gonzaga (twice), Aleks Emelianenko, and Alistair Overeem, Werdum has more than proved himself as a top Heavyweight.

He finished all of the men listed above, as well as numerous others. Adding to his already very impressive credentials, Fabricio is a world renowned grappling competitor.

He has won numerous grappling competitions, defeating countless MMA stars in the process. Names such as Rolles and Daniel Gracie, Matt Lindland, Marcio Cruz, Mike Van Arsdale, and Reese Andy have all fallen to Werdum in competition.

While he has never won a professional MMA title, Fabricio is a two time winner of the prestigious ADCC World Submission Wrestling Championship.

Keys To Victory
  1. Get Down On The Ground- The exact opposite of what Silva must do, Fabricio should find a way to get this one to the ground. Is it a necessity, not as much as standing is for Silva, but if Werdum wants to make things easier on himself, the mat is his friend.
  2. Time Is Of The Essence - Five times Fabricio Werdum has seen judges scorecards, only once have those cards been read in his favor. Not to say that Werdum can't win a decision, but if I had a history like that, I know I'd be looking to finish.
  3. Don't Underestimate- Too many times have we seen a good fighter get taken down by an inferior opponent. Why? Because they underestimate their opponents ( I'm looking at you GSP). Werdum can't do this here. Silva is good, he can knock you out quickly, just make sure you stay away from those big shots.
Prediction

With the experience and resume of a guy like Fabricio Werdum, it's pretty hard to deny him a fight against a guy like Antonio Silva. If Werdum can avoid the big shots, expect him to use his far superior grappling skills to get Silva to the ground and submit him early on. ]]> MMA Reporter http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/118691-breaking-down-strikeforce-fedor-vs-rogers-antonio-silva-vs-fabricio-werdum.html Sink or Swim for UFC 106? http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/118689-sink-or-swim-for-ufc-106-a.html Sun, 01 Nov 2009 17:40:06 GMT When a champion withdraws from a title bout, there are no winners, and no one is really happy. It's been said that Zuffa has a history of making lemonade anytime they have been dealt a lemon, and they have been dealt one here.

How is the fight card looking now? What does it mean for the champion, challenger, and*us, the fans?

*

Brock Lesnar

While Lesnar may be accused of the "d-word" by some MMA fans, he really does
not lose very much by opting to delay the fight, and indeed, the Zuffa brass
may appreciate*having their biggest name on the year's end card, UFC 108 .

Will*either Lesnar or Carwin*suffer from any ring*rust when*UFC 108 arrives? Probably*
not, but Lesnar's training and money would likely allow him to recover faster than Carwin, who still works a part-time job.

From a purely sporting outlook, Lesnar had much to risk fighting with sickness, and the first complaint directed towards him had he revealed his ailment after the fight would have been that he should have never taken the fight were he not fit.

Many former champions who lost their titles and later claimed injury were victims of such criticisms; Tim Sylvia, Minotauro Nogueira, and Georges St.Pierre are all examples.

*

Shane Carwin
 *
Carwin was smart to take*the opportunity*to wait out Lesnar and fight him at a different event, all the more so as it is now revealed that he has been slowed by a strain of swine flu.
*
If*for some reason or another he had fought, he would be placing his title shot
in severe danger should he lose*(see how Martin Kampmann fared against Paul Daley for a comparison).

Were the*aforementioned scenario to happen, Carwin would likely not have sniffed a title shot for a long time and would have to work his way up from the bottom of the ladder.

The*risk would have been all the greater when considering that Carwin's case of swine flu, which he recently made public.

*

UFC 106
*
With Manny Pacquaio, one of boxing's pioneers in terms of mass appeal, having a bout*against Miguel Cotto one week*before UFC 106 , it would have been preferable to have a superstar name like Lesnar on the card.
*
Tito Ortiz vs. Forrest Griffin is the new official main event, but how will it compare?
*
In a word, poorly. Current MMA fans, ie, ones not living in 2005, realise Tito cannot get into a position where he will win another title, and Griffin, while a decent fighter and still ranked in the upper echelon of the light-heavyweight division, could not be at a lower point in his career after being decimated by Anderson Silva in round one.
*
Lesnar brings everybody to the TV set, especially because he has the title. Whether people believe him to be a superhuman juggernaut or just an unskilled oaf who wins with pure size, people will tune in with anticipation.
*
Indeed, Ortiz was one of the first masters of it, and is partially responsible for the MMA explosion that happened in 2004. But without any belt to back it up, the novelty wears off.

*

The Fans

Possibly the biggest losers, and particularly in the case of those who bought tickets to the Mandalay Bay Events Center on Nov. 21.
*
As has been said, Ortiz vs. Griffin II is a poor substitute for the heavyweight title bout being on the line, and I do not think anyone will offer a different opinion. Have you bought tickets or were you about to? Are you still paying for the card? ]]> MMA Reporter http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/118689-sink-or-swim-for-ufc-106-a.html The Fedor Song http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/118603-the-fedor-song.html Sun, 01 Nov 2009 04:06:19 GMT http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sV9sFA0GJyE]]> http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sV9sFA0GJyE ]]> snakerattle79 http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/118603-the-fedor-song.html Machida Vs. Rua: A Close Fight, Judging Criteria Explains Why http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/118566-machida-vs-rua-a-close-fight-judging-criteria-explains-why.html Sat, 31 Oct 2009 10:52:26 GMT * Last weekend?s main event at*UFC*104 made armed bank robbery look like a petty crime, well at least to many*die-hard*and casual fight fans... *

Last weekend?s main event at*UFC*104 made armed bank robbery look like a petty crime, well at least to many*die-hard*and casual fight fans alike.

Three mixed martial arts judges, one of whom goes by the name of Cecil Peoples, felt that the*Rua*leg kicks and clinch knees aside*Lyoto*Machida*beat Mauricio*Rua unanimously.*

Many fans are livid. In fact*UFC*commentator Joe*Rogan*was so shocked he coined a follow up to his ?Machida*Era? line to now being the ?Machida*Error?.

After sitting back and watching the fight again the fight looked a lot closer then fans make it out to be. A lot of Rua's leg kicks that looked like they landed were actually blocked or missed upon slowing down and rewinding the film.

These blocks and misses are something the ring side judges were able to see well in real time.

What the fans may have misinterpreted is in fact a tribute to the high speed at which Rua*was throwing his leg kicks and*Machida?s incredible elusiveness as a fighter.

Fightmetric.com had Mauricio*Rua*landing twice as many strikes as*Lyoto*Machida. Unfortunately, fight statistics don?t tell the whole story of an*MMA*fight that goes to the judges.

In order to understand some of the reasons why*Machida*vs.*Rua*was so close and why*Machida*was awarded a unanimous decision one has to consult ?The Unified Rules for Mixed Martial Arts ?.

I?ll admit I was not aware of all the details and nuances of*MMA*judging criteria and I will wager that most of the fans screaming ?bloody Mary? after the decision don?t know them either.

I figured this would be a good time to read up on the*MMA*Judging Criteria.

First of all a fight is judged round by round by three judges, the winner of a round is awarded 10 points and the loser is awarded 9 points or less. If the judge feels the round was a stalemate, each fighter gets 10 points awarded.

Due to the fact that a fight is judged round by round, a judge cannot watch further rounds and then re-score earlier rounds after.

Case in point,*Rua*landed knees and kicks to the legs of*Machida*in the first two rounds.*Machida*never looked badly hurt in rounds one or two and arguably three. In rounds four and five Machida*looked slowed down by the kicks to the legs and he looked tired.

However, the three judges can?t watch the fourth and fifth rounds and think that theRua*leg kicks and knees in earlier rounds seem to have done more damage then appeared at first, let?s go change the scores in the earlier rounds.

MMA*judging criteria simply does not allow for that.

Now what exactly is an*MMA*bout judgement based on exactly?

A fight is judged based on effective striking, effective grappling, octagon or ring control, effective aggressiveness and defence, the weight attached to each area gets lower as we go down the list from effective striking to defence.

Obviously as stated in the rules, if a fight takes place on the canvas most of the time, then effective grappling becomes more important then effective striking. This was not the case in*Machida*vs.*Rua*seeing as how the fight was fought standing up in its entirety.

Effective striking means the fighter who lands more heavy strikes.*Rua*landed more strikes, but were they necessarily heavier then*Machida?s strikes? In rounds one to three I would argue no.

Rua*lost his footing a total of three times after*Machida*landed strikes and combos in rounds one to three.*Machida*on the other hand does not stumble or look phased after any of Rua?s attacks in rounds one to three.

Rua*also slid into failed take down attempts to try and avoid further damage from knees to the body thrown by*Machida.

Machida*never backpedalled uncontrollably in to the cage or shot for*take downs*after Rua*strikes landed in rounds one to three.

In rounds one to three Machida*arguably landed more heavy strikes then*Rua*and*Rua*landed more strikes overall.

This situation makes the rounds very difficult to judge and without knowing what unfolded in rounds four and five it is easy to see how a judge could have given the striking advantage to*Machida*in rounds one to three.

In rounds four and five,*Rua*lands more strikes with more power then*Machida, but being given two rounds out of five no matter how lopsided they are will not win you the fight.

There was no ground game in this fight so effective grappling did not really play a factor in this fight.

Next up is probably the most argued point in the fight, Octagon control.

Fans who felt*Rua*deserved the fight argue that he pushed the pace and maintained control of the octagon. Please read the following definition of octagon control.

?Fighting area control is judged by determining who is dictating the pace, location and position of the bout. Examples of factors to consider are countering a grappler?s attempt at*take down*by remaining standing and legally striking; taking down an opponent to force a ground fight; creating threatening submission attempts, passing the guard to achieve mount, and creating striking opportunities.*

This is where I would argue that*Rua*and his corner were not aware of what Octagon control is defined by in the judging criteria. Why you may ask?

Rua*attempted and failed at nine take downs. After three failed*take down*attempts anyone with common sense would expect a fighter to abandon the*take down*and keep it standing. Unless the fighter felt getting their opponent to the ground was an important key to victory.

What*Rua*effectively showed the judges by attempting and failing nine take downs*was that he desperately wanted to get the fight to the ground, but he could not get it there.

The argument that*take down*attempts show that the fighter is being active and trying to control the octagon isn?t anywhere in the judging criteria, many people are under the guise that it is.

Judges have to follow the criteria when judging a fight; they can?t make up new rules or criteria on the fly.

On the flip side,*Lyoto*Machida*stuffed nine of nine take down attempt by*Rua. Telling the judges he didn?t want any part of the ground game that his opponent appeared to have desperately wanted.

Machida*not attempting any take downs enforced the fact that he is a striker who wants to stay on his feet.

Rua*landed effective leg kicks no doubt, that is where the majority of his strikes landed.

That being said, after landing an effective leg attack on*Machida,*Rua*would often back out and not follow up with a striking combos.*Rua*was showing a lot of respect for Lyoto?s counter striking abilities.*

Lyoto*on the other hand would follow up his heavy strikes or counter strikes with striking combos that would stumble or back up his opponent, particularly in rounds 1-3.

Is it really that shocking that maybe the judges gave octagon control to*Lyoto Machida? After reading the judging criteria, I would say that at the very least it isn't a log shot.

Mauricio*Rua, his corner men and any other mixed martial artist should know that failed take down*attempts fended off by your opponent aren?t going to help you in the scoring of a fight.

After three, maybe four failed*take down*attempts,*Rua*and his corner men should have realised that these failures were hurting octagon control as oppose to aiding it and stopped the attempts.

I would argue that a few of those failed take down attempts were after*Rua*took damage from*Machida, particularly knees to the body.

Although it is a good technique to avoid damage, in order to score points with the judges according to the criteria they abide by*Rua*had to make those take down attempts count.

As far as effective aggressiveness goes, the fighter that moves forward and lands strikes without getting hit is being effective. Moving forward and landing a lot of strikes while taking a lot of strikes is not effective.

The fighters in rounds one to three were very close to one another,*Machida*moved forward and landed a lot and he countered a lot of Rua?s kicks with his left hand.*Rua*on the other hand landed a lot of effective leg kicks and moved forward himself as well.

As far as defence goes, both fighters were defending well as evidenced by the fact that neither fighter was finished.*Machida*was hit more, but his elusiveness turned a lot of potential heavy strikes into weak ones and he defended nine take downs.

Rua*avoided damage by attacking and backing out, he also avoided potential knockout blows by limiting himself to throwing kicks as oppose to hands.*Rua*had a very good game plan against*Machida.

Of course this fight was very close and with the way rounds four and five went, it is very difficult to accept the fact that*Machida*was awarded the victory.

However, if one watches the fight a few times and actually pays attention to the unified judging criteria, one can definitely appreciate the fact that the fight was much closer then first observed.

Rua?s game plan was the right one to beat*Machida, but two things cost him this fight. His corner men telling him he was winning the fight at the end of round 3 and continuing*take down*attempts that never saw fruition.

The result wasn?t as wrong as people may have thought and I think a rematch is most definitely required. I along with all the other*MMA*fans out there are looking forward to watching the Karate master and the*Muay*Thai specialist go at it again.* ]]> MMA Reporter http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/118566-machida-vs-rua-a-close-fight-judging-criteria-explains-why.html Is The Ultimate Fighter 10 Heavyweights an Excercise In Futility? http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/118549-is-the-ultimate-fighter-10-heavyweights-an-excercise-in-futility.html Sat, 31 Oct 2009 03:30:06 GMT Forrest Griffin, Diego Sanchez, Rashad Evans, Joe Stevenson, Michael Bisping, the list of high quality, above average fighters to conquer The... Forrest Griffin, Diego Sanchez, Rashad Evans, Joe Stevenson, Michael Bisping, the list of high quality, above average fighters to conquer The Ultimate Fighter series goes on.*

These are just the names of some who won the show.

Next in line, Nelson, Schoonover, Mitrione, seriously?*

Lets face it fight fans, this crop of Ultimate Fighters leaves a lot to be desired.* No one has really put on an impressive performance thus far.* A couple have dominated but that may be more a result of their opponents than their potential.*** That is not to say they are not a talented group with potential, but which one of these fighters has proven so far that they can come close to competing with a Cheick Congo, a Cain Velasquez, or god forbid a Brock Lesnar.

The whole point of bringing these fighters into the UFC is to make waves in their division.* Up to this point, not one fighter has shown the quality required to accomplish that goal.* There is a definite potential for improvement in every case so far.

One glaring weakness has been stamina.* The gas tanks seem half empty in a few cases.* This is understandable to an extent but not excusable by any means.

These potential fighters have chosen one of the most demanding athletic competitions to participate in by pursuing a career as a fighter.* Their cardio does not reflect their ambitions at this time.

Sure they have a great deal of time between wrapping the show and the actual finale where they will compete in the big show.* Even still, their state of cardio in the show is indicative that they may not taking it very serious in the first place.

Time will tell and there*are still a few fights to come.*

That said, up to this point it has been fairly lackluster.* Even the victories were sluggish, devoid of true competition at the elite level required to consider one UFC quality.

The most impressive display of aggression and power has been between Rampage and poor little innocent door.* Not exactly as advertised when we started this thing a few weeks back.

When a fight fan tunes in to watch heavyweights compete for the chance of a lifetime, the expectations are far removed from what actually is transpiring before their eyes.
Needless to say, this season has really been a letdown in more ways than one.*

The whole premise of the coaching match-up has been thrown out the window, leaving the relentless trash talk to lose its luster.

The fighters chosen for the show have not been able to excel in a match or exceed the other fighters abilities.* Sadly when both competitors have room for improvement it makes really getting into the show hard to do.

Bottom line is this, as an MMA writer I have had the opportunity to roam my local area following regional events with a fever.* In my experiences, I have seen more than one heavyweight fighter who would mop the floor with some of these guys.

How some of these TUF cast members earned their spot is a mystery to me knowing the talent that is out there just waiting to be discovered at the regional level.* Maybe more fighters should tryout so the talent pool will be deep for the UFC to choose from.
This is not an attempt to totally discredit the accomplishments of those competing on the show, more so than a depiction of the realization that this season has been watered down by fighters who need more training to compete at the elite level.

It seems more obvious as each week passes, that we have been lured hook line and sinker, into following a show that promises nothing more than some "yo mammy" trash talk between two coaches who may never fight, and the ongoing hope that Kimbo Slice will return and take over the heavyweights TUF show somehow.

Neither event is going to happen any time soon so why do we continue to tune in so religiously?*

We know damn well there is not one competitor thus far that could carry Heath Herrings jock strap.

So what is the point?*

In the end perhaps there isn't one, perhaps we don't mind being misled to believe that quantity is better than quality.* At this time, the quantity of potential UFC heavyweights far outweighs the quality.** ]]> MMA Reporter http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/118549-is-the-ultimate-fighter-10-heavyweights-an-excercise-in-futility.html Massenzio vs. Credeur UFN 20 http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/118536-massenzio-vs-credeur-ufn-20-a.html Fri, 30 Oct 2009 18:33:01 GMT A tough but winnable fight for massenzio. I am still holding out hope that he goes and trains at another gym for this fight. I took a look at his mma... A tough but winnable fight for massenzio. I am still holding out hope that he goes and trains at another gym for this fight. I took a look at his mma gym website and he is the head trainer and only one other instructor is listed and he is a wrestler as well.

He has potential and i will be rooting for him but he is limiting himself with his current training environment. ]]> p-jersey http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/118536-massenzio-vs-credeur-ufn-20-a.html UFC 105 Preview: An Interview with Dan Hardy http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/118535-ufc-105-preview-an-interview-with-dan-hardy.html Fri, 30 Oct 2009 18:10:37 GMT Back at UFC 89, Dan "The Outlaw" Hardy took the UFC by storm. That night, he defeated tough veteran Akihiro Gono by split decision. He then fought Rory Markham at UFC 95 and got the KO win in the very first round.

Still, no fight got Hardy on the map more then the Marcus Davis fight at UFC 99. The war of words between both fighters before the fight is legendary and will most likely go down as one of the greatest rivalries ever. Dan Hardy pulled off the win against Davis and at UFC 105, will fight for a shot at the UFC welterweight championship.

His opponent, the always tough Mike "Quick" Swick who is also looking at a championship fight if he can get through Hardy.

I recently had the privilege to talk with Dan before his big fight with Swick.

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I heard you went to train in China back in 2002 with the Shaolin Monks, could you tell us a little about that?

It was crazy! two months in a temple, in the middle of nowhere, training with a small group of monks and a bunch of people from all over the world. I couldn't possibly cover it all in a couple of paragraphs, but I will say, it taught me alot about my capabilities and gave me a lot of mental strength.

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You recently received you purple belt in BJJ from Eddie Bravo. How is it to work with Eddie and do you feel your BJJ skills have been improving?

Its great fun, I learn a lot each time I am over there and his students dedicate a lot of time and effort to helping me improve. Its a very innovative environment and you just can't help but improve.

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Prior to your fight against Marcus Davis at UFC 99, you were working your hands with Freddy Roach, are you still training with him for the Mike Swick fight?

I haven't for this fight, I decided to bring in a different coach. Freddy is great, and I am looking forward to training with him again, it just wasn't convenient for this fight.

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The build-up leading to your fight against Marcus Davis at UFC 99 is personally the greatest build-up I've ever seen. You two had a war of words because of him laying claim to the UK and it blew up from there, how much of it was personal and how much of it was part of your gameplan?

For me is was about 10% personal, 40% fun and 50% gameplan. He is still all bent out of shape over it though. I just like to have a laugh and get under people's skin a little, if I think it will help in the fight. Marcus doesn't seem to understand my sense of humour though!

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You worked hard on the mental aspect of the fight against Davis, did you feel you had him beat before the fight actually began?

Only he can answer that, but I do think that it played a part in the outcome. Fighting is a very emotional game, and if you can't control that, you are at a disadvantage.



Are you planning on doing the same thing to Mike Swick before UFC 105?

I don't think this fight needs it. For Swick, it is just a case of training hard and giving him the beating of a lifetime. I have already won this fight in the gym, without saying a word.

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Have you talked to Marcus Davis after the fight, are you guys cool now or does he still hate you and wants a rematch?

From what I understand, he still hates me pretty bad. I'm cool with that, its no great loss to me. We probably wouldn't get along anyways! (laughs)

*

You were initially supposed to fight Dong Hyun Kim at UFC 105, has your training changed a lot since the opponent change?

I had only just begun the opponent-specific part of camp for that fight, so nothing had to change that much. We had only just started to build a gameplan, so we just threw that out and started studying swick instead. I don't feel like I ever really trained specifically for Kim.

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How has the training been going for your upcoming fight against Mike Swick?

Awesome! Best camp yet, by far!

*

Mike Swick is known for his aggressiveness at the beginning of every fight, that's where he earned his nickname "Quick."

Both of you have displayed some great stand-up skills in past fights, What's your strategy for the first minutes of the fight and then later on into the later rounds and do you think your stand-up will get you the win?

I don't want to give away too much, because I have some special surprises for him. All I will say is that, if he is foolish enough to charge at me like a maniac, he might as well giftwrap his chin. I'm not thinking of the later rounds, because I don't plan on the fight making it there.

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The Swick fight is now a No. 1 contender's fight for GSP's title, are you happy with the potential title shot or do you think it's still too early?

Hell yes I am! When you get an opportunity like that, you grab it with both hands.

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Should you get pass Swick, how would you approach the fight against GSP? He's a great wrestler and people seem to be afraid to strike because of the takedowns, what would be your strategy?

I can't think past Swick. Ask me again on the morning of November 15th, I will already have a gameplan for him ready to go.

*

It's safe to say that England has a lot of talent and you are easily one of the best European fighters in MMA today. Michael Bisping has helped England get more exposure in the past years and he became the most popular fighter from England.

His loss at UFC 100 against Dan Henderson hurt his status, do you feel you have to pick up where he left off and represent England and become a sort of poster boy for it?

I just do my job, the UFC can use me as they see fit. We haven't seen the last of Mike though. He will be back, Im sure.

*

I would love your intake on some of these upcoming main events, can you give us your predictions:

Couture vs Vera - I want Randy, just because I don't like seeing him getting beaten up!

Carwin vs Lesnar - When it happens, probably Lesnar by TKO. The sooner Lesnar is beaten the better though.

Penn vs Sanchez - I'll take a chance and say Sanchez. His workrate and craziness could be the deciding factor.

*

Well thanks a lot for your time Dan, it was a pleasure to talk, good luck in your fight at UFC 105 against Swick, do you have any final thoughts or special thanks?

Thanks for the kind words mate, I would just like to thank the fans for the support and check out danhardymma.com ]]> MMA Reporter http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/118535-ufc-105-preview-an-interview-with-dan-hardy.html Injury updates http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/118534-injury-updates.html Fri, 30 Oct 2009 18:09:02 GMT Pellegrino is hurt and out of the fight with Edgar Alves is hurt and out of the fight with Fitch. Almeida hurt his knee and had to pull out of his... Pellegrino is hurt and out of the fight with Edgar
Alves is hurt and out of the fight with Fitch.
Almeida hurt his knee and had to pull out of his originally scheduled bout with Fitch
Lesnar is sick and the fight is moved to January 2nd. ]]> p-jersey http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/118534-injury-updates.html Thiago Alves Out with Knee Injury for UFC 107 http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/118533-thiago-alves-out-with-knee-injury-for-ufc-107-a.html Fri, 30 Oct 2009 17:00:17 GMT The rematch between Thiago*Alves and Jon Fitch was scheduled last week for UFC 107*after Fitch's opponent at UFC 106, Ricardo Almeida, pulled out due to a knee injury. Now Alves has also suffered a knee injury and will be forced to pull out of the fight.

Alves*was originally scheduled to fight Paulo Thiago at UFC 107 but the rematch with Fitch would have been a better fight. Fitch and Alves fought back in 2006 at UFC Fight Night 5 where Fitch won by TKO in the second*round.

Right now, there is no clear*No. 1 contender for the welterweight*division. Any title*shot*should be given after a win over either Fitch or Alves, who are arguable No. 2 and 3 behind champion Georges St. Pierre.

Fitch already beat Paulo Thiago in his last fight and now has*no opponent for either UFC 106 or 107. Josh Koscheck is already schedualed to fight Anthony Johnson at UFC 106 and Mike Swick will be fighting Dan Hardy at UFC 105.

* ]]> MMA Reporter http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/118533-thiago-alves-out-with-knee-injury-for-ufc-107-a.html <![CDATA[Cecil Peoples tells fans disgruntled over Machida to "go to hell."]]> http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/118448-cecil-peoples-tells-fans-disgruntled-over-machida-to-go-to-hell.html Thu, 29 Oct 2009 08:27:45 GMT http://www.fiveknuckles.com/mma-news...o-to-hell.html ]]> Zapp Brannigan http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/118448-cecil-peoples-tells-fans-disgruntled-over-machida-to-go-to-hell.html Free-for-All: Fedor Vs. Rogers-UFC 105?Which Card Reigns Supreme? http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/118404-free-for-all-fedor-vs-rogers-ufc-105-which-card-reigns-supreme.html Wed, 28 Oct 2009 18:40:14 GMT For a period in time the most highly anticipated fight wasn't going to happen inside an octagon, but rather an Affliction ring.

*

However, for legal reasons due to a long-running contract dispute following his unbelievable victory over Tim Sylvia, we never got to see Randy Couture go head-to-head with "The Last Emperor."

*

It seems the MMA gods are ready to atone for said falling through, as we'll get two good cards, free on*broadcast television, live in HD, featuring them both representing rival promotions separated by an ocean and 168 hours or so.

*

So whose card will reign supreme: Fedor's or Couture's? The UFC's or Strikeforce's? Lets break it down.

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The Undercard

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This is a blowout, folks. With the pullout of Marloes Coenen from her title elimination bout and Brock Lesnar Light also pulling out of a bout with Ron Waterman, it seems that the top billing will go to Jeff Curran?who should finally get a win, thankfully, as he stops being treated like a doormat for WEC. He'll take on 4-1 prospect Sam Thao.

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While that fight might be interesting for about 15 seconds, once Curran pulls guard, expect something slick.

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Other than that, and Mark Miller using the fact he destroyed Josh Neer in the IFL to get another fight, it's really just a bunch of raw fighters looking to get wins.

*

The UFC card, however, boasts a big-time bout between John Hathaway and Paul Taylor, as well as Terry Etim and Shannon Gugerty squaring off in the battle of who guillotined Matt Grice the best.

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Although not the deepest preliminary for either side, UFC's top to bottom is just deeper.

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UFC wins 10-8

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James Wilks-Matt Brown vs. Antonio Silva-Fabricio Werdum

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In the battle of who has the best build-up fight on its main card, the UFC throws out TUF 9 winner James Wilks to take on everybody's favorite 9-7 fighter.

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While Matt Brown could win the best nickname ever award (even over my boy ?The Pink Pounder?), ?The Immortal,? I feel, has little to offer in this matchup. Overall, however, it is a good build-up fight and a solid debut fight for Wilks to showcase his skills.

*

Alternatively, Strikeforce counters with the monstrous Antonio ?Bigfoot? Silva taking on top-10 heavyweight Fabricio Werdum. While on paper this fight looks like too much, too soon for Silva, I think this is just quality matchmaking.

*

On the feet Silva should dominate. The question will be if and when this fight hits the canvas, how will it go? Silva is a highly underrated offensive grappler and will be tested by the best defensive heavyweight grappler in MMA today.

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Personally I think Werdum should be able to stymie the Goliath in his guard. He'll likely be down on points, however, so he'll need the submission, which I don't think will come.

*

Either way, Strikeforce gains another heavyweight contender for its strap, and the UFC fluffs up a TUF guy.

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Strikeforce wins 10-9

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*

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Michael Bisping-Denis Kang vs. Sokoujou-Gegard Mousasi

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Michael Bisping returns to the cage to take on Canadian journeymen Denis Kang in a bout that promises to prove absolutely nothing other than further inflating an already bloated Bisping record. Strikeforce, however, counters with a bout that fell through in DREAM's super hulk tournament.

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Joy?nothing like two stinky squash matches.

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10-10 on my scorecard

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Co-Main Events: Jason Miller-Jake Shields vs. Mike Swick-Dan Hardy

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Strikeforce's Middleweight division has always been its best division, and with the infusion of Ronaldo ?Jacure? Souza and Jason ?Mayhem? Miller, it may still be, even with the run of Heavyweights it's added as of late.

*

With former Strikeforce Champion Cung Le presumably retiring from the world of big-time MMA to be the next Chow Yun Fat on the silver screen, Jake Shields will get his title shot against Jason ?Mayhem? Miller in what promises to be an exhibition of entertaining grappling.

*

This is a rare fight where Miller will hold a sizable striking advantage, and I think he'll use it well. Shields will have to outwork Miller. I don't foresee such a scenario playing out.

*

The UFC will counter with a somewhat lackluster Welterweight divisional No. 1 contenders fight.

*

Mike Swick should hold a fairly decent striking advantage, and I think it's about even should the bout hit the floor.

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Overall neither fight has enough takedown defense to make GSP very nervous at all. Joe Silva has the right idea matching up strikers with his champion, but they have to be able to stop the takedown to use those skills, and neither bout promises to be anything but a one-sided layfest.

*

Not good matchmaking.

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Strikeforce wins 10-8

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The Main Events: Fedor Emelianenko-Brett Rogers vs. Randy Couture-Brandon Vera

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As the UFC puts it, it's time for Couture to face the truth. Can he still be a competitive entity at any division, or are we to the point where we can book Couture vs. Wandi?

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I think he can win this fight, but Vera can be a dynamic striker when he's not busy trying to put on his best Anderson Silva impersonation like he did in his last few fights.

*

I can't foresee a way Vera is going to win a fight on the scorecards here. He'll have to stop Couture to win this fight, and considering Randy was dropped in each of his last two bouts, there are some real chin issues for Vera to potentially exploit.


To compound the problems he'll face, Vera may be too quick for him to clinch up and dirty box with. His only shot at victory in my opinion lies on the floor?a place Vera is exploitable, but not undressable.

*

This is a very tough fight for Randy, one I don't understand why he took on such short notice.

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Conversely, Fedor Emelianenko will take on top heavyweight prospect Brett Rogers in a tune-up fight.

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Only ?The Last Emperor? could make a fight where two men enter the cage a combined 40-1 considered a tune-up for either fighter.

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While I may sound contrary to many who see this as a total domination, I think if he stands with Brett, he could be out-struck.

*

While Fedor is vaunted as a world-class striker, he's actually not the most technically sound fighter in the world and has been caught by strikers in the past. He's been*beaten up on the feet by*Adrei Arlovski, Mirko Cro Cop, and in spaces by other fighters.

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Also, this is the first time he's ever fighting in a cage. Ask guys like Maurico ?Shogun? Rua how that can be.

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I'm not saying it's going to happen. Just that if you see Rogers +1000, throw a few bucks on him, and don't have any plans on that money.

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10-10 on my card

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The judges have rendered their verdict...all three judges score the fight 48-47 UFC 105.

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...My card: 48-47 Strikeforce. At least it was close this time. How do you have it? ]]> MMA Reporter http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/118404-free-for-all-fedor-vs-rogers-ufc-105-which-card-reigns-supreme.html Johnson vs. Koscheck at ufc 106 http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/118384-johnson-vs-koscheck-at-ufc-106-a.html Wed, 28 Oct 2009 12:33:39 GMT tough matchup for Koscheck.

http://www.mmaweekly.com/absolutenm/...9878&zoneid=13 ]]> clmetal http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/118384-johnson-vs-koscheck-at-ufc-106-a.html Turning a Blind Eye: Machida Fans Turn Into Haters Because Of The Judges http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/118304-turning-a-blind-eye-machida-fans-turn-into-haters-because-of-the-judges.html Tue, 27 Oct 2009 05:00:10 GMT There has never been such clear evidence that many MMA fans are just riding the band-wagon since the aftermath of UFC 104 , where many believed... There has never been such clear evidence that many MMA fans are just riding the band-wagon since the aftermath of UFC 104 , where many believed Mauricio Rua decisively stole the light-heavyweight crown from the hands of Lyoto Machida.

In the months and weeks building up to this fight, many were clamoring that Machida was untouchable, and his reign would last for many years to come. Some people, oblivious of Rua's years in Pride, had claimed that Rua had absolutely no chance to win and didn't even deserve to be in the cage with Machida in the first place.

It's funny how a well-executed, solid game plan can turn the MMA world upside down, isn't it?

The sport is now in a slight daze as the "unbeatable" champion had shown that he has flaws after all, as Rua came in to the cage and showed the rest of the light-heavyweight division how to effectively strike with Machida.

Even the keyboard warriors are in a confused state. Many of the "this is the Machida Era" hype-riders are some of the same people who are crying across Internet blogs, calling for Cecil Peoples head, even though there were two other judges that scored the bout the same.

Many forums have statements that Machida is a coward who ran away, and he should hand over his belt to Rua. There has even been the boxing legend of paid-off judges to keep the hype rolling.

It's just really sad that a fan can't stick with their "favorite fighters" regardless of the outcome. This writer is a huge Lyoto Machida fan that feels his guy lost this fight in a very close decision that could of gone either way, but he is still backing his fighter 100 percent. It would be nice to see some of the so called "fans" act in the same manner.

Oh well, even though the sport has come along way from it's "cockfighting" days, it seems that some of the fans still need to learn how to evolve from the wishy-washy knucklehead status that they unknowingly place on themselves. ]]> MMA Reporter http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/118304-turning-a-blind-eye-machida-fans-turn-into-haters-because-of-the-judges.html <![CDATA[Anderson Silva: "Lyoto Won All Rounds"]]> http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/118302-anderson-silva-lyoto-won-all-rounds.html Tue, 27 Oct 2009 04:38:45 GMT http://tatame.com.br/2009/10/26/Ande...odos-os-rounds

Anderson Silva was closely following the fight between Lyoto Machida and Mauricio "Shogun" and discussed the controversial outcome to the talks TATAME. For the middleweight champion of the event, the Judges made the correct assessment. "The Lyoto fought well, was very well trained. It was a hard fought fight. Shogun fought at his pace very well, was very well prepared, is very experienced, but the technique was superior and Lyoto won resoundingly, "said Anderson.

According to the training partner Lyoto, they should go home and draw a new strategy for a possible rematch, confident that the karateka won the fight. "They fought well, made a good fight, but Machida won well. Now it is back home and see what he had supposedly done wrong. This struggle has passed, does not matter anymore, he is the champion, a great person, a great athlete, "he said, congratulating the performance of former fellow Chute Boxe.

"Shogun has done well, this fight was a fight that all MMA fans liked to see. In my opinion, Lyoto won all rounds. Shogun drew a good strategy to attack the legs, but it was not enough. There are coaches who have to decide, but the judges ... Lyoto won well, now it's back to training as soon as possible ", concluded Anderson. ]]> snakerattle79 http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/118302-anderson-silva-lyoto-won-all-rounds.html Brock Lesnar Pulls Out of UFC 106 With Severe Illness http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/118282-brock-lesnar-pulls-out-of-ufc-106-with-severe-illness.html Mon, 26 Oct 2009 22:10:37 GMT Citing a severe illness that has left him unable to train for three weeks, UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar has pulled out of his Nov. 21 fight... Citing a severe illness that has left him unable to train for three weeks, UFC heavyweight champion Brock Lesnar has pulled out of his Nov. 21 fight with Shane Carwin.

UFC President Dana White has confirmed the news with Yahoo Sports.

?He said he?s never been this sick in his life,? White said. ?He said it?s been going on for a long time and he just hasn?t been able to shake it.?

We contacted Carwin for his thoughts on his lost or delayed opportunity: "I am disappointed," said Carwin. "I'm going to heal up and get back to training. It's all I can do."

I have been able to confirm with Carwin that the bout has been rescheduled for the Jan. 2nd show. ]]> MMA Reporter http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/118282-brock-lesnar-pulls-out-of-ufc-106-with-severe-illness.html Jake Volkmann to the UFC http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/118257-jake-volkmann-to-the-ufc.html Mon, 26 Oct 2009 18:09:14 GMT Wow, former Minnesota AA Jake Volkmann is going to be fighting Paulo Thiago at UFC 106. Just saw him on Friday vs Askren in the Grappling Trials... Wow, former Minnesota AA Jake Volkmann is going to be fighting Paulo Thiago at UFC 106. Just saw him on Friday vs Askren in the Grappling Trials finals. Congrats to Jake! It's a tough first fight in the UFC, but Jake is very talented.

http://mmajunkie.com/news/16625/paul...at-ufc-106.mma ]]> DH http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/118257-jake-volkmann-to-the-ufc.html The Beauty of Subjectivity: Machida Still the Champ Even if Shogun Really Won http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/118256-the-beauty-of-subjectivity-machida-still-the-champ-even-if-shogun-really-won.html Mon, 26 Oct 2009 17:50:18 GMT If you happen to know a fan of mixed martial arts and want a laugh, approach said fan and remark as to how flawlessly the judges performed their jobs... If you happen to know a fan of mixed martial arts and want a laugh, approach said fan and remark as to how flawlessly the judges performed their jobs during the Mauricio Rua?Lyoto Machida title bout at UFC 104 on Saturday night. Just make sure you launch the verbal jab from a safe distance.

The reaction will range from tepid anger to explosive outrage manifested by violent gesticulation.

Most of the mild discontent will probably come from Machida fans?the unanimous decision that kept the UFC light heavyweight championship belt around the Dragon's waist was that unpopular.

I'm on the record as developing a non-sexual male crush on the Brazilian champ. However, the log also includes shameful entries revealing the same in tribute to Shogun from his PRIDE Fighting Championships days. So I think I'm entitled to claiming objectivity on this one.

Mauricio Rua appeared to win the first salvo of an epic and looming war.

Barring (Fight Gods forbid) a serious injury to either gladiator, MMA fans could be watching the next classic rivalry in its earliest stages. The two elite Brazilian competitors might be lining themselves up with Royce Gracie vs. Ken Shamrock, the Gracie Family vs. Kazushi Sakuraba, Fedor Emelianenko vs. Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira, Quinton Jackson vs. Wanderlei Silva, Randy Couture vs. Chuck Liddell, Matt Hughes vs. Georges St-Pierre, and any other clashes for the ages I've forgotten.

That fact alone prevents me from getting too bent out of shape over the so-called injustice.

For me, the most telling sign was the apparent surprise and relief on Lyoto Machida's face when his hand was raised. That didn't look like a man who thought he'd successfully defended his title. If the fighter himself doesn't think he won a toss-up, I find it pretty condemning.

Airtight, huh?

In all honesty, you can't tell me anyone else has more persuasive evidence to support this vehement conviction that the younger Brazilian fighter got robbed. Which is further reason to tone down all the rhetoric surrounding the "controversy."

As for the Cumulative Kick Argument?that Rua landed a battering barrage of strikes to Machida's lower body and, to a lesser degree, torso?there is no disputing it. Anyone watching the battle saw Shogun sniping away with powerful, accurate strikes to the Dragon's lower body.

Less frequently, one would slap into Machida's ribs.

Furthermore, although Bleacher Report scribe Darren Wong got it right when he called out Joe Rogan and Mike Goldberg for being absurdly pro-Shogun in their commentary, the duo nailed some observations. For one, the pair appropriately pointed to an absence of the Dragon's signature footwork as proof the lower body work done by Rua was taking its toll.

The karate-based champ certainly didn't show the same light and volatile movement that served him so well on previous occasions.

So the kicks were having the desired effect, but is that really enough reason for a championship title to change hands?

Again, I'm not disputing the blows were landing nor that they were powerful. Machida was clearly showing their ill-effects as the fight wore on. Nonetheless, Rua never turned that advantage into anything other than more of the same. He never seemed to have Lyoto seriously wobbled or in extreme danger?you could argue Shogun never put his adversary in real danger, period.

It seemed like the Dragon was losing the fight, but it never seemed like Lyoto Machida was about to lose the fight. This wasn't Mirko Filipovic rocking Hidehiko Yoshida, eventually registering a technical knockout via leg kicks.

Mauricio Rua, though effective, wasn't even approaching that kind of devastation.

As I understand it, the officials rate the two participants on a variety of things with no explicit system of awarding points?just some ethereal combination of relevant ingredients like aggression, submission attempts, strikes landed, damage done, and so on left to the individual's discretion.

In other words, simply arguing that Shogun landed more strikes with more power while being the aggressor doesn't necessarily equal a decisive victory. Even if that very recipe worked on previous occasion because each fight is unique?warriors come in different sizes with different capacities for punishment and absorption of the same.

Pain is not uniform.

The rules dictating the winner (should it be left to the judges) seem to reflect this tenet, for better or worse.

One last time?I do think Mauricio Rua won the fight, but I can see why he lost.

I can appreciate the logic in demanding more from a challenger than a safe gameplan executed perfectly that put the champion in no immediate danger, but wore him down considerably.

As dumb as that looks in print, it makes sense in the arena.

If you want your championship bouts to be the most heated affairs, you want at least one antagonist hell-bent for leather when he steps into the cage. You don't want both sides tentative so the reasonable solution is to put an obvious onus on one or the other.

We can all agree, it's been placed on the challenger.

That's not entirely fair because it gives a significant advantage to the title-holder.

It allows the king of the hill to adopt a suffocatingly defensive posture and take few risks without genuine threat of defeat via decision. Of course, those are not the virtues of a true champion?chances are a fighter open to such a strategy would never ascend the weight class mountain in the first place. If he did, his stay atop the heap wouldn't be long.

Therefore, the inequity makes good sense for the sport?reward the incumbent while inspiring action and drama.

In a perfectly equitable world, Rua would be the light heavyweight champion today because he seemed to score more points under the traditional interpretation of a subjective scoring system.

In reality, it seems the judges rewarded Machida for entering as the champion, calmly surviving, and doing so without ever flirting with unconsciousness. Oh well.

Life is unfair and, ultimately, that might be exactly the arrangement we want.

*

**www.pva.org** ]]> MMA Reporter http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/118256-the-beauty-of-subjectivity-machida-still-the-champ-even-if-shogun-really-won.html <![CDATA[The Inside Look at Anthony Johnson's Missed Weight Attempt]]> http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/118250-the-inside-look-at-anthony-johnsons-missed-weight-attempt.html Mon, 26 Oct 2009 16:40:08 GMT Anthony Johnson's dynamic UFC 104 victory over Yoshiyuki Yoshida cemented what many insiders and hardcore fans of mixed martial arts already knew: Johnson is a fast-rising star in the UFC's welterweight division.

The charismatic knockout artist has a knack for finishing his opponents in electric fashion, a trait that will serve him well in the entertainer-friendly confines of the UFC.

I met with Johnson at the Wilshire Grand just hours before he would step in the cage with Yoshida. He looked markedly improved from the day before, and was fully recuperated from a grueling weight cut that left him nearly unable to walk without assistance.

He stepped into the cage that night and utterly destroyed the overmatched Yoshida in under one minute.

But Johnson's victory wasn't without cost. An injury suffered while preparing for a bout with Matt Brown hampered Johnson's ability to train correctly, and he swelled up to 220 pounds, nearly 50 pounds over the welterweight limit. Many large light heavyweights cut from the same weight.

Johnson soldiered on. While preparing for the Yoshida bout, Johnson's agent referred him to a personal trainer friend. The trainer suggested that Johnson try a new method of weight cutting, one that relied less on shedding water weight. Johnson stopped eating in the week leading up to the bout and increased his water intake.

The new method didn't work.*

"I was 192 on Monday, and I should have been less than 185 on Wednesday. That's where I usually am, and that's an easy cut," Johnson told me on Saturday morning. "The trainer told me to drink a lot of water and to not eat very much, and that's what I did.

"On Thursday, I did a three-hour workout and dropped from 198 to 183. But then I drank all the water he wanted me to drink for the day, and I went back up to 198."

With Johnson 27 pounds over the welterweight limit on the day before he was scheduled to weigh-in, the cutting efforts went into overtime. Johnson stepped into the sauna on Friday morning in an attempt to shed water weight the traditional way.

He spent an hour in the sauna and lost four pounds, giving him confidence that he'd be able to make the limit. But when he stepped out of the sauna for a break, the worst happened: he stopped sweating.

"I got out of the sauna, and I think I was out too long because my sweating stopped," said Johnson. "When I got back in the sauna I couldn't get anything else off. That's what broke me."

Johnson's energy reserves were depleted, and he knew that with hours to go and many pounds left to lose, there would be no way for him to make weight.

His camp contacted the California State Athletic Commission and Yoshida's camp, and a deal was struck: Johnson could miss the weight limit, but the fight would go on.

In exchange for staying in the fight, however, Yoshida would receive 10 percent of Johnson's contracted purse. Another 10 percent would go to the CSAC.

Johnson weighed in at 176lbs, five pounds over the limit. It was a dramatic miss for a fighter who hadn't missed weight in over two years and someone considered to be a rising star in the welterweight division.

Johnson did just that on Saturday night against Yoshida. But the missed weight didn't just embarrass Johnson...it also cost him the Knockout of the Night, an extra $60,000 bonus that would have been added to his purse.

That kind of money is crucial for a fighter like Johnson, a prospect on the rise who hasn't quite gotten to the point where he's making plenty of money.

A move to the middleweight division would seem to be the logical next step. Johnson is a huge man. Standing next to him, it's impossible to believe that he ever gets down to 170 pounds. Johnson isn't prepared for the move, however. "I will eventually move to middleweight, but right now I like 170," said Johnson.*

Johnson is adamant that the events of last weekend won't happen again.

"I just don't take pride in what happened yesterday. Even if I win, I don't know what kind of emotions I'll have," says Johnson with a shrug. "I've gone through a lot of emotions already. I've got a lot of stuff built up on the inside and hopefully I can let it all out in the cage." ]]> MMA Reporter http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/118250-the-inside-look-at-anthony-johnsons-missed-weight-attempt.html an Open Letter to Mr. Dana White Re: the Lyoto Machida/Shogun Rua Situation http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/118132-an-open-letter-to-mr-dana-white-re-the-lyoto-machida-shogun-rua-situation.html Sun, 25 Oct 2009 09:54:29 GMT Mr. Dana White, greetings from Los Angeles, from a fan and a loyal member of the UFC fan base. First and foremost, I want to extend my... Mr. Dana White, greetings from Los Angeles, from a fan and a loyal member of the UFC fan base. First and foremost, I want to extend my congratulations on the selection of Venues for UFC 104. The Staples Center is a Magnificent facility; a breath of fresh air compared to some of the venues in the east. The VIP treatment was absolutely top notch, and the suite which we occupied was 100% first class. I was delighted with the menu and our beverage girl was the life of the party. I was very happy to share this experience with family, friends and business associates. That is until we got to the actual fight aspect of the evening.

I cannot begin to tell you how troubled I am with the Anthony "Rumble" Johnson weight situation. 6 pounds over? I mean come on, this is the 2nd time he misses weight as a welter. I am at least pleased to know that he did not receive the KO bonus of the night, but in addition, there needs to be further penalty. I suggest a suspension from 170 until he demonstrates that he can make the weight. I'd like to see him weigh in on 2 separate occasions at scratch weight before he's allowed back to 170. And I mean for non fights. Have him come in on a scheduled date and prove that he can make that weight. That will go a long way to preserving your fan base. Believe me Dana, I heard a lot of upset people grumbling over the weight issue. I hope you make a decision here and implement further sanctions on Mr. Johnson.

On to more pressing matters, the Light Heavyweight Championship. Mr. White, that was insulting. To me, Mauricio "Shogun" Rua is the uncrowned champion. I had a dozen people in my luxury suite, several of whom wagered on the fights and some enjoying their first exposure to MMA. At the conclusion of the main event, we were unanimous in agreement that a new champion had been crowned. All that was missing was for the score cards to come in and for Joe Rogan to declare: "welcome to the Shogun era." As you know, that never happened. There was outrage in Staples Center. Hard working people lost money and spent money on a product that promised to deliver. Instead they were duped. I advertised the event as the purest form of man to test himself against another. Instead, a farce was delivered.

Tonight I am ashamed of what I witnessed earlier and that I am a part of supporting it. I have had several hours to digest the events of earlier, and it is with a clear mind and without prejudice that I tell you that you are going to lose fans. This cannot remain unaddressed, or people will walk away. As it is, every last person I met, left disappointed and regretting that they paid for that abortion of a decision. It is a travesty that Mauricio "Shogun" Rua is forced to leave empty handed and with a defeat on his record. This must be made correct Mr. White. I can only hope there will be a locker room bonus for Rua.

The fight in of itself was not especially exciting, and that's because Lyoto Machida ran from most of the Rua advancements. The fight went 25 minutes. The rematch promises to be extremely tactical, (to put it in kind words) and in general is probably a fight that the public will not want to pay for again. So what does one do?

The solution is as follows. There needs to be an immediate rematch. The said rematch needs to be aired for free. You did this with Tito/Ken III, citing that the fans didn't get their money's worth and thus you gave it away in order to make things right. Well, we're back in the same predicament again. Put the fight on Spike, give the fans a gift, and let's try to get this thing right once and for all. Anything less than accountability and a solution to address the problem will lead to large scale fan back lash to the tune of not supporting the UFC financially. Please do the right thing.

If there is anything further that you wish to inquire or otherwise consult with me on, don't hesitate to contact me via email. aoliverbush@yahoo.com.

Mr. White, with all due graciousness and respect,


Adolf Oliverbush ]]> Adolf Oliverbush http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/118132-an-open-letter-to-mr-dana-white-re-the-lyoto-machida-shogun-rua-situation.html UFC 104 Results: spoiler alert http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/118131-ufc-104-results-spoiler-alert.html Sun, 25 Oct 2009 08:20:18 GMT If you were a fan of kicks, the main event of UFC 104 was for you as Lyoto Machida defeated Mauricio 'Shogun' Rua in a controversial unanimous decision win to retain the UFC Light Heavyweight title Saturday night in Los Angeles, CA.

The lackluster fight saw Rua push the action from the center of the cage and keep Machida off his game with plenty of leg kicks, making it hard to understand exactly how Machida won the fight. Even with a few flurries of punches sprinkled throughout, it just wasn't Machida's night but somehow the judges saw it fit to all score the fight 48-47 for "The Dragon".

The crowd heavily booed Machida in his post-fight interview, which was a stark contrast from when he defeated Rashad Evans for the title earlier this year and became an instant fan favorite. This felt like more of the decision-seeking Machida rather than the aggressive guy we saw in his last two fights.

Both Mike Goldberg and Joe Rogan were pushing hard for the idea of a rematch. Based on what we saw here, that doesn't excite me in the least. This division is severely lacking star power and Machida was the closest thing to a new star coming into tonight.

I also thought the sentiment that you have to go above and beyond to defeat a champ and that a decision going his way should be expected is bullsh*t. A win is a win and Machida didn't win this fight tonight.

In other action:

Cain Velasquez def. Ben Rothwell via 2nd round TKO (:48)

Velasquez (7-0) looked dominant over Rothwell, who was in his first action in almost a year. The finish was controversial as ref Steve Mazzagatti stopped the fight in the 2nd round as Velasquez connected with six straight punches as Rothwell was getting up.

Velasquez had no issue taking down Rothwell (30-7) and simply pounded him from every position. No one seemed to doubt Velasquez earned the win, but were critical of how the fight got stopped. I can see both sides of the argument.

Joe Stevenson def. Spencer Fisher via 2nd round TKO*

It's no coincidence that Stevenson has looked great in two straight fights since going to Greg Jackson's camp. The end came when Stevenson had Fisher grounded and laid in repeated elbows/forearms for the win. After a run where he looked like it might be gatekeeper status for 'Daddy,' he's arguably one big win away from inserting himself into the title picture again.

Gleison Tibau def. Josh Neer via unanimous decision

This one didn't do anything for me. Tibau did enough to win, but didn't set the place ablaze in doing so.


Anthony Johnson def. Yoshiyuki Yoshida via 1st round TKO (:41)

Dominant, but he had a huge weight advantage going in and simply unloaded on Yoshida to elevate himself to 8-2. It seems to be a consensus opinion that Johnson will be fighting at 185 from here on out as the weight cut down to welterweight is just too much. When Yoshida gets knocked out, he gets knocked out. This just wasn't competitive at all.

Josh Nason has published MMA, wrestling and boxing blog Ropes, Ring and Cage.com since 2007. He is a contributor to Fight Magazine, Bleacher Report and appears regularly on Fight Network Radio. Follow him on Twitter. ]]> MMA Reporter http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/118131-ufc-104-results-spoiler-alert.html spoiler alert spoiler alert!!!! http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/118107-spoiler-alert-spoiler-alert.html Sun, 25 Oct 2009 04:47:25 GMT I have no idea how to just make this post go away. Didn't want to spoil anything for anyone and this darn thing posts your first sentence. ]]> quinn14 http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/118107-spoiler-alert-spoiler-alert.html <![CDATA[Hey Claudale: Re Vegas trip to thecobra's]]> http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/118064-hey-claudale-re-vegas-trip-to-thecobras.html Sat, 24 Oct 2009 18:07:24 GMT Have a safe trip buddy. I know I give you a lot of crap on here but the truth is you're OK with me. I don't hold your silly views against you, nor how you routinely trip over your own statements in an effort to make sense of them. You do your best and that's all we can ask of you.

As previously stated, I wont be able to make the Vegas meeting due to the UFC being in Los Angeles. I'll be back on line after the fights and hopefully we can discuss what we each thought of them. Have a few cold ones for me and Win. ]]> Adolf Oliverbush http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/118064-hey-claudale-re-vegas-trip-to-thecobras.html US World Team Trials - Grappling http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/118038-us-world-team-trials-grappling.html Sat, 24 Oct 2009 03:24:59 GMT Below is the link for the finals. There are many other links as well. Please note the best matchup between 2008 world champ Jacob Volkmann vs... Below is the link for the finals. There are many other links as well.

Please note the best matchup between 2008 world champ Jacob Volkmann vs 2008 Olympian Ben Askren at the 27 minute mark. I would kill to see Johny Hendricks take on the winner.

other noteable matches were between Shana Bazler vs Sara McMann, Sara McMann vs Meisha Tate, and Meisha Tate vs Shana Bazler. They all one one match a piece.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DynKy...eature=channel ]]> leglace http://www.thewrestlingtalk.com/mma-ufc-and-boxing/118038-us-world-team-trials-grappling.html