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

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/clay-guida-promises-to-push-pace-against-tatsuya-kawajiri-155019351.html

Gabriel Gonzaga Lyman Good Gary Goodridge Gerard Gordeau

Erick Silva to face Matt Brown in main event at UFC Fight Night in Cincinnati

http://www.mmafighting.com/2014/3/3/...ht-night-40-in



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.

Source: http://ninjashoes.net/forum/showthread.php?82547-Erick-Silva-to-face-Matt-Brown-in-main-event-at-UFC-Fight-Night-in-Cincinnati&goto=newpost

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

Source: http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mma-cagewriter/lyoto--the-slacker--machida-works-on-his-balance-151829697.html

Yves Edwards Justin Eilers Jon Olav Einemo Per Eklund

Abyss chokeslams Eric Young onto tacs

Pretty good match all around. Its always fucked up and entertaining when someone is willing to abuse their body to such lengths.

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!

Great show, better than anything currently on TV.

After the last show I would say its Breaking Bad level.

Source: http://ninjashoes.net/forum/showthread.php?82412-True-Detective-Wow!&goto=newpost

Rolles Gracie Royce Gracie Royler Gracie Ryan Gracie

Ronda says she has the best striking in Womens MMA

http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports...riker/5571429/

Quote:

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“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.”

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Ronda Rousey possesses arguably the most dangerous ground game in women's mixed martial arts. However, the reigning Ultimate Fighting Championship women's bantamweight titleholder thinks her striking is equally effective.

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."

Source: http://ninjashoes.net/forum/showthread.php?82457-Ronda-says-she-has-the-best-striking-in-Womens-MMA&goto=newpost

Gerard Gordeau Jonathan Goulet Wilson Gouveia Jason Grace