Wednesday, 30 April 2014
MMATORCH APP TODAY - MONDAY MORNING EDITION 4/28: Teixeira's shoulder injury; Jones on UFC 172 crowd reception; Nate Diaz ready for return; Hioki-Oliveira booked; poll results
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MONDAY 4/28 MORNING NEWS UPDATE
Good morning, everyone! Check out the big update on the App's home page for new notes and information on the changes made to the new mobile site at MMATorch.com in your mobile browser. Our tech team has been working on even more tweaks based on your feedback, and have optimized the site for Safari and the default Android browser. They're continuing to work on the same for both Chrome and Opera as well. Keep sending your thoughts in to mmatorch@gmail.com so we can make the mobile site the best experience for you! We truly appreciate the feedback, and we're making changes as necessary. Here's a rundown of the news on our main listing this morning:
-Glover Teixeira's shoulder was injured in the first round against Jon Jones on Saturday night, with the elbow crank move Jones used messing it up badly. He'll be getting an MRI to assess the damage on Wednesday. Get comments from his coach John Hackleman and analysis in the main listing now.
-Jones received an extremely warm welcome from the crowd in Baltimore on Saturday, and he talked about how much he appreciated that crowd reaction after the fight. See his thoughts on the Baltimore crowd and his Ray Lewis dance, with added commentary at MMATorch.com in your mobile browser.
-After complaining about his contract, Nate Diaz now may be ready to return to action. Dana White said on Saturday night that Diaz spoke with UFC matchmaker Joe Silva and says he's ready to fight. More with analysis in the main listing.
-Charles Oliveira and Hatsu Hioki have been booked for the UFC Fight Night 43 card in New Zealand this June. Get more on both fighters and their recent records in the main listing.
-In our morning poll, we asked readers what they thought was the most surprising thing out of UFC 172 on Saturday night. By a large margin, garnering 73% of the vote, Anthony Johnson stuffing every one of Phil Davis' takedown attempts was the clear winner. That response itself isn't all that surprising. Get your votes in now!
We thank all of our readers for their feedback and patience as we continue making improvements on the new mobile site. We're an independent voice in the MMA space with no corporate backing, and as such we stay afloat on ad revenue. This shift to the full listing on mobile web brings us a better chance to keep ourselves going and to bring our readers everything we have for the last five years and more, as the mobile advertising market is simply stronger than that on the app. Continue sending us your feedback to mmatorch@gmail.com and let us know how the new features with the Disqus comments section and more are working for you on mobile web!
Source: http://www.mmatorch.com/artman2/publish/torchtoday/article_21268.shtml
Patrick The Predator Côté Randy The Natural Couture Dan Cramer Alberto Crane
Travis Browne breaks down tonight's UFC main event
Tonight, UFC heavyweight contenders Travis "Hapa" Browne and Fabricio Werdum meet in the main event of UFC on Fox 11. The winner will then be next to face heavyweight king Cain Velasquez for his championship belt.
Browne and Wedum have contrasting styles - Browne is the athletic slugger and Werdum the slick ground submission artist - but both men always seem to be fighting for a finish. Browne recently spoke with Sports Net Canada about the match up, the stakes and his goal in every fight.
Check out the video interview below and let us know who you're picking in the comments section!
Follow Elias on Twitter @EliasCepeda & @YahooCagewriter
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.
Too many cards
Back in the "golden age" of MMA, I found myself waiting eagerly months in advance contemplating the outcomes of certain fights, and thinking about how amazing the 3 or 4 hours were going to be. Now, I usually DVR the fights, watch the first rounds of fights between any pair of guys I'm not familiar with, and I end up fast forwarding if they seemingly aren't of quality.
I guess it's my own problem, because I can always avoid watching events; but I feel like the product is so watered down these days that I might tune in to see Kundurp... so I barely look forward to the events as a whole, maybe just a fight here or there.
Mark Cuban recently made the statement that the NFL was going to implode in the next ten years in large part because of over-saturation.
I think ZUFFA runs the company like shit for many reasons, but this is chief among them.
What do you think?
Source: http://ninjashoes.net/forum/showthread.php?82653-Too-many-cards&goto=newpost
Zelg Benkei Galesić Mauro Galvao Arman Gambaryan Manvel Gamburyan
Mixed martial arts suffers incalculable loss
And now they have really done it. Apparently due to the demands of acting, Don Frye's mustache is no more.
RIP Don Frye's mustache
1967*-2014
Tuesday, 29 April 2014
Does Glover have a chance against Jones?
MMATORCH APP TODAY - TUESDAY MORNING EDITION 4/29: Jones gets in shots at Davis and Liddell; Mighty Mouse wants to make money; Joe Ellenberger rebooked; poll results
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TUESDAY 4/29 MORNING NEWS UPDATE
Check out the big update on the App's home page for new notes and information on the changes made to the new mobile site at MMATorch.com in your mobile browser. Our tech team has been working on even more tweaks based on your feedback, and have optimized the site for Safari and the default Android browser. They're continuing to work on the same for both Chrome and Opera as well. Keep sending your thoughts in to mmatorch@gmail.com so we can make the mobile site the best experience for you! We truly appreciate the feedback, and we're making changes as necessary. Here's a quick look at what hit the site this morning:
-Jon Jones received a lot of trash talk from Phil Davis, and some from Chuck Liddell, among others, into his bout with Glover Teixeira last Saturday at UFC 172. As he dominated his main event fight – and Davis himself got beat handily by Anthony Johnson – Jones had some room to gloat, and he did just that on Instagram, taking a few probably deserved shots at both Liddell and Davis. See the posts with further commentary in the main listing.
-UFC Flyweight Champ Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson has been picking up his wins and successfully defending his title, but now he's looking forward to the other benefits of being a top fighter in the sport. In a recent interview, Johnson said he's focusing on making money and trying to become a superstar in 2014, both things I think he deserves at this stage. Get his comments with analysis at MMATorch.com in your mobile browser now!
-Joe Ellenberger's UFC debut will now come at UFC Fight Night 44 in San Antonio in June, after two different opponents fell out for last weekend's UFC 172 card. He'll now meet undefeated lightweight Francisco “Frank” Trevino. Get info on both fighters in the main listing.
-Continuing on our theme of the week, we asked readers this morning which of the top light heavyweight contenders will be the one to beat Jon Jones: Alexander Gustafsson, Daniel Cormier, Dan Henderson, Anthony Johnson, Rashad Evans, or none of them at all. 34% went with “none of the above,” while 32% think Gustafsson's the man. Another 21% pin it on Cormier right now, with Anthony Johnson receiving 11% of the vote. Add your votes in now!
We thank all of our readers for their feedback and patience as we continue making improvements on the new mobile site. We're an independent voice in the MMA space with no corporate backing, and as such we stay afloat on ad revenue. This shift to the full listing on mobile web brings us a better chance to keep ourselves going and to bring our readers everything we have for the last five years and more, as the mobile advertising market is simply stronger than that on the app. Continue sending us your feedback to mmatorch@gmail.com and let us know how the new features with the Disqus comments section and more are working for you on mobile web!
Source: http://www.mmatorch.com/artman2/publish/torchtoday/article_21285.shtml
Douglas Lima vs. Rick Hawn for welterweight title at Bellator 117
The event will broadcast live at 9 p.m. EST/ 8 p.m. CST on Spike TV. The preliminary card will be streamed live and free on Spike.com beginning at 7 p.m. EST/ 6 p.m. CST. Tickets for the event will be on sale Friday, January 24th and can be purchased at Ticketmaster.com, Bellator.com or by visiting the Mid-American Center Box Office.
Lima enters the April 18th showdown riding a four-fight knockout streak including tournament wins over Bryan Baker and Ben Saunders that propelled the Brazilian born knockout artist into his rightful title shot. Just 26, Lima is well aware that now is the time to elevate his game to the next level, and capture his first Bellator Championship.
“This fight with Hawn is going to be very explosive, I think everyone is aware of that,” Lima said. “I really can’t describe how excited I am for this World Title shot. I’m bringing this belt home, and it’s not leaving me for a long time.”
Hawn’s road to a title shot was a unique one, as the TriStar product was a late injury replacement in the Season 9 Welterweight Tournament. Hawn made the most of his opportunity, capturing three wins in the process, including a devastating knockout over Ron Keslar in the Tournament Finals. “It’s great to be back in title contention and going for that belt,” Hawn said. “There is no question Douglas is an incredibly gifted fighter. In terms of his size and skill, this will probably be the toughest fight of my career, and I’m ready for that. I know how exciting this fight is going to be, and I’m just ready for April 18th to get here.”
“Without using too many cliché’s, Lima vs. Hawn is just a fight fans dream come true,” Bellator Chairman & CEO Bjorn Rebney said. “Both of these are incredibly exciting to watch in the cage, and to have both of them set for a five round battle for our welterweight title is something I’m couldn’t be happier about.”
More information on Bellator 117 will be made available in the coming weeks.
For more information, visit Bellator.com, follow Bellator on Twitter @BellatorMMA, follow Bellator Chairman & CEO Bjorn Rebney @BjornRebney and check out Bellator on Facebook at www.facebook.com/BellatorMMA
About Bellator MMA
Bellator MMA is the world’s largest tournament based Mixed Martial Arts organization. Televised to nearly 500 Million homes worldwide in over 140 countries, Bellator’s majority owner is entertainment giant Viacom. In the United States, Bellator can be seen on Spike TV, the MMA television leader. With over 175 world-class athletes under contract, Bellator is home to many of the sport’s top mixed martial artists. Bellator’s founder & CEO, Bjorn Rebney, is an experienced fighting sports and entertainment executive with a deep commitment to the purity and integrity of the sport of MMA and its athletes. Bellator’s core philosophy is that title shots should be earned, not given. This belief gave rise to Bellator’s real sport, tournament-based format, which gives Bellator’s tournaments a true playoff feel that keeps the sport true and distances itself from the subjective side of fighting sports found in organizations that utilize a matchmaking/casting formula. Bellator MMA is comprised of an executive team that includes top industry professionals in television production, live event orchestration, fighter development/relations, venue procurement, sponsorship creation/development, international licensing, marketing, advertising, publicity and commission relations. Bellator is based in Newport Beach, California.
About Spike TV:
Spike TV is available in 98.7 million homes and is a division of Viacom Media Networks. A unit of Viacom (NASDAQ: VIA, VIAB), Viacom Media Networks is one of the world’s leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms. Spike TV’s Internet address is www.spike.com and for up-to-the-minute and archival press information and photographs, visit Spike TV’s press site at http://www.spike.com/press. Follow us on Twitter @spiketvpr for the latest in breaking news updates, behind-the-scenes information and photos.
About mun2
mun2 is the leading Hispanic cable network for young millennial adults 18-34. From reality to music, on-air to digital, mun2 creates original content that resonates across a multi-screen platform. Young, vibrant and unabashedly Latino, mun2 has a distribution to over 38 million households. The network is part of Telemundo Media, a division of NBCUniversal.
Douglas Lima vs. Rick Hawn for welterweight title at Bellator 117 is a post from: MMA Interplay
The Book of Enoch
Source: http://ninjashoes.net/forum/showthread.php?82648-The-Book-of-Enoch&goto=newpost
With Zuffa contract complete, former Strikeforce boss Scott Coker plans to travel, not promote
Several weeks ago, Scott Coker’s contract with UFC parent Zuffa came to an end, freeing the longtime promoter to pursue other interests.
Right now, however, those interests are not related to MMA. The former Strikeforce head, who in 2011 sold his promotion to UFC parent company Zuffa, told MMAjunkie he plans to travel and see what the world has to offer before even considering a jump back into MMA.
“The phone’s been ringing, but I’m not going to take something that’s just out there because I feel like I have to do it,” Coker said. “It has to be the right deal, and it has to be the right deal for me, because I think I could bring a lot of value to a company. I’m not in a hurry.”
Coker inked a three-year contract to work for Zuffa as part of the industry-leader’s buyout of Strikeforce, which came at reported price tag of $40 million. Initially, he continued to represent the promotion at events before stepping behind the scenes in 2012. Zuffa folded Strikeforce in January 2013 and absorbed its fighter roster into the UFC.
Coker’s contract does not contain a non-compete clause, meaning he isn’t restricted from promoting MMA.
The end of Strikeforce as an independent organization helped push Bellator into the de facto No. 2 position behind the UFC while also creating a perception that the industry-leader was closer than ever to a monopoly. In fact, the sale of the San Jose, Calif.-based promotion was the catalyst for an FTC investigation.
The government in early 2012 ruled that Zuffa’s role in the MMA industry did not meet the standard of a monopoly.
In its heyday, the promotion Coker started as a kickboxing showcase broke the North American attendance record for MMA and drew over one million viewers as a Showtime property. It spawned the careers of several current UFC stars, including Daniel Cormier, Luke Rockhold, Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza and Tarec Saffiedine.
Although the Zuffa buyout didn’t come without a certain amount of bittersweet feelings, Coker feels positive about his time with the industry-leader.
“My tenure with the UFC is completed, and I will say this, everything they said they were going to do, they did,” he said. “I have a lot of friends there that I developed over the last three years, and I wish them luck and much success.”
As to whether he still has the passion to work in MMA, Coker insists his love for the sport remains strong. But he also is realistic about the investment needed to run a successful promotion, which is why the urgency to return to his old job isn’t there at the moment.
“I think my track record not just in MMA but martial arts, I’ve proven that I’ve contributed a lot of my life to it,” he said. “I’ve sacrificed a lot, and so yes, I still love martial arts. It’s something I still have passion for.
“But the other side of it is it’s a very time consuming proposition when you’re in this business, and it’s draining and it affects everything from your household to your family. It’s a business that when you’re in it, it’s a 24/7 business. There’s really no time off, and from the time you wake up to the time you go to bed, you’ve got to be in the zone to run your company. So there’s a lot of sacrifice.
“Right now, I’m going to do a little traveling with [my girlfriend] and see some countries we haven’t seen.”
http://mmajunkie.com/2014/04/with-zu...l-not-promote/
Coker did A LOT for Martial Arts here in San Jose. From PKA kickboxing events to eventual Strikeforce promotions. Glad he got paid and he can now enjoy his life.
Mike Winkeljohn: Alistair Overeem will have to be team player
There is no shortage of former teammates who say that UFC heavyweight Alistair Overeem isn't a team player. Rashad Evans recently said as much after Overeem left his Blackzilians team for Team Greg Jackson/Mike Winkeljohn.
However, If Overeem is going to be accepted at his new team, coach Mike Winkeljohn says that the Dutch fighter is going to have to have a selfless attitude. "That's just the way our camp is," Winkeljohn said during a Submission Radio interview.
"It's first and foremost you have to help others and if you start helping other people out, if he could help other people out with his stand up and his knowledge in different positions, then the team is going to help him. If not, he will be ostracized real quick and he'll be gone."
The striking coach went on to say that his team is a close-knit one where the culture is such that everyone lends helping hands.
"The guys won't do it themselves or want me to be a jerk about it, which I'm usually a jerk, but it just happens that way. That's why we're so good at what we do I think is, the guys help each other and that's huge, because you can't do it by yourself no matter how good you think you are, you need to help others to become successful in this sport," he said.
With all that said, Winkeljohn said that he is excited to have Overeem in Albuquerque. "I haven't spoke with him yet, but as soon as he comes I'm going to be excited to be working with him," he said.
"The guy can hit hard, I mean [former Overeem opponent and Jackson/Winkeljohn team member] Travis Browne told me how hard he hit, but the thing is I want him to not be striking and then standing in a place where he can get counter punched and or taken down. He needs to strike and then make slight angle changes, I think that will change his game tremendously."
Follow Elias on Twitter @EliasCepeda & @YahooCagewriter
GLORY 16 announced for May 3 at 1STBANK Center in Denver, Colorado, on Spike TV
Fight card to be revealed in the coming weeks.
GLORY, the world's premier kickboxing league, today announced the date for GLORY 16 DENVER, to be broadcast on SPIKE TV from 1STBANK Center in Denver, Colorado on Saturday, May 3rd.
GLORY 16 DENVER marks the promotion's first visit to Colorado, having previously hosted U.S. events in Oklahoma, California, New York, Wisconsin, and Illinois.
Tickets for GLORY 16 DENVER go on sale Monday, February 24th and will be available at www.altitudetickets.com, by calling 303.893.TIXS and at Altitude Tickets' kiosks located inside all Colorado Dick's Sporting Goods stores. Tickets will also be available for purchase at the Pepsi Center box office and at the 1STBANK Center box office (open event days only) starting Tuesday, February 25th.
Founded in 2012, GLORY is owned and operated by GLORY Sports International (GSI), a professional martial arts organization and television content provider, and maintains offices in New York, London, Amsterdam, Singapore, and Tokyo. GLORY programming is seen in over 170 territories. GLORY kickboxing rules are comprised of a mix of several combat disciplines including Karate, Muay Thai, Tae Kwon Do and traditional Boxing. Like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter @GLORY_WS, and visit us online at gloryworldseries.com.
Monday, 28 April 2014
Chael Sonnen: Without TRT I may have to stop fighting
Now that the Nevada State Athletic Commission (NSAC) has decided to stop giving exemptions for the use of TRT in any cases, fighters like Sonnen and Vitor Belfort
...click link for more
sports.yahoo.com/blogs/cagewriter/chael-sonnen--without-trt-i-may-have-to-stop-fighting-201356652.html
Then death it is going to be.
Rich No Love Clementi Mark The Hammer Coleman Wes Soldier Combs Ray Cooper
Ex-UFC fighter Homer Moore charged with first-degree murder in 1999 case
Homer Moore, 42, of Phoenix, was arrested by Tempe police in connection with the August 1999 murder of Karam Hussein Jabbar, 19. Jabbar went missing in late July, and his body was found in the trunk of a car on Aug. 3, 1999. According to police, Jabbar's hands and feet were bound and there was a bag over his head.
The official cause of death was listed as asphyxia.
Moore debuted on April 7, 1999, with a victory over Jason Middaugh at Rage in the Cage 4, about three months before Jabbar's death. Moore faced several notable fighters, including current UFC light heavyweight Chael Sonnen and UFC Hall of Famer Dan Severn. HIs only UFC appearance came at UFC 34 on Nov. 2, 2001, at the MGM Grand Garden in Las Vegas, where he was submitted by Tanner via arm bar at 55 seconds of the second round.
Moore, who last fought in 2007, was 25-9-2.
Tempe police are seeking other suspects in the case.
Kyle Bradley Jai Bradney Ebenezer Fontes Braga Chris Brennan
Renan Barao vs. T.J. Dillashaw set as new main event for UFC 173
When one door slams shut, another swings wide open. No. 5 ranked bantamweight contender T.J. Dillashaw will meet UFC champion Renan Barao on two month's notice as the new main event of UFC 173, according to a report by USA Today.
The bout serves as a replacement headliner following the postponement of UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman's title defense against Lyoto Machida. Weidman is scheduled to undergo dual knee surgery next week, and his bout against Machida is now slated to headline UFC 175.
According to the report, No. 3 ranked contender Raphael Assuncao, who narrowly defeated Dillashaw last October, was initially chosen to challenge Barao, however lingering injuries prevented Assuncao from accepting the short notice bout.
Dillashaw was previously scheduled to fight Takeya Mizugaki on UFC 173's main card. A replacement opponent for Mizugaki is expected to be announced in the coming days.
Barao (32-1, 1 NC) is undefeated in 33 straight fights, the last seven of which took place under the UFC umbrella. He most recently defended his title for the third consecutive time in early February, finishing Urijah Faber via first-round TKO.
Faber's teammate, Dillashaw (9-2), has rolled to a sterling 5-1 record since falling short at The Ultimate Fighter 14 Finale in 2011. The Team Alpha Male product recently rebounded from his loss to Assuncao by outclassing No. 6 ranked Mike Easton en route to a unanimous decision win in January.
UFC 173 takes place May 24, 2014 at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, NV. An updated fight card can be seen below.
Main Card (Pay-per-view, 10 p.m. ET)
Renan Barao vs. T.J. Dillashaw
Junior dos Santos vs. Stipe Miocic
Takeya Mizugaki vs. TBA
Tony Ferguson vs. Katsunori Kikuno
James Krause vs. Jamie Varner
Preliminary Card (FOX Sports 1, 8 p.m. ET)
Michael Chiesa vs. Francisco Trinaldo
Chris Holdsworth vs. Kyung Ho Kang
Mitch Clarke vs. Al Iaquinta
Anthony Njokuani vs. Vinc Pichel
Preliminary Card (UFC Fight Pass, 6:30 p.m. ET)
Yves Edwards vs. Piotr Hallmann
Doo Ho Choi vs. Sam Sicilia
Jingliang Li vs. Danny Mitchell
Dennis George Kultar Gill Allan Goes Takanori The Fireball Kid Gomi
MMAjunkie.com Radio (noon ET): Matt Brown, Lorenz Larkin, Mike Swick, Sammy 'The Squid'
MMAjunkie.com returns from vacation with UFC on FOX 5 main-card fighter Matt Brown (in studio) and his opponent, Mike Swick, who both join today's show.We also catch up with top Strikeforce middleweight contender Lorenz Larkin and football handicapper Sammy "The Squid" (in studio).
MMAjunkie.com Radio airs from noon to 2 p.m. ET (9-11 a.m. PT) live from Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino in Las Vegas. Listen to and watch a video stream of the two-hour show at www.mmajunkie.com/radio.
Paulo Filho Mirko Cro Cop Filipović Luiz Buscapé Firmino Spencer Fisher
Dana White responds to Renan Barao's money complaints
Renan Barao recently complained that the UFC pays him too little compared to opponents like Urijah Faber. Thursday, UFC president Dana White responded to the bantamweight champion's gripes.
"Show me a guy who's thrilled with his contract," White told media assembled at Thursday's UFC 172 media day.
"I want to meet that [expletive] guy."
White took issue with Barao's characterization of his "saving" a UFC event in May after Chris Weidman and Lyoto Machida's middleweight title bout was postponed.
"He 'saved the event'. When guys start talking like that, I hope that's not the direction we're going with Barao right now," White said.
The UFC promoter said that he loves Barao as a fighter and is doing his best to promote the Brazilian. And, while Barao isn't a major star worthy of big bucks yet, White believes his popularity and pay days will increase.
"It's always going to be tough and Barao's in this spot. Listen, who's been beating the Barao drum more than me? I think this kid, he's not there yet. He's the champion, but not the big star yet," White said.
"Who says more positive things about Barao than me?...Guy's been winning fights for nine years and hasn't lost, he's on this incredible win streak, he finishes guys. He comes in, he's a fun fighter to watch, exciting. I don't disagree. I don't disagree. You have to be able to deliver the numbers and we're in the process now of building Barao into the star that I think he should be."
How do you feel about White's response to Barao? Do you think that Renan should get a pay raise if he successfully defends his belt against T.J. Dillashaw in late May or should he have to become more popular first?
Let us know in the comments section!
Follow Elias on Twitter @EliasCepeda & @YahooCagewriter
Yasubey Enomoto Mark Epstein Tom Big Cat Erickson Martinsh Egle
UFC Fight Night 41: CB Dollaway vs Francis Carmont co-main event booked for May 31 in Berlin
Middleweight melee!
Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) has asked CB Dollaway and Francis Carmont to hook 'em up in the co-headlining attraction for the upcoming UFC Fight Night 41 event, which takes place inside O2 World Arena in Berlin, Germany, scheduled for May 31, 2014, live on Fight Pass.
The promotion announced the booking earlier today.
Dollaway (14-5) is fresh off a stunning knockout victory over Cezar Ferreira at last weekend's UFC Fight Night 39 event in Brazil. His upset over "Mutante" got him back into the win column after a questionable split-decision loss to Tim Boetsch back at UFC 166.
"The Doberman" has nine finishes in 14 wins.
Carmont (22-8) suffered the first loss of his Octagon career when he was pushed around by Ronaldo Souza at UFC Fight Night 36 last month in Brazil. In fact, it was the first time the Parisian had tasted defeat in 11 fights, having not seen the loss column since 2008.
"Limitless" will need another streak like that to get back into the title hunt.
UFC Fight Night 41 will be headlined by a five-round middleweight main event featuring Mark Munoz vs. Gegard Mousasi. Elsewhere on the card, Luke Barnatt takes on fellow 185-pounder Sean Strickland, while Pawel Pawlak and Peter Sobotta throw hands in welterweight action.
Aleksander Emelianenko Fedor Emelianenko Yasubey Enomoto Mark Epstein
[VIDEOS] Countdown to UFC 172
Get inside UFC 172's top two fights with the Countdown videos below. Fight highlights, fighter interviews and analysis from Yahoo! Sports' very own Kevin Iole, plus a whole lot more await.
And, if you want to check out the Countdown video to Luke Rockhold and Tim Boetsch, click here. For a breakdown of UFC 172's top three bouts, check out our Head to Head analysis.
Countdown to UFC 172: Jon Jones vs. Glover Teixeira
Countdown to UFC 172: Anthony Johnson vs. Phil Davis
Follow Elias on Twitter @EliasCepeda & @YahooCagewriter
Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/-videos--countdown-to-ufc-172-175703967.html
Sunday, 27 April 2014
your thoughts?
The Rothschild family is slowly but surely having their Central banks established in every country of this world, giving them incredible amount of wealth and power.
In the year of 2000 there were seven countries without a Rothschild owned Central Bank:
Afghanistan
Iraq
Sudan
Libya
Cuba
North Korea
Iran
It is not a coincidence that these country, which are listed above were and are still being under attack by the western media, since one of the main reasons these countries have been under attack in the first place is because they do not have a Rothschild owned Central Bank yet. The first step in having a Central Bank establish in a country is to get them to accept an outrageous loans, which puts the country in debt of the Central Bank and under the control of the Rothschilds. If the country does not accept the loan, the leader of this particular country will be assassinated and a Rothschild aligned leader will be put into the position, and if the assassination does not work, the country will be invaded and have a Central Bank established with force all under the name of terrorism.
Rothschild owned Central Bank:
Central banks are illegally created private banks that are owned by the Rothschild banking family. The family has been around for more than 230 years and has slithered its way into each country on this planet, threatened every world leader and their governments and cabinets with physical and economic death and destruction, and then emplaced their own people in these central banks to control and manage each country’s pocketbook. Worse, the Rothschilds also control the machinations of each government at the macro level, not concerning themselves with the daily vicissitudes of our individual personal lives. Except when we get too far out of line.
The only countries left in 2003 without a Central Bank owned by the Rothschild Family were:
Sudan
Libya
Cuba
North Korea
Iran
The Attacks of September 11th were an inside job to invade Afghanistan and Iraq to then establish a Central Bank in those countries.
The only countries left in 2011 without a Central Bank owned by the Rothschild Family are:
Cuba
North Korea
Iran
After the instigated protests and riots in the Arab countries the Rothschild finally paved their way into establishing Central Banks, and getting rid of many leaders, which put them into more power.
Source: http://ninjashoes.net/forum/showthread.php?82773-your-thoughts&goto=newpost
Erick Silva to face Matt Brown in main event at UFC Fight Night in Cincinnati
We've known for a few weeks that the UFC's long-awaited return to Cincinnati will happen May 10, and now we know who will be headlining the card. UFC Fight Night's main event will feature Ohio's own Matt Brown against Brazil's Erick Silva. Fox Sports first broke the news of the fight on Monday afternoon, and UFC confirmed it shortly thereafter.
Cincinnati's Brown (18-11) was supposed to have faced Carlos Condit back in December at UFC on FOX 9 in Sacramento, but a back injury forced him to withdraw from the fight. Now cleared to resume training, Brown will look to make it seven wins in a row in the UFC's welterweight division, having last fought in August (a quick knockout of Mike Pyle). This will mark only the second time in his 16-fight UFC career that Brown has fought in his native Ohio. The last time he did was at UFC 96 against Pete Sell in Columbus. He won that bout via TKO in 92 seconds.
As for the 29-year old Silva (16-4-1), he will try and make it consecutive wins after knocking out Takenori Sato on February 15. Though the Brazilian has flashed a lot of potential in the 170-pound weight class, he's been up and down for the last couple of years, going 3-3 since being disqualified against Carlo Prater at UFC 142 in January 2012. Of his victories, though, his last six have come via finishes (three subs, three KOs).
The last time the UFC went to Cincinnati was six-and-a-half years ago, when local former champion Rich Franklin tried to recapture his belt against Anderson Silva at UFC 77. Same as that time, UFC Fight Night 40 will take place at U.S. Bank Arena.
Other confirmed bouts for the card include a lightweight fight between Erik Koch and Detroit's Daron Cruickshank, a bantamweight tilt between Ian Wineland and Johnny Eduardo, and a middleweight clash between Costas Philippou and Lorenz Larkin.
Dana White: Vitor Belfort Still Having TRT Issues with NSAC
Although nobody is saying a thing about the results of the random drug test the Nevada State Athletic Commission sprung on Vitor Belfort (pictured) at the MMA Awards on February 7, suspicious minds like mine are starting to believe the urinalysis didn’t come back clean.
Belfort, who has become the poster child for testosterone replacement therapy (TRT), was slated to challenge UFC middleweight champ Chris Weidman at UFC 173 in Las Vegas. However, he was abruptly pulled from the May 24 show shortly after the NSAC voted unanimously in February to ban TRT.
Because Belfort had yet to file for a license with the NSAC when they surprised him with the pop quiz, the results of his test were only released to the commission, UFC and Belfort. It’s been radio silence from all parties. Belfort could easily kill all the speculation by stating the results were negative – that is, of course, they were in fact negative.
Which brings us to present day. Belfort still has not filed for a license with the NSAC. However, the 37-year-old recently told MMAFighting that he is clean and ready to go. “The Phenom” claims to have passed all the tests required by the commission, only he did them “on my own” – as in, with an unofficial home drug testing kit you can pick up at your local CVS Pharmacy.
For the most part, the UFC had Belfort’s back when he was powered by TRT and posting highlight reel finishes. Since TRT’s banishment, they seem to have distanced themselves from the Brazilian and left him to figure things out on his own.
“No, TRT stuff with the commission,” UFC president Dana White said Saturday of what’s keeping Belfort from fighting. “He’s got to solve his problem with the Nevada State Athletic Commission. And when he does that, we can figure it out. He’s got a lot of work to do. That s*** doesn’t just happen like that (snapping his fingers) – you’ve got to get on the agenda, he’s got a lot of work to do.
“He’s fooling himself if that’s what he really thinks – he took a couple home tests and he’s ready to roll, or whatever he did. He’s always fun, man. He’s hilarious.”
Dan Henderson, who is a longtime user of TRT and went down as the last man to use the controversial treatment in the UFC when he beat Mauricio “Shogun” Rua in March, will face Daniel Cormier next month in Las Vegas – the same card Belfort was initially scheduled to perform in.
So, why is Hendo able to get licensed in Nevada just one month after being on TRT for a fight and Belfort still hasn’t even applied for one?
Did Belfort flunk that random screening and will now have his application denied for, let’s say nine months (similar to Alistair Overeem’s punishment when he failed his random test by the NSAC for elevated levels of testosterone)?
Is the NSAC simply throwing up more roadblocks for Belfort because he tested positive for elevated levels of testosterone in their state nearly eight years ago?
There are plenty of questions, but very little answers at this point. What’s for certain is Weidman will defend his throne against Lyoto Machida at UFC 175 – in Las Vegas, for good measure – and Belfort will be on the outside looking in.
Source: http://www.5thRound.com/167950/dana-white-vitor-belfort-still-having-trt-issues-with-nsac/
"The UFC cares nothing about the fighters"- Nate Quarry
When I signed with the UFC this is what I was told"
We can't pay you much but you can have any sponsors you want.
Then: We need to approve your sponsors.
Then: You can't have any conflicting sponsors.
Then: You can't thank your sponsors after fights.
Then: We are not approving any sponsors that we don't like their product.
Then: Your sponsors have to pay us a fee of $50,000 for the pleasure to sponsor you.
Then: Your sponsors have to pay us a fee of $100,000 for the pleasure to sponsor you.
If a sponsor has a budget of 10k to sponsor a fighter, they are then out. If there are 5 shorts companies in the UFC you can only go to them for a sponsorship. If they have spent their budget or don't want to support an up and coming fighter they give you shorts instead of money. If you're fighting for $6,000 to show and fighting 3 times a year, even $500 makes a big difference. When there is no competition they don't have to pay you. I lost And1 as a sponsor when the UFC enacted the tax.
At the UFC summit a fighter asked if he could wear his own shirt. Dana laughed and said, "Uh... we can talk about it." I turned around and asked the UFC lawyer if I could wear my OWN shirt and he said, "Sure, give me $50,000 and we can talk about it."
People have no clue from the outside what it's like to fight for the UFC. After spending 10-15 years chasing your dream only to see that the company it's been your dream to fight for cares nothing about the fighters and only cares about the bottom line.
…
I'm incredibly grateful for the opportunity to fight for the UFC and everything I have besides my daughter has come from fighting. But let's not fool ourselves. It's not a charity. It's a business. And they are doing everything they can to make money. The fighters are just a product to use and discard. Every up and coming fighter is the best ever. Every ex-fighter who then expresses an opinion is a coward, loser, etc, etc.
I fought for the world title for $10,000. Not a penny more. No bonus. No cut of the PPV. The gate alone was 3.5 million dollars. The third highest gate in UFC history at the time. And they must have loved the fight cuz they show the final punch at the start of EVERY UFC PPV. :-)
And that's fine. Because it's a business. But sooner or later the allure of fighting in the UFC will not be as attractive as fighting for an organization that takes care of you, appreciates you, will let you have sponsors to help make up the income gap, doesn't trash you when you think for yourself, and on and on. Just like every business you work for. It's funny to me to hear people cheer for Dana when he says things that if he was your boss and he said them about you, you would be looking for another job. But when you're signed to a contract, you can't go anywhere. No matter how much you want to.
Too many cards
Back in the "golden age" of MMA, I found myself waiting eagerly months in advance contemplating the outcomes of certain fights, and thinking about how amazing the 3 or 4 hours were going to be. Now, I usually DVR the fights, watch the first rounds of fights between any pair of guys I'm not familiar with, and I end up fast forwarding if they seemingly aren't of quality.
I guess it's my own problem, because I can always avoid watching events; but I feel like the product is so watered down these days that I might tune in to see Kundurp... so I barely look forward to the events as a whole, maybe just a fight here or there.
Mark Cuban recently made the statement that the NFL was going to implode in the next ten years in large part because of over-saturation.
I think ZUFFA runs the company like shit for many reasons, but this is chief among them.
What do you think?
Source: http://ninjashoes.net/forum/showthread.php?82653-Too-many-cards&goto=newpost
Roy Nelson KO's Antonio Rodrigo "Minotauro" Nogueira
All it took was three big overhand right punches for Roy Nelson to snap a two-fight losing streak Friday in Abu Dhabi against legendary former heavyweight champion Antonio Rodrigo "Minotauro" Nogueira. The two grapplers decided stand and trade punches for all of the nearly three minutes that their bout lasted and Nelson's power proved to be superior as he scored a walk-off KO win over the Brazilian.
In his post-fight interview, "Big Country" praised his opponent, giving him credit as a pioneer of the sport. "If it wasn't for him, we wouldn't be fighting in MMA as heavyweights," Nelson said of Nogueira.
Nelson went on to say that he planned "to go the full five rounds," but that his "right hand just landed first." It did indeed, early and often.
The round began with the taller Nogueira pumping his lead jab out at Nelson as the corpulent warrior covered up, crouched and bobbed. After about one minute, Nelson landed his first overhand right, dropping "Big Nog," to the canvas.
The submission ace seemed to regain his bearings immediately as he looked up at Nelson from an open guard. When they returned to their feet, it was more of the same - Nogueira confidently pumping his jab, catching mostly air, and Nelson bobbing and weaving out of danger.
Nelson got inside and took advantage of Nogueira's low hands once more with an overhand to the chin, knocking the former Pride and UFC champ down again. Nogueira got back to his feet but it was clear that he was done as he wobbled back and forth before taking one more blast to the chin, putting him down, cold and out for good - his arms and legs stretched out, stiffly.
The Brazilian Jiu Jitsu black belt has been in some of the sport's biggest wars, and has come out on top in most of them. This loss is the latest in a disturbing trend of trauma-inducing losses for the future Hall of Famer, however.
Nogueira, a near fifteen year veteran, has now lost three out of his last four fights, and five out of his last eight, dating back to 2008.
Follow Elias on Twitter @EliasCepeda & @YahooCagewriter
BREAKING NEWS: Results of Takanori Gomi vs. Isaac Vallie-Flagg from UFC 172 prelims
Head to the new mobile version of our site at MMATorch.com in your mobile browser to check out the live report, with further details, star ratings, and analysis on the bout. Also, take part in the comments in the live report throughout the night, powered by Disqus on our new mobile platform!
Check out the top post in the app for an explanation on the changes we've made and what's accessible on the new mobile version of the site as opposed to the app.
Source: http://www.mmatorch.com/artman2/publish/torchtoday/article_21238.shtml
Saturday, 26 April 2014
UFC on FOX 5 includes prelims on FX and Facebook, Schaub-Johnson in featured bout
In addition to a stacked main card, next week's UFC on FOX 5 event includes a super-sized preliminary-card lineup with nine fights. Unlike past UFC on FOX events, the featured prelims air on FX instead of FUEL TV.
In the main FX bout, which follows additional prelims on Facebook, heavyweights Brendan Schaub and Lavar Johnson clash at Seattle's KeyArena.
Rousey vs. Carano set for UFC 175
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| by Chris Palmquist | |
For the past several weeks, rumors have been floating around the MMA media that the UFC was pursuing Gina Carano for a return to the Octagon.
Carano openly stated that she would definitely be interested in a return, but UFC President Dana White refuted the claim that they were negotiating.
But tonight on a special edition of UFC Tonight, White joined the cast and officially announced that Carano had indeed signed to return to the UFC. And not only had she signed, but she would be immediately put into a title fight versus champion Ronda Rousey at UFC 175 as the co-main event.
UFC 175 is headlined by a middleweight title fight between Chris Weidman and Lyoto Machid and takes place in Las Vegas on July 5th.
“This is a huge moment for UFC and especially women’s MMA. We feel like this could be the most watched UFC fight ever,” said White.
Carano has been out of mixed martial arts since 2009, a loss to Cris Cyborg. Despite the layoff, she is being thrust directly into the title fight as the UFC likely did not want to risk devaluing the fight should Carano take and lose a warmup fight.
And if that wasn’t enough, White then announced that the two would also square off in the first ever, ‘bikinis only, jello MMA match.’ The UFC already received approval from the NSAC to hold this special rules match.
Keith Kizer, executive director of the Nevada Commission, spoke to the Underground about the fight: “We are very excited to help the UFC usher in this new breed of combat sports and look forward to a new exciting kind of MMA that fans of all ages and backgrounds can get behind.”
So there you have it. The UFC again made history and announced what is sure to be the most epic UFC bout of all-time.
Source: http://ninjashoes.net/forum/showthread.php?82705-Rousey-vs-Carano-set-for-UFC-175&goto=newpost
Mark Epstein Tom Big Cat Erickson Martinsh Egle Eric Butterbean Esch
Great uppercut KO
SKip to 5 minutes in. Amazing southpaw uppercut.
Source: http://ninjashoes.net/forum/showthread.php?82489-Great-uppercut-KO&goto=newpost
Houston Alexander Ricardo Almeida Eddie Alvarez Thiago Alves
Trained MMA Fighter Killed Home Invader – News Video
Source: http://www.mmatko.com/trained-mma-fighter-killed-home-invader-news-video/
Stav Crazy Bear Economou Yves Edwards Justin Eilers Jon Olav Einemo
Friday, 25 April 2014
AFO MMA Pro-Am Show Postponed
Promoter John “The Quietman” Ruiz, former two-time World Boxing Association heavyweight champion, has announced the postponement of the new American Fighting Championship’s (AFO) inaugural Pro-Am mixed-martial-arts show that was scheduled on Saturday night, April 26 at Tyngsboro Sports Center in Tyngsboro, Massachusetts.
AFO’s launching of “The Battle Series: AFO Redemption” amateur tournament, which will feature some of New England’s top fighters in various weight classes, was to highlighted the Apr. 26th show.
The postponement was due to a variety of reasons, primarily the late addition of a major sponsor willing to make a substantial financial investment in the show and tournament, as well as providing a custom made trophy to be awarded to the gym producing the most winners in the tournament.
“We didn’t want to rush and promote our first show just for the sake of doing it,” Ruiz explained. “We just ran out of time. We had a lot of fighters contact us to fight in our tournament, but the new sponsor wants more gyms competing against each other to establish bragging rights to go along with a sizable cash award and trophy. It’s very important for all us associated with AFO to make sure our first show is of high quality, featuring entertaining, competitive fights. We couldn’t insure that for April 26th and had to make a difficult decision to postpone that event.”
Another reason for the delay in the new AFO’s inaugural event is a USO trip to Afghanistan that Ruiz is involved in that which was originally supposed to happen in February but was recently rescheduled to happen later this month. Ruiz committed himself to the trip and he would have been away for the final few weeks of preparation for the Apr. 26 show.
“It’s a good news, bad news situation,” Ruiz continued. “We are disappointed having to postpone our first show, but we have a title sponsor behind us and that’s going to help a lot. We apologize for any inconveniences this postponement is for fighters, trainers and fans alike. Our staff will have sufficient time to recruit fighters for the tournament, as well as further develop relationships with MMA gyms and fighters throughout New England. We are looking at several venues and television options for this summer and will make a formal announcement about the exact date when everything has been finalized.”
For more information about the AFO and Quietman Sports Gym, please visit www.afomma.com, www.quietmansports.com, www.facebook.com/QuietmanSports or www.facebook.com/afomma.com.
AFO MMA Pro-Am Show Postponed is a post from: MMA Interplay
Source: http://www.mmainterplay.com/afo/afo-mma-pro-am-show-postponed-68127/
Marcus Aurelio Mikhail Avetisyan Luiz Azeredo Luciano Azevedo
Clay Guida promises to push pace against Tatsuya Kawajiri
UFC featherweight Clay Guida has a lot of praise and respect for his opponent tomorrow in Abu Dhabi, Japanese legend Tatsuya Kawajiri. "Going to be a heck of a fight. He's fought for belts, he's had belts. He's had some amazing fights, some amazing submissions, very memorable battles in Pride Bushido, Shooto, and it's cool to see the UFC give me this opportunity in neutral ground, in Abu Dhabi in front of just amazing fans," the ever-positive Guida recently told Ray Flores on ESPN Chicago's Fighting Words podcast.
That said, "The Carpenter" is certain that he can push Kawakiri to his breaking point through his conditioning and relentlessness. "I don't know if he knows what deep water is, yet," Guida said.
"He's fought a couple 45ers and he's about to see what fast-paced is...he's about to see what a full gas tank is at 110 miles per hour."
The American wrestler himself has not fought since August of last year when he lost to top contender Chad Mendes via TKO. Since that time, Guida has rested, coached, traveled and rehabbed injuries.
The time off was well-spent, according to the fighter, and he says he's in a good mental place to rebound from the loss.
"You have to have short-term memory. I believe, sometimes in life and definitely in sports," Guida explained.
"Chad taught me a valuable lesson, just like Kenny Florian did right before I went on a pretty good win streak. Just little things that my brother tells me every day in practice. 'Hands up, stay off the fence.' 'Hands up, don't back up.' Chad made me pay for it, unfortunately.
"I'm really looking forward to bouncing back after a nice lay off, resting my body. The body needed to readjust and repair. I had some lower back issues that called for rest. Did a lot of traveling, a lot of coaching, a lot of learning and developing of some skills."
Who are you picking in Friday's UFC co-main event? Let us know in the comments section.
Follow Elias on Twitter @EliasCepeda & @YahooCagewriter
Erick Silva to face Matt Brown in main event at UFC Fight Night in Cincinnati
We've known for a few weeks that the UFC's long-awaited return to Cincinnati will happen May 10, and now we know who will be headlining the card. UFC Fight Night's main event will feature Ohio's own Matt Brown against Brazil's Erick Silva. Fox Sports first broke the news of the fight on Monday afternoon, and UFC confirmed it shortly thereafter.
Cincinnati's Brown (18-11) was supposed to have faced Carlos Condit back in December at UFC on FOX 9 in Sacramento, but a back injury forced him to withdraw from the fight. Now cleared to resume training, Brown will look to make it seven wins in a row in the UFC's welterweight division, having last fought in August (a quick knockout of Mike Pyle). This will mark only the second time in his 16-fight UFC career that Brown has fought in his native Ohio. The last time he did was at UFC 96 against Pete Sell in Columbus. He won that bout via TKO in 92 seconds.
As for the 29-year old Silva (16-4-1), he will try and make it consecutive wins after knocking out Takenori Sato on February 15. Though the Brazilian has flashed a lot of potential in the 170-pound weight class, he's been up and down for the last couple of years, going 3-3 since being disqualified against Carlo Prater at UFC 142 in January 2012. Of his victories, though, his last six have come via finishes (three subs, three KOs).
The last time the UFC went to Cincinnati was six-and-a-half years ago, when local former champion Rich Franklin tried to recapture his belt against Anderson Silva at UFC 77. Same as that time, UFC Fight Night 40 will take place at U.S. Bank Arena.
Other confirmed bouts for the card include a lightweight fight between Erik Koch and Detroit's Daron Cruickshank, a bantamweight tilt between Ian Wineland and Johnny Eduardo, and a middleweight clash between Costas Philippou and Lorenz Larkin.
Kultar Gill Allan Goes Takanori The Fireball Kid Gomi Akihiro Gono
Lyoto "The Slacker" Machida works on his balance
Well, we now know how Lyoto Machida is spending his time as he waits for Chris Weidman to heal up before they can fight this summer for Weidman's UFC middleweight title. "The Dragon" has taken a cue from acrobats and hipsters everywhere and begun practicing his balance on a slackline.
Check out the former light heavyweight champion show off on his slack line in the two videos released on Instagram recently, below.
Follow Elias on Twitter @EliasCepeda & @YahooCagewriter
Abyss chokeslams Eric Young onto tacs
Source: http://ninjashoes.net/forum/showthread.php?82810-Abyss-chokeslams-Eric-Young-onto-tacs&goto=newpost
Shane The Engineer Carwin Jason Hollywood Chambers Ryo Piranha Chonan Dan The Sandman Christison
True Detective Wow!
After the last show I would say its Breaking Bad level.
Source: http://ninjashoes.net/forum/showthread.php?82412-True-Detective-Wow!&goto=newpost
Ronda says she has the best striking in Womens MMA
“My MMA striking is the best in the game,” said Rousey.
"With judo I spent so many years with a certain posture that the hardest thing was adjusting it.”
“I’ve reached a certain level of competition where what’s required out of striking to come into the clinch to grapple is a lot more complicated than at the lower levels. It requires much more high-level footwork and striking to be able to use grappling at all.”
No woman in the UFC has yet to score a knockdown due to a standing strike, but Rousey said all it needs is time.
“It’s a younger side of the sport that’s still developing,” said Rousey. “It’s going to need a little more time before we can reach the same standard the guys are at because they had a big head start.”
Rousey has worked diligently to raise her comfort level on her feet ahead of Saturday's UFC 170 pay-per-view headliner vs. Sara McMann in Las Vegas. That work has paid off after a brief period of stand-up training, Rousey says, and she thinks her skills have surpassed those of her peers.
"My MMA striking is the best in the game," Rousey told USA TODAY Sports.
It's a bold claim ahead of a historic title defense, one in which Olympic medalists meet in the UFC for the first time. Rousey (8-0 MMA, 2-0 UFC), a 2008 judo bronze medalist, meets McMann (7-0, 1-0), a 2004 wrestling silver medalist.
Rousey, 27, has earned all of her career wins via armbar submission but continues to expand her horizons and target what was once a weakness. She is an athlete who has put in years on the mat, so adjusting to punches, kicks, knees and elbows is a difficult task. It also is one Rousey enjoys.
FTW: Fans invited to UFC 170 pre-fight events
"It definitely is a challenge," she said. "With judo I spent so many years with a certain posture that the hardest thing was adjusting it."
The shift from hurling a judo opponent through the air to knocking her out with a punch is no easy feat. Rousey has found success, though, and her offensive and defensive striking statistics over her last six fights hover right around the UFC average.
While Rousey intends to bolster those stats, as she feels more comfortable standing, don't expect her to completely abandon what got her to this point. In the end, she says, she'll always possess the instincts of judoka, which means striking will be used to better her chances of taking a fight to the mat.
"I've reached a certain level of competition where what's required out of striking to come into the clinch to grapple is a lot more complicated than at the lower levels," Rousey said. "It requires much more high-level footwork and striking to be able to use grappling at all."
As a whole, the level of striking in women's UFC fights is still a notch below what you'll find in the men's weight classes. Since the adoption of the women's division in early 2013, a female UFC fighter has yet to score a knockdown due to a standing strike.
The exact reasoning for the lack of knockdowns is difficult to pinpoint, but from Rousey's perspective, it's a product of women's MMA still being in its infancy.
"It's a younger side of the sport that's still developing," she said. "It's going to need a little more time before we can reach the same standard the guys are at because they had a big head start."
Saturday's bout against McMann marks Rousey's third title defense since she was appointed UFC champion in early 2013. Some titleholders get more complacent as their reigns go on, but Rousey remains on her toes. She thinks McMann could be her toughest test yet and, despite the growing confidence in her overall game, she can't take any opponent — especially this one — for granted.
"I approach every fight like I'm fighting for a new belt," Rousey said. "It doesn't matter who you're fighting. You don't start with an extra score on the scoreboard because you won the last fight."