Sunday, 30 June 2013
WALKER: Illinois promotion XFO making television debut on Comcast Sportsnet next week
 |
By: Brad Walker, MMATorch Columnist
The largest local promotion in Illinois, Xtreme Fight Organization - better known as XFO - has signed a deal that will see them reach over nine million homes in Chicago, Wisconsin, Indiana, and Iowa via Comcast Sportsnet starting next Monday July 1. They will begin by airing a series of one hour long "Best of XFO" episodes at 8PM CT, with two back to back episodes airing for their debut.
These episodes will feature the best fights from XFO's lengthy history, including fighters like; Chael Sonnen, Clay Guida, Jeff Curran, Pat Curran, Bart Palaszewski, Felice Herrig, Jens Pulver, Terry Martin, Eric "Red" Schafer, Jamie Varner, and Roger Huerta. Play by play commentary on the series will be done by ESPN 1000's very own Ray "The Voice Of Voices" Flores, to whom I have given that nickname because well, simply put – he is the best. The series will feature a vast number of bouts from the many years of XFO's history, and could prove to be the biggest stepping stone XFO has gained footing on yet.
XFO is headed by Dan Lardy, the owner, founder, and promoter, who has put blood, sweat, and tears into this company to get it where it is now. He has run an incredible number of events since its debut and will continue to do so. One thing will change, though. Beginning on August 10 with XFO's annual Outdoor War card at Sideouts Bar in Island Lake, Ill. they will be broadcasting their cards live on Comcast Sportsnet as well. This will give the local up and coming stars a fantastic chance to have their skills seen by a much larger group of fans than can fit into one of the many venues frequently sold out by XFO.
Outdoor War will see bouts featuring Joey "Real" Diehl, who most recently won a dominant submission in XFC; Kenny Booker, who is coming off of a bout in Bellator; and numerous others including present Bellator fighter Felice Herrig, who will take part in a muay thai fight as part of the card. It's safe to say that Dan Lardy has gone to all reaches to make sure everyone wants to see this card, especially with it being their television debut.
There is another key to the puzzle as well; XFO will also be starting their Hall of Fame at Outdoor War, and it will be a part of their broadcast. The four members who will start the hall of fame are my good friend and mentor Jeff "Big Frog" Curran, UFC contender Clay Guida, Bellator Champion Pat Curran, and UFC veteran and knockout artist Bart "Bartimus" Palaszewski.
I personally believe that they have picked the best four possible candidates for the hall of fame, and I can't wait to see the ceremony. XFO has become my personal favorite on the local scene because they constantly deliver exciting cards with great fighters and a fresh crop of talent, now those in the area can share in my joy. As always, I will be in attendance reporting live from Outdoor War, but tune in to Comcast Sportsnet to watch this organization present you with their best fights of all time!
Follow XFO on Twitter @XFOMMA And Me; @BradMMATorch
Thank you for reading, and don't forget to tune in!
(Attention MMATorch app users: Make sure to upgrade to the latest edition of the MMATorch app on your iPhone, iPad, or Android device!)
-Follow Us on Twitter: CLICK HERE
-Like Us on Facebook: CLICK HERE
-Listen to our Weekly Podcast: CLICK HERE
-Subscribe to our Podcast in iTunes: CLICK HERE
-Get our Free iPhone App: CLICK HERE
-Get our Free Amazon Kindle App: CLICK HERE
-Get our Free Android App: CLICK HERE
Source: http://www.mmatorch.com/artman2/publish/Staff_Editorials_19/article_17423.shtml
Edson Barboza: “It’s a MMA fight, so I have been training everything.”
Late last month, UFC lightweight Edson Barboza found out he would be facing Rafaello Oliveira and UFC 162 instead of John Makdessi. Though the change could technically be ruled “late notice”, Barboza’s month to prepare for a different opponent is a solid chunk of time, and, when considering the respective styles of Oliveira-Makdessi, the more he’s had the better.
“I think Makdessi is a pretty good striker while Rafaello has a good game on the ground. They have really different games from each other,” explained Barboza in an interview with MMAJunkie.
“I know Rafaello might be looking to wrestle,” he continued, saying he’d be prepared no matter what Oliveira threw his way. “It’s a MMA fight, so I have been training everything: boxing, wrestling, jiu-jistu and muay Thai. Anything can happen in a MMA fight.”
Barboza is 11-1 with wins in the Octagon over Terry Etim, Anthony Njokuani, and Ross Pearson. Comparably, Oliveira (16-5) will be fighting for the first time in a year but can at least claim nine career stoppages to his credit.
The post Edson Barboza: “It’s a MMA fight, so I have been training everything.” appeared first on Five Ounces of Pain.
Houston Alexander Ricardo Almeida Eddie Alvarez Thiago Alves
Fight Master’s Montgomery Talks Matchmaking, Future, and More (Exclusive)
On this past Wednesday’s Fight Master: Bellator MMA, the show’s preliminary bouts continued for the second week. The final bout of the episode featured a matchup of American Top Team teammates Steve Montgomery and Cristiano Souza that saw Souza defeat his teammate in violent fashion.
Neither fighter was happy about the matchup, with Souza appearing distraught on camera following the bout. MMAFrenzy recently spoke with Montgomery about the frustrating pairing, what he has been doing since his brief stint on the show, his future, and more.
What happened prior to your fight with Souza?
“I thought Fight Master did a good job of showing what happened for the time they had, especially with Cristiano questioning why we had to fight so early with so many other guys there. The thing that made it so awkward to fight each other is that we knew we were going on the show eight weeks prior to filming. So there were three other guys from our gym that were also training for the show, including my roommate, so we camped together and trained together. We had a game plan of trying to get on the show and try to land on the same team.
Only Cristiano and I ended up on the show, and had trained and fought together for nearly four years. So we were pretty close friends and basically I was fired up for the show. I’d fought prior to the show, so I basically had 16-weeks of straight training going into the show. So I am pretty ready to go by this point but then I find out I am fighting my teammate.
So we went to [Bellator matchmaker] Sam Caplan, and we were arguing with him asking to fight anyone else on the show. I even asked for Joe Riggs, and I told [Caplan] ‘Let me fight Riggs, I’m a 3-2 fighter and you want him to win to get into the house, so let him fight the worst fighter on the show, let him fight me.’ They wouldn’t let it happen and gave us some excuse about the how the [Louisiana] Athletic Commission could not let them change it but then they changed up Riggs’ matchup at the last minute so they lied to me.
I don’t know if they did it to create extra drama, and I thought it was kind of stupid in general. I thought it would have been a better story to have two teammates on the show, and maybe we would have to fight later in the house but it would not have been for free.
We were both pretty unhappy with it and were talking about it up to ten minutes before the fight. It was the most surreal situation I have ever done, especially to have it be my national television debut and to have [my debut] be against a good friend of mine. I should have known he was going to out to throw some hands and bring the fight, I just kept questioning myself as to what I should do.
But it was a learning experience and to be honest I was glad to be freed from my contract after that. That way I can keep doing what I was doing before [the show] which is trying to get to the UFC and getting my name out there.”
When did you two find out you would be fighting each other?
“We found out at weigh-ins. The weigh-ins were at midday on Friday and then we fought around 10:30-11AM on Saturday. So it was so weird to find out then. If you had seen the weigh-ins, I was standing on the side with a group of about ten guys and I was sure one of them was going to be my opponent. Me and Cristiano were elated to be fighting on the same day and to get into the house and settle in and have the whole weekend to relax while the other guys were fighting.
Then they called him up on the scale, and then called my name, and my posture went from being like a caged animal to being completely broken in like half a second. It was just a very surreal experience. I mean it is what it is and part of fighting is facing your demons.”
What did you learn/take away from that experience?
“More than enough. I fought April 27, because I was able to get out of my Bellator contract, and I never felt so mentally prepared. It changed my entire mindset and not just in fighting either. It changed a lot of things for the better.”
Your manager mentioned that you had been offered another bout by Bellator following the experience. What happened with that offer?
“Well basically, and I can’t give all the details because there was a lot to it, after the fight announcement me and ‘Soldier’ went to Caplan and argued with him about changing the matchup. Throughout the day after the weigh-in, when we were replenishing, we had to do a lot of filming. So Caplan and everyone else was just telling me to ‘man up,’ that this was my one opportunity, etc. And my thought was ‘Yeah, but you’re asking me to take it from a friend that I just spent eight weeks training and exchanging game plans with up to the plane here.’ They would not see it from my point of view and I don’t know why.
After the fight, I guess a lot of people (i.e. other fighters, Spike officials, etc.) were pissed about how it went, and the producers did not seem happy with the matchup in general. Maybe they were, but they were keeping it from me. [However] they did not seem very happy with it, so after I lost Caplan came back to the locker room and told ‘we will have you back, etc’ and I told him I needed to be on a card before the summertime (for financial reasons). It was February at that time and he never promised me anything but told me ‘We’ll see what we can do.’
A couple of weeks later, my manager called me and told me about the Summer Series closing up and that they didn’t have any space for me so it wouldn’t be til September. So they offered me a release from my contract and said they would have me back for September too, but honestly, I was looking elsewhere. If they offer me a good fight in a good location, I will go fight for it but I am not looking to sign any long-term contracts or anything like that. I have a couple of offers from other shows that could be just as good. I am only 22-years old definitely looking to make it to the top. I’m going to make this work.”
What is next for you? You said you fought on April 27, how did it go?
“I won my [April 27] fight in a minute, I came in 3-2 and fought a guy who was at 4-1. He was a tough guy from Tennessee and I took him down in ten seconds and ended up taking his back. I tried a flying triangle and ended up turning it into an armbar, so I had a really good victory in my last fight. I really enjoyed it, and like I said earlier, my mindset was totally different. It was a great way to come back from such a weird thing in February.
Now I’m looking to for a fight, maybe something with CFA [AXS.tv-aired Championship Fighting Alliance]. Also some local shows. My manager, Ryan Hayes, is really good about that and is looking to find me a fight in July or August.
I am working on a web series right now with 20-minute episodes about fight life in south Florida in general. I train with some of the best fighters in the world, there’s just so many guys I see on a daily basis and I have gotten a lot of footage of workouts and hanging out. So I am looking to show a behind-the-scenes look at what it is actually like to drop everything to become a full-time fighter in south Florida. I am looking to turn that into a web series and we have a great idea for a website too.
So basically I am working hard and looking for more exposure and getting better all the time.”
Which location of American Top Team are you at? I know there are several, including the main Coconut Creek location.
“Yeah I am at Coconut Creek but I also train with a lot of different Top Team’s in the area. In September of last year, I don’t train with them regularly, but I got to with my teammate Micah Miller to stay with Nate Diaz and train with them for a few days. Really got some great boxing and jiu-jitsu training, and got to meet a lot of cool people. So I train with a lot of camps but ATT is my home and my family away from my family in South Carolina.”
Anything else you would add about your experience on Fight Master?
“Yeah, I would like to say it really was a positive. At first I had a lot of bad feels and hit a huge wall over the people that put me in position to fight such a good friend of mine. But now I don’t care, and don’t focus on the negative but I look at the positive aspects regardless of how I felt, I guess, exploited by having to fight a friend for free. Either way, it taught me so much about not just the fight game but life in general. It made me a way better person, so I just focus on the positive.
I saw the fight last night and ‘Soldier’ got me. I will say this, he hit me more times than I realized. In the fight, I woke up in half guard trying to defend myself and I thought I had not been that much, so I was like ‘why did they stop it?’ They asked me where I was and I was just like ‘I am in New Orleans!’ But [after seeing it] it was a good stoppage and my boy looked good dropping me, it looked pretty sick. Props to my boy, ‘Soldier’ because he really is the man.
So I just focus on the positive and I know good things are coming my way. Only way to prove it is to do it and it will be fun to see where we are in five years.”
So your stint on the show really has ended up turning into a positive for you despite having to fight a teammate?
“Yeah, like I said, we had talked about fighting in the house. Basically, if we had both gotten on the television show and had our time to get the exposure and the marketing – I mean that’s mostly what you get as a fighter on these shows, name recognition and experience – so if we were in position where we had to fight each other (which would have been unlikely since you get to choose your opponent), I would have been like ‘screw it!’ and just handled business, and probably had fun with it.
It would have still sucked, but having a couple of days instead of hours, it’d been totally different. It would have much easier than what we had to do, which was take away each other’s dream after training together for eight weeks and really trying to make each other better, he even helped me out for my last fight. So if we’d had to do it for money or after we’d been in the show it’d been easier.
That said, later on, I saw a lot of benefits from the show. I can’t describe how much it mentally changed me in a positive way. It all helped take me to the next level no matter how brutal of a loss it was.
I think the show summed [the situation] up, but a lot had to cut a lot for TV time. Let me tell you, if they had filmed a lot of what was going on in the background it would have been one of the greatest TV shows you’d ever see. As much as I was wanted to do to someone what ‘Soldier’ did to me, these guys were so unbelievably funny. I could not stop laughing the entire time, some of the dudes on the show were so cool. I mean we’re all in this situation together back at the house/gym and these guys are just cracking me up. If they had filmed the things that went on behind-the-scenes, it would probably do three times the ratings of Fight Master. The guys on the show were real cool people and if it doesn’t show on the show, they’re missing out on an opportunity.”
You can follow Steve “The Weasel” Montgomery at @WeaselSteve and be sure to check out the link to his YouTube series in the article. Fight Master: Bellator MMA airs each Wednesday at 10PM on SpikeTV.
Be sure to stay tuned to MMAFrenzy for the latest coverage of Fight Master: Bellator MMA and the latest Bellator MMA News.
Source: http://mmafrenzy.com/90615/fight-masters-montgomery-talks-matchmaking-future-and-more/
Renzo Gracie: Anderson Silva “Not a Humble Guy”
Clearly there hasn’t been anywhere near the amount of smack talking between Anderson Silva and Chris Weidman, heading into UFC 162 next week, compared to how much went down with Silva and Chael Sonnen (especially for bout II). Sure, Weidman seemed pretty irked by the fact that Silva’s representatives didn’t seem interested in fighting him, [...]
The post Renzo Gracie: Anderson Silva “Not a Humble Guy” appeared first on MMA Convert.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mmaconvert/~3/XEms7yefRKY/
Miesha Tate addresses criticisms she gave Ronda Rousey regarding ESPN the Magazine's Body Issue
 |
By: Jamie Penick, MMATorch Editor-in-Chief
Miesha Tate caught flack on Tuesday from some fans after news broke that she would appear nude in this year's edition of ESPN the Magazine's "Body Issue." She had criticized rival Ronda Rousey for appearing in the same magazine last year, but her comments on Rousey were misconstrued by those now criticizing her.
So Tate took to Twitter to give the actual quote she made about Rousey last year, along with a link to the interview:
"Since some of you have trouble remembering my actual quotes about Ronda being in the Body Issue, here it is for you with a link to the interview," Tate wrote, posting the following:
"I just get so tired of Ronda criticizing everyone else. I think we should just all live our lives and I don't really care what she does or what anyone else does. It's not our place to judge. I'm just sick of hearing her mouth off about other girls this and that, and Kim that, the Playboy girls this. I'm just like 'just shut up.' To me it's so stupid that you would talk crap about ring girls doing Playboy, which that's kind of what their appeal is - it's a sex appeal. For an athlete, there's no real reason to have to get nude, although I think there's nothing wrong with ESPN. I don't think what Ronda did was wrong. I'm just saying it's not okay to talk crap about the ring girls and then get 1 percent less naked, and say it's okay. To me it kind of falls in that hypocrisy."
Tate and Rousey will coach the next season of The Ultimate Fighter, and will face off for a second time later this year.
Penick's Analysis: Tate had a point last year regarding Rousey's hypocritical appearance nude given her previous comments, but she wasn't critical of the appearance itself. And there really isn't anything wrong with either of them appearing in the magazine. They're being joined by sports stars from around the athletic spectrum, and though the sex appeal aspect gets played up too much at times for certain female fighters, they're still taken seriously as competitors as it is.
(Attention MMATorch app users: Make sure to upgrade to the latest edition of the MMATorch app on your iPhone, iPad, or Android device!)
-Follow Us on Twitter: CLICK HERE
-Like Us on Facebook: CLICK HERE
-Listen to our Weekly Podcast: CLICK HERE
-Subscribe to our Podcast in iTunes: CLICK HERE
-Get our Free iPhone App: CLICK HERE
-Get our Free Amazon Kindle App: CLICK HERE
-Get our Free Android App: CLICK HERE
Source: http://www.mmatorch.com/artman2/publish/UFC_2/article_17398.shtml
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.
Karen Darabedyan Viacheslav Datsik Marcus Davis Tony DeSouza
Saturday, 29 June 2013
Nick Diaz sets his sights on promoting fights
Even without Diaz in the fight, they will still have a certain Diaz-ian flair. Check out the rules:
WAR employs the Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts, as modified (1) to accommodate the use of a ring rather than a cage, and (2) to discourage stalling and holding — by disallowing elbows to the head of a grounded opponent. Disallowing elbows to the head of a grounded opponent requires a fighter in top position on the ground to either seek to advance his position or to create distance to punch downwards, which is the same distance needed for the bottom position fighter to attack with submission attempts, or to attempt to get up. Permitting elbows on the ground encourages holding and stalling.
Of course. Diaz has complained about being held by fighters in the past, so he isn't going to allow any "holding or stalling" here, either.
The first card will feature UFC veterans Daniel Roberts and Antonio Banuelos. Check out the entire card here. Since Diaz has been in contact with so many fight promoters, did they offer any advice?
"Welcome to the losing money business," White said. "You wanna lose money? Come on in the business. It looks fun from the outside."
Consider that White's version of a commencement speech. Hopefully, Diaz's fighters won't do things like miss press conferences or fail drug tests. If so, they'll have just one response.
"I learned it by watching you!"
Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/nick-diaz-sets-sights-promoting-fights-155759033.html
Greg Valentine Posts Explanation For No-Showing Event
WWE Hall of Famer Greg “The Hammer” Valentine offered an explanation on his Facebook page for no-showing Great North Wrestling’s Randy Savage tribute show on Sept. 3 in Hawkesbury, Ontario, Canada after the organization paid $2,000 for his services.
Here is my Official Statement on my Canada Booking. I hope this clears things up.
I was booked for the Macho Man Memorial Show in Canada. That’s true. I told the promoter I was coming. That’s true. I received my deposit from the promoter. That’s true. Now let me clear some things up…
A few days before the scheduled booking, my mother-n-law had to go into the hospital for an emergency surgery. I sent my wife, Julie, to Nashville to be by her side. I stayed back in Tampa to continue with my weekend booking schedule. I called the promoter when I saw my flight itinerary. He had me on a 715 flight to Miami from Tampa, then Miami to Chicago, then Chicago to Ottawa, then a couple hour drive to the show, plus going thru customs when I land…which can take an hour for me to get thru.
When I saw this, I called the promoter and left the message that many of you heard. I asked for the remainder of the money if I was going to be jumping on THREE different airplanes to get to this event. And yes, I promised him I would be there. Now what you need to understand is this… My message to him was stern. I was angry. My wife was a bundle of nerves because she is seeing her mother suffer. I was not with her, and I now have a flight schedule that is beyond crazy. Last time I went there I didn’t need to go on THREE planes to get there. So, with all that being said, I was stressed out, and I do apologize to the fans who heard the voice mail that I left. The pressure got the best of me and I used language I shouldn’t have. We all make mistakes.
This is what then unfolded as the reason I did not show up… The promoter sent me the remainder of the money as I asked. I was going to his booking as I promised him…even though I was under a lot of pressure with what has been going on with my mother-n-law (something that the promoter knew about). The morning of the booking came, I was still going. I then got a call from my wife in Nashville that her mom was given 2 days to live. That did it for me. How can I, as a husband, NOT be with my wife and mother-n-law, and the rest of the family? What would you do? If you were a son or daughter of adult age, and had a vacation scheduled, but your Mom or Dad was given two days to live…would you still go away on your vacation, or put things in priority order, and be with your family?
As I write this to you, I am with the family in Nashville, filling my days with my wife and the rest of the family at my mother-n-law’s bedside. It’s been 2 days already and she is still with us, but I attribute that to the many fans and friends who have been praying for her. I have received numerous emails expressing your concern and support in my situation.
If the promoter is angry, and out to try and hurt my reputation, shame on him. I called him and apologized for not being able to come, and TOLD HIM I was not going to make it because of the news we got from the hospital the morning of the show… that her death was expected. I even went as far to tell him that I would return the money he sent…all of it, and I STILL stand by it. When I return to Tampa, I will be heading to my bank and mailing him the money. This was never the issue, so why he had to go off and try to hurt me at a time where we are having a tragedy in our family, I don’t know.
What tends to hurt me the most, is that I asked him to please tell the fans that I was sorry and that i was not going to be able to make it to the event. I purposely made sure that he would express that to the fans who came out to see me, and to celebrate the life of Randy Savage. Instead, he tells everyone that I pulled a “No show”. He didn’t give any reason for my absence, just told people I didn’t show up. This is not how I operate. However, when push comes to shove with family, family will always win out.
That is the truth. This is what happened. Yes, I did not like the flight itinerary, and I did ask him for the balance of my payoff, but that had nothing to do with me not being there. It was getting the news that my mother-n-law was about to die that caused me to decide not to go the day of. As stated earlier, my mother-n-law seems to be doing better, and I thank you all for praying. I believe that is the only reason why. For those that got offended, I do apologize, and I do hope to see you again one day soon. Thank you for your support throughout this time, and for being such dedicated fans and friends.
-Greg “The Hammer” Valentine
Source: http://www.ifight365.com/2011/09/greg-valentine-posts-explanation-for-no-showing-event/
THURSDAY'S WEB EXCLUSIVE: Roundtable on favorite fights of 2013 thus far
 |
Today's all-new website exclusive feature article is a signature Roundtable discussion with the MMATorch staff.
Today's topic: What is your favorite fight of 2013 thus far?
Get seven perspectives from the MMATorch team when you visit www.MMATorch.com when you get a chance today on a web browser on the device of your choosing. (DIRECT LINK TO ARTICLE - best viewed on a web browser rather than within our App.)
Our website has undergone a bit of facelift this past month, so check it out. If you love our app when you're on the go, settle with some longer signature MMATorch articles on your laptop or PC or tablet.
Our new MMATorch Forum is now open for new members. If you had trouble signing up before with the image verification, that has been changed. Be a pioneer member as we continue to grow.
Thanks for your support of MMATorch in all its formats - app, web, and podcast.
Source: http://www.mmatorch.com/artman2/publish/mmatorchappalert/article_17412.shtml
Arrows MMA – Russian Beach Sand Fight Of The Day
Winner takes home a Nautilus Pompilius t-shirt and a gift certificate for an oil change on his Lada. The peculiarity of the tournament is such that everyone can take part in it. A fighter only needs to come to the ARROWS tournament on the day of the fight. To take part in the tournament and [...]
Source: http://www.mmatko.com/arrows-mma-russian-beach-sand-fight-of-the-day/
Tommy Toe Hold Show – Tommy Talks To Nick About WAR MMA
Twitter beefs turn into battle raps, I’ll talk to Nick about WAR MMA, and Miesha Tate does ESPN’s Body Issue.
Source: http://www.mmatko.com/tommy-toe-hold-show-tommy-talks-to-nick-about-war-mma/
Aldrin de Jesus Todd Duffee Marvin Eastman Stav Crazy Bear Economou
B.J. Penn considering a return to the cage; should he retire or take on new challenges?
Unsurprisingly, there are plenty of challengers who are interested in facing Penn.
Iheard that the legend returns .. I will be glad to meet him @danawhite @bjpenndotcom @ufc @arielhelwani
— khabib nurmagomedov (@khabib13) June 5, 2013
He is the best lightweight fighter in the history, I'm his fan since childhood, I deserve this fight @danawhite @arielhelwani @bjpenndotcom
— khabib nurmagomedov (@khabib13) June 5, 2013
With all respect if BJ Penn needs an opponent when he returns I am more than will. Would be an honor to fight him. @ufc
— Evan Dunham (@evandunham155) June 5, 2013
Khabib Nurmagomedov and Evan Dunham want to welcome him back into the cage. However, UFC president Dana White said recently he isn't in favor of Penn's return to the cage because he's taken some bad losses recently.
"I want B.J. Penn to retire," he said. " ... B.J. is too tough for his own good. B.J. might not be knocked out, but the shots B.J. took would've knocked out a normal human being. He's had his head bounced off the canvas like a basketball by Matt Hughes, by Georges St-Pierre and then Rory just did it to him. B.J. Penn has left that octagon looking like a [expletive] alien. He's too tough for his own good. You don't knock out B.J. Penn. B.J. Penn absorbs every amount of punishment you give him. It doesn't mean he hasn't been taking damage. He's taken a lot of damage, and I don't want to see him take anymore."
Retirement is one of the hardest decisions for fighters to make, and it may be harder for them than for other athletes because opportunities don't dry up the same way they do for other sports. For example, football players sometimes end up retired because they can't find a spot on an NFL team. The decision is made by their skill level.
But in MMA, there's always another fight, and every fighter wants to go out a winner. Though Penn has championship belts and memories of being a pioneer in the UFC, he also hasn't had his hand raised since 2010. Even if the UFC didn't give Penn another bout, he is a big enough draw that he would get another opportunity to fight from some promotion somewhere.
Should Penn retire? The only person who can answer that is Penn himself.
Patrick The Predator Côté Randy The Natural Couture Dan Cramer Alberto Crane
Ben Askren defends title against Andrey Koreshkov at Bellator 97 on July 31
Bellator 97 takes place from the Santa Ana Star Center in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The fight card also features the final of the Season 8 welterweight tournament with Douglas Lima taking on Ben Saunders. In addition, Patricio “Pitbull” Freire will square off against veteran Rob Emerson in a featherweight bout.
Askren (11-0) captured the welterweight championship when he defeated Lyman Good in 2010 at Bellator 33. He has successfully defended the title three times. In his most recent bout at Bellator 86, Askren defeated Karl Amoussou by technical knockout. Askren, a wrestling specialist, stated “I feel like I’ve continued to mature and get better in every one of my fights, and July 31st should be no different. I don’t think Andrey has any ability to stop my wrestling and ground attack, so this will be another successful title defense.”
Koreshkov (13-0) earned the title shot by capturing the Season 7 welterweight tournament with wins over Jordan Smith, Marius Žaromskis and Lyman Good. Koreshkov has finished eleven of his opponents with eight wins coming by knockout and three by submission.
The main card for Bellator 97 will be televised live on Spike TV beginning at 7:00pm ET. The preliminary card will be streamed free on Spike.com at 6:00pm ET.
Ray Cooper Kit Cope Wesley Cabbage Correira Patrick The Predator Côté
Friday, 28 June 2013
The Latest Update On Maryse & Her Recovery Time
Maryse stated on her official website Saturday night that she has recovered from her abdominal hernia surgery on August 24.
“I met with my surgeon today and she said everything is perfect,” she wrote. “There’s a little bit of fluid inside by the incision and where the repairs were done, but its totally normal apparently. The scar healed really good and there is no infection. So the surgery was a total success. I’m sooooooo happy!!!”
The former WWE Divas Champion last competed on the July 25 episode of RAW. She was advertised to compete in the following week’s No. 1 Contender’s Diva Battle Royal, but bowed out after determining days earlier that she would undergoing surgery.
Source: http://www.ifight365.com/2011/09/the-latest-update-on-maryse-her-recovery-time/
Weigh-in Results for GWC’s British Invasion: U.S. VS. U.K.
Lashley is fresh off a second round submission win over Kevin Asplund at TFC 25 on June 7. When discussing his bout with Larson, Lashley stated “I think it’s going to be a really exciting fight, but I hope to end it very quickly”.
GWC British Invasion takes place from the Sprint Center in Kansas City, Missouri on Saturday, June 29. The card also features former UFC heavyweight champion Ricco Rodriguez, Ultimate Fighter 3 winner Kendall “Da Spyda” Grove, Drew Fickett and Andre Winner. The event will be shown live on Pay Per View (PPV) beginning at 9:00pm ET.
Weigh-in Results
Bobby Lashley (241.1) vs. Matthew Larson (256.2)
Ricco Rodriguez (213.9) vs. Marcin Lazarz (215)
Drew Fickett (151) vs. Andre Winner (155.1)
Kendall Grove (190.9) vs. Danny Mitchell (183.7)
Kevin Asplund (260.3) vs. Oli Thompson (248.4)
LC Davis (134.7) vs. James Saville (134.5)
Jake Heun (229.6) vs. Dayman Lake (259.4)
Wayne Cole (185.6) vs. Jack Marshman (185.4)
Justin Davis (196.6) vs. Max Nunes (205.9)
Jerome Martinez (169.3) vs. Michael Johnson (169.9)
Tony Hevey (156) vs. Jake Murphy (155)
Weigh-in Photos
Source: http://www.mmainterplay.com/mma/weigh-in-results-for-gwcs-british-invasion-u-s-vs-u-k-67822/
Chris Weidman Open to Fighting Jon Jones if He Beats Anderson Silva
Contrary to popular belief, Chris Weidman (pictured) is all for having superfights in MMA. However, you just simply need to insert him in place of reigning UFC middleweight king Anderson Silva.
The biggest box office bout the UFC could arguably arrange would feature Silva and light heavyweight champion Jon Jones, with a Silva scrap against welterweight camp Georges St-Pierre coming in a close second. In either case, Silva is the common denominator so both fantasy fights would be ruined with a loss by the Brazilian.
In steps Weidman, who has already apologized for having to play spoiler when he challenges Silva for his throne on July 6.
According to the UFC’s Fighter Rankings (we’ll shelve the debate regarding the legitimacy and relevancy behind those pecking orders for another day), Silva and Jones are the game’s top two pound-for-pound fighters, respectively.
If Weidman is able to serve “The Spider” an upset special at UFC 162 – or should we say, WHEN, since he’s already promised to dethrone the Octagon’s most decorated champion – the “All-American” says he’d be down to try and take down the UFC’s P4P runner-up next.
“I mean, I’ve got to beat Anderson first,” Weidman stated during Tuesday’s conference call of possibly meeting Jones. “That’s the first big step. Whatever the UFC fans and UFC want to do and the fight they want to see, I’m definitely willing to do.”
Ready or not, superfights, Weidman claims he’s coming.
Source: http://www.5thRound.com/148886/chris-weidman-open-to-fighting-jon-jones-if-he-beats-anderson-silva/
Kyle Bradley Jai Bradney Ebenezer Fontes Braga Chris Brennan
Menjivar Takes on the "Kid" at 165
Two battle-tested bantamweights will finally meet in the Octagon at UFC 165, as Montreal resident Ivan Menjivar takes on Norifumi "Kid" Yamamoto. Both veterans will be looking to rebound from defeats in their most recent bouts.TUF Alumni to Square Off at 165Updated June 18In a battle of TUF alumni, undefeated lightweight Myles Jury has agreed to meet Mike Ricci at UFC 165. Ricci will likely have the crowd on his side, fighting just a few hundred miles from his hometown of Montreal. 'Bones' Tasked with 'The Mauler' in TorontoUpdated June 13UFC light heavyweight champion Jon "Bones" Jones will d ... Read the Full Article Here
Source: http://www.ufc.com/news/ufc-165-fight-card-update
Tom Big Cat Erickson Martinsh Egle Eric Butterbean Esch Efrain Escudero
THE OFFICIAL KILLEMALLS STOLEN JOKES AND ONE LINERS THREAD
Have at it lil buddy you desrve it
Kit Cope Wesley Cabbage Correira Patrick The Predator Côté Randy The Natural Couture
Torrie Wilson & ‘Zeus’ Sign On New Reality Series
– Former WWE Diva Torrie Wilson and Tiny “Zeus” Lister have signed on for the first-ever reality series offering from the Reelz cable network, “The Z Team”. The show will feature Lorenzo Lamas and Rudy Reyes as a, “group, led by Lamas, contracted by law enforcement agencies and concerned citizens all across the country to confront real life and death situations on the streets of America. The Z Team, relying on years of experience fighting bad guys on the big screen, in the ring and in real life take on drug dealers, the mob and dirty politicians—no case is too much for them.” Here is the official press release on the show…
Fighting Lessons From the Movies Put to the Test as Hollywood Meets Reality on REELZCHANNEL
“The Z Team” To Be Produced by ZOO Productions as the Network’s First Reality Series
REELZCHANNEL today announced that the network is turbo charging its commitment to TV About Movies® by bringing the focus to its first original reality TV series in a development deal with ZOO Productions to create The Z Team. The Z Team stars Lorenzo Lamas, Rudy Reyes, Tommy “Tiny” Lister and Torrie Wilson as a group, led by Lamas, contracted by law enforcement agencies and concerned citizens all across the country to confront real life and death situations on the streets of America. The Z Team, relying on years of experience fighting bad guys on the big screen, in the ring and in real life take on drug dealers, the mob and dirty politicians—no case is too much for them.
“We wanted to make a show that would take the action and drama of Die Hard and The Expendables and combine it with the reality of Cops,” said John Stevens ZOO Productions co-founder and Executive Producer on The Z Team. “REELZ knows the world of movies and entertainment better than any network and they are the perfect partner to make The Z Team come to life.”
“Bringing a Hollywood movie sensibility to the fight against crime is a natural for REELZ,” said Matthew Singerman REELZCHANNEL SVP of Programming. “With The Z Team we’re feeding America’s appetite for the action genre by bringing big screen imagination and technique to reality TV in a show that will be fun for viewers, full of opportunities for marketers and be a tremendous building block in our continuing commitment to TV About Movies.”
Adds Lorenzo Lamas, “Ever since Renegade, my fans and I have been waiting for the right opportunity to take on the next challenge in the world of law enforcement. The Z Team is it – and the group of characters I have assembled is like no other. The best part is we get to take our skills as trained performers and apply them to real life situations. What people will see on this show is like nothing else on television today.”
Lorenzo Lamas, veteran of over 70 movie and TV roles was nominated for a Golden Globe for his work on Falcon Crest and is the only actor who appeared in all 228 episodes. Rudy Reyes is a Recon Marine with multiple tours of duty in Afghanistan and Iraq who played himself in HBO’s seven-part miniseries Generation Kill. He was also the host of History Channel’s survival show Apocalypse Man. Tommy “Tiny” Lister has over 150 movie and TV credits, most notably One Night with the King, The Fifth Element and Beverly Hills Cop II. Torrie Wilson, a former WWE wrestler, has appeared in several productions including Reality Obsessed, Project Runway, Baywatch and WWF Raw.
About ZOO Productions
ZOO Productions is a recognized leader in reality television. Notable shows produced include NBC’s It’s Worth What?, MTV’s Busted, Fox’s Are You Smarter Than A 5th Grader, Tru TV’s Southern Fried Stings and the Hub’s Family Game Night. The company was acquired by ALL3 Media in 2008. Gregg Kavet, John Stevens and Barry Poznick are Executive Producers on Z-Team. In addition to his Executive Producer role on Z-Team, Kavet is best known as a Co-Executive Producer for the Emmy® Award-winning Seinfeld.
About REELZCHANNEL
REELZCHANNEL—TV About Movies® is the only cable and satellite network devoted to delivering entertaining and informative programming that is all about movies, including the celebrities, fashion, music and stories behind the stories. With shows featuring movie and entertainment experts, including Leonard Maltin, Richard Roeper, Sam Rubin and John Salley, viewers get trusted insight into movies wherever they’re playing, whether in theaters or at home.
REELZCHANNEL reaches more than 60 million homes on DIRECTV channel 238, Dish Network channel 299, Verizon FiOS TV channel 233, AT&T U-verse channels 799/1799HD and cable systems nationwide. Find REELZCHANNEL in your area by entering your zip code at http://www.reelz.com/watch. Owned by Hubbard Media Group, REELZCHANNEL is headquartered in Albuquerque, NM with an entertainment bureau in Los Angeles and sales office in New York.
layeth the smack down
hey Theon here
heard the podcast, decided to join the forum, I'm a big conspiracy buff as you can see by my name.
I actually tried doing a podcast years ago.
heard the podcast, decided to join the forum, I'm a big conspiracy buff as you can see by my name.
I actually tried doing a podcast years ago.
Source: http://ninjashoes.net/forum/showthread.php?81049-layeth-the-smack-down&goto=newpost
Report: Semmy Schilt retires
Too bad he faded out over the years. Lots of interesting match ups in MMA for him. I will always remember him as the bad guy vs The Transporter. He would be a serious head ache in a street fight. Even with a baseball bat you couldn't reach em. He'd block it with his shins and break the bat probably.
Quote:
| According to a published report, kickboxing legend and mixed martial arts fighted Semmy Schilt has retired from combat sports. Liverkick.com reported that the Netherlands native, who turns 40 in October, has bowed out of competition due to a heart condition. Schilt is a four-time K-1 World Grand Prix champion, with tournament victories in 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009. His 2005-07 run marks the only time a fighter won three consecutive Grand Prix. Schilt, of course, also had a considerable mixed martial arts career, with the majority of his bouts conducted during the sport's early era. Schilt excelled in Pancrase, claiming an Openweight King of Pancrase crown and competing against a who's who of the early days of the Japanese scene, from Yuki Kondo to Guy Mezger to Masakatsu Funaki. Schilt also fought for several years in PRIDE, where he had high-profile losses to the likes of Fedor Emelianenko, Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira and Josh Barnett. On these shores, Schilt is best remembered for his nasty finish of Pete Williams at UFC 31 in Atlantic City. His last MMA fight was a first-round submission of "Mighy Mo" Siliga on a Dec. 31, 2008 K-1 Dynamite card. His final kickboxing bout was on Dec. 31 of last year, a first-round TKO of Daniel Ghita in Saitama, Japan. He finishes with a kickboxing record of 43-6-1 and an MMA record of 26-14-1. http://www.mmafighting.com/2013/6/26...schilt-retires |
Source: http://www.mmaforum.com/general-mma-discussion/134049-report-semmy-schilt-retires.html
Thursday, 27 June 2013
The Sunday Junkie deadline reminder, win a free 'Fighters Only' subscription
As a reminder, submissions for the upcoming edition of "The Sunday Junkie" are due by Sunday at 10 a.m. ET. All topics - including this week's flurry of fight bookings and all upcoming events - are open for discussion. The person who sends in the submission we deem the best (based on timeliness of subject, clarity and overall persuasiveness) is the winner.
Each winner receives a free year's subscription to "Fighters Only," the world's leading MMA and lifestyle magazine.
An inside look at how shitty WAR MMA turned out and how Nick Diaz dident care about it
This is a docu about WAR MMA. Look at 04:30, comical scene to say the least, that promoter basically walks away when he gets answered a question after Diaz dident bother to show up.
Oh, and at 07:30, he forgets something in his car, and he forgot the key and gets some sponser to break into his car.
http://www.mmafighting.com/2013/6/26...-diazs-war-mma
Oh, and at 07:30, he forgets something in his car, and he forgot the key and gets some sponser to break into his car.
http://www.mmafighting.com/2013/6/26...-diazs-war-mma
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.
Murilo Bustamante Grant Campbell Gesias JZ Calvancante Luiz Cane
Trying to get caught up here...
I've been out of MMA for a couple years now catching the occasional fight, but I'm sick of being out of the loop.. And as I'd rather watch it than read about it I'm going to start picking up acouple dvd's every payday until I'm there. Watched Silva and Sonnen II last night, and currently watching 157..
I couldn't be happier about the opener, Robbie showed me just what I wanted to see just not in the fashion I had hoped. He worked with what Kosh was giving him, and getting even an early stoppage tko on that fighting style deserves respect. Early stoppage, well earned win.
Neer and Court I was looking forward to seeing only because I'm a Neer fan. Neer is one tough bastard, that's all that fight demonstrated positively for him outside of a couple winning but not threatening exchanges.
I couldn't be happier about the opener, Robbie showed me just what I wanted to see just not in the fashion I had hoped. He worked with what Kosh was giving him, and getting even an early stoppage tko on that fighting style deserves respect. Early stoppage, well earned win.
Neer and Court I was looking forward to seeing only because I'm a Neer fan. Neer is one tough bastard, that's all that fight demonstrated positively for him outside of a couple winning but not threatening exchanges.
Source: http://ninjashoes.net/forum/showthread.php?81069-Trying-to-get-caught-up-here&goto=newpost
Roan Jucao Carneiro Shane The Engineer Carwin Jason Hollywood Chambers Ryo Piranha Chonan
Eddie Alvarez’s Case Against Bellator Not Due Back In Court Until September of NEXT Year
There has been no shortage of comments from Eddie Alvarez and Bellator MMA in regards to the court case between the two parties, but now a timeline has surfaced with regards to the case, and its not good for Alvarez. According to reports, Alvarez and Bellator won’t meet in court until September 15, 2014, and that would just be for pre-trial meetings. This could mean we wouldn’t see Alvarez in ANY cage until 2015 unless the two parties reach a settlement.
Alvarez hasn’t fought since October of Last year, and with only one loss since 2009 when he joined Bellator, the 29 year old is clearly in his prime. Alvarez has been outspoken about the case in the past, but has remained quiet since the parties decided to work it out in court. Until
SOURCE: MMAJunkie
The post Eddie Alvarez’s Case Against Bellator Not Due Back In Court Until September of NEXT Year appeared first on Fighters.com.
We want your UFC 161 picks
Time to make your picks for UFC 161, which is going down this Saturday in Winnipeg. Head to Cagewriter's Facebook page to vote on who you think will win. Tell us why your pick will win in the comments.
Rashad Evans vs. Dan Henderson
Stipe Miocic vs. Roy Nelson
Alexis Davis vs. Rosi Sexton
Pat Barry vs. Shawn Jordan
Ryan Jimmo vs. Igor Pokrajac
Some pick will be chosen to appear on Cagewriter this Friday. Vote early, comment often, and check back on Friday to see if your pick made the post.
Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/want-ufc-161-picks-134305516.html
Bellator-Alvarez case will not go to trial until late 2014 at earliest
The “Joint Proposed Discovery Plan” filed with the Court in the Eddie Alvarez-Bellator case reveals the sobering reality of the judicial system. Among the dates set by the Court, a pretrial conference will occur sometime after September 15, 2014 which would mean an actual trial in the case would not occur until late fall 2014 or even early 2015.
The Court held an initial status conference this week which included the rendering of a “Joint Proposed Discovery Plan” which essentially lays out the plan on litigating the case. This includes the written discovery and a plan on how many people will be deposed by each party (each side will have a maximum of 10 depositions). It also includes a time for expert reports and expert depositions.
A pretrial conference may take place “any time after September 15, 2014 and after resolution of any dispositive motions (motions to dismiss claims)” according to the Order.
At that pretrial conference, the Court will likely appoint a Court date. Thus, it’s most likely a trial would not commence until late 2014 or even 2015.
Another interesting note that has come out of the case is that the parties have agreed to a Discovery Confidentiality Order which may prevent the public from seeing documents deemed confidential by the parties.
Another interesting point was the status of the settlement talks which occurred prior to the filing of the discovery plan. Bellator had offered Alvarez two PPV level fights with the first being a shot at the lightweight title currently held by Michael Chandler. Alvarez declined the offer and countered with just one fight for Bellator. This stalled the negotiations.
Payout Perspective:
And this is why Alvarez should not have stated that he was not going to settle with Bellator. A trial date at best would not happen until the fall of 2014 (Alvarez will be out of action for 2 full years if this happens) but this does not even include any scheduling delays or motions to continue a trial date which are norms in litigation. The parties have already noted that there may be scheduling issues with third parties (UFC?) and “disputes regarding designation of documents as confidential.” Thus, there are already logistical obstacles and it’s still June 2013. We shall see how this progresses and if the parties will look to settlement discussions. But, in my opinion, the parties will want to conduct some discovery and depositions before any further discussions on settling occur.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Payout/~3/cMfm1vjNTho/
Wednesday, 26 June 2013
Tim Credeur booked on drug/weapons charges
Unless new to the sport, most fans undoubtedly remember former UFC middleweight Tim Credeur from his time on TUF 7 or one of his post-show performances. However, the only cage Credeur is currently concerned with involves a cell in Louisiana where he was arrested this week on charges relating to an April 16 incident.
MMAJunkie was first to report the matter, confirming Credeur’s status with local authorities. The 35-year old was apparently pulled over for not wearing a seatbelt when marijuana and a gun were found in his possession.
Credeur posted a $5,500 bond and was released. No court date has been set for him to further address the charges.
The 12-4 Credeur started his UFC career off with three finishes before falling in an exciting effort against Nate Quarry. He suffered a strike-based stoppage in a subsequent scrap with Ed Herman, getting axed by the organization shortly thereafter.
PHOTO CREDIT: Lafayette Parish Sheriff’s Office
The post Tim Credeur booked on drug/weapons charges appeared first on Five Ounces of Pain.
Source: http://fiveouncesofpain.com/2013/06/26/tim-credeur-booked-on-drugweapons-charges/
UFC 162: Silva Vs Weidman – Power (VIDEO)
The UFC has released a new promo video for UFC 162, and if you’re one of those people who can’t get enough Anderson Silva highlights, then you will enjoy the next 30 seconds. The video features the track Power by Kanye West and you can watch it below.
UFC 162: Silva Vs Weidman takes places July 6 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. The main event will feature reigning Middleweight Champion Anderson Silva’s 11th title defense against challenger Chris Weidman. The co main event will feature former lightweight champion Frankie Edgar taking on Charles Oliveira.
Courtesy of the UFC
Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports
The post UFC 162: Silva Vs Weidman – Power (VIDEO) appeared first on Fighters.com.
Video game choices for fight fans: Get in the UFC octagon or fight animal abusers
Two video games hit the MMA world on Monday for fight fans. One was the latest edition of the UFC EA Sports Game. UFC president Dana White and champions Benson Henderson and Jon Jones debuted it at a flashy press conference at E3.
The UFC game will apparently help you figure out what it feels like to fight in a cage without any of those pesky concussions or broken bones.
Want to play a fight game right? PETA is here to help you out.
That's right, the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals want you to play their video game to knock out animal abuse. Aaron Simpson, Georgi Kharykhanian and Jake Shields are featured characters in the game "Cage Fight: Knock Out Animal Abuse." They each take on different challenges in animal cruelty. Simpson is a vegan and outspoken critic of animal abuse. Shields, who is fighting Tyron Woodley at UFC 161, has joined up with animal rights groups in the past.
Danny Trejo Talks About Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Saul Canelo Alvare Fight
Machete star Danny Trejo talks with Marcos Villegas about his introduction to combat sports and talks his thoughts on Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Saul Canelo Alvarez.
Source: http://www.mmatko.com/danny-trejo-talks-about-floyd-mayweather-jr-vs-saul-canelo-alvare-fight/
Jeremy Stephens takes bloody, bloody win over Estevan Payan at UFC 160 (Photos)
You can see the blood leaking from Payan's head here.
Per Eklund Jason Ellis Aleksander Emelianenko Fedor Emelianenko
Nah-Shon Burrell and Karlos Vemola among six fighters removed from UFC.com
Quote:
| As soon as an event is over, it's inevitable that a few fighters will have fought for the last time with the promotion. Sometimes exactly which fighter ends up being on the outside is a bit of a surprise (unless you're the omnipotent Tim Burke), sometimes the predictions feel easy. Whatever the means or the method, it would appear that another six fighters have made their exit from the world's largest MMA promotion: Eddie Mendez, Roger Hollett, Anthony Smith, Nah-Shon Burrell, Karlos Vemola, and Leandro Silva. It's not the most surprising list in the world, all are fairly low profile fighters coming off a loss, but there are a couple of releases that seem a trifle abrupt. Over the course of his Zuffa career, Nah-Shon Burrell is 4-2, and while his wins may be short on name power, his UFC debut was an entertaining victory over Yuri Villefort. He did miss weight, badly, in that fight and struggled to make it in his most recent loss to Stephen Thompson, but at only 23 it seems like early days to cut a fighter loose altogether. No doubt a few strong performances on the regional circuit will see him back in the UFC, but it's a harsh lesson nonetheless. While I realize that TUF alumni usually only get one chance to prove their mettle in the octagon, it appeared that Leandro Silva was not getting the TUF treatment. Stepping in on short notice to fight Ildemar Alcantara, at a weight class above his preference, is usually the kind of act that will grant a fighter a stay of execution for a less than stellar performance. However, following an especially listless debut at UFC on Fuel 10, it would appear that "Buscape" has been shown the door as well. He's definitely better suited to lightweight, and I wouldn't be surprised to see him pop up again as a short notice replacement for a future Brazilian UFC card. For the other fighters involved it's hard not to feel sympathetic for anyone suddenly out of a job, but in the world of athletics, where performance is everything, it's also difficult to see what these fighters had to offer the promotion going forward. Perhaps seeing the outside of the UFC will help them revitalize their careers and return better, more well rounded fighters. If nothing else I hope they find a lucrative market for their skills. No official announcements have been made, but we will be sure to keep you updated if and when confirmation is made available. *Note: UFC.com appears to have some caching issues, so some of these changes may not be immediately apparent. UPDATE: Since the writing of this article Nah-Shon Burrell has confirmed his release from the promotion stating that Joe Silva contacted him personally and that his relationship with the UFC was entirely respectful and positive. He also stated that he hopes to make a quick return to the promotion. |
UFC 162: Serra Won’t Corner Weidman
Chris Weidman will have to throw down with middleweight champ Anderson Silva, without one of his longtime coaches in his corner, as BJJ black belt and former welterweight champ Matt Serra is reportedly unable to head out to UFC 162. Weidman’s striking coach Ray Longo has informed MMA Fighting.com that due to ongoing health issues, [...]
The post UFC 162: Serra Won’t Corner Weidman appeared first on MMA Convert.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/mmaconvert/~3/yMbpJGkRcQ8/
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)