Jesse Ronson guns for UFC contract following weekend win over Ryan Healy

Sore hands and feet are Jesse Ronson's only career roadblocks at this moment.

Ronson believes a recent victory over fellow lightweight Ryan Healy proves he's capable of joining his well-known teammates in the UFC.

"I would like for this fight to put me on the next level, but we'll see how it goes," he told MMAjunkie.com.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mmajunkie/~3/e7ttzLC21DI/jesse-ronson-guns-for-ufc-contract-following-weekend-win-over-ryan-healy.mma

Mauro Galvao Arman Gambaryan Manvel Gamburyan Sean Gannon

Skins and Cowboys...will RG3 walk on water?

I'm a Giants fan but live here in Redskins land and find myself pulling for The Redskins. How can you not? They sucked for so long and now they have RG3. This game should be good.

Source: http://forums.ufc.production.sparkart.net/showthread.php?t=132860&goto=newpost

Kultar Gill Allan Goes Takanori The Fireball Kid Gomi Akihiro Gono

Garcia Article

Garcia determined to end losing streak at UFC 155


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Leonard Garcia has lost his last three UFC bouts.
Andrew Richardson/Icon SMILAS VEGAS -- Roughly 48 hours before his make-or-break-fight, UFC featherweight Leonard Garcia is standing at the bureau of drawers in his MGM Grand hotel room, unpacking the spoils of his hours-earlier shopping trip.

"These are for my daughter," he says, unfolding a pair of size-2T True Religion jeans that look just like daddy's.

"Before the Nam fight, I bought her a pair," Garcia says as he points to a photo from his controversial win over Nam Phan on The Ultimate Fighter 12 card that happens to be laying on top of the dresser. "So today, I bought two," he says, unfurling a second pair for baby Behautti.

Garcia, a devout Christian, isn't exactly superstitious, but forgive him for doubling up on his purchases as he tries to double down on his luck ahead of Saturday's UFC 155 bout against Max Holloway. He hasn't won a fight since that December, 2010, Phan bout and has lost three consecutive bouts since, including a three-round rematch with Phan. Garcia knows his UFC career hangs by a thread not much thicker than the trademark topstitching on baby Behautti's newest duds. He also knows that saving his career isn't a matter of buying jeans but beating the pants off Holloway.

As if fighting to preserve his career wasn't challenging enough, Garcia spent most of his camp preparing to face Cody McKenzie, who pulled out with an undisclosed injury a little more than a week before Saturday's matchup. (Garcia says he doubts McKenzie's injury and loads online video posted nearly a month ago showing McKenzie jumping off a tree and into a body of water, love handles and all, seemingly out of shape). The UFC didn't simply replace Garcia's opponent, it upgraded it, sending rising star Holloway to the octagon instead. Holloway, 21 and currently the youngest fighter in the UFC, is as hot as Garcia has been cold, coming off two straight victories against Pat Schilling and Justin Lawrence.

"It's never-wracking," Garcia says of the short-notice swap. "You've geared for one guy, one style. You've eaten, slept and drank this guy's name for almost eight weeks and then all of a sudden it's not that guy. Then you catch yourself doing things that you were doing training for him even though you're now training for someone else." For several days, Garcia didn't know whom he'd be fighting.

"I truly believe [Holloway] is way more dangerous," he says. "Stylistically, for me, it's a better match up. We both have a really aggressive style standing up and that always makes for great fights for me. I know some people don't really enjoy the fact that they're probably going to get beat up a little bit, but I feed off the fact that we might be going to the hospital together after the fight."

"Situations like this," he says of his critical matchup, "bring out the best in me. Anytime my back's against the wall, I always do my best."

That Garcia would thrive with his back against the wall should come as no surprise. He was practically born -- and even almost died -- in back-against-the wall situations.

Take, for example, his birth. Not long after the 33-year-old entered the world, the Plainview, Tex. native's back wasn't literally against a wall, but up in the air so that doctors could administer steroid injections into his lungs. For the first six months of his life, his grandmother, Elena Garcia, would hold the future fighter with his back exposed so that doctors could stick him with the drugs aimed at strengthening his lungs that were ravaged by a rare childhood illness. He suffered fevers so severe that when the infant Garcia vomited, the discharge would blister his mother's skin.

Or look at the instance right after his high school graduation, when Garcia, planning to walk-on to the Texas Tech football team, came across a recently released, drugged-up, felon at a Taco Cabana restaurant not far from his home. When the man kept picking at Garcia's plate of nachos, Garcia fought back, not knowing the man had a knife. The scars from the eight knife wounds remain visible, including those on his back, where the knife tip punctured both of his lungs, causing them to collapse. But because of those childhood steroid injections, Garcia's lung tissue was thicker than the average person's, allowing him baby breaths that enabled him to live.

"Had it not been for that sickness when I was a child, I would have been dead," he says.

That Garcia's life-threatening illness as a child would, in turn, prove to be life-saving as an adult tracks with the fighter's history of flipping the harrowing into the transformative, sifting the good out of the awful. When a drunk driver killed his sister, Angelica, in a 1997 car accident, Garcia limited his own drinking. When he couldn't recover from his knife wounds quickly enough to try out for the Red Raiders football team, he gave up what he thought was his dream and found his calling -- and a dojo -- where he first discovered his fighting abilities.

He turned pro in 1999 with a win over Chris Cantrell in the United States Shoot Wrestling Federation. He collected eight wins in the Ring of Fire and World Extreme Cagefighting circuits with his unrestrained, strike-first, strategize-later approach. He received a bid to UFC 69 where his fight against Roger Huerta, a unanimous decision loss for Garcia, earned him the admiration of the UFC and his picture of his back against the cage -- of course -- landed on the cover of Sports Illustrated. The fight is a classic. He later returned to the WEC and notched wins against the likes of the well-regarded Jens Pulver. His Nam victory marked his UFC return. But in March 2011, Garcia lost in a split decision to Korean Chan Sung Jung in the 2011 Fight of the Year. The Sung Jung decision, though dubbed by UFC commentator Joe Rogan as the fight of the decade, started Garcia's losing streak.

It also exposed what might have been Garcia's biggest flaw as a fighter: his ego.

"My whole thing was, I knew I could go out there and push anybody to the limit," he says. "I just trained to do that. I've seen the frustration in my coaches whenever I would fight. I would see it because they knew how much more I could do. Whenever I would see them frustrated, I would wonder why. But after a while I realized I was overlooking all of their instruction and just going out there and being crazy, trying to put on a show. But when I would sit at home and watch my fights I'd be like, whoa, what was I doing there. Why did I do that? It took a lot of listening to get me back. I know that this fight, I'm going to come out and show my coaches that all their hard work is going to pay off."

Losing, he says, has helped change his attitude and his approach. Garcia moved away from training much with his best friend, lightweight Donald "Cowboy" Cerrone, with whom he shares a ranch in Edgewood, New Mex. "Last year, [Cerrone] made me worse. He's such an exceptional athlete, that if he sees something, he gets it. He only has to see if once. I have to see it 100 times. My pride would make me say, 'I've got it too.' I swallowed my pride and I realized I had to get in the gym. Being in the gym, back to repping."

Garcia says he's spent more time one-on-one time with coach Greg Jackson this camp than he has in his five-year tenure at the Jackson-Winkeljohn's Mixed Martial Arts center in Albuquerque. He's humbled himself not only to accept but embrace his vulnerabilities as a fighter. "What we learned through the process is that I'm not a technical guy. I'm more of the aggressive type. I don't ease my way into anything. I don't feel anything out. I just kinda go in and if it bites me I try to bite it back. That being said, we do do a lot of technical things but we do them to match my style, too."

Says Jackson-Winkeljohn coach Mike Valle. "He's got to be aggressive and cool at the same time. We're asking him to be cool, calm and collected. That's what we're asking, that's what Greg's asking."

Garcia believes he can be aggressive stylistically without becoming aggressive emotionally -- a factor in his recent defeats. The fighter traces this emotional centering not so much on losing his fights but finding his purpose.

Last November, Garcia accepted the invitation of a Plainview pastor to speak to the church's youth group. Standing before the kids, he felt their eyes upon him as he told them that the hardest thing to do is walk away from friends that become liabilities -- a lesson he'd learned the hard way. They all looked at him -- some wearing, others clutching, the Tap Out T-shirts he'd brought them. "I had never felt more accomplished until that day when all those kids were listening to me," he says. It was in that moment, during that speech, he realized his true power wasn't necessarily in beating down opponents but building up his fans. "It was a really good feeling and I know that it was God. ... I left there and wanted that feeling all the time."

From what Garcia remembers, it just might feel a lot like winning.



Read More: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/mma...#ixzz2GT221Vha

Source: http://ninjashoes.net/forum/showthread.php?79789-Garcia-Article&goto=newpost

Efrain Escudero Rashad Evans Urijah Faber Wagnney Fabiano

Dana White plans to attend Strikeforce show, disappointed with turn of events

Dana White never has been one to mince words.

In recent months, when it comes to Strikeforce, the Zuffa president has forced himself to be mum on the topic of the UFC's sibling promotion. "I don't have anything to do with them" was a common response when reporters wanted to get his take on Strikeforce.

White recently, though, admitted he's disappointed with how things have turned out for the promotion.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mmajunkie/~3/YAMogZRYgEI/dana-white-plans-to-attend-strikeforce-show-disappointed-with-turn-of-events.mma

Justin Eilers Jon Olav Einemo Per Eklund Jason Ellis

MMAF End of the Year Awards: Nicest Member

Read Before Voting

Dudeabides
Gabba Gabba Hey


Andrus
Bantamweight


M.C
-DISTURBED-


K R Y

Source: http://www.mmaforum.com/mma-forum-feedback/108169-mmaf-end-year-awards-nicest-member.html

Tank Abbott John Jones Chael Sonnen Hiroyuki Abe

Junior dos Santos Ready for Cain Velasquez’s Takedown Attempts at UFC 155

The first time UFC heavyweight Cain Velasquez locked horns with Junior dos Santos it seemed a given the NCAA wrestling stand-out would try to put the Brazilian striker on his backside as soon as possible. However, Velasquez never got much of a chance to execute any sort of gameplan, eating a perfectly-placed, powerful shot a minute into the match-up ultimately resulting in a strike-based stoppage.

With a rematch scheduled for this weekend at UFC 155, Dos Santos has prepared himself for the likelihood of things lasting a bit longer, as well as the threat of Velasquez’s takedowns given the additional time to work with…

“I expect the best of Cain Velasquez. That’s what I want for my career – to fight against the best. I am sure Cain will come hungrier to fight this time. He is going to want to make the fight last longer. I am sure it will be a great fight.”

“Velasquez went in with a very good strategy (against Antonio Silva), using what he does best, his wrestling and his ground and pound. He was very successful with that strategy and I think he will try something similar against me but I won’t allow that. I want to keep this fight standing and look for another knockout.”

Check out the complete interview with Dos Santos below:

SOURCE: UFC
PHOTO CREDIT: UFC

The post Junior dos Santos Ready for Cain Velasquez’s Takedown Attempts at UFC 155 appeared first on Fighters.com.

Source: http://www.fighters.com/12/25/junior-dos-santos-ready-for-cain-velasquezs-takedown-attempts?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=junior-dos-santos-ready-for-cain-velasquezs-takedown-attempts

Mark Epstein Tom Big Cat Erickson Martinsh Egle Eric Butterbean Esch

Quebec commission declines to hear Alessio Sakara's UFC 154 appeal request

Patrick Cote's controversial UFC 154 disqualification victory over Alessio Sakara will stand.

On Friday, Quebec's La Regie des alcools des courses et des jeux (the baord that governs combat sports in the province) declined to hear Sakara's protest that referee Dan Miragliotta mishandled the bout, which took place Nov. 17 at Montreal's Bell Centre.

French-language outlet LaPress.ca was the first to report the board's decision.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mmajunkie/~3/-KmHRagkJ2g/quebec-commission-declines-to-hear-alessio-sakaras-ufc-154-appeal-request.mma

Edgar Garcia Leonard Garcia Andrew Gardner Tiki Ghosn

Even when I’m not working I’m shooting pics! Here’s @mchammer tonight @rivieralasvegas

From My Inst@gram:

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TracyLee/~3/4suhloRuSfI/even-when-im-not-working-im-shooting-pics-heres-mchammer-tonight-rivieralasvegas.html

Ian Freeman Don Frye Tony Fryklund Kazuyuki Fujita

Breaking Down UFC 155 – Junior dos Santos vs. Cain Velasquez 2

Typically in a rematch we have much more information to go on then we did prior to the fight, but  in the case of Junior dos Santos and Cain Velasquez 2 at UFC 155, there is a possibility we have even less information. The fight lasted only 64 seconds, and at the end dos Santos had his hand raised while Velasquez was being peeled off the Octagon floor. What we know now is that it is highly likely that both fighters had nagging knee injuries going into the bout, and both have implied that they felt the need to go through with the fight because of the nature of the card. This fight would go on to be the most watched UFC match in the promotions history and FOX television had been promoting it for months.

The power of Dos Santos is something people are only beginning to understand. If you will indulge me, I was cageside for Dos Santos’ UFC debut against Fabricio Werdum at UFC 90. I was astonished at the power and the noise it made when the upper cut landed that folded Werdum in just over 90 seconds into the fight. The speed was something I would come to appreciate later when i saw the replay, but it sounded like a car door had slammed shut from my seat. In person, I have only seen one other punch land like that, and that was when Fedor Emelianenko knocked out Brett Rogers.

Velasquez’s name was the first name  out of almost everyone’s mouth when you asked them if there was any up-and-comers we should keep an eye on in California. So far he has lived up to the accolades in spades. Velasquez has a very quick first step that he can cover a lot of ground with, and while its not as pure looking as a regular wrestling take down, he can use his strength to quickly adjust and pull most of his opponents to the floor. Some of his past opponents, like Antonio Silva, thought ‘I am going to end up on the ground anyway so I should sharpen my jiu jitsu.’ This is a bad idea for anyone in the division as Cain has one of the most controlling top games in the sport. The best part about it, especially in the Silva fight, it doesn’t even look like he is doing much. He almost made it look effortless in the closing seconds of the fight.

Dos Santos isn’t going to make that mistake in this fight, while the Nogueira brown belt is far from a stranger to submission fighting, he will do all he can to keep this fight standing. Dos Santos boasts a take down defense percentage of 88% in UFC run so far, and while getting him down is one thing, keeping him there will be another story. While some fighters use their take-downs to set up their punches, like Velasquez for instance, dos Santos uses his take down defense to set up strikes.

When watching clips of Dos Santos training and fighting, it is easy to see the amount of time he spends on footwork and foot placement when he throws his punches. His technique is one of the reasons they contain so much force. Dos Santos’ ability to not only defend the take down, but force scrambles while he is doing it will be the key when Cain commits to take downs. I expect Cain to survive longer than 64 seconds, he definitely learned a bunch in the only minute they fought, but fans should expect dos Santos to be champion on Sunday morning.

The post Breaking Down UFC 155 – Junior dos Santos vs. Cain Velasquez 2 appeared first on Fighters.com.

Source: http://www.fighters.com/12/29/breaking-down-ufc-155-junior-dos-santos-vs-can-velasquez-2?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=breaking-down-ufc-155-junior-dos-santos-vs-can-velasquez-2

Tom Big Cat Erickson Martinsh Egle Eric Butterbean Esch Efrain Escudero

Melvin Guillard survives Jamie Varner slam but loses UFC 155 bout

Melvin Guillard and Jamie Varner staked a late claim to the UFC 155 Fight of the Night bonus with a bout that ended in a split decision. Varner won it on the judges' cards, 30-27, 27-30, 29-28.

Varner gained an edge early in the bout by tagging Guillard in the first round. Guillard showed good kicks, but couldn't escape Varner's takedowns for much of the bout. But the most frightening moment of the bout came late in the third round.

[Complete UFC 155 recap: Cain Velasquez mauls Junior dos Santos]

The two were scrambling on the ground for position when Guillard took Varner's back. Varner stood up, and with Guillard's head pointed to the ground, Varner slammed his opponent to the ground. Amazingly, Guillard was not knocked out or injured from the move. The fight ended seconds after, and the two embraced.

“This was a very emotional fight for both of us," Varner said after the bout. "After what happened a few weeks ago at the "TUF Finale" event, we were both ready to compete. I knew we would eventually get in the Octagon and squash our beef and I definitely feel that we did. I’m happy about my performance, I feel that I was able to dominate the fight wherever we ended up and I’m glad I got the win.”

Varner and Guillard were originally scheduled to fight during "The Ultimate Fighter" finale on Dec. 15, but illness kept Varner from the cage. Guillard was understandably upset about the delay, leading to trash talk.

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Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/melvin-guillard-survives-jamie-varner-slam-loses-ufc-033457753--mma.html

Antoni Hardonk Dan Hardy Lee Hasdell Musse Hasselvall

Jim Miller gets bloody UFC 155 win over Joe Lauzon

UFC 155 was headed towards becoming one of the least memorable UFC pay-per-view cards in recent history until Joe Lauzon and Jim Miller stepped in the cage. The lightweights delivered a late Fight of the Year candidate as Miller won 29-28 on all three judges' cards.

Miller opened up the fight with a bevy of punches, and opened a cut on Lauzon's face early. Lauzon's wooziness allowed Miller to lock a standing arm triangle. Lauzon was able to slip out of the choke, but when he emerged, his face was covered in blood.

[Complete UFC 155 recap: Cain Velasquez mauls Junior dos Santos]

Though Miller managed better attacks and wasn't bleeding as badly as Lauzon, he still found himself in trouble late in the third round. Lauzon dove onto Miller's legs, and attempted a leg lock submission. If there wasn't so much blood covering their bodies and the canvas, Lauzon might have pulled out the win.

Lauzon told Yahoo! Sports after the fight that he required 40 stitches for the cuts sustained during the fight.

Miller was impressed by Lauzon's toughness.

“Joe Lauzon is a tough kid. I knew I was going to have to bring my best effort to put him away and I was never able to," Miller said after the fight. "That’s how good he is on the ground. And even in the last minute, look what he was trying to do to win the fight."

Other popular content on the Yahoo! network:
• Y! TV: Former child stars back in the spotlight
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• Mike Dunleavy: Coaching Nets would be ‘a dream come true’
• Huge flub on Brandon McCarthy’s driver’s license

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/jim-miller-gets-bloody-ufc-155-win-over-053034815--mma.html

Cyril Abidi Daniel Acacio Bernard Ackah Terrance Aflague

UFC 155 Weigh In Results (VIDEO)

The UFC closes its  year out with a bang in Las Vegas tomorrow night, and to make the fights official the fighters will take the scales today at 7:00PM EST/ 4:00PM PST. You can watch the video right here, and of course we will be updating the results right here. 

Courtesy of the UFC:

UFC 155 Live Weigh-in Results
Main Card
Junior dos Santos ( .lbs) vs. Cain Velasquez ( .lbs)
Jim Miller (156 .lbs) vs. Joe Lauzon (156 .lbs)
Tim Boetsch (186 .lbs) vs. Constantinos Philippou (186 .lbs)
Yushin Okami (184 .lbs) vs. Alan Belcher (186 .lbs)
Chris Leben (185 .lbs) vs. Derek Brunson (185 .lbs)

Prelim Card (FX)
Brad Pickett (136 .lbs) vs. Eddie Wineland (135 .lbs)
Byron Bloodworth (136 .lbs) vs. Erik Perez (136 .lbs)
Melvin Guillard (155 .lbs) vs. Jamie Varner (155 .lbs)
Myles Jury (155 .lbs) vs. Michael Johnson (154 .lbs)
Todd Duffee (249 .lbs) vs. Philip De Fries (245 .lbs)

Prelim Card (Facebook)
Leonard Garcia (146 .lbs) vs. Max Holloway (145 .lbs)
Chris Cariaso (125 .lbs) vs. John Moraga (126 .lbs)

 

Photo Credit: UFC

The post UFC 155 Weigh In Results (VIDEO) appeared first on Fighters.com.

Source: http://www.fighters.com/12/28/ufc-155-weigh-ins?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=ufc-155-weigh-ins

Junie Browning Paul Buentello Josh Burkman Mikey Burnett

504 Gateway Time-out The server didn't respond in time.

504 Gateway Time-out

The server didn't respond in time. :mad:

Source: http://forums.ufc.production.sparkart.net/showthread.php?t=132807&goto=newpost

Karen Darabedyan Viacheslav Datsik Marcus Davis Tony DeSouza

Alan Belcher - A Long Way from 2006

Alan Belcher used to look at fighting a lot differently back around the time of his UFC debut in 2006.

“It’s like doing a bungee jump,” said Belcher in December of that year. “Because you have to get yourself ready and there’s no turning back.”  

Six years later, he is reminded of the comment and asked if he feels the same way.

“Not really,” he laughs. “I think over the years, it’s a lot more relaxed than that. Now, it’s kind of the opposite. I feel some nerves about a week or two out, but when I get out to Las Vegas and it winds down to the last couple days, I’ve done it enough times that it’s a familiar feeling and I don’t get as nervous. It’s not something you’ve got to make yourself do, that’s for sure, but it is something that if you’re not mentally prepared for it, it will definitely beat you down and you’ll pay for it.”

It’s an apt comparison to make, especially with Belcher now firmly entrenched among the best middleweights in the UFC and about to rematch the first man he faced in the Octagon, Yushin Okami, this weekend at UFC 155 in Las Vegas.

Back then, Belcher was a raw talent (pardon the pun) making a name for himself on the local circuit before getting a call on two weeks’ notice to face the Japanese contender at UFC 62 in August of 2006. Okami was making his UFC debut as well that night, but with fights against Anderson Silva, Jake Shields, Brian Foster, and Nick Thompson already under his belt, he was a heavy favorite against the upstart native of Jonesboro, Arkansas.

“Getting into the UFC at that time, just a few years before that I didn’t think it was even possible to do anything great with my life,” said Belcher. “I wanted to, but I came from a real small town, and being on TV or doing anything big was a really big deal. So at that time, when I got that call, it would pretty much be the equivalent of fighting Anderson Silva for the title on last minute notice. That’s the only thing I can really compare it to.”

Belcher lost a three round unanimous decision to Okami that night in a fight best remembered for the front flip he pulled off in an attempt to shake his opponent from his back. But following the bout, Belcher shook off some erratic early showings to become a well-rounded and legit threat at 185 pounds. In fact, if you take away his controversial split decision loss to Yoshihiro Akiyama in 2009, Belcher could be unbeaten in his last seven bouts. Add in two Fight of the Night and two Submission of the Night awards and a current four bout winning streak, and you could easily surmise that the early loss to Okami was a mere hiccup on Belcher’s road to the top. But when presented with the bout, he believed the positives outweighed the negatives.

“At this point in my career, there are not a lot of guys that I could ever rematch that would still be relevant in the rankings,” said Belcher, whose other losses on his 9-4 Octagon slate have come against Akiyama, Kendall Grove, and Jason Day. “So even though Okami is not ranked top contender or anything, as long as he’s around, he’s gonna be a solid top five, top ten guy who will give anybody trouble. He’s legit. This will be the first rematch of my career, so it will be interesting. Beating him will make my rank a little more solid, a little more legit, and it will string out my winning streak, but it doesn’t put me as top contender immediately unless I just totally wipe him off the face of the planet in 30 seconds, and I don’t think Okami’s gonna go away.”

After all this time, Belcher’s maturity as a fighter matches his maturity as a man. A married father who takes his roles outside the Octagon as seriously as the one inside it, the 28-year-old knows how the sport works at this point, and that all it takes is one lost second of focus to lose a fight and one freak accident to lose a career. In 2010, that all hit home when a detached retina threatened his day job. When he returned against Jason MacDonald in September of 2011, he was brutally honest in saying that he didn’t know what the future held after being out for over a year, despite being given a clean bill of health.

“It takes a long time to figure things out,” he admits, “and six, seven years may be a short time to some people, maybe a long time, but it’s really taken me that long to figure out how to train, peak, and prepare for a fight just right. That layoff messed with me in some weird ways and it took me a while to come back from it athletically and get my weight under control.”

Yet as soon as Belcher got back to active duty, it was business as usual, as he stopped MacDonald in less than four minutes and then scored a dominant first round TKO of Rousimar Palhares in May. If anything, he looks better and more dynamic than ever, making the rematch with Okami even more intriguing, since the ever-steady contender from Kanagawa has stuck to the ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ adage over the years. Will it get the job done against the ever-improving Belcher? Well, that’s why they fight the fights.

“He’s made minor adjustments, but nothing really life-changing or career-changing,” said Belcher of Okami. “Obviously fighting over the years, the more fights that you have, it gives you more experience and you get better at those things that you can’t really see. But altogether, I think he’s pretty much the same fighter as before and I think that’s one advantage I have. He’s seen me change and grow and he’s going into this fight thinking that he’s gotta do something totally different because he’s fighting a totally different person. And I’m preparing for him the same way as I would have then because I know what he’s got. He’s got straight punches, strong takedowns, and good control on the ground. He’s not a real finisher, but he grinds and keeps coming, he’s a good athlete, and I’m sure he’ll be super tough for anybody to fight.”

Super tough to fight? You can say that about Alan Belcher, and though he’s had his trials and tribulations to deal with physically over the last three years, in 2013, he plans on getting back to beating folks up on a more regular basis. That’s not exactly what the rest of the middleweight division wants to hear.

“Anything can happen, but it looks like everything’s lining up for me,” he said. “The opening trail in the division is kinda cut for me. I just need to stay focused, win this fight, and then get right back in there.”

“I want to fight a lot more often in 2013,” Belcher continues. “I don’t want a shortcut to the title. There’s only a couple guys for me to beat, and I’ll fight all of them in 2013 if I have to until Anderson Silva will fight someone in the weight class.”

Source: http://www.ufc.com/news/Alan-Belcher-A-Long-Way-from-2006

Chris Brennan Marcelo Brito Rob Broughton Mike Brown

UFC on FOX 5's FX-televised prelims add Easton-Assuncao and Siver-Phan

Two fights have joined FX's super-sized preliminary-card broadcast for next week's UFC on FOX 5 event at Seattle's KeyArena.

FX now airs six fights, not the usual four, prior to the Dec. 8's main-card broadcast on FOX.

The bouts include bantamweights Mike Easton vs. Raphael Assuncao and featherweights Dennis Siver vs. Nam Phan.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mmajunkie/~3/UJlBbc_8dLk/ufc-on-fox-5s-fx-televised-prelims-add-easton-assuncao-and-siver-phan.mma

Tomasz Drwal Joe Hybrid Duarte Aldrin de Jesus Todd Duffee

Check out pictures from UFC on Fox 5

Check out Tracy Lee's pictures from UFC on Fox 5, including Benson Henderson celebrating with his mother, Yves' Edwards' knockout punch, and B.J. Penn staring into the Octagon before a fight, perhaps for the final time.

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Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/check-pictures-ufc-fox-5-200814434--mma.html

Masakatsu Funaki Zelg Benkei Galesić Mauro Galvao Arman Gambaryan

Goyito Proves His Power; Wineland Wins: UFC 155 Prelim Results

LAS VEGAS - As up-and-coming fighters like Erik Perez, Myles Jury and Max Holloway made their marks on the UFC 155 undercard at the MGM Grand Garden Arena Saturday night, veterans like Eddie Wineland and Jamie Varner (both former WEC champions) showed that they’re still in prime form.

Brad Pickett vs. Eddie Wineland
In the featured bout on the FX prelims, bantamweights Eddie Wineland and Brad Pickett put on a three-round stand-up fight that earned Wineland a split decision win with scores of 30-27, 29-28 and 30-27.

Pickett, who started training as a boxer, landed several body shots and right hands in the first round, but it was Wineland’s dynamic combinations that did more damage. Though their height difference is slight on paper, Pickett’s disadvantage seemed to put him squarely in range of Wineland’s fists, and while both men possess KO power, it was Wineland who connected more, dropping “One Punch” once with an uppercut and then twice more with fast right hands. Pickett responded with a takedown, but by and large, round one took part on the feet as a battle between Wineland’s hand speed and Pickett’s foot speed.

The rest of the fight was mostly a boxing match, save a few leg kicks from Pickett. Pickett worked to hunt down Wineland, pressing forward and looking to land left hooks and overhand rights, but Wineland stayed evasive, strategically placing long jabs and counter rights. Wineland cruised to a victory, the 20th in his career (now 20-8-1); Pickett drops to 23-7.

Watch Wineland's post-fight interview

Erik Perez vs. Byron Bloodwoorth
The owner of the fastest knockout in bantamweight history, Erik Perez wowed with another first-round finish, dispatching  Byron Bloodworth in under four minutes.

Bloodworth swung early, and Perez pushed things to the fence, where he dirty-boxed before dropping Bloodworth with a knee to the body and punishing him with fists and elbows from inside the guard. With just over a minute left, Perez stood above Bloodworth, then dove in with a huge right hand followed by hammerfists that ended the fight at 3:40.

Watch Perez' post-fight interview

Perez’ win streak extends to eight in a row, as the 24-year-old’s record rises to 13-4; Bloodworth slides to 6-3 in his pro career, 0-2 inside the Octagon.

Melvin Guillard vs. Jamie Varner
Two weeks after their TUF 16 Finale match-up was scrapped due to Varner’s illness, lightweights Jamie Varner and Melvin Guillard finally delivered, with Varner’s takedowns giving him the edge and the judges’ split decision.

The first round was mostly a one-for-one feeling-out process, with leg kicks making up most of the offense between both well-rounded fighters. As the men bounced and kept one another at bay, Guillard’s leg kicks landed with thuds as Varner worked to change levels and fire body shots. Varner began putting together combinations, but Guillard’s speed helped him avoid danger. In the round’s final minute, however, Varner pressed Guillard against the fence, wobbled him with a series of shots and sealed his takedown.

With Varner’s confidence up, he quickly pushed the action to the cage and took Guillard down to start the second. Guillard worked his way back up and Varner took the back standing, but Guillard tossed him off over the top and Guillard worked for a guillotine as Varner stood. Varner was more aggressive with his punches, especially his trademark right hand, and used them to bully Guillard back to the fence for another takedown. Back on the feet, Guillard seemed to stun Varner with a pair of punches, but he quickly recovered and began reapplying pressure before an accidental low kick to Guillard gave both guys a break.

Guillard launched a flying knee to open the third, but Varner quickly returned things to the fence and got another takedown. He used guillotine and armbar attempts to try and keep Guillard down, but wound up with Guillard in his guard. Varner pushed his way to his feet, only to return Guillard to his spot on the mat with a running-start takedown Guillard seemed unable to control. Guillard worked his way up briefly, but before he could even throw a shot, Varner planted him back on the mat, this time in the center of the mat. Guillard briefly surged with an armbar and then a sweep, but with one minute left, Varner was back in top position in Guillard’s closed guard. As Guillard worked for a zero-hour inverted triangle, Varner stood and arced backward, slamming Guillard on his head as the audience gasped.

The judges saw the bout as one-sided, though not the same way: Varner’s scores were 30-27, 30-27 and 27-30. Regardless, the win bumps Varner’s record to 21-7-1 (2 NC) as Guillard slides to 47-13-3 (1 NC).

highlights from Varner's win

Michael Johnson vs. Myles Jury
Another young prospect announced himself to fans on the FX card opener, as undefeated TUF Live standout Myles “Fury” Jury, 24, utterly controlled TUF 12 finalist Michael Johnson for three rounds en route to a decision win.

The first minute was quiet between the two lightweights, but Jury took control and started his round of domination with a double-leg. Though Johnson locked his legs in half guard, Jury was able to twist “The Menace’s” body and essentially pin him in that position, punching away at will as Johnson struggled to do anything but survive. As Johnson maneuvered for any position, Jury used the last 30 seconds of the round to pass into side control, then mount, then taking the back.

Back on the feet for the second, Johnson was more wary and connected on several exits. Both men kept their distance, popping in and out, until Jury caught a kick and used it for a takedown midway through. From there, Johnson slapped on a tight guard and did what he could to control Jury’s hands for the next several minutes, as Jury postured up and did damage with his elbows.

With nothing to lose, Johnson pushed forward with bad intentions at the beginning of the third, sprawling out of danger on at least the first two takedown attempts before being tripped backward into half guard again, this time against the Octagon fence. Jury’s long limbs and flexibility allowed him to use his knees and elbows, even with one leg trapped. Though Johnson worked to get back to his feet by round’s end, Jury threatened with a guillotine and punctuated the bout with another takedown.

Judges gave the bout to Jury with a trio of 30-27 scores, making it his 11th win on a perfect record; now 13-7, Johnson’s three-fight win streak is snapped in his fourth 2012 outing. 

Highlights from Jury's win

Phil De Fries vs. Todd Duffee
The last of three UFC 155 fights aired on Facebook featured a classic striker vs. grappler match-up on a larger scale than usually seen, as heavyweights Todd Duffee and Phil De Fries put on a short bout that marked Duffee’s return to the Octagon via first-round TKO.

Duffee – who once held the UFC record for fastest knockout at seven seconds – clipped the British BJJ expert within the first five seconds, then pinned his quarry against the fence, punishing him with knees and dirty boxing. De Fries recovered enough to score a takedown against the cage. As Duffee worked to get back up, De Fries pinned one arm and was able to land several blows.

Back on the feet, however, it was all the striker’s game: Duffee stunned De Fries with a massive uppercut, then followed him with a half-dozen right hands that had De Fries out on his feet before the ref waved things off at 2:04 of the round. The finish is Duffee’s eighth win (with 2 losses); De Fries departs 9-2 (1 NC).

Watch Duffee's post-fight interview

Leonard Garcia vs. Max Holloway
Fan favorite and three-time Fight of the Night winner Leonard Garcia was seeking a career comeback, but three rounds weren’t enough time to get it done as he lost a split decision to 21-year-old striker Max Holloway, a late-notice replacement for his original submission-specialist opponent, Cody McKenzie.

Then featherweights took turns as aggressor in round one, with Garcia scoring particularly well with low kicks and overhand rights; Holloway doing more work with kicks. Both men stood readily in the pocket and ate shots to give shots, and it was Holloway who scored the first knockdown. Though the two have similar reach measurements, Holloway put his longer legs to use, pushing Garcia backward several times with spinning back blows. The first round ended with Garcia chasing Holloway, who moved backward as he sought to land a pinpoint uppercut.

Holloway found his range and landed jabs to open the second, and the increasingly battered Garcia answered with a big takedown. Though his all-out, swinging arms, no-fear stance pleased the crowd, Garcia’s low hands left his face open to Holloway’s precision striking, and he appeared to be losing steam – if not heart – by the middle of the second round.

Garcia’s combinations got crisper and more frequent early in the second, though Holloway bought himself space with counter rights and a nasty knee. Garcia’s aggression paid off and by mid-round, he was landing with and more success as the crowd showed their appreciation. He scored another takedown, then, wary of Holloway’s submission attempts on the ground, scored with a knee to the head on the way back up. With one minute left, the crowd cheered as both men swung, Garcia holding Holloway’s head and lobbing uppercuts.  Holloway tried a flashy kick as the clock wore down that ended with Garcia in a danger of a triangle choke; Garcia sealed the fight by escaping via crowd-pleasing slam.

Though both men raised their hands in victory and Holloway hoisted Garcia into the air to celebrate, judges could only name one winner, and it was Holloway who scored the close nod with a split decision (29-28, 29-28 and 28-29). The loss was Garcia’s fourth in a row, dropping him to 19-10-1. The youngest fighter in the UFC, Holloway’s prospect status rises as his record climbs to 7-1.

Watch Holloway's post-fight interview

Chris Cariaso vs. John Moraga
UFC 155’s first bout took place between Arizonan flyweights John Moraga and Chris Cariaso, as Moraga racked up his 12th career win with a third-round tapout.

Cariaso started with his signature high kicks, but found more success  landing feet to the body. As Moraga got a feel for his opponent, he found more success with body punches and right hands that reddened the left side of Cariaso’s face early. Moraga seems to have the edge in composure and control in round one, as he wobbled Cariaso multiple times, earned one big takedown mid-round and only slipped himself when a high kick of his own completely went over Cariasio’s head.

The second round opened much more aggressively, with Cariaso moving forward with punches and kicks in combinations. Before long, they slowed back to their more measured pace from round one. After a tie-up on the fence, they exploded free, trading fists in a a crowd-pleasing flurry. Cariaso connected more in the second stanza – particularly with one head kick -- but the bout remained competitive as Moraga landed solid counters. A late-round exchange sent Cariaso backward onto the mat, and Moraga flirted with diving into guard before moving out of danger and allowing Cariaso back to his feet. Cariaso recovered by controlling a tie-up and tripping Moraga, ending the round in Moraga’s guard.

Cariaso came out more aggressively in the third, and paid for his forward motion with more solid shots from Moraga. The exchange left Cariaso with his back against the fence.  Moraga pounced, locking in a guillotine choke that forced Cariaso to tap at 1:11 of the round.

The win brings Moraga to an impressive 12-1 record; the loss put the skids on Cariaso’s three-fight win streak as he falls to 14-4.

Source: http://www.ufc.com/news/UFC-155-Prelim-Results

Rich No Love Clementi Mark The Hammer Coleman Wes Soldier Combs Ray Cooper

Ronda Rousey Down to Coach on the Ultimate Fighter

It didn’t take long for bantamweight star Ronda Rousey to break down gender barriers by becoming one of the biggest stars in MMA less than two years after making her professional debut and inking a deal with the UFC to become the promotion’s first female champion. Rousey will defend her newly-minted title in February and, if successful, will move on to another main event.

Of course, Rousey has never been one to set limits, as she appears to also be interested in serving as a head coach on the Ultimate Fighter…

“I’d love going on TUF. It would be very interesting, whether we would coach guys or girls. It would be really good for people to see a woman in the position of coaching the men and the men respecting the women. That would be very positive.

“If it was all women, I think it would be hilarious if Dana [White] had to deal with the girls having ‘girl issues.’ You know, if someone was like ‘I can’t fight, I have cramps!’ and see him lose his mind. He would lose his mind if he had to deal with girl stuff, I don’t doubt that some issues would come up. So just for my own personal amusement, I think it would be really funny. But I also think all guys would be really fun, extremely positive. I’m open to anything.”

SOURCE: MMAFighting
PHOTO CREDIT: UFC

The post Ronda Rousey Down to Coach on the Ultimate Fighter appeared first on Fighters.com.

Source: http://www.fighters.com/12/22/ronda-rousey-down-to-coach-on-the-ultimate-fighter?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=ronda-rousey-down-to-coach-on-the-ultimate-fighter

Jorge Gurgel Andre Gusmao Alexander Gustafsson Jaime Gutierrez

Champ Rockhold calls Larkin attack 'pretty amateur,' eyes early 2013 for return

Strikeforce middleweight champion Luke Rockhold today told MMAjunkie.com that he never signed a bout agreement to fight Lorenz Larkin and never intended to fight at the promotion's final event.

When officials announced the Jan. 12 event in early November, Rockhold said he informed them a wrist injury lingered and that he was unable to fight.

That's why he's particularly irritated by a series of verbal attacks from Lorenz Larkin regarding his willingness to compete.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mmajunkie/~3/W2DnRK2YaFU/champ-rockhold-calls-larkin-attack-pretty-amateur-eyes-early-2013-for-return.mma

Justin Eilers Jon Olav Einemo Per Eklund Jason Ellis

Dana White would like to see more openly gay fighters like Liz Carmouche

There’s been a lot of focus on the fact UFC 157 will host the first fight inside the Octagon between women. However, the match-up between bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey and Liz Carmouche will also feature another milestone, as Carmouche will mark the first openly gay competitor to take to the UFC’s infamous eight-sided cage.

While the notion could make some people uncomfortable, UFC President Dana White is certainly not among them even if he and his sport have taken flak in the past for comments some would see as disparaging towards homosexuals. In fact, White is not only proud to have Carmouche on the company’s roster but hopes she serves as a beacon of light for other Mixed Martial Artists who might be living in the closet out of fear for how they’ll be treated.

“I love it,” said White of Carmouche being part of the UFC in a conversation with Jim Rome on Showtime. “I think what it’s going to take is it’s going to take some brave people. If you are gay, you’re going to have to be brave, and you’re going to have to come out say it.”

“But people are very worried about it,” he continued, showing a grasp of the difficulty many people face in going public with their sexual preference. “Not just athletes, but actors and actresses in Hollywood, they’re nervous about what’s going to happen to them and their careers if they come out and say they are.”

Though he doesn’t know if Carmouche’s peers will follow her lead, as it stands, White is thrilled to have a representative like the former Marine as part of the UFC, simply stating, “I’m happy to have her.”

Carmouche’s historic clash with Rousey will come on February 23 in Anaheim, California.

PHOTO CREDIT – STRIKEFORCE/SHOSPORTS

The post Dana White would like to see more openly gay fighters like Liz Carmouche appeared first on Five Ounces of Pain.

Source: http://fiveouncesofpain.com/2012/12/27/dana-white-would-like-to-see-more-openly-gay-fighters-like-liz-carmouche/

Masakatsu Funaki Zelg Benkei Galesić Mauro Galvao Arman Gambaryan

JONATHAN BROOKINS IS LEAVING FOR SPIRITUAL QUEST IN INDIA

Up until about the third minute of his fight last weekend in Las Vegas, UFC featherweight and Ultimate Fighter winner Jonathan Brookins was actually beating up Dustin Poirier. This seemed to surprise pretty much everyone, including Jonathan Brookins. Not because he didn’t believe he was capable of beating Poirier but because he didn’t want to be fighting at all. Walking into the Octagon that night, his mind was 1000 miles away -- or rather 8000 miles away – floating through the ether.

Next month, Brookins will be traveling to India on a spiritual quest, and he doesn’t know when, or even if, he’ll be back. After winning the Ultimate Fighter in 2010, Brookins has been on something of a downward slide – going 1-4 in the UFC, losing his house in Orlando after most of his money had run out. Since then he’s bounced around from couch to couch and gym to gym, searching for something. Now that his fight with Poirier is in the past, Brookins feels free to go searching outside the world of mixed martial arts. This made us curious, so we called him recently at his home in Orlando, where he’s getting ready for his next, more spiritual, journey.



Fightland: So you mentioned having to sell your house. Is it hard to make a career in MMA, even when you’ve made it to the UFC?
Jonathan Brookins: It’s not hard to make a career in the UFC. If you really want it, you can make it happen. I think I just talked myself of really wanting it. I don’t know if I talked myself out of it or if I really don’t want it anymore. That made it tough to keep going and to fight last weekend. I didn’t really have much fight left in me. I kind of hit a dead end.

I definitely had my mind on other things I wanted to do and pursue. I just stopped believing in the fight business and stopped believing in what it was I was even doing. I just didn’t quite understand. There wasn’t much that I wanted about that (Poirier) fight.

Were you in the Octagon thinking about India?
I think I was. I think I was ready to go to India and learn something else. Pursuing this sport with the mindset that I have is counterproductive. It didn’t make sense. Mindset is everything. If this is what I’m going to do with the rest of my life it can’t just be a circular argument. It can’t just be about nothing. This quest to be a fighter has gotten to be frivolous, to be the wrong pursuit. I know it can be pursued the right way, but I know I'm not anywhere close to it. I’m not really down to live this temporary, right-now way of life.

What are you looking for?
I’m looking for a mindset to exist better. I think that I can find a happiness about myself, a way of living, where my constitution is more sound. I think that martial arts has been a positive, but it hasn’t been as much as it could be. I want to find martial arts for real. Yoga just seems to me like one of the oldest forms of martial arts. It seems like the very beginning. When the Shaolin monks wanted to learn to fight, there was a yoga teacher who taught the monks how to exercise and how to defend themselves – how to properly prepare themselves, prepare their bodies, prepare their minds. So starting with yoga just seems so natural to me.

I want to say something with my fighting. I want to find the truth. We have the potential for greater consciousness. I want to abstain from this world and tap into the human soul and see what it’s like to live.

You said you learned some lessons during the run-up to the Poirier fight.
There were real heavy lessons. Sometimes you lose a fight and you have to go searching for the lessons. Maybe you go on a long run and you’re running the fight through your mind a million times – why did this happen? -- and then after a lot of soul searching the answer hits you. But this one was just loud and clear. Before the fight I came in a little bit overweight. Mostly because I was bounding around a lot – living in Oregon then New York then Montreal. But everything was real sporadic. So I was cutting weight, and I went to a bikram yoga class, something I do all the time. This was Wednesday, and the weigh-in was Friday. I started to get real dizzy after running that morning and sitting in a salt bath and then the yoga class. I got dizzy like I was going to pass out. By the end of the class, I was cramping up. My feet were cramping. By the end of the class I think I hit severe dehydration. My legs cramped up really bad. I couldn’t move. I was exhausted, like I was going to die. My neck, back, and chest all cramped up. I felt tired and weak. I started throwing up all night and was real sick.

I thought about quitting the fight. I was dehydrated, but I still had six or seven pounds to lose. Everything was all off. So I was asking myself, “What do you really want out of this experience?” And all I could think about was going to India. You already know you fucked your body up; there’s no way you’re going to recover fully in just a couple of days. Why would I go ahead with the fight instead of asking to reschedule? Then I thought about going to India in January. That was loud and clear.

At the weigh-ins, I could see myself on the Jumbotron. I was like, “Shit man, you look kind of pathetic. You don’t look like you’re ready to fight; you look skinny.” The kid (Poirier) walks up to me after the weigh-ins and gets in my face and says, “I want it more than you.” All tough guy: “I want it more than you, bro.” I was like, “What the fuck? How does this kid know he wanted it more than me?” It was an interesting thing to say but it was really true. It was the weirdest true shit-talking I’d ever heard in my life. Usually people just talk shit and you’ve got a rebuttal. That was the first time it really made me think.

Ideally, will India help you get back to fighting or are you open to the idea of not fighting again, if that’s where your mind goes?
Yeah, I’m open to that, that’s for sure. All the things I didn’t learn in fighting to better myself I feel like I can explore in this avenue. If it means extra effort or extra solitude, I’m going to pursue this harder than I even pursued fighting. I feel like it could make me a much better fighter, but if it leads me to not fight again, I think I would be okay with that.

Are you optimistic about the future?
I am. It’s all mindset now. I know that nothing’s going to go wrong because I have the gift of this mindset this kid (Poirier) gave me to win. All he had to do was tell me he wanted it more. That’s easy enough; I can want a lot of things. And I know the formula to make it happen. And this is just a step to helping me live that lifestyle. If I want to come back and be the greatest fighter in the world, I have the lifestyle that will allow me to get things I want. That’s want I want to gain over there in India.

Source: http://ninjashoes.net/forum/showthread.php?79764-JONATHAN-BROOKINS-IS-LEAVING-FOR-SPIRITUAL-QUEST-IN-INDIA&goto=newpost

Kultar Gill Allan Goes Takanori The Fireball Kid Gomi Akihiro Gono

Update: Mike Goldberg taking time off for UFC 155, Jon Anik will join Joe Rogan in the broadcast booth

Source: http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2012/12/28/3812916/mike-goldberg-out-sick-for-ufc-155-jon-anik-will-join-joe-rogan-in

Shane The Engineer Carwin Jason Hollywood Chambers Ryo Piranha Chonan Dan The Sandman Christison

Hey @mark_munoz look what they have @lvfightshop from the good old days!

From My Inst@gram:

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/TracyLee/~3/hXk-HBKbjFw/hey-mark_munoz-look-what-they-have-lvfightshop-from-the-good-old-days.html

Tyson Griffin Karn Grigorian Karen Grigoryan Kendall Grove

Status Of Eddie Alvarez Remains Unknown As Year Comes To Close

Eddie Alvarez is one of the top free agents in MMA right now. The UFC is widely-considered the top MMA promotion, so it is not too surprising that Alvarez and the UFC have been linked. It was recently made public that Alvarez has received a contract from the UFC, with Bellator – his former home [...]

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mmaconvert/~3/Lv3jXBugJ8w/

Marcus Davis Tony DeSouza Edwin Dewees Nick Diaz

Watch Today’s UFC 155 Press Conference Live On MMATKO.com At 4 p.m. ET

This media-only show takes place at the MGM Grand Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas. Taking part at the press conference will be UFC President Dana White, heavyweight champion Junior Dos Santos and former champ and top contender Cain Velasquez. The video stream begins at 4 p.m. ET (1 p.m. PT local time).

Source: http://www.mmatko.com/watch-todays-ufc-155-press-conference-live-on-mmatko-com-at-4-p-m-et/

Spencer Fisher Jon Fitch Kenny Florian Jesse Forbes

Creating "Cigano" - Dos Santos' Greatest Hits

Unbeaten in nine UFC bouts, Junior dos Santos will defend his UFC heavyweight title against the man he took the belt from, Cain Velasquez, in the main event of UFC 155 on December 29th in Las Vegas. So how did he get here? Read on to find out.

UFC 90 - TKO 1 Fabricio Werdum
The lasting image of Junior dos Santos’ first week in the UFC (well, in addition to the highlight reel knockout) may have been the clip from UFC President Dana White’s video blog where he showed off the Brazilian newcomer hitting pads before his debut bout against former PRIDE star and then-UFC contender Fabricio Werdum. White couldn’t be more impressed with “Cigano,” and then dos Santos delivered in the Octagon with a blistering right uppercut that put his countryman down on the canvas face first. The fight took only 80 seconds, and a star was born.

UFC 103 - Wsub3 Mirko Cro Cop
Despite what the internet may say, among pro fighters, especially those who are about to fight him, former PRIDE star Mirko Cro Cop always commanded a significant amount of respect, and dos Santos counted himself among those not counting him out of any bout held inside the Octagon. That respect didn’t carry into their 2009 bout in Dallas though, and dos Santos made it three in a row in the UFC (he had taken just 54 seconds to beat Stefan Struve in his second bout at UFC 95) with a third round finish of Cro Cop that ended when he broke the Croatian’s orbital bone and forced a verbal submission. Yeah, this dos Santos kid was scary.

UFC LIVE - TKO1 Gabriel Gonzaga
Winner of three of his previous four bouts, Gabriel Gonzaga was approaching the form that got him a world title shot in 2007 when he agreed to face “Cigano” in a March 2010 fight in Colorado. And with this being an All-Brazil showdown, there was even more on the line for both fighters. But dos Santos was frightening once again, taking less than four minutes to finish his opponent. It was time for a move up, and he was ready for it.

UFC 117 - W3 Roy Nelson
Known for his ground game, Roy Nelson added “knockout puncher” to his resume after his appearance on season 10 of The Ultimate Fighter, taking out Brendan Schaub and Stefan Struve in brutally efficient fashion. And to his credit, “Big Country” didn’t shy away from standup exchanges with dos Santos at UFC 117, but he paid for each one, as the Brazilian pounded away for three one-sided rounds en route to a unanimous decision victory.

UFC 131 - W3 Shane Carwin
After the Nelson bout, dos Santos was introduced to an entirely new audience as a coach on season 13 of The Ultimate Fighter, and new fans immediately gravitated to him thanks to his affable personality and ever present smile. The prize at the end of the six weeks of taping was going to be a UFC 131 bout with Brock Lesnar, but another bout with diverticulitis took Lesnar out of the bout. In stepped heavy-handed former interim champ Shane Carwin, but what was expected to be an explosive encounter that wouldn’t get out of the first round instead turned into a bloody and one-sided decision win for dos Santos, who left no doubt as to who the number one contender in the heavyweight division was.

UFC on FOX 1 – KO1 Cain Velasquez
Placed in one of the most important events in UFC history, the organization’s debut on the FOX network, the pressure was on for dos Santos and his opponent, Cain Velasquez, to deliver an epic and explosive performance fitting of a world heavyweight championship fight. And it certainly was explosive, though dos Santos made sure it wasn’t epic thanks to the right hand that sent Velasquez crashing to the mat, ending the bout in just 64 seconds. A new champion was born that night in Southern California, and his name was Junior dos Santos.

UFC 146 – TKO2 Frank Mir
Dos Santos expected to take on Alistair Overeem in May of 2012, but licensing issues kept “The Reem” from making the trip to Las Vegas. In stepped local hero and two-time heavyweight boss Frank Mir, but despite having a vastly different style than Overeem, dos Santos adjusted seamlessly, keeping the bout standing until he ended it via knockout in the second round. The first title defense out of the way, JDS will meet Velasquez again on December 29th in the main event of UFC 155.

Source: http://www.ufc.com/news/Creating-Cigano-Dos-Santos-Greatest-Hits

Grant Campbell Gesias JZ Calvancante Luiz Cane Dos Caras Jr

UFC Tonight Top 50 Moments Of 2012 Video Part 1

UFC Tonight Top 50 Moments Of 2012 Video Part 1.

Source: http://www.mmatko.com/ufc-tonight-top-50-moments-of-2012-video-part-1/

Marcus Aurelio Mikhail Avetisyan Luiz Azeredo Luciano Azevedo

Luke Rockhold off Strikeforce event with wrist injury

Strikeforce: Champions just took another hit. The Jan. 12 event, which is rumored to be Strikeforce's last, lost Luke Rockhold to injury. The middleweight champion has a wrist injury and had to withdraw from his bout with Lorenz Larkin.

Larkin was apparently not happy about Rockhold's decision to withdraw, because he sent several tweets ripping Rockhold.

The two were supposed to meet at the Nov. 3 Strikeforce event. Rockhold withdrew from that bout with a wrist injury, and the event was scrapped.

The Rockhold injury is another blow to Strikeforce. They canceled event in September and November, leading to rumors about their demise. Having a event called "Champions" without many champions doesn't inspire much confident about their future.

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/luke-rockhold-off-strikeforce-event-wrist-injury-143941006--mma.html

Chris Dolman Edson Drago Tomasz Drwal Joe Hybrid Duarte

UFC 155 weigh-in video

Source: http://www.mmafighting.com/2012/12/28/3806920/ufc-155-weigh-in-video

Efrain Escudero Rashad Evans Urijah Faber Wagnney Fabiano

it's december 21st here in korea

the mayan androids have taken over. they are massacring everyone in their path... there is little hope... if you can read this... you are the resistance

Source: http://ninjashoes.net/forum/showthread.php?79766-it-s-december-21st-here-in-korea&goto=newpost

Karn Grigorian Karen Grigoryan Kendall Grove Clay Guida

Former WEC announcer Joe Martinez tapped for octagon debut at UFC on FX 6

Former WEC announcer Joe Martinez will soon make his octagon debut.

Martinez recently revealed to Examiner.com that he has been hired for in-cage duties at next month's UFC on FX 6 event, which takes place on Saturday, Dec. 15 in Australia but due to the time difference airs live in the U.S. on Friday night.

Promotion mainstay Bruce Buffer is set for his familiar announcing role that same weekend at The Ultimate Fighter 16 Finale.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mmajunkie/~3/RQ-GO0r9eIE/former-wec-announcer-joe-martinez-tapped-for-octagon-debut-at-ufc-on-fx-6.mma

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